“What are you doing?” Slivver said.
“I don’t smell anything, but something living made this trail.” He pointed to the rut in the road.
“There are many monsters that don’t carry a scent.”
“And I have allies like that as well.” Nath stepped through the storehouse threshold and softly called out, “Sansla?” Inside, his eyes caught the backside of a hulking figure crouched in the corner. Wings were folded tight over the creature’s back, but one of them drooped. That’s Sansla for certain. He reached out and laid his hands on Sansla’s back.
Sansla lashed out with a mighty swing that took Nath from his feet and sent him sailing through the wall.
CHAPTER 23
“Nath! Are you all right?” Slivver rushed and helped Nath up off the ground.
“Ugh,” Nath moaned as he clutched his chest. “That certainly stung a little, I’ll say that much. Sansla sure packs a wallop.”
Sansla stormed out of the storehouse with his blue eyes filled with blazing fury. He looked at Nath and Slivver like a starving wolf smelling fresh meat.
Slivver stepped in front of Nath and said, “Stay back. I’ll handle this.”
“No, Slivver. We can’t hurt him. We have to find out what’s wrong. We need to subdue him.”
Sansla’s jaws opened wide and let out a frightening roar. “Raaawwwwrrrrrr!”
The white ape was splattered in mud and full of fury. Nath wondered what had happened to the level-headed elven roamer king who resided within. The calm blue eyes were now blazing storms. The wild beast had been unleashed. Sansla pounded his chest like a drum and roared again.
“I’m curious as to what you have in mind to subdue him,” Slivver said, “because I don’t think he wants subduing.”
Nath calmly shuffled forward. “Just don’t make any sudden moves.” He eyed the silver dragons poised to strike from the walls. “Keep them at bay.”
With his palms out, he made his way toward Sansla.
Sansla roared and snorted.
Speaking in Elven, Nath said, “Sansla! Sansla! I am your friend, Nath. You know me, and you know that I won’t harm you in any way. Please, Sansla, show me that you hear me.” He searched Sansla’s eyes. Saliva dripped from the ape’s huge jaws. Guzan, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he would eat me. But then he saw the storm in Sansla’s eyes begin to calm, and he crept closer.
The winged ape shook himself, bared his teeth, and withdrew two steps.
“Good, good, Sansla. Listen to me. We are here to help. Just trust me.” Nath stretched out his hand.
Sansla snarled. His eyebrows knitted.
Looking up into Sansla’s face, Nath said, “Easy, friend. Easy. You don’t want to do anything you’ll regret. That’s not like you. Let me help you.”
The wrinkles between Sansla’s eyes eased. He reached out while snorting the air and grabbed Nath’s wrist.
“Good, Sansla, good. You see, I am your friend.”
Sansla’s grip tightened. The frown in his brows returned.
Worried, Nath said, “Sansla, what are you doing?”
Sansla jerked Nath up by the arm and slammed him down hard into the ground.
“Nath!” Slivver called out.
“No! Stay back,” Nath said. “Oof!”
Sansla pounded Nath in the back with his fists. He picked him up again and slammed him into the ground. Then tossed him into the wall. He kicked and beat Nath all over the fort.
“Are you mad, Nath?” Slivver said.
Caught up in a bear hug, Nath managed to blurt out, “Stay your ground. I can take it.”
Sansla body-slammed Nath. He kicked him up off the ground. He punched again and again.
Nath felt his face swell. His eyes bulged and his bones rattled, but he wouldn’t fight back. He just continued to say in Elven, “I know you won’t kill me, Sansla. We are friends. Always have been and always will be.”
Sansla unleashed rage and frustration on Nath’s body.
On pins and needles, Slivver shouted, “He’s going to tear you apart, Nath!”
“No, he won’t. Urk!”
Sansla lifted Nath’s busted-up body from the ground by the neck. He started choking Nath.
Not this again.
Sansla stared right into Nath’s eyes and let out a terrifying scream. “Eeeeeiiiiiieeeeeeeeee!”
