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  Looking down at her, Barney sneered, “We don’t need your generosity, little Princess. Why don’t you just get out of here?”

  Ralina walked up to stand beside Barney. “Don’t you get it? We don’t want your snotty little ass around us.”

  “But, I just wanted to play with you and be a part of your group.” Ava could feel tears welling up in her eyes but she hastily blinked them back.

  “That’s right, Ralina,” Barney said in agreement. “We don’t want her snotty ass around us.”

  Barney pushed Ava in the chest, sending her sprawling backward and landing hard on her butt. The fall didn’t hurt, but boy was her pride taking a beating today.

  Before she could even think of anything to say, or pick herself up off the ground, another boy, this one larger than the rest, came forward and with no warning punched Barney in the face. The hit had so much force that Barney’s feet flew out from under him and he landed flat on his back.

  Ava looked up at her protector but his back was to her. He was tall and had long blond hair. Then he turned to glance at her and she recognized him. Holy Cow! It was Carrick Dunne, from the Warrior caste. His father, Graeme Dunne, was the Commandant of the Kestevayne Army, the highest rank of the Warrior caste.

  Ava was in awe and couldn’t believe she had not seen him in the group before. Maybe he had just arrived. As part of the Warrior caste, Carrick lived inside the palace with his parents so Ava had seen him quite often. But she had never spoken a word to him as she always felt shy and awkward in his presence.

  “What the hell did you do that for Carrick?” Barney asked, although his words were slurred due to the split lip he was sporting.

  “I did that, you moron, because you don’t hit a girl, and if I ever see you touch her again, I’ll do worse.”

  There was such fury in Carrick’s voice that Ava actually winced. His face was full of rage and all the other kids took a few steps backward. Ava found it odd that he was defending her for being a girl, and not as a Princess. She liked that he saw her as just an ordinary kid.

  With that, Carrick turned his back on the other kids and walked over to Ava. Still sitting on the ground, Ava looked up at Carrick, fearful as to what he would do next. He gave her a small smile and held out his hand to her. She reached out and grabbed it and he helped her to her feet.

  “Are you hurt?”

  He still had a bit of anger laced into that question. Ava couldn’t seem to find her voice, so instead shook her head no. He smiled at her again, more warmly this time and Ava felt all of her fear slip away.

  “Now, if you will excuse us,” Carrick said toward the group, “I am going to accept Ava’s invitation and we are going fishing on Parness Creek.”

  Still holding her hand, Carrick led Ava back toward the palace. Ava heard Ralina call out, “I’d like to go too.”

  “Sorry,” Carrick yelled back. “You’re not invited.”

  And in that moment, Ava fell in love with Carrick.

  Ava mused over that first time she had met Carrick and mentally shook her head in embarrassment that it didn’t take five minutes for her to fall head over heels for him. Granted, what did an eight-year-old know about love, but from that minute forward, Ava had worshipped the ground Carrick walked on.

  She remembered how they went fishing that day on Parness Creek, a lot of which was just spent in companionable silence. She did learn that day that Carrick was thirteen-years-old and was hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps. Ava had heard her father talk about Carrick’s father a lot and knew that he counted him as a trusted advisor.

  Never once did Carrick treat her different because she was a Princess, and from that day forward, it was amazing how many of the other kids now wanted to be her friend. The petty part of her wanted to ignore them all and just be friends with Carrick, but she knew that was wrong on several levels. But mainly because Carrick was older than her and his interests were different, they didn’t spend a lot of time together. He was learning more about his magical abilities and would be entering training for duty with the army in a few years. Still, they remained close friends for the rest of her childhood and when time permitted they would go fishing or hunting, or would just ride their horses through the countryside talking. She always considered him to be her Protector in Chief.

  Yes, Ava ruminated. She had seen that cold, fury from Carrick all those years ago when he was protecting a little eight-year-old girl. It was the same wrath he exhibited toward her just a bit ago in her bedroom. Ironic.

