by Debra Kristi
“You trust Chet?” A nasty hint of heartless ruination played in her words.
Marcus stood his ground, a stern burn in his stare. “My men would never defy me.”
Leila laughed and closed the space between them. “You’ve been waiting all this time, and you don’t have everything prepared? I would have thought you’d have the place prepped and ready to go.”
Leila’s walk reminded Marcus of a gait. She was too proud. He could fix that.
“Come.” She grabbed a torch with one hand, and two candles between her fingers with the other. “Let’s get it set up.”
Following her lead, they had the symbol created out of candles in a matter of minutes. Marcus walked the circle, lighting each wick in turn. Shadows reached away from the circle laid at their feet. The shadows danced, fading as they blew farther away.
“Put the dragons in the center, aligning them in an arc in front of you,” she said, pointing out where she wanted Marcus to place the beasts.
He strode across the room. A smile warmed Marcus’s heart as he continued to work, preparing for the ceremony. Setup was going to take some time, but in the end he’d get what no other dragon before him ever had—the power of all species in one. He would be unstoppable.
Simple. Zeke had called retrieving the dagger from the dragon’s den an easy task. Easy, my ass, thought Sebastian, and he continued to run at a frantic pace along the country road. It was quiet, almost too still. No one around for as far as the eye could see. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t found a portal yet.
Actually, that was a lie.
The little white lines of the compass etched into his forearm burned, the arrow within continuously spinning around and around, never pausing long enough to indicate a direction in which he should tread. Just his luck—the new gate gizmo wasn’t working. He’d been so sure there would be a Gatekeeper down this stretch of road. If only he could find a member. Any tired old member would do.
No. Scratch that.
The Gatekeeper needed to be young and inexperienced. The less experience, the more likely to bend, even break the rules, and that’s what he was looking for tonight.
Sebastian shivered, recalled Zeke’s words. Zeke wanted Sebastian to find Bolsvck. One of the most powerful dragons still alive. Yeah, that wasn’t dangerous. Grim chance he would make time for a Reaper. Yet Bolsvck was the only one worthy of challenging Marcus, according to Zeke, so somehow Sebastian had to get to him. Had to enlist his help. And he was Kyra’s father, so that had to count for something.
How much does Zeke really know? Sebastian wondered.
Sebastian had no time to waste, yet he was losing time looking for someone who didn’t want to be found. Gatekeepers died, didn’t they? He should be able to feel their souls, yet all he got was some kind of fuzzy resonance. It pinpointed a rather large area and gave him nothing more. Far too general. He had no clue what the distorted feeling meant, and Talia’s gift—the compass—wasn’t helping at all. To be privy to his father’s vast knowledge would be a godsend, if only Sebastian knew a way to absorb it all in one sitting.
He laughed out loud. So much knowledge at once would likely overwhelm him. Possibly turn his brain to pulverized roadkill. As this venture was likely to do. Dragons weren’t known for their common courtesy, and there was a reason Kyra had run away to the carnival. Sebastian hoped Zeke knew what he was doing, sending Sebastian in search of Kyra’s father. Something told him she wasn’t going to like this when she got her memories back.
Sebastian stopped, braced his hands on his knees, and took a long breath. Running along the road wasn’t working. There had to be something else. Something better. He had to think like a Gatekeeper. Look for them where they would most likely be. Of all the gates Sebastian knew of, none were on a main thoroughfare. Not ever. Gates were always hidden away, off to the side, in quiet places less likely to be traveled and observed.
Hordes of bats flooded his insides. The pressure of time was his enemy, stressing his mind, messing with his thought process and making each minute feel more dire.
He closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and said a silent prayer. More like a wish, but he hoped someone was listening enough to care. Unclear to him was whether the higher powers bothered with prayers from Reapers. Didn’t stop him from trying.
If his gut was telling him which way to go, he wished it would scream. Subtle whispers weren’t working for him. A gentle whisper seemed to be all he was getting, though. He couldn’t even be sure it meant anything, but he followed. Turning to the left, he ran from the road, deep into the woods.
