happen during this battle they expected to fight. What if someone died? So far they had been lucky. Or blessed. But either way, their lifelong group was once again whole. Would
their luck hold forever? It just didn't seem realistic to Nefin, though he obviously dearly hoped for that outcome.
He looked over, somewhat surprised, when the flap to Keeta and Hanna's tent opened. Brin and Keeta no longer shared the same tent. Nor would Brom and Will. They had wives.
Nefin shook his head in discouragement as he ironically thought, Ajh and I are the only bachelors left in the group. But I'm nineteen like Will, Var, and Lena. And Keeta's eighteen
like Brin. Aren't we old enough too?
Nefin was even more surprised when Hanna didn't exit the tent, as he expected, but Keeta. He sat up straighter, keeping his eyes on her as she made her way over to him.
"Did Hanna tell you I was awake?" he wondered as she seated herself near him.
"Mmhmm," she affirmed.
"Couldn't you sleep?"
"Not anymore. Thinking about what might happen today. What about you?"
"Me too," Nefin admitted. "And I don't have to sleep unless I want to, so I offered to keep watch last night. Brom needs the rest more than I do. His magical dueling will be far more
demanding than shooting a few dozen arrows. But Keeta, what if . . ."
"Someone dies?" Keeta finished in a whisper. "I know. I just can't bear thinking about it. It's like knowing there would only be nine on the ship all over again. The uncertainty is
awful." She drew her knees up and hugged them to her chest, resting her chin there as she gazed out past the rock toward the ocean behind Nefin.
"What if something happens to you, Keeta?" Nefin pointedly asked.
Keeta studied his face. Then she shrugged. "What if?"
"I wouldn't be able to stand it," he answered his own question.
"Well, what if something happens to you?" she defiantly echoed.
"What if?" Nefin returned, just as stubbornly.
"I . . . I . . . can't stand thinking about it," Keeta finally confessed. "I . . ."
"Keeta, I want to tell you something," Nefin insisted, abruptly sitting forward and taking her hand. "So I can say it now in case I don't have the chance later."
"No, Nefin," she quickly denied, shaking her head and blinking back tears. "Not like this. Not because we feel a sense of impending doom. Wait to tell me until it's all over and we
know we're both fine."
"But what if we don't have that opportunity?" Nefin questioned, raising one hand to stroke her cheek. "I want you to know how I feel, Keeta."
"I know how you feel, Nefin," she softly reassured, leaning her face into his hand. "You've made it abundantly clear by your every action since we left the Isle. So think of it this
way. If I have that to look forward to, I'll be more likely to do what's required of us. I hate thinking about killing people, but we might have to. And that will be my motivation to
persevere when it might feel easier to give up."
"Don't you dare give up, Keeta."
"I won't if you don't," Keeta promised.
"Deal," Nefin agreed. "At least let me hug you."
She smiled faintly and scooted forward until she could lean into his side. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his face against her hair, breathing in the sweet fragrance he
had first noticed in Tronjheim during their archery lessons.
"I love your hair," he murmured into it.
"Trying to be sneaky?" Keeta teasingly reproved.
"Had to get away with at least one confession," Nefin rejoined, not denying her accusation.
"Well, thank you, Nefinelda."
Nefin grinned. I love you, Keeta. I don't understand your reasons, but I'll respect them. And I will say those words to you. Aloud.
Tenga awoke on this fine morning in high spirits. Things were finally going his way. No more pesky children to deal with. The elven sisters bound on a high mountaintop. Lena in the
Vault of Souls. She would surely be dead by now. Of dehydration. The underground cavern was too hot and dry for her to have survived the week without water.
Perhaps I will go enjoy my triumph, Tenga decided, feeling the same morbid curiosity he often did when contemplating death and suffering. Before her rotting flesh is too repulsive
to stomach. Then I'll wait another year or so to visit her skeleton.
