Chapter 8
She was being guided through the forest. That much was clear. Her previous lapse into unconsciousness had done much to clear up her vision, and even the pain in her skull had been dampened over the course of hours so that she could better focus on her surroundings. Her shifting eyes took stock of everything as she was dragged through the foliage, dense shackles fixed around her wrists and ankles. These were so heavy she almost missed the ropes. The hardware on her ankles kept her from attaining a stride of full length. As a result, she shuffled behind her captors unsteadily, always on the verge of losing balance and tumbling to the ground.
Minx was relieved to find Mau nearby—though the Faelyr remained unable to communicate with her and was being dragged along by a pair of muscled Wuffs. She'd been outfitted with an imposing iron muzzle and a chain of lead. Their usual telepathic bond had been inexplicably interrupted for a second time, and Alla's presence in the vicinity promised of familiar treacheries. It's just like the last time. They must be using some kind of Zuscha technology to interrupt our link. But why? I thought Alla was a friend. What reason could she have for double-crossing us in this way?
The hunger plaguing her gut was almost as fierce as the pain nipping at her skull. She'd been hungry earlier in the day, prior to her capture, and in her hours of captivity she'd been given nothing to eat. Her stomach groaned audibly as her captors dragged her onward, and she knew Mau, too, was likely running on empty. What do they plan to do with us? Unless they want us to drop dead out here, they'd better feed us something. This is inhumane, even for the Wuffs.
No matter how many times she looked around, there appeared no sign of the stallion, Strider. The animal, like Mau, had almost certainly been captured by the Wuffs, but there was no trace of him to be found in the Wuff caravan. Maybe the horse is up ahead somewhere, carrying gear. Or, could he have escaped? It was possible, too, that the poor thing had been slain by the savage warriors. Whether Strider had escaped into the wild or been killed, the loss of such a powerful steed would require no few apologies to The First upon their return to Pan.
If we ever return, that is. Minx felt the weight of the shackles on her wrists and knew that her odds of survival were not high. In her recent battles against the Wuffs, she had never been backed to the wall in this way—had never been captured by hostile forces during war. At the mercy of these savages, she felt her already frail spirit wavering. What will they do to me? And to Mau? She did her best not to focus on the grim eventualities; instead, she sought to maintain an inner calm and plan her next move. Her captors had bound her well and she could think of no way to escape in the short-term; but the moment an opportunity presented itself, she'd try and fly the coop. With an eye toward the unexpected, she began watching for just such a chance.
She had no way of knowing precisely where they were headed. Perhaps Minx and Mau were being taken toward Pan—though, if this was the case, their route didn't look in the least bit familiar. She recalled Alla's presence, and her propensity for dealing in living stock. Are we being taken to Karn—the human city? This, too, seemed doubtful. They were wandering through a dense wood, the sun long out of sight and the terrain unfamiliar to her tired feet. Maybe we're heading to some Wuff stronghold, or to the lands of the Zuscha. Alla has used Zuscha technology before, and was pursued by dark Fae during our last meeting...
Minx studied the Wuffs before her, once again spotting a familiar form among them. Walking along with the mass of furry warriors was Alla. She wore a longsword at her side and paced nonchalantly beside the raiding party. Now and then, she spared Minx and Mau a quick glance with her foggy eyes, but never once was there anything like familiarity or good cheer in them.
Not too long ago, Minx had risked her life to save Alla. After a surprise attack in the wilderness, Alla had been critically injured—poisoned—by the tainted arrow of a Zuscha archer. The toxin would have easily killed her if not for Minx's concerted healing efforts over the course of days. With Kaleb and Mau in tow, Minx had administered constant treatment, casting Fae healing spells repeatedly till Alla's body had managed to filter out the poison. The strain had been immense for both patient and caretaker, but when the struggle had ended Minx had been naive enough to believe the two of them friends.
