Alvina

Chapter Five

From my spot on the ground, I wake up to the feeling of things hitting me.

In my sleepy haze, at first, I turn over and ignore it. That is until a voice hisses in my ear, "Wake up!"

My eyes open and I squint as Draven flies directly in front of my face.

"Draven?" I ask, my voice still hoarse with sleep.

"Come on," he whispers, "get your things, we're leaving"

"I don't have anything with me" I tell him, still not completely sure what's going on.

"Well, that makes this easier, doesn't it? But you'll need to get things from your home"

I sit up and stretch out my arms. Sleeping conditions weren't the best in the village, but at least I wasn't sleeping on rocks.

"Draven, the sun isn't even up yet" I say.

"Yeah, how else am I supposed to get away from everyone if they're all awake?" he says like it's obvious, which it is in a sense, but–

"Wait, what are you talking about?" I ask.

He sighs as his efforts to get me to move are futile "Well, obviously I'm coming with you"

"No, you're not" I quickly deny. What, is he crazy? He would get killed within ten seconds!

"Stop me then" he says simply.

I glare at him and he smiles tauntingly. I swipe a hand through the air to grab him but he smoothly flies out of reach.

"Come on shadow queen, you'll have to do better than that"

I reach for him again but he flies above my head and out of reach.

I snarl at him. He's playing with me.

"Let's go," he says and flies toward the edge of the circle.

In another attempt, I pick up the rock I was probably sleeping on and I chuck it at his retreating figure.

It flies just next to him he yelps in surprise as it grazes him and he turns to glare at me. This time I smile at him.

Unfortunately, we both freeze where we are when we watch the rock strike the base of the tree where several fairies sleep.

When no one comes out from the hollow base, Draven turns to me with an incredulous look.

"You nearly woke them all up!"

Grasping for something to retort with, I blurt, "You started it"

He rolls his eyes "Very mature. Come on" he grumbles.

We're only moving for a second before someone comes flying out of the tree I just hit.

Draven and I freeze, like if we don't move we could just blend in with the trees around us.

In the dark, it's impossible to make out who woke up, but as they come to fly in front of me, I curse in my mind.

"Tatiana" I greet awkwardly.

She looks between Draven and me and her eyebrows furrow in confusion. "What are you two doing?" she asks.

I look at Draven, who, when Tatiana looks away, shakes his head at me, motioning to not tell her our plans.

"... we are going..." but apparently I'm not a very good liar. My mouth opens and closes like a fish as I grasp for an answer.

I look to Draven for help and he sighs with a sharp look towards me.