Arthur and Brixaby arrived, a few moments later, well outside Mesa Free Hive. Right on top of the pebbles they had keyed to during the battle with the Mind Singer’s dragons.

It was nighttime in this part of the world. Just after sunset.

Arthur turned to his dragon. “A human-wing body-enhancement card?”

“Even if we can now fly together, all proper beings should have wings of their own.” Brixaby eyed him. “You wish me to give my cards to orphans?”

“I knew trying to influence you that way would be seen as hostile,” Arthur said with a grin.

He knew his dragon, and Brixaby knew him well, too. Though Arthur wanted to grow stronger and truly master every secret of his cards, he was happy with who he was physically. He certainly didn’t need wings.

Brixaby snorted at him, and then his eyes went briefly unfocused as he gazed inward.

“I updated my map. We are on the opposite side of the world from where we need to go.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Arthur said. “We’ll be there in a few minutes. Horatio and Cressida have a longer journey ahead of them.”This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“They have a copy of the map, and you were the one worried Crag’s rider would capture them if they returned with us to Wolf Moon.”

“I’m not taking any chances with hostages after what happened with the king,” Arthur said, instead of admitting he might have over worried. “Let’s get this portal open before we upset the Mesa Hive, too.”

“Who cares about their feelings? We’re a Legendary pair. What could they do to stop us?”

Arthur smiled and used the portal spell he’d copied using his Counterfeit Siphon card. There was plenty of time left.

He supposed he could have portaled back from Wolf Moon, but he wanted to make his escape as convoluted as possible in case they were somehow followed.

Arthur used his rapidly dwindling mana to rip a hole in the fabric of reality in front of him. Brixaby’s new card supplied the destination.

It was bright daylight on the other side. The portal opened on top of a hill that looked down onto the sprawling city of a brand-new kingdom.

A place where neither he nor Brixaby would be known. An entirely fresh start, where a valuable, if unknown object waited for them.

And in a few weeks, Cressida and Horatio would join them. That would be enough time for Arthur to ensure he and Brixaby had truly gotten away clean, and Whitaker had no way to track them via portal.

Until their friends arrived, he and Brixaby planned to get started.

Still holding one edge of the fabric of reality like a heavy curtain, Arthur seated himself on his dragon. Together, they flew through and up into the air of a new kingdom.

To be continued in book 4

(Book 4 will be posting Monday March 11th. Or get the first 25+ chapters on Patreon. )