We walked in shadows deeper into the dungeons, the feeling of uneasiness was still there, it hung in the air, Dominic was on edge, and the emotions of the elves in the cells we passed were taking their toll. Tempest also seems to feel uneasiness.
Do all of you feel that! The uneasiness is clinging to the air around us.
I used my gift not because I didn't want to talk but to let them all feel what I felt.
The slight shock of having my voice in his head made Alex jump at first but then he smiled like that was the best thing ever. Aunty Brie and Damien didn't seem bothered by the fact.
"I don't know what it is, but I don't feel it as strongly as you, Tempest, and Dominic seem to feel it."
"It is because they are Light elves, or have Light elves blood, they are in tuned with the life essence of nature where Dark elves are more in tuned with the raw basicness of nature that's why we have more power over the elements and wheater it is more primitive."
"Something is definitely not right; we all best be careful and on the lookout."
After a while when the guards became more wherever we turned, their guards all over the place Alex placed sleeping spells on all of them. That will lift once we were safely away from here. We finally rounded the corridor that led to my parent's cell. Alex also placed a sleeping spell on the guards standing watch.
After making sure we were safe or as safe as we can be Damien led us out of the shadows.
My Dad was once again sitting on the floor and he was not even aware we were there. All his attention was on my Mom.
"Daddy, it's me."
With great effort, he lifted his head.
"Layla my little princess, you came back but I fear you should not have, I don't want you to be here when you lose your mother for a second time."
"But who have you…?"
He did not finish his sentence because his eyes fell on Aunty Brie.
"Brie my sweet little sister, am I so far gone that I am seeing ghosts."
"No, Magnus, not a ghost I am as alive as you are, it is a long tale, we do not have time for. How is Artemis?"
"She won't last the night; she cannot withstand Nutt for much longer. She needs the sun and the light and warmth."
Stepping forward Alex introduced himself to my Dad. Bowing low to my Dad.
"Your Highness, I am Alex, please to meet you, if you will please take these two potions and drink them. I will start removing the spell on the cell and I know it is not much but this might help your wife hold on longer while we work to free you both."
Giving the two potions to my Dad he took from his backpack a rolled-up blanket. It wasn't very big but it looked warm and soft and it shimmered with light.
"There is a spell placed on it, it will always feel warm like when you lie in the sun on a hot summer's day."
"Thank you. A druid! I haven't seen a druid as young as you in a very long time, but how are you here?"
Dad looked at Alex for a second, really looked at him then looked at me and realization filled his face.
"I see you're here because Layla is. You came to save Layla because she is your destined."
"Yes, sir but now we need to get you out."
"Layla please move the smoke away from your mom but if you can fill your breeze with, warmth that will help, we need that smoke to stay away from her."
"Ok, I am on it you just get that spell removed and I will do the hard part."
Smiling at my very bad joke, he got busy removing the spell his hands moved to make strange patterns in bright blue and green light.
I focused on my Mom moving a breeze to circle around her but using the warmth of my fire magic I filled the breeze with warmth wrapping it around my Mom and moving the smoke away so that it made a wide circle around her. My Dad placed the blanket around her whispering softly to her.
Time felt endless but at last, the spell was removed. The potions helped my Dad a bit but he was giving so much of his strength to my mom to keep her alive that he was weak. Tempest and Aunty Brie went in to help him, Damien picked my Mom up as gently as he could. She was like a doll limp and I feared we were too late. Seeing my distress my Dad promised me my Mom was still alive, just very weak.
The sound of someone screaming made us all turn pale. Loki was on his way.
"Alex, make a portal back to your parents' house now."
Making the portal was easy and he did it in mere seconds.
Damien went through first caring, my Mom.
My Dad and Alex gave me one look and knew what I was planning.
"No Layla that is not happening!"
They said at the same time
"Please there is no time for this. Alex will make a second portal, to take me back to my room so he won't know I helped. We need more help. I can't leave knowing there are elves here, that are prisoners and if I leave now, he will destroy every Light Elf he can find. They are not prepared for Loki. Please Daddy go make sure mom is ok and make Dominic's Dad take Loki seriously, you can come back. I will be fine, I have my powers back, please just go."
My dad hated it but even after all this time that passed, he knew me and knew he would not change my mind. Placing a kiss on my head he nodded.
Tempest was openly sobbing, she looked at me pleading but knew it won't help.
