Dragonia: Rise of the Wyverns (Dragonia Empire Book 1)

by Craig A. Price Jr.

  Reluctantly, everyone grabbed their canoes and followed Devarius into the forest.

  “I really hope our journey isn’t much farther than Vaereal. These people need a rest,” Devarius whispered.

  “Yes, they do,” Paedyn replied. He tilted his head to Devarius. “But ... I doubt the Resistance, who have remained hidden from the Dragonia Empire, are stationed in a port village. Otherwise, the Dragonia Empire would have found them by now.”

  Devarius’s jaw tightened. “That’s what I was afraid of. Do you think searching for the Resistance could be nothing but a wild goose chase?”

  Paedyn nodded. “Probably. But I imagine they need to be sure someone wants to join before they reveal their true location. They can’t just say, ‘go here,’ to everyone. Dragonia Empire spies would have found them ages ago if it were that easy.”

  Devarius glanced behind him to the weary party. “I know. I just hope I am not pushing them too hard, or that they don’t give up because of how long and arduous the journey is. So far, we’ve only lost Dasyra. Will we all make it?”

  “Most of them have lost people very dear to them because of the Dragonia Empire. I doubt many will be swayed like Dasyra. At least ... I hope.” Paedyn paused. “She wanted an easy out. This path was too hard for her.”

  “Dasyra.” Devarius shook his head.

  They reached the forest and stashed all the canoes in the brush. Many fell asleep where they sat. Devarius’s stomach growled. Their dried meat and bread were running low, and many hadn’t eaten a hot meal in days.

  “I’m going to scout the forest for food,” Devarius said.

  Paedyn nodded. “Find some meat. I’m starved.”

  Devarius smiled. “I’ll try.”

  “Take the dogs.”

  Devarius frowned. He had no idea how the dogs were still with them. Devarius hadn’t noticed them traveling in one of the canoes. He shrugged and whistled. Three dogs scurried to him. He reached down to pet their heads before leading them into the forest.

  “Wait up,” Jaonos called.

  Devarius remembered the dark-skinned man approaching him was a skilled animal tracker and the one who’d trained the dogs to hunt. He nodded at the man, grateful for his assistance when it came to the dogs.

  The trees did not provide much aerial cover. They ran quietly, careful of each step. If there were any animals worth eating, Devarius didn’t want to scare them off. They continued searching for an hour and had almost decided to give up when Jaonos saw tracks on the ground. Devarius bent down to inspect them more closely. They had not been left by a deer or antelope like he’d hoped. They were the thicker tracks of a wild boar. The dogs crowded the two of them, smelling the footprints as Devarius inspected them.

  “Go, find the boar,” Jaonos whispered.

  The three dogs continued sniffing for another second before speeding off. Devarius raised his brows, then followed them closely, careful to keep quiet. The last thing he wanted was to spook the boar. They wound through the forest for several more minutes before the dogs came to a halt. Devarius crept next to them and stared into a clearing. A single boar foraged on the ground. Devarius’s mouth watered. He hadn’t eaten pork in months.

  “Good boys.” Jaonos petted the dogs. “Attack.”

  The three dogs rushed forward, surprising the boar. Two of the dogs were smaller and more agile, and they kept the boar busy from each side, snapping at the animal and backing away. The boar kept trying to rush one of them, but when it did, the other would jump in from its other side. The third dog crouched, ready to pounce, in front of the boar. Devarius watched with interest. He grabbed his dagger from his sash, preparing to leap to finish the creature. The boar reared back, growing irritated with the two dogs. Then the third dog sprang into action, leaping forward and latching onto the boar’s neck. He was a lot larger than the other two dogs and had a strong jaw. The boar slowed as it tried to shake the dog off its neck. When it shook, the other two dogs sprung, nipping at its sides.

  Devarius stepped fully into the clearing as the boar grew weaker, unable to get the large dog off of it. He stepped in front of the boar and touched the dog latched onto the boar’s neck. The dog released the boar immediately and stepped back. Devarius knelt in front of the boar and sliced the creature’s neck, putting an end to its suffering.

