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  “That’s why”—Dasyra panted—“you insisted I wear gloves like you.”

  Devarius glared at her.

  “Did you just pull that rope, and it came undone?”

  Devarius blinked.

  “What if it would have done that as we were climbing?”

  “Let’s move,” Devarius said.

  He nodded for them to follow him through an alley. Devarius made sure all of his daggers were hidden before he pulled the hood of his black cloak over his head. He stopped when the alley ended. Devarius could hear the commotion of feet pattering against the ground, and voices chatting to each other. He poked his head out. This part of the city was busy. Hundreds of people scurried about, some visiting merchant stands and others going into the shops. A few disinterested guards patrolled the area, more interested in chatting amongst themselves than inspecting anyone too closely. Men and women on the streets wore hooded cloaks as well, making it easy for them to blend in.

  “Is everyone ready?” Devarius asked. “We should blend in well with the townspeople.”

  Paedyn drew his hood over his head. “Ready.”

  Dasyra scowled. “Must we wear the hood?”

  “Do you really want to end up in a prison with the frisky guards of this city?” Devarius asked.

  Dasyra secured her hood with a snarl.

  Devarius strolled out into the commotion, doing his best to match the stride of those around him. Paedyn caught up with him, walking by his side. Dasyra stayed behind them slightly, her head constantly turning from side to side. Devarius gritted his teeth as he watched Dasyra from the corner of his eye. He hoped she wouldn’t give them away. She didn’t know how to act casual.

  They stopped at a local merchant table with fresh bread and fruit. Devarius began browsing the wares. He selected a basket of mixed fruit and six loaves of bread.

  The merchant woman smiled at him. “Ten silver.”

  He reached for his coin purse when Dasyra put her hand on his arm. Devarius squinted at her.

  “Six gold. What are you trying to pull on us? Unless you want to throw in a half dozen cakes as well.”

  The merchant gritted her teeth. “Six silver.”

  Devarius slipped six coins from the purse and handed them to the merchant. She studied each coin carefully, biting one of them, before nodding. Devarius haggled a paper bag from the woman to put the fruit and bread inside. He turned to continue searching the merchant tables.

  “Thanks,” he whispered under his breath.

  Dasyra smiled. “Don’t mention it.”

  They stopped by a few more shops, buying dried meat and vegetables for the group. As they neared the end of their business, Devarius stopped. Paedyn and Dasyra crashed into him.

  “What is it?” Paedyn asked.

  “Is that the dragonrider who captured us?”

  Paedyn glanced over Devarius’s shoulder. “Yes … I believe so. There’s someone with him.” He strained his eyes. “Another dragonrider?”

  “Perhaps,” Devarius said. “Make sure they don’t see you.”

  The three buried themselves in the crowd, hoping to get swallowed up so they wouldn’t be discovered.

  “What’s the plan?” Paedyn asked.

  “We still need to get cloth for blankets and clothes. We’re just going to have to be cautious and keep an eye on them.”

  Paedyn and Dasyra nodded before glancing around nervously.

  Devarius motioned for them to follow him as he crossed the road to the other side of the merchant square. They made their way toward the two dragonriders on the opposite side of the crowded street. With any luck, they’d be able to slip past them to the local apothecary and seamstress without notice before they departed the city. They made it around the two dragonriders without notice and into the small apothecary shop. Devarius shivered when he stepped inside. Paedyn let out a deep breath.

  They perused the different spices and herbs in jars. Paedyn grabbed Devarius’s arm.

  “Where is Dasyra?”

  Devarius froze. He turned around, walked to the door of the apothecary shop, and glanced outside. Dasyra cast furtive glances back at them as she slowly approached the two dragonriders.

  “She’s heading toward the dragonriders,” Devarius whispered.

  “That didn’t take her long,” Paedyn said.

  “I thought she’d be more stealthy about it, yes. Well, it seems we don’t have much time to finish our business. I’m glad we carried the bags instead of her.”

