We walk back into town. Many of the market stalls have gone from the town square, but there is a buzz to the place with people milling around chatting and eating from food stalls. It reminds me of Camden market and my heart clenches with a wave of homesickness.

Zane walks over to one of the restaurants overlooking the town square and is greeted like an old friend. He is a charmer that one.

The three of us take a seat under a pergola, which is covered with green vines and has a great view of the square. Zane orders for us and the food when it comes is simple fare, but absolutely delicious, especially so compared to my rather meagre culinary experiences so far on my journey.

"So, where are we?" I ask in an attempt to get my bearings. There is so much to get my head around.

"Elysium is made up of eight kingdoms. We are currently in the elven kingdom, but this town is on the boarder with two other kingdoms," Zane explains. "Well, three if you count the Rainbow Isles. They are floating over the elven lands at the moment."

"Floating?" Did I just hear right?

Zane nods. "Yes, they rove about the skies. Actually we are headed there soon. They are fairly self-sufficient, but the magical gems are only found in the Kingdom Under the Mountains. By the way what was it like?"

I wrinkle my nose. "In my experience, dusty and not designed for bigger people. I wouldn't advise it as a holiday destination.

Zane laughs and leans back in his chair. He reaches up and cuts a bunch of what looks like a cross between plums and grapes. He pops a fruit in his mouth before offering one to me.

It has been less than a day and yet I feel a kinship with my two new guardians. They are so very different though that curiosity has me enquiring about what brought them together.

Surprisingly it is Darish that responds. "I was trying to find my path in life and fate lead me to Zane." He gives a wry smile. "It is certainly proving to be an interesting journey."

I bring out my iPhone and turn it on. Although I packed a portable charger, I never expected to be gone this long and so I am using it sparingly. I take a photo of the three of us and then have to show them. They are fascinated by my phone, which to them it is like some new kind of magic.

After Zane has paid, we wander about the market place to gently walk off our meal. When Darish goes off to buy some spices, our attention is drawn to a noisy crowd. Exchanging glances, we wordlessly walk over to see what is going on.

Using his bulk, Zane pushes through the crowd and I use the slipstream to follow behind him. In the centre three street performers are juggling and breathing fire. While I'm completely engrossed, he seems less impressed and starts flirting with a couple of women.

A drunken man stumbles through the audience and sends me crashing into a hard, black-clad chest. My eyes travel up to a beautiful but severe face framed with silken black hair. Neon blue eyes glare at me, full of irritation, like this is my fault.

Then his nostrils flare and inexplicably his expression changes. Alarm bells ring at the way he is staring at me, like a predator looking at its prey. Instinctively, I take a few steps backwards; all the while his eyes remain intensely fixed upon me.

I whip my head from left and right, trying to spot Zane, but there is no sight of the hulking Dragonite anywhere. Hemmed in by the crowd, the beginnings of claustrophobia start to gnaw at me, so I push my way through the throng, not even bothering to apologise as I barge my way out.

Finally, I break free and glance over my shoulder. The creepy man is stood there on the edge of the crowd watching me. He mouths 'run', so I run full pelt hoping to find Zane or Darish, or failing that a place to hide.

I zig-zag between stalls and frantically search for my companions, but to no avail. Heart pounding, I duck under a stall selling fruit kebabs and crawls sideways, hunkering down under the cover of a spice stall. What the hell is up with that guy?

Surreptitiously, I peek out and am sure that I can see Darish walking away. Checking that the coast is clear, I slide out and start to run after him.

An arm snakes around my waist and pulls me back against an unyielding body. A deep male voice purrs close to my ear, "Caught you!"

He lifts me, as if I weigh nothing at all and then runs, causing the world to move past as a frightening blur. Finally we come to a halt in a darkened and deserted alleyway. My already stuttering breath rushes out of me as I am slammed up against a grimy wall.

"Let me go," I insist, my voice coming out more confidently than I feel.

"I think not, I wish to play." The man from earlier cages me in with his arms.

"How did you find me?"

"I could smell you even over the scent of the spices." He leans close and his breath skates across my neck.

Oh my god, please say that he's not a vampire. I have no idea if they even have such creatures in Elysium. I want to struggle yet terror holds me gripped almost as much as his physical constraints. I attempt to scream, but it dies out as a whimper when he presses a blade to my throat.

He places a finger upon my lips. "Hush now, you can scream all you desire when I get you home."

Then he nuzzles the side of my neck and licks upwards to my ear, groaning, "Your scent is delicious."

"Are..." I swallow as fear and revulsion churn in my stomach, "... are y-you going to bite me?"

He pulls back slightly; his eyes have visibly darkened and a sinister smile plays across his lips. "I can, if it pleases you. I certainly intend to devour you."

Pressing me against the wall with his body, his hands start to roam. I can't let a stranger violate me. Adrenaline pumps through me and I thrash like a wild, whilst trying to claw at his face. He catches hold of my wrists and chuckles, apparently amused by my efforts.

"It is futile to fight me. But please go on, for it just makes it all the sweeter."

Despite my frantic efforts, he easily overpowers me and twisting my arms behind me, he binds my wrist to a down pipe. I'm completely helpless and at his mercy, if he even has any. I can see in his dark eyes what he plans to do and in desperation I resort to begging, "Please don't."

"Leave her alone!" Darish's voice causes a flicker of hope to bloom in my breast.

The man turns and sneers at Darish, "I lay claim to her. Be away with you and I may allow you to live."

"She is not yours to claim. She is not yet of age."

"Her scent says different."

"Let. Her. Go." Darish demands drawing out two daggers.

The man turns his back on Darish and leans close to me, "I will kill this hedge-born filth. Then I will take you again and again until you know who you belong to." He seals his dark promise with a vicious kiss.

He pivots to face Darish and withdraws a thin rapier sword. The two circle each other in the narrow space. The miscreant's movements are quick and his blade sings through the air, but Darish is able to deflect the attacks.

At first, I think that it is a fairly evenly matched fight, but then with a heavy heart realise that my attacker is just toying with Darish, like a cat does with a mouse. The rapier becomes a blur of silver and Darish's movements become more and more urgent as he tries and increasingly fails to fend off the blows.

Distraught, I yank against my bonds, needing to help him, yet all I succeed in doing is causing the rope to bite into my skin. A scream rips from my throat when Darish staggers and falls to his knees.

"Fool, did you think that lowly wood elf could succeed against a dark elf?"

The dark elf smiles in pleasure and I know that he intends to kill Darish. Tears stream down my face. How could this night turn so dark so quickly? We need a miracle.

.................