🐲 Dragon and Phoenix (Path of Light and Fire Book #2) (Completed) 🐲

Chapter 3

Leena pushed her light brown palfrey, Lake, as hard as she would go. The jagged, sharp crags and rolling hills of Hruh flowed in the periphery of her vision as she rode. It was such an unforgiving climate that she wondered why anyone would care about this place.

Nobles would fight over a moldy loaf of bread if another valued it.

Leena was slowed by Sabin's extra weight, but it was not as simple as tossing him from the horse. Even though she was mildly tempted at the thought.

"Sabin, do some of that horse talk. We need to go faster!"

"She knows," Sabin said. "There is only so fast she can run, she isn't made for this."

Leena growled. Sakima was well ahead of them, in a full gallop towards the Yuan and Acadian force. His war horse, Hunter, was bred for this sort of thing. Lake and Pithy, Alaina's muddy brown and white packhorse-turned-riding-companion, were not. So Leena found the gap frustratingly widening as each moment passed.

However, Turrent's jet black courser, Midnight, was faring much better. He was in shouting distance of the man and Leena could only hope that Turrent was talking some sense into him.

I cannot believe I am counting on Turrent for that. Even if he is, there's also no guarantee he will listen.

Think Leena.

"I have an idea."

Leena looked over to Alaina in confusion. Those were words she expected to come from behind. She wasn't sure what the girl was planning, but she had her attention.

"Spit it out!"

"I can fly faster than this." Alaina said. "I can catch them."

"I'll jump onto Pithy," Sabin said. "Go!"

This is a bad plan. "Wait!"

Despite the word, they did not wait for Leena's protest. Alaina's body took on a soft white glow, then she launched in Sakima and Turrent's direction. Immediately afterwards, out of the corner of her eye Leena could see Sabin leaping onto Pithy and grabbing the horse at the neck.

Sabin slid from the horse's back, at one point hanging by one hand as the horse continued her run. Even though the whole ordeal only took a few moments, between Sakima's suicide run and Sabin's reckless dive, Leena was emotionally drained by the time Sabin pulled himself into riding position.

"I thought you were blind," Leena yelled. "How did you make that jump? And how by Gaia's tits are you not running into the dirt."

Sabin smiled. "Pithy is doing most of the work."

Freaking show-off. Does he ever think about the consequences?

Alaina made good on her word, floating in front of Sakima and getting the man to slow down. Whatever she said next must have gotten his attention, for he and Turrent stopped in their tracks.

With the immediate crisis averted, Leena allowed her eyes to scan the rest of the environment. Behind the invading army, a single rust colored crag shot up from the earth. It stood out among the others in the valley, a mock finger beckoning travelers or telling them to shove off, depending on how you looked at it. There was a simple beauty to the Dedo Naranja that she had no time to appreciate.

They were close enough now to see the outlines of the nearby Hruh city, with a massive legion holding just in front. With the opposing troops in sight range of each other, their job was practically impossible. The Hruh contingent was much larger, so this must have been the worst kept secret invasion in history.

In the space between the armies, lone figure rode back and forth waving a white flag, attempting to get the attention of both sides. It had to be Hatsuto. Sakima was right to worry. If either side decided to strike, his Partner would be the first casualty.

When Leena approached the trio of Sakima, Turrent and Alaina, she found Sakima's eyes scanning the scene below, Alaina floating just in front of him.

"We need you to think carefully," Alaina said to Sakima.

The man nodded mutely, but his eyes never left Hatsuto's form.

Two emissaries from each side marched forward, the pairs converging on Hastuto's location in the center. If there was any moment to do stop this conflict, it was now.

"Let's go," Leena said.

"A sudden intrusion would be seen as aggressive," Sabin countered. "Two armies in such proximity is already a powder keg. We must act slowly."

"We don't have the time," Leena replied. "Sakima had it half-right, our first act should be to make our presence known."

"We can do both."

"What are you going on about?" Leena jumped as she laid eyes on Sabin's face. "Schewa's balls, your face!" The whole of his eyes were white, instead of the friendly brown she was used to. Veins of the same color streaked across his face like a spider's web.

Sabin ignored her outburst. "Alaina, I need you to get to Hatsuto quickly. When you're right above him, I want you to float down as demonstratively as possible. Make sure that everyone sees you."

Alaina nodded.

"You're going to put this on the child, pup?" Turrent asked.

Sabin shook his head. "I'll use Alaina as an anchor and light to her. The rest of you, approach as slowly and overtly as possible. It should be over by the time you get there."

"Did you forget about the part where you can't see?" Leena asked.

Sabin smiled. "I don't need sight to talk. Alaina will be my eyes and will let me know if things are going south. We'll protect this Hatsuto guy and stop this war."

"That Hatsuto guy is my Partner." Sakima clenched his fists and the veins in his neck bulged. His eyes burrowed into Sabin, completely unaffected by Sabin's new visage.

"Right!" Sabin exclaimed. "My apologies. We will protect him Sakima. Trust us."

"We'll protect him," Alaina agreed. She took off in the air, leaving a slight breeze in her wake.

Leena sighed. It's a good plan. Why didn't I think of it?

Because you're a thief, not a soldier.

Alaina descended slowly above Hastuto. Typically her glow was a soft white, but here she made it pulse, drawing all eyes to her. Even knowing the plan, it had a calming, awe-inspiring effect on Leena. She could only imagine the effect it was having on the soldiers below.

"She's in place," Turrent said.

Sabin nodded and disappeared in a flash of light.

That's going to make them think twice as well. This is why the kid is in charge, Leena. Know your place.

"Well, let's follow the leader," Leena said. She pushed forward, Sakima and Turrent falling in at her sides. She could only hope that the melancholy she felt didn't come through in her tone.