Malediction (Scars of the Sundering Book 1)

by Hans Cummings

  She crawled over to the upended chair and pulled herself to her feet. Delilah set the chair upright, holding on to it for support as she caught her breath.

  "You're cracking up, Deli-girl. It was just a dream. That's not how it happened. Just a dream."

  She ran out of the sitting room and headed back toward the chambers she shared with Pancras and her brother. Judging by the amount of activity she saw in the city, she realized she slept away most of the morning. Pancras was not in the room, so she picked up her staff and made herself comfortable in her armchair. She picked up the grimoire and took comfort in its weight as she lost herself in its pages.

  * * *

  Under the ministrations of Dalenka, Kali made a swift recovery. The wound was deep, but with bed rest and the attention of a skilled healer, it was on the mend within a day. Kale left her side only to eat, sleep, and help Paz and Ludomil carve a path through the snow to the street.

  On the third day, Kali was up and about. A sling held her arm, but she seemed well enough. Paz left to ensure the rest of the draks they rescued were on their way to their new lives. Ludomil put Kale to work hauling firewood from the cellar up to the hearth.

  Kali patted the mattress next to her. "That's three loads already. Rest a moment."

  Kale sat on the bed, whacking Kali with his wing as he tried to position it behind them. "Sorry."

  She laughed and shoved his wing out of the way. "You've been watching over me like a celestial guardian."

  Rubbing his arm, Kale chuckled. "It didn't seem right, just leaving you. Now that you're well, I really need to get back to Pancras and Delilah. I'm not supposed to be out without an escort."

  Kali took Kale's hand and rested her head on his shoulder. "What's that all about, anyway?"

  "I don't know. Part of the deal Pancras made to get us out of jail. He won't talk about it."

  "Will you help me get into the palace? I need an audience with the prince to talk about this slave thing. The mine owner will no doubt be petitioning him as soon as he can get to the palace." Kali nuzzled Kale, nipping at his ear. "I'll make it worth your while."

  Kale giggled and pushed her away. "You keep saying that."

  She pulled his hand into her lap as her tail intertwined with his. "Well, what do you want?"

  Kale saw minotaur females and fiendlings in Drak-Anor try to get their way with what Sarvesh called "feminine wiles," but drak relationships were different. Mating was not a recreational activity for draks; clutches of eggs required dedicated care and were not taken lightly. "You've done enough really. Staying in the palace all the time is really boring. I should be thanking you for giving us something to do."

  "You'll help me then?"

  "Of course."

  Kali tackled him, pushing him onto the bed and straddling him. She pressed the tip of her snout against his. "You're all right, for a twin."

  Kale laughed and tried to squirm out from under her. She held him tighter than he thought possible with the use of only one arm.

  "You can't get away." A smile spread across her face. "Do you know what I want?"

  "No. No, not really." Kale shook his head. He wasn't sure he was ready to find out.

  "I want to go with you. Where ever you go. Take me away from this city, this place." She reached up and stroked his cheek, running a claw along his jaw. He failed to suppress a shudder.

  Kale was certain Pancras would go along with that, but he wasn't as sure about his sister as she didn't seem to like Kali much. Whether it was a genuine dislike or jealousy, he didn't know; however, he hoped she would put her feelings aside and want him to be happy. "I would like that."

  Chapter 18

  It worried Pancras that Delilah insisted her brother was fine alone in the city. She refused to conjure a boggin to get a message to him, and his attempts at replicating that type of magic fell short. He resigned himself to checking and rechecking his notes until word came that the city was open again.

  Lady Milena offered to find a guard to return the Codex of Passion to Aurora's Sanctuary for him, but Pancras felt it would be disrespectful to have a guard return such a sacred text. He believed she welcomed any excuse not to return to the temple.

  "Where is your other drak, Pancras? I have only seen the female lately." Lady Milena pulled her cloak around her as they prepared to exit the palace. It was a question Pancras dreaded hearing. He hoped no one had noticed Kale's absence.

  "He hasn't… been… feeling well. I have him on bed rest." He rubbed the tip of his horn and then realized it made him look like he was nervous. He transitioned the rub to a head scratch.

  "You are a terrible liar. Did he sneak out of the palace before the last storm?"

