out of that strange trance once more.
The reptile shook himself and looked at the werewolf, who was already watching him with no small amount of terror. The mage blinked a few times and, as if to make sure the strange apparition had vanished, scanned the shore with his eyes. And once again, amidst the crowd, he saw the blood-red eyes.
‘It’s there,’ the dragon almost whispered.
‘What?’ The shapeshifter immediately turned, looking in the direction the reptile was staring. ‘Where is it?’
‘Behind that group.’ Draco had completely shaken himself off now, and although he was staring into those mesmerising eyes, he wasn’t falling into a trance. Yet they were still fixed on him. ‘I don’t know what it is, but I can see eyes.’ He didn’t want to point, but it seemed Kei had a perfect sense of what he meant. 'Like. . .'
‘Red?’, Forth interjected. ‘I can see them too, so it’s not some spectre or curse.’ The vampire seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
‘So, back there...’ Ari began, but stopped. ‘Isn’t that...?’
‘Maybe...’ Forth shrugged.
Draco was very curious to see what it was, so he quickly took a few steps forward to get a better view of the thing. And indeed, he succeeded.
As soon as he passed the group by the water’s edge, he quickly spotted two fully loaded carts parked nearby. Their driver was casually watching the argument whilst stroking one of the oxen harnessed to the cart. Between the carts, however, crouched another creature. A pitch-black bess with blood-red eyes kept following Draco with its gaze. It was smaller than its kin in Ed’heer, but seemed more massive, stockier. Its raven-black fur and obsidian claws glinted with reflected golden light, creating the illusion of constant motion and elusiveness. The beast wore a simple transport harness, indicating that it was used as a draught animal.
‘Bess?’, Kei asked, looking slightly taken aback. A mixture of surprise and relief crossed his face. ‘Did you really mean him?’
‘Yes, I think so.’ Draco looked around. No one else had taken any notice
