Sebastian was beginning to think death might've been the better choice.

He crinkled his nose at the dirty water surrounding him. He tried breathing through his mouth. It didn't make his situation any better. In fact, it made it worse because now he had to taste the putrid air.

Scowling, he continued to wade through the water. Thankfully, it only reached up to his knees. Luka was leading them through the underground tunnel. Apart from the man and the murky liquid beneath him, he couldn't see anything. Every now and then, slivers of lantern light would rain through storm drains and other manholes, but it wasn't enough to light up the sewer.

They were covered in complete and utter darkness.

Sebastian only knew Imogen and Remy were still behind him by the sounds of them moving through the water.

"This is easily the worst thing I've ever done," Imogen grumbled.

"It's better than behind dead," Luka replied. He was holding up his blue coat, protecting it from the water. Sebastian stifled a laugh at his rigid posture. He looked like an uncomfortable princess lifting their dress from the floor.

"I agree," he said. "We have a job to do."

"Can I quit that job?" Imogen asked. "I'm not even getting paid."

"You're getting paid with your survival."

"Touché."

Even though Sebastian didn't like it, Thania's sewage system was keeping them all alive. Though, if he inhaled any more fumes from inside the tunnel, he was sure he'd die of one disease or another.

They were lucky Luka knew his way through the tunnels. The man had told them he and a few of his colleagues utilized the underground system to transport their goods without being in the public eye. According to him, the sewers would lead them right outside Sirus' palace.

Sebastian would've shadow jumped them all there, but there were a few variables preventing him from doing so. Not only was he unfamiliar with the city's landscape, but he also wasn't sure if he could safely transport himself and three others via shadows.

So, they would have to keep walking through the sewers.

Squinting, he stopped and turned around. "Remy."

"Yes, Sebby?"

"Why haven't you conjured up a light ball or something?"

He heard the boy facepalm himself. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Maybe because you're an idiot?" Imogen suggestion.

Remy fake-laughed at her before muttering, "Illumieris." A golden ball of light hovered above his marked palm. It bobbed in the air, illuminating the dark, water-filled cavern.

Slick, dark bricks reflecting the yellow glare. The reflections of the four magicians danced along the sloshing water. In front of them, Sebastian noticed the tunnel was beginning to split off into three directions, each one looking more menacing than the other.

Luka continued forward, unfazed by new paths. He took them down the center one, ignoring the other two.

"Er, are you sure we're going the right way?" Imogen inquired.

The blond rolled his eyes at the girl. "Of course I know where I'm going. I've lived in this city for thirty years, Ordinaire."

"Watch it, Blondie," she warned.

"What're you gonna do? Glare me to death?"

That shut her up. Sebastian laughed.

"I've been meaning to ask you something," Remy said.

Luka motioned with his hand for the boy to keep talking.

"Why don't you just sell your merchandise legally?"

It was a good question. Sebastian had been wondering the same thing. He knew very well there were magicians, Solairs and Eldairs alike, who disregarded the laws of the Eldenarian Council. Though, those same people were often the ones who ended up dead or living in a cell forever in Ravenshold.

And if he was being honest, Luka didn't look like the type of person who could survive in the cutthroat prison.

Luka shrugged. "My family was poor. Selling goods in the city wasn't making enough money so I decided to branch out."

"Poor?" Imogen scratched the top of his pixie cut. "Can't you magicians just conjure up money from thin air?"

Luka huffed. "If only it were so easy." He gestured at Remy and Sebastian. "Not all Eldair are born rich like your friends here. They're the lucky ones. Born into a rich family. Never have to worry about anything."

Remy pursed his lips. "My family was killed, I'll have you know."

"I'm sorry about that," Luka said. "But it doesn't change what I said." As the group rounded another corner, the man sighed. "Do you want to know why I was so reluctant to help you all when we first met?"

"You were afraid of my father," Sebastian answered, recalling the memory where Luka initially rejected their proposal to take them to Thania.

