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

Twenty-four-Mist

Rubble filled the collapsed passage. It would take a long time to dig it out, and as the explosion had been set as a fork, it was more likely the integrity of the hall, and that even if they did clear this passage, one of the others might have collapsed as well.

"He's coming round," Bella announced, and Mist joined her at Swift's side.

"Not so loud," the vampire grumbled, and opened his eyes to glare at Bella, then Hawk. "Hawk, I am going to kill your mom. "

"No you aren't," Hawk replied.

"That's right. I will," Mist growled.

"If I can't you can't," Swift groused, rubbing the lump on his head. It looked painful, and Mist smelled blood. The skin had broken when he'd been hit over the head, but the smell was already becoming stale. With his abnormally quick healing, Swift would be fine in no time.

"Can she get the throne back now?" Hunter wanted to know.

Hawk shook his head, but it was Swan, who joined them in time to overhear the question, who spoke. "She can, but not through a Challenge, or any other legal way. She would have to usurp it–"

"Which she will likely do either way," Bella finished with a groan. "Why can't something go right for once? Ever since the Brotherhood first chased us, everything has been running, fighting, sneaking around, and more running! I'm tired of it, and the worst part is I can't even go home and get back to my normal routine because I'll be killed."

Mist saw Hunter hug his sister out of the corner of her eye but her attention was on Hawk.

"So? What do we do now?" Swift was the one who voiced the question Mist had been contemplating.

"I don't know," Hawk answered. "I don't even know where she would have gone. Not the humans, Fire fey, Sea fey, or werewolves. I'm not sure the witches are particularly fond of her either. Swift, do you know if she could have gone to the vampires?"

Swift shrugged. "Your mother and my coven's Queen are equally evil, so they could be best friends or mortal enemies. As there are three covens in all, she could be hiding in one and we would never know which or even if that's where she is. I have no idea who the other Queens are–outsiders think they don't know much about us but we know just as little about the other covens–and even if I did I still wouldn't be able to tell you who might shelter Raven."

"So we know nothing," Swan stated.

"It seems that way," Hawk sighed. "But Swift, I'm keeping my promise. By next week we should have a plan in place and a team on standby."

"I appreciate it," the vampire said, and rubbed his head again. "Can I get some ice? This is still pretty sore."

"That's it!" Chusi, who'd been relatively quiet up until that point, exclaimed. In the slightly echoing enclosed space the sound bounced back and made Mist wince slightly. Sometimes there were drawbacks to sensitive hearing, but despite the terrifying events leading to her transformation, Mist was usually grateful.

"What are you talking about?" Bella frowned.

"The Frost fey! If Raven found out that Eliot helped Swan escape–"

" –which she did," Swan cut in.

" –she might have brought the Frost fey to her side in case she needed to use Eliot's dad as a hostage until she got Swan back," Chusi continued as if Swan hadn't interrupted. "And he was there even when that team of Sky fey attacked Montflame."

Eliot's face drained of color. "He was supposed to get back this morning. But he didn't, did he? I forgot all about it because of the Challenge and then Mist's injuries and Swift showing up and the attack."