Chapter 2

A Really Long Time

Extreme danger?

I shrink down onto the branch of the oak tree and pull my wings tight against my sides. I rest my chin on my forepaws. I don't know what danger Brook's talking about, but I don't like the sound of it.

"What extreme danger have we put you in?" Grey asks. "I sincerely apologize. Is there a way we can assist you?"

"You coming here made it so the King can now find us. I assure you that there has never been anyone named Arcane here."

Brook's voice is so cold, and I don't like it.

"Why are you seeking out a Midnight Wolf?"

Alex takes a small step forward. "We're trying to learn about the powers Grey and I have. Neither of us know about the Wolf and the Dove and what we're supposed to do."

Brook is quiet for a while. I creep out a little further onto the branch, but when it starts to sway, I shrink back and dig my dew claws into the bark to steady myself. My wings stretch out to the sides for balance.

I watch as Brook's tail blows in a breeze and the pink ribbons in her hair rustle.

"What even is your name, anyway?" Phoenix asks.

"I'm Brook."

Grey looks all around the Field. His eyes are squinted, but he doesn't seem confused. He studies it and looks between me and Brook. I meet his silver gaze and watch him.

"Did you create this portal, Brook?" he asks.

He didn't know that. Does he not know who Brook is?

I climb down to a lower branch to get a better look at the group. They're the first other beings I've seen beyond Brook and my parents, but I don't remember them. I hope Brook doesn't make them leave.

"Did I what?" Brook echoes.

"The portal." Grey waves a hand around him at the Field. "Did you make it? I don't think the King did, and I don't believe your... companion could either. She seems too young, but I'll admit I don't know much about magic."

I'm old enough to know magic. I frown at Grey but don't say anything.

"I did, which is why I know you have put myself and my stepdaughter in danger. I'm sure the King has already sent his army my way. Now, if you'd please leave, I need to find a way to fix this."

"How does it work?" Ky asks. "Perhaps I can help."

"Astra, please come down here," Brook calls, loud enough that I can clearly hear her but not so loud that it's alarming.

"O-ok..." I reply slowly.

I tense my muscles and shift on my paws as I pick out a spot on the grass I want to land on. When I'm ready, I let the edges of the world blur as I hop off the branch and let myself break the speed of sound. The shock of landing rockets up my forelegs, but I ignore it. I haven't broken bones yet.

Phoenix snorts. "So she's fast, huh?" he asks Brook, interrupting before Ky can continue.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Brook challenges.

I scamper over to her side and weave between her legs. I wrap my tail around one of her forelegs, careful to not poke her with the plates sticking out from the end of my tail.

"What help can you offer?" I look up at Brook as she speaks. She narrows her eyes, ears drawing back.

"I'm an illusionist," Ky says. "Was this portal one of the rainbow ones? The one-way portal where you cannot leave?"

"Well, I can leave now," Brook replies icily. "We both can. That was never supposed to happen."

"You were just gonna stay locked up forever? What type of life is that? Astra's a kid." Phoenix wrinkles his muzzle.

I mimic the action, seeing how it feels when my face scrunches up. He's a cat, like me, but he and Ky are both much bigger than I am, and Phoenix looks like he's glowing with all the fire on him. Ky's long, fluffy fur makes me wonder how he doesn't overheat.

I curl around Brook's forelegs and watch the new group. Grey and Alex are tall, but not as tall as Brook. They only reach her shoulders.

Brook exhales, and the sound shakes in her throat. "If staying locked up forever is what it takes."

"Were you ever planning on leaving?" Alex asks.

Brook studies her, as well as the rest of the group. I don't know what she's looking for, but I know she finds it when she answers.

"Yes. When the King is dead and his reign is over, Astra and I would have left."

Phoenix flashes his teeth and grins widely. "Lucky for you I'm gonna kill the cream puff."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Ky only narrows his gaze. "How would you know when the cream puff is gone? Are you able to keep track of what is happening beyond your portal?"

Brook shakes her head. "No, but I know who would have come and found us when the King died, had you all not come in here and given the King a way to get to myself and Astra."

"I do apologize for that," Grey says softly.

"I'm sure you're sorry, but you still gave the King a way to get to us, and that I cannot forgive."

"I know, we're sorry," Ky says. "But how do you plan on repairing the portal?"

"I cannot. I can only cast that spell once. Some spells have a cost to them, and the one-way portal was the one I have."

Ky smiles distantly for a split second. The corner of his mouth pulls up briefly, and Phoenix scowls at him and shakes his head.

I slink out from beneath Brook to look up at her. "Do I have a really powerful spell too?"

Brook squints as she smiles, lowering her head so she's eye level with me. "I'm not sure, Astra. We're still learning about your powers, and I'm sure there's lots we have yet to discover."

"So is this conversation going to go anywhere? We're all just interrogating the other without actually saying we're doing so. Can we just call it as it is?" Phoenix grumbles.

"Well, since you asked so politely," Brook replies, returning her attention to the group, "why are you here? I designed the portal so it would never be found."

Phoenix rolls his eyes. "I found it by accident. We were on our way to try to find Arcane, and I found a tree that looked funny and fell into the portal."

"There's a tree there now?" I ask before I can think over the words. "Brook said it was a field like this one."

Alex hesitates, and she looks between me and Brook. "Yeah, there's a tree. Did you not know that?"

"It was a field the last time I saw it."

"When was the last time you were on Ragdon?" Grey asks slowly.

"Why do you want the King dead?" Brook asks in return.

