He went up to the hamadryads, who had gathered in a group. “Thank you for your help,” said the Duke of Silverthorne, bowing to them.
One of the hamadryads stepped forward and inclined her head. Her hair and eyes were a dark green like the leaves of the tree she inhabited, and her skin was crusty and brown, resembling the bark of an old oak. Up close they seemed more human than when they were tearing open Drakaar throats, but they still made me nervous. “We came at the behest of the Prince of the Night Court.”
Silverthorne looked over at Tristan, who shook his head.
“Not Prince Tristan,” said the hamadryad, and she turned to Kalen and bowed. “Prince Kalen summoned us.”
Uncle Gabriel narrowed his eyes and looked at Penelope. “So my suspicions were correct. Kalen is Kildaren’s son?”
Penelope nodded as Kalen shifted uncomfortably beside her.
“Interesting,” Uncle Gabriel said, rubbing his chin and turning back to the hamadryads. “Thank you for responding to the summons,” he said formally.
The hamadryad nodded and unexpectedly turned to me and bowed as well. “It is an honor to serve and protect the Dawnstar.”
I had read about the hamadryads at the library in Elfi. They were different from ordinary dryads in that they were the spirit of the oak trees specifically and the ancestors of dryads. Their life force was tied to the trees they came from. The older the oak tree, the more powerful the hamadryad was. They were ancient creatures and almost impossible to control. That was why Penelope was shocked to see Kalen summon them.
I thanked them and smiled faintly. I knew powerful fae creatures could sense my fae magic even when it was shielded by the amulet. But if my fae magic was all gone, how did they know I was the Dawnstar?
The hamadryad came closer and put her clawed hand on my shoulder. I stood very still, not wanting to make a wrong move. Magical fae creatures were temperamental; any slight could cause them to attack. She spoke softly in a musical, ethereal voice only I could hear. “You were destined to be the protector of this world, Aurora Firedrake. The magic of the Dawnstar was meant for you and you alone. There is no one else who can wield the magic as it was meant to be wielded.”
“But my fae magic,” I whispered back. “Lilith stole it.”
“Your fae magic doesn’t define you, and neither does your mage side,” said the Ancient Fae creature. “You are the Dawnstar, the light that fills this world with magic. You are here for a reason. Your destiny is still to unfold. Find your true purpose and path; do not waver in your faith. Only then will you be able to find your power.”
Those words. The light that fills this world with magic. It was the same thing Abraxas had once said to me. I missed him and his advice. His powerful ancient voice had kept me going at the darkest of times. But now I couldn’t even contact him. The ring on my finger lay dull and lifeless.
“I have no idea how to do what you ask,” I said softly, looking at my ring. “I’m not as strong as everyone thinks I am.”
“You are stronger than you know, Dawnstar,” said the hamadryad, and she turned to disappear into the tree from which she came.
Once the hamadryads had returned to the forest, Uncle Gabriel smiled, patting Kalen on his back. “That was quite a feat you pulled off back there, young Kalen.”
Kalen grinned, a twinkle in his eyes. “Not as big a feat as you managed to pull off, Your Grace.”
Uncle Gabriel laughed. “Yes, I suppose.”
“Are you ever going to tell us how you managed to escape when everyone thought you were dead?” Kalen asked my granduncle, wincing as he tried to move his arm.
“All in good time, my friend,” said Uncle Gabriel, throwing a fleeting but pointed look at Penelope. “I think you should let your mother take a closer look at that arm.”
Kalen nodded and went over to his mother.
Uncle Gabriel turned to the witches, who stood slightly apart, the great white leopards prowling impatiently behind them.
One of the witches, with sparkling eyes the color of burnt honey and long dark plaited hair falling over one shoulder, came forward. Her caramel-colored skin was heavily tattooed with strange symbols that ran down her neck and arm. She held her head high as she stalked toward me. Her body was all muscle, and I could see she was a warrior through and through by the way she carried herself.
“This is Ashara, war leader of the northern witch tribes,” said Uncle Gabriel, introducing us.
I stepped forward to clasp her forearm in the universal greeting. “Thank you for your help. If you hadn’t come to our aid, we would not have survived.”
Ashara smiled warmly. “It is an honor to come to your aid, Aurora Shadowbreaker,” she said formally.
I glanced at my granduncle. “How did you convince them to help us?”
Uncle Gabriel huffed a laugh. “I didn’t. It was you who convinced them.”
I put my hand on my chest. “Me? How? I’ve never even met them.”
“Yes, Aurora, you have,” said Uncle Gabriel, his blue eyes twinkling as he spoke to me. “It seems the slave girl you rescued in Neris was none other than the witch king’s granddaughter and heir.”
I gasped. “Rhea!”
The Duke of Silverthorne nodded, a smile on his face. “She had been taken a few months ago while out visiting a sick friend. They have been searching for her ever since. When she returned to Rohron, safe and sound under your protection, she told her grandfather everything about the young queen who rescued her—the Shadowbreaker who was going to save the world.”
I shook my head and looked at Penelope and Tristan. This was unbelievable.
Ashara spoke up. “What the duke says is the truth. Our kingdom never gets involved in mage or fae disputes. But when
