Chapter 243


    [Things are about to pick up and I''m certain you''re going to like where things go from here. I also want to let you guys and girls know the announcement I said would be happening in a month or so in an earlier chapter will be happening sooner since things have progressed faster than expected. I''m very excited to share what I''ve been working on, and yes, it is rted to writing and my love of fantasy. It is for my fans both present and future and wouldn''t be possible without the support and love you''ve shown Aether Beasts. Thank you for everything <3]


    A soft pressure and warmth against my cheek woke me and once I was done blinking my eyes open, I saw Shana''s smiling face.


    "Shana?"


    I went to sit up but Shana pressed me back down gently. "Don''t get up if you don''t feel like it. Zirani sent me check up on you and she told me to keep you in if you weren''t well."


    "I appreciate that," I replied with a smile. "Both of you. But I''m much better. I wasn''t in a fight, just a bit of mental fatigue is all. Now while I do feel as though I could suggest something that could help me even more, I should probably get up first and check with the others."


    I didn''t tell her why, but she didn''t protest as I sat up. In fact, she blushed cutely and if I wasn''t so eager to find out what Misty and Zirani had found and done, then I might have had some fun with her, but s, there were other things to do.


    Getting to my feet, I stretched and let out a sigh. I felt reinvigorated, and the mental stress and fatigue were long gone, banished by the healing Zirani had provided me and the rest which had been very beneficial. No matter how little sleep I needed, I would never give up long rests.


    "Come on." I offered a hand to Shana who took it and stood slowly. "Let''s see what the others are doing. I''m guessing it''s full dark now so we can''t leave this area without good reason, but I doubt everyone''s asleep."


    "A few are," Shana replied as we made our way out of the vehicle, but most are rxing as best they can. It''s a lot calmer than it was on the first trip."


    "Oh, and how was it on the way to the ins?" I asked.


    "Well for all of the green court group it was our first time." Shana sighed. "We''d all heard stories and such and were very frightened. The first week was a nightmare and it was only thanks to Lady Aeverie that things remained reasonably calm. It got better as time went by and though the beast attack did shake things up, no one was killed and the green court faired well. By the time we were a week away from the ins, most of the fear was gone. Not all, since, err, it''s still the great scar and all."


    That was true, and as I thought about her words, i remembered my aunt telling me that fear wasn''t a bad thing and that one needed to feel the fear of something first before they could ovee it, and knowing when to be on guard no matter how things seemed was also very important. That thought sent a pang of sadness through me, but I pushed it away. I would see her again.


    "Zirani, you there?"


    "Feeling better?" Zirani replied mentally.


    "Much," I said. "How did things go?"


    "Better than expected," Zirani said, and I could sense the faint surprise through the bond. "She''s curious but the moment I exined just how potentially dangerous the situation was, she went into full gear so to speak."


    "I don''t get that reference," I said.


    "Nevermind," Zirani said. "She''ll be looking out for things and having her personal guards do what they can. It will grant us much-needed eyes and ears. I''m heading back now, how about Misty?"


    "Just about to contact her," I said and turned my focus to my bond with Misty. "Misty?"


    "I''m here," she said. "And with some good news which is also the bad news as well, I guess."


    "Oh?"


    "Yeah, I found some of the runes on the alchemist''s vehicle, you know the one the Red Ribbons are guarding."


    "Which is good and bad." I nodded. "Makes sense. You didn''t give yourself away did you."


    "No, I yed it carefully, but that also meant I didn''t get that close of a look. I mostly spent my time trying tofort Vita. I''ll finish up here and then return."


    "I''ll let Zirani know," I said.


    I could feel Shana staring at my face, and I sent her an apologetic look. "Sorry, I''m not acting as goodpany am I?"


    She shrugged. "I don''t mind if it''s important. I''m just happy to be with you."


    A warm feeling rose in my chest and leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek before sending what Misty had told me to Zirani.


    "I''ll let Aeverie know, she should keep an eye on them," Zirani sent back. "It seems we have a lead."


    Shana and I spent a few minutes just chatting and walking together before Zirani returned with a tired look on her face. Shana curtsied and gave me a smile as Zirnai thanked her. Before she left I gave her another kiss, this time on the lips.


    "Thank you."


    She blushed and hurriedly walked away.


    I found it so odd that she acted like that when we had seen each other naked and been in the throes of passion together. Maybe it was because we were out in public? In any case, I was getting rather fond of the dryad.


    "You know I would have loved to have seen you when you were a dryad," I said, turning to Zirani.


    Zirani chuckled and a faintly sad expression came to her face. "I was sort of like Shana, though not as shy. We would have gotten along very well."


    I moved in and warped my arms around her waist, pulling her in close. "We get along know, even better."


    I leaned in a kissed her gently. "We love each other."


    Her sad expression faded, and we spent a minute basking in each other''s warmth andfort before we headed back to our vehicle. We could have spent some more time outside, but Misty would be back soon, and would probably want to rest and speak further on what she had found which just left Sandra.


    "Sandra, where are you?"


    "With some of the younger n members," she replied. "I''m training with a few of them. How are things with you, find anything, and are you feeling better?"


    "I am and we did," I said.


    "I''m on my way," she said.


    "You don''t have to and didn''t you say you wanted to stay with the Umbrin n group?"


    "I did," she answered. "And I will as will you with me, but that doesn''t mean I can''t move back and forth even now. I have Zirani''s backing and I''m basically leading the umbrin group now. The guards won''t bother me."


    "Fair enough, we''ll be at the vehicle."


    "See you in ten. I''ll wrap things up here quickly."


    Misty met us outside the vehicle as Zirnai and I had been going at a fairly slow pace and together we headed inside. Misty looked exhausted, and i Immediately knew it had something to do with the vampire, Vita. I hadn''t yet met her, but from everything Misty had told me, the girl was a handful, to say the least.


    "You seem tired," Zirani said.


    Misty plopped onto one of the chairs with a sigh, leaning back. "It started off simple, but then Vita returned and I had to deal with a shouting and crying mess that switched from angry to sad every minute. The others didn''t help and I get the feeling that it''s happened before. Honestly, I would have left far sooner if I hadn''t been looking for those runes."


    "Speaking of runes, Aiden says you found them?"


    "I did, on the alchemist''s vehicle," Misty exined. "I wasnt sure at first, but after a few looks, i was able to confirm at least three of them. His vehicle is odd and has enchantments that made no sense and others that seem pointless. Why would you need an enchantment to get rid of echoes? If his vehicle is anything like ours then I don''t see how there could be echoes. Those that didn''t make sense were far worse though. It''s like there were made that way on purpose which means he''s an idiot with no talent for enchanting, was scammed by someone or he sees something I don''t."


    "If he is involved in this danger then thest is probably correct," Zirani mused. "We are talking about horror aether and an energy we''re not familiar with. These enchantments could be linked to those or maybe they are there to hide something. It''s not impossible to make an enchantment look like nonsense so it isn''t easy to understand, though most just choose to shroud it or use some form of camouge. It''s much easier than trying to alter the enchantment itself."


    I was about to reply when the door opened and Sandra entered. "What have I missed."


    "Take a seat and we''ll catch you up." Misty gestured to a seat next to get, but Sandra made her way over to me and took a seat on myp, leaning back so her head was near my shoulder.


    Misty rolled her eyes with a faint smile on her lips.


    Sandra turned to Zirani. "Now, tell me everything."