We set up camp when we reach the other side of the lake.

All I want to do is keep going, but we're all dead tired. We can't keep pushing on while suffering this much loss.

I sit across from the head while everyone sleeps, drawing out the map to the cave he talks of.

Cat's map is similar, but it would've taken us two days in the wrong direction by taking one wrong turn.

"It's a waste of time," the golem's head says, watching me sketch the map.

I'll have Alex sketch out my rough drawing in the morning. I'm not the one with the artistic touch. "It's not."

The golem sighs, "he's probably dead. This is several days out of your way. It's a waste of time."

I resist the urge to smack it. "It's not a waste if I get him back."

He closes his eyes and I think we're done. But the head starts to tremble. "My mistress is incredibly powerful. She'll kill you."

"Good for her."

"She isn't these weak, drafted soldiers you've been fighting, Raven. She's here for vengeance and vengeance alone. She wants you to suffer. Please. Let me keep you safe."

I roll my eyes and slam my pencil down. "It's funny that you think I'll listen to you. You tried to kill my friends. You might've killed James if we didn't have Charlie to call the rebels. You don't care about protecting me. You just care about yourself."

"He's dead."

I close my eyes. "He's not."

"Why won't you just believe me? I'm going against my orders by telling you not to go. I want to save you."

"I don't need saved." I'm not worth it.

He's quiet for a while as I switch to mending Ava's jeans. She'd gotten holes in the knees earlier. I'll need to mend her green high tops, which are falling apart too. She hasn't worn them since the dome, but they were a gift from her dad.

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I'm on watch."

"Izzy is on watch. You're doing menial tasks."

"Sewing isn't menial. Why am I arguing with a head of sand?"

The golem sighs, "you should rest. If you're going to be fighting my mistress, you really need to be at full strength. The mage just healed you. You need to recover."

"I'm not tired."

"Well, at least lie in a prone position with your eyes closed. It'll give you more energy than staying up all night."

"I don't sit still well."

"I'm worried about you."

I stab my needle into his face.

"Ah! What was that for!? Take it out! It hurts!"

"Good," I hiss. "Don't talk to me with his face like you care about me."

"I do care-."

I knock the head off the log I'd sat him on.

He yelps as he face plants into the dirt.

"Sleep well," I mumble, stabbing my needle through Ava's jeans.

We set off again in the morning.

Alex tries to make sense of my map while we walk, but all my landmarks look like squiggles.

Izzy even says one looks like a baby elephant.

It was supposed to be a large cliff side.

Cat falls in beside me as we walk.

A cold breeze swirls past us, scattering dead leaves along the ground.

Rae will be twenty in a few days, then it'll be November.

We always do something for her birthday. Because it falls on Halloween, we used to dress up, even though no one celebrates anymore.

"Are you listening to me?"

I jolt. "Huh?"

Cat rolls her eyes. "I was asking what the plan is once we reach this place Danny's supposed to be?"

I glance around the group. Charlie leads us, with the golem head slung over his shoulder in a bag. Izzy and Alex walk behind him with the dragon eggs in bags on their backs. Nick guides Ava through the underbrush. They talk in low voices, as if they're hatching a conspiracy.

Cat nudges me. "Well?"

"I dunno, Cat. Same as we always do. Seat of our pants."

"Seat of our pants is half the reason we're down four people."

I pretend she means Margot instead of Erick.

"Well, some of us will wait outside in case anything goes wrong. How about that?"

"Oh, fantastic. Splitting up has always done wonders for our group."

I stop walking and turn to face her.

Charlie starts to slow, turning to face us.

I wave him on. "What do you want from me, Cat?"

"I want you to tell me you'll kill the person responsible."

I lick my lips. "I'm tired of killing people, Cat."

"So, you can do it for Oliver and Alex but not James and Danny? You're a hypocrite, Raven. I thought you liked him."

I swat her in the boob. "You know what!? Maybe I don't like him. He nice and he's a good listener. Big whoop. So is Charlie. Just because I'm worried about him doesn't mean I have a crush on him."

She steps closer to me. "It's not about the worry. You worry about all of us. It's about how hysterical you got when you thought he was going to die and-."

"I was dying! I'm allowed to be out of sorts when I'm dying of magic poison."

"It's not just that! You can't sleep without him, you always walk near him when he's here, you always look for him immediately after Ava when something happens! I just don't understand why you won't get the revenge we both want!"

"Both want?"

She shoves me. "Don't tell me you don't! They kidnapped him and probably hurt him! They're the reason James is... gone."

I slump my shoulders. "I know that. But maybe I'm not strong enough, Cat. So far it seems I've won all my fights because I catch them by surprise or because I've got a large group behind me. This lady is probably really powerful. I'll be lucky if I can get us all out of here alive."

Cat studies my eyes, then sighs and looks away. "Fine. But if you've got the chance-."

"I will try," I whisper, closing my eyes.

