“Aurora Firedrake behind bars at last,” sneered Brandon, stepping forward into the light, his hands clasped behind him. “My predecessor swore it couldn’t be done. I guess that’s why I am archmage now.” Delacourt was wearing his coronation robes, cloth of gold and purple adorned with ermine and studded with amethysts the size of duck eggs. His light blond hair was styled elaborately; upon it rested a gold crown that he would soon replace with the more ornate and heavy state crown of Eldoren during his coronation. That was something I didn’t intend to let happen.
At least that was the plan—until now.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know what you were up to?” Brandon’s eyes glittered at the sight of me. “I know your kind only too well. You and Prince Rafael are so predictable and noble. I was sure one of you would come for the children. Imagine my surprise when he surrendered and you walked straight into my grasp as well. With Silverthorne’s grandson in my custody, getting rid of you all was almost too easy.”
My hands balled into fists as I tried to call up my fae magic, but it wouldn’t respond. “Where is Rafe?”
Delacourt laughed. “Oh, our little prince is not down here. I decided to let him join the festivities.” His eyes narrowed. “Heavily guarded and in chains. You and your fae prince are not invited, of course.” He pouted. “Don’t feel bad—you can understand why I had to do this.”
“You already have Rafe in custody. Let the children go.”
Brandon raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think I am going to do that just yet. I quite enjoy having all the nobles loyal to me.”
“They are not loyal to you, Brandon,” I spat. “They are only doing what you tell them to because they’re afraid for their children’s lives.”
Brandon chuckled. “Isn’t that the same thing? Everyone needs some incentive to ensure loyalty.”
I tried to keep him talking. I needed to find out more about his plans. “Loyalty is not demanded—it is earned.”
Brandon’s blue eyes narrowed. “Like you and Rafe earned the loyalty of that raggedy group, the Silver Swords.” He burst out laughing. “Your dear prince is so trusting, he doesn’t even know you have a traitor in your midst.”
My eyes darted to Tristan and my mind scrambled to recall all the faces I had seen in the safe house. Any one of them could be the traitor. Delacourt had known we were coming.
“At least my way is foolproof,” Brandon continued. “The nobles will never go against me openly. The only thing that ensures complete and unwavering loyalty is fear.”
Tristan snarled and moved forward, but I shot him a warning glare. We had to keep Brandon talking if we were going to figure a way out of this mess. He seemed to be one step ahead of us, and I had to find out more information on what he and Morgana were up to. Taking Eldoren was clearly only a part of the bigger plan.
Penelope would soon realize something was wrong. She would find a way to get us out.
“Where are the Drakaar?” I crossed my arms in front of me, hoping to look defiant, but I was trying to keep myself from trembling at the thought. I had to find out what was going on with Morgana. What was she planning?
“Why? Did you miss them?” Brandon smirked. “The Drakaar are making sure your little princeling Rafael doesn’t get up to any of his tricks.”
My blood chilled at the thought of what the Drakaar could do to Rafe. Mage magic was no match for them.
I gave Brandon a pointed look. I wasn’t going to let him know he fazed me. “And you came down here with only ordinary soldiers for protection.” I raised an eyebrow. “I would think that Morgana would have her best minions here if she knew I was coming.”
“You think too much of yourself, Princess. Morgana knows I am more than capable of dealing with you myself.”
I cocked my head to the side. “Like you dealt with me in Brandor the last time we met?” I didn’t want to push him too far, but I still needed to goad him to reveal more of his plans.
Brandon frowned. “Morgana made me archmage for a reason,” he said tightly. “I gave her what no one else could.”
I smirked. “I highly doubt that.”
Delacourt lifted his chin. “I have given her an army of mages. I have taken Eldoren.”
“And you killed my granduncle and the Blackwaters to do it,” I spat, looking over at Calisto in the shadows. “I don’t know how Calisto even looks at you after you murdered her father and brother.”
Calisto stepped closer, her hair shining gold in the fiery light of the torches the soldiers behind them carried. But her eyes—
I took a step back. Her eyes were no longer her own. They were the color of obsidian, and darkness seeped out of them, covering the whole iris until no white could be seen.
