Jeaha frowned, “We have enough bedding for the nights, but we shall have to hunt.”
Rin nodded as if she expected that before she looked over at the group, “Is everyone prepared?”
“Yeah, we’re ready,” Jake said as he reached over and took hold of Sara’s hand. She gripped it tightly and he could feel her nerves.
“Very well,” Rin said. “Then we shall go.” She walked away from the cabin at a brisk pace. Kaedin walked just behind her while the others fell in behind them. It only took them a few minutes to reach the cave and Rin hesitated before she walked inside. She only made it a handful of steps before she started to tremble. This cave was so similar to the other that every step forward felt like she was trying to push through deep water. She reached back and Kaedin grabbed her hand.
“I am here,” he whispered. She tightened her grip and took a deep breath before heading deeper into the cave. When they reached the dead end, she noticed the arch on the wall and looked at the floor before approaching it. The closer she got to it the brighter it began to glow.
“Join hands,” she said. “I do not wish for any of you to get sent somewhere else.”
Everyone joined hands and waited on her. She looked over each of them before facing the portal. It took her a few moments before she took another deep breath and a strong, determined step forward into the portal. The others followed one by one until they all disappeared through the glowing arch.
They all landed in a tangled heap on the floor of a cave whose walls were lined with torches. Jake sat up as his stomach churned, that was far worse than porting and he willed himself not to vomit. He glanced around, and his eyebrow shot up when he noticed Rin frozen in place. She stood staring at a place where the rocks were stained red, next to a strange looking circle. Kaedin came up to her and pushed her away from the circle. He stopped when her back was against the nearest wall before he turned around. His back was to her, but he was still touching her when he shifted enough to hide her from view.
Jake tilted his head as he watched them. It only took him a matter of moments to realize what he was doing. He was allowing her privacy while letting her know he was there at the same time. Kaedin glanced over at him and his eyebrow rose. Jake looked away as soon as he saw the disapproval on his face. With a sigh, he scanned the rest of the cave and he grimaced when he noticed Paige on the other side of the room vomiting. Raven was crouched beside her rubbing her back while he told her going through the portal would get easier.
“You suck, Jake,” she gasped when she saw him looking at her. “We could have stayed at the cabin.
“No,” Jake replied. “Not with demons, Londar, and who knows what else, I’m not letting you out of my sight.” Paige gave him a dirty look. Jake did not respond as he looked around for Sara. He found her on her hands and knees almost inside of the circle on the floor. She was also being sick. He got to his feet and walked over to her. After kneeling in front of her, he shifted her backwards and she ended up sitting outside the circle.
“Are you okay?” He asked as he slid forward to sit next to her. When he reached the edge of the circle, he ran into something. He glanced down, and his eyes widened when he noticed that the strange carvings in the stone around the circle were glowing.
“Jake?” Sara said, her eyes glued to the carvings. She remembered this circle from Rin’s memories. Her gaze flew back to him when he tried again to leave the circle and smacked into the invisible wall. Raising his hand, he reached out and rested it on what was blocking his path. His face became blank when he realized he was trapped.
“I seem to have a little problem here,” he said as he looked around the room. He grew more concerned when he watched the color drain from Kaedin’s face.
“Rin,” Kaedin said, his voice serious. “We need you.” He felt her hand, that was clinging to the back of his shirt, release. She took a deep breath before she stepped out from behind him. Her entire body went rigid and she tried to back up but ran into the wall behind her when she saw the glowing circle.
“It is still active?” She asked, her voice quivering.
“You can get him out without it hurting him, right?” Sara asked. Her face was etched with fear when she tore her eyes away from Jake. It took Rin several moments before she looked away from the circle. When she did, she appeared to once again be in complete control.
