Daniel and Princess Anya made it back to Varin a few seconds later, sprinting from the forest back to the gate as fast as they could.
Balisnor was the first they saw once they had made it back safely. Daniel rolled his eyes; he already knew he was going to be blamed for what happened. He shook his head. I’m not going to roll over anymore. Let him blame me. See what happens.
Easy.
He shot a glance at Princess Anya and saw that she was smiling, now back to her regular self.
“How did it go?” Balisnor asked, eyeing Daniel suspiciously.
“It went well,” the princess replied. “Ready our soldiers at once. We might be having company real soon.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Penelope was there along with her hounds. She wasn’t playing either.”
Balisnor turned to Daniel and advanced toward him. “What did I tell you would happen if something went wrong?”
Daniel didn’t back down as the massive bodyguard proceeded to get closer to him. He smiled, welcoming his advances. “I must have forgotten. You going to remind me?”
“Now you got some gall on you huh?”
“I’m tired of being blamed for something I can’t control.”
“That is enough,” Princess Anya intervened. “Balisnor, back down at once.”
Just then, one of the guards burst through onto the training ground. “You should take a look at this.”
“Where are my parents?” Anya asked, not taking her eyes away from the bodyguard until he was a considerable distance away.
“They’re doing some other things that need tending to, My Lady.”
“Very well.”
Daniel, Princess Anya, and Balisnor ran to the top of the stairs leading to the wall. There, they could see the forest, the lake and everything between as far as the eye could see. Black smoke wafted from the right side, swaying to the heavens.
“What is that?” Daniel asked. “What’s on fire?”
Princess Anya’s next words came out trembling, as if knowing the weight of them would devastate the moment she let them loose. “That’s Shinguard.”
Daniel held his breath, his heart quickened, his hands and whole body beginning to tremble suddenly…his parents were there. Supposedly. He had to go and find them now. This instant. “We have to go,” Daniel stated, trying to keep his head clear but failing miserably. “We have to save my parents.”
“Could be a trap,” Balisnor replied, his eyes set on the black smoke. “We would be walking right into it.”
“I don’t care! The whole agreement between King Erek and I was that if I finished my training. I could find my folks. I’ve done your training! Now keep your end of the deal!”
He’s right Princess Anya said. I’m sorry that you have to hear it from me, but it’s clearly a trap. If she lures you out, that’s that. You still don’t know how to use your power correctly despite the training you’ve done. We would be at a disadvantage.
No! He couldn’t bear this any longer. He closed his eyes and thought about getting there to Shinguard now, gritting his teeth, clenching his fists. A strange fire erupted inside him and when he looked at his hands, he saw that the blue electricity was beginning to form a ball around his hand. What is this? Am I inheriting my mother’s power? He was afraid of testing it out, scared that he would burn something down. He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind, to get back to the matter at hand. Tried as he might be, he couldn’t get himself to do it. I’m sorry he said to himself. I’m sorry I couldn’t do nothing. “So, we just watch it burn, is that it?”
“We have no choice.” Princess Anya turned her attention to Balisnor. “Tighten security around the wall. No one gets past you or your men, understood?”
“Yes, My Lady.”
The Princess walked toward Daniel. Follow me.