Kastali Dun
Claire entered King Talon's tower, Desaree beside her. She found Verath sitting by the fire with Jovari and Koldis. All three Shields stood by way of greeting and dismissed the handful of tower servants lingering in the shadows.
"Wine?" Verath asked.
"Yes, please," she and Desaree said in unison, sharing a smile.
Verath busied himself at Talon's wine cabinet before handing around goblets. There was a lingering tenderness in his gaze whenever it fell on Desaree. For the first time since coming to Dragonwall, a small bit of envy crept into her heart. She missed the feeling of being cared for—loved the way Verath appeared to care for Desaree.
Verath spoke once they were settled around the fireplace. "Thank you for making yourself available on short notice. An hour ago, we received a letter from the relay, expedited." He fiddled with a bit of folded parchment in his hands. "From Celenore, dated two days ago. The contents are brief, but clear. As you know, King Talon sent reinforcements to Lormont, Osbourne, and Swinston. Unfortunately, the soldiers and Magoi did not last the night."
"What?! You're...you're sure? All of them?" She cleared her throat. "What happened?"
"Their presence was detected. As soon as darkness fell, the Vodar swept in and annihilated them. The villagers write that their screams did not last long."
"How many did Talon send?"
"King Talon sent two hundred—"
"Two hundred?!" Her hand went to her stomach. "Two..." There wasn't enough air in the room.
"—split between three villages. They were accompanied by six Magoi of the seventh and eighth levels from the college. None survived."
"And..." She swallowed. "The villagers?"
"The villagers remain undefended. Deaths of their women and children continue each night."
"How dare he?" she whispered. Her face heated. That Kane should involve innocents in his petty quest for power was a low blow. Beside her, Desaree sat silent and pale. "May I see the letter?"
Verath handed it over.
She read through the contents. There wasn't much else beyond what he had said. The final lines held a desperate plea. She chewed on the inside of her cheek. "They have called for more aid." She handed it to Desaree who quickly glanced through it. "Do we have more to send?"
"Our previous reinforcements were no match. But...we do have more to send. Much more. King Talon's forces are vast." Verath stood abruptly and flicked his fingers. "Come with me."
They followed, with Jovari and Koldis trailing behind.
Verath led her to a war room. She'd been here once before, not too long ago, when she had requested Talon make Desaree her handmaiden. It looked no different than it did before.
A large table took up the center, a huge map stretched across it. There were pieces on the map—figurines—similar to those on a chessboard. "This is our war room," Verath said. Koldis and Jovari remained silent and watchful. Desaree merely nodded.
He ushered them over to a section of the map outlining Celenore, one of Dragonwall's twenty Dragondoms. There he pointed at a cluster of figurines, soldiers, each holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. They were no taller than the length of her finger.
"Each piece represents a company of one hundred soldiers," he explained. "As you can see, we have approximately three hundred within twenty leagues. They can be assembled in...two, maybe three days."
"But," Koldis added, speaking for the first time, "we would need more Magoi to flank them."
"Yes. True." Verath nodded, turning back to her. "You see? There are options." He slid each piece into place. "What do you think? Shall we send what we have?"
"You're asking me?" Her voice took on an unusually high pitch. "Didn't Talon leave one of you in charge?"
"He left Verath in charge," said Jovari, crossing his arms.
"But technically speaking, Lady Claire, you are the highest-ranking individual in the king's absence. Therefore, I thought it prudent to seek your advice first. What say you?"
She opened and closed her mouth. Then frowned. "It's hopeless!" Her eyes darted over the pieces on the map, studying them. "What's the point? If I tell you to send them, then I'm sending three hundred men to their deaths...It's absurd, you ought to know that."
Given Verath's expression, he did know. Perhaps he merely wanted to hear her say it. "That may be true," he said, slowly. "Have you and Marcel discovered any other way to defeat them?"
A warm flush crept across her cheeks. It's what shame felt like. "Sprite Fire. It's...it's the only way."
"I see." Verath turned to Jovari and Koldis. "That settles it. You will be ready to leave at dawn?" They nodded. "Good. Make sure you select wisely from the fort's Drengr."
