by Zora Marie
“There is a way to block the spells,” Linithion assured her, “I’m just not sure if my father can do it on his own. But Vainoff should be here and he can put up a temporary block until we can get the others together and put a more permanent block in place.”
“Alright, you first Alrindel, I’ll hand her up to you,” Skylar said.
“I can ride.” Zelia tried to push Skylar away, but another lashing hit, and she arched her back, her ribs straining against the screws in the metal plate.
“Or not,” she gasped. Skylar was the only thing keeping her from falling back into the snow with the sharp pain. A warm trickle of blood ran down her back.
“Didn’t think so, squirt.” He took her by the waist and lifted her in front of Alrindel.
“You guys ride ahead. We’ll catch up,” Loboran said.
“I don’t know these paths, I haven’t been here in over a century,” Alrindel admitted.
Bête Noire snorted and Starling spoke, “I think someone is offering for me to ride him. Come on, I’ll show you the way.”
13
The sky was just beginning to lighten the next morning when they came to the stone northern gates.
“Zelia, you still awake?” Alrindel asked and rubbed her arm.
She nodded, but she knew she was losing. She had spent the entire ride fighting the magic. Their tactics had shifted, as if they realized that making her endure what happened in the cave was not doing what they willed. Now instead of clinging to a clump of Alrindel’s cloak, she held the crumbling remains of Linithion. The vision, this place, had made her magic flare and as it lashed out in her mind, she made it turn inward, away from Alrindel. Linithion had been there, in her mind, and she had burned her from the inside out. She chewed her raw lip further, the iron taste of fresh blood and self-inflicted pain helping remind her mind that the visions were not real. Zelia reminded herself with each breath that what she held in her hands was not Linithion.
“Alrindel, if anything happens, I want you to promise me something.”
“Don’t talk like that, we’ll stop them.”
“But you might have to lose me first and I don’t want you to blame yourself in the meantime. I don’t want any regrets this time. Coming back is a certainty, but coming back with me still intact is not.”
“Shh, please don’t talk like that. You’re stronger than you think. Don’t lose hope. This time, I won’t stop searching for you.”
“I know you won’t, just promise me you won’t lose yourself in the process.”
“Starling? We didn’t expect you for a few more days,” a guard stopped them at the inner gate. “Where are the others?”
“Send a runner ahead, we need to see King Erolith immediately and if anyone knows where Vainoff is, send for him.”
“See, we’ll get you there in time.” Alrindel placed his hand on her back to shift her weight as she had relied on his support more the longer they rode, but he froze as his hand touched her back, the movement causing her to hiss in pain. “Zelia.”
“That bad?” She asked.
“You’re bleeding.”
She grunted and rested her head against his chest. “So that wasn’t just part of the vision.”
“Starling, we need to hurry.” He nudged his horse and took off down the path. The easy clip clop of Bête Noire’s hooves against stone passed them, and their pace quickened.
~
“Here.” Someone reached up to help her off the horse.
“No, I can walk.” She slid off and held herself up on weak legs.
“You may be able to walk, but you’ll speed up the bleeding.” Alrindel reached to pick her up, but she blocked his hand.
“Please don’t, it hurts less to walk right now than when you carry me. The visions have eased, I can walk.” She gave him a pleading glance, then turned to the stone hall.
“How do you know where you are going?” Starling asked as he trailed behind her.
“Linithion talks about home a lot. You know, I never understood why the Drakeon Empire was built of stone instead of living trees as Elyluma is.” She spoke more to keep herself anchored here. The spell had weakened as though being near Eleanor’s brother had some effect on the magic.
“Because this was the first home of the Elves in this realm. The Dwarves helped us build it before our people came here. Eadon should have taught you that,” Erolith greeted them from an open door. “Come, tell me why you have come here in such haste.” He stopped just inside the doorway, and when she passed, he grasped her shoulder. “You’re bleeding.”
“I know.” She shrugged off his hand. “But treating it won’t help.”
“Alrindel? What are you doing here?” Vainoff’s familiar voice bounced down the hall and she flinched. The last time she had seen him, he had snapped at her and she had run from the memories he had stirred.
“Hoping to find you.”
The slow uneven tap of feet came up behind her.
“No, no, no, no, no. This is not good.” A bony hand caught her when she wavered. “Get a healer, Donavain if you can. The others have your blood, don’t they?”
She nodded and slid to her knees. “I can’t… I can’t keep fighting it.”
“You can and you will, for everyone else if nothing else.”
He’s right, I’ll endanger them. She tried to get to her feet, but Starling lifted her.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I think it is my turn to carry you.”
“Take her to my quarters. King Erolith, may I use your scrying bowl? I need to speak with Eleanor.”
“Of course, right this way.”
“Vainoff, I don’t know how much of my blood they have. I don’t know what they did with my body every time I died.” My blood. “What did you do with my blood, from my injuries at The Hold? They said you took it.”
“I... I’ll explain later, but I promise I did not give it to them or use it against you.” He hurried out the door after King Erolith.
