The only light in the room came from one lone chandelier hanging from the cone shaped ceiling. Valda and Dusk came to a screeching halt at the sight in front of them.

Queen Orlaigh was laid out on a settee, her breathing laboured and her cheeks sunken. She made no movement at the sound of their arrival, not a flutter of an eyelash nor a twitch of a finger.

Valda had imagined many things when she thought about meeting her Mom but it paled to what she was having to face now. If it wasn't for the rise and fall of her chest, Valda would have thought her dead.

"Mom?" The words were a strangled cry as she staggered forward, only to feel a wall of energy blast her off her feet without warning.

She crashed into the shelves on the opposite wall, objects raining down on top of her before she could catch her breath. A second crash sounded beside her as Dusk landed in a crumble, her eyes rattling around in her head at the blow.

"So this is my sister's lowborn daughter?" Lorcan sneered.

Though he carried no weapon, just the mere sight of the man struck fear into Valda's heart. She had expected him to look evil, maybe a crooked nose or lifeless eyes. But what she saw was worse.

He looked like her, with the same dark curly hair and cleft chin. If it hadn't been for the cold sneer twisting his face, he would have been handsome like Artair. His dark eyes were mesmerising and intensely focused on her, filled with a light that seemed to burn deep inside him.

"I expected something more." The sneer slipped from his face as he looked between her and Dusk.

Without warning, his hands shot out and Valda felt something constrict around her throat. Invisible hands lifted her into the air, whilst Dusk struggled beside her. She choked as she tried to get air into her lungs.

"So disappointing." Lorcan shook his head in mock disapproval.

Dusk's painful gurgle next to her pushed Valda over the edge. Closing her eyes, she pushed passed her discomfort and concentrated on the air in front of her. She pushed her arms away from her, forcing the air to move like a whip across the room, knocking Lorcan back.

Immediately the invisible bonds around her and Dusk disappeared, and they collapsed to their knees. Valda caught sight of Dusk's bloodshot eyes, and they shared a terrified moment.

Lorcan clapped. "Now, that was something. Perhaps you have more magic in you than I thought."

Forcing themselves to their feet, Dusk lent heavily on Valda, her wing dented and hanging awkwardly behind her. Valda barely had time to shield them both before Lorcan's magic surrounded them. It bit at their face and ripped at their already damaged maid's uniforms. But at least Valda's spell had stopped most of the damage.

As Lorcan's spell weakened, Dusk charged forwarded, electricity running between her fingers.

Lightning shot out from her fingers, aimed directly at Lorcan, but he effortlessly deflected it with a flick of his wrist. The lightning exploded, forcing Dusk back and blinding Valda.

Blinking her eyes, she tried to make sense of the shapes moving in front of her. Dusk was attacking again and again, but Lorcan barely moved to counter her.

She saw his hands move and knew what was coming. "Dusk look out-"

But it was too late. Black vines of smoke grabbed hold of Dusk, causing her to scream out in agony. With a small twitch of his finger, Lorcan launched her across the room.

Valda summoned her magic to help soften Dusk's fall, but she still landed too heavily on her already damaged wing. Smoke curled from the wounds that had burnt straight through her armour.

Fear skated down Valda's spine as she took in the girl's immobilized form.

"Fairies; such delicate creatures. Sham really." Lorcan looked at Dusk with nothing more than mild curiosity before he focused back on Valda. "You may have saved her, but those wounds will kill her. Nothing survives a touch from poisoned vines." He raised his hands once again, but an arrow lodged in his forearm before he could attack.

For a moment, both he and Valda froze as they peered at the arrow in confusion before dark anger overtook Lorcan's face. He ripped it out without so much as a flinch and threw it to the floor.

"Valda."

She turned to look at Tevin notching another arrow as Carrick and Mauve stood behind him.

"Ahh and now the young Prince and Princess. It had been too long, Carrick and Mauve." Lorcan looked between his niece and nephew with an evil glint in his eyes. "What no hug for your uncle?" He teased, but his eyes grew colder.

Carrick gripped his sword, his knuckles straining white. Other than a few cuts on their face, he and Mauve appeared to have survived the outer attack well. Tevin looked slightly more disheveled. He had a bandage wrapped around his hand and blood dripped onto the floor from where he held his bow too tightly. Though his focus remained on Lorcan.

"Your time is over, Lorcan," Mauve spat, fire dancing in her hands, waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Lorcan laughed loudly, the empty sound echoing off the tower walls. "Little niece, there is so much you have yet to learn. It's just too bad you'll never have the time to learn it." He drew his arms together just as the trio sprang into action.

It was like time stopped. Only Valda knew what was going to happen, and there was nothing she could do. Just like with Dusk, she watched the poisoned vines leap from the shadows around Lorcan, only this time its targets were Carrick, Mauve and Tevin.