"Wait!" She stepped forward, looking between them until her gaze settled on Verath. "You...you're sending them?"
"I am. They will do better than any of our Magoi at present, and especially better than the villagers."
Koldis snorted. "Yeah. Gods, Claire, give us some credit. We fought off the Vodar well enough traveling with you, and many more in this very tower."
"But not properly!" She glared at him. He merely grinned back, as if daring her to continue. She turned to Verath. "What about me? You'd send them before considering me?" It stung that he hadn't factored in her abilities. "I can destroy them better than any of you."
He hesitated. "You really think you could destroy them?"
"You dare doubt me?" She gave him a deadpan stare. "I didn't have trouble when they attacked this tower, did I? Perhaps you need me to prove it."
Words flowed from her mouth before she could stop them. The Sprite language was like liquid sugar against her tongue. It took but a single sentence for the padded chair beside Verath to burst into green flames.
"Gods above!" He jumped aside, cursing.
Jovari shot forward, muttering a cantrip that sent the chair sliding across the room and into the corner. A moment later and it would have engulfed the table and map. The flames smoldered into nothing, leaving behind a pile of ash.
She crossed her arms. "Proof enough?"
"Impressive." Verath's eyes glittered. "Perhaps I was wrong. You may yet do better than Jovari and Koldis."
She lifted her chin. "Then you'll send me?"
"No, Claire!" Desaree spoke for the first time, taking hold of her arm, eyes pleading. "You wouldn't dare! You wouldn't dare abandon the keep's protection with King Talon away. I will not stand for it! King Talon made you promise to—"
"Desaree..." Verath gave a low warning growl.
Desaree looked up at him and added, "Well, it's true. She promised." Pink tinged her cheeks, but she remained silent thereafter. A deep frown was the only evidence of her disapproval.
"Desaree is right," Jovari said, affording Desaree a grin by way of apology.
"Oh great. Not you too." Claire glared at him.
Jovari shrugged. "The king charged us with guarding you above all else. You are safest in the keep."
"That's not necessarily true. The castle may be safe, but two Shields are better than one." She looked at Verath. "No offense."
He shrugged. "None taken."
"Be that as it may," said Jovari, "King Talon will murder us."
"Only if he finds out," Koldis said, offering them a wicked grin. "And if he does, we tell him it was Claire's idea. She's the only one here he won't burn to a crisp."
"Wait a minute...." Her jaw dropped. "You...you guys planned this whole thing, didn't you? You knew Talon would be angrier with you than with me." Talon's Shields glanced at each other. "You knew sending more soldiers wasn't an option. You brought me here just to get me riled up, just so that I would suggest going myself! You...you manipulated me."
She had to give them some credit. It was smoothly done. And maybe she'd have been annoyed if the same thought hadn't crossed her mind just that morning.
Koldis looked at Verath. "I told you she would figure it out."
She opened her mouth, immediately silenced as Koldis turned and winked at her. "Unbelievable..." she muttered.
"All right. Fine. You caught me." Verath shrugged. "The hope is that King Talon will not find out until after you return. And if you hurry, you will beat him back."
They'd rigged this whole damn thing.
She glanced down at the map. "How long will it take to get there?"
"If we move quickly," said Koldis, "two days. Two days there and two days back. Plus however long it will take to actually eliminate the wraiths. It will be risky. King Talon hopes to return in a week."
Already, ideas were swarming around in her head. She nodded and left the room, making them follow after her. They resumed their seats around the fire and she lifted her wine goblet to her lips, if only to wet her dry throat at the sudden idea of leaving. "Do any of you have a plan yet? Since you clearly already planned on my going."
"No plan," said Jovari. "We'll need your assistance on that matter. You understand your magic far better than we do."
"Right. And what about the fort's Drengr? Will they accompany us?"
"Aye," said Koldis, "to assist us and keep you safe in the process."
"How many?" Perhaps she could use them to her advantage.
"At least twenty?" Verath looked at the others for confirmation. They nodded.
"It's risky," she said at last. "But worth a try."
