Sean sat watching the people in the park as he ate his lunch. It was unseasonably warm for the time of year. He was glad to be able to spend time outside without freezing. “He doesn’t look like an elf,” he heard a woman whisper. “He’s not what you’re used to,” a man told her. Used to? Who was used to elves? Probably some “scholar” who studied elves for fantasy games. He turned to look at them. The woman was short, maybe five feet, and lighter in complexion than he was. The man was older with gray hair and a few wrinkles but not yet stooped. They approached. “Can I help you?” He asked, packing away what was left of his lunch. “Actually, perhaps we can help you,” the man said. “You are Sean Reilly, aren’t you?” “That’s what they call me.” The man nodded slightly and the woman’s eyebrow rose. As she looked around, her eyes seemed to shift in a way that made Sean cautious. “May we sit?” She asked. She had an accent Sean didn’t recognize. “I’m Ann and this is Wallace.” Sean gestured to the seat across the picnic table. “Did you serve in World War 2?” Wallace asked. “I did.” “You went by Jesse Vintner?” “Why?” “Did you know these two?” Ann showed him a picture. He recognized both men. He nodded. “We were in the same squad. The three of us spent several days trying to get out of Germany after being separated from our squad. That’s Mitch and that’s Greg.” He pointed. He wondered who these people were. Most who sought him out wanted to know about elves, not history. “Mitch is my grandfather,” Ann explained. “And you want me to tell you about him?” Sean guessed. He could do that if she was willing to wait until this evening. “No. I know him quite well. He and Greg mentioned you the other day. They told me how you survived a jump from a 10-story building. And your leg healed very fast.” “I’m immortal. I’m not like humans. And no, I can’t transfer that to you. If you know someone who is terminally ill, I’m sorry but I can't help you. Humans die.” So far, since the army had let slip what he was, few had come to him for healing. He hoped it wouldn’t increase. “They do,” Ann agreed. “Wallace and I aren’t human. Well, I’m half human. Neither of us is sick and if we were, we know people who can help us. As we said, we aren’t looking for help but we’re looking to help you.” “How?” “You seem to be the only elf here,” Wallace explained. “We’d like to take you to a place with other elves.” Sean couldn’t believe his ears. They knew where his people were. He’d met someone decades ago who had known but hadn’t realized it. “Elves? Do you know where my people are? You know what happened to them?” Ann tried to stifle the look of pity but wasn’t fully successful. It was as if she’d read his thoughts, or at least his feelings. Wallace either was better at hiding his thoughts or was unaware of Sean’s feelings. “Yes and no. What I’m going to tell you is going to sound as unbelievable to you as Underhill sounds to most humans.” “I’ll be the judge of that.” “As you aren’t from the human world, but Underhill, we aren’t from Earth but a world called Torthoc.” “Aliens?” “You could call us that. Long ago, the people of my world went to war. It made your World Wars look like skirmishes. Some realized it would destroy the planet and started looking for a new world to which they could escape. They explored many possible worlds before finding one. This new world had no people and was rich in magic. Once we settled, we returned to many of the worlds that had mages. Those who were persecuted for their magic or in places where the environment hindered magic were offered a chance to migrate to a new world. Many agreed. The elves here on Earth were one group we spoke to.” Sean was afraid to believe it. “My people are on your world? All this time, that’s where they’ve been?” His people had disappeared centuries ago and he had no idea what happened. In six hundred years, he still hadn’t found any clues to where they were. Could these people really know? “Some have.” “What do you mean some?” “King Oberon and Queen Tatiana wouldn’t leave unless all their people wanted to go. Most didn’t want to. Only a few dozen chose to go with their blessing.” “Oberon and Tatiana were in agreement? When was this?” “Several thousand years ago.” Sean’s hopes fell. “Oh.” The King and Queen of the elves had a falling out long before Sean was born and had separated, dividing the court between them. “You’re living among humans and there’s no sign of other elves. Did something happen to your people?” Ann asked. Her voice was filled with compassion and there was no sign of what had made him wary earlier. “About six hundred years ago, there was a battle. I was knocked unconscious. When I woke, everyone was gone. I have no idea where they are.” “Would you like to come with us?” Ann offered. “There are elves there. Most are from another world, but a few are from here.” “How do I know you’re even who you claim to be? You could be looking to control me.” “To start, does this look familiar?” Wallace made an image, like a hologram, of Oberon appear. Sean shrugged, not convinced. “So you know what he looks like.” “He was fond of saying ‘simple as a child.’ Queen Tatiana would always say, ‘Children aren’t simple.’” Oberon did often say that. And Sean had heard Tatiana did respond that way. “I want more.” “Tatiana had once been pregnant and miscarried.” Almost no one knew that. Sean only knew because he overheard Oberon praying about it once. “Ann, show him the pictures.” Ann pulled out an envelope and gave it to Sean. He pulled out the photographs. They looked like they had been taken at a Renaissance fair or reenactment. They did include people with pointed ears and cat eyes, but their skin was human-colored. Sean reasoned that if they left before the court split, their coloring wouldn’t have been changed to show which court they followed. “He still doesn’t believe,” Ann said. “What proof can we offer him, besides taking him back?” Wallace asked. Ann frowned at her companion. “This is the other reason why you wanted me here.” “I told you my reasons. I didn’t lie.” That look was back in Ann’s eyes stronger than ever. It was almost as though she was a different person. “No, you know better than to lie to me. But you didn’t give me all your reasons. You Ertonians always have to be manipulative. I’m a half-breed I can’t change part way. There are too many people here.” “Would an opaque shield work?” Wallace offered. Ann nodded. “They’ll probably think it’s Sean’s work. Next time, just tell me what you need.” Wallace said a few words and cast a spell to surround them with a large white dome. Sean wasn’t worried. It was large enough that it included a couple of trees growing close enough together that he could use them like a doorway to open a passage Underhill if he needed to escape. Ann stepped away from the table and her form started to shift. She grew in size, her skin becoming white scales, wings protruding from her back. She’d become a dragon. Sean forced himself to stay seated and not dive for those trees. He could have his sword and shield in hand with a thought if she became threatening, assuming she didn’t breathe fire. She bent her head. “Now do you believe we aren’t from here, elf? Do you see we aren’t foreign spies or bigots wanting to destroy what they don’t understand?” Sean wondered how she knew that, but he nodded. There was no way any country had a dragon on its payroll. “I do, but I can’t leave. I have to find out what happened to my people first.” Ann shifted to look human again and the dome disappeared. “We understand,” Wallace assured him offering him a business card. “If you change your mind, call this number and leave a message. It’s an answering service. I check with them often. If there’s an emergency or the military gives you any trouble, call the other number on the back. Tell him I said to call. And when you find your people, tell Oberon that Trimish says hi.” Sean paused taking the card. “Trimish? You’re Trimish?” Oberon had spoken of him, the strange human who wanted the elves to leave Underhill, that there was somewhere better. There was more too. “But…” “How can I still be around? I said I wasn’t human. I’m Ertonian, immortal. I’ve forgotten how old I am, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was around 20,000.” He lay the card on the table. “20? Thousand?” “Yes, Sir.” “Just a moment.” Sean’s head was spinning. He’d met people around that age, but only elves. He called Katrine, the only other elf left. “Hello?” “Hey, it’s me,” Sean said in Elvish. “Problem?” “No. I don’t think so. I’m with someone who knew our rulers before the split.” “There’s someone here that old?” “Not normally and he’s not human. He offered me a place to go with other elves. Some might have been our people from long ago. I’m not going, but I thought I’d give you the choice too.” “You didn’t tell them about me, did you?” “Not yet. That’s why I’m using Elvish.” “You’re trying to get rid of me, aren’t you?” “No. We’ll talk later.” He could see Ann was trying to follow the conversation. He hung up. Sean switched back to English. “Sorry about that. As I said, I can’t leave until I know what happened to my people.” Wallace nodded. “I understand. Oberon is fortunate to have such a loyal subject. May Shandalar bless you.” With that, he led Ann away. “Shandalar?” He heard Ann ask. “The Elven goddess of loyalty. I’d bet he’s a follower.” *** Ann took them back to Torthoc. “Were you able to understand what he said on the phone?” Wallace asked. “Not completely. It used similar words to Norian. It’s about as similar as Ertonian is to Tamerian. I think he told someone else about the offer.” “A warning?” “No. I think he was extending the offer to her.” “Well, we won’t force them. Torthoc is a refuge, not a prison.”