Before Jade knew it, she was on her way to an abandoned location in Alycandro's purple muscle car, and he played with his gold necklace chain once or twice. It was a crescent moon.
It all looked like a movie scene. The six boys' cars formed a line as they made their way down a secret path between tall trees.
Each car fit their personalities.
Frank drove a green Chevrolet Volt, an electric car with neon blue lightning painted on the doors.
Draco drove a red Ferrari with bat-shaped rims.
Finn drove a turquoise Corvette Stingray which had a long spoiler at the rear.
A chauffeur was driving Zeth's car, a golden Rolls Royce that looked like a sarcophagus while he probably ate grapes or perhaps drank champagne in the backseat. Typical Zeth.
And Everett drove a white snowplow truck with giant tires, almost a monster truck.
The smell of the forest enveloped them, and there was no sound except the rumble of the vehicles and a few Latin pop songs Jade didn't know. Alex told her that those were songs that he heard when he was still a kid living in Mexico City, but she didn't understand any of the lyrics because they were in Spanish, although she liked one called 'Inolvidable' which Alex translated as unforgettable and said it was from a group, something that started with an R.
She kept moving her leg nervously in the passenger seat, well aware that this was a bad idea.
Jade wanted to fall asleep in the seat, her eyes were heavy, but her survival instinct finally kicked in, after two nights, and kept her on the alert.
It seemed like a stupid moment to finally distrust the guys.
But this was an unknown place.
She got worried.
They were really alone.
No cars, no buildings, nothing. It didn't even look like they were in Hallow Woods anymore.
Alycandro drove for ten minutes and finally found what looked like a path through some bushes at the side of the road. There wasn't any indication as to where this path went, but Alycandro parked next to it and unclipped his seatbelt.
"Don't worry, we didn't bring you here to kill you," he said.
"That's not comforting," Jade said. She looked out the window and saw nothing but grass and trees. The sky was dark, and her breath fogged the glass. "What are we doing here?" Jade asked him when she got out of the car.
"Hope your dragon shoes are not uncomfortable," he said, slamming the car door. "Follow me."
The guys led her through branches and trees.
It was hard to see where she was going through the thick forest, so she followed them. It's a good thing she had taken off the train of her dress and veil before getting into Alex's car or this would have been a disaster.
The sound of crickets echoed around her, and the wind whispered through the leaves.
It was too quiet here.
They were all silent for most of the walk under the branches.
This was a nice and quiet place to die, at least.
And at least she was now dressed well for her time as a ghost.
"This forest scares me," Jade said.
"It was scarier when I was younger." Zeth replied, walking in front of all the boys, but relatively close to Jade, "This is the Forest of Catalos, and here I fought many Zeldrichs. An ancestor of mine, Marquess Zeth Rahman of Zeleste Island, reported the first Zeldrich sighting here since the arrival of the Guardian Gods. It is said that's was why Duke Kade decided to hatch dragon eggs from the long abandoned and destroyed lands of Zegypt."
"You mean Egypt?" Jade raised an eyebrow.
"Zegypt," Zeth corrected, "My ancestors came from that place. They moved to Zeleste Island just before the marble hand emerged from the ground and destroyed everything. The mighty empire of Zegypt fell in one day, and the Yeti became the new kings of all of Zagarrta. Zeleste Island was annexed to Evalon and many Rahman Dukes ruled the island until Zeth 'the Conqueror' united all of Evalon under the rule of the Rahman dynasty of kings."
"I didn't understand anything but.. Is there no other way to get to your house, guys? I'm scared," Jade shivered and everyone giggled quietly, as if they were up to something. Draco and Frank even blushed.
"I want you to get to know this place well," Zeth said in a firm voice, "You know, because of the job I proposed to you. You'll be working with Lyonfort's guards, so you'd better get used to rocky ground a bit. Your job will be relatively easy though, just stay in our Solar whenever we're not home, keeping it safe."
