The dragon Gillespie had ridden snorted and flew off, scattering snow and ice in his wake.
“You’re betrothed?” Of course, he was a prince. She thought she only had to win him against dragons and his father. Now here was some random woman attached to him?
“I wanted to tell you, after I told her and her father the treaty and the future marriage was off.” His kiss landed on her cheek when she turned her mouth from him. “But I never loved her. I have only exchanged letters with her and wouldn’t be able to pick her out of crowded room. I never felt anything but duty towards her, and not even that anymore. Before we marry, I will break the marriage agreement with her and her father. However, I will do it in person and not by letter or messenger. Please, forgive me.”
She thought back on all the time and patience he had given her when she knew he wanted to love her. How she had made him wait and prove himself and love. “Alright. But if you ever keep something like this from me again—”
“You have my vow.” He waited until she nodded, then he turned back to Gillespie. “I cannot come back yet. I must try to kill this Warloc and free our kingdom. Please, for our people and the world’s sake, come with us. Help us fight.”
“I will come with you, but only because your father bade me not to return without you. But once that is done, my liege to you is finished.” He stomped off.
“What is wrong with him? I thought us friends.”
“Give him time. He hates dragons.” Celeste patted his arm.
Ice dragged down branches. Only the strongest of limbs did not succumb to drooping. Beneath their feet, snow packed with ice covered the ground.
Mirhana was glad for the dragons’ cloaks, for even she was cold. No doubt, Celeste would have frozen by now without hers.
With only one horse, Shadowdancer, they moved slower through the forest. Mirhana speculated about what was so dangerous that the dragons refused to fly over it.
Since Jeslyn, Gillespie, and Celeste were the only humans, as Landon didn’t count since he was dragon by almost half, the three humans took turns riding Shadowdancer.
Mirhana didn’t trust the assassin. However, Celeste made her promise not to harm the traitor. She said they needed her to navigate through this area since her homeland lay north of here and bordered the Primora Sea.
“Why do the dragons fear this forest?” Celeste hiked beside Jeslyn who rode on Shadowdancer.
To keep Celeste and the others safe, Jeslyn’s hands were bound. And Mirhana watched her for anything threatening. She had searched her for weapons or poisons, but found none. Her throwing blades were in Mirhana’s pack, and she’d only give them to Jeslyn if necessary. Mirhana would rather she never have them.
“It’s the bongle darts.” She scratched her nose and Mirhana’s glance drifted to the scars on her forehead where she gouged out the sapphire gems marking her as an assassin who failed. “They’re from the bongle snake of these parts. The darts are coated in urine that can penetrate a dragon’s scales and drive it mad with blood rage. They kill each other before they die.”
“And these people that live here in Everlang make these darts?” Brock asked.
“They won’t bother us.”
Mirhana frowned.
“They’ve watched us descend from the sky. Any who capture me is feared. Besides, they hate magic, and have avoided us by sensing its taint within Celeste and Mirhana.”
“How do you know so much about them?” Celeste asked.
“Because as my initiation, I had to kill their queen.”
Celeste raised her eyebrows.
“Nay, not open war. I used cunning to enter into their realm. Then seduction to become a member of the queen’s bed. Soon I pitted the others in jealousy against each other. When I alone was her lover, I killed her.”
Her story made Mirhana’s stomach clench. One as dangerous as she had been welcomed in their midst.
“Won’t they take their revenge on you?” Celeste looked around.
“No, I led them to believe it was her jilted lover. She refused to have his heart boiled and eaten like the others … so I shifted the blame to him after I made sure he escaped from his cage the same night. Then I was praised for going after him and bringing back his head.”
“Eat their hearts?” Landon’s skin greened.
“Aye, they’re cannibals. Eat dragons, humans, whatever they can.”
“Wonderful.” Sarcasm laced Brock’s tone.
“If not for me here with you,” her blue eyes darkened, “then parts of you would be chewed up by now.”
“Not I.” He held a hand an inch from her face. “My power flickers along the outside of your kajh like a child licking honey from bread he’s not allowed to eat.”
