Truths in a Rift (The Traveling Rifts Trilogy: Book Two)

Old Fear

In the dark of night, Prince Sajen surveyed the handiwork of his men. After disposing of the threat, he and his army had taken up sanctuary in the large clearing his cursed brother had stayed at. Immediately after that mer took the rebels away, three of the dragons took to the sky, but archers plunged arrow after arrow into their wings and vulnerable stomach. Sajen had no doubt they'd survive to cross the cliff, but they were too injured to get far.

Now the prince of the Empire of Shadows glanced down from the high cave he stood in. Like many of them, moss hung over the entrance, but he swept it aside to gaze at the wreckage this battle had wrought. Many of his men had died, but they had done surprisingly well for elves against dragons. Still... once he was back in the Empire, Sajen would make sure to increase the training for his soldiers. If he planned to win this war, he needed the best warriors in all of Aldenuur and Earth.

Turning his back to the scene, Sajen peered into the darkness of the cave. His keen, shadow-elf eyes could make out the long, rectangular box perched on the ground. It was crude, built in a hurry by the shadow elves to make sure Astil's remains would survive until a proper burial could be held in the Empire.

With slow carefulness, Sajen bent down on his knees, dirtying his tunic and pants on the sandy floor. In respect, he carefully unclipped all of his armor pieces, as well as his belt, dropping them to the side. Then, with eyes the color of dark grey, the prince placed his crown atop the wooden box, its silver glinting in the little moonlight the cave let shine through.

Sajen bowed his head.

"Forgive me, Astil," he whispered, voice barely making a noise. "If only you had given me an opportunity to explain myself. I wanted to so many times. Never... never in a thousand lifetimes would I have let harm come to you."

When the prince of the Empire of Shadows looked up again, his irises were stark black.

"You will pay for this... brother!"

***

After hours of running and riding, Aris and her companions all took a break. Barely any of them could keep their eyes open and, even though it was night, they took to sleeping (and resting) in a grassy expanse close to the road they had been following for the hour. It had taken them a while to find it, hence why they weren't in a city yet.

Aris woke to the twittering of birds, a cloak over her shoulders, and hair stiff. Her eyes felt crusty and joints sore – the Earth of grass could in no way compare to the moss back in the sanctuary. With a sigh and a groan, the girl turned onto her back, only to have the sun glare into her tired eyes. Grimacing, Aris covered it up with one hand. However, in doing so, she found out she didn't lie alone on the grass. Surrounding her on all sides were small dragons of all colors.

Slowly sitting up, Aris glanced around at the little critters. How long had they been there? She didn't remember them by her side when she first lay down.

Why am I even surprised? the keeper thought with a roll of her eyes.

With a struggle, Aris got to her feet, gingerly stepping over the small dragons and adjusting her cloak like a cape. Ignoring her bow and empty quiver resting against a thin tree to the side, the girl traveled a few steps from the group. She came to a stop beside Tilan, who studied the road even from the many yards they stood apart from it.

"How long have we been asleep?" Aris asked, clutching the cloak tighter around her.

"I didn't keep track," Tilan answered shortly.

There was a short pause. Finally, Aris said, "I'm sorry. About everything."

"What do you have to be sorry about, human?" the shadow elf asked. She finally looked at Aris, pasty face a mask. "Sajen should be the one apologizing."