Ten days have passed since the veil closed. Each night, I go to the barrier where we used to meet, wishing somehow that I might be able to see her. I long only to know that she is all right.
Oradon said he cast a spell of protection over her, but I cannot help but worry. His magic may not be as strong as that of her stepmother. I do not know whether the witch found her when she returned. If she did, I wonder whether Ella was punished for running away in the first place.
I sent word to my friend Prince Caelen in the Elven kingdom of Rivenyl. His people still deal with the human kingdom of Eryadon. I’ve asked him to seek out any word of her, to please find out if she is safe. I have received no response from him yet, but it has only been a few days since I wrote, not long enough for his network to discover anything.
I return to the palace, making my way through the gardens, where I notice Eryl seated with my grandfather. Ella’s shoe lies in his hands.
Eryl lifts his head and smiles as I approach. “Brother, we have good news!”
“What is it?”
My grandfather turns to me. “Eryl told me about Ella. I believe I know a way to help you.”
I frown. “How?”
Eryl holds up the crystal slipper. “Ella left this behind, but she must still have the other one because you did not find it when you chased after her.”
“What does that matter?”
“If we can get this to her, she will be able to use it to cross the veil into our kingdom,” Grandfather answers. “She can return if she has both glass slippers.”
Sadness fills me. “It does not matter. Father is right. I am Dark Fae. It is too dangerous for her to be with me.” I look down at my hands. “I cannot risk following in the path of King Erebyr. I would never forgive myself if I were to ever harm her. Do you not understand? I love her too much.”
Grandfather stands and places a hand on my shoulder, his gaze locked on mine. “Do not give up so easily, Ryvan. If I had given up, I would never have bonded with your grandmother, and none of you would be here today.”
I open my mouth to reply, but a dark shadow passes overhead, blocking the sunlight. When I lift my gaze to the sky, my jaw drops. A silver dragon, nearly ten times the size of a Fae, is flying toward the castle.
His silver scales reflect brilliantly beneath the sun like tight chains of heavy, impenetrable armor. His dark-silver wings billow like great sails, and his massive horned head is trained on the castle, his emerald eyes locked on his prize.
Alarms blare throughout the city, and our guards rush to take their posts, each readying their arrows. They know as well as I that the metal tips of their arrows will never pierce the beast’s thick scales.
Eryl’s eyes are wide with fear. “How did he get this close? They won’t be able to stop him in time.”
Dozens of arrows shoot toward him from the palace walls to no avail.
Dragon scales can only be pierced by l’omhara—the rarest and most precious of all metals. It is so difficult to mine that only a few arrows made from this ore are stored in the weapon’s chambers. Our guards will not be able to retrieve them in time to fell the dragon before he reaches the castle.
Desperate, I ascend to face him. My wings flap furiously behind me as I race through the clouds to challenge the ancient foe of my people. Energy arcs through my body like lightning as I unleash the darkness deep within. I am Dark Fae—bearer and bringer of destruction. I will die before I allow him to destroy my family and our home.