~
“You should lie down.” Starling set her on the edge of the bed, and she curled up on her side, holding her head in her arms to cover most of her face. She could still see out, between and over her arms, but at least the tears in her eyes were hidden as she tried to rein the pain in. She had once held her emotions and expressions on a short leash, but she had let it go slack in her time away from The Cave.
A short-haired Elf appeared in the doorway and inspected her as he entered the room. “I’m Donavain, King Erolith sent me. What happened?”
She watched through her hair as Alrindel shook his head, unable to explain.
“May I? I need to have a look at it.”
She nodded and chewed her lip as her sticky, yet uncut tunic peeled from the fresh wounds across her back. His hand pressed against her back, and she squirmed away from the contact.
“Don’t bother,” Alrindel said.
“Why?”
“Our healing magic doesn’t work on her, the most it has ever done is ease her pain.”
“Please, just save your energy for someone you can heal,” she tried to keep her tone steady as she said it, but in that moment, all she wanted was for the pain to go away.
“Can you sit up?” Donavain asked.
Zelia nodded and pushed herself upright. She chewed her lip as he patted her back dry.
“Donavain, save the blood, we’ll need it.” Vainoff said as he strode into the room and picked up the large tome from the bedside table. His lips moved as he flipped through the pages, skimming as he went.
“What did Eleanor say?” Alrindel asked and Vainoff mumbled louder. “Vainoff, what did Eleanor say?”
“That I need to block them for the moment. I had planned on going with you to face Kniteoff, but I don’t think I’ll be able to after all. We’ll have a meeting and do something that’ll
last longer soon, but this,” he pointed to a page in his spell book, “will buy us a little time.”
Alrindel peered over his shoulder at the page.
“I wouldn’t bother. There are only three Elves that can read it,” King Erolith spoke from the doorway.
“Who’s the third?” Alrindel asked.
“Eadon, he doesn’t know it well, but he knows it,”
“He would.” Zelia clenched a wad of the bedding in her fist as Donavain cleaned the wounds, a sharp, stinging sensation running down each cut.
“Without magic, I have to sterilize it,” Donavain said. He placed a hand on her chest, keeping her from squirming away. The tingling of his magic made her shudder as it brushed against her heart. She could feel him tense and turn to Alrindel.
“There was an explosion, a year or two ago,” Zelia answered. “Just stop the bleeding, please.” She could feel the lightheadedness creeping up on her again as her vision swam.
“Here, drink this.” Vainoff handed her a bowl.
“What spell are you using?” She swirled the liquid and clumps of leaves in the bowl.
“Just trust me.”
“That’s just it, I don’t trust you. I know I should. You’re not one of them, you didn’t hurt me, make me do the things they did. I never saw or heard you there. But I just can’t bring myself to trust you, not…” she trailed off, the lightheadedness taking over. Her vision narrowed, falling away in pulsing speckles of darkness, and the bowl slipped from her fingers.
“Zelia?” Alrindel moved towards her, her vision barely catching the movement.
“She has lost too much blood.” As Donavain said it she went limp and fell over, the strained thud of her heart drowning out their words as it fought to move what blood she had left where it needed to go.
~
She glimpsed light, a face, and snippets of Vainoff’s chants. Then she stirred.
“Shh, you’re okay,” Alrindel cooed. “Vainoff performed the spell and did a healing on you. He collapsed as he finished, so I’m not sure how much it helped you, if at all.”
“How long was I out?”
“Less than a day. The others should be here in a few hours. For now, rest.” He stroked her hair and hummed.
“You should get some rest, too.”
“I will, once you’re back asleep.”
Even with her eyes closed, she could tell he was smiling as he tried to hum.
“You know, you’re not very good at that.”
“At what?”
“Smiling while humming.” She grinned and snuggled into the covers, her back throbbing with the movement. “Now get some rest.”
~
“Sleeping on the job I see.”
“Oh, leave her be, Connan.” Someone sat on the edge of the bed. “Don’t play, I know you’re starting to wake up.”
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes to see the Dwarf, James, seated beside her. “I must have been out for a while. Kafthry.” She shot up.
“Shh, easy.”
“I sent Flyx with a message for them to wait for us,” Connan said. “Is it just me, or do you attract crazy friends?”
“What does that say about you? You’re the one who found me in a cave and didn’t question it all that much.”
“Fair enough. Well, come on, let’s go get you something to eat and then we’ll see how you feel.” He and James each took one of her hands and pulled her to her feet.
“You might want to put this on.” Connan tossed a tunic at her.
“What? It’s not like you can see anything with how I’m wrapped up.” She slipped into the tunic and slid her boots on to stave off the chill of the stone floor.
“I leave for a few minutes and the Dwarves wake you up!” Alrindel gave Prince Connan a playful glare, though she could tell his whole demeanor was forced. An undertone of worry still dripped from him, and she couldn’t blame him.