The power built up in Valda at the sight of those vines streaking out. Images of Dusk's wounds flashed in her mind, her Mom's drawn face, and Lorcan's cruel smile. It all mixed until it was like her skin was on fire. Looking down, she noticed her skin glow until her own vines of light shot forward, winding around Lorcan's and choking them.

"That's not possible." Lorcan stumbled back as Valda's light retreated into her hands.

"It's more than possible." Valda met his eyes, surprised to see an ounce of fear in them.

They crowded together, protecting Dusk. Thankfully, Valda could see the Fairy stirring from where she laid sprawled on the floor. She only prayed that Dusk didn't draw attention to herself.

"Enough of this." Lorcan dragged Queen Orlaigh to her feet, the woman's eyes feebly opening as she gasped out.

Her feet slipped and stumbled, but Lorcan's grip on her never weakened. He positioned her so she remained firmly in front of him, a shield that he could hide behind.

"I wouldn't if I was you." Lorcan raised his one hand and rested it around Queen Orlaigh's throat. His vines swirled menacingly, barely an inch above her skin.

Immediately the four of them stopped advancing, Lorcan's threat clear.

"That's better." His grip tightened, causing Queen Orlaigh to whimper.

"No! Don't hurt her," Valda pleaded, hating to see the look of agony on her Mom's face.

At Valda's voice her Mom's eyes opened, and although swimming with pain, they brightened when they saw her.

"Valda." Queen Orlaigh croaked out. "You came."

Valda nodded, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Yeah Mom, I'm here."

Hearing her daughter's voice seemed to bring sense back to Queen Orlaigh. Her eyes roamed over Valda's features, taking in the cuts across her face and hands from where she'd been thrown into the wall. Tears welled in her eyes to see her brave girl ready to fight for Lania.

"I won't let you lay another finger on my daughter." She growled out, flinging her hands out and clawing at Lorcan. "It will never be yours. It does not belong to you." Her fingers hooked into the chain around his necklace and it broke, flinging it across the room.

Horror covered Lorcan's face as he watched the pendant bounce across the floor.

His grip tightened on Queen Orlaigh, and darkness covered his face. The light that Valda had seen in his eyes suddenly became brighter. A touch of madness taking over his face. The power in the room became unbearable.

"You are wrong. Lania will always be mine."

The vines rushed from his fingertips, causing a cloud of darkness that swallowed everything. Valda heard her Mom's screams and her magic was quick to respond, light pouring from her hands and bathing them all in warmth.

Lorcan was gone, a dark hole appearing in the floor where he had undoubtedly scurried away. Queen Orlaigh twitched on the floor, burns covering her face and arms.

"Valda." Tevin and Carrick looked at her in sympathy before going after Lorcan whilst she and Mauve rushed to her Mom.

She was terrified of touching anything, watching as the wounds filled with a black liquid that streaked across her skin.

"The poison has entered her bloodstream. Valda you have to heal her." Mauve picked up her auntie's wrist and felt the weak beat of her heart.

"No. She's the only one who can face Lorcan." Dusk dragged herself across the floor, her leg bent at an odd angle behind her.

"I can't just leave her," Valda cried out.

"You must," Dusk demanded, pulling the Queen into her lap and breathing deeply. Her skin began to glow, light arcing out of her hands and bathing the Queen in light.

Dusk looked up into Valda's stunned face and smirked. "You didn't think you were the only one, did you? Now go, stop Lorcan. You're the only one who can."

There were so many questions flooding through Valda's mind, but she forced them away. There was no time.

"Mauve, do you know where that tunnel goes?"

But Mauve shook her head. It wasn't one that Tevin had told them about. Maybe it was one that even he hadn't known about.

Valda looked around. If she followed them into the tunnel she would never catch up, but how was she supposed to find the exit? Her eyes settled on the balcony, a crazy plan forming in her head.

"Mauve, stay with Dusk and my Mom."

Mauve drew both her blades. "And what are you going to do?"

"Something stupid."

With that, Valda ran out on the balcony. She only hoped this plan would work.

"Nandrin!" She screamed, feeling her already sore throat flash with pain.

An answering roar gave her hope as a dark shape loomed out of the sky. She steeled herself for a few seconds. This had better work, she thought.

"She's not really going to do what I think she's going to do, is she?"

Valda had a moment to smirk at Dusk's question before she threw herself forward and off the balcony.

Screams sounded behind her, but she couldn't focus on them. Her hands touched smooth scales, and she landed lightly on Nandrin's back.

She slid into the dip just behind his head and locked her hands around his neck.

"Lorcan took off into a tunnel, Carrick and Tevin went after him. We need to find them quickly." The wind took her voice and carried it away, but still Nandrin banked sharply, his eyes raking across the ground.

