Anders looked over his shoulder at Ivan’s body sprawled out on the ground. With a quivering voice, he said, “It doesn’t matter now. He’s gone and we’re alive.”
Maija tightened her grip on his hand and said, “Whoever that was that attacked us, it wasn’t Ivan.”
Anders shook his head, “That was my father.”
“No, Anders. Your father was the man who devoted his life to protecting you from evil like this. He was the man who took you under his wing and showed you how to use your magic for good. He knew that we are the only ones in this world who could stop Merglan. And in the end, Merglan took his soul long before whatever he did to his body. I know Ivan and there’s no way he would ever let himself do something like this to us. Merglan took him, separated his mind from his body and used dark magic to send his likeness after us,” Maija said resolutely.
“How do you know that’s what really happened? What if Merglan broke him and he did this of his own free will?” Anders asked.
“I don’t know how I know, I just do. That wasn’t Ivan, Anders. That wasn’t your father,” Maija said again with certainty.
She’s right, Anders heard Zahara say. Ivan’s mind was not present in his body. Merglan created this dark magic to drive fear into our hearts. He might’ve forced us to act in a way we never wished, but in the end he did not win. We beat him and his magic. You beat him.
Anders looked out into the forest as darkness fell. He knew what they were telling him was true, but he still felt that he had killed Ivan’s body. He’d still caused his father to stab himself in the chest with his own blade. Trying to come to terms with the fact that his father was gone from this world, Anders said, “Zahara, will you help me show Maija how dragonriders perform a funeral?’
She nodded, rising to all fours as Anders led Maija over to Ivan’s body. In the same way he and Ivan had released Keanu’s soul into the magical force that flowed within their world, Anders and Zahara lit his body and the dragon’s he’d flown on fire and spoke the ancient words. Raffa joined them as they watched what little of the green dragon’s spirit remained dance in the flames, returning to the force surrounding them.
No such spirit rose from Ivan’s body so Anders knew his presence really had been removed from his body before Merglan turned his body against them. While Anders waited for the energy from Merglan’s crystal to be safely converted into Lazuran’s pommel, he paid his respects to Ivan’s corpse. The fire quickly consumed their flesh. Anders felt more at peace with himself for having sent Ivan’s body off the right way. He only hoped Ivan’s soul wasn’t being held in some kind of prison somewhere, hidden away by Merglan. With the evil sorcerer imprisoned in the most secure place in the five nations, Anders hoped that once he found his family, they might finally stay together for good.
Chapter 70
Cedarbridge
“Is he working harder against the restraints now that Anders is gone?” Nadir asked as he eyed the Norfolk woman’s focused demeanor.
“He’s not so much the one I’m trying to keep still,” Zorna said in her adolescent voice. “It’s the dragon who’s putting up the fight.”
“Why didn’t you have Anders stay? He could’ve helped,” Nadir said.
“He was needed elsewhere. I could feel it between them,” she nodded to Merglan. “He had a plan for that other rider and, as it sits right now, I’d say the other rider is more of a threat. I wasn’t sure at first, but feeling his potential now, I’d say those crystals were what gave him such dominant control over other riders.”
Nadir nodded, “I’ll have a runner send word to Cedarbridge and the High Council. Perhaps we can summon any elder riders who’ve outlived their dragons to help with the transfer.”
“Not necessary. I’ll need a different kind of assistance,” her voice strained slightly as Killdoor struggled to move against her restricting magic. Keeping the giant dragon pinned, she continued, “I’ll need carrying. All my energy and that of the crystal you gave me must be focused on keeping these two in check. Circumstances might be different if my bonded was here. She should already be on her way.”
Nadir gave her a sideways glance, “Your dragon is coming?”
“Should be, I said,” Zorna corrected. “The moment I left that elven city, the shield barricading the Norfolk from finding the passage south was lifted.”
Nadir snapped his fingers and waved several nearby soldiers to his side. After commanding one of them to carry the message of Merglan’s capture to the High Council, he asked Zorna, “Your people were intentionally kept separate from the rest of the world?”
“This isn’t common knowledge?” the youthful-looking elder asked.
Nadir shook his head, turning his attention to the remaining elves he’d summoned. He issued orders for them to carry Zorna as they walked back to the city.
“I assumed it would be,” she said, her voice straining slightly again as she quelled a sputum of flame from Killdoor’s innards, the glow in his chest dying before it swelled to full strength. “As part of my punishment, your father had his order of elven riders seal my people off from the rest of the world. Only non-bonded dragons could come and go as they liked. At least they had that much sense,” she said.
“Why would that make a difference?” Nadir asked.
“Northland is primary habitat and hunting grounds for dragons. The prey are much larger for them there and it’s not too far across the water from their homeland in Nagano. The dragon population would likely dwindle if they were forced to live in such a limited area.”
“When I freed you, the magic restraining your dragon and your people lifted?” Nadir asked.
