Malek wrapped his arm around the Merfolk woman, supporting most of her weight. She was in worse shape than they’d anticipated, and he wasn’t sure what this meant for Sabine’s bold plan. They’d been counting on Pearl being able to flee alongside them. The fools who had been keeping her captive had used some sort of magical restraints, which had weakened her significantly.

At least she hadn’t screamed in fear at the sight of a dragon rescuing her. She might not trust him, but she was pragmatic enough to know her chances of surviving were better with him than remaining chained up by the Merfolk.

“Ilwan really sent you to rescue me?” Pearl asked in a hoarse whisper as they walked past the unconscious guards he’d had to knock out. They’d live, but they’d be smarting for a few days.

“He did. Sabine has his necklace to give you,” Malek said, trying not to think about what was happening to Sabine. As far as distractions went, her plan was a good one. They wouldn’t realize he’d freed Pearl until it was too late. Unfortunately, there was no way to know how the True Folk would react to Sabine once they caught her. He didn’t like trusting in one overheard conversation that these people wanted Sabine alive.

Malek heard shouting from outside, and he had to force himself not to abandon Pearl. He’d hoped it would have taken longer for them to discover Sabine’s identity. Sabine had proven to be capable of taking care of herself, but it didn’t diminish his need to protect her.

He helped Pearl climb over a partially collapsed wall and then stepped over the rest of the way himself. She put her arm around his neck again, and he half-walked, half-carried her out of the prison where they’d been keeping her. The voices were even louder now, almost directly in front of them.

Crouching by another wall, he allowed Pearl a few minutes to catch her breath. He angled his head, trying to determine what was happening. From what he could see, they had Sabine surrounded. His fists clenched as his mind battled between the need to uphold his promise to her and his desire to save her. His magic surged to the surface, demanding he shift forms. He struggled to force it back down.

“They’re not going to let us out of here,” Pearl said, leaning back against the wall and closing her pale blue eyes. She might be one of the Merfolk, but with her blonde hair, light eyes, and pointed ears, she appeared more like a Fae in human form. “These rebels abandoned the old ways and are beyond redemption. If we’d known what they were doing, we would have killed them long ago.”

Malek’s mouth formed a thin line. “I’m not sure Sabine believes they’re beyond redemption, but I can tell you this much: If they hurt her, I’ll burn this city to the ground and them along with it.”

“A dragon and a Fae,” Pearl murmured with a trace of a smile. “Unusual times breed strange alliances.”

“You’re not including yourself in that alliance?” Malek asked, trying to catch a glimpse of Sabine. He could only make out the red color of her dress through the gaps of people surrounding her. She must have removed her glamour.

“Your kind have never treated fairly with my people. Why are you really saving me?”

Malek glanced down at Pearl. Her face was far too pale, and her cheeks were sunken and gaunt. “Your people attacked my ship on our way to Razadon. They captured some of our friends. We agreed to a prisoner exchange. You were part of that.”

Her brow furrowed, and she absently brushed back her blonde hair. “Why was a dragon traveling by ship?”

“It wasn’t just me. We had an entire crew with us of all different races,” he replied, checking to make sure Sabine was still okay before turning back toward Pearl. “The portal is failing, and we need to locate the artifacts to seal it again. None of us want another war. This world barely survived the last one.”

Pearl frowned. “We suspected the portal was failing. That was part of the reason I traveled to Karga for this last trading mission. We needed information from other parts of the world to determine how quickly it was happening. How many of the artifacts have you located?”

Malek froze. “You know about the artifacts?”

She nodded. “My father is one of the leaders of the True Folk. Our family was entrusted with the safekeeping of one of them.”

Malek stared at her in shock. In his wildest dreams, he hadn’t considered the Merfolk possessed one of the artifacts. It made sense, given they were one of the original races. “That artifact is the key to saving everyone, including your people, Pearl. Sabine already has the one entrusted to the Fae. She’s agreed to accompany me to help seal the portal. Will you help us too?”

Pearl shook her head. “I’d never survive it. If I don’t return to the sea by tomorrow night, I’ll die. It’s not simply a matter of losing my ability to change forms. They’ve been siphoning off my magic little by little, weakening me so I couldn’t fight back. They want to sacrifice me in some strange rite.”

Malek frowned. It wasn’t ideal, but he might be able to convince her to help once she’d recovered. But first, she needed to be returned to her people. “We’ll get you back to the sea. As soon as Sabine connects with the treeheart, that’s our signal to get you out of here. Just rest for now. I’ll tell you when it’s time.”

