

Jinxed

Book 1

Jinxed

Copyright © 2013 by M.M. Gavillet

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of the book may be used or reproduced in any manner without the written permission from the author. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidences are the product of the author's imagination, any resemblance to real events, locations, persons living or dead, are purely a coincidence.

Front and back cover designed by M.M. Gavillet

Smashwords Edition

Watch for new releases and excerpts of M.M. Gavillet's novels on her blog!

mmgavillet.blogspot.com

For my family.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As always, I have to thank my village people and my family—I adore you all! And a really big thanks to Kathy—for trying to save me in a sea of words and thanks to the lovely Keri! I wouldn't be able to do this without any of you!
Chapter One

The rain that fell from the grey sky, suddenly shifted to ice as the temperature drastically dropped. And now, snow fell taking its place in large puffy flakes. It covered the crusty coating of ice that clung to the light posts and cars parked beside them. The sidewalk that I walked down hasn't been cleared yet as the rain-ice-snow combination came suddenly to Pleasantville Illinois.

There weren't too many people out in the frigid air. Light from the apartment windows hovering over me, showered the street below in a yellowish glow. The ice crunched under my shoes, one had a hole in it that conveniently formed just as it started to rain. As a result, my wet sock was now turning to ice as I headed into the Salvation Army's soup kitchen.

The warm air greeted me like a mother's hug. Everything was bright and clean and more importantly—warm.

"Eliza, glad you're here!" Rosie's brown eyes surrounded in too much make-up, lit up like the overly decorated Christmas tree that sat in the corner of the large dining room. "You can help me do the dishes." She smiled showing all of her white teeth.

"But first, can I get a new pair of shoes and socks?" I asked trying to give Rosie my sad eyes.

"Sure, come on." She motioned for me to come behind the counter as she took off her hairnet.

The dining room was empty and still smelled of bleach from Rosie cleaning off the tables that had festive plastic covers on them for Christmas. Just the lights from the tree illuminated the large room as I took off my worn out shoes and threw them in the trash.

"You're a lucky girl," Rosie said pulling out a box with various shoes piled inside. "This just came in today, and you get first pick." She smiled pushing the box towards me.

I quickly sat the box down and emptied it. There were shiny patent leather flats, slightly used sneakers with vents on the sides, and a pair of leather boot. I pulled them out and slipped on the knee-high black boots with straps that went around the ankle. I stood in them and wiggled my toes—perfect.

"Hey, look at these." Rosie pulled a pair of hot pink platform shoes. "Maybe I can wear these to church on Sunday." She dangled the pointed heeled shoes in the air. "Might give me a little height." She chuckled.

I laughed at Rosie as she put the shoes back and looked down at them with her hands on her large hips. "Really, I mean look at them," she said pointing to the box. "Most of these shoes aren't even sensible for the folks here." She pulled out another pair of glittering high heeled shoes. "Maybe the prostitutes would like them, but most that patronize this place, need practical shoes like the ones you have on." She pointed to the leather boots.

I looked at the party shoes Rosie dropped to the floor wishing for a split second that I could wear those shoes one day—just like Cinderella.

"That's why I picked them," I replied with my eyes still on the high heels.

"Sensible girl...you just need a new direction to go in, and that direction right now is that way." She pointed back towards the kitchen. "Come on Cinderella," Rosie put the heels back into the box with a smile, "let's go...I've got a surprise for you."

"What is it?" I asked excitedly.

"Now you're going to have to wait until dishes are done...don't want you to forget about them."

I didn't mind helping Rosie with any work that needed done. I've known her for about a year now, and she has secretly let me eat, get new clothes, sleep and shower here undetected by anyone else—I just come when she's working. Rosie's different than most people. She doesn't ask me about where I came from, where I've been or anything about my life. It's perfect for me because I've run away from home. My father I never knew and my mother preferred drugs instead of raising me. I haven't talked to her in five years.

I've lived on the street for a year now, and so far, no regrets—with help from Rosie. I keep low and out of sight. I don't go out at night and I will never do tricks for money. I made a promise to myself when I made the openness of Pleasantville my home—after a year had gone by, I would have to find something because I can't make the slick streets my permanent home.

With soap suds up to my elbows, I looked at Rosie as she hummed and wiped down the large stainless steel cooler.

"Baby oil has so many uses," she said as she stepped back and gazed at the shiny metal doors like it was a priceless painting. "There aren't many things that can be used on a baby and used to shine these old cooler doors."

She put the bottle of baby oil in the cabinet and glanced over at me. "About done?" She glanced in the sink with raised eyebrows.

"Only one more left. It had lasagna in it and I think it was burned." Rosie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"New cook—thinks they know everything and I guess they do if it involves burning dinner." She scooted me out of the way and started scrubbing the large pan like she was battling with it.

Soap and water splashed to the floor as she rinsed the gleaming pan. "There all done— like nothing ever burned in it like it was cooked in Hell."

Rosie smiled turning off the light. "Staying tonight?" she asked.

I've stayed here about every night since I met Rosie and she still asks me each time.

"Yeah," I said thinking a warm bed sounded like a slice of Heaven.

"Oh, I almost forgot about the surprise." Rosie raised her eyebrows. "There's a position in the kitchen open and I was wondering if you'd be interested."

"You mean a job?" I asked.

"Well, yeah, that's what I would call it," Rosie said as we walked down the hallway to the room I always took. "But...I'd have to know a little information, you know, social security number, your full name..."

I drew in a deep breath as I felt my insides turn to pins and needles. Rosie, I knew could easily read what I was thinking.

"Well, I'll let you think about it and you can let me know in the morning," she said with a smile.

I knew this was the end of my stay at the Salvation Army. There's no way I can give her any information, and I had no idea what my social security number was, or if I even had one.

"Thanks Rosie...thanks for everything." She nodded her head and I closed the door pressing my back to it and wondering where my bed was going to be tomorrow night.

I left just as the sun was nothing but a sliver of orange in the horizon. I did leave a two page note expressing how much I appreciated everything Rosie had done for me. I'm going to miss her.

I made my way to the mall, where it was warm and also, full of opportunities. Not only was I good at shoplifting, I was also good at picking pockets and unsupervised purses. I carried with me a large tote bag.

None of the stores were open yet, so I sat on one of the benches and watched all of the walkers make their laps like competing race cars. I pulled out one of the six bagels that I took from the Salvation Army kitchen. I ate it as I glanced at some of the stores and window shopped for the next two hours.

Designer jeans are a hot item along with purses right now, and with my large tote bag, I think jeans would be easier to pack. I knew it was morally wrong, but I was desperate, and knew I should've stayed with Rosie. It was simple—I wanted to live unnoticed, undetected and invisible at least until I was eighteen.

"We've got a sale going on right now," a pleasant voice said behind me.

I swung around to see a blonde girl smiling back at me with perfect make-up and what looked like the whole jewelry section the store had around her neck. She unlocked the front gate pushing back the folding mesh covers.

"I've got to go back in and unlock the glass slider and I'll be right with you." She stepped around the corner and quickly appeared to unlock the glass door.

"Sorry about the door, but the gate doesn't open from the inside, and now we have to use the other lock to get it open." She pushed the doors open with a whooshing sound as the lights popped on.

"Come on in." She smiled. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No...thanks though, I'm just looking." I felt uncomfortable knowing what I was about to do was wrong, but I had to survive.

"Well, let me know if you do, and my name is Ivy." Her sparkling green eyes glistened back at me.

I nodded my head and thought out my battle plan. I did have enough money to buy one pair of jeans. And enough room in my tote for at least three or maybe four pairs if I rolled them up enough. My only problem was removing the anti-stealing plastic tag that would set off a buzzer, and make shoplifting impossible for me. Fortunate for me, I knew how to remove them.

I tried to look believable, and took only a couple pairs of jeans then had Ivy go and get me a different size. After several trips to the racks, and then back to the dressing room, I hoped to confuse the perky store clerk and manage to slip in a few pairs after I pried apart the plastic anti-stealing tags, careful not to disturb the ink in it, and then, they were mine.

To my surprise, I fit six tightly rolled pairs of jeans in the tote, and hung one pair that I planned on purchasing over my arm. Also to my benefit, the store became busy due to the sale and to put the cherry on top, Ivy informed me that the other store clerk called in sick and she'd be the only clerk available.

I walked up to the counter with my legitimate purchase and unfolded the money I had in my pocket.

"Oh, I love this style," said flipping the jeans over and folding them up as she told another customer she'd be with them.

"Yeah, they fit really great." I smiled back at her trying to appear normal and I didn't have about two hundred dollars of merchandise in my tote bag.

I paid her and she gave me my change with a smile and a have a good day. I left with sweat trickling down my back. Nothing was a done deal until I was out of the store and safely away.

It was nearly noon, and the store was getting busier with people on their lunch breaks. I weaved my way through the racks wanting to leave as quickly as possible without looking like I was running away.

The store seemed longer leaving than it did when I first came in and just for good measure, I peeked over my shoulder. No one was looking at me, no pointing fingers and everything looked like a normal clothing store.

Suddenly, I bumped into something. Immediately, I latched onto my precious tote and looked up to see two dark eyes glaring at me surrounded in a fur hat.

"Excuse me," I said pushing past the tall woman.

"Watch where you're going," she said in a huffy voice. She rolled her eyes at me, bent down and reached for her cell phone she dropped and continued talking on it. "Yes, sorry about that, ran into some idiot not watching where they were going. You were saying..." She brushed past me as I couldn't help but to notice all of her colorful rings on each of her fingers. They were large stones and looked like they could double as weapons.

I watched her maneuver through the racks of clothes with her puffy fur coat that some animal had to give up so she could drape herself in it. I felt my stomach churn.

I observed her as she made her way to the back of the store, her phone glued to her ear. I shook off the enchantment, or whatever it was, and took a step towards the entrance when I realized I had stepped on something. I discreetly removed my foot to see what it was, and staring back at me was a large pin with sparkling stones embedded in it. It looked old, like an antique. I glanced back at the lady I had just run in to. It was more likely hers. There was no tag noting a piece of merchandise belonging to the store, and I had bumped in to her—more likely she dropped it.

I quickly glanced around to see if anyone had noticed it as well, no one did. I bent down, picked it up, put it in my tote, and exited the store without any alarms going off. The right thing to do would return it to her or at least to the store so whoever lost it might find it again. But I didn't, and it was wrong, but I felt compelled to do it. And it wasn't like I pulled it from her disgusting fur coat, and it might not even be hers. I talked myself easily into keeping it—might be worth something since I'm not planning on returning to the Salvation Army. I needed the money.

I sighed with relief, and then went out of the mall and down the street to the library.

The library was two levels, and I spent a lot of time here. It was cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and had endless amounts of entertainment. I loved to read—it was my only escape from reality which usually I had to go back to around five when the library closed.

This time I wouldn't be reading, but examining my 'hot' merchandise. I went into the upper level, and down one of the aisles where no one was at. I pulled the pin out first. I could hardly wait to see my treasure. It was round and very flat with colors swirling like colored sand under its smooth top. It was about the size a half dollar, and very light in my hand. I flipped it over and discovered the back was smooth and bright silver with a curled marking that looked like 'at' symbol on a keyboard. There was no pin or hook and nothing that made it look like it was a piece of jewelry.

I flipped it around in my hand. If it was a piece of jewelry, it was broken, and maybe not worth anything. Maybe it had come off of something instead—a display at the store or was an embellishment on a purse. I studied it again. There was something about it that I was drawn to.

I stepped closer to the window mesmerized by the swirling colors inside the stones that seemed to move on their own. I became entranced by them as I tilted my hand to make them swirl faster. The more I watched it, the more I became fascinated by it.

Everything melted around me, and all I cared about was watching the colors when suddenly, the coin became heavy in my hand. I tried to turn my hand over to drop it, but it was glued to my palm. I tried to pry it loose when it began to burn. I needed help, but then I'd be asked what it was and where I got it. I had to get out of here.

I turned to pick up my tote, when everything spun. I staggered, trying to steady myself, when my vision blurred. I had to at least get to the bathroom and lock myself in until this thing passed.

Suddenly, my arm that was holding the pin felt like a knife had been shoved through it. Taken by the sudden pain, I fell to my knees letting out a little too loud of a whimper that I hoped no one heard, but I knew the librarian on duty, she had bionic ears and heard everything. I flipped my hand over expecting to see a rash, blisters or even blood, but instead a small circle of swirling colors shifted like storm clouds just under my skin.

What was happening to me? I knew what was happening to me—I was being punished for stealing it.

Many thoughts ran through my head from the stolen jeans in my tote to someone finding me sprawled out on the library floor.

I tried to push myself up and get out of here, but my legs wouldn't work and my vision was fading.

"Miss?" Came a questioning voice.

I could hardly breathe as my hand burned like it was on fire.

"Quick!" The voice came again. "Call 911!"

Flashes of concerned faces, lights and the cold air rushing past my face ran into blurs of fragmented visions. I wasn't sure if minutes or hours went by. Finally, things began to slow down and I could hear a few voices, buzzers and phones ringing.

"Probably drugs of some sort..." a voice said suddenly.

"Found her on the library floor convulsing...more likely an overdose—shame," said another voice. "Still waiting on blood results."

"Do they know who she is?"

"No. She had no I.D.—nothing." The voice sighed. "Police will be coming soon." The word ran through me like it was on fire, and I wanted nothing more than to hop off the bed and run towards the door. I was caught now.

"Is the doctor coming soon?"

"It'll be awhile—car accident with multiple injuries combined with short staff means if you're not bleeding and breathing—you wait."

"I'm calling him again."

Footsteps left and all I could hear were the distant voices and phones ringing. I forced my eyes open and confirmed what I thought—I was in the emergency room—they probably found my tote.

I felt weak, but much better. I immediately looked at my hand that had gauze wrapped around it and thankfully, I was still in my clothes. And to top it off, my tote was sitting on the floor.

I sat up looking out the glass window at the nurses at their station. They didn't notice me. Lots of people were rushing in and out which made it all the easier for me to leave.

I swung my legs over, jumped off the gurney, grabbed my coat and tote and left like I was never there.

I knew I couldn't go to the library again for a while so I decided to go into a local diner that was about seven blocks away. I curled my coat around me trying to keep the cold wind from touching my already shaking body. I didn't know what happened and wasn't sure if I really wanted to.

The sun was sinking fast and I quickened my pace. I turned the corner and headed into an older part of Pleasantville that had refurbished buildings some converted into apartments with locally ran businesses underneath. Old pole lights graced the street and even the smell of baking bread drifted through the cool air.

My boots made clicking sounds on the salted sidewalk that was nearly deserted. I was only a couple of blocks away when suddenly my palm began to burn as if I held it over an open flame.

I didn't want to, but I had to stop and frantically pulled off the gauze to see a kaleidoscope of colors swirling back at me just under my skin. It was like Christmas lights flickered under my skin and then suddenly, the lights formed a thin line and curled around like an earthworm.

I began to panic dropping my tote to the ground. Then, just like a snake, the delicate ribbon of lights began to travel up my arm. I took my jacket off watching the flickering lights in horror. It then stopped just below my shoulder and made an intricate design of looping lines in a perfectly round circle. The colors faded and turned black—just like I'd gotten a tattoo.

I stared at it and then glanced around at the empty street just as snow trickled gracefully from the sky.

I was hallucinating, I thought to myself. I must be sick with a fever or something because what just happened, wasn't possible. I put my coat back on, grabbed my tote, and decided that I should go back and see Rosie. She's the only one that can help me.

I turned around and kept repeating in my head that what just happened, didn't. I had gotten cold and as a result, sick.

I quickened my pace because the Salvation Army was several blocks away. I past a few people on the now snow covered sidewalk, and tried to avoid making eye contact. I turned the corner that led to the busier business district and nearly ran into a large man.

"Excuse me, sorry," I said quickly as I bumped his shoulders causing him to drop his coffee.

"Oh!" he said catching the cup with his lightning-fast hands. "Ah, caught it," he tip his cup to me and smiled. "No harm done." His voice was normal sounding, but his eyes were as white as the snow that surrounded us.

I gasped standing there watching him walk down the sidewalk whistling until he disappeared in a curtain of falling snow. I felt my forehead as my stomach churned with bile. I leaned against the wall, tightly closed my eyes, and then quickly opened them looking down at my feet. I then turned around with my back to the brick wall as I watched a woman get into her car. I gazed at her trying to see her eyes and thankful when I could see they were dark as she gave me an uneasy look.

Just then, a couple walked by holding cups of coffee. They were laughing and holding hands, and also had normal eyes. I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath of relief, and then continued on.

I saw no more people with white eyes, and hoped it was just a figment of my imagination or a result of an empty stomach. I felt my insides ease when I caught sight of the entrance to the Salvation Army.

I went up to the door and pulled on the silver handle brightly polished by wear. It made a thump and stopped— it was locked. I rattled it hoping Rosie would hear it, and then looked in. A security light was on, and I knew Rosie had to be there, so I knocked. And I knocked again. No one came, and then I saw a note taped to the door. It was crooked and had scribbled handwriting as if the person was in a hurry. It stated that they had to close due to an emergency and someone would come as soon as they could. Strange, I thought looking through the glass door, and then up at the indigo sky—night was here.

And just like winter nights, the coldness came with the darkness. I knew of only one other area I could go, and that was the old abandoned railroad station. It was again several blocks away, and with my toes numb, I pushed myself trying to mentally warm my body with thoughts of the fires people would have burning there. Most of them were harmless bums, runaways, but I knew it wasn't safe. It was Pleasantville's dark side, and I had no choice but to spend the night there.

With the darkness came the wind. I cinched my coat tighter trying to keep the wind's fingers from touching me when I thought I heard a whisper. I stopped, and looked at the deserted street. Snow fell like tiny sprites spiraling from the black sky and into my long hair. I looked around and saw no one, so I pressed on, walking faster.

"Eliza," a whisper said my name.

I hesitated, gazing in all directions at the empty street, and the snow that began to collect on everything it could. My breath exploded in puffs of steam in front of me. I continued on, pushing away the fact that I clearly heard my name.

"We see you..." the voice laughed followed by two other distinct voices.

I stopped, and looked in all directions when suddenly, two strong arms closed in around me, pulling me backwards off my feet. The safety of the streetlights faded, and I couldn't scream as something curled over my mouth.

I tried to push and twist my way free, but whatever had me, tightened its hold.

"Ah, a fighter. I like fighters," said a rough male voice.

I was thrown to the ground, and when I tried to get up, something latched around wrists that had tiny thorns pricking my skin. I screamed and screamed again as my voice echoed back at me.

"And a screamer too...delicious," said another voice to my side.

"Stop it both of you," said a deep voice looming over me.

I looked up at the darkened figure that appeared to be at least seven feet tall. He had a hat on and wore a long coat that curled around his legs. His feet were on either side of me as he gazed at me with his shadowed face.

"Why are you chasing us?" He asked.

"Chasing?" I barely replied. "I wasn't chasing you...please...please let me go." I pleaded.

The dark figured stared at me as the other two voice's suggested eating me or sending me to oblivion. I didn't know what that meant as I struggled to free myself.

"NO!" The looming figure finally said, stopping the other two voice's squabbling. He bent closer, and I still couldn't see his face. "I'm going to use this one as a memo to the rest to not interfere with me."

The other two voices cheered on by repeating "memo" over and over again until the black silhouette told them to shut-up.

"Please..." I begged again as the man stood and whisked off his coat revealing his true identity.

I screamed in horror at what I thought was a man, but was more like an enlarged insect with black eyes and many legs, like a millipedes, unfolded from its torso. Its mouth was merely a slit, and two holes above that was its nose, at least I could only guess.

I screamed over and over as the two voices joyfully explained that I've been sealed, and there was no escape.

The creature knelt down again as its many legs pulled at my clothing until it grazed my bare skin.

"Mmmm, sweet..." It said between my screams of trying to plead with it.

In one quick movement it tore off my jacket and shirt exposing my bare skin.

"She's human, Angus! She's human!" Both voices gleefully sang. "Not one of them watchers!"

"Don't use my name! Idiots!" His voice boomed.

"It won't matter...she'll be dead soon, and also, she'll take us right to it." The other two replied with what sounded like clapping of hands.

The creature bent closer dropping something hot on my skin that burned like scalding water. I screamed out followed by an ear shattering crash. It sounded like a car accident with crunching metal and exploding glass.

The millipede creature jumped off of me followed by the scampering of feet. I pushed myself up as a light, followed by another, flashed before my eyes like an out-of-control photographer with their camera.

Clashing metal mixed with the static sound of crackling electricity, flickered like bolts of lightning. My body was numb, and my legs were shaking. I tried to get away and escape the battle, or whatever it was that surrounded me. But, my body wouldn't allow it no matter how many times I pushed and groaned my way up. I eventually exhausted myself, and gave in.

I could feel the cold cement under my hot skin as my chest began to hurt with each breath I took. Suddenly, a face hovered over me. It was a girl with long black hair as slick as the newly asphalted alleyway they just put in. Her blue eyes gazed down at me and then, someone touched her on the shoulder gently pushing her back.

I realized the noise and flashing lights had stopped. Everything was silent, everything was still, and all I could hear was the slow beating of my heart. I opened and shut my eyes, each time taking longer to open them.

Through my blinking, another face filled my vision, and this time two white eyes, like marbles, surrounded by white hair mixed with strands of silver, gazed back at me. I would've screamed, but my body was numb and gave into the darkness it demanded.

Chapter Two

"She's jinxed," a female voice said in the darkness. "There's no way to save her...she's human." I didn't understand, because what else would I be?

Then, flashes of the millipede monster standing over me, the battle that exploded in shattering glass, clashing metal, and harsh light, came to me in waves. What if they were monsters as well? I had to get away, but my body wouldn't respond, and I was getting frustrated.

"No, she'll be fine," said a very familiar voice. "I know her very well." It was Rosie's voice that I heard. I felt an enormous wave of relief that she found me. "Take her upstairs."

Upstairs? There wasn't an upstairs to the Salvation Army building. I trusted Rosie always, and without question, but I had no idea where I was at or who the girl was.

"Really, you're going to try to save it?" the girl's voice asked as I wondered why she called me "it".

"Yes, because she's a fighter and...one of us now." Rosie replied as I could feel movement and wished it would stop because it was making me sick.

"You know, you don't have to save every lost and hurt animal we come across." The girl's voice protested.

"No, I don't, but then where would you be?" The girl didn't answer and I tried to cling to consciousness as everything around me faded to blackness.

The first thing I noticed was the constant and annoying tapping sound, like a loud clock. I breathed in a deep breath of warm air and was glad it wasn't the cold air from outside. That means I'm inside—somewhere, with someone. Rosie—she's here. I forced my eyes open to see the girl with black hair jump from her chair and stand defensively. She gazed steadily with bright blue eyes. I remembered her from the alley, where I was attacked by the monster.

She was tall, and dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt. I sat up looking at her.

"Don't play any games with me jinxed girl." She warned holding out a black dagger in front of her.

"I don't want to play games with you," I said shaking my head. "Where's—"

"Don't talk to me until you answer my questions." She kept her eyes on me. "Where'd you come from?"

"Come from?" I was confused by her simple question. "From here...from Pleasantville." She rolled her eyes. "Look—"

"No! I said no talking, and of course you're from Pleasantville." She flicked her dagger at me. "Now, tell me where you're really from—what realm, what dimension. I'm only giving you one chance."

"Oh, come on Bea, you usually give at least two, especially to small defenseless humans." From out of nowhere, and leaning casually against the wall, was a boy about my age with light brown wavy hair. He crossed his arms smiling at the girl.

"She's jinxed, and you know what that means." Bea's eyes flashed to him.

His dark eyes twinkled at her. "Yeah, and that's what we thought of you when you first came here." He stood next to her, touching her gently on the shoulder. "There's no need to get all defensive, she's been checked." He shrugged his shoulders as I wondered what he meant by 'checked'. "I think our little alley kitten here, is perfectly safe." His eyes glided over to me. "Aren't you darling?"

I gazed between Bea and the boy. He raised his eyebrows.

"Cat got your tongue, sweetie?" His tone was playful.

"No," I finally answered.

He turned back to Bea with hands out to his sides. "There, see, perfectly reasonable." He motioned to me.

"Loki...you're just an idiot." Bea shook her head and stepped closer to me still holding the dagger out.

"And you, Bea, have way too much demon in you. You should try a little human personality on—it would do you some good."

Bea gave a huff as she started to say something to Loki, and then waved it off. He smiled with a nod of his head.

"Where am I?" I finally asked as they both looked at me. "And what was that thing in the alley?" I shivered as Loki smiled, pushed Bea out of the way, and sat next to me.

"Well, my little kitten, it seems you've come across and initiation coin, and been marked as a guardian of this realm." He smiled. "Not sure how that happened, but it did, and here you are at our hideout right here in lovely Pleasantville."

"Why don't you just tell her all of our secrets?" Bea's tone was sarcastic.

"Well, if you insist..." Loki looked over his shoulder, and I followed his gaze to see Rosie.

"Rosie," I said with joy and relief to see a familiar face.

"Bea, I thought you were supposed to come and get me when Eliza woke up?"

Bea glanced at me with her striking blue eyes, and then back at Rosie.

"I think the demon in her overrode your instructions, Rosie, giving into her inner demon diva. Muwahahaha!" Loki fanned his hands shaking them at Bea, and pretended to be scared of her.

"Both of you stop it!" Rosie demanded with a stomp of her foot. "All I asked for was a little help with Eliza."

"We don't care about her." Bea pointed her finger at me. "She wasn't part of the contract. So, the way I see it, we don't have any rules that cover incidences like this." She folded her arms and smirked at Rosie.

Rosie stiffened her shoulders, glared at Bea with her eyes like laser beams, and with heavy footsteps, walked over to her. "You abide by my rules and my rules only. They are subject to change, and if you don't like it, then you know where you can go."

"That would be Hell, kitten," Loki said leaning over by me. "And I don't mean metaphorically, I mean the resort for demons, but only if you're a high demon do you reap the benefits."

Bea flipped her hair and sniffled as she fidgeted with her dagger.

"Do we understand?" Rosie's voice was calm.

"Yes," she replied in a low voice.

Rosie smiled and shook her head as she tapped Bea gently on the shoulder.

"Now, why don't both of you leave because you've done enough damage here." Rosie motioned for Loki to get up, and then pointed towards the door.

They left with a quiet click of the door, and then I could hear their hushed voices arguing as soon as it shut. Rosie glanced back and shook her head.

"I'm sorry Eliza that was an awful introduction into a world that you were never supposed to ever know about, but one that has secretly laced its way throughout the history of this world." She sat next to me. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know—Rosie, what...what is going on? I mean who were they? The thing in the alley...the coin the lady dropped," I said looking away. "She dropped it and I picked it up." I looked back at Rosie. "That's when everything started."

"Nothing like going from the frying pan into the fire," she held my hand, the one that still had a red spot on it from the coin burring it. "The lady that dropped the coin was a recruiter, and she was delivering an initiation coin to the sales clerk there." She looked at me from under her eyebrows. "The one you stole the jeans from." Her voice filled with disapproval.

"I can explain, Rosie—"

"She's dead," Rosie said bluntly.

I looked away as my head spun. "It was my fault."

