I wouldn’t be able to bring him with me.
But I needed to get out of there. I had no idea what Lilith and Lavinia wanted with me, but they wouldn’t have turned me into a vampire for no reason.
I thought back to Jamie Stevens and her red, demon bound eyes…
I refused to let them make me a slave to Lilith. I’d be of no help to anyone if that happened. I’d be able to save more people by leaving—even though it meant leaving this human man behind.
I had to do it. Because this was war. There were always casualties in war.
“I’m sorry,” I said to him, and then I walked over to the door and took a deep breath.
Please don’t reject me, I prayed to Hecate, since even though I still had my witch magic, I didn’t know if she’d accept me now that I was a vampire.
I steadied myself and stuck my key into the lock. It glowed with magic, and I clicked it open, then stepped into the ivory hall of Hecate’s Eternal Library.
The door shut behind me, and I could breathe again.
I was safe.
And I was definitely still a witch.
How?
As I thought it, Hecate walked through the door on the opposite end of the hall. She wore a long purple dress that glimmered like a galaxy of stars. Her long black hair flowed down to her waist, just like mine.
Other than the different eye color, the resemblance between the two of us hadn’t passed my notice.
“Harper,” Hecate greeted me. “You’ve changed.”
I almost sarcastically said, You noticed? But I stopped myself.
No way was that going to be my one question.
“I almost died back there,” I told her. “I would have died. But Lavinia had me changed into a vampire.”
“She did.” From the way Hecate spoke, it sounded like she was already aware of my situation.
“I shouldn’t be able to use my witch magic,” I continued. “I shouldn’t still have my witch magic.”
Hecate said nothing.
And I knew exactly what I wanted to ask her.
“Why do I still have my witch magic?”
“Come with me.” She spun around and walked toward the doors that led to the never-ending hall of bookshelves. As always, a few people dressed in clothes from different decades wandered around, examining the shelves and occasionally taking a break to grab food or drink from the long banquet table in the center.
I followed Hecate to the podium at the start of the hall.
She stood in front of it, stared forward, and released starry mist from her eyes. It crawled through the hall, tendrils snaking along the shelves and brushing against the blank spines of the books as they searched for the one that held the answer to my question.
It didn’t take long before the mist retreated, bringing a book with it. The book landed in Hecate’s hands, flipped magically through the pages, and settled on one near the back. Once it did, the goddess’s eyes returned to normal.
As she read what was on the page, she held the book at an angle so I couldn’t see its contents.
“A book you’ve seen before,” she finally observed.
“Really?” I couldn’t believe it, given the endless number of books in the library.
“A list of the most recently turned gifted vampires, with your name at the end. Harper Lane—gifted with the ability to still use her witch magic.”
I replayed her words in my mind, and joy rushed through me. “So my magic won’t go away?”
“You’ve already asked your one question,” she said.
I rolled my eyes, since obviously I wasn’t asking a question question—the kind that required her to find a book on the shelves.
“Vampire gifts are permanent,” I said instead. “I’ll have my gift forever.”
And now that I was a vampire, forever meant a lot more than it did when I was a witch. Because vampires were immortal.
I was immortal. I was going to stay seventeen forever.
The knowledge that I now had endless years ahead of me didn’t feel real.
At least I looked mature for my age—easily able to pass as someone in their twenties.
“Are you all right?” Hecate asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s just… a lot to process.”
“It is. Now, I must take my leave. And I recommend you do the same.” She glanced at the witches roaming the aisles, as if saying, You don’t want to stay here and end up like them.
“Wait,” I said, and she watched me patiently. “Thank you. For letting me keep my magic.”
“I had nothing to do with it,” she said. “It was all you. You’ve always been extremely gifted with magic. And, as you know, when people with an extraordinary ability are turned into vampires, that ability amplifies.”
“Of course.” I nodded slowly, still in shock that I had my magic. I’d spent days locked in that room while in transition, devastated about losing it.
Now, I had it back.
And I was going to use my gift to get revenge for the destruction of Utopia, by doing everything I could to kill Lilith, Lavinia, and every single demon and dark witch who walked this Earth, until the supernatural world was safe again.
15
Harper
I used my key to enter the Haven’s tearoom. No one was there.
So I walked to the notepad, picked up the pen next to it, and wrote, It’s Harper. I’m alive and in the tearoom. Get the twins and Ethan, and meet me here.
I folded up the paper and sent it as a fire message to Mary.
Minutes later, Mary, Rachael, and Raven rushed inside. They stared at me like I was a ghost.
“Where are the twins?” I asked. “And Ethan?”
“You’re a vampire,” Mary said, as if she hadn’t heard my question.
“I am.”
“But you just sent a fire message.”
“I’m a gifted vampire. My gift is the ability to use witch magic. I’ll explain more when the twins and Ethan get here.”
“They’re not coming,” Rachael said flatly.
My stomach twisted, and I braced myself for the worst. “What happened?”
