Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven #5)(98)

"I'll find a ledge where we can land," Raxtus said. The sun was high and bright, the temperature above freezing, but the wind of their flight had gradually siphoned away Kendra's warmth no matter how she positioned her stocking cap or scarf. "I don't want to hold us up," Kendra said.


"We could all use a quick break," Bracken insisted.


Raxtus soared into the gorge and alighted on a broad ledge halfway up a cliff. Large enough to support several trees, the ledge also currently benefitted from direct sunlight. Icy patches of snow survived only in the shade of the trees.


Taking off her gloves, Kendra stamped around, rubbing her hands together vigorously. The smell of the sea wafted up to her, cool and fresh with a salty tang. She enjoyed the stunning vista of deep blue water overshadowed by towering escarpments, although she stayed a couple of paces back from the edge.


"Shall I build a fire?" Bracken asked.


"No, I'm warming up," Kendra replied.


Bracken wore Warren's sword over his shoulder. By the time they had found the healer in Istanbul, Warren had been feverish. Warren had insisted they leave him behind rather than await his recovery. Given their urgent need to warn Roon Osricson, they had reluctantly accepted his demand. Bracken had left Warren with a communicator. Word had come while they were resting on a hilltop in Latvia that Warren was making a steady recovery.


Bracken had offered to spare Kendra from danger by having her stay behind with Warren. Although Raxtus assured her he could often see through distracter spells, Kendra knew they might need her to find Roon's hidden fortress. Besides, even if she had no pivotal role to play, Kendra felt she needed to help. Perilous or not, too much depended on protecting the Eternals to relax on the sidelines.


"What do you think we'll find there?" Kendra asked.


"Let's just hope we beat our enemies to Roon's stronghold," Bracken said, twisting and stretching. "If not, we'll have to assess the situation on the spot. I wish the Sphinx would get in touch and give us a better idea of what we're dealing with."


"You keep trying to contact him?" Kendra asked.


"I don't think he's retrieved the communicator from my cell yet. I'm sure he's trying to juggle a number of concerns. For all we know, Graulas may have already imprisoned him."


"I never thought any part of me would be rooting for the Sphinx," Kendra said.


"A calamity like the opening of Zzyzx can forge peculiar alliances." Bracken walked over to Raxtus and patted the dragon on the neck. "How are you holding up?"


"You don't need to keep asking. I'm fine. The two of you are light. I could go like this for days."


Bracken nodded thoughtfully. "You fought valiantly against the harpies. How would you feel about joining another fight, if it comes to that?"


Raxtus scratched at the ground. "I've always quietly wanted to be a hero. Putting that desire into practice has always been ... complicated. When opportunities to prove myself come along, I have this tendency to run or hide. But my confidence is better than ever after those harpies, and having you two along should boost my motivation. After all, we're trying to prevent the end of the world. Hard to argue against that. It ends up amounting to option A, risk death now, or option B, die for sure later. I'm well aware that the demons will want to lynch me for killing Navarog. If we have any chance of winning, I'll join the fight."


"Fair enough," Bracken said.


Kendra looked out toward the sea. She had long imagined touring Europe, but had never pictured doing it by dragon. They had made good time. Raxtus flew much faster with only two passengers. It was just yesterday that the Sphinx had helped them escape Living Mirage. With luck, they would soon convince Roon to come away with them to a safe hideout, and Zzyzx would be a little safer. She knew they should hurry.


"I've thawed," Kendra said.


"You sure?" Bracken asked, coming to stand beside her.


She glanced up at him. He looked so young! He could be in high school. She could almost picture them studying together for a science test. But of course, he was really older than her grandparents. Much older. And a unicorn besides.


He definitely didn't seem like a unicorn. His perfect skin, those keen eyes looking at her, fringed by long lashes ...


She fought to derail her train of thought. "I'm sure. We should hurry."


Raxtus swooped over and snatched them, and they glided off the ledge. Banking to take advantage of air currents, Raxtus followed the winding course of the deep, narrow fjord. Kendra wished she had a camera. Instead, she tried to imprint the spectacular scenery on her memory.


After growing somewhat narrower and shallower, the fjord came to an abrupt end. Raxtus veered to the northeast. The dragon's shadow rose and fell against rugged terrain. They flew over craggy hills, sheer ravines, stony ridges, ice-rimmed lakes, and scattered copses of fir trees.


"Up ahead," Kendra said, as a squat keep of gray stone came into view, situated on a flat rise between two rocky hills. Reaching well beyond the hills, a tall stone wall ringed a vast tract of wilderness. A heavy wooden gate in the wall had been smashed open and now hung askew from a single huge hinge.