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 heavily 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
