Amidst The Rising Shadows (Book 3) Read Free Page B

the risk of having Sarah at this meeting. Wouldn’t you agree Zyven?"
    “It does indeed,” Zyven answered. “Who better to advise us as to the strategy of the High King than his daughter? If you wouldn’t mind, we would like to ask you a few questions.”
    Sarah studied the Hythariam and knew that if she didn’t put a stop to this she would be bombarded by endless questions. It’s not that she didn’t want to help, it’s just that she had questions of her own, and given the circumstances she had a right to ask first.
    “I will be happy to answer your questions, but first you will need to answer some of mine.”
    Iranus motioned for Zyven to be seated, “Under the circumstances, it’s the least that we can do.”
    “Has there been any attempt to reach Aaron?”
    “No, there has not,” Iranus said, looking as if he regretted the words he had just spoken.
    “Are you able to open the portal back to your home world?” Sarah asked.
    Iranus swallowed, “It’s not that simple.”
    “Then help me understand.”
    “On the other side of the portal is an army that for the past eighty years has been poised to invade this world. If we were to open a portal back to Hytharia to rescue one man, then we would put thousands more at risk,” Iranus said.
    Sarah glanced around the room, taking its measure. With the exception of their little group, most had the look of approval to what Iranus had just said.
    “This is not just one man. Aaron Jace is on the other side. The only surviving member of the House Alenzar’seth. The rulers of Shandara. The people who opened their doors to you and gave you refuge from your dying world and civil war. Are you all saying that one such as Aaron is not worthy of a rescue attempt?” Sarah asked, her gaze narrowing as it swept the room. Despite what had occurred in her life, she had the blood of kings and queens inside her, and this group was in danger of incurring her wrath.
    “I don’t think you are aware of what is currently happening here. These lands are upon the brink of war. It’s not that we don’t want to help, but it’s a matter of resources of which we are running dangerously thin. Our foes are many. Even Aaron urged us to prepare for the war with the faction of our race left on Hytharia. He knew the risks and wouldn’t want us to spend countless lives and risk everything to bring him back. It pains me to say this, but he may already be dead,” Iranus said.
    Sarah felt her body go rigid. “He is not dead,” she hissed, glaring at Iranus.
    Murmuring began to spread throughout the room like a rising wave of doubt that she would give no quarter to.
    “He is not dead!”
    The others closest to her nodded in agreement and echoed their assertions of the same.
    “If you’re able to open the portal to Hytharia, then I will go and take anyone who volunteers to go with me,” Sarah said.
    Verona, Braden, and Sarik immediate came to her side, only to be closely followed by Gavril.  
    Iranus raised an eyebrow at Gavril and smiled sadly, “My Lady, I would join you myself to help get Aaron back, but you don’t know the destruction that would be waiting for you on the other side. When a portal is opened it can be traversed both ways. Hordes of nightmarish creatures could come pouring through and kill everyone in Hathenwood in a matter of minutes. Aaron knew the risk and was even given a way to come back if he could,” Iranus said and nodded toward Roselyn.
    Sarah turned toward Roselyn, who nodded slowly to her, and Sarah dreaded what she was about to hear.
    “It’s true, Sarah, Aaron had a Keystone Accelerator in his possession that would have been able to open a way back to Safanar,” Roselyn said.
    “So you see, if Aaron could have come back, he would have,” Iranus said.
    Sarah’s eyes drew downward as her mind raced for a way to help Aaron. She looked at Colind, “Is it possible to create another barrier?”
    Colind pursed his lips in thought and then slowly shook