"Not so many," the creature laughed.

My heart started to pound wildly. All the Meoden scattered through Sharadeen. That's who Demian now led, along with all the others, and they were going to attack the lodge, attack the boys.

"No. . . ." I gasped.

Sylvanus wrapped his other arm around my torso.

"Oh, yes," he whispered, "but don't worry. You're going to die before you have to see it . . . after you watch him die." My vision blurred.

Jaden's head shook. "Eve, don't listen to him. You're strong, you can fight him."

I looked up, breath catching. Sylvanus clicked his tongue.

"Look, he's trying to be brave for you. . . . How touching . . ."

Jaden's eyes shifted to him. It looked like he was having hard time breathing, from nothing else I could guess at but anger.

"If she wasn't here . . . ," he managed, voice shaking, ". . . you would be very sorry for every word you've said."

My tears sobered at the intensity in his tone, in his eyes.

"Every . . . single . . . word."

I felt Sylvanus' pulse speed behind me. There was a slight pause, then he bent his arm tighter, pulling my neck up.

"Well, he is quite menacing isn't he . . . hard for a poor lonely Meoden like myself to keep my bearings. . . ." He laughed. "But just watch how brave he acts when you start talking about his mommy and daddy."

My eyes widened immediately, searching, alert.

Jaden's features fell, but he held his mouth in a tight line.

Sylvanus moved his hand up to feel my heartbeat.

"Oh, so he's told you . . ." he cocked his head ". . . That's unexpected."

My chest was raising heavier, anger replacing fear with each word.

"Well, that ruins some of the fun, but really you've only heard one side of the story." Jaden's eyes kept hard. "You see I wasn't there myself, unfortunately, but I've gotten quite a few firsthand accounts. One of my subordinates remembers Jaden's family specifically. The other ones too," he added, nodding down to the lifeless body.

My stomach burned with rage. I tightened my hand into a fist as he continued.

"So much happened after they took the young boys out, and it doesn't matter much to the less refined soldiers if the person's dead like his mother was . . ."

His words continued, but I didn't hear them. I wasn't going to let this happen. The thinly veiled anguish on Jaden's face was maddening. I was scared, weak, and infinitely incapable of fighting anything on my own, but I was as sick of all three facts as I was of accepting on them.

I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated everything in me on my hand. It was only a second before I could feel the intense burning. Jaden's eyes caught it first. I gripped it then brought my hand up to Sylvanus' arm.

The purple flame seared into his flesh. He screeched and released his lock on my neck. "Why you-"

I didn't waste a second. I dropped down to my knees. Picked up the dark silver dagger that he'd torn from my hand. Lit it, somehow, with a violet glow. Then stabbed in into his chest.

He gasped, clutching it, then looked at me wide-eyed. "You can't use . . ."

I wanted to tear him to pieces my pulse was beating so furiously, but the knife was well-placed, and silver blood was flowing heavily from it.

He staggered back, eyeing down again, then letting out a horrifying screech. I had to put my hands up to my ears, the nearby birds scattered out of the trees into the sky. Then he fell back solidly.

I didn't wait to see if he was gone. My body gave out, lungs emptying of all oxygen.

Jaden caught me. I think I fell into his lap. I blinked for what felt like a second, but when I looked up Jaden had shifted. His head was turned towards Sylvanus' body.

I tried to move and his gaze turned to me, face contorted.

"Ikovos!" I sucked in suddenly.

"Hold it." He put a hand on my stomach. "He's okay, he's just unconscious."

I sighed. My body felt numb. "Is Sylvanus . . . ?"

"Dead," he finished. I lifted my head enough that I could see him and he looked at me with a pained expression.

I coughed from the way my throat closed."I'm sorry for what he said about your-"

The furrowed, flawless boy shook his head. "Stop it."

There wasn't a shred guarded or indifferent demeanor left visible on him. It made me smile despite the circumstance.

A breath escaped him and he wiped my cheek. Sylvanus' blood must have still been on it.

"That was a pretty impressive move you pulled, by the way," he said.

I gulped, feeling starting to return to my body. My head was leaned back again. "That was the first time I've ever killed anything . . . except bugs . . ." He laughed and I lifted my eyes to check him. "Well, it's true."

He shook his head, brows slanting. "I really do love you."

My stomach did a rushy thing. I had to reprimand myself immediately.

"Don't start with that when Ikovos is still unconscious," I voiced incredulously.

He looked over at the boy, then back. "You're not gonna let me when he wakes up."

There went the squirming stomach again. My head shook, more at myself than him, and I pushed up till I was sitting.

The cool air refreshed my body. Not that I had even gotten that hurt in the fight. I turned my head to Jaden and he released my body, giving me such a full smirk that I almost fell back over.

He stood up fully then and walked over to Ikovos, obviously caving to my anxiety.

"I already made sure he was okay," he noted. "He just hit his head.

I jumped up too, eyeing Sylvanus once then heading over. Jaden had moved Ikovos onto his back.

"Isn't there a way to wake him up?" I asked, dropping down.

Jaden stayed straight, staring down in consideration. So caviler. I had a feeling Ikovos would be the same way with him though . . . as long as the wound wasn't fatal.

"We could try dumping water on him," Jaden suggested.

I gave him an incredulous look, then focused down on Ikovos as he walked over towards Sylvanus.