  “Good boys,” Jaonos called.

  The three dogs ran over to him, wagging their tails. He reached into his sash and retrieved three small pieces of dried meat; he gave one to each dog. Devarius then tied the boar’s front and back hooves to a sturdy branch. They hefted the creature onto their shoulders to carry back to camp.

  When Devarius arrived back in camp, most of his companions were asleep. No one cared that it was afternoon with two suns high in the sky. He saw Paedyn sitting by a pile of freshly chopped firewood. Paedyn smiled when he saw Devarius and the boar he and Jaonos had tossed on the ground.

  “We’ll be feasting tonight,” Paedyn said.

  “Or tomorrow, if we don’t get started cooking,” Devarius said.

  “Right,” Paedyn replied.

  Jaonos woke up a few of the others, and they began digging a grave in the ground while Devarius gutted the boar. Once the pit was dug, Paedyn lined the bottom with firewood and rocks. He lit the firewood and let it heat up the rocks. Then he began tearing wild cabbage next to the hole.

  “You found cabbage?” Devarius asked.

  “A few of the women went hunting for food as well. I believe they planned on cabbage alone, but I think it’d go better with the pig.”

  “I’m glad you know how to cook boar.”

  “When it comes to bacon, Paedyn knows best.”

  Devarius smiled. He picked up a few of the cabbages, tore them into pieces, and stuffed them into the pig along with large rocks and rock salt from a bag they had retrieved from the wagon. He used thin rope to tie the boar up securely, creating a netting all the way around the animal. Paedyn finished layering the pit with cabbage over the burning wood and heated rocks. Devarius and Paedyn lowered the boar onto the cabbage and buried the boar in the ground.

  “My mouth is already watering,” Paedyn said.

  “It’ll be at least ten hours before the boar is ready,” Devarius reminded him.

  “I know. It’ll be nice to just rest before we continue our journey. We’ll have boar and cabbage tonight, and tomorrow we’ll continue our journey.”

  Paedyn grinned. “A nice rest, it will be.”

  Chapter 14

  After interviewing more than forty guardsmen, Captain Vesryn stormed back into the camp, throwing his helm onto the ground. He sighed, brushing his hands through his tangled salt-and-pepper hair.

  “No luck?” Tirask asked.

  “No one has seen anyone unusual enter the city in weeks. The only people coming and going have been local residents or people from Trevium or Ceydar who frequent the city. Each guard has been adamant about that fact. This woman is setting us on a wild goose chase.” He pointed at Dasyra.

  “I swear to you that this is where they were heading.”

  “Well, I have news for you.” Vesryn clenched his teeth. “They aren’t here. Neither were they at the lake. We found tracks leading in this direction, but they seem to disappear.”

  “I swear—”

  “Yes ... I know. They told you they were heading here. I believe you. Truly. I also believe they aren’t as foolish as we all believed. They knew you would turn on them the moment you saw us. They expected it.”

  Her eyes bulged.

  “Yes ... they likely anticipated our move.” He turned to Tirask. “Did you search Ceydar?”

  Tirask nodded. “I’m afraid there’s no news there either. It seems they fooled us all.”

  “They are clever ... I’ll give them that. So, what do we know about them?”

  “They were originally heading toward Laeraed,” Tirask answered.

  Vesryn turned to Dasyra. “But they were only traveling in that direction because t
hey didn’t know where to go, correct?”

  “As far as I know,” Dasyra said with a distant expression.

  “All right. If they were traveling to Laeraed, but one of their own betrayed their journey, where would they go?”

  “What if they still needed to go in that direction, but their path was betrayed by Dasyra?” Tirask asked.

  Vesryn tilted his head. “Explain.”

  “I really believe the old man I killed in Kaed was with the Resistance. He was harboring known fugitives ... why?”

  Vesryn’s eyes lit up. “What if he gave them a location ... what if Laeraed was where they really needed to travel?”

  “It doesn’t even have to be Laeraed,” Tirask said. “It could be Laeraed, Kaedur, or Vaereal.”

