Dragonvein

by Brian D. Anderson

  “I have some pork for tonight,” Jeb said. “But if you want meat after that, you’ll need to go hunting.” He gestured to the bows on the wall.

  “We don’t intend to stay for long,” said Markus. “As soon as Jonas is able, we’ll be off.”

  Jeb nodded. “I understand. But he seems very ill. It may be a few days at least.”

  “I can hunt,” announced Kat, proudly. “My fath…” She bit her lip. “I mean, I learned when I was a small girl. I can set traps and snares too.”

  “You’re still a small girl,” teased Jeb. “What are you going to hunt for? Mice?”

  Kat pretended to be offended by glaring at him and folding her arms tightly across her chest.

  “I’ll hunt if the need arises,” said Markus.

  “I’ll help,” added Ethan.

  Markus let out a good-natured laugh. “You? You’re about as quiet as a thunderstorm. How the Krauts never…”

  His voice trailed off. Both Kat and Jeb were looking confused by the unfamiliar reference. Markus’ face hardened. “Anyway, I’ll go alone if we need anything.”

  It wasn’t long before the fire was burning and the lodge was filled with the smell of roasting pork. After they ate, Ethan went to check on Jonas. Sweat was beading on the old man’s brow and he had kicked off his blanket.

  Kat joined him a minute later. “Where are you really from?” she asked.

  Ethan regarded her steadily. “I’ll tell you, if you tell me. I heard you almost mention your father. Don’t you still have family?”

  Kat ignored the question. “You and Markus sound like you’ve known each other for a long time. And you say things that…well…they just don’t make sense. What are Krauts? And what did you do to him that made him so angry at you?”

  She waited for a reply, but Ethan just continued to stare at her. Eventually, she sighed. “If you must know, I ran away from home three years ago before my father could send me away.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  Kat shook her head and wagged her finger. “No, no. I told you something. Now you tell me something. That’s how this works.”

  Ethan considered his next words carefully. “Okay. I come from a place that’s very far from here. Markus is angry because it’s my fault he’s here instead of back there.”

  “Your fault?” she repeated. “How could it be your fault?”

  He wagged his finger, mirroring her gesture. “Like you said – that’s not how this works.”

  Jonas moaned loudly, capturing their attention and driving other thoughts aside.

  Kat placed a hand on his forehead. “He’s burning up.” Her voice was filled with concern. “I’ll get some water and rags.”

  Ethan hurriedly grabbed a stool from the corner and pulled it beside the bed. The old man’s head was thrashing wildly from side to side, flinging droplets of sweat in all directions.

  “I’m sorry, My Lord,” he groaned. “I’m sorry. I should have never…I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”

  Witnessing such fevered rambling was not a new experience for Ethan. When he was a boy he had watched his mother nurse one of their neighbor’s children through scarlet fever. The poor girl had called for her father over and over, crying out that she was all alone, even though in truth her father had never once left her side. After recovering, she had no memory whatsoever of this.

  “It’s all right,” Ethan said in a soothing tone. He wiped the sweat from Jonas’ brow with his sleeve. “I forgive you.”

  “I’m sorr…I…I didn’t…” His voice faded into soft, incoherent mumblings.

  A short while later Kat returned with a bowl of water and a rag.

  “I’ll tend to him tonight,” she said.

  Ethan got up and returned to the dining room. Markus was sipping on a cup of wine and staring into the fire. Through the window he could see Jeb sitting on the porch, oiling his sword.

  “What will you do if he dies?” Markus asked.

  Ethan took a seat. “I don’t know. I guess I should continue on to the mountains. What else can I do?”

  Markus turned away from the fire and cocked his head. “My days with the Hareesh are over. If he dies, you should come with me to Al-Theona.”

  “And do what?”

  Markus paused. “You’re going to have to learn to get by in this world somehow.” He drained his cup. “But I suppose a boy scout like you wouldn’t be interested in the life I have to offer.”

  “That depends,” said Ethan.

