Page 62 of Monster's Melody

Unfortunately, it took time for the confusion to die down and still more time for me to share what had happened in the Shadow Realm with everyone.

“He’s getting stronger,” Headmistress Blackthorn said soberly.

“What makes you think so?”I asked.

Kasi was the one who answered.“In the past, I’ve been able to bring people back from the Shadow Realm because I could sense and find them anywhere there.The last two times you’ve been taken, though, I haven’t sensed you anywhere.I think he’s somehow figured out how to hide people in the shadows.”

“That’s not good,” Vorzak rumbled, the first time he’d spoken since I’d been taken.He hadn’t moved from my side since, his arms and snakes wrapped around me, holding me close.

“It’s beginning to feel hopeless,” Mikaela said and I saw on her face that she was coming to understand the unthinkable decision the Supernatural Council had made.

If it was hopeless for us and we knew who Zowen was, how much worse had it been in the past, when he’d been a killer in the shadows no one could identify?

“I think my voice hurts him,” I said in an attempt to offer some hope.“It’s why he keeps throwing me out of the Shadow Realm.At least, that’s my best guess.”

“Your voice has power,” Blackthorn said.“It’s the gift of the sirens.”

I nodded.“I’m not sure how that helps though.”

“Every gift helps,” she said, “especially those we can wield as weapons.”

“Except he keeps taking us by surprise,” Jahrdran said.“We can never predict when he’s going to attack.”

“And even if we could, we still have no idea how to stop him,” Mikaela said.

“Yeah.”Kasi sighed.“The problem is figuring out how to cage a shadow.”

And that was how our final class of Dragon Riding 101 ended.

We won the Gauntlet, but yet another confrontation with Lydrel Zowen ended in a draw.

We still had no answers and no hope for defeating him.

CHAPTER11

We hadanother week of finals and then our third year at Blackthorn Academy would be done.For Elliot and Jahrdran, though, their fourth and final year was drawing to a close.

Kasi and Mikaela were practically vibrating with anxiety the closer we got to the end of the year as they faced the reality of their mates not returning with them in the fall.

Thankfully, Vorzak and I were in the same year together, so wouldn’t have to suffer through a separation the way the others would.

Truthfully, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if both Elliot and Jahrdran ended up sabotaging their own grades in order to return a fifth year with Mikaela and Kasi.

One thing, I did know, though: there was no way the two of them would be abandoning their mates next year.They’d be back, if not at Blackthorn Academy itself, then in the nearby town of Wellspring.

Over the next week, as we barreled toward our last final of the year, my dreams of the shadow army continued.

The dream always started in the same place, with endless crowds of people streaming by, their sorrow heavy in the air, weighing me down.

We’re lost,they whispered.

Gone.

Why won’t you find us?

Unfound.

Why won’t you fight for us?