The Trials (The Elite Series) (5 page)

The little woman looked ancient, and if she was an Elite and she could look like that, Connor didn’t even know where to begin guessing her age. She smiled at her daughter and granddaughter and adjusted the blanket that covered her stooped back. Her eyes were still as clear as any Connor had ever seen.

The little woman
stepped in front of Randolph’s stooped form. She raised her cane. Connor saw the handle was carved in the shape of a dragon’s head.

The little woman gently knocked on the crown of Randolph’s
head. “This one has been awake for awhile now, you can tell by the way he’s breathing. Wake up, my lost soul, the time for playing possum is over.”

Randolph didn’t move.

She assumed the voice of a parent. “Randolph Ulfric, that is enough now. Don’t be rude to your hosts.”

Randolph slowly lifted his head. His bright blue eyes full of curiosity and wonder.

“There we are, now. That’s better.”

“Do
—do I know you?”

“No
, dear, you don’t, but I know you. And it’s not too late to change, but you have to make that change soon. Fate waits for no man and the time for choosing a side is fast approaching.”

She smiled at him and walked towards Lu, passing Connor and only giving him a brief nod. “Lupus Abelardus
, so full of anger and rage. You are capable of being so much more. You will lead your family one-day, and what kind of example are you for your little brother? He loves you and looks up to you in a way you don’t understand.”

Connor expected some kind of quick jab or verbal pun from Lu
. To his surprise, the big man stood silent.

It was Connor’s turn. The elderly woman stood in front of him just a few inches from his face. At this distance
, Connor could see every wrinkle, every strand of her short white hair, “And you? I have no recollection of you, but you have your father’s eyes. I did not know Caderyn had a son.”

Whoever this woman was
, Connor didn’t feel threatened by her. Something in his heart told him he could trust her. “My name is Connor Moore. I’ve never met my father but I’m on a journey now. Morrigan’s prophecy has come true and I have risen up as a Judge. My claim has been tested and now I’m on a mission to complete the three trials to prove myself.”

The old woman didn’t blink an eye
, and if Connor thought she would be shocked by his revelation, she didn’t show any sign. “Oh, Morrigan Hayes. I do miss that girl. Come, Connor, if you are what you say, then we have much to talk about.” Turning to her granddaughter and daughter, she said, “Please release our guests, we have wasted too much time already. The wheels of fate are turning and our young friend Connor is running out of time.”

Miyanda looked stunned and non
e too happy with the old woman’s request. “But Grandma, they—”

“Do as your grandmother says. Please
, Miyanda,” her mother asked.

Lu and Miyanda exchanged furrowed brows but
she did as she was asked, releasing Lu, Randolph, and Connor from their chains.

“Please
, if you would follow us,” the old woman asked politely.

Connor looked
at Lu first, then Randolph. He nodded, following their odd host.

It was still dark as they walked through the
Elite tribe’s headquarters; torches introduced them to a camp made of small tents and mid-size wooden huts sitting in a clearing, the jungle closing in on all sides. More than one look of anger was directed their way from passersby. Warriors sat in circles, still hyped on the night’s events, chatting and recounting their own personal role in the night raid and more than one nursing a bruise or ache. A few warriors even looked as though they would say something but chose to keep their tongues in check when they saw who led the trio of prisoners.

The
group eventually made their way to a hut near the center of the encampment, and were permitted inside. Torches along the walls showed pictures of intricate paintings, warriors, dragons, and to Connor’s surprise, even pictures of warriors riding dragons.

The
captives were shown to a long table that sat in the middle of the room as the three women conversed silently amongst themselves. Food was soon brought to the party; fruit, dried meat, and vegetables seemed like a feast to Connor after the night’s events. He helped himself to the food as Randolph hesitantly asked the question they were all wondering, “Who are you?”

The old woman smil
ed once again. “My name is Zuna, this,” she motioned to the two women, “is my daughter, Tarana, and my granddaughter, Miyanda.”