So after a bland breakfast—his only regret in finally dispatching Lena was the comparative poor quality of his meals—Tenga headed off toward the Rock of Kuthian, humming a
jaunty tune and feeling rather splendid. He carried Bid'Daum behind him, of course, as was his usual habit now. Couldn't risk the other magicians attempting anything tricky. And
Tenga wanted to be prepared if and when the Shade reappeared.
He descended the long stone tunnel to the Vault of the Souls. As his eyes fell on the severed manacles, it took a moment for Tenga to comprehend the scene.
How did she free herself! he wondered in stunned consternation. Then the truth dawned on him. Of course Lena hadn't freed herself. She had no way to cut the magically formed
stone restraints. But a Rider's blade? No problem.
They didn't die, Tenga realized, his rage manifesting itself in a strange deadly calm. Those nine children somehow escaped me yet again. And they are now on this island. Come,
Bid'Daum. Off we go. This time we will not fail.
By the time Will and Lena rejoined the group that morning, Ajh had prepared a scrumptious breakfast. The friends enjoyed their full companionship more than ever before, though
each seemed to share the same unspoken dread about what they might face that day.
Not far into the meal, Brom quietly informed, "Tenga just entered the Vault of Souls. He will no doubt be furious when he reemerges. I'm going to make myself invisible and be
prepared to fight him. But he's alone. You others be ready and just wait to see what happens before you attack. I'm sure he's protected by countless wards against bodily injury.
Nefin, Hanna, to help the ruse, act like you're magically resisting him. It would still be best if we can deceive him about me and my ability."
The two elves nodded, and everyone else abandoned the food to hastily don armor, retrieve shields, and ready weapons.
"Stay in the tent," Var curtly instructed Zadí.
"You too," Will seconded, guiding Lena to Var and Zadí's tent.
"Please be careful, love," Lena begged. "I couldn't bear to lose you so soon. Tenga might harbor particular bitterness toward you."
"Feelings mutual," Will retorted. "I'll be careful, Lena. But you stay out of sight."
"Remember that I get to kill him," she fiercely reminded. Will nodded as Lena backed into the tent, mentally praying that Bid'Daum would come through for them and not feeling
very hopeful.
"I hate feeling so useless," she muttered, and Zadí nodded. "But I'm secretly grateful I don't have to lay eyes on Tenga right now."
"And I'm glad I won't have to see whatever happens," Zadí agreed. "Though being able to hear and not see might be even worse. But watching them fight in Ilirea was horrifying. I
still remember how shaky I was trying to keep those ghoulish skeletons away from Hanna while she treated Ajh."
"Thank you for that," Lena murmured. "You allowed Hanna to save my brother."
"We all worked together. We have the whole way and you even played your part, though you weren't with us. I'm sure we'll continue to be successful only as we keep cooperating.
Even you will have a role in this final battle as the one who kills Tenga. I guess I'll just be around for moral support."
"Which is just as important," Lena insisted. "You need to keep yourself and your baby safe."
"Yes," Zadí agreed, anxiously rubbing her belly.
Then they heard a livid voice screech, "So you survived, did you? I hope you enjoyed this w
eek, dear friends, because it was your last! Say farewell!"
Brom braced himself for Tenga's attack, already sensing the old magician's reluctance to kill them in spite of his wrath. Tenga would try to end their lives by simply using Bid'Daum
to force his way past any potential wards protecting the youth and stopping their hearts.
If he uses the dragon, we're done for, Brom bleakly thought, mentally releasing the counter spell as Tenga attempted to complete his objective.
Hanna, Nefin, now! Brom ordered, and the two elves theatrically raised their hands as they chanted several phrases in the ancient language.
Tenga's spell didn't take effect, much to Brom's relief, and he realized that Bid'Daum had not allowed Tenga to draw off his power. The dragon was not only withdrawn into his heart
of hearts, but resisting Tenga's abuse in a way he hadn't done when Brom first perceived his Eldunarí.
We might have a chance, Brom thought, feeling his hopes lift.
