Del and Aza stood, with Del holding the scarily lifeless Faux.  Baldwyn dragged Siika, and Lucis took Uri back to the middle of the room with the others, discussing how they were going to get all of them back to the first isle.

    The dark angel went over to Kai, still standing a ways off from everyone.  Evabelle forced herself into motion again.  With her arm around Jamie, she approached them, as well, just in time for her to hear Del ask Kai if he could take Faux, the child, and both girls back on his own.

    The vampire glanced at Faux, looking practically dead in Del's arms, making Evabelle's insides squirm.  I'm a lost cause, Princess.  Kai's eyes had finally returned to their normal washed out tone, but Evabelle did catch the slightly lingering look at the bloody wound at Faux's side.  Kai looked back up into Del's face and gave a slow nod, reaching out his arms to take Faux.

    Evabelle didn't complain about going back with him.  And to her surprise neither did Aza.  The four conscious individuals of their party made their way back through the Ciennal Cavern's tunnels in silence.  Jamie continued to stick close to Evabelle, but could have been because of the light that she had.      Before they had left, Del had given her one of his feather for her to use to help them get out.  It was a million times better being able to see the cracks and rocks in front of you so you could do your best to avoid them.  Though Evabelle found herself stumbling from a twisted ankle she had been unaware of until that moment.  The Anahalians had used a lot of their munera tonight, so knew she was going to have to wait at least until morning before she got a healing spell on herself, which she doubted would be a problem.  She knew that once her head hit the pillows it would be lights out.

    The four of them reached the docks in a time that felt a lot quicker than when they had gone from there to the caverns.  Easing into the boat, first, Kai lay Faux gently on the bottom of the boat.  He looked up at the girls.  "Can you keep him as still as possible?  The healing spells have helped him start to heal faster, but he's still lost a lot of blood.  He's definitely going to need some poultice and some of our disinfectant.  He still shouldn't be jostled too much."

    Evabelle and Aza nodded, and the two of them along with Jamie climbed into the little rowboat.  It was a little cramped, but they managed. 

    As Kai leapt out and opened the wooden garage that lead to another cold foggy river, Aza finally turned her attention to Jamie, who sat huddled next to Evabelle.  "I never caught you name, kiddo."  She smiled in her classic friendly way.

    Jamie swallowed.  "I'm Jamie," he muttered softly.  "And before you ask, that's all I know.  I don't know where my family is, or if I even have one.  All I know is that I woke up on the beach and was dragged into those caves.  Then I was shoved up in the ceiling with these two.  Then she," he pointed to Evabelle.  "Told me to use my powers to shake the rocks apart for us to essentially fall to our deaths."  Jamie sounded a little out of breath as he finished.

    Aza raise her hands.  "Whoa, easy there, buddy.  Powers?  X-men quality, hmm."  She nodded.  "Yeah I'd say that's more of an anomalyish thing than just being able to see the magical.  Dang, that's  cool!"  She gave a dreamy sigh.  Jamie didn't seem sure of whether he agreed with that statement.  Aza looked back at him.  "And you say you're an amnesiac, huh?"  She glanced up to Evabelle.  "Hey, you're not the only one anymore."

    Jamie blinked.  "What?"  His round eyes met Evabelle's, who gave a sad side smile.

    "Yeah, there's a lot to catch up on and talk about.  But I don't know if I can go over everything tonight."

    Aza stretched her arms high above her head as Kai grabbed one of those gondola sticks and leapt back into the boat.  "Yeah, I'm feeling the done.  Physically, mentally emotionally, the works."  She gave a yawn as if to prove her point.  "But tomorrow I have a feeling we're all going to have a long conversation."

    Kai put the stick into the water and pushed off in the direction of the rapids.  Evabelle stiffened for the impact, but then the boat began to drift back.

    Kai closed his eyes.

    "Is everything okay?"  Evabelle asked.

    The elf heir gave a nod.  "Yes, it's just these boats listen to elves, not so much vampires.  Baldwyn was the one driving last time."

    Evabelle opened her mouth to ask another question, when Kai adjusted into a firmer stance and shoved off harder, just allowing the boat to pass over the line, and again Evabelle found herself in a spiraling drain caught in a cyclone.

* * *

On the other end of the terrifying rollercoaster, the others made their way shakily back to the castle.  Jamie was in more shock than the others considering that had been his first time.  When they reached the palace, the lights were out.  Kai's reception party was officially over, but the vampire still lead them down less-taken hallways just to be safe.

    Up a familiar staircase Kai pulled them aside outside the door Evabelle recognized as the door to the infirmary where they had put that gross paste stuff on Aza.  "You are not injured are you?"  He asked the three of them.

