Page 154 of House of Embers
“I understand and would prefer to keep Darby out of harm’s way as well, but she made her choice. They both did.”
Tieran snarled and then flew away. He could be mad, but she couldn’t control everything. Amita and Darby would be as safe as she could keep them without preventing them from going to battle. And Darby might never forgive her if she did that.
Chapter Fifty-Four
The Preparations
Once the portal was open, Kerrigan gave Darby a hug as Amita flew across to Galanthea.
“Take care of them, okay?” Kerrigan said, her voice cracking.
Darby hugged her tighter. “I will do my best.” She pulled back. “Careful opening the other portals. And go see Amond before the battle, all right? He might be able to patch you up a bit.”
Kerrigan nodded. “I will.”
A throat cleared, and they turned to see Hadrian and Fallon standing before the portal.
“Not to break up the goodbyes,” Hadrian said with a wide smile.
“Hadrian,” Darby gasped, and then she was through the portal and into his arms.
“Hey, Darbs,” he said on a sigh. His head lifted to look at Kerrigan. “Want to explain why all the dragon riders went out of their minds?”
“I broke the dragon bonds.”
Fallon’s hand went to his heart as if it ached all over again. “What are we going to do without our dragons?”
Darby brightened. “I can show you how to fix the bond. Kerrigan’s sending me to train your riders.”
“Anewbond?” Fallon asked.
Kerrigan nodded. “One that doesn’t tie your lifelines together. A safer option.”
“I’ll try anything,” he admitted.
“Darby is your girl. She knows how to do it.”
Darby explained the mechanics to Fallon, and after a few minutes, he breathed a sigh of relief that he was back in conversation with his dragon. As if the entire world was right again.
“Brilliant,” Hadrian said. “And you can do that because…”
“We have a lot to discuss,” Darby said with a grin. “I haven’t been idle since you and Clover have been off saving the world.”
Hadrian laughed. “Speaking of, are you ready to go get our girl?”
“Yes, please,” she said.
“Give my regards to Clover,” Kerrigan said. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
“Before you go,” Fallon said. “We retrieved people from Elsiande like you asked.”
Kerrigan’s eyes lit up. “I thought you said it was a lost cause.”
Hadrian shrugged. “Fallon is an excellent negotiator. If we win this, I think he’ll be vying for a council position.”
Fallon shrugged. “I wouldn’t say no to it.” He gestured to a harried group standing just out of range of the portal. “Shall I send them through?”
Tears blurred Kerrigan’s eyes as she saw Ellerby and his nephew Ever. Ellerby had originally been the one who was going to sponsor her when she was in the House of Dragons. They’d saved his nephew after he’d been kidnapped and held by the Red Masks.
