The Queen of Dragons (Tales from the New Earth Book 8)

by J. J. Thompson

  “Yes, sir mage. I will.”

  Aeris watched as Elaine poured steaming water into a large bowl. She glanced up, saw his curious face and laughed lightly.

  “Please close the door, my friend,” she told him. “I prefer treating my patients without an audience.”

  “Forgive me, lady,” the elemental said, embarrassed.

  He hurriedly backed into the hallway and shut the door, leaving the woman to do her work.

  After a moment, Aeris began his aerial pacing again and tried to exercise patience. It wasn't easy.

  Early the next morning, with the sun barely above the horizon, Tamara sent some members of staff to gather the leaders together.

  She and Sebastian had spent a restless night, neither one sleeping very well, and had decided to fill the others in on what had happened with Simon as soon as possible.

  When the command group began to trickle into the main hall, each one stopped for a moment as they discovered that the long conference table had been replaced by several smaller ones placed end to end.

  “Hey, our table's missing!” Malcolm exclaimed blearily as he and Aiden walked in.

  He looked curiously at Tamara and her brother, who were sitting at one end of the tables.

  “Redecorating?” he asked.

  The line of tables was loaded down with covered trays and steaming urns of tea and both warriors grabbed a plate and began to pile them high with food.

  “Not exactly, no,” Tamara replied. “I'll explain once everyone else arrives.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Chao and Lei arrived next, followed closely by the sisters, Sylvie and Veronique. Everyone looked well rested except for Tamara and Sebastian, who were both pale and had purplish circles under their eyes.

  Liliana was the last to join them, wearing full armor as usual, and she stopped just inside the main entrance to the hall and looked around.

  “What's happened?” she asked immediately. “You two look like you've been up all night, the conference table is missing and...”

  She cocked her head to one side and narrowed her eyes.

  “I smell strange magics. Something is wrong.”

  Malcolm looked at her with wide eyes.

  “You can smell magic? Wow, that's cool.”

  Liliana snorted softly and walked over to the tables.

  “No, of course I can't. It's just an expression, Malcolm. But I sense them, the odd energies that have been used in this room recently.”

  Lei began nodding.

  “So that's what that is. I wondered why I felt so uneasy when I came in here.”

  “That is part of being a paladin, my friend,” Liliana told him as she picked up a plate. “We can detect the use of magic. Evil magics feel stronger, but all use of power impacts upon our senses.”

  He nodded thoughtfully.

  “I still have much to learn about my own abilities, it seems,” he told her.

  Liliana put a couple of fried eggs on her plate and grabbed a fork.

  “It will come in time,” she assured him as she took a seat. “I'm sure of it. Now, Tamara, please tell us what has happened.”

  The mage looked down the line of tables and saw the group watching her. She looked at Sebastian, who shrugged.

  “There's no way to sugar-coat it,” he said to her. “Just tell it as it happened.”

  “Right. Okay, my friends, here it is. Last night...”

  Everyone had stopped eating except for Malcolm. He was so intent on shoveling food into his mouth that it took Aiden elbowing him in the ribs to get his attention.

  “Ouch! What? What did I do now?” he exclaimed angrily.

  The big man looked around and saw that the entire assembly was staring at him. Tamara looked irritated, but everyone else seemed amused.

  “Oh, sorry. Did I miss something?”

  Aiden groaned and covered his eyes, while Sebastian burst out laughing.

  “Not yet, no,” Tamara said with a reluctant smile. “But please, do pay attention. It's been a long night and I don't want to have to tell this story twice.”

  “Got it. Got it. I'm listening,” Malcolm said like a repentant school boy.

  He put down his fork, sat up straight and folded his hands in front of him.

  “Good. As I was saying, last night we got an unexpected visit. Two elementals, Aeris whom you already know, and a much more powerful air elemental who I unfortunately didn't have a chance to meet, brought Simon back to us.”

