Alni Read online

  Tucking the stone away at his side, one hand rose to his chest in a feeble attempt to rest his racing heart. Everything was slowly coming into focus around him, the words of the Mystic Dragon racing around in his head. It was an echo he could not ignore and a calling he had to either face or run from.

  Just as soon as he had tucked the stone away, Alni reached for it once more, lifting it until the purple shard was equal with his eyes. He studied the color, felt the cool stone in his hand as his heart and mind fought over what decision would be made.

  Through it all, he knew he had nothing to lose and everything to gain in returning to Dora. Whether she had other intentions with him and had indicated a need to use him, something didn’t seem right about leaving her and it wasn’t just the Mystic Dragon’s words. The hair trigger response to run and leave everything behind the moment he found reason to run or mistrust her was not one he wanted to own.

  In the end, it didn’t matter if he was being used. For some reason, the Mystic Dragon had chosen him. The universe had put him in Dora’s path and he ran away to be alone; to be ripe for the picking by that unknown monster after hearing that the true evil of Mallor could find Dora without him there.

  He had left her for the picking, as well, hadn’t he?

  Alni was running once more, this time towards Swordstale, and towards Dora. There was a desperation that forced his legs to move past their exhaustion, kicking up dirt behind him as he sprinted towards the village.

  Certain of what he was going to do this time.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Bang.

  Dora’s eyes snapped open, hand reaching for her knife on the bedside table. Once it was in her palm she felt a small bit of relief, knowing surely it must have been the start of a dream that had awoken her. She was safe under her friend’s care; alone, but safe. Nestled up in a comfortable bed and awakened by perhaps the sound of neighbors finally going to sleep.

  Slipping from the sheets, she slowly made her way over to the window, parting the curtains and peering into the dark alleyway. There was no one there, not a soul to make the sound that had awoken her from a restless sleep. Relaxing her shoulders and taking a deep breath, Dora moved back towards the warm embrace of her bed.

  BANG.

  Her eyes flashed to the door, catching sight of the tremble the frame had made when the large force smashed against it. She heard muttering from outside and a scurry as another body headed towards her door. Dora quickly made her way to the window, hands moving to slide it open. The icy wind outside woke her up further, refreshing and daunting in what little she wore. Grabbing for her cloak, Dora threw it on and wrapped it close. There was the jingle of keys and the next moment her door was unlocked before she could reach the window once more.

  Jack stepped aside at the door, eyes focused on the ground as two large men entered the room. It was clear what had happened to Dora, no matter how much she wanted to believe it was just a bad dream, that her friend would never betray her.

  “We’ve come on hard times, Dora.”

  She could hear his voice in her mind, words that should have told her everything she needed to hear.

  One of the men pointed towards her and his comrade lunged out to grab her but Dora danced just out of his grasp. Racing to the window, she braced herself on the sill and lifted herself up and over.

  “You bastard, Jack!” She yelled out as her feet hit the alleyway outside.

  “Outside! She’s running!” Came the deep voice of one of her attackers behind her.

  Surely they were enforcement for Swordstale that Jack had alerted as soon as she fell asleep. Guards that would give him a large sack of gold the moment she was in their hands and off the streets.

  Dead or alive.

  Dora was swearing under her breath, heart aching as she drove onward. Her bare feet splashed against the newly wet ground, kicking up rainwater with each light step. Rounding the corner, she caught sight of a dark shape at the end of the street. Something fast whizzed past her head, narrowly missing her.

  Turning on her heel, Dora scrambled to head the other direction, frantic to get away from those who hunted her. The alleyway she had entered had no exit, only a stone wall in front of her to solidify the reality of her situation. Trapped, Dora was trapped.

  There were two men before her, blocking off the entry back into the street and a third made his way up behind them, catching his breath.

  “Get…her…” he managed out, waving a hand in Dora’s direction as the other two goons started forward.

  Her hand tightened around her knife, feeling the curve in her palm as she focused on the shapes walking towards her. The moment one was in arm’s reach, Dora ducked down and forced her body forward, slicing diagonally upward. The man cried out, falling against the side of the alley as he clutched his stomach. Jumping, her foot made contact with the injured guard’s chest, launching her at the second man across from him.

  At the very same time, another unknown thing whizzed towards her. There was a sharp sting on her shoulder, but Dora ignored it. No matter what it was, she could already tell it wasn’t enough to kill her or she’d feel much more than a small sting. Clearly the guard was not anticipating the woman jumping towards his face, surprise registering for a split second before her fist made contact with his skin. A flash of pain vibrated through her arm, but he was already stunned enough for her to head towards the third man and her exit.

  Dora held her knife close and put her head down, barreling towards the final man. Her safety was in sight…right there.

  But her legs stopped moving, numbing with each forced step. Looking down at them, Dora frowned in confusion and growled, using every bit of control she had to demand her body continue going. What was happening to her? It was as if she trudged through sludge, mind slowing as her body did. With a lazy roll of her head, Dora looked to the small dart imbedded in her arm. Tearing it from her skin, she let it drop to the alley floor and raged forward slowly.

