by Scott King
"I think it's the boar." Carter palmed his belly and stuck out his tongue.
"That was some fine boar. You ate too much." Alex rolled her eyes. "Are you trying to tell me that you aren't nervous? You have to be the one to do the magic to free the dragons."
"No. It's magic. I started studying agyls over ten years ago. We finally moved on to high magic this past year. It's kind of what I've been raised to do."
"I wish I had your confidence. All I can think about is if we screw up, it's my city, my people, my father who are going to die."
"I keep thinking about the guy Kane threw off the cliff."
"The giant, Bash?"
"Yes," Carter said. "I've seen people sick. I've seen people die. It happens when you are learning medicine, but I've never seen someone murdered. I keep picturing his blood glistening on the rocks."
"I get it. The things I saw traveling to Hal have stuck with me. I wish I could shake them, but I can't."
"Do you have nightmares?"
"Nightmares? No, but what I saw still haunts me when I close my eyes to go to sleep."
"Do you think it gets any easier?"
"I don't know, but I expect what we've seen so far is only the beginning."
A silence settled over the room. It hung there as they both sat lost in their thoughts and starring out at the sparkling city.
The Freelands Bridge was ablaze. The Saheners were already out burning this year's constructions. She wished she had gotten to see them earlier in the day. One of her favorite memories as a kid was the sunset parade when the locals wheeled out painted wooden doors, each decorated with a theme. Some might honor the tales of Coteth, The Silver Lady, or Owen, while others were intricate works of art made to look like peacocks, thylazines, or dragons. Once the sun had set, they were burned. Hundreds of hours of work turned to ash. It was always a spectacle to witness.
Ten minutes passed, and the silence broke with the door opening and Jintzy entering the dining room. It had been several months since Alex had seen him. He looked older. Heavy shadows hung under his eyes, and his clothes were loose, as if he had lost weight.
The embassy kept a full staff. There was no reason one of the tailors couldn't mend Jintzy's overcoat and baggy shirt. She would have to speak to him about it. If he was attending public gatherings as a representative of Arwyn, he needed to at least look the part of an authoritative figure.
"Your highness." Jintzy bowed his head slightly. "I returned the moment I got word of your arrival."
"I'm here on pressing business." She stood and took a deep breath. "The dragon attacks plaguing the Freelands and Arywn are not random. A man named Medrayt is behind it. Gideon has already left for Elene to warn father, but I have need of a ship."
"Are you sure the name you heard was Medrayt?" Jintzy asked in a worrisome tone.
"Yes," Alex said. "He's a magician who has taken control of the dragons. Have you heard of him before?"
"I have, but not in over twenty years."
"Who is he?"
A redness rose on Jintzy's cheeks, and sweat beaded on his forehead. "It's not my place."
"Just say it," Carter said. "She's going to hound you until you do anyway."
Alex grumbled. She wouldn't "hound" Jintzy. She would order him to share what he knew. It may not seem like a big difference to Carter, but to her it was. "Elene is in immediate danger, and all of Arywn is too. Anything you can share with us would be a boon. Now is not the time for secrets."
"There are things not spoken of." Jintzy walked to the window, peering out at Compitum. "Though I am surprised you've never heard the name before."
"Why should I have heard of him?"
"He is your father's brother. Well, half brother, but still they grew up together."
"My father was an only child."
"It's true your grandmother had only one child, but your grandfather had another from a previous marriage," Jintzy said. "I assure you Medrayt and Edgar were brothers. I trained both boys myself."
"Then why haven't I ever heard of him?"
"For a time in their late twenties, your father and Medrayt disappeared." Jintzy lowered his head. "It was a rough time for Arwyn. We thought them dead. Two years later, your father and uncle returned with you. Someone was not happy about their return, and your uncle was killed, though I guess that is not the case anymore. He somehow survived."
"I've read every account of Arwyn's history. I've had more tutors than I can name. No one has ever mentioned father having a bastard brother."