“I do not know,” she replied, her voice quiet and unsure. “I shall do my best to get him out unharmed. The circle as a whole is too strong for me to dispel, I shall have to try and do one of the individual runes. Perhaps, that will be enough.” She swallowed hard before she took slow steps toward the circle. Sara could not tell by the look on her face whether she was afraid of the circle, only the slight tremor of her hand gave it away.
“My lady,” Jaeha said as he stepped forward to block her path. “I cannot allow you to attempt this spell. Your brother would be most unpleased if I allowed you to be injured. There is no way of knowing what kind of traps may be set upon those runes.”
“Who else is there but me who can cast the spell?” Rin’s voice became sharp as she looked up at him.
Jaeha frowned, “Raven should attempt the spell, not you.” He looked over at where Raven was standing beside Paige. Raven glanced at him before he looked over at the circle. He started shaking his head after only a few seconds.
“I am more than willing to attempt it, but I do not believe my magic is strong enough,” he said with a grimace. “I fear I would only cause Jake to be harmed.” He started to move away from Paige but a sharp look from Rin caused him to stop.
“Your magic is not strong enough,” she said. “I shall do what I can, do not interrupt once I begin.” She did not look back at Jaeha before moving over to the circle and kneeling beside one of the runes.
“My lad--.”
“No,” she said as she cut Jaeha off. “Not another word. There is no other way, now let me concentrate.” Jaeha clamped his mouth closed but everyone could see that he was not happy. When he did not say anything else, Rin looked up at Jake. “Move to the far side of the circle and do not touch the sides.” Once he nodded, she took a deep nervous breath before holding her hands above one of the runes, “Dūkāerav.”
As soon as the word was out of her mouth the rune sparked causing her to gasp. Her hands tingled from the small jolt of electricity. She managed to keep from jerking her hands away from it and focused on pouring more magic into the rune. It continued to send strong jolts of electricity into her at random intervals. She jerked in response to every one but did not relent in attempting to break it. After several minutes the strain began to show on her face. She was beginning to sweat, and a single tear rolled down her cheek when she clamped her eyes closed.
Jake shifted again inside the circle and folded his arms across his chest to keep from touching the walls. He could see the pain on her face and felt guilty about being the cause of it. He started to tell her to stop, but a sharp look from Kaedin caused him to close his mouth.
“Do not interrupt,” he growled in a hushed whisper. “If she loses concentration it could kill both of you.” His attention turned back to Rin when he heard a sharp increase in her breathing. She ground her teeth together and the rune started to flicker. It shocked her again and she was just able to bite back the yelp of pain before she focused on holding the large flow of magic into the rune. A split second later it flickered and shot a massive bolt of electricity into her when it went out. Rin gasped when the force of the jolt sent her flying backwards toward the wall. She grimaced in anticipation of hitting it but Kaedin was quick enough to get between her and the wall. His back slammed into the wall when she ran into him. He exhaled hard but was able to get a firm grip on her. Holding her with one arm, he slid down the wall and rested on a knee. He ignored the pain running through his back and turned his full attention to her.
“Rin?” He asked, his voice full of concern. Her whole body was jerking from the electricity flowing through her. His expres
sion grew more worried when she could not answer him, and her breathing was coming in short, ragged gasps.
“O…okay,” she gasped after a few minutes more. “C…cannot m…move.”
Kaedin’s face darkened but he said nothing as he continued to hold her. It took several long minutes before the spasms stopped and her breathing returned to normal. Once they did, she sat up with Kaedin’s support.
“Are you all right?” He asked while he kept his arm behind her back in case she needed to lean back on him.
“Yes,” she said. “However, I never wish to attempt that again, it was almost more than I could handle.” She paused and looked around until she found Jake. “Are you uninjured, Jacob?”
“I’m fine,” he said with a look of respect. She was a lot stronger than he gave her credit for, “Thank you.” He tightened the arm he had around Sara when he felt her shiver. She glanced up at him and he frowned when he saw all the worry had not faded from her face.
