"A cliff?" Dorian said with disbelief. He said leaning from where he stood to look down. "Wasn't the snow and ice and FREEZING COLD WATER ENOUGH?!" Lauri said her face turning red. Dorian glanced back at her. Before he looked back at Cassie and Bram's curious looks. "Lauri comes from a hot climate. She doesn't even know what fall is like." Dorian explained. "Oh." Cassie said giving Lauri a hug while she scowled. The scowl turned into a full-on whine, when Bram also hugged her from behind. "What is this? A human pile up?" Christian said laughing. "I can't believe that this is how we're going to get back home." Lauri said her eyes full of worry. "It'll be okay." Dorian said. Christian smiled. "It will definitely be okay." He said grinning wildly. He moved fast grabbed Cassie and Bram around the waist and jumped.
"Oh my god," Lauri said leaning forward watching them disappear in mid-fall. "I'm sorry for this." Dorian said. Lauri glanced back at Dorian her eyes suspicious. "For what?" She asked. Dorian smiled and grabbed her by the waist ignoring her squeal of surprise, or the feelings that sprung up being chest to chest with her once more. And then he jumped.
When they resurfaced it was to water once more. Lauri spluttered and shoved Dorian back down into the water. "I AM SERIOUSLY GOING TO KILL YOU." Lauri said moving to the edge of the pool. "Wait I know this place." Lauri said with surprise, as she was pulled up by Bram and Christian. Dorian glared at Lauri as he rose up from the pool himself. "We are back home." Lauri said. "In the castle." She said her eyes wide. "Portals are always unpredictable." Christian said. "We should go find Victor," Lauri said looking at Dorian. "I will report to Victor, Bram you and Christian go find drier clothes. Lauri, Cassie, go take a shower and then change into drier clothes. I don't want any of you to get sick." Dorian said. "When every one is ready, I will meet you all in the Kitchen. I'm starving." Dorian said as he walked away. Lauri rolled her eyes. "I think I hate portals." Lauri said. Cassie nodded, "Portals aren't the greatest form of travel" Cassie said, as she put an arm over Lauri's shoulders and they both walked towards the castle. Cassie was well accustomed to castle life, she knew that when she would be going back to village she would miss the castle very much. She'd miss Lauri even more. She'd grown attached to the lost princess. Lauri was like no other princess she had ever met, he remembered the first time they had met, Lauri had been practicing fencing with Simeon. It was however fighting in the Vampire coven that she really got to know the princess. She had watched Dorian and Lauri fight side by side. She had been borne from earth but she had held herself as the queen she would one day be. She would need that strength when it came to fighting Eliza. Lauri stomped up the stairs her feet heavy. Cassie followed her stifling a smile. Lauri might be able to act royally when ready, but at the moment she was acting every bit the seventeen years that she actually was. The water also made her look like a drowned rat. Luckily when they got to Lauri's room, one of the many ladies' maid was already running a bath. "The Lord Dorian asked us to run a bath for the both of you." The maid said, in answer no doubt to Lauri's expression on seeing her in the room. Lauri bowed back, thanking her before heading to her closet.
"I'll find us something to wear. You go bathe, we don't want the King to blame us for you getting sick." Cassie said. Lauri glanced gratefully at her before getting back into the bathing room. As she closed the door Dorian slipped into the room his face solemn. "What happened now?" Cassie said as she looked at his face. "I was on my way to see Victor, when I heard something from one of the other court Ariste. I went to Victor to confirm it." Dorian said struggling with his words. Cassie felt a lurch deep in her stomach. "This has to do with me, doesn't it?" Cassie said a feeling a stab of fear. She'd known that her time in Vemos was heading to a close, the marks that spread on her face she knew meant that her next strike would lead to banishment. "When all this war is done. When the dust settles, the council is going to banish you. They offered it as a trade to Hade's son, to ensure they got the Skyphos. I am so sorry." Dorian said his face full of guilt. "Are they giving me to him." Cassie said trying to not let fear lace her tone. "No, you will be going to the dead city. I am so sorry. This is my fault." Dorian said desperately. "No, it was my decision to go with you back to this castle. My decision to go to the Vampire coven." Cassie said. "Because I asked you to." Dorian said.
