Connor, whose back was already full of children.
Bastian knelt and more children climbed on his back, followed at the rear by Pia. Adam was strapped on her chest so she had both arms free to help the other children.
"Now, all of you, listen to me," Pia called out. "Don't let go. Not ever. We have a long flight ahead of us. You'll love the Meadowlands. It's filled with lush green grass and animals you have never before seen. It will be a beautiful place for us to find safety."
They hadn't told the children they planned on leaving the Dragonlands forever. Not yet. It wouldn't do any good to let them know so soon. The children needed to be calm on the flight to the Meadowlands.
Once all of the children were settled, Connor took off, Hazel following, and Bastian bringing up the rear. Though Bastian had learned to control his dragon in the months since his return to Hutton’s Bridge, he hadn't established a link with anyone while he was in dragon form. Connor and Hazel had quickly learned how to send their thoughts, so Bastian simply followed them while they were in the air.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, refusing to think about what waited out there for them. His only goal now was to bring the children to safety. After that, he'd seek out the evil and destroy it before it could hurt anyone else he loved.
Chapter Eleven
Bastian glided toward the Outpost in the dark of night. He landed in the soft grass, careful not to jolt anyone off of his back. One by one his passengers slid off, until only Pia and his infant son, Adam, were left. Pia handed Adam to one of the older children, then she slid off Bastian's back. She shook out her cloak.
Bastian returned to his human form. He held out a hand to Farah, who slipped her hand in his. She was growing up, but she was still his little girl.
"I should approach the gate first," Bastian said. "We need to talk to Blythe immediately."
Connor and Hazel nodded their agreement.
"Farah, why don't you stay with Pia for now?" Bastian patted his daughter's blond curls. "I have some business to take care of."
"Okay, Papa," she said, a scowl on her face. Farah yanked her hand from his and stomped toward the back of the large group. She stood next to Pia, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes narrowed.
Bastian held back a laugh. His daughter had the worst of her father and her mother. She would grow up to be a very stubborn woman. He quickly sobered. It was a trait she would need to survive in this uncertain world.
Taking a deep breath, Bastian reached for the low-hanging rope. He tugged on it three times, ringing the bell on the other side of the wall. In only a few moments, the wooden gate creaked open.
"You're here, finally." A man with a bright shock of red hair and a face full of freckles motioned them in. "Blythe has been watching the skies for you since last night. She got your pigeon. I’m sorry we weren’t able to send any dragons to help, but we’ve needed all hands here to prepare for what is coming.”
Bastian followed Renny into the Outpost, the children and few adults straggling in behind. They were all exhausted.
"We can put your people up in the inn," Renny said. "But I hope you aren’t too tired to come with me?"
Bastian turned to Connor. "And you? Do you have enough energy to come with us?"
"Yes," Connor answered. He turned to his wife. "Hazel?"
She looked over at Pia, the healers, the cook, and the children. Weariness echoed in their eyes. "I'll go with them for now," she said, pointing toward the huddled mass of Hutton's Bridge refugees. "But I want to be told what you discuss, and I want it made clear I will do what I can to help."
"Of course." Connor kissed his wife on the cheek before she walked away.
Bastian turned back to Renny. "Let's move. The sooner we figure out a plan, the better."
Renny looked down at the ground as they moved through the town. "Actually, the plans have already been set. You are going to be briefed, but
Bastian knelt and more children climbed on his back, followed at the rear by Pia. Adam was strapped on her chest so she had both arms free to help the other children.
"Now, all of you, listen to me," Pia called out. "Don't let go. Not ever. We have a long flight ahead of us. You'll love the Meadowlands. It's filled with lush green grass and animals you have never before seen. It will be a beautiful place for us to find safety."
They hadn't told the children they planned on leaving the Dragonlands forever. Not yet. It wouldn't do any good to let them know so soon. The children needed to be calm on the flight to the Meadowlands.
Once all of the children were settled, Connor took off, Hazel following, and Bastian bringing up the rear. Though Bastian had learned to control his dragon in the months since his return to Hutton’s Bridge, he hadn't established a link with anyone while he was in dragon form. Connor and Hazel had quickly learned how to send their thoughts, so Bastian simply followed them while they were in the air.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, refusing to think about what waited out there for them. His only goal now was to bring the children to safety. After that, he'd seek out the evil and destroy it before it could hurt anyone else he loved.
Chapter Eleven
Bastian glided toward the Outpost in the dark of night. He landed in the soft grass, careful not to jolt anyone off of his back. One by one his passengers slid off, until only Pia and his infant son, Adam, were left. Pia handed Adam to one of the older children, then she slid off Bastian's back. She shook out her cloak.
Bastian returned to his human form. He held out a hand to Farah, who slipped her hand in his. She was growing up, but she was still his little girl.
"I should approach the gate first," Bastian said. "We need to talk to Blythe immediately."
Connor and Hazel nodded their agreement.
"Farah, why don't you stay with Pia for now?" Bastian patted his daughter's blond curls. "I have some business to take care of."
"Okay, Papa," she said, a scowl on her face. Farah yanked her hand from his and stomped toward the back of the large group. She stood next to Pia, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes narrowed.
Bastian held back a laugh. His daughter had the worst of her father and her mother. She would grow up to be a very stubborn woman. He quickly sobered. It was a trait she would need to survive in this uncertain world.
Taking a deep breath, Bastian reached for the low-hanging rope. He tugged on it three times, ringing the bell on the other side of the wall. In only a few moments, the wooden gate creaked open.
"You're here, finally." A man with a bright shock of red hair and a face full of freckles motioned them in. "Blythe has been watching the skies for you since last night. She got your pigeon. I’m sorry we weren’t able to send any dragons to help, but we’ve needed all hands here to prepare for what is coming.”
Bastian followed Renny into the Outpost, the children and few adults straggling in behind. They were all exhausted.
"We can put your people up in the inn," Renny said. "But I hope you aren’t too tired to come with me?"
Bastian turned to Connor. "And you? Do you have enough energy to come with us?"
"Yes," Connor answered. He turned to his wife. "Hazel?"
She looked over at Pia, the healers, the cook, and the children. Weariness echoed in their eyes. "I'll go with them for now," she said, pointing toward the huddled mass of Hutton's Bridge refugees. "But I want to be told what you discuss, and I want it made clear I will do what I can to help."
"Of course." Connor kissed his wife on the cheek before she walked away.
Bastian turned back to Renny. "Let's move. The sooner we figure out a plan, the better."
Renny looked down at the ground as they moved through the town. "Actually, the plans have already been set. You are going to be briefed, but
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