“So, where is the stronghold?” Sven asked, looking around.
“On the other side of the mountains,” Khollo explained, gesturing to the peaks. “You can barely see them, with it being almost dark, but there’s a ring of mountains at the southern end of the island. The slopes are steep and treacherous, pretty much impassible. Inside that ring of mountains is the stronghold, and only a dragon can get there easily. Or a human riding a dragon.”
“So how do we get there?”
“It will involve a lot of Kanin flying back and forth,” Khollo replied, grinning.
That does not sound like fun, Kanin grumbled.
“The supplies too?” L’tel asked.
“Yes.”
That really does not sound like fun.
“It’s a lot of work for one dragon,” Halena observed, frowning.
Kanin replied to that comment immediately. Khollo shot the dragon an annoyed look while Aralye burst out laughing.
“What?” Sven demanded.
“Kanin says he’s used to doing all the work around here!” Aralye explained, still laughing.
“Very funny,” Khollo grumbled. “I do a fair amount of work too. Wait till you see the dragon holds – ”
Which I helped clear.
“ – or the library.”
Which you did not make.
Khollo glared at Kanin, wishing the dragon would just fall asleep in his comfortable little wallow. “Anyway, we’ll camp here on the beach tonight. Tomorrow, Kanin will fly all of us to the stronghold, then start ferrying supplies back and forth.”
What about the hatching?
We’ll do that tomorrow night, once all the supplies have been moved. Think of it as your reward for a good day’s work.
How come you get the reward without the work?
I’ll be working.
You’ll be carrying supplies too?
Khollo groaned. “Anyway, let’s set up camp and help the others organize the supplies. The more we get done now, the less there is to do tomorrow and the sooner Eralm and his men can get back to the mainland and their normal lives.”
“They need additional food for the return voyage,” L’tel rumbled. “And more fresh water.”
“Yeah,” Sven put in, “The vengeful storm forced some seawater into one of the barrels of drinking water. Gave Jorgen a nasty surprise yesterday.”
Khollo glanced at L’tel worriedly, wondering if he would have to break up another argument over the nature of storms, but either the youth from the plains had not heard his counterpart from the north, or he had chosen to deliberately ignore Sven. Whatever the case, no argument was forthcoming.
“Well, we may as well get started then,” Khollo said, moving decisively back towards the ship. “I’ll talk to Eralm, see what the plan is. Halena, would you help organize things as they come ashore? Sven, L’tel, you can help the sailors unload and move things. Aralye, can you scout a short perimeter, maybe set up some torches to mark the landing area and give us some visibility?”
“No problem,” the huntress replied. “What do you want me to do after that?”
“Keep watch with Kanin. We’ve found strange and dangerous creatures on this island before, and I don’t want to be caught by surprise.”
“What kind of creatures?” Sven asked.
“A tiger,” Khollo replied heavily. “Biggest one I ever saw. Surprisingly stealthy too, for such a large beast.”
“Kanin couldn’t just flame it?”
“He had a wrenched wing and was confined to the dragon hold . . .” Khollo trailed off, realizing this was a rather long and complicated story and they had better things to be doing. “Anyway, now’s not the time. I’ll tell you all about it later.”
Sven sighed and started moving towards the Southern Star, where sailors were already starting to lower crates over the side with the assistance of ropes and an improvised crane. “Almost worked,” he muttered to no one in particular.
Khollo chuckled and headed back to the ship as well. He climbed the gangplank awkwardly, then moved smartly across the deck to where Eralm was standing at the helm, talking to Jorgen. Crossing the deck turned out to be more hazardous than Khollo had anticipated. The fact that he only had one eye to work with meant he was blind to any problems coming from his left, and twice he was nearly run over by laden sailors or hit with a swinging crate.
When he finally did reach the rear of the ship, Eralm hailed him cheerfully.
“Well met, Keeper!” he said, clapping Khollo on the shoulder. “Feeling any better?”
