My dream came to a sudden halt as I was lightly shaken back and forth against the bed.

I grumbled as the details of my dream slipped like blood trickling through my fingers. It had been a good dream. At one point I had driven Jimmy's trident through a dragon's eyeball like a pitchfork and then crushed its heart with my hands... but never mind that, I was awake now.

Just from the cold feeling seeping through the sleeve of my sweatshirt against my skin, I could tell it was Scott. To be fair, who else would it be? No one else lived permanently within the Rivendale palace.

It had been several weeks since we'd arrived back in the Elven Empire. Though it had been years, I still recognized every square inch of the palace. Mainly because Scott's just basic and he doesn't like to switch things up every once in a while.

Besides Jimmy's occasional visits, (apparently, he and my brother were boyfriends again and I HAD to find out by walking in on them making out- why does no one tell me things?) no one else was here. Scott still needed to reelect the council because guess what? Fwhip gave him back the authority to his OWN empire again. Who knew he could be so thoughtful? Oh right, he's not. I still don't trust it, but Scott's been saying to just go with it...

"Erin, you need to wake up, we have a long flight to the Grimlands ahead of us." Scott hissed into my ear as he shook me just a little more violently. Right...we were going to Eastvale today.

In honor of the reestablished alliance between the Elven Empire and the Grimlands, Fwhip had invited us to a dinner of sorts in Eastvale. Again, I don't trust it. But apparently all the members of the 'royal family' had to attend and it was rude not to...I hardly counted as one, but Scott also didn't want to leave me alone here, so I had no choice. Great.

I swatted at him, scrunching my face to glare at him with my eyes closed. I heard him stifle a laugh at my expression. I felt him lightly jab the tip of my nose with my finger as my eyes shot open. "C'mon, get out of bed we need to get ready." He said with another small laugh.

"I don't want to go, though—" I began, batting at him to get him to leave me alone. That didn't work.

"Well too bad." He replied, poking me again, forcing me to flare my wings involuntarily. "Get ready quickly, mkay? I brought some of mom's old stuff—"

"Oh, I ain't doing that again." I cut off, giving him a look.

"Then what are you going to wear?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll figure something out." I shrugged, propping myself up onto my elbows. "I always do."

"Well, you better figure that something out before we leave in an hour." He said with a small, exasperated look, before leaving me alone in the room.

I groaned, shifting onto my stomach to bury my face into the pillow. Maybe I'd suffocate if I stayed like this for long enough. I released a small scream of frustration before rolling off the bed onto my feet, stretching. I had gotten a few hours of sleep which was better than normal...I had the strange feeling Scott drugged my hot chocolate so I'd actually sleep last night. But according to him I'm 'paranoid' or something like that.

I glanced around, before going to my closet. It was a mixture of things, some of Scott's old clothes from when he was younger that he had given to me, some nicer articles that had probably been Pandora's...and a few I had gotten in the Lost Empire.

I tugged a black blouse from the hooks, nearly tearing it on the close hanger as I did so. It was better than the lace and frills Pandora's 'ballgowns' were made from. I could have probably fed half of the homeless people in Eastvale with how much they cost. I dug around for the old corset I had. I still don't know why I had it; it was extremely uncomfortable. But at the same time, it was great at hiding weapons so I guess I'd have to sacrifice comfort for safety and reassurance that I could slice someone's ribs out and use the sharp, broken edges to gouge out their organs if they even tried to threaten me.

Fifteen minutes later I wandered into Scott's room, brushing my hair out because apparently, I needed to look presentable. I peered into the bathroom, because the door was open, to see Scott putting a weird chalky black substance on his waterline shaped into a thin stick.

"What're you doing?" I asked. It looked like I had scared him because he jumped, nearly dropping the thing he was drawing on his eyes with into the sink.

"Uhh—" he began, glancing down at the small pouch-like bag filled with different bottles and objects. "Makeup?"

"Why?" I sneered, crossing my arms. I found the stuff to be a waste of time.

"Because I can. So shut the hell up I'm trying to concentrate." He said a bit snappishly, going back to staring at himself in the mirror as he continued to draw on his waterline painstakingly slow. I sighed, leaning against the doorway as I picked at my nails, waiting for him to be done. "You're impatient today." He said after a moment, putting his things away as he raised an eyebrow.

"Because I'm BORED." I groaned, sliding to the floor with my back to the doorframe after having glanced over his eyes now lined in black, making his blue irises seem sharper and brighter.