These people needed her. How could she sit back and do nothing while they died? Even if it did mean breaking her promise to Talon. Desaree was right on that front. But...these people were Talon's people. These villages were once his mother's home. She couldn't leave them to fate.
What was more, she felt partly responsible for what was happening—not that she voiced this fear. She had angered Kane not once, but twice. Her coming to Dragonwall had upset all of his plans. He was doing this to rile her as much as Talon. To send a message. Her guilt brought an all-too-familiar voice into her mind.
You cannot hold yourself accountable for Kane's actions. Cyrus. His choices are his own, not yours...
Cyrus was right, but knowing it didn't make it easier. She sighed, perhaps feeling a little better. Cyrus had an uncanny way of knowing when she needed him the most. And he also showed himself at the most random times. Complements of the Gift he'd given her. Implanting his soul into her very being. An act that was as simple as sharing a dying kiss, which he'd done back on her lawn the first time she'd ever faced the Vodar.
For that reason alone, she owed it to Cyrus to kill these things. To seek vengeance for his death. His voice was the reminder she needed.
"I can see that you are weighing your options," said Verath. "That's good. You would be a fool to agree without consideration. This could be dangerous for everyone. I cannot promise your safety."
"Danger?" She barked a laugh. "I've been in danger ever since setting foot in Dragonwall. No, if we succeed, we will gain the upper hand against Kane."
"I should hope so. The tides would turn in our favor." Verath leaned back to regard her.
"Then it's worth it. Completely worth it." A thrill shot through her. The idea of dealing Kane a setback, especially after all he'd done, was gratifying. But more thrilling was the idea of flying off on an adventure. Of doing something proactive. She missed flying. She missed the freedom of it. The wind in her hair...
Flying...
A realization entered her mind. "Only mates fly with their Drengr. How are you planning to get me there?" She remembered the way Koldis had reacted to that once. How he had scorned Reyr for offering to fly her to Kastali Dun.
"Ah...yes," said Koldis. "Right."
"Right," she mimicked. "You once believed that the act of flying with me was disgusting. And now you condone it?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I remember. Times change, Claire. Reyr was right when he said that our integrity was less important than doing what needed to be done. My integrity is less important than peoples' lives, do you not agree?"
She huffed. "Glad to see you've come around."
"If it's any comfort, we plan to keep you out of sight from the general public," Jovari added. "They cannot know you've left the keep."
Was it any comfort? None of the tension left her neck and shoulders. What would Talon think? Would he be angry if he found her flying with another Drengr? She was a lady now, after all. Lady or not, it wasn't as if she belonged to him. It wasn't as if they were mates.
"We will leave before dawn," said Koldis. "Before there is light enough to see by."
"And the villagers?" she asked. "What will they think when they see me sweep in on the back of a dragon?"
"Perhaps we can keep you hidden from them. I cannot be sure how we will go about it, but our secrecy will be a top priority."
"I...good." She picked at a stray thread on her sleeve.
"Let us have your answer then, Claire." Verath pinned her with his gaze. "Will you go?"
Her stomach somersaulted. Desaree's face was ashen. She hated going against her handmaiden's wishes. Desaree took immaculate care of her. And how was she returning the favor? By placing herself in danger. When Desaree's eyes did not meet her's, she turned away and looked at Verath. "I'll do it."
"Good." Verath sounded relieved. "Desaree will help you pack. Bring only what you need. You must fly far and with great haste."
"Very well," she said.
After dinner, she removed her Osprey hiking backpack from beneath her bed. She hadn't used it since traveling across Dragonwall, and the moment she pulled it out, memories began flooding back. So much had happened between finding Cyrus and now.
She sighed, glancing over everything she removed. As much as she wanted to go down memory lane, looking at old items like her iPhone with its dead battery, she didn't have the time. She couldn't risk going through all the emotions that bubbled to the surface every time she thought about how concerned her parents were in her absence. Had they stopped looking for her by now? She'd left them a note telling them not to worry, but such things would only suffice for so long. No, she couldn't think about it. Not when the people in Celenore were dying. Not when she was needed. Instead, she piled everything from her old life in the corner, leaving it for later.
