Orryx Enchanted

Mission

Selene’s POV

The orb pulls us through space and into darkness. When we land, it’s in a cold, dim cave—a far cry from the cozy safety of our manor. The underworld, at least this part of it, is a nightmare of jagged rocks and eerie silence. We’re high up on a ledge, looking down into a cavernous room.

Below us, our father, Shawn, is chained to the wall, his head hanging low, blood dripping down his face. Our mother, Aurora, is strapped to a twisted metal chair, a dark witch looming over her, fingers tangled in our mother’s wild curls.

Beside her is a demon—Zariel, in his true form. Rusty red skin, black stripes etched across his face, and sharp teeth that glint in the dim light.

Thalia grips my arm as we look down. “I’ll kill them,” she whispers, her voice trembling with barely contained fury.

“Not yet,” Layton warns, pulling her back. “We have to stay hidden, scope out the situation. There’s too much at stake.”

The sound of our mother’s pained scream cuts through the air. My heart clenches. “Mom,” I whisper, my hands trembling.

Zariel turns to the dark witch, his voice low but clear enough for us to hear. “Break her mind, Andora. We need what’s locked inside.”

The dark witch—Andora—tightens her grip on our mother’s hair. “She’s strong. Her magic is shielding her thoughts, but it won’t last.”

Aurora groans, her face contorted in pain, but her voice remains defiant. “You’ll never break me.”

Zariel snarls, pacing in front of her. “We don’t need to break you, just crack you open enough. We’re not just after your magic, Aurora. We want your entire bloodline.”

He leans down, his black eyes gleaming. “Your daughters will be next. Once we have the secret of your family’s power, we’ll steal it from every Blackthorne past and present. No more phoenix witches, no more powerful warlocks. Just us.”

Thalia grips the ledge so hard I hear the stone crack under her fingers. “I’m going down there,” she mutters.

“No,” Layton hisses. “If they see us, they’ll take you, too. We need a plan.”

Shawn lifts his head, his voice hoarse but steady. “You think my daughters will let you touch them? They’re stronger than you could ever imagine.”

Zariel laughs, a chilling sound. “We’ll see about that.”

I glance at my sisters, fear gnawing at my gut. But seeing Mom and Dad like this, tortured and powerless, ignites something in me. We have to do this.

Layton pulls us back from the ledge, his face grim. “There are five demons down there, plus Andora. She’s powerful, but we can take her out if we’re quick. We need to be fast, quiet, and precise.”

“How do we get them out?” Amara asks, her eyes wide.

“We use the cloaking spell to get close,” Layton says, thinking fast. “Thalia and Amara will focus on the demons, throw the burning potions at them. Selene, you and I will take Andora. Once she’s distracted, your mom’s magic should kick in and break her bindings. But we have to time it right.”

Thalia nods. “We’re getting them out. Alive.”

Amara’s POV

Looking down at Mom, her face twisted in agony as Andora tries to rip through her mind, I feel my hands shake with rage. But she’s strong—stronger than they know. Every time Andora digs deeper, she hits a wall. A flicker of power, holding them back.

“I can feel it,” Andora says, frustrated. “Her magic is woven into her very essence, protecting her. It’ll take more time.”

Zariel growls. “Then make it faster.”

“She’s a phoenix witch, Zariel,” Andora snaps. “Her magic regenerates, protects. It’s not that simple.”

Shawn chuckles weakly. “You’ll never touch their magic. It’s locked away from monsters like you.”

Zariel snarls again and sends a backhand across Shawn’s face, but Dad just laughs, blood running down his chin.

“You’re wasting time,” he taunts. “And time is something we still have.”

Thalia clenches her fists. “We’re ending this. Now.”

I nod, my heart pounding in my chest. We’ve got one shot. Layton nods at us, and we ready ourselves.

This ends tonight.