“Thank you,” Jahrra responded, truly meaning it. “I appreciate all this trouble.”
The girl put her hands on her hips and snorted. “Are you kidding me? It was no trouble at all! I’ll return in a few hours to see if you need anything else, though I hope you’ll be asleep by then. You must have had a rather trying journey!”
Saria took her leave, and Jahrra made herself a plate, pausing just long enough to savor the beef and gravy and enjoy a few cups of tea before her bath. Once she had her fill, she made her way to the bathing room. A large basin, already filled with steaming water, took up one end of the room while a sink with stone shelves occupied the other. Jahrra found soap and towels and quickly undressed, being ever mindful of her leg. The sight of it made her wince. Bruises still marked the area around her knee, but already they were beginning to fade. She only hoped her rough treatment of the injury over the past few days hadn’t made it worse.
With some dexterity, she managed to submerge herself in the hot water, her tense muscles easing a little as the warmth suffused her skin. While she soaked in the tub, Jahrra let her mind wander back to what Saria had said. The young maid thought her plan of escape had been brilliant. Jahrra let her mouth curve into a small smile. At least someone did. So why not Jaax? Why did he have to be so impossible about everything all the time? Why did he have to criticize every risk she took, even if those risks ended up helping them in the end?
On top of all that, he had been right about Keiron, after all, which only added insult to injury. Jahrra had been careful to dash away any stray thoughts regarding the regent’s son, but now that she was alone, and now that she couldn’t fight it any longer, the memories spent with him in Cahrdyarein came flooding back, along with the unshed tears she had been denying all day. In the privacy of the small bathing room, in these few spare minutes, she would allow herself to grieve for the friend she thought she had gained. But when she emerged, she would think only of his treachery and deceit, for she would need a stronger resolve if she were to survive what the future had in store for her.
By the time Jahrra emerged from the bathing room, dressed in a loose tunic and comfortable pair of pants, her hair still slightly damp, she could barely keep her eyes open. Without a second thought, she grabbed one of the blankets and pillows from the basket beside the fire and curled up on the couch, falling almost instantly into a deep sleep.
-Chapter Twenty-Two-
Dragons’ Rage
After leaving Jahrra behind in the cavernous room in one of the many massive towers of Nimbronia, Jaax winged his way back down the mountainside. He was more than eager to return to the fray, if only to vent the anger and frustration still broiling in his heart. What had possessed Jahrra to throw herself from the bridge, he could not fathom. Yes, he had not given it a second thought to dive after her, but what if the Tyrant’s men had managed to fasten the chains to the ground? What if he had not been able to break free as quickly as he had? And, if he had been unable to go after her, would Sapheramin or Tollorias have reached her in time?
Just the very thought forced a torrent of emerald fire from his throat. And that was how he greeted those who remained perched above the great chasm: a roaring beast of legend, spitting flame and pure fury. The few scattered troops who remained, nothing more than red and black specks not too far below, dispersed and headed for whatever cover they could find beyond the southern end of the bridge. As Jaax banked right and dropped altitude, some of the pathetic creatures leaped short of the bridge’s endpoint, plummeting several dozen feet before landing hard against the precipitous slope. Some fell to their deaths, screaming in terror as they plunged ever downward. The sound of their fear echoing off the walls of the deep canyon didn’t dishearten Jaax. Instead, it fanned the flame of his wrath anew. These were the same vermin who dared harm Jahrra, the ones who might have been responsible for Hroombra’s death.
With a snarl and a roar, he let loose his fire again, searing the bridge to the point of melting away the layer of snow. He sped past his target, but quickly turned and headed back once more, his sharp gaze scanning the southern slope for more of the Tyrant’s soldiers. His eyes flitted back and forth, searching the rocky outcroppings that rose above the thick snow bank. His nostrils flared and his ears sharpened as he tried to use all his senses to find those he wished to destroy. Jaax beat his wings to keep himself suspended over the bridge as he waited, searching, hunting...