    Aza shook her head.  Evabelle replied.  "Just a few scrapes and bruises."  Jamie said the same.

    "Anything major?  Because it's best not to draw too much attention to ourselves right now.  If you could possibly wait until tomorrow, that would be best."

    Evabelle said that would be fine, and again Jamie agreed.

    Kai gave a nod.  "Good.  Now, stay over here until I come back."

    Then he slipped into the ward with Faux and left them all in a dark silence.

    Evabelle wondered what time it was.  It had to be early.  She wondered if she'd get the chance to see one more sunrise here before they left.

    After several minutes Kai emerged and guided the three of them back to their rooms.  "So, what happened?"  Evabelle asked.

    "There's always and nurse on call.  It was Peony.  She's a friend.  She'll take care of Faux."  Kai replied without turning.

    Evabelle breathed out a sigh of relief.

    At their doors, Kai opened a new one for Jamie, who glanced back at Evabelle nervously.  "It's okay," She reassured him.  "I'll see you in the morning."

    Jamie swallowed and nodded, then ducked inside. 

    After the door shut behind him Aza put a hand on her shoulder.  "He's grown real attached to you pretty quick, I'd say."  She grinned at her, the expression looking far darker in the low light.  "But I'd say that's what happens when you save his life."

    Evabelle gave a tired smile. 

    Kai shook his head.  "He's going to be hard to explain."  He bowed his head, massaging the bridge of his nose, and Evabelle wondered if his eyes were having trouble staying gray as she was beginning to understand what that meant.  "I have a bad feeling that we're dealing with more than just elf traitors."

    "What do you mean?"  Aza asked.

    "The boy says he only remembers being found on the beach here, but Lucis was right about him just washing ashore naturally being a possibility."  Kai looked back up at them, his eyes as pale and faded as ever.  "I suspect there might be some mers that are getting a profit from this."

    "Mers?"  Aza asked.  "You mean there are bad mermaids now?"

    "What about sirens?"  Evabelle asked.

    Kai sighed.  "I suppose it's possible, but mers have the access to the trade currents that could allow to boy to get through the barrier.  They also have certain undersea plants that could potentially work as a memory drug."

    Evabelle's exhausted limbs couldn't take much more.  She stumbled back and fell against her door, feeling overwhelmed, her eyes closing tight.  There was so much underground networking to this.  It made this feel far more messy than good versus evil, but Evabelle knew real war was messy, never clean cut.  But it was still a hard thing to face.  She wasn't sure if she could deal with it all. 

    The Anahalian princess shook her head.  No. She had decided she was done thinking like that.

    When Evabelle's opened again, Aza was beside her, checking to see if she was okay.  Evabelle nodded to her.  After the reassurance, Evabelle's friend looked back at Kai.  "I have one question," She began.  "How did you know that those guys were working for Kruor and not Ravana?" 

      Kai's fingers fluttered nervously before he slowly reached a hand inside the tailcoat and pulled out a torn piece of paper and held it up for the girls to see.  It was a letter, written with swift angled writing in a completely foreign language.  Most of it was smudged and illegible.  It looked like it had been partially burned away rather than ripped with the black marks all around the edges.  But at the bottom there was a clear, ink black, wax seal, with the impression of an elegant flowy letter R.

    "R for Ravana," Evabelle stated.

    Aza tilted her head.  "I don't get it.  Isn't that the message that got us into this whole thing?  The message that lead everyone to believe that there were elves working with that guy?"

    Kai nodded.  "That's exactly what it is.  It lead everyone to the conclusion that there were elves working with Ravana because that's exactly what it was supposed to do."

    Both the girls stared.

    The Heir cleared his throat.  "These elves aren't clumsy enough to allow something so obvious to be discovered, just as I know that not all the traitors were recovered tonight as much as we wish to believe.  Ravana would never work with incompetence like that.  That was the first sign.  The second is the seal itself is a fake."

    Evabelle and Aza leaned in closer as if they could see the flaws that incriminated it, but Kai just started to explain.  "The wax that Ravana uses is one of a kind.  No one knows what he uses precisely, but there is a scent and texture that is unique to him.  This is a very good duplicate.  It's too good to be anyone but someone who knows him very well and has tried to follow in the man's footsteps.  It could only be his brother."

    Evabelle blinked several times as Kai withdrew the letter.  "But where did you get that?  Did your father give it to you?"

    Kai paused for a moment before giving a slight shake of his head.

    Aza's eyes widened.  "Wait, are you in league with Elf Batman?"

    Kai looked taken aback.  "Uh...well..."  Then to both girl's complete and utter shock, their pallid friend burst into laughter.

