by Den Patrick
‘I know,’ he said. ‘I’m going to miss her too, believe it or not.’
CHAPTER FIFTY
Steiner
They prepared to leave the island of Arkiv on a schooner the next day. A change of clothes and a square meal had cured some of their problems, but Steiner, Kristofine and Felgenhauer had slept poorly during their night at a dockside inn. A dire plume of grey smoke hung over the ruins of the library in the centre of the city, as the fire continued to rage, devouring the many books within. People on the docks talked openly of the dragon seen escaping from the scene of devastation. Few knew the real story of what had occurred the day before, but rumours were already growing, being embroidered and passed on.
Steiner waited by the boarding ramp to the ship and kept a keen eye on the street, wary for trouble.
‘This feels too much like Virag for my taste,’ said Kristofine.
‘You’re not wrong there,’ admitted Steiner. The sledgehammer was concealed in a sack though his hand grasped the handle all the same.
‘How much longer?’ said the schooner’s captain. He was a heavyset man in his fifties. The lobe of his ear was missing, along with one of his eye teeth, and his hair was long and lank, a greasy black.
‘As long as you can spare,’ replied Felgenhauer, appearing on the boarding ramp and joining them on the dock. ‘It took a lot of courage to do what they did.’ She wore a blue robe like the academics, and a cream scarf over her head. The captain nodded and attended to his men.
‘Streig?’ said Steiner.
‘I don’t think so.’ Felgenhauer shook her head. ‘He was down when I saw him, mostly likely trampled to death when Bittervinge started to burn.’
‘Lieutenant Reka?’
‘Hard to tell. Maybe he escaped. It was very chaotic at the end. I wonder if Tomasz or any of my men made it out.’
‘It doesn’t seem right that we should survive and they …’ Kristofine pursed her lips and became very still.
‘Why don’t you go to the cabin and get some sleep?’ said Steiner softly. ‘We’re all shattered.’ Kristofine nodded and headed up the boarding ramp.
‘How is she doing?’ asked Felgenhauer when Kristofine had disappeared below decks.
‘I’m not sure. I’m not really sure how I’m doing, if I care to be honest. I can’t believe Silverdust was there, and before I knew it he was gone.’
‘He killed Orlov?’
Steiner nodded. The terrible power of Orlov’s enchantment came back to him and he shuddered at the memory.
‘He cut the bastard clean in two. Huge fiery blades sprang from his hands. I’ve never seen anything like that before. He saved my life.’
‘And for that I will always be grateful,’ said Felgenhauer.
‘It strikes me we’re wanted now,’ said Steiner.
‘Wanted?’ Felgenhauer raised her eyebrows. ‘That’s some understatement. Besides, we’ve both been wanted for months.’
‘My point is …’ He dropped his voice. ‘I can’t call you Felgenhauer in the open. You have a first name, don’t you?’
‘You can call me Nika.’
‘Hoy there, Aunt Nika.’ Steiner gave an impish smile and Felgenhauer rolled her eyes.
‘Don’t ever call me that again, I feel like I aged an entire decade in a heartbeat.’ They stood together, nephew and aunt, watching the business of the docks play out, ruminating on what had gone before, overhearing snatches of gossip as the sailors went about their tasks.
‘We should go,’ said Felgenhauer. ‘The captain’s already taking a huge risk just being seen with us. I can’t ask him to wait any longer.’ She made to board the ship. Steiner pointed down the street. Two mules pulled a cart led by a woman wearing purple academic robes. ‘Do you know her?’
Felgenhauer looked over her shoulder and a slow smile crept across her face.
‘Drakina. She’s one of my contacts on the island.’
As the woman approached it was clear there were men riding on the cart. Many were bandaged and all were attired in burned academic’s robes. Drakina was a blonde woman in her twenties, pale and serious in equal measure.
‘I found a few waifs and strays.’
The men who climbed down from the cart were heavyset, and had no more studied books than Steiner had. Tomasz nodded to Steiner and they clasped forearms.
‘It’s good to see you again,’ said Steiner.
‘I saw you fight,’ replied the sergeant. ‘If I didn’t know better I’d say you were unhinged.’
