I swallowed hard, pushing it into my pocket. “Thank you. But it’s not good to me if I’m locked in here.”

  “That’s why I have this.” He held up an ornate key.

  “What about my friend?” I asked, pointing to the man in the cell beside me.

  “I’m risking my neck releasing you. I cannot risk more than I already am.”

  “It’s okay,” said the man. “You go save your friend.”

  I nodded and turned towards the prince who was already unlocking the cage. Stepping outside of the cell into the corridor, we walked past the man’s cell and I turned to grip the bars.

  “Please. What is your name?”

  “Reid. My name is Reid. And yours?”

  “Olivia.”

  “Thank you for making an old man’s last day’s a little better Olivia,” he said.

  “We must go,” instructed the prince.

  With one last look at Reid, he nodded for me to leave and I followed the prince down the stone corridor. Bodies lay on the floor or leaned up against the walls of the cells as we walked past, all sleeping from the effects of the gas.

  At the end of the corridor we walked past a guard fast asleep on a wooden chair and continued until we came to a round grate in the floor.

  He pulled the metal grate open. “Follow this out of the castle and your Fae friend will find you.”

  “How do you know…”

  “I know many things,” he said. “I also know that you have met Raven.”

  I remained silent.

  “She should not have let you come here,” he said.

  “She didn’t. I am here to save my friend. That is all.”

  “I’m afraid my mother doesn’t believe you and when she discovers you’re missing she will blame Raven. War may come sooner than we hoped.”

  “Is there a way to stop it?” I asked.

  “War has been brewing since before the rebels abandoned their kingdom. This was bound to happen eventually. I was angry at Raven for a long time. For disturbing the kingdom, for leaving me. But things have only grown worse since she left and I fear war is the only way for it to end. But you must warn Raven the army is coming. She must be prepared.”

  “I will tell her. I promise,” I said.

  “I must go before someone starts looking for me. Please tell Raven I forgive her, and I love her. I always will, no matter what happens.”

  I nodded as he turned, leaving me beside the grate in the floor. Releasing a breath, I climbed down the metal rungs on the inside of the hole, pulling the grate closed above me. I crawled down until my feet found the calf high water at the bottom and I crawled my way along the pipe until sunlight appeared in front of me. The light as my guide I quickened my pace until I arrived at the side of a rock hill.

  Blinking my eyes, I waited for my sight to sharpen before climbing out. Behind me was nothing but forest. The magic of Gaia’s heart was hiding the elven kingdom once again. The prince had said Alita would find me. He’d also said he loved Raven. So many questions ran through my head after Reids story and the Princes help, and the sight of Alita’s white-blue light didn’t push any of them from my mind.

  “Thank you for waiting,” I told her as she approached and her glow brightened.

  24

  Lucy

  BILSTONE, AUSTRALIA

  Sun streamed through my room when I woke, and I padded out to the kitchen to spot Dad and Olivia talking on the veranda through the open door.

  “Morning,” I said, gaining their attention.

  “Thought you were never waking up,” said Dad. “You just missed Luke. He slept on the couch last night.”

  “He’s going to get some things tomorrow that might help repair the balloon,” smiled Olivia.

  “I’ll meet him in town and give him a hand,” added Dad.

  “That’s great Luke’s helping but how come you didn’t wake me? Did you get the farm jobs done?” I asked.

  He put his arm around my shoulders and guided me back inside. “After all the work we did yesterday I thought we both deserved a day off. How does some pancakes and a board game sound?”

  “Sounds perfect,” I said.

  “What’s a board game?” asked Olivia following us inside.

  Monday morning, I kissed Dad on the cheek and gave Olivia a hug before making my way down the driveway to wait for the school bus. I crossed my fingers as I walked, hoping Tracy and her herd had decided to keep their distance for at least another week.

  When the bus pulled up at the bottom of the driveway I climbed aboard saying ‘Good morning,’ to Gus and looked at my usual seat. I wasn’t about to push my luck by sitting up the back of the bus, but I chose a seat a few back from Gus and slid in.

