At two o’clock I started to get antsy. They weren’tbackyet.

Then around four we saw the outline of a group of people. They were all wearing cloaks with thehoodsup.

My heart fluttered, and I blew out air, as I knew Blake was oneofthem.

I ran into the house. “Theyarehere!”

Emanuelcameout.

I start to frown when I only saw five figures, and two of them were Nicky and Max. Something must have happened to Leana, or one of the girls. My throat closed up again. Two of them weren’t alive. Tom? What kind of state wasn’t he going tobein?

They came closer and I could tell two of them were sort ofsupportingone.

Emanuel and Remi, dressed as Charles, ran toward them andassisted.

“Something happened,” the woman or guy who had taken Gertrude’splacesaid.

No kidding. “It’s this place,” I said. “It’s darkandevil.”

They finally reached us and Emanuel put the one dressed as a lord on the couch. When he hit the device, I found Tom’s figure. He looked like a ghost. Didn’t say a word. His eyes were dull, and he wascrying.

Leana. She hadn’tmadeit.

August appeared next then went to sit next to Tom, wrapping his arms around him. Tom startedtocry.

Nicky and Max took off theircloaks.

“Elena,” Emanuel had that tone in hisvoice.

A cold shiver ran up my spine. As the last one took off its hoody and hit the device, Raymondappeared.

“No, no, no!” I looked at Raymond. Where the hell wasBlake?

I ran down the steps and searched the horizon. No one else wascoming.

I walked up to Raymond andpushedhim.

“I told you not to lose him. Where the hell is my dragon?” I knew I sounded deranged. I couldn’t go through this again. I...