by Donica Covey
"No one who is Sluagh will fight for the right. The ones who reside there are evil beings. They are fewer in number than we here. But every spirit they take adds another to their force."
"So there are no villages in Sluagh Montrose?"
"None that have ever been told of,” Abhorson answered.
"Then tell me where I should go to find the next village."
He took the map and trailed his finger down along the outline of Montrose Mannanggallia. “In the land of Montrose Jiggoi there are twelve villages spread across the land. The first village, the home of the Wasike people is a three-day journey."
Keely scanned the map. Traveling to each village on the entire of Grogan would take her well over a year. There had to be a way to gather her forces sooner. “I need to spread the word much faster than I'm able to do right now. Sending out messengers would save me from having to make so many stops, but it will still take forever to gather an army."
A lone figure stepped out from a covering of brush and approached her. It was a man with golden hair, light blue eyes and a radiant smile. He projected an aura of goodness and purity. She felt immediately safe from just one look. “I can help.” He spoke with a soft accent that was akin to someone from Ireland in the earth world.
"And you are?"
"Bellerophon. I am a Pegusian. Word of your arrival has brought joy to us. We are going to help you in anyway we can. Tell me what message and I'll relate it word for word to my people who will in turn be sent as messengers to every village of Grogan."
Keely felt elation wash over her. She moved closer to Bellerophon and hugged him tight. “You are the answer to my prayer,” she shouted excitedly. “All right, I need all who are willing to gather any weapon they can forge and meet me,” she looked at the map. In the middle of Mannanggallia was a forest that according to map legend was densely populated and should offer plenty of hiding places as well as secluded meeting areas. “We meet in the forest of Dantera in four weeks."
Bellerophon bowed. “Our future queen is most wise and beautiful.” He took her hand and pressed a kiss against the skin. “I will see that your message is spread loud and clear. We shall reunite in a quaterniorum."
He took a running start, then suddenly large white wings spread out from his back and he was soaring across the sky.
She should've been shocked but nothing could surprise her any more. She turned back to Tiengl. “Now to the mudlands for the Jengeluru."
Abhorson rose. “He can remain here, I'll guide you to Sanmises."
She glanced down at Tiengl but instead of the disappointment she expected he was smiling. “All right.” Keely nodded. “Then let's go get a plant."
He started out of the village and into the thick foliage of the woods. His long legged strides made it hard for her to keep pace but she struggled along.
Strange animals made howling and chirping sounds from the trees around her. Heat seemed to radiate from each tree. Soon the air felt like a sauna, the moist heat making her breathing difficult.
A thick root rose from the ground and when her toe connected with it she felt a sharp pain. “Ouch."
"No M'Lady,” Abhorson shouted and ran towards her.
Before he could reach her, branches like arms dropped down around her. Skeletal wooden fingers knotted in her hair crushing her in their grip. She struggled trying to find a loose spot but the pressure was becoming too great. Bark closed in tight. “Help me,” she screamed and thrashed.
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Fourteen
Xavier stood drinking in all the peacefulness and let his mind wander. Three moons were visible against the evening colors overhead. On the gentle breeze, a light scent tickled his nose.
"Help me." A cry broke through his skull.
"Keely!” She was in trouble, hurt and terrified. He turned in the direction of her fear and rushed headlong. As he ran, a change took over his body. It felt longer, lighter and stronger. He looked down to find the ground many feet below him. From his back, large wings pumped the air and he rose up and up. He was suddenly soaring high above the tops of the trees. His vision had altered. He saw in the colors of thermal imaging. There were dark blues and purples of the roots of trees and the stream that wound its way between the giants. He scanned the ground while his senses were focused on Keely. Her scent trail was stronger in his new dragon form than it had been before. The mental connection was also stronger. He followed the pull drawing him closer to her.