Shortly thereafter, Alla had been taken prisoner by Torrent. She'd gone with him peacefully after both Minx and Kaleb had been savagely routed in battle by incredible feats of spell-craft. Minx knew that Alla had only gone with him in order to protect her new friends, and because she could not hope to overpower the monstrous mage. She'd departed sullenly, horrified at Torrent's ruthless attacks. Kaleb had nearly been killed in the exchange and Minx had been tossed about like a rag doll. Eager to put a stop to the violence, Alla had complied with the enigmatic mage's request and had disappeared with him.
Minx hadn't expected to see Alla ever again, and certainly hadn't expected to quarrel with her considering their history together. To find Alla marching alongside her captors sent Minx into a rage, though at present there was nothing she could do. This is what I get for helping her, huh? If I'd let her die, then perhaps this wouldn't be happening.
Summoning her voice, Minx sought to challenge the half-Fae. “Where are you taking us?” she demanded, speech slurred and head still heavy.
Alla did not so much as turn to look at her, and the nearby Wuffs scowled. “Quiet!” demanded one, giving her a hard shove.
Unarmed, bound and injured, Minx looked her Faelyr companion over and wondered how she was faring. Mau didn't look as though she'd been harmed; probably, she'd gone along with the Wuffs peaceably. The muzzle she was forced to wear looked awfully heavy and uncomfortable, and the warrior in charge of holding her lead was fond of yanking it this way and that, jerking the poor Faelyr around with abandon. Still, she seemed to be holding up all right.
The Fae huntress weighed her options and considered potential routes of escape. As best she could tell, studying the line of marching caravaners, this band of Wuffs ran ten or more deep. Without a bow, a full quiver and some distance, she couldn't hope to put a serious dent in their numbers. Lashing out at them bare-handed would be too risky in her state. Mau, though, appeared in full possession of her senses—was healthy and robust compared to the injured Fae huntress. If I can find some way to get Mau out of that muzzle, she can attack the Wuffs and I can back her up. They won't be able to stand up to us together—especially with so many hiding spots in the woods...
But before she could execute her plan, the situation suddenly shifted.
There was a great rumbling overhead, as if the dim canopy was being ripped away by a blast of wind. The breeze remained calm, however, leading the Wuffs to stop dead in their tracks and consider the cause of this riotous disturbance. Studying the skies, they soon discovered it—and one among them, slack-jawed and quivering, declared, “T-The dragons! The dragons have come!”
Minx stood bolt upright at this, looking to the skies herself. Various shadows fluttered past the tops of the trees, but she couldn't make out anything concrete from where she stood. “D-Dragons?” she muttered. Could it be that they changed their minds? After everything that had transpired, Minx knew better than to get her hopes up. Still, watching the Wuffs tumble into panic proved satisfying, and her earlier hope in Kaleb and his people was momentarily rekindled.
The darkness overhead was pierced by a violent eruption of orangish light. An immense fireball sailed into the earth from high above, splintering a handful of trees ahead of the Wuff horde and igniting them in a terrible flash. Hot wind streaked through the forest and the air was overcome by the scent of burning wood.
The Wuffs, utterly terrified, needed no further warning. They broke ranks at once, each of them striving off in their own direction and abandoning their gear. They abandoned their captives, too, leaving Minx and Mau crouching amidst the trembling trees without supervision. Minx immediately rushed to the Faelyr's side, wrenching the imposing muzzle from her face and casting it aside. Then,
with Mau's help, she found the restraints on her arms and legs quickly shattered with the swipe of a powerful paw.
“Maybe Kaleb isn't so bad after all,” offered Minx. “I think the dragons are looking out for us!”
The Faelyr, still unable to communicate telepathically, met her with a quizzical look.
Rifling through the goods that the cowardly Wuffs had left behind, she was reacquainted with her bow and quiver, and hastily set about using both. Nocking a fresh arrow, Minx led the Faelyr through the woods and tried to get a look at the flying beasts overhead. She looked, too, for Alla. “Come on out, Alla. I just want to talk.” She drew her bow and prepared to fire at the first hint of movement. “I didn't expect to see you here, but I figure if anyone can give me some answers about what's going on, it's you.”
There was no reply. She heard the whimpers and mutterings of a few hiding Wuffs, but the half-Fae did not respond. Like the others in the raiding party, Alla had likely taken up a defensive position in the woods and was too busy waiting for another fireball to pay much attention to Minx.
