Chapter 1

Nelissa

I jolt awake as the sound of evil shatters the camp's silence. I stumble to the window of my bedroom toward the screams outside. The night is filled with ungodly panic as humans and orcs scramble to make sense of what is happening. 

Then I hear them, their blood-curdling cries of battle rising above the full moon that rests in the night sky. What use is the moon now the dark elves have come? I don’t want any light. I don’t want even the chance to see what they’ve done. What they’ve yet to do. 

My nails dig into the window frame as fear washes through my body. I try to pull my thoughts together.

The children?

The thought flashes red in my mind. 

“Wake up!” I cry out as I rush from my room and down the hall to the children’s room. I turn the handle and enter. A few have woken to my shout and sat rubbing their eyes. 

“What’s happening?” one of them asks. 

“We have to go. Wake the others up,” I tell her, ignoring my instinctual urge to play down the threat, to not frighten her. Fear is the best chance of survival we have right now. 

“I’m scared,” another, on the verge of tears, says. 

“We’ll be okay as long as you do as I say.” That feels like a lie, but it’s the best I have at the moment. 

They climb out of bed, their tired little faces trying to understand what is happening. Then, they notice the terrifying sounds from outside.

“Are the elves here?” The child’s voice trembles. I hate that they've learned to fear those damned creatures. 

“The orcs will protect us, and I’ll protect you,” I tell them. “We need to hurry.”

“Can I bring Jessie?” one of them asks, holding up her doll.

“Yes, sweetheart, of course. I want everyone to take someone else’s hand and stay close to me. We’re not going far, but be careful in the dark.” 

I lead them out into the dark corridor and quickly count the heads as I hurry them to the stairwell at the far end. 

“Careful of the stairs,” I say with a hushed tone. We descend the first flight and head downward still until we reach what would appear to most as a dead end, but I know different. “Wait here,” I instruct them. 

A window smashes upstairs, and I feel the shock of the sound rush through the children. 

One of them begins to cry. 

No, no, not now. 

I quickly take the child in my arms, “Hush, child, there’s no need to cry.”

Another lie, but it works. The child quiets, to my relief. One of the older children takes over from me and continues to comfort her as I scan the wall to find the switch that will open the secret door. 

The lock pops, and the paneled door creek as it reveals itself. I push it open further. A loud bang from upstairs panics me as unfamiliar footfalls and evil mutterings follow it. 

“In here, quickly,” I whisper. 

Thankfully, they obey and hurry into the room. I sigh of relief as I push the hidden door until I hear the lock pop it into place. 

I rub the sweat off my forehead, grateful to have a fighting chance, thanks to this little room only a few of us know about. 

We knew a day like this might come. Old John and Mother Penny showed it to me. They, like me, had a strong will to protect the war orphans. Although now passed from this world, I still thank them, as I know we would have been slaughtered by now by the dark elves had it not been for this room. 

Yet, as I watch the children huddle together in this cold, tiny room, my heart aches at the fear and suffering each one of them has been through. We may survive, but I know from experience that even if the children are unharmed, deep scars will remain. One day, this all has to end. And I will do all I can to protect them until that day arrives. 

“Now, we all need to be quiet as a mouse, not a sound, and it will all be okay,” I whisper in the dark to the children. 

My words fall short against the growing screams and battle cries outside the walls. Please let us win for the sake of the children alone. 

I move slowly to a small table in the far corner, where I know there to be candles. I’ll light just one, a faint light to reassure the children and reassure my own among them. 

I scan the children sitting huddled together on the floor for the twins, Lila and Luka, but my stomach drops as I can see no sign of them at all. My eyes widen as I double-check among the children. Perhaps they are lying behind others? I rush over, still trying not to show the children any panic.

“Lila?” I whisper. “Luka?” I add, but I am greeted with silence and puzzled looks from some of the children. 

“Has anyone seen the twins?” I whisper again, desperation turning it into a hiss. They were here, I saw them, where could they have gone?

