Damion glared down at her. "You can't possibly believe that we are going to take you with us? We're trying to track down an entire brood of dragons right now. Unless you feel like being a quick bite for a shadow beast, you really don't want to come with us."
"I don't care!" The girl said in a unwavering voice. "If you take me back to the others, I'll just run away and come find you again!"
"She's a fiery little one, isn't she!" Veren said, joining them as they stared at the determined little girl, who continued to stare back at them defiantly.
"Why is it every woman that comes into my life has so damn stubborn?" Damion asked plaintively. "Just once I would like to meet a nice submissive girl that knows when to take good advice!"
"Hey!" Both Susa and Raven exclaimed indignantly.
"I stand by my statement!" He said with a smile, although he prudently moved out of reach.
Veren laughed a gruff laugh. "You should really learn to keep from voicing those typing statements aloud." He gestured to Susa. "What are we going to do with her?"
Damion looked at the others helplessly. "Any suggestions?"
"Yes." Susa piped up helpfully. "Quit arguing about it, accept the fact that I'm going with you, and let's get moving!"
"Any other suggestions?"
Neither Veren or Raven had any ideas. "It sounds like we haven't much choice in the matter." The one eared man said finally, a rather resigned note in his voice.
Damion stared down at Susa with an exasperated look. "You're really beginning to push your luck, little one!"
"I'm not worried." She said confidently. "You'll keep me safe." She looked around. "Should I ride with one of you, or should I ride on one of the pack horses?" She asked curiously.
"This can't be a good idea." Damion muttered, turning to make his way back to the horses.
They quickly redistributed the supplies among the other horses to free up one of the smaller ponies, then they continued to press eastward, Susa riding happily next to Damion, a look of intense interest on her serious little face.
It wasn't long before the little girl began to ask questions. "So, if you're not a giant, what exactly are you?" She asked abruptly, staring up at him with a penetrating gaze. "You're obviously not a human, at least not completely."
"Not much for manners, are we?" He grumbled sarcastically. "If you must know, my mother was attacked by dragonspawn while I was still in her womb. The attack left its mark upon me."
"Is that why you can use magic?"
He nodded. "I'm told that the blood of dragons flow through my veins." He snorted. "It sounded ridiculous to me at first, but the proof seems to be there."
"And are you the one we hear the stories about, the warrior who freed the scarlet dragons?"
"Yes."
The girl's expression finally grew impressed. "They say you can still control them. Is that true?"
Damion's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You are remarkably well informed for a slave girl."
Susa shrugged. "Slaves have ears too. We hear what our masters are involved in, then sometimes share it amongst one another. Several months back I heard another slave speaking about a warrior who released the dragons back into the world. The slave said that he was using the dragons to try and conquer the world!" She looked up at him expectantly. "Well? Are you?"
"Don't be ridiculous! I have enough problems without trying to run the world! The world can take care of itself well enough on its own!"
"But is it true that you still control the dragons?"
Damion sighed, then nodded. "Some of them. When I joined the Dragon Gem and the Dragon Sword, I purposely released the scarlet dragons from their imprisonment. What I didn't intend, was to release the shadow dragons, who were banished from this world by the scarlet dragons thousands of years ago. By releasing the scarlet dragons, I allowed the shadow dragons to also emerge back into this world to renew their war."
"I see." She said in a condescending tone. "So now you're on some noble quest to correct what you have done."
"It's not that simple." Damion said defensively. "The shadow dragons will continue to destroy everything that they encounter. We've been able to eliminate two so far, but unless we destroy the brood mother they will only continue their rampage."
"I don't know about all that." The girl disagreed. "I think I would just try to get out of the way! If not, I would try to make a deal with this brood mother. Maybe she would be open to a compromise, especially if you have already killed some of her brood!"
Damion shook his head. "I'm afraid that will never happen. Too much has happened, and things have gone too far. The brood mother must be stopped at any cost!"
Susa didn't reply, but her tiny face grew troubled.
It was nearly midnight when the unyielding landscape of rock and sand finally gave way to a thick hearty grove of trees that grew along the banks of a swampy marsh.
"Ugh!" Raven exclaimed, wrinkling her nose as a fresh wave stench from the stagnant water was brought to their noses. "That smell could knock a fly off a pile of manure!"
They had continued to push their way into the marsh, then stopped to rest and water their horses at a natural spring that had been marked on their map while they all dined on some of the oxen that was leftover in their stores.
"How much farther is it until we reach Hthiss?" Veren asked, chewing on a piece of the beef.
"Hthiss?" Susa exclaimed suddenly, her eyes wide with sudden fear. "We're going back to Hthiss?"
"Aye." Damion told her with a nod. "We have to enter the land of the serpent people. We have heard rumors that the attacks first occurred near there. We're going to see if we can gather any information from the locals. With a little luck, we'll be able to get some ideas on where to start looking." He gave her a sympathetic look. "Don't worry, little one. I'll not let anything happen to you."
The young girl didn't look very reassured, but remained silent.
"It's another day's ride." Raven frowned. "The heat is not quite so bad here, but the humidity will be quite unbearable, I'm afraid."
