Chapter 29

"The Goddess told me I can't linger here," Eliena told Sarra, Weiryn, Numair, and Daine the next day. "That I have to get back because I'm needed."

"Tortall needs their Tigress," Numair teased. "Fighting along side their Lioness." Eliena stuck her tongue out at him. She'd never really liked being called "the Tigress." As much as she loved her mother, Eliena didn't want to be known as "the Lioness's daughter." She wanted to be Eliena-no title-just plain old Eliena.

"So, can you send us back?" Eliena asked Weiryn and Sarra hopefully.

"Unfortunately, Eliena, we can't," Sarra replied.

"Why not?" Eliena demanded. "You brought us here, didn't you?" Sarra glanced at Weiryn.

"That was different," Weiryn replied. "Sarra and I brought Daine, who is half-goddess, remember. Numair came along… by accident you could say."

"Then what about me?" Eliena snapped. "I'm sitting here, and I'm sure not in Tortall!"

"Eliena, control your temper, please. Remember who we're with," Numair scolded.

"Who she's with?" Sarra exclaimed. "Master Numair, please! Who we're with!" Eliena once again wondered what Sarra meant. Sarra turned to Eliena. "The Goddess brought you, Eliena. Your body was brought here, but the rest of you was with the Goddess. She simply returned your soul to your body here."

"Oh," Eliena replied. "So, can the Goddess send us back?" She fingered her ember stone—blue instead of her mother's red.

"The Great Gods are too busy fighting with Uusoae to talk to any of us," Weiryn snorted.

"Who?" Eliena asked.

"You don't know of Uusoae?" Numair asked. "I didn't teach you?"

"Apparently not," Eliena retorted.

"Uusoae is the Queen of Chaos. Those color-changing ponds are Chaos vents to her world. Humans are naturally half-Chaos. Except for you, Eliena," Sarra explained.

"Sarra," Weiryn warned. Sarra shushed him with a flick of her hand.

"I'm not going to tell her all of that, Weiryn," Sarra told her husband. "Gainel, the Dream King, has one foot in Chaos and one in the Divine Realms. I'm sure you know how he only speaks to humans in dreams." Eliena nodded.

"So how do we get home?" Eliena wanted to know. "Could the Stormwings take us?"

"You think we could carry you that far?" a voice drawled. Rikash perched himself on a chair downwind from the others as not to offend them with his smell.

"Hello, Rikash," Eliena greeted.

"Its more than that," Weiryn reminded the Stormwing. He turned to Eliena. "Stormwings are lesser immortals-much like lesser gods, they can't transport people between the Realms. Unlike lesser gods, they can't even do it during the equinoxes."

"But the barrier is shattered," Eliena protested.

"That means nothing," Sarra replied. "The basic rules still apply. The lesser immortals just have an easier time of going between now."

"Oh." Eliena was disappointed to hear this news. Could they ever get back?

A dark colored blob appeared on the table and Eliena's eyes grew wide. She swore loudly and jumped away.

"What is that thing?" she demanded, glaring at her laughing companions.

"A darking," Daine replied. "Harmless. He's more afraid of you than you are him."

"I'm not afraid of it!" Eliena snapped. "It startled me, that's all." Daine looked skeptical. "Daine. Who gets rid of spiders for my mother? And didn't get afraid around those wolves and snakes of yours? And wasn't nervous around Tkaa?" Daine nodded, Eliena had a point.

"Look-he's making himself into something," Numair put in. The darking stretched up its head.

"Dragon!" Daine exclaimed. "Dragons!"

"Dragons could take them back," Rikash remarked.

"No," Sarra said emphatically. "I am not letting them go to the Dragonlands."

"How come?" Numair asked.

"Too risky," Weiryn replied. "You'll die crossing the Sea of Sand."

"So we'll help," Rikash said. "Our eyries border on the Dragonlands. We know them best."

"Even if you do make it, there's no knowing if they'll actually help you," Weiryn argued. "Dragons do whatever they please."

"But Eliena…" Sarra remarked. "Would they help her?" Weiryn was silent. Sarra whispered something to him, and he nodded.

"Maybe," the god said. "But I still will not allow them to go."

"You can't deny the Great Goddess!" Eliena exploded, leaping to her feet. "She told me that I need to get back. With your approval or not, Weiryn, Iwill go! You're not my father. You may be able to stop Daine and Numair but you certainly can't stop me!"

Everyone but Eliena noticed that she changed as her anger grew. Her height skyrocketed, her features darkened, and her violet eyes blazed dangerously. Daine slid her chair back, suddenly frightened of her friend.

"Eliena, sit down please," Numair whispered. Eliena sat, still glaring at Weiryn.

"She's right, Weiryn," Sarra murmured. "We can't stop Eliena from going."

"If she dies the Goddess will unleash her wrath on us!" Weiryn flamed.

"Why does the Goddess care about me so much?" Eliena wanted to know. "And why am I so important? I'm only princess in the Human Realms, you know!"

"But you're more than that, here, Eliena," Sarra told her gently.

"Sarra, don't," Weiryn said. "Don't."

"She has a right to know, Weiryn, and the Goddess never forbade anyone from telling her," Sarra dismissed. Her attention turned to Eliena. "Your destiny leads you here, Eliena. To the Divine Realms."

Author's Note- oh, I am SO evil. I'll leave that be. I'm not updating this story again until tomorrow. (Or maybe later. Depends on how evil I feel.) Anyway. Off to DELETED "How Can It Be" and move it to the "On Hold Stories" folder, aka "THE POINT OF NO RETURN." Stories hardly ever emerge from there. I'll put up a NEW fic in a few minutes… if all goes well. Now, REVIEW.