The Stars Said Hello [1]

C H A P T E R - 3 6

Sophie had no idea how much time passed before she forced her eyes open, ignoring the searing light. The warm feeling she'd fallen asleep to was gone, replaced with a heightened awareness of everything around her.

Maybe it was from being bound and gagged for so long, or the way the drugs had limited her abilities, but everything felt like sensory overload. It wasn't quite as bad as waking up in the hospital the first time her telepathy started, but it was close. She grabbed her head and moaned, wishing she had the strength to shield the barrage of sound.

They were in a city of some sort—a human one, based on the noise and the cigarette butts on the ground—in a deserted alley. The buildings looked like they belonged to a different century, and everything was stone, even the street. Dex and Meredith stirred besideher and she squirmed closer, needing to feel their warmth. As long as they was alive everything would be okay.

"Dex and Meredith," she whispered.

His eyes fluttered and he moaned as the light hit him. Then he bolted upright, his face wild. "Sophie?"

Meredith opened her eyes and looked at them, then she moved at her hands and then he mouth. A smile made its way on the corner of her bruised and bloody lips.

Their eyes locked and she held her breath, hoping they didn't hate her for getting them into this.

Dex threw his arms around her, hugging so tight it knocked the breath out of her. "I thought I'd never see you again."

She buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Dex, Meredith. This is all my fault."

They clung to each other for a moment before Dex pulled away, wiping his eyes. "I'm just glad you're okay. And I'm so sorry for the way I've been acting—"

Meredith grabbed both of them and then winced and then moved away, sheepishly.

"Please. It doesn't matter. Let's focus on more important things, like staying alive."

He nodded, surveying their surroundings. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere human—but I don't know where."

"Why would we be in the Forbidden Cities?"

"Their hideout must be here. The guy who rescued us didn't leap, so it can't be far."

She checked her arms and wrists for wounds, but the skin was smooth and fresh. No sign of the burns she'd felt during the interrogation. Her nexus was gone too. She wasn't surprised the kidnappers took it, but why didn't the rescuer give her one? How were they supposed to get home? Unless that was what he slipped into her hand before he left. . . .

"What are you doing?" Dex asked as she scoured the ground, searching for anything that looked remotely elvin.

"He gave me something to help us, and I can't find it."

Dex and Meredith helped her look, but all they found was a scroll of paper with the words "Alexandre, Lantern, Concentrate." Followed by the word "Hurry."

"Well, that's helpful!" She crumpled the page, ready to scream. Four vague, disconnected words? That's all they were giving her?

Meredith looked at that and her eyes widened. She said, "It must be related. We must find an Elvin thing around here."

She felt her neck, desperately hoping her home crystal would still be there. But the kidnappers stole that too. Even her bottle of allergy medicine was gone. She had nothing left but the clothes on her back—and her stupid blue Foxfire uniform was only going to make it harder for them to hide among humans.