  A moment of silence was followed by a clamoring from everyone in the room, except for Liliana, who watched the mage silently.

  Malcolm jumped to his feet with a broad grin.

  “He's here? He's alive? That's amazing!” he bellowed joyfully.

  Aiden was grinning as well, but it faded as he saw the solemn expressions on the faces of Tamara and Sebastian.

  “Wait a second, everyone,” he said loudly, cutting through the excited babble around him. “I think we might be celebrating prematurely here.”

  Malcolm looked at his partner, puzzled, and then followed his gaze. His broad smile faded and he sat down abruptly.

  “You two don't look happy,” he said with a frown. “Why not? What's wrong with Simon?”

  Everyone calmed down and the room became still as the group focused on Tamara.

  The mage looked at each of them in turn and seemed to be having trouble finding the right words to say.

  “Just tell us the worst,” Liliana said harshly.

  She had known Simon longer than all of them and her mailed hands were clenched into fists as she listened intently.

  “As you wish. I fear that our friend, the wizard, was apparently captured by goblins,” Tamara began.

  There was an angry murmur but no one interrupted.

  “Somehow, whether simply because he got lucky or with divine guidance, Aeris managed to find Simon. I don't have any of the details yet; those will have to wait. But the elemental reached our friend and Simon summoned aid from other, more powerful, elementals. With their help, he was rescued. He somehow was able to Gate back here which, given his condition, is a miracle in itself, and he's now in the infirmary. That's it.”

  “Now that's how you tell a story,” Aiden said quietly to Malcolm. “Short and to the point.”

  Malcolm ignored him.

  “So how is he doing?” he asked the mage.

  “So far no change,” Tamara told him. “Aeris is waiting outside of the infirmary and will inform us if anything happens. Elaine is...hopeful. That's all that she can say. So, we wait.”

  “Where was this goblin infestation?” Liliana asked Tamara.

  The mage hesitated and then quickly glanced at Malcolm and Veronique.

  “In the Grand Canyon,” she replied reluctantly.

  The paladin scowled and Tamara hurriedly held up her hands to stave off any comments.

  “Much further down the river,” she added. “Far from the area that Malcolm and Veronique were searching. Aeris traveled several miles to find the goblin mound where Simon was being held.”

  “But we were there,” Malcolm said in a subdued voice. “We were right there and we missed it.”

  He looked across the table at Veronique, whose anguished expression mirrored his own.

  “How much pain was inflicted on that poor man because we weren't diligent enough?” she muttered. “How much suffering?”

  Liliana's scowl faded at that comment and she looked at both of them compassionately.

  “Don't blame yourselves,” she told them. “It serves no purpose. All of us have enough guilt about things we've done to last a lifetime. I know I have more than my fair share.”

  She smiled at Malcolm and Veronique, both of whom looked at her gratefully.

  “Besides, Simon would never blame either of you. I know him well enough to be sure of that.”

  “Thank you, Liliana,” the mage said. “That is very gracious of you. I know that you and the wizard are close.”

  M
alcolm echoed her and the paladin nodded to them both.

  She pushed herself to her feet and walked across the room to the main door.

  “You're going to check on him?” Tamara asked as they all watched her.

  “No, I am going to offer my help.”

  At the mage's curious expression, Liliana tapped her armored chest.

  “Clerics aren't the only ones who can heal, you know,” she said as she left the room.

  Chapter 22

  Elaine stared dully at the wizard's unconscious form. His respiration was steady, but slow, and his wounds were clean. She had bandaged all of his injuries, put a splint on his broken leg, cleaned him up and made sure that he was kept warm, but that was the limit to what she could do without the gods' help. And that hadn't come.

  She had prayed for hours, beseeching the unnamed gods of Light for their aid. Simon was one of their most valued assets; surely they would extend their powers to heal him. But they hadn't.

  A soft knock on the door made the cleric jump; she'd been nodding off in her chair next to the wizard's cot.

