He and Sovann met Eshshah and me as we circled high. “We have to hold them until our troops arrive, Amáne.”
I nodded.
Eshshah and Sovann folded their wings and dove from the sky. I leaned until my back nearly touched the rear of my saddle. The ground rushed up toward us at a frightening speed. At nearly ground level our dragons pulled their dive. We appeared out of the darkness as if from nowhere, to face the front line of soldiers — their eyes grew wide in shock.
Sovann belched out a large flame and took down a good portion of the front line. Eshshah swerved the other way and flamed the right leading edge. The soldiers looked about to panic and retreat. A shout from their midst commanded them to pull to order. Arrows flew in our direction. They fired blindly into the dark, but a few came quite close. One grazed my arm. I didn’t have any weapons, but my sword and dagger. They would be of no help in this battle. I wished for a shield, but wishing was pointless. All I could do was stay low against Eshshah and offer my support and what little strength I could. She dove, dodged and flamed at every pass. Our advantage was the darkness, but the light of dawn began to show its face.
Ansel had his bow. He made use of it to pick off the soldiers further back, while Sovann took care of those in front. We continued our assault as the sun rose.
At last our troops arrived. The horse soldiers were first on the scene. They engaged the enemy with a fierceness that made me proud. Ansel and I took on the battle further behind the line, to avoid flaming our own men. Our foot soldiers reached the fray and dove into the battle. We began to push the opposing troops back. Advantage tilted our way.
Sovann and Ansel circled nearby while Sovann replenished his combustion capacity. My eye caught several of Galtero’s men throwing a cover off a piece of equipment. My heart stopped. I’d seen that weapon before.
“Ansel!” I shouted, but too late.
I watched in horror as a harpoon hurled directly at him and Sovann. Eshshah threw a sharp warning. Sovann swerved. Everything seemed to happen at once. The evasive maneuver, I thought, had saved them. Before I could take a breath of relief, I cried out in anguish. The projectile sliced through Ansel’s thigh as it flew past them. I heard the sickening crack of bone as it struck. Ansel howled in pain.
The boot strap I’d warned him about could not hold the force of Sovann’s sudden action. It snapped. Ansel was thrown from the saddle. He hung upside down by the strap that secured his right boot. His leg bent in an unnatural angle. The remaining strap held him for only seconds before it reached its limit. I watched helplessly as Ansel tumbled from the sky. Of all we’d been through, I had never known the terror I felt at that moment. My mouth went dry. My scream stuck in my throat. I heard a collective moan as our troops witnessed their prince fall.
Eshshah gave me a warning as she dodged a harpoon. I looked back in time to see Sovann dive and snatch Ansel out of the air, just a short distance from the ground. His body hung limp from Sovann’s talons. Drained of all emotion, I clung to my saddle in shock.
“Amáne, snap out of it. We cannot do anything for Lord Ansel at this moment. He lives. Sovann says he lives. He’ll take Lord Ansel back to camp. There will not be a camp if we can’t stop this wave.”
I closed my eyes and shook myself to clear my head. A swift look about showed me the tide had turned. It was now our side falling back, as if our men had given up hope. They had witnessed their beloved leader carried off as though dead.
We could not allow defeat. Eshshah flew low above our troops.
I shouted at them, “He lives. Prince Ansel lives. Long live Drekinn.”
Eshshah turned and began a relentless assault against our foe. She belched flames and trumpeted a frightful roar at the enemy. Her attack destroyed the harpoon cannon. She left it in ashes, along with those manning the hateful object.
We made several passes. She flamed as I brandished my sword.
“For the crown! Long live Drekinn!” I yelled to encourage our troops.
The advantage shifted once again. Our men took heart. They joined in my chant, “Long live Drekinn,” as they pressed back against Galtero’s men.
The enemy broke rank. Confusion reigned. They scrambled in retreat. Victory assured, our soldiers full of hope, I felt the time was right to leave them to do clean-up.
