With everything settled, Evabelle set off to meet Aza and Jamie by the run down portal under the castle.  They weren't sure what they were going to do with the poor superhero kid who had no idea who he was, but they figured Calandra wouldn't mind taking in another stranger...probably.

When Evabelle reached Aza, the small blonde handed her a rekaberry muffin, which more or less tasted like a chocolate muffin.  Evabelle ate it greedily, having not eaten in nearly a day. 

"So, how'd it go?"  Aza asked as Evabelle stuffed her face.

Evabelle swallowed her last bite hard, desperate for something to wash it down.  She still gave her friend a brief overview of what happened.

Aza whistled.  "Magical alliance with jerk elves.  I'm not so sure about this one, deary."

Evabelle shook her head.  "I know we've had a run in with a lot of bad ones, but they're not all like that."

Aza leaned against one of the stone walls, but quickly pushed off of it because of the cold wet slime oozing down it.  "Well, I don't know.  We're currently being kicked out the door, I'd say.  These guys want us gone as soon as possible."  She turned her head to look at Jamie, who was sitting on the crumbling rock that held the dismal portal.  "What do you think about this?"

Jamie's pale eyes, that had been misted over as he slowly chewed his muffin that wasn't even halfway gone, looked up.  "What?"  He still looked utterly drained.

Evabelle sighed and shook her head.  "They've got a lot to deal with right now.  They're now dealing with an entire troop of traitors, while there's probably more out there.  It's still going to take them time to used to Kai, a vampire being their heir.  And now being allies with part of the people that abandoned them is also going to be an adjustment."  Evabelle smiled.  "But things will get better.  We're heading in the right direction now."

Aza's eyebrows shot up.  "Optimistic Evabelle?  Who are you and what have you done with my pessimistically rational best friend."

Evabelle shrugged.  "I'm not going to be pessimistic anymore.  I've decided to be different, and look it that, I think it's working." 

Aza elbowed Evabelle, grinning.  "Works for me.  Your smile's too good to be hiding in that anxiety strained mind of yours.  Jump on to the crazy train and laugh your way to victory.  That's my motto."

"Yes, laugh your head off as your train falls off a cliff and you crash and burn."  Spoke a voice from the darkness, making Evabelle jump.

Aza gave a long exaggerated moan and flung her arms in the air.  "And speaking of pessimism, the king has arrived!" 

Del stepped forward from the shadows into the dim light peeking through the cracks of the ceiling right above the dilapidated portal.

"What no magic feather night light?"  Aza asked.  "Oh, no you thrive in darkness, that's right."

Del rolled his eyes. 

"So, where's Faux and your other half that actually came out with a soul?"  Aza crossed her arms and Evabelle shuffled slightly.

Del walked past them and sat on the edge of the stone that held the carved star, a few feet from Jamie, who actually shook himself from his silent reverie and glanced up at the dark angel.  The kid swallowed and scooted slighter further away.  If Del noticed, he didn't give any indication that he had.  "Lucis is still arranging things with Calandra, apparently, there might be some issues getting us all back, plus she's not in a good mood.  Stuffs going on at the Sanctuary that has her hair in a knot."

"Actually, there's a hair style that's really pretty called a knot.  I bet Calandra's done it before."  Evabelle spoke up suddenly, but then saw the other two staring at her with blank expressions.  "Sorry, that wasn't relevant."

Del shook his head.  "Anyway, he said he'd get Faux from the infirmary after that and meet us down here."

"Actually," A soft voice spoke from somewhere up on the spiraling stairs.  "I've got him."

The girls spun around and Del pushed up to his feet and stepped back into the mud, briefly vanishing from sight until he reemerged with Kai and Faux walking upright between them.  Evabelle noticed how close Del and Kai stayed to Faux side.  He did seem a little off-kilter still, but she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.  Seeing the scrawny Anahalian, not only conscious, but on his feet, made Evabelle beam.

