The Hidden Sister | Book 1 of the Dragon Queen Series (BUY ON AMAZON!)

۵ Chapter 14.5 ۵

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Chapter 14.5

pursuit

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The bright sun came to a halt, as the glooming overhang of the moon took to the skies. Clouds pushed their way into the midst, and a chill clung to the air. Elyssor's wings left a resonating flap of wind in the sky, the sound undeniable.

Atop his back rest the Dragon Princess, her head relaxing on her dragon's scales in defeat; she could not follow now, but it did not mean she would relent. A desperate cling to the Ice Girl's name bounced around her head, and after eyeing her prey, she tasted a hint of success - she would never give in.

Her encampent sat in the dark, snowy hills below her. Ser Manx stood out in the crowd of cold soldiers, desperately huddling towards the campfires; his eyes peered to the skies and bowed at her presence. Blushfyre peered her head from her wings and glanced to the skies, acknowledging the return of her brother; Ashwing jumped from her sister's back and took to the air to reach her mother.

Elia reached a hand out to Ashwing upon her decent and scratched her scales. "Hello, my dear." She smiled half-heartedly, and planted a kiss atop her dainty head. 

"Your Highness." Ser Manx smiled and bowed once more. "Our day is made more beautiful by your presence. Was the hunt successful?"

Elia glared in his direction. "Do you see me carrying her silver-haired skull?"

Ser Manx shook his head. "No, your Highness." He took a breath. "Still, is it safe to assume your have collected some information?"

The Princess breathed gently. "She entered Sleepy Hollow alongside her mentor, and with her unicorn. He was riding a Shadow Mare...which I believe belongs to The Shadow Lands."

"Those Diamond scum managed to lose one of their mounts to them?" Ser Manx sighed, glancing at Elyssor's drooling jaws. "What injustice...losing it to a demon from the Eastern Shores."

Elia rolled her eyes. "The failed siege of The Queen's Veil, I presume."

"Agreed." He nodded his head, and scratched his scruffy beard. "What is our next move, your Highness?"

Elia thought for a moment, the scent of victory still on the tip of her nose. "We strike, whilst the iron is hot, Ser."

"How?" He asked.

"I'll burn the forest down if necessary." Elia said intently, with fire in her eyes. 

Ser Manx took her arm. "You're not your father, Your Highness."

Her burning eyes met his aged grey ones. "No," she removed his arm, "I'm not. And you should do well to remember it."

Ser Manx nodded and gave a respectful bow. "So, this is your wish?"

"Going in on foot would be simply suicide, we don't even know if she'll make it out alive..." She rubbed her forehead in thought. "...We'll set an ambush. I'll wait with my dragons on the other side of Sleepy Hollow, she'll walk straight into the dragon's jaws."

"You'll be alone, Your Highness. You know it'll take days upon days for the convoy to traverse around Sleepy Hollow." Ser Manx said anxiously.

"Take the journey, Ser, take the convoy and meet me upon the other side." Her eyes shone a deep amber. "This you must do, I command it."

Ser Manx took a hesitant bow, and nodded at her wish. "Men! With me! We make the journey and capture this usurper!" He raised his sword above his head triumphantly.

Elia made her way to Elyssor, whom had leaned his wing to her reach, she climbed upon him and looked down at the convoy. "I'm going to cut the usurper off - show her what it's really like to challenge a dragon! In a few days...you'll see me with her silver head!" 

The men cheered, the horses reared up. Blushfyre and Ashywing roared their heads and took to the skies; Elyssor, now letting out the loudest roar of his own, raised his wings and pushed off his back legs, the force so great it almost knocked the great Ser Manx off his feet. 

Elia gripped tightly onto the giant dragon's spines. "We'll burn them to the ground."