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A smile spread across my face as her attention returned to me. Then the sound of galloping water began to build until a thunderous roar surrounded us. I unleashed the water in one massive burst that crashed into the Tyvar encircling Bayleon and Bastian, pushing most of them away toward the outskirts of the village, but there were still some around.
Diawen and Lerissa were also taken in by its power, but I knew it wouldn’t hold Diawen for long; she was a siren born of the sea. Being in the water was one of her strengths. Bayleon and Bastian desperately tried to reach me, but a few of the men who had evaded the wave managed to stop them. I had to free myself before Diawen returned with even more ferocity. Fighting against her with iron shackles around my wrists would be nearly impossible.
Footsteps echoed behind me, but no one was there when I tried to look for the source. Then, I felt a sudden touch on my shoulder and heard a low hiss escape the lips of who I assumed to be Aidan.
“Son of a . . .” I gasped, completely taken aback by his presence. “Aidan?” I whispered.
“Yeah, it’s me. Damn iron,” he spat as his skin sizzled from touching the cuffs. Jangling keys echoed as he searched for the right one to unlock my chains.
“How are you invisible? Lerissa and I have the necklaces.” He huffed as he struggled to identify the right one. “She came to me and said you needed help but didn’t have time to explain why.” The keys jingled more. “So, she gave me the necklace and the keys and left.”
My heart suddenly filled with worry for Lerissa, knowing that my own magic had swept her away.
“Aidan, listen,” I demanded. “There has to be more Tyvar here who are loyal to Bayleon and Bastian. Can you sense them anywhere? Maybe they’re in some kind of prison in the encampment.”
Aidan stilled behind me, and I knew he was trying to concentrate. A few seconds later, he started back on the iron shackles. “I think you’re right. I can smell many of them on the opposite side of the camp, but it’s like they’re enclosed inside the earth, probably an underground dungeon.”
I had to believe Aidan was right. If not, we were in even more trouble.
“I need you to free them,” I said quickly. “Rogan’s men will be coming back for blood, and we need the others to help. Please, go! And when you come back, you know what we need.”
Aidan’s chuckle was low and sinister. “You got it.”
The sound of a key sliding home was music to my ears. A whoosh of air blew past me as Aidan hurried off through the camp. Bayleon and Bastian were still fighting off Rogan’s men, but I could see their bodies were growing tired from. I was ready to get out there and fight with them. But before I could slip out of the shackles, Diawen appeared out of the trees, her hair and body drenched from the water. She looked like an avenging dark angel, ready to kill.
“Enough of this,” she shouted, opening the box. “You’re coming with me.”
She drew closer and reached into the box, pulling out a red amulet hanging from a silver chain. All I needed was for her to get closer. Then, I’d have a chance to apprehend her. The only person I knew who could help us force the cure out of her would be Elvena.
With my magic, along with others in my family, it should be enough to help Elvena extract the information from Diawen’s mind like she did with Bayleon and Bastian. It was the only thing I could think of that would work. Diawen wasn’t going to give me the answers voluntarily.
Lerissa appeared by the tree line, holding a hand to her chest as she tried to breathe. When her eyes landed on me, they widened in panic. She hurried down past the men fighting until she was right behind Diawen.
“What are you doing?” Lerissa asked, her voice uncertain.
With the necklace in her hand, Diawen dropped the wooden box to the ground. “Plan B. The second I put this on her, I’m making a portal and we’re getting out of here.”
Lerissa’s gaze darted back and forth from me to Diawen; it was clear she knew what Plan B entailed. Diawen inched closer, lifting the necklace so she could slide it over my head. Before she could take another step, war cries erupted from the far end of the camp. Tyvar that I recognized from many years back raced toward Bayleon and Bastian, their swords drawn and ready to fight. Then, a few seconds later, another war cry erupted from the sky.
A blast of fire sprayed above us, and Lerissa dropped to her knees while Diawen recoiled in both anger and fear. She moved away and I lost my chance to apprehend her. Aidan dropped down from the sky as his dragon, the earth trembling as he made contact with the ground. His glowing red eyes fixated on Diawen and he opened his mouth, the heat from his flames sending fear through her; I could see it in her eyes. I ripped my arms and ankles from the shackles, my skin healing within seconds.
Diawen stepped back, her fear turning to rage as she took her place beside Lerissa and grabbed her arm. Aidan wouldn’t be able to use his flames without hurting Lerissa.
“It’s over,” I hissed low, preparing to lunge at her.
Diawen snarled and gripped Lerissa harder, pulling her in front of her body. “You’re right, it is,” Diawen agreed, her breaths coming out as rapid pants. “Your lovers survived, but they’ll still be cursed. You’ll never get the cure.”
In one quick move, she summoned a portal and stepped through it, still holding onto Lerissa. I could see the sadness in Lerissa’s eyes before she disappeared.
My men were alive and there was no greater joy than that, but my chances of finding the cure had just vanished.
“Lia!” Bayleon and Bastian yelled as they rushed to me.
I hugged them both, letting my healing powers flow through them. As I pulled away, I noticed all the fallen bodies around us and the ones left standing.
“What now?” I asked, not wanting to let go of them.
They stepped back and gazed at each other before settling their eyes on me. “We go home,” Bayleon said softly, taking my hand in his.
