Enchanted Bookstore Legends (5-book complete epic fantasy romance box set)

by Marsha A. Moore

  “I did and have a campsite in mind that was not a suggestion from her bird,” the fox scoffed.

  ***

  Twilight settled, almost as dark as night under the thick tree canopy above their camp. Lyra assisted with construction of a protective ward. The air, charged with dark magic, made the job harder compared to the previous evening. They created only a small safe room, secured on one side to a granite wall. Only about ten feet square, it provided just enough space for sleeping.

  The wizard conjured simple rations for all and a couple buckets of water. “Be quick. Get some nourishment, and then I must remove the remains, to not attract extra suspicion.”

  “We’ll need to stand watch tonight, for sure. Our magic is not as strong here,” Bero said, before taking a mouthful of grain.

  “Noba will help,” the tiny dragon volunteered, mumbling through a bite of meat.

  “Okay, you first and then me,” the buck decided. “The rest of you, get some sleep when you can.”

  As the others bedded down, Cullen went to each and offered healing as needed. He mended plenty of internal ailments in Noba and the fox, then regrew some of Bero’s fractured rack.

  Lyra followed and attempted to learn the skill, but in darkness, she could only sense the extent of their injuries, not bring healing. Although her jadestone only helped mend Cullen’s wounds, she was thankful for that ability.

  While she treated him again, he explained, “The strength of the dark force inhibits our powers. This is difficult even for me. You were amazing during that fight. I never expected you could channel my full power and lend me yours. It’s a miracle you knew how to do that without training. The Imperial Dragon was correct; it saved us. Still wish I could protect you without bringing you face-to-face with danger. Relying on you isn’t right—it’s my job to protect you.”

  Lyra raised an eyebrow. “I’m not about to be taken care of. I’ll use whatever I can to fight. I’m relieved I could help. It was incredible feeling your power in me. I can’t describe…”

  Cullen laughed. “You’re taking a liking to my strength. Make no mistake, facing serious threat, I’ll use our combined power first. You aren’t trained. You’re my back-up.”

  She winked and retorted, “Everyone remarks how fast I learn. Remember that.”

  When she finished, he conjured a few blankets, selected a sleeping spot for them next to the wall, and shielded her with his body.

  Sleep did not come easily for Lyra, and then only fitful, short bouts filled with disconnected visions. She glimpsed the same strange man, wearing a cloak bordered in moving tentacles. His jet black hair hung down his back. She strained to see more detail, but his face stayed in shadow. He turned, and his eyes glowed red. Lyra jolted awake and moved closer to Cullen.

  He responded, wrapping his arm tighter around her waist.

  The comfort and warmth of his touch eased her back to sleep. From the edge of slumber, she heard a faint voice call, “Master! Master, wake up!”

  Cullen abruptly turned away from her.

  She rolled over, now fully awake.

  His familiar whispered, “Master! Noba sees a shadow moving near. Like a human with two curved horns. Can’t see clear.”

  The wizard reached back and grabbed hold of his staff, positioned between them for safety as they slept. He tilted it, ready to fire.

  A face and hands pressed against the wall of the ward, like looking in through a window pane—Glisla. “Please, may I enter?” She trembled, her gray hair matted with something dark, probably blood. What happened to her? “Please, I need a safe place to rest for a while.”

  Cullen sighed and asked over his shoulder, “What do you think? Should we let her in?”

  “Well, she’s wounded and shaking, like something’s hurt her and maybe still chasing. Could that be a set-up to get us to lower the ward?”

  “It certainly could.”

  “Can’t you use fascination like before?” Lyra asked.

  He lowered his voice more. “Not through a ward. Besides, that’s such an advanced ability, and my technique is foreign to this territory. The power emitted would serve as a beacon.”

  “I say no. Don’t admit her.”

  “I agree, but the Imperial Dragon didn’t reprimand her for pushing you past the Geminus tree, so he must trust her. I can make a small opening, and if you’ll be ready to reseal it immediately after she passes…”

  “I can.” Lyra stood and stepped toward the boundary of the ward.