“Lilith!”
The Dark Queen had taken over Calisto’s body. She gave me a cold, thin smile. “Calisto is gone. She did put up quite a fight, though.” Lilith flexed her fingers and dark shadows swirled from her fingertips toward me. There was nowhere to run, so I stood my ground as the shadows moved through the bars of the portcullis and encircled me like thin ropes, tightening around me until I couldn’t move. “Did you really think we wouldn’t know you were here? Did you really think it would be so easy to rescue the children?” She smiled, as cold and sinister as a snake.
“You should have stayed dead, Lilith,” Tristan snarled, stepping forward. The shadows around me recoiled instantly, recognizing the dark prince even without his magic. “But it does give me the opportunity to make sure you do this time.”
“Prince Tristan.” Lilith inspected her nails briefly as the shadows dissipated completely. “It has been a while.”
I stood beside Tristan, putting up a mage shield. Blackened iron only worked on fae magic and didn’t affect mages. My mage powers weren’t going to get us out of here, but it was something. “You two know each other?”
Tristan’s eyes darkened. “We’ve met.”
“Briefly.” Lilith laughed, but her voice was filled with contempt. “Who doesn’t know the infamous Prince of the Night Court? Put down your swords, Prince Tristan. The shadows may fear you, but your silver fire will not work in here.”
“We know about the mines in Brandor, and we will stop you,” I said, sounding more confident than I felt. Without my fae magic I felt vulnerable, weak.
“You have been a busy little bee, haven’t you?” Brandon gave me a sly smile. “I heard about your exploits in Brandor. I hope you said your goodbyes to your friend, the pirate prince. Plans are already in motion to remove Santino and his father from power. The Detori family will rule Brandor, and our supply of blackened iron will never run out. Soon, Izadora and her whole fae army will be rendered useless.” He gave me a dry look. “But you already know this.” He turned his eyes on Tristan. “Your only choice is to join us. If you do not, the High Fae will be wiped out from Avalonia forever.”
“The dwarves will never agree to help you,” Tristan said. “Creating weapons of blackened iron is forbidden by the treaty.”
Brandon grinned and flashed his white teeth. “Greygate has already fallen, and I’m sure we can persuade them once we have the Book of Abraxas. And now we know where the last key is. Resistance is futile, really.”
“You’re lying,” I snapped, but my gut twisted. “My granduncle would never give up his key.”
“Well, he did give up its location,” Brandon said simply. “With a little persuasive deception, of course,” he added, looking over at Lilith. “After that he was of no use to us. The Drakaar are on their way now to retrieve the last key. So you can see why they are a little busy at the moment. And now that I have you in custody, Rafael will have no choice but to kneel to me. Torturing you before his very eyes will be exquisite. I will be able to make him do anything I want.” His eyes brightened at the prospect.
“Rafe doesn’t care what happens to me,” I said with a shrug. “You’re wasting your time.”
“I think not.” Brandon grinned. “Your days are numbered, Aurora Shado
wbreaker.”
I raised my hand and summoned my magic. I was the Dawnstar. Abraxas had said in Elfi the cuffs of blackened iron could not hold me. But this was more than just cuffs. The blackened iron of the Drakaar was blanketing my magic like a shroud. It was everywhere, even below my feet, embedded into the very stone floor on which I stood. My fae magic would not awake. In anger I sent a mage fire strike at Brandon and Lilith, which he deflected easily.
Brandon chuckled at my failed attempt to summon my fae magic. “I told you your fae powers won’t work here.” He put his hand to his chest, making a show of looking hurt. “Didn’t you believe me?”
“Convince your daughter to give up this foolishness, Lilith,” said Tristan. “Morgana will never be strong enough to bend the Dark Lord to her will, even with the Dagger and the Book of Abraxas. Once he is free, he will kill her and take over Avalonia.”
Lilith smiled, her eyes cold and cruel. “He might if it is Morgana who wakes him.” She laughed loudly. “You really have no idea who is actually behind this, do you?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, furrowing my brow.
