Five Kingdoms: Book 06 - Evil Tide

by Toby Neighbors

  Then lightning began to crackle through the clouds. At first it was little more than flashes of light inside the thick clouds, and the gentle rumble of distant thunder, but then a bolt of white energy split the clouds and shot down onto the mountainside. The resulting crack made the mountains quake, and the thunder was so loud that Zollin ducked his head to ward off the sound.

  Then Zollin was inundated with terrified images of the lightning from several of the dragons at once. He remembered that lightning was the one thing the dragons feared. It was dark and Zollin couldn’t see anything outside of the frail light of his hissing fire, which was being smothered by the falling sleet.

  He closed his eyes, struggling to concentrate with the barrage of mental images the dragons were sending him. He let his magic flow out, searching down the mountainside and across the valley. He needed to find shelter that was big enough for the entire pride of dragons. None of the dragons who had followed Ferno out of the Northern Highlands were as big as the green dragon that had bonded with Zollin, but they were all larger than horses.

  Zollin found nothing at first and was forced to expand his search, but over the next ridge, he found a cave. The mouth of the cave was small, but the interior was like a wide tunnel that ran along the edge of the mountain, just feet beneath the surface. Still, it was the best place Zollin could find.

  He levitated himself up over the towering trees, as Ferno came hurdling toward him. He sent mental images of the cave and settled onto Ferno’s wide back, as the green dragon flew past. The sleet was growing larger, becoming hailstones that were the size of walnuts. Zollin used his magic to create an arching barrier over himself and Ferno that blocked most of the hail, but the wind was tossing Ferno around like a rowboat on an angry sea. Zollin was nearly tossed off several times, even though the trip to the cave was relatively short.

  Ferno swooped down and then blasted the trees around the cave with dragon breath. The trees were wet, but they burst into flame just the same, until the mouth of the cave was a ring of fire, illuminating the way for the other dragons to find safety.

  Another bolt of lightning struck, this time tearing through the wing of one of the dragons. Zollin saw the poor creature clearly in the glare from the lightning, but then the wounded dragon was lost in the darkness of the storm. Zollin sent his magical awareness out and felt the beast crashing into the trees. It was alive but terrified and unable to fly.

  “You go inside with the others,” Zollin shouted to Ferno. “I’ll go after Embyr.”

  Zollin slid off Ferno’s back, as the green dragon dove for the cave. The heat from the burning trees felt odd but welcoming among the flying rain and hail of the storm. The wind was blowing so strongly now that the trees around Zollin swayed back and forth. Limbs cracked and fell some hitting Zollin’s magical shield so hard he was knocked off his feet.

  The terrain was steep, and Zollin had to move slowly toward the injured dragon. Behind and above him, flames shot from the mouth of the cave as the dragons bellowed their fiery breath both in fear and to warm the wide crack in the mountain. Zollin ignored it, just as he ignored the storm. The steep mountainside was becoming treacherous, as the hail built up into an icy layer that made the rocky slope even more slippery.

  Zollin was resolute in his task and began using his magic to speed his progress. Like the dragons, levitating himself above the trees where he would be exposed to the storm and the lightning was not something Zollin wanted to do. Instead, he slid down the mountain, bouncing from tree to boulder, using his magic to keep himself moving at a steady pace. It took nearly ten minutes to reach Embyr; the dark red dragon lay on its side, moaning in pain.

  Every dragon that Brianna had made was different. Ferno was a big bull of a dragon, thick and strong, with a powerful tail and spikes that ran up its neck ending in large horns that adorned the green dragon’s head like a crown. Embyr was smaller, with thick hind legs and tiny forelegs. Most of the dragons had long necks, but Embyr’s neck was only a few feet long and almost as thick as the dragon’s chest. Its head was wide and long, like a horse, with large eyes and a small mouth. Embyr’s tail was thicker and less flexible than the other dragons, but its wings were long and wide. The dragon could fly all day and night without the need to stop for rest. Like an eagle, it could lock its wide wings into position and glide for hours on the thermal updrafts that Brianna danced on.

