Chapter 55
Ro
Maybe the gods were on our side after all.
With literally no one keeping an eye on us, we stealthily tracked Carmin and Roiden, the two members of The Eleven who’d unceremoniously volunteered to be the first watch for our traveling party.
Odd behaviour from a group of egomaniacs that certainly sparked our interest to follow.
They’d drifted away from the town, heading back toward the mountains but not as far north as the Pass.
Dae prowled in his tiger form so we could communicate without speaking aloud.
And who knew such a big cat could have surprisingly dainty feet?
He was nimble and silent as we navigated through the deadened forest. When the clouds covered the moonlight, Dae relied on his senses to gauge the distance and direction of our targets.
He said they held a tense aura that was trackable, standing out even against the stark rigid energy that lingered from the faded curse.
“Why are they all the way over here? They’re almost halfway through their shift. Do you know if there’s another village or outpost nearby?”
“Not sure.” Dae’s words were a whisper in my mind, though he was projecting loudly. We were spread far enough apart that the connection was soft but maintainable. “Wait, stop.”
I stilled in the dark, sticking to the shadows of pines and evergreens.
“They’re not alone,” Dae said.
My heart strained like being squeezed in an ogres fist, and the quiet sway of leaves in the sleeping forest was replaced by the steady thrum of my pounding heart. Hiding from two people? Easy. But how many would we have to avoid?
Dae’s voice was grave as he informed me, “More of The Eleven.”
My palms instantly became slick, and I reworked the grip on my bow. They’d said they weren’t sending more than two. Or maybe they said they just weren’t announcing it. “How many?”
“There’s four—no, Marvoe is here too. Five.”
“Can you see them?”
“No, it’s just their aura. Marvoe’s is more sickly than the rest, like he carries more of the Black Pool with him.”
“Great, so if we’re caught snooping around, we’re dead for sure.”
“Want to turn back?”
I seriously contemplated. “No, if that many of them came secretly, then something is definitely going on. It’s the best chance I have to get answers.”
“Remember how we flanked the boar?”
“Same approach?” I asked.
“Same approach.”
“The distance will cut off our connection.”
“Then make sure you don’t get caught, forest goddess.”
I rolled my eyes with a playful smile, but my steps became more cautious.
I wasn’t sure how far ahead they were, and with half the forest essentially petrified, there was a severe lack of coverage.
After several minutes with only the crickets, moon, and quiet Braxius for company, I spotted the glow of their fire.
I prayed that the sound of my thundering heart couldn’t be heard from this distance. It only grew louder with every cautious step that moved me closer.
Dae had been right. Five members sat in view of a fire in what looked to be an established outpost. When I got close enough for their mumbled words to be made clear, I settled in place and listened.
“Is it even safe to go forward without all eleven?” Roiden asked, rubbing his hands in front of the fiery blaze.
Their usual murderous glares weren’t present as they all shrunk before Marvoe, anxiously awaiting his response. Some even appeared nervous.
Marvoe stood with his arms crossed before him, his straight onyx hair cascading past his shoulders, the fire shining off his dark, kohl-lined eyes.
“Don’t you think it would be wise to locate the nest before sending the entire leadership into the expansive mountains?
” The question was baiting, undercutting.
“Yes, sir,” Roiden replied, his posture shrinking.
“That’s why you will go, locate it, and report back.” Marvoe flashed a serpentine smile, one that sent chills skittering down my neck even from a distance.
Roiden straightened, daring a rapid glance at his colleagues. A silent plea for rescue, perhaps, based on the tension in his now rigid posture. Carmin stared off into the distance, intentionally stating he’d find no sympathy with her. Seeing he had no true allies, Roiden submitted with a stiff nod.
“Excellent,” Marvoe said, white teeth gleaming with the promise that he’d shed no tears at the man’s loss.
“Leave at first light. Put that shielding to good use. You know what, send that new recruit Ro with him, Carmin.” Without another word, he turned his back on his followers, ducking into the biggest tent.
A dozen questions raced through my mind at once. Why were they looking for a nest? A nest of what? Why would all of The Eleven need to be present afterward? What was located in the mountains of Argora Vale that held any importance for their cause?
Braxius stirred in my hood, but didn’t speak.
The remaining members exchanged glances by the campfire, one of them saying, “Survived the Black Pool only to be eaten by dragons. Quite the legacy, Roiden.”
My stomach plummeted. “Are there dragons in the mountains?”
A moment of silence passed.
“Braxius!” I mentally hissed.
