While the others gathered themselves as the pain subsided, I slid past Sumi and knelt with Eliana, her eyes tearing and her hair rippling through every vibrant hue of the rainbow.

“Is she all right?” Elof asked, sounding concerned, and I was dimly aware that I should be worried too. Eliana had collapsed, others were still groaning in pain, and I had no idea how the Ten had handled the leat fámus.

And deep down, the fear was there, the urge to stay and listen as Sumi explained that the incantation took a lot out of Ellie but she would recover soon. But the song was calling me, pulling me into Áibmoráigi.

As I walked through the ruins, winding between the tall grass and broken-down shells of homes, I heard someone shouting my name, but I didn’t stop. Not until Pan grabbed my arm, and then I whirled around to face him.

“Where are you going?” he asked, and put a gentle hand on my face. “Are you okay? You’re walking like you’re in a trance.”

“Yeah . . .” My voice sounded far away and I shook my head. “I was following the song.”

“You’re best not going alone,” Sumi said as she joined us. Dagny followed a few steps behind her, her bow and quiver of arrows strapped to her back.

Behind them, I saw Jem standing with Eliana, whose hair had finally settled into her natural chartreuse. Finn was near them, getting the troops into formation.

“Why are they singing?” Dagny asked.

“I don’t know.” Sumi scanned the ruins, her lips pursed and her hand hovering above the weapon sheathed on her hip. “They never sang up here when I lived here. The children are hardly even allowed on the surface.”

“We shouldn’t wait,” I said with a certainty I couldn’t explain. “It’s happening now.”

“What?” Dagny asked incredulously. “How do you know?”

I slipped out of Pan’s grip. My Omte strength meant that I could easily overpower him, so instead of wasting time fighting, he fell in step beside me and let me lead him through the crumbling remains of Áibmoráigi’s glory days.

As we walked, I remembered flashes of the lysa Illaria had shown me. The walls falling, the smoke blotting out the light, the men, women, and children running as they screamed in terror. The air smelled of sulfur and blood.

At first, I had thought the lysa was showing what I needed to prevent. But now I understood the truth was far darker. Illaria was taunting me, showing me the horror she was about to unleash on the earth, because she didn’t think I could do anything to stop it.

The song echoed off the mountains, and I hurried toward the stable. It was a large building, weathered and worn, but not overgrown or a pile of rubble like everything around here.