Chapter 23 ~ Strange Discovery

There was a wall beneath my hand. But it wasn't the smooth sterile surface of the cell, it was rough cut stone piled together to create the side of what appeared to be a house. My breath misted the air in front of me and the cloud settled into the fog that swirled around my legs. Strange trees speckled the land around the house, the leaves were shaped like teardrops and shimmered like glass in the blazing white light of the sun. The ground sprang under foot and when I swirled the fog away I realised it was a thick layer of moss, not grass, that I was standing on.

The sky above was the purest, brightest blue I had ever seen and I stared around the wide open space with awe. It was spectacular the colours seemed so much brighter than where I had just come from. But I had no idea where I was or how I'd gotten here. I turned in a slow circle and the space I had come from was filled with the same mist covered ground and scattered sparkling trees as everywhere else.

I walked in a straight line in the direction I must have come from. Keeping myself calm while I tried to figure out if I could even get back there. The air shifted around me and the ground beneath my feet lost its spring, the soft slap of my feet on the hard concrete floor.

The smell of chemicals stung my nose and I let out the lungful of air I'd been holding. Mia's figure no longer stood in the centre of the room waiting for me, in fact she was nowhere to be seen. I ran to the door and found Kellan leaning against the wall opposite. His legs crossed and gaze focused on the cell I'd been in. A relieved smile brightened his face when he saw me, he took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair before pushing himself off the wall. "Anything? You weren't gone for long."

"It was like a whole other world," The words tumbled out of my mouth in a blur, "The cell just disappeared and there was a stone house and the trees sparkled and the sun was blinding white. I just walked straight through. It doesn't make any sense. Was that all in my head? Did you see any of that when you touched the back wall." Kellan shook his head his eyes focused on the wall at the back of the cell, a look of contemplation on his face.

"Did you see any Fae in there?" I paused before shaking my head. I hadn't seen anyone at all. As alive as the place had looked it had been empty of life as far as I could tell.

"Not that I saw, but I wasn't there long, I wanted to make sure I could come back. I'm not even sure how big the place is. It looked like it stretched for miles in every direction. Do you want me to go back." He leapt forward and grabbed my arm as I turned to try one more time.

"No. Not yet. I think we need to inform the Council. We have no way of knowing who is in there or if they know you just got passed their defence system. Even if you didn't see any Fae, I think it's fairly likely that they are responsible for this anomaly. I doubt the humans have the capacity to create something like this. I can't even see it. So, it has to be targeted to only let Fae through.""What if they are through there though?" I gripped a bar of the door in my hand leaning forward through the doorway. "My family could be in there. Mia might actually be alive. I have to check." Kellan's hand tightened around my arm and I hesitated looking down at his fingers.

"We don't know how they'll react to seeing you either." He murmured, eyes cast down to the ground.

"But, I'm one of them. They wouldn't do anything to hurt me." This was my family we were talking about. My friends. People I had known my entire life.

"You were one of the people they left for dead, remember. And if they left specific Fae to die for a reason, maybe they don't want you around." I tensed at his words. There was no way. I had to check and they could be just metres away from where I stood. I should have stayed and searched longer when he'd sent me in the first time.

"And you're also a Wolf." I narrowed my eyes.

"And whose fault is that," I snapped at him wrenching my arm free of his grip. He flinched and stepped back like I'd slapped him in the face.

"At least try to take me with you, so you have some semblance of back up if anything goes wrong."

"How would having another Wolf with me help? Based on what you said happened that night, most of the probably hate you as much as I did. Besides, you have the Amulet around your neck. I don't think handing it to them on a silver platter would be the best idea, since there are only two left as it is."

He rocked back on his heels and I crossed my arms waiting for his opposing argument.

"The Witch Amulet is gone." He turned away from me, rubbing the back of his neck and slammed his hand against the wall.

"What?" I wanted to scream the word, but it came out muted. How was that possible? No one had even seen the Fae until today and the minute I go searching for them another Amulet is taken?

"How did they get it?"

"Adeline said she doesn't know. It was locked up and guarded twenty-four seven. She has no idea how they got through. The spells around it should have warned them if a Fae was nearby."

"Then even if it is possible, there's no way you can come through with me. If the Fae get the last Amulet, it could destroy all of you." A growl slipped from his lips and he slammed his hand against the wall again leaving a crumbling hole behind in its place.

"We need to tell the rest of the Council. You can come back once everyone knows what's going on and I can send someone else in with you." I shook my head, determined. I needed to go find my family and I needed to do it now before the opportunity was lost.

"What will you do if you find a way through?" He watched me in silence and I tilted my head, regarding him in the same manner.

"Get the rest of the Amulets back."

"How?" I queried, "By attacking them? Killing them the way I saw them slaughtered that night?" I trusted Kellan but he didn't trust the Fae and neither did any other Mythic left on Earth. I needed to go through and find the Fae. Find out what they think happened that night and figure out how to get the Amulets back to their rightful places without anyone else being harmed.

"Of course not. We didn't do it then and we won't do it now." I growled the words at me and I could only assume I'd offended him with the accusation. It didn't make the possibility of it coming to pass any less though and I couldn't risk losing this chance to see my family one more time. Even if Kellan was right and the Elders locked me up or killed me for being a Wolf.

"You go to the Council and tell everyone we might have found them. Maybe the Hall will help keep the last Amulet safe while I try to find the rest. I have to go in there and try to find my people, try to get their side of the story as well. I'll do my best to get the Amulets if they're in there."

"Only if it's safe," He growled at me. I pulled my hands up to my chest to ward off the anger radiating from him. "If you're in any danger, come straight back. We'll find another way to get the Amulets if we need to. Do not put yourself in unnecessary danger." His eyes searched mine and my clenched fists relaxed as I realised he was worried about me.

"Only if it's safe," I promised, wondering once again why he even cared. Surely, the fate of the Mythics should come before a single Fae even if I am half Wolf now. I tugged at the end of my pony tail and moved back through the cell to the back wall. Ignoring the calls of my baby sister once more.

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Camp Nano is over so my updates will slow down a bit from now on. I will be aiming for twice a week & at this stage it will probably be Mondays & Fridays. I hope you stick with me to see where Delilah ends up :D