“Raxtus?” Kendra asked.
“Please, no photos,” Raxtus said. “I hate this form. But I figured the giant would freak out if I approached as a dragon. Plus, I could fit through the bars.”
“Good strategy,” Tanu said. “Bernosh is not happy right now. Somebody has taken out their backcountry bridges.”
“Dragons,” Raxtus said. “I’ve seen several since arriving at Titan Valley. Dragons that don’t belong here.”
“They’re probably slipping in as visitors to the Games,” Vanessa said. “Using their human avatars.”
“Whatever they’re doing, it is large scale,” Raxtus said. “They’re taking up positions. It all feels coordinated.”
“Would they attack during the storm?” Kendra asked.
“Not unless they’re suicidal,” Raxtus said. “The high winds would destroy them. I’m about as aerodynamic as dragons get, and I was already struggling with the choppy air. You guys were hard to find. If Kendra didn’t shine so brightly, I might not have reached you.”
“How did you know where to find me?” Kendra asked.
“The Fairy King sent me,” Raxtus said.
“Where is he?” Kendra asked. “Is he all right?”
Raxtus flitted over to stand on the arm of the bench beside Kendra. “Still alive, last I saw him, but devastated,” the fairy said.
“I heard he gave Ronodin access to the Fairy Realm,” Kendra said.
“That fits,” Raxtus replied. “He didn’t fully confide in me, but he went on about how he tried to warn the queen, and how it was all his fault. He seemed heartbroken and incoherent. He escaped the Fairy Realm with me at the last possible moment, after sending messages with some astrids and fairies.”
“One of his fairies brought me a message,” Kendra said. “I didn’t know he made it out.”
“The Fairy King had me drop him off elsewhere at Titan Valley,” Raxtus said.
“He’s here?” Kendra asked hopefully.
“Since his stay inside Zzyzx, he has been a shadow of his former self,” Raxtus said. “Now he is a shadow of a shadow. He looked grim when he sent me away to find you. I worry he came here to die. Or maybe as a form of exile.”
“Where did you leave him?” Kendra asked.
“A lonely plateau in the middle of nowhere,” Raxtus said. “The kind of place you end up after being lost for days, heading in the wrong direction. No settlements nearby. As I flew away, the only life forms I saw were a few nomadic giants.”
“Does Ronodin have any power over you?” Kendra asked.
“No,” Raxtus said. “I’m an adopted son of the Fairy Realm. The crown has no actual claim on me. But by the time we left, I saw several fairies taking a turn for the worse. They were darkening, Kendra. Some resisted better than others.”
“Sounds like the shadow plague,” Kendra said.
“Watch yourself around fairies,” Raxtus warned.
“Good tip,” Kendra said.
Bernosh abandoned the river and started climbing a cliff. Raxtus looked around uncertainly as the portable dungeon shifted and rocked in new ways.
Raxtus held up a hand beside his mouth and whispered, “How good a climber is this guy?”
“He seems skillful,” Vanessa said. “And he is all confidence.”
“Let’s hope his abilities match his muscles,” Raxtus said. “No fair when a guy is a giant and a weight lifter.”
“Do I hear a new voice?” Bernosh asked.
“I’m a friend of theirs,” Raxtus called. “A wimpy little fairy.”
“All is well?” Bernosh asked.
“He is welcome,” Kendra said.
“I will have you to the Dragon Temple in a matter of minutes,” Bernosh asserted.
Raxtus put a hand by his mouth and whispered again. “The noise of the river must have been masking our conversation.”
As Bernosh reached the top of the canyon wall, the wind blowing through the dungeon windows became a nuisance. Thunder growled ominously as the armada of dark clouds overtook the sky. The dungeon rocked as Bernosh advanced.
“I’ve been worried about you,” Kendra said. “When you left me, dragons were chasing you.”
“After I set you down, evading the other dragons was no problem,” Raxtus said. “It’s hard for them to chase a dragon who flies faster, maneuvers better, and can become nearly invisible.”
“Where have you been?” Kendra asked.
“Mostly hiding out in the Fairy Realm, after Wyrmroost fell,” Raxtus said. “Sorry I couldn’t help more.”
“You saved my life,” Kendra said. “I’m sorry for what it cost you.”
Raxtus shook his head. “Saving you freed me. It helped me finally grow up. Working with my dad, I had what I always wanted, but I wasn’t happy. Not even close. You helped me embrace who I really am. I never would have been happy any other way.”
“But the dragons are hunting you now,” Kendra said.
“Which should tell you all you need to know about my father,” Raxtus said. “It’s his way or nothing.”
“That’s tough,” Kendra sympathized.
“Forget him,” Raxtus said. “The Fairy King sent me with gifts. None are fairy talismans—such things would not be safe with Ronodin wearing the crown. But this is the king’s signet ring, made by unicorns. He suggests you wear it only at dire need. Powered by your magical energy, it will shine brightly enough to blind any who look at it, including you.”
“Wow,” Kendra said, accepting the ring from his little hands. “I’ll treat it carefully. Hopefully I can return it to him when this is over.” It was hefty, like a class ring, set with tiny white stones that together formed the likeness of a rearing unicorn. The longer Kendra held it, the brighter the stones shone, and the more the silvery metal gleamed with inner fire.
“See how it shines just from contact with you?” Raxtus asked. “That isn’t normal. Be cautious when you put it on.”
“Is that adamant?” Warren asked, craning to better view the ring.
“Yes,” Raxtus said. “Kendra, the Fairy King also wanted you to have this seed.” He held out a little seed, about the size of a cornflake, then handed it to Kendra. “Plant it in the rain of the Perennial Storm and give it instructions. The spruce will grow, and a hamadryad
