They floated the catapult back up to the surface and placed yet another ball of fire into the basket, adjusted it for accuracy before launching it. The projectile crackled through the air burning through oxygen on its way to a direct hit with the castle but a little more than half way it was blown out of the sky by one of Marcus’s lightning bolts.
Aewyn looked puzzled. “How is it that the boy knows exactly when we are launching?”
“That’s what I’d like to know,” said Kapano. “Perhaps we need to create one that will break into a hundred pieces; he wouldn’t be able to shoot them all down I don’t think.”
Asher nodded as he scratched the side of his face. “I’m not aware of such a spell. If there is such an enchantment it would take time to find it and we may not have all the ingredients.”
Kapano did not look happy. “Oh pig’s anus! There’s always something to put an obstacle in our way. They say that when fate works against you that you may as well abandon all hope.”
“Pig anuses are a delicacy,” said Asher.
Both Kapano and Aewyn looked at Asher giving him a disgusted look.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE WHITE CROW deflected the knife away from Alexa’s throat, moving so fast that it was a blur, and as the weapon stuck in the tree a circle around it burned, consuming the inside of the tree with its poison, folding upon itself as it collapsed. Merrill threw himself on the ground while simultaneously launching an arrow, killing the fellow with the crossbow; the arrow went up through his chin and into his head, his body now supported by two large branches.
Knife took two arrows to his chest and keeled over, falling flat on his back as he was now dead weight, literally. The princess noticed the crow flying from one tree branch to another, had it not been for the bird she would be dead. She took out another piece of hard bread and offered it to her feathered friend; he flew down and took several bites out of her hand and then flew off with the remaining chunk.
Obed went to the door and discovered that it wouldn’t open, but a small door in it with a central pivot pushed open, revealing a small metal statue of a knight, only it was in pieces. He managed to get the feet and legs together but then it became more complicated, the waist and chest would not go together properly no matter how hard he tried.
“This is different. The last time I was here it simply pushed open.” Alexa took her turn in assembling the knight; studying it she backtracked and then commenced to put the pieces in their proper order. She found a piece of a dragon and realized that there was a dragon to be assembled as well. It didn’t look like it was going to be easy to put together.
After more than an hour the princess was becoming frustrated; she had the dragon together but the knight appeared to have parts missing. As Alexa took a break Obed took over, but it no time at all Alexa saw that he was making a mess of things and made him stop. Merrill tried his hand at it and started to make progress but then was stuck as well as several pieces wouldn’t fit together.
Alexa went back at the puzzle as the others watched; she began turning pieces around and it took some time but finally it appeared that she was going to get it. “I might have it.”
“It’s about time,” said Merrill.
Alexa was disappointed to see that the knight’s head was missing. Why hadn’t she noticed that before? “What the hell? The knight has no head.” She tried to push the door open but it wouldn’t budge.
Obed shook his head at the luck. “Now what do we do?”
The white crow flew down to Knife’s body and pecked at his pocket; the princess searched him and found the missing piece, put it into place and watched as the door slowly opened permitting them to enter. The crow sat on top of the door and watched as they disappeared deeper into the dark forest, worrying about their safety, but humans were stubborn animals that did as they pleased. The thought that he might not get more bread from them was depressing.
It was strange being in a land of darkness. They ate and camped for the night and when they awoke the next morning there should have been morning light but none existed. Eternal darkness what not something that one could get used to, unnatural is what it was. Obed thought it would be awful to have to live here.
“How much further princess?” Merrill asked.
“Still quite a ways.”
Obed looked tired but would follow Alexa wherever she led. His oath to defend the king and his offspring had not been taken lightly. “What was Knightshade doing way out here?”
Alexa brushed her hair before tucking in down inside her armour. “He was in pursuit of enemies of the king.”
Merrill grunted.
The forest path led them to a massive stone wall with a single cave entrance, but there was a glow from deep within and the air escaping was cool and smelled of sulfur. And sulfur usually meant dragons.
Obed cleared his throat. “Alexa you do realize that we are only three. Anything could be in there. Smells like a dragon.”
Alexa encouraged her horse to move forward with Obed and Merrill following into the cave; they could see a sconce that was lit in the distance. Their voices now echoed off the walls. There was sound of water dripping. “There’s a dragon in here but he’s friendly.”
And again Merrill grunted. He was surprised how far the journey had been and still no sign of the sword, considered that he might not want to know how much further they had to journey. “Why didn’t you just have a new sword forged for Stone from the finest steel?”
“It wouldn’t have been Knightshade.”
The cave system was massive, lots of room to allow the passage of a large dragon although a grey would have had a tight squeeze. There were tunnel offshoots but the princess continued to move forward, seeming to know where she was going. Merrill thought that she had been much too adventurous as a child for her own good.
“Alexa,” said Obed. “Slow your pace while I go into this side tunnel and ah see a man about a horse.”
“We’ll wait just a little ways from here.”
There was the sound of armour being removed, metal against rock and then an unpleasant smell making its way to Merrill and Alexa. The sound of dripping water was getting just a little louder.
