All of a sudden, their tails lashed into the leafy forest and smote a large tree into splinters. It tumbled down with a crash. One dragon chomped down on the trunk and slung it into the river.
Splash!
Nath allowed himself a smile.
At least they’re not as smart as they are strong and skull-headed. That’s when he noticed something else. Their tails, long and mighty like great snakes, were not black. How did I miss that? Interesting.
As the tree floated by past the corner of his eye, the dragons barked two roars and leapt into the sky. Their wings spread out and beat, and slowly their hulking forms rose and disappeared from sight.
I’ll never understand how those fatties can fly.
Nath twisted his head upward and peered into the air. Many boulders floated up there, with layers of jaxite below them. There were dozens of them, maybe hundreds, spread out through the sky between here and the city. He smiled, bobbed his head, wrapped his arms up in the vines, and climbed toward the top of the overhanging cliff. For Bayzog.
CHAPTER 25
“Are you happy with yourself?” Brenwar said, glaring at Otter Bone.
The wiry old man shrugged.
“It’s what is best,” the sage said, glancing into the sky, “for the long run. You should know that, being a dwarf.”
Brenwar sneered under his beard and tipped a canteen to Bayzog’s thin lips. Half a day had passed since Nath had left, and every minute seemed like an hour. The mage slumped against the tree with red rings around his weak eyes. Brenwar dripped water into his mouth. Bayzog spit it out and groaned.
“That’s touching,” Otter Bone said, “seeing a dwarf tend to an elf. Do you do that often?”
Brenwar shot him a look.
“What kind of man uses poison? You’re evil ilk.”
“I’m desperate. We’re all desperate.” Otter Bone untied a small cloth pouch from his belt and tossed and caught it. “And I’m not evil. Well, mostly not, just twisted. Horse Neck!”
The large brute of a man lumbered out of the woods with a cautious eye on Brenwar. He rubbed a large knot on the back of his head. Otter Bone stared oddly at the knot for a minute and then whispered something in his ear. The man’s lazy eyes enlarged.
“But, why?” he said.
“Just do it,” Otter Bone replied, waving him off with his hand. “And take the others.”
“What was that all about?” Brenwar said. “Where’s he going?”
“We need to move,” said Otter Bone, helping himself to his feet. His joints crackled as he stretched and yawned. “I swear I feel as old as you are some days. Do your bones get cold when it rains?”
“Dwarves don’t ache.”
“Of course they don’t. And I suppose they don’t feel pain, either.”
Brenwar shrugged his heavy shoulders and said, “We aren’t going anywhere with him like this. And where are your people going?” He bristled. “I’m tiring of your games.”
Otter Bone tossed the pouch onto Bayzog’s chest.
“Just give him a couple pinches of that, and your wizard friend will be fine.”
Brenwar flung the pouch back.
“You take it first.”
“It will cure the poison that ails him,” Otter Bone said, tossing it back. “Well, it’s not really poison. He was just hit with an arrowhead carved from gortt root. It’s just a paralyzing tummy-ache that will pass on its own in a few days. But if you want your friend to suffer longer...”
Brenwar hurled it back.
“I’m not a druid. I don’t know what gortt root is.”
“If it was a tankard of ale, you would have.”
“If it was a tankard of ale,” Brenwar growled, rising to his feet, “I’d dash yer head in with it.”
“Point taken, dwarf,” the sage said, removing a pinch of mossy-yellow powder. He stuffed the pinch under his lip and smiled. “Happy?”
Brenwar snatched the pouch out of his hand and took a whiff of it. His eyes watered.
“Strong, isn’t it?” Otter Bone said.
“What is it?” Brenwar asked. He felt good but lightheaded.
“Alleck moss. Very rare, like Golden Ore. It’s a natural remedy for most world-born poisons. Your friend Bayzog was struck by the gortt root. Its fibers are dark and twisty. Rooted poison that kills off the fish in pond waters. Just another dirty little secret in this world of ours.
“You know a lot of odd things,” Brenwar said.
“I’m a sage. We are odd people.”