“Brock.” Celeste put a hand on his arm. He stomped ahead of them.
Chapter Forty-two
As they left the forest, Mirhana sensed hundreds of stares. It would take days to journey through the snow without more horses. Would these cannibals follow them? What if Jeslyn told them to attack?
“I should’ve asked the dragons to replace the horses they ate,” Landon grumbled.
“We’ll catch a boat in Lor’angle. Traders sell to my people along the coast.”
“Will your people welcome you back after failing your mission?” Celeste patted Shadowdancer’s neck when he snorted.
It seemed to Mirhana that he did not like Jeslyn either, especially when she rode him. Landon squeezed her hand and she smiled at him as they walked.
“Nay. I’ll be shunned. They won’t attack us for terror of whatever blight afflicted me may chase them. We are a superstitious people, despite being assassins.”
“How long before we reach Lor’angle?” Landon clutched his cloak tighter.
“About three days walk left. One and half if it was summer.”
“Where do these cannibals live?” Mirhana smelled the hint of deer cooking. It would be like Jeslyn to lead them all into a trap. Melwyn growled as though seconding what Mirhana thought.
“Their homes are made to appear like the trees.” She pointed into the distance of two oaks whose branches sloped down into an arch as if they were human and held hands. “That’s one. They’re camouflaged to avoid detection. After all, it would do no good if your prey saw you and ran away before the feasting.”
“Do they have horses we can buy?” Brock stumbled over a tree root coated in ice.
“Nay. They’d all be eaten.”
At her words Shadowdancer back stepped a pace before Celeste set him straight again.
“Besides, depending on others instead of yourself makes you weak.”
Mirhana bit her tongue to argue with Jeslyn on the use of the king’s horses and carriage when she took her and left Celeste to die. And the weeks of riding with them before they knew what she was. Then she remembered her tale of the cannibal’s queen: Jeslyn had adapted to their ways before she killed. Even though she disliked depending on others, she did so until she completed her mission, as a way of disguise.
• • •
When they reached Lor’angle, Mirhana grumbled at Jeslyn’s lack of details. True, traders sold to her people along the coast. What she didn’t tell them was the traders only came with the new moon. The next new moon was days away.
Inside her people’s lands, their presence was not acknowledged. They waited inside Jeslyn’s hobbled home. Weapons gleamed from the walls as if spawned from the earth. Jeslyn said her home would always remain hers. Her people worried what ailed her, as a failed assassin. Their fears told them her failure would latch onto them if they ventured too close like a beggar takes hold of those who have what he desires.
At last, when the new moon rose, they hiked down to the coast. Jeslyn’s people, all with one row of sapphire, emerald, ruby, topaz, and various other colored gems etched across their foreheads, walked apart from them. Mirhana noticed only the older ones had a row across their foreheads.
At her stare, Jeslyn smiled. “I was the youngest
to start my second row, before … ”
“Thanks for helping us.” Celeste swept passed her and gave Jeslyn a hug. “I know what sacrifices you’ve made. Surely your people will welcome you back when we return from defeating the Warloc’s evil.”
Instead of answering, Jeslyn shrugged.
The scent of seawater filtered through the winter breeze. No doubt, the water was colder than it smelled.
The Traders finally littered the beach. They all had dark skin as if rubbed with coal, and dark hair that caught the glow of the firelight from their torches and seemed to shine.
They held back while Jeslyn approached one of the sea captains. His nods did not lessen the uneasiness that coiled around Mirhana’s stomach. Around them vibrated the chatter of men, women, and children as they bargained for weapons, clothing, and spices.
Jeslyn waved them over, and then made introductions. When Brock refused to grasp his elbow in greeting, the captain’s knife flashed to his chest.
In sharp tones, Jeslyn spoke to him. “Captain Del’mir doesn’t understand your aversion. Although I’ve explained it to him, he demands a demonstration, for he saw your arm around Celeste and she did not die.