Faux noticed and grinned back.  "I have come back from battle with wounds a plenty, but the lady's touch has cured me more than any magic medicine.  In fact," The three men had reached the two girls.  Faux leaned far too close to Evabelle.  Their noses almost touched.  "I do believe it was your hands that first ran along my--" 

"Okay, idiot," Del grabbed the injured Anahalian's arm and pulled him away from Evabelle's steaming tomato face.  "I think you need to sit down."

"I was only going to give her an Eskimo kiss."  Faux pouted as Kai and Del helped him down onto the stone platform.  "Completely innocent."

"So, are you high?"  Aza asked, crossing her arms, but a small laughing smile ghosted her expression.

Faux rolled back, laughing so hard that he winced and put a hand over his side.  "Of course I can fly high!  I've got enormous, gorgeous, autumn wings.  Look at them!"  He started to spread them out, but Del put a hand on the one that had also been pierced by the elf's blade, stopping him from going too far.

The dark haired boy shook his head.  "Yeah, he's high. As high as a butterfly."

Faux glared up at him.  "I know I can't fly as high as you can, broody, but I can fly way higher than a butterfly."

Kai sighed.  "Most of our remedies don't cause this, but the the blade gouged through a lot of his intestinal tract.  The healing spells you gave him helped obviously, and he does heal quickly, but moving him, even just down here we were going to need something a little stronger than normal.  He will remember very little of this, if at all."

"When will he be okay again?"  Evabelle asked.

"I'm okay as a peach."  Faux grinned up at her, but then his smile slipped.  "But how are peaches okay if people are always eating them?  I don't want to be eaten.  I'm okay as a...a...a broccoli!"

Aza chuckled.  "I think he's doing it on purpose."

"To answer your question," Kai looked at Evabelle.  "With the healing spells and our salves, he should be fine probably by tomorrow, though he shouldn't do anything too strenuous for a few more days."

"You guys are talking about me as if I'm not right here."  Faux shook his head.  "If you didn't know, that's considered rude."

From the corner of Evabelle's eye she caught sight of a glowing ball of light descending the last few steps.  She turned and her whole body went cold.  Evabelle had been broken up about everything this morning, but her continued effort on thinking more positively and having a stronger resolve had helped her to look up.  But just seeing him washed it all away.

Golden curls, shone white with his bright munera.  His face was impassive as the shadows danced over the arches of his cheekbones and across the slope of his lips. 

"Lucis," Aza greeted as he reached them.  "So what's the plan?"

"I got a message from one of the elves that we've formed an alliance with them."  He stated formally, not even giving a side glance to Evabelle, who knew that they must have told him "who" had made this alliance.  "So, I told Calandra of that as well.  She told me that the portal really doesn't have much power left and it may only be able to do a few runs at most.  And that we should probably do it singly as not to overrun it with it being so temperamental."

"So, does that mean we have to fly back again?"  Del muttered.

Lucis nodded.  "Probably.  There's still a chance we might be able to squeeze enough juice out of this thing, but we'll definitely be sending those who can't fly first."

"I can fly!"  Faux shouted out suddenly.

"You're going first."  Lucis replied to that.  Then he looked up again, keeping his focus primarily on his brother, maybe a little bit of Kai and Aza, but not Evabelle.  He even stood some distance away as if he couldn't be far enough.  "But actually, there are two mages Calandra is sending over to repair this portal from this side, which according to her will take time and some of the power with them coming here."

Evabelle cleared her throat that now felt like sandpaper.  "Who are these mages?"

Without turning his head, he just stared at the crumbling rock holding the magic star.  "Calandra and I have been discussing plans about what to do with the Annihilators and she'll be able to explain better when we see her."  He paused for just a moment.  "Let's just say that we're not going back to an empty sanctuary."

Their was a small trembling in the air and the eroding lines of the mark on the stone intensified briefly as short, bald, burly man appeared before their eyes.  Dark tattoos spiraled up his thick arms.  They were words or phrases in a language that Evabelle wasn't sure she recognized.   He wasn't wearing the mage's robes that Calandra often wore, and he just generally was not what Evabelle had been expecting.

The man stepped off and gave a nod to all of them.  "I'm Riley Osric," He grunted right as another shaking began and a beautiful woman with darker skin than Jamie's poofed into existence just like the man before her.  She grinned with dazzling white teeth and skipped across the stone to the group.

