Narda was not what I expected it to be, it was nothing like Ilirea. Ilirea had been colorful and vibrant, people everywhere, but Narda was cold, muted and busy. Corin guided us around the city's edge; even thought we didn't go into the city, I could see the crowds through the streets and alleys as we passed by. Corin's house was big, way bigger than any house I had seen in Alagaesia, but still considerably smaller than the castle, which was no surprise. It was made all out of wood and stone and it looked surprising modern to me, like a house I could see as a cabin back home on the edge of a lake.

"Corin's daddy is the number one trader in Narda, he practically is the one who put Narda on the map and Corin's the only rider from Narda, so his family are kind of like celebrities," Serena told me. "As you can tell, the power really went to his head."

We approached the house and man came out to greet us," Master Corin, we weren't expecting you home."

"Well here I am," Corin pushed past him and into the house. Serena and I followed him as he continued to talk. "Is my father here?"

"No sir," the butler responded. "A trading situation came up in Imit, he should be back by tomorrow."

"I won't be here," Corin wove through the halls. It was different that what I expected. The outside had looked so normal and in most houses there are pictures and decorations, something to make it feel homey, but there was nothing here. It was just walls and doors. It looked like the house was up for sale and all the furniture had been taken out. It was still big, if we lost sight of Corin I would've been lost until someone found me.

"A man also approached the house he asked for you by name, master."

Corin suddenly stopped and looked back," Who?"

"He left no name. When I said you were not here, he left."

Corin's eyes looked wild, like his mind was moving faster than his body could comprehend,"See to it that Valor is washed and his saddle is stocked. Prep a cart to him as well."

"Yes sir, right away," the man scurried off.

"You could say please," I hated watching Corin talk to people.

Corin opened a door and went into the room. It had furniture, but it wasn't like back home. It was harsh and jagged instead of smooth and polished. Corin was now rummaging through some drawers, "Look, I have to go into town... I'll be back. You should stay here," he grabbed something and left the room.

"Uh, no" Serena followed him. "I'm not staying here in your house. The whole reason we came was to go into Narda."

"The servants will tend to whatever you need."

"I said no," Serena stated her hands on her hips.

"Well, I can't have you following me around, I have something private to do."

"Why are you being so secretive? What are you hiding," Serena questioned him.

"I'm going to get information on what's happening with the war. To do that I must go find... someone I trust."

"Well you aren't leaving us here," Serena declared.

Corin sighed," If you come, you must be discreet."

"Always am," she smiled.

"Come on, we should go then," we left the room and headed for the entrance.

"Master!," I heard a boy cry.

I turned to see Tholus running down the hall to us.

"Tholus?," I thought I was hallucinating.

The small blonde boy stopped when he reached us," Miss Alyson? You're here?"

"What is it, boy?," Corin was impatient.

"I figured you came home to fetch me, so I came when I heard you were here."

"No, I haven't," Corin turned and continued to the door.

"Tholus, are you alright?"

"Yes, miss, I'm alright," he gave a small smile.

"Boy, go and have a wagon packed with food and gear for travel. I want it ready when I return."

"Yes master," Tholus turned and ran off back the way he came.

I glared at Corin who wasn't paying attention to me," How can you treat him like that? He's just a kid."

Corin ignored me," Let's go."

We ventured down the slope into the Narda, even with it being such a busy place, it was quiet. Like the people bustling and rushing didn't want to make too much noise. The bleak gray ocean was casting some serious dark tones on the town, it made me feel cold.

"This seems like a place you'd be killed by some shady drug deal or something" I whispered to Serena.

"Narda used to be just a small trading port, but it's blown up over the last hundred years. Your right, it can be a shady place so be on the lookout and just keep your head down."

We weaved through the city, following Corin who was greeted by many of the patrons. He is kind of celebrity here... We stopped outside of some shop, Corin turned back to us.

"Wait here, just don't draw any attention to yourselves," then he ducked inside.

"God, he's so arrogant," Serena crossed her arms. "... if only he wasn't so sexy."

"Ew! What!?," I gasped.

Serena giggled," What, I mean he is! Something about him is just... oooohh, I don't even know."