  “May I help you?” an elderly woman asked from behind the counter.

  “Yes, I’m sorry.” Devarius stepped over to her. “We need a few simple medicines, one for wounds and a few more for common illnesses. We’re going to be on the road for a while and want to be prepared.”

  She smiled. “Very well.” She reached for a few containers.

  “Do you have any medicine for the mind back there?” Paedyn asked.

  She tilted her head. “Mind medicine? Does your mind need medicine?”

  “Yes, quite ill, my mind is,” Paedyn responded. “Any pipe tobacco or pipe weed in one of those jars?”

  “Ah, yes, but that does much more for you than settle the mind, dear one. For some people, it helps tremendously.”

  “Oh, yes.” Paedyn smiled. “I know. I’m one of them.”

  She shook her head, grabbed ten different small jars and placed them all in a bag.

  Devarius peeked over his shoulder, making sure no dragonriders were about to burst through the door.

  “How much?” he asked.

  “Eight gold.”

  He nodded, retrieved eight gold pieces from his purse, and laid them on the counter. “Thank you.”

  Devarius and Paedyn spun around and headed out the door. Dasyra had just reached the dragonriders. Devarius grabbed Paedyn’s sleeve and dragged him around the corner into an alley.

  “What next?” Paedyn asked.

  “We find our way out of here before those dragonriders find us.”

  “What about the cloth?”

  “It’s too late. Dasyra didn’t give us enough time.”

  “We should have had a talk with her about when the proper time to turn against us was.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Devarius said.

  They traveled through the alleys at a fast pace. Devarius stopped abruptly, causing Paedyn to collide with him.

  “What is it?”

  “Exactly what we’re looking for. A woodworking shop.”

  Paedyn grinned. “I told you my plan would work.”

  Devarius raised his eyebrows. “We’ll see.”

  They rushed to the shop. Careful to make sure no one saw them, Devarius slipped inside. A man in his late forties sat with his back to the door, carving a small wooden boat. Devarius quietly stepped behind him, slid his left arm over his neck, and pulled it back tight with his right hand pulling his left fist. The man kicked and tried to grunt, but no words came with Devarius blocking his air passage.

  “I’m sorry,” Devarius whispered.

  The man struggled for a few more minutes before he slumped in Devarius’s arms. He gently laid the unconscious man on the ground.

  “Hey did you—” Paedyn paused, glancing to the man on the ground. “Is he?”

  “He’s alive. Did you find any boats?”

  “Better. I found a wagon, horses, and eight canoes in the shed next to the shop.”

  “Since when are we ever that lucky?” Devarius asked.

  “Since never.” Paedyn grinned. “Hey … is that a toy boat?”

  Devarius looked to the small wooden boat on the bench.

  “Yes,” Devarius said.

  “Can I have it?” Paedyn asked.

  “What?”

  “I’ve always wanted a toy boat.”

  “No,” Devarius said.

  “But … why?”

  “He’s not finished with it. Now, come on, we have to get out of here.”

  “Can we get one at the
next village we stop at?”

  “We’ll see,” Devarius said.

  The pair packed the eight canoes they had found onto the wagon. Devarius loaded the wagon with their supplies and several bags of grain he found for the horses. He fed some to the horses as Paedyn prepared the wagon for their journey. Devarius covered their supplies with cloth to hide them from prying eyes. When they were ready to leave, Devarius paused, tiptoed back over to the workbench, looked at the unconscious man on the ground, and sighed. He unfastened his coin purse and looked inside. They only had twenty gold coins left. Devarius set the coin purse on the desk next to the toy boat and went back to the wagon. He knew it wasn’t enough to pay for the wagon or the canoes, and especially not the horses, but hopefully the man could see that they needed the supplies.

  “Ready?” Paedyn raised his eyebrows.

