Into the Dragon's Den (Axe Druid Book 2)

by Christopher Johns

  Farnik and the rest of the clan walked us to the large gate to the city and wished us well on our travels.

  “Get yerselves back here, lads,” Farnik ordered. “Ye get strong and get our cousin outta the Hells.”

  We nodded, and then I felt a chill pass through me. I looked over to the shadowed area just outside line of sight of the door and saw a familiar figure. It was Maebe’s shadow.

  I walked over and greeted her, “Hey, Mae, how are things on your end?”

  “They are as to be expected,” she replied. “I am ready. Are you available to come to me when I arrive? If I recall, I may well come to the city that we transported you to.”

  “You guys care if we go get Maebe?” I asked the others. I got random stares of confusion and then remembered—I hadn’t told them what I knew. I spent a few minutes filling them in so that they knew what was up.

  “You should’ve told us you were in contact with her man,” Bokaj glared at me. “Maybe she knows how to get into the Hells!”

  “I told her what happened and she didn’t say anything about it.” I shrugged. “She may, but it’s a stretch.”

  “So, she could potentially help us out?” Muu spoke before the others.

  “Yeah, she’s ridiculously powerful,” Jaken explained for me. “I’m cool with it. It’s not like we’re going to fight a general right now, so we don’t need the element of surprise, and having her with us could be a good thing.”

  “Secret weapon type shit.” Bokaj nodded. “I’m down.”

  James gave a thumbs up.

  “She lets us do the fighting,” Yohsuke said. “We can’t get stronger if she’s doing any of the work.”

  “I’m sure she could agree to that,” I said.

  “I find that agreeable,” Maebe said from beside me. “The dark one has his priorities right. I truly do like him.”

  “Yeah, he’s a good dude.” I smiled at my friend. “So, you think you’ll be in Maven’s Rock?”

  “Yes, I have been in contact with my emissary there, and they have reported the city thinks well of me. That and the last tear in the veil went there from my throne room, so that should serve.”

  “Okay,” I smiled at her. I could see that she was wearing something meant to be worn for travel, but the details here were a little fuzzy. “I can’t wait to see you.”

  “Nor I you,” she responded sweetly. “As soon as I drop this spell, I will pierce the veil and be there. I am uncertain as to how long it will take, but I will send to you when I arrive.”

  “See you soon.” I waved as her shadow dissipated. Then seconds later as we were trying to decide what the best route would be to take, I saw the shadows burst into life in a way I hadn’t seen before. Maebe’s shadowed form was much more detailed now. I could make out more detail in the clothes she was wearing. A loose blouse, a skirt that fell to her mid-thigh and led to boots that looked painted on.

  “Eroan assures me that I await you in Maven’s Rock,” Maebe purred, “but when you arrive here, be careful. The High Elves have sent delegates to meet me. We are just outside the tower. I am told you know of it.”

  “Okay, we’ll be there in a minute.” I turned to my friends and passed the message on. “Y’all ready?”

  The others nodded and joined hands with me before I cast Teleport. After the unpleasant squeeze and the thud of landing feet, we opened our eyes at the gated entrance to Maven’s Rock. Luckily, no one was paying attention to us as a procession of people made their way into the city. Farmers, merchants, and other travelers entered with no one to stop them. It was a nice change.

  The city was much the same as we had left it, though the healing rain had definitely stopped. The people seemed more at ease now. They spoke to each other about current events. The news was as Maebe had said—the High Elves had come.

  It took us about fifteen minutes to get from the gate to the square nearest the tower in the center of the city. The crowd there was huge. People of all shapes and sizes were interested in seeing the two biggest things that there were to be seen: their mysterious new benefactor and the Elves who had come to meet her.

  We began to try and push our way through, but we didn’t want to hurt anyone, so Muu made a suggestion.

  How about we take the high road? Muu pointed up at the rooftops above us. It looked like it would be about fifteen feet from the ground to the top.

  Without even giving us time to think, he jumped up—way up—and landed on top of the roof with a firm thud. No one seemed to give a shit at the moment, so he bent over the side and stuck his short spear down. Jaken gave Yohsuke a running boost up the side of the wall to grab the weapon above the spearhead, and Muu pulled him up.

