The water attacked my skin like a thousand blades. I gasped, as shock tore through my body. I choked on the bitter water that entered my mouth, quickly spitting it out. I had to take control. I became aware of shouting behind me, knowing that Jones and Louis would be demanding my return to the boat. I shrugged off the jacket, and left it floating on the surface of the water as and I cut through the ocean with determined strokes. Thank god I knew how to swim. I managed to get a little distance between the boat and me before I heard the expected splash of someone entering the water. Louis would be coming after me. I pushed on. Louis’s weight and muscle-clad frame would slow him down in the water, whereas my slim body would give me an advantage. I kicked violently, dipping my head in and out of the sea to come up for breath. I knew there was every chance I could be taken away from the island by the current, but I had to try. I had to keep going. Occasionally I h

Danny had refused to believe me. That was until he couldn’t get hold of Mack, then I could see the doubt creeping in. Thale still had him in silver shackles, although the look on Danny’s face told me that he barely had any fight left.“How could he do this to me?” I faintly heard Danny mumble.I didn’t respond. I was too busy pacing up and down the room, waiting for news of what we were going to do next. Louis had been gone for over 30 minutes. I would have expected them to have come and got me by now. I stopped suddenly. What if they had gone to confront Fallon without me? I would never forgive Thale if they had.“Sophia!”Danny shouting my name made me spin round. “What Danny?”“I was asking you why Mack is working for Fallon.”I bristled with irritation. “Because he’s fucking one of the female dragons, and he thinks they have a better chance at winning than you.

“Where’s the hoard then?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.We were still lying bed, although I was now positioned next to him while he stroked my arm gently with his fingertips.He laughed. “It’s much further down into the ground with various locked doors before you can actually get to it.”“Will you show me? While we’re waiting for Thomas to arrive?” I was desperately curious to see what all the fuss was about. And despite Thale telling me it wasn’t a cavern full of gold and jewels, that’s what I still had in my head.He turned his face to me, his outgrown stubble from not shaving making him look even more masculine that usual. “I suppose. You’ll have to put some clothes on first though,” he smirked wickedly.I had definitely won him back.We got dressed quickly, both of us knowing that if we didn’t, we’d fall right back into bed.

Relief washed through me. Maybe all of this could be fixed. Jack and I could be normal human beings without this terrible responsibility. Our relationship had taken such a battering recently. This would give us the chance to find our way back to each other. “Okay, so how do I do it?”Thomas frowned at me, scratching the back of his head. “Actually Sophia, I don’t think you can do it.”I shook my head in confusion. “What do you mean? I’m the guardian? Aren’t I the one who is meant to control the stone?”“Not as such. You’re the guardian, but you aren’t the creator. Hereti was. Only the creator can destroy the stone.” Thomas began riffling through one of the books in front of him, the yellow pages rustling under his fingers.Doubt began to creep back into me. I already knew I was going to do anything I could to get Jack home safe. Even if that meant giving Fallon what he wanted.

I tried to pull myself together as I was led back down the marble steps. I didn’t want Thale to see me like this. Not when there wasn’t anything he could do about it. As soon as he saw me though, my resolve failed.  He ran to my side, holding my face in his hands. “Sophia? What happened? Is Jack hurt?”I cried into him, not able to stop now that I had started. “He’s different…just… he’s been made to use the stone…when he shouldn’t.” My words came out between sobs.Thale’s face darkened. “Danny?” He whispered, so only I could hear him. I knew he was worried about the same thing I had been.“No. Mack,” I spat.Thale embraced me, stroking my hair and trying to comfort me. I wished for this all to be over. I wanted to got back home with him and Jack to Ashdown.“Come now Sophia. It’s not like he’s dead,” Fallon&r