Lyra held her breath.
“I’ve got my power around it. I don’t know if I can bring it to his heart.” The wings of the Phoenix, The Lady of Peace, flapped against them all as she worked.
To be prepared, Lyra forced some of her aura into Cullen, so he didn’t have to waste time and strength gathering it. She wished she could do more. Her own heart thudded against her ribs, as if trying to beat for the Imperial Dragon’s.
“Got it! Give a little more power,” the Phoenix said as sparks showered from her tail. She whirled them into a circle that blended the three Guardians’ auras.
The Imperial Dragon gave a weak cough, and his eyes fluttered open. Around the mix of Guardians’ energies, a golden haze formed—the leader’s aura.
The Unicorn let out a whooping cry. “His aura is with us!”
“And so is he!” the Tortoise added.
Cullen grinned at the others and eased the pressure of his palm against the leader’s chest. “His heartbeat is regular again.” Looking at the Imperial Dragon’s face, he continued. “How do you feel?”
“Thankful.” His voice was rough and weak. His eyes followed the Lady of Peace hovering in air above him. “How did you get here? The battle…”
“I flew higher than dragons can travel. Entering the protected lair proved to be the hardest part.”
“Thank you for coming,” the Head Guardian rattled through thick mucus, “You all saved me. Thank you.”
“Sire Drake, is he stable? Can we withdraw?” she asked, spreading her wings.
“I think so. Slowly release while I monitor.”
The Guardians moved away a few feet, maintaining their auras extended.
Cullen nodded. “Stable. I’ll continue watching though.”
Lyra carefully sat on the floor, keeping contact with Cullen’s leg.
The Imperial Dragon’s eyes flashed wider. “Need to plan. We Guardians must decide. No time to wait. Discuss. I’ll listen.” He voiced directions through strained puffs of breath.
The Unicorn raised his head. “Lady Phoenix, you need to be apprised.”
She perched on the edge of a table, stray sparks dropping off her tail.
The Unicorn recounted the success and failures at the Sea of Cogadh. He explained the significance of how Lyra’s aura, with the strength of the fifth element, quintessence, commanded and used the Staurolite.
“I don’t know if any squadron told you about the battle outside the lair,” the Tortoise craned his neck toward the Phoenix. He described the action and losses he’d seen.
She stretched her wings and refolded them. “So the issue is how to best deal with these varied problems in different locales. Efficiency is critical. Clearly, Lyra is the only one capable of using the Staurolite. While that may or may not help locate the keystones, it will control their powers once found.” She faced Lyra. “Where did the readings tell you to find those keystones?”
Lyra held the Staurolite for the Lady to view. “The moonstone of Aria is in my world, resting somewhere around a giant sycamore tree where my family often vacationed. The fluorite is in same world, in the area called Indiana. And the Emtori Ruby is cloaked by a spell in the desert of Cerid’s Crux.”
“Is it a far distance between the first two?”
“One day’s travel,” Lyra replied.
“As a seer, do we believe that the girl may be able to help with recovering those keystones?”
Lyra nodded. “I do. I think she can give clues about their locations. That may be why the Dark Realm has taken her, to find the other three gems before we do.”
“I’ve heard many facts and opinions. Let me now use my powers to learn your intuitions.” The Lady of Peace lifted off the table and splayed her long tail feathers. In the center, an orb of fire appeared. “I ask each of you, who were present during the encounter at the Sea, to place a hand within my flames. Please trust that I will bring no harm; you will feel no pain.” She flew in front of Lyra. “The Scribe first.”
Lyra stared at her right hand with the dragon ring covering her circular bloodswear scar. She wondered whether that mark would influence the reading, or if the fire might affect the magic of her ring. She glanced at Cullen.
He touched his own finger bearing the same decorations of honor. Through their contact, he’d understood her question.
She extended her hand with the ring between the Lady’s feathers. Blue-white flames licked up her wrist. Golden haze, the aura of the Lady of Peace, surrounded Lyra. Her hand became visible as a web of energy swirling around bare bones.
