about the witch?” Jaken asked. “Won’t we be too close to her?”
“Yes. I won’t lie to you, it could be very dangerous. We have no idea if the witch needs a line of sight to use her magic against us, or how close she needs to be. For all we know, she may be able to see in the dark anyway.” He paused, looking at each of his riders in turn. “But we are dragon riders in the king’s army, and our duty is to protect the people of Torsere. No matter the risk.” A look of pride crossed his face, and Nykin immediately stood up a little straighter. “Five patrols went out, and there will be two dragon riders per patrol on their way back.”
He listed the ten riders who’d be going out. Nykin and Jaken were among them, but Selene was staying behind to guard the palace. Eldin divided the ten riders into pairs, going through the list of names until just two were left. Nykin fidgeted in his spot when he realized whom he’d been paired with.
“Nykin,” Eldin said, dismissing the other riders and heading over to him. “Get that look off your face. This isn’t a punishment.” He gestured for them to start walking, steering them toward the landing caves. “Vashek and Fimor are two of the fastest dragons, so it makes sense for us to take the village farthest out. We stand a better chance than the others of eluding the witch, should the worst happen.”
“So we’re joining the patrol at Miresh, then?” Nykin asked, his heart rate picking up at the thought. Miresh was the closest village to the Athisi border, and therefore nearest to the witch. If the attack was going to come, it would probably start there.
“Yes. Nysad and Lerran are already there, but we will catch up to them before they set off for the palace, and provide cover until they stop to make camp. It will take them at least two nights’ travel to make it back, so you and I will return to the palace to rest and join them again the next night.”
“Will we leave them unguarded during the day?”
Eldin shook his head. “Of course not. The other riders will take it in turns to cover them while they sleep. Now I suggest you and Fimor go out for a practice flight this afternoon. I have no idea how much flying you did in Alel, and we all need to be as sharp as possible tonight.”
He was gone, marching back down the tunnels before Nykin had a chance to reply that he’d ended up doing a fair bit of flying in Alel. But it couldn’t hurt to go out again. He needed to connect with Fimor anyway to soothe his nerves. He wanted to be part of the team protecting the villagers—it was their duty, as Eldin had reminded them—but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t scared.
He’d seen firsthand what a witch could do, and he had no desire to experience it again.
“I WILL meet you here before sunset.” Fimor gently rested his head on Nykin’s shoulder as soon as Nykin slid from his back and onto the ground. Fimor’s easy confidence had soothed him while they’d been in the air. They’d practiced turns and dives, talked about how best to evade the witch should she decide to attack. Fimor would be able to sense her to some extent, and Nykin hoped it would be enough to warn them if she tried to cast. “Try not to get too worked up in the meantime.”
Nykin huffed out a short bark of laughter. “I’ll do my best, but no promises.” He felt Fimor sigh, his head leaving Nykin’s shoulder as he edged toward the cave mouth.
“Go see your king. Maybe he can take your mind off things.”
Nykin sighed at Fimor’s implication and felt the heat in his cheeks. Rough laughter echoed in his head as Fimor launched into the sky. “ I don’t find you funny, just so you know.”
“As amusing as your reactions are, Nykin, I was being serious. Ask Ryneq to relieve some of your tension. You need to be relaxed and focused for tonight.”
Nykin shook his head as he watched Fimor fade into the distance and grumbled all the way back to the storeroom.
“Yes. I won’t lie to you, it could be very dangerous. We have no idea if the witch needs a line of sight to use her magic against us, or how close she needs to be. For all we know, she may be able to see in the dark anyway.” He paused, looking at each of his riders in turn. “But we are dragon riders in the king’s army, and our duty is to protect the people of Torsere. No matter the risk.” A look of pride crossed his face, and Nykin immediately stood up a little straighter. “Five patrols went out, and there will be two dragon riders per patrol on their way back.”
He listed the ten riders who’d be going out. Nykin and Jaken were among them, but Selene was staying behind to guard the palace. Eldin divided the ten riders into pairs, going through the list of names until just two were left. Nykin fidgeted in his spot when he realized whom he’d been paired with.
“Nykin,” Eldin said, dismissing the other riders and heading over to him. “Get that look off your face. This isn’t a punishment.” He gestured for them to start walking, steering them toward the landing caves. “Vashek and Fimor are two of the fastest dragons, so it makes sense for us to take the village farthest out. We stand a better chance than the others of eluding the witch, should the worst happen.”
“So we’re joining the patrol at Miresh, then?” Nykin asked, his heart rate picking up at the thought. Miresh was the closest village to the Athisi border, and therefore nearest to the witch. If the attack was going to come, it would probably start there.
“Yes. Nysad and Lerran are already there, but we will catch up to them before they set off for the palace, and provide cover until they stop to make camp. It will take them at least two nights’ travel to make it back, so you and I will return to the palace to rest and join them again the next night.”
“Will we leave them unguarded during the day?”
Eldin shook his head. “Of course not. The other riders will take it in turns to cover them while they sleep. Now I suggest you and Fimor go out for a practice flight this afternoon. I have no idea how much flying you did in Alel, and we all need to be as sharp as possible tonight.”
He was gone, marching back down the tunnels before Nykin had a chance to reply that he’d ended up doing a fair bit of flying in Alel. But it couldn’t hurt to go out again. He needed to connect with Fimor anyway to soothe his nerves. He wanted to be part of the team protecting the villagers—it was their duty, as Eldin had reminded them—but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t scared.
He’d seen firsthand what a witch could do, and he had no desire to experience it again.
“I WILL meet you here before sunset.” Fimor gently rested his head on Nykin’s shoulder as soon as Nykin slid from his back and onto the ground. Fimor’s easy confidence had soothed him while they’d been in the air. They’d practiced turns and dives, talked about how best to evade the witch should she decide to attack. Fimor would be able to sense her to some extent, and Nykin hoped it would be enough to warn them if she tried to cast. “Try not to get too worked up in the meantime.”
Nykin huffed out a short bark of laughter. “I’ll do my best, but no promises.” He felt Fimor sigh, his head leaving Nykin’s shoulder as he edged toward the cave mouth.
“Go see your king. Maybe he can take your mind off things.”
Nykin sighed at Fimor’s implication and felt the heat in his cheeks. Rough laughter echoed in his head as Fimor launched into the sky. “ I don’t find you funny, just so you know.”
“As amusing as your reactions are, Nykin, I was being serious. Ask Ryneq to relieve some of your tension. You need to be relaxed and focused for tonight.”
Nykin shook his head as he watched Fimor fade into the distance and grumbled all the way back to the storeroom.
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