Eyes of the Dragon (The Chronicles of Dragon, Series 2, Book 4) (Tail of the Dragon)

by Craig Halloran

  Eckubahn wants him alive, but I’ll take his head. I’ll have that betrayer Selene, too!

  Rybek recalled the defeat Nath had given his brother, and a raging fire burned within him. Selene had taken full advantage of Kryzak’s worship for her and turned him into an abomination. His brother had become a monster. The very essence of the man had been lost and was gone forever.

  Rybek whipped out his sword and cut through the husk of a withered corpse.

  I almost had her!

  Indeed, he had tracked her as far as the seashore cities of the Pool of the Dragon, but he had lost her when she disappeared into the giant home of Uurluuk. No one had seen a trace of her for more than a year—not until what he’d discovered recently. She would surface again, along with Nath Dragon, and when they did, this time, now that he’d tested Nath’s mettle, he’d be ready.

  No mercy.

  CHAPTER 14

  After traveling a day and a night without incident, Nath found himself on a hilltop with his father and their friends, gazing down at the City of Quintuklen. The humans had made grand progress since the last time he’d been here, which seemed like only weeks ago. He still hadn’t adjusted to the year they’d lost when Fang had teleported him and Selene and Brenwar, but it could have been worse.

  “There’s an awful lot of soldiers,” Brenwar said, shielding his eyes with his hand. “That outer wall has been rebuilt. No doubt there were many dwarves working on that. I imagine word has spread regarding Uurluuk’s treachery. Perhaps I should go in by myself and see Bayzog.”

  “I can go,” Balzurth offered. “No one’s looking for me.”

  “No, but you and I look so much alike, I doubt you’ll avoid suspicion,” Nath said. And it was true. If it weren’t for all of Balzurth’s hair and long beard, he could almost pass for Nath. “As for you, Brenwar,” Nath continued, “they know how close you are to me. You’ll be interrogated instantly.”

  With a grumble, Brenwar agreed, saying, “Perhaps.”

  “I can try,” Laylana offered. “So far as I know, no one’s looking for me.”

  “Judging by the soldiers,” said Nath, “I have a feeling they aren’t going to let any outsiders within. I’m still surprised they’re working with the dwarves.”

  “Oh, this is silly,” said Balzurth. “I can get us all in. We just need to be quick about it.” He pushed up the sleeves on his arms. “Come closer, everyone.”

  They formed a tight circle.

  With a twinkle in his eyes, Balzurth said, “Now hold hands.”

  “Dwarves don’t hold hands.”

  “Brenwar, if you please,” Balzurth replied.

  Standing between Nath and Laylana, the dwarf took their hands, but he said, “Don’t get used to it.”

  Standing before them like a priest, Balzurth laid his hands on their shoulders and muttered words in Dragonese. A prickle of energy shot through Nath’s shoulder into his hand.

  Laylana giggled.

  Brenwar blurted out a stifled grunt.

  “That should do it,” Balzurth said with a nod. “Let’s go.”

  Nath lifted his hands. All of his glistening scales were intact. Balzurth looked the same, and so did Brenwar and Laylana. He had fully expected some sort of transformation, but the only thing he’d gotten from it was a tickle. “Father, I hardly see how whatever you did is going to help.”

  “That’s because I didn’t change you. My spell will change the others’ perception of us. We know what we look like, so we cannot fool ourselves, but we can fool the ones who don’t know us,” Balzurth assured him. “Now lead the way, Son. I’m excited to meet your friends who you’ve spoken so highly of.”

  Rolling with the odd sensation that was rolling underneath the skin of his body, Nath gave a shrug to his friends, who did the same. He wasn’t sure what his father had done, but he felt confident that it would work. He’d have to trust him.

  The soldiers met them on their approach just outside of the first gap in the wall. Dressed in full suits of chain mail and wearing skullcaps, the formidable men let out a giggle when they saw Nath. There were broad smiles on all their faces. One of them, a stern-looking man with bushy eyebrows bursting out from under his helm’s metal frame, asked, “What is your business in Quintuklen?”

