The Lost Prince

“Jette, do not get out of that bed. You need more time to rest.”

Kara glared at me, her huff of frustration stirring my hair as she tried to push me back down on the pile of pillows at my back—the pillows I’d been lying on for three full days and was totally freakin’ sick of.

“I’m fine,” I sighed back, firmly removing her hands from my shoulders. “Stop being a worrisome old Faerie.”

She took a step back and folded her arms, staring at me as she tapped one foot—the quintessential irritated Tinkerbell stance from any of the Peter Pan movies I’d ever seen. I fought to keep the grin from my face. She glanced back and forth between Jill and Zoe.

“Hmph. You see how stubborn she is? Fine, she says. After being mind controlled by the evil queen, hit by powerful blood magic, blown off a cliff into the sea, and almost drowned. I don’t believe fine is the exact word you’re looking for.”

You forgot heartbroken at losing Starke.

I didn’t say that out loud. I didn’t want to even think it. Even just saying Starke’s name in my head hurt my heart like bloody hell.

“I could have told you she was freakin’ stubborn,” Zoe grumbled, and I stuck my tongue out at her, even though my words were meant for the tiny spright.

“Yeah, well, despite that list of yours, Tink, I really am fine. And I’m not even sure I could drown, being a water elemental and all. Can I?”

Kara blinked her golden eyes. “Well you gave a pretty good imitation of it when we pulled your battered, bleeding body from the sea. We thought for sure you were past the point of revival.”

Jill planted herself beside me on the bed, scooting me over with her body and linking her fingers through mine. She’d become a real tick since I’d gotten back, but I really didn’t mind.

“I’m so glad I wasn’t there to see that. I don’t think I could have handled watching all that happen to you.”

I grinned at her, nudging her shoulder with mine. “Bah. Was nothing to worry about, really. Hard-headedness comes in handy sometimes, right?”

Jill appeared amused by my lame-ass joke. Kara, not so much. The Faerie really had a terrible sense of humor.

“So not funny, Jette. And stop trying to change the topic. I’m not arguing with you any longer. Lady Athena said you were to remain resting for one more day.”

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? I don’t need any more rest, Kara. I don’t need any more sleep or time left alone in my own head. I’m not a fragile, porcelain doll. I appreciate yours and my grandmother’s concern, but I don’t need more time. What I do need is bath water and clean clothes. So, if you really want to help me, help me with that. Because I happen to know there is a clan meeting happening here today, and I aim to be there no matter what.”

Kara blinked in surprise. “How did you learn that? Your grandmother specifically told me not to inform you.”

“A little birdie told me.”

Kara’s glare bounced crossly between the two elementals. Jill suddenly found our clasped hands remarkably interesting while Zoe was totally enthralled with her broken nails.

“Doesn’t matter who told me,” I continued, taking the heat off my ‘birdies’. “It matters that I’m in attendance. So, will you help me clean up and dress, or do I go reeking like last week’s garbage and in my underwear? Your choice, my friend.”

Kara’s lips twitched despite the censure still evident in her voice.

“I don’t think your grandmother would approve of you showing up to a meeting of the clans in your undergarments. She would not be amused.”

“Ya think? I’ve yet to see my grandmother in anything other than those dresses up to her neck and down to her wrists. Woman is a 1900’s throwback, that’s for sure. Seeing me waltz into the meeting in my industrial bra and granny panties would probably give her a stroke.”

“Not to mention start that vein throbbing in her temple like her mind’s about to explode,” Zoe added. “The woman needs to drink more wine and loosen up.”

I couldn’t help the snort that dropped from my lips. What Zoe said wasn’t even really that funny. It shouldn’t have made us laugh the way it did. Maybe the pressure of these past few days had left us broken since all four of us suddenly cracked up laughing like a pack of drunk hyenas. Kara laughed so hard she had to wipe away tears as she fell into a heap on the bed at our feet, her giggles finally subsiding enough for her to talk.

“Okay, I give in. I’ll get you some water to bathe and clean clothes.”

