All the mounts were tired when they reached the border between Mireland and the wastelands at mid morning.
When Dallas realised they had slowed from averaging four miles each hour to less than two miles each hour, he decided the slower pace was good for all the horses, except the two pulling the wagon.
The mounts could grab mouthfuls of green pick, until the green shoots disappeared in the dry ground close to the wastelands border. By then, the only green pick grew on the moist ground on the bank of the Ern.
Only the wagon kept to the hard packed track, because even at the slower pace, it was easier going, both for the horses, and the women and children.
He looked across the river at the mouth of the Semp, easily distinguished by the brown muddy water that flowed into the clear Ern water. Dallas guessed the width of the river was more than a mile across where the Semp entered the Ern. Too wide to cross and too deep.
The Ern rapids were still a mile north, and another mile north of the rapids, the Ern narrowed. That was where the river became shallow enough for the wagon to cross into Convane.
Half an hour to go. He looked forward to a large meal and sleep, hopefully long enough for Swift and Sweetie to rest up before their trip west.
A silver glow highlighted Swift’s ear tips and grew brighter. Dallas glanced up.
Bren, wings spread, dropped out of the sky.
Misty frowned at Sweetie because she stopped. “What?” She looked up. “Oh! I hope he bought food!”
None of the others noticed Bren until they felt the wind from down sweeps of his large wings.
Dallas knew Swift stopped but he continued to watch Bren. The large dragon raised his wings to their full extent while he waited for his back legs to touch the ground. Once his feet settled on the ground, he calmly folded his wings close to his body and waited for the dust to settle.
Even though everyone in the wagon watched the dragon land, the wagon kept rolling.
Bren extended his front leg, waiting for Stantworth to dismount.
“Why are you heading north? You should be heading west towards Hedgehill.” The mage waved at Dart. “Keep going without Dallas and Misty.”
Dart waved back to acknowledge he heard the mage.
Mage Stantworth turned towards Dallas, took two steps and stopped. He frowned.
Dallas realised he was looking at the captive female, so glanced at her.
She twisted her hands trying to break the rope that bound her wrists. Even with her hands bound, she drew ichur up from the ground.
As the silvery glow grew brighter, Swift turned to look at her. The silver glow flowed towards Swift as fast as she drew more out of the ground.
“Stop!” Mage Stantworth pointed at the female. “I know you.”
The mage moaned and twisted her closed fists back and forth, trying to stretch the rope enough to slip one hand through. All she succeeded in doing was scrape skin off her wrists until drops of blood welled.
Dallas gripped his staff, then remembered he could not use the stored ichur in his staff in front of Mage Stantworth. He left Swift to remove the ichur and looked at Mage Stantworth. “She was working for the slavers, until we killed them. Since her capture she refused to talk. Who is she?”
“I believe as a child she showed signs of potential so was blocked until she was older. I know she was never unblocked.”
Dallas noticed Mage Stantworth stressed the word ‘know’. It confirmed Dallas’ belief that the councillors and mages in the city did not remove the mind blocks when the youngsters were old enough to train to control ichur.
“If she can call ichur now, someone removed her block, or she broke through the block herself.” Mage Stantworth studied the female.
Dallas watched the wagon disappear behind a clump of bushes with four of Cooper’s men. The other two who followed the wagon returned. Their mounts hung their heads in exhaustion while they waited beside Cooper.
He eased Swift forward, closer to the large dragon. The mount carrying the female followed and stopped when Swift stopped.
Cooper’s men watched Mage Stantworth.
“Curses on you, old man!” More blood welled around her wrists as she fought against her bonds. “May every spell you cast fail!”
Misty raised her knife. “Want me to stab you again?’
She dropped her bound wrists onto the front of her saddle, giving up the struggle to free her hands. But she still glared at Mage Stantworth.
Misty giggled. “You need to learn better curse words.”
Mage Stantworth turned to check on Bren, then turned back to frown at Dallas. “How did you get close enough to bind her hands?”
Dallas smiled at Mage Stantworth. “Not me. Swift and Sweetie stood next to her and she sort of slumped. Since she was being reasonable I bound her wrists with some of the rope the slavers used to bind the women.”
Dallas’ stomach gurgled. “We need to follow the wagon.”
“No time. Bren will have to fly her to the dragon hold, while I ride west with you.” Mage Stantworth held out his left hand and it glowed silver. He formed a small ball of ichur.
Dallas realised the only people who could see the ball were the female and him. “Misty, move Sweetie away from the female.”
The female cursed the mage again.
