by D K Drake
He placed his hand on the cold steel knob. But he didn’t turn it. Because a female voice started a conversation with Omri that Javan wasn’t supposed to hear.
“It sounds like your son is going to take care of the Collector problem for you,” the woman said. “Does that mean you no longer require my services?”
Javan turned to find a tall woman approaching Omri from the direction of the Midnight Stalker statue. Her red tank top showed off her toned caramel colored skin. It almost matched her auburn hair that couldn’t decide if it should be curly or wavy and hung just past her shoulders. Both those reds paled in comparison to the ruby handle of the large axe she carried in her right hand.
“No,” Omri said, sitting on his throne. “It simply means we will need to amend the terms of our arrangement.”
“How so?”
“I want the two dragons Javan has that will soon be mine. Once Micah returns with them, kill him.”
Did Javan hear that right? Did Omri just take out a contract on his own son’s life?
“I am a Destroyer, King Omri. I kill dragons. Not people.”
“You kill whomever I order you to kill!” Omri slammed his hands on the arms of his throne. “I cannot allow Micah to live. I’ve already had his funeral. His return from the grave would make me look foolish. Buying the silence of those who have seen him today is going to be humiliating enough.”
Javan had to warn Micah. Wait. When? Right before Micah killed him? Why should he warn Micah when Micah wanted him dead?
He couldn’t let Micah kill him. Not now. If Omri was willing to have his own son murdered, what would stop him from annihilating Keckrick once he got the supply of super flowers he wanted? The best way to stop Omri was to win the Battle for the Throne.
“Understood.” The woman nodded. “What about the rest of the dragons?”
“Stick to the original agreement.” Omri got up, wandered over to the wall of windows and stared outside. “Destroy them all. The only dragons you are not to touch are the seven who belong to me.”
“Yes, sir.” The woman turned, and Javan couldn’t take his eyes off her face as she walked toward him. He expected her to be old—like thirty or forty—but she didn’t look a day over sixteen. Her big brown eyes, dainty round nose, sleek cheekbones and full red lips combined to make her into a striking beauty.
Only she had no life in her eyes, no hint of playfulness or whimsy. She had that all-business-all-the-time kind of attitude about her. Boring. Disturbing. And sad.
An impish desire to cut through her icy demeanor suddenly washed over him. So as he followed her out of the room, he tugged on her hair, whispered “Gotcha!” in her ear and sprinted down the spiral staircase before she had a chance to retaliate.
◊◊◊
Standing on the portal while Vince punched in the code to send him back to Upper Keckrick, Micah appeared calm and confident. But that was an illusion. He felt
jumpy. Uncertain. Torn between two worlds.
If he saved Keckrick, the people of Zandador would lose their minds.
If he saved Zandador, the people of Keckrick would lose their lives.
Neither one seemed right or fair or wrong, so how was he supposed to choose? The people of Keckrick taught him what it meant to care, but he called Zandador home. He couldn’t turn his back on his home.
The dilemma raged on as the light flashed and the portal transported him to Keckrick.
Chapter 56
Family Reunion
Javan paced back and forth in front of the door to the portal room. Every few minutes, he would hear a slight pop and see bright flashes of light shoot out from under the door. That was always followed by a flurry of commands and a scurry of shuffling feet as the soldiers inside the room worked to unload the fresh arrival of humminglos and prepare for the next shipment.
He would be able to get inside the room easily enough, but he would never be able to use the portal to transport him back to Keckrick. Not on his own. For that he needed help.
Vince could help him. But would he? And how was Javan supposed to ask? The man never left the room, and he was the guy in charge. Everyone would notice if Javan attempted to approach him.
No one wandered the halls, though. They could have a private conversation right here if Vince stepped out of the room. Getting him out of the room was the trick, but after a little more pacing and a few desperate prayers, Javan figured out how to do just that.
Making sure to remain cloaked, he cleared his throat, beat on the door, and opened it. With the deepest voice he could muster, he yelled, “Vince, King Omri wants to see you right away.”
“Now?”
“Yes.” Javan nodded even though no one could see him. “Right away.”
“He probably wants an update on the humminglo supply,” a man near Vince said.
“Probably.” Vince tapped the man on the shoulder. “You’re in charge until I return. I shouldn’t be long.”
“At least you have good news to deliver,” the man said.
“If I didn’t,” Vince said, smiling, “I’d send you.”
The man smiled back as Vince left the room. Javan closed the door behind him and let him take about ten steps down the poorly lit hallway before talking to him. “King Omri didn’t really summon you.”
Vince stopped and spun around. “Who said that?”
“I did.” Javan walked to within three feet of Vince and sheathed his sword, allowing himself to become visible.
“Whoa.” Vince stumbled backwards. The wall caught him and prevented him from falling. “Who are you? How did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Appear out of nowhere.”
“It’s my little secret. You have a secret, too.”
“I do.” Vince stood tall and seemed to regain his composure. “I have many secrets. Which specific one are you alluding to?”
“I know you helped my mom escape from here.”
