Reluctantly Darra said, when it became time for dinner: "My mum is nagging me and I did promise we'd be back for dinner. Are you ready?"

"Nagging? How?"

"Remember I told you we elves have something better than mobiles? It's not exactly the same and we can't have real conversations, but when we think really hard to someone, an other elf, we can send a message."

"And your mother did that?"

Darra snorted. "About every five minutes since we left. Don't worry, I can ignore her pretty well. But I do think we should go now."

Back to the cottage. Kyra sighed. She wasn't looking forward to seeing Darra's parents again. Nor, for that matter, this Olivia girl. But, they did promise and she was hungry, so she nodded.

Darra made the rip and they jumped back to the spot right in front of the cottage.

She made to walk up the few steps to the front door, but was held back by Darra's hand.

"Kyra ..."

Patiently she waited until he found the words he was obviously searching. However she didn't expect him to pull her flush against him and kiss her, which was what he did.

"Don't worry about Olivia, alright? No matter what my mother comes up with, or what trick they might have come up with, I don't care for her."

With a shy smile, she nodded. He gave her another small kiss and then heaved a deep sigh. "Let's go feed ourselves to the wolves."

The hallway was empty, when they took of their boots and snow suits, but when they entered the living room, all eyes were immediately on them. And on their hands, because Darra had grabbed hers again, right before he opened the living room door.

"Good evening everyone", he said with his usual, charming flair.

"Darra, so nice of you to finally join us. We were beginning to wonder if we'd see you at all. You remember Michael and Suzanne and their lovely daughter Olivia. Come say hello."

With elven super speed, Mrs. Blackwell rushed over to her son and almost snatched him away from Kyra. She was forced to let go of his hand and remained standing a little forlorn, while Darra became the centre of attention a few meters away from her.

A girl that was the spitting image of an American Prom Queen bounced to her feet and practically threw herself at Darra. It was a good thing he had warned her about Olivia, or she might have gotten jealous.

She saw how Darra was trying to get away from the arms that were attempting to hug him, as if they were old friends and decided to intervene.

Walking up to where the party had convened, she stopped right beside Darra, which made it impossible for Olivia to gush over him without acknowledging her any longer.

With a grateful smile, Darra once again took her hand in his and said to the visitors: "This is Kyra Glen." He didn't bother to introduce the family to her, since his mother had already sort of done that.

"Yes", Mrs. Van Pelten said with an air of great amazement. "This is the girl we've been hearing so much about. The one with Orb magic. Kyra is it?"

Her thick American accent made every word sound like it was chewed off.

"How lovely to meet you. You're Darra and Imogen's classmate, aren't you? I was surprised to hear they let a human girl into one of your schools, but", her fake laugh blared through the room, "it all turned out marvellously, didn't it."

Kyra saw how Darra opened his mouth with an angry look, so she quickly replied: "Yes, it did. Professor Maxwell is truly an amazing teacher, he's helped me so much. I'm sure we'll have the best tutoring there is from him."

Darra's proud look made her blush. His mum however didn't like her dominating the conversation, so she cheerfully suggested: "Shall we sit down? I'm sure Poppy has prepared a wonderful meal to celebrate your coming. Darra, come over here, dear."

Stubbornly Darra pulled out a chair for Kyra and sat down in the one next to that. Not in the least discouraged, Olivia placed herself on his other side and smiled sweetly.

During the course of the meal, it became obvious that everyone at the table, except for Darra was doing their utmost to pretend she wasn't there. They all kept talking about elven stuff she couldn't possibly know off and no one explained it to her. Every time Darra started to talk to her, someone, mostly Olivia, asked him a question.

Kyra decided to let it slide. Halfway through the meal, she felt Darra's hand on her leg and feeling slightly better because of the comfort that gave, she finished the meal in silence.

Because they had been away all day, Darra's father practically ordered his son to remain in the living room with their guests.

"Kyra, dear, if you feel tired, you are welcome to retire, off course. It must be difficult getting used to the time difference." Jared Blackwell said to her.

And even if he was right and she did feel rather tired, there was no way she would leave Darra alone. So she cheerfully shook her head and sat down beside the boy, who immediately took her hand in his again.

Of course it was a mere few minutes later that his mother urged him to come into the kitchen to help her with the coffee.

Before Kyra could get up to follow him, however, Mr. Van Pelten asked her a question and she felt compelled to remain in the room.

"Miss Glen, I've always been fascinated by powerful legendary magical objects. Can you indulge me by giving us a small demonstration of your orb magic?"

With wide eyes, she stared at the man. Was he serious? She looked over at Mr. Blackwell and saw his discomfort.

"I am ... I'm not sure I can do that. I'm still not entirely sure what it does and I don't want to cause any trouble."

From the corner of her eye she saw Olivia get up an disappear into the kitchen. A minute later Mrs. Blackwell emerged carrying the coffee tray. There was a satisfied little smile on her face and Kyra pressed her lips together.

Very well, they wanted a demonstration, she would give them one.

In her mind she envisioned Darra and, just as she had once done with Lily, pulled him towards her. A squeal of fright came from the kitchen at the same time Darra appeared next to her.