“Finally, the faerie listens to me,” I huffed at her as I lightly nudged her with my foot. “At least I can still talk sense into one supernatural being on this world. Starke wouldn’t have fallen for it so easily…”

I trailed off, the implication of his name slipping from my lips sinking in.

Kara froze in place, all traces of humor fading from her cherub face as she stared at me.

“Are you sure you’re up to handling this today, Jette?” she asked softly. “I mean, I know you are physically. You’ve healed quickly over the past few days, even if the bruises linger. But how are you really?”

The smile dropped from my lips as I sucked in air. I knew what she was asking. What she thought. What they all thought. I glanced at Jill who regarded me with her sad, puppy dog eyes, and I almost started bawling like a baby. Swallowing the stupid tears in my throat, I tore my gaze away from Jill and ran my fingers through my tangled hair, thinking about my words carefully. I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to admit.

“You want me to be honest? No, I’m not fine. Not emotionally. Hell, I’m about as far away from fine as I can get.” I paused, trying to articulate the pain I felt. “It feels like… like my heart has been sliced into a million pieces and will never, ever heal. It feels like I’m drowning. Drowning in my pain and fear and guilt because everything was my fault. Starke sacrificed himself to save me. He didn’t have to do what he did. I hate him for that. I hate myself for that. I hate that I was too damn weak to keep Asha out and he paid for that.”

“Jette,” Jill tried to interrupt, but I continued on. I couldn’t stop now even if I wanted to.

“I’m heartbroken he’s become the very thing he feared, and I’m terrified that I will never again see the Starke I know. The Starke I …”

I broke off, horrified over what I was about to admit. I didn’t want anyone to know what I felt. I wasn’t ready to admit that to anyone yet. Hell, I wasn’t even ready to admit it to myself.

Kara smiled sadly at me as she ran a hand over my arm, soothing me. “It’s okay to say it, Jette. You love him.”

Her bold words stunned me. I glanced around at the other two, totally embarrassed at Kara spilling my secret to them. They looked far from surprised.

“Is it that stupidly obvious?” I groaned as I dropped my head into my hands.

“Pretty much,” Jill admitted at the same time as Zoe nodded a sarcastic, “duh, yeah.”

Kara was a little more articulate. “Only if one is truly looking for it. We saw what you were trying to hide.”

Panic fluttered in my chest as my glance bounced around them.

“Oh crap. Can you please keep this between us, guys? My grandmother or any of the clan members never trusted Starke to begin with. I have a feeling his falling to the dark side has not gone over well. The last thing I need is a lecture on my stupid, traitorous heart. I don’t need that added to my overwhelming guilt.”

Kara grabbed my hand and held it to her chest. I could feel her own heart thumping against my palm. It took all my effort not to pull away from her. I still wasn’t used to this world’s over-the-top shows of affection and fidelity.

“We will not breathe it to a soul. You have our word. It will be our secret. Right?” Her head swiveled back and forth between the two elementals. They nodded in all seriousness.

She finally allowed me to pull my hand away, her worried eyes scanning my face. “And you do not deserve to carry the guilt of Starke’s fall to the wayside. It was not your fault. He did that to protect you. He did it because he cared. He knew what would happen, but he chose to protect you at all cost. The darkness that overtook him was Asha’s doing, not yours.”

Zoe nodded at Kara. “Yeah, what she said.”

I shot them a tiny sad smile.

“Thanks for the support, guys, but it’s kind of hard to believe any of that when bottom line is, he’s gone because of me.” I hesitated, my eyes afraid to meet Kara’s as I fumbled for the next words. Terrified to ask the question that had haunted me for days. “Kara, what happened after… after Starke blew me off the cliff? What happened to him? How did he react to… what he did?”

Kara knew what I was asking. She knew me well. Her smile was as sad as mine.

“I cannot give you the answer you seek, Jette. I was too busy trying to navigate the villagers through the battle zone. The last glimpse I had of Starke was him standing side by side with Asha, fighting against the wolven.”