Scott rolled his eyes, reaching out a hand to help me up. "Well, we're going now so you won't be bored." He said as I grabbed his forearm to hoist myself to my feet.

"What am I even going to do during the dinner?" I asked, letting his hand go quickly, brushing my own off on my blouse.

"Be polite, talk when spoken to, and try to keep those homicidal thoughts of yours to yourself." Scott replied a bit jokingly, tapping my forehead in the center of my marking, smirking slightly. I gave him a look which perfectly translated how I felt about this: insufferably uncomfortable. "The dinner is only a few hours, we'll be back here tomorrow, don't worry."

I swatted at his hand. "Yeah, a FEW HOURS! Can you hear yourself or did you go deaf in that ear Fwhip bombed-?"

"Oh, shut it." He laughed in response, smacking me lightly across the head. "Now let's get going. If we run into any wind gusts, we're going to be late."

And late we were.

My back ached horribly from the flight as me and Scott touched down on the end of the landing pad meant for planes. I straightened up instantly, rolling my shoulders a few times to loosen up my stiff muscles along my back. I was surprised my wing joints weren't bleeding by now from over exertion.

We had in fact had to battle the winds for an extra twenty minutes, and I'm pretty sure all the 'hard work' that had gone into getting my hair to look 'presentable' had been wasted. This is exactly why we need that railroad from Eastvale to Rivendale.

Scott quickly ushered me inside, looking perfect as always despite having spent the last several hours in the air. I'm convinced if it weren't for me, he wouldn't have needed to take breaks along the way. Stupid endurant white stupid wings of his—

We met a servant almost immediately, most likely tasked to bring us to the meeting room. They seemed...wary. Honestly, I should have been used to people looking at me as if I were about to slit their throats...ANYWAYS.

Scott gave them a quick, reassuring and slightly thankful smile as the woman brought us down a few velvet carpeted hallways, lined with crystal chandeliers on the ceiling...last time I was here me and my brother may have started a bit of a war... Hey at least if history does repeat itself, the dinner will be interesting.

Scott fiddled with several of the silver rings he wore on his fingers, and I looked down at my own hands. I gazed over my bruised knuckles and the scars littering them, wondering if they'd ever be as smooth as they used to be. I was snapped out of my thoughts as a door was opened, and our names announced.

"All rise for King Scott and Princess Phoenix of the Elven Empire and Rivendale!" Called someone from inside the room that I couldn't yet see.

I gritted my teeth, my hands clenching now at my sides at my disgustingly formal title. Scott gave me the smallest quirk of the eyebrow, signaling for me to remain silent, before entering the room with a quick gesture to follow.

I blinked as I stepped into what appeared to be the dining hall. A long, dark-stained wooden table was set in the center of the room, looking as if it had the capacity to fit at least four dozen people. All were standing, royals and officials alike. I recognized a few such as the old Count and Countess Benedict and Victoria, a couple from Fwhip's court, and Fwhip himself alongside Gem who was absent of her wizard hat.

Fwhip quickly stepped away from the table. He had ditched the aviator goggles (though he still wore the scarf) for a strange crown I knew I had seen somewhere, made from a slick black material that contrasted greatly with his fiery red hair. Set along the edge were rubies the size of copper coins, but probably worth hundreds maybe even thousands of gold ones. He gave a quick bow, reaching his arm out to shake Scott's hand. "Sorry for the formality, gotta do it for the people." He hissed to us with a small smirk just as Scott took his hand. Scott returned his knowing smile before Fwhip's eyes landed on me, glancing my dark outfit up and down. "Whose funeral are you going to?" He asked jokingly.

My eyes flicked around the room at his question, looking at all the very alive people. "I'm still deciding." I answered, smirking right back at him.

His expression faltered for a moment, before giving Scott a look that I read as 'I hope she's joking'. Then he retreated away from both of us back to his chair. I caught Scott's eyes quickly just as everyone else sat down, and they silently told me 'You better be joking'.

I rolled my eyes in return as I followed my older brother to two empty seats on the right side of Fwhip who sat at the head of the table. I sat down, folding my aching wings tightly to my back to avoid knocking any of the expensive silverware from the table.

"Well, now that we've all arrived, I say it's time to eat!" Fwhip announced, before clapping his hands twice.

