“Yes.” Eldaren grimaces. “A vampire got to the corpse before we did. It was a very lucky thing he brought you and Lyra home when he did.”
“I . . . see.” I bite my lip and fall silent.
I’m not sure what to think of Geldyn. I certainly didn’t trust him before all of this. I’m not sure I trust him now, but the fact remains that he covered up Wilder’s presence at potential risk to himself. What would Eldaren do if he knew Geldyn allowed a vampire to walk free, Wilder, specifically?
In minutes, we’re cruising down the freeway. I look at the wide expanse of water, dull in the cloudy afternoon light before it’s lost to sight by abandoned buildings and other freeways. They are in terrible disrepair, but some are still usable, such as the one we’re on.
“How long to get there?” I ask.
“Not long,” Eldaren replies. “Maybe fifteen minutes.”
I glance around nervously. We go through a tunnel, and the only lights are those from the car. Fortunately, it’s only about thirty seconds before we’re out and in the open again.
Time stretches, and I suddenly realize why I’m so anxious. “I’ve never been this far,” I say.
“What do you mean?” the prince asks.
“I’ve never been this far from home,” I say. “I’ve always lived in Liberty. I can’t remember ever being outside the city further than a few miles.”
“I see. Well, this will be good for you, then. Expand your horizons and all of that.”
“Is Quinn going to be okay?” I ask. I’m unable to hide the worry in my voice.
Eldaren nods once. “Of course. Quinn receives attentive care at our base, Stella. You already know this.”
“I know,” I sigh. “I’m just feeling on edge.”
Eldaren is silent for a moment, and I think he’s mentally moved on, but then he says, “if it will ease your mind, you can talk to Quinn tonight through my comm.”
Warmth floods through me at his words. “You’d do that?”
“Yes.”
“That would be awesome. Thanks, Eldaren.”
He nods again, his face impassive, but I see the red that flushes the tips of his ears.
We drive in silence for several minutes, and I focus on Eldaren’s side profile, his features sharp and angular. I don’t want to think about how far I am from Quinn, from Liberty, from my past . . .
Wilder.
I huff into the quiet and draw my knees up, wrapping my arms around them.
“Something is bothering you, my heart.”
“I’m all right.”
“Now I am convinced something is bothering you.”
“Do you think the gaia is out there?” I say, deflecting the topic. “I mean, you said yourself that it’s been ages since anyone has seen one.”
“I am not sure what to think,” Eldaren says. “But that book you found is the best lead we have. I intend to follow it until we find the gaia, or at least confirm that the information will take us nowhere.”
“Have you been to Vashon, before?” I ask.
“I haven’t, myself,” the prince says, “but I’ve had some of my men scan it from overhead, five years ago, and Geldyn, more recently. According to the earlier reports, it was mostly overgrown forest, which we didn’t want to disturb. The people we found seem to take care of themselves fairly well. Nothing like the madness of Liberty.” He pauses for a moment before continuing. “Geldyn detected magic out in the forested tangle, but it eluded him. He’s the first elf to step foot on the island. The other elves studied it from the air above.”
“What do you mean?” I ask. “How can magic elude your kind?”
“I am not sure I know how to answer that in your language.” He pauses, searching for the right words. “I would venture to say that there is a force of nature somewhere out there that doesn’t want to be discovered. It’s . . . masked.”
“And you can’t find it?” The thought makes me shiver.
“Do not be afraid. If it were a malevolent force, Geldyn would have been able to sense it. Probably. I am not worried.”
Easy for you to say. I don’t have to be concerned while I am with Eldaren, though. If bullets aren’t enough to stop him, I’m not sure much can.
“Excellent. Right on schedule.”
“What is?” I look around and realize I can see the water of the Puget Sound again. We are driving downhill, and I notice with some relief that Eldaren has slowed down considerably. He takes a right, and we’re driving onto a dock. I only have time to blink at the strip of sandy beach before I notice a huge ship looming before us.
“It’s called a ‘ferry boat,’” Eldaren says. “It’s terrifically ugly, isn’t it?”
I laugh. I suppose it is. I prefer the grand ships of the Victorian era, myself, but this boat is impressive in its own right.
Wait.
Eldaren doesn’t slow, driving the car right up onto the ferry. “You’re going to drive the thing?” I squeak. Suddenly the ferry looks more like a rusted-out bucket than an inspiring piece of history.
“Of course not. Some of my men repaired it, and they shall steer. We have our own ships, naturally, but with a bit of tweaking, this one is just as environmentally friendly. Plus, I know how much you appreciate history.” Eldaren looks at me anxiously. “Do you hate it?”
He did this for me.
I swallow my apprehension and pat him on the shoulder. “I love it. Good choice.”
Eldaren smiles, relieved, and getting out of the car, walks around and opens the door for me. He remembered. “Let’s go upstairs.”
I follow him. The boat’s engine is a gentle hum. I wonder if it was always this quiet or if the engine is what Eldaren meant by being environmentally friendly. “How is it powered?” I ask.
“Crystals,” is the prompt reply. He takes me up a flight of stairs and onto the upper level.
“Wow,” I whisper.
The seating is old. Faded, worn-out booths line the hall. The cold light of the outside shines through large windows, giving us a fantastic
