Isaiah and the gang were hanging near the entrance of the Dark Forest. The barrier was gone, and Isaiah was starting to lose his patience. After that dream last night, all he could think about was having her in his arms and keeping Arias safe. He was pacing back and forth when Trixie walked up with seven kids and another pixie trailing her. Isaiah noticed it was the pixie from earlier. She recognized him too and gave him a wink.
“Are those…”
“...her kids,” Lana said, finishing Mary’s question. “It’s only been less than a day.”
Trixie noticed the group's shocked expression and smiled. “They grow faster than you think,” she smiled while ushering them to the Queen’s tent. “This is Lafluerelle, Relle for short. She has volunteered to take you through the Dark Forest to Dragon’s Reign. She has contacts that might be willing to help once you get there.”
Relle transformed to her human size and shook their hands, lingering a bit longer with Isaiah. “Nice to make your acquaintance, again, Alpha,” she said with a smile, looking below his waistline. “I see you’ve taken care of your friend since the last time we met.”
Isaiah growled at her comment, not liking how flirtatious she was, which she found delightful. “Ooh, I can tell you like it rough, don’t you,” Relle asked with a curious look.
“Relle,” Trixie warned.
“What,” she said innocently. “Can’t a pixie have a little fun? Besides, he just offered to buy me a drink…”
“I didn’t…”
“...for getting them past the most dangerous forest in the world with a broken heart,” Relle teased, bringing her hands to her heart, and batting her eyes at Isaiah. “Waddatya say, Alpha?”
Isaiah didn’t have time to play games, but this pixie seemed like the type that did.
“Whatever,” Isaiah grumbled. “Now can we go?”
After a few goodbyes and thanks to Trixie, the group set off into the woods. Relle was flying just above them holding a light. The only instruction she gave was to stay in the light. It didn’t take long for the sounds of the forest to reach them. It almost sounded like cries for help, but Isaiah ignored them and stayed on the path.
“What do you think is out there,” Hunter asked, clearly not a fan of the dark. A werewolf would be in its element in the dark, but Hunter has been that way since he was a kid.
“I don’t know,” Isaiah said, keeping his wits about him. “Whatever it is, I hope it stays there.”
“Wait,” Lana said as the group stopped. Lana looked out into the darkness and pointed. “There’s someone there.”
Isaiah’s heart dropped, thinking the worst. Relle moved the light just a bit to shine on Derrick. He was sitting against a tree with his head hung low between his legs and Lana could see blood on his hands.
“He’s from my pack,” Lana said as Percy knelt beside him, touching his arm.
“Fear and pain,” Percy said. “That’s all I’m getting from him.”
“Something’s not right,” Isaiah said, looking around for any signs of Zira or Arias. “Why was he separated from the group?”
Relle flew down to examine Derrick. “He’s been touched by the forest. He let the darkness in and his fears consumed him.”
“He’s still alive,” Lana said, looking up at Isaiah. “We can’t leave him here. I can’t.”
Isaiah understood. If he had found any of his pack members here, he would have done the same. He walked over and heaved the werewolf's body over his shoulder. A sudden shriek got everyone’s attention. Relle shined the light, and everyone could see Hunter shaking with his eyes wide.
“I’ve been touched by the forest,” he cried.
Everyone looked down at the hand lying limp on Hunter’s foot. It suddenly shrunk back into the darkness. Everyone was on alert.
“Am I going to die,” Hunter worried out loud. “I’m too young…”
“Hunter,” Isaiah warned, using his werewolf’s sight to search the darkness for whoever that hand belonged to.
“I have so much to do. I might have a kid on the way.”
“Be quiet,” Lana snapped at him.
“I can't leave Ashlee alone. She would kill me if…”
“Hunter!”
Isaiah pushed him out of the way just as a blur came clawing at him. Isaiah tried to grab it, but it was too fast, and disappeared into the dark.
“Stay in the light,” Relle yelled up above, trying to keep the light on everyone.
“Move in together,” Isaiah directed as everyone stood back-to-back and he placed Derrick on the ground.
Their werewolf’s sight was helpful, but whatever was playing with them was moving way too fast. Every little shadow in the dark seemed to move around them. The sudden silence around them was deafening. Isaiah closed his eyes, trying to focus. He had to strain but he could hear the patter of feet moving fast around them. He waited patiently until it changed its direction and was straight towards…
“Lana!”
The shadow pounced on Lana at that very moment. They tumbled out into the dark until Isaiah could barely see them. Before he could call up to Relle, she swiveled the light in that direction. Isaiah was the first to grab the person who was clawing for Lana’s throat and pulled it off of her. Isaiah slammed it into the ground and was about to punch it when Lana stopped him by grabbing his arm.
“Stop,” Lana yelled. “It’s Rissa.”
Everyone stopped to look at her, struggling in Isaiah’s hold. Her skin was pale white with black spots all about, her head had patches of bald spots, and the most gruesome part was her eyes, or lack thereof. She thrashed about to the point that Isaiah felt she would hurt herself more than him. Percy was overtaken by the sight and quickly used his power to put her to sleep. He volunteered to carry her if she woke up.
“I know we are having a moment, but I would rather not stay in the place that does that to a person,” Relle said, breaking the silence. Everyone agreed and started their way forward. Isaiah looked over at Lana, who kept a close eye on Rissa. He could tell by her body language she was shaken up about this.
“Hey,” he whispered to her, “are you going to make it?”
Lana gave him a weak smile while nodding her head. “Do you,” she started, looking around at the forest they were moving through, “do you think the others made it out OK?”
“I don’t know,” he said, “but I’m hopeful.”
“Zira’s smart,” Percy said, giving him an assuring look. “We didn’t go through this forest but there were other times I was sure we would die and she found a way. This is a piece of a cake.”
Even as the words left his mouth, Isaiah had a small amount of doubt. He quickly shook it away, sticking to the positive. Hell if Percy believed in Zira, so should he. They made it out, he thought to himself. They had to. After walking through the mist, they finally got to an opening in the forest.
“And here we are,” Relle said, flying down to the others. “Phew! It’s usually an uneventful journey but it seems this group likes to liven things up a bit.”
The pixie’s bubbly attitude didn’t seem to change the sour mood of everyone else. The Dark Forest still had an effect on them, as if it still had its claws in them.
“OK, tough crowd,” Relle said, turning towards the open space. “Anyway, welcome to Dragon Reign.”
The group stared at the glass castle in the distance in awe. The sliver of sun on the horizon made the castle look as if it was sitting on a barn fire, with little streaks of flames here and there. Isaiah turned to Hunter, who was sniffling and turning slightly away from the group.
“Are you crying, dude?”
“No,” Hunter yelled. “It's just being so close to death and coming out to this is beautiful, man.”
“You weren’t close to death, idiot,” Isaiah said, shaking his head.
“He’s right, though,” Lana agreed. “It is beautiful.”
Relle got everyone’s attention. “As much as I would love to sit here all day and gawk at the biggest mirror in the world, I say we go have a better view. Inside. Come, I know a shortcut.”
“Yes,” Hunter said excitedly, “love me some shortcuts. Now, when you say shortcuts you don’t mean like pixie-sized holes, right?”
Hunter ran after Relle while the others slowly walked behind them. Isaiah took one last look at the forest. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at Percy, who gave him a knowing nod which he returned. He didn’t fully trust the guy, but they agreed on Zira’s abilities. That and the fact, Isaiah could almost smell her scent.
“She made it out,” Devon said with no conviction. “Even this kind of darkness is not enough to tame a beast like Nina.”
“That I can agree with,” Isaiah laughed. “Let’s go find our mates.”