At once the sound of dishes clattering filled the room as doors were flung open heading to what I assumed were the kitchens. Waiters upon waiters entered the room, carrying platters of different foods and Grimlands' delicacies, a few that I was accustomed to.

I jumped slightly as a man appeared right beside me, and I pressed my torso against the sharp edge of the chair arm as he placed a plate of food in the center of the table right across from me, his arm just barely brushing the tip of my ear. I wanted to smack them away, tell them to give me space but it seemed like that wouldn't happen, because the waiters kept bustling around to serve the food onto the incredibly excessive golden plates laid out in front of us.

I glanced up when I heard Scott slowly exhale as he stared down into his lap, which I knew meant he was as stressed as I was. He met my eyes after a moment, giving me another small but this time slightly nervous smile. It was very clear that neither of us liked this, at all.

It took a few moments for the waiters to retreat, leaving me with a heaping plate of food. The smell in the room was nauseating to me, different scents wafting around and hovering over the table, overwhelming my senses. I had seen and had simpler versions of a few of these dishes, but these ones were on a whole other level.

I didn't realize we were eating yet until the sound of silverware clanking became almost unbearable, and I forced myself to look up. I swallowed a lump in my throat mingled with the sour taste of bile. I didn't want to eat, I wanted to curl up in a ball underneath the table to avoid the eyes of all the people glancing over me and my untouched plate. Even Scott had started on his food, even if he did so a bit tentatively.

Finally, I managed to pick up my fork and stare down at my food without the threat of vomiting. I can't believe food, food of all things was beating the hell out of me and my stomach like a punching bag. I've survived falling from hundreds of feet in the air, getting my skin scorched and my body pierced by weapons of all kinds, yet I could hardly withstand the substance which my body needed to survive. How pathetic.

I had been lectured by my brother on how it was considered rude not to eat during the dinner, so I forced myself to stab the silver fork probably worth more than I was through a piece of mystery meat I couldn't identify, shoving it into my mouth before I could change my mind.

I don't know what on earth the flavor was that coated my tongue, but it was neither disgusting nor pleasant as I forced myself to swallow it. It felt like a rock going down my throat because I had hardly bothered to chew in the fear that I'd spit it right back out.

I hid my grimace, keeping up the stony expression I wore to avoid drawing the attention of the others in the room. This was going to be a long evening.

Nearing the end of this torturous night, I began to listen in on my brother and Fwhip's conversation.

I had become incredibly good at eavesdropping, both from my time with Xornoth, standing at the doors silently to memorize his plans as he laid them out for Joey and Sausage, and from when I had resided in Eastvale. I had to painstakingly wait by the hatch, listening for the deep breathing of my 'sisters' so I knew they were asleep, before I could sneak from the attic I called my home to snatch the food that had been denied me earlier in the day because I hadn't picked up enough money on the streets.

But here, now, I could just sit still as a statue, and not react to their words so they'd think their conversation was lost among the voices of the others. However, what they said was hardly something worth hiding, nor was it as mysterious or exciting as I had hoped.

"Yes, I have been planning for the railroad with a few of my designers...I believe we can start construction in the next few months as long as we can raise enough funds." Fwhip said, nodding his head slightly as we spoke.

"Working on it. We had to use most of the gold saved up in the treasury for food during our few year cold snap but the money for the project has been raising in recent weeks and we should have enough by the time we need to build comes around." Scott replied with a vague confidence to his tone.

"Perfect." Fwhip answered, seemingly biting the inside of his cheek as he thought. "I know originally we were thinking to go around Mount Stùc, but honestly, I think it will be more cost effective to go through the mountain. It would provide a faster route as well and cut down the travel time by nearly forty minutes. It will of course take longer to construct, but only a few extra weeks of labor due to some of the more recent technology we've come out with here," he explained. "I have a few rough designs as well that may be worth looking through for the tunnels."

Scott raised his eyebrows slightly. "Well, that's certainly something to consider. If you could spare a few of your blueprints for it, I could bring them back to Rivendale to go over them so we can come to a final decision."

"They're all yours." Fwhip said with a small smile.

But at that moment their incredibly boring conversation was interrupted. "So...King Scott," Began Victoria, Fwhip's mother. Scott looked slightly startled at being addressed and looked towards the woman with a raised eyebrow. "Is it just you and your... sister here or should we expect other members of your council to arrive later?" she asked rather politely for Grimland royalty standards.

