First Eclipse

Fauna reached the top shelf and started getting mugs down. "Is all of this freaking anyone else out?" Flora asked quietly. "Only all of us," Sym said.

Fauna glanced out into the dining room, where Em was going over the map with the kings and a few princes from various realms. "I'll take the blood amulet over someone watching us every second." "Right. That's insane that someone we can't see could just walk right in here." Flora blew out a breath. "I gotta go have a smoke, or vines are going to start filling the kitchen." Sym nodded. "Haven't had that happen in a while."

Flora gave her a bored look. "With everything going on lately, I'm surprised we haven't all woken up in a jungle."

Fauna understood how stressed she was. "Make it plants that won't hurt Moxy, please." She smiled, even though she wasn't feeling it.

"Right - I'll take note of that." Flora grinned and left the room.

"Troy, Daxx is back." Bethany walked into the dining room.

"Already?" He looked at his twin. "I thought there was furniture involved."

Chase shrugged. "I just do whatever she asks."

"There's something not right," Beth whispered.

"What do you mean?" He moved away from the table.

"She doesn't want coffee." Beth looked from him to Chase. "That's never happened."

Chase looked amused..

Troy shook his head. "No, she's right. Daxx would drink a cup and then lie down and fall asleep." He pointed to Beth. "I'll come out, go get Paisley ready in case she's required." Beth nodded and rushed out of the room.

Flora gave Fauna a curious look and then they both walked out of the kitchen.

"Sym, could you make me a cup of the most potent-smelling herbal tea you have?" The king asked.

Sym nodded.

Fauna looked over at Tim. He was scowling.

"Sir..."

Troy held up his hand. "Be prepared, Tim."

Tim nodded, and his expression hardened.

Sym came out of the kitchen a few moments later. "It hasn't steeped, so I left the tea ball in." She held it out to the king.

Troy took it and raised it closer to his face and then cringed. "This will do."

"Ah, I get it. You think she's an imposter." Chase reached behind his back and pulled out a knife.

"Follow me, Tim."

Tim glanced at Fauna and then turned on his heel and followed the king.

Flora grabbed Fauna's arm. "Come on."

Fauna rushed toward the stairs with her. It felt like her heart was going to beat through her chest. Was it even possible for someone to look like the huntress? The nerve it would take to do such a thing was more than Fauna could grasp. To stand among everyone that was here right now-it scared her.

They hurried to the bottom of the garage steps and then to the door.

"What's happening?" Ava stood up.

Fauna put her finger to her lips and then jerked her head toward the king and Tim as they walked to the center of the area in front of the building. Ava picked up a rag and wiped her hands as she walked over.

"I had them make your favorite, darling." King Troy walked over to the woman sitting on the steps. She looked like Daxx and was dressed like her. "Get finished with the furniture early?"

She nodded and smiled at him and then took the cup he held out to her. "Thanks." She placed it closer to her face and inhaled it. "Perfect."

Fauna noticed her tone was much gentler than she'd ever heard Daxx. She didn't quite understand why the King brought her tea.

"Hey, Daxx, come look at this." Kara stood by the corner, looking down the alley.

Daxx smiled. "Sure." Setting the cup down, she got up and started walking over to her.

That's when Fauna noticed how she walked. She'd never seen the huntress take such graceful small steps before.

Flora grabbed her arm when Paisley and Bethany walked up behind her. Beth had her hands out, and there were fireballs above them. The other princess lifted her hands and then held them out toward Daxx. The woman stopped walking; she looked down at her feet, and then her arms flailed around like she was trying to move her feet.

"I don't know who you are, but you are not my mate." King Troy walked toward her.

Prince Victor stepped in front of him and shook his head.

At that moment, Ava stepped in front of Fauna, and Flora and her wings were there. Fauna looked around to see all of the others from Alterealm on full alert. Tim was one of them. He and another guard were looking up on the rooftops. Fauna put her hand on Flora's arm and pulled her back into the garage a few steps.