Each stride sank with a heavy foot upon the dirt path, and the farther along he moved, the more confident he felt. “Come on, Gatekeeper,” he mumbled. “Show me where you are.” The words had no sooner left his lips than the compass locked in on a location and pointed the way.
Ghastly Grim! Could it have been so simple all along? Why didn’t he think to ask for the location out loud? He cursed himself, shook his head, and moved forward through the brush.
A natural path came in from the left and curved, merging with his direction of motion. He followed the pathway and it remained steady with the compass reading. Wide enough for one at first, it narrowed to something small animals had likely made. Barely noticeable unless you were looking hard to see the route.
He pushed his way through, moving branches and sweeping around bushes. It was the longest, most drawn-out moment of his life. That he could recall, anyway. He’d probably been running for twenty minutes, but it felt like sixty. A small watering hole lay at the end of the path. An ideal location for a portal, thought Sebastian. Although, this location was rather far off the beaten path. More so than usual. Not that that meant anything. There were likely many portals in extreme remote locations he had yet to find.
Problem was he didn’t actually see a portal. If there were any in the vicinity, he should pick up on their frequency or shimmer. He should get something. Anything. At least, that’s how he thought they worked.
A quick scan of the perimeter revealed a small, oval-shaped pond with a brook dribbling in from above. The hillside stretched up and away at a gentle grade. Nothing marked an ideal portal location, nothing but—
A notion struck him. It was slightly crazy, but he had nothing to lose. Why not, he figured. Sebastian took a deep breath and jumped into the pond. Hell, hope I’m right, he thought. He prayed his feet wouldn’t collide with muddy ground in seconds.
Sebastian slipped through the water, the chill slicing straight through his clothing and biting into his skin. He dumped onto the hard ground below, connecting with a jolt. Sharp pain splintered up his shins, but otherwise he was fine. The jump had landed him in a hidden room below the water’s surface. The water moved above, at the ceiling, and the moonlight filtered through, bathing him and the rest of the space in a soft, cool glow. Clearly magical, it had to have been created by the Gatekeepers.
“Where did you come from?”
Sebastian spun around at the sound of the man’s voice. Only feet away stood a tall, broad, dark-haired man. He looked like an official Gatekeeper, for all Sebastian knew—although he was young, and that had to be a good thing. Sebastian had only met one other before.
Sebastian stood and bowed his head. “Didn’t mean to startle you. I need to use your portal. You haven’t made this one an easy find.”
The Gatekeeper’s face hardened. “This one isn’t active yet, so it isn’t resonating.”
Sebastian bit his tongue. He wanted to laugh at his mistake, but knew it to be in bad form so he chose to behave. “I came because I was looking for you. I need your help.”
The Gatekeeper turned his back on Sebastian and pretended to go back to work.
Sebastian approached him with caution. “Did I offend you? I didn’t mean to. You are only the second Gatekeeper I’ve met. I should have shown better manners. My apologies.”
The Gatekeeper’s gaze flickered over Sebastian. “It is forgiven. Think nothing more
of it. Now go, as this portal is not ready for you yet.”
Sebastian dragged his hand along the wall of water. It was wet, yet firm. Oddly warm against his fingertips. “What is this place? How did you hold the water back, create this air pocket invisible from above?”
The Gatekeeper stopped what he was doing and a smug smile turned the corners of his lips. “Gatekeeper magic. It’s not for you. It’s only for my kind to know.”
“Your kind. That’s a lot of power for only one species to control, don’t you think?”
“Look who’s talking, Reaper.”
“So you know what I am. That saves a bit of time and formality.” Sebastian squared his shoulders, then placed his finger to his lips in a moment of thought. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Reaper owe you a favor?”
The Gatekeeper’s lips turned down into a frown. “How would that do me any good?”
Sebastian’s eyes sparkled. “Are you kidding? Think about it.”
The Gatekeeper nodded. “You may have a point. I can see there may be a benefit or two. What is it you want?”