I fought against the wave of fear encompassing me at my next words. I really didn’t know if I wanted to hear the answer, but I asked anyway.

“So, he didn’t try to find me? He didn’t even care to know if I survived the fall?” My voice cracked on the question. I hated how pathetic I sounded, but I needed to know.

“Of course he cared, Jette.” Jill’s tone was tinged with her firm belief of her words. “Deep down, we all know he cared, even if he was under the influence of the blood magic. It probably ate him up inside knowing he couldn’t get to you. Right, Kara?”

The faerie shrugged her shoulders, sadness marring her cherub face. “As I said, the last I saw of him, he was fighting at his mother’s side. But it was total chaos at that moment. I cannot confirm or deny that he was worried over you, although like Jill said, I’m sure he was. The wolven went in after you and pulled you out. They got you and all of us to safety, returning us to the village on their own backs. We owe them our lives.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and pasted an overly bright smile on my face, hiding the fact that Kara’s words had crushed me.

“Okay then. Well, at least something good came out of this whole shitshow, right? We have a new ally. Didn’t see that coming. Bish told me the wolves have been protecting the village day and night ever since.”

Kara beamed in relief, glad to be changing the subject, I’m sure. “Yes, they have. They are loyal to the elementals and wish to keep you all safe. A good ally to have.”

“Agreed. And Lord only knows we need as many of those as we can get now. So, maybe you can get on the clean clothes issue, like yesterday?”

Kara beamed at me as she backed up to the door. “On it, my friend.” She averted her gaze to the other two. “Why don’t you two come with me. Give Jette a little more time to rest. The meeting is not for another couple of hours, and she is going to need all her strength to go up against Lady Athena.” She turned her attention back to me.“I will be back shortly with all the solutions to your problems.”

I watched them exit the room, wishing desperately the solution to all my problems really was that easy. But Kara was so wrong. My problems… our problems were just beginning. I knew that instinctively.

Now that I was alone, I let my upbeat façade crumble. Pretending I was strong and okay was really hard. The tears I’d been fighting the whole time the guys had been here filled my eyes as the horrible thoughts I’d tried to bury fought their way to the surface.

He hadn’t even tried to pull me from the water. He had gone past the point of caring. Starke was truly my mortal enemy now.

There was no denying it anymore. No misunderstanding. No wrong opinions on the matter. My Starke was gone. Taken over by the blood magic and Asha’s control.

I glanced down at my wrist and lifted the leather strap away from my skin, a move I’d done often these past few days. Don’t know why I bothered hoping for any change since the rings remained the same. Starke’s black ring was gone. Erased from my skin like he was from my life. All that was left was my blue ring, Zoe’s white, and Jill’s red. I ran my finger over the bare spot where his mark had been, its absence a reminder that we were no longer connected, just like the constant ache in my heart.

My finger slowly moved up from the sigils to my forearm and the glaring runes cut deep into the flesh. The marks were mostly healed now and looked more like tattoos than cuts, but they still screamed at me the ugliness of what they stood for. My failure to keep Asha out of my head and save Starke. The responsibility of the fact that he was gone because of me.

The guilt suddenly overwhelmed me, swamping me with its immensity. I couldn’t contain the tears anymore. They spilled out, trickling down my cheeks and turning my grief to anger.

“Stop being such a crybaby, Jette,” I growled at the empty room, wiping the tears away with the back of my arm. “Pull yourself together, you dipshit. Crying is not going to help anything.”

And it sure as hell won’t bring Starke back. My inner voice decided to get in on the reprimand. She was right. Crying wouldn’t accomplish anything. There was no time for it. Or the self-pity and self-hatred fighting for dominance in my gut. I had the last elemental to find. I had a lost prince to save. And I had a whole room of clan leaders, including my grandmother, to convince not to kill said prince on sight. I had to convince them he could be rescued from the darkness and brought back to our side.

I had my work cut out for me; I knew that. It wasn’t going to be easy. But then again, anything good in life never was. I had learned that way too often over the years.

