Stand down, Sath. I’ve got this.
That is the wizard from the Outpost, Gin, I’m almost certain. I just can’t remember her name—why can’t I remember her name?
“You know nothing of my mission,” the dark elf responded.
“I know enough. What is your name?” The female looked away from Gin, who took her chin gently and shifted her gaze back. “You know our names, but we don’t know yours. What is your name?” The female spat at Gin, who frowned and wiped off her face. “We know that you were sent by Kaerinth, the Mother Dragon. Take this message back then. The Guardians were created to stop the likes of her from upsetting the peace of Orana—she cannot stand against us. The Guardians will not allow it. She will never have the orb, and Taanyth will never be free.” Gin hopped to her feet, and the Ikedrian rolled onto her own feet and ran.
“What was THAT?” Sath roared, some of the ire he felt lost in his new voice.
Calm down, Sath.
Gin stood up and turned to face him, her expression still harsher than he had ever seen it. She was angry.
She will not take that message to Kaerinth. That would be a fool’s errand. The Mother Dragon would not hesitate to kill her for being caught by us twice and still coming up empty-handed as far as the orb is concerned. But I think we’ve scared her enough that she won’t follow us anymore. I will not kill her just to silence her.
I’m just not used to seeing you like this, I guess. I’m used to taking care of you and not the other way around.
Yeah, that was kind of a new thing, wasn’t it? Get used to it. Now I know why you always shoved me behind you and took off after the bad guys like you did.
Sath’s expression softened a bit as he held out his hand and smiled as Gin reluctantly took it. They left the path and continued through the trees and underbrush toward the citadel of La’al Drygyr. Soon Gin was in front of Sath rather than side by side. He watched her move through the trees, again awestruck at her agility. He had to admit that he didn’t often give her a chance to take the lead, not because she was not capable, but because he needed to keep her safe. But now, here, he was seeing that she didn’t need him as much as he’d thought she did. Was this just a trick of her goddess, or was this the real Gin?
“Sath, stop staring at the back of my head,” she whispered, making him chuckle to himself. She pushed through a particularly dense overgrowth near a clump of trees and peeked through it. “Look, just over there, I think I see a clear path toward that group of buildings. That must be the entrance to the citadel.” She headed for the path, but Sath hung back a bit. What would be waiting for them inside?
“Gin, you don’t just walk up to the door of the red dragon’s house and say may I come in, please—we need a plan!”
She turned to face him, hands on her hips and toe-tapping impatiently as she had done so many times in the past. “That’s exactly what we are going to do. As Guardians, we should have a safe passage. If not—well, Omerith has betrayed his mother once before, and I’m sure he would not mind doing it again. What do all young males want more than to be out from under the thumb of their overbearing mothers?” Sath frowned, and Gin scowled. “Not you, obviously, but think about Omerith? He formed the Guardians to protect the world from her. He knows how dangerous it would be to release his father back into the world of the living. He’s on our side, I can feel it.” She again headed for the entrance, and this time Sath followed, only to stop her just before she walked through the open archway. “Oh, what now?”
“Why isn’t it guarded, Gin?”
Twenty-Seven
Of Mothers, Wizards, and the Darkness of the Mind
Ellie did not run far before finding a thick clump of trees and chose to hide there to catch her breath. The Nature Walker was right—she could not return to the Mother Dragon without the orb AND after being caught and released a second time. She had tried to explain to both Taeben and Kaerinth that she was not the one for this mission, but they did not listen—did she want to now prove them right? The temptation to call out to Taeben in her mind was strong, but she did not wish Kaerinth to overhear, so she remained silent. A tingling feeling on the back of her neck startled her out of her musing. Ellie smiled in recognition as it began to sting and burn.
Taeben?
You need me, I felt it. Do not worry, I am reasonably sure that Kaerinth cannot hear us.
I cannot do this alone, Taeben. The Mother Dragon will not be put off – she wants me to do something that is beyond my abilities.
Elspethe, why do you lie to me? Did you think I wouldn’t know that you are with the Mother Dragon?
