When we finally broke apart, I glanced down to see that my wound had healed.

“Rose,” Caleb breathed, still holding me in his strong arms.

“You have no idea what I’ve… I thought I’d lost you.” I found myself wondering exactly what had happened since I’d been gone, but as the dragon let out an impatient snort above us, now was clearly no time to ask.

I could have stayed in that boat, lost in Caleb’s embrace for hours.

But, clutching Caleb’s hand, I stood and pulled him up with me.

Caleb’s eyes raised to the dragon.

“What on earth happened to you?” he asked.

Charis was too close to us for me to be able to explain anything meaningful to Caleb now.

I shook my head.

“Well, I thought it was about time that I saved you for a change,” I muttered.

Caleb frowned and opened his mouth to press me further.

Before he could, I quickly pulled his neck down and pressed my lips against his again, silencing him.

Then I unlocked our lips and whispered into his ear, “I can’t explain everything now.

You just need to trust me.” I cleared my throat and gestured up to the dragon.

“This is Charis.

He’ll be carrying us all away from here.” “Where to now?” the dragon boomed down.

“To an island known as The Shade,” I replied, as calmly as I could.

“Our last destination before I return to your realm, Charis.” Caleb’s mouth dropped open.

I held a finger to his lips.

“You just need to trust me,” I repeated in a whisper.

Charis hovered closer to the boat.

I climbed onto his back first and positioned myself at the front, while Caleb climbed up after me, his legs closing around either side of me as he wrapped his arms around me protectively.

Bella followed next.

As we launched once again into the sky, the only thing I could do was pray that Mona would be able to help us fight off the dragon.

Chapter 26: Kiev

I’d never visited The Sanctuary.

Neither had Erik or Abby.

I had no idea where to even start looking for Mona.

We were dependent on Patricia’s instincts now more than ever.

But once we did find Mona, something told me that I’d be able to convince her that everything she’d thought she’d seen was an illusion caused by a ghoul.

And once she was convinced, she was powerful enough to break us all out of here.

We just needed to find her.

“I suppose the logical place to start looking is Mona’s old home in the city,” Patricia said.

“When I used to live here, I recall another family had moved into it, but they might have been moved out…” We held onto Patricia as she vanished from the forest and we reappeared on a quaint cobblestone street lined with flower baskets.

“All three of you need to keep holding on to me,” the witch said as I motioned to let go.

“We can’t afford to lose each other now that we’re on the inside.” I ran my hand down her cardigan and held on to the hem of it as we moved forward.

We walked through an open gate to our left to see two young boys playing on a lush green lawn in front of a pristine white two-story building, lined with balconies.

One look at the boys and we didn’t need to investigate further.

Clearly, Mona no longer lived here.

We exited through the gate and walked back out onto the street.

“Those two witches,” I said.

“Brisalia and Csilla Adrius.

They are the ones responsible for luring Mona to this realm.

I have a feeling they won’t be far away from her.” “The palace of the Adriuses,” Patricia muttered.

“That would present some problems indeed…” “What kind of problems?” Erik asked.

Patricia let out a sigh.

“Well, since the death of Odelia, I am certain that they have tightened security.

I don’t know how easy it’s going to be to gain entrance… But Kiev is right.

After Mona’s own home, that’s the next most likely place she could be.

We’ll just have to try.” “Then let’s go now,” I said, gripping Patricia by the arm.

“Hold on tighter, Abby,” the witch said before we all vanished and appeared again in another cobblestone lane.

Only this time, we were standing outside two sets of giant gates.

“I wasn’t able to vanish us behind them,” Patricia whispered.

“Damn it,” I said.

Approaching the gate, I gripped the bars with both hands, ignoring Patricia’s advice that we ought to remain connected the whole time.

I stared through the bars up at the celestial palace that was perched on top of a hill.

Within those walls somewhere is Mona, I’m sure of it.

The thought was infuriating.

Patricia gripped my arm and replaced it over hers.

I glanced at the warlocks dressed in black robes patrolling the grounds.

Guards, I assumed.

The trick we’d managed to pull off down by the beach certainly would not be easily replicable here.

“Mona,” Patricia said suddenly.

The strength of her voice alarmed me considering our proximity to the guards behind the gate.

“Huh?” I whipped around and was stunned to see a familiar blonde figure walking toward us in the distance, a man with long hair by her side.

“Hey! Mo—!” I attempted to yell, but my voice cracked mid-word.