by F. P. Spirit
Fran glared in the old man’s direction. “Oh, go fill yer pie hole with cake, ya ol’ screech owl.”
Qualar smiled, flashing a mouthful of yellowed teeth around the room, then glanced down at Seth. “I’ll bring ya some.”
Seth held up two fingers. “Raina said I get two pieces.”
Qualar nodded, his expression turning serious. “Alright, then. I’ll grab a whole cake. Two pieces for you. Two for me. We’ll split what’s left after that.”
Seth’s impression of the old man just went way up. “Now you’re talking.”
Qualar spun on his heel and hurried outside, slamming the door behind him.
“Fran, how can you write a letter without seeing what you’re writing?” Kalyn insisted.
“Like I told ya, child! Ya don’t need sight for lots o’ things!” Fran paused her scribbling and pushed the letter toward Kalyn. “Would you like to try?”
Kalyn shook her head, a mischievous smile growing on her face. “Not with my eyes closed, but I would like to write something!”
A wicked grin crossed Seth’s lips. This ought to be good.
Kalyn took the pen from Fran, and with slow, careful strokes, wrote a few lines down on the paper, then pushed the pen back into the old woman’s hand, a satisfied smile on her face. “There! Done. What does your part say?”
Fran traced her fingers down the paper, smudging some of the ink across it, then she started to write again. “I said ‘Wher’er y’all is, make all yerselves scarce ‘n get to where ya can talk to some druids!’ What did you put?”
Kalyn looked over Fran’s shoulder at the paper, “I put “Oh my gods. I can’t believe we’re sending a message to the Heroes. I love you guys.”
She smiled, then frowned, still staring at the paper. “What are you writing down now?”
“I’m saying “S’cuse my friend. She wrote that. I didn’t. Now, get yer tight fannies o’er here, ‘n make it snappy!”
Seth thought he would bust a gut. He fell to the floor, laughing uncontrollably.
“What?” Kalyn asked in an accusing tone. “What’s wrong with it?”
Seth took a deep breath, holding his sides from laughing so hard. “Nothing! Send it like it is! I can’t wait for them to get it.”
“Well then, here ya go. Send it off!” Fran rolled the paper up and held it out in Seth’s direction. “Just think about who ya wants it to go to, and it’ll go. Just picture their face, their name, or whatever works for ya.”
Seth picked himself up off the floor and took the rolled paper from Fran. He glanced over it quickly and saw that it had a familiar spell written above Fran and Kalyn’s scribbling. He had seen Aksel use it to contact Sir Craven when they were still aboard the Rusty Nail. It’s how they had set up their rendezvous with the Knights of the Rose back in the Darkwoods.
Seth closed his eyes and pictured Aksel. With a poof! the paper disappeared from his hands, the scroll invoking its magic. Seth then opened his eyes and rubbed his hands together, a wicked smile on his face. “I wish I could be a fly on the wall when they get this message.”
Under the Hammer
Suspended in mid-air hung a man-sized, translucent, blue crystal.
Donnie stared after Elistra with stark disbelief. The lovely seeress was about to use her body to distract the guards, and from what he had just seen of her, he had little doubt she would be successful doing so.
A pair of hands suddenly grasped him from behind and spun him around. Glo stared at him, the tall elf just a bit wild-eyed. “Come on, Donnie. You heard her. Let’s get this done with.”
“Okay,” Donnie said with a nod. He faced Glo and prepared to be turned invisible.
The tall elf took a moment to compose himself, then began to weave his hands in a circular motion. Donnie felt sorry for Glo. What Elistra was doing certainly had the elven wizard rattled. Donnie supposed he would feel the same way if Alana were acting as the distraction. The thought of Alana stripping down to her underwear made the thin elf suddenly blush.
Abruptly, Glo’s spell released, and Donnie felt the magic course over him. When it was done, Donnie could still see himself, but knew that the rest of the world could no longer.
“Come on, Donnie. Go already,” Glo urged him.
“Okay. Going,” Donnie answered as he headed for the door.
