Two guards gripped Snow by her mane, and she struggled to get free. The men who restrained her wore black uniforms and held tarnished shields that bore the crest of a black rose.
“Morgana’s guards,” said Snow quickly. “Run, Princess; these look like scouts, so the Shadow Guard will not be far away. You must get out of here now.”
I whirled around in a complete panic. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t leave Snow to the guards. What if they killed her?
“Leave me,” Snow said. “Your life is far more important.”
Terror welled up in my chest, and I turned to run, but two more guards were coming out of the trees behind me.
I was surrounded.
“There is no use trying to run, milady,” said the gruff voice of one black-toothed guard. He grinned manically at me.
I took a step back and felt something sharp prick my back.
“Don’t move,” said another guard from behind me. I couldn’t see his face, but they all seemed to look the same: dirty, filthy, matted hair, black uniforms, and even blacker grins.
From the corner of my eye, I could see the bushes rustling. What else was out there?
I heard a low growl, and before I realized what was happening, a massive, lion-like creature with a mane of rich gold and deep red wings came leaping out of the darkness of the forest, its sharp teeth flashing in the moonlight. It had a jagged, spiked tail and the face of a man. I recognized the mythological creature from a picture I had seen in a book at my school library.
I froze in my tracks: a manticore!
It snarled, showing multiple rows of razor-sharp fangs, and pounced on the guard who had a sword to my back.
I heard more growls and screaming, but I didn’t look back. I ran for the trees, and I saw Snow moving toward me, free; the other two guards who had been holding her now had their swords out and were advancing on me. I tripped over a fallen tree limb and hit my shin. The pain didn’t register as I got up and tried to reach Snow.
I needn’t have moved at all, as the manticore flew over me and attacked the two guards, ripping out the throat of one and pouncing on the other, slashing his arms and legs with its deadly tail. I looked on in alarm as the guard screamed and tried to get away, but the creature tore out his throat with its razor-sharp teeth. The rest of the guards lay unconscious or dead on the ground around us.
I was rooted to the spot. Would the manticore turn on me now? I had no idea why it was here.
“Do not be afraid, little one,” said Snow calmly in my head. “You have nothing to fear from this creature. He is a friend and a protector; he came only because you were in trouble. All the creatures of the fae are loyal to your family.”
I stole a glance at the manticore. He was sitting on his haunches and did not move, looking straight at me with startling gold eyes full of intelligence. His fangs still dripped blood, much to my dismay, but his eyes looked kind and full of anguish.
I looked at the dead bodies strewn about the forest clearing, and I started to feel sick. I moved toward a tree and retched, but as I hadn’t eaten anything, there was nothing much to throw up. I wiped my mouth as best I could with the sleeve of my dress; it was disgusting, but I couldn’t help it.
I turned to see the majestic creature still watching me. There was something about him that was comforting, and I moved forward. The manticore must have been startled, because he stood up and started walking away.
I watched his furry, gold body move slowly toward the darkness of the trees, his lethal tail swishing behind him. He stopped once and turned to look at me before spreading his great, leathery wings and flying off into the shadows of the vast mountain range.
I let out a deep breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding. “Where did that creature come from?” I got onto Snow’s back, this time with the help of a rock that I used as a mounting block. For the first time, I realized how inconvenient it was riding in a dress, as my legs were exposed, but I figured it was really not the time or the place for modesty and settled myself between the pegasus’s powerful wings.
“The manticore is an ancient fae creature,” Snow explained. “There are not many left, especially in these parts, but they have been seen in these mountains before. They are born of fae magic, so it could sense who you were and came to help.”
I wondered what other creatures lived in these mountains, but I didn’t want to stick around and find out. I concentrated on holding on as Snow cantered across the open space, spread out her massive wings, and soared into the air.
We flew over the Cascade Mountains toward Eldoren and Silverthorne Castle. I could not believe what I was doing: riding a magical winged horse, running from the mysterious Shadow Guard, becoming friends with the fae, meeting manticores in the forest, and heading toward a family I had never met before. How my life had changed. But I had to admit I was apprehensive. What if they didn’t like me? What if they didn’t want to help me? What if . . . ?
My thoughts were cut short as the sun rose over the mountains to the east, and I watched the magical land of Avalonia stretch out before me as far as the eye could see. We glided over the Cascade Mountains, which marked the boundary between the kingdoms of Illiador and Eldoren, and I was immediately mesmerized.
The land ahead was covered in wild, lush green grass. Sprays of delicate, lavender-pink blooms, yellow blossoms in lemon and gold, and fiery-red clusters of wildflowers undulated down into the waiting meadows of the valley beyond. It was the most wonderful sight I had ever seen as the sky turned a gleaming gold, throwing its warm glow on everything it touched. Rolling hills with vibrant fields and pastures, working farms, massive estates, and small villages speckled the countryside. To the right was an emerald green wood, which stretched out to the hills beyond.
In the center of the valley stood what looked like a little hill. At the very top was a magnificent castle, its tall towers glistening in the sunlight as they stretched effortlessly toward the sky. Pristine white flags, each decorated with a single bluebell, fluttered from the castle turrets. Around it, a huge, walled town sloped down the hill in concentric circles and spread out into the valley below. Sunlight glinted off the tops of the tallest trees of the forest, and the whole valley was bathed in its warm blanket.
