book #3 DARK KNIGHT ***COMPLETE***

#13 finding friends

Zara sat there watching the siren cook some fish in a make shift pan on a fire. looking around every so often at the cave she called home. Zara was impressed with how much room there was and how well stocked it was. "what's your name?" the woman smiled as she plated the fish for Zara to eat handing her a shell used as a plate and a fork that shimmered with the fires light. it too being made from shell. Zara had never seen anything like it.

taking some for herself the siren took a bite. "no one on land has even talked to me for many years. you don't seem to be afraid of me like most." she looked at Zara with curiosity. she was looking in zaras face for any sign of fear on her features "my name is Alana. I am princess Alana. my father is king titan of the sea. what is your name?"

Zara just smiled. "my name is princess Zara. my parents are king and queen on Earth of lycans and wolves. this has been quite the adventure for my first time in ithica. it has been out of this world and crazy." Zara took a few bites realizing she was shoveling it in. she was hungry and her stomach growled. "I've been told I'm not very lady like when I eat. I'm sorry. I really do have manners. I just love food."

"my father hates the way I eat!" Princess Alana smiled as she shoveled a bite into her mouth. "besides it's just you and I here now. eat and then we will walk through the cavern to your group. they are at the cave dwellers town. I was watching you all yesterday. they will only be safe there for a short time. king Jonathan and his men will come for them. I can help you all get down here for a night's rest then we can come up with a plan." Zara was feeding herself quickly enjoying the food hitting her stomach calming her aching hunger. she was starting to feel her wolf stirring although visibly weakened by the injection and the silver.

"how long can you be away from the water?"

"not long. we never really leave the sea for more than a day but I can go about 24 hours without a source of water." once they were finished eating they both stood up as Zara followed Alana through the cave. it was a short walk before they came upon some stone stairs carved right into the caves side. the stairs led to a roof that seemed to have no way out. "Come this is the entrance." Zara was slightly confused as she climbed the stairs until she reached the top of the cave. pushing up, a portion of the cave moved effortlessly away exposing an exit.

"wow! that's so genius! is it heavy?"

"very heavy, but sirens can lift over three times their weight. we are a lot stronger than most people realize. secrets, we tend to keep to ourselves. come on this leads right into the back of the town." they walked up jumping out of the exit and Zara watched as Alana replaced the Boulder that had been previously moved. it was like moving paper for her. Zara was impressed. motioning with her head Alana wanted Zara to follow her. they made their way into the town lined with little shops and vendors selling goods and foods of all different kinds. Zara couldn't help but be impressed by everything the people had. even in a cave it had everything someone could want or need. they walked a little further stopping in front of a building carved into the cave. the building had a door and they walked through it to what looked like a desk where an elderly woman stood. Alana let out a series of clicks as she communicated with the woman standing there and she pointed down a long hall that Zara hadn't even noticed was there before. "she says they are in rooms down here. two of them. come." Zara obediently followed Alana. soon. they were at a door that Zara could only assume was a motel room. Alana looked at Zara waiting for her to knock.

"oh sorry. I was kind of lost in thought." she knocked on the door and took a deep breath in as she waited unsure of whose room it was. her wrists were still healing and very much in pain. Zara figured it would take a few days for them to heal since the silver dug so deeply into her wrists maybe she would even have scars from it. she heard someone at the door. she knew whoever it was, most likely was peering through the peep hole. it felt like hours but was mere minutes before she heard the door swing open and arms wrapped her up into the biggest hug she had ever had.

"Zara," she could hear Leifs deep voice breath into her neck taking in her scent. "I didn't think I would see you again. I wanted to come after you but they sealed it off." he put her down looking away in shame. guilt was tearing him apart." I couldn't get to you."

"Leif you did what I needed you to do. I needed you to keep princess avaly alive and safe. is she here?" he shook his head.

"her and prince Michael are in the next room. she has been crying ever since we had to leave you. how did you get here?" it was then that his eyes landed on Alana. "is she a siren?"

"yes. now be nice we have a lot to talk about. grab Avaly and Michael. we need to make this as quick as possible because staying here will put us in danger. oh and this is princess Alana."

Leif eyed the siren before him not fully sure if he should trust her. "your majesty," he bowed his head down in respect as he addressed her "my name is Leif, warrior to lycans and wolves in the Earth realm."

"I am princess of king titan of the sea."

"please come in. it is my pleasure to have you here." he nodded towards Zara. "I will grab the others. you both please come in." his hand was in zaras helping her into the room before he exited to gather everyone else. Zara shut the door behind her. they both sat waiting for the others to get there. Zara could hear the pounding of footsteps coming closer. both women froze in place unsure of what was happening. the door swung open as avaly came running to Zara pulling her up into an embrace. behind her was vlad and Leif and Finn. complete relief on their features.

once everyone greeted her and they all hugged, Zara had them sit as she spoke to them. "we need to leave here right away. do we have the provisions that we need? we can stay in princess Alanas dwelling and she will help us escape in the morning after rest. we need to leave now though. Jonathan will be after us and they now know we have avaly here. they will try to surprise attack."

it was Finn who spoke up first. Everyone sitting starring at the warrior nefore them.

"Princess Zara, now that oyu have escaped it is going to be dangerous for you as well. King Jonathan will not give up until he has you. He doesn't do well when he doesn't get his way. We need to be extra dilgent and trust no one."

"I was thinking the same thing. He is relentless and I may or may not have angered him slighlty on purpose through out my time with him." Zara smirked in delight at the thought of him being angered and her playfully disrespectful behavior towards Jonathen. "we have to leave now. I can sense king Jonathan and his men are close!" They didn't even wait. grabbing their things and making their way out of the town following behind princess Alana. they knew it was likely close, but at the same time they were relieved to have Alana helping them escape. this was creating a bridge between the people of the sea and the people of the land. this new found friendships was one of great importance. Alana stopped at the place they had come out of. she reached down pulling the Boulder back as they all climbed down quickly disappearing into her cave. she quickly made her way down resealing the entrance. she turned to Avaly. " can you seal it with your ice? it will add some extra protection."

"won't that seal you in here?" Avaly looked at her before sealing it.

"nope I can break it when I need through." Avaly nodded her head and released her icy breath on the cave ceiling ultimately seeing them in through a thick layer of ice. Alana had already started making her way back toward the main part of her underwater cave. " I have beds for all of you. there is many rooms down here. and there is even a source of fresh water to bathe. come I will show you." it was beautiful in the rooms. Zara was impressed. the rooms were private and each room had a large bed filled with blankets and off to another room was a pool of warm water as a small waterfall filled the pool before it drained out another wall. Zara was excited to get clean and rest

"Leif? can we talk?" Zara made her way with him back to her room so they could speak in private. she needed him to know her being taken wasn't his fault. she could feel the guilt oozing off of him. it wasn't his fault and she was in a way grateful it had happened. if it hadn't happened none of them would be here with Alana in safety for at least one night.