“Then Duran is not really on the way to StarCity,” frowned MistyTrail. “I know the way there from Alamar and it does not hug the coast.”
“It is out of the way,” agreed Marak. “We could probably reach StarCity just as quickly as Duran, but I have a hunch that I want to check out. Besides, we want to reach StarCity after dark. I am not prepared to let Vand know that a winged warrior is helping us.”
“You think people have moved into Duran?” asked MistyTrail.
“Not people so much,” Marak shook his head. “I think Vand may be using Duran to stockpile supplies. I want to know for sure.”
After a while, they saw the peaks of the Wytung Mountains rising through the clouds gathering over the landmass. The mountain range ran from the center of the Sakova to the coast halfway between Alamar and Duran. It was just on the northern side of that mountain range that the Wall of Mermidion began. The impressive vertical cliffs dropped a thousand feet to the sea, effectively cutting off the coast from the rest of the landmass. In some areas, the beach spread out from the base of the cliffs quite a ways; in other places there was no beach at all; the cliffs actually protruded into the sea.
Marak felt moisture whisk by him and looked up. Heavy clouds raced by directly overhead. A second later, Myka flew into the cloudbank. It felt like being in the midst of deep fog, except they were soaring through it at a frightening speed.
“How can you see where you are going?” the Torak asked Myka.
“The clouds only block my vision,” answered the dragon. “I can also sense things around me. How else could a dragon fly in the dark of night? We will be over Duran shortly. I will try to find a break in the clouds for you to see.”
Without warning, Myka suddenly banked to the left. MistyTrail’s arms immediately wrapped around Marak’s waist, and the Torak’s hands subconsciously reached for the knife. The clouds grew wispier and appeared less solid as the dragon flew in a wide circle. Unexpectedly, they flew out of the clouds and Duran sat below them in full view. The Torak inhaled sharply when he saw the three huge ships sitting in the harbor. Small boats were ferrying goods ashore, and teams of seamen scurried throughout the city, carrying bundles and rolling barrels. It was just a glimpse before the clouds returned to block their view.
“Do you want to see more?” asked Myka.
“I have seen enough,” Marak replied sharply. “Head for StarCity.”
“How could Myka know where StarCity is?” asked MistyTrail. “Its location is a secret.”
“The stronghold of the Sakovans has been around for a thousand years,” chuckled the dragon as she straightened her wings and headed south. “Nothing lasts long as a secret from dragons. Do you think we sleep all of the time in our caves?”
“Actually, I did,” nodded MistyTrail. “I never heard anyone talk about ever seeing a dragon before.”
“And did anyone see us today that was not supposed to?” quipped the winged warrior. “Dragons are only seen when they want to be.”
“Unless people wander into their cave when they are sleeping,” taunted MistyTrail.
“Then they are eaten,” retorted Myka. “Either way no stories are spread.”
The sky grew dark as the sun dropped below the horizon, and eventually the clouds passed away. Brilliant stars illuminated the dark sky as Myka soared high over the uninhabited Sakovan forests. As the mountain peaks rose up to reach the dragon, StarCity suddenly appeared below. Myka’s wings spread wide as she glided silently over the Sakovan stronghold, her head swiveling as she sought a safe landing place.
“Either the roof of the palace or one of the fields at the edge of the city,” suggested MistyTrail. “Those places are normally vacant at night. I think a field would be safer.”
“You learn quickly,” smiled Myka as she glided towards a field at the base of the mountains. “I will not be able to wait here for you, Torak. How shall we meet up?”
“You may return home, Myka,” instructed the Torak. “I can get to Khadoratung quickly through the secret doors. Thank you for bringing us here.”
“I will await your call,” replied the winged warrior as she set down gently in the field. “Be vigilant.”
MistyTrail swiftly slid off the dragon. Marak pulled his knife free from the hole in Myka’s scale and slid down to stand beside the elven princess. Without further words, Myka leaped into the air, hugging the sides of the mountains as she rose into the darkness.
“That is one special creature,” smiled MistyTrail. “You would never know it from listening to Mistake’s tales about her.”
“She is special,” nodded Marak as he began walking towards the palace. “She is one of Kaltara’s winged warriors. Will we be stopped if found in the city?”
“We are both known to the Sakovans,” MistyTrail shook her head. “They will greet us warmly, but word of our arrival will spread quickly.”
“That does not bother me on this trip,” shrugged Marak. “It will tell our enemy nothing.”
“Actually,” grinned MistyTrail, “it could tell them a great deal.”
“How do you mean?” questioned the Torak.
“Everyone will want to know why I have returned,” answered the elven princess. “I can tell them that the elves have decided not to get involved in this war and that I felt I had to return to help the Sakovans fight the evil. I do not have to mention that the elven decision has since been overturned.”
“That is brilliant,” grinned Emperor Marak. “You can be almost as devious as your sister.”
“She has taught me much,” chuckled MistyTrail.
In fact, they met few people on the way to the palace. The evening meal was being served in houses and the palace, and the streets of the city were fairly empty. They made their way to Lyra’s office and walked into the middle of a conversation.
“Marak! MistyTrail!” beamed Lyra. “What a surprise. I am glad to see both of you.”
“Why are you not with the elves?” StarWind asked MistyTrail with concern. “Is there something wrong?”
MistyTrail frowned as she looked at the people in the room. She knew that Ukaro was aware of the problem with spies, but she was not sure about StarWind and Temiker. She decided to play it safe and repeated her line about leaving the elves.
“You are always welcome here, MistyTrail,” smiled Lyra. “Close the door please.”
MistyTrail closed the door and Lyra continued, “Temiker has just arrived from Alamar. I will let him start from the beginning so you can evaluate what he is saying.”
“Do you remember the fisherman in the small village south of Alamar?” Temiker asked MistyTrail.
“Gerock?” asked MistyTrail. “The one you had the boat made up for?”
“Yes,” nodded Temiker. “You and Mistake took his old boat to sail to Fakara, but ended up on the Island of Darkness. He came to see me in Alamar recently. His neighbor had a very strange encounter the other night. He heard a noise outside his home and went to investigate. He remembered nothing, but he awoke in the morning outside on the beach. His boat was missing.”
“Someone stole it?” asked MistyTrail.
“I think so,” nodded Temiker. “Gerock came to me in hopes that I might supply his friend with a boat, but I became very curious about the affair. I went to the village and spoke to Gerock’s friend. I became suspicious that he had been the victim of a mage, so I investigated him magically. I was able to retrieve his memories sufficiently to understand that two men did indeed steal his boat. At least one of them had to be a mage.”
“What is the significance of this?” asked Marak.
“I got an accurate description of his boat and the two thieves,” explained Temiker. “It appears that the two men sailed the boat to Alamar. The next day, one of the men left the harbor in the morning with the boat and has never been seen again.”
“Which leaves one thief in Alamar,” noted StarWind.
“If it were only a thief,” frowned Temiker, “I would not be so concerned. No self-respecting mage would steal a boat to travel up the coast to Alamar. No,” he added adamantly, “the boat was stolen to sneak into the city unquestioned. The fact that only one man left the city means that a spy exists in Alamar. My fear,” Temiker paused and sighed, “is that the mage is the one who remained in Alamar. Remember how the Katana’s body was taken over by an evil mage? We could have a very serious problem here. We have no idea who we can trust.”