By Blood and Magic

by Jamie A. Waters

  Bane scowled and said, “You harm her, and I’ll filet you for dinner, worm.”

  Malek’s eyes narrowed on Bane, but the dragon made no other aggressive moves toward the demon.

  She smiled. “He won’t hurt me, Bane. But I am worried about why he’s lying like this and not moving. Would you mind checking for any injuries?”

  Bane frowned but moved away. Since Malek had essentially given her permission, Sabine slowly reached out and brushed her fingertips over the dragon’s snout. His scaled skin was smooth with the tiniest ridges, yet each scale was nearly diamondlike in hardness. He closed his eyes as she ran her hand downward, still marveling at his sheer magnificence.

  Her hand started vibrating, and she laughed in delight. “Are you purring?”

  Bane snorted and walked away, circling the dragon and studying him from all sides. “A dragon who purrs. Fearsome, indeed.”

  Blossom landed on Sabine’s shoulder and asked, “Isn’t he pretty, Sabine?”

  She nodded, even though pretty was far too tame of a word to describe him. “He’s beautiful. I just wish he could talk to me and tell me how to help him.”

  “Maybe he can do the mind-speech thing like the Beastpeople.” Blossom flew closer to land on Malek’s snout. She bent over to peer into one of his oversized nostrils and said, “No bats in the cave.”

  Sabine bit back a laugh. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate hearing that.”

  She ran her hand up his snout and then up and over one of his prominent eye ridges. In dragon form, he had horns jutting out of the top of his head, like Bane, and then down his body. With the sharp and spiny thorns peppering along the ridge of his back and tail, he would be formidable in battle even without his dragonfire. She couldn’t imagine anyone able to harm a dragon through mundane means. Most weapons would simply bounce off his scales.

  “I’m surprised he managed to fly the ship all this way,” Bane said and moved to stand near her again. “I don’t quite understand how dragon magic works, but I’m guessing he’s simply tired. I don’t see any injuries.”

  She smiled at Malek, who was still watching her. He didn’t seem to care about Bane’s presence. At least, he wasn’t paying any attention to the demon. Malek hadn’t looked away from her, except to close his eyes. “Good. I’m not sure how long he’ll need to rest, but I’ll wait to awaken the crew until he’s able to shift back.”

  Malek sighed, the gesture causing the ground to rumble under her feet. His scales shimmered even more dramatically. Sabine leaned in closer to study them. They changed to nearly iridescent and then glowed with a strange light until the effect was nearly blinding. Sabine looked away, shielding her eyes from the sight. Almost as soon as it had started, the light vanished.

  Sabine blinked against the sudden darkness of the night while her eyes adjusted. When she could see again, Malek was lying on the ground in the same position where the dragon had been moments before. Somehow, he’d managed to shift back wearing all his clothing. Perhaps it was another quality of his magic.

  Malek rolled onto his back and turned his head in her direction. His mouth curved upward, and he asked, “You think I’m beautiful, huh?”

  She laughed and knelt beside him. “Yes, but I think you already knew that.”

  Blossom landed on Malek’s chest. “My wings are prettier, but I wouldn’t mind being as big as a dragon.”

  He chuckled and closed his eyes. “It has its benefits, but pixies can go plenty of places I can’t.”

  Blossom nodded sagely. “I bet Sabine could turn you little like me. She made me big once. I got to keep my wings and everything.”

  When Malek didn’t respond, Sabine reached over and put her hand over his. “Are you all right?”

  “Mmhmm,” he murmured, opening his eyes to look up at her and interlacing their fingers together. “I can’t remember ever being this tired. My magic is pretty much spent. We were farther away from Karga than I thought. The Merfolk’s storm must have affected our navigational instruments.”

  She frowned, scanning the length of the empty beach. The wind kicked up, and she shivered through her wet clothing. “Do you know how far away we are from Karga?”

  “I caught a glimpse of the city before we landed. I’d say we’re about a day’s walk from there. I couldn’t risk taking the ship any closer.”