Pearl nodded and closed her eyes. Malek looked out from the wall again, catching sight of one of the True Folk grabbing Sabine’s arm and dragging her toward the treeheart. He tensed. It was time.

Sabine slipped into the consciousness of the treeheart. When she opened her eyes, she was still standing within the city, but she recognized the hazy atmospheric quality which indicated it was an illusion. Instead of the ruins, the crystal spires still stood straight and tall, glimmering in the sunlight. The wind gently rustled the leaves, but there were no other noises. No animals, no people, nothing. It was empty… and far too lonely.

An old Fae woman was sitting on the ground smiling kindly at her. “You have the look of your mother, Sabin’theoria. I almost gave up hope we would be remembered.”

Sabine paused and then hesitantly approached the Elder. This was the treeheart, adopting a form that was easiest for conversing. Since she’d chosen an Elder, Sabine decided it would be prudent to treat her as such. “Forgiveness, Wise One. I do not know what to call you.”

The Elder gestured toward the grassy area in front of her. “Sit, child. You may call me Treeheart. As it always was, it shall always be. Names are not important, only purpose and intent. I am but simply a memory.”

Sabine sat down across from the woman. “You need my help.”

“Yes,” Treeheart said in agreement, turning her face toward the sun. “We are dying. It will not be long now. Another day or two at most, and they will end my life.”

Sabine frowned. The sun was a little too hot, which was strange. Something warned her this entire situation wasn’t quite right. She’d never met with a treeheart before, so she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. “I wanted to speak with you to find out how I can save you.”

Treeheart studied her for a long time, her expression mildly curious. “Why?”

Sabine opened her mouth to answer and paused. A glimmer of understanding flashed through her. “You don’t want to be saved, do you?”

“Look around, child,” Treeheart said, gesturing at the surrounding area. “All my other children have already abandoned me. Your purpose will take you from here too. There is no one remaining to care for. Why should I fight to save this place when there is no one left to protect?”

Sabine shook her head, not understanding how the heart of the city could be so shortsighted. “There is still life here. The trees, the pixies, the birds, the butterflies, the animals… all of them need you.”

“Ah,” Treeheart murmured. “You wish me to live so I can care for these creatures? They are not Fae.”

Sabine folded her hands in her lap. “No, they’re not, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important. The Fae are servants, just like all the rest. We’re no better or worse than any of them.”

Treeheart smiled, the lines around her eyes crinkling with pleasure. “You are correct, but few Fae would agree with you. I am glad you have finally come, child. There is much to discuss and little time to do it.”

“Then you’ll tell me how to save you?”

“I will, but I want two promises from you in return.” Treeheart winced, holding her head as though it pained her.

Sabine tilted her head to regard the treeheart. She’d never realized they could experience pain. It was a little disconcerting. “What promises?”

“What? Why have you come?”

Sabine frowned, her unease growing. “I asked you what promises you want in return for information on how I can save you.”

“Ah.” Treeheart held up a finger and said, “You will install a Fae representative of your choosing to rule in your stead when you depart. I would not face an uncertain future again, holding onto hope you may return one day.”

Sabine frowned. If Blossom could get word to Balkin, he could determine who was trustworthy enough to rule the city in her stead. The pixies still living here could act as message bearers, carrying instructions back and forth as necessary. There would be some challenges, but it was possible. In time, they could even bring this city back to its former glory.

Sabine nodded. “Very well. And the second?”

“Kill the dragon.”

Sabine froze, unsure she’d heard correctly. “What?”

Treeheart smiled, but it was full of malice and hatred. A cold chill wrapped around Sabine, and she swallowed. This wasn’t the kindly Elder persona Treeheart had adopted but something far more insidious and evil. There was a madness in her eyes, which had previously been hidden.

“Malek hasn’t hurt anyone,” Sabine managed to say, shaken by Treeheart’s demand. “He’s saved my life repeatedly. He’s not like the dragons from the old days.”

“The dragons killed my children!” Treeheart screamed, her voice causing the trees and even the ground to tremble.

Sabine looked up as dark clouds filled the sky, covering the sun.

“Fire and death! They were all burned! I still hear their screams!”

Rain fell in the form of liquid fire, and Sabine cried out as the molten liquid splashed against her skin. “Stop, Treeheart! You’re burning me!”

“No, no, no. Not my pretty Fae.” Treeheart grimaced and clutched her head. The fiery rain eased, but the dark clouds still threatened overhead. “Kill the dragon. Must kill him. He will burn you. Promise me!”

“Malek’s not that dragon,” Sabine replied and stood, the urgency to flee this place growing by the second. She started to slowly back away from Treeheart, but the old woman cackled. Crystal bars shot up from the ground, enclosing around her. Sabine pushed against them, unable to escape the crystal prison the treeheart had forged.

