by Charles Lamb
----*----
Alex and Leander were standing outside the House of Drakon in a small alley between the warehouse and its neighbor. Still invisible, they had managed to slip out of the Siren’s Song with little trouble. Sticking next to the walls, they skirted most of the foot traffic in the bar and slipped out the front door with ease.
Alex had Leander hold on to his shoulders behind him as he led the two clear of the tavern and well out into the darkness. On the way, he had detected two separate groups of men in hiding, surely watching the people coming and going from the tavern. Their progress had been slow, but they remained unnoticed.
Now they were assessing their options on how to enter the offices of the House of Drakon undetected. Along the way, they had acquired a rope and a few tools left unattended in a wagon. As they stood in the darkness, Alex was scanning the building with his senses, trying to determine if it was occupied.
“There are two people inside, one in the office area on the first floor where we entered today, and one upstairs. I sense the one below is asleep… not sure about the other,” Alex whispered to Leander.
Scanning the area, Alex found a spot where a one-story wall connected two of the nearby buildings. Climbing up onto the wall, he then tossed the rope over the corner of the building, where a beam protruded up, giving him a purchase to hold the rope in place.
First Leander, and then Alex climbed up the rope, until both found themselves on the rooftop of the warehouse. Crossing over to the peak as quietly as possible, they reached a vent in the roof where hot air escaped the open space below. Prying up the rectangular lid, Alex first scanned the area, and then lowered the rope for the two to descend into the darkness.
Once inside, they found themselves on the second level of the warehouse, next to the open gap in the center of the floor. Peering into the gap, Alex could see the stacks below.
“Follow me,” Alex whispered as he let his senses lead the two through the darkness. Moving across the wooden floor in near total quiet, they reached the far wall where Alex found a door. Beyond the door, he detected the second occupant, seemingly stationary, but apparently conscious as he could sense small movements as if the person was working.
Alex slowly cracked the door open, trying not to make a sound. Inside the room was a single candle, lit on a desk, next to a redheaded woman facing away from him. She was apparently working late, making her way through a stack of papers, methodically reading each one before setting it aside.
He was considering what kind of magic he could use on her, to render her unconscious without killing her, when she spoke.
“About time you two got here.”
As she turned, Alex and Leander could see Kelby was working through a stack of documents on Tantalus’s private desk.
“What are you doing here?” Alex asked pointedly.
“Why in the world would you expect me to wait for you?” the mermaid replied, her tone betraying her disbelief.
“How did you get here?” Alex asked in a hushed tone, remembering the other below them.
“Oh, you don’t have to whisper. The guard is sleeping away downstairs,” Kelby replied with a smile.
“How?” Leander asked?
“Mermaid magic. I lured him to sleep with a song and a smile,” she replied, her dazzling face lighting up the room.
“Spiked his drink?” Alex replied, less inclined to be sucked in with a magical explanation.
“Yes,” she replied, still smiling, “I came to the door, explaining that his mates had sent me with drink. He never questioned it and was soon fast asleep.”
“How did you know we were coming here? And how did you get past Tantalus’s men?” Leander asked.
“I suspect mermaids have exceptional hearing. She heard us talking,” Alex said as a question directed at Kelby.
“We see exceeding well too,” she answered, “and his men were not looking for me, they were looking for you. Now help me with these things. Reading, we are slow at. What are we looking for anyway?”
“We are looking for any references around the House of Drakon holdings on the mainland,” Alex supplied.
“And anything on dragons,” Leander added.
“Is that what killed my mother? A Sea Dragon?”
“We think so. Here, look at this,” Alex replied while shuffling through several papers until he found one with the House Seal they had seen at the tavern. Both men watched as the mermaid examined the seal, slowly nodding her head in understanding.
“I will gut Tantalus,” she said slowly.
“Not just yet, we don’t want to tip our hand until Lady Amelia is found. Then, I will help you,” Alex replied.
Kelby looked at Alex, her eyes partially filled with tears. He could see the hurt there, but only for a moment, before she buried the vulnerability and was hardened once more.
“I will take your word on that,” she replied, and then all three started going through the documents.
It was Leander who found the first lead.
“Sire, look at this,” he said while handing Alex a piece of paper.
“Why do you call him sire?’ Kelby asked as Alex scanned the paper.
Alex looked up and nodded to Leander, giving him permission to expose their cover. He then went back to his reading.
“Alex is Lord Protector of Windfall and Mage Apprentice to the Wizard King of Great Vale. Lady Cassandra is the King’s niece and cousin to Lady Abrianna, the king’s daughter.”
“So you are all royalty?” Kelby asked, shocked at the revelation.
“Not me, I am the Ranger Guild Master of Great Vale,” he replied, somewhat embarrassed.
“And I am not royalty, I just work for the King,” Alex added without looking up from his reading.
“Close enough,” Kelby replied sarcastically.
“Ok, so back on topic, why is a wagon train of beef going to someplace called The Dragon’s Teeth of any concern?” Alex asked.
He noted an exchange of looks between Leander and Kelby, before the mermaid spoke.
