Alice stiffened beside him, eyes darting between them. Her fingers tightened around the brush, her posture wary.
Marina’s eyes glowed faintly for a second before the light faded. “She’s a stranger to the Seven Kingdoms,” she announced to Isha in a soft voice.
“Yes, she is, but she isn’t a danger,” Geoff said, wrapping his arm around Alice and pulling her slightly closer. “She fell from a portal in the sky. Her name is Alice, and she needs our help.”
Isha’s jaw tightened. “And you didn’t think to inform us the moment you found her?”
“There wasn’t time,” Geoff snapped, surprising even himself with the fierceness in his voice. “She was scared. It was nearly dark. The storm was moving in fast, and the Night Howlers were already on the hunt. Elder Oak offered shelter.”
“I’m sorry,” Alice said softly, stepping forward. “We didn’t come here to cause trouble. My cousins and I—well, we just wanted to explore. I know it was reckless. I’m sorry if I frightened anyone.”
Geoff’s arm remained firmly around her shoulders. “We were on our way to the village to ask for your help,” he added pointedly.
Before Isha could respond, a voice called out from the path behind them.
“Isha!”
They turned as a girl with copper-brown curls burst into view, breathless and wide-eyed. Erin, their younger sister, came skidding to a stop beside Marina.
“Queen Magika has arrived at the village,” she panted with excitement. “She’s asked to see the young alien who fell from the sky.”
Erin’s gaze landed on Alice with open awe. “Is that her?”
Alice blinked, her lips parting slightly as the weight of the moment settled over her.
Geoff’s stomach sank like a stone. Of course. Of course it wasn’t just the forest that had noticed the ripple in magic.
He looked down at Alice. Her eyes were wide, her mouth pressed into a tight line. Fear flickered across her face, there for only a second before she masked it, but he saw it.
And in that instant, something inside him twisted—sharp and certain. If he had the power, he’d have whisked her away from here, far from the prying eyes and wary spells. Far from anyone’s judgment.
Instead, he reached for her hand and clasped it tightly in his own.
He wouldn’t let her face this alone.
Chapter Twenty-One
Alice walked in silence, her heart pounding like a drum caught in a storm. Every step down the shadowed forest path brought her closer to something unknown—something that made her stomach twist with fear. The enchanted cuffs hanging from Isha’s belt shimmered faintly with power. She didn’t need to touch them to know they would drain her completely.
Geoff walked beside her, his jaw tight, eyes flicking between her and his older brother. He was barely holding it together. She could feel the tension radiating off him like heat from a forge.
Then Isha stopped.
Without warning, he turned and stepped toward her, lifting his hand. The magical restraints hovered in the air between them.
“Move, Geoff,” Isha ordered.
“No!” Geoff growled, moving faster than Alice could react. He stepped in front of her, blocking Isha’s path. “She said she’d come peacefully. You don’t need those.”
“I said move,” Isha snapped, his hand glowing with authority and magic.
Geoff didn’t budge. “I won’t let you chain her like she’s dangerous. She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
Isha’s eyes narrowed—and then, in a blur, his hand shot out. The powerful, magical blow landed hard, knocking Geoff to the ground.
“Geoff!” Alice cried, dropping beside him.
He groaned, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.
