“Leave her alone!” Marcus added. The two of them must’ve been held back, too, because their feet scuffed against the cave floor, like they were struggling.
“Calm down,” the man holding me insisted. “We’re only trying to help. You must give her some space.”
“Like hell,” I growled. I didn’t know who these people were, and I certainly didn’t trust them.
I yanked my elbow free and threw it backward, into the guy’s face. He dropped my other arm, and I rushed to Ava’s side.
But someone was already there. Ava gurgled as liquid slid down her throat.
“What did youdo?!” I burst. The ground beneath us began to shake beneath my rage. If this was another test, I wasn’t sure I could handle it.
A woman with a smooth voice answered. “It’s like General Ibrahim said— an antidote.”
I yanked Ava’s limp body into my arms, cradling her head to my chest. Ava was completely still, but my whole body shook. Everyone had gone quiet, except for a small whine that came from Oberi. His paws padded across the cave floor as he came up to me. He laid his head on my shoulder, as if offering me comfort.
“Ava, please!” I begged, shaking her a bit.
I held my breath, but the following moments stretched into eternity. I could feel her slipping, the venom eating away at our bond. This had to be another illusion. I couldn’t lose her.
Sobs racked my chest, and I stroked her soft hair, but her skin had gone cold— as if all the Fire within her had died.
“Don’t leave me, pidge,” I whispered.
The tiniest cough bubbled out of her throat, and I started. My spine straightened, and I ran a thumb over her lips, as if to see if she’d actually made that sound, or if I’d just imagined it.
Her lips parted as she rasped, “Never.”
Relief surged through me, and I squeezed her tightly, burying my face into her hair. “Ancestors, you’re safe!”
“You weren’t lying,” Kallie said, sounding shocked. “You really did give her an antidote.”
“Of course,” a man said— General Ibrahim, I presumed, by the authoritative tone he used. “We would never seek to harm you.”
Marcus scoffed. “I would beg to differ, based on the traps we went through to get here.”
I drew a breath of relief and lifted my head. “Who are you? You’re not from the Institute, clearly. How did you find us down here?”
“They’re…. Elves,” Ava whispered breathlessly.
“You’re—” I couldn’t get the words out.
“It’s true,” the woman across from me said.
She reached out, and a cool hand touched mine. I jerked away, but Oberi nudged me with his nose, as if to say that it was safe to grab her hand. I let her take it, and she guided my fingers to her ears. I gasped when I felt that they were pointed.
“I am Colonel Amilda,” she introduced. “We are members of the Emperor’s Guard.”
I shook my head. This couldn’t be. “But the Elves went extinct a hundred years ago, during the Great Supernatural War.”
“Most of us, yes,” General Ibrahim stated. “The few who survived were forced into hiding. Please, let us help you, Charlie.”
I hesitated. “How do you know my name?”
General Ibrahim spoke so calmly that it was hard to feel anything but safe in his presence. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
I realized they must’ve been watching us navigate the tasks. We’d passed— which meant they must be here to lead us to the key. Though I had major trust issues, I felt that I should follow them. They had, after all, just saved Ava’s life.
I stood, then helped Ava to her feet. Though the antidote had helped with the venom, it hadn’t cured her blood loss. I could tell by the way she swayed on her feet that she was ill. Beside me, Oberi shifted into a Fire unicorn, and I hoisted Ava onto her back.