  Instead of fighting her, the third man stepped aside when she headed by. He didn’t have to wait long for the sedative shot into her arm to take effect. Although normally those hit with the shot fell quickly, she continued on and and he could not help but be impressed by the show of strength.

  In the end, Dora was just like the others, though. Motionless on the cold ground as her body was forced into sleep. There were groans behind him as the wounded man leaned against a nearby building, clutching his side. The other was nursing a broken nose, trying to keep the blood pouring from it contained in his hands.

  “Grab her and take her to the cells until morning, then get patched up…the two of you.”

  He looked down at the wanted woman, foot nudging her body to ensure she was out cold. A sneer crept along his face as he finally tasted victory. This had been too easy. Finally, with the help of the innkeeper’s boy, another criminal was off the streets. Besides, it wasn’t just the massive gold on her head, they were given extra from higher up to ensure this elf didn’t roam free.

  “We’re going to celebrate tonight, boys.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  When Alni reached Swordstale he became painfully aware that he had no idea where to find Dora. If she had been taken like the Mystic Dragon had told him, then was she still in the same town? Was she on her way to King Mallor as he ran around and wasted time there? If she was being held in the town, how in the world would he be able to break her out and not be caught, himself?

  He needed a plan, and needed one soon, but more than that he needed to find her before it was too late.

  There were voices just across the street and he pinned himself against the wall of a building close by, praying the drips of water from the top of the cottage would be enough to cover for any noise he may have made.

  Two men came into sight, dragging a figure across the stone ground, each of them holding onto an arm as the small body bounced along behind them. The head of their victim was lulled to the side, dark hair covering her face, but
there was no mistaking who they held, not even from a distance. Dora…and what had they done to her?

  One of the men seemed to be limping, holding his side as they moved along down the street. Alni was quick to follow, keeping his body close to the walls as he tried his hardest to keep his presence hidden from them. There didn’t seem to be anyone else about, all tucked away in their beds or at the taverns. Sleep…it was something Alni desperately needed, but the adrenaline kept him going despite the exhaustion that racked his body and mind.

  Seeing Dora helpless in the hands of the two brutes was enough of a wake up call for him, hyper-focused as he watched them stop and enter a building just on the outskirts of town. There were windows facing the town square and what looked to be gallows shadowed near a small fountain in the quarter. The windows were barred and old, cracked stone built the prison a great many years ago. Alni was certain that although the cracks ran deep, the prison would not fall anytime soon.

  He waited with bated breath, tucked away until the two men exited the building and started back down the street towards him. Not moving an inch, Alni listened carefully as they spoke, waiting for them to be out of earshot before he approached the jail.

  “Let’s get to Marcus and let him know the boy gets the coin. She’s tucked away until morning, then he can decide what happens to her. Dunno if the one who set her bounty wants a display of her death or…”

  But his words trailed off as they strolled too far for Alni to hear. That ass Jack had sold her out…even he was having a hard time believing it, and he didn’t even like the lad. He let out a shaky breath, emerald eyes snapping to the jail as he crept closer. Alni didn’t know how he’d do it, but there was no way Dora was going to be killed publicly, or otherwise. If he was agreeing to face dragons and the King, he was already putting his life on the chopping block. Breaking and freeing a prisoner couldn’t be too much of a damning thing at that point.

  He approached the first window and peered in, catching sight of an old man snoring in the corner below. The cells were easily a good ten feet down, but with the bright moon shining through it was still a wonder how any of the prisoners got any sleep.

  Moving on to the next cell, Alni caught sight of Dora immediately. She was groaning, leaning against the wall as one hand moved to her head. Her body swayed slightly and both hands moved down to catch herself before she fell to the ground.

  “Dora…Dora!” Alni whispered desperately, looking over his shoulder to ensure no one had heard or seen him.

  She stared ahead, not seeming to register his voice or words.

  “Dora, it’s me…Alni. Look up.”

  “A-Alni?” She inquired then, looking up towards the window.

  A hazy smile crossed her face and she gave him a small, almost loopy wave. It was clear that whatever they had knocked her out with, whether it be potion or the backside of a sword, she wasn’t fully in her right mind.

  Thankfully, she seemed to be coming to with each passing second, one hand moving down to rub her arm.

  “Oh no…” came her miserable moan, fist half-heartedly hitting the side of the cell.

  “I’m going to find a way to get you out, okay? Just be ready,” Alni said, pushing off the barred window as he turned back to the clearing.

  He saw the man before he heard Dora’s frantic yelling down below, knowing it was already too late to get away.

  “Alni run!”

  “Well…if it isn’t the lad we’ve been looking for,” came the snarled voice. One of the men who had dropped off Dora had returned, standing a few feet away from Alni with a sword in hand.

  He had dried blood on his nose and face, eyes wild with anger as he roared out and approached, swinging the sword towards Alni’s body. With barely enough time, Alni jumped to the side, blade narrowly missing him. His mind was racing a mile a minute, trying to decide on his next move before the man stood and struck true.

