Raku woke up one morning when she was thirteen with a bad feeling. She got out of bed and quickly put on a red dress with black net sleeves and neck. Her handmaiden did her hair as usual, and topped it of with a silver crown. As soon as the handmaiden finished, Raku rushed downstairs to where her parents were eating breakfast.
"Mother," she said, "I have a bad feeling."
"Do you want any breakfast?" her mother, Rene asked absently.
"No!" Raku exclaimed. "Mother! Something bad is going to happen!"
"Oh, Raku," said her mother.
"Daddy," Raku said, going to her father.
"Raku, honey. I'm sure nothing bad is going to happen," he sighed.
"Ooh!" she growled. She ran upstairs to her room and sat on her bed. She knew something would happen, but her parents weren't helping.
"She's such a morbid little girl," Rene was saying.
Raku slammed her door. She was angry with her parents for not listening to her. She didn't want to hear them.
Just then, Raku heard shouts from outside. She rushed to the window and looked outside, and what she saw made her gasp. A large army was headed for her house. She squinted. The one leading the army seemed to be a little boy! The soldiers were shooting fire and carrying guns. One of them shot a burning rod in through the window. Raku barely moved aside in time.
The rod flew past her and landed in her bed. Raku watched her covers burst into flames, and then she rushed out of her room.
"Mother! Daddy!" Raku rushed down the stairs. "The castle is under attack!"
She peered over the railing. Soldiers were streaming through the house setting things on fire.
She couldn't see her parents, but she thought she could see blood. Raku rushed back up the stairs and frantically pulled down the attic door She pulled herself up and closed the door behind her. Sitting in there was one of the servant boys, about her age.
"Mando!" she gasped quietly.
"Raku! Come here" he motioned.
She quietly rushed over and sat next to him. "What is it?" she asked.
Mando pulled a small bag out of his pocket. "Here," he said. "Your mother slipped this to me. She said to give it to you."
Raku peered inside. "Her gems!" she gasped. Then she looked up into Mando's blue eyes. "Mando, are my parent's okay?"
Mando looked down. "No," he said softly. "I - they're dead. I'm sorry."
Raku closed her eyes tightly. Mando put his hand on her shoulder. When Raku looked up, her eyes were wet. But she didn't cry. "Thank you, Mando," she said quietly, and after a short pause hugged him.
Just then, they heard a child's voice below them. "I know there's a princess," he yelled. "Find her and bring her to me," he demanded. "Alive."
"Hey, what does this lead to?" called a deep man's voice. "Some kind of attic?"
Raku looked at Mando "Goodbye," she said.
"Goodbye, Raku," he whispered.
The attic door was flung open and four soldiers climbed up. "There she is!" one of them shouted. "Get her!"
"Get her little boyfriend, too," said another.
Raku stood up. Her eyes were cold but she looked very dignified as two of the soldiers grabbed her arms and pulled her out of the attic. She never looked back at Mando. She didn't want to see what they would do to him.
They pulled Raku downstairs. She twisted away and started to run. But there were too many of them. "Stop her!" one of them shouted, and four others ran in front of her, pinning her arms.
"Search her," The little boy called from another room. "Make sure she isn't hiding anything."
One of the men began to pat at her, but she kicked him. "Get the hell away from me!" she shouted.
They dragged her into the throne room and chained her to an iron ball. She couldn't move her hands or her legs. Then they turned her to the throne. The little boy was reclining in her mother's throne. He had long, silvery blond hair and green eyes. His cloak was secured with a strange black gem...
"Princess Raku," he said. "I'm so glad to meet you. I am Tetsudai, the new king of Ariana."
"What have you done with my parents?" she demanded. "What have you done to Mando?"
Tetsudai laughed. "Do you really want to know?" he asked.
Raku breathed in sharply but kept her cool. "Not really," she said.
Tetsudai got up out of the chair. "It's really too bad about your family," he said in a conversational tone. He began to walk toward her. "My family is from a planet in Andromeda. In fact," he continued, "my brother is going to be king of my parent's country and my sister is the queen of her husband's."
Raku's eyes narrowed. "So you destroy my country because you're jealous?"
"No," he continued calmly. "I'm just getting what I deserve." He was coming closer and closer. "And now, so are you." Raku could feel his breath. He was just a few inches shorter than she was. Tetsudai reached up and took Raku's crown off her head.
"My family did nothing to deserve this," Raku said sharply, and she spat in his face.
