The Cleansing (Book One: The Folara Chronicles)

082: Kahlest

Kahlest landed gracefully on the Aerie balcony used by Ondrea Taan. She wanted to say something, but was instantly hushed by the total and complete silence inside the rock backed room.

No one was inside. She could hear breathing if need be, sense turmoil if there was any to sense. There was none. The room was starkly silent, not giving away any clue to its occupant's whereabouts. She took another step. The tiny jeweled box the dragon had been living in, was lying on the table. She crossed to it, and carefully lifted it. Her eyes darted around to make sure Ondrea wasn't coming, or her mother for that matter. But when she lifted the box, she instantly knew it was empty. There was no movement within. Nothing.

A slam accompanied the scratch of broken wood. The ancient hinge went skittering across the table and onto the floor. Where was Ondrea? Where was her mother? Where was the dragon?

They'd asked for her help, and on second consideration, she'd decided to take them up on their desire for assistance. She would take them to the sea shore, leave them there, and be that much closer to Quildor's marching army and to the Mountain called Sentinel that housed the dragon, Talisman. She would engage Quildor, or she would capture this dragon, both things were a threat to Valdemar.

But now, Ondrea and Mathilde were gone.

She whirled around. They had gone to the sea by themselves! They had gone on without her!

One arm slashed out and wiped the countertop clean of all accouterments, a dish, a candle, several glasses. It all crashed with a satisfying shattering noise that fueled her anger. "I am left out of preparations for war, neglected and overlooked as a viable source of aerial strategy! Even more, I am left behind."

"Kahlest."

She whirled again, her dagger drawn, and recognized her oldest sister Tabitha. The dagger slipped back into its sheath. "What are you doing here?" She didn't exactly trust Tabitha who had left the Aerie, and flown away as a bird. She'd come to her several times, hoping that Kahlest would join them higher up in the hills where they'd started their own small colony.

Kahlest's fight was very real, it included preserving her family, her city, and her state. She had no intention of using her powers simply for her own benefit.

"Tabitha."

"I'll be brief." Tabitha twisted her long golden braid in her hands and then dropped it, her dark eyes resting calmly on her sister. "It has come to our attention that there is a need for our assistance. Quildor would assimilate each and every Harpyiae and Valdemarian he can touch and turn them into his Minions if he ever reaches this land. We value our freedom, we will not be hunted. We would take action first!"

"Yes!" Kahlest knew that although her mother thought Tabitha, Trista and Honna had simply flown away, unable to think or act rationally ever again, it simply wasn't true. Their inclinations were toward their birdlike tendencies, and they spent much more of their time in bird form, yet they could transform into women when the need arose. They had simply chosen a better way of life... until that life was threatened.

"What do you propose?"

"The answer is simple. We must fight. We must take the Aerie and engage Quildor before he ever gets anywhere near Valdemar. We have the advantage. We are larger, faster and stronger. We can target Quildor himself. The only thing we need do is identify him, and you, dear sister, can still transform completely into a woman, you will have to find him, lure him out of the main camp and then we will kill him!"

What a simple and ingenious plan! "When do we leave? How many of you are there?"

"There are seven in your Aerie, and seven in ours. We leave at first dark, fly all night and arrive five nights later to affect our plan. Galantyne will return to his undersea realm and all will return to its proper place."