The Elemental Trilogy Box Set

by Toni Cox

  “No, I think we should fly south. Fly low to the ground so they do not see us again. The rolling plains will prevent a clear line of sight if we stay low enough. We’ll fly south for ten miles and then circle around to come back here. They should have passed here by then.”

  Midnight immediately crouched and stretched out his leg for them to climb on. Maia let Blaid go first, following him closely in case he fell, but even wasted as he still was, he climbed with skill and only needed assistance to settle between the spikes on Midnight’s back.

  Once they were in place, Midnight took off, staying as close to the ground as he could, flying at speed. The wind whipped Maia’s hair back and brought tears to her eyes and she realised she had missed this. If the circumstances were different, this could be an exciting and enjoyable flight.

  As it was, she could not fully appreciate Blaid’s warmth behind her, or his arms around her waist. She hardly noticed the exhilaration of flying so low to the ground, making it seem as if Midnight was flying even faster than he was.

  Maia eventually estimated them to be far enough and Midnight banked to the east, flying another ten miles in that direction. There they landed for a brief period, mostly so Blaid could rest, but also to give the riders’ time to pass the spot from where they had taken off.

  Eventually they remounted and Midnight headed north. They travelled almost fifteen miles north, before turning towards the forest at a south-westerly direction to get to where Maia’s supplies lay hidden.

  The riders linger there still, Midnight warned them as they drew near.

  “Why would they still be there? They should have followed us. Midnight, can you show me what they are doing?”

  Midnight showed her the images as he saw them and, to her surprise, the Regiment had made camp at exactly the same location as where her things were hidden.

  “Garr,” she cussed in dwarfish, making Blaid chuckle. “They found my supplies and have made camp there. Our ploy did not work. How do we retrieve my supplies now?”

  Midnight landed, but they remained seated on his back while they discussed their options.

  “There are paths other than the Vampyre road. If Midnight heads back towards the north, to the very beginning of the dark forest, there is a narrow game trail that eventually meets up the Vampyre road close to where the prison camp is.”

  “Blaid, that is a really long way to walk. Are you sure you can make it?”

  “I will have to. I am sorry about your supplies. If they have camped there, chances are they discovered them and are staying in the hope you will return for them. I do not think we will be able to retrieve them.”

  Maia thought about it. All she had were the clothes on her back and her hunting knife. They had only taken enough to eat for the day, nothing more. Her other few items, like her Twin Blades, were still at the Riven’s home. Even Blaid’s few belongings were at Belura’s. They would have to return there.

  Go there, fetch your things.

  Maia shook her head; she did not want to confront Aaron, or Rothea, not even to retrieve her supplies. They would want her to return home. They probably had an entire array of reasons lined up. Going back would not solve anything. She could not help her people by sitting at Shadow Hall. With Blaid ill, they had not discussed their options much, and did not have a plan yet.

  Their current situation highlighted the urgency for Blaid to regain his strength and for them to work on a solution for their people. Only with Blaid by her side would she be strong enough to defeat the Vampyres.

  Also, if anyone found out she was with him, they would be outraged. Her only option was to remain hidden, and if that meant leaving her things behind, then that was what she had to do.

  “We will take the other path. We’ll stay here until dark in case they have Scouts patrolling the tree line.”

  “You want to travel through the dark forest at night?”

  “Oh,” Maia frowned.

  The place was frightening enough during the day.

  I will call Belura.

  “Yes, that might work,” Blaid agreed. “If Midnight flies over the forest in the dark, they will not see him and he can let Belura know we are on our way. The forest listens to him. We will be safe.”

  Questions chased each other around in Maia’s head. How could the forest listen to Belura? Why had Aaron and Rothea come looking for her? Should she confront them to get her things and tell them she would not be going back with them?

  Retrieving her belongings would be the sensible option; she needed clothes for winter, at least. Maybe she was being childish, but she really did not want to talk to Aaron. She’d much rather walk through the dark forest at night than be confronted by his accusing eyes and the disappointment in his voice.

  Then fetch your things. Need not be seen.

  Maia blinked, with the frown back on her forehead.

  “What are you thinking, Maia?” Blaid asked.

  “Midnight is right. If we wait until dark, Midnight and I can fly close. He would have to remain a distance away so as not to alert the night guards, but I could use my Air magic to hide myself. I could then retrieve at least the smaller bags. I am not sure I could get the heavier kist out without being noticed.”

  “I am not good with the invisibility thing, but I can stay with Midnight and tie the bags on as you bring them. The plan itself might work, but it could be dangerous. I think we will need to gather more information before we settle on a final plan.”

  I will scout.

  Maia nodded. “Let us dismount. Midnight will fly high and let us know what he sees. You need rest if you are to help us.”

  Blaid’s jaw muscles moved in frustration.

  They had talked a bit about what happened after the war and she was now aware of the fact the Riven himself had inflicted those horrific injuries. He went into the dark forest, seeking a feeling other than the hopelessness the discussion with her father had brought upon him. He wanted to fight; to feel fear rather than the feeling of having lost her forever.

