Darkken grabbed Nath by the wrists and jerked them from his clothing. “Don’t be a fool, Nath. We don’t have position or advantage out in the open. Think about it, will you? They will move down the path, and there are plenty of advantageous places to ambush them. Huh? Can you see it?”
Nath gave Darkken a little shove to the chest. “I see it, assuming you don’t change your plan and decide to wait again. You do that a lot.”
“That is because I am patient, and that is why we live. I give you my word. Those dragons won’t make it back to the fort. We will free them. But we have to do it the right way.” Darkken slammed Nath hard on the shoulder. “Just trust me. Can you do that, Nath?”
Chin down, he replied, “I suppose.”
CHAPTER 59
Darkken led them to a spot along the path that bottlenecked. It was a good location for an ambush. They walked through the night to get there, and it was morning when they arrived. The trees were thick, and large moss-covered rocks sat on the ground alongside the path. On both sides, in threes, the Brothers of the Wind were poised to attack with their bows. Maefon remained out of sight, but she had plans to wall off the rear in case the dragon hunters retreated. Nath and Darkken waited on the side of the road where the bottleneck started. The idea was to give the enemy nowhere to run unless they scattered in the woodland.
Nath’s heart pounded like a tap hammer in his chest. There were a lot more of the dragon hunters than them, but with any luck, the hunters wouldn’t know that. He agreed to let Darkken do the talking. Darkken leaned against a tree, patting his sword pommel. Looking down the road, he said, “The anticipation is often the worst part. Once the enemy shows, the mind takes another course of action. Survival.”
“So, do you think you’ll be able to talk them into releasing the dragons?” Nath asked.
“Heavens no. Not unless we have a bag of gold that outweighs the both of us.”
“Then why are we doing this?”
“Because you are determined to. That’s why. We discussed this, Nath, but we can take another course. It’s not too late.” Darkken shook his head. “Blood will definitely be shed if we continue on the path we are on.”
“It’s the right thing to do. They are evil. They must be stopped.”
Shrugging, Darkken replied, “On that, I agree with you, but there will be a price.” He pushed off the tree. Quick as a wink, he snaked his sword, Scalpel, out of the scabbard. He twisted it with his wrist. “But I am itching for a fight. I think you are as well.”
Nath thought of the old knight, Hacksaw. He missed the man. And with goblins in the mix, now would be the perfect time for him to be there, fighting by Nath’s side. He pulled his own sword and stepped out into the middle of the road. He stuck the sword tip in the ground. “We can handle them.”
Darkken stepped out into the road with him. “Yes, I know we can. I feel the two of us together are an unstoppable combination.”
“Really?”
“Really. Really.”
“Huh. That’s an odd answer,” Nath said.
“An ogre said it to me once. I thought it was catchy.” Darkken bent his ear. “Ah, I hear the enemy.” He took a deep breath. “For the dragons.”
“For the dragons.”
The small group of dragon hunters made its way around the bend in the path. Reaver and Slaughter rode in front of Sigourney, a wall between her and harm. Four Caligin walked in pairs on both sides of her horse. Behind the horse, the two gnolls carried the dragon, who was tied up on a long branch. One gnoll’s hand was a crudely bandaged-up stump. It walked on the front end of the pole, grimacing with every step. The remaining goblins walked behind them. Sigourney looked right at Nath and Darkken. The giant men did too. They didn’t slow their pace.
Nath noticed the burlaps sacks with the little dragons inside hanging over the side of Sigourney’s saddle. Like snakes in a sack, they didn’t move. He looked back up at the confident woman sitting tall in the saddle. Her dark hair was full and wavy. She showed the slightest smile as her eyes hung on his own. He swallowed.
Reaver and Slaughter kept their massive swords resting on their shoulders. Their heavy stares could have knocked an ordinary man over. Their fingers flexed on their sword handles. About twenty feet away, Sigourney lifted her hand. “Whoa.”
The dragon hunters came to a stop. The goblins in the back fanned out. As they got a good look at Nath and Darkken, they chattered back and forth with one another. The Caligins’ hands remained empty. They stood stark and silent, with a frozen demeanor. Their eyes were black as a coal mine.
