by Charles Lamb
“I hear someone ahead!” she whispered. Retreating to the first side tunnel they could find, all three quickly ducked in and Alex extinguished the torches. After a moment, Alex could hear voices.
“I told you someone was up here. Those horses had saddles,” he heard a man say.
“How did they get past the patrols? Tantalus will have our asses if they reached the chamber. Even if the dragon eats them, they shouldn’t have gotten past us,” another replied. Alex reached out with his senses and counted four in all, the other two apparently not much for conversation as he had only heard two.
He could see the light from their torches as they passed by the entrance of their hiding spot.
“We need to get out of here fast!” Alex whispered to Cassie once the men passed. Taking only one of the torches, he quickly relit it and led Cassie and Kinsey back out into the main tunnel, picking up the pace as he did so.
The trip out of the caves seemed to take far longer than it had in. He was sure it was just an illusion, but he was anxious to be out and gone from here. As they approached the entrance, he could see a man with horses at the entrance. Evidently the four who passed them earlier had left someone with their horses outside the cave. Driving the torch head into the dirt quickly, so as not to give them away, Alex drew his bow and patiently waited for the man to expose himself.
Still hidden deep in the cave, they were cloaked in darkness, as compared to the fading daylight outside. Kinsey let forth a soft growl, something Alex did not stop. As the man stepped away from the horses, he drew his sword while peering into the cave. Raising his free had to shield his eyes from the dimming sun, he searched in the darkness for the source of the sound. He quickly sprouted an arrow from Alex’s bow, driving him back before he dropped.
“Come on,” Alex said aloud as he waved Cassie and Kinsey forward.
Rushing to the fallen man, he checked that the prone form was dead, before grabbing two of the horses, and cutting the rest free. Handing Cassie the reins for one, he drove the rest off, sending them running down the road in a cloud of dust. Mounting his ride, he waited for Cassie to do the same, and then the two, plus Kinsey, headed down the road at a run.
Riding the mounts hard and herding the others before them, they soon reached the point where they had left Shadows and Rose earlier that day. As Alex had expected from the comments of the men in the cave, there were two more men there, tending the mounts. Both men had been sitting in the shade, so the appearance of Alex, Cassie, and the running horses, had taken them by surprise.
Ramming his horse into the closest man, who was drawing his sword while attempting to rise, Alex leapt from the saddle. His leap landed him squarely on the second, driving his dagger into the man’s chest on impact. As he rolled free, he was in time to see Kinsey dispatch the first man, grabbing him by the throat and crushing his windpipe.
Watching the mounts run off in all directions, Cassie commented, “Without horses, it’s going to take them a while to get the word out,” indicating the men they had left back in the cave. She had dismounted her borrowed horse and was tending to Rose as she spoke.
Brushing himself off after rolling in the dirt, Alex gathered his things from his borrowed mount, and began preparing Shadows for the trip to Tazmain.
“Unless you can think of a reason not to, I suggest we fly all the way back,” he said working at cinching down all the loose items in his arms. He saw Cassie glance at Kinsey before replying.
“I’m not the one who might object,” she replied with a smile while indicating the waiting wolf.
----*----
The return trip to the temple had been uneventful for Leander, Abrianna, and Kelby, even with the coming darkness. Abrianna had been able to provide a dim glow, giving them enough light to travel safely. The horses had little difficulty getting them to their destination.
Kelby seemed in good spirits as they rode along. Although the mermaid was disappointed at not having vanquished the Sea Dragon, Leander suspected that she was more than appreciative at surviving the encounter.
He, himself, was still sore and bruised from the engagement after she had passed out. Both he and Abrianna had managed to inflict a considerable amount of damage on the beast, forcing the creature to retreat into the lake. Fortunately, Kelby had recovered the fire glass tipped weapon he had driven into the beast’s neck before it vanished beneath the lake’s surface. Leander’s greatest concern was he suspected that it was not the last they would see of the dragon.
It was several hours past sunset when they finally reached the temple, and as before, they found no one in residence there. It was apparent to all that they would not continue any further this night.
“If you like, I can get us settled, while you return two of the fire glass weapons to the statue,” Kelby offered as she dismounted from behind Abrianna. It had been decided on the way here that they would keep the spear, but return the others. All three pledged to return the spear once the quest was completed.
Both Leander and Abrianna looked at one another, questioning the offer; Abrianna finally answered.
“That would be lovely. Can you help me with the horses first?”
Leander watched Kelby take the reins of his horse. She then followed Abrianna to the watering trough they had used the first time they had arrived.
Turning and entering the temple, Leander lit the torches and again removed his boots before attempting to climb the statue. Working carefully, he was able to replace both shorter weapons before the women entered, carrying various items for the night’s meal.
“We settled the horses for the night, with plenty of grass to graze,” Kelby announced as they entered, causing Leander to stifle a laugh. She was acting as if she were an old hand at all this. In a way, he appreciated the effort she was making; he suspected it was her way of thanking them for saving her life.
Climbing down, he put his boots back on and, with Kelby’s assistance, prepared dinner for the three while Abrianna got them settled for the night.
