AZA

For the second time in her life, Aza awoke in a one of those freaky cultist shows. Essentially it was a creepy castle dungeon, but instead of her hands chained behind her back to a vampire, she was on her own with her hands dangling in far rustier chain cuffs above her head which was killing her as she felt the dried blood crusted down the side of her face. The girl gave a prolonged moan. "Oh, come oooon, I've already got being kidnapped by a witch and stuck in her freaky gross prison cell crossed off my bucket list." She tried to stand, but both her arms and legs were asleep. "But this is new." Now she attempted to shake her arms awake, but only sent a painful tingling through them, that did not end in the return of feeling. All the blood had drained out of them from being up in that position for so long. Aza gritted her teeth and instead began working on her weighty legs that she also discovered were chained to the moldy stone wall behind her. "Alright Ethylene, where are you? And I mean you." Aza glanced around the dark room, as she continued to stomp her feet awkwardly trying to get sensation back into her toes.

"Honestly, Ethylene? That's what you call me?" Curled a viciously familiar voice. A thin copper haired girl scantily draped in red and black robes, seemed to materialize out of the darkness followed by a tall gangly form with glasses.

Aza glared at Etheldreda. "Yeah, you know because it's poisonous, just like you."

Etheldreda's eyes narrowed. "We'll see who will be poisoned by the end of this." She took a few steps closer to Aza, staring down at her tiny form. "I'm surprised that you would even know what ethylene was."

Aza continued to glare up the witch, feeling pissed that she couldn't even stand yet, even though she would still be shorter than her, but Aza liked to think that was because of the five-inch heels that other girl was wearing. "Yeah, it may surprise you but I actually did go to school where you learn big words and what they mean." Aza spat. "Bigger words than you know, I bet. Calandra told us you're actually fifteen, that's almost two years younger than me."

Etheldreda rolled her eyes. "Imbecile," she hissed and stomped hard on Aza's leg with one of those brutal heels of hers, sending an excruciating shock up Aza causing her to bite her lip so hard that she broke the skin, to keep herself from screaming. Well, at least feeling was officially back in that leg. "We went to school together for nearly a year and I had far superior grades than you did."

Aza gave a grunt, shoving back the curse words stirring in her throat. "Good grades don't mean you're the best." Taking a deep breath she pushed herself to her feet, wincing a little as she put pressure on her punctured leg, but she still felt better standing up to Etheldreda. "And that wasn't a good enough reason to use the word 'imbecile'."

Again Calandra's sister rolled her eyes. "As much as I love discussing unimportant bs, I have more important things to get to."

"Sorry I take up so much of your precious time." Aza snarled.

Silence in which the two girls did their best to stare down the other spread between them. Neither one budged until the witch spoke. "Aren't you going to ask why I took you?" She whispered.

"I'm not in the mood to give you the satisfaction, but I'm fairly certain I can guess that you want to draw in Evabelle again. I'm nothing more to you than bait." Aza replied.

Etheldreda grinned. "Not this time, Azara Vogel."

Aza's mouth dropped. "What did you just call me?" She gasped.

That ugly smile grew and the witch finally pulled away and began to pace back and forth in front of her. "You are not bait today. In fact you won't be staying here long, although you were an option for the other part of this."

"What the hell?" Aza's voice shook as her heart gave a violent shudder, sending a wave of bitter cold down her entire body. "Where did you hear that name? That is not my name! My name it Azara Kendall!"

Etheldreda chuckled, clearly enjoying every second of the fiery girl's panic. "Today you're a messenger. Personally I wanted to use you for the other part, because I believe it would work just as well, but the Mistress insisted it be like this instead."

"What in the name of all holy heaven are you talking about!?" Aza screamed, struggling forward, but was held back by her stupid bonds.

"Bait is only a part of this." Etheldreda almost squealed in utter delight. "We need to break Evabelle. Breaking a hero before she becomes one. We need to take something precious from her. By breaking it, we break her." She stopped her pacing and brushed her fingers with her long, almost claw-like nails against Aza's cheek. "Like I said, I wanted to use you, but I'm under orders."

In a flash, Aza turned her head and bit down hard on one of those short pale fingers.

Etheldreda screamed and pulled back. "You rat!" She snarled, holding her finger with blood oozing from it.

Aza spit out the nail and gave a cold grin. "Yeah, I'm not the rat here. This time I'm the cat."

Etheldreda gave a scowled and slapped her good hand across Aza's face. "Yes a deranged alley cat that needs to be put down." Her eyes flickered to the faint scar that still remained on Aza's cheek from when one of the Annihilators had gotten a good swipe at her when she had her first had a run in with them. "You even have the whiskers." Etheldreda taunted softly.

