Serephina landed in a courtyard guarded by haggard individuals, whose complexions were as grey as their tunics. "Wait! Do not dismount yet." Selaphiel commanded. "Serephina stay behind me." He glorified and approached the grey guards in his angelic form.

When they raised their heads to try and look at him, the friends saw that their eyes were a solid black. The absence of scleras confirmed what they were - soulless Shadow Eaters. They covered their faces, attempting to shield their black hole eyes from Selaphiel's brightness.

"Mercy. Mercy bright one. Do not destroy us! We simply guard the perimeter." They wailed with one voice.

"In the name of the Most High, I order you to remain here!" the angel said. "Do not follow."

"We will not follow," they answered in monotoned unison.

"All right, you can come down now." The angel told his charges. "Everyone stay behind me." He reminded them. Transforming back into his guise of an elderly man, he directed Serephina to shift back, and put on her suit.

Once she had complied, the black-eyed Shadow Eaters moaned. "That was no eggborn dragon! We must perform our duty. We must inform Duchess Melusine. It is our duty. We must fulfill our duty."

"Oh, there is no need to trouble yourselves with that," Selaphiel replied cheerfully. "We will be seeing her shortly."

"There is no need to trouble ourselves with that. You will be seeing her shortly," they intoned.

"Yes, that's right." Selaphiel grinned.

Rosemonde shivered and Drew put a protective arm around her. He knew that these creatures had assassinated her family. He knew what they were capable of. They all did. They had seen them fight at Tweldor.

"Thank you for being here with us, Holy One," Theodora said, tremulously.

Selaphiel smiled and produced his thurible once again. "Keep your weapons out, and stay alert. Follow me."

He crossed the courtyard and led them through what appeared to be the main entrance to the palace. They soon found themselves in a great hall where a banquet was underway.

Hundreds of people sat at long tables, which strained to hold platters filled with every food imaginable. The crowd paid no attention to them, intent only on filling their bellies. They ate and they ate. Occasionally someone would spew the content of their stomachs in order to make room for more. No one at the tables seemed bothered by this gluttonous display. They did not even look up when Rosemonde dry retched loudly, unable to hide her revulsion.

A jarring buzzer signalled the end of the meal. The gluttons crammed as much additional food into their mouths as they could before leaving the table. Ignoring the friends completely, they walked past them in a trance like state.

Black-eyed children in orange tunics arrived to clear the tables. They worked in silence. The child servants were not guards, so the friends' presence did not concern them. They focused only on completing their given task. Nothing else mattered.

"Well, at least we know that Owen and Myrddin have not been starved," Serephina remarked in disgust. She had not bothered to lower her voice. Nevertheless, she was surprised when a very short curvaceous woman approached her. She might have passed for a tiny human but Serephina's dragon sense immediately recognised the little lady's signature. She was a gnome.

"Are you Serephina?" the gnome asked tentatively.

"Princess Beryl?" Serephina asked, equally tentative, in response.

"Yes! We knew you'd come." The gnome princess beamed.

"We?" Theodora raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Me, Owen, Myrddin, and some others who are still lucid," Beryl replied. "Owen explained that you were all on your way. I'm glad you're here at last. I-I just hope you're not...too late." She exhaled, suddenly flustered.

"Where are the twins?" Selaphiel asked.

Beryl lowered her voice, "Still in their cells. Owen is..." She paused, clearly uncomfortable. "The last rational thing he said was that he'd taken a hit. After that, it was like he somehow...left himself. He's been just as loopy as most of the others here ever since. It sounded like his dragon had been involved in a battle. At least, that's what Myrddin concluded."

"Yes, that's exactly what did happen!" Eden declared.

"We'll explain the details later, right now, please take us to him," Serephina said frantically.

Beryl nodded. "We have an hour before we're expected to attend the indoctrinations, um...I mean lectures. The creepy Black Eyes, check attendance. The boys will be missed if they don't turn up."

"Trust us, Beryl. We'll get all of you out of here," Rosemonde said determinedly. "Let's hurry! We'll talk on the way." She turned to Selaphiel, "Holy -" When the angel cut her off with a sharp look, Rosemonde understood that he did not yet want Beryl to know his true nature. She cleared her throat and began again. "Sir, do you know the way?"

Selaphiel nodded, pleased that she had taken the hint. "Follow me please. Stay behind me, Beryl."

"Er, okay... Why?" the gnome asked him.

"Let's just say I'd have some influence here, if things were to go wrong. It is safer for all if I take the lead."

Beryl shrugged and fell in behind Selaphiel, with the others. He led them through a series of long corridors with Gothic-arched doors on either side. This area of the palace was rather like a sinister monastery. "Owen's cell is the next one," Beryl said, as they turned a corner. "Myrddin is with him."

Theodora and Eden quickened their steps, while Serephina slowed hers. She did not even know what her mate looked like. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Looks were no longer important to her. Her jokes about that seemed to belong to another age. Now all she wanted to see was an assurance that Owen was all right, but she was afraid of the very real possibility that he was not.

A/N
They better not be too late 😥 I don't think I could cope. Thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate all your votes and comments.💖💕

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