The Amari War

Chapter 15

The exit was a long spiraling tunnel at the opposite end of Spirit Cave. The tunnel was filled with spirits who were crossing the border between their world and mine, but the higher I climbed, the fainter their outlines were. Soon, I was completely alone in the tunnel.

When I stepped out of the tunnel, it was dawn. The sun was rising behind me, illuminating the Coven castle. I was standing near The Cave, just above Pyre Rock. There was a group of people standing on the outcropping, gathered around a bonfire. Who died? Are they still cremating people from the last battle, or did someone else die?

When I reached the plateau, I heard a voice I recognized as Sophie's, saying, "Trey was a great soldier and a good friend. Her life was too short, but she is now free. She will always be with us." Trey? I think that's me? My year group's there, so I would assume it's me. But I'm not dead! Why are they holding my funeral?

"Hey! I'm right here!" I shouted, scrambling down the rocks and landing beside the fire. "I'm not dead!" The people spun around in surprise. My entire year group was there, and so was Reilyn. "Sorry, I'm sure you wish I was..." I muttered.

Sophie ran toward me, tears in her eyes. She charged right into me, causing us both to fall backwards onto the hard ground. "You're alive! When we couldn't find you anywhere, we thought they'd taken you to be killed." She gazed down at me happily.

I just lay there, staring uncomfortably up at Sophie. What? She's happy I didn't die? After I was such an asshole to her?

"Trey!" Reilyn had come up to me too. "I'm so glad you're okay! I kept wishing it had been just a misunderstanding. I'm glad it really was." She turned and glared at the bonfire, and it went out. I wish I had that level of control over my skill.

"It's great that you're back, but we have other problems," Nora interrupted. "The Regeneration crystals have been destroyed. Queen Sylvie, Princess Reina, and General Avery have all been killed, along with sixty others. Our army was decimated. Queen Eleanor is planning a revenge attack in two days' time."

"I know all that. I have something I need to tell you all." I shoved Sophie off of me, standing up and taking a deep breath to prepare myself.

"Wait, where's Samantha? Did she escape with you?" Felix asked worriedly. Her face darkened as she saw the reality in my expression.

"I'm so sorry, everyone. She was executed," I apologized. Felix looked down at the ground, saying nothing. "But you can see her again. I found this cave where all the spirits of the dead live. I talked to them. Felix, you'll see your friend again," I quickly added, trying to soften the blow.

Felix immediately straightened up. "Can we go now?" Her previously dull eyes shone with hope.

"We should probably wait. We need to talk to the Queen. She's also the substitute General, until she decides which one of the Majors will take General Avery's place," Nora pointed out.

"We should probably bring her too, when we go. Her mother and sister are there. And there's something that she needs to know about the dragon," I said.

Everyone flinched at the mention of the dragon. I know we decided it doesn't exist, but it really does and it's going to kill us if we don't do something. "Sorry, but it's important. We can't treat it like a taboo topic. This is an enemy that we need to defeat right away, before it defeats us."

"Alright. That makes sense. The Queen would need to know about something like that," Reilyn said.

We set out for the castle. Reilyn went first, as the oldest, and I followed directly behind her. My year group, or what was left of it, came too. My mom knocked on the door of the castle, and the Queen opened it almost immediately.