Dragon of Eriden - The Complete Collection

by Samantha Jacobey

  “I wasn’t hiding it,” Meena defended. “I simply chose not to share it,” she explained, glaring at the troll. “Any other dark secrets you wish to expose?”

  “Dark secrets,” the king laughed, then grew somber. Turning to glare at Amicia, he stated calmly, “I only know of one other that might interest you.”

  Her heart pounding, Ami met his cold stare. Licking her lips, her voice trembled as she implored, “Go on then, let’s have your fun,” certain he only toyed with her.

  “There is a dragon who lives atop the northern most mountain, a place where the snow never melts,” he rasped.

  “Yaodus, no,” Meena panted.

  Not missing a beat, the troll continued. “A giant beast, he is older than any creature who walks or crawls upon these shores. Some say he is the first dragon, but of that I am not certain.”

  His tone clearly intended to put her on edge, Ami shifted her eyes from one to another, taking in the non-mortals in turn. Digging her nails into her palm with her grip, she waited.

  “His scales were bright red, and it is legend that he was born from the same magic that created the Crimson Caves we trolls now inhabit,” Yaodus continued calmly.

  Swallowing, Amicia fought the urge to rush him, ready to get to the part that would be of importance. Her heart pounding, she could hear the blood pulsing inside her ears.

  “This dragon is simply called the oracle, and he made his last prediction when the mortals were banished to the rim,” the troll grinned, seeing the wide eyes of the humans among them. “The prophecy of Eriden’s ruin. They say the power he used to conjure it drained him, and he died from the telling.”

  “Eriden’s ruin,” Rey repeated in a hushed tone. “Who’s going to destroy it?”

  “A great war,” their host explained. “A mortal who holds the hearts of dragons and men shall lead the forces of destruction.”

  Laughing loudly, Bally interjected, “He thinks it’s you!”

  Turning to glare at him, Amicia could see their cabin boy pointing at her with a stiff finger. “Me? How can it be me?” They had already discerned that she was not a mortal, as a wielder of magic, so it couldn’t possibly be her. “What rubbish!” she laughed, standing abruptly. “I need to take a piss,” she informed them bluntly, as if to dismiss the entire story out of hand by declaring what she thought of it in a crude manner.

  Marching down the tunnel to the facilities, Amicia relieved herself. Her heart pumping, she mused, How simple my life once was. In Nalen, she had not been special to anyone, save perhaps Rupert. Even Gus and Arely had not made such a fuss over her. Now I can’t go anywhere without someone making a scene.

  Deciding not to rejoin the others until their meal was ready, she continued to their pod and made her way inside. In the center of their chamber, their fire smoldered. Crossing her arms, she glared at the dark coating of dust that covered the embers, focusing on the coals beneath, their hidden fire matching her rage.

  Her thoughts churning, she hated being the focus of so much attention. As she focused on the pit of ashes, the coals glowed beneath their cover; a deep red that caught her by surprise when they flared to open flame. In the same instant, she thought of the great red oracle. I know how to test his truth!

  The vision had given her an idea, and she located Meena’s bag to rummage through the contents. Finding the orb, she dropped the pouch and held the glittering sphere in front of her. Calming her breathing, she searched the mountains of the north. If there was a great old dragon that lived there, I might find his lair. The idea of solid proof of his existence gave her comfort.

  If I can’t find it, it’s likely his story is a hoax, she rationalized. Her heart leapt into her throat when she easily came across a large cave, a skeleton lying in the center of it. “Oh, no!”

  But how can this be? After three thousand years, his bones would be dust by now. Clutching the ball tightly, she dropped her hand and swung it back and forth in an angry strut as she rejoined the others. “Nice trick,” she announced, opening her palm to show Yaodus what she had found.

  Glaring at her, almost eye to eye as she stood before him, the troll snickered. “You think I have somehow set a trap for you? Your power is exceptional, my queen,” he complimented.

