Quietly they went to the basement of the museum. Deavon still remembered all of the security codes to let them pass undetected and out into the darkness.
They were in an alley way behind the museum where delivery trucks could unload and load relics to be displayed. The alley was much neater than most as they were in the high traffic area of Avalon. Eli could see the lights of Moor Avenue. The tall iconic glass buildings graced this popular street. Many major businesses of Avalon were run from the tall buildings he could see from the darkness of the alley.
“Muse Pavilion is five blocks from here in Crane Park. How are we going to get there without being stopped? The security was always tight here, especially at night,” Wes said to Zoey.
“We go through Duegar District.” Eli looked at Wes. “You are familiar with it aren’t you?”
“Yes, but we will stand out like pearls in horse droppings,” Wes replied.
Deravon began to laugh.
“It isn’t funny Deravon and to be honest, I’ve about all I can take from you.” Eli pulled his scepter out.
“Don’t hurt yourself there.” Deravon continued to tease.
Eli knew he wasn’t going to do anything, but hoped to make a statement, which wasn’t working.
“Both of you stop.” Zoey stood between them. “We can’t go through Duegar. There is too much of a risk.” Zoey took a deep breath and looked at the glass buildings for a moment. “We will get there the shortest way possible.”
“But we’ll be out in the open,” Eli said. “The Muses’ will have an easy target that way.”
“They’re expecting us to be sneaky, and sometimes, the best way to be hidden is in plain sight.” Zoey gave Eli a small smile. “Besides, he will be at the Ball, he always had a fascination with the Banshee Queen, and would never expect us to show up.”
“That’s what I like—surprises,” Deravon said, placing a palm scepter discreetly in his hand with a smile.
The bright streets made Eli feel uncomfortable, like he was in a spotlight. They passed a few Faes going this way and that. Eli watched them all with suspicion. He didn’t like this plan of execution and wanted to say something.
Eli looked over at Zoey who hung close to Lyssa. She pointed at the large buildings explaining them to her. She looked like she was a real tourist and not on a mission. Eli began to wonder if she had lost sight of everything they risked.
They turned down Vine Avenue which led to the town houses of the Faes that worked nearby on Moor Street. The community was well lit and pleasant with the colorful homes all in one continuous line and landscaped with what little yard they had. Bright orillions graced the wreath laden doors and even along the steps leading to them. Eli always like it here and often fantasized about him and Zoey living here one day and starting a family.
He looked at Zoey with her gold copper hair flickering in the light and the way she hung close to Lyssa almost made them look like a real family. Except for Wes and Deravon they looked more like the unwanted family members they got stuck with.
The series of cookie cutter two story houses faded into a wooded area that acted as cushion between Vine Street and Duegar District. It had tall trees with weeping, dangling limbs that made an umbrella over them. They had passed a few Fae on Vine Street and no one spoke or even gave them a second glance. Eli still felt on edge and ran his finger over the corner of his palm scepter.
His eyes scanned the area. The welcoming lights of Vine Street had faded and an eerie wilderness now surrounded them. Eli examined every shadow lagging behind. The air had an odor to it he couldn’t place and the silence was too silent almost like it was a poison that consumed all around it.
A whooshing sound curled over his head. Eli froze expelling his palm scepter. Everyone stopped and looked up and at him.
“What are you doing?” Wes said just as several large, dark shadows dropped overhead and landed like rotten apples scattered beside them.
“Landmerrows!” Eli yelled slicing at one.
The dark blobs soon grew in size and gained several appendages with sharp tips. They were agile too, rolling themselves up into a ball and exploding in size as they uncurled. No sooner were they in front of Eli then they rolled behind him. Eli had now expelled two palm scepters and began to blindly slice at the creatures.
Eli was so busy fending off the creatures he hardly noticed anyone around him. He looked for Zoey, taking his guard down for a moment cost him a nasty gash from a Landmerrow. Eli yelled and turned to decapitate the yellow eyed Landmerrow.
The Landmerrows came at them less and less until they stood in a stench of blood, ichor and silence. Eli’s trained eyes scanned the landscape until Zoey’s cry broke his trance.
Deravon knelt on the ground cradling Zoey’s head.
“Eli.!” Deravon yelled as if he had been calling his name over and over.
Eli fell to the ground kneeling in a pool of slime and looked down at Zoey’s white face. Deravon had a hand orilion that he shoved into Eli’s hand. Eli could only stare into her eyes as she looked at him.
Deravon pulled at Zoey’s clothing and removed a broken claw from her side. Blood poured out and he quickly pressed a piece of torn cloth next to it.
“We have to get back to Arrinia.” He tried to keep his voice calm. “We have to get back to the portal.”
“If only I had some healing dust,” Eli said as Zoey reached her hand to his.
“Healing dust or the portal won’t save me now.” Zoey’s eyes stayed focused on Eli. “I sent Lyssa with Wes, you have to go after them and help Lyssa.”
“Lift her up and I can carry her,” Deravon said ignoring Zoey.
“No!” Zoey yelled with all of her strength. “I am not going to make it.” Her words were surrounded in silence as Deravon and Eli looked at her.
“You have to protect Lyssa.” Zoey’s face curled in pain. “Wes can’t manage on his own. And the Muses’ have more than one ally; this was just a small fraction of what they can do.”
“Zoey,” Deravon whispered as he brushed the hair from her face. She smiled at him and then looked at Eli
The only thing Eli was focused on was Zoey as everything around him begun to spin. He felt her squeeze his hand and he returned the squeeze. Zoey then smiled at him. Color returned to her cheeks and that undying sparkle filled her eyes.
Eli looked at her in amazement. The scenery changed around them and suddenly, Eli found himself standing in front of Zoey surrounded by flowers.
“What are we…dead?” Eli felt a laugh bubble inside of him that he hadn’t felt for so long. “Zoey you are better and look…beautiful.” Eli let the word out slowly to savor it.
She smiled at him holding both of his hands.
“I am dead—you’re not.” Zoey’s words stung him. “You have to go on to protect Lyssa for me.”
Eli looked at her crushed with the thought of losing her.
“But if I am here then I must be dead too.” Eli tried to reason.
Zoey shook her head. “Do you remember the Gardens of Avalon...that night we hid in them?”
How could he forget? Many times that night had kept him going. That was the night Zoey professed her love to him.
“I remember.” Eli finally answered. “Is that where we are now or in a dream?” Eli asked thinking of the dream he had several weeks ago.
“I gave you something in those gardens you never knew about,” Zoey said drawing closer to him. “I gave you a child, I gave you Lyssa.”
Eli stood frozen, his skin prickled until it was numb. He felt angered at Zoey for not telling him.
“Lyssa,” Eli barely whispered her name.
Suddenly Zoey let go and stepped away from him. “Protect her, Eli, protect our daughter and remember—I always loved you.”
Eli reached out for her, but only grabbed onto a mist of her image that dissolved before him. He called out her name over and over. Curled on th
e ground he suddenly felt his body ache physically and even more so spiritually. Zoey was gone. Eli screamed out, Zoey had gone to a place he could not follow.
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