  She stood up, rubbed her eyes blearily and crossed the room to open the door.

  An armored figure stood there, her chest plate gleaming like silver.

  Elaine blinked rapidly as she tried to focus.

  “Ah, Liliana. Good morning.”

  The paladin smiled as she saw the exhausted face of the other woman.

  “Good morning, Elaine. You look like hell.”

  The cleric chuckled and nodded.

  “Thanks. I suppose I do. I'm guessing that you've heard about Simon. I'm sorry but there's been no change in his condition.”

  She saw Aeris hovering a few feet behind Liliana and gestured at him.

  “I'll send our small friend to advise everyone as soon as there is something to report.”

  “Yes, I understand that,” the paladin replied. “But that isn't why I'm here. Perhaps you have forgotten, but those of us who have been called to fight for the gods have certain abilities akin to your own. I can heal, Elaine, and I'm guessing that the lords of Light haven't answered your prayers. I'm here to offer to try my own.”

  The cleric appeared startled and her eyes widened.

  “My goodness, you're right. I had forgotten about paladins and their talents. Well, if you would like to try to help Simon, I certainly won't say no. Come in, come in.”

  She stood aside and Liliana entered the infirmary.

  “Thank you,” she said as she walked in. “I can't promise that I will have any more luck than you've had, but it won't hurt to try.”

  Elaine saw Aeris staring past her at the still figure of the wizard and his anxious expression touched her heart.

  “Would you like to come in as well?” she asked him kindly. “There's no need for you to wait out there any longer; I'm done treating him. In fact, I should have let you in sooner. Please forgive me.”

  “Ah, my thanks, lady cleric,” the elemental said with some relief. “And there is nothing to forgive; you were focused on your patient, as a good healer should be.”

  Aeris entered the room and Elaine closed the door behind him. Both of them stayed back to allow the paladin room to work.

  For her part, Liliana crossed to the bed and stared down at her friend. He looked so young and frail, his skin almost as white as the sheets he was lying on.

  The cleric had managed to not only clean all the grime off of him, but had washed his hair as well. If it hadn't been for the numerous bandages that criss-crossed his exposed torso, she might have thought that Simon was merely sleeping.

  “His coloring is very bad,” she said absently as she sat down on the edge of the bed. “He's almost as transparent as Aeris is.”

  “I know,” Elaine agreed as she twisted her hands together nervously. “But I have done all that can be done, medically speaking. No one who lives in the castle was a real doctor, back in the old days, so I've had to use simple first aid techniques. His wounds are clean and bound, but I can't break his fever and I fear that the infection is spreading. Liliana, I'm helpless to do any more for him.”

  Her simple admission and the anguish in her voice made the paladin quickly turn to look at her.

  “Elaine, stop beating yourself up. You've done the best that you could. No one can fault you for that, including myself. Believe me, I know how inconsistent the gods can be. And it's made even worse by the fact that they are constantly battling with the lords of Chaos to keep them from entering this realm. Sometimes I'm surprised that they answer our prayers at all. But let's see if a paladin's plea can get their attention.”

  She looked down at Simon and removed her gauntlets. Setting them aside, Liliana put her palms on both sides of his head, bowed her own and closed her eyes.

  Elaine and Aeris watched for several minutes, but the paladin became so still that she might have been turned to stone.

  Finally the cleric moved to sit in a chair across from Simon's cot and waited quietly, chin in hand.

  Aeris wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. Floating beside the closed door, he wondered if he should offer to help in some way. But what could he do? The gods acted as they saw fit and he had seen enough back in ancient times to know that a divine healing could take days, if it worked at all.

  When he heard the cleric sigh quietly, he had an idea. He flew over to join her and waited until she glanced at him.

  “What is it, my friend?” Elaine asked in a whisper.

  “Lady cleric, you have been tending to my wizard all night. Please allow me to fetch you some food from the kitchen. The paladin may be praying for some time and you need to eat.”