    Evabelle had never heard him really laugh like that.  Kai made small smiles and quiet chuckles very rarely, but never had she seen a laughter that shook his whole delicate frame.

    Aza gave a little confused laugh at his reaction.  "I really didn't think it was that funny."

    Kai took several deep breaths, trying to steady himself.  He was still grinning wide when he finally straightened up.  "I'm sorry, it wasn't really.  It's nothing.  Don't worry about it.  But yes, I suppose you could say I'm in league with the 'caped crusader'."

    Evabelle smiled.  She suppose she shouldn't be surprised that Kai knew who that was.  Not after the speakers in the ballroom and his whole explanation of technology and magic.

    "Morning isn't far off," Kai began to brush past them.  "Try to get some good sleep girls."

    Evabelle and Aza shared a look and then shrugged.  It was strange way to end the night, but Evabelle preferred this mood than the one that had been laying heavily in the air since they had all slipped away from the party.

    The brunette girl closed her room door behind her and nearly collapsed onto the bed without changing her clothes.  It was nearly impossible to resist, but the ragged tears, the singed edges, the bloodstains had her stripping down and washing off with the cloth and water basin that was kept on a nightstand.

    As she scrubbed her arms, she realized that she was no longer holding the shield that she had formed.  She had no idea when it had vanished, but she knew that's what Duren-dal's did.  They faded away after they were no longer needed, but it was odd that she had no idea when it had happened.  She shook her head; there was already too much to think about to add more to the pile.

    After slipping into the silky, flowery pajamas Evabelle sunk into the cushions and stared at the ceiling.  She was surprised she didn't just pass out.  But her brain, no matter how exhausted continued to reel with information and shock at herself at all that she'd done.  She felt good, scared, overwhelmed, and confused.  There was so much that had to be done now that they knew the elves had been working with Kruor and that there could be more traitors among other races.  And then they still had to deal with the Annihilators that were gathering from who knows where. 

    Her whole body felt like it had been slammed with a giant brick.  Evabelle pressed her eyes shut and willed her mind to shut off, but it refused to listen.  She turned on her side then to the other.  Taking a deep breath she thought of what her father had said about asking him something that would make her happy, and decided to think of one thing like that.  One happy thing to settle her aching head. 

    Kai's laugh that had been like a sunrise on a world that lived in an eternal night.  He was such a broken soul, and to see that made Evabelle feel like bursting with happiness herself.  She thought of the way he had clutched his side and bent forward.  She thought of him gasping for breath, his smile so pure and full of light.  When he curved upward again, his hair had turned wavy with small golden curls.  His eyes opened and they were the color of the sky, that she could spread her wings and fly into.  His own wings were blinding, outshining the moon and stars.  His hands were large, calloused, but guided her across the edge of the fountain with ease.  His arms with thick, powerful, pulling her hard against him, where his heart thrashed against its cage, matching the beat of her own.  His breath, soft, warm, the scent of the sun if it had one.  Lips soft, brushing her skin, making her whole body shiver.  I love you. I have for so long. 

    Evabelle smiled as her mind drifted away in the clouds.  Lucis loved her and not until he had confessed it to her, did she realize that she had been longing for it.  The man that had saved her more times than she could count.  The angel who believed she was a princess and treated her like a queen.  Who had patience and love and light.  Who was a strong leader, a true hero, a lost boy that loved Evabelle, who had at first only admired him.  Still he confused her and drove her insane with his secrets, but she couldn't help it.

    It was not until the last moment of consciousness that she realized, she hadn't said it back. 

    You are my dream in this reality that I have been cursed to live in.

* * * * *

Anxiously, the girl tugged at her favorite dress.  Her mother had told her she had to look her best for this meeting, which Evabelle still wasn't sure what she was needed for.  Daddy always had meetings.  Sometimes Mom would go with him or she'd have a few of her own, but Evabelle was never required to go to any.  She preferred flying around the castle or being tucked in her room with one of her books.  People, besides Mom, Dad and a few of the guardians around the castle, made Evabelle nervous.  They always looked at her like they expected something from her.  And she definitely did not like that.       

The Anahalian princess swallowed hard and looked up at her father, who stood beside her waiting, staring ahead at the doors, for Heath to come in and announce their special arrivals.  She bit her lip before opening her mouth, but her father spoke first.

         "Don't worry Eva.  I'm sure he will be very nice."

    "But Daddy, I don't understand why I have to be here still.  Why do I have to meet him?  Mommy probably needs me."  Even though, Evabelle was not the biggest fan of all her mother's lessons on developing proper social conduct skills, she'd willingly go to one of those instead of being forced to actually put them to use. 

