Palom

by L. L. McNeil

She couldn’t sugar-coat her response. ‘I expected as much.’

  ‘Taban Yul was attacked as well,’ he added.

  That caught her attention. ‘Sapora’s there, isn’t he? Who in their right mind attacked him?’

  Kohl lifted his hands. ‘No-one’s quite sure. He put down the rebellion, anyway. But that’s not the surprising thing.’

  ‘What is…?’ Amarah wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

  He ran a hand through his hair.

  ‘Kohl…?’

  ‘And they called me the betrayer…’ He muttered.

  Amarah stamped the bottom of her scythe on the floor of the barn. ‘What was the surprising thing?’

  The Arillian looked at her, and Amarah swore he had more creases in his skin than when she’d seen him that morning.

  ‘He…I don’t know how, or if it’s true…but everyone seems to say this….’

  Amarah took a deep breath.

  Whatever revelation Kohl was trying to say clearly had a huge impact. ‘Just spit it out. Whatever it is, I can deal with it.’

  Her mind raced. What tricks could that dirty snake have up his sleeve?

  Kohl shrugged his shoulders again. ‘They’re saying he has a Sevastos. That it flew up from the palace grounds, destroyed their ships, and burned half the city along with them.’

  It took Amarah several seconds to process the enormity of what he’d just said. When she was able to form a coherent thought, she said, ‘How…how can Sapora have a Sevastos? They’re not cats or dogs? They’re not pets!’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘And if he had one all this time, why didn’t he say anything when he knew we were looking for one to stop Aciel?’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Flying from Berel to Val Sharis! We could have avoided the fight with Jato for her ereven sphere if he knew exactly where one was!’

  ‘I know,’ Kohl repeated a third time.

  ‘Moroda might not have…Eryn and Anahrik…’

  Kohl nodded. ‘I wonder how Palom would feel if he knew.’

  Amarah slumped onto a crate, gobsmacked. Everything that had gone wrong on their dragon hunt, every loss, every death…All of it could have been avoided if Sapora hadn’t been so damned selfish and told them he knew about a Sevastos!

  Explained that he had one under his control.

  ‘I don’t believe it. I don’t fucking believe it.’

  She smashed the bottom of her scythe on the floor again. ‘And now he brings it out to burn some ships because his rule is so fucking terrible!’

  Rage swirled within her. If he’d have told them earlier, none of this would have happened.

  She wouldn’t have had to go to Oren.

  She wouldn’t have lost Khanna.

  She wouldn’t have lost her eye.

  ‘That foul fucking maggot!’

  ‘Easy, Amarah,’ Kohl said.

  ‘No! All this time he had the key to solving our problems and he runs away and hides in his tunnels?’ Amarah was shaking with rage now. It boiled up within her, from her gut to her throat, and she thought she’d vomit. ‘I knew he was a dirty snake, but…’

  ‘He had his own plans for that Sevastos, it seems,’ Kohl said, but Amarah dismissed his words.

  Right now, her target had switched from Jato to King Snake.

  What an absolute bastard.

  And he’d said nothing at all.

  Let them carry on, knowing all the while he could have saved them.

  Slimy, selfish snake.

  ‘What about Isa?’ Amarah asked.

  ‘No idea. No-one mentioned her. Well, why would they? When they have a Sevastos to talk about.’

  She shook her head, unable to even speak.

  But then…if her next hunt was a Sevastos…and Sapora had one…?

  Amarah looked at Kohl, who must have been able to guess her train of thought, because he immediately shook his head. ‘I know what you’re thinking…’

  ‘What am I thinking?’

  ‘You wanna go after Sapora. Get his Sevastos to free Moroda.’

  ‘Why not? I know what I want. He has it. I’ll take it.’

  ‘This is Sapora we’re talking about. Sapora who used this Sevastos to burn a fleet of warships! You’ll burn just as well.’

  She twirled her scythe. ‘I won’t. I won’t let him.’

  Kohl sighed, backing down.

  Amarah was about to add another justification to her plan, when she heard footsteps crunch in the snow outside. ‘Sshh!’

