Isadora looked at Halo, thankful that she was taking her home. Hopefully everyone would be there waiting for them and they could put this thing behind them. Isadora was ready to forget this whole crazy experience and get back to the man she was going to marry.

Halo didn't ask her to hold her hand because she already knew the answer. Halo intrigued her, but she wasn't interested in a woman, much less a witch.

Isadora braced herself, the outpost clear in her mind, and tumbled into the void. It swallowed her whole, which was somewhat disorientating, and spit her out on the doorsteps of the outpost. Her knees were skinned, but that was something she could live with.

Isadora sighed a breath of relief when her eyes focused— she was back. The streets were bare and it threw her off, but the outpost was the same as ever. The tall white cathedral's roof came up in towers and the walls were adorned with eye catching shimmers. Halo gave her a small smile and they walked together to the door. The bars of the fence was wrought iron, the lining was in silver, each post held a torch, and it was protected by invisible barriers. Each measure specifically targeted an ethereal race, to deny them entrance.

It was pointless, however, because the outpost doors, themselves, were equipped with sophisticated sensors that only granted entrance to Guardians, unless a Guardian invited an Ethereal in. Isadora swung the door open, taking in a big gulp of familiar air, and looked at Halo.

"Enter," Isadora chastised.

Halo's expression didn't change as she walked through the doorway.

Guards lined the corridors leading out of the front room which brought a scowl to Halo's otherwise delicate features. Isadora didn't understand— something had happened here while they were gone.

"I request an audience with Her Highness, Princess Adriana," Isadora spoke, her unease forcing the formalities.

The guard nodded,"Right this way, Lady Isadora."

As she walked through the corridor, each guard bowed. Isadora flushed, mortified with the sudden attention. Halo's eyes twinkled and she flashed very suggestive smiles at quite a few of them. Isadora couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Adri?" Halo called, walking through the door the guard pointed at,"where is everyone?"

Adri's golden hair was unmistakable, but she looked different. Her posture was impeccable, her skin was flawless, and her usual passion burning in her eyes was gone, replaced with nastiness. She look cruel as the Seelie Queen and was even adorned in her crown and medallions, marking her as royalty.

As soon as Adri recognized Halo, her demeanor changed completely. Her eyes were wide as the pathway to Hell and her slight gasp drove the anticipation that flipped her expression. Dry, labial hills eroded into the wet-licked lips of imminent joy.

"Thank God, you are okay," Adri murmured, burying herself in Halo's embrace,"I thought you all had died."

"The Unseelie King-" Isadora started.

Adri cut in dismissively,"Yes, Hamilton and Audric filled me in. He will have Hell to pay."

Isadora's eyes furrowed,"Audric and Hamilton? Zandra and Lili didn't talk to you?"

Halo added quietly,"And what about your annoyingly charming tag along, Julian? He talks to hear himself talk, but he didn't have anything to say?"

Adri's smile faded and her expression grew somber as she dropped eye contact,"Liliana and Zandra were captured by Chrissilande. She sent a note."

Adri's voice cracked and her voice sounded restrained,"And Julian is missing."

The princess's voice broke and Isadora could hear true pain which only made her more curious about Julian's relationship with Adri.

Halo rested her hand on Adri's shoulder,"What can we do?"

Halo's voice grew soft but her face was determined. Isadora hadn't ever seen Halo like that. All she could do was stare, wordlessly. She felt a twinge of unexplainable pain her chest that she was unable to reconcile with.

Adri straightened up and sighed,"I don't know. I am on complete lockdown because of the danger, I am being scrutinized because three underage Guardians are missing, and I am powerless to help the people I care about."

Suddenly, a short man with wild eyes and a red face came racing in, falling to his knees clumsily,"Your Majesty, a message for you."

The man was practically wheezing on the ground by Adri's feet,"Samfie is finding the X."

Adri whipped around suddenly, giving the intruding guard her full attention,"Where did this message come from?"

"Samfie?" Halo echoed puzzled.

The man looked nervously at Isadora and Halo,"Your new friends."

Adri sighed deeply, resting her hands on the top of her head,"Thank you. You are dismissed."

Isadora peered closely at Adri and her barely concealed excitement. Who the hell is Samfie?

Halo cleared her throat,"Well?"

Adri smiled, visible tears welling up in her eyes,"It's Julian. He's okay."

Halo breathed out, leaning her head back as if she was speaking to the Heavens,"Thank God. Do you know where he is?"