Ellie’s heart froze in her throat. She had let him in without blocking the memory of the Mother Dragon’s plan, and now Taeben knew everything.
I am sorry, Taeben—she forced me to comply, and I could not break free of her bond to warn you or even call out to you. I am so sorry. Please forgive me.
That disappoints me, Elspethe, but it also presents me with a unique challenge—if you would permit it, I could use your body to complete her mission myself, but not for the Mother Dragon. I would use the power of the orb to enable myself to walk out of this prison and back into the world—with you.
But it would still be my weak form that you inhabit, Taeben—so far the Rajah does not seem to recognize me as the Ikedrian that gave him the potion that sent them to the Void, but it is only a matter of time before he does. I can see it in his eyes. Though in his present form, he is less formidable, I suppose.
His present form? What do you mean?
Oh, you wouldn’t know about that because I have been so careful to keep you hidden—I do not know what magic has done it, but he appears as a wood elf, just like the Nature Walker. Perhaps it is so that they can sneak about more easily? The Qatu are hard to conceal at the best of times.
Oh, Sephine, you traitorous—it is the magic of the All-Mother, Elspethe, none other. I suppose Sephine had to make him a wood elf so that he and the Nature Walker can be together.
The buzz grew so loud in the back of Elspethe’s mind for a moment that she covered her ears from the pain and noise. She knew, through their bond, exactly what Taeben thought that the Nature Walker and the Rajah were doing, and it broke her heart to feel how much pain that caused him. She did not try to interrupt his tantrum, and soon he calmed enough for her to remove her hands from her temples.
Well, Elspethe, this will be to our benefit and will spell Sephine’s downfall. She has betrayed all of those she proclaims to protect by this action—it will be a delicious finish to my plan to ruin her and her children. Lord Taanyth will remain in the Void, the Mother Dragon will stay on the Dark Side of the World, and I will make my triumphant return. You can take him on in his current form, even though the Nature Walker is with him—and possesses much more potent magic than she did when she was merely my Ginny.
How you could even speak her name now is beyond me.
A sudden, sharp electric shock caused Ellie to cry out.
What I call her or think of her is none of your concern. Jealousy is not a good look for you, Elspethe. I need you to stay focused. Keep following them. Do not let them know you are there if you can help it—but Ginny is one of the finest trackers I know, so that may be difficult. If the Mother Dragon can offer you some sort of magic to change your appearance, that would help.
I cannot return to her, Taeben—The Nature Walker and the Rajah have caught and released me twice, and I do not have the orb. She would kill me before she would help me.
Perhaps you are right. Cast your invisibility magic and get back on their trail—they are most likely going to visit Omerith, the red dragon, from the few bits and pieces I was able to glean from Ginny’s mind.
You are still in the bond with her? With the Nature Walker? Does she realize -?
Careful about questioning me, my dark flower. Thanks to you, my consciousness lives on, and therefore my bond with her has not entirely severed. I have been able to see her a few times, and I get bi
ts and pieces of thoughts from time to time. She will regret turning me over to that beast, I can promise you that, and I will be completely in her mind to feel her delightful agony when it happens.
I will do as you ask—and you will help me, yes?
Always, Elspethe.
She felt him withdraw, and she got back to her feet and cast the strongest invisibility spell she knew before heading back out of the trees and onto the path. The delightful agony that he had planned for this ‘Ginny’ was something she did not want to miss, not at all.
After about an hour of walking that included a few circles around the citadel, she found a vantage point that was could be quickly reached. Ellie shimmied up a nearby tree and then carefully climbed out onto one of its strong branches until she was close enough and could use levitation magic to float over to the citadel’s wall. From the top, she would be able to see down into the city. She checked the ground and curiously saw no one around—not even guards at the arch—and cast the spell that magically gathered a column of air under her feet. All she had to do was run as fast as she could from the branch to the wall before the column began to shrink.
