"Honey are you ok?"
I didn't see him walk over, how he could walk after being unconscious a few minutes earlier I have no clue. But he was there in front of me all I could see was his beautiful hazel eyes and all I felt was his arms wrapping around me and holding me.
For the first time ever, I didn't care that my two best friends and my cousin were staring at us. I just sat there in Alex's arms crying my heart out on his shoulder. For the first time, it dawned on me just how much I need him. All he did was hold me but I felt the fear, the pain, the anger everything just slip away till only joy, love, and peace were left. At that moment I knew my safe haven was here in Alex's arms.
"Honey, it's going to be ok I promise."
"How can you even talk, let alone walk you were really in bad shape a few moments ago?"
"You needed me, I may be in bad shape and not good for a fight right now, but I felt you, your soul is bonded to mine. I felt your fear and pain. I am sorry that I couldn't stop him. But I am here and not going anywhere and if you need me to hold you all night long, I am ok with that."
"Ok, that just proved to me you the right one for my sunshine."
"Damien you are spoiling the moment."
Damien didn't even look ashamed and Alex was looking better by the minute his hazel eyes were full of laughter.
"Thank you and as much as I would like to stay right here in your arms all night. I can't, I have to go scrub my skin raw and I want to hear your story. So, you are a druid huh? Were you going to tell me at some point?"
Smiling, he stood and pulled me to my feet.
"At some point, yes, but I figured the timing wasn't right."
"Granny knew, didn't she?"
"Yes, from the first time she saw me."
"Ok, you go sit down on the bed, Damien will you stay and make sure if someone comes by that you can hide Alex and Dominic, Tempie and I will be in the bathroom. I really need to scrub Loki's touch away and Tempie looks like she really needs a shower and clean clothes."
"Yes, best friend ever I love you, Layla. You are truly a saint."
Tempie was literally dancing in Dominic's arms. She was overjoyed at the idea of having a bath.
"I'll keep them safe Sunshine but see if you can scrub fast ok, we all have a lot to talk about."
Giving Alex a quick hug I went over to the dresser and took out two pairs of jeans one blue and one black and two white t-shirts and two sweatshirts one dark green and one blue. Giving the black jeans and green sweatshirt combo to Tempie we went into the bathroom.
"Well, you look better Alex, how are you feeling."
"Better the longer I am close to Layla the better I feel. I am not one hundred presents yet but getting there. This purple smoke is really thick in Layla's room."
"Yeah, Loki has it all over but yeah, he wants to make sure she has no power, a trick he learned from his dad only he perfected it."
"You hate it here yet you work for him, why is that?"
"I don't really work for him at the moment he doesn't even know I am here. Let's say he has something that I want back and when I found out he took Layla well I am not leaving till I know she is back in the human world safe from Loki."
"He wants her really bad but he wants her power more."
"Yes, Dominic that I am afraid is true."
"Well, he is not going to have Layla or her power. Can you hide a small fire, Damien?"
"Sure, like all dark elves, fire magic is easy for me. I can hide a small fire but why?"
"Because I need to make a potion or two."
The room was filled with a strange smell. Slightly stronger than that of the purple smoke's sticky sweet smell. The guys were all standing on the far side of the room away from the door and anything else that might burn.
"What are you doing?"
They all turned at the sound of my voice.
"Wow, you look beautiful honey and I know you think I didn't notice but I did, I love your hair. The cherry pink really suits you."
"Thanks, well a lot was going on at the time but what are you making?"
"His strengthening potion, right?"
Tempest says while stuffing her old clothes in her backpack.
"Right but also the potion I gave you guys before we came here."
He took the smallest of the two cauldrons and placed, it on the floor in front of me. It was filled to the brim with a bright green potion. It was so bright green it kind of looked toxic.
"Ok… what does that potion do?"
"You're going to love me even more; it makes all this purple smoke useless."
"Seriously? "
"Yes, honey seriously. But let it cool down for a bit then we can all take a bit. We have just enough time to get up to speed with what was happening with whom."
