Ash

"How could you betray your kingdom this way?" Danu shouted as she stood next to my Father, who sat on the throne - my throne.

I snorted, "I didn't betray my kingdom or my people, you have. You are both so desperate for power that you were willing to sacrifice Sen for it. My job as King was to protect my lands, and letting her go did just that. You are not fit to rule, Father, and if I'm being honest, I don't understand how you, a goddess, can claim to have the interests of elven-kind in your heart when all you seek is a power source."

Magic pulsed in the air around her as she roared, "You are not King, not any longer!" I fell to my knees as vines shot up from the ground and wrapped around my arms and shoulders. Thorns dug into my skin as the floor beneath me seemed to crumble, buckling up dirt that began to swallow me. "I'll give you time to consider the error of your ways," she chuckled as the earth swallowed me in darkness. I tried to struggle, to breathe, but her magic held me tight as vines continued to entomb me until I succumbed to the magic, calling out to Serenity in my mind just before losing all consciousness.

Serenity

"Asher!" I bolted upright, screaming out for him as I clawed at my arms as if the vines were covering me.

"Ren, stop," Daniel snapped, gripping my hands as I saw the blood I'd drawn. "What happened?"

I looked around the room frantically, still tasting the dirt in my mouth. "Ash, she...I have to save him," I gasped. I tried to tug my arms free, but he held firm.

"Stop and breathe, Serenity. You need to explain what is going on. Who has your brother?" His voice was low, but firm, and I could feel his influence in the bond as he tried to calm me. Garen stepped into the room from the en suite and sat beside us, his eyes filled with worry. While the bond was amazing, it was also difficult to keep our emotions from flooding each other.

"Danu. She and Father have trapped him as punishment for helping us escape. She entombed him in the earth," I gasped. "I can feel him struggling to breathe, he's wrapped in vines and earth... It's so dark, so cold." I could feel the freezing temperatures seeping into my very bones.

"Love, you have to take a breath and calm down. I know you want to help your brother, but we can't go storming into Faire without a plan. This might be a trap to lure you back into their grasp," Garen said, his voice staying level as he ran his hands over my arms. Daniel held me around my waist, his chest pressed against my back. "Now, close your eyes and tell us what you can see or feel from Ash. See if you can reach out to his mind."

Letting out a deep breath, I tried to clear my mind and focus on him. I couldn't see anything at first, then it was like small tendrils of light began to illuminate Ash. I could see gnarled vines wrapping around him, pulsing like veins with dark magic. His eyes were closed, and his face seemed to have sunken in, giving the appearance that he was somehow ancient. The closer I examined him, the more furious I became. The vines were piercing his skin and pulling his magic from him, pumping it upwards. I heard my voice speak, explaining every detail to Garen and Daniel, but I never opened my eyes, and if they spoke, I couldn't hear them.

Garen

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, as well continued to hold her. A vibration shook her body when her eyes opened. They looked like a milky film covered them as she stared into nothingness, her hands gripping mine tightly. I felt like ice water was seeping into my bones and looked up to see Daniel grimacing as his eyes began to film over just like Serenity's as she pulled both of us into whatever she was seeing.

It was like one of those horror movies where the victim is buried alive, except this wasn't a movie. Ash was suspended in the earth, held by vines that seemed to be draining his very life force. "That bitch," Serenity seethed as she reached out toward the vines.

"Ren, don't!" Daniel snapped, yanking her hand away. "You don't know what will happen if you touch them."

It was at that moment she realized we were with her. Her eyes widened, and a gasp passed her lips, "H...how are you doing this?"

We shook our heads, "This is all you, love," I told her. "Our bond has connected us in ways we don't understand. I dare say nothing like this has ever happened before." I studied the vines, following them upward. "Do you know where they go?"

"I'm not sure, and I can't get into his mind," she shuddered. "I can feel Danu's magic, though. It's been corrupted, tainted with darkness."

"Do you think it's her or is it your Father's influence tainting the magic?" Daniel asked her.

"I'm not sure, but Ash isn't as strong as I am. He won't last long like this. We have to figure out something quickly," she cried as we suddenly found ourselves back in the bedroom, her chest heaving as the tears came freely now. Daniel and I exchanged looks of concern. How could we save her brother without risking her or the babies?

Author's Notes:  The end is near.  Currently, I'm writing backwards.  I don't yet have the chapter after this, but I do have the epilogue and last two chapters done.