told me of a TreTale that has been cursed with dark magic. Can you track it and find out what its master was after?”
J’alel, who had been absently stroking Belle’s neck, looked shocked. “Do you fear it was searching for the Destined One?”
Galahad nodded as Aliana shook her head wearily.
“Guys, I had just gotten to Avalon. How could anyone even know to look for me?”
J’alel nodded to Galahad. “I will see to it. I hope to have an answer for you when you return.”
“Thank you,” Galahad said.
“Fine, just go ahead and ignore my opinions.” Aliana fumed.
Dagg landed on Belle’s head, shaking his head. “It would be unwise to not investigate, Aliana.”
She sighed. She just couldn’t catch a break with these guys!
“We need to go.” Galahad tightened his grip on her waist, kicking his heels into Belle’s flanks and causing the Pegasus to rear up.
Aliana shrieked, tightening her death grip on the mane in her hands. Belle took two leaping steps, flapping her large wings and lifting into the night sky.
Aliana squeezed her eyes shut, trying to bury herself against Galahad. Her breath came in gasps as the cool air whipped over her face.
“I will not let anything happen to you,” Galahad whispered into her ear.
Still terrified, she cracked one eye open and saw a beautiful star-studded sky. The mountains in the distance, covered with thick trees, and a rushing river below all glowed in the moon’s silver light. The shining crescent was the largest she had ever seen. It seemed so close, like she could just reach out and touch it.
Laughing, Aliana realized that she had relaxed, even loosened her grip on Belle. “This is all so beautiful!” She wished that the world would stand still so she could live in this moment for the rest of time.
Dagg flew close to them, his Dragonish smirk firmly in place. “I hope this means there will be no more screaming.” Aliana stuck out her tongue at him, noticing he was carrying her pack in his claws.
“I guess you’re our new pack mule,” she teased, looking over her shoulder at Galahad. “What do you think? It suits him, doesn’t it?” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“It would be a shame if I dropped this, Lady Aliana,” Dagg retorted, his smirk sufficiently dimmed.
“Do it and I might decide to clip your wings,” Aliana shot back, thrilled to have someone to tease.
Dagg laid a Dragon claw over his heart, dramatically faking a wound. “That is simply mean.”
Grinning, Aliana leaned back against Galahad and admired the striking landscape before her. “I’m sorry I reacted so badly.”
“I understand your fear.” Galahad’s arm tightened briefly around her waist. “But please trust that I will never do anything to place you in danger.”
Aliana took a deep breath, letting her eyes wander. Even with the wind whipping around them, Galahad’s wintery scent was the only thing she could smell. “It kinda feels like we are the only people in the world…like we own the night.”
Galahad leaned closer, his lightly whiskered cheek resting against the side of her face. “I am pleased you are happy, Aliana.”
Her heart melted. That was the first time he had used just her name without adding “Lady.” The sound of it coming from his lips was almost hypnotic.
They stayed silent for several minutes until Galahad spoke again, his head still pressing against her cheek. “Do you see those cliffs over there?” Aliana nodded. “The magic surrounding the king’s hollow will not let us any closer. We will have to land between those cliffs and walk the rest of the way.”
“Sounds like fun,” Aliana said reluctantly. Hadn’t she already done enough hiking for the day? She studied the canyon ridges. It was hard to see clearly, even with the moonlight, but it looked like strange piles of boulders lined the entire rim almost as a sort of barrier against anything approaching from the woods. Galahad held her tightly as Belle swooped down toward the
J’alel, who had been absently stroking Belle’s neck, looked shocked. “Do you fear it was searching for the Destined One?”
Galahad nodded as Aliana shook her head wearily.
“Guys, I had just gotten to Avalon. How could anyone even know to look for me?”
J’alel nodded to Galahad. “I will see to it. I hope to have an answer for you when you return.”
“Thank you,” Galahad said.
“Fine, just go ahead and ignore my opinions.” Aliana fumed.
Dagg landed on Belle’s head, shaking his head. “It would be unwise to not investigate, Aliana.”
She sighed. She just couldn’t catch a break with these guys!
“We need to go.” Galahad tightened his grip on her waist, kicking his heels into Belle’s flanks and causing the Pegasus to rear up.
Aliana shrieked, tightening her death grip on the mane in her hands. Belle took two leaping steps, flapping her large wings and lifting into the night sky.
Aliana squeezed her eyes shut, trying to bury herself against Galahad. Her breath came in gasps as the cool air whipped over her face.
“I will not let anything happen to you,” Galahad whispered into her ear.
Still terrified, she cracked one eye open and saw a beautiful star-studded sky. The mountains in the distance, covered with thick trees, and a rushing river below all glowed in the moon’s silver light. The shining crescent was the largest she had ever seen. It seemed so close, like she could just reach out and touch it.
Laughing, Aliana realized that she had relaxed, even loosened her grip on Belle. “This is all so beautiful!” She wished that the world would stand still so she could live in this moment for the rest of time.
Dagg flew close to them, his Dragonish smirk firmly in place. “I hope this means there will be no more screaming.” Aliana stuck out her tongue at him, noticing he was carrying her pack in his claws.
“I guess you’re our new pack mule,” she teased, looking over her shoulder at Galahad. “What do you think? It suits him, doesn’t it?” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“It would be a shame if I dropped this, Lady Aliana,” Dagg retorted, his smirk sufficiently dimmed.
“Do it and I might decide to clip your wings,” Aliana shot back, thrilled to have someone to tease.
Dagg laid a Dragon claw over his heart, dramatically faking a wound. “That is simply mean.”
Grinning, Aliana leaned back against Galahad and admired the striking landscape before her. “I’m sorry I reacted so badly.”
“I understand your fear.” Galahad’s arm tightened briefly around her waist. “But please trust that I will never do anything to place you in danger.”
Aliana took a deep breath, letting her eyes wander. Even with the wind whipping around them, Galahad’s wintery scent was the only thing she could smell. “It kinda feels like we are the only people in the world…like we own the night.”
Galahad leaned closer, his lightly whiskered cheek resting against the side of her face. “I am pleased you are happy, Aliana.”
Her heart melted. That was the first time he had used just her name without adding “Lady.” The sound of it coming from his lips was almost hypnotic.
They stayed silent for several minutes until Galahad spoke again, his head still pressing against her cheek. “Do you see those cliffs over there?” Aliana nodded. “The magic surrounding the king’s hollow will not let us any closer. We will have to land between those cliffs and walk the rest of the way.”
“Sounds like fun,” Aliana said reluctantly. Hadn’t she already done enough hiking for the day? She studied the canyon ridges. It was hard to see clearly, even with the moonlight, but it looked like strange piles of boulders lined the entire rim almost as a sort of barrier against anything approaching from the woods. Galahad held her tightly as Belle swooped down toward the
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