“This is Fairlone,” said Snow in my mind as we flew over the large bustling town with broad cobbled streets and paved paths. A great wall surrounded it, with four massive wooden gates and fortified gate towers. “This whole valley belongs to the Duke of Silverthorne.”
The inner town was highly protected by another wall that ran in a circle around the castle. We flew around the castle and the town once, and no one looked up, which was a relief, since I was quite sure that even here, a pegasus was a rare creature.
As we glided closer to the magnificent castle on the top of the hill, I glanced down to see wide stone archways, whitewashed buildings, and large, well-kept houses lining the cobblestone streets. Elegant shops and colorful street sellers brightened the main avenue. The buildings were big and ornate with tiled roofs and brightly colored walls.
It was morning, and well-dressed people bustled around fancy shops going about their everyday errands. The men were smartly attired in well-tailored doublets and hose, wearing richly bordered, thick cloaks that swirled about them as they walked. Many wore swords on their belts and some rode on prancing horses. The women were dressed in beautiful silks and plush velvet, opulently embroidered dresses, hooded mantles, and luxurious cloaks. Some were driven about in small, one-horse open carriages.
We flew out of the sky and descended into the stone courtyard of Silverthorne Castle.
I was still a little disoriented after my long flight on Snow’s back as I looked around. The castle was massive and full of activity. The guards spotted us as soon as we landed in the center of their castle courtyard and sounded the alarm. Within seconds, numerous soldiers surrounded us, pointing sharp, gleaming spears in my face.
The Duke
Archers had poste
d themselves at regular intervals on the castle walls, and all the arrows were pointing right at me.
I pushed my shoulders back and tried to sound like I knew what I was doing. “I want to meet the Duke of Silverthorne.”
“So does half the kingdom,” said a guard with flaming red hair.
“And the other half is plotting his downfall,” said another.
“What’s your business here?” the red-haired guard growled, still pointing his spear at me.
“Um,” I hesitated. “Tell him . . . tell him that his niece is here.” What else could I say? How was I supposed to explain myself?
The guard shook his head, not believing my story for a second. “The duke doesn’t have a niece.”
A booming voice sounded across the courtyard. “What is all this commotion about?”
The guards jumped but held their spears in place.
“Who is this?” said a big, burly man with salt-and-pepper hair, his voluminous, cerulean cloak billowing in the wind as he came striding down the broad stone steps into the castle courtyard. He was wearing a silver breastplate and had a massive sword strapped to his hip. I wondered if this was my granduncle, the duke.
“Captain,” said the red-haired guard, standing up straighter. “She says she wants to see the duke, says she’s his niece.”
The captain’s eyes narrowed as he walked toward me. “Does she now?”
Snow stamped her hoof and snorted, but he did not even flinch.
He stretched out his hand to help me off the pegasus. “Declan Raingate, captain of the duke’s guard, at your service, my lady.”
He seemed a gentleman, and his brown eyes were kind. I took his hand and jumped off Snow. “Thank you,” I said, straightening my skirt and smoothing my hair, which resembled a bird’s nest after all that flying.
Captain Raingate turned to one of the guards. “See that the pegasus is well housed in the main stables.”
“Right away, sir,” said the red-haired guard, scurrying to do the captain’s bidding.
“Follow me,” Captain Raingate said, turning to walk up the steps to the castle. “I will take you to the duke.”
The guards all straightened their spears and retreated to their posts. The archers put away their bows and returned to their jobs on the battlements. I was relieved. Silverthorne Castle was a fortress; Oblek and Morgana would have a hard time getting to me here. I already felt much safer.
I followed Captain Raingate up the great, white stone steps, through the big wooden doors, and into the castle. We walked down drafty stone corridors and up a wide spiral staircase in one of the towers. Captain Raingate knocked once on a stout oak door and opened it without waiting for a reply.
“Can’t a man get any work done around here?” An old and distinguished-looking man with white, shoulder-length hair and a clipped white beard looked up from his desk and put down his quill. He wore a midnight-blue velvet dressing gown lined with intricate silverwork. He looked up. “There always seems to be something that needs my attention.”
The duke’s study was a large, high-ceilinged room lined with oak beams, but it was bright and airy with immense windows, which were hung with rich crimson and gold velvet curtains. Exotic rugs covered the cold stone floors, and beautiful but slightly faded tapestries lined the walls, all depicting scenes with different fae creatures—unicorns, dragons, pixies, flower-fairies, and beautiful, lush green forests.
“My apologies for disturbing you at this time of the morning, Your Grace.” Captain Raingate bowed. “But the matter is of some importance.”
The duke finally noticed me, and I thought I saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes; then, just as quickly, it was gone. His eyes narrowed. “And you are?”
I held his gaze. “My name is Aurora, and I think you are my unc—”
“Thank you, Declan, but I will speak with this one alone.”
The captain of the guard bowed once and left the room.
The duke sat at a mahogany desk in an extra-large chair. He gestured for me to sit down opposite him.
