Theft of Dragons (Princes of Naverstrom)

by John Forrester

  "Please...it would be amazing if we succeeded. We can do it, we've planned this hunt for months." And in his mind he pictured tossing the slain creature at his father's feet knowing he'd achieved something Xhan had never dared.

  A blur of movement ahead in the bushes caused his attention to jerk up in a quick second. He stopped and searched around trying to spot the source. There, beyond a patch of Elderberry, something fat and filthy waddled down a muddy path. His heart pounded and jumped at the sight. This was it.

  Tensing his muscles, he bent low, stalking after the animal. He glanced at Mara, and sent her a victorious grin. It was a big, burly boar. He followed after the tromping creative until it reached the stream and grunted at a wallow surrounded by a circle of mossy rocks, finally settling into the mud. This was his first chance at hunting a boar. But when he really got a good look at the fat beast a jolt of fear shot through him. Those are some massive tusks, he thought.

  But by now Mara had already nocked an arrow. Their plan all along had been to weaken the boar at range and switch to spears and daggers to stop its advance. Seemed like a bloody stupid plan now staring at the powerful creature. Part of the plan always included dragging the boar back to Mother's kitchen for a fine roast. And seeing Father's proud eyes as he said, "You're a fine hunter, son." An unlikely dream.

  At Mara's questioning look he quickly nocked an arrow and nodded at her. She turned back to face the boar, but her eyes remained wary and fearful. This would be a tricky shot. He leaned to the side and felt the tension strain his arms as he pulled the string back, aimed, and released the arrow straight at the boar. It was a good shot, but the arrow caught a thicket's branch and droned off past the creature. Damned! How could he miss?

  The boar jerked its head up and glared at Talis. He barely had a second to think before the beast sloshed in the stream, bounding towards him. He ducked as Mara's arrow flew past him and slammed into the boar's chest. Why was he just stupidly standing instead of nocking another arrow? Another shot from Mara hit the boar's flank, and she fired off another one that hit the creature in the hip. But the arrows didn't seem to slow the boar down at all.

  Eyes mesmerized at the advancing boar, he shook his head and threw down his bow and quickly brandished his spear. Mara did the same and spread out in a circle as the boar aimed directly at him.

  He jutted out his weapon, ready to strike, but again felt fear latch onto his heart and squeeze until he found himself gulping deep breaths through his mouth. Mara shouted for him to watch out.

  As the boar's tusk bore down on him, Talis leapt out of the way just in time and thrust his spear down at the beast. The creature squealed in pain as his spear pierced the back of its neck. Mara lunged at the boar with her spear and stabbed its rear flank. It shrieked, swung its tusks around and knocked her back onto a pile of leaves.

  Talis screamed as he watched her spin through the air and slam backwards onto the ground. A sickening feeling twisted in his stomach. What had he done? Fury raged in his chest and he stabbed and prodded the boar, trying to keep it away from Mara, until finally the creature gave up and bounded away, howling and grunting in a mad rush.

  Gods, why didn't I listen to her? He ran over to find Mara wincing, her eyes vacant and bloodshot, but still conscious. She tried to lift herself up.

  "Wait, don't get up. Rest a moment. " Talis tried to remember exactly where the tusk had struck her. "Where does it hurt? Wait, don't close your eyes! Look at me, are you all right?"

  She coughed and inhaled a huge gulp of air and coughed again, a redness sweeping over her face. "It knocked my breath out...there are stars everywhere!" She started to laugh but crimped up in pain. After ten heartbeats she began to breathe normally, and pushed herself up with the help of Talis. But when she tried walking, she stumbled and leaned on him for support.

  "You're seriously hurt!"

  "I don't feel so great." An agonizing grimace gripped her face. "I probably need help getting home."

  He had to get her back. And quickly. Why the hell hadn't he listened to her?

  She wobbled, then slapped her palms to her stomach as if she wanted to vomit. Talis seized her just as she was about to topple to her knees. A shiver went through her body as she tried to steady herself. She winced and wiped a hand across her mouth. A line of blood sat menacingly on her wrist. She gaped at her hand.

  Now he was beyond worried, and knew he had act quick or she might not be able to make it.