Donnie slowly turned the handle and pulled the door inward a crack. He peered outside and saw two figures standing by the entrance to the lower levels. The first one was a single guard, and the second Elistra. The seeress stood there with Glo’s robe wide open, casually chatting with the guard. The second guard was nowhere to be seen. Donnie slipped through the doorway, then carefully pulled it closed behind him.
Elistra must have noticed the door’s movement. The sexy seeress grabbed the guard by the hands, and pulled him in the opposite direction, away from both entryways. The guard went along rather willingly.
Donnie stole over to the next doorway as the seeress continued to work her magic. He silently turned the handle, then pushed it in just enough to squeeze through. Donnie had just made it inside when he heard a distinct slap from the other side of the door.
“Just what kind of girl do you think I am?” Elistra’s voice wafted through the open doorway. It was followed by the sound of footsteps stomping across the upper deck.
A wide grin crossed Donnie’s face as he silently pulled the door closed behind him. Elistra was quite the actress.
Still grinning, the thin elf silently climbed down the steep flight of stairs. At the very bottom stood a solitary form slouched against the wall, its head bowed. Donnie approached the figure cautiously. It was another guard, dressed in the purple and gold uniform of Lanfor. From his rhythmic breathing, the guard was either asleep or pretending to be.
What are the odds? Donnie thought wryly.
Donnie held his breath as he soundlessly snuck past the man, but the guard gave no indication of waking from his slumber. A thin smirk graced the slight elf’s lips. Lucky for me, but not so lucky for him if that wizard catches him. He doesn’t quite seem like the forgiving type.
Once past the guard, Donnie got his bearings. He stood in a long hallway that ran from the bow to the stern of the ship. The corridor was lined with numerous doors, the two largest ones on either end. Donnie paused a few moments, deciding which way to go, when a muffled cry reverberated down the hall. It had come from the large door at the bow.
Donnie cocked his head to one side, a single eyebrow arched. That sounds like someone in pain. Well, Anya is a strange one. Perhaps Elladan is still entertaining her…
A second muffled cry interrupted his thoughts. Donnie cast a sidelong glance at the guard, but the man had not moved an inch. The thin elf shook his head. Either you’re the worst guard ever, or this kind of thing happens down here all the time.
Either way, the thought was disconcerting. Donnie crept down the corridor until he had nearly reached the end of the hall. The large door in front of him was ironbound and looked rather thick. As he examined the doorway, another cry came from behind it, this one weaker than the rest. It was followed by a shout of triumph.
“Yes! Yes! It worked! It finally worked!”
The other cries had been higher pitched, almost definitely female. Yet that last shout had been a much deeper tone, most decidedly male.
Abruptly, the door in front of Donnie flew open. The wiry elf threw himself against the wall just as a familiar blue-robed figure crossed over the threshold. It was the irritant wizard, Sigfus, the dark-bearded man mumbling to himself as he fiddled with a large ring of keys. “I must inform the Princess.”
Donnie peered through the slight crack the wizard had left between the door and its frame. His eyes went wide as they fell on the naked form of a woman, her limp body suspended by two chains that held her wri
sts to the wall.
I was right! They are up to something down here, but I didn’t think it was torture. Donnie strained his eyes, but the captive’s face was covered by her long blonde locks.
Abruptly, the door closed the rest of the way. Sigfus had finally found his key and pulled it shut, locking the door with a sharp click. The preoccupied wizard pocketed his keys, then hurried down the corridor, muttering to himself as he went. “She is going to love me for this. That pretentious bard will be yesterday’s news.”
Donnie raised an eyebrow. It seems this Sigfus has a thing for the Princess.
In Donnie’s estimation, it was a far reach. He couldn’t imagine that the Princess would ever be interested in a toadie like Sigfus.
Once the wizard was far enough down the hall, Donnie peeled himself from the wall. The lock was a rather simple pin and tumbler mechanism—he had it unlocked in mere seconds. The agile elf then slipped swiftly inside, closing the door behind him.
