not sure what it is, Rikky. A bladder bag with a tube to drink from, maybe, but the map I drew on the other side is for Herald.
“It’s almost time for the attack,” Rikky said. “I’m going to wake Jenka. Mysterian said that the witches would get Zahrellion from the temple if we kept the sky clear of Sarax. She claims to know the temple well, and she and some of the witches are with Herald, but still, I’ll take this to them before we fly into battle.”
I can’t fly,
Lemmy said.
I need to be let off near where Jenka and I crept up…here.
He pointed out the place on the map he’d drawn.
“If we leave after I eat, I can get you there, and toss this map to Herald before it all begins.”
“We’ll leave together,” Jenka said from the doorway. His hair was a tangled mess, but he was moving about as if he were well rested and ready for what was to come. “We’ll keep the sky clear and get Zahrellion back this day, with or without the witches and the rangers.” His tone conveyed his conviction well. “We’re going after one of our own.”
“No sense in me coming all the way down then,” Marcherion called from a place high up on the stair. “Crystal is here. All five dragons are on their pads and waiting.”
“Let’s go get the white dragon her rider back then.” Aikira dropped a clanking satchel on the floor, then started pulling gear out and strapping it to her lithe body.
Rikky was ready, so he went to the kitchen and found a pot of stew made from roasted elk, but now he was too excited to eat. While he waited on Jenka and the others, he forced a few bites down and was thankful for the sustenance.
Jenka followed Rikky and Lemmy, who were both riding Silva. The pewter dragon landed near the temple, and Lemmy slid off, just as the battle broke out elsewhere. Jade landed and Jenka slid to the ground, too.
“Lemmy, you take care of her as best you can,” Jenka pleaded.
Lemmy dropped his eyes in a look that Jenka took as ashamed. It stunned him when Lem reached over and put his hand on his shoulder.
I deceived you most of your life, and I failed to keep your witchy mother alive at the keep, Jenka
. Lemmy had tears in his eyes.
I won’t fail you again, my good-hearted friend,
the half-elvish mute voiced into the ether, before he turned and disappeared into the not so empty orchard.
“Mount up!” Rikky yelled as Silva darted in a flap-stepping run to meet the band of orcs and trolls that a huge whip-bearing ogre was driving at them.
Jenka turned and started toward his mount. Jade leaned down in anticipation, and Jenka saw for the first time a ferocious looking dragon instead of an awkward young wyrm before him. Jade was eager for battle.
This observation was further reinforced when Jenka mounted and was nearly whirled off of his bond-mate backwards. There was no running start, no two hop-stepping lurches this time. Jade took to the sky in one powerful leap.
Silva sent a blast of molten liquid goo over most of the trolls that were at the fore of the charge. The potent stuff steamed in the crisp early morning air. The ogre’s whip lashed out at Rikky, the tip snapping to a hot, crackling pop just inches away from his face. Silva banked away and Jade was there diving on the collared ogre as the whip recoiled to lash out again.
Jenka drew his sword and held on to his dragon. He sent a streaking pulse of emerald Dour at the ogre, but because his shoulder smarted, the blast went wide and destroyed an old pine in a shower of needles, snow, and flying splinters. The rush of Dour he was feeling was immense, almost debilitating at first, but he gathered himself for a second pass as Silva dove in again.
Rikky raised his hand, and a glob of shimmering magic drew in and collected on his fist. Jenka knew that Rikky’s dragon tear was clenched in that hand. He worried that his young friend would drop it as he swept around and stayed out of the range of the ogre’s whip. Rikky threw his arm forward and