  The bus roared to life and we set off towards school.

  When we arrived at Tracy’s stop, she climbed on with some of her friends. They snickered and whispered as they passed but I kept my gaze out the window looking at the houses that all looked the same and waited until the bus started once again.

  “Who said you could sit there?” Tracy’s voice made me jump.

  She’d snuck into the seat behind me and I did my best to ignore her.

  “I asked you a question lady boy,” she said.

  “Really? You’re still going on about that?” I asked meeting her gaze.

  “You might think you’re big and tough all of a sudden with those manly hormones kicking in, but we run this bus and if you think…”

  “Is this seat taken?” asked a young girl with bright green eyes and curly auburn hair. I’d seen her around school before, I was pretty sure she was my age. But we’d never had a class together. Suzan, I was sure that was her name.

  “No,” I said.

  “Do you mind if I sit?” she asked.

  “Not at all.” I slid my bag from the seat and she slid in beside me.

  “Excuse me, Lucy and I were having a conversation,” said Tracy.

  “So, you do know my name?” I said, finding even more courage with the girl beside me.

  She shot me a glare, but her eyes widened when a boy with dark hair and piercing blue eyes sat beside her.

  “Hi, what’s happening here?” he asked.

  Tracy swallowed hard before fluttering her eyelashes. “Nothing. Just chatting to my friend here.” She patted me on the back.

  I gritted my teeth.

  “I think she thinks she owns the bus,” said Suzan. “She was getting up this girl for sitting here.”

  “I was joking,” said Tracy. “It was a joke wasn’t it, Lucy.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Maybe you should go sit with your friends and leave my sister and her friend alone?” suggested the boy.

  Tracy’s eyes widened. “Your sister? I didn’t realise she was your sister.”

  An awkward silence filled the air.

  “Maybe you should go sit back with your actual friends?” suggested the boy.

  He stood and let her climb out of the seat and we all watched as she made her way back to her herd.

  “I’ll leave you girls to it.” He moved back a few seats across the aisle.

  “Thank you,” I said to him as he left.

  “Don’t mention it,” said the girl. “Tracy’s been mean to me since I got to Bilstone High. I heard you stood up to her the other day and when I saw you sitting here with her, I knew she was up to no good. My name’s Suzan.” She held out her hand.

  I took it and shook. “Lucy. You don’t usually catch this bus.”

  “We’ve just moved house so we’ll be on this bus from now on. I was disappointed I wasn’t walking distance to school anymore but I’m happy to meet you. You’re the first girl to stand up to Tracy.”

  I tried to hide the smile tugging at my lips. “It doesn’t freak you out that I wear boots and jeans to school?”

  “Nope. Have you seen my brother? He doesn’t have any colour in his wardrobe. That’s creepy. And I have to live with him.”

  “I can hear you,” her brother groaned from across the aisle.

  “That was the point Mike,” she said.

  Okay, so his name was Mike.

  “Hope you don’t mind me sitting here,” she said.

  “Not at all. I’ve never had company on the bus before,” I replied.

  “You’re a bit of a loner, aren’t you?”

  “Suzie,” warned the boy.

  “What? She is. And stop listening into our conversations. It’s creepy,” she said to him.

  He rolled his eyes and pressed headphones into his ears.

  “Last year I had chemistry with you and you always sat at the front of the classroom and avoided everyone else. I thought it was the way you liked it until I saw you stand up to that cow.”

  I laughed at her calling Tracy a cow.

  “What’s so funny?” she asked.

  “That’s what my dad calls Tracy. The cow and her heard. It’s horrible but it’s hard to be nice when she’s so nasty.”

  “We heard what she calls you,” said Suzan.

  “Please don’t ask me if it’s true,” I said.

  “It’s pretty clear to me you’re a beautiful young woman,” she replied.

