The Elements

Chapter Eleven

The first thing I saw was the head of a dragon. I screamed, covering my head as a blast of fire exploded over our heads.

"Luna!" Kai shouted over the noise. "I'm getting Jayde! Take the others and get out of here!" I immediately shook my head.

"No! I'm not going without you!"

"Luna, you're going to get us all killed! Go!" I huffed, grabbing Skipper, signaling to the others to follow. We searched frantically for another way out, but nothing was working. The only place we could find was the main entrance, but a giant fire-breathing dragon was kind of in the way.

"Luna, what do we do?!" Skipper shouted, grabbing my arm as I tried to get closer. I was breathing heavily, my thoughts becoming clouded and worried.

"Skipper, I want you, Ari, Brin, and Frost to get out of here, now." Frost immediately shook his head.

"We aren't leaving you, Luna. Kai's got Jayde. They're going to be fine. But if we don't find a place, we all are going to be dead meat." At this, I shook my head.

"I'm not changing my mind. Go. Now."

"Frost, just come on. We need to find an exit, and Agni is going to find us soon. Luna," Brin said, turning to me. "Good luck." I nodded, pushed Frost to Brin, and ran off.

I couldn't find Kai. When I found the ledge where Jayde had been trapped, the only elves I found were guards. Most of the guards had pushed the dragon back down the winding halls of the cave, but Agni must have sent a few over to look for the seven of us.

Where was Agni?

The thought stayed at the back of my full head as I frantically searched for some sign of Kai or Jayde. My eyes darted from place to place, making my head spin. I couldn't find them. My heart started to race, panic fluttering in my chest. I looked back at where Ari, Brin, Frost, and Skipper had left, but there was no sign of any of them. I felt lost, and I could hear the dragons roars fading, meaning the Cross Hunters had almost trapped it. At least, I'm pretty sure they were the Cross Hunters.

I didn't risk shouting out, knowing that Agni could and would hear me. I was panting, wringing my hands together, wanting to shrug the black cloak that still clung miserably to my poor wings. They had been cramped together for so long. But I knew I couldn't do anything. I wasn't going to risk something that big. Kai's words still rang in my head.

Luna, you're going to get us killed! The words, hurting me before, strengthened me now. I was going to get every single one of us out of the Cross Hunters grasp.

"Well. Well. Well. If it isn't little Moon. Where are your little friends, Moon?" I whipped around, immediately sending my hand to my hip bag. I didn't truly have a weapon, but I learned from having older brothers that sometimes, you just have to fake it.

"Oh, Moon," Agni laughed, stepping closer. "You can't trick me with your silly games. We all know you don't have a weapon in that bag." I didn't respond, knowing he was right, but I didn't relax. I knew that I couldn't let my guard down, but I also couldn't beat him by myself.

"Agni, I've asked you before and I'll ask you again. What do you want with us? None of us are going with you until those questions that we asked are answered." Agni's smile faded at this, turning into pure hate. Before I could react, his hand lashed out, grabbing my throat and pulling me closer. All of the air was forced out of my lungs, leaving me gasping like a fish out of water.

"You and your little friends will die before you can do anything to stop us." He threw me down, and for a moment, the black cloak slipped. My entire body went rigid, the pain of a broken bone shooting throughout me.