Phoebe jerked herself out of the premonition, cold with sweat. Piper leaned
forward in concern "What did you see, Pheebs?" Phoebe rubbed her face,
matching to the spot where the dragon had scratched Paige. "I saw this ugly
green dragon mutilating Paige's face. She was trying to bit his finger
off." She turned to stare at Zeel, who suddenly looked furious. "You know
the Dragon?"
"Yes" muttered Zeel shortly. "He was the one who ordered the execution of
my brother. He owes me blood"
Leo and Cole shimmered in. Leo was holding a hand over one of his eyes.
"Paige just-" "We know," Interrupted Piper "Phoebe just had a premonition."
"Oh." said Leo. Zeel walked over to Cole. "Do you know the way into the Dragonlands? We have to save Paige before the sun rises, or she'll be sacrificed." Cole thought for a moment. "I haven't been there for a while," He admitted "The last time I went was to get poison for a darklighter. That's why I knew about the types of dragons." The last statement was directed at Leo "But I do know the way in." "Good. You take the witches and their Whitelighter. I'll meet you there." Clutching her javelin, she appeared to burst into flames, singing Coles eyebrows. Muttering about clumsy flamers, he grabbed hands of the others and shimmered out.
* * * The prince stalked across the clearing, glaring at the witch who had bit his finger. The forest healer had told him that it was maimed, and he would be lucky if he could use it again. The witch had fainted from pain, and the healer had plastered salve across her face, to stop the bleeding and dull the hurt. He had been dragged away from killing her by the guards, who said she needed to be sacrificed to their god. At least he'd watch her suffer. She was to be beaten to death, and he would be the executioner.
* * * Cole shimmered them into a steamy jungle. Piper looked around, then up. "Holy-" Cole had shimmered them into a large canyon. The walls went up for about two miles, though it was only a tenth of that across. Zeel flamed in a minute later, setting a tree on fire in the process. After stamping it out, she told them "Be quiet as you can. The sacred ground is nearby." They walked silently into the forest. Piper noticed that the sky was lighter. It was nearly dawn. Why is it that you're always killed at dawn? She wondered. She had no time for thought after that, as Zeel sped up the pace. They had trouble keeping up with her as she raced through the forest. Phoebe tripped over a jutting tree root, and stumbled into Leo who fell over as well. Phoebe sat up with a grimace, clutching her wrist. "Ouch. I think I stuffed my wrist." Zeel looked impatient at the delay. She turned to Leo who was dusting himself off. "Heal her quickly. We only have fifteen minutes until the sun-" she stopped suddenly, green eyes flickering. Voices were coming towards them. She shooed them into a deeper patch of greenery, then scrambled up a tree. Listening hard, Piper began to understand what the vices were saying. "-that's what happening." "The prince is carrying out the ritual sacrifice?" "Yep. The priest told me. The prince said t'was his duty to our clan." "Ha! He never cared about duty before. He just wants to kill the witch that bit him." "Yep. He chose the executions too. The others are quick ones. Stabbing, they are. But the witch is a long a painful beating." "Well, if you ask me-" Their voices faded from hearing. Zeel came down from the tree, tight- lipped. "We have to hurry. We're further away from the sacrificial ground than I thought. Have you healed her wrist?" she was looking at Leo. "Yes, as soon as those talkers were gone." Zeel nodded. "Good. Let's go."
* * * Paige woke with a start. The salve that had been smeared over her blinded eyes had hardened into rock hardness, covering her forehead, eyes and nose. It had warmed up, so she knew it was near dawn. She had heard one of the Dog/Dragons say to the centaur that he would be killed at dawn. She shivered in fear. Her sisters hadn't come for her yet. She was beginning to lose hope.
* * * Piper looked up with horror t the sky. It was dawn.
"Oh." said Leo. Zeel walked over to Cole. "Do you know the way into the Dragonlands? We have to save Paige before the sun rises, or she'll be sacrificed." Cole thought for a moment. "I haven't been there for a while," He admitted "The last time I went was to get poison for a darklighter. That's why I knew about the types of dragons." The last statement was directed at Leo "But I do know the way in." "Good. You take the witches and their Whitelighter. I'll meet you there." Clutching her javelin, she appeared to burst into flames, singing Coles eyebrows. Muttering about clumsy flamers, he grabbed hands of the others and shimmered out.
* * * The prince stalked across the clearing, glaring at the witch who had bit his finger. The forest healer had told him that it was maimed, and he would be lucky if he could use it again. The witch had fainted from pain, and the healer had plastered salve across her face, to stop the bleeding and dull the hurt. He had been dragged away from killing her by the guards, who said she needed to be sacrificed to their god. At least he'd watch her suffer. She was to be beaten to death, and he would be the executioner.
* * * Cole shimmered them into a steamy jungle. Piper looked around, then up. "Holy-" Cole had shimmered them into a large canyon. The walls went up for about two miles, though it was only a tenth of that across. Zeel flamed in a minute later, setting a tree on fire in the process. After stamping it out, she told them "Be quiet as you can. The sacred ground is nearby." They walked silently into the forest. Piper noticed that the sky was lighter. It was nearly dawn. Why is it that you're always killed at dawn? She wondered. She had no time for thought after that, as Zeel sped up the pace. They had trouble keeping up with her as she raced through the forest. Phoebe tripped over a jutting tree root, and stumbled into Leo who fell over as well. Phoebe sat up with a grimace, clutching her wrist. "Ouch. I think I stuffed my wrist." Zeel looked impatient at the delay. She turned to Leo who was dusting himself off. "Heal her quickly. We only have fifteen minutes until the sun-" she stopped suddenly, green eyes flickering. Voices were coming towards them. She shooed them into a deeper patch of greenery, then scrambled up a tree. Listening hard, Piper began to understand what the vices were saying. "-that's what happening." "The prince is carrying out the ritual sacrifice?" "Yep. The priest told me. The prince said t'was his duty to our clan." "Ha! He never cared about duty before. He just wants to kill the witch that bit him." "Yep. He chose the executions too. The others are quick ones. Stabbing, they are. But the witch is a long a painful beating." "Well, if you ask me-" Their voices faded from hearing. Zeel came down from the tree, tight- lipped. "We have to hurry. We're further away from the sacrificial ground than I thought. Have you healed her wrist?" she was looking at Leo. "Yes, as soon as those talkers were gone." Zeel nodded. "Good. Let's go."
* * * Paige woke with a start. The salve that had been smeared over her blinded eyes had hardened into rock hardness, covering her forehead, eyes and nose. It had warmed up, so she knew it was near dawn. She had heard one of the Dog/Dragons say to the centaur that he would be killed at dawn. She shivered in fear. Her sisters hadn't come for her yet. She was beginning to lose hope.
* * * Piper looked up with horror t the sky. It was dawn.