Anders reached out with his mind, finding Zahara and forming a communicative link. Are they coming ashore? he asked.  

The humans are not yet close enough to anchor, she replied. 

And how are the Revolution’s forces coming along? 

They are heading out to set up camp on the Plains. When the others make it to shore, I think it would be best for them to join them. Brookside is small and can’t really house that many people. The edge of the Plains is not too far for them to reach by walking, and they’ll need to stretch their legs.  

That’s a good idea. I’ll tell Maija and Raffa. Is she still out on Natalia’s ship? he asked. 

Yes, and Raffa is waiting near the aviary, ready to bring her back when she’s done.  

I wonder how many sapphires they have onboard? 

Plenty; I can feel them from here.  

Why didn’t Merglan go after them?  

Maybe that’s what the host of riders is waiting for? 

I hope not, Anders said, looking to the distant mountains. Nothing he felt or saw suggested they were going to attack, but he hadn’t felt the fairnheir until it was too late.  

*** 

Anders stood watching from shore as the Rollo Islanders rowed their shallow-hulled ships toward shore. As the first of them made landfall, the bulkier ships from Southland began navigating their way into Brookside’s port. With only a few ships remaining in the port’s deep waters, the less-experienced navigators would have an easier time making their way to the docks and loading areas. As the Rolloan ships continued to beach, Anders saw Britt and several members of her crew walk out onto the sand. Max and Sanka remained at the grove with the others and Anders could see that the Southland ships would need more time before they could begin offloading Lumbapi.  

Anders turned and looked up at Raffagaun, I’m going down to greet the Island warriors. Maija will be with them if you want to join. 

Raffa snorted, I can smell their fear of me from here. I think it would be best if I joined Zahara now.  

Anders nodded and started off toward the warriors who were now gathering on the beach. Jogging to catch Britt and her crew, Anders was eager to see Maija’s sister again. Though Natalia was rough around the edges and spoke her mind plainly, Anders was excited to have another rider to relate to.  

Britt and her crew met the first members to reach shore with a loud greeting. Anders thought Red would want to be the first to land, but he didn’t see the burly and surly warrior among the early arrivals. He began to speculate that Red might’ve been denounced as leader. The long line of long ships continued to skim onto shore. Anders began to search the crowd around each ship for Maija or Natalia. On the third ship to reach port, he saw the shiny brown hair of the two elf sisters. They were carrying what appeared to be heavy boxes. Three warriors with heavily tattooed arms trailed behind them lugging similar loads.  

The crystals, he thought, seeing Natalia hand a crate down to an awaiting Rollo warrior.  

He separated from Britt’s group and walked briskly across the wet sand to their ship. As the elf sisters off-loaded crates to the care of the warriors on the beach near their ship, Anders entered the line, politely inserting himself next to take the haul. He grinned as he looked up the side-paneling of the ship and waited for Natalia to hand him a crate. When he reached up and took the box from her, he saw her recognize him and look away to prepare another crate. Instantly she twisted back and looked at him again.  

Smiling, she exclaimed, “Anders!” 

Anders passed the box to a warrior who he’d budged in line and backed away as she jumped down from the ship. Natalia had her hand extended for a handshake by the time she landed on the sands. Anders shook his head, pushing her arm out of the way and taking her in for a hug.  

As she returned the embrace, she said, “I wasn’t sure how we did that, now that you’re with her.”  

Anders glanced at Maija, releasing Natalia from his hug. He kissed Maija on the cheek and said, “With friends, I’ll take a hug over a handshake anytime we reunite.” Pointing at the crates the crew continued to unload, he asked, “Those are the crystals?” He didn’t need to confirm because he could feel the power source radiating from the crates, but he wanted to make conversation.  

“Sure are,” Natalia said.  

“There are a lot,” Maija said nodding. 

“Should be enough for all of us,” Anders said. 

“Maija said you have several people here who can use them already?” Natalia asked. 

Nodding and leading them up onto the beach and out of the way of other soldiers carrying gear off the boats, Anders said, “I just had to add more energy into the crystal they have been practicing with.”  

“They burned through it already?” Maija asked. 

“I guess it was mostly Kirsten and Evans, but yeah. I just tried to show them how to recharge them.”  

“Don’t you have to have magic to do that?” Natalia asked. 

“That’s the hiccup, but in theory if they used the power source in the crystal before it’s empty, they could recharge it that way.” 

“It should be enough to keep them busy for a while,” Natalia said. “Why do you have them only using one anyway? I thought you had more?” 

Anders glanced to Maija, “You didn’t tell her?” 

Maija shook her head bashfully, “I thought it should come from you.”  

Natalia frowned and asked, “Well, now you have me interested. You’d better tell me before I go digging into that mind vault of yours.” 

“You’d have trouble there,” Anders said playfully challenging his former instructor.  

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Natalia said, raising an eyebrow at Maija.  

“That won’t be necessary anyway,” Anders said, drawing her attention. “We lost one of the crystals last night to a wraith.”  

“A wraith?” Natalia said. “They haven’t been seen in Kartania for hundreds of years.”  

“I know,” Anders said. “Zahara and I tracked it back into the mountains where another surprise waited.” Natalia tilted her head in curiosity. “Another dragonrider had killed the wraith and taken the crystal.”  

“One of Merglan’s?” Natalia asked.  

Anders shook his head, “I don’t think so. When I tried to get it back, he retreated to his bunch of riders.”  

Natalia stopped him, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. A bunch of dragonriders?”  

Anders nodded and was interrupted by a familiar man’s thick accent and boisterous tone. “Anders, look what I have done for you!” Red called out, approaching from his left.  

Anders swiveled to see the huge man with dark curly hair and thick black beard approaching. He wore a seal skin cloak that concealed his tattooed skin and muscular body. “Red,” Anders said nodding in acknowledgement.  

“Would you excuse us for just one moment,” Natalia said to the Warrior Chief. 

Red’s forced smile faded quickly into a scowl, “No,” he stated adamantly. 

“What?” Natalia asked, stiffening.  

“I am Chief, and I will do what I please. I don’t take orders from a filthy elf,” Red spat, placing his hands on his hips and planting himself in the sand next to their small group.