

### The Arrival

Book One

The Birthright Trilogy

Copyright 2016 Nicole MacDonald

Published by Nicole MacDonald at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Copyright © 2016 Nicole MacDonald

Cover copyright © 2016 Nicole MacDonald

Cover art copyright © 2016 Jenn DePaola

The Art of Jenn DePaola

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author.

First Edition: March 2010

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

MacDonald, Nicole, 1982-

The Arrival

a novel / by Nicole MacDonald. – 4th ed.

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

### For my Soulmate

Map of Gar'nyse

Map of Gar'nyse

Table of Contents

About the author
1

SMACK!

I hit the padded rubber mat hard enough for the air to rush from my lungs. With a grunt of effort I twisted my hips, grappling with Nathan as he worked on getting me into a shoulder lock. The loose fit of my gi—the belted kimono jacket and wide leg pants everyone in class wore—allowed him an easy hold on my arm but he made the mistake of overextending his leg. With a hard kick and swipe I flipped him, using his bent elbow to my advantage. I didn't expect him to just go with the roll and inwardly cursed when we tumbled right over, back to the starting position. Breathing hard, sweat dripping from his brow to the mat around my head, he grinned down at me.

'Awww, is little Kitty Cat stuck?'

Ass-wipe.

The patronizing tone and stupid oaf-like smirk he wore irritated the hell out of me. Jerking my right knee up and leaving the other slack I snatched his collar and wrenched, slamming him into the mat. Nathan gave a yelp of surprise which I ignored while I leaned forward, about to slide into an easy shoulder lock.

Moving faster than I anticipated, he grabbed my wrists and yanked then flipped me over. Straight back to the beginning.

His arrogant snigger, accompanied by another shower of rank sweat, made my blood boil and for a second all I could see was red.

Knee to the groin, suggested the silly voice in my mind and the mental image of Nathan rolling about in agony on the mat almost made me grin.

Then the rational voice butted in sternly; Catherine, use what you were taught—no cheap shots.

Fine.

Flicking my hips up I unbalanced him enough to be able to wrap my legs snugly around his waist. The look of shock on his face amused me and I went with it, arching my eyebrow while smiling suggestively. Cheap shot...? Not if he fell for it. He didn't register my intent until his head connected loudly with the mat. I smirked down at him.

With a wide smile our sensei called in a loud voice, 'Catherine wins!'

SIAN GLANCED UP IN TIME to see Cat straighten to standing. She took her time, ignoring Nathan scowling on the ground, his face almost as red as Cat's hair. With an indolent grace Cat stepped over the prone man and walked to the bench seats to join their friend Kassie who'd finished in the last round of sparring. Chuckling to herself, Sian forgot the man beneath her own thighs, squirming uncomfortably face down against the mat.

'Hey!'

The indignant growl made Sian smile and she tightened her hold a hint more.

'Yes?'

The hold she had on Grant's arm meant he couldn't move, even though he really wanted to. Every time they sparred together they ended up in this position; funny how he still hasn't figured out what it is he keeps doing wrong, Sian thought smugly. All Grant had to do was tap out. Then they'd separate and start again. But Grant hated to tap out. Maybe it's small man syndrome, Sian pondered as she sighed and settled in for the long hold.

A couple of the guys sparring nearby began to laugh and sensei rolled his eyes at Sian, who grinned evilly.

KASSIE AND I WATCHED IN amusement from our sideline position while Grant grunted and groaned, legs flailing and head banging against the mat. Sian didn't budge from her position and her petite size meant she easily kept out of reach of his legs. Though how he meant to hook her off that way, I didn't know.

'Why do you think he gets so stubborn with her?' Kassie whispered in my ear. 'He acts normal with me.'

'I think it's the tiny blonde aspect.'

'But I'm the same height.'

'With boobs and an attitude to boot. Sianny looks like a fairy in comparison. Tiny, adorable and blonde, I just don't think he has the mentality to handle losing to her.'

We continued watching, along with most the others sitting out, many of them making bets against Grant. A loud thud and yelp from the other side diverted our attention.

'Laura wins! Making her this evening's champion,' sensei crowed triumphantly. Kassie and I hollered, clapping for Loi.

Our friend climbed to her feet, accepting sensei's congratulations with a flushed face, sweat gleaming on her brow. Her waist length ponytail swung forward when she bowed before leaving the mat and she flicked it back over her shoulder as she walked our way.

One of the guys sitting with us called teasingly, 'Watch out! Here comes the Amazon.'

Kassie snorted before glancing sideways at me. 'Ever seen an Amazon with a Scottish accent?'

I chuckled. At five foot eight with a figure like a fifties pin-up girl and beautiful long ebony hair, Loi certainly made people look twice. The Scottish accent only added to the appeal.

CAT HANDED HER A TOWEL as she sat between her friends and Loi gratefully accepted it, mopping her face. She kept her gaze on those still sparring, her heart pounding from the exertion of her last fight.

'Well done, Loi.' Kassie reached under the bench then passed a drink bottle to her. 'All five, in under a minute each! Clever girl.'

Loi beamed at Kass before tipping her head back, bottle high. The water had warmed to room temperature but it still hit the spot. Her heart rate slowed and she mopped her forehead again, slouching back against the wall.

In front of them Sian wore a stoic, bored expression as she swatted away another attempt by Grant to right himself. The utter disinterest on Sian's face made Loi laugh and those around them joined in. Sensei stood near the pair, now the last on the mats, and crossed his arms with a long, suffering sigh. It took another five minutes and a sharp twist of the arm Sian held, before Grant finally tapped out. The class broke into applause, mainly relief, as Sian stepped daintily off the stocky figure and bowed to sensei.

AFTER SENSEI'S DEBRIEF, CLASS WAS dismissed and the four of us walked to my jeep in the parking lot. Sian, Kass and I still wore our gi, not bothering to shower at the club when the shower in the house we rented together was so much nicer. Loi, however, lived in student accommodation, so she made the most of the free hot water at the gym and we were the last to leave the building before sensei. It always amazed me how she could fit her mass of locks into one of those hair turbans. Beeping the car alarm, I hopped in while Kassie released the front seat and climbed into the back, followed by Sian. Being just five foot tall meant both girls usually ended up in the back seat.

'I don't look twenty eight?'

The indignant question from Kassie made the three of us pause, exchanging confused glances.

'Who said you did?' Sian asked with an eyebrow arched.

Kassie scowled, her lower lip jutting out. 'Andrew. He keeps calling me old lady.'

I bit back a giggle. 'Kass, he's a twenty one year old kid and you keep beating him. He's got to save face somehow.'

'Twenty one is technically an adult,' Loi informed me in a pious tone.

I rolled my eyes at her. 'Males are three years behind in maturity levels, Loi. That makes him eighteen. You are _very_ mature.'

Her brown eyes narrowed at me and in the rearview mirror I saw Kassie shake her head, laughing silently. One way to distract her, I thought in amusement. I guided the car down the car park ramp and onto the silent street, winding our way through the back streets so to avoid the usual Friday night traffic.

'IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU'RE SUCH a sweetie too, Kass,' Sian turned to wink at her.

Kassie blinked in surprise, forgetting her original complaint. 'What?'

'Andrew. He wouldn't dream of trying it on Cat, Loi would squish him in a second and he still lives in hope that I'll accept his dinner invite one day.' Sian pulled a baby doll expression, blue eyes large and guileless while she fluttered her lashes at Kassie.

In the front Loi snorted then twisted to look their way. 'Will you ever accept?'

'No! Yuck, no! I don't date children.'

Cat laughed and Kassie had to smile at the sound of distaste in Sian's voice. 'But you'll let him buy you drinks when we bump into him at the clubs?'

'A girl's got to drink,' Sian replied smugly.

'So he picks on me because I'm nice.' Kassie wrinkled her nose at the thought. 'That's almost as bad as being called old.'

'Twenty eight isn't old,' Cat said before pausing, watching an intersection. She continued as they turned up the long road toward Loi's apartment block. 'And we know just how tough you are. At least you get to shock the hell out of them when they try to pick on you.'

Kassie nodded in approval at that. 'Yes, let them pick on me. I'll show them just how _nice_ I am.'

LOI TUCKED A STRAY LENGTH of damp hair into her turban, smiling at Kassie's comment. Personally she wondered if Andrew had the hots for Kassie too. Both girls were short but while Sian had a tiny petite figure, Kassie was endowed with a chest as big as Cat's which looked a little out of place on her small frame. The two girls looked like day and night when they stood beside each other. Sian with her long blonde hair, blue eyes and girlish figure and then Kassie; a head full of bronze curls that when stretched reached mid back, gorgeous hazel eyes and obvious cheekbones thanks to her Malaysian heritage—plus a nice rack. Sometimes Loi felt like an uncouth giantess when she walked with her friends. At least Cat's only a couple of inches shorter, she thought, glancing at her red-headed friend who frowned at a couple of jaywalking pedestrians.

'If you're going to do that then hurry UP,' Cat growled impatiently.

I SAW LOI'S SIDEWAYS GLANCE at my grumble but chose to ignore it. Loi loved to tease me about my road-rage as she called it. A total exaggeration, I rarely felt the need to toot but that didn't mean I couldn't voice my opinion if people acted like idiots.

About to pull into the parking spaces in front of Loi's building, I jumped when she exclaimed loudly. 'Oh!'

A quick check showed I wasn't about to kill anyone or hit anything and I gave her a look as I pulled into a park.

'Sorry! I just realized I forgot to tell you guys, we've been invited to a costume party at Brad's next weekend. He's just graduated!'

Sian nodded while Kassie and I stared at one another via the mirror, both our expressions doubtful for a moment.

'Workmate?' I questioned tentatively.

'No, classmate,' Kassie said.

Loi gave us a look of exasperation. 'You met him last month, him and his girlfriend. He tutored me in bio.'

Oh, right. It clicked in my mind and I nodded along with Kassie.

'What's the theme?' Sian butted in, eyes eager.

'Fantasy. Shall I pop over tomorrow morn? We can check out the store.'

Loi meant the second hand shop we loved to frequent. I agreed along with the others and Loi climbed out, hand on turban, calling, 'Tomorrow then, I'll be over at nine!'

Sian thumped on the inside of the window, hollering. 'Ten! Make it ten!'

Beside her, Kassie waved her arms frantically, also shouting. 'Ten!'

Loi winked at me as I held my thumb on the window lock and mouthed to her, 'Nine is perfect.'

CAT LAUGHED AS SHE PULLED away from Loi's building and Kassie settled back into her seat with a huff. 'Nine o'clock, on a Saturday? What is Loi thinking?'

'I don't know. Suits me fine.'

Kassie glared at Cat via the rear-view mirror. 'Just because you have to get up to run your brat of a dog. Some of us like a sleep-in until a reasonable hour.'

'Like lunchtime,' Sian interjected, Kassie agreeing. Their Friday night jujitsu class finished at ten and after a long week of work, a sleep-in on Saturday was the thing Kassie looked forward to most. The downside with being a black belt, she thought dourly; all the lower belts had their classes earlier, the latest finishing at nine.

They pulled into the driveway of the one level house they rented. Sian made a grab for the automatic garage door remote and hit the button. The look of focus she wore while watching it rise made Kassie roll her eyes. Cat drove into the garage and Sian hit the button again, a tiny sound of satisfaction escaping her lips. What it takes to entertain some people, Kassie thought. Cat climbed out and opened their door, hitting the seat release before disappearing through the internal access door. Kassie followed.

She heard Cat reach the kitchen and open the back door, then the tap dancing sound of Audrey, Cat's dog, charging around the kitchen in excitement. Kassie turned into her bedroom and flicked on the light. Curled up on her bed, Lucky, her beautiful tortoiseshell cat stretched out her forepaws and opened her mouth wide in a yawn, before leaping off the bed to purr around her ankles.

'Hello Lucky girl,' she cooed, bending to scoop the cat up, cuddling her. 'Keeping the bed warm for me?'

'Kass! Shower's free,' Sian called from her room across the hallway. Setting the cat on the floor, Kassie grabbed her pajamas and headed for the bathroom.

'I LIKE TO MOVE IT MOVE IT. I LIKE TO MOVE IT MOVE IT.'

My detestable alarm blared and I scrambled to shut it up. Silencing it, I flopped back into bed, tempted to roll over and go back to sleep. A large furry lump wedged behind me, however, foiled that plan.

'Audrey,' I growled.

The bed quivered while Audi half wagged her tail and whined in contrition, she knew full well that the bed was out of bounds.

'Get off!'

She tumbled off the bed then did a silly frantic run around the room. I sat up and glared at her. Huntaways; they're adorable dogs, very smart and loyal and the cutest puppies you'll ever see, but _neurotic_. Casting another glare her way I climbed out of bed and found my running gear, making my way to the kitchen a few minutes later with Audi urging me on. Kassie was bent over the dishwasher when I entered, her head a mass of dark curls.

'Morning, early bird,' I drawled, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl.

Her head snapped up at my entrance, hazel eyes just visible through her hair before she brushed it back. 'Cat, I thought you were out already?'

'Nope. Nearly though, I'll be back by eight thirty so it should give me enough time to get ready.'

'It better! It's all your fault I'm up at seven on a Saturday and I don't want to have to wait around for you.' She gave me a steely look and ducked back toward her bedroom with Lucky draped around her shoulders. I wrinkled my nose at her retreating form. The two years between us occasionally felt like a decade, especially first thing in the morning. Audrey whined impatiently.

'Coming.' I swallowed the last of my banana and snatching her leash and my parka from the hook, clipped her on and off we went.

When we returned, we found Sian occupying the kitchen, the frypan sizzling with bacon and the smell made my mouth water. I raced for the shower with my stomach rumbling. Audi disappeared to look for Lucky, her morning snuggle pal once Kassie vacated the bed. While rinsing my hair out, I heard Loi yell.

'Hellooo? Anyone up yet?'

I stepped out of the shower and hurriedly dried off and dressed then made my way to the kitchen, grabbed a plate and joined the others at the table.

An hour later and we trawled through the racks at the shop, holding anything of interest up so the others could comment.

'How bout this?'

We turned to see Kassie holding a cute plaid skirt. I stared at the skirt, trying to recall any fantasy character who wore one.

'As who?' I called.

'A schoolgirl.'

Sian, Loi and I started laughing.

'Not that sort of fantasy, Kass. Think make-believe or fairytales.'

Loi shook her head and winked at me. Kassie grew up in Malaysia so English wasn't her first language and sometimes things got lost in translation.

'What are you thinking?' Sian called to me from a couple of rows over.

'Maybe an elven character? Like from the Lord of the Rings,' I frowned while I looked over a couple of pieces. 'I'm not sure if I'll go as a particular character, I think I'll just make it look fantasy-ish. Good thing I have the boots already.' A groan rose from the three of them and I feigned innocence. 'What? They're the perfect style.'

'We're gonna have to bury you in those boots aren't we, Cat?' Kassie said sarcastically.

'Yes, and I expect an open casket so everyone can admire them.' I wrinkled my nose at her.

Sian started laughing. 'Oh God I just had the best visual of you as a little old lady in a coffin with a mini-skirt and thigh-highs.'

'What if we got them cremated and put in a box beside you?' suggested Loi with a wicked gleam.

'Not all of us are five eight, Miss Loi. I like my legs looking long and slim.'

Not that I could complain when standing next to Kass and Sian, at five foot five my legs looked fine. My gorgeous black suede, thigh high, boots however, made them look that much longer and sexier, a guaranteed head turner. Considering what they'd cost me last year I needed to get as much wear as possible out of them.

'WELL THEN, HOW ABOUT THIS?'

Sian glanced up wondering what Kassie had found this time. A deep red dress hung from the clothes-hanger, strapless and knee length with a split up one leg.

'That's gorgeous,' Cat said. 'I know! Jessica Rabbit! We can dye her hair red.'

'Don't want to be the only red-head?' teased Loi.

Cat gave her a look. 'I love being the only red-head thank you, but I'm too tall for that size.'

It'd be nice to be too tall for something, thought Sian. Most of the time she had to shop in the children's section. Might have to do that now, she thought when she looked at the meager selection left on the size six rack. Then she spotted it.

Hell yes!

'Look,' squealed Sian. 'Lookee!'

LOI STARED AT THE ITEM Sian clutched at, gushing in delight. A black pleather romper suit, with baggy legs that gathered at the ankle and slim arms that led into a short turtleneck. Loi couldn't stop staring at the item, wondering what the heck her friend would do with something so unflattering. Out of the four of them Sian always had the most daring and usually sexy costumes.

But this?

'Siany,' Loi hesitated. 'What are you going to do with it?'

SIAN STARED AT THE THREE gob-smacked faces of her friends. What's their problem? She looked at the item with fresh eyes. No. Surely they wouldn't think she'd actually wear it like _that_ to the party?

SIAN GAVE US A LOOK. It read, "You're idiots."

'I'm going to turn it into a death dealer's costume.'

'Oooohh,' we chorused in recognition.

'Awesome idea,' I enthused. I knew Sian loved the Underworld vampire movies and with her petite figure she could easily pull the look off. I threw the items I'd selected in Loi's trolley and went to help Sian look for leather pieces to create the corset.

'Hurry guys,' Kassie called. 'We've only got an hour before class starts.'

Ugh, jujitsu on a Saturday. I resisted the urge to bail and scooted over to the leather section where Sian hunted through the rack.

Later that evening while Kassie and Sian watched some hospital drama on TV, I sketched ideas for my costume and Loi's. Loi had found a stunning pair of black leather pants at the shop and decided to go as Anna from Van Helsing. This meant Sian and I, as the two in our group who owned sewing machines, got to turn a beautiful red thick velvet skirt into Anna's jacket. The design wasn't hard; I just wanted to emulate the look not copy it and now I frowned over the sketches of my own costume.

Not too bad, perhaps if I shape the top more, give it a racer-back look to show off my shoulders. I enhanced the lines with my pencil. Perfect! It'll stop my upper arms looking chunky. Actually that's a thought, armbands could look good too. The TV flicked to a commercial.

'THAT NEW DOCTOR IS SO cute.' Sian sighed and glanced at Kassie and Cat. 'Why aren't there any guys like that around here?'

'The guys around here are scrawny enough to make you look fat,' replied Cat, eyes glued to her sketch pad.

Kassie snorted and winked at Sian. 'She's right. What happened to all the built guys? I don't want a guy who looks better than I do in skinny jeans.'

Sian nodded in agreement and leaned back on the couch. There's been a real lack of decent male specimens lately, she thought while idly watching the TV commercials; wonder how we can find them?

KASSIE LEANED OVER AND SNATCHED one of Cat's sketches. Loi's jacket will look gorgeous, she thought, impressed.

'Siany, are you and Cat really going to make this?' Kassie glanced up.

Sian gave no response, eyes focused on the TV while a loud toilet cleaner commercial played.

'Sian?' Still nothing. 'Sianus Rachel Price!'

Sian's head snapped up. 'What?'

I GIGGLED AT SIAN'S STUNNED expression. 'Where were you, Siany?'

'Yeah?' Kassie asked curiously. 'What were you thinking about?'

'Boys. I mean an idea. How would you feel about casting a love spell?'

'A spell?' I tried not to sound too dubious. Sian's practiced witchcraft for years; it didn't surprise me that she would suggest such a thing but she'd never invited us to join in before.

KASSIE LOOKED CONFUSED. 'DO YOU want us to help?'

Sian resisted the urge to roll her eyes. 'Of course.'

'What sort of love spell?' Cat sounded unsure. 'Not one where we just have all the males of the species attracted to us? 'Cause that's never an issue.'

CATHERINE THE MODEST, THOUGHT KASSIE in amusement. She exchanged a glance with Sian who, after a pause, continued.

'No, nothing vague. Something to attract the right person for each of us,' Sian explained. 'The four of us actually cover the elements. I'm Cancer, that's water, you're Leo, Cat, which is fire. Kassie, you're Gemini—air and Loi's Taurus, so we have earth. It's perfect. We'll really be able to make something happen.'

Neither Kassie nor Cat said anything at first but Kassie could see Cat didn't look too concerned. Sian watched them both anxiously.

What the heck, thought Kassie, it can't hurt and she spoke up for them both. 'You plan it, we'll participate.'

Sian grinned and they settled back down to watch TV while she jotted down notes.

I ARRIVED AT WORK FIRST thing in the morning and did my usual mad dash around the office. Distributing mail, putting dishes away, cleaning the kitchen and made sure the meeting rooms looked tidy. Once done, I grabbed my make-up bag and headed to the bathroom. In the midst of careful mascara application, the door burst open and I jumped.

'Emma!'

'Sorry,' Emma said with a laugh. 'I'm just running a bit late; did you have a good weekend?'

'Yeah, but it flew by like usual. We went shopping for fantasy pieces for a costume party we're going to next weekend.'

'Oh fun. What are you gonna wear?'

I explained the basic concept and mentioned my idea of making or buying armbands to go with it.

She nodded with a thoughtful expression. 'Wait, wait, oh I remember! I saw stuff that would work for armbands in that ethnic store, the one by the second hand book shop with the ferret.'

'Really? I'll have to have a look at lunch.'

Great, hopefully the shop will have something suitable. Then it's just Loi's jacket to finish. With Sian busy on the corset for her costume I knew I'd end up creating the jacket. At lunchtime I wandered up Cuba Street, peering through shop windows for inspiration. I came to the shop Emma mentioned and walked in.

'Can I help you?' queried the shop girl.

'I'm looking for something to finish off a costume,' I explained. 'An armband? Or something ethnic looking? It's for a Lord of the Rings style of costume.'

'We have some things that would work...Ooo! No, I know!' She ducked out the back and retrieved an item. 'Would these work?' She offered a pair of copper colored daggers to me; they had short belt straps to tie them on.

'Yes! They'll be perfect, are they real?'

'Oh they're blunted, of course.'

The shop assistant wrapped them in tissue paper while I counted out the notes, reworking my weekly budget in my head—perfect, yes, but not cheap. After thanking her I headed out then paused in front of the book store next door while my inner voices argued.

You don't really need any more books, Cat, pointed out my rational voice.

A quick peek can't hurt, countered my silly voice.

No buying, retaliated the rational voice sternly.

I pushed through the door setting the jangling chime off and took my time while wandering along the musty smelling aisles, gazing over the motley collection.

Then I spotted it.

Easing the thick book out from the bottom of a pile, I dusted off the worn green leather with a grimace. It could do with a good clean, I thought, wiping my fingers on my jacket before squinting at the title. The beautiful, once gilded script made the words difficult to decipher and I traced a finger over the letters, reading it in my mind.

'To Improve your Time, Space and Place'

Two tired looking tan leather straps with brass buckles tarnished to a dull gray brown held it closed and I lay it on a table to unfasten them. With gentle hands I turned the cover, trying not to damage the yellowed, brittle pages and studied the contents. A spell book, I thought in fascination, it looks so authentic too. Sian would love to read this. I hesitated at the idea of buying it but couldn't resist, how often did you find books like this? I ignored the rational voice that protested against the purchase and carried it to the bored looking teenager manning the till.

Hurrying back to work, I heard my phone beep with a message. It was from Sian.

'Coming to archery?'

Drat, forgot I had that tonight. Juggling my parcels to the other arm, I typed back, 'Yes.'

SIAN DREW IN A BREATH and let it out slow and even while she released the string. The arrow hit the target with a thud. Peering down the range she could see it'd struck bull's-eye.

'Bull's-eye! Nice one,' Cat congratulated her.

'Thanks.' I'm so glad I bought that new bow, Sian thought with a smile. The results make the price worth it.

Cat stood up to the line and drew her bow. Sian watched her friend with pursed lips, waiting for the inevitable. Stubborn is Cat's middle name, she thought again. Cat had bought the bow at a craft fair four months ago, determined to prove that the medieval styled bow was just as good as Sian's modern fiberglass bow. While Cat's bow did look authentic Sian suspected it didn't measure up properly. It took Cat a decent effort to draw and the accuracy...

'Damn!' Cat glared down the range.

SIAN LAUGHED AT ME. 'I don't know why you bother with that bow, Cat, it's practically an antique.'

I glanced at her and in a snooty tone replied, 'Because I like feeling authentic.'

She looked sideways at me. 'Authentically crap?'

Laughing I objected. 'I wasn't that far off bull's-eye.'

Our phones beeped simultaneously and Sian yanked hers from her pocket, reading aloud. 'Hey guys want to come to practice? We haven't got many here. Fancy rounding out archery with a little sword fighting?' She arched an eyebrow at me.

'Sounds good! You pack the bows and I'll get the arrows.'

Loi acted as an assistant instructor at the kenjutsu class our sensei taught. Though Sian and I didn't actually take the class, we had fun joining in occasionally. Kassie, who did attend the classes, always enjoyed sparring with us and showing off her skills.

Later that evening we lay sprawled in the lounge watching TV. Loi had decided to stay over and we'd made a night of it, ordering pizza and hauling out the sleeping bags to camp out in the lounge like kids. I went to hop up.

'Ouch!' It felt like I'd pulled another muscle, or two. Fun.

'What's wrong, Cat? Old age getting to you,' Kassie teased.

'Nooo,' I said in a shocked tone. 'I'm _only_ twenty five remember.'

The others sniggered.

'Nope, I think I've been doing too much. Kenjutsu is lots of fun but with archery and running too, there's no way I could properly attend class.'

Sian nodded in agreement then turned to Loi. 'Besides this way we have two archery experts and two swordsmen.'

I snorted and Sian's grin widened.

'Don't be too hard on yourself, Cat,' she teased, ducking the pillow I hurled. 'You're not _that_ bad.'

'Oh,' I exclaimed. 'I forgot!'

I ran to my room and retrieved my day's purchases.

'What do you think of these for my costume?' I gave Loi and Kassie a dagger each.

'They're ideal, Cat,' Kassie examined the one she had.

'Are those real blades?' Loi sounded disconcerted.

'They're blunted,' I assured her. 'And anyway I'm good with a blade.'

'That's what concerns me,' she muttered giving me a wink while the others laughed.

'What's this, Cat?'

'Sorry?'

Sian had the book I'd bought in her hands and wore a perplexed expression as she turned it over slowly.

'I found that at the ferret bookshop. Isn't it gorgeous? I think it might be a spell book.'

Sian's eyebrows shot up and she wrestled with the buckles, opening the book and thumbing through it with small sounds of excitement. I flinched at the rough handling then inwardly shrugged; it wasn't like I'd know what to do with the contents.

My week seemed to vanish as I squeezed in any time possible to work on the costumes. By Saturday afternoon the house looked like a pigsty as we raced around, tripping over Audi and each other, trying to get ready. In the end I chased Audi out the back and went to check on Loi's hair. I'd spent the good part of an hour setting it in rollers. It should have dried by now, hopefully.

I guess I can blast it with the hairdryer if necessary.

'Oh!'

Loi strutted down the corridor toward me fully clad in her costume and she looked amazing. The leather pants hugged her curves and the jacket sat perfectly over a white peasant top and a shiny black corset belt.

I giggled when I reached her head. 'Let's get those rollers out, Loi. They so don't go with your look.'

Soon she had a mass of ebony ringlets hanging past her shoulders. It looked stunning and I felt a pang of envy.

'C'mon, Sian's got the hairspray and we don't want them dropping.'

When we entered Sian's room she tottered out of the closet struggling with her corset zip.

'Caaatttt!'

'Hold on,' I stood behind her and drew the zip up. It fit beautifully. 'Look at you, Sianus. A perfect tiny Selene.'

She beamed at us, then handed me a short black wig, 'Help?' and bent her head forward. I fitted the front to her forehead then flipped it over. Snatching a couple of hair pins from the dresser, I slid them into place.

'Give your head a gentle shake,' I instructed. She complied and the wig stayed put. Great! Two costumes complete, just two to go. I headed for the bathroom to see how Kassie had managed.

'Uh-uh, shoo!' Sian ushered me out. 'I'll sort out Kassie's hair, you go get dressed. We have to leave in half an hour.'

Yikes! When had it got that late? The easy day I'd envisioned had vanished with sorting out their costumes first.

'Thanks,' I called as I walked to my room.

My own costume had been simple to create in the end. Fitted tan pants that tucked into my boots and then a moss green top I'd fashioned out of a dress. I'd shaped the top so it fitted well and had a low V neck with racer-back shoulders. The shade of green enhanced my eyes and showcased my pale skin and red hair. A bronze singlet added underneath meant I didn't freeze; winter in Wellington is icy. Setting the straightening iron to heat, I hunted through my jewelry box for earrings, selecting a pretty pair of gold leaves with enameled sections in blue and green.

Loi hollered for me just as I finished straightening my hair so I grabbed my keys from the dresser and headed out behind them. It started to rain as we drove off. I clicked the window wipers on while the others chatted.

'Hey guys,' Sian spoke up. 'How do you feel about casting a spell tonight? After the party?'

'I didn't realize you'd found a spell,' I said in surprise.

'I FOUND ONE IN THAT book you bought. It's to create the perfect conditions in which to meet your soul mate.' The girls paused, visibly considering. Sian mentally crossed her fingers; please don't chicken out.

'Why not?' Kassie winked at her in the rear view mirror. 'Sounds like a fun end to the night.'

Loi and Cat nodded in agreement. Excellent, Sian thought in relief and ran through the ritual in her mind again, double checking all the details.
2

ARRIVING AT THE ADDRESS WE found a car park and hurried inside. Poor Kassie shivered when we started up the stairs but by the second floor she'd warmed up.

'It's not often you're the scantily clad one,' I teased. Her costume looked great, the red dress fit her like a glove. I'd only had to make minor adjustments. I reached out and tugged a curl. 'The red rinse looks fantastic, Kass.'

She flushed. 'Thanks.'

I wish my hair would hold like that, I thought enviously. My red mane tended to do its own thing no matter how much work went into it. Kassie had naturally curly hair and with Sian's help she'd coaxed it into large curls, very Jessica Rabbit like.

I glanced at Loi's hair. Whew, the ringlets still held, I thought the rain might have ruined them. My own hair began to ping back into unruly waves. Darn it.

We arrived at the door and smiled at the host when Loi introduced us.

'Brad, this is Sian, Kassandra and Catherine.'

A tall, lanky guy with dark auburn hair grinned at us. 'Welcome! I love your costumes. You've made one heck of an effort.'

'We never do anything by half,' purred Kassie, fluttering her lashes.

Brad laughed. 'My girlfriend, Fi, would love your costume. Jessica Rabbit?'

'Well done.' Kassie smiled and sauntered into the room, turning heads with her sultry walk. We followed.

The room pulsed with music and people clustered about in groups. The others ducked off to say hello to friends while I wandered to the drinks table and grabbed a juice. A work friend and her fiancé brushed past me, calling out hello before spinning off.

I flashed a smile. 'Love the costumes.'

Raggedy Ann and Andy, I shook my head in amusement. Must get a photo, I thought, turning to look for Loi who had the camera. Hmmm, can't see her. Hold on, who's that in the middle of that group?

LOI LAUGHED WHEN ANOTHER ADMIRER attempted to flatter her. The crowd of boys wore openly appreciative expressions. Pity none of them are of any interest, she thought. Oh well, fingers crossed Sian's love spell works. Loi turned and caught sight of Cat making her way over, so she pushed through the group of guys.

'Cat, what's up?'

I BEAMED AT LOI. 'HAVING fun?' I teased.

She flushed. 'What's so important?'

'Can I have the camera? I want to take some photos. And it seems you're a little busy,' I grinned wickedly.

Loi smirked, 'What's wrong, Cat? Jealous much?'

I wrinkled my nose at her. 'Nope. I just want the camera.'

It took her ages to locate it in the small clutch bag she carried. That teensy purse could put Mary Poppins carpet bag to shame. Eventually it emerged and I spun off to look for good shots. An hour later I'd amassed all of ten photos. Finding a seat, I scrolled through them. Loi's friend Shelley had come dressed like the Green Fairy from Moulin Rouge and next to the four of us had to have the best costume.

Most of the other costumes looked like okay attempts by local costume shops and I picked them apart in my mind, deciding how I'd improve on them. Sian and I often daydreamed about owning a costume shop together and I loved to get new ideas.

Speak of the devil.

I glanced up and noticed Sian sauntering my way. There seemed an almost audible pause in the room as people watched her walk by. She'd done an amazing job with her costume, the corset looked incredible.

THE NUMBER OF MALE HEADS that twisted to stare at her gave Sian a lovely sense of validation. Oh I'm hot and you know it, she sang to herself. The costume looked almost identical to the one worn by Kate Beckinsale in the movie. It'd taken hours to complete the corset and thankfully the playsuit had only needed to be taken in. It hugged her tiny, size six figure like a glove and showed off her ass. With a serious lack of boobs Sian was grateful for her ass.

Cat watched in obvious amusement when she sauntered over.

'Having fun?'

Sian grinned. 'I am, Kitty Cat, and you?' Sian knew Cat hated that nickname and grinned at the narrow look Cat gave her.

'Fine. Thanks. Actually I took pics of the good costumes. Want to take a peek?'

'OOO-OO YES.' SIAN SEIZED THE camera from my hands and began to scroll through the pictures. 'Wow. Is that Shelley? Oh I love her costume, I'm doing that next.'

'Actually I had an idea for you, how about a goth Tinkerbelle?'

Sian contemplated the idea. 'Maybe...'

'I saw a really good picture on the internet, I'll show you when we get home.'

We chatted through the rest of the photos and discussed what we'd have done different and which bits we liked. In the midst of conversation, Sian looked past me.

'Hey! What's that guy doing to Kassie?'

I jerked my head up and peered in the same direction. Across the room Kassie stood with wide eyes, nervously watching a huge guy who lurched closer in a belligerent manner.

I frowned. 'Let's get over there.'

Dodging those dancing in the middle of the room, we came up to Kassie's side.

I glared at the moron. 'What's your problem, mate?'

His eyes widened and he swayed.

Smirking at the three of us, the oaf slurred, 'Shhheesss a black belt right? C'mon ya little pussssy, letss see what shhhe can do.'

A couple of his drunk friends nudged each other and snickered. By now, more people had realized something wasn't right and I caught sight of Loi and Brad working their way through the crowd.

KASSIE FELT RELIEVED TO HAVE Sian and Cat on either side. The moron male might be six foot tall or so and nearly as wide, but she knew she could take him. The girls would offer backup if she needed it; if they could hold off for that long. Loi yelled something and the moron laughed then made a sudden swing.

Kassie watched while his fist came at her, then took a step forward, grasped his arm and pulled while turning her body with her back to him. Bending at the waist she hefted the idiot over a shoulder and onto the floor. It shook under foot and those watching gasped.

'WELL DONE, KASSIE!' I LAUGHED and reached to squeeze her shoulder.

Sian and Loi laughed too and applauded along with those who'd seen. Kassie blushed and managed a smile.

'It's not like we don't practice enough for this,' she mumbled. I gave her a gentle nudge; I knew how much physical confrontation affected her. 'Yes, but doing it in practice and doing it in real life are two different things.'

Kass has the same natural flight impulse like I do. It has taken years of practice to overwhelm that instinct. We still work at it.

KASSIE SMILED UP AT CAT through clenched teeth. While she might be prepared for such a thing, she didn't have to like it and physical confrontations in everyday life always made her shake. Loi and Sian pressed themselves to her back and side while Cat chatted to those around them. Brad and some friends dragged the drunk guy and his mates out of the party. Kassie gently bumped heads with Loi and Sian, silently thanking them for their closeness which helped stop the shaking.

I CHATTED AWAY TO TRY to distract Kassie, she hated people to see her shake after these sorts of things. Not that it happened often, but she has such an air of confidence about her that people seem to enjoy challenging her. The last couple of times it was women, the nasty cowardly ones who hang out in groups and like to threaten people. I couldn't help a grin of delight, that idiot would be hassled about this for the rest of his life.

The party atmosphere shifted back to normal and we stayed to chat a while longer then Sian leaned over, whispering, 'I think we should head off now, probably enough excitement for one night.'

I nodded to her then glanced at Loi who led the way to the door.

'I'm so sorry about that guy,' Brad looked concerned. 'Are you alright? We can call the cops on him if you want.'

Kassie gave a tiny laugh. 'I think the humiliation of knowing you were beaten by a slight of a girl may be enough revenge.' She eyed him with a thoughtful expression, 'If you wouldn't mind mentioning it to as many people he knows as possible...?'

We laughed and Brad promised to spread the news which made Kassie perk up while we walked to the jeep.

On the drive home we gossiped about the costumes, avoiding any mention of the annoying incident. I pulled into the driveway and the others clambered out. After locking the garage I followed them inside.

Audi whined at the back door, I let her in and she followed me to the lounge where the others gathered. 'So? What's the plan, Siany? What do you want us to do?'

SIAN SMILED AT THEM. 'ACTUALLY, if you can grab all the candles in holders and bring them into the lounge, that'd be a good start.'

The girls disappeared off down the corridor and Sian turned her attention to moving the couches and chairs back, out of the way.

I FLICKED THE LIGHT ON in my room and stared around it.

Yikes, I gulped.

I have A LOT of candles in holders; it's the one present people always fall back on for me. My gaze dropped to the edge of the box hidden under my bed, crammed full of even more candles and holders that I could no longer, sensibly, fit in my room. I'll just grab the ones that are out, surely that'll be enough for Sian, I thought while collecting them.

Staggering to the lounge, I stumbled and ended up dumping them on the ground making Audi leap out of the way. 'Whoops, sorry Audi.'

The dog grumbled then stomped to the couch and climbed on it, glaring at us while we set up the room.

Sian glanced over and laughed. 'She really hates it when we move stuff around doesn't she?'

'It's her farm dog breeding. She dislikes anything out of the ordinary happening.'

SIAN WATCHED IN AMUSEMENT AS Loi climbed onto the couch and curled herself around Audi, who gave her little kisses and whined in excitement at the attention. 'That has to be the nosiest dog I've ever known, Cat. She seems to have an opinion about everything.'

Cat laughed. 'Audi is definitely one of a kind. Now what else can I do?'

Sian gazed about the room for a moment. The candles sat positioned in a large circle on the floor and Loi had placed a crystal vase filled with water at the West position. 'We need something to represent Earth, Air and Fire.' Sian frowned, thinking through her options.

'Won't all the candles cover fire?' Cat asked.

Sian shook her head. 'The candles are just to mark the circle, you can use them to represent fire as well but I like using something else.' She went to her room to fetch the items, then came back and placed them at their correct positions. Cat walked in from the kitchen as she finished.

'OH,' I STARED AT THE fire position, a delicate wand set in its place. The brilliant citrine and garnet crystals at its tip glowed in the candle light. 'It's beautiful.'

Crafted out of a silver metal about ten inches long with a straight cylindrical handle, a narrow cable of the metal twisted around the length of it. The two naturally faceted crystals created the tip, their flat halves pressed against each other so it looked like one stone. At the base of the handle was a simple sphere of quartz crystal, wrapped in the end of the silver cable.

I looked up and met Sian's gaze. 'Can I pick it up?'

'Of course, you'll be holding it during the spell,' she said, then ducked to the kitchen.

Oh right, Leo, the fire sign, I thought. The wand felt weighty and cool to the touch. I ran my fingers over the metal while I studied it; beautiful workmanship, it certainly isn't like the cheap clay wands I've seen. I twisted it and watched the crystals sparkle in the candlelight.

SIAN CAME OUT OF THE kitchen with a small dish of rock salt and placed it at the earth position, then lit the charcoal in her incense burner, sprinkling herbs over it. A fragrant scent came with the smoke that drifted about the room. She paused to glance around, checking they were ready and then smiled at the others who watched her. Turning to the coffee table, Sian removed a pile of cards from it.

'Here.' She handed them each two colored cards, Loi green, Kassie yellow, Cat red, leaving Sian with blue. 'Your first card is to call your quarter North, East, South or West. The second card is to join in with the ritual at the end. I'll perform the majority of the spell.' The look of relief on their faces amused her. 'Read through the cards until you are comfortable with them. Let me know when you're ready. Kassie, you start first.'

I READ THROUGH MINE A couple of times, then nodded to Sian.

She stood. 'Ready? Right, then in your quarters and I'll cast the circle.'

We shifted to our appropriate positions. Audi sat between my legs and watched curiously while Lucky purred from her usual spot about Kassie's neck. Sian had her wand in hand while she paced her way around the circle chanting. Once, twice, three times she walked around it. Then she stood in the center and declared it cast. She handed the wand to me and took her position at West.

Kassie looked at Sian who nodded.

In a clear voice Kassie began. _'Watchtowers of the East, element of Air, we invite you into our circle to witness and aid us in our rite. Welcome.'_

I lifted the wand and spoke. _'Watchtowers of the South, element of Fire, we invite you into our circle to witness and aid us in our rite. Welcome.'_

Then Sian spoke, _'Watchtowers of the West, element of Water, we invite you into our circle to witness and aid us in our rite. Welcome.'_

And lastly Loi. _'Watchtowers of the North, element of Earth, we invite you into our circle to witness and aid us in our rite. Welcome.'_ She paused then continued, _'The circle is cast, the quarters are called. The rite may begin.'_

Sian stepped into the center once again.

'Mighty Khronos

Father of time and space

Hear us.

Glorious Ananke

Wielder of destiny

Hear us.

Reveal our soul mates

Their time and place

Entwine our lives

As our souls are embraced

Open the Portal of Time and Space

Carry us to our meant to be

Glorious Ananke, make this our destiny'

Together we spoke the last line, declaring, _'This is our will, we mote it be.'_

The words rang out and we stared wide-eyed at each other.

Kassie went to speak when Sian put her finger to her lips. 'Shh. Now we will thank our quarters and then I shall close the circle. This time Loi starts.'

LOI BLINKED IN SURPRISE, THERE wasn't a thank you part written on the card. Thinking quickly she stepped forward. _'Watchtowers of the North, thank you for attending our rite.'_

WE COPIED LOI'S FORMAT THEN Sian paced the circle three times again, though in the opposite direction and blew out the candles on her final loop.

'There, all done,' said Sian.

'So now we meet our significant other?' Kassie teased

We sat on the carpet, still in our positions and chatted, questioning Sian about the spell. Leaning back against the couch I stroked Audi's head while I listened. Loi and Kassie lay on the floor while they conversed, Kassie resting her head on Loi's back. Sian looked bright eyed, chatting away perkily and gesturing while telling us about the other spells in the book that she wanted to try. The dim light from the candles at the corners of the room made me sleepier and sleepier. Without intending too, I dozed off.
3

UGH: MY BACK ACHED WHEN I woke and I grunted in pain. Why the heck didn't I just go to my bed? Man this floor feels lumpy. I shifted position. Five more minutes then I'll get up, I thought before dozing off again.

Sometime later I went to roll over but jammed up against a large warm shape. Patting blindly down my side I felt Audi lying next to me. Cracking open an eye I peered down at her.

'Audi,' I mumbled. 'You're blocking me again.'

She gazed up at me and her tail thumped in the dirt, dislodging a couple of yellowed leaves that fluttered into the air.

Dirt? Leaves? My scrambled brain registered that I too lay in the dirt.

'Whhatt?' I croaked. Hearing something move, I pushed up onto my elbows. The world spun before my eyes. 'Ooooh dizzy.' I slumped back down and held my head with both hands. 'Helloooo?' I called. 'Sian? Kassie? Loi?' The shuffling sound started again.

KASSIE HEARD A VOICE CALL her name and woke up. Why do I feel so tired, she thought in bewilderment; her whole body felt like it weighed twice what it should.

'Sian? Kassie? Loi?'

Kassie opened her eyes and squinted at the light. She blinked in surprise and stared at the large tree in her immediate line of vision.

'Cat?' she mumbled. 'Why are we outside?'

'We're outside?' Sian sounded confused.

Loi groaned, 'I'm so dizzy. Guys, are you dizzy?'

The others made noises of agreement.

CAUTIOUS, I OPENED MY EYES and could just make out the tops of trees.

Whoa, that's weird.

'We ARE outside.' I eased up to sitting and blinked, looking around. The others seemed as groggy as me.

Holy crap! Where the hell are we?

We lay in a circle on the ground in a clearing. Trees, bushes and low vegetation surrounded us but it didn't look like any forest I knew. Distant birdsong felt disconcertingly like listening to a radio, none of the calls recognizable as any I knew. The air had an almost spicy, fresh fragrance of ozone, damp, and plant life I'd never smelled before. Swirls of panic spun in my stomach while I stared around us. I couldn't recognize any of the trees or bushes, nothing that looked like New Zealand forest, nothing at all!

KASSIE COULDN'T SPEAK. SHE SIMPLY gaped at their surroundings. What part of the spell had said this? Her brain just didn't want to make sense of it all; a dream she thought desperately, trying to ignore the sharp, clear scent of the forest and the rough dry dirt beneath her palms, the soft grasses tickling the back of her hands. Her heart thudded madly while her face grow hot, anger and fear rising.

'Sian,' she growled. 'Where the fuck are we?'

The others turned to stare at her in surprise, Loi arched an eyebrow.

'Don't arch your eyebrow at me, Loi,' she snapped in a thin, tight voice. 'There's a time and place for strong language and this is it!'

SIAN FELT TRULY LITTLE WHILE she stared at the enormous trees surrounding them. Her stomach felt like it hit her feet when she'd first sat up and looked around. No spell she'd cast before had ever done this, how could she possibly explain this to her friends? Cat and Loi looked dumbfounded while Kassie looked as red as a roasted lobster.

Sian gulped, 'I, I don't know. This has never happened before.'

LOI COULD SEE KASSIE LOOKED ready to explode and while she understood the sentiment, it wouldn't improve their current situation.

Opening her mouth to tell her to calm down, Loi froze when she noticed her clothes. 'Guys, where are our costumes?'

AFTER AN INITIAL PANICKED THOUGHT of _'WHAT! I'M NAKED?'_ I realized I did have clothes on, but not a piece of it was mine. We stared at our new clothes in astonishment. Fitted tan pants with dark brown leather boots that pulled on to the knee and laced at the back of the thigh. Over-the-knee boots like what I had worn. But these had slight heels and they weren't pointy. They looked like good walking boots. On top I wore a dark red tunic with a scoop neck; it fitted closely, lacing down the side. The others wore similar attire, the only difference in the color of their tunics; Loi's was green, Kassie's yellow and Sian's blue.

Hearing Audrey whine, I glanced up and forgot about the clothes in an instant. She pushed a limp furry shape on the ground and my stomach lurched when I recognized it.

'Kassie,' I gasped in alarm. 'Look! Lucky's here too! Is she okay?'

Kassie jerked around, staring. 'Where?'

I pointed and then hurriedly crawled after Kassie over the lumpy ground and patchy grass. She eased the cat onto her lap and looked at me, her face sharp with fear. Kneeling beside her I slipped my hand between Lucky's front paws, my palm against her chest. The soft dense fur made it hard to tell anything at first and I hardly breathed while waiting. Then I felt the reassuring pressure against my palm as the cat's chest rose with a breath and fell again.

'Breathing,' I muttered, mind rushing through the basic first aid course I'd done and I slid a hand down to the hind leg, groping carefully then pressed firmly with two fingers. The pulse beneath my fingertips brought an instant smile to my lips and I counted in my mind, lips moving. After another moment I let go of Lucky and sat back on my heels.

'Good,' I said, flashing Kass a brief smile. 'Pulse seems steady.' As I said the words the cat made a soft noise and Kassie cuddled her close, crooning.

SIAN BREATHED OUT IN A rush when she saw Lucky lift her head as Kassie held her. She exchanged a look of relief with Loi, her chest feeling lighter for an instant before the guilt snuck back in.

But I hadn't meant for it to do this, she thought; this isn't my fault! I didn't know this would happen.

The rational part of her mind reassured her that she hadn't done anything wrong but the other part didn't feel so certain. The contradictory views made her feel nauseated and she stared at the ground in an attempt to stop the dizziness. A jumble of rough blue fabric near her foot caught her eye and she reached for it.

'HEY GUYS!' SIAN SOUNDED EXCITED. 'Look around you, I just found a pack and a cloak.' She held up a hooded blue cloak that dwarfed her in length. I climbed to my feet, arms spread for balance at the change in altitude and walked back to where I'd woken.

On the ground, a bit crumpled from where I must have rolled on it, (or landed?), lay a deep red cloak. A pack in the same rough fabric lay beside it, along with something long and shiny. I bent to take a closer look.

'Wow! I have a sword and two daggers! They kind of look like the ones from my costume,' I trailed off. Actually, they looked far more lethal. Of course mine had been costume pieces while these appeared the genuine article. I tugged one of the daggers from its scabbard; it slid out with barely a whisper. The curved blade inscribed with flowing lines reminded me of the swords I'd seen in fantasy shops. The copper colored scabbard and hilt had beautiful engravings of what looked like flames licking across the surface. The weight of the weapons felt both less and more than I would have imagined, light enough to handle with ease, but so very solid and _real_. I slid the dagger back in, unnerved at the strength of the steel.

Dangerous weapons, I thought, unable to resist looking around.

The forest didn't feel threatening, with bird song drifting amongst the tall, tall trees that surrounded us and yet goose bumps rose on my arms as I set the weapons aside and sat, watching the others and Audrey, my eyes occasionally stealing up the enormous heights of those trees. I couldn't think of the last time I'd felt quite so small.

KASSIE FOUND A CLOAK AND pack next to where she had woken and swung the light tan cloak around her shoulders. Well, at least whatever brought us here made sure we had some supplies, she thought, no matter how basic. She began to feel calmer and her practical self took over while she thought about things like shelter and where the nearest city might be. When she leaned to grab the pack a metallic sheen in the grass next to it caught her eye. Groping, she felt for a handle and lifted, then stared in astonishment at the short sword.

Why on Earth would we need real weapons?

The voice in the back of her mind suggested that perhaps they weren't on Earth anymore. Her rational voice dismissed that as ridiculous.

Ignoring them both she drew the sword out and stared at the beautiful engravings on the blade. In kenjutsu they only used real swords for ceremonial performances. This sword out-shone any of those swords by miles—a beautiful weapon, well weighted with a matching scabbard.

Kassie frowned; if someone went to the trouble to make sure we each got weapons then there must be a reason for it. Troubled by these thoughts she took care to belt it to her side and thigh, fingers fumbling with the tough leather straps. Done, she stretched her leg out then back, pleased with the clever scabbard design. It meant the sword wouldn't flap around while she moved, something unavoidable with long swords—being almost twice the length of a short sword.

Sitting between her legs Lucky watched curiously, her tail twitching across the dry earth. Clucking her tongue, Kassie coaxed the cat closer, scooping the purring animal up and cuddled her while watching the others.

'CAT.' LOI BOUNDED OVER.

I blinked in surprise at her enthusiastic tone and unexpected speed; it appeared someone felt better. The sudden motions so close to me made my head pound for an instant and I winced, waving at her to continue when she paused at my expression.

'They're real!' her voice and smile rang with glee. 'Look, it was plastic before and now...' She drew it out of its scabbard, her smile fading as she stared at the sword with something akin to reverence. 'It's real.'

The long sword had the same copper color as mine and a gritty earth like pattern.

Sian came over to see what we had, then showed us the bow and quiver she'd found beside her cloak. I stared at it with envy, admiring the beautiful workmanship. The bow was made of wood, waxed to a beautiful shine and inlaid with copper through the middle for strength and at the tips that curved away. The quiver of arrows she wore slung over her shoulder looked just as beautiful, with copper colored tips against shining dark wood; it'd almost be a waste to use them.

'Really this is more your style, Cat. Though it's much more beautiful than your antique,' Sian winked at me.

'Obviously someone knows you're the better shot.'

She flushed at the compliment.

Loi's comment from before, about our weapons now being real, intrigued me.

'Loi, do you think they transformed along with our costumes?'

'Maybe,' Loi shrugged. 'The spell did say 'our lives entwine' surely that would cover this.'

Sian looked surprised, 'I guess you could interpret it like that.'

'Which would explain the packs,' Loi pointed out.

Curious, I sat on the ground to rifle through my pack.

'Wow! Guys, look inside your packs.' I started to pull items out of mine: a loaf of dense bread, some strips of dried meat, apples and a small sack of grain. A little pouch at the bottom of the pack jingled when I picked it up. Loosening the drawstring I tipped the contents into my hand. Strange coins poured out, bronze, silver and some gold. I lifted a gold coin, rubbing my thumb over the raised image of an animal I didn't recognize.

Is that real gold?

It felt real—solid and cool against my palm as I stared at it. I heard the others discover the same in their packs.

'Wow,' breathed Loi.

'Do you think it's real?' Kassie asked.

'Aren't we meant to bite it?' Sian said with a smile and pantomimed biting a coin.

CHUCKLING AT SIAN'S SUGGESTION, KASSIE continued to look through her pack and tipped the contents on the ground to make it easier. She tossed the empty pack to the side and Lucky crept into it, her pink tipped nose peeking out. Kassie laughed at the sight. Loi turned to see and she held a finger to her lips and then pointed at Lucky. They pretended not to see Lucky when she cautiously stuck her head out then snatched it back in.

SIAN GLANCED UP IN TIME to see Audrey freeze, ears pricked and tail stiff. She followed the dog's gaze and saw the pack near Kassie's legs twitching; from this angle the tip of Lucky's tail was clearly visible, but not to the dog. Cat, absorbed in poring over her packs contents, didn't notice when the dog dropped to her belly, beginning a slow, careful commando crawl toward Kassie's bag. A laugh wedged in Sian's throat as the dog froze when the pack made a sudden jerk.

Fumbling, her fingers found a pebble amongst the grasses she sat in and she tossed it at Cat, who looked up in confusion. Sian nodded at the dog who'd just reached the pack. Cat covered her mouth to smother a giggle when they watched Audi poke the pack with her nose then freeze when it jerked away from her. The dog crept close to it again.

This time she sat next to it, head cocked to one side then lifted a paw and placed it on top of the pack. They heard an angry growl and Audrey's tail started to wag. The pack lunged, grabbed her paw and apparently bit it because the dog yelped and shot back to where Cat now stood, hiding behind her legs and peered accusingly at it. All the women laughed then. Lucky burrowed out of the pack and sauntered about the clearing looking smug, her tail straight up in the air. Audrey rushed across to the cat and snuffled her all over, then did a big whoosh of air straight up her backside. Lucky yeooowed and ran back to Kassie.

SMILING AT AUDI AND LUCKY'S antics, I returned my attention to my pack and placed the items back inside. Then it hit me.

Why would we need these at home?

'I have this idea that we aren't on Earth anymore,' I almost croaked the words and cleared my throat while looking at the others, anxiety making the hairs on my arms rise. I shivered, rubbing a hand briskly over either arm.

Kassie frowned, 'What makes you say that?'

'This doesn't look like anything we'd need on Earth, not in our time anyway.'

Loi interrupted me. 'Ever seen anything like that on Earth?'

We turned and stared at where she pointed.

Making its way down one of the numerous vines that enveloped a tree near us, hopped a bird about the size of a pigeon—its coloring a deep fire engine red. Appearing to spot something tucked amongst the vines the bird twisted sharply, its head jerking forward, beak jamming again and again into a fissure while it fought to reach something. The sharp jerky motions caused the bird's tail to flick out and the four of us gasped at the sight. Large eyes like those in a peacock's tail glowed in the sunlight that glinted down from the canopy. The stunning eyes tipped every other feather in the bird's tail, all varying jewel tones; citrine, ruby, emerald and amethyst. It flittered about the tree hunting more insects, unconcerned at our presence, then made a pretty trilling noise and launched off, flying past us further into the forest until out of sight.

Well...

'Probably not Earth,' I concluded.

The others just stared at me, faces pale, their expressions a mix of shock, fear and confusion.

With a choked gasp Kassie sank to the ground. 'What are we supposed to do? How do we get home? What about our families? Are we stuck?' Her voice rose with each question. 'How did this happen? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING TO HAPPEN NOW?'

The three of us winced at the noise level and Audi cowered behind my legs, whining between them at Kassie who breathed in rough gasps, sounding close to tears. Loi looked at Sian with a blank expression.

'Why don't I feel bothered by this?' she asked in a confused voice. 'I should be terrified, right?'

I swallowed, my mouth dry and head whirling at the mass of conflicting thoughts and feelings. Not exactly terrified, I thought though my stomach still churned; but worried, definitely worried. Sian walked over to Kassie and sat down wrapping her arms around her.

'It's likely you're in shock,' Sian said, a faint wobble to her voice before it slid to a firm tone, a practical tone. 'Your body is designed to run on auto-pilot in a situation like this. Give it a few days before really considering it.'

A FEW DAYS, LOI FLINCHED at that thought; not a pleasant idea at all.

What to do next then?

Basic stuff, the practical voice in her mind ordered. Set up a camp, keep busy, no panicking allowed.

She spoke up, sounding calmer than she felt. 'Then let's focus just on us for the moment. I think we should make a meal, food helps shock right? And then we should think about a shelter.'

Sian agreed. 'Yep, food will help and a shelter's going to be necessary.'

THE TASK PROVIDED JUST THE distraction I currently needed. Everyone grabbed their packs and we sat close, placing everything out to be seen. Each pack had slightly differing contents; Kassie had vegetables instead of the bread I had, Sian some dried beans and Loi, a water bag, made from an animal's stomach. The four of us stared at the strangely shaped pale tan bag that rippled when Loi placed it out. She prodded it again with one finger making it jiggle.

'Is anyone else mildly grossed out by that?' I queried.

The other three gave tiny nods.

'JELLYBELLY,' SUNG SIAN, NUDGING KASSIE. The hint of a smile graced her friend's lips. Sian gave her a one-armed hug, teasingly tugging a curl at the same time. She wanted to apologize but the words froze on her tongue; she hadn't meant for any of this to happen. Of the numerous spells she'd cast since she'd began practicing, this had been one of the simplest. It just didn't make sense. Trying to reason through her thoughts still didn't make her feel better and her hand slipped from Kassie's shoulder.

Why? Why this time? She blinked away the tears that filled her eyes, swallowing hard; I didn't mean for this to happen!

KASSIE GLANCED AT HER BLONDE friend who stared up at the trees. Sian's jaw line looked stiff and she blinked rapidly holding both her knees, an almost angry pout on her lips. The panic, anger and fear Kassie felt faded while she regarded Sian's expression. Loi and Cat murmured quietly between themselves, pointedly ignoring the two of them.

Reaching out, she cupped her hand over one of Sian's and squeezed lightly. Sian half turned away, eyes dropping from the trees to the forest floor before she slowly drew her gaze up to Kassie's. Her blue eyes looked shiny and her lips wobbled.

'I didn't mean...' she sniffed, looking back down.

Kassie squeezed Sian's hand again, shaking her head and forced the words past the lump that swelled in her throat. 'I'm sorry. I know it's not your fault.'

Sian's eyes looked huge and a tear slid down.

With an inward grumble at herself, the stupid spell, and at life in general, Kassie reached out both arms and hugged her friend close. 'I mean it,' she said gruffly. 'I do.'

THE AWKWARD TENSION BETWEEN SIAN and Kass faded and both looked calmer; we refocused on the camp plans. A loud grumble from Sian's stomach caused us to giggle and that decided the first matter.

'Okay,' I pretended to roll up my sleeves. 'Let's make a meal before Sian's stomach eats itself. Now who's got matches?'

'Oooh,' Kassie started rooting around in her pack. 'Is that what these are for?' She held up a rounded flat rock and a solid rectangular piece of metal.

'Yes,' Sian said excitedly. 'Let me try!'

While Sian practiced striking the flint, which wasn't as easy as it looked on TV, we hunted around for sticks and dry leaves. After we'd scraped out an obvious circle of dirt we set up the wood with the dry leaves underneath.

LEANING CLOSE TO THE BASE of the fire, Sian took a breath and tried again, rapidly striking the flint to the steel. It took more effort than she'd expected at first and now her arms ached from her failed attempts. Finally a spark flew but hit the dirt and burnt out.

Urrghhh not again, she grumbled to herself and she changed position to try again. Gritting her teeth, she smashed the two pieces together, her heart leaping when she saw another spark. This time it hit a leaf. With a pounding pulse, from both exertion and nerves, she leaned forward and blew gently on it. It took another careful breath before the tiny flame absorbed the leaf then spread, catching other leaves.

She watched, a smile hovering and excitement building as the rest of the wood pile began to burn. A shout from behind made her jump, then she twisted to grin at her friends who cheered loudly at the sight of the flames.

WOO! Sian thought in delight; I did it!
4

ABOUT AN HOUR LATER WE lay on our cloaks, full of food and feeling calmer, almost satisfied. Audi and Lucky seemed happy enough with their meal of beans and dried meat and we knew we had enough food to last a few days which helped soothe some of our anxiety.

'What do we do next?' Loi asked.

We fell silent all considering then I spoke up. 'Shelter.'

'Let's explore,' suggested Sian.

Kassie sat up. 'We really need to find a town or city, our supplies aren't going to last that long.'

We got into an earnest discussion of survival when Audi gave a sudden low growl.

Huh?

I twisted to look at her then stiffened.

The dog crouched, staring out into the forest with a lowered head, body tense and ready. The fur around her shoulders and neck fluffed out mane like, with her tail low and stiff. Audi's tan muzzle wrinkled with a snarl before she gave a short angry warning bark. I stared, feeling my heart start to race then turned, looking for whatever she'd seen.

KASSIE CROUCHED, HANDS PRESSED TO the grass while she slowly scanned the forest. Her heart pounded when Audi snarled again and she almost missed it, her eyes not deciphering the tall figure that stood back amongst a number of saplings; but her mind registered the shape.

Her neck stiffened and stomach felt like it plummeted to the ground. Barely daring to breathe she dragged her gaze back, silently praying she'd seen wrong. A breath hitched in her throat and everything stopped for an instant.

She gasped, pulling back and gestured with a harsh whisper. 'THERE!'

The others froze.

'Oh God, what is that?' Loi whispered.

SIAN SHOOK HER HEAD, MUTE with shock. The creature didn't budge. It just stood there, observing them. It didn't look like anything she'd seen before, not even in movies; at least six feet tall with long limbs and brown green mottled skin, the creature had a horrid humanoid face with a hint of muzzle protruding and a heavy brow ridge.

The quiver and bow lay before her near the fire but she didn't have any desire to actually use them, just to grab them and get the hell out of there. She twisted to look at Cat who sat near her.

SIAN'S EYES WERE AS WIDE as saucers when she looked my way.

Keeping my eyes on her I spoke softly, 'I think we should pack up. Quickly and quietly guys.'

They nodded and we shuffled around, stuffing everything into the packs, Kassie somehow ended up with a full one. The snap of twigs alerted us to another of those creatures quite a bit closer.

I could see this one more clearly and the sight made my blood run cold. The skin looked clammy like an amphibian and its hands were tipped with talon-like nails. I shuddered in disgust. It stayed there, silent and observing like the other one but you could sense their intent. A strange predatory energy seemed to resonate off them.

Audrey kept up her low angry growl, punctuated with the occasional sharp bark, eyes fixed on the first creature.

The weapons made sense now.

'Strap on your weapons,' I insisted and we set to getting them on.

Loi's long sword had a scabbard that could be worn across the back or on the hip. My sword scabbard did the same and Sian helped me get it on my back, lifting it up my arms while I rolled my shoulders to help get the straps in place, our gazes constantly watching those two creatures. Loi had hers on in a flash but then she'd worn them before. I hastily buckled the daggers onto my arms and Loi fastened the strap that ran from shoulder to shoulder.

Kassie moved slowly to Loi's side. 'Loi, can I pop Lucky in your pack?'

Loi quickly lowered the pack to the ground, keeping her eyes on the creatures. Kassie opened the pack and tried to get Lucky in it. The cat protested loudly and we all winced at the sound but the creatures didn't move. More forceful this time, Kassie stuffed Lucky in, snapping the cover shut. Loi slipped the pack on.

'Right, let's go,' Kassie said in a firm but quiet voice, tugging the straps of her scabbard tighter.

'Where?' I hissed.

She nodded beyond where I stood and I turned. There appeared to be a track, though not much of one.

I turned back and met her questioning gaze with a shrug. 'It could be a path.'

'Have to do,' she retorted while staring at the other two.

Loi looked pale and managed a nervous nod.

Sian motioned us to step closer and spoke quietly. 'We're going to need to run. Kassie and Loi, you guys lead. Cat, you and I'll take up the rear. Loi, keep your sword drawn. You too, Cat, and give me one of your daggers.'

I nodded and slipped a dagger out of its sheath handing it over then drew my sword, struggling with the length until Kassie flicked the tip out. My heart pounded in my chest. The rush of adrenaline made me dizzy, my stomach queasy.

Loi touched my shoulder, her eyes anxious and voice strained. 'Hold it low with the point raised slightly, remember to lift it as you go over things and be aware of where the end is. You don't want to skewer any of us by accident.'

I squeezed her arm gently and met her gaze with as reassuring a look as I could muster. 'I'll manage.' I sounded far more confident than I felt in that moment.

We shifted positions and stared at each other for an instant.

Then Kassie's face wrinkled in a scowl before she snapped in a stage whisper, 'Now!'

We raced off. Crashes and furious shrieks came from behind. I didn't dare look back in case I lost track of the end of my sword.

Sian risked a quick glance. 'Move it guys!'

LOI'S PULSE THROBBED AT HER temple and she willed the migraine away.

That's the last thing I need right now, she thought, focusing on the scant track they followed. Please, please let this lead somewhere, somewhere safe!

Behind her, Cat gave a sharp shout for Audrey who barked furiously sounding even further back. The crashing noises following them seemed to pause for a moment before starting again. Something furry brushed against Loi's calf and she jerked away with a gasp. Kassie gripped her arm tightly, pulling her in the right direction and relief made her temple pound again when she realized Audrey raced alongside them.

'Okay?' Kassie panted.

'Okay!'

MY BREATH BURNED IN MY chest while I willed my legs to move faster. The narrow track veered all over the place; we ducked under branches and dodged around trees. Woody fingers ripped at my face while I followed as close to Loi as I dared, my mind shouting instructions while I ran.

Sword up, Cat, watch where the end is. Bloody hell!

I tripped but managed to stay up.

'Careful!' Sian gasped.

Terror crept into my belly and made my knees feel wobbly and useless.

No, I thought fiercely, pay attention, watch where you place your feet. I kept my view narrow focusing on the path. The forest flew by in a blur of greens and browns.

Please don't let there be any more of those things out there. There's no way I would see them.

FOCUS! I brought the thoughts inwards, stuffing them far away in my mind, trying to prevent the hysteria that threatened.

OUT IN FRONT KASSIE STUMBLED and Loi yanked her upright. Kassie's breaths sounded ragged in her ears while she focused on lifting her feet high enough so that she wouldn't trip. A sense of fear buzzed between the four of them, the taste of bile strong in the back of her throat. The disgusting creatures hunting them shrieked again, a hideous angry sound like nails being pried from corrugated iron. Her skin prickled and scalp seemed to flinch when they did it again. Audrey spun back snarling and barking, the dog's voice growing distant. Kassie ran harder.

I am NEVER casting a spell again, she thought, why the fuck is this happening to us? It was a love spell for Christ's sake!

LOI JERKED HER HEAD OUT of the way when a low branch loomed, twigs dragging in her hair. Spying a fallen log ahead she let the others know then hauled herself over and spun back to lift Kassie off.

'Thanks,' gasped Kassie.

Loi nodded and Kassie ran on while Loi waited for Sian and Cat. Audrey raced after the women and beat them to the log, diving off, legs extended, then spun back to bark at them. Once Sian and Cat had scrambled over, Loi raced back to Kassie's side.

THE LOG HAD SLOWED US down a little and the crashing that followed sounded closer. Adrenaline seared through my veins when I caught a glimpse of one of those things; it had gained on us.

'RUN!' I screamed.

Audrey darted across my path and launched herself at it, snarling. The creature shrieked and jerked away. The sense of relief nearly tripped me; my focus on Audi. I lurched over a root, just managing to stay upright and she appeared at my side again, no worse for wear.

Suddenly the forest disappeared and we sprinted across open grassland, buildings visible about a mile from us. I stumbled at the change in ground under foot and the almost debilitating sense of relief at the sight of civilization. A surge of fear ran through me.

Do NOT fall, I growled in my mind, we are so close!

SIAN COULD SEE THE BUILDINGS more clearly now. A high, oppressive looking fence of roughly hewn logs surrounded the village; for good reason, she thought. Panting hard as they neared the buildings, she could make out people—men—standing in front of the gates gesturing at them to hurry. She mentally rolled her eyes at them, trying to increase her pace, unable to hear anything over the sound of her breathing. Gritting her teeth, she pumped her arms harder.

As they drew closer she saw the buildings were houses with heavy looking thatched roofs like ones she'd seen when she'd lived in England.

The faces of the men they sprinted toward grew clearer none of them actually appeared to watch her or the others, just the creatures that followed. Sian realized then that each man held a weapon or two and one man had two snarling, lunging dogs on short leashes, fighting to keep them under control. They wore clothes that wouldn't have looked out of place maybe three hundred years ago, but even then they didn't look _quite_ right.

Sian's chest tightened with apprehension as they drew even closer to the village; where ARE we?

'PUSH IT!' SHOUTED LOI AS she threw a glance over her shoulder, looking beyond us. My body screamed in protest when I forced longer quicker strides. Sian bounced lightly off my side with a grunt, the sudden dip in the grass almost making me do the same. I grabbed her hand, pulling her along as we neared the gate. Men armed with cross bows, spears and swords stood next to the heavy wooden gates, bodies tense and ready. Their shouts rang in my ears when they charged past us and the unexpected furious snarls of dogs made me flinch, but I didn't stop.

We shot past them straight into the arms of a crowd of others who rushed us into a nearby building. In the sudden darkness I staggered and bent over my knees, gasping for breath while my head spun.

The sense of relief was extreme.

We're safe. Safe.

My knees buckled and strange hands supported me, leading me to a bench. Kassie sat next to me with Loi and Sian beside her, all gasping for breath. Audi crouched under the bench, waiting. Finally we could draw normal breaths and sat up, looking around.

At least sixty people crowded around the dark low room, jammed on bench seats that surrounded the long tables that filled most of the space. Young and old women held children on their laps, some singing softly, others teasing, provoking sudden high shrieks of laughter that made the armed men at the windows frown at them. Adolescent boys and girls crowded against the scarce wall space, watching us with wide eyes while their elders flicked curious looks our way. Realizing I still gripped my sword tight, I went to slip it back in its scabbard but my hands shook too much. Kassie guided the end in for me.

'Thanks.' I swallowed hard, willing away the sudden, unexpected tears that threatened.

It's just shock, Cat, breathe, relax. You're okay. You're safe.

The words echoed in my head while I looked the others over. All red-faced like me with the fear slowly fading from their eyes, accompanied by the realization that a room full of strangers stared at us.

KASSIE GULPED. NO ONE SEEMED to look at them in a bad way, most just looked concerned. A strange sound caught her attention.

'Lucky,' she gasped.

Loi swore and snatched the pack off the floor, setting it on the bench between them. Kassie wrenched the top of it wide. They peered in. The tortoiseshell cat huddled at the bottom, ears flattened and fur spiked, her eyes wide in fear. She whimpered.

'Ooooh Lucky,' whispered Kassie, her heart going out to her tiny, normally feisty cat.

Easing the cat onto her lap she wrapped her arms around the shivering animal, ignoring all the strangers staring. Loi draped her cloak round Kassie's shoulders shielding Lucky from everyone's view. The cat relaxed a little before stretching her forelegs out. Kassie winced when the claws dug into her thigh but didn't scold Lucky, just cuddled her until she started purring.

Loi leaned over. 'Kass, is she okay?'

Kassie nodded while she hummed, soothing the cat. 'She's starting to purr so I think she'll be fine.'

Cat and Sian leaned over, reaching under the cloak to stroke Lucky's head, which made Audrey creep out from under the seat to see what everyone looked at. The dog gave her friend a gentle poke, causing the cat to purr louder.

A voice piped up. 'What are you doing?'

TURNING AWAY FROM KASSIE I saw a little boy watching us. He looked to be about five and stood only a meter or so from a woman with dark plaits the same shade as his short spiky hair. She watched us and him, her eyes creasing when they met mine, the corners of her lips tugging.

I bent, leaning on my knees so to meet his eyes and explained, 'Our cat was in one of the bags when we had to run and we're checking she's okay.'

The boy crept closer, his eyes wide and he ducked to peer at Kassie's lap. She chuckled and shifted a little on the seat, turning to face him.

'Why did you bring your cat?' he asked her earnestly as he reached Lucky's side and gently stroked her. The cat purred up at him through half shut eyes, adoring all the attention.

Kassie smiled. 'Well, we didn't intentionally bring Lucky, she just snuck along with us.'

A few people tittered when they heard Lucky's name and the little boy smiled broadly at Kassie. 'She really is Lucky! 'Cause if you hadn't seen her she could have been eaten by the elgrids.'

Ahh, so that's what those things are called. I could see the same thought pass through Loi and Sian's faces. Everyone in the room still stared at us.

They'll want to know why we're here, what do we say?

My brain went blank at that then I looked to Sian and gave her knee a soft nudge. Our eyes connected and I twitched my eyebrow at her, making a tiny gesture with my chin at all those in the room, still watching us.

SIAN STARED AT CAT WHOSE half scowl—nose wrinkled and lips twisted to one side—yelled loud and clear exactly what she thought Sian _should_ be doing right now.