Donnie swept his eyes around the room. It appeared to be some sort of laboratory. It was rather large, filled with a couple of long tables covered with piles of books, as well as flasks and vials filled with various colored liquids. Yet his eyes were almost immediately drawn to the very center of the room. Suspended in mid-air hung a man-sized, translucent blue crystal, the large gem radiating a brilliant blue light.
Donnie began to feel woozy as he stared at it, but then swiftly wrenched his eyes away. Suddenly remembering the woman on the wall, Donnie shifted his gaze toward her. She had not moved at all. The wiry elf hurried over to the woman and lifted her chin, his eyes going wide as he stared into a familiar face.
Ves!
Getting over his initial shock, Donnie whispered frantically to her. “Ves, can you hear me?”
There was no response. Donnie gently patted her face.
“Ves!” Donnie whispered urgently.
Just as the young woman began to rouse, Donnie heard a key being thrust into the door lock. The wiry elf quickly dropped Ves’ chin and scurried to the wall behind the entryway. A moment later the door flew open.
“I could have sworn I locked it.” Sigfus’ voice was full of suspicion.
Donnie peered from behind the door just in time to see Anya blithely striding into the room. The monarch’s tone was markedly annoyed. “You probably forgot, in your haste to interrupt my pleasant evening.”
Sigfus followed closely behind Anya, his beady eyes sweeping around the room. “My apologies for interrupting your fun, Princess, but I tell you, she is broken.”
Donnie retreated completely behind the ironbound door. Though he was still invisible, he hadn’t forgotten how the wizard had spotted him back in the meadow.
“She better be,” Anya retorted, the threat in her voice not so thinly veiled.
The room abruptly went quiet. Donnie peered out from his hiding spot and saw Anya standing before Ves. The petulant monarch held the young woman’s chin in her hand, roughly moving her head from side-to-side. Sigfus stood a few paces behind Anya, his foot tapping nervously against the floor.
Anya dropped Ves’ chin and took a step back, her hard demeanor softening. “Yes, I believe you’re right.”
She motioned to Sigfus with her free hand. “Go fetch the collar.”
“Yes, your majesty.”
Sigfus scurried over to a nearby bench, swiftly returning with a black metallic collar. He handed it to the Princess, who then took the collar and fastened it around Ves’ neck. It clicked into place with a loud snap.
Anya’s finger went to her chin as she eyed Ves curiously. “Wake up.”
Ves’ eyes abruptly opened.
“Who is your master?” Anya asked in an expectant tone.
“You are, mistress.”
Ves’ response sounded hollow. It reminded Donnie of the young dragon teen, Ysa. Glo and Elistra described her as sounding the same when they had broached certain subjects.
Anya abruptly clapped her hands together, her voice filled with glee. “Very good. Very, very good.”
Donnie didn’t get mad often—he had a devil-may-care attitude on life—but now his blood boiled. It was one thing to enslave all those chromatic dragons, but Ves was their friend. He watched Anya darkly from behind the door as she waved her hand at Sigfus.
“Release her.”
Sigfus rushed forward to unlock the chains, then swiftly stood back.
“Now sit down,” Anya commanded Ves.
The young woman slowly walked over to a nearby bench and seated herself.
A smile of pure delight crossed Anya’s face, almost like that of a young child who had been presented with a new toy. “This is excellent news! Well done, Sigfus.”
“Thank you, your highness,” the dark-bearded wizard responded, his expression so smug, he practically preened like a peacock.
Donnie had the sudden urge to punch the arrogant man in the face. Had it not been the two of them there, he just might have.
Anya spun on her heel and headed for the door, signaling for Sigfus to follow. “Come with me. I want to inform him of what we have accomplished. Now he has to take me seriously.”
Donnie retreated behind the door, not moving until it had been closed and locked. His anger swiftly faded, replaced by a sense of bewilderment. I wonder who she is rushing to inform? Perhaps that black knight? Or maybe that advisor she previously mentioned?