"Hey! Are you two coming!? We're here!"

My heart stutters and I turn towards Charlie.

Cat and I follow him towards a cave entrance.

Two trees stand on either side of the entrance, then meet above it, coiling around each other.

Ava runs her hands over the bark, frowning.

I peer into the cave, also frowning.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asks.

I glance at Cat and shake my head. "Nothing. I think it's best if I go in alone. I can't lose anyone else right now. I need to do this alone."

Charlie shakes his head. "Raven, you don't understand what's in there. It takes a lot of magical energy to create a golem. This sorceress is going to be extremely powerful. You need backup."

I bite my tongue, scanning my friends. Six left. They're all I have. I want to save Danny, but not at the risk of anyone else. I can't trade them.

"I go in alone."

"No," Ava snarls, turning her head.

"Ava, I can't risk losing anyone else. All of you, guard those dragon eggs. If anyone comes out that isn't me or Daniel, treat them like the enemy."

"You should take me," the golem's head says.

"I'm sure that won't be disturbing for Daniel," Charlie says.

"My mistress will trust me. I can trick her."

"You're a head," I say.

"Not if the red-head gives me my new body."

Ava scowls. "Not until you fulfill your end of the bargain."

"I got us here!"

"You'll get your body when we've got Daniel back."

The head shakes with a sigh. "Fine. But I still think I should come with. I can help you, Raven."

"I'm coming too."

"No way in hell, Ava. The goal of this is to get Danny back without losing anyone else. I can't risk anyone else."

"Well, I can't risk you."

"We're wasting time," I hiss.

She shrugs. "Fine. I'll go in myself." She turns and runs inside.

"Damn it! Ava!" I snatch the head from Charlie and take off after her. "Get back here!"

I catch up with her deeper in the cave.

She's waiting for me, calmly. "See? How hard was that?"

"I know you're upset about James but-."

Her face twitches and she ducks her head. "This isn't about him."

I step towards her and grab her shoulder. "Ava, it's okay to miss him. You like him. There's nothing wrong with feeling his loss."

She smacks my hand off her shoulder. "He's not lost. He's not dead! He's not gone! He's just... separated from us. We're the ones who are lost." She presses the heels of her hands into her eyes. "Everything's so jumbled."

I close my eyes. "I hate that you've been seeing these things, Ava."

"Why? You want to be the one with all the knowledge?" She snips.

"I don't care about knowing. I wish you weren't going through this alone. I wish you would tell me what you're seeing."

"I don't know what I'm seeing! James used to help me figure it out! He was the one who could make sense of them. It's never one thing. It's always different paths. I can see the outcomes of different paths. But it's always changing. One choice and everything shifts. I think I know what's happening in a given moment, then it turns out a completely different future is happening."

"You're a seer," the golem says.

Ava rolls her eyes. "Yeah. Thanks. I know."

"You need training," he says, "it's why you're so unfocused. Seers never see one set future. Choices change the outcomes. But someone training you could help you unravel the paths."

Ava sighs and leans against a wall. "I just wish these visions were useful now. Like is this the path where Charlie and Nick disobey your orders and come rushing in to save us like idiots? Is this the one where they all come for us? Is this the one where Daniel's already dead? Is this the one where you lose control? Is this the one where the chameleon-?"

Something clatters in the distance and Ava lifts her head. "What was that?"

My veins turn to ice. "I can't see anyone."

Ava pushes off the wall and starts towards the sound. "Which path is this? The chameleon? The sorceress listening in, ready to kill us? The one where we get separated?"

"What?" I grab her arm and pull her close. "We are not getting separated."

She digs her palms into her eyes. "Choices change things. Does that mean you grabbing my arm means we both get captured? Or do I get lost in the caverns when you have to protect me from the chameleon?"

"It's that one," a voice hisses.

Something slams into my face and tears spring to my eyes. I stagger back with a shout.

"Ava! Get back outside!"

She grabs her head and grits her teeth. "There's too much!"

I throw the head through the air and it collides with something invisible.

"Not cool!" Golem shouts.

"Ah!" The chameleon shouts, dropping it.

It thuds on the ground and rolls down a slight hill, screaming.

I tackle the chameleon into a wall. I look over my shoulder to tell Ava to run, but she's gone.

"Ava?" I rasp, easing off the chameleon.

She takes the opening, slamming her head into mine.

When I stumble back, she grabs my hair and slams my head into the wall.

My vision dances with black spots and I cry out into my teeth.

The chameleon scoops the head up and forces me forward with her hand in my hair.

I try to hit her, but I'm woozy and disoriented. I can't tell where she's standing.

The golem's head had disappeared when she grabbed it, so even he can't help me.

We reach an open cavern and I'm shoved to my knees.

A blonde woman turns to me, smiling. "Well, well. If it isn't the great Raven Black."

The woman is gorgeous. Dark black skin, long blonde hair with brown roots, her eyes glitter gold. Even all her teeth are perfectly straight.