Sian glared at her friend who returned the look with heat.

Oh bloody hell, she thought with despair, I don't know what to say!?

Man up, snapped the rational voice in the back of her mind. No, it wasn't your intention for the spell to work like this but you are partially responsible.

With an internal sigh, Sian gave Cat a tiny nod and sat up, gazing around the room for whoever might be in charge.

Let's get this over with, she thought grumpily. Best stick as close to the truth as possible.

A medium height woman in a high necked, long sleeved rust colored dress that fell to her knees stood up from where she'd sat amongst the others. She held herself with pride, back straight and head high, the elaborately plaited bun she wore her dark hair in adding to the overall commanding impression. Everyone fell silent, giving her their attention and for a moment the room felt as if it hummed with anticipation.

The woman nodded to Sian and the other girls. 'Greetings. Welcome to Lothost. My name is Henja. My husband and I own the Inn here.' Henja inclined her head toward one of the armed men at the windows who stared at them now too.

Sian's mouth went dry and she licked her lips before speaking. 'Greetings, Henja. Thank you for your welcome and for your town's protection, it is most appreciated.'

The girls nodded in agreement.

'What brings you here?' queried Henja with a blunt expression that hedged between curiosity and apprehension. The armed men moved from where they'd stood at the windows, positioning themselves at the ends of the tables closest to the four girls. The unspoken warning made Sian's stomach churn.

Hesitantly, she spoke. 'We're—searching—for someone who can help us. With a magical matter.' She watched in relief when her friends' faces went blank then changed to apparent knowledge.

'Offensive or defensive?' snapped one of the men, shifting from leaning against a table to standing, eyeing the four of them.

'Defensive!' Sian squeaked the word out then cleared her throat. Cat leaned gently against her, the pressure comforting.

'Calm,' Cat cautioned, mouth close to her ear. 'You're doing fine.'

Sian flicked Cat a swift look and tiny smile before turning her attention back to Henja. The woman now regarded them speculatively, squinting as she stared at Sian.

'Oh? Perhaps our town caster can help. What's the issue?'

With a silent prayer that she wasn't about to say something wrong, Sian explained. 'The shield that protects our realm has vanished and we don't know why. We'd never seen elgrids before now!' The last part came out louder than she'd intended and the silence in the room felt bizarrely loud while everyone gaped at her. Sian resisted the urge to grin nervously.

One of the armed men addressed her in an incredulous tone, his thick salt-n-pepper eyebrows drawn close in a frown. 'Never seen them before? That must be an awfully strong shield.'

'Yes, it was. We've been told there's someone with great power in this realm. We're hoping to find them.' Sian mentally crossed her fingers; please let this work!

'Oh you'll be talking about Elena the Sorceress,' chimed a little old lady from the table furthest away.

Most in the room made sounds of agreements, nodding to one another and Henja said, 'Gran Nina is right. The Sorceress would be the ideal person to see.'

Sian smiled in relief, inwardly delighted that it had worked. 'Where does Elena usually reside?'

Henja's square jaw jutted out as she considered that and her husband, who now sat close, spoke softly in her ear. Henja agreed with whatever he said then turned to them, explaining. 'We believe she is at the castle. But there are some strange goings on in the South so she might be away.'

'She can't stay away long,' interjected another of the armed men. 'Not while she's Regent. The castle would be the best place to find her.'

I LISTENED WITHOUT REALLY HEARING, fascinated with their unusual accents. They had what sounded like a hint of a Scottish burr to the 'r' in words, well developed consonants but with heaviness to their 'w' so it sounded more like 'wh'. Something about the way they spoke triggered an odd sensation in my mind and a weird sense of anxiety; how are we speaking with them?

The sudden thought of not understanding them, or being understood made me nauseated and I pushed it away.

I'll just be thankful, I thought, squeezing my legs back under the bench seat while blocking out those concerning thoughts. I'll just be thankful.

Studying the people and what they wore distracted me while Sian asked Henja for the directions to the castle. The variety of styles and lack of corsets surprised me. I couldn't see any evidence of electricity or modern technology, yet what they wore felt rather modern. A couple of women seated nearer us wore mid length skirts of a dense fabric, belted at the waist. Their long sleeved, slash neck tops laced down the front or sides; one woman had a bright blue ribbon laced down the front of her dark brown top. A quick glimpse down showed fleece lined knee-high boots with long laces wrapped fully around them. It surprised me; I guess our outfits aren't that unusual then.

Gran Nina had shifted from her seat and stood near Henja, listening to the conversation while openly studying us. She met my eyes with a bright smile, her face dissolving into a mass of lines. The look of delight almost made me giggle and I smiled back. The older woman wore baggy trousers held up by a wide belt just visible beneath the side splits in her tunic that fell to her hips. Her white hair had the occasional streak of brown and she wore it in a long plait, draped over a shoulder. The little boy who'd been patting Lucky dashed to Gran Nina's side, pointing at the cat while tugging on her pants. Gran Nina smiled down at him, nodding and the two chatted away.

'We'd like to stay the night at your Inn if you have room, wouldn't we, Catherine?'

I blinked in shock at a sudden shove from Sian.

'Oh! Ahh, yes. Certainly, that'd be great,' I assured Henja.

Right, focus on the conversation Cat, I thought, feeling a tad dazed as I tuned back in, listening. Sian had arranged dinner and breakfast, as well as a bath. I felt like cheering when I heard that part: a bath! I wonder if I can get my clothes cleaned? Sitting in the crowded room made me rather aware of the unpleasant scent of sweat from our sprint here.

Loi interrupted Sian. 'Henja, would you be able to arrange us some supplies, for the next few days?'

Henja lit up, eagerness at the prospect of business apparent on her broad face. 'Of course, it will cost extra though?'

'That'll be no problem,' Sian assured her. 'As long as it's enough to reach the next village.'

'Yes, yes. Though I should warn you, it'll take around a month of walking to reach the castle. You must make sure to stock up well at each village.'

Loi gave me a look of concern at that. I pressed my lips flat and shrugged.

One month of walking; damn that's really going to suck. I hope there are plenty of villages in between here and the castle.

KASSIE LISTENED HARD WHILE SHE pretended to focus on Lucky. One month to the castle, she thought, feeling her stomach sink; with elgrids about and likely other creatures too. She pursed her lips, trying to think of another solution but nothing presented itself. She lifted her head and stared at the man who had spoken to them before.

'I just wondered what other creatures we should watch out for, ah...' Kassie gestured at him with a smile. The man jerked his head back as if surprised and stared with squinted eyes at her for a moment, before replying.

'Wrenwick.'

'So, what other creatures can we expect on our journey, Wrenwick?'

Wrenwick frowned while he thought it over. 'When you reach the woods you may have to watch out for gragnolls, though I haven't seen many lately, what with all this craziness going on in the South. It appears to be attracting them in hordes. We haven't had many issues with uglies lately. Those elgrids that followed you are the first we've seen in weeks.'

Henja interrupted, 'You'll need to watch out for the leeni too.' She nudged Wrenwick in admonishment. 'And of course dragons.'

Sian's head snapped up at that. 'Dragons?'

'Ooooh yes,' Gran Nina looked amused at Sian's shocked expression. The little boy beside her listened with wide eyes. 'We do get a few around here, though they tend to go for the cattle, not wee scrawny girls.'

CURIOUS I ASKED, 'HOW BIG do the dragons get? Do they breathe fire?'

Wrenwick spoke up, glaring at Henja and Gran Nina for butting in. 'The biggest dragons can be the size of a large barn with a wing span four to five times larger than that, but they don't breathe fire. At that size there isn't really any need. It's the little dragons, around your dog's size, that breathe fire. They are usually rather civil and most castles employ one or two for keeping their fires going.'

Sian looked fascinated as I glanced to see her reaction; at home her favorite mythical creature was the dragon. The thought of a real life dragon just seemed ridiculous and yet at the same time, I couldn't shake the image of those things, those elgrids that had chased us here.

What kind of place is this? Memories of mythical creatures I'd read about as a child sprung to mind; what else might be real here?

A loud knock on the door distracted me. The men who'd chased the elgrids off entered and gave the all clear for everyone to leave. Henja called out to us, shouting brief instructions of where to find her Inn, then dashed off along with everyone else.

We walked out, blinking at the bright sunlight then wandered in the direction Henja had instructed while studying the village.

Judging by the number of houses that stretched out before us and back another couple of rows I guessed that around one to two hundred people lived here. Locals watched us curiously from their doorways and the sides of the narrow roads. Some called greetings, others gaped and a few children followed for a way, shrieking with high pitched giggles if we glanced back. The gravel crunched underfoot as we walked along, making anyone near us turn and stare. It felt like the road got longer the further we walked, with eyes watching from everywhere. Beside me Kassie made soothing noises to Lucky who half crouched, curled around Kassie's shoulders. The cat wasn't happy and kept uttering long, low warbles that made Audi anxious. She walked between Kassie and me, her eyes constantly on her feline friend.

Behind us Loi muttered, 'Center of attention much.'

'Look. We're nearly at the Inn,' Kassie sounded relieved.

We all picked up the pace and reached the two-story building quickly. Pausing on the skinny front deck, Loi knocked lightly then turned the handle, pushing the door open. I followed, holding the door for Kassie and Sian.

'Girls,' Henja called out in delight from the back of the large front room. 'Come on in. Quick, quick, dinner will be ready soon and your baths are waiting out the back.'

LOI'S EYEBROWS SHOT UP WHEN Henja said "out the back" what did that mean? Henja ushered them out the back of the Inn, past the tables and more staring people. Audi snuck along behind and scooted through the door before it caught her tail.

There, in a concealed courtyard stood four iron baths lined with sheets and filled to the brim with hot, sweet smelling water. Tiny coal fires burned underneath to keep them warm. A hot and flustered looking woman stood to the side of the courtyard, hooking a long metal pipe back to the side of the building. She wore heavy looking gloves and steam wafted from the end of the pipe.

That's where the hot water came from, Loi thought in fascination, wondering how it all worked.

The others appeared to realize this at the same time and all four of them thanked the maid, making the woman glow even redder. Henja waved the maid away as the girls grinned at each other, gesturing the baths again in delight. Loi felt the tension in her shoulders start to evaporate.

WE THANKED HENJA PROFUSELY AND a red blush stained her jaw line while she laughed off our thanks.

'No! No, not at all, Sian paid generously for your stay so I want you to enjoy it,' she paused then, eyes widening before she regarded us speculatively. 'And if you could mention it at the castle when you get there...'

'Of course we'll give rave reviews about you, Henja, how could we not?' I gestured at the gorgeous little courtyard.

She gave us another wide smile. 'You can lock yourselves in, see? There is a key in this side, so no one will bother you. When you are done let me know and I will bring your supper to your rooms.' After pointing out the pile of drying sheets, she stepped out of the room and shut the door.

I locked it behind her then turned to the others. 'Peace at last!'

'And a bath,' chimed in Loi.

'And food!' cried Sian.

We laughed and started to strip our clothes off. I struggled with the high boots, attempting to loosen the laces while pulling the tops down and ended up hopping around the room, with Audi bouncing along beside me. Kassie and Sian could barely stand for laughing at me while I wheeled my arms madly to keep from falling.

Loi rushed over. 'Here. Let me help before you hop through a wall.' She quickly worked the knot out of the laces and yanked the boot down to my ankle.

'Thanks, Loi, _you're_ such a good friend,' I said while pointedly staring at Sian and Kassie, who just laughed more. Reaching down, I pulled the boot slowly off, careful not to lose balance again. We slipped into our baths with sighs of relief and pleasure.

Resting my head back, I let my mind drift, shooing away any persistent thoughts and allowed the heat from the water to penetrate my aching muscles. I groaned quietly in relief, I'd never run that hard before. Elgrids were a pretty good form of encouragement, not that I saw them becoming popular in gyms anytime soon. My thigh muscle twitched and I winced. I will be sore tomorrow.

That word, tomorrow, started the swirls of nausea in my stomach. A panic attack threatened while my brain tried to process everything that'd happened today.

Take it easy, soothed the rational voice in the back of my mind. No need to rush, you're safe.

I settled, breathing slowly till my heart stopped racing and tried to enjoy the silence. I managed perhaps five minutes before I had to call out to the others.

'So, plans for tomorrow? Any thoughts?'

IN THE BATH BESIDE HER Sian heard Loi snort in amusement and grinned.

Trust Cat to break a much needed silence, she thought, but still contemplated the question.

'Breakfast, pack and go?' she suggested.

'We should have a chat to Wrenwick as to which way to go,' Kassie said, in the bath on the other side of Loi.

'Then what,' frowned Loi. 'Camp in the forest? What if we find more of those things?'

'They said it'd take a month to reach the castle,' Cat said, leaning her chin on the side of the bath, looking over at them. They fell silent then. A whole month, thought Sian; how are we going to do this?

KASSIE SUCKED A BREATH IN, blowing it out through pursed lips.

'Perhaps when we're clear of the town we should spend some time practicing with our weapons. I realize it means we won't get far tomorrow, but if we can reach the forest by nightfall it means at least we'll be a little prepared if we meet anything...nasty,' she suggested.

'I agree,' said Cat. 'I haven't had as much experience with swords as you guys so it'd make me feel a little more secure.'

'I haven't really used a bow like that before,' Sian said. 'Antiquities are more Cat's thing. It'd be good to get a feel for it.'

Cat wrinkled her nose at Sian and the others chuckled. It lifted the mood back to the relaxed state. Kassie lay back and felt her muscles relax in the heat of the water. She peeked over to see where Lucky sat.

On my clothing, of course, she thought with an internal groan. Lucky looked quite happy curled up on Kassie's top. It felt strange to be able to relax fully. At the back of her mind a voice worried about what would happen to them but Kassie kept it as quiet as possible. Still, a few tears snuck out and she had to take slow, careful breaths to resist sobbing.

One day at a time, she thought pushing the anxiety away, keeping her thoughts pragmatic. One day at a time.

Minutes ticked by and the heat helped to dissolve the anxiety enough that she had to fight the urge to fall asleep. A splash broke the silence, making Kassie jerk in surprise.

Cat sat up in her bath, coughing and hacking.

Loi laughed at her. 'Did you doze off?'

'Yes, and took a decent mouthful of water,' she grimaced then coughed some more. 'Ewww.'

SIAN IGNORED THE OTHERS WHILE she listened to her heartbeat, thrumming soft and steady in her ears. She'd have to ask Henja what herbs were in the water, she could feel the medicinal properties working their magic.

The thudding of her heart seemed strangely loud now. Sian opened her eyes, confused; why doesn't that sound right? She noticed Loi staring at her.

'Can you hear that?'

Sian gulped in surprise. 'Wha—?' she started.

Henja pounded on their door. 'Girls! Look up, a dragon is flying over!'
5

FOR A MOMENT WE STARED at each other in disbelief. Then our heads snapped up. In the small square of visible sky, a huge reptilian body came into view with an enormous wingspan.

Oh. My. GOD!

I gaped at the sight. Gleaming emerald in the afternoon sun, the dragon vanished from view, its huge wings carrying it away swiftly. You could still hear the sound of its wings beating. Like a helicopter, but with a different rhythm. We sat there in a stunned silence.

Holy shit.

For a moment everything felt stark, bright and overexposed; the scent of the water, the sound of Audi's panting beside my bath and the clear almost ringing silence of our astonishment.

I let out a sigh and shook my head then turned to look at Sian, wondering what she made of this. Still staring upward, her mouth open a hint.

'Sianus,' I called. She turned to stare at me her eyes glistened; totally enthralled. 'That was one heck of a spell, Siany.'

SIAN NODDED AT CAT'S WORDS, unable to get the image of that creature out of her head; so huge, so majestic, so _real_. And...

She couldn't think of a word adequate to describe _that_ —the most beautiful thing she'd ever laid eyes on—the tacky line from one of her mum's romance novels sprung to mind. The reality of them now living on a foreign planet hit her and she slumped back in the bath.

A different planet. Oh Goddess, what happened? What was so different? The format had been the same, she'd used all the tools before in rituals and nothing like this had happened.

Feeling a horrible wave of despair, Sian pulled her knees up, not wanting the others to see her cry.

WE'D ALL TURNED WHEN SIAN pulled her knees up and somehow the three of us got out of our baths, drying sheets wrapped tight around our figures and crouched by Sian's bath before you could blink.

'Siany,' I could feel my own tears lump at the back of my throat when I wrapped an arm around her wet back.

'Don't cry, honey,' Kassie squeezed Sian's knee gently while she reassured her. 'I didn't mean it, what I said before. I know it's not your fault. Really, hun, please don't cry.'

Loi crouched on the other side of the bath, her head bent, just touching Sian's, and Audrey stood beside Loi, peering anxiously at Sian.

'I'm sorry,' Sian half sobbed. 'I don't know why it happened. And I don't know how to get us back.' She gulped then lifted her head; those red rimmed eyes stared at us. 'What if we're stuck here?'

The courtyard fell silent while we avoided each other's gaze. It had certainly occurred to me already. Lifting my head, I looked at Kassie.

She stared back with a determined "we'll make the best of it" look.

I nodded and looked at Loi with an arched eyebrow, she nodded too and then gave Sian's head a gentle nudge with her own. Sian lifted her head to stare morosely at us.

KASSIE SQUEEZED SIAN'S KNEE AGAIN and forced a bright smile, turning to Loi who tugged a lock of Sian's wet hair to get her attention.

'We'll live with it,' Loi said firmly before glancing at Kassie and Cat who nodded in agreement.

'We will, Sian.'

Cat tossed her head, the motion flicking water off her hair and lifted her chin. 'We've survived so far! Let's get to the castle and then figure out what's next. One day at a time.'

'Exactly,' chimed in Kassie. 'And just think, this is to meet our soul mates, this could get really exciting.'

The other three girls froze, jaws low as they gaped at Kassie.

Oh, Kassie gulped; am I the only one to remember that?

Cat's eyes were so wide you could see all the whites while Loi's lips moved but no sound came out. Sian, dwarfed by her mass of wet blonde hair, had her lips half pursed in a silent 'Oh'.

'Whoa! Hey, let's not think about that. Food, let's think about food, ' Kassie gabbled the words, worried all three might have a meltdown at once.

I'm only just keeping it together myself, she thought while smiling through clenched teeth at the others; you guys are NOT allowed to do this to me!

'Food, ' she uttered again, nodding as soothingly as she could manage, coaxing the others to say it. They finally snapped out of it, mumbling in agreement while they stood—Sian's tears long forgotten—to go get changed.

GOOD IDEA, THOUGHT LOI AND she banished the hysterical voice in her mind that kept shrieking at Kassie's reminder of why they were here; food. She headed to her pile of clothes and pulled them on, working the pant legs over her still damp limbs. The boots she left loose, bunched around her knees, then sat to dry her hair, watching the others while they fussed around getting ready and Cat gave Audi a good clean.

Audrey had a lovely coat, her fur almost fully black with light tan markings on her lower legs and muzzle and two rather comical slashes above either eye, like eyebrows. Those two slashes helped emphasize the sooky, miserable expression she made sitting there in the tub as Cat soaped her up, rubbing firmly until the dog looked gray with suds. Sian helped with the dunking when Audrey made an aborted attempt to lunge from the tub, and Loi couldn't help laughing at the sight. Eventually they rinsed all the soap from Audi's fur then Cat commanded her out.

The moment the dog's feet hit the floor she started to race around the courtyard as if possessed; shaking, yelling, zooming around their feet while Cat rushed after her, a drying sheet held wide like a net. Loi grinned at Kassie, both of them watching.

The dog froze at the sight of the net and in the corner Sian hurriedly finished changing, knowing what came next. Audi charged at the sheet and Cat wrestled her to the ground while the dog scrambled to get away before charging at the out-spread sheet again; the drying clearly her favorite part. Cat ended up fairly damp while Loi, Kassie and Sian laughed hard watching the spectacle. Audi sat back on her haunches to yell at them too. That was their term for one of the dog's many barks. Audrey had a rather decent vocabulary—it varied from whining, grumbling, talking and yelling when excited—like at the moment. The furious barks and snarls the dog made when they fled from the elgrids was the first time Loi had ever heard her _really_ bark.

WE MADE OUR WAY TO the kitchen as instructed then Henja led the way up a narrow staircase and along a corridor to our rooms.

'Did you see the dragon? Such a big one too, what a good example for your first time.' She beamed at us while we made appropriate remarks but all I could really think about was food. The smells that wafted from the kitchen almost made me dizzy with hunger.

Henja opened one door with a key from a laden iron ring and ushered us in.

'I have given you two rooms that have an adjoining door, so you don't have to go out into the corridor. As you can see you will have to share two to a bed and please,' she pointed at Audi beside me then to Lucky in Kassie's arms. 'No animals on the beds.'

I nodded in agreement along with Kassie and Henja smiled, satisfied.

'Well, I will go get your supper.'

She disappeared back down the corridor. Sian and Laura took the other room and Kassie and I the first. I wandered around the small room. Nothing extravagant but it had a couple of windows and a little stove, nice and cozy. I pulled my boots off as the room was quite warm and then sat, taking a moment to rub a drying sheet over my damp hair. Audi sat straight in front of me, ears perked up as she eyed the sheet, her black tail swishing across the floor, the white tip catching the fading light from a window.

'You've been dried,' I said to her, when she whined as I changed sides, combing through the wet strands with my fingers before using the sheet again. 'This time it's my turn.'

The dog grumbled, lying on her belly with an indignant huff. Lucky gave a happy sounding murrip and jumped down from the stool she'd been perched on observing us all, to curl up on Audi's back. I watched them with a smile. A sharp rap on the door then Henja's voice made me drop the sheet and with Kassie, hurry to the door.

'Here is your supper girls',' Henja offered a heavy tray laden with food; four steaming bowls, a pile of thickly buttered grainy bread and a large jug of water with a stack of thick blown glasses beside it. I took the tray from Henja and she thanked me, then questioned, 'Now, what would be best for your animals?'

While Kassie placed our orders, I carefully maneuvered my way to the small table in Sian and Loi's room and placed the tray on it.

Loi and Sian sat on the bed, and Kass and I on short three-legged stools. The bowls contained a delicious stew. The meat dissolved on the tongue and the vegetables in the thick rich gravy made the perfect topping for the bread, melting the butter a hint. After wiping the bowl clean with another piece of bread I sat back, resting against the bed and sipped a glass of water. It seemed easier to ignore the anxious thoughts now my stomach was sated. No one spoke, just rested, the heat from the stove making the room feel almost heavy. Pushing past the urge to doze off right there, I stood, making Kass jolt.

'Sorry, Kass,' I yawned. 'I'm off to bed now. Night all, sleep well.'

Wandering back to the bed in the adjoining room, I ditched my clothes for a borrowed nightshirt Henja had provided, then crawled under the covers and fell promptly into a deep and dreamless sleep.

*****

THE SUNLIGHT WOKE ME, MY eyes fluttering open when the rays of light began to descend down the bed. I stared at the wall, then rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling.

A different planet.

Weird.

Part of my mind wanted to deny it all, pretend I'd imagined it. The foreign room, however, made it starkly real. Again I waited for myself to panic. My heart did beat faster at the realization, stomach roiling for a minute or two, but my practical side kicked in again. I could picture my mum and dad at home in their kitchen.

'Can't change it, Katy,' dad would say with an open-handed gesture, mum nodding in agreement.

'Focus on the immediate,' she'd advise.

I'd moved out of home at twenty, Sian and I flatting together, later joined by Kass when she arrived on her working visa after attending university in America—celebrating a couple of years later when she got her residency. Right at the moment it felt, reasonably I guess, light years away. And I had such a longing for my old bedroom at home, actual home, with mum and dad. Tears welled at the thought of never seeing them again and ran down my cheeks while I stared unblinking at the ceiling.

Really hope we can get home.

Carefully, so as not to disturb Kassie, I sat up, then groaned under my breath when all my muscles objected and looked around, staring through to the other room where I could see Sian fast asleep. Climbing out of bed I wriggled into my pants and top then sat on a stool to pull on my socks and boots, wincing when I turned my thigh to lace the back of the boot. It seemed every single muscle hurt, even my eyes watered when I let out a mouth-splitting yawn. Audi shook herself awake, staggering off my cloak where she'd slept and bumbled over to give me a big lick. Giggling, I grabbed the dog's head and ruffled the fur round her neck and ears. She grumbled and thrust a paw in my face, I obliged and scratched the front of her chest. Lucky meowed softly at us and sauntered over.

'Are you guys' hungry?' I whispered to them. 'Come on, let's go see if we can get some breakfast.'

Picking Lucky up, I draped her around my shoulders and eased the door open, ushering Audi out. We headed down the corridor and stairs to the kitchen.

'Hello, Henja?' I called, standing outside of the room, listening for a response. A face appeared around the doorway in front of me; a woman around my own age, her sparse blonde eyebrows lifted high in surprise. She stared for a moment then blinked, a smile spreading.

'Hello! You must be one of those four women everyone's talking about. Come on in, I'll get you some breakfast.' She whirled around, the ties on her white cap flicking out.

I hesitated for an instant staring into the room. It didn't seem large enough for all the activity going on. Four people bustled around, the room rich with fragrances that made my mouth water. I hurried in, my stomach growling in anticipation of food. The bobbing white-capped head led the way to a plain table with slab seats jammed amongst cupboards and stored food. Removing Lucky I placed her on the seat beside me and Audi sat under the table, waiting, watching. The kitchen maid reappeared, setting a steaming bowl of porridge in front of me and then a pot of honey and a pitcher of cream. I reached to lift the spoon from the honey when the maid interrupted me.

'What would your animals like?'

'If you have any of that meat stew left, that would be ideal. And I guess Lucky could have a dish of milk if you can spare it.'

The maid left to look and I pulled the spoon out of the honey, dribbling a thin layer over the porridge and then poured the thick cream over the top. The cream and honey mixed together with the long-stewed, mealy, melt-in-the-mouth oats and I sighed in pleasure. The clatter and noise of the kitchen disappeared with each warm, soothing mouthful.

KASSIE AND LAURA MADE THEIR way down to the kitchen and stopped at the doorway, peering through. Kassie couldn't spot anything at first, distracted by the workers who rushed around the crowded room while pots and pans steamed and sizzled on an excessively wide stove that took up most of one wall.

'Ah, there she is,' Loi pointed and Kassie could see Cat at a table, wedged in at the end of the room, enjoying her breakfast with her eyes closed in bliss. Kassie's stomach growled and they made their way to the table, sitting opposite Cat.

'Morning, kitty Cat,' Loi teased. 'Enjoying your breakfast?'

Cat's eyes snapped open and she stared for an instant then reverently said, 'Real cream.'

Kassie twisted, looking for the pot of porridge.

'Hello girls, you're awake now.' A kitchen maid with strands of pale blonde hair escaping her white cap smiled at them. 'Would you like some porridge?' She chuckled at their enthusiastic responses and turned. 'Oh look! Another one. Well have a seat and I'll bring the porridge over in a moment.'

SIAN NODDED BLEARILY AND SLID onto the bench beside me. Letting loose an enormous yawn she plunked her head onto her arms on the table.

'Do you think they have coffee?' she whispered hopefully.

I smothered a laugh. 'I'm thinking not, otherwise you would have smelled it out by now.'

She groaned. 'How long does it take for the cravings to go away?'

Kassie reached over and patted her head. 'Three weeks, sweetie,' she chirped.

Sian lifted her head to glare at Kassie.

The maid maneuvered her way back to the table with three enormous bowls of porridge and set them in front of the others, then turned to me. 'Would you like a hot drink?'

'Do you have anything to wake you up?'

'Just the thing,' she said, and turned away to fetch it.

'I'll have one too!' bellowed Sian, making everyone wince at the noise level and startling the kitchen staff. They turned to stare at Sian who blushed. 'I'm so sorry, I'm really not conscious.'

We chuckled and the maid placed a mug of something hot in front of us. It didn't give the zing that caffeine did but tasted great, thick and soothing. I savored mine while the others finished eating. After breakfast we made our way into the main area of the Inn looking for Henja and found her occupied with customers at the front door. After she saw them off she turned with a smile. 'Girls, did you sleep well?'

We nodded.

'Excellent. Now let's get those food parcels sorted. I have asked Mentan and Lenol to come and give you instructions as to where to go,' she said reassuringly. 'With all that I'm sure you'll be fine.' Henja spun on her heel and walked to the kitchen.

We looked at each other and I shrugged sitting down at one of the tables. I hope the men don't take too long, I thought, I'd really like to get going so we can practice with the weapons. Loi drummed her fingers on the table while we waited.

A short while later Henja came out with two big bundles wrapped in rough sacking and the maid following had another two. It didn't look like we'd be going hungry any time soon. When they placed the parcels on the table the door to the Inn opened and two men stepped through, their eyes uncertain until they spotted Henja.

She waved them over and gestured at us. 'Mentan, Lenol, these are the four women the town is buzzing about. Sian, Catherine, Laura and Kassandra. They would like to know how to reach the castle.'

Mentan sat on the spare seat at the table and Lenol dragged another over.

'Right,' began Mentan. 'It's an easy trail from the village to the forest and I recommend you don't deviate from it.' His face looked serious, heavy furred brows drawn close. Lenol cleared his throat.

'The forest can be a little misleading as there are often animal tracks which look similar to trails, do you know what I mean?'

'Yes, I've seen that before,' I said.

LOI RELAXED WHEN CAT SPOKE up. Cat frequently stayed at her family's cabin back home, always ducking off for the last weekend of the month. Loi and the girls occasionally went with her. The cabin sat tucked away in the mountains, the perfect place to relax.

Then it hit.

Oh... will we ever see it again?

Loi's heart pounded at the thought and the realization. That awful realization. For a moment the Inn felt tiny; sounds, heat and smells pressed down on her while her head spun.

Never? Will we never see it again?

A strange feeling of guilt rose. Mike and Grant will be so disappointed, I promised them I'd take them next time.

Loi had bragged so much about the last couple of trips she'd made with Cat, Sian and Kassie, that her older brothers had begged to come along next time. A horrible sensation of tears swelled in her chest. Loi pressed her lips together tightly, frowning, trying to resist the desire. Just the thought of everyone seeing her cry made her want to cry more and she clenched her hands under the table.

A hand squeezed over hers and Loi twisted, meeting Sian's sympathetic gaze.

'All good, Loiloi, ' Sian whispered under her breath, squeezing her hand again. 'We can do this. '

Loi wrinkled her nose at Sian, attempting a smile. Her friends were what she imagined sisters would be like to have; so close and alike in thoughts, always able to bolster one another through tough spots.

'Least we're here together,' Sian whispered and Loi forced a grin, nodding. The current anxiety and fear lifted a little, making it feel more like an adventure for the moment. Loi turned back to listening to the men as they talked with Cat.

LENOL AND MENTAN WERE HARD to judge in age. Both had weathered faces that could have been anything from a hard aged thirty five, to a fair looking fifty. Lenol gestured while explaining, almost acting out his words as he described some animals to watch out for. Mentan provided a sense of calm to Lenol's rather graphic warnings, not contradicting them but pointing out basic, straight forward solutions. It did feel really weird to know that the forest had things which could be a threat to us, such a vast difference to New Zealand with no real predators. Kassie and I listened hard, exchanging glances while Loi and Sian murmured together.

After the descriptions they explained the track and Mentan said, 'You will pass a total of seven villages before you reach the castle. They should all be welcoming, though I don't recommend bringing the elgrids this time.'

Lenol sniggered.

'We'll be more careful,' Sian promised.

The men described several landmarks we should watch for and they recommended a few camping spots. After that half hour of intense conversation with them, we were done. The men finished their drinks, calling out to Henja who walked to our table.

I couldn't help the almost panicked look I gave both men when I realized then that this was it, we were on our own.

Lenol smiled warmly at me and said in a reassuring voice, 'You girls should be fine. Your kind always is.'

After that perplexing statement, they stood, wishing us luck on our journey, and walked out of the Inn. No one said anything for a moment and I could feel my head bobbing while I ran through all the information again, lips mouthing the words.

Kassie spoke from beside me. 'Our kind? What does he mean by that?'

'He means people from the North,' Henja said and I turned to her. She lifted an eyebrow, turning her head to see if anyone else listened in before leaning closer and continued in a loud whisper. 'After hearing so many legends about your kind, most people here are excited to be able to say they have seen and met some of you in the flesh.'

We stared at her for a moment, our expressions a mix of confusion and amusement, unsure of how to respond before Loi, with a straight face, said, 'Well, being from the North we wouldn't have heard them.'

Henja laughed. 'No, I guess not.'

We each took a parcel, loading them into our packs then, after thanking Henja, headed out of the Inn.

Walking through the village gates, we paused to look back at the sound of them clanging shut and the bolt sliding across. I shivered at the ominous sound.

Kassie met my eyes and smiled. 'Don't worry, Cat, you know we'll be fine. They did say practically nothing was in the forest at the moment, so even if we do meet something, we'll be able to deal with it. No sweat.'

I sighed. 'Ten years jujitsu counts for something, right?'

'Exactly! Let's get going. The sooner we get there the sooner we can practice.'

Loi winked at me. 'Besides apparently our kind will be fine no matter what.'

I rolled my eyes. 'I'm glad to hear it. Now I won't panic.'
6

KASSIE PICKED UP THE PACE, relieved to leave all the staring—albeit very polite—villagers behind and pulled Lucky out of the bag, draping the compliant cat around her shoulders. After the first hour of cautious looks and careful steps their initial wariness wore off. They passed through the grazing lands of the village and the normal stock in the fields—sheep and pigs—made it feel just like wandering past a farm in New Zealand. Then the fields gave way to young trees, as if this land had once been farmland too. Lucky clacked in Kassie's ear when she spotted birds in the trees and Kassie reached a hand back to rub behind the cat's ears, making Lucky purr and knead the shoulder strap of her pack. The cloudy sky gave way to brilliant sunshine and the young trees grew sparsely enough for them to see the track continuing a way ahead.

I ENJOYED THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, it all looking so familiar in some ways yet totally different in others. Spindly, dark-limbed trees stretched for the sky with branches that seemed almost over full of broad green leaves. Fantastic blue flowers grew in sporadic bunches along the way and seemed to quiver when we passed them.

Ooo-oo they're pretty, I thought and stopped to have a closer look, the others stopping too.

The trumpet shaped flowers had beautiful gold and pink markings on the inside of their mouths. I leaned closer, sniffing but found they had no proper scent.

'How disappointing,' Sian commented when she leaned close too. 'They reminded me of irises.'

I agreed and went to step back on to the path when an insect rather like a bee came bumbling along, flying lazy loops in the air. Its brilliant orange stripes were in sharp contrast to the delicate black wings and antennae. The bee flitted just out of reach of one flower then buzzed toward it.

Suddenly the flower jerked forward and snapped the bee up. We jolted back in shock and watched while the squirming bee made its way down the neck of the flower until it hit a bulge near the base of the plant. Then the squirming stopped. The flower slowly opened its mouth back up. We stared at each other in astonished silence.

I'm so glad I didn't try to pick one—ewww—that made me shudder.

Feed me, Seymour, a voice in my mind teased.

Kassie stared at the flower with an expression of fascination and revulsion. 'I guess that's their version of a Venus fly trap?'

'Guess so,' replied Loi, looking a bit wide-eyed.

We turned back to the track. The next couple of hours went surprisingly fast while we chatted away, pointing out anything that caught our attention and we didn't see any scary creatures or uglies, as we took to calling them. The skinny trees developed into the dense forest that Mentan and Lenol had spoken of and we continued until we reached the entrance, the path trailing on.

Deciding to stop for lunch, Sian and I scraped out a circle of dirt for the fire. Then, with Kassie, we went to search for wood while Loi lit the kindling.

KASSIE BENT DOWN, CLUTCHING A pile of wood tight in one arm while groping on the ground with the other. Feeling the dry stick, she added it to the pile and pushed through the undergrowth to where Loi sat. Dropping the wood on the now rather large pile, Kassie had a seat beside Loi who glowed with pleasure at the fire.

'Only took a couple of minutes to light,' she informed Kassie, who laughed.

'Well done! We'll have to see if I can beat your time when I give it a shot.' She nudged Loi with her knee, teasing.

The bush beside them rustled and Sian pushed through with her arms full of wood. Kassie ignored her while she play-fought with Loi then laughed when Sian said a prim voice, 'Now, now, girls, don't make me put you in a time out.'

LOI SNORTED AT SIAN, GAVE Kassie a final hard nudge then reached to pull her pack close, lifting out one of the bundles Henja had provided.

Henja tied it well, Loi grumbled to herself while she struggled with the knots in the rough cord that wrapped around the cloth. When the cord fell off, she spread the fabric out and blinked.

'These parcels Henja gave us will last a week easily,' she turned to Sian. 'How much did you pay her?'

'I gave her two gold coins. She seemed really impressed by it,' Sian frowned. 'We really need to get an idea of what money is worth here, I just didn't want to draw any more attention to us at the time.'

KASSIE STARED AT ALL THE carefully wrapped food that Loi spread across the cloth on the ground, her stomach growling.

'We all have a few gold coins, it'll be good,' she assured Sian. They turned at the sound of crashing and laughed when Cat half fell out of the bush, twigs in her hair and a big pile of wood locked in her arms.

'DON'T LAUGH,' I GROWLED. 'MY foot got caught in a stupid root.' I stomped to the wood pile and dropped the wood onto it. 'Can we eat now?'

Loi and Kassie divided the food from Loi's parcel and put most of it away for another day. I sighed in relief when Kassie finally handed over a sandwich bulging with fillings and bit straight in to it, feeling my grouchiness disappear when the food hit my stomach. We munched away, passing the water around while admiring the fire. My stomach now happy, I lay back on my cloak and studied the sun.

It appeared to be past its zenith, but not too far; one o'clock, maybe two?

'I'm guessing it's early afternoon at the moment, what say we practice until nearly twilight then set up camp here for the night?' I said. 'We already have lots of firewood.'

LOI NODDED IN AGREEMENT. 'RIGHT then.' She stood and brushed down her pants. 'Bring your weapons.' Grabbing her sword, she marched out to the grassy knoll in front of them, the others following suit.

SIAN STAYED CLEAR OF THEM, wanting to practice with her bow first, and while practice would just be with sticks so not to waste the quiver of arrows, she didn't want to take out anyone's eyes. Roughly measuring out a distance of around twenty yards, she created targets out of piles of stones balanced on a waist-high boulder. Targets in place, she headed back to the starting mark and picked up the bow. Fitting the notched end of a stick into the string she took aim and released. The stick shot through the air and easily took out the lowest pile of stones. A thrill of delight ran through her at the accuracy and speed.

A strong bow, she thought, regarding the weapon in her hands with absolute pleasure; it almost sings when I release.

Taking another stick, she slipped into the rhythm of the bow, time flying while she practiced.

LOI, WHO'S PRACTICED KENJUTSU FOR nine years, instructed Kassie and I with our swords and my daggers. First she showed a move and then explained the reasoning of it. Kassie and I then took turns in attacking each other. When Sian turned up to practice with my daggers, I realized in surprise that twilight wasn't far off.

*****

THE BRANCHES WE USED TO make the shelter stunk. The distractingly pungent smell made our sleeping space feel even smaller. We'd created the shelter out of long and slender fallen tree limbs, draping boughs of whatever that smelly tree was over the structure. Then we'd jammed the back of the shelter into the base of a tree, its large roots stabilizing the framework. A pretty basic design, but it kept the wind out and might keep us dry.

It's just that smell, I thought with an internal groan, shifting my head over a makeshift pillow of leaves under my cloak which bunched uncomfortably. Sighing, I sat up to try and fix it, scrunching the leaves into a better shape. I re-fixed the hood of my cloak over them and lay down.

Loi propped up on an elbow, watching with an amused expression. 'Can't manage without a pillow?'

'Not yet anyway,' I rolled my eyes. 'But with leaves crunching in my ears all night I might learn to.'

'Why don't you use Audi as your pillow,' teased Sian.

Audi looked up at hearing her name and then snuggled back down with Lucky.

'Shuuuussh,' mumbled Kassie, curled up like Lucky and Audi, snuggled down in her cloak. I sighed. Scooping the leaves up, I crawled to the entrance and dumped them out. I could learn to manage like Kassie. Crawling back to my cloak I stuck my tongue out at Loi, who still wore that amused look. Wrapping the cloak around me I pulled my knees up and tucked into the fetal position.

Sleep came quickly and it must have been around midnight when Audi's soft growl woke me.

What's she growling at?

Blinking, I peered around; the full moon made it surprisingly light in the shelter. I whispered her name and Audi crept to my side then gave another low growl. Placing a hand on her back I realized with shock that her fur stood stiff, like when she'd first spied the elgrids.

Oh God, what now?

It couldn't be anything little, considering Audi hadn't raced out of the shelter to scare it off. Audrey wasn't cowardly but did seem to know when to hold back. With trembling hands I knelt and strapped on the sword and daggers. The rustling I'd mistaken for leaves in the wind sounded horrifyingly close and my stomach plummeted when I recognized the noise of bodies pushing through the undergrowth. Not again, I thought while goose-bumps rose over my arms, the village is half a day's walk—there's no way to make it back to the safety of those gates. Swallowing hard and trying to calm my breathing I crawled over to Kassie and shook her, placing a hand over her mouth. She mumbled and then her eyes flashed open in shock.

'Shhh, something's outside and Audi thinks it's bad. Strap your sword on and get ready.'

She reached for her sword and I turned to repeat the process with Loi and Sian. We packed the loose gear into the packs and Loi placed them at the back of the shelter into the tree's roots explaining, 'When we jump out we'll pull the shelter down quickly so the packs are covered, we can dig them out later.'

We nodded in agreement.

KASSIE SCOOPED LUCKY UP AND draped the cat over her shoulders, wincing when she clung tight. Sian crouched at one side of the shelter's opening and Loi at the other, with Cat and Kassie right behind them. Audi, pressed to Cat's side, growled again.

Sian nodded to Loi and they ducked, stepping out of the shelter with the other two following.

Loi turned back and, with a hard kick, knocked the main supporting branch down. The roof collapsed covering the packs and she turned back to the them. 'Right, back to back until we sort out what we're facing. Have your swords ready and if you go to strike, step forward so you don't clip the person next to you.'

WE STARED, WHITE-FACED, AT one another for a moment then fanned out and peered into the forest. The rustling in the undergrowth stopped and then odd noises began, soft snarls, whines and a strange husky grunting. I shifted into a fighting stance and pulled my sword out. The rustling and strange noises started again, moving nearer still. My eyes widened in shock at the number of creatures that stepped onto the path before us.

Fuck.

This wasn't the few uglies Mentan and Lenol had warned us about, but a mass of them. I counted at least ten on my side and from the hiss of surprise from Loi I guessed that just as many stood on that side too. Fumbling with the straps, I wrenched off one of the daggers and reached blindly toward Sian.

'Sian,' I hissed. 'Take this.'

KASSIE'S PULSE HAMMERED IN HER ears while she stared at them. Holy fucking hell, they're so close!

They had to be the freakiest things she'd ever seen; just under five foot, with broad shoulders and long arms that came close to touching the ground. They had large pointy ears that stuck out and an almost flat head with tufts of fur or hair. Their wrinkled faces had short muzzles, visible canines when they snarled, and slanted eyes that glinted black in the moonlight.

I COULDN'T TAKE MY EYES off them. All of them held weapons; maces, evil looking cudgels, pretty much anything heavy with spikes, blades or stakes.

So not the welcome wagon, I thought grimly.

The top-heavy creatures would have looked almost comical if it weren't for the murderous intent they readily displayed, swinging their weapons and grunting or growling to each other while keeping those beady narrow eyes locked on us. Beside me Audi snarled again, the fur around her shoulders and down her spine beginning to bristle. Staring at the number of them caused a horrible moment of clarity; surviving this is going to be a mission.

Well then start planning, snapped the rational voice in my mind.

Right.

I mentally slapped the silly voice that ran shrieking in hysterical circles in my head and locked it far away in my brain. Only sane sensible thoughts allowed. Frantic ideas for survival pinged about in my head and I jumped on the closest one.

'Loi, we should use Sian like a sniper, can you to get her to a safe spot?'

LOI GROANED INWARDLY AT CAT'S suggestion. 'Technically, I think I can, but that'll start this.'

'It's not like they have good intentions,' Kassie called softly. 'And someone has to start it.'

Loi tensed her stomach against the sudden urge to vomit and turned to look at Sian, who stared back with a stern expression.

'Let's do this. The boulder behind us can be my starting point.' Sian bared her teeth in a vicious smile. 'I'll shoot, you slash.'

Loi exhaled slowly, readying herself and nodded, pursing her lips. 'Let's do it.'

Her stomach felt like it plummeted to her feet when the two of them stepped away from Kassie and Cat and began to walk to the boulder.

KASSIE SHIFTED CLOSER TO MY back while we prepared to cover each other. I pulled the other dagger out and crouched, ready. The creatures in front seemed to take that as their signal and surged forward.

A HUGE SWORD, POSSIBLY A claymore, swung toward her. Loi jerked back out of its arc and before the owner could swing it again, lunged, thrusting her sword into the creature. Shuddering in disgust at the sensation of penetrating live flesh and the splatter of blood, she wrenched the sword out, watching the creature fall dead to the ground. Adrenaline flooded through her, blacking her vision for a moment and she fought hard against the urge to run screaming from it all.

Kill or be killed, that's the way it works.

Keeping that grim thought at the forefront of her mind, Loi swung her sword at the advancing creatures and focused on the boulder.

Got to reach it!

SIAN RELEASED AN ARROW AND felt, rather than heard the thud when it struck a creature's forehead. A wave of nausea swelled at the sudden realization she had just killed a living being.

Snap out of it, her rational voice roared; this is survival of the fittest. Kill them!

Thoughts on track, she wrenched another arrow from the quiver and shot a creature advancing on Loi. The boulder looked close enough now. With a quick, cautious glance around she sprinted the final distance and scrambled up on it.

Just in the nick of time, she thought, releasing a volley of arrows at the creatures surrounding Loi.

Loi looked astonished at the sudden collapse of her foe and squinted in the semi-light at Sian. 'Thanks!'

KASSIE AND I FOUGHT BACK to back with Audi ducking around us, snapping at legs and darting away. I wished she'd stay out the way but knew she wouldn't. Kassie hissed in pain.

Alarmed I twisted to check on her. 'Kass! You right?'

'I'm okay,' she grunted slashing out with her sword, removing a creature's arm. 'Lucky just took off up a tree and used my shoulder as her launch pad.'

I barked a laugh of relief and noticed Audi bound away to the base of the tree where Lucky hid.

Loi appeared at my side. 'Glad to see you two are okay,' she yelled over the din of the battle.

'We're good, so far. And Sian?' I hollered back.

LOI BEGAN TO REPLY WHEN a flash of lightning lit the forest. Oh crap, she thought when the rain started to pelt down.

'Sian's good,' she bellowed and at that moment two more creatures dropped dead, the arrows in their heads quivering.

SO I SEE, I THOUGHT, staring at the fresh corpses with revulsion. Huh, oddly comical looking, observed my rational voice; the bright feathers of the arrows looked almost festive sprouting from the dead creatures' foreheads. The temperature began to drop and the wind picked up. All in all, this night seemed to get darker, longer, and nastier. Blood soaked the torso of my shirt, so far none of it mine and my arms seemed almost numb from the constant weight of the sword.

If we survive this my arms will be black and blue.

If we survive this, my rational voice thought; it'll be a bloody miracle.

Glancing at the others I saw the same drawn determined expressions while they fought and my heart thudded with dread while I stared around briefly. Thunder boomed overhead and I ducked without thinking—whoa, loud! Lightning lit the sky and the landscape, illuminating the creatures around us.

Where the hell were they coming from? For every one I brought down, another stood in its place.

'Duck!' Loi yelled and she swung her sword over me, removing the head of a creature. I dove into a roll and slammed a dagger into the shank of a creature in front of me. It shrieked and swung an arm out, striking me across the head.

CAT YELPED IN PAIN AND Kassie jerked around to see her stagger up from the ground then rip her sword up the torso of a creature. When she turned to retrieve her dagger from the body Kassie saw the blood running down her chin. 'CAT!' she shrieked in alarm.

'I'm bokay,' Cat yelled back, her voice oddly thick. 'It bade be bite by friggen thongue.' She spat out a mouthful of blood.

SIAN YANKED ANOTHER ARROW FROM the quiver and set it to the bow. Drawing, she quickly sighted and released, hitting a creature behind Kassie's back. The feathers that sprouted from its forehead gave her a quick sense of satisfaction. It wouldn't get up again.

A hard slam to the back sent her sprawling off the boulder onto the ground.

Sian jerked to the side just in time before a mace smashed down. Grunting, she heaved herself to her feet and whipped out the dagger Cat had given her, thrusting it into the throat of the mace wielder. Blood spurted from its mouth over her arm and it slumped to the ground dead. Grimacing in disgust, she pulled the dagger out and spun around; nope, nothing on my tail yet.

Glancing at the others, she saw a creature draw its sword back about to skewer Cat, whose attention appeared elsewhere. Cursing, Sian seized an arrow and had it off in a flash. The creature slowly toppled to the ground, revealing a surprised looking Cat.

Noticing Sian with the bow drawn Cat gave a nod of thanks and then moved back into the fight beside Loi.

DAMN SIAN'S QUICK WITH THAT bow! That was too close a call for my liking. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kassie feint a high jab then drop low with a slash and the innards of the creature she'd attacked spilled out. It uttered a horrific snarl. I felt Loi close to me.

'This isn't going particularly well,' she muttered in a tight voice.

No really, I thought, I hadn't noticed.

'Any better ideas?' I snapped. We looked at each other for a brief moment and saw the answer we already knew in each other's eyes.

What happens if we die here, I suddenly wondered. Do we return home and if so, are we dead?

Hearing an odd noise from above, I risked a glance up. Lucky clung in the branches of a tree hissing and spitting at the creatures below. Audi resumed her guard at the base of the tree her fur fluffed up like a mane around her shoulders and neck. She snarled fiercely at any creature that came close but they appeared far more interested in us.

I hope we survive, I thought, feeling desperation creep in. I'd feel so guilty if those two were left by themselves.

KASSIE COULD HEAR HER SENSEI'S instructions running through her head like a chant: thrust, block, step backward, step forward, duck, thrust, lunge. She went through the motions taking down creature after creature, relying on her quick instincts to move out of the way in time. An arrow whizzed past and a creature on the left toppled over dead. She turned to see where Cat and Loi fought and then gasped when the lightning illuminated their surroundings.

Directly in front of her a creature swung a huge battle axe closer and closer. She jerked back instinctively.

KASSIE BUMPED INTO MY BACK.

'Sorry, Cat!' she gasped, both of us lurching out of the path of a massive axe.

'Take that side,' I yelled and we lunged, hamstringing the axe holder. It uttered a horrible moan then toppled forward and Loi brought her sword down, beheading it. Above the din of the screams the creatures kept uttering I heard something strange. It almost sounded like a horn.

I kept my focus on our surroundings, swinging, slashing, ducking and lunging; feeling like I operated on autopilot while we continued to fight. Then a creature in front jerked its head away.

Excellent!

I swung the sword around my head to build momentum. The creature's attention snapped back to me and I only caught a glimpse of what might have been fear in its eyes before I removed its head.

'Something's happening!' screamed Loi and she backed next to me. Sian and Kassie moved in too and we stared while the creatures ignored us. Keeping our weapons ready we watched in astonishment when those remaining pulled away. Loping on all fours like gorillas into the forest while screeching in alarm.

A strange noise caught our attention and we looked around in confusion. I heard it again and froze while listening.

The deep rhythmic thudding sound felt like it resonated through my body and my stomach churned; not good, I thought, I can't see a thing in this storm. Even the moonlight wasn't visible now with the thick clouds that had rain pelting down.

'It's getting closer,' Kassie whispered hoarsely.

We stared at each other and a sense of dread crept through me. Audi stood frozen at the base of the tree and in the branches above Lucky clung, not making a sound. We realized the sound came from above and craned our necks, staring upward. Straining my eyes against the darkness I couldn't see a thing. Then a flash of lightning lit the sky.

Holy HECK!

My jaw dropped and I gasped in horror when five massive creatures landed around us, shaking the earth beneath.

'OH MY GOD! They're griffons!'
7

ALL COHERENT THOUGHTS WENT OUT the window. My eyes felt like they'd pop out of my skull.

Griffons—about the size of an elephant, with immense feline bodies, each flash of lightning revealed more; long tails lashing in agitation and massive wings folded at their sides, sharp inquisitive eagle heads surrounded by impressive manes. The five of them eyed us intently. Desperation flooded my limbs and my knees turned to water while I struggled to stay on my feet.

Oh crap. What are we meant to do now?

I felt the others quiver beside me.

'Greetings, can we offer you assistance?'

I gaped stupidly at the griffon; it could speak?

About to lose it completely, I spied a shape perched behind the griffon's head. The griffon made a subtle gesture, dropping its foreleg slightly and the man casually slid to the ground in an obviously well practiced move.

Still frozen in our gathered fighting position we tensed when he strode toward us. A tall imposing figure, he wore heavy looking armor and a cape flared out behind him. Another flash of lighting showed dark hair and dark eyes, his walk casual yet officious.

Remembering then exactly how awful I must look, I made a quick attempt to neaten up. Keeping a firm grip on the handle of my sword I hurriedly wiped at the blood on my face with my free hand. Ouch! I winced, feeling the chunk I'd taken out my tongue. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the others doing the same. After glancing at Kassie and Loi I realized our efforts were pointless, we looked like actors from a horror movie; so much for first impressions.

THE BLOND MAN LEANED OUT to watch the reaction of the women while his leader approached them.

' _He wants you to join him,'_ his griffon informed him.

' _Right,'_ he thought back and swung his leg over the saddle then slipped down Tomiar's forearm to the ground. The others moved forward with him to stand behind their leader, quietly observing the bloody and disheveled young women.

THE SUDDEN STOP FROM OUR frantic fight for survival felt mind spinning. Trying to get my brain back to a civilized state proved as successful as straightening my clothes had been. I varied between wanting to scream and wanting to sob; it all just too much at the moment. While we stood there, still on guard, others slid down from the griffons. I didn't want to take my eyes off those enormous creatures so made quick glances to see who approached.

Men...all men.

My back stiffened. What would any sane person be doing out on a night like this? It must be nearly three or four in the morning. The rational voice in my head warned me to stay on guard.

We heard a whine and turned. Audi crept toward us through the gap between two griffons. The griffon which the first man had slid down from turned its head sharply, leaned over and sniffed at her. Audi froze and flattened against the ground, her eyes petrified. A whimper escaped my throat and the others seemed to lean toward her with me. The man laughed.

'Loushka won't harm your dog,' he assured us. 'She likes dogs.'

Loushka gave Audi a gentle nudge with her beak. The dog yelped in surprise then bolted for us, scooting in between Sian and I. Everyone froze at the sudden and unexpected movement. Loushka cocked her head at us, peering after Audi and then made a chirruping noise. The man smiled and stepped closer, barely an arms width away, then bowed.

'My name is Alek; I am the head of the Griffon Guard which protects these lands.' He turned and indicated to the men and griffons. 'This is Daron and his griffon Nesha. Rumal and Kerak, Gredel and Phroma, and Sabyn with Tomiar.'

The men inclined their heads at their names, the griffons also.

DARON FOUGHT THE URGE TO roll his shoulders; the tension in the air felt strong and uncomfortable.

_'Why are they so silent?'_ wondered Nesha while he studied the women who stared wide-eyed at them.

' _I'm not sure,'_ Daron thought, _'I think they're a little battle stunned.'_

Nesha frowned, _'Surely this wasn't their first battle? They're efficient fighters.'_ He flashed an image to Daron of the women fighting when they'd first spotted them.

' _Maybe they haven't faced such a large group of gragnolls before_ ,' suggested Daron. ' _Or ever, Elena did say they might know little of this realm_.'

AFTER AN UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE, I realized it was our turn. My heart thudded like crazy and I swallowed hard then swallowed again. The man, Alek, stared at me. Lowering my sword felt ridiculously hard, the sudden sense of exposure before these strangers nearly making me shake.

With a steadying breath, I forced something akin to a smile and inclined my head.

'Hi. Your timing is impeccable. It's most appreciated. My name is Catherine; this is Laura, Kassandra and Sian.' The girls managed tight smiles. 'And this.' I stepped to the side. 'Is my dog Audrey.' Audi wagged her tail at her name. 'And that.' I pointed upward watching their eyes follow the gesture. 'Is Kassandra's cat, Lucky.' Lucky meowed plaintively from the branches above. The silence happened again while they stared at us and the animals for a moment.

'Do you usually take your cat with you?' queried one of the men, Gredel I think; a tall heavy-set man with an open face and light hair.

Kassie shook her head. 'No sir, but then we never expected to be in this situation.'

The silence grew while the men studied us, exchanging tiny glances in a manner that suggested they spoke though no one said a word. More than a little creepy; I exchanged a concerned look with Kassie, what happens next?

RUMAL WATCHED THE SMALL WOMAN or girl who'd just spoken. He'd thought them older when they first spotted them, their fighting showed years of practice, but the one that spoke to Gredel—Kassandra—seemed younger now he could see her.

' _What's happening now?'_ Kerak demanded, excited to be involved in all this.

' _Ask Loushka if we should set up camp.'_ Rumal requested.

' _Loushka says Alek agrees.'_

' _Thanks, Kerak.'_

LOI SHIFTED HER WEIGHT TO the other foot. The rain had let up a little and now that they'd stopped moving, stopped fighting, Loi could feel the cold creeping into her limbs. She shivered, unable to help it and clenched her fists tight to try and stop the tears that threatened. The air still felt tense though it seemed their rescuers meant them no harm. Though her body cried out for her to sit and rest, Loi stood strong. 'Why are you here? In a storm like this? It's the middle of the night!'

ALEK HESITATED AT THE BLUNT demand. He'd expected it but had hoped it wouldn't be until the sun rose and they'd had a few hours rest. The Sorceress Elena had ordered the Griffon Guard to leap to this place only a couple of hours ago and their griffons were exhausted, though exhilarated, from the feat. They'd never leapt so far before, but Elena had insisted that they leap, before anything bad happened to the women she'd seen in her vision. He stared at the one who'd spoken—the tallest of the women though she looked younger, with long dark hair to her waist.

'We were told that some people were in need of help in this direction. Why don't we discuss it more when the sun is up? I'm sure you could use a few hours sleep.'

LOI LOOKED ASTONISHED AT HIS answer.

I nodded. 'Fine.'

If he wanted to offer sleep I wasn't about to refuse, and I suddenly remembered the shelter. Turning my back on the men and griffons I walked to where we'd stashed our bags. The others joined me and we began to dig. I heard footsteps and whirled around to find blue eyes rather close to mine, staring curiously.

'Urk!' I jerked back and fell on my backside, startling Alek.

What? Hasn't he heard of personal space?

'I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T MEAN to surprise you,' Alek offered a hand to the red-haired girl, mind scrambling for a moment to recall her name—Catherine, that's right. Catherine stared at his hand a moment before taking it. He nearly jerked back at the snap of electricity that passed between them but kept his grip and pulled her to her feet. She came to shoulder height on him—she'd seemed taller from a distance.

He held her hand a moment longer. 'Are you okay?'

She blinked in surprise then followed his gaze to the blood congealing on her clothes.

'Oh! Ahh...' she frowned while staring at the blood then looked up, her brows relaxing and an expression of startled relief made her seem almost childlike. 'It's not mine! Well, not much anyway.'

Alek laughed, unable to resist; she'd sounded so delighted. 'Well I'm glad to hear it.'

I LAUGHED WITH HIM FEELING my cheeks flush with embarrassment. I hadn't meant to sound quite so gleeful. Alek shook his head and flashed a wide smile at me.

Part of my brain suddenly registered that this man was rather attractive; black windswept hair, a tall broad figure with muscular limbs, that striking smile and deep, sapphire blue eyes.

Ooooh.

'Why are you digging?'

Alek stared at me, those eyes roaming my face as I gaped at him, for some weird reason unable to get a grip on any words. I could hear the rational voice in my head bellowing at me; oh for goodness sake, Cat! He's going to think you're a total moron!

SABYN SNORTED IN AMUSEMENT AT the sight of the red-headed girl gazing at Alek. _'Looks like Alek's charmed another,'_ he thought to Tomiar.

' _Leave the poor girl alone,'_ Tomiar admonished him. _'She's just exhausted that's all.'_

' _That's not exhaustion,'_ Sabyn replied. _'She looks like the twins when they spotted Daron and Gredel that time.'_

' _Oh that's just hormones,'_ Tomiar scolded. _'This girl's been fighting for her life, she's allowed to be stunned.'_

Yes, Sabyn cynically thought to himself, stunned by my cousin's pretty blue eyes.

SIAN TURNED BACK TO SEE Cat gaze at Alek in a somewhat awed manner.

Ooh no, she thought and marched over, giving Cat a shake to snap her out of her reverie and shot Alek a hard look.

'You'll have to forgive her, she's useless with lack of sleep. We're digging our packs out of the shelter we'd been sleeping in when those things attacked.' She indicated to Loi who'd just retrieved a bag and tossed it over.

PACKS. ATTACKED. RIGHT. NODDING, I got a grip on myself and turned back to help. Alek walked back to the men and they spoke rapidly to one another in a foreign tongue.

Our packs now retrieved I rummaged through mine until I located the loaf of bread and tore it into chunks. I wasn't about to use the daggers to cut food until I'd boiled them. I grimaced in disgust at the muck that coated the once silvery blades. I passed the bread along to the others and we slumped to the ground, leaning on each other. Exhausted, we chewed while watching the men set up a shelter.

A shadowy movement across from us made me flinch and sit up, until I realized it was Lucky. The cat crept down the tree where she'd escaped to then flew across the site to Kassie, startling one of the men. Audi got up from beside me to examine her friend, gently rolling her over and snuffling her nose through the cat's fur. Lucky started to purr while Audi settled down to clean her, both Kass and I smiling at them.

So pleased we got through that okay, I thought while watching our critters.

The thought brought unexpected tears to my eyes and I stared up, blinking rapidly. Kassie hooked an arm around my knee, hugging it and I looked down to her understanding eyes.

'So silly,' I whispered the words past a lump in my throat and shrugged, trying to let go of the desire to sob.

'Not,' Kassie countered, hugging my knee again. 'But let it go till we have some privacy.'

' _THAT CAT NEARLY GAVE ME a heart attack,'_ Gredel thought to Phroma after the tiny animal had whooshed between them across to where the four women sat.

The griffon chuckled. _'Yes, cats are vicious scary creatures, you should be grateful you still have your feet.'_

Gredel gave her a narrow look and removed the tent poles from her harness while Rumal, Sabyn and Daron set out the large tent. The rain had reduced to a gentle drizzle but the hard rain from before meant they needed to step carefully, the tent site muddy.

' _The tent's going to need a good clean come morning,'_ Gredel thought to Phroma. _'I can't tell what's mud and what's blood.'_

The griffon made her version of a shrug. _'It all washes off. Those women need to get under cover before they catch chills. Elena wouldn't be impressed at all.'_

True, Gredel thought to himself.

He tossed another bundle of wooden pegs to Rumal, who knocked them into the ground with the back of his heel, the soaked land accepting them with ease.

RUMAL HAD TO REASSURE KERAK when another flash of lightning lit the area. The young griffon varied between bravado and pride at being a member of the Guard and then nervousness about the storm. The griffon's tail bore a permanent white mark from a lightning strike years ago. Rumal distracted him with suggestions of how impressed the women were by him, which had him fluffing his newly grown (and truth be told still a little sparse) mane.

GREDEL PICKED UP FLICKERS OF the conversation in his head and chuckled at it, exchanging an amused look with Phroma.

' _Am glad you're not inclined to vanity,'_ he thought.

' _Oh give me time,'_ she smirked at him _. 'I'm sure I can work on it.'_

ALEK LEFT THE OTHER MEN to set up the tent and ducked out of sight behind some trees. Leaning back against one, he unfastened the wrist of his chainmail, exposing the wide metal cuff. Twisting his wrist to reveal the crystal laced into the cuff, pressing against his skin, he rubbed his thumb firmly over the polished stone and relaxed his mind then threw out a thought to her.

' _Elena, can you hear me?'_

A few seconds passed then her voice came to his mind. _'Loud and clear, Alek, are they okay? I saw some serious fighting in my vision and we need them safe and whole.'_

He peeked around the tree, showing Elena the image of the four women and two animals slumped against one another in exhaustion. _'They're fine, Elena, just exhausted.'_

' _Good. Get them to bed; there are clean robes in one of the bags that will fit. Keep them healthy, Alek. If they're the ones I hope they are, then they'll need all their strength for the months ahead.'_

' _Certainly. We'll begin the journey home tomorrow; I expect it'll take us a week. The griffons found the leap hard work.'_

' _Of course, Alek, keep everyone healthy. Tell the women as much as is necessary. I'll clarify the rest with them when you arrive.'_

Alek bowed his head in farewell and felt Elena's presence vanish from his mind. When he stood to move back to the camp, Loushka's thought came to him.

' _What did she say, Alek? Are they the ones?'_

' _She hopes so, Loushka, we must make sure they get their strength back. You and the others too, I know leaping like that is hard work but you did well. Elena is pleased.'_

Alek could feel Loushka beam with pride and in a moment he picked up the same emotions from the other griffons. While he walked back into the campsite he noticed Catherine and the one called Kassandra had nodded off, slumped against each other. Daron approached him to let him know that the tent was set up and the cot beds ready. Alek turned to Sabyn and asked him to look for the robes Elena had mentioned.

IN A MURKY DREAMLAND I tried to beat off horrible little creatures that wanted to chew on my legs, but my arms felt too heavy. I tensed, ready to whack one, when a firm hand on my arm startled me out of sleep and I jumped.

Alek's blue eyes once again stared into mine. I blinked rapidly and tried to collect my thoughts. The gentle, almost affectionate smile he gave me didn't improve my scrambled brain and I just stared as he lifted me to my feet with ease.

'The tent and beds are ready. C'mon, let's get you and the others into bed.'

Nodding dumbly, I staggered alongside Alek, who kept a firm grip on my arm while he led us into the tent. The sight of four cots set up with blankets almost made me cry in relief. I made a beeline for the closest cot and about to fall into it, halted, when Alek's voice interrupted me.

'Sabyn is bringing in a bucket of hot water for you all to wash and there's a robe for each of you. We'll talk properly after breakfast tomorrow.' He smiled at us, 'Sleep well.'

Sabyn came into the tent with a large bucket of hot water and pointed out the soap and drying sheets on the small table beside my cot. Loi thanked him and he wished us a good night's sleep when he left. Somehow I managed to undress, clean myself and put on my robe without falling over, or asleep, in the process and finally surrendered my body to the cot bed. It even had a pillow.

Bliss.
8

I WOKE TO AN UNPLEASANT ache in my ear and jaw and groggily went to push up to sitting then froze when everything wobbled, abruptly remembering the cot bed beneath me. Slowly I lay back down and shuffled about, managing to lie full on my back without tipping the bed over and stared at the green canvas ceiling. Sunlight shone hard on the tent, glinting through pinprick-sized holes in the fabric, warming our room to the point of stuffiness. The others still slept and I couldn't hear the men in their part of the tent. Audi crept out from under the cot and stood next to it, laying her head beside mine and gave me little kisses on the nose. I giggled and reached a hand up to rub her ears when she started to whine at me.

'Shhhh, we don't want to wake the others,' I scolded in a quiet voice. Carefully this time, I sat up again and a gasp of pain slipped out. I winced, feeling bruises practically everywhere and had to resist yelping when I twisted, placing my feet on the ground. The cot bed wobbled again and I steadied myself, spreading my feet wider then groped for my boots, slipping each one on then lacing the backs.

'It's much easier to do when you're sitting,' I whispered to Audi. Her tail thumped on the ground.

Wriggling my jaw, I realized the ache I'd woken to was due to sleeping so heavily in one position. I don't think I moved once since my head first hit the pillow. Gingerly, I drew a sleeve up, staring at the dark blotches all over my arm.

'Oh goody,' I muttered at the sight of those bruises, knowing all too well that the rest of me probably looked like that too. Letting the sleeve slip down, I pushed up to standing, staying still until the nasty pounding in my head abated. Not so much a headache, just my body demanding more rest. My stomach, however, growled loudly making Audi cock her head. Spotting my filthy clothes and weapons, I scooped them all up before hunting down the bar of soap Sabyn had left us. Pushing our way out of the tent, Audi and I stopped when the sun hit us.

What a truly stunning day, I thought, squinting, such a contrast to last night. The ground felt soft underfoot but the worst of the mud had dried out already. A voice called and I turned. Smiling while he strode toward me, one of the men spoke softly so not to wake the others.

'Good morning, we thought you might all sleep the day away.'

'I wish,' I said with a rueful smile, my brain clicking through the names until it registered; Daron. 'But I'm feeling a bit hungry. And if I want to wear these ever again I better wash them.' I held the washing pile away and wrinkled my nose at it.

I held a hand up to shade my eyes and watched Daron laugh, unable to resist grinning at the jovial sound. The horrors of last night felt hard to comprehend at the moment in the sunshine and feeling of civilization that the campsite provided.

'Gragnoll gunk isn't nice, but it washes off and as for food, Gredel and Sabyn cooked a giant breakfast and left some aside for you all,' Daron said then looked down at Audrey. 'Even some for you,' he cooed at her.

Audrey ducked her head at his voice and gave him her best coy look then rolled over demanding a belly rub.

'Honestly, Audrey,' I scolded teasingly. 'You're such a flirt.'

Daron looked up from where he crouched beside the dog and grinned, making his brown eyes crease over strong cheekbones.

'She knows a sucker when she sees one.'

I laughed, watching the two for a moment longer then spotted Sabyn and headed his way.

Breakfast consisted of bacon crisped till nearly black, mounds of shredded potato fried in the bacon fat and fresh but chewy bread rolls with an underlying tang like sourdough, toasted and generously buttered. A far better meal than I would have anticipated and I thanked Sabyn who waved it aside as he piled another mound of potatoes on my plate. He looked both out of place and totally at home; another well-muscled man with longish blond hair tied back in a plait, a frying pan in one hand and a carving knife in the other, as he slid more slices of bacon into the pan with an ease of motion that suggested plenty of practice.

When I finished eating I took a cup of water and moved a little away from the fire, sitting on a log and sipping at the water. I watched the griffons and the men, mind disbelieving at the enormous creatures.

So very beautiful, I thought, feeling my heart speed up when the closest griffon, Loushka—the one Alek had slid down from last night—twisted to stare at me.

She was a beautiful deep tan and her thick, luxurious mane glinted with red undertones in the sunlight. The mane covered her neck and shoulders to her wings, folded at her sides while she lay in the sun, the long stiff flight feathers prominent, the feathers a mix of dark tan stripes and red. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her, feeling a thrill of delight and fear as those deep ochre eyes with slashes of pupils regarded me just as closely.

A funny sounding whiny squawk broke my focus and I glanced over to see the dark skinned man, Rumal, giving his griffon Kerak a good scratch on the neck. Kerak's mane looked sparse compared to Loushka's and I wondered if he was younger than her. The hilariously comical expression of pleasure on the griffon's face had to be seen to be believed.

Rumal glanced up to see me watching and laughed, his white teeth bright against his skin. A striking man, I couldn't help but stare at his eyes—they looked like molten gold and seemed to swirl. Rumal appeared the shortest of the men but easily still a head taller than Loi. I felt positively tiny in comparison to all of them. They looked like guys that could easily take an opponent down, even without their spectacular sidekicks.

I continued to watch while Gredel and Phroma appeared to communicate and the strawberry blond man fussed over her forepaw. Phroma seemed to talk to him but didn't make a sound. You just got the idea from the way Gredel would glance at her and she'd cock her head or appear to nod, or shake it. It fascinated me and I leaned forward on my knees, watching closely.

Gredel turned and noticed me watching so I wished him a good morning. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rumal and Daron stiffen while Gredel turned a puce color at my greeting. Confused at his expression I went to turn to Sabyn who sat near me when Gredel suddenly belted out, 'I'm married!' and rushed off into the bush.

I sat in open mouthed astonishment while the three men roared with laughter.

'What on earth was that about?'

Sabyn, still chuckling explained, 'Gredel is recently married and his father-in-law gave him a hard time about talking to other women. The old man's incredibly protective of his women, especially Citaan.' Sabyn winked. 'You're the fourth woman he's done that to since his wedding.'

I stared at him for a moment. 'Well, I'm glad it's not just me.'

Gathering the pile of stuff I wanted to wash, I queried the direction to the river and Rumal showed me the track.

Before I headed down it I asked, 'Are there any water creatures I should watch out for?'

He shook his head. 'No, not in this area, you'll be fine.'

SABYN AND DARON EXCHANGED A glance when Catherine headed off to the river. As their second in command Gredel usually stayed calm and ready. Then he'd met Citaan. It was odd in a way, he'd never appeared to really notice women before, probably the reason Elena had assigned him as Citaan's bodyguard when the Sorceress sent Citaan into the Scrodian Mountains. After that short, week-long trip, the change in their friend had stunned them. From a man who'd looked to be a life-long bachelor to a man so smitten he'd take every word his father-in-law said as absolute fact.

