Chapter 16 - Norea's Realm
Chapter 16 - Norea's Realm
Delaine's P.O.V.
After the misfits jump through the portal, I take deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. I know this is a huge risk to all of us, but if we're going to rescue Sydney and Lindy, it's one we're all willing to take. I look at Dallas and Daylan, who both look like they're ready to kill.
"Come on in, sweetheart. She's heading our way," Alan mindlinks me. I love hearing his voice in my head.
"On our way," I reply.
"Alright, let's go get them." I approach the portal and say a quick spell that I hope will help us go undetected for at least a short time. After I jump in, everyone else follows. We're in a forest, but everything is dead. It's pitch black, and if it wasn't for our shifter vision, we wouldn't be able to see anything. None of us says anything as we slowly walk through the forest.
"We're in, but I have no idea where we're going." I mindlink Alan.
"Just follow your instincts. She's trying to sneak up on us, so you're in the clear for right now. Be careful. I love you," He mindlinks back.
"I love you too."
We continue walking through the forest, looking for a house or any other structure that will have Sydney and Lindy in it. We all stay together in case the witch gets away from the misfits. I'm in the lead, following my instincts. After what feels like hours, but I'm sure it is only minutes, we finally see a small hut in a clearing. We stop at the edge of the dead forest.
"It could be a trick," I whisper to the others.
"Is she still with you? We found a hut," I mindlink Alan.
"We've been able to lead her around. She's getting angry. I've been able to counter her magic with my own. She's a few centuries old and not very bright. Go to the hut, but be careful," he mindlinks.
"I'll let you know if we find them."
"She's still with Alan and the others, so let's go in. Watch out for traps," I tell them softly. We begin walking toward the hut, which is larger than I first thought. I carefully step onto the small porch and pause. Nothing happens, so I reach for the door handle, which squeaks as I turn it.
"We're going in," I whisper more to myself than to everyone else. The door swings open. It looks like we're stepping into a kitchen. Herbs and plants hang from the low ceiling and on the walls. The only light is a lantern sitting on the wooden table in the middle of the room. We walk through the kitchen to another door that's locked.
"I can smell Sydney's scent. They're in there," Dallas says anxiously.
"Step back," I say a quick spell, and the door opens. When my eyes adjust, I see cages everywhere with people inside.
"Sydney? Lindy?" I ask quietly.
"We're over here," Sydney says. We run to their cages.
"We found them. There are a lot of cages with people inside," I mindlink Alan.
"She knows you're there. She stopped chasing us and is heading in your direction. We're right behind her. I don't know why she's running rather than using her magic. Try to get everyone out as quickly as possible."
"We have to hurry. The witch is on her way back," I tell the others. We all begin trying to open the cages, but they appear to be locked with magic.
"Everyone, stand back and don't touch your cages. I'm going to see if my magic is strong enough to open them." Once they move away, I close my eyes and say the only spell I know that could possibly open this many locks at once. I hear a loud bang and open my eyes. It actually worked. All the cages are open, and the people in them step out.
"We have to get out of here. Everyone come with us," I tell them. As the others join us, I can't believe how many she has. What was she doing with them?
"I got the cages open, and we're leaving. Where are you?" I mindlink Alan.
"We're outside the hut. I don't know where she went. She disappeared, so get out of there now, " he replies.
"Come on, we have to go. Alan and the others lost her," I tell them. We run out of the room of cages, through the kitchen, and out the front door. Alan and the other misfits are waiting for us.
"She should have already been here. We have to get to the portal," Alan says, taking my hand.
"What about us?" A large man asks as we begin running.
"Come with us, and we can sort everything out once we get out of here," Jordan tells him. Alan and I lead the others to the portal, but when we get to where it was, it's gone. We suddenly hear laughing, and it surrounds us as though the entire dead forest is laughing.
"You fools. Did you really think you could sneak inside my realm and steal my property? I have been working at this for too long to let a bunch of bunnies and misfits mess it all up." Where is she?
"They are not your property. You have no right to keep people against their will," I yell into the forest.
"I have covered us all in a shield so her magic can't touch us, but I don't know how long it will hold. We need to find where she moved the portal," Alan tells us.
"They are nobodies. They were just a bunch of rogues that no one wanted. I'm doing them a favor by letting them die for something great, and you're not going to stop me. Good luck finding your way out of here." She laughs loudly, causing chills to run down my spine.
"How can we find the portal?" I ask Alan. I'm not used to going between realms.
"She's trying to hide it, but I feel its energy. Follow me, and everyone stay close so my shield covers you." He pulls me as we run. The witch remains quiet, and that worries me more than her threats. What is she doing?
"It's up ahead," Alan says as we pick up speed. He stops and waves his hands, making the portal appear. Just as quickly as it appears, it's gone again.
"Nice try." We spin around, and a beautiful woman is standing not far away.
"Let us go," Lindy yells at her. She smirks and claps her hands.
"That's not going to happen. In fact, I have so many of you now that I can do lots of experimenting." She snaps her fingers, and we're no longer in the forest. We're back in the cage room, locked in cages. I try to use my spell to unlock them, but nothing happens. The witch walks into the room laughing. How are we going to get out of here now?