“Quiet!” Vince covered Javan’s mouth with his hand, looked up and down the empty hallway, then back at Javan. “You’re Javan?”
Javan nodded, and Vince slowly removed his hand. After what seemed like a ridiculously long minute of staring at each other, Javan spoke. “Hello, great-grandfather. It’s good to meet you.”
◊◊◊
Micah shuddered as the transporting lights of the portal faded and the heat from Nahat hit his skin. Portal travel always made him woozy, and it took him a minute to regain his balance.
“Micah. Sir.” The soldier Micah had scolded on the dock greeted him with a bow. “We weren’t expecting you to return.”
“We were.” Taliya spoke up from the other side of the portal. Javan wasn’t with her, but Cyr and Lydia were. None of them bothered to bow. “What did your father say? Is he going to spare us?”
“King Omri is willing to negotiate.” Micah sounded as cold and authoritative as possible. Although his emotions were churning beneath the surface, he had to portray the heartless, domineering leader the soldiers knew him to be. “Gather the people while I retrieve Mertzer. I will announce the terms of the agreement once I return.”
“Please don’t make us wait,” Taliya said, stepping forward. “What are the terms?”
“You can wait. I won’t be gone long.” Micah took her arm and pulled her close enough to speak only to her. “Make sure Javan is here when I return. I won’t make any announcement without him present.”
“Why? Do Omri’s terms involve Javan?”
“Just make sure he is here.” Micah let go of her arm and pushed his way through the crowd. He still felt woozy, but that feeling had nothing to do with portal travel and everything to do with his upcoming encounter with the Dragon Collector.
◊◊◊
“It’s not good to meet you,” Vince said, making Javan feel unwelcome. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe. Why are you here?”
Javan didn’t want to answer the question since his own relative didn’t want to meet him. However,
he needed this man’s help. He couldn’t let his hurt feelings interfere with the situation. “I followed Micah back from Keckrick. Now I need to return. Can you help me get back?”
“Keckrick? Why were you there? Why do you want to go back?”
“My dragons are there.”
“Dragons? Plural? You’ve collected another one?”
“Yes. A Dawn Stalker.” Javan kept his answer short and asked a question of his own. “Can you help me get back or not?”
Vince shook his head. “I need a lot more information first.”
“I would love to chat, but I’m running out of time. If I don’t get back and face Micah, the people of Keckrick are in trouble. Just give me the scales I need to activate the portal. I can do my invisibility thing to sneak into the room and transport myself to Keckrick.”
“This portal doesn’t use scales.”
“What?”
“This is the main portal in the system. It’s operated by a control panel. You have to know the right codes in order to use it.”
“So give me the codes.”
“The codes are complicated.” Vince sighed and crossed his arms. “I can help you, but I will have to go to Keckrick with you.”
Javan liked that idea. He could use the support of an older, wiser family member. “Fine.”
“But you will be on your own.”
“What do you mean?”
“I won’t be able to help you in any kind of public setting. Until you win the throne, I have to maintain the ruse that I am loyal to the king and act accordingly. Understood?”
So much for that support he wanted. “I understand.”
“Good. And I didn’t mean what I said before. I am glad we met.” Vince roped Javan into a bear hug, then pushed him away. “Now make yourself invisible and follow me.”
Javan wiped a tear away and obeyed his great-grandfather.
Chapter 57
One Last Ride
Micah trudged through the tents on the other side of the river, thankful for the chance to be alone and think. The exercise and fresh air improved his mood and spurred an idea he hadn’t considered before.
What if he didn’t choose Keckrick or Zandador? What if he hopped on Mertzer, ran away and let everything sort itself out?
Omri would still get his super flowers. The thrill of dominating people’s minds would distract Omri from the thrill of killing, and the people of Keckrick would be spared annihilation. Omri would gain total control over the people of Zandador, but at least they would be able to live.
Javan would also be able to live. He would have no chance of winning the throne as long as Micah and Mertzer stayed hidden through the end of the year, and that would effectively eliminate him as a threat to Omri’s power. The Great Rift was a big place, and Micah could find somewhere to hide for two months.
But would he have a home to return to? Would Omri ever let him back in the castle knowing Micah failed to execute Javan?
Micah kicked a rock on his path. Running away wasn’t the answer. He had to face his problems.
He had to face Javan.
◊◊◊
Javan waited for the whirling, swirling sensations of portal travel to fade before uncurling himself from the little ball he had folded himself into. Vince didn’t seem to need any time to recover, though. He took immediate charge of the area the same way he had taken charge of the portal in Zandador.
“King Omri is pleased with the super flowers you’ve been sending, but he wants more. I am here to oversee these valuable shipments and make sure none get left behind.”
While Vince distracted the soldiers, Javan wobbled to his feet, stumbled into the crowd, and sheathed his sword. He no longer needed to be invisible, and he enjoyed having both hands free again.
“Javan!” Taliya grabbed Javan’s hand and pulled him out of the crowd to a quiet spot under the dock. “What happened in Zandador?”
“Micah hasn’t told you yet?”