The man see-sawed his hand. "Yes and no. Everyone's afraid of Thorian. That's a fact. But that's not why I didn't want to help."

"What was the reason then?"

"Your father has a vision for our people," he explained. "He may be an evil, sadistic bastard but he wants what's best for all magicians. Solairs and Eldairs alike. He wants to give this world back to our kind. Or, at least that's what I thought before he sent dragons and Shades to destroy my home."

Sebastian fell silent. He knew those thoughts all too well. Growing up, he had thought his father's plan was a good one too. Magicians had spent far too much time being oppressed. It was their turn to be rulers. Right?

But the older he got and more he learned, he realized his father's methods weren't the ones they needed. While magicians deserved to share the world with the Ordinaires, taking the power back by force and destruction was not the way to go. Killing magicians in order to advance their goals was not how they should handle things.

It was ultimately why he defected from his house and why he chose to help Makaela and her family. He had to do what was right, even if that meant losing everything.

"I still don't understand anything about your world and I doubt I ever will," Imogen said.

Luka laughed. Minutes later, he held up a hand and they all stopped walking. He pointed above them. It was a grate. No. It was their way out. "Once we get out this tunnel, we should be a short walk away from the palace gates."

Sebastian nodded. "Let's get out of here then."

Being the tallest out of the group, he was forced to the be the one Luka would climb on to remove the grate from its place. The man mounted him—accidentally kicking the boy in the mouth along the way. Grimacing, he ordered Luka to hurry up.

He tugged at the metal poles and grunted, the noises echoing down the sewers. They didn't budge. He then pushed forward on them. They still wouldn't move. He tried a few more times, cursing and yelling as he did so. They held fast, refusing to dislodge. Luka dropped back down into the water and scowled.

"Well, that didn't work."

"Maybe we can blow it off?"

"Bad idea."

Sebastian agreed. But the idea had given him a better one. He pointed a finger at the grate. "Acidumis." A shock of light green left his hand and coiled around the bars. The spell ate away at the metal like termites gnawing at wood. Soon, chunks of the iron bars were missing. A hole had appeared, big enough for a human to climb through.

"Clever," Luka said.

"Thanks." Sebastian grabbed the man's forearm, prompting him to raise his eyebrows. "I know you sympathize with my father's efforts. But you have to believe me when I tell you if he succeeds, things will be worse. There will be no more council if he wins. He'll run the world with a dictatorship and will kill anyone who disagrees."

Luka said nothing. He simply cleared his throat and started to climb up the boy so he could get out the sewer.

Once Imogen and Remy made it out, they all pulled Sebastian out the dirty water and onto the surface. After he emptied his shoes out, he took a look at their new surroundings. There were no buildings around. Only a few trees and a gravel path separated them from the palace gates.

A smile blossomed across his lips.

They made it.

He glanced behind him to make sure they were in the clear. Thania stared back at him in the distance, it's buildings either crumbling like old plaster or burning with dragonfire. His smile morphed into a pensive frown. He had inadvertently brought this destruction to the city by seeking Sirus' help. Guilt pooled in his stomach.

In front of him, Remy, Imogen, and Luka were trying their best to get rid of the smell of sewage that had seeped into their clothes. They were failing tremendously. Ignoring the foul scent of his own pants, he walked past them and towards the palace's gates. They were just a few feet away. Once they got inside, they would be able to protect Sirus and his family from Thorian and his Shades.

Just a few more steps...

The leaves of the tall trees around them flattened for a moment. A powerful gust of air flitted through the canopies, rustling the green tops. A looming shadow crossed over the land. A screech stabbed through the night air, sharper than any sword. Sebastian's heart sank.

Oh no.

His friends froze, horror-stricken expressions stuck on their faces.

The ground behind them shook as the winged behemoth landed. Its wings spread out like sails of a ship. It released another thunderous roar, the noise rattling Sebastian's entire body. He slowly turned around to face it.