Her screams grew louder, her agonizing pain nearly ripping him apart. He landed and scanned the area for her. Her shape was red and yellow with exertion as she struggled to break free. The tree was wrapping its bark and branches around her, constricting tighter with each breath.
Once more he stood on two legs in his human form. When he lifted his hands, fire shot from his fingertips, engulfing the tree and filling the air with a putrid odor of burning flesh. “Keely!” he screamed and ripped through the burning branches.
She was slumped against the trunk, sweat streamed in tracks down her soot-covered face.
He ran forward and grabbed her up in his arms. Dashing back through the flames he carried her over to a lush patch of moist grass.
"Keely?” He was frantic with worry. She wasn't stirring. Deep tracks from the texture of the rough bark were buried in skin that was red with small blisters. It must be that she could heal herself in her unconscious state for her skin slowly cooled. He watched as the blisters faded and her skin returned to its smooth state.
"M'Lady,” Xavier heard a man shout and turned just as he rushed forward, a large log clutched in his hands. It swung toward Xavier's head.
Xavier ducked and twisted from the path of the blow. “Wait,” he shouted, his hands in the air.
"You are the Blacdrake. You mean to kill her and destroy us all,” the man roared and lunged at him again.
Xavier sidestepped the headlong butt and pivoted on his heel. “I'm not going to hurt her."
"You lie. You're as evil as Montrose.” The man's anger floated off in waves.
Xavier finally grasped the man's arms in his hands and squeezed slightly to force the man to release his hold on the wooden weapon. When it hit the ground he turned the man around into a locking hold. His arm was around the man's neck; he held on tight enough to subdue, but not so tight as to do any harm. “Now will you listen to me?"
"Do I have a choice?” the man growled.
"I'm not going to hurt Keely. She is my lifemate. We are destined to fight together and destroy Montrose."
"You've already tried to kill her. You're working with the Seer. All you care about is collecting the power for yourself."
"I know I've screwed up, but listen to me. I'm not evil. I've chosen my path and it's for good. I've chosen Keely and Grogan's freedom."
"I don't believe you."
Xavier shoved the man hard and watched as he hit the ground. “If I was going to kill you I'd have done it by now. I'd have left her in the fire and lit you up brighter than the Fourth of July before you even knew what hit you."
"Fourth of July?"
Xavier shook his head. “Never mind. Get me some water for Keely."
The man still didn't look as if he believed Xavier. But when he stared down at Keely, Xavier could read the man's love for her in his eyes.
For only a split second Xavier was overcome with jealousy but almost as quickly he realized the love wasn't of a romantic nature but of respect and admiration. “Hey! Water?"
The man nodded and jumped up. “There is a spring beyond those trees."
He waited. “Go on."
"And leave you here with the lady? I'm not touched in my head."
Heaving a sigh Xavier decided to avoid any further arguments and went to the spring himself. He ripped off a piece of cloth from his shirt and dipped it into the cool water.
When he walked back the man was holding Keely in his arms. He gave the man a none too gentle nudge out of the way, placed his arm under Kee
ly's head and dabbed at her face with the wet material.
She stirred and her eyelids fluttered. A soft look in her eye was shoved aside by the look of fear. “Abhorson!” she cried and tried to struggle out of Xavier's arms.
"I'm here, M'Lady."
Xavier watched her inspect the other man, Abhorson, for any sign of damage or injury.
"I didn't hurt him. I heard the sound of your screams, felt the agony of the crushing against your body and I had to come."
"So you could watch?” She didn't bother hiding the angry edge to her voice.
"No. You needed me and I came."
"Right. All of a sudden I should trust you?"
Xavier inhaled a deep breath. Anger would do him no good, he'd do nothing but destroy any faith she might still feel for him. Still, he couldn't quite tamp down the irritation. He scrubbed at the base of his skull. “Like I told him.” He motioned toward the man she'd called Abhorson. “If I wanted to hurt either of you, I'd have done it already. I'm the one who destroyed that damn tree and saved your life."
