“I think that is North Port, there,” Isabella said, pointing to a large dark spot on the coastline to the left of them.
“Yes, it is. I wanted to avoid the more populated areas so we are flying closer to the western mountains. And, you know I can’t see you, right?”
“Didn’t Apophis warn against that? She said there are old traps meant for dragons in those mountains,” Isabella said. “And, yes, I know that, smartass.”
Isabella could feel the dragon shake with laughter. That was a good sign.
“We are going to stay high. If we pass by any dragons along the way they will know we are here and if they come investigate then we will not be taken by surprise. With any luck, we will fly nearby Apophis’ cave though she’s not likely to be there.”
“Can you fly that long?” Isabella asked, concerned with her friend’s condition.
“It won’t be a problem. I’ve gotten so much stronger carrying you around all the time. You’re getting heavier every day, you know.”
“You seem to be getting a little bigger too, you know,” Isabella said with a laugh. She was beginning to miss the way they teased each other.
“Is it very noticeable? I hope that it is. If I just stay this size, I will be the smallest dragon ever.”
They both broke out into laugher.
Isabella always loved watching the sunset from the sky. The brilliant wash of color was the same from the ground but it was the unique perspective that made it truly special. The way the light rescinded from the land was like watching a wave pull back from the beach.
“Look at that down there.”
Isabella leaned over Sisera’s shoulder to see what the dragon was pointing out. Stretched across a wide valley below was a huge military encampment.
“I wonder what is going on in Droll that such a force has been mustered. That is an impressive army,” she said. She couldn’t help but think about the army that came to the gates of Mara with the intent of capturing her. Four thousand men did not go home to their families because of her. The force that was laid out below her was easily ten times as large, if not more.
“You will have to ask Brendoth when we arrive at Cargoa.”
Cargoa was a small island off the southwest coast of Droll that the dragons used as their meeting place because it was large and inaccessible to humans. The island was surrounded by a ring of deadly rocks that no ship could possibly hope to navigate through so there was no threat of humans ever getting to it though there was evidence to suggest that humans had been there at some point in history. There were no houses or temples but there were structures that nature would be hard-pressed to make on its own. Or, at least that is what Isabella thought.
They arrived at the island well after dark. The two moons had already risen high in the sky like two bright eyes watching over the night. They shone enough light that Isabella could easily see the tall peaks that formed a ring around the wide, relatively flat field of green grass that filled the center of the island. As they came over the mountain range, the light was enough to make out silhouettes moving around the field before leaping into the air.
Eight dragons that were twice the size of Sisera, if not more, were suddenly flying in a wide circle around the pair. Isabella tightened her grip on the dragon’s back as she felt her friend tense up.
Sisera let out a roar followed by a burst of dragonfire. The other dragons responded with roars of their own. The biggest dragon broke from the circular formation and flew toward them. When he got close enough that Isabella could make out his coloring, she immediately recognized the beast.
“Brendoth,” she shouted as she sat up as waved her arm.
“Greetings to you both,” the huge blue-white dragon said. “Apologies. Tensions are high these days.”
“It seems so. We saw a large army as we passed over Droll. Looks like they are preparing for war,” Isabella said.
“Aye. There is much to talk about. But first, how did you make out with your campaign?” the massive dragon asked as they set down in the middle of the wide field close to a massive outcropping of rock that was the only blemish on the whole field.
“You don’t know?” This came as a surprise to Isabella. “What happened to the scouts? The ones who were supposed to relay the news.”
“Defected. Dead. We just don’t know,” Brendoth said shaking his head. “We will get to that, though, first tell me your tale.”
Isabella sighed and recounted all her adventures since they had last met.
Brendoth listened intently and interrupted only when she told him the fate of Tyrath, the yellow-bronze who fell in the battle of Mara. “He was a good dragon. His father and I were good friends but I never really got to know him that well. I never understood why he insisted on trying to be funny. Never worked for him,” the blue-white said with a shake of his head. “I would be interested to know how a single man slew him, if it indeed happened the way you claim that it did.”
“I know no more than what I saw and what I have heard from the other survivors who witnessed it. All the stories are the same. One man leaped from the tower onto Tyrath, who was attacking, then the dragon fell dead from the sky.”
“I should like to meet this man someday soon,” Brendoth said.
“I would like that too,” Isabella said. “Wherever he is, that’s where my friends are.”
“What I find worrisome is that it seems humans already have a method of easily slaying dragons. If things progress and there is another war, that does not bode well for our kind,” Brendoth said with a sad tone in his voice.
When Isabella finished her story, Brendoth nodded, rose to his feet, and let out a roar. An all green dragon appeared from the surrounding darkness and landed close to the blue-red. Brendoth spoke in the dragon tongue and when he was finished the green immediately took flight north.
“He will find Apophis,” Brendoth said. “This is a grave situation. It is actually because of Caritha’s absence that the situation has progressed the way it has.”