“Fools!” said Lilith. “Morgana is only a front. There is someone more powerful in the shadows. And you cannot stop him. These plans were set in motion long before you were even born.”
Brandon’s eyes darted from me to Lilith. “Enough,” he said, stepping forward. “They will find out what they need to know in due time. By then it will be too late.”
“I could summon the dragon,” I ventured, stumbling over the words, clawing for an answer in my mind. “Abraxas would destroy all of you.”
Brandon gave me a sardonic smile and raised an eyebrow. But it was Lilith who spoke. “Maybe he would, if you could summon him, Dawnstar. But the great dragon cannot hear you; the blackened iron will take care of that. The codex was very specific about the effects of blackened iron on High Fae and Dragonlords.”
“You have the Fae Codex?”
Her twisted smile showed me a set of sparkling white teeth. “Who do you think helped Andromeda steal it?”
“You were the one who gave her the blackened iron cuffs to subdue my magic in Elfi,” I stated, finally understanding.
“You are a clever girl,” Lilith said. “But not clever enough. At first I thought the cuffs would hold you, but your magic is too strong. The codex has shown me you need to be completely surrounded by it so that its effects work on High Fae as powerful as the two of you. Soon Morgana’s whole army will be equipped with it, which will render your fae army utterly useless.”
“Over my dead body,” I snarled, staring down both of them, my spine stiff and my arms crossed before me. I looked strong, but inside I was panicking. If Morgana’s army wielded weapons of blackened iron, the fae would fall like flies.
Lilith shrugged. “Have it your way. I’m sure the archmage can oblige.”
Brandon laughed. “See you later, Aurora. I will leave you to say your farewells. I have a coronation to attend. I hope you said goodbye to your dear Prince Rafael while you were busy plotting against me. This kingdom can only have one king. I want him to see my triumph before I have him executed in front of all his so-called loyal supporters, who will not raise a hand to help him—as long as I have their children, of course.” He turned to leave but stopped for a moment. “Once the feast is over tonight, Prince Rafael will be dead, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.”
I waited until the light of their torches had retreated into the passage to release the breath I didn’t even know I was holding. I had to find a way out of this. But Lilith was right; I couldn’t summon Abraxas even if I wanted to. I had tried, but he hadn’t responded. My ring sat cold on my finger, its magic veiled by the evil-infused iron.
Tristan and I released Erien and the rest of the children from their cells. Erien and I hugged while the others shuffled together in a corner of the tunnel and eyed me warily.
There was one figure who remained in their cell. I moved past Erien, holding up my hand for light. It was a girl with long dark hair wearing mage robes from the Academy of Evolon.
“Vivienne,” I gasped. It had been months since I had last seen my best friend. I stepped closer, but she moved back into the shadows, out of my reach.
I froze.
“Viv,” I said in a small voice. How could I explain the past few months and why I’d never said goodbye when I left?
“Why did you come?” Vivienne said, suddenly stepping into the light. “We don’t need you here. Haven’t you caused enough damage as it is?”
“Viv, I . . .” I stumbled over the words. “This is not what I intended.”
“You never intend to do anything, do you? It just so happens that every time you come near us, someone ends up dead. First Professor Dekela, then the king, and now . . .”
I shook my head. “This is Brandon and Morgana’s doing, not mine, Vivienne. Please just hear me out.”
“Brandon is a monster, but he hates you. It’s because of you we are here. And it’s because of you they are gone—” Her voice broke off and she started to cry.
Erien brushed past me to put his arm around Vivienne, looking at me sharply. “She lost both her brothers in the fight when Brandon’s men came to take her. Give her some time.”
Vivienne looked at me with bloodshot eyes. “Do you know why they came for me and not for one of my brothers, Aurora?” Her voice was sharp and pained. “Do you?”
I shook my head. I knew what she meant, but I didn’t want to believe this was my fault too.
“They came because I was your friend,” she said softly. “The Foxmoor family is not important. It’s because of you I’m in here and my brothers are both dead.”
Tears welled in my eyes for my friend’s grief. “I didn’t know. I’m so sorry, Viv,” I said, my voice small, broken. What could I say? I couldn’t bring them back.