  “A dragon flying with a ship in its claws would definitely be something to behold,” Bane muttered, picking up a few pieces of driftwood scattered on the sand.

  “Oooh, are we going to make a fire, Bane?” Blossom took flight and flew after the demon.

  “That’s the plan,” Bane said, stopping to pick up another piece of wood.

  Sabine absently rubbed her arms. The chill she felt wasn’t only because of the coolness of the night or the absence of her magic. Something wasn’t right, but she couldn’t pinpoint it. She paused and inhaled deeply, but she couldn’t detect anything except the briny sea air. “I suppose we can set out on foot in the morning. Will that give you enough time to recover?”

  Malek reached over and lifted one of her many braids. He seemed to take every opportunity to touch her, but Sabine didn’t mind. If anything, she found herself doing the same thing with him.

  Running her braid between his fingers, Malek said, “It’ll have to be enough. I’d rather leave now, but I’ve heard the outskirts of Karga can be dangerous for travelers. With our magic depleted, it might be best to stay on the ship tonight and then make our way there in the morning.”

  Bane approached them and dropped the driftwood beside Sabine. He used the motion as a distraction as he whispered, “We may need to get underway sooner. A group is gathering up on the ridge.”

  Sabine inclined her head to let him know she’d heard. “How many?”

  “At least six, but I sense more of them farther back and rapidly approaching,” Bane said quietly as he crouched and stacked the wood for a fire. “My guess is they caught a glimpse of Malek’s lightshow and came to investigate.”

  “Damn,” Malek muttered. “I’d intentionally chosen an abandoned area of the beach far away from any settlements. They must be part of a hunting caravan. I’ve heard they travel in numbers anywhere from twenty to thirty.”

  “Are they human?” Sabine asked quietly, unwilling to risk looking in the direction Bane indicated. He’d know better than anyone if any living creatures were nearby.

  “It’s likely,” Bane replied, still appearing to be focused on his task. Sabine knew he was tracking each lifeforce of the people watching them, to see what they were going to do.

  Sabine gestured for the tiny pixie to take flight. “Blossom, see what you can find out.”

  Blossom nodded and disappeared into the darkness.

  Malek sat up. Keeping his voice low enough so only they could hear, he asked, “They won’t spot her?”

  Sabine shook her head. “Blossom will keep to the shadows to avoid detection. It’s only a risk if they’re Fae.”

  “Or a demon,” Bane muttered as he stood.

  Sabine didn’t answer, not willing to divulge the truth. Blossom had spied on both Bane and Dax numerous times for Sabine over the years. Some secrets weren’t hers to share.

  Malek frowned and said, “If it’s one of the desert tribes, don’t draw your weapons under any circumstances. They may simply be curious, but the sight of weapons may incite them to violence. They deal harshly with outsiders.”

  “Violence is a part of life.” Bane stood and flung out his hand. Flames erupted from his fingers, illuminating the night. The driftwood caught a second later in a spectacular display, its heat scorching with its intensity.

  Malek narrowed his eyes at Bane and snapped, “You’re a fool. If there was any doubt about who we are, it’s gone now.”

  Sabine shook her head, understanding why Bane had used some of his remaining magic when they could least afford it. “No. They’ll know the instant they see him Bane’s a demon. We can’t hide his physical attributes, and I don’t ha
ve enough power to shield him with glamour. What Bane did just now diverted attention away from you. If we’re lucky, they’ll believe he’s the source of the light they saw.”

  Malek paused, cocking his head to regard Bane. “And they may be reluctant to entangle with a powerful demon.”

  Bane smirked. “Perhaps you’re not as stupid as you look.”

  Sabine sighed and scooted a bit closer to the fire. “Have they moved?”

  “They’re closer, but more importantly, there are now almost twenty on the ridge. A few more are farther back. I suspect they’re probably deciding whether to engage us.”

  Sabine glanced at the ship. “The crew is still asleep. I can awaken them, but I’ll need to remove my glamour to tap into my reserve magic.”

  Malek frowned. “Will the spell break on its own?”

