Dragon Stones (Book One in the Dragon Stone Saga) by Kristian Alva Page B

Jutland.”
    “The emperor sent a necromancer looking for
me? But why?” said Elias. “I don’t understand this.”
    “I don’t, either. But it doesn’t matter. We
have to leave the city. It’s better if we go immediately.
Necromancers are more powerful at night. If we try to leave after
sunset, she will find you for sure. We will leave within the hour.
I must tell Floki.” Thorin walked to the bedroom and knocked on the
door. Elias heard murmured voices, and then a loud gasp. Halda
started weeping again, this time more loudly.
    Floki and Thorin walked back out into the
living room. “Both of you must go,” Floki said grimly. “The best
chance you have is to conceal yourselves. They will be looking for
a boy, so you cannot leave the city on mounted horseback. We will
load up a cart with hides, and Elias will hide inside the cart.
Then you can take the horses and leave the cart outside the city. I
will come back after nightfall and tell the guards that I was
robbed by bandits.”
    “We have to put as much distance as possible
between ourselves and the city,” said Thorin.
    “What can I do to help?” asked Elias.
    “Didn’t your grandmother teach you any
concealment spells?” asked Thorin.
    “No—No, not really. But I saw one in her
journal. I don’t know how effective it will be.”
    “Well, practice it,” said Thorin. “Your
simple spell won’t stop the necromancer, but it may be enough to
fool the guards at the gate.”
    “I will start practicing the spell now,”
said Elias. His grandmother’s little book of spells was coming in
handy already. Elias walked out to the stable, hitting the earthy
smell of manure and horses. It was welcoming, and it reminded him
of home. Thorin had two beautiful stallions and three mares. Elias
sat down in a dark corner, opened the precious journal, and started
practicing the spell quietly.
    ***
    Thorin and Floki worked fast. Thorin hummed
a song quietly under his breath, packing the cart and the
horses.
    “Thorin, use only the light pack,” said
Floki. “We want the guards to believe that this is just a daytrip
to Gardarsholm.”
    Halda came outside with some corncakes and
dried beef strips. The simple food would sustain them for a few
days if they rationed it properly. Her eyes were red from
crying.
    “Floki, should I start packing our things?”
she asked, her voice trembling.
    “Yes. We must leave with the children
immediately. Do not tell anyone where we are going. You must be
ready to leave when I return. Pack rations and our coin purses. It
is too dangerous for us to linger in Jutland any longer.”
    “B-but the baby, Floki…” Halda’s lower lip
trembled.
    “It cannot be helped,” he responded,
grasping both her shoulders. “The emperor hates dwarves almost as
much as he hates dragons, and his necromancer will not hesitate to
kill all of us. If we stay here, it is only a matter of time before
we are questioned and killed. They will not spare our children,
Halda. You know this.”
    Halda nodded, lowering her head. Her eyes
streamed with tears. She knew that her husband told the truth. The
only safe place for them now was Mount Velik. They had to try and
make it there. She didn’t blame Thorin and Elias, but it hurt just
the same. They had built a life together in Jutland, and now, to be
uprooted with so little warning was painful.
    Thorin cleared his throat and coughed
politely, “Floki, sorry to interrupt, but the horses are ready to
go.”
    “Alright. Parvel!” said Floki, calling again
for his young son.
    “Yes, Papa?” answered Parvel, who came
running from inside the house.
    “Go find Elias and tell him it’s time get
going. He’s somewhere in the stables. Don’t be too loud,
though.”
    Parvel bolted to the stables, calling Elias’
name.
    “This is my chance to test
the spell,” Elias thought to himself. He
read the runes out loud, carefully, “Hud-leyna!” He saw a shimmer
in the air, and then it stabilized. He couched in the