The change from dragon to human was also a painful one, but Lillith forced her body to change. Isabella cried out, but Lillith gave her no time to recover. She only yanked her upright and shoved her through an open portal.

Isabella gasped. Before her was a house made of gingerbread of all things. Little gumdrops were stacked along the ridge of the roof. Candy canes dotted the snow covered ground.

“It’ s not real, you idiot. You have come here before,” Lillith said.

But Isabella did not remember that. Lillith waved her hand and the image of a gingerbread house vanished, to be replaced with a small cottage. Even the fairies stayed away from this place, or maybe it was just that there were so many of them that died. Her heart ached for what had been done to the fairies, no what she had done. She was the one who had called the attack and then she had battled to destroy them.

As she followed Lillith into her home, Isabella did recognize the place. She had come here looking for someone, hadn’t she?

Lillith opened the door to a large metal cage and stuffed Isabella inside. “Why are you doing this?” Isabella asked.

“Haven’t you figured it out? You are the heir, just like I wanted. You are going to continue to do whatever I say.”

Isabella’s stomach tightened. Of course Lillith would want the person she controlled to be the ruler of a nation. Lillith could become queen without having to conquer a kingdom.

“My job is to make sure that Taivalon does not stand. It can either join with me and submit to my rule, or it can perish, just like the Hasterian Kingdom.”

Isabella gasped. She knew that kingdom. More than that, she knew the castle. She had spent a good part of her life hiding out in that castle and then Lillith had bound her to it. Lillith was a vengeful, evil woman, but she hadn’t known that she was the one to destroy that kingdom. All she had to do was to kill the heir, and then the power that kept the kingdom safe would be dissolved. She couldn’t help worrying that the power that was flooding through her now, the power of the heir was in Lillith’s grip.

She sat in a chair next to Isabella, offering her a bowl of stew. “I can see that it’s finally starting to set in.” She grinned.

“You will help me control Taivalon or all of the people in the entire kingdom will die.” She pouted as if the thought actually bothered her.

“And if I don’t cooperate.”

Lillith grinned at that. “Look at you, you’re in a cage. You’re not exactly in a place to bargain, but I will grant you something if you will work with me. “I will reveal what I know about your daughter, if…” Lillith paused.

Isabella couldn’t help the hope that flooded through her at the mention of her daughter. She had done so many things to try to find her. She knew she wasn’t a baby anymore. She would be much older, but it didn’t matter. What Isabella wanted most in the world was to find her daughter, and put her arms around her. “…if what?”

“I have one more favor to ask of you, Isabella, and then I will help you find your daughter.”

“What is it?” Isabella had been tricked, tortured and messed with enough by this woman. She would not just accept whatever Lillith offered. She would have to think it through.

Lillith’s grin only widened and then she began to explain.