Far above the tops of the trees, she spied what appeared to be genuine dragons. A handful of the beasts, most of them small, sailed through the air in a tight formation. One among them, with ruby red scales that stood out in the ghostly moonlight, seemed to be in command, and this fearsome specimen was larger than the others by an order of magnitude. The beast's great wings blotted out the twilight as it streaked by overhead, and it cued up a second fireball, loosing it with a great roar and sending the retreating Wuffs into a fury of howls and cries. This red titan, unlike the others, was clearly a Royal dragon.
Minx wasn't sure what dragons were doing in this area. Unless the Wuffs had wandered back toward the Talon Range, they were almost certainly quite far from the homeland of these airborne beasts. Had the Wuffs accidentally disturbed dragons sleeping in the woods? Watching the great dragon glide overhead and sensing something familiar in its majestic shape, Minx half-wondered whether this meeting was as random as it seemed.
“Mau,” began the Fae huntress vocally, “I... I think that's Kaleb. He came to help us—he's here to rescue us both!” Still unable to communicate telepathically, she led the Faelyr further on, to a clearing, and pointed up into the sky. “Look! It's him! I'm sure of it!”
As if on cue, the great red dragon sailed downward, landing just beyond the edge of the woods and setting every leaf fluttering violently with each flap of his obsidian wings. Minx and Mau dashed toward the treeline, passing a handful of cowering Wuffs in the process. They broke free of the woods and met the winged titan mere moments before he suddenly adopted a human form. The immense tail, wings and horned snout were gone in an instant, replaced by the form of a tall, broad-shouldered youth with silky black hair and sharp features.
“Kaleb!” cried the Fae huntress, almost dropping her bow as she sprinted toward him. “It's really you! You came after all!” Moments ago she would have written him off completely, would have professed to hate him for his indifference. Her excitement, replete with tears of joy welling in her eyes, betrayed the true feelings she'd carried all along. I wasn't wrong to trust him. He actually cares. I knew it.
Kaleb spared a sharp grin, signaling to the mass of smaller dragons still circling overhead. At the wave of his hand, the beasts dispersed, each flying off in its own direction. “I had a little help from some friends—the lesser dragons. These commoners don't shift, but they can still be very useful. I pulled the rank card on them and they agreed to help out.” He stepped toward the woods, gaze narrowing. “How many were there? Did I hit at least a few of them?”
“There were at least ten Wuffs, maybe more,” replied Minx. “And Alla is here, too. I don't understand why, but... she's acting as if she doesn't know me.” She surveyed the edge of the woods for a beat, bow at the ready. “It's possible that Torrent put her up to this, but I'm not certain we can trust her.”
Kaleb seemed to understand, but urged her not to do anything rash. “There's no telling what Torrent has her doing these days. You saved Alla's life—she's a friend. Better to give her the benefit of the doubt, don't you think?”
“Easy for you to say,” she spat. “You weren't getting dragged around in chains by her buddies!” Appraising him with a faint smile and hardly able to believe he was actually there, she asked, “So... What are you doing here? Why did you come?”
Kaleb demurred, hands on his hips. “Me? Oh, I was just passing through. Saw some Wuffs and thought, you know, it would be a great opportunity to blow off some steam.” He grinned. “After everything that happened back home... I couldn't just let you leave that way. My father will throw a fit once he finds out I'm missing again, but he'll get over it eventually. The only thing I care about is making sure you're safe.”
Minx was taken aback at this admission, and even though she'd spent hours in chains her heart swelled with gladness. He really does care.
“But at this moment, we have some concerns,” added Kaleb, training his nose on the air. “There are more on the way—Krah among them. We may not have much time. Do you and Mau feel all right? If so, we can get out of here and find some place safer to talk—”
An arrow barreled out of the woods, streaking past the crown of Kaleb's head. He ducked, barely avoiding it. Its sender, a tall Wuff, stood between two towering trees and was presently nocking another.
Minx stood before the dragon shifter and let her own arrow rip, returning fire with a scowl. The shot missed its mark by a hair's breadth, splintering the trunk of one of the great trees. “So much for getting out of here peacefully. Looks like we're going to have to fight our way out. Are you ready, Mau?”
