device capable of capturing the soul of a shade and imprisoning it for all time?
One more item to discuss with the Guild Mage.
***
“Hello, Kelvin,” Alexander said a moment after he seemingly materialized before the Guild Mage. “I’ve learned how to project illusions over great distances, but only for a short time. Summon Lucky and Jataan, I’ll return when they arrive.”
Kelvin smiled. “Hope was becoming very thin around here, Alexander. It’s good to see you.”
“You as well,” Alexander said, fading out of sight but remaining present while awaiting his friends.
Lucky was the first to arrive. He’d regained the belly he’d lost from his travels and was flushed from his haste. Jataan entered the room several minutes later, moving stiffly and deliberately.
Alexander materialized in front of them.
“It’s good to see you all,” he said.
“Lord Reishi,” Jataan said, “we received a report from Captain Kalderson of the Reishi Protectorate Navy that you’d been killed, yet the letter he carried from Lady Reishi claimed that you’re alive but wounded on the central island of Tyr.”
“Isabel told Captain Kalderson that I was dead to convince him to take her to Karth,” Alexander said. “A wraithkin stabbed me through the leg. It’ll be a while before I’m ready to travel, but I’m safe in the care of the dragons of Tyr.”
“Bragador has accepted you into her home?” Kelvin asked, somewhat incredulously.
“I saved the life of her unborn daughter,” Alexander said. “We’ve come to an agreement.”
“Tread lightly, Alexander,” Kelvin said.
“I’m doing my best. She’s not happy with me being here, even less that I’ve befriended her daughter, but she’s agreed to give me sanctuary until I heal. Ultimately, she wants nothing to do with our conflict, but Phane might just be foolish enough to force her hand.”
“That may be his undoing,” Lucky said.
“We can only hope,” Alexander said. “She caught a ship full of assassins in her waters yesterday and sent the lone survivor back to Phane with a message to stay away. If he’s dumb enough to keep messing with her, she might just solve our problem for us—permanently.”
“Phane isn’t stupid enough to risk the wrath of several hundred dragons,” Jataan said.
“Pity,” Alexander said. “Bragador and her family could end this war overnight.”
“Don’t be too eager to get the dragons involved,” Kelvin said. “They fought in the Reishi War and it nearly wiped them out. This time they may choose to take the side of dragons against humans instead of fighting each other.”
“I hadn’t considered that,” Alexander said.
“We’ve received your messages and have begun to implement your orders,” Kelvin said. “Much has transpired since we last spoke.”
“You have no idea,” Alexander said. “I wish I had enough time to tell you everything that’s happened, but I don’t. For now, I need a way to heal a dragon.”
Lucky looked perplexed for a moment before nodding. “I could combine a number of healing draughts into a very large dose. I’ve never tried to heal a dragon before, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work.”
“Good, send it to the Gate along with the explosive weapons,” Alexander said. “Kelvin, do you think you could you use the principles contained in the undead book to create a container capable of trapping a shade?”
“Possibly, but I couldn’t say for certain without extensive research,” Kelvin said. “And, of course, I would need the book.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” Alexander said. “Both Zuhl and Phane want it, so I don’t dare let it out of my sight. Think about it and do what research you can for now.”
“Understood,” Kelvin said.
“May I ask why you need to heal a dragon?” Lucky said.
“Abigail’s been taken by Zuhl. I plan to send Anatoly and Magda to find the dragon Ixabrax, so he can help us get her back. I wish I had more time to explain, but I have to go. Say hi to my mom for me and make sure she knows I’m doing everything I can to get Abigail back.”
He returned to his body and a pounding headache. All of the pieces were moving into place.
Chapter 18
Anatoly slipped the book into a satchel and looked to Magda. She nodded.
“I’m sending a hundred Rangers to ride escort,” Conner said. “If there’s any trouble, they’ll cover your retreat.”
“I know Alexander well enough to know he’s not telling us everything,” Anatoly said. “And he wouldn’t do that without good reason, so I suspect there’s going to be some kind of trouble.”
Magda raised her eyebrow.
“Just make the trade and bring her back,” Conner said.