He’s trying to sense if anyone is near. I’m blocking us from him. Let’s see what he’s up to, Zahara said as she crouched and moved behind a tree.

Anders thought it couldn’t hurt to see what Ivan was doing, as long as he didn’t know Anders was once again spying on him.

Staying out of sight, the two followed Ivan deeper into the woods. Suddenly Ivan stopped and pulled something out of his pocket. It was the mirror Zahara mentioned. They watched as he placed it on the ground and said some words. A voice began to speak out from the small mirror. The forest was calm and silent, so they could hear clearly what was being said.

“You prevailed against the orc tribe,” a soothing and at the same time powerful voice said.

“We did,” Ivan replied. “I could feel the presence of his mind during the battle. He was searching for him.”

“I know it did not seem like the right thing to do but it needed to be done,” said the voice.

“I… understand,” Ivan said coldly.

“You should know the plan worked; however, it is not safe to talk about with magic. He could be listening in. You know what you must do,” the voice said ambiguously.

“Understood,” Ivan put the mirror back into his pocket and began to walk swiftly back to camp.

Anders looked at Zahara, “You stay here. I’m going to confront him about this.”

Are you sure that’s a good idea? Zahara asked.

“I need to know what he’s been hiding from us,” he said with determination.

Okay, but be careful. It sounded as though he might have known about the orc attack and did nothing to prevent it. I will keep my distance, but if he tries anything, I will jump in to protect you if need be.

“Thanks.” Anders hoped that it wouldn’t come to that. He had to get to the bottom of what Ivan was keeping from them. If Ivan had known in advance about the orcs’ attack and did nothing to prevent it, Anders felt he’d have to tell the others of this betrayal.

Anders ran toward him, calling after Ivan.

“Anders?” Ivan said sounding surprised to see him. “Where did you come from?”

Anders stopped just short of Ivan to confront him. “I saw you the other night, sneaking away from camp to have a chat in private with whoever is on the other side of that mirror,” he pointed angrily to where Ivan had pocketed the mirror. “That’s also what you were doing the night I was walking along the plains and that’s what I just saw you do now.”

“Anders, I can explain,” Ivan began, but Anders cut him off.

“I heard what they said. You knew about the orc attack and did nothing to stop it?” Ivan looked down trying to think of something to say. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out; he failed to say the words Anders wanted to hear.

“Why didn’t you warn us about the attack!” Anders shouted, more enraged now than he thought he would ever be.

“Anders, there are powers at work here that you do not yet understand. The orcs attacking the Rollo warriors was necessary for our mission,” Ivan said.

“How was having orcs kill the people who are trying to help me get my family back necessary for our mission? Our mission is to track down the enemy and save the people they took from us!” Anders said with conviction.

“I know it looks bad, but the elves and I have been working on a way to get Merglan to expose his location to us. We have been trying for years to find where he has been conducting his dark magic. We knew it was somewhere east and we know that the Rollo Islanders are involved. The high council of elves and I saw an opportunity. And it worked, Anders. The elves have spies who saw where they were marching. They tracked them to a fortress in Eastland. What you overheard back there was not bad news; it was great news. Now I must go to the Enlightened Forest and meet with the elf king to plan our next move. You must believe me that what happened here was a necessary evil for the greater good of Kartania.” Ivan paused, waiting for Anders’ response.

While trying to process the information, Anders heard Zahara say in his mind, He is telling the truth, Anders. I was able to sense him while he spoke to you. He was being honest with you.

Anders glared at Ivan and said, “Good people died because of this.”

“And many more will unless we stop Merglan,” Ivan said.

Anders nodded, “All right, I’ll keep this to myself, under one condition.”

“What’s that?” Ivan asked.

“That you take me and Max with you to the elves,” Anders demanded.

Ivan paused, scratching the beard that had grown on his chin over the last several weeks. Thinking it over he said, “Okay, fine. You two can come with me.”

“Great! When do we leave?”

“As soon as we get back to camp,” Ivan said.

Anders used his thoughts to reach Zahara, You can follow us to the elves, that’s where your family and the other dragons you were with were going when you got lost, right?

Yes. Do you think my family made it there?

It’s our best shot at finding them. If they aren’t there, maybe the elves will be able to help you find them. They would know more about it than anyone else I can think of.

Thank you, Anders.

Back at camp, he pulled Max aside and told him that the three of them would be going on a separate mission to see the elves, if Max wanted to join in.

“Are you serious?” Max asked, excitedly. “I’ve never met an elf before. Yes, I’m in! When do we leave?”

“Get your things. We’re to meet Ivan by the stream as soon as we’re ready,” Anders said pointing to the canyon at the mouth of the bay. Max grabbed his travel pack and the two of them said their goodbyes to Britt and her crewmates. Both of them had grown close to their new captain over the last several weeks, so it was a sorrowful goodbye.

Max and Anders met Ivan near the stream. Ivan had explained to Red and Jorgen that he was needed for a different mission and was taking Max and Anders. Their plan was to reunite with the warriors in a week’s time. The two Rollo leaders were not happy to see a valuable asset like Ivan leave them now, but none of the three were a part of the Rollo tribe, so they couldn’t stop them from leaving. Together Ivan, Anders, and Max set out; Zahara followed, unknown to Anders’ two companions.

Chapter 14

The Everlight Kingdom

With no path for them to follow, neither Max nor Anders knew where they were going, so they trailed Ivan. Anders reached out mentally to Zahara. He felt her presence and knew she was nearby, shadowing them as they hiked up the canyon deeper into the forest.

“How long is the walk to the Everlight Kingdom?” Anders asked as they hiked along the forest floor.

“We are already in the Everlight Kingdom,” Ivan said. “We are going to the ancient elf city of Cedarbridge in the heart of the Enlightened Forest.”

“Why do they call it the Enlightened Forest?” Max asked.

“Long ago when the elves first built their homes in the forest, they imbedded magic into all of their natural surroundings. The elves and the empowered forest have since coexisted peacefully and harmoniously for thousands of years with this sharing of powers. The magic within the walls is so ancient and powerful that no magician has ever been able to break down its protective barrier, not even Merglan,” Ivan said.

“It sounds like a utopia,” Max said.

“It’s a peaceful place and the quest for knowledge there is never-ending. They hold the largest library in the world. Its manuscripts and scrolls go all the way back to this world’s first inhabitants.”

“It sounds like a good place to be when the rest of the nations fall to pieces,” Anders said.