  Bokaj was quick enough to leap up off of Jaken’s shoulders before Yohsuke was all the way up and pulled himself up. I stepped over to Jaken, clasped my fingers, and heaved him up the side of the wall so that Muu could help him up.

  I cast Mental Message and sent it to Maebe, “Mae, we’re here by the tower. If you look on top of a roof, you’ll see the rest of the party. I haven’t gone up yet. You okay?”

  “A small show of power would be appreciated. I am slightly weakened by the spell I cast,” she said back.

  Hey, Maebe’s weak from the crossing. She’s asking that we put on a show. No casualties and only engage if someone starts some shit. Those last two were from me. I looked up to see Muu and Bokaj give me a thumbs up. We don’t want the citizens to think she’s a monster or ruin her position here.

  I shapeshifted into my owl form and flapped my wings to gain altitude. As I breached the skies above the crowd, I saw Maebe standing next to Eroan, the Elf that had remained behind to govern this place and prepare it. In front of them was a group of five robed figures with three archers in the rear and a pair of what looked like some kind of Elven Fighters over to the right and partially in front of the robed ones. There didn’t seem to be any open hostilities.

  I flew lower, then dropped from the sky to land on Maebe’s shoulder gently. Eroan twitched, but otherwise, his expression was unreadable.

  “So the queen of the Unseelie has a pet owl with strange feathers?” one of the robed figures said as if to be teasing. His features were hidden beneath a hood, but his voice was cultured and what I could see of his clothing was that it was high quality.

  “She has a champion,” Eroan corrected in a clipped but courteous tone. “Master Erebos?”

  I hopped off Maebe’s shoulder and landed beside her on her right and assumed my true form. “Glad I could make the party,” I bowed to Maebe at the waist slightly. “Forgive my tardiness, my Queen.”

  “Thank you, Zekiel.” She smiled at me pleasantly and then looked to the High Elves before her. “You have come to speak—speak, or leave my city.”

  “We merely came to try and meet the savior that your ‘emissaries’ claim you to be, though imagine our surprise when this queen from the Fae is here with mere mortals,” the lead figure spoke again. I still couldn’t shake the feeling he was being demeaning. “I see a beautiful woman, for certain, but how can we be so sure that you are who you claim?”

  “Do not feign needing to test the abilities of a queen, peasant,” Eroan growled. “Can you not see the majesty that stands before you? Have you failed to note Her Majesty’s Celestial body? The living incarnation of night and winter? I give you my word that she is who she claims. Do you swear that you are here under the guise you claim?”

  “I find her body very Celestial,” his smug voice slimed its way to us, “and I swear nothing to rabble.”

  Game on, boys. It’s showtime, I growled to the others.

  I whipped Magus Bane off the rack on my back and threw it forward, flying at the front figure who put a hand up almost lazily. A large opaque-blue dome appeared around all of them, and my new great axe smashed into the shield with a sickening crack. The shield cracked, and the caster’s body went rigid.

  “You dare attack me, dog?” he spat vehemently. “It seems that the Fae
Realm has let their pets run rampant far too long.”

  The two who looked like Fighters brought out astral adaptors, and the other robed figures took up a casting stance, like they were about to start fencing. The archers had arrows nocked and trained on me instantly.

  “One guy versus all of you?” I feigned fear. “How could I ever hope to win?”

  “You shouldn’t, dog,” one of the robes in the middle boasted. “We are the guard of a lord. We would never fall to some disgusting creature such as yourself.”

  “Well, that’s unfortunate,” James said behind them. He thrust the blade of his newest weapon into the barrier, and it cracked more.

  I brought my axe back and activated Cleave as I swung it forward again. A single arrow pierced the top and landed between the leader’s legs, shattering the barrier completely.

  “Probably not smart,” Bokaj called. I risked a glance toward the rooftop. Yohsuke was there beside Bokaj, but Jaken was gone, and so was Muu. “You move again, and the next one goes through your head.

  I heard metal armor behind me and, “Hello, Jaken,” from Maebe, letting me know who was there.

  I heard a whistle and looked up in time to see a blur of green falling from the sky toward the leader of the High Elves.

