131 Vincullum Illudé!

'The rocks are slippery,' he cautioned her through their mental link. 

'I'll be careful,' she replied as she followed him. 

'So like I said, as my Luna, we can communicate with each other without letting anyone know. You need some practice for that. While we are here, keep blocking me in and out.' 

They practiced for an hour during which Daryn would run away very far from her to check the distance their link would work. When they were very tired, they returned and slept off. 

Dawn woke up in the morning with sounds of furniture getting dragged on the floor, fabric fluttering and cacophony of birds. She poked Daryn's shoulder. "There's someone outside." Daryn stirred, and then sprang up. The two walked outside the room and noticed that the pots, the broken pieces of artifacts, the dug out grass—all were in place. As they moved further and came to the lobby, they saw cups, saucers, plants, and curtains amongst other smaller items floating in the air, going back to the place they were originally kept. Right in the center of the room, on a high stool, was Brantley. With graceful moves, he was twisting his wrist and fingers in the air. 

Dawn's eyes bulged. Brantley was performing magic. Wearing dark green leather pants and a white cotton shirt, he appeared to sit in a trance. His ravenous hair had streaks of green. 

"Hello Dawn," he said in a deep voice. Everything stopped moving as Brantley stared at the couple. She realized that the ripped fabric of the sofa, the torn curtains, the door that was hanging loose and other things – everything was in place. "Please, come in."

Dawn and Daryn walked inside the room. Slowly and gently, all the knickknacks drifted to their places while avoiding them. Dawn gulped. The magic made her enthusiastic. She could feel energy prickling beneath her skin. It was as if she wanted to explode with it.

On the other hand, Daryn was composed. They sat on the sofa in front of Brantley. 

"What is it that you want to ask me Dawn?" asked Brantley, completely ignoring Daryn. His voice was the same, deep, as if coming from distance. 

She took in a deep breath and said, "I would like to travel within the enchanted forests."

"Oh!" Brantley scoffed. "So your dragon has communicated that to you?" He brought his hand to his lap and became quiet. When all the items were in their place, he resumed talking, "How will you move? I have sealed this place with magic." 

'Do not yield or bend to what he says. He will trick you to give up,' came Quetz's voice. 

'Are you around?' 

'Of course! I have been waiting for him for five hours. He knows it.' 

'And Rirsyr?' 

'He has gone to catch prey towards the lake.' 

"If I let you leave, how will I know which forest you are in. After all, I need to know where you will meet your end," he said with a vicious smile. 

"Brantley!" Daryn growled. "Stay in your limits." 

"Ah! The mate bond!" Brantley sniggered. He continued, "If you hadn't been in a hurry to marry him, I would have considered you for my harem." 

Daryn was about to get up to punch Brantley, when Dawn stopped him. She said through her mind link, 'Stop! He is tricking us. He wants this talk to fail.' 

But Daryn snarled, "Do not cross your line." 

Brantley rose from the stool and then sat opposite to the couple on a comfortable chair. He narrowed his eyes and said, "There has to be a way in which I can keep complete control over you or keep a track of your movement." He pointed at Daryn with his thumb. "Maybe I should take him as my hostage." 

"Why are you being so paranoid?" asked Dawn. "I am going on this mission to get the jewel for you in order to get my freedom. Where the hell am I going to go? I will return the jewel to you. However, now I am suspicious about your intentions. How can I be assured that you will give me freedom in exchange for the stone?" 

Brantley tilted his head. He pursed his lips and then said, "Let us make a bond," as if trying to intimidate her. 

'Make that bond. You don't have a choice. At least with the bond, he would be constrained. He will be obligated to free you,' said Quetz. 

"Okay, I will make that bond, but first, you have to remove restrictions," she answered. 

He raised an eyebrow. "It seems you are communicating with your dragon." 

'What is his problem if you communicate with Quetz?' came Daryn's annoyed remark mentally. 

'I don't know…' She shrugged. 

"Okay, state your requirements." 

"You have to allow us to travel through various magical forests throughout the world." 

"I will. Whenever you want to travel to a different forest, you will be allowed to go through a portal only once during the day. The portal will open for a minute in the direction of the North Star. You can choose any time to enter the portal, but it will appear only once, when you want it. You won't be able to come back to the same forest again. However, you can come back to Ulfric whenever you like." Brantley threw his terms. 

"This is an awful condition," Daryn said with anger rising. "We are going on a mission for you and you are binding us? Which sane man would do that? Aren't you even interested in the long-lost jewel of your ancestors? In fact you should come with us, join us in its quest!" 

Brantley laughed hysterically much to Daryn's annoyance. "Your husband really doesn't know anything." His voice was flat when he said, "I want your wife dead." 

A shudder passed through Daryn's body. This was not the Brantley he knew. It was exactly five years back that he became friends with the werewolves. And that matched with the time Dawn found her dragon. So did he know that Dawn was his mate? Did he know that Dawn would come back to Bainsburgh from Yorkshire? Did he know Azura because that was the person responsible for bringing Dawn back? Was this his purpose? 

"You will also be dead then," Daryn said through his gritted teeth. 

'What's a portal?' she asked Quetz.

'You'll see it. Focus!'

Dawn interjected. She had to bring the conversation on track. "My second request is that you have to tell me everything about the stone. Give me every detail. What does it look like or does it pose danger if touched?" 

"It's a red ruby the size of a dragon's egg. Beautiful, oval, beams with light from inside and I don't know if you can touch it. It belongs to us, not to the werewolves." 

"So how are we going to get it here?" she asked impatiently. The entire mission seemed to fail right from the beginning. 

"You have to figure that out. Not my responsibility," he shrugged and exhaled. "Now, if your questions are over, let's make a bond." He rose from his place.

Dawn nodded and stood. Brantley extended his hand. She held it. 

"Vincullum Illudé!" He cast the spell. Thin green lines circled their hands and disappeared within seconds.

When she removed her hand, there was nothing.

"I have to leave." He had recreated everything Rirsyr gouged with his claws. "Also my trusted servant, Nusgroth is going to stay here in the cottage with you. He will attend to you. If you like he accompany you for the task. He will be at your service until you get the jewel." 

Dawn's mouth fell open. "Nusgroth?" 

The dwarf opened the door and entered the room. He was wearing a blue jacket with lapels on either side of the collar in which fresh blue roses from the tunnel were pinned. 

"Dorargrolic Fladk, dragon riders," he bowed to them. Then he turned to Daryn and said, "Your horse, Izar was found wandering near the tunnel of the forest. I have brought him back. Hrezgah yettef!" 

Daryn's throat dried. Izar didn't leave. "Thanks". 

Brantley said, "Don't make me wait for long. If I run out of patience, you will find yourself in Ulfric." He opened the door and walked out. 

Powerful strokes of wings were heard and then he was gone. 

Nusgroth proceeded to the kitchen saying, "Your food will be ready soon." 

'We should start with our journey today.' Quetz forced them. 'Pack your bags.' 

'But we haven't searched Ulfric. The stone might be here.' 

'No Dawn, it isn't here. I have already scoured through it.' 

In the next two hours, Dawn was sitting with Daryn on Izar and riding to the north.

'I am going ahead to find the portal and will communicate the way,' said Quetz and flew off.