"Are you serious? Gross!," I couldn't tell if she was joking. "You're always saying what a creep his is?! He might be the spy," I lowered my voice.

"It's a small part, Alyson. Very small. I'm not like crushing on him or anything. I'm still objective and I do think he's hiding something, but... I can't put my finger on it."

I shuddered," I can't believe you think he's cute."

"Well I have a thing for bad boys."

"There's a difference between bad and evil."

She sighed," I know."

"Speaking of which," I glanced around the almost vacant street. "If Corin really is the spy, we have to really watch him. He could be here to contact Conandus."

"Shit, I didn't even think about that," Serena's eyes went wide. "Maybe we should leave? Ditch him and go back to the others."

"But what about the supplies?"

"We can get it on Vroengard. Besides, this place gives me the creeps. "

"Tell me about it."

"But if we go back without him, he'll know we're onto him... and he knows we're on the way to Vroengard," Serena's eyes wandered down the street, locking onto something.

"So what do we do?," I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling cold.

"I-I think we wait it out, catch him in a lie and then confront him," she refocused on me.

"What evidence do we really have?"

"He had to be the one to lead the spies to the hideout. How else would they have known? And, he's being all secretive here... you're probably right, he is trying to contact Conandus."

The door opened and Corin stepped out, his eyes scanned the street.

"We need to go. Now," he quickly lead us away.

"What's happening?," Serena asked.

"My associate, I was asking him about Surda when he mentioned a man, he came here looking for me."

"But you live here, why's that weird?," I asked.

"He told me the man asked if I was with anyone, with any Dragon Riders."

"And someone was at your house?," Serena looked worried.

Who knows we're here? How did they find us?

"We go and get the supplies and get out," Corin moved swiftly through the crowd.

"I... I feel like someone is watching us," Serena told me.

I looked around the mass of faces, everyone seemed focus on their own thing, none too concerned with us.

"Keep moving," Corin pushed me.

I could feel it too, someone eyes were on me, following me. Serena pulled me harder, making our way viciously through the people. We made it where it was less dense, Serena pulling me, I looked back but Corin was right behind me.

"He's following us," Corin told me.

Serena let go of me,"You go, take her back to the others. I'll hold him off."

"I can't do that," Corin said pushing us both forwards.

"No, go!," Serena slipped from his grip. "I can hold him back."

"We don't have time to argue," Corin grabbed my arm and guided me away.

"Corin! Stop!," I struggled but he only tightened his grip. I looked back and Serena ducked into a side street, probably hoping to get the element of surprise. "What if he kills her!?"

"Better her than you," he grunted forcing me to go with him.

"CORIN!," I tried to kick and scream but nothing phased him.

What is she dies? This will be my fault! I can let her do this!

"Corin! STOP! PLEASE! You can't let her do this," I swung at him with my free arm. It landed on his chest, it hurt my hand more than anything it seemed, his thick leather vest was hard.

Corin grunted and stopped, he bent down and threw me over his shoulder before picking up the pace and running back to his house.

"NO! CORIN! Put me down! NOW!," I struggled on his grasp.

He didn't say anything, he just continued up to his house.

"VALOR!," he whistled, seconds later Valor was beside us. Corin dropped me," Get on," he commanded then ran into his house.

I turned and looked back to the village, I can't leave her. I started to run back towards the town, but Valor blocked my path.

"Move," I shouted trying to go around him.

"No," he defied me.

"RUN! RUN!," Someone screamed in the distance.

Serena?

Corin came out of the house, now the wagon was being pulled by his servants.

"Corin, there's no time!," Serena made it to Valor, her face was bloody and her outfit was ripped.

"Oh my god! Serena what happened!?"

"We have to go now!"

"Hook it up!," he yelled to his servants, who then worked viciously to attack the roped to Valor's saddle. "Get on now!," he commanded with force.

I jumped up without question, pulling Serena up with me.

"Safe travels, master," the butler told him.

"Move back," he climbed onto Valor. "Go!"

Valor sprung into action, running back towards the edge of the town, towards the treeline. I hung tightly to the saddle, Serena held onto me.

"Luna!," I called out to her.

"What's wrong? What is happening?"

