“I understand, Felix. I feel sorry for this man, so learning what he had to say would, most likely, help me find some closure with all this.”
“Well, as I said earlier, he wasn’t completely clear, but he did recount their battle and the last moments of most of his party. It appears that the warrior of your order comported herself well, despite perishing in the battle. Horag confirms that it was a dragon, but not just any dragon. This one was a black dragon,” Felix said.
“What difference are we talking about here?” Olivia asked.
“Most stories, as you know well, always weave their tale around the same dragon, a reddish-hued beast that breathes fire. This fact now confirms what some of us already knew, which is, in fact, that the draconus species are several in both nature and color. You can’t approach one with the same tactics as you would another.”
“That would make them not only hard to study, in order to learn their weaknesses, but also dangerous,” Olivia said.
Felix nodded. “Exactly. We need to approach this dragon with what we have seen and what we know, not assuming it is like the fire-breathing kind in an old wives’ tale.”
“Then I have something to give you,” Olivia said, taking out her vials from her inner belt pocket. “This was given to me by Diamedes, and he says it is an elixir that will neutralize the dragon’s acid.”
Felix took one vial and held it up, looking at it closely in the dim light. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes,” Olivia said, tucking her remaining vial back into her belt. “He studied this particular dragon carefully and had already suspected what it was, just as you do. How he knew that it spewed forth a black acid is beyond me, but the damage the beast did to Tannis, and the testimony of the surviving townspeople, clearly demonstrates this power and ability.”
“Agreed, but how does this potion work?”
“He said it would work for about a day and that it took several minutes to take effect, so he suggested we find the beast first and make sure we have time to take the elixir before confronting it.”
“So I’ll have to be indebted to the old historian for this?” Felix asked.
Olivia giggled softly. “Well, no, he actually gave me two doses, but I can’t bear the thought of seeing you in harm’s way while one of these vials sits in my pocket.”
Felix brushed Olivia’s cheek with the back of his hand, and then put the vial in his own tunic pocket. “I’d prefer you had both, but I see your point. Best if we make sure we encounter the beast first on our terms.”
“What did you have in mind?” Olivia asked.
“I’ll search alone at first, but I must finish telling you what I learned from Horag. He said he was commissioned to be in this party by the duke, but secretly he was working for the duke’s cousin, a noblewoman called Gemma Vandersot, I believe.”
“Yes, I know the woman—not well, but we’ve met before.”
“Well, anyway, the noblewoman thought that there were forces working against her cousin, and indeed against all the nobles, and she tasked him with spying on and reporting back any news from the expedition they were on. He didn’t reveal much, but reading between the lines, so to speak, I could tell he had suspected your order and the wizard from Kesh. He has since discounted his suspicion of your order and was focused on the Kesh, but the wizard died as well in battle and wounded the beast seriously, so he wasn’t so sure anymore.”
“There is definitely something amiss. I couldn’t get much from my master, but it is obvious that he is hiding something,” Olivia said.
“Be careful then. I don’t trust everyone in this party, and you need to watch your back. I’ll do what I can do, but I don’t know how this will all end.”
Olivia smiled and then reached up and kissed him on his cheek. “I feel better just knowing you are here, but shame on you for making me worry so much the last few days.”
Felix blushed and then motioned for them to depart. “Let’s get back to your camp before they start to worry.”
Olivia nodded and they headed back together.
Chapter 18
Ruins
Olivia and Felix had returned to camp, and other than a few words about Felix’s role in the expedition, not much was said, especially by the three members of the Kesh contingent. They seemed to huddle in private too much for Olivia’s taste. Perceval easily accepted Felix’s offer to assist Pascal with scouting duties, as Commander Fulbert had previously spoken highly of the ranger’s skills and abilities.
The next day they rose early and left just before sunrise. There was a palpable relief felt amongst the group as they left the grassy knoll where the first expedition had arrived and died. Despite heading deeper into the swamp, most members of the group just wanted to leave the campsite.
Olivia noted that Jezebel’s bodyguard rarely left the side of Kris, their porter. The man had two packs slung on his back and carried several tent poles and other items across his broad shoulders, including the water skins that were dangling from each end on either side of his body. If Olivia didn’t know better, she would have sworn the black-robed man called Azor was actually the porter’s bodyguard and not Jezebel’s, considering how closely he followed the other man.
Pascal and Felix were gone before she awoke, and Olivia pondered the fact that she didn’t remember if Felix had ever actually slept anywhere in her presence. She wondered if he was tired or ever became fatigued due to lack of sleep.
Several times that morning Pascal would return and adjust their course or simply ensure they were following the dry ground and seeing the marks he was leaving for Perceval, who was out in front. Then, just as quickly as he appeared, he would run ahead and disappear, leaving the group to trudge on in silence, with the exception of the occasional splashing of water when their boots made contact with puddles and soft spots along the narrow trail.
No one really wanted to speak. The air felt heavy with anticipation, even oppressive, as if it wanted to smother the invaders of its territory. Olivia had never entered so deeply into Kero and now regretted not getting a chance to learn her domain and surroundings better when she had the time. As the prefect’s daughter, the thought of traipsing cross-country into muck and swampland was entirely foreign to her.
