Chapter Eleven

Kendrick ran his hand over his lower jaw. Elves might look similar to humans, but that was probably where the parallels ended. If the being that attacked him could dole out such devastating hits to him, then Esha needed to be prepared.

“As you said, there were no visible wounds,” he began. “It doesna pierce as, say, your sword would. Instead, it seeps through the skin and attacks the muscles, bones, and organs. It felt as if someone had taken my muscles and wrenched them apart, then went after my bones, pulverizing them.”

Her brow furrowed as she listened. “When we came upon you, you were on the ground.”

“Aye. That thing was wrapped around me—or its magic was. I couldna tell which. All I know is that I couldna move. It had me pinned.”

Her shoulders lifted as she took a deep breath. “I’ve not seen you in battle, but I have witnessed your abilities,” she said as she jerked her chin to the yurt. “The fact that it hindered you so is worrying.”

“A dragon’s magic is verra powerful, some of the most formidable there is, but there is always something that has more.” Kendrick and the others had never experienced that before on Earth, but as he had to keep reminding himself…Zora wasn’t Earth. It was something altogether different.

As was the stunning woman before him.

“You appeared to heal quickly enough.”

Kendrick thought about how he hadn’t been able to shift after the attack. That had terrified him more than anything because nothing had ever prevented him from going to his true form before. It was something their enemies would love to know, which was why he didn’t tell Esha about it. He didn’t want it getting out to anyone .

“Though there were no outward injuries,” she continued, unaware of his thoughts, “you moved as though you were unharmed. Was that an act?”

He grinned and shrugged. “Partly. I had no idea who you and your team were. You did come to my aid, but for all I knew, you were also an enemy.”

“Right.”

“The magic it used didna leave me quickly. It remained for some time. Even though my body heals almost instantly from any wounds, this magic was different.”

Her brows drew together. “We don’t heal that way. Which means we try not to let it use its magic on us.”

“If we can find a way to see it, then you can devise a way to kill it.”

“That’s a big if . We don’t know where it lives, why it attacks, or even what it is.” She looked down at the map before her. “I’m a good tracker, but this thing doesn’t leave any trail to follow.”

Kendrick lowered his gaze to the map. He looked between the areas where the attacks had occurred, following each in succession in the order of when they happened. “Are there any classes of elves it hasn’t killed?”

“Sea Elves. And Dark Elves. At least that we know of.”

He shook his head as he continued searching for something on the map that would give them a clue. “When it first attacked us, we didn’t hear of any humans being harmed. That was why we thought it was just after us.”

“Is it only seeking out those with magic?”

Kendrick met her gaze. “It could be, but there were humans with magic that were no’ touched either.”

“Could it be human, then?”

“At this point, it could be anything.”

Her lips twisted ruefully. “Three days isn’t going to be enough time.”

“Nay, it isna.” He paused for a moment and then asked, “Why did Savita put such a time limit?”

Esha threw up her hands and rolled her eyes. “I don’t know.”

“Was she verra cross last night?”

“You could say that.”

“Could that be the reason?”

Esha released a long sigh. “I asked her the same question. She told me it was the runes.”

“I doona mean to be disparaging, but could she be lying?”

“Don’t worry. I thought that, too. There’s no way to tell. I know she’s upset. Before I left this morn, she told me that everything she asked the runes resulted in the same answer.”

“Which was?” he pressed.

“Danger.”

Kendrick frowned at that news. “Everything?”

“Everything. To prove it, she made me memorize the runes and where they lay on the table. Then she asked a question, and they landed in exactly the same positions.”

“That doesna seem as if that would happen.”

“It doesn’t. It’s why she’s so upset,” Esha said.

Kendrick motioned to the map. “I can see no rhyme or reason to the attacks, but there is considerable danger in us going after this foe. I heard my friends describe the experience, and I didna heed their words when I went after it.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of hunting it?”

He heard the warning in her words as he searched her golden-amber gaze. “I only want to be clear on what could happen. I doona know your physical abilities or hindrances. I doona know what will happen when we encounter the entity.”

“I know not to use my eyes,” she said with a grin.

Kendrick couldn’t help but chuckle. “It wouldna do any good. No’ really. I saw what looked like a ripple across water out of the corner of my eye, but this thing moves quickly and silently.”

“Makes me wish we had a wildcat.”

“They’re no’ exactly pets.”

She shrugged as if that didn’t matter. “We need an advantage, which we don’t have.”