"Half brother," Jintzy said. "Medrayt was the rightful heir not a bastard."
This was ridiculous. How could her dad have never brought up having a brother? It made no sense. Sure, there were some things off topic, like Alex's mother. Her dad never talked about her mother or the span of years from when they had met till she had died giving birth. But never mentioning a brother was the same as lying. Her dad never lied to her, or so she thought. "If this Medrayt is my uncle, why would he be attacking the kingdom or threatening my father?"
"I can't answer that," Jintzy said. "From what I remember, your uncle was a patriot. He loved your father, and he loved Arwyn. To know Medrayt has been the one causing the dragon attacks and creating the overwhelming number of refugees, it's a tragedy."
"Have there been many refugees?" Carter asked. "I'm from Hal and only learned about dragon attacks in the past few weeks."
"Have there been many?" Jintzy snorted. "Compitum is overwhelmed with thousands of refugees. That's not taking into consideration those who have fled to Brand or Elene."
Alex had walked through the ashes of what was once a town. She had seen the horrors done to the people. Whoever Medrayt was, he was a terrible person. "We shouldn't waste any more time. Carter and I need to reach the East Sea. How long before you can get us a ship?"
"We have none here that could handle rougher waters, but I could send you down river to Brand."
"When can we leave?"
"By first light," Jintzy said. "I'll send word now to the harbor master. They will start stocking supplies and preparing to sail."
"Thank you, Jintzy."
Jintzy bowed his head. "Although times are turbulent here, I could clear my schedule and travel with you to Brand."
"You don't have to do that," Alex said.
"I think I do," Jintzy said. "No disrespect to your own skills, but I wouldn't be doing my duty if I didn't do everything I could to help."
"I'll be there," Carter said.
"What skills do you offer?" Jintzy asked. "Are you a hunter or tracker?"
"I'm a great magician."
"Are you?" Jintzy nodded with approval. "Certainly, it would make you qualified. I guess then the two of you do not need me?"
"Don't be silly Jintzy," Alex said. "We'd love to have you come, but I know how important your duties are here. Gideon would never have left us if he didn't think the two of us could handle it."
"Well, gorph." Jintzy stood and stretched. His grey hair shifted to a rich brown, and his features slimmed, taking on the familiar form of Kane. "I had hoped the two of you could lead me to your dragon friend, but it seems he is no longer around, is he?"
"Where is the real Jintzy?" Alex threw her chair aside, keeping the table between her and Kane. "You better not have hurt him!"
"I assume your ambassador is still at the play," Kane said. "I only caught a quick glance of him from a distance when he left earlier. I'm surprised that you didn't figure out who I was. I know I didn't get his facial details or build perfect."
"You need to stop being so mean and tricking people," Carter raised his hands, readying a spell. "And for the record, I liked Kenzie better. She was nice. And prettier."
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Kane flexed her arm, and it stretched like taffy. It lashed around Carter's wrists, binding them together. She repeated the motion with her second arm, coiling it around Alex.
"Not fair." Carter shook his wrist, trying to break free.
&
nbsp; "You want to talk fair?" Kane said. "I've been in this blasted place for more than a week posing as a maid. People are nasty. Then after all this, you didn't bring Doug? Tell me where the dragon is, and I'll make your deaths quick."
"We aren't going to tell you anything." Alex bent her knees, trying to reach her dirk, but Kane tightened her grip.
"I expect simplicity from haystack over here." Kane retracted her arm drawing Carter in close. "But surely, you must see more is going on."
"I don't believe a single word you've ever said to us," Alex said. "You are a liar who can't be trusted."
"Ahhh I see. This is about dear old daddy." Kane nodded. "You think I made up the whole story about Medrayt being your uncle. I didn't."
"Lies." Alex squatted and pushed with her legs, trying to pull free of Kane's stretchy arm. Kane pulled back, flipping Alex upside down so she was stuck dangling in the air by her feet.
"Believe what you want." Kane retracted her arm.