Tenga tried another physiological assault, now intending to collapse their windpipes and observe them suffocate to death. This perversely delighted thought raced through the old man's mind: That will be fun to watch.
Brom again countered the offensive, cuing Hanna and Nefin to keep up their charade.
Tenga cursed angrily. Help me, you worthless beast! the ancient wizard screamed at Bid'Daum. Now is our chance to kill them all!
And then the dragon unexpectedly responded, No, foul creature. Your time is over. And you will no longer leech off my strength.
Tenga now stood on the stretch of beach in front of the seven visible youth. "So you elves are more powerful than I thought," he derided. "Perhaps I shall do away with you and
then remove all of your friends. Not difficult. No, not at all."
He concentrated his next attack on Nefin and Hanna. As he endeavored to sever their spines, Brom again blocked the hex. Tenga's eyes widened incredulously.
"How can you know what I'm going to try before I do it?" he screamed. "I am using mental magic. Surely such young elves are not so gifted as that!"
Brom then attempted an assault of his own, stabbing at Tenga's mind to numb his limbs. Tenga staggered before resisting the spell and recovering from its effects. Then he actually
looked fearful, and Brom knew from his thoughts that the old man was shocked the two elves had managed to catch him off guard.
Tenga abruptly stumbled backward, borrowing energy from stones in his pouch before launching himself into the sky and disappearing into the valley.
Once the magician was out of sight, Brom released his invisibility spell and hurriedly directed, "Gather around, everyone. Though he tried to borrow Bid'Daum's vitality, the dragon
actively refused to share it. Tenga means to assemble his magicians. He knows we'll come after him, and he was actually afraid at the end after I sent a spell back at him and
surprised him. But he still has no knowledge of me, which is good. Well done, Hanna and Nefin, though you need to be especially careful now. He'll somehow target you, thinking to
do away with you so that killing the others will be that much easier. We need to expect that his magicians will stand with him."
"They will," Lena said. "They feel a deranged sense of loyalty to Tenga, though he has actually allowed their degeneration into disgusting mutants. They don't feel any pain. He
didn't protect them from Vroengard's poison, but he protected them from feeling any discomfort associated with their reactions or from dying because of them."
"Can they be killed?" Brin asked.
"Oh yes," Lena assured. "But not by painful injuries. You'll have to do something irreversible."
"Like beheading them."
"Yes," Lena confirmed. "Shooting them through the brain. Stabbing them in the heart."
Hanna shuddered.
"Brom, why did Tenga seem so wary?" Brin asked. "Surely he isn't that outmatched without Bid'Daum."
"No," Brom agreed. "He wasn't prepared right then because he expected to be able to use Bid'Daum like every other time. But he has others stores, like we do. Precious stones.
Since the dragon had just refused to help and I actually stood against Tenga, which hasn't happened in a long while, he was surprised. But he will regroup and when he's ready, he
will do better at keeping his wits about him. Hanna and Nefin, I'm really counting on you to protect the others from his and the other magicians' attacks. If I'm blocking his every
spell, I'll have no chance to remove his wards, which means we'll never kill him. Someone needs to be able to do one of those things Lena or Brin just suggested."
"I need to be able to do one of those things," Lena grimly clarified. "That's my right."
"Yes," Will comforted. "You'll get to, honey."
"So I'm protecting Ajh, Will, Var, and myself, right?" Hanna nervously verified.
"Protect Lena too," Will requested. "In case they feel vengeful toward her for some reason."
Hanna resolutely nodded.
"And I've got me and Keeta," Nefin said.
"Yes," Brom finalized. "I'll protect myself and Brin. But no physical wards, like we discussed. We can't divide our focus like that or compromise our energy levels when we'll no
doubt have so many magical attacks to thwart. I'll keep my mind in contact with Brin's only enough to communicate with her about where I'm at with Tenga, if needed. But I'll be
plugging my ears with some of Hanna's beeswax to minimize all possible outside distractions. I can't afford to lose my focus for anything. And that could realistically happen if Brin
is fighting right by me. I shouldn't risk letting myself hear her . . . under duress." He glanced in concern at his new wife, thinking about their baby. "If I fail, Tenga wins. And then
his revenge will be deadly. He won't stop until all of us and everyone associated with the Dragon Riders are dead."
