Lost Rider- Book 2

Nine

Lorelie's necklace is in the picture. I would've posted a picture of her skin marking(tattoo) but I can't post two pictures in one chapter.

Lorelie awoke with a start, jerking up from her blankets. She'd had another dream, and she knew the darkness was trying to consume her, all of her, she had to control it. Ky crouched down next to the dragon-rider, worried about her again.

"You alright?" He asked, she nodded and waved him off. Dismissing the thought. Climbing out of her makeshift bed, Lorelie grabbed her cloak, fastening the metal clip around her neck as she sat next to the campfire.

Now that they were in the light, Lorelie was able to clearly see the faces of her new allies. Harold was a very tall man, with a thick beard and shoulder length hair. He had dark eyes, and wore the clothes of a common mercenary. Ky was tall and lean, but muscle packed itself onto his arms, his eyes were a startling blue, with hazel coloured hair and a light stubble on his jaw. Maylanth was short and skinny, and, unlike his companions, his eyes were hidden behind his hair. His black hair fell to his waist in a thick plait, and he was far more youthful than his companions.

"So, who are you, and how can you use magic?" Harold asked from his spot on the grass. Maylanth turned his brown gaze to the ginger, eager to hear the answer.

"My name is Lorelie" she began, hesitating. She didn't know if it was safe to reveal her secret yet, but she figured these men were trusting enough. "And I'm a dragon-rider"

Harold stared at her, Maylanth blinked with a surprised look plastered on his face, but Ky just smirked and chuckled.

"I knew it" He muttered under his breath. Lorelie, of course, heard him.

"And, how did you know?" She asked him smugly.

"Magic, strength, your necklace" Ky shrugged. Lorelie's hand flew to her neck, every dragon-rider was given a unique necklace when they found their dragon. No one knew where the pendant came from, it would just appear randomly. Her necklace in particular, was a silver dragon key, a small emerald was lodged in between a loop made by the dragons tail.

Another symbol that she was a rider, was the skin marking on the left side of her rib cage. But no one saw that.

"have you gone hunting for breakfast?" Lorelie asked, watching as all three men shook their heads. Without another word, the ginger picked up her bow and quiver of arrows. With Ronyo perched on her shoulders, she wandered into the woods surrounding the clearing.

She managed to spot a game trail, and followed it until she found a small herd of deer. The stag was watching over his family as they ate, and his nose twitched as he smelt the approaching half-nightgale.

Lorelie froze, she waited until the stag dismissed her as nothing, and then fired her shot. Her arrow hit a young doe, right in between her eyes. The animal dropped dead, and the startled herd ran off.

Picking up her kill, the ginger began to make her way back to camp. Her eyes began to itch terribly, and she knew they had begun to change colour. Because of the darkness Atta had, Lorelie was receiving it as well, taking all of her, because she was apart of Atta.

She made it back to the clearing, and dumped the stag carcass on the ground. While Ronyo ran off to play in the grass. Lorelie began skinning, and gutting the dead beast. She kept her eyes down at all times, not daring to look up.

"Can you take over?" She asked Maylanth, he nodded and grabbed the knife from her hand. Managing to not make eye contact with him, the ginger stood and walked into the forest. When she felt like she was a fair way away from the campsite, but still close to it, she turned the air in front of her face into a wavy mirror.

Lorelie examined her reflection. Both of her eyes had completely turned a dangerous shade of Crimson. She had no pupil, and no sclera in her eye. Atta's eyes had no pupil either, and her rider's eyes had changed to look like her left eye.

"What are you doing out here?" A voice suddenly asked. In a hurry, the dragon-rider sliced her magic away with her arm, she lifted her hood up, and covered her face.

When she turned around, Lorelie came face-to-face with Ky. His constantly worried look, softened when he saw a glint of red come from his friend's eye. And, without asking her permission, he pushed her hood back. Causing the ginger to lower her gaze to the forest floor.

"Lorelie, look at me" Ky stated sternly, gripping onto her shoulders in the process. Tired of hiding her face, Lorelie lifted her gaze, and locked eyes with the thief. He smiled softly at her, knowing hat she had perfect control over the darkness.

"You can control it, yes?" He asked her.

"Nightgales have a stronger source of magic inside them, I can hold it back until I find my dragon" Ky was about to ask another question, but Harold interrupted.

"Ky, the guards found the hole!" Wasting no time, Lorelie ran back to the clearing, she grabbed a few slices of cooked deer meat, and shovelled them into her mouth. She scooped up Ronyo, and placed him on her shoulder.

She kicked at the ashes of the fire, sending them flying, a few remaining embers made their way onto her arms, but she felt no pain. All the blankets had been rolled up earlier, and were strapped to the saddles of Ky, and Harold's horses.

"Where's Magnum?" Lorelie asked Harold, as he mounted his black mare. He caught her gaze for a moment, but made sure not to stare.

"Waiting outside of town, but Maylanth still doesn't have a horse" he answered, waiting for Ky to climb onto his Palomino gelding.

"Maylanth, come with me. You two head off, I have a plan" they were reluctant at first, but the two thieves agreed, and started to leave the forest.

"Go get Magnum, and follow those two" Lorelie ordered him, handing him Ronyo. "Keep both of them safe, I'll find you guys later. Go!" Maylanth scurried off, Heshni gliding beside him.

Grabbing her sword, the dragon-rider sheathed it. She sighed and concentrated. "It's time to see an old friend" she muttered to herself, smiling. She stood in a stable position, her arms stretched out on either side of her, palms down.

A purple flame-like mist began to swirl around her hands, and more of the magic began to accumulate. It began to rise up into the sky, when she knew enough was there, Lorelie shot her arms up into the air, and a beacon of purple light shone against the blue skies.

The beacon was invisible to humans. Dragons, and dragon-riders were the only beings who could use, and see them. And, it just so happens, that the particular dragon Lorelie was calling for, was flying through the air a few miles away.

Hearing the flapping of giant wings, the ginger ceased her beacon spell and allowed her old friend to lift her up, in his talons. As the purple dragon gained altitude, he allowed Lorelie some room to climb out of his claws, nimbly climb up his foreleg, and sit contently on his back.

"Stay low, Rhaegos" she said to her friend. He obeyed her command.

"We have much to discuss, little hatchling" the wild dragon spoke into her mind, unable to speak humanly because he was too distracted with the task of flying.