Desolation (Dragonlands Book 4)

by Megg Jensen

  “Maybe the stories aren’t true,” Onva said. “Maybe we’re all listening to the paranoid ramblings of people who existed a long time ago.”

  “Decarian is real,” Donovan said. “The shades are real. You still live in magically cloaked villages, avoiding the wilds of Desolation. If these exist, then the stories are true. You know what they say…”

  Tressa held her breath. Here it was. The part she did not know. The thing everyone had been hiding from her.

  “We have heard the stories since we sat on our mothers’ knees,” Kadrin said. “They scared us into never wandering from the boundaries of the village. They frightened us into training for war. They gave us nightmares that crept into every moment of sleep. If the stories are true, and they are about to unravel, then yes, perhaps we must accept Tressa for what she is.”

  What were the stories? She was dying to know. Tressa’s heart pounded as she listened, barely able to contemplate the harsh life these people had lived. Even trapped in the fog, Tressa hadn’t felt fear. It was her life. It was normal. But the wavering tone of Kadrin’s voice told her a terrified young boy hid inside him.

  “Yes,” Donovan admitted, his voice surprisingly sad. “It is the beginning of the end for us all. Only Tressa holds the key to helping us defeat the prophesied warlord.”

  “Do you think she can do it?” Accore asked.

  “I hope so. Or all of us will perish.”

  After Donovan’s final words, the tent fell silent. Someone put out the candles, and the rest of them settled in for the night’s sleep. Tressa stayed awake long after snores punctuated the quiet night. In spite of all she’d heard, she was left with far more questions than answers. The end of the world? A prophecy? A warlord? She couldn’t begin to make sense of it all, much less her role in it.

  Tressa heard something snuffling outside the fabric walls. It stopped next to her, and she almost swore she could see its shadowy outline. It didn’t affect her as it had her first night in Desolation. No, this time sheer terror shot through her veins. What other horrors were coming this way and could she really stop them as Donovan believed?

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Tressa woke the next morning after a fitful night's sleep. Her companions’ words had done little to taper her anger. If there was something they wanted her to do, something only she could do, then why not fill her in? It was asinine to keep her in the dark. She couldn't help them if they refused to tell her the truth.

  The tent quickly sprang to life around her. The others packed their bedrolls while chewing on jerky. Tressa popped a hunk of bread in her mouth, grinding it into pieces with her angry jaw. She had nothing to say to any of them. They hated her because of her blood, not because of anything she'd ever done to hurt them. In fact, she'd come to Desolation with the intention of helping her people, and anyone else who might be affected by Decarian. She would have thought they would have given her a chance.

  "Today we will enter the home of the shades," Accore said to all of them. "You must be prepared. It will be dark. The ground is uneven and rocky. As we descend into the depths of the catacombs, be careful of your footing. The paths are riddled with drop-offs. I do not know how far you would fall. Every one of us must be on our guard."

  Tressa took in his words, trying to remain brave. She’d spent time in the underground city of the Ruins of Ebon, but this sounded more ominous. More deadly.

  Fi's laughing face flashed in Tressa's mind. This was why she would do it. Just to see her friend laugh one more time.

  "We also must learn to trust one another," Accore continued. "We cannot face the shades and live without working as a team. If anyone here cannot commit to that, then stay behind. You must decide now."

  Tressa fidgeted with her bedroll, waiting for the others to back out. They would come to their senses and realize they couldn't walk into danger with her, no matter their level of trust in Donovan and Accore.

  "We will follow you into the underground," Hildie said. "We swore our unflinching loyalty and we will uphold our oath."

  "Very good." Donovan slung his pack onto his back. "Then let's be on our way."

  The group filed out one by one. No one looked at Tressa, and they all stood apart from her, their eyes carefully averted as if they thought looking at her would awaken the dreaded dragon. She couldn't, and she wouldn't even if she could. She needed them more than they needed her.

  Accore used magic to fold the tent into a tiny square that could sit in his hand. He tossed it in his pack and smiled at the group. "Let's go."