“He says there’s a prisoner on board they’ve dragged through the sea to let the sharks punish him. None have taken the bait. They see it as an omen that they cannot raise hand to harm him.” Her smile reminded Mirhana again that she was a murderer. “He asked me to do it, but my price is too high. So, I volunteered you to rid them of their thief.”
“Shouldn’t they just chop his fingers off and burn his hands like others do?” Landon asked.
“No. Thievery among the Traders is a death punishment. Do we have a bargain? Will you show the captain how you kill with the slightest touch?” She sounded giddy.
“What happens if I refuse?” Brock asked.
“Either way he’s dead.”
“Fine.” He clenched his teeth at her beaming smile.
Jeslyn held up her tied hands. “I can’t swim with this.”
Mirhana frowned while Celeste untied her. “And if she swims away and escapes?”
“She won’t.”
They followed Captain Del’mir to one of the rowboats, which lined the shore. Celeste climbed in and Brock followed. Landon, Mirhana, and Gillespie piled in after them.
Trusting Jeslyn’s word, Celeste left Shadowdancer at her village. If any harm came to him, she promised Jeslyn she would extract revenge and have the word assassin magically imprinted across their cheeks and nose to warn everyone of what they were.
On the ship, hands helped them up to the deck. Brock waved them back and then climbed up the rope alone. Melwyn, who swam rather than ride in the cramped rowboat, dripped water across the deck. Jeslyn, soaking wet from her swim, stalked toward them.
Between two Traders was a third man bound in chains. The chains laced across his arms, held on either side by the two other men. Mirhana guessed they thought him too dangerous to leave chained alone.
“Use your power, but touch him lightly so they’ll not doubt your abilities.” Jeslyn made his curse sound as though a blessing.
Brock stepped forward. The captain motioned him to move to the left so he had a clear view of what he did. Mirhana couldn’t help her curiosity either. She had seen his power on the Troblin—would it be the same with a human? He hadn’t fed in weeks, not since the Drow’s cave. She knew from their conversations that he must be starving.
Brock stared into the man’s eyes. “Tell him what I will do.” He spoke to Jeslyn but did not turn away from the man. Scars traced up and down the man’s bare chest, arms and legs. They left him in the rags that hung from his waist. “He must clear his conscience before his gods as well.”
She translated and the man’s mouth tightened, but he nodded at her words. With a sigh, he lifted his eyes to the sky.
Sails furled open. With the men rowing and wind, they glided across the water. When his stare returned, they knew he was ready.
Brock’s hand seemed to lift of its own accord. He moved slowly. His fingertips brushed the man’s shoulder.
The man’s eyes rolled up in the back of his head. Brock squeezed his eyes shut.
Mirhana saw the blood trickle down the thief’s face, and still Brock’s power consumed. Within seconds, he was dead. Then the men chained to either side fell to their knees with blood dripping from their eyes and ears as well. Mirhana felt the death magic scouring along the ship. He was out of control.
“Do something!” she shouted to Celeste. Mirhana knew she didn’t have the magic to stop him and if she touched him, she’d be dead, too.
The thief and the men were now decomposing corpses. With her athame, Celeste threw her shield over Brock and herself, blocking his curse from finding more victims.
“Stop, you’ve killed them all!” Celeste shook him with her free hand.
“W-what happened?” Brock asked.
“Your power. Within moments, you drained them like this. It surged through the chains.”
Jeslyn’s face beamed as though she had won a prize. No other questions were asked.
Chapter Forty-three
The captain shouted orders that they would sail to Cape Seyechell, after they dropped off their cargo, and any men were free to go that didn’t want to remain onboard. The men on the ship whispered a new nickname for Brock: Curse.
As they sailed, storms swelled. One ripped a sail off. The lines strangled a man before they cut him out.
Only the captain’s promise to Celeste, Mirhana thought, kept him on the ship. She would not blame him if he stayed away from them and their destination.
At his village, they rested while they hung another sail and made other repairs to the ship from the storms. Beltane was less than a week away.
