Dragon Assassin

by Arthur Slade

“It’s just a chain,” I said.

  “Look closer.” A manacle was locked around his back right leg and scrawled with runes. Magic was unreliable, so assassins were taught to rarely use it. It took me a moment to read the runes. “Binder,” I said. “This is a binding spell.”

  “So, they do teach you something useful in that den of death dealers. Good. Good. Perhaps you’ll be helpful after all.”

  I touched the chain. It was warm and pulsed with magic. The manacle had cut into his leg, leaving sores and worn-away scales.

  “It has wounded you.”

  “It does burn. But I’m not one to complain. Can you undo the chain?” His voice actually went a bit higher when he spoke the last sentence.

  The lock looked pickable, and I reached into the pouch on my belt and drew out two of my best picks. I was adept at picking locks, even better than my brother. I began poking inside the keyhole, using the sharp edges like they were the ends of my fingers.

  I poked. I prodded. But I found nothing. It was as if there weren’t any pins to move. I kept pushing harder and harder until I snapped one of my picks.

  “Oh, that is not a good sound,” Brax said.

  “Perhaps another spell hides the actual mechanism.”

  “I thought as much. But one should try. Any chance you happen to have memorized any unlocking spells from your classes?”

  I shook my head.

  “Well, that’s too bad.” Brax sighed. “I guess the only logical thing to do is to eat you.”

  Chapter 9

  Deals to Dream Of

  I tensed and started to run, but Brax reached out quickly and grabbed me by the arm. The underside of his talons was rough, and the grip was painfully tight.

  “Let me go!”

  “Now, now dear,” he said. “I was kidding. You just don’t understand my sense of humour yet. I’m not that hungry.” Then he ground his teeth together. It was a horrible sound. “Actually, I’m very hungry. Maybe I should just eat your arm.”

  “What!”

  He shook me. “Oh, don’t be so jumpy. I’m being hilarious again. Plus, your arms are too skinny.”

  “Well … what if I gave you some food?” I said.

  “Do you have a cow in your pocket?” He lifted me so I was directly in front of him. “No cow? Whatever scraps you carry are of no use to me.”

  Despite my fear, I noted how much control he had of his talons — almost like human hands. He could certainly break my arm just by flexing his muscles.

  “I’m good at figuring out puzzles,” I said. “I’ll find a way to feed you.”

  “Will you chase a herd of mountain goats into my mouth? Because I eat a lot.”

  “If I free you, then you can get your own mountain goats.” I did my best to hold his stare. “But you have to let me go. I’m the only one who can save you.”

  “I can save myself.”

  “You’ll wither away.”

  He smiled. When a dragon smiled, they showed a lot of sharp, sharp teeth. “I can last a long time, Carmen Crow. Perhaps your whole lifetime.”

  I looked around the cave, my gaze settling on the three mercenaries. The rising sun was painting them red. They had wanted to kill this amazing creature! What horrible people. Then again, perhaps they had families to feed.

  No, this wasn’t like slaughtering a cow and using its hide for leather. A dragon was intelligent. It could speak.

  “What thoughts are going through your tiny brain, child? What deals are you dreaming of?”

  “I can go to the assassin library. There are plenty of spell books there. I will learn how to unlock that chain and set you free.”

  “You say that now. But my guess is you’ll return with your maestrus and a hundred assassins, and I’ll be full of crossbow bolts in a heartbeat. Or perhaps just one blow dart and I’ll succumb to one of your famous poisons.”

  “I wouldn’t do that!” My voice wobbled.

  “Why not? What do you owe me? Nothing. And I owe you nothing. All I have to bargain with is your life, and once you’re out of this cave that bargain is forfeit.”

  “What … what if I swore?” I asked.

  “A swear word? Which one?”

  “You know what I mean. An oath that I would return to free you.”

  “An oath from a human is as worthless as ashes.” He was squeezing me very tightly now, and I wondered if he were thinking of some past betrayal. Likely his experience with the mercenaries was enough to make him not trust us.

