“Yes, but there’re only a few in this camp. Natalia is with Anders and the other two who trained with us are on the ships,” Kirsten said.  

“We will need their skills,” the female rider said.  

The dragonrider looked out at the army encampment. Kirsten saw her masked face in the dim light. Her helmet had shadowed her female features, but the glow from the nearby torches revealed the foreign rider’s familiar gray eyes. Kirsten knew only one other person who had eyes like that. “Where did you say you were from?” 

“North,” she replied simply, then asked, “Will you help us?” 

Kirsten looked back at the crowd of people. They were waiting to see what happened to her. “I’ll agree to come with you, but there’s a condition.” 

“Name it,” the rider said. 

“You will take us directly to Anders. Any funny business and I’ll use this,” she showed the crystal. 

“Anders is with our riders now. I will take you to him,” the rider said with a confidence in her tone that made Kirsten feel she was trustworthy.  

“Good,” Kirsten said satisfied. “First, I need to let them know what’s going on. A few in our group wanted to attack you.”  

“Hurry, we must act quickly,” the rider urged. 

Kirsten jogged back to the army. The soldiers made an opening for her and she quickly found Rune waiting for her. “They’re the dragonriders Anders saw in the mountains. They want to help us and say the enemy army will beat us to the city. A pack of fairnheir and a dragonrider already attacked the city. Anders and Maija drove them off, but more are sure to arrive tomorrow. They want me and the other crystal bearers to come with them now.” 

“Have the Rolloans made it to Aquina?” Rune asked. 

“No,” Kirsten said. “That’s why they need me and the others to come with them. With our powers, we might hold them off until our Army can arrive. 

“We’ll have to march now.” Rune muttered.  

“You aren’t seriously going to fall for this, are you?” Tony asked. “These dragonriders are clearly working for Merglan!” 

“If they were, they’d be burning our camp down,” Rune said. “We aren’t in any kind of position not to trust them. We haven’t seen Anders or Maija since they left this morning. I say we send those who have crystals with these riders and we begin our march to the city at once! Who’s with me?”  

Five of the Revolution’s leaders shouted their agreement. A rabble of chatter rose from them for a moment and Kirsten saw Tony’s eyes fall onto Kirsten.  

Tony shook his head and yelled, “You are leading us all into a trap!” 

“Either join us or go home,” Rune said. He turned his attention to the crowd and shouted, “Spread the word! We march for Aquina in one hour!” 

The soldiers around them cheered, pounding their shields and whooping. 

Kirsten lost sight of Tony as he stormed off, pushing his way through the mob. Rune grabbed her by the shoulder and said, “Go and tell them the crystal bearers will fly with them. Tell your cousin we will be outside the city by dusk.”  

Kirsten nodded. Swiveling, she searched for Bo and found him pushing through the moving crowd to speak with her. When he reached her, she said, “Thanks for standing up to Tony. I don’t want to know what would’ve happened if we tried attacking them.” 

“Them?” Bo asked. 

“There are about ten more cloaked in the darkness,” she said. 

Bo nodded wide-eyed, “Someone needs to tell Tony when he’s getting out of hand. He’s a little stubborn most of the time.” 

“A little?’ More like always,” Kirsten said.  

“Yeah,” Bo said. “So, you’re going with them?” 

Kirsten nodded, “They need us.” 

“I knew the battle was coming soon, but I wish we had more time,” Bo said.  

“You could come with us. I’m sure they would take you, too,” Kirsten said. 

“I don’t have a crystal,” Bo said. 

“I’ll talk to them. Meet me back at our fire?” she asked. 

Bo nodded, “I can get your armor ready.” 

“Thanks, Bo,” she said and kissed him before he disappeared into the crowd. 

Kirsten pushed back out of the crowd and jogged to the dragonrider. When Kirsten stopped in front of the female rider, she asked, “I gather they agreed?” 

Kirsten nodded and started, “The others with the crystals in camp…” 

“I’ve already located all of the others with crystals,” the woman said. 

“That was fast. How did you do it?” Kirsten asked. 

She pointed to her head and said matter-of-factly, “Magic.”   

“Oh, yeah. Can I also bring someone who doesn’t have a crystal?” she asked. 

“If there is time, but we must hurry.”  

“Great,” she said. “I just need to get my things; it might take a minute.”  

“I'll fly you,” the rider said, mounting her dragon and extending her arm for Kirsten.  

“But,” she said looking back at the crowd.  

“There isn’t time to waste. Your cousin is in danger,” the woman said.  

Kirsten reluctantly took her hand and let the rider haul her onto the dragon. While standing on all fours, the purple dragon matched Zahara’s height of ten feet to the top of her shoulder, but when the rider’s male dragon spread its wings, the creature’s wingspan seemed a few feet shorter than Zahara’s. The newly arrived dragon lifted off the ground and glided over the people to Kirsten’s camp with Thomas and Bo. When they landed, Kirsten hopped off. She looked around hoping that Bo had made it back, but he hadn’t.  

“Kirsten?” Thomas said, standing by the fire.  

“Thomas, where’s Bo?” she asked. 

“He’s not back yet, why? What’s going on?” he asked. 

Kirsten walked to her bag and retrieved her crystals and armor, “These dragonriders are here to help. I’m going with them. They’re taking me to Anders.”