“You could have said no,” Mansel said.
“I said yes,” she said, suddenly stiffening. “I fell in love the Prince. He asked me to marry him and I said yes. That’s all there is to it.”
“You said King Felix wanted to control the dragons,” Quinn said.
“He does, that’s why he approved the match… I think. He brought my family to the capital to convince me to marry Willam.”
“So they pressured you,” Mansel said, his voice curt.
“No, well, yes, but that’s not why I said yes.”
“Why did you say yes?” Quinn asked, the pain he felt evident in his voice.
“Because I love Prince Willam,” she said. “I need you all to understand that. I did it freely, and I hope you can support me in my decision.”
“We can’t blame you for wanting to become Queen of Yelsia,” Quinn said.
“That’s not why I did it,” she said hotly. “I don’t care if I become queen or not. I did this for love and for no other reason.”
“Okay,” Quinn said. “I’m sorry. It’s a little shocking, that’s all.”
“I know, and I’m sorry too. I’ve hurt you, and I’ve hurt Zollin. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me, but this is what I have to do.”
“It doesn’t seem like you,” Mansel said.
“Well, it is,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I made this decision, and I’m sticking with it.”
“Then you have our support,” Quinn said. “We love you, and we only want you to be happy.”
“Thank you,” Brianna said, fighting fresh tears.
“But we still don’t know what King Felix is doing,” Mansel said.
“I’ll go south. I have to try and convince him to join us here,” she said.
“That may be exactly what he wants you to do,” Quinn said. “If you take the dragons south, he can control them through you.”
“No, I won’t let him.”
“He’s not the kind of man to leave things to chance,” Quinn said. “We should wait for Zollin to return and make a plan together.”
“Okay,” Brianna said softly.
The huge feasting hall suddenly seemed too small. Quinn and Mansel returned to their labor. Quinn began gathering wood for tables, while Mansel made sure that Nycoll had blankets and water for the night. Brianna went out to be with Selix, while Nycoll swept the feasting hall with a broom she found in the store room.
An hour passed and then another. Brianna was growing restless and feeling more and more out of place. She had always felt more at home with Quinn and Mansel than she did with her own family, but now she felt completely alone. She was sad, but her resolve to say nothing about the King’s threat hardened. If she confided in any of them, they would tell Zollin. She even hid the truth from Selix.
Finally, Ferno returned. Zollin looked terrible; his eyes were swollen and skin was pale. He slid off the big, green dragon’s back and patted the beast on the neck.
“You’re a good friend,” he told the dragon, who growled in return.
“You’re back,” Quinn said, as he hurried to Zollin. “Are you okay?”
“No, but I think I may have an answer to the riddle.”
“What do you mean?” Mansel asked.
“When Brianna and I were fighting the black dragon and we went to the ruins of Ornak with Commander Hausey, we discovered a hidden library. Kelvich took the scrolls to Ebbson Keep. He was hoping he might learn something about dragons that we could use to defeat the beast.”
“Did he?” Quinn asked.
“In a way, yes,” Zollin said. “Dragons are impervious to fire, but not to lightning. I was able to conjure lightning when the dragon attacked Orrock and drive the beast away.”
“Okay, but what does that have to do with controlling the dragons?” Quinn asked.
“Nothing,” Zollin said. “But Kelvich was only there a short time. He was only able to work through a portion of the scrolls. What if the scholars at Ebbson Keep discovered the way to control the dragons the same way that Offendorl controlled the black one?”
“Bartoom couldn’t resist the call of the wizard,” Brianna said. “I remember being with Bartoom and trying to convince the ancient dragon not to give in.”
“So maybe King Felix can now control the dragons without you,” Zollin said. “Maybe that’s why he sent you away. He knew you wouldn’t agree to his plan to take over Falxis, so once he had a way to control the dragons he didn’t need you anymore.”
“That can’t be true,” Brianna said.