  Vesryn’s eye twitched. “Or even Mustafae. As long as we were watching the path, blocking them from reaching their destination, they would have to do something to turn our attention.”

  Both men looked at Dasyra.

  “What?” she asked.

  “How better to distract us than give us their weakest link, and have that weak link direct us in the opposite direction?” Vesryn gritted his teeth.

  “This has been a wild goose chase,” Tirask said.

  “It seems so.” Vesryn turned to Tirask. “Travel to Uriah, and if the dragonriders there haven’t found them, bring them to Laeraed. We’ll re-coordinate there. They won’t escape us.”

  “As you wish.” Tirask bowed.

  “What about me?” Dasyra asked.

  “You’re coming with me. You may be of use yet.”

  Chapter 15

  Rain poured from the sky as Devarius and Caspar entered Vaereal. The streets in the village became bare as the storm arrived, people scurrying about trying to find cover. Devarius continued on, his hand above his forehead to see ahead. The rest of his party remained in the forest north of the village. Devarius didn’t want to raise suspicion until he knew for sure they were safe with the Resistance. He grinned when he saw the pub. The Galloping Horse was a small pub in the corner of an alley. Its sign was faded and barely recognizable. He stepped inside.

  The inside of the pub appeared abandoned. Devarius frowned. He looked around, but no one stood behind the bar and most of the tables were empty. Only one person sat inside, his face nestled on the table in front of him. He snored loudly. Devarius bit his bottom lip as he made his way to the bar to sit.

  “I don’t know what I expected to find,” Paedyn whispered, “but this is definitely not what I had in mind.”

  “Good afternoon to you,” a voice said from behind them.

  Devarius jumped. He spun around to see an elderly man with white hair and a large mustache standing behind them. The man asleep at the table was no longer there. Devarius tried to determine if it was the same man standing behind him.

  “Good afternoon,” Devarius said slowly.

  “What can I do you for?”

  “Are you the owner of this pub?”

  “Yes, sir. I am.”

  “How’s business?” Paedyn asked.

  The man raised a single brow. “Depends. You got coin you’re willing to spend?”

  Paedyn removed a silver dragon from his coin purse and placed it on the bar.

  “Business is fine.” The man grinned.

  Devarius pressed his lips together. “We’ve traveled a long way. An old man from Kaed told us to come here.”

  “Did he now?” Both the man’s eyebrows lifted.

  “Yes,” Devarius replied. “But I’m afraid that’s all he told us.”

  “Nothing more? How interesting.”

  “I don’t know if he planned to tell us more or not. He died trying to protect us.”

  The old man bit his lip. “That is ill news. Tell me ... why do you come?”

  Devarius glanced to Paedyn. “I don’t know if we can speak openly here. I don’t know if I can trust you.”

  The old man nodded. “You come seeking the Resistance, do you?”

  Devarius’s eyes shifted to the old man. He dared not speak, but he nodded.

  The old man stuck out his hand. “Name’s Jonik.”

  “Devarius.”

  “Paedyn.”

  Both men shook Jonik’s hand.

  “Come to the back. We can talk more openly back there.”

  Jonik walked around the bar and through a door. Shrugging, Devarius and Paedyn followed him. The back room was small and the torchlight was dim, but several chairs awaited them. Jonik sat in a rocking chair that faced several others, grabbed a pipe, and used a small stick he lit in a fireplace next to him to ignite his pipe. Smoke filled the air.

  “A little warm for a fire, isn’t it?” Paedyn asked.

  Jonik grinned and tapped his pipe in the air. “You’re no longer in the north. Winter is approaching, and it gets cold down here.”

  He took a few more puffs of his pipe before placing his feet on the ottoman in front of him.

  “Tell me your story. Why do you want to join the Resistance?”

  Devarius sighed. “We come from a small village north of Caspar. It was so small it wasn’t even on the map yet, and didn’t have a name. It was growing fast, and probably soon would have been ... but the Dragonia Empire destroyed it.”

  Jonik’s eyebrows wrinkled. “Why?”

  “They believed the village had traitors, that some of us were part of the Resistance.”

  “Were there?”