  “I swear on the graves of my parents,” I said. “I, Carmen Dore, will find a way to release you.”

  Brax was silent for several seconds, staring at me. His eyes glowed grey with fury, as if he expected a trap. He had the same slit pupils as a lizard. It felt as if his gaze was stabbing right into me.

  I hoped he could see the truth. Because I meant every word.

  “I will take you on your word, Carmen Dore of the Red Adept Assassins. I release you.” Brax let go of my arm. I stumbled a few steps, expecting treachery. Then I walked a few more steps and breathed in.

  “Go. Go quickly, child. Before I change my mind. Run!”

  I did run. Out of the mouth of the cave and into the sunlight. I paused only to shout, “I’ll return, Brax. I will return.”

  He said nothing in reply.

  Chapter 10

  A Day of Luck

  Belaz, the goddess of all assassins, was on my side, for I’d only jogged a short distance from the cave when I discovered the black swan egg. It was still intact and somewhat warm. The egg had somehow careened down the side of the cliff and rolled to a stop in the open. No creatures of the night had cracked it in half to sup on the joys inside. I knew swan eggs were tough, but this intact egg was almost beyond belief.

  “Thank you, Belaz,” I whispered. “For this and for everything else.”

  I had just stood face-to-snout with a Scythian dragon and survived. And I wasn’t too humble to admit that it was my wits that had kept me alive.

  I walked ahead, picking my way along the mountain paths. Soon the morning sun warmed me enough that I peeled off the last tatters of the bird suit, happy to be in just my dark trousers and shirt. I used what remained of the costume to wrap up the egg and keep it warm.

  It took most of the morning to reach the ten thousand steps that led to the Red Adept Assassin Fortress. The steps were curved back and forth so that an army climbing them would easily be brought down by a rain of arrows or hot oil poured from above.

  A bell rang. Nine bells! I’d been out the whole night.

  But it was worth it. Meeting Brax had been exhilarating. I should tell Maestru Alesius about the dragon. He deserved to know that such a powerful creature was only a short distance from the school. Assassins had a long list of uses for every magical creature, but I wasn’t certain if that meant Brax would be unchained and then enslaved by some other means. Or if he would be bled out so his insides and exterior could become potions, armour, and tools.

  That would make me equally horrible as the mercenaries who’d bound him.

  I’d sworn an oath on my parents.

  I found the thirteenth door and opened it with my lockpick — assassins never carried keys. I partly unwrapped the egg so that my fellow students could see what I’d accomplished and strode into the school. I chose to walk down the middle of the hallway so as to lessen the chance of bumping anything. It would be stupid if I’d travelled all that way then broke the egg on a pillar.

  The first person I encountered was Megan. Her red hair was tied tightly behind her, making her angular face look severe.

  Ha! This will show her!

  But Megan didn’t look surprised at all; in fact, she didn’t even give the egg a glance. “Have you heard?”

  I adjusted my arm so that more of the egg was revealed. Maybe Megan didn’t recognize what it was.

  “Have I heard what?”

  “The emperor prince is dead.”

  “Dead?” I pulled the egg back a bit as if
the new information might somehow hurt it. “How?”

  “He was given Abethaus poison. It leaves the scarlet marks.”

  “Abethaus poison?” My shock was making me repeat things, but I was unable to stop myself. “What assassin would dare poison a child? It’s against our oaths.”

  “It just takes one rogue assassin to taint us all.” Megan did look worried, and it wasn’t until she spoke the next sentence that I understood exactly why. “The emperor has declared a halt to all trade with assassins. And a Kellian knife was found in the room. There are rumours of war. Between the Empire and Kellia.”

  “Oh,” I said. We students had spent so many hours memorizing the various treaties between the Five Realms and the Empire and the names and faces of every diplomat, every king and queen, and the entire royal line of every country. We also studied the senators of the city-state of Avenus, where they actually voted for two archons every two years.

  A war between Kellia and the Akkad Empire would draw in the other four realms and be so large as to last generations.

