by Brandon Mull
“I think our best bet is the Zowali Protectorate,” Raxtus said. “I could probably make it to the Sludgeholes as well, but the Protectorate contains your firmest allies.”
“All right,” Kendra said.
The wind washing over her cloud-dampened clothes felt chilling. Kendra gritted her teeth to stop them from chattering and tried to be brave. The speed was exhilarating, and the fear of capture helped her partially ignore the cold.
“I’m trying not to be obvious, but they’re catching on where I’m heading,” Raxtus said. “They’re trying to adjust while still keeping lots of dragons between us and Blackwell Keep. I think we can make it to the Zowali Protectorate.”
“Your father has a plan for Midsummer Eve,” Kendra said.
“I have heard rumors,” Raxtus said. “I don’t know specifics. Supposedly it will help the dragons win the war.”
“Do you know anything that can help us?” Kendra asked.
“For a member of his personal guard, I was kept largely in the dark,” Raxtus said. “I don’t think Father ever really trusted me. But I’m not sure he realized I would defy him this openly.”
Kendra scanned the horizon in all directions, counting so many dragons. Dozens. Maybe a hundred. “None of the dragons behind us are gaining,” she said.
“I’m small but fast,” Raxtus replied. “We’re nearing the border of the Zowali Protectorate. I can’t come inside.”
“Why not?” Kendra asked.
“The protective barrier will keep me out,” Raxtus said.
“But I’m the caretaker,” Kendra replied.
“And the animals manage their own barrier,” Raxtus said. “It would take a lot of negotiating and effort for any dragon to pass. I’m not sure the animals would agree to it even with you vouching for me. And if they did agree, by the time they figured it out, the dragons would have torn me to ribbons.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Kendra said.
“I’m leaving you,” Raxtus said. “Nothing you can do about it. Don’t worry—without you, I’m faster and can fully use my camouflaging abilities. I’ll get away.”
“Be careful,” Kendra said.
“I can’t promise that,” Raxtus replied. “Fast and stealthy is more the goal.”
Ahead, behind, and off to the sides, dragons were closing in. Raxtus dove low. Kendra could feel her toes skimming the top of the tall grass.
“There is a creek ahead,” Raxtus said. “It marks the border here. I’ll let you down, and you run across.”
“The other dragons are too close,” Kendra said, as the creek rapidly drew near. “After you drop me, lie low.”
There was no time for a response. They had reached the creek, and other dragons were converging from multiple directions. Raxtus set Kendra on her feet at the edge of the water and then fell flat.
As dragons dove toward them, she loosed the drawstring on the sack of gales. Wind screamed from the bag, and she aimed it from one oncoming dragon to another. The targeted dragons spun out of control, some thrust away haphazardly, others tucking their wings and crashing to the ground.
Kendra backed into the creek, the water up to her shins, still letting the furious wind gush freely. “The sky is clear nearby!” Kendra shouted, closing the bag.
Raxtus sprang into the air, wings flapping furiously as he turned invisible. “Thanks!” he called.
“Help Seth and Tanu if you can!” Kendra cried.
“You got it,” the unseen dragon answered, his voice more distant.
Kendra reached the far side of the creek and exited the water. Her shoes were not much wetter than the rest of her.
Dragons charged toward her over the ground, wings folded, keeping low profiles. Fire, acid, frost, and lightning blasted in her direction, coming to a halt against the unseen barrier above the middle of the creek. Roaring in fury, raging dragons lined up on the far side of the unimpressive stream.
But none could cross.
Kendra walked away.
Incarcerated
“The dragons are all flying away,” Seth said. “This is our chance.”
“Could it be a trick?” Eve asked. “What would make them all leave like that?”
Seth had been walking along the road with Eve, Tanu, and Tempest, heading toward the next roadhouse, waiting for the right opportunity. Despite her wild reputation, Tempest had remained calm since arriving. Dragons had circled above during the entire walk, but suddenly they were all soaring away in a similar direction.