Khollo rubbed his shoulder, feigning a pained grimace. “I was, until you jarred everything loose again.”
The captain and Jorgen both roared with laughter. “Well, a place like this you ought to be healed in no time,” Eralm replied finally. “I didn’t see much of it, what with the sun being pretty much down, but it looks to be a beautiful place.”
“It is,” Khollo agreed. “You’ll see more of it tomorrow, I suppose. We’ll be able to reprovision you without any trouble. Meat, water, bread if you need it.”
“Bread? Did you build a bakery or something around here?” Jorgen asked, peering into the night.
“No, but there’s plenty of grain and my father taught me how to use it,” Khollo said, a lump forming in his throat at the mention of Ezraan. He swallowed quickly and cleared his throat a few times.
“We’ll take you up on that offer,” Eralm said, looking up and down the shore. “Might be good fishing along here too, could drop the nets over in the morning and see what we get.”
“You’re welcome to try,” Khollo agreed. “Kanin and I don’t fish much, so you won’t be hurting us.” He paused, looking back inland. “It’s amazing this place remained a secret so long,” he said finally, knowing it would never stay a secret now.
Jorgen laughed. “It’s not amazing at all, lad! In fact, I’d be stunned if anyone has seen this island who wasn’t told exactly where to find it!”
“Why’s that?” Khollo asked, curious.
“Well, for one, there’s nothing in this stretch of ocean,” the first mate explained. “Not for leagues and leagues. Honestly, Narne might be the closest land and you know how long it took to get here from there.”
“A long time,” Eralm agreed.
“Aye,” Jorgen continued. “And based on your map, Ishkabur is even farther. And there’s nothing else along the coast in this part of the world.”
“What about farther along the coast, Jalakash and Ostgard?” Khollo asked. “If a ship were sailing from Ishkabur to one of those places – ”
“Wouldn’t matter,” Eralm interrupted. “They would stop in Narne. Voyage like that would take months, Keeper. And with the way the Southern Sea is, no skipper would risk it. No, they’d rather stay closer to land and stop in Narne and other ports along the way. More opportunity for trade that way too.”
“Huh,” Khollo said. “Well, that goes a long way towards explaining why the Keepers were never bothered.”
“And they won’t be now,” Eralm promised quickly. “None of my men could get another crew out here on their own, and I honestly don’t know if I could without your map.”
“You’ll have to keep the map I guess,” Khollo said. “So you can get back to Narne.”
“We could just sail north until we hit land,” Jorgen suggested. “Figure it out from there.”
“And that way you’re island is a secret still,” Eralm added. “You don’t have to worry about the map falling into the wrong hands.”
Khollo frowned thoughtfully. “You should keep it,” he decided. “You’ll get home faster. And if Relam needs to reach us on Ethgalin, he’ll be able to send you to us.”
“What, we’re message boys now?” Jorgen demanded.
“How about ‘Official Couriers to the Keepers’,” Khollo suggested, grinning.
“It has a nice ring,” Jorgen admitted.
“And it pays well,” Eralm reminded him, “Piralt didn’t hold back, this being taken care
of by the crown at all. Nice long voyage, days at sea, I could get used to this.”
“Think about it,” Khollo urged him. “If you decide you like the idea, I’ll write up something official to send back with you.”
“Don’t be surprised if the decision is made quickly,” Eralm warned him. “Long voyages, good pay . . . it’s a true sailor’s dream.”
“Low risk of piracy too,” Jorgen put in. “Won’t catch any of them hanging around here.”
“Good point,” Eralm agreed. “We’ll take the job, Keeper.”
“You don’t want to talk it over with the others?”
“We go where Eralm does,” Jorgen replied firmly. “He’s the captain. It’s his job to make the right decisions and see we’re looked after. If he says go, we go.”
“That’s impressive loyalty,” Khollo remarked, glancing back at his young Keepers, busily helping the sailors unload. “If I could command half as much from these four, I would be happy.”
