9

 

We left within the hour. I was forced to ride with the sorcerer, whose name I learned was Shadamar. From what I could gather, he was the leader of Erling’s private guard. A sorcerer, of all things. Though the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. When there were weapons other than swords and arrows involved, someone skilled with magic would be the best option for protection.

We flew east on the back of a large green dragon whose bulk was so thick that it stretched the straps of the saddle taut and the seams looked as if they might come undone. Erling rode with two others on a blue dragon, one a soldier and the other a sorcerer. Two other dragons, both red, followed behind us, each carrying three guards.

Despite the obvious danger, I enjoyed soaring through the sky in the darkness. The cool evening air ruffled my clothes, and the stars twinkled above. I had a front-row seat to the beauty of the night sky. One thing I didn’t like was the further we got from the Citadel, the weaker my bond became. I could still feel Sion’s presence, but it was muted, and eventually, we couldn’t even speak normally with one another. It was more of an exchange of emotions, much like when we first bonded.

It was a feeling I didn’t enjoy.

Regardless, I still had the war horn at my side. If things went badly, I could always use it, though it would take some time for Anesko to reach me, depending on where I was. I resigned myself to star gazing and tried not to think about the man Erling had watching over Maren. It seemed Anesko had not rid our ranks of all the spies, as he believed.

As the time passed, I dozed in the saddle. Shadamar, on the other hand, remained fully alert. It was difficult to determine his age, but he seemed young to me. I wondered how he had gained the attention of the king, but I assumed it was his magical prowess. It was no easy feat to exert control over another person, and he had stopped my attack on the king with ease. I would need to keep an eye on him, as he posed the biggest threat.

I must have fallen asleep, because I jolted suddenly when my stomach lurched. The dragon was descending. I gripped the saddle horn as the dragon continued its descent and wondered briefly if Maren was awake. I prayed she wasn’t. She was safer asleep for now. I leaned to the side and scanned the ground, but it was too dark to make out anything other than vague outlines.

“Have we arrived?” I asked loudly.

“Yes,” Shadamar answered.

A few moments later, the dragon touched the ground, its immense legs absorbing the impact of its landing. The other dragons landed nearby, the flapping of their wings causing gusts of wind to stir up the area. Ahead, I could see the outlines of trees. How had the time passed so quickly?

“Get down,” Shadamar ordered.

I climbed out of the saddle and leaped to the ground, stretching my legs and rubbing my lower back. The king’s soldiers also dismounted, and they grouped together. Erling strode over and looked at me.

“Are there any traps we need to worry about?”

I shook my head. “No, none that I’m aware of. The enchantments were affected when magic failed, but there is no danger here.”

“Good. Lead the way, then.” He glanced at Shadamar. “Stay with him.”

I glanced at the sky. It was still dark, but I guessed there were only a couple of hours until dawn. The magical forest would provide its own confusion, but I decided I would lead the king aimlessly around for a while. The Assembly would know we were here, and I hoped they were smart enough to discern what was happening.

“This way,” I said.

The woods were eerie in the daylight, and much more so in the dark. Nocturnal animals skittered around in the brush, and the hooting of owls filled the air. There were no obvious trails, not that I would have followed them, anyway. I guided Erling and the others in a circular path, keeping to the outskirts of the forest. None of them caught on, at least for a while.

We were still trudging along when the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, painting the sky with a palette of vibrant reds, oranges, and pinks. The colors of the forest became visible as daylight spilled across the land, and the chirping of birds replaced the nighttime sounds. I frowned. Something wasn’t right. The forest had always been quiet, unnervingly so, yet it sounded full of life.

“What is taking so long?” Erling demanded. “I’m certain we’ve come this way already. What are you up to?”

“Nothing,” I replied. “As I said, this place has powerful enchantments on it. The Temple of the Bond isn’t found, it finds you.”

“That makes no sense. What do you feel, Shadamar?”

The sorcerer gazed around the forest. “He is telling the truth. Ancient magic permeates this place, but it is … distorted. I cannot tell one enchantment from another. I’m afraid we are at his mercy.”

Erling glared at me. “No more games. Take us to the temple or Maren dies.”

There was no way for him to know whether I was fooling with him, but I didn’t want to press my luck. Maren was too important to me.

“Empty whatever is in your minds. The magic will not allow us entrance if it knows your intentions are ill.”

Shadamar looked at the king. “Do as he says.”

I waited a moment, then continued through the woods, subtly angling our direction toward the center of the forest. I knew we were on the right course when I began to see things that weren’t there. From my periphery, I could see shadows among the trees whispering and pointing at us, but when I looked at them directly, they were gone.

Yes, I told myself. This is the way.

The exhaustion and drowsiness set in slowly, and I could see the concern growing on Shadamar’s face.

“Don’t worry,” I said, my words slurring slightly. “This is normal. It’s the work of … the work of … of the magic.”

Erling was the first to collapse. Shadamar stopped but made no move to assist him. Neither did any of the others. They were all fighting the effects of the magic, but one by one, they all dropped to the forest floor. Shadamar was the last of Erling’s men to do so. The last thing that rolled around in my mind before I fell face-first onto the leafy ground was surprise, surprise that I stayed conscious longer than the sorcerer.