Sorceress understood the properties of the Chalice?”
“I do. She started asking about it when she first entered the town. Glinwilda banished her more roughly because of it.”
“She’s a real diplomat, that one,” sneered Anastasia.
Duggan took her hand again . “Was, not is, Anastasia. Glinwilda is dead. Her wyvern has been found dead, and her body is likely inside that stockade. None have dared to enter there to confirm our suspicions, but the light of the Chalice is visible there, even now. Look for yourself.”
Anastasia pulled her hands away angrily . “Hemlock sleeps here, and I’ll not wake her for the journey.”
“I will watch her.”
“Of course you will. Your great white warrior has fallen, and now you come slinking back to the crazy woman in the woods asking for help. If Glinwilda hadn’t been so proud and stupid, she could have asked for my help sooner. What do you expect me to do? I have a daughter to consider!”
Suddenly , a great sound like thunder echoed through the valley.
Duggan rose . It looked like the blood had run from his face, leaving it as white as the pale moon. “Anastasia. Go quickly! The Sorceress is attacking Ogrun! You speak of your child, but think of the hundreds that will perish if you don’t act.”
“You have hundreds of wyverns at your disposal . Defend yourselves!”
“We’re not warriors by temperament, you know that . Glinwilda was our protector, and now she’s dead. You’re our last hope!”
A distant explosion rang out, seeming to underscore Duggan’s point.
Anastasia cursed again as another ominous rumble came from the direction of Ogrun.
“Anastasia!” cried Duggan.
Anastasia shook her head derisively. She cared little for the people of Ogrun. But something about the way the Sorceress looked at her that night when they’d met had bothered Anastasia since. She’d challenged witches to duel on her home world with less provocation than that dark look. A part of her craved to indulge her pride and deliver a comeuppance to the woman. But she was a mother now, and the Red Mage had entrusted her with the fate of the child, who he said would hold the fate of all creation in her hands.
Anastasia cursed her decision to go along with the Red Mage before she could catch herself.
Duggan was standing in front of her again and caught her attention as more distant explosions rang out. “If Ogrun is destroyed, where will you go? You know she won’t let you stay here. Your daughter won’t be safe. You need us!”
Anastasia shook her head, but the more she thought about it , the more she realized that the sniveling coward was right. She had never been good with earth magic and couldn’t grow food magically. And she lacked the physical strength to be a good farmer. She did need them, as much as it made her sick to admit it to herself.
She grabbed Duggan by his collar and nearly lifted him off the floor.
“You watch her and protect her with your life. If anything happens to her, I’ll destroy Ogrun myself!”
“Fine . Hurry!”
Anastasia burst out the door of the cottage, but closed it carefully behind her. She glared at the small wyvern as she left. It glared at her, though it took a step back into the woods as she passed.
She began to run as another rumble came from the direction of Ogrun. She thought she heard the snap of splintering timbers with that one.
There were two more explosions as she ran. When she finally reached the edge of the wood, the scene before her took her breath away.
The majestic towers of Ogrun were burning—the light of the fire replacing the illumination normally provided by the now absent Chalice. People were running and screaming everywhere, and wyverns were flying erratically overhead.
Anastasia scanned the skyline of the burning town, trying to locate the source of the peril. She noticed a glowing light on the mountain in the distance and remembered
“I do. She started asking about it when she first entered the town. Glinwilda banished her more roughly because of it.”
“She’s a real diplomat, that one,” sneered Anastasia.
Duggan took her hand again . “Was, not is, Anastasia. Glinwilda is dead. Her wyvern has been found dead, and her body is likely inside that stockade. None have dared to enter there to confirm our suspicions, but the light of the Chalice is visible there, even now. Look for yourself.”
Anastasia pulled her hands away angrily . “Hemlock sleeps here, and I’ll not wake her for the journey.”
“I will watch her.”
“Of course you will. Your great white warrior has fallen, and now you come slinking back to the crazy woman in the woods asking for help. If Glinwilda hadn’t been so proud and stupid, she could have asked for my help sooner. What do you expect me to do? I have a daughter to consider!”
Suddenly , a great sound like thunder echoed through the valley.
Duggan rose . It looked like the blood had run from his face, leaving it as white as the pale moon. “Anastasia. Go quickly! The Sorceress is attacking Ogrun! You speak of your child, but think of the hundreds that will perish if you don’t act.”
“You have hundreds of wyverns at your disposal . Defend yourselves!”
“We’re not warriors by temperament, you know that . Glinwilda was our protector, and now she’s dead. You’re our last hope!”
A distant explosion rang out, seeming to underscore Duggan’s point.
Anastasia cursed again as another ominous rumble came from the direction of Ogrun.
“Anastasia!” cried Duggan.
Anastasia shook her head derisively. She cared little for the people of Ogrun. But something about the way the Sorceress looked at her that night when they’d met had bothered Anastasia since. She’d challenged witches to duel on her home world with less provocation than that dark look. A part of her craved to indulge her pride and deliver a comeuppance to the woman. But she was a mother now, and the Red Mage had entrusted her with the fate of the child, who he said would hold the fate of all creation in her hands.
Anastasia cursed her decision to go along with the Red Mage before she could catch herself.
Duggan was standing in front of her again and caught her attention as more distant explosions rang out. “If Ogrun is destroyed, where will you go? You know she won’t let you stay here. Your daughter won’t be safe. You need us!”
Anastasia shook her head, but the more she thought about it , the more she realized that the sniveling coward was right. She had never been good with earth magic and couldn’t grow food magically. And she lacked the physical strength to be a good farmer. She did need them, as much as it made her sick to admit it to herself.
She grabbed Duggan by his collar and nearly lifted him off the floor.
“You watch her and protect her with your life. If anything happens to her, I’ll destroy Ogrun myself!”
“Fine . Hurry!”
Anastasia burst out the door of the cottage, but closed it carefully behind her. She glared at the small wyvern as she left. It glared at her, though it took a step back into the woods as she passed.
She began to run as another rumble came from the direction of Ogrun. She thought she heard the snap of splintering timbers with that one.
There were two more explosions as she ran. When she finally reached the edge of the wood, the scene before her took her breath away.
The majestic towers of Ogrun were burning—the light of the fire replacing the illumination normally provided by the now absent Chalice. People were running and screaming everywhere, and wyverns were flying erratically overhead.
Anastasia scanned the skyline of the burning town, trying to locate the source of the peril. She noticed a glowing light on the mountain in the distance and remembered
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