“Chirpa,” she squealed. “Am I glad to see you!” She knew he didn’t understand a word she said, but talking to someone other than herself calmed her nerves.
She reached out and stoked Chirpa’s smooth head. He leaned into her touch and squeaked softly. A foolish thought crossed her mind. She needed to give it a voice before rationale kicked in.
Rayah looked into Chirpa’s eyes. Words teetered on the tip of her tongue. Pressed against the backs of her teeth. Chirpa cocked his head when she continued to hesitate. She finally spit the words out. “I need to find my friends and make sure they’re safe.”
Chirpa craned his head around, and then he darted several yards through the sand before she lost sight of him.
Rayah sighed. Well, that didn’t work.
But then Chirpa appeared at the far edge of her vision. He stared at her and waited. Excitement filled her chest.
He must want me to follow him!
Rayah shook the pain from her muscles and got herself turned around. Chirpa wiggled his nose at her, and then he darted through the sand again. She followed him through the sand, hoping he’d understood her and led her back toward her friends and safety.
They must’ve been quite some distance underneath the sand because the tremendous weight of it slowed her down. It took most of her strength just to keep her wings beating. Chirpa must’ve understood because he slowed when she did.
About twenty minutes passed as she followed Chirpa through the sand. Nothing looked familiar. Or rather everything looked the same. Sand, sand, and more sand. She didn’t understand what’d happened to the city.
Just ahead, something large lay in the sand. Or part of something. She couldn’t tell what she was looking at until they got right up on it. Fur-covered legs. Red fur.
Rakzar!
Had something chopped him in half? His body ended right about his ribcage. But she didn’t see any blood.
Then she noticed the brown cloth bag. Eshtak’s mezhik bag. Understanding and elation stole her breath. Rakzar must’ve gotten trapped in the sand before he could escape into the bag. Using the bag that way was a smart move, but did the bag actually lead somewhere?
It’s better than being buried alive.
Rayah wrapped her arms around Rakzar’s legs and worked to free them from the sand, but her strength faltered. Between fighting the minotaurs and digging her way through the sand, she’d just about spent all her energy. She tried to move the sand again, but it seemed to pack around them even tighter.
To make matters worse, the bag’s opening wasn’t wide enough for both of them to pass through it at the same time. She scooched down and grabbed Rakzar’s feet.
You can do this, Rayah. Save him.
She grunted and forced the sand away from Rakzar with everything she had left. At first, only a few grains of sand stirred. Then a few more. Then the entire area around them stirred. Shook. Quaked.
Rayah screamed. A concussive wave of energy rippled through the sand, pushing it back and turning it into glass.
Rakzar slid forward and disappeared into the bag.
Rayah lay there stunned. She’d never heard of a soil dryte turning sand into glass. She didn’t even understand how it’d happened. But it had.
Heavy eyelids drooped. No strength left to hold them open. Darkness closed in around her, but she didn’t care. She’d found a way to save Rakzar, and that was the only thing that mattered.
Chirpa nuzzled her hand. Squeaked several times. But she couldn’t move. Didn’t want to move.
A dim light shone through the darkness beyond her eyelids. In her mind, Rayah smiled.
Ƨäʈūr, is that You?
Chapter Thirty-One
Pravus stood over the table in the war room, studying the city diagrams of Elatos, Borza, and Vallah. In less than a week, his army would march the final sixty miles into Elatos. However, his dispute with Lords Jagesh Rubano, Elder Baarth, and Uli Edersheimer still remained unresolved. Their armies totaled an additional thirty-five thousand men and women. He needed their support.
Or at least their armies.
A knock sounded at the door. “Enter.” He didn’t look up from the table but knew Credan had entered the room based on the sounds of his footfall and labored breathing.
“My lord, I have very good news.”
Pravus finally looked up. Credan stood on the other side of the table, beaming with pride, his eyes bright and sparking behind wire-rimmed spectacles. “You’re far cheerier than a few days ago. What is it?”
