“A game for young krey,” Jeric said. “I won’t bore you with the details, but I was not the most athletic of youths. It was decidedly unpleasant.”
Elenyr frowned and considered the gathered group. She liked the idea of her and Shadow infiltrating Serak’s ranks. Both of them were skilled at deception, and she appreciated the need for subtlety. But what about the others?
As she considered the options, she noticed Light playing with a small object he’d found in the ash. It flickered bright orange as it rotated. Her eyes widened and she hissed the others to silence. Without explanation, she bolted for Light and caught the spinning object.
Light protested, but she urgently motioned him to silence. Then she waved her hand, summoning the entire group while she continued to use hand signals to request them not to speak. When Mind stepped close, his eyes widened and he spoke into her thoughts.
Is that a listening mote?
It is, she replied. Can you tell the others not to speak at all?
You think it’s from Draeken. Mind scowled but nodded, and the confusion on the other faces evaporated.
He lived inside you and the fragments for ages, Elenyr said. He knows how you think. But perhaps we can use this to our advantage . . .
“Hello Elenyr,” the object spoke in her hand.
She grimaced at Draeken’s voice. It was similar to the voice of her sons, yet darker, more sinister. The other fragments scowled, while Senia cursed again. Elenyr glanced her way but the oracle jerked her head, a touch of guilt on her features. She hadn’t noticed the mote in her farsight.
“Draeken,” Elenyr replied evenly.
“I like your plan,” he said. “Divide and attack me on multiple fronts. It may be destined for failure, but it’s rather clever.”
Elenyr grimaced as she realized Draeken had overheard their plan. “I take it you have joined with Serak?”
“He’s spent five thousand years building a plan for me,” Draeken replied with a laugh. “It would be rather rude of me to deny him.”
The orb in her hands flickered and she dropped it onto the ground. It landed in a puff of ash and smoke, and then light seeped from the interior, rising and shaping into the body of Draeken. The entire group reached for weapons but the mirage rotated in place, a smile on his lips.
“Your alliance is adorable.” He swept a hand to Lorica and Tardoq. “Such a motley collection of individuals. You’re like a pack of mongrel dogs.”
“We’ll see who’s the dog by the end,” Tardoq said evenly.
Draeken burst into a laugh. “I know I should just kill you all, but I admit a trace of the fragments remains in my flesh, and I’m fond of you.” His eyes settled on Sentara and he smirked. “Some of you anyway.”
“I live to be annoying,” Sentara said.
“Are you going to open the Dark Gate?” Rynda asked.
“Your bluntness is legendary,” Draeken said. “And I will be blunt in turn. The Dark Gate belongs to me now, and as you know, I require one more general before it can be opened. I do look forward to seeing you across the battlefield. I’ll even keep Gendor from assassinating you.”
“You just want to watch us die.” Tardoq folded his arms.
Draeken shrugged, his expression guilty. “True. Enjoy the war, former friends. I promise I will visit your graves when it’s over, if I’m not too busy being king of Lumineia.”
He winked and the image faded. Rynda promptly stomped on the ball of magic, shattering it into dust. Elenyr’s dread mounted until the fragment of Fire began to laugh, his eyes glowing with anticipation. The others stared at him as if he’d gone mad, but Fire pointed to the broken listening mote.
“Draeken may know us,” he said, “but we know him. That arrogance? That used to be part of me.”
“He has my sense of intrigue,” Shadow said, nodding.
Mind looked to Elenyr, the determination on his features giving her hope. “Let’s put the dog in his place.”
Elenyr smiled at his words. “Draeken thinks his reign is about to begin. Let’s make certain we see its end.”
Chapter 2: Forewarned
Senia fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Elenyr caught her hand and helped her to her feet, shifting her so she sat on the old mine cart. She opened her water skin and gave it to the oracle, who thanked her with a nod.
“What did you see?” Mind asked.
“It is as you suspected,” Senia said. “Ten days from today we will arrive in Keese, but we will be too late. We will only find ashes, and the Raven will have already been turned into Famine.”
Elenyr passed a hand over her face, as if the motion could stave off the rising weariness. Senia had been exploring the future for days now, and had yet to find a possible way to stop Draeken.
It had been two days since the group had emerged from the mines of northeastern Griffin, two days since the fragment of Power had been pulled from the fragments in Blackwell Keep. Now Draeken had joined with Serak and become the greatest threat Lumineia had ever witnessed.
“Tell us everything,” Elenyr said.
Senia detailed what she’d seen in her vision, of how they’d hastened west, arriving in Keese in an attempt to stop Draeken from taking the woman as his third general. She described the failure and the devastated estate in vivid detail, prompting Rynda to fold her arms.
“It’s been two days since we exited these blasted mines, and all we’ve done is sit here while you examine our future failures.”
“She’s doing the best she can,” Rake said, kneeling beside the oracle.