"Damn, girl," I mutter.

She smirks and spreads her black skirts. "You like? I like to look nice for company. Though, I didn't expect you to be this easy to capture."

I shrug. "I'm right where I want to be, aren't I?"

"Oh, you mean with him?" She shifts out of the way, revealing a limp body behind her.

My heart stutters.

Danny's arms hang above him, attached to the wall by shackles. His feet are shackled together too. He looks thin and pale.

I start to get to my feet. "What did you do to him!?"

The chameleon forces me back to my knees.

The sorceress clucks her tongue. "Don't you see I was doing you a favor? You creatures are all weak. Your bodies fade, your minds fade, you grow weak, and tired, and old. My chameleon would've been perfect for you, Raven. He can live no matter what. He will not age or die. He would be loyal until the end."

"Loyal?" The chameleon asks. She tosses the head on the ground and it reappears. "You mean you made him loyal to Raven instead of you? That was foolish."

The sorceress stares at the head on the ground.

He shakes.

Her eyes flicker up to me. "What did you do to him? He was my masterpiece!"

"He was nothing like Danny," I snarl.

"Oh, please! If I'd had a few more days, he would've been perfect! He had all the memories! And the face! The personality was a little off, but I made him in a short amount of time! He was ideal for you."

"He wasn't Danny," I repeat.

Her nostrils flare. "I can see now you're going to be a bigger problem than I thought. Chameleon."

Something heavy slams into my skull and I slump forward, succumbing to the darkness.

I wake slowly with a moan. Something cold and metallic digs into my wrists, holding my arms above my head.

"Raven."

I jolt at the voice. I lift my head, blinking spots from my eyes.

Danny smiles when my eyes focus on his face. "You're awake. What are you doing here?"

I shake my arms. "Getting captured, apparently." I scan the room. The sorceress stands at a work table, muttering to the air beside her.

The golem's head lay on the table, a new body lying under him.

"Where are the others?" He glances at the head. "I didn't-?"

"They're waiting outside," I rasp. "But James-." I shake my head.

"Was it me?" He whispers.

"That thing isn't you."

"It sure as hell looks like me."

"We knew it wasn't," I snap. "James knew."

Danny studies my face. "How?"

"What?"

"How did you know it wasn't me?"

I clear my throat and look away. "The golem's a dick."

He smiles, faintly. "So, you don't think I'm a dick?"

"Of course not. You're nice."

"I'm a nice guy?" He teases.

I try to kick at him, but my feet are shackled together.

"Are you still injured?" He asks, once I've settled.

"No. I'm... healed."

He nods. "Good. I'm glad."

I lick my lips and look away. There's an air of tension between us for some reason. I don't like it.

It's like someone has placed a giant wedge between us.

"So, uh, are you the one that did that?" He asks, nodding to the decapitated head.

I grin at him. "Ava."

He raises his eyebrows. "But she's-." He trails off, blinking. "Wow."

"Yeah. She's got magic. James and Izzy too."

"I was only gone for, like, a week!"

"Quiet!" The sorceress shouts. "I need to concentrate!"

Once she turns back to the golem, I glance at Danny.

"I'm glad you're alive."

He shakes his shackles. "I don't know how long that's going to last here."

"I'm going to get us out of this," I whisper.

"How?"

"Be patient. Either our friends will come looking, or those two will leave."

"Two?" He scans the room. "You mean the golem?"

"I mean the chameleon. She's invisible."

"How will you know when she's gone if she's invisible?"

"Just trust me."

He gulps, but nods. "You know I do." He continues scanning the room, searching for the chameleon.

I study his face while he's distracted.

I'm sure it's him now. His eyes glitter blue and silver in the torchlight. His hair is greasy and matted to his head. His lips are dry and crusty from lack of water. But it's him.

He catches me staring and his cheeks burn red. "What?"

I clear my throat and look away. "Nothing."

He nudges my foot with his. "You know you can talk to me, Raven."

I shake my head. "No, it's-it's nothing. Some crazy idea Cat's been drilling into my head. It's not important right now."

Something crashes in the distance, down one of the tunnels.

"Damn it," I mumble. "They didn't follow my orders."

"Stay here," the sorceress growls. She stalks out of the cavern, towards the noise.

"You know," the golem says, "Raven's friends are elementals. What do you think they'll do to my mistress when they find her?"

The chameleon scoffs, "don't be ridiculous. She's powerful. More powerful than them."

"I've been imbued with her magic. Look what they did to me."

"I know what you're doing."

Down the hall, the sorceress screeches.

The golem chuckles, "oh no. There she goes. I wonder what they're doing to her. I wonder if they're stabbing her like that Fae stabbed your wife."

A silence stretches. "He's here?" She asks, finally, in a low growl.

The head trembles. "Oh, yes. He follows Raven wherever. I'm sure he's leading the attack against-." His eyes slip to me. "She's gone."

