Page 79 of Ava's Love of the Dragons
But the sorceress kept the blue bolt in her hand and stared at Ava's chest. Was something magical happening? Was the prophecy being fulfilled?
She followed her gaze and couldn't see anything to explain Elora's reaction. The corset-like leather vest covered her upperbody, underneath she wore the tunic, and from under that had slipped out her necklace with the pendant.
The broken heart.
"Where did you get that?" Elora's voice sounded strangely hollow.
Ava blinked. The feeling returned to her body and she sat up warily. Elora, meanwhile, didn't blink once, just stared at the necklace and didn't move.
"From my parents."
The sorceress widened her eyes and didn't budge. Ava hesitated, but then seized the opportunity. She jumped to her feet, ran to her dagger and picked it up. She whirled around lightning-fast, expecting the final death blow, but Elora just watched her with an open mouth.
She didn't understand what was going on, but she wouldn't wait and ask. She would use this chance that had been given to her for some reason.
Slowly, she walked backward, reached the door, and hesitated for a second, taking one last look at the magistra. But the sorceress still didn't move, said nothing, just stared at her. The lightning crackled in her hand, but she seemed unaware of it.
With her heart pounding wildly, Ava pushed open the door and hurried out.
Loud footsteps and shouts echoed from the entrance portal through the high corridor. The mages were returning, which was why Ava didn't run outside but took the passage into the interior of the castle. She could hardly believe she had escaped Elora, but she switched off any thoughts of it and focused on what was important. Why she had come here in the first place.
Magg.
She rushed through the next door and discovered a laboratory with vials, pots, mortars, and books on a table, andcountless herbs hanging from ceiling beams. It looked like an alchemist's lab. Magg wasn't there, nor was anyone else. She quickly looked out into the hallway, watched the mages storm into the throne room, and slipped out of the room to inspect the neighboring one.
A loud angry scream rang out. Was that Elora?
No matter, she had to keep going. She opened the next door and the one after that. At the next, she stumbled over a mage. Before he realized who she was, she rammed the dagger hilt against his temple, causing him to collapse unconscious.
She jumped over him into the room where he had been standing guard and finally discovered the cadet.
Magg was lying on a wooden table, her arms stretched out awkwardly, her body strangely twisted. Only the beads of sweat on her forehead revealed that she was still alive. Ava hurried to her and stroked her cheek. "Magg? Magg?"
The door was thrown open, Ava whirled around and raised the dagger in defense. But it wasn't a mage.
"Kilian?"
"Ava!"
She looked at him in disbelief. "Where's Lilly?"
"Thalara is taking her to safety. What about Magg?"
"She fell from Thalara and is unconscious. We have to carry her."
The dragon fighter was already beside her. He grabbed Magg and threw her over his shoulder. She groaned but didn't stir.
Blows thundered through the castle complex, a wall collapsed with a loud crash, and screams echoed through the castle. Ava looked around frantically. "How do we get out of here?"
"This way." He ran to the window, took a picture off the wall, and hurled the frame through the glass. Countless splinters flew outside. He brushed the remaining pieces with the woodenframe and waved for Ava to follow him. He jumped onto a table and waited until Ava was beside him. "Jump!"
The door was thrown open, so Ava didn't hesitate. She leaped out of the window into the castle courtyard, Kilian right behind her. A magic ball followed them, but before it hit them, Ava raised the dagger with the Isip stone and deflected it.
He pointed to a narrow staircase that led to the battlements. "Up there! And tell Draco! He has to pick us up."
"We're coming to the castle wall!"
"On my way!"
