He sat down and pulled the tattered sleeve from his tunic. With a little concentration the fabric began to shake, then blur, and finally transform into parchment. He had made three sheets, and he laid them on the sand. Then he found a small piece of driftwood and used his magic to burn it into charcoal. He let it cool while he thought of what he wanted to say. Then, he wrote a note, first to his father, then to Mansel, and finally to Brianna. He told them all he loved them and wrote personal things to each about how they had made his life better and what he hoped for their future. Then he said good-bye. In Brianna’s note he asked her to deliver the others. He also asked her not to follow him. Then he rolled them up and tucked them into her pack.
“Ferno,” Zollin said, nudging the green dragon. “We must leave.”
The dragon grumbled but got to its feet. Zollin levitated up onto the huge dragon’s back. Then they were off, flying south again, following the coast. The mutated army thinned until only the occasional straggler remained. Zollin looked at the countryside; it seemed so peaceful, as if nothing dark or scary was happening anywhere in the world. Ferno, despite the dragon’s weariness, flew through most of the night. They finally settled in a thick grove of trees and slept just before dawn. Zollin was thankful that he was too tired to dream.
Epilogue
When Brianna woke up it was almost noon. She woke with a start and looked for Zollin, but not seeing Ferno she knew he had left. She cried and Selix, still heartsick over killing Embyr, cried with her. The dragon’s tears fell and splashed onto the sand, turning it to glass wherever the tears fell.
As soon as Brianna could get control of herself, she stopped crying. She was so thirsty that she found her pack and pulled out the canteen. Zollin’s letters fell out as well. She read them all, but read and reread her own, over and over. Then she packed everything away and wiped the tears from her face.
“It is time to go home, Selix,” she said.
The dragon growled. She jumped up onto the dragon’s back, and Selix jumped high into the air. They flew fast north, sailing up in the clouds. Brianna lay stretched out on the golden dragon’s back, thinking about what Zollin had written, and doing her best to remember everything she could about him. The way he smiled, his thick brown hair that fell across his eyes, his strong arms and long fingers. She remembered the way he held her, the way his embrace felt strong, and safe, and tender, all at the same time. She remembered how he had looked battling Bartoom to keep her safe in Brighton’s Gate. She remembered how she felt seeing him in Orrock when he had come to rescue her. She remembered their time in the Northern Highlands, working together, staring up at the stars each night, resting in one another’s arms so warm.
That was how she would remember him, she vowed. No matter what happened, she would always remember Zollin. She would always love him, even if she couldn’t be with him.
* * *
Dearest Brianna,
How can I express my love for you? I remember you as a girl in Tranaugh Shire, always so beautiful, fierce, and full of life. I remember you in the caverns of the dwarves, becoming the woman you were meant to be. Your memory is my strength, always.
I have many hopes for you. I hope above all that you will live a long, happy life. Marry Willam, he will make you happy and give you a future we could never dream of. Deliver these letters to Quinn and Mansel for me. And don’t try to follow me. Your fate lies with the pride of dragons in the Walheta Mountains.
Comfort my father; I fear he will take my death hard. And remember me, my beloved. I hope that I won’t be forgotten. I have gone to ensure that your future is good. Make the most of it, for both of us.
Zollin
We hope you’ve enjoyed EVIL TIDE. The final book in the Five Kingdom Series will be published Spring 2014. Until then, we hope you will enjoy these other books by Toby Neighbors, Dean Blaze, and J.M. Fosberg.
The Lorik Trilogy
Set in the world first introduced in the best selling Five Kingdoms series, the Lorik trilogy introduces new characters who will impact the destiny of this fabled land. Lorik is the story of a man whose world is suddenly turned upside down. His concern for a friend earns him an enemy, his actions make him a hero, but his honor could cost him his life.
The Half Dwarf Prince
The powerful mage Anwar Alamira has gone to learn to control his overwhelming power, but the minions of chaos remain. The fallen dwarven stronghold of Shinestone must be reclaimed from its foul new inhabitants, and Grundel, the half-dwarf, half-human son of Grizzle Stoneheart, must step up to the challenge. Will he and his friends—old and new—be strong enough to take back the dwarven kingdom from unexpected enemies?
The Dwarf War
The dwarves have retaken the mountain of Shinestone, but there is no time to celebrate. The Black Dragons are still a threat, and the betrayal of the dwarves of Tiefes Loch is a heavy blow. Now the dwarves must prepare to defend their home against their own kin, dwarves who have abandoned Bordin, the god of dwarves. The threat is great, and the dwarves will need all the help they can get. With no other choice, the dwarves turn to the humans for help, but will the humans choose honor or greed? The arrival of an old friend might just be the edge they need.
CHARTER
Charter is Dean Blaze's groundbreaking debut novel, capturing the tension of the outlaw biker lifestyle and the ties between the men who find brotherhood in modern day motorcycle clubs. With it's character focused style and lightning fast pace, Charter is a book that you won't be able to put down.
High Climber is a small town deep in the mountains of Northern Idaho and home to a group of former U.S. Marines looking to find peace and solitude after the rigors of fighting in the Middle East. Unfortunately, what they find in the seemingly sleepy small town is anything but peaceful. Organized crime has already taken hold of the nearby mountain resort and the Sheriff is busy extorting the citizens has has pledged to protect. After fighting for their country, the Summit Soldiers Motorcycle Club may have to embrace the outlaw life if they are going to survive in their new home.
Five Kingdoms: Book 06 - Evil Tide Page 34