Aza struggled and stretched her jaw painfully, her eyes were watering a little, which was the worst because crying was bad enough, but doing it in front of the enemy made it all the more pathetic. "Then do it, you psycho, and be over with it!" Aza yelled.

"You have no idea how badly I wish for that." Etheldreda muttered. "But you have something that you must do for us first." She paused, glaring Aza down.

Aza continued to glare right on back, ignoring the moisture slipping from the corners of her eyes. "Be as cryptic as you want I'm not asking. I'm not going to play your game where I ask you smirk and turn away." She murmured. "I'm done with that."

Etheldreda grunted. "Fine," she pulled away again and moved aside just as CJ stepped more into Aza's line of vision. That's when the captured girl really felt like hurling. One of the imprisoned boy's eyes was swollen nearly shut with black and blue bruising inking all the way down do his chin. His neck was red and had a nasty rash that had split the skin in several places causing it to bleed. It looked like the worst rope burn Aza had ever seen. The other side of his face had what looked like claw marks slashed across it still dripping blood as well. But with all the injuries that Aza could see, the boy remained stone-faced, trapped under the witches curse.

"What did you do to him?!" Aza screeched.

Etheldreda glanced back at him. "The idiot tried to take control. He had to be punished. He was lucky this time. I was merciful."

Aza was trembling all over again. "Burn in Hell, you bi-"

"As much as I'd love to do that, I've got a lot on my list." The witch cut her off, glancing at a strange looking watch on her wrist. "She'll be here soon. I've given her plenty of time." With a snap of Etheldreda's fingers CJ drew nearer to Aza. "But while we wait, I can at least torture you a little."

Looking into the one good eye of her innocent friend, Aza's insides clenched. "CJ," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. We will get you out of this. I promise you."

CJ made no reaction that he had heard her, but Etheldreda gave a little chuckle. "He can't hear you, his mind is a little occupied at the moment. I've made sure of that."

Aza swiveled back to the fiend. "What are you doing to him?" She snarled.

"What I'm going to do to you, Vogel." Etheldreda grinned.

Aza lunged toward the monstrous girl, but crumpled as the shackles yanked on her arms and legs and whipped her to the floor again. "Shut up you freak! Shut up and set him free! Do whatever the hell you want to me, just don't hurt him! Stop hurting my friends and just take me!" She shook her head, her whole body trembling, still fighting the vomit in her throat.

Etheldreda laughed harder. "You're going to wish I did that to you. We figure your own mind is far more torturous than we could be to you for now. Of course that doesn't mean I won't be beating him and torturing his mind, along with-"

The door on the opposite side of the room suddenly flung off its hinges and smashed into the other side of the wall, sending an array of splinters raining down on Aza, the witch, and the familiar. A beautiful, curvaceous form stood outlined in the hallway, a pale green glow whirled around her as her ruby hair swirled about her head as though a storm was emanating from inside the mage with burning icy black eyes. "ETHELDREDA!" Calandra boomed.

Even Aza felt a tremor of fear pass through her at the sight of the stunning woman as she stepped in the room. Calandra's whole body seemed to be putting off a terrifying energy and as she strode across the room, the hairs standing on end on the back of Aza's neck and along her arms.

The witch beside Aza had frozen for just moment, but quickly stood straight and sneered at her sister. "Oh, Sissy, what took you so long?"

Calandra's hand burst into that light green fire without even reciting a spell. She raised it up and flung it forward. Etheldreda didn't even flinch, because the fire suddenly smashed into an invisible barrier that flared a sick pale yellow color when the magic crashed against it. "Temper, temper, dear sister." Etheldreda tutted as Calandra glared. Behind the mage, Aza saw Faux and a large man that she didn't recognize step into the room.

Faux ran forward, his staff already in hand, at the sight of Aza, but Calandra caught his arm. "Demonic barrier." The mage's lip curled. "Do you enjoy being a slave?"

Etheldreda giggled. "Do you enjoy being weak?" She stepped a little closer to the center of the room, toward the invisible wall separating the two red-heads. "I make deals with demons and I help them and in return they help me. It's a fair trade, not a servitude relationship."

Calandra scoffed. "You keep telling yourself that."

"But honestly, Cal, first helping vampires, then using illegal magic on those wings, and now falling to the level of calling on the help of werewolves." Etheldreda jerked her head to the tall, scruffy, muscular guy, who was now leaning back against the far wall looking bored. "I'm beginning to wonder who's more of the witch."

"Why don't you lower this wall and I'll show you exactly what I am?" Calandra seethed.

Etheldreda broke away from the deadly stare of her sister, putting one hand on her hip and the other in the air. "Oh, so threatening. That's another indicator. Would you honestly attempt to kill your own sister?"

Calandra's intimidating scowl actually broke into a far more horrifying smile. "Mages aren't on the side of the angels either, Etheldreda. We believe in a neutral ground where we can choose to do as we wish. I am not a murderer, dear sister, but I will kill anyone who threatens my family. I can promise you that."