  They were getting louder. She raced to the window and peered out. ‘It’s Traego!’ She’d recognise his Otella anywhere, and he’d landed it flat on the snow fields a quarter of a league away.

  He had two youths trailing him like hungry dogs, and Amarah rolled her eyes. She’d forgotten about his penchant for “saving” the needy and desperate.

  She stepped back to make room for Traego and his companions as he slipped through the Shroud and into the barn.

  ‘Well, well, well, if it isn’t a face I thought I’d never be seein’ again!’ Traego said as soon as he entered the barn. ‘I lost count o’ how many years it’s been!’

  She shook her head, a smirk on her lips. ‘Five years, Traeg. Not that long.’

  Kohl stepped forward, took off his hat, and bowed low. ‘A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Traego. I’m Kohl.’

  ‘I’d never have pegged you travelling with an Arillian!’ Traego said, eyes glinting. ‘Nice ta meet ya, Kohl. I guess Amarah’s told ya all about me, right?’

  ‘Enough about you,’ Kohl replied.

  ‘Who’ve you picked up, Traeg?’ Amarah asked, nodding her chin towards the two youths who were eying up the barn.

  ‘Oh. Where are me manners? Carav,’ he put a hand on the shoulder of the young woman, ‘and Oris.’ He dropped his other hand on the young man.

  Both had to be in their late teens and looked grubby. Oris seemed to have drool leaking from the corner of his mouth.

  Amarah wrinkled her nose and looked back at her old ally.

  He hadn’t changed a bit since she’d last seen him.

  The same easy grin, the same laid-back attitude.

  She’d missed it.

  ‘Only five years and it looks like ya been in the wars,’ Traego said, peering closely at Amarah. ‘Patch suits ya.’

  ‘Thanks…’ She muttered, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

  Kohl cleared his throat. ‘Did you travel far, Traego?’

  ‘From Lavonn in Corhaven. Little fishing village right on the east coast. But when I got here I couldn’t see Khanna anywhere…’

  Amarah dropped her gaze. ‘Well that’s why I asked for help, Traego. I need some gold to get a new ship.’

  ‘Dragons above, what happened to her?’

  ‘Same thing that happened to this.’ She pointed to her eye. ‘I’ll hunt her down, don’t worry.’

  Traego grinned. ‘Would never think anythin’ less of ya. But gold you need, then? How much?’

  ‘Twenty double-crowns.’ It was a lot. She knew it was a lot.

  Traego let out a long whistle. ‘Tell ya what Amarah. Cause I’m a nice guy. I’ll give ya the money…’

  She raised an eyebrow. ‘If…?’

  He grinned and looked from her to Kohl and back again. ‘If ya come on a little treasure hunt with me, first.’

  ‘Traeg, I don’t have the time…’

  ‘Ah well then ya’re welcome to find the gold yaself.’

  She huffed. ‘All right, all right. As long as it’s quick. You know where you’re goin’? What you’re after?’

  ‘I got it all listed out.’

  She really didn’t have much of a choice. ‘I’ve got another ally on the way here, an Ittallan. He’s got the most powerful weapon you’ve ever seen.’

  ‘Where is he?’ Traego asked.

  ‘We’re not sure. We hoped he’d have been here by now,’ Kohl said, concern edging his voice.

  ‘There’s more Arillians than
you in the skies above Val Sharis right now,’ Traego said. ‘If he ain’t here yet, he ain’t comin’ here. My hunt’s kind of on a time limit, so we need to get back to Corhaven now.’

  ‘You were on the hunt when you came for me?’ Amarah asked.

  ‘Yep. I’d like ta get back on it.’

  She felt bad that he’d abandoned a hunt to come and help her out. Traego also knew how she felt about debts and owing people.

  Whatever his hunt was, he needed more people.

  She sighed, wishing that he’d only come to help her out of the kindness of his heart, but she knew that wasn’t the truth. When she thought about it, she really did miss the old hunts. She needed a ship – or money for one – and Traego was a secure offer. At least she’d be one step closer to getting Sapora back for everything he’d done – all the pain, hurt, and torment.

  Not to mention getting towards freeing Moroda.

  ‘Kohl, you in?’

  He fiddled with his hat again, picking at the fluff and smoothing it out.

