Opening my door, I saw that Mercer’s own door was open. I peeked inside to see Clarissa sitting at the end of the bed, drinking from her flask. Going in, I asked the vampire, “Where’s Mercer?”
With a sad tinge in her eyes, she answered, “The prince granted his request.”
“What? When?”
“About forty minutes ago. They left on griffins.”
“Gods, with Kiku and Ghevont?”
“Yes. He told me to tell you that he has to reject your sister’s proposal. If the technique works, he won’t exactly be a suitable partner to a holy queen.”
“Why n-” An outpouring of darkness flashed over my mind’s eye. It all clicked into place. “He wants to corrupt himself, doesn’t he?”
“Yes.”
My wobbling legs sought a chair to support my heavy head. Now Master Chong’s vision was clear. Kiku was the source of the disrupting influence, and it must have been Ghevont who skewered Mercer. Gods almighty. If the vision was true, that meant Ghevont stabbed Mercer because the corruption had succeeded in taking over. I closed my eyes and let my hand support my head.
“He didn’t have to do this,” I said aloud, though to no one in particular.
“I don’t like it either, Odet, but we have to believe he’ll prevail. He already has more experience with corruption than most people in Orda.”
“But with a full soul and the help of a dragon. And even if he returns free of corruption or of sound mind, the fact he’s attempting such a desperately perilous technique in the first place demonstrates impaired judgment… I really thought he’d take more time to discuss this with us. He’s right, my sister will have to renounce her offer.”
“I won’t try to change your mind when it comes to royal matters, but you can’t know what it’s like to have only half a soul. I hope you don’t see him any differently. I mean, I’m helping you and I chose to become a vampire. Do you respect me any less?”
“No, of course not, but I wonder if you’d choose to be a vampire again if you were somehow cured.”
“It depends on the situation. If it was to help Mercer or you, I probably would, no matter how mouthwatering it makes people smell.”
I sighed. “Desecrating one’s self to help another is not exactly the path to balance and peace.”
“If the gods want a dragon knight to help defeat the Advent, then they’ll help Mercer. If they really think he can’t use corruption to help others, then maybe no one can and that will be that.” She turned away from me and flipped her flask bottoms up to finish what was left inside.
I went to sit beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried.”
“Me too.”
“And like what good friends do, we should support each other, right? No matter what happens, we can thank Mercer for bringing us together.”
She nodded and turned back around to embrace me. I returned it. We kept the embrace going until we heard someone coming toward the door. It was Ujin and Shifa.
“Oh, uh, sorry,” he said. “Wanted to invite Mercer to breakfast. He here?”
Ujin, Gerard, and Masai were soon notified of Mercer’s departure. Ujin knew a few words in the Jegeru tongue, but we needed someone fluent in the language to properly speak with Masai. Looking for anything to take my mind off Mercer’s venture, I sought out a Jegeru translator and tried to make Masai not feel so alone here. Apparently, Kiku told her to stay with us until she returned to take her to a good refugee camp, something Daidu-Lu did not have.
As my group started to walk the gardens after breakfast, a soldier came up to inform us that the emperor wanted to speak with us immediately, Masai included.
“Here that, Shifa?” said Ujin. “Dragon knights, princesses and emperors are talking to us. We’re moving up in the world.”
“Don’t get too comfy up here,” said Clarissa. “We still have to decide whether or not we like you.”
“We? Are you queen of the vampires or something?”
“Maybe someday. I’m already friends with princesses and dragon knights, so anything is possible. I bet I can get you to do what I want right now if I wanted to.”
“I bet Shifa outclasses you. She’s like a duchess or something back in her realm.”
“I used to know a rabbit that claimed the same thing.”
“That’s it! Get her, Shifa!”
Like a duchess would, Shifa ignored the order from a commoner. All she offered him were a few chirp-like vocalizations.
The soldier led us past the throne room and into a large, private chamber nearby. The emperor sat on a large wooden chair. He was flanked by his human and minotaur guard.
As I bowed, I said, “This is about Master Eberwolf, I take it.”
“How astute of you, princess. Is there a reason my son overstepped his bounds to take the dragon knight and two of your companions away from here?”
“You’ll have to ask your son why he did such a thing. Perhaps Mercer simply presented him with a persuasive argument. As for the dragon knight, I know he wishes to risk his life to restore some lost power he lost in Jegeru. Believe me when I say I discouraged him from attempting the venture. Nowhere near I should have, it seems. Once your son returns, you can give him a blaring earful on my behalf as well.”
“Will this restorative method necessitate the use of the scholar’s nismerdon prana?”
“No, and as long as they take the proper precautions, Ghevont’s life should not be in any great danger, though I admit I do not know the details of the recuperative technique. It’s the dragon knight himself who… who may not return.”
“I see. Then my son may be partly responsible for the death of the only dragon knight in Orda.”
“You can give your impetuous son two livid earfuls from me if that were to happen. From us all, really. May I ask why you summoned all of us here?”
“There was always the chance you that you declined to answer my questions. I was in no mood for games from someone who has played them all their life. Your companions may have chosen to be more forthcoming with me, but it sounds as if you’re as displeased with my son’s impulsive actions as I am.”
