Dragon Rift: Riders of Fire, Book Three - A Dragons’ Realm Novel

by Eileen Mueller

  A few ran off, but two stubborn tharuks remained—a beast with only one ear and another with missing fingers.

  The mage threw Kierion his sword. “You dropped this.”

  “Thanks.” Kierion snatched it out of the air and lunged, parrying One Ear’s claws. He hit its arm.

  The mage shot more flame at Fingerless. Then he aimed his fire at Kierion’s sword. Green flames ran along his blade until it blazed red-hot.

  With one look at the glowing sword, One Ear snarled, “Retreat.”

  As the beasts ran off, the wizard shot two last fireballs at their backs, felling them to the snow. Mage flame consumed the writhing beasts until they were burned carcasses.

  The forest was suddenly quiet, except for crackling fire and Kierion and the mage’s harsh breathing. The stench of tharuk and mage fire hung in the air.

  “Kierion?”

  This strange mage knew him?

  The mage pushed his hood off his face to reveal blond hair and startling green eyes. “Is that you, Kierion?”

  It couldn’t be. Not here, in the middle of nowhere, so far north. “Fenni?”

  His friend clapped him on the back. “Hey, long time, no see.”

  “By the Egg, am I glad to see you.”

  Fenni grinned. “My turn to save your sorry carcass.”

  Kierion kicked at the snow. “Did your ma ever forgive me for stringing up her chickens?”

  Fenni laughed, shaking his head. “You had to have the last word before we left, didn’t you?”

  “I am so glad that wizard was here to help you,” Riona mind-melded. “How do you know him?”

  “I helped him out of a few scrapes in Montanara.”

  “No doubt, after you helped him into them first.” Riona, circling above them, snorted. “Follow me, I’ll take you to Adelina.” She flew over the treetops.

  “My friend, Adelina, is back there. We have to help her.”

  Kierion and Fenni followed Riona, jogging through the dirty snow. Acrid smoke from mage flame hung in wisps among the trees.

  Fenni gazed up at Riona wistfully. “Must be amazing, riding a dragon.”

  “It is, but it’s the bond that’s the best. Mind-melding. Nothing quite like it. What are you doing all the way up here? I thought you were staying in Master Giddi’s cabin.”

  “We’re up at Mage Gate for the wizard trials.”

  A long way to come. “How’d you go?”

  Fenni grinned. “I thought I was a goner, but I passed my trials. Seems they’d pitted me against some Naobian master mage.” Fenni blew his breath out. “Jael’s about our age, so I didn’t know he was a master. Even though I lost most of our duels, I still passed.”

  Naobian? “What does he look like?”

  “Our age, dark hair to his shoulders, dark eyes and skin.” Fenni shrugged. “You know, Naobian, I guess.”

  Sounded like Roberto. Maybe that was the man Septimor had seen.

  “There are a whole lot of Naobian mages here, and more from Spanglewood. Never knew there were so many wizards around. I thought most of them went through the world gate years ago. What about you? How long have you been a dragon rider?”

  “Just a few days.”

  “And they let you—Ssh, what’s that?” Suddenly alert, Fenni held a hand up, sparks flitting from his fingertips.

  Kierion’s hand flew to his sword. A fox broke out of the underbrush and ran off. “Thank the Egg that wasn’t a tharuk. Come on, I don’t know what’s up with Adelina, but we’d better hurry. Things are way too quiet.”

  “I prefer the quiet to those stinking beasts snarling,” Fenni said as they picked up their pace.

  “Adelina’s just through those trees,” Riona melded.

  “Any tharuks around?” Kierion asked.

  “Just dead ones.” Riona’s tone was full of grim satisfaction—and worry.

  Kierion and Fenni rounded a strongwood trunk. A huge tharuk was sprawled in the snow among a tangle of branches. It was dead, its neck bent. Beyond it lay Adelina. Face pale and lips tinged blue, she was unconscious. “Dragon’s teeth.” Kierion leaped over the beast and ran to her.

  He held his fingers under her nose. Still breathing. Felt her pulse. Heart beating. Covered in scratches and bruises, she had gashes on her legs. He picked her up, cradling her against his chest.