"No, it wasn't your fault." Rosie tugged at my chin until I met her eyes. "A lot has been dumped on you, and you've fallen into a world not many know of, but exist right under their feet, in their backyards, and in old buildings." She waved her hands as she glanced around the room. "It's been here as long as the human race has, and survives only in secrecy." Her eyes filled with empathy. "Eliza, I'm sorry that this has happened and I know you are frightened, but can you recall anything that happened in the alley."

I looked away and leaned back on the pillow not knowing what to believe as flashes of the millipede monster ran through my head.

"It talked to me, the monster, it had...legs, lots of legs and there were two other voices, but I couldn't see them." I rubbed my forehead. "What was it Rosie?"

"That was a demon. Bea, Will and Loki were chasing it, and lucky for you, they found you as well." Rosie brushed the hair from my eyes as I wondered who Will was. "The world is much larger than anyone can imagine and filled with secret passages to other places. I think you, Eliza, stumbled into one of those doorways." She continued to stroke my hair in a motherly way.

"What will happen to me?"

My questioned went unanswered as my eyes grew heavy, and everything turned to darkness for only a split second before a light shattered it to pieces. Silver and white ripped through the dark veil that curled around me. And just like a violent storm, it quickly passed into calmness.

I knew I was still in bed because I could feel the soft blanket surround me. I moved my sore legs and rolled to my side as I could hear the sound of music echoing in the distance. My eyes opened to the sound of a lonely violin.

I reluctantly sat up, realized the monster in the alley, Bea, Loki, and everything that has happened, was real. The music was non-stop, and for some reason, drew me out of bed and to the door. I paused and listened as I opened the door a little farther.

Soon, I was in a long hallway with many doors, all closed, except for one that was cracked open. The violin continued playing as I stood outside and peeked in. Pale light poured in through the window, and then I saw who was responsible for the sweet music—a CD player.

I stepped back just as the door whisked open, and standing stone faced in front of me, was the boy with the white and silver hair that I saw in the alley when I was attacked. He stared at me with his pale blue eyes. I stepped back with my gaze laced with his. I should've said something, but I couldn't speak, only stare at his strange appearance.

Finally, I managed to turn myself around, and head back to my room.

"Does Rosie know you're up and walking around?" His voice had a charm and sincerity to it that made you want to hear more.

I turned and stared at him, and then noticed he had a paintbrush in his hand covered with blue paint. He took notice, and then smiled at me.

"Well, I'm going to guess that Rosie doesn't know you're up and walking around, and since you are, I would love to have someone critique my painting." He stepped aside, and like a stray cat, I walked into the room knowing he could be dangerous. I kept telling myself to run, but I couldn't take my eyes from him.

The room had no furniture in it, but lots of paintings, mostly landscapes, and some covered with splotches of color. Tall windows were on the outside wall, and I could see Lake Moore in the distance, we were clear on the other side of town—in the abandoned district.

He went over to a tall easel and turned it around so I could see, and then looked at me waiting for a response. It had swirling designs of various shades of blue and tinges of green. I glanced back at him with slightly trembling lips.

"Well, what do you think?" He glanced at it then back at me.

"Well," I started to say shrugging my shoulders feeling uncomfortable.

"Let me ask you this," he said stepping beside me with his hand to his mouth. "What does it remind you of...just the first thing that comes to your thoughts." He fixed his eyes on the painting.

I glanced back at it and really only saw colors, but then, as I gazed at it, something changed. "Water," I replied without even thinking about it, "with moss starting to form on it."

He slowly gazed down at me with his pale eyes. "Interesting, because I was going for morning light—sun and wind in color form." He walked back over to it, and began painting. "It's my first time with watercolor, and I'm not sure if I like the element or not."

I stood still, and watched him gracefully paint. He let the purple colors bleed with the blue and orange, mixing into muddy shades that complemented the bright colors. It was really beautiful, though it still looked like splotches of colors to me.

"Oh, and by the way, thank you for your opinion. Especially since I'm painting from your world—one I'm not totally familiar with yet," he said casually, and continued to paint with the violin music in the background.

I took a step back as flashes of the monster attack ran through my head. I remembered seeing Bea, and another, one with white hair streaked with silver. I wondered if he was the Will Rosie mentioned. Goosebumps ran up and down my arms as I took another step back.

He continued to paint, engrossed in his creation, as I made my way to the door.

"You know, you're a lucky little human," he said turning around with his blue eyes like darts on me. He cocked his head to the side, and gave me a curious gaze while holding his saturated brush dripping paint to the floor. "Do I make you nervous?"

I didn't know how to answer the blunt question. He did make me feel nervous, but I didn't want him to know that or even acknowledge it. I wrapped my arms around my waist tighter.

"Of course you are—that's obvious." He stood up.

He was tall and thin, like a vine with long arms and legs. He looked strong though, as I could see the roundness of his muscles through the long sleeved, grey shirt he had on. Paint was smeared on his faded jeans and his chin length hair curled around his square jawline.

"Don't fear me little one," he smiled. "I'm the one that saved you from those two imps." He shook his head. "They hardly put up a fight. Either they're getting easier for me to kill, or they're becoming increasingly stupid."

"What about the third?" I asked as his eyes darted back to me.

"Third?" he questioned. "There was no third imp."

I bit my lip, looked away closing my eyes, and thinking of how the millipede's hundreds of sharp legs felt on my bare skin.

"Are you alright, little one?" Suddenly he asked standing in front of me.

"I know I saw a third," I said as the door opened.

"Look, human," Bea said standing in the doorway in an agitated voice, "if you don't get back to your bed, Rosie isn't going to be happy with me, and then I won't be happy with you. I've looked all over for you, and now Rosie just got home and..."

"There was a third monster there that night." I ignored Bea. "It talked to me, and had legs—lots of legs," I shivered, "like an insect, and he said his name was Angus."

His eyes lifted from me to Bea standing behind me.

"He told you his name?" he asked.

"She was probably hallucinating," Bea protested.

"He actually told you his name?" he repeated.

"No," I said gazing into his now blue eyes that I remembered as white marbles that night. "The other two, what did you call them, imps? They're the ones that said his name."

"They know we have it, Bea." He gazed over my shoulder at her. "I guess there isn't anywhere you can go, and what was I thinking—there is no place too small or too big that demons won't travel." He paced the floor waving his hands in the air.

I could feel my head swim with everything that has happened. This was crazy, and I knew it. This place...the demons that were probably a figment of my imagination, and even Rosie, what was she? Of all people what was she doing being involved in something so ludicrous.

I turned to Bea, and walked towards her. She straightened, and blocked the doorway with her hands resting on the doorjamb with a smile.

"Going somewhere?" she snickered. "You can't get past me, human."

I stood gazing up at her, when suddenly, her blue eyes melted into flickering flames that burned the color away. Blackness filled them with two delicate slits, for pupils, revealed the flames underneath.

"I'm not one to be reckoned with." She smiled, and then hissed expelling a long, black, forked tongue that barely brushed my lips.

"Bea, honestly!" he said pulling me back. "Do you have to be so dramatic, especially since our little one here is already frightened?"

Bea sucked in her tongue like a piece of spaghetti, and shrugged her shoulders. "No, but I haven't done it in a while, and I miss it," she slightly pouted. "Rosie won't let me do it anymore to the awful younger humans going to their educational facility that used to make faces at me through the bus windows when I got stuck in traffic. Or the male humans that try to engage in sex with me when I had to ride the city bus after I wrecked the car."

Bea's eyes turned back normal—at least normal to me. She smiled slightly as I wished I could leave the room.

"She's jinxed you know," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

He glanced back at me and then at Bea. "Don't believe me Will. I'll show you."

Bea grabbed me roughly by the arm, and pulled up my sleeve to reveal the circular tattoo with intricate lines. Will's eyes widened as he brushed his fingers across it. Electricity sparked from under his touch, and I jerked my arm away.

"Look, I don't care who you guys are or what you are." I backed up slowly with my hands out in front of me. "I don't want to be involved in any of this...this crazy thing..." I was just about outside the room, and I readied myself to make a run for it.

Bea gazed at me with a smile, then like a flash, her image disappeared. I turned around to see her behind me with crossed arms.

"You're not going anywhere," she chuckled. "Whether you like it or not, you're one of us."

I glared at her. "I don't want to be one of you, and I don't have to."

Bea grabbed my arm, ripped the sleeve from my shirt exposing the black tattoo. "This says otherwise. And this mark means you're a guardian of the earth realm." She let go of my arm, and peered down at me with her blue eyes. "You don't have a choice now, human." Her voice was filled with disgust. "When you stole the coin that was meant for another who by the way was much more qualified than you, made you one of us—a guardian." Bea looked away, her eyes had blackened with a fiery slit that flickered through her tear welling eyes.

She gazed at me with repulsion as her lips trembled trying to say something before she bolted down the hallway. Her quick footsteps echoed followed by a door slamming shut.

I jumped at the sound, and folded my arms around myself. My torn sleeve hung at my side as I stood there.

"She's not always that way. Bea is actually a very nice demon, considering where she came from," Will said standing behind me.

"I can't believe any of this." My voice was flat. "It's crazy...it can't be happening to me." I didn't know if I wanted to cry, scream or run. Instead, I turned to Will. "What are you, a demon too?" My voice was sarcastic.

Will raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm actually a prince."

I let out a laugh that echoed to the downstairs. "Well, if you'll excuse me, your highness, I'm leaving." I looked at him for a moment as he leaned against the wall.

"Good day then and I wish you well." He smiled.

I nodded my head, and slowly started walking down the hallway half expecting him to grab me.

"It would be a shame for you to go, though," he said, and I stopped. "Initiation coins aren't for everyone. They usually kill most humans without the proper rights performed and instruction. It would be a shame, yes, to not find out why you're not dead from not only the coin, but from demon scratches." My hand went immediately to my stomach.

I turned around and gazed at him in wonder. Strange things had happened, no doubt, and I did want answers, but wasn't sure how badly. I could easily walk away, and forget everything I had seen, but it was so fantastical that it was unbelievable. I had to know what I had accidently fallen into, and it helped that Rosie was here or I would've run away a long time ago.

"Also, it's cold outside and more snow is expected, and not to make judgment, but I don't think you have anywhere to go."
Chapter Three

I never agreed to stay at the same time I never said I'd leave. Not only to avoid the cold, I stayed because my life had taken a dramatic turn into fantasyland, and I wanted to know why. The monsters that attacked me, the coin, my tattoo, and even Rosie who is more than just a cook at the Salvation Army, needed explaining, no matter how extraordinary everything was.

"Each bedroom has its own bathroom. I'll bring you some more towels and fresh linens." Will glanced at them.

Spots of blood, now turned slightly brown, stained the white sheets. "Oh," I said as Will flicked them off. "I'm sorry." The lace trimmed sheets looked expensive and now, I've ruined them.

"Don't worry; it's better to have soiled sheets than a dead body to deal with." I felt a shockwave run through me—I would've been the dead body, and his words were so casual like he was talking about the weather.

I glanced back at the bloody sheets and touched my stomach. Will hummed as he rolled them up, and glanced at me with a small smile.

"There are more sheets in there if you'd like to get them out," he said as my skin tingled.

The thought of almost dying made my insides churn with acid. I could usually tolerate a lot, especially living on the street, but the thought of my own demise, made me sick.

Will had the sheets all in a rolled bundle hiding the blood stains. I looked to the bathroom and made a run for the toilet. I tried to flick the door shut, blocking Will's view, but it caught on my foot and opened wider so Will had a clear view of me hanging on the toilet.

My eyes watered, not only from getting sick, but with everything that has happened.

"Little one, are you alright?" Will's voice quietly asked as I looked up at his concerned eyes.

"Eliza Thorn, that's my name," I said after a few moments, and stood up finding a soft towel to wipe my face. I was getting tired of him calling me 'little one'.

Will smiled. "I know you heard Bea say my name, and I do like proper introductions." He cleared his throat. "Eliza, it's nice to meet you, and my name is Will."

He held out his hand, and I extended mine. His touch was cool and delicate as he lifted my hand and gently kissed it. I could feel my cheeks flush, and was surprised he did so, especially after witnessing me throw up.

"Well, I'm sure you'd like to freshen up, and I'll find you some clothes," Will said pointing to my torn off sleeve.

I glanced down at it, and then back at Will, who had disappeared. I went to the door, looked down the hallway, and saw no one. He had simply vanished, and I was beginning to wonder if I was still dreaming or hallucinating.

The warm water was welcoming and even better, was the lavender soap that lathered into a wonderful scent. I looked at my stomach and could barely see three scratches right above my navel. They didn't look life threatening, but when I touched them, they were still very tender. I wondered why there was so much blood on the sheets for such a minor wound, and I've no stitches or sores or any injury that bad.

I turned off the water then tried to dry my wavy brown hair as much as I could, and wrapped the damp towel around me. I opened the door to see Loki leaning back on the bed with his hands behind his head. He looked comfortable, and maybe a little too comfortable. I tightened the towel around me.

"Ah, our kitten is finally clean, and here," he said handing me a fancy bag—like the ones expensive clothing stores have with tissue paper and all. "You must've really impressed the daylights out of Will, because he ran out and got you these."

Loki let the bag hang on his finger as he extended it with a smirk. I tightened the towel around me as he studied me with his dark eyes.

"So, it's true," he said nodding with his head to my new tattoo. "You've been marked."

I glanced over at it, and then back at Loki. I took the bag, and held it in front of me as extra coverage.

"That's what I've been told." I felt uncomfortable with Loki, but he was here, and I had questions. "What does it mean? Bea said something about a guardian—or something like that."

"Well," he said supporting himself on a bent elbow. "The coin that you acquired," he emphasized. "That coin is what seals the guardian to the realm it's designed for and protects it with all of the training they had prior to initiation. Only, I don't think you had any training or orientation to the guardianship, did you?" I shook my head. "I thought so, just asked to make sure. Anyhow, little kitten; it seems you've stumbled into our humble abode here as well as a whole new world of creatures, entities and demons—good and bad, as well as countless dimensions and worlds that have been around longer than this one."

"Other worlds, that isn't possible," I said. "I mean really, what's going on here?"

Loki sat up. "You're a hard cookie, aren't you?" He smiled. "Still deny it, that's alright, most humans do when they see things they're not supposed to." He slid off the bed and stood in front of me. "Why don't you get dressed, and join us for afternoon tea."

Suddenly, his image faded like dissolving mist.

"And yes, that bottle you were looking at in the bathroom was perfume." Loki's voice was behind me. "It's from France...stole it from a French woman who has too much...and cheats."

I turned to see my reflection in the large mirror. I tightened my towel around me and gazed all over the room.

"You were..." I started to say.

"Yes, in the bathroom with you, but not just to get a free show, entities aren't really into the pleasures of the flesh. I had to check you out for myself. You're a curiosity to us as much as we are to you; only, I can hide and be sneaky. As for you," his voice said behind me.

I turned back to the mirror to see Loki smiling at me as he stepped out of the mirror.

"You humans aren't made like us—shame." His eyes glistened with a child-like mischievousness.

"What...what are you?" I forced myself to ask.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I always have to explain myself at least twice if not three times to humans, ugh!" he said more to himself, and then looked up at me with a fake smile. "Why, kitten, I'm the things that go bump in the night, the things that hang out in basements, attics and other dusty, wet, smelly places."

"You are?"

"No," he replied quickly examining his fingers. "Would you like to hang out in someone's smelly basement often disorganized or someone's dusty attic where they store their junk?" He shook his finger at me. "I take that back. If in the right house, sometimes you find some delicious things about naughty humans."

"So what are you?"

He cocked his head to the side, and gently pushed back my hair. "I'm an entity, but you call us many things like ghosts, poltergeists, apparitions, specters...the list go on, but really, we're no different than you. The only difference is that we live in different worlds, but joined worlds."

He pinched my chin, and laughed as I stood gazing up at him. "You are an interesting human, Eliza Thorn. And hurry so we can visit, the tea is getting cold."

I watched Loki glide out of the room with the door shutting by itself behind him. I stared at the door and then looked around the room waiting to see if Loki would appear. I turned around and caught my reflection in the mirror. I jumped when I saw my image staring back at me, and then laughed.

"Stop standing there, and move!" Loki's face nearly filled the mirror, and gazed down at me.

I fell to the floor dropping part of my towel to reveal a little too much. I covered up quickly.

"Modest, that's sweet of you, but I've already seen you darling." He sighed. "I've seen lots of girls before, and I've outgrown that fetish a long time ago, so don't worry, you've got nothing that will anatomically surprise me." He smiled. "Please hurry kitten," Loki said as his image faded.

I went into the bathroom, and locked the door just in case Loki came back, in any form. I then turned to the mirror, and grabbed another towel to throw over it.

Feeling I had as much privacy as I was going to get, I opened the bag and pulled out a pair of jeans, black t-shirt, and even a pair of socks. I blushed, thinking of Will picking them out. I then pulled out a long V neck sweater. It was soft and tightly knitted in thick braids of nubby cream colored yarn. I put the ensemble on, surprised at the perfect fit of everything. I was grateful, but embarrassed at the same time.

I ran my fingers through my long brown hair trying to tame it. I pulled the towel off the mirror glad Loki wasn't staring back at me. My appearance was about as frightening as finding out that Loki can travel via mirrors. I opened a drawer, and found a brush. I combed through my ratty hair and smoothed it out the best I could.

Opening the cabinet that had the perfume in it, I glanced around the room, and then pulled it out. The wording on the bottle was in French, and smelled wonderful, like they shoved the whole rose garden into a tiny bottle. I put a drop behind both of ears and on my wrists.

I grabbed the sweater to put it on when I caught a glimpse of my new tattoo in the mirror. I looked at it. It was round with looping lines inside of it. I wondered what it meant, if it had a meaning or told my fate. I brushed my fingers across it, and it tingled, but not like when Will touched it.

Jinxed. That word kept running through my head. It wasn't meant for me, and I should've died when I became part of this guardian thing, but, I didn't. I sighed as I put on the warm sweater.

I then glanced back at myself in the mirror. Forty-eight hours ago, I was just another person in the crowd, a normal girl, invisible to most people. I was living on the streets and answering to no one. Now, I had a tattoo put there by magic, attacked by demons, and now surrounded by things I thought only existed in Grimm's book of fairytales at the library in the children's section.

I tilted my head back, and then looked in the mirror to see Loki staring back at me. I jumped back, nearly falling into the toilet.

"You look fine for Will," he said with a sigh. "Hurry," he motioned with his fingers. "Get downstairs or the fun will start without you." Loki's image faded into my pale reflection staring back at me.

At least he waited until I was fully dressed.

The curving staircase led to a large foyer with a chandelier and light blue marbled floors. The air was cool, and the walls were paneled in richly stained wood. A long desk was off the right and had a tall lamp sitting on it. It was a large house—at least that's what I guessed it was.

I knew we were around Lake Moore, and in the old section of Pleasantville—the original downtown area that was abandoned a long time ago—or so I thought.

I stood in the middle of the room gazing up at the chandelier, mesmerized by the hundreds of sparkling glass beads. It caught what little light there was. I then turned my attention to the two large wooden doors with leaded glass sidelights beside them. I started to twirl around taking in the whole room, when I met two eyes glaring at me.

I jumped back as the man, or more like dwarf, dressed in a suit wearing a fedora, glared at me not amused.

"I take it you're Eliza," he said with an expressionless face, and a bothered tone of voice.

"Yes," I replied as he studied me with his dark eyes, and hands folded in front of him. He could've been no taller than three feet, but he had a menacing appearance to him.

"I want you to know that I was on my way to a holiday, and you interrupted that." His eyes didn't blink, and his words were stern. "Now, I've got to put that on hold—again. You guardians just don't care about others—simple as that," he said with a final gruff.

"I-I'm sorry, but I'm not a guardian, and I didn't mean to ruin your holiday." His dark eyes made tiny slits.

"How very nice of you...makes everything all better," he said in a sarcastic tone as he pronounced each word clearly like he was trying to restrain his anger. I started to say that I was sorry again as he put his hand up. "I don't care what you have to say. Your mark says otherwise, Rosie is calling the whole staff in, ruining everyone's plans and..." He glared at me again. "Oh, just come on, I haven't all damn day."

I followed the dwarf down the hallway as he mumbled to himself in hash whispers until we reached a set of double doors. He pushed them open to a bright light. Large windows, some with portions of stained glass, opened to the sunny winter sky. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, and when they did, I was first greeted by Will's gentle smile.

"Ah, Eliza, I'm glad you are feeling better," Rosie said stepping past Will. "Please come in."

The room was rectangular in shape with three chandeliers, though not as big as the one in the entryway, but just as beautiful. The wood floor glistened, and appeared like it had just been redone in comparison to the peeling walls.

"I take it that Clive came and got you, and was nice." Rosie asked me with raised eyebrows.

I glanced at Clive who glared at me with a snarl.

"Yes," I lied not wanting to cause any trouble.

Clive left with a nod to Rosie. He closed the door behind him which echoed in the large room.

"Clive, I know wasn't a nice little doorman, like he's supposed to be," Loki said as soon as the door shut. He sat crossways in a chair by the window. His feet dangled over the arm of the high-back chair that looked antique. "Really kitten, he isn't nice to anyone, and I know he isn't nice to unexpected guests interrupting his holiday."

"Enough Loki," Rosie turned to him. "If Eliza says he was nice, then he was. I'm not going to assume that he wasn't, and call him on that."

Loki smirked, and then slid off the chair. "Shame, the little bastard deserves it." He continued gazing out the window. "He deliberately moved the mirrors in the living room after I had them where I wanted. Just to cause me trouble," Loki said as Rosie rubbed her forehead and gave a small grumble.

She then came over and gently put her arm around me.

"Eliza, I know you never dreamed anything like this could exist outside of novels and movies, but it's real, and so are the dangers." She guided me to the large window overlooking Lake Moore. "This place used to be called The Blue Moon Hotel when the city was just beginning to grow. Now, as you can see, the town has moved elsewhere, leaving its remains behind, and a place for us to live quietly and unnoticed.

"Mostly unnoticed," Loki said. "I wouldn't say that we are the quiet sort, especially Piper when she had a little too much to drink." He laughed motioning with his hands a pretend bottle of I guessed, would be booze.

I glanced between Rosie, Will and Loki. "You mean there're more of you... I mean..."

"You didn't think it was just Rosie, Will, Bea and me?" Loki sat up. "You are a little naïve around the edges, aren't you?" His chuckle echoed. "There are many of us, and this place here is a stopping point for some who travel, guardians and honored dignitaries. And some of us are housed here as employees or are serving as guardian assistants. It's really not a bad life."

"Not a bad life," Bea, who I didn't notice, was leaning against the wall. I gazed at her knowing I would've noticed her wearing the skin tight, red dress and silver platform shoes that made her tall stature taller. "What dimension did you come from?"

"Just get in or getting ready for tonight?" He whistled at her as Bea strutted towards him. "Going to hunt for some manappitizers?"

"Shut-up," Bea said crossing her arms.

"Both of you," Rosie pointed to both Bea and Loki. "Out." She pointed towards the door.

Bea stormed out while Loki gave me a wink before shutting the door.

"If I could, I'd have them relocated, but I think I'm the only one who can handle them or—cares enough, and they are good at what they do when they do it, that is." Rosie shook her head as Will got the chair Loki was sitting in, and offered it to me. It was the only one in the room. It looked like the room was under construction with cans of paint, plastic on the floor, and tools laid in neat piles along the walls.

"It's complicated Eliza," Rosie said standing in front of the window. I could see her ghostly, worried reflection in the rippled glass.

Will motioned for me to sit with a smile as Rosie turned, and gazed between both of us.

"You are marked Eliza, and I'm going to tell you there's no reversing it. I don't know how or why the coin allowed you to become a guardian, but it did. There is usually training, initiation, and other rites given before someone receives a coin." Rosie stood in front of me, and then knelt down to my level. "Tell me, in exact detail, what happened after you picked up the coin."

I took in a deep breath, and ran the images through my head. I told Rosie about the lady that dropped the coin and the incident that happened at the library. Every detail was clear to me, especially the monsters.

"We were following two imps, but Eliza claimed there was a third." Will's eyes were steady on Rosie. "The imps called it Angus."

Rosie's face went pale. "It can't be him, I killed the arch demon."

Just then, a bird, followed by another, started slamming into the windows like rain. They were blackbirds, and all of them appeared to be on a death wish. They slammed against the glass, and I held my hands in front of me thinking it might shatter. I watched in horrified awe as the mass suicide of the blackbirds stopped as quickly as it started.

Will stepped by the window gazing at the few remaining dead birds laying on the stone ledge. "By the looks of things...he's not as dead as you think."
Chapter Four

"Rosie, speak to me." I stepped behind her, and placed my hand on her shoulder. Her face was pale, but she still smiled at me.

"Eliza, you can't stay here, it isn't safe anymore. I wish things were different, but I have to act quickly and I promise to explain things better." Rosie then looked towards Will. "I'm calling the Alliance and making arrangements for you to go to a safe place set up by the guardianship. They have an embassy there representing them." Rosie walked towards the door. "I didn't plan for any of this, and right now, I think it's best that we close our hotel." Her eyes shifted to Will. "Tell everyone please Will, to get ready. We'll have to redirect any travelers to Chicago. It'll take me a while to reach the Alliance in Atlantis, and even longer to get a reply."

Rosie left with her footsteps fading down the hallway.

"And I had hopes of seeing this room finished soon. All they had left to do was paint." Will motioned to the several cans of paint. "This is the ballroom, you know." Will was casually talking to me as if a hundred blackbirds didn't just slam into the windows after the name of a demon was said.

"What...what is Rosie talking about? Atlantis...it's a mythical place...wait, or is it a code name for a secret location?"

Will turned, and smiled with his blue eyes. "No, it's no code name, and even though it's secret, it's very real—mermaids, as you call them, and other such creatures." He chucked with amusement. "It's nice to see someone get a kick out of everything I find ordinary and common."

I glanced at the stiff birds on the ledge. "Why did that happen?" I pointed to them.

"It's a message, that's all." Will gently tugged on my arm. "Come on let's go. I think I should explain some things to you. Rosie is going to be busy for awhile."

Will guided me down the hallway, past what he told me was the lobby, and down another hallway that led to a kitchen.

"You must be starving." He opened the fridge. "What do you like to eat?"

"Oh," Will said before I could answer, and pulled out a bowl of grapes. "How about spaghetti, garlic bread, and grapes—from Atlantis?" he asked.

"What?" I asked. "You mean these are from Atlantis?" I pointed at the normal looking fruit.

"We get a few things from Atlantis, mostly produce, and since that's where you'll be going, why not try the food grown there." He held the plate out with the violet colored grapes that swirled with blue hues, almost like it was iridescent.

Will ate one first, and then I tried one. It was amazingly sweet.

"Did everything fit alright?" Will asked getting a large pot out.

"What?" I asked then realized he was talking about the clothes. A shot of adrenaline ran through me as I blushed. "Oh, sorry, yes they fit fine—thank you," I said feeling my cheeks flush even more. I took another grape and shoved it in my mouth.

I had a million questions running through my head, and Will was making dinner like everything was normal. It was starting to bug me, but then again, this was his world—it was normal to him.

"You said earlier you were a prince." I hoped to get him to explain things to me. "Are you a prince of Atlantis?" He turned slightly looking at me over his shoulder and laughed.

