"What happened?" Just ... Nothing, Hope. Nothing happened, and I fucking freaked again."Tears appeared at the corner of her eyes. Elspeth and Brianna ...shared a look and then hurriedly donned their coats. "Night!"Bri called, ushering Elspeth out before her, and taking a second to mutter a quiet explanation to Shawna for their abrupt departure.With the sitting area now empty, Shawna crossed to the bedroom and asked Marcus to stay out of the way for a while. She returned to the sofa where Hope was. As she walked, her mind drifted back, remembering the first time that she had visited that place. She remembered exactly what had happened then … That first time, as she walked through the night, slowly, imperceptibly, the moonlight had faded, until suddenly she realised that she could no longer see where she was going. At the same time, she felt a presence nearby, a strange presence, strange and yet familiar. ‘Hello?’ she said, softly. ‘Hello,’ a strange voice replied, softly. ‘Who are you?. She knew what Ashlee wanted to know, but enjoyed getting her friend worked-up. ‘C’mon! What did he say?!’ ‘He said he doesn’t have a girlfriend, but he just got out of a relationship. Sounds like it was pretty major, ah’m not sure he’s over it, hon.’ Ashlee made a pout. ‘He’s a real gentleman though,’ Grace added. ‘He saw that ah was chilly when we were standing on the porch and offered me his coat.’ Ashlee grinned brightly, ‘Aw, that’s so sweet! Maybe he’s looking for a rebound? I’d be cool. It was the beginning of the second week of summer when Donnar Axeforger's caravan wound down out of the hills. Jonar thought the old Gnome had guided them astray at first glance. The town sprawling in the valley beyond the hills was at least three times the size of the Telanaria he had left, the golden banner of the Empire of the Gnath flying from several substantial buildings and towers. Lofty walls now surrounded the small city and large animal pens, huge merchant pavilions, a guard barracks,.