  The bus pulled up at the school saving me from having to respond. As the door opened Tracy and her friends went to walk down the aisle way, but Mike stood up blocking the path.

  “Ladies first,” he said.

  Suzan bound up from her seat. “Why thank you, kind sir.”

  I stood and slipped my bag over my shoulder offering him a small smile before following her off the bus.

  As we walked onto the grass lawn, I turned to thank him but his earbuds were already back in and he was striding towards school.

  Tracy barged me with her shoulder as she pushed past us, my body lurching forward.

  “Why is she so mean?” asked Suzan. “You know, in eighth grade she told everyone I had a lesbian crush on Mrs Sailor. I mean, I don’t have a problem with lesbians, but I really don’t have a thing for older women.”

  “What made her stop teasing you?” I asked.

  “She found another victim.” She shrugged. “Girls like her get their power by bringing everyone around them down. I bet she’s not even that nice to her friends.”

  The bell rang signalling time to get to class.

  “What are you doing for lunch?” asked Suzan.

  Should I tell her I spend every lunch hour hiding out by the big tree on the outskirts of the oval? “I don’t know.”

  “Meet me out the front of the library and I’ll show you where my friends and I hang out to avoid everyone,” she offered. “That’s if you want to.”

  “I’d like that,” I replied.

  “Perfect! I’ll see you then!” She gave me a wave as she skipped away.

  Nerves fluttered through my stomach through my first two classes. The prospect of sitting with actual people through the lunch break excited and also scared the crap out of me.

  When the bell rang my anxiety peaked and I packed my books and pencil case into my bag before swinging them over my shoulder. Although I wanted to walk to the library and meet them my feet stayed still. I didn’t have to go. I could go sit at my usual spot beneath the tree… was I listening to myself? Who in their right mind would choose to eat with a tree for company over real people?

  My feet began to move until I found myself meters away from the entrance of the library. Suzan wasn’t there. Doubt crept in again. I waited a moment longer, but still she didn’t arrive. I hated the disappointment I felt. I didn’t even know her. But I sighed and went to the library, putting my bag on the racks and searching for my lunch.

  “Lucy, you came.” Suzan’s voice sounded behind me.

  Relief raced through my body and I turned to find her and another girl.

  “Yeah,” I said attempting to sound calm.

  “I was worried you’d ditch us,” she said.

  ‘So was I.’ I thought. “Not a chance,” I said.

  “This is my friend Becca,” she gestured to the girl beside her with braided dark brown hair and thick black glasses. I recognised her from my Maths class. That meant she’d seen the photo of me as a boy.

  “Nice to meet you,” said Becca. “I’m really sorry about what Tracy did to you in Maths. It was so horrible.”

  I shrugged not sure what to say.

  “We heard you stuck up for yourself though. I wish I had the courage to do that.”

  “I just didn’t want to hear her tell lies about me anymore,” I said.

  “For the record, I think everyone knows it’s lies. You don’t look anything like a boy,” she said.

  “Our friend Rachel is coming too.” Suzan broke up the awkwardness that’d fallen over us. “She’s going to meet us inside because she had to stay back and finish her English assignment.”

  “She’s such an over-achiever.” Becca said. “I don’t know how she fits all of that knowledge in her tiny head.”

  “She doesn’t have a tiny head.” Suzan lead us inside.

  “It’s tiny compared to all the things she knows,” said Becca.

  “I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way,” argued Suzan.

  They continued talking about their friend’s head as we made our way past the librarian, Mrs Starke’s desk. Sitting a few tables away I did a double take of Suzan’s brother Mike. He sat with headphones in, leaning over a book that rest open on the table. When his gaze locked with mine, I realised I’d been staring and heat crept into my cheeks. Giving him an awkward smile with an even more awkward wave I snapped my eyes away and my hand to my side.

  I didn’t dare look back to see his reaction.

  “This is our spot,” said Suzan.

