“That does sound difficult,” I sympathized. “For Beyan to be forced to grow up so fast, to lose a beloved wife and mother, and for his father to have to send his son into danger alone. But I still don’t see — ”
“Ever since he was a child, Beyan has wanted to find Joichan,” Farrah said. “Joichan is the one that gave Kye that career-ending injury. I think it’s best if Beyan leaves well enough alone; that dragon has caused enough trouble for their family. But Beyan wants to finish the job his father couldn’t.”
Chapter Seventeen
WE WERE GETTING CLOSE to Annlyn. Not only because we had been on the road for nearly a week, but also because the weather had steadily been getting hotter. A Calian summer was marked by pleasantly mild days and chill nights. But here in the southern reaches of the Gifted Lands, it was scorching. My cloak had been relegated to the bottom of my pack, unneeded except as a blanket at night. As we traveled under the relentless sun, I sweltered in my borrowed dress. Too bad Taryn hadn’t packed a lighter one from her closet. At this rate, I’d be riding into Annlyn wearing nothing but my shift, propriety notwithstanding.
In the skies, we’d spot the occasional dragon winging through the air. There was a medium-sized crimson fledgling, trailing after its darker maroon-colored mother on unsteady wings. A majestic coffee-colored dragon leisurely glided above us, casting a long shadow for miles. But there was no sign of the metallic golden dragon that was Joichan.
Initially I had thought I would find the journey rough. I had never traveled this far from my home, and on the few occasions I had left Calia, there were always servants present to do the packing and the cooking and the cleaning. And of course, I had either been on horseback or in a carriage. But I was determined not to be a burden to the rest of the group.
In addition to my magical studies, I pestered Beyan or Rhyss to teach me basic fighting techniques. Because of my interest, Beyan produced a spare dagger he insisted I keep. “That way you’re not such a liability,” he said, but he looked pleased. Solemnly, I accepted his gift and then turned away so he wouldn’t see the smile quickly blooming on my face. We both knew that sarcasm was just his favorite way of communication.
While Rhyss was a capable fighter, he was a bit too flighty to be a good teacher. Farrah often made fun of his distracted nature. “It’s amazing your neck is still on your body, with the way your mind wanders so much,” she’d laugh.
Beyan, on the other hand, was a surprisingly patient instructor. In addition to his skills as a dragon seeker, he had observed and absorbed his father’s gift of teaching. It made sense, as each generation of seekers was supposed to teach the next. Over the course of our journey, my skills with the knife also increased, to the point where Beyan deemed me “competent.” High praise, coming from him.
Aside from the occasional hunt for small game, no one in the group had been called upon to actually use their fighting skills. I was actually quite grateful about that. I was afraid that, should the situation warrant it, I would react poorly in a fight. And I didn’t think I had it in me to end someone’s life, even in self-defense.
The fighting lessons seemed to be helping not only me, but Beyan. I don’t mean that Beyan needed to improve his skills with a weapon — he obviously knew what he was doing, or he wouldn’t have been able to teach a beginner like me. But I noticed that he was unsettled, and our lessons helped provide a distraction. I couldn’t understand what was wrong as I observed him surreptitiously while we traveled. He was shaky, from more than the jostle of riding a horse. Sweating profusely, even if we were sitting in the shade. Restless in his sleep at night. Farrah took to riding next to him, speaking to him in a low, calm voice. We stopped to refill our canteens more often, as Beyan drank more than all of us combined. Farrah constantly supplied him with cool, damp cloths to put on his arms and forehead. Even cheerful, oblivious Rhyss grew somber and quiet, careful not to offend the now temperamental Beyan.
As we traveled further south, I noticed that the roads going north were heavy with travelers. When I commented randomly on this, Beyan frowned. “It’s unusual. Perhaps people want to holiday in the northern kingdoms to escape the heat down here.”
“I suppose,” I said doubtfully. “But I know Calia never gets that many visitors from the south. We’re so far away; it’s the same reason most Calians wouldn’t travel all the way down here.”
