1

The steady beat of Raven’s wings and the wind were the only sounds as they glided across the moonlit world. The mountain air raked numbing tendrils across Zelia’s skin and dread sank its claws into her. The Drakeon Empire is under attack. The words rang in her head over and over again. Linithion has to be okay.

Soothing emotions pulsed down her incomplete bond to Raven, though Zelia still caught the undertone of unease. Even Gaeru was quiet behind her, which was out of character for the boisterous warrior.

The last stone of the mountain faded away behind them, and Zelia caught a whiff of smoke. Wisps of it began clouding the air like fog. “Raven? Do you—”

“Yes, I smell it too.”

“Orvi,” Zelia called the young dragon’s name and did her best to calm the panic that was quickly taking hold.

“We’re still too far out, even for dragon tongue. Just take a deep breath, I’m sure Linithion and Orvi are fine.” Raven flew a little faster.

A warm hand rubbed her arm. “Are you alright?”

“No. Something’s wrong.”

Gaeru’s bulk shifted behind her and she knew he was scanning the ground below and the land ahead. Then he patted her arm. “Save your adrenalin for once we get there.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly in a silent request for her to do the same.

She took that first deep breath and then another. But as smoke continued to scent the air, she couldn’t stop her racing thoughts. What if Linithion’s hurt? I… we should have left earlier, let Donequen announce King Gregory’s death. Donequen would have been fine on his own, but Linithion… What if she was hurt or worse? Would I even know? Koin knew when Leena died, but we haven’t made our soulmate bond official. She clinched her thumb over the silver ring on her index finger, as though holding the inanimate object tighter could help her will Linithion to be safe.

“Hey, that little Elven Princess of yours is a lot tougher than you’re giving her credit for.” Gaeru wrapped an arm around her, giving her a comforting hug. “Besides, of all the places for the Fenari to attack, the Drakeon Empire is one of the most prepared.”

“We’ve also been the driving force behind all of this, and we staged the rescue mission from there. I shouldn’t have left her, them, there alone.”

“Zelia,” Gaeru warned. “You’re letting that new bond between you and Linithion do the talking. Think with your head instead of your heart. You’ve been seeing these attacks that affect your loved ones coming, and if you didn’t see this one…”

“She should be fine.” Zelia took a shaky breath. “She’s fine. They’re fine.”

“That’s right and we’ll be there to help soon enough.”

~~

The faint outline of the heart of the Elven city came into view through the smoke as Raven called, “Orvi?”

“Linithion and I are fine,” Orvi’s reply came. “I’ll clear a spot for you to land.”

“Thank you dear. See Zelia, I told you they were alright.”

“Don’t play that way. I could feel your worry, too,” Zelia thought to Raven.

As they broke below the screen of smoke, Zelia’s heart dropped to her stomach. What had once been a great sprawling city was in shambles. Most of the stone buildings were half gone and others had chunks of walls missing. Rubble covered every path and clearing in sight. Even the trees along the edges of the city leaned over at odd angles. 

Then there were the bodies of both Elves and Fenari. So many. There were so, so many.

A lone Elf stood near the patch of ground Orvi had cleared for Raven to land. Loboran’s hand rested on the sword at his side, his usual Elven glow a dim reflection of what it normally was.

“Where is she? And Starling?” Zelia slid off Raven. Her legs screamed at her as she hit the ground, but she ignored them. She had to see for herself that Linithion was alright.

“They’re both fine.” Exhaustion laced Loboran’s words, even as his gaze swept over Gaeru.

“When did…” She gestured to the rubble covered ground around them.

“Early this morning.” Loboran turned and headed towards a building that was mostly untouched. “We managed to drive them off. We’re trying to figure out who all they took and who…” He glanced towards the body of an Elf she didn’t recognize and what little glow he still had left dimmed even further. “We were eating breakfast when they broke the wards on the outer walls.”

Zelia followed him into the building, only realizing as they passed the threshold that it was the dining hall. All the tables had been pushed against the walls and Linithion stood at the far end surrounded by candles and Elves.

She froze at the sight of the Queen. Blood, both blue and red, colored her clothes and hair. Still, she was whole.