  "Now isn't the time for levity," Onva said. "We are walking into a deadly trap."

  "It's only a trap if they suspect we are coming," Donovan said. "Considering the people of Desolation have hidden from the shades for hundreds of years, I doubt the shades are expecting us. We have the advantage and we mustn't lose it."

  The group set off north. Donovan and Accore took the lead. Tressa trailed them, and the remaining four brought up the rear. The closer the sun fell to the horizon at the end of the day, the more skittish their horses got. Tressa's dappled mare nickered, her feet kicking at the ground.

  "What is it, girl?" Tressa asked, wishing she could communicate with the horse the same way she had communicated with Fi when they rode together as dragon and human. The horse only picked up her frantic dance, refusing to go any further forward.

  Donovan and Accore turned around. Their horses were skittish too, but they were able to better control the nervous beasts. Donovan flanked her to the right, Accore to the left.

  "We're close enough to walk now," Donovan said. He slid to his feet and reached up for the reins to Tressa's horse. She happily relinquished them to him as she joined him on the ground.

  "I'll set up the tent." Accore pulled a square out of his pack.

  The other four pulled up behind them, also dismounting. One by one, they led their horses into the tent. Fregar set up bowls with food and water.

  "We will know by morning if we are able to rescue Fi,” Donovan said. “Now, we all must lie down and sleep until night has fully fallen. Then we will undertake this leg of our journey."

  "Will the shades be asleep when we go into the catacombs?" Tressa asked.

  Onva snorted. "Fool. The shades do not sleep. They are not human like you and I. Or at least like us. I'm not sure what you are."

  "I am just as human as the rest of you," Tressa insisted. They ignored her, settling down next to the horses in their tent. She shrugged and joined them, refusing to isolate herself again.

  Within only a few moments, they were all asleep except Donovan. He motioned for Tressa to lie down. She complied, squeezing her eyes shut. She couldn’t relax, though. The fear and uncertainty of what they were about to undertake overwhelmed her.

  How could the rest of them sleep at a time like this? She tried counting pigs in the meadow. It was a trick Granna had taught her long ago when she was a little girl and had trouble sleeping. Unfortunately it never worked—particularly not this evening. Though she forced her breathing to slow, her mind would not be stilled. It raced through every scenario she could think of. No matter how hard she tried to find a happy outcome, every one of them ended in a brutal death at the hands of an enemy she couldn't quite see.

  After a long time of pretending to sleep while listening to Kadrin's snoring, Donovan woke Accore. Tressa sprang up.

  "You did not sleep," Donovan said. "You will regret that."

  "It wasn't for lack of trying," Tressa said. "What do I need to bring with me?"

  "Just your sword and your daggers," Accore said as he belted his sword to his hip. "The rest will remain here for our return."

  Hildie stood, her fists firmly on her hips. "I apologize for my poor attitude, Tressa."

  Tressa tried not to let her surprise show.

  "We are entering a place of death," Hildie said. "I will not go in with anger at my fellow warriors. Kadrin, Fregar, and Onva, I suggest you do the same."

  Fregar and Onva stood to
gether, their hands over their hearts. "We pledge our lives to you and to our fellow warriors. Tonight we stand together. May we never fall apart."

  Kadrin eyed Tressa. "I liked you when I met you. I suppose I can try to like you tonight. We'll see about tomorrow."

  Tressa took a deep breath. "I accept all of you as my allies in arms. Your sacrifice will not go unappreciated. Thank you."

  Accore smiled. "See, I knew the lot of you would find your peace eventually. Let us be on our way. The entrance to the catacombs lies not far ahead. Grab your torches. We will light them when we are safely inside the doorway."

  "And after that, watch your arse," Donovan said. "Tonight the beasts from the depths will rise and they thirst for your blood. We do this for Tressa and her friend, Fi. We do this for freedom. Tonight is only the beginning."

  Tressa watched as the warriors raised their fists. She did the same, her heart pounding with equal parts fear and anticipation.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Donovan held a finger to his lips. He stood in front of a door studded with metal spikes. The group behind him held their tongues and their breath. Tressa's hand hovered over the hilt of her sword, ready for anything that would come at her.

