After Brantley returned from Dawn's tent, he informed him that she was sleeping soundlessly and that he had to go again to talk to her about the contest. And now it was post dinner. The whole town had burst into festivities. It was pretty late in the night and he had been searching for Daryn for several hours now. 

Ileus looked up at the spires again and then his gaze followed the light coming from the window. He had to check out whether Daryn was there in that tower or not. Teleporting was difficult and every time he did that, he couldn't convert into mist. So he leaped from the ledge where he was sitting on the ledge of the roof of the castle with one leg hanging down. His body immediately converted into mist and he traveled up the tower slowly. He came to the balcony, which was sealed with multiple spells to ward off strangers. However, it was a spell that Ileus could evade with much ease. 

​​

Through the years he had learnt how to unravel the magic—it was like an inborn trait in him to peel the layers. How many in all those years have been able to keep him away from such warding spells? This magic was nothing in front of his talents. 

Still as mist, Ileus traveled past the spells and then entered the door, which was open. The room was dimly lit and had luxurious furniture. 

There was a table in the center with blue silk rugs on all the sides. Expensive fabric stretched over a couch and matching curtains draped the windows. On the wall were several types of swords and heads of beasts that must have been hunted and stuffed. He sniffed the air to detect his cousin's scent but there was none. The room led to a corridor and then to another room. And on a large bed within silk bed sheets was Daryn. He was sleeping soundly and his breaths were even, which meant that he wasn't drugged. Ileus smiled at his discovery. He had been hunting for his cousin ever since he was shown the tents, and finally he found him here. Sedora had stashed her sacrificial lamb in a tower as if he was Rapunzel, who had small black hair, and Dawn was the knight in shining armor. He chuckled at his analogy. 

He walked up to him, canted his head and said, "Daryn, wake up!" 

Nothing. 

Ileus poked him hard. "Wake up bro, else I will leave your rugby team!" 

Daryn stirred. He half-opened his eyes and then turned to the other side. He took a pillow and curled around it saying, "Dawn…" 

Ileus gritted his teeth. He went forward to shake him. "Wake up Daryn!" he couldn't say it too loud for the fear that there might be someone out there. 

Daryn opened his eyes widely with a jolt and then as if he was under attack, he grabbed Ileus's neck and pinned him under him. His face had contorted into a dangerous expression as his nostrils flared and every muscle in his neck corded. 

"Daryn!" Ileus choked. "Leave me!" 

Daryn looked at him with wide eyes and then his anger evaporated. Completely shocked, he left a coughing Ileus and sat away from him. "By Skadi! Are you okay?" he asked. "H— how did you manage to come here?" he scanned the room with wild eyes hoping it was safe for him. "And is Dawn with you? I think I saw her. I have been seeing her everywhere. Like every woman I see, I feel dawn is there." He raked his hands through his hair looking miserable. "What have I done?" 

Ileus coughed a little and then got up. He took in a deep breath and shook his head. "And a hello to you too!" He waved a hand and they were covered with a thick layer of mist. "Now no one can hear us or see us, though I can't guarantee it!" 

"How did you manage to come here? Do you have any news of Dawn? If you have, then tell me. If you haven't, then you have to send this message to her—that, she shouldn't come after me. I will find my way out of this mess and go to her. She is pregnant and I really don't want her to travel at all. My mother— my mother—" 

"Tricked you?" Ileus completed the sentence. He understood immediately that Sedora was keeping him walled within illusions. Somehow she didn't create illusions in this tower. Maybe, it was to make him feel miserable about himself. 

Daryn darted a gaze to him. His eyes were full of sadness. "Yes…" 

"Well, the thing is that Dawn is already here."

"What? No! This place is too dangerous for her," Daryn said in a jittery voice. "Ask her to leave." 

"Daryn, she is here to take you back and she has already met Sedora." 

"Shit!" Daryn's body froze. 

Ileus narrated him the entire events that occurred over the past few hours. "So you see, at the moment Dawn is in her tent as one of the contestants." 

Any remnant of warmth that was there in Daryn abandoned him. Ground disappeared beneath his feet and he felt dizzy. "That old woman has gone mad!" It only felt like yesterday when he kissed her goodbye. He had fought against his mother's barriers but he couldn't do anything with the spells. And on top of that she gave him god knows what injections which kept him drugged most of the days. Illusions were created everywhere in his drugged state in which he saw Dawn in various actions. Mostly she was hugging him. Even in this summer heat, his body shivered. It occurred to him that this was a nightmare, or maybe when he would blink his eyes, the dream would lift off, but hurt returned with full force when he realized that he was trapped in a nightmare and so was his mate. 

"I can't believe that Brantley is here and Dawn is carrying—" 

"His mate!" Ileus completed the sentence. "And whatever questions you have about Brantley, you have to ask him. I don't know much!"

"I want to meet her," said Daryn as if it was such an urgent thing to do. 

Ileus nodded. "I have come to take you to her, but under the given conditions, it would be better if she comes here." 

"Don't even get her here Ileus. If Sedora would come to know, she would kill her!" Daryn looked so scared that Ileus almost felt like crying. But then he realized that his wife was pregnant with babies. 

"There are so many warding spells around this royal apartment of yours that you won't be able to step out without getting fried," said Ileus, as he mused upon something. His dark hair fell on his forehead as his dark eyes looked past Daryn. 

"Won't it be the same for Dawn?" Daryn remarked. 

"That's what I am also thinking. The problem with taking you over there is that Dawn is living in tents that are exclusively for the contestants. That place is being watched crazily. Brantley had gone to give her food tray after casting numerous spells." He looked at the talisman around his neck. "And this— argh! This talisman is literally sucking off all our magic!" He got to his feet and paced in front of Daryn. "If I take you there, Sedora would come to know immediately, plus you would become the target of many sorcerers. And you already know what that means?" 

"Ileus, it is better if I get fried and not Dawn…"