Whispers of Nowhere

Chapter Two

The moment her feet touched ground, Gwen stumbled away from both men and began retching.

"My apologies." Forneus's voice came from behind her, his hand resting lightly between her shoulder blades. "I should have warned you before teleporting. It can be a pretty jarring experience the first time around."

Teleporting? Her stomach fluttered, threatening to unleash another torrent. Gwen tucked her head against her knees, willing the sickness to pass.

"Tch." Phenex scoffed, voice dropping to an undertone. "Human beings are far too delicate."

Gwen scrubbed her mouth with the back of her hand, and glared over her shoulder at him. "You know, for someone who doesn't like humans, you don't seem to mind looking like one."

What the hell am I doing? I must be out of my mind.

Though he had done nothing but insult her since introducing himself, there was something about Phenex that suggested she was better off not picking a fight with him. Who knew what he was capable of?

"Watch your tone, girl," he said, eyes flashing. "The only reason I don't take my true form is because it does more harm than good in the mortal wor—" He faltered, lips pulling into a grimace as he glanced in Forneus's direction.

Gwen's gaze flickered from one to the other, scowling at the look that passed between them. "You were going to say 'mortal world', weren't you?" When neither of them spoke, she demanded, "Well? Answer me!"

Phenex rounded on her, nostrils flaring. "Who are you to demand answers from us?"

Ignoring the voice at the back of her mind that urged caution, she rose to her feet. "Oh, I don't know. I'm just the girl you kidnapped! I have no idea who you are or what's going on. I don't know how I'm going to explain disappearing in the middle of the night to my dad...I don't even know where I am right now!" She gestured helplessly at the expanse of empty field surrounding them.

There wasn't a single tree or building, not a soul in sight. Just an endless sea of green as far as the eye could see, rippling like waves in the evening breeze. A half-moon surrounded by stars shone high above, brighter than Gwen had ever seen them.

"We're on the outskirts of town," Forneus informed her, drawing her attention back to him. "I thought it would be less of a shock if we brought you here, first."

"First? No, you know what? Forget it." Gwen gave a frustrated sigh, pressing her fingertips against her temples. "I don't know why you took me in the first place, but I'm not going anywhere with you." She started to walk off, heedless of the long grass soaking the cuffs of her pajama bottoms, when a hand came down on her shoulder, stopping her.

"I know you're scared," said Forneus, his voice gentle. "It's been a trying evening for us all. But you mustn't go off on your own—it's not safe."

Gwen shrugged out of his grasp. "Oh, it's not safe out there," she scoffed, "but I'm supposed to believe I'm safe with you?"

"You ought to be thanking us," Phenex said scornfully, peering down at her through a fringe of reddish-brown hair, arms crossed. "If we hadn't taken you with us, you'd probably be dead by now. Or worse. Now that the seals have been released—"

Forneus clapped a hand on Phenex's shoulder, stopping him mid-tirade. "Easy, old friend. Remember, she is but a child."

Gwen scowled. Child? Then latching onto what Phenex had said, she thought, Wait—what did he mean, 'seals'?