When Dragons Rage

6

Kerrigan Reese huddled as best he could in the shadows and shivered. The cool night air had little to do with his discomfort, as he was bundled up against it and swathed in black woolen clothes that rendered him invisible. He even sank to one knee, as did the expedition’s leaders, though he knew he’d be at a sore disadvantage when called upon to move quickly.

Kerrigan shivered because the last time he had engaged in this sort of secret operation, Orla had died. Granted, the streets of Tolsin were not the streets of the Wruonin pirate haven, and the local constabulary was not a band of bloodthirsty cutthroats who just happened to have a sullanciri visiting them. Still, he’d made a mistake then, and his mentor had paid dearly for it.

Well, at least the princess thinks this is a good idea. He let his shoulders slump a little. Then again, she’s not here.

In front of him, shrounded in black, Resolute and Will knelt to study the Thistledown Tavern. The squat, two-story building didn’t look like much, with its thick thatched roof and tiny windows. The dim light leaking out from behind the warped glass suggested the miserly distribution of candles, but that suited their purpose perfectly.

Two men stood beside the door on guard duty, stamping their feet against the cold. The two of them might have been enough to daunt Tolsin’s criminal element, but not the crew that had assembled that night. Resolute could have slain either of them in an instant, and Will was no slouch in combat. Dranae—a massive human warrior, with dark hair, a full beard, and blue eyes—crouched beside Kerrigan. The man towered over him and weighed more than he did, despite not having an ounce of fat on him. Kerrigan would have loved to be that strong, but his life on Vilwan had not exactly been physically demanding. Dranae carried a short wooden staff that hardly looked like much of a weapon, but in a strong man’s hands it could break bones.

The last two members of the company carried no weapons. Qwc, a Spritha, clung to the eaves of the building against which Kerrigan huddled. The lack of light made his green carapace look black, but his four wings still managed to flicker as if trapping starlight. His upper pair of hands smoothed his antennae while the lower pair and his feet kept him anchored to the wall. Though only a foot tall, Qwc’s speed and ability to fly made him useful.

His voice buzzed low. “Just two, just two there.”

Resolute nodded. “Lombo?”

Kerrigan glanced back over his shoulder at the creature hulking there. The Panqui was an intelligent beast who had once been a Wruonin pirate until he had been betrayed and almost slain. Huge, with bony plates armoring his flesh, long retractable claws, and a jutting muzzle full of teeth, he looked more than sufficient to tear the town apart, much less two guards before some tavern. In battle against Chytrine’s forces the Panqui had gleefully attacked and killed Grand Temeryces, coming away without a scratch.

Lombo raised his muzzle and sniffed, his ears flattening back along his skull. “Two outside. More inside. And Crow.”

The Vorquelf nodded, then turned back to look at Kerrigan. “Your turn, Adept. Can you do it?”

Kerrigan frowned for a moment, then flicked fingers at the building. The spell he cast sped unseen at the tavern, then raced back to him, allowing him to view it with mageyes. For him, the night’s gloom vanished and the building lit up, with each living creature glowing more brightly than the candles. Aside from the two men by the door, three more people occupied the upper floor. One was sleeping and the other two were…

Kerrigan blushed and refocused on the ground floor and the basement. Four men remained in the tavern itself, and he picked up two more individuals in the cellar. They were very close, but one lay on the ground while the other fairly blazed with activity. “Someone is down there with him and is kicking him.”

Will turned, eyes narrowing. “Stop him.”

The young mage opened his mouth to explain that while casting the spell in question was simple, focusing it to hit the people in the basement would be trickier. But the look in Will’s eyes indicated that an explanation would be wasted. While Kerrigan knew his Vilwanese tutors would have berated him soundly for using his skills in an illegal activity, he drew in a deep breath, set his shoulders, then opened his palms and let the spell ripple out.

The magick flowed out effortlessly, moving through the night like fog. The two guards collapsed in boneless heaps by the door. Within the tavern itself, the sleeper upstairs burrowed deeper into the covers and the other two relaxed into sleep; even falling out of bed didn’t waken the one of them. The guards on the ground floor toppled to the floor or sagged in their chairs. And in the basement, the man who had been kicking Crow dropped to the ground as if he had been poleaxed.

Kerrigan smiled and Will began to head toward the building. The magicker grabbed his wrist. “Wait.”

“Why?”

A series of staccato thumps sounded from around the building. Plump little creatures fell from the eaves and a couple more plopped down from the roof. Will craned his head forward, then shivered. “Rats?”

“There will be more inside, so be careful.”

The Vorquelf raised a hand and pointed to the building. Qwc flew straight away to it, then keened a high tone. The others followed in his wake, with Lombo hefting the two fallen guardsmen. Dranae and Kerrigan appropriated their spears and helmets, then took up the guard positions while Will unlocked the tavern door with a click. Lombo, the Vorquelf, and Will disappeared inside. The Spritha then launched himself into the air and began a circling patrol.

