The Rise of the Dawnstar (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 2)

quiet garden.
Everyone did as they were told. The mere presence of the archmage was enough to bend them to his will. I looked around. Someone had betrayed us. Was it Santino?
I spotted Rafe slowly moving through the crowd toward me. Katerina had removed her mask and was clutching his arm for dear life and trying to pull him the other way.
“Once the guards are busy checking people, we will move toward those trees,” Brandon whispered, inclining his head toward the wooded area on the far side of the garden.
I nodded, and Brandon caught my hand, squeezing it tightly. “Stay close. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The guests started lining up and Oblek checked their identities personally. But I couldn’t see Santino anywhere. The archmage walked in front of the guards, and all the mages bowed as he passed by. I hadn’t known he commanded such subservience from the mage community.
But why did the king allow him and Oblek to head the search for me? I knew the Blackwaters were involved in this; after all, Lucian was Sorcha Blackwaters’s brother. But with what Morgana was doing to Avalonia, how could he support them? It hurt to know that the King of Eldoren thought so little of me. I had thought he liked me, and he was always so good to me when I was at the palace. But now he seemed to think I was capable of kidnapping his son and trying to take over his kingdom. It looked like I was a worse judge of character than I thought.
As Brandon and I reached the far end of the garden, a voice behind us stopped us in our tracks.
“Stop! No one leaves until the archmage has seen them,” said Oblek.
It was over. There was no escape.
There were too many people. If I used my magic and someone got hurt, it would make them fear me more. And this time it was a fight I couldn’t win. The archmage was known for his power over dark magic. I could feel his menacing presence before I turned to face him. I had learned to sense magic around me and in others, and I was slowly getting better at it. But I didn’t have to concentrate to feel his power. The air was thick with his malignant presence. It was like black tendrils of a menacing shadow that spread out across the garden.
I finally turned to look at Lord Oblek. Two blue-cloaked warrior-mages flanked him, surrounded by four guards.
“Remove your mask, sir,” Oblek demanded.
Brandon slowly removed his mask and ran his hands through his thick blond hair. “Brandon Delacourt at your service, my lord.” He inclined his head in a perfect imitation of Santino.
“And the lady?” my old nemesis asked, looking straight into my eyes.
“She’s no one, my lord, just my, um . . . how should I say . . . companion for the night,” said Brandon, winking at the guard who stood behind Oblek.
The guard sniggered at this. And my hackles went up. My magic flared, and I had half a mind to stun that stupid grin off the guard’s face. But I pushed it back down. It wouldn’t do me any good; as it was, they already thought I was a monster.
Oblek clearly didn’t believe Brandon’s story for a minute. “I still need to see her face.” He looked into my eyes. “Remove your mask, madam.”
I had no choice. Slowly I bowed my head and untied my mask, finally looking up to face Oblek. He didn’t look surprised to see me, as a wide grin spread across his scarred face.
“It is she!” said Oblek loudly, and the guards stepped apart to allow the archmage through.
Lucian stalked toward me with an almost feline grace. He was not what I expected. Tall and impressively built, the archmage had long, obsidian-black hair tied in a ponytail, slightly graying at the temples, the only thing giving away his age.
“The amulet?” said the archmage. “Let me see it.” His voice was a soft caress, silky and smooth. He didn’t have to raise his voice to be heard, and his tone was one you could not disobey.
Oblek stepped forward, and I took a step back.
The archmage raised his right hand. “Come here.” His eyes were dark as night, shaded beneath strong eyebrows, and his fine features, strong chin, and aristocratic nose only added to his regal presence. He might not be a king, but in the mage world he commanded as much respect.
My legs moved of their own accord. Darkness pulsed out of him and tendrils of shadow pressed against my magic as if they were trying to find a way to latch onto it. I struggled to free myself from his hold, but it felt like invisible hands were tugging me forward. His long, elegant fingers clasped the chain around my neck and pulled my amulet from within my gown.
The archmage smiled a savage grin. “Finally, we meet, Princess Aurora. I have been looking forward to this for fifteen long years.”
“I can’t say the same,” I said bluntly.
“I’m glad you didn’t try to run,” said the archmage, ignoring my remark. “Personally, I thought you would—you are known to be quite reckless.” He walked slowly around me, his hands behind his back, eyeing me from every angle, assessing his enemy.
I was rooted to the spot. My legs felt like rocks had been attached to them; I couldn’t move however much I tried.
He stopped circling and looked me in the eyes. “It would have been futile, of course. The whole mansion is surrounded, you wouldn’t have gotten far.”
My eyes darted across the garden. How were we going to get out of this? There was no sign of Rafe anywhere; I couldn’t see Santino either, or Katerina. If Santino left on that ship tomorrow, we would have no way of getting another person to take us to Brandor. Especially with the guards and Blue Cloaks prowling every inch of Calos. Where was Rafe? Was he with Katerina?
“You have