Head up and gaze forward, Ellie focused on the wall and ran. To her horror, she began to sink faster than expected, and by the time she reached the wall, she collided with the bricks, barely managing to grab the top of the wall with her fingers before she was too far down. Burning on the back of her neck blazed in tandem with the places where her face scraped the bricks.
That was an outstanding effort, Elspethe. Just needs more practice. Will you allow me to help?
Yes, Taeben, please, I don’t have the strength in my arms to pull myself up.
Everything went dark for a moment, and when Ellie was able to see again, she was standing inside the citadel’s walls, behind a raggedy collection of stacked crates and sitting on a pile of empty grain sacks. He had brought her even further inside, and as she peeked over the top of the containers, she could see the Nature Walker and the Rajah speaking to a dragonkind male that looked to be military, from the clothing he wore.
Is that the Rajah? What on earth does she see in—nevermind. Do not let them get away.
I will not—thank you, Taeben.
Ellie re-cast the invisibility spell just to be sure and crept out from behind the crates, moving as close to her targets as she could. She opened her mind to Taeben so that he could see and hear everything that she could, and felt his approval.
“You are welcome here, Nature Walker.” The dragonkind male looked down at Gin, and then at Sath, his forehead wrinkled in confusion. “I do not recognize your mate, but he is welcome along with you, of course.”
“My name is Sath, and…”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Gin said as she elbowed Sath.
He doesn’t need to know you are the Rajah—he wouldn’t believe you anyway, not while you’re in that wood elf suit.
You like this wood elf suit.
Shut it, Cat.
They followed the male through the courtyard and into the inner part of the citadel. He again looked down at her and smiled. “You wish an audience with La’al Drygyr?”
Gin nodded. “We come on a mission of greatest importance to our deity and All-Mother, Sephine. I believe that Omerith will be very interested in what we have to say.” The male stopped and stared down at her for a moment.
“It is only your position as Nature Walker and therefore Guardian that affords you such an informal audience with La’al Drygyr, Lord Omerith, my lady. Please remember that he is the only remaining of the First Brood of the Mother and, as such, commands a great deal more respect than you may be accustomed to giving those in your part of the world. He is much the same as the Rajah of Qatu’anari, only more so.” He continued down the hallway, and Gin almost had to put a hand over Sath’s mouth to keep him from giving voice to the thoughts she heard through their bond. He promised silently to keep his thoughts to himself while outwardly sulking. They finally arrived at a broad set of ebony doors with the intertwined seals of Omerith and the Mother Dragon carved intricately into their faces. The male took hold of the massive handles—clearly made for dragons and not even dragonkind, as he struggled with their bulk—and pushed the doors open. Another sentry who clearly had human ancestry but with darker green scales and hair stepped quickly to intercept the guard that had brought them this far.
“His Highness wishes not to be disturbed this afternoon,” the sentry hissed. Gin guessed that he was speaking in the common tongue because he wanted to make sure they understood him.
“This is the Nature Walker— I am certain that His Highness would not turn her away.” The sentry’s eyes widened, and for a moment, Gin could see traces of his human ancestor in his expression. She looked away, back at Sath, who she realised was doing his best to adjust to this temporary role and then back to the two dragonkind, currently discussing something in very heated Eldyr.
“Who is it that comes to my door unannounced?” The voice was so loud that Gin almost covered her ears. Not since her experience in Bellesea Keep had she heard a dragon speak—drakes and smaller dragons, of course, but not an ancient adult such as Omerith. The sensation unnerved her to her core, and she had to remind herself that this was NOT Taanyth and that Taeben was dead. She rubbed her neck as she looked at Sath, not understanding the language which the red dragon spoke, and he translated it for her in the bond. They would have a talk later about how much more Eldyr he knew than he had ever admitted.
“This is the Nature Walker, Your Grace.” The guard that had brought them bowed low as the very floor beneath their feet shook at the approach of the massive creature. “And this is her mate, I believe.”
“He is my translator; tell Lord Omerith that this is my translator because I am still learning his language.” Gin ignored Sath’s protests ricocheting about her mind like angry bees and beamed the most genuine smile she could up at the imposing red dragon. He lowered his head until he was almost on her eye level—though his eye was very nearly the same size as she was.