Sailing a few days later, Mirhana heard the shouts of ‘ahoy land!’ above her in the lookout. The ship slowed as the sound of the ringing of the sails closed.
Cape Seyechell was on the horizon. By the days she marked, Beltane would come tomorrow. The scent of death and graveyard dust was in the air.
“Not many would have come this far. I don’t know how you’ll get home.” The captain scratched the back of his head. “Unless you’ve friends of the Marelynes which live at the bottom of the sea?”
“Those are a myth.” Mirhana tucked her bow across her arm.
“No one knows. For none who see them ever return from the sea. It’s said they have lobster tails instead of legs.”
“Thank you for your trouble.” Celeste hugged him. “We couldn’t have arrived in time without you, your ship, and crew.”
“Take care.” He nodded. “Only the dead roam here.”
Gillespie, Landon, and Jeslyn climbed the rope ladder and waded through the water. When Brock hustled across the deck to follow the others off the ship, men hid behind each other.
As his boots hit the shore, a cheer rose from the men. They sang that the curse had left them. There was no waiting; they lifted anchor, and sailed away.
Despite Mirhana, Landon, and Brock’s arguments, Celeste allowed Jeslyn to come with them to the Cape. Mirhana wanted to leave her back at the captain’s village since Celeste wouldn’t let Brock take her life for her treason against them. Celeste had argued that Jeslyn was just doing her job at which she was an expert.
At least there seemed to be a change of heart in Jeslyn at times.
Landon hadn’t told Mirhana that he loved her. She knew it as truth for she saw it in his eyes, tasted it in his kiss, and felt it even when he made her toes curl while they made love. Surely, he had his reasons for not saying the words yet.
Here, cliffs covered in ice greeted them despite Beltane and summer being two days away. Mirhana shook her head at their group: a human who despised dragons, an assassin who she didn’t trust, a witch, her brother, and Landon, her lover and soon to be husband if they lived through this.
“Where do we go?” Landon asked.
“To the caves, where the dead are.
” Mirhana could feel them as well as Celeste probably did. If she closed her eyes, she’d see the drifting shadows behind her lids.
“From our encounters, I believe the souls prefer to hide from the light of day if they can,” Brock added.
After months of travel, they had finally arrived. Now she wished they could leave. Uneasiness crept into her throat, not for her safety, but for Landon’s. She swore the ground trembled deep inside as they hiked across the cliffs.
Dusk came, and they still had not found a way into the cave. They huddled near a fire Landon built. The night did not welcome them with sounds of crickets or frogs. Only the crackling fire filled the silence.
“Since Jeslyn, Gillespie, and Celeste are mortal, they should wait here until we return,” Brock said.
“Prophesy demands this of me. I put my life at risk to save the world,” Celeste answered.
Mirhana thought she heard a sound in the dark distance.
“What troubles you?” Landon asked.
“The evil grows beneath us as if laughing with each breath I take. And my stomach twists.”
“Perhaps it’s nerves.” Brock frowned, but looked around too.
“I sense it, too. It’s so strong. Like … ” Celeste’s face paled. “We’ve been tricked.”
Brock grabbed her trembling hands. “Tomorrow, we’ll find—”
“We don’t have until tomorrow. Don’t you feel it? Beltane is now. Tonight. We only have hours before midnight.”
“Beltane is tomorrow.” Brock shook his head.
“Nay, it’s now. They want us to believe we’ve more time, but we don’t.” Her dagger was out and the garnet glowed. “Soon it’ll be too late.”
As she spoke, the truth of her words dropped like lead into Mirhana’s heart. She was right. “Only Brock and I see well enough in the dark to travel over these cliffs.”
“I can see as well,” Landon snapped.
“Save your bickering.” Brock stood. “We must go. Now.”
“My athame will light our path,” Celeste said. “Pray that we’re not too late.”
At Celeste’s insistence, they left Jeslyn and Gillespie by the fire. Mirhana made her pet Melwyn guard them. Again, Mirhana wondered why they had brought the humans at all.
Son of Dragons Page 20
