𝓞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝓗𝐮𝗺𝐚𝐧

Chapter #11 - Talia

Chapter #11 - Talia

Talia and Joley's euphoria in their revelation slowly faded, and was replaced by steady determination. That is, until Talia realized an absurd flaw in their idea.

It was still a bit of a mess to Talia, but their unspoken plan seemed to be that they'd get the ring and use it to go to the various hideouts and leap everyone home. And potentially, through it all, maybe they would find out more about the people who took everyone— the elves who...

Talia couldn't even say it.

She was trying to save her fury— and questions— for later.

Right now, it was time to focus on the problem at hand. Which was that, in order to get the ring, Talia had to get home. And they currently had no way of leaving this hideout.

"So you're sure there isn't a way to use the ring jewel to get home?" the human girl asked for the umpteenth time, anxiously fidgeting with the leaping-crystal-jewel between her thumb and forefinger.

And for the umpteenth time, Joley shook her head. "Purple crystals can take you in these kinds of hideouts— but not out. To leave we'd need a clear crystal— or a cobalt blue one, depending on if we go straight to the Lost or Forbidden Cities."

Right. More Lost City stuff Talia's human brain didn't know.

I may only be human, but I think we can save everyone, she'd said.

But was it really true?

"I wish I had Mom's Telepathy, so we could transmit for help..." Joley muttered. Her voice was steady, but her face strewn with worry. "Or Teleporting— though I wouldn't be able to get momentum to teleport in this size of a room, anyways. But no! I'm stuck with being an Empath and Polyglot, which is so useless right now." She groaned and kicked the hideout's small stack of books, Twenty-Five Ways To Catch The Wind spilling off the top.

Her calm facade was clearly falling apart, though Talia definitely didn't blame her. Especially considering they still had no idea of which hideout Joley's parents were in, and if they were okay.

Suddenly, something occurred to Talia: "Didn't you say that one of the things that helped your parents and their friends defeat the Neverseen was utilizing their elvin skills? Well, could any of those help us get out?"

"Huh, maybe." Joley bit her lip, thinking for a second. "Actually, I have an idea. Step back."

She obeyed, and Joley turned to one of the clearly thick walls, staring at it with a laser focus. Talia felt a surge of hope.

They were going to get out.

They had to.

And she would do whatever it took to stop the people who killed her dad.