Taran
a inclined her head with a hello. Miyanda sat stoic, still unwilling to welcome them, instead staring daggers at who she still considered to be the enemy.

“Who we are is less important
than what we know and why we crossed paths. We are the protectors of the last dragon species. A tribe tasked with the responsibility of shielding these animals for the last few centuries.”

“Tasked by who?” Connor asked.

“Well, by the dragons, of course—they needed us, and now you need us as well, Connor. Do you have any idea why this is happening to you? Why this is happening now?”

Connor stopped eating and shook his head.

“I’m not sure why Morrigan has chosen not to tell you, perhaps she doesn’t know it herself, but whatever the case, I am sure she has her reasons. However, time is short and you must know Vercingetorix is back, free from his prison. The Elite world, and by correlation the human world, are at great risk.”

Connor
had no idea who this was, but by the way Lu sucked in his breath, Connor could tell it wasn’t good.

“V
ercingetorix is dead. He was banished to his prison after he was overthrown and either died as soon as he was thrown in or perished inside the volcano after centuries of burning. How could he have escaped after the three placed the spell over the volcano?” Lu asked.

“How indeed
?” was the old woman’s response. “How indeed?”

“I’m sorry
, but who is this Vercinterouxicate, or whatever his name is? Why was he banished? What did he do?” Connor asked.

Taran
a cleared her throat. “Vercin, much like you, Connor, was a Judge. Born from a father of your same bloodline and a mother from Randolph’s family. He was easily recognizable and distinguished, with one brown eye and one blue. He was an amazing warrior and a great leader. His name even held testament to this, Vercingetorix means ‘King among warriors.’”

“
The way he spoke inspired people to follow. He rose up when the Elite race needed him and saved our people.

But
that wasn’t enough for Vercin. Vercin became power hungry, and with the support of enough Elites, overthrew the Council and the world was thrown into a time of fear and despair. I think your history books would refer to this time as ‘The Dark Ages.’ Vercin broke the Law and stretched his power past the world of Elites and involved the humans in his plans. Some he killed, some he enslaved, but most he manipulated and controlled.”

Taran
a paused and looked at Zuna. “Go ahead, dear—the entire truth, they need to know.”

Taran
a nodded. “No one was able to stand against Vercin. In combat he was unstoppable and anyone who challenged him was killed. That’s when four sorceresses rose up and combined their magic to create a hold on him, a leash that allowed Vercin to be captured. During this process, Vercin managed to kill one of the sorceresses, but she had already done enough. For his crimes against the Elite race, Vercin was sentenced to death. He was cast into an active volcano and the three remaining sorceresses cast a containment spell, ensuring that even if Vercin somehow managed to survive the fall and the lava below, he would be trapped there for an eternity.”

“Maybe these sorceresses made a mistake,” Connor thought out loud.

“No, Connor, they didn’t,” Zuna assured him.

“How do you kn
ow?” Lu asked sarcastically. “Were you there?”

“Yes
, Lupus, I was, and so was a young Morrigan Hayes and my other apprentice.”

The table sat silent again as they all tried to grasp the severity of the situation and the next step that should be taken.
Connor was reminded of his dream where he saw the Council dead and the man with two different colored eyes offering him a place by his side. “I think I’ve seen Vercin,” Connor said out loud. “I didn’t say anything to anyone because I thought it was just a dream, but—but the man in my dream had two different colored eyes, and in my dream he had killed the Council.”

Everyone
aside from Zuna looked surprised. She comforted him with a smile and a nod. “It is possible that with the help of a sorceress he was able to contact you in a dream, but dreams are only a brief look into a possible reality. The Council may yet be saved, Connor.”

Randolph had so far managed to stay out of the conversation
, slowly nibbling on a piece of fruit.

“Why don’t you ask your friend what he knows?” Miyanda suggested with a shrug. “I mean
, with what he’s been lugging around in that suitcase, I’m sure he knows something.”

Lu and Connor turned and studied their traveling partner. Randolph sat straight in his chair, his white shirt was torn and smeared with blood and dirt, the tie he
’d worn was nowhere to be seen, and only one expensive dress shoe had survived the night’s attack.

