Many Glimpses in Yewland are faithful to King Eliam,” Trenna said, winding her long dark hair into braids. “Some of them told stories of the Mirror Realm. I always thought they were myths, clever tales to entrance the little ones. And yet, here you are, proof that they are true.”
“People in my world find it hard to believe too,” Antoinette said as they flew north of Baen-Edge, following the trail of the enemy.
“So I have a twin,” Trenna said. “Only she wears skin like yours and lives on—”
“On earth,” Antoinette explained. “And yes, your twin is out there somewhere.”
“Amazing!” Trenna said. “And this Kearn?”
“He is a Glimpse of a young man named Robby, who happens to be very important to a friend of mine.”
“I am amazed at you, Lady Antoinette!” Trenna said.
“Why?”
“You came all this way alone, risking your life for a friend!”
Antoinette sighed and ran a hand through her hair. It was time to tell Trenna the rest of the story. “I didn’t come alone. There were eleven others. We set out from Alleble to come to Yewland, for Queen Illaria had been threatening to break up the alliance.”
“What? Why?” Trenna asked.
“Well, that’s what we wanted to know. We discovered that Paragor had sent an imposter to Yewland posing as an official from Alleble. This imposter, Count Eogan, made horrendous claims and nearly destroyed the alliance.”
“What happened?”
“The imposter fled Yewland just before my team arrived. He apparently went to Acacia.”
“Did you pursue him there?”
“No,” Antoinette replied. She took a deep breath. “We were supposed to, but while I was in Kismet, I saw Kearn. I realized who he was, but he escaped. I wanted to go after him, but my commander insisted we follow the imposter to Acacia. I . . . I went against his orders, took this dragon, and, well . . . that’s why I’m here instead of in Acacia with my team.”
Antoinette wished she could see the expression on Trenna’s face, but she could not. Trenna sat in front. Finally, Trenna nodded and said, “You should not have defied your commander. And it pains me to hear that you forsook the mission King Eliam assigned to you. And yet, I understand the division that strove in your heart. Growing up in Yewland, I lived with such division every day. One of my very closest friends could not understand why I would not follow King Eliam. I am not sure myself, really. I suppose I liked the idea of Yewland being an independent power in The Realm. How strange it is that now, when I finally acknowledge him as my King . . . it is due to your disobedience. I find it heartening in some ways.”
“What do you mean?” Antoinette asked.
“It is good to know that King Eliam can make noble use of imperfect servants, that good can be made—even from mistakes.”
They flew in silence for some time, each busy with her own thoughts as gradually a starry darkness claimed the sky.
Honk! The white dragon bobbed her head.
“She smells something!” Trenna said. “Smoke it is. Lady Antoinette, take her down.”
With the heels of her boots, Antoinette applied gentle pressure to the dragon’s sides. They circled quietly down into a grove of pines.
“The enemy’s camp will not be far ahead,” Trenna explained as they slipped off the dragon’s back. “It will be better for us to go on foot.”
“I feel naked without a sword,” Antoinette said as they crept slowly through the trees.
“I cannot claim to be sorry you are without one,” said Trenna, “for that blade paid my price. Surely slaying all of them was not your plan, was it?”
Antoinette was silent.
Trenna stared at her. “You do have a plan, do you not?”
“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” Antoinette admitted.
“Well, you may wish to begin thinking,” Trenna whispered. “I see the flicker of a campfire ahead.”
Antoinette crouched lower to the ground, for she saw the light ahead as well. Most of the trees were evergreens—for that she was thankful. Walking upon their needles made little sound. Still she was cautious. Whatever plan she decided on, it surely did not include being captured because she stepped on a dead branch. At least she didn’t have to worry about Trenna. Apparently her experiences hunting had taught her to use great stealth, for she made no sound at all.
Antoinette and Trenna passed a clearing where a group of not less than forty dark horses grazed on ferns and tall grasses. The horses seemed not to mind the strangers who were crawling through their midst. Antoinette and Trenna followed a wandering path through more pines and came as close as they dared to a second clearing where the Paragor Knights were seated around a crackling fire.
Then, behind a hollow fallen tree, the two spies lay motionless and silent. Antoinette still did not have a plan, so she decided it was best to wait and listen.
“I am not one to question the master,” said a gravelly voice. “But I still do not think it is true.”
“Yeah, Grimmet is right. Why ’re we botherin’ with all this Wyrm Lord superstition anyway,” answered another knight who obviously had his mouth half full of something tough and chewy. “We have enough troops to take Alleble down ourselves!”
“What, ’ave you got rocks in yer ’ead, Savadrel?” came a third voice, deep and throaty, full of contempt for the others. “Yeah, we might be able to knock down the enemy’s front gate with what we’ve got. But should the plan fail, Yewland, the big chaps from the Blue Mountains, and all the rest a’ the stinkin’ allies will come char-gin’ in and run us down. We need an edge, I say.” There was muttering among the many knights sitting near.
“Well, the plan’s already failed in Yewland,” said the knight called Grimmet. “I daresay we’ll contend with those cursed bow-hawkers before we’re done!”
“The plan in Yewland did not fail,” came a new voice, low, confident, and menacing. Antoinette recognized it as Kearn’s. “The master did not expect Yewland to change sides like so many of the weaker kingdoms have. Eogan’s work there was simply to plant seeds of doubt—to purchase time and stay their hand until we have achieved our goal.”
“That’s just grand for now,” said Grimmet. “But what about when we return? The trees along the Forest Road will be ripe with archers! What will we do then?” A dozen other knights grumbled in agreement.
“Faithless, you are!” Kearn hissed, and the other knights fell silent. “When our mighty Prince at last frees the Wyrm Lord from his tomb in the Shattered Lands, all will flee before us! It is no legend! King Eliam himself knows this. That is why he hid the scroll away in the old tree, where he thought no one would ever find it. And, as for the Braves of Yewland, there will be few enough of them when we return. For as the prophetic scroll decrees, the Wyrm Lord will call forth his allies of old. And the Seven Sleepers will again prowl the woods of Yewland!”
There were cheers and raucous laughter around the fire. Antoinette’s eyes met with Trenna’s, and what she saw there mirrored her own fear.
