With an inaudible sigh, Elon gave him a small nod. He knew his brother had earned it. “Anon is not an opponent to take lightly.”
“Neither am I.”
Elon considered that, then his shackles clinked as he moved away from the wall and crouched in the middle of the cell. He studied the ground for a moment before he began drawing shapes in the dirt.
“What are you doing?” Rawn asked as he joined him.
By the low torch light, he could barely distinguish the runes Elon quickly formed within the rings of a circle. “How well versed are you in spell casting?”
“Enough to summon my Essence.”
“Well enough. I am going to teach you a spell. A last resort if you are caught. It’s not one I have dared to use myself, for it requires the very essence of your life. It could kill you.”
“What spell is that?”
“The Blood Scythe.”
CHAPTER 70
Zev
The scent of dynalyas was heady on the morning gust. Zev paused by the high rise as the wind tugged against his fur. The view of Avandia opened before them within the rocky hills coated in greenery. Cascades poured down into a crystal blue river below. Their winding path led to a large bridge made of white stone.
Before it rose a white castle, tall and proud at the highest point of the land. Its gleaming white walls reflected the light of the sun. Soaring turrets and towers reached toward the sky, flying the flags of Greenwood with a dynalya flower in full bloom.
Zev was both relieved and anxious to see it. In his experience, visiting castles in foreign lands hadn’t gone too well for them. But they were here for Rawn, and by the fates, he hoped it meant something good.
The creek of the carriage wheels and the trotting of the horses arrived as the others caught up to him. Commander Camsen led the escort of Rangers and Norrlen guards. He nodded to Zev as he rode past. The carriage carrying Aerina, and the girls passed him next.
It surprised him to find Tavin riding in the back of the procession with Von, but only a little. The boy followed the Commander around like an excited pup, asking all sorts of questions about knife throwing and whatever held his interest. Watching Von now as he awkwardly tried to avoid the boy, yet couldn’t help but care for him, was amusing.
Klyde had been furious at Von for following Tavin into the market yesterday. “I told you to stay away from him.”
“If he did, Tavin wouldn’t be here now,” Zev had said. “He pulled him out of the water, Klyde. Perhaps you should thank him for that instead of holding onto that stick up your arse.”
The mercenary didn’t have much to argue. It wasn’t for Zev to mettle, but he saw Von dive into the water without hesitation and risk his life to keep his nephew alive. Klyde should at least acknowledge that.
“There’s the castle!” Tavin cantered to catch up to Klyde. “Uncle, did you see?”
Von’s shoulders dipped with visible relief, but he stared after him with an odd look on his face. One Zev had seen on several faces as of late.
Cassiel briefly came into view as he soared above the clouds with his flock of Valkyrie warriors in golden armor.
When they crossed the bridge, another escort of Rangers was waiting for them. They saluted Commander Camsen and led them through the Capital of Avandia towards the castle.
Carriage wheels creaked and hoofs clomped as they crossed the gates and rode into the royal courtyard. A garden framed the castle, the smell of dynalyas and rain strong in the air. North of the courtyard grew a particular tree. It seemed to be an oak tree of some sort. It stood nearly thirty feet tall. The trunk had somehow split from roots in two and formed into a near perfect circle. Its branches had woven around the odd shape with a coating of moss and leaves.
Surrounding it were intricate carvings on the floor. Some of them were runes. Round grooves were also on the floor, eight of them, and each placed in a perfect circle around the odd tree.
“I have never seen anything like it,” Lucenna murmured beside him in fascination.
Neither had Zev.
But no one offered them any explanation as to what it was.
Cassiel flew down on silent wings, landing in a graceful crouch. His wings brushed the ground as he rose to stand. He was dressed in all black, no color on him at all.
He looked to Dyna wordlessly, and she came to stand beside him. Poised, head held high. Despite their differences, they presented themselves as a united force for Rawn’s sake.
