Side Note: Wheeee, writing is getting faster now, with my goal being to finish this fic and another fiction piece by next month! I apologize beforehand if things get slightly choppy or less edited (I usually mean to edit per chapter, but with them being at this length, I can't focus on fanfiction and original fiction the same way xD).

Disclaimer --- While I do wish that I had a hand in writing up the Tortallan universe, we all know that the ever-fabulous Tamora Pierce was its sole creator. So yeah, I don't own these characters. At all.

Chapter 10
Disappearance

"What do you mean, you've lost him?" was the purple-eyed, red-head's shrill reply. "How do you lose someone who was standing right next to you?!"

Instead of being relieved for finally rendezvousing with the other group, the Lioness was livid. After instructing Thom to stay where he was, she asked Alexa to find a specific portal. To their surprise, something had slowly opened up in front of them, and when the imperial princess felt the magic around the new doorway, she supposed that it would be advisable to step in. It had successfully led them to the very same area currently inhabited by her twin brother.

Except there was one entirely new problem. And it resulted in the lady knight's apparent anger.

The man near Thom—who Alanna didn't even look at once she'd arrived—had already backed away nervously. Even Numair was steadily maneuvering himself and the imperial princess away from the fiery woman, whose fingertips began to glow with a murderous reddish-purple aura.

"Like I said," Thom, his own amethyst orbs wide, indicating that he was also fully surprised by the turn of events. "When Faithful interrupted me, he was warning me from some kind of encasing that was coming between us. Once I broke through, well, a few things were missing. I'm not even sure where the cat went..."

"Thom," his sister said dangerously, "I ask for very little these days. So you need to pay attention to this. Bring him back."

"I can't just do that if I don't know where he is!" the demi-god snapped at her. While his sister's explosive temper may have made the rest of her friends shift uncomfortably, Thom was unaffected. He was beginning to show signs of his very own anger, though it would be mildly unleashed compared to his sister's.

Numair caught Thom's glance and tilted his head, indicating that he wanted to talk to him privately. The demi-god gave a slight nod and wheeled his sister around. "There's no point getting angry at me, Alanna. Chances are he's with Faithful, and this is the cat's realm after all. I'm sure the baron can take care of himself."

Alanna shot him a glare before she was shoved in front of Jon. The two sorcerers disappeared into a corner to converse with each other. The lady knight drew a deep breath, but after seeing Jon's sympathetic eyes, she held her temper back. "He was uninjured?"

"As far as we could tell, George and Thom were perfectly fit," Jon told her.

"Want to tell me exactly what happened?"

---

"There should be some sort of warnin' before you pull this kind of stunt," George Cooper, former Rogue of the kingdom of Tortall, said crossly. He was now looking distastefully at a golden-framed mirror. Instead of his reflection, he saw his friends' bewildered looks. On his shoulder, Faithful was hissing angrily.

"Plans changed, Chosen," the Crooked God's muscled shape shrugged indifferently. He offered no apology. "There's a bit of danger, and I'm not keen on losin' such a valuable talent. Not now, anyway."

"Oh?" the baron crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, do you suppose your siblings have to say about the rest of the people still in that blasted place?"

"Your wife and the rest are not my problem, George."

"If you hope to be gettin' any respect from me right now, I suggest you care a little bit more," was the former thief's cold reply. Faithful nodded in agreement.

Kyprioth chuckled. He passed a hand over the mirror, and the images changed to where Alanna and Numair were standing. George watched his wife's face intently. She was staring far away and briefly her eyes faintly glowed. He could hear her urgently command something from Numair and the vision became hazy. "Did you do that?"

The god smiled. "I'm doing you a favor, Chosen. Stop glaring."

Once the images returned, George found Alanna standing in front of Thom. He watched her turn her head to scan her surroundings, and then mouth "Where's George?" He knew what was coming after that.

"You know, even gods should be wary of a temper like that," George smirked at his wife's enraged outbursts. "I s'pose you can't just whisk her away to safety either?"

The Goddess wants her there, Faithful yowled in what George found to be an annoyed tone. Kyprioth, you should not have taken me along with the Rogue. Not when the Ysandir are involved in this.

"Ysandir?" hazel eyes began to fill with concern. "They were destroyed. Why are they here now?"

Kyprioth glanced at Faithful and then at George. "The cat didn't tell you?"

He didn't need to worry any more than necessary, Faithful replied haughtily. He swished his tail and butted his head on George's neck. Stop fretting, George Cooper. Our hope is that Alanna and Jon will defeat them again. If you remember, they have the help of three powerful sorcerers.

"But Ysandir?" there was no helping his confounded questioning. "Kyprioth, why did you pull me out?"

"The less questions you ask, Chosen, the better," was the Crooked God's bland reply. Then he brightened. "Nevermind that, come. I have a wager to collect. And you might as well make yourself useful while you're still in the Immortal Realms."

---

There seemed to be no end to the tantrums that the Lioness was giving them, and Numair did well enough not to approach her at the moment. He looked on as the redhead paced, swearing loudly to anyone or anything that got in her way. The sorcerer knew she was trying to compartmentalize all her thoughts and worries, but in order to calm her, Alanna needed to vent first. At least, that's what Thom practically warned them. He wasn't going to question someone who knew her well. Instead, Numair was letting the storm pass.

"The Lioness is rather remarkable, is she not?" he turned to see the imperial princess smiling, her silver eyes showing the hints of utter amusement.

"Yes, well," he turned back to the woman in question. "I don't suppose it's a good time to tease her. She is worried about her husband, after all. Though I do think Thom's right that he will be fine."

"He is," Alexa replied, her smile widening. "Can you not feel his faint aura? I would not be surprised if he can See us himself. Does he not have the Gift with him?"

It had troubled Numair that she knew so much about George without having met him. Princess Alexa of Danne was truly brimming with Gainel's blessing. In any other time and occasion, he would have liked to get to probe her mind and test her power himself. Unfortunately...

"Perhaps another time," she answered, turning her head to him. "I do agree it isn't very appropriate, with the Lioness distraught."

Red spots emerged onto Numair's cheeks, and he was secretly glad that she couldn't see it. Unfortunately, he may have to guard his thoughts more closely. He coughed onto his sleeve instead and changed the subject. "Do you suppose you can contact him? Through a dream, perhaps?"

Alexa's face became thoughtful. "I suppose I could."

"Don't be daft, Princess," Zephyr scolded her, approaching the two. "You just regained your energy from the last time. Reaching out in this realm will only tax you even more. I don't think you'd be any good to us dead."

The princess pursed her lips. "Honestly, Zephyrus, I am fine."

To prove that she was indeed fit to use her Gift, she placed her hand on Zephyr's bare arm and easily nudged her Gift at him. He yelped and began to rub his arm. Before she could tease him about his surprise, he muttered a word of permission and left them. Alexa laughed.

"But you know," she finally said, "I did try to contact the Lioness' loved one. Whatever force grabbed him, it was not any of the Chosen stuck in the realm."

Numair frowned. "I'm beginning to dread that it might be a Ysandir."

Alexa shook her head. "It did not give off that sort of energy." Suddenly, she stiffened. "But...something that feels like the Nameless Ones is approaching."

They could hear Alanna scuffling towards them, her temper forgotten. Thom and Jonathan, who were carefully watching the lady knight, also hurried towards them. "Time to go!"

"It's a little late for that," a dark voice told them calmly.