Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6) by Christopher Mitchell (ebook reader for surface pro txt) π

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- Author: Christopher Mitchell
Read book online Β«Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6) by Christopher Mitchell (ebook reader for surface pro txt) πΒ». Author - Christopher Mitchell
βHowβs your tummy?β said Maddie.
βFine,β said Sable. βA few twinges, thatβs all.β
Maddie frowned at her. βYeah, right. I saw your face when you landed; it looked as if it hurt; a lot.β
βDonβt worry about me,β she said. βIt was worth the pain to get airborne today. The other dragons were staring at us in disbelief.β
Millen passed her a mug of wine. βYou did great. Flying is wonderful, isnβt it?β
She took a sip and smiled. βYes; it was incredible; worth all of the hard work and frustrations.β She glanced at the mug. βNice wine.β
βThanks,β said Maddie. βI was a little more adventurous on my last trip into town. I also got some fancy cheese.β
Sable glanced at her. βI hope you were careful, Maddie. Donβt take any risks. If you get caught getting us supplies, then we lose the Quadrant.β
Maddie laughed. βI see. Youβre not worried about what happens to me, just your precious Quadrant.β
βItβs the only way weβre going to get to Dragon Eyre. I wish there had been some other way to get food.β
βAre you regretting showing me how to use it?β
βI didnβt show you how to use it; I showed you how to get to the nearest town in Tordue and back; and I only did that because we were desperate and had run out of everything. And, I might have been slightly delirious from my wound at the time.β
βIf you showed me how to get to Alea Tanton, then I could get a far wider range of stuff.β
Sable raised an eyebrow. βAnd thatβs the only reason you want to go to Alea Tanton? You wouldnβt, say, also try to rescue a certain dragon from captivity?β
Maddie scowled. βWell, itβs been long enough. How can you sit here calmly, sipping wine, while Blackrose is chained up in that horrible city? Every day that passes is like a knife in my heart. What if they kill her? They could be torturing her as we speak.β
Millen groaned. βDo we have to go over this again?β
βBut I still donβt understand,β said Maddie. βWe have a Quadrant, so why donβt we just rescue her now?β
Sable frowned. Using the Quadrant to free Blackrose had become a constant refrain from Maddie, but Sable had been procrastinating. At first, it had been due to her injury; and then she had been determined that Sanguino would fly before any rescue attempt was made. Blackrose would easily be able to take the Quadrant from her by force, and then she might choose to go to Dragon Eyre before they were prepared. Sable had to delay, so that she could remain in control.
βMillenβs right,β she said. βWeβve discussed this. Weβll rescue Blackrose when weβre ready, and when we actually have a chance of succeeding. With Sanguinoβs flight today, we are one step closer. And remember, Iβve seen her β sheβs not being tortured; the Deadskins are treating her like a damn princess.β
Maddie nodded, but her expression remained unconvinced. Sable darted into her mind. The black dragonβs rider was harbouring a hope that she would be able to work out how to make the Quadrant take her directly to Alea Tanton, but Sable was confident that she would need much more time and practice with the device before she would be able to do that. Other than that, Maddieβs thoughts were filled with impatience, and a frustration that could reach boiling point at any moment. Her emotions were stretched and pulled by Blackroseβs absence, and a small part of her believed that Sable would not honour her promise to rescue the dragon from captivity. The Holdfast woman was tempted to use her powers to soothe Maddieβs worries, but she had been doing a lot of that in recent days, and Maddieβs mind was starting to become more resistant to her methods of persuasion.
βI have an idea,β she said.
The others glanced at her.
βYou know what I can do with Sanguino, yeah? We link minds, and he can see what I can see.β
βSo?β said Maddie. βI mean, itβs impressive, but whatβs that got to do with Blackrose?β
βI hadnβt finished,β said Sable. βWhat if I link to you, Maddie, and then I use my powers to check on Blackrose? In theory, if I can see her, then you would be able to as well. You might even be able to pass her a message.β
Maddieβs eyes flashed with hope. βReally? Would that work?β
Sable considered. βDid you manage to procure any keenweed?β
βYeah. Not much, but a bit.β
βThen, letβs give it a try.β
βNow?β said Millen. βAre you not exhausted by linking with Sanguino during the flight?β
βIβm a bit tired, but if it makes Maddie feel better, then Iβll do it.β
Maddie rummaged in a bag by her feet, then passed Sable a weedstick, her hands trembling with excitement.
βGive me a moment, both of you,β Sable said. βI want to smoke this and prepare myself.β
βThanks, Sable,β said Maddie, as she stood. βThis means a lot to me.β
Sable smiled, and waited as she strode away, Millen limping off behind her. She turned to gaze at the pile of ash in the centre of the hearth and took a slow breath. The pain in her guts was intense, and she could feel exhaustion about to overwhelm her. She wondered why she was so determined to hide how ill and tired she felt from the others, but she knew that their hopes depended upon her, and she wanted them to believe that she was confident and in control. They were relying on her. In Blackroseβs absence, the others, Sanguino included, had looked to her for leadership, and she had been trying her best not to let them down.
She lit the weedstick and inhaled, feeling her tiredness disappear almost immediately. Her aches and pains eased, and her mind was filled with a sharp clarity. She knew she would pay for it in a few hours,
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