An awkward silence fell over the forest as the two men exchanged glances with the dragon hunters. Finally, Sigourney leaned over her saddle horn and said, “Will you kindly get out of our way? It’s either that or we kill you.”
Nath looked at Darkken, who stared at the Merchant Queen, transfixed. Nath nudged the man.
Darkken blinked rapidly. “Apologies, Merchant Queen.” He quickly bowed. “I was momentarily captivated by your enchanting beauty. Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Darkken, and this is my very dear and young friend, Nath.”
“I don’t care who you are,” she said. “I just want you to get out of the way. And mind you, this queen is being very merciful, or else you would be dead already.” Her horse nickered, and she petted its neck. “Easy, girl. See, you have unsettled my horse. I don’t like that. It’s not safe having a nervous beast underneath your legs. But I take it the both of you are only here to cause trouble.” She looked right at Nath. “You would think that you had learned your lesson when you crossed me in the Merchant’s Cove.”
Nath opened his mouth, but Darkken cut him off. Hand up in a peaceful gesture, he said, “Allow me a moment to speak on behalf of my friend. He overheard your conversation about the dragons, and in truth, he is very passionate about their condition. He cannot stand the thought of someone harming a dragon. Imagine, Sigourney… may I call you Sigourney?”
“No,” she said.
“Disappointing,” Darkken continued in a very warm and open manner. A top-notch merchant couldn’t have done it any better. “We certainly admire what you do and respect your trade, but imagine if someone butchered your beast and put its parts out on the market. Wouldn’t that disturb you?”
“It’s a horse. We do that all of the time.” She gave an eye roll. “I’m losing patience.”
“Yes, sorry, but I suppose that was a bad example,” Darkken replied.
“It was a horrible example. Dragons aren’t any different than any other animal, aside from their mystical and invigorating properties. So far as I am concerned, they are just dumb animals, like all of the others.”
Nath’s ears heated up. He started to reach for his sword stuck in the ground. Darkken pushed Nath’s hands away from the hilt. “Merchant Queen, we would like to make you an offer on your dragons.”
CHAPTER 60
Sigourney tossed her head back and laughed. Her contagious laughter brought forth a solid chuckle from Darkken. He started to laugh harder and backhanded Nath in the chest. Nath, for some reason, began laughing too. The goblins were howling with chortling and clucking in the rear, but it was very clear they didn’t know what they were laughing about. Finally, Sigourney produced a silk handkerchief and wiped her eyes. “Oh my, I haven’t laughed so hard in such a long time. Go ahead, Darkken, please, shame yourself with your ridiculous offer.”
Darkken caught his breath and patted his stomach. “Our offer is this. Give us the dragons in exchange for your lives.”
Sigourney’s expression turned cold. With narrowing eyes, she said, “I was afraid that you would say something stupid like that. A shame. I find you both very charming, but—”
Darkken lifted a finger. “Before you command your goons to attack, let me inform you that you are surrounded by our men. Many, many men. And they will get you out of that saddle if they have to, but I’d hate to do that. I truly enjoy your warm and radiant personality.”
&nb
sp; Sigourney and the giant brothers scanned their surroundings. “I don’t see any men,” she said.
Darkken made a sharp whistle. A concession of bowstrings snapped. All six goblins in the rear dropped dead as stones with feather arrows protruding through their chests. Quick as a cat, the Caligin slipped arrows from quivers and loaded their own bows. They aimed into the forest.
“Are you convinced now, Sigourney?”
The woman’s fingers toyed with the chain of a necklace that hung over her chest. It was an ankh-shaped medallion. Nath recalled seeing her wearing it in the tavern. He eased closer to his sword.
“A very brave play,” she said. “But bravery is often the mark of fools. You see, I’ve known that you’ve had eyes on me the entire time. You have seven elves in the forest, one of which is a woman. And though you’ve evened the odds up in your favor, I think it’s important to know that even if there were one hundred more of you, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“Is that so?” Darkken said, paling.
