See, Zahara, I wasn’t born to be a king, Anders said.  

Zahara ignored his comment and asked, What do you mean, unbonding? 

Death, Tarron said simply. However, times have changed:  your beliefs differ so greatly and no one polices anyone’s actions, which puts you in an interesting situation. Maybe what the world needs at this time is a just ruler who can use the powers given to us by dragons.  

I wonder what that band of riders we saw in the mountains believes? Anders said, looking north and seeing the snowcapped peaks in the distance.  

There is a way to find out, Tarron suggested. 

And if they see things differently? Anders asked.  

That’s why I’m pointing these things out to you. What if you do achieve your goal, then what? Like Zahara said, you are a King without a crown. You must consider what’s best for the people. After Merglan is gone, there will still be a struggle for power. With your common enemy out of the picture, will peace continue between your nations? What happens if the humans decide they want to live in the Everlight Kingdom now that the elves have been weakened? And what about the dwarfs? What if they want to expand their empire? The order of riders was tasked with controlling these things. We worked as ambassadors for world peace.  

Are you saying I should strong-arm people into doing what I want? How is that different from what Merglan is doing? If I want to continue to be different from him, I need to do things differently. 

I’m just saying, there is more to consider than just killing Merglan and leaving everyone to pick up the pieces. You didn’t start this, but you should finish it and that means dealing with the fallout too, Tarron said. 

Maybe I won’t and I don’t have to decide anything? Right now, that almost seems preferable.  

Anders, don’t say that! Zahara shouted. 

Anders winced from the outburst, That was a poor joke. I’m sorry.  Tens of thousands of lives would become enslaved if we don’t win. 

Not to mention all the dragons. We need to stop the C.F.D.D., too, remember? 

Yeah, no pressure, right?  

Yes, pressure. Lots of pressure, Zahara replied. 

Anders almost told her it was a sarcastic remark but decided against it. They were both on edge and needed to focus on the task at hand. Why did Merglan have to go and mess up our lives? Anders thought. 

That’s the cycle of things. There will always be a negative to the positive, no matter how extreme, Tarron said. 

If this ends up in our favor and we decide to give everyone access to magic, how will we prevent something like this from happening again? Zahara asked. 

That’s for the future us to think about, Anders said.  

You know for a three-year-old, Zahara, you are quite advanced, even for a dragon, Tarron remarked. 

Anders felt a sense of pride grow in Zahara’s confidence. Alright, Tarron, quit distracting us from our duty. I wouldn’t want a herd of fairnheir to attack the Army because we were discussing what-ifs.  

As Tarron backed away from his thoughts, Anders looked over to see Maija and Natalia on Raffa keeping pace with them. He wondered if Raffa felt discomfort from carrying his share of the crystals. At least we have saddlebags designed to carry large loads, he thought, eyeing the trunks strapped to Raffa’s sides.  

He doesn’t like carrying them any more than I do, Zahara assured him.  

Anders caught Maija’s eye and smiled. If the Prophecy he’d learned about his family and his life was true, then he would be with her at least until the end. He took some comfort in hoping they’d stay together until the final moments or, if they were lucky, long after Merglan was gone. Anders looked down at the small bag hanging by his left thigh. He could still feel Ivan’s presence and knew his father’s soul was there in the sealed box. No matter how hard he wanted to use the crystals’ energy to try to open the cube, Anders knew he wouldn’t have that luxury until the war was over. Zahara was right in that they needed to hang on to all of the energy they had to face Merglan and Killdoor and whatever else had taken up sides with them. His mind reeling with so much to consider, Anders attempted to refocus on scouting the broad reaches of the Plains.  

 ***  

Maija looked left and caught Anders staring at her. She could tell he was thinking about the coming days. Every time he worried his brow flattened into an almost-angry expression and his stormy eyes took on a faraway look. She smiled at him. He smiled back weakly, then turned his attention back to the landscape below. I wonder if we’ll ever be able to live normally again?  

Don’t think so negatively, Raffa’s voice sounded into her thoughts.  

Well it’s kind of hard to avoid it at the moment, she responded. What we’ve been facing are not ordinary relationship struggles. Will he ever feel safe enough to trust others again? 

He trusts you, me and Zahara, Raffa said. He puts his trust in everyone come to think of it. 

 He does trust that people will be good more than most, I think. Maybe you’re right, but we still need to survive to find out. 

There you go again. Stay positive, Maija. State of mind can make a world of difference. 

It’s hard not to think about the last encounter with Merglan and wonder how much he was holding back? We were inches from death more than a few times in that fight.  

I can almost feel that dragon’s claws digging through my scales as if it happened yesterday, Raffa told her. But we can’t let fear overcome us, not now. We must take each day as it comes, and at the end, we’ll see what will be.  

Maija shifted in the saddle. Her movement caused her sister to falter slightly. Natalia grunted trying to reposition herself while hanging onto Maija.

“Sorry, I’m not used to flying with two people,” Maija said over her shoulder.  

“Don’t worry about it,” Natalia replied. “I’m just glad to be in the skies again.” 

“I thought you’d like to come along,” Maija said. “When I came back to camp last night and saw the look on your face, well, I’m sorry it took me so long to ask if you wanted to fly with me.”  

“What’s that!?” Natalia shouted. “I didn’t hear anything after, ‘camp last night’!”  

Maija switched to mindspeak, I keep forgetting you can speak like this, too.  

It’s the way to go when you’re flying, that’s for sure, Natalia said. Anyway, what were you saying? 

I was just wondering what it’s like for you being back up here again? Maija restated. 

I never thought I would have this feeling again. After Vieadore was taken from me...  

I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry, Maija said.  

No, it’s fine, Natalia said with a combination of emotions Maija had never felt before. I haven’t flown since that day.  

What was it like, facing Merglan alone? Maija asked. 

Horrifying.  

I can only imagine.  

To most people I would say, no, they couldn’t imagine, but knowing that you have faced Merglan and Killdoor once, I believe you can imagine, Natalia paused and Maija could tell she was searching for the right way to explain her feelings.  

I’m sorry, Natalia, to have to ask, but I do need to hear this from you. It could be of help to me when Anders and I are forced to fight him again.  

Natalia struggled to force down the pain of her memories, I flew out with Keanu and Ragnadore, the other rider in training from Cedarbridge. We knew where we were going and what we were up against. I was overconfident, thinking that Merglan had gone dormant because of a severe injury when he last faced Ivan and Jazz. Ivan never fully disclosed what happened that day, only that he’d gone against her wishes and she’d died as a result.