“How long?” she asked when her aimless figuring’s failed to produce a good estimation. “How long till we arrive?”
Kaleb stared into the distance, grunting. “Well, I've never been to Heilo Lake before, but I think we're getting close. The wind is right. We're cruising today. Still, this is going to take us deep into Fae territory, so bear with me.”
Minx herself hadn't been to Heilo Lake in some time, though recalling her recent dreams of it, she felt as though she had been. The only bright spot ahead of her was the hope of seeing its crystal-clear waters, its peaceful shores. If they arrived to find the beautiful Lake defiled by Torrent and Valry, she would never recover from the loss. Heilo Lake was a special place for the Fae, a site they were to solemnly defend—with their lives, if necessary. Today, she would make good on that promise. No matter what happens, I'll never let them take the Lake. I may have failed my mother and the other captives, but I won't fail Heilo Lake. So long as I live, I'll protect it.
Another hour passed. Minx meditated on the battle to come, attempting to calm her thoughts and rest her body. Over the past several days, she'd been put through the ringer—and even though she hadn't suffered as grievous an injury as Kaleb, she was still riddled with aches and pains. This long period of inactivity on Kaleb's back brought each little pain into focus, and she did her best to stretch and massage her bruised limbs in anticipation of war. Rest while you can, because the enemy isn't going to take it easy on you. They don't care what you've been through.
Mau, though terrified, peered over the dragon's side as they glided along. Hey! she remarked, I think we're coming up on the Lake! This has to be a new record—we've only been in the air for a few hours. We made excellent time, for once.
Minx scoured the distant ground for herself. “Really? We're here?” The trip had burned away the better part of the day, but the sun still toiled above them. The winds had helped the dragons maintain a solid speed, and had helped Kaleb, in particular, avoid the lengthy slowdowns that had marred their initial flight to Talon Range. She looked into the distance, as far as her tired eyes would allow, in search of destruction. It was hard to say what they would find on the ground, as the mists and forests surrounding Heilo Lake enveloped much of the nearby land. “Great job, Kaleb. We made it.”
The dragon chuckled. “Let's hope I still have enough energy to fight when the time comes. I didn't hold anything back on the trip over here.”
The other dragons kept pace with their leader, invigorated by the prospect of battle. Their shadows blended together on the ground below, turning into something amorphous and terrifying. Any moment now, as they loomed over the edge of the shore, the Fae elders would surely take notice of these shadows and declare a state of emergency.
“Well, not to push you too hard, but please hurry. We need to touch down as quickly as possible so that we can meet with the elders. They're going to be mighty upset about this...” she warned.
Below, the ridge of Heilo Lake's beautiful shores entered into sight. Her heart swelled at glimpsing its pale sands and brilliant waters. Kaleb began a smooth descent, and with every dip she was able to make out more of the precious site. There were no Wuffs crawling upon its shores, no cries of battle disturbing its peaceful air.
We made it in time. They haven't gotten to the Lake after all. declared Mau.
I'm so thankful! Having received that latest message from the Lake, Minx had feared the worst. This is a good sign. The army may be pressing in, but they haven't infiltrated the Lake yet. We'll find out what's happening from the elders and then engage from a more advantageous position. This is our turf, after all—the Wuff are at a massive disadvantage.
One by one, the dragons reached the pristine sands below. Landing softly, they shifted into their human forms, uniformly panting for the hours of breakneck flight. “Oh, I feel like I'm going to be sick,” muttered one of them, pacing awkwardly about the shore. “I pushed too hard...”
“Don't you dare,” snapped Minx, jostling him. “This is Heilo Lake. You find somewhere else to get sick, understand?”
Kaleb was exhausted, and sat upon the sand to catch his breath. No sooner did he plop down onto the shore and look out across the crystalline surface of the water did he take on a sudden and profound look of calm. “Oh, wow...”
The dense, broad-leafed trees all around them stirred in a sweet breeze. Birdsong flooded in from every direction, and the gentle lapping of the waters had an almost hypnotic effect on all who paused to listen. Minx, despite having heard it many times in her life, was soothed by the Lake's ebb and flow as well.
But it was not to last. From a squat building nestled behind the rightmost cluster of trees, there emerged two stern-faced ancients. These rigid and venerable Fae dressed in ceremonial robes came from their outpost with staves in hand, and motioned with them in tandem toward Minx. The clean-shaven elders, brows knitted in obvious concern, fell into a fury of shouts. “You!” called out one of them. “What have you done? Why have you brought these creatures here?” Meanwhile, a third elder came forth from the forest, dropping the bundle of herbs in his grasp as he noticed the unwelcome guests gathered upon the
