what happened after unlocked

chapter fifty-six ~ linh's pov

"Try it a little fiercer next time, Linh!" Wylie directed. "And make sure to keep your concentration on the water at all times!"

Linh sighed, the water in her palm fading back into her. "Can we have a break? We've been at it for hours. I know I have everlasting control over the elements, but when are we ever going to face danger in which we'll need to actually...use our power on people?"

Marella trudged over from her hill. The grass was damp with dew. "You're right, but we still have to practice. Otherwise we won't be up to our full potential."

Wylie looked at Linh pointedly from his vantage point.

Out of the corner of her eye, Linh spotted something. Something moving.

She spun around to face it, relaxing when she realized she was looking at a small rabbit. It was crunching on a clump of grass, face twitching.

From behind her, Marella quickly tapped Linh's shoulder. "Linh," she whispered. "I think there're other elves here."

Linh broke her eyes off the rabbit and turned back around to face Marella. Over the Pyrokinetic's shoulder were two black-cloaked elves, whispering to each other.

On the tops of the arms of their cloaks were the symbols of the Neverseen – but for some reason, neither of them looked intimidating.

Wylie backed away, towards his friends. "What are they doing here?"

"Don't know," Marella whispered back. "But I don't trust them."

She held out a cautious hand in front of her.

Linh moved herself as close to her friends as she could. "Don't hurt them," she said to Marella.

Marella clearly rolled her eyes, but she still lowered her hand. She stepped away from her friends, towards the Neverseen members. Both of their faces were fully concealed by their cloaks, but they kept glancing from side to side in paranoia. Linh wondered what they were so worried about.

"Ahem," Marella said expectantly, raising an eyebrow boldly. "Who are you? Are you here to kill us? 'Cos I hope you know, we're off limits."

The taller one spoke up. "Just passing by." He looked down at his cloak self-consciously.

The other one elbowed him, and he let out a yelp.

"Stay silent," the other elf, a woman this time, hissed.

Linh was about to ask them if they knew anything about anything, really, but then she realized that she couldn't even formulate a proper question. She, Marella and Wylie, and even amazing people like Dex, were always left out of important Black Swan-y things.

"I swear she saw us, Iz," The male elf whispered. "She'll follow us! We've must leave."

Linh looked at Wylie, and they exchanged confused glances.

The two Neverseen members walked towards Marella, Linh and Wylie.

"You haven't seen a creepy lady walking around lately, have you?" The female elf, Iz, asked. Her voice was raspy and electric, commanding almost. "She's searching for us." The other elf turned his head to look at her.

Marella backed away. "Stay away from us." She her hands out protectively again.

"Marella," Linh whispered to her. "I can help if you want."

"We're not going to hurt them," Marella said quietly. "I'll just..." Flames flickered at the tips of her fingers, and she let them loose, drawing a circle around the three of them. The flames rose high, but Linh was still able to squint at them through the heat.