"This place still scares me," Jade said.
"Come on! There's nothing better than a scary place to get closer," Draco wiggled his eyebrows at Alex.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Alex asked.
"Ummm. Jade? I can hug you if you want if it makes you feel better. My bionic limbs have a heating system for when it's cold," Frank said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I mean, if you want me to, of course."
"Oh. No, I'm fine. Just scared."
"Relax, Jade," Finn said, "I was also scared of this place when I first moved to Lyonfort and no matter how many times I asked for a hug, Zeth and Draco didn't understand a damn thing."
"I hugged you!" Draco said.
"No, you climbed on my back saying 'Gee, horsey!' until we got to Lyonfort!"
"It counts as a hug. Besides! This place isn't scary!" Draco said.
"There are scarier places to visit at night back in Evalon," said Zeth, "Like the Port of Spikes on Zeleste Island where the Floating Heads of the Tunebra Priests manifest after midnight. Or the haunted halls of The Madhouse where the vengeful spirits of the Hills who were burned to death still manifest searching for whoever ordered the fire. Or Valley of the Kings in Kizah where some say that the ghost of King Ozyrez 'the Arrowhead' Rahman still appears at the foot of the statue of King Maahel 'the Crushed' Rahman. It is also said that the ghost of Duchess Cadence O'Pry still manifests, singing lullabies while visiting Queen Carol O'Pry's grave. And what can we say about the mysterious disappearance of the head of the statue of Duke Kade 'The Wise' Rahman at the entrance of Valley of The Kings?"
"Oh! That was my fault!" Draco said and Zeth stopped walking to look over his shoulder, "What?! It was a dark night and I was flying too low and... Crash?"
"And where is the head of the statue, Draco?" Zeth asked, gritting his teeth.
"Somewhere in The Titan? Very well hidden?"
"Where exactly?" Zeth insisted.
"I don't know!" Draco threw up his hands, "It's one of those things you hide so no one finds it but then you don't remember where you put it! It was thousands of years ago, Zeth! I was around fifteen or sixteen years old and I was just learning to fly! That was the furthest I had flown back then!"
"You're a mess with wings," Zeth rolled his eyes and kept walking.
"Hey Jade! Over here, watch your step," Alex entered a wooded area, and her natural scepticism arose, but she followed him.
"Argh! Look at this mess!" Zeth said, holding up a foot. "My shoes are covered in mud! You know how expensive they are?" He grunted. His trainers were black and gold, and they looked as expensive as his car.
After a few minutes, they emerged from the woods.
"That's our home," Alex said, pointing.
In the distance, beyond the crystalline lake in front of them, built on a huge stone cliff, a black stone castle rose majestically. It was absolutely magnificent. A massive structure with tall towers, surrounded by a tall curtain wall. Jade had never seen something so creepy before, not even the campus could compare to how big and scary it looked, and her curiosity took over again.
"Hey! Wait for me!" she shouted when the guys began walking again. They were too fast for her; their legs were long and strong, but she caught up with them.
For Jade, walking in the middle of this dark place surrounded by six handsome and sensual men was almost like a dream, but it could also turn into a nightmare.
"We all live there," Alex said, "So you can't say anything to anyone."
"It's not like I have many friends to tell," she replied. "So, are you all roommates?" She asked, already gasping for air, perhaps trying to fill the awkward silence.
"More like family," Alex said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Welcome to the family, I guess."
"We are a very big family," Frank told Jade with a warm smile. His bionic legs buzzed, but then there was a sizzling robotic sound that made Jade look down.
"Are you okay, Frank?" she asked.
"My bionic hand is going nuts," Frank said, his hand was buzzing and sparkling. "I feel like it's getting stuck, maybe because of the body oil."
"I know a couple things about robotics," Jade said, "But my tools are at school."
"I am so thirsty right now. Did any of you bring a water bottle?" Finn asked.