"It's okay." Cassie said smiling softly. "I would do it again. In a heartbeat." She said, she looked away from Dorian for a moment, looking at the door where Lauri was taking a bath. "Don't tell her." She said looking back at Dorian. "Don't tell her. We need her to be able to focus on the battle that she is going to face." Cassie said. She turned to the closet, rifling through the silk and chiffon dresses, before pulling out a long black and red dress embroidered with deep rubies and black pearls, that had a deep slit on both sides. "It's time she dressed for war." She said looking back at Dorian. "I'm glad I'll get to see her take on Eliza." She said before she turned back clearly dismissing Dorian.
Dorian left the room. He didn't need to see Lauri. He didn't need to hear what lies Cassie would be prepared to tell her. His heart was heavy as he walked down the stairs. He couldn't believe that after everything they went through. That after Cassie helped them, so much she would have to leave her only home. At least Victor didn't banish people the way Nathaniel had. She would still know who she was, and she would be as she was now. A completely angry twenty-year old. Well that's what everyone would see in any case. She was actually hundreds of years old. She'd been one of the supporters who raged against his sister's banishment. She was the last person he would have ever wanted to be banished herself. He only hoped that she would be able to survive on the earth even with the Prince of Hades on her tail.
Christian stood awkwardly at the corner of the Atrium. He knew as a vampire he didn't really belong in the Royal Castle, but King Victor had invited him to stick around. Christian knew that the main reason he was sticking around was for the emerging war that was about to commence. Eliza was a brutal force of nature. She delighted in bloodshed and carnage and would enjoy both if it meant the return of the only King who relished her kind of morals. Christian had no love for King Victor, but he definitely didn't want Nathaniel's return either. He had been glad of the opportunity to be rid of Kieran. For all his bluster, he never considered that the forest might have held a portal. If it was possible for a portal to Belmora be hidden in the forest in the east, there had to be a portal to earth somewhere to the north. Even if it took a thousand years he would find the portal for his people. He didn't need a king's rule to get to earth, Vampires had been doing it for years.
He was brought out of his ruminations by a young woman in a beautiful red and black gown. The slits were high in the dress, that showed legs encased in extremely familiar leather boots. He looked up at Lauri's beautiful features and noticed her face was lined with worry, in her hands were held the Necklace of the Strigoi, still hanging on her neck. "There is no reason to fear the necklace. It is yours to command. You are after all the only one who can really use it at all." Christian said startling Lauri enough that she dropped the necklace. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Christian said his face apologetic. "It's fine. I'm just a bit jumpy after Belmora." Lauri said. "I'm sorry that the escape route ended up being off a cliff. Belmora is kind of crazy like that." Christian said amused. "I wanted to make sure Dorian went through quickly." He said his voice melancholy. Lauri narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?" she said. "Dorian's sister killed herself by jumping off a cliff." Christian said. Lauri's eyes widened, "I didn't know that." Lauri said. "I know. He doesn't tell a lot of people about Samara. It's a sore spot for him, because he couldn't save her."
"From what I've heard is that not a lot of people cared for Nathaniel's rule. It seems like he was an extremely callous ruler." Lauri said. "He was callous and cruel. And you are nothing like him." Christian said knowingly. Lauri looked away. "I never said I was." Lauri said. "Except that your clearly worried about that. It's all over your face." Christian said. Lauri rubbed her forehead, "You see that necklace you were just fiddling with." Christian said making a circle with his finger. "The necklace of the Strigoi was created by Vampires. As a way to make it easier to eat, our favorite food." Christian said. Lauri looked up at him, alarmed. "Vampires like me, enjoy humans with magical blood. In fact, we crave them. That's why we love going into the human world. There are so many humans on the earth who have no idea of the magic that can be passed down by generations of witches and warlocks that often hide who they are, in fear of prosecution." Christian said. "In past years the necklace has given special witches the ability to guard the different realms from dangerous witches who want to harm everyone no matter what it costs them." He said. "I can think of no better person to take claim of the necklace now. It has a way of saving the witch that owns it as well." Christian said.
"What do you mean?" Lauri asked. "The necklace. It can take away magic. Including uncontrollable magic as well." Christian said.
"It can help me control my magic?" Lauri asked softly. "Yes. Although I wouldn't tell anyone else about that." Christian said.
"Why?" Lauri said. "It might make them want to take the necklace away from you. Don't let them." Christian said. "The necklace might be the only way for you to find freedom from Vemos." Christian said. He looked away from Lauri, watching as Dorian walked into the Atrium, glancing at them both before continuing to walk. Christian hoped that one day Dorian would have his freedom too.