Chapter Twenty-Three

Tari

A terrified scream rent the air, startling me awake. I looked up at at dawn's early rays of sunlight piercing the trees overhead. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. What was happening? Where was I? I blinked at the campfire beside us, then stared down at Helian and Ash sleeping on either side of me.

Then I looked across the campfire at Shiri. My sister was sitting up, gaping at me as if I was a spirit.

Ash let out a howl in his sleep.

Ash! I hissed, digging my fingers into Ash's arm, and he shifted into a hybrid monster as he shot up, snapping his jowls.

Ash! I projected to him. Something's wrong.

He sniffed the air with his long snout. I feel it, too.

Overcome by a wave of dizziness, I fell back against the furs. My vision turned hazy, as if I was slipping into a dream. That's when I saw them, my darling children and their dragon Triss falling through an endless black chasm, their terrified cries echoing through time and space. Triss landed on a slate floor with a heavy thud , my children falling on top of her. Standing before them was the most terrifying beast with a wolf's face, a third eye on her forehead, and birdlike claws for hands and feet. The creature whistled, and red-eyed fire mages snatched the girls off Triss. One shoved something into Aurora's mouth. The other two cinched leather collars with Tau stones around their necks and tied their hands and feet together while my children struggled and screamed. More mages launched on Triss, tying her up in chains while she moaned in pain. The bird creature laughed while scooping my sobbing children into her arms.

Lamashtu, my subconscious whispered. The demon mistress!

"Let go of my children!" I hollered.

The Lamashtu gasped, and we locked eyes before the vision faded, and I found myself gaping at Ash as he hovered over me, his brow furrowed in concern.

A dragon's roar resounded through the forest, followed by another. Terrified wyverns jumped into the air and swarmed the night sky like angry hornets.

Satyrs wielding pitchforks raced from their huts.

Ash jumped up, hunched on all fours while howling at the moon.

Shiri was trembling uncontrollably, no matter how much Drae tried to soothe her. Had Shiri seen the same vision?

Isa landed in front of us, smoke pouring from her snout. My hatchling!

Ash howled again.

Bile projected into my throat. "Our girls are with her."

What happened? Radnor demanded while pawing the ground like a bull prepared to charge.

My gaze swept the gathering of shocked and terrified faces, and I could hardly believe the words I was saying. "The demon mistress opened a portal. She has them."

Ash raked the air with his claws. "I will disembowel the bitch and shove her guts down her throat!"

I slowly stood on shaky legs, not sure where I had found the strength. I felt a strange sense of detachment from my body, still too shocked to fully process what was happening. "Ash, look at me," I called to my mate as he towered above me, his wide chest expanding and contracting while he panted like a wounded animal. "Right now, we must focus on getting our girls back safely, then revenge. Okay?"

He answered by throwing back his head and letting out a howl that mirrored the turmoil and despair in my heart.

Magic pooled in my hands as I spun toward Helian. "How long until we reach the other side of the Periculian Mountains." For my mother's heart knew that's where they were.

Helian frowned, dragging a hand down his face. "Four days if we hurry."

No. I refused to accept that answer. I wouldn't leave my children with that evil demon for four days.

My fingers swelled, and I instinctively flung them out as a deluge of magic poured from me, hitting the air with a thunderous crack. Satyrs gathered around us, gasping at the portal I had created, a rip through space into another place. I didn't stop to think about how I'd done it, for I recognized the pile of ash beside that inky lake that eerily glowed, cast in foggy early morning light. This was where we'd killed Mantus, a day away from the Werewood Forest. I wasn't sure how my magic had picked this place and not the other side of the mountain. The extreme exhaustion that had suddenly come over me was a good indication that my magic could only extend so far. I wouldn't question it, though, for we'd just shortened our journey by three days. I would hold my babies in my arms again by the day's end.

"Come on." I waved everyone forward. "Let's go kill some demons."

Nikkos

FINN AND I HASTILY packed our bags, and then Finn gave instructions to a satyr priestess on caring for the rabbits before we hurried up the ramp toward the pyramid exit. He would have to secure a wyvern, for he'd only slow me down if I carried him.

We had just reached the exit, pink ribbons of early morning light piercing through the tops of the trees, when we were met by several satyrs, Esther, and two agitated wyverns.