"OK well, you guys go first while I put on some shoes."
Walking over to the closet I took out some sneakers and then got some socks out of the dresser. Tempest took a blanket off the bed and placed it on the floor. We all sat down in a circle around the cauldron.
Tempest started telling the story about how they found granny making sure to tell me at least ten times that she was ok. Then about granny wanting to see Alex them finding out that Alex was a Druid and about going to see Dominic's Dad. About going through the portal. About them walking through the forest about the mercenaries finding them she could not tell me that part she actually had tears in her eyes Alex told me and that part about Dominic being stabbed and Tempest fire and how they saved him and my heart broke for my best friend knowing that, that must have been hell for her Dominic filled in the part after that about Alex being unconscious and scaring them almost to death and finally their story ended with them finding me.
Their tale filled me with pride and fear and a lot of emotions that they went through all that just to find me. I went and hugged Tempie and held her knowing the fear of almost losing Dominic had not passed and would not until we were safely away from here. I hugged Dominic and was so glad he was still alive and making sure I told him his mark suited him perfectly. Finally, I went into Alex's arms and thanked him for saving Dominic but also for not dying and for loving me enough to go through all of this. Just as I let go of Alex there was a knock on the door it opened and in walked a very small little thing in rags.
Only after she had placed the huge food cart near the bed it, became clear she was a little elf girl she could not have been older than five years. Her eyes were so swollen she could barely see out of them.
"Mellady, I brought your food. I am sorry it took so long but the cart is heavy and I cannot see very well. Please, I beg of you don't tell his Lordship I was so late he does not take kindly to mistakes."
The poor thing was shaking even though I could not see them as Damien hid them in the shadows, I knew they were all having the same reaction I was. How can anyone hurt such a small child?
Standing I walked slowly over to her. She was so used to being beaten that she scurried backward.
"It's ok I am not going to hurt you and I won't tell Loki anything. Was he the one that did this to you?"
She must have heard the sadness in my voice, the plea for her to let me help her in some way.
"Not just him Mellady, the witch doesn't like mistakes either."
"But Loki did hurt you?"
"Yes, Mellady but I am a slave and should not speak badly of his Lordship even though I forget sometimes not to speak."
"What's your name?"
I ask as I knelt in front of her, she was so small and scared and beaten badly. I wanted to help her because she did not deserve to be here and to be treated so badly as if I needed another reason to hate Loki.
"My name is Nyx, Mellady."
"Night, I can see why your name is Nyx. It means night and it was the name of the Greek Goddess of Night. It suits you."
And her name did even though she was in rags and clearly very dirty and beaten up. It was plain she was very pretty, her hair was a midnight black and her eyes, what little you could she showed that they, whereas blue as the sky. Clearly from her eye color, she must have had Light elves in her family tree.
"My name is Layla little Nyx and I am very pleased to meet you. Would you like to stay and have supper with me?"
"I cannot Mellady. I have stayed away long enough and should get back before they come and look for me and there is plenty of work still to be done."
With that, she walked to the door slowly because she was clearly in a lot of pain.
"Be safe little Nyx promise me."
"Your kind Mellady and I will try."
She gave a small smile and closed the door behind her.
"He is a monster, that poor little girl."
Tempest was enraged by the state of Nyx and how she was treated just as much as I was. The blue fire was blazing in her eyes.
"Damien, will you please do me a favor and make sure little Nyx gets to where she is going safely, please?"
"You don't even need to ask but he is going to pay for what he did to that little girl."
"With that, he left."
"He is an animal."
"No Dominic animals are not like that he is a monster a self-made monster, Honey you, ok?"
"I am going to save that little girl that is a promise and Loki will pay for what he did for all his crimes."
Turning to face them I started telling my story about everything that happened after I woke up in the dungeon room. I told them about my Dad and about the really bad shape my mom was in. I told them about my aunt Brie. I just finished when Damien came back into the room.