They halted for lunch, but Pascal did not join them. They found themselves later in the day waiting at key points where there were no signs or directions from the scouts, and then Pascal would return and guide them a ways further before leaving them again. Their progress slowed considerably when they started doing this, but Olivia could feel the tension in the air each time Pascal returned. It was obvious that Felix was in the lead far ahead, finding a way. Olivia wondered if he had been at it all night and then all day.
Finally they reached a point where Pascal didn’t return for a very long time. Several soldiers started to grumble, and then Jezebel chimed in with her usual complaints.
“What’s the hold up this time, Perceval?” she asked, obviously annoyed.
“You can see yourself that the path forward has been harder to maintain, and only the scouts can answer your question,” he retorted, with a scowl crossing his face.
Olivia walked over to Cornelia, who had been acting as a rear guard. “So what do you think?” Olivia asked.
Cornelia took the rare occasion to sheath her sword, which she carried in her hand, despite the extra effort it required, and then took off her helm and mopped her brow with a cloth from her belt. “I have heard good things about this ranger friend of yours. If we are slowing, then I think either they are encountering obstacles with the terrain or they feel we are approaching danger, either of the drake kind or some other.”
“Yes, he is most capable and a perfect gentleman, despite the many days he spends in the wild, but an occasional bath a tad more often would do wonders,” Olivia said, and then she smiled and couldn’t suppress a giggle.
She was surprised when Cornelia giggled as well, which was so out of place, considering her stature and fr
ame. For a moment Olivia swore she saw Cornelia as she was when she was a young lady, without the cares and responsibilities that she now carried for the order.
“What’s so funny?” Jezebel asked, a frown crossing her face. “Is humor a unique part of your divine order?”
Cornelia looked up and smiled. “Not unique to our order—just to us ladies.”
Jezebel fumed at the insult. “You look more like a man than a lady,” she shot back.
“At least I don’t carry my balls in a silk pouch,” Cornelia responded.
“Whoa! Now stop, ladies—that’s enough,” Perceval said as he actually stepped back from in front of Jezebel and stood between the two.
Before either of them could respond, they barely heard Pascal as he returned, waving his arms excitedly and then motioning to shush them.
“What is it?” Olivia asked, stepping forward and unintentionally stopping Perceval from acting as leader of the group.
Pascal leaned forward and then hissed loudly so all could hear, “Dragon!”
Anger filled the heart of the great black drake, Qui Amatha, as she fumed on her throne of rubble, treasure, and bones of her victims, both in the recent and far past. She had just recently returned from her journey to the last spot of one of her minions who had resisted her earlier. How he did such a thing she did not know, but she suspected that foul Kesh magic was at work there.
She could not find the slave, as her connection with him was ever so brief, but she knew enough to know instantly that Sivern had been murdered and that a group of humans had dared again to enter her territory. She had flown back to the same grassy knoll where she had first encountered the intruders and found signs that a group of humans had left there that very day. She flew far and wide, looking for them, but the sun hurt her eyes and only her anger kept her focused on her task.
After not finding them or seeing any sign of their trail, she decided to return to her lair to wait for nightfall. She would search again as soon as the sun set and before the twin dragons rose into the night sky. She would use her superior eyesight to spot them easily in the darkness, for the dark was her home and her domain. They would stand out against the cooler waters of the swamp like fires shining brightly to her sensitive eyes. Then she would find them, oh, yes, and then she would kill them.
“What in Agon are you talking about? Is it here or nearby?” Perceval asked, obviously excited now.
“It is nearby. Come! Quickly before dark or we all die!” Pascal then took off at a run, not looking back to see if anyone followed.
The effect of his words was almost immediate, as everyone looked at each other and, without waiting for any orders from Perceval, they all started running after their scout, splashing in the waters loudly and not caring anymore what stealth they conveyed or lacked.
It was hard to keep up with the man, but finally Pascal did stop to look back, and seeing the entire group following him, he continued his mad dash for a long time. Just when Olivia was starting to tire, they came upon an odd sight. There before them was an old stone structure, similar to a tower, but only a little bit taller than a man, with moss and mold growing on its grey surface and an archway leading into the massive but low squatting structure.
Felix was inside, motioning for them to enter, and then once they were all in he turned back and faced them. “Pascal, you made it—good. Is everyone alright?”
It was obvious that Felix was looking at Olivia as he said that, but Perceval answered anyway. “We are fine, other than our scout scaring the hell out of us. What is this all about?”
“It’s the dragon,” Felix said. “It was overhead not long ago, searching for us. How it failed to see all of you I don’t know, but it disappeared not far from here, and I followed it and found its lair. It is very close now, and soon we will lose the light.”
“Are you sure?” Jezebel asked, panting a bit as if she were not used to running.
“Yes, positive. It almost seemed to dive into the waters, but I found a small mound not far from here. I think its lair lies underneath it, and I saw the entrance it used to access it. But I dared not enter until I was sure you were all safe, and at least in a more secure position than just standing in the middle of the swamp.”
