by D K Drake
◊◊◊
Micah slept fitfully that Wednesday night. Breathing hurt. The bird-inflicted cuts burned. But the headache was the worst. He felt like his brain was swelling at the same time his skull was shrinking, and he couldn’t do anything to prevent the imminent explosion.
Taliya checked on him every now and then. She propped a pillow between his head and the wall, covered his legs with a blanket, and cut off the shreds of his tattered shirt in an attempt to make him more comfortable. It didn’t work, especially once the boat began moving again shortly after midnight. He felt every vibration of the moving boat and just wanted someone to knock him out until the ride was done.
“Good news,” Taliya said, rousing him with a wet cloth to his forehead early Thursday morning. “We made it out of the Dark Zone and past the guards at the border undetected.”
“Wonderful.” He took a sip of the water she offered. “How long until we get to the dragons?”
“It’s about a day’s journey between here and home.”
“Another day?”
“Yes. It should be an easy trip. We have daylight, and Varjiek will continue to cloak us so that no villagers spot us. The toughest part will be going without food.”
The mention of food made Micah’s stomach rumble. “Why do we have to go without food?”
“The frogs got into our food supply and tainted everything. We don’t have any food left that’s safe to eat.”
Great. Now all Micah wanted to do was eat. “This is going to be a very long day.”
“If you feel like moving, you should head down to your bunk along with the rest of the injured crew. We’re pretty sure we killed all the frogs.”
“Pretty sure?” Micah noticed that he and Taliya were the only ones left in the cargo space, but he didn’t want to take any chances of coming into contact with one of those poisonous frogs. He adjusted the pillow behind his head and rearranged the blanket on his lap. “I think I’ll stay here.”
“Then at least let me give you something that will help you sleep.”
“What have you got?”
“A mixture I made from the doc’s supply of plants and berries.” She picked up a small bowl and showed him the greenish goo inside. “It’s got a thick consistency and not much of a taste, but it will keep you sedated and still so you can heal.”
“It looks gross.”
“Just try it.” She globbed some on a spoon and raised it to his mouth. “Open. You need to sleep.”
“Fine.” He did like the idea of disregarding the world for a while. That thought prompted him to open his mouth and eat the goo. Within seconds, his entire body went limp, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
He stayed asleep until he felt the boat rumble to a stop. He immediately reached for his sword, then remembered he had left it in the sleeping quarters below. Great. How was he supposed to defend himself if another animal outside that door wanted him dead?
Micah listened for the frantic activity associated with any kind of attack. Hearing nothing out of the ordinary, he slowly made his way to the exit. Maybe they weren’t under attack. Maybe they had reached their destination.
As he stepped outside, he discovered he could breathe with minimal pain. He needed to find out what Taliya put in that paste she had shoved down his throat. Whatever it was seemed to have done wonders for healing his internal wounds.
And the scenery did wonders for healing his spirit. The sunshine alone was enough to make him smile, but the way it sparkled off the water trickling down the bronze mountainside to the left of the boat made his heart smile. He could see the world again, and he never wanted to return to that dark, dark place in the middle of Keckrick.
“Micah, what are you doing up?” Taliya approached him from behind. “I was just coming to check on you.”
“How long have I been asleep?”
“A little over a day. You feeling better?”
“Much. So we’re here? Back at your home?”
“Close. The river ends here. It splits off into streams that aren’t wide enough or deep enough for the Iria. We’ll be hiking to Fralick, which is about five miles north.”
“You don’t sound very excited.”
“I’m not. The white winds already destroyed my house. Once the humminglos are harvested, this place won’t feel like home anymore, for me or for Kisa.”
“So keep them.”
“What?”
“Keep the flowers. Take the crew to the wrong place and say some other village got to the fields before we did.”
“That would work out well for me, but it’s not the deal I made. The only way to keep Omri from annihilating half of Keckrick is to deliver these plants to him.” Taliya looked up at Micah. “You are still going to keep your end of the deal, right? You’re going to talk to your father and convince him to spare the people?”
