Moon's Rite

Hunger

We hurried out of the forest and back out onto the moor. O'Malley pulled up, panting harshly with his hands on his knees. He tugged his hat off to fan himself as the rest of us slowed our furious retreat around him. "Tha was more fun than I've had in eons lassie. You don't go half-way on these sorta things eh?"

I gazed back into the trees as I tried to catch my breath. It didn't look like anyone was following us, but I still preferred to put more distance between us and the Enclave. I set a hand on Logan's shoulder and gave him a light tug past me, then patted Zach's back as he went by on my other side. "No, not usually O'Malley. I kinda think I've reached my quota for the year though."

"But-!"

I glanced over my shoulder to where Vladimir was looking at me with fear of abandonment. He swallowed hard, eyes hardening in determination that I was sure he didn't feel. His fingers tightened a little where they were laced with Peaches'.

"I know. We haven't found your brother yet." I looked back into the forest one last time before half turning to face the group. "What have we got left to work with though? The Elves weren't exactly helpful, though they did make me believe King Alleran keeps them all locked in their ivory tower. Supposing an Elf did come all the way to your house to fire an arrow, they did it secretly."

Vladimir wilted, voice going soft and lost. "Then, what am I supposed to do? I can't just give up on him if he's in trouble." He jumped a little when Zach moved over to him but accepted the close proximity when my soldier held up a lock pick and gestured at the chains around his horns and ankles still.

"We're not giving up." I frowned at the hopeful smile Vladimir gave me. "But I honestly can't tell you where we go from here."

"Well then, we need someone to point us in the right direction." Tabitha hopped around on one foot as she pulled her shoe off and dumped a rock out of it. Then she was pulling it back on. "Who do we know in the area that can just cast a spell and find a missing little brother?"

I hummed and started mentally going through my contact list. I grumbled in irritation at how many names I knew I was forgetting. Pulling out my phone, I fiddled with it, hoping some muscle memory would kick in and bridge the gap. A couple came back, but none that were immediately useful. "If only I still had my old contact list."

Peaches grumped and I didn't bother trying to make her feel better.

"I suppose I could call my boys and have them read the hard copy of my contacts. Or call Anita. She's probably got some leads on spell casters. And if we get really desperate, Mom and Dad aren't that far away."

Tony made a face that was half between considering and horrified. "They've got a caster on the payroll. But we run the risk of being held hostage for who knows how long while Mom 'catches up'." Tony made air quotes in emphasis, then folded her arms across her chest. "Besides, taking this one before royalty worked out so well the first time."

Vladimir glared. Tony ignored him. I chuckled. "At least we know our prison cells will be comfortable." I sighed, eyeing the screen of my phone as I contemplated. "And as much as the idea of running to Mom and Dad with a problem irks me, I think it's our best bet. So O'Malley? How do we get off this moor?"

The leprechaun grinned and pointed. "France is that direction."

Tabitha snapped in outrage. "You can't just open up a portal and take us there?! You brought us in that way!"

O'Malley just laughed. "Need a bridge for that sorta magic lassie. I don't see any around, do you?"

Tabitha groaned. "I'll build you a bridge then. Cause even that has to be faster than walking to France."