Darkmyth University

Chapter Twenty Five

Quinten's POV

As soon as we landed I phoned my father. When he picked up I said, "We have a problem."

Nicholas asked concerned, "What kind of problem?"

"Zander has spies in our guards or in the palace. Apparently his power is undetectable to us."

"That is not good. I wonder if Crystal would be able to find out who Zander has control over."

"I will not be able to tell you that until I have Crystal back by my side," I said irately.

"Son watch yourself and your back. Your separation from Crystal will be harder on you than most because you are a royal."

I took a deep breath and said, "Yes father. We just landed we are about to get in the car and head back to school."

"Have a safe journey and let me know if anything else changes."

"Of course father," I said. I am sure that you are all wondering why I did not tell my father about Zander contacting me right. Well; because I do not want my father involved. I wanted to try to handle this on my own and in my own way. I got into the awaiting car consumed with my own thoughts the whole way to school. Once we arrived I said to Lucas, Brody, and Michael, "I need to feed. I will be back in a few hours. I will have my phone with me if you have need of me." They nodded as I ran off towards the mountains. I needed to clear my head and think about things. I loved Crystal but, this need to always be with her was bothersome sometimes. I wondered if it had to do with the fact that we just recently took one of the last steps of the bonding process. I would need to look it up when I returned to school.

Lucas's POV

I looked at Brody and Michael and said, "I am going to send one of the guards and the tracker after Quinten, he should not be out by himself."

"That is probably a good idea," Brody said plopping down on the couch. Lucas left the room and came back ten minutes later. Brody asked, "Is Quinten okay?"

Michael looked at Brody and said, "You must be joking right. Crystal was taken almost right after they had completed the third step in the bonding process. Quinten must be in distress over this. They were barely even able to enjoy this newfound stage."

"Come on guys enough of this. We need to be preparing for what is to come. This is not going to end pleasantly." I say as I come out of my room in jeans and a t-shirt. "We need to stay together right now." Michael and Brody nodded stood and followed me out of the dorm and to a small town about twenty minutes south of us. When we had our fill we returned to school. When I saw, Crystal standing in Quinten's and my apartment I thought I had seen a ghost standing in front of me. I asked, "Crystal how on earth are you here?"

Crystal's POV

"I teleported here from Zander's hideout. Where is Quinten?" I ask of Brody, Michael, and Lucas.

They all said, "Quinten went to go feed and to clear his head. Quinten will be relieved when he finds out that you have returned."

"Here, why do you not call him?" Brody said throwing me his phone.

I dialed Quinten's number while walking into his room for some privacy. Quinten looked at his phone caller I.D. and saw that it was Brody and asked when he picked up, "What is that you want Brody?"

"Quinten..." I say as if it is the last time I will say his name.

"Crystal, my love. Where are you?"

"I am in your room. When are you coming back?"

Quinten's POV

"I am on my way right now," Quinten says before hanging up. I make it back to the apartment in twenty minutes. I opened the door to my room to find Crystal standing in the center of it. I shut the door, stalk toward Crystal, and gather her in my arms saying, "I thought I would never see you again. What happened?"

Crystal puts her arms around me, kissed her mark on my shoulder through my shirt, and said, "Clarisse brought me to Zander's hideout. Stephanie kept me safe, not that I thought I was in any danger. Zander wanted to use me to get to you. Marissa is finding out why Zander wants you. I met Marissa while I was there. All of you forgot that I had Brody's teleportation power didn't you?"

"I did forget that. Why did you not return sooner?" I asked kissing Crystal's cheek.

"I wanted to find out what Zander was up too. Marissa says that you and I need to return to Zander's hideout so that we can take care of this together."

"I need to call my father and let him know what is going on. My father may have some other people that we can bring with us."

"We need to be there no later than tomorrow morning. Marissa is calling her people to gather outside of Zander's hideout at that time. I need to feed as well if we are going to be fighting tomorrow."

"Let me talk to my father and then we can go and feed together," I say cupping Crystal’s cheek and kissing her softly on her lips. Crystal sighs as I pull out my phone. "I would like you to join in this conversation."

"Of course, my prince. Have you been feeling like you cannot be without me lately?"

"Yes, though it has been worse since I came back to school. What have you been feeling?"

"I have been feeling empty. I was staying up nights thinking about you and what you were doing. I felt kind of obsessed with being by your side."

"I have felt the same. My father says that it will be worse for us to be separated since we are royals. I will have to do some research when all of this is settled. I also want to ask my mother some questions about this as well." I say looking at Crystal longingly. "I am glad that you are safe, my angel."

