I'll Protect You (Re-Edit #2, 2016)

There's a certain thrill that comes with being arrested

"I found it on Halloween night," Archer explained. "While you were in the hospital, I was searching the areas to find anyone who managed to escape."

"And you remembered how to find it again?"

Archer flashed a grin at me. "You see, due to my youth and sharp mind, my memory is uncannily on point."

"Please stop talking about yourself," someone sighed as they walked into the clearing. Elijah lead a group of three, rolling his eyes as he waded his way through the snow and grass. I arched a brow as I saw Minnie and Zen behind him--as well as Sophia. 

"Don't ask us," Minnie said, holding up her hands and shrugging as I looked to her. "We were just taken along for the ride. I have no idea why she's here."

"I don't know why I'm here either," Sophia frowned, looking tentatively at all of us. "Is this about my brother? Is he hurt? He didn't come home last night."

I opened my mouth to tell her the truth--that Six was a lying bastard that I was going to toss into Mount Doom--but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Archer give a sharp jerk of his head, narrowing his eyes a slight fraction. Though confused, I understood that as a sign that I couldn't tell Sophia about her brother yet. 

"Alec kidnapped Logan," I said instead. "We're all here to save him."

Sophia then stood a little straighter, her lips falling open in an 'o' shape. She stumbled back, a gloved hand pressed to her mouth. "Not Logan," she whispered in a hoarse voice. "But...Alec?" Sophia looked at me, her eyes large and full of bewilderment. "Aren't you guys friends?"

"That's what we all thought," Zen answered, his voice curt and lips curling at the mention of Darkwood. Minnie nodded to his words, a similar look of distaste on her face as Zen began muttering a string of curse words regarding the traitor. 

"Is that Zen Li?" a lilting voice sang as a new set of footsteps entered the vicinity.Turning my head, I saw Iris Berkeley, a tall sharp-eyed girl with sleek blakc hair plunging to her waist, approaching us. Her dark blue eyes held a sparkle under the long lashes and she threw her arms around Zen, who picked her up with ease, despite her being four years older than both of us. Iris was often one of our rescuers when the two of us got in a bit of a tricky situation (the only one that didn't make fun of us when we were saved). However, the last adventure Zen and I had gone on was may years ago, making it a while since we had last set eyes on her. 

"You've dyed your hair," she smiled, ruffling his temporary Ronald McDonald strands. She looked to me, grinning widely. "You're both so tall--I feel so short compared to you." Which was a complete lie, for Iris had the figure and height of a model, willowy and lean. "And even Minnie's here!" She embraced Minnie with zeal. "I didn't think your mother would let you anywhere near Park after the Christmas incident, but it's so good to see you!"

"Zen persuaded her to let me attend school here," Minnie explained. Iris, the infinitely optimistic girl, continued smiling from ear to ear as she looked to me and cupped my face into her hands. 

"I'm so thankful I haven't seen you until now. It means you finally stayed safe," she cooed. "You know, you look just like your brother." And Iris's smile slid off her face as she glowered at Archer, who merely winked at her as she let go of me and stalked over to where he stood. 

"You do realize that being a Dragon means you have to keep in contact with us, not just Flynn," she snapped, crossing her arms and tilting her head up to meet my brother's smile. 

"I left you a voicemail, Iris," Archer sighed, swerving away from Iris' punch. 

"A voicemail? You break up with me and disappear into the night, and all I get is a voicemail? I didn't hear from you until Flynn called to let me know that you were going to Park," Iris fumed. "As your senior in this organization, I should've been--"