Adri burst out laughing, tears falling from eyes like rain droplets,"Making a mess, as usual."

Isadora stood back, confused. She couldn't figure out if Adri was happy or sad and it made her very uncomfortable.

Halo laughed,"That's our boy."

Isadora was lost. She knew that Adri was close with Julian and she was still uncovering that mystery, but what the hell did Halo mean calling him their boy? A simple lord close with a princess and the most powerful witch in the realm? It was preposterous. She didn't trust Julian and she surely didn't trust anyone affiliated with him.

"There's one more thing I neglected to mention. Hamilton is a vampire," Adri said, looking directly at Isadora, expecting a reaction, but she simply shrugged. Sometimes it happened. She only was surprised that whoever was with him allowed him to rise.

"Who was with him?" Halo asked curiously, likely echoing Isadora's thoughts.

"Zandra and I," Audric replied, walking in the room with only a slight stumble. He was drinking again, unsurprisingly, but he wasn't drunk yet.

Adri frowned at him,"Audric, I have grown quite fond of you, truly, but you need to go rest. In no sense, physically or emotionally, are you stable enough to go on any more quests or involve yourself in the planning process. You may be able to help later, go sober up,"

Audric's eyes narrowed and his lips twitched into a scowl. Isadora stopped breathing for a moment, mesmerized by the pure hatred in his expression. It was beautiful and terrible at the same time.

Audric drew his words out slowly, as if he were testing them out,"You want me to sober up?"

Adri smiled hesitantly, which only appeared to make him even angrier.

"I'm sorry, Princess," Audric spat, his words poison,"what language are you speaking again? It sounds like a whole lot of bullshit.  All of you try to make me feel bad about my drinking, but the reality of it is, we all have terrible coping methods. At least I can own up to mine."

Isadora stood frozen, her mouth gaping open, unable to believe Audric said all of that. Adri had the power to strip him of his Guardianship and he knew it. He was more drunk than Isadora had realized.

When Adri spoke her face was relaxed and she showed no signs of being angry, but her words were forceful,"Audric, go somewhere and sober up, that's an order."

Audric laughed ,"The sarcastic apology was too much? That's my fault then. Sarcasm falls out of mouth as easily as lies fall out of yours. Can't be helped, you know."

Isadora glanced over at Halo, whose eyes were wide as her own. Halo caught her eyes and by her expression, Isadora was certain that this  was not a dream.

"Leave now," Adri said with her face unbelievably blank.

Audric shook his head, a wide grin on his face,"Of course, Your Majesty, prontissimo."

Isadora couldn't help but smile. Audric spoke before thinking and drank without consideration, but he was the most gutsy person she had ever had the privilege of meeting.

When Audric was gone, the room fell silent.
No one knew quite what to say because they all loved Audric, but they knew what he said was out of line.

"Are you okay, Adri?" Halo asked finally, breaking the uncomfortable silence,

"I'm fine."

Isadora cleared her throat, seeing that Halo needed help,"As Audric's friend, I apologize on his behalf. I swear he didn't—"

Adri cut her off with a soft snicker,"Don't apologize, Isadora. Audric is a sad drunk guy, it is senseless to get mad at him. He's hurting and doesn't know how to deal with it."

Isadora sighed with relief, grateful Audric wouldn't have to pay for his mistakes just yet,"Julian said once that you were going to make an excellent queen. I never truly realized, until now, how right he was."

Adri bowed slightly in thanks before she spoke,"I know you two may not be up to it, but Hamilton and Audric are not able to go on a rescue mission. I need people to go to the Dark Knight realm and I am having Chancellor return to join you if you accept."

Halo smiled,"Of course, Your Majesty. We'd be delighted."

Isadora shot Halo a look. What if she didn't want to go? Isadora didn't know if she wanted to go on another adventure, especially not with Halo and Chancellor at the same time.

Adri sighed,"Thanks, I really appreciate it. Once Chancellor arrives, the two of you need to be prepared to leave. Isadora, you need to go get your comm-chip replaced after you clean up. I have someone ready, whenever you are."

"What about Liliana's friend he is guarding?" Isadora asked, suddenly,remembering why Chancellor stayed back in the first place.

"I'm having him transferred over here at the Outpost. He already knows enough to get him killed."

Halo frowned,"Isn't that illegal?"

Adri smiled,"Not for me. It's exigent circumstances."