  “We are meeting with my sister,” Nath replied in a voice that wasn’t his. He looked down at Brenwar. This brows on his comrade had lifted into his hairline. Laylana’s lips were parted in an O. Nath cleared his throat and added, “It will just be a short stay.”

  Great Guzan! I sound like a woman!

  “Oh,” the soldier said. The broad-faced man took off his helmet and offered a generous smile and looked Nath up and down. “Is she as fair as you? And so tall?”

  “Uh… oh sir, it’s difficult for me to say,” Nath stammered. He broke out in a cold sweat.

  What did Father do to me?

  “I’d be honored to give you and your family a personal escort,” the soldier said.

  With all of the soldiers’ eyes fixed on him, Nath replied in his woman’s voice, “Er, that won’t be necessary. I know the way.” He swallowed. “But, perhaps you could share a meal with my other sister later. She’s a fine lady and has a penchant for ale.”

  “Oh really?” said the soldier. “I’d be quite eager to meet her.”

  “She’s right here.” Nath walked over and put his hands on Brenwar’s shoulders. “Please, dear sister, introduce yourself.”

  The soldier’s face soured, and the other soldiers blanched. Noticing Brenwar for the first time, each of them looked as if he had swallowed a frog. Sputtering for words, the soldier said, “Perhaps the next time you visit.” He waved his arm at the men guarding the gates. “Let them in. Quickly.”

  The iron gates split open.

  Nath bowed his head slightly and said, “Thank you.”

  Passing through the gates, Brenwar smiled and waved at all the soldiers. Each of them looked away, and one of them laughed.

  Cheeks warmed, Nath said to his father, “They think we’re women?”

  “Yes,” Balzurth replied.

  “Why don’t you sound like a woman?”

  “I wasn’t planning on speaking.”

  “Change me back,” Nath demanded. His voice was that of an angry woman. “Oh, I can’t take this. I sound ridiculous!”

  Laylana burst out laughing like a man. Her guffaws were as baritone as Brenwar’s. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she said, “Oh, I hope I don’t look hideous.”

  “Clearly, I do,” Brenwar said proudly. He took the lead and marched straight for the next break in the second outer wall.

  The wall that encircled Quintuklen was made up of five rings with a break in each at different points. Designed like a simple maze, it made travelers walk a mile before they made it into the city.

  They passed by several sets of secure gates before making it to the next open break in the wall. Lips sealed tight, Nath overtook Brenwar and led them through the next two walls. His breathing eased as they approached the final pass, but unlike at the three rings inside the circle, here more soldiers were gathered.

  Nath stopped, turned, and faced his friends. “I suppose I’ll do all the talking again?”

  Balzurth’s face twisted up. Laylana cocked her head.

  “What now?” Nath said.

  “Your voice,” Laylana said in her own voice, which had returned. “It’s back.”

  Nath clutched his throat. Incredulous, he said, “No, it can’t be back so soon?”

  CHAPTER 15

  “Father, are you telling me the spell has worn off already?” Nath rubbed his throat. Indeed, his voice had returned.

  “I’m afraid so, Son,” Balzurth replied. “But you have to admit it was fun while it lasted.”

  Flicking his fingers out, Nath said, “Fun? Pardon me, Father, but you have used that word far too many times.”

  “Entertaining,” Balzurth offered.

  “Same difference.”

&n
bsp; Brenwar chimed in with, “Merry. Dwarves like the ‘word merry.’”

  “And the elves consider such moments convivial,” Laylana said. “Or witty.”

  Nath locked his hands behind his head and took a breath. “It’s annoying. But please, allow me to take a moment to refresh everyone’s memory on where we stand. I am being hunted by the elves and dwarves of Nalzambor.”

  “Yes, you’re a fugitive.”

  “That’s not helping, Father!” Nath threw his hands up. “If I were to guess, half of this city knows what I look like. Brenwar too, probably. We need to get inside undetected. Without trouble. I can’t just go waltzing in there, and now I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

  “Perhaps we should have traversed the wall in the dark of the night? Blended in with the shadows and avoided the light?” Balzurth said. “Now that would have been lively.”

