dragon’s wings unfolded as Alcander tapped Kiora on the shoulder. She turned and saw him mouth, “Bubble!”
It was odd not hearing the beat of the dragon wings as they lifted off, or the sound of the wind rushing past her ears. Looking down, her heart dropped at what she saw. Figures loped through the dark, lit by little bursts of magic that exploded outwards every few seconds.
They are looking for us, she realized.
Whoever it was, they were trying to flush them out, using magic to pop whatever
barriers they came across. Thankfully Alcander had insisted they camp where they did. Had they been any farther within the trees, they never would have made it out. Turning her head the other way she gasped, covering her mouth in horror. There, exquisitely lit by the moonlight, were a few who the mermaids had caught unaware. Any who had followed the urges of the mermaids’ song were being dragged under the water, blood coloring the water crimson. In the brilliant glow of the full moon, one mermaid, glamour now gone, sank her needle-sharp teeth into one victim’s face.
Kiora’s stomach lurched as she leaned forward, trying not to gag. She felt Alcander’s fingers against her cheek, sending two sharp points of magical contact into her as he gently steered her head away. Unfortunately, neither turning her head nor her deaf ears prevented her from feeling the threads go quiet.
After a few minutes of flying, Alcander put his hands over her ears, and the sound of the wind returned. Reaching over, he slammed his hand against Drustan’s side. The dragon head swiveled back, and Alcander motioned to his ears. Understanding, a pair of ears popped out of the side of his head.
“Any idea what happened back there?” Drustan asked.
“I don’t know how they found us, but they knew we were there,” Alcander said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The Manor
ALCANDER, KIORA, AND DRUSTAN stood staring at the Manor from the other side of the pond. It was beautiful. The large house was surrounded by trees painted in fantastic fall colors. It shouldn’t have been pretty, Kiora thought, not when she knew what transpired inside.
“Something is very wrong,” Alcander said, stopping Kiora as she moved to walk around the pond. “Very.” His eyes darted around from within their bubble. “They are not bubbled. No protection of any sort, and yet they have been left alone for days.”
She hesitated. She didn’t want anything to be wrong; they couldn’t afford any more delays. But he was right. The situation smacked of something unseen.
Alcander turned in a slow circle, his eyes scanning the forest. “The Shadow’s forces want two things right now. ” Alcander said, trying to piece the puzzle together. “One is sitting in that Manor. So why have they left Emane there? And why, after Dralazar stole Emane out from under their noses and made them look like fools, have they not come for him?”
“Maybe that’s exactly why,” Drustan pointed out. “Would you want to tell the Shadow what happened? Maybe they kept their mouths shut to keep themselves alive.”
Alcander crouched down, still scanning, as if the change in height would allow him to see things more clearly. “I doubt that,” he said. “The Shadow always has men in place, men who are completely loyal. Nothing in this land goes unknown.”
Kiora stared at the Manor, closing her eyes as the puzzle piece Alcander sought slid into place. The Shadow wanted two things, true. But Kiora knew full well which one of their threads would have caught the Shadow’s attention when they came through the pass. “They are leaving Emane alone because there is something they want even more.” She looked at Alcander. “Me.”
He rose to his feet, swearing. “Mother of Creators, they are doing exactly what Dralazar is doing. It’s another cursed trap.”
“Dralazar is using Emane to draw me out, and the Shadow is using Dralazar,” Kiora said.
She heard Drustan growl as the sliver of hope she had held onto, that perhaps they would not be facing the Shadow at the Manor, flitted away.
“The Shadow’s forces will be around here somewhere,” Alcander said, his eyes flicking around the clearing. “If the past is any indicator, we are probably dealing with scouts. They will be watching for Kiora. Once they spot her, they will call in the rest as needed.”
“Are you sure?” Drustan asked.
“No. But it is unlikely they would station an army to hide in the woods for an unknown. There was no guarantee you would show up here,” he said to Kiora.