Chapter Two

AVA-MARIE

Iwas still spinning from my place on the ground. I didn't know where we were, though we were clearly in another part of some distant forest, different to the one we'd left. The trees danced overhead in circles as a familiar, loved voice broke into my dizzying thoughts.

I heard my husband say a name that I recognized. I managed to push myself upright. My lip trembled as I observed Eddie's form. He was just as I remembered him, standing tall, optimistic, that same goofy smile plastered across his face…

But there was an eyepatch over his right eye that concealed what lay under. My stomach dropped.

Eddie embraced Charlie so tightly he lifted him off the ground. Charlie gaped as he loosely held Eddie back.

"I can't believe you're here!" Charlie coughed as Eddie let him go. "You came at just the right moment."

"Not soon enough, I'm afraid," Eddie replied, pocketing a small hand mirror. "I was hoping to find you before anyone else did."

"Eddie, how did you survive? We were told you died in an explosion!" Marcus explained.

"Oh, yes, a very compelling story, that," Eddie said eagerly, excited to launch into the tale. Oberi bounced at his side, and Eddie reached down to pat his head. "But it'll have to wait until we get somewhere safe."

Apparently, hugs were more important than safety, because Eddie went around and embraced everybody. He got to me last, kneeling down before me and wrapping me in the tightest hug. "Dearest princess! Life's been dark without you."

"I missed you too, Eddie. What happened to your eye?" I asked.

"It was an unfortunate event of being in the Elvish concentration camps," Eddie informed me. "They tortured all of us for information, but I am proud to say, I never gave in! The Warden's tormentors grew tired of me eventually, and took my right eye as punishment, so to say."

"I'm really sorry that happened," I said sadly.

"On the contrary, when they took it, I considered it a privilege, because it helped me to better understand my master," Eddie said brightly.

Oberi gave a high-pitched whine, and Charlie's expression softened. "It's really nice to have you back. How'd you save us?"

"Elves can use mirrors to create portals," Eddie explained. "It is how we used the Mirror of Ingress to escape Forevermore when it was sieged."

Eddie fished in his pocket and took out the small pocket mirror again, displaying it to us all. "I used this to portal you here, to this waypoint along the path. Elves must have a mirror on the other side of their destination to make portals. Thankfully, the portal I created was able to generate off the reflective surface of Ava's Spirit shield. My instructions were to make sure we weren't followed before I brought you back to a safe place."

"It doesn't appear we've been followed. Otherwise, Esther would've blown our heads off by now," Kallie noted.

"I'd rather she do that, instead of listening to another one of her stupid sermons," Marcus complained.

Eddie nodded in utmost sincerity, then turned his attention back on me. "My princess, why are you still on the ground? Here, I'll help you stand."

Eddie offered a hand, but I cringed away and kept my gaze on the ground. "I can't, Eddie. Not anymore."

Eddie's look was so full of sorrow as his eyes locked on my legs. He glanced away regretfully. "Yes… it seems all of us have lost something, in these past months since we've been apart."

Charlie picked me up. I felt safe as he cradled me against him, and my head fell onto his chest. I was so exhausted after making that Spirit shield. I didn't think I could stay awake for longer than a few moments.

"Do you have somewhere for us to go?" Charlie asked.

"Of course. Follow me."

Eddie pointed the pocket mirror to the empty space in front of him, and as he did, a portal bloomed there. He gestured for us to go through it. Kallie and Marcus went first, while Charlie carried me forward. I didn't see where we were heading, because as we went through the portal, I fell into unconsciousness.

I lingered there, somewhere in the darkness and complete stillness, until I felt myself rousing lightly in a soft bed.

I knew Charlie was near before I saw him. I felt his weight on the bed, and I recognized the smell of bergamot. "Are we okay?"

It took a tremendous amount of effort to open my eyelids. The first thing I noticed was there was golden light everywhere, and the area I found myself in was pristine. I'd woken up in an elaborate bedroom, which was made of marble and decorated with gorgeous furniture. The bed I lay in was big enough to sleep four people, and it was layered with silk sheets and cashmere blankets.

A massive sliding glass door that led to a stone balcony stood open. Gossamer drapes drifted in the breeze, which smelled like sea water and was warm. I heard seagulls, and the muffled sounds of people below.

I expected to wake up in some sort of army tent, but I'd arisen in a palace.

"We're safe." Charlie stroked back a few strands of hair from my eyes. "We're with the Elves. Eddie took us to their new city."

"A new city?" I slowly sat up. Oberi licked my chin.

"After Forevermore was taken over by the Warden, my grandfather and the rest of the Elven refugees that got away built a city on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. It's surrounded by wards. No one's found it yet."

"The Elves built an entire city in a year?" I questioned.

"They used magic, but they had help," Charlie explained. "Apparently, a sorceress from Malovia took an abandoned Elven city from the fae realm of Edinmyre— a settlement named Ithriel— and moved it through a portal to this island. Then the Elves rebuilt the ruins of Ithriel and filled in the gaps with magic. Besides the old structures, the city is created out of illusions that are solid. The Elves can't do that, so the fae stepped in to lend a hand. Once the rebuild was complete, the Elves renamed the city Ilamanthe."

"So the fae are allies with the Elves now?" I asked. They'd been enemies during the last Great Supernatural War, with the fae being the greatest persecutors of the Elves, but I supposed Kallie's brother was running things in Malovia now.

"Seems like it. The fae want to make amends for the last Elven genocide, so they're here to help. The fae created this city for the Elves as a peace offering. It was a good thing they managed to build it so quickly."

I had to marvel for a moment. "What fae could be so powerful she could move an entire city from one realm to another?"

"I'm not sure, but hopefully we'll get some answers soon. Whoever she is, she must be one powerful sorceress."

As I got to a sitting position, I realized I was wearing some sort of pretty silk dress, soft enough to sleep in but definitely fit for a princess. "I'm assuming there's a dress code."

Charlie looked different, too. He wore a pair of black slacks, with a fine silk shirt that had a few buttons open at the top. He appeared positively dashing. "The servants gave us some new clothes. I dressed you when you were out of it. All of us were covered in dirt from the fight with Esther."

"How long has it been?" I was horrified important things might've been decided when I was sleeping. I didn't want to be behind on what was going on.

"You've only been sleeping for a few hours. Eddie had us rest here until we were ready to see everyone. This is our personal suite. Kallie and Marcus have rooms nearby. Basically, we have an entire section of the palace to ourselves that the servants are referring to as my quarters. All of our friends are rooming in this tower, which is reserved strictly for the prince and his guests, but you and I have the biggest suite."

"We have a whole tower to ourselves?"

"It sounds crazy, but it's actually nothing compared to the rest of the palace," Charlie informed me. "This place is enormous. It makes the Institute seem small."

"Well, I'm up now, so we better get to it."

My wheelchair stood beside the bed. Marcus must've dropped it off. Charlie helped me into it. I found a gold brush on a nearby vanity, and I combed out the tangles in my hair before we left the room.

The rest of Charlie's quarters were just as grand as his suite was. In the center of the tower was a living space, where all the bedrooms were connected. There was a massive fireplace in the main room, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows that displayed the city below. A widescreen TV hung on the wall, and large sectional couches were spread throughout the space, the walls lined with dozens of bookshelves. One of the walls housed a floor-to-ceiling mirror that made the space appear even larger than it already was.

It was even better than the rooms at the palace in Forevermore. Everywhere I looked, there was a new piece of art or another beautiful thing to look at.

I rolled myself to one of the giant windows and looked down, observing the scene. Hundreds of buildings were clustered around the city's palace. I recognized the beauty of ancient Elvish architecture in every stone structure. They really had taken the bones from Ithriel and turned those ruins into the incredible buildings they were today. Everywhere I looked, I saw tall spires, domed buildings, and formidably tall architecture, with massive gargoyles and stained-glass windows.

It appeared the palace itself had been built on the side of a mountain that overlooked the city, and the buildings that had been constructed around it were collected on the cliff sides below. Small dots moved within the city as thousands of Elves maneuvered throughout the cobblestone streets. The Mediterranean Sea spanned outward all around us, appearing endless, while a glistening sandy beach circled the island's edge.

I felt tears rise and nearly spill over. I couldn't believe the Elves had made it after Forevermore had been sieged. More so— they'd thrived. What an exceptional and resourceful people the Elves were. I thought for sure they'd be hiding in cities around the world, but here they were. Despite the worst, they'd gone on to survive.

The doors to the quarters opened. Eddie walked in, followed by Kallie and Marcus. When Eddie saw us, he hurriedly bowed so low it was nearly funny.

"My prince and princess," he gushed. "Welcome to the city of Ilamanthe. In Elvish, it means city of new light. Our Emperor thought it was a fitting name for the place that now resides us. He changed the name from Ithriel, because this place is no longer just an Elven city, but a city for all, and the freedom that inspires us to carry on."

New light indeed. I certainly felt revived.

Eddie took a seat on an armchair, while Kallie and Marcus went to lounge on the sectional— on opposite ends, I might add. I rolled to the end of the sectional where Kallie was sitting, while Charlie took a seat on an armchair opposite Eddie's.

"Okay, out with it," Kallie said. "How'd you escape the camps, Eddie? We were certain you were dead."