“I read your empathy for Kessa, how you identify with both her magical potential and her dangerous situation. I also read your pride and honor to respect goals established by your scribal ancestors,” the Phoenix said, then gently lifted away from Lyra. She moved before the Unicorn and beckoned him to do the same.
Once the tip of his horn passed into her flame, she expanded her aura and stated, “Your loyalty to the Alliance is obvious, but visions of Lyra when you first met her as a young girl interplay with your concerns for the imprisoned child seer. You wonder if her destiny will be as great as Lyra’s.”
The Phoenix hovered beside the Imperial Dragon. “Head Guardian, if you will, please.”
The leader slipped a foreclaw into the flame, which was tiny in comparison to his hand.
“Like the Unicorn, your primary allegiance is to the Alliance and the safety of its residents. Lyra’s expressed concerns that go beyond your logic. These weigh heavily in your mind since it is the Scribe’s role to see what others cannot.” She returned to her perch on the table edge. “Both factual and inferred evidence is important. I advise that we proceed with what directly seems best for the Alliance, taking care to establish times for periodic analysis of indirect knowledge.”
“That seems prudent.” The Tortoise lifted his head toward the Phoenix. “I also believe that conservation of time is essential. Let’s assume that locating the three other keystones, the fluorite, moonstone, and ruby, are the direct paths you refer to. How can we speed those processes? Compared to the location of the ruby, the fluorite and moonstone are thought to be near each other.” He faced Lyra. “And, I would expect you to have advantage and be quicker about those tasks in your own world. Are there portals near those locations?”
“There is, or was, a portal between Aria and the place in my world where the moonstone is expected to be,” Lyra replied.
“When was that portal last used?” the Unicorn asked.
“From my studies, I know it was used by Scribe Nareene around twelve hundred. I don’t know more.”
“I believe Ysmena, the Lady of Silva Caliga’s forest, spoke about that portal, but I don’t know how recently it’s been used.” Cullen addressed the Tortoise while keeping his hand on the leader’s chest.
“Ysmena readily communicates through star messages.” The Imperial Dragon lifted his head. “Use my observatory to consult her. If it’s not open, request her to open it.”
The Unicorn nodded. “I can easily message her.”
“I’m not aware of any portals from the Alliance, or neutral territories of Dragonspeir, that connect to the place called Indiana,” the Tortoise added. “I researched that question while Lyra studied the writings of Scribe Bridget. Little is known about that land.”
“Sire Drake, Scribe Lyra, do you feel confident about traveling through Aria?” the leader asked.
“Yes. We experienced no problems,” Cullen replied and glanced at Lyra.
She nodded. “Are you thinking we might need to use that portal?”
“I’m thinking that, in case of danger, it’s an alternate route back to the Alliance.” He paused to cough a thin film of fluid from his throat.
“Then Indiana, locating the fluorite keystone, should be first.” Lyra scanned the faces in the room. “Who will come with me? Or do I need to go alone since the battle is so fierce?”
Cullen sat upright. “It is my sworn duty to keep the Scribe safe
when she works on behalf of the Alliance.”
The Imperial Dragon gave a single nod. “As much as you are desperately needed in battle, the success of her mission is more critical.”
Lyra exhaled a sigh. “May Kenzo join us? He’s always a big help.”
“Indeed he is. Yes,” the leader replied.
Kenzo, who’d been quiet in the corner during the ordeal, flapped his wings.
Cullen tipped his head and gave a slight grin to his assistant. “And my wizard’s familiar, Noba, for his connections to other worlds, including Terza.”
The Phoenix extended her delicate neck. “Since the fate of the young seer Kessa is also an important consideration, I encourage the party to return to the lair after that first journey into Indiana for a discussion of any new evidence.”
The Imperial Dragon cleared his throat. “I will send a few disguised magicals into the Qumeli tribe to learn what we can about the girl. Also, I wish to communicate with Gatekeeper Cranewort. My hope is that, with his and Lyra’s skills of clairvoyance, they can maintain some communication while in the human world. He is located near Cicada Sheridan’s portal. Perhaps that passage can be modified. Then, if we learn of any harm to Kessa, the keystone missions will be cut short.”