"Nobody brought water, Seamons," Zeth said. He walked like a model on the runway among some trees. "When we get home, you can drink all you want."
A strong wind blew through the leaves.
Four out of the six boys covered their faces, but Everett stood tall and unmoving, and Draco didn't shiver. In fact, he was only wearing a goth leather vest with no shirt underneath, and black leather pants, which were terrible for cold nights, Jade could tell. Maybe he was the kind of guy who prioritized fashion over comfort. After all, his black goth boots with high platforms and numerous studs and buckles didn't seem very comfortable for such a long walk.
Then she remembered that Draco was a vampire, so maybe he didn't care.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Frank asked Jade, as friendly as ever, "I mean, living in a forest like this one, in a castle in the middle of nowhere? I don't know, I think it's something out of a fairy tale."
"What? Oh! Yeah, I guess. If we ignore the gloom of this forest," Despite her fear, Jade smiled. Frank had always been a cute guy, and he surely wouldn't take girls to a trap, right? Right?! "I mean, I can see the beauty of it. I can almost imagine fairies and goblins, I think."
"Dolia's Goblinwoods sank during Cataclysm years ago, along with rest of Zagarrta," Everett said, "Most Goblins you are imagining are not pure blood, they are half-breeds. Just like Leprechauns."
"Wait, are Leprechauns real too?" Jade asked.
"Some members of the Zagarrtan House Prechaun live in Lyonfort with us," Zeth replied.
"Oh! OH! And, and some others live in Ireland, after all they have nowhere else to go because Plutonia's Rainbow City is underwater." Draco continued, "Damn Cataclysm."
"Oh, wow... That's tragic, I think," Jade said, turning to look at Everett, "Hey, wait. If Yeti exist, does Big Foot exist too?"
"Well, of course, they're distant cousins of House Frostakov," Everett said, a little more cheerfully than usual, just a little.
"Members of House Zquatch moved into the Human Lands perhaps forty or fifty years before the Cataclysm," Zeth said, "In fact, Zack Zquatch's grandparents came from Phauna's Footprints, a Zagarrtan Kingdom that is now under the boiling waters of the Volcanic Sea too."
"That sounds interesting even though I didn't understand anything," Jade said, shivering from the cold.
"Are you okay?" Frank asked Jade.
"Yes, a bit cold," Jade said, hugging herself. She should have brought a jacket.
"If you're feeling cold, maybe I could strip to warm you up," Alex winked.
"I can do that too," Everett said, "I'm biggest and most muscular. That is everything woman needs when cold."
"Muscles aren't everything." Draco said.
"You're just saying it because you want me to chicken out, but I'm best camembert to be best boyfriend in group." Everett said, puffing out his chest.
"Candidate! Not camembert!" Finn corrected.
"Wait, candidate? What are you talking about, Everett?" Alex asked.
"Frostakov came up with the idea of competing, more or less," Zeth said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Please! You know that competing against me is a certain defeat!"
"Well, I'm in for the competition," Alex said, then nudged Draco. "What do you say, Mary Jane?"
"I told you I'm Gwen Stacy," Draco blushed, "And I don't want to say it but girls say I'm adorable so I beat all of you."
"Women don't like short men," Everett growled.
"And women don't like kissing icebergs!" Draco yelled.
"Why are you yelling?" Everett raised an eyebrow.
"So you can hear me up there, you brute!" Draco yelled again.
"Stop fighting," Frank said. "We're all friends! I'm sure women don't like men competing for them! Right, Jade?"
"Well..." Jade rubbed her forearm. "I think that's pretty hot."
"Jade, you're not helping at all," Finn rebutted with an angry face.
"Women don't like passive boys either, Frank! They like troublemakers!" Alex said, flexing his biceps.
"Women like millionaires," Zeth ran a hand through his hair. "Obviously, I win."
"We're all millionaires," Alex rebutted.
"But we can all agree that I have more money than all of you," Zeth inspected his nails, "All my work and effort is worth it."