“Yes.” Micah nodded. “Yes, of course.” He just didn’t tell her that he planned to capture her dragon first. Otherwise he wouldn’t be able to convince his father to spare him.
Chapter 38
Change of Plans
Javan rolled over in his bunk when the boat slowed to a stop at 8:30 Friday morning. He had been up late the night before keeping a lookout with Varjiek and wanted to sleep for ten more minutes. Or an hour. Another hour would be good.
“Javan!” Lydia’s commanding voice crushed Javan’s hope for more sleep. He rolled back over and saw her charging down the aisle from the direction of the captain’s quarters. Bree and Grux, the tall, flat-faced warrior on her crew, marched quickly behind her. “Javan, get up. You have some explaining to do.”
He groggily sat up and dangled his legs over the side of the bed. “Is it about Varjiek? What do you need me to explain?”
“This has nothing to do with your dragon.” Lydia moved to the end of the bunk and addressed her two warriors. “Get him down from there.”
Bree and Grux each grabbed an arm and pulled Javan down. “Whoa,” he said, “why the harsh treatment? What’s the problem?”
“The problem is that you set us up to lose the war.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play stupid. We’re at the end of the river, and there are no head-high humminglos anywhere to be seen. You brought us here for nothing!”
“The plants exist,” Javan said, trying not to panic. He had no idea where the humminglo fields were if the river didn’t take them straight to the fields. “Taliya said they were in a secret location; she never said they were at the end of the river. Let’s just find her and her tell us where to go from here.”
“She’s probably checking on Micah in the cargo space,” Bree said.
“Grux,” Lydia said, “get the captain and Andre. Tell them to meet us in the cargo area. Bree, bring Javan. You two are coming with me.”
“I can walk on my own,” Javan said, pulling his arm away from Bree. “You don’t have to treat me like a prisoner.”
“You are a prisoner until we get some answers.” Lydia motioned to Bree. Bree once again took hold of Javan’s arm, dragged him to the ladder, and had him climb up after Lydia but before her.
Javan thought about yelling for Varjiek as he transitioned from the ladder to the deck, but he wanted to wait to play the dragon card until Taliya had a chance to explain. He was sure she would be able to get them back in the crew’s good graces.
Fortunately they didn’t have to work hard to find her. She and Micah were standing at the railing staring at the stunning waterfall to the left of the boat. Bree shoved Javan toward them, and that got their attention.
“What’s going on?” Taliya asked.
“You tell us.” Captain Cyr approached from the walkway along the side of the boat. Andre, Dreix, and Mirela were right behind him.
“Tell you what?”
“Taliya,” Javan said, “it seems our friends have some concerns about the humminglo fields they thought would be here but aren’t.”
“If the fields were
here,” Taliya said, “anyone could find them. But if we hike about five miles north, you’ll see more humminglo plants than you know what to do with.”
“Hike?” Lydia stepped in front of Taliya. “We’re going to have to hike? For five miles? Through that wild territory? How are we supposed to get to the fields, harvest the plants and get them back to the boat in time to get to the portal in Tulkar by Tuesday?”
“We’re not,” Cyr said. “We may be able to travel faster since we’ll be going with the current, but it will take us until Tuesday to get all the plants we need to the boat.”
“So we use Varjiek to transport us and the plants,” Javan said. “It won’t take any time at all for him to fly five miles, and he’ll easily be able to carry large loads of plants on his back.”
“Still,” Andre said, “the harvest itself will take several days. We’ll never be able to make it back through the Dark Zone by Tuesday. This whole trip was a mistake.”
“Not necessarily.” Micah spoke for the first time. “Isn’t there another portal in Upper Keckrick?”
“Yes,” Taliya said. “In Nahat. It only takes a little over two days to get there by boat from here.”
