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My heart leaps up into my throat as Astralux races through the forest, the sleek red-black bloodwyrms partly crawling behind us, partly using their thin, spindly arms to latch onto the tree branches and propel themselves at us. Ahead, I can just make out Giftigbun with Neil and Lyssa, the yellow-green dragon sprinting toward where we can hear Silexamani yelping, and Eclair and Blythe shouting for help.

Just as I spot the dark gray scales of Silexamani, Giftigbun lunges forward with a snarl. He lands beside his mate, his massive claws swiping at a bloodwyrm attached to Silexamani’s front left leg. Two of its worm-ish arms release Silexamani—leaving a line of wounds where it was attached—and shoot out for Giftigbun’s face. Growling, he reaches out and bites the arms, and the bloodwyrm shrieks.

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The trolls’ rotting meat stench worsens as Giftigbun and Silexamani roar again and dive down. Shrieking in terror, the trolls drop their crude wooden weapons and ropes, fleeing in every direction away from where Eclair and Blythe lie. While Giftigbun and Silexamani chase the trolls off, Astralux lands, taking a couple of extra steps with the added weight of Lyssa. I jump off, gagging as my nose takes in the even-worse-smell of the yellow-green troll pus, which is everywhere.

“Oh Ariadna above, the smell!” Lyssa groans and pulls her shirt over her nose. “And you’re bonded! How have you not thrown up? It’s all I want to do right now.”

“I did the first time.” Giving a half-smile, half-grimace, I force my legs to go straight into the worst of it, where Blythe and Eclair are still lying.

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I’m trying, I really am. But as I gaze over the practice weapons, the familiar horror fills me, and I freeze.

Astralux sends a wave of encouragement through me, trying to help combat the sorrow and pain. But she feels the same, and her calm gives way to the deep hurt we both feel.

I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to be a Ward.

“That’s alright, Estelle,” Neil says gently.

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The sorrow I feel is a cold wasteland like no other.

The fire in my veins has died out.

There’s not a flicker of light.

I feel dead.

A warm breath on my face startles me. I open my eyes and gaze into the deep blue eyes of Astralux. My bonded dragon. Betrayed like I was.

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This can’t be happening.

This isn’t real.

I stare in horror as Vladykar Amon gazes at the wisps of orange magic in his claw-like hands, his once beautiful golden hazel eyes containing slit pupils, as if he were a snake.

But that’s just it. He was the Snake. The traitor amongst the people of Adytol—amongst the Wards—feeding information, supplies, even other Wards to the Vladykars. Tricking us. Me most of all, as evidenced by the ruby pendant that hangs like a millstone around my neck. The pain of his betrayal burns within me. I can see that Astralux, otherwise held still under whatever control Andeuten’s breath has over her, is digging deep trenches into the mossy forest ground despite his breath, her teeth bared up at Andeuten and Pesokvglazu, who are both holding her down.

“You should give your new power a try,” Vladykar Lochan says. “Why not on the little silver fox?”

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“How I’ve missed this,” Amon murmurs.

Astralux coasts through the air, using the gentle breeze to keep her aloft as the sky lights up with orange and purple, the sun peeking just between the mountains to the west directly behind us. I glance back at Amon, his warm brown locks of hair pushed off his face. His golden hazel eyes stare off east, his hand still outstretched to the side. My heart wonders at the pain he feels with the loss of Andeuten. How deep that hurt must go.

Banking around, Astralux flies a little more northeast, flapping her wings to stay up. I know carrying Amon must be difficult for her, but she hasn’t let on if she’s tiring yet. I trust that she’ll say something. Or maybe I’ll feel it—I’m not sure. I pat her on the neck and she gives me a smile out of the corner of her eye.

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Chapter 7: The Darkness of Betrayal

“Very good,” Neil says. “Now—attack!”

I can’t help flinching, even as I jab the oak wood staff in my hands at Lyssa. The tall, strong woman ducks and sidesteps, her small light gray eyes narrowing on me as she lifts her padded stick. I bring my shield around, blocking her attack with ease, but I can’t bring myself to swipe at her.

A smirk forms on Lyssa’s face, even as she pants for air. “You’re holding back again, Estelle.”

Huffing, I set the staff on the ground, leaning on it as I look up at Lyssa. “I’ve spent my whole life acting as a nurse. I’m still really uncomfortable with hurting someone.”

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Amon is still too weak to stand with the rest of the Wards when we see Thorn, Vitegadium, Volkan, and Tikokaftos off, so Thorn and Volkan head to the medical center to say goodbye. The rest of us wait by the Ward’s Palace, trying to chat despite the tension that hangs over us.

“I’ll see if Undabouclier and I can take a couple of scouting trips to the south,” Mortimer says, “in case they run into trouble.”

“I thought the dragon call doesn’t go that far?” I ask.

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Instead of our usual breakfast in the Sun Room, we all opt to eat in the medical center to be with Amon. He’s fast asleep, now washed, dressed in soft white and tan clothes, and tucked into a cot on the second floor, the wing dedicated to Wards. I stare at his face, anxious for Amon to wake but wanting him to get as much sleep as possible.

Neil nudges me with his elbow. “He ain’t food. Let the poor boy sleep.”

I scowl at Neil as the other Wards chuckle before going back to my apple, banana, strawberry, and fireweed salad. “I’m just relieved,” I say.

“Me too,” Veremund says. “I only wish Andeuten was still with us.”

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Astralux rushes back to the Sun Room as I sob into my hand. “Estelle? Estelle, breathe,” my dragon says.

“Amon,” I gasp in-between my cries. “Andeuten!”

“I know,” Astralux says. The pain is audible in her voice. “I know. The bastards.”

Mortimer picks me up off Astralux and sets me in a chair, tears in his own eyes as he dabs my face with a handkerchief from his pocket. “Sh. Take it easy.”

Veremund, who is walking toward us, freezes, staring at the table. “Where is Ariadna’s Star?”

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