Riddles of the Phoenixes series

The War of the Phoenixes.

Chapter eight: Elizabeth and Eric return.

“So what do we do now?” Jack asked Queen Nora as the troops led by Andrew rode away. King William popped his knuckles. “We need to prepare for Tom. Y’all will each get a task. We just haven’t figured them out yet-” He began. “Sir!” A guard cried. “I found these two by the shore, wandering around looking for some guy named Jack..” The guard had a man and a woman in custody. “Get your hands off me! I though people would treat you better out of prison but now I see how wrong I was!” The man yelled. “You think?” The woman asked. “Elizabeth? Eric?” Jack cried. The woman and man froze. “We’ll look who it is.” Elizabeth said sourly.

“Release them.” Nora said. The guard did so. “Jack! We finally found you!” Eric said. “Great. More outsiders.” Cyrus muttered. Cyra glared at him. “Elizabeth and Eric? From Tortuga?” Jay asked. Jack nodded. “I met them in prison!” Jack said, not thinking about how it would sound. Sylvia raised a eyebrow and shot Jay a curious look. “You were in prison?” She asked Jack. Cyra slipped up to Jack’s side. “Not for doing anything wrong! The British captured him because they THOUGHT he was a criminal.” Cyra said defensively. Jack squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“I can’t believe you’re still alive. Weren’t you and your brother in the bakery when a bomb hit it?” Emma asked Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s expression darkened. I was not big by a bomb.…Justin was. I was blown back from the force of the explosion.” She said sadly. “When I woke up the town was in ruin. The buildings were on fire and the British were everywhere. I escaped by swimming to a nearby island.” Jack blinked. “You swam that far?! Tortuga was miles away from any island!” Jack exclaimed. Elizabeth shrugged. “Our family lived on a house boat. My grandad taught me to swim.” She said.

Emma stared into the distance, lost in thought. Her medallion glowed dully. “OK, we’ll all have tasks to do. Cyra, you will stay at the castle and prepare medical supplies. Cyrus, you will stay here at the castle to help General Paul train soldiers and NOT eat anyone when you transform. Sylvia, you will come with me to visit the other kingdoms and talk to them about war. Jack, you will visit Cole’s house and search it for…evidence. Jay, you will sneak into the Shadow phoenix castle and attempt to locate the medallion room. Destroy them all. Eric, you will train under General Paul and Cyrus. Elizabeth, Cyra will teach you how to take care of wounds.

“Emma, you will stay here and…keep a watch out. William is staying here at the castle to watch things while I’m gone. Does everyone got that? Capice?” Nora instructed. They all nodded. Nora sighed. “Good. We all go our separate ways for now. Say your goodbyes. Y’all leave soon. We may win this war yet.” William said. Cyra grabbed Jack’s hand suddenly and led him quietly to a dark corner. Cyrus watched them go, a dark look on his face. “Be careful.” She whispered. Jack searched her eyes. “I will.” He said, grinning slightly. Cyra shook her head, her face serious. “Be careful. Don’t die.” Cyra said. Out of a sudden instinct Jack slid his arms around her, and pulled her close to him. “I’ll do my best.” He said. “That’s not good enough.” She whispered. “Promise me.”

“I promise. You say it as well.”

“I promise.” She said.

Jack moved his face closer to her’s. Slowly closer and closer until their lips were touching and her hands were clutching the back of his head desperately. Her lips were warm against his. Jack was not the first to pull away. Jack grinned shyly at her and tucked a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear. “I’ll be back.” He said. Cyra smiled for the first time in that conversation. “I know you will.”

-SunnyFox57