Scott blinked in what seemed like surprise for a moment. "Well, no. I actually haven't reelected the council members yet, due to them being dismissed a few years ago. They were from King Rohan and Queen Pandora's time, and I wish for a change, so I've been choosing new candidates carefully for the last few weeks. Hopefully we'll make a decision soon."

I wanted to smack my forehead off the table at how boring this all was. All political royal people stuff that I took no part in. I didn't even see why I had to be here, except for the fact Scott was worried leaving me home would result in him coming home to a burnt done palace.

Could this day go by any slower?

The answer was yes. Yes, it could. And it was absolutely miserable.

After almost everyone had finished, our plates of food had been whisked away and dessert was brought out. I hadn't been sure how much more I would've been able to stomach, because everything seemed overwhelmingly and sickly sweet. The scent was absolutely cloying and unbearable. There was nothing basic. Honestly, I don't see why you need to make cake fancy, it was perfect on its own. I mean, how could you mess up cake? Well, these people did. Everything was over the top decorated with gold leaf and sugar detailing that made it hard to believe it was edible.

After I had managed to get through dessert by only taking a few bites of the strange, layered cake-like confection given to me, Fwhip stood up to make...a toast?

I hardly paid attention, only catching a few words about how grateful Fwhip was to realign the Grimlands with the Elven Empire blah, blah, blah...

I was so sick of acting proper (even though I was sure I was doing an abysmal job at it). It was weighing me down as if I were wearing a second skin, one sewn unwillingly onto me, on top of what everyone deemed unfit and strange. I could hardly breathe from the pressure and anxiety threatening to swallow me as if it had wrapped its fingers around my neck and had begun to squeeze. I didn't like it, people I was used to, but people who knew who I was, knew what I had done, and knew what I could do, was unsettling. This- this feeling, I needed to get away from it.

I glanced slightly frantically around the room for a distraction as Fwhip droned on with his speech. 

And a distraction I got.

"...and I'm very happy to announce the even greater project of the railroad that will go through the elven mountain range to Rivendale to better connect our emp—" Fwhip was cut off sharply by an incredibly loud shattering noise, and several crashes as the sound of crossbows loading echoed around the room and up in the rafters.

A scream echoed as a chain somewhere was snapped and the largest chandelier came crashing, the small crystals shattering into millions of pieces. I dove backwards, colliding with Scott on my way as we tumbled to the floor out of range of the bullet-like pieces of gem that could easily be fatal.

I saw a quick blast of purple from the corner of my eye as Gemini created some sort of shield to protect her, Fwhip and the others that she could manage.

I hit the ground on top of my brother, sprawling over the carpeted floor. Despite the cushioning my head smacked down hard on the wood, bright colors flashing in front of my vision, a haze clouding my mind for a moment before instinct kicked in and I scrambled to my feet, wiping blood from my nose, my hand dancing over the edge of my corset where I had concealed my two daggers.

I did say it was good for hiding weapons, didn't I?

In an instant, several people dressed in black dropped from the ceiling, surrounding the dining table and everyone who had been at it. I saw two officials, crushed underneath the table, one's arm still sticking out but still as death.

My wings flared as I narrowed my eyes at the intruders...a few were elves. I quickly shoved away my surprise at this small fact, instead examining a few up and down. All of them wore masks covering their mouths and noses, and tunic-like outfits that were loose but at the same time tight to avoid getting caught on anything. And the emblem they wore... It was a silver circle, inside was the outline of a wolf, a symbol of strength and mystery... I recognized that emblem from...past experiences...

Most had crossbows that they had aimed for us, most aimed at me, Gem, Fwhip and Scott, but others had sickle-like weapons, curved to easily cut off one's head, along with several knives on all of their belts, hidden slightly from view.

I felt a chill from just behind me, and watched from the corner of my eye as frost grew up Scott's forearms, ready to use to defend. At the same time, I felt the violent thrashing of the power flow from my veins up through my skin to raise just above my wrists and arms in strands that writhed up and down from my shoulders to my palms, energetic like snakes and hot as fire.

"In the name of the Count stand down!" Fwhip commanded, sounding respectable for once in his life. Yet the intruders kept their weapons raised.

"What is the meaning of this?" Benedict demanded after the silence.

"For the good of the people." Answered one, a thick Grimlands accent like my own masking his words like a fog.

