The Elder Blood Chronicles – Book Three(194)

Margundrak hit the ground with such force that the earth beneath Jala bucked in protest. Time seemed to slow as she watched the two dragons slide toward her, their bodies tearing a trench through the earth as they slid out of control. Frantically, Jala added another layer to her cushioned wall and then dropped to one knee, her hands held out before her as she braced for the impact. By the nature of the spells she would feel them hit, there was no avoiding it. The wall of force spells were not designed for such use, but it was the only spell she knew that would stop everything. She might have managed to raise the earth to form a barrier to stop the dragons themselves, but then the debris from the impact would have rained down over her people. Margundrak hit first and his massive body seemed to fold in on itself. Pain shot through her and Jala squeezed her eyes shut as the dragon’s body rolled hard against her barrier forcing her back.

“You are f*cking insane!” Neph bellowed behind her.

Her hands shaking, Jala rose to her feet and let her spells fade. Slowly she opened her eyes and stared at the lifeless body of the dragon that lay inches in front of her. With a nervous breath she stepped back, testing her arms as she moved. Nothing seemed to be broken. “Check our dragons in the forest. If they are still alive they will need to be healed,” Jala called over her shoulder as she moved toward Nigel’s massive form. To her relief she could still see his sides rising and falling as he struggled for breath. He was injured and most likely dying, but he was still alive and that was all she needed. “You know when I was younger, I always wanted to see a dragon,” Jala whispered to Nigel as she carefully laid her hands on his scaled sides and called on her healing spells.





The white walls of Avenesh gleamed in the morning light. The stone that had been used to build the city was heavy with crystal, making the entire place seem to shimmer before her eyes. “It’s beautiful,” Jala said softly, her mind reflecting back on the fallen cities that War had shown her. They had been beautiful as well. Now they were nothing but rubble, and soon Avenesh would join them if the Avanti chose defiance. “Wait here,” Jala ordered and kicked her horse forward. She stopped the gelding just out of arrow range and stared up at the gates of the city. Pulling on her magic she cast a simple spell to amplify her voice. “I give you one hour to surrender the city. If the gates are not opened within that time I will bring them down and any who fight will die. This is the only warning you will get and I will show no mercy to those who stand against me,” Jala called, her voice ringing clearly through the morning air. Turning, she rode back to join her friends.

“Why exactly are we giving them an hour to prepare?” Neph asked with a frown.

“They’ve had two bloody months to prepare, Neph I don’t think another hour is going to hurt us,” Jala replied dryly as she turned back to watch the city. If Sovaesh kept his word it was possible that Truce would surrender. After the reports she had received this morning she was really hoping he would. If he didn’t, she had no choice but to finish Avenesh as quickly as possible and that meant brutally. She couldn’t afford to waste time on a siege if her information was accurate. Delvay had fallen to the combined forces of Nerathane and Rivana and if she didn’t get to Arovan soon to stop the Blights they would fall as well. “Valor.”

“Hmm?” Valor moved his horse up beside her and waited patiently for her to continue.

“I need this city as quickly and painlessly as we can possibly get it. If they don’t open those gates in an hour we have to unleash hell on them,” Jala said quietly.

“Is there a reason for it?” Valor asked, his voice as low as her own had been.

“Shade sent me word from Sanctuary. Sebastian Blackwolf is there on behalf of Glis and Arovan. The Blights are beyond them in numbers and Seravae is raiding their coasts. They don’t have the strength to fight both and they don’t have supplies to feed their people. If we delay here, we won’t get there in time to save them,” Jala explained.

“Save them? Jala, if you take your army to Arovan who will defend Merro?” Valor protested, but she could see the glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“I’m sending Jail with the majority of my forces back to Merro. We will go to Arovan with a small specialized force and deal with the Blights. The Blights won’t face us in numbers so we won’t need an army,” Jala explained and smiled at him. “Did you really think I would leave your home to fend for itself?” she asked softly.

“Merro is my home and every other High Lord would and have left us to defend ourselves,” Valor replied with a faint smile.