  The wings were made of leathery skin that stretched over flexible bones that could be folded up neatly on the dragon’s back. Zollin found Embyr lying on its side, one wing folded tight against its body, the wounded wing stretched out with a gaping hole in the leathery skin. All around the wound the red wing was charred black, and the dragon’s big eyes looked terrified as Zollin approached.

  “Hold on,” he shouted over the wind. “Everything is going to be okay.”

  He slid down beside Embyr’s head and placed one hand on the dragon’s jaw. He formed a canopy of magic over them that blocked the wind and hail. They both sat breathing heavily as they waited for the raging storm to pass.

  For the next hour, Zollin did his best to keep Embyr calm. It wasn’t an easy task. His magic didn’t work to heal the dragons, only Brianna could do that. And the storm raged on and on, the lightning shattering the dark sky above with flashes of brilliant light and crashes of thunder so loud it shook the ground beneath them.

  Finally the storm passed, the hail turned to rain, and then to snow that drifted down in the darkness around them. Embyr moaned from the pain in its ruined wing, creating a mournful sound.

  “Don’t worry,” Zollin said. “Everything will be okay.”

  An image flashed in his mind of the pride leaving Embyr behind, and a feeling of loneliness washed over Zollin.

  “Tonight we have enough to worry about without thinking about that,” he said. “I don’t know how, but we’ll figure something out. Tonight, we need to keep you warm.”

  * * *

  Brianna, Selix, and Tig had been flying nonstop since learning that Zollin had gone on ahead of her. She had reached the edge of the Walheta shortly after dark and had finally decided that they should all rest. They could see the storm ahead of them, the lightning flashing far away, like fireflies glowing on a summer night. They settled onto the side of a mountain and slept. Brianna doubted that there were any enemies in the mountains, nor any predators that would dare attack a creature as large as Selix. They were all exhausted and immediately fell asleep.

  The next morning, Brianna was up before dawn. She washed her face with water from her canteen, ate some stale bread, and woke the dragons. They flew south, with Tig forging ahead and hunting for both dragons. Tig killed a deer before they had been in the air half an hour. Tig could normally eat a whole deer, but it saved a little of the venison for Selix. Tig next killed a wild boar. It caught the animal in a clearing, swooping in and snatching the three hundred pound animal in its powerful talons. Tig couldn’t carry the animal far, but with a strong twist of its talons it broke the hog’s back. Then it landed in another clearing and waited for Selix to catch up. This time, the big, golden dragon ate the entire animal. Devouring it in seconds and then roaring with pleasure.

  They were just about to move on when Brianna went rigid. The dragons watched her closely at first, and then looked to the sky. Two other dragons were circling.

  “Zollin,” Brianna said, her voice trembling.

  She jumped into the air, summersaulting onto Selix’s back. The golden dragon launched itself into the air, and Tig followed closely behind. They turned east and flew quickly toward the dragons they saw. Images flashed in Brianna’s mind of the storm, only this time it wasn’t far away and safe. This time the images were horrifyingly close, with thick bolts of lightning flashing down all around. She saw images of the cave, its craggy walls wet with moisture and filled with dragons. She felt the concern for Embyr, and she saw the dragon was hit with lightning. She also saw Zollin fearlessly plunging down the mountainside, in the midst of the storm,
looking for the fallen dragon.

  Then she saw images of Zollin and Embyr from the air. There was a large fire burning to keep them warm, but the dragon’s wing was ruined. Brianna knew from that single mental image that unless she healed Embyr, the red dragon would never fly again. She saw more images, some from the air that revealed other dragons in the clearing with Zollin and Embyr and some from the ground.

  It took only moments to reach the mountain where Zollin and Embyr were waiting, but to Brianna it felt like an eternity. Her worry about facing Zollin was replaced with worry over the wounded dragon and gratitude for Zollin’s selfless actions.

  Selix swooped over the clearing, and Brianna leaped from the beast’s golden back. She tumbled and flipped, bouncing from current to current, before landing softly near Zollin. He turned and looked at her, a smile on his face.