Tetsudai was shocked. He reached up and touched his face. Spit came off on his hands. Quickly, he wiped it off on his cloak and shouted, "Take her away! Put her in the prison."
"You're a spoiled brat!" Raku shouted. "You will never be a king!"
Four of the men unchained her and carried her down to the castle prison. They threw her in and locked the door. Raku landed sharply on the concrete floor. Raku brushed unfallen tears out of her eyes. Then she took out the hairstyle that her handmaiden had made that morning and finger combed her straight blond hair. She looked through the bars to see if anyone was there.
Raku went to the back of her cell and pulled up her skirt. She had hidden her mother's gems in the hoops of her petticoat. She took out the bag and looked inside. She knew her mother had four spirits, but when she looked inside, she could also see a pure, spherical opal. Raku reached inside and took it out. Wondering, she held it out.
Suddenly, the opal began to glow. It lifted into the air, and Raku could see her mother's face in the stone. "Mother," she gasped.
"Raku, you must leave," said Rene.
"Mother, I want to get back Ariana," Raku protested.
"It's not time," Rene replied. "Now it is more important to get out of there."
"But how?" asked Raku. "And where would I go?"
"You would go to the Outback and live with Queen Katherine," Rene answered. "And you would use my gems to get there. Do you remember which is which?"
"I remember the colors," said Raku. "Blue is water, red is fire, green is earth, and yellow is air."
"Yes, but you have to say their names. Air is Aura. Earth is Shadren. Water is Cyril. And, fire is Gemma."
"Okay."
"Just one more thing," said Rene. "I can't be with you except in dire emergency, but touch the opal and you'll know what to do."
"Okay, Mother," Raku whispered. "I love you."
"Never give up, Raku," said Rene. "Never show you're afraid."
And with that, the opal went dark and fell back into Raku's hand. She put it back into the bag. Raku pulled a thread out of her dress and used it to tie the bag around her waist. When she looked up, her eyes were cold and determined. Raku took a deep breath and found the ruby.
"Gemma!" she yelled and threw the gem at the wall of the jail. The wall exploded and the cell started to cave in. Raku dug in the rabble until she found the ruby and then climbed out of the cell before it caved in completely. She put it back in her bag and pulled out the topaz. "Aura!" she called and a gust of wind picked her up and carried her to the ocean.
She turned to look behind her. An army of fairies was catching up with her, flying as fast as they could. They looked tired, but they still continued.
One of the fairies near the front started to fall. Without thinking, Raku reached out and caught the little person. The fairy's eyes were closed and she was saying, "No, no" in a tiny voice.
Raku saw that the other fairies were falling behind. She looked back at the one in her hand. "No, what?" she asked.
The fairy looked up with urgency in her silver eyes. "He wants me to kill you," the fairy whispered. "He is going to make me kill you. Don't let him!"
Raku held the fairy so that her arms were pinned. "How is he controlling you?" she asked.
The fairy's eyes were closed again and she was shaking her head. "He gets inside my mind and makes me do things!" she cried.
Raku's eyes widened. "Well, try not to think about anything. Close your mind," she ordered. Raku took another thread out of her skirt and tied the fairy's arms to her side. "I'm going to put you in my bag," Raku said quietly. "You can stay with me." Raku's voice softened. "Don't worry," she said. "I'll protect you."
"Thank you, Raku," said the fairy. "By the way, my name is Devon."
Raku smiled, but her eyes showed no emotion. She put Devon in her bag and stared straight ahead.
When they got to the ocean, Raku put Aura back and looked around. She found a large, flat rock and tried to pry it out. She found the emerald and called, "Shadren!" and the rock broke free into the water. She traded the emerald for the sapphire and called, "Cyril!" Then she jumped onto the rock. The rock began to float and move through the water on waves. As it moved away from land, Raku looked back on her beloved country. "Don't worry," she whispered.
"Your queen will return."
CHAPTER EIGHT-- A SECOND CHANCE
"Wow," said Otome. "I had no idea."
"She spent the next years planning her return," the Queen explained. "One by one, she found every person her mother's opal named to help her. That's how she chose you. And last year, she built the headquarters on Trent. "
"But what about that Mando kid?" Otome asked. "Was he her boyfriend?"
"She never talked about him," said Cole. "She doesn't even know for certain if he's dead. I think she liked him, though."
Katherine smiled sadly. "So do I," she agreed. "If he were alive, he would probably be about twenty now."
Everyone sat there in sad silence for several seconds.