“You want us to take our crop to the portal in Upper Keckrick?” Lydia did not sound pleased. “That’s suicide.”
“No,” Javan said. “It’s a great plan. We just have to get these plants to Omri. Whether they come from the portal in Upper or Lower Keckrick doesn’t matter because Micah is going to have a chat with his father.”
“The people of Upper Keckrick don’t know that,” Cyr said. “They will kill us before we have a chance to get to the portal.”
“Not if Varjiek and I come with you to make sure the boat gets to Nahat safely.” Taking that trip would delay his plan to collect Kisa, but he needed to see this mission through to the end.
“That could work,” Andre said.
“It will have to work,” Cyr said. “It’s our only option.”
“Then I’m going to get Varjiek.” Rather than move, Javan held his hands up. “Unless I’m still a prisoner.”
“Get your dragon,” Lydia said, “but you are still my prisoner until I see those humminglo fields.”
“I guess you’ll be making the first trip with me,” Javan said.
“And me.” Taliya hooked her arm around Javan’s. “You need to know where to go, and there’s someone I need to see before all these people show up.”
Javan was happy to oblige. If he knew where Kisa was living, he may be able to collect her before he had to leave again for Nahat.
◊◊◊
Micah’s headache returned as he watched Varjiek fly away with Javan, Taliya, and Lydia. If they found the fields, harvested the flowers, and got them to Zandador by Transport Day, everyone would expect him to be able to change his father’s mind about destroying half of Keckrick. Micah knew that would never happen. These people were doomed. He would be, too, if he didn’t find Mertzer and capture both Kisa and Varjiek.
“All right,” Cyr said, cutting into Micah’s thoughts. “I want everyone up on the top deck and ready to go by the time Javan returns.”
“What about Micah and others still recovering from their injuries?” Dreix asked.
“It would be tough to help with the harvest since I can’t even breathe without pain,” Micah said.
Cyr nodded and modified his orders. “Micah, you stay on the boat and oversee the transfer of the plants from the dragon to the cargo space. Those in the worst shape will stay here with you. We need everyone else in the fields cutting or bundling humminglo flowers until that cargo space is full.”
“Yes, sir,” Bree said. “I’ll take the doctor and rouse those who are in their bunks.”
“Andre, Grux and I will gather the scythes from the supply compartment,” Mirela said. She took her left arm out of the sling it was in and tossed the sling on the deck. “We’ll make sure the blades are sharp and ready for use.”
“Good.” Cyr clapped his hands twice. “Let’s move. I’ll meet you all up top.”
An instant later, Micah found himself alone with nothing to do. Which suited him just fine. He had no intention of staying on board to help with the harvest. His job was to take care of himself. That meant finding Mertzer.
First, though, he needed to hunt down clothes and food.
He would wait until the sleeping quarters were clear, then recover his boots and sword while snagging a spare shirt from one of the crew’s belongings. Once most everyone was gone, he would lower the ramp and exit into the forest where he was sure he would be able to locate something to feed his growling stomach as he searched for Mertzer.
He took a deep breath and hid in the shadows of the walkway as he studied the path he would take through the trees. On his own. Away from the common people. Just like he was used to.
Contemplating his solitary escape amidst the bustle of activity below and above him helped him feel like his old self. He only had one problem with that.
He wasn’t sure if he liked the selfish, lonely, empty man he used to be.
◊◊◊
“Amazing,” Taliya said. Her arms were wrapped around Javan’s waist as they flew high above the humminglo fields. The large purple flowers covered the land below, broken up only by a handful of streams that wound their way through the fields and emptied into the U-shaped canyon where Javan had first laid eyes on Kisa. “I’ve never seen these fields from the air before.”
“This is unbelievable!” Lydia sat behind Taliya and couldn’t contain her excitement. “I shouldn’t have doubted you. You are definitely NOT my prisoners anymore!”
“Good to know,” Javan said. “Where would you like to land?”
