feared.
Only the kota’s loud purr brought him comfort. He stroked her neck as he rode. Keena had grown, so he didn’t have to bend far. Her horn now reached a hand’s span in length and she stood at eye level with a few of the other horses in the group. Brown eyes swiveled to him. A small smile threatened his lips as he gave in to her silent entreaty and pulled a piece of dried apple from his pocket.
Neki’s sudden exclamation caused him to turn. They had just reached the outer rim of the Rancor and were now trudging out of the bog and up a sharp rise that led to the middle plateau of Crape. The horses trotted forward without command, gleeful to shake off the red clay coating their underbellies and flanks.
The mood of the men quickly rose. Laughter floated to Ren, raising his own spirits as they topped the rise where lush, verdant grass stirred in the breeze. The undergrowth and thorny plants of the Rancor were banished, and instead broad cedar trees coated with falling moss careened over the plains. The sun began to creep from behind the clouds, exiling the rains and sending a blanket of solace ahead of them.
Ren urged his mount into a fast canter. His men followed, eager to put distance between themselves and the Rancor. The thundering drone of their horses’ hooves soothed Ren’s mind, but it was only a few heartbeats before a shadow eclipsed their flight. Ren looked up.
Instead of looking at the sky, he looked at dragon’s wings.
Ren urged his mount faster, pleading to the Fates the dragon would fly by, praying to the Maker it wouldn’t land.
“Not yet Chance,” he whispered.
He felt more than saw Galvin and Bentzen flank him protectively. Markum voiced a warning behind him.
The world was suddenly bathed in shadow. Silver scales carpeted the sky before the dragon glided to the ground, blocking their path.
The horses reared, eyes wide with fear. Keena pranced at his side, thinking it was a game. Harsh curses indicated Neki had been thrown. His muttered exclamations faded as he ran after his fleeing steed.
It took all Ren’s strength to keep his mare from running, and still she bucked. Galvin dismounted and grabbed Ren’s reins, cooing his mount into submission. Ren dropped to the ground and turned from the dragon.
“Ren?”
A hand touched his shoulder, another found his back, still another his arm. The dragon thundered a greeting, closer this time, almost directly behind him.
Ren looked between Galvin and Bentzen’s concerned faces. Markum paled as he muttered something about the Oracle. All eyes turned to Ren. A sudden understanding rose in each.
Bentzen stepped forward. “Do you want me to kill it for you, Ren?”
Ren shook his head. “No, Bentzen, that isn’t what I have to do. It will live, physically that is.”
Bentzen studied him. “Will you, my prince?”
“I will, physically.”
“Can we do anything?” Galvin’s voice brought Ren a small comfort.
Ren drew a deep breath. He looked at his companions, feeling the warmth of their friendship. He had been selfishly distant since the Oracle. His friends surrounded him, offering him comfort, yet all eyes were filled with disquiet. He had put it there.
He put a hand on Galvin’s shoulder. “No, Galvin, there’s nothing you can do. Only I can carry through the Oracle’s demands, but I’ll regret this for the remainder of my days. If I understood why I could accept it more readily. But I don’t.”
A slight breeze stirred. Galvin’s jaw tightened as he glanced at the silver dragon. “I don’t know what the Oracle commanded, but know the Maker isn’t cruel. Trust him to the why. You just follow the how.”
Ren bowed his head, knowing Galvin was right. The Maker didn’t direct him to do this without a purpose. He remembered the saying at the Oracle’s entrance: Everything happens for a reason and in that reason there is divine good .
He may not understand why he had to do this, he may never understand, but he needed to
Only the kota’s loud purr brought him comfort. He stroked her neck as he rode. Keena had grown, so he didn’t have to bend far. Her horn now reached a hand’s span in length and she stood at eye level with a few of the other horses in the group. Brown eyes swiveled to him. A small smile threatened his lips as he gave in to her silent entreaty and pulled a piece of dried apple from his pocket.
Neki’s sudden exclamation caused him to turn. They had just reached the outer rim of the Rancor and were now trudging out of the bog and up a sharp rise that led to the middle plateau of Crape. The horses trotted forward without command, gleeful to shake off the red clay coating their underbellies and flanks.
The mood of the men quickly rose. Laughter floated to Ren, raising his own spirits as they topped the rise where lush, verdant grass stirred in the breeze. The undergrowth and thorny plants of the Rancor were banished, and instead broad cedar trees coated with falling moss careened over the plains. The sun began to creep from behind the clouds, exiling the rains and sending a blanket of solace ahead of them.
Ren urged his mount into a fast canter. His men followed, eager to put distance between themselves and the Rancor. The thundering drone of their horses’ hooves soothed Ren’s mind, but it was only a few heartbeats before a shadow eclipsed their flight. Ren looked up.
Instead of looking at the sky, he looked at dragon’s wings.
Ren urged his mount faster, pleading to the Fates the dragon would fly by, praying to the Maker it wouldn’t land.
“Not yet Chance,” he whispered.
He felt more than saw Galvin and Bentzen flank him protectively. Markum voiced a warning behind him.
The world was suddenly bathed in shadow. Silver scales carpeted the sky before the dragon glided to the ground, blocking their path.
The horses reared, eyes wide with fear. Keena pranced at his side, thinking it was a game. Harsh curses indicated Neki had been thrown. His muttered exclamations faded as he ran after his fleeing steed.
It took all Ren’s strength to keep his mare from running, and still she bucked. Galvin dismounted and grabbed Ren’s reins, cooing his mount into submission. Ren dropped to the ground and turned from the dragon.
“Ren?”
A hand touched his shoulder, another found his back, still another his arm. The dragon thundered a greeting, closer this time, almost directly behind him.
Ren looked between Galvin and Bentzen’s concerned faces. Markum paled as he muttered something about the Oracle. All eyes turned to Ren. A sudden understanding rose in each.
Bentzen stepped forward. “Do you want me to kill it for you, Ren?”
Ren shook his head. “No, Bentzen, that isn’t what I have to do. It will live, physically that is.”
Bentzen studied him. “Will you, my prince?”
“I will, physically.”
“Can we do anything?” Galvin’s voice brought Ren a small comfort.
Ren drew a deep breath. He looked at his companions, feeling the warmth of their friendship. He had been selfishly distant since the Oracle. His friends surrounded him, offering him comfort, yet all eyes were filled with disquiet. He had put it there.
He put a hand on Galvin’s shoulder. “No, Galvin, there’s nothing you can do. Only I can carry through the Oracle’s demands, but I’ll regret this for the remainder of my days. If I understood why I could accept it more readily. But I don’t.”
A slight breeze stirred. Galvin’s jaw tightened as he glanced at the silver dragon. “I don’t know what the Oracle commanded, but know the Maker isn’t cruel. Trust him to the why. You just follow the how.”
Ren bowed his head, knowing Galvin was right. The Maker didn’t direct him to do this without a purpose. He remembered the saying at the Oracle’s entrance: Everything happens for a reason and in that reason there is divine good .
He may not understand why he had to do this, he may never understand, but he needed to
Similar Books