    Daddy let out a long breath, still smiling as he always did, and slid his gaze down to her.  "You're mother is taking care of business while I take care of this, and I wanted you here for a very important reason."  He crouched down to her eye-level.  "The Oracle is a great blessing bestowed upon us.  He was born into the Anahalians for a purpose.  The Oracle always serves beside the rulers of the kingdom, for he could save us from many a catastrophe.  He will of course be helping me in times to come, but the boy is just a little older than you, Eva.  He will probably be serving more when you take the throne, so you should get to know him."  Daddy straightened again, a smile twitching on his lips.  "I'm sure you two will become very good friends, and who knows, possibly something more."

    Evabelle stared at her father, confused.  "What do you mean?"  The tone in his voice sounded like he knew something he wasn't telling her.  That only made her more nervous.

    Suddenly the doors swung open, making Evabelle's small heart leap into her throat.

    Heath, one of her father's right hand men strode in.  He was a man who acted serious, but when the adults weren't looking, he'd slip Evabelle some sweets he'd stolen from the kitchen.  However now he was strictly business as he announced their guests of honor.  "King Zion, Princess Evabelle, I now present to you the Oracle, Delaney Mendax, accompanied by his father, Averno Mendax, as well as his mother and brother, Hala and Lucis Mendax." 

    A scrawny boy with midnight hair stiffly made his way up to the dais, his eyes downcast.  Evabelle felt for him.  This had to be the Oracle boy.  She found strange comfort in that he seemed to not want to be here just as much as she did. 

    After him came a tall broad-shouldered man that had to be the Oracle's father.  He had same dark hair, but his eyes were Evabelle's favorite color of blue, and the way his smile lit them up made Evabelle feel just the tiniest bit better. 

    Then came the mother and brother of the Mendax family.  The mom had pretty blonde hair similar to her own mother's.  Her face was softer than Levana Angel's, while the Anahalian queen was all sharp angles.  She was very pretty.

    And next to her was the Oracle's brother, who was pretty tall with golder hair than his mother's, but eyes like his father's.  She thought her father had said that he was the Oracle's twin, but he seemed older.  Maybe it was the way he swaggered in, grinning, eyes roving around the room, not the faintest hint of nervousness.  Instantly, Evabelle shrunk back.  This boy looked like someone who would try to talk to her.

    "It is an honor to meet the Mendax family."  Her dad spoke, giving the family a nod.

    Evabelle realized she had to give a greeting.  Doing her best to perform the proper bow of a lady that her mother had taught her, she grabbed her skirts and crossed one ankle behind the other and sunk down a little, but stumbled a bit on the way back up.  Most of them didn't seem to notice, except for the blond boy, who gave a little smirk, making Evabelle's cheeks inflame.

    "Please, your Majesties," The Mendax father spoke, his voice rich and soothing.  "The pleasure is all ours."  Then they all knelt down bowing low to Evabelle and her father, making Evabelle shuffle uncomfortably.  She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to people doing that.  She was fairly certain she did not like it.  Maybe when she was queen she would put an end to that weird rule.

    Evabelle's father brought them back up with a wave of his hand and then gestured the black-haired boy to come closer to them.

    He swallowed and forcefully did as he was told.

    "Delaney, please relax.  I promise I won't hurt you."  Her father used his calm reassuring voice he used when Evabelle was scared.  He pulled away from his daughter and descended down to the boy.  Delaney still glared determinedly at the floor.  "I want you to feel welcome here."

    "Are you going to take me away from my family?"  The Oracle boy piped up, loud enough to make Evabelle flinch.  Then his small frame started to tremble.

    Her dad glanced up at the boy's father.  "No of course not.  You are far too young to be away from your parents.  I would never do such a thing."  He crouched down trying to get the boy to look him in the eyes.  "Tell me, Delaney, what are you thinking right now?  What do you know about your gift?"

    Delaney swallowed and finally forced his eyes upward.  The legends were true.  They were purple.  They were so pretty and strange that Evabelle couldn't help, but stare.  "I...I don't want to be the Oracle."  His voice shook, making Evabelle's heart go out to him, but then he went on and it broke that heart.  "The-The visions hurt.  A-and I can't control when or where.  I have nightmares sometimes and they don't make any s-sense."  He paused, trying to control his voice.  "My dad said that I was going to work with you, and I thought that meant I would have to leave them."

    The king of the Anahalians gave his perfect smile that could fix the whole wide world.  "Your father and I will be figuring out the arrangements, but I promise you won't be leaving them any time soon."  He patted the boy, comfortingly.  "As King I know what Specula's gifts are like.  They can be very unclear and distorted.  Nightmares definitely are common with her touch.  But Delaney, I will be helping you to understand and to work through it.  I will do whatever I can to help you control it as well.  We will be working together, but I promise I'm a good guy.  You don't have to worry."  He gave the boy a wink.