“What’s
in the suitcase, Randolph?” Lu asked, his muscles tense.

Randolph cleaned his hands
slowly on a large leaf. “It was a looking glass, Lupus. A way to communicate with Christof and Faust on what was going on, but…”

Lupus shot from his chair
with the speed of a bullet leaving a gun and in a second had both hands around Randolph’s throat, pinning him to the far wall. “You were spying on us? What else did you use the looking glass for, Randolph? Did you know all of this? Did you know about Vercin?”

Randolph struggled to breath
e, clawing at Lu’s vise-like grip on his throat. His words came out in short, ragged gasps. “I swear, Lupus—I did not know—”

“Lupus, let him go, he’s telling the truth
,” Zuna said, still sitting at the table.

Lu’s arms quivered with rage as he dropped Randolph, who immediately fell to all fours
, gulping big breaths of air.

“He
’s telling the truth about not knowing about Vercin,” Zuna continued. “But there is more that you do know—isn’t there, Randolph?”

Randolph struggled to his f
eet, keeping a wary eye on Lupus. “Yes, there is more I know. Please believe me I had no idea a creature like Vercin was behind it all, but I did know that my cousins Faust and Christof were communicating with someone. I knew someone else was calling the shots.” Randolph straightened out his crumpled collar and looked at Lu. “As you said, I am merely a pawn. As a loyal member of my family, I didn’t ask any questions, but I realize now the error of my ways and the possible consequences of my actions.”

In that moment
, Connor felt sorry for Randolph. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to change the subject and give him a chance to recover. “What’s a looking glass?” It was the first question that popped into Connor’s mind since the violent outbreak between Lu and Randolph. Everyone seemed to know but him.

“It’s a
mirror-like object that allows two people to communicate, with no chance of being tracked. It also inhibits the ability for anyone to hear what the other person is saying on the opposite end. It’s enchanted with a spell that tunes out even our hearing,” Zuna explained.

“I think I saw Faust using it to communicate with someone while I was at the Abelardus castle.”

“You had a dream about Vercin and saw Faust using a Looking Glass?” Lu asked, surprised. “What else do you know?”

Connor focused on Lu
, ready for another violent outburst. “Nothing, that’s it. I thought Vercin was just a dream and with Faust, I didn’t know what I saw.”

“Lupus, Connor,”
Zuna interrupted, “None of this matters now. I know you must be exhausted, but there is not time to rest. You must move forward on your journey. This, however, will be difficult since you are in the presence of a warrior tribe that has taken oaths to protect the dragons with our lives.”

Miyanda interjected
, her violet eyes narrowed. “How can he move ahead, Grandmother? His very mission is a spit in our faces. We cannot let him kill one we protect.”

“Kill
? No, Miyanda. But if I am correct, the rules of the trial require Connor to bring back ‘the head,’ of a dragon, not to kill one.”

The
room sat quiet. The flames danced off the wooden walls and onto the faces of the room’s occupants as each one grasped the old woman’s meaning. They all did a double take.

“Mother,” Tarana began, “t
o even try and capture one would be madness—you know the temperament of the beasts.”

“If Connor is the Judge, I have faith that he will be
able to either capture or tame one of the animals.”

Connor sat at the table
, rubbing the sore spot on his chest where the arrow had hit him. The wound had already closed and very soon not even a scab would remain. “Capture a dragon, huh?” Connor weighed his options. He was technically a captive surrounded by an entire tribe of Elite warriors. A tribe who had spared him once and may not be so eager to spare him again if given the chance. Escape was not an option. Connor slowly started to nod. “I can do that.”

“C
onnor, this is crazy!” Lu yelled. “Are you going to listen to the queen bee and her drones? Killing a dragon was going to be hard enough, but capturing one? You don’t even know where to start.”

“Then I will show him.”
The voice belonged to Miyanda. “If he is the Judge, then I would like to see for myself how the dragons respond to him.”