"Someone found us! We're being chased! Tell Matt and Collin!"

Valor was running as fast as I thought possible, the wagon hooked up to him was crashing around. Valor jumped and the cart came crashing behind him, it sounded like it had broken.

"STOP!," I heard someone call after us. "Blöthr![1]"

A flash of blue came across us, but whatever it was Valor dodged it and kept running, we were almost at the treeline.

"Alyson!"

My adrenaline surged we were being attacked, whoever it was was trying to kill us!

"Vergari [2]," Serena turned around, trying to stop the attacker.

I clutched to Valor, the world was spinning, the nighttime was closing in and I felt something deep inside me, like this would be the end of everything "Luna!," I was so scared. There was literally fighting around me, Valor was almost there to safety and I saw Razor emerge.

"Don't! It's Quinten!"

"Quinten?"

Valor turned and lined up beside Razor, the wagon he was pulling fell to it's side, spilling out the supplies, then I saw Erea..

Erea? It can't be. I looked to who was following us, I couldn't make them out, but it had to be Quinten. My heart soared. He's alive!

Serena jumped off," Vergari," she shouted.

"NO!," Erea roared.

A bolt of purple spurted out towards the dark moving figure, he quickly dodged the attack and kept running towards us.

"Serena!," Collin called to her.

"Malthinae [3]!," she screamed and this time her power struck the shadow.

Erea roared, fire spurting as she blocked the path to the man who had fallen into the dirt. Verona then burst through the trees and guarded Serena, spewing fire in return. Fear clutched my heart, What is happening?!

Collin came to Valor, he was out of breath," Are you okay?," he looked up to me.

I had no words, I was frozen.

"We're fine," Corin answered and slid off his dragon.

Serena tried to run over to the man laying in the grass, but Erea blocked her path, growling at her.

"Move! He tried to kill me!"

"Don't even try it," she growled again.

"Theyna![4],"she struck the man with her magic and Erea shot flames at her. Verona blocked the attack and then reared back on her leg, swiping her claws at the blue dragon.

Luna came out too," Luna!," I felt like I could move again and jumped down running over to her. "Oh my god!," I was overwhelmed.

"Thank the ancestors you're safe," she wrapped her neck around me.

"Safe! Safe!," the baby jumped onto my leg almost pulling me to the ground.

"Everyone needs to calm down," Collin got between Serena and Erea.

"Erea... it's really her," I was shocked.

"She has attacked my Rider!"

"He tried to kill me!," Serena screamed.

"What happened out there?," Ashley came out with Matt.

"Luna what happened?," I reached down t stroke the small gray beast.

"Erea found us and Quinten survived," she told me what I already knew.

"He was following us, he tried to kill me," Serena repeated and y attention was drawn back.

"Is it really him?," I stood up and looked to the man in the grass.

"Corin, you were supposed to be discreet!," Collin gritted his teeth.

"He'd been asking around about me" he defended.

I moved away from them to the man, he rolled over and I saw it was him. Those kind blue yes and dirty blonde hair were unmistakably Quinten. I felt a new surge of adrenaline as he stared into my eyes, I could tell he was desperate to say something, but his mouth stayed closed.

"It's really him! He's alive!," I smiled and tried to go to him.

Serena grabbed me," No! Alyson! You can't!," she looked me in the eyes. "He just tried to kill us!"

"No, he couldn't," I couldn't believe it.

"Unbind him!," Erea commanded.

"Someone needs to fill us in on what the hell is happening," Collin demanded.

"We were in the village, and my source told me some guy had been asking for me also a servant told me someone had come by the house. I didn't like it, so we left. He followed us through the city," Corin told him. "I had no idea it was Quinten, I thought maybe it was one of the assassins and they had tracked us." Corin looked to Quinten laying in the grass," I can't believe you survived," Corin was in awe.

"He's the assassin," Serena told us.

"Serena!," Ashley gasped, looking at her face seeing her swollen eye and bloodied lip. "What happened?!"

"He did this!," she pointed to Quinten.

Quinten fought whatever was holding him, but he didn't say anything, he just wriggled as if he was tied up with imaginary rope.

"He says you lie! You attacked him," Erea conveyed.