The Faelyr snarled, sizing up the new arrivals. There was more than just a single archer to worry about, they soon discovered. The spaces between the trees were filled with shifting shapes. Krah and Plurn began to emerge from the gaps, weapons in hand.
A sizable remnant of the dark army was upon them.
Chapter 9
When Minx had been a captive of the Wuff raiding party, she'd counted only ten or so individuals in the group, aside from Alla. The unit had seemed small, manageable at the time. Now, she found that their numbers had more than doubled since the dragons had made their appearance, and mixed in with the Wuffs were several well-armed Krah. The lizard-men, heavily-armored and carrying bludgeons, were a frightening sight, hissing at the forest's edge and preparing to rush the three of them. The threat level had risen substantially in the space of mere minutes.
The Fae huntress pulled two arrows from her quiver and promptly nocked them both. “OK, so... any good ideas?”
Kaleb eyed the advancing combatants, adopting an offensive stance with fists balled. “I've got one,” he said, pointing gingerly at a Krah carrying a steel sledge. “Don't get hit by that thing.”
Minx grumbled. “Anything less obvious?”
“Steer clear of Alla. Don't kill her. It's possible we'll be able to save her—to bring her with us after this. If we want to know what Torrent's been up to, we need to keep her safe. Got it?” Kaleb started toward the treeline to meet the attacking force head-on.
After the day she'd had, Minx would have liked nothing more than to square things up with Alla. It was only her potential use as an informant regarding Torrent's moves that kept her from marching into the woods and hunting her exclusively. “All right,” she replied, “but when she's outlived her usefulness in that regard, I may just get rid of her.” She loosed a second volley, this one bound for the same archer who remained pressed to the wounded tree trunk for cover.
The region, she knew, was crawling with remnants of the dark army. The Wuffs that had taken her and Mau as hostages had only been one cluster of many, and the appearance of these Krah reinforcements didn't seem all that strange as a result. The chaos the dragons had sown had likely been a double-edged sword; it had spooked the Wuffs terribly and allowed Minx to go free, but it had also alerted nearby mobs of the need for assistance. Given enough t
ime, more dark warriors were sure to arrive. They already numbered more than a dozen, and it was possible dozens more would appear in answer to Kaleb's unscripted light show.
For the moment, none of that mattered to her. She was simply thrilled to be free, and to be fighting at Kaleb's side once again. She watched as the dragon shifter met the hammer of a raging Krah, seizing the handle of the swinging weapon before it could connect against his armor and warping the steel shaft with his raw strength. The lizard-man staggered back, only to catch his own hammer in the gut. An arrow sped out of the woods from another sheltered archer, but this one missed Kaleb by an even wider margin than the last, and the dragon shifter strode confidently toward the treeline, ready to engage all comers in rapid succession.
“I'll tell you what I'm going to do,” announced Kaleb, cracking his knuckles. “I'm going to transform and send another fireball into these woods. I'll burn the whole thing to the ground, and all of you along with it. How's that sound? Then again, if you lay down your weapons and answer a few of our questions, I may reconsider...”
A Wuff swordsman came dashing out of the woods and lashed out at Kaleb with a savage cry. The curved blade he swung struck the dragon shifter's hefty plate armor, cracking on impact. The brittle weapon crumbled into shards, leaving the attacker with only a hilt clutched in his fist.
Kaleb took hold of the assailant's leather shoulder pads and hoisted him into the air. With a grunt, the dragon shifter threw him over his head, sending him sailing into the canopy. The Wuff cried out, landing noisily in the brush—and upon hitting the ground, he did not dare rise again.
The dragon shifter took a deep breath, stood bolt upright, and prepared to take his dragon form.
Strangely, though, nothing happened.
“What the...” Kaleb looked back at the Fae huntress, his anger giving way to confusion. “Something's wrong...” He tensed, attempting to shift once more, but it was all in vain. “Why can't I shift?” he demanded angrily.
How to Save a Fae (Heir of Dragons Book 2) Page 6
