Yeah? she replied.
Tarron’s coming back, he said.
What happened to him? she asked.
He won’t say, I don’t think he knows.
I know exactly what it was, Tarron said to both of them sounding like himself again.
Then why did you…, Anders started but the rider’s soul cut him off.
It was because you’d gone completely AWOL. I had to use a spell to find the right channel to push through to that elf’s brain. If you hadn’t disappeared on me, the magic’s effect wouldn’t have drained me into darkness.
You disappeared? Maija asked.
I went into survival mode, I guess, Anders said. After I broke through his mental defense and saw what Merglan was doing, I let my guard down and he came at me. He came through and I ran.
You didn’t just run, you vanished, Tarron explained. If it weren’t for your body being present, I would’ve thought you had transported.
And I heard Ivan, Anders said, remembering the event as if it had happened years ago. Why didn’t I remember that sooner?
Ivan was there? Maija asked. Do you still have it?
Anders felt at the small bag near his thigh. The sealed cube was there. Yes. It’s still there.
That’s probably where you went, Zahara chimed in.
I don’t know how to access the inside of that cube, let alone enter it, Anders said.
But you did hear him? Maija asked.
Anders remembered chasing after the bright light, He was glowing and he kept saying I needed to understand.
Understand what? Tarron asked.
Something about the flow of magic, I think? I don’t know, it’s hazy and I hardly heard him before he disappeared, and the rider pulled me back out.
What if Ivan knows how to defeat Merglan? Maija asked.
Sensing Anders’ thoughts, Zahara asked, What did you see Merglan doing when you looked into the enemy rider’s thoughts?
Anders told them about the visions of the elf’s life and then the vision of Merglan taking hold of the light.
Was Ivan trying to tell you something about Merglan’s powers? Do you think he figured it out before Merglan trapped his soul? Maija asked.
I don’t know? Anders said. For all we know, I was just seeing what Merglan wanted me to see.
Can he do that? Maija asked.
It’s possible Merglan could’ve manipulated the rider’s memories in case Anders broke into his mind, Tarron said.
Why don’t you try to talk with Ivan now? Maija suggested.
Right now? Anders wondered.
Why not, we’re still at least an hour from Aquina and I haven’t seen any dragons yet, Maija said.
I don’t know, Anders thought.
We’re safe now, Anders, Zahara said. It’s worth a try. This might be your best opportunity to find out whether Ivan can tell you how to defeat Merglan. We could save so many lives if we knew the secret to breaking Merglan’s strength.
Seeing their point, Anders agreed. Doing the same as he’d done before, he retreated into the inner sanctum of his mind. He dug deep, trying to replicate what he’d done when the elven rider suddenly attacked his thoughts. Anders went as deep as he could, shouting and calling his father’s name, but he heard no response and saw no glowing light. He came back, opening his eyes.
Did it work? Tarron asked.
No, he replied.
Try again, Maija said.
Anders tried again and again, each time with the same result. He attempted to penetrate the magically sealed walls of the cube but was presented with the same outcome each time. Deciding that his strength better served their efforts in battle, Anders reluctantly abandoned the attempt to speak with Ivan’s soul.
When they neared the city at the heart of the plains, Anders caught sight of something moving quickly across the sky. He looked left and saw a swarm of dragons trailing them from the north. He looked back but still couldn’t see Aquina.
“Move into formation!” Hannah shouted.
Anders followed the others as they gathered into groups and formed a half-dozen similarly shaped wedges in the sky. Zahara and Raffa glided in with Hannah’s group. Anders realized they were preparing to attack the dragons coming in behind them.
He formed a barrier around his mind leaving only a communication link with Maija open. Dragons weren’t as powerful alone as a dragon with a bonded rider, but the size of the flock left them way outnumbered by four to one.