A reddish-orange glow illuminated the back of the beast's throat. Its massive tail swung behind it. The sharp spines caught the light of the streetlamps bordering the road. Three Shades jumped down from the creature's back, their silver masks covering their faces. They stood beside the dragon menacingly.

Sebastian recognized one of their masks. It was of a hawk with a piercing stare. The disguise belonged to Zoë Savić, one of his father's knights. He had faced her in Shade training multiple times. She was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Remy cast a wary look towards him. "Run?"

He gulped and nodded. "Run."

The three of them turned and made a break for the gates. They never made it.

As soon as Sebastian spun around, something tore through the flesh of his left shoulder. He felt tendons rip and ligaments strain. Fortunately, whatever hit him hadn't impacted a bone.

An avalanche of pain crashed down onto him. He cried out, tears stinging his eyes. He averted his gaze to a nearby tree, which now had a shimmering black arrow sticking out of the dark wood. He noticed the small, violet cloth hanging from the shaft and almost let out a scream.

His entire left side was now alight with agony. He managed to hobble over to a thick tree without being hit with another arrow. Panting heavily, he pressed his hands over his new wound. A streak of red poured through the gaps of his fingers.

Imogen had covered her head and sprinted over to him. She quickly took off her leather jacket and tied it around his arm in a makeshift tourniquet. Had he not been in so much pain, he would've thanked her.

Silver spots were dotting his vision and he could barely stand still. Soon, the other effects would set in. When he saw the purple cloth on the arrow, he knew exactly what had hit him. Zoë was the finest archer in House Tenebris and she was also the poisons specialist for his father. Her arrowheads were known to be coated in her own special concoctions.

Her most-used poison was silverbane. It was mainly used on creatures such as werewolves and Nightlings, but its effects were just a fatal for humans. From what Sebastian knew about the poison, it would cause his body to shut down in the next thirty minutes.

"What the hell was that!?" Luka called out from another tree.

"Arrow!" he yelled back. His head swam just from saying that one word. Gritting his teeth, he forced his vision to steady. "Don't get hit!"

He peaked his head slightly from behind the tree. Zoë and the two other Shades were approaching them slowly. The dragon remained in the background preparing to mow down the line of trees in front of it. The creature pawed the ground, ripping up the cobblestone and gravel path beneath it.

There was no way out. Not this time.

Their luck had run out.

He had been naïve to think they would make it to the palace after his father's force successfully breached the city. He wasn't going to survive to see the next day—he knew that. The poison was beginning to spread from his shoulder and into his chest. Eventually, it would reach his heart and choke it.

From behind the tree, he let out a dark laugh. Imogen shot him a strange look, but he ignored it. He couldn't believe he thought he was destined to be The King. Who was he kidding? He was no king. He was no leader. He was just a boy with daddy and mommy issues who didn't know his place in the world.

And now he was going to die. Afraid and helpless.

Off to the side, he heard Luka and Remy shooting off spells at the Shades to keep them at bay. They were succeeding, but they wouldn't be for long. The Shades were toying with them. If they wanted to, they could've called the dragon to kill them in an instant.

But they wouldn't do that. They would prolong their deaths, as they were traitors and enemies of Thorian and the Order of the Black Lotus.

Sebastian winced as he felt pinpricks shoot down his arm.

"You're not dying here," Imogen told him, her hands pressed against the sides of his face. Her expression was adamant and determined. He almost believed her.

But she didn't know what was in that arrow.

She tightened the jacket around his arm and he bit his lip so hard he drew blood. Though, the pain in his mouth was nothing compared to the pain ravaging through his entire left side.

Imogen turned in Luka and Remy's direction. "We need to get him out of here!"

Luka swiped his hand through the air and yelled a stunning spell. He managed to catch one of the Shades, dazing them for a few minutes. He then turned to the Ordinaire girl, annoyance etched onto his face. "And how do you suppose we do that?"

Next to the man, Remy was shooting shards of light at the two remaining Shades. They batted away the weak magic with ease. The boy was no good at combat magic. The Shades would figure that out soon. If the others didn't get into the palace walls soon, they would die with Sebastian.

