The Jem

~33~

Darya sat with the handsome prince who would smile at her every time they made eye contact. "Do you think your friend is ok?" He had asked multiple times and she would shrug every time.

After a few more minutes of unbearable silence, a door creaked open behind her. Crimson had a limp looking arm around Hunter's neck. He looked like he had seen a ghost or better days, for that matter. Both Brice and Darya stood as the two of them walked over to the couches.

"Are you ok?" The emperor's son helped her to a couch but Hunter gave him a deathly stare. Brice looked like he was going to wet himself.
The prince was skinnier than the soul sucker, still had a little muscle but not as bulky. He had the same build as Jermine. But Brice was taller than all of them except Hunter of course. His blonde hair was short but messy and his clothes didn't look as neat as they had the day before.

"Darya I have a question for you." Crimson smiled sweetly from where she sat, she had broken the tension and Darya could have hugged her just then but maybe Hunter might cut her head off.

"Lets hear it." Darya sat and crossed one leg over the other.

"Well I just found out that I...I umm. I am the heir of Camalla." Her's and Brice's jaws dropped to the floor. But she recoiled fast.
"Yes, So?" She tried so hard not to sound horrified, the heir to the biggest and strongest kingdom in the 7th realm. Only the Gods knew what could become of this.

"Well remember when we spoke about you coming from the 1st realm, I'm from the 3rd and Brice is from the 5th so that meant the last one was probably from the 7th?"

"Yes?"

"Well that means I'm from the 7th and when Cecil told me about the other element wielders he said they weren't in the same realm as I was from, he didn't clarify what realm it was. Maybe the other element holder is in the 3rd and the Gods were kind enough to already deliver an element holder to save them from going to the 7th realm." Crimson suddenly had hope in her eyes. Wow she had taken this in a positive light.

Darya scratched the back of her head, "I still think we should check the 7th realm Crimson. Because what if what you say is wrong and we end up having to go all the way back and risking our lives." As the last few words left her mouth she realized Crimson's hopeful eyes had died down. Darya chewed on her lip, suddenly feeling guilty.

"Alright but if we want to head to the 7th realm we have to go save Deeja and Jermine right now." Crimson smiled again but this time a wicked smile.

"So what's the plan?" Brice looked even more terrified as he beheld her grin.

                                        ~

The guards had given them food-a crusty loaf of bread with stinky, cold onion stew- but as the guard slipped the food in, Deeja had taken the opportunity to tear off a huge chunk of skin from his arm. The guard had sworn at her as hatred erupted from his eyes.

She had merely stuck a middle finger up and stuck her tongue out at him too. Jermine found her immaturity incredibly enticing, she was an immortal that acted like a three year old. But she was very entertaining to watch.

Last night she had slept on his knee and curled up closer to him. He couldn't explain the twinge that surged through his body so he ignored it, he didn't want it to bug him any further because it did bug him-for the entirety of the night he had not slept a wink as he continuously stroked her ears and hair.

Playing with a cat could get him scratched but as Hunter liked to call them repeatedly, 'Feline and Feral'. He had already guessed he was feral but he liked the name otherwise.

~

Deeja leaped around in the cage, swinging from one cold bar to another. Her energy too, too high to be in prisoned in such a confined area and especially with someone who pissed her off so easily. He knew every right thing to say to get her blood boiling in a matter of seconds, after decades and decades of perfecting her carelessness, he somehow seemed to find a way around it. But last night he was kind. Too kind.

She now hung from one of the long, black bars, her fur coated tail wagging as she asked, "Are you immortal?" Deeja's voice came out hungry, she grinned at the thrill of it.
Jermine laid on the floor, hands behind his head also grinning. She jumped down and began crawling over to him, every hair on his arm and neck rose.

Her tail unfurled as she was now on top of him, "Why do you care if I'm immortal or not kitty cat?" He flicked her ear. "I just wanted to know if you've had just as much experience." The feline purred with a smirk that was nothing short of terrifying.