Page 111 of Chaos and Destiny
“What’s the plan?” Greeve asked, getting right down to business.
“We thought we should work on the plan as a team,” Fen said, saving me from showing how worried I was.
“Well, obviously we can’t go through the Western Gap,” Lichen said.
“What do you know about dragons?” Fen asked him.
“Surprisingly, not much. Dragons haven’t been around since before the Iron Wars. We didn’t have to deal with them much in the south. I know they will capture you long before they eat you. They prefer to play with their food first which is why you can’t make a bargain with them. Ever.”
“That’s not helpful.” Wren shook her head and let out a long-measured breath.
“We aren’t actually considering going through,” Lichen asked.
“It’s best if we do,” Fen answered. “If we find dragons here, who knows what we’ll find on the other side of the mountain. They do fly, after all, which means we may run into them either way.”
“Okay, so what if I take each person through using my magic?” Wren offered.
“I think we would be going too slow,” Fen said. “We’re better off using Greeve’s magic and he can take us to the other side one at a time. If we go fast enough, they won’t see us at all.”
“Can you manage that?” I asked.
“I can.” He stood strong. No fear.
“So, the order?” Lichen asked.
“Ara first, to make sure she makes it through. Then me, so I can stand guard. Then Wren, Kai and Lichen last.”
“Why should I be last?”
“Because if there are any kinks, we will work it out in the first few passes. That way you can come straight through with no problems.”
“I think Wren should go first, then me, and so on,” I said.
“Ara, no. I’ll be fine. I can keep Lichen and I invisible while we wait for our turn.”
I didn’t like leaving her behind, but there was no point in arguing if we were all going to the same place anyway. “Okay. Do we go tonight or in the morning?”
“I think it’s best if we stay here for the night and wake early to get through the Western Gap and to The Mists by nightfall tomorrow,” Fen answered.
“I’ll take the first watch,” I offered.
“Let me take it,” Greeve said. “You’ve had watch duty for the last two nights.”
“But what if I have that nightmare again?”
“Maybe if you told us about the nightmare, it would help,” Lichen said, getting his notepad out.
“Do you think?” I looked at Fen
He shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt.”
I took a deep breath. “It started the day I opened Nealla’s book. I had to read it though. I needed to figure out how to find her.”
“What happens in the dream?”
“I’m standing in a field, but the grass turns to snakes and they are biting my legs, then they change to blades and begin to shred my skin. I run through the field until I get to a cliff. A wind shoves into me, knocking me into the sea, where I drown until the water becomes flame and I’m burned to nothing but ash.”
“Well, that sounds terrible,” Kai said. “My nightmares are about running out of food.”