  “You can stop with the queen talk,” she sneered, folding her hand to darken the orb. “There is no way those bones are your magical ruby-colored oracle dragon. They couldn’t possibly still be there after three thousand years.”

  “I never said he died that long ago,” Yaodus quipped, amused at her angry flush.

  “You said it took all his magic and it killed him!” she accused, her voice growing louder and drawing stares from those around them.

  “Drained him, yes, but it did not kill him until the great war, which was not so long ago.”

  Her features twisted, Amicia considered this latest bit of news. “The great war where some rose up against the dragons,” she surmised more calmly.

  “Correct,” he nodded. “There was a human, a mortal from the rim, who claimed to be the object of the final prophecy. Another dragon caught wind of this assertion and joined his cause. They visited the oracle, and it is said that it was then that his life was finally exhausted. The pair celebrated his passing as proof that legitimized their claim to the crown of Eriden.”

  “Oh.” Ami’s lips pursed as a few details they had gathered since their arrival seemed to make more sense. “They killed him.”

  “Probably not,” Meena intervened. “The oracle was said to be the only true immortal in all of Eriden, and his death signified the fulfillment of the final prophecy.”

  “Besides,” Animir added, “the prophecy speaks of a lover of dragons and men, not a mortal who holds the hearts of dragons and men. He said it backwards,” her elf friend informed her, raising his chin in the direction of their host.

  His features stoic, the troll made no effort to shore up his claim and said instead, “It means the same.”

  Cutting her eyes back and forth between them, Ami wondered how they could not see the flaw in their convictions. “But Eriden was not destroyed. So, this guy, whoever he was, obviously was not this harbinger of death he purported himself to be, no matter which side loved what.”

  “No, but that does not mean the end was not begun,” Yaodus sighed. “You see time through the eyes of a mortal, but recall that it flows differently in the land of magic. Centuries old are many who reside here, and a few can boast a full millennium. There are those who believe the great war never ended and it simply fell into the darkness, hidden from sight, while those who plot against our Supreme Dragon remain.”

  A cold chill crept up Amicia’s spine. His dark eyes holding hers, she could not deny that logic, as Lady Cilithrand seeped into her thoughts. “Many died in the great war,” she whispered.

  “Yes, and I fear that many more will as well before it is truly ended,” the king somberly agreed.

  Hiding the Past

  “What rubbish,” Piers muttered upon their return to their chambers much later that night. Not looking at Meena, he kept his voice low, but the air about him spoke volumes.

  “You no longer respect our customs,” she observed, her tone strained.

  Exchanging a glance with Rey, Amicia considered returning to the great room so the couple could argue in private. They had never done so before; not a single time that she had observed. Deciding to stay, she scowled at the pair. “What’s gotten into you two?” she snapped, clomping her feet against the rock as she moved to stand between them. “You have never fought, and yet it seems since we arrived here that is all you do.”

  Glaring at his bride, Piers swallowed, then held out an upturned palm. “I’m sorry, love. I hate feeling as if I have been lied to.”

  Grinding her teeth, Meena sneered, “No, it is usually you twisting the truth.”

  “Stop it, both of you!” Rey moved to intercede as well. “Or shall we leave the room so the two of you can really have it out?” he mocked,
holding up his fists as if to throw actual punches.

  Laughing a short grunt, the Mate grinned. “We sound that absurd?”

  “Absolutely,” Ami agreed. “We can go out if you prefer, but I can’t bear to stand here and listen to you trade insults.”

  “We will go out,” Meena said more quietly, offering him her hand as they exited the pod.

  “Ridiculous,” Reynard observed, shaking his head after they had gone.

  Bally and Lin both already lay on their blankets, snoring as they slept. Zaendra stared up at him with wide eyes. “Will they be ok?” she asked in a timid voice.

  “They will come to terms,” he assured her. “Most couples have a spat from time to time. They love each other, so they will figure it out.”

