Lila rested against a tree, arm wrapped around her stomach sweat beaded her brow, she looked up the ruins of the Forbidden Fortress through the trees. She didn't dare hope the bird was successful in delivering her message, she had lost that sometime ago.

Taking a deep breath to steel herself she pushed off the tree to keep going. Each step more difficult than the last. She had to make it to the border. It was the only thing that would save her.

Callie stops moving...hearing something...She cautiously moves toward the sound...footsteps...coming closer...

Lila trips on an exposed root, grunting she stumbles and falls to her knees. Breathing hard she stays there on her knees.

Callie sees Lila fall...her heart stopping...her old handmaiden looks like she has been through war...she rushes to the girl's side..."Lila?"

Lila looks up and gasps "Callie...I..poison" is all she is able to get out before her eyes roll back and she falls over on to her side.

"LILA!!!"  Callie yells her name as she tries to revive her...She quickly starts to dig through her bag that she carried...looking for the vial of antidote she always carried.  Finding it...she pops it cork and pours it down Lila's throat..."Come on Lila...dont do this to me..."

Lila swallows the antidote and takes a deep breath, color begins to return to her face slowly. She rapidly blinks and looks up at Callie as she comes back around.

Still weak she tries to sit up on her own  "you came" she says softly.

"I came..."  She said...taking a deep breath of relief as the color starts to return to her face..."What happened?"

Lila swallows as she tries to remember "I am not sure. We were all fighting, things were exploding. I got hit in the side" she reaches for her side and looks down as she pulls a blow dart that had stuck to her clothes "I thought is was debris... everything is a bit fuzzy after that" she says, confusion written on her face.

Callie gingerly takes the dart off her...the warning bells already going off in the back of her head..."And you have no memory of the last six months?"

Lila's confusion deepens "what do you mean 6 months? The battle was....." she trails off things start to connect in her mind, the state Forbidden Fortress. Fear flashes for a moment in her eyes before she buries the emotion

"Six months ago..."  Callie confirms...looking around the forest..."I thought you were dead...Only a handful survived..."

"Who survived?" Lila asks as she processes the amount of time she has lost and what could have happened

Dastan and myself...and two soldiers who managed to escape before the queens burned the fortress to the ground...

Lila slowly raises to her feet, still weak and slightly dizzy she sways slightly "it...its best to keep moving" she says, suddenly wary as she feels as if they are being watched. She looks around for a place to go.

Callie helps her onto her feet...holding her steady...Callie starts to lead her toward the cave that she and Dastan hid in when they first escaped the battle...

As they approach the cave Lila stops in her tracks as a wave of fear hits her "no" she says as backs away from the cave and turns to run away but in her weakened state she almost falls "I cant go back in there" 

She had a flash of a memory - stone walls lite by fire light, she was chained to the floor

Callie holds onto her to prevent her from falling..."Lila...you have never been in there...Trust me..."

Breathing hard Lila shakes her head "I cant....i cant go in there"

Sounds like one of the queens cave prisons….

Callie puts her hands over Lila's...trying to channel some healing energies into her..."Now we just have to figure out if you escaped...or if they let you go..."

Lila looked up at Callie "why would they let me go? Why did they want me? I am practically no one"

Callie looks at Lila...deciding to be blunt..."There could be a lot of reasons...You were fighting at Mom's side...they know you come from a magical parent...you were trained by mom...just as I was...They also know you were my servant...We know they want me, Liam and Dastan...Releasing you could lead them to us...or draw us out into the open where they could get a better shot at us...Mom cleared out all of her potions and books before the battle...hiding them...We know they want her knowledge...in short...there are just a ton of reasons why they could have released you..."

"Calm down...I am not leaving you defenseless..."  

Lila sits back down, breathing heavily "you should just leave. I will be fine"

"Dont argue with me..."  Callie says in a stern voice...letting her hands drop as the healing light disappears..."That should help...My powers are still diminished on this side..."

