But nothing happened. I could not call on the light of the Dawnstar.
The gorgoth leapt, and I slashed at it again. My sword tore through its chest. Black blood sprayed my arm. The creature shrieked in fury and stumbled farther backward.
I didn’t have time to hesitate as I raised my left hand, created a knife burning with silver fire, and threw it. It sank into the gorgoth’s chest. Its flashing red eyes burned through me as it stopped, clutching the dagger to pull it out. I lunged forward, gripping my sword with two hands, and swung it in an arc, severing the gorgoth’s head from its body.
Another growl sounded behind me. I turned swiftly, clutching my still-flaming sword, to see two more gorgoths fly into the room.
Before I could lift my sword, one of the gorgoths pounced, catching me off guard. I sidestepped just in time to avoid a direct blow to my head, but its talons slashed across my arm and my sword fell to the ground, clattering away from me.
The second gorgoth sprang at me from the other side. I flung out a push strike in a circle around me as I ducked, throwing them back while I created a glamoured sword and swung it, slashing one gorgoth across its wings, tearing through the leathery blackness. It screeched and reached out its talons, lunging at me.
I lost my footing and fell backward, hitting my head as the gorgoth landed on top of me, its serrated black teeth inches from my face. Black drool dripped onto my cheek. It smelled acrid, the stench of its evil unbearable.
The ring on my finger glowed as Abraxas spoke to me. “Use the magic of the Dawnstar, Aurora. It is more formidable than your fae-fire,” the deep voice said. “There is no dark creature that can withstand its power.”
I held the ravening creature away from my face. My fae strength was the only reason I was still alive.
“I can’t,” I screamed in my mind. “It’s gone.”
“The magic of the Dawnstar has always been within you, even when you didn’t know what it was. It was what saved you in the ruins when Lilith tried to possess your body. The light that pushed her away and did not let her enter was the Dawnstar.” The great dragon’s voice rose. “Fear and doubt veil the light of the Dawnstar. You must believe, Aurora—how many times do I have to remind you? Without faith in yourself and your abilities, your Dawnstar powers will not work.”
I held off the vicious gorgoth and turned my mind within, shutting out all fear and doubt. I could do this. I had done it before. A massive force raised its head as the light of the Dawnstar arose within. Calming my racing heart, I concentrated the power in my hands and directed it, fashioning it into beams of pure white light.
The gorgoth above me screamed as my magic pierced its body like a lance, destroying the darkness from within. The gorgoth crumpled to dust, but when I stood up, three more flew into the room.
But I was no longer afraid. I was the Dawnstar, the heir of Illaria Lightbringer, and this was what I was born to do.
I lifted both my hands and the whole room lit up. White light—more powerful than any gorgoth could withstand—burst out of my hands, piercing the darkness in a blinding ray. Screams and terrified squeals filled the air as the gorgoths shrieked in fury and dissolved into ashes.
“Good,” said Abraxas in my mind. “You must practice calling on your Dawnstar powers when faced with a threat such as this. The power that makes you the Dawnstar is light magic, which is deadly to demons and dark creatures alike. But light magic will not help you against mages or human soldiers. Therefore, the ability to assess what type of magic is needed in each situation is something you still have to master. You will learn with experience.”
The door opened, and Penelope rushed in. “What happened?” She eyed the lumps of ash littering the room.
“Gorgoths,” I spat, picking up my sword.
“We have a problem,” said Tristan, entering the room and shutting the door with a dark look.
“Obviously.” I whirled on Tristan. “Where were you? I had to take on five gorgoths on my own.”
Tristan raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms as he took in the piles of ash in different parts of the room, then shrugged his broad shoulders. “You seem to have done an adequate job of it.”
“No thanks to you.”
He lifted a dark brow. “You seem to have forgotten who trained you.”
My face heated.
He turned to Penelope. “I was busy finding out more about that jeweled toad you call a prince.”
My brow furrowed. “Prince Shiraz?”
Tristan nodded. “Darius Detori isn’t coming back any time soon. It seems he’s already on his way to Sanria for a council meeting of the five emirs.”
“What?” Penelope frowned. “Shiraz has been lying to us?”
Tristan’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sure there are quite a few things he hasn’t told us.” He scowled. “He’s left the palace too.”
“He’s been buying time.” Penelope paced the floor with her hands clasped in front of her. “But for what? What are the Detoris up to?”
Tristan shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. No one will reveal that piece of information. He obviously wants to keep us away from Sanria.”
Penelope rubbed her temples. “We should leave immediately. We must speak to Santino before the Council of Five meets.”
“And Rhea?” I asked. “Did you find her?”
Tristan nodded. “She’s still here, along with a bunch of other slaves. From what I gathered, they are going to be moved out tonight.”
My heartbeat sped up. “Moved! Where?”
Tristan’s eyes started
