Chapter Eight

Esha fought the anger rising like a storm as she caught sight of Savita just outside Flamefall. When Esha arrived to speak to her sister, she was told she had to wait. She kept herself busy until she tried to see Savita again, only to be told that her sister was busy. After more waiting, Esha tried a third time. That’s when she learned that Savita had gone to see Kendrick.

Savita stopped before her now, her eyes cold and angry. “You know I make the decisions.”

Esha remained silent, even though a retort lay heavy upon her lips.

“Don’t ever undermine me again,” Savita stated in a low voice. “We might have been raised together, but that won’t save you from punishment.”

Savita had always liked to be in control and make the decisions. Even when they were young. Nothing had changed other than the power her sister now held. Savita had a gift, but sometimes it was hard to take. Especially when Savita lorded it over Esha as she did now.

“I was right, wasn’t I?” Esha asked. “The runes said Kendrick was an ally, didn’t they?”

Her sister held her gaze for a long moment. “The threat to us hasn’t changed.”

Esha blinked and took a step back. “You can’t honestly think Kendrick is the threat the runes spoke of. That’s the thing we’re tracking. The creature that kills our people. Kendrick could be our friend. Do you have any idea what kind of magic he wields?”

“I know.”

“He told you, then? He’s not trying to hide anything.”

“Everyone hides something, sister.”

Esha shook her head. “Not everyone. I don’t.”

“Don’t you? ”

The softly spoken question made Esha’s heart jump into her throat. If Savita asked the runes the right questions, then she would know Esha’s deepest thoughts about Kendrick.

“He’s leaving in three days.”

“What?” No. That couldn’t be. That wasn’t enough time to defeat the foe. Esha and her squad had been tracking it for over a month and had found nothing.

Savita shrugged and walked around her. “That’s all the time he has.”

“Did he tell you that? Or did you tell him ?” Esha asked as she turned to stare after her sister.

Savita halted, then slowly turned to face Esha. “You question me?”

“It’s a simple query. Did the runes tell you that timeframe?”

“Is it so shocking to think he might have to return to his people? It isn’t as if he can remain here forever.”

Esha realized that her sister hadn’t answered the question. Savita only did that when she wanted to hide something and yet not lie outright. Which meant the runes hadn’t told her to send Kendrick away. Why was her sister doing this? But then she knew. Esha had undermined Savita in front of others, and this was her sister’s way of getting back at her.

It was childish and ridiculous. They had a way of gaining an ally, and no civilization was strong enough not to need friends. Not to mention that Kendrick’s abilities, coupled with the Rangers’, meant they had a better chance of finding and stopping their common enemy.

“Remember your place, sister,” Savita said and walked away.

“Oh, I remember it,” Esha whispered after her. “How could I ever forget?”

Esha took a deep breath and tried to curb the ire that ran rampant through her. She turned to go to Kendrick when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. When she turned and looked in that direction, she saw nothing. Still, Esha remained in place, watching and waiting to see if it was the invisible enemy they were after. After a while, she began to think it was only her imagination.

She recalled how some of her Rangers had been wary of Kendrick. They didn’t understand her interest in him, a shapeshifter. They also didn’t know how much magic he wielded. Those were the same members who would eventually hunt with Kendrick on the morrow. Perhaps she needed to spend time with her team and convince them to give him a chance.

Esha looked toward Kendrick’s camp before sighing and returning to Flamefall. The Rangers’ encampment had been constructed on the edge of the jungle. They’d chosen a section of earth that dipped to better keep their tents hidden. Guards were stationed all through the forest and the surrounding area that would alert them if anyone got close. Few ever did, simply because most people of Shecrish didn’t venture far from the cities.

Esha nodded to other Rangers and eventually found her squad gathered outside their grouping of tents. They grew quiet as she approached. Esha stopped before them and let her gaze meet each of theirs.

“We’re Rangers,” she said. “We fight when it’s needed, track when it’s called for, and rescue when others can’t. We gave up a softer life for this. Each of us has trained for decades. We’ve put our bodies and minds through torturous training to be given the title of Ranger. Not everyone who applies is accepted. Do we always agree with what we’re sent to do? No, because we’re rarely given details. But it doesn’t matter. Right now, our directive is to hunt the thing that has killed our people.” Esha paused and looked at the Wood Elf to her left. “Zentha, how long have we been attempting to track this adversary?”

Zentha swallowed and said, “Over a month.”

Esha’s gaze moved to Ryul. “Have we been successful?”

The Sun Elf shook his head of golden-blond hair. “We have not.”

“Are we too proud to take assistance?” she demanded, her gaze moving around them.

A muscle worked in the jaw of the Wood Elf, Elduin. “We don’t know him.”

Elduin didn’t need to explain who he was referring to. Esha knew. “And he doesn’t know us. I’m not saying we should trust him right now, but we will be tracking with him starting tomorrow. We all saw him locked in battle today. He came out of it unscathed. Think about that. Then think about those we’ve lost when we tangled with our foe. I want the advantage, any advantage, that will allow us to put an end to any more of our people dying. I can’t be the only one.”