"No, Atlantis doesn't have royalty, well, no that's not true. The Mers still have royalty, but everything else is governed by clans, and the Alliance." The water began to boil. "I come from another place that is very old, and very far away."

"When you saved me from Ang—the imps," I stopped myself in fear of saying the demon's name aloud, "your eyes, they were white, like marbles."

Will didn't answer right away as he broke the pasta in half, and put into the tall pot. I feared that I asked the wrong question in the wrong way.

"I really didn't think that you'd find them disturbing, but I guess if you've never known of my kind, I guess I'm a little strange to you. I'm called a glass person, and actually, there are many of us here in secret. Your kind," he turned, and glanced at me while he stirred the pasta, "have called us everything from angels to fairies to demons when one of you humans catches a glimpse of us, but we are none of that. We are simply our own kind, and one that can manipulate power and wield it to our own desires—you call that power magic. We escaped years ago when our power was changing, and other demons were poisoning our world. Unfortunately, not all of us got out. I'm here because the guardianship agreed to protect me, and as for Bea and Loki, they're here out of serving time for whatever they did to get here. Any disturbances in the area are reported, and then we check them out."

"Is that what happened the night that..." I let my words trail off.

"The night we found you," Will said completing my sentence. "Yes, that's a perfect example of what we do. I do enjoy doing it too--gives me a sense of duty, and community service."

I let out a chuckle, and then covered my mouth as Will burrowed his eyebrows.

"Do you find that funny?" He asked slightly insulted.

"No, sorry, but I never thought demon-killing to keep the streets safe as a community service."

"Well, it's one that is important, but as you can see, we can't advertise it in this world."

Will got out two plates, and changed the subject. "I hope you're hungry, because I'm not sure if anyone else will be joining us."

The kitchen smelled of basil, garlic, and wonderful to a hungry girl. I quickly ate as I wanted to have all the answers to all the questions I had concerning what I was involved in.

When I was done, I looked up to see Will watching me. I probably looked like a rabid pig eating spaghetti.

"Did you like it?' He politely asked.

I wiped my mouth and the napkin revealed the mess on my face. "Yes, thank you. You're a wonderful cook." I tried to not sound like the pig I looked like.

"Will," I could hear Bea's voice before I saw her. "Are you taking the de—"

"You're feeding her too...clothes weren't enough?" She folded her arms across her chest. "You know, if you feed them, give them a warm place...they won't leave." Her voice was hard.

Will didn't reply, but smiled. "Bea, would you care to partake in our feast?" He waved his hand over the bowel of pasta and sauce that he heated up in the microwave.

"You mean you didn't make a fresh batch of sauce, especially for your pet here." She sat next to me pointing with her thumb.

"I'm not a pet." I glared at her.

"Whatever," she snickered.

"Bea, if you came spreading your gorgon charm, please do it elsewhere." Will stood behind the counter gazing at Bea.

Gorgon, yet another thing I didn't know, but certainly wasn't going to ask Bea what exactly it was.

"Gorgons don't have charm—makes us sick." She raised her eyebrows. "Can I talk to you in private?" Bea slid off the bar stool, and nodded towards the door.

Will shifted his eyes to me. "Be right back, go ahead and eat some more."

I watched him follow Bea into the hallway. I sat there for a moment looking at the plate of spaghetti that Will made, and out of hunger, I scooped up more of the pasta trying to listen for their voices. Everything was quiet.

The food was good, and my stomach was beginning to get full. I hadn't had this much food in a long time, and I know I looked like a pig eating it in front of Will. But then again, he was from another world and maybe didn't know that humans aren't supposed to eat like animals. I can only hope he didn't have anything to compare it to.

I leaned back closing my eyes when suddenly, a breeze brushed across my arm. Startled, I opened my eyes to see a girl with long blonde hair drinking from the milk carton. Her body was surrounded in a silvery aura and wings, like a butterfly, glowed in a light green color on her back.

She turned, with the carton of milk to her lips. Our eyes locked, she waved in a casual manner acknowledging me in a friendly way. Taken by surprise, I let out a scream as she nearly choked on the milk. She sprayed milk all over the counter as she coughed reaching for a towel on the counter.

Will immediately came in as the girl quickly soaked up the mess up with the towel.

"Sorry...I'm really sorry," she said in her accented voice that sounded like she was from England. "I should've made my presence known a little differently...used a glamour, or something of the sort." Her hands quickly cleaned the mess. "I knew she was human, Rosie warned me." She shook her head as she cleaned, "just didn't take the time."

Bea stood in the doorway laughing as the girl pressed the towel to her shirt.

"Oh, going to have to launder this, oh well," she said as I got off the stool.

"I'm sorry," I said meekly.

She looked up at me, studying me with her colorful eyes that reminded me of a rainbow. "Human...a human girl as an uninitiated guardian," she said with a curious voice. "Yes, what you're thinking is true, I'm a fairy covered in milk."

I couldn't help but to chuckle a little as Will smiled back.

"I'm sorry I screamed it's just that...I'm sort of new to this...and..." She waved her hand.

"No, it's my fault. I should have had a little more grace."

She smiled at me as her wings framed her like a halo. The fairytales were right about one mythical being, I thought to myself as I gazed at her.

"Piper, this is Eliza Thorn, and Eliza, this is Piper." He motioned between us breaking my enchanted gawking at her. "Eliza, as she said is new here, new actually to everything about us."

"Well, I'm glad to meet you, though, sorry like this, and under such dire circumstances." She turned her attention to Will. "Rosie told me about the blackbirds and the arch demon. We're to get in more guardians this afternoon, and send any travelers to Chicago. Everyone is on high alert, and the demon trident is going..." She shifted her eyes to me. "Should I be saying this in front of—"

"Eliza," Will said my name. "And yes, she isn't a threat to us."

I knew I wasn't a threat, more likely a liability, because I had no idea of what was going on.

"That's what Rosie said, and you've the mark?" Piper asked motioning to my shoulder. "Well, can I see it?"

I looked at Will, and then back at Piper.

"If you see one, you've seen them all," Bea said still standing behind us.

"Yeah, but this one...this one is different." Piper's voice softened and her eyes that were nearly neon green now, matched her wings.

I was easily drawn into her stare, like it had a magnetic force. Her fingertips were delicate, and tickled my skin. She ran her fingers across my mark, and a wave of heat flashed over me. Suddenly, my vision faded to blackness, and then fountains of flames spurted from the ground under my feet like geysers.

"I see the girl," said a woman's echoing voice. "The coin, it worked!"

Suddenly, I was pushed away from the flames to a whiteness that slowly materialized into Will's pale face surrounded by his white and silver hair.

"Eliza, are you alright?" He asked as I pushed myself up.

"Yeah," I replied realizing I was on the kitchen floor.

"This girl is no ordinary guardian—accident or otherwise. The coin was more than just an initiation coin, it's a tracking device," Piper said. "That's why it worked so well on someone who never had any rites performed."

"There was fire—lots of flames, and a voice of a woman that said they could see me, and the coin worked."

Bea stepped close to me with her eyes changed to pupils of flames. "We need to destroy her!"

"Stop!" Will yelled pushing me behind him. "Rosie needs to know what happened here before you go crazy on us." Bea withdrew slightly, but not without a snarl of her sharp teeth. I don't think I had to ask what a gorgon was now, I knew first hand.

"But Will, if the coin was tampered with, then, they know where to come—they know where to directly come. If Eliza saw flames, and heard her voice, then Eve is coming and she wants the one thing that can kill her and all arch demons." Piper placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know you care for this human," she continued as my eyes flashed to him and my cheeks flushed. "I don't know yet why, but there's a deeper meaning behind this. It isn't an accident, and many ties are tangled as well as connected to this human. Almost like the coin had a mind of its own, veering from its original design."

"Your feelings are a little undependable, aren't they?" Bea's fiery eyes were still focused on me.

"Better than ripping something to shreds before you know their usefulness," Piper said shrugging her off. "I'm going to change, and it was nice to meet you, Eliza." She smiled and bowed slightly before she left.

"I told you she was jinxed," Bea said with her eyes now human looking.

"What do you mean by that, jinxed?" I glared at her.

"Something unlucky, doomed, unfortunate...the list goes on, and that's what you are—unlucky, and mostly to us."

"I know the definition, but what does it mean in your world." I pressed with my questions showing the gorgon I wasn't scared of her even though her appearance was enough to make me run.

"We don't know if she's jinxed," Will said as Bea raised her finger.

"If you're too infatuated with your little pet, then I'll give her a crash course." She shifted her eyes to me. "Being jinxed for a human is probably one of the worst positions to be in. You can't return to your normal existence, and no one will want you in ours. You draw the arch demons to you, and to the one thing that can kill them, the demon trident." Her lips curled into a slight smile. "All races, beings, entities...everyone hates the arch demons, Eve, the one you heard, is queen of the Underworld—an existence she chose." She looked away for only a moment. "It was the glass people who made the demon trident to rid us of them. And now, little human, we finally have the trident in our possession, and then you show up!" Bea flipped her hands into the air. "That coin," she looked up at the ceiling as tears welled in her eyes. "That one coin was meant for Ivy Westmoore who worked at a clothing store, and liked to go to movies, and was good at making pies, and made me feel..."

"Like a human," Loki said standing in the doorway.

Bea turned to him, and snarled as she raised her hand releasing a small ball of flames towards Loki. He ducked, and it burst into thousands of burning sparks that went out as quickly as they exploded.

She stomped past him as he smiled at her. "Remember what Rosie said," he yelled to her. "Don't use your outside balls of flames inside!"

"Shut-up, you stupid entity!" Bea yelled back.

Loki shook his head. "You," he pointed to me, "are the one who those flames were meant for because like she said, the coin was meant for her human girlfriend and lover. I'd hate to be in your shoes. You don't want to be on the bad side of a gorgon—they can get nasty."

I could feel my skin prickle, and my head spin as all of the spaghetti that I ate, was going to make a return.

"Don't listen to him," Will said looking down at me.

"Why not listen to me? It's the truth, or are your lovesick eyes clouding your judgment. What is it with her anyhow? Ever since you and Bea, I'm sure she didn't want to bring her home after I left to another call, brought her here, you haven't been yourself. Is this normal for a glass person, because I'm not familiar with this area of your kind?"

Will shifted his weight and cleared his voice as Loki gazed at him with curiosity.

"Thank you Loki for being very blunt about that, and I realize that being discreet isn't a quality that entities possess." Will gazed at him for a moment. "We're going, so if you'll excuse us."

"Wait," Loki said stepping in front of Will. "There's something more that you're not letting on." His eyes studied Will's. "There's something more to your pet than just a feeling in your pants for her, I can see it."

"Alright," I said cutting in, "enough, both of you." They both looked at me. "This is all new to me, and I feel like I'm in a whirlwind of secrets and all of this..." I waved my hands around trying to find the right word.

"Now, it looks like we've broken your toy Will," Loki said in a flat voice gazing back at me with raised eyebrows. "I know little kitten, this is almost too much for you. I can understand that."

I took in a deep breath looking between the two of them. "Then will someone please tell me what exactly is going on, because I'm only getting bits and pieces."

"And here is your tour guide through demonland." Loki pointed to Will. "He's a glass person, you know, and that means he's full of etiquette, and an appetite for history and bragging about everything glass person related. So, there you go kitten." He motioned to Will.

Loki gazed between us and then shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I've got to be going, lots of guardians coming, and I don't want to be dressed inappropriately."

Loki left leaving Will and I standing in the kitchen facing on another, alone. He had one hand on the counter and his icy blue eyes on me. I looked away, and ran my fingers through my hair.

"So what happens now? What are you guys going to do with me?" I asked as Will smiled slightly at me.

"Is it up to us what we do with you? Isn't it your choice, it's your life, not ours, and you've been given a gift." His voice was soft and put me ease.

"Yeah, but I'm not normal now." I raised my eyebrows and motioned to my tattoo. "I'm jinxed, remember what Bea said."

"Bea doesn't know everything, and even if you are jinxed, it's only bad if you make it—there are always choices, and no one can plan your destiny for you." Will brushed his fingers over my tattoo. "Piper is right; there is something about this that veered from the original design."

"What would that be?" I asked and he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, that explains a lot."

His eyes flickered with brighter blues that faded like fireworks burning the sky for only a moment, before the whiteness consumed it.

"I wish I could tell you how everything will unfold, but I can't. And, I wish I could tell you what course of action to take, but I can't." Will was nice to look at in a paranormal way, and seemed sincerely concerned, but he really wasn't helping me in my situation. "I can tell you though, that I'll guide you on your journey, and protect you."

Protect me. Those words rung through my head like a bell. No one has ever said anything like this to me before.

"So, is that what you glass people do, protect humans?" I asked as he smiled.

"Only some," Will said. "Come on, I want to show you something about glass people."

Will took me back up to his studio upstairs. He thumbed through several paintings until he came across a landscape of rolling green hills, a sky filled with bright blues and lavenders shifting into pinks. In the background, and nestled in the protruding black cliffs, was what looked like a diamond out of the rocks. I looked closer, and realized it was a castle.

"This was my home." Will stated. "A long time ago, that is." He gazed tenderly at it, almost like he was caught in a distant memory.

"It's beautiful, but how do you get to it? It's built into the side of a cliff." I asked as he chuckled.

"I've never had anyone ask me that before when critiquing my paintings." I smiled back at him, but was seriously asking. "Well," Will started, "there's a passage from the backside of it, that's the entrance. It was built up high for protection and a reminder to the glass people that...we would be there...forever." His words faded and his eyes paled.

A knocked on the door broke the silence, and I jumped. Will carefully put the painting back and opened the door.

"Will, you're needed downstairs. The guardians are arriving, and I need my full staff." Rosie then looked at me. "And Eliza, I need you to come with me."

Will looked back at me with a reassuring smile, and then left with a nod to Rosie.

Rosie stood in the doorway and motioned for me to come. I followed her down the hallway to the lobby. Mumbled voices filled the spacious room as Clive served several drinks from a large tray. The guardians, as they were called, looked like normal men and women, except they were dressed in black, mesh-like clothing. Some had silver bands around their arms, and others had gold. There were maybe about ten or fifteen guardians, and not one of them noticed me as Rosie whisked down another hallway.

Rosie reached an arched wooden door, and pulled out an assortment of keys. She quickly fumbled through them, and opened the door.

Inside was filled with many books in glass covered cases lining the wall, several matching puffy velvet chairs, and a large desk that sat in front of the arched window with panels of stained glass in them.

"I finally got through to Atlantis, but they want to talk to you first before they allow you through the portal." Rosie went over to a glass tablet on the paper cluttered desk. "It's just a customary thing, and...it's nothing to be worried about." Her voice was soothing to me as she guided me over to sit in front of the glass tablet.

She tapped on it and a circle with swirling shades of blue appeared. The words 'Atlantis Communications' slowly emerged in fluid lettering, then faded to another screen with a boy, a few years older than me with blonde hair, and greyish-blue eyes smiled back.

"Hello Gabe, can you hear me alright?" Rosie said in a loud voice.

"I can hear you fine," he replied.

"Good. This is Eliza Thorn and she's the one I was telling you about...or actually, it was Abe that I spoke to."

"He had a meeting to go to, and left me to take your information. He informed me of everything that you spoke to him about." He looked down at a tablet in front of him, and wrote something down on it. "I think he has almost everything for your request. The only thing left is verbal approval of Eliza Thorn agreeing to come to Atlantis." He looked up like I was agreeing to go on a trip to Hawaii.

My mouth trembled as the blonde haired boy gazed back waiting for an answer.

"It's alright Eliza," Rosie knelt down, and pushed back my hair. "I know this is sudden, but things are dangerous now, and this is the best place for you to go. Trust me... I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Eliza," Gabe said and I turned to him. "We do this quit often, and Rosie is right, this is a safe place. I'm sure by now you've seen a few strange things, but where there are strange things, there are others who fight against them, and protect the innocent." His voice was gentle, and began to put me at ease.

"So, I do have to formally ask you." He smiled at me warmly. "Eliza Thorn, do you agree upon your own free will, to come to Atlantis by portal, and leave earth for a duration that is undecided and unspecified," Gabe said reading from the tablet and writing things down as he did.

I didn't reply as what he said sounded so final. I looked back at Rosie, and she smiled. Her eyes were soft and filled with concern. I knew that she was the only one who truly cared for me. She would never put me in danger.

"Yes," I finally said looking back at Gabe.

"Good, and everything will be fine, Eliza," he said with a smile. "Rosie, I will tell you there has been some turbulence in some of the portals—just the time of the season for them. I will contact you later to give you a time and location for departure."

"Very well," she nodded.

"Oh, I almost forgot. This is on a personal note." Gabe leaned over and had a small piece of paper in front of him. "Karinna sends her love and wishes she could've been there for your promotion. Here's the card." He held up a small card with shifting colors of blues and greens that slowly formed the word congratulations.

"Just like my sister to incorporate traditions not customary to the Phoenix clan." Rosie smiled as Gabe put the card down.

"Thank you Gabe, and tell the rest of the Blackbirds hello, and tell my sister—thanks." Gabe nodded and then the screen went blank.

I continued sitting there, just staring at it. Atlantis, it exists, and I was going to escape a danger here, I knew nothing about.

"You'll be fine Eliza," Rosie said putting her hands on my shoulders.

My fear and worry was beginning to turn into curiosity almost like a child's. I had fear, but not enough to keep me from exploring and asking questions.

"You're from Atlantis. Gabe referred to you as a sister of...I can't remember what her name was. It started with a K." I looked up at her.

"Karinna, yes she's my sister, and I'm part of the Phoenix clan there, but I chose another path than the traditional one. I'm sort of like," she looked away tipping her head side to side. "I guess the best way I can explain it to you so you understand is that I'm kind of like a missionary to a foreign country helping out the people there. The only difference is that I don't let people know who I am, and I fight demons and try to keep magical implements out of unauthorized hands." She smiled. "And I cooked at the Salvation Army and try to get young girls off the streets to find a better life." She added with a smile.

"You're referring to me," I stated the obvious.

"And I think I succeeded."

I let out a laugh just as a loud explosion came from downstairs. The floor shook and tiny bits of plaster from the ceiling crumbled around us. Rosie immediately grabbed me as she pulled from her pocket, a small black disk. With a flick of her hands a thin blade expelled from it.

"What's going on?" My voice trembled as voices screamed between the growls and high pitched screeches of what I could only guess to be demons.

"Come on, through here," Rosie said locking the door, grabbing the tablet, and pulling on a book that opened one of the bookcases up to reveal a stairwell. "This will lead outside. You'll see my car when you open the door, and take this," she said shoving the tablet to me. "When this lights up," she pointed to a small button in the lower corner. "Press it and help will be on its way."

Rosie appeared calm and in control as my body trembled. I looked at the blank tablet and felt I could hardly hang onto it.

"Go Eliza, it will be alright," she said just as the door exploded and splinters of wood flew through the air.

I screamed as Rosie stood in front of me holding out her thin sword.

"Run!" She commanded, but it was too late.

The creature that attacked me in the alley, was standing in front of Rosie, and expelled thin black thorns into her from its belly. Rosie tried to use her sword as the creature shot out what looked like hundreds of needles from its body, and laughed in a gurgling voice.

I screamed Rosie's name as she fell to the floor covered in thorns.

"Miss me? I missed you, little speck!" It stood in front of me as several new thorns emerged from its belly, all pointed towards me. Where I was at, the door to the hallway was much closer than the secret passageway. "We don't need you anymore...master has what he wants...time to kill and eat the calling card!" It laughed as I rolled to the floor and out of the way of the shower of thorns.

"Clever little calling card—have to work a little harder at this one." It turned and I ducked again trying to get closer to the door as the thorns smacked against the book cases, even cracking some of the glass.

"Ugh! Stop moving! You're making this hard on me and...I'm hungry!" It bent over slightly like it was curling in on itself.

As it looked away, I turned and ran towards the door when something pinched the back of my shoulder. Suddenly something stood in my way. It was Will and I could see his surprised, solid, white eyes staring back at me.

"Duck!" He yelled shoving me down throwing a silver disk towards the demon. It severed its head clean off, and returned back to Will's hand in one quick movement.

"Rosie...she's..." I tried to push myself up as my body felt like it was on fire.

Will picked me up, and pulled the black thorn from my shoulder. It stung, and all I could do was scream.

"Eliza, listen to me," he said as my vision came and went. "Just listen to me, and you'll be fine."

I tried hard to listen to his voice that became more like a song of colors—watercolors. They bled together making new colors and patterns randomly across the page. It was free to wander the paper, and bled with other colors, until it dried creating something of its own.

I felt calm and relaxed. My world melted, and the only thing that mattered was Will's painting. They were beautiful. The colors shifted and parted like a dissolving mist, until I was standing at a bottom of hill looking up at the castle made of glass.
Chapter Five

The light surrounding me danced between blues and yellows. The air was brisk, nearly taking my breath away at first. Everything was clean, untouched, and pristine to the point of solitude. I had an overwhelmingly sense of loneliness. Then, I could see the castle in Will's painting just as it was on the canvas, but now, it pulsated with life, it was real, and beautiful.

Like a moth to flame, I was drawn to it. As I got closer, something felt familiar, like a distant memory barely hanging onto my thoughts. I couldn't pin it down, and it fluttered inside of me like a butterfly.

Soon, I was at the massive front gates that looked like glass lace. It weaved and curled around itself tightly. Tall spires reached for the lavender sky dotted with misty clouds. I ran my finger over the laced glass rods, and immediately it changed color. I quickly removed my hand causing it to change to clear glass again.

I stepped back gazing up at it wondering what to do, where to go, and if anyone was here.

"We've been waiting," whispered a voice.

I twirled around, and saw no one.

"Jinxed child, we've been waiting," said the same voice, this time it came from behind the gate.

In a swirling mist, and covered in paleness, was a person with long, flowing, white hair. I couldn't tell if it was female or male, though its voice was soft and higher pitched than Will's. Its piercing white eyes were fixed on me—glass person, no doubt.

"Come here, child," it said extending a long arm towards me through the gate.

I didn't move, only stared. The creature tilted its head, then curled its fingers back into their palm, and withdrew their arm.

"Please don't be frightened." It paced, rolling like fog, behind the gate with its eyes on me. "You complete a prophecy long ago foretold." Silver scales glistened on its forehead.

Suddenly, something vibrated through the air rippling my vision. The pale swirling colors darkened, until the castle was the only light piercing the sudden blackness.

"Time is running out." Its eyes darted in all directions as if searching for something. "Tell them that I'm alive, they didn't kill me, and the prophecy is in motion."

Its image began to fade, and darkness was slowly swallowing me. I wrapped my arms around myself.

"What do I do?!" I yelled with no reply. "Help me!" I yelled into the black void surrounding me.

Like a wave crashing through glass, I was thrown backwards. Voices screeched like thunder making my ears hurt from the noise. I screamed, covered my ears, and dropped to my knees wishing the voices away. It was almost like they were singing or chanting that compared to fingernails running down a chalkboard. Their voices were like tiny pins pricking at my insides. I forced myself to remove my hands from my ears, and crawl away when suddenly, I felt something round and metallic under my hand.

"Use the scepter!" The voice commanded.

I curled my fingers around it, and it glowed under my clenched fist like a flashlight. I rolled to my back, and held it out in front of me as a slender blade cut the darkness like lightning. Holding onto it with both hands, a rush of wind skidded across me.

Over my head, I could clearly see curling dark forms moving like a fluid blackness. They were many, but acted as one. I stared at the boiling dark fog waiting for it to transform into something, but it didn't. I thought I could see abstract forms of faces protruding and pressing out as if trying to escape. As soon as I thought I saw something, it would pull back into the blackness. Suddenly, it stopped and concentrated over me letting out a howl that was like ice pellets hitting my skin.

I pulled myself away from it, and it followed, but kept a distance from the glowing blade. It then rumbled at me like thunder as I shook in fear.

"Kill it!" The voice demanded.

I pulled myself up as it loomed before me. It was an eyeless, black, misty mass that filled me with dread, and slowly was getting bigger.

I gazed at it in awe, when, suddenly, something I've never felt before filled me. I looked at the sword knowing I didn't know how to use it, and certainly never killed anything before, but somehow, I felt confident that I could use and kill with it. I tightened my grip, gazed at the blackness as if it was waiting for me to challenge it, and then charged towards it.

I yelled, slashed, and ran knowing I didn't have any idea what I was doing, something else was guiding me, I could feel it. To my surprise, it retreated. Amazed at the reaction of this monster, I didn't stop, and swung the thin blade until the black mist was curling around me in thin withering strips. Slowly, light began to pierce the darkness and noises, human voices, echoed around me until I broke through the remaining black ribbons of the creature.

Like a flash of lightning, I was nearly blinded, and disoriented as to where I was.

"We're not out of here yet!" Bea yelled at me.

I stood behind her, my mind was still in a fog, and my movements were clumsy. I wondered where Will was, and gazed through the thick trees and at the lake in the distance. It was Lake Moore, and I could see the reflection of the old hotel in the black water. I don't remember walking out here, and had trouble focusing on what was around me. My head was still lingering in my dream of the white-eyed person, and the black fog that had just disintegrated.

"We're by the lake," I said in a slow voice as Bea danced around me with silver streamers flying from her hands. She looked like a circus performer—a very gothic looking though circus performer. "Bea—"

She twirled and flipped like a trapeze artist in the air. Slick, black, bat-like wings flapped behind her. She now had a long tail with a pointed end that flashed like a whip, and cracked the air.

I watched thinking it was beautiful, until she was forced to the ground by a small hairy ball with red eyes and a large mouth filled with teeth. If fact, that's what it mostly consisted of. Bea screamed as more of the teethed fur ball creatures covered her.

I had to do something, and then felt the blade in my hand. I looked at it glow slightly and then, without thinking, I slashed at the creatures. They flung through the air like hairballs a cat would throw up. I could hardly believe I was using a sword that I got in a dream, unless I was still dreaming. Green and brown ichor splattered against me and covered Bea as she pushed herself up screaming.

She hovered in the air as the last of the fur-teeth-monsters ran off dissolving into the fading light.

I dropped to my knees covered in the slime and bits of fur that stuck to it. The small dead bodies of the creatures melted into the ground like hot butter in a frying pan, and disappeared as if they were never there.

Bea knelt in front of me. Our eyes locked, and she placed her hands on my cheeks. My body filled with pain, and I screamed shaking uncontrollably.

"Hold still! Or you'll die!" Bea yelled with her eyes burning with flames. "If you move I can't focus."

I tried to gaze into her cat-like eyes that were beautiful as well as disturbing. Bea didn't blink or speak to me as she moved her hands to my shoulders. Slowly, the shaking ceased, and I could feel my body become weightless to the point I thought I would float away if she didn't push me down.

I opened my eyes that I didn't even know I had closed. I was on the cold ground, and could feel the snow starting to melt into my clothing. Pain shot through me, causing my muscles to spasm again. I whimpered wishing Bea would do whatever she did before to take the pain away.

"Stay with me Eliza," Piper said with her eyes gazing at me with concern, and her voice trying to sooth me.

I couldn't move, and it felt like hundreds of hands were holding me down as I squirmed.

"The poison is spreading quickly. I can stop it, but it will be uncomfortable for her." She was looking at someone. "I need to relieve her pain." I followed her gaze to Will.

"Bea!" He yelled for her over his shoulder.

