Page 13 of Battle of Evyndral

“You know she can hide in the shadows. If anyone could escape unseen, it’s our little sister.”

“I do know that, but before the portal closed, something or someone went through. I have a feeling it was her, and that’s why Novus is pecking the ground.”

“If so, we’ll find her, Thran.”

Thran shook his head. “How?”

“That’s what I want to tell you about. Where Elle went? It’s this fantastical world with wagons called cars that aren’t pulled by horses. They use a mechanism called a motor. The buildings are tall, and there are beasts – Gargoyles – with wings.”

“Like the dragons?”

“Sort of. While our dragonfolk change forms, these beasts remain in their bipedal form but sprout wings from their backs and claws from their fingers. They saved Cassi from falling to her death.”

“What?”

“It’s a long story. I will tell you all about it after we honor our dead. And Thran? We will find Elle.”

Chapter 7

Elledan

For ten suncycles, Elle hid her ability to use the shadows from Grevolus. Now her secret was out, and that did not bode well for her. The cut on her cheek from his fist stung, but his words cut deeper.

“You murdering, lying chínt. I knew you were hiding your ability from me. Why do you think I chose your mother?”

“What? How did you know what she could do?”

“None of your godsdamned business,” Grevolus sneered. “I should skin you while you are breathing, then let Tovin have his way with you.”

“She killed my mother,” Elle seethed.

“You lie!” Spittle landed on Elle’s face, but she didn’t dare wipe it off.

“I cannot lie; you know this. She admitted it to me up there.” Elle gestured toward the hill.

Grevolus glared at Elle, considering her words.

“She’s lying, Father. She has to be,” Tovin sneered from behind Grevolus. “Let me kill her.”

“Keep your voice down.” Grevolus had pulled Elle off the hill and dragged her back to the wagons where he planned to retreat from the battle. That is until an elder Und?nthú was there, refilling his arrow bag.

“Why are you here instead of on the battlefield?” he demanded.

Grevolus couldn’t lie, so he grabbed some arrows from the crate. “Restocking.” Grevolus shoved the arrows into the bag around Elle’s shoulders. “Grab another armful, Tovin. That should suffice for now.” Her half-brother did as told, then the three of them headed back toward the castle. Once the elder was out of sight, Grevolus pulled Elle to a stop. “Can you cloak all of us and two horses?” Of course he was going to make her walk back to Winterhaven.

“Maybe if we wait until the moons are low on the horizon.” Not a lie, but not exactly the truth either. Elle needed more time to escape from his clutches, and if they waited for the moons to cross the sky until it was almost morning, she might be able to get away.

“Then you will cloak us the way you did Asherah until that time.” Grevolus dragged Elle, with Tovin following, deeper into the woods. They stopped when they could hear the battle raging, and he pushed her down. “Do it. Now.”

Elle pulled the shadows around them, hiding them from anyone who might walk past. When Tovin began taunting her, Elle made a slicing motion with her hand. “I can hide our bodies but not our voices.”

Tovin took a step toward her, but Grevolus stopped him. “Sit down and stay quiet.” Tovin huffed as he lowered himself to the ground next to her. Elle scooted to the other side of the tree she was leaning against and removed the arrow bag from around her shoulders. She wished she’d kept the dagger instead of tossing it.

Remaining still wasn’t a hardship, but doing nothing to help Thran and the D?nthúlú was. At least her brother knew she was there. If he lived through the battle, maybe he would search for her. If he did, she would remove the shadows and run, knowing he could fight both Grevolus and Tovin.

The battle ended later with the light fae victorious. Grevolus cursed under his breath, but he continued to sit between her and Tovin. At one point, the two males whispered, but their words were too low for Elle to make out. She waited all night for Thran to walk past, and when he finally did, Grevolus clamped one hand over her mouth while the other held a dagger to her throat.

“Not a sound, or I’ll slit your throat” he said against her ear.

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