Either way, it seemed rather odd that a Princess of Lanfor was so eager to impress someone else. Still pondering over the strange notion, Donnie hurried across the room toward Ves. The young woman hadn’t moved a muscle since Anya and Sigfus left.
Donnie spoke the word Glo had taught him to turn him visible once more. “Dimissionis.”
Ves’ eyes spun toward him as the invisibility spell faded away, her face lighting up with recognition. “Hello, Donatello.”
Donnie eyed the young woman carefully, keeping his tone as nonchalant as possible. “Hi, Ves. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, thank you for asking.”
She sounded calm—far too calm for someone sitting naked in front of him, wearing that collar, in the lower decks of Anya’s ship.
Donnie merely nodded. “I’m glad to hear that. So, what are you doing here?”
“I’m waiting for instructions from my mistress,” Ves explained to him as if that should have been obvious.
Donnie arched a single eyebrow. Yep, she’s brainwashed.
Had there been any doubt at all in his mind, it was gone now. Donnie hadn’t really thought it possible, despite all the dragons that appeared to be under Anya’s sway. The young elf cast a furtive glance at the large blue crystal suspended in the middle of the room. As soon as he did so, his head began to feel fuzzy again.
Donnie wrenched his eyes away. Whatever that thing was, it appeared to have a mind-numbing effect. Could this crystal be the mechanism that Anya uses to control her dragons? If so, why did they put that collar on Ves? None of Anya’s other dragons have collars.
Donnie would love to know what Glo or Elistra would make of all this, but there was no time for that now. He had to get Ves out of here. The question was how? She obviously wasn’t going to move unless her mistress told her to.
A sudden idea came to him. “Ves, the mistress sent me with instructions for us.”
Ves cocked her head sideways and narrowed her eyes at him. “Really? What are they?”
“You’re to accompany us. The rest of the companions are here aboard the Princess’ vessel. We have formed… an alliance with her.”
Ves grasped both his hands, a bright smile crossing her lips. “You mean Glolindir is here? And Martan?”
Donnie flashed one of his pearly white smiles at the young woman. “Yes, they are all here. Aksel and Lloyd, too. The Princess wishes to ally herse
lf with the Baron of Ravenford, as well. Since we know him, she asked if we would speak with him on her behalf.”
Ves nodded her head in understanding. “Why, of course. Anything for the mistress.”
Donnie cast a quick glance over his shoulder, then leaned in close to Ves, his tone turning conspiratorial. “There’s only one problem. There’s a Dunwynn dignitary aboard this ship. After what happened with the Duke in Ravenford, she doesn’t want him to know what is going on. So, we have to leave in secrecy.”
Ves whispered back to him. “I see. All things considered, that makes sense.”
The young woman stood and signaled for Donnie to go ahead of her. “Very well then, lead the way.”
Donnie got up, his eyes briefly passing over Ves’ naked form. The thin elf felt the blood rising to his cheeks. He quickly doffed his cloak and held it out toward her. “I think you might need this.”
Ves glanced down at her torso, then blushed profusely, her hands going to her cheeks. “Oh, my!”
The young woman’s brow abruptly furrowed and her body began to glow. It turned bright for a few moments, then the brilliance swiftly faded. When it was gone, Ves stood garbed in a form-fitting bronze dress. She ran her hands down her sides while looking herself over, then let out a sigh of relief. “That’s better.”
Ves lifted her gaze to Donnie, a warm smile gracing her lips. “Thank you for being so chivalrous.”
Donnie’s eyes met hers, the heat in his cheeks slowly dissipating. “It was nothing, really. Now follow me.”
Donnie led Ves to the door, completely uncertain what to do next. His plan had worked thus far, but how would he get Ves past the guards? Further, what if Anya or Sigfus caught him with her in the hall?
As they reached the doorway, Donnie’s hand brushed against the dagger at his waist. It was the dagger that belonged to…
Ruka! That’s it! That’s how they would get out of here.
Donnie spun around to face Ves. “Oh, I almost forgot. The Princess asked if we could rely on your sister for help.”