“This is madness
, Connor.” Randolph stood next to Lu. “I’m loath to agree with anything Lupus has to say, but this? This is folly.”

Connor stood up from t
he table smiled at his friend. Were they his friends? Randolph had tried to attack Lu and Laren under the direction of his family and Lu was more of a guide than a friend. “I’ve made up my mind.” Connor looked into Miyanda’s violet eyes. “Let’s get going.”

“Follow me,” Miyanda said as she rose to her feet.

Lupus just shook his head as Connor and Miyanda left the building. Randolph was silent. “Be careful, you two,” Tarana warned.

“They will be fine
, dear,” Zuna said, patting her daughter’s hand. “Besides, if a dragon were dull enough to try and digest Miyanda, I’m sure they would spit her right back out.”

Connor looked back
, stunned Zuna would say anything like that about her granddaughter, but she had a deep smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.

Miyanda made a beeline for the jungle. Connor could feel eyes staring at him from every direction
as they exited the small hut. Warriors of the tribe, no doubt, wishing they could get their hands on him one more time. But he didn’t have to endure this for long, in a few minutes the two were through the camp and had entered the jungle.

Connor was exhausted but he forced himself to keep the pace Miyanda set. Barely any sleep the night before and the exertion the last
twenty-four hours had taken on his body weighed on him heavily. The sun was just beginning to rise and the jungle was cool with dew.

“So who is she?” Miyanda asked
, not bothering to turn her head.

“Who’s who?”

“The reason you’re doing all of this. There has to be a girl involved.”

Connor hesitated as images of both Laren and Katie filled his mind. He felt like
choosing one would be to betray the other. Laren was strong and secure, an Elite for years, she was perfect in every way. Katie was lighthearted and optimistic, just being turned into an Elite, she was taking it all in stride. “It’s—it’s complicated.”

“It always is
, isn’t it?”

“I guess so. How about you?”

“What about me?”

“Why are you doing this? It can’t be just because you want to see if I’m a Judge or not.”

“Actually, that’s exactly why. Leave you to trample alone in the jungle and you could get yourself killed before you even reach the dragons. If you are who you say you are, then I need to know.”

“You need to know what?”

Miyanda turned her head and parted her full lips in a smile. “You’re not the only one that has dreams, Connor.”

The two came to a rest a few miles into the jungle
. “Here.” Miyanda handed Connor a water skin that hung from her shoulder. She was wearing a loose-fitting deep purple top that came down just above her knees. A leather belt with a knife and leather sandals rounded out her simple yet effective attire.

“Thanks.” Connor drank gratefully
. The water was the sweetest he had ever tasted. He wasn’t sure if it was due to his thirst or the water was really that good, or maybe a combination of both. He wondered to himself once again how much further. He didn’t know how much longer his body would keep the pace. His chest and leg still throbbed with the dull pain the arrows had left and his head was numb from who knew how many blows during his fight the night before.

As if reading his thoughts
, Miyanda looked into the jungle and answered his question. “Not much further now, Judge. Their den is a shallow crater a few more miles in the thickest part of the jungle. We’ll have to be quiet from here on in.”

Connor nodded and the two continued into the jungle’s open maw. The trees grew closer together here and vines and bushes made it almost impossible to navigate, but Miyanda led them through like a true trailblazer.
Each step she took was chosen and deliberate. Connor found himself grateful for her help and weighed in his mind if it wasn’t such a bad thing that they had been captured. Maybe fate was at work. They kept up a steady pace and it seemed like another hour passed before Miyanda finally stopped. Raising a hand, she motioned him forward.

Connor crawled on his stomach using his elbows and knees
until he reached her side.

“On the other side of this outcro
p is the crater where they nest,” she whispered.

Connor nodded
. He was filthy from head to toe. Sweat dripped from every pore and dirt clung to his body in smeared clumps. His black shirt and green pants were both torn where the arrows had punctured his body. Ignoring his current state, Connor crawled forward, flat on his belly. The last couple feet felt like a mile as he slithered forward and forced a few leaves of a large bush aside.