“No. He said he would make an announcement after he brought Mertzer back. He was looking for you, too. He won’t tell us anything without you present. I was worried when I didn’t see you return with Micah.”
“I got hung up but found someone willing to help me return.”
“So what happened? Micah said Omri was willing to negotiate. Is that true?”
“Yes, but things are more complicated than Micah realizes. I need to talk to him before he makes that announcement. Where’s Varjiek?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him.”
That’s because I haven’t wanted to be seen.
“Varjiek?” Javan ran out from under the dock and looked around. “Where are you?”
Up here. Varjiek uncloaked himself just long enough to let Javan see him sitting on top of the building attached to the dock he stood beside. And I am not happy with you.
◊◊◊
“Mertzer.” The dragon had dug out a bed for himself among the rubble and lay snoozing on his side in a dirt hole. “Mertzer, wake up.”
Mertzer lifted his head, peered at Micah through alert eyes and moved himself into a sitting position. He studied Micah as if awaiting orders. Micah sure was going to miss this dragon.
“We’re going to take one last ride across that bridge to the portal. No matter what happens, you are to back me up. Do not try to stop me, and do not engage in any fights with Javan’s dragons.”
Confusion mixed with curiosity filled the dragon’s eyes. He wanted more information, but Micah knew better. This dragon could talk to Javan, and he didn’t want Mertzer spoiling his surprise.
“You understand your orders?”
Mertzer bowed his head, closed his eyes and slowly opened them again.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Micah climbed on Mertzer’s back and directed him toward the bridge.
Chapter 58
Omri’s Terms
Although it required serious upper body strength, Javan pulled himself onto the roof from the handrail of the dock. He lay in a heap on the hot mud roof and addressed his invisible dragon through strained breaths. “Thanks for the help, buddy.”
You didn’t need my help traveling to Zandador. You shouldn’t need my help to climb on a roof.
“That’s why you’re upset? Because I went to Zandador without you?”
You are my responsibility. I cannot keep you safe if I do not know where you are.
“I thought you were my responsibility.”
Nonsense. I became responsible for you the moment you landed on my back. That’s what makes our relationship work. It does not work when you disappear without telling me where you are going.
“Ah. Okay.” Javan stood and brushed the dirt off his clothes. Varjiek felt left out. Javan could fix that. “Sorry I took off without you. I would have told you, but you weren’t back from eating. I saw an opportunity to follow Micah, and I had to take it at that moment.”
Varjiek snorted.
“It’s a good thing I went.” Javan didn’t like arguing with an invisible dragon. He couldn’t tell if Varjiek was still upset. Since he wasn’t responding, Javan kept talking. “I learned some things I need to tell Micah about. We need to go find him before he finds us.”
Too late.
“Too late? What do you mean?”
I mean he is here.
“Javan!”
Javan turned to find Micah yelling for him atop the bridge. He was sitting on Mertzer and demanded the hushed attention of everyone in the vicinity. “Javan, stay right there. I have news for you and the people of Keckrick from the King of Zandador!”
Before Javan had a chance to respond, Mertzer sped down the bridge.
◊◊◊
The people on the ground dashed out of Micah and Mertzer’s way, clearing an easy path to the building where Javan stood. Why Javan stood on top of a building made no sense to Micah, but it did make him easy to find and would make a good stage.
The building wasn’t much taller than Mertzer, so with very little
effort, Micah jumped from the dragon’s back to the flat rooftop beside Javan. As he looked down at the crowd awash with fear and uncertainty, he felt as powerful as his father must feel when addressing the people of Zandador from the platform in Stalker Square.
His father fed off the fear he inspired in the people, but it made Micah uncomfortable. He could put names to the faces he saw. Cyr. Lydia. Andre. Dreix. Bree. Orlan. Kai.
They weren’t soulless objects he had power over. They were his friends. He found himself wanting to say something to alleviate their fear and put them at ease. “I have spoken with King Omri on your behalf,” Micah said. He paused to let the anticipation grow. Then, with a booming voice, he made his grand announcement. “He is pleased with the super flowers!”
The fear of the people turned to smiles, and the tension gave way to cheers.
“Micah,” Javan said, “before you say anything else, we need to talk.”
“No.” Micah kept his eyes on the crowd but his voice low enough so that only Javan could hear him. “I found a way to spare Keckrick. If that is what you truly want, you need go along with whatever I say.”
“You don’t know the whole story. Your father--”
“My father,” Micah said, ignoring Javan and speaking to the people, “has agreed to spare the lives of all of Keckrick!”
He let the people yell and holler and slap each other on the back for a moment before quieting them. “He only asks for one life in return.”
With sweaty palms, Micah reached behind his neck and drew his sword as he turned toward Javan.
Chapter 59
A Willing Sacrifice
“N
o!” Taliya screamed from the dock, and Javan heard her trying to scramble her way onto the roof.
Javan, Varjiek said, this man means you harm. Step aside and let me take care of him.
“Micah…” Javan stayed planted and raised both his hands to signal surrender to Micah. If given the chance, he believed he could persuade Micah to let him live. “You don’t have to do this.”
