Dragons and Mages: A Limited Edition Anthology

by Pauline Creeden

  They both needed the rest this night and he could pick up no sense of danger in the small covering they hid in. Allowing his own eyes to close he let much needed sleep take over him. Tomorrow was a new day, and it would bring the answers they needed. He just hoped that the people of Caspa would at least hear them out.

  Chapter 17

  Ash woke with a slight start just as the first light of dawn swept through the trees. Moving his body, he let out a groan as his recent injury protested greatly. Despite his pretence the previous night, he actually didn’t remember much of the last few days, and he was grateful that Blaze had been able to lead them both to where they now were. Fixing his eyes on the entrance to the red forest that lead to Caspa he had to admit that as the morning sun began its assault, it made it looked like the world was on fire ahead of them. It truly was a beautiful scene to behold.

  Ash guessed that if they made their move soon enough they would meet the people of Caspa by mid-morning, and that was where their fate would be handed over to the skies above. He knew that Blaze was scared, and although Ash would never admit it to his friend, he was afraid also.

  After reading the manuscripts that the old mage had given them, the ones that were now reduced to embers in the village that they had been forced to flee, he knew that it was unlikely that they would be welcomed in Caspa. But he couldn’t give up, he wasn’t sure why, but something told him that he needed the help of these people. That whatever darkness was coming, the hybrids were the only ones that could help them stop it. It was just the matter of convincing them that.

  “I knew you were lying last night. I knew that you were just as scared as I am.” Blaze’s voice jolted him from his thoughts, forcing his gaze to fix to his side where his friend was just waking from his sleep.

  Ash was glad Blaze had managed to rest the night, he guessed that he hadn’t had much chance to the previous nights, with having to tend to him the last days. He was pretty sure they had travelled more than they had rested, for fear of being caught. Remembering Blaze’s words, Ash felt himself bristle slightly. He had left his guard down and his friend had taken the chance to dip into his thoughts.

  “Pay back for last night, Ash. Do you not remember your invasion into my mind?” Blaze reminded him as he stretched out, a dark smirk on his face

  “I am your Prince…”

  “Were my prince,” Blaze corrected him. “I have told you many times on this journey that you aren’t out here. Out here, you are commoner like me. You will do well to remember that when we enter Caspa Ashran. They won’t take kindly to you throwing a title around. Especially a title belonging to a race that destroyed their people.”

  Ash sighed deeply, Blaze was right of course. “You are right. Yes, I suppose I am scared, Blaze. I didn’t want to admit it to you because I didn’t want you to worry any more than you clearly already are,” Ash replied truthfully.

  Blaze’s response was a shrug as he stood, pacing back and forth a little to shake off any stiffness. “Well, we are here now, and we aren’t going to get many answers just sitting here staring longingly at the red forest. So, how about you get your lazy self off the floor and we make our way to this forgotten land?”

  “It is not forgotten though, is it? People know it exists, they just don’t know where to find it,” Ash pointed out, gingerly standing, slowly stretching his body out not being able to hide the whimper that left his lips as the movement pulled at his wound once more.

  “I have a horrible feeling that they will soon know where to find it. Your father will stop at nothing to hunt you down, you know that. He has the support of the Fae king and God only knows what darkness he can conjure up. I just hope we can convince them to help us before anything bad comes about,” Blaze muttered as they began their journey across the open plain.

  “First though, I am hoping they will have something that will help heal this wound of mine. I am of not much use at the moment. I can barely walk without getting tired let alone fight should my father come for me,” Ash replied, stopping as a sudden sense of unease settled over him.

  He felt Blaze come to a stop beside him, his friend just as on edge as he was as their eyes darted around them.

  “I don’t think we are going to have to wait long before we meet one of the hybrids. I feel like we are being watched as we speak,” Ash whispered, daring not to move, knowing full well that he would not be able to shift should the need arise. He just hoped they weren’t too outnumbered and that Blaze would be able to hold them back while he tried to talk their way in.