Brenwar kneeled down and grabbed a pinch out of the pouch.
“A little more,” Otter Bone suggested. “Just stuff it inside his cheek.”
“This better work.” Brenwar stuffed the alleck moss inside Bayzog’s mouth.
The part elf’s chin wriggled a bit.
“Give him a few moments,” Otter Bone said, “and while he recovers, I’ll reveal a few things to you.” Otter Bone felt his way around until he found a log and took a seat. “You’ll have to forgive me. Usually, Horse Neck assists me with these minor things.” He craned his neck in Brenwar’s direction but not directly at him. “Come sit.”
“I’ll stand,” Brenwar said, making his way closer. It was odd. Otter Bone was not only blind but all alone, but he seemed far from helpless. “Go ahead. Spit it out.”
Otter Bone cleared his throat and tapped his chest.
“As I said. I knew of you coming. I’ve seen the darkness that comes and closes in.” He pointed upward. “Floating above are grave perils that not all of you were prepared for. Brenwar Bolderguild, I could not allow you and your friends to continue on with Nath Dragon. It would have been your peril. And you are still needed. Alive, not dead.”
“Ha!” Brenwar barked. “A likely story. More likely, you are a servant of Barnabus, and now you’ve divided our forces. Kidnapped one. Poisoned another. This is not the work of good people.”
“I serve Nalzambor, and Nalzambor is good, but I have a very different way of going about it. Either way, what must be done must be done.” He slapped his hands on his knees. “You should be thanking me. If you’d gone with Nath Dragon, you’d be dead already.”
Brenwar scoffed. His beard itched. The ring of truth in Otter Bone’s voice was clearly heard. He hefted War Hammer over his shoulder. His heart pumped in his chest. Not having Nath within a glance ate at him. What kind of danger was Nath facing?
“Your friend,” Otter Bone continued, “is very powerful and resourceful. But there is a lot more darkness up there than there is light. He will be tested. Let’s just hope he survives.”
“If you know so much,” Brenwar said, “then you know that I am charged to never leave his side. If something happens to him …” He gently popped Otter Bone in the head with his fist. “Then something bad happens to you.”
“If something happens to him,” Otter Bone replied, “then it won’t matter what you do.”
CHAPTER 26
Sasha sat on her sofa in front of a fireplace, picking at her lip. At her sides her boys sat, Rerry on the right and Samaz on the left. Her thoughts were on her husband, Bayzog. She could feel something wrong.
“Mother,” Rerry said, pushing her hand away from her face. “You should stop that. You’re making Samaz nervous.”
Samaz leaned forward with a glum look and then nestled back into the sofa.
Sasha’s hand drifted back to her pendant.
“You’re thinking about Father, aren’t you?” Rerry said. “And you aren’t sleeping well, are you?” He glared at Samaz. “It’s his fault. Every time he says weird things, you’re unsettled for days.” He pointed to Samaz. “I should take you out and give you a good throttling.”
Samaz huffed a laugh and said, “Don’t forget what happened the last time you attempted that.”
Rerry popped up out of his seat.
“That was years ago!” He whisked a small dagger from his belt. It flashed and twirled in the air. “I’ve gotten bigger and stronger, while you’ve gotten fatter and
slower.”
“Enough of this, please,” Sasha said, rising from her seat.
“Mother,” Rerry said, taking her by the hand, “I’m sorry. Let me fetch you some Wizard Water. It will refresh you.”
She pulled away, crossed the room, and stood in front of a mirror that hung over the fire. She noticed something. What is that? She rubbed the winkles in the corners of her eyes. I have crow’s feet! Her head dipped into her chest. She was almost fifty now, and she felt like a hundred. She made her way over to Bayzog’s grand table, a great circle made of elven wood inlaid with precious things such as topaz, sapphires, onyx, emeralds, silver, and gold.
“What are you doing, Mother?” Rerry said. “Are you going to give us a lesson?”
“No,” she said, grabbing one of Bayzog’s ancient books.