Sabyn shook his head; he liked Gredel's wife and so did the other guys, but he couldn't understand why Gredel's brain seemed to stop functioning at the thought of her.

Muttering under his breath he followed Daron into the bush after Gredel.

THE TRACK QUICKLY LED TO the river and I dropped my stuff near the edge. Kneeling, I dunked my top in the water and scrubbed it full of soap, smiling when I heard splashes further out in the water; Audi's such a water baby and as long as it's by choice rather than me giving her a bath she'll swim anywhere. I swished the top under the water, rinsing the soap out. The splashes got closer and I glanced up.

Alek stood in the middle of the river the water lapping mid-thigh on him.

I froze, heart thudding loudly in my ears as I stared open mouthed; I don't think I'd ever seen such a fantastic male specimen in real life before. He'd shoved his blue black hair back from his brow. My eyes traced from his forehead to the five o'clock shadow of a beard and down the strong jaw line to his throat, where the water ran in rivulets down that taut muscular body. My eyes locked on the drips that fell from the dark hair of his chest down to his smooth belly, inching closer to the white, almost see-through shorts.

ALEK STARED AT CATHERINE IN surprise, he'd thought all the women would have slept for a few more hours at least. About to call out a greeting, he stopped when he noticed her slack jawed expression.

SUDDENLY I COULD MAKE OUT the rational voice in my head.

It shrieked at me; stop STARING! He's looking right at YOU!

My eyes jerked up to dark blue ones that regarded me in amusement, a black eyebrow arched high, lips curved in a cheeky smirk.

Oh my god!

And in the manner of any intelligent, attractive, level headed female who's been caught out... I promptly blushed beetroot, muttered something unintelligent and snatched my things before bolting for the tent. I hurtled past Daron heading toward the river.

ALEK STARED AFTER CATHERINE. SHE'D turned a rather remarkable shade of red then run off. Not far off the color of her hair, Alek mused in amusement. She'd obviously approved of what she'd seen; he chuckled at the recollection of shock in those wide green eyes when she realized he watched.

'ALEK! WHAT'D YOU DO TO Catherine?' Daron arrived at the end of the track, concerned after seeing the flame faced woman sprint past him. Alek smirked.

Uh oh, thought Daron, I know that look.

He stopped on the track and gave Alek a look of his own.

'Explain. Now.'

Alek arched an eyebrow at Daron's tone.

'I did nothing to her,' he struggled to keep a straight face. 'She didn't notice me swimming here and seemed a bit,' he paused and shot Daron a crooked grin. '...surprised to find me.'

Daron envisioned the scene and gave a snort of amusement. 'You do know your shorts are see-through when wet, Alek.'

'You know, I think Catherine noticed that.' Alek grinned then shrugged. 'I thought they'd sleep for a few more hours, didn't think I'd need to worry about company.'

I BURST INTO THE TENT scaring Lucky off my cot and dropped on to it, burying my face in my pillow.

Oh God, oh God, fuck—fuck—fuck! I can't believe I just did that!

'CAT, WHAT'S WRONG?' LOI LEAPED out of her bed and rushed over to Cat who'd just thrown herself on a bed, her face flushed with what looked like alarm. Cat mumbled into her pillow.

'Cat, we can't understand you.'

Kassie and Sian joined her by Cat's bed and Sian stroked her trembling back. She sat up, looking as though she might laugh or cry.

THE GIRLS STARED AT ME in concern.

'Are you okay?' Kassie hesitantly asked.

I nodded my head then shook it. 'Yes...No...Ohh I'm so embarrassed.' I buried my face in my hands for a moment then took a deep breath. 'I went to the river to wash my clothes.' The others nodded, faces intent while they listened. 'And as I washed my top I heard a splash. I thought it was Audi. I looked up and it was Alek. He was basically naked in the water and I stared and he saw and oh my God, I feel like such an idiot.' I didn't think my face could get any hotter while Sian, Kassie and Loi stared at me.

'What do you mean—practically naked?' Sian asked curiously, her lips trembling with suppressed laughter.

'White shorts,' I snapped. 'Wet white shorts.' I glared at Loi who silently rocked with laughter, tears running down her cheeks.

Kassie had a wide smile. 'And he caught you staring?'

'Yep...'

All three of them did the silent laughter now. Until their breaths ran out that is.

'Oh—My—Goodness,' gasped Kassie. 'I would have LOVED to have seen that.'

Sian, wheezing with laughter, nodded. 'Oww it hurts,' she gasped. 'My stomach.'

Loi made funny squeaky noises while she fought for breath. I, on the other hand, simply sat there getting hotter and hotter.

KASSIE MANAGED TO CATCH HER breath and glanced up to notice Cat's rather spectacular red face. 'C'mon, Kitty Cat,' she teased which made Cat's eyes narrow to green slits. 'Isn't it just the littlest bit funny?'

Cat stared at her for half a second longer and then started to laugh. Kassie chuckled and climbed on to the cot beside her. This wasn't the best idea because it promptly collapsed and caused the hilarity to reach new levels.

OUTSIDE GREDEL STARED SUSPICIOUSLY AT the tent as hysterical laughter wafted out from within it. He felt somewhat stupid after Daron and Sabyn talked to him, he hadn't realized it until they'd pointed it out. It wasn't like him to act so daft, then to have to have his friends point it out? An embarrassed flush climbed unpleasantly up his neck. He grumbled and sighed then stomped over to Phroma, leaning against the violet winged griffon.

Phroma arched her head down toward him. _'What's wrong, friend?'_

Gredel gave her a smile. _'I miss Citaan,'_ he sighed again. _'And I don't know what the guys are doing and I can't leave those cackling creatures alone to find out.'_ He glowered at the tent.

Phroma made a soothing noise, _'We'll see Citaan soon and I'll ask Loushka what the others are up to.'_

Gredel waited patiently while Phroma chatted with Loushka. As a griffon rider he'd been linked to Phroma from his birth and from puberty had been able to communicate with her via telepathy. The bonus with telepathy meant you could share images as well as thoughts and Phroma showed Gredel the image of Catherine's astonished face.

Looks like I'm not the only one to make a fool of myself, Gredel thought and he roared with laughter, loud enough to startle those in the tent into silence while he watched the flustered red-head run off down the track.

WHEN WE SETTLED DOWN THE others grabbed the things they wanted to wash. The girls had decided to come with me to wash their gear, and this time we'd inform the guys we didn't require any entertainment.

Kassie winked at me. 'No matter how attractive huh, Cat?'

I fought a smile and growled at her, 'Enough. I'm trying to look normal here instead of resembling a tomato.' The others grinned at that.

'Ready, Cat?' asked Loi, her eyes dancing in amusement.

'As ready as I'll ever be. Let's get this over with.'

We walked out to the breakfast area, toward the men, who all gave low bows when we approached. When they straightened up I could see they resisted the urge to laugh. I fought the urge to blush, failed, and turned to Alek. 'I trust you are done with swimming at the moment?'

His lips twitched slightly and he gave another bow. 'Indeed, allow me to return the dagger you dropped.' Alek gravely handed over the weapon.

My face flaming, I accepted the dagger with what little dignity I had left, trying not to laugh. 'Thank you.'

SIAN WATCHED AS THE COUPLE exchanged polite chit chat along with Cat's dagger. I wonder how long it'll last, she thought; Cat's awful at holding back laughter and if she chomps on the inside of her cheek any harder she'll bite through it. Sure enough Cat gave a gasp and doubled up. With a concerned expression Alek reached for her but before he got there she'd sunk to the ground in helpless laughter, causing them all to start again.

IT LOOKS LIKE GREDEL GOT over his own embarrassment, Daron thought, watching him laughing with Kassandra. Sian, the petite blonde, held one hand delicately in front of her mouth while she giggled, tears streaming down her face.

I GRABBED ALEK'S OUTSTRETCHED ARM and pulled him down beside me while trying to contain the hiccups I'd developed. 'I'm 'hic' so sorry! 'hic' I didn't mean to stare 'hic' you do have a rather 'hic' good figure by the 'hic' way and 'hic' hey, I'm only human.' I leaned against him while I hiccupped and laughed, trying to catch my breath.

Alek stared down at me in astonishment. 'You are a remarkably honest woman.'

I laughed. 'Yep. And just try shutting me up.'

He laughed then. 'I seem to have discovered one way to leave you lost for words.'

I gave him a shove. 'Conceited much! You wait. IF there is a next time I won't even spare you a glance.'

ALEK LOOKED DOWN AT THE feisty red-head, her green eyes gleaming with mirth and grinned at her threat.

'I'll have to try harder then.'

He stood and helped her to her feet. The others still chuckled and the formal mood had vanished. Daron and Rumal chatted to Sian and Kassandra, while Sabyn had appeared with a plate of food for Laura who beamed in delight.

I ACCEPTED ANOTHER PLATE FROM Sabyn and sat down to eat. Afterward, Daron and Alek carried our gear to the river so we could wash it. It seemed the chivalrous male was normal here. Nothing wrong with that, I winked at Loi when she arched an eyebrow at me.
9

I SCRUBBED THE GUNK OFF the daggers with handfuls of river sand, relieved to see the blades shine again. Even my clothes survived a vigorous wash while I made sure no trace of gragnoll remained. After rinsing everything a last time, we walked back to the campsite and spread our clothes over low bushes in the sunlight. The men waited for us and when we'd finished we all sat on the logs in the dining area.

ALEK CLEARED HIS THROAT THEN began, 'Have any of you seen griffons before?'

The women paused, glancing at each other for a moment then Laura said, 'No, never.'

Alek nodded. 'I thought so.' He indicated the men and griffons. 'As griffon riders we're linked with our griffons from a young age. Griffons use telepathy and when you link with a griffon you can speak with them via telepathy. It's useful, because it'd be hard to communicate in the air otherwise. Griffons can roar when challenged but not much challenges a griffon, especially not five of them.'

WOW, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE fallen in with the right people—I wonder how? I shifted in my seat, exchanging glances with the others.

Telepathy, I guess that explains Gredel and Phroma this morning; I froze when I realized something else. If you use telepathy couldn't you then exchange images? Such as when Alek viewed my beetroot face when I tore off from the riverside. I smothered the blush that tried to rise at the realization they'd probably seen me fleeing the river... Guess that explains the hilarity.

Alek continued so I tuned back in.

'The Griffon Guard is under the command of Elena, the Sorceress of Elion, our acting regent since our King passed. The heir made a promise to the King before he died, and until the promise is fulfilled, won't accept the throne. Elena commanded we find you when she foresaw your arrival.'

KASSIE'S EYES WIDENED AT THAT and she glanced at the others. They wore the same expression of surprise. A happy coincidence or another part of the spell? I hope so, she thought. Maybe that means the Sorceress knows where we came from. Maybe she can help us get back. A surge of hope went through her.

'Elena has asked us to bring you all back to the castle so she may meet you. The journey will take us about a week.'

'A WEEK?' I INTERRUPTED, 'WE were told it'd take a month.'

Alek smiled at me; a breath caught in my throat for an instant. Whoops, I thought, blinking rapidly, pay attention, he probably has a beautiful wife or girlfriend back at the castle anyway.

'Griffons can travel quite far in a day.'

'You traveled a week to find us?' Loi stared at Alek and he turned his attention to her. The pang of jealousy I felt when Alek's eyes moved from my face to Loi's astonished me and I swallowed, shaking the bizarre sensation off, and listened to Alek's response.

'NO, WE LEFT THE CASTLE at dusk on the evening we found you,' Alek could see the surprise on their faces. 'Elena told us she had seen your arrival and that you either were, or soon would be, in grave danger and she needed us to protect you.'

Sian spoke up, 'But that's only a matter of hours? How did you do that?'

Alek explained, 'It only takes moments for us to travel that far, but it took a bit longer to pinpoint where you were.' He took a seat and the other men settled themselves comfortably, they knew the story well.

I WATCHED WHEN HE CLOSED his eyes for a moment, a slight frown on his forehead. A lock of his dark hair fell over one eyebrow and my fingers tingled with the urge to brush it away. I decided to sit on my hands for the moment, it seemed the safest course. Kassie caught the slight movement and smirked. I gave her my best innocent look. Alek cleared his throat and we turned our attention back to him.

'Were you aware there are dragons in this realm?' Alek stared questioningly at us. Sian nodded enthusiastically, making everyone smile. He continued, 'Dragons have the ability to leap through space and time, allowing them to think of a place, then, appear there.'

We sat up, intrigued. What a fantastic ability, I thought, so griffons can do it too?

ALEK SMILED AT THE SUDDEN change of mood. The women went from polite interest to complete fascination. He continued to explain while he watched Catherine's green eyes.

'Griffons don't normally leap, but when the Griffon Guard was formed the late King and Elena decided to see if they could be taught. The five of us came into our abilities within several years of each other and, with the exception of Rumal, have been with our griffons since then. You must understand Loushka isn't a pet like your Audrey is.' He spread his hands in a calming gesture when Catherine's eyes narrowed. 'I mean no offense, Catherine, but Loushka is a citizen in her own right. All the griffons of the guard are. The care of griffons in our society is a vital duty. Griffons don't reproduce often, very rarely in fact and only have one pup at a time. Anyway, Elena befriended a green dragon named Orion who spent quite a few years training us. Tragically Orion was murdered by Jenviet who didn't want us to succeed. At first we thought she'd won.'

Laura jumped in at his pause. 'Who's Jenviet? Why didn't she want you to succeed?'

Alek smiled at Laura and held up a hand. 'Let me continue with this first.'

She flushed. 'Sorry.'

'Then Kerak joined us and finally it began to work. We practiced traveling distances and increasing them slightly each time. The only downside is that it's incredibly tiring for the griffons. They can only leap once or twice a month, hence we'll be traveling back to the castle at normal griffon speed.'

I LOOKED OVER AT THE griffons, a bit concerned now. Loushka lounged on the ground, sunning herself. Kerak and Audrey played a game they'd invented which involved Audi trying to nip Kerak's paws while he whipped them out of the way. It created a decent dust cloud but they both seemed to have a lot of fun. Gredel had Phroma's enormous head cradled in his lap and gently scratched her above the eyes and around the top of her beak. She had a dopey look on her face, like Audi when I scratch behind her ear. Gredel looked in sharp contrast to the nervous wreck from before. I studied the man for a moment; he seemed so happy and content with Phroma, it made me smile. I hope his wife is lovely.

LOI WAITED FOR ALEK TO answer her questions but he didn't. She took the opportunity to get closer to Sabyn's griffon. She'd covertly watched the man since their arrival. She didn't usually go for blonds but he had such an aura of quiet confidence and self-sufficiency that she felt intrigued. It made quite a change from the boys she'd met on Earth.

The dark, almost black griffon twisted its head to look at her, the gesture just like that of a hawk spotting prey. Loi stilled, feeling her eyes widen. 'Hi Tomiar,' she whispered, suddenly self-conscious. The griffon made the softest warble, a hint of melody and turned her body to face Loi, watching her with sun sated, half-lidded eyes. Shuffling, Loi inched closer, staring in fascination at the beautiful deep green that almost appeared to emanate from the griffon's dark wing feathers. Keeping a respectful distance, she sat back, enjoying the sun too.

SIAN WATCHED THE GRIFFONS RELAXING in the sun and turned to Daron, seated on the ground near her. 'So we fly on the griffons with you?'

He nodded. Now curious, she began to question him about it; where they sat on the griffons, how the saddles worked, and if they needed special clothes for flying.

DARON SMILED DOWN AT THE enthusiastic woman and offered her his hand. 'Come, I'll show you.'

She gave him a brilliant smile and placed her small hand in his. Daron felt a jolt pass between them when his hand closed around hers. Sian appeared to feel it too and kept her grip firm while she stared into his eyes curiously.

They walked over to Nesha who dozed under a tree. At their approach Nesha rose slowly and stretched his limbs in a distinctly cat like manner.

' _Yes, friend?'_ Nesha studied the small female that his friend held. _'Good choice, I like that one.'_ Nesha gave a purr of satisfaction.

Daron blushed and dropped Sian's hand, feigning a sudden itch on his arm.

' _Cut it out,'_ Daron growled at Nesha, _'I brought her over to show her how the saddle works.'_

Nesha gave him a smug look then showed the image of his face when Sian had smiled at him.

Daron gulped. I'll just ignore that, he thought and turned to Sian. 'The saddle has two loops for the hind legs and two straps for the front, with a joining chest strap. This way Nesha can flap his wings without any interference.' Stepping back he pulled Sian with him then gestured to Nesha who slowly extended his huge dark tan wings. When he moved them up and down they caught the light, showcasing a beautiful blue color within.

Sian watched the movement, her head to the side while she considered it. 'Wouldn't the saddle hinder the muscles in his back when he uses his wings?'

Daron had Nesha pull his wings back in and then led her forward to look. 'No, the saddle's a narrow design and actually lifts off Nesha's spine so the weight is carried just behind the wing muscles. This way, it's very comfortable for him, even if another rides with me or we have lots of gear.'

SIAN LISTENED WHILE DARON ENTHUSIASTICALLY showed her Nesha's saddle. He has such an open smile, she thought, it just makes me want to smile. She snapped out of her daydream and blinked, looking up into Daron's expectant eyes. 'Sorry? What was that you said?'

He smiled. 'Would you like to go for a little flight? As practice for tomorrow?'

She stared at him for a second then nodded. 'Yes, yes! I'd love too!'

DARON LAUGHED AT THE BLONDE who almost danced in excitement. 'Well come on then.'

' _Nesha can you lean down so I can get her up easier?'_

Nesha obliged and bowed his upper body low and, with Daron's help, Sian scrambled up.

SIAN SAT UP IN THE saddle when Daron smoothly leaped up from Nesha's bended knee. For such a muscular man he's really agile, she thought, impressed. I'll have to learn how to do that, I want to look like I know what I'm doing. Daron settled into the front seat easily and turned back to Sian.

'You'll want to hold onto me until you're used to it. Once you're confident enough you can use these hand holds.' He pointed at the sides of the saddle. 'At least at first if you're holding me I'll know you haven't fallen off.'

When he turned back to Nesha she scooted forward and slipped her arms around his waist, her face pressed against his back.

'READY?' DARON CALLED BACK TO Sian. He felt her nod against his back.

' _Okay, Nesha, let's go.'_

Nesha growled in excitement, making Daron smile. No matter how aloof Nesha liked to hold himself, he was always like a pup when flying.

SIAN HUNG TIGHT TO DARON when Nesha crouched low, his muscles bunched underneath them, then sprung up at least twenty feet into the air. Heart in her mouth, Sian managed to respond to Daron's query. 'I'm f-fi-fine,' she stammered. 'I had no idea that was how they took off.'

Daron gave her hands a gentle squeeze. 'You'll look like an old pro at it tomorrow.'

Yep, thought Sian, and Cat will freak. Leaning her head against Daron's back Sian watched in awe at Nesha's huge wings and the enormous power in his muscles. The smooth easy flight didn't appear to require a lot of effort from Nesha. Wanting to see how high they were, she squirmed in her seat to try to find a good view. Being so short, she couldn't see over Nesha's wings but she could if she leaned a little to the side of Daron and peered over his knee, through the gap by Nesha's shoulder. She gasped and clung tight to Daron, then leaned a little further forward; we're SO high.

DARON FELT SIAN SHIFT AND leaned back to her. 'Did you want to sit in the front? That way you can see better and I'll point out places if you like.' Absurdly pleased by her nod, he let Nesha know.

' _Take it nice and slow, you don't want to drop her.'_ Nesha thought mockingly.

SIAN SAT UP AND LET go of Daron's back when he turned to her, then unexpectedly gathered her up in his arms and moved to the back seat of the saddle, placing her in front. She blinked in surprise at the sudden change of view and felt a flush of pleasure when he wrapped his arms round her waist and leaned to her ear.

'If you look to our left you'll see the end of the Orlan forest, you were at the beginning when we found you. Over to the right is part of the main river in Elion, the Wegrive.'

His pleasantly deep voice and the lips that gently brushed past her ear now and then allowed Sian's thoughts to drift to a rather agreeable place before her rational voice butted in, reminding her to pay attention. She made an effort to focus on what he pointed out and felt delighted when he indicated to Lothost. Sian twisted in her seat a little so she sat sideways to Daron. 'That was where we went when we arrived. Can we fly a little lower?'

DARON STARED INTO SIAN'S SKY blue eyes for a moment before he registered her question.

'Yes.' He smiled at her, eyes fastening for an instant on the soft lips temptingly close to his. 'Of course.'

ON THE GROUND THE WOMEN watched Nesha's take-off in awe. Kassandra and Laura both questioned the men closely about the griffons and flying. Alek smiled at their obvious enthusiasm. Then he noticed Catherine who sat and listened, but with a pale face, her lips pressed flat together.

KASSIE GLANCED UP AND NOTICED Alek's confused look at Cat's expression. They watched when she stood and called for Audrey then walked off toward the river.

'Is something wrong?' Alek asked.

'Not exactly,' Kassie hesitated a moment, knowing Cat wouldn't really like her weakness exposed. 'You see, Cat's... well... Catherine's really scared of heights. Actually, terrified is probably a better description.'

Alek looked astonished then concerned. 'Do you think she'll manage?'

'Oh yes,' Kassie assured him earnestly while mentally crossing her fingers. 'But she'll need to psych herself up for it. Which is probably why she wandered off.'

Alek glanced at her. 'Are you or Laura scared of heights?' He smiled wryly. 'I can see Sian isn't.'

Loi, who listened to the conversation, gave a little laugh. 'No, Kassie and I can handle heights fine. Actually, its insects that tend to creep us out more, Cat deals with those for us.' Then Sabyn caught her attention again and she turned away.

ALEK DIDN'T LIKE THE THOUGHT of Catherine being uneasy with flying, especially with a week of it ahead of them. If it turned out they were who Elena hoped them to be, then they'd often ride with the Guard. I really hope Kassandra's right, Alek thought somberly.

I SAT BESIDE THE RIVER and stripped my boots off, dipping my feet in the wonderfully cool water. I could see why Alek went for a swim; the sun shone directly over the deep and meandering river, making it a very pleasant place to relax. Audi climbed onto the bank beside me, dripping wet after enthusiastically chugging around in circles in the water. I gently stroked her head and focused on calming myself. I know I will be safe. I'm very sure I will be safe. Pretty sure...

I lay back on the grassy bank and sighed; of all the stupid fears, mine had to be heights. Hearing the crunch of footsteps I sat up and shaded my eyes. Alek smiled down on me and I flushed, his gorgeous smile causing my breath to catch. Maybe it won't be so hard to handle the heights, I thought, subtly studying his muscular form. There certainly were worse ways to travel.

ALEK TOOK A SEAT BESIDE Audrey who'd obviously been swimming. She sat up and wagged her tail at him. 'Why don't you go see what Loushka's up to?' The dog perked up at the griffon's name and disappeared off down the track.

'You know, she's very bright,' he commented to Catherine.

She glanced fondly after the dog. 'She is. Sometimes too clever though and she does naughty things when she knows I can't see her.'

He laughed. 'As they do. What's she done before?'

Catherine frowned while she thought about it and Alek watched her with a smile; she has such an expressive face, I'll bet she's an awful liar.

'I know. One time after we'd had a roast chicken I'd removed the meat we didn't eat from the bones and placed it in a bowl to cool. I'd made sure it was far back on the counter, so out of the way, but when I came to look for it later it was gone. Just a clean, empty bowl on the bench. I checked with the others, in case they'd put it somewhere, but no, they hadn't touched it. Then, as I came down the corridor, Audi passed me and just as she did she cringed ever so slightly.' Catherine smiled triumphantly at him. 'And I knew it! She got a smack on the backside and had to spend the rest of the night outside. She was not a happy girl.'

He laughed at the thought of it, he could just imagine Audrey being that sneaky. 'She cleaned the bowl completely? And no noise? Such a pity for Audrey that she's so honest.'

Catherine agreed, 'Yes. She'd committed the perfect crime. If only it weren't for her conscience.'

He laughed again then proceeded to tell her about a dog he'd had when he was young. 'His name was Zane, father and I chose him from a litter when I was five. My father decided it would be a good way to teach me compassion and responsibility.' He smiled at the memory of the stocky, determined puppy he'd selected.

'Were you a right little terror?' Catherine teased.

'I had my moments.'

'So, did it work?'

He chuckled. 'Do I seem so irresponsible? Yes and no. Zane and I were inseparable. If there was ever any mischief going on it meant we were both involved.' He continued to talk about Zane and successfully distracted Catherine.

BACK AT THE CAMPSITE RUMAL and Kassie sat deep in a conversation about which creatures that she knew of that existed in this realm. Kassie felt vaguely comforted to discover lions, tigers and bears—oh my!—existed here. Cats, dogs and chickens did too. Ridiculous as it might seem, but right at the moment Kassie needed those familiar things, little as they were. The sky still showed blue and the people seemed normal-ish. The enormous griffons lazing around them, enjoying the sun, thrilled one part of her mind and terrified the other. What else could be here? What if we can't get home? What's happening at home?

'Pigs?' Rumal suggested breaking her panic for an instant. Kassie blinked then nodded with a half-smile, relief and fear making her more anxious. Making an effort to relax, she let a breath out.

'Yes. We have them too.'

RUMAL SMILED AT KASSANDRA, AMUSED at how relieved the girl looked to recognize some of the species he'd rattled off. Is where they come from so very different, he thought, Kassandra doesn't look any different to a normal woman. The mass of crazy curly locks she had reminded Rumal of an older woman he'd met at court years ago, with similar hair. Surely if she and the others seemed so normal to them, there must be a lot in common with their realms.

KASSIE COULDN'T HELP STARING AT Rumal, distracted by the dark skinned man and his incredible liquid gold eyes. Every motion he made looked graceful, almost feline and the slanted gold eyes only added to the illusion. His black hair was shaved so short it looked almost nonexistent.

'Rumal, where are you from?' Kassie asked, curious. 'You don't sound like Alek or Sabyn and you certainly don't look like them.'

He smiled down at her. 'I'm from an island called Delanta in the Delos Sea. East of Elion.'

'Where are the others from?'

'Alek and Sabyn are from Plusian and are distant cousins. Daron is from Gartolle and Gredel is from Vo'Arum. When Elena felt our griffons call us she summoned us to the castle along with the griffons so we could begin training.'

The shock at the idea of this place being so large that it had islands and countries almost took Kassie's breath away. Anxiety made her stomach cramp and she sat straighter to try and ease it. She still wanted to pretend this wasn't really real, but the truth of them being on an entirely different planet kept eating into her mind.

RUMAL WATCHED WHILE VARIOUS EMOTIONS flickered across her face and felt a surge of protectiveness at the woman's predicament. Elena hadn't had much time to explain but had said that the women they were being sent to collect weren't from this time or place. She'd told them to think of them like newborns in the sense that they would have little idea about what was dangerous here and what wasn't. He reached out and gently placed his hand on her arm. She jolted in surprise and looked up. 'Are you alright little one?' he asked very quietly. 'I understand this must be all so strange to you.'

THE GENTLE CONCERN IN HIS voice bypassed any annoyance Kassie would have usually felt at being called "little one" and hit the spot of fear and confusion she'd fought to stamp out. She burst into tears.

GREDEL GLARED AT RUMAL FROM the other side of the clearing, a what-have-you-done? look and Kerak looked up to see what had happened.

' _Rumal, what's wrong? Is she hurt?'_ the young griffon demanded in concern.

Rumal gathered the sobbing girl into his arms and replied, _'She's okay I think. Just missing home and I suspect yesterday was the first time she's really fought for her life.'_

Kerak came over to where Rumal sat, rocking back and forward, gently stroking Kassandra's hair.

KASSIE FELT MORTIFIED TO CRY all over a man she barely knew, but the need to sob out the stress from the past few days overrode her desire to stop. The strong arms around her, cradling her, offered a sense of security she didn't realize she'd needed. No wonder Lucky likes pats so much, she thought when Rumal stroked her hair, it's so comforting. She blushed when that thought registered and sat upright, wiping the tears from her face.

LOI AND SABYN OBSERVED QUIETLY from a distance. It'd been hard for Loi not to run to her friend but Sabyn had caught her arm when she'd made to move toward them. 'Don't. She probably needs a good cry. Rumal will understand that.'

She watched her friend a moment longer then turned to Sabyn. 'You're right. It's just hard sometimes. We're all so close.'

SABYN NODDED BEFORE SMILING AT her, hoping to distract her from the couple, to give Kassandra the space she needed. 'Would you like to learn a game we play at home?'

She looked astonished. 'Err?'

He explained, 'I thought it would give us something to do without feeling the need to interrogate one another, it needs three people so Gredel can join in.'

IT SOUNDED A GOOD IDEA and Loi had no desire to burst into tears like Kassie, which she knew she probably would do if she thought about all the events of the past few days. 'That sounds fun. Why don't we play it on the other side of the tent, so they have a little privacy?'

GREDEL HEADED OVER TO WHERE Sabyn and Laura stood. At least she wasn't crying, weeping women always made him fall to pieces, he reflected sourly.

Phroma chuckled, a strange husky cough when she picked up on Gredel's thoughts.

' _Citaan seems to have noticed that'_ she thought to Gredel, who gave her a dark look. The griffon chuckled again. She adored Gredel's wife; a tall woman about Laura's size and build, but with mid-length, wavy, turquoise hair and striking light gold eyes, showcasing her water sprite lineage. Traits she'd received from her grandmother—a full blooded sprite. Thanks to that heritage Citaan had the gift of water and it made her one of the rare people who could tune into Phroma and communicate with her. It had taken a couple of years before it became second nature to her though, so they had a legitimate excuse to gossip—for practice!

SABYN HUNTED OUT THE PACK of cards for the game while Gredel, Loi and Phroma looked for a variety of small objects; pebbles and snail shells. Having found a good handful of small pieces for the game, Loi went over to Sabyn, who worked at setting the cards out.

'Sabyn, look,' Loi held out her hand. 'I found these funny colored stones. Do you know what they are?'

SABYN GLANCED INTO HER HAND while she prodded the green and pink spotted "stones". He studied them without saying a word, then stood and walked to the tent. Laura looked after him in confusion, as did Tomiar who thought to him.

' _What is it? What's wrong?'_

Tomiar could feel Sabyn's amusement which confused her further, until Sabyn sent her an image of what Laura had in her hand. _'Oh I see. Oops guess we didn't think to mention that.'_

TOMIAR SEEMED TO REGARD HER in amusement which made Loi feel a tad uncomfortable. Then Sabyn came back out the tent, carrying something. He gave her a broad smile.

'Why don't you place your findings over here,' he indicated and he dug a hole in the ground with the heel of his boot. 'Then I'll walk with you to the river so you can wash your hands,' he waved the soap he'd fetched at her.

She gave him a long look, then gingerly dropped her findings in the hole and resisted the urge to wipe her hands on her pants. 'Okay what are they?' She demanded when he covered the hole over.

'Ifanip droppings; rather noxious. Next time you spot funny colored stones, I suggest you leave them where they are and ask one of us to identify them for you first.'

Her look of disgust made those watching laugh. Sabyn bowed to her and said. 'I would offer you my arm but...'

Rolling her eyes at his bad joke, she grabbed the offered soap. 'C'mon then, walk me to the river. You can mock me on the way.'

THE OTHERS WATCHED LAURA STOMP off toward the river while Sabyn teasingly left a safe distance between them as he followed her.

' _Humans can be such odd creatures,'_ Tomiar thought to Loushka who agreed, then let out a sigh.

' _I'm so looking forward to flying tomorrow, I know it's only been a day without but it feels like forever.'_

Kerak and Phroma agreed.

Tomiar chuckled and flicked an image out of Catherine's astonished face from the river incident. _'I bet it'll be an interesting flight for you, Loushka. Alek hasn't appeared so interested in a female for a long time.'_

Loushka agreed. _'And I can't wait to see the look on Rayna's face.'_

They turned and observed all the humans coming back from the river, now in good spirits.

GREDEL RESHUFFLED THE CARDS AND divided them into four piles. He looked forward to the flight tomorrow as much as Phroma and the other griffons and, of course, it meant they'd be closer to Citaan. He wished again that they'd had enough time to fetch her, but she'd been at work in the Scrodian Mountains on a task Elena had set her. He let out a soft sigh at the thought of his golden eyed, mischievous wife. She would have loved to have been here to meet the women. She'll demand all the details when I get back, he chuckled to himself. I'll bet she even interrogates Phroma.

WE WANDERED OVER TO WHERE Gredel had set out the cards. In his husky, surprisingly quiet voice Gredel said, 'I thought you'd want to pair up, so the girls can learn how to play.'

The griffons dozed in the afternoon light and Audrey decided to help Gredel, though I don't think she improved his game at all, but she did take great delight in somberly chewing any winnings he made; leaving the remains in a nice soggy pile for him.

IN THE HEIGHTS OF THE sky far above, the air began to chill and Daron wrapped his arms about Sian, tucking his thighs around hers. They'd had a fantastic afternoon. Nesha's skills had astonished her and the breathtaking scenery—like nothing on Earth and yet so familiar. Daron had fallen silent for the past hour while they enjoyed the ride. At least with her back to him he couldn't see her blush when he'd tucked her in. It was getting cold and she appreciated the warmth he radiated. Like a heater, she thought in amusement.

BREAKING THE SILENCE DARON SAID, 'I think it's time we headed back, it'll be dark soon.'

Sian glanced back up at him. 'Okay.'

A strand of hair fluttered around her eyes and Daron tucked it behind her ear, pleased when she blushed.

' _Nesha, let's go home,'_ Daron thought to his friend.

' _Good I'm starving and the conversation sucks, although some of your thoughts are certainly interesting,'_ Nesha chuckled.

' _What? You weren't supposed to be listening in on that!'_ Daron protested angrily, embarrassed.

' _What else was I supposed to do? It's not like I could do the tricks I like to practice, what with you two lovebirds wrapped around each other. You'd fall off,'_ Nesha snapped.

' _Sorry,'_ Daron sheepishly thought. _'I didn't know it would be like this.'_

NESHA SWOOPED LOWER UNTIL HE spotted the campsite then with careful strokes of his wings, lined himself up and dropped, all four paws hitting the ground at the same time. He lowered his upper body and Daron slid down, then turned to catch Sian. When Nesha went to walk to where the other griffons lounged, he heard Sian's voice.

'Nesha, wait a moment.'

NESHA'S HUGE EAGLE HEAD SWIVELED to stare at her and she felt that instant of astonishment at being faced by a real-life griffon. She shrugged the thought off then stepped forward and beckoned Nesha to lower his head. He did so and she placed a hand on his mane then cuddled into him. 'Thank you so much for that amazing flight. I can't wait for you and Daron to show me all your favorite tricks.'

Nesha watched her curiously then headed to where the others lay in the sun, settling down next to Tomiar and sent a thought to Daron. _'She's not bad friend. Not bad at all.'_

DARON AND SIAN APPEARED COMFORTABLE in each other's company. I exchanged a look with Loi and Kassie. The trouble with sharing a tent meant we couldn't grill her for information without the men hearing.

Alek touched my leg, bringing me back to the game and I frowned over the cards. We played late into the evening and when the symbols on the cards began to blur, I decided to call it a night. 'I'm done.' Audrey staggered up from snoozing beside Gredel and made her way over to me on wobbly legs. I bent down to give her a hug and giggled at her little kisses. Kassie, Loi and Sian stood too, and the men escorted us to the tent.

I pushed through the dividing curtain into our section and sat on my cot to undo my boots. I heard a loud meow from Lucky when Kassie greeted her. The cat had slept all day, not surprising I guess, she'd probably had enough excitement in the last few days to last a life-time—I know I had.

SIAN ENTERED THE TENT LAST and gave Daron a shy smile when she went to pass him. Reaching out, Daron grabbed her hand, making her look up in surprise. Feeling his stomach twist into knots, he decided against trying to speak and lifted her hand, pressing a kiss to it. Her eyes glowed and she flushed a pretty pink. She gave his hand a quick squeeze before ducking through the curtain.

10

THE NEXT MORNING GREDEL WOKE us before dawn. The burly man had gotten over his nerves around us and we'd discovered he had a pretty good sense of humor. We simply weren't in the mood to appreciate it first thing in the morning—sure, we may have had eight hours sleep, but a dozen more would have been nice.

Waking to the sudden clashing of two tin plates wasn't the best start to the day. Gredel retreated from the room at a decent pace when all our heads jerked up at the racket. Loi growled some not-so-polite words after him and a pillow flew from Sian's direction but fell short, bouncing off the edge of my cot. I dropped my head back with a groan and grinned when I heard Kassie do the same. It took another five minutes of grumbles and groans before we reluctantly climbed out of bed and shuffled around our small tent space, getting dressed and packing up.

Keeping busy almost allowed me to ignore the annoying voice in my head that mumbled about flying and heights (and lack of safety belts, parachutes, and oxygen masks). My pack ready, I glanced at the others. 'I'm just gonna pop to the river to wash my face and,' I shrugged and tried to work up a smile. 'De-stress for a moment.'

Kassie and Sian nodded while Loi gave me the evil eye. 'Just make sure you don't try heading off down it. You know we'll catch you!'

I sketched a salute to her. 'Yes ma'am.' Calling Audi, I ducked out of the tent.

LOI WATCHED CAT DISAPPEAR WITH a little trepidation. The last time they'd been on a flight with her she'd clutched the arms of the chair for dear life with an enormous insane grin, for the entire flight. Needless to say everyone had stared and even the flight attendants appeared hesitant to approach her.

It hadn't concerned Kassie and Sian; according to them she'd been much better this time. When she'd last traveled with them the grin had been accompanied by a constant nervous giggle.

SIAN CAUGHT SIGHT OF LOI'S frown.

'Don't worry, Loi. Cat appears to get better with each flight and this is quite different to what she'll be expecting. She might even enjoy it.' Sian mentally crossed her fingers.

'C'mon,' Kassie said. 'Let's take our stuff out and get breakfast.'

The three of them, with Lucky draped around Kassie's neck like usual, walked out the tent to where the men waited. Or rather, where four of the men stood. Sian's eyes narrowed for a moment when she registered that Alek wasn't there. 'Where's Alek? He isn't swimming again is he?'

Sabyn and Gredel laughed which caused Daron to look up from the packs on Phroma's back. She flushed when he gave her a sexy smile, turning her attention to Rumal whose freaky gold eyes looked amused while he observed.

'No, I believe he saw Catherine head for the river and thought to spend a few moments with her to alleviate her concerns.' Rumal gave Sian a polite smile then moved his eyes to Kassie's face, his expression softening. 'At least that was his intention.'

ALEK STRODE DOWN THE PATH and thought over the assurances he could offer Catherine. Loushka listened in while he mentally rambled away.

' _Why don't you just see how she's feeling first and take it from there?'_

Alek considered her suggestion. _'Probably a good idea. Thanks.'_

He stopped when he reached the river and spotted Catherine. She lay on her stomach on the bank that leaned out over the river and had one hand dangling down to the water. Her fingertips traced the surface and the ends of her long red hair trailed in it.

Audrey, in the midst of paddling, let out a 'wooofwoff' in greeting when she caught sight of Alek which caused Catherine to look up.

AUDI'S HELLO SNAPPED ME OUT of my daydream and I looked up to see Alek watching me. My stomach did a flip flop as I stared for a moment. He wore his armor again and damn, he looked good.

ALEK SAW CATHERINE'S EYES WIDEN a bit at his outfit. He stepped closer to her and, after an instant of hesitation, lowered himself beside her. 'Good morning, are you ready for your flight?'

THE WORDS I WANTED TO say froze on my tongue so I lied.

'Good morning yourself. Yes, I'm looking forward to it.' I could feel his disbelief so changed the subject. 'What's with the armor? Are we expecting trouble?' At least now I could check him out without seeming rude.

He smiled and leaned back on his hands, arms stretched out behind him. 'No. We always fly in our armor, just in case,' his sapphire eyes watched me. 'It's best to be prepared.'

CATHERINE SAT UP AND STRETCHED, shaking her hair back. Alek reached out to catch a lock with his fingers and studied it. The hair glowed ruby in the morning light with streaks of bronze and copper. Staring into Catherine's surprised eyes, he reached out and tucked it behind her ear. He felt a rush of attraction for this determined woman, she'd never allow her fear to conquer her and it surprised him. Many women might have pleaded their sex as an excuse, but not Catherine; this woman who was so obviously self-sufficient and independent. He never imagined he would find it sexy. It wasn't what he had expected when Elena told him they were to collect four women.

Catherine studied his breastplate then glanced up at him. He reached out to touch her cheek gently. 'I promise, I won't let any harm come to you.'

ALEK'S WORDS FLOWED THROUGH ME and at his touch my cheek flared hot. We stared into each other's eyes and he gave me a quirk of a smile. 'And Audrey, of course.' He stood, offered a hand and lifted me to my feet. We stood about an inch apart, hands joined and his eyes on mine. My skin tingled at his close proximity, heart thudding madly while the air between us felt tense with anticipation.

'CATTTT? ALLLEKKK... Time to GOOOOO.' Loi's voice bellowed from down the track.

We jumped apart; dammit! Ugh, fantastic timing, Loi.

Alek made a courtly bow and offered me his arm. 'Shall we?'

The intenseness between us vanished and his eyes sparkled with light-hearted mischief. I laughed. 'We shall.'

We walked back to the campsite to find it packed up. Everyone mounted and waiting for us. Sian, rather daringly, sat in front instead of behind like Kassie and Laura.

That'll be my challenge, to be able to ride in front.

The thought made me want to laugh. It brought back memories of squabbles with my cousin over who got to ride in the front seat of the car.

An unexpected wave of homesickness hit me. I closed my eyes, swallowed hard and willed the nauseating thoughts away.

As Alek and I approached Loushka, Gredel called Audrey to him. She whined at me. 'Go on then,' I said. The dog dashed across to Gredel who scooped her up onto Phroma's back. Audi thought it great fun and began to pounce on Phroma's saddle which caused the griffon to twist, this way and that, to see what the little imp was up to.

'Audrey, settle down,' I commanded in a stern tone, while everyone else tried not to laugh. Audrey looked abashed and whined at me, then inched her way forward to Phroma's head to give her kisses of apology.

'How are you going to fasten her down?' I didn't want to lose my furry rat-bag no matter how mischievous she might be. Gredel explained how he intended to belt Audrey to him and the saddle.

I must have looked more concerned at this as he again reassured me. 'It's perfectly safe. I've done it with my niece and nephew before, as well as my own dog.'

I looked across to Audi, who sat nicely, pretending to be on her best behavior. 'You behave, little miss.'

Alek spoke to me and I turned my attention back to him and Loushka. Loushka had her front legs down on the ground so I could get up easier. Alek crouched down to give me a leg up. I stared down at his hands.

I am not a chicken, I am not a chicken.

Swallowing hard, I placed my foot in his hands. He gave a quick heave when I pushed off and I flew into Loushka's saddle. She really needn't have bent down. I scrabbled around for a hold and pulled myself into the back seat as Alek made a smooth leap up, assisted by Loushka. Impressive, I thought, bet that took lots of practice.

ALEK SETTLED INTO THE FRONT seat and reached back to pat Catherine's knee. 'Okay?'

Two arms encircled his waist and he felt her press her forehead against his armor, mid back. She sighed. 'I'll do. Are we ready to go?'

'Almost, Gredel is finishing strapping Audrey in.'

'Where's Lucky?'

Loushka informed Alek that Kassandra had her in her bag. Just when he told Catherine this, they saw Lucky poke her head out the top of the pack and give a pitiful meow. Gredel then looked to Alek and nodded. Alek called out, 'All ready then? Let's go.'

I FELT LOUSHKA'S MUSCLES BUNCH and kept a tight hold on Alek's waist while I watched the griffon tuck her wings in. Then whoosh, Loushka sprang off the ground and clear into the sky, snapping her wings open the moment we cleared the canopy.

Holy COW! Breathe, breathe!

My stomach felt like it shot to my feet. I pressed my head firmly against Alek's backplate and held on tight. I heard the other griffons burst through like Loushka had and for a couple of minutes we just stayed there, in the air, like someone treading water. I kept my eyes squeezed shut, fighting that ridiculous urge to grin and giggle. Focus on your breathing; I counted my breaths in and out, mind intent on the numbers. Then Loushka started to move and the wind rushed past my ears.

ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE flight Loushka spoke to Alek, _'How's she handling it?'_

' _She appears to be better. The death grip she had on my waist has eased up.'_

' _Is she looking around yet?'_

' _No, not yet. I can still feel her forehead against my backplate.'_

' _Then why don't you start pointing out things for her to look at? That way she can get more confident. Remember, we have several days of flying ahead of us.'_

He rolled his eyes, like he didn't know that. Turning and bending, Alek managed to get his mouth close to Catherine's ear. 'Catherine, are you alright?'

ALEK SPOKE CLOSE TO MY ear and even then it wasn't easy to hear him with the wind. I sat up and he offered me his ear. 'I'm okay, but it's rather cold. I can see why you wear the armor. Is my cloak in one of the side bags?'

Alek made an abrupt move that suddenly had him facing me.

LOUSHKA REGISTERED HIS SWIVEL. _'WHAT?_ _What's wrong?'_

' _She's cold.'_ Alek growled, _'I didn't even think about it. Let the others know to make sure their women aren't cold.'_

' _Their women...?'_ Loushka smirked at Alek's flustered response.

' _You know what I mean.'_

' _Yes, of course, Alek.'_ Loushka relayed the message to the other griffons.

ALEK FROWNED AND LEANED OVER me, working one of the saddle bags open then dragged out my cloak. Holding it tight, he flipped the ends out so that they caught the wind and wrapped it snugly around me. I beamed up at him; warmth! So good.

CATHERINE GAVE ALEK A HUGE smile when he wrapped her up in her red cloak. He gave her arms a brisk rub through the cloak and leaned toward her ear again. 'I'm sorry, I didn't even think about the cold.'

ALEK'S LIPS BRUSHED MY EAR when he spoke and the skin flared hot. I looked up at him wide-eyed.

Oops, hope he didn't notice that.

'It's okay, I'm a big girl I should have thought of it myself,' I said as I clutched the cloak around me. He tucked a couple of strands of my hair back behind my ear, which was totally ineffectual—the wind whipped them straight out again. Alek laughed and I caught a whisper of the noise before the wind snatched it away.

'Shall I show you some of the sights?' he offered.

I attempted an enthusiastic nod.

'WOULD YOU LIKE TO SIT in the front seat? It'll be easier to show you that way.'

Alek watched while Catherine considered that for a moment then bit her lip and looked up at him.

'Tomorrow' she mouthed.

He leaned to her ear again. 'I'll still point out the sights. Sit close.' Alek intentionally brushed his lips past her cheek again and watched the skin flare with color. 'Are you over heating?'

I NARROWED MY EYES AT Alek. So the lip brush wasn't accidental. I assumed a nonchalant look. 'I'm good thanks.'

He did that annoyingly sexy smirk and turned so he faced Loushka's head. I scowled, tempted to stay put, but concluded that would only make me look like a child so scooted forward again and hunched against his back.

' _STOP TEASING HER, ALEK,' LOUSHKA_ thought reprovingly. _'Honestly, how old are you?'_

He had to resist the urge to retort. Loushka knew it and snorted in amusement.

ALEK BEGAN TO POINT OUT some sights, or I guess the correct term would be landmarks. It seemed strange to only see forests, small (tiny) towns, lakes and rivers. I half expected a proper city with skyscrapers to pop out somewhere, but it didn't. I began to relax more. At least while I held on to him, I didn't have vertigo.

Alek has a nice voice. My eyes got heavy while I leaned against his back, trying to pay attention to what he said. Bleah, can't pay attention, I thought, and dozed off.

ALEK FELT CATHERINE SLUMP BEHIND and twisted to check on her. Her head lolled against his chest and he realized from her breathing that she slept.

' _Look at that,'_ he thought in astonishment to Loushka. _'She's managed to fall asleep mid-flight? And I thought she was terrified of flying.'_

' _Her aura is a lot calmer now, Alek, they've had a stressful time since their cross-over to our world,'_ Loushka thought. _'I think it was your voice that made her sleepy in the end. She trusts you a lot more than she realizes.'_

Alek thought curiously, _'Could you sense it when they came through? Like Elena?'_

Loushka paused while considering whether or not to share that information with her friend. She decided as Elena hadn't asked her not to, there shouldn't be any issues. _'Yes, of course. You know griffons have a form of magick; we can sense others who do too. And these four women have a kind of magick I haven't seen before, and Elena hasn't seen for centuries. That's why she was so insistent we rescue them.'_

Alek thought about her words while he turned and lifted Catherine onto his lap, shifting himself to the back seat on the saddle. I really hope she doesn't wake all of a sudden, he thought, concerned for a moment. But Catherine's breathing didn't change so he leaned her head on his chest and adjusted his seat slightly until comfortable.

' _Have the women used their magick since entering our world? Is that how they managed to hold off the gragnolls for so long?'_

' _Yes and no. They haven't deliberately used their powers but I do think that's what kept them going for so long.'_ Loushka paused, _'And it's how we spotted them.'_

' _What do you mean?'_

She sent him an image of what she'd seen that night. Alek could see through the rain that pelted down and even through the heavy canopy of trees, four shimmering lights: yellow, red, green, and blue. The next image showed the four women when they had landed around them. He could see their exhausted faces like he had seen that night, but this time a shimmering light surrounded each of them. Catherine's light was red.

He looked down at her. She still slept, head resting on his breastplate. A strange feeling of protectiveness came over him while he watched her. She looked so delicate and gentle, it felt hard to imagine that the four of them had fought off so many gragnolls.

Curious now, Alek asked, _'Loushka, how many gragnolls did they hold off?'_

She thought about it for a moment. _'I would guess about twenty. It was a good sized group that moved away when they heard us coming.'_

' _How the heck did they learn to fight like that?'_ Alek wondered.

' _Perhaps it's normal for such instruction in their world,'_ suggested Loushka. _'It's not unheard of here.'_

' _I've heard of women having sword and archery instruction before but they must be very skilled to have survived that long.'_ Alek paused while he considered. _'How long did you say you thought they'd been fighting before we reached them?'_

' _A good two hours.'_

ALEK FELL SILENT, lost in his thoughts and Loushka let him be. She knew where he'd like to set up camp for the night so continued on while chatting with the other griffons. The conversation stayed firmly on their four guests, each griffon voicing different theories as to why Elena wanted them, and where they came from.

Phroma felt grateful that Gredel had his lovely wife to go home to and a little concerned at the intensity already being expressed between some of the couples.

_'After all'_ she reasoned to Nesha _'We only met them the other day. We still don't know what their powers are. For Elena to be so interested they must be either very valuable, or very dangerous.'_

Nesha politely acknowledged Phroma's concerns, though personally felt the women weren't dangerous to them.

Kerak butted in, furious that Phroma would insult Kassandra. _'I think the women are really nice—I like Kassandra.'_

' _Settle down, Kerak,'_ admonished Tomiar gently. _'Phroma's not saying Kassandra or the others aren't nice, just that we don't know much about them yet.'_

Nesha moved positions so he flew closer to the young griffon. _'C'mon, Kerak, I'll race you to the next town sighting. I could do with a good stretch.'_ Nesha and Kerak shot ahead of the others, eliciting surprised whoops from Sian and Kassie.

CATHERINE STIRRED IN ALEK'S ARMS when shouts from the others rang out around them. 'Whhtd?'

'Shuushh,' he whispered in her ear. 'You're safe, go back to sleep.' She relaxed back down again.
11

THE REST OF THE FLIGHT was peaceful. Nesha and Kerak ran a few races and then Phroma insisted on racing the winner, which Audrey thoroughly enjoyed. She yelped at Kerak the whole time Phroma raced him. Tomiar obliged Kerak with a race too, and the men were pleased to see the griffons felt up to strength again. The effects from their leap appeared to have faded fast.

' _Alek,'_ Loushka's voice shook him out of his meditative state. _'We're going to locate a suitable campsite shortly. You'd best wake Catherine now.'_

Alek shook her gently. 'Catherine, wake up we're nearly there.'

She mumbled against his chest and sleepily looked around. Then she registered where she sat and her head snapped up. Wide emerald eyes stared up at him in shock.

WHOA! WHEN DID I get to the front of the saddle!? I gripped the sides of it and stared around for a moment; it was a hell of a scary view if you weren't a fan of heights. I looked back up at Alek and attempted an "I'm cool with this" smile while the silly voice in my head did the insane giggling for me.

Better in than out I guess.

CATHERINE GAVE HIM A TENTATIVE smile, her lips pressed together. It made her cheekbones jut out and a tiny dimple in each cheek show. The expression enchanted Alek and he gently pressed his lips to her forehead, unable to resist.

I SAT VERY STILL WHILE my insides did somersaults.

He just kissed me on the forehead! And that look...

That smile...

Well that was the most efficient way to distract you, my rational voice sounded amused. Just imagine what you'd have done if he'd kissed you on the mouth.

The silly voice loved that idea.

I swallowed hard—surely it wasn't possible to fall for someone this quickly? And really, he was practically taking advantage of me considering the situation. I worked on the indignant feeling while my rational voice laughed at me; why not just go with it?

I considered that. Oh what the heck, let's just enjoy it—after all it might amount to nothing.

Alek's voice interrupted my thoughts. 'Catherine.'

I looked up. He did that slow, wide smile again, making my toes curl.

'We're about to land, so hold on,' Alek continued.

Hold on? To what?

He wrapped one strong arm around my waist and gripped the saddle with his other hand. Then we dropped from the sky.

Still clutching Alek tight while making choked gasping noises, it stunned me when he said. 'That was nice and smooth, well done, Loushka.'

The griffon made an appreciative noise at him.

Nice? Smooth?

Sure, we might have barely jolted in our seats but my brain and stomach both felt as if they needed to sink back to their appropriate positions. I winced at the sensation, blinking rapidly as it passed.

Alek let go of me and I clutched the saddle with both hands while he did his clever trick of sliding down Loushka's forearm.

On the ground, he called up to me and beckoned. 'Slide down, Catherine.'

I stared down at him. I had a very vivid image in my head of me doing a giant belly flop onto the ground in front of him. Not a good look. As I considered my options, he stepped closer to Loushka.

'SLIDE DOWN, I PROMISE I'LL catch you,' he coaxed. He could see Catherine wasn't thrilled with the idea.

' _Maybe you should let me bend down for her,'_ Loushka suggested.

' _No.'_ Alek thought in a firm tone. _'We'll be doing this often. She needs to learn.'_

Loushka silently approved.

'Okay,' Catherine called nervously. 'Just make sure you do catch me.'

Alek smirked and she glared.

'I'm not joking!'

He gave a soft laugh. 'Neither am I, now slide down.'

I TOOK A BIG BREATH, lined myself up and then forced my fingers to let go of the saddle. I shot down Loushka's leg and Alek caught me just before I touched the ground. I heard him chuckle.

'Catherine,' he said a little reproachfully. 'Open your eyes. You really need to learn to do this with your eyes open.'

I peeked at him from one eye, making him laugh then before I chickened out gave him a tight hug, made a tad awkward by the breastplate, and stretched up to kiss his cheek. He froze and stared. I dropped back to my heels. His astonished look pleased me immensely. Giving an evil little chuckle, I darted off to go see the others.

LOI ARCHED AN EYEBROW as Cat came over. Almost skipping, she noted.

'Enjoy the flight?'

Cat looked guilty for a moment. 'Errr, yes,' she gave a sheepish cough. 'It was pleasant.'

They looked knowingly at her.

THE FOUR OF US, WITH Audrey, had to collect the firewood and I could see the rebellious looks on Sian and Loi's faces. They didn't like being delegated the easy work, just because we were women. I was happy to do it. It meant we could talk without being overheard by the guys. The instant we were out of sight the questioning began. Sian seemed certain that Daron could be someone special, and Kassie felt the same about Rumal. Loi appeared to like Sabyn a lot but didn't want to commit herself just in case. I knew how she felt.

'Although I really don't understand why we're being so skeptical,' I said when I stopped to sit on a fallen log. Audrey sat between my knees and I fussed over her, it'd been strange to spend the entire day without her, though Gredel said she'd enjoyed the flight. 'I mean, we cast the spell to meet our soul mates, it whisks us away to a far away land, and NOW we question whether this is real?' I shrugged. 'Really, we should be delighted it worked out so well.'

They still looked dubious. 'I don't know.' Kassie said hesitantly, 'it just seems too easy.'

Too easy?!? The last few days had felt anything but easy, I thought while giving Kassie an arched look. She flushed and gave a defensive shrug, swiping her curls out of her eyes.

'SIAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK? You're the expert in this field,' Loi turned to Sian.

Sian looked a bit overwhelmed. 'Well,' she hedged. 'I really don't know. IF it was the spell that brought us here then it would make sense that these are the guys. But then, no spell I've ever cast before has done this. So what if this Elena person brought us here, what then?'

'Any suggestions as to how we handle this?' Loi attempted nonchalance, but her voice sounded tight even to her. While she didn't want to admit it to the girls, she'd fallen for Sabyn rather hard.

THEY SAT IN SILENCE FOR a few moments then Kassie spoke up. 'I think we should just take it slow. And remember, we don't know the etiquette around here, so until we understand it all, let's not get ourselves betrothed or something without realizing it.'

The others stared at her for a moment.

'I hadn't even thought of that.' Cat looked a little wild-eyed.

'Yes, good point,' Sian agreed. 'Gonna take it nice and slow.'

FOR THE NEXT QUARTER HOUR or so we diligently collected firewood, not conversing. My mind felt like a mess while I made a vague attempt at thinking through what had happened, but had to give up, the thoughts only making me anxious.

We pushed through the bush back to the campsite to find the tent now set up and the men looking over their griffons. They glanced up when they heard us and Alek's blue stare had me chanting 'nice and slow' in my head over and over while we piled the wood beside the fireplace.

Gredel, Rumal, and Sabyn cooked a fantastic evening meal and the griffons disappeared for a couple of hours while they hunted their own dinner. After another game of cards, where upon I again lost appallingly, we girls decided to call it a night and headed for the tent. We'd managed to keep the evening just friendly and fun, which relieved me. I settled into bed feeling oddly content. Audi slept safe and sound under my bed, my friends were with me and while no one knew what tomorrow would bring, at least it wasn't the mundane everyday life we had on Earth. No office administration job for me here!

The next day we awoke to brilliant sunshine. Birds sung their hearts out while I got dressed and it surprised me to realize I looked forward to the day's flight. I hummed as I folded up my cot bed.

LOI SMILED WHEN SHE HEARD Cat hum "Just A Yellow Lemon Tree". It grew lighter and warmer inside the tent as the sun rose, making it lovely to step outside into the still crisp air of the early morning. She'd always loved camping as a kid and this made her feel rather nostalgic. Walking over to the fireplace, she found Alek and Gredel deep in conversation about the day's plan. They looked up when they heard her approach and smiled.

'Good morning,' Gredel said. 'Are you looking forward to another day of flying?'

Loi beamed at him. 'I am. I really enjoyed yesterday, will we stop at any villages on the way?'

'Yes. We'll stop at a village in Bresdon for tonight. The Inn there has accommodation for griffons and it's owned by my wife's brother.'

'What's the village called?'

'Lilliton,' said Alek. 'It'll be good to catch up with Brece and his family.'

Gredel looked past them both so they turned. Sabyn walked toward them with a string of fresh fish looped over his shoulder.

'I thought we'd have some fresh fish for breakfast.'

'Did you catch all of those this morning?' Loi asked, impressed.

'Yes. Do you like fish?'

The bright look of delight in his eyes had her nodding enthusiastically while thinking—as long as it's battered and from the fish and chip shop. The men set to scaling and gutting the fish, then seasoned them and threw them on the hot pans. It did smell good and the scent brought the other girls in quick. Sian, Kassie, and Cat had clean damp faces after visiting the creek, and Audi dripped with water. Sabyn moved slowly while he served the fish, because he had an ecstatic Lucky purring her way around his ankles begging for some. Loi laughed and scooped the cat up, holding her tight until he'd finished. The leftovers were divided between the cat and dog.

After clearing and cleaning the campsite, and packing the gear onto the griffons, it was time to go. Sabyn bent down to give Loi a leg up onto Tomiar but she hesitated. 'Can you show me how you do it? I'd like to learn.'

He looked surprised. 'Sure.'

She stepped back to watch while he and Tomiar performed their long perfected move.

Tomiar kept her foreleg bent. Sabyn made a short run up then leaped, pushing himself off Tomiar's knee and grabbed a good handful of mane then swung himself up. The entire move took about four seconds.

'W-O-W.'

Sabyn looked down at her. 'Give it a shot,' he urged. 'I'll grab your other hand.'

'I won't hurt Tomiar?' She asked in concern; she liked Tomiar after all.

He laughed and Tomiar snorted. 'She says if she can handle me, you'll be fine.' He winked, making her feel a little foolish.

'Ok,' she mumbled, taking a couple of steps back. 'Here goes nothing.' Remembering at the last second which foot to push off with, Loi kicked off Tomiar—mentally apologizing—and stretched up, snatching a handful of mane. At the same time Sabyn grabbed her other arm with both hands and pulled her up to the front seat. Loi blinked at the sudden change of view then laughed in surprise. 'I did it!'

The others had watched and all applauded, Cat, and Sian whistled loudly to the surprise of Alek, and Daron.

'Well done,' Sabyn spoke into her ear. 'I'll bet you'll be able to do it yourself in no time.'
12

SABYN AND LOI TALKED THE whole flight, leaning backward or forward to speak in the other's ear. He told her all about his family, she learned he had two younger sisters who commandeered much of their parents time. The twins, Lenia and Franti, were just sixteen and at that boy-crazy stage.

'It made the last visit we had at my family's home embarrassing,' Sabyn shook his head at the memory.

Loi laughed at the thought of the teenagers trying out their charms on the boys. 'I'll bet that doesn't go down well with Gredel,' she spoke in Sabyn's ear.

He roared with laughter.

' _WHAT? WHAT'D SHE SAY?'_ DEMANDED Tomiar.

He relayed Laura's words to her. Tomiar chuckled and sent him an image of the last time Gredel had visited—it showed the large man pasty white while the two girls closed in on him, their eyelashes fluttering and hands clasped demurely in front. Gredel told Sabyn afterward, in no uncertain terms, that he would never again visit without Citaan.

AUDREY SEEMED TO LOVE THE view. She'd managed to twist herself up so she could stand and stretch to see past Phroma's wings. Gredel grunted in pain.

'Audrey, you're standing on my bladder again.' He shifted her slightly. She twisted back to give him a big sloppy kiss, then shifted back to her original position.

' _Ganooks.'_ Gredel exclaimed to Phroma. _'This dog is driving me nuts, she won't stop squirming and standing on me.'_

' _At least she's enjoying herself,'_ replied Phroma. _'Just think of how bad it'd be if she didn't. She probably needs to go for a good run.'_

' _True, I think I'll suggest it to Catherine.'_

' _Cat,'_ corrected Phroma.

' _Eh?'_ Gredel thought in confusion, _'No, Catherine, the woman.'_

Phroma snorted in amusement, _'No silly, Catherine's name is Cat for short, Kassandra is Kassie and Laura is Loi. It's what they call each other all the time.'_

Gredel huffed, _'Well I didn't know.'_

' _Now you do. Yes, it'd be a good idea for Audi to go for a run, the energy she's throwing off is distracting.'_

' _Can I do anything to help?'_

' _Maybe try stroking her and talking to her, it might calm her down a bit,'_ suggested Phroma.

Feeling a bit self-conscious, even if only Phroma could hear him, Gredel began to pet the dog and chat to her.

OVER ON TOMIAR, SABYN SHOWED Loi how to stand on the saddle. She felt rather pleased with herself; she'd managed to gloss over most of her home life details. Instead she'd told him all about jujitsu. It fascinated him and he only promised to show her a saddle trick if she promised to show him a couple of throws.

Now she crouched on the saddle, clutching the front pommel tight with both hands, while seriously wondering if she'd overreached herself.

'Loi,' Sabyn shouted into the wind. 'Strap this around your waist.'

He held a heavy leather circlet. She slipped back into the saddle and he reached forward to help strap her in.

'This has a length on either side which ties to the saddle. With this and me behind you, you'll be fine.'

With the circlet fastened tight, Loi pulled both legs up again and crouched low over the pommel. Two large hands gripped her hips, Sabyn leaned forward. 'Ready?' he yelled.

'Yeah!'

'Okay stand.'

Bracing both legs, she slowly let go of the pommel and pushed her head into the wind while straightening up. Sabyn kept a firm grip on her hips as Loi caught her balance then spread both feet a little wider and seized the front strap from the saddle.

What a rush!

The wind roared past her ears so she couldn't hear anything and she had to squint to see, but the view! Rolling hills stretched out below them with distant rivers glinting in the sun, and dark stretches of forest. So much green and blue. Loi started to laugh. The sensation of the wind with only her feet touching the saddle made it feel like she herself flew. Suddenly she understood why Sabyn had such a passion for this. It was magical.

From this view point she could see the other griffons, and watched them, spell bound. Even in flight they had the grace of large cats and flew with such ease. Loi caught sight of Sian gaping at her and couldn't resist waving. She giggled while Sian watched with an expression of pure envy. Showing off wasn't nice, but she and Sian always competed against each other.

A little competition is healthy, Loi thought as she gave another wave.

TOMIAR COCKED HER HEAD TO look back at Laura. _'She's having so much fun. And the first of the bunch to do it,'_ she thought smugly.

' _Yes, though I bet Sian will be next,'_ Sabyn sent an image of Sian watching Loi to Tomiar.

' _It's good for them to learn. They'll need to be confident with flying for some of the things coming.'_

Sabyn paused, waiting to see if the griffon said any more. Tomiar often showed a gift for seeing events that had yet to pass. It wasn't unusual for griffons, or dragons for that matter, and Elena had thought it might have something to do with their ability to leap. When Tomiar didn't elaborate he let it go. She would tell him if she knew for sure, but when she only caught glimpses she didn't usually bother.

' _GREDEL, LOOK.'_ PHROMA THOUGHT EXCITEDLY.

Gredel looked across and spotted Loi standing on Tomiar, a huge grin on her face. _'You wait, she'll be free-falling in no time.'_

Audrey spotted Loi and turned to bark at her, but the wind whipped the sound away so Loi and the others didn't notice. The dog grumbled and slouched back against Gredel who smiled down at the put-out creature. He ruffled her fur and talked nonsense to her until her tail started to wag.

' _I can't wait to tell Citaan about the baby talk,'_ Phroma teased.

' _I'm just practicing,'_ Gredel thought, refusing to rise to the bait. _'You never know, Citaan might have a surprise for us when we get home.'_

The suggestion thrilled Phroma. Citaan had lost a baby nearly a year ago and she often spoke to Phroma about her longing for another. Phroma knew the lovely blue haired woman didn't mention it to Gredel because she didn't want to upset him. He'd taken the miscarriage rather hard. If the griffon calculated correctly, then the fourth month mark would be soon.

It's sure to be a healthy babe this time round, Phroma thought assertively, reassuring herself. Though it isn't surprising Citaan hasn't said a word yet, better to wait until the babe grew some more. Phroma felt a glow of warmth at the thought of a child for her friends. It made her think of her own pup, safe in the castle nursery.

' _You must be missing little Ageip,'_ thought Gredel. He loved the little pup. Ageip looked the spitting image of his mother, right down to the black wings with violet undertones.

' _I am,'_ Phroma sighed. _'But it's nice to be out. We haven't been for such a big trip in a long time.'_

LOI DECIDED SHE'D HAD ENOUGH of standing and with Sabyn gripping her hips again, she lowered back to the saddle.

'How are you?' Sabyn spoke into her ear.

'Shaking,' Loi said in surprise. 'It's a lot harder than I expected.' Her legs trembled as though she'd done hours of training.

He laughed softly. 'You were up longer than I managed my first time. Shows how strong you are.' He wrapped both arms around her.

Loi felt flattered and relaxed back against him with a smile. 'Thanks.'

I COULD JUST SEE THE village in the space between Loushka's wing and neck. It didn't have a fence like Lothost had. I leaned back against Alek's chest and he obligingly ducked his head so I could speak into his ear. 'Why isn't it fenced? Lothost was.'

'They have a large number of dogs here,' Alek said. 'Audi will be popular. They also regularly host griffons and their riders. That'll scare off most of the carnivores.'

That idea intrigued me and I asked, 'How many griffon riders are there? What makes the five of you so special?'

I felt his chuckle through the breastplate. 'You don't think I'm special?' he teased.

'I didn't mean that.'

'There are around eighteen griffon riders at the moment. The five of us were selected by Elena and trained by the late King. The other griffon riders are normal creatures who have connected with a griffon in the same way some connect with dragons. They're in high demand as messengers and guards, and in times of war they join forces with us and the General Guard at the Castle.'

'Do all griffons and dragons link with a human?'

'No. Out of say, several hundred creatures, one may link with another being.'

I thought about it for a moment. 'What do the normal creatures think of those who have linked?'

He smiled against my ear; it sent shivers down my spine. 'It's seen as an honor.'

Loushka made a loud whistle and Alek fell silent while they spoke.

'RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO LAND, so hold on.' He wrapped his arms around Catherine and this time she locked hers over his. Loushka made a slight sweep upward to align correctly, then dropped.

A CROWD WAITED TO GREET them and the girls kept themselves back behind the guys. Audi pressed herself against Cat's leg while they waited for their introductions. Kassie watched as Rumal called out to someone. A couple pushed through the crowd, with huge smiles on their faces as they greeted the men and the griffons.

THEY INTRODUCED US TO ABSOLUTELY everyone in the crowd. All the names went straight over my head; as long as I remember our hosts' names I'll be okay—Brece and Melanite. I kept smiling until my jaw hurt. They were all friendly and accommodating, but I began to feel claustrophobic. Sian bumped into me and I turned to look at her.

'Want out,' she whispered.

'Me too.'

'Me three,' said Kassie softly behind us.

I turned to see Loi bob her head in agreement. I looked around and managed to catch Melanite's eye. 'Could we see our rooms?' I asked. 'We'd like to change.'

'Oh, I'm sorry, I should have thought. C'mon this way,' Melanite said with an apologetic smile.

Waving to the guys, we hurried after her. The Inn opened up into an enormous space. Made fully of logs, the ceilings seemed excessively high compared to the other buildings I'd glimpsed when we landed.

'So the griffons can join their riders if they like,' Melanite explained. She led us into a large and airy room, its shuttered windows wide open. 'Will you need anything else?'

'Yes,' I said. 'I'm not sure if you'll be able to help, but I'd like to go for a run with my dog, and I was hoping for maybe some ankle boots as these,' I indicated my thigh high boots. 'Aren't ideal.'

'No, they're certainly not,' she agreed. 'I'll find some and bring them to you shortly.'

IN THE COMMON AREA OF the lodge the men caught up with Brece and several of the town's committee members. While Alek listened to the conversation he noticed Melanite hover near Brece, who turned and conversed with her.

Brece turned to Alek. 'One of the women in your group wishes to take her dog for a run, will you accompany her? We've had sightings of tehnears lately, so I wouldn't want her to risk it by herself,' he paused. 'You do still run?'

'I do, I'll go get changed. Elena will have my head if anything happens to any of them.' Alek pushed his chair back and stood, working at the buckles on his arm greaves as he walked to his room.

A SOFT KNOCK SOUNDED AT our door and Melanite poked her head in. 'Hello?' She had a pair of boots hanging from one arm and some garments in the other. 'Here are the boots, and I brought the clothing I used to use when I was a messenger. They're clean, of course. The shorts have a drawstring so they should fit. The laces on the top pull it in, so it can fit a variety of sizes.' She walked to the bed and laid a pair of shorts and a tunic top down.

'Are you a messenger?' She looked at me curiously.

'No. Why do you ask?'

'Well, why would you run otherwise?' she asked in surprise.

The four of us stared at her for a moment then Loi smiled brightly. 'Oh, Cat hasn't run any messages for ages. She just runs for fun.'

Melanite nodded then pulled out another garment that she'd concealed under her top. It was a long length of cloth with darts placed along it. I stared at it in confusion, and the others gathered to peer at it. 'What is that?'

She winked. 'It's to stop you from bouncing.' And gestured at my chest.

'Ohhhh,' we chorused in unison.

I looked at it closer now. 'How do you put it on?'

She quickly explained how to strap it then excused herself, needing to sort out the other rooms.

'Alek is going to meet you out the front?' asked Sian.

'That's what Melanite said.' I replied while Loi and Kassie, each with one end of the "bra", walked around me.

'Not too tight,' I half gasped. 'I need to be able to breathe.'

Five minutes later and I sat on the bed, all bandaged up in the bra, while Sian quickly braided my hair.

'Do you think it'll work?' Kassie studied the bra.

'I hope so,' I grunted, when Sian yanked on my hair, making the braid nice and tight. 'Bouncing isn't fun.'

Now ready to go, I did some quick stretches, getting a feel for my "new" jogging gear. The boots fit well, though the thin soles felt strange compared to my running sneakers. Audi whined at me; she knew all the moves. She raced over to the others then to the door, back to me, and back around again. I laughed and opened the door, waving to the girls, and moved out the way when the dog shot past.
13

ALEK PACED AT THE FRONT of the lodge while he waited for Catherine. About to go in search of her, he stopped when Audrey appeared at his feet, whining and crying with excitement. He laughed and bent to pat her.

