The Mark of Arella(Book One of the Dragonfly Chronicles)

Chapter Three

 Lilly woke up with a sharp pain on the back of her head and as she tried to open her eyes all she could see were spots. She tried to look up to see where she was but all she could see was the ground as she felt steady rocking back and forth. She realized just then, that someone was carrying her over their shoulder. Panic engulfed her. Who had taken her? And was Robyn OK? Think, think she told herself. How can I get out of this situation? Just then a man spoke. "I think she's awake". "Well knock her out again", a second one said. "We can't have her screaming and struggling until we get thru the portal". Fear took over and Lia started kicking and struggling to get out of her captors arms and then she felt blackness again.

Lilly woke up this time, tied up and sitting against a tree. She was in a forest she had never seen before. Her head was pounding and she could barely see out of her right eye. She saw three men setting up tents and stacking wood for a fire. The sky was starting to turn dark and it looked as though they were going to camp out in the forest. Why didn't they just shove me in a car and drive off she wondered? Were they trying to stay on foot so the police wouldn't find them? "I can't believe you brought us to the wrong side of Fannon" a tall bearded man was yelling. "The portal she set up for us didn't work, this is where it brought us", the shorter, red haired man said. The tall man growled, "Right in the middle of enemy territory, if that young Prince discovers us, we are all dead and the girl would be protected. We have to get out of here as soon as possible". A portly, short haired man came out of a tent and yelled at both men. "Shut up you ignorant fools, the girl is awake and she does not need to hear this. We will take the route to the northern peaks and once we pass through the magical barrier we can portal ourselves back to the queen." "Now come help me finish setting up camp". Magical barrier? Portals? I must have a concussion Lilly thought. Where are they taking me? She suddenly got very, very scared.

Prince Rhylan was patrolling the route that travelers took between the two portals into the human realm. As the commander of the Kings Army and protector of the Fairhaven, he often took it upon himself to patrol the portals to look for any rips or tears in the magical wall that had been set up to protect their province. Tam and Finn where with him today. They had portaled in on foot and were walking the perimeter when Rhylan smelled smoke. "Do you smell that?" he said to Tam and Finn. "It smells like a campfire" Tam said. Rhylan observed the sky and said, "The night is soon going to be upon us. We need to sneak in and see who is camping so close to the wall." "Yes my Lord" both Tam and Finn said in unison. "Follow me, we need to see how many there are and assess the threat before we act."

Lilly was getting very uncomfortable sitting on the hard ground and was starting to shiver. The tall man came over to her with a vicious smile and smacked her across the cheek. Lilly flinched and felt the hot sting and screamed at the man. "What do you want with me? Why have you brought me here?" she said "Oh, the pretty thing talks." He said. "You are a very valuable prize my lovely and we are cashing you in." The tall man kneeled down on the ground next to Lilly and said quietly, "we were told to bring you back alive but I think I might have my way with you before we leave in the morning" He leaned in closer and smelled her hair. When he pulled back a hungry smile spread across his face. Lilly kicked at him and hit him in the jaw. She struggled to get up and run away but the man grabbed her feet and pulled her back down. He kicked her several times in the stomach and ribs. She couldn't move from all the pain she was in. Then he raged at her and said, "You are going to regret what you just did" he grabbed her hair and started dragging her towards his tent.

Rhylan, Tam and Finn were crouched behind the camp assessing the situation. "It looks like there are only three men", Tam whispered. "I think I see a girl sitting by that tree over there, but I can't see her clearly". A loud scream came from that area and the three burst into action. Tam and Finn went after the two men cooking the meal and Rhylan ran over to where the girl was sitting. He saw a tall, dark haired male dragging a girl into his tent. Her hands were bound with rope and she looked badly beaten.

Lilly was terrified of what the man was going to do with her. She started pleading with him to leave her alone. He just laughed at her and threw her onto his sleeping mat. She started to scream out again but he hit her so hard across the face that she started to see spots and fade into black. Just before she passed out again, she saw a dark figure burst into the tent.

-I hope Lilly is OK, it must be really frigthening for her to be abducted and not know what is happening.  Will she be saved?  Or will something terrible happen?