  “You said you could get us through this, Father. That’s why I did what I did. I like the night plan. That would have been easy.” He held his head down and squeezed his eyes shut. “That would have been much easier than doing this in broad daylight. Sultans of Sulfur!”

  As assuring as Balzurth seemed, it was complicating things with Nath. He was used to being in charge and doing what he could with what he had. Now, Balzurth had changed all that. Following his father’s lead was not easy. If anything, it was the opposite.

  Balzurth threw his arm around Nath’s shoulder. “Son, let me do the talking. We’ve made it through the first gate, so I doubt they’ll be worried about us passing the last. The goal is near. Just keep it in sight.” He took Nath by the arm and rubbed his scales. “Besides, you have magic. Use it.”

  “Fine, Father, fine. I guess I can try it.”

  “You can do it, Son.”

  It had been a while since Nath had tried to use any of the magic in him at all. He’d come to rely on the skills he’d been used to having before, but back when he and Brenwar set out to find his mother, he’d changed the color of his scaled arms to all black with no white in between. Now, if he could, he’d like to conceal his scales with flesh. Closing his eyes, he envisioned his arms turning to skin. Something caterpillar-like crawled over his arms. On opening his eyes, he beheld the diamond-shaped scales rolling over to become flesh. The naked splendor of his forearm caught the light of the sun. “Huh, I did it!”

  “Of course you did,” Balzurth reassured him.

  “Here,” Laylana said, stepping behind him. Her ginger fingers tied his long red hair behind his head and tucked it in behind his shirt. “Now you look human.”

  In return, Nath took the tiara off her head. He adjusted her silky locks with his fingers to make her hair cover her pointed ears. “Now you do too, and a very beautiful one at that.”

  She blushed.

  “Come on then,” Balzurth said. Arms swinging at his sides, the grandly built man with his red hair flowing over his great shoulders sauntered right up to the soldiers. “Hello.”

  Hanging back a little with Brenwar and Laylana, Nath observed his father striking up a wonderful conversation with the soldiers. Two of the armor-clad men leaned on their spears, and the third one was laughing. For more than ten minutes, Balzurth spoke to the men as if he’d known them all his life.

  Brenwar nudged Nath in the back and under his beard he whispered, “Don’t just stand there waiting to sink.”

  Nath took Laylana by the hand and dragged her over to Balzurth and the soldiers. “Excuse me, but without sounding rude, we have an urgent matter that needs attending to. It seems our water has built to the top of the dam, and it seeks relief.”

  The soldiers gave Nath and Laylana a quick look then waved them inside, saying, “Stop in the Highside Tavern. Tell them Josh sent you, and they’ll take care of you.”

  Giving Laylana’s hand a squeeze, Nath scuttled into the busy streets of Quintuklen with her and Brenwar. The people milled about so quickly that they didn’t even pay them a glance of notice. He stepped onto a boardwalk that ran along an unending row of marketplace stores, finding shade beneath the colorful awnings.

  “Whew!” Nath said. He gave Brenwar a gentle shove. “We did it.”

  “My heart is still racing,” Laylana said. With avid interest, her eyes searched her unfamiliar surroundings. “A busy place. Very intriguing. Do your friends live very far?”

  “No.” Nath could still see his father talking to the soldiers. “Oh no. He’s going to talk to them until their ears fall off. Poor men. Humans would die of old age before he finished one of his stories.”

  Giggling, Laylana ran her hand over Nath’s back and said, “I’ve heard you’re quite the storyteller too.”

  “I’ve been known to spin a yarn or two.” Laylana’s caressing hand on his back sent a delightful shiver up his spine. He backed into her, allowing her hand to glide further up his back and massage the steely muscles underneath. The mild attraction he’d felt before had turned into something exhilarating. “Perhaps I’ll tell you one later.”

  “Perhaps we can stop standing around and swooning over one another!” Brenwar said.

  Catching his breath, Nath turned toward Laylana and backed away. Her eyes had a desirous sparkle in them. It was a growing temptation.

  What’s going on?

  “Nath, is something wrong?” Laylana said, coming closer. She rose on her toes and touched his cheek. “You’re sweating. I’ve never seen a dragon sweat before.”

  Unable to control his desire, he swept Laylana into his arms and kissed her.