  “Wait.” Fenni took off his cloak and tucked it around her. “Hang on for a moment. She’s half frozen. You don’t want her to die on the way to Dragons’ Hold.” Fenni ran his hands over her limbs and face. Adelina’s skin lost that blue tinge. Her icy body grew warmer against Kierion’s chest.

  Kierion raised an eyebrow. Useful skill. They had to get her home before more tharuks came.

  They traipsed through the trees until they found somewhere the dragons could land. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that Adelina was hurt?” Kierion demanded of Riona.

  “Quite frankly, you were in no position to help. You had tharuks breathing down your neck.”

  Adelina’s head lolled against his shoulder. What if she didn’t survive? Anger surged in Kierion’s chest. “Don’t withhold information from me again,” he snapped at Riona. “Ever. If we’re partners, we can’t have secrets.”

  “I realize now that I should have told you.”

  Linaia nuzzled Adelina’s face, her breath gusting over Kierion’s neck.

  “She’s worried about her rider,” said Riona.

  “So am I,” Kierion admitted. Something fierce stirred in his chest. He wanted to protect Adelina, make sure she was never hurt again.

  “Linaia wants to help,” Riona said.

  The sapphire dragon sat on her haunches, holding out her front limbs. She wanted to hold Adelina. That made sense. He couldn’t climb into the saddle with Adelina in his arms. He passed her to Linaia and climbed on Riona’s back.

  Fenni steadied Adelina as Linaia passed her back to Kierion. “Hang onto my cloak,” he said. “It might come in handy. It’s magicked to make you invisible.”

  “I’ll get it back to you.”

  “Nah, keep it. I have a spare.” Fenni hesitated.

  “What is it?”

  Fenni’s brow crinkled. “You know, we fought well together, back there. I think we should practice together. This dumb prejudice about wizards and riders stops us from being our best.”

  Kierion tilted his head. “You’re right. I would’ve been dead without you. Besides, you need a ride on a dragon. I’ll meet you at dawn here, the day after tomorrow. Unless Adelina …” What if she didn’t recover?

  An icy hole yawned in Kierion’s belly. She had to get better.

  “She’ll be fine,” said Fenni. “See you then.”

  Wings flapping, Riona lifted off. Linaia flew beside them, crooning. Kierion gazed down at Adelina’s tiny form, cradled against his chest. By the dragon gods, hopefully she’d be all right.

  A chill wind sliced through his damp clothes, and he shivered.

  Recovery

  By the time they landed on the broad infirmary ledge, Kierion’s backside was numb and Adelina’s face was as pale as when he and Fenni had found her. The wizard cloak had protected her from the worst of the chill, but it hadn’t been enough.

  “I’ve melded with Liesar, so Marlies is prepared,” Riona said.

  Kierion sighed in relief. The master healer was the best in the realm. If she couldn’t heal Adelina, no one could. He swallowed. Gods, it had better not come to that.

  The infirmary door opened and Marlies rushed onto the ledge. Riona landed and Linaia dropped to the snow beside them and held her forelegs out for Adelina. Kierion handed her over carefully, then slid to the ground.

  Marlies frowned, her turquoise eyes flitting from Adelina to Kierion. “Let’s get her inside.”

  Kierion lifted Adelina out of Linaia’s limbs and strode after Marlies into the infirmary. Warmth from a blazing fire hit him.

  “Over here.” Marlies indicated a bed near the fire.

  Kierion lay Ad
elina on it.

  Whipping off the mage cloak, Marlies rolled it into a tight bundle and handed it to Kierion. “You’d better put this somewhere before someone sees it,” she said in a low voice, glancing at a patient in a nearby bed.

  Possessing a mage cloak would get him into trouble? He’d known riders didn’t like mages, but things were worse than he’d thought. Kierion stowed it under the bed, and eased his aching body into a nearby chair.

  Marlies examined Adelina’s eyes and ears and felt her head for injuries. “She’s taken a blow here, at the back. That’s probably what’s knocked her out. Would you mind lighting this candle?” She passed him a stub.

  When Kierion returned, Marlies held the flame near Adelina’s face, lifting her eyelids and examining her pupils. “They’re still dilating, so she should be fine. It’ll just take time until she wakes, but we’ll need to monitor her and keep her warm.”