Then, he spotted movement. A trickle of snow sliding down the mountain and a flash of red. Snarling once more, Jaax dove, pumping his wings and taking in a great breath of air. He released it as he approached the small rock alcove, spitting fire into the narrow opening in a steady stream. Screams of agony scraped against his ears, and the sharp smell of burning flesh stung his nose. Good. He wanted them to suffer. He wanted them to pay for what they had tried to do and what they had already done.
The driving need to protect his own, an instinct as primitive as breathing, had taken over his ability to reason. But the desire to burn everything standing in his way faltered slightly when something, some intrusion, pushed against his resolve. It was nothing more than a distant whisper, but it soon grew closer. The Tanaan dragon stubbornly tried to shake it off, but as he drew in a deep breath to let his fire rain down once again, a familiar voice speaking a familiar name broke through the red haze of violence.
“Raejaaxorix! ENOUGH! Stop this madness!”
The green dragon whipped his head around, his wings still working to keep himself stable, and snarled at the intruding noise. He sucked in another ragged breath, the fire in his chest ready to incinerate the next person who dared stand in his way.
The figure who had called out to him, someone small like Jahrra but taller and dressed in a weathered cloak, jerked to a halt and threw his arms up in a defensive posture. His breathing was labored, and sweat beaded on his brow. Clearly, he had run toward Jaax from the opposite end of the bridge.
“Easy, old friend,” he gasped. “You know me. You’ve known me a very long time. I’m your elvin friend, Ellyesce. I traveled with you and Jahrra from Lidien, do you not remember?”
At the mention of Jahrra’s name, Jaax snarled again, a fiery green haze flashing over his eyes.
Ellyesce froze and held his palms higher.
“Jaax, she is safe. You took her up to the city. She is unharmed. You have done your duty.”
The voice of the elf was working its way into Jaax’s muddled mind. His nostrils flared, and he detected a metallic scent in the air. Blood. The blood of the Crimson King’s soldiers. The cut on Jahrra’s neck. His anger spiked once more, and he clenched his teeth, blowing smoke from his nose as he narrowed his silver green eyes at Ellyesce. A menacing snarl rattled deep within his chest, the fire building alongside it.
“Easy, Jaax,” the elf murmured. “You are in a protective rage, that’s all. I’ve seen you like this before, and I know you can shake it. Jahrra is safe. All of her friends are safe. The enemy has dispersed, and those who survived your wrath have fled and will not be returning any time soon. You have done your duty. You have eradicated the threat to your ward.”
Slowly, ever so slowly, the rage and fire within him melted away. His vision, as well as his mind, cleared, and soon he was looking upon a face he did recognize.
“Ellyesce,” he rasped, letting the tension drain from his body.
Jaax’s descent was quick and graceless. As the instinctual fury left him, his muscles relaxed, and he lost almost all of his strength. Fortunately, he had been hovering close to the bridge.
“Move back!” the elf shouted to those behind him as he jumped clear of Jaax’s clumsy landing.
The dragon hit the stone bridge hard, his back feet skidding against the slush that was once snow. He flapped his great wings, doing his best to regain his balance. Instead, he ended up landing partially on his side, his shoulder scraping against the rough stone.
“Gods and goddesses of Ethoes,” Ellyesce breathed, making his way s
wiftly to his friend’s side, now that he was no longer looming above, ready to roast him alive.
Those who had been standing behind him, all part of the regular Nimbronian guard, reluctantly moved forward.
Jaax shook his head, partially to get rid of his lingering battle fury and partly to remove the freezing wet snow from his face. He clenched his teeth and hissed as soon as he did so, however. One of the nasty side effects of giving over to dragons’ rage was a terrible migraine.
“I imagine your head is ready to split into two,” Ellyesce muttered with cautious mirth. “I’ve never seen a dragon so consumed by his own fire before.”
If Jaax had the energy, and if he didn’t think it would make his headache worse, he would have laughed. Instead, he lifted his front foot to his forehead as if that simple gesture could ease his suffering.
“Do you find amusement in every situation, Ellyesce?” he asked, his voice rough and hollow.
