The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume III: Volume III

governed the Kaalipha’s body.
    “I’m not sure,” he replied to his fellow magician. “The images are complex and distorted. I need time to sort through them. Let’s scout the royal suite through Yaala’s back door. I think we need to concentrate on Piedro and his consort. They have to have a weakness.” He stalled.
    He couldn’t reveal all that he’d learned—the wraith would take the knowledge and try to regain her body alone. She wouldn’t succeed and might kill herself with the effort. Nor could he let the others know that he was now in full possession of his magic. He wasn’t even sure he could force himself to use this magic since it was powered by blood.
    He wanted to run away from the power and curl up into a tight ball, just like Thorny. He didn’t dare.
    “I don’t think you are going to spy on anyone, young magician,” a man snarled from the back of the dais. Piedro stepped through the waterfall tapestry. “You escaped my slave pens once before. You’ll not live long enough to do so again.”
    Two dozen Rover guards crowded into the room from the main doorway, swords, arrows, and ’mote wands aimed at his heart.
    Then Powwell saw the consort standing next to Piedro. Black SeLenese lace of finest silk covered her from head to toe. A shift in the open pattern of the lace revealed her gray eyes and the ferret familiar draped across her left shoulder.
    The wraith howled and dove for the consort. Hanassa, within Kalen’s body raised her right hand within the lace veil and wiggled her fingers in a mocking shooing gesture.
    The wraith screamed in agony and scuttled through the exit, back toward the pit and safety.
    Powwell wanted to run after her, but found his feet unable to move, pinned by magic.
    The consort laughed hysterically at his predicament.
    Now, big brother, we are together again, Kalen’s voice, but darker, throatier, penetrated his mind like iced water.
    You aren’t my sister!

    Justice Hall, city of Hanassa.
     
    “Run!” Yaala screamed. “Move, Powwell, move s’murghit! ” She hit every ’mote secreted upon her person in hopes one would respond.
    The altar rumbled as it slowly lowered, stone scraping stone. Lights exploded on and off around the room. The dais retreated and advanced in random jerks. The waterfall tapestry fluttered.
    She backed into the corridor, still slamming her fingers against the various ’motes. She couldn’t see a thing. The bright lights continued flashing before her eyes, even when they plunged the Justice Hall into darkness. But she had to make room for Powwell and Rollett to get through the narrow back door.
    Two bodies brushed past her. She prayed they were her two friends.
    A large hand grabbed her left arm and propelled her backward. Every dragon instinct bred into her demanded she fight the man who held her. A deeper emotion knew that Rollett protected her, keeping his body between her and the advancing Rovers.
    He’d do the same for any of his men.
    She had to trust his magic senses to get them back to the pit and safety. Her eyes hadn’t adjusted yet.
    “Powwell?” she asked breathlessly when they had turned two corners and the corridor was beginning to come into focus.
    “Here,” the young man replied from right beside her. “Your screams helped me break the enthrallment.” She heard a high-pitched chatter above the sound of their footfalls and her heart pounding in her ears. Thorny told her that he, too, accompanied them.
    “We’re all together,” Rollett reassured her. He shifted position, dragging her in his wake rather than pushing her. “Get ready to open the gate in a hurry. We won’t have much time to get through to safety.”
    Yaala pulled two ’motes from her left pocket. Which one operated the gate? She couldn’t remember. Maybe it was one of the three black boxes in her right pocket. Or the two tucked into her breast band. They all looked alike.
    “Catch!” She tossed ’motes to each of her friends. “Push every button you can until the gate opens.”
    Rollett let go her arm to grab two small black boxes out of the air. Yaala felt an immediate chill from the loss of his touch. That frightened her almost as much as the sight of Rover guards brandishing wands that she thought only she could control.
    Yaala pushed buttons frantically as the gate came into view. Her feet slid on the loose sand of the corridor. She struggled to maintain her balance while continuing to push buttons.
    At last the gate creaked