Ill find more people, Seris promised. I think I saw a few down in the long gallery earlier. Maybe a few guards, or knights…

Halfin and Twell might come, Rodry said. But the knights owe their first loyalty to my father. He paused. Ill not pretend that this is safe. Even if we succeed, my father might still be angry with us for what we do. But I have to do this. I cant stand by.

The others nodded.

Here, let me help you with your armor, Kay said.

Rodry threw on the chain shirt himself, but he needed his friends help with the straps of the breastplate and the pauldrons. The gorget and the gauntlets came next. Ordinarily, Rodry wouldnt have ridden like this, but he didnt want to get close to his sisters pursuers, only to have to stop and ready his protection.

We need to hurry, he said. Theres no time to lose.

The others rushed off about the tasks that hed set them, and Rodry readied his weapons: sword and spear, dagger and mace. He started off through the castle, and servants moved out of his way. Perhaps they sensed the anger that still boiled inside him, pushing him forward.

By the time he got down to the stables, Mautlice had already succeeded in gathering horses for them. More of his friends were already gathering round, along with half a dozen guards, so that there were perhaps twenty in their company in total. Some of them were as armored as Rodry, but others wore only light leathers or chain, as if theyd thrown on whatever they could find close at hand. Would it be enough?

It would have to be, because there was no time for more. They had to get to Lenore.

Rodrys own horse was at the head of the line. He put a foot in the stirrup and swung himself into the saddle. The gates of the castle were open ahead, showing a view down into Royalsport.

Rodry looked back at his group of men. For a moment, there in the sun, they looked as though they might actually be knights. He didnt know how they would fare against the kind of soldiers King Ravin sent, but he had to hope that they could be fast enough, could do enough, to save his sister. He drew his sword, then gestured forward with it.

Onward!

As the wedge of their horses rumbled into galloping motion, Rodry just hoped that they would be in time.

CHAPTER FOUR

Devin staggered back toward Royalsport, still not quite able to believe what hed seen, what hed found. How could he have spotted a dragon, when they had not been seen in so very long?