  “Not to my knowledge. Three dragonriders appeared one day, rounded up everyone, and began questioning. They hung and burned several people, trying to scare people into confessing, I assume. Many of the people they killed at first were innocent. I know they were, but they didn’t care. When they didn’t get the answers they wanted, they proceeded to kill everyone and destroy all the homes.”

  “And you escaped?”

  Devarius nodded. “Me and twenty-nine companions.”

  “Twenty-nine,” Jonik mused.

  “Yes.”

  “How were so many able to escape without them noticing?”

  Paedyn grinned. “Can I tell this part?”

  Devarius nodded.

  “Devarius and I set fire to their tents. Even though they took over the village, they didn’t sleep inside anyone’s home. They kept tents in the village. I assume they weren’t worried about anyone doing anything to the tents because of their dragons, but they don’t know us very well.”

  Jonik tilted his head. “How did you distract the dragons?”

  “We set the hogs loose and sort of led them to their camp. Apparently, the dragons were hungry. While they were distracted, Devarius and I approached from behind with torches and ignited the tents.”

  “Interesting,” Jonik said.

  “Once the tents were aflame, we rushed back to the others and fled the village. We only convinced twenty-eight others to come with us. The others ... I fear the worst.”

  “I imagine so,” Jonik said. “How were you able to hide from them after that? I imagine they would be hot on your trail, so to speak.”

  “I know a few tricks.” Devarius shrugged.

  Paedyn grinned. “We made a mess of our tracks in the forest north of Caspar.”

  “Still ... I imagine they are still after you?”

  “We’ve been evading them the whole way south.”

  “They didn’t follow you here, did they?” Jonik asked.

  “We led them east to Sephreal, while we came south. I don’t know how long they will be delayed, but we are not being followed,” Devarius said.

  Jonik scratched his chin.

  “I’m assuming the Resistance isn’t here. We have to travel again ... don’t we?” Devarius asked.

  “Yes,” Jonik said. His brow furrowed as he puffed on his pipe. He moved it away and pressed his lips tightly together.

  “Your expression tells me it is most likely in the direction we sent the dragonriders off our trail.” Devarius paused. “It is ... isn’t it?”

  “Yes,�
� Jonik responded.

  “Where?” Devarius asked.

  “I cannot tell you where the Resistance is ... especially with the dragonriders so close on your tail.”

  “I understand. You don’t want to compromise the location if we have a chance of being captured.”

  Jonik nodded.

  Devarius sighed. “Where do we need to go to next?”

  “Ceydar.”

  “Is it at least in the right direction?” Paedyn groaned.

  Jonik didn’t answer.

  “He cannot answer that,” Devarius said. “He doesn’t want us to have any information to pass over to the dragonriders if we’re captured.”

  Jonik nodded.

  “Where do we need to go in Ceydar?”

  “A tavern called the Blind Mule.”

  “Are we looking for anyone in particular?”

  “No. Get a room there. I’d leave your party out of the village in the forest to the south. You don’t want to arouse suspicion. The Resistance will find you.” He paused, then laid a coin on the bar. “Pay with this.”

  Devarius snatched the small gold coin, brought it to his face, and inspected it closely. It wasn’t a gold dragon. He held a gold crown in his hand. Crowns hadn’t been the currency in over seventy years. His eyes widened. They were allegedly all destroyed.

  “How much more of this goose chase do we need to endure before we can actually join the Resistance?” Paedyn asked.

  “This should be the last for you,” Jonik said. “If you make it there without being tracked, you should be led to them.”

  “Good,” Paedyn said.

  “You have to realize.” Jonik paused. “The Resistance is an old idea. In fact, it was started the same time the Dragonia Empire was rising to power. One close adviser to the emperor of the time didn’t agree with his tyranny to rise to power. He thought there should be peace throughout the land. Not fear of an empire, and especially not by dictation and force. The emperor and him split ways, and he created the Resistance. But even after all these years, there isn’t much the Resistance can do to battle the empire. What can a few humans do against hundreds of dragons? What can thousands of humans do against hundreds of dragons?”