“Ah, I see I was right,” called Thora from the other end of the foyer. “The fates did intervene.”
Kat smiled at her over her shoulder. “Yes, they did.”
For a moment, the pain in Ethan's legs was too much. He stumbled back, but quickly steadied himself. “I need to see King Halvar right away,” he said.
“What you need to do is rest,” Kat corrected. “You can barely stand.”
“There isn’t time,” he told her. “We have to leave first thing in the morning.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a folded sheet of parchment. “I found this on me after Martok released control of my body.”
Kat tried to lead him inside, but Ethan resisted and handed her the parchment.
“You can read it on the way,” he said. He bowed to Lady Thora. “It was good to see you again, My Lady. I’m sorry that I don’t have more time.”
Thora simply nodded, a quirky little smile on her face.
Kat insisted that Ethan ride the horse while she walked alongside reading the letter. Feeling his strength ebbing fast, Ethan did not object.
Kat's eyes began to scan the page.
Ethan,
As we draw near to Elyfoss, the time has come for me to return your body back to your control. I have taxed my own strength, as well as yours, to the very limit. And I should say that you are much stronger than you at first appear.
After our escape from the palace, I located something that is crucial to our victory over Shinzan. I cannot tell you what this is just yet, simply that we must retrieve it as quickly as possible. To achieve this, we will need the help of Lylinora, and all of the fledgling mages. So you must return to Renald without delay. I have already used the dwarf device to contact the vessel that brought us. It will be waiting for you by the time you reach the shore.
Tell the elves and the dwarves to gather their strength and then march south to the Malacar border. Once there, they must wait until hearing from me again. The dragon Shinzan cursed is dead, so they have nothing to fear from it any longer. Should they meet with local resistance, they must do their best to keep the dead to a minimum. The Emperor will think this a ploy to lure his army into the open, so they should not concern themselves if he does not react to this aggressive move. And even if he does, it will not matter. As long as Katyana’s father has done as I have instructed, victory will be swift.
Again, I must stress that every second is crucial. And guard Katyana well. She is a treasure most precious. Through our connection, I asked Maytra to delay her from attempting to rescue you. I can only pray to the ancestors that the dragon succeeded.
Martok
Kat returned the parchment with a wry grin. “Well, at least I now know why Maytra was pretending to still be injured.”
Ethan felt a pang of jealousy. It was clear that Martok had stronger feelings for Kat than he had realized. And the tiny smile she now wore was making him wonder how she might be feeling in return.
He waited for their eyes to meet. “He’s right,” he said. “You are a treasure most precious.”
She gave his calf a squeeze. “You are so easy to read, Ethan. I’m not interested in some old ghost. I appreciate what he did. More than you can imagine. But I don’t love Martok. I love you.”
He bent down from the saddle to stroke her hair. But the movement brought on a dizzy spell, and he was forced to quickly grab at the horse’s neck. He could see the sudden look of concern on Kat’s face.
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her. “But the magic Martok used to get me here so fast really did a number on me.”
“How did he do it?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. But whatever it was, it must have been powerful. When he's in control I can catch only snippets of what's going on. Most of the time it’s like I’m asleep. Now and then I catch flashes of what he sees, but it only lasts for a second or two.”
He didn’t want to say it, but during those brief moments he could also see inside Martok's mind. At least to a small degree. It was how he knew of his feelings for Kat, and of his constant bitterness whenever forced to rejoin the spirits of his ancestors within.
When nearing the manor, they could see a great deal of commotion going on. Ethan asked a passerby what had happened.
“King Ganix has just returned from the Dragon Wastes,” said the old man. “And not a moment too soon, if you ask me. He's the wisest dwarf that ever lived.”
The prospect of seeing Ganix again made Ethan smile. And it was good to know that the king had made it back to Elyfoss unharmed.
After sliding from the saddle, his legs were aching so badly that he was forced to lean on Kat just to make it to the front door of the manor. Two of the guards there at once relieved her and helped him along to the council chambers.
The room was abuzz. King Halvar and King Ganix were seated together at the far side of the table, both poring over a map laid out in front of them. The rest of the chairs were occupied by various members of the council. The mood seemed relaxed, and as far as Ethan could tell, there did not seem to be any issue between the two monarchs regarding who was in authority.
They both bounced up from their chairs in surprise when seeing him and Kat enter. Ethan eased himself down into an empty seat near to them, wincing with each movement but still aware of all the amazed looks coming his way from virtually every direction.
“By the spirits!” Halvar cried. “How did you escape?”
Ganix was equally thrilled. “However you did it, you have saved us from a suicide mission. We were just going over the best way to save you. Of course, there is no best way…”
“I’ll tell you all about it,” said Ethan. “But first you need to read this.” He handed the parchment to Kat, who took it over to the kings.
As they were reading, Keira entered. On spotting Ethan she stopped dead in her tracks, staring at him in stunned silence. After regaining her composure, a broad smile formed. “It seems you are more resourceful than I would have ever thought. To escape Shinzan’s clutches…a mighty feat indeed.”
