She used her quiver, which was still full of arrows tipped with broad arrowheads made of dwarfish steel, to secure the two pieces of the staff. The quiver had its own leather belt and, after a little work, she had the staff and quiver tied securely to her back using the quiver’s belt. She was cold and tired, and her breath made thick clouds of steam as she breathed, but she didn’t have time to worry about how she felt. The dragon was busy melting the snow with its fiery breath, but it was in the middle of the canyon while she was near the side of the mountain. She moved as quickly as she could through the thick snow. Her legs were soon burning from the exertion, and the cold air felt as though it was searing her lungs, but she didn’t stop.
At one point the dragon managed to see her, but it only gave her a passing glance. The beast was obviously in pain and unable to fly, but its strength was enormous and there seemed to be no end to the fire it was able to spew from its gaping maw. Great clouds of steam rose around it from the melting snow, and the dragon’s shining scales were now covered with mud and filth.
It took Brianna an hour to get back to where Zollin lay. Her quivering legs and shaking hands could barely support her as she crawled back down into the hole. Zollin was asleep. His skin was ashen and his breathing shallow. She settled on top of him, trying her best not to hurt him, but there was no way to make more room in the hole. She could have used her knife to dig into the snow, but it would fallen onto Zollin. She had no way to get it out of the hole. So she arranged herself as best she could and then tried to gently wake him up.
Zollin had been dreaming. He was deep in the dream, so deep that leaving the dream world was painful. He had seen a castle on a shining sea and heard a melodic voice calling to him. Inside the castle he had found a woman with a gown that seemed to glow as if it were made of pure light. She had been calling to him, and he wanted nothing more than to stay with her, but then he heard another voice, a familiar voice. It too called his name; it called him out of the castle and back into the cold, painful world. He didn’t want to go, but the voice made the dream grow dim and even though he refused to leave, the dream moved further and further away. The woman in the glowing gown receded, and soon his eyes were flickering open.
Brianna was looking down at him, her face bright red from cold and exertion. Her dark hair seemed like the exact opposite of the woman in his dream, and at first he resented her. Why had she been so insistent that he wake? Why couldn’t she just let him go?
“Oh, thank God,” she said. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to wake up. I got the staff . . .” She hesitated. “But it’s broken, Zollin. I don’t know if it’s going to work.”
She pulled the pieces of the broken staff from over her shoulder, like Mansel drawing his sword. Zollin reached up, and his arms felt so heavy it took all his strength just to reach for the staff, but he managed it. He could feel the magic inside the wood. If felt small, but it was there.
“I can feel it,” he said.
“You can feel the magic?” Brianna asked.
“Yes. It’s there. Do we have any more wine?”
“Only a little.”
“I need it,” he said.
She lifted his head and let the last of the wine dribble into his open mouth. The entire process was painful. Zollin’s head hurt, not just an aching pain, but it was sore to the touch, especially the back of his head. His neck was stiff too, and every muscle in his shoulders and neck seemed to cramp as he moved. He swallowed the wine and let the liquid warm him. Normally he felt the heat from the wine spread through his body, but this time it disappeared as it slid down his throat and into his stomach. He knew it was there, but he couldn’t feel it.
Then, clutching both pieces of the staff, he closed his eyes. He let the magic from the staff carry him. It was like floating on water. He let his mind dive deep inside his body. It was hard; the magic seemed weak, and Zollin didn’t know if that was because the staff had been broken or if it was simply because he had grown so accustomed to his own power, which had dwarfed that of the staff. Still, he was able to use the magic of the staff to feel his way through the muscle and bone and find the fractures in his back. He healed the bones and cartilage easily enough, but the damage to the delicate nerves in his spinal cord also needed to be healed. He had to sort through hundreds of hair-like tendrils, identifying each one and checking to see if it was broken or severed. If it was, he healed it only after finding the right pieces. It was slow and exhausting work, but eventually his spine was completely healed. His pain had increased with each connection he made, but finally he felt his own magic again. It felt like the only warm thing in his body.
He took his time making sure nothing else was broken or seriously damaged, but he found nothing else wrong. He was bruised all along his back and down his legs. He knew his skin was black and blue, and the muscles were stiff from lying on the ice for so long. But fortunately, the cold had kept the swelling down. He took a few moments to heal the spots where frostbite had set in. His toes were beginning to freeze, but with a touch of magic they warmed, the wasted flesh returning to life as his magic passed through them. All that was left to do now was to loosen the aching muscles, which he could do either using his magic or the old-fashioned way. But the sound of the dragon roaring and thrashing in the ice and snow not far away was all the motivation he needed to get moving.
“I think I can get up now,” he said to Brianna.
She had been watching him nervously. Time had seemed to pass so slowly as he lay perfectly still, each hand clutching a piece of his broken staff. When his eyes fluttered open she felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. Hope appeared like the sun after a long, terrifying night.
“Oh, let me get up,” she said.
Zollin waited while Brianna propped herself up on the icy walls. Her face was red with cold, and her eyes watched him nervously.
“I think I’m okay,” he assured her. “Just really stiff. My back was broken, but I healed it. You saved my life.”
