A World Full of Magic: The Revenge.

The Kill Order

I thought about what Elsa wanted to tell me. I thought about what Selena did to me. But no way Elsa was up to something like that.

"So..." I said after the others were gone, "You want to talk to me?"

Elsa looked at me straight in the eyes. "You've changed. A lot."

I smiled dryly. I have changed indeed. I was more rude now (with enemies of course), more serious, more mature probably.

"Yes." I said, "You don't like it?"

"It's not that you bother me. But I found Jason more lovely than Jace. That's all."

I was staring at her dark eyes, her long black hair, her jeans and t-shirt. Every detail of her was making me love her even more. I leaned down to kiss her, but she put her fingers over my mouth.

"No Jace." She said seriously, "I'd rather kiss Jason. I love him." She said him like if she was talking about someone else.

"It's the same!" I said.

"All that we are is a result of what we have thought. You wanted to be someone else, and here you are."

"I_" I began to say when Luke called for us.

"Hurry up! Or you'll lose us." He shouted. That was a bad idea, because as soon as we reached them, a guard rushed toward us. He shouted back over his shoulder, and another two followed.

Soon six of them were racing our way.

"Look unthreatening." Luke said.

"We're kids!" Kate replied.

"You can't take that fight?" Elsa asked, "You're wizards."

"Confidence is key." Luke said. He smiled at the approaching soldiers, waving. "Yo, sweet tunics, guys! We're looking for_"

The guards surrounded us, glaring, six spears pointed at our chests.

I didn't need to understand the language to know we were in a deep doodoo.
The guards' leader was maybe seven feet tall. An evil, gap toothed smile shone through a black beard as thick as steel wool. He jabbered orders to us, waited while we staired uncomprehendingly, then jabbered something else. "I think he's trying out different languages," Elsa murmured, "to figure out which one we speak.

"When does he get to English?" Kate asked.

Luke lifted his hands over his head. "We come in peace!"

The men raised their spears, tips to Luke's face.
"Never mind." He squeaked.

The leader pointed suddenly at Elsa. I looked at her in shock. He gripped her forearm and gave her to one of the guards. Then he started to shout orders. The guard who caught Elsa turned and took her with him.

"Elsa!" I shouted, "Where are they taking her?"

"I'm sorry Jace." Jaz apologized, "But I don't think you want to know."

The leader gestured toward the city, growling. We walked, our hands quivering fearfully over our heads. As we reached the bridge over the moat, I peered downward. The moat's water churned with the action of long, leathery snouts. It was muddy and blood-red.

"C-c-crocodiles." Kate said.

I closed my eyes and breathed hard, thinking if we had to jump in it. "What kind of place is this, anyway?" I murmured.

"Definitely not a lovely place." Luke said.

"Are we going to jump in there?" I asked Jaz nervously.