This had to be it. Right?
Riley’s lungs felt strange, not in the suffocating way he expected when plunging into water, but in the odd rhythm of breathing freely beneath the surface. Kael’s magic wrapped around him, seamless as always, and for once, he didn’t complain.
They were underwater now, following the lingering mana signatures that had stopped at the stream. The surface above shimmered faintly, distant and distorted, while all around them the world was dark and hushed, broken only by the faint current tugging at their clothes.
Riley’s eyes darted left, then right. Nothing. Just water, rocks, and waving strands of river grass. His chest tightened with doubt. He turned sharply toward Kael, brows furrowed, clearly demanding without words: Are you sure?
The dragon lord didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. His golden eyes shifted toward the distance, narrowing, then flicked back at Riley with a look that all but said yes.
And then Riley saw it.
Not above the stream. Not even on the surface.
But here, hidden deep beneath.
An unnatural spiral churned in the water ahead of them. A whirlpool, small but sharp, twisting like a blade into the depths. The water bent around it in defiance of every natural law, colors flickering faintly at its edges.
Riley’s jaw dropped. His wide eyes screamed You’ve got to be kidding me.
Kael’s expression, on the other hand, stayed grim. He gave the smallest tilt of his head toward the vortex, his meaning clear: this is where it ends.
Riley swore internally, his shoulders stiffening.
A crazy-ass water vortex.
A portal.
No words were exchanged. They didn’t need them.
It’s just that... he didn’t like this. Not one bit.
Meanwhile, back at the elven palace, Queen Rhiannon was pacing the floor, her movements restless.
The human had not returned. And neither had the dragon lord.
She scratched her nails against her palms as she moved from one side of the chamber to the other, muttering under her breath. She had already sent people to look, but her husband’s fury over Rowan had crippled their efforts. The prince could not even order a proper search without his father blocking his way in anger.
Rowan spoke carefully, trying to sound calm. "Mother. The barrier over Silvara has not been broken anywhere. That means they are still within. They are likely just... hiding."
The Queen stopped, ready to argue. Her mouth opened, but the memory of what happened earlier—Rowan stepping forward, taking the blame in her stead—cut her words short. Her hands trembled. She sat down heavily and bit at her nails until they bled.
Rowan’s gaze lingered on her, heavy with unspoken thoughts.
She was different now. Weaker. Ever since she saw that box.
If she hadn’t... if she hadn’t opened it, maybe things would have gone differently. Maybe they could have pursued an investigation instead of being bound by the leash of fear, instead of falling under their control without a means to even check on his well-being.
His jaw tightened. More than anything, one question pressed itself into his mind, refusing to let go.
Where was their youngest now?
__
Finnian, or Prince Finnian to a few elves who knew, flinched as light seared across his closed eyelids.
For so long, the place had been nothing but damp, musty darkness. Now, the sudden flare made every child shrink back. Hands flew to faces. Whimpers filled the air. Their weak bodies groaned under the shock of brightness they hadn’t seen in days.
At first, they blinked through tears, adjusting in sluggish, pained movements. But then the horror began.
A shadow stepped forward. Not a man, not a beast, but a mass of darkness that moved with intent. The mouth carved into its shrouded form stretched wide as it bent low and yanked at a child’s frail arm.
The child screamed.
"Noooo!"
Risa struggled, jerking against the shackles that pinned her to the wall. The metal rattled, biting her wrists, her cries raw and furious. "Stop! Please stop! Take me instead!"
But her chains held fast.
Finnian’s eyes went wide, wet with terror.
He himself was trembling, but he stumbled forward, pushing himself between the shadow and the child.
At first, they didn’t think anything of the children being taken because they had been told that those who were taken like that would be freed after they cooperated. But the screams from the other chambers said otherwise.
When it wasn’t their turn, they could hear the beings from the other cells crying and screaming, and only then did they realize it wasn’t a good thing to be taken. But as if by fortune, the ones taken had always come from the other cells.
But not today.
Small arms spread wide, shaking but stubborn. "No! Not him!" His voice cracked as he shouted. "Me! Take me instead! He’s too young! Please!"
The younger boy clung to him desperately, tiny fists twisted in Finnian’s torn tunic, sobbing into his shoulder. Other children latched onto them as if sheer numbers could anchor them all in place. Their little bodies pressed together, trembling, refusing to let go.
The figure of darkness clicked its tongue, sharp and annoyed.
Then it struck. A shove so strong it hurled Finnian backward. He hit the ground with a gasp, still clutching the younger child tight.
The mouth sneered. "You’re going there too. But it’s not your turn, so move!"
The children shrieked, hands outstretched toward each other as the shadow dragged its chosen victim out of the cell door. Their cries overlapped, raw and broken, as though they believed sheer volume could pull their friend back.
Risa’s voice ripped across the chamber, her throat already hoarse from countless nights of screaming. "Let them go!"
The shadow scoffed, muttering under its breath, "I don’t understand why we need to waste time appeasing them first. In the end, they all end up the same."
The children’s sobbing only grew louder.
The darkness roared, voice shaking the chamber. "Shut up! All of you stup—"
BZZZT!
The figure convulsed mid-word, the sound of crackling energy cutting through the cries. Sparks danced across the shadow’s outline as it jerked; the hiss of something being shocked filled the suffocating air.
The children froze, every tear-streaked face staring wide-eyed as the dark figure twitched under the current.
"!!!"