Chapter 14

The shelter they had taken us to had been a wolf’s den, obvious from the stale odor of wet dog that permeated the air, but at the moment, it was filled to capacity with makeshift cots. We piled inside, following my grandmother as she circled the room lighting the numerous lamps hanging from the high ceiling with her magic. I watched her, my impatience at her calm composure after I’d already warned her of the imminent attack boiling over.

“Grandmother, did you not hear me? The village is being attacked tomorrow night. You need to get everyone out.”

She turned, motioning to someone in the back to shut the crude door. I glanced back, surprised to see Starke no longer with us. All the elementals were here, Kara, Bish, Galt, along with some of his wolves, and Olla and Rach, but no prince. When had they separated us?

“Where is Starke?” I demanded.

“Somewhere else, for now. It is better we speak in private until we can be sure we can trust him.”

I knew Athena had every right to distrust Starke after what we had all gone through, and she had to do everything she could to protect her people. I got that. But seriously? Did she not trust me?

“Trust him? He saved my life twice now. He warned me of the attack which you seem to be taking with a grain of salt. His ring has joined in unity with mine. His mother tried to kill him for Pete’s sake, for protecting me. What more does he need to do for you to trust him?”

She stared down her nose at me with that irritating, condescension. I loved my grandmother, I truly did, but there were times I really wanted to punch her.

“I understand you are sure of his fidelity to you, Bridjette, but it’s the rest of us I’m concerned about.”

“The rest of you? Again, he’s told me Asha is attacking the village. Why aren’t you doing anything about that?”

“Why do you think we are here?” she snapped, crossing her arms, her gold bangles jangling from the effort. “We are well aware of the attack. All the villagers have been taken in by the Faerie and Ogre clans while the rest of us took shelter here. We were warned by the guard who helped you escape the prism tower.”

That threw me for a loop. “Nole? But how did he know?”

My grandmother’s lips puckered, like she was tasting something sour. I didn’t think she would answer, but finally she ground out, “He said the prince sent him with the message in one of his rational moments.”

“Starke warned you? While he was under the control of blood magic?” I whispered. I knew it. I knew my Starke was always in there. “But yet, you are still questioning his loyalty?”

Her eyes glittered at her next words. “Not his loyalty. His self-control. What if he loses himself again? After everything we’ve been through, we can’t trust that he will not fall under his mother’s command. What if he actually still is and this whole thing is a charade?”

“He won’t, and it isn’t,” I argued. “Look. His sigil is back. If you can’t take my word for it, then take the prism’s word. He is back. I think our sigils combined in unity are testament to that.” I held my arm out for all to see. “Elementals, check your sigils as well.”

They did, and even I was shocked to see Jill, Zoe, and Sash all sporting Starke’s mark along with their own.

“Looks like she ain’t lying.” Zoe quirked a brow at Athena.

“The girl is not wrong,” Olla’s soft voice drifted across the packed room. “The prism would not allow that to happen if it felt the prince was a danger to us.”

My grandmother still didn’t look convinced.

“Look, I don’t think you can be picky about our allies right now. From where I’m standing, it looks like we need all the help we can get.” I kept trying to convince her “He can give us insight into his mother’s innerworkings. Her battle plans. The way she thinks. Help us get into the tower. He is an asset.”

“Her words have merit, my lady.” I smiled at Bish, ignoring the urge to wrap my arms around him in gratitude.

My grandmother pursed her lips again, studying my face. “You are positive he has eluded her control, Bridjette? You cannot be wrong about this. It would doom us all.”

I nodded, no hesitation. “I’m positive. There’s no time to explain everything we’ve been through this past week, but there is one thing I do know. There’s no way he’s still under the control of dark magic. I’d bet my life on it.”

Her perusal intensified, like she was staring into my very soul. A slight flicker of something crossed her face. Amusement? Disdain? Almost like she knew what had transpired between Starke and myself last night, and I fought against the urge to fidget in embarrassment. I had nothing to be ashamed of. Instead, I pulled myself up straighter.

“And Starke needs to be here to defend himself and prove himself to you. To all of you.”

She blinked at my defiance before giving a slight nod. I assumed it was to Baylor at the back of the room since he left immediately.