"No! I was waiting in the alley for the stalker! Then he came out of nowhere and tried to kill me!"

"How is he even alive?," I looked back to him, his eyes locked on me. "Corin said you died."

"I said we were attacked. We were... I just... I assumed...," Corin looked surprised to see Quinten. "He told me to go... and then he never came..."

"We survived. We came after you, but you were gone from the safe house," Erea told me. "You must unbind him, Let him speak."

"No!," Serena pleaded with Collin. "You can't let him out. He'll kill us... and her! He's working with Conandus!"

"What?"

"Wait, Are you serious?"

"That is a lie!," Erea roared.

"He told me himself. He pinned me against the wall and told me that the new king will be glad to have the head of fucking half-breed!," Serena sobbed. "He tried to kill me," she whimpered, Verona went to her side to comfort her. "He said Conandus would wipe this world of the filth from Earth."

"Quinten? It can't be," Ashley shook her head.

"He's always been loyal," Matt was bewildered.

"Well he's not! He... he's a monster," she cried.

"You must let him speak his side! He knows the truth!," Erea begged. "We would never betray Nasuada!"

"He was the one who told them where we were!," Serena coughed.

Quinten thrashed in the grass, trying to free himself.

"If... If he did do this? Why did they assassins attack him?" Corin asked.

Serena shook her head," How should I know?! He's the killer!"

This can't be right! Quinten is the spy?

"He did know about the egg, the Skulblaka Ebrithil, he knew it all," Matt muttered.

"No, you cannot let her deceive you! She is the evil one!," Erea fought.

"Oh yeah! Sure, blame it on me," Serena screamed.

"What is happening?!," I was just confused.

"Erea found us, she told us she had been trying to catch up to us, but they must have passed us the night of the storm," Luna told me. "Quinten went to Narda, hoping to find Corin."

"But why did he attack Serena?," Ashley turned to Quinten.

"He cannot speak. You must release him," Erea lowered her head to Quinten.

"Alyson, get away from her! NOW!," Quinten yelled into my head. I'm not sure anyone else could hear it, I looked down to the man in the tall grass. He's eyes were wide and piercing, even with no words from his mouth, I believed him. I took a small step to the side that no one noticed, getting closer to Luna and the baby.

"He'll just lie to us! It's what he's good at, he lied to the Queen and everyone else!," Serena spat.

"We'll keep him bound," Collin told her.

"Thorta [5]," Matthew released Quinten's silence.

Quinten gasped," Alyson! Get away from her! Now! Everyone, get away from Serena!"

"What are you talking about?"

"She's the spy! She lead the assassins to the cave in Marna!"

"Of course he'll blame me! I'm the only one who knows he's the spy!"

"You can't honestly think we could betray the crown," Verona told us.

"But you did and Nasuada knows it! That's why she sent you away!," Quinten rolled over onto his stomach. "Don't trust her!"

"What are you talking about," Matt asked.

"You haven't seen her since before the mission? She left after, she disappeared and when Nasuada found her, she was in Aroughs!"

"Shut up! That's a lie!" Serena shouted.

"That doesn't make any sense, Quinten. If Nasuada knew she was a spy, she would have told us," Collin crossed his arms.

"Exactly, I'm not the enemy! He's the liar!," Serena crossed her arms.

"No! She never told anyone, Nasuada knew that if the public found out that an Earth Rider had betrayed her, that they would riot against the Earth Riders and that the Skulblaka Ebrithil would never be truly accepted. She only told me when she gave me the egg to deliver. I guess she didn't think Serena would have the courage to show herself here!"

"But Nasuada wouldn't have sent her to Marna," Matt looked between Quinten and Serena.

"You cant actually believe him. He's lying!"

"The Queen didn't send her! She showed up late, didn't she? She didn't travel with you all, did she?" Quinten bombed us with reasonable doubt.

Ashley's brow furrowed," No..."

"I flew past on accident! It was hard to find and I didn't have anyone to travel with," Serena defended.

"You haven't seen her around the castle either, have you?" Quinten asked us.