  When the man lifted his sword once more, Alni’s body took charge where his mind did not. His pocket was burning, but he did not reach for the stone, instead his hand rose and grasped onto the wrist holding the sword. Had Alni not known the magic was surging through his body, he never would have tried such a feat. The massive man outweighed him by a hundred pounds and there was no possible way he would stop the downward strike of the blade.

  But the sword stopped, Alni’s strength holding him back as he stood to his full height and tried to knock the man away. There was a shimmer of amethyst magic as the push sent the man flying across the clearing, his body hitting the side of the lynching stand near the fountain.

  Instead of running away, Alni ran towards the jail, opening the front door and busting inside. There was an alarmed yell as a burley blonde keeping watch caught sight of him and stood from the table. Before the guard had a chance to reach for the weapon at his side, Alni’s hand shot out towards him.

  But there was no lightning, no pain. Alni’s mind was consumed with one word and one word only.

  Freeze.

  The guard was not moving, only blinking as his body remained rigid where he stood. His hand was hovering just over the weapon at his side still, eyes going from the door to Alni, panicked as he remained frozen in place. There was a soft shimmer of magic along his skin as the spell did what Alni had commanded. He didn’t have time to waste there, racing down the hallway he desperately searched for Dora among the few cells inside. She should have been the second one over…should have been there.

  Dora’s hand reached out from the cell, grabbing onto Alni just as he passed. She pulled him towards the bars, eyes clear and smile bright as she pointed to the lock.

  “Magic me up, let’s get out of here.”

  There was desperation in her voice, a need to get out as soon as possible and Alni didn’t blame her. He had already pointed his hands at the door, focusing on blowing it up, breaking it free…open, he thought, open. Nothing was happening, the magic a dull shine on his hands. Raising them to his eyes, Alni shook them both and focused once more.

  Before he had a chance to try again, his hands were grabbed from behind and yanked away from the cell door. There was a clasp as shackles secured themselves around him and Alni was pushed forward against the cold steel.

  “Little warlock thinks he can best us? We’ve taken down your kind plenty of times before, even have us a little failsafe.”

  The words were a hot whisper in his ear before Alni was pushed against the bars harder. Dora was yelling the next second, hands extending to shove at the guard who had grabbed Alni, but there was nothing she could do with the bars in the way.

  Alni felt a scratchy fabric lower over his hands and the moment it was tied and secured, he almost collapsed upon the ground. It was as though every last remaining amount of strength had been stripped from him, the magic of the stone no longer a tingling. Whatever they had placed on him, it had rendered his magic useless and taken everything he had to fight with.

  The pack on his back was taken from Alni and he didn’t care, no longer able to sum up any energy as the door to the cell was opened and he was shoved in with Dora.

  “Wanted to be closer to your woman? Look like ya got yer wish,” the guard laughed, looking back towards the front room as the sound of voices reached him.

  “I’m gonna let them know we have a two-for-one tonight. Sleep well. I’ll be seeing you two in the morning,” he said.

  With a small wave and a sneer, his heavy footsteps returned to the front room. It was clear the magic had stopped keeping the blonde in his tracks, his voice louder than the rest and alarmed as he spoke.

  But Alni couldn’t make out the words, couldn’t focus on anything as he stumbled forward and fell, his restrained arms keeping him from balancing. Instead of hitting the ground, Dora’s hands caught him, lowering him slowly as she struggled with his tall frame.

  “Alni…are you okay?” One hand moved to the material over his hands but it whipped away a moment later like it had burned her, “What in Desin is that? Some magi
c deterrent?”

  “I have no idea. How the hell are we going to get out of here?” He groaned, looking up at her as he sat up on the ground.

  Alni pulled at his arms for a bit, but it was no use, there was no way he was going to get out of those bonds, and without any weapons between the two of them, things were looking more and more hopeless by the second. The guards hadn’t searched him and taken the stone but it wasn’t like he could use it anyway.

  Surprise overtook him as Dora’s arms wrapped around him, suddenly. Her head was in his neck, hold strong as she squeezed him close.

  “You came back for me,” was all she said, but the words held so much more weight to them. A weight he could not place, “I thought I wasn’t going to see you again.”

  “I…I’m going to help you get back.”

  It seemed so odd having her close and knowing her real birthright. Having the rightful Princess of their people wrapped around his neck. She felt so solid, so calming and warm…It was an instant emptiness when she pulled away from his body. He wished he could wrap his arms around her but there was no possible way.

  “However I’m being used, whatever the case, I can’t live the rest of my life knowing I didn’t help,” Alni said firmly.

  Her hands rose to either side of his face, then. There was a moment where everything in Alni’s mind stopped, body stilling as he watched her. Dora leaned forward, her thumb rubbing his cheek softly as her lips landed on his own. They were soft, in direct contrast to the personality he had come to know during their travels.

  The spell broke and Alni kissed her back.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Alni awoke not long after the two of them had fallen asleep in the cell. Dora’s head was resting on his chest, snores soft, but filling the otherwise silent room around them. The memories of what had happened before falling asleep swarmed back to Alni’s mind the moment he was awake.