by Eric Vall
Durigh laughed and punched me softly in the shoulder. “We’ll hold ya to that, Flynt.”
I grinned and spent a few more minutes bidding the traders farewell. When I returned to the field, the engines of the Warwolves’ were already ignited, and Pindor stood proudly at the helm of the first catapult.
I gave the young mage a salute as I joined him and the brawny Ignis Mage who manned the engine. “Mason Flynt.” I nodded to the mage, and he extended a firm hand shake my way.
“Kurna.” He nodded back. “I’ve been working at the mine in Cedis.”
“Glad to have you with us,” I told the mage, and I genuinely meant it. I could feel the strength of his powers as they sparked through the air around us, and I could tell he’d be a hell of an asset in battle.
My worries for the dwarves only lessened by the minute as the army of mages mounted the catapults and the horses in the field. They were joined by several of Thrungrig’s dwarves, and Haragh finally gave the signal as he leapt up to join a circuit with Pindor, while Kurna took them forward to the front of the line.
I backed myself up the path a ways to let them roll by me and toward the pass. Haragh and Pindor worked to broaden and stabilize the trail, and the giant, creaking Warwolves began their ascent through the mountains.
“Looking good,” Cayla called, and I turned to see the two beauties posted beside Bobbie.
A grin spread across my face at the sight.
Once the last of the mages left the field, we mounted Bobbie and made to follow the caravan toward the capital. Cayla wrapped her legs around me from behind and sighed like a content cat as she tucked her hands near my belt. Then I caught Shoshanne’s hand before she could climb into the sidecar and pulled her over to perch between my thighs.
She blushed but looked very happy to be there, so I pulled her tightly against me and felt her skin ignite against my groin.
“Comfy?” I asked with my lips against her copper curls.
I heard her giggle, then let out a light shriek as Bobbie growled beneath us.
Cayla laughed as well, and the three of us left the mines behind as we sped forward to catch up with the army ahead of us.
Chapter 16
The caravan rolled up to the gates of Aurum by the time the sun shone high on the northern region. The walls of the capital looked even more impressive in the daylight, and I could now see the armed sculptures on the battlements had deep red rubies inlaid for the eyes. It looked demonic with the sun glinting down, and Haragh let out a low whistle as we approached the gate.
“Mason Flynt,” I announced to the gilded guard. “This is the army the elders have commissioned me to bring.”
The guard’s eyes hadn’t left the Warwolves since we’d pulled up, and he didn’t seem to hear the words I’d just said either, so I cleared my throat. That snapped his attention back to us.
“Yes. Mason Flynt,” he grunted hurriedly. “The elders are frantic. They await you in the Great Hall.” The dwarf nodded to another, and they stepped forward to open the gates, but I noticed the tension of the dwarves.
“Why are they frantic?” I asked with a frown.
“Well … ” the guard began, and he lowered his voice as he leaned closer. “The hostage, sir. They fear you’ll blame the dwarves, and retaliate, sir.”
I tried to process the words and retraced the scenes from the night before. “What?” I finally asked as my heart started to pound beneath my ribcage. “What hostage?”
“The Ignis Mage, sir,” he replied uneasily. “They’ve taken her.”
My gut nearly dropped from my ass at the words, and my vision clouded with a rage I honestly had never felt before. “Which Ignis Mage?” I demanded through gritted teeth.
The poor guard shrank by several inches. “I … I don’t know, sir. I only know the elders are worried … please. The dwarves would never allow this to happen if they could prev--”
I turned away before he could finish.
Haragh and I ran to Bobbie, and the half-ogre climbed into the side car. “Go,” he growled, and I didn’t hesitate to push Bobbie at full speed through the streets of the capital.
“What’s going on?” Cayla asked quickly, but I couldn’t unclench my jaw, so Haragh answered for me.
“Someone’s been taken,” was all he said, and I heard the two women gasp, They must have realized any other questions would probably go unanswered, because they just held on tighter as we barreled through Aurum.