"I all but was, by the time I left the West Facility. That is the name of the place they kept us. It was a concentration camp on the other side of Darke Island, far from the Institute," Eddie said.

"The West Facility? Was that really what it was called?" Marcus asked.

"Yes." Eddie nodded grimly. "The Warden isn't a particularly imaginative person."

That was putting it lightly. He was about as creative as my left butt cheek, and I hadn't seen that create any masterpieces lately.

"The name just seems so… cold." Kallie scowled. "Like some sort of landfill."

"That is the point. As far as the Warden is concerned, once we're at the camps, we're garbage to be disposed of. We weren't afforded the right to a proper name, not even to terrify us." Eddie's shoulders drooped. "The angels are the ones running the camps. They starved us, beat us, and forced us to work making war supplies for the Warden day in and day out. Many of us got sick from disease and died, while most others starved to death. Others were merely tortured until their bodies could endure no longer."

"Elves are immortal and super strong. They aren't easy to kill. The angels must've been extra brutal to kill them this way," I said.

"Indeed. Their tactics went beyond the point of cruelty," Eddie admitted heavily. "They regulated us to one slice of bread and a watery soup with one radish per day. Elves are immune to magical restraints such as noxite, so starvation was their way of keeping our magic contained, as we were too weak to summon it. I spent most of my time carrying stones from quarries I could barely lift, and making bricks, as the angels needed them to rebuild Celestial City."

Eddie shrugged unhappily. "I thought, at times, of attempting to sneak out, or of creating a weapon with the bricks I was making, but I was so malnourished I knew I wouldn't win if there was a fight, and I didn't have enough energy to run fast enough to escape. When I wasn't being made to labor, I was being tortured for information. It is how I lost my eye."

"These monsters are sick," Marcus growled. "It's deplorable they can do this to people."

"That is not how the angels see it," Eddie stated. "In their eyes, these camps are a sort of purgatory, a method for cleansing sin. The angels who ran the camps allowed prisoners to leave, so long as they swore an oath to join a new religion and work as soldiers for the Warden and his cause."

"The Mission," Charlie said in disgust.

"Indeed," Eddie replied. "The prisoners who converted were stuffed into military vans and never seen again. Some of my company agreed to be converted, but most of us stuck to our faith. Eventually, the Warden got tired of waiting for answers. If we couldn't be converted, he wanted us to be exterminated. Myself and several other Elvish prisoners were taken out of the camp and into the woods. I realized that we were being moved out of the West Facility and to a new camp on the mainland. I knew that if we had any chance of escape, we needed to do it then, because once they took us to the larger camp there was no possibility of getting out alive."

Eddie smirked. "I was very weak and didn't have much magic left. But as we stopped for the night, I remembered my master, and all my friends, and I realized I didn't want to die this way. So when the backs of the soldiers were turned, the other Elves and I got together to join our magic with simultension, just like Charlie had taught us. We were able to create a magical blast that killed the soldiers. But we were unable to control the magic, so it backfired and killed a couple of us as well."

"Oh, Eddie." I was breathless with the admission. It was awful.

"We knew some of us could die if we resisted, but we didn't care. Death was acceptable, when compared to how we'd been living in those camps," Eddie replied. "Our magic left a crater in the ground. There weren't any remains of those who'd perished in the blast. We knew we had to leave there quickly. We scattered in all directions, so anyone following wouldn't be sure where we went. For a day or so, I survived off roots and tubers I found underneath the ground. I didn't mind— it was more than they were feeding us in the camps. I thought about returning to the Institute to find Charlie and help him escape, but before I could, the other Elves found us and brought us to Ilamanthe. I've spent the rest of that time recovering and searching for you."

"We're proud of you for staying so strong," Charlie said. "I can't even imagine what you've been through."

"It wasn't easy, and is still not. I have nightmares about the camps." Eddie shivered. "But I am comforted in knowing the West Facility no longer exists. Once I got to Ilamanthe and told the Emperor where the camp was located, we were able to send agents in to destroy the West Facility and rescue those we could."

Eddie smiled. "But I should pause the story, for now. You have others eager to join you."

I was about to ask who he meant, until the door to the room burst open. Elated voices rose throughout the room, and I gave a scream of joy as I watched Chancey, Ivy, Ez, Opal, and Alistair stampede into the room. Kallie, Marcus, and Charlie jumped up from their seats, and the room was quickly enveloped in a mess of shouting, joy, and love.

"You're alive!" I cried out. I instantly reached for my brother, who squeezed me tightly. His peryton Familiar, Tahoma, gave a gentle snort and nuzzled my cheek with his soft lips. I was so relieved that I let out a couple of sobs. The moment was overwhelming— all of them had gotten out, and unhurt. It was nothing short of a miracle.

"Fuck yeah, we are! It's gonna take more than a burning prison to get rid of us!" Ivy exclaimed as they embraced me. I let the tears fall, because it was a huge weight off my shoulders to know that, despite my choice to allow the Institute to burn, the people I cared about hadn't suffered the consequences of my actions.

"This is crazy! How'd you guys escape?" Charlie asked.

"Now that's a story," Chancey said, slinging his arm around Charlie's shoulders.

"See, as you know, shit was going down at the Institute that night," Alistair said. "Ez, Opal and I were still in the woods when you guys were taken to Cellblock 9. The guards never found us, but we spent days trapped out there, trying to figure out how to get over the fence. Eventually, the guards came looking for us. I was able to trick them with my Mentalist powers, and puppet them away from our location long enough to remain hidden. But then the fire happened, and everything started going up in smoke."

"You guys remember Ives and me got separated from the group when the guards started attacking students," Chancey said. "The mob carried us away, where we met up with Alistair and the others outside. It was complete chaos, I tell ya."

"The prison yard was in shambles," Alistair said excitedly— sounding like he was retelling the events of some rager party, and not a life-or-death situation. "We figured if we wanted to live, we had to get the hell off the island. So, we thought… why not take a bus?"

A huge grin spread across my face. I recalled the memory of the Institute's submarine bus smashing through the prison's fence line and ambling clumsily toward freedom the night we'd escaped. "No way! That was you?"

"Oh, yeah. We overpowered the guards protecting it, Chancey hotwired the rig, and we took off outta the Institute's cage," Alistair said proudly. "One of the grandest moments of my life, if I do say so myself."

"They came after us like hell, but everything was smooth sailing once we hit the water, cause they couldn't come after us. I gotta say, though, I mighta run over a couple of vamps on our drive out," Chancey added.

I nearly toppled out of my chair laughing. I pictured Chancey recklessly driving the massive submarine bus across Darke Island while being chased by guards, the rest of my friends clinging to the bus seats like cats in order to hold on.

"One of the angel guards smashed into the windshield and rolled off the top. It was great," Ivy cackled. "We popped open the back door and flung some battle orbs behind us before we hit the ocean. We watched a couple guards blow up. It was quite the riveting experience."

"Maybe for you." Ez scowled as he rubbed his head. "I still got the scar from when I hit my head on the ceiling. Chancey nearly rolled the damn thing."

"I got us out!" Chancey said defensively. "You should quit complaining and be glad you got a ride. It was hard enough squeezing your big ass Familiar on the bus."

Tahoma let out a sullen bray, and I asked, "Are the keys safe?"

"Yes. They're in a royal vault here in Ilamanthe, protected by Elven guards. I made sure I didn't lose them," Ez said.

My shoulders sagged. I was more than grateful the Warden hadn't gotten his hands on the Divinity Keys we had, because it'd taken a lot of sacrifice to obtain them. "What happened next?"

"We just kept driving until we hit land. By the time we pulled onto a beach, your dad was waiting for us," Opal informed me.

"My dad?" I tilted my head curiously.

"Our parents are here. Everyone's parents are here, actually," Ez stated. "We've got a bit of bad news… Kinpago and Octavia Falls were taken by the Warden."

"What?" Marcus asked, and my stomach twisted.

"They couldn't hold up. The Warden was going to destroy both cities if we didn't let him have them, so they decided abandoning the towns was the best way to preserve what was left," Alistair said. "The priestesses and the chieftains got everyone out they could. The elementals and witches that survived are currently living here, in Ilamanthe."

Then Alistair scoffed, and he mumbled under his breath, "Or at least, everyone who isn't a traitor is here."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Some elementals and witches surrendered to the Warden and joined The Mission when the cities fell. They didn't see a point in continuing to resist," Ez clarified. "As far as our side, we don't have many strongholds left. Hok'evale is safe, but we don't know for how long."

"Where did the Warden take all these prisoners of war?" I questioned. "If Kinpago and Octavia Falls have fallen, those supernaturals that didn't get a chance to flee had to be taken somewhere."

Eddie gave a heavy sigh. "Unfortunately, we believe they've been taken to the same camp the Warden had attempted to move me to. From the intel we've gathered, we know it is even larger, and more dangerous. The Main Facility is somewhere in the contiguous United States. It has many more Elves in captivity, and it is also where the Warden holds his prisoners of war. There are all kinds of supernaturals being kept in that camp, some even of the Warden's own race, angels who didn't support his cause."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Charlie demanded. "Let's go there right now to destroy it and liberate the prisoners."

"I wish we could, but it is very well hidden. We've been trying to find it for some time, but have so far been unsuccessful. It is a highly concealed secret of the Warden's, and until we locate where it might be, a rescue mission is impossible," Eddie said.

