“That means he has three generals,” Elenyr said. “Only one remains.”
She turned to the rest of their group, all sifting through the wreckage, looking for reasons why Draeken and Serak had come here. Despite their foes and the dire situation, a small smile appeared on her face. The fragments and their friends were powerful, and Draeken was a fool to ignore them.
All five fragments were alive and whole. They were not really fragments anymore, but after viewing them as such for so long, she had a hard time shaking that concept. They were her sons, her family she’d nearly lost, but thanks to Mind, they were alive and well.
In addition to the fragments, others had gradually joined the conflict. Willow, the dark elf called the Inked One, with weapons tattooed on her flesh, a walking armory. Lira, the Eternal, as well as Ero, head of the Eternals, who lived under the persona of Jeric.
Senia, the oracle, had brought Rake, a man bonded to a white dragon. And then there was Tardoq, the bone-armored dakorian. Once a servant to an invading krey, the mighty Bloodwall towered over the rest of the group. Elenyr was still uncertain of his role, even if Rynda spoke in support of the soldier.
Queen Rynda, head of the rock troll people, and revered by her entire clan, stood talking to Tardoq. By all accounts the two were friends, though both had scars to prove they were once adversaries.
Lorica talked to Shadow, her special cloak fluttering in the breeze. Now head of the Assassin’s Guild, the woman retained her persona, the Angel of Death. She was formidable and fearsome. More importantly, she hated Serak, and had become friends with Shadow.
The last two members of their group were the strangest. Sentara, once a woman named Marrow, and Rune, her young charge, who had bonded to the Unnamed, a woman of tremendous magical power.
“What are you thinking?” Mind asked.
Elenyr gave a wry smile. “That Draeken has chosen his generals, but I prefer mine.”
“We can defeat him,” Senia said.
Elenyr faced the elven woman. As the current oracle, Senia had the power of farsight, allowing her to see glimpses of the future. Against Serak and Draeken, she was their most powerful weapon.
Jeric approached and shook his head. “Our assumption seems accurate. Draeken gave her the cloak and it turned her into Famine.”
“Then her will belongs to Draeken, now,” Senia said.
“I don’t understand how that’s possible,” Mind said. “No magic exists that can rob a man of his will. It’s one of the immutable laws of magic.”
“Perhaps he’s not using magic,” Elenyr said.
“You think it’s krey technology?” Senia asked, looking to Jeric.
The krey masquerading as an elf shook his head. “The Krey Empire cannot control another’s will.”
Elenyr pondered the mystery power as the others argued its source. It did not come from Draeken, for Serak had turned Gendor and Bartoth into generals before Draeken had become whole. Regardless of it source, Elenyr recognized the need to fight Draeken and Serak on several fronts.
“We must part ways,” Elenyr said.
“When we left Blackwell Keep you said we should stick together,” Jeric said.
Elenyr glanced to Mind and he inclined his head. He knew why she’d spoken as she had. After the separation, the fragments had been weakened, and if Draeken or Serak had sought to kill them at that time, they would have been defenseless. Staying together in a single body, they’d kept themselves safe. But now her sons had returned to strength—not their former power, but sufficient to defend themselves if Draeken sought to assassinate them.
Mind frowned. “Our adversary is cunning. If we do part ways, each group must be strong enough to stand against him .”
Elenyr noticed how Mind didn’t mention Draeken by name, but his jaw clenched and he looked away. He still blamed himself for stripping the fragment of Power from the fragments. Elenyr agreed to his suggestion.
Are you certain we can trust everyone present? Mind spoke into her thoughts, his eyes flicking to Tardoq.
“I am,” Elenyr spoke aloud.
“We cannot risk failure,” Mind said.
Elenyr regarded him for a moment, and then said, “His actions reveal his character.”
Jeric overheard the conversation and joined them. “Perhaps it’s time I bring in more Eternals.”
Anger pricked in Elenyr’s heart and she leveled a finger at him. “You and your Eternals claim to protect Lumineia, yet you have failed to protect us from the Krey Empire.”
“What are you talking about?” Senia asked.
Elenyr pointed upward. “Serak was not born on Lumineia, he came through a Gate. He came from the Empire.”
Jeric’s eyes widened. “Is that true?”
Mind scowled, and Elenyr gave an apologetic look. He’d shared what he’d learned from Serak in confidence, but Elenyr had grown tired of secrets. Perhaps they were the very reason they stood on the brink of war.
“It’s true,” Mind admitted. “Guildmaster Elsin of the Verinai tried to open a Gate and a handful came through, Serak among them.”
Senia cursed under her breath, and Elenyr raised an eyebrow to the woman. As the sole oracle of Lumineia, Senia had been taught her entire life to hold a certain moral standard, one that did not include swearing. She grinned sheepishly.
“We need to part ways,” Elenyr repeated. “We need to attack Draeken and Serak on multiple fronts.”
“But how?” Senia asked. “And who?”
Jeric shuddered. “It’s like getting picked last for Welfall.”
“Welfall?” Elenyr asked.
