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I HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH TIME passed before I forced my eyes open, ignoring the searing light. Someone was shaking me awake. Sophie.
"Oh Iris! I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have acted how I did I was just so sad- I stopped her with a hug, after a moment she hugged me back. I pulled the necklace out of my pocket.
"Your still my sister." I handed her the necklace. We both smiled at each other. I was so pleased we were on good terms again but right now we had to focus. I did feel slightly dizzy and a tiny bit nauseous but I would have to cope.
We were in a city of some sort—a human one, based on the noise and the cigarette butts on the ground—in a deserted alley. The buildings looked like they belonged to a different century, and everything was stone, even the street. Dex stirred beside me and I squirmed closer, needing to feel his warmth. As long as he was alive everything would be okay. Then we could all get back.
"Dex," Sophie whispered.
His eyes fluttered open and he moaned as the light hit him. Then he bolted upright, his face wild. "Sophie? Iris?"
Their eyes locked and I held my breath, hoping he didn't hate me for getting him into this. She'd asked him to come.
He threw his arms around me, hugging me so tight it knocked the breath out of me. "I thought I'd never see you again."
I buried my face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Dex. This is all my fault."
They clung to each other for a moment before Dex pulled away, wiping his eyes. "I'm just glad you're okay. And I'm so sorry for the way I've been acting Sophie—
"Please. It doesn't matter. Let's focus on more important things, like staying alive."
He nodded, surveying their surroundings. "Where are we?"
"Somewhere human—but I don't know where." I announced, Sophie nodded.
"Why would we be in the Forbidden Cities?"
"Their hideout must be here. The guy who rescued us didn't leap, so it can't be far."
"What are you doing?" Dex asked as Sophie scoured the ground, searching for anything that looked remotely elvin.
"He gave me something to help us, and I can't find it."
We helped her look, but all we found was a scroll of paper with the words "Alexandre, Lantern, Concentrate." Followed by the word "Hurry."
"Well, that's helpful!" She crumpled the page,I for one, was ready to scream. Four vague, disconnected words? That's all they were giving us?
"I don't understand," Dex said, interrupting my venomous thoughts. "Why wouldn't he take us home? Why would he dump us here?"
"Because this was his job, and he didn't want anyone to know he was involved." She rose on shaky legs, the buildings spinning as the blood rushed to her head. "That's how the Black Swan operates."
