26. Alfie

Iwoke from a troubled sleep with a jolt. At first, I didn't know what had woken me up, but then I felt my chest vibrate in a way that I had never felt before.

Even in the gloom of my room, without any lights on, I could see the bond I had with Blaze suddenly flare up. It burned almost red, the hottest fire, and I felt the fear that ran through it in shocks.

I was up and out of bed in an instant. I had never run as fast as I did right then, following the bond I had with Blaze. My only thought was to get to Blaze.

Automatically, I began to head outside, since Blaze had always stayed out there, in the woods, but as I reached the end of one corridor, I realised that the bond led me inside.

I hesitated for just a moment. Barely a second. But in that time, something inside me snapped. This wasn't natural. This wasn't something I could solve alone. If Blaze was inside, and our bond was screeching with fear the way it was, something truly terrible was happening.

I didn't even realise I was doing it at first, but I sprinted along the corridor after that bond, following it, trusting that it would lead me to my Blaze. And with my bonds drawn up in front of me so I could see them, that bright bond, the most important one, right there in front of me, I was aware of the rest of them in a way I had never been before. Suddenly they seemed so real. So tangible.

Before, I'd been able to see them. I'd been able to tell a lot about people from their bonds. But I hadn't been able to touch them. It had never occurred to me that I could.

But since I'd discovered that Great Aunt Evangeline could see them too, I'd realised they were real in a way I hadn't before. She had told me to protect my bonds.

Had she meant protect my bonds, or protect the people I was bonded to?

I wasn't sure, but I did know that I could feel every bond I had with my clan, that they shone gold in the darkness, and I could feel them sparking out from me in different directions, each leading to one of my family.

As I ran, I grasped hold of them – I wasn't even sure how – and tugged hard. Each bond jolted, except for the bond I had with Blaze. He was so frightened that I didn't want to hurt him.

The bond was brighter now, which meant I was nearer. I screamed, "Blaze!"

And nearly cried with relief when I heard the answering shout, "Alfie! Help me. The hag's got me."

I screamed at the top of my lungs then. Instinct told me to make as much noise as I could, to get the whole clan up, wake them, make them come to me.

I tugged on the bonds again, jolting them awake, telling them I needed them to come to me.

When I rounded the corner, I froze. The hag was standing, lit by Blaze's flames, which flickered over her face and cast deep shadows across her visage. She was more shadow and gaping maw than light.

"Blaze?"

"She caught me."

I could see that, but I couldn't tell how she'd done it. There was some kind of shadow reaching through Blaze's flames to his core. It almost looked like it was magical fire tongs. I had no idea how she'd managed to keep hold of him while he was fire, though.

For a second, I was too afraid to do anything. If I did the wrong thing, she could hurt my- my Blaze.

Then Blaze gave a little sob, though it was almost lost in the crackling sound of his flames. I could hear it, though, and it nearly broke me.

I drew myself up and spoke as loudly and clearly as I could. "Let him go."

"Child," began Madame Trevellian.

I cut her off, which was rude of me but totally justified under the circumstances. I was shouting now, and walking slowly towards the two of them.

"Let him go! You are inside our territory and you must obey."

"He was trespassing," she said.

"Release him!"

Behind me, there were running footsteps, and I knew she had heard them too. Her eyes flickered to the corridor behind me and her expression changed. Her voice grew louder, as though she wanted everyone to hear.

"I have caught this trespasser, child. It is my duty to take him to your elder for judgement."

As she finished, my father streaked round the corner and rushed to my side. I blinked at him. I'd never seen him run before.

When he reached me, I felt the ice radiating out from him and it chilled my arm to be so near him. I actually shuddered at the power I felt in him. He had gathered it to him, and was holding it ready, preparing for a fight.

There was power in his voice, too, when he asked, "What is going on?"

The hag answered before I could.

"I caught this trespasser, my lord. He was going to slaughter your clan."

"He wasn't!"

As I shouted that, my mother appeared on my other side at that moment, and I glanced at her. She had her dragon in her eyes and her bond with me flared bright silver and protective. It was trying to wrap around me, but it couldn't. It was a single bond.

"Kill it," said my father.

"No!" I screamed and rushed forward. My mother grabbed me and I struggled against her grip. My father also grabbed me, and I was held in place. "No, don't kill him. He wasn't going to hurt anyone, I promise. Make her let him go."

The hag hadn't moved to obey Lord Somerville. She was holding Blaze and I thought she moved slightly, drawing him closer to her.

"This is a fire spirit, my lord. It is powerful."

"It is trespassing," said my father.

"He wasn't!" I screamed. "I let him in. I said he could stay."

More dragons had arrived behind me but I couldn't turn to face them. My whole attention was on Blaze and the hag.

I don't know what would have happened if someone else had spoken first, but Mother said quietly, "Take him to the great hall. Lord Somerville will hear all and he will pass judgement."

Fear shot through me because I knew that my father would not spare Blaze if he deemed him a threat, but I tried to breathe through it. Mother had bought us a few more minutes. She'd given us time to explain. That had to be enough.

As the hag walked past us, holding Blaze tightly, I said, "You're going to be okay, Blaze. I promise."

I knew I didn't have the right to make that promise, but I made it anyway. I was going to do everything I could to keep him safe, even if I had to fight for him with my life. I'd die before I let anyone harm him.