"Var, I don't want to stay here by myself," Zadí said. "I want to be closer. Not right in the same place as the fighting, but close enough that I won't worry myself to death about
what might be happening."
"You have to stay out of sight," Var insisted.
"I will," Zadí promised.
"We need to hurry," Brom urged. "The less time they have to rally, the less prepared they'll be. Lena, do they have weapons?"
"Yes, and they practice with them. Besides honing their magical skills, there's little else to do here."
"This is it," Brom concluded. "Work together and we have a chance."
And with Lena guiding their way, the friends swiftly set off for the main residence.
Tenga magnified his voice once he reached the stone hall where the other residents of Vroengard gathered for most of their daily activities.
"Retrieve your weapons and assemble yourselves!" he bellowed. "We finally have a war to fight, and we shall triumph!"
As the magicians scattered to fulfill his commands, Tenga made a quick detour to his study. Those elves, he mused. So strong. Unexpectedly so. And how could they read my
thoughts?
He then guarded his mind to prevent unwelcome observation as he retrieved what he hoped would be an unanticipated threat to the elves.
If I can take them out, none of the rest stand a chance, Tenga determined. None of the other former Dragon Riders can still use magic.
Something nagged at the back of his mind. But didn't Trianna say there were three elves? he remembered. Where was the third? Hiding? Or perhaps he or she died in Ilirea. Well, I will deal with those two and remove this threat once and for all. Wretched dragon! Waiting until just the right moment when I would have no opportunity to coerce him. Might as well leave him here for all the good he is now. And I really must hurry! Those children won't wait long. They will attempt to attack while we are disorganized. Lena has no doubt
shared something of my army's unique features.
Tenga chuckled in a twisted sort of way before exiting his study. He rejoined
his ragtag band in the main hall and formed them into loose ranks, preparing his mental and physical
attack for the moment the children passed through the door.
While Var and Will each carried their wives, the rest of the ten friends ran down the vast stone corridor leading to the main hall. Brom had established a mental link between their minds, which he intended to end as the fighting began.
They're up ahead, he informed.
Yes, that's the main hall, Lena shared. Tenga must have gathered them there.
This is so much like home on the Isle, Zadí commented of the soaring stone ceiling and arching walls. Except that it's all so dilapidated.
I remember feeling the same when Tenga first brought me here, Lena said. Some of the ancient Riders' dragons might have actually filled these enormous hallways.
As they neared the massive doors, Brom instructed, Be ready, Nefin. You too, Brin and Keeta. We need to take down as many as we can with arrows. Everyone else remember the
plan.
Will we be able to open those doors? Keeta asked. They're huge.
Nefin grinned down at her. Elven made, Keeta. They'll be as easy to open as lifting a feather. You should know a thing or two about that from dwarven architecture.
Keeta smiled faintly and shook her head in amusement.
Zadí, this is where you wait, Var said, setting her down several paces from the door. Don't watch. It will be disturbing.
Zadí vigorously nodded her agreement as she pressed against the wall to give the others room to pass.
You too, Lena, Will seconded. Only come in when it's time.
What about me? Swiftpaw asked. I am a werecat. We are known for our ferocity in battle. I would be a part of this.
Swiftpaw, stay with me, Lena suggested. We will go in together to fulfill our task. But we're still so weak. This way we won't get hurt before. The werecat conveyed her acceptance.
And I'll stay here too, Hanna offered. I can better perform my role without many loud or distracting movements.
No more waiting, Brom said, making himself invisible. Brin, we'll stay near one wall. I'll work as quickly as I can, but Tenga might eventually realize what's going on. Be ready.
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