Free Avondale V by Toby Neighbors Page A

me. Valana will know only pain.
    The demon’s pleasure brought Leonosis no relief. It felt as if his body were on fire, even though his mind was somehow clear. He could see the war ships, each loaded with men and fire bombs. He could see in his mind’s eye the demon’s vision of Avondale burning. He could almost hear the screams of the people as they died.
    The death of your people is inevitable. I shall enslave them all and feed off their torment for eternity.
    No! Leonosis shouted, but the demon only laughed.
    Leo was helpless to stop the destruction of all he loved and everything he knew. The world was under attack, and Leonosis was forced to watch from the eyes of the enemy.

Chapter 11
    Tiberius
    After resting for two whole days, Tiberius was finally beginning to feel better. The wound in his back still ached, but the muscles around the wound were no longer spasming, and he could move around the ship easily enough.
    The journey south had been uneventful after their encounter with the dragon. The plains had slowly shifted into rolling hills below them. The climate was growing hotter and more dry. The lush green moss that served as grass on the plains had been taken over by a taller, weedy-looking plant, and there were short trees.
    “You think any of those trees are alive?” Lexi asked him as they leaned against the ship’s railing.
    “Like the Hosscum?” he asked. “No, I don’t think so. I can’t see their roots.”
    “That’s good to know. I can handle animals, but sentient trees creep me out.”
    Tiberius laughed and was surprised to find that it didn’t hurt. Lexi was smiling at him, and a warm wind was propelling the ship at a fast pace. It felt like the start of a great day. Robere brought them breakfast. Most of the rations on the ship were growing stale, but Tiberius was thankful for the fruit, bread, and cheese. He knew that they would be left with salted meat before long, the kind that was like chewing boot leather and tasted worse.
    “What is that?” Lexi asked.
    Dancer, always on Lexi’s shoulder, trilled in surprise. Tiberius looked out into the distance, and the straw-colored landscape was taken over by a dark, muddy brown.
    “I don’t know,” Tiberius said.
    “Dancer, give us a better look,” Lexi told the wind glider.
    The little animal hopped from Lexi’s shoulder to the rail of the war ship. Then it scampered out across the narrow mast that protruded from the side of the vessel like a fin on a fish. When it reached the end of the mast, it dove forward, flipping through the air before gliding up on an invisible current of air.
    The war ship was sailing at what seemed like a fast pace, but Dancer was faster. The little creature was soon out of sight. Lexi swayed for a moment, and Tiberius put his arm around her. Her eyes were closed, and he knew she was seeing through Dancer’s eyes.
    “Oh no,” she said.
    “What?” Tiberius asked.
    “Trees.”
    “Trees? That’s not so bad.”
    “No, not just trees,” Lexi said. “It isn’t like a forest. It’s more like a tangle of trees. There are so many.”
    “Is there something bad about the trees?”
    “No, not the trees specifically. It’s hard to explain. They aren’t natural. It’s like a thousand forests have been chopped down and dumped in place.”
    Tiberius didn’t understand, but he felt instinctively that they were nearing their destination. The commune of wizards would have been a primary target during the war between the wizards of the Four Orders and the rogue sorcerers they battled. It made sense that something horrific would be all that remained.
    “Take us lower, Captain!” Tiberius shouted.
    “You heard him!” bellowed the old sailor. “Tighten those lines and bring us down.”
    The ship was still flying toward the brown smudge on the horizon, and Tiberius decided he needed to see the mass of trees for himself.
    “ Ultimus Conspectus ,” he whispered.
    Immediately his vision raced forward. It was like