"Great. Thanks, G."

Danny scowls. "You're friends with fake me?"

I smirk. "Aw, jealous of yourself, are you?"

"That thing is not me."

I grip my chains in my hand, pulling myself up them.

"What are you doing?" Danny asks, watching me.

"We're attached to these pipes up here. See? But they're not secured in the wall very well." I plant my boots against the wall and use the chains to slip up the wall.

Unfortunately, my chains are coiled around the pipe enough that I won't be able to hop my chain over the block at the end of the pipe. But I can get the pipe out of the wall.

Once I reach the pipe, I grab it and plant my feet against the wall on either side of it.

"You're going to fall," Danny warns.

"That's kinda the plan. Move from under me."

"This is a bad idea."

"Got a better one?" I grunt, yanking on the pipe. I'm practically lying horizontally in the open air, with nothing to support me except the bar I'm trying to wriggle out of the cavern wall.

My feet slip off the wall.

Danny gasps as I'm left dangling by my hands from the pipe.

My shoulders scream and the old bullet wound strains, like it wants to reopen the scar.

"Hurry," golem hisses. "She's coming back."

I swing my legs back up, wrapping them around the bar.

"What do you think you're doing!?" The chameleon shouts and boots thunder on the ground as she runs for me.

She jumps and her fingers graze my shirt. "Come down here."

"You got it," I growl. I slam my feet into the wall and the pole trembles as it shinks out of the wall.

The chameleon screams as I fall on top of her.

I scramble off her, gripping the pipe like a bat.

"To your left!"

I swing as hard as I can and the pipe cracks across the chameleon's face.

She cries out and stumbles back from me. Her face flickers into existence as blood starts to trickle down her nose. She looks down as her body reappears and hisses into her teeth. "Would you stop doing that!?"

I grin at her. "You can't go invisible when you're bleeding, can you?"

She spits at my feet. "So? I don't need to be invisible to kick your ass."

I swing the pipe again, slamming it into her ribs.

She staggers back, gripping them.

I ready the pipe again.

"You're just like your mother," she hisses and I freeze.

"Raven! What are you doing!? Hit her!" Danny's voice shouts, but I can't pinpoint if it's him or golem.

"I'm nothing like her," I hiss into my teeth.

She rushes me, ducking under the pipe and tackling me into the dirt. She slams my head into the ground. "I know the people you've killed! I know you're a monster!"

"You're wrong!" Danny shouts and his chains snap taut as he surges towards us. "Raven's a good person."

The chameleon scoffs and looks over her shoulder at him. "You have no idea what she's done."

Danny meets my gaze. "I do."

The chameleon lifts her lip in a snarl. "Then you're as bad as her."

I slam the pipe into her and force her off me.

She scrambles away from me as I stand and lift the pipe over my head. "Go on," she prompts. "Kill me. Be just like your mother."

I hesitate, clutching the pipe in my hands.

Danny's legs wrap around the chameleon's throat and he yanks her back into the wall.

She hits his legs, but he doesn't release her as her face turns red.

He doesn't release her until she slumps against him.

I rush forward and feel for a pulse.

"Is she dead?"

"No."

"What do we do?"

I frisk her until I find a key on her. I release Danny and string the chameleon up in his shackles.

"C'mon. We need to make sure that sorceress didn't hurt our-." I turn to the door and find her watching me.

Her eyes flicker behind us to the chameleon. She sets her jaw and snaps her hand out to the golem.

"W-what are you doing?" He stammers as his head starts to fuse with the body.

"Rise again, golem. Protect me from these creatures."

The golem screams into his teeth. "Stop!"

I push Danny behind me, towards a cavern opening. "Run."

"You're coming too, right?"

"I have to help the golem."

"What!? Leave it, Raven!"

"Just go!"

He squares his shoulders. "Not without you."

The golem, with his new body, forces himself off the table with a moan. "Why do you toy with me, mistress?"

"You are my creation," she hisses. "Do as I've told you."

He grabs his head. "You are weakened. I don't have enough energy."

She shifts back and forth. "I had to create another," she murmurs. "You have enough. Protect me."

The golem grabs my daggers off the table and I step back.

"Golem," I warn.

"She didn't want you," the sorceress coos. "She turned her back on you."

I put my arm in front of Danny. "Don't listen to her, G."

"She chose him over you," she hisses, nodding to me protecting Danny.

The golem's nostrils flare and he starts towards me with the daggers. I intercept him with my pipe, swinging at his head.

He ducks and tackles me.

"Raven!" Danny shouts, but the sorceress throws her hand out and he slams into the wall behind him.

"Danny!" I cry.

The golem roars and brings my dagger down towards my heart.

I grab his wrist, gritting my teeth.

He presses his weight down, trying to plunge the dagger into my chest.

My arms tremble as I hold him up.

The tip of the blade touches my chest and I gasp, my eyes watering.