  Devarius climbed atop the wagon next to him, grabbing the reins of the horses. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Paedyn grinned. Devarius flicked the reins. The horses sped out of the rear of the wood shop and into the night. They studied their surroundings carefully as they made their way toward the main entrance of the city. Both suns had already set. The sky was dark, with only slivers of the orange and blue moons illuminated to the north and south. Devarius hoped if Dasyra had blabbed to the dragonriders, they’d be searching the rear of the village where they had slipped in. Usually, no one looked directly under their dragon’s belly for something.

  When they reached the main streets of the city, the dragonriders were nowhere to be seen. Devarius let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding as they made their way to the entrance.

  A guard halted them at the gate. “Awfully late to be heading out tonight, isn’t it?”

  Paedyn grinned. “Supplies are needed north in Kaed.”

  “It’s a dark and ominous night out there. Are you sure it wouldn’t be best to stay the night here in a warm bed and travel in the morning?”

  “Best? Perhaps. But I’m eager to deliver these supplies. When I deliver the supplies promptly, the warm bed comes free.” He winked.

  “Ah, I see. Well, safe travels then.”

  Devarius flicked the reins again, and the horses sped out of Trevium. The men relaxed for a moment, allowing themselves a flutter of hope.

  “All right. I’ll give you credit. Your plan worked.”

  “I told you my plan was foolproof.”

  Devarius laughed. “We’ll see. We’re still not safe yet.”

  12

  Captain Vesryn stood next to Tirask in the city of Trevium, scanning the merchant shops and streets for any sign of the traitors. Being the closest city to where Tirask had captured the renegades in the forest, Vesryn thought it likely they would have to stop for supplies. He didn’t believe the entire party would come through the gate as they had in Kaed, unless they were complete fools, but a few of the party might try to sneak through. That was why he needed Tirask with him.

  “Do you see anyone you recognize?” Vesryn whispered.

  “Not yet.”

  “Keep looking.”

  Tirask nodded.

  Being the largest city in the northwest, Trevium was full of travelers from the region gathering supplies. Vesryn kept an eye on the main gate, searching for anyone suspicious.

  Determined footsteps pattered toward him from behind. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword as he turned around. A woman strode over, wearing a brown cloak and hood. Blonde hair fell out the front. Tirask noticed the woman as well. He, too, responded by palming his weapon.

  “That looks like the woman from the renegades,” Tirask whispered.

  “Who?” Vesryn asked.

  “The woman whom I convinced to tell us where they were going.”

  “Nice. Perhaps you persuaded her it’d be in her best interest to leave the party of traitors.”

  When the woman reached them, she bowed. “Milords … I have come wi-with—”

  “You have information on the traitors.”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  Vesryn scoured the surrounding area with his eyes, keen to pick out suspicious behavior. The streets were busy, and nobody was likely to be listening. However, he’d feel better conversing in a more secluded area.

  “Where are they?” he demanded.

  “Not in the street,” she whispered.

  “Come with us,” he ordered.

  She nodded her acquiescence.

  Vesryn led the small party down the street to a local pub, the Bickering Bison. He found a table in a corner away from the crowd and eavesdroppers. A serving maid appeared. Vesryn ordered two pints of ale and a glass of wine. After the woman brought back their drinks, Vesryn took a long gulp of his ale, then turned to the woman.

  “Where are they?” Vesryn repeated.

  She glanced about nervously, her body shivering. “First, I want a full pardon. I did not wish to get involved in anything like this. I just got caught up in it, and I had nowhere else to go.”

  “A pardon?” Vesryn scratched his chin. He took another gulp of ale, then wiped his mouth. “That can be arranged.”

  She continued to glance about. “A couple of them are here, gathering supplies.”

  “I gathered as much. That is why we’re here. Where are they?”

  “My name is Dasyra.”

  “You’re avoiding the question.”

  “Are you going to give me a full pardon or not?”

  “Yes,” Vesryn said through clenched teeth.

  She handed him a small parchment. “Write it.”