She nodded, keeping her eyes on the prisoners as they waited for the elves to begin their march.
“How will they know the passage has been lifted?” Nadir asked.
The elf soldier appointed to carrying the woman, lifted her as she responded, “They’ll know, youngling; they always know.”
Nadir frowned in confusion. He didn’t know whether he should expect the arrival of just one dragon, bonded to Zorna, or her entire people. He focused on their current task before diverting too much of his attention to this new development. The Norfolk woman shifted their captives’ hovering bodies into place among the elven ranks. Even though the restraints on Merglan were bound in magic and continually held in bondage by the sorceress, Nadir still wanted as many armed soldiers on hand with their weapons trained on Merglan in case of an accident.
With a group of his most highly trained soldiers fixing their swords and spears on Merglan, Nadir signaled for them to begin their march. Nadir sent one scout ahead to inform Cedarbridge of their expected arrival and the prisoners in their company. He didn’t want to waste any time in the transport. He knew how powerful Merglan could be, regardless of how many inhabitance crystals were at his disposal.
Nadir held his gaze on Merglan and Killdoor as the soldiers in the lead began to move. He thought it strange to watch such a huge creature as the black dragon being held against its will in such a contorted and unnatural position. Zorna had splayed the dragon’s limbs out to either side and curled his head back so his enormous jaws pointed directly toward the sky. Nadir guessed this was to ensure that should the dragon manage to unleash a blast of flames, the flames would pass into the air overhead instead of into the soldiers marching in front.
The remaining numbers of Nadir’s force followed behind their king as he walked alongside the soldier carrying their sorceress. His elven sword in hand, the Elf King would be ready if any kurr had remained in the area. Half of his soldiers ran in pursuit of the creatures who’d survived the attack. Nadir just hoped they would execute them quickly and continue to the Glacial Melt Bays as commanded. Their orders, as he gave them, were to wait for the redshirts’ return with the ships. He didn’t know how he would be received by the High Council. If it went poorly, he planned to have Bronson take command of his remaining forces.
Nadir now focused on Merglan, his hands bound behind his back with magic and pressed out away from his body. His legs were likewise bound, but stretched out in front of him, straight as if he were sitting on the ground. Nadir noticed that unlike Killdoor, Merglan seemed calm, as if willing to accept his capture. The Elf King wasn’t sure if this calm was due to the fact that he hadn’t helped in Merglan’s capture. Nadir felt immense dissatisfaction in the dragonrider’s capture. While he contemplated what he could have done differently to help Anders and Zahara, Nadir would have to be pleased enough with having played a role in communicating to Natalia how the crystals could be changed.
The walk back to Cedarbridge always seemed to drag on forever when he couldn’t run. He hadn’t had to walk anywhere since he’d gone with Anders and Ivan to Eastland. He could tell the soldiers felt the same in the way that they continually bumped into one another. Occasionally, Nadir heard hushed grunts and groans in frustration. Nadir didn’t want to take chances here, though. If the pace was what the Norfolk woman needed to haul Merglan and Killdoor to jail while remaining in control, then they would continue at this horribly slow pace.
Covering the distance that only took them a few hours to run continued for most of the day. Each time Nadir looked to his left, Zorna appeared to him to be slightly more fatigued. Nadir saw her glance skyward whenever they passed under an open patch in the canopy. He wondered if she was hoping to see Anders return or looking for her dragon from Northland. As they neared the capital, Nadir took note that the storm cloud that had billowed high over the forest city for days had vanished. Instead, they enjoyed blue skies and a calm breeze. Soon Nadir could see robed elves standing in front of Cedarbridge’s gates.
The soldiers in Nadir’s troop parted to allow Killdoor and Merglan to be wrangled closer to the city’s outer wall. Walking in stride with the soldier carrying Zorna, Nadir saw the glint of helmeted elves peering over the top of the living barrier that surrounded the capital. Only a trained elven eye could know where to look to see the top of the wall disguised in greenery. Naturally, Nadir knew where to find the wall and now took note of the soldiers watching curiously.
Outside the gates, Nadir glanced to see Killdoor struggling to break free. The Council members leapt back in fear as the dragon thrashed yet remained in his magically held bonds. Merglan continued to sit in his uncomfortable position, silent and motionless. The gates to the city cracked open and Nadir moved to walk around Merglan and his dragon. As he stepped around the sorcerer, Nadir stared at Merglan who continued to look straight ahead. Nadir nearly jumped when the man’s eyes snapped onto him and held his gaze. While their stares lingered, Nadir continued past, the first to break the look. Instead, he shifted his gaze toward the elves standing closer to the gate.
As he approached them, Nadir walked with his chin up and chest out, full of confidence. The robed acolytes to the throne had been his father’s most trusted advisors for over a century. They wore bright green robes trimmed with embroidered floral patterns and a cedar tree running the length of each sleeve. Nadir noticed that their usually smug faces were twitchy and fearful.