"Danny," I plead, "don't."

The golem's weight eases slightly as he stares down at me. "I have to follow my orders."

I shake my head. "No. You're not hers." I risk moving one hand to his cheek and his weight eases even more. "You're mine."

He closes his eyes and throws the dagger away from us.

The sorceress's eyes widen and she steps towards him. "What have you done to my creation!? Golem! Kill her!"

The golem lifts his head to stare at her. "I can't." He glances at Danny, then down at me. "His feelings are stronger than your magic."

"Traitor!" She screams. Her hand snaps out and Golem chokes.

He grabs his throat.

His body starts to dissolve, like she's erasing him.

"No!" I shout. I scramble for the other dagger and throw it at her. It flips end over end towards her.

She throws herself to the ground, spilling up dirt.

Golem collapses sideways, his eyes fluttering closed.

"No," I rasp. I feel for a pulse, but feel nothing. Do golems even have pulses? He's made of sand.

"Raven," Danny whispers. He grabs my hand, pulling it away from the golem. "Forget it."

I turn on the witch. "Bring him back!"

She staggers to her feet, grabbing my dagger. "You think I'll bring that traitor back? You're a fool."

"Raven!" Cat comes sprinting into the room. She blinks, staring at Danny and golem's body. Her eyes linger on Danny's hand on mine and she flinches.

I pull away.

Cat shakes herself. "I tried to stop them, but Charlie and Nick ran in here," she pants.

"Did you see Ava?"

Cat waves towards the entrance she came through. "She's outside with Alex and Izzy."

The sorceress makes a break for it while I'm distracted.

"Shit! Get Danny outside! I have to catch her!"

"Raven, wait!" Danny shouts, but I ignore him and dash into the hallway.

I reach a splitting path, but can't see any indication for which way she went.

A groan echoes from the left one and I hurry down it.

I don't find the sorceress, but I find Nick and Charlie.

Nick is on the ground, a gash on his forehead seeping blood down his face.

Charlie kneels in front of his.

"What happened?" I ask, dropping to his side.

Charlie hesitates, then nods down the hallway. "That witch found us. She threw Nick against a wall."

Nick's hand flails towards me, grabbing the front of my shirt and pulling me closer. "Charlie-," he moans.

"I'm right here," Charlie cuts him off, grabbing his hand off my shirt.

I frown. "Nick, what happened?"

"I already told you," Charlie snaps, folding his wings in. "You need to catch that witch! Go! I'll get Nick back outside."

"You'll be okay?" I ask, squeezing Nick's shoulder.

He grunts, grabbing at Charlie.

"I'll be back once I find her," I promise. "Get him somewhere safe."

I keep going down the tunnel, racing after the sorceress. The tunnels twist and turn a dozen times until my internal compass is spinning like a tornado. I have no idea how to even get back to where I left Danny and Cat.

I keep going anyway.

I stumble to a stop when I come upon two figures blocking the hallway.

I recognize the blue streaks in the blonde hair and step forward. "Izzy? Alex?"

They turn to me in sync. Their eyes glow purple. There's no whites to their eyes anymore. Their entire eyes are purple.

I step back. I reach for my dagger, but realize I have none on me.

The sorceress steps out of a side tunnel, grinning. "Ah, your feeble minds are so easy to take control of. Like taking candy from a baby."

"Let them go."

She grabs Izzy and Alex's shoulders, pulling them in close to her. "Why would I do that? This is so much easier than making a new golem. I don't have to deal with cultivating their memories, or trying to get them to be perfect so you don't realize I'm fooling you. I just have to give them a simple command and they'll follow it no matter the cost. Watch." She presses her lips to Alex's ear. "Kill Raven Black."

Alex's spine straightens and the purple glow brightens.

"Alex, stop."

He steps towards me, taking my dagger from the sorceress. He doesn't speak as he advances towards me.

"I'm not going to fight my friends!" I shout.

"They're not your friends anymore, dear Raven." She leans into Izzy, grinning. "Kill Alex Rockier."

Izzy's eyes flicker with lightning and thunder crashes outside.

"No," I rasp. "Izzy! Snap out of it!"

She turns on Alex, lifting her lip in a snarl. Her hair floats, electricity zipping through the strands.

I grab Alex's wrist and yank him away from her.

He tries to slash my dagger at my hand on his arm.

I yank him again, keeping him off balance.

Izzy keeps coming.

I turn and run, keeping my hand on Alex's wrist.

He's struggling to stay on his feet, so he can't attack me with the knife.

I know Izzy could kill both of us with one touch, so I keep running.

I pass where Nick and Charlie had been.

There's blood on the ground.

I keep going until I'm back in the room I'd left Danny and Cat in.

Danny's gone, but Cat is picking up my other dagger.

She blinks when she sees me, staring at Alex, who is still trying to swing my dagger at me. "What's going on?"

"Where's Danny!?"

"I made him go outside! He's with Ava and the eggs!"

