"Do you want me to tell them you're here?" Travis asked as we peered into the room. Riley, Brandon and Molly were sitting alone at a small table in the back corner of the room. They kept looking back anxiously to the front door. Travis and me stood at the back expressions on their faces showed that they were worried about something. Travis noticed too.

"What are they worried for?" Travis frowned.

"You. They are worried about you." I told him.

"Why? I'm perfectly fine." Travis frowned.

"Travis, do the kids that they take away ever come back?" I asked him.

"No. I ain't never seen one that came back." he frowned.

"That's why they are worried about you, they think that ain't coming back." I told him.

"Well we better let them know I'm alright!" Travis scoffed, taking a step into the room.

"Lord Gavin!" Travis and me turned to see one of the workers.

"I didn't know you would be arriving today." she frowned.

"Well, I arrived a little earlier than planned." I told her. I was getting impatient, I wanted to talk to Riley, Brandon and Molly.

"Where is your uncle? I thought he would be with you." she narrowed her eyes.

"My uncle made a stop back in Oxford. He said he had something to take care of before he joined me here. I decided to come ahead of him, to learn a bit more about the place. My uncle Darius didn't tell me much." I shrugged, hoping it would be enough to convince her.

"Okay. Dustan, why don't you show this child back to his seat? He belongs with the other children." she said.

"I was just doing that." I told her, turning back to Travis. I froze as the realisation of her words sunk in. She called me Dustan. She knows I'm not Gavin. I took a deep breath and walked into the room, Travis at my side. I couldn't let her know that it had gotten to me.

"What are you doing here?" Brandon hissed when Travis and me approached their table.

"Travis!" Molly exclaimed, shoving me aside. I laughed as she hugged him tightly, if she hugged him any tighter his insides would pop out.

"Answer my question, Dustan. Why are you here?" Brandon repeated, I could almost feel the coldness in his voice.

"It wasn't me who set you up. Brandon, you have to believe me!" I pleaded. I frowned, realizing for the first time since I got to the table that Riley was no longer here.

"Brandon, he's telling the truth! It was Gavin who set us up. Dustan saved me." Travis told him, tugging on Brandon's sleeve.

"What do you mean?" Molly frowned.

"When they take the children out of the room, they cut their daemon's away. I was so scared! I fought so hard not to let them get me and my daemon separated but they managed to get me into the cage. I never thought I would ever be able to hold Kazel in my arms ever again, but Dustan talked them into letting me go." Travis explained, hugging Kazul tightly.

"Wait, what do they do when they take kids out of here?" Brandon's eyes widened.

"They cut their daemon's away." he repeated.

"Oh no!" Molly exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" I frowned.

"Before you brought Travis back, they took Riley away." Brandon said dreadfully.

"What?" Travis and me said at the same time.

"They took Riley away." Brandon repeated.

"We have to go get her!" I hissed.

"Master Dustan, will you come with us?" I turned to see the man who had told me to take Travis back to the other children standing behind me.

"You think I am my brother?" I laughed nervously, hoping that he buy it.

"No, I do not think you are your brother, Master Dustan. Your brother has just arrived with your uncle and they wish to see you, and your little friends." he replied, snapping his fingers. Immediately, workers appeared out of no where. It took me three seconds to realise what they were doing. They were going to cease our daemons.

"Don't let them get your daemons!" I hissed. Alianora turned into a moth and fluttered around in the air.

"Enough of this nonsense!" the man growled. "I have your friend, Riley Costa. If you all come nicely, I won't hurt her." I took a deep breath.

"Ali, be a mouse." I told her.

"What?" she frowned. "Dustan, if I don't resist then they will cut me away!" she growled.

"Ali, they have Riley and Rafender. We have to give up. They'll hurt them if we don't." I sighed. Without another word, she changed from a moth into a mouse and rested in my pocket. I could tell she wasn't happy about it. I turned to Travis, Brandon and Molly. They nodded and their daemons did the same.

"Good. Now that we understand each other, walk." the man hissed.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I've failed you. Billy, Iorek Burnison and Lyra, I have failed you all."