Cloak & Dagger: Book II of The Dragon Mage Trilogy

by Carey Scheppner

  Kazin nodded. “You could be right. Frame of mind can alter magic of that nature.”

  Malachi suddenly snapped his fingers. “I just remembered! One of our prized pupils has left the tower in pursuit of the cyclops. She had just received her magical healing ring; a symbol of her upgrade from apprentice to a level one cleric, when news of the cyclops reached her. A strange look had come over her face and she had run out of the lecture hall. Only later were we able to discover where she had gone. Her roommate had found a note on her pillow.” Malachi loosely waved his hand to the side. “Anyhow, if I recall correctly, she is the one who handed us a letter of recommendation made by you, Kazin. Her name was Vera.”

  Kazin’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

  “I believe so. She’s from your hometown of Marral.”

  Kazin nodded. “That’s her alright.”

  “Who’s Vera?” asked Della, suddenly jealous.

  “Frosty - I mean Max’s younger sister,” answered Kazin.

  “Oh yeah,” said Della slowly. ‘Frosty’ was what Kazin had called his childhood friend Max, who was adept at freezing spells. Max’s younger sister was interested in healing magic from a very young age after losing her brother early on.

  “I’ll see if I can find out where she went when I’m scouring the countryside north of here,” commented Kazin. “The cyclops most likely headed for the mountains, and Vera probably went there to look for him.”

  “It’s possible,” conceded Malachi. “Bring her back safely if you can. She has considerable talent with white magic. I’d hate to lose her, especially if things get busier around here with that new disease and all. If you see Cyril, bring him back too. Tell him I’m not angry with him. He’s still welcome here.”

  “O.K.” said Kazin.

  The trio left Malachi’s office and encountered a younger cleric who stood a short distance away. When he saw them exit the room, he stepped forward and gave a short bow. The cleric had short brown hair and blue eyes. His face was youthful and pleasant. He directed his attention to Kazin and spoke somewhat shakily. “Begging your pardon. Are you Arch Mage Kazin?”

  “Yes,” answered Kazin. He was still not used to being called ‘Arch Mage’, but had no choice but to put up with it.

  The cleric produced a note from beneath his pure white robe. “I was instructed by a - a griffin to give this to you.” He hastily handed the note to Kazin.

  “A griffin?!” exclaimed Malachi in surprise. “Are you sure, Gilmar?”

  “Y-yes, Sir,” stammered Gilmar. “It spoke with a deep, rumbling voice.”

  Malachi looked at Kazin in shock. “A griffin?”

  Kazin was as astounded as Malachi. Griffins were extremely rare birds. Only seafarers sailing to distant lands claimed to see griffins from time to time. Most people believed the sailors were seeing things and must have been drunk to make up such stories. Mages, on the other hand, knew they existed, and were willing to pay dearly for the feathers of a griffin. The feathers were extremely useful for a number of more complicated, high level spells.

  “Griffins,” said Della dreamily. She had once seen a griffin when she was a child. She had been standing on a mountaintop overlooking the ocean to the east of the elven lands. She had run excitedly to her parents who stood nearby talking. By the time she had gotten their attention, the griffin had already flown out of sight into the rising sun. Her parents didn’t believe she had seen a griffin, and told her it was probably just an eagle. Della had tried in vain to convince them it was a griffin. She stood there for long moments afterward staring at the horizon. In her mind she could still see the majestic creature. Its golden wings shimmered in the sun. The head and beak stared straight ahead, certain of its course. The fur on the underside of its body also glowed with a golden sheen. The four legs hung loosely beneath the torso, and the tail waved back and forth with each stroke of the wings. It was a sight she would never forget.

  “Is it still here?” asked Kazin.

  “No,” answered Gilmar. “It flew away after it gave me the note.”

  Malachi sighed. “That’s too bad. I would have loved to see it.”

  “Me too,” echoed Kazin and Della in unison.

  “What’s in the note?” asked Della. She craned her neck to look at the note in Kazin’s hand.

  Kazin opened the note and read it aloud. “Kazin - urgent - come to the Tower of the Moon at once. Adriana & Martha.”

