We’re all gathered in the kitchen, my warriors and Albert, going over the final plan. We need to get in and out before James knows what’s happening. “The underground tunnel entrance is roughly a day’s walk from here. Does anyone have any last-minute questions?” Harlan asks, looking around the room.

We all shake our heads.

“Very well. Let’s go get Blair back.”

We head out the front of the house, and as soon as we get outside, I take a deep breath, letting the Silvia air, the smokey scent from the oak trees clear my mind. It’s pitch black outside, which I am thankful for. It means I don’t have to be reminded of the state Silvia is in. With the dead grass and dull colours of the plants, everything is dying, and it’s all thanks to James. The evil in him is spreading throughout Silvia, killing everything in its path. That’s why I need to focus on what’s ahead of us; rescuing Blair, then I need to find the two remaining stones; the future of Silvia depended on it.

Effortlessly, we fall into our usual formation: Harlan out front, Oliver to my right, Jolie to my left and Declan coming up the rear. The only one missing is Blair, who would be between me and Harlan, and I feel my heart fracture a little more. Harlan has his torch out in front making our path visible, without it we would be in complete darkness. With the heavy terrain that wouldn’t be ideal. The large trees at every turn with the plants didn’t make our path clear.

Albert is staying far behind in case we have any trouble. Our other trusted fighters are flanking us, as planned.

I have to admit, I’m pretty nervous to go into the Kingdom - to see where I grew up, where my parents raised me and where they died. I’d only be seeing the chambers, but it still feels weird to be going to the place that once held so many lost memories for me.

I’m sure the Kingdom wouldn’t look the same as when my parents were in charge. James would have changed things to his liking. Just thinking about him makes me angry. How could my father’s own blood be full of so much evil? I’ve been asking myself this since our first encounter. He needs to pay for what he did to my parents and to everyone in Silvia.

The sooner I retrieved the last two stones, the better. I’d be a fool to think it’ll be easy, but I have to have faith and believe in myself. I’ve come to realise I’d gladly die for Silvia.

I hear a growl coming from my right and I glance sidelong at Oliver.

“Don’t you ever say that, Dara. You are not going anywhere. Ever. You belong to us,” he says.

The possessiveness of my warriors makes my heart feel full. Knowing they always have my back, motivates me to keep going.

We continue along the trail for the next minutes. Everyone is on full alert, waiting for a Slayer to pop out. I’ll shamelessly admit I miss the action. I want to bring down a Slayer, make him pay. I’m out for blood, and it scares me shitless. I’m not a violent person, but when you take away what’s mine, I don’t play nice.

I turn my head when I hear a twig snap to our left. There’s a flash of white and I know what it is; a Slayer. My bow is in my hands in seconds, an arrow knocked a heartbeat later. I shiver as I draw the bow string against my cheek. I lose the arrow and time slows as it soars through the air. With my limited vision, it makes it hard to see where they are. The only advantage is the white of their uniforms; it stands out against the darkness. My target isn’t looking my way, too busy watching Harlan, following him. He doesn’t see my arrow until it’s too late, hitting him right in the chest. One down, who knows how many are left.

You’ve got this Dara, we are here if you need us. Declan reassures me.

My next arrow hits a tree, forcing me to fight in close quarters. With my knife in hand, I stalk towards the Slayer taking cover behind a tree. Soundlessly, I pick up a rock from the ground, throwing it in the other direction, drawing his attention away with it. As he turns, I drive the blade into his abdomen and watch the blood drain from his body.

Looking down at the slayer I just killed, I freeze. He’s a human being and I just ended his life.

What have I done? A tear runs down my cheek. My knife slips from my fingers falling to the ground. Everything around me evaporates. The only sound I hear is my knife hitting the forest floor with a thud. I just killed someone. I am a monster. I feel my heart beat fast against my chest.

Stumbling back, my back slams into something hard. Declan places his hands on my shoulders, turning me around to face him. Tears build up, but I try to hold them back. I don’t want to lose it right now. I couldn’t. I feel Declan’s fingers brush against my chin, lifting it up so that I am looking into his eyes.

“It’s okay, Dara. Everything will be okay. You’ll see,” he reassures me.

Reluctantly, I pull away from him when I feel Harlan, Oliver and Jolie surround us. “The area is clear, we good to continue?” Harlan asks looking me over.

Declan nods “She’s okay. Come on. There isn’t much further to go.”

We return to formation and I’m stuck with my thoughts for the remainder of the journey. The picture of the slayer dead against the tree plays over and over again. Making me feel guilty for what I had done.

“Breathe, Dara,” Jolie says. “Focus on your happy place. You need to be mentally prepared; Blair is counting on you.”

I keep moving, forcing one foot in front of the other, focusing on positive thoughts. I think of Silvia’s beautiful forests.

As I open my eyes a shiver goes through my body, my hands are glowing with my blue magic, ready for when I need it.