Sweat drenched Harold's brow as he deflected another attack. Knocking it wide with a channeled shield, he rushed forward and activated the gem in his hand.
Coldwater rushed forth like a geyser and plowing into the student, the stream knocked him off his feet and tossed him into the sandy dirt.
"Eww, gross. Why'd you have to use water!" the adolescent complained as the dirt and water mixed, forming gooey clumps of mud which stuck to his foppish clothes and pristine face.
"All right," Harold said, lowering the gem. "I believe that is enough for today. Everyone get cleaned up and get ready for your next class."
"This stinks," one of the students complained as he stomped off the training ground and climbed down the five-foot embankment leading up to it.
After Olivia had destroyed the training grounds, this field had been hastily constructed where the children's dorms were initially supposed to go. Because of the hill's slope, however, the southern and eastern sides were raised out of the ground to keep the combat field level, a fact Harold was not too fond of.
"You're right. This does stink," the boy Harold had sent sprawling agreed as he scraped the mud off the front of his shirt.
"Ya, Alf's teaching was so much better," a third student added. "Why do we have to practice with a bunch of old people?"
"Old people?" Mrs. Yatsar spat, stomping her sandaled foot. As the children disappeared, the woman in her mid-twenties turned on the headmaster. "I've had enough of this. Just look at what those hooligans did to me," she declared, motioning at herself.
Her green Ao Dai sported several burn marks while her pant legs displayed several rips. "I didn't sign up for this, and I'm not getting paid enough either. I'm a basic forms teacher, not some war master. I'm done. You will have to find someone else for this," the woman declared and stomped off the training ground in the opposite direction, her black, frizzy hair streaming behind her in the breeze.
Harold sighed, wiped the sweat off his brow, and looked up into the blue, cloudless sky. The sound of cicadas and chittering monkeys echoed in the background as the jungle's moist heat clung to his loose grey training garments. "I'm getting too old for this," he muttered to himself.
"Not at all. You have another good forty years in you," Ice, the town butcher's wife, laughed as she sauntered over and retrieved the spent water gem from him. "Though I do think," Mrs. Cleaver conceded, "that both she and the students have a point. And as much as I loathe to admit it, I think we're learning more from the children than they are from us."
"And you, Garvin. What do you think?" Harold asked, looking over in his friend's direction.
The usually jolly baker sat in the dirt, gulping down air as if he were about to expire from oxygen deprivation. "I think... I'm out of shape," was all the man answered.
"I see," the butler said, rubbing his deep black mustache. "It appears that live combat exercises may no longer be an option. We will have to contrive a new method of training the students in warfare, at least until Alf and the others return," the headmaster decided.
"Agreed," Garvin said, clambering to his feet. "And I think it's time I stop sampling my own product."
Harold smiled at his old friend, then turned towards Brockovich Manor. "I will bring the matter up with the other teachers and see what we can come up with."
"Maybe we can send them on live hunting exercises," Mrs. Cleaver suggested. "From all accounts, there are more of those large boars Alf and Olivia killed the other day. I've even heard of insects the size of large rodents buzzing into the fake town."
"Yes. Mr. Dinwiddie most emphatically informed me about them this morning," Harold answered. The butler chuckled as an image of the cranky old man jumping up and down and flailing his hands appeared in his mind.
"I'm not too surprised," Garvin said as he wiped sand off his backside. "With that massive explosion the other night, I wouldn't be surprised if dragons themselves started to come out of the woodwork."
"It does indeed appear that with Vackzilian at the helm of the nation, we are in for some bad times," Harold surmised. He gazed over the dusty, brown field and down at the crystal clear lake nestled in a forest of green. "We may have to establish a strict buddy system for anyone traveling outside of the town's borders."
"Harold!" a frantic voice called from the footpath leading up through the woods to the temporary training ground.
"It seems I am needed elsewhere," Harold informed the others and made his way down the bank, over the small creek bridge, and towards the trail.
To his surprise, and several of the orphanage's den mothers came running up to him at the edge of the woods.
"What seems to be the matter?" he asked, wiping his brow with a handkerchief.
"Danarc," Heralda gasped as she tried to catch her breath.
Harold's already less than stellar mood soured. "What did the child do this time?" he grumbled.
"He's gone!" the maid answered frantically.
The headmaster raised an eyebrow, eliciting more of an explanation.
"He...," Heralda panted, "told my daughter last night that he was going with Alf to the arena. And now we can't find him anywhere."
