Chapter two

*Chapter Two*

*Akara blinked falling ash out of her eyes as she looked around the burning city. Behind a wall, a small drakeling curled in a ball, clutching a newly broken stinger. Akara stiffened.* I remember this… that’s me. *She whirled around as she heard distinctive footsteps- the faint sound of wood on stone… Junar. The older drakeness crouched beside the drakeling, stretching out her missing foot.*

*“Hello, Akara.” She smirked as she looked at Akara under her hood. Akara stared at her. Junar sniffed. “Well, that’s not exactly the reaction I expected.”*

*“Junar… this can’t be happening. You’ve been dead for* five years*.” Akara lashed her tail, and Junar laughed.*

*“That I have. But anything can happen in a dream.” She lowered her hood. “Akara, one thing I never understood… Why did you do it? Lenrin was arguably a cruel draken, so why kill someone for him?” Akara flattened her ears. “I mean, you could have argued with him, told him that killing a draken for any reason was wrong, even if they were a criminal.” Junar walked slowly towards Akara, and she backed up. “You could have sided with Verida- you always agreed with her, thought that a draken should be given a fair trial as long as it was possible. So why didn’t you?” Akara stiffened as she backed herself against a wall.*

*“I… I was scared, and angry. I knew that you helped bomb the capital, and for what? The Brotherhood of Stone never has a good reason behind what they do, and if drakens lose their lives in the process… What was it all for?”* Akara opened her eyes to bright sunlight filtering through the gold and red curtains. Birds chirped outside the window. She sighed, climbed out of the hammock Luric had loaned her, and looked around. Belra was stretching on the other side of the room.

“When are we leaving?” Akara asked her. Belra yawned.

“As soon as I wake up fully,” She said. “Which might take a while.” She flopped back down. Akara rolled her eyes.

“Come on, Belra.” She grabbed Belra’s arm and dragged her towards the door.

“No breakfast?” Belra mumbled as she stood up and shook out her pelt.

“Fine, we’ll get something to eat before we leave.” Akara said. But she was itching to get back to the guild. She’d raided Luric’s clinic cupboards before, so she knew where everything was. She looked around until she found a loaf of bread and a couple of apples. Akara awkwardly pulled on her assassin’s belt and grabbed a dagger. Belra perked up when Akara split the loaf in half.

“Alright. Fine. I can’t find any more reason to stay in bed.” Belra sighed. The pair walked out of the front door, and set out towards the guild. Belra began explaining the situation to Akara as they walked.

“Several important drakens from multiple of the five major kingdoms have gone missing. We think somebody is trying to start a massive war. Most likely Nad, as they have been safe. So Verida has been sending some of us to spy on the Nadian palace, and we’ve found some… alarming news.” Akara twitched her ear.

“What?” she asked. Belra flexed her claws.

“Quar was in Fjarnhall and discovered that King Redail - one of the missing drakens - was dead. His eldest drakeling, Aidarr, is the monarch. Redail was murdered by the Brotherhood of Stone.” Belra said. Akara’s eyes widened. The Brotherhood of Stone? They’ve come back again?

“That can’t be right. The Brotherhood of Stone haven’t done anything for fifteen years. I assumed they got captured by the Guild after they bombed the capital.” Akara said. *With the help of a draken I trusted*.

           “No. These are new drakens. The leader, Smoke, is bad news. He means more bombings and murders, and he has tried to start a war. This is a Nadian thing, and the Brotherhood of Stone is sent by King Valiir himself.” Akara shivered. So this really was King Valiir’s attempt to start a new war. That was bad. If a war started between the kingdoms of Nad, Maarhi, Bjiorn, Kidrin, and Fjiarnhall… another great war might split the kingdoms of Ambara forever.