“The Dragon’s Teeth are a mountain range to the east, which was once the home of wild dragons. There are many farms and ranches there, all raising their own livestock. The only reason anyone would be going there with beef is to feed one.”
“And the source of the meat is a holding belonging to Tantalus, heading to another at the base of those mountains. A perfect place to detain someone, as the locals stay far away from that area, lest they become dragon food themselves, or so they fear,” Leander added.
Setting that aside, the three continued to search the office, until Kelby came across a map of the region, with notes on particular areas. They could see the reference at the Dragon’s Teeth, where they had discussed the wagonloads of meat, but there was another mark on the map, located on a body of water, that got their attention.
“I know this lake, Lake Vishap, it is attached to the sea by an underground river,” Kelby said as she pointed to the map.
“It looks as if Tantalus has a villa on the shores there,” Alex pointed out.
“Wait,” Leander said as he shuffled through more papers until he found what he was looking for. Handing the paper to Alex, he read the paper, comparing the names on the document to those on the map.
“Why would anyone ship large quantities of fish from the coast to a lake?” Alex asked, noting the document referencing large shipments from costal fisherman to the location noted on the map.
“To feed a Sea Dragon?” Kelby stated more than asked.
“If one wants their dragons to remain hidden, they need to feed them rather than allowing them to hunt,” Leander said solemnly.
Chapter 6
The three cleaned up after themselves and removed any telltale signs they had ever searched the place. Alex took a risk and kept the map they had found, leaving everything else behind. After replacing the roof vent and retrieving the rope from the warehouse, the three went downstairs to find the guard still sleeping soundly in his c
hair.
It took Alex a moment to rig the door so that the bar dropped in place once closed, giving the guard the impression that he had dreamed the mermaid visit. With that, the two men followed Kelby as she led them through the back streets, emerging near the bay. She then followed the trail heading back to The Siren’s Song, with Alex making himself and Leander invisible for the final part of the trip.
Upon entering the tavern, Alex waited until she had closed the door before dropping the spell. The room was almost deserted, it being very late. Unfortunately, one occupant was wide-awake, and sitting front and center of the door. It was Cassie.
“And where have you been?” she asked in a tone no man wants to hear, as her eyes passed over the three.
“We think we have found where your mother is being held,” Leander replied, appearing very uncomfortable under Cassie’s steely-eyed glare.
Alex could see her soften a bit at the news, but he knew he was not out of the woods just yet.
“Kelby helped us get past the guards in the House of Drakon warehouse. There, we located two spots on the mainland where she could be hidden away,” Alex supplied.
Cassie sat staring at the three for a few seconds, before rising and walking up to Alex. Giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, she then approached the redheaded mermaid.
“Thank you,” she said quietly before turning and heading up the stairs, presumably to return to bed.
----*----
The following morning, Alex woke to the smell of baking downstairs. The room he and Leander were provided was small, with barely enough room for the two men, but the beds were comfortable and he had slept soundly after their late night activities.
After waking his roommate, he quickly dressed and went downstairs to find both Abrianna and Cassie in conversation with several of the mermaids. Alex experienced a momentary flash of panic as he spied Kelby next to Cassie, as they all chatted pleasantly.
Although he had nothing to be guilty about, his previous experiences with women told him that hardly mattered.
“About time you got up,” Alex heard Kelby say.
Cassie turned with the comment, but said nothing as he crossed the room and kissed her cheek.
“Good morning,” he added as he took the open seat next to her.
“Is there any more of that?” Kelby asked sarcastically.
Rather than take the bait, Cassie smiled and looked at Alex.
“So you took the mermaid with you last night and not me?”
Panic-stricken, he looked at Abrianna and then Kelby for assistance, before all three burst out in laughter, supported by the other women nearby.
“Kelby explained everything,” Abrianna said, as she laughed with the others.
“Women can be very cruel,” Leander announced, as he entered the room late. Evidently, he had caught just enough of the conversation to understand Alex had been the butt of their humor.
“Then she explained what we found?” Alex asked, trying to put the previous conversation as far behind them as possible.
“Yes, she did. So we are to believe that Aunt Amelia is either being held at the base of The Dragon’s Teeth, or on Lake Vishap?” Abrianna asked.
“That’s our best guess, yes,” Alex replied.
“Dragons make excellent jailers. Once they latch on to something it is very hard to get them to relinquish it,” Kelby added.
“And we believe both locations contain dragons,” Alex supplied.
“Kelby says the lake is connected to the sea by an underground river,” Leander added.
“Vishap means water dragon, in the ancient tongues. It is a sea dweller,” Abrianna said thoughtfully.
“Yes and we think we know what this sea dweller has been doing,” Alex added while glancing at Kelby.
“I gave it some thought after we returned last night. I fear we need to split up and pursue both leads. Once Tantalus knows we are on to him, he might move her again, or worse,” Alex finished.
“Why don’t we just capture Tantalus and make him return my mom?” Cassie asked, upset by the conversation.
“I very much doubt he would cooperate. I fear he is not the only player in this game and she would likely perish at the hands of another. We must find and rescue her to be sure of her safety,” Leander explained.
“I agree. So, when do we leave?’ Kelby asked.
