The Other Side of the Lie (EDITING, ON HOLD)

Twenty-Bella

When she opened her eyes, Bella found herself under not one but two people. Both her brother and Hawk had leapt to shield her from the blast. Mist was in wolf form and had curled around a furious Chusi, and neither of them seemed hurt. A puddle of melted stone and metal pooled around Swan and Eliot, who'd somehow managed to keep anything from touching either of them.

Chusi stood, her little body shaking with pent-up rage. Her eyes, normally a beautiful amber that complemented her red hair, glowed with a flickering orange light that greatly resembled fire. "No," was all she said, and on the tail of her defiant statement Sky fey soldiers flooded the room.

"Bella, run!"

As if she would let her friends, her brother, and a little girl no matter her power alone to fight. Not a chance.

Mist was facing off with the soldiers, hackles up and lips pulled back in a snarl that exposed long, wickedly sharp teeth. Hawk had his sword, and Hunter held two of his knives. Eliot and Chusi's hands were glowing red and the melted debris from the blast bubbled threateningly at Eliot's feet.

"By order of Her Majesty Queen Raven of the Sky fey, we are here to arrest the following," one of the soldiers said, and raised a piece of parchment.

Bella was about to cast her first spell when the ground began to rumble. The soldiers stumbled and those who didn't fall, unbalanced, took to the air. Bella would have fallen as well, if Hawk hadn't steadied her with his free hand.

"You come to my mountain, destroy my palace, and now threaten me and my friends?" Chusi was small in stature, but Bella realized with a jolt that of the seven of them, she was likely the most dangerous, possibly excluding Hunter and his scary if perplexing power.

The soldier who had spoked ignored her. "Take them."

The first one died by Hawk's blade. The next was Hunter's kill. Mist ripped two of their throats out, spraying blood everywhere. The melted debris rose into the air and struck out at one of the other soldiers, and Eliot made his kill. Bella felt the tell-tale tingling in her limbs and lightning shot out and grabbed another soldier. But then the killing stopped, because the floor under the soldiers melted away and sucked them down into a pit that glowed with the sluggish light of magma. Chusi slapped her hands together and the melted floor solidified, cooling.

For a few seconds it was all Bella could do but not faint. She stared at the stone where Sky fey soldiers had once been. The only soldiers left were the two that Mist had killed, still leaking blood from their ravaged necks, although it had quit spurting out now that their hearts had stopped.

"What just happened?" Swan whispered, and Bella looked at her shell-shocked face. She had no doubt she looked the same, wide-eyed and pale as a ghost. Bella almost laughed when she spotted the hairpin in Swan's hand, long and sharp enough that it would be deadly in experienced hands. Bella had no doubt Swan was experienced.

"They're in the dungeons," Chusi replied, still livid.

"This is bad. This is really, really bad," Hawk said, and paced. "She just declared war. She knows you have to retaliate, at the very least to save face."

There was no question as to who 'she' was. And Hawk was right. This attack was a declaration of war.

"Well, we already have a plan. Hawk, you're going to challenge her, and you're going to kill her."

Hawk gazed at Chusi for a long, quiet minute. "Fine."

Bella rolled over, restless. The room she had been given was comfortable and not too lavish, which she appreciated. The canopy above her was a rich red satin, and the thick curtains hanging from it blocked out any light trying to sneak in. The mountain of pillows she nestled in now was so cushy that she sank into them as if they were water and not fabric.

She was too hot, and the room felt too stuffy. Bella rolled out of bed, found a robe and shrugged it on. On their way to their rooms Bella had spotted a balcony and she retraced her steps to find it.

The cool night air felt good on her skin, and she took in huge lungfulls. Gazing out over the dark landscape Bella worried. What if they couldn't get to Cloudspire before they were caught? What if, instead of being captured and brought to Queen Raven, they were killed on the spot? What if Hawk was too badly injured in his challenge and he couldn't finish the competition? What if–

"What's so bad that it's made you cry?"

Bella whirled around and then relaxed when she saw Mist there, in the same tunic and legging she had worn during the day.

"I'm crying?"

"Yes," the werewolf said gently, joining Bella at the balcony railing.

"Oh. I didn't realize."

"He's going to be fine."

Bella was quiet, letting Mist's words sink in and trying to believe them.

"I should be saying that to you," Bella told her.

"He promised that he would be okay."

"You don't believe him?"

"This was supposed to be about you and Hawk, not me and Swift," Mist protested weakly.

"Yes, well, it's about all of us now." A pause. Bella glanced at the werewolf out of the corner of her eye. "Did you kiss?"

"Yes," Mist admitted. "Right before the door to his cell closed and locked him in and I had to leave."

"Oh, come here," Bella said and opened her arms. Mist hugged her.

It was with Mist's nose buried in Bella's neck as they hugged that neither of them noticed the lone soldier who had escaped fly out from his place hiding under the balcony. He stabbed Mist, who collapsed with a soft whimper, grabbed Bella, and held a cloth over her nose and mouth. Darkness crowded in as Bella fought to remain conscious. She lost that battle as she felt herself being lifted into the air.

(Sorry, second short chapter in a row. The next one makes up for it.)