“Must be the Somber Knight,” Seth said.
“They’re not going toward Skyhold,” Calvin observed.
“Whatever they’re doing, while they’re not watching us, Eve can cloak us,” Seth said. “I don’t think we’ll get a better chance.”
The gaseous form of Tanu waved for them to go. Seth helped Eve into the saddle and, with frequent glances at the sky, hastily strapped her in. Then he sat in front of her, unsecured. “Still all clear. Can you disguise us?”
“Done,” Eve said. “Let’s go.”
“Home, Tempest,” Seth said, flicking the reins.
The griffin leaped into the air. Seth gripped with his legs and held on tightly. Since he wasn’t strapped in, the risk of falling was very real. The dragons in sight were all flying away from them.
“Oh, no,” Eve said. “We’re not alone.”
Seth looked back and saw a huge green dragon rising from some trees not far from the road. It looked like the same dragon that had taken Kendra, and it was coming right at them.
“Dragon, Tempest,” Seth said.
The griffin turned evasively. Seth hung on with all his might. The dragon followed.
“It must have been watching us,” Eve said. “We need to get out of sight to lose it.”
“Go into the trees,” Seth suggested.
Tempest dove into the nearest stand of tall trees. Seth hunched down as branches whipped by. As the griffin weaved through trunks, tilting and swerving, Seth held tightly to the saddle, trying to lean in harmony with the movements of his flying mount.
They burst into a clearing in the middle of the woods where a large herd of winged deer were grazing. “Startle the perytons,” Eve said. “They’ll provide cover.”
Shrieking, the griffin streaked toward the deer. Roaring clamorously, the herd took flight. Tempest ascended with the herd.
“We’ll look like one of many perytons to the dragon,” Eve said.
Sure enough, after considering the herd, the dragon continued to fly low over the trees, looking downward, moving away from them. Seth held his breath as they climbed higher. The herd did not continue ascending, and the dragon continued to scour the trees.
Tempest gained altitude, and Seth tried to appreciate the afternoon sunlight and the beautiful view. In the distance, a lot of the dragons were flying up into a cloud.
“I think we lost the green one,” Eve said.
“You’re amazing, Tempest,” Seth said, patting the griffin.
“Hey,” Eve complained.
“You too,” Seth offered.
For a long while they flew without interruption. Seth watched their shadow far below, sliding over fields and forests. The skies were mostly empty.
That changed as Blackwell Keep came into view in the distance. Dozens of dragons patrolled the sky near the keep. Whatever had drawn away the other dragons had not diverted these.
“Think we can dodge them?” Seth asked.
“I’ll try to hide us,” Eve said.
As they drew nearer to the keep, a couple of dragons roared and flew in their direction. Others followed.
“I’m sorry,” Eve said. “They spotted us.”
It was still a long way to the keep. “What do we do?” Seth asked.
“We could go to Terrabelle,” Eve said. “We’ll be
safe from the dragons there, and I don’t see dragons that way.”
“Terrabelle,” Seth ordered.
Tempest banked into a long turn and set off on a new course. The dragons who had given chase fell away. Seth figured their primary duty was to guard Blackwell Keep.
Terrabelle came into view before too long—a lush valley dotted with farmhouses and windmills. Tempest flew to the walled city at the heart of the valley, built around a stately castle, the buildings old, but clean and tidy. Eve gave some instructions to Tempest as they got closer, and they landed in a courtyard.
“It’s Eve,” some of the guards called. “Summon Lord Dalgorel!”
Seth dismounted and helped Eve out of the saddle. He patted Tempest. “Good girl. You saved us.”
A worried guard approached Eve. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Eve said. “Thanks to my friend Seth.”
“He visited not long ago,” the guard said.
“Yes,” Eve replied.
Dalgorel came running into the courtyard, followed by guards and other underlings. Seth marveled at how tall and attractive all of the Fair Folk were. Dalgorel lifted Eve into a hug and spun her around. Then he set her down.