Lyra nodded and took hold of Cullen’s forearm. “I’m glad for that support.”
“Provided that Lady Ysmena will act on our behalf, have we reached consensus on these plans?” the leader asked.
A chorus of agreement rang clear.
“The quest party shall depart at midday tomorrow, the time when the Dark Realm’s fighters seem to abate. The sun has just set, and each of us has much to do before then. Be quick about your preparations.”
Chapter Five: Family Albums
The next morning, Lyra woke with a start. She threw the covers back, expecting to be called into battle. Instead, a tiny, burgundy-colored dragon jumped on the bed between her and Cullen—Noba. She smiled and pulled him toward her with an arm around his torso.
“Be mindful of your tail barb,” Cullen said between chuckles. “You don’t want to stun Lady Lyra. Without her, we won’t be going on the journey.”
Noba obediently quieted the jerkiness in his lower half, but his arms and snout couldn’t be contained. He wiggled in every direction. “I’m going on a quest in the human world! Yippee!”
“Did you have trouble finding him in the Meadow of Peace?” Cullen asked Kenzo, who preened his feathers while perched on the back of a wooden side chair.
“With the fighting, the forest magicals are staying deeper in the woods than usual, but, no problem. I knew some of their hiding places.” The owl glanced up, then returned to his meticulous grooming, pausing to speak in spurts. “There were swarms of evil dragons—twice as many as during the fight yesterday afternoon. We had to fly tree to tree for a long way back, since Noba couldn’t keep my pace.”
“Dark Realm flyers have exceptional night vision.” Cullen ruffled Noba’s scales along his spine. “They tend to get tired come midday. That’s why we’re departing at that time.”
Lyra released Noba and readjusted her twisted sleeveless nightgown. After brushing a strand of hair from her eyes, she faced Cullen. “You came to bed later than me. Did you hear anything about the Unicorn’s conversation with Ysmena?”
“Yes. That portal hasn’t been used in centuries. She’s hoping to leave for Aria today to see if King Eos or Queen Mysa will reopen it. Ysmena couldn’t promise though. It seems that the birches and their tree keepers along Silva Caliga’s borders with the Dark Realm are under attack. The network of rowan trees is fighting hard against the fire drakes.”
“Why does the Dark Realm want into Silva Caliga?” Lyra asked. “It’s a neutral territory.”
“Possibly as another path into the Alliance?”
“Not an easy one.” Kenzo’s head spun 180 degrees to face them. “Those trees are fierce. I know.”
Cullen raised an eyebrow.
“While you were in a coma after Eburscon stole your aura, Kenzo and I had a bad adventure.” Lyra shook her head. “Before we became friends with the trees, they held him down with their branches, forming layers of bark over his wings.”
The owl fluffed his feathers and trembled.
Cullen chuckled. “But by your bravery, you survived.” He rose and carried Noba toward the door. “You two go on to the kitchen and get some breakfast. The sun’s just come up, and the cooks will be expecting you. We’ll be along later.” He held the door open as Noba bounced into the hall.
Kenzo finished preening feathers at his feet before sailing through.
Cullen secured the door and made himself comfortable again in bed.
“Don’t we need to be up and assembling supplies?” Lyra swung her legs over the side.
He stretched an arm around her waist. “I did most of that while I listened to the Unicorn. Afterward, I transported to the bookstore and visited Sheridan. He had an idea how he can alter his magic that protects the portal. I stopped by to relay that to Cranewort. While I was there, the two of them began conducting trials to see how information would pass.”
“Don’t you need to spend some time in the magnetics room to boost your power, so you don’t run out as quickly once we leave?” She began braiding her hair.
“I did that too. You know you can conjure that braid?”
“I know. It’s just a nervous habit. I’m anxious about this mission.”
“Let me help you relax.” He leaned over and nuzzled her bare shoulder.