A white dragon stuck his head out of a tunnel on the right some distance in front of them. “Who’s stinking up the place?” Dexter had the prettiest blue dragon eyes and they glowed in the darkness.
Obed caught up to the others. “I think something died back there.”
“Sure smells like it,” the princess agreed.
The dragon placed himself in front of the three puny humans blocking the way. “What do we have here? The purveyor of the stench I think.”
“Dexter do you remember me?” Alexa showed him her most cordial smile.
Dexter moved closer and cocking his huge head he brought it close to her and then he turned and sniffed her. “I do remember you princess you’re all grown up. What brings you into the dark forest?”
“I’ve come to fetch the sword as a gift for my husband.”
“Good luck with that. Some sort of spell binds it I think.” Dexter looked at the two male knights. “It would be better for all of you if you simply turned back.”
Alexa shook her head. “We’re not turning back.”
The dragon snorted flame toward the ceiling. “You were stubborn as a child and I see that you remain inflexible. That is a quality that will get you killed.”
Alexa giggle. “Silly dragon.”
“I don’t see how that is the least bit silly. Did you know that the essence of magic is increasing? Did you know that? Huh? Did you?”
Alexa was studying all the lumps and contours of the dragon’s face. “We’re not wizards so maybe that’s why we didn’t notice. Is it a bad thing?”
“Oh my well I don’t know but some are saying that the source of magic used to be a trickle and now it’s like a river. That’s all they’re talking about in here.” Dexter sneezed, catching everyone off guard, luckily he lifted his
head toward the ceiling and the wall of flame followed the ceiling without hurting anyone. “Sorry about that. Sometimes I get dust in my nose.”
Obed was becoming impatient. “We should be moving along princess.”
“He’s the stinky one isn’t he?” said the dragon. “Oh you can’t go straight through anymore; there was a bit of a cave in and now you have to go around.”
“Damn it,” said Alexa. She knew the way going straight but going around could end up being a completely different matter, now even the princess was beginning to think the quest for the sword wasn’t such a good idea after all. Was something trying to tell them to give up? “Is it difficult to find one’s way around?”
“Not for a dragon,” said Dexter.
“I don’t suppose you could help us navigate?” said Merrill.
“Oh my no.” The dragon shook his big head repeatedly. “I have a female dragon that’s coming for a visit and I have to clean out my den, it’s like a pig’s eye in there. A human expression I think.”
Obed smiled. “I think you mean like a pig’s sty.”
“So anyway Hattie is coming over and we’re going to mate. I like mating. We mated once before but so far she hasn’t laid any eggs.” The dragon turned and ran off, taking an offshoot to the left.
Alexa sighed. “We should get going before another dragon shows up, it might not be so friendly.”
They continued on down the tunnel, following it around to the right and then left, discovering a door burning with green flame. Behind them a huge boulder was released falling hard, just missing Merrill and his horse. They’re way back was now blocked.
Obed was not impressed. “This is just great!”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CYRUS CONTINUED TO STARE AT RAINA as if he was a wolf and she was a hare but only when no one else was around to see. She really didn’t know if he was a danger to her or not but she was beginning to think that he might, certainly not the valorous person that he was pretending to be. She assumed that Stone would eventually figure him out but how much of his time would be wasted by then.
Stone, Marcus and his golden knights arrived back at Leeander as Raina waved in greeting, happy to see that her sorcerer had returned safe, one never knew what was lurking out there. King Darius approached them on his mount as he noticed that Adorok was no longer with them.
“Did Adorok remain behind with the other guards?” asked the king.
“He’s been killed father, done in by a wizard.” Now Marcus had lost the great wizard twice.
“Oh good lord,” said the king. “I so enjoyed talking to him and now he’s gone again.” Seeing him in that form had been disturbing and perhaps ultimately it was for the best but he could see the disappointment in Marcus’s face.
One of Leeander’s scouts rode in on his black stallion; Talmai rode directly up to the king, dismounted and bowed. He was not originally from Leeander, was from Marica a kingdom so far south that no one in Leeander had ever been there and hadn’t even been aware of its existence until he showed up. He was a handsome devil with a twinkle in his eye, brown skin and one of the most muscular that they had ever seen, had pledged his fealty to the king, having lost the rest of his men on a journey of exploration.
King Darius had liked Talmai from almost the moment they met. “Talmai, you look like you saw a ghost.”
“You majesty, it would be better had I seen one. The niiwu have set up a settlement northeast of here and only about three leagues distant.” Talmai had never seen such creatures prior to arriving in Leeander.
Darius sighed. “That cannot be allowed to stand. They eat people like we eat poultry. How big is the settlement?”
“It’s big enough to hold dozens of them your majesty. They appear to be going back and forth from their dwelling to the forest and back.”
King Darius took Stone aside. “I want you to eat and then take a battalion and either chase them off or kill them and I’d prefer that you kill them. I’d like to know what damn wizard conjured those things in the first place. One wouldn’t think that magical creations could reproduce but obviously they can. They make life that much more difficult for everyone.”
