Helian grimaced. “There’s still Megaera.”
“I doubt she has any army left,” Blaze said.
“Don’t underestimate her,” Arabella answered while casting sly gazes in Helian’s direction. “She’s been collecting magical powers for centuries.”
“Let’s hope she’s still not recovered after you attacked her,” Tari said to Arabella before taking a long sip of juice.
Arabella shook her head. “Don’t count on it.”
“There was a demon firemage on the battlefield with us,” Adrean said while attacking a rack of lamb like a starving wolf. “He disappeared when he saw the white witch coming.”
The crowd went silent, gaping at him. A demon firemage?
“Where did he go?” Malvolia asked, her voice crackling with fear.
Adrean leaned back in his chair with a belch. “He can teleport.”
Sludge slowed the blood flowing through my veins as I gaped at my sister.
“Fuck.” Helian threw up his hands. “He could be anywhere.”
The color drained from Tari’s face as she dropped her napkin on the table. “I haven’t seen any demon spiders.”
“They attacked our village and many others,” Adrean said, “wrapped us all up in webbing, and then the general turned us into demons.”
“And then where did they go?” I asked.
Adrean shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Malvolia steepled her hands in front of her, shadows falling across her features. “She’s saving them for something.”
Tari looked ready to vomit as she placed a hand on her abdomen. “Evil is approaching. I can feel it.”
My sister cried out, and then she was gone, falling beneath the table. Everyone jumped from their seats. What had happened? Had her chair broken?
“Tari!” Helian screamed, throwing her chair across the floor.
Nikkos pointed at Tari’s empty spot with a trembling hand. “This is exactly how Ember and Aurora disappeared.”
* * *
Helian
PANIC GRIPPING MY SPINE, I raced through the castle halls, Ash, Shiri, and her mates chasing after me. I had to get to Aurora. She was Tari’s only hope.
Shiri dodged my heels. “Helian, you can’t be serious. There has to be another way.”
“We don’t have time!” I called over my shoulder. “Tari could be dead by the time we find her!”
I ran through the halls like I was being chased by dragon fire, nearly slamming into Finn, who came barreling around a corner.
A winged boy trailed after Finn as he carried the girls, panic reflecting in his eyes. “What happened? I heard Tari cry out in my mind!”
“Helian, this is a bad idea!” Shiri called behind me.
“The demon mistress took her,” I blurted. “Aurora is our only hope!”
Finn threw back his head, howling while letting the girls slide down his chest. The little boy grabbed the girls’ hands, acting like a protective older brother.