"Are you certain he's not hiding in the town somewhere?"
"Yes," one of the den mothers answered. "We've searched all morning for him."
"I see. I will go and retrieve the boy at once," Harold said, pocketing his handkerchief.
"You? By yourself?" Heralda asked, her grey eyes, much like Herald's own, full of worry.
"Yes, I am fully capable of handling this by myself, and as much as I loathe to admit it, the lad's guardian did entrust him into my care, so he is my responsibility," the headmaster answered. "I will be back in several hours."
This would also give Harold a valid reason to check up on Alf and Olivia, who should've returned yesterday. He knew he was being overly protective, but the explosion that had shaken the land so violently and lit up the night sky had him worried for their safety.
***
Zaphaniea sat there listening as the others prattled on, the buzzing in her head becoming louder and louder until, at last, she could take it no more. "All right! Enough is enough. Let's either go back to the city or go through the stupid forest already."
As if on command, the wind blowing through the trees and over the tilled fields came to an abrupt stop, and the others turned to look at her.
"What?" Drake asked.
"I said, let's either go back to the city or let's go already. I'm tired of sitting here," she answered in annoyance.
"But," Olivia started to say.
"No butts about it. We've already talked this thing to death. All you're doing now is poking and prodding at it. There is no way over or around the woods. So let's go through it or go back. I'm done sitting here," she declared with finality, plopping down into a chair made of her spheres and rubbing her temples where the endless buzzing originated from.
"We can't go back," Drake answered. "Vackzilian has complete control over the teleportation stones, meaning he has access to every single part of my empire. At this moment, he is no doubt using them to expand his power base and do untold harm to thousands of innocents. If we ever want a chance at dethroning this madman, we must cut him off, box him in, and isolate his magical connections. Only then will we even have a chance to try to assassinate him. The longer we wait, the harder that becomes."
"Well then, let's go," Zaphaniea said, waving her hand towards the woods. "It's not like I can close the teleportation gates from here."
"But there are monsters," the brown-haired maid now known as Pony protested.
"No, Zaphaniea's point is valid," Drake conceded. "We will just have to push our way through and deal with what comes at us. Alf."
"All right, if you say s-" Alf, the tall, muscular man, started to say when Silver placed her hand on his shoulder. "Wait," the maid said and turned to look at her. "You can see the future, correct? Could you take a glance and see what we encounter, so we are more prepared?"
Zaphaniea frowned at the silver-haired lady. "No," she answered simply.
Drake raised an eyebrow, prompting her for a further explanation.
"It takes too much energy," she waffled. Truth be told, it didn't take much to look five or six minutes into the future, but the very thought of channeling more energy into her already pounding forehead was not in the least bit appealing.
"Understandable," the crown prince answered. "Alf, if you would please."
Alf nodded and went to toss the ice-covered fangs that had brought on the whole conversation.
"No, keep them."
"Huh?" Alf asked.
"We should keep them to sell later," Drake said. "Their scientific value alone might be priceless, not to mention they seem like they could be a good catalyst for jewelry crafting and forging. No doubt someone will be willing to pay a decent sum for them; in fact, if we end up fighting anymore of these mutated beasts, it would be a good idea to grab anything that looks usable. Who knows, with enough of them, we may be able to afford decent equipment and buy food anonymously for Brockovich."
"Ah," the High Lord said and knelt to channel energy into the earth. In seconds, a clay pot formed, and he picked it up. Tossing the teeth into it, he stashed the whole lot into the medallion.
Zaphaniea smiled to herself as she noticed Olivia's eyes flash with displeasure at how haphazardly Alf had stored them.
"All right. Follow me," Alf declared and channeled a shield around the group.
The grand champion stood up, repositioned her spheres around her fellow travelers, and chose to follow Alf as he charged headlong into the forest.
Leaves, vines, and bushes scraped against their blue barrier as moss, fallen leaves, and broken sticks raced by underneath them. The sound of birds' singing and the whistling of the wind sounded in their ears, and Zaphaniea sighed as they finally moved on.
Suddenly, a mere furlong into the forest, a harsh, loud screech filled the air, and something large, red and blue shrieked down towards them.
The colorful creature slammed into the shield, and it's fire-tipped talons dug into the crystalline surface. The bird's feathered wings fluttered to its sides, and its scarlet head drew back. Pausing momentarily, the avian stared at them in curiosity as its neck twitched back and forth. Then with a mighty cry, its large, fire-wreathed beak smashed into Alf's channeled shield as if it were a coconut the beast wished to crack open.
