She nodded.
The Magi Master briefly closed his eyes, and Dyna saw the pain there. “This ring …” He looked at it somberly. “It has been passed down from heir to heir of the Norrlen House, and only at the predecessor’s death. If Rawn has given this to you…”
It’s because he didn’t expect to survive. Knowing that alone draped a heavy despondency over them all.
“I don’t intend to let them keep him, Master Eldred,” Dyna said. “We didn’t only come here to deliver bad news. We are here to help.”
Eldred searched her eyes a moment and turned away. “Come. The estate lies at the other end of the foothills of the Anduir Mountains. I want to arrive before sundown.”
“Across the mountains?” Dyna repeated incredulously. “That would take days to hike, if not more.”
“Yet I arrived here in one.” Eldred paused on the path and turned around.
Dyna followed his stare, as did the rest of them, to the bearded man entering the mossy glade. Von had come after all.
Everyone else immediately tensed, but all Dyna felt was relief. He looked tired and beaten down by life, and yet when he looked at her, they exchanged a nod. She didn’t say it when they last spoke, but she needed him as much as the others, and he had sensed it because of who he was.
At last, she had gathered her Guardians. Well, save for one.
“Who is he? Another friend of Lord Norrlen?” Eldred asked.
Dyna smiled faintly. “He is a friend of mine.”
CHAPTER 40
Lucenna
The sky was clear for once. It offered warm sunlight as Eldred led them on a hike through the woodland. Lucenna tried not to wince on her sore ankle. It had mostly healed, but the uneven terrain wasn’t helping. Klyde stayed close so she could lean on him when she needed the support, but she tried not to, aware of the stitches she had sewn into his arm.
After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the bottom of the mountain. Immediately, Lucenna sat on a boulder with a groan. Her ankle was throbbing.
“Take a minute to rest,” Eldred told them.
Only a minute?
The others sat and took out waterskins for a quick drink. Only Klyde remained standing beside her, his cool eyes trained on Von. The Commander, or former Commander, she supposed, stood away from them leaning against a tree. Only Dyna spoke to him in quiet tones, offering him water and something small to eat. Perhaps to make him feel welcome, since he clearly wasn’t.
The hike had been a quiet one, with the strong tension circulating in the atmosphere from Zev and Klyde.
“We must continue,” Eldred said.
“To where?” Lucenna asked, grimacing as she got to her feet. The others gathered up their packs again. “Not up the mountain, I hope.”
Otherwise, she may need Keena to sprinkle her with fairy dust so she could float on, because she was finished with hiking.
“No, not up the mountain. We will go through it.”
Throughit?She exchanged a look with the others.
But the Magi Master offered no other explanation. They gathered around Eldred as he faced a solid wall of rock.
Lifting his staff, he tapped on the surface of it in a distinct pattern, murmuring in soft Elvish,“Anat’nom narg at’reip’sed.”With each tap, glowing gold runes appeared, lighting up to form a large hexagon about ten feet in circumference. Placing his palm flat in the center, he said, “Ellaval emai’ug.”
The mountain groaned.
The center of the spell vanished, creating the opening that revealed a deep, dark cave. Lucenna’s mouth parted open in awe. The old elf turned to them and held out an arm, indicating they should enter. They all hesitated, but it surprised her when Dyna went in first. The crystal in the Magi Master’s staff glowed white as he entered after her. Zev went in next, then Klyde. Well, Lucenna had to go, too. She cast out orbs of light to illuminate the cavern. It led to a deep tunnel, and the distant rush of water echoed inside.
Her heart started to pound with dread.