He glanced up, his eyes narrowed against the light of late afternoon. Ellyesce stood before him, arms crossed over his chest, his head cocked to the side as he examined the dragon with a curious look.
“Of course, Raejaaxorix. One does not live as long as I have without learning how to deal with life’s many hardships by finding whatever joy one can. In every situation.”
Jaax groaned and fought the temptation to collapse onto the bridge and take a nice, long nap.
“I only hope you left Jahrra in one piece. The way you came tearing around that mountain with death and pain burning in your eyes makes me worry for her safety.”
The great dragon grimaced and cracked one eye open. “Jahrra is fine. The worst she received from me was delivered in harsh words. Nothing she hasn’t experienced before.”
“Ah,” Ellyesce mused, as he stepped forward.
Jaax felt the elf turn and lean his back against his scaly neck.
“There is weight to your lack of words, my friend,” Jaax grumbled, knowing Ellyesce had more on his mind than he was willing to share.
The elf shrugged, once again something Jaax discerned from touch and not sight.
“Oh, nothing too heavy, I assure you.”
“Out with it,” Jaax demanded, not bothering to open his eyes again.
Ellyesce sighed, letting the air escape his lungs in a slow wave. His voice was calm, quiet, and held the tenor of a wise teacher addressing a beloved pupil when he spoke. “I am only wondering what you were more angry about, the Tyrant’s men nearly capturing Jahrra, her jumping over the edge of the bridge, or the fact that for a few minutes, you had absolutely no control over the situation.”
Jaax’s eyes snapped open this time, and he lifted his head, hissing at the spike of pain burrowing into his temple. The movement forced Ellyesce to transfer all his weight back to his own two feet, but he remained close to his Tanaan friend. Jaax’s first reaction was to snarl at Ellyesce and tell him he was wrong on all accounts. But the fact of the matter was, his friend had a point. And, it wasn’t just one of those factors that had pushed him over the edge, it was all of them. And perhaps, something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Letting his anger out on a long sigh, Jaax closed his eyes again and said quietly, “I fear, once again, you may be right, old friend.”
Ellyesce nodded and re-crossed his arms over his chest, hunching his shoulders as he did so. It had been a very long week for him. On top of the responsibility of getting Jahrra safely to Nimbronia, he had been forced to fight for his life after spending several days living off of poor rations of food and even less sleep. He had some wounds from the skirmish that still needed tending to, including a few lacerations being kept numb by snow packed between his skin and his clothes. But none of them were life-threatening, and he could sleep for a full week once they reached Nimbronia proper. At the moment, his dragon friend needed his calming tone and words of wisdom to bring him down from his bout of rage.
“I’ve not seen you lose control like that in a very long time, my friend. But, I am not surprised you did.”
Jaax released another sigh which came out more like a snort. He was about to respond to Ellyesce’s comment, but the familiar whoosh of giant wings grabbed his attention. Lifting his head once again, the Tanaan dragon caught sight of two large forms approaching from the north. As they drew nearer to the bridge, Jaax made an effort to sit up, determined not to appear weak in front of his own kind.
The first dragon landed with reptilian grace some yards behind the soldiers and guards who had gathered around. The great beast shook herself like a wet dog, then immediately turned her attention toward Jaax. Her pensive expression melted away into a smile when her eyes met his. Jaax could only return the gesture. Pale blue grey in color and displaying all the characteristics unique to the Korli race of dragons, Sapheramin was a welcome sight, indeed. Behind her and looming like a protective thundercloud was Tollorias, Sapheramin’s colleague and mate. Tollorias was larger and his coloring was closer to dark slate, but he, too, shared the wrinkled face and sharp crest of the Korli race. His dark amber eyes snapped with fierce intelligence while they scanned the bridge, opposing mountainside and air for impending danger.
“Jaax!” the female Korli stated in her melodious voice. “What on Ethoes happened to you? I thought the plan was for you to get Jahrra to safety and leave the scattering of the vermin to us.”
Jaax winced as the memory of his assault upon the bridge came back to him. Or more accurately, the fuzzy bits and pieces that managed to break through his still muddled thoughts. That was the problem with letting his instincts take over. Not much was remembered after the frenzy passed.
