them； and she found herself overwhelmed by their instinctive need to eat and drink and sleep。
Gritting her teeth； she reasserted her own self over that of hundreds of thunder lizards。 She then started to mutter the
incantation for the teleport spell。
Pain！ Searing whitehot agony sliced through Jaina s skull as soon as she uttered the final syllable of the spell。 The
ruined forest melted before her and then slammed back into form immediately。 A milder pain shot through Jaina s
left knee； and only then did she realize that she had stumbled to the ground； her knee colliding with the nearest
stump。
Pain。 Hurt。 Hurt。 Hurt。 Run。 Run。 Run。 Run。 No more pain。 Run； no pain。
Sweat beading on her forehead； Jaina resisted the urge to start running through the forest。 Something happened to
the teleport spell； but Jaina couldn t take the time to find out what just yet； because the pain she felt when the spell
was ruined was transferred to the thunder lizards via their mental link。 It was serving to put them into a stampeding
frame of mind； and she had to stop them before they ran through Drygulch again。
Every instinct screamed for her to break the link； as holding back the urges of the nowagitated lizards was like
trying to hold back the ocean with a broom。 But the only way to calm them was to keep the link。 Closing her eyes
and forcing herself to focus； she cast a spell that Antonidas had said was specifically written to calm bucking
mounts。 Clenching her fists so hard she feared her fingernails would draw blood； she shoved as much of herself as
she could into the spell； making sure to catch all the lizards with it。
Moments later they were all asleep。 Jaina barely managed to break the mental link before she herself also
succumbed。 Her own fatigue was doing enough without adding the lizards magically induced naps。
Her limbs ached； and her eyelids felt heavy。 Teleport spells were draining under the best of circumstances； and both
the volume she was trying to move and the spell s violent end made these circumstances far from the best。 Jaina
wanted nothing more than to lie down and join the lizards in their slumber； but she couldn t afford that。 The spell
would only keep the lizards asleep for six hours possibly less because the spell was so diffuse。 She had to find out
what there was in Bladescar that kept her from pleting the spell。
She sat； folding her legs together； letting her hands fall limply to her side； and controlled her breathing。 Then she
once again cast her senses outward； this time toward the Bladescar range； specifically the small area in the center of
the mountainous region。
It didn t take her long to find what she was looking for。
Someone had put up wards around the entire highlands。 From this distance； Jaina could not pinpoint the type of
magic being used； but the wards were precisely the type designed to among other things disrupt teleportation
spells in order to keep whatever was inside the wards protected。
Jaina stood and collected herself。 She was about to start the teleportation spell that would bring her to Bladescar；
then stopped herself。 Reaching into the small pack attached to her belt； she took out some jerky。 Another of
Antonidas s earliest lessons was a reminder that magic used the body； and the only way to replenish the body was
to consume food。 More wizards； he had said； have wasted away because they were so busy exploring the
wonders of magic that they fot to eat。
Her jaw aching from chewing the tough dried meat； the newly refreshed Jaina then cast the spell that would take her
to a spot just outside the wards placed around the highlands。
The one flaw in her plan to eat before teleporting was that the stomach rumblings she often felt as a side effect of
the spell were far more pronounced with undigested food still in her belly。 But she pushed past the effect as she
stood on the steep incline that more or less demarcated the beginning of the highlands。 Below and behind her was a
sheer cliff。 In front of her was the slanted grasslands。 There was barely enough room to stand。
Of course； the wards were invisible to the naked eye。 But Jaina could noheless feel them。 They were not
particularly powerful； but they didn t really need to be。 In fact； if the object was to hide someone or something
which Jaina was being more and more convinced was the case here it was best to keep the wards at a low
level。 Too powerful； and they would be like a beacon to any mage。
This close； Jaina also recognized the flavor of the magic that had cast these wards。 She last felt it in the pany of
Medivh； during the war。 This was Tirisfalen magic but all the Guardians were supposed to be dead； including
Medivh； the last of them。
Removing the wards now that she knew they were there was but the work of a gesture。 She then walked ahead
and started to explore the highlands； pausing to put a concealment spell on herself so she could move about
undetected。
At first； it was just as she expected： grasslands； dotted with fruitbearing bushes and the occasional tree。 A wind
blew in off the Great Sea； funneled by the mountains and billowing Jaina s white cloak behind her。 It had been
cloudy back at Thunder Ridge； but the highlands were above the cloud line； so it was bright and sunny here。 Jaina
cast her cloak s hood back so she could enjoy the feeling of the sun on her face。
Soon she came across the first sign of whatever was hiding： several of the bushes had had their fruit picked
recently。 As she continued to walk uphill； she found a well that had been built； with some firewood stacked next to
it。 On the other side of a large tree； she saw a large hut。 Rows of plants vegetables； mostly； and some spices
were planted in an orderly manner in an area behind the hut that was more or less level。
A moment later； a woman came into view。 She was dressed only in a threadbare light blue linen dress； her feet were
bare。 Her gait was steady； and as she approached the well； Jaina saw that she was unusually tall for a woman
certainly taller than Jaina herself。 In addition； she was unmistakably old。 Wrinkles marred her face； which Jaina
thought must once have been beautiful。 The woman had white hair held in place with a tarnished silver diadem； and
the deepest green eyes Jaina had ever seen。 They matched the cracked jade pendant she wore around her neck。
Suddenly； the hairs on the back of Jaina s neck stood on end； as she thought she recognized the woman。 They had
never met； of course； but she d read descriptions during her apprenticeship； and all the accounts made mention of
her great height； her blond hair held simply with a silver diadem and her eyes。 Everyone was sure to mention
those jade eyes。
Certainly； if it was her； it explained the wards。 Yet she was supposed to have died long ago…。
The woman put her hands on her hips。 I know you re there； so you might as well not waste that concealment
spell。 She shook her head as she moved to the well and lowered a bucket by letting down the rope hand over hand。
Honestly； they don t teach you young mages anything these days。 Violet Citadel s gone to pot； and that s the
tr