  Vesryn snarled as he grabbed the small paper and scribbled a pardon for her. When he handed it back, she inspected it before rolling it and shoving the note into her bosom.

  “How did you convince them to let you tag along, especially after divulging their plans to me in camp?” Tirask asked.

  “I was the daughter of a merchant. They had limited coin, and planned to bring no women to the city. I knew they needed a woman to barter items for them. I know the cost of supplies, so the merchants couldn’t dupe them. They also needed a woman to help them select ‘women’s’ things—or at least, so I told them. I saved them a lot of gold by tagging along with them today.”

  “And I’m sure by now they know you’re missing?” Vesryn asked.

  “Yes. I was traveling right behind them, when I slipped away to come to you.”

  “Then they’re either long gone or about to leave … What information do you actually have? So far, this is useless … hardly worth a pardon.”

  Her eyes bulged. “They’ve changed their plans.”

  “Oh?” Vesryn asked. “Why?”

  “They had no real reason to head to Laeraed in the first place. Except it was the easiest path to travel. When following the river, it’s easy to stay on a straight path south, and there’s plenty of water for the journey by refilling in the river. That’s the only reason Devarius picked it. He had planned to stop in each village along the way to see if he could learn anything about the Resistance. Since you’re surveying that direction, he decided to travel another way.”

  Vesryn and Tirask exchanged a meaningful glance.

  “What about the old man who hid you in his barn? Wasn’t he part of the Resistance? Didn’t he tell you to go that way?” Tirask challenged.

  “Him? I don’t know anything about him. Devarius mentioned nothing about him to anyone. I just think the old man was nice enough to let us hide in his barn when the entire village guard was after us. We were planning on going to Laeraed well before we showed up in Kaed.”

  “I see,” Vesryn acknowledged. “And where is Devarius heading to next?”

  “Sephreal.”

  “Why Sephreal?”

  “He says it’s a large enough city that there’s bound to be someone there who knows about the Resistance.”

  “Except now he knows you’ve betrayed him and will direct us to Sephreal.”

  Her eyes bulged. “Still, he will have to gather the res
t of the party. He left them at the lake northwest of Sephreal.”

  Vesryn scratched his chin. “If he’s not going to Laeraed, and he’s forced to turn away from his new plan of Sephreal … where will he turn?”

  “Ceydar?” Tirask suggested.

  “Perhaps. Well, we’ve wasted enough time here. We better reach the lake before them,” Vesryn said.

  Tirask nodded.

  “Why have you betrayed your companions?” Vesryn asked.

  Her eyes focused, becoming hard. “I am not as foolish as they are. There is no hiding from the Dragonia Empire. I’d rather be on your side.”

  “Smart.” Vesryn grabbed her arm and forced her out of the pub. “You’re coming with us.”

  They made their way through a few alleys until they reached the barracks in the less populated area of the city. Two dragons sat in front of the building. When Vesryn and Tirask approached, dragging Dasyra behind them, the two dragons looked up. Tirask quickly climbed atop his dragon. Vesryn was a little slower. He climbed onto his dragon first, then heaved a trembling Dasyra in front of him.

  “How do you feel about flying?” Vesryn asked.

  “I—”

  “Good. Hold tight.”

  She gulped.

  The dragons’ wings spread out. They leapt into the air. Dasyra clutched Vesryn tight as they ascended into the sky.

  13

  Devarius let out a deep breath. Their wagon reached the river south of the city. He searched all around for his companions, but he didn’t see them. Aquila should have been awaiting their arrival. They slowed their wagon, but still saw no sign of any living being. He hoped they hadn’t remained by the lake. Devarius trusted Aquila had been able to convince the others to leave the lake. He moved to head toward the lake, and Aquila’s head appeared out of the brush. Devarius took a deep breath; relief flooded through him.

  “Is everyone safe?” he asked.

  Aquila nodded. She rushed out of the bushes to embrace Devarius, startling the horses. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight.