Dragon Flight: Sisera's Gift 3 (Dragonblood Sagas Book 5)

by Robyn Wideman

  Kai let the slight go. He was not interested in arguing with the boy any longer. Besides, if what Marea said was true about the attitude being a veil for his affection for Kai, then perhaps he did not need to be so sensitive about it.

  “How does it do that? Levitate like that?”

  “It’s difficult to explain but, basically, it is sitting on a cloud,” Bastion said with a shrug.

  “How is that possible?”

  Bastion let out a sharp laugh and shook his head. “Magic,” he said. “Duh.”

  “How do you get up to the gate? Are there magic stairs?”

  “You can’t go in there. Your puny brains would explode if you were to be exposed to the existential knowledge that is uncovered on a daily basis,” Bastion said flatly. “No, we are going to the human village. The Pyx have very little interest in you so you will pay them respect for letting you travel through their lands and then we will leave immediately. The sooner I can be rid of you, the better.”

  Don’t do it, Kai thought but something took over him.

  “Why don’t you just stay here and get us another guide? If this is where you came from, then there must be someone else that can take us. Someone from your class or whatever is. Why does it have to be you? You clearly don’t want anything to do with us. Or, more specifically, me. Just get someone else and you’ll never have to see me again,” Kai shouted.

  For a just a moment, it seemed as if the world just stopped. Then the rage seeped away and left nothing but shame. Kai stared into the boy’s eyes and all he could see was the look of disappointment. He could see a slight glimmer of tears forming but, somehow, the boy willed the tears back into his eyes and kept his cheeks dry. Bastion turned away to face the front of the boat and did not look back.

  “I …” Kai tried to apologize but no words came out. It felt like his throat was being squeezed. Breathing was beginning to become difficult and he could make no sound. As he began to clutch at his throat, in desperate need of air, he could suddenly breathe again. He fell backward onto the floor of the boat and laid there, filling his lungs.

  No one spoke for the rest of the journey. Aarav tried to initiate a conversation about the incredible, floating building but Kai was in no mood to speak and Bastion had buried himself into his book so he resigned to quietly enjoying the spectacle before them.

  The building was even more incredible up close than it was from a distance. The walls were all carved with intricate designs the Kai could only imagine without examining them up close which looked to be an impossible task as the cloud upon which the building sat was at least a mile off the ground.

  “Does no one fear that cloud will disappear?” Aarav asked as the boat guided itself into a small harbor.

  Bastion had already packed away his book and was waiting for the boat to come to a halt. He looked at Aarav but remained silent.

  “Look, Bastion. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to offend you. I was just trying to make a suggestion and it came out wrong,” Kai said. “It just seems like you don’t want to do this, so I figured that, since we were here anyway, that you might want to pass the torch, so to speak.”

  Bastion did not respond but instead pulled himself on the dock and walked toward shore.

  “He’s taking it pretty hard,” Kai said as he helped Aarav unload their gear from the small boat.

  “I think you hurt his feelings,” Aarav said, pulling the straps of his pack over his shoulders. “He may be a little abrasive but he’s a good kid.” Then, he turned and followed after the youth, leaving Kai alone to contemplate his position.

  “I just thought it would be better for everyone,” Kai said aloud but to himself. He watched Aarav reach the shore and talk with Bastion who had stopped to wait at the end of the pier.

  As he approached the pair, Bastion stepped forward. He glanced back at Aarav, who gave him a nod, then said to Kai, “I have to take you.”

  Kai was eager to make amends with the boy but he was confused. “I don’t understand,” he said.

  “I have to take you,” Bastion said again. “It’s the only way they will let me continue my studies at Pal’Rhoc.”

  “Like an initiation?”

  “More like a punishment, but yes.” Bastion glanced back at Aarav again, who once again gave him a reassuring nod. “I have to prove to the elders that I can work and live as part of a group so they tasked me with being your guide. If I fail the task then I will be removed from the temple and exiled from Evresh.”

  “Ahh, I see. That makes a lot of sense,” Kai said. “But, exiled? That seems a little harsh.”

  “That or death,” Bastion said with a shrug. “So, anyway, I have to take you. I’m sorry about that but that’s just the way it has to be.” Then he turned to walk away but then stopped and looked back at Kai. “Aarav said you got angry and yelled at me because I hurt your feelings.”

  After a moment of silence, Kai began to wonder if the boy asked him a question. “Um, well, I just don’t appreciate the way you speak to me sometimes,” Kai said, frantically trying to make himself sound diplomatic.

  “You need to be less sensitive,” Bastion said. He gave Kai a nod as if his comment was the logical end to the conversation then began to walk toward the gate out of the harbor. “Come on. They are going to be waiting for us.”

  Kai was left speechless once again.

  Aarav laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “Quite the apology, huh? Come on,” he said.

  The town was sprawled out across an open plain from the bend in the river where the dock harbor was located. The buildings were simple in their design but the materials used made them look richly decorated. None were as brilliant as the one that floated above them but many were constructed using the same white stone.

  Bastion led them down a wide lane lined with houses on each side. Each house had a large yard surrounded by a low fence. As they passed the fifth set of yards, Kai began to notice that each one was set up in the same way; animals on the left side, a vegetable garden on the right side. After the eighth set they passed, Kai pointed out his observation to Aarav.

  “I noticed that too,” Aarav said. “It’s kind of weird.”

  At the end of the lane, there was a large, open common area. There were dozens of people milling around, talking with each other, trading bundles of goods. It reminded Kai of a marketplace but without a mass of people.

  Bastion led them to a wide building that stood out among the others because it was much taller. He stood outside a high entrance arch and waited for the two men catch up.

  “Don’t do anything to embarrass yourself or me,” Bastion said. “The Pyx cannot grasp the concept of humor, so try to contain any stupid jokes.” He looked directly at Kai.

  “Don’t worry. I will keep my mouth shut,” Kai said, attempting to keep a venomous tone from his voice.

  “Good.” Bastion nodded, apparently satisfied with the response. “I was going to try to prepare you for what you will see next but I’m not going to. Let’s go.”

  Bastion pushed open the door and disappeared inside.

  “Someday you will get used to him,” Aarav said with a laugh as he opened the door and held it for his companion.

  “I doubt that,” Kai said with a shake of his head.

  He was right, though. I am not prepared for this, Kai thought as he entered the building. He looked around in amazement as the exterior of the building gave no clues to what was contained inside.

  The interior of the building was open with no walls or rooms that Kai could see

  Kai had never seen a Pyx before, he had never even heard of them before the witches told him about them. When Fronya described the creatures, he thought he had a pretty good idea of what they looked like, and he was close, sort of.

  They approached a large stone that stood close to the back of the room. The top of the stone had been cut off leaving a flat, smooth surface with a polished gleam as it showed the reflections of the six Pyx that were in a line, waiting for
them.

  “Wait there. This is going to be a little weird,” Bastion said as he walked ahead to the stone with his hands out, palms up.

  The six Pyx raised their arms and moved toward the boy.

  A greeting, maybe? Kai thought.

  One of the Pyx jumped up on Bastion’s hand and sat. Suddenly, the little creature became a mini tornado that spun wildly on the boy’s hand.

  That’s a new one!

  The tornado moved up his arm, over onto his shoulder where it sat for a moment. Suddenly, the whirlwind disappeared into Bastion’s ear.

  Kai and Aarav jumped in surprise, both men reaching for their weapons.

  “What in the seven hells?” Kai shouted. “What have you done to him?”

  Kai looked around frantically, expecting an answer from some then-unknown source. He then studied Bastion, who had remained still for the entire process. The boy’s face was rested, showing no emotion but his eyes had a glazed look about them. His lips were moving, as if he were conversing with them, but no sound came from his mouth.

  “What do we do?” Aarav asked as he put his back to Kai’s as a defensive measure.

  “What have you done to him?” Kai shouted again as he looked around. The Pyx were all staring back at him but none moved or responded.

  “Please, don’t be alarmed,” Bastion said in a husky tone.

  A wave of relief came over Kai but something still did not seem right.

  “Are you OK, Bastion?” he asked.

  “I am not Bastion,” the young boy said. “I am Bu. Worry not, though. The boy has not been harmed. This is the only way we could communicate in a way you can easily understand. Please lower your weapons. We do not mean you harm.”

  Kai lowered his sword and slid it back into its scabbard. He was still very confused but he also felt very silly holding a sword against creatures that would not be harmed by it.

  “Greetings, Bu,” he said, motioning for Aarav to follow suit and lower his weapon. “I am Kai Woods. This is Aarav Graham. We would humbly ask your permission to travel through your lands.”

  “We know of you both,” Bu said. “The female A’kil, called Fronya, told us in great detail of your plight. You have our permission to pass through the heartland, however, we ask for something in return.”

  “What is your price?”

  “We can see that you’ve consumed trollseed,” Bu said but said no more.

  “Yes,” Kai said, confused by the statement. “I was given doses back in Seron to aid with recovery after I endured some serious injuries.”

  “And, you continued to use it for some after you had recovered,” Bu said.

  “Yes, for a short time, until I came to realize I was using it as a crutch. Though, I don’t understand how this is relevant to our business at hand.”

  “Well, it would seem that trollseed has some interesting magical qualities we were previously unaware of. We had never considered using, let alone testing, the substance in such a manner so to have a subject who has experienced long-term exposure is, oh, how do you say it, a treat.”

  Kai considered what Bastion, or Bu, had said. “Seems like a small price to pay. What do I have to do?”

  “Bastion will take you to the Wisps. It is along the route you will take so it will not be out of your way. They will test you there. That’s all.”

  “That’s easy enough,” Kai said. “I agree.”

  “We require you to make a blood bond to seal the agreement.”

  “What is a blood bond?” Kai asked. He looked to Aarav but his friend just shrugged.

  “In our experience with humans, we have found that many do not honor their agreements, no matter how many times they say they will. A blood bond is a way we can ensure you will fulfill your side of the bargain.”

