by Nathan Roden
Brendan shrugged.
“We tried to stop him. Simon.”
“You’re not coming,” Simon said.
“I am an excellent archer,” Lucien said. “Even from a charging horse.”
“He is good,” Reese said. Simon glared at Reese and belched smoke.
“There is much for you to do here,” Simon said. “Come on, Caleb.”
The dragons prepared to fly.
“Please,” Lucien said.
Simon stopped. He breathed heavily. He turned and crouched low.
“Climb on.”
Twenty-Five
Lord Sterling Morgenwraithe stomped up the stairs of the main guard tower. The bandage around his head had come unwound. The loose end whipped in the wind and snapped against his open eye. He swore loudly and almost fell. The four guards in the tower glanced toward Captain Raynard.
“I’ll handle this,” Raynard growled. The guards nodded and walked as far away from the stair landing as possible.
“Come, my lord,” Raynard said. He took Sterling’s arm and led him up the last few stairs. Sterling held onto the bandage, resisting the urge to rip it off. The memory of the last time that happened remained with him.
“What good is that bitch?” he spat. “Dathien should have put an arrow through the healer and his worthless woman! Send for her at once! I’ll give her a tongue-lashing she won’t soon forget.”
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, my lord,” Raynard said.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Sterling asked.
Raynard loosened his grip on Sterling’s arm.
“Lady Jacobs has disappeared—along with Lady Magdalena.”
“We are at war, Captain,” Sterling growled. “I find no humor in your words.”
“There is no humor intended, Lord Sterling,” Raynard said. “A lieutenant and three soldiers lie dead in the room where we held the sorceress. And Lady Jacobs has not returned to her home.”
“And the home of the sorceress?” Sterling asked.
“Burned to the ground, as you ordered,” Raynard said.
“Have any returned from the first engagement?” Sterling asked.
“Not yet,” Raynard said. “It is very possible that they all perished.”
“No,” Sterling said. His eyes grew narrow.
“There will always be one. We will wait. And we will be ready when the rebels act on their foolish confidence.”
Raynard followed Sterling down the steps and inside the castle. Sterling walked to the council chambers. Two members of the king’s guard opened the doors for them and then stood inside.
Sterling did not have to say a word. Servants arrived with two wine-skins. Two tasters followed them into the chambers. Soon, full glasses stood on the table before Sterling and Raynard. Sterling raised the glass to his lips and drank it dry.
Another servant arrived at the door.
“My lord. A soldier has arrived from beyond the gates. He—”
“Bring him here,” Sterling snapped.
The man limped into the chambers, dragging a lame leg behind him. What was left of his coat was scarlet and gold. One of his arms hung limply at his side. His coat was burned away, revealing an arm minus much of its skin.
“My lords,” the man croaked in a hoarse voice.
“Who are you?” Raynard asked.
“Lieutenant Falcon, my lord.”
“What news do you bring?” Sterling asked.
“They have dragons, my lord,” Falcon answered. “Dozens of them!”
“What remains of our forces?” Sterling asked.
Lieutenant Falcon hesitated.
“None, my lord. They were burned alive.”
Sterling nodded. He motioned toward the door with his chin.
“Go. Have your wounds tended to. Prepare for the next engagement.”
The man’s arm spasmed. He grimaced in pain.
“Yes, my lord.” He turned to leave.
Sterling reached beneath the table for his crossbow.
“No…” Raynard said. The lieutenant turned around.
Sterling fired an arrow through the man’s neck.
The guards struggled to keep silent. Tears ran down their faces.
Sterling drank down another glass of wine and stood. He addressed the guards.
“Take this man to the dungeon.”
“The…the dungeon my lord?” a guard asked.
“To the abyss, you idiot!” Sterling roared. “His body is not to be seen again! And should either of you speak of what has happened here—”
“No!” the guard shouted. “We saw nothing, my lord! I swear on my mother’s life!”
“Good,” Sterling purred. “See that you keep it that way.”
The guards picked up the dead man’s body and carried it toward the door.
Raynard cleared his throat.
“My lord, I—”
“I will speak to you in private, Captain,” Sterling snarled behind clenched teeth.
Twenty-Six
Simon scanned the waters and the horizon. The sun had gone behind the clouds and a wall of black clouds covered the sky. Nigel and Alice crisscrossed the skies in front of him. Caleb stayed to their rear, for which Simon was grateful. Simon was barely aware of Lucien’s weight on his back.
Simon’s head snapped to the front at the sound of Nigel’s cry. A tiny, dark dot appeared in the distance.
The dot grew as the distance closed.
It was a ship.
“Hold on!” Simon shouted, not knowing if Lucien could hear him or not.
Simon followed Nigel and Alice in a downward arc toward the target ahead.
The battle began in an instant. Bolts of lightning shot upward from the deck of the ship. They exploded across the sky. Simon saw his two young friends send fire toward the ship before they veered off to the sides. The giants diverted the blasts harmlessly into the waves.
This is not good, Simon thought.
The skies shook with the roar from the giant with the brilliant white hair and beard.
“Damnable devils! How dare you threaten me!”
