When the time came, Thaddeus teleported alongside his father and a couple other men. The elf held out his arm so they could all grab hold and Thaddeus' stomach fell as the ground disappeared. It was a dizzying sensation. Streaks of color blurred in his vision and he felt as if he were on a rollercoaster, hanging on to the other elf's arm tightly. In less than a few seconds, it was over.

He looked around, trying to gain his bearings with his stomach still rolling. It was daytime in Ireland, so he took in the majestic scenery that would become such a beautiful spot for the horrors of war. The battle would be cloaked with magic, and they would not be visible to the human eye.

As far as he could see, the hills and valleys swept across the land in shades of green. The sky was a clear, brilliant blue and the clouds were picture-perfect pillows that seemed to hang lower in the sky than they did back home. In the distance, he saw the smoke from several farmhouses and the tell-tale specks of white on the ground that could only be grazing sheep.

He watched as his father began to go around, barking out orders. He had to be a constant presence for the soldiers. Thaddeus noticed he'd occasionally offer a.s.sistance with erecting tents or building fires. The men were already in awe of him, and his compa.s.sion only escalated him even more in their eyes.

They could have used magic to set up the tents and get everything in order, but his father knew it was better for them to set up their own camp. It gave them something to keep their minds busy.

Thaddeus walked up to his father and stood beside him, and they took in the scene before them. Men were scattered all over each doing something to bring the camp to reality. Tents were going up, weapons were being sharpened, fires being set, and equipment was pa.s.sed around. Some of the units were singing as they worked. From an outsider, it would look like complete chaos. That couldn't be further from the truth. These elves were organized and efficient soldiers.

"What do you think son?"

"I think it's an impressive sight." Thaddeus paused, and then said, "I'm slightly nervous to tell you the truth."

"I'd worry about you if you weren't."

"How long do you think it will take to prepare the camp?"

Richard smiled at his son as he scanned the fields of men. "We'll be done in two days."

"Have you sent out a scout party?" Thaddeus asked.

"Yes. Some dark elves have arrived, just a small reconnaissance team." Patting his son on the shoulder he said, "Thanks to you, we were able to get here first."

Richard watched as his son walked away. He could feel his blood pumping through his veins. One of his secondary gifts was the heightened awareness of his body. It affected all of his senses, and it gave him a significant advantage in battle. His mind processed at an accelerated rate causing his reaction time to be faster. The only person who knew of his gift was his wife who figured out on her own.

Thinking of his wife, he closed his eyes to check on her. She was reading a book to Warrick. He couldn't conceal his smile when he saw the t.i.tle. Not even two years old and his bedtime story was "The Illiad." Emerald glanced up and smiled. She knew he was there. Their bond had grown stronger over the years, and they could tell when the other was observing. They could even talk to each other, but that took a lot of energy, so they rarely did. Just being able to see that the other was okay made their long separations bearable. They also had the ability to block the other if needed which allowed them a sense of privacy.

Richard had been involved in numerous battles in his lifetime, but none of this magnitude. During his time in the Special Forces he was in small man teams. Even with his time spent in the Army of the light, most of his missions were solo.

There were thousands of soldiers at the camp, and more of the gifted arrived daily. Women and children were among them. Some of the children's gifts were too powerful to be left behind. They would not engage in the battle, but there were healers and weather manipulators which would be vital to the war.

Emerald and the rest of his family would arrive tomorrow, the day before the battle. He was eager to see them, but also worried. It was unfortunate enough having to put Thaddeus in danger. The vision of Keegan dying was always in the back of his mind.

Thaddeus and Rourk were together in their tent. It was small, barely big enough for their sleeping bags and belongings. They were lucky enough to have come during the least rainy of the seasons in Ireland, but if they hadn't, the canvas tent would do well keeping them warm and dry, even if it was old.

Thaddeus looked over at Rourk; he looked focused as he used an oil cloth to clean the blade of his sword. This was going to be the first real battle for both.

"Are you nervous?" Thaddeus asked him.

Without looking up, Rourk replied, "No, just excited. I want to make the dark elves pay for trying to keep me from your sister. I know I'm not supposed to be excited, but I can't help it. Are you nervous? You have a lot of pressure on you. Not to mention, you are very young."