"I'm betting the Main Facility has to be near California. Darke Island is off the western coast of the United States," I said.

"Six hundred miles off the coast," Kallie objected.

"Yes, but it's still easier to transport people across the open ocean rather than thousands of miles across land where they might be spotted, and we know the Warden used Darke Island as his base for years," I said. "He's probably been building this camp for a while, waiting for the right time to use it against his enemies. The West Facility was just a holding center on the island he could use until the Main Facility was finished."

"What about the witches? Connecticut is a long ways away from the west coast. If the Main Facility is on the other side of the country, you must've found clues as to how the captured witches were being transported," Marcus asked.

"Unfortunately, we did not," Eddie replied. "The Warden must be using some type of magic we aren't aware of or don't have access to in order to transport all these prisoners from one side of the nation to the other."

"Why couldn't the Warden just conjure portals, and move people that way?" Charlie questioned. "They're harder to trace."

"Moving a lot of people through portals is hard. It's not easy magic, especially not across hundreds of miles," Kallie said. "Only the best supernaturals can pull it off, and the Warden doesn't have any Elves helping him."

"That we know of," Charlie mused. "He could be forcing prisoners to do his bidding."

"You would need many, many portals to transport that number of prisoners," Eddie explained. "Even if it was possible, which it could be, it's unclear as to how he could create so many portals without leaving supernatural traces that we could follow. But from what we can guess, the facility must be somewhere near the west coast, just as Ava predicted."

"That still doesn't narrow it down," Marcus grumbled. "The western United States is huge. There's massive sprawls of open desert that go on forever, without a soul in sight. The Warden could pick a million places to put this camp. It's like locating a needle in a haystack."

"We'll find it," Kallie said firmly. "And once we do, the soldiers who are torturing those poor people are going to beg for mercy."

"Which we aren't going to give them," Charlie added coldly, and Oberi gave a growl. I whole-heartedly agreed.

"I just don't know how the Elves managed to find somewhere so efficient to hide," Kallie said. "This area is perfect to hold the city of Ilamanthe. How'd they locate such a well-concealed area after Forevermore was sieged?"

"Your family, actually," Ivy stated. "Turns out that King Ethan and Queen Emmaline were the ones who found the island after Forevermore fell, and they helped the Elves build a city here with illusion magic. They've been busy doing that in secret while your brother and his mate have been running Malovia."

"If Kazim has ascended the throne, why are Ethan and Emma still referred to as king and queen?" Marcus asked.

"My parents aren't reigning monarchs anymore, but they still retain their titles," Kallie explained, before turning back to Eddie. "How are things in Malovia?"

"Apparently, after Octavia Falls was taken over, King Kazim aligned himself with the witches and officially declared war against the angels," Eddie said. "The fae have been providing endless resources to Ilamanthe to get the Elves back on their feet. Although many fae have sought refuge in Ilamanthe, their country is still standing— for now."

I was glad that the fae had chosen to side with us, because they were powerful allies. They were just as rich as the Elves used to be, and since the Malovian Revolution had been over for twenty years now, the country had plenty of time and resources to recuperate and help others.

Kallie nodded. "Kaz would do that. Is my brother here?"

"He is. There are many individuals waiting in the council room to speak with you all," Eddie noted.

"Then let's talk to them right away," Charlie said.

The room began to clear out as the group headed into the hallway. I went to follow, before I felt a light touch on my shoulder. "Princess, may I speak with you in private?"

Eddie appeared wholly somber. Charlie paused at the door, as he was the last to leave. But Oberi nudged his hand, and he continued after the others.

After the door shut quietly behind us and we were alone, Eddie hung his head. "Princess, I… I feel so much guilt."

"Why, Eddie? You didn't do anything wrong," I insisted.

"While you were sleeping, Charlie informed me of what happened. You and the others ventured into the Infernal Underground to find me. That attempt to rescue me led to you losing your ability to walk," Eddie choked. "I am no guard, but a coward. My duty in life is to protect my master and his princess, and you have sacrificed a part of yourself to protect me. There is no greater shame for an Emperor's guard. I am worth nothing if I cannot serve you. My failure to defend my life's purpose is what led you to this predicament."

"The Warden took you, Eddie. You did all you could, but you didn't have a choice," I pressed.

Eddie shook his head violently, and tears flung from his eyes as he fell to his knees before me. "You don't understand, princess! I deserve to be punished for my insolence."

"Oh, please, Eddie, get up." He was making me emotional, and I didn't blame him for what had happened in the slightest. "I'm not going to punish you— that's ridiculous. And please don't tie your self-worth to Charlie and me. You're worthy just by being alive. You don't need to prove yourself."

"I understand, but this is my culture, and how I was raised. I was born to serve, and be a good guard," he whimpered.

"You are a good guard, Eddie. You've never let us down, and I'm sure you won't in the future, so long as there's anything you can do about it."

"My princess is too kind." Eddie wiped at his face and sniffed as he staggered to his feet. "But if there is any way to repay this debt and make it right, I will."

"There's nothing you have to repay," I said kindly. "But if you want to escort us to the council room, it would probably be helpful. This palace is massive, and I don't feel like getting my ass lost."

Eddie laughed lightly. "Of course. May I?"

I gestured that he could touch my chair. He pushed me out of the room and into the hallway, where everyone else was waiting. Eddie pushed me at the front of the group, carrying on as he explained everything the palace had to offer.

"The servants are here to feed and clothe you, as well as clean your rooms and tend to anything you don't desire to do yourselves. We have a grand dining hall, magnificent private pools, theaters, magical creature stables, and a temple to our goddesses all within the palace walls, as well as a hospital, should anyone fall ill," Eddie stated. "Everything you need here is accommodated for, though if you wish, you may venture out into the city to explore."

The decoration of the palace was ornate and carefully styled. Every furnishing appeared elaborate. It felt so odd, leaving the despair and filth of the Institute to be welcomed into such a bright place that was clean, shining, and full of light wherever you went. I almost felt uncomfortable… like I didn't belong here.

But that wasn't true. I was an Elven princess now. I belonged here more than anybody. I just had to get used to living comfortably again. Here, the guards wouldn't bully and stalk me; they'd follow my orders, and protect me with their lives.

The Elves we passed in the hallway gave delighted noises, bowing and curtsying with glee. A couple of Elvish ladies had sparks in their eyes as they watched me roam by, whispering to each other in excitement.

Overwhelm settled in my bones. These people were looking to me to become the mother of their race. There hadn't been a female Elvish monarch in decades, and now that I was here, I gave them hope. I didn't think I was worthy of having that responsibility, but it was on my shoulders now, so I had to perform my duties to the best of my ability.

"You'll do well," Kallie murmured beside me, and she reached out to lay a hand on my shoulder. She knew what it felt like to be a respected princess, with a whole country waiting for her to make the right or wrong moves. I wish I could say I'd gotten better at making good choices over the past few years, but I wasn't so sure I hadn't gotten worse. Now my decisions affected more than just Charlie and me, or my friends. They affected a whole nation.

This was very different from being the daughter of a chieftain. I hoped I'd make the Elves proud. Or at the very least, that I wouldn't mess it up too badly… because I was good at destroying whatever I touched, including my own life. I didn't want to ruin the lives of the Elves as well, and I already had once, back in Forevermore.

I couldn't afford to screw up this time.

Eddie took us to a set of golden double doors, where a pair of guards were waiting. They bowed to Charlie, then to me, before they pulled the doors open.

The council room was absolutely massive. It was a circular marble room, with a glass ceiling that opened up wide to the sky. At the end of the room was a gigantic tree, with twisting limbs and large, multicolored fruit that hung off its branches, Elvish designs formed into the bark as if with magic. The tree reached upward to the high ceiling, framed by a lovely indoor waterfall that pooled around its roots. Someone was playing a soft flute nearby, but I couldn't see who. It looked more like a greenhouse to protect this beautiful tree, rather than a council room.

A massive round table stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by high-backed chairs. Gathered in front of the table were a large number of people, most of whom I knew.

"Daddy!" I cried happily. I threw my arms out, and he rushed forward to give me a hug.

"It's wonderful to see you, peanut. We had no idea where you were," Daddy said, giving me a kiss on the head.

"Though we were sure you were safe," Mama added, and she stroked my hair. "We had faith you and your friends made it out of the Institute."

"Yeah, seeing as how we weren't completely convinced you didn't cause the fire." Daddy laughed.

I cringed. He'd meant it as a joke, but it hit closer to home than I wanted to admit. I hadn't started the Institute fire, but I had let it burn… and that was still a decision I wavered on from time to time.

I noticed a certain red dragon was missing— my father's companion, Julian. He almost never left Daddy's side, and that worried me. "Did Julian make it?"

"Yes, peanut," Daddy said. "Julian is too large to navigate most of the castle, so he's spending most of his time with the Elvish military defending the city, but rest assured he is safe."

"Are the others here?" I asked them.

"Your siblings are staying with us right here in the palace. The Emperor has provided us, as well as Kallie's and Marcus' parents, and your grandparents, with the finest suites in all the castle," Mama said. "Your Aunt Imogen and Uncle Jonah, along with their families, are all in Ilamanthe. They have their own apartments in the city. We managed to get everyone out, even though some people couldn't be saved."

