A/N: Alright! Updates will be slowing down now that the first few that I had outlined have been written. But, that doesn't meant they will disappear! Just not one every day! Enjoy!

Seth held on the the side of the jeep as they barreled over the jagged rocks. Trask and Warren went around waking people up at 7, and by 8 they had been out the door. Seth's breakfast threatened to come up after they hit a particularly nasty bump. Seth wondered whose idea it was to let Bracken drive.

Seth looked ahead to the second jeep that held Trask, Tanu, and Vanessa. From the way the jeep was driving, it looked like Vanessa was behind the wheel. Kendra sat up front with Bracken, hair blowing carelessly in the wind. Beside Seth, Warren was going over a map, occasionally looking up and surveying the area they were driving through.

Up ahead the jeep's brake lights came on, and the jeep stopped. Bracken pulled up next to them.

"Is this it?" He half yelled.

"As close as I dare to go in a car. We better start walking from here." Trask replied. The group was just getting all their gear out of the car when two four wheels came roaring up. Seth recognized Luca and Elin from last night.

"Uh, Trask?" Kendra said.

"Yeah, I see them." Trask said, eyes on the approaching vehicles. Luca and Elin skidded to a stop in front of them.

"Is something wrong?" Warren called, watching the two carefully.

"Wrong? Nah, we just want in." Luca said.

"Excuse me?" Vanessa replied, eyebrows raising. Everyone exchanged glances, not knowing what to do.

"Look, we've been Knights for about three years now, and the most action we've seen was confronting a rebellious group of trolls. We want to come, get our experience up! Be real Knights, ya know?" Luca said, gesturing wildly.

"You realize that this isn't for fun, right? This is extremely dangerous, I suggest you guys just head back." Bracken said, crossing his arms. Seth stifled a laugh at his princely stance. Seth found it hilarious when the prince side of Bracken came out.

"We know it isn't for fun. We could die." Elin said, Seth wondered if the woman had any positive emotions.

"Look, we are hardly unskilled, we can help. Please, we know the risks, we want to gamble." Luca said.

Trask sighed, exchanged a glance with Bracken. "Fine, but know that if something happens it's on you."

Luca smile was so wide Seth thought it would break his face, Elin just nodded, rolling her eyes. Seth didn't like Elin much.

"Wait." Bracken called. The group stopped walking and turned to him. "I can sense the distracter spell up ahead, now would be the time to give Kendra the key and tie ourselves to her."

Everyone nodded, Warren started handing out harnesses but skipped himself and Bracken.

"I only have enough for seven, we didn't pack for nine. Bracken and I will forgo the harnesses and opt to just hold on to Kendra and hope for the best." He explained, helping Kendra into the harness.

"You'll be needing this." Trask said, handing Kendra the key. Once everyone was tied to Kendra, and Bracken and Warren both held one of her hands, Kendra started leading them in the direction Tanu pointed.

"I can't believe we are actually going in a vault. This is amazing." Luca breathed next to him. Seth had the feeling Luca had the looks of a jock and the personality of a nerd. Seth felt like Luca acted more like a teenager than Seth did for someone who said he was 27.

'Amatures.' Seth thought to himself.

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up, they're gonna think we are unprofessional." Elin hissed from the other side, as if she could read Seth's mind. Seth briefly entertained that idea before brushing it off.

"Sorry." Luca said, rubbing his neck.

Seth sighed, this was going to be a long day.

Kendra was trying to stop thinking about the sword in Warren's belt but was failing miserably. She was also thinking about how glad she was that she wore gloves today, she didn't need Bracken hearing her thoughts through her hand right now.

Kendra could see the looming Rock of Agnar, and the distracter spell was probably beginning to take effect judging by the tugging she felt on the rope. Slowly they approached the huge rock, that seemed to be more like a mountain than a rock.

Once up close, she located the mouth of the cave. Bracing herself she pulled the group in, ignoring the protests.

"You're leading us in the wrong cave!" Luca cried.

"How would you know what the right cave is?" Kendra reasoned. "Trust me, I know what I'm doing." She tugged on Bracken's hand when he began to look back in confusion.

"I've never felt a distracter spell this strong." He said, shaking his head as if to clear it.

Kendra pulled and pulled on the group, putting all her weight in each step, praying the door was near. Warren griped her hand tighter by the second, dragging his feet along. Glancing back she could see Vanessa and Trask were grimacing, nearly growling in the effort to stay on track. Luca looked like he was going to cry, Elin looked pissed as usual but frightened. Tanu was breathing heavily, Seth looked like he was going to pass out, and Bracken looked uncomfortable at most.

Kendra saw the door up ahead and began pulling with more insistence.

"Stop! You're gonna get us killed!" Elin shouted, digging her feet into the ground.

"She's right, Kendra. We should turn back." Seth said.

"No. The door is right here, just hang on." Kendra bit out, forcing her weight into the next step again and again. Until finally they reached the door. "Stand still."

"Stay put." Trask called out.

"Bracken, I need my hand." She said, "Don't go running off."

"I'll do my best." His voice a little strained as he let go of her hand. Kendra dug into her pocket and found the key. She began searching the door, trying to ignore the others as they struggled to stand their ground. She was pretty sure Luca started crying.

"Found it!" She cried out. Slipping the key into the lock, it clicked and a loud banging sound was made, causing a few to shout out in fear. The makeshift door slid up into the ceiling of the cave and Kendra pushed Bracken and Warren in first before turning and grabbing the rope.

"Come on, it will be over once you cross the door." She said, coaxing the other's through. Once she was in reach Warren and Bracken grabbed a hold of the rope and pulled as well.

"No, no. I think I should go back." Luca cried, trying to undo his harness.

"Luca, it's the spell. Ignore your instincts." Bracken instructed. Finally, all of them crossed the doorway and were relieved of the spell. They all gathered themselves, Luca needing a little more time than the others, and then turned to face the pathway.

A winding path, lit up by glowing stones, beckoned them deeper into the rock, seeming to go on forever.

"Well, no turning back now, is there?" Luca said, sounding much more in control of himself.

"Nope." Kendra whispered, eyes straying to the sword on Warren's belt. She stuck by Seth as they made their way carefully through the hall, listening to him talk to Luca. They seemed to be getting along well all of a sudden, but she guessed walking through a distracter spell together will create some bonding memories.

Warren tapped the ground with his sword, reminding Kendra of the first vault she had ever been in back at Fablehaven where he had done the same thing. The clinking of the sword seemed to echo in her mind, making her wonder what it was going to feel like when the sword was embedded in her stomach.

'No.' She thought. 'That won't happen.'

But how could she be sure? Didn't Bracken explain that in the past, visions from a fairykind came true? What if she really killed Bracken? What if Warren really killed her? She would have to think about that later as Warren called for the group to halt.

They had arrived at the first trap.

A/N: Another cliff hanger! Sort of. So, Luca and Elin have joined the group and Warren still has that damn sword. What will happen next? I know but I won't tell, so see you next time xoxo