16.

I awoke by the fire once again, having fallen asleep after hours of thinking over the whispers I heard from the mouths of the Fae. 'The storm? It wasn't my Glamour that did it, it was her.' After mentally debating the words over and over, I had come to no conclusion to that I had misheard, or misunderstood Alvar's words. I felt something, some strange connection to this place, but it was Glamour that caused the storm, the lightning.

And even if it was me, what did that mean?

"It means you're powerful, Lyra."

The Gryphon's voice was loud in my head, answering my question although I could not see or sense his whereabouts.

"But why does it matter to Alvar so much? Are we really all running from the King now?"

"You must understand, Lyra," The Gryphon could sense my growing guilt, the sinking feeling in my stomach, "Alvar has wanted to get away from the Kingdom for a long time. I believe you just gave him the necessary excuse. And as for the rest of your thoughts, I'm sure all will be explained with time."

"But I don't have time. I need to get home and make sure my family is okay."

"They are fine, Lyra. I flew over about an hour ago. The King has stationed guards and snitches around the house, but your parents are unaware."

Although I could not read his mind, I could sense his discomfort with something, and he deliberately forgot to mention my sister, whom he knew was the most important of them all.

"What is it?" I asked, clenching my necklace.

"Your sister... does she have any special... things? Is she special?" His words were uneasy, like he didn't know exactly what to say.

"She thinks she is a witch." I laughed to myself, before catching my breath and becoming consumed with worry, "Why, did something happen? Did the King take her?"

"No, no. But she saw me in the trees, and she waved." He sounded extremely confused, and I could picture him pacing around and flapping his wings.

"She must know you are not unkind." I smiled tightly, a sudden rush of heat seeping into my eyes.

I blinked rapidly, refusing to give in to the tears of homesickness or the possibility of never seeing her again. I had nearly forgotten about how crazy she used to talk, but after witnessing all I had, it was easier to believe she was indeed gifted. Maybe the walls really did talk to her and the stone she gave me might have actually been spelled. I laughed at the thought, toying with the large rock around my neck and letting it fall onto my collarbone with a hollow thunk.

Wanting to know more about my family, I opened my mind to begin another conversation, but was quickly cut off by the loud stomping footsteps of Alvar and Lucius coming down the tunnel. I wrapped the blanket around myself tightly, warming myself before I faced the coldness that accompanied Lucius' condescending tone.

"We have to go now." Alvar said sternly, like he had to convince himself of the urgency of the situation more so than me. His brows were drawn down as he rushed towards me, reaching for my hands and gently urging me to my feet.

Lucius sniffed, irritated at the both of us, but was unusually quiet. On my feet, my eyes flicked between the two of them, both their forms unusually stiff and withdrawn. I wondered if they had fought, and if I had something to do with it. I didn't want to come between the two friends, knowing they cared about each other more than they would ever admit.

"Do not worry, Lyra. Alvar does not blame you for the rift between them." The Gryphon was inside my head, but still nowhere in sight. "Lucius won't let me in, but I can sense his fear. He is only scared because he does not yet understand."

"Well I am scared, and I don't understand any of this, but I am not so hateful."

"Yes. But you have not been hardened by many years of extreme hardship."

I wanted to scoff, and bite back that I too experienced hardship, but held my tongue. I truly didn't know what went on in Lucius' life, or what went on inside of his mind. Judgement was a tricking thing: easily given, hard to take, and uneasy to listen to.

"Beast will fly above us, we will go on foot, its less suspicious that way. Lucius will walk behind us, we will go ahead." Alvar dropped my hands after he saw Lucius' stare.

"That's what you're calling him?" I raised an eyebrow, my hands cold immediately after he withdrew from me.

"No, that's his name."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

Beast and Alvar responded at the same time, pleasantly surprising me. I fell into step behind Alvar and Lucius and together we walked to the end of the cave. It was only then I saw the true height of our hideout; halfway up a mountain overlooking a large grass field, making the approaching enemy easily seen.