“I would have said the same thing about you marrying someone else,” Zollin said, letting the verbal barb sink in.
“So, what do we do about it?” Mansel asked. “We have to get King Felix back up here or we’re done for.”
“We have to go after him,” Zollin said. “There’s no other choice.”
“We’ll both go,” Brianna said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Zollin said.
“No, if King Felix can control the dragons, she may be the only other person who can break that hold,” Quinn said. “She has a connection to the dragons that not even you have Zollin.”
“He’s right,” Mansel said.
“Fine,” Zollin said. “Let’s get our things together.”
Zollin went back into the feasting hall to get his pack.
“The other dragons will be returning soon,” Brianna said. “I’ve sent word to Embyr to bring its catch here, instead of to the valley. That should give you enough food for several days.”
“Thanks,” Quinn said.
“You be careful,” Mansel said.
“I will be.”
Quinn was just turning to have a final word with his son when Selix roared loudly and sent a gout of flame toward one of the broken down workshops near the feasting hall.
“What the hell?” Mansel shouted.
“Selix, what are you doing?” Brianna shouted.
The big, golden dragon swung its head from side to side and roared again. Then, it jumped into the air and sped away south. Ferno roared too, but didn’t fly away.
“What’s happening?” Zollin said as he and Nycoll ran out of the feasting hall.
“Selix just left,” Brianna said in shock.
“Quick, we have to put out that fire before it spreads to the feasting hall,” Quinn shouted.
Zollin raised his hand and sent his magic shooting into the fire. He could feel the flames consuming the wood and straw, as well as the air around it. He pulled the air away and the flames sputtered and died, almost instantly. Holding the air back was difficult and he fashioned a magical bubble around the structure, sucking the air out and suffocating the fire.
“Get water,” he told the others. “It may flare up again.”
Quinn found buckets, and they filled them with water from the town well. When they returned, Zollin let the magical bubble collapse and the air rushed back in. The wood was still so hot that in places it ignited again, but it only took a little water to control the fire and soon it was safely put out.
Brianna stood frozen, her face a mask of shock and pain. Zollin approached her, swallowing down his own pain.
“What happened?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, tears once again streaking down her cheeks.
“Something had to set Selix off.”
Ferno, the green dragon, was shaking all over. It moaned pitifully and growled like a frightened dog.
“What is it, Ferno?” Zollin called out.
An image of Selix being pulled away, a great chain about the golden dragon’s neck, flashed into Zollin’s mind.
“Did you see that?” he asked Brianna.
“Yes,” she said, her lips trembling.
“Isn’t that like the black dragon?”
“Yes,” she said again.
“We have to stop King Felix. At the very least we have to free Selix.”
“If he is controlling Selix, he may be
controlling Tig and Gyia as well,” Brianna explained. “They were all at the capital together.”
“So we go south,” Zollin said.
“Is this madness?” Quinn asked. “I mean, isn’t it possible the witch called the dragon south? You said that Offendorl controlled the black dragon. Perhaps it is the witch now controlling Selix.”
“I felt no magic at work,” Zollin said.
“You said that Offendorl didn’t use magic either,” Mansel chimed in. “If we lose you two, we won’t stand much of a chance against the army Gwendolyn is sending north.”
“Well, we can’t sit here and do nothing,” Zollin said.
Ferno growled again, this time a mental image of Embyr, still miles away and high in the sky, flashed into Zollin’s mind. The red dragon carried the half-eaten carcass of a moose in its talons.
“Embyr is almost here,” Zollin said.
“Then we go as soon as the dragons are ready,” Brianna said.
“You’re sure,” Zollin asked her. “Are you sure you can do this?”
“Just try and stop me,” she said.
