A gust of wind twits in between me and the four of them. Even though, they surround me. I could tell that I have the power in this circle. The pixies look weak and fragile to me now. I chuckle at the thought that only moments ago I believed they were powerful. Now I know better. At least I think it was only moments ago.
"How long have I been out?" I demand.
Brooke's eyes meet Aubrey's and I can tell they're having a silent conversation. Whatever Aubrey says, Brooke obviously agrees with. Because she nods her head before she turns back to me.
"Not long." Brooke says as she takes a step closer to me. I instantly forget the power I have and step backwards. What is wrong with me? But I can't answer that question. Since I'm not 100% sure I have more power than them. I'm not even sure of the power that I have. Let alone if I could take all four of them. I have to get away. I need time alone to fugue this all out.
But first I need some answers.
"Where can I find this Mitch?"
Brooke looks to Aubrey again.
"Stop" I yell. "Stop." I'm not really sure what to call their construction. But I don't like it either. "Just... answer the question."
Brooke bits her lip before she says. "We don't know how to contact Mitch."
"And we don't want to either." Grace adds.
I watch them carefully, hoping that some how I can tell if they're lieing or something. But they look as innocent as a newborn babe. Wind twist around us again. As soon as it reaches Brooke, she gasps and almost bursts out with. "We're not going to hurt you. You have nothing to fear from us."
What an odd thing to be a afraid of. The wind? I think. It's gentle, calming. It's almost like she thinks I'm controling it. Just like Jaden did. It takes a moment for me to process this thought. Maybe I am. I feel a serge of energy rise from the tip of my toes. It builds inside me. Screaming to get out. My hands turn to fists at my side as my eyes shift to Naomi.
"You." I say "You know where I can find him."
Naomi rases her bow and arrow, her eyes squint into a line. Without thinking I storm towards her. "Tell me where he is." Naomi takes a few steps backwards, but the ground under us shacks. Her footing isn't strong and she stops before she wants to. She doesn't say anything, she just glares at me with a look that says. "I knew it. I knew you would kill us all."
After a moment of who is beaver. I slowly back down. I know she'll never talk as long as she doesn't trust me, and I'm not even sure this Mitch can help me. I toss my hands up in surrender and walk out of the circle they caged me in.
"Where are you going?" Brooke finally says after I walk a few steps.
I stop and take a deep breath. Then turn back to Brooke.
"To find Mitch."
The look on Brooke's face tells me exactly what she thinks of that idea. It's a suicide mission. A death note. A trap, it's a whatever.
"I don't care." I say in defense. "I have to find Jayden. I need to go to my world." I put the influence on the word need a little too strongly for my liking. But that's how I feel. I need to know he's safe. I need to know if Stephanie and Wade are safe. And the only way to do that, is to get back to Kennewick.
Brooke's face twists with conflicting views. I know she's trying to come up with the right words to say. But I turn away from her before she has the time to think of them. The woods open into a light and airy pathway. I walk up to the edge of the treelines. Waiting for the white trees to come alive or move unexpectedly. But they stay still. Calming, creepy still. I wondered for a moment, where the birds are? Or the anamals scurrying around? This forest is almost too quiet for my liking. But, I take a step.
"I'll come with you." Brooke shouts out.
Her words cut me short and turn back to her.
All three of the pixies hurry over to her.
"No." They say together. But Brooke waves her hand as if she's swotting at flies. She steps away from the pixies and looks at me with puppy eyes.
"I have a star." She holds out her hand to show me her ring. "You have a star." She points to my necklace. "We're stronger together." Her last sentence is filled with hope that drips with each word.
I watch her carefully. Wondering what her possible motives are. This could be a trap to take my star. Or kill me. What did she say she was again? I rack my brain. She's a nimph. I try to think of what a nimph can even do. But the only thing I can think of is; A nimph protects her forest above all else. Whatever that means. But I might be able to use that to keep her here.
I can't help from rolling my eyes as I try the only thing I can think of.
"I'm leaving your forest. You don't want to come."
I turn back to the pathway. But something catches my eye. Creeping along the roots of the trees, is a black slithering smoke. My dream of Ada in the caves rushes to my mind. That smoke was in the city. Strangling the life out of anyone and anything it crosses.
Brooke gasps and holds her throat as if she is the tree the smoke is gliding over. The pixies flash with a blue light and pop back into their pixie form. They're gone before I have time to blink. Some protection they are. I think.
My heart beats faster inside my chest and the wind curls around me. But before I have time to even think of something to do. Brooke grabs my arm and pulls me closer to the rushing water. I follow her without question. Because, it's either trust her or choke to death.
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