Vahly frowned. “Right.” When she had been a child, she would’ve loved this idea of what elves’ mysterious magic could do. But now, after years of magic not doing what every text and creature claimed it should be doing to her, she was less than amused by whimsical stories about vague elven powers.
Nix shrugged. “I think we should go. Now. Under the cover of darkness so there are fewer eyes watching us traipse into the marshes like fools.”
“I don’t know. I could be leading you to your death.”
“Death is breathing down our backs already, wouldn’t you say?” Nix jerked her chin at the Lost Valley and the salt water covering its former understated glory.
“I should talk to Amona. I don’t want to, but I should.”
“Why don't you sleep on it? No matter what you decide, your body needs rest. Take the couch in my room where you won't be bothered.” Nix pushed away from the table. “I need to meet with Aitor, then I’ll be back shortly. We will discuss your decision over breakfast.”
With the balcony doors closed, Vahly was alone in the night.
What was the best choice? To ask Amona for help or not?
The entire idea was three jacks shy of a full deck.
Heading into the Fire Marshes to meet with elves who might very well be extinct. Insanity.
She stood and began to pace, drawing her short sword and her cleaning cloth. Walking the length of the balcony, she ran her cloth over the etched wing and flame pattern of her blade, the familiar job easing her nerves somewhat. The ivory hilt warmed under her grip.
Amona had ordered the weapon made for Vahly long ago. She’d harvested the tusks from a sea beast that beached itself when Vahly was still toddling around the mountain palace and drooling. Fight the sea with the sea, Amona had always said of the sword, smirking at her own little joke about the ivory.
Vahly loved the sword. It was part of her. She’d perfected an array of seamless moves made with her weapon side forward. Nothing that would take down a dragon set on killing her, but enough to drive away the ones who merely wanted to bruise the failed savior of the dragons.
Rubbing at a particularly stubborn smudge near the hilt’s scalloped guard, Vahly’s mind whirled.
What if Amona refused the trip to the Forest of Illumahrah? What then? Vahly was definitely going. No doubt. But it would prove far more difficult if Amona knew the basic plan. She could Call Vahly back with a word and it would be impossible to disobey unless she was able to Break like the dragons here had. There would be no going back to the Lapis if she did that.
What were the chances that Amona would help Vahly and Nix cross the marshes? From the way Amona had acted about the elves today, gaining her support was a long shot with odds too rough even for underdog-loving Vahly.
No, she couldn’t tell Amona. She had to come up with a reason to be gone for a while.
In the past, Vahly had traveled with Helena the healer, Xabier, and a few others to treat a disease in the goats that grazed the Red Meadow. At Xabier’s feast, Maur had voiced concern about the bear that was killing all the deer. Maybe Vahly could tell Amona that she would gather the Call Breakers and head out to slay the bear. Amona would fight the suggestion, but Vahly could persuade her, noting the recent excursion’s success. Then, she’d have an excuse for her absence.
Sighing, Vahly finished polishing her blade. She hated to keep the real plan from Amona, but it couldn’t be helped.
Vahly sheathed her sword, tucked her cloth into one of the many small bags at her belt, and went to bed.
Chapter Seven
The next morning, Vahly found Nix at the front door of the now empty common room where she was watching Aitor slide into the orange light of dawn.
“Off for a stroll, is he?” Vahly hitched up against the doorframe.
“A stroll that ends with details about a certain male noble that will make Amona very happy.”
There were rumors that Amona was considering a relationship with the reclusive Lapis named Eneko, who lived in the far northern wing of the impossibly huge mountain palace. He was bonded with her, as all Lapis were, but he didn’t attend events like Dragonfire rituals. For some reason, that only piqued Amona’s interest further.
“And keep Amona blissfully ignorant that her adopted daughter is headed for a chat with the elves she loathes so completely?”
Nix’s eyes found Vahly’s. She smiled. “Honey keeps the bees busy.”
“I have another idea along similar lines.” Vahly shifted her weight from foot to foot, Amona’s stern face flashing through her mind. She filled Nix in on her idea to pretend as if they were headed out to hunt the troublesome bear.