He couldn't let that happen.

On the road, the dragon let out a quick burst of fire that torched the front portion of the forest they were hiding in. Smoke swirled in the air as trees burnt to a crisp.

They were running out of time.

"We need a distraction," Remy said while covering his face.

He was right. Sebastian had the perfect idea.

He'd be the distraction. He was pretty much dead anyway. There was no use in risking one of their lives if he could help it. After all, it was his fault any of them were in this situation with him in the first place.

Imogen should've been in Canada with her father, blissfully unaware of the existence of magic and magicians and prophecies. If he wouldn't have allowed her to tag along on their journey, she would've been safe.

As for Remy, had he never gotten in that argument with him, they would've been safe and sound in Sirus' palace.

And Luka. The only reason Luka was in this mess was because Sebastian sought out his help.

If any of them died, Sebastian would've blamed himself. That's why he couldn't let any of them die. It had to be him. And only him.

"I'll be the distraction."

Remy and Luka both stared at him with wide eyes.

Imogen shook her head at him. He could see the tears welling up in her brown eyes. "No. No, you're not doing this. We'll...we'll come up with another way. We can—"

"There is no better way," Sebastian interjected. "You're all in this mess because of me. It's my job to get you out of it."

Remy wiped his eyes. "You can't do this, Sebby. You can't."

He offered the boy a weak smile and ignoring the stinging sensation coursing throughout his body. "You'll be alright, kid." He gestured at his bleeding shoulder. "This thing is going to kill me soon." He gestured at the palace's gates—which were just up ahead—with his chin. "Go on now before you die too."

The boy's lip quivered. He slowly backed away, though, he didn't look happy about it.

Sebastian faced Imogen. "You too."

"I'm not leaving you."

"This isn't up for debate."

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "It'll be alright. I promise. But you have to go now."

Before she could protest any further, Luka ran over to them and pulled the girl away. He and Sebastian made eye contact and nodded curtly at each other before Luka took Imogen over to where Remy was.

Sebastian then turned around and exhaled. His heart pounded in his ears. He felt sick to his stomach. But he knew what needed to be done. If he didn't, his friends would die. He couldn't let that happen.

He let out another shaky breath and prepared to step out from his cover.

But before he could, someone grabbed his good arm.

He spun around, his face twisted in anger. "Imogen, what did I—" His voice faltered after realizing it wasn't her.

It was Luka.

Imogen and Remy were moving towards the gates, out of sight from the two Shades and the dragon on the path.

Luka was grinning at Sebastian.

"You know," he began, "I've done some shady things in my lifetime. Things I'm not proud of. Things I regret. I wish I could've been a better man, you know?" He gestured at the boy. "But you? You've got something inside you that I wish I had. I can't let that go to waste for me."

"What're you—"

"You're destined for greatness, Sebastian," Luka continued. "I'm just a cheeky wine salesman who hasn't earned an honest living his entire life." He flashed him a wide grin and patted his shoulder. "Let me do something great for once, would you?"

Sebastian stuttered. His mind was growing cloudy. He couldn't tell if it was from the shock of Luka's words or the poison. It was probably both.

Before he could even argue with the man, he ran out from behind the wall and towards the Shades and the dragon. He waved his arms around like a madman, his blue coat flapping in the wind behind him.

"Come and get me, assholes!"

Zoë tilted her head him. "What is this?"

"What're you waiting for, cowards?!" Luka taunted. He shot off a few wildly aimed spells that hit no one.

Sebastian was stuck. He watched the man, tears filling his own eyes. Luka suddenly turned his head and motioned for him to leave.

Spells suddenly hit his body. He jerked around like a puppet on strings. Blood dirtied his clothes, but his sapphire eyes were filled with life. That huge smile of his remained on his reddened lips. He looked free.

He was free.

Reluctantly, Sebastian did as he was told. He ran towards the palace gates, towards Imogen and Remy, with tears streaming down his face and pain in his heart.