His little voice quietly replied, shaky and distressed, “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?! I thought you were the only one left?”
“I never said that.”
I refrained from releasing a frustrated huff.
“Semantics. You certainly never mentioned others. Why would The Order want to mess with dragons? Legends don’t paint them as approachable creatures.
How have they even existed so long without being discovered?
I thought they were wiped out after the curse a century ago. ”
“We weren’t. The dark magic didn’t affect us, but our elders decided to seclude ourselves deep in the mountains.”
“So you’re saying dragons are powerful enough to stand against the dark magic?”
“Matured dragons, yes.”
I chewed my lip, the back of my neck now damp with nervous sweat. So dragons were The Order’s biggest threat, and they wanted to eliminate them before making a move on the rest of the continent. So we couldn’t weaponize the dragons and somehow fortify ourselves against them.
“If you returned to your nest, could you warn them? Would they ever come out from the mountains and stand against The Order?” Human armies couldn’t stand against the dark magic, but if we could get dragons on our side, and whatever defense they had…
“I-I don’t know.”
I took in a long, contemplative breath. The King of Windguard could go screw himself.
My friends needed this information, great divine, all of Myelle needed it.
Dae and I would leave tonight, head south straight to Rahana and send Braxius ahead to deliver the message, and we’d only be a couple days behind. Maybe less if I could ride a tiger.
My thoughts momentarily turned that idea dirty, but I quickly sobered.
I explained the game plan to Braxius as I sleuthed back through the woods. Once I knew I was out of range, I picked up my pace. The last thing I wanted was to get caught by any members of The Eleven returning to our camp, especially if they had their sights set on me.
My trusty sense of direction navigated me back to Devera, and I wasted no time.
In one of the unoccupied homes where I recalled seeing a work table, I retrieved parchment and a pencil.
By the dim candlelight Braxius lit with his tiny fireball, I wrote a letter to Radhak vaguely explaining the situation, omitting the details of Alba’s betrayal and death.
My hands would have probably shaken if I attempted to write it anyway, the grief still fresh but buried under more pressing rubble.
Radhak,
Taja knows the camp’s location. Evacuate everyone immediately. He’s forced me on a mission to the north. There is an Order, the ones responsible for the kidnappings across the kingdoms, who are tapping into a pool of dark magic that resides in northern Windguard. They’re the ones spreading it.
Near the deserted town of Devera, an outpost rests in the forest to the east, midway to the mountain range. Avoid it, and anyone bearing black marks.
Oh, and dragons live in the mountains. They aren’t affected by dark magic. The Order is hunting them down.
I’m sorry I couldn’t write sooner. I’ve been doing what I can to keep you all safe, just like you taught me. I should be a few days behind Brax, but don’t wait for me.
Oh, and there’s someone I’d like you to meet…
Sail with the wind.
Ro
Not a pretty missive, but legible. Maybe. I rolled up the paper, searching out a loose bit of twine, and tied it around Braxius’s leg.
“Get this home as soon as you can, then make sure you rest, alright?”
With Braxius sitting in my palm, I raised him to my mouth and pressed a kiss to his scaly side. His little snout nuzzled into my cheek.
“Go. Stay high to avoid the ogres.” I knew he didn’t want to leave, but Taja would be carrying out his threat in just over a week’s time.
Miraculously, Dae and I had survived The Order, and we didn’t have to return.
Maybe I should plan a trip to the temple while we’re in this neck of the woods, offer an abundance of thanks to the gods for saving the day.
We stepped outside, and I mapped the stars before pointing him south. I watched until his tiny black shadow disappeared into the night.
The beat of my heart became more prominent. I needed Dae to return before The Order so we could leave.
A minute later, movement broke from the darkened tree scape and a giant elegant feline frame traipsed in my direction.
“Did you hear all that? About the dragons?” I asked.
“I did. It’s the first I’m hearing about it, they’ve kept it quiet.”
“I sent Braxius back to Rahana.”
He angled his head in a feline manner. “So, we should leave. Now. Before they get to you.”
My heart softened at his use of ‘we’. He really was prepared to leave behind the cause he’d dedicated years to. “You ready to be a deserter?”
He released a harsh puff of air through his nose, twitching his ears. “They’re the ones who made me a deserter.” His words hung heavily in the air, like the guilt of years away from his family had finally hit its breaking point.
“I have a plan,” I said timidly, hoping he’d be willing to take a little detour.
He cocked his head in question. “Lay it on me.”
“In the mood to go hunting for some dragons?”