Bea folded her arms and looked at me with her cold eyes.

"I already saved her once. I stopped the poison from killing her instantly, and now you want me to kiss her boo-boo?" Bea glared at me. "Let her feel pain." She walked away as Will grabbed her by the arm, and forced her to the ground next to me.

"You will help her!" He commanded through clenched teeth as his eyes casted over to white.

"No!" she protested. "I don't, and I won't! She's jinxed, the pain won't kill her!" Bea jerked her arm from Will's grasp as I screamed out wanting to beg her for help, but couldn't speak.

My insides burned, and slowly it spread through every muscle, every cell in my body. I could feel everything spasm uncontrollably as my hearing and sight slowly faded.

"Here," Loki said. "I can do something, but it might not be as good." Piper nodded as he placed his cold fingers to my temple.

They were like two icicles, pointed and sharp, like the ones that hang from the eaves of houses in winter. I could feel that coldness feather through me like a growing frost. The pain and burn diminished, and I relaxed to the sound of Piper's voice. Soon, everything faded into a mist of white, and from there, into a dreamless sleep.

"Eliza," Will said my name clearly. "Eliza, wake up."

I opened my eyes, and slowly they focused on him. His silver-white hair glistened, and pale eyes gazed at me.

"Will," I said propping myself up. "Where are we? What happened?"

He pushed a cup to my mouth and told me to drink. I didn't have a choice but to drink the harsh liquid that made me want to throw-up. I choked it down, and almost thought of grabbing a handful of snow to neutralize the bitterness.

"What was that? It's awful," I said feeling my strength return slowly.

"Don't tell Piper that it was horrible. She knew it would be, and tried really hard to not make it that way." Will smiled at me.

"I feel better even though that was horrible." I pointed to the cup, but glad I didn't feel sick anymore as I looked around at the trees coated in snow. Puffy flakes fell delicately through the still air.

"Where are we? Where's everyone at?"

"We're in the woods around Lake Moore. Piper, Bea and Loki went back to the hotel to check things out."

"What happened there? That monster...the arch demon—"

"I killed it, but it wasn't the one that attacked you in the alley. It was his double, at least that's what I think. The others think it was him." Will picked up something off the ground. "Tell me where you got this." Pinched between his fingers was a silver disk with curved markings on it with a red stone, like a cut ruby, set in the center.

My mouth opened as I looked at it, but no words came out.

"It had to come from somewhere, and Bea doesn't carry weapons like this. It's Fae made, and she hates the Faes."

I looked into Will's pale eyes. "You won't believe me," I said, not really believing myself.

He snickered. "Trust me. I'll believe it, that is, if it's believable in my world."

I took a deep breath. "A person, with white eyes and silver hair, like you, gave it to me when I was standing in front of the glass castle—just like the one that's in your painting. I was there, and so was a black...blob thing that I killed with," I pointed to the round disk, "that."

Will stood up, and with a flick of his wrist, expelled the blade. He gazed down at me as the forest echoed with the voices of Loki and Piper.

"It was a miracle, but we found one," Piper said holding up a silver pen-sized rod. "We have an etch. Good thing Rosie was once an Alliance member." Bea walked beside her, and glanced over at me with her human eyes as she whispered something to Piper.

Loki shook his head at Will. "No, there were no survivors, and no lingering demons or evil entities. It was a clean sweep, and they've got the demon trident."

Will's eyes fluctuated between white and pale blue. "What about Clive?"

"Didn't see him, but didn't see his body either." Loki gazed steadily at Will. "There were a lot of dead guardians—some even region leaders." He stepped closer to Will. "This is going to involve a lot of divisions from all over, and by us being here, our reputation is borderline with them."

Will took in a deep breath. "I know."

"Where did you get that?" Loki stepped back and noticed the blade in Will's hand. "Nice. And Fae made. They don't give up their weapons to anyone. Speaking of questionable beings, what are you hiding from us, glass boy?"

"It is mine," I said meekly. "I mean...a glass person gave it to me."

"Glass people don't just give things to small kittens like you." Loki crookedly smiled at me.

"It was given to me in a dream by a glass person outside a castle with a gate made of laced glass, and I fought off a black blob with it, and before I left, the voice told me to tell you that they're still alive, and the prophecy is in motion."

"Lyra, it had to be her," Piper said with a gasp. "Lyra, she's alive. I knew she'd send a message." She pressed her hand to her chest.

"Are you sure that's what she said?" Loki's face paled as he stood in front of me.

"I'm pretty sure," I repeated. "It was like a dream, but real at the same time. I did things I didn't know I could do," I said more to myself.

"Don't get your hopes up fairy. Kitten here, may have been caught in dremvision." Loki turned to Piper.

"It was Lyra," she said firmly. "I don't think it's possible for Eliza to have a dremvision about her, especially since she doesn't know Lyra." Piper nodded towards Will. "And Eliza was given a gift. You don't get something tangible from a dremvision."

Piper stepped away, and started to run her hands over several of the trees like she was trying to find something.

"Who's Lyra?" I asked. "And what's a dremvision?"

"A dremvision is like a dream, but is reality at the same time—like being transported mentally to another place. Only they are often manipulated by the person having them. Your vision was just that—a vision. Lyra is queen of the glass people, thought to have been murdered. Her death set the whole world of Iethia upside down, and chaos to rule in her place," Piper said weaving through the trees. "Ah, I knew I didn't have to go far to find a lovely landmerrow." She smiled running her hands across the rough bark of what looked like an old, knobby, oak tree.

"This isn't helping me," I said in a low voice with a sigh as I looked around rubbing my temples. "Where's Rosie?"

Will's eyes shot to me along with Loki who raised his eyebrows at me.

"Well, that's one good thing you did—she died protecting you," Bea said with a chuckle. "I guess you were good for one thing." She smiled then turned away. "Got that one out of my hair," she mumbled.

I gazed at the ground. Fragments of what happened came to me like a vivid nightmare, but I knew was no dream, it was very much real. She did protect me, even if she had to die doing it. "Rosie saved me from that giant millipede." My voice was barely a whisper.

I felt hollow inside as I gazed at the ruins of the Blue Moon Hotel. I wanted to run back, but knew I couldn't do anything—it was too late.

"It wasn't your fault." Will caught my arm and turned me around to face him.

"It is." I insisted. "If I wouldn't have picked that coin up...if I would've given it back to the lady who dropped it..."

Bea glared at me with pressed lips that looked like they held back a hundred curses towards me.

"It's the prophecy," Will whispered pulling my gaze back to him. His eyes reached into mine, and strangely, comforting to me. "There is nothing you could have done to change that."

"Prophecies are inconsistent, and easily manipulated through the ages." Loki stood beside Will talking into his ear. His eyes shifted to me. "It was a dremvision."

Will held the tiny, but deadly disk in front of his face, and gazed at Loki with flashing blue eyes. "Piper's right. You don't get something material from a dremvision."

Loki set his dark eyes on me that had a flicker of empathy. "So what if it is some prophecy, how is it going to be fulfilled properly? They do get altered and twisted through the ages. Things get set in motion, and then bounce in a different direction..."

"The landmerrow agrees to make passage for us!" Piper announced with joy as she started to draw a silver-gold line in midair.

I couldn't help but to watch her draw the fluid line that glittered in the air and looked like an oversized picture frame.

"What's that" I asked.

"A portal," Piper said connecting her lines. "And this beaut will take us to the green man."

"What?!" Bea stepped beside Piper. "He's incompetent, a bad excuse for a magician. He's in love with the flora, fauna, rainbows, and overall an idiot."

"You mean he's fond of the cute and beautiful things this world has to offer." Loki smiled at Bea teasing her.

"Where do you suggest we go, since the hotel was never to be taken over and ruined by demons, and our leader murdered. We have nowhere to go, and we need to report what happened." Pipers stood with hands on her hips and the etch still glowing in her hand.

"What about Atlantis?" I spoke up. "Rosie talked to someone there named Gabe, and I agreed to go."

"Did you get a location as where to meet them?" Will asked.

I looked back at the hotel. "No, they were going to send a message later on a glass tablet that Rosie had."

"It was probably destroyed as well." Will gazed back at the hotel along with me.

"Great, they'll probably be searching for us." Bea rolled her eyes. "I hate Atlantians."

"Well, my pretty and in fourth command of our lovely group, don't forget the pecking order, gorgon. It's Will, Piper, me, and then you." Loki crossed his arms. "You know, there's always the shadowlands. We can always go there."

"No," Bea stepped away leaning against the tree next to the portal.

"Why?" Loki moved in front of her.

"They freak me out, that's why."

Loki let out a deep laugh. "You, of all gorgons, shouldn't fear the shadowlands."

He looked at Bea, hovering over her as her eyes glared up at him. "I said they freak me out, not frighten me." She pushed past him, and over to me.

"No, the green man is the only one that can help us." Piper pointed towards the portal. "And we've got a way there right now."

"We'd be better off just gift wrapping ourselves, wait for the rest of the guardians to show up, and blame everything on us." Bea protested.

"At least the shadowlands are harder to navigate without an entity guiding you."

Loki, Bea and Piper formed a circle with their voices mixing together. Will shifted his weight at their arguing, and I glanced at him then back at them, growing tired of their arguing.

"Stop it!" I finally yelled catching everyone's attention. "Rosie was in charge and now Will is. We should listen to him."

Will gazed down at me with his curious, calm, and slightly angered eyes. I was only trying to help, but I think I've overstepped my boundaries.

"You're right kitten," Loki said looking at Will. "What you say then? What are we to do?"

Will looked at all of them, and then at me. His frosted blue eyes twinkled back at me like a star in a black winter's night sky. "We will go to my homeland—Iethia."
Chapter Six

"Are you insane?" Bea stepped in front of him. "I suppose you want to show your pet around, and take her on long walks hand in hand." Her blue eyes shifted to me. "Really, it's disgusting. She's human and you're a glass person, and did you know," she said snickering at me. "Glass people are classified as demons...not a good combination here." She pointed between us resting her eyes on Will. "Get over it! There's a little more at stake here!"

Will didn't seem fazed by Bea's outburst. Instead, he took her by the hand.

"Trust me on this Bea; it's not what you think. The demon trident is gone, and without an army, we couldn't possibly get it back against the Underworld. And," he said looking at Piper, "we can't keep running away because one day, there will be no more places to hide."

"Spoken like a true prince," Loki said leaning against the oak tree Piper said was a landmerrow.

Suddenly, footsteps in the distance could be heard. They were quick and coming closer as Will expelled the sword with a flick of his hand. Piper ran her hand over the portal, erasing it, and Bea turned into her gorgon form. Loki pulled me away from them as we waited for whatever was coming.

Trudging through the snow and fallen limbs was Clive. He was bundled in a coat and long hat making him look like one of Santa's elves.

"Clive," Will said surprised, and lowered his blade.

Clive stopped dead in his tracks, startled as Will approached him. He was clutching something under his coat, and then slowly began to step backwards.

"You can't have it! You misfit demons can't have it!" Clive yelled. "The goddess of Underworld wants it...you want to harm her with it...I won't let you!"

"He's possessed," Piper said with her fluttering wings behind her. "Clive, it's alright, you don't serve Eve. You are with us...we want to help you." Her words were calm.

"No!" He yelled. "All I wanted was a holiday, and what did I get?!" Clive tightened his mouth, looked at each of us with pointed finger as if it was a weapon. "You, all of you, use me. The goddess would never do that. She...she said...she told me about you—all of you."

"She won't use you because when she's done with you, you won't be around to use," Will said retracting his blade. "Eve is an arch demon, Clive, and nothing more. She twists your thoughts and uses what she can until it's gone." Will moved towards him, as Clive took a step away. "We don't want to hurt you, we don't want to use you, and we're your friends."

Clive's clenched mouth relaxed, and turned into a smile. He chuckled as I could see his body ease. "You're right." His words were calm. "You won't hurt me because... I'm going to hurt you first!"

Clive pulled from under his coat a large, metal, forked spade about a foot in length. It had three long tines, and carved scroll-like designs engraved in it.

"He has the demon trident!" Loki yelled, pushing me behind him and to the ground.

Clive thrust the trident into the ground, and then pulled it up laughing. "Grow my little sprouts!"

The ground shook and cracked open in several small fissures. Snow and broken limbs fell from the trees overhead.

Bea, now in full gorgon form, tried to pounce on Clive when, suddenly, several of the same fur-balls that I saw earlier, popped from the cracks and jumped on her, pushing Bea to the ground.

"Earth demons!" Piper yelled as she flicked silver dust from her hands.

The dust landed on the creatures like ash. They screeched and hissed, and then slowly, ignited into blue flames like someone threw matches on them. They ran wildly, and then rolled to the ground smothering the flames.

"Fairy dust isn't going to work on them, sister!" Clive laughed with mad delight as a wave of the earth demons bounced behind him like ping pong balls, and charged towards us.

Piper threw glitter from her hands, and soon everything was lit up in angry blue flames. Bea slashed at the creatures, not consumed by fire, with her black dagger. She stabbed the demons right below their mouths, and flicked them through the air like she was picking flowers. The creatures slammed into the trees, and exploded into dust upon impact. It was like the whole forest was a battlefield of ice, snow, and blue flames.

I watched the spectacle as if it was a movie, and not really happening. I knew differently, and watched in horror as several earth demons came like a wall of water. The more creatures they killed, the more that came. Clive laughed continually, raising the demon trident in the air like a trophy. I gazed at it, and suddenly, felt a spark ignite inside of me. I had to get it away from him, and even felt a pang of anger that he was using it. His grubby little hands were all over it, tainting it. I had to get it away from him.

The creatures that didn't burn up from Piper's dust, got only bigger when they rolled to the ground picking up more leaves, twigs, rocks, and other debris that littered the ground.

I could see two large earth demons charge towards Will. I couldn't let anything happen to him.

"I can't hold this shield for much longer. We're going to have to run!" Loki yelled as he held out his hands in front of him, fingers fanned out, and bolts of electricity encasing us in a curtain of light.

He dropped his arms and grabbed hold of me. I yanked my arm away from Loki's hand just as Will fell to the ground with the two large earth demons standing over him.

I ran to him as something metallic flew from his hands—the sword. It landed a few feet in front of me like it was trying to reach me. I swooped in, picked it up, and ran towards him. I slashed madly at the two creatures. They screeched and yelled as I whittled them down, not giving them a chance to attack me. Twigs, rocks, and leaves exploded in one final slash of my sword.

I didn't stop with them. Piper had several on top of her, pulling at her wings. I flung them off like flies clinging to a window screen. Soon, they quit coming until all that was left was Clive clutching the demon trident.

I turned to him as he stepped back.

"Give me that," I said glaring at him.

He growled at me as he poked it into the ground one more time producing a large earth demon near Bea. It towered over her, and lifted its massive twig constructed arm to take a swing. I rolled to the ground and over to Bea slicing the creature's arm off before it could attack her. And I continued slashing until it was gone.

I then turned to Clive again. He rushed towards me with the trident pointed at me. In one quick swipe, I sliced through Clive taking his head clean off.

Everything fell into silence as I stood there, holding the sword at my side. It was like I wasn't there. I couldn't have possibly done all of this.

"Eliza," Will's voice pulled me from my dazed trance.

"What have I done?" I asked rhetorically, my voice was barely a whisper. I didn't blink as I looked at Clive. His dead body was the only proof of what happened. "I killed him," I said looking up at Will. His pale eyes gazed at me gently. "I...I don't know what came over me. I've never done anything like that before. I killed him..."

"Well, I do have to say that's pretty good for someone with no training," Loki said standing on the other side of me. "Very acrobatic, and quick little thing, aren't you? You're almost like a killing circus performer, aren't you kitten?"

"You saved us, and protected us," Will said turning me to face him. He placed his hands on my shoulders and studied me with his flickering eyes. "It's clear to me now what you are."

"Where's the trident?" Bea asked searching the ground with Piper by Clive's body. Everyone turned to her. "It's not here, and it was in his hands. He was swinging it all over the place, and it should be here." She lifted his decapitated body like she was picking up a large garbage bag, and giving no respect to his remains. "For Heaven's sake!" she said with disgust, throwing his corpse to the ground.

I could feel bile rise in my throat watching the green blood dripped from the body. I ran as quickly, and far as could until I stopped and threw-up beside a tree.

Will followed, and looked at me with worry. I was glad I didn't throw-up all the spaghetti I ate earlier. I stood up, and leaned against the tree closing my eyes. Snow began to trickle from the branches above, and stung my skin with its iciness. I wrapped my arms around my stomach wanting nothing more than to run away from everything.

"Are you alright?" He asked with his voice filled with concern.

"No," I replied truthfully. "I just turned into a killing machine, and murdered your butler."

"He wasn't the butler, and, he had this on him." Piper held up a business card.

"It's blank," Will said looking at her.

"No, it isn't, not to me." She flipped it over. "It has Fae writing on it. And it's done in runes, which is an ancient writing hardly used anymore, and, only visible to real fairies—like me."

"Well, what does it say?" Loki asked.

Piper looked at it. "It seems Clive was more than just a house attendant for quite some time. He's part of some organization called the Fellowship of the Heart." She flipped the card over then looked back at Will. "That's all it says, nothing more."

"Fellowship of the Heart," Bea questioned. "I've never heard of it, and I don't think Eve would name any of her secret thug groups Fellowship of the Heart."

"It sounds more like some church named by humans, but I don't think Clive was into things like that." Loki gazed at the card over Piper's shoulder.

"Eve is behind this. I know many want the trident for its power to either have control over their enemies, or extract the magic right out of it. This is how she works, and who else would want the trident more than her?" Piper asked quickly looking over her shoulder at Bea. "I know she's still your mother, Bea, but I'm just saying..."

Bea glared at Piper with eyes like ice as she folded her arms over her chest and cleared her throat.

"No, not anymore, she disowned me, and I don't think if she had a secret group wanting to get the demon trident, she would name it Fellowship of the Heart."

"Why not, it's the perfect disguise." Loki nudged in front of Bea. "Eve's cunning. Do you think she'd name her group something like the Underground Divas, and give out membership cards all over using that name? No, she'd use something like that so it wouldn't raise any red flags." Bea started to walk away, but Loki stepped in front of her again. "She was the one that gave herself to darkness, not you."

Bea looked away, and then back at Loki. "It's the past, and I suppose it could be related to her."

"Well, guys, the trident is gone. What now? Where should we start?" Piper asked as I sneezed.

Everyone looked at me like I had said something I shouldn't.

"Let's get somewhere warmer," Will said wrapping his arm around me.

"And where would that be?" Bea asked.

"Iethia," Will replied.

Will had everyone go back to the old hotel and get the things they needed. The place was littered with dead bodies—all the guardians I had seen earlier conversing as Clive served them drinks. I tried not to look at them, and Will curled me in his arms.

"The sight bothers you?" He asked taking notice as I tried to hide my aversion.

I looked up at him as he glanced over at the fallen guardians before we went down the hallway.

"Yes, it's terrible..." I said as his eyes were filled with curiosity rather than repulsion at the scene.

We stood in the hallway away from everyone, and the aftereffects of the horror that happened just an hour before.

"You...you don't feel that way?" I asked. "I mean you don't understand—death, and what it means when someone dies."

He took in a deep breath. "Glass people live a long time, and when our power is low, we simply transform ourselves, but most of our memories are lost in the process, only a few important ones remain."

I shook my head trying to fathom what he said, but I couldn't think past what had happened.

"If it bothers you, then we can leave another way." His voice was sincere.

I looked up at him as Piper came down the hallway. "Here's a coat you can wear. It's one of mine so for my convenience, there's two small slits in the back for my wings. I pinned them shut."

"Thanks," I said putting it on.

"I'm going to check on Loki because if I don't, he'll want to take the kitchen sink with him," Piper said turning with her wings folded behind her and poking through her blue velvet coat.

"What about Rosie's body?" My voice trembled, and I tried to contain my tears.

"What do you mean?"

"We need to bury her," I said quickly. "Or at least burn her body."

Will's face turned sour. "Why would you do that? Isn't that desecrating to the body?"

"No, humans bury or burn their dead as finality to their life. It's done out of respect."

Will glanced down the hallway then back at me. "If that's the proper thing to do for Rosie, then that's what we shall do."

I couldn't go in and see Rosie's body. I wanted to remember her the way she was. Will and Loki took her out, and I stayed inside. I glanced around the room feeling I knew Rosie well, but at the same time, I didn't. Her secret life, secret responsibilities, were a mystery to me.

I looked around the room at all of the books wondering about all the things Rosie knew when something buzzed on the floor. Startled at first, I stepped back and then it buzzed again like a missed call from a cell phone. I moved some of the debris, books and shards of glass carefully away to discover it was the glass tablet, and it wasn't broken. I picked it up, and it had the same swirling blue background with an alert of a message flashing back at me.

"Eliza, are you ready?" Will asked as I stared at the tablet.

"It's a message from Atlantis." I gazed at it as Will stepped beside me.

"What do I do?" I asked, and looked into his pale eyes.

He looked at me then back at the tablet. I was happy it was intact, and now we had a safe haven to escape to.

"If you answer it, they will tell us where to take you for transportation, but if you don't, then we can go to Iethia." His words were soft, and his eyes flickered like ice glistening in the sun. "Piper, Bea, Loki and I, can't go with you. We are forbidden to travel there without a variance." He looked down at me as I gazed at the tablet waiting for a response. "I can't decide for you, but I can offer you another option. The Alliance can protect you, no doubt, but I can show you what you truly are." His words were tantalizing to me. "Eliza, I want the choice to be yours, but I want you to know there is something more to you. I could feel it the first time I ran my fingers across your mark."

"What is it? What did you feel?" I couldn't believe I was asking.

"I think you were chosen by Lyra to be my protector. I don't know how or why she did it, but I know. It's clear to me after what just happened in the woods. You fought like a single glass army," he said with a smile.

I looked down at the flashing tablet. Atlantis, another world, and a secret world that I'd be safe in, but would I ever get to leave? What would be expected of me, and would I still be hunted by demons? I then looked up at Will. It would be dangerous to follow him, but then again, no one ever said discovering the truth was a safe thing.

I let the tablet fall from my hands to the floor, and finished it off with a stomp of my foot. It cracked and the light went out. There was no turning around now.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Eliza Thorn, I promise."
Chapter Seven

"Are you serious?" Bea wearing a long black coat and knee high black leather boots, asked Will as she pressed her red lips together. "The portal is in Chicago."

I stood with my back to the rest of the group not listening to them, and peered into the fire. Piper used her magic to set the pyre that didn't produce any smoke that might alarm the rest of Pleasantville. All that was left was the crackling of the blue flames. I threw a handful of greenery and twigs with berries still on them as an offering to the fire in remembrance to Rosie. I wished I had a big beautiful bouquet of flowers to show how much she meant to me. I couldn't cry anymore as I stared into the flames feeling hollow inside.

"The portal is at Millennium Park," Will replied not bothered by Bea's flickering eyes. "The cloud sculpture is the portal."

I pulled myself away and stood by Will. I felt like I needed a hug, but certainly didn't want to ask for one. It seemed they didn't understand what death meant to humans. I knew everything was too dangerous to dwell in sorrow, and I said one final prayer in my head, and then pushed my sadness away.

I focused on Will as he talked about how the sculpture was perfect to use as a portal, and humans would be none the wiser. I remember seeing it featured in a magazine at the library. It reminded me of a huge silver bean that reflected everything like a mirror.

"Clever glass people, you are. Hiding a portal in plain sight, that's genius." Loki dressed in a long, brown, wool coat walked beside Will.

"So, how are we getting there?" I asked as Piper went over to the funeral pyre and put it out. With a wave of her hand she extinguished it, and then something silver ran down her cheek. She wiped it away, said something I couldn't hear from her moving lips, and quickly joined the rest of the group. I didn't look at her, and pretend I didn't see what I thought was a tear, and maybe a final good-bye.

Will gazed down at me and smiled. "We'll be going by train," he replied.

It was the first part of December, and holiday travel was nearing its peak. The train station in Pleasantville was busy.

"Is anyone going to notice you...I mean..." I motioned to my hair as I looked at Will.

He shook his head and smiled as the black coat really set off his white and silver hair. "Did you notice glass people before you were marked?"

"No, I guess I didn't," I said trying to think of different scenarios that might pose problems. "I thought you had to buy tickets in advance?" I whispered to Will.

Piper swooped up beside me with her wavy blonde hair and wings concealed by what she called a glamour. "You ask a lot of questions, and worry too much. Watch and learn little human," she said holding up five toilet paper sections.

I gave her a confused look as she smiled at me, and then approached the counter. I could hear her giggle and flirt with the man behind the counter as he took the pieces of paper like they were real tickets—even stamped them. I let out a chuckle as Will looked down at me.

"We can get on," she said strutting by as she took my hand, and pulled me close to her. "And that is called a trick glamour, we fairies use it for the obvious—to trick people into seeing something that isn't there."

"When will he realize that you just gave him toilet paper?" I couldn't help but to look back to see any commotion.

"Not for at least a couple of hours," Piper said getting on the train. "I haven't done that in a long time, and it feels so good!"

"Calm down, fairy or you're going to alert everyone on the train." Bea pushed Piper into a seat, and gave me a quick glance.

Piper and Bea sat on the side with two seats, while Loki, Will and me, sandwiched between them, sat across the aisle from them. Several people were getting on, and the lights from the inside flickered off the windows.

"Are you sure it's secure?" Loki asked nervously.

Will leaned over slightly and looked at him. "Yes, I'm sure. It's a known portal and therefore, secure."

"Are you sure it's not too known?" Loki craned his head to see in front of him. "Because I don't think we're alone." He lowered his head and whispered. "Glass people, and possibly not the good kind."

Will's face paled, if that was possible, and discreetly looked over the other passenger's heads.

"I don't see them, and don't sense them. You're paranoid, Loki," Will said as his eyes twinkled at me for a moment.

Loki rested his head back. "Something doesn't feel right. I think I should go into entity mode and have a look at things." He gazed over at Will as if asking for permission.

"Too risky, others can sense you if they are here, and we don't want to alert anyone."

"Very well, but if you change your mind, I'm ready."

I had about a million questions running through my head, but wasn't sure if I should ask them in such a public area. I leaned my head back, closed my eyes, and planed on just resting for a couple of minutes. The swaying and rhythm of the train noise lulled me unknowingly to sleep.

In the blackness behind my closed eyelids, I could hear whispering. I tried to focus on it, thinking it was Loki and Will discussing something.

"She said it was here, and her daughter had it." One voice came in clear.

"She's probably just paranoid, and I would be if the one thing that could kill you was in enemy hands," another voice, male, said. "I'm going to get something to eat, do you want anything?"

My eyes popped open, and I looked around catching Loki's attention.

"No, we're not there yet, if that's what you were going to ask." Loki tapped his fingers on his knee with a look of boredom mixed with anxiousness. He shifted his weight in the seat. "Something doesn't feel right kitten." He peered over the seats again.

I watched him, and then looked over at Will who was fast asleep. "Were you just talking to Will?" I glanced back at Loki.

"No," he replied slowly. "He's been a sleeping-beauty-prince for about an hour now while I feel like I'm going to explode."

"I...heard voices... must've been a dream." This caught Loki's attention.

"Voices," he turned to me. "What did they say?" He asked eagerly.

