The Nine's

²

The woods are full of smoke, and we're so close to our cabin, but if we head that way we'll lead them there.

I can't have them get all four of us, if they do we die.

I'm sprinting along with my sisters, my oldest sister Cerys carrying Cassandra on her back because she's too small to keep up. I think we're in the clear, actually going to get away when I feel an arrow go through my thigh.

I immediately cry out and fall to the ground hitting my head on a root. Cate stops to help me up and I push her forward with what ounce of strength I have left, I tell her to never stop running no matter what she hears, she must get away.

This catches Cerys's attention.

She turns, setting my youngest sister down, and tell her and Cate to keep running, she tries to help me up.

Tears are streaming down my face.

I won't make it past this patch of moss I'm laying on, as my leg bleeds out.

Cerys tries to pull me up, I can hear it in her voice that she's realizing that this is it for me, that I'll be taken.

"Clementine please, please you have to get up."

She's crying now, but I've lost so much blood and hit my head way too hard to see her without the haze.

"Cerys go. Take Cas and Cate and run." I say just above a whisper as I try to focus on the branches above.

"Clem just try to stand I can carry you."

The lie in her voice is clear, she's already too tired, and if she carries me, then Cas will be left behind.

I push her away, with what very little force I can.

"Cerys if you waste anymore time we all die, they can't kill me if they don't catch all four of us."

She knows it's true, you catch all four you end the curse, catching one is as good as none.

She kneels cupping my face, tears streaming from both of us.

"You take them, and you hide them Cerys. Do not let the compound find them. Take them to the Elves."

She only nods.

"Now go."

She hesitates.

"Cerys GO."

And that was the last I saw of her, just before I use the little consciousness I have left to make a storm so strong and a rain so heavy their bloodhounds can't track the scent of them.

And then it goes dark.

I wake up gasping for air, normally my dreams bring warning, but it's just been that same one on repeat.

The last time I'll ever see my sisters.

It's been three days since the appointment with Amaury.

Three days and I have yet to figure out what he's transitioned to, I doubt he even knows.

He smells like an elf, like an ancient being. All elves smell depending on what season their clan normally thrives in.

The one in the woods that day was a winter elf, he smelled of pine cones and peppermint.

Amaury smells of foliage and cinnamon, like Autumn.

I have another appointment today, I'll have to learn more about him, his personality.

I always got along with the Autumn Elves more than any of the others. Every day training and studying my powers with them, felt like a transition into November, it was cozy.