“No’ now. What we do have is choices for where to begin. What are your thoughts?”

Esha bit her bottom lip as she looked at the map again. After a silent moment, she said, “Your guess is as good as mine.”

“Then let’s head out. We might get lucky.” Either way, he would see more of their country, and perhaps even one of the cities. “Do we need to wait on the rest of your team?”

She couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “It’s just the two of us.”

He was taken aback by her words. Kendrick would’ve thought that Savita wouldn’t want the two of them alone. Or had Esha initiated it? Regardless, he was happy about it. Nothing like spending some time alone with a beautiful elf. Especially one who looked at him with such heat in her eyes. His balls tightened just thinking about it.

Kendrick cleared his throat and quickly shifted his thoughts to the current conversation. “What happened?”

“My sister,” was all Esha said. She turned her head to his lodgings. “What about that?”

With a thought, Kendrick made the yurt and the fire vanish.

“Do you use such magic all the time?”

He shook his head. “Actually, we make a point of doing a lot without magic, but there are times when it comes in handy.”

“I bet.”

“You don’t use such magic?”

“Not like you. We use our hands to erect buildings.”

“Then how do you use magic?”

She paused. “For me, the sun enhances my magic. It helps in battle.”

“Battle magic?”

“Something like that. We don’t use magic to create things but rather to enrich them.”

Kendrick nodded. “I can no’ wait to see more.”

Their gazes held for another moment.

Esha was the first to look away. She motioned to the map. “Let’s head east toward the river.”

“Can we make our way there this way?” he asked as he drew a diagonal from their location to the bisected area where the river lay. It would bring him closer to Rannora and grant him a better look at the city.

Esha raised her hands on either side of the map, then pushed her palms together, shrinking the image until it was gone. “We can, but it will take some time. The forests are thick. There’s no easy way to go through them. Do you think the entity is there, or do you just want to see Rannora?”

“I’d like to see the city, aye.”

She nodded tightly.

“If you’re worried that I’ll shift in front of your people, I willna.”

“That might be wise. You saw how my squad reacted.”

He had. “I doona want to cause any panic.”

She glanced at him before heading around the lake. Kendrick fell into step beside her. He looked at the sky. He wished he could fly. That would not only give him a better view of the plateau but would also allow them to get wherever they wanted to go faster. Everything he saw now made him think of Earth before the humans arrived and cut down forests to build and cover the ground with roadways and concrete. He drew in a deep breath and let the splendor fill every pore.

Esha’s gaze was focused ahead as they walked. “Do you have the same magic in both forms? What I mean is, do you have more magic when you’re in your true form?”

“The magic is pretty much the same.”

“But you can do other things in your true form?”

He inwardly grinned. “All dragons breathe fire. It isna something we do in this form, though I’ve never tried. What about your people? Does everyone have the same magic?”

“Not exactly. Each class has a specialty, of sorts. For instance, as I mentioned, Wood Elves are good with animals.”

“What are Sun Elves good at?”

She shot him a look, a smile playing about her lips. “Bringing light when it’s needed.”

“That could come in handy.” He liked this question-and-answer exchange. “Do you get ill?”

“Sometimes. Do dragons?”

“Sometimes.”

“Not Kings, though.”

He laughed. “Nay, no’ Kings. What about healing from injuries?”

“We die easier than you, if that’s what you’re wondering. Star Elves are excellent healers if it is not something grave, but we’re hearty. Star Elves are always needed, so they got used to moving around. I suppose they grew to love being nomadic. It’s also why you’ll always find at least one Star Elf in every Ranger squad. Do you have anything like that?”

Kendrick shook his head. “You could say we have classes, too. We call them clans.”

“I like that.”

They shared a smile before each turned their attention back to the path before them. The heat was oppressive, and sweat soon covered Kendrick. He used his sleeve to wipe his face. Esha didn’t seem bothered at all. Then the rain began, a steady stream that soon had them both drenched. The canopy helped to shield them somewhat, but it was so hot that Kendrick enjoyed the rain.

“The clans were separated by color,” he continued as he stared up at a group of animals that jumped from one tree to another. They moved fast, hidden amongst branches heavy with leaves for camouflage.

“Did the dragons always stay in their groups?”

“More often than no’, aye. There wasna a decree, though. More like everyone just knew to stay in their clan. At least, they used to. Do yours mix?”

Her nose wrinkled. “Not often. You see it more in the cities, but it’s different in rural areas. Can dragons have babies?”