“Oh, shut up,” Connan pushed past, ignorant to the emotions that lay under Alrindel’s jest.
“Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the dirt this morning,” Alrindel said.
“I would ease off if I were you,” James warned. “He’s upset with himself for asking for your help, knowing now part of what you are all dealing with.”
“No, you were right to ask for help. Honestly, I need to get better at doing so myself,” Zelia said and her stomach growled, reminding her where they were going.
“I take it someone’s hungry.”
“Maybe a bit.” She flashed a grin and hurried off without them. She wasn’t sure how much she had healed, but there was only a dull throb in her back, and she had a feeling she didn’t need the wrap anymore.
14
“Zelia, come dear, sit by me.” Vainoff patted the seat beside him at the head of the table. “Let’s eat and then I need to explain some things to you about the spell I put on you.”
“Just let me read the spell, no need to explain.” She slid into the seat beside him, noticing now how drawn his features were.
“It’s not that simple, I could only do a partial spell on my own.”
“I know. You already did more than you should have. Thank you, for everything. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.”
As she said it, Alrindel and the Dwarves entered.
“It’s alright, dear. How about you eat?”
“Dear? I think that’s the first time I have ever heard you refer to someone that way.” Alrindel set his hands on the back of Vainoff’s chair.
“You don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
“I remember you running messages for Eleanor when you were just learning magic.”
“You were always curious yet a bit of a trickster in those days.”
“Really?” Zelia asked.
“He was. He changed a bit when you came along. He had always wanted a little sister,” Vainoff said.
“Um hm, well, you should eat.” She stared at Alrindel.
“I’ve already eaten, but I think Connan and James will join you.”
“You could join us, Alrindel. We need to discuss our plans,” Connan slid into the chair beside her.
“Let me track down Skylar and then we’ll talk.”
“Tell me, what was your plan if I couldn’t come?” she asked as Alrindel left.
“To get himself killed,” Vainoff said.
“We didn’t need another plan. We knew she would come.”
“And what if I can’t stop him? What if I can’t stop him without doing more harm than good? Yes, I’ve ridden dragons, but none like Kniteoff.” She stared at her food, then moved the steamed carrots around her plate. Silence hung over them, and the memory of a dream came back to her. “No, it’s more than just Kniteoff, something else is there.”
“What do you mean? How do you know that?” Vainoff asked.
“That’s not possible. Kniteoff would never share, he’s a dragon,” Connan interjected.
“But it is, dreams like that are a foreshadow of the future. That’s how I knew about The Hold and why I got there in time.” That’s why I shouldn’t have gotten so close to Linithion.
“What did you see?” Vainoff asked.
It took her a moment to realize he wasn’t talking about Linithion. “It, it was like a dragon only without wings and it had lots of heads. Someone was fighting it. Each time he cut off one of its heads, two grew back. He crushed it under a chunk of the cavern ceiling.”
“A hydra? You saw a hydra? Are you sure it was in the Mountain of The Old Ones? Who was fighting it?”
“It was there. I could hear Kniteoff, but I don’t know who the person was. He was skilled with a sword. There was something else about him, it was as if he was being controlled.”
Alrindel slid into the seat across from her, Skylar and Nikolas taking their se
ats beside him.
“Why would a hydra be there with Kniteoff?” Alrindel asked.
“I’m not sure, but I have a feeling Kniteoff wants or needs my help with something.”
“Help? With what?” Vainoff asked.
“I don’t know, but the way he sounded when that man killed the hydra, I think it has to do with it.”
“What do you mean?”
“He,” she searched for the words, “Kniteoff almost sounded enraged at her being killed, as if he loved her.”
Vainoff’s lips pursed at the thought, his brow furrowed.
“I know it sounds far-fetched, but I have to find out what’s going on. I can’t just run in and kill him. dragon or not, I need to know what’s going on. All of this is connected, the wizards, the dragons, and the Darkans. I just don’t know how.”
“You just said the man was being controlled. I don’t think you should go,” James said.
“Yet she must as I cannot,” Vainoff said. “The spell has drained me. For now, the wizards will have to be rather close to control her and it is unlikely they will risk getting that close to Kniteoff.”
“Alright, but you’re not going alone,” James said. “Besides, you’ll get lost in the tunnels without a guide.”
“It’s decided then, we’ll go in together and no one is to draw their weapons until Zelia talks to Kniteoff,” Connan said.
“No,” Zelia shook her head, “we should have our weapons drawn as there will be someone else there and I’m not sure how he will take our presence. We’d better not let down our guard.”
“She’s right, you should all go into this prepared for anything. And when you meet Kniteoff, you all best stay back as he is likely to attack and then ask questions. He likes his fire so Zelia will be fine,” Vainoff said.
“I thought we would sneak in and get our bearing on the situation first,” Connan said.
“I can’t sneak up on Kniteoff, he’ll feel my presence long before we reach the mountain.”
“How?” Connan asked.
“When I was going to The Hold, he knew I was near. He warned me to stay away, but something’s changed.”