"Promise me I not saying goodbye forever. Promise me, Layla, because if I don't see you again, I will find a way to kill you myself all over again."
"I promise this isn't goodbye now go."
"Be safe little one"
With that Aunty Brie and Tempest helped my Dad through the portal Dominic was next. He looked as bad as Tempest.
"Go Dominic I will be fine, make sure my Mom and Dad are ok, ok. Make your Dad listen, Loki will not stop until he has destroyed or imprisoned every Light Elf."
"I will be safe Layla, see you soon."
With that, he went through the portal holding tightly to the bundle that was little Nyx.
"Layla I can't go."
"Alex, you have to, who else is going to make a portal for them to come back. I promise I will be safe. I will be here waiting for you. Now go, make a second portal to take me back to my room then go home. Loki is almost here."
"Layla please don't…"
"I love you with everything I am Alex, now please trust me, love me enough to trust that this isn't goodbye."
He looked heartbroken but he made the portal that will take me back to my dungeon room.
"I love you, Layla, you have my heart and soul. I'll see you soon."
With that he hugged me as if he never wanted to let go, placing a kiss on the top of my head, he let go falling through the portal back to the human world.
As soon as he went through the portal vanished. Seeing the second portal closing I jumped through it, it vanished and I was back in my dungeon room again alone but filled with hope and love. Alex will come back for me and my parents are safe.
Alex
I hit our living room floor very hard but strangely I was aware of everything straight away. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Standing up I saw that Damien placed Layla's Mom on one of the big comfy sofas. She was still very pale too pale and fear filled me. What if we were too late, she looked tiny and small on the sofa.
Layla's Dad was struggling to stand and Aunty Brie was trying to help him on her own because Tempest was sobbing on the floor, she was in a state. Dominic placed Little Nyx on the soft armchair, where she just slept, and went to comfort Tempest. I wanted to scream and yell but Layla needed us to be strong if she had the strength and courage to stay. We had to be strong. Helping Aunty Brie we got Layla's Dad to stand. He was leaning heavily on the side of the sofa but being closer to his wife made him more at ease. Turning I went over to Tempest and Dominic she was still sobbing and her emotional state was not doing Dominic any favors.
"Tempest I am going to make you sleep a little ok, it will help and I promise we are going to get Layla back. But you need to rest now."
She didn't seem to even hear me. Dominic looked up at me, his eyes filled with sorrow for Tempest and also because we left Layla behind but gave me the smallest of nods.
Without wasting time, I waved my hand in front of Tempest, blue and green light surrounded her and she was asleep instantly.
At that moment my parents and Layla's granny entered the living room and to say they were shocked was the understatement of the year.
Granny was staring at Layla's Dad like she was seeing a ghost and I get it, they all thought they were dead.
"Magnus you? How?"
But then her eyes found Layla's mom lying on the sofa pale and unconscious.
"ARTEMIS!"
She rushed forwards pulling Layla's dad into a hug, so tight he actually gave a small winch. Then she was looking at her daughter, making sure she was still alive even though she was clearly very weak. She gave the room a once oven and seeing the state we all were in she paled.
"NO PLEASE TELL ME MY LAYLA IS STILL ALIVE, ALEX PLEASE."
She looked at me as if she was going to shatter her eyes pleading.
"She is still alive granny but…"
"She stayed to give the Light Elves a fighting chance."
She said with a little note of sadness and pride in her voice.
"But she is alive, does she have her powers back?"
"Yes, granny I didn't want to leave her, I swear."
"I know dear, you look far too heartbroken, but I also know Layla is stubborn."
She waved her hand and a little bird came flying in through the window and landed on her hand.
"Go to Amber and Luke they will know, I sent you they will know we need them."
Letting the bird fly off again she went to Layla's Dad.
"Magnus please sit-down dear, Amber will come and she will help Artemis. She will be saved. Thank you for keeping my daughter alive all these years.
She hugged him and held him a bit. Layla's Dad held her, as silent tears rolled down his cheek before sinking down on the sofa next to his wife. Taking her hand in his, he closed his eyes taking the first safe rest in years.
"Now I see you brought a little elf as well glad you came to the human world; she is a dark elf she looks like she was used as a punching bag. He truly is a monster."
"That is Nyx Mrs. Summer's Layla would not leave her there she is only five."
Aunty Brie said she looked like she didn't know how to deal with being free or safe, but she gave a warm smile to Granny and to my parents.
