The day after Tryan took me to the beach, I take Lyza and Lycia out to the swing for a push as thunderclouds rumble in the distance. Moira comes out with a letter for me.

"Who is it from?" I ask, taking the envelope from her.

"I don't know. It doesn't say."

I slide my finger under the seal and open up the letter.

My dearest Cecily,

I regret to inform you that your dear brother has unfortunately been held up in his current location and cannot perform his duties and his gracious host has requested that you come in his place. But I am ordering you, stay where you are! You are not to go to him, no matter what. Your brother is strong and can handle himself. Please, heed my request, for my sake. I could not handle two of my children in danger. I beg of you, my child, stay where you are safe. I love you always.

Your Loving Father

My hands start to shake as I take in the meaning of my father's letter.

Your dear brother has unfortunately been held up in his current location.

His current location is Berirind and he has been held up...

"Oh, no," I gasp, sinking to my knees in shock.

"Cecily? What's wrong?" Lyza and Lycia surround me, trying to figure out what's the matter.

"Girls? Why don't you go inside and let me help Cecily. And tell your brother that we need him out here please."

The girls go reluctantly and Moira kneels next to me.

"What is it?"

I silently hand her the letter and stare at the grass below me.

"I don't understand. What is it saying?"

"Elaerya! Elaerya, what's the matter? Are you hurt?" I glance up and see Tryan sprinting towards us from the house. When he reaches us, Moira hands him the letter.

"This just came from her father, but I can't understand it. Elaerya, you have to tell us what's wrong."

"It's Brycen," I whisper.

"Yes, I got that much, but what's wrong with him?"

"He's..." I swallow the lump in my throat. "He's been captured by Arden." I wrap my arms around my middle, shaking. "This is all my fault."

Tryan kneels beside me as well. "No, it's not. Don't blame yourself."

"Tryan, he's there because of me! He is there because he was getting the antidote for me, but now he's been captured and I won't get the antidote. Then, I will die, and if I don't go to Arden, Brycen will die! I need to do something! I need to...I need to save him."

I shoot to my feet and run towards the barn as I feel the first rain drop from the storm land on my face. Tryan catches me by the wrist.

"No. You are not going to Berirind."

"Tryan, let me go!" I try to yank my arm free, but he is adamant and grips me tighter.

"I am not letting you run away from me again. Remember what happened last time?"

I glare at him as the rain starts to fall harder. "I don't care. I'm already dying so there's nothing worse that can happen to me."

"You're not going, Elaerya. Your father ordered you to stay here."

"I don't care what my father said!" I shout at him. "I have to save Brycen! What if it was Moira? Or Lyza? Or Lycia? You would save them, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, of course," he says, loosening his grip. I yank my arm free and start for the barn again. Now, the rain is coming down so hard, I can barely see the barn, but I am determined to get to Scarlet and save my brother. Tryan is too fast and grabs me by both wrists this time and I fight to break free.

"But it's not the same, Elaerya! It doesn't matter as much if I get hurt or killed. I am only a squire and I'm not important enough to be kept alive. You are the Princess of Archirind and I was assigned to keep you safe and I will not let you go to Berirind and be killed!"

"Then you are my murderer, Tryan! You can't even imagine what it's like to feel yourself dying every day! The only way I am going to live is if we go to Berirind and get the antidote! Why can't you see that?! If you are refusing to let me go to Berirind, then you are the one killing me! Now, let me GO!"

"NO!"

I beat my fists against Tryan's chest in a fit of rage and struggle frantically to get away. But he keeps a tight hold of my wrists as I hit him and fight him in the pouring rain until finally, I break down sobbing into his chest. My knees buckle and we collapse into a puddle. Never in my life have I felt so helpless, so defeated. It was so overwhelming. Brycen was in a prison cell in Berirind because he was getting an antidote for me. It was all my fault and I was powerless to do anything to save him. It was just like my dream.

"You ... you said everything ... was going to be ... going to be fine," I choke out between gasps of air.

Tryan strokes my hair and kisses the top of my head. "I know. I am so sorry."

I calm myself a little bit and look up at him. "I will die if we don't get the antidote and Brycen will die if we don't help him. We have to do something, Tryan. Please," I beg.

He runs a hand through his wet hair and sighs. "Apparently, our only choice is to go to Berirind. We have to get you the antidote soon."

"And we have to help Brycen," I insist.

He smiles sadly at me. "And we have to help Brycen."

I wrap my arms around him and hug him tightly. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much he means to me."

Tryan looks at Moira. "Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea."

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hits a tree in the distance and Tryan quickly pulls me to my feet. "We had better get inside before this storm gets any worse." With one arm still around me, he takes Moira's hand and hurries us back to the house.

Elise opens the door before we reach it and hands each of us a dry towel on the way in.

"You are all going to catch a cold and it will be the death of all of you! Now, march right upstairs and change into some dry clothes right away."

I can't help but smile as we make our way up the stairs. Elise is such a great mother. She sounded annoyed at us, but I could tell by the look she gave me that she was worried about me in particular. No doubt she had seen what went on outside and she was going to ask about it later.

Up in Moira's room, we both slide off our wet clothes and rub ourselves down with the towels. I unwrap the wet bandage from my arm and cringe when I see the blue-gray ooze. I'll have to put a new bandage on it. As I am pulling up a warm, long-sleeved dress, I hear Moira gasp behind me.

"Elaerya! Your back!"

"What?" I ask, craning my neck to look. "What's wrong with it?"

Moira grabs me by the arm and pulls me over to look in the mirror and I gasp at the sight. The sickly purple-green coloring had spread up my arm, over my shoulder and almost to my shoulder blade. It was definitely not like that when Tryan helped me change my bandage last night. I look down at my shoulder and see that the poison has even spread on my chest. It is already halfway across my collar bone.

The poison is making its way to my heart.