  “Who are Adriana and Martha?” asked Malachi.

  “They are druids who live in the Tower of the Moon,” explained Kazin.

  “You know where the Tower of the Moon is?” asked Gilmar incredulously. “That tower was thought to have been lost generations ago!”

  “I was there a number of years ago,” said Kazin.

  Gilmar gasped. “Really?” He looked at Malachi in disbelief.

  Malachi grinned and patted the young cleric on the shoulder. “I’ll explain that story to you someday. But right now, you’d better get ready for your next class.”

  “Uh - yes, Sir!” stammered Gilmar. He bowed quickly to the guests and departed.

  Malachi turned to the others with an apologetic smile. “He’s a good pupil. His healing skills are quite remarkable, and will likely be outstanding if he’d pay more attention to his studies instead of looking outside and daydreaming all the time.”

  “At least his daydreaming paid off this time,” commented Kazin. “I’ve been told that griffins are not very patient. If no one approached it to take the note, it could very well have flown off without delivering it.”

  Malachi laughed. “I suppose you’re right at that.”

  “We’d better get ready to go,” interrupted Della.

  Kazin looked at the elf sternly. “I didn’t see your name on the note.”

  Della gave Kazin a glowering look. “It didn’t say that you had to go alone, either.”

  Kazin’s own serious look gave way to a fit of laughter. “Of course you can come! I was only teasing!”

  Della turned red and punched Kazin in the arm. “That was mean!”

  Malachi chuckled. “I’ll let you two get organized. I have much work to do.” He patted Kazin on the shoulder and re-entered his office.

  “I only have one problem,” murmured Kazin as he and Della headed for the blue circles.

  “What’s that?” asked Della.

  “I don’t know exactly where the Tower of the Moon is.”

  Della looked confused. “But I thought you were there?”

  “I was,” said Kazin. “But the druids brought me there using their magical ship. It was impossible for me to determine our speed or direction.”

  “Well, if they need you so badly, they’ll probably use their magic again,” stated Della. “You’ll just have to guess where the Tower of the Moon is and fly in that general direction. At the very least they can use their magic to direct you.”

  “I hope so,” said Kazin. “If I’m going to fly over open water with nowhere to land, I’m going to have to get a few hours rest first. Then we’ll leave right away.”

  “You’d better not even think of leaving me behind,” said Della sullenly. “If you do, don’t bother coming back!”

  Kazin chuckled and kissed the elf on the cheek. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  Della gave him a sinister look.

  “Honest!” pleaded Kazin.

  Chapter 9

  Captain Rubin looked across the deck of his ship ‘The Griffin’. He could scarcely believe that it had already been more than five years since he had purchased the swift schooner from a merchant in Rist. His former captain, Captain Durango, had reluctantly helped his first mate with the financing. Durango was a wealthy seaman who was not thrilled about Rubin going his own way. Rubin was like a son to him. But like any good father, he could not stand in the way of his son’s dream of becoming captain of his own ship.

  And so it was that Rubin became the proud owner of ‘The Griffin’. As captain of the new vessel, Rubin h
ad a choice of what he could do with her. Instead of transporting goods from one port to another like Durango, he opted for the more dangerous task of finding pirates in North Lake and bringing them to justice. This was no easy task, considering pirate ships outnumbered bounty ships by at least ten to one.

  Rubin had a secret, however. He had strange ties to the mythical sea-creatures known as mermaids. These mermaids were visible only to him. His eyesight was exceptionally keen, particularly in bright sunlight. As a result, he could see them far out in the distance where even someone equipped with a spyglass would have difficulty spotting them. Rubin’s eyes were altered a number of years ago when he had experienced the magic of the mermaids during an adventure with the dragon mage, Kazin.

  In any case, the mermaids always guided The Griffin to where pirate ships were hidden - mostly among the Haunted Shoals. These shoals were notoriously treacherous for any ship to navigate, yet Rubin had always managed to guide his ship around any obstacles both above and below the surface. This had earned the unfaltering respect of his crew. Furthermore, Rubin had always found pirates wherever he went. Even if he aimed his ship in an unusual direction, he seemed to know exactly where the pirates were. The more experienced crew members never asked Rubin why he chose a certain direction. They knew he would lead them to some pirates eventually.