"What is that?" Alf cried as the bird's head drew back to strike again.
"A giant scarlet macaw," Drake hissed.
The parrot's beak slammed down again in the same spot, and this time the sound of cracking glass echoed through the air as hairline cracks appeared in the barrier.
"Get it off," Alf called as he quickened his pace, running even faster through the dense woods.
"Drop the shield," Zaphaniea told him with an annoyed look on her face as she brought up her hands.
The magical structure snapped out of existence, and the grand champion slammed her hands together. Two pink spheres smashed into the exquisite, giant bird, crushing it from either side.
With an ear-shattering screech, the newly flattened fowl fell away just as Olivia shouted, "Alf, lookout!"
Zaphaniea turned around in time to see a clearing open up in front of them full of reddish-brown creatures the size of horses.
Alf skidded to a halt, but his momentum carried him straight forward into the middle of the clearing.
At once, the beasts turned to stare at them, and the group prepared for battle. However, the odd creatures didn't attack. They simply stared at Alf and the others like cows staring at a new gate.
"What are they?" Scarlet whispered.
"Capybara, I think," Olivia said in a hushed tone. "They're the largest rodents in the world."
Alf cautiously took a step towards the closest exit of the glade.
"Careful," Drake hissed. "I don't think even one of your shields could keep back this many."
"I know," Alf answered, then carefully took another step, moving them ever so closer to the tree line.
Suddenly, one of the largest of the strange-looking animals started lumbering towards them.
Alf stopped moving.
The oversized rodent swayed back and forth as it walked straight up to Alf, sniffed him, turned sideways, and then casually sat down right on Drake.
"Get it off!" the prince barked as its furry posterior squished him to the ground.
Desperately trying to stifle a laugh, Zaphaniea maneuvered her spheres underneath the large critter's bulbous backside and pulled up. Her nose wrinkled in distaste as the smell of damp fur wafted upwards, and the capybara turned to look at her, it's large, slitted dark eyes blinking slowly as if to ask what in the world she was doing, but it remained otherwise motionless.
"Move!" she hissed.
As if to defy her, the rodent unceremoniously starting defecating all over the squashed prince.
"Get it off!!" Drake squeaked.
Zaphaniea redoubled her efforts as it finished depositing its morning breakfast, and with one last shove, the prince finally scrambled free only to turn around and stare at the strange, passive creature with murderous intent.
"You are definitely going to need a bath," Zephaniah quipped, holding her nose in exaggeration.
Drake's fierce scowl deepened, and in a move most unlike the usually cool, cultured prince, he drew back his small, booted foot and kicked the creature in the backside. "You stupid uncultured beast," he barked.
The gigantic sized capybara swung its head around until its face looked straight at Drake. Then it took a deep breath. Its nostrils widened; air whistled through its nose and whipped about Drake's usually well-kept black hair. Its chest swelled, and with a bizarre sound akin to a guinea pig's squeak and a lion's roar, it brayed.
Ooourhah!
Wind issued from its mouth with the force of an F3 tornado, and like a child blowing a dandelion puff, the rodent's breath ripped Drake, Zaphaniea, and the others off their feet, threw them through the air, and carried them straight out of the glade and back into the woods.
The group crashed through the trees, smashing through leaves, twigs, and branches as they rolled head over heels down an embankment and landed in a small, muddy ravine.
***
Alf jumped to his feet before the others could unscramble themselves. Spinning around, he glanced up the ravine, then back down. "Is everyone okay?" he asked, his eyes searching the natural ditch for any possible danger.
"I'm fine," Olivia said, scrambling to her feet.
"My sister and I are in good health," Silver said from where she and the brown-haired maid had managed to grab ahold of a root, stopping their descent.
"I'm not! I'm covered in mud," the red-haired maid Scarlet spat, shaking her hands and displacing clumps of black gooey dirt. She turned on Drake, who was currently using a water spell to clean the mixture of mud and feces off his clothing. "You had to go anger it, didn't you!" she snapped, her green eyes blazing in fury.
The prince frowned. "It defecated on me," he responded, his voice tinged with fire.
Zaphaniea, who had caught herself with her spheres before they had hit the bottom of the ravine, laughed as she floated a few inches above their heads. "Yes, it did. We can now officially call you Lord Litter Box."