Nath felt his consciousness fading. His eyes weakened but remained fixed on Sansla. If his eyes could speak, he was saying, “Come on, Sansla, you’re better than this. Don’t give in to the curse. You can’t let it win!”
CHAPTER 24
Sansla shook Nath like a rag. His bulging arms trembled. Suddenly, his body sagged. His eyes softened. He released Nath.
Nath gulped in lungfuls of air. Oh, thank goodness. He rubbed his neck. This choking thing is getting really old. He found Sansla kneeling beside him. The winged ape’s shoulders were slumped over as he stared at the ground drawing with his finger in the mud. He made an elven symbol for peace.
“Nath, are you well?” Slivver was staring right at Nath and Sansla, but he kept his distance.
Nath coughed a few times and said in a raspy voice, “I think we’re out of danger.” He waved Slivver over. “Help me up.”
Keeping an eye on Sansla, Slivver did as Nath requested. “I have to admit, out of all of the stupid things I’ve ever seen you do, that might have topped them all. Did insanity compel you?”
“I just knew, deep down, that Sansla wouldn’t kill me.” He rubbed his ribs. “He was holding back, or at least he was holding part of the beast back.”
“It certainly didn’t look like it.” Studying Nath, Sansla said, “I’m curious. A younger Nath would not have been able to control himself like that in the heat of battle. Did you feel the rage?”
“Huh, you bet I did. It took plenty of effort not to loose my fire, especially considering this wasn’t the first time Sansla and I clashed. I just hope it’s the last time.”
“Honestly, I have to say I would pay to see that fight.”
“Slivver!”
“Come now, you know I’m too civilized to indulge myself in such events.”
“Yes, I know.” Nath wrapped his arm around Slivver. “Thanks for looking out for me.”
“It’s always a pleasure.”
“Nath.” Sansla rose from his muddy seat. His eyes once again showed the calm of the elven roamer king within. “I am sorry.”
“Though there isn’t any need for apologies, I accept, old friend.”
“I owe you a great debt of gratitude, Dragon King. More than you’ll ever know. If you hadn’t come along, the curse would have consumed me.” Sansla’s wings unfolded from behind his back. He grimaced and stretched them out wider until something popped. His drooping right wing straightened. “Ah. I could see myself fighting you as if I were a spectator watching a horrible battle. You’re right, I did resist, perhaps more than I realized, but what sanity I had left was fading.”
Scratching this scales on his neck, Nath said, “I did feel that squeeze strengthen toward the end. So what happened? How did I get to you? Was it the Elven speech?”
“It wasn’t your words, Nath. It was your eyes. That golden luster was hypnotic, like the warmth of the rising sun, until I was able to hear your soothing words. Your friendship brought me peace. That peace quenched the fires of the beast. I’ve never seen or felt anything like it. It is another one of your many gifts.”
“I noticed something too,” Slivver said with approval. “There was a glow in your eyes that I had never seen before. To be truthful, whatever happened was beautiful.”
“I don’t know how I did it, but I hope I can remember how if I ever need it again.” He rubbed his swollen jaw. “I just hope it doesn’t have anything to do with you.”
“I hope so too,” Sansla replied.
“So, can you tell us what happened? Where’s Selene?”
Sansla gave Nath a long look. “I failed to protect her, I’m a
fraid. When the nuurg attacked, I lost all control.” He shook his head. “My memories are dim. Forgive me.”
“Take your time, Sansla. Just start wherever you’re comfortable.”
Gathering his thoughts, Sansla told them about everything that had happened since he’d been with Selene. The wurmer den where they’d encountered the wurmer queen and the titan Tylabahn. The battle in the deep stream with the stone giants and how they had come across this fort, only to be tricked as Tylabahn took possession of Gorlee.
Soaking it in, Nath scratched his forehead. “That’s bad. Really bad.”
“What’s so bad?” said a newcomer.
Nath turned. Brenwar and company were walking in through the fort’s archway. “Everything.”
“I’m not bad,” Brenwar said. “What happened to your face? It’s all swollen and puffy.” His eyes popped wide when he saw the fallen nuurg. “You fought more giants without me! You didn’t even save me a one?”