The voices that were so clear at the time were fogged over now to just fragments. I looked away trying to recall what they said as Loki prompted for me to tell him something that had nearly slipped away.

"One was going to get something to eat, and the other...said something about having it here and they were just paranoid. That's all I can remember, and they were male voices." Loki let out a frustrated sigh. "They were human voices, if that helps any."

"We can't sit still anymore," Loki said gazing over at Will.

I looked back at him, and then at Loki. "What are you going to do? Go into entity mode?" I asked in a low voice.

"You heard voices and my skin is crawling...something has to be done." He sat up and looked over at me with his dark brown eyes. "Here take this," he said shoving a small, silver, metal mirrored compact into my hand. "I can communicate with you from this. Keep it open because it doesn't ring or vibrate. Got it?" I started to say something when his image vanished.

I held my breath as I looked into the vacant seat wondering where Loki went, and more importantly, what he'd find. I looked over at Will sleeping soundly and then down at the compact that reflected my image.

"Loki," I whispered into it, and then looked around to see if anyone noticed me talking to a mirror.

Loki didn't answer, and maybe he couldn't hear me. I then looked over at Piper and Bea sleeping as well. I thought of waking someone to let them know what was going on when suddenly, Loki came out of thin air and sat next to me. I could feel my heart jump into my throat as I tried to contain the scream that bubbled in it.

"Just as I thought," he said with his dark eyes peering forward across the seats. "Angus's thug glass men are traveling with us, but I don't think they know we're here. They are searching for the trident, and they don't have it either."

"Should we wake Will?" I asked pointing to him as Loki nodded.

I gently nudged him with no response.

"You don't have to be gentle. He's called a glass person, but he's not made of it." Loki clenched his fist and tapped him on the shoulder a little harder than I thought necessary, but got the job done.

"Alright, there are two glass men that are working for Angus on this train. They're looking for the trident, and failed to find it too. And they don't know we are here." Loki lowered his head whispering quickly to Will who rubbed his eyes.

"I take it you went into entity mode to find this out?" Will asked calmly.

Loki's eyes shifted to me, and then back to Will as he nodded his head. "Eliza heard whispers, and I think she can hear glass people."

I looked over at Will with trembling mouth as his blue eyes shifted back to Loki. He let out a sigh, and then leaned over me getting closer to Loki.

"Don't do that again. We were lucky they didn't sense you, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Loki cocked his head. "Strange, don't you think? I mean glass people not being able to sense me when I'm in entity mode, something's not right there."

"If they're not sensing you, then that's good. Let's just stay put, and blend in. I would like to make safe passage rather than poke at something that doesn't need poking at, especially since it's just us that can handle them." Will pointed between him and Loki.

Loki glanced at me and smiled as Will nestled back into his seat.

"Eliza," he said turning to me. "I'd get some rest because we'll be in Chicago soon." Will smiled, unmoved by what just happened.

I sat back and closed my eyes. I was tired, but my mind raced with everything that has happened, and sleep wouldn't come to me. It also didn't help that Loki kept bumping me with his elbow. I opened my eyes gazing over at him engrossed in a small book with yellowish pages curled in the corners. It appeared old, almost like a diary.

"What are you doing?" I asked in a whisper.

"Reading," he said vaguely.

"I can see that, but what are you reading?"

"It's an old book of symbols. Some are for protection, and some are for warding off bad things." He flipped back through the pages. "I know Will hopes to get by on his charming looks and fly under the wire." Loki looked up at me with his dark eyes. "But I like to be prepared."

He went back to studying as I leaned closer looking at the book with him. It was more like a journal, hand written, and in lettering I didn't understand. Large, black, swirling symbols, some elaborate, and some simple in design, took up most of the page followed by writing underneath it.

"Where did you get that?" I asked as he continued to flip pages.

"From the same girl that I got the perfume from," Loki said.

"You stole it then."

"Well, it's all how you look at it." He lifted his eyes to me for only a second. "How can you steal something that's already been stolen? I call it borrowing...or in my case, compensation."

I sat back watching Loki thumb through the pages. I gazed at the symbols and lettering wondering what it meant, and thought of asking, but Loki appeared to be engrossed in trying to find something.

"The book I took from a witch that had me under a spell, and as you can guess, she lived in France." He glanced at me again. "I figured you were wondering, and I'd love to tell you my story, but time is of the essence here." I nodded my head.

Loki continued studying the book, then stopped, and let out a sigh.

"Eliza," he said my name for the first time instead of kitten. "I need your help with this."

I looked down at the book then at Loki's dark eyes wondering if that would be a good idea.

"When the time comes," he shut the book. "Say the word abracadabra."

I raised my eyebrows at him wondering if he had gone crazy.

"I know," he shook his head. "Humans say it all the time, and yes, it's an ancient word connected to magic. It isn't so much the word itself, but what is connected to it at the time. I'm using it now, and I need you to say it when the time comes."

I looked back at Will sleeping soundly.

"So, do you think you can do that? Because I don't think we're going to leave this train as smoothly as your prince thinks."
Chapter Eight

The sun was slowly beginning to burn the night away. I slid my eyes from the window to Will as he sat up and smiled at me.

"It doesn't look like you slept any," he said. Before I could reply, the train suddenly slowed as if a giant net had caught it, and I almost expected to be flung backwards. Instead, we kept moving forward as if traveling through thick mud.

Will stood up, and looked around; his eyes were now like two white marbles. I could feel bile rise in my throat. I looked out the window at the scenery going by like I was watching a movie in slow motion. The barren, frosted, corn stubble fields were encased in a sickening greenish light. I stood up beside Will realizing my movements were slow, like I was swimming through water. My hair floated around my face as if there was no gravity. I pushed it out of the way looking at the other passengers all sleeping, oblivious to whatever was happening. Their faces were casted over in shadow as if they were caught between life and death.

I looked at Loki's seat, and he was gone, in entity form I could only guess. Bea and Piper stood in the aisle as Will pushed past me.

"Stay here," his voice was slow and deep.

I lowered myself, but didn't sit down so I could see what was going on. Then from the sickening green light that surrounded everything, two figures emerged. Dressed in long coats, and nearly the same height, they slowly removed their hats revealing white eyes, white hair and silver scales covering their protruding foreheads. Glass people—not the good kind.

I gasped as their eyes darted to me like magnets.

"Angus wants his calling card back, and we're here to collect." They both said in unison. "Move aside glass boy, we've got no business with you."

Will stepped in front of them as they came towards me. Piper with her wings folded behind her, grabbed my hand pulling me behind her and Bea. Bea's eyes were slits of fire, and slowly her black whip of a tail, curled around her legs ready to strike like a scorpion. It flicked through the air making a cracking sound.

"This doesn't have to be hard," one of them said in a normal sounding voice that wasn't slowed. "I would hate to have to destroy this train with all of these," he waved his hands motioning to the other passengers, "precious humans. Wouldn't that be a shame, and it doesn't have to come to that."

Suddenly, one of the men was pulled backwards by an invisible force—Loki. I could see his image go in and out as Loki struggled with the glass person. Will pulled a clear as glass dagger from the inside of his coat. It glistened, and pierced the green light as if the two were battling as well.

Bea threw tiny balls of flames as Piper flicked her blue flames at them. The air sizzled with fire, and altered between normal light and the green that made me feel sick.

Bea suddenly let out a growl, and whipped her tail over Will's head slashing at the glass person. He yelled as sharp teeth filled his mouth. Will sliced him across the neck, and silver dust poured from his wound like sand. He withered to the floor, and, then was gone.

"Now Eliza!" Loki yelled. "Say the word!"

I turned to see his image flicker. Will charged towards them, but was thrown backwards through the air landing several feet away. I looked back at Loki and the glass man.

"Abracadabra!" I yelled as loud as I could.

"No!" Bea yelled, but it was too late.

The green light was washed away, and everything started to slowly speed up. I could hear the train's engines whine, and everything began to fade. A white light filled my vision as I looked up to see silver flecks falling all around me like glitter. I wasn't sure if I had died or if I was caught in a dream.

"It's snow, kitten," Loki said in my ear.

I blinked my eyes, and slowly images of buildings started to form. "Where are we and, what...what happened on the train— the light, and...everything moved slow?" I asked still in a daze.

"That was a pause in time, and a little sampling of what Angus can do, or actually what he allows his thugs to do." Loki explained.

"Eliza," Will said pushing Loki out of the way. "Are you alright?" I shook my head.

"We can't stay here for long." Piper stepped beside Will. He nodded to her and then turned his attention back to Loki.

"Do you have any idea the danger you just put us in?" He asked Loki with a grave look on his face.

"I knew the dangers, but do you think you could've sweet talked your way out or bat your eyes at the two glass thugs, and gotten out alive?" Loki stood with his hands in his pockets as Will paced back and forth in front of him.

"Do you have any idea what you had Eliza do?" Will stopped, and stood inches from Loki's face, "because I don't think you realize what we are up against."

"Yes, I do, believe me I know, and we've better be armed with a few tricks up our sleeves." Loki then glanced at me. "And I know what she's capable of, otherwise, I wouldn't of."

I stood watching them, when suddenly a hand grabbed hold of my shirt, and lifted me into the air. I tried to scream, but my voice was constricted. Bea snarled, and glared at me with fire in her eyes. Her long, black, venomous tail cracked behind her dripping with black liquid.

"I told you she's jinxed, and needs to be destroyed. I've got plenty of poison left, just for her." She smiled with her voice filled with delight.

"Drop her, Bea!" Will commanded as Bea snapped at him.

"Give me one good reason other than you're the prince we're supposed to protect. She draws Angus's army to us, and who knows what else."

I tried to pull at Bea's tight grip and I could feel my senses were fading from lack of blood and air.

"Because I told you so," Will said looking anxiously between her and me.

On those words, Bea lowered me, and slowly released her grip. I fell to the ground gasping for air as Piper knelt beside me, her eyes a kaleidoscope of colors. Will gently pulled me to my feet.

"What made you say that word on the train?" Her voice was inquisitive.

"Loki...told me...say it." I slowly caught my breath, and rubbed my sore neck.

I could see Will tighten his lips, and glare at Loki.

"I needed her help, and...there was no harm in it. She is what she is, whether you like it or not."

"What...what am I?" I demanded. "I know I'm jinxed, but what does that mean?" I was getting frustrated. Everyone looked at me with long faces, except for Bea, she'd rather stab me with her tail.

"Jinxed is...is like a curse, to explain it in a human sense," Piper said. "But it doesn't work quit like a curse like you think."

"The coin—the initiation coin," Will said stepping in front of me. "It was tampered with by many as Piper said, and some, can sense where it's at."

"You mean like track me."

Will nodded his head. "But there are other things to it..." I turned away from them taking several steps in the opposite direction. I wanted to be as far from t hem as possible.

"Maybe Bea is right." I turned looking solely at Will, but could see Bea straighten, and more likely had a smile on her face. "I'm jinxed, and if that puts everyone in danger, then maybe, something should be done." I turned my gaze to Bea.

I thought she'd be smiling ear to ear, but instead, her skin went pale and her mouth hung open in shock. What was she now—too scared to act on her threats?

"There are other things attached to your mark, and I can feel Lyra," Piper said her name gently as she caught Will by the arm.

Will gazed at her with his barely blue eyes. "I know, I can too," he said looking back at me. "I told you before Eliza Thorn," he smiled, stepped in front of me, and touched me on the shoulders. I could feel a flow of electricity running through me from his fingertips. "You are something more, and it's up to you what to do with, not to those who have ties to it." He motioned with his eyes at my concealed mark.

Will removed his hands, and wrapped his arm around me bringing back to the rest of the group.

"Now, all we need to do is get the portal to work."

"Please contain all of your thank yous for me getting us here in one piece." Loki looked up at the cloud sculpture.

"Barely got here, you mean," Bea said brushing his shoulder as she walked by.

We were right in front of it, and I slowly gazed at the silver sculpture. I stepped towards it, and close enough that I should've seen my reflection, but didn't.

Everyone turned to it, looking at it in silence.

"We're in Chicago," I said.

"Good observation, Eliza." Loki replied loudly. "Aren't you guys glad that I acted by using a witch's borrowed spell book?" He slid his eyes over to Will who stood beside him.

Will slid his eyes towards him. "You're a little too risky, and take chances that do not even sway the slightest in your favor." He gave Loki a small smile. "There's no other entity that I would trust to such odds, though. That's why you're on the team, Loki."

Loki nodded his head and smiled as he glanced at me with his twinkling eyes.

"You know the green man is close now," Piper said excitedly looking at everyone. "I even know his address by heart!"

"Pfft, calm down you overly hormoneized fairy." Loki waved his hand, and puckered his lips like he'd eaten a lemon. "The green man is a party thrower. What is he going to do? Have a gala and invite Angus and all of his thugs along with Eve and her demons where we'd dance, and drink ambrosia until everyone fell into a stupor? And then we'd sing fairy songs, and forget all about the trident calling a truce on the words of "ah, just forget it.'" Loki went over to the portal. "Will said to go to Iethia, and if what happened on the train didn't scare you, it should. We are criminals in the guardians' eyes, we are nothing to them. They see us as tools, and this tool doesn't want to be evaporated."

Piper stepped in front of Loki, and unfolded her wings in a quick snap.

Loki slightly laughed with amusement as she clutched her coat shut, and glared at him. "What was that supposed to do, frighten me?" Loki said waving his hands in front of him with a smile.

"No, I was just tired of them folded for the last three hours," Piper said plainly. "I'll agree, what you did on the train benefited us in a dire situation, but next time, include all of us in your plans."

"Would you, all of you," he pointed to each of us, "agreed to use the spells of witches to assist us?" Loki asked.

"Witches...Loki," Will started to say as Bea snapped her tail.

"What!?" Piper yelled in a high pitched voice. "You didn't..."

"They're magic meddlers, you idiot, and you're playing with their toys." Piper stepped in front of him.

Loki smiled at everyone, unalarmed to everyone's horror.

"Do you know what they do to fairies? They take our wings, cut our hair, and make dust from our charred bones." Piper's face paled. "Are you crazy?"

Loki tipped his head side to side, tapped his finger to his chin, and then curled his lips into a smile. "No, I can assure you, I'm not crazy. I've been tested."

Will walked towards him. "Give it to me." He demanded. "Give me the book, Loki."

Loki's smile faded, and his dark eyes gazed into Will's pale blue eyes. "I can't," he said in a low voice. "I have to keep the book."

"Why?" Will asked with a stern tone.

Loki took in a deep breath. "Because if I lose it, give it to someone else, or may all of the stars protect me," he said looking to the sky, "if I should evaporate, then someone has to pay the coven."

Will turned away. "Is that the price you agreed when you took it?" He asked turning back to Loki.

"No, that's the curse I pay for stealing it." Loki gazed at me.

"I thought you said it was already stolen—it was compensation." I stepped in front of him

"I fibbed, kitten. And you fell for it." He smiled as I wrapped my arms around my stomach.

"Look, we can stand here forever, well some of us forever, or we can move on because I don't think Angus or Eve take time outs."

"I can't let her get it," Bea said curling her tail into her back. "Eve wants power, and...she close."

Bea began to pace around nervously in circles. Piper stopped her, and stood in front of her gazing into her eyes.

"Bea, you don't have to answer her call, just stayed focused with us." Piper's voice was calm. "Do you hear me?" She shook Bea who looked like she'd fallen into a trance.

"Too late...she's here, and she wants you," Bea said turning, and pointing at me as she twirled downward like a corkscrew into the ground.

Suddenly, everything shook. I looked over at Will as he approached the mirrored sculpture and began quickly chanting as he stood under it with hands raised.

I tried to walk towards him, and that's when I realized the ground had become soft, and I was sinking. I tried to pull my feet out of the black ooze that puddled under me. It was thick and sticky like peanut butter.

"Will!" I screamed frantically as he continued to chant with his back to me unaware that I was being swallowed.

Loki came over and pulled on my feet with no luck.

"Can you take you feet out of your boots?" His voice was a normal tone as if the earth wasn't trying to swallow me, but his eyes darted at me frantically.

I grunted and groaned as I tried to wiggle my foot out. It wasn't any use, the boots fit too tight to get them out without unzipping them, and it was past that point. The black ooze swallowed me quickly, and soon it was up to my waist, chest, and then my neck. I had held my hands over my head as I sunk in deeper.

"Loki!" I yelled as he pulled on my hands gazing at me with his desperate eyes.

With all my might, I tried to squirm upward pushing my face out of the muck as much as possible. I could feel myself tire, and knew I was sinking. I tried to loosen my fingers from Loki, but he held on.

"Let go!" My voice was barely audible from the pressure on my lungs.

He didn't say anything, only tightened his grip. His eyes closed and his hold tightened—Loki was coming with me. I tried to push my face towards the blue sky as I could hear Piper screaming, and the last thing I saw before being consumed, was Will's pale blue eyes.

I thought I was going to drown, smother or be crushed by the blackness, but to my surprise, I wasn't. I was actually in an open space filled with hot, dry, smoky air. I was standing upright, and it felt as though I had only dropped a few feet. I took a step and it echoed.

"Eliza," Will said. "Follow my voice, quickly."

I turned blindly to my right.

"I can't..."

"Shh," He scolded. "You're headed in the right direction."

I moved cautiously, one step at a time until I reached his arms.

"Why is it so dark?" I asked.

"It's dark for you kitten, not to us who are declared demons." Loki's voice came from the other side of me. "I'll take Piper, where is that fairy."

"Over here," Piper's voice echoed.

"Will, where are we?" I asked hanging onto his arm.

He took a deep breath, and if I could see his eyes, they'd be flickering between blue and white. "We're in the Underworld, Eve's realm."

"You mean Hell?" I hated to ask.

"No," Will said and I let my breath out with relief. "Close though. This is the first layer."

"No! I won't!" Bea cried out with a cracking sound. "I don't want to be a demon!"

"Bea," Piper's voice echoed in the dry air. "Don't listen!"

Bea let out a yell, and I could hear the whooshing sound of her wings. Her voice echoed until it was gone.

"Great," Loki said. "Now we'll have two angry demons to contend with—at least one is on our side."

"Bea won't give in." I could hear Piper's voice in front of me.

"No, she won't give in, but she does have a bone to pick with her mother."

"How do we get out of here?" I asked moving my head hoping to catch a glimmer of light.

"I know of only one way—Eve's chamber. That's how she travels to other worlds," Loki said. "And how was that portal coming? Did you make contact?"

Will didn't answer right away. "No, I didn't get anyone. There's something blocking it—I don't know what it is."

"Well, these are troubled times we live in. What are we to expect." Loki sighed.

"Let's go before any guards show up." Will tightened his hold on me as we stepped forward.

I walked carefully, and wasn't sure if there'd be any sharp inclines or protruding rocks. I could feel Will tugged me along knowing he wanted to move faster.

"The path is clear." He whispered in my ear. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall."

I was in an underworld where a powerful demon lived, blind to my surroundings, and somehow just the sound of Will's voice set me at ease. We picked up the pace, and slowly, I was becoming accustomed to being blind. I told myself it was just like being in a pitch black room, and once I was out, everything would be fine. I tried to tell myself that over and over, but deep down, I wasn't sure.

"How much farther Loki?" Will asked.

"Eve likes things big—I mean everything. We're about half way there if that makes you feel any better."

Half way sounded good and not so good to me, because I wasn't sure what exactly we were half way to. I wished I could see where we were going and imagined the place looking like a cave, except this cave was warm and dry. There was no dripping sound of water to echo through the moist air. Also, as with any cave, there had to be an entrance which was in Eve's chamber, I could only wonder where that entrance would take us.

I wanted to ask a million questions and have all of them answered, but I also didn't want to alert anything that might be in the cave. Instead, my thoughts drifted to everything that has happened so far.

I was Will's protector. That phrase kept running through my head, and I couldn't fathom the reasoning behind that. I was a vulnerable human, and he was a glass person, not to mention considered a demon. How was I going to protect him? I was chosen by some coin that wasn't even meant for me. Was I lucky or unlucky? I began to think I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. If I just stayed at the Salvation Army, and would have told Rosie my whole story—things might have been different. I would've finished school, got a job, and maybe even go to college. My life would've been safe...predictable, and Rosie might be alive.

I felt like the ceiling had fallen in on me. Why did I pick up that stupid coin? It was meant for Ivy the store clerk, not me. But yet, here I was with a tattoo on my arm, a Fae sword in my pocket, and Will saying that I'm his protector. I shook my head as tears welled in my eyes. Not only did I screw things up, I was leading everyone to Eve—the arch demon.

"We're getting close," Loki said as we stopped.

"Eliza," Will's voice questioned. "Why are you crying?"

"Eve—she likes to make all the humans cry...drain them of self-confidence, rummage through their thoughts, and find their weaknesses."

"No...I mean...how am I supposed to protect you when I can't even see?" My voice echoed. "Not to mention, I'm a human and you're..."

I could feel Will cup his hands to my cheeks. I flinched, surprised at his tender touch. "Because I know, and that's all that needs to be said."

"It's true kitten," Loki said. "Glass people are good about things like this."

"I hate to ruin this encouraging moment, but I can feel darkness coming." Piper whispered. "They know we're here."

We didn't need Piper to tell us, the rumbling of growls and yelping echoed in the warm air. Will pushed me behind him as the scampering of feet encircled us.

"She's here and we know it!" said a voice that sounded like it was pushed from a growl of a dog. "Give her to us, and...we'll let you go."

"You'll let us go," Loki repeated amused. "Yeah, that's going to happen. Eve's little lap puppies are going to let us go on our merry way after we give you what you want."

"I was trying to be generous to you entity. Your kind is like a gnat to us—have one, and the next thing you know, there are hundreds. And I don't like the taste of you in my mouth. Be gone!" He growled.

"No!" Piper yelled as I heard the air sizzle with flames.

Suddenly, everything turned into growls, yelps, and Loki yelling at Will. I could feel Piper latch onto me as we stood helplessly in the dark.

"Will, Loki, tell me where to aim!" Piper yelled out.

"One o'clock!" Will yelled, and then the air sizzled followed by a yelp and the stench of burnt hair.

I had to do something, but what? I was blind, weak, useless, and human. But something itched inside of me. I had a scepter—a Fae scepter that was in my pocket waiting to be used. It saved us before, and it could save us again. I heard the many growls through the screams of Will and Loki. They couldn't possibly fight them by themselves along with a blind flamethrower.

I slipped my hand into my pocket, and rolled the compact that contained the sword in my palm. I rolled it three times. I don't know why, but felt it to be lucky, and then pulled it from my pocket. I flicked my wrist and could hear it slice through the air.

I stood there first in the blackness, not sure what to do, then it became clear. I still couldn't see, but could sense through the sword where to aim. I lunged with a yell and then heard a yelp followed by a thud. I had made my first kill.

Then I could smell it, the metallic scent of blood. I couldn't hear anything but noise. The voices that were Will, Loki, and Piper, became a mix of sound that didn't make sense. I didn't listen either. I was caught up in feeling for the dark spots, and slicing through them with the sword.

The yelps were becoming less and less, and I found it strange that I wanted more to come, so I could kill them...kill them all.

"Eliza, NO!" Piper yelled out as I swung my sword and a flash exploded in front of me.

I knelt to the ground and pulled my sword from the bloodied corpse as my vision slowly came to me. I tried to focus my eyes as everything faded to quiet. I expected to see a horrible creature with wiry fur, fangs, and red eyes. Instead, an image of white and silver slowly formed. Two pale blue eyes gazed up at me, lifeless.

I dropped the sword, and began to tremble as I gazed down at the black-red blood that poured to the ground. I gasped in horror, and jumped away looking down at Will's still body. I then turned to see Piper crumpled to the floor surrounded in blood along with Loki who looked like he was trying to protect her.

I felt my body go numb as I looked at what I have done.
Chapter Nine

"If I would have known about you before I took over the First Underworld, I wouldn't have had to employ an army," said a female voice. "I have to commend you on your job here, and killing all of your...I guess they were your friends." Her voice licked my ear like a flame.

I didn't reply, didn't scream, and didn't care what happened to me. I could only stare at Will, Piper and Loki. It was like I was watching a horror movie, only I couldn't turn away or shut it off.

"Don't be worried about them poppet, they were holding you back," she said standing behind me wrapping her lizard-like claws over my shoulders. "Come with me, and let me show you your true destiny."

I numbly followed, letting her guide me through the short maze to a room filled with graceful fountains of fire, black walls that looked like cooled lava, and a ceiling with crystalized spikes pointing downward. I gazed up at them hoping she would kill me with one of them.

"I'm Eve, in case you haven't figured that out, but I'm sure you did because you're not a stupid little human, are you?" She folded her black wings behind her as her eyes with slits of fire for pupils, stared at me.

She had long black hair, pale skin, and a pointed tail just like Bea. She was beautiful and ugly at the same time. I couldn't take my eyes from her.

"You, my little pet, are a gem," Eve said sitting in a lava formed chair as her long coat curled around her black, scaled, lizard feet.

She then flicked her wrist, and a thin stick extended from her pointed claws. She held it out and from behind her a hand extended from the shadows. An orange flame hissed, lighting her stick. She pressed it to her lips, and a puff of blue-grey smoke filled the air. It rolled through the air towards me like fingers.

The smoke lingered around me as I coughed it out. Eve let out an amused chuckle.

"Most would kill just to have a breath of my smoke," she said standing up. "You have a lot to learn here, don't you?" Her voice was like hot ash to my insides.

"What do you want?" My voice was dry, and I wanted to get to the point.

Her red stained lips curled into a smile. "Why, I already have mostly of what I want, but there is one thing that I desire—the trident." She walked around me in circles, and then stopped to face me. "You can get it for me."

I shook my head. "I've lost everything...I don't have to help you, and I don't care what you do to me." Eve gazed at me with a tilt of her head as if she was coming up with some horrible thing to do to me.

"I agree, you don't care what I do to you because you've killed your friends, Rosie died in vain protecting you, and the trident is still on the table for us demons to squabble over." She smiled, "but what about their souls, human?"

I gazed up at her. "Yes, they're still here...waiting. Loki, Piper, and even Will...the one you care for." Eve walked away with a smile, and her tail flicking in the air just like an angry cat's tail. "There's still a little more I can extract from you, if you don't do as I ask."

"Mother, stop!" Bea's voice cut through the air.

She stood in the entrance that I came through earlier. Bea looked at me with her blue eyes as her slick black hair had been pulled up into a loose bun. She looked every inch of the human she'd always appeared to be. This seemed to upset Eve who glared at her with clenched teeth.

"You've played long enough, and you can't have it. You can't have the demon trident because I've hidden it." Bea stood in front of her mother.

"You lie," she walked away with a flip of her tail. "And why are you letting yourself appear that way? You're a gorgon, not human!" Eve smacked her foot on the ground as the overhead spikes clanked together. "Somewhere in this world was an unexplained earthquake, one that those funny little scientist can't explain, and never seen coming." She laughed as she sat back in her chair.

"That's the power you could have daughter."

Bea shook her head. "I don't want power, I want..."

"You can't have her." Eve leaned forward. "I raised you to take my spot, to rule with my power that I will leave behind one day. All of this that I worked for...and what do I get in return?" Her eyes flickered with flames. "My daughter who fell in love with a human, joined our enemies, and now says she hid the trident from me. The one thing that can destroy all that I create!"

Eve got up, walked to the center of the room, and with her hand, pulled in an upward motion as if she was tugging on an invisible rope.