Mama gave Daddy a sad look, and I didn't ask about home. I didn't want to know what the angels were doing with Kinpago now that they had it under their control, because it would make me too sad.

Whatever the case, I was an Elvish princess. This was my home now.

My parents weren't the only ones I knew. Everyone else's parents were here, too. Nadine and Lucas were in the room, and both of them reached out to give Marcus a hug. King Ethan, along with Queen Emmaline, greeted Kallie warmly, pulling their daughter into an embrace.

Emperor Cassiel was surrounded by members of the Emperor's Guards, two of which I recognized. General Ibrahim and Colonel Amilda, whom we had met in Forevermore, stood guard at his side.

Cassiel approached Charlie. His grandfather gave him a gentle welcome as Cassiel reached out to shake Charlie's hand.

And Cameron. He was hanging back. I stared Charlie's father down. Although he glanced away from my glare, it was only for a moment.

"We're grateful to be together again," Emperor Cassiel said, clapping Charlie on the back. "I had hoped our reunion would come sooner, but you are here now. Your father is here as well, Charlie."

"Hello, son," Cameron said softly.

Charlie's tone became cold. "You haven't earned the right to call me that. You left us in Forevermore! You just fled, so that we could be captured by the Warden, and we remained locked in his prison for another year. How could you?"

"Charlie," I said gently. My husband wasn't on the best terms with his dad, but I didn't think it was fair of Charlie to blame Cameron for leaving us in Forevermore. "I told them to leave. They were standing by the Mirror of Ingress, and there was no way we were going to reach the portal with them by that point. They had to get out while they still had the chance, even if we didn't. They didn't need to be captured alongside us."

"I never would've left if I had a choice," Cameron replied, but Charlie only looked more disgusted by his response. "You had the chance to come with us, and you broke my arm to get away from me."

"To get to Ava," Charlie spat. "You may feel comfortable leaving your family behind, but I would never do such a thing."

By the ancestors, Cameron wasn't helping.

Emperor Cassiel quickly stepped in. "We wanted to take you with us, but we had to make a decision at that precise moment. As Emperor, it was a choice I had to make for my people. I realized as Forevermore fell that three Elvish royals were in danger, and if all of us died, the monarchy died with us. Our people would be completely unprotected, and left vulnerable in our absence. It was our job to lead the Elves to refuge here in Ilamanthe. One of us can die, but not all three, otherwise, our nation will die with us. Believe me Charlie; as my grandson, you are precious to me."

Charlie relaxed slightly.

"I knew the Warden would keep you alive, and there was nothing that would stop us from rescuing you in time," Cassiel added. "We've spent the last year building Ilamanthe and getting our people back on their feet, so that we could come back and get you. We had an extraction plan in place and returned to Darke Island the first chance we got, but by then, the Institute had already caught fire, and you and your friends were gone. We've been tracking you ever since, and were lucky enough to gain the narrow opportunity to portal you back here. I know you've felt alone, and had to go through a lot of things by yourself. But you were never truly alone, because I've always been trying to bring you back to the family, even if I wasn't successful. Can you ever forgive me for the decision I made that day?"

Charlie's hesitation was evident through the bond. It was clear he trusted his grandfather far more than Cameron— respected him, even. "I believe I can forgive you and learn to understand why you made that decision. We're all here and safe, so I guess it all worked out in the end."

I looked to the other people in the room, to those I didn't know. There was a small brunette girl that had to be Marcus' little sister. She appeared confident and held herself tall.

"I missed you, big brother." Erica gave Marcus a one-armed hug. "I want to hear all about how you busted out of prison. I'm sure it was epic."

"Hi, Erica," Marcus said. "Sorry about… home."

Erica shrugged. "Wasn't much left of home once we had to leave, anyway. I'm not too worried. I'm sure we'll get Octavia Falls back."

"What does it look like?" Marcus asked warily.

"It's a literal hellscape," Lucas said gravely. "When we left, the entire city was in shambles. There were cracks in the earth, and massive black tar pits had popped up all over the city to suck people to their death. The dark gods and The Mission destroyed the town. It was nearly uninhabitable."

"After everything you did to fulfill your prophecy and save it, now it's gone," Marcus nearly wept.

"He ain't the only one, kid," Liam grumbled. "Kinpago's destroyed for what has to be the millionth time. I'm starting to get used to it being on fire."

"We can get our cities back," Lucas said firmly. "This war isn't over, and everything isn't completely gone. We can rebuild once we win. The true heart of a community isn't the place; it's the people. We're still surviving, so they haven't beat us yet."

"Dad's right," Erica cut in. "We don't stop being a community just because we lost our home. Witches are still going through with their Evoking Ceremonies to awaken their powers, and they're still brewing potions, casting spells, and surviving no matter what. We don't stop being witches because there are people out there who want to take us down. No matter where we are on this planet, we're going to continue being who we are."

"You need to stay out of this, Erica," Marcus said. "You're too young. You can't fight yet."

"Actually, my birthday was last week, and my powers awakened," Erica stated matter-of-factly.

Marcus' features paled. "How long have we been on the run? What day is it?"

"It's July fifteenth," Lucas told him.

Marcus blew a breath of disbelief. "I didn't realize how much time had passed since we left the Institute. I'm sorry I missed your birthday, sis, and your Evoking Ceremony."

Erica nudged him. "It's fine. It's not like I expected my fugitive brother to break out of prison to show up for my birthday. But look— here you are. Just a couple days late."

Marcus choked back tears. He obviously really missed his family.

"Of course I'd break out of prison for you," he whimpered.

After all the complaining Marcus did about how perfect his sister was, I was surprised to see they had a good relationship. Clearly he'd just been talking out his ass.

"Can I see it?" he asked her.

I wasn't sure what he meant, but Erica obviously understood. She pulled down her shirt collar to show a tattoo of a skull across her collarbone.

"Mortana," Marcus said with a nod. "You got the powers of a Death Witch. What's your specialty? Necromancy? Can you control dead bodies like zombies?"

"Nah, it's not as cool as your powers, bro," she teased. "I'm a Reaper's Apprentice, just like Dad."

Marcus gasped and clutched his heart, until he nearly fell over. "Reaper's Apprentice? That's a super rare gift."

"The coven needs more reapers." Erica dropped her gaze. "I've already heard more voices in the last few days than Dad did in his first year. It's tough out there."

"Voices? What do you mean?" I asked. "What exactly is a Reaper's Apprentice?"

"I have the powers of a reaper," Erica explained. "In Miriamic culture, reapers are specialized spirits who greet witches at death and help them cross over to the afterlife. I hear the last thoughts of the coven's dead, and I carry them with me to the afterlife, to help make their transition easier. As a Reaper's Apprentice, I'm studying under Dad to learn my abilities, so that one day I can help the souls of the coven reach our spiritual realm."

"Did Kellen make it out of town?" Marcus blurted. "Is he here with you?"

Kellen had been Marcus' mentee before he came to the Institute. His older sister was Anya— Marcus' former girlfriend, who he'd accidentally killed years ago.

"I'm sorry, Marcus," Erica said gently. "I saw him get captured by The Mission before we left Octavia Falls. Neither me nor Dad have heard his last thought, which means he's still alive. We believe he's being held at the Main Facility."

"Then we need to get him out. The minute we find out where the Main Facility is, I'm going in there," Marcus pledged.

He turned his attention to two people standing near Kallie. "Let's get to work. Who are these people?"

He'd asked that question rather rudely. One of them had to be Kallie's twin, because they appeared to be very alike. Kazim didn't look much like a king, more like a scholar. He was scrawny and wore glasses that were slightly askew, his blond hair a mess on top of his head.

Nobody answered Marcus' question, because the twins were staring each other down.

"Kaz." Kallie observed her brother, unsure of what to say. This had to be the first time they were facing each other since she'd been sent to the Institute.

Kazim's face brightened into a wide smile. He embraced Kallie, lifting her off the ground with the force of his hug. "Never thought I'd miss you so much as the day you left for the Institute. It's a wonderful thing we're together again. Shouldn't have ever been separated."

Kallie gulped back tears as Kazim placed her back on the ground. "Shouldn't have. Wouldn't have, either, if not for Valen."

"Believe me, he's on my list," Kazim growled. "I've got guards crawling the country looking for his arse. If he's anywhere to be found, I'll have them bring him back to Malovia, so I can skin him alive myself."

Kallie leaned in to hold her brother again, like she couldn't get enough of him. "I can't tell you how much that means, Kaz."

"You know I couldn't believe it when you tried to kill me, even when the evidence was staring me in the face. I felt something was wrong. I should've put it together that Valen compelled you. Once the evidence came out against Valen, I ordered him to be found and brought to trial immediately. I felt terribly guilty you had to go through all that. I should've listened to my gut, and never allowed you to go to the Institute." Kaz frowned.

"We've all made mistakes," King Ethan said, coming between them both and laying a hand on each of their shoulders. "All we can do now is put the past behind us."

"Indeed." Kaz gestured to the woman beside him, speaking to the room at large. "For anyone who does not yet know, this is my queen, mate and soon-to-be wife, Sigrid."

Sigrid was tall, taller than Kazim, with black hair and dark, hooded eyes. She spoke with a slight Malovian accent as she nodded toward the rest of us. "We finally meet again, Kalina. As for the rest of you, I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

Kazim's eyes raked up and down Marcus' form, like he was expecting more than the man before him. "Is, uh… is this it?"

