Nyx knocked on the door not soon after I had finished some soup. Knowing him he chose his time wisely. Post shower, dressing, and food so Violet wouldn't have a reason for avoiding him.

Violet opened the door for him and immediately blushed. She even curtsied for him! Maeve and I tried hard not to laugh. Nyx, dressed in faded black skinny jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt, looked mouth watering as always. He bowed his head to me and to Lady Violet! It was adorable how he was doting on her.

"Hello Princess, I hope I'm not intruding." He made his way over to a couch in my sitting area. The night sky above us and a hint of balmy fog in the air.

"Never. Are you here to see me or maybe someone else..." I continued to sip at my soup with a sly knowing smile.

"Unfortunately neither your Highness. I'm here on behalf of the King. He requests your presence immediately." Nyx looked uncomfortable, his hands kept moving while his left leg shook. He didn't make eye contact.

"Why? What is it Nyx?" Fear took over. Why would the King request me so late in the evening. Why wouldn't Nyx refer to him as my father?

When he raised his head he had tears in his eyes. "RUN"

***

Violet brought Maeve with Nyx slowly towards my father's study. There was no time to explain but Nyx was loyal to that man and so him going against his majesty's wishes spoke volumes.

Nyx helped Maeve create a glamour to look and sound just like me. He promised me her safety but something deep inside of me knew he was saying that to get me moving and on board with his plan.

I was in a mauve colored hooded robe with a satchel across my body holding all of my belongings, which wasn't much.

I started thinking loudly 'OISIN HELP' when I got to the hallway I was told they were staying in. Luckily it was night time or I'd be totally screwed.

Panicking I started knocking on doors like a mad woman until one opened up: Liam.

I hugged him so tightly and forced myself into his room. It was unkempt and when I looked at Liam I realized he hadn't been taking care of himself either. Where was Fiona?

"Liam, is everything okay?"

"Seeing as you just woke up a majority of the night walkers around here, I believe it is I who should be asking you that." He tried to smile but his usual smirk was gone. His whole demeanor was heavy and low. His eyes vacant of joy and showed a desperate need to feed.

"Well, I don't have time to explain, not that I'd know what I'm explaining exactly, but something is wrong. My father wanted to see me in his study immediately and I..."

He held his arm up. "No. That's where he passes judgement. We have to get you out of here. NOW!"

I nodded and looked around the room. "Fiona?"

"Another time. Let's get you back to the compound before daybreak. Then we worry about that." He sounded so forlorn.

Grabbing a few things he zipped around, slower than usual but still at vampire speed. Taking my hand he opened his door and surveyed our surroundings.

He turned left when I knew the way out was to the right. I tugged him and he gave me a look before whispering "do you really think you can just walk out of the front door?"

Liam had a point. I nodded and followed him as he slipped pieces of paper under 3 separate doors. I hadn't seen him writing letters while packing up, but he also left a majority of his belongings that he brought with him and was too quick for even a fae's eye to catch.

After the notes were tucked under the doors he picked me up and ran towards a window and jumped.

We were way too high up to jump safely to the ground so I closed my eyes and said my prayers.

Dear Lord of human world or this one, or both, Goddesses Selene & Danu & all other goddesses...

I realized my prayer had a long introduction and that I should be flattened on the ground by now but I wasn't.

Opening my eyes I saw we were far from the castle and the trees and mountains below were getting smaller.

"You can fly?!"

Liam smirked, "We all have our gifts."

"You are freakin' Peter Pan meets Superman right now!" I laughed and finally allowed myself to take a deep breath.

"It's a long journey from here. We have to cross over from Tir na Nog back to the middle realm. I've never flown it before so maybe the trip will be shorter."

I nodded and let him concentrate. He was working his body awfully hard on low fuel. I clung my arms around his neck and held on tight while he carried me the same way Nyx had, bridal style. It was intimate but only in a friendly way. Liam was being the friend I needed right now and from the looks of it, he needs a friend too.

I make a silent vow to myself to be the best friend I can be to Liam. There was no other way to thank him.

***

Back at the castle in Tir na Nog...

"THE PRINCESS WAS BEHEADED!"

I was dreaming of Evee calling out for my help when I heard the announcement.

A loud knock at my door had me up and realizing this wasn't a dream. They really just announced that.

"BROTHER OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR NOW!"

I slipped on a pair of jeans and opened the door before putting a shirt on.

"Don't wear white." Rian looked like he was about to kill me.

"Because we are about to murder a king." He threw me a darker blue shirt.

I was technically correct - he was going to kill someone.

"What the fuck is going on?! Where's Evelyn?!"

Rian punched a hole through the stone wall without batting an eyelash. "If I knew that I wouldn't be here would I?!" He kicked at my door when I noticed a folded note with familiar writing on it.

"Rian, hand me that. The note at your foot."

"It's pointless, I got the same one. It must be coded."

Liam.

"Where's Fiona?"

Rian started throwing my shit around the room, "BROTHER WE HAVE TO SAVE HER! I don't have time for this bullshit! Fiona's probably off with sulking over Liam somewhere."

I passed Rian and went to straight to Fiona's door. She opened up once I announced myself. I could see the tracks of her tears. Was she sad because her best friend was murdered by her own father or because she had just been sad?

When the edges of her lips slid upwards I realized that they were happy tears. Hugging her into me as hard as I could, I kissed the top of her head and thanked her over and over again.

"What in the bloody hell is going on?!" Rian was pacing back and forth, still yelling at us.

The hallways seemed chaotic so I closed the door and nodded at Fiona.

"Liam's got her. She's safe."

"How? How would you know that?"

"Encrypted love letters. He used our secret language." She choked out. "The one we used when we fell in love and father would not have allowed it. He remembered." Tears invaded her eyes as much as she tried to stop them.

She sat on her bed and I knelt beside her, "we haven't been completely fair to Liam as of late, or ever probably. But he does love you to risk his life for our girl."

I had been such a prick to him lately which meant he must really love Fiona to take care of Evelyn and be so damn crafty about it. The paper had symbols scribbled on it, making it look like jibber jabber but he was smart enough to encrypt it. He left us a trail of bread crumbs and for that I would welcome him into our family with open arms.