“But why would they do that?”
“At the behest of the dragons,” she told him. “They are not pleased to be helping those who murdered their young. But they understand the danger that all of Lumnia is facing.”
Ethan swallowed a little awkwardly. “I was going to tell you about that. It was an accident. Lylinora had no idea –”
Keira cut him short. “Save your excuses. It matters not. The debt of blood has been repaid by Renald Dragonvein.”
“What do you mean, debt of blood?”
“If Renald chose not to share such things with you, it is not my place to do so. Suffice to say he has sacrificed much. And because of this, the mage Lylinora is pardoned.”
A pang of regret struck Ethan. “Maybe I was too hard on the old man,” he murmured. But there was nothing to be done. Whatever deal Renald had stuck was between himself and the sirean.
“Is there any other way to Elyfoss?” he asked.
“We should head due east to Ralmaria,” Keira told him. “I can guide us past any patrols easily enough.”
Ethan noticed Kat stiffen.
“That’s a long way from Elyfoss,” she said. “Isn’t there anywhere further south we can go?”
“We could try,” Keira replied. “But I wouldn’t advise it.”
“What’s wrong, Kat?” Ethan asked.
She gave him a weak smile. “Nothing. It’s just that I haven’t been to Ralmaria in a long time.”
“If you have friends there, it could be of help to us,” Keira said.
Kat shook her head. “No one I know there would help us. Anyway, I thought it was urgent we get to see your father.”
“Better to be delayed than to be killed,” the elf replied. “I trust the sirean. And if they say we should go that way, I believe them.”
“But they could only know what it is like along the coast,” Kat pointed out. “What if it's worse further inland?”
“There are elves in Ralmaria,” she replied. “I am confident we can make it to them before we are discovered. Once we are among my people there is little chance we will be seen, let alone captured.”
Ethan could see the anxiety on Kat’s face. “If you don’t want to go that way, we won’t.”
“No,” she replied. “Keira is right. If it’s the safest route, we should take it.”
Keira nodded. “We should land at nightfall. From there it will take only a day or two to locate my people.”
Satisfied that they were in agreement, she moved off to inform the pilot of their new route. That done, she went below to change into dry clothing.
Once the elf was out of sight, Kat walked slowly to the bow. There, she sat down with her hands draped over the railing, staring across the water. Ethan joined her and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Look, I know something is bothering you,” he said. “Please. What is it? Maybe I can help.”
“I wish you could,” she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.
She took a deep breath before continuing. “You remember when we first met and I told you I was a princess? Well I wasn’t lying. My father is King Yularian of Ralmaria.”
Ethan leaned back, his surprise obvious. “Are you serious?” He had never thought she had lied. But he did think she had more than likely exaggerated somewhat. “Your father is really a king?”
“Of course he is,” she retorted. “I may have been a thief, but I was always honest with you.”
“Then why did you leave home?”
“I had to. My cousin found out I could use magic and threatened to turn me over to the Empire.”
“Your own cousin?”
Kat sneered. “She was a real bitch. She hated the fact that my father was the king and hers wasn’t. She stole a doll my mother had made for me. Not that she had any use for it. She was already a teenager and had stopped playing with dolls. Of course, when I confronted her, she denied taking it. But I knew she was lying. She knew how much that doll meant to me and was just trying to upset me.”
“Let me guess what happened next,” said Ethan. “You used your magic to try and get it back.”
She nodded. “A stupid thing to do. I knew if anyone ever found out about me, my father would be forced to turn me over. He wouldn’t have a choice. If he refused, Shinzan would have him executed.” She paused. “Anyhow, I made myself invisible and snuck into my cousin's room after she went to bed to see if I could find out where she had hidden my doll. Of course the crafty little bitch figured I’d come and was only pretending to be asleep. When she heard me moving things around she turned up her lamp, and the sudden shock of that made me reappear out of nowhere.
“I begged her not to tell anyone, but she just ran screaming as fast as she could. So I hurried back to my room, packed anything I could think of I might need, and ran away.”