"Guys, I don't care about money," Jade said, but then frowned, "No, wait. I do care. But you are all rich so I don't care this time."
"Wait? Jade? What did you just say?" Finn frowned, "I think you're confused. We're not talking about..."
"I am best man!" Everett roared.
"Of course not! I am the best," said Zeth, "And the wisest too. That's why my idea to be in a polyamorous relationship is better than whatever you guys are trying to do. We will avoid conflicts if we all date the same girl."
"The polyamory idea was mine, Zeth!" Alex roared, his teeth now looked more like those of a wolf.
"Yes, but I decided it was a good idea."
"Umm, Zeth?" Draco raised a hand, "Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you sound like Thotmaz and Maahel 'the Crushed' Rahman when they were looking for a match for their sister? In the end, we both know what happened to Princess Hathoria."
"She found love in the man they chose for her," Zeth said with a gallant smile and Draco frowned.
"She died, Zeth!" Draco shouted.
"Oh my God!" Jade gasped.
She didn't want to die.
Maybe this was a terrible, terrible idea!
"I'm handsome, strong and full of love," Everett said.
"I'm obviously the most handsome and intelligent of the group," Zeth winked. "Plus! Girls like entrepreneurs."
"But you have brittle bones," Everett replied. "You can't protect girl if Hunter comes around."
"I was Lord Commander of the Guardians of Evalon, of course I can protect whoever I want!" Zeth replied with a wide smile.
"Not from avalanche," Everett growled.
"There are no avalanches in the Hallow Woods, ice face!" Alex yelled.
"I have metal bones," Frank said, tapping his bionic arm, "I can withstand an avalanche, I think."
"But you're too nice, Frank," Draco said, "And not as adorable as me. Period."
"What does that have to do with being too nice?" Alex slapped Draco on the back of the neck. "Girls like pure and virgin boys like him."
"Why does everyone think I'm a virgin?!" Frank threw his hands up.
"Well, because sometimes it seems like you are," Alex replied, "You panic when someone talks about 'that subject' in front of you!"
"Oh! The high school womanizer has spoken!" Draco slapped Alex's bicep.
"Womanizers. They always think they're handmade," Zeth rolled his eyes. "Guys, stop fighting, you look like little children."
"I am not little, I am twice your size, Zeth," Everett said with a snarl. "In fight, I would pulverize everyone."
"You know what? Te voy a dar una madriza, ¿Qué dices, Everett?" Alex growled.
"Bring it, Everett! I'll show you that size doesn't matter!" Draco jumped up and with a graceful flip, he stood on a thick branch right above Jade, showing his fangs, which grew longer until they looked like daggers.
"I do think size matters," Jade said.
"Girl, shut up," Finn face-palmed.
"Size matters," Everett said, "She said so. And I got first place."
"You and I tied, Frostakov," Zeth said as if offended.
"I'm still first place because thickness," Everett said.
"Decorum!" Finn yelled.
"Oh! Now we're going to talk about it? Seriously?" Alex roared.
"Ha-ha, very funny, Everett," Draco growled.
"Alex, Draco, come on! You two tied for third place, sure, but what's wrong with that?" Frank tried to calm things down.
"Who the fuck cares about size anyway?" Finn asked, but when he saw Jade raise her hand, he slapped it down, "Again. Who the fuck cares about size anyway?"
"Oh! Barracuda Seamons has spoken!" Alex rolled his eyes.
"Stop talking about that! There's a girl among us!" Frank shouted.
"See!" Alex roared, "You always freak out when we talk about that!"
"I have a question," Jade said, biting her lip, "Third place, what does it mean exactly?"
"Third place means the place after second," Finn replied, "I hope that answers your question."
"But..."
"I hope that answers your question!" Finn insisted.
"You know what, Everett? How about we just settle this like men?" Alex raised his fists and bounced on his toes. "Ãrale wey! Ãntrale! Street fighting is my middle name! Oso baboso!"
