Chapter 30 Misjudgement

My head is still resting on Fred's chest as I clutch his shirt like a baby. I opened my eyes and saw everyone had taken a different position. Nate was now leaning on to a wall while looking at the scenery outside of the window, Ren was also leaning to the wall in front of me and playing at the petals of a flower on one of the flower vases, and Dan was sitting on a chair and rocking it back and forth.

Fred started to stroke my hair. He was looking at me with a smirk. "Did my charms work?"

It took me about a minute to realize what he had just said. Once I realized it, I gave him a frown and smacked him at the chest. "Ow!" He said and feinted hurt. "I take that as a no." I rolled my eyes at him and sat up.

My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Did I really just cry? "Sorry." I said quietly.

As I lifted my head, I caught Nate's eyes and he smiled. "You don't have to be sorry. We understand what you're going through." He said and his eyes had gone soft. He stood up straighter as he faced me. "But you should always remember that you're safe here."

"We'll protect you as long as you're here." Ren added, making me switch my him. "All of us will."

"Same goes for Ace." Inserted Dan, making me give him a confused look. Once he saw my face, he sighed. "When you are cloaked it conceals your presence and smell. Our noses and even Fred's magic can't track you down at the time so we decided to split up and look for you. You have no idea how many towns we went to just to look for you. It took us hours and it was driving us all crazy."

"Excuse me. Cloaked?" I was confused.

The princes stared at me. "Didn't you cloak yourself?"

"No...?" I said. Uncertain of what they were talking about.

"The red hood?" Nate suggested.

"What about it? Is it expensive? Because I kind of threw it at a nosey deer."

There was a moment of silence.

"Pfft!" Fred snickered beside me and looked away to cover his laugh with his fist. Nate simply did the same while shaking his head. The twins sat there looking dumbfounded.

Suddenly, Ren straightened up. "Hold on. So you mean to say that you had no idea that the cloak can hide your presence?"

"It can!?" Suddenly I was interested. Then I cursed. "Damn it. And I threw it at a deer. Lucky deer."

"Why did you even think of wearing it?"

"I thought it was pretty. And it kept me warm."

Ren facepalmed. "What sheer luck." Then he collapsed on the floor.

Dan was laughing. "Humans are so mysterious. Lucky for us that Ace was around."

I tilted my head to the side. "That guy helped?"

Dan held out a hand to shush me. "Let me finish." He said. "As I was saying, we couldn't find you anywhere. But Ace...he somehow found a way to find you."

"He did?" I asked. Are we even talking about the same PRINCE?

Dan thought about it for a moment. When he couldn't find the right words to say, he looked at Fred for help. Fred nodded at him as he continued Dan's explanation. "Have you noticed the change in PRINCE Ace's appearance?"

I looked back at how different Ace had looked before he left the room and nodded. "Yeah. His ears changed. It became longer and sharper."

Fred nodded at my observation. "Yes. That is the regular appearances of the Elven folks."

Okay. I'm a bit lost here. "Wait." I said. "If that was the regular 'Elven' look, then didn't his ears look that way when I first saw him?"

Fred gave me a small smile. "When the ears of an elf becomes smaller to the point where it resembles a regular ear, it means that his/her powers are dying. You see, an elf can get rid of their powers by not using it for 10 years. By the looks of things, it seems as if Ace hadn't used his for 9 years now."

"Killing their power? Are you telling me that Ace was trying to kill his powers?" Fred nodded.

I frowned. "Why?"

Fred shook his head. "I can't answer that because I myself don't understand the reason behind it either." He admitted. "But I have a feeling that his powers have something to do with locating you."

"Ace disappeared on us for a few minutes and when he came back he had information with regards to your whereabouts. And with that information comes with the return of his powers." Added Ren, who was now crossing his arms over his broad chest as he leaned against the wall. His brown hair covering his eyes as he looked to the side as if he was in deep thought. "After that, he made us - Dan and I - open our alpha link to him. But something about it seems awfully strange." He then looked at his brother.

Dan nodded in agreement to Ren. "Now that you said it, the image that we got from Ace was pretty clear. It was a top view of the forest. It was like we were flying - no - it was like we were seeing through the eyes of a hawk?" Dan looked at Ren. Ren only shook his head and shrugged.