Eshshah and I headed back to headquarters. My fear for Ansel returned to the forefront. We hadn’t touched the ground when I unbuckled and slid out of the saddle. I leaped down and raced to the hospital tent, Eshshah close behind, picking her way through the rows between the tents. Sovann had his head thrust in the open side of the enclosure, blocking my view.
Eshshah groaned. “Amáne, it does not look hopeful. Sovann says he may be losing him. He can’t pull him back.”
I rushed around Sovann and nearly fainted at the sight. So much blood! The vision I’d had when I spilled the wine on Ansel flashed in my head.
The camp medics huddled around him wringing their hands. They’d tried in vain to save their lord.
“No!” I screamed. I shoved them out of the way, drew my dagger and cut through the bloody wrappings around his thigh. I gasped. The bone protruded through the gash created by the harpoon. This is bad. I placed my hands on Ansel’s gaping wound as Eshshah’s healing powers joined with Sovann’s. Ansel’s muscles strained in spasms. I yelled at the helpless men to hold his ankle and pull for traction. I had to get the bones realigned — to mend enough so I could turn my attention to stop the bleeding. Had it not been for Sovann, he would have bled out already. One look at Ansel’s face and my heart sank. It was deathly pale.
“Eshshah, move in. You need to be at his leg.”
She put her head further in the tent and rested her nose next to my hands. She began her humming. I closed my eyes tight and hummed along with Eshshah. My hands began to heat. I concentrated harder. Sweat streamed down my face. I could feel the bones begin to fuse.
“Amáne,” said Sovann, “his heart is fading.”
“Then try harder, Sovann! Don’t you dare give up!”
Blisters formed on my palms as I threw my whole self into the healing. The bone was well on its way to healing when Sovann let out a sound that stopped my heart. Eshshah joined in with her keening wail. Her lament for the dead.
“No!” I screamed again.
I swung my eyes to Ansel’s face. His lips were blue. His chest did not rise. His spirit had left him. Anger flickered hot in my chest. How could you do this to me?
“Ansel Drekinn, you will not go to your ancestors! I won’t let you. You can’t abandon me now. You can’t. You can’t.” My wail joined that of our dragons.
In hysterics, I beat upon his chest. I pounded my fists over his heart with all the energy that was left in me. Arms wrapped around me, trying to pull me from Ansel. I swatted them away. Men flew backwards at the force of my blows.
“Enough, Amáne,” Eshshah entreated.
I didn’t listen, but kept up my relentless efforts to start Ansel’s heart. I didn’t know how pounding him with my fists was going to help, but in a blind fury, I continued.
“Hold,” Eshshah said. “I hear a faint beat. Amáne, you’ve called him back. Stop before you break his ribs and send him more pain.”
Ansel gasped in a great breath. His eyes opened wide. I stared in shock as life returned to his face. He grimaced and lost consciousness. But, he lived.
I laughed and cried at the same time. The medics rejoiced. Sovann’s trumpet of joy filled the camp.
I turned my attentions back to Ansel’s leg and the angry laceration. I verified our treatment had repaired the bone before I pulled the torn skin together. Eshshah, once again, joined me as I held my hands against Ansel’s thigh and concentrated my failing strength to heal him.
“Amáne, stop. Sovann and I can finish.”
Her warning came late. In my frenzy to save him, I had not paid attention to my healing powers and how they drained me. My head spun. I felt myself fall across Ansel as all went bl
ack. Eshshah’s words were the last I heard.
Someone gently stroked their fingers through my hair, soothing away my nightmarish dreams. I smiled. “Mother?”
“No, my love. It’s not your mother.”
The smile remained on my face as I opened my eyes to meet Ansel’s green eyes. Lines of worry surrounded them.
“Ansel, what are you doing up? You should be resting.” He sat on a stool next to my cot.
“I’ve had plenty of rest. Sovann and Eshshah made sure of it. All of yesterday and through the night, they kept vigil. They gave me enough treatments to heal the Canyons of Tramoren. How are you feeling?”
I sat up slowly.
“I feel rested. They must have poured their attentions on me, too. Poor things, with both of their riders down.”
