Taliesin piped up, “Tomaaz rescued me too.”
Sofia bowed. “Then I owe Tomaaz’s family a debt. My apologies for besmirching Ezaara’s name.”
“Would the rest of Anakisha’s grandchildren come to the stage?” Lars called.
Soon eleven more people, ranging in age from teens to littlings, stood on the stage.
“Please tell us of your connection to Anakisha.” He waved his hand at Lofty, who had a gaggle of littlings with him.
“My ma is Ana, after her mother, Anakisha. We come from Lush Valley, and these four are my brothers and sisters.”
“And you?” Lars questioned a blond lad.
“The blue guards flew us here yesterday after a long journey from Western Settlement to Montanara. I’m Urs, eldest son of Anakisha’s daughter Esmeralda. My father’s Nick, the innkeeper.” Urs rattled off the names of the five littlings with him.
Marlies spoke up from the back of the stage, “There’s another grandchild in Last Stop, too.”
“How many more of Anakisha’s descendants are here?” muttered Tonio. “I know of two that currently aren’t here.”
Lars scratched his beard. He must ask Tonio who those two were.
“Great family reunion,” a man called, voice laced with sarcasm. “But Ezaara is still not Anakisha’s progeny, or male. Why is she Queen’s Rider?”
“Who has seen Ezaara fly Zaarusha?” Lars boomed.
Across the cavern, a sea of hands rose like high tide.
“And who has seen her stunts?” Down the front, Lofty whistled. Others joined in, cheering.
“And who can do as well?”
The cavern remained silent.
Master Hans stepped forward. “As Ezaara’s father, I’ve been loathe to speak, but Handel insists that my daughter can remain Queen’s Rider while the prophecy is fulfilled.”
“How do we know you’re not lying?” someone jeered.
Handel leaped, landing on the edge of the stage, bronze scales gleaming. His roar made the air quiver. Flame shot from his jaws, scorching the vaulted ceiling. A backwash of heat licked over the crowd.
“I guess that answers that question,” said Tonio dryly. “Any others?”
Perhaps it was Tonio’s grim frown, or perhaps it was Handel’s rage, but there were no more responses.
§
“Wake up, Lars!” Lars jerked awake as Singlar mind-melded again. “Linaia’s back.”
Lars thrust on his breeches and boots and rushed out to Singlar’s den. He tugged his jerkin around him. Shards, it was cold. A bitter wind drove flurries of snow in from the ledge, whipping his hair across his forehead.
Linaia was huddled near the rock face under Singlar’s wing.
Lars placed his hand on her head to mind-meld. “Linaia, I’m glad you’re home, but where is Adelina?”
“She’s been caught,” the dragon whimpered, her blue scales fading to an icy hue. “I don’t know where Ezaara or Roberto are. The Queen’s Rider may be captive too.”
Adelina had been foolish, going off like that, but still, worry gnawed at Lars’ mind. So young, so full of life … “Tomaaz, Kierion and two wizards are on their way to Death Valley on Riona and Maazini. Did you see them or Zaarusha?”
“No.” Linaia’s head sank to the floor.
“The Master of Prophecy told me they’re the best team to rescue the others. Hopefully, we’ll have them all back soon.” He removed his hand and melded with Singlar. “Take care of her. For now, there’s nothing else we can do. Their fate lies in Kierion and Tomaaz’s hands.”
Homeward Bound
A blur of green trees rushed at Ezaara as Maazini lowered her toward the ground. “Now, Ezaara.” He opened his talons, and she dropped, rolling as she hit the snow. Ezaara lay, staring at the drab desolate sky.
Maazini landed, then Tomaaz rushed over. “Ezaara, are you all right?” He helped her up and hugged her, not letting her go for a long while. At last, he pulled back, asking gently, “Did you find Roberto? Is he alive?”
She grimaced. “Alive. Hurt.” Her chest ached. She hadn’t saved him. Might have made things worse. She had no idea where Zaarusha was. And now Adelina was hurt, too. Her throat tightening with grief, hot tears slid down her cheeks.
“We’ll come back for him, I promise,” Tomaaz said with a ferocity that surprised her. “Gods, Ezaara, I thought we’d lost you.”
“Roberto was limplocked. I gave him the remedy, but what if Zens gives him more?”
“We’re taking you and Adelina home first. That’s our priority.” Tomaaz’s voice was firm. “I’ll come back with a ring and get him out.”
Riona deposited Adelina on the grass. Kierion came over, with his arm around Adelina’s shoulders, two men trailing him. “My honored Queen’s Rider, you’ve already met Fenni. This is Jael.” He gestured at the blond wizard and a Naobian—who looked so much like Roberto that her eyes pricked all over again.
They nodded at her as Kierion continued. “Tharuks are everywhere. With three of us riding each dragon, we can’t risk them finding us. We’re only stopping here for a bite to eat, then we’ll press on to get some distance between us and Death Valley.”
And Roberto.
The Naobian, Jael, passed them strips of dried beef and dried apples. “As soon as the dragons have fed, we’ll be leaving.” He motioned to the bushes. “I’d recommend a quick privy stop, but stay close to avoid tharuks.”
The snow-tipped Terramites loomed above them, their shadows reaching deep into the forest. Ezaara shivered. It was no use mentioning Anakisha’s ring. It worked for the rider wearing it and everyone their dragon was carrying, not for another dragon nearby. She couldn’t disappear to Dragons’ Hold, leaving three people on one dragon in the wilderness alone. The risk of being captured or hurt was too high. But it was four days’ flight to the hold. Even with
