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Once we returnto the castle, Sebastian takes the baby to her crib while Liam carries Lily to her tree. Elijah and I follow at his heels. Worry for my friend consumes me. We wind through the expansive castle, the grandeur of it lost on me as my focus remains on the shallow breaths Lily is taking. They seem to be coming further and further apart.

When we finally get to the area where her tree lives, I gasp. The gorgeous blossoms of emerald and crimson, burnt-orange and deep purple, have shriveled, petals dropping to the floor, branches hanging like dead weight from the trunk, a black charred coating covering everything. "What happened to it?" I ask, shocked at the sight.

"Lily and her tree are connected,” Liam says. “If she dies, it dies, and vice versa."

He moves forward and the center of the massive trunk opens like a womb. He gently places her into it then steps back.

I sit on my knees and clutch Lily's hand as the trunk begins to close around her. Vines grow over her skin and her eyes flicker open for just a moment. She grips my hand with more strength than I expected. "I saw him,” she whispers. “I saw him…"

"Who did you see?" I ask.

But she's already unconscious, the vines spreading over her face. I expect a miracle. To see her charred coating fall away, replaced by fresh skin, but the tree and Lily remain the same. Near death, lifeless, charred. Isn't she supposed to be healing?

Behind me, I hear yelling. Liam’s voice. Sharp and mean. "Who else would have done this? Take note of who was injured or almost injured. Our family. My daughter. The Van Helsings want revenge, and this is how they're doing it," he shouts.

“There’s no proof,” says Elijah, much more calmly but just as loud.

“Then I’ll find some,” hisses the fire Druid. “Even if I have to wring it from their stupid throats.”

I turn away from Lily, my gaze following their voices to the doorway. Liam heads for the exit, but Elijah blocks his path. ”You cannot go after them, brother. It will only make things worse.” He places a hand on Liam’s shoulder.

“Let go of me.”

Elijah doesn’t. “Use your head for once. If you attack the Van Helsings, you’ll end up in jail. How will that help Alina?”

“At least she’ll be safe with them gone.” Liam raises his hand, flames dancing on his fingers. “But I’m not surprised you’d rather do nothing. You can read books about heroes all you want. But you’ll never be one.”

Elijah's eyes widen. “I’m not trying to be a—”

“Get out of my way!”

Liam shoves his brother aside, and then flies backwards as if hit by a car, slamming into the nearby wall. He stays there, struggling, as if pinned to the stone.

“I won’t let you go,” says Elijah, his black jacket drifting in a wind I cannot feel.

“Stop,” I yell. “Both of you—”

But before I can finish, flames explode from Liam’s hand and fly towards his brother. A whip of wind knocks it out of the air. Elijah raises his arm and—

“You will cease this insolence at once,” roars Matilda. The small old lady emerges from the doorway, her pinched face filled with fury. She then grabs Liam and Elijah each by the ear, dragging them both down to her height.

“Ouch,” squeal both the brothers at once. But they don’t fight back. Instead, their faces turn red as they avoid Matilda’s disapproving gaze as much as possible.

The wind dies down.

The fire goes out.

Matilda sighs. "I leave you alone for one moment and look what happens. You turn into naughty schoolchildren.” She turns to Liam. "Lily needs your healing. Are you going to let her die?"

Liam drops his head. He, at least, has the decency to look ashamed. "No."

"If I let you go, will you behave?" Matilda asks.

"Yes," Liam says gruffly.

"And you?" she asks Elijah.

“I will,” he says, still looking away. “You know I will.”