  “Oh Brianna, are you a sight for sore eyes,” he said.

  “Zollin,” was all she managed to say before she was running into his arms.

  It was a long, exquisite moment before Brianna regained her composure. Then she turned to Embyr. The dragon looked at her with its big eyes, the pain making them dull and glassy.

  “I’ll need to clear the area before I heal Embyr,” she said.

  “But you can do it?” Zollin asked.

  “Yes,” Brianna said, her voice suddenly stiff from the realization that she would soon have to tell Zollin that she could not marry him. Her body was tense, but Zollin seemed not to notice.

  “Okay, we’ll give you the room you need,” he said.

  He patted Embyr on the neck before speaking softly.

  “See, I told you. Everything is going to be okay.”

  He levitated up into the air and Ferno swooped in beneath him. Ferno then rejoined Selix and Tig. Brianna looked up and could tell that the big, green dragon was thrilled to be back with the pride. She was surprised to see half a dozen other dragons circling in the sky above. She thought it was a beautiful sight and couldn’t help but smile. At that moment, she wished more than anything that she could just forget the world and stay in the mountains with Zollin and the dragons. She forced herself to look away and focus all her attention on healing Embyr.

  Fire billowed out of Brianna’s hands. It was pure flame, not a consuming fire that fed on combustible materials and left ash in its wake. There was no smoke, just flame. The ground, saturated from the rain and snow that had fallen the night before, steamed from the heat of her fire. The flames washed over Embyr’s wing. The dragon moaned, but Brianna knew the fire would heal the beast.

  She mentally focused on visualizing the wing repairing itself, the red, leathery skin re-growing, the charred edges healing. It took over an hour to repair the damage, but by midday, the work was done. Embyr roared when Brianna finished. It nuzzled her with its long snout for a moment and then it took to the air, climbing high before diving down, spinning and turning loops. It was like a child full of glee in the freedom of being whole once more.

  Brianna sat down and Zollin came floating down beside her. He had her pack, which Tig had been carrying. He handed her the canteen.

  “Nothing but water to drink, huh?” he asked.

  “It’s all I want,” she replied. “I’m thirsty.”

  “You should eat too,” he told her, holding out some bread and cheese.

  They sat down on the soggy ground, both eating and enjoying the silence. Brianna had so many questions but she couldn’t speak, her voice was choked by the realization that soon she would shatter Zollin’s heart.

  “So, how did things go in Orrock?” Zollin asked.

  “Not as well as I hoped,” she said.

  “Didn’t Prince Willam back you up?”

  “He did,” Brianna said, suddenly unable to look Zollin in the eye. “But King Felix is acting strange. He was cold to me at first.”

  “But he’s mobilizing the army, right?”

  “Yes, he is.”

  “Thank goodness, for minute there you had me worried.”

  Brianna tried to smile.

  “It’s probably my fault he wasn’t more cordial,” Zollin said around a mouthful of food. “He’s probably still mad at me for calling him to account for his actions.”

  “I don’t know,” Brianna said. “He’s gotten close to a general named Corlis.”

  “Yes, I know him. He’s younger than most of the other officers. I’m surprised he’s a general.”

  “He’s not just a general,” Brianna said. “He’s the High Commander of the King’s Army.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, and the King listens to him.”

  “Well that’s strange, but is it a bad thing?”

  “I can’t say for sure,” Brianna said. “Willam says the other officers are afraid of him.”

  “Willam?” Zollin said smiling. “Listen to you, on a first name basis with the Crown Prince.”

  Brianna’s heart nearly stopped beating, but Zollin just laughed. He was teasing her, she realized. He had no idea just how close she had become with the Prince.

  “It took the King forever to get things ready, but he’s moving his army south and will take them across the sea to avoid the long march.”

  “Well,” Zollin said, considering the news. “That makes sense. Commander Hausey told me as much. Are they on the move?”

  “I think so. The Prince was sent to serve with the cavalry.”

