Milius was seated in a thick, velvet armchair set along the back wall of the reception area that he had burst into only hours before, thinking…. He was only vaguely aware of the fire crackling in the fireplace along the right wall, or the receptionist who was perched at her desk ahead of him, struggling to remain awake — or so she had been earlier. He had been too lost in thought to even notice that someone else had entered the building and propped himself down in a chair beside him earlier … lost in thought about all that Calder had told him, all that he had not told him, what he had seen in the forest, and of course, the news of Regulus’s mother, Milius’s Aunt Porella’s, engagement to the king of the country, to whom Milius and the other Knights would be venturing to serve under in a very short time.

He had taken the news very poorly indeed … but surely Regulus knew that he wasn't really going to harm him…? He also thought of Sirius. He hadn't seen his cousin since they had parted yesterday, and apparently, Sirius’s mother, Milius’s Aunt Aurora, was not at all pleased with him.

Milius and Calder had parted ways soon after that — Calder to return to the Dragoon Cave, and Milius to “cool off” as Calder suggested. Despite only being gone for less than a week, Milius felt that he had been away from home for a little short of an eternity. He strode through the house, which was still very much as neat and clean as he had left it, but something about the place was different.

Perhaps it was the absence of cheerfulness in recent times that had caused the place to feel so strange and unwelcoming — Milius had gone off to live in another part of the country, and Minerva, despite giving her blessing for him to stay, had been most upset that he had been made a Knight in the first place. It seemed that her sadness had left a sort of stain on the atmosphere, one that he doubted would be cleansed unless he came home….

He had found her undrunk potion spilled on the floor, her favourite kettle in pieces beside it. Milius had done this…. No, he told himself firmly, the Elders had. It was them shipping the Knights off to an uncharted part of the forest for days without their consent or even their knowledge that had caused Minerva to forget to take her potion.

It was they that had caused Regulus to now be able to hold it over him that he had saved his mother…. His anger at Calder had subsided, but certainly not dissipated. He had had time to calm down, but still, Calder had answers to several burning questions that Milius had and flat-out refused to share them …

Weighed down by his thoughts, he had been unable to sleep that night, and so he had ventured for a nighttime stroll. Perhaps the coolness and quiet would help to clear his head. Hoping that it would, he had set out, unknowingly ending up back at the Medical Ward where Minerva was stationed. Perhaps it was a sign, he thought …

Marlise too had calmed down, but was still somewhat angry for Milius’s behaviour earlier. Nevertheless, under sworn oath that he would sit quietly, he managed to convince her to at least let him stay inside the reception area, where her receptionist continued to shoot dirty looks at him until she dozed off.

He spent the better part of the night gazing up at the moon through the window above the fireplace, watching as clouds drifted serenely by, blotting it from view, and his mind strayed yet again….

The creature that he had seen in his dreams at Parluck’s treehouse appeared in his mind, shapeless and voiceless, staring down at him through its large, blank eyes. He remembered what Calder had said, about it possibly being a vision from a previous Knight … but how could he be certain? Was there some way that he could contact them?

Then again, he thought savagely, even if there was, Calder probably wouldn't have told him anyway. And at the thought of Calder, the storm in his mind brewed even more violently…. What was this thing that Calder had chosen him to do? What was this strange voice that kept whispering in his ear? Why did they need combat experience so desperately?

Milius hated being in the dark, hated feeling so helpless…. He wanted to know more, to be able to do something….

But he could! he remembered suddenly, as he glimpsed a bird fluttering out of sight ahead. He could help Minerva, at least … He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ball-sized rock that he had brought back with him yesterday, that he had hidden from the other Knights … from Sirius…. He didn't know why exactly he didn't tell them, but he just had the strangest feeling that he should keep it secret, even from Calder.