Valda peered over Nandrin's side, but although her eyesight was good, it was impossible to tell people apart.

"There. Outside of the castle walls."

Valda peered forward, her eyes finally noticing the shroud of darkness at the forest edge. It could only be Lorcan's work. She hoped that Tevin and Carrick were okay.

A loud pain filled roar echoed across the sky and Nandrin answered with his own battle cry.

Valda's head swiveled to see the body of a large gold dragon crash down, men surrounding her from all sides. Fydat breathed fire at them, holding them back, but Valda didn't know how long she could hold them back for. She was too injured to hold out for much longer.

"Nandrin, drop me here and go help Fydat." Valda didn't wait for his response. She slid from her spot, climbing down the dragon's powerful forearm until he carried her in his clawed hands.

"Be careful, halfling." Nandrin flew just low enough for Valda's feet to touch the floor before he let go and soared to help protect his mate.

Valda's ankles shuddered as she landed heavily, stumbling forward but not falling. She turned to watch Nandrin leave, hoping that Fydat was okay.

Shouts and sounds of a waging battle, drew her focus back to Lorcan. Ignoring the pain and guilt at leaving her Mom, Valda started running.

As she approached the dark shroud, she could make out Lorcan's shape as Carrick fought against him with just his sword. Her heart dropped as she took in Tevin's limp body at the foot of a tree, one of its branches partially collapsed on top of him.

Before she could go to help him, Carrick cried out, his back colliding with an outcropped rock. He crumbled into a heap, his sword skidding out of his hand.

"You're so much like your father, boy; always meddling and sticking his nose into where it doesn't belong." Lorcan sneered, his hands outstretched as the vines slithered closer to Carrick.

"No!" Power flew from Valda, creating a wall between Lorcan and Carrick. She felt the strain on her already tired body, but she didn't relent.

Lorcan stumbled back, his eyes searching until they found her. Seconds passed as they just stared at each other, and then Lorcan attacked.

There was barely any time for Valda to shield herself before the force of his first strike hit her. Her legs buckled and her vision blurred.

"It seems such a shame to destroy someone with so much talent." Lorcan pulled at the earth, creating a wall around them, cutting off her escape with a practiced hand. "Join me, Valda."

Valda spat at his feet, pushing up from the ground on unsteady hands. "Never. Lania will never be yours." She echoed her Mom's words, watching as Lorcan's jaw clenched before his face smoothed over.

"That's the trouble with all of you. You think too small. I promise you this little niece, Lania is only the beginning."

This time Valda was ready for his attack and met it with a blast of her own power. Dark and light collided, almost knocking her off her feet. She felt his poison vines surround her, towering over her in their vastness.

Her legs buckled and forced her to her knees. Lorcan's sharp laughter rang in her ears.

And she knew it was the end.

Her heart was hollow as she thought about never seeing her Dad again, never hearing one of his awful jokes or going on a hike with him. She thought about her Mom and the fact she would never know her, never get a proper chance to meet her. Then her mind travelled to Carrick and Tevin. She only hoped Lorcan would allow them to live.

Mauve, Dusk, Arlie, Pandath, Nisog, Nandrin, Gamjee, Kadtius. Every face of the ones she loved and called friend passed through her mind. The pain of never seeing them again burnt through her.

And then she heard them. Their voices calling out to her, singing and chanting the Healers' Call. The voices seemed to come from the very ground itself, infusing her body with new power.

Inch by inch, she pushed back Lorcan's darkness until she could see her uncle again. The cruel smirk that had once twisted his features was absent, instead his face was lined with frustration and a hint of fear.

The voices of her family and friends grew louder, drowning out every other noise. Her body was aching from the force of the power flowing through her, but still it poured. It was an unstoppable force that she no longer had control over.

"No, I won't let you do this," Lorcan cried out, sweat trickling down his forehead.

But Valda barely heard him. Instead, she closed her eyes and gave herself over to the call. The power spiralled out of her, draining her of every bit of energy she had.

Lorcan's cry of outrage was cut off as light surrounded him entirely, leaving no trace of his darkness.

Finally Valda felt her magic stop, and she collapsed to her knees. Lorcan lay on his back in front of her, still but very much alive. Even after everything he'd done, she couldn't destroy him. That wasn't what her power was for. She was a Healer, not a killer.

The walls of earth surrounding her and Lorcan, crumbled to dust.

"Valda?" Carrick hobbled towards her, Tevin hefted on his back.

"It's over." Valda could see Carrick's mouth moving, but the blood rushing in her ears drowned out his voice. Spots appeared in her vision, large enough to block out the sight of Carrick and Tevin.

Valda gave into her exhaustion, feeling the soft grass cushion her head.

"Well done, Healer." The image of a green haired girl appeared in her mind before everything went blank.