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“Wait.”She grabs my arm, holding me back.“How long are they going to keep us here?”

“I really can’t say, but I’ll do my best to make sure you leave as quickly as possible.”

A flame of hope kindles in my heart when I think about going home with the humans and seeing my parents.At the dark look that comes over Aruan’s face, I suppress the thought.He can probably feel what I’m thinking.

“We can’t just sit here and do nothing,” Sandy says.“We’ll go out of our minds.”

“I’ll ask Aruan if we can bring you something to keep you occupied.”

“Let us help with the chores.At least that way, we’ll feel useful.”Sandy tilts her head toward the others, who’re watching us from a safe distance.“Keeping busy will prevent us from going crazy.”

“Time to go, Elsie,” Aruan says, glaring at the spot where Sandy’s fingers are locked around my wrist.

Blanching under his stare, she lets me go quickly.

Aruan heads toward the archway.

“Don’t worry,” I call over my shoulder.“I’ll be back soon.”

Sandy doesn’t look convinced as I leave hurriedly with Aruan.

He seals the archway and makes his way with long strides down the hallway.

“What now?”I ask, running to keep up with him.

The stone walls light up as we pass, illuminating our way.

Aruan stops next to an archway on the opposite side of the living quarters.It gives a view of the ocean below.Taking my hand, he intertwines our fingers.“Don’t fret about those humans.I’ll speak to my mother.”

I hold his gaze, trying to get a read on him.Even as he tells me not to worry, I feel his concern through the bond that exists between us, albeit weakly.“What if she refuses to help?Your father said creating portals to Earth was forbidden.”

He watches me quietly.

“Whoever brought us here broke the rules,” I continue.“Do you have any idea who was responsible?”

“No.”The set of his mouth hardens.“But I intend to find out.”

“How?”

“I’ve already sent spies to the other kingdoms.If someone is creating forbidden portals, we’ll sniff him out.”

“You don’t think the Phaelix are creating those portals.”

“Whoever is creating them must be as powerful as my mother.”

He doesn’t elaborate, leaving me to arrive at my own conclusions.

“And the Phaelix don’t have powers,” I muse.

“Correct.”

“You think it’s an Alit,” I say as the insight hits me.

He only continues to observe me with a muscle ticking in his jaw.

I frown.“If an Alit is involved, why would he or she provide slaves to the Phaelix?”

“That’s what I’m going to uncover.”