Astryl’s voice trembles as she steps closer, her eyes searching Elandir’s face. “But why bring us here? What’s your reason?”
Elandir’s expression softens for a fleeting moment, a hint of vulnerability breaking through his anger. “Reason? I watched as you both grew powerful, protected, loved. I wanted to show you what it means to truly harness your strength, to control the darkness instead of fearing it.”
The air grows thick with tension, his words a stark reminder of the pain he’s endured. “Elandir,” I begin, my voice laced with regret, “I can’t change the past, but I want to understand. What do you hope to achieve?”
Elandir’s eyes flash with a fervor I’ve never seen before, the darkness swirling around him like a cloak. “What I hope to achieve? Dominion, Thaldiran. Power over this realm and allwho inhabit it. With the darkness as my ally, I am unstoppable. I will control all realms.”
A cold dread settles in my stomach. The brother I once knew, the one who shared stories and laughter with me, seems lost to this thirst for power. “You can’t just claim rulership, Elandir. The fae clan won’t bow to darkness.”
Astryl steps beside me, her stance defiant. “You’re deluding yourself if you think controlling darkness makes you fit to rule. True strength comes from understanding and compassion.”
Elandir sneers, his hand raising to summon tendrils of shadow that snake towards us. “Compassion is a weakness, Astryl. You’ll both learn that soon enough.”
I focus, drawing upon my own magic, and with a swift gesture, I conjure a barrier of light to deflect the encroaching darkness. Astryl lifts her hand, sending out arcs of lightning to scatter the shadows around us. From the look on her face, I can tell she wasn’t expecting that to happen, but the energy is inarguably angelic. A part of her has woken up and the timing couldn’t be better. The wraiths hiss and recoil, taken aback by our resistance. They were probably banking on me being too stunned to find my brother here to react, but I will protect Astryl.
Seizing the momentary distraction, I call out to her. “Astryl, shift! We need to get out of here!”
She leaps into the air, changing into her dragon form as she does, and with a powerful beat of her wings, Astryl lifts off. I follow suit, my fae wings unfolding as we ascend, aiming for the towering archways that mark the castle’s exit. Elandir’s furious shouts echo behind us, his dark magic lashing out in an attempt to ensnare us.
The castle’s grand halls blur as we weave and dodge, our escape route illuminated by the occasional torch and Astryl’spuffs of fire. Elandir’s wraiths pursue us, their haunting forms a relentless shadow on our heels.
But we push forward, guided by the need to thwart Elandir’s dark ambitions and escape the castle’s suffocating grasp. The gargoyles seem to watch us with renewed interest as we burst through the massive iron-bound doors, gliding over the stone bridge, the castle’s imposing facade receding behind us.
We take to the sky, soaring through the Enchanted Forest, and when I look back, I feel a mix of relief and sorrow. My brother, consumed by darkness, is lost to me, at least for now.
But I can’t forget the look in his eyes, the cold, calculating gleam, the hunger that gnaws at his soul. He is a threat to not only the fae, but the rest of the world as well.
And if he has his way, there will be no kingdom or realm safe from his wrath.
Chapter Fifteen
Astryl
Iland gracefully in my dragon form on familiar ground, with the Shade Wolf floating down beside me. I pat his head in a silent confirmation that we’re safe… at least for now. The wind ripples through my scales, and I can feel the anticipation building in the air. Thaldiran and I have returned to his homeland of Veridale, not just for refuge, but to muster our allies and gear up for the final, decisive confrontation with the encroaching darkness.
Thaldiran’s feet touch the ground. I can’t even begin to guess how he’s feeling. His stoic expression is his trademark, and while I’ve learned to decipher the subtleties of his emotions, I don’t need to be a mind reader to know that finding out the brotheryou thought was dead isn’t just alive but plotting against you is a bit much.
But if he’s feeling the weight of it, he’s not letting it show. He strides forward, heading straight for his friends, Elira and Joran, who await us. I follow closely behind Thaldiran, ignoring the curious looks I’m getting from his first officer. Last they saw us, Thaldiran and I were enemies forced into a reluctant alliance. By the way his hand was possessively on my dragon’s neck, it would be obvious to a blind man that there is more to us now.
They’re also giving the Shade Wolf a wide berth.
Elira falls into step, her eyes sharp and inquisitive. “Thaldiran, where have you been? Rumors have been swirling, but nothing concrete. What’s going on? And what is that creature that’s following you two?”
Joran, walking beside her, adds, “We’ve held off on mobilizing the troops and sending them through the portal, waiting for your return. Tell us, what’s happened?”
Thaldiran halts, meeting their gaze with a solemn expression. “We’ve been on a journey. What we’ve discovered is unsettling, to say the least.” He pauses, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “It’s Elandir, my own brother. He’s turned to the darkness and is behind the looming threat we face.”
Elira’s eyes widen, her hand instinctively gripping the hilt of her sword. “Your brother? The same Elandir we grew up with?”
Joran’s stance shifts. “You’re sure, Thaldiran? Is this a trick of some sort, or...”
“I saw him with my own eyes. He’s not my brother, not the one I knew.”
“This is terrible!” Elira exclaims.
“What should we do?” Joran asks carefully.
Thaldiran presses his lips into a hard line. “The same thing we would do if it were anyone else. We need to rally our allies and prepare for the battle ahead. Elandir’s ambition knowsno bounds, and he won’t hesitate to use his newfound power against us.”