  Blaid now regretted that decision, especially because it was taking him time to recover. She could only fix what was broken; to rebuild muscle mass and put on weight again was up to him.

  Maia assisted Blaid down Midnight’s leg and they moved over to a big walnut tree, surrounded by smaller maples. The tiny forest did not offer much in cover or protection, but it would suffice for waiting out the rest of the daylight hours.

  “Be careful, Midnight. Rothea will have her eyes on the sky and she is not one to mistake you for a raven, even if you fly high.”

  I shall watch for her eagle eyes.

  Wind buffeted them as Midnight took to the sky and they watched him head east and then climb until he was only a black speck against the backdrop of the surprisingly blue sky.

  They settled against the trunk of the walnut and Maia shared out their rations. She wanted to give all of it to Blaid, but had to keep her strength up too if she wanted to be successful tonight. Using the Air magic for invisibility cost a lot in energy; she learned that while on Naylera during the last war.

  They kept their eyes open and their minds alert for the remainder of the day, always watchful for signs of Rothea’s Regiment. Thankfully, though, they saw no one and Maia was glad for the rest Blaid was getting.

  “I have been meaning to ask you something,” she said some time in the afternoon.

  “You may ask.”

  “During your training as a Prime, did you not receive training in the healing arts?”

  “I did. Why do you ask?”

  “Once the Riven had healed your most serious wounds and before you changed into the wolf to hunt, did you not try to heal yourself?”

  Blaid looked down, a bitter expression on his face. Maia thought she saw herself in him for a moment; she’d had the same bitter look when she had realised she could not be with him.

  “I cannot explain it, Maia, but once I regained consciousness, I had the distinct feeling I had lost you forever. Som
ething had changed. I was mad when your father told me I would never be allowed to be with you, but I would eventually have found a way around his decree. This feeling, though, was as if you no longer existed. I had no more reason to live.”

  Maia reached out and took his hand. She knew the feeling he was talking about. It was what she had felt directly after the war; during the time he had been unconscious. His must have happened during the time she agreed to marry Aaron.

  “If Belura had not taken pity on me, I would have died. Even if my injuries had not been as dire, I think I would still have died, simply for lack of wanting to live. I cannot imagine my life without you.”

  A fortnight she had spent looking after Blaid and working on building up his strength. In that time, they had many conversations; including how miserable they were without the other; but never had they discussed the future.

  Maia delayed talking about the future, as she wanted him to be completely healed first. She did not want Blaid to feel that he needed to be with her, simply because she had nursed him back to health.

  His violet blue eyes looking at her now conveyed clearly how he felt about her and she struggled to ignore the unsettling pulling sensation in the pit of her stomach.

  “Neither can I,” she said, quietly, still holding his hand. “Let us get through today and get back to Belura’s cave and then I think it is time we discuss our intentions. This is not going to be easy.”

  “Nothing worth waiting for is ever easy. I was prepared to die because of you; now I want to live because of you. I love you, Maia; I have from the moment I knew you existed.”

  Maia blushed, feeling the heat rise to her face. Blaid leaned in and she closed her eyes in anticipation of the kiss.

  Unexpectedly , a sound carried to their ears and they pulled apart. Standing, Maia surveyed their surroundings and then spotted the rider, barely thirty strides from their position.

  Maia pulled Blaid further around the walnut tree, trying to remain hidden. “It must be one of Rothea’s men, patrolling. What do we do now?”

  “Hide us, make us invisible.”

  Maia clenched her jaw and concentrated. There was no time to come up with a different solution. She felt the energy draining her as she extended the bubble of air to cover them both. She had done it before, during the first war, so this was something she knew she could do. She could keep them covered for a while. As long as they did not make a noise, or left footprints, they would not be discovered.

  The rider came closer, eventually getting off his horse and tying it to a tree. He walked between the trees, scanning the ground as he went. The man was thorough; Maia had to give him that.

  It did not take long for him to discover their footprints from earlier and he was soon circling the walnut tree. They held their breaths while the man looked up into the branches above and then circled the tree once more.

  While he was on the other side, Maia made a quick decision and, concentrating, lifted them off the ground. This, however, was much harder than the simple bubble and she soon felt beads of sweat on her forehead.

  They came level with the lover branches of the tree and she grabbed one of them to keep them steady, when the man stepped up to the trunk to touch it where Maia and Blaid had been standing but moments before.

  Blaid gave Maia a hand squeeze to let her know she did well, when the man looked up again. He had a frown on his face and Maia could now clearly see how their air bubble rubbed through his hair, which had alerted him that something was not right.

  The man, dressed in Regiment uniform, waved his hand over his head, trying to figure out what the disturbance was. He was clearly uncomfortable, but did not seem the type easily scared off because something unexplainable had happened.

  He walked around the trunk again until he was back at the place where the air stirred his hair. Maia gripped the branch tighter and a few pieces of bark fell off, dropping to the ground next to the warrior.

  “Anyone there?” he asked, staring right at them.

  A terrified whinny broke through the stillness then and the man turned to look at his horse desperately pulling on its reins, trying to free itself. Dismissing the walnut tree with one final glance, the man ran towards his horse. He caught it just as the reins came undone. The man struggled to keep his steed under control and he eventually just grabbed the saddle and pulled himself into it.