“You aren’t,” Zentha said.

Elduin shrugged. “You make some good points.”

“I’d like to see what the Dragon King can do,” Ryul added.

Esha grinned. “Me, too. Get some rest, Rangers. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow. ”

At their nods and smiles, she turned away. Esha’s gaze landed on Savita, who stood outside her tent, watching her. Normally, Esha would go to her sister and spend some time with her. But not tonight. Esha made her way to her tent and moved aside the flap as she entered. She straightened and looked around.

An image of Kendrick’s round shelter filled her mind. It had been roomy, but so was hers. Her station gave her that benefit—unlike her squad, who had to bunk in pairs. Her eyes moved around her quarters. They had to be able to pack up and go at a moment’s notice, but there were a few luxuries, like her bed. It wasn’t the size of Kendrick’s, but it was better than she used to have. The covers were soft and plush. The chairs were comfortable, and she even had a small table on which to eat her meals in private if she so chose. Then there was her favorite piece—the bath.

She unbuckled the straps that held her dagger at her thigh and placed it on the table. Next, she removed her sword. Esha pulled out a chair and sank heavily into it as she took off her boots and then her corset. She reclined in the chair and thought about how the Rangers lived.

They had always been told they could be moved at any time, but for as long as she had been with the Rangers, they hadn’t relocated the camp even once. She wondered why they hadn’t built better structures—not that they needed it, what they had sufficed. Though Savita’s tent was twice the size of hers and held many more indulgences. But that was Savita.

Her sister had never understood Esha’s desire to be a Ranger. Which was why it had been such a surprise when Savita had shown up at Flamefall. Esha loved her, and she appreciated having Savita there since so many others went years without seeing their families. But there were days, like today, that made Esha wish Savita were elsewhere.

No matter how far up the ranks Esha climbed, Savita would always make sure Esha remembered that she was the older sister and the one with more power.

Esha pushed up from the chair and walked to the tub. It had already been filled with water. That was the job of the youngest in the camp, those training in the hopes of holding the mantle of Ranger someday. Esha remembered those days. They had been long and grueling, but they had molded her into the warrior she was today.

She waved her hand over the water, calling to her magic. Yellow smoke with a trace of gold burst from her palm and wrapped around the copper tub as her magic heated the liquid. When the temperature satisfied her, she ended her magic and undressed to climb into the water.

Esha leaned back against the tub with a sigh. As she soaked, tendrils of heat curled up from the surface. She watched them as she thought about the day. She had overstepped when it came to telling Kendrick they would work with him. It had been wrong of her to do that, especially in front of her Rangers. Had she done it because Savita was her sister? Esha would never have thought herself capable of disregarding a Reader, even her sibling.

Yet she had.

Kendrick had shifted in front of them. They had all seen it. Shapeshifters existed. They knew nothing about them because elves had always thought they were a myth. Add to that the fact that Kendrick was also a dragon, and Esha’s mind had spun with excitement. It was the first time in her life she had forgotten her training and position. She had simply reacted.

That might be fine during battle, but it couldn’t happen again. Not in front of her squad. And definitely not with her sister.

She didn’t doubt that Savita would punish her more than sending Kendrick away in three days. The how would be left up to her sister’s discretion. Savita had the power to remove Esha as a Ranger. Permanently.

That thought left Esha cold. Being a Ranger was everything she had ever wanted. Could ever want. Esha shivered, even in the heat of the water. Whatever had overtaken her earlier couldn’t happen a second time. She wanted Kendrick and the Dragon Kings as allies. She also sought to catch the thing that killed so indiscriminately. There had to be a way for her to have both without being stripped of her title as Ranger. Surely, her sister wouldn’t do that to her. Would she?

Esha knew how vengeful Savita could be, though. She had seen it. No one else in the camp had. They believed Savita the serene, unruffled Reader she portrayed. Savita had a long memory, she never forgot anyone who wronged her, and she rarely forgave anything.

In many ways, Savita was like the Dark Elves in that regard. Esha had made the mistake of telling her sister that one time. It was the first—and last—time Esha had ever done that. Savita had struck viciously, using magic and her fists to pummel Esha. They had been young, but Esha had never forgotten it.

Savita was far from finished with her. Esha would have to watch every step she made and consider every word she said. Many in her squad joked that it must be nice that she and Savita watched each other’s backs, but that was far from the truth.

Savita cared about her position above all else. And she couldn’t have anyone thinking someone had challenged her. Yet Esha had forgotten that and spoke out of turn.

Because of Kendrick.

It all came back to him. Even now, knowing her position could be in jeopardy, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. If she were smart, she’d send another squad to work with him tomorrow.

But she wasn’t that smart.

Esha planned to be a part of history—even if Savita stripped her of her rank and position.