“Did Edison tell you to close the portal?”
Magnar burst through in full flight, his wings snapping out to propel him skyward. Behind him, Edison and a line of soldiers materialized out of thin air—ten, then twenty, then thirty, all marching in double-time past Orion. They blinked at the rain. Some held out open palms to feel the drops.
“No more!” Orion jerked out the peg and tucked it under his cloak. The stream of soldiers ended abruptly. The arriving men, perhaps fifty in number, halted and stared at Cassabrie’s slavery scene, focusing on the children as they restarted their emotionless march.
Above, Magnar flew over the treetops toward the white dragon’s castle. Although no one rode on his back, a scabbard hung from one of the protruding spines near the base of his neck, as if an invisible rider might snatch a sword from it and go to battle.
As vapor rose with every drop that struck Exodus’s skin, Cassabrie looked at Magnar and sighed. He wouldn’t come back, not as long as she was around. She wouldn’t even have a chance to calm his fears. And now that he was here, what would his entry into the Northlands spell for all of Starlight? Only time would tell.
Orion held the peg over the boulder. “I will open the portal again,” he said as water dripped from his hair to his lips. “When I do, these men will go back immediately.I have rescinded the order to come here. If you refuse, I will break the crystal.”
Edison glared at him through the misty air. “Then we will all be stranded here.”
“There is another way to return,” Orion said, “but even if it is inaccessible, I will not allow —”
“Orion!” Cassabrie called, spreading out her arms. “Hearken unto me!”
He looked at her, blinking the water from his eyes. “Stay out of this, witch! I will not have you interfering with the affairs of the righteous.”
“Do the righteous ignore the plight of tormented children?” She waved an arm toward her mirage. “They toil. They suffer. They bleed. If you send the soldiers home, who will set them free? Who will apply salve to their wounds? Who will be their liberator?”
Orion tilted his head, watching the solemn parade of children passing by. When the girl stumbled, he flinched, and when the dragon lashed her with his whip, he fell to his knees and stared, the peg now loose in his hand.
Edison and the other soldiers looked on as well, mesmerized. Finally, one man broke free from his daze and charged toward the phantom dragon with a drawn sword.
Cassabrie fanned out her cloak. Making her characters respond would be difficult, but in their confused state, the men might be convinced, especially since her hypnotizing influence would make them want to believe.
Breaking from his previous iterations, the dragon turned his scaly head and shot a blast of fire. The soldier, a young man barely past his teen years, dodged left and rushed forward, thrusting his sword into the dragon’schest, where the blade plunged in easily. The dragon lurched to the side, his tail and claws twitching in spasmodic death throes.
Stooping, the soldier held out his arms. The children ran to him, some kissing his face while others formed a circle around him, jumping and cheering.
“Edison!” Cassabrie hissed. “Shake off the effect!”
Edison gave her a boyish smile. “He saved the girl. Isn’t it wonder —”
“Wake up!” Cassabrie drove Exodus forward, just enough to bump his shoulder with the outer membrane.
Edison stumbled to the side but quickly regained his balance, blinking at her while rubbing his shoulder.
“Take the peg,” Cassabrie whispered. “Open the portal.”
As if awakened from slumber, he staggered toward Orion. Orion scrambled to his feet and, still holding the peg, jogged toward the forest, slipping and sliding along the way.
Cassabrie twirled her cloak and sent her scene into oblivion. She had done what she could.
Keeping his stare locked on the trees, Edison stopped his
Magnar burst through in full flight, his wings snapping out to propel him skyward. Behind him, Edison and a line of soldiers materialized out of thin air—ten, then twenty, then thirty, all marching in double-time past Orion. They blinked at the rain. Some held out open palms to feel the drops.
“No more!” Orion jerked out the peg and tucked it under his cloak. The stream of soldiers ended abruptly. The arriving men, perhaps fifty in number, halted and stared at Cassabrie’s slavery scene, focusing on the children as they restarted their emotionless march.
Above, Magnar flew over the treetops toward the white dragon’s castle. Although no one rode on his back, a scabbard hung from one of the protruding spines near the base of his neck, as if an invisible rider might snatch a sword from it and go to battle.
As vapor rose with every drop that struck Exodus’s skin, Cassabrie looked at Magnar and sighed. He wouldn’t come back, not as long as she was around. She wouldn’t even have a chance to calm his fears. And now that he was here, what would his entry into the Northlands spell for all of Starlight? Only time would tell.
Orion held the peg over the boulder. “I will open the portal again,” he said as water dripped from his hair to his lips. “When I do, these men will go back immediately.I have rescinded the order to come here. If you refuse, I will break the crystal.”
Edison glared at him through the misty air. “Then we will all be stranded here.”
“There is another way to return,” Orion said, “but even if it is inaccessible, I will not allow —”
“Orion!” Cassabrie called, spreading out her arms. “Hearken unto me!”
He looked at her, blinking the water from his eyes. “Stay out of this, witch! I will not have you interfering with the affairs of the righteous.”
“Do the righteous ignore the plight of tormented children?” She waved an arm toward her mirage. “They toil. They suffer. They bleed. If you send the soldiers home, who will set them free? Who will apply salve to their wounds? Who will be their liberator?”
Orion tilted his head, watching the solemn parade of children passing by. When the girl stumbled, he flinched, and when the dragon lashed her with his whip, he fell to his knees and stared, the peg now loose in his hand.
Edison and the other soldiers looked on as well, mesmerized. Finally, one man broke free from his daze and charged toward the phantom dragon with a drawn sword.
Cassabrie fanned out her cloak. Making her characters respond would be difficult, but in their confused state, the men might be convinced, especially since her hypnotizing influence would make them want to believe.
Breaking from his previous iterations, the dragon turned his scaly head and shot a blast of fire. The soldier, a young man barely past his teen years, dodged left and rushed forward, thrusting his sword into the dragon’schest, where the blade plunged in easily. The dragon lurched to the side, his tail and claws twitching in spasmodic death throes.
Stooping, the soldier held out his arms. The children ran to him, some kissing his face while others formed a circle around him, jumping and cheering.
“Edison!” Cassabrie hissed. “Shake off the effect!”
Edison gave her a boyish smile. “He saved the girl. Isn’t it wonder —”
“Wake up!” Cassabrie drove Exodus forward, just enough to bump his shoulder with the outer membrane.
Edison stumbled to the side but quickly regained his balance, blinking at her while rubbing his shoulder.
“Take the peg,” Cassabrie whispered. “Open the portal.”
As if awakened from slumber, he staggered toward Orion. Orion scrambled to his feet and, still holding the peg, jogged toward the forest, slipping and sliding along the way.
Cassabrie twirled her cloak and sent her scene into oblivion. She had done what she could.
Keeping his stare locked on the trees, Edison stopped his
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