Wilam’s mind had receded inward. It heard what King Zorlan was saying, but it had created a buffer around itself to protect it from the pain.
“I want to know about Gwendolyn,” King Zorlan said. “Tell me where she stays and how many men protect her. Tell me what I want to know and I’ll send Ebain away.”
“The tower,” Wilam whispered, not really thinking about what he was saying. In fact, all Wilam could think about was the pain. He spoke instinctively, answering the questions with no conscious effort. “The tower of the Torr.”
“Excellent,” King Zorlan said. “And how many men guard her?”
“A dozen at the entrance to the tower,” Wilam said.
“Only a dozen? Come now, Prince Wilam. I know there are more than that.”
“The tower is filled with magic users. Most are insane. Mute servants, and no one allowed in but me. Gwendolyn and her sister are on the top floors, but there’s no stairs. They levitate to the upper floors.”
“Damn, I was hoping the rumors about her magical powers were over exaggerated. I don’t suppose that old fool Offendorl is with her?”
“No, she fears him.”
“Is that so? She isn’t in league with him then? That’s interesting. I had thought they were systematically weakening the kingdoms in order to attempt a coup. But perhaps there is dissension in the ranks of the Torr as well. What of the other soldiers?”
“Guarding the city walls.”
“And only a dozen guard the tower?”
“Yes, we never needed more. Although there are townspeople usually gathered in the streets around the tower, hoping for a glance of Gwendolyn. They aren’t trained soldiers but will be violent.”
“Excellent,” King Zorlan said. He straightened and looked at the healer. “Give him something to help him sleep. You’ll need to stay here with him-there’s really no need to bring him along. I’ll send for you once we take the city.
“Ebain,” King Zorlan went on, “you’ve done well once again. You have my thanks.”
“It was my honor, my liege,” Ebain said in his cold monotone.
“Now, we must be off. I’ve a kingdom to capture and a destiny to fulfill.” Zorlan swept out of the tent while the healer mixed a drink with strong medicinal herbs. He unbuckled the manacles on Wilam’s arms.
“If you hurt me. I’ll leave you here,” the healer said. “I only want to help. I’m not the one who tortured you.”
Wilam nodded but didn’t speak. His arms were completely numb and ached terribly as he moved them back down to his sides. He couldn’t have hurt the healer if he wanted to. Yet, even as the healer saw to his needs, first propping him on dry pillows, then coaxing the herbal mixture down his raw throat, Wilam’s mind focused on one thing-vengeance. He knew he would never be able to walk normally again, but somehow, someway, he would kill Ebain-if it was the last thing he did.
Chapter 25
Eustice had brought Brianna blankets from their supplies and she was resting comfortably. Wilam sat with her, as did the dragons. Eustice returned to the village and bought clothes for Brianna, although there were no warm clothes to be had in the seaside town. He made due with what he could get, then bought a small herd of sheep and pigs. Zollin had to help drive the pigs to the clearing, but the dragons ate and rested. As night fell, Brianna came to. In the center of the grove of palm trees was a small spring. She washed and dressed herself, then she spent time healing Tig and Ferno. Their remaining injuries had been minor, but she knew they would rest better without them.
That night they lounged around a small fire, sleeping and talking. The next morning they had a plan. Eustice continued toward the Grand City on horseback, but Zollin and Brianna mounted the dragons. Zollin was easily twice Brianna’s weight, but Ferno seemed convinced he could carry the wizard. They took to the air and Zollin was both amazed and terrified. Ferno’s back was broad, and unlike Selix there were no bones or spines to hold onto. Zollin had to lean close to the dragon and trust the great green beast completely. Of course, he knew that if he fell, he could levitate to slow his decent-but it was a small comfort as they hurdled through the sky at what seemed like breakneck speed.
