by Nathan Roden
“Bah!” Sterling slapped his half-filled chalice aside. The boy ran to get a clean one to replace it.
“Her worthless life did not atone for her crimes! Over a hundred soldiers dead! And the beast is still with us—sleeping soundly—!”
Sterling reached inside his coat. He pulled out a book and slammed it on the table.
The book’s cover read, The History of Islemar.
“The dragon reads himself to sleep, I suppose,” Sterling said. “High above the walls of Castle Islemar.”
Lucien picked up the book.
“Where did you find this?”
Sterling did not take his eyes off of Nicolas Lamont.
“In a cave at the mountain summit. One of the monster’s hideaways.”
“What are you implying?” Lamont asked.
“We see less and less of you, Lord Lamont,” Sterling said. “I would think that the affairs of Islemar, port commerce, and your position on the kingdom’s council would keep you occupied. But yet, you are able to scour the countryside for wolves. I envy your time-management skills. Pray tell, when do you sleep?”
“The health of our flocks and herds are my business!” Lamont said angrily.
“Please, Uncle—,” Lucien said.
“I am discussing the affairs of your kingdom, Your Grace,” Sterling snarled. “Business that is beyond your knowledge!”
Sterling’s bloodshot and blazing eyes bored into Lucien’s soul.
“Am I embarrassing you?”
Lucien jumped to his feet and balled his fists. His face was red and sweat poured from his forehead.
“You embarrass yourself!”
The crowd inside the tent fell completely silent. Servants stopped in mid-step.
Sterling pushed away from the table again. His sword belt came undone and his sword and the chair hit the ground. The tasters did not dare move.
Raynard reached for Sterling’s sword belt. Sterling slapped his hand.
Sterling stood. He glared at Lucien, Jaclyn, and Nicolas Lamont. He turned to Raynard.
“Have the men assembled before dawn.” Sterling glared at Lamont again.
“I will have the dragon’s head before the next full moon!”
Twenty-Four
The feast had lost its joy. Toasts were made to the popular queen. The crowd responded with warm, quiet applause.
The meal passed by with only an occasional whisper among the guests. The mood remained thick with discomfort. An air of dissension lingered even in the absence of Sterling and Raynard.
At the conclusion of the meal, Lord Lamont stood and raised his goblet. He offered a parting toast to Jaclyn and invited everyone to enjoy the festivities at the arena.
Lucien walked away from the table without a word to anyone. His hands shook all through the meal. He ate little.
Nicolas Lamont put his arms around Jaclyn.
“I am sorry, my love. I should not have let him get under my skin.”
“It was not your fault,” Jaclyn said. “He was very drunk.”
“He is always very drunk,” Lady Lamont said.
The little family of three put up their hands to hide their smiles.
Nicolas whispered to Jaclyn.
“Lucien has put himself in a place of great danger. This does not bode well for you and the child. Remain vigilant. Keep your eyes and your ears attuned at all times.”
Lamont looked around to make sure no one could hear him.
“In the days to come, if I send word for you to flee the castle, do not hesitate. I want you to promise me.”
Jaclyn placed her hand over the baby.
“Do you really think that he could…?”
“I have never distrusted a man the way that I distrust Sterling. He will not willingly give up control of the realm. Not ever.”
A wide-eyed girl approached the Lamonts.
“What do you want?” Lamont asked.
“Father, please!” Jaclyn said. She playfully punched his shoulder. “Do not mind this mean old bear. Did you need something?”
“I am to—” the girl stammered. She bowed her head low.
“Tilda is not feeling well. She asked me to attend to you—in the arena, My Queen.”
“Yes, of course,” Jaclyn said. “She did look a bit green, earlier. Stand up straight now.”
Jaclyn pushed her hand against the small of her own back.
“You will carry a child of your own before long. Your back will be in for enough punishment without you wasting it on me. Are you ready, Father? Mother?”
Lucien was already in his seat at the arena. Two members of the King’s Guard stood well away from him. Lucien stared out over the field—lost in thought.
He stood when Jaclyn and her parents arrived.
He handed Jaclyn a box, wrapped in red and gold paper.
“For your name day,” Lucien said.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Jaclyn said. She kissed his ring and then kissed his cheek.
She opened the box. It contained an elaborate necklace.
“Oh, Lucien! It’s beautiful! Thank you!”
Jaclyn showed it to her mother, who was also quite impressed. Robinette Lamont put the necklace around Jaclyn’s neck.
Jaclyn tenderly put her hand on the necklace.
“I will treasure it forever!” she said to Lucien.
Lucien smiled. But it did not last. He sat back down and watched the celebration with eyes that saw nothing—nothing but his unknown and dangerous future.
Twenty-Five
Simon landed at the bottom of the mountain, below the cave in the heights of Islemar. Magdalena and Helena helped the children down from his back. Magdalena introduced them to Helena.
Simon motioned Magdalena aside with a move of his head.