'She's super excited,' Catherine called out as she walked in.

Alek looked up to greet her then stopped. She wore shorts that revealed shapely legs and a fitted tunic. He gaped at her for a moment. 'Run?! Err, I mean, go for a run?' He flushed when she gave him a funny look, suddenly aware of his abrupt tone.

'Yep, are you feeling alright?' Her green eyes stared up at him in concern.

Shake it off Alek, he thought to himself. It's not like you haven't spent the last two days together. 'I'm fine. It's just warm in here. What did you do to your hair?' he changed the subject quickly and studied the intricate braid that ran down the back of her head.

I TURNED TO SHOW THE plait off. 'Sian did it for me. It'll keep my hair out of the way.'

'Clever,' he commented and gestured with his head. 'This way.'

We wandered through the village until we reached the north end, meeting a dozen dogs along the way. It made me very relieved that in dog world Audi was submissive, so she only said a brief hello before zooming back to us. Alek had already confirmed with the locals as to which track to take, but on our way out of the village we were stopped and warned to be careful by a variety of people. Way to install confidence, I thought and asked, 'What are we to be careful of?'

ALEK LOOKED DOWN AT CATHERINE. Her eyes seemed troubled so he decided to deflect the question a little. 'Do you always go by Catherine? Can I call you Cat?'

She looked surprised. 'Um. Well, my friends and family call me Cat.' Then she grinned at him, 'So you can certainly call me Cat.'

The bubbly response amused him and he flashed her a smile while explaining. 'There have been tehnear sightings lately, that's why they're warning us.' Seeing her confusion he continued, 'It's a large carnivore, but I don't think we'll have any issues. The griffons should scare anything like that off.'

HE SAID IT NONCHALANTLY SO I wasn't bothered. Even after our encounter with the gragnolls and elgrids, not to mention the griffons we rode each day, it still seemed bizarre that this land had things that would eat us. Such a vast difference to back home. If Alek isn't concerned I guess there's no reason for me to be, I thought. I followed him past the village entrance.

We turned and began to jog along a track, just wide enough for us to run side by side. Audrey ducked from my side to his and back again, prancing as she did when happy. All my stress and tension began to dissolve while we ran along. I hadn't realized how off I'd felt. Going for a run felt like such a normal and pleasant thing, just what I'd needed. We started racing each other down the track, darting through the trees. Okay, so I raced, and he just ran, but we had fun, laughing at Audi darting between us. I didn't notice her disappear at first, the easy track made it effortless to dash along. When I realized she'd vanished, I stopped and twisted to look back.

Alek halted abruptly. 'What?' He looked around in confusion.

'Audrey must have scented something, she's disappeared. I want to make sure she catches up.' I looked around and listened carefully. I couldn't hear anything yet, but didn't panic, knowing how much Audrey loves to explore.

Alek looked up and down the track too, a lock of black hair brushing his eyebrow. My stomach did flip-flops at the sight, especially when he turned that blue gaze on me. 'Should we call for her?'

Too busy mentally swooning, I took a moment to register his words. 'What? Oh right.' I turned. 'AUDDRREEYYY!'

ALEK WINCED. CAT CERTAINLY HAS a good set of lungs, he thought. The contrast between the attractive woman beside him and the voice that sounded like a bull roaring...

The edges of his lips twitched with repressed laughter and naturally, that was the moment Cat glanced up. She gave him a wide grin. 'I know, I know. Not exactly what you'd expect from me.'

He laughed. 'I'm learning to expect the unexpected with you.'

I STOPPED LAUGHING WHEN I heard the snap of twigs behind us and spun back. 'Audrey! Where have you been?' I scolded, peering for her. I couldn't quite spot her so I walked a couple of paces into the bush, off the track. Please don't let her have caught something; I wasn't worried that she would have killed it, but most of the creatures Audi's caught before die of shock rather quickly and it always devastates her. I think she has it in mind to mother them.

Peering shortsightedly into the woods (okay, so there's more than one reason Sian's a better archer than me) I spotted the light glinting off her eyes and would have stepped forward when Alek seized my arm.

'Cat, Audi's over there.' He pointed down the track ahead of us.

Sure enough, there she stood waiting for us. I stared at her for a moment. 'But if Audi's there, then what's that?'

ALEK LOOKED WHERE CAT POINTED, not seeing anything at first. Then he spotted it, its dark brown fur and darker stripes nearly rendering it invisible in the undergrowth. 'Shit.'

Cat's eyes widened in surprise. Alek backed slowly out, grabbed Cat's arm and began to walk along the track at a brisk pace. 'What is it?' She hissed, her eyes wide with alarm.

'A tehnear. Can you get Audrey to walk behind us?'

I LOOKED UP AT HIM, really worried now. 'But,' I began.

Alek interrupted me. 'She'll be fine. Dogs are quicker than tehnears. She'll distract it.'

I could feel the fear coil around my stomach. My knees suddenly felt wobbly. 'Is it going to attack us?'

He gave me a grim look. 'Almost certainly.'

ALEK WATCHED WHILE CAT CALLED Audrey and pointed out the tehnear. 'Will she understand?'

Cat glanced at him. 'Yes. Audrey's very smart.'

They watched the dog stalk back down the track then stiffen when she sighted the tehnear. Audi lowered, belly almost to the ground, crouched and ready.

'Come on,' he snapped. 'Now we run. Fast.' Gripping Cat's hand, he took off.

WE SPRINTED FLAT OUT ALONG the track and this time I had no problem keeping up with Alek. A roar of fury ripped through the trees followed by Audrey, snarling and barking.

ALEK RISKED A GLANCE BACK. 'She's okay,' he gasped out. 'It's working.'

' _LOUSHKA.'_ Alek screamed in his mind. _'HURRY! WE NEED YOU!'_

BACK AT THE LODGE EVERYONE relaxed and the griffons stretched out in the sun. Sian, Kassie, and Loi lounged around a large table with the men, and Brece and his family. An enormous cry shook the lodge. Everyone leaped to their feet.

'What was that?' yelled Loi, but the men ignored her, all focused on their griffons.

KASSIE FELT THE GROUND SHUDDER and looked out the window in time to see Loushka spring into the air. Her mouth dropped at the sight of the griffon in full battle mode. Mane standing stiff, eyes narrowed in fury and her tail lashing the air as the griffon took off at a phenomenal speed.

SIAN REALIZED THAT SOMETHING MUST have gone wrong with Cat and Alek and lunged at Daron, gripping his shoulders. 'What's happening?' she shrieked.

MY FEET POUNDED THE DIRT and my heart beat frantically as I heard the snarls and barks behind us. Audi's snarls sounded further away than the vicious growls that drew closer. I pumped my arms hard and felt the breath burn in my throat.

ALEK KNEW THE TEHNEAR GAINED on them. It'd ignored Audrey, but she'd distracted it enough for them to get a little head start. He could feel Loushka getting closer but she hadn't called out yet. His heart raced and he kept a firm hold on Cat's hand, willing her not to stumble. He knew Loushka would spot them easily enough. All he had to do was keep them out of reach until she arrived. Risking another glance back, Alek's body went cold with horror; the tehnear was within pouncing distance.

Shit, shit, shit!

' _ALEK!'_ Loushka's voice roared in his mind, _'DUCK!'_

I HEARD A RUSH OF heavy wings and half turned to look when Alek tackled me. We tumbled off the track in a mass of flailing limbs. Something heavy with dense fur smacked across my side, winding me. I heard Alek snarl a curse under his breath. I struggled to sit up but couldn't, he had me pinned to the ground.

'Alek,' I wheezed, trying to get my breath back.

'Hush,' he growled, while looking frantically around. I closed my eyes for a moment, calming myself enough to get a breath. When I opened my eyes Alek still looked around. Anxiety made my head throb as I tried not to panic. I could hear Loushka moving through the low undergrowth—branches groaning when she shoved past and twigs snapping. The griffon kept making a strange, angry growl that broke off on a high note, like a screeching eagle defending its nest.

Please, please let Audi be okay!

CAT CEASED TO STRUGGLE AND lay beneath him, eyes wide while he searched the area for it, twisting his head, looking up and down the track. Where was the damn beast? Loushka had sent it flying, but now she couldn't spot it, and tehnears weren't that easy to kill. Alek felt Cat shift and glanced at her; she stretched to look down the track. Following her line of sight, he saw Audrey there, unscathed on the path. The sense of relief released some tension; it would have devastated Cat if anything had happened to her dog.

He looked down at Cat. 'She's safe.'

ABOUT TO ANSWER I LET out a shriek when Audrey crouched and snarled.

'Tehnear!

Hidden in the shadows of the tree where it'd been flung, the tehnear growled and staggered to its feet. Audrey barked angrily, daring to draw closer and I felt my heart seize tight in fear.

Alek jerked his head up and hollered for Loushka. The tehnear roared at Audrey who cowered but held her ground. The creature barreled over her and raced toward us. I dimly heard Loushka's furious roar and Alek's cry of shock, before a strange sensation flooded my senses and everything went red.

LOUSHKA SWOOPED IN AS ALEK lunged over Cat. The griffon snatched the creature just before it reached them, at the same instant an energy pulse burst out from Cat. The force of it flung Alek away and he slammed into the dirt, the breath snatched from his lungs. He lay there stunned, head ringing. Struggling to roll over, he crawled to where Cat lay unconscious, her eyes rolled back and face ashen. His head thumped with pain, but he sat up and gathered her in his arms, alarmed at the lack of response from the woman.

'Cat, Catherine, can you hear me?' his voice cracked while he stroked her hair back, willing her to respond. Audrey appeared at his side, crying, and gave Cat little licks then nudged Alek, who continued to shake the woman and call her name. Hearing a tearing noise, he looked up to see Loushka determinedly shredding the remains of the tehnear, the griffon's angry thoughts loud through their link.

' _Horrible, cretanous, mangratl creature!'_

Then Cat moaned and Alek cradled her close, calling to her again.

I COULD HEAR SOMEONE SAYING my name, but it sounded like it came from far away, a distant, tinny sound in my ringing ears. I tried to speak but wasn't able to form the words so I lay still, allowing my senses to come back.

CATHERINE HAD SEEMED TO REGISTER his voice and then went limp again. Alek started to panic.

' _Loushka, we need to get back to the village. Now!'_

' _Why?'_ Loushka loped over, _'What's happened?'_

' _She won't wake up!'_ Alek could hear the fear in his mind.

Then Cat opened those beautiful green eyes and looked up at him. The fear dissolved and he beamed down at her.

'Cat! You're awake.'

She groaned and tried to sit up. He quickly shifted her so she sat between his legs. She seemed very groggy and slumped against one of his knees, clutching it.

'What happened?' Cat asked in confusion.

'The tehnear lunged at us and you,' Alek's mind warned him against mentioning the energy pulse. 'You clipped your head when I pushed you out the way, I'm so sorry.'

I SLOWLY TURNED TO FACE him, my hands griping his knees to keep steady and looked into his eyes. His dark brows drew close and he studied me, eyes concerned, but curiously enough, almost speculative too. I pushed away the nausea I felt from the hammering in my head, determined not to be a girl about it all.

'Don't apologize,' I said. 'You saved me.'

The frown vanished. Those blue eyes stared into mine with another expression, making my heart pound, distracting me from my aching head. Alek lifted a hand, gently cupping my face, his thumb stroking my cheek. Before I had a chance to react, he pulled me close and pressed his lips to mine.

HE FELT CAT JOLT IN shock, then relax and sink into the embrace. The warm sweet taste of her lips triggered a sudden rush of lust. Alek wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in, and slid his other hand under her braid. He'd never found himself so aroused from such a simple kiss. She sighed against his lips and he deepened the kiss, wanting more.

' _Errrr... Do you think you could do that somewhere private?'_ Loushka's amused voice came into his mind.

ALEK JERKED BACK, THEN FLUSHED red, turning to stare at Loushka for a moment. I got the idea and bit my lip to keep from laughing. Actually, my head now spun in a rather impressive manner. The awful thumping had vanished and my veins felt like they hummed with desire. I could feel a very silly look develop on my face and glanced down to hide it.

' _SORRY.'_ ALEK THOUGHT SHEEPISHLY.

' _Oh I don't mind,'_ Loushka thought, _'And Cat certainly seems better for it. But next time shield your mind. I really don't need all those unsolicited thoughts flooding in.'_

Alek looked down at the woman snuggled in his arms. Appearing to sense his gaze, she looked up, green eyes slanted in pleasure, looking very cat like.

' _Arrrgghh!'_ Loushka shrieked verbally and mentally, startling Alek and Cat. _'That's it! I'm taking you back to the lodge and you are in separate rooms dammit! Keep your mind on something non-sexual or you are walking back to the village!'_

Oops, Alek winced. Need to work on that mind shield technique.

BACK AT THE VILLAGE EVERYONE anxiously waited for Loushka, Alek, Cat, and Audrey to return. They knew a tehnear had attacked them and Loushka had killed it, but they hadn't had any news since then. Kassie stood outside when she heard the loud noise of Loushka's wings. The griffon burst into view then dropped from the sky, landing amongst them. Everyone rushed forward.

Alek slid down Loushka's forearm his face flushed from battle and turned, arms outstretched to catch Cat as she slid down. Gredel called Audrey to him and the dog made a confident leap to the burly man's arms, almost knocking him over, causing titters of laughter from those who stood close.

ALEK SET ME TO MY feet, but didn't let go straight away, his hands lingering on my waist. I tingled from his touch and looked knowingly at him from under my lashes. Before we could say anything, Kassie and the others appeared, hugging us and exclaiming, demanding to know all the details.

When I tried to explain, I realized how knackered I felt, then noticed how covered in dirt and muck I was. Loi took a close look at me and turned, calling for Melanite, asking her to run a bath. They dragged me away to be cleaned and fed.
14

THE NEXT MORNING I LAY in bed thinking over the previous day's events; funnily enough I kept coming back to that kiss. It wasn't like I hadn't kissed a guy before. I had, plenty of times, but it had never felt like that. It had been...

I floundered for an adequate description, flushing at the memory of Alek's arms cradling me, the scent of his breath and, _oh god_ , that mouth. I fanned my face with a hand, the memory deliciously real in that moment.

Incredible? Stunning?

Well, let's just say it didn't seem so unbelievable that Alek might be...

I couldn't finish that thought yet.

No way, just too insane, my rational voice declared loudly while I resolutely ignored the silly voice that called quietly, this is what you asked for. Shaking off the crazy thoughts, I climbed out of bed and focused on dressing, then went down to breakfast.

KASSIE WATCHED CAT STRIDE INTO the dining area. She seemed okay now, but last night she'd appeared very dazed. Kassie made a mental note to keep an eye on her. They tucked into a huge cooked breakfast. Kassie gathered a plate of yummy scraps for Lucky and a plate of cream too. At the end of breakfast the tortoiseshell cat, who normally looked very sleek, had a visible pot belly and nodded off to sleep when Kassie settled her into the pack for the day. Rumal watched over her shoulder and reached over to stroke Lucky's head, eliciting a sleepy purr from her.

'She seems to be handling the flying better,' he observed to Kassie.

'All the special food and real cream seems to make her happy.' She laughed. 'It's much fancier than what she got at home.'

RUMAL FELT ANOTHER TWINGE OF curiosity at the thought of Kassie's home. 'You'll have to tell me about your homeland.'

Kassie glanced at him, her eyes conveying warmth and yet a hint of unease. 'I will, sometime.'

They turned their attention to getting the rest of the gear packed up. Melanite dashed around to everyone with parcels of food, tearfully hugging the men, demanding they visit more often.

KASSIE CHUCKLED SOFTLY TO HERSELF at the chaotic sight within the lodge. Because the griffons could fit in the lodge's main room and were very welcome, they seemed to forget how much space they took up. Sian did an impressive leap over Kerak, who lay sprawled out on the floor, then lunged to avoid the load of long tent poles Loi carried. Finished with their packing, Kassie and Rumal decided to wait outside, it seemed the safest place.

'Do you have villages like this in your homeland?' Rumal asked.

She gave him a sideways look while she considered what was safe to tell him. 'Yes, well kind of. Our homeland is,' she paused to think. 'More crowded than here. With many ethnicities grouped together.'

Rumal looked confused. 'Ethnicities?'

Kassie mentally smacked herself; of course, everything would have a different name here. 'Different races?' she explained hesitantly.

He nodded in understanding then looked hard at her. 'What's your race? You're different to the others, aren't you?'

She smiled, pleased he had noticed, and explained that she had been born in a different country, Malaysia, with a different climate and so had slightly different features and a different accent; her dad was European and her mum Malay—though she didn't explain that to Rumal.

'And Laura is from somewhere else too?' he asked.

She nodded. 'Loi is from Scotland and they have rather heavy accents compared to Sian or Cat. They're both from New Zealand so that's why they sound so similar.' Everyone poured out of the lodge, so they put the conversation on hold while they finished their goodbyes.

Sometime later, Kassie sat in front of Rumal, with Lucky in her bag on her lap. The weather was stunning once again and the flight smooth. She remembered something she'd meant to ask Rumal and leaned back against his chest to look up at him. 'Why is Kerak so young? Are you new to the Griffon Guard?'

RUMAL SMILED DOWN AT KASSIE. She is such an attractive little thing, he thought, with her crazy brown curls and hazel eyes. He stroked an errant curl from her forehead, causing her to flush, and thought about the question.

'I've been with the Griffon Guard since it was established. Originally I'd linked with a griffon named Ofelaan. She had the most beautiful golden wings,' he smiled, reminiscing. 'I think Kerak's should achieve that color when he's older.'

RUMAL'S DEEP RICH VOICE AND unusual accent mesmerized Kassie. She focused on what he said and frowned. 'What happened to Ofelaan?'

Rumal sighed. She could feel his sorrow and turned to grasp his hand, looking up into his eyes. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. Please don't talk about it if it pains you.'

HER ANXIOUS FACE TOUCHED HIM. Ofelaan would have loved her, he thought. He fell silent while he gathered his thoughts and Kassie cuddled close to him though her head barely reached mid chest. He chuckled then unable to resist teasing, 'Look at tiny Kassie; she's barely bigger than a child.' He ran a finger down her cheekbone.

KASSIE'S EYES WENT FLAT WHILE she glared at him. What is it with tall idiotic males and my height, she thought.

'I am only three inches below the average height thank you very much. And I can whip your ass any day.' Fuming, she jerked forward to the front of the saddle.

OOPS. RUMAL FROZE UNSURE OF how to respond. He hadn't meant to insult her. It hadn't occurred to him that she might be sensitive about it.

' _Maybe you should apologize,'_ suggested Kerak. _'What does she mean by "whip your ass"? I thought she only carried a sword.'_

Rumal shrugged, _'I'm not entirely sure.'_

He could almost see the waves of annoyance pulsing off her. Thinking hard, he made an attempt to lighten the situation. 'Is whipping ass' something you do regularly?'

KASSIE BIT HER LIP WHILE she tried not to smile. Okay, maybe she'd overreacted a little, but she wasn't letting up that easily.

'Only to idiotic males who suggest I'm vertically challenged. I can squeeze into places you'd never fit in.' Umm, actually that didn't come out quite as intended... Well if I don't point it out he might not notice, she thought.

RUMAL ROARED WITH LAUGHTER. 'BUT would I want to?'

He watched as Kassie's back quivered. She still didn't turn round though. Might have to try something else, he thought and reached forward to tug on a curl. It broke her cover and she began to laugh, reaching out to ruffle Kerak's mane.

' _Good one.'_ Kerak sounded relieved. _'Now she looks happy.'_

Rumal reached and snatched her up in his arms, causing her to shriek in surprise. When she'd settled in his lap he stroked a finger around her face again, tucking some stray bits of hair out of the way. 'Now where were we?' he asked.

'Ofelaan. You were telling me about Ofelaan and why Kerak's so young compared to the other griffons.'

Rumal nodded and re-gathered his thoughts. 'You've heard of Elena the Sorceress?'

'Yes, Alek mentioned her.'

'There is another Sorceress in this realm. Jenviet DeNaga. She schemed along with her brother Diantew, to defeat the entire world and reign over it. Now the DeNagas, as a family, have a history of defeat against Elion so Jenviet and Diantew knew they couldn't attack head on. Instead they waited for the right time. Elena had just established our Griffon Guard, we were at a training camp in the Merrej desert. In the middle of the night Jenviet and Diantew attacked us. Caught unawares, we scrambled to defend ourselves. The late King was killed trying to protect us. In fury we attacked as one, managing to snare Diantew and killed him. We nearly had Jenviet, but she slipped through our grasp. Ofelaan and I sped after her with the others close behind, but just as we went to attack she spun back on us. Jenviet released a massive energy wave and...' Rumal rubbed his forehead, the memory still painful for him. 'Ofelaan took the full blast. It killed her instantly.'

All traces of annoyance and laughter had left Kassie's face and she looked up at him, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. She gave his knee a gentle squeeze. His throat went unexpectedly thick with emotion at the sympathetic touch.

'It's not all bad. I got to link with Kerak.' His voice sounded gruff when he reached over to slap the side of the griffon in affection. _'And I count myself very lucky for that,'_ he thought, aware the griffon had listened in. Kerak gave a rumble of pleasure at the compliment.

Kassie sniffed and blinked rapidly. 'How long was it before you met Kerak?'

Rumal smiled at that memory. He told Kassie the story of the tiny determined griffon pup that made his way by himself across the great expanse of the Delos Sea. Rumal had sensed the griffon pup when he was born and he and Gredel had set out on Phroma to meet him on the Isle of Pati.

When they arrived they found his mother frantically trying to find her pup. Another pup told them that Kerak had intended to find his 'friend' and was last seen heading off toward Elion. After an anxious race back to Elion they arrived at the port where a message from Elena awaited them. Kerak had arrived three days after they'd left and, while exhausted, was otherwise in good health, waiting for their return.

'Kerak has a reputation that's well known in Elion.' Rumal laughed, 'And admired.'

Kassie shook her head, impressed. 'How small are griffon pups?'

'I'll show you when we get to the castle.'

'WHAT'S YOUR WORLD CALLED?' I asked Alek.

He looked at me in surprise. 'Gar'nyse. It means 'To Glow with Life' in our old language.'

'That's unique.'

'What's your world called?'

I considered the question suspiciously; I don't think it'll mean anything to him. 'Earth.'

The long pause made me apprehensive.

ALEK STARED DOWN AT CAT, looking at him in concern, and struggled not to laugh when he confirmed, 'Earth?'

She nodded.

His lips twitched. 'Your world is named Earth?'

She nodded again, looking more concerned.

He started to laugh. 'Your world is named after dirt. What, they couldn't think up a better name?'

Cat's eyes narrowed dangerously. 'I don't know. I wasn't there when they named it,' she snapped.

' _Oooh, what did you say to her?'_ Loushka demanded. _'She's putting out that energy again.'_

' _Her world is named dirt, oops sorry, Earth,'_ Alek chuckled. _'I thought it seemed a little unoriginal.'_

' _Earth? Really?'_ Loushka sounded amused. _'Well it's certainly simple. Maybe it's so they can't forget it. Since they're always standing on it.'_

DARON SPACED OUT WHILE SIAN talked, but she wasn't offended. It meant he talked to Nesha.

'Is your world really called Earth?' Daron sounded incredulous.

Sian looked at him in surprise. 'Yes, why?'

Daron started to laugh. 'Loushka told Nesha it was named after dirt, but I didn't believe her.'

BACK ON LOUSHKA'S SADDLE ALEK teased Cat. Loushka threw in a couple of good retorts too. Cat appeared to struggle not to laugh and it only made him more determined to get to her.

'So Catherine's a diirrttyy girl.'

MY JAW DROPPED. I HADN'T heard that tragic comment for a long time and the last time it had been uttered by a very drunk workmate. I wish I could come back with instant quips like Sian or Kass—not that hers always come out right. Unable to think of a good come back I gave Alek's thigh a damn decent punch instead.

'OW!' he yelped.

'HA! Dead leg.' I yelled, then held tight to the pommel and drew my legs up—lest he get any ideas. Laughing, I turned, still in my crouched position to look at him. He held his leg and laughed so hard that tears rolled down his cheeks. A funny buzzing in my ears distracted me and I shook my head. It must be the angle I'm on, I thought, shifting position.

' _ALEK! ARE YOU OKAY?'_ LOUSHKA thought in concern, having felt him jump in the saddle. _'What happened?'_

' _She gave me a dead leg.'_ Alek, still laughing sent her the image.

' _Didn't one of your cousins use to do that to you?'_ Loushka thought, bemused.

' _Yes,'_ He gasped for breath after all that laughing.

KEEPING A WARY EYE ON Alek I clung to the pommel while he caught his breath. He leaned toward me, looking at me from under dark brows. 'Catherine,' he said teasingly. 'That wasn't a very nice thing to do.'

I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him. 'Well, I didn't insult your world.'

Alek reached out, his hand inching toward my foot while I struggled to tuck it further under me.

'It is a little bit funny though, don't you think?' His hand continued to creep closer.

I made a swat at it. 'Maybe.' Then swatted again when it crept closer still.

Alek paused then cocked his head to the side and tsked at me in a disapproving manner. 'Now I thought that Earth women were supposed to be elegant and refined and...'

Not thinking, I straightened up to reply indignantly. I got as far as, 'Well I thou—Eeeekkk!' And broke off in a shriek when Alek snatched at my ankle.

THE INDIGNANT LOOK ON HER face flashed to shock when he grabbed her ankle and yanked her close. She fell into his lap and scrambled about for a moment, then managed to right herself, straddling the saddle. Now facing him, her face flushed while she tried not to laugh. Alek felt a sudden, inappropriate surge of lust and frantically jerked a mind shield up.

Drat—not quick enough.

' _ALEK!'_ Loushka shrieked, making him wince in contrition. _'Keep those thoughts to yourself.'_

' _Sorry.'_

Then he noticed Cat's astonished expression.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'D just heard. A glorious voice scolding Alek.

Oh my God, I know who that was.

'I just heard Loushka!' I cried, excited.

Two stunned voices answered me.

'What?'

' _What?'_

' _Loushka, I can hear you.'_ I felt elated when she answered back.

' _Catherine? How did this happen?'_ Loushka sounded as astonished as I felt.

ALEK INTERRUPTED LOUSHKA'S TRAIN OF thought, _'Loushka, the campsite is close, you had better get ready to land.'_

' _I'm on it, Alek.'_ Loushka replied, _'Elena's not going to believe this, it must have to do with that energy she keeps throwing off. I wonder if she'll be able to hear the others.'_

ALEK'S MIND APPEARED TO BE off whatever had disturbed Loushka. He looked distracted when he wrapped an arm around me while Loushka prepared to land.

Must make sure I face outward when landing next time, I thought, with my face squished against Alek's breastplate. Loushka lunged upward. There was that moment of absolute stillness, then the stomach plunging drop to the ground. It amazed me how something so huge could land so silently. Alek released me then slid down Loushka's leg, his handsome face troubled.

Thinking back to Loushka's shriek I smirked; I did owe him one, didn't I?

CAT HAD A SMILE ON her face when she lined up to slide down Loushka's leg. Alek stood ready to catch her. This time she did it with her eyes open. He opened his mouth to congratulate her when she interrupted him.

'Alek,' she purred, eyes alight with mischief. 'What were you thinking that disturbed Loushka so much?'

ALEK STARED AT ME FOR a moment then flushed a brilliant red.

Excellent. I rejoiced. Got you back! Look at that, he turns as red as I do.

Giving a throaty chuckle, I slid intentionally down him when he released me from his arms then darted off to where the others waited. I couldn't wait to tell them about hearing Loushka.
15

SIAN FELT AS ASTONISHED AS the others to hear it. It shocked the men. They'd discussed it the whole time they set up the tent, pausing their conversation if one of the women ventured too close. Cat, on the other hand, had raced to get the firewood, eager to go chat with Loushka. Kassie nudged Sian. 'Do you think in time, we'll be able to hear the griffons too?'

The tiny twist of envy left Sian's stomach while she considered that. 'I really hope so.'

Loi turned from watching Cat. 'I wonder what caused it to happen?'

'Well, she and Alek would appear to be closer than we are with...' Kassie gestured at the men. 'Perhaps when we're closer, we'll be able to tune in,' she finished.

ALEK STRAYED AWAY FROM THE campsite, rubbing the crystal in the metal cuff on his wrist and threw a thought out to Elena. _'Elena?'_

' _I can hear you, Alek, what's wrong?'_

' _I'm not sure that it's wrong, just unexpected. Catherine heard Loushka for the first time today. She's conversing with her right now.'_

' _Really?'_ Elena sounded impressed. _'Her powers are growing stronger quickly.'_

Alek told her about the incident with the tehnear and the energy burst Cat had thrown off.

' _How far away are you?'_ Elena asked.

' _We should reach the castle by tomorrow night; we've made very good time. The griffons appear to be getting stronger after each leap, even if it does tire them for a day.'_

' _Get here as soon as possible. I need to meet those women and have them under the protection of the castle.'_

' _Do you think they could be in danger already?'_

' _Alek, you know as well as I, that if I can pick up the energy output so can she. She knows they're in our world and she will be hunting them.'_

Elena's presence vanished from his mind. Alek felt exhausted from all the sudden and unexpected events. He watched Cat chat to Loushka; his emotions swirled while the flame haired woman stroked the griffon's beak. He'd never felt such an instant attraction like this before. Part of him knew it would be best to let Cat be, until she herself knew who she was. The other part, however, couldn't resist her. Ignoring his good sense, he stared over at her.

LOUSHKA HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL voice. She was a pleasure to talk to. We'd chatted about all sorts of things and I'd discovered that I could show her images of life on Earth. Telepathy gave you so much more to work with than just words, and I already knew Loushka resisted telling me everything, able to sense a sort of wall she put up. She's probably been instructed only to tell us on a need-to-know basis, I thought; but wasn't concerned, we were doing the same thing. It made sense.

' _Do you think I'll be able to talk to Alek like this?'_

Loushka hesitated. _'I wouldn't think so, but you may be able to talk to one another through me.'_

That's an interesting idea, I thought, then felt someone's eyes on me and glanced up. Alek stood across the campsite from us, watching. I felt a rush of pleasure while I stared. Such a handsome man; tall and broad shouldered with rippling muscles everywhere, as I well knew. A shock of thick, ebony hair, long enough to brush his brows and deep blue eyes that complimented his tan. I continued to watch—okay ogle—him while he strode our way. His armor was unusual, with high armored boots that stopped at mid-thigh like mine, and then another section encased the hips and protected the stomach but was jointed so he could ride comfortably. A breastplate, which I hoped I didn't still wear the imprint of, shoulder guards and a full cape which clipped to each shoulder and swung out when he walked.

CAT APPEARED TO STUDY HIM as he walked over and Alek took the opportunity to do the same. She sat on a large rock with her feet out in front, ankles crossed and knees wide, the way a man might sit. It seemed to draw attention to her figure in an almost indecent way. His armor felt too tight all of a sudden and he hastily drew his eyes up to her face. 'Enjoying the conversation?' he asked.

Cat sat straighter, her eyes meeting his and flashed him a delighted smile. 'I am. Loushka has such a beautiful voice.'

Loushka made a soft noise, a cross between a trill and a purr and gently bunted Cat.

SIAN FELT A LITTLE OUT of sorts. Loi had beaten her to standing during flight, and now Cat could talk to Loushka. It hardly seemed fair, she thought, letting out a quiet sigh.

NESHA HEARD AND CREPT CLOSER to Sian, brushing his beak against her. She seemed happy at the attention, stroking and combing his mane with her fingers.

' _You should teach her free-falling tomorrow.'_

Daron, in the midst of unpacking, looked up in surprise. _'What?'_

' _Sian. You should teach her free-falling. She needs something special to do that none of the others have done yet.'_ Nesha explained, _'Why not whisper the idea to her now, she can surprise the others tomorrow.'_

Daron glanced over at Sian and noticed she looked a little down. Making her smile would make him feel pretty good. He stood and went to sit next to the petite blonde.

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER GREETED US THE next morning and we stumbled around, packing up. I looked forward to getting to the castle and not needing to pack and un-pack each day.

Kassie appeared to have had the same thought. 'I will be so glad to sleep on a normal bed again,' she exclaimed.

Loi, in the midst of fighting to get her cot bed folded down, asked, 'When are we meant to reach the castle?'

'Tomorrow?' suggested Kassie.

'No, tonight,' Sian corrected her. 'Daron told me yesterday.'

Sian looked much happier than she had yesterday and I felt relieved. The expression that flickered across her face when I'd told her I could hear Loushka almost made me feel guilty; full of frustration and envy.

I'm sure they'll all be able to do it soon, after all I didn't do anything special.

I smiled at her. 'Looking forward to the last day of solid flying?'

She nodded with enthusiasm, more than I expected and it made the three of us laugh. 'I am. And it's only the last day for the moment.' She ducked out the tent with the rest of us close behind.

DARON WORE A HUGE SMILE when Sian came toward him, delighted to see how happy she looked. She bounced the last step to him and flung her arms around his neck. He laughed and spun around, holding her tight, making her giggle. Everyone turned to watch.

KASSIE FELT A GLOW OF joy for Sian, a public display of affection so early on had to be a good thing. She turned and just avoided bumping into Rumal who stood right behind her. She felt the flutter of butterflies when he smiled, his teeth startling against his skin. 'Are you looking forward to arriving at the castle? It means no more cot beds.'

She laughed. 'I won't be sorry to sleep in a normal bed. Are there many people at the castle?'

RUMAL SAW THE CONCERN IN Kassie's eyes and reached out to catch one of the constantly errant curls around her face. 'You'll be fine,' he assured her. 'I'll be there and so will your friends, of course.' Lucky meowed around Rumal's ankles and he chuckled. 'See, even little Lucky will be there for you.' He helped Kassie onto Kerak's back and the group set off.

'IS LIFE AT THE CASTLE very formal?' Loi leaned back to speak into Sabyn's ear.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. 'Compared to camping out like this, yes, it is more formal. There are a lot of organized events and most meals are eaten in the Great Hall. But you and the others are different from everyone else. We don't yet know entirely what Elena wants. I guess we'll have to wait and see.'

She felt a pang of nerves and concern at his words. What did he mean "you and the others are so different"? And what could Elena want? Loi had a horrible feeling she shouldn't be so quick to fall into Sabyn's arms. The thought made her back stiffen.

SABYN FELT LAURA FREEZE UP and leaned to her ear. 'Are you cold?'

'What do you know about us?'

He froze at the question. 'Err...'

The pause as he scrambled for the right words felt noticeable and awkward, he knew his answer might affect their developing relationship. 'We've been told by Elena that you're all very special and need to be protected. And I don't really know anything else,' he finished lamely.

LOI FELT BOTH FLATTERED AND frustrated by his words. It really answered nothing. She still suspected Sabyn hadn't told her all he knew. Sure, if she was in his position she might do the same thing, but it didn't mean she had to like it.

ALEK COULDN'T BELIEVE THE IMAGE he saw; it looked incredible! _'And this is real?'_ he demanded to Loushka.

' _Cat says so, in fact, she says she's flown in one.'_

' _But...but look at it. It's a mass of metal. How does that stay in the air?'_

' _Apparently the two fires you see at the back of the triangular shaped wings are called engines. And they keep it in the air.'_

Alek laughed aloud at the thought and leaned to Cat's ear. 'Show me another,' he begged. 'What other flying machines do you have?'

I LOVED TO SHOW HIM the pictures and sent an image of a helicopter to Loushka. That took a good twenty minutes to explain and I had to remind Alek that I wasn't an expert on them. The three-way conversation we had felt somewhat bizarre, but being able to show Loushka an actual image was fantastic, so much better than a verbal description.

'Show me your family,' Alek spoke into my ear, his arms tightening around me. The request surprised me, but I complied and sent images of a recent visit I'd had with my parents.

ALEK STUDIED THE IMAGES LOUSHKA showed him. In a light-colored room, a petite woman with short, nearly spiky, dark hair smiled at him and reached a hand out as though to touch his cheek. Another image showed a laughing man with an open, friendly face, blue eyes and short white hair. Next, an image of a small black and white dog wagging its stump of a tail and turning circles in excitement, while the dark-haired woman shook her finger at it. Alek smiled. The sense of joy it gave him to see Cat's family and how much love surrounded her, surprised him.

THE IMAGES MADE MY HEART ache and a sudden wave of homesickness washed over me. I hunched in the saddle, biting the insides of my cheeks to try and stop myself from crying.

I can't stand the thought of not seeing them again. Please, please let Elena be able to help us out.

ALEK FELT CAT HUNCH AND leaned sideways to look at her face. She'd flushed red and blinked rapidly, her cheeks sucked in and lips pressed flat. He removed an arm from her waist and gently stroked the hair from her face.

'Cat, what's wrong?'

THE WORDS WERE SPOKEN SO gently that I couldn't help it. The tears ran down either cheek. 'I miss them.' Alek leaned over me and drew my legs to one side of the saddle, then tucked me into his arms. It reminded me of my dad doing the same thing when I was little, after I'd had a nightmare. I burst into tears, the stress from the past crazy week ebbing out of me.

ALEK HUMMED THE LULLABY HE'D heard Gredel sing to his niece when she was little, while stroking Cat's hair. Her tears slowed and then stopped. He felt her reach up to wipe her face and looked down at her.

'Okay?'

She gave him a tiny smile and nodded.

'Thanks.'

Her teary, reddened face touched his heart and he didn't stop to think. Tipping her chin up, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. A tingling sensation rushed through him and he pulled away while staring into Cat's eyes, moving his hand from her chin to cup her cheek. He had the oddest compulsion to say words he'd never said to another and bit them back. Instead, he pressed his forehead to Cat's as he felt another surge of warmth rush through.

THE AIR BETWEEN US FELT electric and I had to focus on breathing while I stared into his eyes.

Whoa, and I thought the last kiss was good.

Loushka's voice interrupted the intense sensations. _'Okay, I won't drop you both, though I'm sorely tempted. But, for the last time, would you PLEASE KEEP THOSE THOUGHTS TO YOURSELVES.'_

I blushed and Alek sat up straight, laughing.

'Sorry, Loushka,' we chorused.

I repositioned myself to how I'd sat before and attempted to put my thoughts somewhere more appropriate while Alek placed his hands chastely on either side of my seat.

'YOU NEED TO SHIMMY DOWN Nesha's back, then crouch. When you have your balance, leap off with your arms out straight from either side keeping your legs together. Nesha will count to five then go into a dive and swoop under you. You should be able to guide yourself back into the saddle,' Daron explained.

Sian nodded, more than a little daunted by the mental image she had of the dive.

'HAVE YOU EVER DONE ANYTHING like this before?' Daron asked.

'Kind of.' Sian answered, 'On Earth we have something called sky diving, were you jump out of a plane with a parachute.'

' _Get her to explain.'_ Nesha urged, _'What's a plane? And a parachute?'_

THAT TOOK AT LEAST TWENTY minutes of detailed explanation, though Sian got the distinct impression it all seemed like fantasy to Nesha and Daron. She grumped to herself; it would be so much easier if I could just show you. Another twinge of envy ran through her. Lucky Cat, she thought, I really hope I can hear Nesha soon.

WHAT SIAN EXPLAINED IMPRESSED DARON, but the concepts had him confused. Nesha chatted to Loushka, and Cat gave her images of both things.

Daron gasped at the image that filled his mind, a tiny machine flying in the air. It had such an odd appearance with its pointed nose and wings that stuck straight out from either side. As he watched the images, an opening appeared at the side and a strange creature crouched in the space. It was brightly colored with bulging eyes and a shiny head.

The creature grinned and then threw itself out of the metal thing. He watched it free-fall for a decent distance, turning and flipping, then it appeared to yank on something. A mass of fabric exploded from the creature's back and assumed a tent-like shape which filled with air and yanked it up a little. Slow and graceful, the tent glided to the ground; the creature played with the ropes that held it to the tent. When it landed people rushed to it and it surprised him when he recognized Kassie and Loi. The creature pulled at its head and appeared to remove it. He laughed when he saw Sian shake out her long golden hair—it had been a hat. Sian was the brightly colored creature that had tumbled through the sky.

SIAN TURNED WHEN SHE HEARD Daron laugh. 'What?'

'Loushka sent Nesha an image from Cat. It was you in bright colors jumping out of a machine and free-falling,' Daron looked impressed.

Sian blushed with pride. 'That was my first solo jump.'

'I guess this won't be too much of a shock then.'

'The falling, no. The landing—well, that's gonna be new to me.'

'Not to worry, Nesha and I have done this often,' Daron gave her a hug. 'We'll keep you safe.'

I OBSERVED THE LANDSCAPE. IT looked a little different from the past couple of days, a little wilder, if that were possible, with denser bush and some high, rugged hills.

Looking ahead I saw impressive mountains and leaned back to Alek. 'What's that mountain range called?'

'The Anguem, it borders the castle on its western and northern sides.'

So beyond that sat the castle; a shudder ran through me and I had a sudden urge to ask Alek to turn around. Not that he would, but the idea of being surrounded (again) by many new people, and finding out what Elena wanted of us, daunted me.

'Are you cold?' Alek's voice made me jump and he chuckled at my reaction.

'No. Just nervous,' I confessed, a little embarrassed.

He rubbed my arms briskly and spoke in my ear. 'Don't think about it,' he suggested. 'Let me distract you.'

Now that brought some interesting thoughts to mind. I banished them before Loushka could scold me.

Alek pointed out some birds flying below us, asking Loushka to swoop down so we could have a closer look. 'Those birds are dahneks. They essentially live just in the canopy of the forest and you only occasionally see them on the forest floor.'

I studied the green birds that he seemed so pleased to see. About the size of a large gull, they had soft looking wings and a large head with a curved beak. 'What's weird about them?'

'Not weird, interesting. They carry their young on their backs, look, see the one at the far right?'

I craned my neck to try and see but couldn't quite look around Loushka's wing. He stood on the saddle and pulled me up, pointing again. 'Right there, see?'

I stared hard and could just make out two small shapes on its back. 'What are they clinging to her with?'

'They're born with claws that drop off once they can fly.'

ALEK SUDDENLY REALIZED SHE HADN'T stood on the saddle before and sat back down, fast.

'Whoops.' He felt sheepish, 'You're so much more confident on Loushka now. I forgot you hadn't done that yet.'

She slid back into her seat and laughed. 'It was the best way to do it, I didn't even think about it until you mentioned it.'

I REMEMBERED THE BIRD WE'D seen when we'd first arrived and twisted to look at him. 'We saw a bird when we first arrived. It was the most beautiful bird I've ever seen.' I showed Loushka an image.

ALEK WATCHED THE GRACEFUL BIRD flit around the tree trunk.

' _It is what I think it is, isn't it Loushka?'_

' _Yes, absolutely. I saw one once when I was small,'_ the griffon sounded very impressed. _'It's supposed to be a good sign, one of the best, next to sighting a unicorn.'_

' _These women just keep getting more and more interesting,'_ he thought.

IT TURNED OUT THE BIRD was incredibly rare, to the point of being thought mythical (that amused me), and considered a sign of high magick. Which sounded impressive, but neither of them decided to elaborate. Another one of those things I would learn about at the castle, I guess. Loushka flew back up to join the other griffons.

SABYN STILL HAD HIS ARMS around her waist. Loi felt grateful he couldn't see the massive scowl on her face. Torn between the two, now very annoying, voices in her head that argued as to whether his apparent deceitfulness was fair or not, and if it even mattered.

She sighed.

'Are you okay?' Sabyn asked his voice hesitant.

Loi considered her reply, getting a mild sense of vindication from the long, awkward pause. The rational voice in her mind pointed out that she would find out soon, while the grouchy voice said, not soon enough!

'When will we reach the castle?' She was careful to keep her voice neutral.

'By this evening.'

' _SHE'S GROUCHY WITH YOU,_ ' TOMIAR informed him.

' _I'm aware of that,'_ he snapped.

' _My, aren't we snippy. Well, Mr Snippy, I thought you might like to know that Loushka and Alek would like to show them the Wrenok basin.'_

Sabyn sighed. _'I'm sorry. I just don't like knowing she's grouchy at me.'_

' _I understand,'_ Tomiar thought sympathetically. _'But try to see it from her point of view—it must feel incredibly frustrating. Just try to ignore her mood, she'll get over it.'_

Taking the advice, Sabyn spoke up. 'We're going to fly through the Wrenok basin. It's where we practice tricks and maneuvers with the griffons.'

The five griffons rose even higher in the air and headed for the mountain range.
16

GREDEL ENJOYED THE FLIGHT TODAY. Audi had settled into her new spot and appeared to enjoy the view. After he moaned to the other guys about the dog's antics, they'd come up with the idea to convert one of the saddle bags and put her in there. It worked well and she had an even better view now. The dog settled down to watch it all and Gredel could stretch out in the saddle in comfort.

He looked forward to seeing the women's reactions to the basin. The highest peak, Mount Artonay, was where he'd taken Citaan when he'd proposed. He was quite proud of that, people so often proposed at an event where others could witness it, but he knew Citaan would like such a special moment to be private, and she'd loved it. So much in fact, they'd given serious consideration to getting married there. But, in the end, the logistics weren't great, and several older members of Citaan's family had been upset by the notion of not having a "proper" wedding.

' _I guess in the long run the normal wedding was easier.'_ Phroma thought to Gredel.

' _I'd been thinking the same thing. Although our idea would have been far more interesting.'_

THE MOUNTAINS GREW HIGHER AND the griffons climbed with them until they cleared the summits. The view literally stole your breath at this high altitude. It didn't bother the griffons at all, this was what they were built for, but the humans found the sharp cold air harsh on their lungs.

Loi's jaw dropped at the sight of the cavernous basin, created by four mountains clustered together in a semi-circle, their peaks sheer and bleak. One of the mountain peaks had broken off at some point in time and massive slips of shingle fanned down its sides. Sabyn tightened his arms around her waist a little and leaned forward to point at one of the slips.

'That's where we surf,' he called.

Forgetting she was mad at him, Loi turned, her eyes wide in surprise. 'You slide down that? Isn't that dangerous?'

He winked. 'Only if you fall.'

Loi shook her head in disbelief. That must come under the extreme sport category, she thought while continuing to study the area. The griffons dropped lower into the basin and the air stilled in an instant, the high mountains creating a natural wind-break.

'THIS IS OUR PRACTICE SPACE,' Alek smiled at Cat, happy to show off the impressive area after all the fascinating images she'd shown them. She stared around the mountains in open admiration.

'What do you think?' He demanded when she remained silent.

SO TAKEN WITH THE VIEW I couldn't respond at first; hauntingly beautiful with high treacherous peaks that dropped into sheer faces, and shingle that extended to the tree line far below.

'Incredible,' I breathed. Alek leaned in close to hear me. 'Absolutely incredible.'

'You can see why we practice here, lots of space and essentially no wind.'

I nodded in agreement, still staring and twisted around in my seat to get a better view.

'Come on.' He seized me around the waist. 'Upsy daisy.'

I clung to his chest like a limpet until we both stood steady then he turned me so I leaned against his chest and began to point out various areas. It astonished me to learn that they actually slid down the shingle faces for fun. It made me remember the time I'd done it as a kid, with a friend of mine, while on holiday. Dad had nearly had a fit when he caught us. It hadn't occurred to us that we could have been crushed in it, but kids never do think of those things. I mentioned it to Alek who laughed.

'It's possible, but the griffs keep close, ready to grab us if necessary.' He helped me back to my seat and casually lowered into his. It felt like watching an acrobat, the way he did it so easily. The heavy beats of Loushka's massive wings didn't throw him off balance in the slightest. I sighed, after ten years of jujitsu my balance had improved lots, but things like this made me look as gangly as a newborn calf.

AS DARON HELPED SIAN INTO position Nesha couldn't help himself and he called out to the other griffons.

' _Guess what. Sian's about to try free-falling.'_

The other griffons got excited and Nesha suddenly thought to add, _'But don't mention it to the other women, we want to surprise them.'_

' _THIS SHOULD CHEER LOI UP,_ ' thought Tomiar. _'Then she can try it next.'_

' _Not a bad idea.'_ Sabyn sat up straighter in the saddle and looked around for Nesha. _'Make sure we're in a good spot to see her.'_

NESHA FLEW UP TO A height which would allow Sian a decent dive. Everyone's eyes followed him and the girls watched curiously while the men grinned in anticipation.

'Ready?' Daron shouted against the wind to Sian, the currents stronger at this height. Sian clung to Nesha's rump. Not exactly the place you want to be when trying to impress the guy you're crushing on, but oh well.

'Ready!' she yelled.

'WHAT'S NESHA DOING?' LOI TWISTED to look up at Sabyn. Wow, his eyes are gorgeous, she noticed; a real glacial blue. He started to speak then stopped, staring at something beyond her. Loi turned back just in time to see Sian plummet past them.

I FELT THE BREATH WHOOSH out of my chest. Sian, her arms outstretched, had just hurtled past us at an immense speed and, unlike on Earth, without a parachute attached.

Oh holy Goddess!

Terror flooded my limbs making them heavy and useless while everything appeared red to my eyes.

KASSIE WHIMPERED IN HORROR AT the sight of Sian falling to her certain death. She could feel a strange rushing sensation through her limbs and the outer edge of her vision glowed yellow.

LOI GASPED, HER BODY TREMBLED in anxiety and shock while an immense feeling grew within, her eyes seeing things in a green light.

THE THREE WOMEN GLOWED WITH energy and the effect on the griffons was electric. Tomiar, Loushka and Kerak all screamed in alarm at the energy swell they felt.

' _MAKE THEM STOP!'_ They screeched at the men in unison.

GREDEL AND PHROMA WATCHED IN astonishment at the glowing women and the men, who shook the women and shouted at them.

' _Where's Sian?'_ Gredel suddenly thought to Phroma.

' _Daron and Nesha just grabbed her, she's glowing blue!'_

'CATHERINE!' ALEK ROARED AT THE woman glowing an intense red, she got hotter to the touch with every moment.

' _Hurry Alek. Or I'm going to have to drop her.'_

Loushka knew that an energy pulse like the last one Cat had thrown out would knock her unconscious. It'd be better to drop the woman and snatch her back after she'd released. Loushka hoped it wouldn't come to that.

'I'm sorry, Cat,' Alek hissed through clenched teeth. He gave her a swift slap across the face.

THE BLOW JERKED MY MIND back like I'd been dashed with cold water. I gaped at Alek, one hand to my stinging cheek.

' _IT WORKED!'_ EXULTED LOUSHKA. SHE let the others know.

A collective sigh of relief rose from the men and griffons when the women returned to their normal colors. Each of them slumped in the saddles, exhausted from the sudden, immense swell of energy they'd created. A sudden vibration from the metal cuff he wore made Alek jolt in shock, then Elena's voice burst into his mind.

' _Alek! What just happened? Are they okay?'_

Alek shifted Cat in his arms to look at her face, she appeared to be conscious, with her normal color slowly coming back.

' _Yes, we had a scare which made them react,'_ Alek searched for an adequate description. The silence stretched minutes before Elena responded.

' _Get them here as soon as possible, Alek. I'll meet you on the inner gate with Yakov and the Lieutenants, so make sure they are presentable and have them wearing their weapons. I need them to make the right impression.'_

' _We'll see you in less than an hour,'_ Alek thought back and Loushka sent the message to the other griffons.

'Cat.'

I BLEARILY REGISTERED THAT ALEK shook me, wanting me conscious. I blinked and tried to sit up. 'What?'

'We'll be arriving soon. We need you looking presentable.'

Good luck with that, I thought and started to drift off to sleep again.

ALEK FROWNED WHEN CAT STARTED to slump in his arms and shook her again.

'Catherine!' He said her name loud enough to make her jump. 'Wake up. We need to get your weapons strapped on, and your cloak, and your hair sorted.' Alek regarded the mess of hair in front of him thoughtfully.

WELL THEN HOP TO IT, I thought, glaring at him. A total waste of time. Focused on the task at hand, Alek ignored me as he leaned over, rummaging through the saddle bags. Resigned, I raked my fingers through my hair, trying to neaten it, wincing at the snags and knots. I grumbled when Alek pressed the daggers into my hands, then jumped a mile when he accidentally jabbed my hip while buckling my sword.

He laughed then teasingly ran his hands to my ribs. 'Ticklish?'

With a dagger in each hand I didn't bothering answering him, instead thinking my answer to Loushka who barked in laughter. I finished fastening the daggers to my arms and Alek set my cloak about my shoulders.

Just my hair.

With a silent sigh I reached back to wrestle it into a French braid.

ALEK WATCHED WHILE CAT'S HANDS deftly folded her hair into a complicated braid and admired the unique color. The rich, ruby shades glinted in the evening sun. The end result, a thick neat plait that hung to the middle of her back. Cat turned and looked at him, one eyebrow arched.

'Presentable?'

THE SLOW, SEXY SMILE THAT spread on his face caused major butterflies in my stomach and I smiled blithely back; damn, he's an attractive man.

'Perfect,' he assured me. I turned and settled back into the saddle, trying to look alert and alive, instead of knackered.

KASSIE CURSED WHEN THE CURLS slipped out of her hands then spun round to glare at Rumal, who'd chuckled, both hands clutching her hair.

'Don't laugh,' she cried indignantly. 'Just cause you're bald.' She jerked back in her seat and grumbled more when Rumal roared with laughter. This wasn't fair, she grumbled to herself. Why do I have to look presentable now, while flying on a griffon? Really, did the person who requested this even consider the logistics? She scowled and wobbled on the saddle while giving her hair another twist.

Large warm hands gently touched hers and Rumal spoke in her ear. 'Let go, I'll finish it for you.'

She hesitated for a moment but figured if it looked awful at least the blame would be on him. A smug smile touched her lips and she surrendered the mass of curls to him.

WITH QUICK, DELIBERATE ACTIONS, RUMAL shaped Kassie's hair into an elegant twist and fastened it with one of the wooden pins he kept in his saddle bag.

'Done.' He felt her start in surprise.

'What? How did you do that?' she demanded, delicately touching the twist to feel the shape of it.

'Only the men in our culture keep their heads shaven, or at least very short,' Rumal explained. 'My little sister has hair like yours, all crazy curls. I used to watch my mother tame it. The pin in your hair is one my sister wore in hers. It's a little piece of home when I'm far away.'

LOI FELT GRATEFUL FOR HER straight hair at that moment, knowing the struggle Cat and Kassie would likely have with theirs. She slouched back against Sabyn's chest and smiled when he wrapped his arms around her, encasing her in her cloak, nice and warm. Very soon they would reach the castle and all their questions would be answered, making the irritation bothering her dissolve.

SABYN GLANCED AT THE WOMAN in his arms and could just make out her eyes closed beneath her veil of hair. He felt her muscles relax as she drifted off.

' _Is she sleeping?'_ Tomiar asked.

' _Yes, I know we'll be there soon but a little sleep may make her feel better—at any rate, it can't hurt,'_ he thought.

GREDEL WATCHED THE SUN HANGING low in the sky, a glorious orb of brilliant crimson and dark gold.

' _I think the sun should be hitting the castle as we arrive,'_ he thought to Phroma.

' _I hope so. It will be a beautiful first sight for the girls.'_

Gredel felt a surge of excitement. Citaan would be waiting for him when they arrived. It nearly tempted him to ask Phroma to fly faster but he knew that wasn't fair. She already wanted to get there faster, so she could see her son, Ageip. Gredel wondered how much the youngster had grown since he'd last seen him. Perhaps his child would bond with Ageip, once born. Gredel smiled at the thought.

I STARTED VIOLENTLY WHEN ALEK suddenly shifted position and blinked in surprise; oops, didn't realize I'd nodded off.

'Cat, look,' he pointed into the distance. I stared where he pointed and at first could just make out a bright white spot. After rubbing my eyes and squinting, I could now make out a shape in the almost blinding light.

'What is it?' I asked, still trying to register the shape.

'The castle.'

I could hear the pride in Alek's voice and closed my eyes for a moment to rest them. When I opened them again, the rays of light had shifted and now I could see it. My stomach fluttered. What a beautiful sight; a magnificent white castle that shimmered in the light of the setting sun, the Anguem range bordering the castle on two sides. I stared, feeling anxiety and admiration swirl about me.

'It's beautiful.'

It looked just like a fairytale castle from a storybook on Earth. My heart thudded while I watched it get closer and closer.

And we're here.

Now we find out what happens next.

ALEK WATCHED THE EXPRESSION OF awe on Cat's face with pleasure. He'd looked forward to showing her the castle all day and the sun's last rays were the perfect setting. Phroma flew closer to Loushka and Gredel waved to them from her back. They waved back and Cat called out to Audrey who sat in a saddlebag.

As Loushka neared the inner gate Alek could see a group of people waiting for them.
17

THE GRIFFONS LANDED IN SEQUENCE with Loushka foremost. Alek gave me a swift hug then swung his leg over the saddle and slid down. I heard muffled thuds when the other men slid down. I stared wide-eyed across at Sian and Loi on one side, then to Kassie on the other. Turning back, I watched Alek and the others approach the group gathered to greet us. He stopped a few meters from the front of the group, the four men halting behind him. All those in the group waiting bowed deeply. Hmm okay, must bow when introduced, I thought, taking mental notes. Alek spoke briefly to someone then turned and beckoned us.

THE WOMEN EXCHANGED ANOTHER GLANCE, then slid down from the griffons. Kassie gave Kerak's leg a squeeze before she left and the griffon made a soothing noise like a purr. Feeling nervous, she headed toward the other three. She saw Audrey waiting for Cat by Loushka's foot and the dog shadowed them while they moved. They strode forward in a line and stopped just behind the men.

ALEK TURNED AND INDICATED, 'May I introduce Catherine.'

I bowed and he continued, introducing the others who bowed at their names. Then he turned to the other party. 'And may I introduce the matriarch of the Mestarn line, the Sorceress Elena.'

A beautiful woman stepped forward smiling and inclined her head in greeting. Alek indicated to the man on the left of the Sorceress and introduced him as Yakov, the late King's adviser. I felt a pang of homesickness when I stared at the man who smiled at us. He reminds me so much of dad, I thought, the open smile and blue eyes. Even Audi whined at him, something she only did to dad.

Yakov smiled. 'Alek, you haven't introduced us to someone.'

Alek laughed and bent down to give Audi's head a pat. 'This is Catherine's dog Audrey.'

He continued with his introductions and introduced the three men in uniform—the Lieutenants of the General Guard. 'Lieutenant Ignatius, Lieutenant Patel and Lieutenant Rashid.' The three men gave stiff bows, their faces curious while they observed us.

SIAN STUDIED ELENA. THE WOMAN'S aura shone with power and Sian watched her in awe. Elena looked to be about Loi's height, with dark olive skin and large, almond-shaped eyes that you'd expect to be brown, yet instead were a brilliant blue; a very beautiful woman. She wore a lovely dark blue gown that was reminiscent of a robe, with its long wide sleeves and deep cowl neck.

Elena smiled at Sian who flushed at being caught staring, then the Sorceress excused the Generals and adviser. They bowed low to her, then to Alek, and left. Sian watched curiously, wondering why they had singled Alek out. Perhaps it's due to him being head of the Griffon Guard, she thought.

KASSIE COULD FEEL LUCKY SQUIRMING in her bag and hoped they would be shown to their rooms soon.

'Alek, why don't you and the other men see that the griffons are well settled in. I know they'll want to rest.' Elena smiled at Alek and then turned her attention to the women.

Kassie froze for a moment; Elena's gaze felt like it went right through you, seeing everything. She nervously licked her lips. A flash of blue darted past Elena. Kassie's jaw dropped at the sight of the slender blue haired woman who'd just leaped into Gredel's waiting arms, smothering him with kisses.

Blue hair, she thought in astonishment. That woman has blue hair, even her eyebrows appeared a shade of blue; I must be tired.

'If you ladies will follow me, I will show you to your rooms.' Elena glanced at them and turned to a door in the turret before them.

Kassie felt another twinge of nerves when they walked away from the men and griffons, who launched back into the air.

Cat caught her eye and the two exchanged an anxious look. I wish the guys had been able to stay with us a bit longer, she thought, and with a sigh, followed the others through the doorway. Round and round and round they went. Kassie kept her hand on the wall while they descended. The walls were smooth, made of glistening white rock. Little niches in either side of the stairwell had glowing lamps tucked inside them, providing a gentle light. Finally, they reached the ground. Elena ushered them across a paved yard and into the castle, before leading them to another turret, which they climbed to the second story. Groups of people stood clustered about, pausing in their conversation to stare at the girls when they stepped out of the stairwell.

IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE the evening's entertainment. I tried to put a smile on my face but failed. No one smiled at us, they just stared. I wondered who Alek had us look presentable for, it couldn't be these people. I stared at the gorgeous fabrics the women wore. Opulent velvets and silks crafted into exquisite dresses. The men wore simple styles: tunics, slacks and blazers, in rich jewel tones. Beautiful clothes, they made me feel shoddy in comparison. Elena greeted them, then continued on. Leaving the crowds behind gave me a sense of relief though the tiny hairs on my neck stiffened. I could feel them staring after us but resisted the urge to look back.

POLITE MUCH, LOI THOUGHT, FEELING insulted at the stares—what a rude bunch. Elena led them through a maze of corridors and Loi studied it all, trying to memorize the route. The large corridors echoed with the sound of their boots. Only the occasional servant hurried past them but all paused to bow to Elena, while casting curious glances at the girls.

NOW THIS IS WHAT A castle should look like, Sian thought, studying their surroundings. She'd been to a couple of castles in England and Wales, but this place put them to shame. Even with as exhausted as she felt, she couldn't help noticing the expert workmanship. All the walls gleamed white, contrasting sharply against the polished, dark hardwood floor. Only the occasional window appeared at the far end of the long corridors, offering nothing but their reflection against the darkness outside. Lamps hung suspended from the white ceiling, wide cylinders of glass and metal that shone bright with a subtle greenish hue at their bases. They passed dozens of doors while they hurried after the Sorceress. Sian admired the delicate white molding that traced along the base of the walls, following up and around the polished doors that matched the floor. They kept passing more doors and turning more corners. Tapestries and paintings decorated the walls sporadically, making her wish they could walk slower so she could admire them all.

ELENA FINALLY STOPPED IN FRONT of a large set of double doors and opened them. 'This is your suite,' she announced and gestured for us to enter.

I felt my eyes go wide at the sight of the very large room. Nice!

Four double beds were set out, two in each front corner, heads almost touching, one under the window and the other against the wall. Each wide bed was dressed with a thick embroidered coverlet and four large matching pillows plumped at the head. A sigh slipped out of me at the thought of a soft cushy pillow and bed. Two large dressers stood in the middle of the room, back to back, and two armoires stood against the wall beside either door.

Elena watched while we looked around the room and then cleared her throat. We turned and she walked over to a door in the far right wall.

'This is your wash room. I do recommend having a bath or shower either early morning, or late evening as there is usually more heated water then.'

We squeezed together to peek past her at a proper—make that HUGE—en suite bathroom; was nothing in this place a regular size?

Giving us a moment to look, Elena then said, 'I know you will want to crawl into bed so I won't keep you any longer. Someone will come by your room tomorrow morn to escort you to breakfast. There are clothes in each of the armoires that should fit you. We'll talk properly after breakfast. Sleep well.'

Sian and Loi dashed for the wash room the instant the door closed behind Elena. Kassie and I rolled our eyes at each other and decided to pick beds instead. We discovered that in the left corner each bed had a smaller bed beside it, one for Audi and the other for Lucky who Kassie let out of her pack. The little cat meowed and stretched out while trying to bunt heads with Audi, who seemed excited to see her friend out and about. We showed them their beds and left them to explore the room. I wandered to one of the armoires and opened it. It was jam packed full of clothing, all in beautiful fabrics. I gently ran a hand over them. Must have a good look tomorrow when I'm actually awake, I thought, turning back to Kassie who sat on the end of a bed, looking around.

'IT SEEMS SO QUIET,' KASSIE nearly whispered. 'I wish I'd known we weren't seeing the guys again tonight, I would've liked to have said good night.'

Cat nodded sympathetically. 'Me too.'

The door to the wash room opened and Sian and Loi came out, looking relaxed and clean, wrapped in towels.

'Your turn,' Sian sang out, and sat down on one of the beds in the right corner.

I SWEAR THAT BED FELT like the best thing ever when I sunk into it after cleaning up. The mattress molded itself to me and a groan of pleasure slipped out of my mouth. I blushed hotly when the others started laughing.

'Cat, you sound indecent,' Loi teased.

'Maybe you and your mattress should get a room,' suggested Sian.

'Shudup' I mumbled, half asleep already. 'I'm allowed to appreciate a good mattress.'

Kassie had us in stitches when she replied, 'Yes, but not while we're here please.'

I rolled over and reached a hand down to Audi, curled up on her bed. She shifted then gave my hand a quick lick and settled back down with a sigh.

The sun woke me the next morning and I stretched out, delighting in the size of the bed. I'd slept like the dead last night and felt fantastic for it. Glancing around, I saw the others still slept.

Oooo but they'll wake up soon, better be quick!

I clambered on top of my covers and reached over to shake Kassie awake. 'Kassie,' I hissed.

'Wha—?'

'Quick, wake up! Let's get the wash room first.'

Kassie's eyes shot open and she rolled over to stare at me for a moment. 'Right!' We both scrambled off our beds and raced for the bathroom, not trying to be quiet at all.

LOI SAT BOLT UPRIGHT. 'SIAN! They beat us!' She reached over to swat Sian who mumbled at her. 'You said you'd wake up no problem,' Loi accused. Cat and Kassie laughed as they shut the door. Loi scowled at Sian—a useless gesture because she'd gone straight back to sleep when the washroom door shut. Flinging her covers off, Loi stood and stretched hard.

Mmmm that feels good—she broke off, laughing at the sight of Audrey doing the same thing.

'How are you, Audrey girl,' she cooed to the dog who ducked her head then cozied up to her. The dog's long tongue caught her on the nose.

'Ewwww,' she giggled and wiped her nose. 'C'mon, Audi. Let's check out what's in the closet and pick what I'm wearing today.' The selection and quality of clothes impressed Loi. Most of the clothes were made in a wrap style so they would fit several sizes and there were a number of beautifully embroidered long belts. In the end she settled upon an indigo, long sleeved wrap top with black pants. A red belt and delicate pair of black slippers completed the look. Satisfied, she set the clothing at the end of her bed and waited for the others to finish in the bathroom.

THE MOMENT WE UNLOCKED THE bathroom door Loi shot past us, sleepily followed by Sian. Audrey greeted me then sat back on her heels to yell.

'Shush shush noisy girl.' I scolded her and she hung her head sheepishly at me.

'Inside voice, Audi,' I reminded her then pulled her into a hug, ruffling her fur. I headed for an armoire and looked back at Kassie who fussed over Lucky. 'Come pick out something to wear with me, Kass.'

She wandered over, allowing Lucky to steal her spot on the bed. We gushed over the clothes and eventually chose something to wear. I sat at one of the dressers and ran a brush through my hair. It felt funny to be able to look in a mirror again. Those horrid butterflies returned to my stomach and I fidgeted with the items on the dresser, placing them in groups.

I wish I knew what was happening, I sighed, hating the wait.

My brain felt like it ran on overdrive at the moment, coming up with wild theories from what Elena wanted with us, to whether Alek had a girlfriend or wife here. What if he'd used me and I'd completely misjudged his actions?

I stood and paced around the room, distracting myself by admiring the architecture; classic, with the white stone walls and dark wooden floor and accents. Audi, sensing my mood, paced with me, whining. I flopped onto my bed and she leaped up beside me, tail wagging. 'Sorry pup,' I ruffled her fur. 'I just hate waiting, I want it over. I want to know what's going to happen, and man are those two taking a long time.'

KASSIE LAUGHED, 'AREN'T THEY JUST. I think they'll be responsible for the water shortage today.'

'How can you be so calm?' Cat demanded. She sat on her bed, legs crossed with her knees bouncing in agitation.

Kassie shrugged. 'You know how it is, one of us freaks and the other is cool with it. We'll find out shortly. Patience is a virtue.' She winked at Cat.

I SNORTED IN ANNOYANCE at her patronizing tone and crawled across the bed to peer out of the window.

Whoa.

Our windows overlooked what must be an inner courtyard. Like the rest of this place it looked huge, more like a park. I gazed down at the beautiful canopy, a rustling mass of colors; green, gold, crimson, silver. Shuffling closer, I put my elbows on the windowsill, head in hands while I gazed about. So much bush, very pretty. I wonder if the guys live in the castle? Maybe they have their own places, I would.

I looked higher, staring over at the Anguem Range and the dense forest that led to the mountains. It made me think of my family's cabin.

That's what I'd do, I'd build a little cabin in the bush for myself, I thought. Tears slipped down my cheeks, but I didn't make a sound. I didn't want to upset Kassie. Audi snuggled closer to me and I sat straighter, wrapping my arms around her, my thoughts stuck on the cabin. It was my favorite place on Earth, where I felt safe, at peace, and Audi had so much fun. My parents and I spent lots of time up there together. It'd haunted my dreams last night. I felt this horrible sense of dread that I'd never see it, or them, again.

God, I hope I'm wrong.

Sian and Loi came clattering out of the bathroom. I wiped my eyes discreetly.

We wait and see, I guess.

SIAN HAD JUST FINISHED TYING a belt around her waist when someone knocked on the door. Cat went to answer it and Sian checked her reflection again. The light blue dress made her blonde hair and blue eyes appear brighter. Pleased, she smiled at the reflection.

'WE'RE TO FOLLOW THIS MAN to the Great Hall,' I said when the others came to stand beside me.

'For breakfast and then to meet with the Lady Elena,' the page explained. 'And you can bring your dog. I will bring some food for your cat to your room.'

Again we passed through a maze of corridors and I marveled at the workmanship of the castle, wishing I had time to admire it.

We heard voices as we neared the Great Hall and two guards opened the enormous doors for us.

ALEK FELT ODDLY NERVOUS AT the thought of seeing Cat and he couldn't understand why. It had only been overnight. Elena had arranged for an extra seat next to each of the men. Having the space beside him made him feel lopsided and every courtier in the room had studied the space curiously.

It almost feels like a bell's ringing over it, he thought sourly, hurry up girls.

Just then the doors opened and he could hear them. The men sat up and out of the corner of his eye he saw Yakov shoot Elena an amused look. The room fell silent when the four women entered, but all Alek really noticed was Cat.

AS WE ENTERED EVERYONE FELL silent, turning to observe us. I felt a pang of nerves but stamped on it and held my head high while we followed the page. The tables were set out in a large U shape with Alek, Elena, Yakov and the others seated at the curve. The clever U shape meant the servers could walk down the center without having to navigate the seats.

A huge smile spread on my face when I caught sight of Alek and I headed straight for him. His blue eyes regarded me warmly and he stood as we approached. Screeches of wood against wood rang out as everyone else in the room pushed their chairs back and stood. The four of us froze, startled by the abrupt movement, then Alek held his hand out to me. The sense of relief when our hands touched felt wonderful and we stood for a moment, staring at each other with silly grins.

Everyone sat. I greeted Elena and Yakov and nodded to the Lieutenants who inclined their heads at me. No one talked over breakfast, all too busy eating. The food was fantastic. A proper cooked breakfast with hot and crispy streaky bacon, and freshly poached eggs, sautéed mushrooms, crunchy hash-browned potatoes and more. By the time we finished my stomach almost groaned with fullness and I relaxed back in the seat. I stuck my tongue out at Alek when he looked at my plate in exaggerated astonishment. 'Did we not feed you enough?'

'You did, but after that fantastic sleep I needed this. You can't compare a sleep on a cot to one in a bed.'

'I take it your room is suitable?' asked Yakov.

'Oh, most suitable,' we assured him.

'If you're all ready, why don't we head to the library for a chat?' Elena asked. As polite as the request sounded, it became apparent that it was an order when the men immediately stood. I hastily got up. All those in the room bowed to Alek when he passed by and they didn't sit again till we exited the room. Sian and I exchanged a confused look; what the heck was that about?

THEY FOLLOWED ELENA TO THE library, pausing while Daron and Rumal pushed the huge doors open.

Are they incapable of having normal sized doors, Kassie thought in amusement and went to follow the others in. She stopped short.

WHOA! This is the Library?

The room was enormous. Two story's high with a partial mezzanine level in the far right corner. The walls were lined with immense bookcases that ran the full height of the room, with a couple of rolling ladders on rails that trailed across the top level of each bookcase. The stocked shelves almost made her drool; I could live here.

Glancing over at Cat, Kassie chuckled when she saw the same expression on her face. The two of them frequented all the libraries in Wellington together.

I wonder if we'll ever do that again?

A pang of homesickness hit her and she banished it. No point in thinking about that at the moment. Rumal urged her forward and they walked into the room. It opened up to the left after the first enormous bookcase and more bookcases filled the walls. The very back wall was made entirely of glass and the view!

Is that the courtyard? Kassie stared in amazement. It looks like a proper park; I didn't realize just how big this place is.

RUMAL GRINNED AT ALEK, SABYN and Daron when the women gasped at the window. It was a point of pride for the castle and had taken six fire dragons a month to create the largest single pane of glass in the land, with tiny gemstones suspended inside so it glittered no matter where the sun hit it.

