The new head of security (the previous one was among the dead) nodded. A couple of the members of the security team said that they were going along, as did many of the able-bodied shifters.
Nick said, “The best way and the quickest way to find her parents and Lucy is to split up. Searching all the caves together would not only garner unwanted attention, but would also leave some of the group standing around when they could be exploring caves on their own.”
“We’ll divide and conquer,” Lana said.
Although some of the shifters did not like this idea, as it made them more vulnerable to attack and easier for Dizag and his crew to pick off. Because they wanted to protect Lana, they agreed to her plan. After all, until her father was back, she was their leader.
“We will find him. Dizag will face justice for his crimes,” Lana said.
13
Nick
Lana was fierce, angry, and determined. She was no longer the mild, meek lady of the manor who spread sunshine and flowers throughout the land. Nick thought that she had never been more beautiful than she was at this moment. She seemed to stand taller, and her face was full of color. Her eyes were so focused that she could have shot poison darts out of them.
After staring at her for a few minutes while she talked to her people, he shook his head. He had to get his mind in the game or he wasn’t going to survive, let alone help anyone.
Focus on the task at hand. Admire her beauty later.
There was going to be no room for error on this mission. One tiny little mistake could cause a major catastrophe and cost Lana’s parents their lives. Not to mention his and Lana’s.
“Do you recognize the caves?” Nick asked.
Lana shook her head. “These pictures don’t show enough details for me to be able to figure them out. We don’t have as many caves on the pride lands, so I would bet that he took them out of our kingdom to someplace where he would feel safe.
“Where are we going to start looking?” Nick asked, studying the picture for any kind of clue that might help them find Lana’s parents.
Paul, one of the lead security team members, said, “I am going to take an educated guess. I think that they are in one of the sets of caves that border our pride land and the Northlands. He will likely be on the Northland side, because he doesn’t think that Alix is the rightful ruler and therefore, the caves belong to him.”
“That makes a lot of sense, Paul. At least that gives us a starting point,” Lana said.
“Wouldn’t Alix be aware if the rogue thunder of dragons had moved into her kingdom and was using it as a place to hold hostages and start a war?” Nick asked. “I’ve met her, and she seems very savvy.”
“Not necessarily. The Northlands is a huge area, and it would take a tremendous number of soldiers to guard every bit of it. So much of Northlands is also harsh, especially after being ruled by Vardok and his father. She is likely spending her energy and resources to rebuild the area where the palace is and the largest of the villages. She’ll be expanding out to the more rural areas after that, where the farmlands and the smaller villages are. She wouldn’t have the manpower to get to the fringes of her kingdom for many years to come,” Paul explained.
Nick and Lana nodded. That explanation made perfect sense to them.
Lana spoke to a few more of her guards and the other people who lived and worked in the castle. Nick figured that she was giving them orders to protect the castle and to get it ready for her parents to come home.
Shifting into lions, Nick and Lana set off on their quest. They walked swiftly, but silently, as they were trying to catch Dizag and his cronies by surprise. They might not win the battle, as they were “out gunned” so to speak, as well as outnumbered, but they certainly intended to make a showing.
Lana tried to communicate telepathically with her parents or her sister, but could not make a connection.
She said to Nick telepathically, “I don’t know if they are blocked because of the caves, if we are too far away, or because of the bracelets that Dizag is forcing them to wear. The bracelets keep them from shifting, so they might keep them from communicating.”
“That makes a lot of sense,” Nick said.
As they walked, they could see the destruction that Dizag had wrought on the land. Trees had been knocked down. Many trees and plants had been burnt. It seemed that every living thing that was along their path had been destroyed. One of the ponds had been poisoned, and all of the fish and other creatures that had lived in the pond were dead.
“What kind of being does this?” Lana asked. “What in him makes him have to destroy everything that is alive and beautiful?”
“His soul is so ugly that the beauty hurts him. He can’t stand to see anything grow and thrive,” Nick said. “He has to make sure that everything around him matches his essence—dead and ugly.”
“He has to be dead inside in order to carry out these horrific deeds,” Lana answered. “I almost feel sorry for him that he was made this way, either by his parents or by Vardok. Imagine not being about to appreciate the incredible magic of a bee gathering pollen to make honey or finding peace in the whisper of grass and trees.”
Nick agreed, although he couldn’t quite find the ability to feel sorry for Dizag as Lana had suggested. He was perfectly capable of choosing his own path, and Dizag had chosen evil and death.
After walking for a