Faux gave a very obvious growl.  "Another heavenly being come to nurse me back to health?"  He winked up at the woman, who chuckled and patted him on top of the head as the bald man marched over with his lip curled as he glared down at the drugged up Anahalian. 

"That's my wife," Riley snarled.

"Doesn't mean she's not heavenly," Faux shrugged.  

The woman pushed her dark, voluptuously curly hair out of her face and smirked at her husband.  "You heard him, baby.  Heavenly.  Remember that."  She turned to the rest of them.  "I'm Amy, by the way.  It's nice to meet you all."

Lucis shook both their hands.  "So what are your thoughts the portal?"  He asked.

The Osric's turned and bent down over the carving, each taking turn in tracing their hands around the lines. 

Amy was the first to straighten up.  "This thing's going to take a lot of work.  In all honesty, I can see it taking more than just one day, possibly two or three."

"We should be able to accommodate you," Kai said.  "I know some will not be happy, but I'll make sure you're taken care of."

Riley crossed his arms.  "I don't like being places where I'm not wanted."

Amy took his arm.  "Oh, shush.  We've never been to the Spiral.  I've only heard of its splendor, so I'm excited.  This is a vacation, Ry, so enjoy it."  She tugged on him like a playful child.  "Oh, come on it's better than being at the Ensign's right now.  Shaundee's daughter's such a downer."

Riley sighed.  "You're not wrong about that."

"Wait," Evabelle piped up.  "Why would it take so long?  I've been reading a lot about spells like the portal and things lately, and it says that you can create a quick portal with anything from sand, paint, or in dire situations, blood."

Amy looked over to her.  "Oh, well that's if you're trying to get somewhere close.  That's as you say quick magic.  So it can maybe transport you about a block or so away.  If we were to just make one of those, you'd probably end up just somewhere else on the island, or if you're lucky, somewhere out in the ocean.  Though, that might depend on your definition of luck."

"Okay, okay," Lucis shook his head.  "But do you know how many of us can make it back?"

Evabelle hunched her shoulders as his words almost sounded like an impatient slap as he had dismissed her question as irrelevant. 

Amy shrugged as her husband responded.  "Not sure, but not a lot.  But you'll want to get going now.  Calandra is waiting on the other side to pull you through, and she's having trouble keeping the connection already."

Lucis nodded.  "Okay."  Then he leaned down and grabbed Faux's arm and slowly pulled him to his feet, keeping a firm grip on him.  "Can you stand, alright?"   

Faux nodded.  "Of course."

Slowly, Lucis released him, giving him a gentle nudge toward the portal.  He vanished instantly.  "Alright.  One down," He looked down at Jamie.  "Do you want to go next?"  he asked gently in a tone that reminded Evabelle of the man she knew.

The little boy had curled himself into a ball and was staring at the place where people kept appearing and disappearing.  His head tilted up to look and Lucis.  He looked like he was about to cry, but instead he nodded.  "Okay," he whispered.  Pushing himself to his feet, he hesitantly crossed over to the star and stared at it for almost a whole thirty seconds before he stepped over the line and faded into nothing.

A hand on Evabelle's shoulder almost made her scream as she turned and saw Kai had come up behind her.  "Kai?"

"I know you really wanted me to be a part of this so that I could still come and see you and the others."  The elf heir said softly.  "And I just wanted to thank you for that.  I probably would have offered if you hadn't asked."
Evabelle smiled.  "You're a part of us Kai.  No matter what happens with the elves here.  We love you and I know Calandra's door is always open to you."

Kai gave a quiet chuckle.

There had been a time when Kai had been a terrifying monster in Evabelle's eyes.  Then her mind had changed as she had gotten to know him, and she wondered how she could ever have thought that, but last night she had seen that even as good as he was there was still a darkness in him.  But still she knew that he didn't let that define him.  He fought back and his true self was able to shine through.  The little chuckle now, the laughter as they danced and as they discussed the Shadow being like Batman was the goodness that made Kai who he was.  She prayed that his people could see that too.