Drake turned on the sarcastic grand champion, but as he opened his mouth to respond, a mysterious clink, clank, clink sound reached their ears.
A shiver ran down Alf's spine at the creepy sound.
Tilting his head, he looked upwards in the direction of the noise, only to see a centipede larger than his arm appear over the edge and stare down at them. Its long antenna twitched as it examined the bedraggled group.
"Kill it now!" Drake shouted.
Instinctively, Alf responded by raising his hand and releasing a massive bolt of electricity just as the thing leaped through the air towards them.
The blue strand of lightning plowed into the insect's head, ran the length of its body, then dispersed into the dirt behind it, turning the monster into a crispy critter as it clattered down beside him into the mud.
The sound of thunder echoed throughout the forest, and all remained silent for several moments.
Pony and Scarlet dropped down from the tree roots, and the curious brown-haired maid poked the fried insect. "Hey, it actually smells really good," she noted.
Olivia sniffed the air as smoke rose from the creepy critter. "You're right. It does."
Alf frowned as the smell reached his nostrils. "Whoa, that smells like deep-fried chicken," he exclaimed, half tempted to take a bite. After all, breakfast had been over an hour ago.
"Deep-fried chicken with sauce," Scarlet added.
"I don't think we're the only ones that like the smell," Drake said as the ground began to tremble.
Suddenly, the sound of rustling leaves and branches reached Alf's ears, and the ambient noise, echoing throughout the forest, doubled.
"Let's get out of here!" Alf hollered.
Spinning around, he channeled a shield around them and took off running down the ravine as the others followed him via Traverse Wake. His leather-clad feet splashed in the puddles of water littering the V-shaped chasm, and the sound of multiple monsters racing along the cliff edge—several feet above his head—resounded in his ears.
Out of the corner of his right eye, he saw a flash of black fur and then felt his shield reverberate as something bounced off of it. Seconds later, a second object plowed into his barrier.
Alf started to turn to see what had hit them when Drake shouted, "Go!"
Yanking his head back towards the front, he refocused on the treacherous terrain and poured on the speed.
Hundreds of tree roots, growing from the ditch's sides, seemed to reach out as if they were skeletal fingers determined to ensnare the group. Multiple shiny eyes peered down at them through the trees, and the ravine's walls curved up and over them as the gorge deepened. The sound of heavy breathing echoed in the darkening passage, and the smell of damp, rotting wood saturated the air. Until, at last, beams of light shot through the overgrowth, and a breeze whisked away the stench as the ground began to level out. Finally, reaching a low point in the ravine, Alf crouched and jumped, vaulting up and out of the spillway.
"You need to turn at a minus forty-five-degree angle to head for the road," Drake said from behind him.
Alf started to turn, only to hear Drake holler, "No, to your left!"
Alf switched to his left with a nimble shift of his feet and headed in the direction Drake pointed, his blue shield deflecting branches and bushes while his boots pounded on the leaf and twig covered ground.
"We have more tagalongs!" Zaphaniea declared, pointing at a pack of enormous sized Mandrill monkeys in the trees to Alf's left.
The red and blue-faced primates screamed murderous intent as they swung from tree to tree and down towards them.
Mandrills were known to be territorial in the best of times; now, infused with Vackzilian's vile magic, they would be nightmares to deal with, Alf thought to himself.
With an ear-piercing shriek, the first of their numbers reached them, and his shield thrummed as one of the enlarged primates crashed down on to it.
Using its hind legs for balance as it slid on the blue surface, the monster raised its front arms and slammed a rock down into the magical barrier. Magic hissed, and chunks of rock flew in all directions as the primitive tool shattered.
Another Mandrill swung from the trees and landed right in front of them. Alf charged forward, angled his shoulder, and rammed straight into the baboon, using his shield as a plow.
Like a rubber ball bouncing off the pavement, the hostile beast ricocheted off Alf's barrier and tumbled to the side. Before Alf could regain his speed, however, two more of the creatures slammed to the ground in front of him, barring his way.
Once more, Alf tried to plow through them, but to no avail. Their combined weight stopped him dead in his tracks, and he found himself flying forward. Alf's head smacked against the circular barrier with a muffled thud and knocked him to the ground.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sound of heavy footsteps thudded around them as he scrambled back to his feet.
Six murderous, red and blue-faced monkeys, slightly taller than him, stared down at the group. Suddenly, the primates parted as a seventh, elephant-sized mandrill appeared. It opened its blood-red mouth—displaying ice-encased, cutlass-sized fangs—and roared forth its challenge.
