Our Planet has Crashed [COMPLETE]

seventy eight - KOTLC

Linh POV: 

"Fire!" Jensi pointed at a wall of flames advancing at them. He and Linh braced themselves, although they knew the flames couldn't reach them—Dex had programmed his "bomb" well. And now, this was the distraction they needed. Linh could only hope the boys were safe. 

As the guards of the East Wing scurried around and tried to find the source of the BOOM and the burning smell, Linh and Jensi clutched their Obscurer tighter and scurried past them. They had just reached the tall iron gate as two guards ran out to see what the commotion was. They slipped in. 

The East Wing was made up of a large neighborhood, of 'mansions' by human standards. Several buildings had names on them Linh couldn't place, as well as things like Kitchen, Training Rooms, and Bathrooms. Linh noticed a member of the Neverseen removing a plaque from one of the houses—Orem Vacker. 

Wait, wasn't that the Flasher guy that did the Celestial festivals all the time? And, Vacker? What was one of Fitz and Biana's relatives doing here? And then Linh remembered the attack at Foxfire. She winced. 

So many prodigies had been able to escape with letters of recruitment, so that must mean just as many elves were recruited. But if so many elves were here . . . then were they also all mind-controlled? How were they supposed to help some fifty elves get out of the hideout while Lady Gisela was in them?

At least she knew some of them by name—unfortunately. She had helped distribute the letters. Just so that the Neverseen would delay their plans for them for a little while. Maybe it was worth it; most of the prodigies had managed to leave after the Neverseen chose their new recruits. But . . . many of the prodigies also lost powerful relatives because of Linh. If she had let the Neverseen just take them all, right away . . . 

This was not the time to dwell on this. She had to get them back, or she'd never forgive herself. And guilt was dangerous. 

Linh took a deep breath, and she and Jensi began rounding up the elves. 

"Now what?" Jensi asked. All the elves were gathered in a park in the neighborhood under false letters saying there was an important meeting there. So far, Lady Gisela had not noticed this odd behavior (probably because a bomb destroyed half of her hideout), but if Jensi and Linh didn't act quick, she would be in control again and they'd be hopelessly outnumbered. 

"We need to show ourselves," she said. "If they see us, they might come with us." Doubtful. 

"And if they don't?" 

"We . . ." Linh paused. 

"It's okay, we can improvise." 

The Obscurer got tossed aside. Fifty pairs of eyes blinked in recognition. Linh half-hid behind Jensi. Jensi smiled nervously at all the cloaks with white eyes. Linh almost fainted when her mom's eyes locked with hers. 

"Linh?" Jensi asked nervously, in a whisper. But Linh couldn't speak. Jensi seemed to sense this. He cleared his throat, "Hi, everyone?" he tried to say, but it sounded like a question. "We think you can all come with us? Before Lady Gisela comes back?"

One elf frowned. "We can't," 

"Um, uh, did you join the Neverseen for real, then? Maybe we should go, Linh? And let's just take that Obscurer back and we'll be on our way and—"

"We can't," the elf repeated. Mai Song's eyes bore into her daughter's, not quite angry, but not nice, either. Linh stared at her feet. Nothing was going as planned. The elf, who towered over everyone else, continued, "We have orders,"