Chapter 31
Prince Willam was actually starting to enjoy the long march south. For weeks he had been wooing Brianna and being with her filled him with an inexplicable joy, but after days on the road with the men of his staff and spending time each night with the dwarves, he was once again enjoying the camaraderie of men pursuing a common purpose. The dwarves were stoic during the day, marching south with a tireless pace, oblivious to the weather or obstacles, but at night they became animated and loud, especially when drinking ale.
Prince Willam stayed busy during the day, moving from the front of the supply chain to the rear, fixing problems. When things were slow, he would walk his stallion beside the cheerful Bloc. Hammert and Jute were constantly trading barbs, which Willam found vastly entertaining. The young men of Willam’s staff were eager to please the Crown Prince. They were each from noble families, although none would inherit their father’s titles. At first Willam had worried that the officers, none of them much older than Zollin, were simply interested in getting on the future king’s good graces. But over time, he had come to respect their abilities and they, in turn, had relaxed in his presence and learned that Prince Willam valued honesty and hard work.
At night, when the vast company made camp, Willam made sure everyone had what they needed to pass the night in safety. Bloc set a rotating watch, with dwarves lining the perimeter of the camp, their sharp eyes seeing more than any human soldier could see. Then, Willam and the dwarfish headmen dined together around a roaring fire. The dwarves told stories and made jokes, often at one another’s expense. It was very ordinary, almost mundane, but Willam respected what they accomplished each day, and how they spent time together each night.
They had been on the road south of Felson nearly a week when Gyia suddenly disappeared. The purple dragon had gone off usually at night to hunt. During the day, the long, serpentine dragon had flown slowly overhead. Occasionally Willam would ride up with Gyia to get a lay of the land around them, but the dragon could send mental images of what it saw to Willam, which was usually greater than Willam could see for himself. The dragon had become a kind of mascot to the men and dwarves, but Gyia rarely spent time among them preferring to keep a distance between dragon and humans. Willam had noticed that Gyia seemed more leery of everyone since they had left Orrock, but he chalked it up to nerves and the dragon’s desire not to frighten people or make his work harder than it had to be. But all that time Gyia had been mentally connected to Willam, the dragon might be high in the air, but Willam could always communicate with the great purple beast.
Suddenly, Gyia was simply gone.
“What’s wrong?” Bloc asked. They were walking side by side at the head of the long column of dwarves.
“Gyia,” Willam said. “I can’t feel Gyia anymore.”
“Probably off hunting,” Bloc said.
“I’ve never lost touch with the dragon before,” he said, frowning.
“I’m sure all is well,” Bloc said.
They marched the rest of the afternoon but Willam was distracted, constantly looking up into the sky in search of the dragon.
“We’ll be in the mountains soon,” Bloc told him. “The dragon is probably just ranging ahead. There’s more game in the mountains. The Walheta are old and full of mystery.”
“Are there dwarves under the Walheta Mountains?” Willam asked.
“Not anymore,” Bloc said. “Once, long ago, the dwarves of the Walheta were a mighty race. Your people stamped them out though.”
The Walheta were not friendly folk,” Hammert said. “They didn’t like the humans passing through their mountains.”
“It was said they were stalwart warriors,” Bloc said. “If they were alive today, they would be a great boon in the battle before us.”
“If you could get them to fight,” Jute said. “They were stubborn.”
“Did you know them?” Willam asked. “How long do dwarves live?”
“The average life span of a dwarf is 350 years,” Bloc explained. “But the Walheta Dwarves died out long ago. All that’s left of them are the stories our people tell.”
“And their caverns,” Hammert added, “If you’re brave enough to find them.”
“They’re filled with all kinds of nasty creatures now,” Jute said. “It’s not a pleasant place.”
“Perhaps we could reoccupy the caverns,” Bloc said. “Drive out the monsters.”
“That would take a hundred years,” Hammert scolded.
“We’ve the time,” Bloc said. “It wouldn’t hurt us to broaden our horizons.”
“This war is about as broad as I plan to get,” Jute asked. “I’m only here for the ale.”
