Lacking a concrete plan of his own, her father could only acquiesce. “Be careful, my dear. You'll have to be hasty, and I admit I don't have much faith in this course. The dragons and the Fae are natural enemies. But... if this friend of yours is honest, then perhaps there's hope yet.”
Minx wrapped her father in another embrace. “I'll be careful, I promise. And as soon as I hear anything, I'll be sure to come back and tell you.” She pulled away, ready to rush out the door, but paused. “Is... Is mother still all right? Have you heard anything?”
“We're uncertain,” came the sorrowful reply. “The status of the hostages is currently unknown. They're being very closely guarded. Our informants couldn't learn anything about their condition or whereabouts. We're trying to remain hopeful, but considering who we're dealing with...” He paused. “That's the best we can do—hold onto hope. If I should hear good or ill, I'll certainly let you know.”
Minx nodded firmly. “I'll be back, father. As soon as I can. And I'll bring some powerful friends with me. When I return, we'll force back this army and rescue all of the captives.” Her steely expression faltered a little. “I... I won't disappoint you again, father.”
Her father planted a kiss atop her head as she turned to leave the chamber, and he presented a warm smile. “You'll never disappoint me, my dear Dragon Hunter. Just be safe.”
With that, Minx stole out of the chamber and rushed back to the street, where Kaleb and Mau were still idling. “Hey,” she said nudging both of them at turns. “We need to get moving. The situation's gotten worse, if you can believe it.”
“Oh?” Kaleb stood up. “What's happened now? You need three dragon hides or something?”
Minx offered only a single word in reply as she led the way back toward the gate of Pandling Grounds. “Torrent.”
Torrent? How's he involved? asked Mau.
“Is he working with the Wuffs?” asked the dragon-shifter, trying to appear unbothered. His body still ached for the pummeling he'd received at Torrent's hand, however, and his uneasiness was plain.
“He is. And he's looking for more people like Alla, who have both Fae and dragon blood. I don't know why, but... we're not dealing with a ragtag army anymore. This just got a lot more serious.”
“Perhaps this is the start of that army of darkness we've heard so much about... All right,” said Kaleb. “Next stop, Talon Range. It's going to be a long ride.”
Chapter 18
The flight to the Talon Range was a lengthy one; Minx and Mau spent more time huddled against Kaleb's back than ever before as they glided over distant territories. They passed over towns and frontiers that Minx had only ever heard about in stories and sailed over the course of hours into the realm of dragons. Though their flight lasted well into the night, Minx could hardly find it in herself to sleep, too possessed by a fiery energy to shut her eyes. Mau, still terrified of flight, was lulled into a kind of stupor as the hours of darkness ticked by, and spent the bulk of the flight in petrified silence.
It was nearing sunrise when the foothills of the Talon Range finally entered into view.
At first glimpse of this land, Minx couldn't help but gasp. The jagged peaks of the Talon Range pierced the dull pre-dawn skies, and were higher than any other formation she'd ever seen. As they neared the dragon lands, she spied large, ornate carvings in the sides of various cliff-faces, these seeming to indicate a network of elegant tunnels, fortresses and neighborhoods. A vast clearing sat in the shadow of the range—this, Kaleb explained, was utilized during combat drills by the militant dragons.
Minx stared on in wonder as they approached the greatest monuments of the Talon Range. The mountain itself appeared to be one enormous fortress, carved and hollowed by generations of careful workers. Of particular interest was the Great Hall of Talon Range, a beautiful structure built directly into the crags of the mountain and flanked by two carved monuments of titanic height, each bearing the likenesses of past rulers.
Minx had read a bit about the dragon lands in the past, and had sometimes imagined what the homes of these militaristic creatures might look like. But the reality far outweighed her wildest imaginings. There was a certain roughness to every feature—the roughness of the mountain, and of the hands that had tamed it—but she'd been unprepared for the beauty and attention to detail that the builders had fastidiously imbued each structure with. The great arches, the artistry of the two carved pillars flanking the Great Hall, and even the neatness of the clearing below struck her as beautiful.
Kaleb coasted on the breeze, streaming past the top of the mountain and then gradually lowering himself onto a large, smooth platform built into the peaks. As soon as the red dragon touched down, Minx and Mau hopped off his back and watched as he donned his human form. Kaleb stretched and limped across the platform, shaking his head. “Even when I'm feeling my best, that flight is hard. With passengers, it's brutal. I'm going to feel that one for days.”
Minx marveled at the breadth of the platform, and at the countless openings arranged all around it, which ostensibly led deeper into the mountain. “This is beautiful. I never imagined dragons would live in a place like this.”
“How did you imagine us living? In huts? Ditches?” he mocked. “Yeah, it turns out we're highly-civilized after all. Don't act so surprised!”
“I didn't mean it that way!” replied Minx. “It's just... this stonework is so lovely. I've never seen anything like it, really!”
A small humanoid figure emerged furtively from one of the openings, peering out at them narrowly before back-tracking with a strange noise. It had been a bent thing, animal-like, with smooth, almost