"That's odd." I felt my bed move as Fred shifted his position. He was holding his chin in deep thoughts. "I don't think that there's an Elven magic that can do that. What do you think, Prince Nate?"

Nate shook his head in dismay. "I don't know of that either. I haven't heard an elf possessing that kind of magic. The usual magic that they have is elemental. I heard the Elven royalty inherit unique gifts from their ancestors, but Ace's magic must be old since I haven't heard or read about it."

"Do you think he was a warlock or something?" Dan offered. Ren hit that back of his brother's head. "He's clearly an Elf you idiot."

"True." Fred said. "That was no warlock magic. And PRINCE Ace is a pure blooded elf. Their line has no hint of other supernatural."

The princes were in deep thought as they tried to figure out Ace's magic. But for me, I only need to know one thing that keeps on bothering me since this topic was brought. "Hang on for a second." I said, catching all of their attention. Feeling four sets of eyes on me, I took a deep breath. "Are you guys telling me that, because of Ace, THE PRINCE Ace, the royal pain in the butt, was the reason that you guys found me?"

"And informing us ahead of time that you were about to bump into some rogues? Yes." Dan said flatly.

My body felt cold as I looked at the other princes for confirmation. I was really hoping that they would say no, but all my hopes vanished when they all nodded at once.

I felt my blood had gone from my face. Was Ace really that considerate as to sacrifice his years to kill his powers - well at least according to Prince Fred - in order to locate me? Ace? He has a heart?

I suddenly felt guilty. I owe Ace a lot. He was the main reason that they found me. The reason I didn't become a cat food for two werecats. And after all that he did, I have been a jerk to him. Asked him to leave the room and called him a loner and - maybe - embarrassed him in front of the other princes? Crap, I was such a b*tch to him.

There must have been something on my face because Nate suddenly snapped his fingers in front of me. "Are you okay, love? You look pale."

"I have to look for Ace and apologize!" I suddenly blurted out as I got out of my bed so sudden that Fred almost fell to the ground when I pulled the sheets off. 

"Where are you going?" Ren asked.

"To the place where Ace might be. The library!" I called out to them as I ran towards the door and got out of the room. I was running barefooted, but I didn't care. The floor was pretty clean after all. And I can't just wait it out. One thing that I learned from my mom was that if you're in the wrong, apologize immediately and don't wait it out. Sometimes, it's best to lower your pride a little.

That guy better be in the library or else.

I was so lost in thought as I was thinking of ways on how to apologize that I bump into something. Luckily, it wasn't that hard. "Sorry." I quickly said. I didn't have any time to move when the person in front of me pulled me in an embrace.

"I was so worried! Don't ever run away like that again!" The queen said as she gave me a bone crushing hug. Despite being all skinny, she was pretty strong that I had to use all my energy to pull away from her.

"Um excuse me but I'm kind of in a hurry and-" I started to say but was immediately cut off.

"Why'd you run away?" She said and held me by the shoulder and looked at me with sad eyes. "Do you know what kind of trouble you would have been to if they hadn't found you?"

Her eyes were full of hurt that I had to look down. "Sorry. I just wanna go home." I told her. "But I guess you already know that."

Elizabeth, the queen, bit her lips as she looked at me with guilt. "I'm sorry." She said and started to drop her hand from my shoulders. "I know I have been wrong but please, don't go to the Kingdom of Tereau. Just wait it out and the orb will fully charge."

"And then what?"

"And then you can use it's powers to go home."

I bit my lips as I looked at her. "Is there really no other way?" She shook her head. Going to the King of Tereau is not an option either. But what about my family and friends in the other world? Well I guess they just have to wait. I sighed. "Okay. I understand. But promise me that when it charges, you will help me go back."

The queen only nodded at me. "I promise. Just don't run off like that again. I will give you anything. Heck, you can even cancel the ball and everything." She said.

A ball? What the heck is that?! Never mind. I have to go and look for Ace first.

"I'll think about it. Right now, I have to go to the library." I quickly said as I ran past her.