Nix led Vahly to the bar where Baww set out a plate of hardboiled eggs and two cups of lemonmelon juice. They sat on the stools and ate in the special silence that descends on those who make dangerous plans.
Finally, Nix wiped her mouth with a folded cloth and met Vahly’s gaze. “Do you believe Amona will allow this feigned hunt?”
Vahly finished her water and gripped the wooden cup’s deep grain. “She is distracted by the sea folk and the message to the Jades.”
“And she does indeed have a problem with that simplebeast. I’ve heard of the bear too and the ones that go off like that have to be put down,” Nix said.
Sliding off her stool, Vahly chewed the last of her eggs. “I’ll be back by sunset. Can you get a group ready by then?”
“Yes.”
“You know,” Vahly started, “We are slightly cracked for even considering this trip.”
Nix smiled at Baww as he collected their plates. “I prefer the term adventurous.”
Vahly waited to speak until Baww had disappeared into the kitchen. “We could bring Dramour, Ibai, and Kemen. What do you think?”
“Dramour hates elves. Well, they all do, but he does especially. Why him?”
“Because he is in love with you. He’ll risk all to keep you breathing if we get into a rough spot.”
Nix touched Vahly’s cheek gently. “My sweet. You are a good one.”
Vahly smirked. “Not exactly. I’m about to lie my tail off.”
Nix’s eyebrow lifted as her hand fell away from Vahly’s face, then she turned to look at the front door as if their friends might arrive simply because Vahly had said their names. “Ibai is an obvious choice, with his healing knowledge. He’ll want to bring half his stores though. Why Kemen?”
“He’s big.”
Nix laughed as they walked toward the front door of the cider house. “That he is. A nice, scary dragon to spook the elves if needed, hmm? All right, Vahly. I think you have chosen wisely. Shall I inform them or will you? This is your quest and you will take the lead on all decisions from here on out.”
“Can you tell them while I'm gone? Get them ready?”
Nix nodded. “You handle the biggest dragon of them all and I’ll set things right here.” She shooed Vahly into the daylight.
As she walked back to the mountain palace, she had to laugh at herself. This slug was about to make history, one way or another.
Small birds dashed into the blue, midmorning sky as a group of Jade dragons descended into the flowers and grasses near the front entrance of the Lapis mountain palace. One dragon near the back of the group dropped a pile of bags.
Vahly’s heart puddled between her ribs and fell into her stomach. “Great,” she muttered. “They packed to stay a while.”
She fought the urge to draw her sword. If she did, they would see it as a sign of aggression and burn her down where she stood. With this many Jades so close, she didn’t have a chance. Her best choice was to show confidence and respect, all rolled into one. The respect wasn’t so tough. After all, they were dragons. But the confidence? The sweat pouring down her face made that act difficult to pull off.
The twenty green dragons focused their eyes on her.
It was disconcerting, to say the least.
Especially considering the emerald dragon leading the group was Zarux,
a real piece of work.
With a sizzling flash of fire, they transformed and began to dress. Zarux wore a cloak so green that it was nearly black. His tailor had embroidered the edges with the Jade sigil in golden thread. The symbol showed the profile of a dragon’s open mouth and the long teeth designed for tearing.
The dragons walked toward Vahly, teeth bared and nostrils smoking. Vahly frowned, noticing several bled from what looked like fresh wounds.
A blotch of blackened scales marred his right arm. A spelled salt water wound. If his body didn’t fight that off, he would lose the arm. Maybe his life.
The dragon beside Zarux had an ear wound. Blood pooled over the blackened scales near the lobe and dribbled down the side of his angry face.
A sour taste hit the back of Vahly’s throat. Dragons with wounds like that didn’t last a day. She had no love for these Jades, but no one deserved to die like that, watching the black of the wound spread day after day until breathing was impossible and pain dragged the victim under.
