by JF Jenkins
The easy part was getting to the castle. The hard part wouldn't be getting in, but knowing where to go. One of the spies had equipped him with a rough map of the perimeter, telling him to enter where most of the women came and went. Since it would be dark, there would be less traffic near there. He wore dark clothes, similar to those of the Inero city people, an outfit the spies had helped him put together in hopes that he'd blend in as much as possible. He'd cause a fuss with his magic if he had to in order to help his family get out of there alive. If any of them had been harmed, he'd make things even worse.
God must have been watching out for him, because when he arrived at the door, not only did he find another Oceina man, but his brother and Katelyn. There was also the young man who had seen him at the Council Island, the one who tried to warn Darien of what the Inero Lord was doing. Jason, that was his name, he was sure of it but he looked different. Darien stopped in his tracks, a mix of stunned and curious.
"Where's Tai?" he asked, not seeing her face amongst the group.
"Three minutes," the other Oceina man said. "She told me to wait for three minutes and then get her."
"Tai did? What's going on?" Darien asked.
Lance moved to his side, keeping Katelyn close. He then shook his head. "You shouldn't have come. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see you, but it's crazy stupid that you did."
"And divine appointment that all of your rescue plans seem to have lined up," Katelyn said.
"Must be."
Darien let out a breath in frustration. "What. Is. Going. On?"
"One more minute, and then we're going for them," the man said.
"Our plan to leave here once and for all," Jason said quietly. "I'm going to agree with your council and say it was probably a bad idea for you to come here. It will make getting away easier though because he doesn't think he can fly. The guard will be notified soon that something is amiss. I can feel it."
The Oceina man stepped forward to move past them all. "It's time. I'm going to get them. If I'm not back in twenty minutes, it'd be best to go on without me. Something must be wrong."
They all faced the door as it opened. The three dragon men present all summoned their magic, and the Oceina man's hand went to his belt. Standing in the frame was a young Inero woman and Tai. She pushed her way through the door and practically flew into Darien's arms.
"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Darien asked. Tai shook her head against his chest.
"Not to break this up, but we should probably get moving," Lance said. "Darien, if you could please transform again so we can go home? That would be fantastic."
Jason shook his head and waved his hands in front of him in one swift, sharp motion. "Not without my wife. She's in the forest. We've been lingering out here for too long as it is. It'll be better to do this in the woods."
"Is there room for it in the woods?"
"Stop asking questions and move." He stalked off to the forest and Darien noticed it was manmade. Perhaps he would be able to transform since his dragon shape wasn't too large. Waiting in the woods was a young woman holding the reigns of three horses. Her eyes widened at the sight of their group.
"I don't think I have enough," she said.
Jason went to her side and put an arm around her waist, looking into her eyes. "We won't have need of them. Did you have problems? Were you seen?" She shook her head. "Good. I'm impressed by how smoothly this went. Now we can go before that changes. I'm sure even God's favor runs out eventually?"
"I'm not sure about that, but I do agree we should go," Darien said. He distanced himself from the group, making sure he had enough room to change shape again. In less than a minute he was once more the long snake-like dragon. There was just enough room to carry the others. He had a lot of questions to ask, but they could wait until they were back home again and safe.
"Hold on," he said in the dragon tongue.
"What?" the new young woman asked, and he heard Jason whisper into her ear though Darien couldn't quite make out the words. Multiple hands gripped the scales of his back so tight it almost hurt. He moved forward, building speed as he flew along the forest floor. While he could burst through the trees, he didn't want to risk losing one of his passengers by hitting a tree branch. As soon as he reached a clearing he angled upward sharply, just barely missing a large stone wall.
It took a few minutes for him to get to a safe altitude. Once there he slowed his pace slightly. As much as he wanted to barrel home at top speed, he didn't think his magic would be able to hold out if he did. Crossing over the border would only take around ten minutes for him to do. The rest of the journey would be easy.
What he didn't anticipate was the Royal Guard sending blasts of magic his way. Fire magic mixed with that of the Earth hit his belly, and it burned, a lot. Each hit rocked his body, and he was more afraid of that than the pain. If the others fell...
"Are you kidding me?" Lance shouted. And then Darien noticed a faint blue glow surrounding him. His brother was providing him with a magic shield, but it was weak.
He heard Jason say "We're close," and a thick wall that glowed red appeared in front of him. He almost halted until he realized it was Jason's magic he was seeing. The young Inero dragon was also providing a shield. He could feel the magic hitting his barrier, but outside of a mild rumble it did nothing. One hundred feet and they would be over the border.
They passed over, and Darien was grateful for that because he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep going. The Terran magic had sapped a lot more of his strength than he had originally anticipated. Sanctuary was still further away than he wanted to fly, but at least now he could fly at a more relaxed pace. He wouldn't stop until they were home again.
Chapter Seventy-Four
The Inero
Matt didn't realize he was so tired until he lay down next to Kat and fell asleep shortly after. It was dreamless and solid, and at around twelve-twenty, interrupted by a loud knocking on the door. His wife sighed, and he could sense the disappointment in it. Groaning quietly, he got out of bed and answered the door, not bothering to put on normal clothes instead of his sleep ones. He wanted to make sure whoever was there knew they were inconveniencing him a lot.