“I am so relieved you are safe,” he said. “That was terribly foolish of you to run off.”
“I thought you would come back for me,” Eve said.
“You saw the note,” Dalgorel said. “I tried to return. Once you snuck away and I couldn’t find you, I returned to Terrabelle to warn them about the upcoming war. When I tried to fly back toward Skyhold, dragons barred the way. I barely made it back to Terrabelle with my life. You’re unhurt?”
“I’m fine,” Eve said. “I was with Seth.”
“We tried for Blackwell Keep first,” Seth said. “Too many dragons were guarding it.”
Lord Dalgorel placed a hand on Seth’s shoulder. “Thank you for seeing my daughter safely home.”
“You’re welcome,” Seth said.
“Unfortunately, you have placed me in a quandary,” Dalgorel said. “The dragons have declared war against you, and our position is one of neutrality. The dragons could raise legitimate grievances if we give you safe harbor here.”
“Are you kicking me out?” Seth asked.
Dalgorel smiled. “I have a better alternative. Caretaker or not, you are under arrest for trespassing.”
When the guards left Seth in his cell, they did not bother shutting the door. Was cell even the right word? Brightly lit by multiple lamps, the room had two sofas, a padded rocking chair, a writing desk, a loaded bookshelf, rugs on the floor, paintings on the walls, and a large four-poster bed.
“The Fair Folk need better punishments,” Calvin said. “This room is great.”
“Dalgorel was grateful,” Seth said. “I think he’ll let us go if that’s what we want.”
“Might as well get some rest while you can,” Calvin suggested.
“I’m too wound up,” Seth said. “I’m worried about Kendra. And the Somber Knight.”
“Me too,” Calvin said.
Eve had promised to visit him soon, but for now he and Calvin were alone. Seth sat down in the rocking chair and, pushing off with his feet, tipped it back so far it felt like the chair might flip over. But it didn’t. He rocked back harder, and the chair hovered at the brink of overturning, then tilted forward again. Pushing off hard and heaving his body back, Seth tipped the chair over backward and rolled from his seat in an awkward reverse somersault.
“I never knew how dangerous those chairs could be,” commented a man in the doorway.
Seth scrambled to his feet. Lean and tall, the handsome, well-dressed man in the doorway had a dark complexion and a creatively trimmed goatee. “I was horsing around,” Seth confessed.
“May I come in?” the man asked.
“Who are you?”
The man gave a swift bow. “A fellow prisoner. Lomo, son of Targon, outcast of the Fair Folk.”
“I’ve heard of you,” Seth said. “You’re like the only other prisoner here. You’re the guy who didn’t want the neutrality policy. You went out and fought anyhow.”
“There is one other permanent prisoner here, a giant named Pugwig,” Lomo said. “He’s not good company. And a wereboar comes in a few days each month, still trying to resist his feral side.”
“I heard you could leave if you would pledge to stay neutral,” Seth said.
“True,” Lomo said. “I’m accused of no crime other than violating our neutrality policy. If I vowed to follow the policy, I would be released on probation.”
“Why not get out?” Seth asked.
“Neutrality is selfish and unacceptable,” Lomo said. “Neutrality is a refusal to live. For me, no crime outweighs neutrality in a time of crisis.”
“I like how you think,” Seth said.
“Then you join a very small club here in Terrabelle,” Lomo said. “In fact, if you were willing to go public with your support, you would stand alone.”
“The others who agree with you won’t speak up?” Seth asked.
“Nothing more than a grumble,” Lomo said. “I believe our leaders have good intentions. They want to preserve our way of life. They want to protect us as a people. But they have succumbed to the slow, insidious evil of passivity. To be part of the world, we must participate. Otherwise we may as well be extinct.”
“Celebrant declared war,” Seth said.
“I heard,” Lomo replied. “Word of that sort travels fast. I knew it was coming. And still our leaders insist on neutrality.”
“Could the Fair Folk fight dragons?” Seth asked.