She glared at me, her eyes still red and full of anger. “No, you never know, do you? You never know what a mess you leave behind. Everything is about you and only you. The rest of us could fall off the end of the world and you wouldn’t give a damn.”
“That’s enough, Vivienne,” Erien said finally and turned to me, his arm falling away from Vivienne. “I am glad to see you, Aurora. I’m sorry you got dragged into this mess.”
I hugged my cousin. “I’m here to help.”
“I know,” said Erien, running his fingers through his beautiful blond hair, which was now crusted with dirt and grime. “I know I shouldn’t have, but when Vivienne was taken, I . . .” He cast a quick glance at Vivienne, who smiled faintly.
Tristan came over to me and put his hand on my arm. “We will find a way out of this, Aurora. We always do.”
I nodded as I went through all the options in my head, trying to be optimistic. Maybe Penelope would realize something was wrong and send help, but by then it might be too late. I sent out a silent call to Abraxas again, but he didn’t respond.
I tried not to let my anxiety show. There had to be a way out of here. Tristan was right, I had been in situations like this before, but I’d always had my magic to fall back on. This time was different, and I had never realized how vulnerable and useless I felt without my fae powers. But I still had my mage magic.
I gathered what power I had left and sent a fire strike at the iron bars that held us in; mage fire enveloped the iron in a blaze of golden flames, and for a moment I thought it was working. I tried to infuse more power into it, causing the fire to burn hotter, but it was not enough. The blackened iron bars stood strong. The only thing that could melt blackened iron was silver fire, or fae fire, which burned at a much hotter temperature than the fire created by mages. It was what made Tristan and the fire-fae warriors of Elfi the most feared in the seven kingdoms and beyond. But Tristan’s magic refused to surface, and my mage magic had already started to weaken.
I slid down the wall and sat on the floor. I was so tired. It had been days since I had slept properly, and all the worry and anxiety weighed he
avily on my shoulders. I had been so sure I could get these children out, and now I was imprisoned here with them. Not to mention Rafe was going to be executed in a few hours and there was nothing I could do.
Suddenly a deep voice spoke in my head. “What are you doing sitting in a dungeon, Aurora?”
I jumped up. “Where have you been?” I practically shouted out loud. The others looked at me like I had gone mad. But Tristan’s eyes sparkled—he knew who I was talking to.
“There was a patch when I couldn’t sense you,” said Abraxas, “but I heard your call. It was faint, so I came to see what was happening. Are you hiding from someone?”
“No, I’m not sitting down here because I want to,” I snapped. “The whole tunnel is lined with blackened iron. I’m trapped.”
I proceeded to tell him what had happened.
“So, break down the door and go stop Brandon,” he said matter-of-factly.
“I can’t.” I threw my arms up in exasperation. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. My mage magic can’t burn through the blackened iron, and my fae magic doesn’t work in here. I’ve tried.”
“Well then you haven’t tried hard enough,” the ancient dragon snapped back. “Haven’t I explained to you before that there is no dark power that can contain the Dawnstar?”
I frowned. “But that was just two small cuffs. Lilith said the codex told her this much blackened iron can contain High Fae magic.”
“You haven’t been listening, Aurora,” said Abraxas, exasperated. “You are not just a High Fae, just as you are not just a Dragonlord. If this blackened iron could really contain your magic, you would not be able to speak to me. Lilith made you believe that you can’t, so you didn’t try hard enough. You lost faith. And what have I told you about losing faith? Do I have to say it again and again until it gets into that thick head of yours?”
I held up my hands. “I know, I know. Nothing is impossible.”
“Exactly,” said the great dragon, satisfied. “The magic of the Dawnstar only appears when you have complete faith in who you truly are. But you go on doubting yourself despite the many instances where you have been shown the truth of your powers. Remember, the magic of the Dawnstar is different from all other fae magic, although it is inextricably tied to it. The light you produce when you access that particular power is a culmination of all the five powers of the fae directed by your will, your innermost being. With magic like yours, you can do anything. You just need the will to do it. Now let us begin.”
The Return of the Dragon Queen Page 12