Kerrigan really didn’t expect much trouble. Princess Alexia and her Gyrkyme companion, Perrine, had hosted a dinner for Call Mably and the other local nobility. They’d all been seated well above the salt, while the present company had lurked below it, pretending to drink far too much and stumbling off to bed while the others engaged in discussions of world affairs and other important events. None of the guests would be allowed to leave until Alexia declared the festivities at an end, and she’d not do that until Qwc returned and let her know the night’s adventure had succeeded.

Dranae fitted the dented helmet on his head. “Your control of magick is impressive, Adept Reese.”

Kerrigan blinked. “Oh, no, I was very sloppy.” He toed one of the sleeping rats. “If I had concentrated, I could have gotten just the men. Oh, and the dog in the corner, too. I just let the spell go and got everything in there. I should have been more precise.”

“But Adept Reese, I was under the impression that outside the realm of combat magicks, humans did not have the discipline necessary to work magick on living creatures. In fact, isn’t the spell you used part of an elven healing regime to make the injured sleep while other healing spells take effect?”

“Well, yes, but…” Kerrigan frowned. “On Vilwan I had elven instructors. I just did what they taught me to.”

“You learned your lessons very well.”

“How is it that you know about magick?” Kerrigan tried to keep his voice even. “No disrespect intended, but…”

“But I hardly seem like a scholar?” The big man shrugged and tapped the helmet over the left side of his head. “You know that Crow, Resolute, and Will rescued me from a squad of gibberkin. They had made me a prisoner and hit me in the head. I don’t remember anything from before I joined with Crow, so I can’t answer. Could be it was something I overheard while on Vilwan, righting the pirates. There were elven healers there, so that’s probably the answer.”

Kerrigan nodded easily. “Elven magick is very difficult to learn because it is different than human magick. Human magick you construct, whereas elven magick flows and grows.”

Any further discussion of magick ended with the tavern’s door opening. Resolute emerged first and Lombo followed, dragging a guardsman in each hand. He sat them beside the door, with their backs against the building. Will exited last and relocked the door while Dranae and Kerrigan returned the helmets to their respective owners.

Resolute frowned as he took the helmet Kerrigan had put on the man’s head and turned it around properly. “It’s done.”

Kerrigan smiled. “It worked?”

Will laughed. “Perfect, Kerrigan. When all this is over, you and me are going to be unstoppable. You drop the guards, and I’ll get the goods.”

The Vorquelf glanced down at the thief. “You didn’t steal anything, did you, boy?”

Will’s nostrils flared. “That wasn’t part of the plan. No.”

“Good. Then move.”

The five figures hustled away from the tavern. Kerrigan hesitated in the shadows from which he had cast the spell. “Do you want me to wake them up?”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Kerrigan looked first from Resolute to Will. “Which?”

The Vorquelf shook his head. “Let them wake at dawn as they normally would.”

Will groaned. “But that means the guy in the basement will stay sleeping.”

“Let him. It just postpones things.”

Dranae raised an eyebrow. “The one who was kicking Crow? What did you do to him?”

Resolute shrugged. “The ladder down into the cellar is steep. He fell. Broke his leg.”

Will nodded. “A really nasty break, too, with the bone poking out and everything.”

Kerrigan blanched. “You broke his leg deliberately?”

“I wanted to break both of them, and then stuff his thumbs up…”

“Enough, Will.” Resolute urged them on through the town, pressing a hand over Kerrigan’s spine. “There are times, Adept Reese, when petty evils need to be met with painful retribution. The man will recover, but anytime he goes to kick someone else, he will remember. It’s not much of a victory, but for this night’s work, it will do.”

The rustle of feathers that announced Perrine’s arrival came more quietly than the dawn’s scrabbling of waking pigeons in the eaves. Alyx smiled and leaned out the window as the Gyrkyme folded her wings. Perrine had the coloration of a falcon, which was common for the Gyrkyme warrior caste, with dark brown feathers over shoulders and back, which shaded to cream over her breasts and belly and were dappled with brown. Large amber eyes flickered with intelligence, though the brown fletching around them did make her look as if tears had stained her face. The fierce grin belied any sadness, however.

“You were right, sister, they gathered at the far end of the town, thinking to go around as they headed to the capital. Lombo has squatted in the gate, and seems oblivious to the two guards beating him with sticks.”

Alyx shook her head. “I’d best get down there in case he decides to notice. Will you… ?”

Perrine screeched happily and launched herself into the morning air with a powerful beat of her wings. “Not too much blood, I promise.”

“Thank you, my sister.”

