Wren and Ronan set a brutal pace getting them to the edge of the forest.
“Can’t we slow down?” Kaitlyn yelled.
“No,” Ronan threw back at her. “If we are to escape the King’s guards, we need to keep moving and get to the dragons. That is the only way that we are going to escape.”
Kaitlyn moaned, but she continued to run after them. “Damn, I thought I was in better shape than this, but oh my god, I don’t know if I will be able to keep this up for much longer,” she complained to Kevan.
“Well, suck it up Kaitlyn, we need to keep moving,” Wren yelled over her shoulder like a drill sergeant. Kaitlyn let out another groan, but kept moving.
“I’m really starting to hate you, Wren!” she yelled.
“That’s fine, as long as you keep moving.”
An hour later the trees began to thin, the runners given a sense of hope when they spilled into a wide empty clearing. They all collapsed to a stop.
“Mattus, where are you?” Wren yelled, as she strode into the middle of the clearing.
“Here, Wren.” She turned around, looking skywards, waiting to catch a glimpse of the dragons that would take them on the start of their search. “There they are,” she told the others. “So are you ready for this?” she asked Kevan.
“As ready as we can ever be,” Kevan told her, watching five dragons land one after another.
“Wren, we must hurry.” Mattus told her.
“The guards?” Ronan asked.
“Yes.”
“How many, and how far out?”
“I would say almost two dozen, only about 30 clicks out; we need to move so that we are out of range of their weapons.” Wren nodded her agreement.
She told the group gathered behind her. “As you heard, the guards will be here soon, and we have to get moving.” Wren looked to Leila. “Since you are the one that can sense this grimoire, you ride with Ronan; he will take the lead. The rest pick your ride, and get on board.” Wren looked at Kevan, understanding the fear and excitement that rode on her face. “This is going to be nothing like your last ride. Are you ready?”
“Terrified is the word that comes to mind, but so excited, you wouldn’t even believe it.” Kevan admitted.
“Then climb aboard and let’s get moving.”
The rush of wind set her heart pounding. Feelings of absolute terror and complete exhilaration pumped through her body at the same time. The night ride that had taken them to the rebel camp could not compare with this ride, as they soared high above the ground during daylight. Kevan felt such strength flowing through dragon muscle with each lift of his wings, carrying them in the direction that Leila had directed Ronan. Kevan clung to the back of her dragon rider, wondering why she wasn’t scared to death of falling, the thrill of on the being the back of a dragon, overrode her common sense. Kevan felt safe and free like never before. She wanted it to never end. She could see for miles and miles, amazed at the foreign landscape, colors and smells crisp, larger than life, and it reminded her of the dream that had kept her up the night before, a déjà vu of reality. She would always cherish these moments.