"O...okay. Anything she wants."

"Well, she wants to know if you told the cat-girl and her friends the truth when you were in the big forest."

Lysander turned the doll back to Alexandra whose eyes locked on it. "Of course I did. You were there, Emma. You know I told them everything, just like we saw it."

"What do you really want to do with the Lifestone?"

"To fix what that stupid Egan did to my friends. They should be free, not trapped in cities wearing collars."

"Isn't someone going to get hurt if you do that?"

Alexandra wrung her hands even harder, causing the wounds from the rope to bleed. Lysander gave her several seconds to respond. When she failed to he pulled the doll away from the cell to put it back in the bag. Alexandra shot forward, hitting her head on the bars as she stretched her hand out for the doll.

"No!"

Max saw a wave of pain cross Lysander's face. He stopped to listen. Alexandra spoke between sniffles as tears freely flowed down her face.

"I...I have to get rid of...Egan. He has to pay for killing mommy and daddy. Peter promised he would help me free the cats if I left everyone else alone, but...he left me."

Lysander held the doll in reach of Alexandra's straining hand. She carefully took hold, pulling it back to her chest where she wrapped her arms around it. Lysander stood and walked a short distance down the corridor, but not before Max glimpsed the tears on his cheeks. He tossed the keys over his shoulder.

"Let her out, Max."

Max grabbed the keys, unlocked the door and swung it open. Alexandra didn't even notice. She sat gently rocking side to side with her faced buried against the doll. Melody slipped past him as he turned to Lysander.

"That doll is what I saw you grab back at the village, isn't it?"

Lysander nodded "How did you know it meant so much to her?"

"Not long before my wife's death, she gave a doll to my daughter, Agalia. After my wife pa.s.sed, Agalia wouldn't let go of that doll for anything in the world. Unlike me, Agalia was too young to have many memories of her mother. But that doll, that doll kept her connected. By holding it, she could hold on to her mother."

"That morning in the forest when you saw me standing over Alexandra, I was watching her sleep. There, curled up sucking her thumb, I began to see the disguise she wore. Agalia had worn the same one, tough around the other adults and her friends, then crying herself to sleep at night.

"Alexandra may have been alive for over 600 years, but she stopped living the night her mother died, and that stone did whatever it did to her. With her parents, and most of her kind dead, that doll is all she has left. Losing that doll would mean losing what she had of a childhood before everything went to h.e.l.l."

Lysander came back to the cell. "I did not enjoy doing that to her, nor what Lt. Biros did in the forest. I did not believe he could be so cruel. Please know that."

Max nodded. "I believe you. I saw the look on your face when Tyco hit her. You wanted to beat him to a pulp, didn't you?"

Lysander bowed his head. "I needed to know the truth, without any doubt, before I could turn against everything I had followed my whole life. Although, now that I have verified Lord Avram's crimes, I'm not sure what to do."

Melody stepped out of the cell. "To start with, we need to get Alexandra's help. She mentioned those from her camp are waiting outside the gates."

Max nodded. "Yes, and Eve is supposed to be there too. I want to see her, and I want to find out what else Alexandra had planned. Lysander?"

"Do you really think she can stop Lord Avram?"

Alexandra lifted her head, rubbing the back of her sleeve across her eyes. "I can stop him, not easily, but if you help me, I can. I...Peter and I figured out a way to fix everything."

Alexandra tried to stand, but her legs had weakened too much. Melody rushed back inside the cell and took hold of her hands. "She needs to draw energy to heal."

Alexandra pulled back from Melody. "Not from you, any of you. You will need your strength. My followers outside will help."

Lysander entered the cell, scooping Alexandra up in his arms. "Then let's get you out of here."

Max looked both ways down the corridor. "Uh, does anyone remember the way back out?"

Alexandra rolled her eyes. "Oh for the love of...Spook?"

Spook jumped off the bench where she had been observing them and scurried out of the cell and down the twisting pa.s.sageways.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

Max stood by the stable, arms crossed. "I guess I never considered how we would get back out."

Lysander snickered. "You didn't toss a few wine barrels over the wall for the return trip?"

Max turned to Lysander. "You saw that? Wait, how did you get in?"

"The front gate of course. Lord Avram a.s.signed me to keep an eye on you, so the guards didn't question me."

Melody sighed. "They're going to have questions this time. I shouldn't be in here in the first place, and you're carrying a criminal."

Alexandra, half asleep, struggled to talk. "Go check the gate, Spook."

Spook scurried off while the others watched in disbelief. A few minutes later, she returned, climbing Lysander's pant leg and onto Alexandra's chest. Alexandra, her eyes closed, listened to her rapid squeaks. When Spook stopped, Alexandra opened her eyes.

"Head for the gate, the guards are not an issue."

The others looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and walked to the gate. Once there, they found the guards bound and gagged and a young lacarnian girl, torch in hand, standing in the center.

"It's about time, follow me."

The lacarnian, whom Max recognized from Alexandra's camp, led them to the west city gate. The guards normally stationed there were absent, allowing them to pa.s.s through unhindered. After walking another 100 yards, the girl stopped.

"It's safe."