"Brie, I am so glad you are here and you need to rest as well my dear, you seem a little shaken and I take it this handsome young man is your son."
"My name is Damien, Mrs. Summers please to meet you"
"And you too my dear."
She walked over to where Dominic was sitting still holding Tempest. Kneeling she hugged them both but looked at Dominic with sympathy and love.
"You did not fail my dear, but I fear the time has come. I don't know if your father will still be a part of your life after what is to come."
"It's ok Granny, I have my family and my Dad has not been a part of that family for a long time."
"You are sweet dear and you are right, you will always be a part of our family."
My parents finally took charge of the situation. My dad had taken Nyx to one of the rooms and my mom was seeing to her injuries. My parents and Granny thought it best to leave Layla's mom on the sofa. Dominic took Tempest and placed her on the couch while he sat next to her watching over her.
After my Dad made everyone that was awake some hot chocolate, my Mom came out of the room, she had finished taking care of little Nyx.
She went over to Layla's parents. Layla's dad opened his eyes at once.
"Hello Your Grace, I am Sally, Alex's mother and that is my husband Dean. May I please see if I can be of any help to your wife, while we wait for Amber and Luke."
Sorry, it will seem I have lost my manners in that cage; Please call me Magnus and if you can help Artemis in any way, I will be very thankful and always in your debt."
"You have been through a lot my friend and you alone kept your wife alive. A feat that is extraordinary and shows just how much you love her. You did all that at a great cost to yourself. Taking a moment for yourself to rest is not a lack of manners at all."
"You are very kind but, in all honesty, if it wasn't for your remarkable son's love and bond with Layla and Layla's iron will to rescue us, I fear I would not have been able to keep Artemis with me for much longer. Eleven years is a very long time, it has truly taken a lot of strength out of me. But it is a sacrifice I will make again willingly."
Smiling at that my mom held her hands over Layla's mom hovering above her body. Greenlight surrounded Layla's mom and a moment later my mom pulled her hands back to her side.
"I fear there wasn't much I could do. She does need Amber to heal her and bring her back out of her cocoon of safety, where she now dwells, she is confused. But she sensed I was only trying to help. I did help bring her temperature back to normal and gave her a bit of her own strength back, but Amber will have to be the one to heal her. I am sorry I could not be of more help."
"You tried Sally and that is all I can ask of you."
"They should be here soon; Now I will make us all some breakfast. I know the sun has not yet risen, but you all look like you need a good meal and no, Brie you should rest even though Alex did a fantastic job on giving you, your strength back you rest. Let me take care of all of you."
Smiling Aunty Brie sank back into the sofa staring at her brother and sister-in-law as if she was scared, they would vanish if she looked away.
Feeling her stare, Layla's dad looked up at her.
"I am sorry Brie. I asked too much of you and James, and because of that, you lost him. The kingdom was mine to rule. I should have tried to find a better solution."
"Magnus, James's death was not your fault and you did rule the kingdom. I was just your placeholder. James died because he had something that Omega wanted, we all were fooled by Omega, none more than James. James would not have wanted you to feel guilty about his death because it was not your fault. As for the kingdom, it is Layla's now or will be as soon as Loki is defeated and she will make a very good queen. She will be kind and just and bring peace to Nutt again, she will be the bridge between the two Elf worlds."
"I just got her back, then lost her again and when I get her back again, I have to lose her to her druid and our people."
"You won't lose her Mr. Summers. She is going to find a way for everyone to be together and I am going to help her with that, she needs her family."
"Alex is right and we will do all we can to help bring Layla back to safety. After all, one day she will be our daughter-in-law."
"Thank you all, I think it is just the fact I haven't gotten used to the idea of thinking of Layla all grown up, but she did grow up. My mother-in-law did a wonderful job. She made sure Layla was kind, caring, loyal, honest, and strong. Brie is right, she will make a very good queen. So, Alex, you don't mind one day marrying a queen?"
"No, sir I don't mind. I knew Layla was special the moment I saw her. I am just glad she wants me and not a prince or king."
"You, Alex, are worth ten princes and better than any king, because you love Layla for her, not her power or her crown. Take it from me, being a prince is not all it appears to be. A crown doesn't necessarily make you a good person, look at my dad."
"Thanks, Dominic that means a lot, and just so you know you will never be like your dad you are too good. Your heart and soul are pure."