  She led us out the back doors into a courtyard shaded by two large Poinciana trees. Benches and long seats sat on the paved floor and we made our way over to sit at one. Becca slid in opposite Suzan who patted the seat beside her for me to sit.

  “Here she is.” Becca pointed towards the door we’d just walked through.

  Rachel hugged books to her chest as she approached, her eyes widening under her black-rimmed glasses as they landed on me. She tossed her jet-black plait over her shoulder and offered us a smile.

  “Rachel, this is Lucy. Lucy, this is Rachel. She’s going to be sitting with us from now on,” said Suzan.

  Rachel dipped her head. “Nice to meet you Lucy. I think we have Maths together. Sorry I’ve never spoken to you before.”

  I shrugged. “I’ve been pretty good at keeping my head down and just getting my work done.”

  “Until you got sick of Tracey’s crap and finally stood up to her,” added Suzan. “You’re our new hero.”

  “I’m not a hero. I’d just reached breaking point. Plus, a friend of mine told me a story about a time she had to face something that scared her and it gave me a bit of courage.”

  “Who’s your friend?” Becca cocked an eyebrow.

  “She’s staying with my dad and me at the moment while she gets better,” I said.

  “Better? What’s wrong with her?” asked Suzan.

  “Suzie,” scolded Rachel. “You don’t have to answer that,” she said to me.”

  “It’s okay. I’m just not sure if you’d believe me if I told you,” I said.

  Suzan leaned forward on the table. “I sense an amazing story.”

  “Me too,” added Becca. “Please spill.”

  Even Rachel shuffled closer. “Only if you want to.”

  What could it hurt? The worst that could happen would be I’d end up sitting alone at my tree again.

  “It all started one night in the middle of a thunderstorm when a hot air balloon crash landed in one of our paddocks…”

  “How was your day?” asked Dad as I kicked off my shoes on the veranda, Skye in tow.

  “It was really good actually,” I replied.

  He stepped forward and pressed his hand against my forehead. “Are you feeling okay? What have you done with my Lucy?”

  I shoved his hand away. “Don’t be stupid. I actually made some friends today.”

  I walked into the house where Olivia sat on the couch watching television.

  “Friends? That sounds like a great day,” she said. “Who are they?”

  I walked past her and discarded my bag in my bedroom before returning to the living room.

  I shrugged. “Just a girl who asked if I wanted to hang with her and her friends at lunch. They saw me stick up to Tracy last week and thought I might like a friend.”

  “They sound like great friends already,” said Olivia. “What are their names?” asked Olivia.

  “Suzan, Becca and Rachel. They were really nice.”

  I told them both about my time in the library courtyard with my new friends and the way Suzan and Mike had stuck up for me on the bus.

  “A boy?” asked Dad.

  “Yes, Dad. A boy.”

  “Are you sure he had the right intentions?” he asked.

  “Dad. He wasn’t trying to kiss me or hold my hand. He was making sure Tracy and her herd left me alone. It’s the first and last time I’ve ever spoken to him.”

  Dad nodded to himself. “Let’s keep it that way.”

  I rolled my eyes. “What did you two get up to today?”

  “Your dad went into town with Luke to get some things for the balloon,” said Olivia. “He also dropped in to visit Catherine.

  “And?” I asked.

  “And nothing. She said she’d come with me to dinner tomorrow night. No big deal,” he replied.

  “No big deal? Dad, this is the first date you’ve been on in years. This is a big deal,” I said.

  “Well, I don’t want it to be. We’re going to the pub for a drink and a bite, that’s all.”

  “You’re kidding. You can’t take her to the pub!” I said.

  “Why not?” he asked.

  “Olivia. Help me out here. He should take her somewhere nice right? Like a restaurant. How about that Italian place?” I suggested.

  “She’s right Bruce. A restaurant would be nicer,” said Oliva.

  Dad groaned. “Fine. I’ll call her and change plans tomorrow.”

  A smile broke across my lips and I wrapped my arms around him. “I’m proud of you, Dad.”

 

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