There was dead silence as we entered. I lead the way into the jam-packed room, tugging nervously on the tiny shirt Kara had provided to me. Don’t know where she found the clothes she gave me, but my best bet was Baby Gap since the top rode up over my midriff with every move I made. People actually chose to dress this way? But since beggars couldn’t be choosers and all that, I didn’t whine about it… much. Man, did I ever miss my red trench coat. I could use its familiar security right about now. When this was all over, I was definitely going back for it.

Zoe and Jill followed behind me. Even Kara had braved facing my grandmother and brought up the rear, trying to hide behind the rest of us and not call attention to herself. But hey, at least she came with. They had all refused to let me do this alone. I appreciated their support more than I could ever express. They had my back, and it made me feel a whole lot better. And stronger since all I wanted to do right now was turn tail and run from the numerous inquiring faces and scrutiny at our entrance. But I didn’t run.Instead, I squared my shoulders, adjusted my shirt, and sauntered into the overheated room with its stale odor of sweat and horses. Obviously, most had not cared to freshen up for the meeting. Not quite sure why I had bothered.

Numerous sets of eyes pinned us as we entered. A hell of a lot more than I was expecting. Where had all these people come from? It only took a moment to realize I hadn’t even met half of these beings before, and my heart fell to the pit of my stomach. That fact alone was going to make my appeal a whole lot more difficult. It was going to be hard to win over people who were not used to my abrasive personality. I wasn’t the easiest person to like, I knew that. I was going to have to take this nice and slow.

I recognized Rach, the Ogre leader, and Olla, one of the Faerie clan leaders, flanking my grandmother on both sides of the huge round table. Bishop was also there and Satoga, plus the old lady from Starke’s village, although I never did learn her name. But that’s where my familiarity with them ended. There were at least six more faces staring at me that I didn’t know, all appearing to be of Fae or Faerie descent. The numerous faces stared at us with a myriad of expressions; from curiosity, to wonder, to what I believed was judgment.

Really? They thought they could afford to be critical of us? My nervousness quickly escalated to anger. I didn’t see any of them these past few months putting their lives on the line and jumping through portals into unknown worlds. They had no right to judge us, and I wanted to yell that fact right at them, but I swallowed my anger back down. Not the time.

Pick your battles, Jette.

“It is good to see you up and in good health, water wielder.” Rach’s lips twisted under his bushy beard, and it took me a moment to realize he was actually smiling at me.

“Good to be seen.” My voice bounced around the room, making my words appear that more idiotic.

Good to be seen? Smooth. Great choice of words guaranteed to instill confidence in the newbies, I’m sure.

Athena slowly stood to her feet and folded her hands at her waist, the copious array of gold bangles worn over her lacy sleeves, refracting the sun shining through the high windows overhead. Another whiff of the room’s odor hit me, and I had to hide my revulsion. Sweat broke out on my top lip as my grandmother smiled at me. I focused on the smile instead of the vein throbbing in her temple. Zoe had called it. She didn’t like surprises, and that vein clearly stated she believed our presence to be just that.

“In case you haven’t deduced it yet, we have been graced with the presence of the three elementals in our possession. Everyone, this is Bridjette, Jill, and Zoalyn.”

A few nods and smiles from Olla and Satoga, but the friendliness of most was negated by the hostile glare of the grizzled goat-man sitting next to Bishop. His hostility surprised me at first. until I realized what he was staring at. The runes burned into my forearm. The evidence of my failure. I resisted the urge to hide the marks. Instead, I cleared my throat, forcing myself to meet the gaze of everyone in the room.

“We wouldn’t miss this for the world, Grandmother, since I’m guessing this is a pretty important meeting. I have to admit, I’m surprised we weren’t officially invited.”

My words held the tiniest tinge of reproach. I guess I wasn’t all that good at hiding my anger at not being included in this momentous time. We were the elementals. Expected to risk everything to help restore the prism and Endova, but not important enough to help weigh in on the decisions on how to do such a thing?

