The outcasts worked hard, preparing themselves for the battle that lay ahead. Most spent the day searching through the city for materials to make shelters for the journey north. The days were cold and the nights even worse. When the army set out the next day, each man carried not only their weapons and rations, but fuel for fires and materials for tents to keep the worst of the weather off them at night.
They traveled two days to reach the great plain where Lorik intended to fight. The outcasts constructed their tents on the southern side of the small rise in hopes of soaking up as much of the meager winter sunlight as possible. Then they waited for word from their scouts. If the enemy wasn’t using the main road, they could slip past Lorik and his band of fighters, but the warrior was certain his speed and maneuverability was much greater than that of King Ricard’s army. If they went by to either side of his forces, Lorik would double back and get in front of the army, or better still, they might swarm in from the rear and catch King Ricard off guard.
Until they heard from their scouts there was nothing left for Lorik, Spector, and their army to do but wait. And waiting was the hardest part.
Chapter 16
They camped on the hilltop for two days. Ferno brought a young deer it had caught in the forest. Zollin cut off one of the rear legs to roast and gave the rest to the dragon. They feasted on venison and drank the last of the wine that Zollin had left behind when he and Jute went down into the caverns.
Brianna quickly regained her strength. She was still thin, but two days of eating and sleeping made a tremendous difference in the way she felt. When the sun rose on the third day, they packed their things and climbed up onto the dragons. Brianna rode on Sorva, letting the dragon carry her the entire day instead of spending time flipping and twirling through the air as she usually did. Ferno carried both Zollin and Jute. The dwarf weighed as much as Zollin, but Ferno was strong and they stopped often to rest.
It took most of the day for the dragons to cross the mountains. That afternoon they camped again in the foothills on the northern side of the Walheta range. The next day Zollin went to Selphon City on the coast, picking up supplies. He bought a large bag of fresh vegetables, and two large jugs of wine. Brianna needed new clothes, so he purchased wool pants and thick shirts, along with a fur-lined cloak. He was even able to pick up some gossip about himself. It seemed the search for the wizard was old news as the king’s army marched east through Yelsia.
Zollin considered what the best course of action was in light of everything he knew. They could take a northwest course along the coastline and then cut across the heart of Yelsia to Orrock. Branock was almost certain to be with the army he was sending into Baskla, and Zollin would probably have an easier time regaining control of the kingdom with the elder wizard away. But if he went to the west, he would miss the army, which would march into Baskla just as Branock had ordered. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, would die, not to mention that the relationship between Baskla and Yelsia would be ruined. If Zollin went northeast to Ebbson Keep, he might be able to stop Branock’s invasion. It would mean facing an entire army, but he didn’t have to fight everyone, just Branock and perhaps his Royal Guard. With Brianna and the dragons, Zollin had no doubt he could prevail.
They enjoyed a full meal that night. Zollin roasted a pot full of vegetables which they had all been missing. The wine also was a welcome addition, and they sat close to the fire, looking up at the stars.
“I’ve seen your parents,” Zollin said.
Brianna looked at him with either pity or humor, he wasn’t sure which.
“Your sister was being courted by King Hausey,” he revealed.
“What? Which one?”
“Danella. But I don’t think it was her idea, or even the king’s. Branock has returned and has wormed his way into Hausey’s court.”
“What? Why in the world would King Hausey do anything other than put that evil wizard to the sword?”
“Because I was hiding in the mountains,” Zollin admitted. “Hausey thought he needed a wizard and why wouldn’t he? After the Witch’s War it makes sense that any king would want a wizard to help them. I wasn’t available, so when Branock offered his services Hausey took him up as wizard of Yelsia.”
“But he’s a murdering fiend,” Brianna said. “He kidnapped me and colluded with Prince Simmeron to kill King Felix.”
“Hausey wasn’t part of any of that. He was in Felson, commanding the king’s light horse division. He heard stories I’m sure, but he wanted a wizard and he thought he could control Branock.”
“He’s wrong.” Brianna said almost angrily.
“He’s dead,” Zollin said. “Branock killed him and framed me for his murder. Now Branock wears the crown in Yelsia.”
“Ah, the intrigues of men,” Jute said. “This is precisely why dwarves don’t have kings.”
“You can’t let him rule Yelsia,” Brianna said. “He’s dangerous and evil.”
“I know, he is planning to invade Baskla,” Zollin said. “King Hausey was mobilizing troops to move into Falxis, and sent me to find out what King Ricard was doing in Baskla. While you were rescuing the dwarves I went east, partly on the king’s business but also to investigate a sense of evil that is growing there. Something ancient and evil has awoken. It has taken control of King Ricard’s daughter, but the fool is too concerned about invading Ortis to care about the reports of evil creatures spreading across his own kingdom. And when I reported back to King Hausey, Branock insisted they invade Baskla. The Five Kingdoms are in chaos, and we are the only ones who can restore order.”
Brianna was quiet. Her ordeal with the Fire Giant had changed her. Her hands were on the small swell of her stomach and she looked at the fire without speaking.
“But of all that, the worst part is that something has happened to Quinn,” Zollin said.
Brianna looked up at him, the concern evident on her face.
