The Last Dragon: Book One

CHAPTER TWELVE

Tater’s description of what lay ahead was more elaborate than his usual bare explanations, which often ended after a single yes or no. He wasted few words. This time, he’d mentioned Mercia lay on the edge of the Dire Sea as if that stray bit of information was important. While it was true, the province of Mercia was the westernmost corner of the Kingdom of Dire, and the only place it touched the sea, in truth, the port lay farther down the Mercy River. Mercia was both a city on the side of a mountain and a vast seaport, from the descriptions I’d managed to gather.

They say that all shipping and all foreigners must go through Mercia. To the south were the drylands, brown and tan deserts that were all but impassible. To the north, across the mountains spread the endless white lands of perpetual ice and snow. The kingdom of Dire lay in the narrow area between. As some said, the only escape was through Mercia and across the Dire Sea.

Yet, Mercia City was not on the shore of the sea, as Tater had indicated. It was a half day’s travel down the river by wagon or a full day by foot. The city of Andover lay between. The ships from exotic lands sailed up the river to the port to preserve their hulls from the ravaging sea life, especially the deadly sea-worms that ate away at the wood.

There are times when trying to determine intrigue is best served by simply asking or pointing out indisputable facts. I said, “Mercia is not on the shore of the Dire Sea, Tater. You know that.”

Tater cackled sourly and said, “Just thought I’d mention how far to your destination, not lay out a map for the kingdom for you.”

“We’re just going to Mercia.” I let the statement stand, knowing another way to draw information from a reluctant speaker was to remain silent until the other spoke. Both Kendra and Elizabeth heard the conversation, yet neither contributed. They also waited and watched.

“So, you say,” Tater agreed and spat at the fire. It sizzled, and he grinned as he looked at us in a way that suggested he knew more of our future plans than us.

Maybe I don’t like him so much, after all. The man had a cruel streak and didn’t respect authority—or his betters. Yes, we were his betters. At least we didn’t have spittle running down our chins. I stood and stretched, giving me an excuse to look away and consider his words.

The time seemed right to be alone with Kendra, and I gave her our two-finger signal. She nodded slightly. After I entered the darkness at the edge of the light the campfire cast, she silently joined me. “What is it?”

“Tater.”

“He’s just being Tater. You’re worried. My question is, are you being too complex, or do you sense deceit or betrayal?”

The question was a good one. I hadn’t considered treachery. The trip had cemented my respect for Tater, and there was no way he could have known we’d hire him to escort us in advance, nor that Lord Kent would ride out after us and streak ahead. No, he might not like Princess Elizabeth or me, but if so, he seemed to speak his mind and would have said so, or otherwise let us know. Instead, he generally kept to himself and was supportive.

The more likely reason for my misgivings was the attack by a single man perched on a seldom-traveled mountain pass. Why would he do that? Only one reason came to mind. He was sent there by someone. The real question was, who? And why?

“I’m uneasy, that’s all,” my voice was unintendedly harsh, even to my ears.

“And I’m an attractant for dragons. Which bothers you more?”

The flare of her anger was not unexpected. We hadn’t discussed her recent adventures with the Blue Woman in depth, and we were again situated at a campfire after a dragon flew past and took away her mind. I understood her fears. Would the Blue Woman return tonight? She might provide hoped-for answers, but the two of us also needed to catch up on our sleep.

Another idea entered my thoughts. “When I stayed up and wrote down all that happened, did you stay awake long enough to think about it, too?”

She nodded.

“We need time alone to review and compare, but also, I want both of us to write down the name of every person we can recall that fits our idea for interaction with parents, all those that fit the profile. Then, when we return to the palace, we need to contact each of them and learn if there are more names that they may know.”

Kendra gave me an odd look before asking, “Considering all that is going on with this trip, is it really important to know who our parents were?”

I placed my hands on her shoulders and turned her to face me. “Yes. That may be the single thread that weaves through all this. Their identity might give us the path to follow.”

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

Elizabeth’s voice called from the campfire, “Are you two ever returning?”

Kendra said softly, “Perfect timing, as always.” She smiled, then called back, “We’re on our way.”

Entering the ring of light again, my thoughts were pulled to reexamine the two people sitting there. Until this evening, Tater had been an open book. Now, I had questions if that was true. Elizabeth had been my benefactor, owner, teacher, and friend. She alone knew more of Kendra and myself than any other. Could she also harbor envy at my powers?