  Ava’s trip down memory lane was cut short as Carrick and Kieran came out of the barn, leading King. She marveled at how much the brothers looked alike. Kieran was two years younger than Carrick but they looked almost like twins. Even though they had very similar features and builds, Kieran, even now, was carrying himself with an easy grace and had a light smile on his face. Carrick walked as he if carried the burden of the entire world upon those massive shoulders of his, and his mouth was set in a grim line.

  Carrick and Kieran joined Ava, King trailing shortly behind on his lead. “Do you have everything you need?”

  “I’m ready.” Ava grabbed hold of Bing’s collar, not quite sure what to expect. Her last experience with inter-dimensional travel was a long time ago but she remembered the tugging feeling on her body She held Bing’s collar tight as she wanted to make sure they didn’t get separated and have him end up in a weird dimension ruled by cats.

  Standing with his eyes closed, Carrick began chanting in a low voice, words that she could not hear. She felt the wind kick up, and pulled Bing a little tighter to her. King reared up slightly, surely feeling a little spooked, but she could hear Kieran talking to him in a soft voice to help calm his nerves. Then Ava felt the tugging on her body. She looked over her shoulder at her house, and suddenly had a moment of great sadness that she was leaving. She hoped she would return one day. Then she watched as her house started to fade while the tugging on her body became more insistent. Goodbye, Wyoming. I will miss you.

  As Ava watched her house and the majestic Tetons behind it fade, she noticed other things coming into focus. She first saw trees, then noticed a small creek running to her right. The babbling water sounded cheerful.

  As things became clearer, Ava gave a little gasp. She was back in Vyronas and the brilliance of color that surrounded her made her go weak in the knees. Just five minutes ago she had thought Wyoming was the most beautiful place in the world, but how could she not have remembered the stunning brilliance that was Vyronas?

  It wasn’t just the beautiful landscape that was laid out before her, but the intensity of color was so powerful, it almost hurt her eyes. Oh how she missed the rolling hills carpeted with the softest green grass that always seemed to shimmer with dew drops. The trees were massive and sprawling. There were some of the same trees that existed in The First Dimension. Oaks, Maples, Pines. But how could she ever have forgotten something as stunning as a Leedle Tree. There was one five feet from where she appeared and she drank in the sight. Its trunk was very light and smooth, almost the color of bleached bone. It had bright blue leaves the color of sapphires and a sweet yellow fruit that was always in season. Beside the Leedle Tree was a Chappelle, Ava’s personal favorite. It was close in features to the Willow tree, except the leaves were a shimmery amethyst color. Only at night when the moon was at its peak, the Chappelle would sprout white flowers that perfumed the air with a light sweetness and could also be used in a number of magical concoctions.

  The sky was multi-colored with a blend of light blues, peaches and creams. Ava could tell it was mid-day by the position of the sun that hung over Vyronas. It was nothing like the sun of The First Dimension but instead was a pale pink. It gave a pearly shimmer to everything the rays touched and caused the clouds to glow. You could stare directly at it and never hurt your eyes, yet it managed to light their world to perfection.

  Ava couldn’t wait for the evening as the night moon was of the same pale pink shade. It didn’t cast
the same brightness as the sun but always gave off enough light that one could walk outside at night and never need additional light to see the way. The moon was always full and heavy as it hung low over Vyronas every night.

  Ava took a deep breath. Vyronas even had its own scent. It was fresh, light and sweet. The air was cleaner, almost crisp, and it was a smell she hoped never to forget again. Wait a minute, girlie. Don’t forget about Wyoming. You are going back there one day.

  Ava closed her eyes and relished the smell just a little bit longer.

  “Come,” Carrick said as he headed off toward what she felt was due north. “We have a bit of walking to do before we reach camp.”

  “Camp?” Ava asked as she started walking behind him. She gave a quick look to find Bing, who was running back and forth, sniffing everything he could put his nose on.

