Alora: The Wander-Jewel (Alora 1)

“Yes, I left a message. Hopefully, I’ll accomplish something really grand, and she won’t be able to stay angry.”

“More likely, you’ll simply tear your new cloak, and she’ll make you wear it with patches to teach you a lesson. You’d better not slow me down,” he warned, setting Surefoot into a canter.

“You’d better not slow me down,” she retorted, kicking her white horse ahead of Surefoot.

Jireo gave a merry chase, as her laughter rolled back into his ears.

*****

Kaevin felt all the tension melt from his body as they rode almost noiselessly across the snow-covered fields. Everything was cushioned in a soft white blanket that dampened the noise of the hoof-falls. But for the horses breathing and snorting, no sound invaded his ears. By unspoken consensus, no one was speaking, instead riding in companionable silence, alone with their thoughts.

As they crossed a bridge, Beth grinned at him, pointing with her chin. “Hey, Kaevin. Race ya to the gate?”

“Let me ask River.” He leaned forward to whisper to his horse. “She says we will win.” He sat up, carefully maintaining a relaxed posture before prodding his horse forward without warning.

Beth squealed, kicking her blue roan into a gallop. The two were neck and neck, but as they neared the gate, River surged ahead to pass through first. They stopped to rest the horses until Wesley and Alora caught up.

“So what did you do to get that push at the end?” asked Beth, breathlessly.

“I didn’t do anything. River simply hates losing a race, so she did it on her own.”

“You wouldn’t have beaten me if I’d been riding Petra. He doesn’t like going slow or being beaten, ever. I think he’s A.D.D.”

“What’s A.D.D.?”

“Uhmm, it’s when someone can’t sit still, and they have a short attention span, and they’re kind of always in hurry.”

“That sounds like my friend, Jireo. I should introduce you—he’s an amazing rider.”

“He rides without a bridle, like you?”

He shrugged. “It’s just the way we ride in Stone Clan. If you come and visit us, you’ll have to ride without.”

“And when you say ‘visit us,’ who do you mean by ‘us’?”

“Alora and me, of course. And Raelene. You and Wesley could both come, although you might want to wait until we know Alora is safe from Vindrake,” Kaevin said.

“Are you talking about my father?” asked Alora, as they caught up to the racers.

“You know who your father is now?” asked Beth.

“Yes, I actually met him,” Alora said.

“He’s her father, but she’s nothing like him. He’s evil.” Kaevin’s stomach turned at the thought of Vindrake. Though he’d never encountered Vindrake in person, Kaevin’s father had given graphic descriptions of his vile deeds.

“Vindrake does evil things. He forces his citizens and captives to accept a bond, and if they refuse, he uses their bodies to create wendts.”

“What are wendts?” Wesley interrupted.

“They’re mindless, soulless, winged creatures that feed on human flesh. They look rather like enormous scaly bats with vicious teeth and long tails.”

“That sounds like a dragon,” Wesley replied.

“What’s a dragon?” Kaevin asked.

“It’s a huge fire-breathing, flying beast with sharp claws.”

“Your dragons sound even worse than our wendts. At least a wendt can’t breathe fire. Wendts are difficult to kill. Their hides are scaly and hard, and arrows often bounce off. When these dragons attack, how do you kill them?”