Oceanum Collis

•Chapter 36• Escaping again

The alpha and the elven king continued to walk through the forest together. "Do you smell them yet?" Callodir asked them. Remus concentrated and sucked in a deep breath. He focused on all the different aromas. "I smell you," He answered, "And those leaves in your pocket. God, you guys actually use that?" He questioned. Callodir rolled his eyes. "It's healthy. You should try it sometime." The king suggested. The alpha chuckled. "Yeah, no way. I'm not using any of that stuff. It might as well be poisonous." He replied. "It could help you. And your people." Callodir tells him. Remus glanced over his shoulder. "You? Helping me and my people?" The alpha chuckled. He stopped for a quick second. "Remember the last time you tried to help me and my people?" He questioned. The young man eyed the object up and down. "It's glorious!" Basil Adelio exclaimed. The young emperor turned to look at the Elven king. "Thank you," Basil added. Callodir smiled at his friend. "You don't take sides. I respect that. You have returned the peace to these lands. It was the least I could do." The king spoke. Together the two walked out of the room and shut the door behind them. Callodir looked at the young emperor. "Give me your hand," he tells her. Basil holds out his hand. The king pulled out a small dagger. "Do you trust me?" He asked. Basil nodded as he looked into the king's eyes. Callodir focused on the man's hand and gently cut it. Basil hissed in pain. "My apologies." The king apologized. The Elven king turned his head towards the door. "Place your hand on the wood." He ordered. Basil obeyed and placed his hand on the wood. Callodir made a small cut on his hand as well, letting out a small groan. The king placed his hand on the door as well and whispered some elvish words. The two removed their hands again. Basil looked at the king. "What did you do?" He questioned. "This is to make sure no one has access to the mirror aside from someone who shares the same bloodline as we do," Callodir explained. Basil's eyes widened. "That's possible?" He asked. Callodir laughed at him. "You have much to learn." He replied. "That didn't turn out that great did it." Remus continued. The two walked the rest of the way in silence. Not a word was spoken. Not a squeak. It was better this way. There was tension between the two. And not the good kind. After walking around for a good few minutes, Remus still didn't pick up any scent. No humans were nearby. Then, all of a sudden, he did pick up another scent. The scent of Misty's fresh footprints alongside someone else's. He followed the scent only to pick up Orlando's as well. Remus quickly noticed what was going on. "They tricked us!" Remus yelled. Callodir furrowed his eyes. "They're gone! Off to Andillar." Remus exclaimed. Callodir's eyes darkened. "Serena!" He yelled.

"Asher, we have to go." Serena insisted. But the young werewolf chuckled in response. He got closer to her. He carefully wrapped his arms around her waist. "Why?" He asked her. He slowly started to move further into the water, still holding onto Serena. Suddenly she couldn't feel the ground underneath her feet. She squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck as a quick response. Asher chuckled once again. "Can't swim or something?" He questioned. Serena glared at him and put her arms against his chest. "I can, thank you very much." She replied. She pushed him away and made his way back to the spot where she could stand. Asher followed her closely. Serena got herself out and squeezed the water out of her clothes. "You're no fun," Asher complained. Serena turned to look at him. "We're about to infiltrate the most dangerous empire in Oceanum Collis. And you want to go for a swim?" She said. Asher rolled his eyes. "Yes," He answered simply. He pulled himself out of the water as well and stepped towards Serena. "A little relaxation before the fight," he added. Serena sighed and decided not to respond to him. "Alright, alright, I get it. We need to get going." Asher spoke. He took another step closer to the she-elf. He leaned down to her ear. "Why can't you admit it?" He whispered. "Admit what, exactly?" Serena asked him. The young werewolf smirked. "The fact that you like me." He whispered. Serena raised her eyebrows. "Like you?" She snickered. She turned to look at him. "Yes, admit it. You like me." Asher challenged her. Serena laughed and squeezed some more water from her clothes. "Did Misty whisper this to you or something?" She questioned. Asher grasped her wrist tightly. "Serena," he said. His tone had something sweet to it but also something desperate. As if he was reaching out to her. Calling her.

Serena looked him in the eyes. Asher's eyes moved from her eyes to her lips and back to her eyes. He moved closer to her. Serena responded by placing her hands on his chest again. "We can't." She whispered. The young werewolf furrowed his eyebrows. "We can't?" He asked, "Or you don't want to?" He added. Serena took another glance into his brown eyes. "We can't." She repeated, "It's not the way." She continued. Before Asher could respond, he heard someone approach them from behind. Serena must have picked up the sound as well because she broke their eye contact and focused her eyes on something else. Asher turned his head to reveal Misty. "Did I interrupt something?" She asked. Serena stepped away from the werewolf in front of her. "No," She said, "You didn't." She added. Misty made eyes at Asher, wiggling her eyebrows a little. "Shut up," Asher tells her. The three of them joined up with Hayes, Orlando, and Valeria. Hayes immediately noticed his sister's wet clothes as she got closer to them. It didn't take long for Orlando and Valeria to notice as well. "What the hell happened to you two?" Orlando asked. "Did you try to grow a tail or something?" Valeria added. Orlando looked at her. "You can grow a tail?" He asked. She shook her head. "No, of course not." She said. Hayes grabbed his sister and pulled her away from the werewolf. "What did he do?" He asked her. "We fell." Serena answered, "nothing to worry about." She said. Hayes was about to protest when Asher cut in. "Mate, she said we fell in. And we did. That's all, I promise." The werewolf spoke. "Good, then we can leave." Orlando cut in. Suddenly, a howl sounded in the distance. "That's the sign to run." Hayes pointed out. The group nodded and turned the other way. "Stick together." Orlando tells them, "We cannot lose each other, now." He added.