This caught Sisera’s attention. Until now, the dragon had been taking advantage of the open field by laying on the grass to stretch out after such a long flight. She sat up and listened intently as Brendoth said.
“Caritha was tasked with keeping an eye on Nelarth. You’ve heard of him?” He looked to Isabella who nodded so he continued, “Apophis can’t trust him and she told him that, so in order for him to be allowed to come back from the Dragon Isle, he had to agree to have a chaperone. Caritha was chosen because she is one of the only dragons who could fight him and stand a chance. If they came to blows, she might not win but she would definitely not lose alone. Nelarth knows that and won’t take that chance. He enjoys living comfortably above all else so he got an island on the other side of Parth, away from humans, along with regular surprise visits from Caritha. Since she bonded with Shayla, her duties have fallen to less, let’s say, intimidating dragons.”
“Is Nelarth planning something?” Sisera asked.
“We don’t know. Apophis has been working tirelessly to find the answer to that question. Dragons have been going missing and there are many rumors of secret meetings on his island but whenever confronted, Nelarth plays innocent. I know what kind of a dragon he is. He is always scheming to get more than he could possibly need. It is his type that cause problems with the humans.”
“Caritha would be in no shape to fight a field mouse right now,” Isabella said. “We need to find some way to help her.”
“I sent word to Apophis. She is on Droll so should arrive shortly,” Brendoth said with a nod. “So, the army you mentioned earlier. There is a civil war happening on Droll. Tensions are coming to a head. Nothing that we would normally be concerned about however there is another Dragonblood involved.”
Isabella’s heart nearly shot out of her chest. “Another Dragonblood?” she said with a gasp.
“Shayla’s half-brother, Lyric. He hasn’t found his dragon yet but he is developing dragonscale and some interesti
ng abilities.”
“Do you know who his dragon is?” Sisera asked with heightened curiosity.
“We don’t,” Brendoth responded with a shake of his head. “We know very little about how the bond happens, only the best ways to nurture that bond. We are lucky that Apophis is keeper of the old knowledge or else we would have no clue whatsoever on what to do.”
Isabella frowned. “I have a question. Nay, two questions. First, how do you know so much about human politics?” she asked.
Brendoth let out a short laugh. “You are an astute young lady. There is a certain order of witches that we maintain relations with to help smooth the transition of our return. They keep us informed on human activities so we know where is best to nest and feed. Next question.”
“OK, we’ll come back to that. So, are you telling me that Apophis is the only dragon who has the old knowledge?”
This question made Brendoth snort. “Unfortunately, functionally, yes. It is tradition for there to be fifty keepers of the old knowledge, which is really just an incredibly large assortment of legends and stories but all containing very useful information. During the war, the one that led to our exile, the number of keepers was reduced to two. Apophis and Nelarth.”
“Nelarth?” That surprised Sisera as much as it did Isabella.
“Yes, Nelarth is, was, a keeper,” Brendoth said. “When we were sent into exile, Nelarth staked claim to his piece of the island and remained recluse from all but those that were his loyal followers, the one’s that felt like we had lost the war by being sent away. Apophis tried to mend the divide to keep the dragons united as they tried to grow accustomed to and established in their new home. To his credit, his many followers were encouraged to remain close and help their fellow dragons as our population numbers were very low, down to just over a hundred. Incidentally, I was from the first generation born on the island.”
“So, he refused to teach the knowledge to any other dragon?”
“Exactly,” Brendoth said. “Apophis tried but it takes a special type of dragon to retain so much information and when any would come along, they would mysteriously die. Apophis grew very suspicious and suspected involvement from Nelarth but there was nothing she could prove. There was one time, a young dragon from the fifth generation … or was it sixth? Doesn’t matter. She found a young dragon who showed great promise but she was sure to keep it a secret. She went to great lengths to manipulate, from a distance I might add, the dragon into becoming a hunter which would give reason for him to be away from the colony for extended periods of time. She devised a plan in which she would appear to be at the colony but she would really be away, teaching the young dragon. The plan was flawless but before she could even confront him and tell him that she had chosen him to become a keeper of the old knowledge, the young dragon disappeared. Went out on a hunt and did not return. So, Apophis gave up and stopped trying.”
“That’s horrible,” Isabella said. “Nelarth sounds swell.”
“Oh, he’s a peach, alright,” Sisera said with a snort.
It seemed to Isabella that it was Nelarth that caused that same reaction in those that talked about him.
“So, about these witches you mentioned. What kind of information do they give you?”
“Well, they can usually provide any information that we ask them for,” Brendoth said. “Sometimes it takes a while but they come through. Politics is easy because it affairs of the kingdom tend to be common knowledge.”
“That’s very interesting,” Isabella said with a nod and smile. She thought for a moment before continuing. “How is this other Dragonblood involved in the civil war? Lyric, was it?”