  "I think I'm going to be sick." Her face went pale as she looked at him with frightened eyes.

  Talis lifted her into his arms. "I'm taking you home. Now." He thanked the gods she was so much smaller than him.

  He carried her, stumbling down the bluff, ignoring her protests. A wound like that was incredibly dangerous. If he didn't get her to a healer soon, he knew Mara might die. If anything happened to her he knew he'd never forgive himself.

  After a long while he was too tired to carry her, so he rested for a bit, his breath heaving and stiff arms and legs protesting. Even though it was almost dark, Talis could see that Mara's face looked white as chalk. He had to keep going, no matter what, no matter how much his legs and back burned from carrying her.

  By the time he spotted the City of Naru from afar, moonlight sent long, wiry shadows across the hillside leading up to the towering stone walls. He told himself he could do it. No matter how hard it was to keep carrying her, in his mind he was determined to keep her alive.

  Lights flickered from countless braziers mounted hundreds of feet higher on the upper part of the city. Naru stood ominous under the garish light of the four moon sisters, and as the evening gong sounded from atop a watchtower, Talis knew he had made it....

  He stumbled towards the main gates, barely able to stand anymore, and a group of soldiers making their rounds noticed and ran over to help.

  "Young Master Talis, what's wrong?" said Baratis, the captain of the guard, and his eyes blazed fear at sight of Mara. "Is she alive?"

  "I can't talk now...open the gates...she's hurt!"

  "Carem and Jorem! Help them," Baratis shouted.

  The two soldiers lifted Mara from Talis's arms and carried her through the gate. Massive steel shafts stared down at them from inside the stone walls as they jogged past. If they weren't quick about it, she would die. Talis ran ahead, urging them faster. Eyes blinked at them from behind murder holes as they entered. Archers ready to strike down enemies in a siege.

  Spread before them past the gate was the Arena of the Sej Elders, formed of gigantic white granite blocks, rising over everything in the lower part of the city. Stone towers lined the wide avenue leading up to the arena. They had to move faster.

  The soldiers' boots clapped against the cobblestone streets as they marched past the arena, finally winding around until they reached the gates to the upper city. Up the snaking rise, they charged past merchant shops and eyes that gawked at the soldiers carrying Mara. They continued on, to the highest part of the city, beneath the Temple of the Goddess Nestria, the Goddess of the Sky. To Mara's house, the House of Viceroy Lei and Lady Malvia, daughter of the king and second in line to the throne.

  They were going to be furious, Talis knew he was in serious trouble for taking Mara out on the hunt. But he couldn't think about any of that, all that mattered now was Mara's life.

  As the soldiers carried Mara into the white marble mansion, Talis worried that her wounds were too grave to cure. Today was the worst day, and he was all to blame. Why did he have to chase after the boar? Two servants ran up and gasped when they noticed Mara, and they quickly helped her inside.

  Lady Malvia rushed towards them, her silver robe swirling behind. "What has happened to my daughter? She's so pale, can someone tell me why she's so pale?"

  "A boar...we were out hunting—"

  "Gods, Talis!" She brought her hands to her face, an expression of horror paling her eyes. "Boar hunting? You're both only thirteen! What were you thinking?" Her face seethed with concern and rage.
"I warned you two about hunting alone. Now go and fetch the healer! Go!"

  A sick feeling wrenched his stomach as he raced out back to a small, mud-thatched building overlooking the rose garden. It was his fault. He never should have insisted on going hunting in the first place. He vowed not to go on the hunt again—not if it meant hurting Mara.

  Inside the healer's apothecary, he found Belesia grinding herbs inside a gnarled, wooden bowl. The room held the pungent smells of mold, fire and smoke. The walls were lined with jars of herbs, roots, dried insects and small, shriveled animals floating in clear liquid. The healer narrowed her eyes at him.

  "Young master...what brings you here?"

  "Quick, you have to come now. Mara was injured in the swamp...by a boar."

  Belesia clasped her hands over her stomach. "Wait. First tell me, is she bleeding?"

  "From the mouth." The vivid image of blood dribbling from Mara's delicate mouth wrenched Talis's heart.

  She groaned. "How did it strike her?"

  "Tusks slashed here." He pointed at his lower ribs. "And later blood spilled from her mouth."

