Aiden punched him in the stomach, and he doubled over.
But one of the dwarven guards stepped forward. They had all surrendered and had been disarmed. “He lies. The boy king lives. After Drimli killed King Ranthor, Mirin slipped out of the palace before he could kill him too.”
“Shut up!” growled Drimli, shooting the guard a wild look. “The boy’s a coward. He’s not fit to be king. He ran at the first sign of trouble. That throne belongs to me!”
Rafe glanced at me and scowled. “He will kill the boy when he gets his hands on him. I have seen his kind before.”
It was still hard for me to sentence someone to death, even though I knew this was war. We could not allow a traitor like this to turn the tide. He had already cost us dearly. I had to think like a queen, and that meant making tough choices.
I pushed my shoulders back and nodded once to Tristan. “Do it.”
He raised his sword and severed the dwarf’s head from his body.
I turned my head away. Sometimes the right decision was the hardest one to make.
Penelope turned to Cade. “Find the boy-king Mirin and secure the fortress until help arrives. We must go after the Dagger.”
“That might be difficult,” said Aiden. “No help is coming. The war has already begun.”
My eyes widened in shock. “But Joreth was just here in Stonegate.”
Penelope shook her head. “Joreth has his own agenda, it seems.”
Aiden nodded. “I’m afraid I don’t have good news. Morgana’s forces have amassed in the Valley of Flowers. Silverthorne’s forces have blocked the Eastern Pass in the Cascade Mountains, but they won’t hold it for long. The general had a second, much larger force hiding in the Darkwood. Morgana’s forces outnumber us ten to one, and her army is still gathering.” He shook his head; I had never seen Aiden look so defeated. “There are too many of them. Without help, we cannot win this war.”
“What about the Brandorians and the witches?” I asked, horrified at what had already occurred. “Is Santino all right? Have the Council of Five agreed to send reinforcements to Eldoren?”
“Santino is fine,” said Cade, stepping in. “The Council of Five does not exist anymore. He has invoked the old title of Sultan and has taken over Brandor.”
Penelope’s eyes widened. “How?”
“The Detoris attacked the Red Citadel and killed Roderigo Valasis,” Aiden explained. “Santino avenged his father and took down the Detori family, killing Darius and Shiraz Detori. The other emirs have surrendered to him. He is now the undisputed Sultan of Brandor and commands all of its armies.”
I smiled. I knew Santino would come through. Even without magic, the pirate prince was a force to be reckoned with, and I was glad he was on our side.
“That is good news, at least,” said Penelope. “If Santino’s forces and the witches join Silverthorne’s army, we may have a chance.”
Aiden shook his head. “It may be too late.”
“It’s not over yet.” I stepped forward and looked at Rafe. “I’m going after the Dagger.”
Rafe shot me a dark look. “Not alone you’re not.”
My jaw tightened. “You have to go back to Eldoren and defend your kingdom, Rafe. But I cannot come with you. If Joreth has my father, I have to get there before he uses the Dagger on him.”
Rafe held me gently by the arms and looked into my eyes. “I will never leave you to do this alone, Aurora. I’m coming with you, whether you want me to or not.”
Penelope’s eyes looked dull as she regarded me. “We may not make it in time.” She wrung her hands. “It is virtually impossible to open a portal anywhere near Mount Khatral. It is protected by the darkest of magics.”
“Are you sure that is where he has gone?” I asked.
Penelope nodded. “Yes. Now that Joreth has everything he needs, he will not waste time beginning the ritual. He needs Dragath’s tomb in order to start.”
I went over the options. “Can we portal close by?”
Penelope nodded. “We can portal to the outer boundaries.” She looked over at Tristan. “There will be Drakaar guarding the gates to the Dark Fortress; we will need your help.”
“Not a problem,” he confirmed.
Penelope turned a stern eye on Rafe. “You must return to the battle and help Silverthorne. You need to protect your kingdom—Morgana must not be allowed to take Eldoren.” She shot a glance at Cade. “Take the Elite with you.”
Rafe crossed his arms, and frozen rage dulled his handsome features. “There is no way I am letting Aurora do this without me. And have you forgotten? Besides Aurora, I’m the only one who can touch the Dagger without being pulled in.”
A shadow crossed my face. I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt, yet although I wanted to do this on my own, I knew I would have a much better chance of succeeding if they came with me. I let my gaze settle on Rafe. “Then you must promise me you will rescue my father and get him to safety.”
“I will do what I can, but—” he came closer, putting his hand on my arm, “—I’m not leaving you.”
I put my hand on his chest. “Please, Rafe, I have to get the Dagger. But I can only do that if I know someone else is going to protect my father. I’ve come so far; I cannot watch him die today.”
Penelope stepped forward. “I will protect Azaren with my life. You and Rafe concentrate on getting the Dagger. Besides the two of you, none of us can touch it. Tristan and Ashara will handle the Drakaar. But we must leave immediately. There is no time to waste.”
I nodded. I had to trust she would do as she said. I had no other choice. Once Dragath had awakened his full powers, he would use the Dagger to create the portal to his world and bring his demon army
