Diana pulled up on one side, her dark locks flowing in the breeze. "Corona is about twenty- five miles from here. I assume that we'll stop at dawn?"

"We can stop and rest at Helio, which is on the way," she explained.

They rode in silence for miles, the sky shifting from inky blue to black to dark magenta. Trees whipped by every so often, but mostly the land was flat and grassy, like a prairie. The dusty path stirred as hooves slammed against it.

"We're close," Reed said, breaking the silence.

Diana, obviously still not trusting him, snapped, "And how would you know?"

"I've traveled to Helio before," He answered calmly.

"Good, because the sky is lightening," Tia, avoiding the tension, pointed at the sky. It had faded into a lighter pink- orange color.

Reed pulled up beside her, his hazel eyes glinting. "It's only a few more miles."

She wished that it was still night, so it would be cooler, as she was getting uncomfortably warm. She threw off her cloak and stuffed it into her bag, letting her curly caramel ponytail stream behind her. Enjoying the breeze, she lifted her arms and let the coolness wash over her.

"Welcome to Helio," Reed said, smiling as they entered the city. Cobblestone streets replaced the dusty trail, and wooden houses lined the roads. Shops and inns were set up around a fountain at the square.

Reed took the lead and rode down the cobblestone path to the square, where he pointed to a wooden building with a wide doorway. A sign painted on the front read 'Dropseed Inn'.

"Here's where I stayed last time," he explained.

"How much is it?" she asked, dismounting her horse and retrieving her bag.

"Only two silver coins for one room, one night," he answered. "And our horses can graze in the field nearby."

"Great. I'll pay," Tia said, taking out her coin pouch and retrieving two silver coins. She dismounted her horse and handed the bridle to Esther, who then led the two horses out into the field. Diana followed Tia up front to the innkeeper, letting Sierra lead the horses to the grass.

Once the steeds were happily resting and chewing, she, Esther, and Reed joined the others at the front.

Tia and Diana were talking to a plump, balding man with wide spectacles.

"Two silver coins for one room for one night- or day," he said as Tia handed him the money. "Come, it will be this way." he walked down the hall, his belly bouncing as he took each step.

Sierra exchanged a humorous glance with Diana. "This man certainly doesn't miss any meals." she whispered, and Diana smothered a laugh.

Esther fell back to join them. "So sleep first, then eat?"

"That's the plan!" Sierra said. "At sunset, we take off again for Corona."

"Good, because I'm exhausted."

For the first time, Sierra noticed that her comrade's eyelids were drooping, heavy from staying awake all night.

"Here's your room!" the innkeeper pointed to a door. Tia entered first, and the others followed behind her.

The room was fairly small, with two cots and a hammock. Extra blankets were stuffed under the cots, and no pillows were to be seen.

Esther plopped onto one of the cots, not bothering to take her boots off, and immediately laid down and closed her eyes.

"Well, that happened," Tia smiled at her snoozing sister, "But there aren't enough beds for all of us."

"We could probably use the extra blankets to make two more hammocks," Diana pointed out.

"Good idea," Sierra said as she grabbed a blanket from under Esther's cot and strung it between the two cot's bedposts.

"I'll just sleep on the floor," Diana said, eyeing Sierra's hasty craftsmanship. She snatched a couple more blankets and started arranging them on the ground in a bed- like shape.

"Suit yourself!" Sierra plopped down on her makeshift hammock and closed her eyes. Soon enough, sleep overtook her, and she drifted off.

Sierra opened her eyes and almost leapt out of the hammock. Large yellow eyes started cruelly at her. She screamed to wake her friends up, but no sound came out of her mouth. The dragon's yellow eyes narrowed, and it opened its mouth, flames swirling out of its maw, licking her face with their heat.

"You won't be able to do it, little archer. Even if you find the Sun Sword, I will kill every last one of your pathetic little friends," the wyvern snorted.

Fear gripped her. She struggled to move, but she was frozen. The dragon opened its mouth, leaning over Diana's sleeping figure, and blew fire over her.

"NO!"