Lyra smiled and shivered when the whiskers of his goatee brushed her skin. “You must have been up late. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“It was about one, after I checked on Mimio while she was treating the incoming squadron.”
“How was the Imperial Dragon?” She secured the end of her braid with a tie.
“Sleeping. I was relieved. His vitals were stable. What slight lung damage remains should heal naturally in time.”
“What can I do?” Lyra hugged her knees into her chest.
“You can check on him before we leave. We have time for that…and a few other things.” He embraced her from behind, and she leaned back into him.
She grinned. “Well…if you’re sure you’ve taken care of all the preparations.”
“My job is to aid your missions, to keep you safe…and happy.” He ran his hands over the fronts of her shoulders and under the neckline of her nightgown. His touch left a trail of tingles.
She let his caresses take her away. She felt warmth cocooning her heart, their magical bond of love. With constant fighting going on, time to connect had been impossible, and would be that way again in just a couple of hours. Her hands slid over his chest. His spicy, woodsy scent relaxed her mind.
Her nightgown and his undershorts were quickly pulled off and tossed on the floor.
An intense desire flooded Lyra—to be as close as possible to Cullen. She lay on top of him and pressed as much of herself against him as possible. Just a few moments to feel completely together, a moment of safety during the warfare. She made each minute count, fully enjoying their caresses.
She exhaled long and slow as their passion released. The magic at her heart pulsed along her groin and limbs with delicious heat. “I want to feel like this forever with you,” she whispered.
“We’re almost there. Once we get those keystones.” He rubbed his hands across her bottom and kissed her lips.
***
Standing in the bare room, a chamber deep in the lair, Lyra held Noba on one hip. She powered her wizard’s staff, and the top gem covered the granite walls with specks of amber light.
Cullen linked her arm in the crook of his elbow and gripped his own staff, setting the blue topaz at its tip flickering directly beside hers.
Kenzo perched on the leather wristlet of his master’s opposite arm.
Spirals of aura coiled along the Unicorn’s horn. “Two squadrons will fly at some distance behind you, to not call attention t
o you. They may not be able to keep pace with your transport, but will not be far if you meet trouble.”
“Success and safety to you all.” The Tortoise extended his neck high. “We’ll send messages through Gatekeeper Cranewort if necessary.”
“Fight for peace.” The Phoenix hung in the air above him.
Mimio raised her palm to them. “Keep each other safe. I’ll do the same here, mending all who need care.”
Lyra nodded to the sorceress. “Don’t forget to heal the healer.” She was glad that a team of six magicals had returned to the lair to help Mimio. With the constant fighting, they’d be busy. And the Imperial Dragon would need special attention for a couple weeks, even after Lyra treated his lung lesions again this morning.
“Are you all ready?” The Unicorn waited for Cullen’s nod, then touched his horn to the outer wall. White filaments of his power swept in a circular pattern, and the wall dissolved. Outside, red and purple lines of evil aura slashed the sky like jet trails.
Cullen nodded to Lyra. “Begin.” His aura spilled from the topaz into a cloud that mingled with her golden rays.
Lyra’s body lightened, and she held tighter to Noba. As they transformed into particles of light, she focused on the kind faces of the three Guardians who had done so much to help her. During the next seconds of formlessness, she perceived the warmth of her and Cullen’s magical bond in a new way. The Staurolite gave her more control of her scribal powers. In addition to the familiar feeling through contact, now their mingled auras surrounded them. She relaxed into the blissful sensation of oneness.
Moments later, icy jabs of foreign powers pierced their transport cloud. Lyra’s senses dampened. Panic swept over her. She needed to maintain concentration to complete the transport. Trusting that the blue squadrons flew near, she forced doubts away and channeled more energy into the task of transporting.
As Lyra began to materialize, her feet brushed the ground. She heard the mournful cries of cranes on their way to collect souls freed from physical bodies by death. Her eyes opened but couldn’t focus. Her aura detected only strong Alliance energy, Cullen’s and a type she’d known since she was a child—from Gatekeeper Cranewort. Seconds later, her vision registered the shape of his thick, lower branches approaching her group.
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