Vishana frowned. “How did you manage to stop the storm?”
“Eventually, through a combined effort. Sorcerers from Svartalfheim, a few of our remaining mages, and the Seers from Aladril managed to destroy the storm.”
“Why is he hammering back at Ceredream?” It didn’t make sense to me. Why go back to a place you’ve already beaten down?
“We believe he’s managed to take over the portals on the outskirts of the city, and that’s why he’s been able to break through to Earthside. If he can take the city, he will have full access to any portal in it. And Ceredream has many portals, not just leading Earthside, but elsewhere in Otherworld.”
That answered that. “We think he’s managed to figure out how to create portals, too—unstable, rogue ones.” I explained how we had been finding them all throughout the city.
“Not quite accurate.” Trenyth motioned to one of the elves standing near him. “This is Quith. He’s the strongest techno-mage who survived the storm. Quith, will you explain to them what Telazhar is actually doing?”
Quith launched into a smatter of magical jargon that only Camille and Morio seemed to understand before Trenyth put a hand on his shoulder. “For the unenlightened, boy.”
“Oh, yes sir.”
It was then that I realized Quith was quite young, in Elfin terms, and he suddenly looked like a quiet, scared rabbit to me. He was probably terrified of letting his people down. And if he was the most seasoned techno-mage to survive the onslaught, I wondered how the elves would ever rebuild the magic inherent within their race.
He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders like a schoolboy. “Telazhar has found a way to pinpoint where the rogue portals are forming. As you know, the spatial fabric keeping the realms separate is breaking down, and as a result, rogue portals have been appearing. Telazhar has developed a way to track where they are going to happen. But he can only work within a dozen or so leagues of the area in order to make it there while the portal is active before it shifts its position. It takes an immense amount of energy to focus on this. Several sorcerers have to combine forces. So it’s requiring a great deal of his resources to track and use these portals.”
“In other words, his attention is divided.” Smoky grinned, and the dragon within was suddenly glaringly apparent, toothy and dangerous and making me cringe.
“Yes, exactly. Which puts him at a disadvantage right now.” Quith grinned back at him.
Vishana, who had been listening closely, smiled, too—like a cat at the sight of a mouse. “Time to play then. We must go. We can shift through the Ionyc Seas and be there in minutes. I don’t think they’ve had time to hear about us—we came here the same way.”
I glanced at the sky. “I don’t know if I can go—I’m a vampire. It’s not anywhere near morning yet, but . . .”
“Don’t worry, little fanged one.” A tall, dark-skinned dragon stepped forward, reminding me a lot of Shade. “I will fly you, and keep you safe. If worse comes to worst, we can shift into the Netherworld.”
I was right. He was a shadow dragon. “The Netherworld?” I cocked my head. “I can’t go to the Netherworld because I’m a vampire—I’m technically undead and there’s some weird mismatch of energy.”
“Then I can keep you safe by taking you out into the Ionyc Seas until daylight passes.”
That would work. “All right, but I can’t be in the sun—at all. Sunrise comes, I’m toast unless I’m protected from it. And even then, if I’m in a place that sees sunrise, I’ll fall asleep.”
“Do not fear. Ride my back and I’ll protect you.” He bowed, a solemn expression crossing his face. “You may call me Vapor.”
“I’m Menolly.” I shook his hand as the others paired off.
Camille was with Smoky, of course, and Delilah would ride on Shade’s back. Iris and Tanne went together on the back of a blue dragon shifter—a tall, gorgeous man with long dark hair that was streaked with blue and purple. Morio and Trillian were paired with a lanky Amazon of a woman. Even as far as dragons went, she was incredibly tall, at least eight feet or more, and by the wheat-colored hair and emerald eyes, I had the feeling she was a green dragon. Vanzir and Rozurial were matched with a red dragon shifter.
“The elves should stay here.” Vishana shook her head when Trenyth offered to send some of his warriors. “You have lost too many already. While we will no doubt lose a few of our own, I don’t want to chance your numbers diminishing even further.”
Sharah looked visibly relieved. “Thank you—we need every man, woman, and child we still have standing.”
“I imagine repopulating your race will be a priority.” Vishana’s lips crinkled into a smile, and Sharah laughed.