The townspeople had suspected something when Eustice bought most of the animals the people in the small village could spare. Several had gone out to see what was going on and had caught glimpses of the dragons. Ferno’s green scales could possibly have been camouflaged, but not Tig’s dark blue or Gyia’s rich purple, and especially not Selix’s bright gold. The largest dragon was a wonder to behold-the dragon’s scales reflected light almost like the precious metal they resembled. The scales were bright, almost glossy, and while the dragon had a fearsome appearance, it was obvious to Zollin that Selix’s nature was maternal. Brianna had created the dragon, but Selix acted as if Brianna were its off spring. It was very protective, and Zollin thought it was sweet. Seeing them together made his heart ache for the mother he had never known.
Ferno was the opposite. The muscular dragon wasn’t quite as tall or long in the tail as Selix, but it was easily twice as wide. Gyia was shaped almost like a flying snake, with a long, thin body, but Ferno resembled a massive bull. It’s chest and back were broad, the front legs thick with muscle. Ferno’s rear was narrow, but still muscular, and the hind legs were slightly smaller and shorter than the front. The green dragon’s neck was as big around as the trunk of a full-grown oak tree. Its head was broad and flat on top, the skull obviously thick where the two spiral horns sprouted. The wide mouth was full of sharp, serrated teeth. Ferno’s wings weren’t as long as Selix or Gyia’s, but they were broader.
Zollin could feel the powerful muscles in the dragon’s back moving the wings. He could also tell that having the extra weight on Ferno’s back made the green dragon struggle a little as it flew, but there was no way around it. They were flying high in the air, the cold stinging Zollin’s skin and making his eyes water. He lay across Ferno’s back on his stomach, tucking his arms in close to his chest. He would have to take a better hold if the dragon dove or turned sharply, but as they glided through the air, he was as comfortable and secure as he could get.
He didn’t lay his face directly on the rough scales. Instead, he tilted his head to one side, peering over the dragon’s shoulder. He could see the countryside far below. He was used to lush green landscapes. Yelsia was a kingdom of rolling hills and thick forests full of wild game and, as of late, even wilder magical creatures. But Osla was different. There was grass, but it was almost bleached white from the sun, and the soil was a tan color, more like sand than dirt. The grass grew sporadically, as did the trees, which were either stunted and short or towering palm trees, naked from the ground up until almost the very top, where their fronds spread out like green fingers.
From the height they were at, everything seemed minuscule. They passed a few small communities, but no towns of any size or population-and even the communities seemed very far apart. Zollin guessed that most of the inhabitants of Osla lived in the southern portion of the kingdom, or along the coasts.
They flew all day to reach the battle plain where Prince Wilam’s force had been routed. They saw carrion birds before they arrived and smelled the stench of decaying bodies. Even the dragons were repulsed by the odor. They landed far enough away that the smell was tolerable, and Zollin went alone to find out what had happened.
The corpses were bloated and ripped to pieces by the flocks of vultures and crows, but the armor and uniforms told the tale. Zollin saw quickly that the Ortisan soldiers outnumbered the Falxisan and Oslan uniforms by a great margin. The bodies were spread across the field. He spent an hour moving them into one large pile. The birds screamed in protest, but they didn’t come near Zollin. Sweat poured from his brow as he levitated the bodies, even though the sun was setting and the day was finally cooling down. Zollin didn’t mind the heat-after being in the cold air on Ferno’s back most of the day, the heat was welcome.
When he had all the bodies collected together, h
e returned to the pride of dragons.
“It seems the Ortisan force was defeated,” he said. “The force from Falxis has continued on toward the Grand City.”
“So we follow them?” Brianna asked.
“I think so,” Zollin said. “We can hang back and keep watch. Like I said, maybe they’ll do the work for us-but I have a feeling that King Zorlan will not like what he finds in the capital.”
“Well, let’s move further away from here, the smell is making me sick.”
The dragons seemed to agree, but Zollin had other plans.
“You go on ahead. Ferno and I are going to burn the bodies.”