  A rusty screech tore through the silence as Donovan opened the door. He pulled out his flint kit and lit his torch. One by one, they touched their torches to Donovan's, sending light through the dark void. Donovan stepped inside, followed by Accore, Tressa, and the four warriors.

  Tressa’s left hand, holding the torch, trembled slightly. Her right hand hovered over the hilt of her sword. Accore clicked his tongue twice, and all of them drew their steel.

  A discordant keen echoed somewhere deep inside the dank tunnel. A lump formed in Tressa's throat, but she quickly swallowed it. She blinked, squinting at the flickering light of her torch. Her mouth went dry as the dissonant sound grew louder.

  Step after careful step, the party descended into the catacombs. The tunnel was narrow, so tight they were forced to walk single file. Tressa would have preferred someone next to her. Accore's steady shoulders ahead had to be enough reassurance.

  The tunnel opened into a large room, twice Tressa's height, and wide enough to accommodate ten people standing shoulder to shoulder. She kept her eyes forward, staring down the opening to the next tunnel, knowing what was nestled in the holes in the walls. Though Hutton's Bridge didn't have catacombs, Tressa knew what they were from Granna's books. She had been afraid of them as a child, imagining bodies rising from the dead and walking the earth with slack lips, vacant eyes, and shuffling feet. Granna had told her it was only her imagination, but Tressa had been convinced she knew the truth.

  Tonight she eyed the graves and prayed to every god she'd ever heard of that her childhood imaginings were false. Something nudged her back and Tressa jumped ahead, nearly hitting Accore on the head with her torch. She looked over her shoulder, relieved to see Hildie glaring at her. It wasn't a dead person come back to life, just the tall blond woman.

  Tressa steadied herself as the group continued into another tunnel, sloping downward at a much steeper grade than the last. Tressa’s boots fought for purchase on the rocky ground. Kadrin cursed under his breath more than once. The rest remained silent.

  The tunnel leveled out, opening to another chamber. Donovan waved them all closer. They stood in a circle, their foreheads nearly touching.

  "From here it becomes more dangerous," Donovan whispered. "The path drops off to the side in places—how far, no one knows. The shades live under the catacombs, scavenging on the creatures living in darkness. From here on out, we won't carry our torches."

  "How will we see?" Fregar asked, her voice tense.

  "We will rely on each other," Accore said. "Place your left hand on the shoulder of the person in front of you. Only together can we victoriously traverse this pit. This requires complete trust. Can you do that?" He looked pointedly at Hildie, who had been following Tressa in the tunnels.

  "Yes," Hildie answered, no hesitation in her voice. "Go on."

  "Keep your sword at the ready," Accore said. "We do not know where the attacks will come from. They could be from the front or the side, or even from above."

  Tressa glanced up at the ceiling wondering what might attack from above. Chills raced through her body. She threw back her shoulders, determined to fight not just the shades, but also her own fear.

  "I have an idea where Fi might be held, if she is still alive," Donovan said. "It is a treacherous journey. I survived it once, and I intend to do it again."

  Tressa's eyes widened. So he was the one who had faced the shades and lived. Donovan had many secrets. She doubted this was the last one she would learn.

  "Is everyone ready?" Accore asked.

  They all nodded in agreement.

  "Then let us journey on, and may the gods be with us," Accore said.

  They reformed into their line. One by one they blew out their torches and placed their left hand on the person in front of them. Tressa reached up, her fingers settling on Accore's strong shoulder. He moved forward, and she stumbled after him. Hilde's hand rested on her shoulder as they snaked ahead.

  They entered the next tunnel. Tressa was surprised at the light greeting them. The walls and ceiling were covered in glittering crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling. Had it been another time and another mission, she might have taken a moment to marvel at the sheer beauty. Instead her mind raced with images of Fi. Tressa was anxious to find her friend, even if it was just her lifeless body. She owed it to Fi to take her home to Sarah, dead or alive. Tressa had wanted to return Bastian's body to Hutton's Bridge, but there were too many bodies to sift through. Instead, she'd been told they'd opted for mass graves at sea. Dragons had clutched bodies in their claws, dropping them into the raging waters.