“They’ve left on a mission to Ember,” Mary explained. “Now, I think we should all sit down. I’ll send for food and refreshments. Because we have a lot to catch up on.”
“Neither of my daughters will go dark,” Rachael said for what must have been the fifth time.
“That’s what I told Lavinia,” I said. “But she sounded pretty convinced otherwise.”
“She’s wrong.”
“I know.”
Except there was no way to really know. Anyone could go dark if they were pushed to a breaking point. And we had no idea what was happening to them in Ember.
“Someone needs to go to Ember and warn them,” I said. “I’ll do it.”
“No,” Mary said sharply.
“Why not?”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“I’m a vampire gifted with witch magic,” I said. “I can handle danger.”
“And Ember is a prison realm full of dark mages and dark fae. Yes, you’re strong, but they’re stronger.”
“You don’t believe in me.”
“I absolutely do believe in you. But this is their mission—not yours. And like you said, you’re a vampire gifted with witch magic. That makes you incredibly unique.”
“What’s the point of being ‘incredibly unique’ if I can’t do something to help?”
“Why do you think you can’t do anything to help?” Raven asked.
“Because they’re in Ember,” I said. “And I’m here.”
“I wasn’t referring to helping Ethan and the twins,” she said. “I’m talking about what’s happening here on Earth. You said you want to help us win against the demons. So, figure out what you can do to help us here.”
I sat back, frustrated. Because ever since Ethan and the twins had arrived in Utopia, I’d been in charge of overseeing their training. Their mission was my
mission.
But what if it wasn’t? Because as much as I hated to admit it, Mary had a point about the danger in going to Ember alone. And if there was anything I’d learned while in Lilith’s lair, it was that I wasn’t invincible.
My impulsive actions had nearly cost me my life. I didn’t intend to make the same mistake twice.
“Where am I supposed to go?” I asked. “My home is gone.”
“You know you always have a home here,” Mary said.
“Thank you. But I can’t stay here.”
She didn’t look surprised by my answer. “Why not?”
“Because I want to be the strongest vampire I can be. The only way to do that is by drinking human blood.”
Part of the deal of living in the Haven was that the vampires agreed to survive on animal blood. I supposed it was noble of them. But it made them weaker.
And I refused to be weak.
“I understand,” Mary said with a kind smile. “And I agree that you likely wouldn’t be happy living in the Haven. But the offer is always there.”
I sighed, thinking of my home once again. I’d give anything to go back. As a high witch of Utopia, I had a place and purpose there. I had family. I had friends.
Now, I had nothing.
“Why are we bothering debating this?” Raven cut in. “The answer’s obvious.”
“It is?” I perked up, ready for anything.
“Of course.” She smirked. “You’re powerful. You’re unique. You want to become the strongest version of yourself, and you want to kill the demons as much as the rest of us. Which means you belong in Avalon, so you can get the best training in the world and join Avalon’s Army.”
16
Gemma
We took the horses that had belonged to the dark mages and fae, and set off across the continent.
Thanks to Ethan’s knowledge of the land, we didn’t encounter anyone on our journey. Ember was mainly desert—not very hospitable to life—so the Dark Allies didn’t roam far from their kingdoms. And the dragon kingdom wasn’t far from the portal—only a day and a night by horse, with the horses going as quickly as possible.
Eventually, we rode so far that we reached the ocean.
Ethan stopped his horse in a cove that reminded me of my cove at home. “We’re here,” he said.
I looked around, confused. Ethan hadn’t told us much about the dragon kingdom, in case we encountered any issues along the way. Meaning, in case any of us got taken by the dark mages or fae. He couldn’t risk the Dark Allies discovering the dragon kingdom’s location.
“There’s nothing here,” Mira said.
“Which is exactly what the Dark Allies think.” He jumped off his horse and led it toward the entrance to a cave carved into the cliff. “And what we want them to believe.”
We followed him inside, only having to walk about half a kilometer before reaching a pool of water. The inside of the cave would have been pitch black to humans, but thanks to our supernatural vision, it was like walking outside on a night when the moon wasn’t shining. Dark, but doable.
Ethan stopped near the water and tied his horse to a rock. “Here’s the entrance.”
The cave didn’t continue farther.
My attention went back to the water, and my chest tightened. “You’re not saying…” I trailed off, unable to say it out loud.
“The dragon kingdom is underwater.” Mira apparently had the same thought as me.
“Yes,” Ethan said.
“How far underwater?” I asked.
“About three kilometers.”
I stepped back until my palms pressed against the cave wall. The warm energy of the solid rock calmed my racing heart, helping me think clearly.
“How are we supposed to get down there?” I asked.
“We have powerful water elementals who keep watch through the water. They’re able to watch the entrance of the pool as if gazing through a looking glass,” Ethan explained. “They can hear through the water, too.”
“Cool,” Mira said. “I want to learn how to do that.”
“It’s advanced water magic. But I’m sure you’ll master it in time.”
She smiled at his belief in her.