"What do you mean on this side?" Lila asked, there was no other side except... the barrier, but that was impossible.

"Its a long story..."  Callie told her...sitting back on the ground...its then that Lila would realize that Callie's clothing was completely different from when she was at her mother's fortress...better made...clean...Callie had also clearly put on some weight...her face had lost that hollow appearance that nearly everyone they knew had...

The healing taking effect on Lila, she sees Callie clearly for the first time. She studies her for several moments "You must have a found a good place to hide. You are looking better than I remember"

"Like I said...long story...Hopefully Bjorn and Orson are nearby..."

Lila was unsure what to do, this was all new to her "So what now? you wont leave and you clearly cant take me with you" she fought to keep the uncertainty out of her voice but was not entirely successful

If I can find Bjorn and Orson...you can stay with them...they have been working with the others who were loyal to mom...if I cant find them...I will figure out something...

Lila simply nods and huddles on the rock she was seated on.

"Stay here..." Callie orders...heading toward the cave's opening and peering out...

Once Callie leaves the cave, Lila lays her head on her knees practices the deep breathing her mother taught her to bring calm to her mind before any spell casting. She hadn't had to use it in years, but it worked to help calm her racing heart and thoughts. Soon she enters a meditative state.

Callie sees the storm clouds starting to roll in...Even if she sent a bird to the boys...it would never make it...she would have to wait...She moves back toward Lila...watching her...recognizing the technique...the same one she used when her Dragon wanted to take over...

As Lila's mind calms, memories begin to emerge of her captivity. The dancing shadows become more defined and she remembers more details.

A sound breaks through her trance and she blinks several times as she becomes aware of her surroundings and the feeling of being watched.

Callie searches through her bag...finding provisions...bread...dried meats...cheese...and fruit...still watching Lila out of the corner of her eye...

"Yeah...just be ready to run..."

Lila swallowed and nodded as she stood and walked over to Callie.

Callie looks out as the storm starts outside...

Will slips into the cave as it starts to rain, a hood covering his face

Callie grimaces as she realizes who it is...Her tone becoming more harsh..."Really...following me...?"

Lila looks between Callie and the boy who entered the cave "friend of yours?" she asks warily as she subtly moves away from Callie in case she needs room to fight.

I didnt want to risk anyone...in case I was wrong...

Lila looks between Callie and the boy "Callie?"

Callie just stares at him...shaking her head...then turns to Lila..."Lila...This is William...He's...a..."  She starts to say...stopping just short of what she meant to say...

Will gives Callie a look back before looking over at Lila “not important at the moment. Let’s go before we get some unwanted company”

"Where exactly do you plan to go Will...?...we cant exactly..."  She starts to say...her voice failing her again...She never felt so torn...

"LIla!"  Callie exclaims...heading over and steadying her friend...

"I will be fine. You need to leave, both of you, before they figure out where I am and that your still alive" Lila said as she steadied herself with Callie's help 

She follows him...her eyes and senses alert for any trouble...feeling uneasy...she had grown up in these woods...knew every rock and tree...she could sense the darkness now...the cold...there was a more sinister vibe to the forest she had loved...

any short cuts that lead us to the barrier?

"This way..."  She says...heading toward where she and Ali fought over the nightroot...all so long ago...She keeps alert...

"No.." Lila weakly struggles trying to get the man to put her down. The healing Callie had done worked for the poison but she was still weak from being malnourished.

She stops…holding up her hand…listening…and Will hears is…voices…She looks back at him…

I cant…transform here…I dont have enough control over the form…We have to get past them…

Kalli looks around...taking a deep breath...getting her bearings again...Then she starts to move...keeping them out of sight...

Will follows her closely, Lila gently but firmly in his arms, alert

After what seemed like forever.  Callie signals for them to stop...In the distance they can hear voices.  "...nnel is almost ready......army ready...march on Valencia first...."  Callie looks back at Will...alarmed...