When Rourk's gray eyes met his own, Thaddeus felt the urge to be honest with him. "I'm nervous; I really have no idea how I'm supposed to pull this off. I have to keep reminding myself the burden is not on me, but on my gift and yet I have no control over it."

"You are very wise for your age."

Thaddeus shrugged his shoulders. "I've never felt my age."

"What do you think of the rules of war?"

Thaddeus stared at Rourk thoughtfully before he replied. "Well, it sucks we can't use guns. I have to admit I'm glad that fighting stops at nightfall. Of course, I'm happy with the fact that we can use magic. However, that also means they can use magic. What about you, what are your thoughts?"

"I think it's important that we honor our ancestors and keep with tradition."

"I agree with you, that is the most important element in all of this. Okay, well I need to get some sleep. Keegan arrives tomorrow."

"Yes, I know. Goodnight."

The flight was long and uncomfortable. Eleven hours in such a small s.p.a.ce had left Keegan feeling deeply unsettled, particularly knowing where the plane was taking her. She was glad when they finally stepped off the plane and into the bustle of the Shannon airport.

She had always wanted to visit Ireland but thought it would be under better circ.u.mstances. As it was, she barely had time to notice anything as Emerald pushed the family on to the rental car place, her face tight and distressed. Brigid and Katrina were unusually quiet.

The drive to the battlefield couldn't have taken an hour, but to Keegan it felt like forever. She wanted equally to get there for a glimpse of Rourk, but she also knew once they arrived, it would be real.

Emerald steered the car far away from civilization and deep into the countryside of Ireland. Keegan kept her forehead pressed to the cold gla.s.s, watching the small towns and farmsteads pa.s.s outside. The sun was high in the sky, illuminating mothers pushing their babies in strollers down cobble-stoned streets and laughing people enjoying a late lunch at outdoor pubs. As they moved further in the country, Keegan was struck by the sight of an abandoned castle only a few feet from the road, and an old, crumbling church sitting on a farm where a young girl in big boots followed behind her father in the sheep pen. Life was moving forward around her, while hers was coming to a standstill.

They were all struck speechless by the scene waiting for them at the camp.

The tents seemed to go on forever. Thousands of soldiers were walking around in full gear, laughing and joking. Some were gathered around campfires involved in deep conversation, while others wiled away time by kicking a dirty soccer ball around. The air was electrified and filled with the sound of voices and clanking metal. Emerald closed her eyes and let her husband know they had arrived.

Keegan watched as her father made his way through the crowd and stopped to talk to some of the soldiers. She smiled as he picked up a gifted child and tossed him in the air causing the child to break out into a giggling fit. Elves made way for him to pa.s.s. Eventually, he reached them.

"You guys are a sight for sore eyes. Follow me and I'll show you to your tents."

Keegan glanced frantically around hoping to catch a glimpse of Rourk. She knew it was hopeless, there were too many people. The battle would commence at sunrise. Her heart ached knowing they were so close but it still seemed they were worlds apart.

After they had settled in to their own tents, Keegan decided to take a walk around the camp; she wasn't ashamed to admit to herself she was hoping to find Rourk. She was surprised to see all the different types of creatures. A tiger followed closely by a lion and a panther almost knocked her down as they ran around her.

The tiger walked up and rubbed his head on her leg. She looked down and was startled to see human eyes peering back at her, and she couldn't shake the feeling she had seen them before. The three big cats ran off, playfully swatting at each other and rolling around. They seemed to be circling her. The lion nudged her leg, and she looked down again and saw human eyes. She looked over at the panther and thought this can't be possible. Looking at the tiger's green eyes, she said, "Donald? Is that you?"

Right before her eyes, he morphed into his human form. She had been around magic her whole life, so she wasn't surprised by the transformation, but she had never expected it from him. "How is this possible? What are you guys? I know you're not elves. Have you known all along that I was one?"

Donald shrugged sheepishly. "I overheard your thoughts the other day about the battle. So I called a few friends who pa.s.sed on the word. Creatures of the light from all walks of life will be showing up."

