The Rogue Rider (An Inheritance Fanfiction)

Chapter 36: Loose Ends

Ragin spotted Lake Isenstar through ever darkening clouds. He pressed his desire to land into Vaela's mind, and the white dragon pulled into an exhausted spiral, the blue sky above disappearing into darkness. It wasn't raining yet, but the winds were becoming rather strong, signifying the approaching storm.

As they approached the ground Ragin slipped his small dagger into the sheath in his sleeve. He had spent the week enchanting and enforcing it with every spell he knew. If he was going to kill Tharin, he would need to think of everything. The man was likely surrounded in wards. The only way to hurt him would be either breaking his mind or figuring out a way through those wards.

Vaela landed heavily on the beach of the river, heaving at the effort it had taken to fly against the growing wind. She had quickly folded her wings as close to her sides as she could, trying to keep them from being torn open by the wind again. There was a grove of trees to our left that were being bent and thrown around by the wind, but it would give them some shelter. Ragin gestured for the white dragon to follow him, and she did, neither speaking.

She was just small enough to fit through the gaps in the trees, at a bit of a push anyway. As soon as the wind no longer bothered her she collapsed to the ground, her sides heaving from the effort of getting here. Ragin had pushed her hard in order to reach Lake Isenstar within the week, especially considering it had taken nearly twice the time to fly the same distance on the way to New Doru Araeba.

'Is... is that the Lake?' Vaela drearily asked, finding it difficult to hold back the wave of exhaustion that came with the words.

'Yes,' Ragin said, and after a moment's hesitation, 'Thank you.'

She snorted indignantly, choosing not to reply. Instead she lay her head against the ground, her breathing slowly calming as she relaxed for the first time in a number of days. The dark rider sat down near her, resting his own weary body. When he wasn't enchanting his dagger he had been gifting his own energy to the flying dragon and attempting to soothe her aching wings. Unlike before, he wasn't too worried about the effects of healing sore muscles. He had just wanted to get to the lake as quick as possible.

That being said, he couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration for the white dragon. He knew she wasn't overly fond of him, but she had understood the situation enough to at least forgive him for what he had done, which made him feel all the more guilty about what he was about to do. As her breathing slowed Ragin gently cast a spell over the already sleepy dragoness.

"Slytha," he whispered.

Vaela only had time to rumble in surprise before her tiredness and the spell overwhelmed her. Her head hit her paws, and her soft snoring followed soon after. He watched her for a moment, before letting out a soft sigh. He pulled his bag from his pack, opening it. Vaela's turquoise green egg was nestled neatly inside it. After a moment of admiring the shell he put his hand inside and pulled out the mirror that was his contact with Tharin.

He cast a quick scrying spell over it and watched as the mirror darkened into the image of the man he hated most.

"Ragin," Tharin said, a hint of a smirk on his face, "I take the white dragon we spotted was with you?"

"Yes," the rider replied, "I will meet you on the banks of the Isenstar around where we landed. I assume you know where that is."

"Can you not fly your new dragon over here?"

"I've already cast a sleeping spell on her, and the egg I stole is hers. She doesn't know that I am going to give it to you."

Tharin raised an eyebrow, "I must say Ragin, I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you."