“Of course I did,” she said jokingly. “What did you expect?”
“I don’t know,” he said through gritted teeth as he raised his knees. “I sort of thought I was going to die.”
“I would never let that happen,” she teased.
“Can you give me a hand?”
She stepped carefully down where his feet had been. It was the first time she had been in the hole and not directly on top of him. She held out both hands and he took them, letting the staff fall to either side of his body as she pulled him up. Every muscle screamed in pain. Bones popped in their sockets, and blood rushed to his head. Zollin swayed dizzily, shutting his eyes and holding onto Brianna until the waves of dizziness and nausea passed. Then he flexed each muscle, bending his legs and rising up on his toes. The muscles were sore, but still strong enough. His stomach burned with hunger and his mouth was dry.
“We need to get out of here,” he said.
“Can you climb?
“No, but I can get myself out of this hole.”
“The surface is all loose snow. It’s hard to move through,” she told him.
“Well, we can’t stay here.”
“I know, I just wanted you to be sure. I’ll go first and then you can follow me. That way you won’t have to break a trail. Where are we going?”
“Away from the dragon,” Zollin said. “I’m not strong enough for another fight.”
“Okay, that sounds like a good plan to me,” she agreed.
Brianna climbed to the top of their hole and peered out. She could see the billowing clouds of steam where the dragon was thrashing. It was a good distance from them, but she still felt a sense of urgency. She climbed out of the hole and began trudging through the snow. Zollin watched her go, then picked up their supplies. Just bending over was painful and reminded Zollin of how sore he used to get after spending days hauling wood with his father in Tranaugh Shire. Although they got most of their wood from a mill, there were times when Quinn needed a certain type of wood. Th
ey would go into the forest and spend hours felling a tree and then cutting off branches so that the trunk could be hauled to the mill. He would go to bed on those nights and then wake up feeling as if every muscle were in revolt.
Zollin picked up the two pieces of his staff. He felt the familiar crackle of magic as the power from the staff joined with his own. Then an idea formed, and he knew exactly what he would do with the staff. He tucked the pieces under one arm and slowly lifted himself using his magic. He felt heavy and his heart raced at the exertion, but he was soon out of the hole. The sun was up now, and as Zollin looked around he could see that there wasn’t much in the way of shelter in the canyon now that it was filled with snow and debris from the avalanche.
“This way,” Brianna said.
Zollin nodded and followed her.
Chapter 4
It was only moments before Zollin was gasping for breath. His body ached from fighting his way through the snow. He could hear the dragon behind him, but the beast’s frantic efforts were sounding farther away. Brianna set a very demanding pace even though she was breaking a trail through the snow that was sometimes waist deep. Zollin soon lost track of time and direction, his chest ached, and there was a sharp pain in his side. His legs burned, and he had to use the broken pieces of his staff to help him keep his balance on the uneven trail.
Zollin could feel a strange desire that was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Somewhere, deep inside his magic, he could feel an enticement drawing him. It was like the smell of cooking food to a starving man. He knew it was out of reach, and yet he couldn’t help but want to go. He felt like running to the source of the mysterious desire. He knew he needed to raise his internal defenses, but all he could think about was keeping up with Brianna.
“There!” she called excitedly.
She was pointing toward a place on the nearest mountain that looked like a small cave. It was several hundred feet above where they were, and the mountainside was nearly vertical. There was no way that Zollin could make the climb.
“Can you get us up there?” Brianna asked.
Zollin had to swallow several times before he could speak.
“I’m not sure,” he said.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just so tired.”
“Do you need something to eat? We don’t have much left.”
“No, just give me a few minutes to catch my breath.”
Zollin slumped down in the snow. He was hot and cold at the same time. His arms and legs felt like stone. His back ached and his head felt dizzy. He wondered if perhaps he had missed something when he was trying to heal himself. It was hard to concentrate; his mind kept wandering to the alluring magical power that continued to beckon him south.
Finally, after almost five full minutes of rest, Zollin thought he could lift Brianna up to the cave. He closed his eyes and let his magic flow out. The broken pieces of his staff crackled and hissed, and then Brianna was rising up the mountainside. The effort took all of Zollin’s strength but he finally managed to set her down gently. Then he slumped back down in the snow.
The cave was little more than an indentation in the solid rock of the mountain, but it was big enough that they could take shelter and perhaps even have a fire if they could find something to burn. The rock was cold, but at least they were out of the snow. Brianna had been carrying both packs, and she dropped them at her feet before peering over the edge. Far below her, Zollin seemed very small.
“Are you coming?” she shouted.
He waved and held up a finger as if to say just a minute. He knew lifting himself would be hard, but he also felt confident that he could do it. The power was there, but his physical body was having trouble keeping up with the demand. He was starving but felt nauseous. His mouth was dry and his head was pounding. All he wanted to do was lie down and sleep. Finally, he looked up and decided there was no more sense delaying.