He blinked, looked at her and began to laugh. "Thanks", he said, sitting down next to her again.

Olivia came running into the living room, looking ready to scream, but when she saw Darra, her mouth clasped shut. Her eyes shot daggers at Kyra, but this time Kyra made sure not to look away. If they thought she was just going to stand by while they plotted against her and Darra, they had an other thing coming.

"It's good to know you can safe me like that. Feel free to get me any time you miss me", Darra whispered in her ear, which caused her to giggle.

After the coffee, Darra stood and said: "We're going. We won't be home late. See you tomorrow."

"Darra!" His fathers booming voice stopped him dead in his tracks. His smile faltered and with an angry look he turned back to the adults. Waiting strenuously, Kyra looked from father to son and wondered if they were doing that elven communication thing. Apparently not, because all of a sudden Mr. Blackwell said: "I want you to take Olivia with you."

"Why?"

"Because she is our guest and it is polite."

Darra opened his mouth, but closed it again. She knew how much he wanted to go against his fathers wishes, but she also knew that Darra was a good guy. Even though he disliked Olivia, he knew it was indeed the polite thing to do to take her with them.

She hated the thought of the blonde girl tagging along just as much, however she too, had been raised with manners.

With a sigh, Darra complied and with an expression of victory Olivia rose to join us.

In stead of jumping to somewhere remote and romantic, as Kyra was sure Darra would have done had it been just the two of them, he led them out the front door. With their warm coats, hats and boots on, they walked to the centre of the village, where Christmas decorations lit up the streets. It was such a lovely sight that Kyra soon felt better. She squeezed Darra's hand through their gloves. When he looked her way she smiled. "It's beautiful here."

A small smile told her he still wasn't completely happy, so she whispered: "This is only for now. Soon she will be gone and we will be together again."

At that, a real smile appeared on his face.

"Hey, there's dancing there, lets go there." Olivia's voice pulled them from their tiny happy moment and when the girl hooked her arm through Darra's and began to pull, his angry face returned.

"Stop that."

Olivia pouted and looked genuinely hurt. Kyra couldn't really tell if she was acting or not.

"I just want to have some fun tonight. I came here thinking I would have you to show me a good time, so you owe me at least this."

Kyra huffed. The nerve. She was glad when Darra answered: "I'm sorry you thought that, but it's not my fault you thought wrong. This is just me being civil, don't expect anything more."

Suddenly, Olivia hid her face in her mittens and began to wail. "Why are you being so mean to me? I've come all this way just for you and you don't even want me here. Why don't you want to be my friend?" She pulled her hands away from her face, that even showed a tear, and flung herself at Darra. Because of the force, his hand was ripped from Kyra's and before she knew what was happening, both of them were gone.

Shocked, she looked around. Did Olivia really just ripped them away? In the middle of a busy street filled with humans? Anyone could have seen them. Lucky for them, no one did, because of some carollers that were drawing attention. But they could have.

Wasn't it the big, number one rule? That humans could never know about the magic? And here she went and disappeared like a magician. She could be in so much trouble when anyone found out.

Right now, however, Kyra needed to get Darra back and for that she needed a secluded space.

Around the corner of a picturesque bookshop, there was an alley and she ran there. Making sure no one could see her, she concentrated on Darra and pulled him back to her.

He stumbled this time, waving his arms, as if he had been trying to free himself. There were pink stains on the corner of his lips and Kyra felt her mouth fall open. She didn't ...

Before she had the chance to say anything, Darra grabbed her arm and made a rip. He jumped them to the same secluded beach they went the night before and the light blinded her for a moment.

When she was able to see again, she saw how he had pulled of his coat and was rubbing at his face with his sleeve that was now dripping wet.

He made such a mess that she burst out laughing.

"Yeah, you just laugh, she didn't try to kiss you."

Taking of her coat as well and kneeling down in the sand beside him, Kyra asked: "Why would she do that?"

When Darra looked at her, his face wet and stained with grains of sand, she bit her lip. "Here, let me clean this up, you toddler."

A thin smile formed on his lips and after she wiped the sand from his face, she kissed him gently. "Don't let it worry you. I didn't think anyone would be so ... so ... I can't even find a word for it, but just forget about her, alright? You tried to do the right thing in letting her come, she ruined it for herself, now you don't owe her anything any more."

"I'm leaving in the morning. No way I'll be staying here with them any longer. Let's just go to that place in Canberra where you told your dad you would go."

Her eyes widened. "Are you sure? You said it yourself, your no adult yet. Won't they punish you for it?"

"Let them try. If Imogen is allowed to stay on her own, then I must be allowed to do the same. I won't be bullied by them any longer."

They sat on the beach in silence for a long time. Both staring ahead, worrying, planning, wishing.

Finally, Kyra leaned her head against his shoulder and softly said: "If you want to go to Canberra, that's what we'll do. It will be nice not to have to lie to my dad about everything."

He threw her a wide smile and stood up. "Stay here. I'll go get our things and we'll be in Canberra before you know it."