Evabelle suddenly found her arms wrapping around Kai and holding him tight.  At first he stiffened in surprise, but returned the embrace.  "We'll see each other soon, Evabelle, I promise you that."

Slowly, the gentle vampire released her and gave her smile before going over to Aza.

Evabelle supposed she could go next.  She started up to the rock where Lucis was still standing, waiting, but when he saw Evabelle, he quickly moved out of the way, making her heart crumble.

Ignoring the stinging in her eyes, Evabelle stood before the portal's outline and was about to step onto the star, but then a high voice from the stairs echoed down to them. 

"Wait!  Wait you can't leave yet!"

Evabelle spun around and watched as the tiny sunshiny elf girl raced down the steps, tripping on the last of them, but Kai bolted forward and caught his sister before she face-planted into the mud.

Holding her hand, Kai guided Gem over to them.  The princess's other arm was tightly wrapped around the black cat that she loved so much.  "You can't just leave without saying goodbye!"  Gem scolded them, with her blind eyes, looking oddly bright in the light of Lucis's munera.

Kai shook his head.  "I told you, you should have come sooner.  Faux is already gone."

Gem gave a little stomp of her foot.  "Well, I had to get Jewels."  It really did look like she was about to cry.

Aza came over to her and crouched down to hug her.  "Hey, you're just going to have to come visit us, a lot, okay?" 

Gem nodded.  "Oh, I definitely will.  You can count on it."  She pulled away and Kai lead her up to Evabelle, who also wrapped her arms around the child and squeezed her tight.  The elf girl's hands were shaking a little, but she pulled away and held the cat tighter to her.  Slowly, she lifted the cat so that they were face to face, even though Gem couldn't see the animal.  "Are you sure?"  She whispered.  The cat gave a low meow, a strange almost reassuring sound, and then she brushed her whiskered faced against the little girl's face.  A tear slipped down Gem's cheek as she nodded.  "O-okay."  Then with no warning, Gem shoved Jewels into Evabelle's arms.  "She has to go ba—"  But Evabelle never heard the rest, as she had stumbled back over the boundary of the portal as the animal was suddenly thrust to her, and her surroundings instantaneously changed from the dark wet underground to the pristine Victorian entry of Calandra's sanctuary.

The mage herself was standing at the base of the stairs, her hands held out in front of her.  The beautiful woman's entire posture was stiff and strained and Evabelle watched a bead of sweat roll down the side of her face.  "Get. Off." Calandra gasped, and quickly Evabelle leapt off the star.  Calandra closed her eyes and muttered under her breath causing her fingers to start glowing a faint green.  But then she shook her head and dropped her hands.  "That's it," She turned to the stairs and grabbed a glass of water that had been sitting there and quickly gulped it down, while Evabelle a little longingly as she still hadn't had anything to drink after the rekaberry muffin.

"That's it?"  Evabelle asked hesitantly after the mage had lowered her beverage.

Calandra's black eyes flashed onto her and brunette girl instinctively shrunk back.  "There is no more magic in that pathetic portal of theirs.  I can't connect to it."  She snapped. 

"What about Aza?"

"The boys can carry her like they carried you."  Calandra's normally full red lips were a narrow white line.  "I don't know if you noticed, but I gave everything right there to get back who I did."

Evabelle bowed her head.  "Sorry," Jewels squirmed in Evabelle's grip and easily leapt from her hands and scampered away, as if she too did not wish to be in the presence of the currently bad-tempered mage.

Calandra was holding her cup so tightly, it was shaking.  "Which means it will be a few days until the man with this whole idea will be back to actually take charge of this, which means it's just me.  Just me, and oh, he gave me a new person to keep lodged here.  Did he think that maybe he was letting in another traitor no, he just sent him right in, the idiot."  Calandra started ranting to herself, and Evabelle noticed both Faux and Jamie were not here.  She must have sent them upstairs.  "And of course an injured flirtatious moron who's now an even more flirtatious moron after taking elf drugs.  I'm going to wring his neck when he--"

Evabelle took in a deep breath, hoping Calandra wouldn't literally try to bite Evabelle's head off.  "L-Lucis mentioned that you guys had come up with something and that you would explain when we got here."