She threw her arms around him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." His face turned bright red.

When she glanced back, Sam and Spencer were standing there. "So, what are you guys?"

Spencer said, "Nothing as fancy as an elf. We are your everyday, run-of-the-mill shape shifters. You would actually be surprised if you knew how many of the students are creatures of the light. Not to mention the princ.i.p.al."

Keegan was indeed shocked. "What about Calvron?"

"Wizard," Donald said. She was having a hard time adjusting to this information. All this time she thought she was the only non-human at school.

"Lauren?"

"Fairy."

No, this could not be true. "Anna?"

"She's an unusual case. Her mom is a spirit walker, and her father's human. So we're really not sure about her."

This was all so fascinating to Keegan; everything she had thought she'd known about her world was wrong. She was also a little miffed that they had kept their secrets from her. Like she was one to talk, thougha"she'd kept her own secrets. "What about Katie?"

"Human."

Keegan sighed. At least something was the way she imagined it to be.

CHAPTER 18.

The next morning Keegan awoke to blood-curdling screams and the sound of swords clashing. The battle had begun. Looking around, she realized everyone was out of the tent except her. How could they let her sleep in today of all days?

Keegan walked out of the tent and stared in awe at the chaos surrounding her. She was too far from the battle to see the actual fighting, but she could hear it. The noises and smells overwhelmed her senses. The clanging of steel against steel, the screams, and an overall eerie feeling filled her body. The coppery smell of blood filled the air.

Just outside the tent, her mother was healing a wounded soldier. The soldier was so young; she immediately thought of Rourk. She couldn't allow herself to think that way. He would be fine. He had to be.

"Katrina, what can I do?" Keegan asked as Katrina hurried up to Emerald, a dark bottle in her hands.

Falling to her knees next to her sister, Katrina opened the bottle to pour into the man's wounds. "Grab some towels and bring them over here. After that, help tend to the wounded. I know you can't heal them, but you can do basic first aid while they are waiting for a healing."

Keegan rushed off to help. The reality of war was starting to hit her.

Richard was in his element. His fingers tingled as he touched his weapon of choice. This time it was the Kusarigama, a sickle and chain combo that originated in j.a.pan as early as the twelfth century. A thick fog blanketed the green rolling hills, reducing visibility to only two or three feet. It had gotten to the point where Richard was unsure if one of his weather manipulators had caused the fog, or the dark elves.

Many of the dark elves had chosen larger, heavier bladed weapons. Those weapons needed to be swung with considerable force to be effective. In the fog, they risked hitting their own kind as much as. .h.i.tting the enemy. The kusarigama felt like it was alive. The way it blocked, entangled and then killed each opponent brought into its path was like a dance, with Richard moving naturally along, exerting just enough energy to avoid tiring too soon. He killed many dark elves that day.

Thaddeus was grateful for the fog of war. One of the gifted had covered the battlefield in fog so that one could see the person they were directly engaged with. He could concentrate better this way. The one-on-one was better for him. When he could see all the fighting around him, it was distracting to see flashes of their deaths. His visions helped when he was facing off with only one enemy. A flash of his opponent's head flying caused Thaddeus to raise his sword and swiftly send his head flying, and then it was on to the next. He felt slightly exhilarated.

Rourk felt nothing. All that was running through his head was to kill as many of the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds as he could. He had never felt so relaxed in his life. It was almost as if his body was floating, although he knew he was firmly planted on the ground. He wished the fog would lift so he could take on more than one at a time.

The battle raged on all day. Eventually the fog lifted; it didn't last too long. Scores were killed on both sides. The noise was deafening. Emerald was consumed with healing along with all the other healers. They saved countless lives, but there were also those that were beyond help. It was hard for her to see the young soldiers she was unable to save. The older soldiers she knew died doing what they loved. They would be remembered as heroes; it's what all great warriors hoped for. To die during the great battle brought even more honor.

Night descended upon them and relief was felt throughout the camp. Everyone was exhausted and in need of a hot meal and sleep. Keegan helped served food to the soldiers. The men looked a mixture of exhilarated and exhausted. Energy was definitely coursing through the camp. In every face she looked into, she longed to see Rourk's grey eyes, but it was not to be.