"We're the Wolf and the Dove," Alex starts. "But mainly because he's beyond corrupt. I teach kids to fight in the Sea and the best ones get shipped off to become Guard and Soldiers as soon as they're old enough. It's sick. Grey's a teacher and the King decides what gets taught, not him. It's not a life for the kids. They're getting screwed over. I mean, no one should have to live with their head down and shoulders drawn in so they're less of a target. Everyone should get to just live their lives and have the basic stuff everyone needs to survive and not have to wonder whether or not they'll have it."

Brook turns to Phoenix, and he holds her gaze. I step back beneath the safety of Brook's body at the intensity of Phoenix's eyes. They burn bright orange and red, like the storm of fire Brook told me the King's Dragon could create.

"No one should get to decide who lives and dies," Phoenix states. "The cream puff has gotten away with doing so for too long. He dies, and I'm the one making him beg for mercy that he won't get."

Brook is quiet for a few moments.

"I created this portal ninety years ago and neither of us have left since."

Grey's eyebrows shoot up beneath his shaggy hair, and I snicker.

Did they not know?

"We came here almost a hundred years ago. Isn't that a really long time?" I say.

"Please forgive me if this comes across as rude," Alex says, "but neither of you look like you're ninety years old."

Brook snorts. "The portal I created latched onto our life forces. It slowed our aging, because once we die, the portal does as well. We each help each other, even if the portal is not a sentient being and just exists. The portal keeps us safe for longer, or rather kept us safe, and we kept the portal going. You would say I'm around thirty five, and Astra around ten."

Brook suddenly straightens, and I jump, breaking the sound barrier and leaping to the other side of the Field. I flatten my ears back, and then race back to Brook and scurry between her legs.

"Stay close, Astra," she calmly orders.

I curl up on the ground and press my cheek into the long fur on one of her forelegs.

"Shit," Ky mumbles.

"Guard and Soldiers, eh?" Phoenix chuckles. "I bet we can take them."

"Don't be so arrogant," Brook warns. "I'm sure the King has sent a lot. It's been ninety years and he hasn't found us yet."

"We can take 'em. Ky and I have spent a decade hunting them down. And it's confidence. Arrogance gets you killed."

Brook shakes her head. "No, I don't think you realize what the King will do. Come, Astra; we need to move further from the edges."

I follow her up the hill of the Field to the oak tree. Phoenix and the others follow us, and we gather at the base of the oak tree.

I watch the shifting rainbow patterns of the barrier. They're pretty.

"What will the King do?" Grey asks.

"He will send as many Guard and Soldiers as he can. I took Astra from him and kept her out of his reach. He lost his control over her."

"The King will not touch Astra," Phoenix growls.

Brook pins her ears and glares at Phoenix. "He will not. I do not appreciate you insinuating otherwise."

"I'm agreeing with you, thank you very much. No one is touching Astra."

Shadows start to appear behind the kaleidoscope of colors, and I shudder. The dark figures loom and contort as they move. They look like the monsters Brook told me stories of.

"I'm scared, Brook," I press into her foreleg.

"I know, Astra. I'm right here, and I am going to do whatever I need to so I can keep you safe. Stay close to me, ok?"

More and more shadows appear, and they spread along the barrier. I curl up to make myself smaller. I can see the fuzzy outline of what I recognize as swords and arrows, and they all look so sharp, even when blurred by the shifting rainbows of the barrier

"What the fuck..." Phoenix scoffs. He lifts his lips to show his teeth.

I've never heard a word like that before.

"What does 'fuck' mean?" I ask.

Alex covers her mouth with a hand as she laughs, and I tilt my head to the side.

Phoenix glances at me. "You don't know what 'fuck' means?"

I shake my head.

"Don't glare at me, Brook," Phoenix says. "She's gonna learn about swearing sooner or later."

"Do not tell me how to parent when you are barely an adult yourself. I'm aware Astra will learn about swearing, and I will not stop her. I just want her to understand what the words mean and the weight of that words can carry and the harm they can cause. I want her to understand how to be respectful with words."

"You've never cussed someone out before? It's mighty fun."

Phoenix looks away from Brook.

Brook leans down and nudges at me. I turn my attention to her.

"What does 'fuck' mean?" I ask her.

Brook smiles. "It's one of the swearing words Phoenix just mentioned. I will tell you about it, but it's going to require some time. There are Guard and Soldiers here —they're the army of the King and his Dragon that I've told you stories about— and we need to focus on them right now, but I will tell you about swearing words once this is over and we have plenty of time to discuss so I can answer all of your questions, ok?"

I nod. "Ok."

"Are they really trying to hide like that?" Grey asks, bumping his shoulder against his sister's.

She clucks her tongue. "Yup, I believe so." Alex chuckles.

"What the hell?" Phoenix snorts, then raises his voice until he's shouting. "You know we can all see you, right? You're doing a awfully shitty job hiding behind the kaleidoscope barrier. Yes, I can see you. Rainbow does not hide metal or leather. No, moving back will not help you hide better. Just come out from there, would ya? It's almost painful to watch."

A growl rumbles in Phoenix's chest when there's a flurry of movement from behind the rainbow barrier. He smiles, but it's not friendly. He looks scary, like a monster. He looks like he's hunting, but there aren't any mice out in front of him— they're all hiding. Fire crackles on Phoenix's fur. It's loud and sparking.

I shrink behind Brook's forelegs.

The movement behind the barrier around the Field draws closer, and then it stops.

But all at once, the barrier shatters into a million shards of rainbow.