“Where is she?” Wixim’s voice rumbled in Eli’s head.

  “Who?” she returned innocently.

  Wixim snarled. “Aradia. What did your witch do?”

  “Protected the devil. You already know my witch is powerful,” Eli answered vaguely.

  Wixim prowled around the courtyard that was rapidly emptying of its humans.

  “Her human companion isn’t going to rest until he finds her.”

  Eli started to join Wixim in circling the courtyard, leaving the Daxarian queen with her sword drawn just past them, her golden eyes tracking both their movements.

  “It’s good to have goals. I’m sure she will appreciate how dedicated her companion is to the task,” Eli retorted flippantly.

  Wixim bared his long pointed teeth. “I will not let you leave without bringing the first witch back.”

  “I’m afraid that won’t happen. We need to go retrieve our other child. The Daxarian queen here can continue this discussion with you.”

  The dragon’s great head tilted, and his long neck twisted with him. “Is Aradia being tortured?”

  At this question, Eli stopped moving and stared levelly at the dragon. The tension in the air was thicker than stone, but she ensured she answered the question with the proper amount of levity.

  “She is not being tortured. If she finds herself in any discomfort, it is only because she herself incited it.”

  The ferocity behind Wixim’s gleaming green eyes softened a little at this response, then his attention turned slowly to look up where Tam and Luca stood at the top of the palace stairs.

  Tam still held Luca’s hand, and his dark gaze bore into the dragon’s profile.

  Luca meanwhile, was inching closer to his father, a hint of nervousness and uncertainty in his expression.

  Eli watched as Wixim’s scaled face twitched. He almost looked… confused…

  “Hm. Interesting…” The dragon turned slowly back to Eli. “I am going to keep you here, little one, until Aradia’s human comes. You will have to deal with him.”

  With her head drooping, Eli realized that there would be no talking out of the fight. “I’m sorry it has to be this way, Wixim.”

  “I am, too, little one. I hope we both survive to the end of this war so that we might become friends.”

  “I would like that as well.”

  Both Eli and Wixim shared a nod, then Wixim reared back on his hind legs and opened his mouth, heat and sparks rising in the back of his throat. Eli tensed, preparing to dart out of the way, when a blazing figure launched itself off the ground, and landed on Wixim.

  The Daxarian queen’s sword was pressed against Wixim’s throat. Katarina was as bright as a small sun with her magical aura, her eyes filled with golden light, and her sword gleaming with red magical twinkling.

  Eli’s heart dropped. She knew deep in her bones that the Daxarian queen was perfectly capable of decapitating Wixim right then and there. She almost looked away. She didn’t want to see the dragon’s death.

  But Wixim surprised everyone by fanning out his wings and launching both Kat and himself into the cold night air, which evidently forced Kat to focus on keeping her grip around the dragon’s throat to not fall off.

  Eli watched them as they soared across the sky, but she was caught with indecision. Would it be helpful to join and chase after them? Or should she simply wait in the event the queen was thrown off and she needed to be caught? Eli wasn’t even certain if she could launch herself straight into the air as Wixim had. She still required more of a running start to fly…

  Her inner debate was interrupted as Wixim barrel rolled in the air, then nose dived toward the ground, the glowing queen still latched on his back.

  “TAM! ELI!” she roared right as Wixim pulled up at the last second before crashing into the courtyard. “GET PENELOPE! I’LL HANDLE THIS SCALEY BASTARD!”

  Again, Eli hesitated. Was that really wise?

  … That said the Daxarian queen had single handedly taken on the majority of the imperial soldiers in the palace and she didn’t have a scratch on her.

  I had heard she was practically an army all on her own, but she almost feels more like a beast than even I am.

  A warm hand on Eli’s furry shoulder made her jolt.

  But when she saw that it was only Tam with Luca already hoisted up in his arms she relaxed. “Let’s go. Harris will stay behind with Kat.”

  Another roar from the skies above made them look back up as Wixim continued to try and dislodge Kat, but the woman seemed to have wrapped her entire body around the dragon’s face—including his eyes, her sword still in hand.

  Letting out a huff, Eli dipped her head in assent.

  Tam nodded and placed Luca on her back. Eli then lowered herself down so Tam could climb on as well.

  It distantly occurred to her to feel bashful as she felt Tam’s thigh’s grip her sides, but she flexed her claws and forced such thoughts from her mind before she took off at a charge toward the palace, then launched them into the cold air.

  The wind whipped around her, and she felt Tam lean himself over her body. She could feel Luca’s heart thrum against her spine… She could even hear him squealing and giggling in awe and delight.

  The stars glinted above them, the full moon beamed… They were free.

