Julian left some time after with little more than a wave.

My anxiousness of their meeting meant that I couldn't sit still.

First, I started to clean the kitchen after we finished breakfast. Once that was done, I managed to find a small closet with cleaning supplies. I dusted the downstairs, swept it, then mopped.

"Will you stop?" Naida hissed at me some time after.

I sighed as I sat next to her on the table from that morning. "I can't help it. I clean when I'm nervous. Or eat."

She sighed as if bored. "That sounds like a great idea." Naida waved her hand and a plate of fruit and cookies appeared in front of both of us. "I'll join you," she said as she reached for a cookie.

"Can't you sense if he's okay?" I asked as I bit into an apple.

She shook her head her eyes full of worry. "No, he's too far."

I cursed.

She laughed as she popped a grape into her mouth. "Careful, Emmy. His bad habits are starting to rub off on you."

I laughed. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone curse as much as he does."

She shook her head. "That particular habit was picked up when he lived in the human world. New York in the 1930's or something like that." She rolled her eyes. "He was insufferable after that stint."

"Were you ever in the human world?"

She nodded. "Yes but not recently. I only went there to look for a good time after the Winter War in the early 1900's." She sighed dreamily, placing her cheek in her hand. "Those human men were the bee's knees. So delicious."

I gave her a quizzical look.

She shrugged. "We've come a long way from kidnapping humans to be our concubines. The practice is no longer done." She winked. "They like to invite pretty faces into their beds."

I laughed as she grabbed another fruit from the plate.

"Is that the same war you mentioned yesterday?"

She nodded. "Mmhmm, the one and the same. The same war where I met Axel, my husband. But we were enemies at the time."

I watched her as she continued to pick another fruit. "Did you fight in it?"

She nodded. "Yes. Julian taught me how to fight since I wouldn't leave his sight even for war."

I bit my lip. "Do you think you can show me something?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Is my brother not teaching you enough?"

I sighed. "It's either that or I'm going to eat my weight in cookies."

She gave a large dazzling smile. "I'd be honored." She grabbed my hand and instantly we were in the back of the large home changed into training clothes.

A cushioned mat appeared on the marble floor of the porch in front of us. I touched the mat with my boot and felt it give slightly. It was hard but soft enough that if we were to fall it wouldn't hurt. "I didn't think you'd mean physical training."

Naida picked up her long black curls into her hands putting a hair tie in it as she spoke. "Knowing my brother, he's probably too much of a gentleman to lay a forceful hand on you." She placed her hands on her hips. "Magic is one thing and it's important but you also need to be able to protect yourself physically too."

I shuddered.

She walked to the center of the large blue mat and gestured for me. "Come on, get closer."

I did as she said.

"One thing you should learn to do is to use your magic with a physical attack. You're physically stronger than you were when you were human," she smiled. "So that should help." She placed a firm hand on my shoulder. "First, you build your magic inside of you."

I felt a slight tickling on my shoulder where her hand rested.

She smiled as she met my eyes. "And as you push them away, you release it."

As she said it, I felt a sudden force push my shoulder away making me stumble back hard enough to make me fall back hard against the mat.

Naida laughed as I groaned on the floor. "Ow." I heaved myself up from the floor with a smile. "Show me again how you did it."

She nodded. "But first, let me show you how to get close enough. You'll use your small stature to your advantage."

The rest of the day was filled with practice drills where Naida showed me how to defend myself in the case someone got too close. With what little magic I could muster, I was able to at least jolt Naida.

Naida wasn't kind and gave me jolts of power hard enough to knock me off my feet for longer than I felt comfortable. "You need to get used to it," was all she said. "Build a defense, prepare for it. Robyn won't take it easy on you if he's given the chance."

She was right and I was absolutely grateful for her.

We practiced for hours and I felt more physically tired than I had in months.

But I loved it.

I loved being able to learn how to defend myself and it was something that I wished that I had learned before. And as I practiced and ran through the same exercise for what felt like the hundredth time - I reveled in it, I absorbed it. I took all of her lessons close to my heart.

I would not be a victim again.

I would be stronger the next time I saw Robyn.

And I'd save Damien.

I tried to think of nothing else even as the hours ticked by and the sun started to set. It was with a sinking feeling that I realized that as the sprites began to dance in the setting sun Julian still hadn't come back.

Naida sighed as she watched the sun set behind the mountains. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she turned to me. "Last one of the day. I'm going to specter behind you. All you have to do is knock me down." She smiled as looked at me. "Don't take it easy on me. Use as much magic as you can. Put more force behind your body as you follow through."

I nodded and let out a long breath.

And she swiftly disappeared.

Instinct kicked in as soon as I felt her hands on me. I shifted my weight just as she had taught me. I put as much force as I could behind my body as I turned, grabbed her arms and pushed as hard as I could. I put as much magic as I could behind the attack and too late realized it wasn't Naida that had placed her hands on me.

I should have known as soon as I felt the larger hands.