Ikovos looked pretty much okay from the outside, and his chest was rising comfortingly. I tucked my hair and put hand on his head, feeling around. Sure enough there was a substantial bump above his ear. I traced it gently, then sighed, moving the loose blond strands out of his face.

Jaden dropped beside me then, holding the dagger out by the tip. "This came in handy."

I took it, looking at him, remembering when he got it for me. He smiled, but then my features widened.

"Tanis!" I squeaked, jumping up.

Jaden sighed. "Isn't he the one that led you to Sylvanus in the first place?"

I eyed him, then looked around. The pack was still on the ground by the podium and I had a feeling Tanis would go for shelter. I started over.

Jaden stood up. "Could you please not wander off again?"

The wind was still blowing, making his voice harder to hear as I rushed off. I bent down to the pack, holding my breath and opening it up.

Nothing.

I dug through it further till it was empty, then frowned looking back at Jaden. He was watching me.

"He's not here," I shouted. "Will you help me look for him?"

Lightning struck in the clouds beside us. Jaden nodded begrudgingly. "Yeah, but we need to get off of this summit soon. Grab your stuff, I'll start looking."

I nodded, then stuffed the items back into my pack anxiously. I couldn't see very well, as the wind was swirling hair into my face, blocking my vision. When I'd loaded everything and was about to stand up, I heard a soft humming. I looked over to the ground beside me and saw the silver book which I must have dropped when Tanis had run off. It was glowing brighter than it had, following the strobes of the hum. I reached for it. As soon as my fingers touched a chirp sounded ahead of me. My eyes shot up.

There was Tanis, resting atop the podium. I sighed with relief, grabbed the book, then rushed up quickly to him. He perked immediately, jumping onto my hand as soon as I got close enough.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Tanis," I got out happily.

He squeaked, then I set him on my shoulder.

Just when I was about to turn around and tell Jaden I'd found him the book hummed once again in my hand. I looked at it, the hue had gotten somewhat golden, then my eyes slid to the podium. It was inches away. I moved closer then my hand froze.

"I should wait for the boys," I whispered.

Something compelled me. With a single movement I placed it on the smooth pedestal.

At first nothing happened, but then Tanis started chirping on my shoulder and a heavy breeze blew past me, seemingly from the book. Then light filled within it, leaking from its edges and bursting out in all directions.

I took a step back, awestruck by the color, something like I'd never seen before. It grew brighter and brighter until I was forced to close my eyes. Tanis kept chirping loudly and the wind was swirling around me.

Then, suddenly . . . it stopped. It all just stopped. Even the sounds I knew should be there from the storm around us were gone. Replacing it was only the soft humming, and a beautiful soothing noise, almost like music . . .

I steadied myself then opened my eyes, surprised to see that everything was quite normal. The book was on the pedestal, but it wasn't glowing. The clouds about were swirled dark and silver.

Only the sound was wrong.

I spun around to look for Jaden. He was over there, by Ikovos, but it didn't take long to realize that he wasn't moving.

My eyes widened, then I felt something warm and light behind me. I took a breath and spun around, mouth dropping at what I saw. A figure, standing where the pedestal had been, tall and magnificent, but terrifying enough to send a shiver though my body.

It was a man, bright, radiating white and gold, stone-like pale skin, soft hair that fell down straight past his torso, and eyes so calm . . . A comforted feeling burst inside of me that I couldn't contain. His gaze was on me, contemplative.

"You're, you're a Galen . . ." was all I got out.

He made no reaction, but his eyes held firmly. That is until Tanis squeaked proudly atop my shoulder. Then they moved over.

The little fur-ball's defiant squeaking fell to more of a weak croak. Then he scuttled back behind my hair.

A rush of air blew softly as the creature sighed. "I won't ask you how you brought him with you . . ." The words were, once again, like music. Or soft bells rather, joining together in a string to form a haunting melody. I was overwhelmed by it, but also assured.

"What happened to the other two?" I asked. "The boys back there." My arm wisped back.

His gaze turned past, then slowly to me. "Their world is stilled for now . . ." his features softened ". . . Though it will not last long. What is it that you came for?"

My brows lifted. I had thought about this moment, but it seemed all too surreal now with the glorious creature standing in front of me . . . Still, I felt a focus.

"I came to ask for help for the . . ."

Suddenly I remembered Sylvanus' words about the army, the thousands. I'd forgotten after I'd killed him and Jaden had obviously made no effort to remind me. My face contorted, eyes closing. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Say what you must. Do not let fear cloud your purpose."

I opened my eyes. This felt so different, like I was spread out, as if he already knew everything about me and I was compelled to respond out of that fact. I firmed.

"I'm trying not to be . . . The Meoden-" I made sure he recognized the word. It was clear he did "-the Meoden are getting stronger, too strong. There's an army of them, and I read in the book that you help, that the Gaeln help, the humans."

He sighed and it drew me to deeper honesty.

"I'm trying not to be scared . . . But everyone I love is in danger."

I stood gazing at him, and he back at me. I'd shared my heart at its simplest and I had no idea why.

Suddenly, breathtakingly, a warm smile crossed his lips. "This is well for you indeed . . . for there is no certainly no better thing to cast out fear than perfect love." His face straightened. "Your plea has indeed been heard, and we know you speak the truth for we are not oblivious to the happenings of your world." I smiled with excitement, then his mouth drew. "Still, as is only right and true there must be a sacrifice made in exchange."

My skin quivered suddenly, but I wasn't afraid.

"Death?" I whispered.