  Seeing the wounds marring Adelina’s legs roused fierce protectiveness in Kierion again, like a burning in his chest. Strange. He’d never noticed that when anyone else had been hurt. He shrugged. Actually, it wasn’t weird at all. He’d been trying to hide how he’d felt about Adelina ever since he’d met her. Her cute smile was part of the reason he’d agreed to go with her this morning. Maybe he shouldn’t have. Maybe she wouldn’t have gone then. Or she could’ve gone on her own. That could’ve ended much worse.

  Anyway, him liking her could never lead anywhere. She was way too young. Kierion sighed.

  Marlies treated and bound Adelina’s legs. “Now, let’s look at you,” she said, fists on hips. “Into that bed.”

  “But I—”

  “Go on. No protesting. First, get that wet gear off.”

  His injuries were throbbing so badly, Marlies had to help Kierion strip off his shirt.

  “Those are some nasty gashes there. Tharuk claws by the looks of things. You’re lucky they weren’t limplocked.”

  “Limplock’s the stuff Lovina was poisoned with when she came to Dragons’ Hold, isn’t it?”

  Marlies nodded. “It paralyzes you slowly over days, starting with your limbs and working its way inward until your heart gives out. Terrible stuff. Luckily, we developed an antidote years ago. Although I need to make more because our supplies are low.” She gave a grim smile, rubbing healing salve on his ribs, the ache easing. Tilting her head, she looked at his throat. “How does it feel when you breathe?’

  “A bit rough.”

  “Hmm.” She rubbed salve into his throat around his neck. “Any better?”

  “Still feels odd when I breathe.”

  “The tissue must be swollen.” She held up a vial of green juice.

  “Piaua?”

  She nodded, rubbing it into his neck. His throat grew hot and the discomfort eased.

  “I’m going to have to use piaua juice on these gashes.” Marlies tipped a drop in one of the wounds 1777 had made.

  “Shards.” It stung, like wildfire racing through the wound. Before his eyes, the flesh knitted over. She worked on the next gouge. “A shame tharuks have claws,” Kierion joked lamely.

  Marlies didn’t laugh. “A shame they exist at all.”

  That’s right. Marlies had returned from Death Valley only two moons ago. It was doubtful she’d ever joke about tharuks.

  “These should keep you warm until I get you some more clothes. I’m not having you put sodden ones back on.” She covered Kierion’s naked torso with blankets. “Right, that’s better.”

  “Um. There’s one thing.”

  “Yes?”

  “Do you mind not telling Lars that I was out fighting tharuks?” he whispered.

  “Kierion, I think—”

  “Please,” he wheedled, “I’ll find whatever herbs you need for limplock remedy.”

  Marlies shook her head, chuckling.

  “And please don’t mention I was with a wizard. Riders really should fight with mages. It’s much more efficient.”

  “I agree.” She nodded.

  “You do? We should do something about it,” Kierion said.

  “Can you keep an eye on Adelina while I help a patient back to his quarters? I’ll be back soon.”

  “Sure,” Kierion replied, but as Marlies turned her back, his eyes were already drifting shut.

  §

  Adelina opened her eyes. She had a pounding headache. Gods, where was she? In a bed. With rows of more beds along the walls—the infirmary. So, she’d made it back to Dragons’ Hold. The last thing she’d known, she’d been fighting that tharuk in a tree. Shards, her head hurt, especially at the back. She ran her fingers over her skull. There was a huge tender egg. No wonder her head throbbed.

  She flexed her leg. All good. Marlies must’ve healed her with piaua.

  Kierion was sleeping in the neighboring bed, breathing softly, looking peaceful without his usual mischievous grin. His blankets had slipped, revealing his wide shoulders and a broad chest that tapered to a narrow waist. Shards, she hadn’t realized he had so many muscles.

  “Hi, sleepyhead,” Kierion said softly.

  He’d woken. Her eyes flew to his and her face grew hot. Claws, she’d been caught gawking at him.

  “How are you feeling?” He threw his blankets back, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. A shaft of pale sunlight caught the fine blond hair on his tanned chest, making it glint. He was watching her, an odd expression on his face.

  Adelina slid her eyes away.

  His brow creased. “Hey, Adelina, are you all right?” He knelt by the side of her bed, his chest and shoulders even with her face.

  “Um, I’m fine.” Mouth dry, she swallowed.