"Kaz," Kallie hissed.

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to put it that way. Just… never seen one of our kind with a warlock before," Kazim said. He reached out to shake Marcus' hand. "You're my sister's mate, correct?"

Kazim's parents must've informed him about what was going on between Marcus and Kallie. Her parents knew she was mated, but beyond that, I wasn't sure what else she'd told them.

Marcus appeared to have no idea what was going on. "Ah… not really."

Kazim's eyebrows knitted together, like he didn't understand why Marcus didn't accept the title. He slowly let go of Marcus' hand and drew away. "Good to meet you, besides."

"I'm really happy to see you both," Kallie replied, quickly diverting attention away from Marcus. "From what I've heard, Malovia hasn't been seized. Shouldn't you be there, preparing for battle?"

"Mom and Dad are staying in Ilamanthe to support the fae who have fled Malovia, but I'll be returning to our country soon, as Sigrid and I need to maintain a stronghold in Dolinska," Kazim replied. "We're here to see you, and to speak with everyone about what's to be done about this war. We need to make some decisions on what to do next."

"Everyone take a seat," Emperor Cassiel instructed. Chair legs scraped across the floor, and a variety of noise surrounded me as everyone went to sit at the round table. Oberi changed into a phoenix and sat on the back of my chair, tilting her head inquisitively.

Cassiel took a breath, inclining his head. "Firstly, I wish to thank King Ethan once again for providing us this island where we can hide. I'd also like to thank him for lending his fae to help us to build this city. Your aid is greatly appreciated in a time of war."

King Ethan nodded. "I promised myself long ago that if there was another supernatural war between the races, I would do whatever it took to protect others, and do what is right. The fae made a mistake in the last Great Supernatural War, and my family is here to right the wrongs our race caused."

"Secondly, I would like to thank Queen Emmaline for providing an alliance with the dark fae city of Eiragrad, which is located in Edinmyre," Cassiel stated. "Assistance between the dark fae and ourselves has been vital to keeping the city alive, and the portal that's been sustained in Ilamanthe that leads to Eiragrad by your magic gives us an advantage. The magical pathway between the two cities enables us to exchange resources, and have an exit strategy if Ilamanthe is compromised. I would also like to thank you once again for moving the ruins of Ithriel from Edinmyre to Earth, which enabled us to build Ilamanthe from the bones of our ancestral city."

I nearly toppled out of my chair. Kallie's mother was the sorceress who'd portaled the city of Ithriel to Earth? That kind of magic would kill most fae instantly on attempt. Queen Emmaline was far more powerful than I could've ever conceived.

"The city was helping me, and the magic was working for me, not against me. Ithriel wanted to be inhabited again, and the spirit of the city enabled my powers," Queen Emmaline responded. "It wasn't a simple task, but it needed to be done, so I finished the job."

I could hardly take my eyes off such a powerful caster. If Queen Emmaline could do that— move whole cities across space and time to new realms— she was an ally we needed on our side. More than that, she was a woman I wanted to be like.

She caught me staring at her and looked my way. I felt a shiver roll up my spine as the queen set eyes on me.

She frightened me. Her power was so immense it was terrifying. And I wasn't an easy person to scare.

"All the same, moving a city from one realm to another is an incredible feat, one the very gods could be proud of," Cassiel responded.

"It is what my goddess expects of me, and I'm more than happy to be of help," Queen Emmaline replied. "It was the least the fae could do, to repay the Elves for what we did to them a hundred years ago."

"Isn't Edinmyre its own realm, one the fae and Elves come from?" Marcus asked. "If there's a portal open to Edinmyre, why don't the Elves hide in Eiragrad? Edinmyre would be safer than Earth."

"Some Elves have moved there," Cassiel said. "But migrating to Edinmyre is a permanent choice."

"Most supernatural races can't go there," Kallie explained. "Fae and Elves are able to handle the strange way time and magic works on that planet, but other supernatural races aren't able to spend more than a few hours there; otherwise, they become trapped and go mad."

"Isn't it better for the Elves to hide there, then, if the angels and other races can't stay in Edinmyre?" Marcus asked.

"It's difficult to move back to Earth once you've spent more than a few days in Edinmyre at a time, even for one of our kind," Queen Emmaline said. "The fae and Elves who choose to live in Eiragrad can never return to Earth once they've settled there, as the magic doesn't allow them to leave. If the residents of Ilamanthe were to migrate to Edinmyre, they'd be stuck there permanently, though it is a last resort if Ilamanthe is sieged like Forevermore."

"And we've settled here on Earth. We aren't going to let the other races push us out of our home, not when Charlie's prophecy is so close to being complete, and we have a chance to move on to the Blessed Haven," Cassiel said firmly. "If we move to Edinmyre, we have no way of coming back to Darke Island and communing with the gods again through the Elven Gate, or journeying to the Blessed Haven at all. Running isn't the way to solve this. We have to pursue some sort of peace."

"And opening the Elven Gate is the only way to do it," Charlie said. "We have five Divinity Keys now; the elemental, witch, fae, angel, and merfolk key. If we can find the vampire and Astromancer key, we can open that gate and put a stop to this. Not to mention if the Elves die out, all magic will as well, because the Elves are the original supernaturals and the magical world's connection to the Blessed Haven. So I'll lead the Elves to paradise, and perhaps then the war will be over."

"The war's never going to be over, not until we stop the Warden," I said. "Even if we open that gate, he's dead set on starting a war between the gods, so he can rule over the afterlife and life on Earth both."

Quite right, Oberi said. Dominion over the spiritual realm is his top goal, and if he succeeds, there will be no hope for any of us, not even if we manage to open the Elven Gate.

I repeated what Oberi said to the room at large. Kazim leaned on the table. "What's his plan, here? How does he think he'll be strong enough to conquer all the gods in the Blessed Haven so he can seat himself as the only ruler of the afterlife?"

"He's set the dark gods from hell loose," Kallie said. "He plans on overwhelming the gods in the Blessed Haven, then once they're taken care of, he'll be making the rules."

"Then… what? He expects all these dark gods won't turn on him once they're done doing his dirty work?" Kazim asked. "They're not just going to fall in line and do as he says."

"There must be more to his plan that we don't know about," Lucas said. "He'd think farther ahead than what we're considering. There must be a way he can control them."

A shiver ran up my spine at the suggestion. I couldn't imagine what kind of power or weapon the Warden had that would make even the dark gods fear him.

"Do we have any clues on where the last two keys might be?" Nadine asked. She flipped open a notepad and clicked a pen, a detective gathering clues.

No one said anything. Ez groaned and said, "Come on, there has to be somewhere we can start."

"The Astromancer key will be the most difficult to find. The enchanters are a very reclusive society, and as such, information on where their key is will be almost impossible to locate. If anything, finding the vampire key should be the next step," Cassiel mused.

"Why don't we ask for their help?" I questioned. "The vampires have already taken the Warden's side, but maybe the Astromancers will want to lend us a hand."

"We've already sent a request to their leaders for an alliance, and have been ignored," Cameron noted. "The angels haven't outright attacked the Astromancer city yet, so we believe they're playing both sides."

"This isn't right," I said in frustration. "The Astromancers can't sit out and claim to be Switzerland when the supernatural world is in chaos. Whatever happens affects them as much as it does us."

"But that's the stance they've chosen to take," Daddy replied. "The Astromancers won't make an alliance until there's an obvious winner to the war. Then it'll be too late."

"If I know anything about vampires— and I do— they're all greedy bastards who want the most power for themselves," Ivy said. "So I bet the vampire key has been passing through the hands of dozens of vampires through the years, who kept on killing each other for a shot at having it. That'll leave a bloody trail we can follow, so we can start investigating."

"At least that's something," Charlie grumbled.

"What do we know about the gods— all the gods?" I asked. "Can we infer anything from there?"

"That's a very large subject. Where do you wish to begin?" Cassiel asked.

I sighed. "Well, the Hawkei god is the Great Spirit, who in our culture is above all beings. The Great Spirit split into hundreds of other Hawkei gods, such as Coyote Spirit and Whale Spirit."

I was worried about Coyote. He hadn't contacted me since I'd escaped Cellblock 9, and I wasn't sure what had happened to him, or if he was okay. And it wasn't like I had a way to get ahold of him, so I was left to wonder.

"Mother Miriam is the goddess of the Miriamic Coven, alongside her husband Santos, and the Seven Gods are the deities of the fae pantheon," Marcus said. "Hopefully they're still in the Blessed Haven, in their respected afterlifes, and defending their territories from these dark gods the Warden sent to take them down."

"How many of these dark gods are there, and why should the gods in the Blessed Haven be threatened by them?" Charlie asked.

"These dark gods are lesser deities that aren't as strong as the rulers in the Blessed Haven, but they outnumber them," Cassiel said. "That's where the threat lies. They were previously contained in the Eternal Torment, but now that the Warden has set them loose, they've become a threat."

"And these dark gods are angry," Cameron added. "They were banished to hell because they were weak, and unable to accumulate followers to worship them like the other gods did. They most likely seek to take the patrons of the more benevolent gods for themselves once their enemies have been destroyed."