“He was overcome by the dragons’ rage,” Ellyesce offered, stepping away from his friend.
Immediately, Sapheramin’s golden eyes turned to him. She tilted her head to the side and studied the elf the way a large lizard might study a beetle it found appetizing. To his credit, Ellyesce stood his ground, refusing to yield.
“You seem familiar to me. Have we met?” the female Korli finally asked.
Ellyesce smiled and shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. My name is Ellyesce. I am an old friend of Jaax’s.”
“He was also a good friend of your uncle’s,” Jaax cut in, his voice still a bit gruff.
Gritting his teeth, he made an effort to stand, telling his sore muscles to quit their complaining. Once steady on his feet, he returned his gaze to Sapheramin. She had stopped studying Ellyesce and was now regarding him, her lips draw tight, her expression trying very hard to remain blank. Jaax had told her of Hroombra’s death through a letter, regretting the fact he could not do so in person. She had written back, expressing her sorrow but vowing the Coalition must work even harder to bring about peace in their world. It would do great honor to Hroombramantu’s legacy if they were to succeed in their mission. Jaax had agreed heartily.
“Well,” she said after a breath, “it is an honor to know you, then. My uncle was a great judge of character.”
Regret and a hint of sorrow flashed in her eyes, but she tucked it away quickly before smiling. The act displayed her deadly teeth, but it was a warm, friendly gesture, and Ellyesce returned it.
“And it is an honor to meet you as well.”
“I am Sapheramin, and this is Tollorias,” she nodded to the watchful dragon behind her.
Tollorias dragged his attention away from his constant perusal just long enough to nod once to Ellyesce, before returning to his duty as the ever-vigilant protector.
Sapheramin rolled her eyes.
“Don’t mind him. He thinks Cierryon has decided to send out legions of Morli dragons, and they are to arrive at any moment to strike me dead.”
A snort of laughter came from the crowd of assembled guards, and Tollorias turned and narrowed his eyes in that general direction. This only made Jaax and Ellyesce smile.
“It’s always a good idea to be alert out on this bridge, especially after what happened this day,” the male Korli growled, his voice deep and r
esonant.
“Oh! I am only teasing you, my dear!” Sapheramin crooned, looking up at Tollorias with adoring eyes. “And on that note, I think we had best head back into the city, don’t you agree? Even if the Tyrant’s lackeys are long gone, the people of Nimbronia are very curious about their new visitors.”
“An excellent plan,” Ellyesce concurred.
With some effort, the three dragons, the one elf, and the many Nesnan and Resai men and women still on guard duty made their way to the north end of the bridge and began their trek up into Nimbronia city. As they walked, Jaax asked Ellyesce what happened after he caught Jahrra and carried her off.
“As frightening and foolish as Jahrra’s stunt was, it’s effect was nothing but a boon for us. Once she fell over the side and you pulled free to dive after her, there was a good several seconds of stunned silence on both sides. Dhuruhn’s guard reacted first, the line along the fortress wall turning on their captors, then sending arrows into the Red Flange that stood gaping over the side once they got their chance. After that, chaos descended. The captain of Nimbronia’s guard and I managed to get Whinsey, her son and Dervit behind those trained to fight. They were eager enough to comply once Erron spotted his father among those who had come down the mountain to provide aid. After that, we returned to join those engaged with the Red Flange. The scarred one that leads them escaped. He was the first to make his way toward the south side of the bridge. The steward’s son called him Boriahs, I think, and he chased after him, picking his way through the melee.”
Jaax let out a curse, and Ellyesce gave him a quizzical look.
“Sorry,” the Tanaan dragon grumbled. “I had forgotten about Keiron. Did you tell Jahrra of his treachery while you were in the Serpent’s Tomb?”
Ellyesce glanced away and studied the snowy path before him. Jaax watched his jaw work before he sighed and said, “No. Dervit was about to tell her a day or so ago, but I cut him off. I was planning on doing so once she was safe within Nimbronia’s walls.”
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