“Oh, it most certainly is. You see, I didn’t become the Merchant Queen just because of my stunning smile and personality.” Sigourney twisted her amulet. “No, I became the Merchant Queen because I command the minds of other people.”
Nath felt a probing presence invading his mind. He reached for Fang, but his limbs seized up. Straining, he looked at Darkken. The man’s sword quivered in his hand. His jaw hung open.
In full control, Sigourney smiled. “I have a suggestion. All of you surrender your weapons and surrender yourselves.”
At the same time, Nath and Darkken dropped onto their knees. Darkken’s sword slipped out of his fingers. The Brothers of the Wind came out of the forest empty-handed, with their hands on top of their heads. The Caligin fully disarmed them. Maefon stepped from behind, walking toward the front with eyes as big as saucers and shaking like a leaf. She kneeled down beside Darkken. All of the Brothers of the Wind took their places alongside of them. Everyone’s hands were on their heads. Their freewill was no longer their own.
Sigourney looked down at the group. “That is much better. And now that I have your full attention and cooperation, it’s time to say goodbye, before my colleagues kill you. Goodbye, Darkken and Nath. Thanks for the laugh.”
CHAPTER 61
Nath, Darkken, Maefon, and the Brothers of the Wind were disarmed, bound up, and marched all the way back to the dragon poachers’ fort. The woodland fortress made from log and stone was solidly built and covered in moss and vines on the outside. On the inside was an open courtyard. Nath counted another thirty goblins and at least eight more gnolls, well armed and leering at them from all angles the moment they entered. Small log stables and stone buildings covered the ground underneath the catwalks of the fort.
They were taken into the back end of the fort, where the mouth of a cave opened, leading inside the forest hill. In the damp confines, all of them were locked up in dungeon cells and chained by the ankles to the chiseled-out stone walls.
“Interesting,” Darkken said, eyeing their surroundings. It was a dim and dank cell, with water running down the walls. “I thought she was going to kill us on the spot. Yet we live.”
Nath pushed his hair out of his eyes. He bent over and tugged at the chain. “I was thinking the same thing, but I’m not complaining. I am pretty tired of dungeon cells and chains, though. Darkken, what did she cast on us? I lost complete control of my thoughts. She commanded them.”
“Yes, it seems that we severely underestimated the Merchant Queen. She is more than she appears to be, and that is deadly.” Darkken made his way over to the bars. In the cell across from his, Maefon sat with her face in her hands. “Dearest, are you well?” he asked.
Rubbing her temples with her fingers, she said, “I have a massive headache. I tried to resist what she was doing, and it felt like my head was exploding. She really dug deep and scrambled my head.”
“Can you use your magic?” Darkken asked.
“I don’t have anything that can tear these bars away, and to be truthful, my mind is fuzzy.”
“Just rest.”
Nath made his way over to the bars. The Brothers of the Wind had been put in the cell beside them, but he couldn’t see them because of the wall between them. With his forehead resting between the bars, he said, “I’m really getting tired of losing my items and being shackled time and again.” He looked at his bare hand where the Gauntlet of Goam used to be. “Really tired of it.”
“It’s my fault. We hesitated when we should have taken them down. I guess I thought I would be cute.” Darkken’s face sagged. “I knew better. Now not only have they captured the dragons, but they captured us as well.”
“At least we have a better idea of what we are dealing with,” Maefon said. “A merchant with otherworldly power. I never suspected her to be a sorceress.”
Darkken nodded. “There might be a good reason for that. Perhaps she isn’t. I think there is a special item that she wields. I noticed her toying with her medallion moments before all of this happened.”
“I noticed the same thing,” Nath added.
Maefon rose to her feet. A smile played on her face. “And like many powerful items, perhaps its use is limited.”
“Either way, we need to see how this is all going to unfold. Sigourney said that she was going to kill us. The question is, when and how?” Darkken said.
Nath replied, “Well, I don’t want to find out. We need to figure a way out of here before then.”