"Not all of the dark gods are weak," Ivy countered. "The vampiric god resides in hell, and I can assure you, he's gonna want a piece of the action."

"What's he like?" Kallie asked.

"The vampiric god is a high-level entity named Uraeus," Ivy explained. "You can't get into his lore without learning about the angel deity, the Almighty One."

Chancey nodded. "The king of heaven, surrounded by all his archangels. His brother, Uraeus, used to be a god as well, but he got kicked out of the afterlife after he tried to overthrow the Almighty One."

"So Uraeus is definitely on the Warden's side, because I'll bet he's pissed that the Almighty One kicked him out of the Blessed Haven, and wants payback," Ivy stated.

"How loyal are vampires to Uraeus?" Marcus asked.

"Uraeus created vampires to do his bidding, but honestly, he rarely calls upon us anymore. We don't have a holy book or morals to follow," Ivy said. "The vampires don't worship Uraeus; we just know he created us. I don't think Uraeus cares if we murder people. That's why vampires are more atheistic— not that we don't believe in our god, but that we live our lives on our own terms, because Uraeus won't interfere one way or another. He's a very uninvolved god, but if he shows up to ask you to do something, a vampire better damn well do it, or face his wrath."

"So we can't count on the vampire god to help us, because he'll want the benefits of working for the Warden," Kallie said. "Isn't the Almighty One worried about the Warden and what he's doing? I'm sure the so-called king of heaven doesn't want to be kicked off his high horse."

"Well it's clear he hasn't done anything about it yet, has he?" Chancey asked. "The Almighty One allowed the Deacons of the Celestial Church to rise to power and make the Warden what he is. Maybe there's another angle."

"There are other gods," I insisted. "Who else is on our side?"

"The merfolk worship an ancient pantheon called the Twelve Titans, but since the merfolk have joined the Warden, we don't know if they'll be of any help, because the merfolk have turned against their gods in favor of following The Mission," Cassiel said. "The Twelve Titans could be preparing to fight against their ex-followers. We aren't completely sure."

"Anyone else?" I was beginning to lose hope that we weren't on our own.

"There are the shinrei of the Astromancer culture. They are spirits, divinities and forces of nature that possess both positive and negative qualities, who love and destroy in equal measure. They are unpredictable, and extremely dangerous," Cassiel said. "The Astromancers believe that their powerful ancestors or rulers can become shinrei after death, although the main concept behind the spirits of the Astromancer world is animism— that objects, places, and creatures all possess an individual spirit, such as a mountain taking on a life of its own."

"It sounds similar to Hawkei culture. We too believe that everything has a soul, even if it doesn't appear alive," I said.

"Correct." Cassiel inclined his head to me. "The thought of what these spirits are is ever-changing, and the religion expands and grows, shifting to include new thoughts as they are conceived. A shinrei can be an ancestral hero, or something as simple as an idea that is worshiped as a god. From what I've heard, the numbers of shinrei rival the gods in the Hawkei religion, in the thousands. Since we're not Astromancers, these spirits will be difficult to connect with, as they will most likely ignore our requests."

"Do we have an Astromancer who's willing to help us commune with them, so they can help us find the Astromancer key?" I asked.

"We've been searching," Cassiel said. "We'll continue to look until we find someone who's willing to lend their aid."

"What about a half-Astromancer? There are plenty of those, kicked out of Astromancer society," Marcus said.

"Unfortunately, those with mixed blood are ignored by the shinrei as equally as those who have no Astromancer heritage at all. We will need a pure-blooded Astromancer if we would like the help of the spirits in locating the Astromancer key," Cassiel clarified.

"We could ask Professor Takahashi," I said. "He's a full-blooded Astromancer. He would help us."

The room became very quiet, and Daddy said, "We're very sorry to tell you this, peanut, but it seems Professor Takahashi has vanished. We can't find him anywhere."

"Professor Hemlock is also missing," Queen Emmaline added. "We haven't been able to locate either of them since the Institute was abandoned by Doctor Taurus."

"They must've been kidnapped before the Warden set fire to the Institute. We couldn't find them before we went down to Cellblock 9," Kallie said.

Cassiel nodded. "That is what we believe happened. It is our best guess that Takahashi and Hemlock are being imprisoned somewhere by The Mission. We've made efforts to find them, although we are unsure if they are dead or alive."

I felt very ill. If our teachers were still breathing, they were definitely being tortured by the Warden, and it was because they'd protected us. Hemlock and Takahashi had guided and mentored us for years. Besides aiding us with our demigod quest, they'd made life at the Institute bearable, sometimes even fun. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to either one of them.

"We won't give up until we find them," Daddy said, noticing the stricken look on my face. "I promise."

Cameron gave a huff. "Not like the Elvish goddesses have been any help. We haven't been able to commune with Idril and Caralyn for some time. They've been ignoring our offerings and prayers for help." He nearly sneered the words.

"They are not ignoring us," Cassiel said, sounding annoyed. "They simply cannot hear us. Something is wrong."

"The gods are having trouble reaching across the spiritual plane to communicate with us. Coyote Spirit told me so, before I left Cellblock 9," I said.

"You've spoken with a Hawkei god?!" Daddy yelped in alarm, and he leapt out of his chair.

"I've talked with Coyote, like, a million times, Daddy, get with the program," I said, rolling my eyes.

I guess I never had told anyone beyond my little group that I'd had full conversations multiple times with gods, because almost everyone else in the room appeared completely shocked. But it was old news to me, so we needed to move on with it.

"This is not information to glaze over," Daddy grumbled as he fell back in his seat, but Mama cut him off.

"What did Coyote Spirit say?" she asked curiously. Everyone centered their attention on me.

I crossed my arms. "Well, Coyote told me that the connection between Earth and the spiritual realm is closing, so the spirits of the dead can no longer cross over to the afterlife. They're stuck in-between, and because of that, the gods aren't able to influence things like they were before. Coyote insisted that it was really important for Charlie to fulfill his prophecy, because if he doesn't open the Elven Gate, the afterlife remains inaccessible for everyone, not just the Elves."

"I've been trying to move the souls of the coven to the afterlife without success," Lucas explained. "I knew something was wrong, but assumed someone must've been targeting my reaper abilities personally. Now we understand things are happening on a much larger scale. My magic isn't working correctly with the afterlife in such turmoil. I can't help anyone from the coven cross over. They're stuck, and I'm powerless to help them."

"It is even worse than we feared," Cassiel said darkly.

"Maybe that's why my birth mother, Neva, can't speak with me, even though I've tried," Kallie said. "The fae goddess of time should've come to me by now, in a vision or in person, for all the times I've requested her help. I'm her blood— she should be honor-bound to visit me. But I don't know if she can, with the boundary between the realms being broken."

"Princess Ava, if there's any hope of contacting the gods, especially our Elven goddesses, it is through you," Cassiel said to me. "You are now the mother of the Elvish race, and the only spiritual bridge we have left to our deities. Your experience in the afterlife could give us the connection we need to speak with them."

That was a huge responsibility. I nervously clasped my hands together under the table and managed to say, "I can try. I have a strong connection to the spiritual realm. I have ever since I came back from the Ancestral Lands. Perhaps if I can commune with the gods, they'll be able to help us bring an end to the war on Earth, and we can help them stop the war in the Blessed Haven."

"If Ava's doing spiritual work to cross the broken boundary in order to speak with the gods, I can help, too," Marcus offered. "I can work on accessing visions in order to gain intel on the enemy with my magic. My mind reading abilities are growing. If I can access information that way, it'll be really helpful."

"Do you mean if we capture one of the Warden's higher-ups, you could look into their mind and see what he's got planned?" Kallie asked.

"Maybe. I've been getting better at mind reading, but when you're inside somebody's head, there are so many thoughts and visions that not all of it is useful, and important people like the Warden have wards against my powers," Marcus explained.

"You're a demigod. You should be able to get into anyone's head, even if they have wards on them," Kallie insisted.

"It's not that easy. Even if I can, that doesn't mean I'll find what I'm looking for," Marcus said. "When I'm in someone's mind, it's like I have access to a whole library, and what we need is a singular sentence in one book, so I don't know where to start looking. Unless someone is thinking of the exact thing we're trying to get information on, right at the moment I peek inside their head, I have to go searching, and rifling through someone's thoughts takes longer than you'd think. The brain has over six thousand thoughts a day, and I have to skim through all of that, and sometimes more, to even narrow it down."

"There are ways to make it quicker," Lucas said. "We'll find a witch who can teach you to be more efficient at mind reading."

"What I don't understand is why the Warden is keeping Elves in concentration camps instead of executing them on a mass scale," I said. "Why does he need to keep them around in prison camps? He's already unleashed the dark gods. What else does he need them for?"

"That may be the most worrying thing of all, princess," Cassiel mused.

"There's just so much to do," Charlie said in frustration. "How are we going to manage finding the rest of these keys while fighting a war?"

"I think it's best if we sort our efforts into three groups," Cassiel began. "My grandson, the princess, and their friends will spend their time investigating the Midnighters and searching for the vampire key. Myself and my son will do what we can to locate the Main Facility, and put an end to the Elvish concentration camps for good. We will also do what we can to learn more about the Astromancer key. The rest of us will occupy ourselves with helping the other races who've been displaced settle into Ilamanthe."

"That's a job for us parents," King Ethan stated.