    Delaney blinked and his mouth twitched into something that nearly resembled a smile.

    Then her dad stood back up and reached out his hand to Delaney's father, who took in heartily and they smiled at one another. 

    Evabelle's eyes watched them for a moment and then glanced at the boy, Delaney.  He looked a little less frightened, which was good.  She wasn't sure if she should say something to him, shake his hand or something.  She was going to have to get know him sooner or later.  She tentatively took a stepped forward and slid off the edge of the pedestal, but then stopped before she reached him.  Maybe she wasn't supposed to do anything yet.  She should probably wait for her father to say something or tell her what to do.

    Her eyes flickered upward, and was shocked to see the brother's eyes watching her.  When their gazes met, he grinned and gave her a wink, which sent her stumbling back wear her legs hit the stairs back up on the stand.  

    "Your Majesty, it truly is an honor."  The black and white winged man broke Evabelle from her embarrassment.  She slowly tried to slide out of the blonds' line of vision

    Her father shook his head, still smiling.  "You will a call me Zion.  I figure we will be working amongst each other quite a bit, and formality has never been a thing I've found as agreeable."

    Averno, Delaney's dad kept his smile too.  You know, maybe her father wasn't the only one with a perfect smile.  "You truly are kind, Zion."

    Daddy nodded and released the nice man's hand and waved at the mother and brother.  "And I'm pleased all your family could come.  Your wife is quite lovely and your other son, Lucis seems quite bright."

    As soon as his name was said the boy with wings that were the purest white Evabelle had ever seen sprung forward as if released from a box and took her father's hand without hesitation, which made Evabelle gasp.  "Your castle is sooo amazing!"  He shook as if the human's electrical currents were spiraling through his body. 

    The boy's mother looked aghast, Evabelle liked the word aghast.  She'd just read in one of her books.   Evabelle's dad laughed at the boy, though.  "Thank you, Lucis.  I'm very glad you like it."  He encouraged the lady of their family forward too.  She shyly shook his hand, and Evabelle put together that while Delaney looked more like his dad, his personality seemed more like his mothers, and the other boy shared more physical characteristics with the woman but had his father's confidence. 

    While her father shook the woman's hand.  The taller boy tilted his head and caught the girl's eye again, this time giving a nearly invisible wave.  Evabelle pretended not to have seen it.   

    "I would love for you to meet my dear wife, Levana.  I think you two will get along quite nicely."  Her father said to Delaney's mother, moving back toward Evabelle.  "My queen is being the responsible one as always.  She's taken my place at a very dull meeting, so I will apologize for not being able to introduce her today, but I do have my little princess."  The king stopped next to Evabelle.  "This is Princess Evabelle, and though she may not say it, she is very pleased to meet you all as well."

    Evabelle took a deep breath and forced herself to give another curtsy.  She did not slip up this time and felt the smallest flicker of triumph and smirked inwardly at the laughing boy, even if he didn't see it.

    The meeting didn't last much longer, and once they were gone, Evabelle sagged onto the steps up to her father's throne.  "Thank goodness it's over!"

    King Zion chuckled.  "That was just day one, my dear."

    Evabelle sat up a little straighter.  "I know, but the first day is always the worst."

    Dad stroked his chin thoughtfully.  "If you think so.  Tomorrow we'll be having a small feast with them, you know.  Are you prepared for that?"

    Evabelle shook her head.  "Probably not, but I'll just sit by you."

    The man laughed.  "We'll see about that."  Then he sat down beside her.  "What did you think?"

    "Of the Oracle?"

    "No, Delaney."

    Evabelle blinked at her father.  "Aren't they the same thing?"

    "Person," The king clarified.  "And not exactly.  The Oracle power is a part of him, but he is his own person too."

    Evabelle wasn't sure she understood, but she tried.  "Well, he's like me, and doesn't really like to talk to people he doesn't know." 

    Her father nodded.

    The princess chewed her tongue for a moment.  "He has pretty eyes?"

    Zion sighed.  "Yes, I supposed that's true, too."  He pushed himself back up to his feet.  "Well, we'll have plenty of time to get to know the real him."

*

That night after the events of the day, Evabelle finished her book, one of the ones that was from Earth.  James and the Giant Peach.  She discovered she liked Roald Dahl.  She'd have to get more books written by him.

    Quietly, the girl tiptoed out of her bedroom and slipped down the long hallway to see if she could find any more by that particular man.  The girl turned the corner, being extra quiet as it was the passageway where her parent's room was and stopped in her tracks.  Directly in front of her, past the king and queen's quarters was one of the arched windows that lead out to the starless night.  However, blocking the view of that vast unlit sky were bright, white feathers. 