  Sabine hesitated. “Yes, but not until tomorrow afternoon, possibly a bit longer. Those with stronger constitutions will be the first to awaken.”

  “They’re approaching,” Bane warned, lifting his gaze to stare at the ridgeline.

  “Hold off on waking the crew,” Malek said quietly. “Our only option is to bluff our way out of this. Follow my lead.”

  Sabine nodded. A shout pierced the night a moment later. Sabine and Malek surged to their feet. More than a dozen men and women ran toward them, shrieking a battle cry. The group quickly surrounded them, waving their elongated spears in the trio’s direction. They appeared human, but if any of them possessed magical ability, it was too slight for Sabine to easily detect.

  Their coloring marked them as natives to the southern lands, with bronzed skin and dark hair and eyes. It was their unusual orange clothing with distinctive black stripes that caught and held Sabine’s attention. Only one creature she knew had similar markings, the six-legged squarvo. The squarvo was a large creature with the ability to spit acid in a wide arc to decimate its enemies or crush them with its significant weight. It was said they could grow to reach the size of a small house. The fact that these humans could bring one of these creatures down was a testament to their ferocity.

  Malek held up his hands in a peaceable gesture. “We mean you no harm.”

  One of the men stepped forward, brandishing an unusual pole weapon. It had a crystal tip at one end, while the blade on the other end was curved in a half-moon shape. His clothing possessed more decoration than the others, with beads and feathers woven into the design, leading Sabine to think he might be one of their leaders or even a spokesman for the group. Sabine studied the others, but most of them appeared more concerned with Bane’s presence than her or Malek.

  “Who are you to summon one of the horned devils to attack our land?” the stranger demanded, gesturing with his weapon toward Bane.

  “I have no interest in your lands,” Bane snapped, his eyes flashing silver in warning.

  Sabine tensed, recognizing this had the potential to go bad very quickly. If these people had the tenacity to attack and kill a squarvo, they might not think twice about attacking a demon. She opened her mouth to intervene, but Malek shook his head in warning.

  He stepped forward, still keeping his hands raised, and said, “My name is Captain Malek Rish’dan of Obsidian’s Storm, the merchant ship you see behind me. On my word, we mean none of you any harm. The demon with me was a passenger on my ship. We were attacked by the Merfolk and barely made it to shore with our lives. Most of my crew were lost at sea during the attack, and as you can tell, we sustained a significant amount of damage.”

  One of the women, an attractive dark-haired woman, stepped close to their leader and whispered something in his ear. She was wearing similar attire as the leader, which consisted of a long tunic fastened with a colorful woven belt over loose-fitting pants. The leader nodded at her, and she stepped backward.

  “If you have not summoned him, by what arts is this devil standing aboveground?”

  Malek frowned. “In truth, I don’t know. The ways of his magic are unknown to me.”

  Sabine glanced over at Malek in surprise. Like the Fae, dragons couldn’t lie. Technically, he didn’t know the details of the pact she’d forged with Bane, but it was a near thing. Malek had very carefully maneuvered these people to draw conclusions that he was a simple ship captain. She just hoped they didn’t take out their anger and fear on Bane.

  “Then we shall kill him and be rid of him,” the man announced and gestured toward one of his men.

  “Wait,” Sabine interrupted, earning a worried look from Malek. She gestured to her pointed ears and said, “We sailed from the northern cities, and mixed heritages aren’t uncommon there. Some of us simply have more pronounced features than others.”

  Their leader frowned. He scanned her up and down before studying Bane again. “I have heard these claims, but I will not allow one of the devils from the underworld free rein in our lands. We will take you to our village and allow our elders to test the truth of your claims. Throw down your weapons. Now.”

  Sabine tensed. If their elders had any talent for assessing magic, they’d know immediately Bane was a full-blooded demon.

  Malek’s jaw clenched, but he reached down and began disarming. He leaned in close and whispered, “Put down your weapons. You’ve bought us time, and this is our best chance. Otherwise, they’ll cut us down where we stand.”