Alexia turned and stalked through her room, leaving her baggage and sword behind. As was her custom, she had braided her hair into a thick queue and tied it off with a black leather thong. She’d attired herself in a simple doeskin tunic and trousers to match, though they had been dyed black. She’d tucked them into her boots and belted the tunic with a wide belt into which she had tucked her gloves. Accustomed as she was to wearing her coat of mail, she felt light and almost naked without it as she flew down the stairs and out into the street.

It didn’t take her long to cross the distance from the inn to where Call Mably and his squad of guards had gathered. Lombo still squatted in the gateway, with the splintered bits of sticks littering the ground around him. Perrine perched on top of the gate, gazing balefully down at Mably, and Qwc had lighted on Crow’s shoulder. Around them, various townfolk had begun to assemble.

Alexia smiled as she broke into the circle and grabbed hold of Mably’s horse’s bridle. “Magistrate Mably, had you told me you intended to leave at this hour, I would have adjourned our celebration earlier.”

Were it not for the green mask he wore, Mably’s face would have had no color. Alexia revised her initial assessment quickly, for his eyes were rather red and his skin actually hinted at the color of his mask. She resisted the temptation to spook his horse, which easily would have spilled him from the saddle and quite probably induced vomiting.

“Princess, I thought not to trouble you with such a mundane thing as moving the prisoner.”

“You might not think I have an interest in that, Magistrate, but where my husband goes, so go I.”

Mably’s red eyes all but bugged from his mask. “What?”

Even Crow’s head came up. “Princess, don’t.” He clearly wanted to offer more of a protest, but lacked the energy. He’d been set in the saddle and tied there; his wrists were also heavily bound. A threadbare grey blanket had been thrown over him, but fell only to mid-thigh, letting everyone see his bare, bruised legs.

Mably raised his head. “You claim this man is your husband?”

Alexia nodded. “He is.”

“She’s lying.”

Mably smiled. “He denies it, Princess.”

“He’s delirious, and no wonder, after the treatment he’s had at your hands.” Alexia smiled warmly. “As well you know, Oriosan custom does allow a wife to travel with her husband while he is being taken for judgment.”

“Judgment has been rendered, he is bound for punishment. The custom does not apply.” Mably snorted. “Besides, he denies you are married.”

“And you have maintained he is Hawkins, the Traitor, who is a notorious liar, so how can you believe him?” She held up her left hand and thumbed a gold ring around her fourth finger. “We are wedded. We were wedded in a ceremony in Kedyn’s Temple at Fortress Draconis. Prince Erlestoke was a witness.”

Crow growled. “Mably, you are not so much a fool as to believe this, are you?”

“Hush, beloved.” The princess looked from Crow back up to Mably. “Look at his hand, Magistrate; you’ll see his ring. Even the most simple of magickers could tell you our rings are linked as they should be after such a ceremony.”

The bureaucrat snarled. “He had no ring when we took him into custody.”

“Your search of his person failed to find it.”

“You had no ring on last night.”

“You simply failed to see it.” Alyx snorted. “A consequence of being blind drunk, it would seem.”

Mably shook his head once, hard, then hissed in pain. “Princess, you know the only magicker worth the name here in Tolsin is Adept Reese, and I would trust what he says about those rings. You are lying.”

“She’s not lying.”

Alexia turned and saw a slender, dark-haired woman emerge from the crowd. Anger flashed through her, and above the gate Perrine’s wings unfurled. That is Sephi, the woman who betrayed Crow to Scrainwood. What is her game?

Mably’s head came up. “What are you prattling on about, girl?”

Sephi’s eyes blazed. “I said she is not lying. They are wed.”

“More nonsense.”

“Is it?” Sephi’s voice took on an edge. “You know well who I am, Call Mably. I am the king’s eyes and ears. I was sent here to confirm the Traitor’s identity. I know all about him, and I know they are wed.”

The magistrate shifted his shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Magistrate, you are only meant to know that which the king wishes you to know. Are you smarter than he is? The king’s answer to that question would differ from yours, I am certain.” Sephi shook her head. “I reveal this knowledge to prevent you from doing something stupid, like parading a Prince of Okrannel through Oriosa naked. I will not have you embarrassing our nation.”

The magistrate slumped in his saddle. “This is not right. There was no ring on his finger.”

“That’s because the princess is lying.”

“Shut up!” Mably’s shout silenced Crow, but clearly cost him mightily. He breathed hard for several seconds, then glared down at Alexia. “This is trickery, I know it. I will not be made a fool.”

The princess stepped back and opened her hands. “If you choose to call me a liar, I will demand satisfaction of you. You may choose between that and believing the king’s spy here and letting me accompany my husband to Meredo.”

“Just you, Princess.”

“Of course, just me. And my bodyguards.”

Mably groaned.

Alyx smiled. “You know they will be there regardless, Magistrate. Do not fight a battle you cannot win.”

“This is a skirmish, Princess, and one you have won.” Mably drew himself up in the saddle again. “In Meredo the battle shall be decided, and it shall not be in your favor.”