“Quite so, my lord. However, if you’re thinking about chasing them down, I will advise against it. I don’t know exactly what Master Rathmore and Lady Du have in mind, but it’s likely that disrupting their operation will endanger Mercer’s life all the more. Your men should at least keep their distance until they finish, which I can’t imagine will be longer than a day.”
“I’ll consider your words.”
“Thank you. If you do find them, will you please inform me what you discover?”
“As you wish. Now then, if there’s nothing else, you may resume your non-disruptive affairs.”
Our escort led us back to the garden, where I wanted to continue strolling away my jitters. Conversing also aided in calming me, something Ujin turned out to be adept in. Describing his short time with Mercer made for conversation that lasted beyond the lunch hour. I appreciated his company even more when, unprompted, he mentioned his dislike for Kiku. He confirmed that her identity as a priestess was made up, though her true identity was not known to him. Adding to Ujin’s overall appeal was his adorable partner, who chimed in every once in a while.
Nevertheless, I could be speaking with Ylsuna herself and I’d still be thinking about Mercer’s self-inflicted plight between each stint of silence. I had no idea whether time passing without word of Mercer’s condition meant good or ill. I did know that every minute without that word meant that my blood had a harder and harder time flowing through my veins, as if the amount of blood in me was increasing to the point that it threatened to spill out from every orifice. All I wanted to do was cry out my blood by the time the sun was sinking below the horizon.
Gerard had learned by know how to read my emotions pretty well. A couple of years ago he would have been confused as anyone about my simultaneous desire to cry and yet not wanting to do so in front of an
yone. Early in our relationship he would have told me it was okay to cry if it would make me feel better, but now he understood that I needed to be the one who broke down last. It was my duty to support those around me.
So when there came a time when everyone else went to their rooms or take a dip in the baths, he stayed with me in the garden. We snuck in some heartening kisses, something which awoke the carnal part in me. It ostensibly made sense for someone in a sad state to want a strong, warm, physical comfort to envelop their being, but there seemed to be an unspoken social taboo on feeling physical pleasure out in the open and during a somber occasion. It’s the reason I did not indulge at all after my mother died.
Naturally, without knowing where Mercer’s soul currently resided, I didn’t think it would have been so wrong to partake in the arms of a man on a well-built bed. The real reason I did not indulge myself was because of potential embarrassment. I could receive a message from or about Mercer at any minute, and being in the middle of such a personal act would be utterly mortifying. The same went for almost any kind of news. Always being available was one of the persistent downsides to being royalty and the leader of a warrior unit.
Anyway, the inbound night coerced us inside. Imagining a little food in me promised to relieve my lightheadedness. I nodded to the servant opening the door to the guest hall, but I noticed Gerard had stopped walking a stride behind me, his head cocked.
“What is it?” I asked him.
“I thought I heard-”
A brisk gust brought the guttural, piercing cry of a great beast into my perception. It sounded so high and far away, but there was no doubt in my mind who produced the roar, for who could mimic him?
With my excess blood finding new veins to flow into, I ran past Gerard and said, “Get the others!”
My blurred feet took me through the garden and to the palace’s main gate. A few soldiers had to follow me outside, probably confused as to what was happening, since I actually did not hear the roar again during my run. I stopped thirty yards from the gate and waited a moment to hear the much louder and clearer thunder produced inside the massive reptilian body. I was never so glad to have my ears ring.
His shadow tore the sky above me in half. I only just made out the shape of his serpentine body and tail before he spread out his wings to slow himself down and make a turn back toward us. Against the darkening sky, his dark blue scales hid him well even as he closed the distance by hundreds of feet a second. Aranath landed with a heavy thud twenty strides in front of me, emitting a relatively restrained howl to announce his presence one last time.
Seeing me, Aranath offered me a friendly, throaty rumble as he bent his head and neck lower to the ground. Mercer—Mercer!—jumped off his dragon, a low-key spring in his step and a penitent twinkle in his eye in what was an otherwise aloof expression. He could have been scowling at me for all I cared. I ran up to him, hugged him tight, then pulled away to slap his stupid face.
Chapter Thirty
Mercer
“I’m still a little numb, so you can slap me again if you want,” I said.
Odet looked behind me to watch Kiku ungracefully climbing down Aranath. “Her I don’t mind slapping twice or more.”
“She won’t be with us much longer.”
“Really?”
“Aye. She won’t be all that useful in a straight fight and she knows it. I’ll ask the emperor to take her where she wants.”
“I’m not so sure she should be allowed to roam free.”
“Even after helping me?”
“We need to learn more about her.”
“Talking about me, princess?” asked Kiku, giving Odet an exaggerated bow.
“You must be tired after your long day, Lady Du. I suggest you go to your room and rest.”
Kiku chuckled and stretched her arms over her head. “Ahh, you’re right. Making men into dragon knights is tiring work.” She tiptoed to kiss my cheek and grinned her way to the palace gate.
“I hate her, Mercer.”
“That’s all right. I’m wondering whether you hate me.”
“I’m still disappointed, but right now I’m honestly happier to see you sane and with a dragon again.” She nodded at Ghevont and then asked the dragon, “Are you well, Aranath?”
