Chapter Twenty-one

When he was finally alone, Kendrick breathed a sigh of relief. He turned his head to look at what remained of the nightwraith. Then he made his way to it. The fire still blazed, but he’d made sure to contain it so it didn’t spread. As he stood near the crumbling remains, Kendrick thought about the viciousness of the creature. The way it’d moved, its cunning. The shards might not have pierced his scales, but the ones that’d penetrated his wings had left behind some discomfort.

It wasn’t as bad as what a Dark Fae’s magic felt like, but it was close. No wonder elves were terrified of the beast. Its tracking ability alone was enough to give even him pause. Would it have ever stopped looking for its target? He wished he knew—that and which one of them it had been after.

He knew the instant he was no longer alone. Kendrick didn’t look up from the ashes as he banked the fire with a thought, but he sensed he was being watched from the trees. Wood Elves, no doubt. He hoped they understood that he was a friend.

Kendrick looked into the forest before him. He waited until an elf showed himself. High in the tree on a thick limb, a body moved away from the trunk. Kendrick bowed his head in greeting. The elf then jumped from the tree and landed softly as if leaping from a mere few inches instead of dozens of feet.

The male was tall and slender. He strode calmly to Kendrick, halting on the other side of the ashes. The Wood Elf’s skin was a copper color. He had the top half of his dark red hair tied behind his head, and the rest of it fell just past his shoulders. Green eyes regarded Kendrick solemnly. The tunic and pants the elf wore were simple in design, but the material was anything but. He held a bow in his left hand, the quiver of arrows resting on his back.

“I’m sorry about the destruction,” Kendrick said .

The elf’s gaze briefly moved to the side to take in the downed and splintered trees. “It’s been ages since a nightwraith ventured from underground.”

“We heard it was after one of us.”

The elf quirked a red brow. “You don’t know which of you it sought?”

“Unfortunately, we don’t. You wouldn’t happen to have that answer, would you?” When the elf said nothing, Kendrick replied, “I didna think so.” He paused, studying the elf. “I came to your land to hunt a mutual foe. The one that no one can see. I heard it’s attacked several elves.”

Still, the Wood Elf said nothing. So, he tried again. “My name is Kendrick. I came hoping our people could be allies. I’ve been tracking with a Ranger and a Dark Elf.”

“We saw.”

“Is there any way I can help with any of this?” Kendrick asked and swept his hand around to indicate where they had battled.

The elf glanced at the ashes. “It seems you already have.”

“I’m no’ your enemy.”

“If we thought you were, we would’ve attacked instead of approaching.”

Well, there was that, at least. Kendrick glanced at the woods around him and saw more elves. They were in various locations in the trees. “I’ve heard the Wood Elves are some of the best fighters.”

“ The best.” Then the elf grinned. “I’m Tarron.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. Do you lead the Wood Elves?”

Tarron shrugged a shoulder. “Something like that. You are all anyone can talk about.”

“I imagine. Where I’m from, there are no elves.”

“Really?” Tarron’s brows shot up on his forehead. “I take it Esha has told you about us.”

“She has.”

“I gather the Dark has, too.”

The hardness in his words warned Kendrick to tread carefully. “I’m learning from everyone. Dain has helped us.”

“A Dark Elf might lend aid, but they always want something in return.”

“Aye. He asked to join us in tracking our mutual foe.”

Tarron’s eyes narrowed. “That’s it? ”

“That’s it.”

“What will you do if you discover the nightwraith was after you?”

Kendrick shrugged, his lips twisting. “I suppose I’ll discover who sent it so I can talk to them and hopefully change their mind about wanting to harm me.”

“Many believe your arrival will bring more dragons.”

Which was the exact reason Kendrick had told Con not to come. “That isna our intent. I’m sure you’ll hear a lot, so let me clear up a few items. The dragons are content on our land. However, something is attacking us. I’m a Dragon King. It means I can shift at will. No’ all dragons have that ability, and, aye, there are more like me. I come in peace, but I will defend myself, as you’ve seen for yourself.”

“You give me a lot to think about.”

“Which I hope you will. I also hope you’ll tell others that I can be a friend, and that I want to be an ally.”

Tarron nodded slowly. “I feel no lie in you, Kendrick. I’ve witnessed your power. I think if you wanted to take our lands, you could do so easily.”

“Something is harming others that wasna here before.” Kendrick hesitated for a moment and then continued. “I’m no’ from this world. The dragons here are descendants of ones who came from my realm of Earth.”

Tarron’s brows snapped together briefly. “Did someone take the dragons like they take us?”

“Nay.”

“Do you know who brings us here?”

Kendrick shook his head. “Regrettably, nay.”

“If you discover the truth, would you share it with us?”

“I will.”

Tarron walked around the pile of ashes and placed his right hand on his heart as he bowed his head. “You will be welcome in any forest, Dragon King.”

“Thank you.”

“Your Dark friend is waiting for you. He’s been listening for some time.”

Shadows moved from the forest, and Dain emerged. “You knew I was there?”

Tarron snorted. “Of course. Shadows don’t hide you in our domain.”