Desaree hurried to help her pack. They spoke very little. Desaree didn't appear in the mood for conversation and when she did speak, her words were clipped. It hurt to see her so upset.
When the tension became too much, Claire said, "I'm the only one who can help, Des. Surely you understand that."
"Oh? Is that it?" Desaree rounded on her, hands on her hips in her famous scolding manner. "It's bad enough that you have an Asarlaí sorcerer to deal with. Bad enough you promised to defeat him. Can you not accept that as enough? Instead, you decide to go traipsing across—"
"Flying, not traipsing."
"Gods above!" Desaree threw her arms in the air. "Big difference! Listen, Claire. King Talon's problems are not yours to solve."
She clenched her jaw. Desaree was right, but there were several things she wanted to say in defense of her decision. Instead, she decided not to. Arguing wouldn't solve anything. So she hung her head in silence. Desaree did have a point. King Talon's problems weren't hers. He was a king, after all. And this was his kingdom, not hers.
Desaree retired for the night. She poured herself a glass of wine and got comfortable near the fireplace. Jovari and Koldis did not yet have a plan for their mission, and since they had hoped she would assist in the matter, she decided to use the remainder of her evening to create one.
She considered all she knew. There were three villages, and each one was attacked nightly. The Vodar couldn't be in three places at once. They had to split up. Likewise, she could not be in three places at once either. She'd have to work around that.
Perhaps she could work on each village subsequently, night by night, starting with Lormont and moving on to Osbourne and Swinston. They were close enough distance wise. Once darkness fell, she could hide in the shadows, waiting for the group of wraiths to appear. Her Sprite Fire would make quick work of them. It would take three days to accomplish if she did it that way, but it seemed easy enough.
A frown took form, pulling at her lips. The plan wouldn't work. Not because of her abilities, but because she would lose the element of surprise.
The wraiths were hiding out somewhere near the villages. If she killed the first group in Lormont, the second and third group would know by the following day. They would likely flee, right back to Kane. The villagers might be saved for a little while. But it wouldn't grant her overall success. She wanted to eliminate all of them. Every last wraith that Kane had summoned. For that, she needed to rely on the element of surprise. She needed to take them all at once.
She circled back to her conundrum. How could she be in three places at once? There was no way. Was there? Her mind began going in circles until a permanent frown fixed to her face.
At last, she was forced to give up. Hopefully a good night of sleep would lend itself to her creativity.
As soon as she set down her empty goblet and stood, she felt a familiar pull. She had felt it once before, but that time she had been in danger. This time, all was quiet. She glanced at the entryway. Sitting on the small table beside a vase of flowers was an unopened box.
"Cyrus..." she whispered, realizing something. "I'm going to need a weapon on this mission."
She gravitated towards the entryway. It had been a week since Talon had given it to her, and yet, she had not worked up enough courage to open it.
There is no need for fear. The sword is as much a part of you as I am...
Her chest tightened. "What if I'm not ready?" she whispered aloud. "What if I'm not able to bear its weight?"
She didn't ask in the literal sense. The sword was lighter than many others. This was something different. It wasn't any old sword. It was a Sverak. Cyrus's Sverak. And only those of the Drengr race carried them.
The weight is as it ought to be. You will bear it just as you have borne many things, just as you bear me. It is time...
She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I only hope I can wield it as honorably as you did."
In all the time I have known you, Claire, you have never disappointed me. That will never change...
"Thank you," she whispered, eyes watering.
Cyrus gave her a mental shove.
She went to the box and lifted the lid. Nestled inside was the sword resting on folds of silk, glittering up at her in its scabbard. The pearls that decorated both the scabbard and the cross-guard held her gaze. How ironic that such a lethal weapon could be so beautiful. She trailed her fingers over the large pearl that sat in the pommel—Leeana's bonding jewel.
She lifted the Sverak from the box and her mind went back to the night she had rescued Cyrus. Suddenly she was at the farm again, standing in her living room, studying Cyrus's belongings. Her heart tightened. She blinked away the tears that came. Wrapping her hand around the sword's grip, she took a deep breath and drew it. The blade rubbed against the scabbard before breaking free. She held it up into the light, admiring it for what it was.
