“I shouldn’t even be surprised,” mutters Killian as he yanks me through the shield, sword in tow, I needed to name it, something that magnificent deserved a name.

I have a name.

Shock has me screeching to a halt gaping up at it causing Keon to almost crash into my back.

Did it just talk?

She.

huh?

not it, she.

What’s your name?

It’s…

“why are you gawking at it? We need to keep moving.”

The sword zooms towards Killian sparking agitatedly.

The man has the sense to at least back away eyes wary, there’s hope for him it seems.

My name is Eleena, which means one who shines in the darkness, now keep moving, Rhys is getting agitated.

“Who’s…”

I’m slammed to the ground before I complete my sentence as Keon tackles me to the ground.

There’s a thunk of something sharp on a fleshy surface the next minute and I look up at the arrow still vibrating on the tree bark right where my head would have been.

Fuck.

“Move it, they mean business.”

I look at Eleena wishing there was a way to carry her easily when she disappears in the next second.

A similar tingling flashes through my body again, but before I can think more about it, we are running again.

After what feels like two hours of running, my legs give out and I fall to my knees, huffing and panting.

Keon sighs as Killian just looks at me like he wishes I would just disappear.

“What? I need a breather, no use coming all the way here to just escort a dead body home that would be stupid, so rest, please,” I add as an afterthought.

“where did it go? demands Keon.

I shrug.

His face scrunches and he gives me the eyes mama does when she thinks I’m being naughty, right before she whoops my ass… and no I’m not kidding, it has happened.

“you really have no…”

“nope, nada, zilch, zero ideas, this here,” I gesture to my head, “is very empty, nothing, capiche?”

“you…”

“Breaks over, stand up,” says Killian cutting Keon off.

“Why can’t you guys just use magic to get us there in a jiffy?”

Killian looks affronted, “that would have been my first option, but we can’t.”

“why…”

“move.”

I sigh as I stand up again, legs wobbly, from the corner of my eyes I catch both men jerking as if to catch me before I fell.

Somehow the fact that they care enough to catch me when I fell gives me a surge of energy and I’m moving again, my stupid heart pumping faster and not because I was panting

********************************************

“Oh my God!” I huff as we continue running up the hill, “why does our escape route have to be this way, if I don’t stop, my heart will.”

“Again,” growls Killian, “I’m going to run you to the ground during training, we need to work on your stamina.”

“oh, my stamina is just fine, pretty boy.”

To my surprise, the broody man flashes.

Score!

“I would offer to carry you, but I know that would only make you crankier.”

“Hell no, you didn’t say that was an option,” I say jumping onto his back, and wrapping my limbs around him like a baby monkey.

“let’s get on with it Dracula, I’m pretty sure they’ve already realized what is going on.”

“What!!!!” He splutters.

“You think I’m going to go all feminist on you, I know I am a mortal or infant immortal and also allergic to exercise whereas you are a freaking fireball, you wiped the floor with those knights, that means experienced and strong, also we have been running for hours, I am drenched in sweat but you look like you’re in a photoshoot, it’s cruel that you’re offering help now, watching me suffer all along…so git, I assume you are fast fire boy?”

I hear a choked-off cough and turn to find Kilian gaping at us, “what is it Kilian stop gawking, you are going to unhinge your jaw, haul ass it’s not like they are giving us a handicap.”

“Oh, now you remember we are being chased?” says Keon, hands spread.

“How has he not killed you yet girl, no one touches Keon, especially without permission?”

“Hey that was an opening, you’ve got to recognize, besides he practically hoisted my ass, so I’m sure he doesn’t mind.”

“No way I’m I getting down again till we get to the academy, he can kill me or teach me about boundaries when we get there, with that I tighten my legs around Keon, there’s no way they are making me walk again.

I was joking when I asked him if was fast before, but now mad respect filled me and a twinge of guilt, I must have been really holding us back.

Damn, the guy was really fast, even with me hanging on his back, Killian had remained behind us but he was keeping up effortlessly… showoff.

Ahead of us a weird gate stands; half of it glimmers brightly while the other is cast in shadows despite there being nothing above it.

Light and shadow.

“is that the border?”

“yes, once we go through, we’ll come out at the academy gates.”

I clench my eyes shut as we approach the weird gate and Keon shows no signs of stopping.

“You can open your eyes now midget,” That was Killian.

Why the hell aren’t we going in?

We need to get on our side of….my words die in my head as I realize we’ve already gone through the gate and it didn’t catapult my ass.

I turn back to the gate to see our “entourage" pacing along it anger clear on their faces, Jain alights and kicks at the gate as if frustrated.

The king is staring straight ahead, straight at us.

They had horses and still couldn’t catch up, pathetic.

Petty as always, I stick my tongue at the king.

“he can’t see you, and where does it keep coming from?”

“huh?” I turn to Killian questioningly and he points at something above me.

Tilting my head, I see Eleena hovering there as shimmery as ever.

I shrug.

“Are you coming down?”

“no chance in hell, you are stuck with me until we go through that cursed gate.”

“cursed gate?”

“yeah, I’m not hanging upside down again, at least not alone, we go through and I get off you, deal? Great.”

He turns to Killian who can’t hide his humour, it’s practically dancing all over his face.

“don’t ask.”

“yeah don’t,” I say fixing my meanest glare on him, daring him to share my humiliating introduction to Faerie.

The infuriating man just smirks and walks into the school.

Keon moves through the gate unscathed, disappointment fills me, nothing happens, except Eleena who was no hovering closer winks out again.

“Where does it keep going?”

Time to come clean.

“I did something.”

“talk,” they say at the same time.

iwasthinkingofhowcoolitwouldbeificouldsomehowabsorbitliketheydoinbooksiwouldlookbadassiswerijustthoughtabuotitandvoilaswordonmyarm.

It goes silent for a couple of minutes.

“Are you fucking crazy, do you know the amount of energy and power it takes to bond with an ancient power, you’re practically an infant!”

“I’m well aware and don’t shout at me. She said I’m okay and being back here it doesn’t need to feed on me it can feed off the land.”

That shocks them into silence again.

“she?”

“it talks to you?”

As if on cue, shimmering turquoise light moves from me swirling around creating a mini tornado with some fallen leaves, when it finally settles, it is my turn to gape.

“what the fuck!”

"Dramatic entrances seem to be your thing Mahina," drawls the dean from the administration building steps.