Adri had a way about her to make people listen when she spoke, but it went further than that. It was like she could actually draw you in as she spoke. Isadora doubted it was magic, but it was definitely something special. It could be her gift, but royals weren't allowed to make what they could do well-known. Isadora wasn't the heir of any throne, but even she wasn't supposed to disclose any details.

Isadora smiled politely and excused herself to get ready. She wasn't interested in any more quest details, she just wanted to leave so she could come back sooner and resume her normal life.

Adri nodded and gestured towards the door. The guards scurried out of the way to let her through and bowed slightly"Well met, Lady."

"Well met," Isadora mumbled.

Isadora passed through soldiers lining the walls with a fake smile. She needed at least a shower and a hot meal before she went off again. She didn't know why her and Halo had to go now that Adri informed the kingdom about the quest. The King and Queen could have sent some of their own soldiers on a rescue mission. It didn't make sense.

Once in the shower, the hot water relieving the tension in her back and her head clear, it did make sense. Adri didn't tell anyone about the mission, she implied that the three Guardians were taken directly from the Outpost. And if Chrissilinde had that much reach, the best team had to be sent. That could take months and Zandra and Lili probably didn't have months. Adri was going to be in a load of trouble once they found out the truth.

Halo was right. And there would be nothing no one could do to save her.

Isadora dried off with a soft, fluffy towel and slipped on her only other armored jumpsuit. She fit her belt in the large loops and laced up her boots. She was ready with her crossbow in hand and backpack balancing between her shoulder blades.

Isadora sighed as she ducked into the clinic where, sure enough, Adri had someone ready to do the transplant. Isadora shut her eyes as she got comfortable on the examination table.

She felt a sharp pinch as they broke skin and her nerves just about exploded with pain as they pulled the other chip out. The next thing she felt was the pat of an adhesive and she was free to go. She stumbled out into the corridor, fighting tears. The pain in the removal process was unbelievable.

Isadora turned to report back to Adri, but decided against it. She wanted to talk to Audric before they left and knew she he was going to be mad they were leaving him behind.

As she approached the door to his room, she was taken aback because the room door was left ajar and closed doors was something of an obsession of Audric's. She pointed her weapon at the door and slowly nudged it open with the side of her boot.

Isadora felt her heart plummet to her gut when the door was open because it was empty with a note on the bed. Chrissilande got to him.

Calm down, Isadora ordered herself. She was already on a rescue mission, what was one more target? She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to steady herself. It's going to be okay, he will be okay.

Audric was her friend and the most reckless, inconsiderate person she had ever met. Isadora never knew how both facts coexisted in her head at the same time, but they did and she wouldn't trade him out for the world.

It was like Adri said. Audric was a drunk, sad guy, but he was her drunk sad friend. Isadora knew she had to save him. She was dragging her feet on the mission before, but now it was personal.

Isadora's palms dampened and her weak wrists rendered her hands unsteady and wobbly as she reached for the note. She felt a lump in her throat and tears burned her eyes. Chrissilande was dead after a stunt like this.

Isadora carefully unfolded the note, trembling with each step. When she finally opened it, she crumbled it tightly in her fist as she sprinted out of the room.

Isadora ignored the guards and barged into Adri's room, quite similar to her guard earlier.

Thoughts jumbled Isadora's mind and she ran in impulsively, but what was in front of her forced her eyes wide and mouth hung open. The words she was going to say were stuck on her tongue.

Adri and one her guards were on her bed, half-naked. Adri scrambled around with her face flushed scarlet and the guard sat there just as frozen as Isadora felt. His amber eyes penetrated her brown ones, forcing her to look at the ground.

"What the hell, Isadora?" Adri yelled, raw anger in her voice and Isadora flinched back, instinctively.

Isadora looked up to meet Adri's flaming emerald eyes and a scowl that warped her regal features.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I am really sorry, but the urgency exceeds the awkwardness," Isadora said walking in and shutting the door behind her.

"What is it?" Adri snapped, her nose twitching visibly.

"It's Audric," Isadora started breathlessly,"He left a note to tell you he was sorry."

"And where did he go?"

Isadora sighed,"Him and Hamilton left for the Dark Knights."

Author's Note :

So, I guess this turned into a full out race to the rescue!

Was Audric convincing or did you know he was plotting something?

How awkward do you think Isadora's rescue mission will be with Halo AND Chancellor present?

And Adri... what did you all think?

Thank you for reading, I love you guys!