  “I suggest you tell me why you are here, and I suggest you speak quickly and truthfully. I don’t waste time with trespassers,” came a gruff voice, though from where, Ash wasn’t entirely sure.

  He felt Blaze tense slightly and he knew that he was getting ready to shift. Ash placed a hand on his friend’s arm, simply shaking his head silently when Blaze sent him a questioning look. They couldn’t risk angering the hybrids so soon, and it seemed that there was just one of them that had found them.

  “Maybe if you could show yourself to us I would be more likely to talk with you. I am not very fond of talking into thin air. I can assure you that we come unarmed and I myself am injured. We can do no damage,” Ash spoke.

  “You are a dragon. You can do us plenty of damage,” the voice replied.

  Ash said nothing, instead waited patiently. His silence was rewarded as the owner of the words came forward from behind one of the red trees. Ash would be lying if he said the appearance of their challenger didn’t shock him, but it wasn’t just shock, he couldn’t help but stare at the creature in awe.

  The hybrid that stood before them was magnificent. He wasn’t tall, but he was built like a beast. His skin looked like scales but not like the ones that covered the dragons, no, they were smooth in the most amazing deep reds and greens. Long black hair skimmed his shoulders and his eyes were the colour of blood, slit like a serpent’s. Two swords lay crossed against his back, while another hung in a sheath at his side. Ash was certain there were various other weapons around also. Daring to look towards the hybrid’s face, he caught a glimmer of malice in his eyes. Realising that they were about to look into the eyes of a Basilisk, Ash dropped his gaze.

  “Don’t look him in the eyes. He will kill you with one look,” he hissed at Blaze, grateful that his friend was quick to heed his warning and drop his own gaze.

  “I ask you only once more. Who are you and what are you doing in Caspa dragon born?” the hybrid snarled, taking a step forward, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword at his hip.

  Refusing to look him in the eyes, Ash continued to submit his gaze to the ground. “My name is Ash and this is my friend Blaze. We have travelled from Ustrina, but I promise you we have come in peace. I have come to seek your help and I wish to speak with your Queen,” Ash replied, quick to remember that it was a woman that led this army.

  He wondered what she looked like. If it was anything like the creature that stood before them, then they could well be in trouble. Maybe they shouldn’t have come to Caspa? But they couldn’t turn back now, he was certain they would never be allowed to leave this land again at the risk that they could tell someone the location. A deep laugh shocked Ash into looking up, relieved that the serpent eyes had been replaced by some form of normal. He wondered what the other half of this hybrid was.

  “I am sorry, is something funny?” Ash questioned boldly.

  “She will not thank you for calling her a Queen. She doesn’t see herself as anything but an equal. There is no royalty here. We are all treated the same, it is how it should be and how it always will be.”

  “What is your name?” Ash asked, holding the gaze of the beast steadily. He could see him sussing him, deciding if he should answer.

  “My name is Jaxe. The person you so wish to speak to is called Ember. I will take you to her, but I can’t promise you that she will receive you. I am humouring you because I want to hear your plea. But one wrong move dragon, and you wi
ll both be dead.” With those words, Jaxe turned and disappeared into the red forest.

  Ash went to follow him, only stopping when Blaze pulled him back. “Are you mad. We are walking into a death trap, they will kill us anyway. Did you see the size of the guy?”

  “We can’t turn back now, Blaze. They won’t let us leave, not alive anyway. At least if we follow we have more chance of keeping our lives,” Ash fired back, shrugging his friend off.

  “I will not wait for you dragon. You come now or I will kill you myself right here, right now.” Jaxe’s voice echoed out.

  Ash said nothing, instead he shot his friend a pointed look. He wasn’t prepared to die just yet. Not when they had come so far and were so close to getting the help they needed. Whatever the hell it was they were seeking help for.