He ignored her words and released the small ball of ichur. It floated across to the female and dropped over her head. The silver glow turned brown and sank into her skin.
Just like Swift suggested hours ago.
Dallas wondered what the spell did, because the woman silently glared at Mage Stantworth. He had to remember to ask Swift when he was alone. Or ask his mother.
Stantworth took the mount’s reins from Dallas and passed them to Cooper. “Take her to Bren and place her on his back. The dragon will know what to do with her.”
Cooper led the mount carrying the spelled female towards Bren. The horse propped, refusing to walk closer to the resting dragon.
The two men with Cooper dragged her off her mount and half lifted, half hauled her up Bren’s extended front leg. After the two men forced her bound wrists over the second last spike they seated her between the last two spikes above Bren’s shoulders, then slid off Bren.
Both males hurried back to their horses, well away from Bren’s outstretched wings or teeth.
Bren leapt into the air and gave two powerful down strokes of both wings. He pumped his wings again, and again, lifting higher into the air with each down beat.
He gained more height, then dipped his right outstretched wing and turned his majestic body west.
“I would never trade Sweetie for Bren, but he is beautiful. And powerful!” Misty spoke quietly, but could not hide the awe she felt watching Bren fly west.
Dallas agreed with Misty’s statement. Bren was a beautiful sight! And powerful!
“Bring the spare mount over here.” Mage Stantworth called to the two males who stared skyward watching the morning light sparkle on Bren’s scales as he winged west over the wastelands. “Hurry. No time to waste.”
“Swift and Sweetie are tired. So are we. We stop here and eat and sleep before we go anywhere.” Dallas dismounted, and looped the reins over the saddle. He took hold of his staff before he slapped Swift on the rump. “Off with you. Eat and rest.”
Misty dismounted, but Dallas adjusted Sweetie’s reins so they would not slip off the saddle while Sweetie fed. “I wondered why she was slowing down. Next time, I will just climb off and let her eat when she slows.”
“Good to see you picking up all the signs Sweetie gives.” Dallas smiled at Misty.
Her stomach gurgled and she patted it with her left hand. “I am hungry.”
“No! We have to hurry. You can eat after we reach Hedgehill.” Mage Stantworth stomped through the ankle high grass, crushing both leaves and seed heads as he walked towards the waiting spare mount. “Get back on your horses!”
“Do you want Swift to help you or not?” Dallas stood straighter, angry that the mage ignored his tracker’s needs. And his own needs.
The air crackled as Mage Stantworth drew ichur out of the ground.
Swift screamed a warning and galloped towards the mage.
Dallas gripped his staff tightly, hesitant to raise it and show he was ready to defend against the mage’s anger and gathering ichur.
Sweetie cantered across and stood in front of Misty.
“Move! You are blocking my view.” Misty held a throwing star in each hand.
Swift propped, digging her front hoofs into the dirt. She screamed another warning, before she forced the gathered ichur back into the ground.
Cooper frowned at both tracker horses, before he looked at Mage Stantworth. “Sir! You forget yourself!” Cooper kneed his horse forward to stand directly in front of Dallas. “We are all tired, and hungry.”
The other two men calmly notched arrows to bows, ready to release, even though Dallas knew they could not see the gathered silver ichur.
Brave men! Or foolish!
“The sooner we eat and rest, the sooner we can ride west.” Dallas held his staff close to his body, the base resting on the ground. He did not want to show Mage Stantworth he could see ichur, but he would defend against an attack by the mage if he had to. He could worry about the consequences later.
Mage Stantworth finally glanced skyward and threw the last of his very small ball of ichur into the air.
It sped upwards and hit the middle of three birds flying towards the river. When the ball of ichur burst against the centre bird, it spread and covered the birds each side. The three silver birds flapped their wings faster but it did not help. They fell to the ground. Dead.
“You wanted food! There is your food!” Mage Stantworth hurried across the road towards the river bank. He dropped to the ground under the overhanging branches of a large willow tree. “Wake me when you are ready to leave.” He stretched out on the ground and closed his eyes.
Dallas looked at Cooper. “Very bruised food!”
Cooper smiled. “Might as well cook them, since the mage was kind enough to catch them.”
Dallas heard the shorter of the two men mutter, “If they are fit to eat after his magic.”
Dallas did not add to the male’s comment, but his mouth watered thinking of the hot meal. “Misty, we might as well sleep while we wait for the birds to cook.”
“Well away from him!” She glanced at the mage, resting in the shade.
“Good idea!” Dallas smiled at the image of Cooper and his men ready to defend Dallas and Misty against Mage Stantworth.