“Lords Jagesh Rubano and Elder Baarth have recommitted to the campaign and ready their forces as we speak.”
A weight lifted from Pravus’s shoulders. “Excellent. And what of the little swine in Cape Timor, Lord Uli Edersheimer.”
Credan wiped his brow with a kerchief. “Progress has been made there as well, albeit an unexpected development.”
“Unexpected?” Pravus leaned over the table on his palms. “Either he’s recommitted, or you’ve released Reubane. Which is it?”
“Neither, actually.” Credan swallowed hard, the sparkle lost in his eyes. “Turns out—”
Pravus slammed his fist down on the table. “You’ve disobeyed a direct order.”
Credan visibly cringed. “My lord, if you’ll just hear me out, you’ll be pleased with the outcome.”
“Then spit it out before I turn Reubane loose on you.”
“Yes, of course.” Credan gathered himself and continued, “Disgusted after finding out that his father had snubbed you, Tuan Edersheimer, Lord Uli Edersheimer’s eldest son, took up arms against his father and captured him. Having gained control over Cape Timor, he’s recommitted his forces to the campaign and has promised to deliver his father into your hands as well.”
Pravus straightened and steepled his fingers. “Then all is well again.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Pravus sighed with relief. “Good. Is there anything else I should know about?”
Credan looked up to his left for a moment. “I don’t believe so. Everything is in order for next week’s march. The soldiers have readied siege weapons and towers and enough extra weapons and armor to supply an additional hundred thousand soldiers.”
Two hundred thousand strong. Pravus smiled. King Zaridus has no chance of winning this war.
He nodded toward Credan. “Excellent news. You’ve done well, my old friend.”
Credan bowed. “My lord.” He turned and left the war room.
Pravus cracked his knuckles.
Soon, the realm will bow to a new god.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Aria stood in the middle of The Plains, sixty miles south of Elatos. Fingers of the Orbis Mountain Range reached toward the sky in the north, begging the gods for mercy. But none would be granted. They’d burn along with the Three Kingdoms.
A lone fire, bright against the dusk sky, burned atop Mt. Rashard, the southernmost peak of the range. Cinolth had informed her of its significance—a warning signal to the entire realm. Somehow, King Zaridus knew they were coming. Even so, it would make no difference. King Zaridus prepared for a war he believed would be several months away, but she and the army would be at his doorstep in less than two weeks.
They’re squatting deer.
Justice, vengeance, timing, and righteousness favored them. King Zaridus wouldn’t know what hit him until it was too late.
Already, her forces numbered more than she could count. Many of Cinolth’s faithful arrived earlier that day, and more poured in by the hour. Along with them came scores of others. The zhebəllin of the Daltura Hills, the mountain ogres of the Sol Deus Mountains, and the giants of the southwestern Orbis Mountains. As instructed by Pravus and Cinolth, none of the many groups mingled. Doing so bred chaos, and it was the last thing they needed before attacking Elatos.
Mutius and Bardaric worked fast building the wall, having completed more than a third of it already. In three days, she’d conj
ure the second gateway. In five days, Pravus and the rest of her army would walk straight from Galondu Castle onto The Plains. Her skin prickled with excitement.
In two weeks, I will officially be queen of the Ancient Realm.
Nothing would stop her. Nothing could. Not even Alderan.
Aria still sensed Cinolth’s presence even though he hunted dozens of miles northwest. The flight up from Galondu Castle had weakened him more than he let on. She sensed his fatigue through their bond. Sometimes, she discovered secrets hidden within his mind. Secrets that he’d likely kill her for if he found out she knew. She wondered what secrets he might know about her as well.
The thought of bonds set her mind on Alderan. She reached out with her mind but didn’t sense him. Fear struck the core of her heart, but only for a moment as she recalled Pravus collaring him. Ƨäbräƨär suppressed not only mezhik but their bond and blinded them from each other.
