Serena's arms went around Dex automatically. His scent hit her all at once, grounding and familiar, and relief flooded her senses so hard it almost hurt.
Dex lifted her and moved her against the wall. His hands were everywhere at once, checking her forehead, her bruises, her ribs.
His lips moved, forming words lost beneath the ringing in her ears.
She could feel his emotions and he was tight with worry.
"I'm okay, Dex," she whispered. "Don't worry."
His head turned as he spoke to someone nearby, but Serena still couldn't process the sounds.
The worry surged again. He didn't want to leave her.
She didn't want him to stress over her. He needed to lead and defend Drakenfell. She pushed calm to him through their matebond so he could think clearly.
She squeezed his hand and his head snapped back to her. She repeated the words he had given her hours ago, when she had been the one worried for him.
"I've got this."
Through the chaos around them, his lips twitched.
He pulled her into a fierce kiss and pressed his lips to her forehead next, lingering for half a second longer than necessary.
Then he straightened, gave her one last look, and left.
Hyran's voice cut into her mind again.
Hyran: Push to every dragon-rider you've encountered in Drakenfell.
Her mind went to every rider's face she had seen.
Every scent she identified, and pushed to them all. Not just the dragon riders. A handful of warriors and mages too. She could feel them through the mark on her arm.
Then something strange happened. Something shifted.
She started to feel her gold magic. An energy she hadn't been able to find on her own reliably.
Finally, she understood it.
She surrounded Dex's energy with hers as protection. At least that's how she imagined it in her mind. Then she added Hyran, Gav, Tiberon, and Hale.
Hyran:Yes. Good instincts.
It was harder to control compared to the fire and took more concentration. She focused on the dragon riders next.
Slowly at first. One rider, then another.
But after a few minutes, she gained momentum. She kept going until every person she could channel fire into was also surrounded by her gold magic.
The fire she was channeling was not just Velkaris's anymore. She felt every dragon in Drakenfell pushing their energy toward her.
And it wasn't pleasant by any means.
But she took it.
She looked around the throne room.
Ash coated the floor. What remained of bodies lay disintegrated where they had fallen.
Normally, she would have screamed. The sight was disturbing on a level she did not want to unpack.
Instead, she felt nothing.
Her emotions were detached, floating somewhere out of reach.
That was when she saw Queen Bellatrix standing nearby, watching her.
More people rushed into the throne room. Bellatrix screamed and hurled something blindly, then grabbed a sword.
She held it awkwardly, uncertain and stiff.
Under any other circumstances, it would have been funny.
A man lunged and stabbed Bellatrix.
Serena raised her hand without thinking.
Fire struck the man and dropped him where he stood.
Serena crawled to Bellatrix and sliced her own palm. Gold blood spilled into the wound and sealed it.
Bellatrix stood up. She stared at her healed flesh, then at Serena. Her face twisted with disgust before she ran out of the throne room.
You're welcome, Serena thought dryly.
Elara entered the room a moment later, eyes glowing bronze. Her lip was split, cheek bruised. Blood streaked down her temple, soaking into her cloak.
She had a dagger in her hand. Her arms were shaking violently. "Serena, run!" she rasped.
Serena found her voice, and when it came out it was calm. Commanding. The emotions behind it felt borrowed, not entirely her own in this life.
"Elara," she said steadily. "Fight it. You have a choice. There is always a choice."
Elara's body twitched in sharp, uneven jerks, like she was being pulled in two directions at once.
Serena pushed herself to her feet and walked toward her. She reached out carefully and took the dagger from Elara's trembling hand.
"I've got you," she said.
Elara broke, sobbing.
Serena patted her down gently and found a second dagger strapped to her leg. She removed it, without judgment.
"I know this is not you," Serena said firmly. "It is not your fault."
Elara's breath hitched, uneven, but steadying. She nodded slowly, eyes still wide with the remnants of whatever had held her. "I—I can feel it. It is still there, but… quieter now."
"Come with me," Serena said, already moving.
Her legs carried her forward before her mind fully caught up, instinct guiding her through the corridors.
She turned a corner and nearly collided with a cluster of omega servants, wide-eyed and terrified, running without direction.
"This way," Serena said. She reached for a portrait on the wall and swung it open, revealing a hidden door behind it.
The servants scrambled through, fear lending them speed.
"Stay hidden in here," Serena said calmly. "If you follow the tunnel straight, it will lead you to the forest. I don't know how many attackers we have, so avoid that unless it becomes necessary."
"Yes, my Lady. Thank you," one of them said, eyes shining with gratitude.
Serena smiled at them, warm and genuine.
They moved through the halls, guiding omegas, children, women, elders, and nobles to safety.
Elara followed silently, never asking how Serena knew where the tunnels and hidden doors were. If she had, Serena would not have been able to answer.
Serena struck enemies with flame, never touching anyone who belonged to Drakenfell. She knew on instinct who did and who did not. Pack recognized its own.
Elara found her silver healing magic more than once in the middle of the chaos.
Serena did not know where she was leading them. Only that it felt urgent. Necessary. A pull she could not ignore.
They ran every corridor, opening doors, finding passages, evacuating innocents wherever they could.
That was her instinct.
She followed it.
When all the interior corridors were swept, they moved outside. And that was when the chaos truly unfolded.
They burst out into open air and straight into hell.