"Don't forget the insects," Susa added, making a face. "or all of the snakes. They are far worse than the bugs! You have to be careful to look where you step in these marshes. There are a dozen different snakes here that can kill you with a single bite!"
"How do you know so much about this place?" Veren asked, taking another bite of salted beef.
The young girl shrugged. "I've lived most of my life here as a slave. You learn quickly, or you die." She looked up at Damion. "Which reminds me. It would probably be best to wait until dawn before we continue any farther. You definitely don't want one of the horses to stumble across one of the poisonous breeds in the dark. They can kill a horse just as quickly as a man!"
Damion considered that for a moment. "That's sound advice. I think we'll follow your suggestion and set up camp here for the evening. Let's not take any unnecessary chances if we don't have to."
They quickly went about setting up camp, then while the others gathered firewood, Damion and Snowfeather disappeared into the dark swamp to hunt up a bit of fresh meat. They soon returned with an enormous turtle, still alive and snapping, desperately to escape Damion's grip.
"Oh!" Raven exclaimed happily. "I absolutely adore turtle stew!" She hurried over to retrieve a cooking pot from their packs.
"Glad to be of service." He dropped the thrashing creature, then drew his blade. "We'll have you dining on turtle stew in no time!"
"Turtle stew?" Veren asked in disgust. "That's revolting! I'll stick to beef, if you don't mind."
Once they had eaten, they turned in for the night in hopes of catching a few hours of sleep before dawn.
"Make sure you tuck yourselves in tightly." Susa warned them as she stretched out near the fire. "The snakes here occasionally like to slip into bed with you while you're sleeping. I think they're attracted to body heat."
"Nothing like waking to find a viper sleeping with you to get the blood pumping." Damion laughe
d, flopping down on his bedroll.
They awoke just after sunrise, and after a leisurely breakfast of leftover stew, they set off towards the slave city of Hthiss.
The trade road they were following began to shows many signs of disrepair as they pushed deeper into the marshy swamp, and many areas had become completely submerged in the murky water, forcing them to dismount and lead the horses on foot.
"It seems the Arleians are not big on upkeep when it comes to their roads." Veren grumbled, sloshing through the murky water. "I guess they're a little too busy dodging snakes to worry about taking care of them."
"It doesn't do any good." Susa told him. "The landscape of the marshes are always shifting and changing, and the roads have to change with them. They use slaves to clear new roads after every rainy season, but they are not always the easiest routes to travel."
"We are told that only slaves are taken deeper into Arleia, and that outsiders are not allowed any further than Hthiss. Do you have any idea what lies beyond?"
The little girl shrugged."More swamps. I guess there are a number of cities, but I've been to any of them. I've heard other slaves talk about them though."
"What are the snake people like?" Raven asked curiously. "I don't think I have actually encountered one."
"I doubt you ever would have. They almost never leave their homeland. That's why they built Hthiss. They needed somewhere to trade with outsiders to obtain various goods, not to mention slaves." Her face wrinkled in disgust. "They not a very pleasant people to be around. They take their veneration of serpents quite seriously. If it has scales, they'll drop to their knees to worship it!"
"Does that include dragons?"
The little girl nodded. "Most certainly. They have entire temples devoted to them."
"That sounds like the perfect place for the brood mother to disappear." Damion commented. "Thousands of miles of swamp lands inhabited by people who would only worship them would be an ideal place to hide!"
"I seriously doubt they will help you." The little girl told him in a matter a fact tone. "And there's no way that they'll allow you to travel deeper into their lands."
"I don't think they will have much of a choice." He said grimly. "If the brood mother is hiding somewhere within their borders, I will do what ever I must to locate her!"
Susa sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."
They pressed on until late afternoon, then found a dry patch of land in the center of a grove of trees to rest and water the horses.
Veren motioned to Damion, then casually drifted over towards the horses. "Have you noticed anything odd about that girl?" He asked in a quiet voice.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she acts far older than she looks for one thing," The one eared man pointed out. "and she seems to know a great deal more than any child her age should."
Damion shrugged. "The girl has been a slave her entire life. That would force anyone to grow up fast."
Veren grunted doubtfully. "I don't know. Something about her still seems off. I'm just not quite sure what it is."
"I think you're just imagining things, but keep an eye on her if you'd like. Let me know if you catch her doing something out of the ordinary."
The one eared man nodded, then he and Damion went to rejoin the others.
"Do you have any idea how much farther it is until we reach Hthiss?" Raven was asking the little girl as they approached.
Susa scratched her head. "It's kind of hard to say. I was shackled inside of a cage the last time a passed through here, so I wasn't paying all that much attention to my surroundings, but we were four days out of Hthiss before we encountered you. The horses move much quicker than those oxen that were pulling the slaver's wagons, so I'd guess we'll probably reach the city tomorrow afternoon." She turned to fix Damion with a stern gaze. "And I'm going to hold you to your word that you will protect me from those slavers. Now that I am free, I would rather die than return to imprisonment!" She delivered this in a fierce voice.
Damion knelt down in front of her, and looked into her eyes. "I promise you that you will be safe at our side. If anyone tries to hurt you, I will make them wish they had never been born!"