“You are very pretty,” Sara said to Helena.
Helena knelt and smiled at Sara.
“Not as lovely as you!”
Ezekiel ran in tight circles. He flapped his arms.
“Zeke! Zeke fly!”
The children laughed.
Zeke ran to Simon and threw his arms around Simon’s leg.
Simon did not see Zeke coming. He shot a quick, harmless burst of fire into the air, which made everyone laugh again.
Helena stared into Caleb’s eyes.
“Are you a wizard? Or a sorcerer?”
Caleb shook his head.
“I don’t think so. I just know things, sometimes. The Lady has been teaching me, but our time together was limited, especially after my father…”
“What things do you know?” Helena whispered.
Helena jumped when Caleb took her hand.
How did he do that? He cannot see, she thought.
“You have a deep sadness,” Caleb said. “You have lost many loved ones. You have found love again; yet, you fear that you will lose it.”
Helena covered her mouth with her other hand.
Caleb released Helena’s hand. He lifted his chin, listened, and looked toward Magdalena. Magdalena was speaking to Simon.
“The lady also carries a great sadness. She struggles constantly with the voices of guilt and regret.”
“She has been alone for a long time. She is distrusted and often despised. There is a deep distrust of magic in this land.”
Caleb turned back to Helena.
“You have no reason to trust me. But I believe that the lady has a good heart.”
****
“Their mother?” Magdalena whispered, “Is she—?”
“I am almost certain that she was murdered,” Simon said.
“But why?” Magdalena asked.
“I believe you know the answer to that, as well as I do.”
“We are putting Lamonts in danger,” Magdalena said.
“It cannot be avoided,” Simon said.
He rubbed his sore chest.
“We can’t allow Sterling’s creature to find the children.”
“What do we do now?” Magdalena asked.
> “We’ll wait here while you go into the village and find Finn. Bring him back here.”
“What if he refuses?”
“They are helpless children,” Simon said. “And now they are orphans. If we cannot help them, then what are we fighting for?”
Magdalena stepped into the trees, transformed into the wolf, and ran toward the village. She returned two hours later, accompanied by Finn. They were on horseback.
“Thank you for coming, Finn,” Simon said.
Finn smiled and greeted the children. He took Simon aside.
“You think the wizard killed their mother?”
“The giant can sense the presence of magic,” Simon said. “He sensed me, and he sensed Magdalena.”
“Yet he received no such signals from the boy,” Finn said.
“Maybe they were too far away,” Simon said. “Or, just maybe, the boy has talents we have yet to discover.”
Finn ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
“I’ll have to sneak them into the castle late at night. They may have to hide in the dungeon—at least until Lady Lamont returns.”
“As long as they are warm and dry and fed, that is all we can ask,” Simon said.
Finn stared at Simon’s chest.
“You have been injured.”
“We were returning to Islemar, to tell Lord Lamont that the cave where we planned to meet is no longer safe. Sterling and his wizard are clearing paths and marking every cave in the land with beacon towers. They’re going to man them with sentries. I was exhausted and meant to rest at the cave atop this mountain. Sterling and his wizard caught me by surprise.”
“The wizard did this to you?”
“His magic is unlike anything I have ever seen,” Simon said. “We were fortunate to escape.”
“Surely his magic will not stand up to fire,” Finn said.
“Remember, I was not alone,” Simon said. “The last time I used my fire while carrying Helena she was badly burned. She could have died.”
Magdalena hugged each of the children, promising to return to them.
“Listen to me, Caleb. Lord Lamont will be with us. It will be up to Lady Lamont to find a place for you to hide. You will be as safe at Castle Islemar as anywhere in the kingdom. But you must keep your magic hidden. And if you learn that Lord Sterling comes here, you must take Sara and Zeke and get away. Hide as well as you can—underground if possible. Do you understand?”
“Of course, My Lady,” Caleb said.
Magdalena watched the children ride away with Finn. She sniffed.
“Well, that is done.”
“I must ask,” Simon said. “Do you tire easily when you become the wolf?”
“No, not easily. But I’ve never had reason to be concerned with the wolf’s endurance. You keep finding new ways to test me.”
“This cannot be avoided,” Simon said. “We need for you to find Lord Lamont along the King’s Road. He has to know that Sterling found the cave. We have no choice but to come together on the forbidden mountain.”
“Are you going there now?” Magdalena asked.
“Yes. I am anxious to have a look at the border—and the Border Guard.”
Twenty-Six
Simon walked as quietly as he could up to the crest of a hill. The torches of the camp of the Border Guard could be seen in the distance.
“I know you’re cold,” Simon said. “You could have stayed behind.”
“Should we wait for suitable weather for our revolution?” Helena asked. “This is good news. I’ve always thought that wars should only be fought in the spring—and after a full night’s rest and a proper breakfast.”
Helena was cold. She rubbed her arms.
“I am going to start treating you like just another soldier,” Simon said.
