The Dragon Eaters

by Duke Kittle

  Chapter 17

  After Tina had returned to her cursed size of six inches tall, she disenchanted the shard which she’d be leaving behind for Luna. Then the wizard collected a length of string from the surgeon’s supplies, a foot-and-a-half long, and tied it firmly around the neck of the bottle. It was only half her height but too big for her to carry. Using her magic, she shrank the bottle, shards, and string until she could hang them around her neck. She looked down at the bottle and turned it so she could look at the shards which produced the quiet sound of stone scraping against glass.

  Walking back to the edge of the counter, Tina climbed down and slipped under the door. On the other side, Kravek was standing with one elbow resting on the mantle of the fireplace. Tina cleared her throat, and the black bull turned his head. She adjusted her glasses. “Where are Vira and the surgeon?”

  Kravek walked over to Tina and settled down onto his knees. “They said they needed to get more thread and a new needle from the store.”

  Tina stepped onto Kravek’s hand when he set it onto the floor. “I guess they trust us not to take anything.” She looked up at Kravek’s face. “How’s your forehead?”

  Kravek knocked on it with his fist. “I am a bull. But it was enough to get her point across.”

  Tina giggled. “I wasn’t really expecting her to throw a boot at you.”

  Kravek chuckled. “Neither was I. Speaking of which,” Kravek stood up with Tina in his hand, “was I just seeing things, or were you about four feet taller in there?”

  Tina climbed onto Kravek’s shoulder from his hand. “Four-and-a-half, actually. I can adjust my size once in awhile.”

  “But you can’t make it permanent?”

  Tina shook her head. “It requires suppressing my own magic in order to suppress the magic of the curse. I can only do it with these little pills I learned how to make.” She sighed. “If I wanted to be ‘normal’ again permanently, I’d have to give up the practice of magic entirely.” She shook her head. “After a life spent studying it, I don’t think I could manage.”

  Kravek nodded. “I can understand that.” His tail swept around, and the tuft of fur on the end of it slapped against his side. “So, there’s a Maldavian on the town’s doorstep, and we think we know where the Dragon Eaters came from. What’s next?”

  Tina wiggled her whiskers. “We just need to wait for Belthazuul's Albatross to return now.” She laid her ears back against her hair and lowered her gaze. “Kravek… you far exceeded what I paid you for your service some time ago.”

  Kravek lifted one floppy ear and held it over Tina. “You may think so. I don’t.”

  Tina looked up at Kravek’s ear and swatted at it lightly. “No?”

  Kravek nodded as he let his ear back down against the side of his head. “It’s easier not to drink when I’m keeping busy.” He rubbed one finger against Tina’s back. “For now, that’s pay enough for me.”

  The corners of Tina’s mouth curled upward slowly. She felt warmth spreading into her cheeks and cleared her throat as she rubbed at them. “Well, in that case, let’s go back to the front gate. I think the people will feel less on edge if I’m out there.”

  Tina took hold of Kravek’s ear and climbed up to the top of his head. She shifted his mane around until she’d made herself a softer, more comfortable place to sit.

  Tina and Kravek left the surgeon’s house and headed for the front gate, but as they passed the town hall, Tina tugged on Kravek’s ear. “Wait a moment, Kravek.” She pointed to the familiar rabbit woman who was sitting on a bench in front of the town hall porch with her black-furred son in her lap.

  Beth was humming quietly to Aiden who had a smile on his face. She looked up as Tina and Kravek approached, and her long ears straightened up. Tina was a little surprised by the conflicted look on Beth’s face.

  Kravek crouched down in front of Beth as Tina climbed down onto his shoulder to put herself at eye level with the rabbit. “Beth? Is everything all right?”

  Beth lowered her gaze from Tina and looked down at Aiden. “He’s napping.” She gently nuzzled the top of his head. “Tina… please tell me he’s a wizard so he can leave this place.”

  Tina considered Beth’s words. She reached up to tug on one of Kravek’s ears and held her hand out toward Beth. Kravek raised his arm toward Beth with his palm flat and his fingers open. Tina walked out onto his hand, and then she leapt to Beth’s shoulder. Seating herself next to Beth’s head, Tina laid her tail across her lap. “I know you want a better life for him, Beth, and-- “

  Beth shook her head. “It’s… not just that, Tina.” She put her arms around Aiden and hugged him. “I couldn’t… go after him. I wanted to. I wanted to chase him. I wanted to stop him from going out into that field, but…” Tina watched a tear streak down Beth’s cheek, “…I just couldn’t… make myself do it. He’s my son, and I love him. But I couldn’t move.”

  Tina understood how Beth felt. “Beth, I do want to take Aiden with me when I leave this place.” When Beth turned her head to look at Tina, the wizard saw both hope and hesitation in her eyes. “He doesn’t have the gift of a wizard. But he does have a gift for magic. I’m not an expert when it comes to shaman, but I know enough of them to recognize their empathic gift and how to proceed in getting Aiden the training which would allow him to use that gift.” She gestured toward Aiden. “I had a hint when Aiden felt no fear of Belthazuul in spite of his imposing presence. It was as if he knew Belthazuul wasn’t going to hurt him.”

  Tina folded her hands in her lap. “Shaman possess the ability to both sense and project emotion. That’s how they can influence spirits so effectively.”

  “You mean,” Beth looked down at Aiden, “that’s all it took?”

  Tina nodded. “Once I had a hint of what to look for, finding it was easy.” She adjusted her glasses. Then Tina put her hand on the side of Beth’s neck. “If you want to remain in Likonia, Beth, you can be more hopeful you will see Aiden again if you let him go to Kerovnia.”

  Beth looked back at Tina on her shoulder. “But you said--“

  Tina held up a finger. “I was talking about training a wizard. There are other shaman who can train Aiden at the Council of Stars, but as any of them would tell you, training a shaman doesn’t take nearly as long as training a wizard.” She put her hand back down in her lap.

  Though Beth’s expression remained solemn, a glimmer of hope could be seen in her eyes. Tina decided to give Beth another reason to be hopeful, though she knew she would also be giving her a decision to make. “Kravek and I need to go to the gates, Beth, but before we go, you should know that if you can find work in Kerovnia, you are welcome to accompany him.”

  Beth looked at Tina again. “You mean… I could come with him?”

  Tina nodded. “Because Aiden has the gift for shamanism, it would be better for him if you were there.” She rested her hand on the side of Beth’s neck. “Take your time to think about it. This is a decision which will affect both of you a great deal.”

  When Beth looked back down at Aiden, she closed her eyes and nodded her head. Tina could only imagine what was going through Beth’s mind. The mouse woman rose from Beth’s shoulder and waved to Kravek. The black bull lowered his hand so Tina could step onto it before he put her back onto his shoulder.