Harbinger by Nicole Conway

Author:Nicole Conway [Conway, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dragons, nature and natural world, myths and legends, medieval, animals, teen and young adult, childrens
ISBN: 9781946700995
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC
Published: 2018-08-14T07:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

We took a couple of hours to rest, eat from our rations, and discuss our plan once we reached the border where the tangled jungle of Luntharda met the sweeping mountain valleys of Maldobar. With any luck, the gray elven outpost just inside the jungle boundary would have a few rations to spare for us. They might even have some valuable information on the situation in Northwatch, or an idea of how we could get inside. We could regroup there long enough to get our final preparations together … then it was time.

My stomach was already in knots when we mounted up and took off again. The idea that we might be too late, that Jenna and Aubren would already be dead, was enough to make me want to vomit. My mind raced as we blitzed through the trees as quick as ghosts in the damp, flowering foliage.

It was nearly sunset when I caught the scent of the frosty, Maldobarian air leaking in through the canopy. We were close. Just that scent took me back to my first encounter with the Tibrans—being shot down on our way to Barrowton and nearly butchered by Argonox’s beastly right hand, Hilleddi. I clenched my teeth. If she came for me this time, I wouldn’t hold back. I’d happily deliver her to the Fates myself.

The expressions on the faces of the scouts manning the small outpost were priceless when they saw us. I wasn’t sure what freaked them out more—that I was riding on a foundling spirit, or that the Lapiloque was riding on the one next to me. Several of them fell onto their faces, prostrating themselves before Jaevid as we dismounted. It took a few minutes to talk them back to their feet.

I had to give him some credit; Jae didn’t use his prestigious past or title to take advantage of anyone. Money, jewels, all the prettiest women in Luntharda rubbing his feet—he probably could have gotten anything he asked for. But as he spoke to the scouts gathering around us in awe, all he requested from anyone was to speak to whomever was in charge of running the outpost.

Our foundling spirit friends didn’t stick around once we started into the outpost. They didn’t give us much of a farewell, either. One second, they were there, sniffing at the gray elves who gawked at them from a safe distance—and then they were gone. Fast, silent, and without a trace.

The gray elves brought us into the compound without delay. Night was closing in, so they were anxious to get back to their patrols. Walking along the lofty rope bridges that were strung between the trees, we made our way to where the lead scout had set up his command center. Unfortunately, I recognized him right away.

Lurin was one of the apprentices Kiran had trained to become an official scout. He was older, although no taller than I was, and had always been one of the first to mouth off about how I—a human—had no sense in trying to be a scout.

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