Peter enjoyed the wind as they flew south. It was much warmer than most flights, and the sky was clear. Jarn was humming an old tune only he and the dragons recognized. They would be reaching Selasem in about an hour, based on what the dragon had told him. But the job sounded simple enough to him.

Anna had decided that, if there was no mage at the Wisp’s gathering, she would let Halcyon into the group to try and work with all of the ones that were there. She’d been worried, last time, that he’d get lost in the crowd. Now, it sounded like she thought he had gotten a bit more confident.

Of course, something could go wrong. Something usually went wrong. Most likely, there would be a Wisp Stealer mage there, and they would have to fight, surrounded by hundreds of less than happy little lights.

Over the last two days, Anna had been practicing for that. She’d managed to learn one of the simpler enchantments from Sol’s book. It improved the strength of metal, making armor stronger. She’d successfully applied it to both of the little gems, which they’d attached to Andrew and Peter’s chain shirts. It would be some protection, but there would probably be lots of spells that could get around it.

Jarn broke off his humming to tell them he could make out the pass winding through the peaks. Peter gestured, letting them know their destination was in sight. Well, more or less. The ruins themselves would be hidden by the trees on the other side of that pass. Still, if the only reason they couldn’t see it was because those mountains and those trees were in the way, that was basically in sight.

When they passed over the mountains, Peter could see the land sloping down into a dark emerald plain that continued beyond the horizon. He realized that the whole expanse must be the great Selasi jungle. When he looked down, he could see the trees were spreading up the mountains, covering almost everything.

The wind around his face vanished and the air became a lot warmer. He glanced back over his shoulder at Anna, just as she asked, “Can you see the ruins? They should be very close to the mouth of the pass.”

“I can’t see anything through the trees,” Peter said. “Can you, Jarn?”

The dragon hummed his response. The trees weren’t quite as thick as they seemed in some places. He saw the ruins, and a fort near the mouth of the pass. There was also a road leading up to the pass, with a large group of people riding horses up that way. “I’m sorry, say that again?” Peter asked. Jarnvaror repeated himself. “How many people?” Peter asked.

“What?” Andrew and Anna demanded together. Peter waited for Jarnvaror to finish before explaining.

“Jarn see’s a big group of people riding up to the pass,” Peter said.

“Are they soldiers?” Andrew asked. Peter put the question to Jarnvaror, who replied with something like a shrug.

“He can’t tell. They all seem to be traveling together, though.”

“Wonderful,” Andrew muttered. “Maybe we should just find a place to camp out on the mountains until they leave.”

“We can’t just wait,” Anna said. “We might miss the Wisps gathering. We’ll just have to hope this group doesn’t mind us being in the area. Maybe they won’t notice us.”

“Right!” Peter said. He told the dragon what the other two had said, then asked if he saw any place that would be good to land. In response, Jarnvaror turned and began spiraling down toward a clearing near the ruins.

The trees were much larger than Peter had thought from overhead. What he’d taken to be groups of trees were in fact solitary giants, stretching two or three times higher than any tree Peter had seen before, their leaves forming a green ceiling over the ground below. There was a lot of space between the giants, enough that Jarnvaror could move, maybe not comfortably, but safely. Lots of the ground was covered in broad, leafy scrub, but the road beneath the trees was wide and clear.

And of course, they were noticed on the way down.

The clearing wasn’t much farther from the road as it was from the ruins. Peter could see the group of riders Jarn had mentioned riding up the road. He could make out a lot of white, but no real details. Still, it seemed like a ripple ran through the group as the dragon descended through the trees.

“We should have looked for a clearing farther away,” Andrew said.

“What makes you say that?” Peter asked.

“I don’t like the look of those spears.”

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Peter frowned and looked back. It took him a moment to catch on to what Andrew was talking about. The horsemen, a few of which were now riding out toward the trio, bore weapons that looked like pikes, accept where the spear point should have been were curved blades, almost as long as some swords. “Ah… those spears.”

“What’s a war party doing marching so close to the border?” Andrew asked.

“Not getting much farther?” Peter suggested. Andrew glared at him.

“I don’t think this is a war party,” Anna said. “They don’t look like common soldiers.”

“Yeah, they look elite,” Andrew replied. “Which makes it worse.”

Anna frowned in concentration. “I think we should be able to talk to them,” she said. “We’ll try talking to them first about our message for the Selasi Queen. We’ll see how they respond.”

Andrew nodded. Peter glanced at the pair of rapidly approaching horsemen and nodded as well. “Alright. Hey, Jarn, we’re going to try talking to those guys. They might be a bit jumpy so just let us handle stuff, okay?” The dragon rumbled his reply. “Not you, too!”