Dwarves dove out of the way, and we were at the courtyard of the fortress within a minute, but I didn’t stop there. I drove straight up to the doors and brought Bobbie to a screeching halt.
“Open the damn doors,” I ordered the guards.
They jumped to do my bidding, and I drove straight through the entrance hall. Then I cut the engine and took the stairs four at a time, with Haragh on my heels.
Cayla and Shoshanne hurried after us, and I didn’t even bother with the last line of guards. By now I was practically flaming with rage, so I raised my hand as I called my magic to the surface. The last pair of gilded doors flew open, and I stormed straight into the throne room.
The elders jumped at the entrance.
“Listen here--” Dogra tried, but his voice wavered at the sight of Haragh and me.
“Who was taken?” I demanded as I came to where the five elders sat in their thrones.
“The Ignis girl,” Foreg replied solemnly.
“Which one?” Haragh growled, and I could hear from his tone that he was just as furious as I was.
The dwarves looked terrified and exchanged panicked glances which clearly showed they didn’t know any of the names of the mages who had fought for them the night before.
I was on the verge of screaming at the old dwarves, when a voice called my name from the doors.
I flipped around and lost the feeling in my legs as a pair of bright red tights sprinted toward me.
“Gods,” I breathed, and then I grabbed the half-elf into my arms. I kissed her all over her blue hair and her pointed ears, and then I devoured her lips for a solid minute as Aurora melted against me. I could hear Cayla let out a shaky sigh of relief beside us, and Haragh dropped to his ass on the steps.
When I came up for air, Aurora’s cheeks were beet red, and her bottle-green eyes glittered up at me.
“I thought you were taken,” I told her as I clutched her close.
“I guessed you might when I heard Bobbie tearing through the streets,” she chuckled, “that’s why I came. I’ve been at the water source with Mina, trying to sort things out, but Deli … ” She paused, and I heard fear creep into her voice. “Deli’s gone, Mason. I don’t know what happened.”
“Don’t worry,” I assured her as I stroked her cheek. “We’ll get her back, I promise.” Then I turned to the elders who looked less nervous, but very put out. I cleared my throat and stepped forward.
“I apologize,” I said and bowed to show my respect. “Forgive my anger, it’s only that I thought this woman may have been taken. She’s … ” I glanced back at the half-elf to try and find the right word, but I honestly couldn’t. I grinned at the sparkle in her emerald eyes, and relief finally released me from the last of my fury.
Haragh cleared his throat from where he sat on the steps, and I turned back to the elders, a giant grin on my face.
“Sorry,” I chuckled. “Forgot what I was saying for a second there.”
Agrokea let out a withered sort of laugh, and I was grateful the blind elder hadn’t been able to see my anger for himself. Now he waved his hand and said, “Love, is it? Well then … all is understood.”
Dogra looked about ready to spit knives at the old dwarf, but he aimed them at me instead. “Mason Flynt, understand that those doors are to be opened by none other than the guards of the elders, and if you ever--”
“I know,” I assured him and offered my most sincere apology. “I understand entirely, and I meant no disrespect to the elders. I would certainly never do anything
to bring harm to you or your capital. It won’t happen again.”
The elders were silent and studied me carefully for a moment, before Foreg spoke. “I am sure it won’t. Now,” he continued, and his voice became softer, “about the girl who was taken. We do not know where she is, but if you wish, we can offer any assistance necessary to locate the mage and bring her back safely.”
I nodded my gratitude. “Thank you, Elder Foreg. I accept your assistance. Deli is invaluable to us. What happened here after I left last night?”
“We are still unclear,” Foreg admitted, and the faces of the elders shared his concern. “No giants were heard or seen. But the bells rang out at sunrise, and the guards informed us the chief water source for all of Aurum had been frozen solid in the night.”
Aurora came to my side, and I instinctively wrapped an arm around her the second she appeared. “I went to get the girls when I heard the bells,” she told me. “We were given rooms here, but Deli’s was empty. We looked everywhere, asked every guard. No one had seen her leave. There’s no trace of any struggle in her room, either.”