There. You see? You have done it...
Something akin to wonder washed over her. It wasn't the first time she had wielded it. But it was different. Now she was its owner. "I promise to wield it honorably," she said before replacing it in its scabbard. She strapped the weapon to the outside of her backpack such that she could retrieve it over her shoulder if necessary. After that, she went to bed. But she hardly slept.
Desaree woke her an hour before dawn. She helped her dress in a pair of pants and tunic. Clothes ideal for flying. This included a sturdy pair of boots, a pair of leather gloves, a heavy woolen cloak, and a fur-lined hat.
"It isn't very elegant, is it?" she said, eying her hat in the mirror's reflection.
"Rightly so. I do not know how Riders tolerate them. No one will see your beautiful hair." Des was right. A six-stranded plait traveled over the top of her scalp and down her back. "Now," Desaree said, taking a step back, "I have only packed you two changes of clothes, so treat them gently." She lifted an eyebrow, knowing all to well of her propensity to get messy. "I'll not have you looking like a pauper."
"I'll do my best to make you proud," she answered, voice thick.
Their argument seemed all but forgotten. As they gathered up the remainder of her belongings, Desaree turned to her. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. I shouldn't have made things harder for you. Your burden is already hard enough. I...I was just worried." Her throat bobbed. "I still am."
"Oh, Des!" She flung her arms around Desaree's neck. "I promise to be careful. It will be all right, you'll see." Their hug was exactly what she needed.
They departed for the keep's lower level, making their way through darkened corridors. When they arrived, Saffra stood by, waiting beside Talon's Shields. She rushed over and hugged her before whispering, "I hope you did not think you would leave without saying goodbye!" Then Saffra squeezed her tighter and added, "Desaree wrote me a note last night. I wanted to be here to see you off."
"Thank you." She gave Saffra's shoulders a final squeeze before stepping away. "I'll be careful."
"She'll have no choice but to be careful," Verath said, stepping up beside them. "Claire? Are you ready?" She nodded, too emotional to speak. "Good. You will be flying with Koldis first. They drew straws."
She glanced at Koldis, searching his face. There was no disgust there. In fact, he was grinning. "This will be my first time flying with another," he said in her mind. "For what it's worth, I am glad that it is you."
"I'm honored." She gave him a friendly smile, her teeth flashing in the dark, before turning back to the others.
"It is time." Verath's voice held a sense of urgency. He stepped away.
She said a few more rushed goodbyes, hugging Saffra and Desaree once more. "Take care of each other," she whispered. "And when I get back," she added so that no one else heard, "we will explore the cave beneath the keep. I want to figure out how to open that door!" Her offer brightened their expressions. They smiled. "In the meantime, I give you leave to explore it without me. See what you can find." They both nodded.
A throat cleared behind them. It was time to go. After a final glance at Desaree and Saffra, she turned away and went to Koldis. He and Jovari had already transformed. She gazed at them in awe, ever mesmerized by the way the torchlight sparkled upon their scales. In the darkness, they looked nearly as black as Talon's.
Koldis wore a padded leather harness, though she had no idea how it had gotten there. Moving quickly, she made sure she had a strong hold on her backpack, then she climbed up on Koldis's forearm and used the straps of the harness to pull herself up. The harness sat in the dip of his neck where his shoulder joints came together to meet his nape. She strapped her pack to the ties behind her so it rested atop the curve of his body.
"I'm ready." She gave the signal to Koldis.
In answer, he roared, letting his bellow echo from the walls of Kastali Dun's keep. Every slumbering patron in the keep probably jolted from their beds, but she didn't care. She had just enough time to smile and wave at the three bodies silhouetted against the torchlight before Koldis jumped. Her stomach dropped. His emerald green scales rippled. The muscles beneath them contracted. There was a rush of wind and a heaviness that forced her head to drop. She looked up to find the ground falling away. The next thing she knew, they were skyborne.
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