“We were waiting for you to completely heal, Bridjette.” Athena did not sound happy with me. I would hear about my sass later; I was pretty sure about that. “You suffered much at the hands of the traitorous prince. We did not wish to add complications to the pressure of your healing.”

And there it was. No beating around the bush. No hesitation. Exactly how she felt about Starke and this turn of events. The traitorous prince. If I didn’t know any better, I could have sworn her voice held the slightest hint of condescension. Like that infamous I told you so was lurking at the tip of her tongue. The disdain only added to my being so glad I’d crashed this party. Her statement made me realize that Starke needed all the help he could get in keeping that target off his back. These people were not his friends at the moment.

I stepped deeper into the room, demanding everyone’s attention. My insides were shaking like a loose screw on a rollercoaster, but I had to do this for Starke.

“Let’s get one thing straight before this meeting goes any further.” My voice echoed weirdly in the acoustics of the room, but at least it didn’t squeak with fear. “You all need to know the truth about what went down on that mountain top. Prince Starke is not a traitor. If anything, he is a damn hero and needs to be treated as such.”

My grandmother opened her mouth as if she was about to cut me off, but I hurried on.

“He sacrificed himself to save me. If it wasn’t for him, you’d all be dealing with an elemental under Asha’s command right now.”

I let my words sink in, noting the shock on some of the faces. “That’s right. I was weak. I allowed Asha to crawl into my stupid head and almost let the blood magic take me over. Exhibit A.”

I held out my forearm, the dark runes, for everyone to see. “I was too weak to keep her out. To kick her out. She had me totally under her spell, and I would have gladly walked over hot coals for her at that precise moment in time. But Starke saved me. He knew exactly what she was doing, and he intercepted. He kicked her out of my head. Protected me. Sacrificed himself to keep me out of Asha’s hands. So, don’t you dare refer to him as a traitor. He is not himself right now, but he is not our enemy. He is a victim, just like anyone else who’s been hurt by Asha and her morquals. Just like all of you. He needs our help. And I should warn you right now, the four of us have no intention of giving up on him.”

I motioned to Jill and Zoe, who stepped up to flank me. Even Kara moved closer to my back. I glanced at them in appreciation for their support.

“So, if y’all want our help with attaining the last elemental and restarting the prism, it’s going to be on one condition: Starke will not be hunted or harmed. Understood?”

I wasn’t quite sure where all my bravado was coming from. Especially with the way goat-man and my grandmother were glaring at me. I knew the reason behind her obvious resentment. I knew she wanted me to stop defending Starke when she was trying to make him the major villain here. But I didn’t even know goat-man. What was his problem?

My words tapered off under everyone’s scrutiny, and I started fidgeting in the following silence.

“Are you done?” Athena finally asked, her words tinged with ice.

My lips flapped unintelligibly. I wanted to say more, but my brain suddenly stopped working.

“I guess so, but only if you agree to my terms,” I managed to croak. “Starke is not to be harmed in any way.”

“You know we can’t agree to that, Jette girl.”

Bishop’s comment almost knocked me backwards on my ass. Out of all of them, his was not the voice I was expecting to hear opposition from. I blinked at him in bewilderment.

“You did not see what happened after he threw you into the sea. I did. He may have done that to protect you, but once you were out of sight, you were also out of mind. Prince Starke fell easily to the darkness. He fought alongside his mother, destroying anyone who happened to fall into his path. If it were not for the wolven, I truly believe none of us would be here right now. None of us would be alive to argue this moot point.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” I argued hotly, my voice back. “Starke lost his way in the darkness, yes, but I know him. The real him. He is inherently good. He wants only the best for Endova and its people. We can’t give up on him, Bish, just because he’s lost his way. We can’t give up on him that easily. I won’t give up on him that easily.”

“But what if you are wrong, Bridjette?” Olla’s eyes were huge on her pixie face. “What if the man you thought you knew is already gone. Taken by the darkness never to return again. Are you willing to take that chance? Put everyone in danger by letting him live?”