  "Sneak?" Pancras chuckled and shook his head. "I really wouldn't know. I've been so involved with my research for the prince—"

  "Yes, yes, this project about which you can say nothing." Milena waved her hand to shut him up. She seemed content to drop her inquiries as to Kale's whereabouts.

  "Hands off me, ya longshanks!" A familiar voice shouted from the palace entrance. Pancras saw the guards grappling with a short, hairy man. He saw Pancras and pointed at the minotaur. "There! Ya see? I'm supposed to be here, fools! I got caught out when the storms hit."

  The guard dragged the dwarf Edric over to Pancras and Milena. "Here, he says he knows you."

  "Indeed, this is the dwarf who traveled to the city with us."

  Milena sniffed, crinkling her nose in distaste. "He was not with you when you were arrested?"

  Pancras detected the reason for Milena's disgust. Edric smelled of cheap ale, sweat, and vomit. "No, as I recall, he was elsewhere, gambling."

  "Aye, been stuck there ever since! Unhand me!" He shoved the guard away and then straightened his tunic.

  "We have another bedroom. Delilah is there now. Get yourself cleaned up, and stay out of trouble. I have to go into the city for a bit."

  Milena jerked her thumb toward the hallway that led back to Pancras's living quarters. "Show him the way. Make sure he doesn't leave. I'll relieve you when I return."

  The guard saluted and escorted Edric away. Pancras was surprised the dwarf turned up. He's probably out of money now or on the run from the gambling den owners. He pulled up his hood as they trudged out into the snow, feeling exposed without wearing the gilded tips on his horns. The rod was an unfamiliar weight on his hip, and Pancras felt as if it pulled him to the right.

  Snow covered the city deeper than before. It was a solid mass that reached the middle of the first-floor windows of most buildings. Trekking through the streets felt almost like walking underground, except for the bright glare from above. The wind blew feathery puffs of snow across the tops of the carved chasms.

  Pancras noticed makeshift steps carved into the snow which led down to the doors of most buildings. The sounds of the city were muffled despite the crowds of people going about their business.

  After returning the Codex of Passion to Aurora's Sanctuary, Pancras treated Milena and himself to mulled wine from one of the street vendors. They sipped it from wooden tankards as he wandered the market, looking for herbalists and artisans.

  By the afternoon, he located the ingredients he needed and arranged for their delivery to the palace. A metalworker agreed to create a new, more ornate cap for his rod. He decided to wait until he had more time to commission someone to create new horn tips. Until then, he would suffer with bare horns.

  "I would say this has been a productive day."

  Milena drained the rest of her mulled wine. Her cheeks were red from the cold wind, her eyes squinting against the sun. "It's getting late. Your draks aren't going to be happy; they can't get much done before dark."

  "They don't need to do anything. Anyway, it's best if they stay in today." Pancras considered going to The Assassin's Dagger to look for Kale, but there was no guarantee that's where the drak went, and he found the cold intolerable. He hoped Kale would find his way back to the palace sooner, rather than later.


  Pancras needn’t have worried. He and Milena caught up to Kale and Kali as they were making their way down the avenue that led to the Palace. Kale's wings were unmistakable, even from a distance. As they caught up with the two draks, Pancras noticed Kali's arm was in a sling, and he knew he would finally get more information on the ghost of which Delilah spoke.

  "You're late, Kale."

  "And without your escort, I see. We'll have to have a chat about that."

  Pancras surmised from Lady Milena's tone she was more amused than angry about Kale's disregard of Prince Gavril's decree.

  Kale spun around at the sound of their voices. "Pancras! Lady… Knight lady! Did Deli come home?"

  Pancras turned Kale around and continued the march down the avenue. "Yes, she did, and we have a lot to talk about. Edric has returned, as well."

  "Kali wants our help petitioning the prince. She wants to make sure the slave owners don't get to blame everything on the draks."

  Milena grabbed Kale by the shoulder. "Slave owners? What do you mean?"

  Pancras removed her hand from Kale's shoulder and again turned him to face in the direction they traveled. "I'm sure we'll hear all about it soon enough. Might we proceed indoors, please, where the environment is more conducive to conversation?"