I shove Alex away from me and hurry towards her. "Give me my dagger."

"What's happening?"

"The sorceress did something to Alex and Izzy."

"Izzy? But where-?"

Izzy appears in the entrance, her eyes focused on Alex.

Cat gulps. "What do we do?"

"Keep Alex away from me. He's trying to kill me. I'll take Izzy."

"Is she also trying to kill you?"

"No. Alex."

Cat raises her eyebrows. "Ah, okay. That's... new."

Izzy lifts her hand, her fingers zapping.

I jump in front of her, putting my hands out. "Don't!"

She growls, her eyes shifting past me, towards Alex. "Move."

Her voice is unnaturally deep. It's booming and ethereal.

"You don't want to do this," I reason.

"I must kill Alex Rockier. If you don't move I will kill you too."

I step towards her, keeping my hands up. "Izzy, please. We're friends. I don't want to hurt you."

Her fingers snap and spark. "Too bad. I don't share that sentiment."

"Raven! Look out!" Cat's body slams into me, tackling me.

Izzy's lightning bolt hits Cat square in the back, right between the shoulders.

"Cat!" I scream, catching her as she collapses towards the ground.

She wheezes as I lower her to the floor. Her body spasms and her hands lock up.

"What were you thinking?" I rasp, backing us away from Izzy and Alex.

Alex advances towards me, while Izzy lifts her hand towards him.

Cat takes a shuddering breath. "I couldn't let her hurt you. You're... my family."

A sob lurches out of me and I pull Cat into my chest. "You're going to be okay," I sob.

She forces my dagger into my hands. "You're going to have to stop them," she rasps.

I shake my head. "They're my friends."

"They're going to kill us," she hisses. "Do it."

I bite my lip until it bleeds, then force myself to my feet. I circle around Alex and Izzy, guiding them away from Cat.

Cat's eyes flutter closed, but I can still see her chest moving, so I'll have to help her later.

I throw myself at Izzy, grabbing her so her arms are pinned to her sides.

She roars, trying to shake me.

Electricity zaps up and down her, flickering into me and sending shockwaves of pain through me. It's like I'm sticking my entire body into an electrical socket.

"You can't hurt him," I rasp. "You're dating him!"

She screams into her teeth and slams her head back into mine. She grabs me and throws me at a wall.

I hit it and my breath slams out of me in a whoosh. I hit the floor and groan, curling into myself.

Alex starts for me, lifting my dagger.

Izzy grabs his shoulder, pulling her fist back, electricity dancing along her knuckles.

Alex spins and slams my dagger into her chest.

The electricity in her eyes stops flickering instantly.

He yanks the dagger out of her chest and blood spurts across his face. He turns to me, baring his teeth. "You deserve this," he hisses.

I stare as Izzy collapses backwards into the ground, blood spilling into the dirt. "No," I rasp. I force myself to feet, my breaths slicing in and out of me. I can't get enough oxygen, but nothing else matters but getting to Izzy.

I turn my gaze on Alex. "What did you do?"

He smiles, her blood smeared across his face. He steps towards her. "Did that hurt you?"

I shake my head. "Don't touch her," I rasp.

He kneels next to her and lifts my dagger over her again. He smiles down at her as she gasps and gurgles on her own blood. "Don't worry, love," he coos. "It'll be over soon. You'll get to see your sister again."

Pressure rises in my chest. It fills every inch of me like I'm at the bottom of the ocean.

The wind picks up, whipping around me.

It rips at Alex's clothes.

My hair starts to float as I step towards him. "I told you not to touch her," I snarl.

He looks at me, those glowing, purple eyes taking me in with surprise. "You promised to protect me," he pleads.

My eyes flicker to Izzy and all I see is red. I scream into my teeth and the pressure explodes out of me. A blast of energy slams directly into Alex's chest.

He slams backwards, hitting a wall so hard something in him snaps. He falls to the ground, face first.

He doesn't get back up or even move.

His chest doesn't move.

I stagger towards Izzy and collapse beside her. The wind stops whirling. I press my hands into her stomach. "You're okay," I tell her, in a small voice.

Her eyes roll up in the back of her head.

The red fades from my eyes and I look up, staring at Alex.

"No," I whisper. I don't take my hands off Izzy. "Alex!" I call.

He doesn't move.

I start to shake. "No," I whimper. My eyes and nose burn.

I'd been given a choice again. And I didn't choose Alex. Again.

"NO!" I scream. The wind starts to rip at my hair again, picking up. It rips at Izzy and Alex's clothes and I try to steady my breathing.

Cat moans, but doesn't open her eyes.

"Cat! Please! You have to help Alex!" I sob. I can't move from Izzy. I can't go to him.

I scream at my body to move. Choose Alex. Choose him.

"Raven?"

My head snaps up.

Charlie stands in an entrance, staring at me. His eyes flash to Cat and Alex, then back to me. "What the hell happened?"