“No?” Rerry looked back at his brother. Samaz had a concerned look on his round face.
“Why don’t you go play with your sword or something?” she suggested.
“But,” Rerry said, “you never want me to play with my swords.”
Sasha didn’t hear what he said. She was thumbing through the pages.
There must be a way to get rid of these wrinkles.
CHAPTER 27
“He’s exquisite, isn’t he?” High Priestess Selene said from her backless throne.
Kryzak shrugged his wide shoulders. In his heavy hand he held a large yellow stone that swirled with mystic energy.
In between her and Kryzak stood Gorlee. The changeling wore dark-grey robes that covered everything but his head, hands, and wrists. His pinkish skin and white hair intrigued Selene. In all of her centuries, she’d never encountered a changeling before, so far as she knew. She knew of them, but like most, she knew little about them. The changelings were even more introverted than the dragons. She tapped her fingertips together and showed a wolfish smile.
“I can’t imagine why this creature would aid Nath Dragon,” she said, “but I’ll understand soon enough.” Her eyes ran up and down Gorlee. “Like finding a diamond in the sewer.” She rose from her chair, made her way down the steps, and studied Gorlee. He stood tall but listless as an empty vessel. His face was well featured, his frame lithe but well knit. His pale-green eyes sparkled with intelligence and curiosity, but the fires that had ignited them with derision toward her were gone. “Do you understand me?”
Gorlee nodded.
She rubbed his arms with her hand and caressed his body with her tail.
“Do you have a name?”
He shook his head.
“Do you have a tongue?”
He shook his head again.
“Speak,” she demanded. “Do you have a tongue?”
“Yes,” he said in a soft voice as polished as stone.
“What are you?”
“A changeling,” he answered.
“But you don’t know your name?”
“I cannot recall it.”
She glared at Kryzak and said, “I hope you did not overdo it.”
He held out the bright-yellow stone.
“The Chamal Stone has a mind of its own.”
Selene turned her back on Kryzak and faced Gorlee.
“Change into an orc.”
“A what?” Gorlee said.
Selene’s eyes flared and her fists clenched.
“He doesn’t even remember what an orc is?”
She spun Gorlee toward Kryzak.
“Change into him!”
Gorlee’s pale eyes narrowed to slits, and his body changed and contorted. In seconds, he was a mirror image of Kryzak, but in different robes.
“Excellent!” She clapped her hands. “You’re going to need to escort him through the city and let him familiarize himself with people and the races. Take him through the towers and into the galleries. He’s sharp. It won’t take him long to figure things out.”
Kryzak stood glaring at Gorlee, and Gorlee glared back at him. Every little move Kryzak made, the changeling mirrored.
“Please tell him to change back.”
“Please tell him to change back,” Gorlee’s voice, the same as Kryzak’s, echoed.
Selene laughed.
“Seems you can be replaced after all, Kryzak. How nice it would be to have a man who can change the scenery.” She rubbed Gorlee’s tattooed head and played with his ear.
Kryzak’s eyes became hot with jealousy.
“Does that bother you?” she said, rubbing Gorlee’s bulging arms and back.
“My queen,” Kryzak said, “you know this is torture for me. I’ve died for you, and this thing has done nothing.”
“Nothing yet, Kryzak, nothing as of yet.” She stretched out her arm and opened her palm. “I’m certain that will change. Now depart from me and see that he is well trained.”
Kryzak laid the Chamal Stone between her fingers, took a knee, and bowed. With a grunt, he led Gorlee out of Selene’s chamber.
Selene drifted up the stair and resumed her place on the backless throne. The Chamal Stone was warm and living in her hands.
Let’s see what kind of memories were stored in that wonderful mind.
She closed her eyes and started to chant in Dragonese. Smoke rolled from her nostrils and over her lips. Her eyes snapped open, glowing with bright-purple fires. The Chamal Stone flared and lifted from her hands, glowing like a yellow star.