"The elves and the Grimish will not be aligned tonight." Answered another ominously, this one with a distinct elvish one, his arrow pointed directly at Fwhip's forehead.

"And why is that?" Gem asked, her voice shrill. I managed to get a glance of her. Blood dripped from her forehead, and a purple aura still surrounded her hands and wrists from her spell. Her eyes were fading back to green from the bright white they turned whenever she performed her shows of magic.

"The king is unstable, and the humans corrupt." A second female elf spoke. "Only tonight will we work with the other branches of the guild to stop this catastrophic decision."

"Okay so are you guys going to give us a straight answer or are we supposed to be listening carefully to figure out like— a clue from what you're saying?" I asked with a roll of my eyes, slightly annoyed by the antics of these people. There was at least a dozen.

"Ah yes, and our second rationale, to dispose of the elven princess." Growled a human member, her eyes narrowed at me with pure hatred.

"Aw, I feel so special." I replied sarcastically, placing a hand over my chest dramatically.

"You won't touch her!" Scott snapped, fury in his words.

"And even I don't see why we must." Said another human. "It's more pathetic in person then in the tales."

Silence. Dead silence as I felt a surging wave of anger. "Oh?" I asked, my hands an inch away from trembling with rage. An overwhelming rage which clouded my thoughts. Red, all I saw was red. So I was pathetic and an 'it' now, eh?

"Nooow you've made a mistake—" Fwhip said from behind me, but I hardly heard him as I launched myself at the man.

From my corset I tugged my daggers, pushing myself from the ground as I leapt forward, diving with a rush of energy. The satisfying sound of metal on flesh cut through the room nearly as sharp as my blades as my daggers flew through the air guided by the red power, to cut through his throat, just as I dug my hands into his chest, tearing at his ribs. I felt the satisfying snap of bone beneath my fingers and the warmth of his blood gushing from the wound as he staggered backwards with a strangled scream, cut off by the gurgling of blood spilling from his mouth. With a final slash I tore across his face with my nails, cutting across his cheekbone before he hit the ground, as dead as those who had been crushed by the fallen chandelier. He hadn't even had time to shoot the arrow from his crossbow.

"Who's next?" I asked, my voice laced with a growl as my gaze followed each and every one of the intruders, a red haze following me, arching over my back like a viper poised to strike.

"And this is why we've been told to eliminate this monster. It's too dangerous. It could collapse empires and it nearly has more than once." The one who seemed to be the leader of the group spoke just as all the crossbows now aimed to be pointed at me.

"Lower your weapons, now." Fwhip snapped. "One last time, and maybe we and the court will show you mercy. No one is going to be eliminated, and no one is going to get in the way of our alliance."

"I'm assuming the princess has pulled some strings for this? The righ obviously isn't acting of his own accord. What hold do you have on him?" Another elf said, raising an eyebrow at me.

I scrunched my nose in mild confusion. "Wha—" I began. "What even is a righ?" I questioned, attempting to copy his accent as I spoke.

"The king." He repeated in the language I knew, sounding irritated.

"Okay, I have no idea what you're talking about—" I sneered, my hands tensing as I felt the strands of red power wrap around my fingers like rings connecting to my wrist.

"I am acting of my own accord thank you very much." Scott growled, his eyes flashing an icy blue as the frost intensified and the temperature dropped in the room significantly. "And it will be my own decision to tear your throats out if you so much as lay a finger on her."

"Yeah, what he said—" I added, jerking my head towards my brother, my daggers still floating ominously near my hands, just within reach if I needed extra power to thrust them forward into someone's abdomen.

The elven man's finger danced just above the trigger of the crossbow he had aimed at my forehead. "Well, princess, it is still our duty to ensure the safety of our people. You, as royalty and leader of the army in the three-day war should know this. The power is in the people's hands."

"Pfft— bullshit!" I exclaimed, and I laughed. "I should? Well listen, even if I did know, I don't care, and I never will. So c'mon, shoot me." I dared, smirking, an excitement flowing through me like a river, adrenaline beginning to pump from the center of my chest, bringing life to my limbs as I slid my foot across the floor to strengthen my stance.

The elf's eyes narrowed, his hand tensing, before he pulled the trigger. And I struck. I leapt over the dead human's body, charging forward as the arrow flew. I swept to the side, feeling just as the arrow passed by over my temple, nicking the top of my ear. I heard the quick fwhoop as it stuck into the wall opposite. It gave me the perfect opening.

