“With a dragon,” Conner said to the first question. “Tore the roof off the room right in the middle of a war council, then a dozen of his minions, half-dragon, half-man, descended on us and took Abigail. Anatoly was severely injured in the attack and is currently recuperating.”
“But he’ll live?”
“Yes,” Conner said.
“I’m going to find Abigail,” Alexander said. “I’ll be back as soon as I do. We’ll consider our options when I return.”
Alexander let his illusion vanish, then focused his mind’s eye on Abigail … the world flashed by and he was in a circular room with his sister—she was pacing.
She stopped midstride when he appeared in front of her.
“Alex? How?” she said.
“Magic,” he said with a shrug. “I’m not really here. Jack says hi.”
Abigail smiled for just a moment.
“How do I know you’re not a trick?”
“You don’t, but I’m not,” Alexander said.
“All right,” Abigail said, “doesn’t really matter since you can’t tell me anything anyway. Zuhl claims to have a way of getting people to answer questions … some kind of ice slug or something. It’s supposed to make you truthful and forthcoming, so don’t tell me anything that Zuhl can use.”
“Fair enough,” Alexander said. “Tell me everything I need to know about how this happened.” He motioned to her tower-room prison cell.
“Zuhl showed up at the shipyard riding a blue dragon and started killing our Sky Knights, so I flew up and cut him in half …”
“Wait, what?” Alexander said. “How did you get close enough?”
Abigail hesitated before answering. “I jumped off my wyvern.”
“What?! Abigail, that was way too risky.”
“It worked, and I made friends with the dragon. His name is Ixabrax. The problem is, it wasn’t Zuhl riding the dragon—it was a simulacrum, a copy. The real Zuhl is still very much alive.
“He attacked Fellenden city a few days ago riding another blue dragon, an even bigger one than Ixabrax.”
“How many dragons does Zuhl control?” Alexander asked.
“Six, now,” Abigail said. “He has these collars that make the dragons obey him. I used the Thinblade to cut Ixabrax’s collar. He told me that Zuhl has enslaved his whole family.”
“Do you think Ixabrax might help us?” Alexander asked.
“He might,” Abigail said with a shrug.
“What does Zuhl want with you anyway?” Alexander asked.
“He wants a book, he called it a lich book,” Abigail said. “It’s supposed to make you into an immortal undead. Zuhl says he’ll trade me for the book, otherwise he’s going to sacrifice me on the solstice to prolong his life for another year.”
“That’s two weeks from now,” Alexander said.
“I know.”
“You’re not alone,” Alexander said. “I’m going to get you out of this. I’ll be back when I get the chance. I love you, Abigail. Oh … and be more careful.”
“Love you, Alex.”
He faded into the firmament, then appeared behind Abigail’s empty chair at the council table on Fellenden.
“Abigail is alive and well, but she’s being held in Zuhl’s fortress. Report,” he said.
Conner stood and proceeded to provide a detailed report of the army’s activity since they left the Gate, finishing with this very council meeting. Alexander listened patiently.
“Congratulations on your victory against Zuhl’s forces,” Alexander said. “Unfortunately, his counterattack could take a terrible toll. Abigail will be sacrificed on the solstice unless we can help her.”
“I was just recommending an attack by a full flight of Sky Knights,” Magda said.
“You’d lose far too many if Zuhl released his dragons against you,” Alexander said.
“We’re prepared to march through the Gate,” Conner said.
“Zuhl outnumbers us by a factor of ten,” Alexander said. “We have to do this unconventionally. I have an idea but I need to consult the Guild Mage first.” He turned to Magda. “I had originally come to speak with you, Magda. May I have a few moments in private?”
Once they were alone, Alexander explained Isabel’s situation. He told her how Isabel had traveled to Karth, how she had been captured and taken to the Sin’Rath, and finally how the witches had cast a doppelganger spell in an attempt to get close enough to Phane to kill him. Magda listened intently.
“Dear Maker,” she said when he was finished. “The Sin’Rath are not entirely human. The Reishi Coven has had a long-standing agreement with them that we would not set foot on Karth if they didn’t set foot outside of Karth. Isabel has broken that treaty. There’s no telling how the Sin’Rath will react. They’re completely mad.
“By far the most immediately dangerous development is the doppelganger spell. Such magic links the two subjects of the