“Did the elves get them?” one of the girls asks. 

My heart clenches. I have to find them. They must have wandered off when we were coming down the stairs. How could I lose them, now of all times?

“Listen, children, I need you to be brave. I have to look for the twins and make sure they are safe. I won’t be long. Try to sleep if you can. Remember, in your dreams, you can go far away from here.” 

“I’ll watch out for them,” one of the older girls, Mima, tells me.

“Thank you, Mima.” 

I must hurry. I must find them before the dark elves do.

I pull the switch that releases the door and slip into the hallway. It’s dark, and the sounds of battle are distant, giving me hope. I will go floor by floor, so I move silently up the stairs leading to the above floor.

The further up I go, the closer the horror coming from outside gets, and that pushes me further to find the twins before it’s too late for us all. 

I come to the first room, slide in, and whisper, “Lila?” Silence. I move quickly to the next. “Luka?” Silence still, my insides churn with fear and worries for them. I push on. 

I enter the dining room. “Lila? Luka? It’s Nelissa,” I whisper to the dark, but this time it speaks back.

“Neli?” I recognize the voice. It’s Luka, and relief sweeps through every fiber of my being. 

“Can we come out now?” Lila’s voice adds to my joy. 

I rush toward them, huddled under a large table with their little hands clasped together tightly. 

“My babies, I’m so sorry,” I tell them with tears in my eyes.

“I told you she would come, Lila,” Luka says, nudging Lila. 

I smile at them, their beautiful, innocent little faces that have no place in this grotesque nightmare. 

“Now, there’s a place we need to go. All the other children are waiting, and we will be safe there,” I tell them.

Suddenly, a crash, a window smashing, it’s close, and I know we must hurry. Time is not on our side. 

“Let’s go,” I say as I grab the twins and rush them out of the room. I hear the kick of a door down the hallway. Someone is near and getting closer. 

My stomach tightens, and my legs are like lead, but we must find somewhere to hide before that thing catches up. 

I pull the children along faster as I hear the thud of footsteps behind us. I need to think and think fast. Then I see it, the small passageway of the hall. I pull the three of us into it and press the twins’ heads against my chest. 

I feel their little pants of breath warming me, and their little bodies tremble. The footsteps grow louder and closer, and my heart feels like it’s about to burst out of my chest. Please, monster, pass us by. 

I push the twins behind now, just in case. They bury themselves out of sight behind my back as I dare now not even breathe. I can feel my own hands and body begin to shake. 

“Found ya!” the words spit out of the dark elf's mouth as he leaps in front of me, his eyes cold, dead, his face twisted with rage.

I push the children back further into the passageway as I leap forward, twisting around, hoping he will take the bait and turn his back on the children. 

I hit the wall on the other side of the hall and turn to see he faces me. 

I need to keep him away from the children. I need to draw him away.

“Nearly but not quite, my dear,” the words drip from the side of his grinning mouth. “Come to Daddy.”

I breathe deep and ready myself, “Fuck you!” 

I take off up the corridor. He laughs at my obscenity, amused, before he casually strolls toward me.  

I run, playing out all the possibilities in my head of where I can lead this monster far away from the children. I’ll go up. I reach the stairwell and vault my way up the flight of stairs. The elf trails close behind me as I burst through the doors that lead to the upper corridor.

Then, suddenly, a force like I have never felt before picks me from the floor and throws me against the wall. My shoulder smashes into it, and I crash to the floor. Sharp and biting pain follows. 

I look up, dazed, to see the dark elf. Victory radiates from his face as he licks his lips. 

“Leave her alone!” 

Luka. Both the twins start to throw bits of rubble from the broken windows around us at the elf. 

“Monster, monster, stay away from our Neli!” Lila shouts at the top of her voice. 

“Someone needs to teach you kids a lesson,” he snarls. 

The dark elf twists his head and winks at me. 

There is nothing I can do but scream.