“We have to give the book to him, or he will destroy us,” said Andromeda, her eyes frantic, looking at the Elders.
But the council stepped away from her.
“We have to,” Andromeda pleaded. “Or Morgana will never leave Elfi in peace.”
Dark magic crashed into my shield again, and I shuddered with the power it took to hold the wall. The Drakaar had combined their force and were pounding at it, and it wouldn’t be long before one of them broke through.
I closed my eyes and tried to summon the dragon. I used every word combination I could think of, but he did not come.
I gritted my teeth and thrust more power into my shield. I could not let it fall, not yet. I could hear Lucian and the Drakaar shouting on the other side, trying to break through. Gorgoths flew at the wall of magic, scratching and tearing at it, ready to pounce on the fae when it finally fell.
And it would fall. I could not hold it for much longer against so much dark magic. It was weakening me, and I needed all my power.
Without warning the pressure on my magic subsided. I glanced over at Rhiannon. She had stepped forward, her arms outstretched. Magic swirled around her, and I realized the Dowager Duchess of the Night Court was adding her magic to the wall, helping me, giving me a chance to breathe and leaving my powers free to do what had to be done.
“The book must be destroyed, Andromeda,” said Rhiannon, moving to stand beside me. “Now hand it over.”
Andromeda laughed a feral cackle. “There is nothing in this world that can destroy the Book of Abraxas. Except Abraxas himself.”
“Exactly,” I said to Andromeda. The ring glowed as I spoke. “That is why it is time to call him back.”
“No!” Andromeda shook her head and clutched the book to her chest. “No one has the power to summon the great dragon.”
“The Dawnstar does,” I explained as my magic gathered inside me.
Andromeda’s eyes went wide as terror crept into them. “You have the Dawnstar?” she asked, slowly enunciating every word.
A hush went over the rest of the council as they waited for my answer.
“I don’t have the Dawnstar, Andromeda,” I said in a confident voice that could be heard by all the Elders and the fae-warriors that stood on this side of the wall. “I am the Dawnstar!”
“No!” Andromeda whispered. “That’s impossible.”
My eyes flashed. “Nothing is impossible,” I asserted, as I plunged down deep into the well of unfettered power that lay within me. In my mind stood a great golden door, and behind it, the magic of the Dawnstar. I knew it was there, waiting to be freed, waiting to rise up and save the world. Gathering my will, I pushed at the door, and it shattered into a thousand pieces. A glow of pure light washed over me as the full force of Illaria Lightbringer’s magic awoke.
Illaria’s ring glowed on my finger as I pointed it upward, and I knew exactly what I had to do.
I reached for Abraxas with all the magic I had within me. I cried out to the skies, echoing across the plains, “Hear me, Abraxas, immortal dragon of Avalonia. Rise and fight! Break the chains that keep you from this world. Join me in this battle for Illaria’s kingdom. The Dawnstar summons you!”
The wall of magic surrounding us fell as the Drakaar triumphantly broke through.
A great roar sounded across the lands and the mountains shook with the force of it. A massive shadow descended across the plain, and the army of Drakaar looked up and screamed as the most magnificent dragon, with a wingspan of two football fields, cast his colossal shadow over Lucian’s whole army.
“Dragon!” shouted the Drakaar, and all hell broke loose on the battlefield.
The archmage stood there with his mouth hanging open, staring at the mighty dragon. The Drakaar summoned more Shadow Demons, and the gorgoths flew out of the sky, hundreds of them descending on Abraxas. The great dragon gave another mighty roar, and dragonfire burned them midflight, but more of them swarmed around him like locusts. He had his work cut out for him, I thought, but I was sure he could handle it.
I looked around and spotted Andromeda, who had started running toward Lucian as soon as the wall fell.
“Tristan, she has the book,” I shouted as I drew my sword and ran after her. I had to get it back.
Erik still protected his queen, but with a great shout he called to his men. “Elite! Defend the Dawnstar!”
With a mighty war cry all the fire-fae warriors rushed into battle after me.
Shadow Demons sprang up around us, blocking the path to Andromeda and Lucian. My sword blazed with silver fire as I slashed and cut through the melee of Drakaar and their henchmen, but more swarmed. Abraxas was busy fighting the gorgoths and burning Shadow Demons to a crisp.
I had to get closer, I had to get the book.
My other hand lit up with a ball of silver fire. I mixed it with mage magic and shot it at the Shadow Demons; they screamed and vanished into smoke. But the Drakaar were harder to kill; a sword of silver fire to the neck was the only way. I twirled around, slicing through a Drakaar’s neck as a black sword came swinging toward me. But Tristan was beside me in an instant, and the Drakaar’s sword clattered to the ground as his head rolled away from his body.
I nodded at Tristan in thanks, but he was already engaged in battle with two more Drakaar. How many of them were there?
I rushed forward. If Andromeda got away, we were done.
I pushed myself faster and practically flew through the raging battle, swerving and slashing as I tried to get closer. I nearly caught up to her when a dozen Shadow Demons appeared out of nowhere, blocking my path. Dark magic clawed at my shield as the Drakaar who controlled them