And even as he examined it, the man who had entered the shop earlier snoring loudly beside him, he thought … did he really want to give it to Minerva? A boiling hatred churned inside of him as the thought formed in his mind, and he quickly tossed the thought aside. Of course he did! But even so …

He shook his head furiously. Too many thoughts were swirling around in his brain, making it difficult to concentrate, to think clearly. He slipped the rock back inside the pocket of his robes and slumped back in his armchair, unsure if sleep would come, but hoping desperately that it did….

And as he sat there, listening to the soothing crackling of the fire, breathing in the sweet fumes of the plants surrounding him, his consciousness melted away….

He was back in the same dark chamber, but this time, he was alone. There was no enormous, shadowy form looming over him, no gleaming eyes blinking pitifully at him through the gloom …

But a voice — a cold, sharp, ancient voice, that seemed to fill every inch of the cavernous room, and which caused even Milius’s very bones to rattle inside of him: LEAVE IT!...

“Leave what?” Milius shouted blankly after a few moments, massaging his ears.

LEAVE IT …

“I don't understand!” Milius cried. “What do you mean?”

His voice echoed in the gloom, and for a split second, he thought that the voice had deserted him….

LEAVE IT! It came back, more menacing than ever, and the sound was so powerful, so terrible, that Milius was jerked awake, gasping for breath, as though he had stopped breathing in the dream.

“Are you all right?” said Marlise’s voice. She was standing over him, her large blue eyes, positioned behind thick black spectacles, wide with concern.

“Yes — yes, I'm fine,” Milius sputtered. He looked around, and as he did so, his hand absentmindedly clasped around the hilt of his blade. The man who was snoring beside him had disappeared, and Marlise’s receptionist was sprawled over her desk, her hair fluttering as she snored. As his breathing slowly steadied, he realized the only reason why Marlise could have been there, and his heart rate quickened once more. “What? What is it? Is something wrong with my —”

“No!” Marlise said quickly. “That's not why I'm here …”

Milius relaxed. “Okay … so, why are you here?”

She sighed, looking uncomfortable. “Your mother should be fine, but she'll need to start taking her potion again once I clear her. The thing is, I don't have all the ingredients I need to make it. I'm missing the most vital thing … Amphitrice.”

“What's that?” Milius asked.

“A flower. It's needed to bind the other ingredients together. The thing is …” She hesitated. “The flower can only be found in one place in Halgaria —”

“Where?” Milius interrupted.

She beckoned him to the window, where she pointed to a tall mountain range in the distance. “There is a lake near the foot of that mountain —”

“I can get it,” Milius said quickly. “I can take my dragon.”

“Are you sure?” Marlise asked, looking uneasy. “The thing is, the flower grows below the lake.”

“What? Well … how am I supposed to —”

“There are water spirits who live in that lake, Milius,” she said. “They can help you to obtain the flower.”

“Okay —”

“But,” she said hastily, “they are trickster spirits, those. They won't give you the flower easily. They'll surely want something in return….”

“I'll be fine,” Milius said firmly.

“All right…. Wait, aren't you going to bring someone with you?”

“I am,” he called back, moving swiftly through the corridors. He stepped out into the street, a cool breeze rustling his hair, and whistled. Moments later, a familiar enormous shape hurtled out of the sky and hovered a few meters off the ground above him. Lumeus, who had stationed himself near the edge of the town after depositing Calder back at the Dragoon Cave, stared down at him expectantly.

“Fancy a quick trip?” Milius asked, trying to keep his voice cool and confident.

In reply, he threw his tail down. Milius gripped it firmly as the dragon hoisted him up and swished his tail, dropping him onto its back. Milius pointed him in the direction of the mountain, yelled out, and they were off.

They arrived much faster than Milius thought they would have. The mountain loomed ahead of them, a grassy spearhead-like protrusion, its trees swaying in time to a gentle breeze. Below them, the lake glistened in the sunlight, a mass of icy-blue water, flowing serenely. Lumeus ducked down and landed at the bank, causing several woodland creatures who were dipping in the lake to take off in alarm. Milius hopped off and rushed to the edge, but a sudden thought stopped him in his tracks … how was he supposed to call them?