Two gnoll guards carrying spears entered the hallway from underneath an archway that led to another room. They poked the tips of the spears through the bars at Darkken’s chest. “Shut your mouth and get back!”
Hands up, Darkken and Nath backed away.
The gnolls rustled two of the Brothers of the Wind out of their cell and led them outside the dungeon. A few minutes later, a thunderous cheering erupted outside, echoing loudly into the dungeon chambers.
“Sounds like someone has a fight on their hands,” Darkken said, making his way back to the bars.
Nath joined him. Across the way, Maefon’s face was pressed against the bars. Her brows were knitted together. “What do you think is happening?”
Darkken clutched at the bars. “I have an ugly feeling that someone is making sport of the elves.”
The cheering and roaring went on for several minutes, then a loud “Ew!” ended the revelry.
Nath’s guts twisted. “That didn’t sound very favorable.”
“No, it didn’t,” Maefon replied, tapping nervously on the bars.
Moments later, the gnoll guards entered the dungeon room, dragging one of the Brothers of the Wind behind them. The elf’s eyes were swollen shut, and his face was bruised all over. He made a ragged and wheezing breath.
“Where is your brother?” Darkken asked.
The elf looked Darkken’s way and managed to shake his head before he was thrown back into his cell. Two more elves were led out. Within minutes, the howls of a blood-hungry crowd started all over. Not long after that, the beastly gnolls came back, empty-handed. They took the last two Brothers of the Wind with them.
Darkken shouted out after them, “Fight with might! Avenge your brothers!”
Nath paced the cell, clutching his head.
Darkken started talking to the elf in the other cell. “Brother, brother, can you hear me? What are you facing out there?”
Maefon shook her head with a frown growing on her face. “Darkken, I’m sorry, but our brother is no longer breathing.” A tear went down her cheek. “This is horrible. Am I going to be beaten to death as well?”
“I think we all are,” Darkken said. “And all for their amusement.”
The dog-faced gnolls returned carrying one elf whose limbs and nose appeared broken. He breathed but showed no signs of pain. Sniggering, the gnolls put the broken elf in the cell and slammed the door. They came to Darkken and Nath’s cell.
One opened the cell with the key while the other poked at them
with a spear. “Get back! Try anything foolish, and I’ll gore this little elven woman and feed her to the goblins.”
The gnoll jailer entered with the keys and took the shackles from their feet. He shoved Nath and Darkken out the door. “Time to die. Reaver and Slaughter are waiting.”
CHAPTER 62
Nath knelt in the center of the courtyard of the dragon poachers’ fort with Darkken beside him. Their captors hollered and cursed at them. They passed jugs of wine back and forth. On the catwalks behind the fort’s walls were dozens of goblins and more gnolls. Where Nath had counted only a few dozen before, now there were at least a hundred. On the western catwalks was a throne-like chair made from wood and stone. With the sun shining on her, Sigourney lounged in the chair, legs crossed, toying with her medallion. The Caligin stood coolly on both sides of her. She winked.
Fists balled up at his sides, Darkken spat on the ground.
Walled in by a circle of hard-eyed hunters, Nath scanned more of his surroundings. The portcullis was closed and guarded. Two goblins and one gnoll stood inside the towers next to the gate. On the eastern wall, the yellow streak dragon hung from the bottom of the catwalks. Two gnolls armed with spears guarded it. The back end of the fort was a steep cliff. Birds nested in the rocks. Scanning all angles, Nath’s eyes led him back to the Merchant Queen. His sword and Darkken’s sword were propped against her throne. Nath’s backpack lay near her feet.
Finally, Sigourney raised her hand. The hunters fell silent. All eyes turned toward her. She straightened up in her seat and leaned forward. “Darkken. Nath. As I said, Reaver and Slaughter will kill you. Normally, I let them chop your heads off on the spot, but given that we recently captured such a fine dragon, I felt the hunters deserved some entertainment. The gnolls and goblins will find such joy in watching the sons of the giants beat the handsome out of you.”
Deadly_The Odyssey of Nath Dragon Page 19