“Brenwar, you’ll get your opportunity. Right now we need to find Selene. One of the titans has taken her hostage. At least, I hope that’s the case.” Nath turned to Sansla. “You don’t suppose the titan killed her, do you?”
“No. I think she has an insidious purpose for Selene.”
Nath’s brow arched. “Such as?”
“I think Selene will be bait so they can control you,” Sansla replied.
“That’s horrible,” Sasha said. She and Bayzog entered the outpost last. Rerry and Samaz were already within.
“Judging by all of these tracks, it shouldn’t be difficult to find them.” Brenwar’s eyes followed the wrath horn tracks leading out of the fort. “And they don’t have much of a head start. Let’s go fetch them and put an end to them.”
“Let’s not be too hasty,” Bayzog advised. With one hand, he kept the hem of his robes out of the mud. “We are getting close to Narnum. The enemy’s forces will thicken in that area.”
“That’s why we need to get after them right now, before they get too far ahead,” Brenwar said.
“The silvers and I will scout ahead,” Slivver said. “We have a seeker on their trail too. It wouldn’t surprise me if he reported back at any moment, seeing how they can’t be far away.”
One of the silver dragons barked out a warning. All four of them took to the sky. A lone wurmer flew high in the air. It held something in its mouth. Flying over the middle of the fort, it dropped the object.
Recognizing what it was, Nath raced beneath the object and caught it. It was the seeker dragon. His heart sank. His eyes became misty. Everyone gathered around just as he said, “They killed him.”
CHAPTER 25
Nath led the search for Selene at a brisk pace while fighting the urge to run. Slivver had taken to the sky as a lookout. The silver dragons wouldn’t be much help tracking Selene in the woodland from above, but hopefully they’d see any wurmers before the wurmers saw them. In the meantime, he couldn’t get the image of the little seeker dragon out of his mind, such a small and innocent thing. Not to mention the fact that the wurmers and nuurgs had been able to catch it, which disturbed him.
They must have an awful lot of tricks I never suspected. No, it couldn’t have been. It must have been that titan, Tylabahn.
That part made the death of the little seeker worse. The wrath horn–riding nuurgs couldn’t have been any easier to track. They left a trail in the woodland that even a blind man could follow. There had been no reason for them to kill the seeker.
Either that act was pure evil—which I can’t rule out—or the seeker saw something they didn’t want it to see.
Nath pushed some pine branches aside, spooking a deer as he passed. The oversized riders had left broken branches all over. The trail was so obvious that it was insulting.
Rerry caught up to Nath. He didn’t say anything for the first mile or so. Instead, he followed Nath and did everything he did.
Nath considered pointing out a few things about tracking to the youngster, but he didn’t feel like talking.
If he wants to know something, he can ask Brenwar.
He kept moving on with a head of steam until Rerry finally broke his silence.
“Ahem, Nath, er, is tracking supposed to be this easy? If you don’t mind me saying so, something seems amiss.”
“Perhaps.” He slowed to a stop and pointed at the ground. “If you’ll notice, the stride of the wrath horns changes from time to time. There’s more space between their tracks when they move quicker, suggesting a trot or a gallop. And,” he kneeled down over one of the hoof prints, “you can see here where the hooves dig in deeper. See these pointing impressions, like needles?” Rerry nodded. “Well, those are the spikes that are shod around the wrath horns’ ankles. The faster they move, the deeper they dig. They’re in a hurry. Any questions?’
Rerry shook his head. “No.”
“Good, because I don’t feel like answering any.” Nath forged ahead until the woodland ran out and became the open plains again.
Standing right behind his shoulder, Rerry said, “Narnum’s the next stop, eh?”
“We’ve leagues to go, but yes, there isn’t much cover between here and there.” He searched the cloudy skies. A wink of silver. He pointed and said to Rerry, “Can you see that?”
Squinting and leaning forward, Rerry said, “The silvers are coming.”
“You have good sight.”
Ben caught up with them next. A little winded, he said, “What are you looking for?”
“Can’t you see them?” Nath said.