  Amarah could tell he had second thoughts. ‘Jato could be anywhere in Val Sharis, and we’re crossing the sea. You had your chance to get back in her good books and she threw it in your face. Not like you have anywhere else to go, is it? Come with us outcasts and you’ll find we’re a better family than anything Jato could give you.’

  Like Traego, Amarah knew Kohl had only helped her for his own gain.

  Hoped to win his daughter back, hoped to protect his people and his village.

  ‘My plans are bigger than revenge. This is about Linaria now. Don’t regret not doing anything now.’

  Kohl closed his eyes and sighed. ‘I’ll come with you.’

  ‘Great ta have ya on board, Kohl,’ Traego grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. ‘Chop, chop, kids, back ta the boat!’ He clapped his hands and Carav and Oris hurried ahead.

  ‘Like old times, isn’t it?’ Amarah said as they walked through the snow to Traego’s warship.

  ‘Except we’re older an’ wiser now.’

  Amarah wasn’t sure she agreed with that second part.

  ‘So, what’s this treasure hunt of yours? Corhaven ain’t got much these days,’ she said. ‘What you after this time?’

  Traego stopped at the base of Otella as Carav opened the hatch to get in. ‘Ya ever heard of an Ark?’

  *

  The blizzard raged solidly for leagues on end.

  Palom had lost his bearings more times than he could count, yet through it all, his young hatchling remained by his side.

  ‘Brave one, you are,’ Palom said when they’d woken up one morning to find their camp covered in four feet of snow.

  Palom could navigate by the stars, but when the sky was blocked out by thick clouds and unrelenting snow, even he couldn’t figure out which way was north.

  He’d found Amarah’s sudden communication shocking more than anything else. It went to show how little he truly knew about his Valta Forinja. What other secrets were his weapons capable of?

  If Lathri knew it could communicate, perhaps she’d be less fearful of it? Less determined to see only the negativity.

  All swords were designed to kill, after all.

  The Valta Forinja was simply efficient in its duty.

  It had been at least three days since he’d spoken to Amarah and had made the decision to join her cause shortly after the blizzard took hold.

  He’d strongly considered tracking down the Arillians and cutting them down one by one. His sword was certainly capable of that, and it would give him some twisted pleasure.

  But another part of him had abhorred the idea.

  He’d saved the dragons they’d been hunting. By chasing them down, he’d be lowering himself to their level, and that thought sickened him.

  Besides, Leillu had been shaken by the encounter, and he didn’t want to distress his companion.

  He could hardly believe that Khanna had been destroyed. He knew it was Amarah’s greatest love, above anything else – gold, fame, notoriety – and yet she was carrying on, after losing the most important thing to her.

  What was he doing?

  Running away…?

  But to where?

  Joining with Amarah would reunite him with one of his last true friends, would give him a purpose.

  Would stop him being such a coward.

  She’d asked him to come to her aid, as well.

  Her request had given him a strange sense of pride.

  ‘What do you think, Leillu? Do you want to join sky thief?’

  Leillu looked up at him and chirped, nostrils flaring.

  ‘I take that as yes.’ Palom smiled, aware of his sword pulsing at his back again.

  At first, he’d used the sword as a sixth sense for danger.

  But as he grew more determined to help Amarah, the more Palom found the sword frustrating. It was like a weight on his mind he couldn’t shift—always there, pushing him to act a certain way.

  They’d sheltered in the trees and dug themselves out of the freshly fallen snow. Thankfully, the blizzard appeared to be over – only a little snow fell, and there was no more biting wind driving him to the ground.

  He remembered seeing a way sign the night before, and it took him a moment to get his bearings in a sea of white powder.

  Gal Etra – Quarter League

  Maybe it was time to re-join civilisation?

  Leillu darted around his feet, jumping in the snow—almost swimming in it—perfectly at ease in the cold.

  Palom remembered the crystals all dragons had in their chests. It gave them their fire.

  Clearly it made them immune to freezing temperatures, too. He supposed he’d be the same if he could breathe fire at will.

  ‘Leillu, it is time to go.’ Palom said, forcing his way towards the path in the direction of Gal Etra.