Willam’s attention began to wander. He felt naked somehow without Gyia. He knew his feelings were just phantom pains, but he swore his wounds from King Zorlan’s torturer had begun to ache.
* * *
The first day back on land had been difficult. King Zorlan had waited impatiently for his army to disembark. They set up a perimeter and then they unloaded ship after ship of supplies. Wagons were carried to shore, piece by piece, reassembled, and loaded with goods. The horses had to be blindfolded and helped off the ships, and of course, weapons and armor unloaded. It was late on the second day before they could begin the march toward Luxing City. The ships had made excellent time, and they landed on a long stretch of beach that was uninhabited. King Felix had little doubt that news of their arrival would reach the city before his troops did, but he was confident that in the two days it would take to march to Luxing City that he could still catch his adversary unaware.
His first item of business once the army was on the move was to summon the dragons he now controlled with his golden crown. He placed the circlet on his head and focused his mind on the dragons, calling them one at a time.
“Selix,” he said out loud, envisioning the huge, golden dragon in his mind. “Come to me, Selix, king of dragons.”
Then it was time for Gyia. He called the purple dragon south and then Tig. It was less than an hour later when Tig responded to the King’s summons. It was warm in Falxis, despite the fact that it was early winter. The King’s head was covered in sweat around the heavy crown, and his neck ached from the weight of it. Still, he didn’t want to risk breaking his control over the dragons, so he left it on.
He saw an image in his mind of Tig; the small blue dragon was fast and racing toward him. He stood up in his stirrups and looked north, but after seeing nothing in the bright sky, he turned his attention south. At first all he could see was a dot in the sky. He couldn’t make out the shape of what he could see. Another image flashed in King Felix’s mind; this time of the army marching. The image was from much closer than the dot in the sky, causing Felix to look around in vain for the blue dragon.
When he looked back at the dot in the distance, he could see that it was closer. He turned to Corlis and smiled.
“What is it, my liege?” the commander asked.
“The first of our pets draws near,” Felix said.
“Where?” Corlis asked.
“There.” Felix pointed out the tiny blue dot in the distance.
“What? How can you tell that is anything at all?”
“I am your king,” Felix snapped. “Do not question me!”
“Forgive me, your grace. I only meant my eyes can barely see the creature; it is so far away.”
“I am connected to the dragons,” Felix said. “They make me powerful.”
Corlis had to hold back a snort of disgust. He watched the King out of the corner of his eye. Felix was growing fat; his skin was loose and wrinkled. Corlis thought the King looked more like an old man every day, and he wondered why he tolerated the bloated old fool. Still, he thought it wiser to let Felix lay claim to Falxis and then, when both kingdoms were firmly in the King’s grasp, Corlis would slay him and take the throne.
Prince Willam had been a concern, but the Prince had run away, making Corlis’ task of usurping the throne that much easier. He had command of the army, and they were loyal to him now. The other generals feared him; they would submit or be executed. It would be soon, he thought to himself. Then, he could stop feigning loyalty to King Felix and bring the entire kingdom under his control.
Corlis couldn’t help but think of his childhood. His whole life he had been treated as second best. His older brother would inherit their father’s titles, even though his older brother was a fool with no ambition what-so-ever. When Corlis becomes king, he looked forward to stripping his brother of the title, their lands, and any treasures they still had. He would put his brother out on the streets and then see how noble he was.
It was nearly ten minutes before Tig came fully into view. The blue dragon flew by in a streak of fire, black smoke, and blue dragon scales.
“Magnificent,” King Felix shouted as the dragon raced by. “Now, return to me and keep pace with us.”
Tig circled in a long, lazy curve, then flew over the marching army, slowing until the blue dragon was moving as slowly as the army. They marched through the afternoon and made camp just before dark. Tig circled over the army the entire time. When night fell, King Felix sent the little, blue dragon to scout out the city.
Five Kingdoms: Book 06 - Evil Tide Page 29