“Maybe they’re headed somewhere else. To Orchwell? Although Orchwell doesn’t get that many southerners visiting, either.”
Farrah laughed at his statement. “It’s amazing how you can be so observant and so dense all at the same time.”
Beyan’s frown deepened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Didn’t you notice the colors on the carriage that just passed by? Or how fine the horses are?”
“What of it?”
Farrah rolled her eyes. “These aren’t just everyday travelers. It’s the royalty and nobles of the southern kingdoms, headed north for a special occasion.”
And the only special occasion was the wedding of Calia’s princess to the prince of Rothschan.
I kicked myself mentally for not keeping up with what was going on back home. Since our contact my first night away from Calia, I hadn’t gotten back in touch with Taryn. Although, truth be told, it was a bit hard to sneak away from my companions at night. Still, I decided that that night I would find a way to talk to Taryn, if only to reassure myself that all was well.
THE CAMPFIRE HAD BEEN reduced to mere embers when I cautiously propped myself up on my elbows and looked over the group. Everyone seemed to be asleep, so I slowly and quietly got up, being careful where I stepped. The horses, tethered to some trees nearby, sidestepped and nickered softly at my movement, but settled down quickly at a quiet, placating word from me. I had just reached the edge of the camp when I heard a quiet voice right behind me in the darkness.
“Where are you headed, Allayne?” I turned slightly to my right. Although I couldn’t see him clearly in the dim light, I knew it was Beyan.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” I whispered.
“I wasn’t sleeping,” he said.
“Well, I just need to... to relieve myself,” I said, scrambling for a plausible excuse.
“You shouldn’t go by yourself. Let me wake Farrah.”
“No!” I spoke a little louder than I intended. Hastily, I glanced over at Farrah and Rhyss. Rhyss stirred in his sleep a little, but Farrah still slept soundly.
“No,” I brought my voice back to a whisper. “I’ll be okay by myself.”
I could sense Beyan frowning, even though I couldn’t see it. “All right,” he conceded. “Don’t go far. If you’re gone too long, I’ll come find you.”
I nodded, then remembered Beyan probably couldn’t see the motion in the darkness. “Sure,” I said aloud for his benefit.
I conjured a light, then moved farther away from camp. When I felt suitably hidden from eyes and ears, I stopped and leaned against a nearby tree. I listened intently for a few moments, but it didn’t seem like Beyan had followed me.
Quickly I created a calling spell, concentrating on Taryn’s image in my mind’s eye. But Taryn didn’t appear when I completed the spell.
Frowning, I waved my hand through the haze where Taryn’s face should have appeared, ending the spell. I’d never had a calling spell fail before. To my knowledge, the person being summoned would feel the magical pull and had the option to accept or deny the spell. If that other person didn’t want the connection, the spell would ricochet, sending small fragments of magic back to alert the initiator that the connection was denied. Either way, something should happen.
I tried the spell again. This time Taryn’s face appeared level with my own.
“Taryn!” I said, relieved. “There you are! Why didn’t you — ”
“Shh!” she said, looking around her warily. “I don’t have much time, Your Highness. I’m sorry I couldn’t answer you before, but... oh, it’s gotten so bad here.�
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“What? What’s happening?”
“King Hendon broke protocol and demanded a visit with you, even though you’re still in your bridal month seclusion. When he discovered you were missing, he questioned Queen Melandria, who of course wouldn’t say where you had gone. He threatened her — ”
I gasped.
“Don’t worry, she’s fine.” Taryn was quick to assure me. “But whereas before we only suspected she was being watched, now the king has set a definite watch on her.”
I remembered the traveling nobles on their way north. “We’ve seen the kings and queens of the neighboring kingdoms headed north, though. Surely it’s not for the wedding. If King Hendon knows I’m not there, he’s probably cancelled it, right?”