“At the far end of the field,” Taliya said, “as far away from the waterfall as possible. That area is soggy and full of snakes.”
I do not think that is accurate, Varjiek said. I think she is just trying to keep us from getting too close to Kisa’s cave.
Javan agreed with Varjiek’s assessment but didn’t see the harm in keeping Kisa safe. “Take us down to the far end of the field, Varjiek,” Javan said. “You may need to trample some flowers to create a space to land.”
Okay, but hang on. We’re going to have some fun before we land.
“What do you mean?”
Varjiek didn’t respond. He just picked up speed as he flew in a huge circle around the wide fields. Javan latched onto the dragon’s neck a little tighter, and Taliya squeezed Javan’s waist a little tighter as well.
They went around the fields again, but this time Varjiek flew lower and faster. Soon they were hovering just above the flowers, and the wind from Varjiek’s wings seemed to bring the flowers to life. The neon blue strings in the middle of the purple petals went from their downward droop to an electrified, raised position facing the sky. The petals danced around the strings, creating a rich symphony of melodic sounds.
When Varjiek landed in a small clearing at the edge of the field, Javan, Taliya and Lydia sat awestruck on the dragon’s back as they watched and listened to the musical plants. Without the wind to keep them playing, though, the plants soon drooped to their normal position.
“That was cool!” Javan wanted Varjiek to take another spin but figured he would sound too much like a kid if he asked that of the dragon. Instead, he cleared his throat and forced himself to become serious. “It’s too bad we have to cut these flowers down.”
“True,” Lydia said, sliding off Varjiek, “but they are sure to please King Omri.”
“Just what I live for.” Taliya let go of Javan and joined Lydia on the ground. “Let’s get to chopping down my plants so the great King Omri will be happy.”
Lydia ignored Taliya’s bitterness and looked up at Javan. “It shouldn’t take long to get everyone else here as long as Varjiek doesn’t do that spirally flight around the fields each time.”
“Direct flights there and back. Gotcha.”
Varjiek snorted. That’s boring.
&nb
sp; “I know,” Javan said, “but she is right. We don’t have much time to get these flowers harvested.”
“What?” Lydia asked.
“Nothing. I was talking to Varjiek.”
“Oh. Okay. Well, you get on back to the boat, and we’ll work on a plan on how best to get started.”
“Yes, ma’am.” As Varjiek lifted him into the air, Javan noticed Taliya looking longingly in the direction of the canyon. She was worried about her dragon.
How was he supposed to collect Kisa knowing how much that dragon meant to Taliya? He couldn’t. Even though that would deem this entire trip to Keckrick a bust, he was willing to find another Dawn Stalker to collect if that would make Taliya happy.
Was a happy Taliya more important that winning the Battle of the Throne, though? To him, yes. To the people of Zandador? Probably not.
He shouldn’t have to make such tough decisions at his age. Too bad Varjiek couldn’t fly him back to Montana where all he had to do was go to school and play football. He missed being a carefree teenager!
Chapter 39
Harvesting the Humminglos
So quiet. So alone. So hot.
Micah sat on a rock by the stream he had been following for the past few hours and took his backsword and shirt off. Both had been rubbing against his bird-induced scrapes, causing an annoying amount of discomfort. He wanted a few moments of relief before continuing his search for food and Mertzer. Being alone in the woods seemed strange after spending nearly a week on a boat surrounded by people day in and day out. He missed being part of the group and almost wanted to go back to help with the harvest. That wasn’t an option, though. He was Omri’s son. He had a dragon-hunting mission to fulfill on behalf of his father. He couldn’t waste any more time with people now that he was near dragons again.
Unlike in the Dark Zone, the sun filtered down through the thin rain forest canopy, enabling Micah to see the ferns and shrubs and palm trees surrounding him. Upon closer inspection, Micah realized some of the palm trees bore huge clusters of fruit.
