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

Better Safe than Sorry

Sajen stared at his opponent, twirling the blade in his hand. The two circled each other in the darkness, expertly sizing the other up. Sajen made the first move. He took a step forward and feigned a cut to the right. His opponent didn't fall for it, though. As the prince arced his sword down to make a slice on the left, the other swordsman brought up his blade to block it. A painful clang rang in the air. They remained in a locked position for a few seconds until Sajen backed off. He took a deep breath, twirling his sword again. The opponent moved next.

He took two steps and swiped his sword up. Sajen easily brought down his own blade. He expected the two to clash again, but his opponent angled his blade in such a way that it slid in its upward motion. The other shadow elf twirled and cut his sword through the air. Sajen barely had time to duck before it whistled over him. Crouching, he hit his opponent's leg with his hilt, right behind the knee. The shadow elf's knee buckled, and he tumbled to the ground. Quickly, Sajen stood and pointed his sword point at his opponent's neck.

"Dead," he said.

"That wasn't very honorable," Elan told him.

Sajen removed his sword and sheathed it. "You say that every time I win."

"Because you never win honorably."

"But I still win."

Sajen offered a hand and Elan took it. The prince hauled him to his feet. As a child, Sajen had proven to be a tough student for anyone to teach. He would analyze everything the teachers said and constantly frustrated them. He excelled in shadow-controlling and sword fighting, though, and thought no teacher was good enough to teach him. That is, until the king introduced him to Elan. The calm shadow elf taught him everything he knew about combat.

"Sire!" a voice called.

Sajen looked outside the sparring circle he and Elan had been fighting in for the past hour. They stood in one of the cave dead-ends, strategically out of the way of everything else, a place Sajen could be alone.

A young shadow elf decked in black and silver armor ran towards the two. He stopped and gave a deep bow. Then he straightened and said, "The rebels took your bait. They now know where the small dragons are being kept. Men are pursuing them on foot back to their camp."

"Excellent. I expect the men not to attack."

The elf dipped his head.

"Back to your station."

He bowed again and scampered off. Elan sheathed his sword.

"Looks like your plan is working."

Sajen glanced to him. "Why do you sound so surprised, Elan? Go check out the camp and report back to me. I want to know what havoc my brother wreaked."

Elan bowed and walked down the cave.

***

Aris slept like a baby that night. She was so tired from anger, soreness, injuries, and everything else that her mind just shut off. She didn't have any dreams, either. The girl was thankful for the respite.

When she woke, Aris saw sunlight streaming through the moss curtain, just as it had the day before. She stared at the dust particles floating through the air. Her thoughts went from one subject to another: the empty book, Prince Sajen, the missing small dragons, the Empire. She pondered for a long time, possibly hours. Hunger pangs were finally the things that forced her out of bed. No one in the cave seemed interested in the motion, so she wandered outside to the clearing. Her joints were a little stiff, but weren't too noticeable.