  Sabine hesitated, glancing at Bane and discovering he hadn’t moved. His hand still gripped his sword, not that he needed it to slaughter these people. He wouldn’t be happy with her request, but she didn’t want these people to die. She caught Bane’s eye and nodded at him to follow their instructions. He hesitated, and she narrowed her eyes at him in a silent warning.

  With a look of disgust, Bane tossed his weapons onto the sand. Sabine removed her knives and throwing daggers and placed them carefully on the ground. The woman and another man emerged from the ranks and swept up the weapons, giving Bane a wide berth while they collected them.

  Malek cleared his throat. “We appreciate your understanding and look forward to seeing your village. Is it far away?”

  “A little more than a day from here,” the leader said, gesturing toward one of his men. “The devil will be bound until we can determine the truthfulness of your claims.”

  The second man walked forward carrying a woven ropelike material. Bane huffed but put his hands in front of him so they could bind him. He held her gaze, the meaning in his eyes clear: He was only tolerating this for her benefit. Sabine inclined her head in understanding, mentally promising to make it up to him for this degradation.

  Malek leaned in close and whispered, “He’ll be fine. The desert tribes adhere to guesting traditions. Unless it’s determined he’s what they believe, they won’t risk harming him for fear of angering their ancestors.”

  Sabine nodded, hoping Malek was right.

  Malek leaned forward, trying to catch the attention of one of the hunters. A woman with dark hair bound tightly against her head narrowed her eyes at him. She made a sign to ward against evil and turned her mount to the side.

  “Superstitious fools,” he muttered and leaned back in frustration. The cart carrying him and Sabine was being pulled by several thontons, the large beasts of burden used by the desert tribes. The group that had intercepted them was a hunting party, and their caravan was headed back to their village after their latest hunt. Unfortunately, as far as he could tell, they were heading north—the opposite direction of Karga.

  He glanced at Sabine, who’d been quieter than usual since they’d bound Bane and led him away. While most of the hunters were riding thontons, the demon had been forced to walk in the rear of the caravan with a couple armed hunters keeping watch over him. Malek might not be overly fond of Bane, but Sabine obviously cared and was worried about him.

  She sat curled up with her back against the wall of the cart, her silver braids swaying slightly every time the cart hit a bump. The moonlight filtered through the cracks in the wagon’s canopy and caressed her features, making them appear even
more delicate. It was a sharp contrast to the hidden strength he knew resided within her. He wished he could offer her some reassurance besides empty platitudes.

  Malek sighed and shifted in the crowded cart, trying to bury his exhaustion. If he wasn’t so concerned about Sabine and the direction they were traveling, he might be tempted to sleep. But it was too dangerous to take that chance.

  Depending on the perception and knowledge of the desert tribe’s elders, they’d not only identify Bane as a demon, but they’d also be able to tell Sabine was Fae and he was a dragon. He needed to get them out of here before anyone discovered the truth. It was impossible to know how they’d react, but he suspected it wouldn’t be favorable.

  Keeping his voice low, he asked, “Have you seen any sign of Blossom?”

  Sabine glanced out the back of the cart and then shook her head. “No, she’ll keep her distance until it’s safe to approach. She’s skilled at staying hidden and is more resourceful than most people believe. I’m more concerned about Bane. I don’t like how they’ve separated us.”

  “They won’t hurt him, but we should still make a plan to leave soon.” He put his hand over hers and frowned. Sandwiching her hand in between his, he murmured, “Your hands are like ice. I’d forgotten your clothing was still wet. You didn’t have a chance to dry off before they brought us with them.”

  She lowered her gaze. “It’s a temporary side effect from being low on magic. It’ll get better once I have more rest.”

  Malek moved closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. “My natural temperature runs hotter than yours. It might help.”

  Sabine nodded and curled against him. The intoxicating scent of night-blooming flowers filled his nose. He squeezed his eyes shut and counted to ten, using the time to center himself. They were in a precarious situation, and he couldn’t afford to be distracted by her closeness.

  “Do you know much about these people?”