  “I do not intend to dishonor our agreement. What must I do?” Kai asked.

  Bastion stepped forward and took Kai’s hand, turning it palm up. He placed his hand, palm down, a few inches above Kai’s. A slight burning sensation grew in Kai’s hand when suddenly a red ooze drew from both men’s palms and came together in the space between their hands. Just as quickly as it appeared, the red ooze disappeared.

  “It is done. Safe travels to you, Kai Woods,” Bu said with a slight bow. Bastion’s eyes glazed over and the whirlwind appeared, flowing out of the boy’s ear where it had entered. The little tornado flew back to the stone and rematerialized into the Pyx.

  A moment later, Bastion’s eye’s refocused and he appeared to be himself again.

  “Let’s go,” he said in his normal voice. “Follow me quickly.”

  Bastion rushed the two men back through the rock corridor, which collapsed back into the maze it was before as they passed through it, and out into the plaza. He led them to a well-maintained path and soon the village was behind them.

  Kai looked back as they tried to keep pace with Bastion, who was moving at a speed faster than usual, and was again amazed at the massive structure that hung in the sky above the town, its brilliant white walls still gleaming although night was beginning to fall.

  “We should have stayed the night in the town,” Kai said, breaking the silence. “I would have loved to take a tour of the floating temple.”

  Bastion stopped and turned around sharply. “I told you already that you can’t. Besides, you have more and bigger problems to worry about right now,” Bastion said sharply. “You should not have agreed to the blood bond. Didn’t I tell you to not say anything stupid?”

  Kai was taken aback by the sudden verbal assault. “What was I supposed to do? I need to get to Sova, who is apparently the only one who can help me.”

  “You should have just said no. They would have let you go, even if you had,” Bastion said.

  Kai wondered about the strange urgency in the boy’s tone. “How was I supposed to know that? You weren’t any help at all.”

  “Not the time to be defensive,” Bastion said. “I don’t think you realize how much trouble you are in right now.”

  “I don’t!” Kai yelled, throwing his arms up. “I have no idea because you aren’t telling me anything.”

  Bastion walked toward Kai until he was just inches away. He looked Kai directly in the eye and said very seriously, “You are now their prisoner and there is nothing that you can do about it.”

  24

  “Aren’t you glad you brought me with you?’ Adina said as she handed Isabella a steaming cup of tea.

  Isabella gratefully accepted the cup, holding it close to her face so the vapor would waft into her nose. “Absolutely,” she said and took a sip of the delicious drink. “Mint?”

  “Of sorts,” the old woman said with a chuckle. “It will keep your insides warm throughout the night.”

  “That will definitely help out here,” Isabella said, indicating the remote beach they were standing on. The two women were huddled around a small campfire they had built close by Caritha who laid, unmoving, on the netting that Sisera and Isabella recovered from the tower.

  Brendoth’s plan was simple. Carry the dragon back to Cargoa on a sling, which the netting turned out to be perfect for although it would have been more of a benefit if it was wider. What he didn’t plan on was the weight of the dragon in combination with awkwardness of trying to carry the netting with six large dragons. Six could not fit around the sling and still fly but they found that four was enough to accomplish the feat. The downside of only four dragons carrying was they could only fly slowly and low to the ground. By nightfall on their first day, they had only reached an island in the middle of the Grim Isles. They stopped so the dragons could eat and replenish some strength before the long journey across the Grey Sea to Droll.

  “At this rate, it will take us a week to reach Cargoa and that is crossing land. Brendoth feels we should stick to the coast so we don’t run into any armies that might take exception to a large group of dragons. It makes sense but it will take us two weeks to reach the island at that pace.”

  Although she w
as frustrated with their progress, Isabella understood that the dragon’s needed to rest, even if only for a short time. She thought that Caritha could also benefit from a break as the jostling of the sling could not be that comfortable. The pale dragon was once again refusing to eat no matter what Adina did but the older woman assured Isabella that it would change once they could make the dragon stable again.

  The journey across the Grey Sea was treacherous but they managed to make it to the north-west shore of Droll with very little incident. They traded off one at a time so they did not have to stop flying. The technique worked well although a few times they almost dropped the pale dragon into the water below. Fast reflexes saved the day and the group of nine dragons and two humans made it safely to the other side.

  “How do you like riding a dragon?” Isabella asked the older woman as they rested on the beach with Caritha while the other dragons went fishing.

  “At first, I must admit I was terrified but, as my old mother said, if you don’t try, you won’t succeed,” Adina said with a smile. “It’s much like riding a war elephant.”

  Isabella turned to stare slack-jawed at the older woman who spoke with a sly smile.

  “I’ve done some things in my life, dearie. Don’t look so shocked,” Adina said with a laugh. “Wait until you are older. I have some stories that will make your ears bleed.”

  The two women shared a laugh. Isabella wanted to pry a bit more to persuade the older woman to divulge her tale now but she decided that she was enjoying the silence more than she wanted a story so she remained quiet.

  Isabella had not realized that she had nodded off until the dragons returned with a thunderous entrance. When each dragon landed on the beach it sent a quake through the earth.