Taryn shook her head. “No, to the contrary. He’s sent out envoys to all the kingdoms, inviting all the leaders and their people of rank. Even Prince Anders thinks the wedding is still happening. So here in Calia we are still preparing for a royal wedding, even while the king has riders out looking for you.”
“When? When did this happen?” I asked urgently.
“Just a few days ago,” she said. “You have a good lead, but not for long.”
“Thank you for telling me this,” I said.
“There’s more,” Taryn added. “It’s not really related, but...”
“What? What’s happening?”
“Remember I told you about the kitchen maid Sava, and how her brother went missing but returned with a damaged mind? The boy disappeared again, which was bizarre, because he refused to leave the house since his return. And Sava has gone missing as well. Their parents are sick with grief over losing both of their children.”
Taryn was right. It was palace intrigue that wasn’t really related to the wedding or my mother, but it was still interesting news nonetheless. “Did the girl run off to find her brother?”
“Unlikely. They both disappeared at the same time.”
I shook my head, unsure what to make of it. “Hopefully they turn up soon.”
“I’ll try to contact you again soon, let you know what’s going on around the palace,” Taryn said. “It might be easier than you contacting me.”
I nodded. “Be safe, Taryn.”
“You as well, Your Highness.” Her face disappeared.
I stayed at the tree, thinking about everything Taryn had told me. A snapping branch caused my head to jerk up. Feeling for my dagger, I realized that I had left it at the camp. I tried to survey my surroundings, but in the dim moonlight there wasn’t much I could see. Someone stepped toward me.
“Allayne?”
“Beyan! Did you... were you following me?” Had he heard any part of my conversation with Taryn?
“You’ve been gone for at least three quarters of an hour. I told you I’d come looking for you if you were gone too long,” he chastised me.
I exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself down. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Let’s go back,” I said.
As we started to head back to camp, Beyan asked, “Can you create a light?”
I obliged, and we walked in silence for a while. In the glow of the magical sphere, I studied Beyan’s face. So young, and yet in many ways he seemed so much older than Rhyss, Farrah, or me.
Beyan broke the silence. “What?”
“Huh?”
“You’re staring at me. What is it?”
“Oh.” Flustered, I stalled for time. “I was just wondering... when do you think we’ll find Joichan?”
Beyan didn’t answer me right away. Then, “It depends. You’ve seen the dragons flying overhead; technically we’re in fire dragon country. They usually don’t live near the kingdoms, for obvious reasons. Except for Joichan, apparently. Being so close to so many dragons is difficult. I can feel the pull of their magic, and since they’re fire dragons, my body is constantly overheated.”
“That’s what it was!” I had seen the obvious signs, but hadn’t pieced it all together.
Beyan nodded. “Every seeker’s ability works differently, but the way it affects me is that I not only feel drawn to dragons, but I somehow mirror their essence. So if it’s an ice dragon I’m seeking, I feel the chill. And if it’s fire...”
“I can imagine that’s extremely unpleasant.”
“It was, when I was younger and untrained. I’m able to control the feelings better now. But every so often, the sensations can get a little... intense.”
“If you’re sensing every dragon in the area, how will you find Joichan?”
“Every dragon has a magical signature, even if they share a common essence. Luckily, my father told me how to spot Joichan’s signature. But it’s been a long time... We have to hope that Joichan still lives in the same place, or nearby.”
“If you don’t mind my asking...” I started.
“You’re wondering why I said I’d take you to find Joichan?” Beyan finished.
“Yes. I mean, besides the money you’ll receive in the end. I got the sense that if it was any other dragon I wanted to find, you wouldn’t have taken the job.” I trailed off, wondering if I had offended Beyan. “We don’t have to discuss it if you don’t want to.”
Beyan drew in a deep breath. “No, you’re right. I specifically wanted to find this dragon. Need to find him. It’s not exactly a secret. It’s just not something I like to be reminded of.”