Ethan cocked his head. “Why didn’t you just deny it?”
“I couldn’t. No matter what I said, I still would have been tested. Anyone who is accused of using magic is forced to prove their innocence. And I wasn’t able to do that.”
“Couldn’t your father have protected you?”
“No. His brother would have seen to it that the Emperor was told. There would have been nothing father could have done…other than die for me. And to be honest, he hated magic. He even forbade my mother from telling me stories about the mages.”
“So you think he would have just turned you over?”
Kat shrugged. “There’s no way of knowing.”
“I'm sure he wouldn't have,” Ethan told her firmly. “I don’t think any parent could do that.”
“If you’d seen what I have, you wouldn’t be so quick to say that,” she responded. “People can do some pretty nasty shit to their children. But it really doesn’t matter anymore. It was a long time ago and there’s no going back now.”
Ethan took her hand and kissed her fingers. “I’m so sorry.”
Kat smiled and straightened her back. “I’m not. Things work out the way they’re meant to. At least, that’s what I think. And could you imagine if he saw me now? He’d never believe it was me.”
Ethan chuckled. “It sure would be hard to explain.”
After getting their backpacks together, they spent the rest of the day on deck discussing what life might be like once Shinzan was defeated. Keira mostly stayed below until the sunlight began to wane. Just before it became fully dark, they caught site of the shoreline.
“Stay behind me until I am sure we haven’t been seen,” the elf instructed.
Their pilot eased the boat in until they heard the keel scraping bottom. It was only a few yards to the beach, but the sea was rough and both Kat and Ethan were very nearly pulled under by the strong rip current while wading ashore. Only Keira’s quick reflexes saved them.
Coughing and spitting up sea water, they followed her up the beach toward a row of low growing brambles and shrubs. On reaching these, Keira motioned for them to duck down and wait.
She listened carefully for a while, then nodded for them to head due east.
After a mile or so, the sand and pebbles gave way to hard clay scattered with patches of tall grass. Ethan gritted his teeth. Though there was only a slight chill in the air, his drenched clothing was making it feel far colder. To make matters worse, sand had crept its way irritatingly into every crevice of his body. Kat, on the other hand, seemed to be taking it all in stride. He wasn't sure whether to feel proud of her, or just a bit jealous of her adaptability.
Soon, the terrain became increasingly rocky and uneven, forcing Ethan to slow his pace. This did not please Keira one bit.
“The nearest shelter is more than twenty miles away,” she told him. “We must reach it before sunrise.”
“I’ll do my best,” he said.
Kat took his hand. “Just stay behind me. This is child’s play.”
Keira gave her an approving nod. “You are quite agile for a human.”
“I spent half of my life running in the dark,�
� she told her.
Without another word, Keira continued on. Ethan kept a tight hold on Kat’s hand as she guided him through the darkness. Clearly the years on Earth had not dulled the memory of her former life. Nor had it lessened her skills. She hopped and weaved along in the same way Ethan had seen her do when she was thirteen years old.
Every now and then, Keira stopped to listen carefully. Each time Ethan thought he heard something moving in the dark. Keira, however, dismissed it as nothing more than harmless wild animals and pressed them ever forward.
It was just after midnight when the ground became more level and the dark shadows of a few trees appeared. By now, Ethan’s legs were burning from the effort, while his feet felt raw from what seemed to be a pound of small stones trapped in each boot. Yet again he wondered why he hadn’t thought to bring an extra pair with him. Though his clothes had dried, the air was now much colder and the wind had picked up considerably. He looked to Kat, but she still seemed to be handling the grueling pace and cold weather much better than he expected.
For a moment he felt ashamed. If anything, it should be him leading her. Not so long ago, during his Airborne days, he would have handled conditions like this a thousand times better. Had he really lost so much of the fitness and resilience he had gained from his training back then?