  Without being asked, the horse galloped back the way it had come, the man clinging to its back, but looking over his shoulder back at the walnut tree.

  “That was close. I wonder what spooked the horse.”

  “It’s Midnight. He’s approaching from the east.”

  Maia carefully lowered them. While they were in the air, Blaid’s arm was around her. Now, as it fell away, she felt bereft. But, as the bubble of air receded around them, Blaid took her hand and they moved to greet Midnight together.

  Nineteen people at the camp, Maia’s dragon told them. Others out, hunting, scouting. Total group close to thirty. Red-Dusky-Sunset changing colour again. Not his usual self.

  “What does that mean,” Blaid asked, confused.

  “Red-Dusky-Sunset is Aaron. It is not the first time Midnight has given him a new name. He has changed much since I first brought them here.”

  “Why did you bring them here?”

  Maia shot Blaid a quick, irritated glance. “Maybe I will tell you about it, but now is not the time. What else did you see, Midnight?”

  Camp is five hundred paces from treeline of dark forest. Spending the night. One guard making fire at hiding place. And…

  “What is it, Midnight?”

  And Wolf.

  “Wolf is with them? No wonder they found my things. Wolf must have picked up my scent and led them straight to it. It will be difficult hiding from Wolf, as I will need to disguise my smell too, but I have hidden from a Werewolf before, so it will be possible. Did you find a place where you and Blaid can wait for me?”

  I did.

  “Thank you. It will be dusk in an hour. We shall leave once it is fully dark.”

  With some time to spare, Maia went to take a look at Midnight’s saddle. It had been one of the reasons they wanted to see him today, as he had been complaining about the saddle chafing his skin.

  The dragon had been wearing it for over a fortnight and it was beginning to tell. Dirt had caked under the straps and had rubbed Midnight raw in those places. Using bushels of dried grass, Maia brushed the caked dirt away and then healed Midnight’s wounds. They were superficial, so she did not have to expend much energy.

  Better, thank you.

  “I wish you didn’t have to wear it, but we still need it. I promise to take it off you as soon as the opportunity arises.

  Midnight rumbled, deep in his chest. The saddle irritated him, but he would bear it, for her.

  As the sun sank behind the mountains, Maia and Blaid climbed up Midnight’s leg and settled in. Midnight spread his enormous wings and they were soon airborne.

  The evening air had a chill to it that saw them shivering before they even reached the treeline north of Rothea’s camp. Blaid tried his best to keep her warm - as she did him - but he did not have that much energy yet.

  “I think winter will come early this year,” Maia commented as they climbed down Midnight’s foreleg. “I hope that will give us a bit of reprieve from the Vampyres.”

  “They do not enjoy the cold,” Blaid answered, “but I have seen them walk through snow without ill effect. It only drains their energy quicker and, instead of only sleeping once every few days, they need to sleep every night.”

  Maia looked at him in surprise. “I did not know that. We have always just been glad that they are inactive in winter, as it gives us a chance to recoup after the attacks.”

  “They feel vulnerable when they have to sleep, which is the reason they don’t usually attack during winter. Also, because their energy levels are low, they do not fight well. Their bodies expend their energy trying to remain warm, and
they become sluggish. Easy prey.”

  Maia cocked her head at Blaid for calling them prey, but he had spent a year hunting them. To him, they were probably just that - prey. To Maia, it felt more like her people were the prey, which was the reason she left Shadow Hall in the first place.

  With this harsh reminder about why she was now where she was, she shook her head to clear it and assessed their situation.

  “So, we are barely a mile from their camp,” she began, recapping what they had discussed. “Your only bit of shelter is this grove of trees. Stay hidden as best you can. I will run along the tree line until it is no longer safe, then enter the forest and skirt around and finally approach my hiding place from within. I will keep going back for bags until I am either discovered, or I have collected all of my things.”

  “Be safe, Maia.” Blaid leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

  Touching her cheek, she said, “I will be back as soon as I can. Be ready for me, I will bring the ropes with the first load.”

  Midnight rumbled after her as she started running.

  Just under a mile. She wouldn’t even be out of breath by the time she got there. Yet, she paced herself, knowing that cloaking herself in invisibility would be draining.

  Finally, she saw the lights of the camp ahead to the left and a flicker of a flame straight ahead, which she assumed to be the guard watching over her hiding place. It was time to disappear.

  Without any clouds in the sky tonight, the moons shone enough light for her to see by while along the treeline. Now, as she ducked under low branches into the dark forest, almost all light vanished instantly. Maia stopped briefly to let her eyes adjust and then carried on. Walking through the dark forest without a path to follow, even on its outskirts, was difficult. Brambles kept snagging on her clothes, roots tripped her up, branches smacked into her face.

  A memory floated to the surface of when she had been following Belura to his home and she had asked the forest to let her pass. She did the same now, hoping the forest would hear her. She thought of Belura and how kind and gentle he was, even though he was the most frightening being she had ever encountered.