Merglan offered him a slight smile, then in a burst of energy, broke through his magically bound restraints. The soldier lunged forward attempting to stab the sorcerer in the chest, but Merglan was too quick. With his magic, he pulled the sword from the soldier’s hand and flipped the point around. Before the elf knew what had happened, Merglan had stabbed him in the heart with his own sword. Twisting the blade sideways, Merglan pulled the sword out to the side, spilling the elf’s chest apart and dropping him to the floor.
Letting go her grip from the dragon, Zorna concentrated all of her powers and directed them at Merglan. She met him in force, their magic energy clashing as they struggled to gain control over one another. The room thundered with the roaring and screaming of elves being killed in a confined space by an enraged dragon. The floor ran red with their blood as Killdoor clawed and bit into the elves.
The Norfolk woman shied away, watching the evil duo command control over their bodies. She just needed to last until they reached the bottom. Once the chamber opened and sensed the woman’s truths, the jail’s magic would take over. She lay in the corner of the room, clutching the tapped crystal and chanting in the ancient language, turning her magic inward in an attempt to ward off Merglan and Killdoor, who were trying to claw their way through.
Merglan’s frantic push to break through her protective spell increased; he doubled his efforts to kill her. Holding them back until she’d used every ounce of available energy, Merglan finally peeled away the last of the barriers between them. Holding out his arm, Merglan pulled her neck into his open grip and held her off the ground.
Her body went limp as his hand tightened around her throat. Taking the sword he’d used to kill the elf, Merglan pressed the point against her chest. She gasped and gurgled as the blade slid into her body, filling her lungs with blood. Merglan held her in his hand as she kicked and said, “I would thank you for making this so easy for me, but I will admit, you were harder to kill than the others.”
He dropped her lifeless body to the floor as the moving room slowed to a halt. When the light from the prison’s magic began to seep into the room, Merglan was ready. He captured it, pulling it into himself and bending its ancient design to his will. With the newly harvested power, Merglan held the entire prison from the bottom up under his control. He laughed as he ordered the prison’s magic to release every prisoner through the courthouse entrance.
Nadir stepped back, the roar of the crowd welling in his ears. For the first time since he’d become king, he felt good about it. Stepping inside the elven court, he addressed the members of the High Council, “I will take a patrol of elves out into the forests to root out any kurr still wandering in the kingdom.”
“How many elves will you require?” one of the members asked.
Nadir started to answer but stopped. He thought he felt the ground trembling under his feet. He turned to see if the cheers had grown louder, but the crowd appeared to be dispersing. They were returning to their shops and homes, yet the rumbling continued to grow. Now Nadir could feel the ground trembling for certain.
“What’s happening?” he shouted, looking to the High Council.
He could tell from their expressions that the sudden shaking was as much a surprise to them as it was to him. The trap door in the corner cracked and began to open. Those in the entrance hall could hear the roar of a stampede headed their way. Nadir could now see into the prison chamber. His best-trained soldiers had been destroyed. Nadir gaped at their bodies. The floor below was littered with elves shredded to pieces by the dragon. The Norfolk woman named Zorna lay in the center of the crimson floor, her mouth open in a silent scream.
Nadir’s eyes widened as a stream of creatures long locked away now poured through the opening. Pulling his sword from its scabbard, he squatted, ready to face the brunt of the attack. Fairnheir, kurr, goblins, and some monsters that he hadn’t known existed rushed out of the prison. Nadir met them with the swing of his sword, cutting and hewing as they came. The screams and shouts faded with the exploding force of Killdoor bursting through the court’s marble floor. The last thing Nadir saw was the giant beast crawling out from the hole he’d created in the door before the entire building caved in.
When he opened his eyes again, Nadir found himself in the forest in the dark of night. The only light he could see was the glow of burning through the trees. As he regained consciousness and became self-aware, Nadir realized he was being dragged, his bottom half being pulled through the dirt. Calling out to whoever was dragging him, the movement stopped. He stood, seeing wounded elves and soldiers walking with shocked expressions through the forest. The glow of Cedarbridge burned through the trees. Nadir reached for his sword, but it wasn’t there. He moved to begin heading back toward the city. The elf who’d been dragging him grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.