  Chapter 18

  Zelak glanced up at the black stone building his carriage had just pulled up in front of. Turning his lip up in slight disgust, it still amazed him that such a proud race had such a dull looking castle at the head of their land. Axis was a proud being, so why he had opted for a plain, black stone home Zelak would never know. Not that he really cared if he was completely honest with himself. Despite their same interest in the darker things in the world, Kelak didn’t agree with many of the rituals of the fae. Nor the way they wielded the power of darkness.

  Sighing deeply, resting back against the red velvet cushion of his carriage seats. His reasons for being here would not sit well with Axis. Kelak had warned him many times to never put all his faith into dragons. Yes, they were the most powerful of races, for now at least, but they were also the most careless and untrustworthy. Kelak was still amazed the beasts had survived so long with Izzerus as their king. The white dragon was a foolish one, there was no denying that. But he was also more powerful than his father would ever be. And now he was missing. His father failing to bring him to heel, and somehow there had been no sighting of the white dragon or the red dragon that accompanied him. So now it was left to Zelak to sort out the mess that stood in the way of their plans.

  Zelak had a fair idea where the dragon was headed. Although no one knew where the remaining hybrids were hidden, he couldn’t risk the youngster being smart enough to find them. Zelak snorted at this thought, that he would be outwitted by a dragon. Neither he nor Axis, two of the sharpest minds, had found the hiding place of the forgotten race. He was certain a dragon prince wouldn’t. Still, one could never be completely sure on these things.

  The door opening brought him out of his musings. Zelak glanced to his left to see his driver stood, waiting for him to descend the steps he had pulled out for him. He supposed he should get this over with and then he would visit Zurina. Not just her, but also their army of the undead she was working on. They would have to think of a suitable name for them.

  “My lord, may I suggest that we don’t keep the king waiting much longer?” Zelak shot his driver a look, he couldn’t even remember his name, not that it really mattered. He had many servants, but this one was different. He was the first that had dared to speak out loud to his master and Zelak wasn’t entirely sure if he respected the boy for doing it or was angered by the fact he dared to address him without being spoken to first.

  Descending the stairs, his boots clipped the stones of the pathway, turning to the driver as he closed the door behind him. “I would advise you to think better next time, and not address me unless I have spoken to you. Remember your place, boy. You are a servant and I am your master, nothing more. You have no right to speak to me as you just did,” Zelak warned him, pleased when he saw a flicker of fear cross the boy’s face, before it was replaced with regret.

  “Forgive me, my Lord.”

  Zelak waved his hand in silent dismissal before making his way towards the steps that led to the already open door. No doubt Zurina had sensed him and told Axis that he was there. He wondered if she would be present while he spoke with the king. She would be a welcomed distraction during this meeting.

  Ignoring the guards stood on either side of the door, Zelak made his way to the throne room. Why Axis had insisted that they meet there he would never know. It was just the two of them, maybe three if his dark beauty joined them. They didn’t need such a grand room to host a private chat. Though that was Axis all over, he liked to show off when he could, and again Zelak wondered why he had not had a more magnificent palace built.

  The strong wind whipped around him from the open windows lining the long corridor, teasing the black velvet cloak that was wrapped tightly round him. Zelak shivered slightly trying to remember if Mecris had always been this cold or if it was just a unusually harsh winter. He made a mental note that he would not be staying here any longer than he had to, and his plans to stay the night quickly vanished. He wanted to be back in the warmth of Temero by nightfall or at least by dawn the next morning.

  The doors opened to the throne room as he approached, he was surprised to find Axis pacing the length of the onyx floor, and to his joy Zurina was stood by the throne watching the Fae king. The look on her face told her that she was not impressed that she had been called, no doubt she had wanted to stay within the dungeons below working on the undead. Zelak hoped that this meeting would be short, but the look on the fae’s face told him that was highly unlikely.

  Taking a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for whatever he was about to be faced with, he stepped into the room, clearing his throat as he did so. The closing of the doors behind was what finally caught Axis attention forcing him to stop his pacing.

