New World

30 | Goodbyes

"I found him on the beach and brought him here," Dru told proudly.

"But how did you recognise him?" Asked Helen.

There was silence. Lila caught Dru look at Jaime with a slight panicked expression. But then it disappeared.

"He stayed with me for a few days when we were at the London Institute," Dru announced.

"You mean he was in your room?" Mark exclaimed, turning to look at Jaime. He looked like he wanted to punch Jaime straight in the face. "She's thirteen!"

Jaime looked astonished. "I thought she was at least sixteen—"

"Stay where you are, Jaime Rosales," said Mark abruptly. He'd given Kieran his backpack.

"Why?" Asked Jaime suspiciously.

"So I can rain blows down upon you."

Jaime dashed to avoid Mark. "I don't know what you think happened," he said quickly as he swung himself up onto the table as Mark walked quickly over to him nearing anger. "But nothing did. Dru is my friend, that is all."

Dru jumped between Jaime and Mark. "Stop," She said. "I didn't tell Jaime how old I was because he was my friend. He listened to me and he watched horror movies with me. He acted like what I said was important and I didn't want to be treated like a little kid."

"But you are a child," Said Mark. "You shouldn't be treated like an adult."

"He treated me like a friend. I might be young but I'm not a liar," Dru snapped.

"She is telling you that you have to trust her, Mark," said Kieran.

"He's not stupid," Lila quipped, looking at Kieran, who looked slightly shocked. Probably because she'd never spoke to him before; she felt a bit guilty after.

Cristina moved to stand next to Dru. "Mark, you haven't been here to protect your family for years. But that doesn't mean mistrusting them now. Jaime wouldn't hurt Dru."

The door of the library opened and Aline stepped in. No one but Kit watched as she crossed the room and whispered in Helen's ear.

"Dru is like a little sister to me," said Jaime.

After a moment of almost glaring at Jaime, Mark turned to Dru. "I'm sorry. I should have listened to you." He looked up at Jaime, and his eyes went flinty. "I believe you, Jaime Rocio Rosales. But I can't speak for what Julian will do when he finds out."

"You guys are really making me not want to let you use the Eternidad to get to Faerie," said Jaime.

"Stop bickering." Helen's voice rang out. "Earlier I sent word to my aunt Nene in the Seelie Court. She just returned my message. She said that Emma and Julian were there—but they've gone. They have just left from the Seelie Court to the Unseelie Court."

Cristina said, "Why would they do that?"

"I don't know," Helen said. "But it means that we have a specific location where we know they'll be."

"I know a place along the road that leads between Seelie and Unseelie where we can waylay them. But once they pass it, we may be too late. If we are going to go, we should go now." Kieran placed his hand to the sword on his waist, as if to grab it.

Jaime leaped down off the table with perfect balance. "I'll get the heirloom. Cristina, only you can use it, because whoever uses it must have Rosales blood. You can use it to get to Faerie, and also back," said Jaime. "Your passage in and out of the Lands will be undetectable. But it can't protect you while you're there." He handed something to Cristina. From where Lila could see, it looked like a small block of wood twisted into a weird shape.