“If you’re going back there, you’ll need this,” he said, handing Nadir his sword. “Found it in the rubble where you were lying. But If I were you, I’d lead these survivors far from there. Cedarbridge has fallen, my King, that dragon made sure of it.”
At that moment Nadir looked up to see a flight of dragons fleeing to the west and away from the city. He looked at the line of people moving down the road. The soldier was right, these people were going to need leadership. He was their king and would lead as best he could.
Running to the front of the line, Nadir rounded up several soldiers, telling them to bring everyone to the Glacial Melt Bays. Nadir ran back toward the inferno and, for a time, waited near the gates to show any and all the direction where he’d sent the others, south to the Glacial Melt Bays. As the number of civilians seeking to escape began to dwindle, Nadir forced himself away, knowing that he wouldn’t live to bring his people justice if he remained through the evening. As he rallied his people toward the Bays, he hoped the ships had returned.
Chapter 71
Alive
Crystal blue light streamed from the dagger handle as Anders allowed it to transfer into his stores. Like a dried well replenished by spring rains, he felt the intensity of pure magic surge into him, restoring his aura. Closing his eyes, Anders told himself to close the connection before the power consumed him. As he ended the transference of energy, he felt completely in control. The desire to keep fueling himself, that uncontrollable urge he’d felt the first time he’d tapped the crystal’s power was gone.
Anders opened his eyes to see Zahara standing before him. Her chest and legs were thrashed with claw marks from having fought two dragons. He could feel her pain burning in the back of his mind. The blast of energy Ivan had delivered at her had sent her backward through the trees where she’d landed on her back. She’d made her way back to Anders, tattered and bruised. With his newly found energy, Anders knew that he could heal her. With Tarron’s help, Anders had converted the dagger’s energy into pure magic. He knew he now had enough energy to heal both dragons and also breathe restored energy directly into Maija’s reserves. Lifting his hand, he began conducting the spells necessary to close their wounds and restore their flesh.
As he worked his magic on Zahara, Raffa and Maija, Anders wished he knew how to heal their minds. Zahara and Maija’s thoughts pressed hard on him as he tapped into their beings. The loss of Anders’ father traumatized them, scarring their minds in a way he couldn’t repair with magic alone. Now having bonded, Raffa shared in Maija’s grief for the former dragonrider in the same way Anders and Maija mourned the death of the green dragon. After seeing its struggle to free itself from the monster that Ivan’s body had become, they knew for certain the green dragon had been forced to carry out Merglan’s bidding. Finishing the last of the healing, Anders admired the green dragon’s survival instincts. In its fearful state, its will had been strong enough to break free from Ivan’s control. Anders felt a pang of regret at having tormented the dragon’s mind in his effort to stop them from reaching his cousins and friends.
After closing the last of Raffagaun’s wounds, Anders walked silently to the dagger Merglan had used to control Ivan’s body. Picking it up from the dirt where he’d left it for Tarron, Anders wiped the blade clean of the blood from both his father and his true love. Walking to Maija, he flipped the dagger over in his hand, holding it out to her hilt first. He nodded as her eyes moved between the dagger and his face.
Wrapping her hand around the dagger’s handle, she took it from him, “Are you sure?”
Nodding, Anders said, “You know best how its bite stings. It only seems fitting that you should wield it.”
Maija smiled slightly, the grin fading from her lips almost as soon as it showed.
“I want to see my cousins,” Anders said, moving toward Zahara. “They could still be in danger. Who knows what enemies Merglan has sent their way.”
He’s the kind of man who would have multiple fail-safe solutions set up in the event his primary plan didn’t work, Maija’s mind sounded into Anders’ thoughts.
That’s right, and I don’t want to take chances when we’re dealing with such a monster, he replied.
Maija jolted when he spoke. “What is it?” Anders asked, worried that the crystal still had some residual energy trying to take hold of her.
Maija shook her head, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make that thought known.”
Anders relaxed, “It takes some getting used to, controlling who can listen in on your thoughts. We’ll have to practice more tomorrow. Once we know that the others are safe, we could use a solid night’s sleep. Then we’ll practice.”
Maija smiled, “The only thing is, after receiving that energy, I’m not tired. I feel like I could run from here to Nagano and back and still be ready for more.”
