Dragonia: Rise of the Wyverns

Dragonia 1: Chapter 14

Chapter 14

After interviewing more than forty guardsmen, Captain Vesryn stormed back into the camp, throwing his helm onto the ground. He sighed, brushing his hands through his tangled salt-and-pepper hair.

"No luck?" Tirask asked.

"No one has seen anyone unusual enter the city in weeks. The only people coming and going have been local residents or people from Trevium or Ceydar who frequent the city. Each guard has been adamant about that fact. This woman is setting us on a wild goose chase." He pointed at Dasyra.

"I swear to you that this is where they were heading."

"Well, I have news for you." Vesryn clenched his teeth. "They aren't here. Neither were they at the lake. We found tracks leading in this direction, but they seem to disappear."

"I swear—"

"Yes ... I know. They told you they were heading here. I believe you. Truly. I also believe they aren't as foolish as we all believed. They knew you would turn on them the moment you saw us. They expected it."

Her eyes bulged.

"Yes ... they likely anticipated our move." He turned to Tirask. "Did you search Ceydar?"

Tirask nodded. "I'm afraid there's no news there either. It seems they fooled us all."

"They are clever ... I'll give them that. So, what do we know about them?"

"They were originally heading toward Laeraed," Tirask answered.

Vesryn turned to Dasyra. "But they were only traveling in that direction because they didn't know where to go, correct?"

"As far as I know," Dasyra said with a distant expression.

"All right. If they were traveling to Laeraed, but one of their own betrayed their journey, where would they go?"

"What if they still needed to go in that direction, but their path was betrayed by Dasyra?" Tirask asked.

Vesryn tilted his head. "Explain."

"I really believe the old man I killed in Kaed was with the Resistance. He was harboring known fugitives ... why?"

Vesryn's eyes lit up. "What if he gave them a location ... what if Laeraed was where they really needed to travel?"

"It doesn't even have to be Laeraed," Tirask said. "It could be Laeraed, Kaedur, or Vaereal."

Vesryn's eye twitched. "Or even Mustafae. As long as we were watching the path, blocking them from reaching their destination, they would have to do something to turn our attention."

Both men looked at Dasyra.

"What?" she asked.

"How better to distract us than give us their weakest link, and have that weak link direct us in the opposite direction?" Vesryn gritted his teeth.

"This has been a wild goose chase," Tirask said.

"It seems so." Vesryn turned to Tirask. "Travel to Uriah, and if the dragonriders there haven't found them, bring them to Laeraed. We'll re-coordinate there. They won't escape us."

"As you wish." Tirask bowed.

"What about me?" Dasyra asked.

"You're coming with me. You may be of use yet."

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