Free The Lore Of The Evermen (Book 4) by James Maxwell

far apart because of the lack of intervening trees and mountains.
    Making a detour east, she’d also connected the Petryan capital, Tlaxor, to the chain, and when she built this final station high in the Elmas, at Wondhip Pass, Jehral would return home, having escorted Ella to Altura’s border. Ella’s task with the reflectors was nearly done.
    Ella wished she could have spent longer with Shani in Tlaxor, but she was still pleased to have been able to see her friend. Shani was doing all she could to convince the Petryan high lord to promise aid. Shani seemed determined, but not hopeful.
    Ella patted the letter she carried in a pocket of her dress, for Bartolo, currently training soldiers at the Pens in Sarostar, from his wife. Ella knew Shani was sad that the two of them were apart. They regularly traveled back and forth, but both had strong ties with their homelands. She wondered if they’d ever choose to live together in either Altura or Petrya.
    Jehral and his troops now led their horses by the reins as they picked their way over the rocks, and the company’s journey into the mountain pass continued. Soon the path leveled off to enter a cleft in the rock, with high walls rising on both sides. Ahead Ella saw more of the green land to the north revealed in the view. Drinking in the sight of the emerald forests and blue ribbons of the Sarsen’s tributaries, she felt an intense longing to return to her homeland. Turning and checking her position, she made sure she could still see the red earth of Petrya behind her.
    She was at the absolute middle of the pass.
    “This is the place,” Ella said.
    Jehral nodded and ordered his men turned out in a defensive formation. Ella reached into her satchel and removed three thin rods, as thick as her wrist and as long as her arm, placing them on the ground.
    She reached into her bag again and took out one of the triangular prisms. Keeping the reflector covered by her body, Ella whispered a series of activation sequences and watched with satisfaction as the prism cycled through one hue after another. When her tests were complete, she took out a triangular piece of flat metal and fitted each of the rods into holes on the corners of the steel base.
    Ella placed the pyramid-shaped prism on top of the metal triangle . The prism now stood on three legs.
    When she was just a young girl, Ella had seen an enchanter rescue her brother from certain death when Miro fell through a platform of thin ice. This enchanter, as some did, carried a staff, and he could lengthen and shorten it using a series of activation runes. The enchanter used his staff to rescue Miro, and from that day Ella had wanted to become an enchantress.
    Ella had applied a similar concept to the legs of the reflector’s tower. She’d chosen a good place; she was high, with a view of both Altura’s south and Petrya’s northwest, and there were no trees or other obstacles in the way. Even so, the tower should be tall, and she began to chant softly to the legs, speaking to each in turn, lengthening them evenly, watching the rune-covered metal grow longer.
    When the legs were as long as three men were tall, Jehral and his men helped Ella mount the tower at the center of the pass. They stuck each foot of the three legs firmly against the walls so that anyone passing this way would have to pass under the prism. Ella used her wand to fuse each foot to the surrounding rock. It took some time before she was satisfied: This tower wouldn’t go anywhere , not even in the strongest storm.
    “There,” Ella said, looking at Jehral. “The tower is complete.” Sadness hit her with sudden force. “I suppose this is where we part ways .”
    Jehral opened his arms and they embraced.
    “I don’t know why,” Ella said into his chest, “but I don’t think we can win.”
    Jehral pushed her away and looked into her eyes. “Have hope.”
    “If we call, will you answer? Please, Jehral, you’re closest to him. Make sure he