----*----
Cassie and Alex landed a short distance outside of Tazmain, selecting a small meadow surrounded by trees to shield them from unwanted attention. The sun had set long ago, something that worked in their favor should anyone be looking from Tazmain. On their descent, they could make out the lights of the city, showing them the way back.
Upon touching down, Kinsey leapt from Shadow’s back, digging her hind claws into Alex’s leg as she did so. Though it didn’t break the skin, as he wore protective clothing, he got the idea that she had enough of flying.
“Ready?” he asked Cassie, nodding his head in the direction he intended on going.
“Lead on,” she replied. Alex could see the tired in her eyes as he turned east. They had been going on adrenalin now for a good 24 hours and both were starting to drag. He wandered through the trees until the came to the edge of the road.
Heading out onto the same road they had traveled on their trek west, the two soon found themselves at the edge of Tazmain. Passing through the gates once more, they had to dismount to make their way through the late night crowd. Though not thick, the darkness made things more difficult
Ever since they landed in the meadow, Alex had been debating on the best time to confront Tantalus. Their current level of exhaustion made the risky activity a bad choice at present, however, with each day’s delay the likelihood that the man would discover the events in the cave was greater.
Then there was the possibility that even Tantalus didn’t know where the dragon had taken Amelia. Unlikely as that might be, it was something to consider. And finally, he would sure appreciate Leander’s assistance in any confrontation with Tantalus’s men. If they were anything close to the quality of those in the woods, he did not want Cassie to risk herself again, he needed a soldier.
It was with all that going through his head that Alex led Shadows out onto the dock, Cassie’s Quest still right where they had seen it last.
“Lord Protector, you ret
urn without your companions?” Captain Yeagars declared, meeting them on the dock, at the base of the boarding ramp.
“So, the others have not yet returned?’ Alex asked, as several sailors hurried down the ramp to assist the two with the horses.
“No, Sire. You are the first.”
Following the others on board, Alex escorted Cassie and Kinsey to the ship’s ladder that led to the lower decks.
“Please have the men see to the horses, and notify us immediately if the others arrive,” he asked as he waved to the Captain and the crewman handling Shadows and Rose.
“Also, be prepared to set sail for Freeport as soon as the others arrive. We have need to visit the House of Drakon as soon as possible.”
“Would that be to meet with the house master?” Yeagars asked.
“Yes, he has information we require,” Alex replied, confused at the Captain’s question.
“Sire, his ship made port the morning you left. I am told he was aboard and is now at his warehouse here in town. That is his ship there,” Yeagars supplied while pointing to a large cargo ship nearby.
“Thank you, Captain, that is very good news,” Alex replied, with a smile.
“Yes, Sire. Would you care for food or drink?” Yeagars asked before he disappeared below. Looking to Cassie for an answer, she nodded negatively.
“No thanks,” Alex replied before he disappeared below. Following Cassie and Kinsey, the three entered their shared cabin, one reserved for the king, and within minutes were all sound asleep.
----*----
Leander woke with the others still fast asleep, and before the sun had risen. He was anxious to prepare for their departure. He had been surprised to find all three beds had been prepared in the same anteroom, and even more so when he learned that Abrianna had been the one responsible for doing so.
It was his experience that those appreciative of rescue tended to forget fairly quickly. Only time would tell as to the sincerity of the mermaid’s feelings. As the two women slept, he gathered their things and prepared the horses. He secured the spear for travel and used the spring in the statue to refill their water skins.
“You’ve been busy,” Kelby announced, as she exited the antechamber ahead of Abrianna.
“If we push hard we can reach Tazmain just after nightfall,” he replied, in the way of an explanation.
Kelby nodded at that, with no sarcastic remark in reply, and just started following Leander’s lead of packing their gear. He found the change in the woman very unsettling. By the time Abrianna woke, everything was ready to go, save her bedding. Once she was up, she was packed within minutes and the three were back on the road just before sunrise.
Leander noted that Abrianna dropped several golds into the temple collection as they were leaving. In his opinion, it was money well spent considering the extended loan of the weapons. Spurring his mount forward, he planned on more than walking the animals today.
----*----
Alex woke the next morning, surprised at the late hour. Both Kinsey and Cassie were still lying quietly; although Kinsey had her eyes open, staring at Alex. As no one had come to wake him, he assumed that their missing companions had still not returned. While attempting to slip out of bed, Cassie spoke, though her eyes remained closed.
“Where are you going?” she said as she reached out and drew him closer, her arm wrapped across his chest. Cassie then snuggled up beside him, resting her head on his chest.
“Are we going to be able to save my mom?” she asked after a moment. Alex could see her eyes were still closed and a tear was slowly running across her face, finally landing on him.
“Yes, of course we will,” he replied as he hugged her, wrapping both arms around her body. The two lay in that position for a while, neither speaking, just enjoying each other’s company.
“I do think it’s time we got something to eat,” Alex said, breaking the silence. At the mention of food, Kinsey got up and stretched before wandering over to the cabin door with a look of anticipation.