“Release me,” she demanded, but Treeheart continued to shriek with laughter. Strands of Treeheart’s hair fell out, turning into crushed leaves the moment they touched the ground.

Sabine gripped the bars and stared at her in horror. Whatever the True Folk had done to her had broken something inside her. Either that, or this was a result of the Fae abandoning her for centuries. She’d never imagined a treeheart would dare try to imprison her. She hadn’t thought such a thing was possible.

“Pretty little Fae,” Treeheart sneered, rocking back and forth. Golden tears streaked down her cheeks, reminding Sabine of tree sap. “They left me. They all left me. The dragons killed my children, and all the pretty little Fae abandoned me. No more! You are mine! Mine! I won’t let you leave!”

Gods. What had she done? Of all the possibilities, she’d never expected madness. And now she was trapped in the treeheart’s fractured mind.

Malek frowned. He could see Sabine better now, but she was just staring up at the tree and holding onto it. He knew the pixies were waiting for some signal to attack and distract, but nothing was happening. As far as he could tell, she was unhurt, but his instincts warned him she was in danger.

“Something’s not right,” he muttered, absently rubbing his wrist where Sabine’s mark was located. He could feel her heartbeat, but the panic running through him wasn’t completely his. Sabine was frightened. He knew it with every fiber of his being.

“What is it?”

Malek glanced down at Pearl. “I’m not sure. Sabine’s in trouble, but I can’t tell what’s wrong.”

“The rebels hurt her?”

Malek shook his head. “No. I think it’s the tree.”

Pearl brushed her pale-blonde hair away from her face. “How could a tree hurt a Fae? They are the caretakers of all forests. The trees must obey them.”

Malek frowned. “Do you know anything about the treeheart?”

“Very little. It is Fae magic, and we are not privy to their secrets. All I know is the rebels possess a branch taken from the treeheart. They planned to sacrifice me using the branch so it might absorb the power from my blood.”

Malek’s eyes widened, and he crouched beside Pearl. “That’s how they’re changing the magic in this place? Sabine said something was making Faerie sick. Could that be how they’re doing it?”

Pearl considered it and then nodded. “They have killed dozens of my people in this manner. I do not know if that is what is causing the sickness, but it is possible. Our magics are not compatible. These rebels are ignorant if they believe otherwise.”

“This isn’t good,” he muttered, standing again. Sabine had said something similar about the magic not being compatible, but he hadn’t realized they’d been using the treeheart itself to perform the sacrifice. He wasn’t sure if Sabine was aware of it either or what it could mean.

“Pearl, I’m going to make every effort to save you, but we won’t stand a chance in getting out of here without Sabine’s help. We need her to open the doorway to get you back to the sea. I need to shift into my other form to eliminate the people surrounding her.”

Pearl’s eyes widened. “You intend to turn into a dragon? Now?”

He removed his knife and handed it to Pearl. “Yes. It’ll take me a few minutes to change forms. Keep that to protect yourself in case anyone discovers you’ve escaped.”

Her hand wrapped around the hilt of the blade. “Wait. The city will destroy you if you change forms. Your Fae may have shielded you from the hatred of the city, but it will attack you if she is not here, particularly if you change into your true form. I can distract the rebels so you can help her.”

Malek frowned. “You’re not in any state to fight them.”

“No, but I am not without resources,” Pearl said and slowly rose to her feet. “I may be weakened, but now that you removed my restraints, I am still more powerful than these rebels. My blood is made of seawater, and it still remains strong within me.”

Malek hesitated, but the urgency of saving Sabine overshadowed everything else. “All right. We have several clans of pixies ready to distract them as soon as Sabine gives them the signal. I’m hoping I can reach her through the bond we share.”

Pearl’s eyes widened, and she stared at the mark on his wrist. “You are blood bonded?”

“We are connected,” he admitted, not completely sure what a blood bond meant.

“Then you can enter her consciousness right here. Sit and I shall walk you through it.”

Malek’s brow furrowed, and he sat down. Pearl slid to the ground, her face far too pale. She looked better than when he’d first found her, but she was still in a weakened state.

“Close your eyes and think of your mate.”

“She’s not my—”

“Silence,” Pearl ordered, her tone unyielding. “You must concentrate.”

Amused by the fact that this injured Merfolk woman was ordering around a dragon, he closed his eyes. “All right. What do I do?”

“Think of your mate. Visualize her true appearance, the taste of her lips, the smell of her skin, the feel of her power. Surround yourself with her essence and relax. You will be using her magic to slip into her consciousness.”