  “Fuck,” I cursed as I tossed my axe back over my shoulder and tackled the fucker to the ground.

  A second later, a cacophonous boom and a shower of dirt, gravel, and stone pelted us. As I shoved the person away from me, his hood fell, and I could see fair Elven features, blonde hair, and blue eyes. His narrow features went from shocked to furious as he realized what had happened.

  I stood and saw Muu standing in a crater about a foot and a half deep and three feet wide with a big, shit-eating grin on his face.

  “You’re an asshole,” I commented.

  “Not as big a one as he is.” Muu pointed at the exposed Elf. “Ugly bastard too. Wish you would have let me land on him.”

  “You would do well to mind your tongue, experiment,” one of the Fighters hissed as he helped the other stand again. “Your betters will never forget the debt you owe us for freeing your kind. Why you weren’t slaughtered instead, I will never understand.”

  “Can I kill him?” Muu asked lightly.

  “Hold your hand, vassal,” Maebe said as she walked by him slowly. She looked at the guests. “You have seen the people I have chosen to ally myself with. I am fine here, and I will not bear your insults again. Leave here, or I shall vent my displeasure to your ruler. Believe me when I say that she is well acquainted with what I am capable of.”

  The lead Elf’s eyes bulged a bit before he held a hand up to the others. They turned and began to walk away. As they were leaving, one of the Fighters made a point to bump into Bokaj as he was walking toward us.

  When they collided, Bokaj grunted, “Oh shit! I am so sorry.” His hands were all over the guy as if he were looking for injury. “Are you okay? You’re alright? Okay? Man, I am such a schmuck. Sorry again, man. I hope you have a nice day. Sorry about the whole almost having to kill you thing. You work out?”

  By the last question and the bicep fondling, the other man shoved my friend away rudely. “Get away from me.”

  “Bye!” I watched as my friend waved at them all until they were gone, then Bokaj turned around with a huge grin on his face.

  Sensing that bloodshed had been avoided, the crowd began to lose interest and started to disperse. Some of them eyed us curiously, attempting to be stealthy about it, but when we didn’t seem to return their interest, they left too.

  When we were in the clear, Eroan had us follow him into a squat home opposite the square of the tower. The outside was bright yellow and inside the walls were a simple blue. The place was scarcely decorated but functional.

  “Hardly fit for a queen, your Majesty, but this is all I have unless you wish to have use of the tower.” Eroan spoke from a bow.

  “Neither,” Maebe spoke dismissively. “I will be leaving soon. Zekiel, tell me, who is the green one?”

  “This is Muu, he’s like a brother to me.” I brought him over and introduced them properly. “Muu Ankiman, this is Queen Maebe, ruler of the Unseelie Fae and heir to the darkness and winter.”

  “Oh, that last one was a new title.” Maebe smiled as she stepped forward. “Thank you, I shall have to use that.” She looked Muu over slowly. “Tell me, second brother of my only friend, where have you been?”

  “I got here after they had come back to Sunrise,” Muu explained simply. He looked back at her and smiled. “Zeke has told me about you. You seem really cool. It’s nice to meet you. Uh, my lady.”

  Maebe quirked her lip up a bit and turned to the others. “I heard of your… set back. I will endeavor to help you how best I can. Thank you for agreeing to allow me to accompany you.”

  “No problem!” Bokaj forced a smile at her, then looked at Yohsuke. “Hey, man, I got you a present.”

  “What’s up, man?” Yohsuke walked over to Bokaj, and the Ranger grinned wildly.

  “I kind of stole this for you.” He held out an item to Yohsuke, who took it with uncertainty on his face. As soon as he touched it, he pulled Bokaj into a fierce hug, his new shield bracelet tinkling as his hand moved.

  Y’all thought I forgot, huh? Yeah, I see you. I can learn. Sometimes.

  “You sly motherfucker!” I looked as Yohsuke held the item out for us to see, and it was an item similar to one he used every time we fought—an astral adapter. This one was pure white with no embellishments or trinkets. A warrior’s weapon if anything. Possibly part of their uniform.

  “What can it do?” Muu asked curiously.