He could feel Cassie slowly release her grasp and he began to slide out from under her. Laying on her side, she gradually rose until she was resting on one elbow, the blankets falling to her waist, revealing a lack of clothing. Alex paused, taking in her beauty and fighting the urge to return to bed. As his eyes followed the curve of her body, he noted the nasty bruise on her side, snapping him out of the trance.
“I am hoping Leander and Abrianna return today, so we might pay Tantalus a visit. While we wait for them, I want to look through the documents we recovered from the dragon’s lair,” he said while pointing to the sack of things he had taken when they escaped the tunnels. Alex figured anything Tantalus felt was valuable enough to place under the protection of a dragon was something he needed to check out.
Following his lead, Cassie gingerly slipped out of bed and began dressing. Soon after, all three made their way to the ship’s lounge, well suited for the royal passengers, and ate breakfast quietly while Alex sorted through the documents in his sack. Cassie took Kinsey ashore to permit her time to relieve herself in a more wolf-like location as he stayed behind to read.
Chapter 14
Leander was never so happy to see a city gate as he was to see the one at Tazmain. The three had pushed the two horses harder than they probably should have, particularly given the two riders on Abrianna’s horse. However, the anxiety over the unknown status of Alex and Cassie had driven them to ride without a break.
They had arrived at sunset, as the street lamps were being lit, and the daytime street traffic was starting to diminish, though the nightlife was yet to begin. They were still required to get off and walk the horses through the streets, but that was a welcome change to spending the day in the saddle. Upon entering the city, Leander had expected Kelby to make her excuses and depart for the Siren’s Song the relatively short swim to Freeport was nothing for a mermaid, or so he was told. However, she did no such thing.
Instead, she continued walking at Abrianna’s side, scanning the streets as if looking for familiar faces. By the time they reached the waterfront, where they found Cassie’s Quest alight, it was completely dark out. They had barely stepped foot on the dock leading out to the ship’s ramp when the sailor at its base sprinted on board, presumably to announce their arrival.
Leander was extremely relieved to see Alex and Cassie rush down the ramp, with the wolf right behind the two.
“Am I glad to see you!” Alex declared as he embraced Leander, while Cassie and Abrianna repeated the gesture. Alex was surprised to see Abrianna hand Cassie off to Kelby for a welcome as well.
“Brie, we saw mom. We almost had her!” Cassie announced for all to hear.
“Almost?” Leander asked Alex.
“Let’s get you settled and then we can compare notes,” Alex replied, waving to the waiting sailors to take the horses.
Pausing for a moment, Lander removed the spear from its place tied to his saddle. Handing the weapon to Alex he pointed to the jet-black tip.
“Fire glass,” he commented.
Alex inspected the weapon as they boarded the ship and headed below. Leander could see a look of confusion on Alex’s face as he studied the weapon. Once below, Alex set the spear near his bow in the lounge they used as a gathering place.
Once everyone was seated in the lounge, with food and drink for all, including Kelby, Alex explained what had happened in the Dragon’s Teeth. After he had finished, he could see the frustration on Abrianna’s face, knowing Cassie had been so close to rescuing her mom.
“And you have no idea where the dragon went?” Abrianna asked.
“We have some clues,” Alex replied while pointing to the pile of papers stacked on a desk in the corner of the lounge.
“Are these the papers you took?” Abrianna asked, crossing the room to examine a few.
“Yes, I expect they are whatever passes for a land grants or deeds here,” Alex replied, getting the expected looks of confusion from everyone.
/> “This one speaks of obligations owed the holder. There are no names assigning said holder, but the obligator section is signed by the King of the Vassal Lords,” Abrianna observed.
“Who is that?” Alex asked; his ignorance of things beyond Great Vale was well known.
“They reside in the lands beyond the Northern Mountains. Each Vassal Lord controls a section and is sovereign there, subjugate only to the Vassal King,” Leander explained.
“That’s interesting,” Alex commented, rising and searching through the papers until he found what he was looking for. Handing it to Abrianna, he waited patiently as she scanned the scroll.
“This says Renfeld grants a portion of the Northern Mountains, that area in the western end of the range near the sea, to House Drakon as payment for allegiance in the war with Great Vale,” Abrianna said looking up from the document.
“Cassie tells me there were once dragons living in those mountains. Might their lairs still exist?” Alex asked.
“Yes, and the allegiance of the northern lords would provide whatever support they needed to survive there. It is quite cold and hostile north of those mountains and those that live there are a fiercely independent bunch,” Cassie added to the conversation.
“Sounds like your kind of people!” Alex said with a smile.
“I propose we cease the speculation and go pay Tantalus a visit. I am sure I can coax the location of your mother out of him,” Kelby said while holding an knife up for all to see.
“The good news is he’s here. I am told he arrived the morning we departed for the mountains,” Alex replied.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Kelby said as she started to rise from her chair.
“Best we wait until morning, when everyone is rested and we are at full strength,” Alex replied, recalling the last run in with Tantalus’s men.
----*----
As things wound down, Alex asked if Abrianna would have a look at Cassie. Not bothering to lift her shirt and expose the area indicated, Abrianna gently placed her hands on the nymph’s side as directed by Alex. The wince from Cassie was more than enough warning for her to proceed gently.
