demanded.
Drustan hesitated for a second. “Follow me,” he said, walking past Alcander and heading towards the falls.
Once clear of the water, the group climbed the grassy slope to the top of the falls. The sun was just peeking over the horizon.
“Look there,” Drustan said pointing to the north.
Illuminated by the sun’s rays was a jagged piece of mountain poking through the fabric of the illusion. Without knowing what it was, it looked like a mountain peak was floating in the clear blue sky, with nothing to support it, over the desolate landscape to the north.
“What is going on?” Alcander whispered.
“That is where we are from, the other side of those mountains. The illusion is fading as the magic that kept us trapped behind them fades.”
No sooner had the words left Drustan’s mouth than the craggy peak began to disappear.
Emane sighed in relief. Eleana was already repairing the illusion. He had no idea what state the world would be in on this side of the mountain. The thought of it all filtering through the pass into Meros was terrifying.
“That is enough,” Alcander sputtered, trying to regain his composure. “That is enough. We are waking her up and she will explain everything.”
Drustan put his hand on Alcander’s shoulder. “It is a long story, one that I would rather tell only once. How long will it take us to reach Lomay?”
Alcander coldly eyed the hand on his shoulder until Drustan removed it.
“You know she is the Solus,” Emane said. “Why does it matter what we are?”
“I am sure Kiora will tell you when she wakes,” Drustan reassured him.
Alcander huffed in annoyance. “It is only a day by air to get to Lomay. But if we travel by land it will take three to four, depending on how many things we need to avoid.” Tilting his head he asked, “So, Shifter, how will you transport us?”
Drustan’s eyes narrowed. “You have yet to ask if I will transport you at all.”
Alcander raised an eyebrow. “You maintain your freedom?”
“I am quite free.”
“Very well, Shifter, how will we go? By air or by land?”
“I will fly us.”
“Then we will leave as soon as you’re ready.” Alcander leapt nimbly down the hill to the base of the falls, Drustan and Emane following suit. He reached out his hand, parted the water, and allowed Emane to pass through ahead of him. Dropping the water back in place, he turned to Drustan. “Oh, and Shifter . . . I would not go around announcing your freedom or you might lose it.”
“Alcander.”
“Yes?”
“I have a name, and it is not Shifter.”
Alcander smirked. “Very well, Drustan. But I am warning you, you may prefer Shifter when you hear what Lomay has to say about your kind.” He parted the water with a wave of his hand, distracted by the chuckling from over his shoulder. “What?” Alcander demanded.
“Nothing, Tavean, I just noticed your water-parting is less dramatic than the one we saw earlier.”
Alcander shook his head in disgust, stepped through the water, and dropped it before Drustan could get through.
Alcander wasn’t but a few steps down the hall when an otter burst out of the water, still laughing in Drustan’s hearty tone. “Touchy, aren’t we?” Drustan said, dragging himself onto the rocks before shifting back to his normal form.
CHAPTER FIVE
The Canyon
THEY HAD BEEN FLYING in silence for hours. Drustan’s Pegasus head swiveled constantly from side to side, taking in the landscape. The tension had been thick when Kiora had finally woke to find the horses released and Emane, Drustan, and Alcander silently waiting for her.
Below them, deep canyons carved their way through the land. Kiora had seen a river earlier, but it seemed to have vanished. Looking closer she saw evidence that multiple rivers had once carved their way through here, but over time had vanished. Some had left deep canyons, while others were nothing more than small fissures in the rock.
Finally breaking the silence, Alcander asked, “You have promised to tell me what you are.”
Kiora smiled. “Human.”
There was a very long pause. Kiora didn’t bother to look back at Alcander; she could imagine his expression.
“What?” Alcander asked.
“Human,” Kiora repeated. “Emane and I are both human.”
She heard Alcander take a deep, slow breath through his nose. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to calm himself or come to terms with what she had just said.
“Human,” Alcander repeated. “That is not possible. The legends say humans are non-magical Witows.”
“Most humans are,” Kiora said calmly, enjoying the feeling of the wind whipping through her hair.