Keegan ran into the three cats. Once she approached them, they morphed into their human forms. They were talking excitedly between themselves about the battle and how it was cool.

"Hey Keegan," Sam said.

"You guys look like you enjoyed yourself," she told them quietly, still in shock herself.

"Keegan, it is amazing out there. I feel like a different person. I'm so focused, and my senses are hyper aware. I can't really explain it, but it's amazing." Sam looked down at the ground when he finally stopped talking.

"Well, glad you guys are enjoying yourself. Be careful out there tomorrow. I have to finish pa.s.sing out food. I'll let you guys get back to your war stories."

They said goodnight and continued on with their excited chatter.

Looking up and seeing the huge orange moon, Keegan realized it was her birthday. Usually she made a big ordeal of it, reminding everyone not to forget to get her a gift. This year she thought she would give up all her birthdays if they prevailed in the battle.

After helping clean up, she headed to her tent ready to fall into a deep sleep. Bending down to crawl in the tent, she was greeted with an exuberant "happy birthday" and a homemade cake.

Her mother came over and gave her a hug. "Your Jeep is waiting in the driveway." Keegan smiled, but knew she'd give up everything she owned for this madness to end.

After having a slice of cake she climbed into her sleeping bag. She felt something scratch her, so she reached down and pulled out a piece of paper.

It was a note: Keegan, I am sorry I could not spend your special day with you. I will make it up to you. Forever Yours, Rourk. Pressing the letter to her chest she felt a tear drop down her face as she drifted off to sleep.

Later, Keegan woke to the same dreadful sounds. She grabbed her sword and headed out. They all carried weapons, even the elderly and children. The sun was already high in the sky, though it was colder. This day was the same as the last, and again she didn't see Rourk.

CHAPTER 19.

Four days came and went. The loss of life was staggering. Keegan saw one of her father's best friends being carried off the battleground and it shook her to the core. She was sick of sitting back and waiting, watching as men kept dying, so she decided to get a closer look.

Keegan drew her sword as she approached. She wasn't planning on getting close enough to need it, but better to be safe than sorry. She was horrified by the destruction taking place before her eyes. Body parts were flying following the sharp sound of blades singing through the air. Screams of rage could be heard, as well as screams of agony. She was surprised to see the three large cats. They looked majestic out therea"she saw Spencer pounce and swipe his claws across someone's neck, severing his artery. Sam's jaw was clamped on an elf's neck, and he thrashed the dark elf like it was a rag doll. Donald looked ma.s.sive tearing through the soldiers. He took three out in the blink of an eye. They looked so fierce; she would definitely be looking at them in a new light from this point on. She couldn't tear her eyes away from them.

A loud roar echoed and Donald fell to the ground. She didn't think, she just ran, slashing her way through the crowd. She had to kill a couple men before she made it to Donald, but her need to reach her friend outweighed anything else.

His chest still rose up and down, but blood poured out of the deep wound in his chest. She didn't think he was going to make it. Sam and Spencer were moaning, although they fought on.

Keegan was so relieved when her mother pushed her aside. "Cover me, Keegan, and I can save him." Her mom knelt down and placed her hands above the tiger's chest. "The wound would have been fatal, but we reached him in time, Keegan."

Keegan filled with relief. When Emerald was done with the healing, the tiger lifted his head and licked her face, which caused her to laugh and she patted the gigantic cat. The tiger got to his feet and looked over at Keegan, then took off back into battle.

Keegan sensed an arrow soar through the air toward her, and in an attempt to evade it, she disappeared. She jerked back, her eyes searching the sky in the split second she had before it hit. Time seemed to slow. She could feel the pounding of the battle in the ground beneath her feet and the cool air brushing across her skin. The battle silenced around her as the sharp sting of the arrow shattered her awareness. Starbursts exploded in her eyes, an array of colors that faded to black.

Emerald looked over to where her daughter had stood, relieved, but just as she was about to move forward, she heard the body drop. When she looked back at her daughter, Keegan was on the ground, an arrow through her heart.