Page 76 of Ava's Love of the Dragons
"That's definitely Henc. I bet the lazy dog is lying in some corner sleeping off his hangover. How I despise these Old Folk! No dignity, no self-control!"
Ava remained motionless at the top of the stairs, barely daring to breathe. Finally, the men continued on.
"You're probably right."
The firm boot steps moved towards the cell block. Any moment now, they would notice that Lilly was no longer there. Better for her to disappear from here and sneak into the throne room before the guards turned the entire building upside down. On the other hand, the chaos might help her free Magg.
Ava crept down the stairs, peering into the hallway to see the mages with their backs turned, walking along the prisoner's wing. She glided down the steps silently, leaving the third floor behind without being noticed by the guards. She looked up one last time to make sure her adversaries hadn't spotted her when her feet got tangled and she fell headlong down the stairs.
She landed hard on the edges. Only with great effort did she suppress the cry of pain that wanted to escape her. Instead, the sound of her fall echoed through the castle complex.
The mages came running immediately, while Ava tried to scramble to her feet, but it didn't work. Something had wrapped around her legs, preventing her from standing up. And in that moment, she understood.
She hadn't tripped; she had fallen into a magical trap.
Damn it!
The first guard planted himself two steps in front of her and put his hands on his hips, a far too satisfied laugh on his lips. He was dressed in the dark robes of the mages, but the hood was pulled back, allowing her to see his narrow face.
"So much for Henc! I knew I sensed you, Guardian!"
Ava recognized him immediately. He was one of the guards who had first taken her to Elora and then to the arena during her last visit.
"Let me go! I don't want to hurt you, I just want to free my friends!"
He laughed lazily. "You can tell your lies to our magistra. I'm afraid this time she won't give you the chance to fight before your death, even though I would gladly watch. This time, Guardian, you're done for!"
Chapter 33
Ava lay helplessly on the stairs, condemned to watch as the mages approached. Stop! Ava was no longer helpless. She had learned to fight. And, for heaven's sake, she had an Isip stone!
She grabbed the dagger she had attached the magical stone to, and cut along between her ankles. The invisible spell dissolved, and she was free. She immediately jumped up and darted down the stairs.
"How did she manage that?" shouted the mage.
"It doesn't matter. After her!" The footsteps of the guards thundered down the steps, louder than the dragons striking their tails against the walls.
Ava ran faster than she ever had in her life. She raced down the stairs, considered running to the first floor, then thought it might lead to a dead end like the third floor. Better to rush downstairs, even if she risked running straight into Elora's arms. If worse came to worst, she could jump out the window on the ground floor.
Taking two steps at a time, she left the staircase behind and reached the ground floor. Two guards came down the hallway and saw her. While one widened his eyes in disbelief, the otherimmediately formed an energy ball between his hands and hurled it at Ava. She quickly raised her dagger, deflected the attack, and raced in the opposite direction.
"That's the guardian!"
The two other guards clattered down the stairs and yelled at the sentries. "Why did you let her escape?"
The mages cursed, one spat on the ground, and four pairs of boots were hot on her heels. Ava had to constantly look over her shoulder to see their attacks coming. They fired one attack after another at her, forcing Ava to run backward to avoid being hit. Her steps slowed as the dangerous bolts came hissing faster, and her pursuers gained ground. Barely five meters separated them.
The mages laughed confidently, three bombarding her with lightning bolts, while the fourth mumbled an incantation. The next moment, an invisible rope wrapped around her ankles again, and she fell flat on the ground. She immediately straightened her upper body to cut through the magical restraint, but the guards were already upon her, forming a cage of shimmering lights and placing it over her. The bonds dissolved, but before she could run away, the flickering bars surrounded her on all sides.
Without hesitation, she rammed her shoulder against it, screaming. Maybe there was a way through! But the bars were like metal, though it was possible to see through them. She drew her dagger and tried to cut through the grid to destroy the structure. However, the mages repaired every crack she managed to make before she could create a hole large enough to slip through.
"Will you finally keep quiet now?"
"No! Let me go!"
Her opponents grumbled dismissively, while the narrow-faced guard grinned smugly. "When we bring her to her, she'll be eternally grateful to us."
"Absolutely!"