“You do that,” Helena said. “And I will think of you as my commander—General Dragon.”
“I did not expect this level of activity,” Simon said. “They are carrying out active watch duty—in spite of the late hour.”
“And the cold,” Helena said.
“I have flown high over this camp before,” Simon said. “They have expanded it. More tents, more towers, and more soldiers. This is not a good sign.”
“Look!” Helena called out in a muted scream.
Simon turned his attention to the wall of sheer rock that flanked the canyon on the border. He saw something move.
A man lowered himself slowly down the face of the wall. He held onto a rope that circled his waist.
“Stay here,” Simon said to Helena.
What is this? Simon thought. Are there more men coming? I cannot let them find us. It could ruin everything.
Simon walked quietly toward the man. He heard a noise behind him.
Helena was following him.
Simon watched as the man dropped the last few feet to the ground. He coiled up the rope and hid it among the sparse foliage that grew from the rock.
The man ran away from the Border Guard camp and began to make his way north along the base of the mountain. Simon followed until they were out of sight of the army camp.
He positioned himself where the man would run right upon him.
The man screamed. He tried to run but his feet slipped. He fell hard on his backside. Simon loosed a low growl. Black smoke poured from around his teeth.
The man climbed to his feet. He pulled an arrow from his quiver. He tried to notch it, but it fell from his trembling hands. He dropped the bow.
“Please,” the man said quietly. “I have a baby.”
Simon reached toward the man with his talon. The man turned his head and closed his eyes.
Simon pulled the spool of rope from the man’s shoulder. The man opened his eyes.
He thought he must be dead. He saw an angel.
Simon handed the rope to Helena.
“Tie him up. And cover his mouth. We cannot allow him to alert the Guard.”
“A dragon—that speaks?” The man said. “Are you—?”
Helena grabbed the man by his jaws.
“In case you did not hear the dragon, he wishes for you to be quiet. I have seen what happens to those who do not listen to him.”
“But—!”
Helena stretched a length of rope around the man’s mouth.
“You do not listen well at all.”
The next night, Simon, Helena, and their prisoner lay sleeping beneath a canopy of trees on the side of the forbidden mountain. Helena was snuggled deep inside of her blankets. She only had half of their supply, thanks to Simon’s insistence that they not let the man freeze to death.
Helena stirred. She opened one eye and saw the man struggling against the ropes. He made terror-filled sounds around the gag in his mouth. His eyes bulged wide.
Helena panicked. She steadied her nerves and began to peel away the blankets
And then a tongue brushed against her cheek.
Helena jumped up and screamed. She screamed again when Simon shot into the air above her with his eyes ablaze.
“NO! NO, Simon! It’s only—!” Helena looked at the man watching from the ground.
“It’s…a friend!”
The wolf walked away. Helena and Simon followed.
The wolf became the Lady.
“You have a prisoner? Who is he?”
“We don’t know,” Simon said. “We watched him descend the face of the mountain using ropes. He was alone.”
Magdalena stole a look toward the army camp.
“It turns out that I didn’t need to alert Lord Lamont, after all.”
“What do you mean?” Simon asked.
“He already knew that the cave was compromised.”
“How?”
Magdalena ignored the question.
“There is no telling how far sounds may travel here. We must keep this in mind.”
Simon tilted his head.
“Why are you speaking in riddles?”
Magdalena paused. She looked sternly at Simon.
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“Did you hear what I just said?”
Simon snorted.
“Yes. We should be quiet.”
Magdalena stared at Helena.
“Did you hear what I said?”
Helena looked annoyed. She nodded.
“It is very important that you be quiet,” Magdalena said.
Helena leaned close to Magdalena. She narrowed her eyes.
“I. Under. Stand. Mommy.”
Magdalena held out her hand. She held a glass orb in her palm. It glowed with an amber light. She walked toward the trees and turned around.
Helena’s eyes grew large and her mouth gaped open.
She and Boone Blankenship ran into each other’s arms.
Simon remained where he was, allowing the couple their emotional reunion. When they pulled apart, Boone stepped toward his long-time friend. Almost there, he heard the sounds of the prisoner’s voice straining against his gag.
Boone paused. Magdalena stepped closer, the orb sending light across the prisoner’s face.
“By the gods!” Boone cried out.
He dropped to his knees. He pulled the dagger from his waist-belt and began sawing at the ropes that bound the prisoner.
“What are you doing?” Helena screamed in a hushed whisper. Simon and Magdalena stepped toward them. Boone ignored them and continued to work against the ropes.
“This is my brother!”
Twenty-Seven
Boone freed Ben’s hands, and then his legs. He carefully untied the gag around Ben’s mouth.
The two men threw their arms around each other and wept.
They pulled away from each other. Ben stared at his brother and then looked at Simon.
“This is the heir of Morgenwraithe?”
“Yes,” Boone said.
“How long have you known him?” Ben asked.
