It wasn't until the kitchen staff came in just after sunrise that Emily realised she had been sitting in the dining room all night, pouring over the piles of books in search of anything that could help her find Lewis. All the while, she kept turning the visions over in her mind as she thumbed through a heavy, red leather-bound book. She didn't know why she was still looking at this book; all it offered were details about a variety of prisons.

Deciding that she wasn't going to get anywhere here, Emily left the servants, who had started clearing away the books that had been left on the table from the night before. With a yawn, she contemplated going to bed as she crossed the entrance hall. It didn't seem like anyone else was around yet anyway.

Just as she was about to head up the staircase, she caught sight of Edmund emerging from the corridor that led down to the jail cells. Maybe she wasn't the only one up so early after all. Without a word, he crossed the entrance hall, disappearing in the direction that Emily had just come from, no doubt already searching for breakfast. She knew that Edmund always liked to be up early; he had been the same before Sebastian had died. Still, something didn't feel right. What had he been doing down in the jail? As far as she knew, there weren't any prisoners in there except for Anthony.

Anthony, she thought, changing direction abruptly. Thomas had told her that he had precursor blood after she had rescued Lewis from the tomb in The Misty Islands. If he had precursor blood, maybe he knew something about The Dawn. Was that what Edmund had been up to, questioning him? After last night, she doubted she would find out.

No longer in the mood for bed, Emily turned to the corridor that led down to the jail, squeezing past a couple of guards as she headed for the stairs that led down to the dungeons. She had been down here a dozen times since they had returned from Fir Lodge, but the memory of George dragging her up the stairs to her trial still sent shivers down her spine. Not only was there that, but now Edmund was promising to collect his debt for saving her life.

Shuddering in the cold, damp air from the dungeon, Emily pulled the white wool jumper that she was wearing tighter around her. Every time she tried to get answers from Anthony, she was met by a brick wall. This time was going to be different. She was going to make it different; she would get answers this time.

Apart from the sound of someone shuffling around deeper in the jail, it was completely silent when she reached Anthony's cell. In the dim light from the torches in the corridor, she saw him sitting in the corner of the bed, his knees pulled up to his chin. As she stopped, he looked up, his bloodshot eyes staring at her unblinkingly.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

'You've come for answers, then,' he said quietly.

'How did you know?' Emily asked, taken aback.

'You have a determined look on your face,' Anthony said. 'What do you want from me this time?'

'The Dawn. Tell me what you know about them,' Emily said, stepping up to the bars of the cell. Normally a guard would have advised her against getting so close, but there weren't any around at the moment. Anthony didn't seem to pose any threat right now either.

'I haven't heard that name in a long time,' he mused, taking an interest in something on the ceiling of his cell. 'The Dawn used to train the war precursors before Arcadia fell. I believe they were destroyed in the war as well.'

'Apparently not,' Emily said. 'Three of them have captured Lewis and taken him somewhere.'

'They must have survived then,' Anthony said vaguely.

'Do you know where they would have taken Lewis?' Emily asked.

For a moment, Anthony considered her. 'North. If they had survived the war, then they would have gone north.'

'How far north?' Emily said. Perhaps they could still catch them.

'A long way. They used to train the precursors deep in the mountains, somewhere beyond Springcaster,' Anthony said, getting to his feet weakly.

'Thank you, Anthony,' Emily said gratefully. 'That just leaves us with the creatures to worry about now.'

'What creatures?'

'The ones that are attracted to Lewis' power,' Emily replied. 'Spectres, I think they called them.'

'There are no creatures attracted to precursor powers,' Anthony said.

'Then what are the spectres?' Emily wondered out loud. Before she could even begin to contemplate what they could be, Anthony grabbed her wrists, pulling her against the bars forcefully.

'He will be coming!' Anthony hissed. 'He will be coming. When he does, the world will burn!'

'Who is coming?' Emily asked, trying to free herself from his grip desperately. Where had he suddenly gotten all this strength from? It wasn't like prisoners were fed well; she knew that much from personal experience.

'The heir,' Anthony whispered, releasing Emily as he backed away into the corner of his cell.

'Lewis is coming?' Emily asked as Anthony shrank back onto his bed, pulling his knees up to his chin again as he cowered in the corner, shaking. 'Anthony, why would the world burn if Lewis returns?'

When Anthony didn't respond, Emily backed away, watching as he sat in the corner of his cell, muttering to himself. Was it the isolation getting to him, twisting his mind? Since they had returned to Tristan, he had been adamant that someone was coming, but Lewis? That was new. What did he mean when he said the world would burn as well?

With the questions turning themselves over in her mind, Emily left Anthony to his incoherent ramblings. She had to find Thomas. There were so many questions that needed answers: first The Dawn and what Anthony had told her, and then the vision.