“The bastard bit me!” Kirsten shouted, looking down at her bloodied shoulder.
Thomas and Britt struggled to hold her still. “Damn it, Kirsten, let us see how bad it is!” Thomas shouted.
Kirsten stopped rolling around on the ground. Thomas looked at the teeth marks in her shoulder. He watched as red streaks extended out from the center of the bite running out along Kirsten’s skin. He stared horrified as Kirsten let out a blood-curdling scream, then fainted into silence. Thomas shook his sister shouting, “Kirsten! What’s happening? Kirsten!”
Kirsten fell limp, turning deathly pale. Thomas looked to Britt who expressed the same horrified look. He turned back to his sister who lay still on the forest floor.
Chapter 36
From Prison to Throne
Anders reached out to Zahara with his mind, but she had already seen Natalia chasing after the queen.
Did you see her? Anders asked as he watched her rush off into the night.
I sensed something terrible just before she came crashing through the window. Before I could make sense of what had happened, I saw Natalia rush out after her. I can see them both, but they’re running faster than I can. I’ll take flight and see if I can cut the queen off, she said.
Okay. Don’t let her escape the city; she killed the king, Anders’ mental voice rang with sorrow as he told her.
For a moment Zahara didn’t reply, but suddenly her voice thundered into his head, so much so that he almost fell over with the pain in her voice, I will not let her leave this place. Anders could feel that in the moments she’d hesitated to respond, Zahara had taken flight. He saw her dark silhouette soar over the treetops in the distance.
Anders turned his attention back to Ivan, who stood sorrowfully over Asmond’s body. Ray and the other guard had entered the room shortly after Natalia. They were as shocked at what the queen had done as any of them. Ivan lifted his gaze with an angst Anders hadn’t seen before. “The city guards must be alerted of Lageena’s betrayal at once. They must not let her leave the city gates. If she does, there will be no stopping her from getting to Merglan.”
“We’re on it,” Ray said, nodding to his partner.
“Anders and I will inform the gate guards, while you two spread the word to the city watch,” Ivan clarified before Ray and his partner left the home. “Anders, do you remember how to focus your mind and seek out others’ minds individually?” Ivan asked.
“Yes, I’ve been practicing with Zahara,” Anders reassured him of his training.
“We need to make a connection with the city gate guards. I only have the ability to connect with one at a time, but we’ll need to alert them all at once. Can you make a connection with all of the gate guards simultaneously?”
Anders had never attempted to communicate with so many specific individuals spread out over such a large area but knew he must try. If he couldn’t complete this task, how was he going to defeat Merglan? “I can,” he told Ivan and focused his mental energy, closing his eyes as he felt across the city to its enchanted outer walls. Sweeping in all directions, he located the four gateways.
“Have you got them?” Ivan asked.
“One moment,” Anders said as he narrowed his search to select the guards standing watch at each city gate. “Got them,” he said still closing his eyes tightly in concentration.
“Okay, now let me in,” Ivan said in a more calm voice than he’d used moments before.
Anders allowed Ivan to enter his thoughts while he kept hold of the gatekeepers’ minds.
Sentinels of Cedarbridge, Ivan’s voice boomed commandingly through Anders’ mind into the collective thoughts of the guards at the gates. This is Ivan, dragonrider and loyal friend to the Everlight Kingdom. I bring urgent news. The queen has betrayed the king and is not permitted to leave the city. Bar her and hold her in contempt until she can be brought to trial for her treason. I say again, do not under any circumstances allow the queen to leave the city.
Ivan removed himself from Anders’ mind and he instantly contacted Zahara, Do you still have eyes on the queen? he asked her.
She slipped my gaze. I’m watching the forest floor, but it’s hard to see through the thick treetops. I’m scanning the area with my mind for any sign of her consciousness, but haven’t located it yet.
Is Natalia still in pursuit? he asked.
I can sense her running, but I don’t know if she’s still on her trail or has lost it. I’ll check and see.
“Anders,” Ivan said as Anders broke the connection between himself and his dragon.
“Yes,” he replied, ready to perform whatever Ivan needed next.
“Come with me,” he said as he exited Asmond’s room.
“Where are we going?” he said as he stepped in stride with Ivan.
“To get the king,” Ivan said.
“But the king is dead?” Anders said pointing a wary hand back to the room they’d just left.
“Not Asmond, the new king,” he said, opening the main door and leaving the tree house of the former elf king.
Anders followed Ivan as they quickly walked to the center of the elf city. Ivan stopped outside a large tree structure. The front of the building stood ten large cedar trees wide, grown tightly together to form the outside walls of the elven courts. The prisoners’ chambers were built below the courts. They’d come to find Nadir, who’d been held here at the accusation of the queen.
As they entered the large building, Anders saw no guards or anyone who would be in charge of keeping the prisoners locked up below.
“Where are the guards?” Anders asked as they strode to the far corner of the room.
“The elves don’t use their guards to watch the prisoners,” Ivan said.
“Wouldn’t it be easy for them to escape?” Anders asked. Ivan gave him a glance that made him feel foolish for asking, so he added, “Or for someone to break in?”
“The same ancient magic that runs within the walls of the city, protecting it from the evils of people like Merglan, runs within this building as well. Below this ground level are many levels of security designed to house criminals with magic and non-magic capabilities.”
“Which level is Nadir in?” Anders asked.