  Her face drawn, Amicia felt less confident; it was she who had arranged their wedding after all. If she had not, the Mate would have been free to simply declare their relationship over, and that would be that. As it stood, things were a bit more complicated.

  “I do wish to make my apologies,” Animir spoke up in a weak voice. “I feel as if I should have part of the blame Piers is bestowing upon his wife.”

  “And why is that?” Rey asked, preparing his blanket to lie down.

  “I have not shared what I knew of the ancient prophecy,” he admitted, his eyes fixed on the girl, “but you do seem a likely candidate.”

  “I don’t see how. We have already established that my magical ability indicates that I am not really a mortal, even Meena said so,” she countered, removing her boots.

  “That is true. But if you are a mortal of the rim and have been blessed with the gift, I feel it makes you more likely, not less,” he agreed in a backhanded manner.

  Smoothing her bed and lying upon it, the girl said nothing else, unable to argue with that logic. Instead, she closed her eyes and searched her mind, calling into the darkness for Lamwen until she had fallen asleep.

  Out in the common room, Piers held Meena’s hand tentatively as they selected a couple of stones next to each other and sat down. Deciding to be respectful, he muttered, “I’m sorry if my words have hurt you.”

  Meeting his gaze, it did not escape her that he apologized for the pain but not exactly for the speaking of the words. “And I,” she agreed with a sniffle. Blinking rapidly, she hid her tears the best she could. “I told you, I am an old woman and I know how to take care of myself.”

  “Aye,” he laughed, “as do I. Therein lies the problem, I think. We are both so used to protecting ourselves from others that we have forgotten that we are as one.”

  Looking up at him, her deep brown orbs glistened with their flecks of green in the fire light. Her jaw dropping, she felt another tart reply forming on her tongue. Clamping it shut, she stood, releasing his hand and smoothing her skirt as she sauntered around their fire. “One of us has to give in here,” she whispered to herself, and she considered if that was as close as he would get to groveling.

  Turning to reclaim her seat, she smiled genuinely. “Piers, I have always admired your strength. Your caring is not a sign of weakness, and I accept equal responsibility for this rift between us.”

  “Aye,” he grunted, drawing back slightly as he studied her.

  “And therefore, I should say the same. I am sorry if my choice to shade the truth has hurt you.”

  “Aye,” he repeated, feeling as if she were still maneuvering to manipulate him somehow, like a snake preparing to strike.

  “I wish you to understand my reasons for doing so,” she insisted.

  Catching on, he grinned. “There comes a time we have to get past all that, love. If you can’t trust me with this, then I am the one who must accept it because I trust you.”

  “Precisely,” she nodded, her breath a sigh of relief. “And if we have that faith in one another, then I can share with you what I know, but under the strictest of confidences,” she added, her voice lower and filled with foreboding. “If you do not feel you can hear my words, you must accept my knowing and not judge me upon the secrecy. You can, however, be assured I do not fear it will come to harm you.”

  “This sounds serious.” The Mate swallowed, not liking her choice of words.

  “It is,” she agreed, leaning closer to him. “I will tell you, but you must promise not to divulge a word of what I share with the girl. It will be hard enough for her to accept when she learns of this, and I certainly want no part in the telling.”

  His heart skipping a beat, the Mate leaned in as well. “Tell me then,” he breathed, clenching his knees with a firm grip as if she might knock him from his seat with what she divulged. “I promise to keep your thoughts as secret as my own,” he added in a solemn oath.

  “Yaodus is fair in his description of our inhabitants,” she began. “We all possess a degree of magic, even the wans who do not use, or even are too weak to use, their power. Mortals do not, but that is not to say that it would be impossible. Just as I have manifest greater power than a wan is expected to have, so is it possible that a human could have the gift of magical talents. This could explain her ability to wield magic.”

  “So, you believe that she is the human in the prophecy,” he surmised, stroking his beard.

  “She could be,” Meena confessed, lowering her eyes. Staring at her hands, she rubbed them against one another firmly. “But I fear she may be something else. I think she could be a dragon.”