IT HAD TO BE THE most beautiful window I'd ever seen. My fingers itched to touch it. Look how it sparkles, I thought; feeling my magpie tendencies right now. With the shelves of books and the pretty window, this room had to be my favorite, so far at least. I couldn't believe how many books they had crammed in this place. You could only see glimpses of the white stone on the walls.

I must come back to look at this room properly, if we get time.

Elena sat on a large ornate chair and indicated we should sit. We sat on two couches that ran parallel and looked to the Sorceress.

ELENA SMILED AT THE CURIOUS faces before her.

'I suppose you are wondering why I sent the Griffon Guard to bring you to me?'

The women nodded earnestly.

'I believe I will have this conversation with the women only,' she spoke to Alek who glanced at Catherine. 'Why don't you men head to the solar as you usually do? I will send them that way when we have finished.'

The men stood and bowed to the Sorceress then left the room.

The four women switched seats so they sat on the couch opposite Elena and waited for her story.
18

'WHEN YOU FOUR ARRIVED IN our world,' Elena arched an eyebrow at us. 'You each threw off a massive power surge. Something I haven't seen in quite a while. As you might have noticed, there are people in this world who are gifted. They have special abilities and anyone with these abilities will have sensed your arrival too. Even more so after the incident on the griffons.'

Abilities? And what did she mean by power surge? All we'd done was freak out when we thought Sian was in serious danger. I interrupted her. 'Elena, I'm sorry, but I don't think we understand what you're talking about.'

The Sorceress looked surprised.

'Are you saying we have abilities?'

'Yes. You must have. To have given off such an energy wave is absolute proof.'

'But we didn't do anything,' Sian said, looking like the rest of us, very confused.

'Yeah, all we did was pass out,' Kassie said. 'That doesn't sound like an impressive gift to me. Passing out when something scary happens.'

I agreed, 'Totally useless.'

Elena shook her head. 'No. What I'm trying to say is I believe you girls are gifted, of the elements.'

Nope. Still no clue what she's babbling about, I thought, then remembered something. 'Sian, our weapons we found when we arrived, they're all engraved right? With designs that could represent the elements.'

Sian stared at me before answering slowly. 'Actually yes, I think they are.'

'Well there you go then,' Loi said to Elena. 'We have been gifted but in a more literal sense.'

There was silence as we waited for her response. She'd shut her eyes and had a hand to her head. We glanced at each other and Loi shrugged, settling back in her seat.

Elena let out a sigh. 'Let me start again. In Gar'nyse—the world you're now on, beings can be born with special abilities. These are known as gifts. For example, some are born with the gift to foresee events. Others can change form and some can create illusions. Every time a gifted being uses their gift, consciously or not, it throws off an energy wave. When you four arrived you threw off a very remarkable wave.' She paused, allowing us to digest this. Before we could ask questions she continued, 'What you will not know, is that a person's abilities can be drawn from them and absorbed by creatures whose abilities are very strong. This process kills you. Hence the need to get you under our protection quickly.'

We all sat a little straighter at that.

Loi, a frown on her face, questioned Elena. 'Why do you think we'd be of interest to such a person?'

'How do we know you aren't such a person?' Kassie demanded. We looked at her in surprise then back at Elena.

'Yes,' Sian gave Elena a straight forward look. 'We've been informed that you have abilities, and you do have the title, Sorceress.'

Elena looked surprised. 'Oh. Well, I guess you wouldn't know. Yes, I do have abilities. They are hereditary in my family and no, I have no desire to rob you of yours. I have all the powers I need.' She gave a light laugh. 'And I have no desire for world domination.'

World domination.

My brain froze. What did that mean? We had powers strong enough to do such a thing? Surely not!

'Elena, we thought a love spell we cast brought us here,' Sian confessed blushing. 'Was it you who brought us?'

Elena's full lips twitched and the hint of a dimple appeared in a cheek, making her seem much younger. 'No, I didn't bring you here. You simply appeared. What was the spell you cast?'

Sian spoke the spell while Elena listened, she had Sian repeat it a couple of times.

'Yes, that sounds like it would work. As the spell says, it will create the right time and place for it to work. Obviously that's on our world, not yours. Did the consequences not occur to you?' Elena asked.

'NORMALLY WHEN WE CAST SPELLS in our world it's to draw positive energy to the cause,' explained Sian. 'I've cast many spells on Earth before. None of them did this.'

'This only happens in fairytales,' Kassie added. And only in fairytales are there magickal abilities, and griffons, and scary creatures like elgrids, she thought; oh God, I hope we can get home. The horrible butterflies returned to her stomach, somersaulting about, making her queasy.

Kassie spat out the question she knew they all wanted to ask. 'How can we get back to Earth?'

Elena's face went slack, her eyes wide. 'But you didn't ask for that,' she said in astonishment. 'You asked to find your soul mates. That is why you are here. There is no reason for you to just 'zap' back when you find them.'

THE FOUR OF US STARED at her, aghast.

We can't get home.

The answer to the question we'd been waiting to ask but this wasn't what we wanted to hear. The realization hit hard. I felt like I'd taken a solid punch to the chest and leaned forward, trying to breathe. Beside me Kassie began to cry, silent tears running down her cheeks, both hands pressed over her mouth. Sian stared at Kassie with an expression of agony. I reached out to her.

'We know it's not your fault, Siany.' I caught her hand and squeezed it. Tears began to run down our faces and we wrapped our arms around each other.

'I'm so sorry.'

'It isn't your fault.'

'We're okay,' Loi's voice sounded hoarse. 'We're okay, we've got each other and we'll make the best of it.'

'But our families,' Kassie moaned, pressing her head to my shoulder.

Our families. I'd never see mum and dad again. I started breathing hard. Oh god that hurts. Images of them flashed through my mind and the tears flowed faster. We clung tight to each other while Audi whined and cried at our feet. It was some time before we stopped. Elena sat silently, allowing our grief.

Wiping away the tears, I glanced at her. 'We'd been hoping that you might be able to get us home.'

'Yes, I gathered that.' The Sorceress' eyes softened and she regarded us sympathetically. 'I'm very sorry I can't. Inter-world magick is not easy, almost impossible.'

The room fell silent again while we pulled ourselves together, managing tentative smiles. Now calmer, we shifted about on the couch so we faced Elena again but stayed close enough to touch, holding hands and leaning against each other. It felt necessary.

A soft knock on the door broke the silence. Elena smiled and called out, her voice echoing in the large room. 'Come in.'

The door opened a fraction and a petite woman with short dark curly hair stepped into the room. She crossed the floor to where we sat. Elena gave her a look when she registered our damp faces and she kept hers impassive.

'I would like to introduce you all to Ada. The castle's newest and most gifted fabricer.'

Ada beamed at the compliment and bowed.

What is a fabricer? Is it like a tailor? The atmosphere shifted from somber to curiosity while we waited to see why she'd been summoned.

'I'm very pleased to meet you all.'

We responded likewise and Ada took a seat next to Elena, quite comfortable with her.

'Ada is here to discuss ideas for your gowns. There is a ball at the end of the month,' Elena explained.

Well that was a change of pace, we go from never being able to return home, to ball gowns. I just resisted the urge to glare at the Sorceress. Loi squeezed my hand and I gave her a rueful smile.

Can't blame her I guess, it isn't as though it matters to her.

'What's the ball for?'

'Alek's birthday.'

My brain froze. Surely they didn't throw a ball in honor of anyone's birthday.

Hesitantly I asked, 'Why? Who is Alek?'

Elena looked very amused. 'Elion's Crown Prince, of course. Did he not mention that?'

Suddenly the bowing and standing at the table made sense. I flushed. 'Apparently it slipped his mind.'

Elena let out a peal of laughter.

SIAN WATCHED CAT FLUSH AND spoke up, hoping to give her a few moments to compose herself. 'What is it you want with us then, Elena? Or was it solely to keep us out of the way of those who would take our abilities?'

'I would like the opportunity to train you all to use your powers. If you do have the abilities that I suspect you do then you would be very valuable allies,' Elena said frankly.

'How do we know you're the good guys?' Loi asked. 'We could be allying with the wrong side.'

Elena let out an exasperated sigh. 'Here is the offer I make you. I will train you and provide for you. You will have free reign to explore as you like and ask what you like. All I ask is that you give it at least one month before you make any final decisions as to what you are going to do.'

'Why one month?' queried Kassie.

'Because it will take a month to develop your abilities to a level that will be of any use to you. Hopefully to a level that will allow you to defend yourselves if necessary,' Elena explained.

'What do you think we're capable of? Are you saying you would want us as allies? Why would you need such allies? Who are you at war with?' Sian wanted to clarify a few more things.

'As I've mentioned, I suspect you have the gifts of the elements. If you are blessed with these abilities then you would be a great help against our Southern enemy and anyone else who threatened our realm.'

'WHO IS YOUR SOUTHERN ENEMY, Elena?' I figured I could safely join in the conversation now.

She gave me a sympathetic smile then answered. 'Her name is Jenviet DeNaga, and her family's treachery spans about nine millennia.'

I'm pretty sure it wasn't just my jaw that dropped at that sentence. Nine millennia! I stared at Elena in shock. Elena shifted position and turned to Ada, who still sat there silently. 'Why don't you create some concepts that the girls can look at later?'

Ada bowed her head and left, closing the door behind her.

'And so let me tell you the story of my family, the Mestarns, and the beginning of the Royal Thalian lineage.

Nine millennia ago in the Southern realm of Vo'Arum two families, the Mestarns and the DeNagas, inherited special abilities. They were chosen by the citizens of the realm to rule Vo'Arum jointly. Both families accepted and at first it was the perfect arrangement, the realm prospered greatly from their joint abilities.

Then members of the Mestarn family began to disappear in seemingly innocent accidents; a tehnear attack, or a landslide. But one of the bodies was found by a Mestarn who discovered that it had been drained of its gift and they realized something sinister was afoot. Aware that the only ones with that kind of power were either a member of their own family or a DeNaga, they investigated and established it was the DeNagas.

The Mestarns knew that in a fight the DeNagas would win. As now, not only did they have higher numbers but greater abilities. The Mestarns did the only thing they could, they gathered the remaining members of their family and fled to Elion. Elion had just come out of a massive civil war and King Thalian, as the successor, had ascended the throne. The Mestarns met with the King and, after negotiations, settled on an agreement which would be prosperous for both families.

The agreement was, that the Mestarns would permanently hold the positions of Archduke and Archduchess of Elion, which made them second to the ruling monarch. In the event that a regent was required they would fill that position and no decision would be made without them.

In exchange for this, the Mestarns would protect the Thalian line at any cost and keep them on the throne as the foremost royal family in the realm. If for any reason the Thalian line was not on the throne, then the Mestarns would lose their elite position.'

Loi whistled and the others wore impressed looks.

'That's one heck of an alliance.'

'Are you the Archduchess of Elion?' Sian asked.

'Yes, it is one of my titles. The alliance was swiftly put to the test when the DeNagas appeared on the horizon with a large army of Arumites, gragnolls, elgrids and trolls. That is how they came to be in Elion,' explained Elena. 'They aren't native to our lands. Fortunately, the General Guard was already gathered at the castle after the fight for succession. A large fight between both sides ensued. The battle was fierce and several more Mestarns were killed, along with two members of the Thalian line. But in the end the DeNagas fled, with only three remaining. Their severely decimated allies also fled although some hid in the forests resulting in the creatures you see now in Elion.

The realm rejoiced at the success of the battle and the wisdom of their new King who had allied himself so valuably. Everyone approved of his choice of Archduke and Archduchess.

The next two and a half millennia were peaceful and prosperous, with only occasional skirmishes. Elion was and still is, the wealthiest realm in the world. The Thalian line grew stronger, the Mestarn also, and their joint management of the realm proved extremely successful.

Within the space of a year four babies were born who at birth threw off an impressive energy pulse. Curious, the Mestarns used their powers to track the children and spent time watching them. They observed that the children emitted an unusual energy when expressing any type of intense emotion. At puberty this developed into the ability to harness the skills of an element, each child aligned with one element.

The Mestarns were urgently recalled to the castle as it was under assault from dragons. When they arrived the dragons vanished, leaving everyone astonished. When they went to return to their study of the children they experienced a deep and wrenching pain. They suddenly realized the dragons had been a diversion and raced back to the elemental children.

They were too late.

They arrived to find the families' houses destroyed and every family member brutally slaughtered. The children's corpses drained of their unique gifts. Devastated, the Mestarns returned to the castle and reported to the ruling monarch all the details and agreed that it would be wise to gather the General Guard and prepare for battle. Less than a month later and with their troops barely in place, their fears were proved correct. A massive army was seen on the horizon approaching the castle.

The DeNagas had allied themselves with more creatures, all of whom appeared to have been enhanced with the DeNagas' powers. The dragons which had assaulted the castle were also with the massive army, circling overhead.

The war that commenced was vicious and hard, with both sides taking many casualties. The enhanced creatures were formidable foes. Even a slash from one could mean death for many were venomous. Giant scorpions climbed the castle walls and shadow creatures flashed amongst the dim corridors. The four DeNagas who had absorbed the elemental children's gifts exhibited the powers and even without the time to truly master them, they were able to utilize those powers with devastating results.

Several of the Mestarns whisked the members of the Thalian line away to safety at the Southern Keep and kept guard over them. The remaining Mestarns were desperate. The fight was not going well and the chance of the DeNagas winning increased. Linking hands they sent out a call to all gifted and willing creatures asking for help in their time of need in exchange for alliance with Elion.

Several species responded and some troops of goblins, arrived along with Halenine fae—an exceptionally quick fae with a fatal bite. The odds appeared to improve for the Mestarns. Then twelve griffons appeared in the sky and offered their services to the Mestarns. Astonished, they joyfully accepted the offer. The griffons tipped the scales in the Mestarns favor and the only surviving DeNagas with the stolen powers fled the land again.

The Mestarns watching over the Royal family brought them back to the castle. As neither side was in a position to finish the fight, the DeNagas set to practicing with their stolen gifts while the Mestarns and the Thalian line worked on their relations with their new allies and set shields in place to warn them, should their enemies attempt to invade again.

Due to the immense damage to the castle, they decided to rebuild it at a more secure site, where it is now. Those gifted with the ability to work with stone were hired from all over the globe and a new castle was built from a gleaming white stone called senolite.

The Mestarns kept a close eye on the four remaining DeNagas over the next millennium and, while they learned more about their stolen powers and did horrific things to their realm with them, they did not risk another attack on Elion. They instead appeared to focus on bringing their numbers back up.'

Elena shifted in her seat and smiled wickedly at us.

'But what the DeNagas did not know was that unlike our families' gifts, the elemental powers cannot be inherited by those born to them. They realized too late that they would lose the stolen powers, which proved a minor comfort to us. My family turned to studying history in an attempt to find out more about the Elementals. Their study took them far and wide, to many obscure places. The little information they did manage to dig up told them this:

The Elementals are very rare and possibly even the same spirits being re-born.

Those born as Elementals will be natural leaders and generous by nature, never power hungry.

An Elemental born to royal lineage may be able to pass the powers on to their offspring.

Elementals appear to have much longer life spans than most.

Unfortunately, while the information was interesting it didn't really help to understand Elementals any more than they already did.

After a few more millennia another four babies were born, again with the gifts of the elements. The Mestarns sensed the babies' arrivals and took them and their families back to the castle to live under its protection. This time the children grew up happy and healthy, and learned to utilize their gifts effectively. The realm thrived from their presence. When they came of age they moved out of the castle to start their own families. That is when the DeNagas struck.

Sneaking into the realm with newly acquired cloaking gifts stolen from some unique creatures they discovered in another realm, the DeNagas began killing off the Elementals' families. The Elementals made their way to the DeNagas, determined to kill them all, but somehow it went awry. One was killed by a DeNaga creature and two offered their lives in exchange for their families. The last Elemental died fighting.

Now that they had the powers again the DeNagas began to lay waste to Elion. This war is known in our history as the Norard—or all encompassing—War. An enormous battle, which in the end nearly decimated the entire world. It only ended when all the other realms banded together against the DeNagas. The first Griffon Guard was created at this time, when five warriors had linked with five griffons. It was thanks to the Griffon Guard that two of the DeNagas with the Elemental powers were killed.

The only surviving DeNagas, a small single family unit, fled the battle and lived out a nomadic life in Vo'Arum to avoid detection.

The next three millennia slowly restored the world and all the realms to their former glory and again the Elementals were forgotten to history. Until now,' Elena said confidently. 'Or so I hope.'
19

WE STARED AT ELENA, OUR expressions a mixture of shock and horror.

'Are we meant to be excited about this?' Kassie looked understandably dubious. 'We may have super powers and if we do a family of nutters is going to hunt us down and suck us dry?' Her voice increased an octave.

Sian stared icily at Elena. 'Well put, Kass.'

Loi and I gave the Sorceress similar unimpressed looks.

Elena appeared a little stunned by our not so rapturous response and stared at us in shock before exclaiming, 'No, NO! That is not what's going to happen at all. There are a couple of reasons, please let me explain. Do you know how the late King died?'

Loi, Sian, and I shook our heads but Kassie spoke up.

'Yes. Well, I think I do. Rumal told me it was in a fight, and his first griffon, Ofelaan, died in it too.'

'Yes, but there is more to it than that. The late Queen Ariadwen, Alek's mother, died not long after she gave birth to him. We thought at the time that it was an unfortunate complication from the birth, but now I suspect she may have been murdered. That left just Alek and King Nikias, as the surviving members of the Thalian line. Understandably we watched over them very closely. When Alek turned ten he linked with a griffon, Loushka. He was the fifth to link with a griffon within a ten year period. All of the five were suitable candidates for forming a new Griffon Guard. And so we; the King, myself and Yakov, began to train them. It was at our first training camp that we were attacked by Jenviet and her brother Diantew. In the ensuing fight King Nikias and Ofelaan were killed.'

Elena gave a sad sigh, her eyes sorrowful. 'The one good thing out of it all was that Diantew was also killed in the fight, which brings me to one of the reasons why I am sure that this time we will succeed. Jenviet is the only remaining DeNaga, so our odds are much greater and, unlike the past Elementals, you four are already warriors and used to defending yourselves.'

Warriors? I wasn't sure if I'd use that word to describe myself. The look of astonishment on the others faces was comical.

'Is Alek is the last of the Thalian line?'

'Yes, all our power goes into protecting him. That's the reason Jenviet and Diantew attacked us then, in the hope of wiping out the Thalian line and thus effectively throwing the realm into Civil War again. I am not able to remain in the castle if the Thalian line isn't ruling, they came dangerously close to succeeding in their cause that night.'

I stayed silent while I thought about it all.

What an incredible history. What if we were gifted like she hoped? How would you cope with such a gift? Alek watched his dad die when he was just ten, that would have broken my heart. Not that it wasn't at the moment, knowing I'd never see my parents again. I breathed through the pain when my chest seized again at the realization.

'What will Jenviet do if she succeeds?' Sian asked.

'I expect she would side with a family, as my family did. Once she had control of this realm she would take over others. The DeNagas desire power and dominion above all else. They appear to thrive on it.'

'A truce isn't possible?' Loi asked.

Elena gave her a sharp look and a long pause before she answered. 'No. She would never consider one.'

Loi held her hands back. 'I didn't mean to be rude, I was just curious.'

We sat there, silent, until Sian spoke. 'What do you want from us?'

The Sorceress looked pleased to get the conversation back on track. 'As I suggested, a one month trial. We would begin your training in a couple of days and continue until the time of Alek's birthday ball, after which you would make your final decision.'

'Why a couple of days?' asked Kassie.

'I thought two days would give the men some time to show you around the castle and such.' She smiled. 'Once we begin training you will have little time to see much of it.'

'Elena, couldn't you fight Jenviet?' I asked, curious about her abilities.

'Yes, I could, but that would leave Alek and Elion unprotected. It's too big a risk and my siblings are too young to help me.'

'You have siblings?' Sian asked.

'Yes, a brother and sister. They both study in other realms. It takes many centuries to come into our full powers you see, unlike the Elementals.'

Many centuries... How old did that make Elena? Or Jenviet for that matter? Now I began to understand what formidable enemies they must be. We were good fighters after ten years of training. Imagine what someone with centuries of experience must be capable of.

So, what to do?

I could see from looking at them that the others were thinking the same thing and we stared at one another, reading expressions. Finally, I gave a tiny shrug. After all, if it didn't work out we could call it off at the month end. The others gave minute nods and I turned to Elena. 'Okay we'll help. However, we will hold you to your one month agreement if we find it's not what we want.'

Elena visibly relaxed and a genuine smile lit her face. 'Thank you all so much. Why don't you join the men in the solar, I am sure they'll be delighted to show off the castle.'

We passed others in the corridors while we carefully followed Elena's directions. Our greetings were always responded to, followed by curious glances and whispers when we went by. It seemed as though most people at the castle had heard of our arrival. I enjoyed the slower pace compared to the night before, pausing to look at some of the paintings and tapestries on the walls. The need to distract myself felt strong, to stop the awful panic that threatened. Kassie stopped with me and we stared at a beautiful tapestry of a unicorn silhouette, standing before the setting sun. 'Do you think they're real too?' she asked while studying it.

'Probably,' Loi peered over her shoulder. 'It seems that anything we consider mythical exists here.'

Sian leaned against the wall. 'I can't wait to see a dragon up close.'

'They might not be friendly in real life,' I warned.

We continued down the corridor, pausing at an enormous set of doors with a guard in front.

I WONDER IF THAT'S THE throne room, thought Loi, staring at the doors. Made of wood they were a proper work of art. At first glance she'd thought them stone, due to the highly polished surface. The doors arched and had ornate pillars at either side. Carved vines trailed the length of the pillars and tiny gems glittered down the edges of each vine. It created a beautiful image and made the door shimmer.

The guard beside the door wore the castle livery of rust red with light tan accents and held a poleaxe upright. His smile of pride at their obvious delight as they studied the doorway seemed at odds with his fierce appearance. 'Would you like to look at the throne room?' he asked and pushed one door open.

JUST THE WORKMANSHIP OF THE doorway alone was incredible. I watched the way the immense door silently swung open. We stepped into the room and stared about in awe. The throne room had a dark polished wooden floor from which thousands of tiny gemstones glittered, embedded within it. I had to resist the urge to kneel and run my hands over the enchanting effect. The large room could easily accommodate a throng of people. At the head of the room sat two thrones that looked to be made of the same white stone as the castle, heavily inlaid with gold in an intricate pattern that offered flashes of the white underneath. Draped high above the thrones, a canopy of purple silk framed them beautifully. Positioned above was a large black ornamental shield with silver edging; in the center a painted deep red rose appeared to bloom. On its right, a gold and crimson phoenix perched with its wings spread, ready for flight while on its left sat a proud griffon in shades of tan and bronze, its beak glinting. The images had a beautiful luster and depth to them.

The guard noticed my attention on the shield. 'That shield has been with the Thalian line since their inaugural coronation. It was redesigned after the Norard War when the griffons allied with us. It was then they were added to the shield. The phoenix represents the Thalian ability to constantly renew themselves, no matter the situation. The rose is a symbol of their passion for their realm and the griffon, of course, represents strength and friendship.'

I stepped closer to study it.

SIAN WALKED AROUND THE ROOM, stopping at the huge portraits of King Nikias and Queen Ariadwen. The King had been a handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes, though not as blue as Alek's. The Queen had strawberry blonde hair and had been a beauty. Alek didn't appear to take after either of his parents in particular. Cat wandered over with Loi and Kassie and they all silently studied the portraits.

The guard glanced at the paintings then shook his head. 'It was a real tragedy losing the King like that. Especially for the Prince.'

Sian glanced at Cat, reflecting on what Elena had told them.

'How did the Prince handle it?' Cat tentatively asked.

With a sad sigh the guard shook his head again.

'Not well. Not well at all. The Archduchess immediately declared herself Regent as was expected, but the Prince withdrew. He spent most of the time with his griffon. It's only in recent years that he's been back in the public eye. Now of course, he's head of the Griffon Guard and has refused the crown until he rids the world of those damn evil DeNagas. It'll be a bloody good thing too. Not a family alive hasn't lost someone during their schemes to take over our realm. The sooner they're dead the better!' The man almost snarled the words, his face ruddy with anger. Then he seemed to remember his audience and apologized, the color fading from his face. 'But there's no need for me to get excited. His Royal Highness always keeps his word, so all will be well.'

It intrigued Sian to see another's perspective on it. I wonder if everyone has such hatred for the DeNagas, she thought.

'We should be on our way,' Loi flashed him a dazzling smile. 'Can you point us in the direction of the solar?'

THE GUARD BLINKED, APPEARING STUNNED by Loi's charms. The rest of us exchanged knowing looks.

'The solar?' The guard suddenly looked more interested and a cunning smile spread over his weathered face. 'So you're the women close to the Prince and the rest of the Guard.' He made a soundless laugh. 'You'd better watch your backs, all the women in the castle are furious at the reports that the Prince has found himself someone special. They've tried to entice him and his friends over the years.'

SIAN NEARLY LAUGHED ALOUD AT the look on Cat's face and felt amused at the idea of rivals for Daron's affections. Too late girls, she thought smugly, he's all mine now. The guard pointed them in the right direction and they headed off.

'All tried to entice him?' hissed Cat. 'What the hell is that supposed to mean? How hard did they try?'

Kassie started to laugh. 'C'mon, Cat, you're not jealous are you? That's really not necessary. We've all seen the way Alek looks at you.'

'WELL AREN'T YOU GUYS BOTHERED?' I demanded, feeling like a silly fourteen year old all of a sudden, who just happened to be crushing on the hottest guy at school.

'Nope,' sang Sian. 'I love it. 'Cause Daron's all mine.'

Loi and Kassie gave approving whoops and whistles.

Grow up Catherine, my rational voice snapped, you'll see soon enough if he has eyes for another. The other voice wailed at the thought of some blonde temptress oozing herself all over him. I pulled myself together when we rounded the corner to the solar. Loi halted abruptly in front of us and I had to stop so fast that Audi ran into the back of my calf with a startled yelp.

'Loi, what the heck?' I demanded.

'LOOK.' She hissed so we all peered around her and gasped.

There—not six meters from us—sat a dragon. We hastily backed up to behind the corner, just our heads peeking around. Even Audi peeked, crouched beneath me.

'OH MY GOODNESS,' BREATHED SIAN, watching the creature who fussed about the fireplace. Just a bit bigger than Audi, the dragon could apparently switch from all fours to its hind legs with no discomfort. Its forearms had dexterous claws that it seemed to use like fingers. The dragon paused in its grumbling to glance their way and the women froze. Muttering to itself, it turned back to the fireplace, using its long tail to prod at it like a poker.

IN THE SOLAR, RUMAL HEARD something and walked to the doorway. A bizarre sight greeted him. The four girls and Audi stared around the corner at Nnelg, the fire dragon, their eyes as wide as saucers. Kassie's mouth hung open in amazement.

He leaned back and called quietly to the others. 'Come look at this.'

Alek, Sabyn and Daron walked over. Rumal held a finger to his lips then pointed out the doorway. Peering past him, they caught sight of them. 'They'll be sorry,' Daron said in a quiet sing song and the others chuckled, knowing what came next.

I COULD HEAR SIAN WHISPERING to herself while we studied the little dragon. It had the most beautiful blue scales—dark blue at the base, they lightened toward the ends creating a stunning shimmer. It was so fluid and graceful in its movements. I leaned forward to see it a little better.

A strange voice grumbled in my ears. _'Nosey creatures, I'll teach you.'_

I turned to Kassie in confusion. 'Did you say something?'

She looked surprised and shook her head. I turned my attention back to the little dragon, when it twisted to look at us and then—vanished!

'What?' We cried in surprise.

'Where did it go?'

Sian looked up at the ceiling while Kassie and Loi crept forward to look. Audrey cried frantically while spinning round and around, hunting for it. I stood with my hand against the wall staring in disbelief at where it'd just disappeared from when—

WOOOOOSSSSSHHH!

We screamed in shock and dove out of the way as a blast of fire roared over our heads. Kassie and I, jammed up against the wall together, stared at each other in shock when that strange voice spoke up again.

'That'll show them, bet they won't forget that anytime soon.'

And the little blue dragon sashayed past.

LOUD LAUGHTER CAUGHT KASSIE'S ATTENTION and, detangling herself from Cat, she sat up. The four men must have watched the whole episode from the solar doorway because they laughed so hard they almost fell over.

'Very funny,' Cat grumbled as she straightened up.

'Are you going to introduce us?' Kassie demanded to Rumal, while Cat coaxed Audi out from under a chair. Sian and Laura dusted themselves down and watched the dragon cautiously.

Rumal stepped forward. 'Ladies, may I introduce you to Nnelg. Our castle's esteemed fire dragon, and, Nnelg,' he said with a firm look. 'May I introduce you to Kassandra, Catherine, Sian, and Laura. Elena's special guests.'

_'Humph,'_ huffed Nnelg. _'Where did they get their manners from?'_

'They're new to our world,' Alek said. 'They mean you no harm.'

Audrey crept toward Nnelg on her belly and he spun to face her.

_'What does the dog want?'_ he asked in an alarmed tone.

'Just to be friends,' Cat said, watching Audi continue in her commando crawl. Nnelg regarded the dog suspiciously for a moment then leaned forward when she was within reach and the two touched noses. He jerked back and cocked his head while regarding Audi with a curiously playful look and swish of his tail.

_'Catch me if you can.'_ Nnelg's voice flashed out before he vanished again.

AUDREY LET OUT A YELP of excitement and shot out of the room. The silence after her piercing bark felt striking and we stood motionless for a moment. Then Sabyn said with a teasing smile, 'Other than meeting Nnelg, did you girls want something?'

'YOU BOYS ARE SUPPOSED TO be showing us the castle for the next couple of days,' Sian smiled sweetly at the men, who all blanched at the term boys. Daron feigned annoyance while he stared at her but an adoring smile quickly spread on his face. Yes, thought Sian with pleasure. All mine, and she beamed back.

IN THE SILENCE WHILE DARON and Sian gave each other mushy smiles Kassie, Loi and I rolled eyes at each other. Kassie raised hers to the ceiling then winked at Rumal.

I suddenly remembered something. 'Oh! Where are my manners?' I cried and I bowed elaborately to Alek.

'Your Royal _Highness_.'

ALEK WINCED AT THE TONE of Cat's voice and closed his eyes for a moment. Damn it! He'd meant to mention it to her. A little voice in his head sang out—you're lying.

Alek opened his eyes. Cat still bowed low and now the other three girls joined her. An exasperated sigh escaped his lips and the four of them looked up, eyes alight with mischief, while his so called friends gave him I-told-you-so looks as they stood back.

ALEK STEPPED TOWARD ME SO I straightened up and widened my eyes into a look of vapid idolization. Alek stopped short at the expression and his eyes narrowed. He snapped, 'Cat, I'm sorry. I should have told you.'

Matching his tone I replied. 'Yes, you should have,' and returned the annoyed look. The others in the room drifted off with mumbled words, leaving us glaring at each other.
20

'REALLY, WHAT DID YOU THINK I would do,' I demanded, feeling my annoyance grow. 'Fawn over you because of your title? I'm a kiwi, Alek. Titles have little meaning to us.'

Alek looked confused. Oops, he won't have a clue what that means. Oh well, I'm sure the inference is the same. I crossed my arms while waiting for his response. Those dark blue eyes stared down at me with little expression.

ALEK CONTINUED TO STUDY CAT, mentally berating himself for acting like a child. Then he noticed her eyes looked red. Forgetting the silly argument in an instant he stepped closer and caught her chin with his fingers, tipping her face up. 'Cat, have you been crying?'

OH MAN, WHY DID HE have to say it like that? I went to turn away but he kept a firm yet gentle hold on my chin.

'Cat.'

Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. Dammit! A tear escaped and slid down my cheek. 'No.' Gulp. 'A little.'

Alek pulled me into his arms. 'Why? What's wrong?'

TEARS BEGAN TO POUR DOWN her cheeks and he hurriedly grabbed a seat with her cradled in his arms. 'Cat, tell me. What's wrong?'

She gave a big sigh and shifted on his lap, her forehead pressed to his chest. In a choked quiet voice she replied, 'Elena told us we can't go home. It's not possible.'

Alek froze, unsure of what to say. Two conflicting feelings flooded through him; relief that she wouldn't leave, quickly followed by guilt. How could he be so selfish when she'd literally just lost her world. Not wanting to put his foot in his mouth with the wrong response, he hugged her close pressing a kiss to her head.

'I'm sorry, Cat.' The words felt wholly inadequate. It brought him back to losing his father and the useless comments people had made. Remembering what she'd said to him before, he changed the subject. 'What's a kiwi?'

Cat blinked and looked up in surprise. 'Oh. Umm, a kiwi is a little brown bird that can't fly and has feathers that are long and hair like. They have long thin beaks to dig up grubs. And they lay enormous eggs in comparison to their body weight.'

Whatever answer he'd expected it wasn't that. 'Why did you say you're a kiwi?'

She grinned at him, green eyes dancing in amusement at his confusion. He felt a thrill of delight at the smile.

'The kiwi only lives in New Zealand which is the country, or realm as you call it, that we come from on Earth. So I'm a New Zealander, but we are known as kiwis for short,' she announced proudly.

ALEK GAVE ME A FUNNY look after my explanation so I just gave him a wide, cheesy smile. He chuckled and the sound pleased me. I threw my arms around his neck and pulled his head down to mine; might as well distract myself in the best way possible.

ALEK WAS HAPPY TO OBLIGE and pressed his lips to hers. Feeling her tiny sigh of pleasure, he tightened his arms around her. Finally, with no one around to disturb them, he could kiss her thoroughly.

MY HEAD DID SOME SERIOUS spins by the time Alek pulled away and I'm pretty sure I had one of those silly grins plastered over my face. He chuckled at the expression and stroked my cheek. 'I've been waiting for a good moment to do that.'

I laughed and felt my cheeks flush. 'Worth the wait.'

'What was it you came here for?' Alek asked with a sudden look of confusion.

'Oh. You're supposed to give me the grand tour and we only have two days 'cause then Elena is setting us to work,' I announced, feeling a twinge of nervousness at the idea of this sort of work. Though again, it would be a distraction from reality. I swallowed hard when a feeling of despair threatened to loom and shook my head, forcing a smile as Alek stared at me with penetrating eyes.

ALEK WATCHED CAT FORCE A smile and his own emotions swung back and forth. She's doing so well, he thought; what can I show her to keep her smiling properly?

'The grand tour,' he mused over that and lifted Cat, setting her on her feet. Grabbing his cape off the table, he fastened it and turned to Cat who'd straightened her hair and clothes. The thought of mussing her clothes again appealed to him greatly.

ALEK GAVE ME A SEXY, crooked smile, eyes suddenly darker and I couldn't help but blush. Trying to get my thoughts to an appropriate place I pointed at his cloak. 'Why the cape? I didn't see the others wearing one.'

He turned to show me the back. His family shield was embroidered on the heavy purple fabric in gold thread. 'It's to show my rank. Elena effectively runs the kingdom for me. This is the only thing she asks of me while I'm here, so I can't object.' He shrugged. 'When I do succeed in my task and I'm crowned I'll have many more responsibilities. Not that I mind, but it's nice to come and go as I please. I'll enjoy it while I can.'

'Where are we going first?' I looked forward to seeing more of the castle. About to answer, Alek stopped when Audrey pelted into the room. Something had her excited; her ears perked up, tail high while she spun in the room, like she hunted something. Nnelg blinked into the room, landing on the table with his wings half spread and growled at Audi. My jaw dropped in astonishment and I went to leap between them when Alek placed a restraining hand on my arm.

'Wait,' he murmured in my ear. 'Just watch.'

Audrey snarled fiercely at Nnelg but her tail and ears still stood high. I just began to realize they played when Nnelg launched himself at her. The two rolled past us, a blur of fur, wings and a wildly thrashing blue tail. Alek started to laugh at the sight of it. He stopped short when the two rioters crashed into a tall lamp that he lunged to steady. 'ENOUGH!' he bellowed, while holding the lamp.

They both froze.

I giggled at the comical and most unexpected sight. Audrey sat with a guilty look on her face, Nnelg's long tail in her mouth while he appeared to chew on one of her ears.

'NNELG, I'M GLAD YOU HAVE a new friend but don't you think you should take her outside?' Alek crossed his arms and gave the dragon a stern look.

_'Elena sent me,'_ Nnelg replied defensively, _'This dog creature is funny. Where is she from? I can't understand her at all.'_

'She's not from this world, Nnelg. What did Elena want?'

'To remind you to have the women back in time for tea, I've got to go tell the others too, bye.'

Nnelg vanished again. Audi yelped and shot out the room.

'What does Nnelg mean he can't understand her?' Cat looked perplexed.

'Dragons can usually use their telepathy on other creatures too. Obviously he can't with Audi.'

'IS NNELG COMMUNICATING WITH US by telepathy?' I asked in astonishment. 'I thought he was just speaking. We can all hear him. It isn't like with Loushka.'

Alek offered me his arm and explained while we wandered down the corridor. 'Loushka can't be heard by creatures other than griffons and those she links with. Usually it's just one creature. That's why we were so impressed when you could hear her.' He winked at me. 'Dragons have different abilities and are able to link with most creatures minds. They're born with the skill.'

Alek pointed out various rooms when we passed them, stopping to show me the ballroom that linked to the Great Hall. Like the throne room the floor had gemstones embedded within. Silver framed mirrors lined the walls; reminiscent of the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. 'This is where small events are held. For the ball we'll open this room and the second ballroom that links to the throne room,' he explained, leading me through it. 'Do you like dancing?'

I nodded enthusiastically.

He arched an eyebrow questioningly. 'We have casual dancing in the Great Hall most evenings after dinner until late?'

I laughed then and shook my head. 'I'm usually in bed early, so I can get up at dawn for my run.'

'Of course. Do you go often?'

'Most mornings if possible.'

'If you want, I could meet you at your room prior to breakfast? Unless the weather's really awful.'

'Wouldn't want to mess up that hair,' I teased.

We turned down another corridor where two women in richly embroidered clothes walked toward us at a stately pace. Stopping when we were within a couple of feet, they both dipped into graceful curtsies. Alek greeted them while I stood back, observing. I don't know how to curtsy, I thought, considering the fluid looking move; bowing is much easier, maybe I'll just stick to that.

Both women ignored me while they chatted to Alek and it dawned on me. This must be what the Guard spoke about. These had to be some of _those_ women. They made such an effort to avoid acknowledging me. One, a tall slim brunette, wore a lovely dress in dark blue. Belted tight at the waist to show off her cleavage, she leaned forward just enough to show it to its best advantage. I chomped on the inside of my cheek to stop the laughter that bubbled up. These two just screamed high maintenance.

God I wish the others were here, they would have loved to have seen this.

The other one, a plump blonde in clinging fuchsia, hung off Alek's every word with an expression rather like the vacant one I'd given him earlier.

ALEK FORCED A SMILE WHILE answering the usual inane questions the women here loved to ask. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Cat watching in amusement. Right then, he thought, let's include you. 'May I introduce Catherine to you both.' He gave them a charming smile and indicated Cat. 'Catherine, may I introduce the Countess Stranson and her good friend Lady Kelanor. Catherine is here with her friends at the Archduchess' invitation.'

While Lady Kelanor looked impressed and gave Cat a tentative smile, the Countess shot Cat a barely veiled look of contempt. 'Are you one of the women the Griffon Guard rescued?'

I RETURNED A BLAND SMILE while maintaining strong eye contact. The brunette—sorry, the Countess—flinched, which felt mildly satisfying. Let's see if we can turn her green with envy, I thought, resisting a smirk and instead put on my best dumb blonde smile; learned from Sian of course.

'Yes, we were exceptionally lucky. Alek and the others arrived just in the knick of time.' I beamed at Alek, his blue eyes twinkled at me. Fighting off the giggles, I channeled the feeling of hilarity, smiling broadly at the women while fluttering my lashes.

If looks could kill I'd be fried on the spot—yeouch—that woman has an evil glare! The Countess went to say something but Alek beat her to it.

'IF YOU'LL EXCUSE US,' ALEK gave them a polite smile. 'I have just two days in which to show off the castle and Elion to Catherine.' He swept Cat along until they were out of sight.

'The Countess appears exceedingly fond of you,' Cat suggested with a wicked look.

He gave a short laugh and rolled his eyes. 'That woman has been my nemesis for years now, not that she appears to know it. She's openly told the high court since I was fifteen that she would marry me.'

'NOT TEMPTED?' I TEASED. 'I'M sure she'd look lovely draped over your arm and she probably has her coronation gown already designed.'

The invitations and place-settings too I imagine and if there's a chopping block list I'll bet my name is now at the top; I smirked at the thought.

Alek gave me a long look, then detached his arm from mine and drew my hand to his mouth, gently kissing it then led us on. The hairs on my arms went stiff and butterflies pinged about in my stomach. We'd wandered along a bit more before I felt steady enough to speak without stuttering. 'Where are we going?'

'To the kitchen.'

Not what I'd expected, but my stomach gave an approving growl making us chuckle. We passed many more doorways and Alek explained they were various court rooms.

'Are they all in use?'

How many people did I see at breakfast? I didn't think it was this many.

He shook his head. 'No, most are empty. The majority of the courtiers won't return to the castle until I'm established on the throne. There's no reason to be here without a ruling monarch.'

'Will the castle be full then? When you're crowned?'

'Actually, there won't be enough rooms then.' Alek chuckled at my surprise. 'A whole new life is injected into Elion when the monarch returns, creating an abundance of jobs. Nnelg won't have as much time to play then.'

I'd forgotten about Nnelg. 'What's his role in the castle?'

We rounded the corner to the kitchen, I could hear the noise of pots and pans and general cooking sounds.

'Nnelg is employed as the castle's fire dragon. It's his job to keep the fireplaces and lamps burning.'

I wanted to ask more about that, but we'd reached the kitchen and Alek ushered me in.

IT FELT A BIT OF a shock to come from the quietness of the corridors into the sudden noise and organized chaos of the kitchen. They stood for a moment, observing. Then a kitchen worker spotted him and let loose a yell. Everyone stopped and turned to stare. At the realization that the Prince stood amongst them, they bowed and a man rushed over.

'Y-y-your Highness,' he stuttered. 'What a surprise, how can we help?'

Alek smiled and indicated Cat. 'Hiranes, may I introduce you to Catherine, one of the women the Archduchess is working with.'

'A pleasure to meet you. What can I do for you both?'

Alek drew him to the side while Cat wandered off around the kitchen.

IT KEPT SURPRISING ME HOW modern things seemed here. The huge ovens could have been found in a restaurant on Earth and it all seemed clean and pristine the way a kitchen should be. I was fascinated when I noticed a row of five giant mixers all steadily mixing away. What do they run on? I snuck a little closer, listening and peered at them. I couldn't hear an engine of any kind and nothing appeared to attach it to a power source. I turned to look for Alek, but he still conversed with Hiranes, so snagged a worker. 'Excuse me, but how are those mixers turning?'

The boy, a waif like blond thing, stared at me like I was stupid then answered cautiously, 'Hiranes is turning them.' He gave me another fishy stare then ducked off. I stared at the mixers, more puzzled now. How could Hiranes be turning them? He stood nowhere near them. I went back to Alek who'd finished his conversation. He reached out to draw me close.

'Are you okay? You're frowning,' he murmured in my ear.

'Oh. I just wondered how the mixers turned by themselves,' I spoke quietly so none of the staff would overhear me. 'A kitchen boy said Hiranes is doing it?'

ALEK SMILED AT CAT, PLEASED she seemed distracted from her current predicament. I'll have to have a word to Elena tonight, he thought. Before he could answer her question Hiranes presented them with a basket, Alek thanked him then led Cat out of the room. He explained while they walked down another corridor.

'Hiranes is gifted. He can make things move. It's a gift that can open up many opportunities as it's useful in most professions. He's very lucky.'

WHAT A COOL GIFT. I wonder what ours might be like?

Alek led us out of a door into the courtyard and I stopped short when the sun hit me. 'Wow. What a lovely day.'

The garden was beautiful. Neat paths paved with glistening stones meandered all over the place. The vegetation varied between big beautiful maple-like trees and a variety of shrubs and flowers. Tucked in niches stood statues of faeries, goblins, and other mythical (or so I'd thought before arriving here) creatures, many I didn't have names for. Alek chose a spot for us under a dark red broadleaf tree and I helped him to set out the blanket and food. It looked great. While we ate I gazed around, admiring it all.

'What's with all the statues?' I rolled onto my back and looked up at Alek who ate a piece of fruit.

He paused between bites. 'They're to honor someone. Each statue is of a being that for some reason or another has been recognized for a service to the realm. Around two statues are created each year. The one depicted is allowed to choose a spot for it within the courtyard.'

Well that's a bit more interesting than your average garden gnome, I thought.

'Do they have plaques telling you why they're honored?' I sat up to see if any were close to us.

Alek shook his head. 'No. There's a book in the library that has the details recorded.'

Another reason to have a nosy at the library. I wonder what gets you in the book?
21

WE PACKED UP THE LEFTOVERS and Alek took a different route back into the castle to show me the Armory. Not knowing what to expect, I stepped through the door and stared in amazement at the display of weapons in the room.

To begin with the room must have been as big as the ballroom. It had huge rows of shelving stocked full of items. On Earth it would have been a red-necked, gun-toting male's dream come true, except of course, no guns. Instead there were rows of crossbows, long bows, bows I didn't know the names of, and swords of every length and manner imaginable. I made my way around the room and felt a shudder of disgust at the sight of heavy maces that hung from racks. I paused in front of a shelf covered in light, delicate looking daggers and moved closer for a better look.

'Careful,' Alek warned. He reached past me to pick one up.

'These are exceptionally sharp and can even cut through dragon scales. The blade is made of a rock that's only found within active volcanoes.'

But of course, thought my rational voice sarcastically. Where else would you locate something with dragon scale piercing potential.

'How do you get it out?' Did they use those special suits like the ones we had on Earth? I didn't think those suits could get you that close to molten rock—at least not for any extended amount of time.

'There's a creature, the requon, which lives within the magma. We use it to collect the blistenid rock while it's still molten.'

'What sort of creature? How do you use it?'

'It looks kind of like a fish and you can lure it to the surface by dropping gemstones into the lava. They take a moment to melt and the creatures love to eat them while they're hard so they race to the surface. When the requon appears, a harness is looped onto its dorsal fin. The requon then dives low and the scoops hanging from the harness pick up the blistenid. We gently tug the requon back to the surface, where the harness snaps off and we wind it up.'

Just that easy huh, my rational voice sniggered. I stared at him. 'You have got to show me that sometime.'

We continued down the rows of weapons and armor, even armor for the griffons, huge breast plates and leg greaves. And then some armor I didn't recognize. I circled one of the sets and studied it. At first glance it looked like the armored torso of a very large man, but it extended out some distance at where the backside would be. It seemed strangely familiar, like I should know it.

'It's for the Centaur Cavalry,' Alek wore a bemused expression. 'What did you think it was for?'

For what felt like the millionth time since arriving in this world my jaw dropped. 'Centaur Cavalry?'

'Of course. They're essential to any fight.'

I stared at the armor again. 'For those of us that haven't seen a centaur in real life before, we are talking about a creature which is half man half horse?'

He gave me that look again. 'Yes and no. At some point long ago in their evolution they were distantly related to both humans and horses, but they are their own species.' Alek led me further along the aisle, indicating to other sets of centaur armor. 'There are three divisions within the Cavalry. The Aswaran division, which is for the large heavy races whose skills are directly linked to their physical strength. There is the Rodhite division, for which you need to be exceptionally fast, but still have the strength to use the massive longbows and crossbows that are designed specifically for centaurs. And lastly, the Medanga division, the medics and messengers.'

'Are they here? At the castle?' I would love to meet one, or just see one.

'No. We never keep all our forces in one area, so they are currently on patrol. They'll be back at the month end.'

'What makes them so vital to the forces?' I could see Alek fight another look of astonishment and I frowned. 'I'm just curious. Remember this is all new to me.'

'They have two hearts and two sets of lungs, Cat, along with four legs designed for speed. They're practically the perfect species.'

'WHAT DID YOU THINK?' ALEK asked curiously as they left the room. Cat had been rather quiet after viewing the Armory.

'You look well prepared. How many will join you in the fight against Jenviet?'

Alek shrugged, if he had it his way it'd only be the Griffon Guard, but Elena wouldn't allow it, concerned that Jenviet had a way to harm the griffons. She wanted Alek to take a large army and leave Loushka and the other griffons waiting, back from the fight. Loushka hadn't been impressed with the idea. 'I'm not entirely sure. Things could change at a moment's notice so we'll see. Now, a treat,' he declared. 'This way.'

ALEK WHISKED US DOWN A corridor in the opposite direction to where we'd been this morning. I had to take a long stride to keep up with him and we whizzed past a couple of astonished looking servants. It left me rather flushed by the time we reached the door he wanted. Holding a finger to his lips, Alek hushed me.

'Shh listen.'

About to protest that I hadn't said anything, I stopped at the sound. Weird. What is that? It sounded like a heavy hum, almost a purr. I glanced quizzically at Alek. He smiled and opened the door for me. The room was darker than the corridor and it took my eyes a moment to adjust. While I waited I heard the murmur of voices. It sounded like Loi and Sian might be here too.

Sure enough, there they stood in front of me with big, goofy smiles on their faces. Each had a sleepy griffon pup cradled in their arms. My heart melted at the sight.

'Oh, they are sooo gorgeous,' I cooed softly to the one in Loi's arms, stroking its fur. Such soft fur, nothing like Loushka's dense fur. It reminded me of when Audi had been a pup. She'd had fur as soft as this.

The pup made the noise I'd heard before and Loi giggled. 'Doesn't the purr sound funny?'

'Like a soft lawnmower.' I reached out to touch the pup's wings. So tiny and neat, folded at its sides, its baby feathers soft and downy. I can't believe how little they are, to think that Loushka was once this small. I smiled at the image that sprung to mind of Loushka as a pup.

ALEK SLIPPED PAST THE WOMEN, leaning over the pup pen and gave a low whistle. There was a frantic scrabbling and then an excited noise that sounded like a cross between a chirp and a yelp. Cat, Sian and Laura all turned in time to see a larger griffon pup hurtle into the pen from the other room. Ageip reared and flapped his wings hard, startling the younger pups in the women's arms.

Loushka poked her head through from the other room.

' _He wants to show you how well he can fly now, why don't you come out and see?'_

THE PLAYFUL PUP ENCHANTED ME; he spun and reared at Alek, showing off his lovely wings. Much darker than those of the older griffons we'd met, the pup's feathers glinted violet in the glimpses of light from the other room.

' _Who is he?'_ I thought to Loushka.

' _His name is Ageip,'_ she replied and I could hear her affection for him. _'He is Phroma's son.'_

Aha, of course he was, Phroma's feathers had violet in them too.

'Would you all come outside for a moment?' Alek turned from giving Ageip's stubby mane a good scratch. 'Ageip wants to show off his flying skills.'

Loi and Sian put the pups they'd been cuddling back in the pen and we followed him out. The other griffons, gathered by Ageip, stood with Phroma who watched her son fondly. She gave him a playful nudge when he came close and he chirpbed back at her. Loushka turned her massive head my way, mane glinting red in the sun.

' _Were you angry at Alek for not mentioning his lineage?'_

I laughed, it sounded so odd put that way.

' _No just annoyed he didn't tell me himself.'_

' _How are you finding castle life so far? And being linked to its Crown Prince?'_

' _I can't believe how big it is, Elena gave the men two days to "show us" the castle and it just seems impossible.'_

Loushka did her version of a chuckle, a deep rumble.

' _Not to worry, you'll get a feel for it.'_

We waited in the courtyard while Ageip rounded up everyone he wanted to show off to, even Nnelg blinked in, Audi turning up a few minutes later. The poor girl had run herself ragged to keep up with Nnelg and she lay by my feet panting. I spotted Gredel and his wife Citaan standing with Phroma and Nesha, near to where Ageip patiently waited. Phroma let out a roar and everyone fell silent. I watched as Ageip lined himself up to a spot he'd chosen and then paused to study us for a moment, making sure we watched. I heard Alek smother a chuckle and looked up to see he had his serious face on. I had to resist a giggle.

Ageip let out a determined cry, crouched and launched himself into the air. With a frantic flapping and enthusiastic squeaking he managed to keep himself up. Everyone began to holler and cheer for him. The adult griffons did victory roars, while the pups that'd snuck out behind us squeaked in excitement and jumped up and down, flapping their tiny wings too. Ageip landed neatly and everyone rushed to congratulate him.

After the crowd dispersed, the men all gathered together and finally, we were introduced to Citaan. She had a lovely melodic voice and seemed genuinely pleased to meet us. The five of us chatted away about the trip to the castle, which Gredel had filled her in on. She is stunning, I thought, even without her ceylon blue hair and light gold eyes she'd be a beauty. I'd love to have hair that color. I sighed and glanced at Sian. She studied Citaan's hair with an expression of envy. Realizing I watched her, she met my eyes with a rueful smile.

'Did the men explain about dinner?' Citaan looked concerned.

We exchanged a confused glance.

'Err, no?'

'Dinner is formal so you will want to change into something dressier.'

Alek overheard the comments and jumped into the conversation. 'I meant to mention that, you four may want to head off now.'

He looked at Nnelg, sunning himself in the courtyard.

'Nnelg, can you lead the women back to their room?'

_'What?'_ The dragon looked up, _'Oh I suppose so, but this isn't in my job description.'_

Alek gave him a narrow look and Nnelg shrugged, trotting over to us.

'C'mon then, we don't want to be late.'

Audrey shot up from my feet when he moved away and stuck to his side like glue for the walk back to our room.

_'What's wrong with your dog creature?'_ Nnelg asked me.

'What do you mean?'

_'She doesn't respond normally when I speak to her. I'm not sure if she can hear me.'_ Nnelg seemed rather baffled and I couldn't help but laugh.

'We come from a different world, Nnelg. We don't communicate with telepathy there.'

'Then how do you communicate? Or how does the dog communicate?'

I thought for a moment. 'Audrey has excellent hearing and will listen to any verbal noises. She's very quick to pick up on body language.'

Nnelg fell quiet as we walked along. When we reached our room he sat up and looked at Audi. Audi sat too. Nnelg cocked his head at her and she froze for a moment, unsure, then whined, swatting at him with a forepaw, making the dragon jump. We smothered our laughter and watched, curious to see what would happen next. Nnelg leaned forward to sniff her then rubbed his head against hers. Audi appeared delighted and covered him in enthusiastic kisses.

'NNELG SEEMS TO BE GETTING along well with Audi,' Alek commented when we relaxed in the library after dinner. I chuckled and told him about Audi's sloppy kiss which made him laugh. We'd all ducked off after dinner to have some quiet time, and Alek and I had snagged the library. But I still hadn't had a chance to have a look at the books. Instead, Alek had headed straight for a bookcase on the far side of that impressive window and after shifting a couple of books, released a latch that opened the door to his late father's study. I had spent a good fifteen minutes or so slowly looking at all the trinkets and gadgets scattered over the desk and shelves. King Nikias had had a fascinating collection.

'Did your father spend a lot of time here?' I leaned back against Alek, the two of us stretched out on a chaise. His long legs reached the end. I looked down at my legs between his. His made mine look tiny. It was funny to feel so dainty in comparison.

'HE TRIED TO RELAX HERE in the evenings. I remember him saying it was a good way to wind down the day.' Alek spoke while playing with one of Cat's hands. She's so tiny, he thought; how do Daron and Rumal manage with Kassie and Sian? He felt like a giant in comparison to her.

'What did Elena want to speak to you four about?' Elena had taken the women aside straight after dinner.

'THE TRAINING WE'LL START THE day after tomorrow,' I frowned. 'It sounds like a boot camp.'

Alek laughed. 'Boot camp?'

I leaned back, smiling at him and he ducked his head to press a kiss to my lips. Mmmm.

Nicely distracted, it took me a moment to remember what we were talking about. 'Boot camp!' I exclaimed making Alek chuckle. 'It's, it's a full-on training camp, with essentially no free time that will completely tire you out.'

'Sounds like fun,' he suggested in a teasing tone.

'Oh yes,' I remarked dryly. 'Can't wait.'

I explained the general idea of the training. We would train with Elena until lunch. She would teach us to raise our energy and use it, if we were gifted as she hoped. She'd also asked if we would train the General Guard, teaching them our fighting method. So that would be it, practically every day for a month. Fun.

But, as I kept reminding myself, it'd take my mind off certain depressing thoughts.

'WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR fighting method?' Alek shifted Cat so she lay on her side against him, her head tucked under his chin.

'We use our opponent's weight and strength against them. It means someone as little as Sian can take on someone your size.'

Alek looked down at her in surprise. 'Really? Wow, that'd be something to see. I think I'll come to watch.' After he saw Cat to her room, Alek headed to Elena's chamber on the third floor. The Sorceress sat at a table, deep in a conversation with Yakov when he arrived, so he waited in the doorway. Noticing him, she smiled.

'Alek. Come on in.'

When he sat opposite her, he asked, 'Ellie, why can't the girls go home?'

Yakov looked surprised and Elena arched an eyebrow at him. 'Cat told you?'

'I noticed she'd been crying and asked her why. Surely if they got here by their own devices they'd be able to get home again?'

He forced away the feeling of loss that swelled at the thought of Cat leaving.

Yakov gave him a penetrating look. 'I wouldn't think you'd want her to leave.'

Alek looked at his hands, avoiding the older man's gaze. 'I want her to be happy.'

Elena frowned and pressed her lips flat while regarding Alek. In an apologetic tone she said, 'Alek, I'm sorry. I can't send them home and the girls cannot reverse the spell. It's not possible.'

'Spell?' Yakov and Alek looked at her in surprise.

'Yes. They're here because of a spell they cast. It can't be reversed because they essentially asked for this,' Elena said sternly. 'I understand it's distressing to watch them mourn their old life, but they will get used to this one. They are meant to be here.'

He didn't know what to think now. It almost made him feel foolish for coming. Thanking Elena he went to leave but stopped at the door when a thought occurred to him.

'Ellie. What was the spell for?'

She gave him an indecipherable look.

'To locate their soul mates.'
22

LOI WOKE BEFORE THE OTHERS the next morning and rolled onto her back. Rain buffeted the windows. That sounds really heavy, she thought, and rolled onto her side to peek out of the window. Sure enough, rain hit the courtyard with clouds gathered thickly overhead. Might as well get up and have a shower, at least I don't have to wait for anyone else, she thought and hunted for her slippers. Tiptoeing through the room, she was astonished to see they had an over-stayer. Audrey and Nnelg lay curled up together on the dog's generous bed. So cute. Wish I had a camera to capture it. She smothered a giggle as she slipped into the bathroom.

Awhile later she lay sprawled across her bed fussing over Lucky while the others sorted themselves out. Nnelg and Audrey had played up as soon as everyone woke so had been banished from the room, which left little Lucky all by herself, not that she seemed to mind. Loi gently rubbed the cat's tummy while Lucky, in the throes of pleasure, alternated between curling one forepaw in and then the next; so very cute.

'Aw.' Kassie's voice came from behind her and Loi turned to find her gazing down at Lucky.

'I'm so glad she seems to have settled in, especially with the lack of time I've had for her.' Kassie said it guiltily and Loi reached out to give her a one armed hug.

A whining at the door let everyone know Audrey waited for them. They hurried after the dog to the Great Hall for breakfast. Afterward, Elena summoned them to the library for a quick reminder of the plan.

'Today will be your final free day for some time, so do enjoy it,' she urged them all at the end of her speech.

They headed for the solar, following Audrey who seemed to know where they were going. Either that or we'll end up in the kitchen, Loi thought in amusement. While they walked she realized Cat wore a dark blue dress. How unusual, Cat hardly ever wears dresses. Then she spied Cat's high boots underneath and smirked; I'll bet she has her pants on too, Cat doesn't like the exposed factor of dresses.

'Aww, Kitty Cat, don't you look pretty,' she teased.

Cat flushed red and gave a defensive shrug. 'I like it. And anyway, I have my pants and boots on underneath.'

When they reached the solar, Sabyn and Rumal lounged on chairs while the others looked over a map. They glanced up at the girls' footsteps.

'We're off to visit the town are we?'

Loi started. She hadn't noticed Citaan in the corner of the room. The gold eyed woman smiled at them and indicated the window highlighting the heavy rain.

'It'll stop within the hour, why don't we take horses?' Citaan addressed Gredel who nodded. The men led the way to the stables.

ALEK HAD GIVEN ME AN oddly cool greeting when we arrived, and now he marched ahead of us all. Sian bumped into my arm and I turned to look at her.

'S'up?' she arched an eyebrow.

Feeling anxiety twist my stomach I shrugged and mumbled, 'Dunno.'

When we reached the stables the grooms helped set us up with a horse each, and the whole time we were there, which must have been close to an hour, Alek avoided me. What the hell? Had I said something? I racked my brains for any possible faux pas I might have made as we rode the horses out toward the inner gate. He rode out in front talking to Gredel, Citaan hung back, riding beside me. I answered her questions as well as I could, but this really threw me. He was so affectionate yesterday. What's going on?

SIAN WATCHED AS CAT DISTRACTEDLY replied to Citaan, her eyes fixed on Alek's back. So weird, out of the four of them Cat seemed to have the tightest friendship so far. Maybe Elena or Yakov thought it inappropriate? That must be it. She felt a sense of relief, of course it is, he is the Crown Prince after all.

KASSIE KEPT SHIFTING IN HER saddle, the trot felt so uncomfortable. Her horse was h-u-g-e in comparison to her but with such pretty markings, almost like Lucky. She reached forward, trying to stroke his neck.

Ugh! Darn this bouncing, she thought, scowling.

RUMAL, RIDING ALONGSIDE KASSIE, COULD see she looked uncomfortable.

'Are you okay?'

She jolted away with the trot instead of rising, it surprised him; the other girls rode fine. 'Have you ridden before?'

'A a a a little,' Kassie managed to squeeze out through the bouncing.

Rumal let out a sharp whistle and the others halted, pulling their horses around. 'I'm taking Kassie back for a pillion saddle. Ride on ahead, we'll catch you up.'

The girls looked concerned but Kassie nodded to them and they turned their horses, following Gredel and Alek out.

CITAAN IS A GOOD HORSEWOMAN, Sian thought, watching the blue haired woman beside them. She looks like she's part of the horse. Another twinge of envy ran through her. The men also rode with a nonchalant air of expertise.

'Do you ride often?' Sian turned to Daron who smiled at her.

'Yes. We don't bother the griffons for short trips and I enjoy riding. It makes a change to being in the air.'

WE REACHED THE OUTER GATE and waited while guards opened it. A clattering of hooves behind us announced Rumal and Kassie's arrival. Kass looked much happier seated behind Rumal, her arms around his waist. Audrey stood beside my horse sniffing its legs curiously. While I'd had plenty of horse riding experience on Earth I'd never taken her with me before, so the horses were a novelty. At least she wasn't barking at them. I kept a firm eye on her. Audi, as a farm dog breed, wasn't inclined to hunt animals, but she did like to herd them which could make for interesting results in a situation like this; though the horses hadn't even blinked at her or Nnelg's presence.

I'd decided to ignore Alek's weird attitude for the moment. I wasn't going to let it ruin my day there would be time after dinner to have a chat.

LOI LOVED THE PLEASANT RIDE into town. She hadn't been horse riding in years, not since she moved to New Zealand. In Scotland her family had owned horses and she'd learned to ride at four years old. Out of the four of them, Loi rode the best, though Cat was close on her heels. Getting away from the castle and all those people felt fantastic. Sabyn rode beside her, appearing lost in his thoughts. Loi took the opportunity to study him, yet again, without seeming rude; a striking man with his glacial blue eyes and dark blond hair pulled into its customary plait. She watched in amusement when his lips moved, eyes vague.

SABYN RAN THOUGH THE NAMES of the townspeople they needed to speak to. This trip to show the girls the town provided an opportunity to catch up on necessary royal business. While they mightn't look the part in their relatively casual clothing and manner he, Daron, Gredel and Rumal acted as Alek's advisers and bodyguards when the occasion called for it. Not that Alek would ever stand back in a fight, but they were required by Elena to stop him from getting killed.

NNELG SWOOPED DOWN OUT OF the sky and darted over the top of Audrey, teasing her. The dog's ears and tail stood high while she raced after him, yelping.

'Audi's really fast,' Daron commented, impressed.

Sian laughed at the comical sight of the dragon and dog playing tag. 'She is quick,' she agreed. 'It's always amazed me how speedily she'll appear when she's vanished somewhere. Cat's parents have a little dog that used to be run ragged by Audi. Which surprised us, 'cause Jack is such a speedy little thing. He's the only dog I know who can climb trees.'

Daron looked skeptical. 'Climb trees?'

'Yes. Jack gave more than one person a surprise with that trick.'

'You'll have to show Nesha once you can talk to him, otherwise I'll never believe you,' Daron said with a cheeky grin.

KASSIE ENJOYED THE RIDE NOW, her arms around Rumal's waist. The pangs of nerves she usually got when the horse galloped didn't happen this time and she laughed, feeling a thrill of excitement at the pace. Rumal laughed with her, urging the horse to run faster before allowing it to drop to an easy walk. The utter ease and confidence with how he rode felt intoxicating. While the horse recovered from the run, Rumal told her about his home life on Delanta. His family raised horses, which explained his obvious skill and until he'd linked with Ofelaan he had trained with his father and Uncle, learning how to break horses.

'Our breed of horse is considered one of the top in the world,' Rumal's rich voice was full of pride.

'Are your sisters training too?' Kassie wondered if women would be allowed to.

'Vecina is, but Breena has decided she wants to be a messenger, so she's training for that instead.'

'How does that work? Being a messenger?' She remembered Melanite talking about it.

'Breena is training to run long distances each day and learning how to camp out safely by herself. It's a dangerous job for a young woman but she loves meeting new people and traveling so it suits her perfectly.'

'Do you have any brothers?'

'Just one, he's five and learning to ride at the moment. He's spoilt rotten by the girls, but he's a good kid. I'll have to go back for a visit soon,' he sounded wistful.

Kassie fell silent while thinking about it; I'd really like to go too. It would be fascinating to see another land.

CITAAN AND I CANTERED AHEAD of the others. When we sighted the town we stopped to rest the horses, allowing the others to catch up. Nnelg blinked in, startling us, and as usual Audi came racing up a moment or two later. 'You're going to have to carry her home at this rate,' laughed Citaan when the dog flopped onto the ground, panting. Nnelg had learned to be vocal with her and made a soothing chattering noise while he curled around her, waiting with us for the others to arrive. Sabyn and Loi arrived next, while Rumal and Kassie came last. I was pleased to see her smile. Kass normally just rode the beginner trails when we went horse riding, so it relieved me that she could ride double. Rumal appeared the most skilled of the men at riding, his reins loose on the pommel even with Kassie seated behind. The riding stables would never have allowed that on Earth. Remembering all the rigmarole of the safety gear and instructions before each trek we went on caused me to laugh. The others glanced at me and I looked to Loi.

'It seems so strange not to be wearing a helmet or to be following each other in a line on a particular path.'

She nodded, a serene smile gracing her face. 'It's the way riding should be.'

'What's the name of this town?' Sian asked. 'You guys just keep referring to it as town.'

Daron laughed. 'Normally everyone knows what we're talking about when we say town.' He indicated the now visible buildings in the distance. 'That's Gartoll.'

ALEK SLOWED THE PACE WHEN they reached the town gates and stopped, swinging a leg over the saddle to the ground. He gave Urell's head a good rub around his ears as the horse liked and then went to help Kassie down from the pillion saddle. Cat ignored him now, which only gave him more to consider. He couldn't get what Elena had said out of his head.

They cast a spell to find their soul mates, he thought, who knows how genuine her feelings are for me.

He'd barely slept all night.

I finally meet someone who I begin to consider my equal only to discover this. Part of him wished Elena hadn't told him. The guys had been giving him looks all day, but he wasn't in the mood to discuss it.

CITAAN WATCHED CURIOUSLY TO SEE what the girls thought of the town. Many townspeople had gathered when they'd arrived, crowding the streets, the word spreading quickly that the Prince had arrived. Citaan hung back, observing the relationships that had appeared to develop within the group. I wonder why Alek is behaving so coolly toward Cat, she thought curiously, I'm sure Gredel said they looked like they were a couple. Cat didn't even seem interested in him. She stuck with the other girls, chatting and greeting people.

SIAN WALKED HAND-IN-HAND with Daron and observed more than one set of raised eyebrows at that. It made her smirk.

Compared to the village of Lothost, Gartoll looked grand with wide paved streets and the buildings all complimenting one another with their almost romantic alpine chalet style; high pointed roofs and arched entrance ways and beautifully detailed windows. Shops lined either side of the main street and all of them had covered verandas, now crowded with townspeople wanting to see the Prince and his Guard. The intense fascination of the crowd unnerved her and she pressed closer to Daron who glanced down at her and winked.

'Not to worry, they're just curious. '

ALEK WALKED TOWARD A LARGER detached building that I assumed was the town center. The crowds of people grew and plenty of people smiled at us while calling out greetings to Alek and the men. Others just watched, standing back quietly. On the veranda of the larger building stood a well-dressed, portly man with whom I guessed were his wife and daughter. Both women wore full length dresses in patterned silk that fluttered in the slight breeze. The dresses were fitted to under the bust but then flowed down, flattering their fuller figures. The dresses wouldn't have looked out of place in the castle but amongst all the casual townspeople, did. The daughter, a plump cheeked brunette with thin eyebrows appeared to give someone behind me a very dirty look and I glanced back to see Loi, with Sabyn standing beside her.

Good luck with that, I thought in amusement.

'Welcome, your Royal Highness,' the portly man bellowed. 'You do great honor to our humble town with your presence.'

ALEK MANAGED TO KEEP A straight face.

'Not at all, sir, it's our pleasure to come and show the Sorceress' guests your township.' He turned back to the group behind him, avoiding Cat's gaze, and introduced the mayor, his wife and daughter, to the girls who all inclined their heads, murmuring greetings.

EVERYONE'S EYES TURNED TO THE four of us and I almost stepped closer to Alek, freezing at the last moment. I moved closer to Loi instead, with the dirty looks being shot her way she could do with the backup. The mayor's wife and daughter held a mini court on their veranda, observing us with their noses in the air. It looked very comical and many of the townspeople gave them disapproving looks. I wasn't bothered. They didn't look like people I wanted to know.

LOI NOTICED THE MAYOR'S WIFE and daughter glaring at her again and she turned to Kassie.

'Is it just me or do those two on the veranda keep glaring at me?'

Kassie discreetly had a look and confirmed. 'It does look like they're glaring, I wonder why? We haven't met them before, have we?'

Loi shook her head. 'Never.'

They heard Citaan chuckle and turned to look at her.

'The mayor's daughter has had a crush on Sabyn for years. Her mother has determinedly thrust her into every opportunity to be close to him.' She gave Loi a mischievous wink. 'I think she's a little tetchy at having her grand plans ruined.'

SIAN HAD A LOOK THROUGH the shop windows. The girls joined her, curious to see what each window revealed. Their newly made acquaintances tagged along, appearing to enjoy the experience of seeing it all through strangers' eyes. All the shops seemed interesting and there were more than a few that she wanted to have a good look inside. The men had finished their business with the mayor and wandered with them. Sian froze in front of one store when she spied magickal items. A beautiful wand and a pentacle lay on display in the window with dozens of small tumbled crystals around them. She stepped back to look for Daron. He stood a few feet away surrounded by adoring girls and looked a little flustered, Sian giggled at the sight. Each of the men had circles of women around them and the townsmen had to talk loudly over them because they couldn't get any closer. Annoyance was obvious on more than one face.

'Daron?' Sian called loudly. 'Can I borrow you for a moment?'

The profound look of relief on his face made her want to giggle, while his admirers took to giving Sian envious looks.

DARON FELT VERY RELIEVED TO have an excuse to get away from the pressing throngs of females. Honestly, if he'd passed through by himself he'd never have known there were so many females in this town. The downside of visiting anywhere with Alek was the guaranteed crush of unwelcome attention and an absolute lack of regard for personal space.

'What sort of shop is this?' Sian asked excitedly.

He glanced through the window. 'It's the local arcane store.'

'Really? Is this sort of store is normal?'

I HEARD SIAN GRILLING DARON about the magick shop but didn't turn, too busy studying a dress in the window of another shop. Something about it seemed wrong. But I couldn't place a finger on what. The dress, a lovely soft rose color, had graceful bell sleeves with a mandarin style collar. It fitted the mannequin like a glove, but there was still something wrong about it.

KASSIE NOTICED CAT FROWNING AT a dress in the shop down from where Sian gushed over a wand to the very happy shopkeeper.

'What's wrong, Cat? Are you trying to memorize the pattern?' Kassie teased. Cat's head snapped round to her, her mouth dropping at Kassie's words.

'That's it. How the heck did they do that?' she cried.

ALEK PUSHED THROUGH THE CROWD of idolizing females and headed to Cat's side without thinking.

'Do what?' He touched her shoulder, wondering what had her so excited.

'There are no seams. It's not possible, how on Earth could you do that?'

Everyone watched when she dashed inside the Tailor's, rushing past a surprised looking Kristanya—the shop's owner.

