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The Plumian runs to leap the hole and makes his way back to the bench where the Hare sits.

Damon does not see what happens next, but a moment later, Lukas is at his side, facing the palace guard with him. Lukas was not meant to follow him. Lukas was meant to get out.

More guards appear, in moments they are surrounded. Baby growls and claws at one of them, but even with a lycat on their side it’s simply not going to be enough.

It cannot end this way.

“I’m sorry, truly,” Damon says to Lukas.

“Sorry for what?”

“Not saving you.”

Lukas’s voice is dark, “You really think I was waiting for you to save me?”

28

LYR

From the balcony, Lyr watches the chaotic fight below. Beside him Elric is simply staring at Lukas with tears in his eyes. Lyr takes his hand.

“You will be with him soon,” he whispers. But Lyr does not know if he speaks the truth. Their plan is desperate and relies heavily on Kerik’s untested magic.

Will Damon and Lukas survive this? Perl and Doroth have suggested that it was not possible for them to die before they played their part in the prophecy and killed Ur-Durik, or, at least attempted such. But neither of them had ever reached any conclusion about whether or not this idea was true.

When Damon stood up and declared himself, Lyr had felt a lump in his throat. It had reminded him, so intensely, of Damon doing that before. To save his life in the Hall of Twelve.

As ever, Damon is reckless with himself, when it comes to protecting others. He would make a good emperor, whatever he says.

Beside Lyr, Kerik is cursing, clenching and unclenching his fists. Lyr feels sick. He feels Elric grip more tightly as Kerik says, “I can’t. There’s something else here. Something that won’t let me.”

Soft and even, Perl says, “It’s Atticul. Ur-Durik. He is a Bellator demon. His presence is disrupting you. Their magic is fae magic like yours. Stay calm and focus. You can draw more power.”

“I can’t,” Kerik snaps back. “I can’t. That was all I had.”

Perl snatches up Kerik’s hand and places his palm on Lyr’s chest. “It wasn’t. You have more.” He says it more forcefully than Lyr has ever seen Perl say anything.

Lyr feels the power inside him, rolling under Kerik’s touch. He has felt Kerik pull it from him several times now and has learned the sensations. He is sure he has some power inside him, still, stored there from their time in Ceruleum. But he cannot tell if it is enough for Kerik to hurl another magic bolt down to protect Damon, Lukas, Tobi and Harok.

Perl had warned them that it was impossible to be sure how much power Lyr had.

Kerik pulls his hand back from Lyr and says, “Why don’t you do it, faerie?”

“You are more powerful. Your magic is attuned to this place. Focus now.”

“I could order you to do it,” Kerik snarls back.

“I would advise that you don’t.”

Beside Lyr, Elric makes a whimpering noise.

Lyr looks down and sees what Elric is seeing. Damon, Lukas, Tobi and Harok are surrounded by scores of guards, defenceless.

“I would be more use down there,” Kerik says, looking too at how hopelessly outnumbered their company are.

“You would be one more man with a sword. As the Magician you are worth a hundred.”

“A magician that cannot do any magic.”