In my complete and utter panic of seeing Julian -alive, not hurt and in one piece- and not Naida, I somehow spectered us both into the pool next to us. Again.

I screamed as we fell into the cold water of the infinity pool. When I surfaced again, I found Julian in the water with me, his black wet hair sticking to his forehead.

I laughed as I watched him, the muscle in his jaw jumping.

"What is it with you and falling into water?" He asked annoyed as Naida and I laughed.

I laughed. "That's what you get for sneaking up on me."

Julian growled as he turned to his sister. "Naida, you sneaky, conniving--"

She tsked. "Watch what you say, Julian, I'm a lady."

He disappeared from in front of me and spectered to the patio drenched from head to toe. Naida ran to him and gave him a fierce hug.

As I swam to the small ladder in the pool and pulled myself out, Naida asked the question that had hung in the air the entire time he was gone. "What did he want?"

A chair appeared behind him and he sat in it heavily. He began to undo the laces of the large heavy boots on his feet.

He was dressed in a heavy black jacket again with the embroidered silver on the cuffs and shoulders with large buttons down the front.

"It was as I suspected," he finally said. "He wanted to talk about the Hellhounds. Standard protocol. He's already sending his Guard here to watch over the city while I go to Tartus to see the Keeper of the Gate."

Naida's voice was soft. "Do you think Vyssen has anything to do with this?"

Julian shook his head. "No, but he does have...a theory."

Naida sighed. "I don't like the way you said that."

He let out a long breath. "He told me he heard rumors of advancement on our borders. Allies of Robyn." He rolled his eyes. "He believes it's related to the Hellhounds release. He named the Winter Kingdom since it's the closest to Tartus."

I could have sworn Naida held her breath. "That is absurd."

Julian nodded. "I agree." He let out a long breath. "I have to warn Vy. He threatened her. Blamed her for this. He said if she can't control her Hellhounds or secure her borders, he will find someone who can." He looked at me as he spoke. "Kymra is doing a marvelous job pretending to be you, Emylin. He doesn't suspect a thing about our plans."

I let out a long breath of relief. Kymra was safe.

"While I was there, I could see he's trying to get us against each other," he looked at Naida. "First the lords of the Underworld then the other kingdoms."

Naida scoffed. "Like that will work. I'll warn Axel all the same. He deserves to know since he suspects the Winter Kingdom."

Julian steepled his fingers together deep in thought. "Yes. He needs to be warned. But Naida, you'll need to stay."

Naida laughed, a genuine laugh that reminded me of small bells chiming. "No. I'm going to my husband."

Julian shook his head. "You must - it's your duty as Steward. Robyn will leave guards here - it's protocol. Our family must stay here and protect the city."

Naida shook her head. "You're crazy if you think I'm not going to him-"

Julian shook his head. "It's protocol, Naida. I, as Lord, must officially meet with Vy. You, as Steward, must protect the city. Imagine if the guards saw you running to the Frozen City now? And report back that you left Skryen unattended?"

Naida crossed arms. "This is insane, Julian."

"The King," he almost spat the word, "gave us our orders. We must follow we can't let him suspect anything."

"And Emmy?" Her foot tapped the floor nervously, her fists at her sides shaking.

I only watched in apprehension as they spoke.

"What about Emmy?" She asked.

He shook his head. "She can't stay. She'll go with me. The Guard won't follow - even they won't wander to the Gates."

Naida scoffed and walked away, "Unbelievable." She pushed heavily on the back door loud enough that it slapped against the wall when it swung backward.

I didn't say a word. I wondered what it was about me that made her so upset.

I watched the door as it swung back and forth from the force. "I'm sorry if I've done anything-"

Julian shook his head. "It's not anything you've done. It's what I've just told her. She just needs some time. She'll be all right."

I shook my head as I crossed my arms. "Are you trying to convince yourself or just tell me?"

He chuckled. "I suppose you're right. I just asked her to stay here and not see her husband after Robyn threatened him. I would act the same."

I couldn't blame her either.

"We're going to Tartus, to visit Lady Vyssen, Keeper of the Gate." A small smile curled his lip. "The Gates of Hell, if you believe ancient legend."

I looked at him in shock.

He only shrugged. "There's a reason the guards won't go. Superstitious lot. Vy is an old friend of mine - we'll be expected to be there. The Hellhounds are her responsibility - we have to find out what she knows."

"What do you think happened?" I whispered.

He gave a heavy sigh. "I think that Robyn is involved - somehow - he's trying to turn us against each other. Robyn doesn't know that Vy and I are...acquainted."

I raised an eyebrow.

After a moment, he spoke. "We can continue our training as we travel. We can only specter half of the way there. Tartus has spells that can't be broken so half the trip will be on foot or horseback. It will take us two days to get there. It's pretty desolate."

I frowned. "Can't we take a car?"

He laughed loudly.

"I was being serious."

"Yeah, " he laughed. "I know."