My heart was pounding in my ears and my stomach was roiling, threatening to make me vomit all over the floor in front of me every time I passed to catch my breath. It was inevitable that they would eventually come marching to the demonic realm, but I had held out hopes that perhaps we would have more time or that Rafe could amass a big enough army to dissuade them from trying before we could figure out what to do with the girl. It had been ridiculous of me to hold onto such unlikely events, nothing was going to stop a fae from getting what they wanted. I didn’t even know where I was running to, the fae were probably going to scour the realm to take anything they felt was worth their time and there was little chance of me being able to get to a stone when I had no idea where one was located.

“BARRICADE THE DOORS!” Rafe shouted from somewhere near the front entrance of the castle. He was using the full power of his magical voice to make sure there would be no doubt to his commands. “HOLD THE LINE DOWN TO THE LAST MAN!”

At least he was being a realist about his chances of success. It would take a miracle to prevent the fae from being able to overwhelm any attempt at a defense. That was precisely why I had wasted no time in retrieving a hastily packed bag from my room and started sprinting for the back entrance. It was extremely likely that they would be converging on all sides and I would run face first into them, but there was still a chance, even if remote. A slim chance was still better than none and I would take my chances. I was not certain that they would kill me, in fact I had little idea what they would do with me, but fae were not known to leave their enemies behind.

“Miss Mari?”

I halted in my tracks and spun around to look back at the corner I had just rounded. The little girl who was the cause of all this trouble was peeking around the corner, face ghastly white and terrified. She was a torrent of foul fae magic, it was spilling from her and crashing in waves against me. I deeply regretted coming across her and going to the trouble of bringing her back, even if it did seem like the best option at the time. I should have taken more time to consider why exactly she was such a little girl with a tremendous amount of magical potential.

“They’re here, aren’t they?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, like if she spoke too loudly they might find her that way instead of the obvious magical signal she was flashing like a beacon.

“They are,” I responded tersely, “little chance you will escape their clutches. I advise you to comply with what they ask of you and perhaps you will keep your life, though I do not know if you will ultimately be happy if you do.” I turned to resume my sprint towards the door, I had no more time to waste.

“No, please!” she begged shrilly, “please take me with you!”

I did not respond, but instead laughed gruffly as I broke into a run. There was no way I was going to agree to be anywhere near her while the fae nipped at her heels. Getting caught with her would be sure to grant me a terrible sentence, probably one where I would beg for death instead.

“Wait!” she wailed, I could feel her oppressive magical aura following me.

Unfortunately I was too old and slow to keep ahead of her and at this point I didn’t dare express any magic that might force her away, the fae were sure to sniff out non-demonic magic use and seek to investigate the source.

“Just keep away,” I snapped, turning my head back to give her a withering glare, “don’t get me killed. You’re doomed, accept it.”

“If I can just get out…” Her eyes were filled with tears and her whole body was trembling with fear.

“There is no getting out for you.”

“We did last time-”

I stopped short, causing her to almost not be able to stop in time from crashing into me. She let out a sharp sound of surprise and held her hands out in case she did actually crash into me.

“No!” I bellowed, using the full force of my voice without actually drawing on any of my power. “Begone from me and accept your fate!”

Tears fully crested her eyes and ran down her cheeks, the fae aura around her descending into even more chaos as if it was directly tied to her emotions. Her mouth opened as if she was about to start begging, but no sound came out aside from choking sobs. She fell to her knees as it finally dawned on her that I would have no part in saving her this time, in fact, if I thought snapping her neck would stop the invasion I would have done so without hesitation. Not entertaining her pleading any further, I rolled my eyes at her emotional display and continued on. I felt her eventually begin to follow me again, but at a much greater distance, probably hoping that I would not notice. If she managed to get out the door with me and still insisted on following, as soon as I felt it was safe enough to do so, I would kill her. In theory her magical might could be a fair match for me, but she would have no clue how to effectively protect herself. I could probably even just play it off like I was giving in and letting her follow, get her close, then deliver a quick killing blow with no struggle at all.

“DRAW YOUR STRENGTH!”

My heart sank at Rafe’s command, it meant that the fae were about to breach the castle and I was running out of time. I flew down the staircase, nearly tripping down the last few steps in my haste. I was almost to the back, I just needed to pass through one last hallway then I could throw open the door and make a desperate run for the stables, get a steed, then ride until the beast collapsed. Then perhaps I would be able to take a moment to breathe and make a more solid plan. Surely someone in one of the villages would known something of one of the stones and I could find another horse and rid hard for it and pass into the human realm again. What I would do from there, I had no clue, I only hoped that fortune might smile upon me just enough to make it that far.

There were a few demon servants scrambling out the door when it came into view, their measly possessions hap-haphazardly shoved into makeshift bags. It was relieving, but also concerning news that they were escaping so easily. I would have expected Rafe and his commanders to be savvy enough to cover all entrances, the fact they were not meant that all of them either knew something I did not or were all making a glaring mistake. I suspected it was the first and I hated the idea that I was out of the loop on something this important. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and with really no options left to question why it was clear, I marched towards the door with purpose, ready to knock anyone out of my way.

“Leaving so quickly?”

My hands fumbled the bag I was carrying, tumbling it to the floor as I clutched my chest in fright. I knew that voice all too well. Aela stepped out from one of the rooms next to me, a wide smirk on her face.

“Why are you here?” I growled as I bent to snatch up my dropped bag. I paused and shook my head violently as it dawned on me exactly where she was. “How are you here?”

“Out of everything going on, that is what concerns you the most,” she said with a dark laugh. “It’s true, my dear mother never did let me in on all the family secrets, but my new family knows more than she could have ever dreamed of. It is not an easy thing to travel over to this filthy realm, but surely you did not think the castle was the only point of travel.”

“I’m surprised they would allow you to travel to this realm at all, or are they waiting to cleanse you with fire as soon as you return? If you return, I should say.”

Her smirk widened and she shook her head. “We can banter all we like later, but as I’m sure you’re well aware of, we’re on borrowed time and we can bicker to our heart's content at a later date.”

“You make it sound like you think we’re going to travel somewhere together.” I broke my gaze with her to watch another servant slip out the door, a crying baby clutched to her breast. “I don’t believe I would ever go anywhere with you.”

“Even to your salvation from this certain death you face?”

“Straight to the clutches of the Church?” I countered. “I might rather die.”

She let out a huffing laugh through her nose. “What if they don’t kill you? They quite fancy slaves, you might just have just enough power for them to consider you worthy to be used as little better than livestock.”

That did not appeal to me at all, I did not want to spend the twilight of my life in slavery, it was far beneath me. Though, I was not certain that submitting myself to the Church would be much better than being enslaved. Perhaps marginally, but the disgust I felt with either option made my stomach turn.

“I think you see the corner you are backed into. I am offering to help you out of some silly sense of family that I hold on to still for some illogical reason, do not think that I care much either way what ultimately happens to you.”

“If you are not here to help me, then what are you here for?”

“The girl,” she chuckled, “surely you are bright enough to figure out at least that much.”

“Then take her.” I scooped up my bag, then brushed past my niece on my way to the door. I wanted nothing to do with the situation any longer, if they wanted the girl they could have her, I would take my chances with the demonic countryside.

“You make everything more complicated than it has to be, you always have.”

Aela’s magical aura engulfed me and I felt my senses become fuzzy, like the air around me had suddenly thickened, making it hard to move my limbs forward. The world swirled and I collapsed to my knees, my eyes fluttering closed against my best ability to fight what was happening to me. My last conscious memories of the demon realm were of the bitterly cold stone floor as the fae frost traced it’s icy pattern towards me.