They allowed the horses to rest for another hour or so, then set back off at a cautious trot, being careful to keep their eyes open for snakes.
It was late evening when they encountered three riders traveling west along the trade route. They slowed to a stop and waited as the riders approached.
"Why don't you stay out of sight for now," Damion told Snowfeather, who was perched sedately on his shoulder. "at least until we know if these people are dangerous."
"I'll keep watch from the treetops." Snowfeather promised, launching himself into the air and disappearing into the surrounding trees.
"It's an Arleian slave patrol!" Susa warned, her voice weak with fear. "They are searching for escaped slaves!"
The patrol slowed to a stop a dozen paces from where they waited. Their leader, a surprisingly tall and heavily muscled woman with fierce black eyes, moved her horse forward to meet Damion, who had gestured to the others to remain silent.
The woman, as well as her warriors, was dressed in an armor composed of overlapping steel scales painted black, and carried a wicked looking spiked mace lightly in one hand.
She stared at Damion for several long moments, her cold black eyes calculating. "So, you are the one who has been causing all of the problems?" She finally asked in a thickly accented voice.
Damion shrugged. "Probably." His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "It seems you've been expecting us."
The woman shook her head. "Not really, but your description has been floated about for several years now, and there have been rumors that you have journeyed here to the northern continent." She removed her steel helm, exposing soot black hair that had been crudely cropped short, and pale, milky white skin that was crisscrossed with deep scars. "The stories describe you in quite some detail."
"My name is Damion." He introduced himself, then gestured to the others. "These are my companions, Veren, Raven, and Susa. We are on our way to Hthiss in search of some information."
"Information?" Her expression grew quizzical, but she didn't inquire further. "I would suggest you make camp soon. There is a storm brewing to the north that promises to be violent. The snakes in this region all emerge during such weather. It is best to locate shelter before you inadvertently lead your horses into a breeding mass. Few survive such an experience."
"Thanks for the warning, and for the advice." He thanked her gratefully. "Are you aware of any place suitable nearby?"
She slowly leaned to one side in her saddle and looked passed Damion to the others. She stared Susa for a long moment, her eyes locked on the tattoo around the cringing girl's eye, then slowly leaned back. "Of course, Dragon Lord." She said this as if to prove her knowledge of his identity. "If you and your... companions, will follow along, we can lead you to a shallow cave that should keep you dry and safe."
His mind worked quickly as he tried to think of an excuse to refuse, and he glanced back at Veren and Raven, who both had suspicious expressions as they watched the strange warriors, then over to Susa, who was trembling in fear as she tried to conceal the tattoo around her eye.
There was a sudden crash of thunder, and several heavy drops of water suddenly dropped from the sky.
"I'm afraid I must insist, Dragon Lord." The scarred woman said firmly. Without another word, she turned her horse around and gestured for her men to lead the way.
Damion watched the strange woman for a long moment, then gestured for the others to follow.
Susa urged her pony up to Storm's side, a desperate look in her eyes. "Please don't follow her, Damion! I don't trust her! There's something evil about that woman!"
He glanced ahead at the armored woman, who was well out of hearing distance, then looked down at the little girl. "Don't worry. I don't trust her either, but she's right about the snakes, isn't she?"
"She's g
oing to try to take me from you! She's a slave chaser, and she saw my mark!"
Damion shook his head. "No one is going to take you away! I promise you that!"
The little girl still didn't look very reassured, but fell back to ride close to Raven.
"Let's keep our guard up." The huge warrior warned the others quietly. He looked at Raven. "Keep Susa close."
Raven nodded at him wordlessly, then smiled down at the frightened little girl. "Just stay by my side, okay?"
Thunder continued to crash in the distance, and the heavy drops of rain began to fall harder. The Arleian slave chasers continued to lead them east along the trade road, until they finally turned off the main road onto a smaller, less traveled trail. They led them across an open clearing towards a rocky cliff side, then directly into a shallow depression in the rock that was easily large enough to accommodate everyone.
"It should be safe enough in here." The armored woman told Damion as she slid from her saddle. She looked over to her men and spoke to them in a harsh hissing language. The men silently turned their horses around and disappeared back across the clearing in the direction from which they came.
"Where are your men going?" Veren asked the woman, trying to keep his voice casual.
"They must return to their patrol." The woman glanced at Susa, who was trying desperately to remain hidden from her view.
"And you choose to remain with us?"
The scar faced woman shook her head. "It is required. All outsiders must be accompanied by an Arleian."
"That must be tiring having to trail along behind every stranger that enters your land."
The pale skinned woman shrugged. "Few strangers choose to visit us, other than the slave caravans, that is." She glanced over a Susa again, who jumped fearfully and hid behind Raven.
Damion gathered together some damp wood, then piled it together in a large pile near the entrance of the cave.
"It's wet." The woman told him in a slightly scathing tone. "It'll never burn!"
Damion slowly looked up and fixed the woman with a stern glare, then casually waved one hand over the pile of soggy wood. The wood instantly began to steam and hiss, then after several moments, leapt into flames.
Omensent: Rise of the Shadow Dragons Page 25
