The Rise of the Dawnstar

by Farah Oomerbhoy

  “I will explain everything,” said Penelope gently. She glanced briefly at her sister. “But this is not the right time.”

  Izadora waved her hand. “Go, get settled. I’m sure you have much to discuss.”

  Penelope turned to leave.

  “I expect to see you and Aurora in the council chamber at the next meeting,” my grandmother added. “The whole Elder Council will be attending. This is the time to cement alliances. War is coming and we must be ready.”

  Penelope inclined her head, and I bowed and followed her out of the throne room.

  “Penelope, what’s going on?” I asked as I fell into step with her. “Why are you here? Has something happened? Is Rafe all right?”

  “We can’t talk here.” Penelope glanced around. “Follow me.”

  We walked in silence, through great arched corridors and up two flights of stairs to a suite of rooms that looked out over the gardens. Penelope knew exactly where she was going—it was obvious she had been here before. She probably grew up in this palace. I couldn’t believe it. Penelope was my grandmother’s sister, my grand-aunt, and I never knew. A spy. What was going on?

  Once we were within the confines of the room, Penelope spoke. “Come and sit down, Aurora.” She patted the seat beside her.

  It was still a little strange seeing Penelope like this, and I had to keep reminding myself that she was the same person who had helped me those many months ago when I was new to this world. It would take time, but I would get used to it eventually.

  I sat down beside her and thought back to the fight with the Shadow Guard. The blow to Kalen’s head should have killed him. At that time I was so caught up with healing Snow I didn’t stop to think how Kalen had survived it. Now I knew—he was High Fae, and had extraordinary healing.

  I had many questions, but first: “How are Rafe and Kalen?”

  She didn’t smile.

  “Has something happened? Is Uncle Gabriel all right?”

  Penelope nodded and shifted in her seat. “Yes, for the moment.”

  “What aren’t you telling me, Penelope?”

  Penelope cleared her throat. “When Rafe and Kalen reached Eldoren, the Blackwaters were ruling the council and Duke Silverthorne was still in the dungeons.”

  I nodded, urging her to go on. “Did Rafe get him out?”

  She put her hands in her lap. “It’s a long story.”

  “Tell me.” Why was she being so cagy? What had precisely happened in Eldoren?

  “Prince Rafael tried for days to get the council to listen and release your granduncle, but they wouldn’t budge.”

  “What about the king? Surely Rafe’s father would listen to him. Listen to reason.”

  “The king of Eldoren is not what he seems. That’s why I left; the situation has become worse than I thought.” She took my hand in hers. “I’m afraid Lilith didn’t go far to find the body she needed.”

  “What?” I pulled my hand back. “What do you mean?”

  “She has killed King Petrocales and taken over his body. The outer shell may look like the king, but the creature that lives beneath the flesh is none other than the dark queen. There was a point when she let her guard down and I discovered who she truly was. Her magic is back. Lilith and the Blackwaters have complete control of the Eldorean Council and the king’s army.”

  My hands flew to my mouth. “No!”

  This was all my fault. I was the one who brought Lilith back. It was because of me that Rafe had lost his father, and probably his kingdom as well. He would never forgive me for this.

  “Once I realized what had happened, I knew the prince was no longer safe in the castle so I went to Rafael and told him what we had discovered. At first he didn’t believe me, but he learned the truth himself soon enough. He managed to escape the palace guards and took us with him.” Penelope wrung her hands together. “There was no time to rescue Silverthorne. The dungeons are too heavily guarded. We were lucky to get out of the palace alive.”

  “What about Rafe?” My mouth turned dry. “Where is he now? Why didn’t he come with you?”

  “We managed to make it to Silverthorne Castle. We found your Aunt Serena and Erien. They had escaped from the Summer Palace when Silverthorne was taken, and were rescued by the rebel group known as the Silver Swords. The rebels are using Silverthorne Castle as their base in Eldoren.”

  I stood up. “We have to help Rafe,” I said, balling my hands into fists. “We cannot let Morgana take his throne too.”