  “It’s just a basic one, but it's so much stronger than the basic one I have now,” Yohsuke explained. “This one is a plus nine where the other one is a plus three.”

  “Awesome, man.” I clapped Bokaj on the shoulder. “That was some smooth distraction work there.”

  He grinned at me then nodded to Maebe and used his earring to speak to me, Maybe you should go and speak to her alone for a minute? She’s been eyeing you something fierce. Ask about the Hells.

  I will. Thanks, brother. And again, good shit. I patted his shoulder again.

  I stepped over to Maebe and gently took her hand and nodded toward a door. She nodded back, and we walked through it together. The door led to what could have been the dining room at one point in time. I could see the entryway to the kitchen and the room was large enough to hold a full-size table with at least eight chairs.

  As soon as we were alone, she pulled me toward her and hugged me tightly. Her embrace was a little cool against my skin, but it felt so nice. Her long, pointed ear tickled my cheek slightly. I held her out from me to get a better look at her.

  Her build was as it had been last time I saw her, curvaceous even in her black travel clothes. The skirt was tight, and the blouse was loose. Her skin, dark as the night sky with thousands of white pinpricks that looked like the stars in the heavens. Her long, thin fingers against my arm squeezed gently, and I looked up to see her smile radiantly. Her perfect white teeth flashed, and her dainty nose crinkled a little. But her eyes were so captivating. They were a green so deep that it could’ve been a sea of four-leaf clovers for all I knew.

  She brushed her black hair with multi-colored highlights back behind her right ear and looked at me funny. “You are staring so intently, Zeke. You never looked at me like this before.”

  “I missed you,” I offered with a small smile in return. Her long ears came away from her face at an angle tilted only slightly back toward the rear of her head. It made holding her hair easy, and the gold, silver, and platinum earrings that she wore in them looked so good against her skin tone.

  “I feel the same of you.” She pulled herself back into me, and I hugged her back. I let my head rest on top of hers and took in her scent. She smelled of lilac and like a cold winter morning after a snowfall. I felt her hands against my back, and it was comforting. I kissed the top of her h
ead and felt her tense a bit.

  “I’m sorry, Mae,” I said and let go. “I was a little overwhelmed.”

  She smiled as she looked up at me, our faces only four or five inches apart. “It was not unpleasant. Just new. No one has done that to me before.”

  “I’ll run new things by you before I do them.” I took my hand and cupped her cheek. Her jaw fit in my palm perfectly as she gazed up at me.

  “Thank you for coming so quickly.” She rubbed her cheek against my hand before stepping away. “I will be back to my full strength soon. If you want to leave now, we can.”

  “Do you have a mount?” I wondered, then remembered, “Also, you wouldn’t happen to know of a way into the Hells would you?”

  “I have something I can summon for transport, yes,” Maebe answered, then frowned. “No. I used the one favor I had to summon that demon for Yohsuke. I am sorry.”

  I couldn’t hide the disappointment I felt stirring in my heart. So the Dragon it was. Or a serpent. Whichever it truly fucking was. Damn it.

  “And Zeke?”

  I looked over at her. She began to levitate until she was slightly taller than me. She put a delicately shaped hand on each side of my face and then kissed the top of my head. It felt odd but nice. I laughed a little bit, and she grasped my hand as we walked out together.

  The others watched us rejoin them in the large room they were in.

  Are they dating? Muu asked to no one in particular.

  Nah, he’s her friend, Jaken supplied. Though, that could change soon if he keeps playing his cards right.

  You guys, I don’t even know if she’s interested in that. I rolled my eyes.

  It was Yohsuke who came across with the heavy hitter, You, me, Jaken, James—all of us—could die here, man. If you think having this time with her would make it just a little more bearable? I say go for it. I know where my heart is, and I’m fighting to get back to her. And I know you have your boy to think about, so I’m not worried.

  I looked at him stunned; the others nodded in agreement, and Jaken even threw me a sly wink and a thumb up.

  Y’all are crazy, man. Bokaj shook his head. I’m team Vrawn. She’s the girl he needs. Big, burly, and takes what she wants. Bubba Vrawn. Any luck on the Hells?