  CHAPTER 16

  Ben’s horse’s hooves came to a stop inches from the stream. He swung his leg over and hopped to the ground. Putting his hands on the backs of his hips, he stretched and said, “Great dragons, my back aches. I can’t be this old and this stiff. How are you doing, Bayzog?”

  “I’ve never been very comfortable in the saddle, but it’s not any worse than it’s ever been.” Planting the Elderwood Staff on the ground, he climbed off the horse onto the grass. “And I always chafe.”

  Both horses nickered and shook their heads, flipping their tails and drinking from the water. It was a little past midday, and the skies were cloudy. “Looks like there’s a heavy rain coming, but we should make it to Quinley by then.”

  “If you’re too weary, I can make other arrangements for us to sleep comfortably.” Bayzog lifted the hem of his robes and dipped a canteen in the water. “I don’t want you to overdo it.”

  With both hands, Ben guzzled down the remaining water in his canteen. “Ah! Glad we’re right near a fill-up. You know, I’d like to take you up on whatever magic quarters you’re offering, I really would, but I need to get on another layer of dirt to thicken my skin.” He scratched his chin and swatted at a buzzing insect. “I can turn old, but I can’t let it turn me soft. I need to rugged up.”

  “You aren’t that old, Ben. You’re not even Sasha’s age.” Bayzog tossed Ben a canteen. “Drink more. Heartily. Perhaps these streams will return your youth.”

  Ben hung the canteen on his saddle and said, “I envy you.”

  “Why is that?”

  “You elves live so long, and you can even use magic. But the long living part is the hard thing. I know life can be hard, but I still enjoy the challenge I have when I wake up every day.”

  Bayzog corked the second canteen and hung it over his shoulder. Standing at full height but still several inches shorter than Ben, he said to him, “And that’s why I envy you. You in particular, and many humans, are never complacent. I envy how you live every day to the fullest. It’s why I was so attracted to Sasha. There was so much life in her.”

  The pair of them stood silent, watching the stream flow over the shallow rocks.

  “We’re going to find a cure for Sasha and find your sons, Bayzog. It won’t be easy, it never is, but we can do it.” Ben gave Bayzog a soft pat on the back. “Have faith.”

  “Perhaps it’s time you took a look inside Brenwar’s chest. Balzurth set him up with many wondrous gifts. I’m c
ertain there’s something that will make you feel younger.”

  Ben felt several years fall away. “Really? No, don’t answer that.” He untied the chest from his horse and set it down. On his knees with his fists on his hips, he said, “I haven’t stopped thinking about this for two days.”

  Standing behind him with a soft breeze rustling his black hair, Bayzog said, “Me neither.”

  Ben popped the lid and pushed it wide open. Vials filled with a mosaic of colors were lined up in neat little rows. The entire tray of potions was on a single rack that he lifted back over the lid. It hung suspended on the folding arms that held it like some jewelry boxes he’d seen before. Underneath the tray of potions were several items. What caught Ben’s eye was a pair of leather gauntlets woven with metal chain and a folded sheet of black cloth. He picked up the cloth and handed it to Bayzog. “What’s this?”

  Bayzog unfolded it and tossed it over the chest. The chest vanished.

  “Great Dragons!” Ben said. “What did you do?”

  Bending over, Bayzog seemed to pick at something out of thin air. He lifted something that reflected everything around and behind it, and before Ben’s eyes the black cloth reappeared. “I believe it is called a Cloth of Concealment.”

  Touching the fabric as if it was an apparition, Ben said, “I like it!” Placing the Cloth of Concealment back inside the chest, he started taking count of the potion bottles with his finger. “There are so many. How do you know what they do?”

  “Good question.” Bayzog plucked a vial out with orange liquid that had sparkles swirling through it. There was tiny lettering on the bottle.

  “What does it say?” Ben was squinting at the vial. “And what language is that?”

  “It’s called Scrollhewn, mystic lettering that magic users like myself often use. It certainly does take a discerning eye to read it, but it deters foolish abuse of what is within. This potion I think is one you’ll like.” He handed it to Ben. “It’s dragon fire.”