Selene clutched the arms of her throne and inhaled the mystic energies of the stone. Gorlee’s memories became hers. She saw his parents, his home, his decades wandering alone. The way he toyed with people thrilled her. His great powers chilled her. Gorlee. That was his name. Good natured. Curious. He wanted to stop her. Stop evil. Give aid to the good in the next dragon war.
I won’t let that happen.
Minutes went by. Almost an hour. She savored every bit of him. She saw his friends as if they were standing right there: Brenwar Bolderguild and a bunch of other dwarves, Bayzog the wizard, Ben the warrior, and the great Nath Dragon. All the names and locations of their friends and loved ones became hers.
My weapons can never have enough edges.
No doubt she would need to isolate them all from each other, similar to how she had the elves under wraps with the orcs so that it wasn’t likely they’d leave their lands. The part-elf wizard Bayzog made an impression in her mind. He was more than formidable with the power of the Elderwood Staff.
We can’t have too many heroes running amok and ruining my plans. Perhaps I shall take a closer look at who his wife Sasha is. It seems Bayzog and Nath Dragon both talk about her much. Love makes an excellent weapon when you know how to use it against them.
She watched the pounding Gorlee had given Bletver and the escape he’d made from the phantom.
It would have been nice to have him as an ally all these years. But at least I have him now.
She closed her eyes and broke the connection to the stone. The mystic memories that drifted sparkled and fell onto the dais and disappeared.
Selene clasped her fingers together and rested her elbows on the arms of her throne.
“And now I know precisely where Nath Dragon is. Poor Gorlee the Chameleon. He couldn’t have given me a greater gift.” She chuckled. “Once again proving that heroics that don’t work are only foolish efforts.”
She squawked in Dragonese.
Moments later, her pet drulture flew in and landed on the arm of her chair. Its scaly feathers were bright and colorful.
She showed it the Chamal Stone and said, “Take this to the phantom and have him take it to Bletver. He’s to keep it safe until I call for it.”
The drulture let out a throaty little roar, snatched the Chamal Stone in its mouth, and flew outside through the terrace.
Selene sat straight up and showed a confident smile.
“I think this war just might be over before it’s even begun.”
CHAPTER 28
Concealed in the brush, Nath hunkered down on one knee, scanning the skies above. The Floating City hung ominously
in the air. A monolith beyond expectations. Its tall buildings and high spires hosted dragons, colorful and with dark tails.
There must be at least twenty of them up there.
He reached behind his back and grasped Fang’s hilt. The metal was cool to the touch. It put Nath’s mind at ease. Having Fang on his side again gave him an edge, and that would have to be enough.
In one of the stone archways in the city, a dragon with deep-blue scales stretched its wings and yawned. Little bigger than a man, the blue streak dragon dropped out of the archway, glided between the towers, and disappeared behind the cover of the buildings, only to appear again streaking high into the clouds above.
If I just had wings, getting into that city would be a lot easier.
He eased his way through the brush and forest to another vantage point facing the eastern part of the city.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Great Dragons!
Dragons were scattered the same on this side as everywhere else. Some of their eyes gleamed like diamonds, and others were closed. Nath dug his nails into his palm. He had to get moving and help Bayzog. Otter Bone had even said there was a greater menace within than the dragons. Not to mention that even if he managed to make it into the Floating City and out, he’d still have to navigate through the bull dragons. They had his scent. They’d be looking for him.
He scanned the great rock the city floated upon. There were catwalks high above that led from the city onto other rocks floating on jaxite above. But they were a hundred feet above him, maybe more.
I can’t jump that high. If Bayzog were here, he’d take me up.
He eyed the stones that hung in the air. There were many small ones the size of boulders that hung suspended in the air.
Like the rocks that help you cross a rushing river.
That’s interesting.
There were hundreds of stones scattered over the expanse. Nath could see a path leading upward toward the city. But it was no simple feat. The distance from one rock to another looked to be more than twenty feet.
All right, then. That’s one option. But how can I climb them without being seen? Is this the way Otter Bone meant for me to take? It hardly seems safe. Only one way to find out.
The Chronicles of Dragon Collection (Series 1 Omnibus, Books 1-10) Page 85
