Dominic
Granny just called us all to come and eat breakfast when Tempest's mom and Dad came hurrying up to the front door. Alex's dad opened it at once.
"Amber, Luke please come in."
They greeted everyone at once.
They looked worried, they hurried into the living room scanning for Tempest first. When they saw she was asleep and unharmed they took in everyone else in the room. The first thing that registered on their faces, as they really saw Layla's mom and dad was, shock. Then they rushed forwards, towards Layla's parents' tears filling their eyes, at the sight of their close friends and the fact that they were not dead.
"Magnus!"
They both grabbed him and hugged him so tight that he gave an audible sound of pain.
"Sorry Magnus, we are just overjoyed, you're alive we knew you couldn't be dead. But there was no trace of you; we searched for a year after you disappeared."
Cutting across whatever Layla's Dad wanted to say Tempest's mom said:
"We can talk later Luke, there will be time but first I need to heal Artemis and also Magnus. And then I would like to know why Layla is not here. Magnus please, I need you to let go of Artemis' hand. I know you don't want to but I need her to be by herself and if you can let go of the hold you have on her that would be great too."
"Amber, she is so weak what if I let go and we lose her."
"You won't, I just got my best friend back, practically from the dead and I am not letting her go, she will be healthy and alive if it is the last thing I do, now let her go so that I can do what I do best."
Layla's dad looked so worried but he bent his head and strands of his hair fell over Layla's mom's face kissing her forehead. He whispered something in the old language, it was very soft so I could not make out the words. But by the look on Alex and his parents' faces, they heard every word and it must have been very profound because they had a look in their eyes of respect and a little fear but they were full of hope. Layla's dad, on the other hand, felt nothing but fear and angst and I could not blame him for it, after all, like he said Layla's mom was very weak and he was the only thing keeping her alive. But Tempest's mom was confident and I knew her long enough to know she had a will of iron."
Placing her hand on the exact spot that Layla's dad kissed she gave Layla's dad a smile and then she turned to Layla's mom focusing on her and only her.
"Artemis it is time to come back now, Magnus needs you, your mother needs you, we need you but more importantly Layla needs you so, get your stubborn ass back to reality. We don't have much time to save your baby."
Warmth filled the room and a smell of jasmine and roses. It filled us all with peace and happiness. I heard that Elves with fiscal powers, have a specific scent and feeling to their powers but then I remember the way the air smelled when Tempest burned the assassins it smelled like midnight roses and ocean breeze. I experienced this phenomenon before but at the time I was too shocked to notice. The feeling and smell were magic itself.
The minute stretched and felt like hours, but just when Layla's dad was looking like he was going to die of agony at the thought that he lost his true love, Layla's mom's eyes snapped open.
"Artemis, darling?"
Layla's dad was right next to her and in seconds she looked up at his face and smiled, and that is when I knew why my dad was obsessed with her and why she was called the most beautiful light elf. Her smile was enchanting and she truly was very beautiful, her eyes were the most beautiful shade of indigo, I have ever seen.
"Magnus what happened and where are we."
"I will give you all the answers to your questions, darling but first there are a few people that would like to see you first."
Kissing her he said:
"I thought I lost you forever, I would have followed you into the lands of the beyond after I made sure Layla was safe."
"Magnus honey, I am fine and I may have been weak and powerless but I would never have left you alone never. We are one heart and one soul."
She kissed him and he looked different, stronger, and younger. Then it hit me, their bond. He looked older and weaker because his true love was weak and almost at death's door and she was his strength.
I looked at Tempest and vowed to myself that she will always be safe and loved and I will never let anything happen to her
"Artemis sweetheart I missed you so."
"Mommy!"
Layla's mom flung herself at her mother, and they hugged and cried and talked at the same time, in a jumble of words but they were filled with joy at that moment and it was a sight to see.
Aunty Brie and Damien were next then Tempest's mom and dad and their reunion were just as sweet.
"But where is Layla?"
She looked around the room, her face filled with concern when she saw Tempest but it turned to fear when she realized Layla was not there.
"Magnus, where is Layla!"
"She is in Nutt."
"Nutt? Loki has my daughter!"
Her eyes filled with anger and the wind picked up outside and storm clouds gathered.
Stepping forward Alex was either very brave at that moment or stupid. Layla's mom was like a tigress that found a treat to her cub.
"Mrs. Summer, I am Alex, and Layla is going to be fine. She stayed to protect you and her friends and to give the light elves a chance to defend themselves against Loki. But also, to protect the dark elves against him and I know you don't know me, and right now, you are fearing for her but Layla is strong and very powerful and she won't go down without a fight but more importantly. I won't rest until Layla is safe and Loki will have to kill me before he gets to Layla."
"You love my Layla very much. I can see it in your eyes. But even though I can understand why she stayed, I fear that the king will not care that my daughter risked her life for him or the light elves. I do believe he will do nothing to help us get her back."
"He has to, he is the king, she is still part Light elf."
"Dominic sweetheart, you have grown into a very fine and good, kind-hearted male. But trust me when I say we cannot count on your father for help. He did not come to our aid even though he knew Magnus and I were alive."
Anger and hate-filled me at Layla's mom's words. Because I knew she spoke the truth I felt it and at that moment I despised my father more than any other time before.