  Penelope raised an eyebrow. “There is nothing you can do from here. Prince Rafael needs an army, and the last time I checked you still don’t have one.”

  I sat back down in my chair and hung my head. “I don’t know if I ever will.”

  Penelope took my hands in hers and looked me straight in the eyes. “I know I have kept secrets from you and it will take a while for you to trust me again. But I want you to know I had no choice, I had to do my duty. And keeping my identity a secret until you were ready was essential to my mission. I wish I could have told you sooner, and believe me, I thought about it many times, especially when you ran away from the Summer Palace.” She looked away briefly. “Maybe if I had, you would have done things differently.”

  “I should have listened to you.”

  She gave my hand a small squeeze. “We all make mistakes, Aurora, but it is what we learn from them that makes all the difference. I am here now, and you are not alone anymore.” She leaned forward and hugged me. “We will find a way to get your mother back, and I promise you we will find a way to help Rafe. But first there is still much to do here in Elfi.”

  I hugged Penelope back. I was glad she was here, but I was not so sure how much to trust her with anymore. I had to be careful and wait to see how far Penelope’s loyalties lay towards her sister.

  “There’s more,” said Penelope.

  “Whatever it is, it’s fine. Just tell me. It couldn’t really get any worse.”

  But I was wrong.

  “I explained Rafe’s present situation to you,” said Penelope.

  I nodded, waiting for her to continue.

  “Although he has the backing of Silverthorne’s army, they are completely outnumbered. All the other nobles have rallied to the Blackwaters either by choice or by force. Rafe does not have enough soldiers to wage war on the king’s army and the nobles of Eldoren combined. The prince is backed into a corner and he has no other option. He spoke to Santino about getting his army or at least part of it to help him take back his throne. But Santino had to get the consent of his father to take his troops into Eldoren to join Rafe.” She paused. “The Emir agreed, but only on one condition.”

  “Which is?” I said, my eyes narrowing. I didn’t like where this was going, and my heart sat heavy in my chest as I waited for her answer.

  “Prince Rafael has to marry Katerina Valasis,” said Penelope. “That was the condition set by the Emir. He wants his daughter to be queen of Eldoren, thus gaining a foothold in the west.”

  “And has Rafe agreed?” Silence. “Has he agreed?” I asked again, slowly and more sternly. I had to know.

  Penelope shook her head. “I don’t know. I left before he decided anything. Kalen stayed back to help him. And with the state of the world as it is right now, I didn’t want my son to come on such a perilous journey.”

  “But he hasn’t rejected the offer?”

  Penelope shook her head. “No, he hasn’t.”

  “What about Leticia? How come he’s not bound by his vow to his mother ?”

  “Leticia has married Zorek Blackwater in her quest to become queen.” Penelope had a disgusted look on her face as she spoke. “She has released Rafael from his vow and the engagement.”

  “Do you think Rafe will marry Katerina?” I asked, my voice small.

  “With the state Eldoren is in, I don’t think he has a choice but to accept the offer. If he does go to Brandor, it will be to marry Katerina and get an army to take back his throne.”


  I didn’t know what decision he would make, but for now it looked as if I was nowhere on his agenda. Penelope said he didn’t have a choice but in the end we always have a choice. How foolish I was to think he would keep his word and come back for me. Brandon may have been a traitor, but he told me Rafe had done this many times to a dozen different girls. I was stupid if I thought I was different, that he loved me like he said he did. Rafe was not who I thought he was, after all.

  I went to my room and lay down on my bed. A light mist rolled down from the mountains, swirling in and out of the windows in a lazy dance as I gazed out at the starlit sky. It made sense that he would take the offer. Penelope was right—I had no army, I could not help him take back his throne. I couldn’t even take back my own throne.

  I cried myself to sleep that night, pining for my lost love. Everything I had dreamed of, everything I had wished for, was an empty shell. All my castles in the sky came crashing down around me as reality reared its untimely head.