  Zollin nodded.

  “But Zollin, he wasn’t given command of the cavalry. He’s to serve under Commander Hausey.”

  “Wow,” Zollin said. “That seems odd. Is this coming from General Corlis?”

  “No,” Brianna said. “From the King, I think.”

  “Well, we can’t worry about all that now. The dwarves are on their way, and some of the giants too. We need to keep moving south and scout out the situation. I want to try and find my father as well. He went in search of Mansel.”

  “Yes, Miriam told me,” Brianna said.

  “I can’t believe they’re having problems,” he confessed. “It’s not like my dad to leave someone like that.”

  “I’m sure he had his reasons,” she said.

  “I can’t image anything being bad enough between them for him to leave her. He was so smitten. He told me he was giving up adventuring and settling down. He looked so happy the last time I saw him.”

  “Sometimes things happen that just can’t be avoided,” Brianna said, her throat so tight that her voice was strained.

  “What?” Zollin asked looking at her. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” she lied. “We should get moving.”

  Chapter 26

  King Felix stood on the command deck of the huge flagship Frostbite. The ship was the first of a large armada that included supply ships, troop transports, and even ships filled with the large battle horses the King’s officers rode on in battle.

  The weather was brisk on the open sea. King Felix could see for miles. They were sailing southeast and looking through the long, brass telescope, and the King could just make out the Walheta Mountains. He smiled grimly as he studied the dark clouds that were building over the mountains. He hoped the storm front wouldn’t turn out to sea. If he lost even one ship on their voyage, it would be a severe setback for his plans. Of course a heavy storm in the mountains would dump rain, perhaps even snow on King Zorlan. Felix couldn’t wait to see the look on his contemporary’s face when the King of Falxis learned that he’d lost his kingdom to Yelsia.

  Then King Felix turned his attention further south. It would take a few more days to make Luxing Bay, and only if the weather held. A storm could blow them off course, or a shift in the wind could make the journey take much longer. Still, King Felix was hopeful. He doubted that his son or Brianna understood the possibility that was ahead of them. Three Kingdoms were ripe for the taking, and the only thing that stood in his way was a woman’s army. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. His hope was that he would bypass the witch’s army, allowing it
to march north and be defeated by Zollin’s dwarves and the remnant of King Zorlan’s army. Whoever survived that conflict would be no match for Felix’s forces, which should already be entrenched in the capitals of Falxis, Osla, and Ortis.

  Of course he might lose his son in the process, but Felix didn’t consider that a great loss. He’d had hope that Willam would become a good leader of men, but the boy’s naive notions of honor and chivalry had rendered the Crown Prince impotent. If Willam were being honest about what had happened in Osla, then he’d proven himself an incompetent military commander as well. King Felix wouldn’t mourn the loss of his son, the loser. He’d already banished Simmeron and if Prince Willam fell in battle, King Felix would have no surviving heirs. But a young wife would change that; King Felix was certain he could father more children.

  He wrapped his heavy cloak more tightly around his shoulders and took a long drink of the mulled wine that sat in the weighted mug on the rail before him. The hot liquid filled the King with a comfortable sensation of warmth that spread slowly through his body.

  The ship’s captain approached and cleared his throat. King Felix turned and nodded at the man. Captain Alswyth was a serious man. His stoic nature suited King Felix, who had decided he like the seamen’s efficiency.

  “You’ve seen the storm?” Alswyth asked.

  “Yes,” King Felix replied. “Will it turn out to sea?”

  “It’s hard to say,” the Captain explained. “Normally the weather around the mountains stays inland, but occasionally it will blow out to sea. I doubt we’ll be bothered by it.”

  “Good, I want nothing to hold up our progress.”

  King Felix stayed on the command deck until it became too dark to see. The storm in the mountains had grown stronger and the wind had shifted, kicking up large waves that made the ship rock up and down so strongly that it is was impossible to ignore. King Felix went to his cabin, which was spacious as ship cabins go, large enough for a plush bed behind a screen and a large table where Felix hosted nightly dinners.