We had just about reached the camp. Beyan stopped suddenly, grabbing my arm to stop me from moving forward.
“What — ?” I began.
“Shh.” He motioned me to silence. In a low voice, he hissed, “Extinguish the light.”
Hastily, I brought my palms together and the light instantly went out. Beyan whispered, “There’s someone at the camp. Come on.”
He moved forward, so stealthily I couldn’t hear his footsteps. In the near dark I couldn’t follow his movements with my eyes. Cursing him mentally, I carefully picked my way after him, hoping I would be able to stay just as silent.
In the embers of the firelight I could see some shadowed figures moving through our camp. I quickly counted four individuals. I eyed my pack in the distance, wishing I hadn’t left my dagger in my bag. Even if I wasn’t as adept with a weapon as the others, I would have felt a lot better with one in my hand.
Heart beating fast, I could feel the blood pounding behind my temples as I tried to calm my breathing. Panicking wouldn’t help any of us now.
And then I saw a glint of metal as the moonlight reflected off the upraised knife one of the intruders held. Blade raised high, he was about to slit the throat of the sleeping Farrah.
There was a whistle of air to my right, little dull flashes of light, and then a strangled gargle from the man as he fell to the side. Beyan straightened from his throwing stance and ran into the camp, any pretense of quiet discarded. I ran after him.
Immediately alert, Farrah and Rhyss both jumped out of their bedrolls. Rhyss grabbed for his sword, barely parrying a blow from another bandit. Farrah pointed at the fire pit, and the blaze roared to life, illuminating the area and exposing the men who had snuck into our camp. Our horses, still tied to the trees, neighed in alarm at the sudden movements. Looking around, I tried to assess the situation.
Rhyss seemed evenly matched with the assailant who had engaged him in combat. Even though Farrah had said her magic was useless in a fight, she had a dagger in her hand and she and Beyan were harrying another thief. A man lay unmoving by the fire pit, having had the misfortune of meeting Beyan’s knife.
That left one thief unaccounted for. Where was he?
A hand grabbed my arm. I shrieked. The bandit smiled at me, his grin revealing a row of dirty teeth. His unkempt and wild hair matched his equally disheveled clothes. I tried to tug my arm away, but the more I pulled, the harder his grip became.
“Ooh, a feisty one,” he leered. His breath was as disgusting as his clothes. “Don’t put up a fight, pretty, and I promise it’ll go easier on you.”
He grabbed at the front of my dress
. The collar and part of the bodice ripped, revealing my gold necklace with its moonstone pendant. In the light of the fire, the jewel glowed unnaturally.
“What’s this?” The man eyed my necklace with interest. I tried to kick him, but failed to make contact as he easily sidestepped my blows. Greedily, his filthy fingers reached out toward the pendant.
I shouted. Not a spell; I wasn’t thinking straight enough for that. I just knew I did not want this man getting a hold of my necklace. It was more than a pretty bauble. It was a part of me, part of my soul, and I couldn’t risk losing it to him or to anyone.
And yet, even though I was yelling incoherently, something happened. The man stopped mid-reach and looked at his hand — the one gripping my arm — in horror. His fingers were bright red and smelled like smoke. The color traveled into his hand, up his arm, blanketing his whole body. His terrified eyes met my equally alarmed ones right before he burst into flames that quickly consumed him. Within moments, all that remained of him was a sorry pile of ash at my feet.
The entire camp went deathly silent. Stopped in mid-fight, both my friends and our foes were staring at me. I stared back at them, then at the ashes. Did that really just happen? And had I truly been the cause of it?
Turning toward my friends, I took a step forward. I didn’t know what I would do — grab my weapon? try doing deliberate magic? run away? — but when I broke the spell by moving, the other bandits dropped their weapons, their packs, and anything else they were holding in their hands, and fled into the forest. Part of me felt empowered, like nothing could stand against me. And part of me wanted to call after the men, even though they had threatened our lives, and tell them I wasn’t normally like this.
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