“She wouldn’t have left on her own,” I said with a frown.
“Never,” the half-elf agreed. “Deli was so proud after the battle last night. She talked of nothing else the whole way back. She even came up with a new tactic for the next attack. She wants to have a troop of dwarves hidden in the trees and ignite arrows for them to shoot at the giants, to help confuse them.”
“Damn,” I said, “that’s brilliant.”
Haragh shook his head and finally stood once more. “Who the hell would’ve taken her?” he asked and turned to the elders. “These giants have some kind of leader or someone they answer to?”
“We have wondered the same thing,” Dogra replied. “The giants have lived in the most northern portion of the mountains for as long as we’ve known of them. Several hundred years, at least. But they never ventured near the capital. We understand them to be a solitary race.”
“So, you know where they hail from?” I asked, but the elder shook his head.
“Very few dwarves have ventured as far north,” Dogra admitted. “Certainly, none of the elders. But there are some who have. Perhaps they would have a better answer for you.”
“Who?” I asked eagerly. “Where can I find them?”
Dogra almost looked irritated by the question. “Well, one of them is laid up and positively abusing my healers over a little cast.”
I tried not to laugh as I asked, “Thrungrig?”
“Yes,” the elder responded wryly. “He heard the bells and was … disappointed that he was not in a state to rise.”
Now I did laugh. “I believe it. I’ll speak with him directly.”
“Yes, do that,” Dogra sighed. “As for the water source--”
“Don’t worry,” Aurora cut in. “Mina and I are on it, but the ice just isn’t normal ice. There’s something about it that’s fighting our flames. We’re not going to give up though. We’ll get it thawed within the day.”
I nodded and realized I had forgotten an important detail in my worry over the half-elf. “That reminds me,” I said as I addressed the white-haired elder. “The Warwolves are here and ready for battle, along with my army. I offer thirty mages.”
“Thirty?” Foreg asked, and the elder’s eyes went wide in disbelief. “Thirty with the powers you possess?”
“Twenty Ignis Mages, and ten Terra Mages. Plus my original crew of seven. Well … six.” I felt my rage begin to flicker again as I thought of Deli, and I shifted my weight to relieve the tension a bit.
Aurora squeezed her arm around my waist. “She’s a strong girl,” the half-elf assured me. “Whoever has her is gonna get hell for it.”
I tried to find comfort in the words, but I wasn’t so sure. All I could think of was the sweet little smile the mage had sent me as she shrugged and agreed to light the tracks. But I shook the image from my mind and tried to focus on a solution.
“We’ll go talk to Thrungrig,” I decided and turned to Aurora. “The mages are at the gate. Will you and Haragh get them organized, and see what you can do about the water source?”
“Of course.” The half-elf nodded, and then she laid a fiery kiss on my lips before she turned to leave the throne room. Cayla and Shoshanne caught her as she passed, and I heard the three exchange giggling hugs before they finally let the Ignis Mage leave. Then we all bowed to the elders and departed for the infirmary.
The silver robed healers bustled around the beds, and none of them seemed concerned as we all entered and made our way to the far corner of the infirmary. Dorinick lay completely still, with his head bandaged and his eyes closed, and my nerves kicked up a notch.
“Has he not woken yet?” I asked the nearest healer.
The dwarf solemnly shook his head, but he gave no other response.
“Shit,” I cursed.
“Aye,” came a grumbling voice, “not a damn answer from ‘em!”
Thrungrig looked like an angry badger in his bed. His leg was casted and suspended in a sling he had no doubt protested with a vengeance, and I chuckled as I came to the dwarf’s side.
“I thought you were gonna just … be on your way,” I teased the dwarf, but I decided to reign in the smile on my face when his eyes shot daggers at me. “Sorry.”
“I would be on my way, if these bastards would’ve done their job,” he growled. “Bit of a sprain is all, and they whip this contraption up.”
A healer turned from the table near the angry dwarf’s bed and replied stiffly. “The ankle is broken, as I have told you many times before.”