Keira halted a couple of hours before sunrise to allow them a quick meal and rest. Renald had packed them several bags of dried fruits and jerky, some of which they now devoured eagerly.
“Does any of this look familiar?” Ethan asked Kat.
She shook her head. “My family lived pretty much in the dead center of Ralmaria, so I never came out this far. But I think the mountain where King Ganix lives is only a few days to the north.”
“That is correct, though he has now abandoned it,” Keira told her. “Not that we will be going anywhere near there. I know of a grotto on the banks of Lake Hurin not far from here that is well hidden. We can wait out the day inside, then go south to the border of Al’ Theona. We should run into my people along the way.”
By now, Ethan’s damaged feet were making each step even more of a struggle. He could feel the skin splitting painfully apart, especially on the ends of his toes – a result of being trapped inside a wet and dirty boot for so many hours. It was the beginning of what was commonly known in the military as 'trench foot', a dangerous condition that could eventually lead to gangrene.
Noticing his distress, Kat gave his hand a comforting squeeze. “Lylinora taught me some healing spells. Once we get to the grotto I’ll take care of you.”
Ethan smiled and nodded his appreciation.
When they reached the lake, he took a moment to survey their surroundings. A thin fog hovered just above the water, making it impossible to see the other side, while scattered all over the shore of coarse yellow sand was millions of tiny, multi-colored pebbles. The tree line was only a few yards from the bank, but it was not particularly dense and would make poor cover for any enemies who might seek to approach.
They skirted the gently sloping shore until, quite unexpectedly, it rose up into a steep embankment that was covered in moss and thick brambles. At this point, to Ethan's surprise and consternation, Keira led them directly into the lake. Only after slogging through thigh-deep water for several minutes was the entrance to the grotto then revealed. It was cut twenty feet into the side of the embankment, and though the center of the ground inside was covered in several inches of water, the rising edges remained dry and provided adequate space to accommodate several people. The air inside remained cool, but the protection of the limestone walls sheltered them from the wind, making the temperature a bit more tolerable.
With a deep sigh, Ethan plopped heavily down and immediately pulled off his boots. As expected, the badly pruned flesh on his feet had turned a pasty white color and was covered in nasty looking cracks. Kat had been wearing a pair of soft leather shoes, and he was relieved to see that she had fared far better.
“I’ll gather some wood,” said Keira.
“No need,” Ethan told her. He pointed to some fist-sized rocks scattered about the floor. “Just bring me a few of those.”
Kat knelt down in front of him. After placing her hands gently on his feet, she muttered a short spell. Almost immediately Ethan could feel healing magic shooting through his toes and up his legs. He leaned his head back and let out a long sigh.
“Better?” Kat asked.
“You have no idea,” he replied.
Keira returned with four of the stones, which she placed in a pile beside Ethan. “You should be sparing with your magic,” she warned. “The Rakasa are sensitive to its use. Should any be nearby, they may find us.”
At that moment, Ethan didn’t really care. All he wanted was warmth. One by one he cast the spell Renald had taught him on each stone. Instantly, they began to radiate heat.
“You and Kat should sleep now if you can,” Keira suggested.
This was not a problem for either of them. While the seemingly tireless elf sat nibbling on a piece of dried fruit near the edge of the water, they both unpacked their blankets and stretched out. The warmth from the rocks quickly had them both in a deep, dreamless slumber.
The low rumble of thunder woke Ethan just before dusk. Not with surprise, he saw that Keira was already up and gathering her pack. She had placed a small piece of jerky beside him. Kat, also newly woken, was yawning and stretching a few yards away.
Ethan could see the thunderheads gathering outside. “You think it’s heading this way?” he asked Keira.
She glanced up and shrugged. “Perhaps. We’ll know soon enough.”
He considered suggesting that they wait until the storm had passed, but Keira was clearly anxious to get moving. He gave a wry grin. “I suppose my poor feet are in store for more punishment.”
Kat smiled over at him. “Don’t worry. I’ll heal you again.”