Alex ended up face to face with Carter. He winked at her, which wasn't a good sign.
"For an assassin, you suck at assassinating," Carter said. "Remember the time you didn't kill Doug and I blew you to shreds?"
"I was unprepared," Kane said. "Things have changed."
"You talk a good game," Alex said, "but have nothing to back it up."
"Let's fix that," Kane said.
The hair along Alex's neck stood on end. She maybe shouldn't have provoked the crazy shape-shifting lady.
Kane flung Alex toward the glass window that overlooked Compitum. Alex hit it, butt first, and it shattered outward.
"Prösenta!" Carter yelled.
For a split second, Alex felt relieved. Carter was going to use his magic and throw her back into the room, and everything would be ok. That didn't happen. A wall of wind erupted in the dining room that launched Carter and Kane out the busted window.
"What did you do?" Kane yelled.
"Shame on you!" Carter said. "I don't need my hands to cast spells. I only use them for aiming."
"I hate you." Kane's back bubbled, and feathered wings grew from her shoulder blades. She spread the wings, and they unfurled, stopping both her own and Carter's descent.
Alex, on the other hand, continued to fall. In less than eight stories, she would be nothing but a stain on Compitum's pristine white stone streets.
21
Ambushed
Ulesday, 27th of Hearfest, 1162.111
Doug decided the only solution was to leave Compitum. Once he was out in the farmlands and forests, he could forage for food and feed his aching belly. He no longer cared about giving himself away or drawing attention. He walked up to the first people he saw, a drunk couple stumbling from a pub, and asked them for directions.
The man laughed, said something Doug assumed was crude, and then vomited. The sour-bile smell was not as bad as the fish stew, which was so poorly chewed Doug could still see slices of carrots and peas.
Doug grabbed the drunkard by the scruff of his neck and demanded directions to the Freelands Bridge. The man vomited two more times and then passed out. Luckily, a woman accompanying the man was not intoxicated and she pointed Doug in the general vicinity of where he wanted to go.
Doug repeated his abrupt direction asking five more times, each went much more smoothly than the first. Finally, he came in view of the Freelands Bridge. It was impossible to miss because it was on fire.
Flames shot higher than full-grown trees, and the light reflected off the water, bathing the city in a speckled orange glow.
As he got closer, he saw that the stone of the bridge was not burning. Bulky skeletal frames, the size of buildings, blazed. The fiery-box shapes blocked the bridge, and people cheered, drinking and celebrating on the streets.
A sober-smelling man stood in front of an easel, painting the jubilee, or at least that's what Doug assumed he was doing, though the coloring on the canvas looked more like spilled paint than intentional strokes.
"What's going on?" Doug asked.
"Sahene Eve." The painter dipped his brush into a brownish glob and smeared it into a peach smooge.
"I'm from out of town."
"They are exiling the demons and burning the entryway to our world."
The humans who were dancing and shouting all wore masks.
"When will they be done?"
"By morning I expect." The painter looked up from his work for the first time and stared at Doug. "You have exquisite eyes. May I paint you?"
"I don't want paint on me. It smells like wet stone and will take forever to fade."
"Not on you, but make a painting of you?"
"I don't have time. I need to get out of the city. Can you tell me the fastest way to either of the other bridges?"
"The other two bridges are closed," The man said. "You aren't going anywhere for hours."
Doug's shoulders sagged forward. He was so hungry, and all he wanted to do was leave this human infestation, but it was as if everything was conspiring against him.
"I can pay you." The painter rummaged through a sack at the foot of his easel. "Two copper rounds or five Kelsam halfpents?"
"Don't need any money..." Doug sniffed the air. "You have food in there?"
The painter held up a jar and something wrapped in parchment. "Half a bin of sweet lemon jam and bit of crusted rolls."