Alek stood with Kristanya and watched Cat. She inched her way over the pink dress in the window display, keeping up a running murmur with occasional sounds of astonishment.

MY MIND TRIED TO UNDERSTAND how they'd done it, but I couldn't figure it out. I turned and saw Alek standing close to me with a robust gray-haired woman beside him. His eyes finally seemed warm. My heart did a little skip.

'Catherine, let me introduce Kristanya. Kristanya owns this shop and is the top tailor in Gartoll,' Alek smiled at Kristanya, who flushed in pleasure at his compliment.

'Please, how was this made? Did you make it?' I had to know.

KRISTANYA SMILED AT THE ENTHUSIASTIC young woman before her.

'Come,' she pointed to the seating area where she discussed designs with clients. 'Have a seat.'

Once they'd settled on a couch she took a seat facing them.

'The dress was made by someone gifted, who works with fabrics, also known as a fabricer.'

'Like Ada?' interrupted Catherine, she blushed and apologized.

'Yes. Fabricer's have the ability to re-weave the fabric with a thought so any clothing made by one is instantly recognizable by its lack of seams. The most skilled tend to simply drape their client in fabric and then meld it around them. It takes an awful lot of work and practice to become a fabricer, and obviously, you must be gifted. Those who aren't gifted but love to sew become tailors, like myself, and though our work isn't as fine as a fabricer's, it is a lot more affordable for everyday wear. Really, anyone gifted with fabrics will head to the noblest house in their district or realm as they will have guaranteed work there.' She could almost see the wheels spin in Catherine's head and it made her smile.

'If you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them.'

'Clothing made by a fabricer must last a lot longer than regular clothing?'

'Yes, and there is the occasional fabricer who will transfer their skill to metal work, creating highly sought after armor.' Kristanya shrugged. 'Those are most often men who have had enough of dressing women.'

It was Alek's turn to interrupt and he invited her to lunch with them.

LUNCH WAS LONG AND SIAN snorted in amusement at the sight of Cat, eyeing up everyone's clothing. Normally she'd do the same but Sian was far more interested in conversing with the owner of the arcane shop, sadly it didn't seem like there'd be time today. She smothered the urge to sigh, instead smiling at the people Daron introduced her to.

'Sian, this is Artama, he's the region's bow master. This is his son Claud and daughter Nikol.'

She managed to halt her look of surprise just in time. The people before her didn't appear to be human. Artama had dark tan skin which glowed with delicate green undertones. His eyes were cat-like and much larger than a human's, with long eyelashes. His ears seemed small in comparison, with pointed tips that stuck out a hint. Nikol and Claud must have some human in them, she thought, glancing at them before responding to Daron's introduction. Both Artama's children had the same slanted, large eyes, but they were light brown instead of dark like their father and their skin had only the faintest hint of green. The three of them appeared to be wiry—as Kassie would say—light builds but with strength and grace.

THE GIRLS APPEARED FASCINATED WITH Artama and his family. Daron watched Sian chat to them, pleased that she'd had the chance to meet them. Artama would likely be training the girls in throwing weapons when they began their training regime. Realizing how late it was, Daron made his way around the men and suggested they head home.

'What is Artama?' Sian asked him as they rode back toward the castle. 'He doesn't look human.'

'Artama is a half breed. Half elven, half goblin,' Daron explained. 'And he married Toualine, who is also a half breed but half elven, half human. That's why Claud and Nikol look so unusual.'

Cat moved her horse closer to listen to Daron. Alek still appeared to be giving her the cold shoulder.

'Are goblins good or bad?' she asked. 'And is a half breed seen as a good thing or a bad thing?'

Sian bit her lip at Cat's bluntness and hoped it wouldn't offend Daron. He looked at her in surprise.

'What do you mean good or bad? They're like anyone else, some are good, decent and honorable, and some,' he paused. 'Aren't. And a half breed is what it is. It has no bearing.'

WELL THAT'S NICE, I THOUGHT, impressed. I guess after nine millennia or so you'd get over the race issues. Sian gave me a narrow look. It seemed she wasn't so impressed with my questions. I wrinkled my nose at her and steered my horse toward Gredel and Citaan. I'd thought Alek had been getting over his weird mood but it appeared I was wrong.

That evening while we got ready for dinner Sian pulled me into the wash room for a word.

'Has he said anything?'

I shook my head. 'No. Just this weird cold shoulder thing. I don't get it?'

'I wonder if perhaps Elena or Yakov had a word to him.'

'About what?'

'He is the Prince, Cat. Maybe it isn't deemed appropriate.'

I hadn't thought of that.

CAT FELL SILENT AFTER SHE'D pointed this out and Sian gave her a swift hug.

'I'm sure he'll sort himself out and if he doesn't, we'll do it for him.' She gave Cat a devilish wink making her chuckle. 'C'mon, let's get out of here, I'm starving.'

SIAN'S IDEA HAD MERIT TO it. Still, when we entered the Great Hall it felt like a public slap to the face when I saw my chair between Elena and Yakov's. My breath hitched in my chest and I fought back an embarrassed blush.

Stop it Cat—no-one else knows, so you can't be embarrassed by this. It's a great honor to sit between Elena and Yakov, my rational voice said firmly.

Holding my head high, I smiled pleasantly at everyone, even Alek, and took my seat. Yakov did his best to make me laugh and was utterly charming.

But I could feel him, the whole time we sat there. I was so intensely aware of him watching me. I wanted to leap out of my seat and march over to him, demanding to know what this was about. I didn't eat much, half scared I'd blurt out the words that felt wedged in my throat. I kept my fingers mentally crossed that this was just to keep things looking appropriate and waited to see what happened at the end of dinner.

HE WATCHED HER THE WHOLE time, unable to resist.

Does she have genuine feelings for me? Or had she fooled herself into thinking she did, given she expected to meet her soul mate? Cat didn't glance at him once during dinner. Alek shoved aside the nausea swirling in his gut. Fine. Then we'll deal with this out in the open and it can be done.

When dinner ended and the men invited the other women for a walk, Cat stood and finally looked at him. Her face looked like a cold mask. Alek flinched inwardly at the awful, tight sensation in his chest.

LOI SMILED UP AT SABYN, about to say yes to his invitation to wander in the courtyard when Alek spoke up. 'I believe I'll have an early night.' His voice rung out through the room, the tone in it apparent, and everyone in the Great Hall turned to look at Cat.

Loi watched in horror when Cat turned white, the freckles across her cheekbones in stark contrast. Then she flushed red and walked slowly out of the room. Sian and Kassie made noises of shock while Loi went stiff with anger.

In a surprisingly even tone she managed, 'Actually you know what? An early night sounds good to me.' She marched out of the room, making sure to brush past Alek, and felt a twinge of revenge when he flinched; you mongrel.

SABYN GAPED IN SURPRISE WHEN the three women went from friendly to furious. All made terse replies then stormed out of the room, shoving past Alek.

Alek.

A feeling of absolute annoyance swept through him and he eyeballed his cousin.

OH SHIT. PERHAPS A PUBLIC statement wasn't the best idea.

Alek gulped when his three friends turned to stare at him. Yakov and Elena didn't appear impressed either. Indignation flashed through him.

Since when was this their business? So what if the other women were grouchy at him, they'd get over it.

Rumal took a step closer. Giving him a hard look, Alek turned and stalked out the room, ignoring the courtiers' gasps of shock.
23

I WOKE THE NEXT MORNING and lay there, feeling a horrible sense of loss followed by overwhelming fury.

Why am I letting this bother me? So he'd turned out not to be who I thought he was; it wasn't the first time this had happened to me. And I liked being single. I loved it. No-one to have to report to or think about and I LIKED BEING SINGLE!

Tears welled in my eyes and flowed down my cheeks. I stuffed the sheet in my mouth to stop any sounds.

Why? What had I done?

He'd seemed so sweet and thoughtful and I thought the chemistry was there. The weird pain in my chest wouldn't go away. It hurt to breathe. I curled into a ball and pulled the covers over my head. Yanking the sheet out of my mouth, I wept into my pillow. I couldn't decide what was worse—the sensation of loss or the feeling of self-deception at allowing a mere male to affect me like this.

A STRANGE NOISE WHISPERED INTO her dream. Kassie thrashed about, wondering at the whimpering sound and woke disorientated, staring about the room.

What is that sound?

It happened again and she realized.

Cat.

She leaped out of bed and pulled Cat's covers back then felt her heart wrench. Cat lay curled in a ball, sobbing her heart out into her pillow.

'Honey, little kitty cat,' Kassie crooned as she scrambled into the bed and wrapped an arm around her friend. Sian and Loi had woken and joined her, kneeling beside the bed.

'I'm sorry,' Cat snuffled. 'I hate myself for being so stupid. I'm sorry, I'll be okay in a minute, I'm sorry.'

'Stop apologizing, Cat, it's not your fault.' Sian stroked Cat's head.

It took a while to calm her down. Eventually they got her out of bed and into the bathroom. While she showered they laid out her clothes for the first day of training.

'Do you think she'll be okay?' Loi looked at the other two.

'Cat's a trooper.' Sian had her stoic face on. 'She'll deal with this. She has to.'

Kassie gave a sad sigh. 'But what happened? It looked so right.'

The door to the washroom opened and they fell silent.

IT FELT SOMEWHAT COMFORTING to put on my arrival outfit again. The others appeared to feel the same and our room was silent while we got ready. Nnelg hadn't slept over and Audrey waited impatiently for us to get on our way. Breakfast flew by and before I knew it we all sat in the library while Elena requested two of the men join us today. Only Rumal, Daron and Sabyn came to the library, and Daron and Sabyn agreed to accompany us. The air felt somewhat tense as Loi, Sian and Kassie kept firm looks on their faces when they spoke to their guys. I wished they wouldn't. It wasn't their fault.

'Where is Gredel?' Loi asked, while the unspoken question of a certain other rang loud.

'With his wife,' Elena said briskly. 'Spending some much needed time together.'

We stood to leave.

'Catherine, a word?' Elena arched an eyebrow then nodded to the others to go on. The door closed behind them and I turned back to Elena with a sense of apprehension. The Sorceress had an impassive look on her face.

'I'm sorry that things appear to have not worked out well with you and Alek, but I expect you to uphold your end of the bargain. I'm not interested in any silly hysterics, so I trust you got them out of the way this morning.'

My face flushed hot and anger swirled in my gut. Staring at her coolly I snapped, 'I'll uphold my end. I'll need all the skills I can get for when I leave at the month's end.' Her expression didn't change. Damn it! I'd thought that might get a rise from her.

I stalked off.

When I arrived at the Griffons quarters everyone buzzed with excitement.

'Cat,' Kassie squealed. 'We can hear them.'

Loi and Sian beamed at me.

' _They're rather elated to have caught up with you,'_ observed Loushka.

OH. It clicked—they could hear the griffons now. I smiled at their delight, it felt good to be back on even par with them all.

' _Are you joining us today?'_ I would enjoy Loushka's company, maybe she would have insight on what Alek's problem was. I wondered if she knew about it. It felt like everyone I passed in the castle gave me looks of pity. Especially that overdone Countess—bitch.

' _No, Nesha and Tomiar will be with you. Kerak and I are going to visit Phroma and Ageip at Gredel's estate.'_

' _Sounds like fun,'_ I gave her as genuine a smile as I could manage.

She seemed to register my mood. _'You'll be fine, Cat, not to worry. Alek will be waiting when you get back.'_

I flushed red at his name and bit the inside of my cheek hard to hold back tears. It appeared she didn't know. Not wanting to feel like a tattle tale, I gave her a nod and turned to help the others.

As we got ready, Elena noticed Audrey and frowned. 'Nnelg!'

The little blue dragon appeared amongst us. ' _Yes madam?'_

'I need you to look after Audrey and Lucky today as they can't come with us, will you accept this task?'

Nnelg swelled with pride, clearly delighted to be asked by the Sorceress herself to do such an important task.

'Of course, I shall be certain to take good care of them both.'

We all hid smiles at Nnelg's delight and I fussed over Audi for a moment before telling her to go with him. She dashed off without a backward glance.

We piled onto the griffons and flew off. It took about an hour to reach the desired location, and once we'd all climbed down Elena spoke quietly with Sabyn and Daron, who headed off on an errand for her.

I stood near Kassie, looking about. 'Where are we?' The landscape here was very barren.

'We're at the beginning of the Merrej desert.' Elena indicated with a nod. 'This way.'

KASSIE STUDIED THE LAND AROUND them. There were a few trees with a small stream trickling behind them. Before them began the desert, with ebony sand that glittered in the sunlight. In the distance, she could see black glittering dunes, and wondered what creatures might live there.

WE STOOD AND WAITED FOR Elena's instructions. The awful night's sleep, tossing and turning while my mind ran over all interactions with Alek—trying to figure out what had gone wrong, felt like it caught up with me and I stifled a yawn while watching Elena. The Sorceress walked around an area of sand murmuring to herself. Her long dark hair hung in a thick plait down her back. It was the first time I'd seen her wear trousers. All of a sudden the air felt strangely thick and we looked about in surprise. Elena had her arms at her sides pointing toward the earth and we could see the sand shift around her.

LOI FELT HER JAW DROP at this example of Elena's power. The sand smoothed out into a large circle that had a seat at each quarter. Just a low simple seat with no back, all made of sand.

'Come,' said Elena. 'Let us begin.'

THEY HESITATED A MOMENT THEN entered the circle. Each seat had a symbol inscribed in the sand. They represent each of the elements, Sian realized. She walked to her 'water' seat.

'Kassie, you're across from me, Loi, you're on my left and Cat, you're on my right.'

Elena smiled and nodded in approval.

'Learn to recognize your symbols, girls. It will be useful for you in the future.'

I STARED AT MINE BEFORE having a seat, a triangle—easy.

'Now get yourselves comfortable. I am going to seal the circle so that we won't be disturbed by anything and then I will talk you through the first exercise.'

Elena walked the circle three times, like Sian had done during that now infamous spell, chanting something in a foreign language. Again the air swelled and before our astonished eyes a bubble appeared around us. Clear and shimmering with hints of color breaking across it.

SIAN GAPED AT THIS VERY visible, physical manifestation of the circle. Unable to resist she reached out a finger and touched it. The bubble resonated with a chime, tiny ripples echoing from her touch. The others looked shocked, but Elena smiled.

'It won't harm you if you want to touch it. It's only in place so we have peace.' The Sorceress walked to the center of the circle and lowered herself gracefully to the ground. 'To begin with I want you to close your eyes and slow your breathing. Take good, deep breaths and expel them completely. Allow any thoughts to drift through your mind, but do not focus on them. Let them drift away. When you have relaxed sufficiently I will talk you through raising your energies.'

KASSIE NODDED; SOUNDS SIMPLE ENOUGH. She began to slow her breathing, feeling her heart rate drop and body relax. Images and thoughts popped into her mind but she did like Elena had instructed and shooed them away as though they were as light and insubstantial as clouds.

ELENA WATCHED THE GIRLS RELAX further and further into their seats and continued.

'I want you to become aware of your hands. With your mind's eye feel your way around and through them, until you are intimate with them.'

LOI FELT THE TINY HAIRS on the back of her hands prickle when she traced over the skin in her mind, the creases and cracks, even the roughened edges of her nails. She focused her mind on them until she could see how the nails were woven together. Then moving inside, followed the veins and pricked at the nerve endings. Her fingers jerked and her muscles twitched as she tugged and probed at them. It's fascinating, she thought, I can truly see how my hands work. She pushed deeper until she came to the bones, seeing the cartilage between the joints and the tendons which fastened them together.

ELENA SMILED AS SHE WATCHED their hands twitch and the frowns they wore while they studied them.

'I can see you are aware of your hands, so I want you to focus on your heart. Your heart is an immensely strong muscle. Feel the blood rush into it then out, into your lungs and the sudden glow when the blood fills with oxygen. Then feel the heart pump the refreshed blood back into your body. Once you are aware of this process, trace the blood down the major artery in both your arms to your hands. Watch the flow of blood as it comes rushing down your arms and around your hands, then back, as your heart draws it through again.'

SIAN COULD FEEL THE UNDERSIDE of her wrists fluttering with her pulse while she followed her blood down, around, and back up. It felt refreshing to observe, as though she could feel each cell within her arms and hands sighing in pleasure when the freshly oxygenated discs moved past them.

ELENA SPOKE AGAIN, TAKING CARE to keep her voice gentle, so not to startle the girls in their meditative state.

'Now I want you to focus on your heart again but this time look past it a little. With your mind's eye, see the color of your element swirling behind your heart. Loi, you should see a beautiful fresh green, Kassie, a vibrant yellow, Cat, yours will be a rich red and Sian, a lovely sky blue.'

I RELAXED MY MIND FURTHER, relieved to have a deliberate reason to focus on something else. The sense of calm and peace within the circle felt so soothing. Following Elena's instructions, I allowed myself to slip past my heart and discovered a swirling mass of ruby red light.

Wow, that was easy. I hadn't even had to think of it.

I studied the energy as it spun, admiring the glints of lighter and darker reds mixed amongst it.

ELENA WATCHED THE GIRLS AS they slipped deeper into their relaxed states. Each of them glowed with the color of their element. A rush of delight, relief and fear flooded through her. They were the ones she'd hoped they were. Which meant so many more things to consider: one, a lot of work in very little time, and two, the chances of them being in danger sooner rather than later.

She was determined that these Elementals would survive. Jenviet had to be eliminated for her powers only grew stronger and stronger. Where and who she lifted these gifts from, Elena hadn't a clue, but it made her a formidable enemy. Bringing her attention back to the girls before her, she led them through the remaining part of the exercise.

'Focus on drawing the energy down one arm to your hand. Then bring it across to your other hand drawing it back up that arm, so you're creating a running loop of energy. Try to keep the energy running for as long as you can.'

THAT SOUNDED DIFFICULT. I FOCUSED on the energy mass and attempted to coax it in the right direction. It took a bit of urging and I quickly realized I needed to stop trying to force it all down my arm. Some needed to stay put. After a little bit of work, I managed to move a portion of it down my left arm. My arm grew warmer, like I held it under a heat lamp, the sensation unnerving. I gritted my teeth when it reached my fingertips. Getting it to link to my other hand was more difficult. I could feel it sparking at my fingertips, but the gap between my hands seemed impossible.

ELENA COULD SEE CAT FROWN when she tried to pass the energy to her other hand. She had done well so far. Her arm glowed red and tiny swirls of energy were spinning out and back, into her fingertips.

'Cat, relax, allow your body to let go of the energy. You can't lose it, it's a part of you. So relax, let it swirl out and turn your focus to your right hand. Your energy will follow your thoughts.'

I ROLLED MY SHOULDERS KEEPING my eyes closed and visualized what I wanted the energy to do. The link between my hands forged and the energy surged up my right arm, back to its place in the center of my chest. I felt a rush of delight when it completed its first full circuit. After I'd completed a couple more, I opened my eyes.

WHOA! I'm glowing red!

I literally saw the energy as it traveled down my arm, between my hands and back up my other arm. It was fantastic to watch. Curious to see what the others looked like, I looked up, taking care to keep my energy continuing the loop.

They glowed.

I watched their energy flow across the gap between their hands in amazement. Then an idea occurred to me. I wonder if I can push it out and keep some of it separate instead of flowing through me. Though it wasn't what Elena had intended when she'd explained, I focused on her instructions again. With closed eyes I visualized a ball of energy floating between my hands. I gasped in delight when I opened my eyes. The roiling crimson sphere of energy pulsed and shifted between my open hands, a few inches from my palms. I managed to hold it in place for a few moments before I released it with a gasp. The energy pinged back into place behind my heart.
24

A SUDDEN TWANG THAT FELT like it reverberated through her teeth shook Loi from her focus, her energy snapping back to the spot behind her heart. She opened her eyes and glared at Cat, who lay on the ground panting, her face pale.

'Cat! What gives? I was just getting the hang of it.'

Sian and Kassie made noises of agreement.

'I'm sorry.' Cat pushed herself up to sitting with a guilty look. 'I went the next step and it's hard.'

'What next step? Elena didn't say anything else.' Loi shot an accusing look at Elena.

'No, I didn't, Cat chanced upon it. Now come and eat something. You will all be exhausted, it's hard work.' Elena began to unwrap the parcel she'd brought with her.

THE SIGHT OF THE FOUR women shocked Sabyn when he and Daron arrived for lunch. They looked ages older and whiter than ice sprites. He gave Elena a concerned look.

'They need to eat and rest, that's all,' Elena said reassuringly.

Sabyn nodded and hurried over to help Kassie to the cloth, then Loi, both gave him a brief nod in thanks and fell to eating.

DARON WATCHED, ASTONISHED BY THE amount of food the girls consumed. Elena must have expected it, he realized; she'd packed enough for at least twenty. The color came back to their faces and they started to look more alert. Cat seemed to take longer than the others to recover.

Perhaps she's weaker than them, Daron thought, surprised. Or maybe it's the result of Alek's behavior toward her. He watched her then glanced at Sabyn who watched her too. They exchanged a concerned look.

IT TOOK A BEWILDERINGLY LONG time to feel normal again. Especially after the rush you got from first handling the energy. The food began to make me feel better, but I still had no strength when it came time to climb on Tomiar's back. Sabyn ended up tossing me up onto the saddle. What is it with these men, I grumbled to myself, tossing me about like I weigh nothing? I clutched at the saddle handles when Tomiar pushed off.

'I GUESS THE GIRLS WON'T be training the guard today,' Daron called to Elena who sat behind him.

'No. I think I'll arrange for them to start that next week. By then they should be able to handle their energy without it exhausting them.'

YAKOV AND RUMAL WAITED AT the Griffon quarters and smiled when they saw Nesha and Tomiar come into view. The two griffons dropped from the sky, landing in the courtyard and headed over to them. Rumal felt shocked at the sight of the women and heard Yakov's sharp intake of air behind him. They looked exhausted. Cat swayed in the saddle, and Kassie, in front of Sabyn, barely looked conscious.

'Can you hang on a moment longer, Cat?' Yakov called up.

She nodded blearily.

Sabyn passed Kassie down to Rumal then slid down from Tomiar. Rumal scooped the woman up and spoke to Elena, 'I'll take her to their room.'

'I'll get some food sent to them.' Elena headed off to the Generals office to inform them of the change of plans.

'OKAY, CAT, C'MON DOWN.' YAKOV stood by Tomiar's side, his arms ready.

Right, okay then; I twisted out of the saddle. This is a lot harder when you can't think straight, I thought, frowning at the effort. Grasping tight to the saddle handles I meant to lower myself down. Unfortunately my strength failed and I started the beginning of a belly flop.

YAKOV SCRAMBLED TO GRAB CAT when she slipped off the side. She landed half on the floor and half in his arms. He froze, concerned she'd hurt herself until she began to laugh. Everyone joined in while Yakov helped her to her feet.

'And that,' he announced grandly with a cheeky smile. 'Is how it's done.'

Cat obliged his performance with an attempt at a curtsy that had them laughing harder. With an arm around her waist Yakov helped her to the suite, Sabyn and Loi following behind him. Few people saw the girls being carried or helped to their room, but Yakov knew it'd be all over the castle by the next morning. As he helped Cat through the door, he turned to push it open for Sabyn. A table had been set up in the room and Elena had arranged for more than enough food. Kassie and Rumal already had full plates and sat cross-legged on a bed. After a bit of coaxing, Cat agreed to eat rather than go straight to sleep. She climbed onto her bed and leaned against him as she ate.

I TURNED TO STARE OUT at the courtyard while the girls said goodbye. Yakov had been such a gentleman and hadn't mentioned him at all. How sad was it that, exhausted as I was, I still thought about him. The others clambered into their beds and I turned the light off, grateful for the darkness when tears slipped out. At least I could blame them on the training if anyone did notice. I climbed into bed and rolled back into a ball, wishing hard that this was all a bad dream.

THE NEXT DAY ALEK AND Rumal were meant to take the girls to the training circle, but Alek, unsurprisingly, was absent. Daron stalked the castle for the wayward Prince, checking all the usual spots.

Damn him! The least he could do was stick to his responsibilities. It wasn't like Alek to shirk.

But then, he reflected, it wasn't like Alek to get so interested in a woman either. For the umpteenth time in the last few days, he wondered what had happened.

'Did you find him?'

Daron jerked about in surprise. Sabyn stood there, his arms crossed and a dark look on his face.

'Nope. He's good at staying out the way when he wants to.'

'Indeed.'

The silence felt awkward. Sabyn had been fuming at his cousin since he made his public display after dinner the other night. Daron couldn't blame him, it'd cooled down the developing relationship he had with Laura fast, the girl was as temperamental as Alek.

Sabyn gave a grunt. 'I'm going to see Elena tonight. I want to see if she knows anything.'

Daron nodded in agreement. 'Good idea, I'll join you.'

Sian would like an explanation, Daron thought. She's been so quiet, I know that she's worried about Cat.

IT ENDED UP THAT THEY weren't able to see the Sorceress until the following evening. Alek had made appearances at meals but otherwise stayed absent. Rumal led the way to Elena's chambers and the three men stopped when they saw Yakov already there. Maybe he's here for the same thing. Rumal nodded to him and the advisor smiled at the men.

'Come on in, Ellie's in the washroom, she'll be out in a moment.'

Ellie? He seems to be on a rather casual basis with her. Rumal turned and caught Sabyn's eye, quirking his brow. There had been a rumor of a liaison between the two. Elena came into the sitting area of her suite, her dark hair loose from the plait she kept it in for training. There were times when Rumal forgot how attractive the Sorceress was. He watched Yakov when she took a seat but the advisor stayed polite and pleasant to her like normal. Maybe not then.

'What can I do for you three?' Elena took a seat and accepted the cup of tea Yakov offered her.

'You know what,' Sabyn shot her a frustrated look. 'What is Alek's problem? We're sick of it being our problem.' Rumal and Daron nodded. She explained.

THEY CONTEMPLATED THE SITUATION IN silence. Sabyn now began to understand Alek's predicament, a little.

'But that sort of spell can't force a person against their will?' Daron looked confused. 'So if there was, or is, a genuine attraction then it would mean...,' he stopped, looking a bit wild-eyed.

'Yes. It would mean you've found your soul mates,' Elena looked amused at their dazed expressions. 'I find it rather strange that so many would kill to be in your positions, yet you all look terrified.'

'But what if we're not? ' Rumal asked.

'Then it won't work out. In some ways this will be very similar to any other relationship you may have been in. The difference will be that this one should feel easier and give you a sense of completion or wholeness. Though as I have never found mine, how can I tell?'

The men gave her unimpressed looks.

'Oh stop that,' she snapped, her eyes flashing with annoyance. 'Be as childish as you like, but I will tell you this. Those girls did not cast that spell believing it would work in this manner. On Earth where they come from, spells are used to attract positive energy. So seeing as this one did work like this perhaps you really need to consider your feelings toward them. They've lost their world and they don't need cowards pretending to be those they seek.' Elena dismissed them.

WHILE THEY WANDERED BACK TO their quarters they discussed the situation. 'I think we should let the girls know that we're aware of why they're here,' Daron glanced at the others.

Sabyn agreed. 'At least I have an explanation for Loi now. Sort of.'

'Does it concern you?' Daron asked Rumal.

'It is a bit unnerving. To think that you've met your one and only. But only time will prove if that's actually true. I'm going to wait and see, just like normal.' Rumal frowned. 'Though I still want to have a word with Alek. Cat didn't deserve public censure for this. They didn't intend to arrive here.'

Sabyn and Daron agreed.

THE NEXT FEW DAYS WERE the same as the first. We'd have breakfast then meet Elena in the Griffon quarters and two of the men would be summoned with us. Then we'd fly out to the beginning of the desert and the men and their griffons would head off on errands for Elena. We would sit within the circle Elena cast and practice. I felt grateful for the challenge of learning something new. At the end of each day I was so exhausted that I could almost fool myself into thinking I didn't miss him. I knew the others worried for me, but there wasn't anything they could do. This sort of thing just takes time, I reminded myself again, or so I'd heard. Is it conceited to say this was the first time I'd really ached for someone and they didn't return the feelings? So many thoughts went through my head. I just couldn't get over how he'd been so affectionate and then so cold. It suggested to me that I'd done something.

But what?

While I lay in bed that evening, thrashing over the same thoughts, it occurred to me that I should ask Loushka. Hell, it wasn't like I felt sleepy at all. Quietly I snuck about locating my clothes, pulling them on in the dark, then Audi and I slipped out of the room.

LOI FLIPPED OVER THE MOMENT the door closed.

'Sian, Kass?' she hissed.

'Awake.'

'Same here.'

'Should we follow her?'

'No.'

Loi frowned. 'What if she's going to see him?'

Kassie yawned and sat up, turning the glow lamp beside her bed up a notch. 'It might not be a bad thing. Now that we know what the issue is.'

Loi wasn't convinced. 'If that were just the issue he should be over it. The other guys are fine with it. Sabyn understands it wasn't intentional.'

'Maybe it's something to do with losing both his parents so young,' suggested Sian.

'Whatever, Ms. Psychiatrist.'

'Don't be snarky, Loi.' Sian gave her a hard look. 'If you hadn't seen your parents in a loving relationship you might have different ideas about them too. Plus he's the Crown Prince. He's used to girls trying to get close to him for that.'

Kassie objected. 'Yes, but Cat never knew that. Maybe he's scared by the intenseness of the situation, it freaked me out a little.'

Loi felt relieved. 'Really? Oh good, I thought it was just me.'

'Me too,' Sian said. 'It's weird thinking this could literally be your one and only. Especially when we're all so used to being independent. It's panic attack inducing, for me anyway.'

'But would you take the spell back?' Kassie asked, staring at her bedspread, avoiding eye contact.

They contemplated that in silence.

If we hadn't cast the spell we'd be on Earth. I'd be able to see my family. Loi winced at the pain that brought up. But if we hadn't cast the spell I wouldn't have met Sabyn or discovered my gift.

'I don't know,' she whispered, feeling haunted.

The others stared back with similar expressions.

'And now we're stuck here,' Kassie finished the unspoken thought.

AUDI AND I SKIRTED DOWN the corridors and ducked into doorways when we heard footsteps. So far no-one had noticed us. Relief washed through me when we reached the Griffon quarters. I opened the door and ushered Audi in. The room felt warm, and I could hear the pups snoring softly in their pen but couldn't see any of the adult griffons. Weird. They left the pups alone? I heard a shuffling noise and froze. It sounded like a servant was in the adjoining room. They must be keeping an eye on the pups, I thought, still hesitating.

Now what?

Loushka and the others were likely out hunting, so they'd be back. I snuck over to the pups' pen and climbed in. The pups made murmurs of recognition when I snuggled down with them and they sleepily clambered about me and Audi, making themselves comfortable. Audi appeared delighted and set to grooming them. I smiled, feeling the weight on my heart lift a little. Hopefully the griffons wouldn't take too long, but at least Audi was happy.

ALEK WATCHED FROM THE BACKROOM as Cat settled down with the pups in the pen.

What is she doing here? Is she looking for me? She couldn't be. If she was she wouldn't be in the pup pen. And how would she have known? No-one knew where he was at the moment. Maybe it's to talk to Loushka.

That thought made him uncomfortable. He hadn't talked with Loushka about it yet, though he knew she'd know about it from the others. He sat back on the bench seat, his makeshift bed for the time being and watched her. So far he'd managed to avoid the guys, but a talk was inevitable. Light from the entrance gleamed off her hair, the locks appearing a dark ruby. For the umpteenth time in the last few days he wished Elena hadn't told him about the spell.

Watching Cat hurt, but he still couldn't take his eyes off her.

I MUST HAVE DOZED OFF because I jerked awake when Loushka's voice popped into my mind.

' _Cat! What are you doing here? Are you okay?'_ the griffon sounded astonished to see me.

Not surprising I guess, but I wished everyone would stop asking me if I was okay. In my current state it brought on tears. I took a couple of ragged breaths before I could answer her. The other griffons regarded me curiously.

' _Come on outside and we can talk,'_ Loushka's voice sounded kind, causing more tears. Fighting the lump in my throat, I nodded to her and climbed out the pen.

ALEK WATCHED WHILE LOUSHKA AND Cat walked out of the room. He had to fight the urge to go to her when he saw the tears slide down her face. A lump seemed wedged in his throat and he leaned over his knees, staring at the ground. It didn't feel right being apart.

Maybe I am wrong. He stood and gathered his things. Might as well go back to my quarters. A talk with the guys might help and he couldn't stand being this close to her without wanting to speak to her. But he wasn't ready for that—yet.

I'D EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO Loushka and sobbed my heart out, again. It astonished me that I still had any tears left. After the tears came anger. She was surprised and sympathetic and lay down, so I could cuddle against her while she made a soothing noise like a purr. I felt more at peace now.

' _But, Cat, didn't you and the others cast a love spell to get here?'_

' _Yes, how did you know?'_

' _Elena told the men. They wanted to know what Alek's attitude was about.'_

Oh dear, I sat still while thoughts ran through my mind; so that was it.

' _Cat?'_

' _But it wasn't a spell that forced anyone. We didn't know it'd actually work.'_ My chest got tight as anger flooded through. _'He could have asked me about it, given me a chance to explain!'_

Loushka made the soothing noise again. _'Calm down, Cat. He hasn't even spoken to me about it yet.'_

We talked for a while longer until my eyelids started to droop and Loushka ushered me to the little room out the back. The servant I'd heard wasn't there. They must have left when the griffons came back. I stretched the skinny blanket on the bench bed over me and fell asleep moments later.

IN THE MIDST OF DRESSING, Sian twisted to look when Cat came in. She looks exhausted, she thought in concern. Pretending not to notice, she smiled brightly at Cat. 'Been out for a run?'

'What? Oh. Yeah.' Cat nodded, her eyes bleary and headed to the washroom.

It didn't look like they'd sorted it out yet. Sian sighed. If it didn't improve soon she might have to stage an intervention with the girls.

AFTER FIVE DAYS OF TRAINING, we were competent enough to do the exercises with our eyes open. Now it only took us a few moments to call our energy forth, so there wasn't as much meditating. I'd also discovered that when I kept the energy running through the loop, like we'd been taught, I felt more alert. It almost made me feel normal again.

ELENA HAD NOTICED CAT'S TENDENCY of late to practice the energy loop longer than necessary. It appeared to make her feel better so she didn't stop her. Cat looked more and more exhausted as the days went by. She felt a twinge of annoyance at Alek's behavior.

HE HESITATED IN THE SOLAR doorway. Sabyn, Rumal and Daron sat at the table, deep in conversation. Then Rumal noticed him.

'Alek. Haven't seen you around lately.' The man's tone sounded deceptively mild.

Resisting the urge to sigh, Alek squared his shoulders and walked in. 'I've been busy.'

Sabyn gave him a flat look. 'Doing what?'

'Thinking.'

Daron nodded agreeably. 'And?'

He shrugged. 'I thought I might discuss the matter with you all.'

'We're honored, Alek, being your advisers and all.' Sabyn's sarcasm was cutting. Still, for all their apparent annoyance, they sat back and waited for him to continue.

RUMAL LISTENED TO ALEK RAMBLE on and on while inwardly shaking his head. Man, he's got it bad. He caught Daron's eye and exchanged a glance.

'What you're saying, Alek, is that you're concerned Cat has misplaced her affection. That you're not the one.'

'I never took you for a coward, Alek.' Those at the table turned. Yakov stared at Alek from the doorway with an expression of surprise. Rumal invited him to sit.

'I'm not!'

Sabyn arched an eyebrow. 'Then tell me cousin what is your problem?'

The heated discussion continued for a good portion of the day, their loud voices echoing down the corridor. So loud that that it caused those passing to pause in surprise. It wasn't until late noon that they reached a resolution of sorts.

Yakov walked with Alek to the Great Hall.

'If it's meant to be, Alek, it will be. You know I understand this fear of loss better than anyone. But it shouldn't stop you from trying.'

BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED back from training the sun had set. Hiranes had our dinner already prepared in our suite when we entered the room and I was pleased to realize I had an appetite, even more pleased when I saw Yakov waited for us. He spent an hour or so with me these evenings when the girls disappeared to catch up with their guys. We hurried to wash and then sat down to eat, conversing with both Yakov and Elena, who'd decided to stay for dinner.

'I understand you're all progressing rapidly,' Yakov said.

KASSIE FLUSHED WITH PLEASURE AT Yakov's words.

'We wouldn't know, Yakov, we can't compare ourselves to anyone,' Loi said.

'Well I can,' Elena said briskly. 'Yakov's correct, you are all progressing extremely well.'

The girls grinned at each other. It made all the hard work feel a bit more worthwhile.

ELENA AND THE GIRLS EXCUSED themselves after dinner. Yakov and I shifted to sit on mine and Kassie's beds. I gazed out over the courtyard, Yakov had told me a number of stories in the last few evenings, funny anecdotes about castle life; I wonder what he'll share tonight?

'Cat, how are you?' He gave me a penetrative look.

Urk. So far he'd been the only one not to bug me. I shuffled uncomfortably on the bed. 'Fine.'

'Have you been for a run lately?'

I shrugged. 'No. I've been really tired.'

'Well then I won't keep you.'

I looked up in surprise. 'What?'

'Cat, it would please me greatly to see you happy and smiling again. Go to bed early. Have a run with Audi in the morning. She needs it as much as you.' Yakov climbed off Kassie's bed and bent, giving Audi a quick pat. Then he gave me a hug and a kind smile. 'Trust me, Cat, you'll feel better if you do something you enjoy. Think about it as you go to sleep.'
25

YAKOV WASN'T WRONG. I WOKE just before dawn and stretched hard in bed then relaxed. Huh. I actually feel like a run. The thought made me smile and I felt a buzz of delight, my first genuine smile in days. I got out of bed and slipped quietly around the bedroom, getting ready. The other three snored on, oblivious. Nnelg had slept over again and watched curiously. It amused me when he quickly turned his back on me as I changed; it wasn't every day I made a dragon blush. Audi and I slipped out of the room.

ALEK PACED THE CORRIDOR, AGITATION rippling through him. Yakov said he'd strongly recommended Cat go for a run. He knew she'd do it in the morning but when? He'd paced this section of floor for a good half hour.

What if she doesn't come? Then what? He gritted his teeth at the annoying butterflies he felt.

I want to see her.

Hearing a noise Alek froze and listened. It sounded like footsteps. They sounded light.

Yes, I hear a dog. What do I do? His mind went to pieces on him when she rounded the corner.

I SKIDDED TO A HALT. Alek stood in the middle of the corridor, gaping at me.

Uh-oh. Now what?

He took several steps toward me. I instinctively stepped back.

CAT MOVED AWAY FROM HIM, a guarded expression on her face. He fought to find words while he gazed at her, marveling.

So beautiful, what was I thinking? Any price is worth it. Even if it doesn't last. She wore the running costume Melanite had given her and looked incredible. Then the rose-tinted glasses faded. He registered the weight loss and dark shadows under her eyes. It felt like someone had dealt a blow to his chest when he realized he'd been the cause.

WHY IS HE STARING AT me? What the hell is that expression? It almost looked caring. No, don't be ridiculous. My mind was in turmoil as I stared back.

Just go away! You have no idea how much my heart aches when I see you. Idiot! Leave me alone.

Drawing a breath, I gave him a cool look. 'Alek. What can I do for you?'

SHE SOUNDED SO CALM. THEN he noticed her hands, clenched fists at her sides, knuckles stark and white.

'Are you going for a run? Do you mind if I join you?'

I GAPED. HE WANTS TO join me?

Shocked, I stammered my reply. 'U-uh... If y-you want to.'

Ugh way to sound like a moron, Cat.

He gestured for me to continue and after a moment's hesitation, forcing my stupid legs to work, I did. The awkward silence while we made our way to an outer door seemed deafening. Made all the more so by servants who spotted us and stared in open mouthed astonishment.

Oh my God, is nothing private around here?

Alek took the lead once we stepped outside.

'I'll show you a favorite track of mine.' He beamed at me, then turned and started to jog. My head did serious spins as I followed him.

What the hell is going on?

CAT HADN'T RESPONDED BUT ALEK heard her footsteps behind him; I'll take a slow pace and maybe she'll jog beside me.

I FOCUSED ON MY FEET for the first part of the jog, concerned that with the chaos currently un-reined in my mind I'd trip and fall. It looked like he'd led us to the track around the forest, in the gap between the inner and outer walls. The trees grew rather thick. I hadn't registered how large the gap between the two walls was. Makes sense I guess, you wouldn't want an enemy to be able to jump from wall to wall. Birds chattered and sang in the trees, darting past us as we ran by. Alek hadn't spoken to me again, for which I was grateful.

Maybe he's trying to be friends, the silly voice in my mind suggested. My rational voice refused to consider that; he must just want to make sure that we can be civil to each other, to stop the gossiping. That thought left a nasty dead feeling in my chest and I fought back tears.

Wish I could talk to him, I thought. Knowing that wasn't possible, I lifted my head and watched him instead. My heart ached while I traced the lines of his figure with my eyes and in my mind re-ran the image of him smiling at me.

I wish he'd do that again, and mean it.

ALEK RESISTED THE URGE TO look back at her; the prickly sensation on his back suggested she watched him. He didn't know what to say to her, just grateful to have her near him.

I'll have to talk to her at some point. Yakov did say to take it slow.

He could see how much it had affected her and guilt weighed on him. She'd clearly lost weight and he knew how healthy her appetite normally was.

I didn't realize I meant that much to her.

Delight filled him at that comprehension.

I mean something to her!

IS IT RIDICULOUS THAT I wish this run could last forever? The tense air between us had lightened but I knew that would change when we reached the end. I felt my heart sink when I saw the track getting lighter. Before I knew it, we stood back in the courtyard staring at each other.

CAT APPEARED RATHER PALE, CONSIDERING they'd just completed an hour long run. Alek had to fight the urge to touch her. Her green eyes stared up at him, anxiety and nervousness apparent in her gaze. He wanted to reassure her.

'Cat.'

HE SAID MY NAME, HE said my name! I have no idea why that thrilled me but it did. His eyes didn't seem to be guarded at all. My stomach felt like it had turned into a giant bouncy ball, pinging up to my ribs then down to my feet.

In an unexpected move, he leaned forward and kissed me.

HIS BRAIN FROZE WHEN TRYING to think of what to say, so he acted on instinct and bent to kiss her. The familiar snap of energy greeted him and he felt a rush of delight.

Then a hard slam to his sternum.

AFTER THE INSTANT OF SHEER joy came the fury.

How DARE he!

A hard punch to the chest sent Alek staggering back, bent over and gasping for breath. The anger rushed through my veins like nothing I'd felt before, and like that time on the griffons my vision was tinged with red.

'How DARE YOU!'

A FURIOUS SCREAM SENT THE girls leaping out of their beds and scrambling to the windows.

'Oh my god,' gasped Loi when she spotted them. Kassie and Sian let out shocked sounds too, as Cat continued her tirade while Alek appeared to be doubled over in pain.

'Shit. You don't think she stabbed him do you?' Kassie looked at Sian and Loi with an expression of horror.

Sian stared disbelievingly at the scene before them, then looked at Kassie.

'With what? It's not as though Cat carries knives.'

'Not normally,' Loi said dubiously.

ALEK FOUGHT TO GET HIS breath back while Cat screamed at him. Bloody hell her voice is intense. It rang through his head, reverberating about his skull. The pain in his chest passed and he straightened up.

'OH THANK GOODNESS,' KASSIE BREATHED in relief at seeing Alek stand up with no apparent injuries. Then he began roaring at Cat. The three girls started to glow as their energy expanded with their increasing anger.

'What the hell?' hissed Loi to Kass, her brown eyes glowing an unnatural green. 'Where does he come off yelling at Cat? It's HIS fault.'

HONESTLY, I COULDN'T EVEN REGISTER what I yelled. I was so angry. All the bottled words and thoughts from the last agonizing week rushed out of me. I don't know what he roared back. All I could hear was a strange rushing sound. The two of us stood about a foot apart, our faces red while we screamed at each other.

A FLICKER OF MOVEMENT CAUGHT his attention and Alek suddenly realized they had an audience, of increasing size.

This is ridiculous, he thought and extended a hand to Cat.

'Cat, I'm sor—' Before he had a chance to finish his sentence, he was jerked off his feet and slammed hard on his back into the ground.

'OOOOOH,' THE THREE GIRLS CHORUSED as they watched from their suite windows. Alek looked to be struggling for breath, like a fish out of water.

Reminiscent of the throw Kassie did to that moron at the party; how appropriate, thought Sian unable to resist smirking. Cat marched toward the door with such a black look on her face that the observing crowd parted in a hurry. Several people raced forward to help Alek to his feet. Sian felt smug while she watched. One public humiliation begets another, she thought with satisfaction.

I STORMED BACK TO OUR suite. The expressions on the girls' faces told me they'd witnessed it all which was good, I wasn't in the mood to explain. After a long hot shower I'd finally calmed down.

I wasn't sure if I should be grateful that I couldn't remember what I said to Alek. Well, not all of it. There was an awful lot of swearing. I sighed and leaned against the side of the shower, watching the water swirl around my feet and then vanish. But then, I can't remember what he said either. Probably a good thing, I wonder if I've blown it? A prickle of tears threatened. No, I thought determinedly. I refuse to cry about this anymore.

CAT STAYED A WHILE IN the washroom, by the time she came out the rest of them had dressed and waited for her; not that they minded. Sian felt relieved that the confrontation between them had finally occurred. Anyone could see it coming. Perhaps now she and Alek can actually talk, once she's cooled down, Sian thought.

Cat didn't say anything while she fussed about getting dressed. Elena had provided them with more training clothes that looked similar to the outfits they'd arrived in this world wearing. Now that the Sorceress had proof of the girls' abilities she enjoyed showing them off. So Sian had a beautiful blue top, Kassie a golden yellow and Loi a forest green.

I PAUSED AS I WENT to pull on another red top Elena had provided and instead turned to Loi.

'Loi, switch?' Red was her favorite after all and green mine.

KASSIE CHUCKLED WHEN THE GIRLS exchanged tops. That would make Elena blink. When Cat came over Kassie hopped up from the bed and hugged her tight.

'Well done, Kitty Cat,' a giggle slipped out. 'You really showed him.'

Loi and Sian began laughing and came over to join in the hug. Then they headed out to breakfast.

The Great Hall seemed more crowded than normal. When they entered, the room fell silent with every head turning. They made their way to their usual places. Kassie noticed Sabyn, Daron and Alek, missing from their usual spots.

Hmmm, I wonder if they're patching him up or tearing a strip off him. She smothered a giggle. Surely not, Cat tore enough strips off him to last a while.

ELENA AND YAKOV WORE CUNNING smiles as we sat down. I avoided eye contact instead studying my placemat.

'Cat, how was your run this morning?'

I turned and glared at Yakov. 'Far more entertaining than I'd expected. Exactly how is it that he knew I was going for a run?'

A muffled giggle slipped out from Elena. I turned my gaze to her, an eyebrow arched.

'Must have been a serendipitous act of fate,' she announced with a grand gesture of her arm. I'm pretty sure half the room snickered at that. A heavy flush made its way up my neck. I refocused on my placemat with a sigh.

POOR CAT KEPT HER EYES fixed on the table for all of breakfast, while it seemed nearly everyone else in the room had a comment or three. It kept up a jovial atmosphere and Sian soon discovered that all the new additions to the room were members of the General Guard.

'They're not just here to tease Cat?' she whispered to Rumal.

The man choked on his food. Kassie pounded helpfully on his back. Laughter was evident in his voice when he replied in now hoarse tones.

'Just to laugh at Cat? No, they're here to receive training from the four of you. Though I'm sure they all have heard about this morning's incident.'

Kassie looked nervously at Sian. 'We're to train them?'

Elena leaned over. 'Yes. Today's training is all physical. I think a break will help with your Elemental training.'

LOUD LAUGHTER RANG OUT FROM the solar. Chortling, Sabyn managed to get out.

'Gee I wish I was a Prince so I could have such a way with the ladies.'

Alek scowled while Daron and Sabyn howled with laughter.

Daron, bent over in his seat, elbows on knees, said, 'Suave, Alek, really suave.' He gave up saying anything else, falling back in his seat with laughter.

Alek glared at them again and unintentionally rubbed the bruise on his chest. He winced when his hand touched it. Ouch! Cat sure has a good arm.

MY FEET DRAGGED AS WE headed to the library. The guys and the Lieutenants of the General Guard would meet us there.

'It'll be okay, Cat,' Sian gave my hand a squeeze. 'At least it's out in the open now.'

Kassie sniggered. 'Very out.'

'Humph.' The butterflies in my stomach appeared to have permanent residence at the moment. Ugh, it'd be so nice to have everything back to normal, whatever that is. We reached the library and paused at the doors. My hands trembled so I jammed them into my pockets.

I hope I haven't ruined everything.

The pause at the door got longer.

Yakov cleared his throat behind us.

'C'mon then, let's get this over with.' He pushed past us to open the doors and bowed low to Elena when she passed.

I blinked in surprise. It almost looked like she'd traced her fingers against him.

The three Lieutenants sat on the couch opposite the guys. Elena took a seat at the head of the couches and Yakov pulled a chair up beside her. Alek sat next to them.

I gulped.

There was a space on the couch beside each of the men. Oh no, I'm so not up to that yet.

I perched on the couch arm beside Loi and Sabyn. Loi gave my leg a squeeze then Elena introduced us again. It wasn't really necessary, we'd become quite friendly with the Lieutenants Rashid and Patel. Lieutenant Ignatius, however, appeared to regard us in a permanently suspicious light. Waves of disapproval flowed off him whenever the four of us were close by. He wasn't discreet about it.

Loi and I exchanged a glance. Seriously what is his problem?

Lieutenant Ignatius cleared his throat and gave us a thinly veiled look of disgust.

'Yakov, what's the plan for today?'

Yakov gave the man a polite smile.

'The women will be training with the Griffon Guard until lunchtime, and then begin instructing the General Guard.'

'Humph.' Lieutenant Ignatius stood. The other Lieutenants exchanged a brief look of annoyance and stood with him, but smiled at us.

'We will see you this afternoon then. I look forward to seeing your alleged skills.' He marched out. All the men stiffened at the slight. I, however, sat shock still. We were training with the Griffon Guard.

Oh shit.

DECIDING TO BREAK THE TENSION, Kassie spoke up. 'Where are we practicing?'

'The training room, it's not far from the Armory,' Daron said, his eyes still dark from Ignatius' insult. The men stood. Rumal offered a hand to Kassie, his molten eyes slanting with pleasure when she flushed and beamed at him. They headed toward the training room.

THEY GAVE US EACH A wooden sword and because there were four hours until lunch, the men had decided we would train for an hour with each of them.

'This way,' explained Sabyn. 'You'll get to learn a slightly different technique from each of us. It'll be a good overview.'

So we paired up with a guy. Ten guesses who I now stood opposite.

CAT HAD HER EYES FIXED at the floor while Alek stared hard at her. Neither appeared to notice that everyone in the room watched them. Sian could hear the sound of Cat's energy rising and she began to glow a dark red.

Hmmm it might be a good idea to leave them alone for a bit. She caught Daron's eye and jerked her head at the door. He gave her a smile then spoke while eyeballing Rumal and Sabyn.

'I believe we'll practice in the corridor.'

'Good idea.'

'I'll grab the swords.'

They all filed out the room.

'CAT.'

I didn't want to meet his eyes. Since we had arrived on Gar'nyse I'd been able to keep the whole soul mate thing out of my mind.

Yet here and now, I knew it. I knew the answer, I understood. And it scared the crap out of me.

What if I'm wrong? What if it doesn't work out?

It seemed so much simpler the way it was.

But it wasn't—anything but in fact.

Every time I drew near him I knew it. It almost felt like someone rang a bell above our heads whenever we stood close. Even during our screaming match I could feel it. Now that I understood my energy, I could feel it respond to his presence.

My rational voice sounded cynical; since when are you a coward? I gulped and pressed my trembling hands hard against my thighs. Then lifted my head and met his gaze.

HER GREEN EYES MET HIS and he felt his body jolt in shock. With their eyes locked, in that instant it seemed like he could see all the thoughts in her mind. Words screamed through his head as he stared into the green abyss of her gaze. She began to glow a brighter red, then blinked, breaking the intense hold between them.

'Alek.' A tear spilled from each eye while she gazed at him.

HE STEPPED TOWARD ME AND my energy flared out enveloping us. I snatched it back in and looked up into his eyes.

Finally he did what I'd ached for him to do for the past week. He pulled me into his arms and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, not wanting to ever let go.

ALEK TUCKED HER HEAD UNDER his chin and tightened his hold. He didn't want to let go, it felt so good. She drew in a deep breath, then let it out in a shuddering sigh. He felt her tears against his throat.

'I'm so sorry, Cat,' he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 'So, so sorry.'

She nodded and mumbled into his neck. He chuckled at the sensation and pulled back a little. 'What was that?'

'I'm sorry I threw you.'

Her guilty expression had him laughing. 'What about the punch?'

'Oh you totally deserved that.'

I LOVED THE SOUND OF his laughter. He didn't let up his tight grip while he laughed at my response. I didn't either, relishing the feel of him. Snuggling down in his arms I twisted my head up and watched him laugh. His wide smile revealed the dimple in either cheek and made his eyes seem a brighter blue than normal. He looked down at me when he'd finished and I saw his expression change.

Uh-oh.

I pulled out of his arms quickly.

'No. We go slowly,' I frowned, wanting him understand what I meant. 'Too much is at stake here to leap back in head first, Alek. Please.'

The hurt in his eyes faded.

A FAIR ENOUGH POINT. ALEK nodded to her and her frown disappeared.

'But hugs are okay?'

She nodded. He reached for one of her hands and drew it to his mouth, pressing a long kiss to it while letting his eyes say the rest. Her energy flushed out around her again and he grinned.

'And this?'

MY STOMACH FELT LIKE A whirlpool as I tried to reign in my body's response. I wrinkled my nose at him, twisting my lips before he could see the smile.

'Hmmm. I think you're pushing it,' I attempted a glare and failed which made his smile grow wider.

'Only a little,' he winked.

OUT IN THE CORRIDOR EVERYONE listened intently and the girls tested their ability to sense each other's energy.

'I think it's good now,' announced Kassie. She glanced at Loi and Sian who agreed.

'Okay, I'll lead the way.' Yakov stepped to the door and gave it a light rap with his knuckles, then after a pause, opened it.

They followed him in.

Alek and Cat stood close while Alek instructed her on her hold using a wooden practice sword. The atmosphere in the room felt free and easy. Cat looked back to them and gave a bright, delighted smile. Kassie exchanged a happy smile with the others; it worked! They all settled into practice while Yakov, acting as the time keeper, watched.

SHE'D DEMANDED HE NOT HOLD back and he didn't. Within a quarter hour Alek had smashed the first of Cat's swords. Her eyes belied the fear she felt but she fought back hard. When she broke his sword near the end of their session she let loose a shriek of delight. He laughed at her, she was on to her fourth sword now and sweating hard but wouldn't give up. Cat hadn't stopped smiling the whole lesson, and neither had he.

Right now, with everything finally right, he felt like he could fly. She lunged at him and he deflected the blow and then stopped her, so he could instruct her on how to do the move.

A loud whistle snapped them out of their fighting positions.
26

YAKOV SMILED AT EVERYONE AND pointed to the clock.

'The first hour is up, please move to the next opponent on your right.' He swept an arm in the direction. I couldn't believe an hour had passed though my arms ached and I dripped with sweat.

But I don't want to move on, wailed the silly voice in my mind as I stared at Alek. It's all good now, my rational voice thought in amusement, and you'll have time with him later. I thought the expression in his eyes said the same thing. He reached out to grab my hand, then gave it another one of those long and seriously inappropriate kisses, making me blush. Not that you could tell with how red and sticky I was from the lesson. With reluctance, I headed off to Rumal for instruction.

LOI REELED FROM HER HOUR with Sabyn. She'd felt a little smug at the beginning due to her kenjutsu training but this? This was a different ball game. It had been a proper fight and they'd both broken several swords. She hoped Daron might go easy on her, or at the very least spend a decent amount of time explaining stuff. She mentally crossed her fingers while she walked over.

DARON SMILED AT LAURA WHO looked hot and flustered after her hour with Sabyn. Of the four girls he knew she was the best swordswoman and he wanted to have a closer look at her style. It appeared quite different to anything he'd seen before. He began with his stance and explained how and why he preferred it, then asked her to show him her preferred stance, before they set into it.

LOI WINCED AT THE VIBRATIONS that echoed down the wooden sword and up her arm. Daron preferred what she would consider a German style of sword fighting, a lot of flicking. It was very quick and she had to focus hard to follow, and to try and keep one step ahead of him.

'A breather,' she gasped and stepped back quickly.

Daron lowered his sword and they spent a few moments catching their breath before setting back into it. She took the opportunity to observe how the others did. Sian battled Alek with a determined expression. Quick and lithe, she darted out of his reach then lunged back in. It appeared to give Alek a good workout. Loi grinned. He's lucky the fight between him and Cat is over, she thought, otherwise this practice could be dangerous to his health. Sabyn led Kassie through some steps. Cat and Rumal almost danced their sword styles suited one another so well, but Cat looked stressed. She fought with a constant frown and Loi thought she spotted the tip of Cat's tongue between her teeth. The aura of gloom she'd carried had vanished. Loi smiled, thrilled for her friend.

WHEN YAKOV CALLED OUT FINISH time I was ready to drop. The thought of training in the afternoon felt most unpleasant.

'Lunch is in two hours time. We've made it later so you have time to clean up and have a short siesta if you like,' Yakov called.

Relief ran through me, though I felt comforted to see that the men looked almost as tired as we did. Alek stopped me before I left with a blinding smile and another kiss to the hand. I flushed hot when Sian and Loi let loose loud wolf-whistles while everyone else laughed. We headed off to our room when a thought that had occurred to me before popped back in my head.

'How did he know the word siesta?'

The others stared blankly at me.

'Yakov, how did he know the word siesta? He suggested we take one remember?'

Sian shook her head with one of those half smirks that suggested she'd figured this out ages ago. I exchanged a glance with Kassie. Sian, much as I loved her, could be a right know-it-all at times. I waited for her explanation, head cocked and an eyebrow raised. She paused at my expression, her face assuming a look of passive innocence.

'I don't think Yakov said the word siesta. I think we understood it as siesta. Think about it, Cat; you didn't really believe we were speaking English did you?'

I didn't respond, just waited for her to continue.

The silence grew before Sian gave an impatient sigh at my not playing along.

'Well, I believe the spell provided us with the ability to understand the people here and be understood. Like Loi said, we asked for all the necessary things to be in place.'

'It makes sense,' Loi pointed out. 'There's been more than one thing that we probably should have had different terms for but they seemed the same here.'

I nodded to Loi, still refusing to be baited by Sian.

'It did occur to me when we arrived in Lothost. I just didn't want to over think it, in case it somehow stopped working.' I couldn't help but shudder as I said that. The very idea of not being able to communicate scared the heck out of me.

KASSIE LISTENED WITH INTEREST TO Sian's explanation. It fitted what had occurred to her. But Cat's comment caused a sudden bubble of anxiety. What if now that they knew it wouldn't work?

The guard at the throne room greeted them as they passed. 'Good day, ladies, you look like you could all do with a good rest.'

A couple of corridors down Loi suddenly spoke up.

'I was so relieved we could understand him! I had this sudden thought that I wouldn't be able to!'

Kassie and Cat started laughing.

'Me too,' they chorused.

Sian shook her head in disbelief at the three of them.

'Honestly you lot, you have no clue.'

I SNORTED THEN STUCK MY tongue out at Sian before winking at the others. Like she had known for sure; no spell she'd ever cast had done this before.

After showering we all climbed into our beds. Yakov had promised to send Nnelg in to wake us before lunch. It felt like I had just closed my eyes when I opened them again, groggily wondering what had disturbed me.

A jet of fire burst across the room. I shrieked and dove out of bed, the others doing the same.

'NNELG!' roared Loi, her face red as she sighted the little blue dragon. We heard a chuckle before the little cretin blinked out of the room. I staggered to my feet. The room spun so I sat back on the bed for a moment, then I stumbled around and pulled on fresh work-out gear. The others moaned about their arms aching but I didn't even notice mine. I was too busy floating in my own cloud of happiness.

Alek would be at lunch.

And. He. Wants. Me.

My heart sang with joy.

KASSIE GLANCED OVER AT CAT to see how she was. She had an enormous smile on her face. Kassie rolled her eyes and chuckled.

'We're going to have to put up with a super sappy Cat now, aren't we?'

Loi and Sian laughed when Cat blushed, then laughed and nodded. She felt a rush of joy for her friend; I'm so glad they've sorted it out.

WE HEADED TOWARD THE GREAT Hall, all the while discussing creative ways to get back at Nnelg. Well, I swung between those ideas and some others in my mind, but I wasn't sharing those. When we reached the Great Hall laughter and applause greeted us. Nnelg sat center table, preening his wings and looking very proud. Yakov and Elena attempted disapproving looks at the little blue cretin but failed.

'Gee I wonder who gave Nnelg the clever idea,' Loi said sarcastically.

The guys and others teased us through most of lunch but I didn't care. My appetite had returned in a rush, it was so good to enjoy food again. Alek pulled my chair close to his, so we leaned against each other while we ate. Everyone promptly switched from teasing us girls about Nnelg, to teasing Alek and me. I smiled smugly and continued eating.

After lunch we followed Yakov and the Lieutenants to the training room. We could hear a loud murmur of voices as we approached. Yakov glanced back and gave us a warm smile.

'The General Guard are looking forward to learning new skills from you.'

We all ignored the humph noise that Iggy made—the men had told us his nickname during weapons training. We entered the door that Yakov held for us and walked to where the Lieutenants waited. The room was crowded and I started in surprise at the few female faces I noticed in the crowd. I hadn't expected that, but there they were. I'd counted at least ten women already and there looked to be around a thousand people in the room.

I turned to Lieutenant Rashid.

'How many in total are there in the General Guard?' I knew a thousand wouldn't be near enough.

'We currently have one hundred thousand spread over Elion. These are the Majors of each area. They will learn what they can here and take it back to train those in their area.'

We had discussed it prior and came to the decision that Sian would talk and the rest of us would demonstrate. If Sian found she wasn't being heard then we'd split up. Kassie and I would head to the back of the room to teach them where I would do the talking and then demonstrate with Kass. Looking at this crowd we knew we'd have to do that. We let the Lieutenants know of our plans and Yakov, listening in, pulled a vial out of his pocket.

'Here, Sian and Cat, if you each take a sip of this it will make your voice louder without any strain on you.'

We both stared at the dark liquid for a moment.

'Good idea, Yakov,' Alek smiled at us reassuringly. 'I use verlin for speeches to big audiences. It's never let me down yet.'

Daron frowned at something and Sian questioned him.

'We should set up a stage. That way everyone can see you and the four of you can demonstrate together.'

The men all approved of this idea and they quickly erected a sturdy stage at one end of the room. A short while later and other than our voices, the room was silent while our audience watched in utter fascination. Thinking back to our first lessons, and to how our teachers had taught us, proved challenging but we managed. After we had explained the basics we divided the room into four and had everyone pair up, so we could instruct them through some throws and how to fall properly. When Sian brought this up there were quite a few titters amongst the crowd. People always thought it funny that you needed to be taught how to fall. After a few demonstrations between Loi and I, on the right way and the wrong way, you could see the idea click in their minds.

We'd each had a sip of the verlin and it worked well when I begun to instruct my group through the first throw. As I wandered around the pairs I gave pointers and tips or showed them the correct way if they had it wrong. It was satisfying work and apart from Iggy, who kept his haughty look, all the others we'd met were open and friendly. More than one person teased me for throwing Alek. They all wanted to be taught the royal throw, as they'd named it.

At the end of the day, back on the stage, Sian took questions. A man raised his arm.

'Yes?'

'Would you mind giving us a demonstration? Of a decent fight. I can see how the throws would be helpful, but I'd really like to see what else you can do.' The crowd made loud murmurs of agreement.

Iggy stepped forward. 'I'd be happy to assist.'

The four of us exchanged glances. I gave a slight nod to Kassie, whose eyebrows shot up before she gave a tiny shrug, lips curving with a hint of a smile. Rumal and the other men, Yakov included, gave Iggy heated looks.

This should make them smile. I winked at Sian and Loi.

Kassie stepped forward and gave the traditional bow to Iggy. The room went silent. Iggy bowed and the rest of us stepped back, out of the way. There was an awkward moment where the two fighters just stared at one another.

KASSIE BIT HER LIP TO stop from giggling.

'You'll need to attack me.'

Iggy made a short grunt of acknowledgement then lunged at her.

Not fast enough mate, she thought, dodging him. He lunged again and this time tackled her to the ground. A shocked murmur echoed through the room. She lifted her hips sharply and used the momentum to flick his hands forward, throwing him off balance. Then she jerked one knee up and grasping his wrist and collar, used his body weight to heft him over.

Now on top of him, Kassie turned to the crowd.

'This is where I would have punched him hard in the throat,' and she motioned her intent. Iggy, to his credit, didn't flinch.

'Again?' She glanced at the stone-faced man beneath her thighs. He gave her a curt nod and she gracefully lifted off him. They stood and faced each other again.

Iggy studied her for a moment and then lunged, throwing a punch. Kassie used the momentum like she had done back on Earth, at that party before the spell, and threw him over her shoulder. Applause echoed through the room with most audience members smiling. They started again, this time Iggy attempted a hard high kick. She threw her arms up, crossing her wrists and caught his ankle, then shoved him backward so he fell. There were a few snickers from the audience, then silence while everyone waited to see what he would do next. He staggered to his feet, his face an amusing mix of confusion and annoyance. Iggy charged forward and attempted to catch Kassie in a bear hug. She jumped, pushed off his thigh and caught his right arm with her legs, twisting and pulled herself backward. It wrenched Iggy off his feet and threw him hard to the floor. All those watching gasped.

SIAN STEPPED FORWARD, AND GOD only knows how, managed to keep her face straight when she said, 'Now this is when knowing how to fall correctly is absolutely necessary. The Lieutenant fell a lot harder than we'd prefer.'

Kassie and Iggy both stood and bowed politely to each other, then Yakov stepped forward.

'May we have some appreciation for our teachers and volunteers,' his lips twitched as he spoke. The room erupted into noisy applause and loud exclamations. Everyone seemed far more excited about the new techniques now.

That evening at dinner Kassie was the center of attention with Rumal seated close to her, smiling proudly. After dinner we gathered in the library where Elena congratulated us on our success, a broad smile on her face when she turned to Kassie.

'I hear your training session was quite a success. I'm sorry to have missed it.' Everyone chuckled.

Yakov, who had joined us in the library, winked at Elena. 'It was fantastic, Ellie. I'll show you some time.' She gave him a warm smile.

Again I wondered if they were a couple. They seemed so natural together. How would that work? Elena would be at least, oh I don't know, a couple of millennia older? That'd put a new spin on cradle snatcher. Alek squeezed my hand, distracting me.

LOI RELAXED AGAINST SABYN WHILE they listened to Elena's debriefing and new outline for the weeks leading up to the ball.

'We will continue to alternate days. Yakov and I feel you'll be able to focus better if one day is devoted to physical activity and the other to mental. The last day of each week will be your free day. So try to get to bed early and I will see you at the Griffon quarters tomorrow, straight after breakfast.' With the debriefing finished, they all headed off.

Kassie and Rumal wandered to their favorite turret in the inner gate and Sian and Daron disappeared to visit Nesha.

Sabyn turned to Loi. 'Would you like to walk in the courtyard?'

Loi flashed him a smile and nodded; they did it each evening, and she'd looked forward to it all day. Cat and Alek seemed happy to stay put. Both still wore an aura of absolute contentment and Audi snored in front of the fireplace.

When they settled into their favorite spot beneath a huge tree, Loi leaned back into Sabyn's arms.

'What's with Iggy, why does he have such a problem with us?'

'I don't think it's you girls personally, Iggy just seems to be of the opinion that women are to be seen and not heard.'

'What?' She twisted to stare into his face. 'Are you serious? Where did he come up with such a deluded idea? No one else here appears to be of that opinion.'

SABYN SMILED AT THE INDIGNANT look on her face.

'No, but from what I understand Iggy's mother was submissive to his father, and his sisters were brought up in the same manner. Even Iggy's wife is very dutiful. If that's what you've been surrounded by for most of your life you'll begin to consider it normal. There are some villages were men are considered subservient. As long as they don't force their ideas on others and people choose to go there of their own free will, then it's not considered an issue.'

LOI GRUDGINGLY CONCEDED THE SENSE in that. Still, she hated that some wouldn't consider her their equal, even if she could beat them.

Maybe once I master this whole Elemental thing people will take me seriously. Some creative ideas along those lines ran through her mind and she resisted the urge to giggle.

Watch out Iggy, cross me and you'll be sorry.

SABYN WATCHED IN AMUSEMENT WHILE ideas flickered across her face. I wonder how different their world is if this seems strange to her, he thought. Iggy had better watch himself around the four women, I suspect they'd enjoy shaking him up. He played with a strand of her ebony hair and twisted it out, admiring the silky length. It was a source of envy for more than one woman in the castle. She turned then, looking up at him and his breath hitched in his throat.

Those luminous eyes.

Slipping a hand to the nape of her neck he pulled her close, trailing kisses down her cheekbone and pressed his forehead gently to hers. Her eyes darkened and he felt her flush, the skin under his fingers growing warm. Smiling into her topaz gaze, he wrapped his arms around her and caught her mouth with his.
27

WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE training circle the next day, Elena explained her intentions for the session.

'Today I want to teach you all to create physical manifestations of your gifts.'

That surprised me, 'Won't we use the energy the way it is?'

Elena shook her head. 'No. You'll find it more useful in its physical state. The energy itself you can throw out in a wave, but I still feel you will find learning this just as useful.'

We listened as she explained. Over the next few hours Elena coaxed us into creating our physical elements.

ELENA WATCHED SIAN, DELIGHTED WITH her success. At first she'd used water from the nearby stream but once she had a feel for it and how her body responded, she'd figured out how to create the element from her energy. Elena watched as water gushed from Sian's extended palm. It wasn't strong yet and she knew the girls would be exhausted by tonight. More practice, she thought to herself, they're going to be incredible.

KASSIE FROWNED WHILE SHE ATTEMPTED to blow the leaves of the bush in front of her. It frustrated the heck out of her. Just when she'd felt she'd started to master the energy raising technique Elena had taught them, now she was back at square one. She sighed and watched as her breath moved the leaves.

Urrgghh. Look how easy that is! It should be that easy. Rolling her shoulders then her head, she drew in a deep breath and let it out slow.

Relax. Try again.

LOI SAT ON THE DIRT near a tree. Her hands pressed to the ground and her eyes closed, she allowed her energy to move down her arms into the earth. Strands of her long hair tickled the back of her hands. Her eyes popped open in irritation. Thrusting the hair back over her shoulders she relaxed back into her original position, closed her eyes and took several deep, slow breaths. Her energy moved through the ground, brushing past tree roots, rocks, even a skeleton (not human, although she suspected it wouldn't matter here). The earth beneath her felt alive and the sensation thrilled her. With her eyes closed she knew the precise location of all the trees and plants in the vicinity. She knew which ones needed more water and which were fine. As she brushed past their roots with her mind she suddenly realized she could hear them. Her eyes snapped open in shock when the delicate and resonate voices touched her mind in response to her energy.

ELENA COULD HEAR THE MURMUR of the trees around them and she spun, looking. There sat Loi, with an astonished expression, hands pressed to the ground and head cocked to one side while she listened.

'Well done, Loi,' she breathed, not wanting to break her attention. Loi gave her an absentminded smile as she continued to listen.

I'D MANAGED TO GET THE tips of my fingers to flame and I worked at creating a ball of fire, like I had with my energy. Even though it was really the same thing it felt so much harder to do. I went back to my meditative breathing and practiced forming the ball in my mind. Extending my hands, eyes closed, I followed the energy down my arms and pushed the sphere out between my palms.

FLARE! I shouted the word in my mind.

Heat burst from my palms and I opened my eyes to see a sphere of fire, fed from fire that flowed from my palms.

ELENA WATCHED, PLEASED WITH CAT'S progress. The redhead's eyes were wide while she watched the flaming ball she'd created.

It was nearly time for them to leave and with reluctance, Elena spoke up. 'Please draw your energy back into yourselves. It will be time to leave shortly.' The expressions of surprise on the girls' faces amused her.

'Has it really been that long?' Kassie sounded bewildered.

'It has. You've all done exceptionally well for a day's work. I am sure you must be tired and hungry by now.'

The women drew their energy back and the humming noise finally left Elena's mind. It was only audible to those who were gifted. She sighed in relief at its absence, after a while it gave her a headache. Elena released them from the circle she'd cast to drown out the noise while they practiced. Then they relaxed as they waited for Loushka and Tomiar.

LATER THAT EVENING, WHILE I lay in bed, I extended my hand and stared at it for a moment. At a thought my fingertips lit, the flames dancing like tapers. Kassie murmured in her sleep so I extinguished them, but a sense of wonder and delight swirled through me.

Now this, I could see being useful in a fight. If I could learn to control it, it would be one hell of a weapon.