“What is this place?” one of the guards asked, touching the inner wall of the massive stone structure.
“I think this is the ruins of a once large city, from what I’ve seen. It stretches out for well near half a league, and this is what is left of once a massive gate tower, if I’m not mistaken. Do you have any knowledge of any Ulathan city out here?” Felix asked Perceval.
Perceval also reached out and touched the moist, humid walls, running his hand along the edge, and then looked back at Felix. “No, I am pretty sure even our ancient lands are accounted for, or at least accounted for as far as Ulathan history is concerned. What this could be I have no idea. Does anyone else?”
Everyone shook their heads in the dimly lit chamber area. There was the faint light of day streaming, of course, through the arched opening that they ran through, and the far wall consisted of several arrow slits, also allowing light into the room. A broad stairwell was at the far wall, and light also streamed down from it, so the area was well illuminated.
“I wish Diamedes were here,” Olivia found herself saying as she looked around.
“Yes, the historian would have been most helpful,” Felix said.
“Nonsense,” Jezebel said. “He isn’t the kind of man to do fieldwork. You’d have to describe it to him from the comfort of his precious library.”
“This bickering will get us nowhere,” Felix said. “We need a plan. Perceval, you’re in charge of this expedition. What do you propose?”
Perceval walked back over from where he had been scanning the interior of the ancient structure. “You said you saw the beast in broad daylight—then we must assume it is nearby even now. How long would it take for us to reach it?”
“I didn’t venture into the cave, and I think it is passable, though I don’t know how deep the water is there. But we should be able to reach it in about a half hour if we travel directly.”
“It will be dark soon,” a guard by the name of Waleren said.
“Right you are,” Perceval said. “So I think it would be best to hunker down here for the night and try to make our approach tomorrow morning. What do you think, Jezebel? You are not a wizard, but you represent Kesh in these matters.”
“That sounds better than stumbling around these ruins in the dark, especially knowing that the dragon attacked your town at night,” Jezebel said.
“Fist Cornelia, do you think we could make this old tower somewhat fortified in case the dragon finds us here?” Perceval asked.
“Yes, that would be ideal under the current situation, and we could even prepare a strong defensive position here, which may allow us a better chance to defeat the beast should it come looking for us,” Cornelia said.
“Good, it’s settled then. We will fortify this place—assuming you don’t have a better place, Woodsman Felix?” Perceval asked. Felix shook his head. “Alright then, I’ll post a guard, same as the last two nights, two on and four off. We should have one of you all stand watch as well. I’ll take the first watch with my men.”
“I’ll take the last,” Jezebel responded quickly.
“Mid-watch will be mine, then,” Cornelia said before Olivia could offer, and Cornelia shot her a glance, indicating she should remain silent.
“Pascal and I will reconnoiter the area and report back by the end of your first watch, Perceval,” Felix said, looking to Pascal.
“Agreed,” Pascal said.
“Right, then let’s get to it,” Perceval said, and he started to give orders for camp to his half-dozen men-at-arms.
Felix and Pascal left relatively quickly after taking just enough time to stow some of their belongings so that they could move quicker through the quagmire. Olivia found a spot near the stairs, not far from Cornelia, where she unfurled
her bedroll. There would be no tents erected tonight.
Soon the sun prepared to set, and Cornelia invited Olivia to mount the stairs and watch it disappear behind the western horizon. Olivia noted that there were no sounds of animals or even insects. The faint buzzing of flies and the occasional mosquito were nowhere to be heard. The only sound was the slight breeze of a wind that was coming from the sea, far away to the west, where the deltas of Kero found their outlet.
“Can you believe this place?” Cornelia asked as darkness encroached upon them atop the ruins of the old tower.
“I lived here for my entire life and had no idea this place even existed only a few days journey from Tannis,” Olivia said.
“Not to mention the beast was almost literally in your backyard,” Cornelia said.
Olivia shivered at the thought of living her entire life in such close proximity to such a fearsome creature. “Let’s get back down and see what preparations Perceval has made for our new camp.”
The two priestesses of Astor descended the crumbling stairs and found that the arched opening was covered with a large blanket and some spare sets of clothes were stuffed into most of the arrow slits, leaving just enough room to look out. The pikes that the men had carried were set up near the archway, and the men had set a watch, one at the arrow slits and the other at the entrance. Perceval was eyeing the staircase carefully, and a small lantern that the men had was lit and all but covered by a shroud, letting out the faintest of light.
“You don’t expect the beast to come down through this small opening, do you?” Cornelia asked Perceval, motioning to the stairwell where a few stars twinkled far above.
“Of course not, but we don’t know what to expect out here, so I’d just like to be careful for now,” Perceval said.
“What if the dragon can see us in the dark?” Olivia asked, looking around. “I think it would see that lantern of yours from outside. The coverings are not complete.”
The Black Dragon: A Claire-Agon Dragon Book (Dragon Series 1) Page 21
