Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 136009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
“Audria wants the skies though,” Kerrigan said. “You two are different.”
“True,” Darby agreed. “So when do we leave?”
“Now,” Kerrigan admitted. “Call Amita, and we’ll go.”
“You are not letting her on the battlefield,” Tieran said into Kerrigan’s head.
“I don’t control the dragons, Tieran. She is of age. She can fight just like the rest of us. It’s her choice.”
“I only accepted her because otherwise she would have stayed behind with our mother.”
“I understand and would prefer to keep Darby out of harm’s way as well, but she made her choice. They both did.”
Tieran snarled and then flew away. He could be mad, but she couldn’t control everything. Amita and Darby would be as safe as she could keep them without preventing them from going to battle. And Darby might never forgive her if she did that.
Chapter Fifty-Four
The Preparations
Once the portal was open, Kerrigan gave Darby a hug as Amita flew across to Galanthea.
“Take care of them, okay?” Kerrigan said, her voice cracking.
Darby hugged her tighter. “I will do my best.” She pulled back. “Careful opening the other portals. And go see Amond before the battle, all right? He might be able to patch you up a bit.”
Kerrigan nodded. “I will.”
A throat cleared, and they turned to see Hadrian and Fallon standing before the portal.
“Not to break up the goodbyes,” Hadrian said with a wide smile.
“Hadrian,” Darby gasped, and then she was through the portal and into his arms.
“Hey, Darbs,” he said on a sigh. His head lifted to look at Kerrigan. “Want to explain why all the dragon riders went out of their minds?”
“I broke the dragon bonds.”
Fallon’s hand went to his heart as if it ached all over again. “What are we going to do without our dragons?”
Darby brightened. “I can show you how to fix the bond. Kerrigan’s sending me to train your riders.”
“A new bond?” Fallon asked.
Kerrigan nodded. “One that doesn’t tie your lifelines together. A safer option.”
“I’ll try anything,” he admitted.
“Darby is your girl. She knows how to do it.”
Darby explained the mechanics to Fallon, and after a few minutes, he breathed a sigh of relief that he was back in conversation with his dragon. As if the entire world was right again.
“Brilliant,” Hadrian said. “And you can do that because…”
“We have a lot to discuss,” Darby said with a grin. “I haven’t been idle since you and Clover have been off saving the world.”
Hadrian laughed. “Speaking of, are you ready to go get our girl?”
“Yes, please,” she said.
“Give my regards to Clover,” Kerrigan said. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
“Before you go,” Fallon said. “We retrieved people from Elsiande like you asked.”
Kerrigan’s eyes lit up. “I thought you said it was a lost cause.”
Hadrian shrugged. “Fallon is an excellent negotiator. If we win this, I think he’ll be vying for a council position.”
Fallon shrugged. “I wouldn’t say no to it.” He gestured to a harried group standing just out of range of the portal. “Shall I send them through?”
Tears blurred Kerrigan’s eyes as she saw Ellerby and his nephew Ever. Ellerby had originally been the one who was going to sponsor her when she was in the House of Dragons. They’d saved his nephew after he’d been kidnapped and held by the Red Masks.
She had wanted to extract them and anyone they thought was part of their cause if they could. Her entire war council had argued against it. No one could know if people from Elsiande were still loyal to Bastian. But she wasn’t taking fighters; she was taking refugees. People she wanted to keep safe.
“Kerrigan,” Ellerby said, drawing her into a hug. “My dear girl, thank you for getting us out.”
She sniffled. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“I brought you a present too,” he said eagerly.
Then he brought forward a small Fae female with gray at her temples. “Hello, dear. My name is Eira. Ellerby mentioned that you were asking around for people who knew Bastian when he lived in Elsiande?”
“I am,” Kerrigan confirmed. “Were you familiar with him then?”
“I was never close with him,” Eira admitted. “But I was friends with his wife for a time. Poor dear. Terrible thing that happened to her.”
“Would you mind telling me about it once I’m through with my work today?”
“Well, of course,” Eira said.
“Thank you,” Kerrigan said, ushering Eira through the portal with the rest of the refugees. She waved at Hadrian and Fallon from across the portal. “I love you. I’ll see you on the other side.”
“Good luck,” Hadrian said, and then she snapped the portal closed.
Which meant Bryonica awaited.
Kerrigan breathed out before opening her portal to their eastern allies. The portal opened in a clearing outside Rosemont. Audria waited there as planned. Her hand was on her heart, and she looked heartbroken.
“My bond,” Audria said as if she were going to burst into tears.