I dove, my hands clenching around the top of his dark outfit, twisting around his side, hooking my torso around his waist as I flipped my legs up, now hooking my ankles around his neck. And I yanked backwards. The palms of my hands slammed into the ground as a crack much louder than the one of the other man's ribs echoed through the room. From the force of my legs the body launched over me, and I flipped onto my feet, turning on my heel to see the crumpled form of the elf, his neck torn to the point where his esophagus was completely exposed and leaking blood onto the fine wooden floor. I leaned down toward his face, his eyes still open in fear and shock that would forever haunt his expression, a large grin plastered across my own. "And that's why you don't even try sweetheart." I whispered into the ear that would never hear again. "You want to talk about power? That was nothing."

I straightened, raising my eyebrows at the others staring at me, along with the royals and officials, all of their expressions filled with shock and a slight terror.

I looked back towards the intruders. "I'll ask again, anyone else?"

But apparently the others were incompetent, because as they were all distracted by my awesomness, one of the intruders had snuck up behind Fwhip, and had snatched the Grimlands crown from his head. There was a shout, and a scramble, as he jumped from the window. "GET BACK HERE!" Fwhip shouted, running to the windowsill, peering down as I followed to see the guy sliding down one of the many copper pipes running up and down the mansion.

I turned to see the other intruders escaping through various routes, and locked eyes with Scott. He gave me a sharp nod before he sprinted out the door followed closely by me, Fwhip and Gem.

A chase, my favorite.

The adrenaline pumped faster than ever as we darted down the halls of the mansion faster than what was thought to be possible. I felt like I could run forever with the power running through my veins. I grabbed onto the edge of the wall, flinging myself around the corner. Before us four would have slammed into the doors of the mansion, I threw my hand out in front of me, and the red power released from my body in coils and strands that seeped into the cracks of the door faster than lightning. The double doors burst open just as we cleared the end of the hallway, and we sprinted into the cool air of the Grimlands streets.

The crisp breeze that hit my face, tousling my hair, was almost like a slap to the face as it stung my cheeks with a severity that brought tears to my eyes. But my head snapped towards the automobiles the 'gang' had arrived in, and two cars, one slightly van-like, sped in opposite directions...the crown was in one of them.

"We go in two groups!" Scott called over the wind bringing grey storm clouds into the area. I nodded, before spotting a car from the corner of my eye...it was one of the newer models...and it could definitely catch up with the ones I had watched the guild take off in.

"Whoever's coming with me hurry up!" I said, before sprinting towards the car, making my way toward the car's front. My spirits dropped the slightest when I saw Fwhip following, but I rolled my eyes and opened the hood. I quickly followed the plug wires which were slightly different than the models I was used to, but similar enough that I recognized them. Finally, I spotted the red coil wire. I then grabbed a wire from the positive side of the battery to the positive side of the coil battery which the red coil wire was attached to.

"What on earth are you doing-?" Fwhip asked as he breathed over my shoulder.

"Hotwiring this car so we can go after them, now will you back up?" I snapped, narrowing my eyes in concentration.

"You can do that?"

"Well obviously considering I AM RIGHT NOW—" I shouted as I crossed the positive battery cable and a small wire connected to the solenoid, at least I think it was called that, to crank the engine. "Now get in the damn car."

"There's no chance it'll blow up...right?" He asked as he went to the driver's side.

"Nuh, nuh, no I'm driving, go around, break the window and get your ass into the passenger seat." I snapped, ignoring the 'blowing up part' before smashing the hilt of my dagger into the corner of the window to break it. I didn't have time to lockpick the car door as well.

Fwhip gulped as he sprinted around, the sound of glass shattering filling the street again as he stuck his arm through the smashed window to unlock the door. I did the same, slamming the door behind me as I quickly brushed the broken glass onto the car floor to avoid sitting on it.

I peered around the steering wheel, looking for ways to unlock it before pulling my dagger out again, sticking the tip into the top of the steering column. I knew it wouldn't break, so I pushed the lock pin firmly away, and the car started. "HOLD ON TIGHT!" I called over to Fwhip beside me, before slamming my foot into the gas. And we were off.

Fwhip's shout was drowned out by the air whooshing past the broken window as we sped down the street. It had been a while since I had driven a car and it took me a few moments (we almost crashed into a wall in those moments) to figure out the controls before it all came back to me.