My grandmother took an unexpected step toward me, and I resisted the urge to back up. As if she knew her eyes softened, and she dropped a warm hand on my shoulder. “I am sorry if I come across as uncaring, Bridjette. I care tremendously. I was worried sick while you were missing, and I am thrilled to have you back.” She ran her hand up to cup my cheek. “But you are not the only one I care about. I need to be positive that the prince will bring no harm to my people. We have suffered greatly and lost too many. I refuse to lose any more.”

My hackles relaxed a little. “I get that. I do. But you forget that I care for these people too. I would never endanger them, not even for Starke. He is on our side, Grandmother. Trust me.”

She cupped both my cheeks, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “I do, child. I always have. He is the one that must prove his worth. And if you didn’t always see him through rose-gilded glasses, you would realize that too. Sometimes, I fear you are way too trusting.”

My confusion at her words stalled as the room erupted into a few low growls from Galt and his wolven, along with murmurings from the others. Starke had obviously arrived. Baylor led him in, his hands tied in front of him. He ignored everyone, his eyes searching for me. As soon as he found me, he started moving. I met him halfway.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yes. You?” He tried to touch my face with his bound hands.

“I’m fine.” I grabbed his fingers and glanced around the room. “Can we get this taken off please? This is not necessary.”

My grandmother nodded her permission before turning to the others. “Council members, please join me outside for a moment. There are things we need to discuss. Baylor, please keep the elementals well-guarded until our return.”

What she really meant was keep Starke well-guarded, but I really didn’t care. I wanted the reprieve from all the questions and suspicion.

Zoe answered my request as soon as the council members left the den. She flashed Starke a grin as she pulled her knife and started sawing at the ropes. “Good to see you in one piece, asshole.”

“Never have I been so happy to be compared to a piece of anatomy.” His grin encompassed the rest of them. “Good to see you all. Jette and I owe you our lives. Your timing was impeccable.”

His gaze fell on Sash. “And I assume this is the earth elemental?”

“So they tell me,” Sash replied with a heavy sigh and shrug. “Although, I find it hard to believe anything I’m told. Like, last I saw you, you were with a dragon beast and attacking us with magic. Now, we’re all friends? This place makes no sense.”

“Sash has been a little difficult to make a believer.” Jill shot Sash a huge smile, before wrapping an arm around Starke’s waist and hooking her other one around my neck, holding on tight. “I’m so happy to see you guys.”

“Right back at ya.” My voice was muffled since my face was in her armpit and all, but I didn’t mind. I really meant it.

She finally let go, but her delighted grin bounced back and forth between me and Starke.

“Where the heck have you been all this time?” Her grin escalated to concern as she peered closer at Starke’s chest, pushing aside the open jacket. “What happened to your shirt? And is that a fresh wound running down your chest?”

“A long story, fire elemental.” He sighed. “One that will be shared over a nice mug of whiskey, yes? You were the one to track us I assume?”

“Uh… yeah.” Jill tore her eyes away from his toned abdomen with obvious effort before nodding. I didn’t blame her really. Starke with no shirt was an impressive sight, but that didn’t help abate the twinge of jealousy invading my chest.

Grow up, Jette.

“We were searching for days, but there was no trace of Jette. It was like she’d totally disappeared from the multiverse. Then, yesterday I felt it. I felt Jette’s aura, but before we could pinpoint it, it disappeared again. We searched all night, hoping to find it again. Then, we did. Your terrified aura appeared. We pinned it and jumped.”

“Must have been when Asha brought the ward down,” I added, and Starke muttered a ‘hmm’ in agreement.

“We didn’t have any idea what we were jumping into, but there was no way we were going to lose you again, so I quickly opened the portal with Sash’s help. Kara and Bish were the first ones in with no fear as to what would be waiting for them on the other side. They were determined to get you back.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, fighting against the tears in my eyes, my gaze encompassing them all. “Thank you, guys, for not giving up.”

“Hmph, your grandmother wouldn’t allow us to.” Zoe grinned. “She was like a woman possessed. She was determined to get you back if she had to move heaven and earth. She had someone on duty at all times searching for your aura.”

