Daelyth, do you know me?
You are the Nature Walker. The wizard told me you would come to kill me.
Do you believe him? The wizard lies, Daelyth.
I—I do not know what to believe. I do not know where I am.
Can you see me, Daelyth? I am right in front of you.
I cannot see through my eyes. I do not understand what has happened. This has never happened in the bond before. Someone else is here! Are you sure that you did not come with the wizard? Is he here?
He is not here. Embyr, your—well, she is your aunt, she is here. Your father made a deal with his mother that involved her. But she will not hurt you either. I will not let her hurt you. Do you understand?
Yes. I think so. Where is my papa?
Your papa is just down the hall, Daelyth. Can you see anything where you are?
No. It is dark here.
Gin remembered that feeling—not knowing what was real or where she was. She remembered that darkness. She had fought her own way back out—how could she help Daelyth?
Will you allow me to touch you, Daelyth? I will not hurt you.
Yes. If you promise that the wizard was wrong.
Oh, my sweet girl, he could not be more wrong.
Then yes.
Gin motioned for Embyr to stay put and then moved close to the golden dragon. She placed her hands on the sides of Daelyth’s face, carefully stretching her fingers out to cover as much of the golden dragon’s nose as she could. My lady Daelyth, I am going to open my mind to you, and I want you to look at my memories that I show you, okay?
Yes, Nature Walker.
Look, my lady. Look and see that I understand—and that I would never hurt you. The wizard lies.
Gin kept her hands on the golden dragon’s nose as she called up memories of waking up in the embassy and not knowing how long she had been there. She remembered being afraid and feeling hollow on the inside, just as she knew Daelyth did now. The more memories she shared with the dragon, the more energy it took for her not to succumb to the fear again.
Ginolwenye of the Trees, you understand—yet you loved the wizard.
I did, or at least I think I did—I confess that to this day, I am not sure. It could have been that my feelings were my own. But it could also have been that Ben planted the idea in my mind. I do not know for sure. I may never know for sure.
I understand that.
Now, I need you to try to come back to us, Daelyth. I need you to take your place next to your father—he misses you so much.
I will try, Nature Walker, but—I do not want to hurt that way again.
Yes, of course you don’t. I understand that as well, but you must try. It is the only way to defeat the wizard. I will do what I can to help you bear the pain. If you stay here, as you are now, he will come back to your mind. Do you understand?
Yes. We must defeat the wizard. I will come back. Tell my papa that I will come back, and I will go to where the drakes fly. Tell him that exactly.
I will.
Gin withdrew from Daelyth’s mind, but not until she had put in place some barriers just in case Taeben managed to break free of the hold that the Void had on him and try to re-enter her mind. He would find no purchase there ever again.
And to think, you didn’t even have to give yourself up to him to save her.
There you are. And no, Sath, I will never do that again either. Have you found the orb? Does Omerith know where it is?
Aye. And Nelenie is here as well. I think you and Embyr need to come to the great hall.
We are on our way. And Sath? I love you.
I know, darlin'. I know.
Forty
Where the Drakes Fly
“Thank you for being here, Ginolwenye of the Trees.” Omerith sat at one end of the Great Hall. Next to him sat his mother, Kaerinth, with Nelenie standing to one side of her. Gin was relieved to see that Nelenie had made it to La’al Drygyr unharmed. Embyr moved ahead of Gin as though to run to her mother, but Gin held up a hand, stopping her. Omerith nodded. “Before we continue, I want to make sure that my sister is reunited with my mother.” Kaerinth nudged Nelenie forward with her head and then stood up, extending her enormous wings as Embyr burst past Gin and ran to her mother’s embrace. Nelenie walked toward Gin, hand on the hilt of her sword, though Gin could see in her friend’s eyes the enormous relief she felt at being free of the Mother Dragon.
Kaerinth cooed at Embyr, speaking to her in low tones in Eldyr as she looked her daughter over from head to toe. Omerith shifted his gaze from them to Gin, and then behind her as he scanned the room. He was looking for Daelyth. “Where is my daughter, Nature Walker?”
“She is recovering, my lord.” Gin approached the red dragon slowly, keeping an eye on the Mother Dragon as she did. “I was able to reach her as you had hoped, and she wanted me
