They hurriedly raced towards her room. Alvaro followed her suit without any knowledge of why she was suddenly running towards the kingdom.
'Quickly, Gala!'
She heard the voice again. It was eerily familiar, like she had heard it before. "Did you hear it?" She asked Alvaro behind her.
"I don't hear anything, Gala. What are you talking about?"
So, she was right. The voice was conversing with her in Aeyalafreyn.
"I can't tell you now, but can I ride in your back again? The voice was telling me to be quick." She asked him, panting from running.
Alvaro immediately bent in position in front of her. She rode as quickly as she could, not wanting to waste any time.
In just half a minute, they reached the door to her room. He pushed the door open, shoving her behind him in case this was kind of a trap to take her.
As Alvaro slowly entered the room, the ball of fire that he conjured hovered above Gala, illuminating the dimly lit room.
She nervously clung to his tunic's fabric, while his right arm protectively guarded her. His broad back obscured her sight of the room, so she followed his steps carefully so she wouldn't stumble.
When he was done checking her room, he drew his arms back. "Coast is clear."
She moved away from his back and sat down on a single cushion at the foot of her bed. His gaze lingered on her. He was waiting for her to tell him what was going on.
"I heard a voice... " she began.
"And...", urging her to continue.
" She said to find her and that she was in my room." She responded exasperatedly. Her gaze wandered around the room; apart from them, there was no one else in her room.
"Hmmm... " He only hummed, checking the room again. He checked the bathroom, but no one was in there. "Maybe you heard it wrong."
She stood up impatiently, "No, I am one hundred percent absolutely sure about it."
He stroked his chin with his fingers. "Why don't you try to talk to her again, Gala?" He suggested.
She closed her eyes and emptied her mind. "Where are you? I'm in my room now." She tried to communicate with the voice in Aeyalafreyn. Don't tell her that they were late? Maybe she left her room already?
She waited for seconds... then a minute... until it reached two minutes.
She thought that maybe the owner of the voice had really left already, and she was about to break focus when she heard a tiny tinkle coming from the wooden cabinet beside her bed.
Alvaro must have heard it as well, because he immediately went towards her cabinet and opened it.
Her mouth gaped in surprise when he pulled Duræn out of her cabinet. The golden runes against the crimson cover glowed in a dazzling light.
He gave her the thick, sacred book of Aelfrey. 'Was it you?', she asked the book the moment she touched it.
'Yes, khäremluash.'
'But, why did your voice sound so familiar? I don't recall establishing a connection with you before.'
'Because I've talked to you before already, khäremluash, but not in this form.'
Her brows creased at her confusing reply. 'You mean, you have other forms?'
'Yes and no.' the voice replied more vaguely.
'You're not making any sense.' She complained.
'Not all things make sense, khäremluash.'
She scowled when she received another vague reply. Can't she stop with her elusive replies and riddle-ish answers?
If there's anything in this world that she sucks at, it's solving riddles!
She was about to ask another question when they heard head-splitting screams coming from the outside.
'It's starting, khäremluash. Run, Gala. Aelfrey is no longer safe for you.'
It seemed like all her blood drained from her face when she heard it. Alvaro looked at her probingly. He heightened his senses after hearing the chaos from the outside. It was clear that something had happened.
"What did it say, Gala?" he asked her, who remained rooted to her spot. She looked ghastly, and her expression contorted into ungraspable fear.
"Alvaro... we need to run away." Her voice cracked and her lips quivered. She was drenched in cold sweat.
"To where?"
"Away, Alvaro, anywhere as long as it's far away from Aelfrey. Aelfrey was no longer safe for me. We have to hurry now.", she yelped, urgency visible in her voice.
Alvaro, who was torn between his duty as Aelfrey's chief commander and protecting Gala, stood fixatedly on his ground.
"Alvaro, please. If you want to save Aelfrey, then you know it's best to come with me."
He didn't need to be told twice. He walked towards the window and broke the glass. His steps were quick, he grabbed her and without any warning, he took off."
The chaos that erupted from the celebration came into view. They couldn't hardly see what was going on below them as the fires from their hanging torch ball had been extinguished.
It was hard for them to witness the fayes' screams, but they had no choice. She couldn't believe that Elderifrey's words would come true so soon.
"Let's go near the barrier, Alvaro."
The young warrior, whose face was grim, zoomed towards the closest barrier.
"Gala! Alvaro! Where are you going?"
They both turned their heads at the same time and saw Deviro flying towards them. His expression was contorted in apprehension.
They were now close to the barrier when someone grabbed Deviro. They fidgeted, cold sweat dripping all over their bodies, as they stared at the cloaked figure behind Deviro.
Alvaro's jaw clenched and gritted his teeth in anger. "Who are you? How did you enter Aelfrey?"
A spine-chilling laugh escaped from its throat. "As expected from the commanding chief of Aelfrey's warriors. You are expectedly smart and quick, Alvaro."
"How did you know my name?" A dangerous voice escaped from Alvaro, who was glaring at the cloaked figure.
She unwittingly grabbed Alvaro's hand. She was caught up in the sudden turn of events.
"That doesn't matter, Alvaro. Now, if you want your friend's life to be spared, hand over the girl to me and I will leave Aelfrey alone." Its ghostly voice haunted her sanity.
She clung to Alvaro tightly. She gulped nervously as she awaited Alvaro's decision. Her eyes moved towards Deviro, who was obviously afraid but still displayed a dauntless expression.
Alvaro's sudden action dazed her so that she hardly realized what was happening. The cloaked figure and Deviro slowly disappeared from her sight.
"Do everything to live, Deviro. I entrust Aelfrey, for now, to your hands!"