  "An internal wound, this is a grave injury..." She rummaged through several herb jars and grabbed various roots and mushrooms and stuffed everything inside a satchel and hobbled outside. "We must hurry."

  As they made their way through the mansion, Talis's heart pounded and his palms went flush with sweat. Mara was going to be all right, wasn't she? Belesia came from far to the west, lands renowned for their magical healing powers. But this kind of injury was different and Talis was unsure if it was curable. The thought terrified him.

  Inside Mara's room, she lay in bed, feverish and flushed. Death stirred in her crazed eyes. A servant swabbed a wet cloth on her forehead, crying uselessly, a look of horror and panic on her face. Belesia rushed to Mara's side and pressed her palms over her forehead and stomach.

  "The wound is deep...the flow of energy blocked. The fever, rising."

  Belesia chanted words from a strange tongue, words sharp and shrill, words from the western islands, lands filled with the magic of the earth and the spirits. Her eyes narrowed to small slits, and the room dimmed and prickled with electricity as her chants grew louder.

  In the darkness, the healer's hands glowed red like burning embers and Mara's body filled with light, as if her veins pulsed with iridescent gold. Mara's eyes flung open, unseeing, as if she stared at something that only existed far away in her mind. Was she seeing the guardians of the Underworld coming to summon her spirit? Talis stepped forward to hold her hand, to bring her back, to keep her spirit here, but Belesia motioned him away.

  "Will she be all right?" Talis whispered, his voice choked and terrified.

  Belesia raised a finger. "Her wound lies in her internal organs. My power is strong, but the healing will take time to regenerate the organs. And I'm sorry to say, m'lady, sometimes the healing fails...."

  "Fails?" Lady Malvia said, her face turning pale as ash. "But you will do everything, won't you? I can pay any amount, grant you titles and lands, but save my daughter!"

  The old healer cackled softly and muttered words to herself as she gazed at the faces of ghastly demons circling over Mara's bed. "When it comes to magic and the gods, money means nothing. Pray to the gods, dear lady. You and your entire house. And you, young master Talis, pray most fervently as well. Pray to Tolexia, the God of Healing."

  "I will...I promise. I'll do anything, gods willing, to keep Mara alive." Talis bowed his head and pinched his eyes shut, saying the words of prayer to Tolexia: God of Healing, God of Harmony, listen to this mortal's plea for Mara. Fair Tolexia hear my prayer and save her life, with my heart pure and mind full of penitence.

  When Talis opened his eyes, Lady Malvia stared at him with a mixture of disappointment and fury. Talis withered at her glare and found himself retreating from the room.

  "I want you out of this house." Lady Malvia's voice was as sharp as an executioner's axe. "If she lives you'll save your family from shame and bloodshed. For only blood will satisfy blood. And the gods may ask for your blood if Mara dies. I allowed Mara to hunt with you on the condition that you'd protect her, and now you bring her home like this? You always had the option to take the rangers with you." But the rangers always laughed at me and refused to join, Talis wanted to say.

  She motioned with her eyes for a servant, and the man led Talis out of the mansion, his calloused hands rough on Talis's arm. Please let Mara live, please, Tolexia, please. He kept seeing Mara's shining face, laughing and teasing him. She was his best friend. He'd ruined everything today by his foolishness, and put Mara's life in danger. Her life was worth more to him than all the hunts in the world.

  He stumbled down the cobblestone street, bumping into carts and people, barely able to see straight with the tears blurring his sight. It was only a short way to his house, the House of Garen Storm, but he went the wrong way down towards the shops and the marketplace, and had to turn around and trudge back home. Somehow he reached his mansion and a servant ran inside to alert his parents. He lowered his shoulders and sighed. How could he face father now, after all that had happened today?

  She would live, the gods were good, she would live. He willed it so. Talis felt the truth burning in his heart.

  Chapter One

  Garen Storm came limping down the dark hallway, carrying his hawk-headed cane as if it were a weapon. Talis cringed at the dark expression on his father's face as he swept aside his silk cape, black eyes glaring at Talis, and he puffed on a pipe, sending smoke swirls rising into the gloomy air. The candlelight from the servant standing on the side of the room sent flickering dark gashes across Father's face. Why was Father lately always so dark and serious?

