THIRD PERSON POVAt a place, unknown to humans, supernaturals and animals...A middle aged beautiful woman, with no recollection of who she was and how she had gotten to this beautiful mansion, watched the children playing in the large play yard directly across from her little Victorian home. She liked sitting outside on the wide, wrap-around porch where the wind could touch her face. Sometimes, that small touch was the only relief she got from the relentless pain winding through her body every minute of the night and day, pain she had no idea how it had come about. It just possessed her, sometimes heavier at certain intervals, so much that she would want to die.Rain had given the air a clean, fresh scent. The world looked shiny and new, every leaf on the trees a vivid green or silver. Small birds sang to one another, hopping from tree branches to gnarled limbs. They were bright red spots of color, adding to the beauty of the compound. The property was owned by a man the children c
"Swing with us, El," Daniel called. At fifteen, he was tall and gangly, his form just beginning to show the promise of who he would become. Elina knew he had great courage, as well as love for his siblings. He'd kept them together after their parents had died, and when the girls were taken by the monstrous men down in the labyrinth beneath whatever city they were in, he had gone after them. She couldn't help but admire him. "Not right now, but I have a plate full of warm chocolate chip cookies. And, Jane, I also have fresh cranberry and pistachio biscotti dipped in white chocolate."From what she had heard from Jane, Tensel had taken the children in, become a foster parent of sorts, until the adoptions came through, protecting them with his friends and unique security system--just as he protected her. Elina was grateful to him, but she knew she couldn't stay much longer.Daniel raced to the porch first, leaned down and brushed the top of her head with a kiss, scooped up a handful of
Amelia threw herself into the chair across from Elina's. She caught a cookie and leaned forward. "El, you do know if there's anything at all I could do for you, I'd do it."God. She loved the children. They were all so amazing. Every last one of them. She was grateful she'd made the decision to go into that labyrinth, the chambers of utter horror, to get them out. She refused to regret that decision, no matter the price she had to pay--and she was paying it every single minute of the day. She forced a reassuring smile. "I know I look awful, Amelia, but I'm getting better." That was a lie. The pain was getting worse. Pain and fear. She kept a close eye on the sky. Sunset was fast approaching and she'd go immediately into the house once the sun dropped out of the sky."No, you're not," Amelia whispered. "You're not, Elina. Please let Tensel or one of the others help you. A couple of the scariest ones are good healers."Elina couldn't help the automatic withdrawal, the way her body went
Elina nodded, agreeing because it was the truth. She wouldn't. Couldn't. But she agreed because she knew Jane was right. "Tensel and Clarissa tell me that as well. I don't want to relive one moment of it, not ever again, not even to talk about it."The incident. That's how she thought of it, trying to minimize those hours in her mind. Make the entire thing just another moment in her history. She pushed at her tangled hair with trembling fingers. For a moment, she couldn't breathe. The pain in her body increased until she writhed on the chair, a low moan escaping. At once Jane leapt to her feet and came around the small table toward her.Elina held up her hand, palm out, desperate to stop the other woman. "Please. I can do this. I have to do it my way.""Clarissa told me a healer was coming, and would be here any day. He's powerful. Also, Damonq is reputed to be a tremendous healer--" Jane broke off. "Okay, I can't recommend him. Everyone seems nervous around him, including Tensel, and
Elina nodded and watched Jane go back to the play yard. She briefly spoke with Danny, who squinted up at the sun for a couple of seconds and then shook his head. Something about the way he looked up caught Elina's attention. She frowned, trying to think what was eluding her. The tilt of his head reminded her of something she'd seen several times since she had been here. It was important . . ."El!" Liv materialized right in front of her, a mischievous smile on her face. She flung her arms around Elina. "I missed you."Elina's breath exploded from her lungs at the sudden sight of the little girl. Liv had endured terrible things in the underground city and that had bonded the two of them. At ten, she was years older than she should have been, her childhood ripped away from her. Elina closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the feeling of love she had for the little girl. To save her life, the ancients had converted her, bringing her wholly into their world, so technically, she shouldn't
"We'll find a way to keep him out," Liv said. "I hear things. I can learn fast. There's a healer coming, and he's supposed to be really good at what he does. And if he doesn't get here fast enough, I can see if Damonq can help."Elina shook her head. "No ancients. They would know.""Then I'll learn," Liv said staunchly. "I know I can learn healing."Elina found herself smiling. "You can learn anything," she agreed. "Thank you, my sweet girl. I appreciate that you want to help me.""I watch them. I always have. I remember everything, so it's easy to follow the patterns they make or say the words they do."A frisson of alarm crept down Elina’s spine. "Baby, you know you can't just go around repeating what they say. Some of their commands are in mysterious language and you don't understand that yet. You can't know what they're saying."Liv shrugged. "I know the results. Trust me, El.”"Honey, really, you can't just say things without knowing what they mean. It can be dangerous." Elina m
Daniel helped Lana onto the blue dragon. It was large and scaly, its tail long and spiked. Lana sat on its back, her knees gripping hard as she leaned forward to whisper into its ear while she patted the long neck.He picked up May next and placed her on the red dragon. Like Lana, she stroked and caressed the stone scales and spikes. Danny wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear. She nodded several times.Elina frowned. Something about his posture, the way his dark jeans looked leaning against the crimson red of the dragon, moved through her mind slowly. Something was there just out of reach, something she needed to catch hold of, but her mind refused to cooperate. The more she tried to grasp the memory, the more it eluded her.The wind rushed through the compound, stirring the leaves on the ground so once again they rose, this time swirling around the dragons and children. Danny leapt on the back of the brown dragon and Amelia the orange one. They mounted them as if
At the sound of Elina’s voice, Damonq found his eyes watering, burning fiercely as a kaleidoscope of colors burst in front of him, exploding into a whirling wheel of vivid brightness that nearly blinded him. Instantly he was sick and disoriented, his balance off. For a moment he thought it was a new weapon the dark one had thought out, and he stopped in mid stride, unable to function."It's too late to bargain now. Had you come to me any of the thousands of times I commanded you, I would have spared them. Not now. Now you need a lesson." The Dark one said to Elina.But she kicked him hard, driving her heel into his shin and following it with an elbow to his ribs. It had to hurt. He held her by her hair, but she didn't stop. "I won't let you," she bit out, still fighting.The words were like a dagger piercing right through Damonq’s soul, slicing it open so all the inky darkness poured out. At the same time, brilliant light rushed in, leaving him shattered. Emotions whirled through his