King of The Elves (Dragon Riders Chronicles)

Not This Time

The group wandered through the forest until their legs could no longer carry them.

"Jurriaan are you sure they went this way?" Nyx asked as she sat down on a fallen log. They had been walking for hours, and all but Lysander were on the brink of collapsing.

"I'm sure. She took Fane and ran off after her brother."

"But it wasn't Marciano. The description is completely different, and his dragon was Blair, not Cassia like Marciano's." Lysander said. Zephyrus slumped against a tree and put his head in his hands.

"What's wrong with him?" Rye asked.

"It's Myra. She's yelling at me. We should just camp here. We need to rest. I'll take first watch with Lysander." The other all sat down and eventually fell asleep.

"His name is Vance." Zephyrus said eventually.

"He's a well known thief. My sister had been hunting him for months."

"Do you think she knows that?"

"I think she's helping him."

"Why would she do that?"

"Lots of reasons. Maybe they really are siblings."

"You don't believe her?"

"Right now, I'm not sure what to believe."

Addison and Vance ran for miles, all the way to Vance's home town.

"The others will only be a few hours behind us." Vance said as they walked down the main road.

"We'll stay with Paxton. I'm sure he has rooms." Paxton owned the local tavern, but occasionally rented some of the upstairs rooms out to travelers.

"I'm not sure he'll let you stay."

"Of course he will." They stepped into Paxton's bar, which was unusually quiet. There were only three people sitting at the bar, not counting the barman, and none of them drinking. Vance was cut off when one of the guard threw a knife that embedded itself in his shoulder. The three men drew their swords.

"By order of the queen, the pair of you are under arrest. We are authorized to apprehend you using any means necessary." Said the guard in the centre. Vance pulled the knife from his shoulder and threw it, burying it in the guards chest. Addison summoned a flame in her hand and threw it at the guard on the right, burning his face beyond recognition. The barman stood and smashed his cup over the last guard head.

"You owe me Vance. That was a waste of Mist." Dixon said angrily.

"You drink to much anyway."

"Thanks Dixon." Addison said, gesturing to the unconscious guard.

"Anytime. Nice armour, by the way. Not often you see a girl Paladin."

"Dixon, who are you talking to?" Paxton yelled from the back room.

"Vance is back. And he's brought... a friend." Paxton walked into the room with his hands on his hips.

"I leave you alone for five minutes and you kill three of the queens men." He looked at Addison.

"And let this little sniveler into my tavern. What do I pay you for?"

"You don't." Dixon grabbed a bottle of Mist and left the room.

"Get out of my bar Addison. You're not welcome here."

"Please Paxton. We just need a place to stay tonight, then we'll be out of your way." Vance pleaded.

"You would chose her over your own flesh and blood?"

"She is my flesh and blood, in case you've forgotten."

"One night. Then you go. Your room is how you left it." Vance led Addison upstairs and to his room.

"If there are guards here, the guards will probably attack the others soon." Vance said, sitting down on the chair in the corner

"They can protect themselves. We needed to get your armour."

"That's not the only reason we left, is it?" Addison pulled of her boots, cuffs and cape and threw them down in the corner of the room.

"Fane has found his partner. Her name is Myra. She's Zephyrus's dragon."

"As in the queens brother Zephyrus?"  Addison nodded.

"Oh this is too good. Royalty has to stick together." Vance laughed.

"This isn't funny Vance. I have no idea what I'm going to do."

"You don't need to do anything. He's your partner, accept it and move on. There are more important things to deal with."

"Like what?"

"Your training. I'm going to try and teach you."

"You're going to teach me?"

"I'm qualified. I've been a Paladin longer than Marciano."

"Vance, I'm sure you're more than qualified, it's just-" The door swung open and Dixon stormed into the room.

"You guys have really done it this time. What did you do, assassinate the queen?"

"No... we only-" Vance started

"We let out the prisoners." Addison said simply.

"How many?" Dixon demanded.

"All of them."

"That would explain the army standing outside." Addison got up and pushed the curtain back. There were at lest a hundred of the queens men surrounding the house. Addison quickly put her armour back on and grabbed Vances's from his wardrobe.

"You should put yours on too Dixon."

"I didn't release any prisoners."

"But you're helping us." Dixon shook his head.

"Not voluntarily, believe me. I'll be back in a few minutes. You go get some weapons from the cellar." Addison nodded and left the room, leaving Vance and Dixon alone.

"Dad's not going to be happy about this Vance."

"I know, but we don't have many options right now."

"We're going to be the most wanted criminals in the entire kingdom. Probably across the nine kingdoms. We have nowhere to go."

"Addison has a plan."

"I'm trusting you on this. If you're wrong..."

"I'm not wrong. We'll be fine. They can't kill us."

"Just because they're not allowed doesn't mean they won't. We can't rely on our status to protect us. Not anymore."

"What are you not telling me Dixon?"

"There are rumours going around. Some of the kingdoms are pulling back. The wraiths are becoming more offensive. More and more riders going missing. It's not safe anymore. The dragon lords aren't here to save us this time."