  When they finally reached the palace, Pancras stomped his hooves to knock loose the impacted snow and shook the accumulated frost off his cloak. He almost believed he would never feel warm again.

  "All right, draks." Milena knelt in front of Kale and Kali. "Tell me about these slaves."

  Kali launched into a tale of how the Firescale clan had been enslaved for generations in the salt mine under the city and how she escaped last year, vowing to free her people.

  "And when I saw the striped draks in our city, I knew the time had come. With their help, we defeated the overseers, slew Volos, and freed the Firescales! Never again will the blood of my people grease the tracks of Almeria's salt mine." Kali stood with one hand on her hip, head held high.

  Milena stood up, pursing her lips. "Slavery is illegal in Almeria. These are serious charges. Can you pr—"

  "Lady Milena! Lady Milena!" A guard ran down the hall toward them from the throne room. "You're needed immediately. Lord Reznik is in a mighty fury. Prince Gavril is requesting your intercession."

  Milena glanced at Pancras. "Reznik owns the salt mine. It looks like the pot has been stirred. You'd all better come with me." They jogged toward the throne room. As they approached, Pancras heard a voice yelling, although he understood only part of what the man said.

  "Ruined… Years of work… My investment… Families!"

  Milena threw open the door. A wiry, bald man stood with one foot on the throne dais, pointing his finger at Prince Gavril. Spittle flew from his mouth as he ranted. Princess Valene sat back on her throne, rolling her eyes and sighing loudly enough to be heard over Lord Reznik's voice. The guards stood with their spears pointed at the man, ready to strike him down if he moved aggressively toward the prince.

  Prince Gavril noticed their arrival and stood. "Ah, Lady Milena. Perhaps now we can have some order.

  Pancras stood back, giving her a wide berth. He wasn't sure why she was needed when the prince was attended by guards who stood ready to protect him. She placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and strode up to Lord Reznik. His eyes flicked down to her sword, and he stepped down off the dais and bowed.

  "I didn't come here to cause trouble."

  "Oh yes you did. You have a grievance you wish to air." Prince Gavril returned to his throne and seated himself. "But now that your better is here, perhaps you will exercise the self-control to speak in a civilized manner."

  Lord Reznik noticed the new arrivals. His eyes fixated on Kali and widened. His face flushed, and he pointed a trembling finger at her. "You! You're the cause of this, I know it! Seize her! Seize her now! She's a murderer and a thief."

  The guards stood motionless. With the wave of the prince's hand, they snapped to attention. He yawned, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "You forget your place, Reznik. I rule Almeria, not you. The guards obey my commands, not yours."

  "Your Highness, if I may." Milena turned toward the prince and saluted. "This drak has accusations of her own against Lord Reznik."

  Princess Valene perked up. "Oh, this should prove interesting. I would very much like to hear what this drak has to say, my husband."

  Gavril cast a sidelong glance at his wife and then sighed. "Very well, I shall indulge you." He leaned forward, turning his attention toward the draks. "You are fortunate my wife has a soft spot for your kind."

  He clapped his hands. A servant appeared carrying a tray with goblets of wine. He took one, passed it to Princess Valene, and then took one for himself. "We will hear Lord Reznik's tale of woe first."

  Kale tapped Pancras's hand. He looked down at the drak. "Delilah should be here, too. She was with Kali and me in the mine."

  Pancras nodded and cleared his throat. "I beg your pardon, my lord, lady, Your Highnesses."

  With an exaggerated sigh, Prince Gavril shifted his gaze to Pancras. "Yes?"

  "I'm told there is one more drak that should be here for this."

  "I will send a guard to fetch her, Your Highness." Milena bowed and approached the throne room doors. She opened them slightly to call to a guard, spoke to him briefly, and then returned. "She should be along shortly."

  "Proceed, Reznik."

  Princess Valene cleared her throat. "If this other drak was involved, we should wait, my husband."

  Lord Reznik huffed. He opened his mouth to speak, but a glare from Princess Valene was enough to silence him. They waited in uncomfortable silence for the guard to fetch Delilah. Kale shifted from foot to foot, his claws clicking against the stone. Lord Reznik glared at the draks but kept his distance, cowed by Lady Milena's presence.

