"There," Layla announces, dusting her hands together. "Nobody should find her and she shouldn't wake up for a while. At least not while we're still here, anyway."
Layla and Nina had disposed of Eudora's unconscious form deep into the trees, laying her behind a thick tree trunk root, after lugging her along for what seemed like years.
Even though she is a tree nymph, she smells too much like dirt for Layla's liking.
Nina sighs, staring down at Eudora." She looks so... Peaceful."
Layla raises an eyebrow." She does, doesn't she?"
Then she rolls her eyes at the nymph and walks back the way she came, with Nina on her tail.
"Layla? How exactly are we going to find the others?"
Layla shrugs. "We just look around carefully and see who we find first- Umah or them."
Nina nods and is about to hurry on after Layla, when she stops suddenly, snapping a twig.
Layla freezes then turns. "Nina? What's wrong?"
Nina does not reply. She just stays completely still, listening. Her eyes widen in alarm and before Layla can blink, she has Changed, and in her place is a wolf with light gray fur and big eyes with purple irises.
Nina begins to growl, moving her head in a gesture that orders Layla to get behind her.
Layla obeys, drawing her dagger, then immediately wishing she had her Blade.
"Show yourself!" Layla snaps into empty space, as the wind builds up around wolf and Wielder, rustling through the trees.
Nina barks in agreement.
Then there is a girl stepping out in front of them. A nymph, to be exact.
Layla raises her dagger and imitates Nina as they both cautiously take a step forward, a growl deep in Nina's throat.
The nymph raises her hands in surrender, using one of them to keep pushing up her flower crown. She doesn't even seem surprised to see them.
"Who are you?" Layla hisses.
The nymph smiles. "I am a friend, not a foe." She takes a step forward so she is face to face with them, and raises a hand in greeting. "My name is Rose. I'm here to help you."
Layla and Nina exchange glances.
Nina sniffs, raising her shaggy head.
Layla's weapon arm does not falter as she asks, "Why should we believe you? This could be a trap."
Rose blushes. "Funnily enough, that silver-haired mage you know said the same thing. It was that nice girl Rak that chose to believe me. Has anyone told you that you look like her?" Rose babbles.
Nina Changes back at the first mention of Jens, her fur being stripped away from her like a bandage pulled off skin, rippling back to normal flesh.
She instantly ducks behind Layla to cover her bare top-half.
Layla lowers her dagger." You met my uncle and Rak?"
"Good heavens, he's your uncle?" Rose asks, looking surprised. "Does that mean that, um, Rak is your auntie?"
Layla narrows her eyes. "No... Rak is my uncle's best friend. Why?"
"No reason," Rose says, blushing.
She says it too quickly.
Layla imagines just how much teasing Rak must be getting at this moment in time off her uncle.
"What did they say? Are they okay? What about Castor and Lewis?" Layla asks, rapidly firing one question after another at Rose.
Rose smiles. "They asked me to come and find four of you after telling me they were looking for that poor Umah. They're fine, I sent them the right way and told them I'd send you the right way too, when I found you." She frowns. "I assumed that you were with the other two?"
Nina, from behind Layla, snaps, "Well we assumed that the other two were with Jens and Rak. That's how we left them."
To Layla's surprise, Nina sounds extremely angry.
Rose pulls her tongue to her cheek. "I only met Jens and Rak. I'm so sorry. I will help you search for them before I take you to your uncle, I promise."
The three continue on, Nina hugging herself and glaring ahead furiously. Rose leads the way, a spring to her step,as Layla walks with her hand on her dagger, wondering just how Rose manages to be like that.
"Have you any idea where they could be?" Layla shouts ahead to Rose. "Anywhere at all?"
Rose shakes her head sadly.
From behind, Nina pipes up, "Layla, let's stop and think for a second."
Both Layla and Rose stop, ready to listen.
Nina continues, "There's absolutely no way that Cas and Lewis aren't together. You and I both know that there's no way Cas would leave Lewis, unless he's been forced to. Castor has a knack for protecting."
Layla nods. "Right. So how does that help us?"
"What else do we know Castor has a knack for, Layla?" Nina presses.
Layla closes her eyes, thinking hard. She thinks of Castor and how unfortunate it was that he had to be at that particular meeting about the loss of the Blade. If only he hadn't been.
She remembers how unlucky he was to have to face that werewolf when he was turned. If he hadn't turned up that day...
How unfortunate it was that he wasn't there immediately when Lewis started going through the vein-opening process. If Cas had been there, would Lewis have healed quicker?
What if, what if, what if.
She opens her eyes and, calmly, she replies, "Being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Nina nods her approval and Rose jumps.
"Oh God! The revel! If what you're saying is true, they're probably there," Rose cries. She rushes ahead, gesturing for them to follow. "Come on!"
Layla and Nina quicken their pace.
"Quickly!" Rose yells again. "I fear we may be running out of time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And Rose was right, unbeknownst to Rose herself, Layla and Nina.
Time was of the essence.
For in another part of the Fair Woodlands, at precisely the same time, Lewis is slow dancing with Jens Lane. At one point during the night which Lewis cannot remember, Echo disappeared and Jens came in his place, all smiles, silver hair and glowing heterochromic eyes.