“We have in ages past,” Lomo said. “Could the citizens of Terrabelle defeat the dragons of Wyrmroost in open combat? Not likely. We would be exterminated. But one does not engage dragons in open combat. You fight dragons intelligently or you perish. Of course, we currently do neither. We let children fight for us.”
“The Somber Knight took out some dragons,” Seth said.
“He is your greatest weapon in this war,” Lomo said.
“He went to Skyhold alone to demote Celebrant from being a caretaker,” Seth said.
Lomo grimaced. “He may not return from that mission.”
“The dragons have my sister,” Seth said.
“I’m sorry, young caretaker,” Lomo said. “By coming to Wyrmroost, you inherited calamitous trouble. And look what you do!”
“Flip over my rocking chair?”
“You stand and fight! While a nation of ancient adults cowers behind policies of appeasement.”
“Ronodin is here,” Seth said.
Lomo reached for his sword but did not draw it. “The dark unicorn?”
“You have a sword?” Seth asked. “What kind of prison is this?”
“The most relaxed dungeon you will ever inhabit,” Lomo said. “Wherever Ronodin roams, tragedy follows.”
“He told us he taught the dragons a sure way to win the war,” Seth said.
“I’m surprised he revealed so much,” Lomo said. “Do not underestimate his words. I have not known him to make empty threats.”
“Do you know him?” Seth asked.
“I have had the displeasure of encountering him before,” Lomo said. “Ronodin is an agent of chaos, formally aligned to nobody, but routinely on the fringe of the great disasters in the magical world. Did he give any clue as to what he told the dragons?”
“Nothing,” Seth said. “He wanted Bracken’s first horn from Kendra.”
“Bracken entrusted his horn to your sister?” Lomo asked. “She must be an impressive girl.”
“I guess so,” Seth said. “She killed the Demon King.”
Lomo rubbed the whiskers on his chin. “That was the day the real trouble with the dragons began. The day the demons failed. You were there. An
d here you are now. Perhaps we still have hope.”
“We’re going to try,” Seth said.
“You came here alone?” Lomo asked.
“I flew here with Eve on a griffin named Tempest,” Seth said. “Kendra was captured by the dragons. My friend Tanu turned into a gaseous state to survive a dragon attack. He’s a potion master, but since he was gassy, we had to leave him on the road. And I have my secret friend.”
“Secret friend?”
“Calvin the nipsie.”
“I wondered if you would let me speak,” Calvin said. “Sometimes he keeps me a secret. I like your thoughts on neutrality, Lomo. Good job following your heart.”
“Can I see him?” Lomo asked, coming closer.
“Sure,” Seth said.
Calvin climbed from Seth’s pocket onto Lomo’s palm. “Hello,” Calvin called.
“Amazing,” Lomo said. “So small and well formed. A perfect little man. I have beheld only one other of your kind.”
“He would have been smaller,” Calvin said. “I am under a spell that turned me into a giant. Well, a giant compared to my people.”
“The other I met was a female,” Lomo said. “And she was your size.”
“Do you remember her name?” Calvin asked urgently.
“I believe it was Serena,” Lomo said.
Calvin looked up at Seth. “That’s her! My true love!”
“You know Serena?” Lomo asked.
“I adore her,” Calvin said. “I would swim oceans for her. Scale mountains. Cross deserts. Where did you see her? When?”
“Perhaps five years ago,” Lomo said. “I was part of an organization dedicated to resisting the Society of the Evening Star.”
“The Knights of the Dawn,” Seth said.
“Yes, I almost forgot you are affiliated,” Lomo said. “By habit I mention it carefully.”
“Do you know where Serena went?” Calvin asked.
“She was with a woman of human size,” Lomo said. “I never got her name. They were investigating demonic curses, if I recall.”
“That fits,” Calvin said.
“I believe they were going to the Titan Valley sanctuary,” Lomo said. “I was to investigate rumors at Soaring Cliffs. Back then we thought the demons would be the end of us. We did not anticipate the dragons becoming our main threat so quickly.”