I held onto the wheel tight as we sped off in the direction of the cars... despite them having long been out of sight I had an idea of where they were headed.

"Where are we going!?" Fwhip asked frantically, holding tight to the edges of his seat.

"The headquarters. The Assassin's Guild has one here in Eastvale and if my memory is correct, I remember exactly where it is." I replied, narrowing my eyes in determination. "And I know a shortcut."

"Wha— you mean the Assassin's Guild that Sausage-?" Fwhip began.

"That Sausage supposedly disbanded? Yes. But those are the uniforms, weapons and style of the group and I should know." I replied, cutting him off, with a slight growl to my voice as I sharply turned the car to the right, narrowly missing a group of civilians.

"How would you know-?" Fwhip asked suspiciously.

"Because I used to do missions for them stupid!" I snapped, giving him a quick glare. "I was one of the few members in the Grimlands. I made money off of it, enough to leave this hellhole. That's how I ended up in Rivendale who knows how many years ago now."

Fwhip opened his mouth to speak, before shutting up and staring out the windshield. He looked as if he were trying his best not to vomit. But unfortunately, he spoke again. "So, Sausage didn't disband it-?"

"Nah, I think he did. They must have come back together without him..." I muttered to myself as I took another sharp turn. "Hold on, this is gonna be a tight squeeze." I added before jerking the wheel sharply to send us speeding down an alleyway. I was not used to cars this fast...how much had they advanced the vehicles in the few years I had been gone?

I cringed as I heard the scraping of the metal against the brick walls of the alleyways. The farther we drove along the more it seemed that they were closing in on us like the walls of a trash compactor. I shut my eyes tight for a moment, which was an incredibly stupid idea, shaking the thought from my head before I pressed harder on the gas, and we shot out of the alleyway, to the right now.

"WHERE DID YOU EVEN LEARN HOW TO DRIVE A CAR?!?" Fwhip shouted over the roar of the engine as he nearly flew out of the windshield.

"Sweetie, I grew up here, I'm self-taught." I replied, before out of the corner of my eye I spotted one of the cars the guild members had taken heading in the opposite direction as us. I narrowed my eyes, putting the car into neutral before yanking the wheel ninety degrees as I took my foot off the gas. As the rear swung around, the car threatened to flip, and my stomach dropped as the car tipped harshly to the right. But I quickly jerked the wheel back to its original position and stepped on the gas again. Again, we were off but now we were gaining on the enemy.

"That was self-taught!?" Fwhip half-shrieked, his eyes wide.

"Yes."

I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white as we sped down the street after the car I had spotted. Fifty feet...forty feet...we were getting closer.

"Take the wheel." I said, holding on tight as I unlocked the driver's side door and kicked it open, managing not to get flung from my seat out onto the brick road.

"WHAT—" Fwhip asked, yelping as I let go of the wheel and the car swerved. He lunged to grab it, straightening the car out as he crawled carefully over to sit in the driver seat as I stood on the edge of the car, hanging out the door as we got closer to the one in front of us. "Why must you Majors be so—"

"Awesome? I don't know." I cut off, swinging myself quickly onto the roof of the car, perching myself on the top as I kept a tight grip on the edges to avoid being thrown off.

"I was going to say crazy—" Fwhip called up, straightening out the car before it would have lurched and crashed into a lamppost.

"JUST A LITTLE CLOSER!" I called back down over the current of wind ripping over the car threatening to launch me backwards. Curse aerodynamics.

I'm not sure if they didn't know they were being chased, or if I had miraculously chosen the fastest car in the city because we were right on their tail in a matter of minutes.

"Once I get in control of the car, ram it!" I shouted down to Fwhip as I positioned myself to jump.

"WHAT!?"

"YOU HEARD ME!" I yelled just before I launched myself forward, pushing off from the top of the windshield. For a few moments it felt as if I were frozen in time, tumbling through the air over the gap between the cars. And then as if everything had sped up in no time I had crashed into the side of the other car, hanging to the edge by my fingertips.

My expression twisted as I slipped slightly, my arms aching as they were nearly tugged from their sockets. I tightened my grip as I swung backwards, tucking my knees to my chest as I slammed feet first through the window, shattering the glass and flying into the car.

I instantly collided with woman driving the car, throwing them into the person in the passenger seat. I felt something sharp slide across my cheek, but I couldn't see anything in the tangle of limbs and heat in the car as I grabbed the woman by the scalp and bashed their head against the dashboard, my other hand frantically searching blindly for the wheel to stop the car from swerving.