  While Eli was sad that Wixim would most likely be killed, she couldn’t help but feel happy to have Luca back safe with them. As for Concubine Soo Hebin and her son… Well, Harris and the Ryu family would see to her punishment. And really, Eli had gotten to do exactly what she had dreamed about doing during her darkest, most hopeless nights…

  She had slapped the woman into the ground, and towered over her wearing Chin Taejo’s iconic red dress. A dress that Chin had worn when she, too, had risen from the dirt of her poor circumstances, and faced it bravely.

  Somehow, Eli knew that from the Forest of the Afterlife, Chin was watching, and she was proud of her.

  ***

  Fin’s left hand gripped his head, and his right remained fisted. He sat at the council table, unable to hear anything over the ringing panic in his mind.

  Annika… Was she dying? He had seen her laying in his daughter’s arms amongst the rubble of a destroyed room.

  She had been pale, disoriented…

  His wife who was so formidable… Strong… Brilliant… But in that vision? She had looked like a limp doll.

  His throat felt like it was closing.

  “How can we even trust that the message was delivered properly? Let us just send a hawk the old fashioned way without any interference. I know it will take longer, but—”

  The sound of a fist slamming against the table at last pulled Fin from his terror ridden thoughts.

  Eric was glowering at his council.

  Keith Lee, who had been the one suggesting a follow up message be sent, cowered. Captain Taylor stared at the king grimly. Morgan Linsey avoided eye contact. The former king Norman sat with his retired assistant Mr. Howard staring at Eric somberly. And lastly, the new chief of military who had been appointed as of a week earlier when Duchess Annika Ashowan’s last concerning missive had been sent, Duchess Mackenzie Harris of the Iones Dukedom, regarded the king with a raised chestnut eyebrow.

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  “We already sent them our response to the hostage allegations,” Eric rumbled. “We presumed they would not mistreat Her Majesty and Duchess Annika, but what Lord Finlay has reported to us is not in line with that assessment. The duchess is injured after an attack.”

  Mackenzie leaned forward, her bright, sea glass green eyes calm. “We only sent the response this morning. It won’t arrive until this evening. There is most likely something else happening.”

  “More than likely it is something to do with the first witch… Or our queen may have…” Morgan Linsey trailed off when Eric’s eyes cut to him.

  Mr. Howard saved the king’s poor assistant. “Your Majesty, it is possible the queen may have started a fight. Particularly if she discovered she was being a hostage.”

  “You don’t think she knows?” Mage Keith Lee leaned forward with an eyebrow raised.

  The duchess shook her head. “That would be the dumbest thing they would do. Her Majesty’s temperament and propensity to be a problem when she wishes to be is well known,” Mackenzie pointed out bluntly. “I imagine she’d be a lot more amenable to being a well cared for hostage if she had no idea it was happening.”

  “Well whatever has happened, we now know the queen and her mother are in danger,” Eric reminded everyone darkly.

  “Agreed.” Mackenzie nodded and folded her hands atop the table. “At present, we cannot trust any coven member. Even if they say they had no idea about the hidden agenda of the Wittica and Giong coven leaders. We can’t afford to trust anyone other than Lord Finlay Ashowan and the queen. We have told the covens that while we are happy to enter into negotiations, they are to release the queen and duchess before any sort of peaceful talks can occur. Otherwise… We find ourselves at war with two covens, and most likely Zinfera,” the noblewoman summarized tidily before her gaze cut to Fin. “I am sorry, Your Grace, but you cannot leave Daxaria now. We must simply trust that your wife, children,, and my husband, can find a way to return safely.”

  Fin felt his insides turn to ice.

  He didn’t look away from Mackenzie, nor could he bring himself to speak.

  Annika might be dying. It was beyond difficult to be reasonable.

  However, he was saved trying to find an appropriate response, when the unmistakable sound of a sniffle sounded off in the room… A sniffle that sounded like it belonged to a child.

  Everyone’s heads snapped round.

  Eric swung toward the rows of shelves and folded his arms. “Boys. Come out. Now.”

  Sure enough, the three young princes appeared… Though they didn’t come from the shelves. Rather, they appeared from behind three different locations. Asher was hidden behind a tall decorative vase, Charlie popped up from a chest that was normally used to store blankets, and Antony appeared from behind a tapestry.

  The trio of boys slowly drifted toward the table.

  Asher revealed to be the one who was crying, while Antony sported deep lines under his eyes that no six year old should have had, and Charlie was staring with his golden brows furrowed and his tiny hands curled in fists.

  “You should not be here,” Eric started to say, his tone firm, but less furious than when he’d been addressing the council.

  “Is Grandma going to be okay?” Antony asked tightly.

  Fin’s heart constricted as he struggled to swallow.

  He stared at his grandsons’ faces wishing he could think of something comforting to say.

  “We are trying to find out what is happening with her.”

  “Our mother is a hostage?” Antony ventured next, with an audible hitch.