"Yes?" he asked, curious as to why the active captain on duty of the Royal Guard, Theo, was at his door.
"They're escaping. The Oceina prisoners are escaping."
With a grumble Matt found a pair of jeans to throw on over his sleep shorts and the nearest shirt. I have to do everything here? He gave Kat an apologetic smile, she waved back lazily, and he was out the door. "I'm not sure how they could have escaped. Weren't there guards all over that cell? And the dungeon?"
"They claim you came to take the prisoners to your father."
Matt snorted. "I've been asleep since nine. Do they honestly expect anyone to believe that? Tell them to be honest, and they'll be punished less severely. How dare they try to blame me for their failure."
"I am having them brought to the war room as well as your father. The Oceina are at our borders right now howling and attacking the guard stations. We've been able to keep them at bay, but I don't think they're trying to enter."
"How long has this been going on?"
"Almost an hour."
"And you're just now waking me up?" Matt glared at the commander.
"Your father said to not disturb either of you unless it was an absolute emergency. Since they weren't making progress, nor have there been casualties, I didn't think it necessary," the guard mumbled.
Idiot. Matt stared at the man, wondering how he made it so high up in the system. Matt shook his head. "Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know."
"As I said, an hour ago the Oceina appeared at the border letting out a battle cry of sorts. A warning was fired at them, and they retaliated making sure to destroy the buildings where the guards were posted. This has been the only thing they've been doing for the past hour, but ten minutes ago I got a word that an Oceina dragon was seen f
lying out of the castle grounds. We deduced that the prisoners escaped, and went to get you and your father."
Matt's jaw tightened and he nodded as he pushed the doors to the war room open. He didn't bother to take a seat. Five men he recognized as the guards who were stationed in the dungeon were sitting, eyes downcast. Not one looked up when he entered.
"Sir," a shaking voice said from behind. He recognized it as being from one of his uncles and his father's chosen First Council, Gale. Matt gave him a small bow and stepped aside so the man could enter.
"My Lord, thank you for coming on such short notice," another member of the Royal Guard, Emery, said as he entered after the First Council.
"Of course. I—." The man's eyes locked onto Matt. "I'm afraid I have some terrible news. Your father..."
Matt's eyes narrowed slightly, the realization that the First Council would only be summoned if something happened to the Great Lord finally hitting him. "Yes, what? What happened?"
"He...that is to say..." His Uncle Gale stumbled over his words. Emery finished the task.
"He's dead. Murdered. We believe the Oceina Lady killed him, though his bride is missing as well. She may have been taken hostage."
Matt's knees began to feel weak, but he refused to let it show. If there was ever a time to be strong, this was it. The First Council was wise, but not a man who knew how to command power. Without Matt's leadership and confidence, the Inero people would slowly crumble. Instead he started to pace, running a hand over his face to mask his sadness and shock over the news.
"I'm sure Miss Navi gladly left," he mumbled. "Perhaps it was she who did it." He knew there was a reason he didn't like or trust her. Taking in a deep breath, he blinked back any tears he felt surging to his eyes. There was plenty of time for tears later. "How long?"
"I found him when he wouldn't answer his door. No one was coming, so I entered. This was only a few minutes ago. The body is still lukewarm. He couldn't have passed too long ago. There's a lot of blood," Emery said.
Matt's fists clenched, rage filling him in place of his sorrow. Anger would be a lot more productive. "Please tell me you blasted the dragon out of the sky. With our new advancement, he should have been easy to slay. Especially with how weak his magic should have been from his captivity."
Emery and Theo exchanged a look. Emery stepped forward. "We tried. Just as we were coming to get you, I received word that the dragon crossed the border. The Royal Guard was certain they could take him on, but..."
"But?" Matt raised an eyebrow, arms folding in front of his chest.
"They said the dragon was protected by a shield of fire. Inero fire."
"That's not possible." He shook his head and his heart began to race at the implications. Even if the Oceina somehow found a way to wield the Inero fire, few were capable of creating such a shield. Only those with the most powerful of magic would be able to summon it with such great force. The dragon who flew couldn't have been the Oceina First Council they had captured. He had sneaked past the guard at the borders, the Touched Lord of the water. But how would he have been able to create a shield of Inero fire? There were only two Inero men he knew capable of such a task, and he was one of them.
Matt swallowed, his mouth going dry. "Where's my brother?" He had several of them, but all of the men there knew he was referring only to his twin. Jason was the only man he ever called brother so freely.
"Sir?" Theo asked.
"Where is my brother!"
"Sleeping, no doubt. I don't see why he would be in the know of any of this."
Matt growled and punched the wall. The stone hurt, but he welcomed the pain. After taking in a number of deep breathes, he spun on his heel and faced the guards who had been in the dungeon. "I heard that you think I came to collect the prisoners." They all nodded, eyes still on the floor. I can't believe this. Why would you do this to me? To us? What were you thinking? If he could have screamed in rage then, he would have. Instead, he found the nearest object and threw it at the wall. Everyone gasped.