"My Lords, these are Gro and Agnar." She motioned toward the wyverns as they shifted from foot to foot and ruffled their batlike wings. "They are our fastest wyverns, and they have volunteered to fly you to your children."

"I can fly myself," I said, my back muscles tensing as I prepared to launch.

Esther shook her head. "You must save your strength. Besides, they have excellent noses and can help you scent the children."

I eyed the wyverns' sleek bodies and powerful muscles. I'd never had to ride on another winged creature before, always preferring to travel by my own wings, but she was right. This would save time. Besides, if Tari and her wolf mates could all ride one wyvern together, then I could ride one, too.

"Very well. Thank you," I answered.

Finn went to the closest wyvern and began loading his supplies into the saddlebags. I loaded the saddlebags of the other wyvern while casting surreptitious glances at Finn. He'd been too quiet since the children were taken, and I knew he blamed himself. Though I didn't want to voice my fears aloud, I worried we'd find the children too late, or else we'd save them, and the demon would take them again. How could we stop her?

We'd just finished packing when Esther gave a leather pouch to Finn. "Here."

Frowning, he stared down at the pouch. "What is this?"

The satyr visibly swallowed. "Tau stone necklaces. They should prevent the demon mistress from teleporting the children again."

The wolf flashed in his eyes and his voice dropped to a predator's rumble. "Why weren't they wearing these to begin with?"

She stepped back, her eyes widening. "You think I knew the demons could create a portal from a continent away?" Her voice cracked before she looked away. "Tau stones also prevent the children from accessing their own magic."

Finn stuffed the necklaces in his pocket. "I know how they work."

Esther wrung her hands together. "Do you know where you're going?"

"The same direction as Tari and Shiri," Finn answered evenly, "to the Werewood Forest."

She took a step forward, her hoof clanking against a stone. "Do you think the children are there?"

Finn hoisted himself up onto a wyvern. "Where else can they be?"

"Could the demon mistress have created a portal from that far away?" I asked Esther.

She worried her bottom lip, her gaze shifting from Finn to me. "If it's true that she's a Lamashtu, then she was born with strong magic of her own, though not enough to create a portal."

I arched a brow. "Then how did she do this?"

She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering despite the balmy air. "Lamashtus feed on witches. They inherit magic from witches they kill."

Finn let out an agonized howl. Fire raced through my veins, and it felt as if an axe had cleaved my chest in two at the thought of her killing those precious children, for if she knew of their magical gifts, she would want them for herself.

Elements save them.

Aurora

AURORA WOKE WITH A pounding in her skull. What had happened? Where was she? Where was Em? Using her sharp canines, Aurora tried not to be scared while she worked feverishly to bite through the bindings on her wrists. After the last of her bindings came off, she tried to rip off the tight collar around her neck, but it was no use. If only she was old enough to shift, then she could rip apart the collar that bound her wolf and her teleporting magic. Using a dim light from above as her guide, she peered through the darkness, taking note of her surroundings. Two hooded figures were chained to a wall behind her, appearing to be dead except for their shallow breathing, and one of them was making low, deep groans while sniffling. She was in a cramped, damp cell, covered with straw. Thick bars blocked her from leaving. She wished she could get this collar off, for she feared it held a Tau stone. She frowned at her sister on the other side of their cell, sobbing into a bed of straw.

I'm coming, Em, she projected to her.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard Triss wailing, and her heart broke from it. As soon as she got this collar off, she would take Em back to Dada Finn and Uncle Nikkos. Then she'd bring them back here to kill the bad demons and save Triss.

Untying the bindings on her ankles was harder, for the knots were too tight, but she finally got them loose enough to slip the noose off her feet. Then she crawled across the dirty floor, her nose wrinkling at the strong stench of mold and rot with something else, like sour urine. Once she reached Em, she kissed her sister's grimy cheek before gnawing off her bindings. Her sister's collar wasn't as tight or thick as hers, so she was able to gnaw through it.

Help me get this collar off, she projected to Em.

Em sat up, drying her eyes. Hold still, she said while she clung to Aurora's shoulders and tried to bite through the collar.