Stone hated to lose men in battle even though he knew it was part of being a knight. “You do realize how ferocious these things are your majesty. We will not all return from a full on battle with the niiwu. Perhaps Marcus could come and unleash some of his magic upon them?”
Darius nodded as he considered his course of action, hated giving commands where men were almost certain to die. “Unfortunately Marcus must remain here for now to defend the kingdom against those rocks of fire.”
“Father,” said Marcus. “I could conjure up a spell that would give them poison arrows so that every single arrow would end up being a kill?”
Stone liked the sound of that. “That is an excellent idea Marcus. Where is Alexa?”
Darius had to think fast. “Oh she’s out on an errand for me with Obed and Merrill. I expect her to return soon.”
Raina ran up to Marcus and hugged him. “I was so worried. It’s awful to have to stay behind.”
Marcus thought that it must indeed be frustrating to have to wait and wonder. “Come with me Raina you can help me with the ingredients for the spell.”
More than an hour later Marcus continued to hunt for the mole plant amongst Adorok’s magical ingredients as Raina went over the elements in the book. Most of his golden knights were out in the hall looking in, except for Brother and Kayden who were also in the chamber watching and listening. He remembered seeing the mole plant but he had moved things around and it was difficult to read Adorok’s writing and using the improper ingredients could be dangerous; he imagined their arrows turning into flowers as they hit the niiwu. Soon enough he would need to go out and gather his own ingredients.
Raina looked up at Marcus as he stood on the chair probing the higher shelves. “I want to tell you something Marcus but I don’t know if I should?”
The wizard stopped and turned toward her. “What do you mean?”
She cleared her throat. “Well Cyrus tried to kiss me even though I didn’t want him to and I had to hit him to make him stop.”
That got Marcus’s attention. “What? Are you sure? If my father were a different king he could chop off his head for that.”
“What do you mean am I sure? Don’t you think I’d know if someone was trying to kiss me?”
He got down from the chair. “Why would he risk such a thing?”
“I don’t know but I don’t think he is what he pretends to be.” Raina felt guilty for bringing it up.
“What do you mean?”
Raina looked up from the book. “Well he pretends to be gallant like Stone but he’s not. I think he has a dark side.”
Marcus thought about that. “Stone is pretty smart I would have thought that something like that would not get passed him.”
“That’s what worries me.” Raina didn’t say it but might he actually be a danger to the king?
The wizard nodded. “As soon as I finish this spell I’ll have a talk with him. I’ll pretend that I have an enchantment on me that will tell me if he’s lying.”
“That’s a good idea,” Raina agreed. “See what he says.”
Marcus got back up on his chair and after examining three more bottles he finally found the shavings of mole plant, small green slivers of it.
Stone was in the great hall with Cyrus having lunch, sharing a leg of lamb when Marcus entered. “Is that the poison?”
Marcus had a tiny bottle of dark green almost black liquid. “It is. I must warn you that a single drop on the end of an arrow is deadly so tell your knights not to poke themselves with it. By this time tomorrow the ingredients will have weakened.”
“I have to admit that it is good to have a sorcerer around.” Stone was thoroughly enjoying the lamb.”
Marcus spoke in an angry voice which was unusual for him. “Cyrus I have a bone to pick with you. I have a spell on me and
I will know if you are not telling the truth. Raina said that you tried to kiss her and she had to hit you to make you stop. What say you?”
Now Cyrus was angry but couldn’t show it, an awkward predicament to be in, not sure if he would get out of this one alive. Could he run Marcus through with his sword before he launched a spell? But then Stone would best him. That bitch had made more trouble for him than he had anticipated. He didn’t think that she would actually tell Marcus, obviously an error in judgement. And having to tell the truth made his next move uncertain.
Stone slowly turned his head toward Cyrus, thinking that his reluctance to speak was due to the fact that Marcus spoke the truth. “Answer him.”
“I did try to kiss her but it was only in jest.”
“That is a lie,” said Marcus.
“All right, all right it wasn’t a jest. I guess I made a mistake. She is so utterly beautiful.”
Marcus looked at his wand because it wanted his attention. How about a rock?
“Marcus no!” said Raina.
Marcus hit him with a speck of light that floated from his wand to the top of the aspiring knight’s head and Cyrus disappeared, in his place was a rock.
Stone stood up. “Marcus where did you send him?”
“I didn’t send him anywhere he’s right there.” The wizard pointed at the chair where he had been sitting.
Stone looked down and saw a round smooth speckled rock the size of his hand. “You transformed him into a rock? Turn him back now.”
Marcus went around and placed the rock on the table with a thump. “The only one that can order me to change him back is my father. I think he can use some time as a rock.”
“I’ll decide his punishment,” said Stone.
Marcus knew that Cyrus was the best pupil that he ever had and that his judgement might be flawed. “And after he spends some time as a rock you can also punish him. I should have turned him into a chicken, maybe he would have ended up in the cook’s pot, but then the stew would probably have sickened all of us!”
Knight of the Sword (of Knights and Wizards Book 3) Page 7