“It is the way of the sea,” Eralm said, shrugging. “There is no room for discord or disagreement. All of our lives hang in the balance. If you don’t like your captain, go find another but don’t cause trouble for him or the rest of his crew.”
“Aye,” Jorgen agreed. “A good, loyal crew is the only kind you want to sail with. We all depend on each other, so we all have to trust each other and share something more than just waiting for the next pay day to come along. We’re closer than brothers most of us.”
Khollo nodded thoughtfully. “Interesting.” He glanced back at the beach, aware Kanin had been listening. The dragon was a little to the side of proceedings, just outside of the half circle of torchlight that spilled across the beach. Aralye had set up a good perimeter, large enough to accommodate the crew and the cargo easily. At least twenty torches on long poles driven into the sand were spaced at regular intervals. The girl was standing by a pile of crates, quietly looking off into the darkness, her bow in her hands.
“You’ve got a good crew too, lad,” Eralm observed.
Khollo blinked in surprise and turned back to the two sailors. “What makes you say that?”
“They’re close,” Eralm said, shrugging. “I know they come from all over, but they’ve banded together. They’ve each got different strengths and weaknesses, and they’ll form a good team.”
“I’ve noticed they seem to have assumed roles,” Khollo agreed. “Halena is acting as a peacekeeper, L’tel a steady, stabilizing force. Sven is bringing energy and drive to the group, and Aralye . . . ”
He frowned, realizing he hadn’t really identified what role the girl was filling. He glanced back at where she was standing by the crates, keeping watch.
“She’s a puzzle,” Jorgen put in helpfully. “What do you know about her? Other than she gets seasick and will skin a man who offers her food on a boat?”
Khollo laughed. “That’s about all I know,” he admitted. “She’s tough, determined. Otherwise she never would have made it this far.”
“She any good with her bow?”
“I think so. She just about shot me when Kanin and I first met her.”
“Just about?” Eralm asked, raising an eyebrow.
“She aimed to miss, fortunately.”
“Hmm,” Eralm mused. “She’s a hunter?”
“Yes,” Khollo confirmed, “She’s supported herself hunting in the marshlands for a long time.”
“She’s probably clever then,” Jorgen guessed. “Hunters have all kinds of good tricks. And they notice things, things the rest of us never even think of.”
“There you go,” Eralm said, spreading his hands. “Clever, dead shot. If you’re building a team, she’s your secret weapon. The sort of person who changes things with a quick thought and a quicker action.”
“That makes a potent team,” Khollo murmured thoughtfully, “Even without the dragons.”
“Are there more?” Jorgen asked, glancing around nervously as though expecting them to leap out of the waves.
“Not yet,” Khollo replied. “But there will be.”
“They’re a good team,” Eralm agreed. “But without you Khollo, they’re nothing. Every good team needs a leader. Every good crew needs a captain.”
“A good cap’n,” Jorgen added emphatically.
“A good captain,” Eralm repeated, nodding. “That’s where you come in, lad.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready,” Khollo said honestly.
“Only one way to find out,” Jorgen told him, grinning.
Eralm regarded the young Keeper more seriously. “You may not think so, but you’re ready. You’re exactly what those four need. You just haven’t figured it out yet.”
The captain strode forward, nodding towards the shore. “Now, let’s get camp set up. I’d like to sleep at some point tonight.”
Chapter 22:
The Stronghold
The small camp on the beach rose with the sun the next morning. The sailors were first, none having slept very well since they were accustomed to beds that rolled with the waves. The four young Keepers and Khollo on the other hand slept a little past dawn, rising only when the sailors started cooking breakfast.
Khollo sat up on his bedroll, looking around the camp. They had worked late the previous night, piling the supplies for the Keepers on the shore, under Halena’s direction. There was more than Khollo had remembered, and it was going to be a long day for Kanin. The young Keeper got to his feet, shook the sand from his bedroll and rolled it up tightly, then went to where the dragon had created his bed in the sand the night before.