“Aye.”

A small frown puckered her brow for a heartbeat. “Do you know if the dragons were brought here as we were?”

“They were no’.” He felt her gaze on him as they walked. He didn’t mind telling her the tale, but he worried how she and other elves might take it.

“You know why we were brought here, don’t you?”

Kendrick halted and met her gaze as she stopped. “We’re trying to determine why infants are brought to this realm. If I knew, I promise I’d tell you.”

“Humans, elves, and dragons,” Esha said in a soft voice as her gaze slid away. “Do you know if there are any other beings out there?”

“There are Banshees and an Amazon. I also suspect there are even more.”

“What is a Banshee and Amazon?”

“Banshees know when someone is about to die. For Tamlyn, she knows when a child of magic is about to die.”

“That sounds horrible,” she said, her face wrinkled in distaste.

Kendrick nodded. “It is. The Amazon are women warriors. They’re taller than most females and are experts with weapons.”

Esha grinned. “I’d like to meet one.”

“Maybe you’ll be able to.”

Without a word, Esha started walking again. The terrain became more difficult, and the conversation ended. He didn’t push her to answer more questions. They had three days. For now, he filed away each animal he spotted and the sheer size of the rainforest. After about an hour, the rain stopped.

They passed many lakes, some big, others small. There were splashes in the water, and he wanted to know what kind of aquatic life was beneath the surface, but that would have to wait. The lush plateau offered a plethora of plants and animals. Esha paused beside a tree and picked a piece of fruit. She tossed him one before taking one for herself.

He watched as she bit into it and kept walking. Kendrick followed her example and was amazed at the slightly sweet and juicy fruit. There were many more fruits they passed. Esha pointed out the ones he could try, and he took every opportunity. They ranged from sweet to sour to bitter.

They paused beside a lake for a drink. After Esha had her fill, she asked, “Who is looking after your clan while you’re here?”

Kendrick tried not to feel the pang in his heart at the reminder that he no longer had dragons to rule, but it was impossible. He flicked the water from his hand and sat back on his haunches as he looked at the lake.

“You don’t have to tell me.” She stood.

“It isna an easy question to answer.” Kendrick slid his gaze to her and climbed to his feet to follow her as she started walking again. “It’s…complicated.”

Esha jumped over a fallen tree and waited for him to join her. “Are you no longer a King?”

“I’m still a Dragon King, but the dragons here are no longer in clans. They live where they want, with whoever they want.”

“ Here ,” she repeated. “You’ve said that before. Almost like there’s another place you’re comparing it to.”

Kendrick nodded as they continued walking. “I’m no’ from Zora.”

Esha didn’t show any outward signs that she was surprised by his words. “How did you get here?”

“Through a Fae doorway that links my world to this one.”

“A doorway? I don’t understand.”

He shrugged. “It’s Fae magic, which I can no’ explain. Some are powerful enough to teleport from place to place, but most use doorways they craft with their magic. It’s like a wormhole that connects two places.”

“And they can do that between worlds?”

“Some can, aye.”

“That’s unbelievable. So, why are you on Zora?”

“Because of the dragons.”

“You want to bring them to your realm?”

He drew in a breath. “It’s a long story.”

“We have a long walk.”

Kendrick ran a hand through his damp hair. “I did promise to tell you about the dragons.”

“I want to know all there is,” she said. “But you don’t look like you wish to talk about it.”

“It isna a good story.” But he would tell her as he’d promised. “The dragons on Zora are descendants from my realm, Earth. There, we once inhabited every corner of the planet. And we thrived.” He thought back to his time as a youngling and finding his way in the clan. “Things were no’ what I would call easy, but they were good. That was how it had been for eons before I was born and for a time after I became a King.”

“Then what happened?”

He twisted his lips ruefully. “Humans arrived on our planet. All adults. And all terrified. Constantine, the King of Dragon Kings, gathered all the Kings together, and we went to the mortals.”

“I don’t imagine that went well.”

Kendrick chuckled despite himself. “It didna. They were terrified. Can you imagine a bunch of dragons standing before you?”

“I know my reaction at just seeing one.”

He was glad that she helped to lighten this retelling. Otherwise, he knew he could get mired in his resentment. “That was the first time any of us shifted to this form. The magic of Earth gave us the ability so we could communicate with the mortals. We offered them shelter, vowing to keep them safe. That pledge was our undoing.”