Light Chasers (The World of Lasniniar Book 0)

by Jacquelyn Smith

  Iadrawyn forced one foot in front of the other. She was exhausted. They both were. She and Valanandir had traveled all through the dark hours, binding their wounds from the fight with the drakhalu as they went, under the steady downpour. Now the disc of light was back in the sky, and the falling water had finally stopped. Their eyes were bound once more, and Vila Eadros rose before them.

  Iadrawyn didn’t bother backtracking to cover their trail. The weather would take care of that for them, and now that it had cleared, she was too tired to do more than trudge onward. Her clothes, boots, and hair were still damp, making every step feel heavy.

  Her only consolation was the increasing sense of certainty they were drawing close to their goal. What had begun as a distant pulling sensation had slowly grown to a living pulse that tingled. Even Valanandir could feel it now. Every few moments, she caught him scratching at his arms. Her growing desire to locate the source of these strange feelings had become irresistible. Despite her exhaustion, she couldn’t stop her forward momentum if she tried. She had to find whatever had caused all the changes in Ralvaniar and these strange feelings within herself. It was her destiny.

  Iadrawyn stumbled, startled from her hypnotic thoughts. Valanandir was at her side, gripping her shoulder to prevent her from falling forward. She gave him a grateful smile. She was glad he was with her. She knew there was a reason she had felt compelled to rescue him on the beach. It seemed like a lifetime ago. He was also a part of her fate.

  The gentle, grassy slopes of the hills were right in front of them now. Iadrawyn forced herself to focus. They had arrived. What they sought would be in the heart of Vila Eadros. She knew this as surely as she knew her own name. Wordlessly, she beckoned Valanandir onward.

  Together, they wound their way between the hills. Iadrawyn felt as though she were a scrap of metal being pulled by a strong magnet. There was no resisting.

  At first it wasn’t noticeable in the daylight, but a white glow seemed to be coming from the same location as the pulling sensation. Even with her blindfold, it became almost unbearably bright.

  Iadrawyn had ceased to notice anything else, her world narrowed to discovering the source of these sensations. She knew they were close. Her skin prickled. Just a few more steps and she would find it.

  A hand gripping her arm distracted her. She shrugged the hand away without looking back. She was so close…

  The hand grabbed her shoulder, turning her around. Iadrawyn nearly screamed in frustration. She found herself facing Valanandir’s panicked features. His face had gone pale.

  “What is it?” she snapped.

  “We have to take cover!” He pulled at her arm, but she refused to move.

  “Leave me alone. I have to find it!” Iadrawyn tried to shrug his hand away once more, but Valanandir’s grip remained firm.

  “Come on!” He gave another tug, this time more forceful. Iadrawyn stumbled in his direction against her will.

  “I’m not going anywhere. Let me go!” She struggled in his grip.

  Valanandir used his other hand to grasp her chin, forcing her to look up. An impossibly large shadow passed overhead. Iadrawyn felt as if she had been doused with cold water.

  “Dragon,” Valanandir breathed in her ear, confirming her fears. “Now come on!”

  Chagrined, Iadrawyn allowed him to lead her into the shadow of the closest hill. She hoped her idiocy wasn’t going to get them killed. They crouched together against the hill, their eyes glued to the sky.

  The dragon circled several times before landing. Its silver scales were almost blinding in the light. They had a rippling blue sheen that made the creature’s movements almost hypnotic. Iadrawyn and Valanandir were forced to shield their faces with their cloaks as the dragon landed, its enormous wings stirring up loose grass and dirt. Somehow, the large creature managed to make its movements appear graceful. It tucked its wings to its sides as all four legs touched the ground.

  Iadrawyn pressed her body against the side of the hill, hoping they would escape notice. Surely two elves must seem like ants to such a creature. Perhaps it had not seen them before it had landed. Valanandir’s silver eyes were wide with terror. She remembered it had been dragons that had attacked his ship and nearly killed him.

  The dragon’s long neck wound from one side to the other, clearly searching. She could hear it sniffing the air. Iadrawyn closed her eyes and reached to grasp Valanandir’s hand. He gave her an answering squeeze, which gave her the courage to open her eyes.

  She immediately regretted it. A fresh wave of terror washed over her. Beside her, Valanandir uttered a faint moan. His hand slipped from her grasp.

  The dragon was looking right at them.