“I don’t want us to split up,” Brianna said. We’ll help. It will make the task faster than just the two of you alone.”
Zollin took his time drinking from the canteen he carried. He drank almost the entire contents of water before stopping and taking his place on Ferno’s back. The dragons flew up and then made pass after pass at the mound of bodies. The corpses burned, but it was slow and the smell was awful. Finally, Selix landed and Brianna burned the bodies. She sent waves of heat so powerful that even the bones ignited. When their gristly job was over, they flew away in the darkness, leaving a heap of grey ash in the middle of the battlefield.
They flew for a few more hours. Zollin couldn’t see in the darkness like Brianna and her pride, so he let his magic flow down. The dragons seemed excited whenever he used magic-Tig, Gyia, and Selix took turns swooping down beneath Ferno, like children splashing through a fountain. The effort was taxing on Zollin, who was already tired from moving the bodies. They found a small settlement and landed nearby. In the darkness, the dragons were safe, so Zollin and Brianna went to the small inn.
There were lights on in the building, but it was quiet inside. Zollin knocked before pushing the door open. The interior was stuffy, and although he could smell the familiar scent of stale ale and pipe smoke, there was no hint of food being cooked.
“Hello,” he said tentatively.
“Oy! We’ve got guests,” came a gruff voice. Then a man with a lantern in hand appeared. “I’m sorry, but we’ve not got food or drinks. I can offer you a place to sleep for the night, but we’ve no food to spare. The godforsaken soldiers drank all our spirits and left us destitute.”
“I’m sorry,” Zollin said. “We were hoping for a warm meal, but we have rations. Perhaps a bit of news would be worth your time.”
“You looking for news or bringing it?” the man asked.
“Looking for it,” Zollin said. He pulled two gold coins from a pouch tucked inside his belt. “This won’t make up for what the armies took, but it could get you restocked-although you’ll probably have to make a trip to the coast.”
“That’s not a problem,” the man said, holding out his hand for the coins. “And I won’t begrudge your charity either. Hainsforth is a small settlement, but I’ll share your wealth with my neighbors. Thank you.”
“What did you hear from the armies?” Brianna asked.
“They’re making for the Grand City,” the innkeeper said. His wife brought out cups of water for them to drink.
“I’m sorry its naught but water,” she said.
“It’s fine,” Zollin assured her.
“We may have some bread left,” the innkeeper’s wife said. She was a short, plump woman with a pretty face.
“No,” Brianna said. “We have rations. In fact, if you’d like you can use that to fix supper for all of us.”
Zollin laid the pack on the table between them.
“Oh, we couldn’t do that,” the innkeeper said.
“Yes, you could,” Brianna said. “We insist. Besides, we need to know as much as we can about the armies and what is happening in the Grand City.”
“Who are you folks?” the innkeeper asked. “I didn’t catch your names.”
“I’m Zollin and this is Brianna. We’re from Yelsia.”
“You’re a long way from home then. What brings you south?”
“The same thing that brought the armies,” Zollin said. “I’m a wizard, and I’m trying to…” He let the thought trail off. He didn’t want to say that he was hunting another wizard. At the same time he didn’t want to lie and say he was there to help when he really wasn’t. He didn’t know what the king of Falxis was up to, or how things would turn out between the southern kingdoms. He hadn’t really thought much about it. His focus was on Offendorl, and then he would look into the witch Mansel had warned him about.
“To kill the witch, I hope,” the innkeeper said. “She came through first, several weeks ago. Had an army all her own, but several of the men from Hainsforth went with her. I just happened to be in the brewhouse when she passed by. I never saw her, but several of the womenfolk hereabout said that when their men saw her they just dropped what they were doing and started following her.”
“That’s horrible,” Brianna said. “What about their wives and families?”