  “She is, but she’s fine right now. You know your mother is the strongest person in the world. Now, go to bed, and I will be up to talk to you all soon.” As he spoke, Eric’s mood continued to mellow as he stared at Antony’s bright blue eyes that were starting to shine with his own tears.

  Asher burst out into fresh sobs.

  At last Fin was able to react as he pushed himself to his feet, and lowered himself to a crouch and pulled the three boys to himself in a hug.

  “I want mama and grandma home!” Asher gasped as he clutched his grandfather’s coat sleeve.

  Tears of his own welled up in Fin’s eyes as he rested his cheek atop Charlie’s head. He could feel the last of his grandsons start to tremble with barely contained emotion.

  No one tried to hurry the princes or the duke as they embraced.

  And eventually, Fin heard Eric’s footsteps round the table before he too knelt down beside his sons, and rested a hand on Antony’s back. “I want them home, too.”

  Asher choked, and slowly, they all pulled apart.

  By this time, Norman had also risen and made his way over. His hand gently brushed Asher’s head… Until he snapped it back in shock as a large black spider climbed over the back of his knuckles. “Gods!”

  “CAREFUL!” Asher shouted as the spider leapt from the former king’s hand to his shoulder.

  “Asher? What’s this…?” Eric asked, his gaze fixed keenly on the arachnid.

  Fin was watching as well, and already starting to wonder if the massive thing was poisonous and how best to remove the spider from Asher’s shoulder without causing the child any distress, when Antony spoke up.

  “It’s his familiar.”

  The room fell so silent that they could have heard a drop of ink fall on parchment.

  “What?” Eric stared at his eldest son dumbly.

  “Asher wanted it to be a surprise for ma when she came back, but… Asher’s magic came out a week after mine,” Antony explained tightly.

  “What is your magic?” Eric’s voice was quiet as he faced his youngest son.

  Asher proceeded to reach up and gently prod the spider that remained on his shoulder, but he kept his tear stained face remained turned to the floor.

  “Bugs,” Antony responded for his brother again. “He is friends with all the bugs and can give them things to do.”

  “Is that why I kept finding flies in my soup the past month?” Mage Keith Lee interrupted suddenly.

  All emotional distress vanished on the children’s faces as they pointedly avoided eye contact with all the adults.

  Eric stifled a snort that came mostly out of a sense of relief that his children were not entirely changed.

  “A weather witch and an insect witch…” Fin trailed off, his weary mind sifting through what he knew of mutated witches of the past. “There have been witches with those powers before. Usually they help farmers, but it is very important you learn how you both control your powers as it can disrupt ecosystems.”

  “Unfortunately, Your Grace, I don’t believe now is the time we can afford to have a teacher for the princes. Prince Antony’s last teacher has already left, and as we were just discussing… We can’t exactly trust the coven.” Mr. Howard added to the conversation from his seat.

  At the reminder of the more serious issues at hand, Fin, Eric, and Norman all shared bleak looks.

  But the interlude with his grandsons had helped pull Fin out of his spiraling panic and fear, and so he rose up, and gently touched the top of Charlie’s head. Charlie’s gaze was fixed on the ground, and Fin had a hunch that he may have been feeling a little left out not having powers of his own. Fin knew Eric would need to have a one-on-one chat with him soon…

  “Everything will be alright, boys. We are all going to handle this, and we are going to wait and hear what is happening with your grandmother. These are matters for the grown ups to handle though. So please go upstairs and wait. Your grandfathers and I will be up shortly,” Eric said softly. While he addressed all three of his sons, he locked eyes at the end with Antony, who was still staring up stoically at his father.

  Asher murmured something to his spider familiar, and turned toward the door to leave with Charlie following closely behind.

  Antony waited, his mouth twisting as he struggled to disobey his father and risk asking his next question.

  “Is Uncle Tam okay?”

  At this, everyone in the room balked.

  The last they had heard about Tam was that the concubine was telling the Zinferan public that he was dead, but Annika had assured Fin in her missive that their daughter knew that was not the case. And Fin already knew this as well… He would’ve felt something if that horrible event had happened.

  That said… He didn’t know where Tam was, and he felt fresh guilt over not worrying more about his son.

  “I don’t know where your Uncle Tam is, Antony, I’m sorry,” Eric informed his son truthfully. “But I will say this… I have a hunch that your Uncle Tam might already be trying to figure out a way to help your mother and grandmother. After all…” he raised his gaze to Fin, a steady knowingness filling the space between them. “Tam is an Ashowan, and there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his family. So if I were to guess? I think we are going to hear something about him very soon.”

  Fin gave a slow nod in acknowledgment of the fact that Eric was trying to comfort both his son and himself… And he sincerely wished the king was right. Though he did also send an additional silent prayer to the Goddess hoping with all his might that in the next message they received he’d find out that every single one of his family members were perfectly safe and sound.