  As he spoke, he saw Jeb rise from his chair and sheath his sword. A moment later the thief walked in the door. “I’ll be leaving in the morning,” he told them.

  He reached in his pocket and tossed Ethan a round wooden token with the image of a snake engraved on either side. “If any of the Corvali show up after I’m gone, show that to them. They’ll leave you in peace.”

  Ethan nodded his thanks and shoved it in his pocket. Jeb moved on down the hall and into one of the bedrooms.

  “You should get some rest,” Markus said.

  “What about you?”

  “I think I’ll keep watch for a while,” he replied. “You never know who might be lurking about.”

  Ethan looked in on Jonas just before going to find a room. Kat was still sitting at his bedside holding a damp cloth on his forehead. A little of his color had returned and he had stopped moaning.

  “His fever is going down,” she told him. “I think he’ll be all right.”

  “You should rest,” Ethan suggested.

  “I will,” she replied. “In a while.”

  He shook his head, marveling how at Kat could transform from a small girl into a streetwise thief, then in an instant, to a caring mother. “Wake me if you need anything,” he told her before leaving.

  After finding an empty bed two doors along, he lay down straight away. Sleep came rapidly. The stress of the day had him drifting into a dreamless slumber within seconds of his head touching the pillow.

  The next morning he woke to the clatter of pots and the smell of porridge. Even though his muscles still ached, he stretched and got up almost immediately.

  In the dining room he was amazed to see it was Jonas busy preparing the breakfast. Kat was at the table blowing the steam from a cup of what smelled like hot tea, while Markus was sitting beside the window staring intently into the surrounding forest.

  “Looks like you’re feeling better?” Ethan remarked.

  Jonas glanced up and sat a bowl on the table for him. “I’m stronger than I look. And Kat is an excellent nurse.”

  She smiled weakly at the compliment and took a cautious sip from her cup.

  “Is Jeb gone?” he asked.

  Jonas nodded. “Yes. And we should be going as soon as possible too.”

  Ethan sat down in front of the bowl. After eating, he began to gather his things.

  “Are you sure you can travel?” he asked, tossing his pack near the door.

  “The question is, can you fight,” snapped Markus before Jonas had time to reply. Leaping up from his chair, he drew his sword. “It seems that you were wrong about your friend, Kat.”

  She tossed her cup aside and raced to the window, Ethan and Jonas on her heels. At the point where the trees became dense they spotted four men in the same Imperial uniforms as the soldiers they had encountered in Miltino. Two of these were holding vicious looking broadswords, and the other pair, longbows.

  “What should we do?” asked Jonas, fear seeping into his voice.

  “Nothing,” Markus replied. “There’s a rear exit, but it’s likely being watched.” He cast an accusing look at Kat. “I guess we know now why Jeb was in such a hurry to leave.”

  Her face was red with fury. “I’ll kill him. I swear it.”

  “We have to get the hell out of here first,” Markus pointed out caustically.

  From the thick of the foliage, a fifth man appeared. He was dressed in black leathers and wore a cloth cap. His keen eyes shifted from side to side as h
e indicated to the others the positions they should take.

  “A bloody Grendil,” spat Markus.

  “A what?” asked Ethan.

  “An Imperial tracker,” he replied. “I’ve dealt with them before. Mean bastards. And good at what they do.”

  The Grendil took a few long strides toward the house. His voice carried clearly. “Throw down your arms and come out.”

  While the other three looked at one another with uncertainty, Markus reacted quickly by taking down a bow and quiver from the wall. “I don’t suppose any of you are good with one of these?” he asked.

  His question was met by silence. Grumbling, he notched an arrow and peered out of the window.

  “I’ll ask you only once more,” shouted the Grendil. “Come out…now.”

  Markus crept to the door, motioning for Ethan to follow. “Open it on three,” he instructed.

  Ethan nodded and reached for the handle. Drawing back the bowstring, Markus silently mouthed, one…two…three.