  “We won’t have a place to ply our trade,” Megan said. “It’s horrible.” And then she stepped past me. She hadn’t noticed the egg or the fact I was covered with bruises and cuts.

  I sighed and carried the egg up the many steps to my maestru’s chamber. I knocked gently on the door.

  “Come in, Carmen,” Maestru Alesius said.

  The fact that he knew me from my knock and my approaching footsteps had ceased to surprise me. I opened the thick wooden door and took a few steps inside his study. My maestru was standing at his table, a parchment in his hand. Scrolls, tomes, and other papers were scattered across the table, indicating he’d been searching quickly for something. He was usually impeccably neat.

  He had his hood back, so I could clearly see his dark-skinned face. His hair, always kept short, looked greyer today. It matched his eyes. He turned and gave me an appraising glance. “You have succeeded,” he said. “Congratulations. I will add twenty-five points to your totals. Barring any final surprises, you’ll graduate.” He reached out for the egg, and I handed it to him. “Ah, it is a male swan.”

  “You can tell that?” I asked.

  “Of course. And since you have no way of keeping track of when the swan hatches, you’ll never know.” He smiled a little, though I did see signs of worry on his face. He handed the egg back to me. “It is in excellent shape, Carmen. You look like you had to fight for it.”

  I was suddenly aware exactly how much my clothes were torn and how numerous the scratches were on my arms. There were even still several feathers hanging from my hair.

  “It was a long climb,” I said. “And I did fall once. Or twice. Maybe three times.”

  “One must watch one’s step near a precipice.” He waved a finger in the air. “That’s my wise saying for today.” He then inhaled deeply, a curious look on his face. “Were you in the gardens before you came here?”

  “No. I came straight to you.”

  “Well, you smell of chrysanthemums, but the scent isn’t quite right. I can’t place what’s different.”

  He knows! I thought. The dragon scent rubbed off on me. I absently felt my arm where Brax had grabbed me.

  “Let me see that.” He gently took my elbow. The sleeve of my shirt was torn, revealing a circular bruise. “That’s an odd-shaped bruise.”

  “I got it when I fell.” I’d only lied to my maestru twice before. He’d caught me out both times.

  “That’s a contortion bruise. Did you have a rope with you?”

  “Yes. Yes,” I said. “I did. I used it to climb to the nesting grounds. I forgot. It must have wrapped around my arm as I was rolling down the cliff. It must have.”

  He looked me directly in the eye. “Well, then that must be what happened.” He released my arm. I thought there was a glint of disappointment in his eyes. “Did you hear the latest news?”

  “That the emperor prince has been poisoned? Yes. Megan told me.”

  “Gossip spreads on black wings. Especially in our school. His death bodes ill for our guild. Emperor Rima has sent several notices and official queries, demanding answers. He wants to see our records. Do you know why?”

  It was always a test with Maestru Alesius. “Umm. To discover who was hired by the Kellians? But we can’t show him our records.”

  “Correct on both counts. We have maintained over two thousand years of secrecy. No emperor or king has ever walked our halls, let alone been allowed access to our records. We do not give out our secrets.”

  “Then what do we do?” I clutched the egg a little tighter. “He is an emperor, after all.”

  “You leave that to the maestrus to decide. Answer me this: Who is next in line for the throne?”

  I paused only for a moment. “His nephew Sargon.”

  “Yes. Good. He is a ruthless man. He did such a fine job in hunting down the wizards when they were outlawed in Akkad. The emperor has put him in charge of the Immortals. Having such elite soldiers pursue this assassin means the emperor will leave no stone unturned. But we are hunting too.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Because this assassin has killed a child.”

  “And what is the punishment for that?” The assassin textbooks had never given me that information.

  Maestru Alesius grimaced. “A horrible death,” he said. Then he raised his hand. “I have work to do, Carmen. Please deliver the egg to the swannery. And congratulations. You will take your place with your fellow graduates and wear the official cloak of the Red Adept Assassins. You have exceeded all my expectations.”

  “I am pleased to hear that, Maestru Alesius.”