Rin sat for a few more minutes before trying to stand. She shook her head in frustration when her legs still did not want to respond. Only Kaedin’s arm around her waist kept her from falling.
“Shall we carry you, my lady?” Hikaru asked as he moved to stand closer to Rin and Kaedin.
“No,” Rin said with a shake of her head. “I wish for my first steps back home to be under my own power.” She glanced up at Kaedin and he only nodded with an understanding smile. He already knew that is what she would want.
It took almost a quarter of an hour before Rin could stand on her own again. She looked around them, “Let us get out of this cave.” Without waiting on a response, she headed toward the exit with brisk steps. When they reached the mouth of the cave she paused. A sense of relief coursed through her when she peered into the familiar forest in front of her. She stepped out into the thick mass of trees. It was much warmer than on the other side of the portal. She only made it a few steps into the forest before she stopped again. Her gaze went to the canopy dozens of feet above their heads. Shifting to the side, a ray of the bright sun illuminated her face when it broke through the canopy of crimson and gold leaves. The light breeze that made it through the trees made the shadows on her face dance.
A grin was plastered to her face as she closed her eyes and allowed the sun to soak into her. When she opened them again, she sighed, but a look of excitement was hidden just below her calm surface. With one small hand motion, they all headed deeper into the forest. After a short time, a break in the trees was just visible in the distance. Rin adjusted their course so that they were heading that direction, but a few seconds later she stopped with a raised hand. The group came to an immediate stop. A split second later a sharp, shrill whistle broke through the normal sounds of the forest. Rin spun her hand once and they formed a circle around Jake and the girls. After checking to make sure everyone was in position, she returned the whistle with the same sound. Before any of them had a chance to move they found themselves surrounded by elven warriors.
Jake tightened his grip on the handle of his staff when he realized they were surrounded. His grip loosened a little when he noticed that Raven, Hikaru, Jaeha, and Kaedin did not appear to be concerned. He glanced at the elves around them. They all wore the same brown leather armor that was similar to what Kaedin and Jaeha wore. Jake frowned when he saw they were armed with bows, that were all trained on them. He shifted to make sure that Paige and Sara were behind him when an important-looking young elf strode up to them.
“What are you doing here?” He demanded, his eyes wary. “This area is off limits.”
Rin glanced back at Kaedin. He met her gaze before he shrugged. He did not know who the elf was either.
“Whom am I addressing?” She asked taking a small step forward. The young elf regarded her with a look of disapproval.
“Miss, I am Lieutenant Jyldar Hildvae,” he replied. Rin’s eyebrow shot up at the condescending tone. “Why are you addressing me? Lord Wren’s bonded is the only one present who is in a position to speak to me.”
Rin laughed out loud and could not keep from glancing at Kaedin again. She laughed harder when she saw his mouth hanging open. He appeared completely dumbfounded that the lieutenant had just said that to her. With another chuckle, she looked away from him and glanced up at the other elves around them. Several of them bowed their heads to her when they noticed her gaze. She nodded in approval when she realized all of them had lowered their weapons.
“No lieutenant,” she said turning back to face Jyldar. “I handle my own affairs.” She paused and tilted her head. “Hildvae, that would make you Londar’s brother, correct?” Her eyes narrowed when she realized he looked just like his brother. They shared the same dark brown hair and brown eyes.
Jyldar frowned, “I am, though I cannot imagine one of your status would be acquainted with my brother.”
“And what status might that be?” Rin’s voice grew sharp as she took another step toward the lieutenant. He held his ground but drew his katana in one quick motion. Rin only tilted her head and did not back away.
“Come no closer,” he snapped. “You are one of lowly status. I can tell by your abhorring behavior.” He paused and pointed the tip of his katana toward the clearing. “You are in a restricted area and will come with me.”