  But the young dragon was more interested in having fun in the snow and ignored his calls.

  ‘Leillu? If you do not come now I am leaving you in forest,’ Palom said.

  Still the dragon refused to obey.

  He watched as it tunnelled into a particularly large heap of snow, its blue tail disappearing, and didn’t resurface.

  Palom watched a while, before hurrying over to where he’d seen the young dragon disappear. ‘Leillu! Leillu I am here!’

  He shovelled snow out of the way with his huge hands, shifting heaps in seconds, until he finally found where the young dragon had dug to.

  ‘What have you found, Leillu…?’ He whispered, gently lifting the dragon from the frozen ground so he could see.

  There were several small holes, each about the width of his thumb. He frowned, unsure, when he heard a loud squeak.

  Leillu bounced up, a mouse grasped between its teeth.

  ‘Ah, you are hunting for yourself now.’ Palom grinned. ‘You are watching me and learning. Well done.’

  The young dragon shook the mouse violently, before swallowing it whole and immediately sniffed around for more.

  Palom sat down and waited as Leillu hunted three more mice. He pulled out his Valta Forinja and inspected it.

  With the sword, he’d been able to talk to Amarah, find Leillu, and keep himself alive in the wilds of Val Sharis.

  Yet Lathri’s words still echoed in his mind.

  Emonos.

  Did she mean the sword, or him?

  He looked around. There was enough snow here. Plenty of snow, in fact, and it wasn’t as if people often travelled along the road.

  He’d felt so righteous when he’d slain the Varkain who’d ambushed him. That felt like a lifetime ago.

  And yet, he’d been able to take down Mateli—his greatest enemy—and he hadn’t even needed the sword to do that.

  Palom scratched his chin.

  He was enough.

  Alone, he was enough.

  He didn’t need the sword—the sword needed him.

  Watching Leillu hunt had calmed his mind enough to think things through, to not give in to the dar
kness that threatened to overwhelm him every time he closed his eyes.

  He was enough.

  Whether Lathri agreed or not.

  Whether Solvi agreed or not.

  It didn’t matter what anyone said or thought of him.

  He was done with the Valta Forinja.

  Palom stood, pushed Leillu out of the way gently with the toe of his boot, and held the Valta Forinja in front of him.

  The sword was his legacy.

  The result of a lifetime’s dreaming.

  All that he had left of Anahrik.

  But it held him back, he could see that now.

  With a roar, Palom drove the sword tip-first into the icy ground—the blade stabbing deep—until only the hilt remained.

  He panted, suddenly sweating.

  Leillu jumped at his ferocity, but then leaped forward a moment later, sniffing around the hilt of the blade and clawing at it.

  ‘Leave it, Leillu,’ Palom said. ‘It is emonos.’

  *

  Palom had never been to Gal Etra before, but it was much the same as any Ittallan town on the outskirts. Nothing like the bustle of Taban Yul or Cora Keb, Gal Etra was a logging town more akin to Feoras Sol.

  They mostly had their heads down, keeping to themselves as they cut and hauled and heaved tree trunks from the forest to where they processed them in town.

  At first, no-one gave him a second look—he was just another Ittallan passing through on his way north—but once one realised who he was, the whole town seemed to drop what they were doing to crowd him. They were fascinated by his dragon, and Leillu scrambled up his legs to sit on his shoulder.

  He was certain their behaviour was much the same as anyone else’s in Taban Yul, yet somehow, he didn’t mind them as much.

  ‘Palom, you saved my son!’ One old woman said, crying with happiness. ‘Please, whatever you need, if I can give it to you, I will! Food, clothes, gifts for your family.’

  He was taken aback by her fierce generosity.

  ‘Can you tell me how far to Tum Metsa?’ Palom asked.

  ‘Walking in this snow? It could take you a week at least!’ She said. ‘But as a tiger? Keep a good pace and you’ll be there in two days.’

  ‘Thank you,’ he said, bowing his head.

  ‘Rest here. The weather is terrible, and we have plenty of room in the inn, or you’d be welcome to stay with anyone here.’

  ‘You are kind, but I am meeting a friend in Tum Metsa. I need to be there soon.’