"Well," said Cole quietly, breaking the spell, "It's after eleven. I should probably go to bed."
"Yeah," said Hiyake. "We are going to have to go back to Ariana now that we have a better reason for kicking Tetsudai's butt."
Otome watched Cole and Hiyake go partway up the stairs before turning to Queen Katherine. "Thank you for telling us about Raku," she said. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Otome," said the Queen, turning out the parlor lights.
Otome went upstairs to her guestroom. She got ready for bed, but then she sat on the end of the bed and looked at her wrist.
"Neo," she called softly.
A couple of seconds later, Neo's face appeared on the receiver. "What's up, Otome?" he asked.
"Neo, have you heard Raku's story?" she wondered.
"I think I've heard most of it," he replied. "Why?"
"Isn't it sad?" she persisted. "But it kind of makes me glad, too. Because now, after all these years, she has another chance to get back her country."
"Yes," agreed Neo. "She's doing something that's important to her." He paused. Otome could tell that something was on his mind. "Otome," he said, "what is important to you?"
"Well, right now it's helping Raku," she answered.
"No, I mean in your life. After this."
Otome sighed. "Neo, we've already been through this-"
"No," said Neo. "Answer my question."
"Well," Otome thought aloud, "I've always wanted to travel. But I'm getting a chance to do that now," she added quickly.
Neo sighed. He seemed to want to change the subject. At last he spoke. "Otome," he said, "do you love this guy -- the one you're going to marry?"
"Neo, we've been through this before, too," Otome replied shortly. She licked her lips. "Koji is my best friend," she explained. "He is a year older than me, so we will be graduating the same year. After that, he will inherit his parents' farm and I will be taken care of. My parents can't afford to send me to college. It's the best I can do."
"I thought that arranged marriages were...archaic," said Neo.
"They basically are," Otome agreed. "But he asked me, and my parents and I agreed that it was the best thing I could do. I mean, I'm the third of five children, and my family can barely scrape by as it is. Koji will take care of me," she said again.
Neo shook his head. "I'm sorry," he said. "I just can't believe that there's nothing else you can do with your life."
Otome gave him a small smile. "You and Hiyake should get together and talk about how you could reform other people's lives. Just last week, he was telling Adrienne that she didn't have to be a prostitute."
Neo smiled but did not say anything. For a moment, they sat in silence.
"Well, goodnight, Otome," Neo said finally.
"Goodnight, Neo," Otome sighed. She got under the covers and went to sleep.
**
One of the guards knocked on the door of Tetsudai's throne room, which was in one of the turrets. "Lord Tetsudai, Sir, we've got the girl," he said.
"Send her in and lock the door," Tetsudai ordered.
The guard opened the door, and nodded toward it, motioning Adrienne to go in. Adrienne uncertainly walked into the room. Behind her, the door slammed shut and she could hear the turning of a lock.
"Hello, Adrienne," said Tetsudai in a young but menacing voice. Adrienne looked up and saw him for the first time. His silvery hair was chin-length, and his eyes seemed to be jeering at the rest of the world. He wore the gold cape with the strange black gem. Although he looked just as Otome and Hiyake had described him, it was much worse to actually be in a room with him.
On his lap, he was stroking a tiny, sand-colored kitten.
"Please, sit down," he said, indicating a folding chair at the bottom of the stairs which led to the throne.
Adrienne hesitated, and then sat down. She was a little frightened, but if anything, Adrienne was good at remaining cool in uncomfortable situations. It was her only occupational skill.
Adrienne cleared her throat. "My I ask why you asked me up here?" she inquired.
Tetsudai looked amused. "And what makes you think it is anything besides what my guards told you?"
"Only the simple fact that I have been working for Raku," Adrienne replied.
"Really, I didn't realize Raku was like that," Tetsudai said coolly. "I guess that after her little... misfortune with Mando, she decided to give up on males."
Adrienne didn't know who he was talking about, but she didn't think his little joke was funny. "You know what I meant," she said.
"What if I told you that I was using you as bait for Raku, and in the mean time, I would have a little fun?"
"Come off it. I'm too old for you," Adrienne dismissed him.
"Yes," Tetsudai agreed. "One year does make all the difference. What if I told you I'd pay you ten times what you are worth?"
"I'd tell you- I'm retired," said Adrienne, making a momentary decision. "I don't do that any more."
Tetsudai looked more amused than before. "Oh, really?" he asked. "Well, then, I can give you another choice. You could tell me what Raku is doing now. Or even your other friends -- That Otome, for instance."