Sebastian’s insides buzzed, and he pushed down his anxiety over what he had to do next. “It should be rather easy. I need a couple of portals.”
“I figured as much. Portals to where?”
“For starters, I need a quick one directly into Mobürn.”
“There’s a reason why there aren’t any portals in or out of Mobürn. The dragons residing there want to be left alone. You are not dragon. They’ll destroy you on sight.”
“I’m very aware of the dangers. But this is a serious matter, and lives are hanging on a meat hook. Cut me some slack and help a Reaper out. What do you say? Will you or will you not help me?”
The Gatekeeper paced the small underwater room, his hand in constant motion, scratching through the back of his hair down to his neck. Tension emanated from him in thick, heavy waves, absorbing the oxygen, making the space almost unbearable.
Sebastian coughed into his hand, hoping to spur the conversation to a desired conclusion.
The Gatekeeper waved his finger like a nervous twitch. “If I do this for you, there will have to be a time limit. I can’t leave the portal open indefinitely. Can you accomplish what you need to do within an hour’s time?”
Sebastian’s eyes widened. “One hour? To do everything? Find and talk to the individual I need, and get back or get stuck? Is that what you’re saying?”
The Gatekeeper nodded.
“Looks like I don’t have a choice. I agree to your terms.” Sebastian put out his open hand.
The Gatekeeper sighed and narrowed his eyes on Sebastian. “There was more. What else did you want from me?”
“We can discuss that when and if I return from the first trip in one piece,” Sebastian said. “Can we get started?”
“You mean now?”
“Is there any better time? I’d like to get going. Time is short, and I can’t afford to waste any more.”
The Gatekeeper shifted his weight and looked over Sebastian with an appraising eye. “I don’t trust you.”
“As you shouldn’t.”
“Why won’t you tell me what else you seek?” He placed his hand on the tool harness at his side. The tool used to birth doorways to new realms and worlds.
Sebastian kicked his foot out, took a step. “Because, my new friend,” his hand came down on the Gatekeeper’s shoulder, “it may be a moot request, depending on how things play out in this first little adventure of mine.”
The young Gatekeeper’s eyes shifted over Sebastian, and then around the room. He appeared to look at everything, yet see nothing. His eyes were completely glazed over. “Okay.”
Sebastian puckered his lips and drew back his brows. Watched while the Gatekeeper pulled the tool from his belt and began to draw a circle on the ground. Completed, he stepped to the side and tossed something from his hand across the divided space. He then chanted a few words Sebastian didn’t understand.
The outer lines of the circle began to glow a brilliant orange and red, beaming through the dirt. Like fire breaking through the earth. At one point, the light ignited in hot white. It took off like the wick on a stick of dynamite, moving over the line until the whole circle burned brighter, more brilliantly than before. The portal burst to life, and then vanished. Sebastian knew the door was still there and had simply taken on its protective camouflage. He could feel the vibration, slight as it was, and knew exactly where to find the doorway.
The Gatekeeper turned to face Sebastian, no pride present in his demeanor. He looked concerned, rather than satisfied.
“Thank you…” Sebastian paused. “What do I call you?”
“I am Madoc.”
“Thank you, Madoc. I owe you one.” Sebastian shook the young Gatekeeper’s hand, all the while his heart crammed up into his throat. Then he stepped forward and dropped through the portal.
Sebastian slipped through the portal, his hands grasping for the edge. He dangled in the air, an uneven terrain of rock and slow-flowing magma beneath him.
“Reap me,” Sebastian mumbled.
Is this madness or pure genius in the portal placement? he wondered. It would be difficult for a dragon to accidently stumble through a door placed in the sky. Difficult for him to get back through, too.
Flinging his legs forward, Sebastian swung back and forth until constant momentum moved through his body, then released his hold. He flipped forward and landed on a large slab of slate. Volcanic matter slushed past in cracked veins running around and through the rocks. Quick jumps and skips had him moving across the rocks, using them as giant stepping-stones.
From stories—and a few directions from Zeke—Sebastian knew where to go. The dragons would gather in the sanctuary. The dragon Bolsvck—the mighty dragon who had refused to rule, the most feared and revered of all dragons, and Kyra’s father—should be found there.