    Timidly, Evabelle snuck closer and saw it really was him.  The brother, blond curls and all.  As she neared, he must have heard, for he turned his head, making Evabelle freeze.  The blue-eyes that met hers seemed too big for his face, but his smile's reminded her of his father's. 

    "So, you've caught me princess, snooping outside your window," He spoke matter of factly, far calmer than he had been in the throne room.

    Evabelle shook her head.  "It's not my window," She said still a little stunned.

    The child stepped closer just as Evabelle took a step back.  "It is your castle, isn't it?"

    Evabelle twisted in her night dress uncomfortably,  picking at the pages of her book.  "Well, it's my daddy's."

    "But someday it will be yours," Lucis looked around appreciatively just as he had earlier that day.

    Evabelle shrugged looking down.  "I suppose."  She heard the boy laugh and shuffled her feet. 

    "You're just like Del." The blond chuckled.  "Put your head up kid, the world is vast and you can't see it with your head down."

    Evabelle swallowed.  "Well, it's also pretty scary, so I think I'll stick to these."  She held up her book, and before she knew it, it was plucked from her hands.  Her eyes bounded upward.  "Hey!"

    The blond boy turned the book over in his fingers and rifled through it a bit. 

    "Give me that!"  Evabelle clambered out through the window, joining the boy on the roof, who immediately started holding it above her head. 

    "Don't I get to know what it's about?  What makes this so much better than what's out there?"  He gestured out at the rest of Jovis.

    Evabelle stretched and jumped, but his arms were too long.  The space was a little contained to flap her wings and fly to get it.  "That's when you just ask, not take it away from me,"

    "Well, I prefer people looking me in the eye when they talk to me."

    Evabelle finally got her fingers around the spine and pulled her book back, aware that he had probably let her get it.  She tucked the book protectively under her arm and did finally give the boy a fierce look.  "Quite presumptuous to say to your princess."

    The boy grinned wide.  "Looks who's got some fire after all, using big words and everything."  he turned and stared up at the sky, where there was no moon like the one that Evabelle read about.  "And no it's not presumptuous if you're going to be a great hero one day."

    Evabelle's eyebrows shot up.  "That's not how it works, Mr. Mendax."

    The white-winged child made a choking sound.  "Mr. Mendax?"

    Evabelle's face flushed.  For some reason, she had forgotten this one's name, and when he turned and saw her face, he realized it.  His expression fell.  "Lucis!  It literally means light!"  His voice carried out, continuing to rise, making the princess glance around anxiously.  "Someday that's what I'm going to be, a light!  A light so bright that everyone will know my name.  I'll be their hero!  They'll love me just like they love my dad!"  He sung it out as if to let the whole Anahalian world know.

    But Evabelle couldn't take it anymore and leapt up and put her hand over Lucis's mouth.  "Stop shouting," she hissed.  "You're going to wake my parents."

    He blinked, surprised at her, making the girl quickly back away.  "Sorry, it's just.  You don't need to yell so loud."

    Lucis didn't seem angry at her, he just kept watching her curiously.  "So do you like to explore?"

    "What?"  She asked.

    "I mean besides looking at words on a page.  Do you like to actually do something?"

    Evabelle gawked at him.  "I can do so much more when I read than when I'm out there."

    "Have you ever even been out there?"

    "Yes, I have!"

    Lucis grinned.  "Now, who's shouting?"

    Evabelle gave a huff and started to climb back through the window.

    "Wait," Lucis grabbed her elbow.  "I'm sorry, I've just never understood reading about others when you can go on your own adventures."

    Evabelle thought for a moment and then turned and sat down on the roof.  Lucis sat beside her.  "There is a human riddle that goes: What sits in a corner while traveling all around the world?"  She paused and looked at him.

    Lucis shrugged.  "A...book?"

    The brunette shook her head.  "A stamp."

    Blue-eyes blinked in confusion.  "Umm...a stamp?"

    "The humans use it to send letters to other people to communicate with others that are far away," Evabelle explained, leaning back, spreading her wings flat so that she could lie down comfortably, forcing Lucis to scoot over a little. 

    "Okay..." He was still lost.

    "That's not the only answer.  At least not for me," Evabelle went on, staring up at the empty.  "My answer is me when I read a book."  She placed the book beside her.  "You can read anywhere, anytime and completely and utterly escape.  Transport to another world, another reality.  Read and connect with strange new people."

    "You know you can still do a lot of that in real life."  Lucis argued.

    "If you're scared or stressed you can run away without ever leaving.  If you have a hard time making friends, you can make hundreds of them within a few sentences.  You can find love and beauty in each chapter as you watch someone grow and change from experiences that might even mirror your own.  It's one of the most magical things in the world."