"Here, this is what you want?" She pointed to the blonde haired girl dressed in jeans and several necklaces around her neck. It was unmistakably the girl at the clothing store—Ivy.

"Bea let out a growl, and turned immediately into the gorgon she was. She pounced towards her mother with tail lashing, teeth snapping, and fire flickering in her eyes. Eve let out a joyous laugh as her daughter circled around her.

"Now, that's my daughter." She nodded with approval.

"Let her go." Bea demanded.

Eve's lips curled into a smile. "Give me the trident."

Bea gazed between Ivy and her mother.

"Come daughter," she said widening her eyes. "Give me the trident and your girlfriend lives—the choice is yours."

Bea took in a ragged breath as she looked back at her mother with spite.

"Why do you make me choose?" Her words were soft as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Eve stiffened and glared at her daughter.

"Because you're weak," Eve said as if her words were tiny scalpels slicing the dry air. "And weakness will kill you faster than any enemy possibly could." Eve delicately twirled a few hanging strands of her daughter's hair through her pointed fingers. She gazed tenderly then with a sudden jerk, she pulled out some of Bea's hair. "Now choose because I don't mind killing another human. They're like bugs to me!"

Bea trembled as she knelt to the floor sobbing. Eve shook her head and raised her hand over Ivy.

"No!" I yelled. "If you want the trident I know where it's at. Bea's lying, she doesn't have it."

Bea's eyes darted to me with flames burning behind them. Eve's expression turned placid as she walked towards me.

"Now it seems we have an issue here, and I'm sorry darling," Eve said turning to Bea and then back at me with a slap across my face with her sharp claws. "You lie!"

I fell to the ground with blood trickling down my cheek. My skin flamed with heat as I touched it with my hand. I could feel the gash as a bubble of anger shook inside of me—just like a tremor before a major earthquake. I wanted to kill Eve, it was simple. Everything faded around me, and I could feel my insides melt into something dark and unruly, almost demon-like. But even though my insides felt strong, I was still a human against a gorgon. Like a bolt of electricity, I then remembered I had the Fae sword still in my pocket.

"You don't know where it is, but I do." She gazed at me with her wild eyes as she picked me up by my hair. "The only bad thing for me is that I can't retrieve it, but you can."

She threw me through the air, and I landed against the hard wall with a crack. Stars filled my eyes as I tried to focus on Eve.

"The dwarf was to bring me the trident, and you have no idea how long I had to pretend to be his friend. He was an easy little thing to trick. Unfortunately, I don't think I can acquire such a nice present again."

I pushed myself up as she smiled at me. "The trident went to the landmerrows. They have many little fingers that like to latch onto things like that." She then flipped her long cape through the air as she walked.

It flowed through the air like black ink, and when it curled back around her legs, a large crystal globe stood on a pedestal. It glowed in pastel colors, and looked out of place among all of the charred blackness that surrounded us.

"It's hard to say where it's at now, but these are the landmerrows major routes." She ran her hands over it as I stepped closer.

Bea gazed into it shaking her head. "You'll never find it there."

Eve grabbed her daughter's chin, and looked into her eyes. "You will find it darling because I'm giving you a time limit." She flicked her hands and from the ground came an hourglass. It was large with black sand pouring through grain by grain, and piling up on the bottom. "As you can guess, when the sands have fallen through, so will your lover," she said gazing back at Ivy. "She will descend into darkness."

Bea gritted her teeth, and Eve deepened her smile.

"Don't worry over this daughter—I usually don't give my children a chance like this."

Bea's eyes were steady on her mother as she fumbled with something inside her coat. She then flicked her eyes to me as her lips parted and eyes filled with black tears as Bea looked at Ivy. She ran her hand over her image.

I looked at Ivy. I couldn't help but to feel the weight of everything fall upon my shoulders. It was my fault Ivy was dead, and now in Eve's prison, my fault that Rosie had to die protecting me when it was supposed to be a trained guardian instead of some shoplifter that was supposed to live at The Blue Moon Hotel. It was my fault I had unintentionally killed the ones who tried to protect me. And now, I was supposed to bring Eve back the demon trident.

Instead of fear, anger began to fill me. I could feel my skin tingle, especially where my tattoo was. It felt like it had grown roots into my very being. I glared at Eve who laughed at me with delight.

"Take your pet, and go. Bring me..." Before she could finish I reached in my pocket, extended the Fae sword, and pierced her through her heart.

She looked down in horror as her flesh began to turn grey that took over her body like frost. She had turned to stone that quickly cracked with orange flames seeping through.

I stood in horror as the stone crumbled revealing the red-orange fire of Eve's body. She let out a deep growl as Bea charged towards me shoving me to the ground.

My head smacked the ground and a quick blackness covered my eyes for only a second. I opened my eyes to darkness and also to the sounds of voices—human voices.

I felt something wet slide across my eyes, and I tried to wipe it away as two hands grabbed mine, pushing them beside me. "Don't, otherwise you won't be able to see." I could hear Bea's voice as I blinked my eyes until they focused.

"What happened? Where's Eve?" I was frantic as I got up with my head spinning.

"Eliza," Will said as he stepped towards me.

I dropped to my knees as he lifted me up. "I killed you," I said rubbing my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. "You're here, right?" I hesitated at first as I touched his silver strands of hair. "It's you, and you're alright?"

He smiled as I continued to run his silver-white strands through my fingers making sure it wasn't a dream.

Will gently took my hand. "Yes, Bea told us what happened, and we weren't dead as you thought. We were injured, but not by your doing. It was Eve who played a little trick on you."

"Little trick? More like a big trick." I couldn't get my knees to stop shaking as Bea stepped beside me.

I looked at her for an explanation. "Mommy dearest doesn't know about how I can alter time. I used it to push us back to when the hell hounds greeted you guys and stop what happened." She raised her eyebrows, and then stepped away like a fading shadow. "Now, I suppose she knows of my talent, and will be watching."

"I...I didn't know what I was doing...it was horrible...I thought I killed you, all of you." I looked over at Piper and Loki.

"Oh, don't worry, I probably deserved to be slightly killed," Loki joked.

"No! It isn't alright." I could feel tears swell in my eyes.

"Eliza, it didn't happen." Will pronounced his words slowly as I gazed into his eyes. "Eve twisted your thoughts making you believe what she wanted you to believe."

"It was so real," I whispered as he pulled me close and hugged me.

I curled into his arms and, even though I didn't have intentions, I began to cry.

The cold wind slapped across my face as we stood in front of the cloud sculpture in Millennium Park. Bea made a passage and found the spot where we had entered. It was like water rippling in a pool, she said, and easy for her to find. I intermittently gazed at Bea. She was pale and the color looked drained from her eyes. I didn't know much about magic yet, but I could tell it was taking its toll on her. Piper tried to give her something to eat from her coat that seemed to carry everything, but she pushed it away and curled her arms around her stomach.

Will had tried several times to make contact with Iethia, but failed.

"There's something blocking it," he said walking away in defeat.

"Well, we've better come up with something fast. The glamour will be fading and not to mention...it's blasting cold out here!" Piper jumped up and down with glitter falling from her wings. "My wings are even frosting over."

"If we're going to Iethia, then we'd better hurry." Loki stood beside Will. "Eve and Angus are still after us.'

"But I killed Eve," I said, "with the sword." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small disk.

"You didn't kill her." Bea's voice chuckled. "You stuck her with that, and it only pissed her off." She stepped closer to me. "She can't be killed by anything else but the trident. It isn't from this world or any other world she has touched."

"She turned to stone," I said.

"Yeah, she did, but not for long. Magical implements have some power over her, but like I said, not for long. And when she regains her strength, she'll be after you. Your best chance jinxed girl, is to get the trident." Bea again messed with something inside her coat.

I looked at Will. "Eve said the landmerrows have..."

"That's what she said," Bea stepped in front of me, blocking me and my words from the rest of the group, "but Eve doesn't see everything that she thinks she does. We don't know that for sure." She gazed over her shoulder at Will.

"There was a map...with routes on them." I moved myself in front of her. I felt like a tiny rabbit among tall trees in a mysterious forest. "What else would've taken it? It was there, and then it disappeared. If we don't have it, then, I think the landmerrows have it. Eve said she can't get it herself, so why would she give us false information?"

Bea slowly stepped towards me with a cocky expression on her face. She stood close to me, and her blue eyes sparkled. "Did you ever think she was misinformed? How does she know where and who has it when she can't even peek into this world? Eve has allies, but how faithful are they?" She asked rhetorically. "The landmerrows don't have the demon trident."

Everyone gazed at Bea.

"Bea," Will said as her eyes darted to him. "What do you know about the trident?"

She gazed at all of us as her blue eyes flickered. They looked like a world of fire and ice caught between two worlds.

"I know what I have to do with it," her voice was soft.

Bea flipped open her coat as if a gust of wind had caught it. Her eyes glowed as she reached inside her coat and pulled something out. In her clutched hand was the trident. She held it above her head, and before anyone could reach her, she was gone, melting into the ground with a puff of silver ash. Bea was in the Underworld, alone, and with the trident. She was going to kill Eve—her mother.
Chapter Ten

"Bea!" Piper yelled at the spot she had disappeared. "She can't go alone."

Will looked desperately at Loki. "We have no way into the Underworld." He gazed where Bea stood.

"Not without an invitation. And now our gorgon has the trident," Loki said in a low voice.

"Why did Eve say the landmerrows had it then? Why didn't she use..." I then realized that I had messed up Bea's plan. "She had the trident and was going to use it when I stabbed Eve with the sword." I looked away knowing I screwed-up Bea's intention.

"It's the past, it's done and gone and you can't change that." Will gazed down at me.

"I have complete faith in our little gorgon's vindictive intentions. At least Eve doesn't know she has the trident." Loki shrugged his shoulders.

"We have no way to help her, and by staying here we are sitting ducks." Piper jumped up and down trying to stay warm.

Loki turned his attention to the sculpture. "Any ideas on how to make that work?"

Will shook his head. "I've tried everything, it's blocked, and with Lyra contained, there's no way in."

"What about the green man?" Piper stood with her wings fluttering behind her excitedly.

Loki looked at Will with doubt, and let out a sigh as he tilted his head to the sky and then glanced at Piper with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, come on!" Piper stomped her foot. "What else are we going to do? Wait for Angus to show up or keep ringing on Iethia's doorbell? Not only do we need help, but so does Bea." She motioned behind her. "She's alone with her mother."

"Better than the green man," Loki said shaking his head.

"Piper's right. We've got no other options, and if we don't do something quick, then we'll be dealing with Angus. At least we have some protection, and we'll be out of the weather." Will cut in, glancing at them both. "We'll go to the green man's place of residence, and Piper will lead the way."

"Come on then, we've got a long walk ahead of us." Piper waved her arm for us to follow. "And the glamour is dissolved, so be careful." She folded her wings inside her coat and skipped ahead of us like a child would do.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Loki said leaning towards Will. "Tinkerbell here is high on whatever the green man does for fairies, and I don't think it's the thing to do. We don't need to bring in any others to our little adventure here."

"There is no other way. We can't help Bea or ourselves by just standing around waiting for something to happen. I can't get through to Iethia, and we are stuck here in Chicago." Will's eyes shifted to me. "We need to get to a safe place, at least for right now."

"I'm just saying that I've got a bad feeling." Loki repeated. "We need to watch ourselves, because there's more to Chicago than a few bad humans."

Piper was right when she said it would be a long walk. I have never been to Chicago, but seen lots of beautiful pictures of it, and always wanted to see all the tall buildings, go to the art museum, and Navy Pier. I always knew I would come here one day, but never thought it would be with a glass person, entity, and a fairy.

The coldness only made me walk faster as we passed several tall buildings, and turned many corners. I didn't take anything in; I was too cold and nervous about everything.

"Where are we going anyhow? Are we getting close?" I asked through chattering teeth.

"Yes, and we are going to the Fisher Building," Piper said walking beside me.

"The Fisher building," I repeated.

"It's the home of not only the green man, but several other enchanted beings, and also librarians." Loki walked behind us with his dark eyes gazing all around. "Will, my feeling of dread is growing. Does that mean anything to you?" He asked with eyebrows raised.

"Wait—librarians..." I asked wondering how librarians fit into the picture.

Will stopped and turned to him.

"Will, its cold...we're just about there." Piper protested.

"Where do you suggest we go?" Will's voice was sharp.

Loki stepped back. "I...I don't know where else to go." Loki seemed surprised by Will's question. "Entities don't have any hideouts here."

"Then, this is what we are doing, and all we can do is watch for anything bad that might come our way." Will's eyes were steady on Loki.

"I know it's all we can do, I'm just saying, this feeling is bitter." His eyes shifted to me. "I can sense us getting closer to it, and I still don't like it," he set his gaze back to Will, "but I will follow you."

Will nodded his head, and then wrapped his arm around me as Piper jumped up and down either out of freezing or glee, because it looked like a smile was frozen on her face.

The Fisher Building was tall and old with architecture that looked like a work of art. Windows gleamed in the sun, some being arched and others square. Small niches containing stone fish carved in fluid curves, sat frozen as if caught in mid-swim. And many other aquatic animals graced the corners and lined the windows. It almost looked like a gothic church mixed with an aquarium with all of the attention to detail, only instead of saints, sea creatures were used as decoration.

"Do people from Atlantis live here?" I asked looking up at it.

Will smiled as he too, gazed up at it. "No, but I can see how you might think that." He pointed to the medallion that hung over the large, glass, double door containing two cherubs holding a wreath while riding on a mythical sea creature. "This is not only apartments for humans. It's also apartments for certain enchanted beings and those who oversee them."

"You do make the watchdogs over the enchanted creatures as you call us, seem like they're kind and helpful, not harsh at times, and nasty." Loki cocked his head side to side. "What are you going to do—sugarcoat everything for your pet here?" He pointed at me with his eyes.

Will drew in a deep breath. "Loki, let's just get inside and see if the green man is available to assist us." He smiled at Loki with tight lips.

"Come on guys, the doorway doesn't wait for lagers," Piper said as we went through the revolving door.

Will pulled me close and intertwined his fingers through mine. I glanced up at him as his pale eyes flickered with the changing light. The people around us became a blur, and everything faded into a swirl of colors. It was like everything was put into a blender, and mixed on the pulverized button. I latched on tighter to Will's hand, part out of fear, and part out of how comfortable it felt.

When the spinning stopped, we were standing in a large lobby. Several hallways jetted off, and a large domed ceiling loomed over us in a depthless dark blue. I couldn't help but to gaze up at it thinking it reminded me of the night sky. As I stared up into it, I thought I could see distant twinkling of stars.

"It's a portal," Piper said pointing up at it. "I wish I could go there." Her voice seemed reminiscent.

"Where does it go?"

Piper looked at me then back up at the portal. "Avalon," she said in a low voice as her wings popped open behind her.

"Come on fairy, we don't have time to sit and wonder what all the boy fairies are doing." Loki pulled on her arm. "And put those things away, you'll draw attention to us."

"No one's around," Piper jerked her arm back. "Besides, they need to air out or I'm going to get flyers fungus." She then fluttered her wings expelling glitter around Loki as he waved it off.

"Don't tell me about everything that ails fairies—I don't want to know." Loki brushed the iridescent glitter from his coat. "Disgusting," he whispered as Piper chuckled.

"What apartment Piper?" Will asked looking down each of the hallways.

Piper turned all around tapping her finger to her chin. "Well," she started to say.

"You don't remember...that's great, just great." Loki lifted his hands and then slapped them to his side as he paced around us.

"I had too much to drink last time I was here and...I'm..." Piper stopped just as the elevator dinged, and doors opened to reveal a red haired girl staring back at us.

We stood frozen as it was too late to run and hide. She was dressed in a long green velvet coat and wore what looked like a derby hat, and carried a large leather briefcase under her arm.

"Hello, there," she said in a pleasant voice.

No one replied as we looked like a bunch of deer mesmerized by a semi truck's headlights, and if we didn't move, we'd be road grease pretty soon.

"Can I help you?" She gazed at all of us setting her eyes on Piper.

"Oh, you must be here for Jack." She talked to us like we were normal humans, and motioned towards Piper.

"Jack?" Piper questioned.

"He went away for the winter...vacationing in Atlantis." She smiled as if she just told us he was wintering in Florida. "He'll be back in the spring. Can I take a message for you?"

"Oh, Jack...no...I mean, no that's alright. I'll just get with him in the spring." Piper slowly took a few steps backwards.

The woman eyed us with curiosity, when suddenly her phone rang. She hastily answered it.

"Let's get out of here," Loki said in a hushed whisper in Will's ear.

"What about the portal?" Piper pointed at it with her eyes and pulled on Will's arm.

The woman was engrossed in her conversation and left with a quick smile and wave as she went down the hallway.

Loki tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and let out a relieved sigh. "That was close...way too close."

"Who was that?" I asked as he turned to me.

"One of the most feared, loathsome, dreaded by most enchanted creatures, and sometimes, just downright nasty things you'll ever meet." Loki looked at me. "That my little kitten was a librarian." He said the word librarian as if he was calling the devil himself by his true name.

"Librarians aren't all bad." Piper crossed her arms. "You just had bad run-ins with them."

"I don't care, she's gone and there isn't any more around," Loki said waving his hands in front of him. "And just to let you know," he said looking at me. "Librarians are responsible for the imprisonment of enchanted creatures—bad ones mostly, but some aren't bad, only misunderstood. Books are their prison cells, and each one is designed to contain and torture its occupant." His eyes widened.

I smiled letting out a giggle as Loki looked appalled at me. "It isn't funny," he said sounding like a child.

"It's just that librarians are people who work in a library, help you find books, check books out for people and other stuff. They aren't to be scary." I shrugged my shoulders looking between Will and Loki second guessing myself, and realizing this was a different breed of librarians. "At least the librarians that I know are...nice."

"These are different librarians, kitten." Loki turned his attention to Will. "What now, glass boy? I don't like it here, and...I have that itching of a bad feeling again." Loki warned with his eyes darkening.

"Ah, here everyone is!" said a voice from behind us.

We all turned to it, but nothing was there, at least not at first. Emerging from the shadows, a tall, slender, curving shape uncoiled itself from the darkness. I recognized it immediately gasping in horror. Will pushed me behind him, and Loki faded from sight as Piper fanned her wings out and stepped towards Angus with a growl.

"Please," he said in a reasonable tone, and...almost human. "I do believe we share the same enemy." His black eyes gazed at all of us as he stood there with his many thorn-like legs all folded neatly into his belly. "Eve has the trident, and things with her daughter aren't going well."

"Why are you telling us? You are nothing but a cheat and a liar." Will's voice was stern and strong compared to my knees that shook with fright.

"I know I have a bad reputation, and as you know, I do have many doubles that I can't speak for their mannerisms, but I do know when I need help. And you can help me like I can help you. Like I said, I mean no harm here, and we do share an enemy that will soon gain power if we let her."

Suddenly behind Angus, Loki's image formed.

"Run!" He yelled as Angus turned and pinned Loki with his thousands of tiny legs to the wall hissing in his face. Loki looked horrified, and unable to move as his attempt to subdue Angus horribly backfired.

"I don't want to hurt you, but if you fight me, I'll fight back!" He warned Loki. "Do you wish to fight?"

Loki pressed his body as flat as he could into the wall as Angus scanned him with his black eyes.

"We don't wish to fight," Will said stepping beside him. "Like you said, we have the same enemy—no sense in fighting among ourselves."

"Good answer," Angus said as he slowly pulled out one by one of his needle-like legs from the wall, and releasing Loki. "I'm calling an armistice—at least a temporary one."

Angus turned back to Will as Loki stepped quickly away from Angus. "Your homeland is crumbling, and if you don't want the rest to fall, then agree to my treaty or let your precious Lyra die." His voice was passive. "I'm not the one creating this mess. I'm simply playing by everyone else's rules."

Will and Angus studied each other as if communicating secretly between them. I watched, glancing from one to the other wondering what was going on between them.

"What do you want us to do?" Will asked as his eyes turned solid white.

.

Chapter Eleven

"What—what isn't going well with Bea's mother? What's going on there?" Piper asked pushing Will aside with no regards to the demon in front of us.

"A battle has been started, and it seems your gorgon had secret allies in the Underworld that even I didn't know about." Angus waved a few of his black legs like a human would with their hand when referring to themselves.

Suddenly, he turned his black eyes to me. I stepped away as Will moved in front of me.

"I sicken you don't I, little jinxed one?" His tone was curious. "Did you ever think that you sicken me?"

"Just tell us what you want us to do before we agree to your plan," Will said moving completely in front of me.

I moved halfway out from behind him, wanting and not wanting to gaze at Angus. I couldn't help it, and like staring at some bizarre newly found creature, I was curious as well as scared.

"Well, there is no agreeing, there is only executing. I've already got you where I want. I've made it to Iethia, and your Lyra is all that's left of the original glass people. The rest have fallen or given into me. I would smote you out, but I've a use for you, and," Angus leaned over gazing at me with his millipede head, "for your tag-a-long here."

He then moved from the shadows as we stepped out of the way. Will pushed me behind him again warning me with his pale eyes to stay put. A curling of black smoke suddenly wrapped around Angus like a flash, and then, was gone. I expected Angus to have disappeared, but instead a man, tall and dark, stood in front of us smiling. His curly black hair glistened, and his neon blue eyes shone with daringness.

"Does this form make you less sick, jinxed one?" Angus's voice was the same, but his appearance was human. "I saw this image on a romance book I got the pleasure of reading one time out of boredom. If I knew how willingly human women were, I would have encountered them in a different way," he said with a chuckle.

"Now, my entourage of two demons and a fairy," he said quickly glancing at Piper with darkening eyes. "And jinxed, you are my main player." His eyes slid to me. "I want Eve as dead as much as you do. And once that's accomplished, you can have your gorgon back along with Lyra."

"What about Iethia?" Will stood taller staring at Angus who grinned back at him. "We help you, and you release your hold on it."

"Well, that's very amusing, but I've so much invested into Iethia that I'm not going to give it up. What do you think this is? Negotiation isn't an option here." Angus glared at Will standing inches from his face. "Do you understand, glass prince?" he said with disgust.

Will glared at Angus.

"Good, I'm taking your no reply as understanding to the situation, but you really didn't have another choice, and going willingly will be much easier on you." Angus took a step away from Will looking at him as if summing him up. "Now you see, that's a princely decision—know when you're defeated, and cooperate."

"When this is over..."

"Yes, if you still want to fight, I'm game, but you'll only weaken yourself and die from exhaustion." Angus smiled, and then gazed down at me. "Here's the plan. Jinxed and I will go into the Underworld, retrieve the trident, and kill Eve—making sure she is dead." He nodded towards me, and then stepped closer to Will. "As you know now, the trident isn't instant, and to kill something with it takes a little more than just physically using it as your once leader found out." Angus curled his lips into an amused smile as Will stiffened clenching his fists. "If not done properly, you only piss off what you stabbed with it, and then they will come after you full force." He stepped back with a giddy smile towards Will. He folded his arms as the shadows in the hallway lengthened and reached out for Angus like long tentacles.

Veins of blackness curled over his shoulders running down the front of his shirt like ink. Turning his attention to me, Angus's eyes danced with blue flames. The evil charm had evaporated, and his venomous stare was cold—like a reptiles. Angus grabbed onto my arm pulling me close to his hard cool body that was like slamming into a block of ice. The black tentacles ribbon around me, binding me to Angus. I could feel my body heat being sucked out, causing my skin to go numb.

The black void had opened as if something had ripped a hole in the wall. Will desperately reached for me, but it was too late. Angus was quick, and everything happened in the matter of seconds. The black smoke quickly engulfed us as I could hear Piper's screams and see Will's image fade with the thickening darkness.

The next thing I saw was black rocks jetting out from the walls and the familiar smell of smoke. We were in the Underworld. Angus had let go of me, and I hoped he stayed in human form.

"This way jinxed, and do hurry, Eve is winning, and I want her daughter alive." His blue eyes glowed brilliantly in the darkness.

I followed Angus wondering if this was the same area I was at earlier. At least I could see and didn't have to depend on Angus to guide me.

"What do you expect me to do—kill Eve." I asked not being serious.

"Yes," he replied following some pathless trail through the stalagmites.

I shook my head wondering if I was dealing with an insane arch demon. How could I possibly kill Eve?

"Does that surprise you?" He asked after a few moments of me wondering why.

"Yes, to tell you the truth, it does." I stopped, and stood in a narrow passage that led to a larger one. Angus stopped and turned to me when he realized I hadn't followed. "Why me? You have a glass prince, an entity, fairy, and who knows what else that can help you. I'm just a human." I shifted my weight onto my left foot and readied myself to run. The passage was narrow, I was small, and Angus was tall now. It would take him longer to catch up with me.

"Yes, you're human, but that's not all. You're jinxed, and I know you have somewhat of an idea what that means, but you don't know entirely." He stayed where he was at gazing with his blue glowing eyes. "That coin was meant for you as far as I'm concerned, not that store clerk," he said with a sour voice. "In the end, I had the upper hand on the coin, not the guardians or Eve." His voice was confident.

I discreetly took a step back as Angus studied me with his piercing eyes.

"Well," he said rolling his eyes. "Would you like me to tell you more, or are you just going to run and make me chase you? I can outrun your human legs, jinxed or not." He folded his arms across his chest after motioning for me to come closer. "Like I said, I've a use for you, and I'm not letting you go, not this close."

I knew I had no choice, and I didn't know my way around through the passages, I was stuck with Angus. I stepped into the large opening that had glowing jagged rocks overhead that pulsated with light. A slight breeze brushed across my face, and smelled of something rotten.

Angus then sat down, looked up at me, and smiled as he patted the ground beside him inviting me to join. I hesitated, and stood where I was.

"I'm not trying to make this hard on you." His eyes glistened at me.

"You're a demon, and hate humans, why would you care if this was hard on me or not?"

Angus shook his head agreeing, "Yes, I am a demon, but you're not totally human yourself." He smiled widely at me. Not human—he's lying or trying to trick me. I stared coldly at him, I wasn't a fool. "Thought that might get your attention," he said patting the ground beside him again. "Please sit, we've got time anyhow...have to wait until the sun sets in the Underworld before we can sneak in."

I sat, but not next to him.

Angus clasped his hands on a bent knee in a very human way, and gazed at me with his twinkling blue eyes as if studying me. I looked away trying to conjure an escape plan in my head—I was caught, but I wasn't about to give up.

"Eliza Thorn," he said my name catching my attention. "I saw you and knew who you were before," he waved his hands through the air, "any of this happened." He set his eyes on me. "You have a long ancestry with the enchanted community, and don't even know the power you're capable of. Pity." He shrugged his shoulders. "It's a good thing I found you before the coin did, otherwise, you'd be subject to Eve's little plan."

I rubbed my hand over my arm as Angus took notice.

"That initiation coin was initially meant for the little store clerk, but it would have drove her mad until she found the trident, and brought it to Eve—that was Eve's plan anyhow. I, being able to travel to the Lightworld and Underworld, allowed me to sabotage her plan. I put my mark on it which in turn, bound you to me as well."

"Bound—?" I shook my head.

Angus set his eyes on me, leaned closer towards me, and smiled. "Yes, you are bound to Eve, the guardianship—can't get rid of any of their spells, and...to me." He sat back looking at me. "Only, I'm willing to help you, and a very rare opportunity to be offered by an arch demon—as you humans call us."

