Xavier stared at me, shocked. "If she's not with you and she's not with me, then someone else has her… don't you think your brother is behind this?" he asked.The realization hit me and my hands froze. "No… she's not with him I just took down my brother," I said. A kind of shock rose to his eyes."So who do you think has her?" he asked, the surprise still sitting heavy on his face.Just then footsteps marched through the hallways. Xavier's eyes widened at the sound. He turned as I looked forward a troop of armies rushed through in escort of Kaelthys, High Lord of the Northern Clans."Seize him!" he shouted.I smirked as the men lunged forward."Xavier," I said without looking at him, "I think you need to leave now and go find Hazel. I can handle this."He didn't hesitate. He was gone quickly.I moved against them with full force.Two swords in my hands. It only got easier with each fast swing.I took them down one by one and in no time their bodies lay lifeless across the stone floor,

"Dravon, please — I didn't do it. We were friends. Even though I threatened you, I would never — I didn't," she said as tears rushed down her face.I looked at Dravon. "What is she talking about?" I asked.He didn't say a word. He just stood there, boiling."One day you threaten to expose me and Hazel's whereabouts, and then the next day Aiden storms Voidfang, so tell me, how am I supposed to believe you?" he said, his anger barely contained."We were friends, Dravon. You know very well I would never sell you out. I know I messed up by saying that in the garden, but I didn't do it."Dravon closed his eyes and took a long, heavy breath."Get lost," he said."Hazel, I didn't, you know I can't," she said, turning to me. I nodded.More tears slipped down her face. Something in me believed her. But Dravon's hands balled into fists and I could feel his irritation rising."I said get out," he barked, his eyes now holding a silent storm that could consume her at any moment.I walked up to him

NATHAN'S POVI walked through darkness for what felt like hours. I didn't know where I was going, couldn't see the path ahead, but my instincts kept pushing me forward until I bumped into something. The lights came on.My head hurt from the collision. My hand moved to the spot, pressing over the place where the pain stung.The cave brightened. My eyes stung from the sudden light after so long in the dark. I shut them, riding out the pain. When I finally opened them, the sight stopped me cold. I was standing in a huge hallway lit by lamps glowing from the mouths of beautifully carved stone dragons, crystals of different forms set into their eyes. A large stone fixture ran overhead holding several fire lamps, the main source of light. I stood there, dumbstruck.Then I turned to find what I'd collided with, and that was when I saw it. A thick, heavy iron gate stood before me, sealing off any further passage into the cave.It was massive. Carved across its surface was a great stone dragon

HAZEL'S POV "Mom?" I called from where I sat. "Whose house?"I couldn't understand why she looked so shaken by whoever was standing at that door. She didn't answer me. I moved to stand but Draven's hand came to my arm, holding me back."Hazel. You could get into trouble. You never know who's out there," he said quietly.Then the scent reached me."Morwenna is here?" Draven muttered.I sat back down slowly. Part of me didn't want to see her. But another part did."Please let me in." Her voice came through the door, low and urgent. "She needs to know.""She doesn't." My mother's voice was firm. "She's already been through so much. We can't just drop this on her like that."Then softer, more final, "Please. Just go."The door began to close.My mother didn't know I could hear every word. She still thought I was the same girl she had raised. She didn't know that somewhere between leaving and coming back, that girl had changed in ways that couldn't be undone.She turned from the door and

I snapped out of my daze quickly, even though I knew she already suspected the truth.“I just went out for some fresh air,” I lied.“And for how long?” she asked, her brows knitting together in a way that was almost amusing but deeply suspicious.I hesitated for a moment.“Uh… hmm…” The words refused to come.“You stammer, sister. Clear evidence of the lies I see in your eyes,” she said.“He's human. I can sense it.”My body stiffened.She pouted her lips to the side.“Oh, dear sister… don’t worry. I won’t tell.” My eyes widened at her words.She stepped closer until she was only a breath away.“Our little secret,” she whispered.I stood frozen, as though ice had been poured over me, until I heard the click of the door and the sound of her footsteps retreating down the hallway.I took a deep breath and collapsed onto my bed in frustration.For days, I knew no peace. I kept my eyes and ears on Seraphine, especially whenever she was near the priestess. Surprisingly, after about a week,