By the second week of our new training regime, improvements could be seen everywhere. The majors became quite skilled at both throws and falls and they learned to adapt the throws to their own fighting styles. They looked forward to showing the members of the General Guard in their areas.

We improved heaps at sword fighting, which meant the siesta we had after the sword fighting sessions was most appreciated.

SIAN WOKE INSTANTLY FROM A deep sleep and realized Nnelg had leapt in. She rolled over quietly and spied the blue dragon sneaking toward the windowsill, his usual perch for when he woke them. She closed her eyes for a moment, focusing her energy, then drew her arm out from under the covers.

NNELG PREENED HIS TAIL FOR a moment then gazed mischievously over the sleeping girls. This was his favorite task of the day. Of course it did mean he'd get told off by Yakov and Elena again, but he didn't think they minded that much. Otherwise they'd send someone else to do it. He shuffled his feet a little and rolled his shoulders back. He wanted to be able to get a good deep breath.

Inhaling, Nnelg opened his mouth and—

Jets of fire and water shot straight at the little blue dragon and he screeched in fright. Diving off the windowsill, he leapt through space to his nest, tucked safe in one of the castles turrets.

A LOUD ANIMAL SHRIEK, FOLLOWED by hysterical laughter woke Kassie and Loi. They stared in astonishment at Cat and Sian, who rolled with laughter in their beds.

'What happened?' demanded Kassie.

Hiccupping with the effort to stop laughing, Sian explained.

'Nnelg snuck in to wake us up and Cat and I surprised him.'

She began to giggle again so Cat continued.

'We zapped his ass! You should have seen his face.'

That evening at dinner, Nnelg was subjected to plenty of ribbing after being caught out. The dragon put up with most of it, then decided to head out to the courtyard with Audi in tow. The men and women retired to their favorite spots, while the rest of the court stayed up drinking, singing and having a good time.

'WE SHOULD STAY IN THE Great Hall one evening,' Alek suggested to Cat, curled up in his lap, very like her namesake.

Sleepily she responded, 'Why?'

He smiled down at her tired face. The girls had worked so hard these last couple of weeks. Cat was asleep before noticing the party atmosphere that continued into the evening. They always excused themselves after dessert, so the girls had no idea what went on in the evenings.

'There's dancing and singing most evenings about an hour after we leave. You would probably enjoy it.'

I TRIED TO CLEAR MY head and attempted to pay attention to Alek. The afternoon's training session with the majors had been hard work, but they'd progressed so well. We'd decided to pair everyone off and allow them to spend half an hour practicing hand-to-hand combat skills. At the end of the half hour they switched to another partner and so on until nearly dinner time. It had been an effective method and we'd decided to stick with it from now on. We could practice with individuals who weren't sure, or who wanted to challenge themselves—and us.

'Dancing?' the thought of it wasn't pleasant. My feet were killing me. Actually, my entire body ached; I'm so glad we're practicing with our gifts tomorrow. Alek shifted in the seat and I moved to my usual spot, with my head on his chest under his chin and my legs draped over the side of the chair. He wrapped his arms around me and teased me by rubbing his stubble on my neck. I squealed and struggled, trying to turn my head so he couldn't reach.

ALEK PULLED BACK AND GRINNED down at Cat, all flustered and red. She made the funniest noise when he did that to her. That, and the indignant look on her face, compelled him to do it.

'Do you mind,' she growled at him, green eyes narrowed with annoyance.

'Not at all, so what do you think? About the dancing?'

She sighed. 'Normally I'd say yes. I love dancing, but I'm so tired from the training that by the evenings I can barely keep my eyes open.'

He thought about it for a bit, stroking Cat's hair as he mulled over possible solutions. I'll ask Elena to make it a half day tomorrow and, as it's the day before the rest day, they'll have time to catch up on their sleep.

ELENA INFORMED US OF THE change of plans when we arrived at the training site the next day.

'It'll give you a chance to meet more of the castle inhabitants,' Elena said. 'You only really get to see them at the table. I have arranged for Ada to meet you at your room before dinner. She will create something suitable for you each to wear.'

'She can create something that quickly?' I asked, astonished.

'Oh she is exceptionally gifted,' Elena said with a smug smile. 'I am so glad to have discovered her before any of the other houses.'

She set to casting the circle then turned back to us.

'Today I want you to learn even more control over your gifts. We will practice creating an energy ball and moving it away from us. Then, at a selected distance, I want you to expand it suddenly like an explosion. Unlike an explosion, however, I want you to control the energy while it expands so it slips over everything in its path without really touching it.'

We stared at her for a moment.

Hmm. That sounds tricky...

'The reason I want you to learn this is because there will likely be a time when you need to use your powers without harming innocents around you. Practicing this exercise should teach you how to do this.'

It was a decent challenge, but the more I worked at it, the more I could feel my energy expand. I began to sense the edges of it. It took a while to stop the heat. The rock I practiced on glowed red at first, but in the end it stayed cool when I blew fire from my palms over it. When we'd reached that stage, Elena called us to her.

'For your last exercise today I want you to practice on each other.' She laughed at the look of shock on our faces.

'It's the easiest way to test it.'

LOI STOOD FACING CAT, WATCHING as she extended an energy ball toward her. Flames exploded around her with a whoosh and for a moment Loi couldn't breathe. She opened her eyes and stared at the flames rushing around her. All her instincts screamed at her to move, but she held strong. It wasn't like a normal campfire flame; she felt almost tempted to touch the molten, smooth looking flames. They look alive, she thought, I guess that makes sense, our energy is part of us.

I SWEATED LIKE MAD WITH the intense concentration I had to keep up. I knew, like all the other exercises, it'd get easier and easier but when there's the possibility of endangering a loved one it felt a lot harder. I tried to relax a little.

'Warm, Cat. Warm!' Loi yelled, sounding understandably alarmed. I refocused, drawing the energy back slightly and Loi relaxed.

'Okay switch,' called Elena.

I waited patiently while Loi focused, curious to see what her energy felt like. It wasn't really visible at first. I could just catch a glimpse of green out the corner of my eyes as the energy advanced.

Then it began, a slow and very unpleasant sensation of being buried alive. I started to take short, sharp, breaths while I tried to control the panic that built within.

LOI OPENED HER EYES TO see if Cat had noticed the energy yet, she could feel it had reached her. Cat's pale face and wide open eyes suggested she had. Loi frowned, concerned by that look and focused on drawing the energy off her a little, creating a gap between Cat and the energy. Immediately Cat relaxed and her color returned to normal.

ACROSS FROM THEM SIAN AND Kassie practiced. Kassie stood amongst a strangely silent torrent of water. Sian's energy felt curiously peaceful, like stepping behind a waterfall. The only noise Kassie could hear was the sound of Sian and Loi using their gifts, although it wasn't so much a sound as a sensation. It rather felt like when they were on Earth after a power cut; that strange sudden stillness. Kassie had begun to hear it clearer and clearer with each session. Now she could hear it when Elena did something, though her sound was barely audible.

AFTER ELENA HAD CLOSED THE circle, Loi questioned her.

'How are we able to throw our energy out like that? Won't we use it all up?'

Elena gave Loi a thoughtful look and motioned for them to sit.

'No you will not use it up, but there are some things you should be aware of. When you're required to use your energy in a defensive manner, you must always make sure that you separate the energy you throw from the energy in your chest. If you keep it attached and flowing from the energy in your chest then you could use too much and that will kill you.'

The women stared at her aghast.

'Why didn't you tell us this sooner?' demanded Sian.

'Because it wasn't necessary, you girls already do it very well. I have been watching you all quite closely to make sure,' Elena said. 'You can be assured there is no way I would let you progress until you had that correct.'

Kerak and Loushka landed just outside the training circle, Alek and Rumal came over to collect them.
28

ADA STOOD OUTSIDE THEIR ROOM when they arrived. Sian raced into the shower so the fabricer wouldn't have to wait much longer. After being volunteered by the others to go first, she now stood in the middle of the room, still damp from the shower and wrapped in a towel, as Ada circled her with a measuring tape, muttering to herself.

'What's the normal dress for a dance?' Sian asked.

'What? Oh, well for the evenings it isn't anything too grand, not like what I'm creating for you all for the Prince's ball,' Ada said with a shy smile. 'Typically it's something which moves well when you dance. I'm going to create you a dress with a circular skirt, and a split on one side I think,' she looked thoughtful. Ada went to one of the armoires and began to rummage through it. The other three had finished their showers and sat watching. After locating several pieces, she turned and tossed them to Sian.

'Put these on and I'll go to work.' Sian looked down at the items Ada had given her. A long skirt, a shirt and a belt. The styles all went together well but the color...

Sian inwardly shrugged and put the clothes on.

KASSIE, LOI AND I JAMMED onto Kassie's bed, watching while Ada circled Sian who stood wearing a long skirt, and a slim fitting tunic top with a belt slung low on her hips. All in shades of rose. Loi nudged me and winked while Kassie muffled a giggle at Sian's slightly pained look.

Ada's head snapped up. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing.' Sian gave the three of us a firm look, so we all assumed straight faces.

'Nope, nothing. Lovely color,' enthused Loi.

Sian narrowed her eyes at Loi. Ada ignored us and focused her energy. That odd noise I'd heard while we trained was audible again, a strange, almost dead tone. I realized it must be the sound of someone using their gift and watched to see what she did next. The skirt began to shimmer then blur, and the hem started to rise, fanning out, creating a more circular shape. A split opened over Sian's right leg up to mid-thigh and the waist line reshaped so it curved to sit on the hips. It was like watching an artist draw, all the decisions she made were precise and intent, her lips moving as she worked. I had to see this and climbed off the bed for a closer look, taking care to stay out of the way. At this distance I could see the fabric re-weaving and re-melding itself while I watched in fascination.

When Ada finished Sian wore a dress with floaty, kimono-like short sleeves and a slim fitted bodice that led into the circular skirt with its split over one thigh. The three of us circled Sian, studying her outfit. All the seams had vanished. If you stared close enough you could see how the weaving of the fabric moved in several directions instead of the usual two. Loi dashed off to one of the armoires and began to search through it for the items Ada could use to create her piece.

SIAN STUDIED HER REFLECTION IN the mirror. A perfect fit, a very pretty dress, she frowned at herself—just not quite her. Noticing her frown, Cat touched her shoulder and arched an eyebrow.

'It's beautiful... But not quite me,' Sian said apologetically, with a glance to Ada.

Ada beamed at her, surprising them.

'That's fine. It's much more fun if you have an idea of what you want. What shall we change?'

Frowning at her reflection Sian chewed on her lower lip while she considered some options.

'What about racer-back shoulders?' suggested Cat. 'Or a halter neck?'

Sian smiled. 'Ada, can you make it one shoulder? I want it to taper to a thin strap on the left. Then remove the back of the top, and have the strap follow over my left shoulder, across my back to my right hip.'

The fabricer's eyes went wide and she hesitated.

'That's rather daring. Can we make the skirt a little longer then?'

'Yes.' Sian said, glad she'd suggested it. 'Bring it down to mid-calf and keep the split.'

THE END RESULT LOOKED MUCH more Sian. Kassie loved the open back and wished she could wear it. Unfortunately her breasts were really too big for her to pull it off and look decent. Sian was quite small in the bust, but had nice hips, so the whole effect looked delicately sexy.

'CAN YOU ADJUST THE COLOR?' Sian turned to Ada after admiring her dress in the mirror. Across the room from the pile of clothes she sorted through, Loi snorted and looked up at Kassie, giving her a wink. Sian glared at Loi and turned back to Ada with a questioningly look.

'So?'

She shrugged. 'If you like. What color are you thinking?'

Sian considered her idea again. 'Let's make the strap light rose, slowly darkening the color to deep rose, then black, when it reaches my waist. Then start to lighten it down the skirt until the bottom of the skirt is white, like it's being dipped in dye.'

Ada's eyebrows arched high, but she smiled while she set to work again. Kassie, Cat, and Loi froze from rummaging through clothes to watch as Ada's gift shimmered and slid over the fabric. They could feel the fabric respond to her coaxing. The completed dress left them spellbound. Sian spun and preened in front of the mirror. She hated to admit it but this dress, with its delicate style and striking coloring, was fast becoming her favorite piece of clothing. She couldn't wait to see Daron's face.

SIAN'S FACE BEGAN TO LOOK a little mischievous, and she started to glow blue, just a hint.

'What are you thinking, Siany?' Loi asked curiously.

We laughed when she flushed at being caught out, pressing both hands to her red cheeks.

'Oh god, this is going to be embarrassing if I glow at every errrr... naughty thought.' We chuckled at that, then set to work with Ada, creating our outfits.

Dinner seemed to last forever. The four of us sat on the edge of our seats while we waited to go back and change. I looked forward to seeing their style of dancing. Everyone chatted away so I let my mind drift, thinking about my outfit for this evening. Ada had transformed a beautiful violet robe into a cowl necked, sleeveless dress. It finished on a diagonal and fit like a dream. I felt a pang of envy at Ada's gift, and it made me wonder what other gifts you could have. Dinner finally ended and we hurried to our suite.

WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE Great Hall the doors were closed, but they could hear the music. Loi fiddled with the ties on the wrap shirt Ada had created for her.

'You look fine, Loi,' Kassie gave her hands a playful slap. 'Leave it be.'

Loi shrugged and smiled at her diminutive friend. She didn't know why she felt so nervous. Sabyn had seen her in far worse. Maybe that's it, she thought. This was the first time she'd really been dressed up in front of him; I guess it's good practice for the ball.

The guards pulled the doors open for them. The spectacle that greeted them made Loi's jaw drop. It felt like she'd stumbled onto the set of a movie when a large group of courtiers performed a dance in the center of the room. The room looked enormous, all the tables pushed back against the walls to make way for the dancers. The four of them stood watching while the dance continued.

COLORS SWIRLED PAST IN AN array of striking costumes. The normal dance attire reminded me of slightly less revealing cocktail wear. Sian squeezed my hand.

'Do you think they were all made by fabricers? They look amazing.'

I nodded absently, distracted by the dancers. The dance style looked snappy and fun. Lots of spins and lifts, and occasionally all the women would perform a move and then the men. It looked fantastic. I jolted in shock when someone grabbed my hips from behind and spun me around.

SHE LOOKED AMAZING. THE VIOLET dress clung to her curves and made Alek wish she'd renege on her take-it-slow oath. The color of the dress emphasized her creamy white skin, of which rather a lot seemed visible. Alek couldn't help the suggestive smile he gave her. He raised her hand and this time twisted it, exposing the soft underside, pressing a languid kiss to it. Cat's energy flared out and those close by leaped out of the way with exclamations of alarm. The other three girls, and Rumal who'd just arrived, started laughing while Cat flushed red.

DAMMIT! I NEED TO LEARN to stop that. But when he looked at me like that the ability seemed to vanish. I flushed again as Alek's eyes roamed over me. It felt a bizarre sensation; normally I had fun chasing the boys and I _always_ had the upper hand. Not this time. He had me between a rock and an, err, hard place and he knew it. I also knew full well that he'd be happy to ignore my go-slow rule if I let him.

Right at that moment I wanted to—badly.

He wore a green shirt and slim tan pants. The shirt hugged him enough to show the hard muscles underneath and I just knew the pants would make his ass look great.

CAT HAD STOPPED BLUSHING AND now studied his outfit. She lifted her eyes and he saw that look. Exactly the same as when she had watched him in the river. He still had her hand and pulled her into the dancing crowd. Her eyes went wide as he spun her around and when he lifted her in time to the music she let loose a squeal, startling those around them into laughter.

'Alek,' she half wailed. 'I don't know what I'm doing.'

He laughed, delighting in her uncertainty—it was fun to have the upper hand in this situation. The thoughts it inspired would have made Loushka yell at him. He resisted the urge to laugh again and lifted Cat into the next spin. She seemed to have a better grip on the steps and moved with him.

LOI STILL WAITED BY THE entrance, looking for Sabyn. Rumal and Daron had whisked the other two off, and she'd lost sight of Cat and Alek in the crowd. She twisted her fingers in the silk fabric of the high waisted-harem style pants while she scanned the room. Plenty of heads twisted to stare but none were Sabyn. Where is he? A touch to the shoulder made her jump and she spun to find him smiling at her. Loi smacked him on the arm.

'Don't do that. Where have you been?'

'Ow,' Sabyn rubbed his arm. 'Sorry, I got caught up talking to Yakov.' He offered her his arm. 'Shall we?'

ACTUALLY, HE'D FINISHED TALKING TO Yakov a good five to ten minutes ago and had watched Loi for that time. He'd never seen her dressed in evening clothes and wanted a few moments to admire her. The outfit Ada had created looked stunning. She might not have realized it while she scanned about for him, but every male in the room had stared at her. The navy pants made her already long legs look endless and the dark gold shirt hugged her waist and breasts. She looked incredible. Part of him just wanted to whisk her away somewhere private.

Maybe later, he thought while he led her through the dance steps.

FOR THE LAST PART OF the hour Rumal had tried to teach Kassie the dance steps. Yet it seemed no matter what he said, she got them wrong. If he said left, she went right. Even when he moved with her she got it wrong. Now they had a small group of people trying to assist and all giggled helplessly when Kassie got it wrong yet again. The bronze haired woman just laughed along, having fun. Rumal shook his head at her.

'C'mon, Kass. If I lead you through it we might get it right.'

OKAY SO DANCING ISN'T MY forte, Kassie thought. It had flummoxed Sian, Loi, and Cat when they discovered her skill at getting it wrong. For a short period of time the girls had taken belly-dance lessons and apparently she'd gotten every step wrong. Still, it had been lots of fun. Kassie shrugged those thoughts away when Rumal lifted and spun her. This style of dancing was great. And as long as he led her she seemed to be going the right way. It also gave her ample time to ogle him, and damn, he looked hot. The sleeveless black top showed off his biceps and muscled chest, and the fitted pants looked awesome. She smothered a giggle as certain thoughts stole into her mind.

Mmmm, really should go and find a broom cupboard or something.
29

A NAGGING NEED TO USE the bathroom woke Sian and she slipped out of bed, wincing at the pain in her legs. Ouch, she thought as she paused to massage the backs of her calves, guess I haven't worn heels for a while. She snuck through the room. Climbing back into her nice warm bed and knowing that today was their free day felt fantastic. She stretched out, trying to relieve some of the tightness in her legs.

Last night was so enjoyable.

She ran through the evening in her mind. Daron had led her through nearly every dance and at the end of the evening they'd enjoyed a walk on the inner gate. It had been very romantic.

Mmm and he's such a good kisser. She giggled to herself then rolled over.

'Guys, wake up!'

EHHH. 'WHAT?' I GROANED. WHY is Sian bugging us? It's our free day.

'Where's Kassie?' Sian sounded panicked.

'What'dya mean?' mumbled Loi, pushing herself up and looking about with bleary eyes.

'Where's Kassie? Her bed hasn't been touched.'

Struggling to sit up, I stopped and took a moment to untangle myself, then twisted to look. Sure enough Kass' bed looked neat and tidy, not a pillow out of place. As I started to answer one of the doors to our suite opened, and a rather rumpled Kassie walked in.

'KASSANDRA BOYD. WHERE THE HELL have you been?'

Kassie stopped short in the room and gave Sian a look.

Last time I checked I was still the oldest of the group, she thought and ignored them while she headed to the shower. When she came out, a good twenty minutes later, they still hadn't budged from their beds. The sensation of three sets of eyes watching her felt unnerving. She found the long tunic she used for a nightie then climbed into bed. After a pause three heavy thuds hit the bed.

'Kassie,' squealed Cat. 'Where were you? Whatcha been doing?'

'We'll tickle it out of you,' threatened Loi.

Kassie pulled the covers down from her face and gave them all a stern look which then dissolved into a very naughty one.

AFTER A LONG AND POINTLESS attempt to get any more information out of Kass, we gave up and instead got ready then headed to breakfast. Ms. Kassie snored away when we left the room. We gossiped while walking the corridors.

'I can't believe she was out all night,' Loi couldn't seem to decide if it was scandalous or not.

I chuckled. 'She looks like she had fun.'

Sian snorted. Loi and I exchanged an amused glance; Sian's the prude of our group.

Then she giggled. 'Did you see her neck?'

'No!'

'I missed that!'

RUMAL WATCHED THE DOORS TO the Great Hall experiencing a bizarre sense of anxiety. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt like this. The sound of the girls voices at the doors had him tensing when he watched them enter. Kassie isn't with them, he realized with a pang. He stood to greet them as the other men did, then stared in surprise when the three girls stopped in front of him.

'Rumal, you look so tired,' Sian had a look of concern on her face that didn't match the mocking tone of her voice. The other two gave him cheeky smiles.

'Ahh, where's Kassie?'

'You know, that's exactly what I said when I discovered her bed un-slept in this morning.'

There was a long pause while he considered his options. 'So she's in bed now?'

'Yup. Seems she's pretty tired too,' Cat grinned.

'Well then, if you'll excuse me I'll arrange to have breakfast delivered to her.' The girls chuckled as Rumal hurried out of the room.

'I THINK THAT'S THE CLOSEST I've ever seen Rumal come to blushing,' Daron glanced at Sian. 'What was that all about?'

'Nothing much. Just Kassie pulling an all-nighter.' Sian slipped into the seat beside him. Daron gave her a shocked look.

'Indeed. Didn't you notice the extra company in your quarters?'

'No. Rumal didn't sleep in our quarters last night.'

'Oooooohh,' Loi and Cat chorused teasingly.

AFTER BREAKFAST EVERYONE SPLIT UP. Daron and Sian headed to the library. Loi and Sabyn went to take their horses out for a ride, while Rumal and Kassie remained unseen. Leaving Alek and me wandering down the corridor.

'Did you want to do anything in particular?'

I pondered ideas as we walked past the ballroom.

'Can we visit Loushka?'

An hour or so later we walked in the forest of the Scrodian Mountains. Alek took great delight in showing me different things. I'd marveled over tiny, jewel colored dragonflies with wings like leaves and now clutched the stems of a delicate green flower, its scent very much like jasmine, my favorite flower on Earth. I twisted it into the plait in my hair, so to enjoy the fragrance while we explored. Loushka had flown off to the high peaks, leaving us alone.

ALEK WATCHED AS SHE EXAMINED things, interested in seeing what caught her attention. It felt almost reckless to be so close to her with no-one in the immediate proximity. When she turned back to ask him something about the beetle she'd found, he reached out to pull her close, pleased when she started to glow. It was an easy way to tell how she felt, until she learned to conceal it. Every day the girls developed more skill with handling their energy, but until then he'd enjoy watching her visible barometer. She made some pathetic attempts at protesting when he wrapped an arm around her, tipping her chin up.

ALEK CHUCKLED AT ME WHEN I objected; curse my silly energy reaction. He seemed to recognize the different shades now and while I wasn't about to admit it to him, at least not verbally, I was quite ready to throw my go-slow oath away.

Heck, might as well try before you buy, thought my rational voice in a teasing tone.

Mmmm, now that's a good thought.

My energy flared out brighter when he kissed me.

ELENA HAD A SURPRISE FOR them when they arrived at the training circle the next day. 'Today we are going to practice attacking and defending. On each other.'

The girls froze and stared at Elena with alarmed expressions.

'Isn't that dangerous?' Loi asked dubiously.

'Only if you do not defend yourselves,' Elena replied. Then she chuckled.

'I don't think you will be able to do any damage to each other as you'll be hesitating. But you'll get over that and by then be prepared to attack and defend yourselves adequately. It's the best way to learn, probably not unlike your Jujitsu.'

They kept up their dubious expressions.

'Besides, I can heal any injuries you incur,' she smiled brightly at them. 'You will be fine.'

WHAT SHE DIDN'T MENTION WAS that she could heal our injuries once back at the castle. With being the regent, Elena had her energy tied to protective crystals at the castle and it meant she needed to be closer to the castle to utilize her healing skills.

Nothing makes the flight back to the castle seem eons longer than it is than a decent injury. And if you happened to cause said injury, you got to spend the ride back feeling like an utter bully.

'I'm so sorry,' I said for the eighth time.

'Seriously, Cat, shut-up. This is part and parcel of the training. I get that. But right now my back is really stinging and I'd love to hurt you. So shut-UP.'

I flinched at her tone. Elena had split us into teams, Loi and I facing off against Sian and Kassie. We'd won, thanks to Loi's clever idea to create a tunnel through the ground, through which I'd then directed a hard stream of fire, singing a good layer of skin off Sian's back in the process. I'd call it payback for her nearly drowning us, but a burn like that is pretty vicious.

Daron shot me a cold look when he helped Sian down. All the guys had issues with it, even though it was the third session of the week. Only two days until our rest day and I couldn't wait. So far this week I'd had my feet broken by Loi when she buried my legs, not realizing that the area contained mainly rocks. Kassie had electrocuted us when she pulled in a storm with Sian's help; the look on Alek and Sabyn's faces when they saw our hair that evening had been classic. Loi had broken her leg when Kass dropped her from a decent height, and we'd all received numerous cuts, bruises, scrapes, and burns. It certainly proved Elena's healing gift, but you weren't sure whether or not to be grateful. Grateful, because it didn't hurt anymore and you were fine, not so grateful as it meant the following day was physical training.

Then there was the other kicker we'd discovered through injuring one another. We could sense each other's pain through our gift. Being Elementals means we really were linked, making the ride back feel _that_ much longer.

At the castle Elena whisked Sian off to our suite, the three of us following right behind. It fascinated us to watch Elena's gift and we crowded close. Before our eyes we watched the skin heal and at the same time the stinging sensation we all felt, thanks to our link, vanished. Sian relaxed straight away and we settled down to dinner in our room. It had become a habit after our Elemental training because we were too exhausted to dress for the Great Hall. Yakov, Elena and the men joined us, making them enjoyable evenings.

'What did Sian do?' Yakov deadpanned after seeing her back. Everyone laughed when I blushed and apologized again.

Dinner flew by and it seemed far too soon that Alek kissed me goodnight. I kept my arms locked around his neck while I grumbled.

'I don't want to go to sleep, 'cause tomorrows not the rest day and I'm tired.'

'Awww, kitten,' he teased, chuckling when I narrowed my eyes at him. Kitten had never been a pet name I'd envisioned for myself.

'But we get to practice sword fighting tomorrow and then you girls get to annoy Iggy in the afternoon.'

That's true. Iggy had been trying to best one of us ever since Kassie's demonstration with him. He had yet to succeed.

CAT POUTED AT HIS WORDS but they appeared to appease her a little. At the mention of Iggy a smile tugged at her mouth. Actually I think it's Cat's turn tomorrow, he thought, can't wait to see her kick his ass. He wrapped his arms tighter around her back, savoring the kiss until Loi started to tease them.

I THREW A PILLOW AT Loi when I got into my bed.

'Thanks a lot.'

'Some of us want to sleep, Cat. You two could have been at it all night.'

I smirked. 'No, that'd be Kassie.'

Sian and Loi laughed hard when Kass clambered over the top of her bed to mine and walloped me with her pillow. 'But. It's. True.' I protested between thumps and she gave in, laughing. Kass used her gift to extinguish the lamps, and I fell asleep moments later.

LOI DREAMT A WEIRD DREAM. She stood in a vast swamp, the mud thick and the stench strong. Her feet were firmly stuck and she wriggled hard to try to loosen them, but it seemed to make them more stuck. She reached down to pull one up, when a force grabbed her by the throat and squeezed tight.
30

I WOKE THE INSTANT I felt Loi's silent scream.

'LAURA!' Kassie screeched.

'Cat, light!' roared Sian.

Something was seriously wrong. We all felt it. The terror and an awful sensation of Loi weakening.

I flared my energy out.

'HOLY HELL WHAT IS IT?'

SIAN GAPED AT THE CREATURE that had Loi by the throat against the wall, then blasted it with her energy.

'Shit!' Her energy pinged off. 'It's shielding!'

Noticing Nnelg cowering beside Audi, she yelled at him. 'Get Elena. Get everyone!'

The dragon vanished.

'Loi, pull your shield up.' Kassie circled the creature warily, an expression of revulsion and fury on her face.

LOI FOCUSED HARD WHILE HER vision began to blacken, visualizing her energy expanding out, under the clawed grip. Relief washed through her when she managed to take a breath. The strange reptilian creature hissed in anger and slammed her, again and again, against the wall while she struggled to keep her shield in place. The girls hurled bolt after bolt at the monster. Loi sensed its shield begin to weaken. It turned and threw her to the floor.

I GRABBED LOI BY THE arm and pulled her behind me then Sian, Kassie and I moved toward it. The freakiest looking thing I'd seen yet. Its head looked similar to a crocodile, with a long snout and jagged teeth, but its body was human-like in form. Covered in scaly skin, its hands were strange curled claws. It hissed at us then opened its mouth and spat. We jerked our shields up and the nasty brackish scum that splattered over them dissolved away. I could feel the acidic properties in it and shuddered. Kassie gave me a hard look then began to concentrate an intense wind tunnel, directly onto the creature. I knew what she wanted and focused my energy.

FEAR STREAKED THROUGH SABYN AS he sprinted for the girls' room with the other men. Nnelg had burst into their quarters, screaming that a koratil attacked Loi, and the girls couldn't stop it. They'd bolted from their quarters and met Elena and Yakov racing down the turret stairs. When they reached the suite Elena extended a hand and the doors wrenched open, exposing the chaos within.

Kassie had it pinned against the wall and Cat shot it with a bolt of fire. It shrieked when its shield dissipated, exploding with a loud thud, remnants splattering everywhere.

I STOOD PANTING, WHILE STARING in shock at the bloody remains strewn about. My brain wasn't up to making sense of this. Being wrenched from a deep and much needed sleep to being thrown into a sudden intense fight, bewildered me. I didn't know what to do. Sabyn pushed past Kassie, Sian, and me and scooped Loi into his arms. I then realized her throat bled from several nasty gashes. Elena hurried forward to attend to her and we were led away.

'WHERE ARE WE GOING?'

Yakov looked at Cat. 'You are being moved to your official quarters. It's earlier than intended but this suite is in no state to be used now.'

He expected more questions but she just nodded and allowed Alek to lead her onward. After he saw the girls settled in, he headed to Elena's suite.

'Are they okay?' she demanded when he entered.

'Yes, just in shock. Will Loi be okay?'

'Yes, all healed. She's fine now.' She sunk onto the seat at her dressing table, her beautiful face creased with stress. 'How did this happen? It shouldn't have been possible.'

He stood behind her, gently massaging her neck. 'I don't know.'

Elena put a hand to her head and leaned back to look up at him her eyes troubled.

'Thank goodness we began training them immediately. If we had lost our Earth Elemental.'

'Hush.' Yakov interrupted her. 'Don't do the 'ifs' Ellie, there's no point. They're safe in their quarters now and we can arrange for increased security.' She nodded and stood. He pulled her close enfolding her into his arms.

'Should we cancel the ball?'

He shook his head. 'That's not possible now, it's too close.'

'But what if she strikes again?'

'We won't let her. We'll have more troops in place and you'll set up extra traps to warn us.'

She nodded against his chest then sighed, the stress ebbing out of her. He felt her chuckle and looked down.

'What?'

'Do you think Nnelg spotted you?'

He laughed. 'I don't think so, but that wee cretin nearly made my heart stop.'

She laughed with him. 'Certainly unexpected.'

WAKING IN A NEW SUITE felt strange and we didn't get any time to explore. Elena woke us early and made it apparent that we had to treat this just like any other day. We stumbled about while we got ready, mumbling to each other, all of us too tired to talk. When I sat back on the bed I'd slept in and pulled my boots on, I had a look around.

This suite made the last one look tiny in comparison. The bathroom alone was almost as big as our previous suite. The room divided into four, each bed tucked into one of the corners. After a quick examination, I realized the walls could be extended, so that we each had our own room if we wanted. Complete with our own dressing table, armoire, and seating area. It was impressive but I felt a little lost, not having the girls so close. At least now we could link with each other, that way we still felt near to one another.

The guys escorted us to breakfast and led us to the library afterward. Elena and Yakov and the Lieutenants waited for us, all wore serious looks. Elena greeted us then got straight into it.

'Last night was an unfortunate incident that shouldn't have been possible. The creature that attacked you was one of Jenviet's, we thought we had things in place to stop it.'

We stared at them and each other in stunned silence. I knew I shouldn't be shocked that she wanted to kill us, but we'd never even seen this woman. It felt strange to know that someone out there truly wanted us dead.

Seeing as we had no questions Elena continued.

'We have ordered the return of the Centaur Cavalry. The Lieutenants, along with selected members of the General Guard, will move to sleeping quarters on the second floor.'

She mustn't have told the Lieutenants this yet because Rashid and Patel looked surprised but nodded. Iggy, however, turned a dark red.

'What? That's ridiculous! I can't possibly.'

Elena cut him off with a sharp look.

'It is necessary, Ignatius.'

Undaunted, he went on, 'But these Elementals are supposed to protect the heir. It is not our responsibility to protect them. What's wrong with them that they are so weak?'

YAKOV GLARED AT ALEK AND Daron when they both shifted in their seats at Iggy's outburst.

Stay put, he growled at them in his mind. Trust Iggy to have an issue with this.

The four girls stared at the Lieutenant with dark eyes, their energies smoldering around them.

'The girls are learning to master their gifts, Ignatius. By the end of the month they will be skilled enough to not need protection. But until then it would be ridiculous to allow them to be harmed. I don't expect any more complaints.' Ellie kept her voice even, though her eyes flashed with annoyance. She dismissed the room. The girls left with the men for sword training.

Yakov felt sorry for them this morning, they looked bewildered and exhausted after last night. Soon they'll be able to relax a bit, once they have the skills they require.

THE REST OF THE WEEK was hard. We fought against each other singly and in pairs, each of us determined to learn what else we could do with our gifts. Kassie could now capably lift herself and anyone else into the air. It had just taken a full explanation from Elena for it to click. The trick was to realize that because air is essentially everywhere it isn't about the weight that you lift, rather how much air you draw around it and how you space the molecules. Like with all new things there were a couple of practices that didn't go as intended, although they only resulted in bruises.

'Better a bruised butt than a broken one, Cat,' Sian grinned impishly. I scowled at her while I eased down to the ground.

Elena had Kassie and Loi practice shielding, using their energy rather than the physical manifestation. They'd picked it up quickly, while Sian and I struggled to keep ours in place.

'Your gifts are better used offensively,' Elena explained reassuringly. 'You will be able to do it with practice, but Kassie and Loi will likely always be better at it. That's why it is imperative that you stick together in a fight.'

We nodded. She'd been repeating that since the incident.

The evening before the rest day should have seen us all feeling euphoric, instead we lay sprawled on our beds in our quarters. It did feel strange to walk up the turrets to the third floor. Everyone looked at you differently. The third floor was solely reserved for those of the Thalian line, Elena and her family, the Griffon Guard, and us, the Elementals.

Now it felt real. I wasn't sure if it was the change of rooms, or that thing trying to kill us, but now it all seemed very real.

'Maybe that's why Iggy hates us.'

'WHAT?' LOI TRIED TO SOUND interested.

'Because we're the Elementals and according to everyone we're at the top of the food chain. Maybe that's why he hates us.'

'Top of the food chain?' Kassie snorted. 'Tell that to that thing that tried to eat Loi.'

'It tried to kill me, not eat me.'

'The end result is pretty similar.'

SIAN GOT UP AND STOOD in the middle of the room, where we could all see her.

'It feels weird doesn't it? Being told and then beginning to realize you have an immense gift. It's very strange.' She stroked our emblem, embedded in the table in Kassie's corner. It was embedded in every wall and door in our quarters and most of the furniture. Elena had explained about it the second evening we spent in here. The emblem was a large circle of gold split into quarters by two narrow strips of gold. Each quarter contained a polished cabochon stone that represented an element; it started at the top right with a deep green tourmaline for Earth, then went clockwise to Air, a golden citrine, then Fire, a dark crimson ruby, and Water, a bright blue sapphire. Elena had also commissioned a piece of jewelry for each of us with a stone representing our Element. I'd chosen an amber ring. The ring was silver and very simple. I lifted it to the light and stared through it again. Pieces of leaf appeared to sparkle like gold within the amber.

'Meh. Enough.' I hopped up.

'Where you going, Cat?' Kassie called out.

'To find Alek.'

'What, are we not good enough for you?' Loi teased.

'Yeah sorry, Loi, you just don't kiss as well as he does.'

They laughed while I stepped into the corridor and closed the door behind me. I knocked at the guys quarters down the corridor. Being next door, you would think their quarters were nice and close, but in reality the corridor was l-o-n-g.

The door opened and Alek looked at me in surprise.

'Cat! I thought you were going to sleep?'

'Can't, I'm too bored to sleep.'

'That doesn't make sense,' he said, laughing and ushered me in.

I looked around with interest—a very similar style to our quarters, but they each appeared to have separate rooms.

'Where are the others?'

'Rumal and Daron are downstairs in the Great Hall and Sabyn went for a night flight with Tomiar. We thought you'd all gone to bed.'

'The others might have by now, but I'm bored.'

THAT PERPLEXED ALEK AND HE led Cat to his room. Settling on to the couch together he pulled her back into his arms.

'What do you mean by bored? Wasn't this week hair-raising enough for you, literally?'

The results of Kassie's thunderstorm had been impressive. He felt her sigh.

'That's not what I meant. I mean I'm bored with training and fighting. It's all we do.'

Well that's true and they hadn't really seen much of Elion, or anywhere else for that matter. He kept forgetting they were new to this world.

'What if I promise you something completely different on your day off this week?'

Cat twisted to look at him. 'How different?'

'We'd have to get the griffons to leap, to get there and back.'

'Really? It wouldn't tire them out too much?' She looked excited now.

'It's one of the places we first began practicing leaping to, they'll be fine.'

WHEN I WOKE IN THE morning I raced around getting ready leaving the others staggering about in my wake.

'Slow bloody down, Cat,' Kassie growled, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

'Not my fault you're tired. Blame that on Rumal.'

She laughed and swatted at me when I zoomed past to borrow a comb from her dressing table. I dressed carefully this morning, selecting pieces I tended not to wear. While I might want to take it slow with Alek for the moment, that didn't mean I couldn't tease him. Besides, I was still considering my take-it-slow notion anyway.

LOI HURRIED ALONG AFTER THE other three as they raced to the Griffon quarters. She still felt a bit raw from the attack the other night. Her dreams were full of that nasty creature, and in the background of every dream a woman laughed. She couldn't seem to get that laugh, cruel and callous, out of her head. Sabyn waited for her when they arrived and, while everyone else fussed around getting ready, he took her aside into the stable hands' room.

'Hey.' He held a hand to her cheek while he stared with concern into her eyes. 'How are you?'

Tears tumbled out when she tried to respond, and he sat and pulled her onto his lap.

SABYN KNEW SHE HADN'T GOTTEN over the shock yet and felt a moment of anger at Elena. Sure, she might be able to patch them up after a fight, but that didn't change the fact that it had happened. Loi looked like she walked on eggshells since the attack, but she hadn't spoken about it at all. Perhaps his timing was off approaching it now, but he wanted her to genuinely enjoy today. As he rocked her, smoothing her hair, she began to speak.

'Can't get it out of my head.'

'I know.'

She went quiet again and he hugged her tighter.

'It's normal, Loi, honest.'

She nodded against his chest. 'Silly isn't it? But I just feel so, so, vulnerable and,' she gulped, hesitating before continuing. 'Weak.'

He knew what she meant. Loi had trained for years to learn to defend herself and with that came a confidence in her abilities. To be caught out like she had, made it feel like none of it mattered.

'It's not silly, Loi.' He told her about the time he'd been caught out.

LOI LISTENED IN ASTONISHMENT WHILE he described all the feelings he'd gone through when it happened; fear, revulsion and shame. Just the way she felt. The anxious flutters in her stomach dissipated a little and she managed to stop crying. He gave her a loving smile then kissed her deeply. When he pulled away, leaving her heart pounding, he pressed his forehead to hers.

'I promise, Loi, I will do everything I can to see you safe. Believe it or not, you're going to be more than capable of wiping out dozens of nasty creatures with a thought soon. That's the reason Elena's pushing you so hard. The four of you are going to be extremely formidable.'

His words echoed in her mind. She'd doubted her abilities since the attack, but he said it with such reverence.

'Really?'

Sabyn chuckled, 'Out of this world.' He pulled her in for another kiss.

ALEK HELPED ME INTO A heavy overcoat when Sabyn and Loi came out of the back room. We could see she'd been crying, but the smile she gave us seemed brighter. I caught Sabyn's eye, mouthing 'thanks' once Loi had walked past.

'Hurry up people!'

We turned and laughed at Citaan, all ready and waiting on Phroma's back, bouncing with excitement. The heavy overcoat she wore concealed her baby bump and at the moment she looked like an over-tall, impatient child. Alek still hadn't told me where we were going, but if I went by Citaan's reaction, it would be good.

ALEK SNAPPED SHUT THE LAST clasp on Cat's overcoat and tossed her up on to Loushka's back.

'Hey! Manners much.' Cat poked her tongue out at him. He glowered at her. You can't actually die from sexual frustration, the annoying voice in his mind pointed out. A certain part of his anatomy disagreed.

It didn't seem fair that she could strut around in that and still have the go-slow rule in place. Really, those thigh high boots ought to be worn over pants. Not under a skirt with splits on either side, several inches higher than them. Maybe he should make her wear the coat while they were there.

' _Good luck with that.'_ Loushka smirked at him.

' _Stay out of my head,_ ' he growled.

' _What's the problem with her skirt? At least she can move easily. I recall Rayna wearing less._ '

Alek froze. _'Crap.'_

Loushka laughed, which caused everyone to turn and stare, while he flushed at the thought of having to explain that to Cat.

I WRIGGLED INSIDE MY COAT, trying to get comfortable. We all had to wear the coats because when the griffons leapt it apparently got very cold.

I hope we leave soon, I'm melting under all this fabric. The men were lucky; they just had to wear their armor. I wonder what Alek said to Loushka that was so funny? He didn't look amused. He'd scowled at me since I strutted in this morning but now appeared distracted.

' _What was that exchange about?_ ' I thought to Loushka

' _Alek will have to explain. Nice outfit by the way—why has it got him mumbling about going slow?_ '

I chuckled, _'That'd be my payback for that awful week he put me through. I might consider reneging, but I'm not telling him that.'_

' _Nice one.'_

' _Thanks.'_

Alek scowled at the two of us while we communicated and I couldn't help giving him a naughty smile and wink. He hopped up into the front seat without a word so I took great pleasure in scooting forward and wrapping my arms tight around his waist.

' _COME ON, LOUSHKA, LET'S GO.'_

' _You know, I think Cat wants your attention.'_

He gritted his teeth at the mocking tone.

'Alek, Alek, Alek,' Cat chanted his name in an annoyingly cute voice.

' _Fine. Block your mind, Loushka, if you don't want to be scarred.'_

The griffon chuckled while she walked out to the courtyard. _'Thanks for the warning.'_

He took a firm grip of Cat's thigh and with a swift move, jerked her around, so she straddled his lap. Those emerald eyes stared up at him in pretend innocence, while the twist of her lips gave away the mischievous intent.

'Catherine.'

HEE. NOW THIS WAS FUN. I couldn't help but smirk when he said my name like that. Exasperation and frustration all rolled into one, just the way I liked it. Opening my eyes even wider I pouted.

'You haven't commented on my outfit. I picked it out 'specially for you.'

THE AFFECTED CHILDISH TONE IRRITATED him to no end. He yanked her closer so she pressed against his breastplate. Straight away her energy flared out and her expression changed from innocent to challenging. His body knew that look and responded. He bit off a curse. Getting a hard-on while wearing armor is NOT comfortable. The chuckle Cat gave suggested she knew all too well what'd just happened.

'Oi!' Rumal yelled from Kerak's back. 'Cut that out you two, there's a time and a place and it ain't now.'

Like you can bloody speak, Alek thought, how many nights have you been absent from the quarters. Everyone else in the group hooted and hollered at the couple.

Might as well give them something to yell about. He cupped a hand behind her head and kissed her, bruisingly hard, venting a little of his frustration.

'We'll discuss your outfit later.'

'GEEZ IF THEY DON'T WATCH out they'll be expecting soon,' Gredel muttered to his wife.

Citaan laughed, murmuring in his ear, 'You know, I'm pretty sure it requires more than kissing.'

He chuckled and gave her a careful hug. She only just showed and even though he loved having her company, he had pleaded with her to stay at home today. She'd refused of course. She wasn't going to miss out on the markets and enjoying the girls' company. The five of them got along well but due to the training schedule, the girls rarely got to spend much time with her. Still, he worried about the baby and his lovely wife exhausting herself with excitement.

'Are you sure you won't stay back? It's not that long to wait.'

She gave him an annoyed look.

He sighed. Elena did say it would be fine, and Phroma promised to take it slow.
31

THE FIVE GRIFFONS PUSHED OFF, then gathered in a circle high above the courtyard and began to hum—a low, rumbling sound. Kassie watched in breathless anticipation as she felt the griffons' energy rise. A shimmering in the middle of the circle caught her eye and she went to lean forward. Rumal's arms locked tight around her.

'Hush,' he breathed. 'Don't move.'

She complied and watched the shimmering grow more pronounced. It developed a spherical shape and grew, until an obvious ball of swirling silver and blue energy hung in the air. The intensity of the hum increased and she could feel the energy crackle and twist around them.

'Hold your breath,' Rumal snapped.

Kerak gave a strong flap of his wings and dived into the swirling mass. Darkness surrounded them. She lost any sense of up and down, and couldn't even feel Rumal or Kerak. She felt a sense of panic begin to well in her chest while she continued to hold her breath. Suddenly it grew light again and she could breathe. She blinked rapidly, looking around.

'Welcome to Rhdanon, Kass,' Rumal smiled.

Kerak moved so they could watch the others come through; such a strange sight. There was no visible orb on this side but just before a griffon came through, the sound of their energy was suddenly audible. Then the griffon and riders appeared, like stepping through a doorway. It went silent again until the next came through.

LOI WATCHED THE PROCESS, FASCINATED and turned to smile at Kassie. Loushka came through and Cat stared wide-eyed when they came around to wait with the others. Just Phroma was left. The dark griffon came through smoothly and the gateway closed with a loud chime.

Citaan beamed at the girls and practically hopped in the saddle. 'C'mon, it'll be getting busy. Let's go!'

Everyone laughed while the girls exchanged questioning looks. They'd soon see what all the fuss was about.

THE FOREST WAS MUCH SPARSER here and I could smell salt in the air. I squirmed in the saddle, trying to see more. Alek laughed at me.

' _Pull Cat up to standing,'_ Loushka thought to us both. _'It's a good view.'_

Helping me out of the stiff overcoat, Alek pulled me to my feet. I leaned back against him, looking out. What a spectacular sight. We approached what must be a city. It looked miles bigger than Gartoll and I could just make out a harbor littered with boats. I felt a rush of excitement and twisted to look up at Alek.

'Are we going to the city?'

'No, we're going to somewhere even better.'

We settled back down into the saddle and I stretched my arms out, relieved to be rid of that coat.

'Would you stop that?'

'What?' I looked up in surprise as he stared down with a bemused smile.

'I said we'd discuss your outfit later, arching your back like that isn't helpful.'

Whoops. I'd actually forgotten how low the v-neck on my sweater was.

I laughed at him. 'No-one's making you look.'

The griffons flew lower and we could make out houses and people now. All of them looked up to see us. Some waved and shouted while others just gaped. The attention was funny, I frequently forgot the status of the Griffon Guard, and Alek. I could see a large, make that huge, clearing coming up. It teemed with people. My jaw dropped, it had to be the largest crowd we'd seen yet. The griffons appeared to know the place well. I got a shock when Loushka dived low over the crowd and let out a screeching roar. The others followed suit with the crowd screaming back in excitement.

THE GRIFFONS WHEELED AROUND AND landed in a smaller, empty clearing, just beyond. 'What is that place?' demanded Sian.

Daron grinned and motioned for her to slide down from Nesha.

' _That's the Rhdanon Markets,'_ Nesha informed her. _'A favorite place of ours. You'll love it.'_

They waited for everyone to climb down, then set off with the griffons padding along behind. The trees were slender and about half the height of the ones in the forest by the castle. There was a definite seaside feel to the place. Sand was visible underfoot, blown in with the wind. The sound of the crowd grew louder and Sian glanced at Daron, a little nervous. Picking up on it, he reached out to draw her close, so they walked side by side with his arm around her.

THE TRACK WE FOLLOWED WIDENED and Citaan, who walked in front with Gredel, gave a little skip and a squeal of excitement. Everyone began to laugh and Alek gave my hand a squeeze.

'If you hadn't yet noticed, the markets are a favorite of Citaan's.'

She spun back to wrinkle her nose at him, then winked at me.

'You wait, Alek. Cat and the girls will love it just as much.' As she spoke we walked into the market clearing. It was loud with voices, vocal and telepathic, with a mass of creatures before us; a total shock to the senses. The griffons were vocal and greeted everyone, it seemed strange to hear them out loud.

CAT AND THE OTHER GIRLS stared about in amazement. It made the men smile. Rhdanon was Elion's cosmopolitan city and the market was packed. Alek caught sight of a water sprite couple and glanced down to see if Cat had noticed. She had and wore an intent expression while studying them, alternating glances at Citaan, comparing the differences. Someone caught his eye and he recognized his friend Ieran. Smiling, he strode forward to clap hands in greeting with him.

'Ieran. It's good to see you.'

I STEPPED OUT OF THE way so Alek and his friend could catch up. His friend looked unusual, a tall slender frame and dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. He had slanted light brown eyes, framed with cursive brows that I would have thought drawn on if I wasn't standing so close. A long neck and fingers and tan skin with green under tones. I wonder what he is? While I waited for the conversation to finish so I could ask Alek, I heard his friend say.

'I'm surprised we haven't seen you sooner, Alek. We'd begun to think the rumors true, Rayna's been rather beside herself.'

What? I froze and listened but Alek shrugged the remark off. Loushka gave a husky cough of a laugh and I turned to her. _'Who's Rayna?'_

' _A human female who's been interested in Alek for some time. She has a stall here, I'm sure she'll be along soon.'_

Hmm.

ALEK FINISHED TALKING TO IERAN and turned to Cat with a smile.

'Ieran's Elven. We've been friends for years. I met him when we first started practicing leaping.'

'Uh-huh... Who's Rayna?'

' _Loushka!'_

' _Wasn't my fault, she overheard Ieran and asked me.'_

The griffon gave him a serves-you-right look then wandered over to join Tomiar and Nesha.

'So?'

Better get this over with. He sighed.

'Rayna's someone I had... fun with, for a few years.'

Cat's face appeared impassive. 'How recently?'

'Oh, not for a good couple of years,' he assured her, while waiting for her reaction. She seemed to take it well.

'Okay. Thanks for letting me know.' She wandered after the others then paused to glance back when he hadn't moved. 'You coming?'

Feeling a little stunned, Alek followed. Well that was easy, he thought, I'm almost disappointed.

KASSIE AND RUMAL STOPPED AT a stall that sold maps. There were rolls and rolls of them at the back of the stall. The stall owner eyed them curiously and she stared back. She'd never seen anything like it. It walked on all fours, its lower back dipping down to shorter hind legs, and it had skin that reminded her of an elephant, wrinkled and loose looking. Dark green with black eyes, long green lashes, and a narrow face with a protruding muzzle. Cat and Alek stopped with them at the stall.

'Greetings,' the stall owner whispered. 'How may I be of service to you?'

'Do you have a world map?' enquired Cat. It inclined its head and turned to look.

'What is it?' Kassie breathed into Rumal's ear and he smiled down at her.

'A fenria, traditionally a forest dweller.'

They looked over the map and she exchanged a look with Cat. Gar'nyse was huge, far bigger than Earth. Elion appeared to be the largest land mass, and she could see now how far the griffons had leapt this morning. Impressive, she thought. A large mass at the bottom of the map had _forbidden_ written across it, she looked to Rumal.

'Why does this say forbidden?'

He glanced down at where her finger rested on the map. 'That's Jenviet's territory. Not a place you want to go.'

'WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IS a disk map,' Alek arched an eyebrow at the stall owner. 'Do you have one?'

The stall owner shook his head. 'No, your Highness, they are so expensive I don't find them worthwhile to stock. Other stalls within the market place do though.'

We continued on, it looked like it would take us most of the day to walk around the market, with so much to see: jewelry, magick, weapons, maps, even exotic animal stalls. Daron and Sian joined us while we made our way around as Citaan and Gredel caught up with friends.

THEY STOPPED AT A WEAPONS stall next and the men watched in amusement while the girls enthusiastically studied each piece. Cat appeared much taken with a sleeve that held throwing blades, while Sian examined an expanding sword with great interest.

Daron laughed at her. 'Pixie, I don't think you need that. You've got a sword.'

Both Kassie and Cat began to laugh as they exclaimed, 'Pixie?'

Sian ignored the girls and gave him her best innocent eyes. 'But this one I can fit in my pocket. It's practically an accessory.'

He gave her an exasperated look and leaned forward to bargain with the stall owner.

I EXCHANGED AN AMUSED GLANCE with Kass when Daron paid for the sword Sian wanted. She always excelled at getting men to buy things for her, though usually it was drinks not weapons. I looked back at the throwing sleeve in my hands. The stall owner began to run through its attributes, again.

'Extremely durable, the sleeve is made of dragon skin and will last for eons. The edges of the blades have been touched with elendite and will cut through almost anything. And of course, the throwing blades are charmed to return.'

'Return?' I'd been distracted by his appearance. I knew he was a goblin from the one Daron had pointed out for us before, but being so close was fascinating. He had the now familiar greenish brown skin, large slanted eyes and triangular ears. His ears had dark brown and cyan stripes and the light hair that ran down the back of his head, disappearing under his shirt, was the same.

The stall owner nodded and seized the sleeve from my hands. 'Observe.'

Alek pulled me back and everyone paused to watch the demonstration. The stall owner strapped the sleeve to his arm and you could see it wasn't designed for goblins—the sleeve wasn't big enough to go around his thick forearm. In a competent move he swept the blades off the sleeve with his free hand and flicked his wrist out. The five blades flew across the market place, high above everyone's heads and lodged in a tree trunk. Then he raised his forearm as though doing a bicep curl and made a 'pull' motion. The sun flickered off the blades when they quivered then jerked out of the tree, flashing back to the sleeve.

'WOW!' I gaped in astonishment and he laughed.

'Would you like to try?'

I grinned at the others in excitement while he removed the sleeve and strapped it to me. As with everything new, I didn't exactly ace the first attempt. Instead I managed to drop a couple of blades and almost gave Daron a good slice on the leg. Everyone laughed at the poor throw and the stall owner ushered me behind the stall where there was a large open space.

'Why not try a couple more times at the trees over there,' he pointed across the clearing.

'Go on.' I nodded to Alek and the others. 'I'll catch you up.' It's not like it would take long with self-returning blades and I had my purse of coins on me.

'I'll take care of the price.' Alek pressed a kiss to my forehead then winked at me. 'Don't take too long with your new toy.'

I smiled at him, chuffed; no one had ever bought me a toy like this before. They headed off and I made a couple of small attempts, then readied myself for a full distance throw. A strong flick of the wrist saw the five blades soar across the clearing and lodge into two trees. I did my happy-dance seeing as no-one watched and raised my arm. Three blades whizzed back to my sleeve, but the other two zipped off to the left.

'Shit,' I frowned at the sleeve. 'Better not be a dud.' Then hurried in the direction they'd disappeared. I reached the tent I thought they had hit but couldn't see anything, so went to slip between the tents to see if they had managed to go around. Hope they haven't hit anyone, I thought, concerned.

'So you're the new bit.'

When I turned to see who'd snarled that line I found myself thrust backward, pinned against a tree. An angry woman a few inches taller than me held me hard against the trunk, an arm across my neck while the other pinned my arm with the sleeve. Ten guesses who this must be, he could have mentioned she was crazy.

'Hello, Rayna,' I said coolly, while mentally crossing my fingers that I'd remembered her name right.

The brunette blinked in surprise, then curled her lip up in a sneer.

'They said you're an Elemental. You don't look like an Elemental, more like a cheap maid from Slemnask.' She spat the words out, the inference obvious.

My rational voice had a field day while I observed her costume: a belt for a skirt and a belt for a top.

'Pot, meet kettle,' I replied in a pleasant tone.

'What'd you say?'

Sheesh, she really worked the agro stance. My fingers twitched with the urge to fry her, just a little. That stupid rational voice vetoed the idea, I sighed.

'Not to worry, it's an Earth expression.'

'Earth?' her face changed to a cunning look. 'I heard you were fire. Ha. What can Earth do? So you're pathetic without him, how funny.'

The finger twitch got stronger. I gave a low laugh.

'Trust me, _honey_ , if I were Earth you'd be six feet under right now.'

She gaped at my tone and I saw the fear flicker in her eyes as I stared back.

'What'd you say,' she attempted her macho voice again, but failed, her tone pitching higher.

Screw this. I counted to ten slowly in my head. She didn't let up her grip but shifted, leaving me pinned by my shoulders instead of my neck. Excellent.

'Ten!' I smiled nastily at her and slammed my forehead into her nose.

THEY FELT THE FLUSH OF pain radiate through Cat's energy and froze; the three girls stared at each other.

'Where the hell is she?'

'What's she doing?!'

A loud scream of pain rang out and a tall brunette staggered out from between a couple of tents, clutching her face while blood dripped down her arms.

'Rayna!' Alek lunged toward the brunette but stopped short when Cat stepped out. The angry red mark on her forehead and the red stripe across her chest said it all.

'What happened?'

'Your charming ex thought she'd try accosting me. I wasn't in the mood.' Cat's face looked dark, eyebrows low and lips flat.

Alek stared in astonishment, appearing uncertain as to who to help. Sian felt annoyed, she glanced at the other two and jerked her head toward Cat. They moved to her side.

'You okay?' Sian reached to Cat's forehead and gently pressed the piece of ice she'd created to the developing bruise.

'Ouch! Yeah I'm fine, I lost a couple of blades.'

'Not to worry, we'll—'

The brunette interrupted her. 'ALEK! Look what that horrible woman did to me.'

EVERYONE CLOSE FLINCHED AT THE screech and looked to Alek. He glared at Rayna, furious she would spoil the girls' first visit to the markets. It'd taken a moment for him to realize what had happened. Now that he had, he took great pleasure in ignoring Rayna when he turned to the girls and reached for Cat.

'She surprised me, Alek, and had me pinned. I figured a head butt was better than frying her.' The annoyance was strong on her face and she frowned at him, appearing to expect some rebuttal.

Alek laughed. He pulled her close and took the ice from Sian's hand, keeping it in place against her forehead.

'You were very diplomatic. Are you okay?'

'I lost two of the blades.'

Behind them Rayna shrieked louder and louder, insisting on retribution for the attack. He ignored her.

'What do you mean lost?'

'They zoomed off around the tents. She caught me by surprise when I went looking for them.'

Ahh. That's how she did it. Alek removed the ice for a moment and gave Cat's forehead a gentle kiss.

'Better?' he teased with a soft smile. He gave the ice back to Sian and turned to face Rayna.

'Where are the blades?'

The woman stopped mid shriek to stare at him. 'What?'

'The blades, Rayna, where are they? I know you pulled them around.'

Rayna scowled at him. 'She's broken my nose. I demand justice.'

'Are you accusing an Elemental of an unprovoked attack? If you are, I'll summon the Sorceress here to play the reflection for all to see.'

She flushed red and glared at him. There was a long silence while he stared back unmoved.

'How could you do this to me?' Seeing that anger hadn't worked, she tried tears and burst into loud sobs. No-one watching budged, most had witnessed her antics before.

'Now, Rayna. Hand them over.' He didn't want to waste any more time on this.

Rayna stopped sobbing and glared at him, then ripped the two blades out of a pocket and hurled them to the ground before marching off, flinging insults over a shoulder. Those watching began to laugh at the retreating woman and Alek stooped to grab the blades. He grinned at Cat.

'Here you go.' He snapped them onto the sleeve. She gave a pleased smile, admiring the sleeve again and then took his hand.

WE MOVED OFF TO LOOK at other stalls and everyone ignored the minor incident. The ice Sian gave me helped and the original headache faded to a trifling throb. Loi and Sabyn had decided to walk with us again, and we headed toward stalls with exotic animals. We froze at one, mesmerized by a large red bird in an ornate cage.

'Is that a phoenix?' It looked like it was molting. We stood closer for a better look and jumped in surprise when it squawked at us. It didn't sound as pretty as it looked.

'Yes,' replied Alek. 'But they're not a great idea for a pet. You have to keep them away from anything flammable and they make a huge mess of ashes when they do regenerate.'

'And the smell is awful.' Rumal watched the bird, his arms around Kassie. 'It'll stink the room out for months.'

'I thought that as one of the symbols on your shield, they'd be a favorite?' I looked at Alek. He shrugged.

'I like them well enough in the wild, but some creatures aren't meant to be pets.'

We continued around the stalls while the men discreetly pointed out other creatures.

'AND THAT'S A NISALPH,' RUMAL informed them in quiet tones while the girls watched the female. 'One of the kitchen helpers in the castle is part nisalph and you can recognize the green hair and green tinge to the skin. They usually live in trees, deep in the forest. Wood cutters always have to check before cutting down a tree, in case it's a nisalph's tree. Otherwise they can be very nasty.'

'Oh I saw him,' exclaimed Kassie. 'You mean Geldin, right?'

Rumal nodded.

They moved to another stall and examined the wares. Alek queried about the disk map again. The owner nodded and turned to collect one.

'It'll be very useful to the four of you,' Alek explained, inspecting the quality of the disk. After paying for it he passed to it Cat and the girls crowded close to have a look.
32

I STARED DOWN AT IT. About the size of a small side plate and around the same thickness, the disk map had a dark wood back and a polished black stone front, like obsidian. As the four of us stared at it, a picture began to develop. The image showed an aerial view of the markets and surrounding forest for several kilometers and a variety of colored dots in the market area.

'YOU'RE THE RED DOT, CAT,' Alek explained, looking over their heads. 'Who ever holds the disk will always appear on it as the red dot.'

'What are the other colors then?' asked Loi.

'Humans appear as brown dots, gifted creatures show gold, woodland creatures show green, the blue dots are water creatures and so on. Any black dots means the disk map hasn't come across them before.'

'But it's easy enough to train,' the stall owner butted in, anxious to prove its qualities. 'When you get close to whatever is causing the black dot you show the disk it by turning the polished face to the creature. It will then categorize it and remember it in the future.'

They nodded in acknowledgment and peered at it again. A mix of colored dots showed. They had fun looking at the map, then back up to the actual creature.

'Wow!'

Sian looked at where Cat looked and gasped softly. A group of centaurs moved past the stalls on the other side of the market. They looked just like she would have expected. Their ears were pointy and twitched like a horse's but sat where a human's ear would be and in proportion. The young centaurs (foals?) that ducked around the adults were adorable.

WE MOVED ON EXCHANGING IMPRESSED looks.

'So graceful,' murmured Kassie.

'And natural looking,' Loi shook her head. 'Very bizarre really.'

'Only for us,' said Sian, her eyes still fixed on them.

I continued to watch them and admired the unique clothing the females wore. Most wore fitted vests or tunic style tops but one had what looked like scarves, twisted and tied. When a very young centaur headed toward her it became apparent why. The female knelt to the ground in a fluid move and untied a knot at her shoulder, exposing her breast so the youngster could feed. We hastily looked away and instead glanced at a stall we stood near. The delighted stall owner chatted away to Alek, clearly thrilled at having the Prince there.

'My goodness, that Rayna is an isanith. You know she has a new male she's interested in? Yes, she only recently moved in with him.'

ALEK SHOOK HIS HEAD. THAT figured, he thought, I'm glad I called it off with her. He conversed politely with the stall owner for a few moments before they moved on. Cat had listened to the conversation and frowned again. He gave her hand a squeeze and arched an eyebrow when she glanced up.

'Hmm?'

'What's an isanith?'

Alek chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, steering her past Rayna's stall and toward some jewelry stalls.

ALEK HERDED ME TOWARD A jewelry stall while he explained.

'An isanith is a type of faerie. There are hundreds of different types of fae, but the isanith is a pretty basic version. It hunts insects and will even kill other faerie if they're small enough and not quick to get away. They have a nasty bite and a sting.'

'Eww. They sound like wasps, are they considered a pest?'

'Depends on where they are,' he smiled at me. 'They can be very useful to farmers if they've had an infestation of wetans or deni. But if they found a hive near their house then they'd get rid of it.'

'Oooh, pretty.' I forgot the conversation in an instant and beamed at the gorgeous jewelry on display, making Alek chuckle. The girls and I examined each piece, to the obvious delight of the stall owner.

THE MEN INSISTED ON BUYING a piece for each of the women, though Cat refused to let Alek. Sian felt bad for him and touched his arm when Cat was preoccupied with examining something.

'Buy her a piece to wear at the ball and surprise her with it, she'll love it.' She helped him pick out a piece.

Kassie went to Cat's side to make sure she stayed distracted while they selected the jewelry. Sian felt pleased to see Alek giving the stall owner a genuine smile as she wrapped up the pieces and he turned to Sian.

'Thanks, it's a great idea.'

She beamed, happy to have done something that would make them both smile.

DARON FELT A TWINGE OF annoyance at not having thought of surprising Sian. Sabyn gave him a wry look which said the same. They followed the others to where Cat and Kassie stood. They'd bought food from a selection of stalls for their lunch and explored the other half of the market while they ate. When they approached a clothing stall, Daron felt Sian stop short and tug his hand. He looked down but she stared at something across from them.

'Daron, what's that?' She had her head cocked, studying it.

He looked across and spotted what had caught her attention. It appeared at first glance to be a normal human female. But as you studied it, you got the idea something wasn't quite right.

'Rumal, look at that. Haven't seen one of those in a while.'

Rumal glanced over and whistled softly when he saw it. 'Do you think the griff's have spotted it?'

About to answer no, Daron spotted Loushka. She watched the female with a playful turn to her head, her tail swishing in the manner of a mischievous cat.

'Umm, Alek,' he called warningly.

ALEK'S HEAD SNAPPED UP FROM looking at me.

'Uh-oh.'

'What?' I looked around confused. Why were they staring at the woman over there? Hold on, I thought, she looks a little odd. What is she?

I watched along with everyone else when Loushka and the other griffons surrounded it. The crowd at the market seemed to know what was about to happen and moved out of the way. The woman started to get agitated and tried to dart around the griffons, but they were too quick, catching her and pushing her back amongst them. She opened her mouth and ... squawked.

'WHAT?' THE GIRLS SPOKE TOGETHER while they stared at it in surprise.

Loushka gave it a hard nudge and it stumbled across into Nesha, who shoved it across to Kerak. They continued playing this monkey-in-the-middle game while the creature got angrier and angrier. It screamed in fury and appeared to explode.

WE GAPED AT THE SLENDER and furious dragon which snapped and snarled at the griffons who regarded it with amusement. It lunged at Kerak and bit his leg hard. I heard a strange deep rumble and realized the griffon growled. The dragon quickly let go of Kerak's leg and stumbled back on its hind legs. The strange looking dragon made a jerky bowing motion to the griffons who then allowed it to walk out. I watched, fascinated. It had dark yellow scaly skin, much scalier than Nnelg's, and its hind legs reminded me of a dinosaur. Actually it looked like a raptor of some kind, with an upright body and longer forearms.

Grumbling, it stalked past us and headed for the woods. Just before it reached the woods it stopped. We could hear the sound of energy rising.

Before our eyes it transformed back into the form of a human woman and marched off into the woods.

'WHAT WAS THAT?' LOI DEMANDED to Sabyn.

'A quern. A shape-shifting dragon.'

That impressed Loi.

'Can it change into anything else?'

'Yes, they usually only take a human shape if they're attempting to breed with a human.'

Loi's eyebrows shot up at that. 'Why would they want to?'

'They have their reasons,' Sabyn winked at her. 'Which vary greatly, so I couldn't tell you. You could go ask if you like.' He laughed at the narrow look she gave him.

IT WAS AN INTERESTING END to the day and gave us lots to chat about over dinner and before bed. The incident with Rayna had left nothing but a brief bruise that Elena dealt with when we arrived home. I was so pleased. Today had been wonderful. It felt like I'd actually seen things and mingled with the real creatures of Elion, and I loved the disk map Alek had bought us. I needed to learn more place names so I could ask it to show me them. I drifted off to sleep in complete satisfaction, actually looking forward to training.

ELENA DECIDED TO HAVE US practice on control this week.

'We have the ball at the end of the week and I do not want you too exhausted.'

Compared to the previous weeks training, this week was laid back. The look on Iggy's face when a page interrupted our weapons training to lead us to our scheduled beauty session was classic.

'What?' he half roared at the nonplussed looking page.

'A beauty session in preparation for the ball, of course,' the page informed him. 'It will include a dress fitting. The Archduchess requested it.'

Lieutenant Patel managed to keep a straight face but Lieutenant Rashid appeared to bite the inside of his cheeks. Iggy turned a rather ruddy red and almost shrieked.

'I nearly have respect for them and then they leave training for a _beauty_ session?'

'Yes,' snapped the page. 'Now, if you please, we're running late.'

The four of us made a point to flutter our fingers in farewell at Iggy when we left. I winked at Rashid who'd begun to laugh.

It felt like we were being readied for the Oscars with all the preparation. I was grateful they didn't appear to have anything like fake-tan here and that being white (practically glow in the dark) was acceptable. We were scrubbed, and oiled, and massaged: all of it so very good! The lovely assistants at the beautens worked miracles. Our aches and pains from the month's training disappeared and we shone. They even attended to our hair, and my hair had never felt so silky before. Somehow they encouraged it to stay in long tangled ringlets, it looked gorgeous and the expression on Alek's face when he saw me that evening certainly gratified me. We caught up with Ada at the end of our beauty session and she had us try the gowns on. After hearing how much I liked green she had chosen a shade she thought matched my eyes and I stood with my eyes wide while she adjusted it.

'Perfect! An exact match.' Then she set to making sure the dress fitted. When she moved on to Loi, I walked to a mirror to admire it. She was right. The intense green matched my eyes precisely. Ada had done an amazing job with the dress; a strapless design with a fitted bodice she'd reinforced so I wouldn't need extra support. It twisted around my waist, making it look smaller and flared out into a fuller skirt. The fabric had a delicate sheen, like silk. I carefully sat and watched while she fitted Loi's dress. She'd used a brilliant shade of red, with just enough depth to flatter Loi's olive skin and the style was perfect. It had small, off the shoulder sleeves and the bust was gathered and sculpted, making her chest appear bigger without revealing too much. Then it glided over her figure from under the bust, hinting at her waist and hips. It looked incredibly regal.

'Loi, you look like a Queen,' I said with a smile.

She flushed in pleasure. 'Thanks.'

We changed out of our dresses and Ada took them away for safe keeping. Now Sian and Kassie had their turn, Loi joined me on the sofa to watch. Sian's dress was a blue halter-neck. The wide ribbon that held the dress up at her throat made her neck look longer and the fabric gently glided down and around to the back, so that the dress was fully backless. It looked almost more daring than her dance dress and fit snug at the waist. The skirt of the dress fitted tightly at the top, like a mini skirt, then from mid-thigh flared out. The back of the skirt hit the ground and the front rose up to mid-calf. Loi and I applauded with enthusiasm. Sian laughed and spun in front of the mirror.

'Honestly, Ada, I don't know what we did before we met you. Everything you make is dream-like.'

Ada flushed and went quiet, fussing over some fabric.

Kassie came out of the dressing room, taking the attention off Ada while we all oohed and ahhed over her dress. A beautiful antique gold fabric shaped into a one shoulder dress. It draped in a way that minimized her bust, stopping a top-heavy look. The twisting around the waist appeared similar to mine and then the dress finished on an angle, starting above her right knee and finishing mid-calf on her left leg, the ideal length for Kass, flattering her figure and not emphasizing her height or chest.

'The inspiration was your dance dress, Cat,' Ada said. 'I'd never thought of finishing a garment on an angle before.'

'Ideas we're good at,' Sian said with a laugh. 'It's the actual sewing we find a little more difficult.'

We spent the next day with Elena at the training circle. Again just practicing control; how quickly we could summon energy, how long we could hold a position for—even doing maneuvers with our eyes closed. Tiring and time consuming work, but I could feel the improvements. It began to feel like second nature to bring forth our energies. This in turn meant we could sense one another more, and we even began to anticipate each other's intentions.

When I fell into bed that night, with Audi already snoring away beside my bed, it hit me.

The ball was in just three days. We had weapons training tomorrow and then two days in which the castle became even more chaotic with preparations. On the eve of the second day was the ball, after which, we would start our normal life at the castle and fulfill Elena's expectations, as protectors of the Realm.

I could feel the beginning of a panic attack while images of what had happened in the last month bombarded me. I sat up, ripping the covers back.

Breathe. In out. In out.

I kept the chant up in my head, trying to keep quiet so I didn't disturb the others. Audrey sat upright a moment after I did and cuddled against my leg, her head on my thigh as she studied me with a concerned expression. I smiled down at her and stroked her head.

'Beautiful girl,' I cooed, feeling the anxiety lift a little. Her tail swished and she gave me little kisses on the nose then nibbled it, something she did on rare occasions, making me giggle. Feeling calmer, I climbed back into bed.