“Damn right I am.” My answer was instantaneous and concise. No hesitation. “Just like he would do for me. For any of you. For any of Asha’s victims. And that’s what Starke is, her victim. And he deserves a chance to be saved, just like you are asking us to give everyone on Endova that same chance. So again, it comes down to my ultimatum. If you want our help, Starke is no longer public enemy number one, got it? He is not to be harmed. He is to be given a chance at salvation.”

All eyes stuck to me in disbelief, like I really did walk into the room in my underwear, but I refused to cower or back down. Those days were done. Starke needed my help, and I’d never been so sure of anything in my life.

“And what if his redemption doesn’t happen, water wielder? What if you can’t bring back this so called ‘good man’ from the precipice. What then?”

The soft question came from my grandmother. Not sure if it was her tone or the use of water wielder instead of my name that raised my hackles. My back stiffened as I met her cool gaze.

“Then, I will take him down. I will do what I need to if there is no other viable option. I promise you that.”

My voice sounded foreign in my ears, and I didn’t get how my outsides weren’t shaking as uncontrollably as my insides since I had just offered to kill Starke if I couldn’t save him. Desperate measures and all that.

The ensuing silence was almost as terrifying as Starke’s unknown fate. Did I get through to them?

“I believe the girl speaks the truth.” Bishop broke the silence.

All attention averted to him.

“If she cannot redeem Starke, she will do what needs to be done to handle the situation.” He stared at me with something akin to pride shining in his dark eyes. “I have not known the girl to ever go back on her word. I stand behind her decision.”

One corner of my mouth tilted at his words, a reaction to how his comments touched me in more ways than he could ever know. What Bish was trying to say in so many words; he had my back, no matter what. I needed to hear that right now.

“Hmph.” My grandmother’s reaction was not as encouraging. “Are you positive that the prince can be redeemed, Bridjette?”

“More than anything, Grandmother.”

She studied me, arms crossed and tapping her fingers on her forearms. Finally, she dropped my gaze and took in the room. “I’m not sure I believe in the prince’s redemption. But I do have faith in my granddaughter. In the water elemental. The prism chose her… chose all of them for a reason. Who am I to question that decision?”

My chin almost dropped to my chest. Was she actually agreeing to my terms?

“All agreed that the kill on sight order is to be lifted from Prince Starke?”

Wait. What? There was a kill on sight order? Sweet baby Jesus, these people weren’t messing around.

“We too have faith in the elementals.” Olla bowed her head my way. “We will honor the agreement.”

“The Ogre clans as well.” Rach nodded his massive head, prompting the other Ogre in the room to do the same.

My grandmother’s glance moved around the table as everyone nodded or responded aye. Everyone that is except goat-man. He was still glaring at me like I’d just pissed in his Cheerios this morning. Like, I know I deserved to be on the receiving end of that look sometimes, but seriously, I had no idea what I’d ever done to this guy.

“Grendor, do the north Faun agree?”

Goat-man snorted. “How can you all trust anything this human has to say? She carries the mark of the fallen. Just like Queen Asha and her traitorous son.”

My confusion at his words only lasted for a moment before realizing he was referring to the runes. I raised a brow at his stupidity.

“In case you’ve forgotten, I am also a chosen elemental. And do you really think that if I was under Asha’s control right now that you would all be sitting here discussing this? Asha and her morquals would already be here, and this village would already be toast. Starke too…”

I trailed off and averted my gaze to my grandmother as another thought sucker punched me in the gut with a hot bolt of panic.

“How is it that Starke is not already here?” I breathed in horror. “He knows where the village is located. He could lead Asha straight to us.”

Athena rolled her eyes. “We are not complete idiots, girl. We’ve already thought of that. It is being handled.” She motioned to the empty chairs at the table, inviting us into the approved circle. I made sure to choose a chair as far away from the Faun as I could.

“Handled it how?” I asked once we were all seated.

