Max pushed at Anders’ grip once more and was released. He brushed his coat flat and said, “I’ll be at the docks making ready the ships.”  

Anders didn’t call to him. He could see that Max needed some time to cool off. As other members of the Revolution’s leadership arrived at the house, Anders felt the need to have them organize for an attack. He wasn’t convinced that what Tarron had said about the demon was true. There could still be an attack at any time.  

Once Alistair, Bert, Helga and Hensal had gathered outside Mott’s home, Rune began to deliberate. “We’ll need to assign as many soldiers as we can to stand guard along the perimeter of town. Brookside is in danger.”  

“With Merglan so close, why not send everyone off in the ships?” Alistair asked. 

“You’d be killing them more slowly,” Helga said. All of the council members looked to her so she continued, “Without enough fresh water and food onboard and no Captain to set their course, you would be sending them to their deaths.”  

“What’s stopping Merglan from attacking us now?” Bert asked, looking to the sky. “If you saw him hours ago now, why has he only sent one ‘thing’ into the city? Why not burn us down now?” 

“I don’t know,” Anders said. “It doesn’t make sense that they aren’t attacking.”  

“Unless they aren’t who you think they are,” Hensal suggested. 

“Who then, who could it be? As of this morning, Maija and I were the only dragonriders other than Merglan who still are bonded with dragons. It can’t be anyone else.” 

Helga shrugged, “Is it possible there were more in that elven city who he might have freed from prison?”  

Anders shook his head in frustration. He wanted to explain to her how the bonding process worked, but they didn’t have time, so he said, “Say there was another dragonrider out there. What do you propose we do next?”  

“Stick to the plan,” Rune said.  

Helga and the rest of the Council bobbed their heads in agreement. 

“The threat is still the same. We continue as planned, double the watch and continue to prepare for a fight at any time. If the end is coming, it’s coming, and we will not sacrifice our citizens’ lives by sending them adrift in the ocean to starve.”  

“Agreed,” each of them said.  

“What about me?” Anders asked. “I could fly out again and...” he started, but Rune cut him off. 

“No. Anders, you told me what the creature said just before its death. You will serve us best by saving your energy and getting some rest. Keep your mind’s eye keen for any sign of danger, but don’t do anything unnecessary to provoke them. If they’re here to watch, then let them watch. We’ll need you by our side when the fighting does come. Rest up.”  

“But,” Anders protested. 

“Doctor’s orders,” Rune said before he could argue further.  

Anders looked to the others only to see that they agreed with Rune. “I’m not going to rest easy knowing he might be out there.”  

“As long as you’re trying,” Rune said.  

Taking control of the crowd who’d hung around the edge of the impromptu conference, Rune and the other leaders began shouting orders for everyone to return to their posts. They asked one squad of soldiers to remain at the house. 

Among the mass of people turning to leave, he saw Bo and ran to talk with him. “Bo,” he said catching him by the back of the shirt.  

Bo looked at him, “Anders? What Tony said, I know he doesn’t mean it. He is just blinded by anger right now.”  

“I know, that’s why I didn’t strike him,” Anders said. Bo started walking down the street again when Anders said, “You know I saw you back there.”  

“With Thomas?” 

Anders shook his head, “No, with the demon. That was brave of you to try to chase it away.”  

“I wasn’t trying to chase it away, I was trying to keep it from ripping open your cousin,” Bo said. 

Anders frowned, “Thomas was there? Oh no.”  

Bo nodded, “He must have found it in the house because it was already chasing him when I saw them. All I did was run at it. Suddenly this crystal shone really brightly, and then you appeared and began running it down.”  

“Where is he?” Anders asked. “I shouldn’t have left him alone.”  

“He’s at the docks with Kirsten.”  

“That’s where you’re going?” Anders asked. 

Bo nodded. 

Anders continued with Max’s brother, thinking in silence about what Thomas had been through that night. I wish there was something I could do to help prepare them for what’s coming, he told himself. Then an idea began to grow in his mind. Kirsten can use the crystal’s power, just like Thargon and Lageena could. Maybe I can teach others to use it, too. If Thomas had known a basic protection shield, he could have defended himself. By the time the port came into view at the end of the lamplit street, Anders had made up his mind. He was going to teach anyone who wanted to learn how to use the crystals’ powers.   

Chapter 80

Aquina

Maija looked out over the rolling grasslands stretching east from the Westland coastline. With the knowledge that so many skilled fighters had come to their aid in Brookside, she thought of the thousands of innocent people living throughout the Bareback Plains. Imagining Merglan’s massive army of orcs, kurr, and mercenaries marching toward a hostile takeover of Westland, she could see that Aquina would be the first community to be wiped off the map or overtaken.  

Raffa, we must make a stop along the way back to Brookside, she said. 

He hadn’t been in the cabin with Maija when she spoke with her sister, but she shared the memory with him. Afterward he asked, Won’t Anders and the others need the information you gathered as quickly as possible? If we are gone too long, they might begin to retreat. With the limited scope they can see, those in charge might already be sending people away. 

Think about the thousands we saw in the city at the heart of the plains, she responded through her thoughts. When the riders who’ve gone south find that the crystals have been taken, they’ll send word to Merglan. He’ll begin the march on Westland at once. Aquina will be the first place to be attacked.  

How can you be so sure he’ll go there first? Couldn’t he send his army over the mountains and down into the Riverlands to attack Anders there? Raffa asked. 

Sending that many on foot through the rugged terrain would take longer than going around. His army would suffer more casualties. Considering the number of ships we saw, the fastest way he could launch an attack would involve shuttling his army to the open grasslands where their travel would be uninhibited by forest. The first major city they’d reach would be Aquina. Seeing as how the attacks began at sea in the West, they likely wouldn’t expect a land attack. They’ll be caught off guard and easily overcome. Maija paused, waiting for Raffa’s reply. Before he could comment, however, she added, It won’t add much time to our travel and if we’re successful, we’ll have at least saved more innocent lives.  

Would their horses be helpful in the war? 

They could be what turns it in our favor, Maija answered truthfully. I might not have a lot of battle strategy experience, but I’ve read up some on it in the dragonriders’ library outside Cedarbridge. A cavalry can turn the tide in a battle of foot soldiers.  

Maija could feel Raffa’s unease about diverting from their course again, but he conceded with a groan, I’ll change our course inland.  

She smiled and thought, We’ll be changing the course of history.  

Darkness fell before they’d reached the city along the Bareback River. Maija elected to land before they flew too close to Aquina.  

I’ve heard that humans are quick to attack that which they can’t see. We don’t want to cause undue panic. Perhaps it would be best to wait until daylight to try to make contact, Raffa suggested when they saw the distant yellow glow of fires among the urban sprawl.  

Agreeing, Maija held her grip on the saddle and prepared for landing. Pushing down into her stirrups with her feet, she raised her butt in an attempt to absorb some of the impact; Raffa’s body was large and he usually landed with force.