“Amáne — ”
“Ansel, please don’t scold me. I was terrified. I thought you’d gone to your ancestors. I am learning my limits, but seeing you ...” I swallowed. “It was too much to bear.”
He pressed his lips together, and nodded. “Do you feel well enough to walk with me?”
“Of course.”
I pulled on my boots. Ansel took up a walking stick, and winced as he rose from the stool.
“Let me help you with —” My mouth snapped shut as he threw me a sidelong glance. “I mean, maybe you’re due for Eshshah and Sovann to give you another treatment. Your body went through too much trauma to be completely healed so soon. You have to take it slowly.”
“Let’s head to the field. They’re coming back from hunting, now.”
We made our way to the clearing where our dragons would land.
“What is it Ansel? You look like you have something you need to tell me.”
His brows knit as he took several breaths. Letting the last one out slowly, he finally spoke. “Sovann said my heart stopped.”
I nodded. The memory of my fear shot through me.
“Amáne, I’ve heard your accounts of how you visited the Other Side, the Shadows. I believe I found myself there — with my ancestors.”
I stopped mid-stride and put my hand on his arm. “Ansel,” I whispered. Only with great effort did my knees hold me.
“I saw my parents.”
My hand involuntarily tightened on his arm.
“I knew they were my parents even though I’d lost them when I was but three days old. I used to study paintings of them. Even if I hadn’t, I would have known them.”
“What did they say to you?” My voice trembled.
“My mother said to persevere, even in the face of great loss. She told me I must not lose hope, because in the end, my misfortunes will be the fire in which gold is refined.”
I gasped. “That’s nearly what my mother said to me. And then again, Senolis, the Ancient One from the Valley of Dragons, repeated a similar line.”
I paused. “What loss do you think she meant? The crown? But that can’t be. The Prophecy says that fire and water will take to air, to crown Drekinn, the rightful heir. Fire and Water is Eshshah and me. You will win the crown, Ansel. Of that I’m sure.”
“Prophecies are not written in stone, Amáne. And I don’t know of what loss she spoke.”
He gazed at me, his face difficult to read. I felt he had a sentiment on the subject that he didn’t wish to share. Something gnawed at me, but I wrapped it up and pushed it to a far corner of my heart.
“Ansel, we can’t agonize over something so ambiguous that we can only guess at its interpretation. There are too many affairs more pressing. I know it’s hard, but try to put it out of your mind. I believe it will be one of those foretellings that are uncovered only after they’ve occurred.” I reached my hand to his face and smiled in encouragement.
Our dragons flew in, saving me from Ansel’s intense stare.
“Excuse me, I have something I must say to Sovann,” I said turning away from Ansel.
I approached the beautiful gold dragon. He stood noticeably larger than Eshshah. I opened up my arms to invite his face to mine. As was my custom with Eshshah, I grabbed his fangs on either side of his mouth and pulled him close to me. Resting my forehead on his nose, I said in thought transference, “Sovann, great golden dragon, I beg your forgiveness. I should not have spoken to you so harshly when we were trying to save your rider. I’m ashamed of my disrespect. There was no excuse for it.”
“Nonsense, Amáne. There was every excuse for it. Without your passion, I fear we would have lost Ansel. You pushed me further than I thought possible. I drew from a power I didn’t know existed.”
“Love will do that,” I said.
“Your apology, though appreciated, is not necessary. I owe you my thanks for saving my rider.”
I kissed his nose and released his fangs.
Ansel joined me in front of Sovann. He reached up and scratched his dragon between the eyes.
Sovann must have conveyed the necessity for another healing treatment. Ansel shrugged and nodded. Eshshah came forward and both dragons poured their attention onto Ansel’s leg. He released an audible sigh.
Then putting his arm around me, he directed us back into camp, “Tomorrow we’ll fly to the Nunn Outpost. I need to speak with the Healer.”
We enjoyed a pleasant flight to the Nunn Outpost. I caught Ansel deep in thought throughout the ride. I wished I could ease his worry, although, I wasn’t sure what exactly it entailed.
