Take Flight

Chapter Three

“Kendli, this is it. I can almost smell it.”

Half an hour before midnight, all the chosen elves had sailed down the river on a great barge. They were almost at the docks, a mile from the dragonbreeders’ tower.

“We’ve just arrived, Vadmar; all the hard work still lies ahead.”

He smiled, his hands leaning on the rail. He looked handsome in his brown leather armour, though she hated to admit it. “Could you be positive just for once?”

Zorak, blonde general of the elven army, set a beacon ablaze. “That’s our cue.”

The elves jumped, landing on the grassy shore- on their feet as usual. Kendli joined the others as they sprinted towards the tower. It was a long run, but they were trained and their footsteps were silent in the long grass.

For the first stretch, they were forced to stay visible due to the time limit on the invisibility spell. Then the order rose, “Invisibility.”

Kendli stopped for a split second, closing her eyes and becoming transparent. They pushed on.

They were almost at the tower when Vadmar appeared next to her. She could see him, because he wanted her to. “Kendli, where are you,” he whispered.

She appeared to him. “Right next to you.”

He didn’t smile, but looked at her with earnest blue eyes. That’s when she knew something was wrong. “Kendli, before we attack, there’s something I have to tell you- I- may have exaggerated the safety of this mission-’’

Her eyes widened and she froze. “Vadmar-’’

“Look, the dragonbreeders are peaceful people… But the King’s men who guard the tower-’’

Her face turned to horror. Zorak exclaimed, “There are sentries!” As one, shocked eyes were turned on Vadmar.

Kendli walked to the front and faced het troops. “We don’t have time to point fingers, people. Our only chance is to attack while our invisibility is up. After that, we just need to keep fighting until we have every egg in that place.”

Zorak nodded. “The princess is right- Let’s take down these bastards!”

Lector sighed and stared out the window, focusing on the trees at the northern face of the palace.

Alice, the pretty blonde that occupied the couch next to him, continued babbling in her high-pitched voice. “So then Maggie-Ann told me that Mitchell was buying ladies’ garments. Funny thing is that he hasn’t got a wife- Lector, are you listening?”

She touched his arm in an attempt to intimacy, but he was more annoyed than flattered. “Hmm? Yeah. Mitchell’s buying clothes…”

She smiled, her hazel eyes sparkling. Most men would kill for a girl to like Alice, but Lector longed for escape more than anything.

“Anyway, so Maggi-Ann thinks he-’’

“Oh, look at the sun! I wouldn’t want you father to be worried; I promised him we’d be done by sunset.”

She sighed. “Time flies, doesn’t it? I wish I could stay longer.”

He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “Me too.” They stood up and he escorted her to the sitting room’s door, where a servant took her away.

Lector fell down in the rose-patterned loveseat and sighed heavily. ‘Thank goodness.”

His mother was there in a flash. “And? How did it go?” She took a seat next to her son. “Is young love blossoming?”