“Abandoned ’em, that’s what they did. One look is all it takes, they say, although that’s just rumors. We don’t really know what happened, but none of the women seem to be affected by her spells. Anyway, they passed. Then a week or so ago, they came back and they drank us dry. I brew my own ale and usually sell extra kegs in the Grand City every other month or so. They ate, drank, fought, and then left without even an offer to pay us. They were gone nearly a week before they came running back along the road, their tails between their legs this time, and an even bigger army following. That army was from Falxis, but there was plenty of Oslans in their ranks. They took what we had left. We managed to hide a little, but until you showed up we didn’t know what we were going to do.”
“Did the second army, the one from Falxis-did they stop?” Zollin asked.
“Nope. Just marched straight through. I was expecting worse, especially with several of the women nearby without their menfolk. But the army didn’t seem interested in looting or raping. Their officers were driving ’em hard, from what I saw.”
“They’re pursing the Ortisans,” Zollin said. “King Zorlan wants to wipe them out before they can reach the Grand City.”
“I can’t say I understand what’s happening,” the innkeeper said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“None of us have,” Brianna said.
“It’s a shame,” Zollin said. “I think the fault lies with the Torr. The master wizard there sent armies to Yelsia to capture me.”
“And now you’re here,” the man said.
“Yes, we broke the siege they laid in Orrock. But I didn’t stop the Torr wizard.”
“And what about the witch?”
“I don’t know,” Zollin said. “I’ve heard rumors. It seems that she bewitches men and they’ll do anything she tells them to.”
“And you’re going to stop her?” the innkeeper’s wife asked. “That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it?”
“I guess,” Zollin said, scratching his head and looking at Brianna. “We just don’t know enough to have a plan or to say exactly what we’ll do.”
“I could make a fine stew with these ingredients,” the innkeeper’s wife said. “But I’ll only use enough for the two of you. Angus and I can’t take your food.”
“Sure you can,” Zollin said.
“We insist, really,” Brianna added. “You’ve both been a big help to us.”
“Well…” the innkeeper’s wife hesitated.
“Go on, Hydee, you’ve not had nothing but stale bread for two days,” her husband told her.
She nodded and gathered the food she needed.
“How far are we from the Grand City?” Zollin asked Angus.
“You’re three days’ riding, four walking-unless you’re carrying a heavy load.”
“And the armies passed by here, when?”
“The second passed two days ago. I imagine they’ve caught up to the first by now.”
Zollin sat back, deep in thought, as Brianna chatted with the innkeeper. Four days�
�� ride on horseback was less than a day’s flight on the back of a dragon. Still, they would need to move slowly. Zollin didn’t want to give away his position, or even that he was approaching the city.
He wondered if Offendorl could sense the dragons approaching. He hoped not. He really wanted to sneak into the city and confront Offendorl-perhaps catch the elder wizard off guard. But it sounded like just getting into the city was going to be a difficult task. Of course, they could fly over the walls, but the last thing Zollin wanted was for armies to be used against him or the dragons. He wasn’t sure if Brianna’s pride were as thick-skinned as the big black dragon she called Bartoom, but he didn’t relish the idea of being shot at by hundreds of arrows or spears.
They needed a vantage point to watch the city, to draw out their enemies and meet them on open ground. Zollin didn’t like the armies that were burning villages and invading sovereign kingdoms, but he didn’t want to see anyone else get killed because of him.
It took Hydee an hour to prepare the stew, but when she returned the smoked fish and vegetables were tender and flavorful. Zollin ate three bowls full, and felt like he could eat more-his body seemed to long for the nourishment. He checked his magical containment, but it seemed intact and strong. He guessed he was just tired and hungry from a long day. Angus showed them to a small room with only one bed.
Once he was gone Zollin looked at Brianna. “I guess I should have asked for separate rooms,” he said, smiling awkwardly. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be silly, Zollin. I want to be with you. But I want to wait until we’re properly wed to, well…” She hesitated, her face blushing. “You know what I’m saying. Nothing’s changed since we were in the mountains. Not for me anyway.”
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