Marking the time on his watch, Sebastian moved at top speed through the canyon. What he was looking for had to be at a higher elevation, so his gaze traveled the walls in search of a path.
In canyons settled with dragons, there was no need for roads or paths. At least, not for Fire Dragons. They could fly to their destination. Sebastian would need to make his own path, but first he needed to identify his target. As he rounded the first bend, he saw a large, oversized-brick wall marked what he’d been looking for. He silently thanked Madoc for getting him so close. A short climb, and he was slipping into the dragons’ damp lair. Barely in and the rock began to break, fall away beneath his feet. He slid down the embankment.
Dark, sharp claws slammed down at his feet, stopping him short. Sebastian had been expecting a Fire Dragon. Perhaps a scout or centennial. He never dreamed he’d run into a Black Dragon on this little errand. But here he was, fuming breath and all. Sebastian’s mind spun with a whirlwind of information. He tried to remember what he’d read about them in all his species research. Research he’d done after meeting Kyra the first time. Black Dragons were dangerous, terribly vile. Possibly the most evil of the species.
Sleek, thin skin stretched ghastly over his skeleton structure, and his wings looked like moldy Swiss cheese. Vapors of fungal green seeped from the sides of his mouth, and the strong accompanying scent of rotting corpses burned Sebastian’s nose hairs. From deeply sunken sockets, he stared down at Sebastian with blood-red eyes, and snarled.
The side of his lip quivered, lifting to show his all-too-sharp canines. “Your kind is not welcome here.”
Sebastian’s hands went up in peace and he bowed his head. “My apologies. I have come to beg an audience with Bolsvck.”
Claws dragged immense scars through the earth. “Mighty Bolsvck does not lower to one such as you.”
Sebastian glanced past the imposing dragon to the immense hole the cave opened up to. Muddy water ran through the center, dividing the cavern. On the far side sat a humongous red dragon with unique markings running the length of his body. His presence, majestic and commandin
g. The largest Fire Dragon Sebastian had ever imagined. He had to be Bolsvck. He wasn’t alone, though. Dragons of all shapes, sizes, and colors moved throughout the sanctuary. The interior of the mountain was a bustling dragon community. Kyra hadn’t lied when she’d said the stories of dragon extinction were greatly exaggerated.
Light poured in on the hollow from a break in the ceiling. It glimmered off Boslvck’s hide, marking him for the treasure he was, a born leader of his kind. Near his front leg, up by the stretch of his neck, shining in the summer’s light, was a Dragon King’s marking. Sebastian watched him use his fire to warm the ground and then cozy into a position on a high rock overlooking his flock—or dignity, as it were in this case.
Sebastian glanced at the Black Dragon, then back to Kyra’s father. “But I just need—” He took a step toward his goal, toward Bolsvck. A black arm swept down, claws extended. It hit Sebastian hard and fast. Knocked him off his feet and sent him flying backwards.
Sebastian crashed into the mountain’s rock side. Splinters of pain shot out across his backside. A boil of hot, white pain ruptured his gut. Sebastian doubled over, threw his hands on his knees for support. Air—need air. He pounded a fist to his chest, and his windpipe opened with a massive gasp. “What the hell?” Sebastian stumbled forward. “I promise you, Bolsvck will want to hear what I have to say.”
“Tell me. I’ll be the judge.” Smaller and brilliantly bright, a White Dragon stepped from around the corner. She pinned her sharp gaze directly on Sebastian. She might’ve resembled an ice carving, but Sebastian wouldn’t be fooled. Supreme intelligence dwelled in the dragon’s eyes. Sebastian would have to watch what he said and did, or he’d wind up dead—maybe.
The Black Dragon hissed, turned, and swept his tail wide. Sebastian jumped, the massive tail brushing past him far too close for comfort. He narrowly escaped the force of another hit or smack against the rocks. Earth shook, bringing small rocks crumbling from above, and the Black Dragon stormed away.