  He tipped the point of his staff and cut an opening just large enough for the woman to fit through.

  Lyra reformed it seconds after Glisla entered.

  “Thank you both,” the Qumeli dropped to her knees in appreciation. “Wrong of me to flee from your fight, but I paid when fresh winged guards of the Black Dragon picked up my scent rather than yours. One threw me around before I could escape.”

  “How do we know you aren’t tricking us into another trap like before?” Lyra snapped.

  “Have no proof, only my word I won’t harm you.” Glisla rolled from her knees to a seated position, obviously exhausted.

  “We can’t sleep with that little assurance.” Lyra turned aside to Cullen, whispering, “Is there any way to know more? Can you use just a little fascination so it isn’t discovered?”

  He shook his head. “But…” He pulled his pack up to his side and opened it. “You remember the swamp man?”

  She nodded and watched him intently as he withdrew the bottle of potion.

  He waved a hand and created three mugs.

  Lyra took the bottle and poured into each, then handed them around to Cullen, the Qumeli, and herself. “I think we need some refreshments. You look very weary, Glisla.” She recapped the potion, surprised to find it had refilled.

  “Thank you much. I am tired.”

  Lyra swirled the brew around, examining it. How could she trust her life to that slimy swamp man? But when Cullen drank his, she followed suit, as did the woman. She carefully watched the others and monitored her own body for symptoms—nothing. Cullen seemed normal. His eyes were open wide and watching.

  Soon, Glisla’s eyes drooped. “Feel sleepy. Rest comes now.” She spilled onto the leaf litter of the forest floor and fell fast asleep.

  “Is she asleep or unconscious…or dead?” Lyra whispered to Cullen.

  He crawled over to the still body. “She breathes shallowly. Perhaps unconscious. Hard to be certain. At least she’s unable to call to any who can harm us or hurt us herself. Let’s try to rest again.” He looked to his familiar, and reached out to pat the pseudodragon’s flank. “You did well, Noba. Please wake Bero to take watch and you sleep now.”

  “Noba happy to help.” The little dragon hopped off as directed.

  Lyra felt a chill. She moved to where they slept earlier and pulled the blanket over herself.

  Cullen secured his staff and joined her.

  Her eyes closed, but for a long time she listened to the slightest noises…the buck’s snorts, twigs snapping under his hoofs, the sound of him rubbing his antlers on a trunk to remove some of the itchy velvet. Her heart leapt with each sound, before recognition registered and her weary mind slowly gave way to sleep.

  Chapter Twenty-Four: The White Crane

  It seemed like only minutes later when Bero nudged Lyra and Cullen with his nose. “Master, evil’s lurking.”

  “What? What is it?” Cullen responded, struggling to wake while his hand grabbed his staff.

  “Don’t see or hear anything, but there’s an odor,” the buck spoke in a low voice.

  Lyra sniffed the air. A stench of dung. She pulled the blanket over her nose.

  “Nox, closest aide to the Black Dragon. No doubt he senses us. Our Imperial magic signals those with great power,” Cullen responded.

  Shuffling noises sounded from the right of the ward. Lyra peeked up above his shoulder.

  “Let’s hope the ward holds,” he added and positioned the sapphire tip of his sta
ff into strike position.

  She scanned the darkness. Nothing.

  The monster’s breath panted. Suddenly, a claw slashed through the ward. Foot-long talons traced lines of red light.

  Lyra gasped. The strength of its evil whipped inside their enclosure and pain rushed through her head.

  A flash of white-blue light shot from the wizard’s staff, squarely hit the claw and held it immobile, until the whole dragon’s foot shown blue.

  The beast roared and withdrew the charred hand, still glowing on its tips with Cullen’s magic. “Sire Drake! I know your mark.” A human face scowled close to the edge of the ward. Then a second human head grimaced at them, and a third spat red sparks through the boundary. Yet another glared at them with crazed eyes, glowing red-orange. Heads moved in and out, then all receded into the darkness.