My partner was keeping a wary eye on the griffins flying around us. He glanced back at Odet to reply, “If a dragon can fly, then he is well.”
Back to me, Odet said, “And since I have to ask, how are you faring, Mercer? Have you really corrupted your soul?”
“Mostly. I can keep it in check by guiding it away from what’s left of my prana and into a dragon flame to burn it off. With any luck, that should keep me sane as well.”
“Ah, I see. You fed the corruption something besides your soul. Is that how you beat it?”
“Eh, not exactly. That technique wasn’t actually working too well-”
“Mercer!” exclaimed Clarissa. She had to deftly negotiate her way through the soldiers gathering in the area, but once she did, she leapt into my arms. I squeezed her, not caring that doing so pushed some chain-teeth deeper. I heard her take a big whiff of me. “You smell like the first time we met. So, back to your old tricks?”
“With a new trick or two mixed in for good measure.”
“How did he do it, Ghevont?”
“Well-”
“Holy mother of the gods,” said Ujin, who came along with Gerard. “He has wings and everything. Go get him, Shifa!”
To my surprise, and possibly Ujin himself, the drenindru ran right up to Aranath, who replied to Ujin’s chirps with deep, rumbling growls.
“Play nice, Aranath,” I said.
“Hey, back to my question,” said Clarissa. “What happened?”
“Well, like I was telling Odet, the original idea was to send some of the corruption to my dragon flame, but that only did so much. I didn’t know what to do next, but as usual, Ghevont came up with a good idea. He, uh, he stabbed me.”
“What?! How is that a good idea? Isn’t that what he was supposed to do if you went crazy?”
“I gave that job to Kiku, seeing as we had a less of a relationship. However, Ghevont saw that our plan wasn’t working as well as we hoped, so he had to think of another way to keep the corruption busy.”
“Busy? Oh! I get it! If he hurt you, then the corruption would try to heal you, right?”
“That was the idea. Theoretically, as long as he missed my spine and heart, just about any injury could be healed by the corruption. Of course, the injury needed to be severe enough to attract its attention, so he couldn’t just graze me. I never thought getting stabbed would feel so energizing. Anyway, with the corruption busy, I used the reprieve to incinerate as much of the fiend as I could get out of me. I got a good handle on it by the time it finished healing me. I’d say a good third of my prana is still my own. Assuming I habitually burn it off, the corruption shouldn’t have a chance at taking over completely.”
“I never thought I’d be thanking one of us for stabbing you! Thank you, Ghevont.”
“Oh, no thanks necessary. The act seemed inevitable.”
Flinching anyone inside a mile, Aranath let out a terrible roar when a couple of griffins circling above got too close for comfort.
“How long can you keep him summoned?” asked Gerard.
“Don’t know. I’m still experimenting. It feels damn weird to switch from using my prana to the corruption, and it’s not like I ever had mastery over either. That said, a month or so of training should extend the summoning spell to the point I’m comfortable enough to go into battle. I think Odet will particularly enjoy the training I have in mind.”
The princess tilted her intrigued head, but before she could satisfy her curiosity with a verbal question, the palace defenders started to form up in a more organized fashion. Fire and light spells brightened our section of the world. From the gate onward the soldiers moved out of the way from the incoming circle of the emperor’s personal sentinels. I
n the center of knights and minotaurs walked the emperor and his wife. Behind them were some of their family members, including their youngest son.
Nearing the dragon, the minotaurs beat their fists and weapons on their armor or the ground while bellowing loudly. Aranath responded in kind, roaring and pounding the ground with his wings. It was an odd grandstanding display that evoked both respect between warriors and raw, barbaric aggression. Each creature would be equally pleased to fight side by side or against one another.
The minotaurs and dragon stopped their raucous spectacle when the emperor halted his strides not far in front of me. My companions and I bowed, then I stated, “Your Excellency, I thought you might want to see him for yourself. He’s no eidolon, but-”
“But no less a rare sight these last five centuries. Now that you have regained some of your lost power, what is it you’ll do, dragon knight?”
“My first order of business will be to take my friends to the mainland. We’ll need a large space to train while we wait for Efios’ armies to gather, and I don’t want to accidentally burn your capital down. Speaking of reinforcements, it’s time we make our stance on that clear. Odet tells me you’re wary about defending one border by sacrificing another. A valid concern, but now that I’m here, you can use my name and title to help draw in the aid of other Efios nations.
“Inform them that anyone who sends an army will gain the opportunity to have me act on their behalf on any sensible matter they can think of. Bandits holed up in a mountain? A dragon can smoke them out. Dispute over a mine? Maybe I’ll take their side. This offer extends to you as well, Your Imperial Majesty. If the Chiszir truly give you trouble during our Jegeru campaign, then I will help you retain the control over your border once we clear Jegeru. I’ll even throw in a ride for you and your family. I assure you no griffin or oversized bird can compare.”
“An irresistible proposal for my youngest son.”
“And for his father?”
“Your offer to aid in border security is acceptable, assuming you make it through Jegeru alive.”
The Dragon Knight and the Light Page 40
