He was alarmed to see people carrying lanterns for light. The magic of the Keep was failing, and quickly. Without its protections, it was just stone, easily destroyed by magic.
Alexander went to his message board and saw two messages. The first confirmed his fears. It read, “Keep’s magic is failing.” The second read, “Stalemate in Buckwold—Phane’s forces growing slowly.”
Alexander found Kelvin in his workshop. The large room was lit with a number of brightly glowing stones suspended from the ceiling by string. He was busy creating more of the glow stones, presumably for use by others within the Keep.
With a flick of his mind, Alexander was in Buckwold. His father’s men had built a formidable-looking berm wall that stretched from the ocean to the foothills of the Pinnacles. It looked sufficient to blunt the initial assault of the Lancers, but it probably wouldn’t hold for long once the enemy decided to attack. He thought of Warrenton and the world flickered by for an instant, then he was over the captured city. Lancers were camped all around its walls, and ships flying the Andalian banner were docked in port. Phane was managing to get some of his men through the blockade. A closer look revealed that two wizards stood guard atop towers overlooking the port. Any attack by the Sky Knights would be met with significant resistance.
Next, he went to Crescent Bay. Zuhl had his seven enormous ships docked in his port and was busy finishing construction of his fleet. Ice floes were already blocking passage into or out of the port, so Alexander breathed a sigh of relief. Zuhl would be unable to move troops until the spring thaw. At least he had time.
He opened his blind eyes and looked to Jack with a smile.
“Abigail is well. She’s marching toward Fellenden City, and the shipyard is destroyed.”
“Thank you, Alexander,” Jack said. “I’ve been worried about her.”
Alexander stopped, frowning in puzzlement as the sensation came over him again.
“Bragador and Anja are coming,” he said.
Jack looked at him quizzically, then at the door. Several moments later, Bragador entered, trailing Anja behind her.
“Thank you,” she said, drawing the chair closer to his bed. Anja put her chin on the foot of his bed, looking at him with her big, golden, catlike eyes. “As I understand it, your wife has left. Had we known of your ship, we could have stopped her.”
“I know, but it’s probably best you didn’t,” Alexander said. “She’s succumbing to Phane’s magic.” He stopped, swallowing the lump in his throat.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Bragador said. “We tried to find the pirates who stole the keystone, but they slipped past us in the night, no doubt with the aid of magic. It seems that Phane will have his prize.”
“That leaves only one keystone,” Alexander said, “and I think I know who has it.”
“Perhaps we could be of some assistance in that regard.”
“I thought you didn’t want to get involved,” he said.
“We don’t,” Bragador said, “but it may be necessary. If what you say about this Nether Gate is true, then it cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. And the fact that Phane sent his agents to steal from us is incentive enough to work against him.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“If you’ll tell me where the final keystone is, I will send a dragon to retrieve it.”
“As I said, I think I know where it is, but I can’t be sure,” Alexander said. “I believe the Princess of Fellenden is attempting to take it to Ithilian. She’s not the enemy, but the man she’s traveling with may be. My magic tells me he’s evil, but I don’t think Lacy is aware of his true purpose.”
“Where can we find them?”
“They were in the south of Fellenden when last I looked,” Alexander said, “but they could be anywhere by now. I’ll have to look again.”
“I’ll wait,” Bragador said. “We’re anxious to rectify the situation.”
Alexander closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It took several minutes before he was free of his body again. He thought of the young woman with strawberry-blond hair and his awareness coalesced in the hold of a ship. She was sitting on a pallet in the brig with a thin, raggedy-looking blanket wrapped around her and looking miserable. Alarm coursed through Alexander as he took in the scene. She was a prisoner and she was wounded.