"I told them you would know." The woman said.

"I think we need to have a chat." Troy stepped around his brother and then nodded to Prince Leone.

The prince went over and held a box out, and the woman who looked like Daxx disappeared.

Troy pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen. "Are you still with Alona?" His shoulders relaxed. "Stay right there. I'll be there in a moment." He hung up the phone and then turned to look at Arius. "We'll get our amulets later." Arius nodded, then winked at Paisley and disappeared.

"Everyone inside." Prince Victor said in a very commanding tone.

"What just happened?" Karma was standing behind them.

"Someone was impersonating Daxx." Em said. She looked around. "Who the hell does something like that?"

"Great, how are we going to know if someone is impersonating one of us?" Karma stood outside the garage, looking around.

"Well, your bubbly disposition would be hard to fake." Ava smiled at her.

Fauna stood beside the track of the sliding door, so she was technically inside but could see outside. Tim and the other guards were still out there, looking all around them.

"I'm going to the cells. When Daxx finds out, not even Troy and Arius are going to be able to restrain her." Chase told Leone.

Leone nodded. "We'll get amulets for everyone." He glanced at Quinton. "We should get Rea to check that woman and see if she can tell what was used."

"Aireese is over there with Clairee. We can ask her to as well." Bethany said. She looked at Leone and then down the alley. "I don't feel good vibes here anymore."

Leone put out his hand to her. "We'll go wait downstairs."

Fauna decided that was a good idea and stepped outside. She didn't feel any vibes that she didn't normally, so she kept going.

Tim paused and looked at her. She pointed to the corner to let him know where she was going. He nodded and then backstepped, so he was still looking at her, but able to stay close to the other guard he was with.

She didn't understand how guards worked. She knew what they did but hadn't really given it much thought before. Blowing out a breath, she accepted the list of things she didn't know, but she should find out about was growing. As she reached the top step, a stabbing pain went through her head. She pressed her hands against the sides of it. "Uh." Was this from the powder? What was this? The pain intensified. "Tim." She didn't know why she called his name but knew he would know how to help her.

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"Fauna, what's wrong?"

"My head feels like it's splitting open." She gasped and sat on the step. The pain was so intense she was afraid she was going to throw up. "Fauna." Tim was right there now.

"It has to be magic." Capri squatted down in front of her. "Did it happen all of a sudden?"

Fauna tried to nod, but moving her head made it worse. "Yes."

"Tim" It was Prince Victor. "-Get her out of here. Anywhere not in Interealm."

She felt arms under her legs, and then she was scooped up into his arms. "Hang on. I've got you."

She tried to look at him, but it was blurry. Leaning her forehead against his shoulder, she hoped he would understand she was ready.

The pain increased, and then it was gone. Fauna huffed out a breath and leaned against him. "Thanks."

"Are you all right? Do you need anything?" He sounded panicked.

"No. I think I'm okay now." He slowly lowered her to her feet. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then exhaled. "Thank you." She looked around and had no idea where they were. "What happened? Why did my head hurt like that?" She turned to see a field and lake and then spun around and saw a grey house on top of a hill. "Are we at your house?"

He nodded. "I just pushed the first button I touched on my porter." He bent his knees and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?'

"I think so."

"Good." He straightened up. "I'm going to call the captain and see if they found out who was doing that."

"What were they doing?" She looked down at the lake again. It was so pretty.

"As best as I can tell, someone was trying to get inside your head."

She gave him a shocked look. "Why?"

"I don't know, but until someone figures it out, you're not going back there. That's twice in two days." He started walking up the hill.

She hadn't been away from there since that first day Capri found her, but after the powder and that pain a few minutes ago, she had to agree with him. She didn't want to go back. She pulled out her phone and texted Em to watch Moxy for her. Before she could put it away, Em asked if she was okay. She told her yes and then stuffed the phone in her back pocket and jogged up the hill to catch up to him.