Coming into camp, Raffa presented the meal to Zahara, bowing low and backing away as he laid the animal before her. She bowed, keeping her eyes locked on the dragon. Raffa rose from his bow and trotted into the trees to get a drink while Zahara began consuming her meal.
“You ate more than I thought you would,” Maija said, looking at the empty shells surrounding Anders.
She grinned as he lay back against the saddle, “A few days without a proper meal will do that to a person.”
“Maybe now that you’re feeling better, you can tell me what happened after we parted ways?” she asked.
Anders looked away; she could tell he was troubled by the thought. Slowly, he recounted the details of their quest, taking a few short intermissions to drink more water and snack on the husked fruit. From the moment they left Hardstone, to their arrival in Cedarbridge, Asmond’s murder, Nadir’s escape from prison and calling his soldiers into action. He touched on the divide among the elves’ High Council as to whether to pursue Lageena. Anders told her of his and Zahara’s journey to the Rollo Islands and his difficulties with Red. He spoke of their exhausting flight to Southland. She saw some pain in his eyes as he skipped again to their arrival. Meeting the Lumbapi and their plans for attack, then Anders stopped. “The rest is violent. Battle with the orcs and…” he trailed off.
“And how you faced Merglan?” Maija asked.
She saw a look of surprise come over him, “How did you?”
“Well, your injuries pretty obviously reflect a dragon attack and I can only think of one person who could cause so much damage to you and Zahara and exhaust you to the point of draining you of your energy,” she said.
“Yeah,” Anders said quietly. “Ivan was there, too. He didn’t make it,” he said and Maija saw his pain as he remembered the battle.
Placing her hand on his, she said, “Take your time. You can tell me more when you’re ready.”
He met her gaze and nodded. Maija could imagine how awful it must’ve been to endure such a struggle and then to flee; having all those who fought so valiantly vanish in a blink of an eye as Anders and Zahara were forced to run for their lives, and then waking up here, half a world away.
Chapter 51
Encounter with the C.F.D.D
“Why don’t you try it again?” Maija asked.
“I don’t have enough to heal both of us,” Anders said.
“But you were so eager to get moving after Zahara finished eating, I thought you were well-rested.”
Anders pointed to a glimmering surface in the grass about a mile ahead, “Let’s get water there, my gourd is running low and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to get any cooler today. The dragons will want more water, too.” He looked skyward. Raffagaun flew over them, circling to stay with their footpace while Zahara walked behind them.
“We could travel much faster if we were both able to fly,” Maija said.
Looking at her, he said, “Maybe I’ll try again after more water. There’s a technique I could try that I didn’t earlier this morning.”
Maija nodded.
Anders knew she was right; he needed to return to Southland in a hurry. He wasn’t, however, anywhere close to fit for combat with Merglan and Killdoor and he knew he’d most likely have to face them if he was going to rescue Ivan. Although Anders felt well rested despite the short recuperation period, his and Zahara’s wounds needed healing. After exhausting his magical energy to transport himself and Zahara out of Merglan’s lair, Anders was hesitant to try healing them with magic. The fifteen hours of deep sleep combined with the heaps of butterscotch pudding he’d eaten earlier this morning should’ve replenished some of his stores, but if he wanted to heal them properly, he needed more time. Following the battle in Eastland, Anders had used magic to heal Rollo Island warriors in the field, but that simple task had nearly drained him then and that was when his magic was fresh.
You lacked the experience and control back then, Anders heard Zahara’s voice enter his mind.
Cringing from the sudden intrusion into his thoughts, Anders put a finger to his temple and began massaging his stinging headache. I still don’t feel right in the head. Merglan’s power did something to me that we never learned about. Even Ivan couldn’t explain how the crystals work. How do I know if my own magic is still pure? What if Merglan’s tainted my powers forever?
We’ll have to use them eventually, Zahara said as trailed behind Anders and Maija.
I know. I’m just worried that if I lose control again, I won’t be able to stop the healing spell and I’ll die trying to heal us. I’m rested physically, but my magic hasn’t been restored. If something were to go horribly wrong, we don’t have anyone to help. We’re a long way from help.
I could ask Raffagaun to assist us, Zahara suggested. He could provide the extra power source we’d need to complete the healing process.
Anders looked to the sky again, impressed by the vast wingspan of Maija’s dragon friend soaring over them. As he contemplated the idea of tapping another dragon’s magic to fuel their own, he thought to the times he had used the power of Lazuran. His empowered sword, Lazuran, had triggered a potent desire to drink in the crystal’s energy until it was exhausted, filling his body with an exuberant amount of strength. Exuberant, but dangerous. Suddenly Anders felt Lazuran’s hilt in his hand. He quickly released his grip on the handle that included the tainted crystal. Merglan’s desired effect had done its work on Anders; he longed for the power from the sword’s crystal and found himself cursing that he’d used it all and yet it hadn’t saved them all. Ivan was still in Merglan’s possession and, for all Anders knew, had been killed moments after he and Zahara had escaped.
When are you going to tell her? Zahara asked, still feeling his thoughts and emotions.
Anders looked to Maija, studying her as she walked, You think she should know?
I think it’s important for you to tell someone, about who you really are and what significance it bears, she said.
With Merglan in control, it means nothing of significance, Anders said.
It doesn’t change your birthright, Zahara said.
Letting her sense his emotions on the matter, Anders neglected to address the topic any further. Reaching the rushing stream, Anders stepped into the flooded grass near the bank’s edge, dipping the hollowed-out gourd Maija had given him in the clear water. As he sat in the tall grass surrounding the stream, he watched Raffagaun and Zahara lap up water with their forked tongues.
“He said yes,” Maija said, breaking the silence.
Anders jaw slackened for a moment, thinking he’d missed something, then asked, “What do you mean?”
“Raffa,” Maija nodded toward the dragon. “He wants to help you and Zahara, give you some of his energy.”
“Oh,” Anders said raising his eyebrows. “But I shouldn’t. It’s just that, I wouldn’t feel right if I took too much.”
I’ll keep you from taking more than we need, Zahara said in both their minds, joining them in the grass.
“There you have it,” Maija said.
Anders looked to Raffa and shrugged, “Let’s give it a go.” Speaking to Zahara as he stood, Anders said, I’ll need some help reciting the healing words, and one other thing.