I supposed that if Kendra admitted she had some jealousy, Elizabeth probably had, too. But that didn’t mean resentment or bitterness. She had always seemed a little put-off by my spells if that is the proper name for my mischief. She also discovered new ways for me to use my small-magic, and always cautioned me to keep it private. To my knowledge, she had never shared a word of it to another. If there was one person besides my sister to trust, it was her.

I soon found myself dozing. I spread another blanket and pulled my jacket tighter and closed my eyes to begin recalling every person in the palace ever I’d encountered and either added them to my mental list to speak with or removed them. It was better than counting sheep. I woke with the rising sun, cold and refreshed without any sign of the burning blue woman.

Kendra, usually a late sleeper, had the fire roaring, as she sat with her knees tucked under her chin, arms wrapped around her shins. Her dull eyes located me. “Sleep well?”

“Yes. You?”

“Not so much. The things we talked about are troubling.” She glanced at the other two, still fast asleep. Her voice lowered. “The Blue Lady said she, and implied others, are trying to rid the world of dragons, but I’m calling out to them to join me in some manner. That seems to place us on opposite sides of an issue, but we don’t know what the issue might be, or which side is right.”

“That’s not exactly what she said,” I offered weakly, knowing that was almost a lie. If the words differed, the intent was still there, but the point needed to be made.

Tater snorted and suddenly sat, wiping his eyes with dirty fists. He stood and walked a few steps away to stand beside a bush where he relieved himself. Steam rose from the ground where he peed, and a similar rise of steam came from near Springer and his raised leg. Tater returned and wordlessly dug a hand into his bag of nuts and dried fruit. I dreaded refusing any he might offer, but after another look at his filthy hands going hungry was the right choice.

As if feeling three pairs of eyes on her, Elizabeth also woke with a start. She made her way into the brush with her blankets still draped around her. When she returned, she was more interested in the warmth of the fire than eating. Kendra had already started loading and tying our meager belongings on the packhorses. All the horses still wore saddles during the night in case we needed to depart quickly. The cinches had been loosened, but that that was our only concession to their comfort.

I cinched Alexis after promising to get her to where she could have a proper meal and a long drink. The straps tightened a full notch more than the first day of the trip. She needed water, more than food. All around had been frozen yesterday, and while we were out of the snow, we hadn’t yet crossed a flowing stream.

My mind kept returning to consider the past instead of the future. It had been more than two years since I’d left the palace for any length of time, and even then, it had only been a trip of a few days. My life was palace intrigue. I loved to discover dark secrets, illicit passions, and lies. Outwitting others of my station gave me wings to soar. This was the first extended travel in my lifetime, and instead of relishing it, the travel exhausted me. I missed my warm bed, my friends, the cooks and servants who whispered royal secrets in my ears.

Elizabeth took her place behind Tater and ahead of me, while Kendra led the packhorses at the end of our procession. Springer took the lead. It seemed a natural positioning none of us talked about, but all seemed to have agreed upon. My small crossbow was cocked and hanging from the pommel in easy reach, but I still carried my bow in hand and my full quiver at my waist.

We paused at a fast-flowing stream that fell down the hillside almost as a tiny waterfall near mid-morning for all of us to drink our fill and replenish our canteens. The horses slurped cold water until they were ready to bust, then we continued riding down the narrow path in the bright sunshine of a new day. The air warmed, the patches of snow seemed far behind us. The forest again grew thick and wild. Most of the journey carried us downhill, but after crossing a wide shallow stream, the trail climbed again and followed a natural ridge of bare rock winding around a smaller mountain. Below and to our right, the stream cut through a deep valley as it joined others and grew into a raging river.

When the path descended again, we kept our eyes open for a place to stop and allow the horses to graze and water while we rested. The hillside to our right fell away in a steep slope, the solid rock mountain rose to unseen heights on our left. However, we finally reached a place on our left where another small valley spread before us. We were perched on a wide ridge. A meadow grew lush grass for the horses, and a flowing steam cut through the center. My eyes searched for a campsite, firewood, and shelter from the cold wind. Instead, we saw men crouched in the edge of the forest trying to stay hidden.

Before I could call out to warn Tater, he had turned his horse into the meadow—and he was attacked. Men swarmed from the shrubs on the higher side of the road, armed and ragged in their appearance. My warning went to those behind because Tater had already drawn and loosed his first arrow. Mine followed his. Both struck attackers, but more rushed forward waving swords and spears, and all of them shouting. None had bows.