But he needn't have asked…. As though the thought had fluttered into the depths of the water, the surface began to ripple, and slowly, three women rose from the water. Except they didn't look like any women Milius had ever seen before…. They were breathtakingly beautiful, with transparent blue skin, long blue hair, pure black eyes like Parluck the goblin’s, and light blue dresses. Their arms and necks were bedecked with chains of seashells and pearls, their hair braided with seaweed.

Milius felt himself sway as he stared at them, felt his jaw drop, felt the heat rising in his cheeks. They began to giggle —

WHAM.

Lumeus’s tail whipped out and cracked against his head. He crumpled, facedown, onto the bank. He stood up, spitting sand out of his mouth, and glared at the dragon, who blinked airily.

His head throbbing, but clearer than before, he turned back to the spirits, who looked very shocked.

“Erm … hello?” he called, embarrassed.

“Hello, Dragonknight,” one said, while the other two giggled and waved. “Where is the rest of your clan, and what brings you to our lake?”

“Well, they're not here, obviously. And I'm — uh — looking for a flower,” he said. “Amphitrice?”

“A very valuable flower,” she said, her eyes glimmering. “It grows only in the deepest part of our court, and has long been desired by surface-worlders for its magical properties. What will you give us in return?”

“Oh … well … what do you want in return?” he said tentatively.

They had a quick, whispered discussion, then straightened up. All were beaming. “We would like you to meet our king,” the first one said.

That was all? “Okay,” he said, relieved. “I'll be glad to. Bring him up, then.”

The spirits gasped, looking scandalized.

“What?” Milius said, bewildered. “What did I —”

“The King does not go out to meet visitors!” a second snapped; she looked like the youngest of the three, and her voice quivered with rage.

“Visitors must appear before him!” the third snarled.

“Okay, okay,” Milius said quickly. “I'll go down … just one thing though…. I can't breathe underwater.” He flashed an apologetic smile, but the spirits, who had settled almost at once, grinned mischievously. One beckoned him forward with her index finger, then disappeared beneath the surface.

Slightly confused, he stepped forward, a little ways past the bank. The spirit surfaced directly in front of him, grabbed him, and to his immense surprise, kissed him. Despite their ghostly appearances, they were actually quite solid…. After a few moments she released him and glided back to her allies.

Milius felt strangely light-headed. His vision and hearing seemed to have distorted … then he realized what had happened. A large bubble of air was encircling his head. The inside felt cool, and smelled of sea water.

“Now you can,” the spirit said. Almost dazedly, Milius began to stride out to meet them, wading through knee-high water. But a loud growl brought him sharply back to his senses. He turned around. Lumeus looked furious. His marble eyes were narrowed, his snout was flaring, and his plates were crackling.

“What?” Milius said.

Lumeus growled again, stared pointedly at the lake, then twitched his wings irritably.

“You don't like the water?”

The dragon flicked its head to the side dismissively.

“Well then … you can stay here,” Milius suggested. Clearly, this was the wrong thing to say. Lumeus wheeled on him, his rock-like face contorted in incredulity. He cracked his tail against the bank, snorting in savage indignation.

“You don't want to come with me but you don't want to stay either?” Milius yelled. Lumeus slumped down on the bank, scowling.

“Gah!” Milius turned to the spirits. “Sorry, my partner here doesn't like the water. Is there anything you can do to help?”

They exchanged looks again, then the third spirit ducked under the lake. After a few minutes, she broke the surface near the bank, startling the dragon. Before he could react, however, she launched a conch shell at him. It stuck to his skin as though he were some sort of magnet, and almost immediately, a glistening coat of coral spread over his body, in the same way that Milius’s Dragonknight armour spread over him.

“Well, okay then!” Milius called happily to a thunderstruck Lumeus. “Now we can go!”

Reluctantly, the dragon put a claw in the water. He didn't seem entirely pleased about it, but the coral coat seemed to be working. He leapt in fully and waded over to Milius. Milius climbed atop his neck, and he, Lumeus, and the three spirits plunged beneath the surface.