All around them torches blazed to life. A group of Lacarnians stood around them, illuminated by the flickering light. He recognized several from Alexandra's camp including Lycoris who stepped forward and greeted them.

"The others are restless, I'm glad you arrived when you did. How is she Mr. Harris?"

"She's asleep and needs immediate attention."

"Bring her this way."

Lysander followed the woman off to the side. Max turned to the girl that had led them to the camp.

"You were expecting us?"

"We had a plan to retrieve Alexandra ourselves; however, one of the watches reported seeing the two of you sneaking into the compound. When she heard the report, your friend was convinced that you would bring Alexandra to us, and that we should wait. It appears she was right."

"My friend? Do you mean Eve?"

"Over here, Max."

A weary, ragged Eve stepped out of the shadows wearing worn and ill-fitting clothes. Melody inched away from Max, taking hold of the lacarnian girl as she did.

"I think we'll go check on Lysander and Alexandra."

Eve watched the two go then walked over to Max. "I'm sorry, Max."

"It's okay, Eve. I know now that Alexandra told you to run. After seeing what they did to her, I'm glad you did."

"No, no, Max, not that." Taking hold of her tail she stared at the ground. "I mean about not telling you I could change."

Max laughed. "That was a bit of a surprise, even from you."

"Max, you're not getting it. I really am a beast, just like the Protectors said." Eve began to tremble. "In the canyon, I was the panther you saw. I was the one who attacked all those people."

Sobbing, Eve buried her face in her hands. Max took a firm hold of her shoulders.

"Eve, look at me!"

Eve, shocked at Max giving her a command, looked up at him.

"Eve, why did you kill those men?"

"Because they were going to hurt you."

"Did you enjoy it?"

Eve's eyes widened. "N...No, Max. I don't like killing anything."

"Then why are you ashamed?"

"Max, I'm part animal. A wild and dangerous beast that kills people."

"Then what do you think of me, Eve? You may have been born with the capability of hurting people, but I've spent years training to do so. I wasn't born with claws, but instead choose to carry swords forged to hurt others."

"That's not the same. You did that to help people."

"And that's all you have ever done. Eve, I grew up hearing stories of the great things my father did, but those were only stories. You were the one I learned from. I watched how you protected people, how you respected all living things, how you put aside a person's background to see who they really were. Eve, you're the reason why I've strived so hard to protect others. I thought becoming a Protector like my father would be the best way for me to do that. You act as if you're below me because you change into a big cat when all along I've strived to be as strong and good as you." Max shook his head. "I'm still not there."

Eve sobbed into her hands. "Maxy."

Max pulled her in tight against him. "Since the first day we met, you have never questioned my friendship. I'll do nothing less for you."

They stood, eyes closed, arms wrapped around each other, for an untold time. Neither of them wanted to let go. It was the unexpected voice of Mr. Penna that finally interrupted them.

"Years ago I thought I lost my closest friend. Perhaps he did not go as far as I feared."

Max opened his eyes to find Mr. Penna standing a short distance behind Eve. "Mr. Penna, you're back! Wait, how long have you been here?"

"Long enough to know your father would be very proud. I know I certainly am, of both of you."

Max and Eve let go of one another, both their faces a slight shade of red. Eve dried her tears, her usual smile returning. Max crossed his arms.

"Where have you been Mr. Penna?"

"I had a hunch that I needed to satisfy."

"That didn't answer my question."

"I will tell you more later, but first I would like to know all that happened in my absence. You both look like you had a bit of a rough spell."

Max scoffed. "You could say that. Actually, Eve, I don't know what happened to you after you left the forest village. You look exhausted, and what's with the clothes?"

Lysander and Melody walked up behind Max. "We wouldn't mind hearing that ourselves. Everyone else around here is too busy."

Max's face flushed even more. "How long have you two been listening?"

Melody winked at Max. "Don't worry, Max, we kept our distance until you two separated."

"So you were watching?"

Eve grabbed Max's arm. "Come on Max, let's go find a place to sit, and I'll tell you what happened."

Eve dragged Max over to an open, gra.s.sy area. The others followed them, sitting in a circle to hear Eve's story.

"When Alexandra and I stayed behind in the cave, she warned me that the Protectors would come after us. She told me when that happened to run back to her camp and tell everyone. I don't think she expected them to arrive so soon."

Max shook his head. "You ran based on that?"

"I remembered making those handprints with Alexandra along with a lot of other stuff. She was my friend, Max. I trusted her with my life. I still do. So, I ran, even though I hated leaving you, Max."

Melody leaned forward. "Did Alexandra want to get caught?"

Eve nodded. "I ran to the camp and told them what had happened. Without asking me any questions, they grabbed supplies they had already packed and headed for Moenia. Along the way, they told me that Alexandra wanted Avram to get the stone. She had hoped she would avoid capture, but had laid out a plan for them to set her free if she didn't."

"Why would she want Avram to have the stone after hiding it from him for so long?"

"Max, she and your father wanted to use the stone to free the lacarna. Unfortunately, before they could figure out how to provide it enough power, Avram ordered the attack on the village. They hid the stone and went their separate ways.