"I don't want any of you, and you don't control me." I stood up wishing I could cut off the stupid tattoo.

"That's fine, you don't have to want any of us, and we don't control your every move." Angus stayed sitting looking at me with his magnetic blue eyes. "You are bound by service, that is, if the one who bound you is still alive." Angus motioned with his hands and eyes all around the room. "Once dead, they no longer 'control you' as you call it, and that's the only way out."

I took in a deep breath turning away from Angus wishing Will was here. I wanted him to save me, but he can't get to me here in the Underworld, I was on my own with an arch demon that I was bound to.

"Are you ready, jinxed? The sun is just about on the other side of the Underworld." Angus asked standing behind me. "Time to rid ourselves of a common enemy."

I followed behind Angus through a maze of charred crumbling rocks that twisted and turned until we reached a much larger opening. The air was fresher here, and I thought I could hear the sound of crickets. We stood behind a tall pillar of stone that was smooth and looked like it had been carved with intricate designs. Suddenly, the ceiling lightened, and a glowing yellow-orange globe appeared as if hidden behind a curtain.

"They're turning the lights on," I said more to myself, but got the attention of Angus.

He looked up at the glowing disk, and then back at me with raised eyebrows.

"That would be a moon," he said, not amused, and then peered back into the blackness.

I looked up at it wondering how a moon could be in the Underworld.

"There are two of them, and be grateful they're both not out, or we'd have hardly any cover at all. This is bad enough." Angus whispered.

I gazed up at the moon and could see puffy clouds framing it that slowly melted into the blackness that shrouded everything. The moon looked exactly like the one I've watched and stared at so many times at night. If I didn't know I was in the Underworld, I'd guess to be anywhere on Earth.

Angus suddenly grabbed hold of my wrist, and without thinking, I let out a slightly loud gasp as I pulled away from him. His blue eyes glowed angrily at me. I then heard noises echoing in the distance.

He pushed me back, and then disappeared. I didn't move, and tried to force my eyes to see through the dark shadows as to what might be there. I thought of calling out for Angus, but knew something more than Angus might hear me. Instead, I tried to make myself as small as possible still trying to make out shadows, when, without warning, something yelped followed by a growl.

All of my muscles tightened, and then could hear footsteps quickly coming my way. I then remembered I had the scepter in my pocket yet. I fumbled with my pockets frantically trying to get it out as the footsteps approached my hiding spot.

The small disk kept slipping through my sweaty palms as a giant shadow loomed over me with thousands of tiny thorns sticking out from its sides. I stumbled to my feet flicking the scepter until it opened ripping through my coat still stuck in my pocket.

"Please..." I begged as the shadow turned into a human silhouette.

"To think, you're going to kill the Queen of the Underworld," Angus said pulling my hand from the scepter, and closing the scepter with a flick of his hands. "Good thing I can handle Fae made swords, because I don't think you can."

I rubbed my hand realizing something wet was covering it.

"You're bleeding, and I can smell it." Angus began to gag. "Here," he said taking my hand and pouring something wet over it. "Whatever you do don't scream because the scent is strong enough to draw attention." He looked at me as he covered his face like he was trying to not breathe in smoke.

The liquid burned like fire, and I tightly closed my eyes letting myself internally scream until the burning stopped. My hand shook as I held it in front of me. There was no sign that a gash had been there, except for the lingering sting that was fading slowly.

Angus gazed down at me with his glowing blue eyes so human like, that I could easily forget the creature he really was. "Thanks," I barely whispered.

He nodded. "Not all demons are bad, are they jinxed?" Angus tugged on my hand, and we ran through the openness to the cover of something that was long and stringy hanging over our heads. It brushed against my face tickling my nose, and seemed to be getting denser the farther we went.

"Eve has practically destroyed the Underworld. Everything serves her here, even the two imps I had to kill." He drew in a deep breath. "Those are the innocent ones, but are gone now."

"You mean like the imps in the alley the night you attacked me." Angus stopped suddenly turning to me.

"I wasn't the one that attacked you, like I said; I have many doubles that I can't speak for their manners." He then pushed on through the stringy forest.

"Can't speak for their manners?" I repeated. "They tried to kill me."

"Good thing a glass prince was there to rescue you then," he said with amusement. "Come on, before the forest awakes." He pointed upwards with his thumb.

I slowly tilted my head back, and peering down at me were hundreds of gray-green faces all withered and wrinkled. Large, pointed, warty noses jetted out towards me like knives, and tiny, unblinking, beady eyes stared down with hollow expressions. Silver hair hung between the bouquets of dead faces all staring lifelessly at me.

I wanted to run as I pushed their hair off of me. Angus quickly grabbed me and jerked me into his face.

"They are cave dwarves. Nothing to worry about, I have them for lunch all the time, and they won't bother me or anyone in my company. Got it?" His voice was stern, and I nodded my head. "Good," he said pulling me closer with his hand clenched around my wrist.

"Where are we going?" I whispered shifting my eyes from the ground to the cave dwarves overhead as we walked.

"To the City of Lights," Angus said turning with a half-smile. "You'll like it there—mimics a human city, but built by us scary demons." His voice for a moment was light hearted as we cleared the stringy haired forest of dwarves.

"Watch your step," he said as the pathway turned more into a series of catwalks linking randomly over a pool of glowing green water.

"What's this place?" I asked and Angus let out a sigh.

"I'm not a tour guide, but it seems like I'm turning into one." He stopped and had me walk in front of him. "These pools contain acid that would dissolve you down to your bones in the matter of seconds, but nicely exfoliate some demon skins. Considered a spa for us and a death trap for humans, it's used a lot by the wealthy in this ritzy part of the Underworld."

I shook my head, and smiled to myself.

"I bet you thought demons lived in pools of fire, enjoyed tormenting humans, and ran around poking pitch forks in each other's rears just for fun, didn't you?" He stopped as we stood on a wide section of pathway surrounded by the glass-like green pool of acid.

I started to say something when I looked into Angus's eyes. I know his appearance was only a mask, and a millipede demon lived just under the shell. I could clearly see it as I gazed into his abnormally vivid blue eyes. I could see his personality as if he'd invited me into his world, and, he maybe wasn't what I'd ever pictured a demon to be.

"You humans call us demons, think we are after you, trying to control you, and guide you into a life of evil doing. You thought wrong. What of the actions of humans, who cheat, lie, steal, and kill each other—sometimes just for fun or over ridiculous things. Humans don't need any demon guidance or influence...they act on their own just fine." He peered into the still pool that reflected his image. "I've seen a lot, Eliza Thorn, and sometimes, it's the demons who are less of a demon, and humans who should be called such."

"But you killed Rosie, and she was a good person!" My voice echoed off the cave walls filled with rage, and I repressed the tears that stung the corners of my eyes.

I let my stare pierce Angus as he smiled, amused at my anger. "Ah, jinxed, it appears that way, but, did you really know Rosie? Up until you stumbled into her secret life, you only knew her at that little beacon of hope called the Salvation Army. There was much more to her, and yes she tried to kill me, but I didn't plan on killing her. I try to use all I can out of things, and often keep them for a later use. It's only if they get in the way do I eliminate them. Like I said before, I have many doubles, and I can't speak for their actions."

"It's an excuse for what you do!" I yelled.

I stood gazing at Angus, waiting for him to speak, but he didn't. He stepped away with his unblinking sapphire eyes steady on me. I could slowly see his color fade, almost like someone was erasing it. His appearance slowly melted from human to the black-eyed, many-legged, and twisted body of an insect that I loathed to look at. I moved away in disgust as Angus lowered his head to my level.

"I may look like a demon in your eyes, but it's the humans that look like it on the inside." His voice slithered like snakes around me.

"So true, but it took a long time for you to realize it," said Eve who stood smiling at us with the demon trident swinging back and forth between her pinched fingers. "Look what I have, darling." Her voice teased as Angus hissed.

Eve jolted into the air with a gleeful, but evil tinged laugh. She had the trident, and now the only thing that could kill her.

"If you want out of here, use the sword. It will sting her enough to get the trident. Go!" Angus commanded with his dark, round, beady eyes reflecting the flames Eve expelled from the trident.

She twirled and looped through the air almost like she didn't have a care in the world. Eve hummed to herself as her slick black wings whooshed through the air. She then stopped, twisted her head towards me as I expelled the Fae sword.

She scowled, showing her white teeth, and then darted at me like an angry wasp. I ducked, and she missed me, but not Angus. He landed into the pool of acid. A few drops splattered on my arm, and I screamed rubbing my forearm vigorously on my pants.

Angus lifted himself out with his black body steaming, and leaving behind a hollow shell. He looked at me, then back at shell as his many legs moved back and forth like a row of dominos stacked closely together.

"I'm exfoliated," he said in a calm voice as Eve's laughter echoed. "Now fight!"

Eve charged at me again and this time, as if the sword was acting on its own, I twirled ducking at the same time with the sword overhead. I heard her scream, and could see a rip in her skin-tight black pants. I stood holding the sword in front of me as Eve's eyes grew with angry flames.

"I'm done playing games, and done with you being my retriever!" She hovered in midair, expelled her wings in full, and snapped her pointed tail in the warm air. "Time for you to die," she said in a low voice I could barely hear.

With her fanged teeth, jet black hair, and extended claws, Eve darted towards me as I raised the sword in front of me. It burned the air with blue sparks, and I could feel a sudden connection to it, like it was an extension of me. Eve let out a yell as she came closer with her eyes focused solely into mine. This time, I didn't duck, but swung at her trying to aim for her neck. I missed horribly as I heard a cracking sound behind my head.

It felt as though my back had caught fire, and I dropped the sword letting it bounce to the pool of acid. It was swallowed with a thousand bubbles, and hissing smoke, my only weapon was gone. Eve landed in front of me as I whimpered in pain. She smiled, crossed her arms, and slid her eyes over to her sharp tipped tail dangling between her and me. It dripped with black liquid. Eve extended her finger wiping it, and then licked the black substance with her forked tongue.

"I love my poison mixed with that of human blood." She laughed gazing at me with enjoyment. "It's absolutely delicious, oh, and don't worry, my poison works very quickly, but unfortunately, painfully." Her eyes burned with tiny slits as she began to laugh.

I gingerly touched the back of my neck, and felt a large bump oozing with hot blood. I could feel my heart race that pumped the poison through me. I dropped to my knees feeling sick. My vision began to blur, and all that I could hear was the sound of Eve's taunting laughter and voice as everything faded around me. I wondered where Angus was, when suddenly, Eve stopped laughing, and she lurched over, grasping her stomach.

I tried to focus my eyes as she began to growl, and struggled to stand upright. Black, stringy, and oozing liquid expelled from her mouth. She coughed and sputtered trying to wipe the substance away.

I pushed myself up, watching her, and trying to stay conscience. Eve managed to pull herself up, and staggered towards me with her black slime covered mouth curling into a scowl raising the trident over her head. Her eyes filled with fire mixing with hatred.

I lifted my trembling hand in protection, when suddenly, a flash darted behind Eve causing her to fall face first to the ground. The trident flung from her hand landing with a clank to the ground.

Eve lay in a heap of blackness. Her wings had fallen off and crumbled like stone. She slowly lifted her head, and peered at me with her fire-filled angry eyes.

"Here!" Angus's hand, the human one, latched onto the trident dropping it in front of me. "Kill the gorgon!" He yelled holding his smoking burnt hand that was scarred with the imprint of the curled design of the trident.

"Now!" He repeated as I looked from his hand to him.

I had no choice, and the trident was my only weapon now. I grabbed it wondering if it would scald me as well, and readied myself for the initial burn. It didn't, and felt very cool to my touch. When I first saw the trident, I thought it would be heavy, but it wasn't. It was amazingly light, and like the Fae sword, I could feel its pull, as if it was another extension of me.

Eve was a pile of bubbling blackness that was slowly withering. I staggered towards her, and gazed down at her. She looked up at me like a dying injured animal. Only her eyes contained any strength.

"Kill her now before she regains power!" Angus commanded.

I could feel the trident vibrate in my hand, almost like it wanted her dead too. She screamed out, and raised her hand in one last effort before I planted the trident into her head with a crack. Internally I was shaking; externally I looked like a warrior killing an enemy. My mind raced, and I think I was solely operating on adrenaline. I could see the black liquid come to the surface of her broken skull pooling beside her just like in a bad horror movie. I wished it was a movie that I could turn off, but knew it was all too real.

My hand began to tremble, and I felt nauseated as I looked down at Eve trying to move. She wasn't totally dead yet. I gasped, pulling the trident out, and stepping away from her. The weapon dripped with her blood, and splattered to the parched ground.

Eve's body quickly transformed to stone then crumbled piece by piece falling into a pile before turning slowly to dust. I stood watching, and realized I had just killed the Queen of the Underworld, only she wasn't done yet. The last thing of her to turn to dust was her tail that thrashed through the air wildly trying to cling to life. I stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over my own feet, when suddenly, as if it had radar, Eve's arrow tipped tail curled around my ankle and jerked hard. I lost my balance, and realized I was falling right into the green pool of acid.

Chapter Twelve

Before I could even let out a scream, someone caught me, and I clung to them digging my fingers into their arm. A few grains of dirt and rocks splashed into the pool with a hiss. The strong arms pulled me upright, and turned me to face them. I expected to see Angus, but instead, a pair of dark concerned eyes peered back at me.

"Loki," I said surprised and relieved at the same time.

"Happy to see me? You should or you'd be a tiny little skeleton by now." He motioned with his head to the pool of acid.

I gazed back at it feeling sick. "Where's Angus?" I asked. "He—he was just here." I felt abandoned by him, and for some reason, it bothered me when it shouldn't. He's a demon, and I'm a human.

"I didn't see him when I materialized—must've run off." Loki gently tugged on my hand. "We have to get out of here."

"You've been following me."

"Yes, and it has been at times hard to keep up with you. Entities move at different speeds in different locales. The Underworld is notorious for getting lost, but I'm smart and I kept up," he said proudly.

"Eve, I killed her." It felt like it was a dream, and didn't happen, but I knew it did as I gazed at the spot where she crumbled to stone. Nothing remained of her now.

"I know, good job, but now this world will be in chaos, and would be a good idea if we got out of here."

"The trident—" I frantically scanned the ground for it. Loki then tugged me on the arm as he tapped on the outside of his jacket with a smile.

"It's in a safe place." He nodded his head. "Come on, let's go. We've got to get Bea and get out of here"

I could feel my stomach churn and my head spin as I tried to keep up. Loki kept pulling me along the pathway through the motionless green pools of acid until we reach a large clearing.

Dead looking trees with crooked branches and knobby trunks covered in white bark with vines looping through their limbs, stood like ancient giants in front of us.

"The White Forest," Loki whispered as I stood behind him feeling sweat trickle down my back.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I bent over heaving up what little I had in my stomach. When I was done, I gasped for air, and felt my head throb with each beat of my heart.

"Well kitten, I'm a little nervous too about traveling through an Underworld forest. You can do it, you've come this far, and it's the only way out not to mention the closest exit to your world."

I could hardly move propping myself up on hands and knees. I blinked my eyes trying to get them to focus as I rubbed the back of my swollen neck. I felt the large bump that was still oozing. I held my hand out in front of me, rubbing the sticky black goo between my fingers.

"Why didn't you say you were hurt? I thought you were frightened to sickness." Loki pulled me up, lifted my hair, and examined the wound on the back of my neck.

"I take it Eve stung you before she crumbled." He pressed on it, and I flinched away. "Good, it didn't get all the way in." He turned me around grabbing me by the shoulders, and peered into my eyes. "You'll be fine, just a scratch, and I pulled out the stinger." He gave me a reassuring smile.

I didn't feel fine, but listened to him, and believed him.

"How are we getting out then?" I asked.

"There's an old mirror that Eve had made for her army of entities she had at one time. It's hidden in the forest that's close to the City of Lights."

The forest did seem like a giant, a sleeping one that is. A light breeze pushed back and forth, like it was breathing, making the vines sway delicately from the deformed and twisted branches. The yellow-orange light from the moon made the forest glow in diffused light.

Loki glanced around, but didn't seem nervous or acted like he was lost. He also didn't speak much as he tried to hurry me along.

"How far is it to this mirror?" I asked.

"Well," he said with a sigh. "I can't remember how far, but I can sense it, and we are getting closer.

"So you've been here before?" I could feel my eyes getting heavy, and sleep would have easily come if Loki didn't keep shaking me.

"No," he said casually. "I got directions from another entity, one that worked for Eve. He was one of the lucky ones that escaped before she dissolved them."

"You've said that before...dissolve. How—how on earth do you dissolve an entity?" I could feel my muscle relax, and I don't even think I was walking anymore.

"You've got to stay awake. The poisons about gone, and you can't give into it." He stopped and sat me on the ground.

I watched him as he dug around at the base of one of the trees in the loose soil. Tiny toad stools skirted the bases of the trees and looked nearly black with swirling colors of blues, purples and greens.

"Ah, here we go," Loki said cupping something glittering in his hand, and then bent down blowing the handful of dirt into my face.

"Ahhh!" I screamed rubbing my eyes that I thought should be burning and irritated, but weren't. "What the heck was that? You blew it into my eyes," I said angrily as Loki brushed his hands smiling at me.

"You really don't want to know, but works really well, doesn't it?" He asked, and I had to agree that I felt better. "Now come on before the cave trolls see us."

"Cave trolls, you mean the ones with the stringy hair, beady eyes that are hanging from the cave ceiling?"

"Yes, those kind—terrible little creatures, and I don't want to have to deal with them." He walked faster through the maze of trees.

"Where are Will and Piper?" I asked as my thoughts drifted to them.

"Hopefully still safe, and if they use their heads, they are right where we left them. There's a portal there that acts as a super highway, and is open to many worlds, that is if you know how to get through."

"Do you know?" I asked meekly as I looked up at the vine covered trees.

"I know lots of things kitten, and I could get there with my eyes blinded if I had to."

Loki seemed confident in himself, and I easily followed him trying to not second guess him. I wanted out of here, and without any guidance, I'd be a sitting duck.

As we went farther into the White Forest, the trees became slimmer, and their bark smoother, almost like someone had polished it. They looked elegant, like tall, beautiful, slender women all dressed in shimmering white gowns frozen in the middle of a dance. The moon hung in the sky at a different angle creating slanted rays of light that cut through the forest. I gazed all around, but stayed close to Loki as we weaved around the trees.

He began to mumble to himself, and it felt like we were going in circles. I didn't say anything hoping that Loki would remember something when suddenly, light blasted through the trees in one giant flash.

I fell backwards with Loki landing on top of me. I screamed out as he jumped to his feet, and stood in front of me.

"No!" I could hear Bea's voice. "It's mine, all of it is mine, and I'm not sharing! I should've known this was your plan! You always wanted the Underworld, and now with Eve out of the way, you think you can sweet talk me into just giving you half."

"Bea," I whispered her name in surprise as Loki covered my mouth and shook his head.

He lifted me up, and we quietly walked towards Bea's voice, and hid in a tight circle of trees.

"You don't have the knowledge of this world, I do, and I want to work with you." Angus's voice was calm, and almost seemed compassionate.

I could only see parts of Bea, and nothing of Angus. Bea paced around with a worried look on her face as she stopped and looked up at something.

"I can help you bring her back. I know you cared for her, and that's a noble thing for a gorgon to do." Angus said, and then I saw him in human form. He looked like a gentleman from some bygone era where chivalry was still a custom.

"No it isn't, it's stupid, and got me kicked out of the Underworld. I don't have many allies here, and to gain the trust of the Underworlders, will be next to impossible. At least with Eve, there was peace."

"There was peace because she couldn't surface, and was stuck here." Angus turned Bea to face him. "You are not like her, Bea. You can surface; you didn't give yourself to the darkness." I could see Angus's hand still burned from the trident, and even Bea noticed as well.

She took his hand gently examining it.

"How did you manage to kill Eve holding onto the trident for that long?" She asked suspiciously. "You did kill her, didn't you?" She stepped away, and cracked her tail in the still air.

I jumped at the sudden noise that echoed all around us.

"I..." Angus stumbled for words.

"You didn't, the jinxed one did! You told me she was dead—boiled in the acid pools!" Bea became angered flipping her tail, and cracking it above Angus.

Suddenly, Angus grabbed hold of Bea, curling his arms around her so he was standing behind her. Angus pinned her in his hold, and forced her chin upward looking now at what I could finally see.

"You want her I know, and if you want peace not only for you, but the Underworld as well, then you better count me as your ally or you can count me as your enemy. And I don't think you have enough resources to be in that position." His voice hissed as she struggled to free herself.

Angus let her go and she bolted herself from him, huddling to the feet of Ivy. Bea looked up at her, and then began to weep.

"Her blood is what killed Eve," Angus said quietly. "She's of the line, and can be used by both of us."

I didn't understand what he meant because it was the trident that killed Eve.

"I don't want a human to help me!" Bea pounded her fist on the ground causing the tree limbs to shake overhead.

"Sometimes you don't get to choose who helps you, you have to use who you can for what you need." Angus tried to lift Bea up, but she pushed him away and pounded her fist on the ground screaming until the limbs began to move and twist to life.

"Run Eliza!" Loki yelled, but was too late.

Several long slender limbs wrapped around us like arms, picked us up casting us through the air and to the feet of Bea.

She gazed down at me with her penetrating eyes turned to slits of blue flames. She had her hands on her hips and wings held out in full behind her. "Good girls," she said gazing up at the trees that slowly receded back into the forest.

"Even you Loki are helping this thing," she said with disgust pointing towards me. "I had better hopes for you."

She whipped her tail in the air and grinned at both of us as Angus changed into his demon flesh and charged towards Bea. She twirled out of the way as he rolled to the ground, and then uncurled himself from a ball gazing at Bea.

"The human is of the sacred line. She's poison to us at the same time a tool—something we can use." Angus stood still with his black eyes on Bea.

She growled at him showing her sharp white teeth in a crooked snarl.

"She has her blood!" Angus yelled pointing at me with his human hand. "She can kill all of our enemies, and she right in front of us!"

Loki pushed me behind him as the trees rustled behind us. We were trapped with no mirror in sight.

"I don't believe you! You're tricking me like you tricked my mother! All you want is the Underworld!" Bea's voice echoed through the forest.

"Bea," Loki said cutting between them. "I know you're still the same Bea I've always known, so listen to me, please." Loki pleaded as she gazed at him.

"I don't have any quarrel with you, and I do want to have the entities on my side as my mother once did, but things have changed, and my mother's ways are not my way." Bea's voice was calm. "That's why she must die." Her eyes went to me followed by a flash that burned the air with a crack.

"No, Bea!" Angus jumped on her, and pushed her to the ground as Loki pulled the trident from his coat and stabbed Bea in the shoulder with it.

She screamed in pain thrashing her body violently until her body went still. Angus stood up and shot his gaze between Loki and me. Bea made no movement, but I could still see her breathing. I don't know why, but I was glad she wasn't dead. I then looked at Angus who stood shifting his eyes warily between Loki and me.

"Do we have a truce or are you going to use that on me?" He calmly asked.

"Depends on what your intentions are." Loki stepped away with the trident held defensively in front of him.

"My intentions are to gain control over the Underworld, and I hope to do that with the least amount of violence as possible." His voice was calm, and surprisingly, professional as if we were making a business deal. "I don't wish any harm on you, Eliza or Bea here. But she doesn't understand what's at stake. And," his eyes shifted to the frozen statue of Ivy. "She's lovesick over this human. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the making of a Queen—it's a rare quality among gorgons, one that died with her mother."

Loki stepped in front of me, and grabbed hold of my wrist. Angus watched him as he crossed his arms and smiled at us. "There are no mirrors here for you to escape to; I hate to tell you that. Eve got rid of the entity mirror a long time ago. I can get you out, but I want that from you," he said pointing at the trident.

Loki shook his head as Bea lifted herself up letting out a scream that shook the forest. Her eyes burned with blue flames that darted towards me. Propping herself on bent arms, she unfolded her wings, and snarled at me with her white teeth.

She then let out a grunt as one of the vines twirled around the trident pulling it out of Loki's hand. It was quickly passed among the vines as Bea propelled herself into the air and snatched it. She then turned her attention to Angus who looked horrified at her.

Bea darted towards him cackling at him with the trident in front of her. He rolled to the ground, using Ivy's frozen body as a shield. Bea made several passes taunting him.

"I can do it Bea!" His voice warned as he placed his hand on Ivy's ankle. "I can still suck the life out of her if I want even though she's caught between the worlds." His eyes twinkled with evil as he lifted his right eyebrow and smirked at Bea hovering midair.

"No," she whispered.

Angus kept his hand on Ivy's ankle that began to turn black underneath it. He then extended his other hand, the scared one, palm up. "The trident for your lover," he said.

"You can't touch it though." Bea looked at the burn on his hand. "It will kill you, and then I'll take it anyhow." She smiled victoriously at him.

"I can, but not too long. Besides, I have allies." He nodded towards Loki and me.

He motioned with his fingers for Bea to give the trident to him as he tightened his grip on Ivy causing one of her necklaces to fall from her neck to the ground below.

Bea's face paled as she lowered herself, and stood in front of Angus. His eyes were steady on her as she slowly started to hand over the trident. Suddenly, Bea bared her teeth, turned the trident on Angus, and pointed it towards his chest. Like lightening flashing through the sky, he grabbed her by the wrist. Bea's wrist made a cracking sound as Angus flicked the trident from it. It twirled through the air end over end.

"Catch it jinxed!" Angus commanded.

Without thinking, I lunged for it, and caught it before it hit the ground. I skidded on the ground like a baseball player catching a ball. I could barely feel its weight in my hands as I clenched my fingers around it.

Loki came over, lifted me up, and grabbed the trident as the whole forest shook from Eve's screaming command. The vines thrashed through the air as the trees teetered side to side slowly closing in on us. The moon was slowly fading as another light, much brighter, began to fill the forest that had come alive.

Angus looked up at the sky and smiled. "You're too late gorgon!"

Bea's body slowly turned grey, like stone. She glared at Angus, and then fell to the ground huddling at the base of Ivy's feet before she slowly turned to stone.

The forest quieted, and Angus then turned his attention to us. "The Underworld sun is not good for gorgons, at least not for her. Eve on the other hand, had that problem fixed when she gave herself to the darkness." He stepped away from Bea. Her face was frozen with a tearful expression as she gazed up at Ivy. They looked like statues that depicted some forgotten Greek tragedy. I couldn't help but wonder if she'd be like that forever.

"Now, with Bea out of the picture, I can get some things done." Angus stepped in front of us shifting his eyes to Loki. "Entity, I really hate to do this to you."

Angus lifted his arm straight out in front of him with his palm facing Loki. Loki ducked as a ball of light exploded behind him into a tree. The tree faded into thin air as if it never existed.

"That's what I mean by dissolve!" Loki dodged another ball of light as he pointed to where the tree once was.

"Come on entity, you know I'll win," Angus said in a bored tone.

"Run, Eliza to the pools!" Loki darted into the forest as if he had melted into it.

"Ugh!" Angus lowered his hand glancing at me with his cold eyes. "Stay here."

I watched him dart into the forest as I stood clenching the trident. I didn't want to stay put, but felt compelled to. I tried to move my legs, but found it hard to even walk. I yelled out Loki's name.