"Shut up!" Serena screamed and then turned to us. "It was my punishment. Remember? I didn't go on the mission so Nasuada punished me and didn't let me speak to any of you"

"But you haven't been to the Academy either?," Corin cocked an eyebrow.

Is Serena really the spy? She can't be the spy!

"Guys, Serena can't be the spy" I shook my head. But Quinten isn't lying... This doesn't make sense.

"Thank you! Thank you, Alyson. Finally some sense!"

"She is! She saw me in Narda... she saw me and that's why she stayed back. She tried to kill me so I couldn't tell you!," Quinten grunted, still struggling with his restraint. "Let me free! I'm not going to attack any of you."

"That's not true! I didn't see you! I stayed back to protect Alyson!"

"Yeah, you want to keep her safe for Conandus," he spat.

""Theyna![4]," Serena struck him, causing Erea to jump forward and spit a stream of fire towards us. I jumped back, even though the flames were far from me.

"Serena!" Ashley ducked.

"If we're trying to keep a low profile. I don't think it's working," Corin reminded us. "No doubt the villagers have now seen us fighting here."

"He's right. We can't stay here."

"Serena, why did you silence him?," Collin went over to her.

"He's saying all these lies! I can tell you believe him, it's getting into your head and you believe it!"

My attention went to the little gray blob, she ran out in front of me and screeched up to the large blue dragon who had caused such a fright within me. Erea looked down, her head cocked to the side and then she turned to Quinten. His eyes met mine and his mouth was open, even though no words could come out.

"It's true... it happened," Erea was in disbelief.

The sound of the others fighting were drowned out," Yeah," I smiled to the fearless baby before me, she always managed to gain all of my attention.

"You're the Dragon Master..."

"I am," I answered her but met Quinten's eyes again.

Quinten kept his eyes on mine, then glanced to Serena. "You have to get out of here. Get away from her," he projected into my head. "She'll kill you or worse!"

"Stop lying to her!," Serena interrupted us. "Don't let his evil into your mind," she had a crazy look in her eye and desperation in her voice.

"We know why she betrayed Nasuada," Erea told us.

"Thorta[5]" Collin let Quinten speak again.

"She did it to get back to Earth," he told us. "She found someone, someone who can make their own portal to the other world."

"Another portal? Impossible," Matt sounded awestruck.

Atar? The one she told me about... she said... she met him in Aroughs...

"Oh my...," Luna was stunned.

We never saw her at the castle... she wasn't there... the Queen had thrown her out. That's why she was also so scared of being caught. That's why she'd run away... It was piecing together in my head, it was looking like Quinten was right. Did she really do this? Could she?

Quinten rolled back again," It's true. Some dark magician."

"No! I wouldn't do that! If I was evil and the spy, why did they attack me? They shot me down out of the sky!"

A good point, they did attack Serena.

"They probably just missed Alyson," Quinten found a way to sit up, his legs still awkwardly clenched together. "Guys let me out, I'm not the enemy!"

"Serena...," Matt sounded horrified.

"No! I didn't do this!," she ran over to me, she gripped my hands in her "Do you really think I did this?," her eyes were wet, she was on the verge of crying.

"I... I don't know... I don't know what to think," it felt like her hands like vices around my wrists.

"Get away from her!," Quinten demanded.

"I... I was going to get us both home...," she whispered, a tear falling down her freshly bruised cheek.

"Serena... I...," my voice caught.

She let me go and stepped back, her face now blocked by her short curly hair," I guess you'll be stuck here forever then," she spoke darkly.

"Serena, calm down... no one here-...," Collin stepped towards her.

"Don't come near me," she shouted, backing away from me, towards Verona. She stood tall, a twisted expression stained her face. "You think you know me?! You don't!"

"What is happening?," I looked to Luna.

We could both only watched as the events unfolded.

Collin pulled me back, further from Serena, I didn't fight him. Now the Dragons were all on edge, Diamond stepped forward and so did Razor, they formed a semi shield between us and Serena.

"Serena! This can't be right!," Ashley shook her head, she looked so upset.

Serena's head jerked in her direction," Like you'd care at all! You don't care about anyone but yourself! You and your little puppy of a boyfriend," she scoffed.

"Let me loose, Matthew!," Quinten called.