Zelia’s feet moved of their own accord. Linithion was lost in the contents of the paper she held. She didn’t even notice Zelia until she was close enough to feel the slight warmth that radiated off her soulmate.

Linithion’s green eyes locked with Zelia’s and the paper she held slipped from her fingers. “May we have a moment?”

The Elves around her, Erolith’s advisors, stepped away and Zelia pulled Linithion into a hug. Some of the tension in her shoulders eased as she breathed in Linithion’s pine forest scent. She smelled of blood and death too, but none of that mattered so long as she was alright.

Linithion shook with swelling emotions and Zelia willed herself to be the anchor her soulmate so desperately needed. “I love you,” Zelia whispered, unsure of what else she could say.

“I love you too. We—” Linithion’s voice cracked and she swallowed. “We got lucky today. Things could have been so much worse.” Linithion pulled back to look Zelia over. “I’m glad you’re back. We’re moving our people to Elyluma as soon as everyone’s able to travel and we’ve…” Linithion glanced to someone holding a list, one Zelia guessed contained the names of those who were killed.

“What can I do to help?”

Linithion glanced around the room, as though unsure what task she herself should tackle next. “I got word earlier that our ship was on the horizon. Would you take a barge, hide the ship back in the cave, and bring them and whatever supplies they have left back here? I can’t leave right now, but Starling should be able to get the vines to take care of the boat. We should have the pyres ready mid-morning.”

“I’ll return with them as quickly as possible. Gaeru,” Zelia called, knowing the warrior was close behind her, “would you help here? Then we’ll see about getting you set up to go to the Mountains of the Old Ones.”

“Of course,” Gaeru said and she felt his attention shift to someone else.

“Don’t bother with the effort to cut down trees, just get their bodies ready and I’ll help burn them when I get back. Alright?”

There was a distant look in Linithion’s eyes as she nodded, and Zelia could feel her soulmate’s exhaustion. She’d likely spent her magic pushing the Fenari back, and probably hadn’t stopped for so much as a breath since breakfast.

“Don’t forget to eat and rest some.”

“When you get back, I’ll rest then, before we head north. I sent a bird to find Vainoff, and one to Banon to tell them what happened and warn the Wolfbloods we’ll be passing through . I’m hoping he’ll send someone to guide us. I think Multly will stay with them, and Vainoff will meet up with us on the way.” Linithion shook her head and the tired haze in her eyes ebbed back the slightest bit. “We’ll talk more when you get back.”

“Alright.” Zelia was reluctant to leave, especially so soon, but Starling led her away as Linithion jumped into the next task.

 

2

The barge pushed off, leaving Linithion behind to deal with the utter destruction of her home. Some buildings still smoked, and Elves picked through the rubble, collecting the bodies of the dead. There was so much that needed to be done, yet Zelia stood on a barge floating away from it all.

Starling brushed his shoulder against hers. “She’ll still be there when we get back.”

“How is she? How has she been?”

“She’s coping. She was worried about you and then this morning…” Starling sank to sit on the barge floor as two other Elves guided them down river. “We barely managed to fend the Fenari off today and I got the feeling that today was a warning, backlash for us retrieving Terik.”

Zelia sat beside him and used the time to stretch her legs and ankles. Her body was still so weak compared to what it had been, too weak to be plunging into this war already. “Do you think we even have a shot at winning this?”

“Yes, but it isn’t going to be easy and we’re going to lose more kin. We’re all going to lose kin.”

“Koin, Eleanor, and Eadon plan on leaving all of us when this is done.” Her chest was hollow with the knowledge that even if they won, she and Linithion would still lose their family.

Starling pulled her to him, until she leaned against him. “They haven’t left you yet, cherish the time you have with them. Eleanor has offered for all of us to move there since the Fenari destroyed our wards, so you’ll have more time with them.”

“What do wards matter if they don’t actually protect us?”

“They give us time to gather and put up shields. Plus, they sent more Fenari than I’ve seen since the old wars. It ended up being Orvi who scared them off. Did you know she could manipulate energy fields?”

“No. Raven didn’t seem to be able to do that. She could see their energy, but she didn’t manipulate anything when we defended Coridale.”

“Perhaps it’s because Orvi’s a dragon and hydra hybrid then.”