A desperation I've never felt fills me. "Call the rebels!"

He steps towards me. "What? Raven, take a breath. What happened!?"

"You-you have to call your people!" I scream. "You have to save them. I-I hurt Alex! Izzy's not breathing. Please, Charlie. Please! Do something!"

His lips tremble. "I- there's nothing I can do. I don't know who you want me to call."

A silver glow washes over him as tears steam down my face. "You're not Charlie," I breathe, staring at him.

"What? Of course, I am!"

"Where's Nick?" I snarl.

He glances behind him. "I don't- He's- I-."

I wail, leaning forward over Izzy.

No. No.

I just wanted to save Danny. Cat's hurt. Alex is-. Izzy-. I don't know if Nick's okay. And this isn't Charlie.

I've lost everything.

I scream and the wind picks up. The pipe I'd left on the ground skids along the ground, getting caught up in the tornado.

The entire room glows silver, as if the moon is in here.

My eyes lock onto Charlie. "You," I seethe. My chest heaves. I can't catch my breath. The energy is filling me from head to toe. It burns through me like a forest fire.

I've lost everything. And it's all my fault. It's all his fault.

My vision blurs and I start to rise.

Izzy's blood drips off my hand.

"You did this," I snarl, stepping over Izzy's prone body. "You took them from me."

Charlie steps back. "Raven. It's not what you think."

"Call the rebels!" I roar. The energy snaps out of me, crackling against the walls and the ceilings, trying to get out. "Save them!"

A tear trickles down his cheek. "There's nothing I can do."

I scream, focusing all of the pain and anger in me at him. It starts to explode out of me, like a bomb about to go off.

A sword pierces through his chest and I lurch forward.

"Charlie!" I scream. The energy snaps back inside me and my heart stops. I stagger and drop to my knees.

I grab my head and scream. "No. No!"

The sword withdraws and his body collapses sideways.

I scramble back until I hit Izzy's body. I look back at her.

Her face is too pale. No electricity flickers over her. It's like she was never anything.

It's like she's become a thing. She was never a person. Never someone I loved. She was always destined to become this. To become a corpse. Nothing more than cold flesh and a pool of blood.

"Raven."

I look back to the man that stabbed Charlie.

Charlie steps past his own body, reaching his free hand towards me. His sword is clean at his side. "It's okay. I've called Shay. She'll be here soon."

I pull Izzy into me, shaking my head. I sob, trembling against her cold body. "No," I sob. "No. No. No. You're not real! You're not real!"

He steps towards me. "It's okay. It's me. I'm here, Raven. Take a deep breath. Look at me. I'm real."

"No!" I scream. "No! I'm alone. I'm all alone. They're all gone. I've lost everything." I bury my face in Izzy's chest. I rock us back and forth, petting her hair. No. No. No.

The chameleon was right. I'm just like my mother.

I'm a monster. I took the people I cared about and I turned them into nothing.

I destroyed them. I destroyed everything.

Alex was right. I deserve this. I deserve to lose everyone I care about. I deserve to have them ripped away from me one at a time. I deserve to be punished.

Charlie grabs my shoulders. "Raven! Listen to me! I'm here! They're going to be okay!"

"I killed him," I rasp, lifting my head.

His eyes flicker towards Alex, then back to me. "No. No, you were protecting yourself. It wasn't your fault."

"I killed him," I insist, in a low voice. "I killed them all. They're all dead because of me." I scramble for my dagger and press it into my throat.

I grab his hands and bring them to the hilt.

He tries to pull back, but I'm stronger. I hold him steady.

"Do it," I whisper.

He stares at me, trying to fight me. "Raven! Stop! They're not dead! I can help them!"

I press the dagger harder. "Do it!" I scream. "I killed them all," I whisper. "They're all gone and it's because of me. Do it. I'm just like my mother. I'll take everything from you and when you try to stop me, I'll leave you on the side of the road. Like her."

Charlie's eyes widen. "How do you know about that?"

I press the dagger deeper. It bites into my skin. Blood rolls down the blade, to Charlie's fingers. "I remember. I remember, Charlie. You tried to stop her. You were so young. There was nothing you could do. She left you there and took us. I'm just like her. Look at Izzy. Look at Alex. Look at Cat! Look what I've done! Kill me, Charlie!"

He shoves me away and throws the dagger.

I scream, rocking back and forth. The wind picks up again, slicing at my skin. The torches flicker and the darkness flows into the room. I grab my head, trying to keep the pressure in.

Even if he's not real, I can't hurt Charlie. I can't watch him die again. The pressure reverses, pulling into me.

The silver glow cuts through the darkness as my bones crackle.

Charlie grabs my arms. "You're hurting yourself! Stop!"

"I deserve it," I rasp.

I let the pressure build until it's choking me. I want it to shatter me. I want it to make me bleed out like Izzy. I want the pain to overtake me.

I want it to kill me.

