It was midnight when Corrinus left the castle. He was alone, on foot and covered head to toe in his darkest robe. He knew where he was heading. It wasn't far from the castle. Two stone dragons each the height of a man were hidden down one of the many dead-end routes leading from the castle.

Corrinus knew their exact location, he had marvelled at them before when he was a homeless boy searching for a dry place to sleep. They were pale red stone, intricately carved and finished with emerald eyes. Not many people knew they existed. Why would they? No one but the brave or stupid explored anywhere near the castle. But Corrinus knew. And he knew one other thing too.

The stone dragons could be made real.

#

Millicent headed down a spiral staircase that led to the kitchens, her feet tapping at the stone and echoing strangely. At the bottom, she almost bumped into another of the aides and as he stepped back she saw it was her father.

Jonjo seemed surprised to see her. "Millicent! Corrinus told you to go to Noan. I know you could not have been there already."

She glared at the old man. "I sent a messenger from South–Town," she said.

Jonjo glared back. "Saying what? I hope you didn't mention the dragon. You know there'll be a right panic if the Lamya people find out about it. It could cause a riot!"

"I'm not stupid, father," she snapped. "I said 'Tell Noan to keep his leader's confidence or he's a dead man!' Now mind out of my way!"

The aide stayed where he was and Millicent glowered at him. "I know you are plotting, child, I see it in your eyes," he said. "We are here to serve Corrinus."

She huffed and sneered disrespectfully at her father. "We have more right to the leadership than him," she said. "He is lowborn. A street urchin with no name but the one he gave himself. Our family can be traced back to the first Lamya leaders. It should be me—"

"Millicent!" Jonjo said, harshly. "Any man has a right to the leadership so long as he fights for it. It does not depend on birth-right. We are not Elani Kings."

She smiled secretively. "Oh I do intend to fight for it. Now out of my way!" She pushed past her old father and marched off towards the kitchens.

#

Helena jolted into wakefulness as the big wooden door to the kitchen burst open and light from the hall flooded in. She knew it could only be Millicent and as the twins and their parents had already been moved to another part of the castle she knew the aide had come for her.

Millicent was careful to shut the door and lock it behind her. She smiled and sat at the table.

"Before you ask," Helena said, "I've decided I won't help you."

A flicker of anger passed across Millicent's face, she breathed hard through her nose and then stood up and headed towards the door. She turned back to Helena. "Then starting from tomorrow a slave will die and then one a day until you help me."

Helena rose to her feet, cold dread washing over her. "You can't do that!" she cried. "You... you can't! Surely Corrinus won't allow you to kill his slaves?"

Millicent smirked. "Do you really think Corrinus knows about everything I do? I'll speak to you when you've changed your mind. Sleep well."

And with that she left, leaving Helena's mind in more torment.

#

Corrinus bunched his fists in desperation. He had the sceptre, he knew the right words and he knew where he had to stand. The trouble was that he couldn't stand in front of the stone dragons long enough to make them change. His weak pink eyes forced him to turn away every time the dragons started to emit the bright light that signalled the beginning of their transformation.

He glared at the twin dragons as if it were their fault he couldn't see properly and cursed under his breath before he tried again.

He placed himself directly in front of the dragons, took a breath to calm himself, and held the sceptre straight out in front of him. He started the ancient chant to revive the dragons. Once again, the mystical stone beasts started to change. Light filtered from cracks in the stone. This was his cue to touch each of the dragons with the sceptre, to complete the transformation, but as the light grew stronger he was forced once again to turn away and shield his eyes as the pain stabbed at him.

The lights faded and the dragons were no more than stone.

Corrinus narrowed his eyes. It would be a long time before he gave up!

A crunch of gravel and a shuffle of heavy feet alerted him to the presence of another person nearby. Calmly and silently, he drew one of his blades from beneath his cloak and prepared himself to throw.

Suddenly he stopped. And stared. And then he laughed. And then he threw his arms in the air in triumph and called a greeting to the man stood before him.

"Zev! My old friend, how I have waited for this moment!"

The silent guard simply smiled, he seemed to barely recognise his master, his face was a mass of dried blood and scars and Corrinus suspected the swords-master had left him in that state. Zev turned to leave.

"Zev!" he cried, grinding his teeth. "Come to me and hold this sceptre."

Zev slowly turned his head and looked back. He sighed and shrugged and made his way over to the stone dragons.

Corrinus smiled and handed his guard the sceptre before retreating to the safety of the shadows. "Now," he commanded, "hold it out straight and wait for the lights to begin. When they are at their brightest, touch each of the statues on the forehead." He laughed. "You understand me, yes?"

Zev looked at the dragons and held the sceptre as commanded. Corrinus closed his eyes and began the chant.