The following morning, Alexander woke up with a start. He had hoped this was a dream. He hadn't ever been lucky, though, and this wasn’t a dream as Owen now stood over him. Alexander sat up cautiously. It wasn't like he could trust anyone here.

"Come on, breakfast starts soon, and then we're leaving." He hadn't even given Alexander time to respond. As soon as he finished speaking, he left again.

Alexander sighed. He felt like a prisoner.

Breakfast didn't consist of much, but he hadn't expected much, considering they were in the middle of a forest. Shortly after breakfast, just as Owen had said, they were heading out. It was only the small group that he had met yesterday, though. It seemed that where they had been was an outpost and that everyone else was staying behind.

The walk was long and exhausting. Alexander was in shape, but it was still hard. He'd never walked so long on foot before. Once they reached the capital, he was suddenly very aware of his current situation. As they left the forest, the city took Alexander's breath away. It was remarkable. It was as if they had guided the growth of the great trees that towered so far above that Alexander had to squint to look up as the sun blinded him.

It was an incredible city forged from the trees above a massive lake. The immense sequoias were bent into graceful arches, crisscrossing into wooden bridges with high gleaming windows built right into the trunks, illuminating the rooms within. At the center, an immense castle was formed of the trunks of three massive trees that twisted together into a significant braid, with the branches arching out over the nearest buildings. Great cypress trees stretched out over the water, making a complex of docks. As they passed over the docks, Alexander was shocked to see that underneath the water seemed to be another city altogether.

Owen was suddenly treated very differently as they approached the castle, the guards at the entrance dipping their heads in respect. Startled, Alexander started to realize who Owen was. His first thought of Owen seeming like he was from money wasn't far off. He was apparently a prince. Great. Hopefully, he hadn't done anything to get on his bad side up until now, or Alexander would really be in for it. They were escorted inside the castle and waited in a large throne room.

A sanguine rug ran down from the throne and marked the closest spot where people could stand when they addressed the royal highnesses. Matching banners with adorned plums drooped from the walls. Between each banner hung a small light. Many of them had been lit and, in turn, illuminated the portraits of leaders and legends below them. Grand, stained-glass windows depicting late royalty were framed by veils colored the same sanguine as the banners. The curtains had been adorned with delicate patterns and emblazoned edges. A towering throne made of knarred roots sat within the hall and was adjoined by two similar but undecorated seats for the queen and crown prince.

As the King and Queen entered the throne room, Alexander noticed how tall the King was. He towered over Alexander and made him feel uncomfortable. He had darker hair than Owen's, more of a light chocolate brown, and it was much shorter, too. His eyes were the same, however, the otherworldly violet. His skin was darker, too. It was still tawny but a darker version of it.

They greeted Owen happily, and then the commander reviewed what had happened. The Queen was much smaller in stature and only came to just about her husband's chest. Her hair was very long and similar to Owen’s. He was sure that if it hadn't been tied up, it would have dragged the floor. Unlike her husband, her blue eyes weren't suspiciously set on Alexander but more curious. She reminded him of a cat.

The King eyed Alexander, "are you certain he isn't a spy?" He asked them. It was as if he was daring Alexander to do something stupid so he could kill him. Alexander wasn't going to comply with that and kept his mouth shut.

"I suppose it's possible. Owen was guarding him the entire time, though, and I'm certain he would have told me if he suspected him."

It was Owen's turn to speak now, and he shook his head, "he definitely isn't a spy. He has so little knowledge of this world that I can't believe it. There's also the fact that he didn't bring himself here, which means someone sent him here. For what reason, I don't know."

The King and Queen seemed to contemplate this new information before the Queen spoke up: "Well, your sister is very versed in these things. I say we bring him to her."

Everyone unanimously agreed, and with that, Alexander was brought before Shauna. She reminded him very much of Owen in a way and was much more like her mother. She had very long pale blonde hair, and her eyes were such a light blue that they reminded him of crystal. Unlike her mother's hair, hers wasn't tied back and was instead left loose. She was only a little shorter than Owen, and she had a very slim and elegant figure.

After introductions, Shauna had him sit so that she could read his aura. It seemed magic worked in much the same way here as it did where he was from, but it seemed much more open and widely known as each race had people who could cast and high-ranked families among them. After some time of watching Shauna work, she looked at her parents. "He isn't lying. Someone brought him here. Though, by the way his aura looks, I don't think he's safe. His life is in danger."

At that point, Alexander didn't wait for anyone to respond before quickly standing up. His face was very clearly clouded with worry for his safety. "Then send me back home. If I'm there, I'll be fine, right?"

Shauna shook her head. "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. When they brought you here, they put certain measures in place so that only they can send you back. That is unless you have the skill to do it yourself?"

Alexander felt his heart sink, and he fell back into his chair—a clear indicator that he didn't. Though I'm sure you have the potential for it, if you would like, I can introduce you to my teacher. He's quite skilled."

Alexander looked confused. "I'm sorry. I've never been able to cast a spell to save my life. Trust me, my father tries every year."

Now it was her turn to look confused. "I'm sorry. Perhaps something is preventing you from it, then? Your aura is quite strange. The decision is ultimately yours, but I'm sure my teacher could help you."

The Queen chimed in at that point, "Well until you make your decision, you are welcome to stay here as a guest. After all, there isn't a better-equipped place to keep you safe than here." The King nodded but still looked suspicious of Alexander, not that he blamed him.

That night, Alexander lay in bed. He was exhausted after the day he had. Between learning what he learned from Shauna and feeling nervous all day that the King would have him executed, Owen showed him around as well. This place was much bigger than he anticipated, and now that he was lying in a soft bed, he didn't want to get back up. Of course, there was a soft knock on the door at that point.

Alexander opened the door to find Owen standing there. He held a finger to his lips, telling Alexander to keep quiet as he entered the room and closed the door quietly behind him. "Sorry, I can't imagine how it would look if I were found entering someone's room this late at night. I wanted to talk to you, though, and I honestly don't think it should wait until morning."

Alexander nodded, worried that something had happened. Owen quickly explained why he had come: "Listen, you should take my sister's offer and meet her teacher. He's one of the oldest and wisest elves I know of, and I think he could help you. If he can’t get you home himself somehow, I'm sure he could teach you to cast so you could take yourself home. After all, I'm sure your family misses you."

Owen was right. Alexander couldn't deny that. His father was probably distraught with worry at this point. He closed his eyes, contemplating the situation. When he opened them again. Owen looked expectant, and Alexander sighed.

"You're right. My father is about the only family I have, and I can't imagine how he's feeling right now. Still, I'm skeptical that I can be taught to cast. I've tried learning my entire life and never had any luck, but I also can’t stay idle. That would be stupid, especially if someone is after me for some reason. So-" he nodded, "I'll speak to your sister in the morning about introducing me to him."

Owen smiled, "I'm glad. There's a lot of evil in this world, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to go out like that. You don't seem like the type just to sit and wait."

Alexander chuckled, "Well, you aren't wrong about that."