“She says he is her translator, my Lord.”
“Yes, I know, I speak the common tongue. Leave us.” The guard and the sentry scampered away as Gin and Sath stood before Lord Omerith, eldest of the First Brood and pureblood offspring of the Mother and Father Dragon. Gin was certain that she should be genuflecting or perhaps prone on the floor, but she was determined to meet this creature as an equal under the mantle of the Guardians. Sath had only translated the dragon’s language in her mind, but he was not any help when it came to how to behave in Omerith’s presence. “Well? What can I do for you, Nature Walker? Other than telling you that I can still recognize the Rajah and Guardian of Qatu’anari—though that illusion is powerful, almost as strong as dragon magic.” He chuckled as he settled into what Gin supposed was a seated position on the floor in front of them, keeping his head low and his great amber eyes on them.
“My Lord Omerith, Sath and I have come to you on a mission from my All-Mother, the goddess Sephine.” Sath reached up and took Gin’s hand, squeezing it slightly.
“Ah, Sephine, she was always one of the higher beings of Orana that I genuinely liked. Others were not as pleasant, as I am sure you know.”
“Aye, my Lord.”
“Please, Ginolwenye of the Trees, you and Rajah Qa Sathlir may refer to me as Omerith, as we are all Guardians here.”
Gin bowed her head in agreement. “Many thanks, Omerith. In turn, we are merely Gin and Sath.” The dragon nodded as Gin opened her haversack and retrieved the orb.
“Is that -” Omerith rose back up to a standing position and took a step or two back from Gin as she held the orb aloft for him to see. “The orb—the weapon—does it still possess the magic of the Father of the Underworld?” He squinted as he moved closer to the orb to inspect it.
“Aye, that is what Mother Sephine has told us. We are to use it to stop the Mother Dragon if she continues on her current path.”
Omerith nodded as he
continued to look at the orb from all angles, clearly mesmerized by its swirling inky depths. “Mother would use this to bring Father back from the dead, Nature Walker. I can see by the expression on your face that you would not wish that to occur?”
Gin’s mouth formed a thin line as she paused for a moment or two before responding. “You are very correct, Omerith—you probably know that it was I that killed your Father, and I bear no regret for that action.” She looked up into the great amber eyes of the red dragon. “I hope that you will understand my position and my reasons.” To her and Sath’s great surprise, Omerith nodded sadly.
“We knew of my father’s—predilections, shall we say? All of us are always connected through our innate bond, and I should apologize to you for all that I had to witness him do to you and others of your kind.” He lifted his massive neck and looked away from them, out one of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the great hall. “Mother made so many mistakes before the war broke out—she created so many dragonkind, she imprisoned my father and my brother, and then she destroyed so much of our beautiful homeland during the war. In truth, his madness and desire to find a way out of the palace that led him to the horrible things he did are just as much her fault as if she had done them herself.”
Sath looked up at the red dragon in shock. “Pardon me, Omerith, but how do you hold such beliefs—and lend a voice to them—when you know that she can hear you -”
“My mother’s opinions about my beliefs are of no consequence to me.” Omerith chuckled. “There may have been a time when I sat in her shadow, but that time is past. I have my own brood now.”
“With respect, perhaps that is why she wants to raise your father from the dead?” Gin said carefully. Omerith nodded.
“I am sure that is exactly why. Mother is powerful—she was alive long before the first dragon released through the fire by Orana’s great voice. But she has always been wary of the higher beings of Orana—you call them your gods and goddesses—because they wield the same power that she does, only in different ways.” He turned to look at Sath. “As for you and yours, Rajah, I do not think she fears you exactly, but she knows that your kind was created with the same wave of magic that brought Father and the others out of Orana’s molten core. There is a reason that I chose to add a Qatu to the Guardians all those years ago. You possess more strength and magic than your kind realizes.” Sath nodded solemnly.
Darkness: A Guardians of Orana Novel Page 24
