"I think we should count ourselves lucky you are on our side, Tressa. Because the Green was preparing for a battle. It could have easily been against us. They are a strong ally and it's thanks to you they're fighting with us."
Tressa swirled the water in her cup. She watched it spin in a circle with a tiny funnel in the middle. There were wonders everywhere, even in the smallest things, particularly in places she often didn't think to look. "I didn't do anything amazing, Fi. It was pure luck I ended up on the shores of the Meadowlands."
Fi snorted. "Then I guess we have Jacinda to thank. The Yellow Queen set you on the path that led not only to freeing the Meadowlands, but also to them giving us all of this armor."
"She also gave me Jarrett," Tressa said. "And look how he has suffered. If you give me credit for our chance at victory, then I also take the blame for Jarrett's troubles."
Fi wrapped an arm around Tressa's shoulders. "We'll find a way to heal him completely. I promise. And I'm so sorry I couldn't help more. I really thought our healers and mages would find a way to sever whatever hold is over him."
"I'm glad you took him to the Ruins," Tressa said. "I would have foolishly clung to him when what he needed was to rest and heal. Besides, I had a job to do. I'll do what it takes to end this war."
Bells clanged in the village. Tressa's jumped up. "That's the call to arms. The first group will be headed out, acting as bait."
"Then it's time for us to set up our little surprise," Fi said, standing and stretching her legs.
"And I need to prepare Jarrett for submitting to the magic’s control again," Tressa said. She regretted using him in this way, even though he had agreed to help in any way he could. Unfortunately, she had to put him directly in the path of death for them to have any chance at a normal life.
Chapter Forty-Three
Tressa spent the morning with Jarrett. He spent a lot of time reassuring her he would be fine. That he would submit to the Keeper’s power, and that the Black mages would be able to bring him back to her. They hadn’t been able to sever the bond, but they felt they’d learned enough to shield it.
Fi ran over to them, tugging Tressa away by the elbow.
"How goes it?" Tressa asked. Fi had been consulting with a scout. The man mounted his dragon, taking off once more into the clear late afternoon sky.
"Good." Fi ran a hand through her black hair. "Our first flight of dragons has kept the Red army occupied all day. Soon they'll break in retreat."
"What if the Red doesn't follow?" Tressa asked. Their entire plan hinged on getting the Red army, and its queen, to follow them to the Isle of Repose. Once they were on their way, the Black mages would unshield Jarrett. Then it was all up to his strange power to take down the enemy.
"They will. Our men have already found a good lure." Fi smiled, her teeth glinting in the light of the newly setting sun.
"What's that?"
"They noticed one dragon fighting from the back. Lots of bravado. Little actual skill, yet the other dragons protected him. That tells us that this dragon is being allowed to fight, but not on the front lines like the others. He's important. A child of the queen, perhaps," Fi said. "I wish we had more intelligence on the Red. They've been too good at hiding what's been going on there for the last eighty years. Since the fog fell on your town and the war was suspended, everything's been strangely quiet in the northeast."
Tressa wished she'd had more time to explore and learn about Malum. In their haste to find the children, they'd caused a lot of trouble but learned very little. "I do still think it's all related to the honey."
"Ah yes," Fi said, "the mysterious honey of Hutton's Bridge. Everyone fights for it, but no one knows why."
Tressa glanced over at Granna and Mestifito. They wanted answers and had spent years trying to discern the reason for the Red's obsession with the honey from her little town. But if their plan worked, they would never find out. The Red Queen would be dead. Granna had reluctantly agreed that in the name of peace, she should not be spared—even if it meant the mystery would never be solved.
The dragon that had left not long ago was flying back, frantic, followed by their other dragons in their battle armor. Four riders held onto ropes, their muscles straining. Tressa could see their pained grimaces from the ground. Trailing behind them, fighting against the restraints, was a small Red dragon.
"They're early!" Fi screamed. She jumped from the stump she'd been sitting on and ran for the bell.
"Prepare Jarrett," Tressa yelled to the mages who were sitting on the grass playing a game of dice.