Morgana landed on her backside with a painful thump. Three familiar figures towered over her that made fear careen down her spine.

Elvenia sneered, crossing her arms over her gaudy dress. Iron tainted the air. Thanks to the blood dripping out of Alston's nose and onto the front of his suit.

Morgana clambered to her feet and tried to run, but Alston unleashed his earth magic, and she fell onto her stomach with a painful wheeze. She screamed but it was cut short by Dain's air magic. Morgana's face turned red as she tried to scramble away. Dain, Elvenia, and Alston laughed like vultures screeching over a carcass.

Suddenly, a strange sensation brewed under Morgana's skin, as if something were prickling her.

Dain flung Morgana into the side of the castle. Pain bolted through her as she was hoisted up the wall. Her vision began to spot. But before she could pass out, Morgana plummeted to the ground and air whistled down her throat.

"I won't kill you just yet." Dain chortled. "I want to have some fun first."

The prickling sensation changed into heat, as if fire licked underneath Morgana's skin. She winced and curled over.

Elvenia waved a hand, Alston's blood disappeared from his face and suit because of her water magic. "You need to pay for what you did to Alston's nose."

Suddenly, Morgana was thrown onto her back by Alston's earth magic.

"Stop burning me!" Morgana screamed.

Dain, Elvenia, and Alston shared a puzzled look.

"None of us are fire users, you idiot," Elvenia sneered.

"Make it stop!" The pain was becoming unbearable. Morgana felt as if she were a bomb about to explode.

Alston's earth magic disappeared as fire erupted out of Morgana's hands.

Elvenia, Dain, and Alston jumped back.

"What was that?" Elvenia shrieked.

The burning sensation disappeared, purged by the fire that had escaped Morgana's hands. The night air cooled Morgana's sweaty skin and she stood up.

The bullies stared at her in stunned silence.

Morgana didn't know what had just happened, but she wasn't going to let this opportunity slide. Dain was closest, so she punched him in the throat. He fell to the ground with a gurgle. Morgana turned and ran but she was slammed onto the ground again by Alston's earth magic. It felt like a boulder was crushing her and she could barely breathe.

"Stupid human," rasped Dain, face red and screwed up like a toddler on the verge of a tantrum.

Morgana's tears floated into the air and Elvenia's voice was as cold as a tomb. "How did you do that with the fire? If you don't tell me, I'll drown you with your own tears."

Alston knelt beside Morgana, and his earth magic ripped her gown open and exposed her belly. His finger traced a line across her stomach and it felt like a spider crawling over her skin.

"Leave me alone," Morgana's voice shook.

Alston's earth magic sliced into Morgana's belly like a hot knife, and she screamed again.

Dain hadn't bothered to silence her, because he was too entranced with what was unfolding before him.

Alston was going to kill her. Slowly.

Elvenia laughed.

Then Alston was hauled into the air like a marionette dragged by its strings. He yelled and waved an arm, trying to fight the earth user who'd attacked him, but he rose higher into the sky.

Elvenia gasped, hand shooting to her mouth.

Dain spun around, peering into the darkness, trying to find the culprit. But there was no one there. He gave up and sent a gust of air magic after Alston. Everyone's hair flew back. "I'll catch you!" he screamed.

Morgana scrambled back and clutched her belly. She gaped at Alston's floating body.

Alston reached the top of a turret, impossibly high, as if he were a speck amongst the stars. "Put me down!" his voice echoed.

His wish was granted.

He plummeted at breakneck speed, arms and legs flailing.

Elvenia screamed. And Dain raised his arms and sent a strong gust of wind, but it wasn't enough to stop Alston from hitting the grass with a sickening crunch. A beat of silence passed where they all stared at Alston, who was sprawled on his back.

Elvenia and Dain ran over to him, but they were thrown back into the castle wall by the same earth user that attacked Alston. Their heads cracked and they slid down, slumping against the wall like crumpled dolls.

There was a moment where distant shouts and laughter echoed from the maze.

"Hello?" Morgana stood up and searched the dark and rolling lawns, hoping to see Damon. But no one was there.

Someone powerful had saved her, but who?