Alf dropped the shield, spread his arms, and released a massive array of electricity from his fingertips. As streaming strands of lightning filled the air, the sound of screaming primates echoed throughout the forest. One by one, the red-faced monsters dropped to the ground, paralyzed by the electricity surging through them. Bounding forward, Alf jumped over the monkeys only to be cut off by the alpha mandrill. The mountainous monster reared upwards, glared at him with ember-colored eyes, opened its gaping mull, and bellowed.
Globs of spittle and chunks of ice rained down around Alf as the beast's putrid breath pelted him in the face.
"Take this," Alf shouted. Swinging his arms forward, he channeled a massive lightning bolt straight into the monster's chest and continued his mad dash forward, fully intending on jumping over top of the creature's body. But to his shock, the alpha primate shrugged off the lightning, raised its right fist high, and brought its curled fingers down straight towards Alf's head. Alf whipped out his sword and 'defender' guided his blade upwards, but even as his sword flew into position, he knew it wouldn't be enough.
Suddenly, the world went white as a holy beam of light radiated out from Olivia. Like a wave of fire consuming the darkness, the blinding magic expanded outwards, eviscerating the house-sized fist and every hostile thing it touched.
"Go!" he heard her shout.
Alf sheathed his sword and charged head-on towards the creature. As his feet pounded against the earth, a hideous roar rent the air, and the alpha mandrill died in a puff of ash.
"Keep going!" Drake shouted as the sound of heavy animals landing beside them thundered in his ears.
Alf raced onward, but Olivia's light blinded his eyes, and with a mighty thump, he crashed headlong into a tree.
As he stumbled back, he heard Olivia's strained voice say, "Sorry. Go now!"
Once again, Alf took off at a dead run. Instead of the branches and bushes he had encountered before, though, only white light greeted him as his feet pounded on the dirt.
"Turn slightly to your left," Drake told him, somehow able to see despite the bright magic.
Alf nodded and adjusted his steps as the sound of large trees toppling over echoed throughout the forest. Sweat poured down his brow, and his lungs fell and rose over and over as he poured all of his strength and willpower into his endless sprint, knowing Olivia couldn't keep this up for long.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, his foot slammed down on the hard-packed pavement just as Olivia collapsed.
***
Olivia lay on the flagstone of the empire's highway, heaving and gasping. Her entire body felt as if it were caving in on itself. That spell was only meant to be used a few seconds at a time, but she had kept it going for several minutes, if not longer.
Alf spun around and kneeled beside her. "You okay?" he asked, concern shining in his blue eyes.
"Yes. I'm fine, just exhaus-"
"Ah, we're not safe yet," Scarlet declared, pointing back towards the woods.
Olivia glanced back over her shoulder to see the jungle moving like a living organism as an endless sea of monstrous creatures headed their way. The first of the angry swarm breached the tree line, and her eyes widened in fear. Hundreds of mosquitoes the size of her head and gopher-sized grasshoppers led the charge, but it was the hundred-foot long anaconda that caught her eye.
"Run!" she shouted, pushing Alf as the thing opened its mouth wide as if it wished to swallow them whole.
The young High Lord twisted back to the front and took off running once again. Olivia waited for the world to blur around them as he activated the quick travel spells embedded in the road, but it didn't.
"Why aren't you using the Leen Sohah?" Drake shouted, voicing her thoughts.
"What?" Alf screamed back.
"The travel spells," Olivia gasped.
"I'm trying! But they're not working!"
"They're gaining on us!" Zaphaniea hollered as she did an about-face and raised her arms.
"The spells must've been broken from either Vackzilian's meteor or when we moved Glandledale," Drake noted.
Alf threw his arms down at his side. His left hand started to glow blue, and a small fireball bloomed above his right palm. "Zaphaniea, hold them off."
"You bet. I'm not gonna let some healer show me up," the grand champion said, stepping over top of Olivia protectively while the road raced by underneath them.
"Here they come," Drake said as the first of the flying insects reached the group.
Zaphaniea flung out her hands, her fingers dancing as if she were playing a grand symphony on an upside-down piano.
The sound of crunching chitin and breaking meat sacs echoed in the air as severed, waxy mosquito wings and locust parts filled the sky and slowly tumbled down around their shoulders. But mere seconds later, more of the horde reached the group, and Zaphaniea's chaotic symphony of death reached its limit. "There's too many. I can't stop them all."
