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“Any word from your mentor yet, Lyd?” Matthias asked.

Lydia opened her eyes and shook her head.

“You haven’t, then?”

“I have, but she doesn’t have an answer for us, unfortunately. She says they never figured out how to close it but it gradually shrank and closed on its own after about a year and that she thinks we would be better concentrating on damage limitation. She also says we should get home and check on the news because it’s already begun and we need to be ready to help the worst affected.” She swallowed and rubbed at her arms. “She also says that the idri council is talking about war because of this. Some of them are that afraid.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“So why did you say Emms forming his egg there was interesting?” Matthias said once they were all in the great hall.

“Ah, well, I would have expected him to flee and reform elsewhere,” Kitarian said.

“It’s a good point,” Estara said. “Dragons usually form their eggs in their miria’s nursery and Kithreia keep family nurseries. Those who can’t form their egg there for some reason form it somewhere their psychic instincts tell them is safe. If he formed it here that means his subconscious found it best – which is curious.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Karen rushed over to Lydia’s side, with her parents only seconds behind. “How is she?”

“I’m fine, Kaz.” Lydia was sitting up and had been talking quietly to Sarah just before they arrived. “Not even a trace of a headache, but I don’t remember what happened. Sarah says I banged my head in the fight but I only just remember jumping in.”

“It’s quite common for the minutes before a head injury to be a blank,” Sarah said. “They don’t have time to become permanent before the trauma.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“What happened?” Valeria asked as Sarah laid Lydia down. A grey-skinned dryad with green hair ran over to help her.

“She was trying to dodge one of Huldre’s attacks and landed badly,” Sarah replied. “She’s concussed and her arm is broken. I don’t think it’s too serious but we thought it was a good idea to evacuate her.”

“Agreed,” Valeria said. “How was it going?”

Sarah seesawed her hand uncertainly. “It’s touch and go, to be honest. Those two are obscenely strong. We were holding our own I guess but if they lose many more they’re going to be in trouble.” She looked around. “Where’s Hannah?” Read the rest of this entry »

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“You’re back quickly!” Valeria said when Halia arrived back with Hannah and the others. “Are things going badly?

“Halia shook her head. “She did better than anyone expected and managed to rip the key away from the arrogant prat, but she hurt herself.

Valeria covered a smile at Halia’s turn of phrase. “You’ve been around Matt far too long,” she said.

Halia cocked an eyebrow at her as she laid Hannah down on one of the couches, but then grinned, as she realised what she’d said. “Probably, but it’s such a good word.” She laid a hand on Hannah’s forehead. “I think I’m going to need some help here.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Emms’ head whipped around as the fire engulfed the troll. It seemed that they’d finally managed to distract him in a way that even holding off four powerful dragons had not. Daniel just hoped it was in time – the sky above him was roiling with same green cloud they’d seen above Devon and the hairs on his arms were standing up in the suddenly oppressive air.

For someone with a broken barrier, he’s very focused, Alaryia said. Read the rest of this entry »

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Daniel threw up his shield and sensed the rest of his family doing the same. It didn’t do much good – as the shards ripped though their combined shields like wet paper. It did slow them enough to give him time to dodge as he threw himself to the ground.

As the storm of shards cleared, he checked himself over. He had a few grazes, but mostly from where he’d hit the ground rather than the attack. He sighed in relief and looked up at the others. Everyone except Lydia had got down in time. Lydia, however, was lying motionless on the ground, bleeding from a wound on her left temple. At least the rise and fall of her chest indicated she wasn’t dead. Bennu had landed beside her and was rubbing up against her worriedly. Read the rest of this entry »

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Matthias jumped them in close enough to Huldre’s hiding place that he and his family could attack the troll before he could react, but far enough away that Hannah could easily find a place to keep out of the way as she and her assistants tried to psychically wrestle the key from Emms.

She leapt back and began looking for a good place to hunker down as the four first dragons raced towards Emms and Matthias threw a wave at darkness at Huldre.

“There!” Halia pointed at another pile of rocks not far away. Read the rest of this entry »

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“You have to try and summon the key as soon as we arrive, Hannah,” Matthias said. “It probably won’t work and it’s rather a dangerous thing to ask you, given how strong he is – but if he has to fight you for control of it, it’ll distract him at least temporarily.”

“I’m not sure I can hold out against him long enough for it to make any difference,” Hannah said. “He’s really strong. He wasn’t bluffing about me being no threat to him. I’ll try, but I’ll need backup and even then I might injure myself.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“The key is telling you that?” Matthias asked.

“Yes,” Hannah said.

“Right, then we need you and Marian to scry out exactly where they are so we can jump in.”

“Do I have to work with her?” Hannah muttered as she glared over at Marian.

Matthias muttered something under his breath and nodded. “You really do,” he said. “We need an exact location on Huldre before we jump in. Your bind to the key can be used to scry it, but…” Read the rest of this entry »