Zarux’s dark green head rose high above Vahly. “What a wonderful conclusion to our last twenty-four hours, to be greeted by the sight of Sugarrabota’s greatest disappointment, Vahly of the Lapis.” He sniffed, and Vahly fought the urge to flinch. “Ah. So it is true. You have finally heard Amona’s Call. How sweet. Were you all celebrating while we were at war with our common enemy?” He spat the last two words as if they tasted foul on his tongue.
Every muscle in Vahly’s body argued as she gave Zarux a bow. “The Lapis battled the sea folk one moon back.”
“Isn’t that nice?” Zarux smiled at his cohorts. “They take a moon cycle off to rest. Must be lovely to live so far from Tidehame and remain so ignorant of the rising waters.”
“We aren’t ignorant.”
Zarux stepped closer, the smoke from his nose increasing.
Vahly held out her hands. “We spotted activity off our own cliffs yesterday. That’s why Matriarch Amona has called you here.”
Zarux let out a short stream of dragonfire and Vahly jerked, wanting to run but forcing herself to stay put. “Called us? She is not our Matriarch! We are here because we chose to come.”
Vahly bowed. “Of course. I was only talking about the message she sent to your clan.”
“How many of your precious Lapis have you lost this past sennight? One? Five? Guess how many dragons the Jades have sacrificed in as many days.”
Vahly held her tongue.
“No idea? Allow me to inform you, Earth Queen,” he sneered. “Fifty-two. Perhaps we should just eat the Lapis for extra energy before we head back into battle. That way, your blue friends would actually be of use. Fifty-two dragons lost to the sea folk while you and your precious strategists hole up in your southern mountains, far from danger. Give me one reason why I shouldn’t gulp you down right now, human. I am hungry from risking my life and ruining my arm to try and save the land we’re standing on.”
“Zarux!” Amona’s voice boomed down the palace steps and across the waving grasses. “Stand down. You are in my territory now, and two thousand dragons wait for my Call if you break our codes of conduct.”
Vahly released the breath she’d been holding.
Zarux snarled and tossed his head, but he turned away from Vahly.
The sun cut over the rise of the mountains and veiled Amona’s black hair with light as she approached them. Her blue-scaled cheekbones sat high in her regal face and she looked at Zarux like he was a biting fly she simply needed to swat away.
Vahly smiled. Stones and Blackwater, she loved her mother.
“Do not speak down to me,” Zarux snapped. “My Matriarch has had enough of you and yours. She sent me to tell you exactly that. If you do not join us now, in the attack set for the coast nearest our territory, we will consider you full enemies and war with you as we do with the sea folk!”
Did he truly have to shout everything?
Zarux’s hand shot out. He swiped a talon under Amona’s wing joint, one of the only sensitive spots on a dragon.
Shock held Vahly in a vice grip.
Amona grunted, then blew dragonfire into Zarux’s face.
Panic hit Vahly like she’d fallen from a tree. She had her short sword out before she knew what she was doing.
Amona and the rest were fighting in truth now, wings flaring, fire blazing, claws ripping.
Lapis poured from the palace and swarmed around the Jades, bumping Vahly outside the action. The Jades saw how outnumbered they were and stopped fighting. They never did that against the sea folk, not when Vahly had watched them in battle. The ceasefire gave her hope that they did at least want to talk even if they started the conversation with blood and fire.
Go, Amona said through the bond to Vahly.
Vahly looked to her. “But—”
Go. The command pushed Vahly’s feet into a jog, going back the way she’d come, toward Nix’s. Stay in the forest or the city of thieves with Nix if you have to. Stay gone until we sort this. The Jade Matriarch has decided you are the target of her ire.
Vahly’s heart pounded in her temples. She gave Amona one last look, then ran to the cider house, her head full of worry.
Chapter Eight
With her heart beating in her teeth, Vahly crossed the cider house threshold and pushed through the crowd to find Nix at the back, talking quickly and quietly to Baww.
“You’ll open tomorrow at regular time. It’ll be fine. You don't need me.”
“They do.” Baww glanced over Nix to scan the room of Breakers. He saw Vahly. “Hi, Vahly. Are you all right?”
Nix swiveled, eyes wide. “What is it? What's happened?”
“Jades. They attacked the Lapis.”
Baww rolled his eyes. “And ice is cold.”
“No, Baww,” Vahly said, “this was different. It wasn’t on their territory. They came to the Lapis palace and Zarux attacked Amona.”
Nix hissed. “Stones and Blackwater. The gall of that dragon.”
“But she trounced him, aye?” Baww looked hopeful.
“She did. But she commanded me to flee. She said the Jade Matriarch decided to blame me for everything.”
“I thought she already did,” Baww said.
“Me too, but when Amona said it, the declaration sounded more official. I think she heard from Lord Maur. She had sent him to the North.”
“Bloody Jades.” Nix walked into the kitchen and Vahly and Baww trailed her. The scent of chocolate filled the air. Rows of chocolate dipped scorchpeppers lined a metal tray. With two dainty fingers—well, as dainty as a dragon’s can be—Nix lifted one and popped it into her mouth. “Don’t panic. There is dessert.”
Vahly found a bowl of unmelted chocolate discs beside the tray and gobbled a handful.
“Baww, can you give us a minute, darling?” Nix asked.
Baww dipped his head and hurried out the back door with a wicker basket.
Nix put her head near Vahly’s. “Dramour, Kemen, and Ibai have all agreed to go.”
Vahly breathed out slow, relief rushing through her.
“I have put Baww to the task of packing our bags with fresh water, food, and various other items. Now, you eat, drink, and enjoy yourself. We leave tonight.”
“Perfect.” Vahly put a hand over her heart. “Thanks, Nix. Really. You’re taking a tremendous risk for me.”
“It’s not as if we have a thousand options. You are the hope of the land. And I am your friend.”
They embraced, then Vahly left the kitchen to find a game to distract her from what was to come.
By dusk, Vahly’s whole body simmered with the need to get going. She was afraid she’d lose her nerve if this took much longer. Dramour had fallen asleep in the orchards and had to be found. Ibai had insisted they wait until his latest wound treatment had been chilled for three full hours.
Kemen threw the bones into the chalked circle at Vahly’s feet. “I don’t have any more lapis to give you, Vahly,” he mumbled, shaking his head.
&n
bsp; She clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t chew your talons off about it. I’m only playing to keep from screaming in panic.”
Kemen snorted a weak laugh.
“I’m going outside. Tell Nix if she asks.”
Not much for words, Kemen jerked his chin in agreement.
With the starry sky stretching across the Red Meadow, Vahly’s feet took her toward the Fire Marshes, toward the elves’ homeland.
The night crawled from the shadows, bringing the chirrup of insects and the coo-coo of the distura bird with its glowing feathers. Vahly stepped over a tumble of stones that had once served as a marker for her kynd. A rise of ground led her past the marker, then back down again as the earth presented a low-lying area veined in glowing lines of golden earthblood.
Smoke rose from black cracks in the ground. The heat intensified as she neared the marshes’ border. The air here was not unlike dragonfire, charcoal and that lemony-tang scent that cut through any other smell. No trees grew in the marshes of course, and few animals lived in the awful place. Just the rock lizards that reminded Vahly of wee dragons, not that she would ever say that in earshot of a dragon.
In this first part of the marshes, one could see the remainder of the path humans and elves had worked together to build centuries ago, back when they first ventured from their towering forest atop the plateau to meet with the dragons and the Earth Queens of the ages.
The marshes had absorbed the rest of the pathway, but the beginning was clear enough. Boulders and patches of earth marked safe spots to stand, mostly undeterred by the steaming pools of murky water and their accompanying streams of golden earthblood.
Vahly said a quiet thank you to her own evolutionary ancestors, the humans who’d risked coming to this island and adapted to the heat by way of guided procreation and earth magic, which created skin that didn’t burn like it once had long, long ago.
She wished magic would ooze from the ground like her forebears had. If she could sense the earth’s heartbeat, maybe then she wouldn’t feel so alone, so separated from her own kynd.
Fate of Dragons Page 8
