Eve eyed Anemone closely. "But..."

"We have little time, Evangeline, we need to get moving. Come, I already have another set of clothing for you in my backpack."

Alexandra tugged on Eve's hand until Eve sighed and followed her. "Fine."

"Good. Melody, please carry the rest of the clothing I have packed for the other three. Now then, is everyone ready?"

Everyone nodded. Max watched in awe as the three lacarnian girls transformed into panthers. Eve, tail in hand, looked nervously at Max. He gave her a big smile.

"You're going to protect me like always aren't you?"

Eve returned his smile. "You bet, Maxy."

Letting go of her tail, she transformed like the others, stunning Max. Wow!

Her tan fur was silky smooth except for a thick, red tuft that covered her head and ran partway down her back. Her tail remained the same bushy red as before her change. Arriving at her face, he became transfixed by her eyes, the one green, the other blue.

I've always marveled at her grace and agility, but everything fits perfectly in this form. This really is Eve.

Max felt a light touch on his arm. With great effort he turned his head away from Eve to find Alexandra standing beside him, almost as transfixed as he.

"Now do you see what the lacarna are, Maxwell Laskaris? Now do you know why it was us humans that strove to learn from them?"

"She blends right in with the planet while I feel like such an outsider."

"She is connected in a way we humans can never be, but that does not mean we should not at least try."

Alexandra walked over to Eve and carefully climbed onto her back, making sure to lean forward towards her neck. "Try not to sit straight up, it will put too much weight in one spot."

The others, except Mr. Penna, followed Alexandra's example. Max looked back over his shoulder at Mr. Penna.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I am no fighter. I will stay here to help Neysa and the others. Do not worry, Maxwell. I have no doubt you will succeed."

Max felt a wealth of confidence rise in him. He missed his father, but he felt just as proud to have Mr. Penna there. Alexandra snapped her fingers to get his attention.

"One more thing, do not, at any point, sit up while the lacarna are running."

Lysander shifted on Callie, a look of terror in his eyes. "And why not?"

A tiny laugh escaped from Alexandra, it sounded a lot like Eve's when she was up to no good. "Because the wind will tear you right off of them"

"Exactly how fast do they go?"

Alexandra drifted off into thought for a few seconds, returning with a mischievous smile. "You will see. Just remember to hang on tight."

Max groaned. Now I know why she and Eve are such good friends. They're both trying to get us killed.

Alexandra tightened her arms around Eve's neck, took a deep breath then let it out. The others shared a look of uneasiness and tightened their own grips. Excitement carried in Alexandra's voice.

"Okay, here we go. 3...2...1..."

Anemone surged forward. In the first two seconds, her speed matched that of Starlight at a full run. The next second, she traveled at a speed Max could not have imagined. In the fourth second, she hit full stride. The sensation was bizarre. Max had his head turned sideways lying flat against Anemone's back. To his right rode Melody on Effie. It appeared as if they ran in place while the world flew by in a blur of colors.

Above him, the wind blew across his head in a deafening roar. Below him, the rhythmic breathing of Anemone eased the tension of the wild ride. He felt as though he floated in a dream, losing any sense of time.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO.

Max felt Anemone begin to slow down. Unlike when she started, it took her close to a minute to come to a complete stop. Lifting his head, Max saw the cliffs of the southern mountains looming a short distance in front of them, with the start of the dead lands to their immediate left.

Taking great care, Max climbed off of Anemone. Behind him, he heard a loud thud. Turning, he saw Lysander pushing himself off the ground.

"I'm walking back. I don't care how long it takes me."

Eve circled back to them. Alexandra still sat on her, wearing a small smile. "Just imagine if they could have hit full speed."

Max's head still whirled from the strange experience. "They can go faster?"

Alexandra slid off of Evangeline. "You guys are heavy, even I slowed Evangeline down a little."

Max tried to imagine going even faster, but failed. "How long has it been since we left Moenia?"

Alexandra headed towards the cliffs. "An hour and a half."

Max and the others followed. "But that's over..."

"One hundred and sixty miles, approximately."

Max stopped in his tracks. "Wow!"

Alexandra paid no attention; instead she pointed to a path leading along the mountain cliff to a plateau in front of them. "At the back of that plateau is the cave where the Controller Stones were created."

They followed the three foot wide path. Seventy feet along it, Alexandra pointed to another path that split off and led down into the valley below.

"I expect Avram and the Protectors to come from that direction. Lalita, go check it out."

Lalita leapt down the path while the rest walked another sixty feet to reach the plateau. There, Alexandra gave Melody the pack that contained Eve's clothes.

"Take Evangeline in the cave so she can get dressed. You too, Effie."

Melody looked puzzled. "What about the rest of them?"

An unfamiliar voice came from behind Max, startling him. "Anemone and Lalita are staying in their panther form. As for us, we do not wear clothing."

Max spun around, stumbling back a step when he saw the two large beings that now stood in place of Callie and Ca.s.sia.

"What...?"

Alexandra curtsied. "You should feel privileged, Maxwell. Callie and Ca.s.sia are purebloods. Their form is that of the original lacarnians."

Max studied the two. Standing on two legs in a slightly crouched position they were still a few inches taller than him. Their heads remained that of a panther's while thick, heavy fur covered their bodies. Under the fur, and nearly masked by it, moved well-toned muscles that could put Lysander to shame.

"From the story Mr. Penna told Eve, I thought both her parents were lacarnians?"