Calandra glared at Evabelle, but didn't shout at her at least.  "Right, I suppose you should probably know.  Currently, everyone's waiting in the drawing room.  We'll be able to better explain things in there."  Her voice was so cold and hot.  It was scary when she did that.

Lucis had mentioned that she wouldn't be going back to an empty sanctuary.  Even before they left, he had talked to Calandra about speaking with her mother and her uncle, so Evabelle had a guess that Calandra's unwanted guests might just be the mage's own family members and possibly some of Shaundee's friends besides the Osrics.  Evabelle wasn't sure what they would be discussing precisely, but Evabelle was still dying of thirst and was still a bit hungry.

"Um, okay, but is there any way I could get something to eat before we go in?  I didn't have much today."

Calandra shrugged.  "Why not?  They could talk the whole blasted day away about absolutely nothing."

Evabelle nodded and quickly paced toward the door leading to the kitchen, but just before she could turn the knob, the door swung open surprising her so much that she tumbled back and fell hard on her butt.  Looking up, the girl gaped up at the very hairy chest of the broad muscled shirtless man, with the dark tanned skin that was littered in varying scars to the scruffy face also scared and chiseled where dark forest eyes glinted as he sipped something steaming out of one of Calandra's white mugs.

The man's eyes fell down to Evabelle's stunned form and a side grin that made her skin crawl, started to creep onto his lips.  But something inside Evabelle pinged as she recognized those lips.  That sharp chin too...

"Well, well, well," The man's voice was low with a faint growl.  "It was only a matter of time.  I was wondering when I would be seeing you again."  

~(A/N: Alright, so I know it took longer than I said it would, but it is up! This time it's a pretty mellow chapter.  It's also quite a bit shorter than a lot of the chapters I've been doing lately, but I figured a nice simple chapter was needed after the elf fighting and the confession rejection weirdness.  But anyway, as always please let me hear your thoughts on the chapter as a whole.  I love comments and am always open to suggestions!

Specific questions about this chapter... Firstly, what do you think of this transforming Evabelle?  Does this feel kind of sudden, or out of place? I want her whole growth to be a progressive experience. Yes, we've seen her grow and slowly do things she wasn't initially comfortable, or do things even if she was uncomfortable with it. I just felt like she had been ascending these stairs one tiny step at a time, but after the events while she was kidnapped and was the one to get her, Jamie, and Faux out and then her fighting and going after the elves, really boosted her confidence a lot.  But I still don't know if it was natural or too forced. Please let me know!   

However (still kind of discussing the above question) after what happened with Lucis, that's something that probably should have made her fall apart right?...But why do YOU think it didn't?  She practically just rose to the occasion.  I have my own thoughts, but I'd LOVE to hear yours.

And now we're discussing plans about Annihilators and facing pureblood vampire princes! Oooh! Fun stuff!! But I want to here what you guys think these plans are and why Callie's in such a pissy mood.  Do you have any ideas?

And so you remember that guy, back ages ago that Callie made a little deal with?  Did you forget? Well, guess who's back!  I'm so excited to finally write about him!!

*Okay Challenge time!*  It's more of just another question (sorry). But is there any chracter besides the main ones that your really intrigued with and want to know more about? Please tell me who and what it is that intrigues you about them!

Alright, last thing, so I just found out you can do the thing with private chapters, which is super cool! I'm thinking I might do a little in between scene with Kai before he came and rescued them in the caverns.  It would be just for fun, but you'd get a glimpse of what his relationship is with Saya and Baldwyn a bit more. Also I'm considering just publishing a short story about Kai before he became a vampire up until the point where you meet him book one.  He's just such a fun tortured character, and I know it's such a weird thing to say after that, but I love him so much! 

Okay, that's all. Sorry these Author Notes go on forever. I'm really going to have to shorten them. But still please let me know what you thought of the chapter! Did it feel too short? Too rushed? Too boring? Did it make sense?  PLEASE LET ME HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!!! THEY HELP ME MORE THAN YOU KNOW!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! LOVE YA!!!!!!!!)~