Page 176 of Ash

Horror filled Ash. Along with a grim certainty.

Strong hands gripped his shoulders. Tyrez’s fingers trembled. “Is that the future?”

Ash nodded, unable to speak.

“A future, orthefuture...”

“He’s coming here.” Ash shook all over. Why hadn’t he seen this? The Archmage could pull life essences directly from the land, but once that was gone, his abilities would go with it. To accumulate his power for use during a battle, he required storage.

That meant crystals, and lots of them.

The fingers tightened on his shoulders, and Tyrez turned Ash toward the mountain. A powerful arm swept the Oracle’s trembling form close to him. Calm, confident energy flowed along their link from Tyrez to Ash.

When Ash’s teeth stopped chattering, he was able to add, “Rindek’s coming for the crystals.”

Tyrez’s lips pulled back from teeth grown sharp.

“Then we’d best get ready for him,” the big Dragon said.

39

Dani sat on a ledge partway up the mountain and watched the Dragons.

Their internal conversation buzzed through her brain, despite her every attempt to block it. She’d watched as they soared through the clouds, so beautiful her heart ached. It had taken up residence in her mouth when Ash came in for an unsteady landing.

Their comments about squishy ground made her lips twitch. Who ever knew that big bad Tyrez would use the word “squishy.”

Their laughter echoed up to her, and her heart ached with the joy in it. Then she’d seen Tyrez take Ash in his arms and kiss him.

Dani stood and turned away. She told herself she was happy for them...

The energy they emitted changed so suddenly it took her a few steps to register it. She turned back to see Ash’s slim form staring toward the horizon.

Dani squinted toward the far rock ridge—suddenly she was swept up in the tide of Dires swarming over the grasslands.

Just a glimpse—and then they were gone, and the grasses waved gently in the wind. But the horror reflecting from both Dragons told her the truth.

Rindek was cominghere.

She saw Tyrez place an arm around Ash and head toward the ground entrance. Dani’s heart raced and her stomach twisted in a knot, but she wasn’t going to be left out of this. She strode away from the ledge and into the network of tunnels, intending to intercept them.

It occurred to her, suddenly, that she couldn’t confess that she’d seen Ash’s vision. That she didn’t want them to know that she could hear them.

No matter. She’d make something up.

When she got to the lower levels, they were already in the tunnel. Ash looked shaky as hell.

They both stopped when she approached. “Hey,” she said, feigning nonchalance. “Congrats on the flight. You looked good out there. Until you landed, anyway.”

Ash offered a shaky twitch of his lips. “Thanks. I don’t think I’d call that a landing.”

Dani looked from him to Tyrez. When the big Dragon didn’t immediately offer information, she prompted him. “You guys okay? You look a little tense. I didn’t think the flight went that badly.”

Tyrez’s lips straightened, but it was Ash who spoke. “I had a vision. Rindek is coming here.”

Dani let the anxiety within her loose. “Oh, no. Are you sure?”

Tyrez grimaced. “It’s a logical target. He’s after the crystals.” He turned to Ash, raising a hand as though he wanted to place it on the smaller shifter’s shoulder, but then stopping himself, before he said, “I have to call the alarm and get everyone together. Will you be okay?”

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