"They were, but one of her grandparents must have been a human. Only one; however, or she would not have the ability to change. There are few like Evangeline, Maxwell, but the purebloods are almost non-existent. In fact, I know of no others."

Eve emerged from the cave waving towards Alexandra. "Ready!"

"Good. Ah, and here comes Lalita"

Lalita ran to Ca.s.sia, making several growling sounds. When she finished, Ca.s.sia relayed her message.

"Lalita says that the wind carries the scent of the Protectors. We have less than an hour before they arrive."

Alexandra nodded. "That gives us enough time to prepare."

Max faced the valley below. "Why did they come through the dead lands instead of on top like we did?"

"Avram likes a show. He and his commanders will come up here while the Protectors watch from below. That is why I wanted to confront him here. When we strike, Melody will use her barrier to block the path from below, cutting any aid from the Protectors."

Melody gave a nervous nod. "I can try, but it will take all my focus to keep it in front of me. I won't be able to do anything else."

"I will have Ca.s.sia stay with you. Anyone already on the plateau that tries to get to you will have to go through her."

Alexandra walked over to several large boulders piled next to the cave. "Myself, Lalita, Effie and Anemone will hide behind here. The rest of you will hide in the cave and wait for me to confront Avram."

Lysander surveyed the area. "You've thought about this for a while haven't you?"

"You have no idea. There is one problem though. There are no plants here. There will be little I can do until the rest of you can subdue Avram and his captains."

Max swallowed hard. "Okay, but this isn't going to be easy. I know Tyco's strength, and I bet the captains are even stronger."

"I know, Maxwell, but I am afraid of what Avram has planned if we do not succeed."

"If what you have told us is true, it can't be good. I'll do my best to help."

Alexandra bowed low before them. "Thank you for believing me."

The lacarnians bowed too. "We thank you as well. We know many humans do not like what the Protectors have done, but few have cared to help us."

"I'm a Protector. It's my job to help everyone, or at least it's supposed to be. Besides, my friends have helped me enough. It's time I do the same for them." Max faced Eve and smiled. "Even if they are always getting me in trouble."

Max saw a tear start to form before Alexandra turned away. "Let us get into place." She headed for the boulders. "Oh, my friends, when I had them, called me Alex."

Max watched Alexandra walk behind the boulders followed by Ellie, Lalita and Anemone. "We'll wait for your move, Alex."

Max, Melody, Eve, Lysander, Callie and Ca.s.sia, entered the cave and spread themselves out along the wall, staying out of the light from the entrance. They waited in silence for Lord Avram to arrive. Eve heard them first, her ears perking up as she caught the sound of their voices. Not long after, Max heard them moving outside the cave. Eve signaled that two guards had taken positions just outside the entrance to either side. Lord Avram's conversation with the others on the plateau could now be heard by all of them.

"Well, Tyco, we will soon be rid of all of those horrid beasts."

"Yes, Lord Avram, it hasn't come soon enough. I'm tired of seeing what they have done to us humans."

"You have seen little in comparison to all that I have witnessed over these many years."

Lord Avram's voice grew louder. "Protectors, we have suffered enough at the claws of the lacarna. Today I bring you the end of these vile creatures."

Max heard multiple soft footsteps come from the right side of the cave, followed by the unsheathing of swords immediately outside.

"The only vile creature here is you, Egan. The lacarna wanted to live peacefully with us, but your hatred led you to betray your own kind."

"Alexandra, you are quite the surprise. I knew your followers would try to rescue you, but not in time for you to come here."

"Have you forgotten how fast a lacarnian can run," mocked Alexandra, "or did you think you had gotten rid of those that could change?"

"It does seem an oversight might have occurred."

"I would call it more than just an oversight. You got careless. People began to see past your lies. Peter was not the only one to betray you."

Avram sighed. "Staying in control has become tiring in my old age, but in a moment that will no longer matter. The truth will die with you along with the rest of the lacarna. humans will finally have peace and their children will be pure."

Max's blood boiled. He really wants to kill the lacarna! Alexandra's telling the truth about him, about my dad.

Max had heard enough. Signaling to Lysander, he quickly stepped out of the cave. Whirling to the right, he took a quick swing at the back of the guard's head with the flat of his sword. Lysander similarly dropped the other guard. Max quickly surveyed the rest of the plateau.

Lord Avram and Tyco stood with a bound lacarnian girl at the edge of the plateau. His three captains; Leander, Thanos, and Agamemnon, stood at the center with five guards standing along the cliff wall on both sides of the cave. Max's stomach tightened as the reality of fighting trained men sank in.

Lord Avram turned from Alexandra to him. "Don't tell me you are involved in this as well, Maxwell. I had hoped you would see through her lies. Perhaps you still might, given time to think things through. Leave these fools, and I will make you a Lieutenant like your father."

"Like my father? Didn't he betray you?"

"Maxwell, Maxwell, your father fell prey to that evil little brat. I do not fault him for that. The same goes for you."

Max's face flushed red, his grip tightening on his sword. "You do not fault him, yet you had him killed?"

"A misunderstanding, Max."

Tyco, staring coldly at Max, stepped forward. "I warned you this might happen, Lord Avram. That beast has had him wrapped around her finger for years, long before he met Alexandra. Just another example of what those blasted lacarnians have done to our kind."

Max seethed with anger. "Eve has shown me more of what a Protector should be than I could ever learn from you, Tyco."

Lord Avram sighed. "I see what you mean, Tyco. Enough of this, dispose of Alexandra and that mangy cat, but leave the boy."