“Now, what is all this really about?” His tone was stern and his wise blue eyes shone questioningly, as if he were trying to piece together a puzzle.
“Well.” I hesitated as I sat down on the offered chair, clasping my hands together in my lap.
I wasn’t exactly sure what I should say. I decided to keep it short. But it came out in a jumbled mess. “It turns out that you are my granduncle, and my aunt, Queen Morgana, wants me dead. I have nowhere to go and no way to get back home, not that I really have a home anymore.” I paused, wondering if I should say more. “That’s about the gist of it.”
The duke studied me carefully and narrowed his eyes. “I think you’d better start again, from the beginning.” He peered at me from under his big, bushy eyebrows as if he knew exactly what I was talking about. He didn’t seem surprised.
I proceeded to recount the full story. When I finished, the duke was quiet, and he was still looking at me very sternly.
“You do look a lot like Azaren,” he said finally, his eyes going slightly misty. “But we can never be too careful. I have, on occasion, heard stories that Elayna and Azaren’s child had somehow escaped the massacre at the Star Palace, and once there was even a rumor that the princess had been found in Brandor.” He assessed me again. “Of course, she was brought to me.”
“And?” I urged him to go on.
“And she was an imposter, of course.”
I sat on the edge of my seat and wiped my sweating hands on my skirt. “How could you tell?”
“You will find out all you need to know in good time, but first, we need to test you to see if it’s true that you are the child of Azaren and Elayna, and not some shapeshifter sent by Lucian to deceive us.”
“Shapeshifter!” I said, jumping up from my chair. “You think I am a shapeshifter? This is getting more and more absurd every minute.”
The last two days had taken their toll on me, and I had hardly slept since this all began. Now, when I was starting to believe all this nonsense myself, my granduncle, who seemed to be the only one who could help me, didn’t seem to believe me either.
I couldn’t help myself as the words tumbled out of my mouth. “I was taken from my home and my world in the middle of the night, thrown in a dungeon, barely escaped with my life, and fled from the Shadow Guard, who want to take me to Morgana.” I paced and waved my hands around as I spoke.
I threw a dark look at my granduncle. “Two days ago my biggest problem was trying to stay away from my nasty cousin Cornelia, who suddenly doesn’t seem so horrid after all, especially after I found out about my aunt in this world, who wants me dead.”
I took a deep breath and went on. “I just want to go home, but I don’t have anywhere to go. My adoptive parents are dead and so are my real ones. I have no family, no friends, and no one cares what happens to me.”
I sat back down in my chair and bent over, holding my head in my hands. I had come to the end of the road. I had never felt so alone, so helpless and at a loss as to what to do next.
Suddenly, all the loneliness and despair of my life that I had bottled up for all these years came rushing back. This was worse than the hollow feeling in my chest when I realized I was adopted and thought that my real parents never wanted me. It brought back a flood of memories. The years of waiting for the day when my parents would return and sweep me away to a beautiful, loving home surrounded by my real family. And the day I finally realized that they were never coming back. I couldn’t help releasing the tears that splashed down my face. Wrenching sobs racked my body. I couldn’t stop crying, and I wept for what seemed like hours but was probably just a few minutes.
When I finally lifted my head and pulled myself together, the duke was smiling. I dried my eyes with the handkerchief he very politely handed to me.
“Thank you.” I was embarrassed at my watery outburst. The duke must have thought I was nothing more than a scared child who cried every time life
seemed too hard.
The duke came over and put his hand on my shoulder. “Everything happens for a reason, and nothing is an accident. It is all part of a much larger divine plan.” His tone was kind. “When difficulties come, we must see them as what they are—opportunities and a new path to discover your potential. How will you ever know the magnitude of your courage if you have never experienced the hopelessness of fear?”
I nodded and tried to act like like he made perfect sense, but frankly, at the moment, it wasn’t helping.
After I had finally composed myself, the duke clapped his hands together. “Now, about the test. It’s only a simple one. Every mage has a specific magical essence, and I can touch your mind and read yours.”
I must have looked as alarmed as I felt, because the duke quickly tried to reassure me. “Now, my dear, you must not be worried. I would never delve into your private thoughts. That would be considered the height of rudeness in our world, since a lot of us can talk by mind contact.”
My brows knitted together. “We have phones for that.”
The duke laughed. “Yes, it is quite a mystery how you came to be brought up in a different world. I have traveled there on occasion myself for some work. Didn’t like it much, though.” He chuckled to himself.
I smiled at that. I wondered what he had been doing, wandering around other worlds. Were there more gateways like the one I came through?
Finally he stopped laughing and leaned back in his chair. “I do believe you have traveled here from a different world, and the tapestry you have described is the last of its kind, although there are many other ways to travel to your land. But whether you really are the child of Elayna and Azaren remains to be seen.”
I nodded, clasping my hands together in my lap.
His eyes narrowed as he regarded me from under his bushy eyebrows. “If you are truly of Azaren’s bloodline, I will know. But you must not fight me. I would not want to hurt your mind in any way.”
I didn’t particularly like the thought of someone poking around in there. “What are you going to do to me?”
The Last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 1) Page 8