‘You wouldn’t be the first,’ replied Steiner with a grin.
‘Or the last. And thank Frøya for that.’ The sergeant headed up the boarding ramp.
‘How bad was the fire?’ said Felgenhauer.
‘It still burns even now,’ said Drakina. ‘Thankfully it didn’t spread to the city, but …’ She shook her head. ‘All gone. All of it. And to think, there was a dragon living in our midst this whole time.’
‘Any survivors? A young soldier called Streig perhaps?’ asked Steiner, watching the men climb down from the cart as fast as their wounds would allow them.
Drakina shook her head. ‘No one by that name. These men only survived because they had the good sense to flee when the dragon appeared.’
‘He didn’t make it,’ said Steiner. ‘Not Silverdust or Streig.’
‘Or Lieutenant Reka,’ added Felgenhauer. ‘And half a dozen of my men. All gone to their rest.’
‘There’s something you should know before you leave,’ said Drakina. ‘I’ve heard whispers on the wind. Something shocking has happened.’
‘You mean more shocking than Bittervinge trying to kill me and everyone I know?’ said Steiner.
‘Almost.’ Drakina stepped closer and dropped her voice. ‘They say two Imperial galleons were destroyed in the south. A Vigilant aboard managed to send a message, but it doesn’t make much sense. They say a sea creature rose up and attacked them near a small town called Dos Khor. Something about a young girl with vast powers summoning a leviathan.’
‘Kjellrunn.’ Steiner was suddenly very light-headed. ‘Frejna’s teeth, that’s my sister.’
‘We don’t know that, Steiner,’ replied Felgenhauer.
‘They’re calling her the Stormtide Prophet,’ said Drakina. ‘Everyone in Khlystburg is waiting for the Emperor to give the order to invade Shanisrond.’
Steiner hefted the sledgehammer. ‘Maybe we should get to Khlystburg and stop him from giving that order.’
‘Drakina,’ said Felgenhauer. ‘I may never see you again. Make sure people know what really happened here. Make sure they know why we rebelled, why we fought. Make sure they know why we’re fighting still.’ Drakina nodded.
‘I can wait no longer,’ said the schooner’s captain.
‘I’m ready,’ said Steiner. ‘Let’s find my father.’
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Kimi
They spent another night on the hilltop. Kimi had no desire to shelter in the cavern where she had been prisoner. A weary calmness settled over the three of them as they grieved and healed. Dawn came in a procession of gentle golds and somehow Taiga still had something worth eating in her bags. This alone felt like a miracle.
Kimi Enkhtuya. The artefact whispered her name cheerfully and Kimi allowed herself a smile as she pressed the jade dragon to her chest.
Izhoria remained free of the mist that had haunted them over long weeks of their journey and the way north was clear.
‘Frejna save me,’ muttered Tief. He was looking west from under the blade of his hand, squinting into the distance.
‘What is it?’ asked Kimi.
Tief extended an arm to where three dots floated in the sky.
‘Surely it can’t be …’ Taiga trailed off, a look of disbelief on her weary face.
‘We can’t outrun them,’ said Tief. The three dots were closer now, their outlines revealing wings and sinuous tails.
‘And we can’t fight them,’ added Taiga. ‘Not three of
them.’
Kimi walked over to where Veles’ head lay on the hillside. She took a moment to climb up on his neck, then rested her two-handed sword point downward on his brow, striking what she hoped was an intimidating pose.
‘What are you doing?’ asked Tief.
‘I’m a Yamal princess and a dragon slayer,’ said Kimi. ‘Even if no one lives to tell this tale, this is the way I’ll meet my end.’
The dragons swept in low and graceful over the swamps and banked around the hilltop before doubling back. One by one they landed, their wings sending ripples through the grass. Kimi recognised the nearest of them, the eggshell blue underside and scales that contained all the colours of autumn. It was the dragon she had conversed with from the prow of the Watcher’s Wait. She felt a stirring of hope. The dragons huffed and flapped their wings before settling down; one was azure while the other was a granite grey. Tief and Taiga edged closer to Kimi, who stared at the dragons with a look of patient resolve.
You killed Veles.