Another thunderclap, this one much closer, startled him. As the sound faded, Keira tensed and drew her weapon. Knowing that she had heard danger, Ethan did the same. Kat was carrying only a small dagger, but from her posture she had no intention of fighting with steel anyway.
“Men are approaching,” Keira stated.
“Soldiers?” asked Ethan.
“I can’t tell. But they are coming this way.” Her eyes shot over to Kat. “Do not use magic unless you have no other choice.”
Kat huffed a laugh. “What else am I supposed to use?”
“Hopefully nothing,” Keira replied.
A few seconds later Ethan heard the men as well. They were laughing and talking boisterously. Stealth was obviously not a concern. For a moment he thought they might not be heading for the grotto, but the splashing of men walking through water crushed this hope. There was nowhere to hide, so whoever this was, they were about to come face-to-face.
Keira waved them to the very rear of the grotto, where, with only the dim light of a dull gray sky filtering in from outside, they had at least a small portion of temporary cover. Ethan could see six men entering. The lead man was carrying a torch that revealed the crimson raven of the Empire on their armor.
Keira charged just as the soldier in front caught sight of them. Ethan was quickly on her heels. The song of steel echoed off the walls as the surprised soldiers groped desperately for their weapons. Keira was on the man with the torch before his blade was even half way from its scabbard. Crouching low, she thrust her blade hard into his gullet. The others backed away, hoping to gain enough time to form a proper defense. But Keira was not about to allow them such a luxury. Leaping to her right, she felled the second man with a blinding succession of powerful strokes that tore his leather breastplate to ribbons.
Ethan rounded her on the left and swung hard at a soldier who was standing shin deep in the water. The violent clash of steel sent sparks flying, and though the man was able to block Ethan's strike, the sheer force of it ripped his own weapon clean out of his hand. With a heavy grunt, Ethan carved deep into t
he man's collarbone, then quickly jerked his blade free and glanced over to see the remaining three soldiers already fleeing toward the entrance.
Desperate as they were to get away, Keira was easily able to catch them. Thrusting her blade into the nearest soldier's back, she twisted it sharply. The man cried out in agony and sank to his knees. This time though, with the grotto narrowing near the entrance, Ethan was unable to get around Keira and was forced to stay at her back.
The last two soldiers somehow scrambled their way to the mouth of the cave, but once making it that far, they instantly stopped short. Keira pulled up sharply as well and then began hastily backtracking, slamming into Ethan and sending him stumbling. For a moment he could not tell what had happened. Then both soldiers fell and he saw several arrows protruding from their chests.
Seizing Ethan by the arm, Keira pulled him rapidly back to where Kat was still standing.
“Did you see who shot them?” Ethan asked.
“No,” Keira replied. “But the arrows came from the lake. So whoever did it was in a boat.”
Two balls of green light flashed into existence in Kat’s palms. “Then it’s finally time I put all my practice to good use.”
Ethan grinned as he saw the disapproval on Keira’s face. “If they have bows, what do you suggest we do? Throw rocks at them?”
They could hear men talking not far outside, along with the splash of them getting out of their boat. After a tense minute, the noise ceased.
“They are waiting,” Keira whispered. “And they know we’re in here.”
“Elf!” shouted a gruff voice that sounded even louder in the confined space. “What business do you have here? Speak now.”
“My business is my own,” Keira replied, steel in her tone. “Leave here and be on your way.”
“I’m afraid we can’t do that,” he responded. “You have trespassed, and my commander will want to know why.”
“It is you who are trespassing,” she shot back. “And I’ll only tell you one more time. Leave.”
A shadow appeared in the entrance. A second later, an arrow whistled just above Keira’s head and bounced off the wall.
“We didn’t have to miss, elf,” said the voice. “So save your threats. Your people are fierce warriors. But you cannot hope to match us.” When Keira refused to answer, another arrow was loosed, this once striking the ground at her feet.
Dragonvein - Book Three Page 10
