month to figure out where Emane is? Are we going to let him be tortured until then?”
“Things need to take their course. Even if we knew where Emane was, Kiora is not ready to retrieve him.”
“No, she’s not,” Alcander agreed.
“Hey,” Kiora argued. “I have fought Dralazar once already. And I am stronger now.” She made it sound convincing, but she knew full well she had lucked out both times.
“I am not just worried about Dralazar,” Alcander said. “I am worried about
everything else we will run into between here and there. Lomay, I can’t prepare her any further without knowing what we are preparing for. Don’t you think it would be wise for us to know where Emane is so we can plan? Get reinforcements if necessary?”
“We have been over this before. I—”
“No, we haven’t,” Alcander interrupted. “You say the Wings prevent us from making our own choices. We have made this choice: we are rescuing Emane. We need information to prevent someone from killing the only hope we have left!” He surged to his feet. “We have waited for the Solus and the Protector for thousands of years. Watched our world wither and falter under evil. There is nothing left. Nothing! Save a few of us rebels hiding in caves and under rocks.” His voice reached a crescendo, his fists clenched at his side. “We cannot sit and wait for Dralazar to kill the Protector, nor should we allow Emane to suffer on principal. If the Wings can show us what we need, then we must use them.”
“Alcander—” Lomay began again.
“Just trust me,” he interrupted. “If you think I will jeopardize the only hope we have left, then you don’t know me very well.”
* * *
ALCANDER LED THE WAY back to the Wings.
“Thank you,” Kiora said from behind.
“Don’t thank me yet. I don’t know if it will work.” As they reached the top of the canyon, Alcander strode onto the bridge without a backward glance. Kiora stopped as the bridge swayed in the breeze. She closed her eyes, wrapping her hands around the rope and trying to focus on good memories. Emane and her, laughing at the Shifters’ celebration, where they honored Emane for receiving the magic from the mountain. She nearly grinned remembering the Shifter mouse that had danced right into her dinner plate.
“You know,” Alcander observed dryly from the other side, “the slower you go, the longer you are on that bridge.”
Her eyes fluttered open as the mouse faded away, leaving her with the ropes. “Yes, thank you.” Taking a deep breath, she hurried forward, her feet finally hitting stone. She scurried to catch up with Alcander, who had already moved on towards the watery door.
Walking through the dark Kiora asked, “Do you think we will be able to find him?” There was silence for a few minutes;, the only footsteps she heard were hers. She thought it was because he walked so silently, but within a few steps she ran into his back. “Sorry,” she murmured.
“We have to,” Alcander answered. “There is no other option.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “I can’t lose him.”
“I know.” His voice hitched in a most unexpected way. “We are almost there,” he said, abruptly changing subjects.
The sound of roaring water was getting louder with every step, and Kiora’s stomach rolled in anticipation. Once again she ran smack into Alcander.
“I thought at some point you would get tired of walking in the dark. Apparently, I was wrong.” Kiora could hear the smile in his voice. Opening her hand, she called a ball of flame. “I have no desire to repeat the last accident I had here, especially without Emane.”
She eyed the rock overhang that had sliced Alcander’s head the last time.
“Normally I would say ladies first, but if you don’t mind . . .”
“Not at all,” she said, motioning to the roaring water. He leapt in and she followed, holding her breath.
The water was just as cold as she remembered. But the trip wasn’t as terrifying, having some idea of how long it would take before she could fill her lungs. It did not, however, lesson the burn. Bursting through the surface, she sucked in mouthfuls of stale air.
The inside of the cave was the kind of dark you forgot existed, where nothing was visible, not even your own hand in front of your face. Reaching up, Kiora shot a burst of light at where she thought one of the torches hung. She missed, but it did show her where she needed to