Once the woman fell limp after a few slams to the head, I kicked the door open and through her limp body out the door. I watched for a moment as it tumbled against the brick road, trailing blood, before I felt a sharp pain in my jaw, and I was flung from the car. Or I would have been if I hadn't been holding onto the wheel. I recovered quickly from the, what I assumed was, a punch.

I hung fast to the wheel, the way I was tugging causing the car to turn left. I built up a surge of determination before batting my wings quickly to propel myself back into the car to straighten it. I glared at the second person in the car, twisting to kick them in the jaw. Their head smashed into the window before they slumped against the car door.

At that moment, Fwhip pulled the car I had hotwired up, and I nodded to give him the signal. I let go of the steering wheel, throwing myself into the back into one of the men sitting there. There was a quick struggle as I slammed him to the car floor, grabbing at his scalp as I tore at his face before I managed to slide my dagger out and plunge it into his chest.

I shrieked as the car jerked to the side, just as Fwhip rammed it and I went flying into the car door, nearly being crushed by the fourth and fifth member in the back. I had not been ready for it this time. Pain exploded across my shoulder blades as my wing joints twisted and bent against the walls of the car. I gritted my teeth as I found a grip to stop from getting tossed around the automobile. Without thinking about it too long so I wouldn't persuade myself not to, I opened the car door and jumped. Jumped before it was crushed between the car Fwhip drove and the wall of a building.

For a moment I forgot where I was as pain exploded through my body like a ripple from the point I had landed. I couldn't even tell where the pain was coming from a few moments later as I tucked in my limbs and rolled across the ground to try and absorb some of the impact.

I came to a sudden halt, inhaling deeply to try and fight off some of the pain before forcing myself to my feet, clutching my left arm which was bleeding profusely.

I squinted at the wreckage to see Fwhip staggering out of it, wiping sweat from his face, before shaking his head. "Just checked, the crown's not in the supplies. It's with the others Gem and Scott followed." He said as he limped towards me. 

I nodded. "Good thing we're not far from their base. They'll probably try and fly the crown out of the city if we don't go fast enough now that planes are accessible everywhere in the Grimlands, thanks to somebody." I said, giving him a quick glare and wincing as I wiped the blood from over my eyebrow that had begun to drip into my line of vision.

"Are you sure you're, okay?" Fwhip asked with a slightly concerned expression, ignoring my previous comment.

"I'm fine. But we have to move quickly, come on." I replied sharply, pushing past him before breaking off into a run in the direction we had originally been driving towards before I had spotted the car of guild members. I realized now that it had been a diversion. I just hoped Gemini and Scott had caught up to the others.

I heard the pounding of feet against the road behind me and saw Fwhip running just out of my line of sight. This man had much more stamina and determination than I had originally given him credit for, though I could see why. Due to the fact I had lived in the Grimlands for most of my life, I had learned a few things about the royal family. And one, the crown was incredibly symbolic. Though it was hardly worn, it represented power, and a higher sense of responsibility that each Tay member took upon themselves to govern the kingdom. And the guild had taken that from them. So, we had to get it back.

As we ran, I came to a sudden halt as a wave of cold blasted through the streets like a sound wave, covering everything in a slight in frost as it passed over. The chill ran to my bones as I squinted at where it had come from... "That's not good." I said, clenching my jaw as I suppressed a wave of panic.

"Scott?" Fwhip guessed, and I nodded quickly.

"We have to go. We're almost there— who knows what the hell happened." I muttered before taking off again, running faster than before with Fwhip at my side. The frost wave could only mean one thing, something had happened, and Scott was either trying to protect, or he wasn't in control anymore...I desperately hoped it was the first.

***

ANOTHER CHAPTER? ALREADY? Yuppp, I have been strangely motivated recently so here you have it- yes, I had to add a car chase.

So, bit of a disclaimer, the cars in the Grimlands aren't really supposed to be modern so I have no idea if that's how you hotwire an older car but that's the only way I know how to hotwire a car so we're going to have to deal with that description, mkay?

Also yes, I do indeed know how to hotwire a car. Why that knowledge is in the hands of a very irresponsible fourteen-year-old I have no idea.

I'm also debating whether to start labeling these books mature because the gore and violence only gets worse from here on out so...

Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed this chapter I had a really fun time writing it :)