  “I was worried you were going to wear a hole in your floor, Axis. And may I ask one question? Why the hell do you not have a fire blazing in every available place in this retched castle?” Zelak spoke up, walking past the king to lean lazily against the sill of one of the large windows that looked out over the city of Mecris.

  Zelak couldn’t help but smirk at the look of slight anger that flickered across the fae king’s face. He had to admit he did enjoy mocking him. He didn’t fear Axis, Zelak knew that he wouldn’t dare do anything to hurt him, if he even tried, Zurina would likely kill him, though Zelak wasn’t so sure that Axis knew the extent of their relationship, and he intended to keep it that way.

  “Why did it take you so long to get here? The prince has been missing for…”

  “Nearly a week, yes, I know. But I had other things I needed to address first, and besides, this isn’t really my problem, is it? I mean, I’m not the one that is meeting with the dragons. I wouldn’t be seen dead in Ustrina. Yet here I am, having to help you clean up their mess. I warned you Axis that this would happen. That you should never trust a dragon,” Zelak interrupted, not in the mood to be given a lecture as to why he had not come straight away when word had been sent to him a few days ago.

  “This isn’t about trust. This is about the fact that Izzerus cannot control his young,” Axis snapped in response.

  Zelak glanced at Zurina noting the slight smirk on her lips. Clearly she was enjoying the fae’s frustration just as much as he was. But, however fun it was to mock him, it was a matter they did have to address and quickly.

  “Have you spoken to him?” Zelak asked calmly, deciding he should really ease the tension if just a little.

  They needed to speak with level heads and not allow their emotions of the situation to cloud any judgement and force them to make careless mistakes when it came to bringing the white dragon to heel. Axis took a seat on his throne, Zelak chose to stay where he was, but seated himself on the sill instead of standing. He had a feeling this was going to be a long discussion and he wanted to be comfortable.

  “No, I haven’t. I wanted to talk to you first. Once we had spoken about what we planned to do I was going to visit Ustrina and speak with him in person. I want to know exactly why this happened, and why his best assassin was not able to bring his son back to him. You know the beast that Izzerus sent is dead? He has never been defeated before, and yet the white dragon and his friend managed to bring him down.”

&nb
sp; “Yes, I had heard that. I have heard many rumours as to what happened. I am aware they also burnt a whole village to the ground. Something I don’t believe needed to be done,” Zelak pointed out.

  The laugh that left Axis mouth shocked Zelak slightly, not having heard the fae king laugh for a while, he was always so serious and he wondered what he had said to have caused that reaction.

  “I am sorry, is something funny?”

  “You plan to bring desolation over all the lands? Bathe them in hell, and have the darkness rise from it. Yet you scowl at the fact a village of no meaning has been burnt. I don’t understand your mind, Zelak.”

  Zelak shrugged in response, glancing out at the land below him, he supposed it did seem strange. But they were innocent people caught up in a dragon chase. Likely they would have died when his armies marched the lands, but they didn’t have to die just yet. They could have had a little longer to live in peaceful bliss.

  “My morals are not why we are here. What do you propose that we do to bring this brat to heel? If the king’s best assassin could not bring Ashran down, what do you have that we can use?” Zelak replied coolly, not surprised when the fae king shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “You don’t have a plan do you?”

  “No, I don’t. This was why I wanted you to come. Between the two of us I know we can work something out. You have an army you are working on. The orgals. Can we not…”

  “They are not ready. And I will not waste them on two rouge dragons,” Zelak snapped.

  “May I make a suggestion, Your Grace?” Zurina spoke up.

  Zelak sent a look of shock, wondering just what she was going to suggest. He hoped that it wasn’t going to be to release the undead. They were more valuable than the orgals, and certainly nowhere near ready to take on dragons. Axis didn’t say anything, instead he simply nodded his head to allow Zurina to continue to speak.