Erik was stunned. He stared at Morgan in an entirely different way, like he was seeing her from a whole new perspective. I thought he would be furious but his hand rubbed his jaw and for a brief second I saw the tug of a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. That wasn’t the contemptuous scowl I was expecting. Morgan had compared him to her Aunt’s stinky iguana, Percy. But Erik didn’t seem upset at all. He seemed… happy.

I wondered if he was scheming, perhaps mentally envisioning a horrible torture for the both of us to endure. His smile faded but into a stone cold expression and his eyes darkened, focusing directly on Morgan’s fiery gaze. Morgan stared right back at Erik. She wasn’t going to be intimidated by him or anybody else. She stood firmly, asserting strength and power. The air around her sizzled and cracked with energy.

Finally, Erik broke the silence. Gravely he lowered his voice and said,

“No one has ever penetrated the dragon fortress and lived to tell the tale. Although I am superficially impressed by your feigned courage Miss Fox, I am afraid that the disrespect you have shown me will not go unpunished.”

I swallowed hard. Just when life starts to go right, fate sends me down poop creek without a paddle. Erik waved his hands towards a pair of guards, who then disappeared for a few moments.

“However because of your unusual circumstances and my gracious disposition, I will offer you a bargain.” Erik smiled and snapped his fingers.

The doors at the end of the hall opened. A group of heavily armed soliders, escorted by armoured dragons moved like a malicious swarm into the room. I strained my eyes and in the middle of this heard of this clunking scrum, I could see a familiar face. Bound chained and manacled, Dante was being dragged towards the dragon King. My heart slammed against my chest. I breathed out his name, and he looked up. Beautiful green eyes collided with mine and there was a moment of complete ecstasy and anguish. I felt Morgan’s hand rest on my forearm as I instinctively moved forward. She pulled me back saying something to me, which didn’t really permeate through haze of emotions. Dante bolted forward, pulling over several guards. The dragons pushed him back, binding him with even more chains. He screamed out my name and I tried to ran to him.

Morgan held onto me.

“Stop it! I can’t protect you like this.” She said.

I stopped. A feeling of complete helplessness washed over me. Morgan tried to reassure me again,

“I won’t let anything happen to Dante.”

Erik let out a sharp laugh as he overheard that comment, “You maybe a fox, but you are a fox facing an entire army of dragons. I feel sorry for you. In fact I feel so sorry I am going to give you ladies the option of avoiding a most terrible punishment.”

Snapping his fingers again he indicated toward an area of floor to the side of the room. Two soldiers run across to this floor space and heaved up, what looked like a wooden grid that seemed to cover a pit.

Erik looked at Dante, “Do you know what this is?” Erik asked Dante.

Dante stared at him, then to me, “Ebony, forgive me. I fought so hard to save you,” Dante then turned his attention to Erik, “Dragon King, release the women. They have played no part in this. I will accept whatever sentence you cast upon me if you promise not to harm them.”

“No, Dante! Erik, please have mercy.” I begged.

Erik shook his head, “Do you not understand the devastation he has caused””

I protested violently, shaking my head, “You don’t understand, Dante was manipulated and lied to. My brother, He told Dante that you had-”

Erik raised a hand, “I am well aware of what that raven told Dante.”

I blinked. “Then you understand?”

“I have no sympathy for your vampire. He is an enemy of my people and he will pay for his crimes with his life. However I will exempt you from this punishment. Over there is a portal back to the mortal world. If you have any sense then you will leave.”

Morgan stepped forward, “That’s not going to happen.” She said.

Erik raised a quizzical eyebrow, “Then you will watch him die before your own miserable deaths.” He replied flatly.

Panic was clawing its way from the pit of my stomach up inside me. Closing my hand over my throat I said dryly, “Please Erik, do not kill Dante. I can’t live… I can’t live without him.”

“Is that way you ran away? For God sake go to the portal! Go back to your human world!” Erik snapped.

Morgan raised her hand and I watched blue flames ignite from her palm. Erik rested his hand on his sword, cautiously eyeing up Morgan.

“Do not be foolish, girl! I am giving you, your freedom.” He said indicating to the portal.

“Ebony,” Dante called out to me, “Leave here. Go with Morgan. Please live.”

No, no, no, no. I repeated the word over and over in my head. A pain in my head began to throb and ache as I swallowed back a sob. Those green eyes were pleading with me to go and jump down that portal and to be safe. Raking my hand through my hair, I shook my head.

“Ebony, listen to me. You need to go. We cannot win. Morgan, please take her.” Dante asked.

The flame in Morgan’s hand suddenly flickered into nothingness. Morgan took my hand and pulled me towards the portal. I dragged my heels against the floor fighting against her, Morgan paused and forced me to look at her.

“Have a little faith.” She said softly and then briefly winked.

Did she have a plan? Reluctantly I followed her to where Erik stood next to the portal.

“Well,” Morgan sighed, “I never thought it would end up like this.” She said.

She peered into the blackness of the portal that looked like a never ending pit. Holding my hand she gave it a tight squeeze. Leaning towards my ear she softly whispered.

“I love you Ebs. Have a good life.”

Then there was a moment’s silence followed by a flash of brilliant blue. Bright blue flames encircled Dante, breaking the links of his chains and sending the dragon soldiers fleeing from the searing flames of pure spirit. Erik stepped forward yelling at the soldiers to get back in formation, but Morgan reached out and grabbed him. Holding tightly on to his armour, she pulled him off balance. Erik staggered back. Morgan briefly smiled at me for half a second then, still holding on to Erik, flung herself into the portal dragging Erik with her.