Aria desperately wanted Alderan to understand what she and Pravus strove to accomplish, but he’d always been bullheadish. Getting through to him would prove difficult, but she’d done it many times before. However, they’d never been at such odds on anything so important before. She didn’t know what she’d do if he never came around to her way of thinking.
He’s a threat. All threats must be eliminated.
The thought astonished her. Sickened her. But had it been her own? After the control Cinolth had demonstrated over her outside Desolo Urbs she couldn’t be sure.
She’d never do anything to harm Alderan. She couldn’t possibly.
Why would it be any different than with Nardus?
Frustration curled her hands and drew mezhik into them. She punched downward. A blast of air cratered the ground beside her, compacting the dirt more than two feet in diameter and several feet deep.
Nardus is nothing more than a stranger from my past, but Alderan is my brother.
But how deep did the blood ties run? Would she sacrifice a kingdom for him? She refused to ponder the question.
He will come around.
† † †
Calen hadn’t left Savric’s side since they’d reunited several days back. How could he? Everything in his life had burned to ashes, and hope had all but died the day Aunt Tahmara had walked out of the house, but seeing master Savric standing atop the outcropping had changed everything. No event in his entire life prior to that moment had given him such joy and hope. Finding Aunt Tahmara might be the only thing that could ever top it.
Unlike the past, Master Savric no longer traveled alone. He had a strange little man in tow named Eshtak. Calen didn’t know what to make of Eshtak at first. Strange tattoos covered his entire body. He’d never met anyone so different and unique.
Calen had never had a friend before, at least not one that served solely in that role. Master Savric had always been so much more than a friend. He served as both a father figure and a grandfather as well. So, when Eshtak called Calen his friend after an entire five minutes had passed since they’d met, he admittedly felt a bit shocked. But the feeling wasn’t one-sided. Eshtak exuded sincerity, love, and loyalty—three things that demanded his friendship. Qualities Calen had only witnessed before in Master Savric.
Eshtak also had a way of bringing perspective into everything. He didn’t even need to say anything. His presence and joyous outlook infected everyone around him. They’d become inseparable.
No matter the task, Eshtak rushed to do it with enthusiasm. He’d happily volunteered to help Calen find his aunt now that their group of infected had met up with a much larger group and settled down into what kind of resembled a camp.
Aunt Tahmara must be here somewhere.
After witnessing several violent events, Calen had no delusions of rescuing his aunt. Just finding her and knowing she still lived would satisfy him for the moment. He loved her like a mother.
Master Savric sat on a large boulder, his attention focused somewhere in the distance. Calen had begged him to join their quest for his aunt, but he’d simply declined. It wasn’t good enough.
Calen stomped his foot. “I don’t understand why you won’t come with us.” He knew such behavior was unbecoming of a boy his age, but he couldn’t help it. He needed Master Savric at his side.
“Do not fret, my boy.” Steam rose from a small bowl nestled between Master Savric’s crossed legs. “We will see each other back here in a few hours’ time. Now, there are things we both must do to achieve inner peace. With Eshtak’s help, you must locate your aunt and assess her condition, and I must confront my goddaughter before the opportunity is lost.”
Calen clutched Master Savric’s shoulder. Tears brimmed in his eyes. “Promise me that you’ll return, Master Savric. I can’t lose you again.”
Master Savric smiled his usual smile—the one that melted people’s hearts with kindness and sincerity. “I assure you that at no point was I ever lost. Distracted and delayed for certain, but never lost.” He patted the back of Calen’s hand. “You never left my thoughts. Now, go find your aunt.”
Calen eyed the ground and pushed a small rock in a circle with his foot. “You really think I can do this?”
“Of that, I have no doubt.” Master Savric sipped some broth from his bowl. “Look at what you have already accomplished. You fought and escaped from the zhebəllin and rescued countless children in the process. Then you embarked on a journey beyond the walls of Daltura and into unknown and distant lands. You are so much stronger and braver than you give yourself credit.”