My second arrow struck a man running directly at me. It took him fully in his chest, causing him to drop his spear, stumble and fall almost at my feet. Another came from my left where most of them had hidden, and he was almost on me as I grabbed the small crossbow hanging from my saddle and fired. The small bolt struck his forehead—they had always fired a little high, but I’d forgotten to adjust my aim in the excitement of the attack. The bolt disappeared into a tiny small red dot.

One attacker dressed in rags and animal skins leaped and pulled Tater from his horse, just as another yanked my leg free of the stirrup and pulled at my leg. I twisted and turned, providing an instant of vision to my rear, where Kendra had fired her small crossbow and had drawn a knife she used to slash the air in warning to stay back.

Hitting the ground hard, I rolled and used my knife to slice across a foul-smelling man, from shoulder to chest. He howled in response, and I made it to my knees before another tackled me to the ground again. Elizabeth was screaming in a fury, and more attackers were hurting from her self-defense since she was the fiercest fighter of us three. Her voice came from higher up in the air, so she was still mounted, but I couldn’t take time to look because two more piled on top of the one that pinned me to the ground.

A burst of red agony struck my head.

I awoke in pain and cold.

It was dark, and we’d been attacked around midday. My confusion fled as I understood what must have happened. My hands were securely tied behind me, my cheek throbbed where someone had punched me, and my left leg was folded at the knee and under me in an uncomfortable way. I managed to half-roll and freed my leg. It immediately hurt more, as if it had been under me cutting off the flow of blood for a long time.

Blue-white stars were above, and off to my right about twenty paces away was a campfire. I shifted position enough to see men sitting in a circle, seven of them. More could be on guard or whatever, it made little difference. Seven men, one with a bloody bandage holding one arm tied around his neck for support. Others also bore signs of injuries.

“Damon?” Kendra’s voice. “You awake?”

I whispered past cracked and dry lips, “Yes?”

“You’ve been unconscious since the attack. How do you feel?”

After mentally checking myself by flexing most parts of my body, I whispered back, “Nothing major. What’s happening?”

“They have us tied up. All four of us. They’re invaders from another kingdom,” Kendra said hurriedly. “They speak a language I’m not familiar with.”

It must be a poor kingdom, my thoughts assured myself as if that observation was helpful. They wore rags, their weapons were worse, and they hide in the mountains and attack travelers. All of them were skinny, dirty, and poor fighters. A well-planned attack should have taken all of us easily, dead or alive, their choice, without a loss to them. “Have they said what they want?”

“From the way they act, they want to sell us. They took our silver and gold and anything else of value. Do you see what they left me to wear?”

For the first time, my own clothing felt strange and awkward and smelled bad. A glance down, even in the dim light, revealed I was wearing filthy scraps of clothing, much of which didn’t fit. My wrists were tied behind me, as were my feet, but otherwise, I felt reasonably well, at least nothing was broken, and I could survive the cold. “Elizabeth?”

“They have her alone, on the other side of the fire.”

“Tater?”

“Behind me. They beat him more than us. He’s hurt.”

“Springer?”

“I don’t know.”

Considering what was happening, the question about the dog was inane, but I wanted to know. One of them had turned and was watching us from his seat beside the fire. He’d probably heard us. I talked without moving my lips, “One is looking this way. Stay still. How many are there?”

“Those beside the fire and two more on watch. Nine, in all.”

I felt a smile form. Kendra knew what was important and what to look for. She was a warrior in her own right and anticipated my response. “They will check our bindings before they sleep.”

“Of course, Damon. How do you want to do this?”

The curious one stood. I turned my face slightly away and closed my eyes and considered her question. The ropes used to tie us were no problem. Any of a dozen small-magic tricks would get us loose, and both Kendra and Elizabeth knew that. I’d free me, then Kendra. Since Tater was hurt, I’d leave him be. Elizabeth might be hurt or worse, so I’d leave her until later, too. That made it nine warriors against the two of us. I felt a brief pang of pity for them.

Kendra and I always made a good team. The obvious way was to free the two of us and creep into the woods and locate the two guards. Two against two, especially if we had the advantage of surprise suited me well. “After they go to sleep.”

It didn’t take long. The one who had been watching us from the corner of his eye strode to my side and roughly tugged on the ropes, then did the same to the others. Finding us secure, he went back to the fire and ordered two men to replace the ones on guard. I didn’t understand the grunted words, but the wave of an arm and the reluctant reactions of the others told me all. Two climbed slowly to their feet and entered the dark shadows under the trees to one side, while the leader pointed to another pair and issued an order. He probably told them they were the reliefs for the ones who were now relieving the guard.