  The instant the door flew open, Markus jumped out onto the porch and let fly his arrow. The deadly missile streaked toward the Grendil, but it was a hurried shot and Markus’ aim was slightly off. The arrow thudded into a tree just to the Grendil’s left. With rage on his face, he moved quickly back.

  “Burn it!” roared the Grendil. “Burn the place to the ground.”

  “That was your plan?” Jonas chided as Markus jumped back inside and the door slammed.

  He shrugged and tossed the bow on the floor. “I didn’t hear you suggest anything.”

  “So what now?” Ethan asked. His fear was tempered by his training and battle experience.

  Markus drew his sword. “We die by fire…or by blade.”

  Kat was trembling and clutching at Jonas’ sleeve. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and did his best to give her a reassuring smile.

  Two or three tense minutes passed without anything happening. Then they heard three loud thumps sound on the roof. A second later the window shattered as two blazing torches were heaved inside. Ethan scrambled to pick them up, but the ends were covered in an oily, tar-like substance that left a trail of flame as it rolled across the floor.

  The dry timbers of the lodge went up as if soaked in kerosene. Smoke rapidly began to fill the room. It was obvious they had to get out quickly.

  Markus waved everyone toward the front door. “Stay on my back,” he ordered. “We’ll try to outrun them.”

  “Or you could just come this way,” called a voice from behind them. It was Jeb.

  Kat released Jonas and ran headlong into the thief’s arms.

  “You didn’t think I’d leave you?” he asked playfully.

  “I knew you wouldn’t turn us in,” wept Kat.

  “Yes,” said Markus. “But how did you know they were coming?”

  “Explanations can wait,” he replied sharply. “Grab your packs and come on. There’s a tunnel that will take us a few hundred yards south of here.”

  He led them down the hall and into the last bedroom on the right. The bed here had been thrown aside, revealing an open trapdoor. One by one they descended down a wooden ladder to a narrow tunnel.

  “They won’t know what’s happened until after they search the rubble,” said Jeb. “By then we’ll be long gone.”

  The utter darkness of the passage forced them to advance slowly. When they eventually reached the end, Jeb pushed open a flap just above his head.

  Everyone emerged blinking into the daylight and gulping fresh air. But the need to press on was urgent. They made their way due south as fast as possible for a mile or so, then east until reaching a shallow brook. After taking them across, Jeb turned south again, crisscrossing the stream several more times along the way. Three hours passed before they halted.

  “That won’t fool the Grendil for long,” said Jeb. “But it will sure slow him down a bit.”

  “How did you know about him?” asked Kat.

  Jeb’s face became tense and his eyes burned. “I found my comrades on the trail early this morning. They had both been tortured and killed.”

  “They must have told the soldiers where to find us,” Jonas said, contempt in his voice.

  Jeb flashed him an angry look. “I’m sure they did. Pain can loosen any man’s tongue. But I wager they lasted longer than a soft old fool like you would have.”

  Jonas lowered his eyes. “Forgive me. I spoke hastily. I’m sorry your friends are dead. And I thank you for saving us.”

  Jeb’s features softened. “After what they did to my friends, I wasn’t about to let them have you as well. From the look of the bodies, they held out for a long time before talking.”

  “Brave men,” remarked Markus. “You have my sympathies.”

  “You can keep your sympathies,” Jeb retorted. “I want to know why they are after you.”

  “They’re after me,” said Ethan. “They don’t care about the rest.”

  Jonas shot him a cautionary look.

  This did not go unnoticed by Jeb. “You can trust me to keep your secrets.”

  “As you so rightly pointed out,” Markus told him, “Pain can loosen even a strong man’s tongue. You’re better off not knowing.”

  Jeb scrutinized Ethan for a long moment, as if trying to see what was going on inside his head. Finally, he nodded. “Very well. But you should at least let me take Kat with me. I have a feeling that your road is far more dangerous than mine.”

  “I’m staying with them,” Kat insisted.