Silver, Scarlet, and Pony grabbed Drake, shoved him next to Olivia, then pushed their backs against Zaphaniea. Forming a perfect circle around the grand champion and the prince, the sisters raised their hands as one and used their combined strength to create strong gusts of wind.
For what seemed like an eternity, the maids pushed back the mobs attempting to break through the grand champion's guard.
Drake's arms jabbed the air in perfect synchronization to Zaphaniea's fluid movements, guiding what Olivia assumed was small, rock-sized spheres. Sunlight illuminated the group's haggard, worried-looking faces as trees whipped past them on either side, and the road raced by underneath them. For the second time in her life, Olivia felt utterly helpless as the others worked tirelessly to keep them safe while she gasped for air.
"The snake," Drake hissed.
"I know! I can't stop it!" Zaphaniea snapped.
Olivia peered back through their legs to see the massive anaconda gaining on them. Swishing back and forth, the green and black reptile slithered and rushed towards the party, its forked tongue hissing in and out of its mouth as its beady black eyes tracked their movements. Then opening its gigantic mouth wide, it lunged towards them, but just as its scaly, serpentine head struck downwards, Alf released his charge.
A completely opaque shield sprung to life over the haggard band, and the attacking reptile bounced harmlessly off of its surface as Alf skidded to a stop, spun around, and placed his left hand on the inside of the barrier.
With a heroic roar, he shouted, and using the technique Olivia had taught him earlier, he opened a circular hole in the barrier. Then Alf thrust his right arm out with a massive fireball in his hand and released his charge.
The earth shook, and Alf pulled back his hand, closing the hole as the world outside blossomed into a reddish hue.
The bloodcurdling cries of a thousand dying beasts rent the air, only to be drowned out by the crackling of roaring flames as Alf's destructive spell slammed into their barrier.
Layer after protective layer instantly peeled off of the shield, and the blazing world of fire came into view as it waxed transparent.
"Alf!" she said in alarm.
He glanced at her, his blonde hair glowing in the red light. "Don't worry. It will hold," he said, his face unusually serious, and turned to gaze back out at the destructive force.
The world burned outside, taking with it all the monsters that had been chasing them. Unlike the others, however, Olivia didn't care to watch. All she could do was stare at the confident warrior before her. And at that moment, it struck her; Alfonso was no longer a boy. He was a man: a man's man. The type women wrote novels about and other men told legends of.
Her heart leaped in her chest, but another part of Olivia, another part she couldn't identify, screamed in anger and hurt.
Slowly, the fire raging about them died away, leaving behind nothing but destruction. The trees had been incinerated, ripped out, and tossed dozens of feet from where they had grown. Smoke rose from the hot, blackened ground in plumes, and grey ash rained from the cloudless sky. The forest burned all around them, and not a mutated monster could be seen; only their broken, ashy remains littered the ground.
"Wow. You're some firebug," Zaphaniea remarked.
"Yes. I believe we established that fact the other night," Drake commented. "Thankfully, this is the raining season, and the trees are quite green. Once the heat dies down, the fire should naturally subside."
"I wish they'd keep burning," Scarlet muttered.
"Yeah," her brown-haired sister agreed. "Maybe we should help the fire, at least until it burns all the forest between here and Glandledale."
"No, that would not be wise," Drake said, pushing his way out from between them. "It would lead Vackzilian straight to the city. As things are now, this explosion is feasible if one of his mutations blew themselves up. Still, this event will draw unnecessary attention. I suggest we quickly gather anything valuable and be on our way before more monsters, or one of Vackzilian's minions, show up."
"Agreed," Alf said. Swinging around, he bent down to pick Olivia up.
"No, I can stand," she told him, pushing away his hands.
"You sure?" he asked as his tall, muscular form blocked out the light and his handsome face gazed at her in concern.
Once again, Olivia's treacherous heart jumped in her chest.
"Yes," she said, shoving him away. Weakly clambering to her feet, she tried to push back the tumultuous thoughts plaguing her as she stared at him. She was not about to play the damsel in distress.
"But," Alf started to argue as he saw her almost topple back over.
"It is for the best," the prince said, cutting him off. "We are likely to encounter more of these creatures. If you are holding her, it will be difficult for you to fight."
"Drake is right. I'll be fine," she told him.
"Okay, if you say so," he conceded hesitantly.