Armies of the Dragon (Book 2 after Warriors of the Dragon)

War Council

            Sephira felt well rested and in generally good spirits when they flew back on the fifth day to avoid suspicion since DeLise was a two-day flight from Thule. Similarly, Rauka and Craven felt renewed as they let the slow gold dragons drift through the air towards Thule. Sephira had them arc towards the South before approaching Thule from roughly the direction of DeLise and her sharp eyes located several balconies with three and four dragons piled on them near the top of the highest tower. Her balcony was dangerously close to the other balconies and she saw several dragons watch her and her orcs land. She wasn't surprised that Azaesel knocked on her door a few minutes after she landed because his dragons had seen her land. She told him her friend was doing fine and it must've just been a bad dream. He was happy that that was the case and seemed to sense the good mood Sephira was in. He let her know there was a meeting with all the Generals as well as the Grey Council after the morning meal tomorrow. She agreed to have her evening meal with Azaesel and he was overjoyed, but tried no to show it. Sephira sent Gia to retrieve food for her orcs before following Azaesel up to his chambers. Craven and Rauka weren't very happy to not accompany her to Azaesel's chambers, but she needed a break from worrying about them getting found out for not being turned. Azaesel seemed to prefer when they didn't come.

She removed her Nimbi mask and black hood and shook out her hair as she sat down at her place by his side at the table. She still had her hand in her long blond hair when she found his yellow eyes on her.

"I had wanted to show you first, but I'll just tell you." Azaesel burst out after their meals had been placed in front of them. Sephira just gave him her polite attention and focused on not reacting to whatever strange thing he wanted to show her. "I'm making a weapon that will be strong enough for us to turn elves into Nimbi." She didn't succeed in not reacting and he looked disappointed in her tilted head and furrowed eyebrows.

"Do you have elves here?" she asked careful to only sound curious and confused and not pissed off and demanding.

"No, well it's based on theory at this point, but I'm hoping to test it when it's finished." He answered lamely, making her expression lighten up.

"How does it work?" She asked, trying to sound innocent and not prying. He raised an eyebrow like he thought she was too simple to understand, but his excitement about his 'toy' kept him talking.

"There's a powerful crystal in the mines of the Morian mountains." He explained.

"I thought crystals were for healing?" she lied, trying to sound simple, but she looked at him with seriousness in her expression.

"Elves have spells protecting their minds from our spell that we use to gather orcs and humans to be turned. The crystal will be charged strong enough to disrupt their protective spells." He explained. She knew he was talking about disrupting her wards and she had to focus on not looking upset about this concept.

"Do you have spells protecting your mind?" she asked, knowing he did, but having only checked that his dragons were strong enough that she couldn't get through unless she had another of her kind with her.

"Of course." He said with a half-smile. She was glad he didn't seem suspicious of her since she knew she had strong wards, as did Craven and Rauka since the Undine and her and Sorin had placed them. Unlike the Undine's, the Duvendis wards were designed to be less noticeable and she occasionally allowed innocent thoughts to cross her wards to throw Azaesel off her scent.

"Well won't your spells get disrupted as well?" she asked, barely catching herself from calling the 'spells' he spoke of 'wards.' He nodded as he was deep in thought.

"That's a good point." He pursed his lips. "I suspect our wards are different. From what I've read, the elves use metal or crystals to amplify their wards while they use specific patterns to weave specific wards like a web." He rambled, making Sephira try to feign confusion when really she was trying to decide if he didn't know that Duvendis tended to use deer antlers to weave wards around while Undine used leaves and plants and Naiads used natural patterns found on shells. "I'm sorry, my dear Sephim. I've confused you, haven't I?" he asked, with a fond look at her pretty face.