Samantha shivered, and I just wanted to hold her. I’d never seen her show fear. I wondered if those dreams had made her more fearful.
The first man didn’t say anything for a minute, and I was getting ready to start arguing again when he nodded and said, “Fine.”
A year earlier, I probably would have made a smart aleck comment about them finally doing the right thing, but that likely would have just gotten me hurt. They marched us forward until my leg protested so much I didn’t think I could make it. We walked through small strips of forest connected by barren land. I didn’t see any other people and wondered where the population lived.
When we finally reached a village, I thought we might stop, but the men kept moving. From what I could see, it was some kind of mining village. I saw men hauling materials down from a mountain. A few kids ran along beside us, and I wondered how different those kids were from the ones back home. It also reminded me why I was risking my life. With Blake in power, no child was safe.
After walking for another hour, we reached a large city. Evidently, that was where most of the population lived.
“Do not talk to anyone,” the younger man ordered us.
Once again, I chose to keep my mouth shut. We just had to get to Ollis.
They didn’t have to worry about us talking to people. No one so much as stopped. I sensed it had more to do with fear than a lack of curiosity. The people seemed afraid of us. That was a crazy thought, considering how much larger the Kenset people were. Ollis always reminded me of an ox, and although he was on the larger end, even the smallest guy I’d seen was larger than I was, and that was saying a lot since I was six-four.
“Time to find out if you were lying to us.” The first guy pushed me forward into a dark alley.
My instincts wanted me to fight, but I knew that would be stupid. I might have tried something if it were just me, but Samantha was there. It was one thing to get myself in trouble, but I refused to let anything happen to her. I probably would have walked to my death if it meant giving her a chance of surviving.
We walked from the alley into an ornate hall. The walls were lined with portraits of battles and of men in robes. Large sculptures dotted the walkway. We must have been brought in the back way. Either that or they were trying to keep people away from the government. I knew of a few politicians back home that would have loved that idea.
“Kevin?”
A good amount of anxiety rolled off me. “Ollis! Thank God.” Of all the leaders I’d met in Alak, he was one of the few I’d trust with my life, and that was exactly what I was doing.
“You know this boy?” our first captor asked.
“Yes. I know them both. Release them.” Ollis gestured at us.
I stumbled forward as the guy finally let me go with a shove. The younger one holding Samantha released her in a gentler manner. She rubbed her arm where he’d held her, and I could see the relief on her face. I resisted the urge to punch the guy for touching her.
“I also need my stuff back.” I wasn’t going anywhere without that box.
Ollis smiled. “A little pushy, are you?”
“We found it, Ollis.”
Although I hadn’t talked to Ollis, the Resistance had. They knew all about the Onyx. It had been smuggled out through their nation to begin with.
“Give him his things,” Ollis said. “And leave us.”
“Even this?” The first guy held up the box. “What is it? He claims it can defeat Blake.”
“Especially that.” Ollis took the box, examining it for a moment before handing it to me. “It is what is inside that we need.”
The two men put down our packs and left, closing the door behind them.
“Have you opened it?” Ollis asked.
“Yes.”
“How? I do not see a latch.”
I touched the front of the box, and it popped open.
Ollis grinned. “Would you look at that? Made only for a Winthrop, I see.”
I smiled at Samantha. She’d gotten it right.
He held out a hand. “May I hold it?”
Even though I trusted him, I hesitated before handing it over again.
He must have sensed my unease. “It will not leave your sight.”
I nodded. “All right.” I gave him the box.
He didn’t remove the stone, just gazed down at it. “The Onyx in person. I never thought I’d see the day.”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t look like much.”
“Most important things do not. What does love look like?”
I didn’t miss the way he glanced between Samantha and me, and I wondered how many drinks he’d had already. He handed the box back to me.
I closed my hand around it. “Can you get us back to Energo? We need to meet Charlotte.”
“I can, but it is not going to be easy.” He scratched his beard. “Blake has the borders sealed.”
Samantha straightened. She always did that when she wanted someone to listen to her, as though she thought they’d respect her more if she were taller. “We do not have a choice.”
“A woman of conviction. You have done well for yourself, Kevin.”
“Thank you, but she’s right.”
“Of course I will help. Did you ever question it? But first, can you stay for a drink?”
I shook my head. “Not now. How about we have one the next time I’m in town?”
He laughed from deep in his belly. “I do hope you come back. I would love to show you the land.”
“I’d love to see it when I’m not being treated as a prisoner.”
“I am sorry about that. As you can imagine, we do not get too many outsiders here. And with Blake… we cannot be too careful.”
“Next time, put me on a safe list.”
He laughed again. “You have the finest sense of humor, Kevin. It is one of my favorite things about you.”
“Glad to know I have something good to put on the table.”
He got a weird glint in his eyes. “Are you guys up for a rather exciting form of transportation?”
“Exciting?” Samantha and I asked in unison.
“We had some eggs hatch a few weeks back. They would have been useful in the battle in Energo, but you cannot look back, only forward.”
I shook my head. “What are you talking about, Ollis?”
“Dragons,” he said theatrically. He really would have been a terrific storyteller. His excitement was pretty contagious.
“Dragons?”
“That is what I said.” His face didn’t hold a hint of a joke. He was dead serious.