“Hold on!” Simon shouted. He made a sharp turn before driving toward the ship. Flashes of light exploded to either side of him. Simon’s fire bathed the ship in flames. He turned and drove himself into the cover of the clouds. Simon thought he heard screams of pain, but he could not be certain.
“Did the fire reach the ship?” Simon screamed into the void.
“One…is on fire!” Simon heard Lucien yell.
“Get—”
Simon turned his head and yelled.
“What?”
“Get. Me. Closer!”
Simon did not stop to think. He dove toward the ship. He opened his jaws and spewed fire with all the intensity he could muster. An arrow flew past his head.
The arrow pierced the neck of Dommerien’s son. The giant fell against the ship’s railing and tumbled into the sea.
Dommerien’s roar filled the sky. Blasts of brilliant light flew from his hands. Explosions rang in Simon’s ears. He heard a scream from his left.
Nigel took a lightning blast directly to his chest. His wings became useless. Alice flew in front of her brother, but there was nothing she could do. She reached out with her talons, but Nigel’s dead weight could not be stopped. Nigel plummeted toward the sea. Simon and Alice dove toward the helpless dragon. Another blast struck Nigel on the head.
The young dragon was dead before it hit the water. Alice screeched and plunged beneath the waves, only to exit moments later. Her miserable cries rang out as she flew into the clouds.
Simon roared and drove himself at the ship. A quick succession of arrows few past his head. Dommerien raised his hands and sent blasts of energy at Simon. Simon veered to his left, avoiding the attack.
But he saw something else in his peripheral vision.
Lucien fell toward the sea, his arms and limbs flailing. He lost his bow.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha!�
� Dommerien laughed as he watched the hapless human fall toward the rolling waves.
“Stupid human! You will die for siding with these demons!”
Simon veered to his right, and then to his left, barely avoiding the attacks from the two remaining wizards.
Oh, no, Simon thought.
Caleb had done as Simon ordered. He had remained clear of the fray.
Until Lucien fell.
Thirty feet from the surface of the water, a bolt of light struck Caleb’s right wing. He spun around in the air and crashed into the sea.
“No!” Simon screamed. He had no hope of rescuing Caleb and Lucien. He had no confidence he could save even one of them without drowning. Mother was not there to save him this time. Simon made a pass above the giants, blowing fire to create a diversion.
“Help!” Simon heard the cry as Lucien struggled to keep his head above the surface. His heavy clothes weighed him down. Lucien would not last long. Simon looked up when he heard Alice’s screech. She dove toward Caleb.
“Good girl,” Simon said aloud. He dodged blasts from Dommerien and his son. A chill ran through him when he saw Caleb and Alice emerge from the depths and rise into the air. Simon turned his attention to Lucien. He had no choice. He would have to brave the sea—and almost certain death.
For the brother who had lived his life. Sat upon his throne. And taken his wife.
The moment of inattention cost him. Twin blasts of light careened off of Simon—one struck his rear leg, and another hit him in the jaw.
Simon’s head rocked backward. He felt a tooth floating loosely in his mouth. He wanted to roar, but he refused to give the giants the satisfaction of knowing they had hurt him.
Simon drew breath in through his nostrils. He held his breath and dove toward the sea behind Lucien. Simon planed just beneath the water’s surface. He felt Lucien’s desperate grip as he wrapped his arms around the dragon’s neck. Simon pushed with his wings. He pushed with his legs. He willed himself to break the power of the sea to pull him into the depths.
It was no use. He had never learned to swim—either as a boy or a dragon. The fear and hopelessness he experienced when he carried Dathien to the depths of these waters remained with him. Then, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. But now, it would mean death to him and to his brother. Simon vowed to fight until he had no fight left.
Simon’s wings grew heavier and heavier. He kept pushing. His legs became numb.
“I’m sorry,” he said, although he knew Lucien would not hear him.
Simon pushed with his wings. He pushed again. It seemed that he met with less resistance.
A trick of the mind, Simon thought. It will all be over soon.
He pushed again. He felt as light as a feather. His wings moved easily. Simon would have believed he had passed on to another life if not for one thing.
He still felt Lucien’s arms around his neck.
Simon looked down. The distance between him and the water grew.
And he heard the angry roars of the giants.
Simon looked to his left. Caleb hovered in midair. His eyes glowed with orange fire. Bolts of light moved between Caleb’s legs—and Simon’s wings.
Caleb had saved them. Again.
The giants recognized the presence of magic.
“Magic?” Dommerien roared. “Magic from a…from a beast?”
The giants threw everything they had at Caleb. Explosions filled the air. Caleb’s spell was broken, but no longer necessary.
“Get away, Caleb!” Simon yelled.
Caleb shook his head. His wings were torn.
“Go back, Caleb! Back to Islemar!”
Another blast of white-hot light hit Simon the back of the head. For a few moments, Simon could not see. When his vision returned it was blurry.
“I’m all right!” he heard Lucien call.
“Alice! We have to go back! Now!”
Simon turned toward Islemar. He looked back. Alice continued to hover just out of range of the giant’s ship.
“Alice!” Simon called.
Alice climbed higher into the air.