Shoshanne raised an eyebrow to the healer. “You need a sling for a broken ankle?”
I could have sworn I saw the healer smirk, but he turned his back quickly and only muttered something I didn’t understand. I had a feeling Thrungrig’s sling was more of a punishment than a necessary part of the healing process.
The Aer Mage sighed and shook her head, but she let the subject go. Then she looked curiously over her shoulder to Dorinick’s bed.
“Would you mind if I take a look at the general’s wrappings?” she asked the healer.
The dwarf turned with an incredulous look on his face. “Under no circumstances is anyone permitted to--” he began, but Shoshanne was already on her way.
“Members of the Order of Pallax are under oath to heal any who are injured in the service of an army, regardless of the nation they hail from,” she corrected the dwarf, and I raised my eyebrows at the authority in her voice.
When I looked back at the dwarf, his cheeks were red, but he had nothing to say as he glared at the back of the Aer Mage.
Cayla and I joined Shoshanne, and I watched as she carefully unwrapped Dorinick’s head. Her warm brown eyes lit with anger as she studied the giant gouge beneath the bandages, but she only pursed her lips and gave a low huff. Then she turned to a table of instruments beside the bed and began to root around its contents.
“I’ll take care of the general,” she assured me. “You worry about Deli.”
“Thank you,” I said and laid a kiss on her caramel cheek. Then I returned to Thrungrig. “Don’t worry, Shoshanne’ll have him better in no time.”
The dwarf grumbled to himself, but I could see he was relieved for his friend.
“So,” he said at last, “all I’ve heard is that the water’s froze up. What’s really happening out there?”
“Someone other than the ice giants has been stirring up trouble,” I told him in a low voice. The dwarf’s brows furrowed immediately, and I continued. “The water source was frozen, but no giants were seen or heard. And our mage, Deli, was taken. No one saw her go, and no one can guess where she’s been taken to. The elders said you know where the giants hail from?”
“Aye,” the dwarf said with a firm nod. “Used to have a sapphire mine in the far north. Had to close it up, too much damn ice. But you said the giants didn’t freeze the water source.”
“Yeah,” I agreed,
“but if this all happened on the night we finally destroy a troop of ice giants, then it seems pretty likely someone whose involved with them is behind it. Maybe even leading the attacks themselves. The elders said the ice giants are a solitary race, that they never used to bother anyone.”
“That’s partly true,” the dwarf said thoughtfully, and he scratched at his chin for a moment. “I came across a few once, bringing my shipment down to the capital. They weren’t big ones, mind ye’. Never were as big as they are now. ‘Bout as big as Haragh, maybe a foot taller. Anyway, they saw me comin’ and got pretty pissed. They were up on a ridge and throwin’ ice down at me. Don’t remember the ice chasin’ me down, though … I got the hell out of there quick and didn’t look back.” He shrugged when he finished, and my concerns were solidified.
“If their ice wasn’t enchanted before, and they never came down this way, then I think it’s likely they’re being ordered to do it now. More likely than that their species suddenly changed after hundreds of years of no problems,” I told him, and he nodded his agreement. “How far north are we talking?”
“About thirty miles,” he answered.
It wasn’t as far as I’d expected, and a plan started to form in my mind as I considered the trek we’d just made from the mine to Aurum. “How’s the path up that way?” I asked the dwarf. “Is it like the one near the mine?”
“Well, I wouldn’t call it a path anymore,” Thrungrig warned. “It’s been quite a few years since we used it, so it’s likely changed. But we carved a clearing big enough for the carts to get through. It runs straight along the base of the ravine. Probably a few boulders blockin’ it up now I’d imagine.”
“Boulders I can handle,” I assured him. “I just need to be able to get the Warwolves through without losing them off a cliff.”
Thrungrig’s eyes widened. “What are you sayin’? You wanna bring them contraptions up north?”
“Damn right,” I said, and a wicked grin spread across my face. “No one who takes a mage of mine gets to call the shots anymore. Those bastards have had the upper hand long enough.”