He moved a step closer and reached out to caress her cheek. She flinched away and pain splintered inside him. “I'm so sorry, Keely. I made such a mistake. I thought the Seer was on our side—she made me believe that. Honest. When I saw the truth, I knew I had to get away from her and back to you as soon as I could."
The mistrust in Keely's eyes hadn't left. “I tried to tell you. I tried to let you know, but you wouldn't listen.” Her eyes glittered with a hard edge.
What more could he do? “I don't know how many other ways to say I'm sorry. How to make up for what I've done. We have to get rid of Montrose, then everything else can fall into place."
She shook her head. “I can't rely on you."
She turned on her heel and walked away leaving him staring open-mouthed. He couldn't let her go. He ran to her and grabbed her arm. He spun her to face him. All at once Abhorson materialized between them.
"Leave her alone!” Abhorson brought his fist into a crashing blow on the side of Xavier's head and he dropped to his knees.
The world pitched for a minute. Xavier rubbed his head as he sagged on the ground. “Keely.” His head throbbed like it was filled with hundreds of angry bees. He spoke around the noise. “You know you can see into my head, right? I mean, you read the auras and stuff. Look at me. Really look hard. Even if I could disguise my mind to you, I can't disguise my aura."
* * * *
Keely paused and studied him closely. It was true. His aura was no longer the deep almost black gray color it had been before. There was no longer any red in his eyes.
She wanted to believe him. Desperately she wanted to believe. He'd begun to mean so much to her, someone who understood how hard this strange world was. Still, there was no denying what he'd done. “The Seer could change her appearance too."
Pain. Real honest to goodness pain projected from his mind and filled her head.
"I'm here to help. We have to stop Montrose. Period. We have to make this world better for everyone here."
That was true. The suffering of everyone she'd seen in this world so far had practically ripped her heart in two. “All right. But know this Xavier, I've gotten stronger. I can and will take you down if you step one centimeter out of line."
She forced a wall up to block him from seeing into her mind and it seemed to work. He watched her eyes and nodded. “I won't disappoint you again. I swear."
She looked at Abhorson. “It's all right. He can join us."
Abhorson opened his mouth to speak out against her decision, but he just shook his head and led the way back to the camp. Keely followed, praying she'd made the right decision. She could be leading a lot of people to their destruction.
"I've made some mistakes, Keely,” he mumbled. “I almost ... I—"
His sorrow touched her. “I know. But you didn't kill anyone. If you had..."
"If I had it would be too late to save me."
Curiosity ate at her. “What made you see? I mean, I didn't get through to you, so what did?"
He stopped short. “My father."
"What?"
"My father. I mean my ... what would he be? My dragon father? My biological father? Whatever. He told me truths about myself, my family, and the Seer. He helped me know the true way of things. I don't want what the Seer offered. Sure, it was power, pure unadulterated power. But it would also have been a miserable existence.” He took her hand in his. “I won't ever be able to completely kill my desire for power, Keely."
His admission caught her off guard. She inhaled a sharp breath and jerked free from him.
"Please hear me out. It's in my blood, my nature, to crave power, wealth, and all the trappings that come with it. But I know that with you by my side, it can be tempered. You can be the one to help keep me on an even path. On the path of good."
She scrubbed her hands together then reached up and ran her fingers along her neck. “That's a lot to put on my plate. How can I be responsible for keeping you ‘good'? That has to be up to you. No one can force you on the right road."
"No, but I know your purity, your light. You can help keep my demons at bay."
He needed her. She couldn't just wave her hand and have it be done. No, if she were going to keep him in the right she'd have to be with him almost daily. “That's a lifetime job, Xavier. One I'm not sure I'm up for."
Keely began walking back to the village. Abhorson fell into step beside her and she reached out to pat him on the arm. “Thank you, Abhorson."
"I will always be here, M'Lady,” he said softly and glanced over his shoulder at Xavier.