She took Kat’s hands. “I am so happy for you. Truly I am.”
Kat kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”
After reading Martok's message, Halvar stood and cleared his throat to silence the chamber. “I am very happy to welcome back both Lord Dragonvein and King Ganix to Elyfoss. I was going to plan a special celebration to mark this. But it would seem that time will not allow it.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” said Ganix. “One night of merry-making will not hurt. After we have completed our business here of course.”
Halvar nodded, smiling. “Very well. Agreed.”
He turned his attention back to the room. “I have spoken with King Ganix briefly and learned that another mage has been brought back from Earth.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
“He also told me that the Imperial fleet is massing off the coast of Ralmaria. We already know that Shinzan is readying his forces in Traxis, but given what I have just read, I think we can deal with them easily enough. The silver dragon is no longer a threat. And we have five mages on our side. Not to mention the white dragon.”
Ethan frowned. He did not like the idea of putting Maytra into any further danger. “I don’t think we’ll be needing her,” he said.
Halvar shrugged. “Perhaps not. It is of little concern right now. First, I would know exactly how you managed to escape from Shinzan’s grasp.”
The telling was fairly brief, even still Ethan soon began slurring his words and pausing frequently to regain focus. By the time he was done, he was little more than mumbling inaudibly.
“That’s enough,” Kat told him firmly. “You can’t go on like this. You need to rest.”
He was in no condition to argue. Halvar called for a guard and ordered him to escort Ethan to his room. Kat was right behind them, unwilling to leave his side even for a moment.
* * * * *
“To think that Martok was able to stand against the mig
ht of Shinzan,” remarked Halvar. “Having such an ally will go a long way to assuring our victory.”
“There is much danger in this, I think,” said Ganix. “Martok was indeed powerful. But in the end it was his lust for yet more power that doomed him.”
“That is not true,” Keira protested. “Martok was betrayed for his beliefs. He only desired to unite the people of Lumnia. It was the greed and bigotry of humans and dwarves that was his undoing.”
“Clearly the elves have heard a different version of history,” remarked Ganix. “But regardless of that, to have a mage walking Lumnia who could possibly rival Shinzan himself in power is a matter not to be taken lightly. It is undeniable he would be a tremendous asset to our cause if the stories about him are true.”
The council members looked skeptical. They too had heard the tales of Martok the Destroyer. Only the defenses of their great wall had halted his conquest.
“Whatever doubts may exist, for now I think we should proceed as planned,” Ganix concluded. “But we proceed with caution until Martok's motives become clear.”
“Agreed,” said Halvar. “There is certainly no better course of action open to us at present.”
Keira nodded. “I will begin preparations immediately.”
“Not so fast,” said Halvar. “I would have you join us in our celebration. This may be the last time we can lay our troubles aside. And before you object, know that I will be deeply insulted should you decline my invitation.”
Keira sighed and then cracked a tiny smile. “Insulting you is something I would most certainly not wish to do, Your Highness.”
* * * * *
After the guard had left them, Kat helped Ethan out of his clothes and into a soft cotton night robe. Desperately, she had wanted their reunion to be one of a passionate nature, but for the time being that was totally out of the question. She could feel his muscles twitching and jerking erratically as she lowered him down and pulled the blanket over him.
“Katyana,” he whispered. His eyes were closed and his words barely carried to her.
“I’m here,” she said, placing a hand on his cheek. The use of her full name struck her as odd. Ethan rarely called her by that.
“Katyana,” he repeated. “Not until I know it is me you love.”
“I do love you,” she said, slightly amused that he was talking in his sleep.
“I will not take you,” he said. “It must be me…not him. You must love me.”
Kat knitted her brow. “Ethan? Is this you?”
“Ethan…yes…Ethan. Not him…not the other…I am Ethan.”
Kat leaned in and kissed his forehead. “Poor thing. I can’t imagine how tired you must be.”
After changing into a night gown, she slipped into bed beside him. Soon, the mumbling stopped and his arm came over to pull her close.
There was a satisfied smile on his face.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The following morning Ethan and Kat began saying their farewells. Both Halvar and Ganix were looking ragged from their previous night of merry-making, though Ganix still made a point of pulling Ethan aside for a private talk. While they spoke together, Kat set off to the home of Lady Thora to see her and the girls one last time.
“There is something I must tell you,” Ganix began. “I would have told you last night, but you were in no condition to hear it.” He looked directly into Ethan’s eyes. “Jonas is dead.”
Ethan caught his breath; this was a major shock. Gradually composing himself, he nodded solemnly. “How did it happen?”
Ganix recounted the events as told to him by Markus. “I know that Kat was very fond of him,” he concluded. “So I thought the news of his passing should come from you.”
“It sounds like he died bravely,” remarked Ethan. “I’ll be sure to tell her before we get there.”
Ganix gave his arm a fond squeeze. “Thank you.”
After Kat's return from Lady Thora’s house, the two of them set out in search of Keira. They found her busily preparing her people to march. In spite of Ethan’s objections, she insisted on providing them with an escort all the way to where they were meeting the boat.
