The Blood's Flame (The Dragons of Flareia Book 1)

Chapter 29 - Louin

           

The Isle of Deus

26th Year of the Ocean

Last Day of the Third Moon

When Castia announced they were to have a short break from class because she had business to attend to, the Cantiers-in-Training were ready. Annalissa sat at her desk, quill in hand and counted under her breath. She knew the other girls could hear. When she had counted to a hundred, they rose from their desks and ran to the classroom door before scaling the stairs to the battlements atop the Dragon Palace. They had discussed over and over the struggles they would face to catch Deus's Familiar with Nolanth for a second time but, with Louin's help, they had managed to scrape together some kind of plan. As Annalissa stood beside the other Cantiers-in-Training, she prayed it would work.

"It's likely that all the times she disappeared from class, she was meeting with the Ignisian Familiar." Elissa had said when Louin had finally agreed he and Annalissa needed more help than just the two of them. "All we need to do is follow her the next time she leaves."

"Easier said than done." Ami-Lee, another Cantier-in-Training had moaned. "Have you seen her fly? She and Deus are just the same. When there's clouds, they practically disappear!"

"Then we need a way to make her easier to see." Louin had suggested. "But something more subtle than spilling a bottle of ink all over her feathers. We don't want to anger her; we just want to know what her and Nolanth are up to."

Marah's eyebrows had furrowed. "Should meetings about the dragons not be done through you and the Ignisian Dragonheir rather than the Familiars?"

"That's why we must find out what they're doing." Annalissa had explained.

Now, Marah scanned the clouds above the Dragon Palace through a pair of binoculars her father had given her in case she ever wished to see their home from the Isle of Deus.

"She always circles the palace before leaving." Izza reminded the youngest girl from where she stood in the shadows of the doorway they had come through. "Make sure she doesn't see you looking for her."

Marah nodded, taking a step back into the shadows with the other Cantiers-in-Training, turning as she took in the sky. Then, "There!" She called, pointing. "She's heading to the south-east of the Isle."

"You're sure?" Annalissa asked.

The youngest Cantier nodded again. "Definitely. The ribbon did wonders. You couldn't miss it."

That had been the most subtle plan they could think of. Castia had been more than happy to accept a bright red ribbon with a good luck charm on it from Seelia as a gift, even letting the Cantier-in-Training secure it around her neck. Seelia did not tell the dove that the 'good luck charm' was merely a pendant from a worthless necklace they had found left on the windowsill of their dorm when they first moved in.

"What's to the south-east?" Ami-Lee asked.

"It's where the mangroves meet the forest." Elissa said, a sly smile playing around her lips. "The perfect place to meet someone you shouldn't."

"Keep an eye on where she's headed. If she lands, make sure you see where." Annalissa told them, squeezing past them into the open air of the battlements. "I'll fetch Louin. If anything happens – sing."

* * *

Louin knew it was Annalissa before he turned around. Since returning from Avalona, Deus had spent most of her time at the Pearl Palace discussing the imminent Avalonian War with King Aspha, but when she was home she had been drilling him about his power. If a war is coming, you need to be able to fight. She had told him. Your powers work differently to the other Dragonheirs. Their attacks are physical ones. But yours lie in the mind. Learn to sense the people around you, sense their spirit as you did Prince Tommél's at the Wish Granting Ceremony. Once that becomes second nature to you, you can unhinge them with a thought. Use that control to your advantage. While he hadn't unhinged anyone's mind, he had learned to sense them – Annalissa more than anyone. Not that he had told her that.