“We’ll be going on foot as soon as Lemona ends, so good luck, everyone. Fire Walkers, take up your positions now.”
The group split up. Aspen watched Ruby wave at Dylan as her team trotted behind her. Caden followed Ruby, and Aspen had to admit that he didn’t look too pleased. Ray looked embarrassed but smiled at her as he left behind his sister.
After they had left, Leeman commanded the team again. “You can dismount now.”
Everyone sprang from their horses and removed the items they needed from their saddlebags.
Aspen was about to dismount when Dylan held out his hands to help her down. Her heart skipped a beat. He had such a handsome face, with his windswept hair and glittering blue eyes. The look he gave her was different from any she’d seen before. It was heated and raw, and it made her stomach flip nervously.
No, she wasn’t going to give in to him. He hadn’t defended her when Ruby called her a Halfling, and she couldn’t forgive him for that. She ignored his hand and slid from the big animal as quickly as she could. Without looking at him, she marched over to Demothi and withdrew the wand from the pouch.
“I’m ready, Demothi. Show me how to use your magic.” The aching bite of power in the wand made her shudder as it gripped her firmly.
Demothi raised rheumy eyes to watch her, and the lines around his mouth crinkled as he began to chant. “Sun ka wa kan iyaya, sun ka wa kan iyaya. Say it with me.”
She chanted in time with the old man, “Sun ka wa kan iyaya, sun ka wa kan iyaya.” The short stick waved from left to right, and power was absorbed from her fingers into the wand in a body-shaking rush that left her feeling slightly dizzy.
Within seconds, the horses of Arcadia disappeared. Aspen stared openmouthed around her. Warriors crept forward with Leeman, not worried that the huge animals had left their presence. They’d probably witnessed this before but it was novel for her, and she blinked her eyes to make sure it wasn’t a dream.
“You need to say ‘Sun ka wa kan hiyu’ in order for them to return,” Demothi added.
“Sun ka wa kan hiyu?” she repeated.
“Yes, take this paper. I’ve written the words down for you in case you don’t remember.” He pressed a small note into her hands.
“Thank you, and good luck. Please be careful and look after my uncle.” Her eyes welled up with tears.
Demothi hugged her against his chest. “Don’t worry, I’ll look after him with my life,” he promised. Once the old man had released her, he walked toward the rest of the team.
After everyone had left, Aspen wiped her eyes and looked around to study the area. Leeman had chosen a perfect spot amongst a large grouping of trees. A few boulders were scattered here and there, and she could barely see the walls of the castle through the thick foliage.
The three girls and Dylan were the only ones left behind. As the sky changed, the air cooled rapidly, and Dylan called out to her.
“Aspen, come back here—we need to hide behind the boulders. It’s not safe where we are. The Chancellors outnumber us, and I don’t want to take any chances.”
Although she wanted to ignore him, a huge explosion rocked the ground, and she scrambled to his side.
Shouts and screams echoed in the distance, and Aspen stood as close as she could to Dylan without touching him. He laced his fingers through hers and smiled encouragingly at her. The warmth of his power snaked up her arm and rushed through her body, calming and exciting her at the same time.
When Sandy grinned at her knowingly, Aspen blushed and tried to release her fingers, but he wouldn’t let go and only firmed his grip.
The sky lit up with a stream of fireworks and the ground shook again. Magic was definitely being used. Only Demothi could create such an elaborate display.
“I wonder what’s happening?” Ginny asked. She clutched her sister’s arm and peered around a boulder. Her thick blond hair hung forward over her shoulder as she tried to see through the trees. The smell of smoke reached their nostrils, and Aspen wondered how Ray and Ruby were. Clearly, they’d started a fire, and the distraction was working.
“Wait here,” Dylan said. “I’m going to climb that tree to see what’s going on.”
As soon as Dylan released her hand, she missed his warmth and wished he would come back again. He picked a thick trunk and swiftly climbed to the highest large branch.
Glancing at his retreating figure, she stepped out from the safety of the boulder and watched nervously to make sure he didn’t fall. This is stupid, she thought. He could do that power thing with his hands if he needed to save himself.