"In light of this recent kidnapping, I'm not sure where Otome and the others are," Adrienne replied. "And as for Raku, I would never sell her out even if I did know for sure where she was."
"Why not?" Tetsudai asked, mildly interested.
"Because she's given me a second chance," said Adrienne, using Hiyake's words, "and I'm going to take it."
"That's not very smart, Adrienne," said Tetsudai, standing up. He started to go down the stairs slowly. Adrienne stood up. "You see," Tetsudai continued, "if you will not give me anything, then you are of no use to me." He reached the floor. "And you know what we do to things that are useless," he said coming closer to her. By now it was obvious that Adrienne was much shorter than Tetsudai. He smiled an evil smile. "We dispose of them."
Adrienne's eyes widened. Quickly, she took out the small switchblade she kept hidden in her garter and opened it under his nose. "Don't come any closer," she commanded, her voice quivering just a bit.
Startled, Tetsudai jumped back. Then, seeing the size of the knife, he laughed and snapped his fingers. Adrienne noticed that the kitten was glowing. Seconds later a falcon rose from the throne and, diving over Adrienne, it took the knife and dropped it in Tetsudai's hand. Tetsudai closed it and put it in his pocket. Then he patted the bird that had perched on his shoulder. "Thank you, Tristan," he said.
By now, Adrienne knew she was in serious trouble. She looked around and noticed a window. She ran to the window and looked down. It was much too far to jump out of.
"Oh, so you're going to jump out of the window now?" jeered Tetsudai.
Adrienne made her decision. She put one leg out the window so she was straddling the ledge. "Come any closer, and I'll jump," she threatened.
Tetsudai laughed and sat on the folding chair. "Hey, if you wanna fall eighty feet to your death, feel free."
Adrienne looked down once more. Then she put her other leg out the window and pushed herself off.
Tetsudai ran to the window so he could see Adrienne hit the ground. Tristan glowed, becoming a vulture, and stood on the window ledge next to Tetsudai.
Adrienne looked up. The window she had jumped out of was getting farther and farther away. And worse yet, there were no more windows to grab onto. Adrienne hoped it would be quick.
Then, when Adrienne was just thirty feet off the ground, she suddenly slowed down. The air was swirling around her, and it seemed to be breaking her fall. Adrienne fell the rest of the way very slowly, and landed softly on her feet.
Eighty feet above, Tetsudai wasn't happy. "What is this?" he asked. "Why didn't she die?"
Adrienne watched as the swirls of air disappeared into a pure yellow topaz held by... "Raku!" she called softly, running over to join her behind the castle wall.
Tetsudai's eyes narrowed in anger. "Raku," he said ominously.
CHAPTER NINE-- TRISTAN
Otome held up her wrist for Cole and Hiyake to see. "Tell them," she prodded Neo.
Neo smiled. "Adrienne's okay," he announced.
Hiyake, Otome, and Cole cheered. "What happened?" asked Cole after a minute.
"Well," Neo explained, "I'm not entirely sure. Tetsudai said he was using Adrienne as bait for Raku, but Adrienne didn't stay long enough to find out if he was telling the truth. Or whatever."
"Really? How did she get away?" asked Hiyake.
"She jumped out the window," Neo replied.
"Oh, my gosh! Is she hurt?" cried Otome.
Neo shook his head. "No," he answered. "Luckily, Raku showed up in time and caught her with Aura.
"That's a relief," said Otome. "Did they tell you anything else?"
"No," said Neo. "They can't really reveal information so close to Tetsudai's castle. They just said to stay in the Outback, and they would get you as soon as they can."
"Can't we take Hiryuu?" Cole persisted.
"After what happened when we were trying to get away?" Hiyake scoffed. "Are you insane?"
"Raku needs our help," said Cole. "That's why we're here in the first place, Sparky."
"You can't talk, you little half-breed. Besides, how would it be helpful if Lord Tetsudai's guards locked us up? Big helps we'd be then."
Cole stayed calm. "So what if I am a half-breed? Maybe I'm proud of being part cat!"
"At least on my planet, we don't sleep with our pet cats when they go into heat!" Hiyake retorted.
"You don't want to insult my parents," Cole threatened, making fists.
"Bring it on, Meow Mix," Hiyake replied, raising his own fists.
Cole and Hiyake were just about to beat each other up when Otome lost her temper. "SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU MORONS!" she shouted. "THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU!"