  Along with unerring navigation and successful pirate hunting, Rubin’s crew never lost a battle. Each time they encountered pirates, the pirates were disorganized and unprepared. Only Rubin knew why, but he would not say. Nobody bothered to ask, since they always won every battle hands down. Rubin had quickly gained a reputation for being undefeated and new recruits waited at every port in the hopes of being enlisted aboard The Griffin.

  Every so often a sailor would respectfully look over at the bald, dark-skinned captain, who wore no armor, but bore a knife sheath diagonally across his chest. At his side he wore a holster with a rapier for close combat. He looked like an ordinary sailor, but his regal stance and keen dark eyes made him look like a man to be reckoned with. He was a leader who would give his all for any member of the crew and would not expect anything in return. He didn’t need to. Most of the crew would gladly sacrifice their lives for this great captain. His goal was an honourable one, and with him to lead them, they would not fail.

  That particular day, Rubin aimed his ship out to open water. The crew quickly adjusted the sails and the wind took care of the rest. The Griffin surged through the water with a vengeance. No one asked Rubin where they were going or why. They knew pirates would be waiting at the end of their journey. The only preparations they occupied themselves with were the readying of weapons; open seas usually meant a sea battle or a pursuit. Swords and knives were cleaned; arrows were sharpened. Rubin didn’t have to give any orders. His crew knew what to do and they did it well.

  Despite the state of readiness, Rubin was uneasy. The mermaids far ahead of them were beginning to outdistance even The Griffin. Within a few hours, they disappeared entirely. Rubin was perplexed. Why did the mermaids suddenly abandon him? Something was amiss. He turned and was about to shout the order to turn around when the wind suddenly died completely. The sails sagged, The Griffin slowed, and all was still.

  A few of the less experienced sailors looked questioningly at their captain. What happened?

  Rubin couldn’t afford to show his uneasiness. He turned to his first mate. “We wait.”

  The first mate nodded and smiled. Rubin must have an idea of what was going to happen. He always did.

  But Rubin did not.

  The sea became dead calm and the noon sun came and went. Nothing happened. Now even some of the veterans looked to their captain for answers.

  Rubin could give them none.

  Then, when Rubin was beginning to lose his own patience, he spotted something dark in the distance. In was not in the water but in the sky. He knew the sailor in the crow’s nest wouldn’t see it for a few more minutes.

  “Captain,” murmured the first mate at the captain’s side. “Your orders?”

  The dark object in the distance was getting closer. Rubin smiled. This must be what he had been waiting for. “We wait.”

  The first mate grunted.

  Then the sailor in the crow’s nest cried out. There was something in the sky!

  Mutters of relief surged through the crew of The Griffin. Some even fingered the swords at their sides. Veterans nudged new recruits and gave them the ‘I told you so’ look.

  Now Rubin could make out the object nearing the ship. It was a large flying creature - a dragon! Rubin’s heart leaped. He dared not hope.

  Other crew members began shouting and pointing as they spotted the object in the sky.

  Before long, the object flew into view and some crew members gasped as they recognized it as a dragon.

  Rubin’s archers stood nearby but he waved them off. He wanted to see what the dragon wanted first.

  The dragon circled the ship and Rubin saw a small figure on its back.

  “Permission to land?” asked the dragon in a hoarse voice.

  “Permission granted!” shouted Rubin.

  The sailors looked questioningly at their captain.

  The dragon landed on the bow. Despite the ship’s bulk and size, the ship tilted and creaked under the strain. The figure on its back climbed down onto the deck and stretched. It was an elf. Suddenly, the dragon transformed into a human, and several sailors gasped at the strange magical transfiguration. The ship righted itself again.

  Rubin pushed past his men to greet the newcomers. He and the elf recognized one another at the same instant.

  “Rubin!” exclaimed Della joyfully. She sprang into the captain’s outstretched arms.