  "What's your excuse this time?" he muttered, tapping the cane against his hairy hand. "Haldish, bring some light in here, I can barely see a thing."

  "Yes, Master Storm." Haldish bowed and set the candle on a long wooden table containing several carved statues of the gods. Talis stared at the beautiful, ivory statue of the Goddess Tolexia, the god of healing, and made another silent prayer for Mara's recovery.

  "We were out hunting...Mara was hurt by a boar." Talis glanced at his father's raging eyes, but quickly looked away. His father exhaled angrily and muttered curses, then Talis heard him hobbling towards the fire at the hearth in the great room. At least he didn't hit him with his cane, though how Talis felt now, he almost wished that he did.

  "As if we don't already have enough trouble with House Lei." Father sat at a plump, leather chair in front of the fire. "Now you force me to make amends with Lady Malvia...if she'll see me. Is Mara hurt badly? Go on...sit...this is not an execution."

  Talis obeyed, feeling the leather chair warmed by the fire. Part of him wished Father was harsher, he felt guilty, he felt what he did was wrong, but he just sighed and nodded gravely. "She's bleeding internally from a boar's strike."

  "Blood awful..." Father ran his fingers through his thick, black mane. "Has the healer treated her? Should I summon healers from the Order of the Dawn?"

  "Belesia has cast her magic...and Mara sleeps. I've prayed to Tolexia." And even now I feel the power of the Goddess surrounding Mara, wrapping her in light.

  "May the gods favor her recovery. I'll go visit the Shrine of Tolexia tomorrow and pay House Lei a visit." Father frowned, disapproval spilling from his eyes. "I know you and Mara have been hunting for years, but you're too reckless, boy... Boar hunting? You could have both been killed. Once again you disappoint me."

  Talis felt himself shrink back at Father's words. This would all have been different if they'd managed to bring back a boar to Mother's kitchen. He noticed his mother leaning against a marble column, staring sadly at him. Talis nodded and she waved back.

  Garen glanced at his wife. "All that I'm saying is...be cautious, be more like your older brother..." His voice faltered and broke, and his eyes reddened suddenly. He closed his eyes as if remembering his son, and after a while raised his clenc
hed fists towards the sky, his face puffed and fuming.

  "Why, Nyx? Why did you have to take Xhan away from me?" He pushed himself to his feet, faltered a moment as if dizzy, then he turned and tromped off, retreating once again into his study, the place where he often locked himself away from the family, in the years after Talis's older brother Xhan had been poisoned during a battle with desert marauders.

  Mother crept forward and put her arms around Talis. She hugged him for a time, and Talis could feel the worry and blame melt away from his mind.

  "You can believe she'll be all right. Have faith in the gods. Let's get you some food." Mother led him into the kitchen where his younger sister, Lia, played with her favorite white doll. "Why don't you rest with your sister, she's been worried about you."

  "Why was I so stupid?" His voice cracked and he placed his hands over his head. He felt somehow that he was to blame for the way Father acted since Xhan's death. Father was right, if he was more careful, Mara would never have been injured by the boar. His mother sat next to him and he told her what had happened in the swamplands.

  Lia squeezed his hand. "Mara will be all right...I just know it." His sister was so delicate and feminine, and her eyes held certainty and innocence, with a wisdom beyond her seven years.

  "Darling," his mother said to Lia. "We should make an offering at the Shrine of Tolexia tomorrow for Mara."

  She nodded, her face beaming, and she glanced concerned eyes at Talis.

  "Can you eat something? Or perhaps some soup," his mother said.

  Talis shook his head. "I couldn't eat a thing...my stomach feels sick."

  "Then go to bed... There's nothing you can do right now, except perhaps beg favor from the gods."

  He bowed his head, and once again prayed to Tolexia for Mara to return to health. He turned and shambled outside and up the stairs to his bedroom loft. Before going inside, he gripped the rail and stared out over the city of Naru, lit with the pale light of the four moon sisters. Thoughts of Mara and Lady Malvia and Father raced through his mind. And Xhan, his older brother, why couldn't he even picture his face anymore? Did the power of death do that to memories? If Mara died, would he forget her face as well?