"WHAT! MY FATHER KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE AND HE LEFT YOU IN THAT HELL OF A PLACE FOR ALL THESE YEARS. HE JUST LEFT YOU, AND LET ALL OF US BELIEVE YOU WERE DEAD PUTTING LAYLA THROUGH ALL OF THAT PAIN."
"Yes, dear he knew, he saw Loki's father's guards drag us away from our home, through the portal to Nutt. He knew we were still very much alive, but I believe he thought we would die soon and some feelings run too deep and are too strong to overcome and hatred is one of them."
"I don't care what his own feelings were, he is the King of the Light elves and it was his duty to make sure all his people were safe. Even if he hated you for choosing Layla's dad over him. He doesn't deserve to be king; he doesn't care about any of his people; he only cares about himself."
"True as that may be dear, he is still the king. The only ones that can dethrone him, is your sister as she is the oldest of his children and she doesn't know how bad your father is treating his people."
"No, but she will know the council of elders, may not listen to me but they will listen to Aurora. People always listen to her and I have a feeling she wants peace between the Light elves and Dark elves, more than anything and if Loki is defeated and Layla is officially crowned queen, she would want peace between the two sides as well."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damien move around nervously. I felt his emotion even though he tried very hard to hide it. Where he and my sister met, I have no idea but I knew no one on this earth or any of the realms will love her more than he did. And to be honest, even though he was a Dark elf and I did not like him straight away he was the best male for my sister he will protect her against anything even with his own life and I wanted nothing more than for them to be together forever.
"Dominic, think carefully, your father will hate you, he will want nothing to do with you. If you take this course, be sure it is truly what you want."
"I know you're trying to be kind your Grace, but my father and I have never gotten along and never will. We are far too different and I have too strong a sense of right and wrong. He must be stopped and held accountable for the pain and suffering he let you and Layla's mom endure all these years."
They all looked at me with sadness, but also pride and so much love. But it was Alex that stepped forward and gave me the final push.
"Then you should call your sister Dominic. I will stay with Tempie and make sure she is ok when I wake her, we don't have much time left, the eclipse is in twenty- four hours and we need to save Layla before then."
"Thanks, Alex, I will be back soon. Tell, Tempie everything she should know everything. Just make sure her anger and outrage, doesn't make her burn down your parents' house ok."
"I will try, but best you hurry back ok my parents really like this house."
With Laughter following behind me I went to make the hardest call of my life.
Layla
For the first time in my life, I willed myself to sleep. I was back in my room in about five minutes. I just had time to put on my PJs and climb into bed when I heard Loki's screams of outrage. I would like to say that I am not the type of girl that scares easily, but that scream and the fury that went with it scared me to my core. Lying in bed I willed myself to go to sleep because I knew Loki would be coming soon and the best thing, I could do was fake it and pretend that I knew nothing and that I was asleep in my bed.
I don't know how long I slept but I was awoken by a blast so loud I was jolted awake and actually almost fell out of bed. Shaken as I was by the suddenness of being woken up, I turned to face the door and brushed the loose hair out of my face. I faced Loki.
But this was a very different Loki. He stood at the door staring at me with cold fury still blazing in his eyes.
"You were asleep?"
His voice was calm and casual but I knew better, that voice was just a mask, and his anger was still very much there underneath the surface. I knew playing dumb and innocent was my best choice right now. So, I used what I hope was my best-confused voice.
"Well, yes, I told your guards earlier that I was going to sleep when they came to check up on me. They left and the door was locked from the outside."
"No one came to check on you again."
"No, Loki I told you, I was asleep until you came barging in just now. I don't know what I was supposed to have done but as you can see, I was asleep and I still don't know why you woke me up? You're asking me questions but not saying why you are even asking them."
"Fine, I believe you were asleep. You will stay in your room; all meals will be brought to you and there will be extra guards outside your door until our wedding this evening."
I felt all the blood drain out of my face. Alex, my dad, and my friend were all planning on coming back tomorrow and now the prince of darkness said he is going to force me to marry him tonight.
"What did you say on the day of the eclipse? I am not going to marry you Loki. I already told you that."
"Yes, so you keep saying but it doesn't matter so I suggest you go back to sleep sweetheart so that you can look even more stunning than usual for the ceremony."
With a cold evil smile, he left, the door was locked and spelled shut and I was still reeling from what he just said.
I knew I could at least hold my own against Loki if he did not use his special gift because I saw those guards, whatever his gift was it was something very dangerous. But it wasn't just Loki he still had his guards and his very powerful dark druid.
It looked hopeless. How will Alex, my parents, and my friends know I need their help or about Loki's plan to marry me tonight. My gift won't reach Granny or Tempest or Dominic; they were too far away literally in another world.
I felt beaten and lost I could not see any silver lining or any hope but just as despair was about to overtake me and reduce me to a pathetic puddle of tears. I felt Alex like he was here with me holding me, I could hear his beautiful voice telling me it is going to be ok he will always be there when I need him.
It was a long shot and it had a very small chance of working but using my gift I called out to Alex with every ounce of love, with my whole soul and every fiber of my being:
"Alex, I need you. I need your help Loki plans on marrying me tonight. I can't beat him on my own. Please find your way back to me in time. I love you."
That was the best I could do, having nothing else to do. I went and sat on the bed trying to think of any way I can AVOID getting married to Loki.