Brendoth nodded. “He happened to marry a very influential princess and became a lord. Then, he somehow was named an outlaw by the king but the details aren’t really clear on that. Of course, his people took exception to that and are in open rebellion. The king has a larger army but the rebels hold very important strategic locations and they have a Dragonblood warrior. There is now a fear that the southern kingdoms will strike northward at the same time but there is no love for the high king in the southern kingdoms so they would not remain allies for long. Apophis is very strict about any dragons getting involved in the conflict but she still fears that because one of the combatants is a Dragonblood that it will sour our attempts at peace between humans and dragons.”
“I didn’t help that any,” Isabella said, suddenly filled with embarrassment and shame.
“No, you didn’t” Brendoth said, his voice becoming very stern before it softened again as he continued, “But, at least, your story is being told sympathetically as well. There are many who now see dragons as a beacon of hope because of you.”
Isabella laughed. “A beacon of hope? That seems a little far-fetched.”
“Truly,” Brendoth said. “There are many tyrants in this world and the common people have no way of standing up against them. The return of dragons gives them at least a chance at a new life.”
Isabella thought about what the large blue-white had said for some time before she responded. “Is there more bonded that I don’t know about? I just don’t understand how the connection is made.”
Brendoth chuckled. “Because it’s always the tyrants that try to hunt dragons.”
Sisera began to howl with laughter but Isabella did not find his attempt at humor to be a very good one. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head but sight of large dragon rolling around on a grass lawn was too much for her to resist and soon she was laughing just as hard.
Over the eastern mountains, the sky began to brighten which became a brilliant backdrop for the arrival of the alpha dragon. Her silhouette could be seen from a distance so it came as no surprise when she flew over the mountain range like she was riding the first rays of light.
The large number of dragons that had slept on the field were now on their feet to greet their leader. They began to crowd around the stone outcropping as Apophis made her landing on it.
Isabella noticed during in her limited time on the island that no other dragon ever stepped foot on it. It was as if it were a symbol of Apophis’ power and authority, her throne of sorts.
“Hello to you all,” she said as she landed and then spoke at length in the dragon tongue. The throng of dragons immediately dispersed, leaving Brendoth, Sisera, and Isabella standing before her. “Dragonblood, it’s good you have returned but for what I’m told it is under unpleasant circumstances.”
Isabella told her the story leading up to Caritha’s condition. The alpha dragon nodded frequently during her tale but remained silent until the end.
“That does sound very serious. I can’t recall any stories of any bonded pair being separated but I must give it some thought. Where is she now?”
“In a cave, on Seron,” Isabella said. “Our healer, Adina, is with her now but I fear there is not much she can do.”
“It would be best if she could be moved here. You’re sure she is incapable of flying?” Apophis said sternly.
“Very sure,” Isabella said.
The alpha looked to Brendoth and Sisera. “Suggestions?”
Sisera merely shrugged but Brendoth cleared his throat.
“I may have an idea,” he said.
18
“Are we still in Evresh?” Kai asked.
The tall, lanky boy who was called Bastion stopped and turned to look at Kai, a look of deep concern and confusion covered his face.
“Where else would we be? Did something mystical happen that I was unaware of that suddenly transported us to an alternate dimension that seems oddly exactly the same as our own dimension? What knowledge do you have that I do not?”
Kai was so shocked by the coarse reply that his mouth just hung open with no sound coming out. The boy stared at him as if expecting an answer but Kai could not think of anything to say.
“I think he means was that a magical portal?” Aarav said, drawing the attention of the boy away from Kai so as to give him a chance to rec
over.
“Of course not. You know that,” the boy said with a snap. He furrowed his brow and looked between the two men so that they would be sure to notice the look of disgust that he wore to show them how he felt.
“I didn’t tell him,” Aarav said. He had considered defending himself to the youth but Bastion had already walked away.
“What is with him?” Kai whispered as they let the boy lead them from a distance.
“He’s a good guy. Just a little rough around the edges,” Aarav said, shrugging. “I’ve only met him once before, the first time I came here.”
“You’ve been here more than once?” Kai was surprised as Evresh was not a destination that most people considered.
“Well, Oshri sent me here to get on a crew. I joined with the Scarlet Shade, they were recruiting, and, thanks to a little magic, they accepted me like I was an old friend. It was coincidence that we sailed to Seron but the witches knew exactly what was going to happen. It was all a setup, see? They had the plan from the beginning and everything went accordingly. It was pretty amazing.”
Kai was about to answer when he realized that Bastion had stopped walking and he was about to run into the sour-faced boy. He stopped just inches away and smiled sheepishly.
“Why are you so slow?” Bastion asked with a snap. “You are wasting my time. Hurry up.”
He turned and quickly continued down the twisting corridor.
Kai turned to Aarav with a look that could only be interpreted as ‘What is with this guy?’
Aarav just shrugged and smiled. “He will grow on you. Trust me.” He grabbed Kai’s arm and pulled him into a sprint to catch up to their host.
Dragon Flight: Sisera's Gift 3 (Dragonblood Sagas Book 5) Page 13