"Agreed. We'll have the resources," Daddy added.

It was weird to see them working together, but I guess we all had to, now. There wasn't any other option.

Kazim rose from the table. "I'm going to focus my time on learning everything I can about the Warden and his defenses. I want to know what his weak points are, and if there are any gaps in The Mission we can use to gain the advantage. The Malovian army is large and strong, and the various races living here together in Ilamanthe are no small force. We have a shot at winning. The Mission won't be easy to conquer, but if we stick together, we just might pull through this."

"If you wanna kill the Warden, you better come up with a damn good plan, because nothing we've tried has worked," Alistair said dully.

"Did you get a chance to work your Mentalist powers on him, like you did Professor Mazur?" Charlie asked.

I shuddered at the memory. Before we'd left the Institute, Alistair had used his powers on Mazur to make her turn her own life-energy magic against her, draining her until she was nothing but a husk. Angels were all but impossible to kill, yet Alistair had done it, so we were hoping he could do the same thing to the Warden.

"I did. We ran into him before we stole the bus," Alistair said. "I tried casting the spell, and forcing him to drain his own life-energy, but it instantly rebounded. I don't think he had a ward on him, either. He was just so strong that the magic immediately backfired the second it hit him."

"We only got away because he was in too much of a hurry to summon the dark gods than to deal with us," Chancey said. "But he did send a nasty spell back, one that nearly cut me in half. If I wasn't an angel and didn't have self-healing abilities, I would've been sliced in two."

Chancey stood and lifted his shirt. A deep scar ran across his abs. Ivy winced, like recalling the moment pained them greatly.

Alistair was a talented warlock. If the Warden could brush off one of his spells like it was a nuisance and not an actual threat, we were in big trouble.

"The Warden has to die if we're ever going to finish this," I insisted. "There has to be a way to kill him."

"I'll research it," Ez offered. "I'm spending all my time learning about healing magic. I can learn about the systems of angels, too, and figure out any potential weak spots."

I slightly winced when Ez spoke. I hadn't had time to tell my brother what we'd discovered in the Warden's office. We'd found medical records from angel surgeons, who'd done a live autopsy on me during my spinal surgery after I'd gotten hurt in the Underground. Because they'd been experimenting on my body while my Anichi magic was attempting to heal my spine, the injury had set wrong, and there would never be a cure. Ez still thought there was a chance I could walk, and had been researching ideas on how I could make a full recovery for months. He was going to be devastated to learn the truth.

I'd tell him later. He didn't need to know right now. Not when he was doing the hard work of figuring out how we could kill the Warden.

"We can kill the Warden after we get the Divinity Keys," Charlie said. "And they're not here, so we need to pack our things and go looking for them again."

"I understand your impatience, but it's best for all of us to remain within the safety of Ilamanthe until we have iron-clad clues on where the keys might be. The supernatural world isn't safe," Cameron said.

"Don't tell me what to do," Charlie shot at him, and I watched Cameron recoil. "This is my responsibility. I'll fulfill my prophecy the way I see fit, and we can't be expected to find the keys while sitting around here, because they're obviously not in this city."

"Ehh…" Chancey started, and he shook his head. "Sorry to tell you this, pal, but it's not gonna be easy searching for these keys outside of Ilamanthe. The Warden's got wanted posters of you four painted all over every town."

"What?" Charlie's expression became dark.

"He put out a huge bounty on your heads," Chancey stated. "He's promised millions of dollars to the supe who can bring the four of you in, dead or alive, so you've got bounty hunters crawling all over the place just looking for a clue on where they can find ya."

I bet that sleazeball at the pharmacy recognized you, and called it in hoping to get the reward, Oberi remarked.

"That's great," Charlie growled. "Like we needed more complications. Guess we have no choice but to stay here."

"You'll manage. We all will," Mama said gently.

Daddy huffed. "Not like we all don't know what it's like to be hunted down."

"Very true." King Ethan nodded.

"This shit's getting kind of old," Nadine mumbled. Lucas reached out to grab her hand.

The door to the room opened, and two older women strode in. The first woman had caramel colored hair and wore a multi-colored dress. The second twirled as she entered the room, a variety of bangles jingling on her lithe form as she danced to my side with a broad smile.

"These are two members of the Demigod Guardians, Professor Wykoff and Professor Amber," Cassiel said, gesturing to them in turn. "Although the Guardians prefer to keep their membership as secretive as possible, they have sent these strong women to stand in Takahashi and Hemlock's place."

"We will be taking over your demigod training from this point on," Wykoff said, stopping before the table. "It's important to advance your abilities so you can stay ahead of our enemies."

"And bless the world!" Professor Amber cheered. She had literal glitter in her pockets, and flung it upward so it tricked down onto the people closest by. I sneezed.

Daddy rose from the table. "It's good to see you again, Professor Amber," he said as he gave her a hug.

"And you too, dear," Amber said, placing a peck on his cheek. "It was a blessing to help you on your ascension toward enlightenment. Now I get to help your daughter. What a joyful time this is!"

I wouldn't call this war a joyful time, but I liked Professor Amber's style. She seemed like the kind of person who could turn anything into a spiritual lesson, no matter how crappy it felt.

"We're happy to see you again, Professor Wykoff," Lucas said, giving her a nod. "We need you on this team."

"Aren't you a member of the Union?" Marcus asked, looking up at Amber.

Amber gave a high-pitched giggle. "I am a member of the United Supernatural Union, representing the Hawkei, but as things have gone rather bottom-up there, I've decided to spend most of my time with the Guardians while keeping up appearances on the council. Not that anyone knows, of course, as the Guardians are a secret society. The Union members I cannot trust believe I am spending my spare time at a nudist colony in France."

"It's certainly something they'd believe you to be doing, Professor," Mama said with a smile.

"There are more Guardians than anyone realizes, scattered throughout the globe. We're wise supernatural elders concerned with the survival of the supernatural races, as well as this planet. Therefore, it is imperative that the demigods within our care are ready to take on the Warden," Wykoff added. "During your training, you'll be joined by another demigod in our care."

"Another demigod? Who?" I asked.

Somebody literally kicked the door in. Oberi gave a surprised screech from the back of my chair and fluttered her wings in alarm. I turned my chair slightly to see who had entered.

A tall, pale-skinned vampire entered the room with an enormous amount of swagger. He had a mess of red hair, and black sunglasses over his eyes. He was dressed in a way that flattered his form, and he was astoundingly attractive, even by vampire standards. He looked somewhere around nineteen, maybe twenty. The way he rolled his shoulders as he walked told me he thought he was the gods' gift to the world.

"That's my cue to join the party," the vampire sang loudly. The slightest of Irish accents tinged his tone. "Everybody, welcome to my world."

"Well hello, Danny," Ivy purred. "Wish I could say that I missed you, but I didn't."

Danny removed his sunglasses and pocketed them in his jacket. His eyes were an even redder sheen than his hair. "That's too bad, Ivy. I thought we had some fun back in our day."

Chancey put his arm around Ivy's shoulders, staring Danny down. Danny appeared gleeful at the negative attention. He wiggled his eyebrows at Chancey, who glared in turn.

Ivy rolled their eyes. "It wasn't anything like that. Stop implying things. You're not as hot as you think you are."

Danny grinned. His sharp incisors weren't as prominent as Ivy's, but I could still see them if I looked closely. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"A demigod. Hm." Ivy raised an eyebrow. "Didn't know you were that special."

"You better believe it," Danny said. "I'm strong enough your dad was hunting my ass down back in Chicago to work for him, and he wasn't gonna take no for an answer. It's a good thing the Demigod Guardians picked me up. Otherwise, I'd be taking jobs for Salvatore Bianchi, and we know he doesn't like me."

"I barely like you," Ivy shot back. "And you still gotta prove yourself to the rest of my friends."

When Danny saw me, he stuck his tongue between his teeth. "Hello, princess."

He pushed Marcus out of the chair beside me and promptly sat down. "I'd like to get to know you better."

"That's my wife you're talking to," Charlie warned. Marcus grumbled as he got off the floor, and Rishi whined.

"Hey, you're welcome to join if you'd like," Danny joked.

I could tell when a guy was an actual threat and when they were just joking around, and for the five seconds I'd known him I'd determined that Danny was just another horny toad.

I shook my head with a wry smile. "You aren't making the best first impression."

"First impressions are widely misleading." Danny put his feet on the table and leaned back in his chair. "As far as I see it, I'm not joining you guys, you guys are joining me. So what do you have to offer?"

"Us?" Kallie asked ludicrously, and she gave a short laugh. "We're the best at what we do."

"You want proof of my abilities? I'll take any of you in a fight, right here and now," Danny offered. "I don't lose."

"I don't either," Charlie sneered.

Danny gave a loud, obnoxious sigh. He took his feet off the table and let his chair fall to the floor with a clatter. "Look, none of us want to live in a world— or go to an afterlife— where Doctor Taurus is making the rules. I've never met the guy, but from what I've heard about him, I'm willing to join the rest of you crazies in going against him."

"We aren't crazy," I said sharply.

"I took a look at your records, and I gotta say, the jury's still out on the four of you not being loony," Danny said. "But as far as I'm concerned, I don't care much about that, because I'm nutty, too. Besides… the Warden's gotta know there's only one king of the world, and he already exists. Me."