Cole and Hiyake stopped short and looked at Otome with their mouths open. "I think we corrupted her," murmured Hiyake.
"Go Otome!" Neo cheered over the receiver.
"Now, I think we should listen to Neo," said Otome. "Raku is smart. She'll find a way to get us back to Ariana."
"Okay," said Hiyake.
"I guess you're right," Cole agreed. Then he looked sideways at Hiyake. "I guess it's just as well you stopped us, Otome," he said. "Hiyake wouldn't have lasted a minute without turning into Gemma, the fire goddess."
"And what were you going to do?" Hiyake shot back, "scratch me to death with those razor sharp claws?"
"Do you want to feel how sharp they are?" asked Cole, bearing his claws.
"If you two don't stop it, I'll kill you both with my bare hands!" Otome exclaimed. "This isn't the time to be fighting."
Hiyake raised his eyebrows. "Threatening death," he remarked.
"I guess we did corrupt her," Cole agreed.
**
Adrienne hugged Raku. "Thank you so much!" she exclaimed quietly. "If you hadn't come right then..."
Adrienne trailed off. "Well, anyway, I didn't really want to die."
Raku looked surprised for a second, then glanced at Adrienne. "I knew you didn't," she said. "So what did he want?"
Adrienne bit her lip and looked away. "I'm- not sure," she faltered. She looked Raku in the eyes. "He said he was using me as bait. For you."
Raku sighed. "It's possible, but somehow, I don't believe it," she said. "He knew I would be back anyway. And now he knows we're here."
Tochi looked at Raku worriedly. "Now what do we do?" he asked. "We can't afford to get caught and put in Tetsudai's dungeon."
Raku met his glance and almost smiled. "Tochi, you have no idea how weird it is to see you actually thinking," she said. Then her expression changed. "But, you're right. And we especially can't afford to let him get Devon and Kiylo." She turned away and stared into space for a few seconds. Then she turned back to Devon. "Devon," she began slowly, "...you and Kiylo need to go back to Trent. It's the only way you'll be safe."
Devon shook her head. "No, Raku. I want to stay and help you."
Raku looked at her sternly. "Devon, that's not the best thing. You and Kiylo are in danger here."
Kiylo stepped forward. "Ms. Raku, I- you don't have to try to protect me just because I'm so young. I'm sure I can help without getting into trouble."
"That's not-" she started to say, then changed her mind. "Kiylo, you're probably right. I would just feel safer if you and Devon went back to Trent."
Devon looked up at her with large silvery eyes. "Please let us stay and help you," she pleaded.
Raku sighed. "I need to talk to my mother," she mumbled. Raku walked a couple steps away from the others and took the pure opal out of her bag. She held it in her hands and said, "Mother, I don't know what to do now. It's all gotten so complicated. And now, I feel like I'm responsible for nine lives instead of just my own and Devon's."
This time, Raku's mother did not appear in the orb. But, it did glow and Raku could hear her mother whispering to her.
"Raku, remember that all these people are here for their own reason, not just to help you," said Rene. "Also, I cannot help you much longer."
Raku gasped. "Why not?"
"You must remember, Raku. Lord Tetsudai defeated me, and your father. You are my daughter, and you got away. They say you're the only one who escaped. You can do this."
Raku bowed her head over the opal. "Thank you, Mother," she said. The opal went dim and Raku put it back in her bag. Then she turned back to Tochi, Adrienne, Kiylo and Devon.
"Okay," she said, "this is what we have to do..." she trailed off as she looked at Kiylo. "Oh, crap," she said.
"What is it?" asked Adrienne.
Raku shook her head. "There is a ladybug on Kiylo's shirt. And you know what that means."
The ladybug flew off Kiylo's shirt. Everyone watched it spiral up to Tetsudai's tower.
"It's Tristan!" Kiylo exclaimed.
"Right," agreed Raku. "Which means our conversations aren't safe anymore. And they probably never were." She cleared her throat. "Okay, so here's what we have to do..."
**
Tristan flew up to the tower where Tetsudai was waiting. He lit on the windowsill and changed into a great horned owl.
"Tetsudai, I've had enough of this beating around the bush. It's time to get drastic here," he said.
Tetsudai nodded once. "You're right, of course. What are you thinking we should do?"
Tristan hesitated and looked out the window. He narrowed his large yellow eyes. "That boy," he murmured. "There's something about him." He turned back to Tetsudai and, flying over to the throne where Tetsudai was sitting, Tristan landed on the back of the chair just above Tetsudai's left shoulder.