"Ow!" Aurora cried when a sharp pain lanced through her, and then warm blood trickled down her neck. She quickly slapped her hand over her mouth, for she didn't want the bad demons to know they were trying to escape.

You're bleeding, Aurora, Em pressed her palm against Aurora's neck. I'm sorry.

Aurora swallowed, doing her best to ignore the pain. It's not your fault.

Your collar is too thick, Em told her.

Aurora tried to slip a finger beneath her collar to loosen it, but it was too tight. It was almost as if the bad demon knew that Aurora could teleport and chose a tighter collar just for her.

Ember gasped, grasping Aurora's hand. Rora, my friends say the bad demon is coming!

Aurora didn't want the bad demon to see they'd cut through their bindings. Hide beneath the hay, she said to her sister. Hurry!

They buried themselves until only their eyes were showing as they peered between the grass stalks while the ugly demon witch came into the room, followed by two fire mages.

A loud clanking of keys, and then the rusty metal door screeched as it was slung open.

Aurora squeezed her sister's hand, doing her best not to move even as fleas bit her skin.

Fire mages with red, glowing eyes unlocked the chains of one of the hooded figures, dragging him out of the cell before shutting it with a noisy clank .

They sat him on a low wooden stool and tied him up. Then they pulled back his hood, revealing an old man with a scraggly gray beard. Aurora's stomach churned when she saw the bloody bandage covering his eyes. There was so much blood, she wondered if he had any eyes left at all, or if the bad demon had eaten them.

Em gasped. Rora, it's him.

Aurora nodded. I know. Thorin. She remembered meeting him when they'd teleported back to their cabin after the giants had attacked them.

He's a bad mage, Em continued.

The fire mages ripped off the gag from Thorin's mouth.

"Water!" Thorin cried.

The mages laughed and then grabbed a bucket of water, dumping the whole thing over his head. Thorin sputtered and spit, licking drops off his lips.

The ugly demon witch walked a slow circle around Thorin. "Traitorous old fool. You could still be serving me, but you let your shriveled cock think for you," she said with a sneer, her wolf's snout sticking out from beneath her hooded cloak. "The only thing you did that was of any use was leave that brush behind." She let out a creepy cackle. "I was able to find hairs from all the Avias witches in that brush. Now I have the white witch's children."

Thorin's mouth fell open. "Tarianya's children! Flora's grandchildren!" Thorin struggled against his restraints. "What are you doing with them?"

Aurora's bones turned to jelly when the ugly demon witch turned her glowing gaze on them. She grasped Em and jerked back, but it was too late.

The demon woman pulled back her hood. She was the ugliest thing Auora had ever seen with that wolf's maw and third eye in the center of her forehead. Though her arms looked like bent twigs, her belly looked full, and Aurora wondered if she was growing a baby. "I'm going to use them to get their mother to surrender. Then I'm going to take their magic and eat them after I have my fill of baby dragon. Their meat is so tender." She licked her lips with a forked tongue. "I haven't had a hatchling in centuries."

No, not Triss! Em gasped, trembling against Aurora while Aurora's own heart felt like a giant had stomped on it.

Thorin threw back his head with a yowl. "You twisted bitch!"

The ugly demon rubbed her talons together and let out scratchy laughter that made Aurora feel like those fleas biting her had burrowed into her bones.

Leaning over Thorin, the demon hissed in his face. "I think I'll eat your tongue while you're still alive. Your eyes made a delicious stew."

Aurora squeezed her sister's arm when Thorin went eerily still. "Stay strong, girls," he called. "Tell your grandmother and mother I love them." His voice sounded watery and thick with emotion. "That I did it all for them."

Did what for them? Em asked.

I-I don't know, Aurora answered.

"Silence, you foolish windbag." The mages grasped his head, holding him still while the ugly demon unsheathed a claw.

Close your eyes, Em, Aurora whispered to her sister.

Aurora closed her eyes, too, though she would never forget Thorin's agonized cries, followed by muffled sobs.

She was too terrified to move when they dragged him back to the cell and chained him to the wall, knocking the hood off the other prisoner, revealing a woman from what she could tell. She held her breath a long moment, then released it when the creaky door shut and she heard the clank of keys followed by retreating footsteps. She had to get that collar off, or the bad demons would eat Em's and her eyes and tongues, too.