Danny was definitely a live wire. A cocky live wire. This was going to be fun. I couldn't believe he was acting like this in the Emperor's own palace, at his round table.

But Cassiel must've gotten used to Danny's behavior by now, because he said, "I'm sure the five of you will make a great team. Danny has shown us he's more than willing to help our cause."

Danny gave me a wink. I let out a skeptical noise and put my head in my hand.

"What about others?" Marcus asked as he finally got to his feet. "Are more demigods coming?"

"Er… no," Wykoff said, and she blushed slightly pink. "We've unfortunately lost them."

"Lost them?" Marcus said blankly. "How do you misplace a person?"

"She's trying to tell you they're dead," Danny said flatly. "The Warden's been using The Mission to hunt down any demigods the Guardians have been hiding, and he's exterminated them all— after draining them of their powers, of course. Besides the ones he's got on his side, which he made, the demigods left in this room are the only ones that remain in the world."

There was a very long pause, and Amber said, "Yes… sadly, that has been the case. But I'm optimistic the rest of you will pull through! After all, we're counting on you!"

She gave us a thumbs-up. It was far from reassuring.

"I think we need to bring this meeting to a close," Cassiel said. "We've covered much information, and I'm sure the prince and princess, as well as their friends, need rest."

Absolutely. I felt drained. There was so much for us to do, discover, and solve, that it felt overwhelming. Good thing we were demigods, because I felt like we had to be, in order to have a shot at fixing this.

There was assorted conversation as people got up from their seats. Marcus and Kallie went to join their families, while others went in different directions.

I really wanted to visit my parents, but I needed some downtime first. "Meet you guys for dinner?" I offered as Mama waved goodbye.

"Of course. And Ava," Daddy called before we left. I paused at the door.

Daddy's tone was heavy. "Your Aunt Maddie is in the city. She wants to see you, when you're ready."

My stomach became hollow, and I nodded vaguely in reply. My aunt had made my prophecy. Maybe she'd discovered something that could help. I'd have to visit her as soon as I could…

I didn't know if I had the strength. My prophecy had nearly killed me several times over, and had actually killed me once. I couldn't take more bad news if my aunt had any.

I felt my nerves waver as I turned to face Daddy. I needed to talk to him about this, if only briefly. "Daddy… if I'm an Elvish princess, what does that mean when it comes time for me to be chieftess of the Toaqua tribe?"

"Don't worry about that now, peanut," Daddy told me. "I'm not going anywhere, and I'm definitely not stepping down from the chiefhood while the supernatural world is going to shit. We can talk about it after the war is over."

I nodded, but I wondered if it ever would be.

Charlie pushed my chair into the hallway. Danny did a complete turn on his heel and gave us a roguish smile. "I'd love to get to know you better, but I've got more important things to do. See you at demigod training. That is, if you can keep up."

Danny took off down the hall at super-speed. The effect blew back my hair.

"I'm not sure if I like that guy," Charlie grumbled.

"He's not as bad as he seems. Danny's for show, all bark and no bite," Ivy said.

Then Ivy paused, and added, "Okay, maybe a little bit of bite. But not toward his friends, and he'll be loyal to us, if we're loyal to him."

"You got a history with that chump?" Chancey asked, totally jealous.

"He's blowing smoke. We pulled off a couple of scams together, but we never had any romantic involvement. He's not my type," Ivy said, and they kissed Chancey's cheek.

"But you do seem to know him well," I pressed.

"Danny's an immigrant. He left Ireland and hopped over to North America when he was a teenager," Ivy said. "I found him hanging around Chicago looking all sad and desperate, and sort of took him in. We helped each other get by. The last time I saw him was before I ended up at the Institute. I'd like to say I'm surprised he survived without me, but I'm not. The kid's got nine lives. Kind of like a cat."

Chancey scowled. "Or a cockroach."

Whoever Danny was, he seemed like the kind of guy that wanted to be the boss, and I knew that wasn't going to fly with my husband around. But they could work out their manly bullshit later, because as far as I was concerned, finding those keys and getting results was more important than any dick-measuring contest these two felt like having. Even if I'd always back Charlie up at the end of the day. It was good Danny didn't like to lose, because that meant he'd do whatever it would take to win. We needed people like that on our side, if we were going to beat the Warden.

I couldn't believe The Mission had eliminated all the other demigods. I knew there couldn't be that many, but their deaths proved our kind had to stick together. Alone, we were strong, but we couldn't resist the Warden unless we teamed up.

When we returned to our room, Charlie and I were alone with Oberi. As Charlie shut the door behind us, I said quietly, "You don't seem to harbor any resentment toward your grandpa."

Charlie gave a miserable shrug. "I'm still kind of pissed at my dad for everything that happened to me as a kid, though now that I've had some time to think about it, I can somewhat see that it wasn't all his fault… I don't know. I'm still on the fence if he did everything he could to find me, though I want to believe he did."

"Doesn't that mean you should be mad at Cassiel, too?"

"My grandfather is an Emperor," Charlie replied. "He's responsible for everyone, so I can understand his position. It would be difficult for him to look for me while ruling an empire and trying to keep thousands of people safe. But my dad was merely a prince. He was responsible for just me, and he still let me down. I can't get over the fact that I think he fucked up… but maybe he didn't mean to."

I didn't say anything. My hatred for Cameron was a sore subject. He wasn't my father, so I didn't have to love him, or consider forgiveness. As far as I was concerned, he was a sperm donor who'd created the love of my life, nothing more or less. We didn't need him to get by.

But maybe Charlie needed him, and I had to consider that.

A loud bang cut off our conversation. It sounded like a gunshot. When I heard it, I jumped in my chair. I felt my skin become cold and clammy as a tightening sensation clamped down on my throat, sealing off the air from my lungs. My chest grew heavy with a weight that was more than a million pounds, and as my heartbeat started thrumming wildly, I became dizzy.

I still remembered everything. How smooth the pistol felt in my hands, and the recoil as it went off. The spatter of blood across my face and the smell of brain matter as it spilled onto the floor from the bullet's blast. With that loud bang, I was no longer in the safety of Ilamanthe's walls, but trapped within Cellblock 9… choosing between my life or someone else's to survive.

The sense of panic lingered for only a few moments before it began to pass. But still— Charlie noticed. He must've caught my thoughts, because he ducked out the door for a second.

When he returned, he sat down beside me in a nearby chair and took my hand. "It wasn't a gun. A servant accidentally dropped something in the hallway. It was an innocent mistake."

"Oh." I let out a whoosh of breath, but the tension didn't leave. I was still frozen.

Charlie squeezed my hand. "Pidge, we gotta get you some help."

My fingers shook in his. We'd talked about what we'd been through down in Cellblock 9 once. Once. He'd told me what they'd done to him, and I'd told him what I had to do to survive. We hadn't been able to stomach going over it more than that.

But he was bringing it up again, because it was obvious I couldn't handle it. I hadn't been able to, not since we'd left Cellblock 9.

"The nightmares haven't stopped. You were tossing and turning in your sleep before I woke you up to go to that council meeting," Charlie insisted.

My head dropped. "I shouldn't be this upset. I've killed more people than the guards I shot in Cellblock 9."

"With your magic," Charlie clarified. "It's different, destroying people with your Fire or Water than it is killing them with a gun. The pistol made it… more personal."

It did. My magic was a barrier. It turned people to ashes, or my Water magic caused them to collapse on the floor without me seeing the internal damage my powers caused. Even with the explosion I'd caused in the Infernal Underground, all of that was at a distance.

Not in Cellblock 9. The Warden had stolen my magic then, so I had to steal a gun in order to escape, and shoot people at close proximity. I'd watched as the bullets made their heads explode. The blood spilled all over me with every shot. I was forced to see the damage I'd done, and acknowledge if I hadn't pulled the trigger, those guards, deplorable as they were, would still be living.

I wasn't remorseful that I'd killed them. More upset by the reality that I had to see those gory effects up close, because I didn't have a choice.

"You aren't sitting here upset that you've killed people," I mumbled. "I've seen you take lives with your bare hands, and you don't even seem like you care."

"I can turn that part of me off if I want to," Charlie said. "You can't."

I wish I could. I'd tried.

Though I wondered if Charlie wasn't lying to himself. Even though he didn't feel the effects of what had happened, I worried there would be long-term consequences to some of the things he'd done, both out of survival and out of anger. Maybe he was just stuffing it down and pushing it away.

I wasn't able to do that. What had happened in Cellblock 9 overpowered me like a giant wave, dragging me under. I wasn't sure if I needed to forgive myself, because these people had been trying to kill me and I had no other choice, or if I needed to get comfortable with the fact that we'd have to do a lot worse if we wanted to protect what little we had left.

One thing was for sure. I never wanted to touch another gun in my life.

Though who knew what else I would do, or what lengths I would go to, to keep this world from falling into the Warden's hands. I'd made peace long ago with the idea of becoming the villain.

But after what had happened in Cellblock 9, I was no longer sure if I had it in me to be that villain. And that was a problem. If I couldn't become someone my enemies feared, we'd lose.

And losing wasn't an option. Not even if I had to become the worst villain that ever was, and make a permanent decision to change things in this world for better or worse. Because as my prophecy stated, I was the only one strong enough to make those hard choices.

Even if they ruined me.