"This is bad," Frank swallowed hard. "Alex, Draco! Please! This discussion is more about masculinity than about a girl now! Can you both calm down already?!"
"NO!" Draco and Alex yelled in unison.
"Please, guys. Don't lose your minds over some stupid competition," Frank said, standing between the two of them and the Yeti, "The inches that really matter are the inches of love our hearts can offer a girl, don't you think?"
"I have questions," Jade said, raising her hand.
"What kind of hippie bullshit is that, Frank?" Alex yelled.
"Come on guys!" Frank tried again, "Draco, Alex, you two have nothing to worry about, okay? Seven's your lucky number anyway, isn't it?"
"Oooohhh! Seven inches!" Jade bit her lip. "Inches, right?"
"YES!" Draco and Alex yelled in unison again.
"Jade, you just... Why? Just why?" Finn face-palmed again.
"Okay, enough. Alfaro, Draco and Frostakov, calm down or I'll put a curse on all of you!" Zeth yelled.
"Do it if you want, I don't care!" Alex roared. "This is war!"
"Blood and war!" Draco shouted.
"Death Match!" Everett yelled with a raised fist.
"Yes! Fight for me!" Jade cheered, jumping and clapping her hands with a huge smile on her face.
"Guys, guys!" Finn tried to intervene. "Please! We're not going to fight just because a scrawny girl wants us to fight, okay?"
"Scrawny your granny, Finn!" Jade yelled.
"Please," Finn pointed ahead. "Can we just... Keep walking?"
"Finn, you always take the drama out of the whole story," Jade rolled her eyes, shivering, "Whatever. I'm cold."
"Do you want me to lend you my vest, Jade?" Alex asked, looking over his shoulder. He unzipped his purple furry vest.
"So, we're competing now?" Everett asked.
"I'm not competing, pendejo!" Alex yelled, "I'm being chivalrous! The girl is going to be as cold as your arse when we get home if I don't give her my vest!"
Everett turned to look at Jade, his ice-cold eyes penetrating her soul.
Jade shivered.
"My piece of clothing is warmer," Everett said, unzipping his white furry vest. "I am biggest, my garment is most suitable for woman who is cold in her soul."
"Seas mamón," Alex rolled his eyes, "Jade, take my vest or this ice face is going to think you already want to have Baby Yeti with him!"
"No, no, I'm okay," Jade nodded, although she had to admit her dress was too thin for this cold night, "Maybe I'll just wear Everett's vest until we get to your home, guys. It's literally almost a blanket."
"Hey, Zeth," Finn said and the band leader turned to look at him, "My grandfather used to tell me stories about Evalon and... I don't want to be a spoilsport but... Are you sure this polyamorous relationship can work out? What if this costs us, I don't know, our lives? There was a king in Evalon who had many wives and it did not end well."
"If you mean what happened to King Zehtt Greak and his many wives?" Zeth said with a laugh, "Relax, Finn! There are no Tunebra Priests who can condemn us or start a revolt."
"I wasn't talking about that, I was talking about Queen Batrix, and I'm talking about the 'Red Queen' and not Draco's sister," Finn said with a worried look, "My grandpa told me what she did to the other wives of King Zehtt Greak. Only Queen Nephty 'The Martyr' Rahman survived."
"You're right," Zeth looked truly dismayed, "I'll have to write clauses that forbid framing of adultery and poisoning, and I will close the Lyonfort dungeons in case Frostakov wants to do a Zehtt Greak."
"And I also wanted to tell you that, I think Jade is confused," Finn commented, but at that moment Zeth's phone rang.
"Wait, tell me later. It's Evie. I need to pick up this call. I told her that if she had another emergency she should call me immediately."
"Oh no. Don't tell me she got hit by a truck again!" Finn gasped and Zeth looked at him in horror, "Wait, you didn't know?"