Aza who had grabbed her chains around her wrists and had slowly, tugged herself to her feet again, staggered. She stared open mouthed at the mage that kept her murderous stare on her younger sister. Had she just said what she thought she did? Kai had mentioned that they could all be a family, but Aza never would have thought she would hear Calandra refer to them like that. Not to mention that was one brutal burn to her own blood relative. Aza's mouth actually split into a grin.

Etheldreda's cruel smile slipped a little, but she quickly replaced it. "Whatever you say, Sis." Then she whirled around to face Aza again just as Calandra gestured to a black symbol on the ground between the two sides of the room. Faux nodded and crouched down in front of his drawing another one of his feathers, starting to murmur under his breath, setting the feather alight in ruby magic. "It looks like this is where we part ways, alley cat, but I wouldn't drop your guard."

Aza's eyes narrowed. There was no way they'd just let her go. There was no purpose for this then.

"Now you'll deliver our message won't you?" Etheldreda leered at her.

"What message?" Aza spat. "You never told me anything!"

Etheldreda touched a finger to her lips. "Oh, but I did. Just remember that you're not the only one that is precious to Evabelle." Then the witch stepped back just as her eyes rolled up into her head and a dark chuckle shook CJ's battered form.

Aza gritted her teeth. "You-!" But she never finished as the broken, bloody boy swooped forward and pressed his mouth hard against Aza's. The small girl struggled and tried to get away from the witch, but CJ's hands held her face as he practically pried her mouth open letting a bitter foul taste flood in. Aza coughed and wretched the moment CJ stepped back and went as lifeless as a puppet, once more.

Etheldreda was now laughing again. "I think the Mistress will be proud of that little move." Her eyes glittered down at her. "I didn't get to really torture you, but I think this will have the affect I wanted anyway. Sweet dreams, Vogel."

Aza's vision was starting to go blurry and her knees started to shake. "What did you give her?" Calandra called across the room, the words sounding far more distant than they should.

Aza blinked several times and shook her head, trying to focus. She stared across the room at the mage's expression of fury directed at the witch, the stranger and his aloof posture giving off the impression that he'd rather be anywhere else, and finally the Anahalian, who had briefly stopped his chant to stare blankly at Aza. Her vision shook a little and when she focused on Faux again, he was continuing his spell, staring down at his feather, as though he hadn't broken off from it.

Etheldreda turned back to her sister, her smile stretching further up her face. "One of Averno's experiments that, depending on the subject, can be one of the worst kinds of torture." She sounded like she was underwater.

Just then a rippling wave passed through the air where the invisible wall was, and Calandra raised her hand a second time and flung her green flames at the witch who just managed to duck away in time. Etheldreda ran, grabbing CJ's arm and dragged him to a dark red stained symbol in the corner of the room and vanished.

Aza didn't remember falling back down, but she found herself blinking blearily up, after discovering herself on her knees, at Calandra and Faux running toward her. The russet Anahalian's voice shouted her name through the thick fog that continued to cloud Aza's senses.
But just as his voice faded into nothing another voice that gripped Aza's heart made it through with perfect clarity. "You. You've taken my life away from me." Slowly the monster's face formed before her just as it had when she had been drugged with Calandra's fovodrogo. Those heartless, broken, crazed eyes turned on her, his voice striking every nerve in Aza's body. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

EVABELLE

Evabelle stared blankly at the plaque, the words scrawled on them turning over and over in her head. King Lir, Queen Cordula, the heir, Prince Kairi, and the Princess Gemma. Beside the names, Cordula, Kairi, and Gemma was a small diamond shape that Evabelle assumed meant that they were believed to be dead. However the three individuals that stood before the painting were well aware that two of those people were very much not dead.

Suddenly the windows that flooded the hallway with sunlight began to snake with hundreds of vines blocking out the light of day, finally causing Evabelle to tear her gaze away from those words and the picture of their friend. It happened so fast that Evabelle hadn't even gotten a word out before the three of them were plunged in darkness again. A few fairies seeped through the vines allowing bits of light to bounce around the room. They didn't pay any attention to Evabelle, Lucis, or Del. They just hovered above their heads as if their purpose was to just give off light.

Evabelle opened her mouth, but another voice spoke.

"I have a lot to explain."

Evabelle and the boys whirled away from the covered windows and the drifting fairies to gape down the corridor at a tall pale figure in a beige satin dress shirt and dark silk pants, standing in the stature of a prince.

Del crossed his arms. "Really?"

But Evabelle ran to him nearly tripping as she saw him up close. "Your...hair...?" She whispered, staring at the choppy white locks. It wasn't overly short. It was still a little longer than Aza's, but Evabelle was shocked to see it go from around his waist to just above his shoulders.

