Blood of the Emperor by Tracy Hickman Page A

back to Willow Vale from here. Besides, I doubt that the council could organize the encampment to move in that amount of time even were they to begin at once. And even if the encampment is ready to move by then, it may be too late to avoid the Rhonas advance.”
    “How long do you think before the Legions are here?” Drakis asked.
    “Fourteen days for them to get as far north as Char,” Ethisshrugged all four of his shoulders. “Depending on how quickly they can react to this defeat and where their other Legions are located. That’s my best guess.”
    “Which gives us only four days to move the entire encampment past them into Vestasia?” Drakis shook his head. “That’s over three hundred leagues from here. It’s not possible.”
    “Wait.” Urulani held up her free hand. “There may be a way we can shorten the distance for ourselves. Braun has discovered how to open folds.”
    “Belag said the Proxi saved the encampment from the Shrouded Plain by using Soen’s staff as a source of Aether,” Drakis shrugged, “but now it’s useless.”
    “Braun has opened a fold without a staff,” Urulani said as she turned toward the dwarf. “Hasn’t he, Jugar?”
    Everyone looked at the dwarf, whose left cheek was twitching.
    “Is this true, Jugar?” Drakis asked.
    “Well, after a manner of speaking,” Jugar sputtered. “It is a completely untested effect of the ancient human magic and, if you are asking my professional opinion, it is dangerously unsafe as a means of transportation.”
    “He managed to send you from one side of Port Glorious to the other,” Urulani chuckled. “He placed you squarely on the platform as I recall.”
    “Three hand widths above it, he did!” the dwarf bellowed. “And upside down, by the way, which I believe was entirely deliberate on his part!”
    “Then I would say the fold was reliable, indeed,” Ethis replied. “If Braun can train others in this ability, it would be a tremendous advantage. If enough pilgrims could be taught this ability quickly, then we might make the coast ahead of the Legions.”
    “I’ll deal with Braun,” Drakis said, though there was a dark edge to his voice as he spoke. “But for now, none of us should mention this beyond our group and Braun, of course—not even to the council.”
    “Why?” Urulani demanded. “Do you not trust them?”
    “Let us just say that trust is earned,” Drakis replied, “and that there is more advantage in a secret kept between friends than revealed between enemies. Tell no one what we’ve discussed here today.”
    “We are
secretly
going to move an entire nation?” Ethis nodded. “I rather like that idea.”
    “Yes but all of this depends upon the speed of the Rhonas advance. Look for them in your flight,” Drakis said. “Report their movements when you return should you see them. Return to the Vale before ten days pass and then we’ll know where to lead these people out of the way of war.”
    “So, you believe you can avoid the prophecy?” Jugar grumbled as he asked the question. “Just sidestep destiny?”
    “For the sake of every pilgrim out there on the plain, I hope so with all my heart,” Drakis said. “I don’t want to fulfill this prophecy, I want to find something
better
for these people, and for all of us, too.”
    “It’s a fine enough dream,” Jugar pressed his point. “But you have no real idea how all of this is going to work!”
    “Then help me find a way to make it work,” Drakis answered. “Help me find a better fate for all of us.”
    “What do the dragons think of all this?” Ethis asked. “They have been particularly silent during our discussions. What of you, Marush? What do you and your kind think of Drakis’ desire to thwart the prophecy?”
    A great chuckle rose from the dragon. “Drakis is whom we have vowed to serve. He is the Man of Destiny and the Man of Prophecy—but we know that he is also a man. Humankind have always been mercurial, their ears not attuned