With her power she tried to mind-probe Xavier again. All she found there was truth. She saw the picture of him and his father standing beneath a copse of trees. She watched the man become a red-scaled dragon and fly from the ground.
What was the saying: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? That would definitely apply to keeping Xavier with her daily. Her confidence in her own abilities was growing constantly. She could take on Xavier if she had to and some how she knew she could win.
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Fifteen
The Seer focused all her thoughts on Xiuhcoatl and Aldmakeelia. She trembled with rage. She had lost to that silly Alicorno? It wasn't possible! Somehow she'd swayed Blacdrake away from this path. He now knew his heart, had chosen his stance. The course against Montrose and even worse, against her.
She shook her head and lifted her chin. She rushed to the lower chambers of her palace, to her magic tomes hidden beneath a glamour shield. There had to be some way of defeating the two of them. She'd find the answer and then return to Montrose. She'd need the king for a while longer but soon it would be time to do what should've been done long ago: kill the man and take over his throne.
After she destroyed the Unicorn and the Dragon so much power would fill her being that nothing could stop her. It would have been nice to have Draco sire an heir to her power but it wasn't necessary. There'd be other willing partners later.
She shoved the door to her lower lair and it opened with a groan. A flash of bright light illuminated the space and she summoned the scrolls forth. She unrolled the first parchment, scanning it for any answer to the riddle but saw nothing. She tossed it aside and opened a second one. Again there was no aid in the scrawlings. “There has to be something, some way,” she growled throwing the second parchment to the floor.
A third and fourth roll also show nothing. Then she found it! It was so simple she threw her head back and the cackle split the room. Just make a fine powder of dust from Delinca vines. She had to gather a large basket of petals, a second basket of thorns, and crush them into a fine powder. This powder would then be sprinkled over Aldmakeelia and Xiuhcoatl. The poison would seep into their blood, the dust would be inhaled and they would die relatively painful deaths. It would make them immobile. They would appear dead but they would still feel every touch, every cut and then finally the end would come. Oh ye
s, Seer decided, Delinca powder would be the perfect punishment for the interlopers.
When they were down, she'd force Xavier to watch as she cut the heart out of his lifemate. Just before death, when the girl shifted into her unicorn form, the Seer would remove the horn. Then Xavier would die. His pain would be so great at watching Keely's demise it would be close to impossible to make it any worse. But, by the gods of Lyre, she'd find a way.
She replaced the scrolls and made her way back outside. The most poisonous Delinca vines grew in the cavern. She hadn't destroyed all of them when she and Vrono passed through the stone to the portal.
* * * *
King Montrose stormed into the great room. All around men jumped to attention. Serving girls bowed their heads and averted their gaze. He knew they all trembled at his rage. Good.
"The Seer has not returned but I know they are here,” he roared. “Villages are giving them aid and refuge. These traitors must be destroyed."
What good was his power—the magic he'd gleaned from his artifacts—when he couldn't find his enemy and when his advisor seemed to have betrayed him? There must be a way of crushing the villagers to heel. There was no way to corrupt the magic of the unicorn. But the dragon, that was a different story. All he had to do was follow the secret magic he'd stumbled upon years ago. He grinned and pointed at a handful of serving women. “Come with me."
They exchanged frightened glances but did as he commanded. He led them trembling, into a private antechamber and shut the door. He smiled at their apprehension. “Not now. Right now you are going to do something for me."
None spoke. They waited patiently.
"Each of you will take large baskets, the largest you can carry, and fill them with fire toads."
Gasps echoed in the room. Fire toads were deadly when threatened; they secreted a type of slime that, while it painfully scorched on contact with flesh, it had the power to provide a shield of invisibility. Of course, few people knew this.
He cleared his throat and met each eye. “Fill the baskets completely. Bring them back and place them in the large golden tub in my second chamber. The tub must be filled to the rim. Do you understand?"