  But he was already reading his papers. I let myself out of his study.

  Chapter 11

  A Good Name

  I liked holding the egg and feeling my own warmth keep it alive. I continued up the stairwell, again watching my step. This time a few of my fellow students in the main hallway did see me carrying the egg. And, I was certain, there was shock and perhaps jealousy in their eyes.

  Good, I thought. And I couldn’t prevent a proud smile.

  A few steps later, Thord came around a corner. He stopped and said nothing but bowed grandly as I passed. This time I was the one who blushed. Why was someone with his looks being so kind to me? He had to see some advantage to it. But what could it be?

  I’d promised him a story, but now was not the time to tell it. And I couldn’t let him know every scaly detail.

  I quickened my pace but nearly dropped the egg when a hand grabbed me as I turned toward the lifts. The hand had come from my left side, of course.

  “There you are,” my brother said. He held me steady and gave me an up-and-down glance. “You look awful. But thankfully that egg distracts anyone from noticing.” I’d long ago learned to ignore his harsh comments. Often, something nice would come out next. “I knew you could do it, Carmen. You have guts. That’s one thing you’re not missing.”

  “Unlike my eye.”

  “I didn’t mean that as a dig — don’t be so sensitive — it’s just that you keep going, no matter what. Whoever hires you will be lucky.” He put his hand on the egg. I resisted pulling it away. “It’s warm. So much life in there. And power. Just think of how hard our assassin lives would be without the black swans to deliver us to our kills. Imagine an army of assassins on swans. Now that would be something!” He tapped the egg. “Amazing creatures.”

  “They are,” I said, pulling the egg back. I’d seen something even more amazing with wings. “But that’s not the most wonderful thing I saw. I—”

  I caught myself. I’d almost mentioned Brax.

  “You saw what?” he asked.

  “Nothing. Just the moon. It glowed over the mountains. It was just like a painting.”

  “Oh. The moon. How exciting,” he said as drolly as possible. “The things that excite you are, well, cute.”

  “It was a beautiful scene.” I didn’t want to imagine what he’d d
o if I’d let it slip about Brax. Then I noted that he had a cut above his eye. It was a straight line, which I knew meant a bladed weapon. “What’s that from?”

  He grinned. “My juggling skills need work.” He mimed himself juggling then covering his eye. “I’ll be more careful next time. You’ve heard the news about the emperor’s whelp?”

  “Yes. It’s horrible.”

  “Horrible for us, you mean. It’s a very precarious time to be an assassin. Keep an eye out.” He slapped his forehead. “I don’t mean that as another dig.”

  I spoke through gritted teeth. “It’s hard to tell with you.”

  “Let it go, sis. The good news is that you and I will graduate in three days. And I’m sure all these problems with the emperor will soon be solved. After all, we wouldn’t want to lose our best client.” He patted my shoulder. “I’m so proud of you.” Then he was gone.

  I stepped into the nearest lift and pulled down the lever for the swannery level. There were rumours that students who broke school rules were forced to pull the lifts up and down, but I’d read that the lifts were controlled by a series of underground pulleys, powered by water mills.

  Soon I was on the second-from-the-top level of the fortress. I went to the door to the swannery, opened it with one hand, and was hit with the overpowering stink of swan dung. There were rows and rows of stables, where black swans sat on their straw nests waiting for their riders. The best and biggest swans would be bound to their assassins by a process called imprinting. Other swans were trained to accept any human rider.

  I’d cleaned those stalls a thousand times in my lifetime. I absolutely loved the feeling of warmth and closeness inside the swannery. And I was always impressed by the intelligence of the swans.

  Maestru Arvid, the keeper of the swannery, was waiting for me, as if he’d known I was coming. He saw what I was holding, and a wide, toothy smile split his bearded face. He gently took the egg from me. “Oh, this is a good one, an excellent one! We’ll raise her to be strong.”

  “Maestru Alesius said it was a he.”

  “Maestru Alesius is always correct, except with anything concerning swans. This is a girl. Now name her.”