Everyone crowded around as Tam opened the swirling black portal in the mirror and gasped.

Sandor and Grizel went through first to ensure the room was secure, but soon Sophie, Dex, Fitz, Tam, and Valerie had also joined them.

There was a device in the ceiling that projected the same symbol that they had seen in the old base - the Lodestar Symbol.

Dex stared at the device in wonder, probably trying to figure out how it worked.

Tam examined the symbol on the floor, Sophie holding his hand to enhance his ability. "Maybe if I..." He pulled the shadows to the end of one of the branches.

On instinct, Valerie grabbed his arm and suddenly the room disappeared.
————
They were standing in a dilapidated building with crumbling walls and vines climbing the faded bricks. Fitz, Sophie, and Tam stood gawking at their surroundings. They walked cautiously through the ruins.

Suddenly, a force field flashed around Tam and Fitz.

Valerie dove aside as another flash missed her. She summersaulted behind a large piece of rubble.

Four cloaked figures stood before them. One was the Psionopath - Ruy.

Valerie jumped out of hiding and tackled Sophie to the ground as another force field shot towards them. She stood in front of Sophie protectively, staring down the four Neverseen members. She clenched her fists, frost shot across the floor, and ice formed at their feet, growing up their legs.

One of the two in the middle thrust out his hand and a ball of fire shot from his palm.
Valerie raised her arms protectively in front of her face. The fire collided with her arms, throwing her backwards.

She landed hard on a large stone and smacked her head against the rough surface. As her vision faded, she saw blurry flames blazing on her sleeve.
————
"Valerie!" A desperate voice cut through the dark, persistent and loud.

At first, Valerie fought against it, but soon light seeped through her eyelids and she forced herself to open them. She was greeted by an overwhelming pain. She bit her lip to keep from screaming. Her leggings were singed and full of holes and her sleeves were in tatters. Raw, blistered, bleeding skin covered her arms where the fire had hit her.

Fitz knelt over her. "Are you okay?"

She spoke through heaving breaths. "I'm alive." Forcing her breaths to calm, frost formed over her burns, thickening into ice. The cold soothed the pain and kept her from bending the raw areas.

Fitz helped her to her feet.

They were alone. Two of the Neverseen members were unconscious on the floor - Brant and Ruy - the others had disappeared.

Valerie scanned the area. "What happened to the others?"

Fitz wrapped her arm over his shoulder and helped her hobble over to where Tam held the men restrained. "Keefe escaped with Alvar." There wasn't as much anger in his voice as Valerie would've expected.

Sophie glanced away as they approached.

Valerie sighed. "Still think he's on our side?"

There was a tinge of hurt in Sophie's voice. "He took one of them so Fintan wouldn't get suspicious and he chose Alvar because he's the least dangerous."

Tam yanked a knot tight on their prisoners' bonds. "Don't forget the part where he stole my leaping crystal to Alluveterre."

"What?!" Valerie tried to walk on her own, but fell as the pain shot through her left leg.

Tam rushed over to examine her burns. "We need to get her to Elwin." He looked at Sophie. "We can talk about this later."

Sophie nodded.

Then, a crash like thunder cracked open the sky and two winged horses landed on the grass outside the base.

Fitz hoisted Brant to his feet. "Looks like our ride is here."