  “A dragon!” he spat, leaping to his feet.

  “Shh,” she warned, indicating for him to sit. “Please, Piers. Do not involve the trolls any further,” she begged, glancing around at the few that shared the massive room.

  Retaking his seat, he growled, “Then explain this. She is a girl. Blonde hair, green eyes – ”

  “I’ve seen her,” Meena chuckled, amused by his confusion. “But the more she uses her magic, the more I feel it from her. I don’t know how or why, maybe as a punishment for something she did, but I am hard convinced that she is only imprisoned in her mortal form. You spoke of transfiguration as a difficult spell to cast, and I agree. I alone could never perform such a ritual. But that is not to say there aren’t others who could complete such a dark act.” Staring at him, she said no more, the rest too much for even her to stand should it come true.

  Blinking at her, Piers felt as if he had been punched. “You’re serious,” he whispered hoarsely. “You think she could be a cursed dragon, and you expect me not to tell her?”

  “You can’t tell anyone,” she begged, laying her hands over his. “Promise me this. Until she is ready to know the truth, none in our company must know, and you must speak of it with no one.”

  “You told me,” he grinned.

  “Yes, but we have agreed upon our trust of each other, and you are talented at keeping secrets,” she smiled back. “You always do whatever you must to protect those in your charge, and this is something you must. Knowing would only make things worse for any of them. All of them.”

  Raising his shoulders as he inhaled deeply, he released a loud sigh, “Very well.” Cutting his eyes over at her, he accused, “But we still have not discussed your lying to me.”

  Laughing at him, she shook her head, “I have shared all that I can, my love. You must have faith, as I have in you, that I will share when and what I can. Besides, I am embarrassed at the way the mortals were treated, and I wasn’t even alive then. This lie you perceive was merely my way of protecting myself of guilt by association.”

  “What did they do exactly?”

  “They were rounded up, throughout the realm. Animals as well, so that the rim could be populated. The oracle had a great deal to do with all of this, and legend says that he hid away from all, including the other dragons, after they were removed.”

  “So, he really only died during the great war, killed by those two who found him.”

  “Oh, he may have died in their presence, but I doubt that they killed him, as great and powerful as he was purported to be,” she replied, sorrow in her voice. “Hell, he
may not even really be dead for all we know. It’s all speculation and myth as far as I’m concerned,” she sniffed, pushing the oracle from her thoughts and returning to the mortals. “As far as the humans, it’s such a dark history and not one I am eager to share. The mortals did nothing to deserve their treatment, forced from their homes and ripped from their lives. Of course, it was better than what many wanted for them.”

  “What do you mean?” he frowned.

  “Many called for their blood. If they had all been destroyed, there would be no way for the prophecy to come true,” she revealed somberly.

  “That’s horrible,” he groaned, his jaw tight with subdued rage.

  “Yes, but the Supreme Dragon wouldn’t hear of it. He arranged for their transfer and for the stocking of their lands with lessor creatures to provide for their lives and future,” she explained, sniffing again. “The dragons are the protectors of the world, not just of Eriden. At least, I believe that they are, even if it has not seemed so in the years since you were moved to the rim.”

  Stirred by her tears, Piers sighed, “I think I have heard enough, and I understand why this is one story you never wished to tell. Anyone with such a mark in their history would be tempted to hide it. Or certainly never openly share it,” he stated confidently, his forgiveness of her whole-hearted.

  Leaning against him, she sighed, “Yes. Deplorable. And it has only been since the fall of Ziradon that mortals who have stumbled upon our shores have even been allowed to live.”

  Frozen, he asked tentatively, “What do you mean? Like the men in Whitefair?”

  “Yes. Before Gwirwen came to power, any mortal who managed to navigate the barrier between Eriden and the rim was destroyed, which is why I was so surprised to find you there the day we met. I’m still not accustomed to the presence of mortals within the realm, and so it is with most of our inhabitants.”

  “Dare I ask how the humans were destroyed?”