Self-consciously, Kai's hand reached up and ran his slender fingers through his hair. "Yes," he didn't sound like he cared to expand on that particular subject.

Lucis and Del began to walk toward them, but Kai moved toward them and the painting instead followed closely by Evabelle, who couldn't stop staring. Once again at the end of the hall, Kai stared forlornly up at his younger face that didn't look that much younger than he did now, except that the peachy glow of his skin and those blue-green eyes that held an expression that Evabelle had never seen in the vampires face; a sense of pride and happiness. "This was painted so long ago, it feels like another lifetime." He shook his head. "Which I suppose it was." Kai sighed. "I'm sorry, I just don't know where to begin."

"You're the effing heir to the elven throne." Del put in. "How about you start there?"

Kai glanced down at the plaque below and shook his head again. "This is wrong." He touched his name, tracing the carving with his fingertips. "I'm not the heir, not officially anyway."

"We don't understand." Lucis said softly.

Kai took a deep breath. "I am the first born son to King Lir, which would of course would lead me to succeed my father, but we have a tradition that no one is to know who the prince or princess is until their fiftieth year where he or she would be crowned the official heir to the throne. They are to live with an ancillary family on the second Isle and to live on the outside, to learn about his people, so that they may govern them with them in mind. It is to give them a chance not to live as a royal so revered and respected, but to be humbled and know what and how the elves are that don't have the same privileges.

"I traveled to all the Isles and learned about how each of them lived, but I did still go to the palace to see my real family quite often. The occupants in the palace of course knew who I was, but no one else was to until my coronation. There were a few admittedly that knew on the outside, but they kept the secret." Kai turned Evabelle. "I told you the story about my mother already."

Evabelle nodded, staring into those shining gray eyes that seemed strangely brighter than when she had seen him before they left the Inn. In fact, his skin seemed to almost have a hint of color that it had lacked before as well. Perhaps being back in his homeland was giving him more strength. "You just forgot to mention that your mother was the queen." She replied.

"I think I might have missed that conversation." Del grunted.

Kai closed his eyes, but Evabelle chimed in instead. "Kai's mother went on a group healing mission and was killed by a group of vampires. And Kai went after them." She summed up quickly.

Kai gave her a grateful nod, but still gave a bit more. "Yes, my mother left just a few weeks before my coronation, and when the news of her and her party's deaths came, it was postponed, but then I went after the vampires, as Evabelle said, and I never came back. Gem followed as you can put together of course, so that left my father with no heirs. And very few even knew who the heir would have been before I disappeared. I was even taken here by a group of elves who had no idea who I was, if I had had the coronation then they would have certainly recognized me."

Evabelle felt that continual pain for the vampire, but suddenly something he said, clicked. "Just a few weeks before your coronation? Does that mean you're actually fifty years old?!" She had read in the Day and Night book that told her about all the creatures created by angels and demons, that elves lived a little more than four times that of the life-span of humans by aging quite a bit slower than they did, but even knowing that Evabelle always saw Kai as a man in his early twenties maybe.

"Technically, I'm fifty two. But my body does not age the same as humans. To you my body is roughly twenty-one to twenty-two years old." Kai replied. "Elves age at almost the same rate as humans when they're young, but as they reach their late teens and early twenties then it really slows down."

"Yeah, I've always found that to be way too convenient." Del rolled his eyes. "Stuck in your prime for nearly two hundred years."

Evabelle nodded numbly, not hearing Del's comment. She didn't know why these things should surprise her anymore. "So I always assumed Gem was about the same age as my brother, about eight years old. Is that right? You said elves age close to humans when they're young."

Kai cleared his throat. "Well, she's a little older than she looks then. She still looks and acts about that age though, but in reality, she's just turned fourteen a few months ago."

Evabelle shook her head. That made Gem only a two years younger than her. "Wow. I guess that makes more sense that a twelve-year-old ran away to be with her brother rather than a six-year-old."

"Why didn't you tell who you were before we came?" Lucis asked, cutting into the conversation.

Kai turned to him. "It was a hard thing for me to bring up. I knew I would still have to tell you. I just figured I could mention it when we got here, but a few things got in the way."

"You can say that again." Del muttered.

"So, you've seen your father?" Evabelle asked tentatively, glancing again at the new, more elf-like clothing. It reminded Evabelle as one of those fancy Chinese silk shirts with the high collar and the faint embellishments of swirling flowery plants.

Kai stiffened a little. "Yes, I have."

"And did you find out any more information about the potential traitors?" Lucis asked.

The fallen elf shook his head. "I thought it would be best if we could all discuss that matter together. I actually came here to bring you into my father's throne room, so that we could."

Lucis gave a nod. "Then lead on, Your Highness."