  Pancras was desperate to know the history between the two nobles. Lord Reznik struck him as a bully but was thoroughly fearful of Lady Milena. The man's eyes widened, like a deer caught on the open road in the path of a runaway cart whenever she adopted a threatening posture. Kali rubbed her slung arm, and Pancras noticed the wound on her shoulder. He hoped when this business was all over they would tell the whole story about the ghost they allegedly encountered.

  * * *

  Delilah sprinted behind the guard as she followed him to the throne room. When the guard knocked on their chamber doors, she was so thoroughly engrossed in her grimoire, that it took a naked, dripping wet Edric yelling at her from the doorway of the bathing room to rouse her attention. Although the guard said only that Lady Milena and Pancras needed her, she decided she would not waste time by sauntering there.

  When they arrived and the guard threw open the doors, her stomach knotted at the sight of Kale standing alongside Kali and Pancras. Lady Milena stood between the draks and another human, a nobleman, she guessed, judging by his finery and fur-trimmed cloak. Lady Milena stood ready, her hand on her sword, and her eyes regarded the man like a boggin waiting for a mouse to cross its path. Prince Gavril and Princess Valene were seated on their thrones, flanked by their guards.

  "Ah, this must be the other drak." Princess Valene nudged her husband. "You may proceed, Lord Reznik."

  Delilah stepped alongside Kale and nudged him. "It's about time."

  "SILENCE!" Prince Gavril half-stood, hands clutching the arms of his throne. "The draks will not speak until Lord Reznik has given his testimony."

  Adjusting her grip on her staff, Delilah bowed her head in apology and stepped back, behind Kale. She guessed the human would spin a tale of woe regarding his mine. She was not disappointed.

  "Your Highnesses." Lord Reznik bowed. "I am a poor, humble businessman."

  Princess Valene snorted.

  He ignored her. "But the other day, a grievous assault was launched upon my mine. My workers were slaughtered, murdered by bloodthirsty draks. The mine's manager was so badly beaten, his own mother would not recogn
ize him. Months of production wasted. Thousands of crowns of product ruined! And for what? To sate their appetite for mayhem, for destruction. I demand justice, beginning with the ringleader of these draks!" He pointed at Kali again. She snapped her teeth, causing him to flinch and snatch back his arm, despite her standing too far away to have even a chance of biting him.

  Princess Valene curled her upper lip. "Did you bring evidence of this slaughter?"

  "Evidence? What… what sort of evidence?" It was clear Lord Reznik did not expect his claim to be challenged. "Volos carried a rod of office. We could not find it. I believe the draks took it as a prize. Search them!"

  Delilah saw Pancras shift his weight and adjust his robes, pulling them across his legs. Kali stepped forward, spreading her cloak with her arm. "You're welcome to. Just watch where you touch my tail, human."

  "I think it's obvious she has nothing hidden on her." Princess Valene gestured to the advancing guard. "What else, Lord Reznik?"

  "Is that not enough?" He clasped his hands behind his back.

  "Identify yourself, drak, and tell us your tale." Princess Valene gestured to Kali.

  Kali stepped forward and took a deep breath. "I am Kali Firescale, sometimes known as Blackclaw. Three hundred years ago, the leader of our clan, Elantan the Grim, made a pact with the ancestors of Lord Reznik. In exchange for the dissolution of our debt to him, we would supply workers for his salt mine. For three hundred years, his family kept us as slaves, taking more Firescales whenever it suited them, working them to death—"

  "Slaves! Pah! You were paid a fair wage."

  The guard to the right Princess Valene stepped forward and leveled his spear at Lord Reznik. Princess Valene cocked an eyebrow in disapproval. "Kali Firescale has the floor now, Lord Reznik. You had your say."

  Delilah was surprised these humans intended to give audience to Kali. She expected Lord Reznik's testimony to be taken at face value and Kali's to be dismissed.

  "Yes, we were promised a wage. By the terms of the contract, two copper pennies a day. However, what Elantan failed to tell the rest of the clan leaders and what Lord Reznik and his ancestors kept from us was that we would have to pay for food, lodging, and equipment. These tallied tens of talons a week. Far more than we were earning! Our debt increased the more we worked."