"None of you ever cared... never...," she seemed on tip of a mental breakdown, like her armor was slipping and her sanity with it.

"Serena, you are one of us. You are part of this," Matt ignored Quinten and tried to talk to Serena.

"Losna![6]," Collin casted to Quinten.

"Neiat!,[7]," Serna blocked his attempt with ease then glared to Collin.

"Serena!," Ashley was scared, I could tell.

I was scared to, what if she tries to kill us? Would she kill me first?! How could Serena be the spy?!

"Don't act like you care either Matt," Serena rolled her eyes, like this whole interaction was a chore to her. "As soon as you got here, you just couldn't wait to dig deeper. You were obsessed with this place."

"Serena...," Corin now stepped up. "Stop this. We don't want to hurt you."

"You won't lay a finger on me," she taunted. "Because if... if," she stressed," what you're saying is true. I know Nasuada wants to see me. I know she wants to know what I know."

"Serena, are you saying it's true?," Collin stood in front of me, trying to shield me from her.

"And you...," her eyes were now on Collin. "You're just a lost little puppy... so sad about Dalia. You just can't move one, so obsessed to bring us all here, to lock us in this prison!"

"Matt!," Quinten called again.

"SHUT UP!," Serena swerved to look at him. "Theyna! [5]"

Quinten was once again silenced, he fell over as her power struck him. I saw Erea tense, but she didn't try to attack Serena or Verona.

"All any of you care about is this place," Serena groaned. "You don't see how fucking awful this place is," then she turned to me, looking past Collin. "Except you." Her shoulders relaxed and her eyes went soft," Alyson, you see it. You know better."

I was scared, the way she was looking at me, they were not the eyes of a sane person. She stepped to me and Collin tensed.

"Step back from her," Luna commanded, blocking Serena's path even more.

Serena found a way to look me in the eyes," You know. That's why you want to go home. I can still take you. I can get you back to your brothers, back to your life."

Back home... I would do almost anything to get back home. But this? Betray these people? People who have almost died to protect me, could I turn against them so easily.

"Alyson, come with me," Serena begged. "We can go back home and forget this nightmare. We can be our own Gods... back home we'll be heroes and go down in history as Dragon Riders. Earth will be ours, people will worship us!"

"Home," another voice echoed in my head. I looked away from Serena and down in between Luna's feet was the small gray dragon who had hatched for me only days ago. Her dark eyes were locked on mine," Home," she repeated.

"Taelda!," Quinten shouted.

Apparently why I had been so focused on Sernea, Matt had snuck around and released Quinten. But it was almost like Serena knew it was coming, she spun blocked the attack fro hitting her.

"Skölir!" [8]

"Get Alyson out of here!" I heard Matt call and that was when it all erupted. Razor and Diamond both shot flames down on Verona and Serena, but it wasn't hitting them, she must have head something to protect herself.

Collin practically lifted me onto Luna's back. "Get out of here!"

"The baby," I demanded and Collin swooped the hatching into his arms and passed her to me.

Matt and Ashley were trying to help Quinten keep Serena from attacking. Luna turned and I couldn't see anymore, she jumped and flew away. I didn't know which direction we were going, it felt like North, we were following the treeline.

"Are you alright?," she asked.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!," I held the squiring dragon in my hands, but still managed to look over my shoulder. The sun had set, it was dark now, but their magic was lighting up the night. I saw streaks of blue and red, then flashes of purple mixed with the blaze of fire. It was like a rave erupted in the trees, but this was no party.

"Where are we going? We don't know where to go!?," I was panicking.

The baby was slipping out of my grasp, I put her in her chest, but she was struggling to get comfortable in the small space.

"I see the map in your mind. I know the island is this way and then we will turn and cross the ocean."

"But what if she kills them? Serena... What if she kills Quinten?"

"We are of no help. You know no magic and I have yet to master fire."

I looked over my shoulder again, it was major deja vu as I watched a battle disappear behind me.

[1]- Stop

[2]-Kill

[3]-Bind

[4]- Be silent

[5]- Speak

[6]- Release

[7]- Not

[8]- Shield

Thank you so much for reading! It means a lot to read your lovely reviews!