Rin regarded him with a raised eyebrow before a movement behind the lieutenant caught her attention. A tall, commanding figure made his way through the elves at a brisk pace. His golden hair gleamed in the sunlight that glinted through the trees. He wore armor similar to the others except his was far more ornate and looked more worn. Rin’s hands flew to her mouth before she froze in place. When his bright blue eyes connected with hers, he came to a dead stop. He only remained in place for a second before he ran toward her.
“Wren,” Rin choked out before she leapt toward him without thinking.
“Stop right now!” Jyldar bellowed as he swung his katana in her direction. Rin gasped when she caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. She tried to twist out of the way but before it could connect with her Wren grabbed her. He jerked her toward him and brought his arm up in front of them. The sword connected with the bracer on his arm. With a quick twist of his wrist, he grabbed the hilt of the katana and yanked it out of Jyldar’s hands before he threw it several feet away. Jyldar staggered back a step, his surprise and shock were visible on his face.
Wren pushed Rin behind him as he shifted so that he was face to face with the lieutenant. Jyldar shrank away from him.
“What is the meaning of this?” Wren asked, his voice hard but controlled.
“M... my lord,” he stammered. “They are in a restricted area. I was only doing my duty and was bringing th--.”
“Do you mean to tell me that you do not recognize her?” He waved his hand toward Rin with a look of disbelief. Jyldar floundered and tried to figure out who the elven woman was. He felt like he should know her. “I find it most difficult to believe that you do not know my sister. How does one forget their princess?”
Jyldar’s eyes widened in surprise, “Lord Wren, please forgive me. I had no idea. I am most sorry for my poor actions.”
Wren regarded him with a frown. It felt like the lieutenant was hiding something. There was no one under his command that would not recognize Rin.
“Saeldre,” Wren called. An older looking elf stepped forward. “As of now, you are in charge of this unit.”
“Yes, my lord.” Saeldre made a quick motion with his hand and the elves all disappeared into the trees.
“Hildvae, you and I shall have a long chat tomorrow,” Wren said, his voice dropping. “Until that time, I do not wish to see your face.”
Jyldar bowed, glared at Rin, and then disappeared into the forest. Wren’s eyes narrowed before the suspicion was replaced with a completely different emotion. He spun in place and grabbed Rin in a tight hug. She jumped at the sudden movement but as soon as he picked her up she wrapped both arms around his neck.
“Where have you b
een?” He whispered to her. “Never again. Do not ever do this to us again.” He tightened his grip on her so much it was difficult to breathe.
“I am sorry,” she gasped through her tears. “I did not wish to disappear.”
Neither one of them moved until Wren glanced up when he noticed movement near them. He set her back on her feet before he grasped forearms with Jaeha in greeting.
“Who has accompanied you?” He asked looking back down at his sister. “I recognize that they are human, but they are quite different from the humans who reside here.”
Rin motioned for Paige, Jake, and Sara to come forward, “I shall explain more later. For now, this is Ambassador Jacob Riverwood, his match, Sara, and his sister, Paige.” She paused and looked over at Jake. “This is my brother, Thallawren. He is next in line to rule Nuenthras and the general of the elven armies.” Her voice rang with pride when she introduced her brother.
Wren stepped forward and extended his hand, “Welcome.”
Jake accepted the handshake but frowned when he had a little difficulty following what Wren said. The English he used had strange intonations to it that made it sound different. Wren noticed the look and glanced at Rin.
“Their form of common is a little different from ours,” she said. “I believe they are having a little trouble following what you are saying.”
“Forgive me,” Wren said as he slowed his rate of speech. “I shall endeavor to speak more clearly until you have had the time to adjust.”
“Thank you,” Jake said as he released his hand.
“It is no trouble,” Wren said as he glanced around them. “I am certain that we shall have some things to discuss but for now you will all come with me. The trees have ears and my tent would be a more suitable place to continue.” He paused and looked over at his sister. “Plus, I must be filled in on some details.”
When she nodded, he turned and headed toward the clearing while the group trailed behind him.
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