  Rubin grunted with the impact and gently put the elf back down again. He grinned from ear to ear. “How’s my little elf after all these years?”

  “It wasn’t that long!” pouted Della. She grinned. “You don’t look that much older.”

  Rubin laughed. “And ye don’t look any older!” He looked over at the mage who had by now come up to them, and grasped his hand firmly. “Kazin, my good friend!”

  Kazin smiled. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

  “What do ya mean?” asked Rubin.

  “It’s a long story,” said Kazin weakly. “Let’s just say that I’m glad I could finally land.”

  “Ye look exhausted,” said Rubin, concerned. “Why not rest in me cabin and ye can tell me all about it?”

  “Good idea,” agreed Kazin.

  Rubin led his friends to his cabin and gave his first mate orders to wait. The sailor nodded and sighed. He had obviously been hoping for a battle.

  “So you’re the captain of your own ship now, eh?” commented Della after they had entered the captain’s quarters and Rubin had closed the door behind them.

  “Aye,” answered Rubin, beaming. “The Griffin is a good ship, and so is my crew.”

  Kazin collapsed on Rubin’s bunk. “You earned it, Rubin.”

  “Thank you,” said Rubin. “Captain Durango helped me get started.”

  “How’s he doing?” asked Della politely.

  “E’s still carryin’ cargo and fightin’ with inexperienced captains as usual,” Rubin answered with a twinkle in his eye.

  All three companions smiled, remembering their adventures aboard Captain Durango’s ship, ‘The Lady of the Sea.’

  “Obviously you’re not carrying cargo,” interjected Della, breaking the momentary silence. “It looks more like you’re preparing for war.”

  “Aye,” confirmed Rubin. “When ye’re dealing with pirates, war is often what ye encounter.”

  “It’s certainly more exciting than hauling cargo,” yawned Kazin sleepily. He leaned back on the bunk and closed his eyes.

  Della shook her head and said to Rubin, “He’s dead tired. We’ve been flying for almost two days straight.”

  “No wonder!” Rubin exclaimed. “I’m amazed ‘e lasted that long!”

>   “No problem,” murmured Kazin. He rolled onto his side and began to breathe deeply. He was asleep.

  Suddenly, the boat lurched forward and Rubin had to keep Della from landing on Kazin.

  “What was that?” asked Della in alarm.

  Rubin took a quick look at the mage, who still slept soundly. “I aim to find that out!” He pushed past the elf and barged out onto the deck, with Della close on his heels.

  Rubin half expected to see his sails billowing in the wind. Instead, the sea was dead calm and the sails rippled only from the forward motion of the ship. Sailors everywhere staggered to their feet and regained their footing after having been thrown to the deck. They looked around, bewildered and confused.

  The first mate came running up to Captain Rubin. His eyes were fearful. “Th - the ship’s moving yet there is no wind!” he exclaimed.

  “I see that,” said Rubin slowly. Sailors were milling about uncertainly, looking to Rubin for leadership.

  “Now I see what Kazin meant,” interrupted Della.

  Rubin turned to the elf. “What do you mean? Is this some sort of magic?”

  “I think so,” said Della. “Kazin told me that the druids used this sort of magic last time.”

  “The last time? I don’t understand.”

  “He was headed for the Tower of the Moon,” explained Della. “Kazin said last time he visited the tower, the ship he was on magically transported to Oracle’s Island, where the tower is located.”

  “So we’re headed for the Tower of the Moon?” asked Rubin.

  “I assume so,” said Della.

  Rubin relaxed. “Then I guess we have no choice but to go there, eh?”

  Della smiled. “Yup.”

  It was a full day before the sailor in the crow’s nest reported seeing land. Rubin, Della, and Kazin came out onto the deck to see for themselves.

  Kazin recognized the mountains that came into view on the western horizon. “Oracle Island,” he commented aloud.

  The ship cruised for only a half hour before coasting around to a lagoon situated on the southeastern side of the island. Trees and brush covered the island like a dense carpet, and songbirds could be heard above the rush of water beneath the ship’s hull.