  She smiled at him and gave Liliana a quick glance.

  “You are very kind, and you have a point. That would be lovely, Aeris. But please, nothing elaborate. Just enough for a quick bite would be fine.”

  “Leave it to me,” he replied with a bow. “I'll be right back.”

  The kitchen staff was more than willing to help with the cleric's meal, as soon as the three of them, the chef and two helpers, got over their shock at Aeris' appearance. Apparently they had heard of elementals but had never seen one before.

  “Elaine hasn't eaten anything since yesterday?” Chef asked, sounding shocked.

  He was wearing a spotless white apron over a linen tunic, as were the other members of his staff, and stood in the middle of the large kitchen, hands on hips. Obviously he was the ruler of his own small domain.

  Chef was a very large man with an ample belly and some of the thickest eyebrows that Aeris had ever seen. The elemental was fascinated by how bushy they were. The man was completely bald but, like most Changlings, looked much younger than he probably was.

  “No sir, she hasn't,” Aeris confirmed. “So I thought that I'd come and ask if something could be prepared?”

  “Absolutely! Elaine is a lovely young lady and she recently healed a substantial cut that my thick-headed apprentice over there managed to inflict upon himself.”

  One of the chef's helpers blushed a deep red and mumbled an objection.

  Chef shook a thick finger at him.

  “Matthew, you practically cut your hand off. Well, if not your hand then a few fingers, at least. And the blood! Ugh. Anyway, let's get something put together for that dear lady. Cheryl, could you slice up that new loaf I just got out of the oven? And Matt, bring out the venison roast from last night and cut off a few pieces. Mind your fingers.”

  The young man became even redder and hurried out through a narrow doorway.

  The chef winked at Aeris and lowered his voice.

  “I tease them both, but they're the only people in the castle who seem to want to learn how to cook properly.”

  He sighed dramatically.

  “A shame, really. I was a fairly talented chef, back in the old days. It would be nice to pass on the things I've learned. Ah well.”

  He bustled off, opening and closing cupboards, stirring several pots that were bubbling on the mas
sive cast-iron stove, and talking continuously as he did so. It was an impressive display.

  In no time at all, the chef had loaded down a cart with fresh bread, a plate of sliced venison, a deep bowl of hot chicken soup that he covered with a plate to keep warm, and a tall pitcher of sweet tea.

  “Can you manage this by yourself?” Chef asked Aeris, indicating the cart.

  “Of course, sir. Thank you. I'm sure that the lady cleric will be grateful for all the trouble you've gone to.”

  “Bah, it was no trouble at all,” the man said dismissively.

  He was wiping down the counter tops while his helpers washed a sink full of dishes. Aeris noticed that both Matthew and Cheryl were chatting amiably together and it seemed to him that they were happy in their work. He guessed that the chef was a lot easier to work for than his teasing might indicate.

  “Tell her that the next time she lets herself go without food for an extended period, I will personally give her an educational lecture, cleric or no cleric.”

  Both of the helpers laughed in the background and Aeris smiled as the man winked at him again.

  “Yes sir, I will. Thank you again.”

  It only took a few minutes for Aeris to return to the infirmary, pushing the low cart ahead of him. He passed one guard who watched with amusement as the little figure shoved the gurney that was so much larger than he was.

  When the man offered to help, the elemental just waved him off.

  “I've got it, thank you,” he said, hiding his irritation.

  He appreciated the offer of assistance, but couldn't these people understand that small did not mean weak? Apparently not.

  When he reached the infirmary, Aeris opened the door slowly and peered inside.

  From all appearances, Liliana hadn't moved a muscle since he'd left. Elaine was still sitting in her chair, but her head had slumped to one side and she was obviously asleep.

  He slipped into the room and flew over to stare at the cleric. He was reluctant to disturb her rest, as she obviously needed it.

  On the other hand, her soup would get cold if he waited too long and the woman definitely needed to eat.