“Bottom line, we’ve increased the ward’s magic with the help of the wolven. They are masters of deflection magic. It is how they have evaded Asha all these years. They have helped keep the village hidden. As soon as any of Asha’s soldiers or morquals get too close, the wolven deflect the enemy’s detection magic, pulling them in another direction. Basically, they keep herding them in circles while we stay hidden in the nucleus.”

“A move we will all pay for dearly,” the feisty little Faun growled. He was not a happy camper.

“We are all aware of that fact,” Athena snapped at him. “We weighed the consequences but saving the village and its inhabitants far outweighed the magic use.”

“Lady Athena is correct.” Rach’s raspy words echoed about the room. “We do what we must to protect the innocents and the elementals. Asha cannot get her hands on them, no matter how much magic we use. We will handle the issues over usage brings when we come to it.”

“Then, why don’t we just fix that pesky little magic problem.” I blurted the words before actually thinking about what I was going to say. I shifted uncomfortably as all eyes fell on me again.

“What are you suggesting, water wielder?”

I blinked at Rach, not quite sure I heard him right. Was he actually asking my opinion when only a few short months ago, he was calling me a useless twat? Well, not those exact words. I might have paraphrased a bit.

“Uh…” I cleared my throat. “The only thing we can do. We find the last elemental and bring him home. Get that bad boy prism up and running again and shut Asha and her minions down once and for all. That’s what we are meant to do, yes?”

“Easier said than done, Jette girl.” Bishop regarded me over the top of his steepled fingers. “We have yet to formulate a plan to get us back into the tower for the prism to be reset.”

“Pft.” I waved a hand dismissively into the air. “Like you said, we cross that bridge when we come to it. We are stronger with the wolvens’ help, yeah? We fight our way in if we have too. I’ve already taken down one morqual. I can do it again.”

“Pride cometh before the fall, girl,” goat-man muttered at me. I ignored him.

“While I appreciate your enthusiasm, Bridjette, there is much to be discussed.” The tiniest crack showed in my grandmother’s icy demeanor for the first time since we entered the room. I knew what I was saying was finally pleasing her. I squashed the jolt of pride in my chest.

“Then, discuss. Figure out the next steps. You don’t need us here for that. We can be tracking down the last elemental while you all figure out the logistics. By the time we get back here with the earth elemental, I’m hoping y’all will have one badass plan.”

“Are you sure you’re up to this so soon, Jette girl? You’ve just barely healed.”

While Athena had been pleased with my eagerness to go after the last elemental, Bishop was leaning more toward caution. I smiled at him, touched by his concern for me once again.

“We can’t wait any longer, Bish. You know that. We all know that. The wolven are helping us stay hidden, but sooner or later our luck will run out. We need to do this. We have to do this. With our magic wands backing us, we got this. Right, girls?”

I glanced back and forth between the two elementals on either side. While Zoe nodded, looking as fierce as a warrior princess, Jill just looked anxious. But I’d come to realize that was her normal look. She would come through just fine. She shrugged at my questioning look and mumbled, “I guess so.”

Good enough.

“I agree with Bridjette. It is time we reconcile all the elementals.” My grandmother leaned over the table, commanding the attention of the room. “With every moment that passes, Asha grows stronger. The longer we wait, the better her chance at success. We must act now. Agreed?”

The ayes floated about the room. Even goat-man nodded reluctantly.

“Good. Everyone is in agreement. Bishop, you and Kara will accompany the elementals on the next jump. Without the prince at their side, they will need your guidance and wisdom and Kara’s magic to help them complete their mission. You will locate the elemental and extract him. You will leave tomorrow, understood?”

The urgency in her voice surprised me, but I nodded along with the others. Now that she was agreeing with me on the Starke issue, I didn’t want to press my luck. Athena’s gaze landed on me. “Take the afternoon and prepare for your journey. You will not be able to jump from here, but the wolven will accompany you to a safe point. The rest of us will continue brainstorming. We have little time and much to do.”

I couldn’t agree more. We did have a million things to do, but saving Starke was my first priority. I’d gotten the kill on sight order removed. That had been the easy part. Now, to save him from himself.