Calen sighed. “How can I be brave when I’m scared?”
“We are all scared at times, and being so is nothing to be ashamed of. What you do when you are scared is what matters. Dwell on it, and it will control you. Act despite of it, and you will overcome it. Were you not scared when the zhebəllin captured you?”
Calen released Master Savric’s shoulder and wiped his eyes. “Yeah.”
“Yet you conquered your fears and your foe.”
Master Savric is right. I was brave.
Calen took a deep breath and forced it back out through closed lips, vibrating them. “Thank you, Master Savric. You always have a way of helping me see things differently. One day, I hope I can see them for myself.”
“Indeed.” Master Savric downed the rest of his bone broth in one big gulp. He followed it up with a loud belch.
Eshtak laughed and danced in a circle. “Good good food!”
Calen proffered his hand, and Master Savric took it. “Good luck with your goddaughter.”
“And you with your aunt.” Master Savric released Calen’s hand, winked, and then used his staff to get to his feet. “See you soon.” He slammed the butt-end of his staff on the rock and disappeared in a whirlwind.
Calen’s stomach lurched, and his pulse quickened. He took several deep breaths, but it didn’t settle his nerve or his heart.
You can do this, Calen.
Eshtak grabbed Calen’s hand and pulled on his arm. “Come! Come! Eshtak help friend find aunt.”
Eshtak’s touch evaporated his fear. He chuckled. “Okay, okay. Let’s go.”
An unending sea of infected lay before them. Finding Aunt Tahmara would be as likely as finding a booger on a sandy beach, but at least he and Eshtak had each other’s company. They strolled down the side of the outcropping and into the throng, hand-in-hand.
Ƨäʈūr, guide us to Aunt Tahmara.
† † †
Savric moved through the camp, sticking to the shadows and displacing the light with mezhik as he went. He found it strange that Aria would be out there on her own without protection, but he didn’t detect a threat as he approached her.
Ten paces away, Aria turned and faced him. A faint red glow illuminated her eyes as they narrowed. “There’s no point in hiding. I can hear you breathing.”
Savric released the light he’d trapped. “I dare say I am only here to talk.”
“I have seen your face before, have I no
t?” Aria stalked forward. She held no weapon and conjured no mezhik that Savric could detect. Recollection lifted her eyebrows. “You’re the one from Daltura.”
“To be certain.” Savric stroked his beard. “You have changed since last we met. Your hair. Your eyes. The way you carry yourself. Gone is the timid girl I once knew.”
“I don’t understand. Are you saying that you knew me before we met in Daltura?” She sighed and shook her head. “Yes, of course you must’ve. Why else would you have left me that note?”
“I prayed that you would understand its meaning.”
“Those two words ruled my life for many days. Why did you not stay longer in Daltura?”
“I feared discovery. Alas, it would have made little difference if I knew then what I know now.”
“Why are you here? What is it that you want? Better yet, who are you?”
“My name is Savric Naphor. I knew your mother, Gretchen.”
“She wasn’t my mother.”
“Yes, of course. Not by birth at least. But I promise you that few could have loved you more than she did.”
“She was no better than my father who abandoned me and my brother.”
“I did not know your birth father, but I do know that he loved you very much. What happened was a tragedy.”
“None of it matters. It’s all in the past. Why are you here?”
Savric eyed the massive wall south of where they stood. “What purpose will this wall serve?”
Aria scowled at him. “That is no concern of yours.”
“Very well. Perhaps you can inform me as to your dealings with that dragon. Surely you know he cannot be trusted.”
“You know Cinolth as well?” Her left eyebrow rose, but the scowl on her face remained.
Even though Morcinda had told him of the curse and what the black scale must mean, hearing Aria confirm the dragon’s name struck fear in Savric’s heart. The prophecies had not been wrong.
Savric nodded. “Only of him. His brutal and contentious reputation has not been forgotten in more than a millennium.”
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