Emery put a hand on Matt's shoulder. Had it been anyone but him, Matt might have thrown them to the ground. Emery was an old, trusted comrade of his though. He must have known, been following Matt's same train of thought.
"I will search the recordings for any sign of him, and what may have happened. I'm sorry Sir. I wouldn't have thought..." Emery said softly.
"Thought what?" Theo asked. His stupidity irritated Matt to no end. The man would be getting demoted.
Matt clenched his teeth together. "My brother is a traitor."
Chapter Seventy-Five
The Inero
Jason settled into the guest room that had been chosen for him and Gwen. They had landed almost an hour ago at a place Darien called Sanctuary. The First Council, who went by the name of Lance, insisted that Jason and the others be blindfolded upon entering. Apparently, it was a sacred place to the Oceina. The truth was Jason doubted he'd be able to find the way there on his own. They had been flying so high up, it was dark, and he had been preoccupied with trying to drown out the sound of his brother's yelling. Matt had gone on a wild tirade via their telepathy, so loud and angry that Jason's head hurt. The words still echoed in his mind.
I can't believe you'd turn your back on your family. As far as I'm concerned you're dead to me. I never want to see you or hear from you again. If I do, I will kill you.
So much for trying to tell him the truth, Jason thought sourly. For the first time since the whole conflict between the Inero and Oceina began, he doubted his actions. Gwen hugged him from behind, holding him tightly.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
"I'm not hurt. Why wouldn't I be okay?" He turned his head so he could try and see her face.
She sighed and rubbed his arms before pulling away so she could sit down. "Because this can't be easy for you. Lynx raised you for as long as you can remember, and now he's gone. And your brother..."
"Yes, what about him?" Jason gripped the hem of his shirt. He didn't want to talk about how he felt right now, if ever. As they flew, Navi had filled him in on everything that had happened. A mix of emotions filled him when he thought about the fate that became his father. Lynx had lied. Jason couldn't forget that, but the man had raised him. Despite their differences, Jason still loved him in a way. At the same time, Lynx had it coming and justice needed to be served. Ideally, Jason would have preferred to have his "father" put on trial instead of murdered. For the crimes Lynx committed against Navi, though, it was fitting in a way for her to carry out the sentence.
"Matt's probably taking it hard too," Gwen said.
You have no idea. Jason would tell her about it later, the things Matt had said to him. For now, all Jason wanted to do was sleep and pray that the whole thing was a dream. It wasn't. He knew that, but for a few hours he could pretend.
Stripping off his sweaty shirt and pants, he settled into the bed in only his boxer shorts. These were the only clothes he had. Unless Gwen had taken it upon herself to pack him something in the backpack she'd brought. She'd prepared. He wished he had. I thought I was.
Then it dawned on him that he truly would not be able to go back to his home ever again. Not unless he figured out how to make peace with his brother, something that felt impossible to do. And with that thought, tears filled his eyes, but he refused to cry. He'd chosen to do this knowing the consequences would be great. For some reason, he thought it wouldn't hurt so much.
"I did the right thing," he whispered.
"You did," Gwen agreed.
"This will be worth it."
"Try to sleep. Tomorrow might be a longer day. There will be a lot to do." She paused. "I'm proud of you. I love you."'
"Love you too," he mumbled back before yawning. Overcome with exhaustion and sadness, he soon fell asleep.
Chapter Seventy-Six
The Oceina
Tai put Ethan back in his incubator satisfied that he was safe. Lance and Katelyn's egg was also okay much to everyone's relief
. According to Asher, there might be complications in the future. For now, all was well. She left the nursery, Darien at her side. He hadn't left it since they landed.
Holding on to one of her hands with two of his own, Darien stopped and stared down into her eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.
"Don't ask me if I'm okay again," she said.
"I wasn't going to." He brought her hand to his lips and gave it a small kiss. "Do you want to rest?"
"I was able to sleep pretty well there. What is this place?"
"Sanctuary."
"Yes, but what is it?"
He led her through the impressive marble halls of the palace. Sanctuary was much more beautiful and welcoming than Inero Castle had been. Dimly lit with electric lights that simulated the effects of fire, the Inero castle had been chaotic. People came and went constantly as she was being dragged through its halls.
Sanctuary in comparison was much lighter. There were old-fashioned flower-shaped electric lights illuminating the entire palace. She hadn't seen much of its grounds, but the entryway had been breathtaking. White marble floor with a high ceiling. There was a stained glass window with a blue lily painted onto it that the moonlight had poured through. The most obvious difference was how much quieter Sanctuary was than the Inero Castle. Sanctuary was empty, as if it were abandoned. There wasn't a servant in sight. In some ways, it was eerie and in others relaxing. Tai didn't think she'd enjoy being waited on, and the quiet would be a welcome change from all of the activity of an unbelievable year. Even the city was too much for her sometimes. Sanctuary made her think of home.