Lucius looked at me with wild excitement and promptly hurtled himself off the side of the cliff face, plummeting to the ground below. My voice caught in my throat as I watched him wall, body unusually even as he glided through the air. With the aid of Glamour, he landed softly on his feet, face upturned towards us in a suspended smile. I raked my hands through my hair and laughed. Turning to Alvar, I raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to follow suit. He just winked and walked off the edge, falling feet first. When he landed, he waved at me, expecting me to jump down exactly in the same manner. But I had a different plan. I sudden rush of adrenaline overcame me, and my mind was freed of all its build up hatred, fear and frustration. I just wanted to let it all go, and just jump into this next chapter of my life.

Sending out a clear image in my mind, I hurled myself off the edge, arms outstretched like I was bellyflopping in the air. But just two metres off the cliff, I was caught by the talons of Beast, holding me up by my shoulders. I let out a loud squeal of delight and revelled in the feeling of the air passing through my hair. His large wings spread wide; sweeping the ground, as he slowly lowered me to the ground. With two feet firm on the ground, I turned to Alvar, a grin stretched across my cheeks.

His lips were parted, and Lucius himself looked horrified at my display of wild courage.

"What?" I said to the both of them, a small chuckle in my voice, and confidently swivelled around on my feet. "This way right?" I called over my shoulder, but I already knew I was right from the mental direction Beast had sent me, but it was amusing none the less to see them mechanically nod and follow after me. I felt it then, my power, and my control over myself. For the first time in a while, I felt completely free and ready to face the mysteries that the past weeks had brought out into the open. And more than that, I was finally ready to see my family again, and bring them all this wonderful and exciting information that would open all our eyes to the new world. Maybe then I could return, and I wouldn't have to leave the mysteries behind me, unsolved. I no longer wanted to be torn between homesickness and my obsessive curiosity.

The destination of the safe house was far from the Kingdom of the First Plane, so Alvar told me. Hidden in the secluded mountains just past a busy market and trade centre of world-class fabric, jewellery and animal hides. Not only was it the perfect place to be introduced into the true life of a Fae, but it provided perfect coverage from the prying eyes of the Kings Guard, who had been trailing our footsteps for the past our. We were all sure they hadn't been able to identify any of us, but they followed closely behind nonetheless, evident in the mental images sent by the Beast who was scouting above us. The planes were boring, much like the human droving fields, an unwelcome break from the fantastical nature of all things Fae. However, my feet could handle the travel this time around, much to Alvar's promise. Their secret remedy had fixed up the wounds on my feet and created scar tissue able to withstand long walking and hiking.

Alvar was quiet, only occasionally answering my questions about small things or specific directions to this new destination. I didn't know whether or not it was because of the people trailing us, or if I had done something wrong. Resigning to fiddling with my necklace, I fell silent and thought of something I could bring back for my sister from the market to prove my story. I knew she would believe me, as would my alien hunting parents, but not without a small inkling of proof. I thought about getting her a necklace of her own, made out of a stone not known on Earth. Then my thoughts travelled again, and I was thinking about the different worlds that all existed besides one another. Earth and The First Plane, only meeting when holes broke between the two places. But was it an alternate universe, another world entirely, or just simply under the skin of the planet? I sought answers in the clouds, but Beast was not listening in on my thoughts this time. Instead, he focused on the skies and the potential dangers that surrounded us.

And then I thought of Alvar's words and the visions found in the eyes of the prince. Somehow, I felt they were connected, that maybe the prince was the reasoning behind the strange weather occurrence and the Shadow Horse that visited me. Perhaps it was all one large trick, to get me to believe in the visions he showed me, to scare me off this world and back into my own, for I would not be apart of destroying this one. I wish someone would tell me what an Umbra was, but something still told me that I could not tell Alvar, and I should try to keep it from Beast. But now that Alvar thought I was responsible for the lightning, all I could think about was the Shadow and the horrifying visions. It was going to be difficult to keep it all out of my head when the Gryphon finally descended from the clouds and re-joined us on the ground. 

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