“Kniteoff did make it seem as though she was valuable, perhaps even more than me. I know she’s a dream walker, but I never thought about her being able to manipulate energy.”

“Well, we’ll have to work out a way to teach her. She’s obviously a threat to the Fenari and we’ll need every edge we can get.”

“Let’s add that to my ever-growing list of things to do.”

“Have you been following Donavain and Yalif’s instructions about stretches and exercising?”

Zelia grimaced. “As much as I’ve been able to. I pushed myself too far the day before last. I didn’t even bother taking off my boots before falling onto a bed.”

“Onto? Not into?” He raised a brow at her. “Well, you have time to stretch now, so hop to.”

“You’re worse than Loboran.”

“Hm, I’ll have to tell him he’s been slacking off.”

~~

By the time she’d worked through her lengthy list of stretches and exercises, they had reached the coast. Zelia couldn’t help but stare at the not one, not two, but three dragons that circled the ship. She should have expected Elm and Evergreen, but she didn’t know the third one. That one looked remarkably like Raven, down to her black scales and broad head. It landed on the rocky beach beside the barge and sniffed at her.

“You are Raven’s rider?” The dragon’s words were half a question and half a statement.

“I am…”

“Raven’s mate was my brother. Stardust told me he thought she’d end up here.”

“She’s here. Well, back up stream… but yes.”

“I didn’t know we were picking up dragons too.” Starling stared up at the two green dragons that circled.

“I didn’t really think about that either. I should have expected Evergreen to come with Kafthry.”

“Well, you have had a lot on your plate lately.”

“Did she not tell you of me?”

“Um…” Zelia thought back to the conversation she’d had with Raven about Donequen becoming a rider. Raven had mentioned her mate’s brother, but she hadn’t said they’d looked so much alike. “We talked about you in passing. I don’t recall if she told me your name though.”

“That’s probably because my name is…” a gargled mix of growling noises sounded in Zelia’s mind and made her feel cross eyed. The dragon chuckled, the action blowing a warm fog in her face. “My mother wasn’t very good with names. You can call me Grono.”

Grono? Zelia smiled. “You’re the one who helped Orvi learn to fly.”

Grono hummed a note of amusement. “Yes.”

The Elven ship eased up near the rocks and Starling began playing the little flute he had borrowed on their way to the barge. The vines grabbed the ship and pulled it up to the mouth of the cave before pulling the barge level with the ship’s deck.

Saria was first to the ship’s edge and she paused to look her brother up and down. “Starling? What’s happened?”

“The Fenari attacked this morning.”

“What?” Alrindel leapt over the ship’s rail. He was nearly to Zelia when he too paused to look her over.

“I’m fine. Linithion’s fine. I wasn’t there when it happened, but a lot has happened.”

“Like why are you not both on Hyperia?”

“Terik got taken by the Fenari and then…” Zelia swallowed, debating where to start. “Erolith sacrificed himself in the process of saving Terik and then I had to kill King Gregory the night before last and—”

“Erolith’s dead?” Saria asked.

“Yes. He gave Linithion and me his blessing and then made me leave him, made me leave him there with the Fenari.”

“You know that was his choice and you were in no condition to argue,” Starling said.

“Still…” She shook her head and fought against the looming wave of emotions that threatened to crash down on her.

Alrindel pulled her into a tight hug, as though he could shield her from it all. “If Erolith sacrificed himself, there’s a reason and you need to trust his judgement.”

“But Linithion, and now this…” She tried to pull away, but Alrindel tightened his grip on her.

“We’ll rebuild,” Saria said.

“No,” Starling’s voice was barely more than a whisper. “We’re moving to Elyluma, the Fenari broke all of our wards and they’ll take too long to rebuild.”

“The attack was that bad?”

“Yes. Most of the walls and buildings are gone, and they weren’t done counting the dead when we left. Some of our best warriors are among the dead and missing.”

Zelia shuddered in Alrindel’s grasp and he wrapped his cloak around her, pulling her into his warmth. No one had given her details of what had happened that morning, but the way Starling’s glow dimmed even now, in the presence of his sister, there was a reason no one had given her details. Starling had taken her the long way to the docks, probably to avoid where the bodies were densest.