Kanin was already awake, and tearing at a bloody carcass held between his foreclaws. He looked up as Khollo approached, swallowing another mouthful.
Good morning, Khollo said. Have a good hunt earlier?
The herds come to the river around dawn, Kanin explained. I intercepted a herd of the cattle on the way there.
That’s good. You’ll need a lot of energy for today.
I saw, Kanin replied. We are moving all of those supplies to the dragon hold?
Yes.
Hmm. It will take many flights.
Many, many flights.
You are enjoying this too much.
I thought you did all the work around here?
Kanin pointedly ripped one of the legs off the steer and crunched down on it, bone shattering between his jaws. Khollo winced at the loud cracks and pops as Kanin ate.
I do most of the work, Kanin said finally. And you wanted me to hunt for the sailors too?
If you don’t mind. They could use a steer and maybe a buck to supplement their stores.
Hmm. And some of the grains?
Yes, those too.
We should gather them first, Kanin decided. That way they will have time to prepare the food and they can be on their way sooner.
Aye, and the sooner they are on their way, the sooner we can take the others to the hatchery.
Are we not doing that tonight?
Khollo hesitated. We’ll see, he said evasively. The cargo and looking after Eralm and his crew is our first priority.
Very well, Kanin said. I will finish my kill quickly, then go and find food for the men of the boat. Then, we will begin moving supplies. When should we move the other Keepers?
After the first round of supplies. That way they have something to do when they get to the hold.
Good. Go, eat your human food. You will need energy too on this day, even if I do most of the work.
Khollo shook his head and wandered down the beach to where the sailors had built a roaring fire and were heating their standard rations of hard biscuits and salted pork. The other Keepers were up now, a small group sitting apart from the others, eating and laughing. Khollo retrieved his breakfast from Jorgen, then joined his recruits.
“So,” he began, gesturing to the distant mountains. “What do you think now that you can see the island a little better?”
“It’s beautiful,” Halena replied immediately. “A perfect home for
the dragons.”
“Yeah,” Sven agreed. “Beats the north, that’s for sure. Does it stay this warm year round?”
“As far as I know,” Khollo said, shrugging. “Last winter, when the Basin and the Fells were buried in snow, this place kept its tropical climate. I don’t know why.”
“It’s always warm then,” L’tel mused. “That must explain the plants. They have a year-round growing season.”
“How’s Kanin?” Aralye interrupted, nodding towards the green dragon. “Looks like he’s already been hunting this morning?”
“Yes,” Khollo confirmed. “He was up before any of us. There are wild cattle on the island he is very fond of.”
“Cattle,” L’tel repeated. “Good eating.”
“We’ll have to get him to bring us one at some point,” Khollo said. “Today’s going to be a long day, but it will be a good one. After breakfast, Kanin’s going to take a load or two of supplies, then we’ll take all of you to the dragon holds.”
“Holds?” Sven asked. “What are those?”
“You’ll see,” Khollo promised, grinning. “For now, let’s see if we can get Kanin loaded up and on his way. Halena, you know how everything’s organized. What do we send first?”
The Keepers spent the next half hour deciding what order to send the supplies in and how much Kanin could carry in a single load. At Halena’s direction, the others moved the various crates, barrels, and sacks into smaller groupings. When they had finished, they were left with a truly daunting sight.
“Fourteen trips,” Khollo observed, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I didn’t think it was that much.”
“Can Kanin do it?” L’tel asked.
“Given enough time. I guess it will be sixteen trips actually, carrying us back and forth.”
That is a lot of flying, Kanin observed. Khollo turned in time to see the emerald dragon rise from his wallow in the sand. Kanin shook himself off vigorously, though thousands of the tiny grains still clung to his scales.
You may want to wash off in the river, Khollo said drily.
Kanin snorted. Sand feels good.
Suit yourself. Are you going hunting for the sailors now?
Yes. Let the fetching and carrying begin. What would you do without me?
The Captive Page 28
