Page 140 of Haunted

I have a few surprises ready as well.

The next morning I check in with Seren’s dragon stone. One of them will surely get me a glimpse of my daughter.

I’m rewarded with a morning of dragon flight, particularly Ahnalyn’s first flight by herself on Seren. They’ve taken her to the dragon training grounds. Though I’m on a horse, traveling to meet my army, I’m flying. Flying on Neifion once again. Never mind that I’m seeing through Seren’s eyes and not in the saddle. I feel it. All of it. I open myself to Seren’s ecstasy, and I revel in it. Every bump of my horse is a turn Seren makes. She’s acrobatic, giving Ahnalyn a taste for the turbulence.

Neifion. Neifion. I am with you. I am always with you.

His spirit is with the Creator, but I hope he knows how much I miss him.

I’m elated when we stop for dinner. Nothing will get my spirits down. Not even an army full of dragon riders and their flames.

I am Lord Caedryn. I am Master of Deception.

I will be victorious.

98

Ahnalyn trains for days on Seren. She’s becoming quite proficient. Again, I’m proud of her, even though I’ve done nothing to raise her.

I spend the days on my horse, floating between Cephias’s and Seren’s heads. They don’t know I’m trespassing, and I plan to keep it that way. I do hear disturbing news though. Aneirin tells Cephias that the dragon riders plan to close the northern gap, the gap that my small group has just passed through. The rest of my army will be stuck in Rolant if they don’t cross the ridge in time.

I grip my reins and try not to fly into a rage. I need a dragon. I need an army of dragons. I can’t stand the pace of a horse!

If those dragon riders leave Gorlassar soon and close this gap, I’ll be left with half an army.

Without my own dragons, I’m powerless to stop them.

After a week and a half, my army reaches the lower gap and joins my units from Terrin. Unfortunately, my units in Rolant are trapped there. The dragon riders successfully destroyed the gap passing through the great ridge. The tremors from the avalanche of rocks reached me leagues away.

I won’t dwell on my loss. Half an army will be enough.

One of Gethen’s lieutenants from Terrin brings me a present—in the form of a struggling prisoner, someone Ahnalyn would be most interested in—insurance should things go badly on the battlefield.

Yes. This will do nicely.

We are ready. The war machines are in place. The dragon riders in Gorlassar know about our position. Aneirin informs Cephias that they are ready to fly out. King Sieffre’s men gather on the outskirts of his realm.

I check in on Ahnalyn and Seren. No surprise to me, Ahnalyn’s sneaking into battle despite her being new to her entire dragon-rider experience. She and Seren will leave after the dragon riders have all exited Gorlassar. Ahnalyn doesn’t want Aneirin to know.

Because he loves her, and she doesn’t want to hurt him or worry him.

I’m also not surprised by her motivations. She’s bitter. She discusses my demise with Seren at length.

Oh, my daughter, I will see you on the battlefield.

99

My warriors draw up in their ranks, facing King Sieffre’s men. Though they possess the higher ground, I’m not concerned. The clamor of chain mail and clank of swords drift on air that is thick with fear.

Dragons mass in the sky, sporting a rainbow of colors. They fly in ranks, in a formation much as geese do.

General Gethen barks his orders from a rock catapulting out of the ground. I’m off to the side on an outcrop, watching, with my insurance bound beside me.

He does not stop squirming and moaning Ahnalyn’s name.

The sun is rising over the horizon when the dragons fly into range. My men, Gethen’s men, are momentarily blinded by the light, and Sieffre’s men cheer. Gethen makes a final command, and his men charge.

The dragons swoop in for the first attack. The lead line of dragons flame, torching Gethen’s front line. Screams rend the air.

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