Then, it's gone.

The pressure disperses.

"No!" I wail, clawing at my throat.

Kestrel wings sweep the ground in front of me as Shay drops to her knee beside Charlie. She grabs my chin and forces my face up. "Charleston," she whispers, "what is this?" She runs her thumb along the cut on my throat.

Charlie's mouth opens and closes. He shakes his head. "They blame themselves." He indicates Izzy, Alex, and Cat.

Shay's eyes take them in, then shift back to me. She studies my face, then looks to Charlie. "You told me their power had been sealed by Zoey."

Charlie closes his eyes. "Can we talk about this privately? They're not... stable."

Shay licks her lips and stands. "You're lucky I got here when I did. If I hadn't stopped her, she may have killed herself."

"I know," Charlie whispers.

Shay sighs. She goes to Cat and runs a hand over her head. "She has a minor electrical burn, but she'll be fine." She nods to Alex and Izzy. "We'll take these two."

More Fae surge into the cavern.

They work like a well-oiled machine.

They shift Izzy onto a stretcher. One of them sprinkles something onto her wound.

"What are you doing?" I rasp, scrambling for Izzy. I want to tap into that energy again. I want them to stop touching her.

They keep me away from her. "It'll stop the bleeding," they say. "We'll get her to a healer."

"No. No, you can't take her from me. Get your hands off her!"

They force me back. "We need you to calm down, Ms. Black."

I swing at the nearest Fae. "Get your hands off her! You can't take her from me! You can't-!" I throw myself at her, but someone catches me around the waist and spins me away. They shove me and I stumble. I fall and skid on my knees, ripping my pants and skinning my knees.

I punch the ground until my knuckles bleed.

Shay touches Charlie's chest. "You told me she was strong."

Charlie takes me in while I scream and continue punching the ground. He sighs, "she is. But how would you feel if your friends kept dying around you?"

"They're not dead," she snaps. "We're saving them at the cost of our rebels, Charlie. We may not be able to save someone the next time you need help! You told me she could handle Thomas."

"She can," he insists. "She's just... hurting."

"She's weak," Shay snaps.

A jolt goes through me and my scream dies in my throat.

Shay and Charlie look at me.

Weak. I'm weak. She's right. It's like my mother always says. It's why she hurts me. She cuts me open like a fish to make me better. Because I'm not good enough. My friends are dead because I'm weak. Because I'm not good enough.

I sit back on my legs, silently. The pressure builds in my chest again but I force it down. I'm her good little soldier. I can be the weapon my mom wants me to be.

It's all I'm meant to be. A weapon. I'm not meant to care about people. I'm not allowed to have weaknesses.

I push to my feet.

Shay frowns. She reaches for me.

I smack her hand away, lifting my chin. "Charlie, where are the others?"

He blinks at me. "They're waiting outside."

"Boss, we found these." A Fae walks in with the two dragon eggs.

I snatch my dagger from the ground and point it at her. "Put those down."

Shay puts herself between us, her hands out. "Raven, please. Let us take them. I know someone that can watch over them. They'll be safer in Ebony."

"No! You'll have to take them past Thomas! They're my responsibility and you're not taking them from me!"

"Talk to her, Charlie."

Charlie puts his hands out to me. "Raven, please, calm down. Izzy and Alex will feel better if they wake up with them. They've been taking care of them. They should have them with them."

The dagger trembles in my hand. I lower it. "You'll keep them safe?" I rasp.

Shay nods. "I vow to you. No harm will come to them."

I close my eyes and turn away. "Okay." Don't be weak. Don't cry. Don't let them see you're dying inside.

Smile for the cameras and I won't have to punish you when we get home. Don't let anyone see the scars on your back, or I'll have to kill them because of you. Don't let them know you feel things. A leader doesn't feel things. They're above it all.

Don't. Be. Weak.

I roll my shoulders and turn back to Shay and Charlie. I nod at them. "Thank you for all your help saving my friends."

Shay stares at me. She glances at Charlie. "Is she okay?"

Charlie reaches for me.

I step back and smile. "I'm fine."

The Fae settle one egg on each of the stretchers with Izzy and Alex.

I don't say goodbye as they take them from me. I take a breath. "I'm fine."

Shay frowns, but nods. She squeezes Charlie's shoulder. "I'll try to reach out to other rebels. If anything happens... I don't know if I can help again."

Charlie nods. "I'll do what I can."

Once they're gone, I retrieve both my daggers. One is still slick with Izzy's blood.

I turn to where I'd shackled the chameleon.

I can't see her, but that doesn't mean she's not there. I roar and plunge by dagger into where her chest should be.

The dagger sinks into the wall up to its hilt.

My knees almost give out.

"Raven?" Charlie asks, reaching for me.

I smack his hand away. "Get Cat. I'll get the golem."

"Where's the chameleon and the sorceress?"

I pause, knelt next to the golem. "They're gone."