Kimi started in surprise. The last time she had seen the juvenile dragons they had been limited to thoughts and feelings, and that communication was only possible due to Sundra’s help.
‘You can speak now,’ said Kimi.
We have had many weeks to grow and master ourselves. We grow still, and there is much left to learn. You may call me Namarii.
‘Veles took us prisoner and killed one of my friends,’ said Kimi. ‘We had a reckoning.’
Namarii prowled closer; eyes the colour of amber surveyed the corpse and the dragon snorted a plume of smoke.
I know nothing of this dragon. He was not present with us when we were trapped beneath Vladibogdan. Namarii turned his gaze to the north-west, as if he might see the wretched island from half a world away. And this Veles did not come to free us. Just as well you put an end to him. Besides, he has no wings. Pitiful.
‘You don’t want revenge for your slain kin?’ said Kimi, almost too afraid to ask the question.
In truth, you are more kin to us than Veles ever was. You fed us in the darkness, treated our sores, wiped down our wings. Your words helped free us.
‘How did you know to find us here?’ asked Taiga, clutching her hands together.
Veles cried out as he died, he cried out with the arcane. Those who can hear such things cannot have missed his dying words. Every dragon and human who can whisper on the wind will know of his passing.
‘Shit,’ said Tief. ‘Every last Imperial soldier will be coming this way, coming to find us.’
Perhaps. Namarii shook his wings and settled down on the hilltop, crossing his claws like a cat. The Emperor has other problems. A young girl in the south channels powers far in excess of mine, and Bittervinge himself has escaped the Great Library, though I confess I do not know where this library is.
Kimi took a moment to ponder on all this. She stepped down from Veles’ carcass and laid her sword down. Tief looked at her with concern plain to see in his eyes.
‘What will you do now?’ said Kimi.
Many of my kin seek only to survive, grateful to be alive after so long in the darkness beneath Vladibogdan, but survival is not enough for us. We three seek vengeance on the Emperor. We do not desire dominion over man as the older dragons did, simply to see justice done. You feel the same the way. Namarii blinked the huge amber eyes. I can almost taste your need for it.
‘Well,’ said Tief with a broad smile. ‘If we’re all heading in the same direction perhaps you could give us a ride north—’
‘Tief!’ Kimi glared at him.
‘Why should Steiner be the only one to ride a dragon?’ countered Tief.
It will be as you say. Namarii looked around the hilltop But first we eat and then we rest.
‘What will you eat?’ asked Kimi. Nothing lived Izhoria, nothing edible. Namarii eyed Veles’ corpse and snorted a plume of smoke.
‘I can’t imagine he’ll taste too good,’ said Tief, making a sickened face.
We have eaten worse.
They left later that day, and Kimi’s head was full of plans even as her heart grieved for Marozvolk. One by one they took to the air on their vast mounts, awed at the prospect of gaining such powerful allies. Kimi felt the raw power of the dragon beneath her as she was borne aloft.
‘Nothing can stop me now,’ whispered Kimi as the wind whipped past and Namarii’s wings sped her towards Khlystburg and the Emperor.
Acknowledgements
While a novel may only have one name on the front it’s fair to say the manuscript passes through many hands before it reaches the reader. I’d like to thank the following people for helping to usher Stormtide into the world:
Firstly Natasha Bardon for taking a chance on the series (and on me).
Vicky Leech has been a powerhouse of enthusiasm, insight and a joy to work with.
As much as I love words I also love pictures, so thanks to Nicolette Caven for the map and Micaela Alcaino for my book covers.
My agent Julie Crisp has kept things ticking along nicely and I’m very grateful to her.
Jen Williams and Andrew Reid have always been on hand for moral support and a fine selection of GIFs.
Huge gratitude to Robin Hobb for not only reading Witchsign, but also reviewing it and offering a cover quote. It’s not unlike receiving an A* on a particularly long piece of coursework from a favourite teacher.
I’d like to mention Matt Rowan, not because he helped with the book per se, but because he’s a fine friend, cat-sitter and roller of odd-shaped dice.
Lastly I’d like to thank my wife for sleeping in late, so I can write uninterrupted in the mornings.
Also by Den Patrick
Witchsign
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