This time on horseback, the journey to the shore took only two days. Ethan contacted the vessel using the sending rod, and just as Martok had stated in his message, it was already waiting for them a few miles offshore.
Ethan waited until their sea journey was well underway before telling Kat about Jonas. He could see that she was deeply saddened, despite putting on a brave face.
“You know,” she said, leaning over the bow railing, “He was the very first man I trusted after running away from home. Even when he was being mean, I knew he wasn’t like the scumbags I dealt with every day in Miltino.”
“Are you going to be all right?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes. I just wish I'd had the chance to tell him how much he meant to me. So many people have died. And there will be more...a lot more...before this is all over.”
“Let’s just hope that whatever Martok has found will help us end it soon,” said Ethan.
Kat placed her head on his shoulder, and together they watched the sun sink slowly over the horizon.
Aside from revealing the sad news regarding Jonas, the trip was pleasant and largely uneventful. Six dwarves were now crewing the vessel, which meant Ethan and Kat had little to do apart from relax and enjoy each other's company. Ethan spotted a small group of sirean on the sixth day, but they took only a passing interest in the boat.
It was late in the evening when they at last reached their destination. Jake and Val leapt from the other boat and came running along the dock to greet them. Two dwarves, who Ethan guessed had brought the boat back to the Dragon Wastes after delivering King Ganix, along with an unfamiliar and unhappy looking man, followed them rather more slowly.
The dwarves bowed curtly, then joined their people on the newly arrived vessel. After hugging Kat, Val set about introducing David.
“So you’re the great Ethan Dragonvein,” he said. “I expected you to look more impressive.”
The insult was ignored. “I am very pleased to meet you,” Ethan said, extending his hand.
David barely touched his palm before withdrawing again. “I wish I could say the same.”
“Stop being an asshole,” Jake scolded. “Just for one day.”
David merely sniffed and set off back to the boat.
“I guess he’s not very happy about being here,” Ethan said, staring after him.
“Yeah, you could say that,” replied Val. “I keep thinking he’ll get over it, but he hasn’t so far. But don’t worry. He’ll come around sooner or later.”
“I’m afraid it will have to be sooner,” Ethan said. “I need to speak with Renald right away.”
“Old fella’s probably asleep by now,” said Jake.
“Then I’ll need to wake him up. This can't wait.”
He turned to Kat. “I want you to wait here for me. I’ll be back soon, I promise.” After kissing her tenderly, he headed down the dock and toward the cabin.
He could tell that Kat was reluctant to see him leave her side, even here, where they both knew it was safe. He felt the same way. But what he had to say to Renald needed absolute privacy.
He smiled as he crossed the threshold of the ward keeping the land alive and fertile. The scent of apple blossoms and wild onions wafted on a gentle north breeze, bringing back pleasant memories.
Contrary to what Jake had said, Renald was not asleep. Rather, he was sitting on the porch munching on a pear. He nodded curtly as Ethan approached and took a seat beside him.
“Markus and Lylinora are sleeping inside,” the old mage told him. “And I assume you know about Jonas.”
Ethan nodded. “Yes. King Ganix told me what happened.”
“And how do you feel about it?”
Ethan lowered his head. “He will be missed. If the story I heard is true, he sacrificed his life for all of us.”
�
��Is that right? You will miss him?”
Ethan cocked his head and frowned. “Of course I will. What are you saying?”
Renald took another bite from the pear before answering. “I am saying you can drop the deception, Martok. I am not so easily fooled.”
Ethan straightened his back. “That’s not funny.”
“Better,” said Renald. “That’s sounds a bit more like Ethan. But you still need to work on it.”
Ethan glared angrily, but slowly his features softened into a wry grin. “You are a clever old man, I must admit. How did you know?” His hand shot up before Renald could answer. “It was the wards, of course. I should have been more careful.”
“How long have you possessed his body this time?”
“For considerably longer than you might think. And I do not intend to return it.”
“You must.”
“And what will you do if I refuse? Expose me? I think not.”
Renald raised an eyebrow. “And why is that?”
“Because of what I know.”
“Your power is truly awesome,” Renald admitted. “But the others will not follow you, especially Kat.”
Seeing Martok's reaction to the sound of her name, he smiled. “Is that what this is all about? You are in love with Kat?” He shook his head. “I suppose even the mighty Martok is not immune to matters of the heart. But she loves Ethan. Not you. And stealing his body will not change this. In any case, I will tell her the truth.”
In a flash, Martok sprang up from his chair. He loomed over Renald, face glowering. “This is about far more than whatever I may feel for Katyana, you old fool. Ethan cannot hope to defeat Shinzan.”
Unmoved by this sudden display of aggression, Renald shook his head. “Neither can you. As powerful as you are, you are no match for him. And you know it.”
“Alone, no. But I am not alone, am I?”
Renald snorted a laugh. “You would challenge him with these novices at your side? Are you insane? They would not last thirty seconds.”
Martok turned away and rested his hands on the porch railing. “They will be sufficient. I do not need them to challenge Shinzan directly.”
Dragonvein - Book Three Page 30
