The bond with the Mother Dragon severed. Gin looked over at Nelenie, who was staring at her. “Well? What did they decide, Gin?”
“Kaerinth will take you to La’al Drygyr, Nel.”
“But Sath said -”
“Yes, and I shared his concern at the time, but Omerith has made sure he has the leverage to ensure your safety during that journey. You must be brave.”
Nelenie scoffed. “I am always brave.” Gin chuckled as she took her oldest friend’s hands in hers. “And Mother instructed me that I am to follow the orders of the Nature Walker on this mission, so if you say I’m riding a dragon, then that’s what I’m doing.” She squeezed Gin’s hands before releasing them, and then took a step backward. “I don’t know how to contact her, so if you would let Lady Kaerinth know that I am ready, please?” Again, Gin noticed that Nelenie was still—not even a tiny tremor of fear. Her gaze was steady, and to the south—and her hand was on the hilt of her sword. She was every inch the First Caeth of Alynatalos.
My lady Kaerinth, the First Caeth is -
I know. I heard. I am on my way—but tell her I will carry her to my son. NO ONE rides on my back.
Yes, my lady.
Gin withdrew and turned back to Nelenie. “She is en route—and she wants me to tell you that she will carry you to La’al Drygyr. She will not be ridden.” Sath stifled a laugh, but Nelenie’s expression did not change. “We will wait here until she comes, Nel, and then go to Omerith through the bond.”
“Thank you, Nature Walker, but that will not be necessary. You must go as soon as he can assist you. I will be fine.” Gin opened her mouth to argue, but Sath shook his head. He understood this Nelenie in a way that Gin would not ever be able to do. She was a soldier and a fighter, and she was resigned to her fate—happy about it, even, because it meant doing her duty.
“Alert the red dragon, Gin. Nelenie is right. We need to go.”
Gin had barely given Omerith the okay before she and Sath winked out of existence in M’aanyr and reappeared in La’al Drygyr. She felt it when they passed through the Void, and she could almost imagine her family there as she and Sath whizzed by—Cursik and Lairky stood together with several Ikedrians, all staring intently at something behind Gin. She tried to look over her shoulder, but by the time her eyes had focused, she was looking at Omerith. They landed just in front of his sizeable clawed foot, and it was enough of a sight to drive both of them back a step or two.
“I am glad you are here, Ginolwenye of the Trees.” His voice boomed in Gin’s ears, and she covered them for a moment. The red dragon lowered his head to look at her more closely. “I am sorry for hurting your ears again. I find that I am louder in other languages than I am in my native Eldyr.”
Gin shook her head. “It’s all right, Omerith,” she said as she took a few deep breaths. “How may I help your child?”
Omerith hung his head. “I am not sure that you can, but I am grateful that you are willing to try. She is—not herself, and I fear it is from the wizard being in control of her mind. She does not respond to me, she only stares. I understand that you were once in her position, were you not?” Gin nodded. Sath growled low in his chest.
“I will go to her. In the meantime, perhaps you and Sath should discuss the plan to retrieve the orb?” Omerith nodded, and Gin headed for the door, smiling as she saw Raikyth waiting for her there. “You will take me to Daelyth’s chambers?” The dragonkind nodded and beamed a grin at her before leading her out the door. Sath turned his attention back to Omerith.
In the bond, which you have shielded, I suppose, lest your mother overhears us?
Aye, Qatu. You are clever—more clever than we expected, actually. No offense intended—the last time I dealt with your kind, it was your ancestor who was Rajah at the time, and he was—not so accustomed to those that were not Qatu.
Sath chuckled. That does not surprise me at all. It has taken a long time for my kind to feel at all comfortable with the other races. I wonder, is that something we share? Is there still a bit of beast within your kind that makes it hard to understand the others, as there is within me?
This time it was Omerith’s turn to laugh. Oh, aye, there is, Rajah. Indeed. However—I think that is by design in my case and in that of my mate. Mother and Father both took very active interests in the other races, as you can see by the proliferation of the dragonkind. My brother was similarly afflicted, but I think his predilection was more to do with his own loneliness than anything else. I am happy to have met you, Rajah—you and the Nature Walker give me hope for the Guardians and for Orana.
I am happy to see you returned to yourself, Omerith. The wizard—speaking to you through Daelyth’s mind—was turning you into someone that none of us could recognize. But back to the matter at hand—has Daelyth told you where she hid the orb? There was hesitation. My lord, I know that it is hard for you to trust one such as me that was taken in by the orb, but I swear to you on the life of my son that I have