  “You must be thirsty. Here, have this.” Kierion helped her to sit, and passed her a cup from her bedside table, those sharding muscles flexing right in front of her.

  “Um, thanks.” The cool water helped.

  He grabbed a clean shirt from the foot of his bed and tugged it on, then put on a clean jerkin.

  “Are you going already?”

  He settled in a chair by her bed, patting her hand. “No, Adelina, I’m not going anywhere until you’re well.” For once he wasn’t smiling.

  Rumble Weed

  “Flame it, Kierion.” Lars stomped over to the fire and turned to face him. “I called you a fool last time, but at least you showed promise. Now you’ve proved you’re nothing but a sharding fool. Please explain how Adelina got hurt so badly by tharuks?”

  Behind Lars, the fire crackled in the grate, devouring the kindling.

  “It was my idea, sir.” She’d been feeling unwell for a day now, so there was no way Kierion was going to lay the blame at Adelina’s feet. “I thought we could use a little combat practice.” Kierion was surprised the lies fell so glibly from his tongue, but the alternative was unthinkable. Adelina’s brother was missing. In the infirmary earlier that day, she’d told him that the council hadn’t done anything about it. Not retrieving one of their own masters? That rankled. He couldn’t land her in the dung. She was miserable enough already.

  “So, you endangered a fellow rider, a young one at that, and two dragons—just to have fun?”

  “It wasn’t really fun, sir.” Even though Marlies had healed them, Kierion’s ribs still ached.

  “No, fighting tharuks isn’t,” thundered Lars. “Why are you such an irresponsible whelp?” His boots stomped on stone, like a battle drum.

  “I’m sorry, sir.”

  Flames leaped up, licking at a log. The wood issued a high-pitched squeak as the tortured air inside it tried to escape.

  “I don’t want you to be sorry. I want you to stop being so impulsive. Think before you act.” Lars exhaled forcefully. “You missed kitchen duty as well.”

  “They hardly need me there, sir,” Kierion muttered.

  Lars shook his head. “You were given kitchen duty to remind you to think about the consequences of your actions. From now on, it’s your top priority. Organize kitchen duty before anything else. Got that?”

&n
bsp; “Yes, sir.”

  “And Kierion, although you might be willing to risk your own neck, don’t ever risk your dragon or another rider again.”

  As if he’d ever risk Riona.

  Lars glared. “Have I made myself clear?”

  “Yes, sir, crystal clear.”

  “You’re dismissed,” Lars barked, eyes still fierce.

  Kierion left Lars’ cavern, the heavy wooden door thudding shut. Thank the Egg, Lars didn’t know he’d been with a mage. He’d put him on kitchen duty for the rest of his life.

  “Kierion, I have an idea,” melded Riona. “We’ll lay a trap to catch some tharuks, then I’ll flame them.” Riona showed him an image of her, bleeding out on the snow. When tharuks approached, she snarled, and flapped her wings helplessly, but when they got closer, she burned them.

  Shards, it was brilliant, although he’d have to find some fake blood and a waterskin to put it in. Hang on. What was he thinking? He’d just promised Lars he wouldn’t risk his dragon. “No, Riona. You heard Lars. I’m not to put you in danger.”

  “You? Put me in danger? Who do you think you are? It’s my decision. Nothing to do with you or Lars. Besides, we’re meeting your mage friend, and he’s a fair shot with a fireball.”

  Kierion laughed. “Well, Lars did tell me to organize kitchen duty. He never said I have to do it myself.”

  Riona chuckled. “Before dawn again?”

  “Too right,” Kierion replied. “That’s when Fenni agreed to meet us.”

  §

  “Quick, they’ll be here any minute.” Leah squeezed into the cupboard beside Mara, wrinkling her nose. “Oh, this is tight. Here, let’s move these pails.” She nested the wooden pails inside one another, shoving them against the back wall.

  Mara moved a soggy mop to one side. “Turn those pails upside down and I’ll sit on them.”

  Mara got the comfortable seat, while Leah sat on the cold stone, hugging her knees.

  “Hurry, they’re coming,” hissed Mara. She grabbed the door, pulling it shut, nearly slamming her fingers. A tiny slit of light came through a crack in the door, giving them a narrow view of the cavern.