"We need to get the little boy," said Tristan decisively. "We'd have to detain Raku, Adrienne and the stupid blond man so we can get at the boy by himself."
"Good idea," Tetsudai agreed. "But how will we detain Raku? She has some sort of magic helping her. That's how she escaped me the first time."
Tristan puffed up his feathers. "They're gems. She can control the elements using the spirits inside them." He turned his head toward the window. "Real magic should take care of them."
"What about Devon?" Tetsudai asked.
"What about her?"
"Hasn't she been with Kiylo the whole time?"
Tristan smirked, which looked funny on an owl. "That's no problem. A simple mind control would take care of her." His eyes widened. "In fact, we should probably make sure she is with Kiylo. That way Raku is even more helpless."
"Thank you, Tristan. I have waited for this for six years," said Tetsudai.
The owl fluffed up his feathers again and smiled evilly. He then morphed into a large, golden eagle and flew gracefully out the window.
**
"You all know what to do, right?" Raku asked.
Tochi, Adrienne, Devon and Kiylo nodded. Raku turned to Devon. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" she asked. "I still think you and Kiylo should go back to Trent."
Devon sat on Kiylo's shoulder. "I'm sure if he's sure," she said.
Kiylo smiled. "I'm sure," he said. "I want to help."
Raku sighed and was about to say something when a shadow crossed them. Everyone looked up.
"What's that?" asked Adrienne.
Raku's eyes widened in fear as a great eagle began to dive. "It's Tristan," she gasped. "Devon, Kiylo, stay together," she ordered.
Devon and Kiylo looked at each other and nodded. Kiylo put his hand over Devon to protect her. But just as he did so, the eagle caught her in its mouth and began to ascend into the sky.
"Hey, let her go," Kiylo yelled, trying to reach Devon. As Tristan flew higher, he caught Kiylo's arm with his talons. "AA!" he exclaimed. "Raku!"
Kiylo looked down on Raku, Tochi and Adrienne as he rose higher and higher into the air. Raku cupped her hands around her mouth. "Drop the receiver!" she shouted.
Kiylo looked at her, then at his right hand. Then he nodded. "Right," he said, and began to work at the buckle with his teeth. When he got the receiver unclasped, he dropped it.
"Adrienne, catch it," said Raku quietly.
Adrienne nodded and caught it in both hands.
Quickly, Adrienne clasped the little device on her left wrist. Then she looked up in time to see Kiylo disappear into the tower.
Adrienne, Raku and Tochi looked down. Adrienne turned to Raku. "What do we do now?" she asked.
Raku just stared into space. For once, she seemed to be at a loss for words.
Just then, Tochi looked up and pointed. "It's back!" he yelled.
Raku and Adrienne looked up. "Run!" shouted Raku, and they all began to run away from the castle.
This time, Tristan didn't swoop down. He stayed in the air and flew a wide circle around Tochi, Adrienne and Raku. Suddenly, the ground dropped out from under them. They looked up just in time to see more earth covering up the hole they were in.
Raku looked around. "Is everyone okay?" she asked.
Tochi and Adrienne looked at each other and nodded.
Slowly, Raku stood up. She reached up and felt the ground above them. "It's solid," she said. Then she turned to the others. "It's an underground cage," she told them.
"Can you get us out of it?" asked Tochi.
"I can try," said Raku. She reached for the pouch around her waist and pulled out the emerald. She stepped back. "Shadren," she called. The brown earth spirit flew out of the emerald and headed toward the top of the hole. He bounced off the top and headed back down into the emerald.
"Damn," said Raku.
"That can't be good," Tochi remarked.
"What is it?" asked Adrienne.
Raku shook her bangs off her face and looked up. "It's protected," she explained, "by magic."
"Tetsudai has magic?" asked Tochi.
Raku snorted. "Not really. This is Tristan's magic." She sighed and looked at Tochi.
"So you mean we're stuck here?" he asked as if he already knew the answer.
Raku nodded. "For now."
Adrienne looked at Raku. "So what do we do now?"
Raku turned to her. "Call Neo. Have him tell Otome what happened."
"Okay," said Adrienne. She pressed the button on the receiver. "Neo," she said.
Seconds later, Neo's face appeared. "Adrienne," he said, sounding surprised. "Where's Kiylo?" he asked.
Adrienne bit her lip and looked at Raku, who nodded. Adrienne looked back at the receiver. "That's what I have to tell you about...," she began slowly.