    Lucis was silent for a moment, and Evabelle felt pleased.  She loved talking about books.

    "Okay," he finally said.  "I'll try out reading if you come on some living, breathing adventures with me."

    Evabelle's head whipped around.  "What?!"

    Lucis was suddenly over her, his hand now covering her mouth, his eyes so bright in this darkness that expanded around her, bathing her in what the humans called the sun.  "I don't have words to tell you about my love, but you'll just have to see."

* * * * *

Evabelle had a giddy smile on her face when her eyes opened.  Everything felt warm and fuzzy, at least at first.  As her body slowly rose, the pain from the night before made itself recognized.  She groaned and stretched, wincing at her aching arms and bruised back end. 

    Automatically, turning her head to the window, she was shocked to see that the sun hadn't even risen.  She'd had a rather long dream that she thought would have carried her through the rest of the night they'd been given after the events earlier on, and possibly farther into the morning than she normally slept. 

    Admittedly, the sky was starting to turn, though.  And the stars were quickly fading.  So that meant the sun was close at least.  It made Evabelle happy, to know she would, after all, see one more sunrise in this beautiful place.

    Sliding off her bed, she went to the window and froze.  Soft, snow white feathered wings, plucked right out of her dream were attached to a young man, sitting, knees curled to his chest, large arms wrapped around them, still wearing the black shadow suit from their mission, staring out at the forested island beneath the slowly paling sky.

    Evabelle shoved the window open so forcefully, it made a clacking sound, making both Evabelle and Lucis jump.

    Evabelle gave a sheepish grin as Lucis stared at her.  "Looks like I've caught you snooping outside my window again."

    Lucis's eyes were clouded as he blinked at her.  "Oh, I'm sorry."  He made to get up, but Evabelle stuck out her hand. 

    "Wait!  Please don't go.  I need to talk to you." 

    Lucis didn't move for a moment.  Once again Evabelle had that painful impression that he was debating whether to stay or bolt.  He did finally end up sitting back down, but he turned away to face the coming day like he had been before.

    Evabelle swallowed.  Well, I guess he's not going to go easy on me.  Taking in a long, deep breath through her nose, she did her best to settle her ravaging heart.  "I never said anything.  I never gave my response to what you said earlier."

    The wind ruffled glowing feathers.  "What did I say?"  His voice sounded distant, like he wasn't completely paying attention.

    Evabelle cleared her throat, trying not to get frustrated.  "You called me a dream.  You said I was your dream...Well, you're my reality."

    Lucis was silent.  Evabelle was too, feeling absolutely ridiculous. She took another deep breath.  "I've read so many books, so many love stories where the two people confess their feelings to one another.  When I'm reading it on the page, it's so beautiful and poetic, and it makes me fall in love with them.  The writer has a way of putting the words in sentences that flow in wondrous patterns that fascinate me and make me realize that I'm not that eloquent, at least not out loud."  Evabelle gave a shaky chuckle.  "I'm trying to say this stuff without sounding cheesy.  I need you to know this, that I mean what I'm trying to get out."  She shook her head.  "If someone were reading this," Evabelle pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes.  "I don't even want to think about it."

    Lucis still made no sound, just let the breeze muss up his curls even more.

    Evabelle lowered her hands and watched him for a moment before she continued.  Was he getting where she was going with this?  "I used to like Del."  She noticed his hands tighten around his knees and knew he was listening.  "You knew it.  He knew it.  Everyone knew it, but I think it's because you always seemed so far away.  From an outward perspective it seemed that you wanted to be close to me, but for some reason, I felt like you were blocking me out...blocking everyone out."  Evabelle rubbed her fingers along the crystal wood window sill.  "From the very first time I met you, after you rescued me from the Annihilators I felt like there was wall up.  I've always had this fairly decent ability to read people through their eyes.  Del's eyes hold their own secrets, but yours are so tucked away, so hidden.  It was as if you had taken the essence of your own self, the part of your soul that make you who you are, and locked in a cage.  In its place you put up a fairly convincing facade that was like a washed out version of what makes you so beautiful, Lucis."  Evabelle wasn't sure if the Anahalian in front of her had moved, but at the sound of his name he seemed to have become deathly still, creating a strange shivery tension in the air between them.  "I didn't know if I could even touch you.  The real you.  But over time, I've watched that iron wall crack, split, crumble away piece by piece, giving me glimpses of this person that I can't explain what he does to me.  You turn away from me now, you keep running away when I see him.  But I..."  Evabelle was feeling breathless, her words coming out jumbled and rushed.  "I can't think.  Everything it.  I can't."  She shook her head.  "That has to be what all the stories say.  The real you when I see it makes me feel what all those characters talk about, what they feel in that flowery language that I thought I understood what it meant.  That has to be what they call love."