  * * *

  I tossed and turned as images of Rafe and Katerina flitted through my mind, teasing me and taking pleasure in my misery, until the light of the morning sun warmed the floor and awoke me to another day.

  I was done.

  I had to forget about Rafe. Never again would I let myself love someone so completely that they would have the power to rip my heart to shreds as Rafe had managed to do. He hadn’t accepted as yet but the fact he was considering it made me feel sick.

  As I lay in my bed watching the sunrise, I realized it was my own fault. I had brought Lilith back, and Lilith killed Rafe’s father and took his throne. Now the Blackwaters were in complete control of Eldoren, and it was all because I didn’t have the sense to listen and trust there were others who might know a little more than I did. I was rash and foolish, and so excited I had magic that I never thought about all the consequences my actions would bring.

  I dressed quickly and ran down to the kitchens, picked up freshly baked honey cakes and proceeded to the training ground.

  I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I wanted to be on my own.

  Tristan was already practicing and waiting for me. Wordlessly, I picked up my staff and ran at him. Tristan sidestepped and sent me sprawling to the ground. I jumped up, my muscles faster, stronger. I opened myself to the magic around me and shifted my feet; bracing myself, I blocked Tristan’s first blow.

  He grinned. “Finally.”

  But I was not in the mood to joke.

  I twirled my staff, knocking Tristan’s out of the way, and thrust. He blocked me again but I kept going. Everything was happening in slow motion when I concentrated. I could see the blow coming before it did, I could feel my muscles responding as I used every move I had learnt so far to fend off Tristan. Again and again I struck, my blood roaring in my ears as I twisted and turned, ducked and jumped, blocking and avoiding blows faster than I ever thought I could move.

  Finally I got one strike in, hitting Tristan in the stomach with the end of my staff. Tristan glared at me and knocked me down, disarming me.

  The fight was over.

  He stood over me and gave me his hand. “Much better. I think you are finally ready to accompany me on a scouting mission.”

  I stood up, brushing the dirt off my tunic. “It’s about time.” The fight had not brightened my mood, and I scowled at Tristan. Who for the first time didn’t scowl back.

  “What’s wrong? Why the sour face?”

  “It’s nothing. I’ve had a bad night, that’s all.”

  Tristan came closer, and put his finger under my chin, tilting my head up to look at him. His dark eyes bore into mine. “Tell me. Did someone hurt you?”

  I shook my head. But then I couldn’t hold back my tirade and I told him all about Rafe and what Penelope had said about him marrying Katerina Valasis to save his kingdom. Tristan listened without interrupting; we were lucky there were very few soldiers training on the field that morning so we had some privacy.

  Finally he spoke. “So let me get this straight. Your perfect prince was courting you while he was engaged to another, now that he is free to marry whomever he wishes, he is contemplating marrying someone else.”

  I nodded and hung my head. It sounded worse when Tristan said it like that. “He hasn’t decided yet, but he hasn’t said no either.”

  “Well, all I can say is that he is an idiot. If he doesn’t think you are worth fighting for and gives up so easily, then he doesn’t deserve you anyway. He sounds like a coward to me.”

  I smiled at that. It felt good to talk to someone who didn’t know Rafe personally and who didn’t think he was the best thing to happen to this world since Auraken Firedrake. In fact, Tristan didn’t think much of him at all.

  Although I was so angry with Rafe, I heard myself defending him. “He’s not a coward. This is the only way he can gather an army to take back his kingdom.”

  “Is that what he is telling you?” Tristan’s eyes narrowed. I could see the silver swirls that lit up the darkness within them. “There is always another way, Aurora. And if he truly loved you, then he would find it.”

  I looked down at my feet. “The truth is, it was my fault he lost his throne in the first place. I don’t think he wants anything to do with me anymore.”

  “Well, that’s his loss then, isn’t it?” Tristan went over to the rack and drew a sword. “Forget him and concentrate on your training. We don’t have much time left.” His sword lit up.

