The Last Dragon

Chapter 20 - Somewhere Safe

Ilia snapped her fingers and the mud and dirt fell from her hands and sleeves. She picked up an egg and cradled it in her hands. She pulled it into her lap. It pulsed with life. "I know where I need to go, but have no idea how to get there."

Loni brushed her fingers over the egg. "Where are we going?"

"To the south, there's an island off the coast, through a blizzard that never stops. I need to take the eggs there and seal them in a cave." Ilia set the egg back in the box.

The griffin squawked. Ilia looked over at him. He lay beside his friend in the grass, his wing draped over her.

"You'll fly me?"

The griffin cooed.

Ilia walked over and kneeled beside him. She stroked his sleek feathers. "Can you make it through the blizzard? I don't want you getting hurt."

He cooed again and clicked his beak. Images flashed into her mind.

"He said his friend will carry the other egg bearer once we heal her, too." Ilia glanced back at the others.

"I'll go." Eri stood.

"I'm smaller and lighter. I'll go." Loni got to her feet.

Ilia rubbed the lady griffin's beak. An image of Loni filled her mind. "She'd rather carry you." Ilia nodded to Loni.

Loni joined Ilia beside the griffins. She placed a hand on the griffin's head. "Oh, I see. You are free. Was the mage who enchanted you one of them?" Loni gestured to the mages laying in the grass, unmoving.

The griffin clicked her beak.

"I'll just help with your energy, and you'll be ready to go." Ilia sent healing into the griffin. She nudged the animal's energy, guiding it along the path she wanted. "I'll make you a charm just like his once we're back, okay? This will work for now."

The big knight stood and walked over, leaving the man curled up in the mud. He clasped Loni's hand. "Safe travels. Don't take any foolish risks."

"We'll be fine. I'll call you when we're on our way back." She smiled up at him. "You be safe, too."

The griffins stood and stretched. They kneeled again and waited. Ilia picked up an egg and held it to her chest. She carried it over and eased herself onto the griffin's back. Eri took a belt from his pack and buckled it around the griffin's neck loosely for her.

"Thanks." Ilia gripped the belt, the egg tucked in front of her and between her arms.

Knight-Master Brannon slipped a belt around the other griffin for the Champion and Loni mounted her griffin.

"We'll be back soon." Loni grinned at the men. "Alright, Ma'am, whenever you're ready."

The griffins pushed off, leaping into the air. Ilia closed her eyes and gripped the belt. The powerful wings beat on either side of her, flapping hard as the ground fell away fast. He levelled out and his body rocked her gently with each flap of the wings.

Ilia opened her eyes. They flew side by side a few dozen feet from the ground. The land sped past below her. She glanced at the Champion. The woman grinned and looked around. Ilia glanced down once and blinked hard. She focused ahead and kept herself low, so the wind didn't make her eyes water so much.

"This is amazing. I can't believe I'm doing this," Loni called over the wind.

Ilia smiled. She scratched the griffin's neck with her knuckles, her fingers still clenched around the strap. The egg balanced safely in her lap.

The grasslands gave way to hills covered in dense and low shrubs, which turned to more forest. This forest was evergreen trees, smaller and densely packed in some areas. Snow still rested in some shady areas below. The air turned cooler.