Chapter 449 (1/2)
TurtleMe
Chapter 447: Ripple in Ti ontoback to give me space As I held out my hand to Sylvie to help her up after h my skull made me stumble, and an arm wrapped aroundto support soht
Sylvie see She looked me over nervously “I’m sorry, Arthur, I couldn’t hold it back from your mind”
“Hold what back?” Ellie asked “What happened?”
I blinked and shookcobwebs the vision had left in ing the crowd that had gathered and not wanting to say anything that would beco aura was enough to pull most of the attention away from me Her dark eyes met mine, and she seemed to read the situation in an instant “There is much to do Allow our companions a moment to catch their breaths Reacy herself on our behalf Mind that you don’t inadvertently start unhelpful ruh to see my episode—which, unfortunately, was a lot—shrank back at Seris’s thinly veiled ire
A cascade of flame-red hair was the first I saw of Lyra Dreide as she hurried through the crowd “Go on, then, all of you There is much work to be done, and no rooan lances
“What’s going on?” Lyra asked, leaning in toward Seris, atching ht with obvious worry
“Let’s have this conversation somewhere more private,” Seris said, her words quiet but firroup to a nearby ele open roo the space No one sat as we all shuffled in Every pair of eyes turned to hlords Frost and Denoir, whowith either Seris or Lyra before itation from my inflection, I said, “My companions and I need to leave I to tell me what happened, Arthur? This shoeakness could not have coaze turned away, focusing into the ain, it was to herself “But seeking acceptance froons is essential If we tell the people that you have gone to ensure the peace, then most will accept it without question…”
Her attention jumped back to me “Still, as your partner in this venture I would like to know the truth of what has happened”
I thought back to the vision I’d shared with Sylvie
A Wraith attack on Kezess’s general resulting in the deaths of the Glayders and who kno ures in Etistin…
My concerns werethem noas to verify that it hadn’t actually happened yet If it hadn’t, I could figure out how to prevent it But sharing the inforht e the future was exceedingly risky I had to proceed with utmost caution
Additionally, I wasn’t sure who, if anyone, should know that Sylvie was having visions of the future I wasn’t sure I could trust even Seris with that detail
“I can’t explain now,” I said “Not until I have a clearer idea of it aze remained locked
“Nevermind then, I can see that you’re set on this” She broke our eye contact with a huh “Vritra’s horns, life was easier when I was surrounded by people who juave her a wry s very hard to deprive yourself of such a life”
Shaking her head, she wavedfly “Go on, do what you must I’d have liked to offer you arding our defection, but I suppose I trust you to handle it on your own All I will ask is that you take one of mine with you As my eyes, ears, and voice, as it were”
“No,” I said, quicker and ood idea”
Seris’s look hardened, what little good hu away “No? Arthur, this partnershi+p works in both directions You have asked forat this criticalthat you ue along the inside of ons and Wraiths was no place for an Alacryan deserter, but it would tear open a rift between Seris and me if I forced the issue “I concede the point, then,” I said after a long pause
Highlord Frost stepped forward, giving the two of us a shter, Enola, for this task She is highly capable, and faent Arthur from their time at the acadehtly more seasoned for this task”
She nodded to hi else he wanted to say, retreating to his previous spot against one wall
She continued, her words directed toward Corbett “Caera would be a stronger candidate for the role I have in side Arthur at length and has direct experience with the dragons I trust her in this and a Can you fetch her?”
I keptthis any further now that I’d already given in to Seris’s demand
While aited for Corbett to return, Seris spent a fewme with the basis of her plans in the Elenoir Wastes so that I ht necessary When Caera arrived, I bid Seris farewell and led e and into the Beast Glades
“There is a town near the western edge of the Beast Glades, not too far to the south It’s the closest teleportation gate that will get us to Etistin,” I explained as wealong,” Caera said, glancing around furtively as we moved into the dense treeline, “but what exactly are we rushi+ng off in such a hurry for?”
Hopping over a downed tree, I turned and gave Ellie my hand to help her over, then Caera behind her As I took Caera’s hand, I said, “I’ve discovered so Etistin in the near future”
Chul sla froht “A chance for vengeance”
“Wraiths…” Caera said breathily, her brows knitting into a frown “But how could you know? Do you have a djinn relic in your pocket that shows you the future?” She attempted a playful smile, but it came across as pained
“No, I…can’t explain yet I’m sorry Perhaps e reach Etistin and have had ti the back of one pale as I spoke, and I was certain she was rerona’s secret asura-killers
‘So are we just going to, like, not talk about the whole visions of the future thing then?’ Regis asked as he loped along atquite the collection of mysterious subplots, isn’t she?’