My disappointment at Athena’s behavior mellowed some. Despite her severe and domineering personality, I knew she cared. I knew, deep down, she had our best interests at heart. She just had a strange way of showing it. But hell, I also always knew strange ran strong in my family.

“We were so worried when you didn’t come through the portal with us from Sash’s world.” Jill’s heart-shaped face conveyed her concern. “We had no idea what happened to you. If Starke had hurt you in any way.” She gave him an apologetic shrug. “Sorry, but you weren’t yourself.”

He ducked his head. “Totally understood.”

Kara decided to weigh in. “We even had Jill open another portal and jumped back to see if you had just somehow been left behind. But we couldn’t find you. You left no trail, no aura. It was like you had totally disappeared. Where were you? And have you two been together all this time alone on that world? Like a tropical vacation?”

Kara posed her question innocently enough, but I felt her eyes on me, probing for the answer. Like somehow, she knew exactly what had gone down and was goading me into admitting something. I narrowed my eyes at her sly smile.

“All right, get your mind out of the gutter. And if you must know, Nosey Nancy, where I was being held prisoner was about as far from a tropical paradise as you could get. Some frozen world called Karam. And that wasn’t the worst of it. I almost died from infection from my wound that asshat gave me when he threw me through that window. I got attacked and almost eaten by a weird grizzly-ape hybrid. I killed Starke and brought him back to life. And, oh, on top of all that, had to suffer the indignity of using a crude port-a-potty that had never seen an antibacterial wipe since the day it was installed, so, um, yeah, it wasn’t exactly a romantic getaway to the Bahamas. You can totally get that stupid idea out of your head.”

I knew my condensed version was intense and uncalled for, but it was way worth it to see every one of their mouths hang open in disbelief.

The questions came like a tidal wave.

“Oh my god. You almost died? Seriously?”

“Are you okay?”

“What the hell do you mean you killed Starke?”

“Say that again? A grizzly what tried to eat you?”

“Seems like we missed a party.” Zoe’s comment was met with an array of judgmental looks. “What?” she added, her gaze bouncing between them all.

“Geez, Z. A party? Did you not hear all they have been through? Can’t you be a little more compassionate?”

“Why?” Zoe threw again at Jill. “It does sound exciting. Hell of a lot more exciting than us waiting here in the wolf village twiddling our thumbs, waiting for some sign of Jette and trying to teach the boy genius here to use his magic. It’s as mind numbing as trying to train a cat to roll over and play dead.”

“I think that’s an insult.” Sash frowned at her.

Zoe rolled her eyes. “Like I said, boy genius.”

“Oh come on, Z, he hasn’t been doing that badly.” Jill, always rooting for the underdog.

“Please, he can’t even move that hammer of his without causing a mini earthquake.”

Sash glowered at her. “You try handling this monstrosity. Like. Really? They couldn’t have made a hammer from a bit more lightweight material? Like your bow maybe? That thing is a feather compared to my hammer. And I happen to think I can control it quite well, thank you.”

Zoe rolled her eyes again. “Oh, please. The wolven refuse to let you even try anymore anywhere near the village. Even Kara said she’s never seen anyone so inept with taking to their magic instrument.”

“I didn’t say it in quite those words,” Kara protested, heat filling her cheeks as she glanced back and forth between Sash and Zoe sheepishly.

“But you did say it,” Zoe insisted.

I burst out laughing. I really couldn’t help it. With everything that was happening, with all the shit falling around us, these guys were arguing like a bunch of overgrown siblings on a very long road trip.

“I missed you guys.” I beamed at them all. “And I’m so glad we’re all together again.”

“Enough with the reunion,” Athena’s voice cut through our camaraderie. I didn’t even hear them come back into the room. “We have things to discuss.”

And here came stepmom to break us up.

Athena ignored the rest of us as she strode across the room to stand in front of Starke, staring at him like he was dirt underneath her shoe. Starke’s face remained impassive, but I noticed him stiffen his back, like he was preparing for a fight.

Silence fell as everyone in the large room went silent, like they too expected a fight. I stepped closer to Starke, ignoring the temptation to take his hand in support.

“My granddaughter has given us a very effective argument on your behalf, Prince Starke.”

