The Faerie Curses

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Summer Scepter

"Andrion!" The young Protector screamed in the hazy green image on the orb, her voice muffled by the hands over her mouth. She fought back her tears; she wasn't going to give the elves the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Just as Andrion was dragged into the shadows, never to be seen again, The young Protector cried out to him even though he couldn't hear.

"I love you."

The elves released her, and she fell heavily against the small, sharp rocks. One smirked up at the rugged looking elf who was still leaning against a tree, watching her.

"She's all yours, Jared."

The last elves sprinted off into the trees, melting away into the night. The young Protector was alone now, with only the one elf called Jared. He eyed her amusedly, his lips twisting into a small smile. The only sound was the breeze caressing the leaves of the trees, and the lapping sound of the lake water. The young Protector considered trying to crawl back into the lake as fast as she could, but she knew that the plan was hopeless. She was much to slow. Devastation crashed down on her. The one boy that she loved was gone, and she was most certainly going to die.

The image of Andrion's limp body was branded in her memory. That was the last time that she would ever glimpse him.

Jared the elf crossed the clearing and roughly gathered her up in his arms, his muscles trapping her in his grip. The young Protector was able to wrench her hand free and gave him a solid punch in the eye. Her insides flared at the small triumph in creating a red welt on the elf's face. Jared winced slightly, but didn't lessen his hold on her. He began to swiftly carry her into the dark woods, minding her long golden tail. The young Protector scoured the forest around her with her glowing eyes, but she couldn't see the other elves or Andrion anywhere.

She glared up at the elf venomously. "If you don't put me back in that lake in two minutes, I'm going to sing a song that will make you wring your own scrawny neck."

Jared chuckled, looking down at her with something close to admiration. "You've sure got spunk, spitfire. No wonder Andrion is in love with you."

"You're a friend of Andrion's?" The young Protector gasped. Her jaw dropped in astonishment.

Jared the elf's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he narrowed them into slits as he studied the forest around them.

"Dammit," He cursed. "I knew that old dirtbag was following me to make sure that I got the job done."

"Who?" The young Protector asked, her blood running cold.

Jared gave her a pointed look. "If you want to stay alive, keep your voice down." He told her softly, his voice so low that it blended with the rustling of the leaves.

The young Protector nodded in understanding, and Jared carried her silently for a while longer through the woods, his footfalls light against the forest floor. The trees were so enormous that they blocked out the stars and the moon, casting them into complete darkness. The young Protector wondered how Jared could even see through the dense black. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest. This elf was an ally, and he seemed trustworthy enough. But why was he helping her?

Finally, Jared let out a relieved breath.

"Thank the dragons, he's gone." He muttered.

The young Protector whipped her head around, not able to see anything.

"Who was following us?" She asked him quietly.

The elf's eyes filled with dislike. "Our clan's head warrior." He replied. "He doesn't trust anyone, and has been wanting to punish Andrion for a long time." His face fell. "And now he has his chance."