We're Going to Get Her Back

Elliot

Mark, Reece and I have just pas...ed through the castle gates, and I quickly notify Adam that we are here. During the race back, we all tried to come up with a plan to get to Kane's castle and rescue Kamila and our babies.

The first step is to know the enemy, so we headed to the library in search of a book that I remember had a lot of details about enemy castles. I'm sure Kane's must be there. Sure enough, when we get to the library and spread out the book, which is filled with enormous drawings and takes up an entire table in the corner of the room, the plans for Kane's fortress are at the top of the pile.

“Relatively simple,” says Reece, examining the drawing.

And it is, which is annoying, and I frown when I see the drawing.

"What's wrong?" Mark asks.

"I was hoping it had all the secret pas...ages like we have here at Gene's castle." But if it did, we would notice something strange about the dimensions. The rooms would be weird sizes and the walls would be thicker, I guess,” I say.

Reece nods. "It would make our lives easier to have a secret pas...age, but we'll catch him anyway," she says. —Probably the deliveries arrive through the kitchen, here—. He points to an area on the map. —We could dress up and go in there.

“We would have to get past the guards at the front door first,” Mark says. —I doubt they receive deliveries from the same companies as us here.

“They don't,” Adam says. —Everyone in this pack is under orders not to as...ociate with the enemy. I doubt anyone is stupid enough to go against that law.

“So we thought of another way,” I say.

Just then, a group of guards runs in front of the library doors and heads down the hallway. "What's that about?" Reece asks.

Adam puts his hand to his forehead. “Gene,” he says with a groan. —He's calling the guards. And to me.

"Why?" Mark asks.

"Who knows," Adam says. —I'll just go deal with him.

"Tristan!" says a voice echoing in my head. -Are you there?

“What the hell…” I say out loud, but in my mind, I respond, “Eli?”

“Oh, thank the Goddess,” Eli says. —You responded.

Reece just said something to Adam that I didn't hear, but when he notices the expression on my face, he asks, "What's wrong?"

“Eli!” I say out loud, and that catches everyone's attention and everyone is looking at me. "Where are you, man?" I ask Eli.

"I have no idea," he says. —But I'm free and I'm coming back! Please tell Kamila I'm fine. I don't want you to worry. How is she?

I swallow hard, and I can tell my expression is crumbling as the pain hits my heart. I have no idea how I'm going to tell him this.

"Tristan!" he says in my mind.

Adam looks at me curiously, but Reece shakes his head and says in a painful whisper, “He's telling you.”

Adam nods and looks down at the ground.

“She… Eli, there's no good way to say this,” I say to Eli in the mental connection. —They have kidnapped her.

-That!?

I tense up hearing the same pain in his voice that I feel deep in my stomach. For him, it must be much worse because the pain is new to him. It's not that he's getting better as the moments go by. He is not. But at least I've had time to digest it. Eli has just been freed, and the first thing he has to hear from us is that the woman he loves, and his son, have been kidnapped.

"We're going to get her back," I say simply.

-Who!?

“Kane,” is my simple answer.

"I'm going there," he says.

“No,” I say firmly. —We are not going to do a suicide mission. Kamila needs us all alive.

The rest of the ET1s join the conversation, and we soon get a brief summary of what's been happening to Eli and where he thinks he might be. Eli's hurt, he's barely escaped with his life, not to mention he's been drugged most of the time he's been away, so he's in no condition to run to Kane's castle as a vigilante, and we're telling him so. .

"Is my sister okay?" he asks.

“Yes, it's fine, and it's here in the castle,” I say.

“Then the rest of you go after Kamila,” Eli says.

I'm relieved he decided not to go after her alone. After the initial shock, I think she has realized that losing him is something Kamila just can't handle.

“I'll have Kelly heading my way with some of my people,” he says. —Trevor and Cora can lead the team.

"Wait..." Mark says. —Cora is not trustworthy. In fact, she is missing.

"What?" says Eli. —She has been one of my best warriors. She has impressed me, especially since I found out that she had been one of Tristan's people.

I shake my head. “Eli, I've never seen that woman in my life,” I say. —Well, until recently.

"What the hell, that bit...!" he says.

We explained a little more about what had happened with Cora and then cut the mental link so we could focus on our plan to get Kamila home safely. Knowing that Eli is safe, and that Kelly is going to come get him, gives me a little relief, although the rock weighing on my heart won't go away until my little flower is back in my arms where she belongs.

I can't wait to tell him that Eli is safe. But first we have to get to it.

We tore the pages with pictures of Gene's castle out of the book, we'll deal with replenishing the library later, and headed back toward the gates, each of us instructing the warriors in our minds to make quick preparations. When we reach the courtyard by the entrance, Kelly runs out with Trevor and a couple of other warriors following her.

"He's alive!" he calls us.

“We know,” Reece says as he approaches us. —You better bring a healer. I think he's pretty hurt.

“Oh, the big guy will be fine,” he says. —I've seen him go through much worse things than a broken leg. But you're right; the healers already gave us some herbs to treat it once we get it. The hard part will be keeping it in one place long enough to heal. Your three ET1s can take care of that.

Seat. "We'll take her," I say. —Tell her that she is as good as at home.

With that, Kelly nods and gathers a few more people and supplies, then heads out the door. They'll take some 4x4 utility vehicles to transport supplies to Eli, and will probably use them to get him home quickly.

Knowing that Eli is in good hands removes a layer of pain, but it is little consolation. I can't bear to wait any longer, even though we don't have a great plan once we get there. Just heading in Kamila's direction and getting closer will help the pain, but only a little. “We have to hurry,” I say.

“I want to get to her, too,” Mark says. —But we're going to need all the help we can get. My people will be ready in half an hour.

“Mine are almost ready,” Reece says. —And I have a secondary backup team that will load more supplies and follow the frontline group. Kane wants a war...he's going to have a war.

Seat. "He's dead," I say. —And so will anyone who comes between us and Kamila.

The other ET1s nod in solidarity... but saying Kamila's name makes my heart ache again. It is unbearable to know that someone you love more than life itself is in the hands of a dangerous man, far away from her where none of us can hold her in our arms and protect her from her.

A group of Reece's men approach, and he consults with them about some last-minute details. I'm about to take a final inventory of my own men when I hear a voice shout over the sound of troops preparing to deploy.

“What the hell is going on here?!” King Gene shouts. —This is my damn yard and you... what the hell?! That man just trampled my begonias!

"What?" I ask. It's the only logical word that forms in my mind to respond to what Gene just said.

"My prize begonias!" he says. —Do you have any idea how prestigious the prize for the rarest color is? Specimens must be in pristine condition!

My mind gathers the information enough to recognize that he's talking about...flowers? Kamila's life is in danger, and he's worried about some stupid flowers. I turn to him, and I'm about to attack him because of how stupid he is when I see her... I see her... walking out of the castle with a confident step like she owns the place.

The rest of the ET1s see her at the same time I do, and I can feel their expressions on their faces without even having to look at them.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I yell at him.