He let his magic flow around him, and it was like being in the middle of a raging river. It took all his concentration to stay focused, as if he were fighting to keep his head above the turbulent waters. Halfway to his destination he began to feel as if something inside him was tearing. Whenever he used magic he felt a hot wind blowing through him, and sometimes that wind got so hot he felt as if he could spontaneously burst into flames. But now the magic felt sharp as if it were shredding his insides. His concentration wavered and he started to fall, but he forced himself to ignore the pain and finish levitating himself up. By the time he reached the cave all he could think about was the pain. He collapsed onto the floor and passed out.
Brianna felt a wave of panic flood over her. She hadn’t meant to push Zollin too hard; she was just trying to get them to a place of safety. He had always been the strong one, pushing their pace as they searched the Northern Highlands for the dragon, but now he seemed frail.
She bent over him and checked to make sure he was breathing. He was, but his skin was pale and there were dark circles around his eyes. She pulled what food they had out of their packs and then arranged the packs, along with their blankets, to make a pallet for Zollin. She pulled him across the cave floor and onto the pallet. She propped his head up and then felt his forehead. His temperature was high and he was shivering from cold. There was nothing left for her to do for him. She brought their rations and canteens close, then took the last blanket and snuggled in close to Zollin. Finally, she covered them both and held him. It was only about midday, but they both slept. Brianna had not rested well the night before and so she dozed beside Zollin, who didn’t move.
When she finally woke up it was getting late. The sun was hidden behind the mountains and although the sky was still bright, the long shadows in the mountains made everything look gloomy. She checked on Zollin, who was resting better. His fever was still high, but he wasn’t chilled. She tucked the blanket around him and began going through their rations. They had some dried meat, but no vegetables or bread. One canteen was full, the other only half filled. She drank some of the water and wondered if she would be able to get down from their shelter to search for food. There was no more wine left and Brianna had left the empty bottle behind.
She sat on the cave floor, waiting and watching for signs of life in the mountains. She couldn’t see or hear the dragon, which was a relief. She felt a small sense of pride that she had wounded the beast, but she had no desire to find and fight the dragon again. All she wanted was to get Zollin out of the mountains. She loved the rugged beauty of the Northern Highlands, but she didn’t like feeling helpless. She had thought that Zollin had healed himself and would be back to normal soon. She hadn’t counted on the fever.
She watched as the sky grew dark. When the first stars appeared, she moved back to check on Zollin. She shook him and called his name. It took a moment, but then his eyes fluttered open.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You’ve got a fever,” she told him. “Is that something you can fix?”
“I don’t know, I feel so weak. I’m hurting all over.”
“Do you need some food? I’ve got some meat and water.”
“No, I don’t think I can stomach anything.”
“What can I do?”
“Just stay close. I would would give anything for a soft bed right now.”
“We’ve got to get you well, Zollin,” Brianna said. She was trying hide the sound of fear that wanted to creep into her voice. “I don’t think I can get down the mountain on my own.”
“I just want to sleep some more,” he said. “Then I’ll try to heal my body.”
“Okay,” she said.
She lay down beside him again, but this time she wasn’t sleepy. She could feel the cold, hard floor of the cave beneath their thin blankets. It was hard to lie still and she didn’t want to disturb Zollin, but he was asleep again almost immediately. His breathing was deep and regular. Brianna ate a bit of the dried meat. It was so tough it made her jaws ache to chew on it, but she was hungry. She could see
stars glinting through the mouth of their cave. The wind was blowing, but it didn’t reach back into the small shelter.
Zollin mumbled occasionally, obviously suffering from bad dreams. Brianna tried her best to soothe him. She struggled to stay warm and finally nodded off herself. The sky was just turning a pearl gray color when she woke up. She was tired but too cold and uncomfortable to sleep. She sat up and drank some water.
“I could use some of that,” Zollin said, his voice croaking.
She turned and poured a little into his open mouth. He swirled it around before swallowing it down and opening his mouth for more.
“How are you feeling?” Brianna asked as she gave him another sip.
“Terrible,” he said. “My whole body hurts.”
“Is there anything you can do?”
“I think so. I just need a little time. Have we got any food?”
They both ate a little of the dried meat. It was bland and tough, but by breaking off small pieces and sucking on the meat they coaxed a little flavor out and softened the meat enough to chew it. Neither spoke. They sipped water and Zollin sat up. Brianna offered to rub his back, but the bruises made it too painful.
“Couldn’t you heal the bruises?” she asked.
“No, I didn’t have the time. I was afraid the dragon would find us.”
She felt his head. He was still feverish, but he seemed more coherent. He rolled onto his stomach and stretched a little. Brianna stood up and walked the kinks out of her own sore muscles.
Zollin let his magic flow. He had been plagued with the desire to go south all through the night. He knew he needed to deal with it, to raise his defenses, but he hadn’t had the strength. He didn’t have much energy, but he thought it would be enough to deal with whatever was making him ill. He let his mind move slowly through his body, which had been making antibodies to deal with his broken back. The over-production of fluids was causing both soreness and the fever. Zollin moved as much of the excess fluid through his liver as he could. It didn’t take long for his body to adjust. After lying in the snow with a broken back all night long, it was no surprise that his body was in shock. He felt the familiar heat as he worked his magic and, after he did all he could for his body, he set about replacing his defenses.
The Five Kingdoms: Book 04 - Crying Havoc Page 4