“What he say?” Anna asked.

“He said we should dismount so that, and I quote, ‘they don’t stick me when you make them mad, then.’ Has anyone ever stuck you for that?” Peter said, turning to the dragon. Andrew barked a laugh, but the trio did as the dragon requested and awaited the other riders on foot.

A pair reached them first. They slowed as they got closer, seeming to realize that Jarn was only watching them, and the other three had not drawn any weapons. They were garbed in chain hauberks, with sleeveless white tunics and white conical helmets. There were no visors protecting their faces, though, which were even darker than the men of Nuidia’s had been.

The elder of the two riders, a man who’s ebony face was framed by a ruddy brown beard, a little lighter than his skin, drove his horse a little farther than his companion before stopping. “Who are you? And what is the meaning of this unprovoked incursion on Selasi territory?” he demanded.

“We’re from Grealand,” Andrew replied. “We—”

“That is obvious,” the man interrupted. “By the look of you, you would all be from the north even of that country. But why have you entered into our territory unannounced?”

Peter glanced down at himself. He didn’t think he looked all that different from the other people in Grealand. He shrugged as Andrew continued.

“We apologize, but our business is urgent. We are seeking—”

“Urgent?” Hissed the younger of the two men, prodding his horse forward. He adjusted the spear in his hand, and Peter could almost feel Jarn’s attention swing to the younger man. “What sort of urgency could possibly allow a dragon bearing armed men to cross our borders.”

“I don’t know, maybe the same kind that brings a warband this far north in peace time,” Peter said.

“Peter!” Andrew hissed as both men’s gaze swung to him.

“You come to our land and accuse us?” the older man demanded.

“Please, just ignore my brother,” Andrew cut in. “He’s good at dealing with dragons but he has never learned courtesy.”

“No, let him speak!” the younger of the two warriors said, his face stormy. “Then I can decide whether I should remove his tongue or his head.”

“Kofi!” the older man said. “Make no threats before they’ve plead their case!”

“A little late for that,” Peter said, placing his hands on the hilts of his swords.

“Damn it, Peter, stop!” Andrew shouted. At the same time, Jarn rumbled to ask what the strangers were saying. In a single motion, the younger warrior swung out of the saddle and spun the bladed spear down into a fighting stance.

Peter only had time to draw his swords. Then the spear flashed in front of his nose. Peter stumbled back out of range and brought his swords up to block the next stroke. He tried to move in closer, but the young warrior changed his grip and thrusted, keeping the weapon pointed at Peter, well outside the range of either of Peter’s blades. He tried to bat the blade aside, but the young warrior would leap back, then charge in and swing again.

Over the fight, Peter could hear Andrew and the older warrior shouting for the two of them to stop. That seemed like a good idea, accept Peter was pretty sure if he did, he’d get skewered. The warrior facing him didn’t let up at all. More men rode up from the procession, now watching the duel taking place on the forest floor.

The spearman thrust, rotating the shaft of his spear as he went. Peter tried to parry, but felt the sword torn from his grasp. He felt a hard, blunt force hit his chest. The warrior’s shoulder? And then he found himself staring up at the young man with the curved blade of the spear held over his throat.

“How’d you do that?” Peter managed to rasp.

A low rumble filled the clearing as Jarn told the warrior, and the rest of the newcomers to back off. The young man’s eyes flicked up to the dragon, but he didn’t draw himself away.

Then Halcyon’s influence washed over the clearing. There was a gasp from the gathered warriors, and Peter was satisfied to watch the warrior’s face transform from a smug grim to a look of mingled horror and confusion.

“We were sent by the King and Queen of Grealand to parlay with the Queen of Selasem,” came Anna’s voice. “We’re faster than the messenger birds, and we apologize for the surprise, but we do come in peace. We were only hopping to examine the ruins where the Wisps gather on the way and make sure there was no figure trying to capture the Wisps for bandits and rogues.”

The younger warrior stepped away, allowing Peter to sit up. He could see the warriors all exchanging glances with one another. The young man looked to the older who’d arrived first with them. The man swallowed. “I see,” he said, looking at Anna. “Perhaps it is fate that you come at this time, then. For our great lady Queen Thalitha is interested in this subject, and Grealand’s connection to it. That is why we’ve come with her to this place, the ruin’s you speak of.”

“Wait, here?” Peter asked, looking at the warriors. The older man nodded, then looked back toward the procession.

“Oh…” Peter managed. “Right. Andrew said you looked like elite’s.”

“Of course,” the young man said. “We are the royal guard of Selasem, and her excellency’s escort to Tiger Pass.”