“Obviously since I’m still alive and standing here,” he retorted. I held back my snort. I didn’t think Athena would appreciate it.

“Hm.” She narrowed her eyes. “Bridjette believes you have input that may help us infiltrate the tower.”

The words were like music to my ears. “So, you do have a plan then?”

Her narrowed gaze fell on me. “Of course we have a plan. A full out attack to infiltrate the tower and restart the prism under our command.”

Her words were sharp and concise, basically stating don’t ask more.

I blinked, unable to let it go. “But that’s not a plan. That’s walking into Asha’s hands.”

“What do you expect us to do, girl? Asha is aware we have all the elementals. She is aware of her son’s return to our side. She is aware we need to reach the prism to beat her at her own game. Her focus will now be on the defense. She will do everything in her power to keep us away from the prism and get you four into her greedy hands. We have no other choice but to fight our way in. That’s where we need the prince. Hopefully, he can give us insight into any weakness Asha or her ward may present.”

“I think I may even be able to do better than that.” Starke flashed me a dark smile. “With every passing moment I’m no longer under the control of blood magic, my memories grow stronger. I remember sending Nole to warn you of the attack. I also remember something else I did while I was at the tower.”

I gave Starke a sideways glance of surprise. This was new. I mean I always did sense the real him simmering underneath the Hulk, but I hadn’t realized even under Asha’s power he’d still been strong enough to disobey her in more ways than one. Hearing about this strength made me admire him that much more.

“While I was there, I knew I needed to come and go without Asha realizing. I needed to travel to Jette without leaving a trace. So, I hid… a key would be the most appropriate word.”

“A key?” I questioned. “Like a door key?”

“Not exactly. I hid an insignia of magic in plain sight. A ward breaker spell disguised as a rock in the forest surrounding the tower. It allowed me to slip past the ward and back into the tower without detection. If it has not been found and obliterated, we may use it. It has the power to burn down the ward for a slight time and allow us access to the tower.”

“So, we would not have to use any of our magic to defeat her ward? Your key will allow us easy access to the grounds surrounding the tower and focus our power elsewhere?” My grandmother seemed to be finally warming up at Starke’s admission. Well, she wasn’t staring at him like a booger on a tissue anymore. A good sign.

“Exactly.”

She looked pleased as punch at Starke’s answer.

“What about the guards and morquals surrounding the tower?” I asked. “Will it get us past them as well?”

“No, unfortunately. We will still have to stand and fight.”

Everyone fell silent for a moment. Saying out loud that you were going to war was not something that sank in completely without arousing a myriad of emotion. Fear thumped through my veins. But not for myself. For my people. Zoe, Sash, Jill, and I, we were the elementals. We were not expendable in Asha’s eyes. Not yet anyways. But the rest were. Kara, Bish, Satoga, Rach, everyone else; they all stood the chance of not returning. I wasn’t prepared for that.

“We always knew it would come to this.” Athena broke the pregnant silence. She read the mood in the room exactly as I did.Her proud glance encompassed the mix of different groups all willing to lay their lives on the line. “We knew it would come down to a final battle. But we Endovians have always been ready to do whatever it takes to attain our freedom. There are many depending upon us to fix this. If the prism perishes, if this world perishes, then so do we. There is no other world for us. Like dominoes, all worlds will fall. There will be consequences to our actions. Defeating Asha’s army and her morquals will come at a price. But we must get the elementals to the prism. We must take control of our world once again for the sake of all worlds and all genera. Failure is not an option. Agreed?”

Basically, my grandmother just stated that anyone participating in this attack on Asha stood a good possibility of dying, but yet not one face in the room showed any reluctance.

Galt stepped forward, his snout held high in the air. “We save auctor. Nothing else matters.”

Six simple words, but they conveyed the meaning of this whole mess completely. We needed to save and restart the prism or there would be no more worlds worth saving. End of story.

“I couldn’t have said it better myself, Galt.” My grandmother sent a tight grin his way. “So, I suggest you all get something to eat. Clean up. Spend time with those you cherish. Do what you have to do for the next while. We will meet back here within the hour and get down to business. We have an attack to plan. We cannot delay any longer and allow Asha to strengthen her defense. We make haste for the tower before first light.”