  “The Clairmont Conclave has set up a stronghold about two miles north of here. Our army is dispersed in various locations surrounding Kestevayne. Every one of our strongholds is cloaked by magic, but we cannot hide the entire army all in one place under a cloaking spell. It would sap too much of our magic to do so.”

  “Makes sense. What can I expect when we get there?”

  “I’ll get you settled in your quarters, and then I’m sure the Conclave will want to meet with you, to bring you up to speed on everything that has been happening.”

  “Why don’t you make use of the time we have while we are walking and you bring me up to speed on what has been happening. I mean, I have the gist of what happened up to the point you banished me from Vyronas.” She knew that last remark sounded snotty and petulant but she couldn’t stop herself.

  Carrick looked back at her, like he was going to give her a sharp retort but instead sighed. “You know your parents were murdered the night we made our escape. You were aware that we thought it to be the work of the neighboring region of Stansworth.”

  “I remember,” Ava acknowledged.

  “What you don’t know, and what we have since come to find out, is that Ralina Haramish, is the person who was leading those forces and orchestrated your parents’ murders.”

  “Ralina Haramish? As in, your ex-girlfriend Ralina Haramish?” Ava asked, astounded.

  Carrick gave a curt nod, to which Ava snorted. “Puh-leeze. That woman couldn’t lead an army of ants to an abandoned picnic basket.”

  Carrick stopped walking and spun toward Ava. His eyes were hard and frosty. “Whatever you do, do not underestimate her. Much has changed since you have been gone. I will tell you now, she has learned how to use the blackest of magicks to control her army, and her heart is pure evil. She is extremely powerful and we have yet to find a way to bring her down.”

  Ava didn’t know what to say to that. She felt she should have a thousand follow-up questions but nothing came to mind. Carrick had just named her parents’ killer and she still couldn’t think of a thing to say.

  Carrick resumed walking and Ava followed. Kieran brought up the rear, leading King along. Bing was running zigzag patterns across their path, sniffing up everything that was Vyronas.

  Ava let her mind drift to Ralina Haramish. The same Ralina who’d stood next to Barney when she was eight years old and bullied her. Ralina was of the Maiorn caste and her father owned and ruled the city of Stansworth. Stansworth was a good friend and ally to Kestevayne, so it was very much a surprise that it was their forces which led the attack.

  But how had Ralina managed to control that army? Her father would never have let her do something like that. Ava knew Ralina fairly well. Turned out, Ralina had quite the crush on Carrick as they were growing up and was the same age as Carrick. Ralina hated the friendship that Ava and Carrick had and always managed to demean Ava when she could get away with it. That usually meant when they were both out of Carrick’s sight and hearing as Carrick would never put up with that type of treatment. It about killed Ava when Carrick and Ralina started dating each other. Ava always suspected Carrick went out with her because Ralina would have sex with him. The rumor was that Ralina would have sex with anyone. Still, Ava kept her childhood crush to herself and never told Carrick of Ralina’s meanness toward her or of the nasty rumors that everyone said about Ralina. She figured Carrick was a smart enough guy he could see her for what she was.

  Ava looked at Carrick while musing over his relationship with Ralina. It had ended so long ago, she wondered what he thought of her now. Which made Ava’s mind kick into gear with more questions.

  “Why is she doing this? Why did she kill my parents?”

  Carrick didn’t say anything but she knew he heard her.

  “Answer me Carrick.”

  “I’ll leave it up to the Conclave to fill you in on all of the details. That is their role, not mine.”

  “Well, then, what exactly is your role in all of this?” Ava asked, clearly frustrated she was not getting the information she wanted.

  “I am Commandant of the Kestevayne Army and I lead all the forces, which now includes thousands of Kestevayne citizens and other royal families who have joined our cause to reclaim your throne.”

  “You are Commandant? But, that can’t be. Your father is Commandant of the Army.”

  Carrick stopped walking but didn’t turn to face Ava. His head hung low. “You’re smart, Ava. Put two and two together and you’ll figure it out.”

