[Fantasy novel, completed ✓]
In a world filled with magic, dragons, witches, demons, deadly creatures and other magical beings, the life of the king's daughter Victorine changes with a single blow when her kingdom is attacked.
She loses not only he...
We fight, we fall, duty calls, it calls, say we choose, but it's no choice at all, duty calls, it calls - T. Profitt & L. Strahm
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- Victorine -
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The sun had disappeared behind the horizon and the last light of the day was completely extinguished when land came into view.
In the distance, I already spotted the flying sentinels of this side of the river by their shining swords. The closer we came, the more closely I examined their leathery wings and scaly lizard skin. The reptilian eyes fixed us closely. Never before had I seen an ejchew at such close range.
They watched our dragons closely, but then let them pass. When we docked at the harbor, the shipmen began to carry some crates from the deck onto the land. The eyes of the ejchews followed our every step.
After all, that was their job. To watch that no people entered the sacred lands.
I looked at Nicolas, who was watching what was happening, alert but also relaxed. He didn't seem to be worried at all, which reassured me. What did upset me, however, was the fact that we were going below deck as a full complement of soldiers.
Vane and a few others were putting up the last of eight crates. Then it dawned on me. Each of us was to climb into one.
"You're human smugglers?" it escaped me distraught, and panic overtook me. How was this going to work? The ejchews would cut us open.
Grinning, captain Vane looked at me. "Did you think I was a decent man?"
I didn't feel like laughing. Dead, I would not be able to rescue my sister from Tenebris. If I was dead, then she was lost forever.
"Don't worry," Nicolas reassured me. "We have everything planned."
His voice sounded calm and firm. Carefree. Assured. I looked into his eyes and saw no doubt. It almost put me at ease, almost.
Some soldier cleared his throat. A very bad feeling was brewing in my stomach. But Vane stepped forward and took one of my hands. "Don't be afraid. Nothing has ever happened before. This isn't the first time we've done this." My hand was wet with sweat, but I didn't care.
All I could think about was Crescentia's face. But what choice did I have? Either I would risk this, or I would never get to Tenebris with even a hint of a chance.
Vane lifted my hand and placed a feather-light kiss on it. "I wish you the best of luck, Highness Victorine. And a joyous reunion to us in the distant future."
I didn't care what he wished. I looked deep into his eyes and narrowly focused on how confident he felt about this. He hadn't lied. Nothing had ever happened before and this wasn't the first time. It was the third. I took a deep breath. My sister's life depended on this.