  I drew my own sword, pushing my magic into it. It lit up as well, burning with fae-fire. I knew Tristan was right, but it still hurt to admit it. I had my own life and my own throne to take back. Rafe was doing what was best for him and his people, and I had to do what was best for mine.

  19

  The Elder Council

  Lessons with the dowager were cancelled for the meeting with the Elder Council. I was nervous about meeting the other fae elders. As a group they held as much power as the queen, if not more. I had to tread carefully around them, and I would need their support if they were going to give me a fae army to help me take back the throne of Illiador.

  The doors to the council chamber opened and I entered a sunlit room overlooking the city. Big arched windows were hung with light muslin curtains fluttering in the breeze. In the center of the room lay a huge table upon which rested a massive, detailed map of Avalonia.

  I moved forward to look at it and smiled. It was a beautiful rendering, with towns and cities painted in vivid colors and mountains so lifelike they rose off the page. My grandmother sat at the head of the table; the rest of the council members were seated on the two sides. Penelope was already there and stood beside the queen’s chair next to her sister. My grandmother beckoned for me to come forward—the council members eyed me warily as I passed them.

  “I have called this meeting today to discuss the situation in the west,” said my grandmother. “Penelope has returned with some disturbing news, and the time has come for us to address the threat of Morgana.”

  “Why should we care what a western queen does in her lands?” said one council member, an old lord from the Day Court. His name was Silias. The dowager had pointed him out while he was walking in the gardens during one of our lessons. “This is not our fight. We don’t have that many trained warriors.” He pointed at me. “She should go home and take her fight away with her.”

  The queen looked at the old lord, ice in her eyes, and he shrank back. “Tell them what you have found out, Penelope,” she said, not looking at her sister.

  Penelope stepped forward slightly to address the council. She told them everything, about Morgana’s quest for the Book of Abraxas and her plan to release Dragath.

  The council was quiet as they listened to Penelope speak.

  “But has she the power to release him?” inquired another fae elder, a slender silver-haired high lady. “From what I understand, Auraken Firedrake’s magical prison is unbreakable.”

  “We believe,” said Penelope, “that Morgana
possesses the Dark Dagger of Dragath.”

  A gasp went up from the council and I could see a hint of terror in those immortal eyes, but they all held their tongues and let Penelope finish.

  “We all know the concentrated power of hundreds of immortal High Fae that lies within the dagger can indeed break the spell on Dragath’s prison,” said Penelope. “But first she needs the book to learn how to control him.”

  The council members nodded and I could see many of them had not expected this news. They, more than anyone, knew the threat of Dragath was real. They knew what he and his demons could do. Their whole civilization had nearly been destroyed by him once. And the Dark Dagger was every High Fae’s worst nightmare. All of them knew the stories of how Dragath wiped out Illaria’s whole army with it. If he ever rose again, Elfi was doomed. There was no Illaria Lightbringer or Auraken Firedrake to protect them.

  There was only me.

  Rhiannon, the Dowager Grand Duchess of the Night Court, spoke. “Then we must make sure Morgana never gets her hands on the book. If she has the keys they are useless to her without it.”

  “That is exactly why the book is safest in Elfi,” said Elder Silias. “I don’t know why mages were made guardians of the keys. We should have been protecting the keys too. They have failed in their task.”

  “Not all of them have failed,” I said quietly, finally speaking up. “Duke Gabriel Silverthorne still has his key. He will never give it to Morgana.”

  “From what I understand, Gabriel Silverthorne is rotting away in Morgana’s dungeons,” said Silias. “He will break. They always do.”

  I didn’t know what to say as doubt crept in. What if he was right, what if they had already broken Uncle Gabriel and had the fourth key? They could be coming for the book right now.

  “Gabriel Silverthorne will never give up,” Penelope said softly. “He will get out of the dungeons eventually, of that I have no doubt. He is the most resourceful mage I have ever met. Do not underestimate the mages just yet; they are not as weak as we perceive them to be.”