She needs tiht of this vision, I thought back Until we have a better idea of why and what happened, no one else should know Out loud, I said, “Here is good enough,” co atand conflicting thoughts and ideas, forced herself to focus The transforrew into the forasped, hersilently as she stared up in awe
“It’s not that iis said as he stepped into me and drifted to my core I hopped up on Sylvie’s back at the base of her neck, and Chul helped Caera and Ellie s
Caera tentatively reached out and brushed her fingers along the back of one wing, a shi+ver running through her
Frorowled low in his throat, his sly
I pressedneck as she stared down at Boo with one huge eye like a pool of liquid gold “It won’t be tooas I don’t have to carry Chul, too, I’ll be fine,” she said, her voice rich and ru in her draconic forrabbed Boo in her large front claws, gathered herself, and sprang up, her wings beating at the air with graceful ease Chul moved into position beside her, and we took off to the southwest We stayed just above the treetops, not worrying about an attack from any mana beasts; the combined auras of Sylvie, Chul, and ressiveway from the depths of the Beast Glades where such creatures dwelled
On dragonback, the journey only took us a couple of hours, saving an entire day or h the dense forest below Sylvie transformed back well outside of town, and we completed the journey on foot We had no need of the Adventurers Guild or any vendors, and so we didn’t stop anywhere in town but instead went straight to the teleportation gate
Before approaching the gate attendant, ould prograate to Etistin for us, I stopped my co over how to proceed for the entire journey and had made a few decisions that I knew not everyone would approve of
“Ellie, you’re not coe off what I kneas going to be a difficult conversation
“I understand,” she said, catching uard She looked embarrassed at my surprise “Oh, don’t look at me like that In spite of s turn out like you expect But I’er I want to esticulated randomly with her hand—“all this, in the best way that I can If thatsafe for a bit, then that’s what I’ll do”
She reached out her fist, and I buis, who had resu with us in his physical forue lolling out the side of his hed, and I rolled my eyes
“What, isn’t this a team huddle?” he joked
Chul, who had watched our exchange with a deepening look of concern, huffed “Sister Eleanor can not be sent off on her own” He ground his teeth, clearly considering his next words carefully “Though I wish to test ainst these Wraiths, I also hope to do my duty to you, Arthur, anda not-quite-entirely suppressed somberness “If you wish it, I will escort her back to the dwarfhome, Vildorial, and watch over her in your absence”
I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Chul had offered before I had to ask With no long-distance teleportation gates re in Vildorial—or anywhere else in Darv—the safest way for Ellie to return would be to fly “Thank you, Chul I understand why you left the Hearth, and what this means to you My hope is that there is no battle in Etistin, and that you don’t ave ive the for me”
“Besides, Bairon and Mica will be in Vildorial Maybe even Lance Varay! They’re really awesohtly, her own fear and frustration barely evident Boo rurinned “Boo says he’d be happy to bat you around a bit, too, if you need it”
Chuckling, I turned to Sylvie, Regis, and Caera “Let’s go then”
The h The last thing I saw as I glanced over my shoulder was Ellie flanked by Chul and Boo She waved I liftedties’ portals in Dicathen I’d gotten used to the Alacryan’s tey, which made teleportation much faster and smoother The portals of Dicathen—relics left behind after the djinn genocide—dragged the user across space, which distorted as it sped by, and had been known to make people sick the first time they used it
I realized halfway there that I should have warned Caera
As we appeared one by one in front of the receiving portal, Caera bent over and clutched her sto not to be sick A soldier, who had likely seen this happenshut as he cut off whatever e of welcome he’d been about to deliver
Caera took several deep breaths and held up her hand as if to ward off her nausea “‘m fine,” she said hoarsely “But…what in the Vritra’s nalared at me “Absolutely barbaric”
The moment of amusement I felt melted away as I remembered ere there, which coincided with the soldier snapping to attention as he realized who I was
“Regent Leywin!” He stepped around Caera and reached for reat to meet you, really, a true honor You saved my father at the battle of Slore, sir, and I’ve always hoped for the chance to thank you in person”
“I should be the one to thank your father for his service,” I said with a practiced s hi hiuard snapped back into a ot a little excited I’ at another guard, as poking his head in through the door of the sive an order, but I interjected “Actually, I need lancing froh one of the narros
“I understand you have your orders,” I continued, trying to sound both confident and consoling “I don’t want to insult Charon by not going to see hiht away, but lives are at stake I really need you to just pretend like I never stepped out of this portal”
The guard hesitated as he inspectedat Sylvie’s and Caera’s horns “But the Glayders were very insistent…” Trailing off, he shook his head and snapped into a solute “You have esture, I marched quickly from the portal chauards stood outside, including the one who had peeked his head in the door I gave theht, taking shelter in a narrow alley between two tall townhomes
“Well, that’s one question answered,” I said