“The Star Dragon?”
“Yes.”
“Just—” My eyes widened. “Holy shit.” I shoved Randall off me. “Suck me through your hole,” I demanded.
“Now wait a godsdamn minute,” Ryan started.
Randall scowled. “What are you prattling on about now?”
“The castle! We have to get to the castle! Randall! Now!”
He looked uncertain. “I don’t….”
“Trust me,” I pleaded. “I need you to—”
And we were gone.
I STUMBLED as we reappeared in the throne room.
It was eerily empty. The Darks had been defeated, and soon we’d fill the room and corridors with the sounds of life as it once had been, but for now, it was quiet.
“Why are we here?” Randall asked, looking around. “What has happened?”
“Hello?” I called out.
There was no response.
I shook my head. It was fine. It was fine. We just needed to—
I took off for the rear entrance that led to the gardens. Randall shouted after me, telling me to wait just a godsdamn minute. I ignored him. The dragons were bright in my head, agitated in the way they buzzed, but I pushed them away. Kevin was still with the others in the alley. Zero had joined them. The remaining dragons were nearing the City of Lockes. They’d been successful, I knew, in taking back Meridian City. There were smaller enclaves of Darks left, but soon they’d disperse. Not all of the Darks had been captured, but they’d disappear back into the Dark Woods. If they didn’t, well. We’d deal with them then.
All of us.
I pushed the doors open, the wood groaning underneath my hands. The air was redolent with flora and fauna. The stars were blazing in the sky above, and I called out, “Hello!” again, but there was nothing, there was nothing, and I’d been lied to, I’d been deceived.
I pushed my way through the plants, branches scraping against my hands and cheeks as I made my way toward my mother’s secret garden. My heart thundered in my chest, Randall’s cries ringing in my ears, the dragons rumbling in my head, and I thought, please, please, please.
There, in the secret garden was—
Nothing.
Almost nothing.
Morgan’s obelisk still stood as it had before, during our rescue of the King.
But that was it.
I heard a bird call.
I took a step forward.
“Hello,” I managed to say again.
Nothing.
I sagged.
Then—