  Carrick took off walking again, but at a much faster pace. Ava just stood and watched as he walked away. Kieran eventually came up beside Ava. She reached out and ran her hand up King’s neck.

  “How long ago?” Ava asked.

  “Two years. He was killed leading an attack against Ralina’s forces.”

  Ava felt tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m sorry Kieran. Your father was a great man.”

  Kieran put his hand on Ava’s shoulder and gave a light squeeze. “Yes, he was.” He started walking. “So is Carrick for that matter.”

  Ava followed, her heart heavy.

  CHAPTER 7

  As the group approached the Conclave’s stronghold, Ava knew it couldn’t be seen with the naked eye due to the magical cloak that covered it. The magical cloak prevented anyone not invited under its protection from even being able to get within a few miles of its location. Anyone who got near the cloak would simply be compelled to follow another route around the spelled area.

  Ava was very familiar with cloaking spells and could perform a decent one herself, although not of this size. A few moments before arriving, Carrick chanted an invitation spell while holding her hands, giving her the authority and power to see the encampment and enter.

  As they approached, Ava saw the expected shimmery film wave before her eyes and knew she was at the edge of the cloak. All she had to do was open up her magic, which she did, and the encampment appeared out of thin air.

  Astonishment wouldn’t even begin to describe Ava’s first impression. She wasn’t quite sure what she expected, but in front of her laid a fully functioning town, bustling with people. There were permanent buildings lining several streets. The roads were made of dirt but were well maintained and packed hard for easy travel. Sidewalks of stone bordered the streets.

  As they stood on what appeared to be the main street, she noticed several businesses on either side. She saw a butcher, a grocer, an apothecary and a clothing store while they strode along. At the end of the main street, stood a building larger than all of the others. Carrick noticed her gaze and said, “That’s the Conclave meeting hall. We’ll go there later.”

  Ava looked back and forth as they made their way through the settlement, taking it all in. The streets were bustling with people. Some looked at Ava oddly and she realized it was because of how she was dressed. Pants on women were not unheard of, but most Vyronasian women liked to wear feminine dresses. Modesty was never a concern. Women’s fashions in Vyronas often revealed a lot of skin with plunging necklines and short hemlines.

  The men always dressed in some sort of pants and shirt, although it could vary depending on t
heir station. Working class men tended to wear sturdy twill while the business-men tended to wear more expensive and softer cuts of cloth. Those in the warrior cast usually wore a heavy denim-like material for their pants, often covered in leather. Sometimes they wore shirts, but mostly they wore breast plates and arm guards.

  Her eyes moving from the people to the actual buildings, Ava smiled at the typical Vyronasian crafted style. She saw one story structures with thatched roofs and slate stone walls. Windows were constructed of wood and left open, as the Vyronasian weather was constantly temperate and never reached above 75 degrees in the day or fell below 65 degrees during the night.

  The seasons in Vyronas were not marked by changes in weather but by changes in production of fruits and vegetables that could be harvested throughout the year. Having just come from Wyoming where it could get very hot in the summer, and then be buried under five feet of snow in the winter, she supposed having the same weather all the time could be boring. But as she glanced around, she knew in her heart that Vyronas was the most perfect place in all of the dimensions that existed.

  Carrick led Ava down a side street. There were more houses built on the streets they were walking and Ava was amazed how beautiful this little town was. She had thought of it as an encampment before and figured it would be filled with tents, yet the houses were lovely with varying hues of slate, and picture-perfect gardens in the front. No, this was definitely a town. Of course, knowing the power of magic, Ava knew it would not have been hard to construct this town within the past four years. However, it was a very pleasant surprise to her.

  “I can see you’re shocked,” Kieran observed.

  Boy was that an understatement. “I just never imagined there would an entire functioning town here.”

  Carrick led the way to a lovely cottage and walked up to the front door. Ava noticed Kieran led King around the back, and assumed there was a stable or some other structure where he could be housed. Carrick didn’t knock but walked right in and Bing followed. Ava brought up the rear and as she entered the cottage, she looked around.