Galin squinted as he stepped out of the dimensional tunnel. The world was nothing but a blur to him. His eyes began to come into focus. They were in a small room with wooden benches along the wall and a single door on the far side. Next to the door was a tall stack of wooden crates and barrels of wine. They must be in the food stores.
“I hate those things,” Ellis said, rubbing his eyes as he emerged from the tunnel.
“We all here?” Galin asked.
“Yeah,” Jena said. “Me and Mae just came through.”
“Good.” Galin smiled as Daylor stepped into view. “Good to see you.”
“Welcome to Staerdale Castle,” Daylor said.
“Where are we?” Mae asked.
Daylor frowned. “Not in the gatehouse. I couldn’t get inside. Ever since the attack on Port Eldham, Tanyl tightened security around it.”
Ellis threw up his arms. “We’re screwed! Can you get us out of here?”
Galin glared at him. “We’re not done yet.” He looked right at Daylor. “You know this castle. I don’t. What can we do?”
Daylor rubbed his chin. “The tunnels.”
“What tunnels?” Mae asked. “I never saw any tunnels here before.”
Daylor gave Mae a stern gaze. “I didn’t know you’d visited the castle.”
Mae swallowed. “Um, yeah. When I was a kid.”
Galin shook his head. “We don’t have time for this.”
“The tunnels your adoptive parents smuggled you out through when you were a baby. I’m sure they told you,” Daylor said.
Galin nodded. “Sure. But, they can’t be big enough to bring an army inside.”
“No, they’re not. But, they can get you out.”
Galin tore his eyes away from Daylor. “I’m not giving up. If you don’t help me get the gate open, I’ll do it myself.”
“Maybe we should do what he says,” Ellis said. “You know, live and fight another day. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“You don’t have to come,” Galin said as he turned his back towards him.
Ellis lowered his voice. “I wouldn’t have left Crey Village and gone through all this crap just to leave you at the end. No, I’ll come with you.”
Galin turned and smiled at his friend. “Thanks.”
“Besides, somebody has to save your ass.”
Galin frowned.
Jena giggled. “He always does that to you.”
“Which way to the gatehouse?” Galin asked.
“If you insist, allow me to make us invisible to non-magical Dark Elves. It should aid us in getting the gate open.” Daylor reached into his robes, pulling out a small pouch.
“What are you going to cast?” Jena asked.
Daylor’s forehead began to glisten with sweat, as if he was nervous about . . . something. He took a large scale from the pouch and placed it in the palm of his right hand.
“What’s that?” Galin asked.
“A dragon scale,” Daylor said.
Dragon scale? What spell uses that? Galin thought.
Daylor waved his left hand over the dragon scale, never taking his eyes off of Galin. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. The dragon scale began to glow.
Galin felt tired, as if something was being drained out of him. “What are you doing?” He advanced towards Daylor.
Mae held him back. “Let him finish. He knows what he’s doing.”
A flash of light emitted from there dragon scale, then it was gone.
Gavin’s vision became blurry. His . . . his heart skipped a beat. His stomach twisted into knots. He felt weak. For the first time in his life he felt . . . weak. “What have you done?” he demanded as he collapsed to the ground.
Jena rushed over to help him.
Ellis drew his daggers and charged at Daylor.
Mae stuck her foot out in front of him, sending him crashing to the ground.
“What’d you do that for?”
Mae just smiled. Her medium-length brown grew and turned black. There was a golden stripe running through her hair. Mae’s ears became pointed. Her skin darkened to a deep blue. She was a Dark Elf all along, even before Iron Fist Keep.
“Chalia? How?” Galin demanded as he struggled to his feet.
The door flew open and a tall Dark Elf with short, black hair and brown eyes burst into the room, with at least six Feral Orcs carrying short swords. “Welcome, Your Majesty. I am Tanyl.”
Ellis’s face crumbled. “Why? I thought you loved me?”
Chalia laughed. “I used you.” She glared at Galin. “Because of you, both of my parents were killed.” She smiled at Jena. “I want to skin her in front of him.”
Rage. The rage exploded inside Galin’s heart. There was no way he’d let anything happen to his beloved. His rage was focus and pure, but—the tingle; it wasn’t there. Maybe he wasn’t concentrating hard enough. He tried again and again and again. Nothing.
Daylor laughed.
Galin glared at him.
“You can stop trying now,” Tanyl said. “Once we figured out that you used dragon magic, we researched—Daylor researched—the spell to nullify it. You’re no different than your dead father.” He leaned forward. “Weak.”
Tanyl looked at Jena. “Maybe I should give Chalia what she wants. What do you think, Galin?”
Galin lunged at Tanyl. A Feral Orc stepped between them, knocking him to the ground.
“It will take some getting used to, I imagine.” Tanyl motioned the other Feral Orcs towards Jena and Ellis.
Galin’s tearful eyes looked straight at Daylor. “How could you betray us? Betray me? Betray Nyna?”
A twisted smile stretched across Daylor’s face. “Do you really believe I would ever betray my own people? Could you betray yours?”
Galin shook his head.
“What are you going to do with us?” Jena demanded.
“That depends on your army outside the gates. You see,” Tanyl began, “we never sent our forces from the castle to Port Eldham. After Daylor told me your plan, I dispatched five legions of Feral Orcs to ambush your pitiful little army of Vulwin Elves. They should all be dead by now.” He leaned towards Galin. “Even your blue dragon. Soon, the seven thousand troops I have will overrun your army. My forces are at least double what you have out there.” He smiled as he backed away, motioning the Feral Orcs to grab Galin. “The king wanted either my head in a box or yours. Can you guess which one it will be?”
Daylor and Chalia followed Tanyl out of the small room.
Galin tried to pull away from the orc’s grasp.
He slammed the hilt of his sword onto Galin’s head and his world went black.
Why hasn’t the gate opened yet? Brock thought as he stared at the castle. He should already be inside fighting side by side with his adopted son. He looked up and down the siege line. Galin’s army surrounded the castle, poised to rush inside to win the day. They were just outside of bow range from the castle, but their trebuchets could touch the Darkstriders behind the castle walls. But, the gates never opened. Something’s wrong.
Nyna tapped Brock on the shoulder. “The gate should have been opened by now. They must have been caught—or worse.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Brock said without taking his eyes off Staerdale Castle.
“Perhaps Kade turned them in after all.”
Brock glared at her. “You’re talking about my son! This is not some game that you wizards are playing, you know. You could at least act like you care.”
She frowned. “I do care about him. I was the one who taught him how to use his dragon magic for over a year.”
Brock sniffed as he motioned towards the castle. “A lot of good that did. Where is he?” His eyes began well up. “I can’t lose him, too.”
Nyna put her hand on his shoulder. “You won’t. Have faith that the prophecy is true.”
“What if it’s not? What if it’s just an ancient, drunk Dark Elf story?”
“Then, we have to have faith that Daylor and Galin will keep each other safe,” Nyna said. She smiled. “I know it’s hard, but I know we will win. Don’t you feel it in your heart?”
Brock nodded. “I do. It’s just—never mind. What do we do now?”
Nyna’s smile vanished. “We wait and let the siege run its course. As long as the attack on Port Eldham succeeded, we’ll be victorious.”
“If not?”
“Reinforcements from Setan will arrive in a week or so and overrun us,” Nyna replied.
Perfect, Brock thought.