The icy depths swirled around me. I welcomed the peaceful silence under the water, even if it was just for a moment. I felt a tug on my dress and looked down to see Ann grabbing it. The thin material being crushed between her desperate fingers. Gemma! She mouthed. She wasn't a strong swimmer. I grabbed her hand and made for the surface. We were gasping and spluttering as our heads emerged from the river. There was no sign of the water nymphs, thank God. I led Ann to the bank where Felicity was already standing, soaking wet and glaring at the Centaurs.

"You will pay for this Lady Hope!" One of them screamed at me from across the river. "You've killed our friend! This will not go unpunished!" Felicity ignored them. Telling from her nonchalant expression, we could see that their furious threats didn't bother her in the least. We began to walk away from the bank, trying to ignore the disturbing shouts behind us.

"I think we should go back." I said quietly. "Those centaurs will come for us."

"I'm not afraid of any centaurs." Felicity replied sternly. I let out an exasperated sigh.

"I know Fee, but if they catch us we're dead. They'll be wearing our hide as coats." I answered.

"Would they do that?" Ann asked wide-eyed. Felicity rolled her eyes.

"Come on. Let's go home." She answered pertly. You know things are bad when even Felicity was nervous enough to leave. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Reaching within myself, I tried to make the door appear. When I opened them, there was nothing there.

"Come on Gemma! Stop playing around, where's the door?" Felicity asked, trying to keep the fear from her voice.

"I'm trying! Just give me a moment!" I cried tensely. Where was it? Why wouldn't it appear?

I tried a few more times, clenching my eyes shut tightly. Still nothing. Finally, I was certain it wouldn't appear.

"Something's wrong." I whispered fearfully. "I can't do it." I looked over shamefully at my friends. Ann began to sob and Felicity's complexion was much paler than normal. We were stuck in the realms.

"So, we can't leave. This is just horrible! Those Centaurs are going to find us and kill us! I just know it!" Ann sobbed. Felicity did nothing to console her-instead she got another arrow from her quiver and set it on her bow.

"If they do come for us." She said. "I'll be ready for them." I didn't bother to protest. Instead, I went over to comfort Ann. Her wailing was attracting nervous glances from a deer who happened to be passing by us.

"Don't worry Ann. We'll get out of here." I murmured. But it was no use, her fear and dispair could not be quenched.

"Oh stop your blubbering!" Felicity snapped. Ann stopped sobbing and wailing almost instantly but it was still obvious she was crying. You're impossible Ann I thought to myself.

"What should we do now Gem?" Felicity asked. I looked around.

"I think we should get out of this part of the realms." I advised. "Those centaurs will be back for us. They may have found another way to get across the river." Ann and Felicity agreed. We began to walk in the direction away from the river. The trees were getting thicker and more dense, I knew that we were walking through a forest. We had a small path we were sticking to. I knew about the many paths that intertwined throughout the realms, but I didn't remember this one. By now, Ann had stopped crying and concentrated on the path instead. A few hours passed and we still found ourselves on the same path, heading into nothing but forest.

"I think we're lost." I finally said aloud.

"It doesn't matter." Felicity grunted, shoving a branch out of her face. "As long as those beastly centaurs don't find us, we're fine."

"Look!" Ann cried, pointing to the path. "It's getting wider. We must be getting somewhere." She was right. The trees were thinning out and much sparser.

"I think I can see a clearing up ahead!" I said.

"Oh yes. I see it too!" Ann exclaimed.

Soon, we were standing in a large clearing, surrounded by the thick wood. In the center of the clearing was small stone building, adorned with strange glyphs and symbols.

"What is that?" Felicity asked, pointing to the structure-which looked to be made out of solid pearl. It gleamed in the sun.

"It's gorgeous." Ann murmured.

"I wonder what's inside." I said aloud. I stepped toward it to find out.

"Oh Gemma! Be careful. You don't know what sort of place this is!" Ann warned.

I stepped closer to it and peered inside. A rancid odor filled my nostrils. It was dark inside, but sunlight peeked in through the cracks in the walls. What was this place? At least twenty decaying goat heads rested at my feet. The sound of flies buzzing was almost deafening. Fear began to seep into me again- I felt a cold sensation climbing up my neck.

"Oh my God!" Felicity's voice echoed behind me. Ann was there too. She looked ready to retch at any moment.

"That's disgusting!" She cried. "What kind of creature would keep those?" My heart was pounding in my chest.

"I know." I said, indicating to a goat head a few feet away. A large bite had been taken out of it. Felicity looked over at me, wide-eyed. Her true fear showing for the first time.

"You don't mean Pippa." She whispered. "She can't be here. She's in the Winterlands."

"She swore her revenge Fee. She's still furious at us for leaving her. She's corrupted." I answered.

"But she still wouldn't hurt us... We're not even sure it's Pippa who did this." Felicity gestured to the decaying heads.

"She's not the Pippa we knew anymore. She's a dark creature now. You saw her, there's no denying it." I remarked. Ann shuddered.

"We should leave." She whispered. I nodded. I really wasn't eager to experience a reunion with Pippa.

"Aw...leaving so soon?" A familiar voice echoed behind us. My breath caught in my throat as I turned around. If I hadn't known who the voice belonged to I certainly did now. I instantly recognized the icy blue eyes with the pinpricks of black, the dead flowers tangled in her once-perfect ringlets. The sharp, bloodied teeth that rested beneath her perfect lips.

Pippa had returned.