  She lost count of them. “How many heads?” she asked in a hushed voice.

  “Eight, each with a different attack.” Cullen rose, poised to fight.

  The buck stepped in front of his animal friends.

  Lyra stood, staying near Cullen, in case they needed to comingle their powers. Her muscles clenched, the hairs on the back of her neck raised. No sound, no motion. The pain in her head left. Had he gone?

  This commotion awakened their other guides. The squirrel yelped in fright and moved back against the granite wall. Kenzo perched on bent legs, ready for flight, and Tama crouched to pounce.

  A red haze of daybreak crept in, giving slight illumination, but allowed no view of any demon or dragon. After several excruciatingly long minutes, Cullen took a step toward the outer wall of the ward. He held his hand to the area where the dark leader’s aide cut through. After lowering his staff, he returned to confer with her and motioned Bero to join them. “Before I sealed the tear, I analyzed the external magic. Nox left; apparently his burnt hand made him decide to opt for a more advantageous attack.”

  “It’s dawn; we should continue on to seek the Black Dragon,” Lyra said, gathering her pack and Cullen’s.

  Bero nodded.

  “What about Glisla? Is she alive?” She looked at the prone body. “The potion was supposed to kill an evil person and let others live. Or did the potion determine her soul to be evil and kill her?”

  The buck lowered his nose to the woman’s face. “She breathes.” He prodded her with a hoof, but she didn’t move.

  “Just as I expected, the potion found her to be neither good nor evil. Leave her,” Cullen said, accepting his pack. “I’ll reseal the ward. That’s as much as I owe her. If she regains consciousness, she can get out on her own. Let’s move out.” He waved them onward with his staff. “We need to travel fast now that Nox knows our location. We’ll break for food later. Bero, guard the rear.” He tore a wide gash in the ward for them to pass through and then resealed it. He turned to Lyra. “Keep close in case we need to fight together like before.”

  “Since we have no guide, can we locate a ley line and use it to lead us to the Black Dragon’s lair?” she asked.

  “Exactly my thought. No lines got in the way of building the ward, so we should find one nearby since they converge near this pole of power.” He held a palm up to sense magic in the air as they walked.

  Lyra stepped a few paces to one side and did the same, cautiously sending out the tiniest possible force from within herself—just enough to detect it bouncing back from any magnetic line. Quite correct about their spacing, she found one in less than a quarter mile. “Here!”

  “Good work!” Cullen smiled, coming over to her. “This can set our direction, but we’ll need to stay a short distance away, behind as much brush and cover as possible. That won’t hide our power to higher dark forces, but at least lesser demons might be fooled.”

  “May I scout ahead, Master?” Tama’s raised fur glistened through his rust-colored aura.

  “Me too,” the owl volunteered. “I can return with news quicker.”

  “Noba wants to go,” called out the familiar.

  “Tama, you go ahead, and thank you. Kenzo, I need you to be ready to fly out when we need help. Noba, I have an important job for you right now. Taz? Going to scout?”

  The squirrel sank back, probably now too fearful after the death of his friend. Lyra couldn’t blame him.

  “I’ll find the lair and return.” Tama scurried off.

  “Noba, what I need you to do is follow this ley line. Your tail should be able to detect the magnetism. Few will suspect a pseudodragon since they’re native to this area also. We’ll be along that ridge thirty feet away. Use care not to draw attention to us.”

  The familiar thrust out his little chest and lifted his tail high. “Count on Noba to get us there.”

  Even in the midst of danger, Lyra couldn’t resist smiling at his pure heart and dedication.

  Keeping a careful eye on him, she lifted her long skirt to walk close to whatever cover they found. After at least an hour, evil power hung thicker in the air, just like when Nox’s claw cut their ward. Her throat tightened so much that she paused to massage it, trying to relax the clenched muscles.

  As the ley line approached a cliff, Tama scampered down a precarious stone face to meet them. “We should take the path to the left, up the mountain. Nox and a few drakes are on the other. I also learned something of interest. The drakes are about to hunt for food to serve their leader. He’ll likely nap after feeding.”

