Daryn made Izar dash to the tunnel. When they reached the mouth of the tunnel, Daryn was aghast to notice that the place was entirely dug up on the other side of the magical wall. The boulders that had blocked the entrance were removed from their place and each boulder was shattered to pieces. A heap of rocks was littered nearby. The magical blue lines still crackled in a zigzag pattern. On the other side, Nusgroth was seen removing the earth along with five more dwarfs. As soon as he saw them, he bared his teeth in anger and said, "Grtezadaph Solaris?" He picked up and threw a small rock towards them but it splintered the moment it touched the electric lines. He was panting and puffing.

'I knew this would happen,' Dawn said to Daryn. Then in a mocking voice, she said, "Come out Brantley. I know you have already reached here."

​​

She heard a chuckle. "You are a smart woman, Dawn," he said as he walked to them from behind a curtain of willow trees.

"Remove the magic," she demanded as soon as she saw him. The radiance emitted by the stone was heating her skin.

"Where's my gem?" He pointed at the dug ground. "It isn't there."

"Get rid of the magic first." She was desperate to remove the stone from her body but she was holding it.

"You are one stubborn woman," he almost shouted at her. "The bond won't break unless I get the ruby."

"I know."

Brantley's breathing accelerated. He wanted her dragon and the stone. But she was a master at dealing. He wondered if the magic in her awakened due to her dragon. And if it had awakened, he didn't want to take a chance at challenging it. Slowly, he brought his hands in front and twisted his wrists in a way that the blue lights seemed to get sucked in him.

'Now!' Dawn connected with Quetz. She heard his whoop of joy and a flight of feathers.

'Take Izar in the tunnel,' she mentally communicated to Daryn who trotted his horse patiently and entered the tunnel. The dwarfs stopped him from going any further.

"Turn the horse," she said.

When she was facing Brantley, she opened the last button of her shirt, dug inside it and plucked the ruby out of the jeans buckle. She held it high in the air. As soon as light fell on it, it glittered a brilliant red swathing the surrounding area in its red hue. She smiled, winked at him, kissed the stone and tossed it towards Brantley who caught it with his right hand.

Something snapped between them. She felt the vibrations of the crackle.

"You are free from the bond," he informed her.

"I know! Let's go Daryn," she said and Daryn sprinted his horse after making him jump over the dwarfs.

Brantley roared from behind. "Daaaawwwn!" He looked at Nusgroth and almost yelled at them, "Go get her!"

But the two were gone.

Nusgroth and other dwarfs scurried after them to stop them. They disappeared beneath the ground to run faster, however, the way Izar galloped through the tunnel, it was impossible for the dwarfs to catch up with him.

While riding with him, Dawn breathed out, "I am scared that Brantley might come after us with his magic or destroy this beautiful tunnel."

"No, he wouldn't destroy it," he replied.

"Why?" she asked curiously.

"Because that would mean complete cessation of communication from the human world. And that is one thing that other races would not take kindly."

"Oh! So is this the only way they all can come out to the human world?"

"Yes. Now sit quietly and conserve your energy."

Izar galloped out of the tunnel in a record three hours. It was 9PM.

Daryn pulled Izar to the sidewalk and took him to the troughs. Daryn patted Izar and said, "Thank you my friend. Take rest here tonight. Tomorrow, your keeper will come and take you back." He hugged his neck and thanked him internally for the entire journey he undertook with him.

Dawn walked up to them and joined in their hug. Izar produced a short whinny, approving their close proximity. He was very tired and sweating a lot.

Both Dawn and her mate were fatigued both physically and emotionally. All their muscles were aching from top to bottom. They had thought that perhaps they would never come out of the maze Brantley had put them into, but not only they came out within three days, they were victorious. The feeling of achievement outdid the exhaustion.

The stars in the sky were shining brilliantly and under the hazy moonlight, when Dawn turned to look back at the tunnel, a shudder ran through her body. She wouldn't dare to come back to the Ulfric for years. She had had her share of it.

'Where are you Quetz,' she reached out to him.

'Out of Ulfric!' he replied and yelped in joy.

Dawn chortled. It was finally over. Daryn came and held her hand. "Ready to go back, Mrs. Silver?"

A grin split her face into two. "I could get used to that, Mr. Silver," she replied.

From the corner of her eyes, she noticed two low beam headlights of a car approaching towards them. When the car came to a stop, Dawn was surprised when Daryn's driver stepped out.

The driver greeted him with a bow, "Good evening CEO Silver. The car is ready at your service."

'H— how did he know that you were arriving?' she asked mentally.

'You forget that I am the Alpha of the pack. I can mind link with almost anyone I want to,' he replied as he held her hand and opened the door for her to sit in the car.

Dawn leaned on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He leaned his head on hers and the two slept.

The car headed for the airport where the private aircraft was already parked and waiting for them.

It was early morning when they reached The Silver Arcade. And they crashed on the bed.