“No, I don’t see anything at all.”
“You’ll see them soon enough.”
Ben drew his sword. “I’ll be ready then.”
“No, you can put that away, Ben. It’s Slivver. He’ll be here any moment.” He nudged Rerry. “Do you see how the grasses have been plowed over?”
“Yes. The trail disappears over that knoll and just over the next, but I can’t see beyond that.”
“That’s pretty good, Rerry. I wouldn’t expect you to see through a hillside. Sorry for being short with you earlier.”
“Let some of your burdens be mine as well, Nath. We’ll get Selene back and avenge that little dragon.”
By the time Slivver flew in, the rest of the party had caught up to him. “Well, what did you discover, Slivver?”
“We caught sight of them riding hard in the saddle, but we had to break off when we saw wurmers with them. The closer to Narnum you go, the thicker they become. But for certain, they head for Narnum at full speed.”
“Did you see Selene?”
“Yes. She was draped over a saddle. I couldn’t tell if she was alive or not, but I think it’s safe to assume she was. Why else take her?”
“They’ll do just as it’s been said, to bait me. But I believe you’re right, Slivver. She’s alive. I can feel it in my heart of hearts. I would know if she died.”
Brenwar set down his strongbox and sat on it, dashing the sweat from his brow. “So what are we going to do, Nath? This is an awfully small army to storm in there, though I am more than ready for it.”
“No, we aren’t going to be able to use force in this one. I’m still going to try and parlay, but now the stakes are even higher. I’ll be negotiating for both Selene and my father. In the meantime, I’m open for suggestions on the best way to go about this.”
He saw growing concern in everyone’s faces.
Bayzog intervened. “I think it’s high time we got a better look at what we’re up against. Perhaps we can get a better look at our enemy if some of us can slip into the city.”
“We’ll stick out like glowing gnomes if we go in there,” Brenwar said.
Unable to hide his excitement, Rerry said, “You might, but not all of us. I can certainly blend in.”
“So can I,” Samaz agreed.
“I like the idea, but let’s not be too hasty. It’s getting late. Let’s sleep on it.” Nath moved into the edge of the forest. “Please, make camp. Slivver, come wi
th me.”
CHAPTER 26
“What’s on your mind, Nath?”
The brother dragons had found a spot to talk between four large dogwood trees that stood out in the forest. Nath leaned back against one of them and plucked a green leaf. “You’re a dragon. Tell me, am I thinking more like a man or more like a dragon?”
Scratching above his earhole, Slivver said, “I can’t think of anything more dragon than rescuing dragons.”
“I guess I just needed a little reassurance.”
“Truth be told, Nath, I’d like to think my advice would be some of the best, but even I can lose my level head sometimes. I’m another dragon who likes to walk among the races.”
“I don’t think you’d like losing the power of being a dragon, Slivver. Trust me, it’s ugly.”
“But you seem to do well without it.”
“Remember, I was born this way. You were born that way. We are what we are, but I’ll tell you this, I can’t wait to be a full dragon again one day. I think if I was a full dragon now, I could finish off Eckubahn that same way I took care of Gorn Grattack.”
“Perhaps, but you can’t count on that, Nath. This time, you just might have to do things the way you are.” Slivver lashed his tail into a tree with a whack. “When the moment comes, you must be willing to strike.”
Nath pushed off the tree and nodded. “Slivver, I have to ask, can you tell me why you want to be one of the races so much? It seems truly abnormal.”
Slivver locked his hands behind his back and started to pace. “What I am about to say might banish me from your sight forever, O king. Over the decades I’ve been on a search to make myself mortal. It’s one of the reasons you haven’t seen me in so long, Nath. I know what I am about to say is impossible, but the truth is I’ve fallen in love with a mortal woman.”
Nath’s jaw dropped. The ring of truth in his brother’s voice stirred him up. He seized his brother by the shoulders. “It’s not a bad thing to love someone, even though it’s forbidden, but who?”
Judgment of the Dragon (Book 7 of 10): Dragon Fantasy Series (Tail of the Dragon) Page 8
