“That is something you should learn for yourself…” Danna looked Kae up and down, sniffing derisively. “It is knowledge that would neither concern you, nor find you worthy enough to know.”
“Oh, now you’re insulting Kae.” Loren said, twirling her sword. “Move aside, I should be dealing with this.”
Kae rolled her eyes. “I thought I was the hot headed one. Tell me anyway, Danna, if you’re so much better than me.”
Danna laughed again. She easily stepped back and out of the way as a Beastman and merchant crashed between them, fists flying. “The Daughters and the Sons are Seven in number. Four to the points of the map, three to chosen elements, always clashing with the other to steal one from their ranks and balance ourselves.” She chuckled, raising one hand to her lips and smiling as if she had told the best joke.
The huntress stared back at her cluelessly. Beside her, the gold began to fade from Loren’s eyes. The princess put her sword away and looked to Danna with a determined expression. “You’re the mages foretold in prophesies, aren’t you Danna? Fourteen in all, you are the strongest mages in the world with the cycle repeating every generation. If one in your ‘ranks’ dies, their place is immediately taken by the birth of a mage that very moment.” The princess met Danna’s shocked look with one of ease. “Isn’t that right?”
“My, you know your lessons well, daughter of dragons.” Danna muttered. “You are correct. I am the Second, Daughter of the West. I came here in hopes of finding the Fourth Son, or whichever is in the West.”
“Was all this necessary?” Loren asked, gesturing to the brawl.
Danna laughed in response. “No, of course not! But I did not find the Son here, and quite honestly, I had grown tired from my journey. I decided to have a bit of fun.”
Loren sighed. “What do you want in return for lifting your spell from my friend? Gold? A position in Aldoran?”
“Oh, little dragon, I do not doubt that you can grant me anything I wish.” Danna smiled. “But why, dare I ask, are you so desperate for me to free your friend?”
“That’s none of your business.” Kae cut in, folding her arms across her chest.
“No Kae, its alright.” Loren said gently before turning back to Danna. “We need his help to cross the Plaguelands.”
“Oh dear, that is a journey indeed. Whatever would you want in the Plaguelands? I stepped one foot across the border and my goodness it was horrible! You are but children!”
“We…” Loren started, but stopped herself. She realized that she had no one to blame but herself for her foolish plans. She took a breath. “That is to say I… I want to find the heir to the Beastman throne. I have reason to believe that he has been taken past the Plaguelands and into the border of the north.”
Danna stared at the princess, mouth agape. The motion stretched her dark mage markings across her face, making her look even more ghoulish. Wisps of yellow and green blew around within the markings. “You wish to save the heir of the Beastmen? All on your own? In the Plagelands?” she looked to Loren, then to Kae.
“Yes.” Loren heard confidence in her voice, but didn’t feel it. “After he’s back on the throne and in command of the Beastmen, I intend to pay a visit to Sagna and its queen.”
Danna looked as if she had been struck. “You are to challenge Haedria!” she said suddenly, her hand flying to her chest. “A foolish idea if I ever heard one. And yet, how amusing!” she laughed again.
The mage raised her hand. With a single loud snap of her fingers, the brawl stopped. Men from all walks of life suddenly stopped in their tracks, fists stilling in mid-swing. They rubbed at their sore and broken jaws or sat heavily on the floor, and the air was filled with the sounds of miserable, pained groaning. Outside, tied to a post, Cassendir came to his senses. He realized he had been sitting in wet mud, his Kespian silk robe was ruined, and his ribs were somehow bruised.
“You wish to challenge Haedria!” Danna said again between laughs.
Kae bristled. “What’s so funny?”
“Haedria Dagan, Queen of Sagna and the Witch of Fire? She is the Fourth of the Daughters!” Danna said, grinning ear to ear. The yellow and green within her mage markings seems to shine brighter. “My, my, I would love to see this! Best of luck then, daughter of dragons. Imagine I will be seeing more of you in the future.” She chuckled. Danna reached up and pulled the hood back over her face. She pushed past Loren and Kae, stepped over or on the scattered victims of her magic, and was out the door of the inn without a word.
“Wait! Danna!” Loren shouted, chasing after her. “What did you mean there is red in my family?” She crossed the threshold of the inn and was left standing in the moonlight, alone. Danna was nowhere to be found. “Cassendir! There you are, are you alright? Which way did she go?”
“Which way— what?” Cassendir groaned. His head lolled side to side and his face was contorted in pain. “I didn’t see anyone. Can you please untie me? What happened?”
Loren sighed. She felt more frustrated and defeated that Danna got away than she was relieved that Cassendir was well. She shook her head. She should be grateful that her friend is no worse for wear. Where has all this vengeance and rage come from?
Her eyes went wide. Loren touched her dragon pendant. It was slightly warm to the touch, and familiar in her hand. After the queen explained the history and purpose of the dragon pendant and its magic, she