Malek recalled the evening he’d spent with Sabine in the inn. He’d been entranced when she’d danced for him and how she’d gazed at him with such adoring tenderness. She was beautiful both inside and out, with a heart purer than anyone he’d ever known. He concentrated on the smell of her skin and how it always reminded him of night-blooming flowers. Her magic was both alluring and addictive, and his own power surged to the surface when he remembered her passionate embrace.

“Malek?” Sabine whispered, closer than he’d expected.

He opened his eyes and saw Sabine staring up at him in horror. All around them were crystal bars, and they were standing in the middle of the city before it had been destroyed.

Sabine gripped his arm, her eyes wide with panic. “You can’t be here. You have to leave!”

A woman cackled, and Malek spun around to see an old woman rocking back and forth on the ground surrounded by crushed leaves. “A pet! A pet! You’ve brought me a pet! I shall burn the dragon like he burned my city!”

“No!” Sabine shouted, moving in front of him. “He’s mine, Treeheart.”

“You’re both mine! Mine! Mine!”

Malek stared at the old woman in shock. “That’s the treeheart? What’s wrong with her?”

“Her mind’s been affected,” Sabine said quietly. “Malek, she doesn’t want to hurt me, but she wants you dead. You need to leave here.”

He put his arm around her shoulders, wanting to protect her from this strange creature. Sabine might think she wouldn’t be harmed, but he wasn’t going to take the chance. The creature had already locked her up. He glanced down and saw a burn mark on Sabine’s arm.

“You’re hurt,” he managed to say, barely recognizing his own voice as his magic surged to the surface. His skin heated and began to glow, demanding he shift to enact vengeance upon this creature for daring to harm the woman he’d claimed as his.

Sabine grabbed his arm and urged, “Malek, no! You can’t shift. She’ll destroy both of us if you do. We’re in her mind right now, and this world obeys her rules.”

His skin prickled and he squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to combat his instincts.

Sabine reached up and cupped his face. In a soft voice, she whispered, “Look at me, Malek.”

He opened his eyes and stared down into her lavender ones.

She smiled up at him and said, “Just focus on me. I’m right here with you. Do you remember when we shared Faerie wine together?”

“Yes,” he whispered, struggling to form a coherent thought other than his desire to steal Sabine away. Staring into her eyes and listening to her voice helped, but the treeheart’s sobbing laughter in the background threatened his focus.

“When we shared Faerie wine back in Akros, you asked me if what happened in those memories also happened in the real world. Do you remember?”

“I do,” Malek said, the need to shift beginning to fade the longer he stared into Sabine’s eyes. “You said the intent needed to be there for it to happen.”

“Memories,” Treeheart wailed. “No more memories.”

He started to turn toward the old woman, but Sabine grabbed his arm and whispered, “This place is part of Treeheart’s memories. She’s the one guiding us right now, but her thoughts are jumbled and confused. She was trying to tell me what happened here. That’s when the burning rain began to fall, but she stopped when she realized it hurt me.”

Malek nodded, remembering Pearl’s warning about the city attacking if he were in dragon form. “All right. I won’t shift, but I’m not leaving without you. She may not intend you harm, but if she’s this confused, you’re not safe. How do we get out?”

“Out, out.” Treeheart rocked back and forth. “You want to steal my pretty little Fae? Like you stole the others? Burn her alive too?”

“He’s not stealing or hurting anyone,” Sabine said quickly, shaking her head in a gesture to indicate he needed to play along. “He was worried about me. I told you he’s not like the others. Malek is my friend.”

“Not sure you can reason with her,” he said softly. “Even without shifting, I should be able to break these bars.”

Sabine looked up at him and whispered, “Malek, I can’t leave. She’s trying to hold me captive because she doesn’t want to be alone again. I can’t break free without damaging her further. If I do, everyone and everything still in this pocket of Faerie will die immediately. Her mind is already fractured.”

Malek turned back toward the old woman, who was babbling nonsense about fires and pretty little Fae. She was rocking back and forth, alternating between that strange cackle and sobbing uncontrollably. He grabbed Sabine’s wrist where the image of the chalice had been etched onto her skin. “Then use the goddess. Use my power. Use Bane’s. I don’t give a damn. But I’m not going to lose you to some crazy tree.”

Sabine’s eyes widened. “I can’t control the goddess if she emerges.”

“Will the goddess hurt you?”

Sabine’s brow furrowed. “I don’t think so.”

“Then do it, Sabine. We’ll deal with whatever happens, but we can’t stay in here. It’s only a matter of time before the True Folk outside hurt you.”