“So they’ll be able to hear us,” I said. “Then what?”
“They’ll send water elementals to get us,” he said. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”
I watched the water warily. I had no doubt we’d survive, but I couldn’t imagine the journey down kilometers of water as being anything but terrifying. All of that water closing in around us, ready to drown us at any moment…
I shuddered at the thought of it.
This must have been what Mira felt like when we were in the underground kingdoms.
And we weren’t even down there yet.
“What about the horses?” I asked.
“Water elementals will come up and bring them to a location far enough away that if the Dark Allies stumble across them, they won’t be able to track them back here,” he said. “From there, the water elementals will shift and fly back home. We’re far enough away from both of the dark kingdoms that they won’t be spotted.”
“You’ve really got the hang of all this,” Torrence said.
“The Dark Allies have lived in Ember for centuries,” he replied. “During that time, we’ve learned how to stay safe and hidden. There wouldn’t be any of us left otherwise.”
She made a noise of what sounded like approval.
Ethan kneeled down next to the still water and dipped his finger into it. Ripples traveled outward.
Seconds later, an older woman’s face appeared in the water. There was light behind her, and her features were decently clear—it was like we were looking in on her through old, foggy glass.
She studied Ethan, and her eyes widened. “Prince Pendragon?” she asked.
Ethan’s expression turned solemn. “It’s King Pendragon now.”
The woman turned her eyes down and muttered a prayer. Then she refocused on Ethan. “I’ll send an envoy for you immediately. How many are traveling with you?”
“There are four others,” he said. “And five horses.”
“Understood,” she said. “Welcome home, and we’ll see you soon.”
Ten water elementals—five males, and five females—surfaced about ten minutes after Ethan spoke to Galinda. That was the name of the older woman who’d appeared to us in the water. He’d known her as a kid while living on Ember, which was how she’d recognized him.
Galinda wasn’t in the envoy sent for us. All ten of the water elementals appeared to be in their twenties, or early thirties at the most.
They kneeled to Ethan after surfacing, with sadness in their eyes. “King Pendragon,” they said, mostly in tandem.
“Rise,” Ethan said, and they did as he commanded.
It was strange to see him treated this way, especially by people older than him. Back at home, he’d been just another guy around town. In Utopia, he’d been treated as less than even the human males. In the Haven, he was an equal.
Here, he was king.
It hadn’t truly hit me until that moment.
A dark-haired woman glared at Torrence and Reed. “Who are they?” she asked.
“They’re mages,” Ethan said simply.
“Dark mages.” Icicles formed in her hands, ready to attack.
He stepped in front of her and stared her down. “They’re with us.”
“They’re our enemies.”
“Are you questioning your king?”
She held his gaze, then backed down. “Of course not. But hopefully you understand my hesitation.”
“I do.” He nodded.
“I assume this has to do with the two of them.” She motioned to me and Mira.
“The Dragon Twins of prophecy?” Ethan smirked.
“I thought that might be the case.”
“It is,” he said. “And we’re wasting time standing here. We need to get down to the kingdom. Now.”
> “Very well,” she said. “Who’s first?”
Mira stepped forward. “I am.”
The dark-haired dragon studied her in approval. “You’ll go with Topher,” she said, and a blond, male dragon stepped forward from the side. His hair was the same color as Mira’s.
“I’m going to shift,” he said kindly. “Then you’ll hop on my back, and I’ll swim us to the kingdom. You don’t have to do anything but enjoy the ride.” He waggled his eyebrows at the last part.
“Don’t get any ideas.” Mira glanced at Ethan and smiled. “I’m taken.”
Ethan didn’t look back over at her. In fact, Ethan had been quieter than usual since getting to Ember. He hadn’t said much of anything to any of us during the journey to the cave.
Topher glanced at me, but I was already avoiding his gaze.
Every time Mira told a guy she was taken, their instinct was to move onto flirting with me. As if since we were twins, we were interchangeable.
It was tiresome, but I was so used to it that I was prepared.
Within seconds, Topher shifted into dragon form. His dragon was a bit smaller than Ethan’s, and his scales a deep blue that shined like gemstones. He lowered himself down to the ground, and Mira easily climbed onto his back.
She situated herself, and then he dove into the water so smoothly that there was barely a splash.
I stared at the water with dread.
I did not want to do that.
“Gemma?” Ethan said my name softly, his eyes understanding and kind. “How about you go next, so you can get it over with?”
“Sure,” I said, since he was right—it was best to get it over with. “Sounds good.”
It sounded terrifying.
A girl with curly red hair stepped forward. “Let me guess,” she said. “You’re a fire elemental?” Her voice was bubbly and sweet, and I liked her already.
“And earth,” I said.
“That explains it,” she said. “I’m mainly water, but I have some fire in me, too. And I’d be honored to take one of the twins of prophecy to our kingdom. You’ll be safe with me—I promise.”
“What’s your name?” I asked.
The Dragon Realm (Dark World: The Dragon Twins Book 2) Page 7