Eventually, two returned from the darkness. Their reliefs had probably passed a few words before taking over the watch, and the new pair on watch were situated closer than we preferred. Soon, all were bedded down. Snoring came from a few, but one tossed and turned. He was not asleep, and I remained still, hissing to quiet Kendra.

He eventually calmed, and one strand of rope eased free of the knot with a touch of magic to encourage the movement. Once that one was loose, the binding almost fell from my wrists. I rolled and touched Kendra’s arm. She turned to make it easier for me to grope until my fingers located the knot. A little small-magic could have freed her, but often it is just more simple and easier to do it the normal way. Besides, the reappearance of the Blue Woman in response to my use of the essence she considered hers wasn’t needed now.

As soon as her hands were untied, Kendra brought her knees to her chest and worked on the ropes around her ankles, as I did the same. Then we quietly crawled into the deeper shadows and followed the same path the guards had used. My hand seized a rock the size of my fist and handed it to Kendra. She didn’t need instructions.

A hefty stick shifted underfoot, and my fingers picked it up, almost without thinking. It was shorter than a cane, larger in diameter, and heavy, green wood. We crept slowly. There would be only one chance.

The trees ended at the same meadow where we’d been captured. The two guards sat beside each other watching the trail, their backs to us. I couldn’t be sure, but it appeared the one on the left was dozing because of the way his head bobbed now and then.

Kendra touched my arm. She leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “Charge on three?”

“No.” Her idea was fine if there were no others to wake. One shout of warning made our jobs harder, if not impossible. But taking them quietly allowed us to return to the camp with their weapons. A finger to my lips told her to be quiet. I reached out with my mind and sent calming thoughts to the one already dozing. My miniscule powers wouldn’t put him to sleep, but they would help. His chin slowly lowered to his chest, and he slept.

The other remained alert, his back straight and his head up. He resisted my efforts at making him sleep too, and finally, he stood to force his body to remain on watch. My magic cannot make people do things against their will. I cannot force a man to eat turnips if he does not like them, but it is possible to make him believe the turnips are carrots.

Mine is a softer, quiet sort of magic instead of the flashy, in-your-face sort mages use. Hinted at solutions or the use natural forces like water and wind to do my bidding. He stood alert less than ten steps away from us. Sooner or later, either Kendra or I would clear our throats, cough, sniffle, or perhaps he would smell her perfume or my sweat. It didn’t matter. He would discover us before long.

I nodded to Kendra again, although she had no idea of what we were about to do. However, she was ready, rock in hand, for whatever it was. My mind reached out and gently shook a branch on the guard’s right, the side away from us. The leaves rustled. He turned to it. We charged.

Ten steps walking is only five or six while running. As we ran, I lifted the club, and before we reached him, was already swinging it down, like chopping a log. He heard me at the last instant and twisted, moving his head to one side and forcing my blow to strike his shoulder instead. It didn’t matter. The heavy branch struck him on the point of his shoulder, and the snap of bone broke the silence of the night. He fell silently at my feet. My club struck him again before his howl of pain could form and warn the others. Another swing at his motionless head connected solidly.

While I dispatched him, Kendra had rushed at the one sleeping and swung her rock-filled fist at him. He was dead before his body rolled to the ground. We stood in stunned surprise while we exchanged looks barely seen in the starlight. There are those who say no man is as savage as a woman. That might be true. My sister and I had now killed our first enemies. Neither of us liked it. Bile rose, and I tried to prevent that from turning into gagging or vomiting.

She recovered faster than me, which was probably normal in our relationship. She said in a voice that barely cracked, “Get their weapons.”

The man at my feet had a sturdy bow over his shoulder, and his quiver held more than ten arrows. Kendra held up the same. I took his knife, a poor piece of metal. The handle was loose, the edge dull and chipped. Still, it was a knife, and it was tucked it into the pants I wore, despite that they were too tight and the legs too short. “Ten arrows here.”

“Same with this one,” she said. “Back to the camp and we’ll spread out a little. You begin with the sleeping ones to your left, I’ll take the farthest to the right. Work our way to the center. Keep at least one alive to question.”

Her voice was now controlled and cold as winter as she spoke of killing seven more men. I don’t believe the realization of the magnitude of what we were doing had become a reality or we would have failed. I was glad it was dark. The sleeping men would look like dark mounds. She took the lead, and I followed, moving to my left as we entered the clearing. Seven men asleep. Beyond was the sleeping form of Elizabeth, and beside my foot, Tater.