Doug snatched the food from the painter and sat cross-legged, spreading the paper across his lap. Inside were... Well, he wasn't sure what they were. They were like round slices of bread, but instead of being soft, they were hard, and yet not stale tasting. There was a bit of crunch to them, and when dipped into the jam, they became the most amazing thing he had ever eaten. Of course, if he tried them again on a full stomach, they might not taste as good. But as of right now, the sweet creaminess mixed with the sharp acid and the salty crunch of the bread was fantastic.
Doug licked the jar clean. He was still hungry, but at least the pain of the hunger had subsided. Making it through the night while waiting for the bridge to become passable again would be manageable.
"Where are you going?" The painter asked as Doug stood up.
"I finished the food."
"I'm not done painting you."
"Not my problem," Doug said. "Unless you have more food..."
The painter bit his lower lip and frantically glanced up and down the street. "Ok, don't move. I'll be back."
It took three sessions of food running before Doug finally felt full. In that time, he got to try spiced grits topped with tine berries, grilled yucca, which was like a savory sweet potato, and a seaweed wrap filled with spring greens and rice. It was the best meal he had eaten since leaving home. He was so content when the man offered to buy him a fourth round of food, Doug said he was ok and allowed the painter to continue working.
With a full stomach, waiting for the Sahene celebration to end became less of a burden. Already, the fires were down to a fourth of the height they once were. It would be an hour at most, and then he could finally get back to the mainland. That was when he heard shattering glass.
A block away, seven or eight stories up, he saw a girl falling. There was a gust of wind, and then a woman and boy were also thrown from the same window.
It took half a heartbeat for him to recognize all three.
Kane grew wings from her back and flew in a circular pattern, holding on to Carter, but Alex continued to fall. Doug didn't debate it or contemplate it. He sprung into action. He couldn't allow the girl to die, not when he could do something about it.
Doug sprinted, going solely for speed. He angled his body, and with each step, he pushed off the pavement, propelling himself forward. With each jump, he gained more height, and timed it so he connected with Alex while at the zenith of a leap.
"Got you." Doug put a palm against the center of her back and tucked his other arm behind her knees. "Go limp when we hit the ground."
She did as he commanded, and when his feet hit stone, he bent his legs, trying
to soften the impact as much as he could. It was too much, though, and instead of a smooth landing, his heels kicked forward, and she landed on his pudgy belly, knocking the air from his chest.
"Thanks." Alex rolled off him and was back on her feet before Doug had a chance to catch his breath. "We need to get Carter though."
"Do we have to?" He asked between coughs.
"Not funny."
"Kind of funny."
"Do something!"
Kane half glided and half flew while wrestling with Carter, who squirmed in her arms like a hatchling not wanting a bath.
"Hey Kane, stop flirting with the kid and come face someone who stands a chance against you."
Kane and Carter's struggle stopped as they both looked down. A moment later, Kane released her grip on Carter, dropping the boy.
"Prösenta!" Carter pointed his palms to the ground, and a rush of wind rose, catching him. He landed in a huff and gave Doug a cold stare. "What are you doing here? We don't need your help."
"I was minding my own business when I stumbled upon you getting yourself into trouble," Doug said. "And don't worry, I plan on leaving as soon as I deal with Kane."
"I had things under control." Carter staggered and dropped to a knee.
"Sure looks like it."
"It's the magic." Carter propped his fingers on the ground to keep from falling over. "I'll be fine in a minute."
"We don't have a minute." Alex pointed to the sky. Kane was mid-shapeshift. Gone were her wings and human body. Her neck grew long, and she bulked up, taking the form of an ollip. "She's going to crush us!"
Alex helped Carter to his feet, guiding him farther down the street, but Doug didn't budge. Maybe the hunger had gotten to him or his overall patience had hit maximum capacity because he no longer wanted to run. He wanted to see exactly how strong he was.
Doug jumped and collided with the ollip.
The ollip plowed into Doug, driving him into the street.
Intense pressure coursed through his body. Not so much pain, but the sensation he would pop, as if his blood and innards were going to squirt out through his eye sockets or ears.