“He was bitten by a creature in Brighton’s Gate that changed him,” Zollin explained. “Mansel told me that Quinn became violent. They went to Orrock hoping to find me, thinking I might be able to help. Instead Branock took my father in and has turned him against me.”
“Surely not,” Brianna said. “Quinn loves you more than anything. More than his own life.”
“I don’t know if he is even the same man,” Zollin said. “After I returned from Baskla, that same night, the king was murdered. I was with your family. When I returned to the castle the next day I was blamed. The king’s guard turned on me and Branock attacked me. I saw Quinn with Branock but I didn’t think he would harm me.”
“He would die to protect you, Zollin, you have to know that,” Brianna said. “Quinn is a good man, maybe the best man I’ve even known.”
“He stabbed me,” Zollin said. “He took me from behind and would have killed me if not for Mansel, and Ferno.”
The dragon growled.
“Mansel fought Quinn until Ferno could get me out of the city,” Zollin said, rubbing the pendant around his neck. “I was able to heal the wound but it took a long time. After that Quinn brought soldiers hunting us. They wounded Ferno but we fought them off.”
“Is that why Ferno is adorned with gold?” she asked.
“It was the only way to heal a dragon apart from you.”
“It isn’t good for them,” Brianna said. “Dragons crave gold because they are born from gold. I made each of their hearts from gold. It has a strong power over them, but they don’t need it.”
She stood up and walked over to Ferno, who bowed its massive head. She rubbed the dragon’s neck and it nuzzled her. Zollin had a close relationship with the green dragon, which was fiercely loyal to him, yet it seemed cold and distant compared to the beast’s great affection for Brianna.
“You have a generous heart, Ferno,” she said in a soft voice. “Let go of this metal, it will only be used to enslave you and your kind. You do not need it. You have me.”
Zollin wanted to warn Brianna not to touch the gold
that spread across Ferno’s horns that sprouted from each shoulder, but she had reached up and snatched the precious metal before he could speak. Ferno growled so loudly that Zollin felt the vibrations in the ground beneath him, but it wasn’t a threatening sound. The green dragon was in pain as it let go of the gold. Zollin could see the muscles in its forelegs, shoulders, and neck straining. Brianna stood close to the green beast, and suddenly fire erupted from her palms and poured over the dragon. Some of the flames licked up around its neck and over its back. Others rolled down under the dragon’s belly and around its legs.
Ferno roared and then settled down, curling up on the ground, it massive muscles relaxing. Brianna continued bathing the dragon in flames until the green eyes closed and it drifted off to sleep. When Brianna returned to her place in camp beside Zollin he could see the strain on her face. He didn’t know if it was from conjuring the fire, or if there had been more to her care of Ferno than what he could see, but she was tired.
“I came south after that,” Zollin said, continuing his story as he poured more wine into a simple wooden cup for Brianna. “The dwarves were moving north and I found out about you. So we came to help.”
“My heroes,” Brianna said.
“We couldn’t leave you there,” Jute said.
“I’m so glad you survived,” Zollin added.
“I’m just glad that the dwarves escaped and that our baby is safe,” Brianna said.
She reached out her hand and took Zollin’s hand, then closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. For a long time Zollin sat still, holding Brianna’s hand, and thinking about how much he loved her. He hoped that her simple gesture meant something, that she was going to stay with him and that they could raise their baby together, but he refused to get his hopes up. Instead, he sat quietly, enjoying the privilege of being so close to the woman he loved.
The next day, as they were preparing to leave, Jute surprised everyone.
“I’m not going,” he said.
“What? Why?” Zollin said. “From Ebbson Keep you’ll be able to head north into the highlands.”
“I’m not going back to the highlands,” the dwarf said. “It’s my fault those devils were able to escape the underworld. I need to find them.”
“What devils?” Zollin asked.
“When the dwarves made our escape we went back to the tunnel Brianna created, only the groslings beat us there and who knows how many escaped. They were fleeing into the mountains when we arrived. We blocked that tunnel, but it isn’t a permanent fix. I have a burden of responsibility, and now that Brianna is safe, I’ll hunt the monsters down.”
“You shouldn’t have to do that alone,” Brianna said.
Zollin felt a twinge of fear. If she was going to leave him again, this was Brianna’s perfect opportunity. Jute had helped to save her life, and Zollin couldn’t deny the dwarf the help he needed. Yet he didn’t want Brianna to go. He wanted her to stay with him. To be his wife and to help him win Yelsia away from Branock.
“We’ll see,” Jute said. “For now, this is my burden. I’m sorry to abandon you, wizard.”
“You have saved us,” Zollin said, still tense. “Allow me to do one small favor for you.”
He went to a pile of rocks he’d discovered near their camp. A little magical probing had discovered that the stones were filled with iron ore. He set his magic to work, the warm rush of power flowed into the stones, which seemed to dissolve before him. The stone fell away, and the iron reformed in one solid lump. Levitating it back to their camp, Zollin nestled the iron into the coals of their cook fire. He then used his power to feed the flames like the bellows of a forge, heating the metal until it pooled, absorbing just the tiniest amount of gas from the hot coals. Then he took a stout-looking limb and with a thought empowered by his magic, he stripped way the bark and fashioned the limb into a small hammer handle. It only took another moment to transform the iron into steel that wrapped around and through the handle. Finally Zollin cooled and hardened the steel. The entire production took him less than five minutes.