The bows were nothing unusual. Mine felt like an unadorned military issue weapon. Since I didn’t know how it would pull, the strength or accuracy, I nocked an arrow and crept closer so it couldn’t miss. From the corner of my eye, Kendra did the same, an arrow fitted and ready to fly if one of the men woke before we were in position.

None did. My mind turned to steel. They were no longer men. They were simply dark lumps in the night who intended to kill us. Targets. Not men. I watched Kendra. She nodded at me and let her first arrow fly. An instant later, mine did the same. There were two dull thumps as the arrows struck, and one man groaned in response, but not loud enough to wake others. Kendra and I pulled our next arrow and let them loose, then another.

A man howled in pain, and in the light of the coals of the fire, he leaped to his feet. I saw an arrow stuck high in his thigh, one of mine. There had been no way to tell the position of how the men slept under the blankets. He would be slow to move and more concerned with the arrow in him, at least for a while, so he presented no immediate danger. Others waking at his cries might have weapons in their hands. My next arrow took out a man who had also woke and was climbing to his feet, already preparing to charge me. He held a knife. My arrow took him full center, and he paused and appeared surprised as he looked down at it protruding from his lower chest.

I had another arrow ready to fly, but Kendra had been faster than me. Each of the men now had an arrow or two in them. She hurried to Elizabeth’s side and sawed her bindings with the dull knife she’d taken from the guard. I arrived at their side as Elizabeth sat up while rubbing her wrists and asked, “What took you so long?”

Kendra said, “Damon wanted a nap, first.”

Elizabeth said, “Have you seen to our guide?”

“Tater’s over there,” I answered while turning to where he lay. However, it was just like her to be as concerned for a man who hadn’t bathed in a year, spat constantly, and spoke rudely when he had the opportunity, to be nicer to him than us. Elizabeth looked below the surface of relationships.

Reaching Tater, he was still asleep and breathing heavily. I untied him, but he didn’t wake. “Throw some wood on the fire, will you?”

Kendra was busy tying the wrists of the three men still alive and binding their wounds. Elizabeth put several pieces of wood on the coals and then helped Kendra until the wounded men were secure. She rushed to my side and knelt. Tater was moaning, his left arm was twisted under him unnaturally, and his face beaten so badly his eyes were swelled shut.

The increasing light from the growing firelight revealed a split lip, a knot on his forehead the size of my thumb, and bruises already coloring. Elizabeth helped me check his body for more damage, finding at least one broken rib, and probably more. His left arm was broken below the elbow. She snapped at me, “Take his other foot. We’re going to drag him closer to the fire where he can get some warmth.”

We pulled him, each pulling a leg, ignoring his roar of pain protesting our actions. Once beside the fire, she shouted at Kendra, “Get me some water.”

A small spell of mine eased his pain and put him into a deeper sleep. We pulled his arm until it snapped into place, and splinted it, ignoring his screams when he awoke. I decided to learn a more powerful spell to relieve pain. We gave him sips of cold water and adjusted him to lay sideways to the fire where he would feel the most heat and avoid placing weight on the broken arm. We placed four blankets under him for warmth, and at least that many on top. He quickly went back to sleep or fell unconscious, we didn’t know which. It made no difference. He was more comfortable and warm.

Elizabeth said, “We’ll do what we can for him in the morning and stay the day here, and tomorrow night. Then . . . we’ll see.”

It was like her. Our intention had been to arrive in Mercia before Lord Kent and Princess Anna, and that wouldn’t happen if we remained here tending to Tater. Yet, she is the one who insisted from the beginning. I considered offering to ride on ahead but held my tongue. How would I live with myself if she and my sister remained here and something happened to them?

Kendra joined us. “Three men alive. Can you help me drag the others into the forest after daybreak, so their rotting bodies don’t attract scavengers willing to fight us for a meal? They are not dressed like the one at the top of the pass, so they probably were not working together.”

I watched her face in the dancing firelight. It was set into a hardness I’d never seen. She had killed men this night and now spoke of dragging their bodies away as if they were bags of old clothing. She was also right.

She looked back at me with the same stern expression and stiffness. “And you need to find your own clothing. You look ridiculous, and you stink.”

Both women wore their own clothing. Mine had been taken. The attackers wore rags, but little of what the women wore was suited for men or would fit. My mind raced ahead. “We also have to question the survivors. A lot of questions.”