One day at a time, Cat, just take it one day at a time.
33

AT THE SAME TIME HE'D arrived in our last weapons training session, the page arrived again. Everyone froze for an instant.

'What?' Iggy growled loudly. 'Again? Come on this is ridiculous.'

Our men and the other Lieutenants gave him narrow looks. Sabyn went to open his mouth but the page interrupted him.

'No sir, it's your turn. The fabricer has requested the company of the Lieutenants for their fittings.'

There was a moment of silence. I exchanged amused glances with the girls. Sian stepped forward and struck a tragic pose, the back of her wrist to her forehead and in a very bad French accent declared.

'Whaz? Whaz eez theeze? Argh. Non non, eet ezz impozeble—Ve moost practice.'

Kassie and I started laughing while all the men's jaws dropped. Loi decided to join Sian and began to shake her finger at Iggy, her other hand on her hip.

'Ouw can ve ever beelef ouh are seriouz? Non, zez cannot do.'

Everyone laughed hard while Iggy gave us his best death stare and turned, marching off down the corridor. Hiccupping with laughter the rest of them followed, along with the somewhat disturbed looking page.

At dinner that evening, Rumal and Daron had the room in fits of laughter with their impersonation of the day's performance.

The next day was a free day. I meant to sleep late but thanks to my very accurate body clock woke at dawn like usual. The others slept soundly while Audi and I crept out of the room. I would've liked to have found Alek and gone for a run, but he'd told me yesterday that all the guys would be busy for the next couple of days. So other than at dinner I wouldn't get to see him. It didn't improve the butterflies that'd taken up residence in my stomach. I sighed and Audi nudged my hand, I smiled down at her and gave her ears a good scratch.

'Even Nnelg is too busy to keep us company.'

Audi's ears perked at the dragon's name then drooped. Nnelg must have explained it to her. They seemed to communicate well, though I'd no idea how. As long as it works for them, I thought and clucked my tongue at her, indicating with my head which way to go. The run around the inner gate was pleasant at this time of the day and a variety of birds sung out their greetings. It gave me another pang of homesickness. I really missed the sound of the tui, kereru and fantails we heard in New Zealand. I'd never hear them again.

The butterflies in my stomach made me feel queasy. I stopped running, leaning against a tree for a breather. A crashing sound made me snap my head up, looking for Audrey. She stood beside me and stayed tense and ready while the sound grew closer.

'Helloo.'

I relaxed, relieved and pleased.

'Yakov. I thought I was the only one crazy enough to be out here at this time.' I grinned at the red faced man.

He laughed at me. 'Ha. This isn't even early. Normally I run when the moon is still up. You've got nothing on me.'

'Mind if I join you?'

'Not at all,' he panted. 'Come on then.'

We raced off down the track, managing a brief conversation.

'Looking forward to the ball?' he gasped out.

'Yes,' pause. 'And no.'

'Why not?' Yakov asked in surprise.

'Because after the ball we begin with our real roles.'

'Ahh.'

We fell quiet when we started up a bit of a climb. At the top, having passed through the gate, Yakov turned to me.

'It will be a very interesting position.'

'Oh I don't doubt it. It might sound silly, but I find it unnerving to only look at things from one way. Having it spread out in front of us, so... so cut and dry,' I paused. 'It just feels weird.'

Yakov considered this for a moment. 'You're saying you're nervous because it feels too easy?'

It did sound silly when he said it like that. I sighed.

'Don't let it stress you, Cat. It is a position that will allow you to travel all over the world and of course, you'll be at Alek's side all the time. I know this training period has been intense, but it's been necessary.'

I gave a curt nod. 'I do understand. It's just all been such a rapid change that it has left me feeling a bit... lost.'

Yakov continued to study me then suggested.

'Why don't we spend the morning together after breakfast? I know Alek and the other men are busy. We can talk through your concerns.'

I agreed and headed off to shower and change. When I got in the others still slept, not waking while I got ready then slipped back out the door with Audi. Few of us sat in the Great Hall, making breakfast unusually quiet. It felt odd to sit at the end table without Alek and all the others. Even Elena was absent. We ate quickly then Yakov decided to take me on a tour of the castle.

'Alek's already taken me on a tour,' I objected.

Yakov laughed. 'You could walk this castle for a good month and still have not seen everything. I shall take you on the Royal Tour.'

That sounded interesting. Audi and I stuck to Yakov's side. He led us up one of the turrets to the third floor and we wandered along the corridor.

'As you know, this floor only has one main corridor, unlike the second and first floors. It's solely for those of Royal status or the advisors closest to them, like the Griffon Guard or the Elementals. You've seen both those quarters, so I will show you the Royal quarters.'

We headed down the corridor past our own quarters and continued until we reached a door. Yakov produced a key, unlocked it and ushered me in.

The furnishings on this side of the door looked very elegant. Ornate lamps on beautiful side tables dotted the walls and portraits of people in elegant garb hung above them. I paused at a portrait of a young boy with blue black hair and stunning blue eyes, an older man with lighter blue eyes and brown hair clasping his shoulder. Both wore formal uniforms but genuine smiles graced their faces. Yakov stood beside me and smiled at the portrait.

'Alek would have been eight when that was painted.'

I stared at it feeling a twinge of pain at knowing that only two years later, Alek had lost his dad. We continued down the corridor until we reached a set of elaborate doors. A guard stood at either side and they bowed when we approached, pulling the doors open.

'This was the late Queen's quarters.'

We entered into a foyer and I spotted a beautiful portrait of a wooded area. The artist had done an incredible job, it looked so real.

'Do you like it?' Yakov stood beside me while I studied the picture.

'I love it. It's so realistic.' I'd swear I could count the leaves.

'It's an area in the Scrodian Mountains, Queen Ariadwen loved that spot,' he said, a nostalgic look in his eyes. 'Which is why King Nikias commissioned this painting. Have you seen an enchanted frame before?' Yakov arched an eyebrow at me.

I shook my head. 'No, what do you mean?'

He pointed at the picture and I leaned closer. I gasped when I spotted the faerie flittering around a bush.

'What's that?'

'That is faerie feeding on the nectar of that jurven bush. You're able to see them because the frame is enchanted. King Nikias got it for his Queen when she was pregnant with Alek and couldn't safely travel to her favorite holiday spot.'

I almost had my nose to it now. 'Are they expensive?'

'Yes, it is a difficult spell to cast, so they are quite rare.'

'Could Elena do it?'

Yakov frowned. 'Of course, but it wouldn't be appropriate to ask the Archduchess for something so frivolous.'

I bit my lip. Oops, hadn't meant to insult her.

'I'm sorry. I've just been wondering how powerful Elena is?'

He gave me a sideways look. 'Very. Now, let me show you the rest of the apartments.'

He led the way while I admired everything. I couldn't get over how much space was set aside for just one person.

'This is just the Queen's quarters? She wouldn't share them?'

'No.' Yakov smiled at my surprise. 'The King has his own separate quarters, and there's the Royal nursery and rooms for any Royal children.'

'Why do they need so much space?'

'They don't, but this castle was built by the Thalian line, these rooms were set aside for the Queen and so they have stayed since. It's appropriate.' He shrugged. 'Other realms have even larger areas set aside for their royalty.'

My eyebrows shot up at that. We peeked into King Nikias' quarters and laughed when Audi thought she'd found something. She seemed rather disappointed to discover the dragon she'd stalked was just a toy.

'It was one of Alek's favorites,' Yakov explained when I examined the green and purple soft toy. I placed it down in front of Audi who sniffed at it then shoved it over and ignored it. We chuckled and then Yakov led us down an internal corridor, pointing out the nursery and the school room.

'And that is Alek's room.' Yakov winked mischievously at me. 'Want to have a look?' He laughed when I flushed red.

'No. Alek will show me when he wants me to see it.'

When I walked back into our quarters I found the girls awake and piled onto Sian's bed, chatting.

'Where've you been, Cat?' asked Loi.

'Yakov gave me a tour of the rest of this floor.'

I wandered over and climbed on the bed, then told them about the beautiful picture. It inspired us to make a trip to the library—finally—and we spent the rest of the day there. It made for a good distraction with us nervous at the idea of starting our new, _official_ lives and it gave me something else to think about when I fell into bed that night.

We didn't say much when we woke and dealt with the usual morning stuff then walked to breakfast together. The Great Hall buzzed with activity as we neared it. Servants worked on opening the walls between the ballrooms and the throne room. The castle had two ballrooms divided by the main corridor, and the walls on the corridor were bi-folding so that the two rooms could be linked for large events. The throne room linked to the outer most ballroom, which overlooked the woodland area between the castle and inner gate. Stacks of the long, tall, silver framed mirrors that we'd seen in one of the ballrooms leaned against the walls.

'Those must be going to line all the walls,' Loi said while we watched the frenetic activity in awe. 'Looks like it'll be quite a night.'

The butterflies in my stomach seemed to be changing from nerves to excitement, and I smiled at the others.

'I think I'm looking forward to it.'

We made our way to our normal seats, delighted to see Citaan and Gredel there.

'Hello. We wondered when we'd see you.'

Citaan looked amazing, like usual, with her baby bump more pronounced. She smiled. 'We thought it would be easier to come over early on and get ready in the Griffon Guard quarters. That way we can avoid the rush and dealing with security.'

We settled down to breakfast when Kassie glanced up and gave a tiny squeal. I looked up to see the men had walked in and felt a huge grin break out on my face.

ALEK FELT THE TENSION THAT had bothered him dissolve at the sight of Cat's delighted smile. She raced over and threw her arms around his neck, pulling his head down for a kiss. Loud clapping and cheering brought him back to his senses and he gave a sheepish smile to their audience when they parted.

'Happy Birthday,' she beamed up at him.

'Thanks,' he smiled. 'Are you excited about the ball?'

She wrinkled her nose, making him chuckle. 'I wasn't, but I am now.'

'Awww, did you miss me?'

She threw him a coy sidelong glance. 'Maybe.'

BREAKFAST FLEW BY AND AFTERWARD we headed to the solar. Alek and I were last, following Gredel and Citaan up the turret. Poor Gredel stressed about everything it seemed and insisted on holding Citaan's arm while she climbed the stairs. When we reached the top he rushed to get her a seat at the table. She flicked a glance our way that read both exasperation and love.

I wandered over to the windows and looked out at the Anguem range. The view of the mountains looked amazing, they really had situated the castle well. Spying a small door set in one of the windows, I peered out; it led to a narrow balcony I hadn't noticed before.

'What's that for?' I glanced at Alek.

He looked to where I pointed.

'That's for archers, in the event that the enemy makes it past the inner gate.'

I nodded and stepped closer to the window for a better look. 'It looks rather narrow.'

'It isn't a design feature, Cat. It's for just in case. Do you want to have a look?' He opened the little door and led the way out. The others edged along behind us and we stood in a row. If I thought the view good inside, it didn't compare to this. I clutched tight to the waist high railing and looked over the edge. The forest that grew in the space between the castle and inner gate didn't seem so dense from up here; I could just make out the guards on patrol. A squeak from Sian and a shuffling motion from the guys announced Audi's arrival as she squeezed past them. Reaching my side she carefully stood with her front paws clinging to the rail, so she could see what we looked at. It started everyone chuckling. Sabyn reached out to ruffle her ears.

'Nosey creature,' he scolded her. 'Nearly shove us off just to satisfy your curiosity.'

THE MORNING WENT BY FAST and it seemed far too soon that they had to go and get ready. Kassie clung tight to Rumal for a moment when he bent to embrace her.

'Not long,' he said, his molten eyes creased in affection.

She nodded back, unable to speak due to the lump in her throat. Not long. It brought the jitter of nerves back but they were whirled off to get ready. The Beautens bustled with people when the girls walked in.

I CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE snooty Countess I'd met when we'd first arrived; she pointedly ignored me. Not a problem, I thought, I'd rather not have to talk to you anyway.

It wasn't until they moved me to the hair stylist's seat that I realized Melanite sat beside me.

'Melanite!'

She laughed. 'I saw you all when you first came in, did you only just notice me?'

'Oh I'm sorry, I'm totally away with the fairies at the moment.'

Drat. I'd forgotten they exist here.

The confused look on her face amused me; she shrugged away my weird comment. We chatted away and I noticed Loi and Sian talking to a couple of the girls we'd met in Gartoll.

'How big an event is this usually?'

'I would expect a couple of thousand to attend. Dignitaries from all over Elion and even further will come.'

'Really? How will they travel here?' I asked.

She thought about it. 'I know that those coming from Delanta and Lanion arrived in Elion last week. They'll be getting ready in the town, and there may be a few who are brought in by the Griffon Guard.'

The stylist tapped my shoulder and I had to turn away.

LOI ADMIRED HER HAIR IN the mirror. The stylist had teased the top of her hair and smoothed it over then clipped the top half of her hair back. She preferred to have her hair loose, so this made a good compromise and meant she could have a pretty clip too. The stylist ushered her over to a couch where Sian sat, so she could move on to her next client. Sian's hair had been teased like hers, and drawn into a high pony tail, highlighting her cheekbones.

'You pleased?' Loi arched an eyebrow at her.

Sian smiled and ran a hand over it. 'I am, it's very sleek. It'll look great with my dress.'

They both fell silent, observing the chaos as stylists raced around, tripping over one another, clients voicing loud opinions about each other's hair and make-up.

'It nearly reminds me of our last night on Earth,' Sian said nostalgically. 'Just crazier.'

Eventually Kassie and Cat were done, and the four of them walked back to their room. The corridors and turret were crowded with guests and staff dashing about. Slipping into their room they closed the doors with relief. Ada had dropped their dresses off and they hung from each of their dressing table mirrors, a pair of matching shoes below.

WE HAD ABOUT AN HOUR to kill leaving me pacing the floor in nervous anticipation. I couldn't lie down thanks to my hair; curled and then pinned so it cascaded down like a waterfall. I was to wear it draped over one shoulder, the stylist had insisted after she gushed over the color. It made me laugh. Sure, my hair was pretty but with the fabulous blues, greens and violets I'd seen today I didn't think it compared. The stylist had shrugged and informed me red hair was unique.

So I still stood out. Even on a different world. Figures.

Audrey could sense my mood and it made her agitated. I studied her for a moment.

What will I do with her this evening?

As I pondered, a knock sounded on the door. I was surprised to find Ada there.

'What are you doing with Audrey tonight?' she asked, seeming a little anxious.

My jaw dropped. 'Do you read minds too?' I asked in amusement.

'N-n-no-o,' she stuttered. 'It's just, I haven't a partner this evening and I intend on leaving early. Everyone's focus will be on the ballroom. I'd feel so much safer if Audi was with me. Would you mind if she stayed over in my room?'

I almost laughed at the look of concern in her eyes; she'd solved my problem in an instant.

'Audi, do you want to visit with Ada?' I smiled down at my furry critter who ignored me while she fussed over the diminutive fabricer. The other girls laughed and I said, 'I think that'll be fine.'

'Will she behave at the ball?'

I blinked in surprise. 'The ball?'

'Yes, I want to take her as my partner.' Ada giggled, an impish look in her eyes.

'Umm, I think so. Perhaps put her on a leash so she can't wander off.'

Ada excitedly said, 'Oh I have a whole outfit planned for her. She's going to look beautiful.' She cooed at the dog, and I watched the two of them walk off.
34

TIME SEEMED TO VANISH WHILE we rushed about to get dressed, while making any final touches. As I checked myself over in the mirror a heavy knock announced the men's arrival. Everyone froze for an instant and stared at one another, giggling like silly sixteen-year old's. My anxiety vanished replaced by super excited butterflies. The others seemed to feel it too, Loi and Kassie hopped with excitement.

'Sssshh!' hissed Sian when she headed for the door and we assumed poised faces. I could feel the hysteria rise in my chest as I focused on the door and not on Loi, who shook with suppressed laughter. The hilarity dissolved when we watched the men enter. They wore what must be their formal uniforms and looked amazing. I'm sure I just gaped at Alek for a good few minutes. The uniforms were black double-breasted collarless blazers and slim straight leg pants. Silver accentuated the black with three bands on either wrist, a stripe down each leg and on the front edge of their blazers. Even the row of buttons fastening the blazer were silver. A red epaulette on each shoulder and black leather ankle boots finished the look. Being the royal member of the guard, Alek had a sash added to his uniform. Caught at the epaulette on his left shoulder it came across to his right hip and was red with bands of color in the middle.

ALEK SMILED DOWN AT CAT, who hadn't spoken a word for several minutes. She looked beautiful. The green dress showed off her figure to perfection and the color looked stunning on her. He felt a sudden pang of nerves. It almost made him laugh, of all the things to make him nervous, it was this woman who stood before him.

THE OTHERS CHATTED AND MADE their way out of our room while Alek and I still stared at each other. I listened as their voices grew faint then arched an eyebrow at Alek and broke the silence.

'So?' I spun in front of him. 'Whatcha think?'

His dark blue eyes fastened on mine as he stepped closer. 'Beautiful. Indescribably so.'

I flushed in pleasure. He reached out and gently traced his fingers from my forehead to chin making me shiver. Then he tipped my chin up and ducked his head to mine. The intense kiss made my head swim. Feeling me sway, he tightened his arms around me, deepening the kiss.

PULLING AWAY, HE HELD CAT for a moment before setting her back on her feet. Then he led her to the long seat at the dresser and placed a jewelry case in front of her.

I STARED BLANKLY AT THE large velvet case he'd set on the dresser surface.

'What's this?'

He smiled. 'Open it.'

SHE GAVE HIM A LOOK of concern and bit her lip. Then she reached, picking the case up and eased it open. Sucking a breath in, she gasped at its contents.

Alek felt thrilled. He'd seen several sets he thought she might like, but Sian had said this was the one. The look on Cat's face told him she'd been right. Unable to resist any longer he demanded, 'Do you like it?'

I TORE MY EYES AWAY from the glittering stones in the case to find Alek regarding me. His expression read pride, hope and a teensy bit of doubt. I got all teary and laughed.

'Yes, yes! Alek,' I paused as I looked down at them again. 'They're beautiful.'

He laughed with obvious relief and delight.

'Oh good. I was sure you'd like them.' He reached out and lifted the necklace, draping it around my neck then fastened it. We both stared into the mirror, admiring the effect. I slipped the earrings on.

I don't think I'd ever seen anything like these pieces before and I'd certainly never owned anything like them. The most extravagant pieces of jewelry I owned were the beautiful gold leaf earrings I'd left on Earth and the amber ring Elena gave me. But these pieces I wore. _Wow_. They took my breath away.

The necklace was crafted from what looked like blackened silver. It was made up of pieces that were shaped into twists, resembling leaves and at the mouth of each curved leaf sat a vibrant purple, faceted amethyst. The leaves gathered together to create an inch wide band. At the front, more leaves gathered so it widened into an inverted triangle. From the tip of the triangle a large teardrop cabochon amethyst hung. The entire necklace glittered with amethysts. The earrings were each a twisted leaf shape, with an amethyst dangling from it. I touched the necklace gently, feeling the edges of the leaves and the smooth, cool surfaces of the faceted stones. I really wanted to take it off so I could study it but knew we didn't have time.

Twisting around on the seat until I faced Alek, I knelt. Because he sat on the bench seat too it meant that my collar bone was at his eye level.

'Do you like?' I purred, well aware that he'd be able to get a good view of my cleavage.

Really, what's the point of having it if you never make use of it?

ALEK SMOTHERED THE LAUGHTER HE felt at Cat's teasing. Instead, he placed a soft kiss on the white skin just above her breasts and smirked when she gasped.

'You know I do.' Before he could chicken out he pulled her back to sitting then spoke, 'Cat.'

He swallowed and tried again.

'Catherine, when we enter the ball together, people will assume something about us. So I wanted to give you the option either way.'

She nodded at him, an expression of concern in her eyes.

'It's just, well, you see, I've never entered an official reception with ah, a woman before and...'

I STARED AT HIM, WILLING him to spit it out already. The nervous butterflies had returned tenfold and having Alek dither about whatever this issue was made me feel ill.

'Alek. Please, what's the problem?'

'They'll assume we're betrothed.'

CAT'S EYES WENT WIDE. 'WHAT? Who? And why?'

'Everyone. If we enter the ball together, it will be taken as an official announcement.'

She sat back, silently staring down at her hands.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I didn't really know what to say, it felt like an awful lot to be confronted with.

Or was it? Thoughts pinged around my mind as I considered that fateful night we cast the spell. Breaking the silence I asked quietly, 'Do you not want to be betrothed to me?'

Alek gaped at me.

'What? No. I mean.' He shook his head, then stood and looked down at me. 'I don't want to force it on you, that's why I'm explaining. If it isn't a choice you can consider at the moment I'll understand. Yakov would lead you into the ball. But, Cat.' he paused and then bent to one knee before me. Both the voices in my mind shrieked in unison while I stared at him in shock.

'Catherine, I love you. I would be honored beyond measure if you'd agree to be my betrothed. I know I made you doubt me, but truly, Cat, I've known you were the one from the moment I met you. Even if you change your mind later, it'll be worth it. Every moment with you is worth it.'

THE SILENCE FELT STARTLINGLY LOUD while he waited for her response, heart pounding with nerves. Her eyes were wide and her face white as she stared at him. Then her energy flushed out around her, a rich and vibrant red. She squeezed his hand as a tear trickled down either cheek.

'Alek,' her voice sounded hoarse and she paused to clear her throat.

I WASN'T SURE I COULD breathe and felt almost scared to, lest I burst into tears. His words sung through me and my energy flared brighter and brighter when I tried to speak again, my heart hammering away.

'I.'

The tears started to slip down my cheeks in earnest as I choked the words out.

'I love you. I don't want to lose you. You mean...' I took a deep breath. 'You mean everything to me. I'm terrified at the idea of being betrothed and at the same time so, so excited.' I gulped and nodded hard, making my ringlets bounce.

'Yes. I'm saying yes.'

THE SENSE OF RELIEF AND the accompanying surge of delight made Alek feel lightheaded. He beamed at Cat who glowed still, though a much softer shade of red now. They stared at each other shyly and he reached for a cloth on the dressing table and gently dabbed at her tears. She squeezed his hand, then moved toward him as he pulled her onto his knee. Their mouths met in a passionate kiss, her arms locked around his neck and hands buried in his hair.

'I love you,' he whispered in her ear when they parted, feeling a thrill of joy at saying those words to her. Her energy pulsed around them and they laughed. She stroked his face, gazing into his eyes with an expression of wonder.

'Love you too.'

Realizing he'd forgotten something important, he lifted her onto the seat.

'Wait a moment, there's something I need to give you.'

I DIDN'T WANT TO BE on the seat; I wanted to be in his arms. I sat at the edge, watching while he fumbled through his pockets.

'Aha!' he found whatever it was and grinned at me, that sexy, crooked grin I loved.

I beamed and reached my arms out to him.

'No, no.' He shook his finger at me teasingly when I pouted. 'We've got to do this right.' He knelt again and held out his hand. He looked amused when I stared at him in confusion.

'GIVE ME YOUR HAND, CAT.'

She held out her left hand and he slipped it on the fourth finger, smiling at her. Her mouth dropped as she stared at the ring.

'I knew it would match!' he said in satisfaction.

'What?'

'The tourmaline is the same color as your eyes.'

Cat stared at the ring and he sat beside her on the seat, still holding her hand.

'Do you like it?'

DO I?!

I just got used to the beautiful necklace and earrings and then he gives me this. It was absolutely stunning and a perfect fit. A large oval tourmaline, the same deep green as my eyes, surrounded by colorless diamonds that continued over the band; absolutely stunning—and enormous! I nodded, feeling more tears well and snatched the cloth, dabbing at them before they ruined my make-up.

'I love it. It's so beautiful.' I held my hand up to admire it again.

HER HAND SHOOK WHEN SHE stared at the ring again then gave him a breathtakingly beautiful smile. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her head under his.

'Shh,' he soothed, understanding how she felt. 'We don't have to rush there, they'll wait for us. It's my ball.'

She hiccupped and laughed. 'True.'

YOU COULD HEAR THE HUM of the guests when we approached the ballroom. An assistant waited with the guards at the door. As soon as he spotted us he rushed up.

'Your Highness. We're ready. The Archduchess would like to begin. Lady Catherine.' He nodded to me then turned to the guards.

'Lady Catherine?' I looked at Alek in surprise.

'I'll explain later,' he hissed as the guards pulled the doors open. 'But yes, you and the other girls officially have the title Lady.'

Okay. Another thing to add to tonight's insane list of FYI's. We both stood straight for our entrance. I slipped my hand into the crook of his arm, feeling self-conscious when the ring twinkled in the light; I can't believe I'm betrothed!

AS SOON AS SHE SIGHTED Alek, Elena gave the signal to the musicians, who drummed out the Thalian anthem. The stunned look of delight on his face told her the answer she'd been waiting for, that and the sparkle from Cat's ring. Queen Ariadwen's ring looked stunning on the girl, just as she knew it would. Yakov touched her arm lightly and they exchanged a quick look of delight, then she stepped forward to announce them.

'Presenting, His Royal Highness, Prince Alekander Nikias Dianto Thalian, heir to the Elion throne and, his newly betrothed, Lady Catherine, Elemental of Fire.'

A loud gasp went through the room while everyone stared open-mouthed at the couple. Elena smothered a laugh when she caught sight of the other girls' faces. She was pleased to see Cat handling the situation with poise. Elena had meant to have a word with the women prior to the ball but ran out of time. Also, she wasn't entirely sure what answer Cat would give. She'd let the men know about the title change and told them to stick close to the women. They wouldn't let them make any faux pas, at least she hoped not. Yakov stepped up to speak and she turned her attention to him.

YAKOV STUDIED THE COUPLE FOR a moment before he spoke. They are well matched, he thought, a sudden flashback of the late King and Queen coming to mind as Alek and Cat stood side by side.

'Welcome to all our guests, we thank you for coming to celebrate with us. I know many of you have traveled far and we are delighted to have you here.' He smiled at all those in the crowded room then lifted a glass from a tray offered to him. 'And so let us raise our glasses in toast for Prince Alek's birthday and betrothal.'

Everyone raised their glasses and echoed the toast, shock on more than one face.

AT A NOD FROM YAKOV the musicians began a different tune, a march, and I watched the Lieutenants of the Guards—Griffon, General and the Cavalry—make their way to either side of Alek. My left hand felt strange from the weight of the ring, it seemed even heavier now that everyone stared at it. Kass, Sian and Loi stared in astonishment and I could feel a tinge of annoyance from them. It looked like I had some explaining to do.

Now that the Lieutenants stood in place the music changed again to a calmer, soothing tune. The next hour or two was spent greeting everyone in a receiving line that gathered before Alek. It was organized according to rank and everyone seemed to know their place. The faces began to blur toward the end, but I couldn't stop smiling. Everyone insisted on looking at the ring and I couldn't stop the happy glow of energy that flared out.

LOI COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT CAT had kept that from them. She can't have known, she thought. He must have sprung it on her, I know Cat's awful at keeping secrets.

'She can't have known,' Kassie hissed.

Sian and Loi nodded in agreement.

There's no way she knew, Loi thought. But she looks delighted, and stunned. Sabyn gave her hand a light tug and she straightened up to greet more people. Loi enjoyed meeting everyone but found herself captivated by the Lieutenants of the Centaur Cavalry, who stood a place higher than the General Guard Lieutenants but lower than those in the Griffon Guard. They looked formidable. The Aswaran Lieutenants were HUGE, they looked to be half draught horse and half WWF fighter. Next to them stood the Lieutenants of the Rodhite division, slender and elegant looking creatures, then the stockier, Medanga Lieutenants. Iggy had the same expression for the Cavalry Lieutenants that he reserved for them and it made Loi want to laugh. Especially when his nostrils flared as an Aswaran Lieutenant brushed him with his hindquarters.

SIAN FELT GRATEFUL THAT DARON was just a member of the Griffon Guard and not royal. She ached to go and drag Cat out the back. It's so exciting! I want to see her ring, she thought, and she bent forward a little to watch it sparkle under the lights. It appeared to suit Cat well and anyone could see she was happy; her energy glowed about her softly. I'm so happy for her, Sian thought, leaning against Daron with sigh of contentment. Sian made the most of the opportunity to study all the guests as the receiving line made its way past them. The centaurs had taken her breath away when she first saw them; huge, powerful, and majestic looking. She'd gotten over her initial awe after being introduced when they'd just chatted away like any human men would. It was somewhat disconcerting, to hear such a normal voice from someone who made Daron look small, she had expected a booming voice.

WATCHING IGGY WITH THE CENTAURS made Kassie want to laugh, the General Guard Lieutenant clearly had little-man syndrome when it came to the cavalry. Kassie bit the insides of her cheeks to stop from smiling. It was almost as funny as everyone greeting her as Lady Kassandra. It sounded ridiculous, but then Cat was introduced as Alek's betrothed and that sounds just as silly, Kassie thought. She couldn't wait to talk to her after the receiving line finished. She turned her attention back to the guests, admiring some of the beautiful outfits.

A water sprite couple were introduced to Alek, very curious looking creatures; a humanoid figure but quite slender, with webbed hands and feet. Their silvery blue skin had a pattern that hinted at scales, yet still looked soft and pliable. The female had longer hair, if you could call it that; it looked like long slender spines, plaited and hanging over her shoulder. Pearls and other glistening stones were woven into the plait. Kassie strained to hear their voices over the music, her eyes drawn to the guests dancing in the middle of the room. Giving a wistful sigh she watched the dancers.

RUMAL GLANCED DOWN AT HEARING that little sigh. Kassie stared out at the dancers. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

'Not long, Kass, then we can dance.'

She looks stunning. He felt a twinge of annoyance at how long this took. He'd much rather be holding her in his arms on the dance floor. She looked beautiful, the fabricer had really out-done herself on the girls' dresses. Shifting a little to relax his back, Rumal fixed a pleasant smile on his face while he kept what he'd said to Kassie running through his mind. Not long now.

IT FELT EASY TO SMILE genuinely at the last people in the receiving line, and the sense of relief when Yakov gave the nod that we could go and dance was great. I beamed up at Alek while he led me to the floor, and we joined the others dancing.
35

NOW THE BALL WAS FUN! The dances were easy because all of them just required you to follow your partner. It proved helpful with my mind stuck on my ring. I couldn't wait to show it off when the girls finally caught up with us. Alek and I both turned red as the men teased us, while Sian, Kass and Loi exclaimed over the ring and gave me tight hugs.

'Happy, Cat?' Sian gave me a firm look.

I nodded rapidly, feeling the tears prickle again.

'Yes, yes!'

We hugged again with Kass and Loi joining in, making onlookers chuckle at their excited squeals.

'Soo happy for you, Cat.'

'Can't believe it!'

ALEK COULD SEE SHE WAS happy, everyone could. Rumal, Daron, and Sabyn had given him knowing looks before they congratulated him. They were all in a similar place. When he finally got Cat back from the girls, more people pushed forward to congratulate them. It would be a long night, but a happy one. Cat caught his eye and giggled when he rolled his eyes up and he took the opportunity to pull her in for a kiss.

'Happy?' he whispered in her ear.

She laughed. 'Everyone keeps asking me that, surely you can see.'

He chuckled; true, she hadn't stopped glowing since saying yes.

'Can I steal you away at the end of the night?'

She arched an eyebrow. 'Hmm?'

'I thought I might show you my room.'

Her eyes went from happy to sultry. She gave him a slow smile while her energy went a deeper red.

'Really?' she purred. 'Love to.'

'THERE THEY GO AGAIN,' SABYN commented in amusement to Loi. She turned her head to see what he talked about; Cat and Alek wrapped in each other's arms in a passionate embrace. Guests gave them a wide berth while looking on in amusement.

Oh well, they're entitled to, she thought, it couldn't be any more out in the open than this. One woman didn't look impressed and glared at the couple. Now where have I seen her before? Oh right, at the Beautens. She and Cat pointedly ignored each other.

'Who's that?' she asked Sabyn, indicating the scowling woman.

Sabyn looked over her head and then chuckled.

'That's the Countess Stranson. She's been very open in her quest to catch Alek.'

Loi laughed. 'Too late.'

She glanced back at the couple. Cat glowed a soft red while she danced with Alek.

I know how she feels, Loi thought, and leaned her head against Sabyn's chest as they danced, enjoying once again the sensation of feeling so small beside someone else. With Sabyn she felt delicate, petite and absolutely beautiful.

A SOFT COUGH SEPARATED US. I looked down in surprise. Ada beamed at me.

'Hi, Cat,' she chirped. 'I brought Audi over to say hello and congratulations.'

Alek and I thanked her then laughed when we looked down to Audrey. My normally vivacious dog seemed to be making a rather good effort to hide behind Ada's legs.

'Audrey,' I cooed. 'Come say hello to me.'

She crept out and I felt Alek squeeze my hand hard while he resisted the urge to laugh. Little Audi was decked out in a pretty pink gown that matched with Ada's dress, and boy did she look miserable.

'She seemed to be really enjoying herself until we got here,' Ada said, anxious to assure me.

I smiled at her. 'I'm sure she was. Audi's just rather sensitive about being laughed at.'

'But it's all been good laughter.' Ada looked upset. 'Lieutenant Belsesus thought she looked great.'

I reassured her that Audi would be fine and Ada ducked off to greet a few more people before she headed back to her room.

KASSIE AND RUMAL HAD HAD a chuckle at Audi, the poor dog seemed to be dying of embarrassment.

'It's a pity that Nnelg couldn't be here,' Kassie suggested and Rumal shook his head.

'Nnelg will be exhausted. He's run himself ragged keeping the fires going for this. With the requirements of the kitchen, cleaning staff and the sudden influx of guests, it might be time to hire another fire dragon to help him.'

Kassie turned to see if Audi was still there and gasped in surprise. Is Alek glowing gold? The couple spun with the music and she realized it must have been something reflecting from one of the mirrors that lined the walls. It created a fantastic illusion and made the ballroom seem never ending. It also gave you a great opportunity to study what people wore, without appearing to stare at them and Kassie made the most of it.

The Lieutenants of the Cavalry wore formal blazers of deep yellow with dark blue accents; the General Guard Lieutenants wore the same only with the colors reversed. At first they appeared quite striking, but compared to what their wives and partners wore they soon looked dull. Not the Griffon Guard though, thought Kassie and she looked Rumal up and down again. I can understand Cat's obsession with men in uniform now. Rumal in particular, in the ebony uniform; it complimented his dark skin and liquid gold eyes. She admired him again, catching his eye and laughed when he gave her the same look back.

'Our place tonight then?' he murmured in her ear making her energy flush out.

'Mmm, but there's so long to wait.'

He brought her hand to his mouth and gave a sucking kiss to the underside of her wrist, smiling when her energy deepened in color.

'Worth it.'

SIAN WATCHED THE CENTAUR WOMEN, admiring their costumes. They wore tunic style tops that wrapped around their torsos and had long skirts that hung over their forefeet. Around each of their hooves hung beautiful bracelets. Some wide and thick like an Egyptian inspired cuff and others, thin, delicate chains. They were very fond of gold. Their braided tails had a variety of pretty objects woven into them.

Sian caught sight of Gredel and Citaan in one of the mirrors. Citaan looked stunning and Gredel's eyes stayed fixed on his beautiful wife's face. The dress Ada had created for Citaan was exceptional, highlighting her slender arms and white décolletage, while slipping over her baby bump. Not that it wasn't noticeable, but this way it wasn't the immediate focal point, which would make Citaan happy. She'd complained to the girls last week that everyone greeted her belly first and then her.

ALEK FELT A TAP ON his back and turned to find Artama, and his daughter, Nikol, smiling up at him.

'Happy Birthday, Your Highness, and our congratulations to you and the Lady Catherine.' Artama chuckled when Cat rolled her eyes at the title. 'I think it becomes you well, my Lady.'

'Stop it, you're taking the attention away from this lovely lady,' Cat smiled affectionately at Nikol. The young woman beamed at her, adoration clear in her eyes. She'd been present at most of the training sessions they'd had with the General Guard and, like so many in the castle, regarded the girls with awe.

I THOUGHT NIKOL'S DRESS VERY pretty, a lovely shade of ivory that made the hint of green in her skin a little stronger. The goblin and elven blood she had made her a very beautiful creature.

'Will you start to train with the Guard soon?' I teased her. 'You're there so often.'

She shook her head. 'No. I'll stick to archery, but I do like to watch your practices.'

'You're very welcome to. I look forward to when you can teach me archery.'

That seemed to please her and I waved goodbye when she and Artama headed off.

'They didn't stay long,' I mentioned to Alek, he gave me an amused look.

'It's getting close to midnight, Cat, I'm sure that's late enough for Nikol.'

'Really? It's that late already?' After the long receiving line the rest of the evening had flown by.

DARON LED SIAN TO THE refreshments table and while they stood chatting the others came over too. Sian glanced at Cat.

'How's it going? Not too overwhelming?'

'Honestly it feels like a dream, I'm sure it'll hit me tomorrow.'

Sian hugged her. 'It'll hit us all tomorrow; a new beginning.'

Gredel and Citaan arrived at the table. Citaan smiled sleepily at them.

'We're going to head upstairs,' Gredel said. 'Citaan's had enough.'

Sian and the other girls hugged Citaan and Kassie made Gredel blush when she insisted on kissing him on the cheek. They watched the couple make their way out of the ballroom.

It's very clever how the rooms are designed, Sian thought. With the mirrors lining the walls you couldn't tell the room had been pieced together.

LOI FELT A BIT TIRED too but Sabyn had told her they had a few more hours yet. At midnight there would be cake and other food brought out, some speeches, and then fireworks in the courtyard. In the meantime there was dancing and chatting. Gazing around the room at all the elegant guests she caught sight of Elena and Yakov dancing. They made a very handsome couple. In the room full of dancing pairs they stood out with their skill and grace, almost looking like they were on ice. Their body language seemed rather suggestive and she wondered again if they were a couple. Elena looked beautiful, as always, in a one shoulder, wine colored gown.

It might sound silly, but Loi had been rather relieved when she had learned that the Sorceress was so old. It made her feel less intimidated by the woman's beauty. Maybe because it seemed more appropriate, Loi shook her head, berating herself. Of all the things to think, I must be tired.

Her eyes caught a glimpse of a woman watching her via one of the mirrors.

FEELING LOI START IN SURPRISE, Sabyn looked down.

'What's wrong?'

She glanced up. 'What? Oh. I thought I saw someone, but I must be more tired than I realized. When I blinked they were gone.' She laughed at herself and he smiled.

'Not to worry. The rest of the evening will go by before you know it and I can promise you, the fireworks will be spectacular. That's why Nnelg isn't here at the moment. He's resting up before he gets to set them off.'

RUMAL HAD INTRODUCED KASSIE TO the water sprite couple after he'd noticed her studying them yet again. It was fascinating to look at them without feeling rude. The only embarrassing part was how impressed they were with Kassie herself. It felt rather bizarre to be looked upon as a celebrity. V'Merna and his wife Vn'Orli were delighted to meet her and more than happy to answer the questions she had. She was surprised to see their faces looked quite human, with delicately shaped brows and high jutting cheek bones, slim lips and a wide smile. They had large gold eyes and two sets of eyelids. Though the second set was translucent. Their lips had a touch of pink to them beneath the blue skin. Both were dressed in garments that flowed over their slim figures. The fabric appeared to change color when they moved, from a dove gray to a crisp white.

'What is that fabric?' she demanded, staring.

Vn'Orli smiled smugly. 'Do you like it? It's a fabric created by an arachnid faerie.'

Rumal looked at V'Merna in surprise.

'Where did you find the faerie? Citaan's been hunting for them for months but had no success.'

The elegant sprite gave Rumal a solemn wink then laughed.

'I'll have a chat to her tomorrow then. But we'll have to make sure she keeps it a secret. Otherwise there'll be none left for us.'

His wife nodded, her face earnest. 'You know how popular it is, Rumal.'

I can see why, Kassie thought. She noticed another woman studying the costumes, a tall blonde with a fantastic figure. She looks like a supermodel, thought Kassie, though she couldn't see her face, and went to move to get a better look when Rumal touched her shoulder.

'Did you want another glass?'

'Oh! Yes, thanks' She smiled at him then turned back. What? How'd she vanish so quickly? Kassie looked around trying to catch a glimpse of her. The woman had appeared quite tall, but she couldn't catch sight of her at all.

'Weird.'

'What's weird?' Rumal chuckled when she jumped and handed her a glass of wine.

'I thought I saw someone, but now she's gone.'

He shrugged. 'She's probably just ducked to the bathroom, Kass. Not weird at all.'

SIAN LEANED AGAINST DARON, RESTING a bit. Her feet ached a little from all the dancing but she still felt good and she tugged his hand. 'Let's go back out.'

The music had changed to a quicker tempo, making her want to dance. They merged with the crowd and Daron slipped his arms around her waist so he could spin her. Sian gave a tiny squeal and grinned when he chuckled.

'What?' She gave him a coy look. 'It's fun.'

She broke off with a sharp gasp, staring in shock over Daron's shoulder.

DARON SPUN, LOOKING AROUND. 'WHAT? What is it?'

The look on Sian's face had frightened him. He turned back, staring anxiously down at her. She had a hand to her chest and a perplexed look on her face.

'I'm sor-ry,' she half stammered, twisting her head this way and that, looking for something. 'I'd swear I just saw a blonde woman peering over your shoulder. She had the freakiest eyes.'

Daron froze. 'What?'

SIAN REPEATED HERSELF. AS SOON as the words left her mouth the second time Daron hauled her to the furthest corner of the room, close to a door. On the way he slapped both Sabyn and Rumal on the shoulder, giving them a look. Alek and a bewildered looking Cat joined them, followed by Elena and Yakov.

'What?' snapped the Sorceress. It was the tensest Sian had seen her.

'She. Is. Here,' Daron hissed the words out.

Yakov's eyes went flat. 'That's not possible.'

Elena gave a terse nod in agreement.

'Tell them what you saw, Sian.'

She'd never heard this tone from Daron before. The girls watched her, curious. Cat had her head cocked to the side with a look of concern.

'Umm, I saw a blonde woman,' Sian began and then froze.
36

SIAN STARED AT ME IN horror. Before I could ask why, a voice spoke in my ear.

'Hello, Princess.'

The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood stiff. The voice, though pleasant, had an underlying tone of malice that made me react before I realized it. I thrust my arm out, pushing as hard as I could with my energy.

CAT HURLED THE FREAKY-EYED blonde away and she smashed into the mirrors at the end of the room.

Kassie couldn't believe it.

The blonde woman now stood there, without a scratch on her, staring at them with her white eyes, black pupils in stark contrast. The guests hadn't even had time to react, but now pressed themselves to either side of the ballroom. Alternating looks between the thing at the end of the ballroom and the Griffon Guard and Sorceress at the other.

'NOW THAT WASN'T VERY NICE,' the blonde tsked, as though scolding a child, her weird eyes watching me. I could see the Lieutenants of the Cavalry and General Guard move themselves in front of the guests, attempting to cover as many as possible. I kept my eyes fixed on her, staying tense, ready.

Alek went to move in front of me and I reached out, gripping his arm.

'Don't,' I hissed at him. 'This is our job, remember?'

He looked at me in shock, which dawned into realization and horror. The other men shoved Alek back behind them. I stepped forward with the girls, between the men. We faced the blonde.

She let out a trill of laughter, the sound making most in the room shudder in disgust.

'Elena, I come to wish the last of the Thalian line a happy birthday and this is how I'm received? Really, have your manners diminished so since my last visit.' She smirked at Alek standing behind me.

'Happy Birthday, Your Highness. I believe congratulations are in order.' Her hands out on either side, I only heard a whisper of noise while she gathered energy.

Loi threw her energy into a shield at the same time the blonde, who had to be Jenviet, began to scream.

It happened so quickly. Our group, standing in the protective shield thrown up by Loi, watched in horror while it appeared to play out in slow motion.

The scream pierced the air like a knife. Guests dropped to the floor, clutching their ears. All the mirrors in the room shattered, the shards hurtling across to the opposite wall. The aftermath looked like a scene from a horror movie. People lay on the ground, screaming and moaning in pain while pools of blood began to appear. I'd never seen so much blood before, all those who weren't under the shield were splattered with it.

Laughter broke through the screams.

ALEK STARED AGHAST AT THE appalling display before him and felt an intense fury when he lifted his eyes to glare at his father's murderer.

'Jenviet,' he snarled.

She laughed again. 'Oh you do remember me then little prince? I thought you might have blocked the memory out.'

He growled, incapable of speech.

'Not to worry, I'm not here for you. I just want the Thalian Princess,' she looked pointedly at Cat, whose eyes bulged in shock.

I GAPED AT THE PSYCHO BLONDE in astonishment. Really, how do you reply to that? Other than, you're nuts?

My rational voice took charge. Well, if she's focused on you then she isn't harming anyone else, I think it's time to flee. Let's get her as far away from here as possible.

With as much of a plan as I could hope for in that moment, I turned and ran for the doorway, sprinting down the corridor.

THE MOMENT CAT HAD JENVIET'S attention, Elena blasted the evil creature out of the ballroom feeling a sense of pleasure at the smacking sound when she hit the corridor wall. Alek took the opportunity to dart past her after Cat. Elena and the others ran to the corridor just in time to see Jenviet vanish from where Elena had thrown her and appear only meters behind Cat and Alek. She turned back to the group rushing down the corridor after her and chuckled.

'Catch.'

KASSIE STARTED BACK-PEDALING ALONG with everyone else when Jenviet sent a thick black cloud of something their way. Rumal grabbed her by the waist, swung around and deposited her behind him. When she got her footing she saw Sian lunge through the gap between Daron and Sabyn, both arms outstretched. A torrent of water thundered down the corridor drowning the black cloud. Waiting to see if the water would wipe out that sadistic bitch, Kassie cursed to see her still standing there.

'Clever.' Jenviet cocked her head at them. 'But what about...?' A rush of sound was heard from both Elena and Jenviet when they released bolts of energy down the corridor at each other. Kassie and Loi wrenched their shields up.

MY DRESS HAMPERED MY NORMAL speed. I reached down, grabbing a fist full and yanked it up. I'd heard the others confront Jenviet but hadn't turned back to check, knowing it was still in the best interests of all present if I could get her far away from everyone. I had an image of the little balcony Alek had shown us this morning.

God that sounded funny—it felt like days ago. I heard feet pounding behind me and glanced back.

HE'D ALMOST REACHED HER WHEN she gave a brief glance back, her eyes wide. He snatched her hand just when they hit the bottom of the turret staircase.

'Balcony?' he gasped.

She nodded, panting hard as they scrambled up the stairs.

'THEY'VE MADE IT TO THE staircase!' Yakov sounded jubilant. Elena felt a surge of hope.

'Sian, Kass, joint attack now!' she cried. Both girls drew their energy in. Hearing Jenviet gather hers again, Elena hastily flicked her fingers at the white eyed woman, turning the floor beneath her feet into liquid then back again—freezing her feet within it.

'Oh, very clever,' the blonde snarled.

Indeed, thought Elena. It has given the girls enough time to swell their energies.

'Release!'

Sian sent out another torrent but this time of ice. Kassie blasted it with the strongest gale she could manage. A blizzard roared down the corridor while the group stood tense, waiting. Simultaneously Kassie and Sian both dropped their energies, groaning and cursing.

'What?' demanded the men, while Elena gave them a look of sympathy.

'Vanished?'

They nodded.

'Time to go then,' snapped Loi, and she took off down the corridor, heading for the turret that Cat and Alek had disappeared up.

ROUND AND ROUND WE WENT with the occasional stumble from me, thanks to my heels. My hair had tumbled down from its pins and bounced around my shoulders in long ringlets. I could feel trickles of sweat running down between my shoulder blades. All I heard was our ragged breathing and my heart pounding. I had no idea if the others were okay and the fear felt awful.

We burst through the doorway at the top, into the solar. Before I could even draw a breath something lifted us off our feet, smashing us into the wall opposite the windows. Yelping in pain when my head connected with the wall, I lay for a moment, dazed. Then I scrabbled onto my hands and knees looking for Alek. My heart made a horrible tight sensation when I spotted him just down from me, unconscious, with blood in his hair. Not thinking, I lunged for him, but got hurled back against the wall. This time my spine took the brunt of it. The pain made my head spin, and I rolled onto my side retching.

That horrible laughter rang out.

Managing to get myself up to a sitting position, I saw Jenviet perched on the table, her legs crossed. The long, deep pink dress she wore had splits to the top of her thighs, showcasing her legs.

Bloody hell, I thought, she looks like a possessed doll.

Psycho Barbie beamed at me, one hand twisting a long blonde ringlet around her finger. Glaring at the woman, I shuffled a little and hoped it looked like I was trying to get comfortable. It got me a couple of inches closer to Alek and I could see his chest rise and fall out the corner of my eye. At least he breathed. She ignored me and stood, shaking her hair back and smoothing down her dress.

In a casual tone she said, 'So you're the one Elena went to such great lengths to conceal. It did make me curious, but I knew in time you'd return and I'd find out why. And now here you are.' She turned to stare at me.

I fought the urge to shudder, instead glaring at her. 'You really have your wires crossed, lady,' I sneered as insultingly as I could manage. 'All of them by the looks of it.'

She continued as if I hadn't spoken.

'A Thalian princess with the gift of fire, an Elemental no less. Just what the Mestarns have been waiting for.' She laughed again, a nasty vindictive cackle. 'Well, it's only fair that I crush their hopes as they did mine.'

Uh-oh, that didn't sound pleasant.

Stop screwing around, snapped my rational voice. Don't over think it. Just do it!

I lunged for Alek and threw a shield of fire up around us. The heat made Jenviet leap backward. I hit the floor beside him and concentrated the energy through one hand so I could shake him.

'Alek. Wake up!' The fear in my stomach pinged about. I had no idea what to do next. The moment I weakened and reduced the shield, Jenviet would kill us.

IN THE TURRET THE GIRLS and Elena knew Cat used her gift. They urged everyone on harder and Rumal swung Kassie on to his back while he took the stairs three at a time. Yakov kept the lead with Daron, Sabyn, Loi, and Sian right behind him, Elena and Rumal just behind them. They raced up the last few stairs and screeched to a halt at the doorway, gasping at the scene before them.

Cat shielded herself and Alek. Her energy, in its physical manifestation, roared with flames while Jenviet paced just out of reach, waiting for it to relent. When she saw them in the doorway she gave a nasty chuckle.

'Excellent, a diversion.'

'Divert this, bitch,' Sian snarled and drew her hands in front, focusing then released another torrent at Jenviet.

I WATCHED OPEN-MOUTHED AT the strength of water Sian released. It wiped out a good portion of the far wall. Then I realized that Jenviet stood amongst it, not a hair out of place; she'd shielded. Sian finished and slumped to her knees from the exertion.

'I'm getting rather sick of you, sprite.' Jenviet's voice dropped the pleasant tone, a nasty harsh sound now. Elena must have realized what she was about to do. She lunged for Sian at the same time Daron did. They were hurled backward and smacked into the staircase wall, falling to the stairs. Before we had time to register it all, a white light surrounded Sian. Sabyn dove at it but was thrown off by what looked like an electric shock. I watched in horror when Sian tried to move but couldn't, then I realized she couldn't breathe.

Jenviet sucked the air out from within the light Sian stood trapped in.

Everything seemed to speed up then, and we heard loud thuds on the roof and the furious roars of enraged griffons. The violent tearing and wrenching noise distracted Jenviet for a moment. Taking advantage of it, Yakov raced at her with his sword. He actually managed to catch her arm before she tossed him against the ceiling. I screamed in fear at the sight of Yakov hitting the ground like a rag doll, not far from me. To his credit, it worked. The light that surrounded Sian vanished and she slumped, unconscious, to the ground. Rumal dragged her to the stairwell.

The fear coursed through me, unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Everything I knew and all those I cared about most were being snapped and broken, flung about like toys. I felt that horrible sensation of helplessness and my shield began to wane. A hand gripped mine and I looked down in shock. Alek stared up at me with a dazed expression. The sense of relief at seeing him conscious felt intense and my energy swelled. I recalled something Elena had mentioned to us one session.

'We really have no idea what you girls are capable of. For all we know once you develop your skills, your powers may be limitless.'

Hell, then I'm going with that theory. I'm not taking this lying down.

I increased the strength of my shield while Jenviet hurled bolts of energy at me. Her energy couldn't reach me, but it did push against my shield and put me back against the wall. I realized Alek stood beside me.

'You have to do this, Cat!' he yelled, above the din that the flames and the griffons made. I nodded and closed my eyes.

LOI WAS IN A SERIOUS amount of pain. Her right arm felt broken and one ankle swelled against the straps of her shoe. She felt guilty that she wasn't able to help more, but where they were at this moment there wasn't much for her to work with. It got harder to pull her shield up repeatedly so she conserved her energy, her shield her only defense now. Rumal had managed to get Sian breathing again but not conscious and they'd put her in the stairwell with Daron, both of them out of it. Elena had come to a moment ago and tried to gather her energy.

A SUDDEN SWELLING IN THE air made Kassie look to Cat, something seemed different. Whatever it was it pissed Jenviet off to no end and she continued to hurl bolt after bolt at Cat, who didn't flinch. Feeling a sense of awe, Kassie watched while Cat's energy went from its usual bright red to a deep, darker than blood shade. Kassie could just make out Alek standing beside her.

'How's she doing that?' Loi yelled at her and Kassie shook her head.

'I have no idea, but I could really use some of that right now.'

Loi nodded in agreement, then grabbed Kassie's arm.

'Kass, is Alek glowing?'

Rumal leaped up from Daron and Sian, and with Sabyn, stood behind Kass and Loi, peering at Alek.

'Elena!' he turned to the Sorceress, still very pale. 'Are you seeing this?'

Before their eyes Alek glowed an intense gold while Cat's energy had swelled to the point that even her hair stretched high, flying about her head.

'SHIELD!' screamed Elena.

I PERCHED AT THE BRINK of control, every cell within me screaming for release. Drawing in a deep breath, I focused my mind on Jenviet and readied for it.

Alek grabbed my arm and the world exploded in red.

To be continued in

1

THE LAUGHTER, LIGHT AND JOYFUL echoed beguilingly, skipping off the bedchamber walls. Loi woke with a gasp.

Was that Cat?

Sabyn snored quietly while she lay tense, waiting for another hint of it.

Oh, stuff it.

She slipped out of the warm sheets and quietly lifted her robe from the chair. The silky fabric whispered around her shoulders and she tied it firmly at the waist before easing the door open and sneaking out. Loi hurried along the silent corridor, bare feet slapping against the smooth wooden floor. In the dull light, the white stone walls appeared almost silver. Around the corner the guards on either side of the Royal Chamber doors exchanged a glance when they spotted her. Audrey, who'd been dozing at their feet, sat up wagging her tail in greeting. Loi gave the dog's head a quick pat and nodded to the men before easing one of the doors open.

The instant the door clicked shut, she knew the answer.

Other than their slow, steady, exhalations, the two prone figures on the ornate beds made no other sound. With an exhausted sob Loi slumped back against the door and slid down to the floor, elbows on her knees, head buried in her arms.

SABYN TRIED TO OPEN ONE of the doors but something held it closed. He carefully opened the other and peeked in. The sight of her, hunched against the door with tear-streaked cheeks while she stared at the floor, made his chest suddenly tight. Sabyn stepped into the room, closing the door and sat beside her.

'I'm so sorry, I really thought...' she whispered in a broken voice.

He reached over and pulled her into his arms, cradling her when she began to weep again.

'I know, love.'

Words muffled against his chest and he shushed her as she tried to speak. Sabyn tucked his arms around her tighter and stroked that ebony mane while resisting a yawn. The third midnight run this week, the most so far. Ever since Alek and Cat had been put in here, two long months ago, Loi had been waking up convinced she'd heard Catherine. The abrupt, late night exits took a toll on them both; Loi bore permanent dark circles under her eyes, and they'd both lost several kilos. Staying conscious in the Council meetings—tedious on the best of days—challenged Sabyn more than ever.

Unfortunately, they could do little about it. Elena gave Loi sleep potions but her elemental energy burned through the medicinal properties before they could be of use. It appeared that until Cat and Alek woke from their deep sleeps, this would be the norm. It felt like they'd lived a waking nightmare for the last two months. Keeping a semblance of normality at the castle proved a constant challenge after such a major attack. Twenty important guests died the night of the ball, with dozens more injured and on top of it all, the Crown Prince lay unconscious still, having just announced his betrothal prior to the attack. Dignitaries, heads of state, royalty from other nations, and Elion's citizens demanded answers with Elena and Yakov just managing to keep things under control. The Centaur Cavalry and General Guard were spread wide throughout the realm keeping watch.

Now all they could do was wait, wait for the couple to wake.

LOI SIGHED AGAINST SABYN'S CHEST and wiped away the hair that stuck to her damp cheeks. Though cousins, Sabyn and Alek were close like brothers. Loi knew how very worried Sabyn was, the normal lightness in his tone vanished after that awful night. He visited Alek often.

Yet he had no idea what would happen when Cat and Alek woke. After the attack Elena had taken Sian, Kassie, and Loi aside and fully explained their role on Gar'nyse. The shocking and unexpected revelation had felt like the ultimate betrayal. Elena forbade the girls to speak about it, so she hadn't even been able to turn to Sabyn, to buttress the pain. She understood Elena's reason—that Cat needed to know before anyone else did—but the horrible truths just ate into her.

Both Sian and Kassie took the news stoically and accepted Elena's advice, leaving the castle for the time being. Elena urged Loi to do the same, to go and stay with Sabyn's family, but she just couldn't. The sight of her friend lying there, pale and unconscious, kept her here. She couldn't abandon Cat when she was so defenseless.

The castle seemed horribly large and imposing with her friends gone. Elena had said it would take a good two months before the couple woke. So Loi waited while feeling as if on a knife edge. Wishing Cat would wake but dreading the day she did.

Because once Cat woke, their lives would forever alter.

SABYN LIFTED LOI TO HER feet and led her back to their chambers. Standing beside the bed, he watched her remove the robe. Desire rose at the sight of her, naked, dark hair hanging past her waist allowing a glimpse of derriere. The timing was inappropriate and he wouldn't use her in that manner.

Seeing his cousin lying there in the dimly lit room unnerved him each time. The almost stale air in that large room and the still figures served as a constant reminder of his own mortality. It left him with the urge to run, to call Tomiar and take Loi far away from all this. But Loi refused to leave. She knew he found it hard to stay and had used sex as a diversion for the last month. In his distracted state, Sabyn hadn't realized at first. He shuddered at the memory of the vacant glaze in her eyes. Like a bucket of ice cold water it promptly stopped any intimate relations between them for the time being. As much as Sabyn desired Loi, he loved her more.

Leaving his night shorts on, he climbed into bed beside her while inwardly growling at his cousin.

Hurry up Alek—there's only so much a guy can handle.

'SSIIAANNNN?'

'Coming!' Sian answered automatically and sat up in bed, blinking.

Oh shoot! I've overslept again.

Throwing some clothes on, she hurried to Citaan and Gredel's bedroom. When she entered the room, Sian found her blue-haired friend struggling to get slippers on.

'Don't! Let me,' Sian said, while fumbling for the slippers.

Once they were on, she stood and offered both hands to Citaan, carefully easing the woman up from the bed, helping her to the bathroom.

You wouldn't believe Citaan is seven months pregnant, Sian thought. Not that the end is far away, but she looks huge, though if you consider Gredel's height and build, as well as Citaan's siblings and father, it isn't surprising that the baby is big.

Sian met the whole family the previous month at a ceremony for the unborn child. Every culture has its own traditions and for those of water-sprite heritage, like Citaan, a blessing ritual for the mother-to-be at six months along, was required. Meeting all of Citaan's family had been daunting. Sian finally understood Gredel's apprehension when it came to Citaan's father. A large, imposing figure, he looked more than capable of putting even Gredel in place if he suspected his darling daughter wasn't happy. Citaan's five sisters and her mother, however, were very welcoming and plainly adored Gredel. Brece, Citaan's brother and Melanite's husband, was such a contrast to the father—easy going and talkative.

The family had stayed at the estate for close to a month, and it made the spacious manor feel small. Citaan's sisters fussed over Gredel to the extent he took to attending Council meetings to get away from it all. It amused Daron, no one usually attended the meetings voluntary, but then with Alek and Cat unconscious the men took their roles even more seriously. The image of Cat and Alek, lying as still as corpses within the Royal Chamber, caused Sian to shudder, the memory seared in her mind.

I hope they wake soon, she thought. It feels like we're treading water at the moment, just waiting.

The bathroom door opened and Sian forced a smile. 'How are you feeling this morning?'

' _HOW ARE YOU FRIEND?'_ NESHA thought.

Moments ticked by before Daron finally responded.

'Fine.'

Nesha waited for him to continue but he didn't. A wind current hit them, and Nesha and Loushka rose with it, Daron and Gredel shifting in their saddles when they dropped lower again.

_'Sorry, Loushka, he's really hard to get anything out of at the moment.'_ Nesha thought.

'It's okay. I'm just trying to keep a track on them all. Does he have any idea what it is that Elena's told the girls?'

'Honestly, I don't know if he's even paying attention to Sian at the moment. He gets very withdrawn when worried.'

'That must be hard on Sian.'

'She's throwing herself into nurse duties and is at Citaan's side constantly. It seems to be a good distraction for her.'

_'That's true. I think Alek and Cat might wake soon.'_ Loushka sounded optimistic.

'Oh?'

'Their energies are showing stronger, and Elena is beginning to get that look.'

'What look?'

'The one that means she's getting ready to deliver bad news. That's why I hoped you might know something.'

Nesha glanced at Loushka. _'You don't just think they'll just wake up and all will be well?'_

'No. Something's up.'

The griffons stopped the conversation while they searched for a landing spot. Daron and Gredel came to the neighboring town to sort out a land dispute. Phroma refused to leave Citaan at this late stage of her pregnancy, so Loushka had offered to take Gredel.

TOWNSPEOPLE WAITED TO GREET THEM and the instant Gredel's feet hit the ground the crowd rushed forward, voices loud and angry while they each made their perspectives clear.

Gredel glanced at Daron. 'Rumal would have been handy for this.'

Daron nodded in agreement and said wryly, 'It's a little too far from Delanta to travel for a basic land dispute though.'

The two men made their way to the town hall, pointedly ignoring those crowding them. The townspeople took the hint, dropping back, and followed quietly. A makeshift court had been arranged in the hall with Daron and Gredel sat at the head of the room while the defendants and the accused debated. Gredel resisted a groan when he recognized the white-haired man who lurched toward the desk before them.

'They haven't asked my permission, ever!' The old man gestured wildly with the gnarled length of wood that served as his walking stick. 'They just marched in and built it. I demand that it be removed!' Spittle sprayed the desk as he yelled and gestured, while the accused flushed an ugly purple shade and stood, about to yell.

'Peace!' Gredel's voice boomed and the old man's eyes widened. He sat down quietly and so did all the others.

With an even tone, Gredel began the questioning.

It turned out to be nothing more than a squabble regarding fence and boundary lines—a frustrating waste of half a day.

'You'd think that they could have figured it out for themselves,' Daron mumbled to Gredel when they walked back to the griffons.

Gredel snorted. 'Yes, and if it were anyone but Old Tearn, they would have. You know he's as grouchy as a dragon with wind.'

Gredel felt grateful to be back on Loushka and couldn't wait to get home to the manor. With Citaan's family gone for the moment the house was wonderfully peaceful. He meant to enjoy every moment he could with his beautiful wife before she gave birth and her family invaded again. Not that Gredel didn't like Citaan's family. He did, most certainly, it's just that they seemed to carry such an air of chaotic energy with them that their visits always left him exhausted. With all the extra duties they shouldered at the moment, any peace was most welcome.

His mind drifted back to Citaan. His beautiful wife looked so full with the babe that it scared him to leave her, half terrified she'd go into labor the moment he left. It made him grateful that Sian and Daron had decided to stay to help out, though it would have been nicer under different circumstances.

I hope Alek and Cat wake soon, Gredel thought. I'd really like them here to offer their blessing when the babe arrives. Aside from that somewhat selfish reason, it would also make everyone happier. The castle and its inhabitants all carried an aura of gloom at the moment. It made the days he'd attended Council even more dreary than usual and roused an unpleasant guilty feeling. Gredel did worry about Alek and Cat, but Elena said they'd be fine, and he worried more about Citaan and the baby. With everyone acting like the end of the world was nigh, he had to contain his enthusiasm and those moments where he wanted to dance around in joy.

A baby! _His_ baby. That thought sent contradicting shivers of excitement and terror through him yet again.

I'm going to be a father!

'ZEYNON, NO!' KASSIE SHRIEKED AS Rumal's little brother hurled himself off the roof of the shed. With a flick of her fingers, mind focused, she caught him mid-air with her energy and carefully lowered the little imp to the ground. As soon as his feet touched the dirt Zeynon made to flee, but his brother, who rounded the corner at just the right moment, caught him by the back of his shirt.

'Zeynon,' Rumal looked unimpressed. 'We've had this conversation before. Kassandra's gift is NOT a toy. Now get on, you can help muck out the stalls.'

'Awww, Rumal,' whined Zeynon.

'Get going. You knew the consequences after last time.'

The child hung his head while he trudged off, but Kassie caught the mischievous glance he shot her, his lips trembling with suppressed laughter.

I'll bet I'll end up having to do that again, Kassie thought while exchanging an exasperated look with Rumal.

The last time had been off the cliffs by the beach.

Since arriving at the family estate on Delanta, Kassie had been riding daily. After Rumal saw her lack of confidence on a horse, he'd set out to turn her into a top equestrian. Or whatever the equivalent of that was here on Gar'nyse.

On that particularly memorable day they'd ridden along the beach. The soft sand had been a new challenge for Kassie, and she'd been focused on her horse when she heard Rumal's gasp. Glancing up she'd found the mocha skinned man looking remarkably pale, staring up at the cliffs that overhung the beach. Following his gaze, she saw a tiny figure standing there, observing. She'd extended her gift and "recognized" Zeynon.

Kassie had been puzzled. 'What's he doing?'

Then a change in the air made her look up again, just in time to see Zeynon hurtling through the air with his arms outstretched like Sian had done that time off Nesha. Except of course, minus the griffon to snatch him up.

Rumal had cried out in horror. Without thinking Kassie urged her horse forward, stretching up out of the saddle to catch the boy with her gift. The child's delighted laughter had echoed off the battered limestone cliff face as she lowered him to his big brother's waiting arms. When he had a grip on the little fiend, Rumal had excused himself and dragged Zeynon off behind a bush to tan his hide. Trembling, Kassie had slipped down from the saddle and staggered to the water's edge, then thrown up repeatedly. And she'd thought horse riding was scary!

'Kassandra.'

Breaking from her thoughts, Kassie turned to find Rumal's mother, Lady Br'Laan, walking toward them, a smile gracing her elegant face.

'Nalimi.'

'Is my little darling teasing you again?'

Rumal snorted. Kassie laughed and took Nalimi's extended hands, pressing her cheek to the older woman's.

'Only a little.'

Nalimi smiled at Rumal, who offered them both an arm to lead them to the house.

'I'm sure your father and grandfather will appreciate the extra help. They've scarcely seen Zeynon since Kassie's arrived. I think they're actually missing him.'

'It makes a change from their moaning about him,' Rumal said.

AFTER DINNER THAT EVENING, RUMAL and Kassie lay sprawled across the cover of Rumal's large bed. The man petted Lucky in an absentminded manner while they chatted about the day. The cat purred furiously when he stroked the soft white fur on her belly, and he smiled, reaching a finger up to tickle Lucky's chin. It was a while before Rumal realized that Kassie had fallen silent, staring at the bed.

'What's wrong?' he asked, though he knew the answer.

She glanced up in surprise, and then shrugged with that now familiar sad, resigned expression.

'I don't know. It just feels like... like a long two months.'

It always appeared to dwell on her mind this time of the evening. Though he agreed, it did feel very long. Rumal rolled over the top of her, holding his weight with his elbows at either side of her head and brushed his nose against hers.

'Soon, Kass.'

KASSIE WATCHED RUMAL'S MOLTEN GOLD eyes swirl while he smiled and that unusual energy of his began to extend when he bent his head to hers. The kiss, soft and sweet, deepened and he pressed intimately against her. All the concerns flew out the window. Kassie wrapped her arms around his neck, relishing the pleasurable escape from the present.

*****

AT THE CASTLE IN HER chambers, Elena smiled at her sister in the mirror. 'How is the study going?'

'Fine. I have some field research to do that will hopefully provide some insight into the carnivores' habits. The diversity of the creatures here is astounding. I'm not surprised Jenviet was able to find suitable test subjects.'

Elena drummed her fingers on the dresser surface and nodded, lips stretched thinly over her teeth as she grimly acknowledged _that_ creature's ingenuity.

'Desperation appears to be rather inspirational for her.'

Her sister shrugged. 'As it is for many, Ellie. I have to go. I'll let you know if anything of interest pops up.'

'Take care.'

'Always.'

Elena leaned back in the chair while the mirror returned to its normal, reflective surface. The utter silence from Jenviet made her nervous. Elena frowned at herself in the mirror.

I will go ahead with the plans to protect the castle, Elena thought. I won't complain if she doesn't bother us before those two wake up.

Elena felt another twinge of anxiety at that. It must be soon, though she wasn't looking forward to having that conversation with Cat. While Elena mulled over those somber thoughts there was a knock on the door, and Yakov entered with their morning pot of tea.

'Here we go.' He flashed that charming smile and she resisted the urge to giggle. Sometimes he made her feel like a girl of two hundred again.

YAKOV SET THE TRAY ON the dresser and pulled the other chair close. Neither spoke for a while, enjoying the peace and silence. The last two months had been very stressful and he waited impatiently for Alek and Cat to wake. Trying to keep the calm, to be "diplomatic" as his role of adviser required, proved strenuous to say the least. Spreading the General Guard and Centaur Cavalry across the land hadn't improved the sense of fear so many had, but it was necessary. This silence from Jenviet felt intimidating; surely, at some point she'd retaliate but when, and how? Elena appeared in the midst of similar considerations, a frown marring her forehead.

'Stop it, Ellie,' he gently chided. 'You know there's nothing more to be done until they wake.'

Elena sighed and shook her head. Her hair, free from its customary plait, flowed around her.

'I know, I just wish I knew what she was up to.'

*****

OUTSIDE IN THE COURTYARD, LOI settled beneath a favorite tree and tied her long hair back with a length of red ribbon. Getting comfortable, she pressed both hands lightly against the soft earth and exposed roots then extended her energy down, tracing the roots deep into the earth. Immediately, a dense, resonate hum arose from all the plants in the vicinity, audible only to those who were gifted.

Far away on Delanta, Kassie tuned in with Loi, and then Sian tuned in too. In their various places, the three of them relaxed as their energy flowed throughout the earth, the water, and the air. Each one breathed a sigh of relief at being linked again.

Since the attack, they couldn't manage much longer than a day without linking. The longer they held off, the worse they felt. Intense headaches, and a horribly weak sensation in all her limbs had Loi worried until Elena explained. Loi smiled when she saw some of the images of what Kassie had been up to and felt Sian's laughter at the image of Zeynon leaping off the shed roof.

FROM A SECOND FLOOR WINDOW, Sabyn watched while Loi sat beneath the tree. Eyes closed, she smiled and her lips moved while she conversed with the other girls. Only at this time of the day—his favorite now—did he get to see his beautiful, strong Loi again; not stressed nor worried. Leaning against the windowsill Sabyn smiled when she laughed at something, his eyes focused on her lovely face. He chuckled at the variety of expressions that flickered across it. She didn't know he watched her and you could only see her from this window in the corridor. A cough made him turn, and he saw Yakov standing there.

'Are they linking?'

Sabyn nodded, and the adviser stepped closer to look out the window at Loi.

'It's nice to see her smiling again.'

'It is. She was up again last night. I think they might wake soon, she's been up three nights this week.'

'Ellie is thinking the same. I hope they do, there are many things that need to be sorted, and it can't happen till they're conscious,' Yakov said.

OUTSIDE THE ROYAL CHAMBER, THE guards shifted position and took a moment to fuss over Audrey. The dog made it her duty to wait for her mistress, and the alternating guards all enjoyed Audrey's company. They played fetch with her down the long corridor. A couple of the guards took the time to teach her new tricks. It made the long shifts pass more quickly. When Audrey went to settle down between the two men, she suddenly froze. The guards exchanged a glance when the dog cocked her head at the closed doors and stiffened.

IN THE COURTYARD MID-CONVERSATION, Loi froze when a thought touched her mind.

_What was that?_ She thought via their link.

The three stayed silent while they extended their energy, hesitant to say what they thought—hoped—it might be.

Outside the Royal Chamber, Audrey let loose a joyful howl.

To find out more about this book, and the others that follow, pop to the Author's website

www.nicolemacdonald-author.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicole is a thirty something New Zealander who loves to get lost in her imagination. Her favorite adventures are those led by strong willed women/girls who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. Writing encourages Nicole to try all manner of things, including six months of long sword training and jujitsu lessons.

She lives in New Zealand with her partner, and two fur critters.

If you'd like to learn more about Nicole and her writing process, please visit

www.nicolemacdonald-author.com