Kendrick motioned for Dain to come closer. “Tarron, this is Dain. Dain, Tarron.”

“I know who he is,” Dain stated tightly.

Tarron eyed him. “Good. Then you know where you stand.”

Dain’s expression hardened. Kendrick put a hand on his chest and met his gaze. After a moment, Dain relaxed a fraction.

Kendrick blew out a breath. “Tarron, my offer stands. This mess was caused because the beast was after one of us.”

“Most likely sent by this Dark.”

Dain took a step toward him. “Watch your tongue, Wood Elf.”

In a split second, every elf Kendrick could see—and probably those he couldn’t—had an arrow nocked and aimed at Dain. Kendrick moved between the two elves. He looked from one to the other. “There’s bad blood between your people, but that doesna mean it has to be between the two of you. Tarron, Dain is the one who warned us about the nightwraith.”

“No Dark would ever send one of those creatures after anyone,” Dain stated angrily. “Few understand the violence a nightwraith can exact like the Dark Elves do. We live among them. We do everything to keep away from them. Only those who don’t understand the ferocity of that animal would stir it and send it from its home.”

Kendrick swiveled his head to Tarron. “You said that you didna feel a lie in me earlier. Can you do the same with Dain?”

“Yes,” Tarron bit out.

Kendrick waited for him to expound on that. When he didn’t, Kendrick prodded him. “And?”

“I sense no lie.”

Dain glared at Tarron. “Because I’m not lying.”

Tarron nodded once. The elves lowered their bows.

Kendrick breathed a sigh of relief and took a step back. He was beginning to understand why the Dark didn’t venture from their underground homes if they were constantly met with such open hostility from others. Then again, there were always two sides to every story. He wasn’t there to mend centuries of hate and anger.

Tarron turned his attention to Kendrick. “Good luck in your endeavor. We’re also hunting this concealed creature. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you.” Kendrick wondered how Tarron would do that, and he was looking forward to finding out.

“Tread carefully, Dark,” Tarron said. “We’ll be watching you.”

Dain smirked. “How could you not when I look this good? ”

Tarron rolled his eyes and walked past them to the forest. In a blink, the elves were gone, or at least hidden from view.

Kendrick faced Dain. “Did you have to provoke him?”

“He irks me,” Dain said with a shrug as if that were explanation enough.

“What about Esha?”

“We got to the lake fine. She was in a hurry to get answers—not that I blame her.”

“Aye. Me, either.”

“Are we waiting for her?”

Kendrick thought about that for a moment. “How long would it take for her to reach us?”

“A while.” Dain suddenly grinned. “Are you offering a ride?”

Kendrick chuckled. “We need to get to her.” His smile died as he thought of Savita’s disappearance. “What do you know about Esha’s sister?”

“She was all anyone could talk about for some time. The Reader who left the city to join her sister’s Ranger group.”

“Esha said that hasna happened before.”

“It hasn’t. I’m sure you can imagine the stir it caused.”

“I can,” Kendrick said with a nod. “How many Readers are there?”

Dain scratched his jaw. “I don’t know the exact number, but I think it’s somewhere around fifty.”

“What did you hear about Savita?” Kendrick asked.

“That she is a talented Reader—more so than others. Each Reader is born with the ability, but a few are more attuned to the runes than others.”

“And that was Savita?”

Dain shrugged. “So it’s been said. Belanore wasn’t happy to lose her.”

“But no one questions the Readers.”

“Exactly,” Dain said with a twist of his lips.

Kendrick couldn’t help thinking that something was going on with Savita. “Has any Reader ever lied?”

“If one has, we’d never know.” Dain chuckled. “The life of a Reader is based on truth. They report what the runes tell them. No one questions them, so how would they get caught if they did lie?”

Kendrick crossed his arms over his chest. “Readers are in positions of power. Where would Savita hold a better station? With the Rangers or in the city?”

“The city, without a doubt.”

“That’s what I thought, too.”

Dain jerked his chin to him. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking something’s going on. Savita disappearing just as a nightwraith attacks us makes things pretty clear.”

“You think she did it?”

Kendrick wrinkled his nose. “I think she didna like my arrival. I think she didna like Esha wanting to hunt with me.”

“You’d think she would make sure dozens of Rangers were with you two.”

Kendrick frowned. “Aye. I thought the same. But does that mean she sent an animal she knew could kill her sister? I doona think she did.”

“Unless she knew you could defeat it.”

“What would she gain by doing that?”

“Other than showing everyone your strength? I don’t know,” Dain said with a shrug.

Kendrick could throw out a hundred guesses, but the elven society was different from any he knew, which put him at a disadvantage.

“Go find Esha,” Dain said as he turned on his heel to walk away.

“Where are you going?”

“To talk to my contacts,” the elf said over his shoulder.

Kendrick waited until the shadows had claimed Dain before he shifted and jumped into the sky. He took his time flying and getting a better view of the plateau and its many lakes, waterfalls, and the large river that cut through the land. It was a beautiful area, and he had made inroads into becoming allies with the elves.

But he was still no closer to finding the entity than before.