Penelope nodded, her face a mask of pure anger as she gazed at the destruction all around her. “They came for me,” she said, almost to herself. “They knew I once lived here. They must have wanted information on my whereabouts.” She ran her hands over her face. “Now all these poor innocent fae have suffered because of me. And I wasn’t here to help them.”
My blood boiled at the thought of Morgana’s soldiers storming into Pixie Bush and torturing and murdering the fae. Her words ignited within me a burning desire to rid Avalonia of Morgana and her evil. This was no longer about me taking back my throne, or making my parents proud, or even avenging their deaths. This was much more.
I had been brought into this world for a higher purpose, and it took losing my fae powers for me to realize I was made the Dawnstar for a reason. It was meant to be used for the greater good; it was meant to save this world from destruction. It didn’t matter that I was not stronger or more powerful than everyone else. It didn’t matter if I ever sat on the throne of Illiador. The only things that mattered were stopping the darkness from engulfing this world and preserving the light from being destroyed forever. There had to be a way, and if it took everything I had, even my life, I would find it.
I went over and put my hand on Penelope’s shoulder. “Have faith, Penelope—all is not lost yet. We will make this right.”
She shook her head. “All those innocent lives . . . gone. We will never get them back.”
“I know, but we can make sure this never happens again.”
Kalen’s eyes flashed with determination as he looked at his mother and turned to me. “We will find a way to get the Dagger back, Aurora. And when we do, we will make them all pay for what they have done.”
“Well, you will have to get a move on,” said Tristan, his swords lighting up with silver fire. His eyes scanned the trees as his fae senses picked up something I did not. “Someone has betrayed us. We’re surrounded.”
The forest was still; no one moved. It was as if time itself held its breath.
From all around us, dark forms started to emerge one by one from behind the trees. Shadowy figures in black robes took shape with elongated canines and dark black pools for eyes.
My blood chilled as I recognized who they were, or rather what they were.
Drakaar! And along with them, a host of uniformed soldiers wearing the crest of the black rose—Morgana’s minions. All of them had bows in their hands with black-tipped arrows pointed directly at us from all angles. Even the immortal fae couldn’t withstand an onslaught of this many arrows. A fae shield would not stop them.
A familiar face, large with a patch over his eye, stepped forward and away from the group. His hideous scarred face grinned at me, showing his blackened teeth. “You just don’t die, do you, Princess Aurora?”
How did he find me?
“Sorry to disappoint you,” I said through clenched teeth. My hands balled into fists, but I dared not move. One word from him could release those arrows. “What do you want, Oblek?”
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” Oblek said.
“I’m quite sure your concept of friendship severely differs from mine,” I said tartly.
“I’m sure it does.” Oblek waved his hand as if dismissing me. “But it’s not me you have to worry about. The general wants to see you.”
“And who is this general?” I asked. We needed more information. We were completely in the dark about him and his plans. My mind raced as I glanced around. There seemed to be no escape—we were completely surrounded. Who could have betrayed us? No one knew we were here except Rafe and Captain Raingate. I didn’t want to believe either of them could have given us up to Oblek.
Oblek laughed. “You will find out soon enough.”
“Why not just kill me here and get it over with?” I said, putting my hands on my hips. Without my magic I would not escape this time. And with my friends’ lives in jeopardy, Oblek knew I would give myself up to save them.
Oblek rubbed his bearded chin. “As much as I would love to kill you, I can’t. It seems the general has a use for you. And I am to bring you to him alive.” He looked at Penelope, Kalen, and Tristan and raised his chin to them. “They are not needed, so we will have to get rid of them.”
Tristan smiled but didn’t put down his weapons. “Is this general such a coward that he cannot face us himself? He sends you to do his dirty work?”
“Ah! Prince Tristan. The general is not foolish enough to go up against the Dark Prince of Elfi on his own.” Oblek smiled. “That’s why he sent them.” He nodded at the trees, and two warriors stepped forward.
I gasped and Tristan’s eyes narrowed. These were not Morgana’s mages nor Drakaar; they were unmistakably fae. Dressed in black fae leathers with long dark hair secured by a band at the nape of their necks, they had eyes that glowed red like the demons with which they were allied.
“Dark fae,” Tristan growled under his breath.
I had heard of such creatures, the offspring of a fae and a demon as powerful as a High Fae warrior and just as deadly. But every book I read had told me they were extinct, and even before that time, they rarely survived past childhood.
Oblek laughed. “You weren’t expecting that, were you, Prince Tristan? The general has found a way to breed a whole legion of these dark fae soldiers especially to take care of you and the fae queen’s scanty band