"She is safe. I did a little helping of my own water magic, it is great for washing a lot of dishes and dirty floors. The cook sent her to bed without food but I stole some food and placed it by her bed she ate but knew she would be in trouble if they found the plate so she hid it. I took it away after she fell asleep which was very quick."
"So, he has your parents and your aunt held prisoner?"
"Yes, and speaking of my Dad we need to find a way to get them out of that cell and find a way to free aunt Brie."
"Well, the spell will be easy enough to break, it will take time though."
"Ok then will start with me getting my powers back because I have a plan. It sort of needs some fine-tuning but it might just work."
"We are all ears sunshine please do tell."
We all went to sit on the blanket again Alex checked on his very green potion.
"Ok, it's cold enough to drink."
Tanking his empty water bottle, he filled it up to the brim and handed it to me.
"You first Honey."
Taking the bottle from him I drank the potion without hesitation. Handing him back the empty bottle I waited, Alex went on filling the bottle taking some of the potion himself he handed the bottle over to Tempest she drank some, and handed it to Dominic who did the same and finally, Damien drank the last of it.
"How long before it works?"
"Just n few minutes so you said you have a plan while we wait you can tell us about it."
"First, we are going to get aunt Brie. Tempest, you can find her room. She called it her gilded cage so I think she is not let out a lot. She will need some of the potion too and so will my Dad. I don't think my mom will be in any state to take the potion. Will there be enough for them?"
"Yes, and the strengthening potion is done so we should all take some of that too."
Repeating the same proses, we all took the strengthening potion which did not taste as good as it looked.
"Ok if we do find my mom how are we going to get her out?"
"Well, I gave that some thought her door will be spelled shut just like the cell my parents are in so Alex, you and Tempie will go find your mom and bust her out give her the potion, and then all of you will come back here then after that will go on to faze two of my, plan."
"Ok that is good I don't like splitting up but that seems the best way to do this. With Layla having her powers back and me staying here with her we will be safe and you guys have strength in numbers plus..."
"I can turn anyone into ashes?"
"Why yes baby that too."
He said that with a smile that was both cute and dangerous at the same time. My poor friend, it's good Tempie can hold her own otherwise she will never ever win an argument ever again and the thing is she gave as good as she got. I was in awe of them.
The way they talked to each other was so normal but yet there seemed to be more said between them that we didn't hear.
"Ok the sooner we do this the better. Layla, you got your powers back."
They all looked at me waiting, I closed my eyes not because I was afraid or needed to concentrate but just to have a moment of inner silence. I trusted Alex with my life, with my heart and soul, and knew the potion would work but even though I knew he would not fail me I could not help the ridiculous smile that crossed my face as I felt my power surging forward when I called to it the lightest of breezes filled the room and ruffled my hair opening my eyes, I saw their happiness an eco of my own.
"Yeah, Layla's powers are back, look out world."
"Well, I must say Alex you're one hell of a Druid."
"Thanks, Damien but really that potion wasn't that complicated but if we are going to rescue your mother we should get going."
"Are you sure you are perfectly fine Alex?"
"You look cute when you're concerned, Honey. But I am perfectly fine honey and hundred percent back to normal. As long as I am near you, I am good."
"So, do you have to be in the same room as Layla to not be weakened?"
"No, it doesn't work like that. I can be apart from her just as long as we are on the same plain. I got weakened because even when we came through the portal the magic surrounding the castle made her sort of closed off to me. Tempest could find her because Tempest can find anything she wants, does it make sense now."
"Yeah, thanks for explaining. I just never heard of a Druid and an Elf bonding so it's new to me, but we have to get going. Who knows how long Loki will be gone?"
"Be safe please and come back to, all of you."
Dominic looks glad that I stated the obvious
"We will"
They said together, Alex kissed me on the top of my head, Tempest and Damien, both hugged me and before she left Tempest kissed Dominic, he held her a bit before letting her go, and then with a smile, they left closing the door behind them. All Dominic and I could do were wait so we ate some dinner and waited.