“We?” Alex asked as the others turned to look at the mermaid.
“Whomever goes to Lake Vishap needs me to come along. There are underwater recesses there ideal for securing a hostage.”
“I can reach such places,” Cassie replied defiantly to the mermaid.
“Yes, but you will be traveling with your Lord, will you not? And from the look in his eyes, I sense he is bound for the Dragon’s Teeth,” she replied, just as defiant.
“She is right; my gut says that’s the place they are keeping her. That, however, is not why she wants to come along, is it Kelby?”
“I have lost a lot of family to that Sea Dragon. It would be my pleasure to kill it.”
“Mermaids are not known as warriors,” Leander replied.
“Try me!” was the reply from the redhead with a flash of anger. Alex wasn’t sure if it was the red hair, but her reply had a lot of Cassie in it.
“How does one kill a dragon?” Alex asked, interrupting the glaring match between the two.
“We will need to acquire magical weapons for that effort,” Leander replied.
“We can address that in Tazmain, once we land there. How soon can you be ready to leave?” Alex asked the mermaid.
He detected a slight flash of anger in Cassie’s eyes, as the mermaid replied.
“I can leave now, I don’t need much,” she replied while indicating a small satchel against the wall.
As everyone got up, preparing to depart, Leander pulled Alex to one side to speak in private.
“Is this a good idea my friend? Do not be deceived, Lady Cassandra and the mermaid do not like one another, and I suspect it is because of you,” he said quietly.
“And that is why the mermaid goes with you,” Alex replied with a smile.
----*----
The five travelers left the tavern and headed straight down to the wharfs of Freeport. Before leaving, Kelby had requested one of the other mermaids go to Captain Yeagars, asking that the jolly boat be sent to retrieve them straight away.
As they traveled the path to town, both Leander and Alex were on guard for any attempts on their lives, but none manifested. He suspected that Tantalus preferred the protection and anonymity of darkness to direct confrontation.
Reaching the port, they found the little boat waiting for them and the First Officer pleased to see the party. “Sire, I am very glad to see you. After the message from the mermaid last night, the Captain and I had concerns,” he said while eyeing the new member of the party.
“Kelby, this is our First Officer, Mr.…” Alex paused, realizing he had never been properly introduced to the man.
“Sikes, Sire. A pleasure, ma’am,” he replied, saving Alex the embarrassment of asking.
“Sorry,” he whispered quietly to the man, as everyone loaded into the boat. Alex took special care that Cassie sat between him and Kelby, assuring her there was no hidden intent in bringing her along.
The boat was launched quickly and they were soon beside Cassie’s Quest. On their approach, Alex could see Kinsey’s head through the rails, her tail flying madly. As they passed the bow, Kelbly looked up to see the name on the ship.
“He named it for you. How sweet, he must like you,” she said sarcastically to Cassie.
“You have no idea,” Cassie replied with venom of her own.
Alex was overjoyed to see the boarding ladder, helping Cassie up and then Abrianna, saving Kelby for last.
“Listen, if you want to be part of this, then you better learn to behave!” he said as he blocked her from climbing the ladder.
She stared up into his eyes, providing him with her best
innocent, angelic, face. However, he could see the mischief in her eyes.
“As you wish,” she answered, waiting for him to release her. With the reply, he stepped away from the ladder and watched her ascend.
“You, my friend, are a very brave man,” Leander said as he stepped up next to Alex, and then followed the mermaid up.
“Sire,” Mr. Sikes said, as Alex started to climb, “mermaids are dangerous creatures that will lure a man to his death.”
“It’s not the mermaid I fear,” Alex replied, as he continued up the ladder and onto the deck. There he found Captain Yeagars and Kinsey waiting, with the others gathered around. The wolf charged Alex, demanding attention before everyone else.
“Welcome aboard, Sire. What are your orders?” the Captain asked, while watching the mermaid. Alex was beginning to think he underestimated the superstition sailors held around them.
“We sail for Tazmain… how long a trip is that?” he asked, realizing he had no clue where it actually was beyond Tantalus’s map in his pocket.
“We can make it by midday tomorrow, Sire. Ah, are we all going?” he asked while looking at the new addition.
“I am sorry, forgive me. Captain Yeagars, this is Kelby. She will be traveling with us. Can you see that she gets appropriate accommodations, please?”
“In the hold with the horses,” Cassie commented, before turning and heading below with Kinsey on her heels.
As she left, the Captain turned and gave Alex a questioning look.
“A cabin will be fine,” he replied.
With that, the Captain assigned a sailor acting as an orderly to assist the mermaid, while the rest of the crew recovered and stowed the jolly boat. Before he left, the Captain pulled Alex aside.
“Sire, it is wise to tempt the fates so, by bringing a mermaid on board? Surely, there must be other options available to you. Perhaps we should put her ashore while we can?”
“Captain, I understand your concerns, however, it is too late for that. Besides, she is far more interested in killing Sea Dragons than anyone here.”
Alex noted the mention of Sea Dragons did nothing to relieve the good captain of his worried expression. At that point, he turned and headed below to check on Cassie, concerned at the reception he was about to receive.