“No,” Simon whispered. “Don’t do it…”
Alice attained her top speed. She drove toward the ship. Attacks from the giants flew close. The attacks stopped when the giants realized what was about to happen.
Alice crashed through the deck of the ship. The deck exploded into splinters. The dragon’s body passed through the hold and cracked the hull.
The giants roared curses and filled the sky with desperate blasts as the ship took on water. Simon hovered as he watched the giants disappear beneath the surface.
And then there was silence.
Twenty-Seven
They had flown for only a few minutes when Simon and Caleb saw the dark spot in the sky. It grew larger by the second. They knew what it was before their eyes confirmed it.
Mother.
Caleb heard her cries. He answered.
Mother flew past them without a pause. Simon turned to follow her. Caleb did the same. As Mother dove toward the surface, Caleb spoke to her in the dragon’s language. Again, Mother did not wait. She plunged into the sea and disappeared.
Simon and Caleb hovered in silence.
“What did you tell her?” Simon asked.
“That her children died bravely.”
“She has…she has lost so much already,” Simon said. “She saved my life. Her mate saved us all. By the gods—is anything fair in this world?”
They continued to stare into the void of the sea.
“We have to go, Simon,” Caleb said. “Or we will not reach Islemar. Our efforts will mean nothing.”
Simon raised his head and blew a blast of fire.
“Let’s go home.”
As they turned, they heard splashing at the surface of the water.
Mother flapped her immense wings. Her jaws were clamped on Alice’s right wing.
“By the gods!” Simon screamed. “Go, Caleb! To Islemar!”
Simon and Caleb flew behind Mother. Mother pushed ahead with every bit of energy she had. The shoreline appeared in the distance.
Mother’s wings slowed. She lost altitude. Simon flew next to Mother. He moved beneath her. He did not know how to help her.
Simon jumped out of the way when tendrils of light passed by his head. He looked behind him and saw Caleb hovering. Caleb’s eyes glowed as they had before, as he used his magic to keep Mother and Alice in the air.
But his help came with a price. Caleb’s wings slowed. His body sank toward the sea.
No, Simon thought. He glared into the sky above him.
You cannot make me choose between them. Damn you! This is not fair!”
“Look!” Simon heard Lucien yell. “Look. Simon!”
Simon turned. Something appeared in the water. It grew larger.
A ship.
And not just any ship. A very fast ship.
“Caleb!” Simon screamed. “Help is coming! You have to stop! Stop, before you—”
Mother saw the ship. She knew that Caleb was in trouble. He was in a trance that sapped his strength and would soon leave him powerless to save his own life. She turned and flew toward Caleb with her rear legs extended. Her legs struck Caleb in the chest. His legs flew over his head. He spun a complete circle and stopped. He shook his head.
“What…what happened?”
“The ship!” Simon yelled. “Make for the ship, Caleb!”
Simon reached the ship first. Before he landed, the ship’s crew cleared the deck.
The ship carried his friends: Noah, Lilly, Boone, Helena, Ben, and Tanner.
Simon landed and moved aside, making as much room as possible for the others. Mother struggled to lay Alice on the deck as gently as she could. Caleb landed behind them.
Boone stepped next to Simon.
“What happened?” he whispered.
Simon’s chest heaved. He either could not speak, or did not want to. He moved his jaw awkwardly.
> “What’s wrong with your mouth?” Boone asked.
Simon moved his jaw again. He opened his mouth and a tooth fell to the deck. Boone picked it up.
“Nigel was killed by the Varylquin,” Lucien said. “Alice accomplished what we could not. She destroyed their ship.”
“Alice is not moving,” Tanner said.
“Do you think Mother only wished to claim her daughter’s body?” Helena asked. “Or do you think she hopes for…?”
“She hopes we can help her,” Caleb said.
“Can…can you help her?” Simon asked.
“I don’t…I don’t think so,” Caleb said, choking back a sob.
Tanner gripped Caleb’s foreleg with both his hands.
“Come with me, Caleb. We will try. We will try until we reach the harbor. We will not give up as long as Mother clings to hope. We will try…until all hope is gone.”
The wizard and the dragon lay their hands and talons on the still body. Mother continued to nuzzle her snout against Alice’s neck. Her voice was pitiful and filled with grief.
Noah and the others hoisted the sails. They reached the harbor quickly. The docks were full of people. After the ship was moored, Lord Lamont and his officers and guards ordered the people to stay off of the docks.
Two people were allowed to pass. They walked toward the ship with purpose.
Sara and Ezekiel Brewer.
The children joined Tanner and Caleb. Without a word, they put their hands on Alice.
Mother jumped backward when Alice’s body began to quiver. The quiver gave way to a violent storm of energy—like a lightning storm was erupting from within the dragon’s limp body. Mother leapt into the air, hovering above them. She screeched—an awful, sorrowful sound. Caleb raised his head and spoke to her in her own language.
The lights continued to crackle until the sound was deafening. Some of the people in the crowded harbor screamed and ran away. The other people on the ship hid behind Simon as the brilliant light forced them to turn their heads. The ship glowed like the midday sun.
