Rage of the Dragon

CHAPTER 38

The journey through the sea back to the Venjekar seemed the longest journey Skylan had ever taken in his life. Longer than the journey that had brought him from childhood to manhood. He cursed himself, blamed himself. Raegar had set a cunning trap, based on Skylan’s vainglorious need to be in the center of the action, and Skylan had rushed in with drums beating and banners flying.

Raegar had ordered the Aquins to abduct Farinn, because he was an easy mark and because Raegar knew Skylan would try to save him, leaving Aylaen and the Venjekar with the spiritbones alone and unguarded. Skylan berated himself. If only he had let the Aquins undertake the rescue! If only he had stayed with Aylaen and his ship, as was his duty.

“I am sorry, Torval,” Skylan prayed as they sped through the water, hanging on to the dolphins. “Once again, I have failed you. Please, do not punish Aylaen. Let this mistake fall on me!”

He was relieved to see in the murky distance the red eyes of the dragon and the Venjekar, resting on the coral reef. His relief was short-lived. He and Farinn arrived to find the Aquin warriors in the midst of a desperate battle. The women had not forsaken their dead Queen. They surrounded her lifeless body, lying on the deck of the Venjekar, using spears and tridents to fend off ravenous sharks.

Acronis fought with them, wielding a sword. Skylan searched the deck, but he could not find Aylaen. He told himself she might be down in the hold, but he knew better. She would never run from a fight. Then he saw that the sword Acronis was wielding was the blessed sword of Vindrash. He looked at the body of Queen Magali and saw the gaping wound in her breast. Skylan knew with dread certainty that something terrible had happened to Aylaen.

The red eye of the Dragon Kahg flared at the sight of Skylan, almost as if pleased to see him. Skylan was too preoccupied to notice this, but he did remember to give the dragon a salute. Movement caught his eye. Wulfe, surrounded by his oceanaids, who were keeping the boy at a safe distance from the sharks. Sighting Skylan, Wulfe broke free and swam toward him, legs kicking, arms paddling like a dog. The oceanaids were all aflutter over his leaving and swarmed after him in a silvery wake.

The dolphins abandoned Skylan, sensibly fleeing at the sight of the sharks. Skylan fumbled for his sword, his movements clumsy underwater, the clamshell breathing device in his way. He cursed the water, the clamshell, himself. He motioned for Farinn to remain behind, and pointed at Wulfe. Farinn nodded his head in understanding and caught hold of the boy and held fast to him.

Skylan was ready to fight his way through the circling sharks to reach Acronis, when the warm water in which he had been swimming turned suddenly cold.

Every living creature in the sea felt the change. Fish darted around in a frenzy, then fled. The sharks circled their prey, uneasy, yet reluctant to leave. The mysterious chill deepened, as though a stream of icy water were flowing into the sea. The sharks abandoned the fight and swam away. The Aquins felt the change and hovered near their Queen, glancing around uncertainly, not knowing what was going on, yet staying to guard their Queen.

Skylan swam to Acronis. Taking the tube from his mouth, he mouthed the word, “Aylaen?”

Acronis shook his head. Seeing the agony in Skylan’s eyes, Acronis tapped his hand over his heart. Skylan at first had no idea what this gesture meant and then he understood. Aylaen was alive, her heart was beating. Acronis crossed his wrists, indicating shackles, and then pointed out into the water in the direction they had taken Aylaen. Acronis turned his sorrowful gaze to the dead Queen. Skylan understood. Queen Magali had died trying to protect Aylaen.

Skylan would go after Aylaen. He would find her if he had to circumnavigate the world. First, he had a duty to the dead.

I will always honor you, Queen Magali. I do not know where your soul will travel in your last journey, he thought. I pray to Akaria, goddess of the sea, that you find the blessed peace you did not find here.

“She will,” said a voice. “I will take her there myself.”

Skylan was startled to hear the voice beneath the waves. He looked up to see a woman standing over him. The woman’s long white hair floated around her. Her beauty was marred by lines of grief and anger and deep-etched sorrow. Her eyes were the color of the sea in all its moods, green with mischief, blue with halcyon calm, gray with storm.

She was Akaria, the sea goddess, and with her was King Tai and his daughters. The king stared down in disbelief at the body of his beloved wife, then he gathered her in his arms and hugged her close. The daughters drifted in the water, huddled together, holding on to each other, unable to comprehend the terrible tragedy that had torn apart their family. Acronis covered his face with his hand, unable to endure the sight of such heart-rending grief.

This is my fault, Skylan thought in silent misery, knowing the goddess could understand the words in his heart. If we had not come-

The Sea Goddess shook her head. “I would like to blame you, Skylan Ivorson, for I do not think much of you or your god, Torval. War would have come with you or without you. The twelve cities lived at peace for centuries until the coming of Aelon. Now our peace is shattered. The people of this city will never forgive the murder of their Queen. There will be more bloodshed. I cannot prevent it.”

King Tai bade the daughters kiss their mother farewell. He gave his wife a final kiss, lifted her body, then gently rested her in the arms of the Sea Goddess. Akaria would carry the fallen Queen back to her home.

She turned back one last time to face Skylan.

“Find the Five, Skylan Ivorson,” said the Sea Goddess. “Summon the great dragon, Ilyrion, to drive Aelon from the heavens. My blessing goes with you.”

The great dragon, Ilyrion … The Five spiritbones had been the bones of the great dragon, Ilyrion. The bones in which Vindrash had hidden the power of creation. Bring the Five bones together … Summon the great dragon that once guarded a world until she fell to Torval. Ilyrion would come back to save the world she loved.

No wonder Sund was scared.

Kahg’s eyes flared. Skylan and the dragon shared a moment’s perfect accord. Both understood. It all made sense. They just had to bring this miracle about.

Kahg’s eyes narrowed. He was eager to be gone. Desperate as Skylan was to be gone himself, to pursue Aylaen’s captors, he waited in respect until the funeral cortege had passed beyond his view.

The sight of the king’s grief-ravaged face haunted Skylan. As a warrior, he had always accepted the fact that he would never reach old age. His wife would be the one to bid farewell to him as he set off on the journey to Torval’s Hall. He could not imagine holding Aylaen’s dead body in his arms, forced to go on living without her.

A hand closed over his hand. He looked down, startled, to find Wulfe gazing up at him. Wulfe gave Skylan’s hand a squeeze and an awkward attempt at a reassuring smile. Skylan was touched. Wulfe squeezed Skylan’s hand again and pointed up at the dragon.

Skylan looked to see the red eyes glaring fiercely down at them. The Venjekar shuddered and began to move off the reef. Skylan and Farinn and Acronis had time only to grab hold of the stump of the mast or trailing rope or whatever they could find and hang on as the angry Dragon Kahg lifted the Venjekar from below the sea.