He nodded. “True. Even if someone tried to get us to allow them to enter our Barrier, it’s still up to Quiet at the end of the day.”
“So we follow him and find out what the Rogue Riders are up to,” Sophia stated. “Then we take it from there.”
“By there,” Wilder began, “you mean, we beat him to a pulp.”
Sophia laughed. “Something like that. Let’s play it by ear.”
“Okay,” Wilder affirmed. “Let’s go.”
The pair on their dragons set off after the young demon dragonrider who headed for another island that was smaller and less inhabited but rich with resources. Something didn’t feel right to Sophia about things, which was why she encouraged Lunis to fly faster, ensuring that Tanner and Coal didn’t get away.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sophia, Wilder, and their dragons followed Tanner to the neighboring island from a safe distance.
The landing would have scarred Lunis’ ego if it hadn’t been for the soft sand. He was able to land and trot off the limping, and thankfully the sand cushioned much of the brunt of the impact.
The riders and dragons took shelter in the trees around the main village when the young Tanner and Coal landed and entered the enclave.
The young dragonrider created quite the scene when he entered the modest community of mortals mixed with elves. They all appeared rather peaceful with their meek clothes and huts.
Rather boastfully, Tanner slid off his dragon and declared to the humble locals that he was there to give them the life they deserved.
“You all can thank me for giving you the future that you’ve all pined for,” Tanner informed the group of natives that had gathered around at the sight of the dragon and rider. They were more curious than fearful but grew concerned as he held up his hands and boomed, “Instead of wasting away in this hellhole of a pile of sand, I’m going to give you the opportunity to leave and find a new hovel to reside in.”
Sophia tensed next to Wilder in the trees, watching as children hovered and hid behind their mother’s hips, suddenly fearful of the dragonrider with an inflated ego.
“You see,” Tanner continued while holding out his arms in a grandiose fashion. “I’ve come to tell you that your island is no longer safe for you to live on and you have only three days to get off it.”
Cries of concern rang through the village. Children wailed. Mothers clutched their babies. Fathers ran forward.
However, the black dragon stopped all complaints by shooting out a neat bit of fire that nearly scorched many of the approaching men and the trees around them.
The men all backed up. Some of them reached for sticks on the ground and brandished them against the dragon.
“You see,” Tanner continued, puffing out his chest and rotating for the crowd like he was giving a show in the middle of a big top, “the Rogue Riders are here, and we need this spot of land. We’re expanding. You’ll hear more about us as we take over.”
Sophia nearly charged forward but stopped when Wilder put his hand on hers and gave her a look that said, “Wait.”
She nodded and turned her gaze back on Tanner, who continued to display his dominance to the natives.
“You can leave this island now,” Tanner went on, “or you can wait until the three-day mark.” He held up his wrist, where he brandished a shiny watch. “But tick tock, you better start packing because when the time comes, whoever is still here will pay.”
“You can’t do this!” a man carrying a rusted machete yelled and charged forward.
Coal swiped his leg through the air and knocked the man to the ground with ease, sending him into a crumpled mess.
Again, Sophia tensed, wanting to step in and defend the innocent villagers. Once again, Wilder stopped her with a gentle hand.
“We have to watch,” he whispered. “If we step in now, we’ll ruin our chances of getting to the main elfin island they took over.”
“He’s hurting people,” Sophia urged.
“I know,” Wilder stated, grief clearly written on his face. “But we need to think big. We can’t force the Rogue Riders out of the elves’ land unless we can get in there. We need the key. We have to find out how to get through the barrier.”
Many of the natives had retreated after watching the man thrown to the ground. They were more scared than defensive, which gave Tanner more confidence as he strode around the open area and gave orders.
“Over the next couple of days, my friends will join you here,” Tanner boldly stated. “You’ll make them feel at home. You’ll not threaten them as they make this pit fit for our expansion.”
Children cried in the background. Sophia’s heart ached, but she stayed still, watching and listening. Wilder was right. They needed to strategize rather than charge in. That was her style, after all. She was surprised that it was Wilder who encouraged it rather than her when she wanted to fight this newbie dragonrider.
Sophia let out a hot breath and returned her attention to Wilder. “What do you propose we do?”
He nodded as if he’d already worked it out. “I stay.”
“You what?” she asked, repulsed by the idea.
“I stay,” he repeated. “I’ll observe these Rogue Riders as they take over. Hopefully, I learn what the key is to get through the barrier. Then I’ll report back.”
Sophia didn’t like the idea at all. However, Wilder was right. The priority was to push the Rogue Riders out of the elfin territory. If they couldn’t get in there, then they couldn’t do that. If they fought Tanner here, it would only cue the others they were there and onto them, and raise their defenses. What they had to do was observe. Study the Rogue Riders. Find out their weaknesses.
Then attack that.
Sophia looked at Wilder with a heavy heart. She wanted to hold onto him forever and knew she had to leave him behind.
“If you need anything,” she began, “message me. Tell me that you’re okay regularly. Please be safe.”
He nodded. “Sophia, I’ll get the information we need and return to you. I promise.”
She tried to believe him. Needed to believe him. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed his lips, hope written in the gesture.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Wilder knew that Sophia didn’t want to leave him, but he reassured her that he’d stay hidden and simply observe what the Rogue Riders were doing as they took over the small island and bullied the natives. She hoped that he wouldn’t be tempted to intervene as she had been. It was hard to watch the mortals get tossed around and their possessions pillaged by the demon dragonriders.
Yes, they were new to their skills and probably felt big having newly magnetized to majestic dragons. But that didn’t give them any right to take that which wasn’t theirs, Sophia thought bitterly as she hurried through a portal onto Roya Lane, hoping to take her mind off Wilder and the perils he could be in as he stayed behind to do reconnaissance.
She was hopeful that he’d find something for them to use to get onto the main island. Without that, it would be impossible to force the Rogue Riders off the elfin land. Before she had left, Sophia had put one of her famous disguises on Wilder and Simi to make them look like a mortal and an old beat-up beached boat. It would last for as long as she kept her magical reserves mostly full.