    Evabelle reached out into the cool air and found her fingers curling in the softest, warmest, feathers.  A shudder went through the bones under her touch, ruffling the plumage.  "It's different when you read a book.  They hold their own magic, to take you places that you could never see otherwise.  Meet people you would never know.  But you can get terribly lost in that.  Living in a fake world.  A dream is a wonderful, indefinable thing.  But reality is something you can touch.  It's something you can feel with every muscle, every nerve ending.  Reality isn't in your head.  It's right in front of you."  She stared at her own hand, squeezing tighter to those angel's wing.

"I've been living in a dream for so long, living a life without living, without doing the things that I have always dreamed.  And it was you who woke me up and showed me that the world is what they call a dream come true and my worst nightmare."  She thrust her eyes upward to the back of his head.  "You.  The real you.  Is the man that can literally take my breath away.  The man that can make me feel like crying when he's not there.  The man that can ruin me when he pushes me aside.  The man that makes my heart roar like a lion, ramming against its own cage that I didn't realize was there.  The man that I can feel things that don't have words to put to them.  This is real.  You are real.  My reality."  Evabelle swallowed, trying to soothe the sun soaked desert that blazed a wicked fire down her throat, through her blood, and bloomed in her roaring beast that was her heart.  "I love--"

    The wing was wrenched from her grip and suddenly Lucis's warm breath lit Evabelle's face as his chest heaved up and down, matching her own erratic rhythm.  His eyes engulfed her, millimeters from her own.  His forehead almost touched hers, a golden tendril dusting across it.  Both of their breathing was loud, shattering the electric silence that bound them.

    Evabelle's golden irises found themselves tearing away from the sky and glancing down at the arching curve of his lips, then back up as his did the same with her own mouth.  His fingers brushed under her chin across her cheek, tilting her head and making her tremble as her eyes fluttered shut. 

    Lucis remained tantalizingly close, his breath continued to stir her lashes.  His hand fell, but the softest impression met her mouth, so faint, a mere whisper of kiss.

    It took everything Evabelle had not to launch herself out of the window and set the fire into a blazing wild force of nature.  Instead, she slowly leaned forward to keep it slow but make it complete.

     Harsh, bitter air, sharp as steel met Evabelle in a sudden rush.  The angel's warmth, vanishing in one fell swoop.  The girl's eyes flashed open to see the pale-winged Anahalian's head bowed in submission, his entire body curling inward on itself as if to protect him from a ruthless blow.

    Lucis's shoulders were quivering, his curly silvery-gold hair hiding his face.

    "Lucis?"  Evabelle whispered.  Her heart, was now ramming against her chest for an entirely different reason.

    His voice came out as a nearly-inaudible rasp.  "I'm s-sorry.  I can't.  I'm so sorry."

    Confusion and fear welled up in Evabelle.  The fire suddenly plunged into the dark icy ocean.  The roaring beast's voice was carried away in a terrible, coursing gust of wind.  "Lucis," She murmured again and reached out her hand once more. 

    He flinched away and Evabelle was shocked to see tears fall and splash down onto the rooftop.  "NO!"  He shouted, still not letting her see his face.  "I can't!"  He shook harder, balling his hands into fists.  "I...c-can't,"

    Evabelle's heart cracked just as his voice did.  That desperate cry rattled her and she longed to grab him and force him to tell her what was wrong, yank this terrible, life-damaging truth from him but with no warning Lucis shoved off from the roof and burst into the sky, leaving Evabelle to stare after him with her mouth agape and her hand still outstretched.

~(A/N: I'm sorry for the wait as usual, but here's a freakishly long chapter to compensate. ;b

Anyway, so a lot happened in here. Action scenes: please let me know if the action in this chapter was good or rushed, felt too short, was too choppy and disjointed. I want to improve my weaker area, so let me hear your thoughts!

The dream. I'm sure most of you guys recognized it as the memory Zion showed Evabelle several chapters ago. But this time it was from little Evabelle's perspective. Did it feel unneccesary? Did you like it? Once again let me know . . . And then there's the fun little scenes after that also give opinions. I love to hear them!

And FINALLY Evabelle speaks up and pours our her freaking heart to the guy!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! And they kiss...or almost kiss...Yay??? Then Lucis pulls away, cries and leaves....less yay

There's no challenge this time guys. Sorry. I just want to hear every single thought you had on this crazy, wacko, insane chapter. Or at least let me hear what you think is wrong with our precious Lucis!

Thank you guys so much!! I hope you enjoyed it! I'll try to get the next chapter up a lot sooner than this one.)~