We dismounted in the entryway. I whispered, “Sitara,” to illuminate the light shields. Eshshah and Sovann treated Ansel’s leg again. He grabbed his walking stick and we made our way to the library. His healing had gone well with both dragons pouring their attention on him. My guess was that he’ll only need a couple more days before he can abandon the crutch. I threw a longing look as we passed the doors to the bathing room.
“You deserve a hot soak, Amáne. After we contact the Healer, you should treat yourself. We can spare a bit of time. I’ll take the opportunity to search the library for maps we haven’t already seen.”
“You’re too good to me, Ansel.”
Ansel and I entered the library and moved directly to the communication device. He put his hand on the brass knob and whispered, “Gyan,” and then, “Nara.”
The glass shimmered. The Healer’s face appeared. We exchanged greetings and salutes.
“Ansel, I didn’t expect to see you. Is everything all right?” the Healer said .
He cleared his throat. “It is now. I needed to tell you in person.”
The Healer raised an eyebrow. Gallen appeared in the glass disc with a questioning look.
Ansel relayed the recent traumatic event. Gallen and the Healer’s concern increased as the story unfolded. When Ansel told them his heart stopped, the Healer paled.
“It’s only because of Amáne’s perseverance, and her healing power, along with Eshshah and Sovann, that I stand before you now. Otherwise, it would be as was agreed, Aunt Nara. You’re my next of kin. The crown would have gone to you. And, as Sovann approved, you would be his rider. ”
The four of us remained silent for a long moment. The Healer’s eyes rested on me.
I didn’t have to tell her, I had overextended myself once again. Before she could reprimand me, I said, “Healer, I’m learning my capabilities and my boundaries. The thought of what could have happened to Ansel was too horrendous. I had to give all I could.”
“Amáne, I blame myself for not making time to help you. Yours is a case that demands research. As far as I know, there were no other riders that held this gift. I do possess a small amount of healing powers, but not near to your magnitude. I’ll assign myself that task as soon as I can — for your safety.”
Her eyes held mine as she said, “I thank you once again for your sacrifice and your sense of duty.”
I nodded.
She turned back to Ansel, “I take it there’s more to your story?”
He took a deep breath before answering. “Yes. I thought you should know, I visited the Shadows, and saw my parents.”
The blood drained from the Healer’s face. Gallen’s eyes went wide.
Ansel shared what his mother told him. The Healer nodded slowly.
“What do you think she meant?” the Healer asked.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Ansel’s quick glance in my direction before he answered.
“I don’t know.” He pressed his lips together.
The Healer nodded again. “Messages from the Other Side are, at best, vague. You would do well to not waste your effort in trying to interpret her words. I’m sure her intention was not to upset you but to encourage. Take it as such.”
Gallen stepped in to change the subject. “Lord Ansel, have you had the chance to look over the map and plans Amáne delivered?”
“Yes. It was a stroke of fortune that we got our hands on this information. Galtero knows Gorria Hills Pass is the best route for our army to reach Castle Teravinea. According to the map and battle plans Duer provided, they’re mustering for an ambush. I’m sure Amáne filled you in on this when she contacted you two days ago.”
“She did. We’re waiting for our copy when Amáne comes home. It would help to see the details in the map.”
“We’re heading to Braonán’s camp after we leave here,” Ansel said. “He has the plans as well. I don’t doubt he’s already come up with some options. I’ll have Amáne make one more trip back to Avano before I send her home with reports.”
“Very well. We’ll expect her home tomorrow evening.”
Ansel and the Healer exchanged a bit more news before we signed off.
As soon as the Healer’s image faded from the glass, I gave Ansel a quick wave and rushed out to the bathing room.
I carried my boots and padded back to the library after my short but enjoyable soak. The door slid open silently. Ansel sat at a table with a leather-bound book in front of him. He paid no attention to the book, but stared at the opposite wall as if in a trance. A frown creased his forehead.
Amane of Teravinea - The Crown (The Teravinea Series Book 3) Page 20
