The Queen of Death

41

“Stop!” Esprë said to the woman in Draconic. Just tell me what you want! ”

The Seren warriors froze. All eyes turned to the woman in the dragon-scale shroud. She hesitated for the barest of moments then raised her hands to signal a halt to the hostilities.

The warriors each took a step backward. This put them out of the reach of the invaders’ swords, although Burch’s crossbow could still take down any of them with a single pull of the trigger.

“Your mother taught you Draconic,” Kandler said behind her. His voice betrayed how impressed he was. In other circumstances, Esprë would have smiled.

“Good job,” Burch said gruffly, “but don’t think Kandler’s not still going to spank you when we get back on the airship.”

“If we survive that long,” Sallah said. The lady knight began muttering some sort of prayer under her breath.

Esprë ignored all three of them and focused on the woman in the shroud.

“Our founder told us to await the bearer of the dragonmark,” the shrouded woman said.

“Founder?” Esprë glanced at the faces of the islanders and spotted nothing but humans among them. “How long have you been here?”

“For over four thousand years our people have protected this part of the shore and helped to keep invaders like yourself away from the land of the dragons beyond.”

“Four thousand years?” Esprë couldn’t believe the number. That was a long time, even in elf terms. “How could your founder tell you about dragonmarks? He must have— Did he inscribe his prophecy to you on a scroll?” “Greffykor lives still high atop the Wyrmsperch Mountains. He bequeathed to me this part of the Prophecy only two weeks ago, and we have been alert for the bearer of a dragonmark ever since.”

“What if we do not have this dragonmark—or are unwilling to show it to you?”

“Then we kill you.”

Esprë wondered what it would be like to be part of a tribe that murdered any strangers who happened to cross its path. It sounded horrible. “You kill anyone who does not have a dragonmark?” she asked.

“Yes. So Greffykor demands.”

A chill coursed through Esprë’s guts. “Who is this Greffykor? ”

“A dragon of the purest silver and the most inquisitive of minds. He has dedicated his life to the study of the Prophecy, and we are blessed to rank among his servants.” Esprë felt like she wanted to stop breathing. “So the dragonmark shows that the stranger is favored by your dragon?”

“Today, when Greffykor has decreed it so, it is so.” “What about our lady knight here? She has a sword that burns with a silver flame. Our warrior here bears a blade made from a dragon’s fang.”

“These are the finest of omens. They cause Greffykor’s faithful to search even harder for evidence of the fulfillment of the Prophecy. Without them, we may have slain you already.”

“You may have tried.”

“Produce the dragonmark now, or we will bring the full force of our people upon you.”

Esprë looked to Kandler. He shrugged at her. “I have no idea what you’ve been talking about,” he said, “but if you want to start showing off that dragonmark of yours, go right ahead.” He hefted his sword in his hand. “If you’d rather keep it private, I’d be happy to help cut our way out of here instead.”

“What would you do?” she asked.

Kandler smiled. “I don’t want to influence your decision.”

“That’s a first.”

“What do you think you should do?” Kandler said. Esprë stood there, stunned. For the first time, her stepfather seemed to be treating her like an adult. She reached out and gave him a quick hug.

“Go get ’em,” he whispered to her as she broke away from him once again.

Esprë wrinkled her brow at him, a strange, wry smile on her face. Then she reached behind herself to pull the collar of her shirt down, exposing her back to the islanders who stood waiting for her decision.

As one, they gasped.