“You might need to use that energy if we come across any more assassins,” Anders said, hauling himself into his saddle.
Maija mirrored his action and he nodded to her, indicating they were ready to take flight. As Raffagaun and Maija led Zahara up from the forested mountainside, Anders glanced over his shoulder, looking down one last time at the place where his father, once the King of all human nations, had fallen. Riding out into the night sky, a troubling thought entered his mind. Now that Merglan had been incarcerated in the elven prison, Anders was the next in line to be king. With all of his immediate family members dead and gone, he was the heir to the throne and would have the right to rule the three nations of humankind. As Anders returned his focus to the rolling foothills of the Riverlands and the swaying grass of the Bareback Plains, he knew that he didn’t have what it took to be king. All he wanted was for his family and friends to be rid of the threat of dark magic. He wanted to be able to return to their home on Highborn Bay. He doubted his desires would matter if anyone in politics discovered his true heritage.
As Anders’ eyes trained on the space where he’d last seen soldiers gathering in the plains, all thoughts of the future fled from his mind. Lit by partially clouded stars and a rising moon, Anders could see horror had struck along the tree line below. Dead bodies extended out into the plains. He also saw a cluster of giant human-like forms moving quickly across the darkened battleground. He shared his concerns with Zahara, so she angled down toward them. He then saw a man on horseback carrying a glowing light high over his head. Realizing what it was, he forced Zahara into a dive. Suddenly a crystal flashed, but its source wasn’t from the man on horseback; it originated closer to the tree line. Reaching out with his mind, Anders felt the overwhelming presence of kurr as they broke into the retreating ranks of humans. Moments later he felt the minds of his cousins and their companions. Recognizing where to look for them, he could see that Kirsten was wielding a crystal while the others banded around to protect her.
Drawing near, Anders tapped into Maija’s mind, Kurr are attacking them. See the flashes of energy? Anders felt her eyes move to their friends and the man attacking them. They broke apart, several being swept away by kurr, leaving only two to protect the crystal bearer. It’s Kirsten using a crystal against the man on horseback. Thomas is with her, he broke off, watching one of their companions charge forward, cutting his way through the kurr to reach the man. Anders couldn’t tell if it was Bo or Max, but the effort with which he powered through the giant beasts was impressive. Seeing the man attack with a whip of energy as it crashed into their friend, Anders began to panic. Zahara and Raffa flew in just over the trees, and Anders saw that his cousins had been separated. Thomas was being overwhelmed with nothing but his bow and a dwindling supply of arrows. Kirsten was then blasted backward by a powerful wave of energy hurled by the enemy crystal bearer.
Anders shouted into Maija and Raffa’s minds as Zahara ducked in just behind them, Burn the crystal bearer! He felt their recognition while Zahara dropped from the trees and raked her claws into kurr heads as she flew. Passing over where Thomas appeared to be trapped, Anders leapt from the saddle, pulling out his elven blade. Using the surplus of magic at his fingertips, he pushed energy to absorb the brunt of his landing and met the ground near his cousin at a run. With Tarron guiding his hands, Anders swung at the kurr surrounding around his cousin. Lazuran cleaved through the first of the kurr’s horned heads and Anders saw the sky ignite with flames. From beyond the flying heads of kurr, he could see Raffagaun and Zahara demolishing the encroaching kurr. With no opposing dragons to stop them, Raffa and Zahara would burn through all of the kurr who tried to advance any farther.
Clearing a wide space around them, Anders turned to Thomas. His cousin stared at him. Anders shouted, “With me! Thomas, stay with me!”
Anders saw recognition dawn on his face and his cousin moved to follow. Anders charged toward the place he’d last seen Kirsten being thrown. Spotting her while she watched the dragons burn the enemy, Anders could see three kurr charging her from behind. Knowing he couldn’t reach her in time to protect her with his sword, Anders unleashed a well-placed shot of energy. The light brushed past Kirsten, pushing her forward and nearly causing her to trip, but the pulse broke across the middle kurr, sending all three soaring high into the air. Kirsten looked to Anders and he saw the fury in her eyes as she readied to attack another sorcerer. Anders watched her expression turn to relief when she realized the burst of energy had come from him and not another attacker.