“So, what happened with Gregory?” Alrindel pulled back far enough that he could meet her gaze.

She couldn’t meet his gaze, though, not as guilt washed through her for what she had done, for how she had done it. “He attacked us. He and his eldest son were losing their minds. They shot a friend from Hyperia who had been helping them.”

“What were you even doing there?”

“Donequen and I stopped at the Kingdom of the Mountains on our way to deal with King Eadwine’s rejection of rune weapons in Coridale, because his people have been getting taken and he still refused.”

“Donequen? That boy from Hyperia? The one that hugged you?”

“Yes. He’s a member of the guild now, Zivu sent him. Now he’s playing regent until I can get Skylar there.”

“Oh? You hear that Skylar? Sounds like Zelia just made you king.”

There was a grumble behind Alrindel and then something heavy dropped onto the barge. “Great, just what I wanted, to be king while the Fenari attack.”

Zelia rubbed the silver ring on her index finger as she stepped around Alrindel, so she could see her brother of sorts. He had just dropped a barrel on the barge and was leaning on the ship’s rail. “I would relieve you of the throne, but I can’t rule there and be at Linithion’s side.”

Skylar’s lips pursed as he looked at her hand, then shook his head. “I should have known it. I leave you two alone together for a few weeks and you go and get betrothed. So, who asked whom?”

“That’s Starling’s ring.” Saria turned to her brother. “You two bound yourselves to them?”

Starling shrugged. “They needed a little push. Besides, they fit them better than Loboran and me.”

“You two are certainly enablers. Did you two do this before or after Erolith gave his blessing?”

“After. We like our heads attached, thank you.”

“Oh, he wasn’t that bad,” Zelia said, though she certainly wouldn’t have asked without his blessing. Heck, she wouldn’t have asked without Loboran and Starling’s intervention even after she had his blessing.

A throat cleared and they all turned to the Elf who’d guided the barge down river. “Sorry to interrupt, but all the barges are to be loaded with supplies before morning, and um…” He looked towards Grono and the other two dragons.

“We’ll fly,” Kafthry said as he finally made an appearance from somewhere below deck. “We have a bit of food left that we can move over.”

“Good, some of the buildings we stored winter food supplies in were destroyed.”

“At least someone here can stay on task,” Starling said and jumped onto the ship. “Come on! The sooner we get this done the sooner we can get back.”

Zelia sighed and stepped to the side so she wouldn’t be in the way. She honestly wasn’t sure why she had come, it wasn’t like she could help with the supplies and Starling could have given them news of what had happened.

“Maybe you’re here because of us,” Evergreen said as he landed on the small clearing over the cliff face. “How are Raven and Orvi?”

“Yes, why isn’t Raven with you?” Grono asked.

“She got hurt a few days ago, so I’m trying to limit the strain on her ribs as much as possible.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s going over splendidly.”

“Yeah, it’s going about as well as could be expected, especially since we had to return from across the mountains.”

“Mountains? There are mountains nearby?” There was so much excitement in Grono’s tone that she could feel it as though she were connected to him rather than Raven.

“There are…” Zelia was tempted to mention Donequen, but decided she should let Raven talk to Grono first.

“That’s the last of it,” Kafthry announced as he dropped one last crate onto the barge. “So, who’s riding Dragons and who’s taking the barge?”

“Hm…” Grono hummed a note in Zelia’s mind, “You may ride me if you like. I wish to see Raven sooner rather than later and won’t see you left.”

“You do look exhausted, Zelia,” Elm said. “We could each take two riders, which would also make the barge lighter.”

“Who would you like to ride you then, Elm?” Zelia asked aloud so the others could hear her.

“I may have taken a liking to Saria…” Elm said and Zelia could have sworn he blushed, if dragons possessed the ability.

“So, Saria and?”

“Starling can ride with me,” Saria said and gave her brother a pointed look.

“Ask Skylar to ride with us, something tells me he’ll be riding with me again soon enough,” Grono said.

“Alright, so Alrindel will ride with Kafthry and Skylar will ride Grono with me.”

“So that’s what his name is?” Skylar asked.

“The name that I can pronounce at least.”

Grono made an amused grumbling noise behind her and settled closer to the barge so they could climb on.