But Lewis was too tired to notice something that, without a shadow of a doubt, he would usually notice if he was in the right frame of mind.
As a matter of fact, he didn't notice much at all. He didn't see that Jens' eye colours had swapped completely, his smile wasn't right, and he wasn't as tall. Even his hair looked like the wrong kind of messy.
But, of course, Lewis thought he looked perfect, as per usual.
"Lewis, Lewis, Lewis. We ought to stay here forever, don't you think?" Jens says to him as they rock to the music around the bonfire.
Lewis gazes at Jens sleepily. Usually, he would never dare get this close, but somehow tonight is different. It feels like he is having an out-of-body experience.
"What about Layla? And Cas? Wh'bout Umah?" He slurs.
Jens scoffs and lifts a hand, waving the comments away. "We don't need them. They aren't important, are they?"
"Ri'ht. No' importan'," Lewis says, sounding sleepy and dazed.
Jens twirls him and Lewis falls against him. They both laugh and Jens grips his arms tighter.
Lewis doesn't even realise exactly how tight he seems to be holding them, though. He doesn't notice that they're like claws clamping him down; he is much too tired and much too happy.
He doesn't even care that he's dancing with this boy, especially, for all the world to see. That's not important, and neither is anyone else.
"You are so beautiful," Jens murmurs.
Lewis flushes.
"No, really, Lewis, you make me want to do all kinds of bad things," Jens whispers in his ear thickly.
Lewis' voice is shaky. "So... So do them."
Jens raises an eyebrow and is about to lean in when there is a shout from across the bonfire.
"LEWIS! LEWIS, IT'S NOT REAL, THAT'S NOT JENS!"
Jens looks around, alarmed. Lewis doesn't really pay attention, still caught in the moment, gazing dreamily ahead.
Everything happens at once.
Fake-Jens steps away from Lewis and gives him a nasty smirk, just as Lewis reaches for him, while Layla, Nina and a nymph Lewis has never seen before run towards him, looking ready to fight.
Layla has her dagger out and is pushing people out the way, and Nina has Changed in order to bound after Fake-Jens, who has now turned back into Echo and is looking very, very frightened. She knocks him to the ground with her paws, and he hits his head and does not get back up.
Layla fights a few fey who were clearly in on the trick and want a new plaything. Weapons clash, everyone edging away from the bonfire as they do, as well as avoiding the large werewolf that has descended upon them, looking for someone new to deal with.
The large werewolf that looks absolutely ferocious in her fury.
Meanwhile, the nymph approaches a dazed, glued-to-the-spot Lewis. "Come on, honey. My name is Rose. It's alright, I'm here to help you. We're gonna get you somewhere safe."
Lewis mumbles something incoherent.
"What's that, Lewis?" Rose asks.
"Cas," Lewis whispers. Then, more loudly, "Castor. I need Castor. Where's Cas? WHERE IS HE? Did you take him?"
Lewis struggles in Rose's arms but she holds him tightly, dragging him out of the fight.
Lewis starts to whimper Castor's name, trying to break free. "I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS! What if they've killed him?! Cas, I need Cas."
The metal clashing stops.
Layla and Nina appear next to them in just a moment, lathered in sweat and blood that could be theirs but could possibly be that of the fey.
"Move!" Layla shouts, and Rose tugs a sobbing Lewis along.
They run until they are absolutely sure they aren't going to be followed. And then, sure enough, the music carries through the trees from the revel again, returning Lewis to his dazed state.
"Well, it's an improvement to the crying," Rose mutters.
Nina Changes back and doesn't even bother to cover her top-half up this time, which is only protected by her bra. She wears a solemn look on her face.
Layla puts her dagger on her hip. "Where's Castor, guys?"
Lewis stares ahead.
Rose looks down.
Nina's mouth is a straight line, but she has tears in her eyes.
"Guys, where's Castor?" Layla repeats.
"I didn't see him," Nina murmurs, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I knew he would have killed me had I kept looking and not helped to get Lewis out."
Layla takes a deep breath and moves away, about to start running, but Nina grabs her arm. "Nina, please let go of me."
Nina shakes her head. "If you go out there for too long, you're gonna end up looking like him," Nina says, pointing at Lewis, who is humming and crying simultaneously. "It's too dangerous, Layla! "
"We need to find him!"
"I know, I know, and I'm sorry I didn't see him, I looked, I swear, but right now we have to go," Nina cries.
"But we need to-
"Nina is right," Rose interrupts. "I'm sorry. To all three of you. But if we go and look for Castor now, there is a risk that we'll get lost and this whole thing will happen again." She looks directly at Layla, and says, "Let me get you to your uncle and Rak. You need to save Umah."
Layla looks unsure.
Nina watches Lewis to see what he thinks, but he is completely out of it.
Finally, Layla nods and reaches for Nina's hand, and Nina lets her, holding onto Layla's tight and giving her a comforting squeeze.
"Okay then," Rose says with a decisive nod. "Let's go."
Little do they know, however, as they head for Jens and Rak, Lewis is battling with just how much he nearly ruined everything.
And it is with this that he realises that Jens was right about the majority of the fey.
They are ruthless and cruel, and these are the people that have Umah.
Lewis closes his eyes and makes a wish.