"I can't move! Lok—" Suddenly, something slammed into my body moving at a high rate of speed.

I couldn't scream as the air had been knocked form my lungs and the trees brushed past like stinging whips.

"I've got you...trying to get to the pools," Loki said in a stressed voice as I clung to him burying my face into his chest. "Just about..." Loki abruptly stopped, and I was thrown from his arms to the hard ground.

I rolled, only stopping when I slid into the hard rock wall. I could hear the plashing of water followed by mumbled voices. I pushed myself up, and realized that we were at the acid pools, and this time, there were occupants sitting in them.

I gasped at the sight of demons sitting in them like humans do in hot tubs. Some of the creatures were similar to Angus, while others were lizard-like with oblong heads, some with one eye in the center of their heads, while others had several tiny ones. They sat scattered in the several pools, some sat up taking notice, and others put down what looked like newspapers. There were maybe about fifteen of them, and they all were looking at me holding the trident.

"Sorry," Angus's voice came from behind me. "Everything is fine, just my lunch that got away. Gnomes...you know how they are," Angus jovially said as he grabbed me by the wrist, and jerked me around the corner.

"I said stay put," he said forcefully with his finger in my face.

"She doesn't have to!" Loki said behind Angus.

Loki slid the trident from my hand, and stabbed Angus with it in the shoulder. He yelled turning immediately into his demon form. His black eyes penetrated through me as Loki grabbed hold of my wrist just as Angus expelled a tiny thorn from his belly into my arm.

"You'll thank me later for that later," he said as Loki rushed towards the acid pools now filled with exfoliating demons. Angus scampered behind us, nearly catching up when Loki pushed to a faster pace.

My arm began to burn, and I tried to pull the thorn out, but couldn't as I tried to keep up with Loki.

"What are you doing?!" I yelled as we passed the green pools filled with the soaking demons.

"Trust me Eliza, this is the only way!" Loki yelled as we quickly approached a large acid pool that had one bulky occupant with wart-covered gray skin and many rolls of fat.

Loki wasn't stopping, and gained in speed as the demon put down his paper, took off his glasses, and opened his mouth in surprise revealing a single pointed tooth.

"Just hope the water stays still!" Loki clenched onto me as I screamed jumping head first into the acid water with Loki.

We flew through the air as the demon gazed at us wide-eyed. I met his eyes for a split second as I screamed at the same time the demon did. The paper shook in his tightened fist as he tried to move his cumbersome body.

"Hang on!" Loki yelled.

All I could see was the pool of green acid coming closer, and it looked like we were going to land head first into the crotch of the demon when suddenly, the acid-water smoothed, becoming almost like a mirror reflecting my terrified face..

Chapter Thirteen

I gingerly felt my face expecting flesh to barely be hanging on, but I wasn't even wet. Instead, I was floating in a sea of white glitter. I let out the breath I was holding, and stirred the shimmering flecks surrounding me like dust floating in the air illuminated by the sunlight. I looked around realizing I was alone. I called out Loki's name, but he didn't reply, in fact, no one was around me.

I moved my legs trying to walk in a different direction, but there was nothing solid underneath them. Frantically, I waved my arms through the air stirring up more dust, and not moving anywhere. It was like I was hanging in midair by some invisible string.

"Calm down, jinxed," said a familiar voice.

I stopped, hanging in the swirling dust as a face materialized in front of me. White eyes, round and gleaming, twinkled back at me surrounded by long white-silver hair. The face smiled at me as gleaming scales flashed on their forehead. The fog mixed with glittering dust, parted to reveal the rest of the face's body. I could tell now that it was a female dressed in a long, blue, flowing dress with a high wait that sat under her breasts. She was beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

"Do you remember me?" She asked, and I nodded.

"You're Lyra," I said, really guessing, and hoping I was right.

She answered with a smile and a nod. "You killed the creature that guarded me the last time I saw you, excellent job by the way." She complimented in an arrogant tone.

"Where am I? Where's Loki?" I tried to move myself away from her.

Lyra smiled, again, and tilted her head to the side. She stepped in front of me, and gently brushed her cool fingers across my arm with the tattoo. "The coin was fragmented, and you are bound to many. Eve is out of the circle, and with her gone, so is my imprisonment. I have you to thank, Eliza." Her voice was like a cold knife cutting through the air, and her eyes, like depthless pools of white, gazed unblinking. "You will feel at times stretched in all directions, yearning to fulfill duties by those who you are bound to. I, being one of them, offer you freedom, that is, if you complete one last task."

I floated in midair, as Lyra stood in front of me waving her hands letting the mists part to reveal the glass castle in Will's painting.

"Am I in Iethia?" I asked with a snicker from Lyra.

"No," she answered coldly. "Like I said before, you are part of a prophecy that needs to be completed by your heritage." She cupped her hands in front of her face as they filled with a bright light.

Lyra then opened her hands releasing a small mirrored box. It floated between us, twirling like it was on display in some jewelry store window. Light seemed to radiate from it, and even though it was mirrored, it didn't reflect anything surrounding it.

Mesmerized, I watched it as I slowly lifted my hand compelled to touch it. I cautiously and timidly extended my index finger wanting nothing more than to touch it. Suddenly, it disappeared within millimeters of my touch. I pulled back my hand as Lyra smiled at me.

"You have no idea what that box was, but yet, you are drawn to it, like a drug." She walked around me, and my body turned with her. "You Eliza Thorn are going to complete the prophecy, and do your ancestors proud."

"I—I don't understand," I said as she continued to walk in circles.

Lyra gazed over her shoulder at me as the scenes behind her began to shift. I could see a green landscape of rolling hills, and misty capped mountains in the distance. A large black lake sat motionless nestled in the deeply carved landscape. It was beautiful with a bright blue sky dolloped with puffy white clouds.

"This is Atlantis," Lyra said as the mists shifted. "This is where you'll find the box. When you have it, come to these lands. There's a portal there."

I shook my head. "But..." I started to say when I could see Will's shadowy image in the fog. "Will," I whispered.

His nearly blue eyes stared straight ahead, and his silver white hair almost blended in with the white haze. I gazed at him, wondering why he wasn't saying anything. Lyra waved her hand, and he disappeared. She turned to me with her white reptile eyes focused on me.

"You've grown feelings for him, I can see that. But, you can't have him." Lyra threatened with her cold eyes as she set her jaw. "He's mine, understand. You are my tool, and that is all." She stopped walking in circles. "I do have a little understanding of humans, and know your kind is naturally drawn to us. I forgive you of that, and will remedy of this ailment that inflicts you." Suddenly she lifted her hand, waved her long fingers in front of me like she was grabbing onto something, and then curled her hand into a fist.

"Oww," I said as I felt something pop inside of me, almost like a piece of my insides had broken off and was removed. Immediately, I placed one hand on my chest and the other on my stomach. I didn't feel pain, and didn't know exactly what or even where I felt the breakage, but a piece of me had been taken away—I could feel it.

"Fortunate for you, I can remedy you of any attachment to my beloved, and you will serve me fully with no interruptions." Lyra stood in front of me, and grabbed me by my shoulders. Her hands were like icicles. "Go Eliza Thorn and fulfill the prophecy. Find the box that the Atlantians call Pandora's Lock. This is my order to you." She then pushed me away as her image faded and blackness rolled around me like thick smoke.

I felt like I had been plunged into ice water. I couldn't hear or see, and I had to force myself to move my legs and arms. The feeling of weightlessness faded, and I felt the pressure of gravity again. I tried to draw in a deep breath, but quickly found out I was sucking in freezing water. There was no air around me, I was drowning when suddenly, I felt something grab onto me pulling me through the darkness.

"I've got her!" A voice yelled as I felt the piercing air that was like needles on my skin. "I told you I saw something in the water." The voice sounded out of breath.

"Pull her in, and hurry up Caleb, she's blue." Another voice yelled.

We pushed through the water, and I tried to open my eyes, but couldn't. I felt detached from my body, but could hear everything around me. I wondered who had pulled me from the water. I could hear them breath heavily, and feel their strength as they dragged me to shore.

"Do you think this is her?" The person named Caleb said.

"We won't find out if she doesn't breathe soon." I could hear them, and I didn't feel any of my senses fading. I simply couldn't move. Could I be dying?

That thought rushed through me like hot fire. I didn't want to die, and suddenly I felt a cold bubble explode in my throat. Water burned my nose and throat as I pushed myself up, and open my eyes to see blurred dark figures. I coughed and tried drawing in ragged breaths. My throat ached and my lungs hurt with the air I forced into them.

I blinked my eyes frantically trying to make them focus, but they burned too much. I could see enough to know where I was at. The grey abandoned hotel reflected in the black still water. It was the Blue Moon Hotel, and secret hideout of guardians that protect this world from supernatural threats. Also, it's where Rosie had tried to help me, and where I had met Will. I could only guess what had happened not only to him, but Loki and Piper as well.

"Eliza, Eliza Thorn?" A boy, not much older than me, bent down and gazed curiously with his blue-grey eyes. He had wavy blonde hair, and was dressed in so much black that he nearly blended in with the darkness surrounding us.

"Yes," I managed to croak out, and remembered talking to him right before Rosie and I were attacked by one of Angus's doubles. "Gabe," I questioned, and he nodded.

"Let's get to the portal. She won't last in the cold." Caleb prompted as my body shook trying to stay warm.

With my eyes still blurry, I tried to look around for Loki. My head became heavy, and my thoughts thickened like the white sauce I used to make at the Salvation Army's kitchen. I longed for Rosie, wishing she was here. I felt the burden of everything that I had caused, and wished I would have drowned in that lake. My thoughts bounced around so much, I thought I was going crazy. I started to shake even harder, either out of becoming colder or fear. Gabe stopped, and wrapped his thin jacket around me. His arms were bare, and looked pale against the blackness.

Caleb walked beside me, and Gabe in front. They talked, but I didn't listen, I didn't want to. I was feverously lost in my own thoughts that shifted like the winter winds. I would try to gaze back at the lake wondering what happened to Loki, Piper, and Will. Lyra, I know tried to take my feelings away I had for him. But I wasn't sure if I did have any feeling to take away. I liked Will, and cared for him, but I didn't know him well enough to know if I truly like him. Maybe Lyra was just taking a precaution or maybe, she knew something I didn't. I didn't like her; just the same as I disliked the others I was bound to. I didn't want to be bound to anyone or anything, and, I didn't have to be.

"Just about there," Caleb said in a loud voice, the kind that sounded as if he'd been trying to get my attention.

I looked up at his green eyes, the only color that was bright in the darkness. My legs were numb, and I couldn't even tell if I was walking or not.

We went up a steep incline, and I could feel my feet dragging through the leaves that littered the forest floor. I was then lifted up into Caleb's strong arms. I let my head rest on his shoulder. I thought I saw a movement and a flickering of a flashlight.

"There," I said pointing in the direction where the light had been. "It's got to be Will or Loki...or maybe Piper. They need us!" I suddenly yelled out frantically.

No one responded to my statement me as the voices and movements all twirled together until everything exploded into a light so bright, I thought it would burn us to nothing. I let out a scream with my hoarse voice as it too got sucked into the brightness.

I thought I would be wet, cold or burned by the bright light, but I wasn't. I gingerly moved my legs, and forced my eyes open. I lifted my sore arms pushing myself up to a sitting position. I ran my hands over my arms realizing I was in a bed. I could feel the softness of the blanket as I rubbed my legs that were underneath it. I wondered where I was at, who I was with, and what had happened. I thought of Will, and his name bubbled in my throat. I drew in a breath to call for him, when another voice cut my words off.

"You're still in one piece," said the voice in the distance reassuring me.

I glanced towards the voice to see the greenest eyes gazing curiously at me. I pulled the blanket around me as he stepped closer.

"Though, I wasn't sure you'd make it through the portal," he said sitting on the foot of the bed that squeaked from his weight.

"Where am I? Are we still in Pleasantville?" I asked quickly, and glanced around the scantly furnished room.

It kind of reminded me of a hotel room with a couple of chairs, dresser, hooks on the wall, and everything painted in neutral colors. A single window let in soft light, and the air that drifted in, was surprisingly warm. We weren't in Pleasantville because it was the beginning of winter there, and no one would have their windows open.

"No," he replied slowly. "We're in Atlantis." He looked steadily at me.

"Atlantis," I repeated. "You're Caleb, and Gabe was the one who talk to me through the glass screen with Rosie."

He raised his eyebrows and then smiled. "Yes, that was Gabe, but how do you know my name when I haven't even introduced myself?"

I could feel my cheeks flush, and I felt a pang of fear fill me. "You pulled me from the water. I could hear Gabe say your name."

Caleb glanced at the floor, rubbed his chin as if in deep thought trying to figure something out. "It does work then," he whispered to himself.

"What works?" I asked catching his attention.

"Demon thorns," he said getting up and walking towards the window. "That's what saved you, plucked one out of your arm. You weren't breathing when I pulled you from the water, and nearly solid blue. If you didn't have the thorn in you, you'd be dead by now."

I pulled my stare from him, and closed my eyes. Angus said I'd thank him later for that. But how did he know that I would need one of his thorns?

"Poison like that doesn't work on everyone." Caleb's voice turned slightly questioning.

He slowly stepped to the foot of the bed, and leaned over resting his hands on the metal frame. I shifted my weight, and pulled my legs around me. I wanted to tell him everything from me finding the coin to the Underworld, and everything else that has happened to me, but didn't. I wasn't sure if I could trust him yet or not, and really desperately wanted to trust someone, but didn't want to choose the wrong one.

"What do you mean doesn't work on everyone?" I asked.

"Exactly what it means," he said quickly. "For some it poisons, bringing death, while others it suspends life, almost like preserving it."

That's what it did to me. And now I felt I was some sort of a suspect to Caleb.

"What...what are you going to do with me? Can I go home?" I asked suddenly realizing I had no home.

"We can't let you go home." He shook his head. "It's too dangerous, and besides, you're marked with the symbol of the guardians." He pointed to my shoulder with the tattoo.

I ran my fingers over it. "So what is the Alliance going to do with me?" I wanted to know.

"Well, for now, you'll stay here until you are well enough to go before them, and then they'll want to question you to find out who was behind the attack at Blue Moon."

I ran my fingers through my hair wishing I was with Will. I wondered if he was safe or if he was looking for me. Maybe Loki reached him, and they all were looking for me. I wondered if they could make it to Atlantis undetected. Suddenly, I felt something warm touch my arm. I jumped as Caleb smiled at me.

"It's going to be alright for you." Caleb now sat in front of me staring at me with his green eyes that reminded me of the acid pools of the Underworld. "You are just a curiosity to us, and we don't know what all of this means just yet." He then stood up, and smiled warmly at me. "Get some rest, and I'll be back later."

I laid down watching him go out the door that shut with a click. I couldn't rest, and flicked off the covers. I paced the room trying to gather my thoughts. Lyra wanted me to get that little mirrored box that was here. I didn't want to get it for her, but something kept repeating itself inside me to find it. Almost like a blinking light that wouldn't shut off. And, I still didn't know what happened to Loki or if Angus would be curling out of some shadow somewhere.

I found myself standing in front of the window when I heard a slight commotion.

"Psst, kitten," said Loki's voice.

I turned feeling relieved at the sight of him crawling out of the mirror that hung over the tall dresser. At one time it would've freaked me out, but now it was a wonderful sight.

"Oh, Loki!" I ran over, and wrapped my arms around him.

"Glad to see you too, but we've got to move."

"How? Do you know your way around Atlantis?"

He smiled crookedly. "Not Atlantis itself, but their mirrors I do. Come on, grab my hand."

Loki took my hand, and climbed carefully back up on the dresser. He gently ran his other hand over the mirror making it ripple.

"So, where did you go after we went into the acid pool? I ended up in Lake Moore," I said staring at him waiting for an answer.

"Yeah, sorry about that sudden exit—usually I don't like to do it that way, but I do have to commend myself," he said with a smirk, and sliding his eyes to me. "It was genius of me, don't you think?" I crossed my arms not amused. "I guess you don't agree. I had every plan of you coming with me, and I came out at a mirror in the hotel, but only after the little Alliance boys left. One ran out saying they spotted something in the water, and I assumed that it was you."

"And you didn't help me?" I asked.

"That was two against one," he said looking back at me with his brown eyes as if I was crazy to ask that. "Not to mention, they're the Alliance." He defined his words. "Besides, I still came after you." He turned back to the mirror. "Don't worry kitten, I'm still your hero, just not the sword-in-hand-screaming my vengeance at the enemy for your safety." Loki gazed back at me, and smiled slyly. "I'm more of a sneaky hero, one that comes and leaves unnoticed." He tugged on my hand as he went through the mirror. "Come on kitten, let's get out of here."

"Where are you exactly going this time?" I asked with concern.

"To a safe place where we can regroup, and hopefully, find Piper and Will," Loki said now inside the mirror.

Just the sound of Will's name made my heart jump as I climbed the dresser, and looked into the swirling mirror at Loki.

"Thought that might get you going a little faster," Loki said as the door clicked with the lock turning.

I looked at Loki as he tried to pull my hand through, but it stopped as soon as it touched the solid glass. Loki tried again, and then gave me a grim look.

"Why can't I pass? Loki." I whispered.

He didn't say anything, only shook his head with confusion.

"I've got to hide, Eliza. Be back later." Loki disappeared just as the door opened.

I sat where I was on the dresser with my hand pressed to the mirror. Caleb stepped in first, and stopped with a questioning gaze as he looked at me.

"Eliza," he said my name slowly. "Are you alright?"

I tried to gracefully climb off of the dresser thinking of an excuse as to why I was on top of the piece of furniture with my hand pressed to the mirror. But someone else was behind him, a woman with red hair all pulled up neatly, gazed at me with twinkling eyes. She tilted her head, and smiled as her rosy cheeks swelled.

"Of course she's alright, Caleb," she said in a confident voice. "It's perfectly normal for a descendant of Pandora to sit on top dresser, and press herself against the mirror." She stepped in front of Caleb with a swish of her full purple skirt. "Well, are you going to introduce us to your entity or are we going to have to go and find him for ourselves?"

Coming Soon!

The continuAtion

of

the jinxed trilogy

Chapter 1

excerpt of

betwixt
-1-

"I don't know what you're talking about." I gazed between the robust woman and Caleb.

"Then why are you on the dresser?" She folded her arms, and looked steadily at me with her inquisitive eyes. "Look, I'm not playing games here, and I know you're not insane."

I knew I had to explain, but I wasn't going to spill my guts—at least not yet.

"I thought I seen something in the mirror...I...I don't know what it was," I said in the best scared and quivering voice I could as I slowly got down. "It looked like a shadow." I hung onto the corner of the dresser and let my body sway like I was going to faint hoping I wouldn't have to fall to the floor in some dramatic way.

Caleb on cue came over and guided me to the bed. I knew it was a lame ploy, but effective. I'm glad I didn't have to put my non-existent acting abilities to use, and drop to the hard floor like I had passed-out.

"It could still be the poison," Caleb looked back at the woman who gazed down at me with raised eyebrows.

"Maybe, but I think it's just the bloodline of Pandora at work here." Her bright lips curled into a thin pink line.

"Pandora?" I shook my head.

"Yes, Pandora," she said in a soft voice. "You may not know exactly who you are, but I can smell a descendant many miles away. Your blood runs weak with it, but still, it runs through you. And whether you knew the entity in your mirror or not, I know he was here, and," she walked slowly towards the mirror and stood in front of it. "He's still here, hiding." She crossed her arms and swayed back and forth. "Come out little darling." Her voice was playful, like she was trying to coax a small animal out from under a porch. "I know you're here."

I sat straight up as she gazed into the mirror with no response from Loki. She then waved her hand over the mirror making it ripple like silver water. She then turned to me and smiled.

"There, no more entities will bother you. I've sealed the mirror." She brushed her hands together.

"What do you mean seal?" I asked with concern.

"No more entities can pass through this mirror. How do we know what his intentions are? You said you didn't know what you saw in the mirror. I could sense plainly that it was an entity. What if he was after you?" She slowly stepped closer with her eyes zeroed in on me. "We have to protect ourselves here in Atlantis and we take every precaution to ensure our wellbeing. We want you safe as well, and now that entity is sealed in the mirror—forever."

I could feel my heart pound in my chest as I sat with gaping mouth. Loki was trapped, and I had no way of getting him out. I tried to contain my fear that boiled hard inside of me. "You can't do that!" I burst out, and then realized I had said it aloud.

The woman smiled. "Why, don't you want to be protected from possibly threatening creatures? Or do you want to fight them yourself?" Her voice teased me as she raised her eyebrows.

I sat with quivering mouth as I gazed at her. "I...I," was all that I could muster in response.

She continued to smile triumphantly at me. "I'm not here to judge or inquisition you. I want to help you Eliza Thorn, descendant of Pandora." She reached for my hand and gently rubbed her thumb over it. "I know you've seen only fragments of the world that you have a very thin thread to, but nonetheless, you belong to. And I know who you were in the company of, and I know one of them was an entity that travels through mirrors." She motioned with her eyes towards the mirror. "We don't want to hurt you or any of your companions, Eliza, we want to help you." Her words sounded sincere.

I curled my legs up towards my chest resting my chin on my knees. The position was comfortable, and found it soothing as I decided if I was going to give them any information. I knew by playing dumb, I was looking suspicious. I had talked to Gabe, and had plans of coming here. They knew I wasn't totally ignorant of this magical and hidden world. It was a matter of how much do I want to let them know that I have knowledge of.

"I think," I said slowly. "It was the entity Loki that was in the mirror." I motioned towards the mirror. "He was at the hotel that Rosie managed. We were separated when we left the Underworld." Both of their eyes were on me.

"Well, that explains the demon thorn," Caleb said tapping the woman on the shoulder.

She glanced back at him. "Yes, but what were you doing in the Underworld?" She asked not releasing her questioning eyes from me. This woman was going to get all the information she could out of me, and I had to be careful, at least for now.

"A demon, the one that attacked me, came to the hotel searching for something it thought Rosie had. It took me...and...Rosie..." I began to shake and let tears stream my face, just for dramatics sake, but I really did miss Rosie. I wish she was here right now.

"I think that's enough questioning right now." Caleb nudged the woman out of the way and guided me to the pillow, even covering me up. He was right on cue again, and I was glad I didn't have to cry any more than I did.

The woman gazed down at me with crossed arms and uncertain eyes. "For now," she said. "I will continue in a few hours."

"You'll continue when I have said it's alright." Caleb's words were stern as he motioned towards the door.

The woman shook her head and let out a sigh. "Fine, she's under your orders, for now" she smiled at me with an arched eyebrow. "Then, she'll be under mine."

I watched her leave with a swish of her full skirt and a click of the door. I laid on my side and looked up at Caleb. He was by the mirror pouring something into a glass. I wish he would have left with the woman. I looked anxiously at the mirror wondering how I was going to get Loki out now. I was from the line of Pandora—whatever that meant. Maybe I could undo what she had done.

"Here, drink this." Caleb handed me a beautiful etched glass with what looked like water in it. I took it, smelled it and gazed at the clear, benign looking liquid. I didn't want to hesitate too much, and drank it all handing the glass back to Caleb.

"That will make you rest for a few hours." He smiled as I felt I had just consumed poison.

"What?" I whispered without Caleb hearing me as he took the glass from my numb hand.

The last thing I wanted to do was rest for a few hours. I had to get Loki out of the mirror and leave here. I could feel the blood rush out of my head and my hands tingle.

"I'm sorry that they let her," he motioned towards the door with his head, "question you so soon. Atlantis is a wonderful place, but I think it lacks grace and etiquette at times."

I forced a smile as internally I tried to resist the waves of sleep that was forcing my eyes closed.

"You can probably feel that working, and on an empty stomach, it will be a little more effective."

Great, just what I needed.

"I'll bring you something to eat when you wake up."

I closed my eyes and didn't even hear or remember Caleb leaving when suddenly, loud knocking brought me to my senses.

"Eliza," I could hear my name repeated desperately over and over again.

I opened my eyes trying to gather my thoughts, and then turned towards the person saying my name. It was Loki inside the mirror.

"Loki," I threw the covers off and rushed over to him.

I stood in front of the mirror as he motioned for me to step back. "I thought things would never settle down in there." He reached through the mirror and grasped onto the edge of the dresser. "There's no time for sleeping, though you do look better than you did before—sleep must be a good thing for humans." He stepped carefully onto the dresser and then to the floor in one fluid jump.

"You got out of the mirror," I said amazed as I waved my hand over the glass. It didn't ripple like before, and all I could see was my astonished reflection.

Loki glanced between me and the mirror giving me a questioning look. "Tada!" He waved his hands as I continued to examine the mirror. "Really kitten, you've seen me do this before, and, you know who I am." He twirled me around to face him. "Did they give you something? You remember me, don't you?" He looked gravely concerned.

"The woman said she sealed you in the mirror and she did it with a wave of her hand."

"I know she did and I got bounced around slightly, but she didn't seal the mirror. Only someone trained in the magics can do that. And certainly no one from Pandora's line can do that."

"She said that is where I come from," I gazed into the mirror and then at Loki.

"I don't think it's possible to come from a mirror."

"No, Pandora, I come from the line of Pandora. Whatever that means," I said turning to him as he went to check the door.

"Locked from the outside," he said to himself. "Eliza, we have to get out of here quickly. This isn't good."

For the first time I could see all of Loki's playful twinkle leave his eyes. Seriousness filled them as he walked over to the mirror waving his hand in front of the glass. "Atlantians make good mirrors, and this one," he turned to me, "was made with entity specifications."

"What do you mean entity specifications?"

"It means, entities only club—no humans or anything other than an entity allowed. The results could be disastrous for non-entities."

"How are we going to get out of here? The door is locked." I asked as Loki walked to the window.

"And we are a couple of stories up," he said turning back to me. "Not to mention the grounds are patrolled and I don't think they supplied us with enough sheets to make a rope." He went over to the bed rummaging through the covers.

"Loki," I said his name in a low voice. "What do we do?"

Just then, the door rattled with someone unlocking it. Our eyes shot to it then back at each other.

"No time," he grabbed onto my wrist walking towards the mirror.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he crawled up on the dresser.

"Taking a chance—it's the only way."

He then slowly waved his hand over the mirror as the door opened. A cart with a tray of food complete with a bouquet of flowers was pushed into the room followed by Caleb. He didn't notice us at first as he turned and shut the door.

Loki began to wave his hand quickly over the mirror turning the clear reflection of us to a blur that swirled into a blend of white, greys, and blacks—almost like storm clouds.

"Eliza, hey," Caleb said as our eyes met for only a split second. "Release her!"

"Time to go!" Loki yelled as I could feel the wind from the swirling clouds sucking me in.

Caleb drew a small dagger from his belt and charged towards us.

"Sorry, no time to dual for the girl—nice try though," Loki said as he grabbed my hand and we both jumped into the stormy mirror together.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M.M. Gavillet lives in west central Illinois with her husband, two children, one dog, three cats, several ducks and two demanding guinea pigs where she drinks more tea than any sane person should and likes to play in the dirt planting flowers. She has been spinning stories since she was little, but only recently discovered her passion for writing.

You can find out more about M.M. Gavillet and her other novels as well as new releases on her blog at mmgavillet.blogspot.com