Zollin handed the hammer to Jute, who took the weapon and swung it through the air. The dwarf’s eyes seemed to light up as he twirled the hammer around, spinning it in his fist, then flipping it, and tossing it into the air then catching it again.
“This will do nicely,” Jute said, pinching his face into a frown again. “Not as good as dwarfish made, but it will crack skulls.”
“May it keep you safe until we meet again,” Zollin said.
“Thank you for coming to my rescue,” Brianna said to the dwarf. “I shall be forever in your debt.”
“You saved all the dwarves of the highlands,” Jute said, bowing his head slightly. “The debt is ours.”
“I only gave you a chance to escape. It was the courage and strength of the dwarves that allowed your people to break free of the Bollark’s clutches and defeat the groslings. I could not have escaped without your help.”
“And I would have been lost forever in the caverns,” Zollin said. It wasn’t exactly true, but he wanted Jute to know that he valued the contribution Jute had made to saving his wife.
“You have no nose for direction in the darkness, wizard, that much is true,” the dwarf said. “Good luck to you both.”
Zollin nodded, and Brianna bent low and gave Jute a soft kiss on the cheek. Then she gathered the gold she had taken from Ferno and gave it to the dwarf, stuffing it down into a pack with food, blankets, and other gear Zollin had picked up in Selphon City. Zollin was worried about the green dragon’s reaction as it watched Brianna give away the gold she had taken from it, but Ferno simply looked away.
There was nothing left to do but leave, even though Zollin felt a pang of regret leaving Jute behind. The dwarf was a sturdy fighter and an entertaining companion, but Zollin knew Jute hated flying on Ferno’s back. Even being out of the caverns the dwarves called home was difficult for most of his kind. Jute was resolute on finishing what he felt he had to do and Zollin could certainly relate to that. He nodded to his friend, a final goodbye gesture. Then Ferno roared as Zollin levitated up onto the green dragon’s broad back. The beast looked down at Jute and growled, then jumped into the air. When Zollin looked over Brianna was flying on Sorva, and he felt a sense of relief. She was coming with him and at that moment that was all he cared about. They may have been rushing from one danger into another, but he felt at peace.
Normally Zollin traveled up the coast, through the southern part of Yelsia, skirting the Rejee Desert, but with time of the essence he decided to fly northeast across the barren wastes. The Rejee was not a place of blowing sand, but rather a dry, barren landscape of craggy canyons and rocky plains. Nothing grew in the Rejee, the land was scorched earth with very little wildlife and even less water. Zollin knew that Kelvich, his mentor, had lived in the Rejee, but as they flew over the desert he couldn’t imagine anyone surviving there long.
Despite the name, the Rejee wasn’t hot, but rather bitterly cold. Zollin hunched over Ferno’s back, throwing up a magical shield to help hold in the dragon’s body heat and deflect the frigid wind. It also protected him when Ferno billowed fire from its fang-lined maw, letting the flames roll back over its long body to ward off the cold.
Looking over at Brianna, Zollin saw that she was covered in flames, her body consumed in fire. He was glad he had picked up more than one set of clothes for her in Selphon City. She was a Fire Spirit, able to conjure and control fire. She could even produce heat so great it would melt metal or stone. He had seen her dive into solid rock, liquefying the stone and allowing her to swim through it like a fish through water. But her clothes were not impervious to the flames. When she grew cold she ignited her body and the flames quickly consumed the wool shirt and pants Zollin had purchased for her.
They flew all day, stopping only once to rest in the barren Rejee. Zollin was anxious to reach Ebbson Keep and face his enemy. He knew that Branock had to be stopped. The evil wizard was set on going to war, but he cared n
othing for Yelsia or her people. He only cared about power and wouldn’t stop until all Five Kingdoms bowed at his feet, even if that meant destroying them and everyone in them in the process.
The sun had gone down by the time they reached Ebbson Keep. The fortress sat on the border of Baskla, a lone sentinel guarding the kingdom of Yelsia’s eastern border. Zollin had expected to see light and life in the fortress, but despite the early hour the Keep was dark and quiet.
“I don’t know what’s happening,” Zollin shouted to Brianna.
“It looks deserted,” she answered.
They hadn’t been able to communicate as they raced over the Rejee Desert, and there was a lot he wanted to talk to Brianna about. He had thought that there might be time that night, in the warmth and safety of the Keep, but he was beginning to fear that something bad had happened.
“Take us down, Ferno,” Zollin said.
He could make out the fortress roof and Ferno sent him a mental image of the Keep. The dragons had much better night vision than any human. Normally the duke kept sentries on top of the watchtower at all times, but there was no one on duty. Even when the duke had gone in search of his daughter and Jax, the duke’s wife had posted guards. It didn’t bode well that the Keep was dark and seemingly deserted.
Chaos Raging (The Five Kingdoms Book 11) Page 13
