Alex
I was feeling on edge even though it didn't take long for my parents to get everything ready we might need in a battle. Or for the rest of us to eat, wash and get whatever we may need, I still felt on edge.
We were on our way to Dominic's house; Tempest got a call from him telling her that we must all go to his house. So here we were: me, Tempest, Damien, My parents, Layla's parents and Tempest's parents outside Dominic's front door. Aunty Brie and Granny were staying back at my parent's house taking care of little Nyx.
Layla's mom and Dad fell in love with her at once and announced she will be staying with them. Layla's dad wanted Layla's mom to stay with Granny and Aunty Brie but she gave him one look and he caved. She said as we left our house she was not going to sit by and not try to save her baby girl.
We could hear their voices as soon as we opened the door there was no one to let us in so we let ourselves in and just followed the shouting all the way to the war room.
The sight that greeted us was something to see Dominic was between his Dad and a beautiful girl with dark brown waist-length hair and eyes so blue they looked violet in colour she could only be Dominic's sister Aurora. She was short and looked very small next to Dominic almost as tiny as Layla looked next to him. She was glaring at her father and he was trying very unsuccessfully to grab her but Dominic held him back very easily.
"I will not be overthrown by an ungrateful brat like you."
"The council has made their decision; you are not fit to rule our people. Hell, you don't even care about our people, all you care about is yourself and to go around from one mistress to the other parading them in front of mom every chance you get, and then making sure they disappear and are found dead after a while as soon as they get pregnant. You also basically sentenced Layla and her parents to death, you did nothing so far to get her back, you sent elves not even fully of age and a young druid also not fully of age to go and find her."
"So, you believe this rubbish that your brother is sprouting about Artemis and her pathetic husband being alive."
Before Aurora or Dominic could say anything, Layla's Dad spoke from the back of our group, he did not raise his voice but it carried into the room and held so much authority and power that every council member and most of all Dominic's Dad literally turned pale.
"Pathetic am I, yet I am the one that has honour and Loyalty to not only my wife but my daughter and my people. I am the one that has always wanted peace between our people. You are a disgrace to your ancestors, and your children are right; you have no place on the throne of the Light Elves."
"Magnus, you're alive, how is it possible, Loki said, he promised you won't survive."
"So, you planned the attack on Sonne, on your own people just because Artemis refused you."
"I, I…"
"You are no longer king, father, you will be taken to the dungeon and then after we save Layla you will be held accountable for all your crimes."
With tears running down her beautiful face she called the guards and we looked on in silence as Dominic and Aurora's dad were taken away by the very guards, he just a few hours earlier commanded.
Stepping passed me, Damien went over to Aurora to say she was shocked at his sudden appearance was putting it mildly. But after just mere seconds she threw herself into his arms and cried while he held her and stroked her hair and it was plain to everyone, they loved each other. Dominic came over and after hugging Tempest he stood next to us looking at his sister, Queen of the Light Elves and to the astonishment of the council and her own mother her Dark elf chosen.
This bittersweet moment was interrupted by the sudden feeling of dread and urgency that overpowered me as I fell to the ground, I heard Layla's voice so clearly as if she was right next to me:
"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."
Tempest was closest to me; she was next to me in an instant.
"Alex, what is wrong, you're as white as a sheet?"
Her voice sounded scared, my mom and dad were now right in front of me looking at me with concern. But it was Layla's dad that grasped what was happening. He made his way to me until he was right next to me, his voice was strong and sure and felt like an anchor to me in a sea of feelings.
"Alex, what happened it's Layla, isn't it. Your bond is already so strong. But for you to be so affected she must be in danger or in a very bad situation."
"I heard her it was like she was right beside me. She said Loki said he was marrying her tonight and she needs my help and that I must find my way back to her in time."
"She must have known she won't reach any one of us. But she knew or at least she had hope that if she channelled everything in her and focused on you and her feelings for you, she might reach you. And I am not surprised Loki has changed his mind and will try and force her to marry him tonight, he must know someone helped us escape and he is scared he knows I will come back for Layla if I found out she was taken by him and with Brie missing she saw Layla."
My head was clearing as my body and mind processed that the feelings were not mine but Layla's. A new instinct took over; it was primal and possessive. The mere thought that Loki is planning to force Layla's obedience into marrying him made my blood boil.
Standing I said in a voice that was filled with power and authority:
"We need to make a plan and go back to Nutt now."
"Alex honey it may take at least two hours to make a plan and…."
"Mom, Layla may not have two hours, you know time is a bit different in Nutt. We need to move now!"
They all looked at me, torn between wanting to take action straight away and also fear that we don't have a plan.
But acting like the queen she was meant to be Aurora untangled herself from Damien.
"Guard please send a message to all the Light Elves, tell them that my father has been replaced and that as soon as we return, we will all be returning to Sonne. It is high time we take back our home."
"But your Grace the Dark Elves?"
"Layla will be their queen and I am sure she would want peace between our people as much as I do."
Going to her mother she hugged her
"Mom please don't cry; we will be back and we can put this whole thing behind us."
"I am proud of you both and you will be a far better rule than your father."
Turning to Layla's parents she said:
"Artemis and Magnus please forgive me, for not pushing Arnold harder to search for proof that you were dead and for not stopping him when he let everyone treat Layla so poorly. I am so sorry."
"Poppy it wasn't your fault we know what type of man Arnold was. We do not blame you and Aurora is right we will all have a brighter future."
"Then good luck to all of you, may the powers that be smile on all of you and please accept my gift of inspiration may it be there when you need it most."
A fine golden mist rained down on us and the smell of honeysuckle filled the room a feeling of warmth spread through us and I realized why Dominic's dad chose Dominic's mom after he could not have Layla's, her gift was to give inspiration to those around her. What they use it for though was their own choice.
"We should go, thank you Mam for your kind gift."
"Alex is right, time is wasting but we can't go right into his castle. That will be too dangerous unless Damien can you hide us all."
"Baby, I haven't tried with so many at once but Layla needs us. So, I will try but I think appearing outside of the castle might be the safest choice at the moment."
"Then outside the castle it is, but Aroura you and Dominic take this and drink it. We may not have time once we get there. It is a strengthening potion and also a potion that makes the purple smoke useless, we all took some already."
They drank the two potions and I opened the portal not knowing what was going to happen but I knew Layla and I will be together no matter what.