  Noba joined them and Cullen bent to pat him. He conjured a quick share of rations for the group. “Did that ‘something of interest’ come from Tarom, the Icewalker?”

  Tama nodded, his mouth full.

  “Who’s Tarom?” Lyra asked.

  “The only potential ally we have here in the Dark Realm. No one understands where his allegiance lies.”

  “Like Eburscon?”

  Cullen sneered at the mention of that name. “Not exactly, although they’re both alchemists. Tarom is easier to read; he’s a loner, out for himself first. Eburscon wants to lead others on some path only he knows.”

  The fox arched his back. “I make sure I do a few good turns for Tarom now and then to stay on terms with him. A good connection for my spying.”

  “That’s why I selected you for this journey.”

  Tama’s muzzle turned up at the corners into a grin.

  Cullen faced the great owl. “Kenzo, it’s time for you to alert the Alliance sentries as we discussed earlier.”

  “Ready, Master,” he replied, head high.

  “Travel high above the forest canopy to the Imperial Dragon’s lair. The best blues will be waiting for your signal to carry us home.” The wizard stooped and cupped his owl’s head in both hands. “Be very watchful for attacking drakes.”

  “Count on me.” Kenzo wasted no time and flew up and out of sight.

  “Let’s get going. Drakes are fast hunters.” Tama turned and led the way, picking a path through the rocks.

  Cullen climbed after him and paused to test a narrow path, which crumbled under his weight. He held a hand back to support Lyra’s ascent.

  Once she reached safety, she looked to the others. She worried the buck would not make it with his girth.

  Surprisingly, he waited until the others were all clear and then leapt to a wider surface, landing with the sure-footing of a mountain goat.

  She slowed to let him catch up. “Where did you learn to do that?”

  He snorted. “Our kind is mixed with…umm, something like what I’ve heard you call caribou—climbing is in my blood.”

  She grinned and patted his nose.

  In the next moment, a magma drake rounded the corner of the mountain.

  Lyra gasped.

  “Quick! Drop down against the rock and I’ll cover you,” Bero ordered.

  She did and his massive body hid her completely. From under his neck, she peeked at the drake cruising into the forest.

  Tama yelled back, “Group together more and pick up the pace. We have a hard climb ahead.”

  She strained to
reach Cullen again.

  Between gulps of air he said, “Good move with Bero.”

  “His idea. He’s been a huge help the whole way.”

  Tama ducked into a recess in the granite.

  While Lyra caught her breath, she looked down. They stood about two hundred feet up, the rock face sheer and steep.

  The fox announced, “Not much farther. Around the next bend, we’ll hide in a few crevices and wait until the dark leader’s fed.”

  He cast out onto the path again, before Lyra was ready. Still struggling from exertion, fear now descended over her. Around the corner lay the lair of the beast so powerful he could destroy this world, the life of the man she loved, and her chance at happiness with him. All her muscles tensed at once, sweat drenched her face and ran from under her hair down the back of her neck.

  A hand on her back made her jerk and then in a split second, she relaxed at the touch. “I’m here with you. You’re not alone and never will be. I’ll be yours through every hard moment. Trust.”

  “Trust—I will.” Inside her mind, she focused on Aunt Jean’s words, Keep a clear head, but follow your heart. Fire of her aura raged inside her soul and flared into her limbs.

  After about one hundred feet, the fox darted into a wide vertical fissure.

  Lyra pulled up beside him.

  Drakes of every shape and size circled outside the mouth of the lair—fire, magma, ooze, smoke, and the most dangerous…ice. From the fantasy books she had studied, the edgy, chaotic ice drakes jumped at the chance to freeze opponents with a single touch. Each drake delivered some freshly killed meat to serve their master. How would she ever get past those guards?

  While they stood watching and waiting, she pulled the heliodor from below her chin into view. She glanced over to Cullen in the next crevice.

  His eyes fixed upon her. He twisted his dragon ring, clearly worried.