  They trekked deeper underground, again plunged into darkness. Tressa lost all approximation of how long they'd been walking. Her legs didn't protest. Her feet didn't ache. She could think of nothing but Fi.

  A grunt echoed in the cave behind them, followed by blood-curdling shrieks.

  "Kadrin?" Onva yelled, her voice shaking. "His hand isn't on my shoulder anymore. I can't find him."

  They paused for a moment, waiting for his reply, but none came.

  "We must keep moving," Donovan said grimly. He moved forward, again.

  "Hildie?" Tressa asked. "Hurry up. We're moving."

  "We can't just leave Kadrin," she said, her voice laced with fear.

  "If he's not answering us, then he is gone," Accore said.

  "It was too fast," Fregar insisted. "No one can just disappear."

  Tressa knew they could. Fi had. "Perhaps he is in the same place as Fi," she said, hope filling her chest.

  A scream rang out behind them, followed by a string of garbled curses, and a strangled plea from Kadrin, "Run! Save yourselves!"

  "Move!" Donovan commanded.

  No one hesitated. Hands on shoulders, they went forward as quickly as they could without losing their footing. The wall to Tressa's left had fallen away, crumbling into nothing. Her toes hovered over the edge of the path. Even if the thing behind them didn't catch them, the dropoff might.

  Tressa's breath came in ragged gasps, piercing her already dry throat and lips. Still she moved on, her nails digging into Accore's shoulder. He didn't complain or ask her to let up, for which she was grateful. She wasn't sure she would be able to loosen her grasp.

  Hildie's fingers dug into Tressa's collarbone. One of the twins sniffled back tears, but neither gave up. Together they descended until they emerged in a giant cavern.

  Donovan stood with his back against a wall, and the rest of them followed suit. The cool humidity of the rock against her back seeped in through Tressa’s clothes. They stood there, hiding in the shadow of the wall, taking only a moment to catch their breath.

  Tressa reached out, grabbing Accore's hand. Her sword was pointed down, but she was more than ready if she needed to fight.

&
nbsp; Donovan pointed into the cavern at a large rock formation. Tressa squinted in the dark, trying to make out its features. It wasn't just a rock. It was a statue of a giant beast with three mouths and four eyes. Arms swept out from its broad shoulders and the two hands came together, palms up. In them lay Fi, her body limp and lifeless.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Hazel writhed on the bed, her arms wrapped around her middle. Drool pooled on the blanket next to her slack mouth. "I can't stand this, Connor. Please, you need to do something."

  Connor paced the room. "I don't know what to do." He'd considered flying away with her, leaving Bastian for another time, but his room was surrounded by guards. Changing inside the inn would only destroy the building and hurt Hazel. She had already asked him the unthinkable.

  "I won't turn you," he said. "The Green will come up with a way to save you. This is just a trick. They will give you an antidote."

  "No, they won't," she said through gritted teeth. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. "I'm dying, just like they said. The poison is attacking every part of me. Just do as they demanded. If I'm going to be forced to change, I want to be Blue, like you."

  "No." Connor refused to look at his dying wife. "You'd be better off dead. Trust me."

  Hazel clawed at Connor's pants. She grabbed some of the fabric in her hand and yanked on it, pulling him close. "No, trust me. I know what I want, and I want to live. Beside you. Not just as your human wife, but as your equal in all things. I don't want to die now. I'm not ready. If you can save me, then do it, damn it!"

  Connor sank to the floor next to the bed. He took Hazel's hand in his. She’d emptied her stomach after being confined to their room, but was quickly deteriorating. Connor had fought the urge to break out of the room and kill every one of them in the village. It was only the pleading gaze in Hazel's eyes that kept him by her side.

  "Tressa was okay," Hazel said. "She's a dragon now."

  "Tressa was really ill, if you remember," Connor said. "We thought she was going to die."