  He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “But why? What do you owe them?”

  She smiled up at him. “Nothing. I just…I just know that I must.”

  “You should listen to Jeb,” Jonas eased in. His tone was one of a concerned father. “He seems to be a good man. He’ll look after you, I’m sure.”

  Kat swung around to face him, frowning. “I don’t need looking after. I go where I want.”

  Jonas was unmoved by her sudden sharpness. “Did you not say that a princess always pays her debts? Did Jeb not just save your life?”

  “And I will repay him,” she countered. “But first I have to…I…”

  She hesitated, lost for words. Eventually, she flicked a frustrated hand. “I just know I need to go with you, that’s all.”

  Jeb sighed. “You are your own woman now, so I won’t force you to come my way. But if you change your mind, you know how to find me.”

  A tiny smile grew from the corners of Kat’s mouth. She embraced him tightly. “Thank you. And I really will repay you one day.”

  “I know you will, lass.” He eased away from her and turned to the others. “You’d better not linger. The Grendil will be on your trail soon enough. But if you press your pace you can stay well ahead of him.”

  Markus nodded respectfully. “Thank you again.”

  Jeb chuckled. “You’re not as I imagined, Specter. And for that I am grateful. I would speak with you privately before I go.”

  This time Markus did not deny the name and followed him to a spot several yards away. They talked in whispers for a couple of minutes before returning to the others.

  Jonas and Ethan said goodbye to Jeb, and Kat gave him a final fond embrace.

  “You see,” she said proudly as they watched him vanish into the forest. “Thieves aren’t all bad.”

  “So it seems,” said Jonas.

  “What did he say to you?” Ethan asked Markus.

  “Nothing that concerns you,” he said abruptly.

  They headed east as fast as they could manage. Markus constantly checked for signs of pursuit, but to everyone’s’ great relief he could find no cause for concern. Making things even better, Jonas’ illness appeared to be completely gone and he was easily keeping pace. Though it was well into the evening before they stopped, he was showing no signs of fatigue.

  The meager meal they shared that night was far from satisfying, but their lack of provisions prevented anything more than a small repast.
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br />   Jonas positioned himself by the fire directly across from where Kat was settling into her bedroll. After a few minutes she could feel his gaze and sat up.

  “How long have you known you could use magic?” he asked.

  Kat scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

  Jonas smiled and held up his hand. “Calm down. There is nothing to fear.”

  She took a step back, as if readying herself to flee. “I don’t use magic.”

  “Of course you do,” he said. “And if you had the proper training you’d be quite good at it.”

  “When did she use magic?” asked Ethan. “I didn’t see it.”

  Jonas laughed. “That’s because she has become very skilled at hiding it.” He turned to Kat. “Haven’t you?”

  She stood silent, a terrified look plastered across her face.

  Ethan moved toward her. For a moment it looked as if she would run, but he held out his hand and gave her a friendly smile. “Come on. You’re safe with us. I promise.”

  Kat allowed herself to be sat back down.

  “I suspected it when we first met Specter in the street,” Jonas began. “She vanished in an instant. Still, I wasn’t certain. It was possible she was just very quick. Besides, a thief would be good at disappearing. But when we were at the lodge, then I knew for sure.”

  Kat wrapped her arms around her knees and began rocking back and forth. “How did you know?” Her voice cracked; tears welled in her eyes.

  “Because you healed me of course,” he replied.

  Markus leaned back on his elbows and nodded. “I thought it was odd…you recovering so quickly and all.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” Kat insisted.

  “Not intentionally, no,” Jonas said. “But you have a natural gift. I’ve felt healing magic many times. And I could feel it coming from you as you cared for me.”

  Kat was now weeping openly.

  “Why are you crying?” asked Ethan. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “I’m a monster!” she shouted. “An unnatural monster!”

  “You are nothing of the sort,” snapped Jonas. “Magical ability is a gift.”

  “But she’s right,” said Markus. “People would see her that way if they knew.”