Sabine inhaled sharply and nodded. She closed her eyes, and a brilliant white light surrounded her. When she opened her eyes again, Sabine was gone. Her features had changed ever so slightly to be more alien, harsh and even cruel in their beauty. He gaped at her, knowing intuitively this wasn’t the woman he’d grown to care about.

“You dare try to steal my child?” Sabine’s voice intoned, but it had the same quality Blossom’s had possessed when Lachlina had spoken through the pixie. Lightning struck the ground in front of Treeheart. “You are a relic, a memory, a vessel designed to obey my children’s will. Nothing more!”

“No, no, no,” Treeheart pleaded, rocking back and forth faster and faster. Branches sprouted through her patchy gray hair like antlers. “She’s mine. Don’t take my pretty little Fae away.”

“She is mine! My creation and blood of my blood, just as you are her creation. Release her or I will destroy even your memory from this world!”

The crystal bars faded away, and Malek let out a sigh of relief. They still needed to escape the city, but at least Sabine was no longer in immediate danger.

Treeheart buried her face in her hands and sobbed. “No more mine. All alone. Alone. Alone. Always alone.”

Lachlina ignored the distraught treeheart and turned toward Malek. “Dragon, it was your idea to summon me. Have you grown to care so much for my granddaughter that you no longer fear for your life?”

Malek paused. He wasn’t sure he wanted to have this conversation with an angry goddess who was currently inhabiting Sabine’s body. It was impossible to forget his people had warred against hers for generations or the callousness she’d displayed when slaughtering the hunters. Despite the fact Lachlina had been instrumental in sealing the portal, it wasn’t from any fondness she had for dragons.

He studied the goddess, searching for any sign of Sabine, but it was a stranger standing before him. “I will do a great deal, even treat with someone who was once the enemy of my people if it will save Sabine’s life. I care for her deeply.”

Lachlina studied him for a long time. He had the impression she was weighing the truthfulness of his words. After a moment, she inclined her head. “Then you may remain with her for now. I would have her… think kindly of me. In exchange, you will tell her I saved you both. She may negotiate with me at a later date to resolve her debt for my intervention.”

Malek frowned, uncertain what Lachlina would want in exchange for coming to Sabine’s aid. “She can’t hear us?”

Lachlina studied the sky and crystal spires towering over them. “No. She has agreed to remain in my prison while I am here. There is much about this world I do not understand yet. Much has changed since I last walked this realm.”

The idea of Sabine being trapped in the goddess’s prison sent a new surge of worry through him. “Will you release Sabine?”

Lachlina turned back toward him. “Her imprisonment upsets you?”

“Yes, dammit,” he snapped, his hands curling into fists in frustration. He couldn’t fight this goddess without harming the woman he loved in the process. Being powerless was a new concept for him, and he didn’t care much for it.

Lachlina’s mouth curved upward. “Very well. Tell her the treeheart can be healed with a blood offering. All will be as it should be. Until we meet again, dragon.”

Sabine started to collapse, but Malek grabbed ahold of her and eased her to the ground. Her features softened, returning to their normal appearance. Sabine blinked open her eyes and murmured, “It was so dark. I could see you, but it was hazy and confusing.”

“It was Lachlina,” he whispered, holding her tightly. “She switched places with you to break whatever hold the tree had over you. Are you all right?”

Sabine sat up, holding her head as though it pained her. “I’ll be fine. I’m just a little out of sorts. What—what happened?”

Malek frowned. “I’m not completely sure. Lachlina mentioned she wants you to think kindly of her, but I’m not sure of her reasons. She said you were in debt to her for saving us, but you could negotiate the terms later.”

Sabine frowned. “That doesn’t bode well. What did she do to Treeheart?”

Malek looked at the old woman, who was still rocking back and forth and crying. At least she wasn’t doing the weird laughing thing anymore. “She said you can heal the treeheart with your blood.”

Sabine’s eyes widened. “It’s that simple?”

Malek hesitated and then shrugged. “I don’t see why not. Your magic is tied to your blood. If that’s how the Merfolk have been corrupting the treeheart, by using that walking stick to murder the Merfolk, then it makes sense your blood would bring her back.”

Sabine gaped at him. “They were sacrificing Merfolk with the treeheart itself? No wonder she’s gone crazy. What were they thinking?”

“I don’t think they were. Pearl said they’re ignorant of the old ways.”

Sabine stood and said, “You need to leave here, Malek. I’ll take care of Treeheart, but I need that walking stick. Find Blossom and tell her we need to locate Aberforth.”

“Will you be all right?”

Sabine nodded, turning her gaze back on Treeheart. “Yes. And she will be too. I’ll make sure of it.”