"Let us call your father before you get too carried away, my prince," Crystal says with an easy smile. I nod and dial my father’s cell number and put it on speaker so that Crystal can hear.

Nicholas asks, "Quinten has something happened?"

"Crystal has returned father unharmed."

"That is wonderful news," Nicholas said.

"Hello Nicholas," Crystal says while winking at me.

"Crystal it is good to hear your voice. Quinten has been beside himself with worry." Nicholas responds.

Crystal smiles and says, "I am sure that he has. I have some information for you about Zander."

"I am listening," Nicholas says seriously.

"Zander is trying to capture Quinten and me to use against you and Vanessa. Is there something that he is angry about?" Crystal asked.

"I am sure that he is still mad about the fact that we gave him away when he was an infant. Zander never knew that he was a royal. I am sure that Zander figured that out at some point. Vanessa has the gift to see into the future of almost anyone." Nicholas answered.

"What do you mean almost anyone?" I ask with a raised brow.

"The only one it seems that she cannot see is Crystal and you, my son. It seems that no one’s powers work on Crystal and you Quinten. Crystal what else did you figure out?"

"Not much Nicholas. Zander wants to be in control. I have a feeling that there is more to this than what we are seeing. I have a feeling that Zander just wants to be recognized as a prince of the realm. I asked Stephanie about the royal mark and she said that she had no marking like the one that I have." Crystal says with a frown.

"That is because when we gave up Zander we relinquished his royal heritage as well. When Vanessa looks into Zander's future she still sees bad things but, everything is clouded."

"What does that mean?" I ask bringing Crystal to my side wanting to feel her against me.

"We are not sure. Vanessa's visions have never been fuzzy before. Vanessa is visiting the council right now to figure it out. I need to know what you plan on doing my son." Nicholas said trying to hide the stress that he was feeling.

"Our plan is to attack Zander's hideout in the Appalachian Mountains in the morning. Marissa is gathering her men. Do you have anyone else that we can call upon for help?" I ask.

"I will make the calls myself. I want you to take care of yourselves and prepare for tomorrow. Give me the coordinates and I will have them meet you there."

I gave my father the coordinates that I had just come up with. I said, "I will have Marissa send her people there as well. Father be sure that these are people that we can truly trust."

"Do not worry son I will not call anyone that I would not trust with my own life." Nicholas said, "Now I need to go if I am going to get all of this done before tomorrow morning. Keep each other safe and be sure to take Zander alive." Nicholas hung up without another word.

I put my phone back in my pocket, kissed Crystal's hand, and asked, "Are you ready to go hunt?"

"Yes, my prince. Lead the way." Crystal says squeezing my hand.

I lead Crystal out into the living room where Brody, Michael, and Lucas are waiting and say, "Crystal and I are going hunting we will be back in an hour to go over plans.

Michael says, "Take at least two guards with you." I nod as we leave the room. I hurry and ask two guards to join us. We all left and traveled forty miles north to a fairly big city.

Zander's POV

I found Stephanie sitting by the river behind the hideout. I asked as I sat next to Stephanie, "Is everything alright, my love?"

"Honestly I do not know. I have felt very moody lately. I feel unbalanced all of a sudden."

"Close your eyes for me, my love," I say looking at her worriedly. Stephanie closed her eyes sighing. I placed my hand over her stomach, closed my eyes, and listened. When I heard the faint heartbeat my eyes popped open and asked, "Stephanie, my love, how do you feel about children?"

Stephanie's eyes popped open in shock and she said, "I have always wanted them; why?"

"You are pregnant." Stephanie’s mouth opened and closed. I thought it was so sweet and cute. "I am very happy with this development."

"You are?" Stephanie asked with a raised brow.

"Yes, of course. I could not be happier." I said stroking Stephanie's face. "Are you happy?"

"I am my darling. I am worried about this vendetta."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Now, that I am with child, this war may kill our child," Stephanie said putting her hands protectively over her stomach.

"I would never let that happen," I said hugging Stephanie closer to me. "I will do everything in my power to assure that you and our child are safe."

"There is no guarantee that I will not get hurt. No matter what you say to me I am still likely to get hurt." Stephanie says rubbing her stomach lovingly.

I frowned, sat back a little, looked at the river and asked, "What are you trying to say, Stephanie?"

"I want you to put aside this vendetta aside now that we are having a child."

"You know that I cannot do that," I say dropping my arm from around Stephanie. "Come now drop this for right now. We need to get you fed. I will have some clean blood stored in our room as well. You will be hungrier than normal now that you are pregnant. I get up, offer my hand to Stephanie, and once she takes it I guide her to a well-traveled path. We ran for a while before coming across a little town about ten miles from the hideout.