Raven's Game

by Kerry Adrienne

  “That’s not even funny, Raven.” He put his hands on his hips. “Oriste isn’t ready to defend against dragons, at least Lorkhit Ka isn’t either. Maybe Wildhold is, I really don’t know. Still, the longer we can hold them off, the more prepared we’ll be. When the time comes.”

  “Maybe they won’t be upset about Avnor. Maybe he was already an outcast or something. Or a thief.”

  “All dragons are thieves. That’s why they hoard treasure. They aren’t out working a regular job for those solari and jewels.” Ben grabbed his boots from beside the door. “I’m more worried about this next part of the game than I am an all-out dragon invasion. At least right now.”

  “What are you worried about? The first game worked out. It was easy, in fact. You need to have faith.”

  “It was too easy. Something isn’t right and I’m not sure we’re going to get out of this alive. We should just go home. Get out of this place before we’re cast into fire, too.”

  Raven examined her reflection in the looking glass on the dressing table. Hag’s blood, it looked like she’d aged ten years since they left Lostmere a couple days ago. Giving up on the game was not an option—she was too invested. “Rupe expects us down in the bar in a few minutes. No way we could get far if we ran. Not that I want to run. I want to win.”

  “I know you do, but we could leave after the task assignment. It would be at least evening before he knew we were gone. We could get halfway back to Lostmere before he realized.” He sat on the bed and put on his boots, tugging the laces tight. “I’m getting the sneaky feeling that this game is a setup and we’re all going to lose.”

  “No. Too many people heard him talk about the prizes. If he doesn’t deliver, a lot of people will be upset.” She set the brush down on the dressing table.

  “Yes, they will. I’m not sure it’s worth it. My gut tells me to run.” He double-tied his bootlaces and sat up. “And nothing good ever comes from ignoring my gut feeling.”

  “After what Rupe did last night, do you really think we’d stand a chance?” She secured her hair in a ponytail. “He’s got more magic than everyone in Lostmere combined. He’d track us down.”

  “He’s dangerous.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Can I borrow your brush?”

  Raven tossed him the brush. “And we’re all in. We signed a contract and now we play the game. The bigger the stakes, the bigger the win, right?”

  “If you say so. I just hope we don’t lose. I don’t want to be his slave.” He brushed out his hair then put the brush back on the dressing table. “We’d better get down there. He’ll be waiting.”

  “I don’t want to be his slave either. About the troll... I still can’t stop thinking about what Avnor said about her cheating. I wish we knew more about her.”

  “We’ll not trust her with anything. Too risky.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Let’s go. Don’t forget your good luck charms.”

  She pocketed the coin, then grabbed her sword. She thought twice about toting it around all day and set it down. “I don’t think I’ll need this.”

  “I’ve got my knife. In case.” He patted his boot.

  “I want to win that magical dagger. That will be a lot easier to carry around.”

  “I know. Let’s not lose our heads while doing it.”

  “We’ll be fine.” She headed into the hallway then paused. “I can’t believe there was a dragon competing with us. I wish I’d known. I’d have had a long talk with him about the state of things.”

  Avnor unnerved her even more now that he was an undead dragon. She’d had a nightmare about him coming to Lostmere and burning her parents’ house down and razing the garden. She hadn’t told Ben. He was already so stressed about the game; she didn’t want to make it worse. Avnor was on her mind.

  “That’s probably why he wasn’t in dragon form at the amphitheater. Lots of people would have questions. Or swords and arrows.”

  “True. Now, we have to defeat a troll and a dwarf.”

  Ben shut the door behind them. “And not defeat ourselves in the process.”

  “That, too.”

  The bar was full of residents and visitors alike and more peered in through the dirty windows from the streets. The visitors were easy to spot. They were a bit on edge, and their clothing was different. Or clean.

  Raven guessed there wasn’t often this level of excitement in the small floating town. Rupe’s game was like a huge festival and spectator sport rolled into one and some of the residents looked like they wouldn’t miss a bit of it. At least the town seemed to welcome visitors.

  The noise level was barely tolerable for fairy hearing and Raven couldn’t believe Ben wasn’t covering his ears. Something about bars made everyone talkative at the same time.

  The walls were filled with clippings from newspapers and framed photos of famous people who’d been there. The occasional hunt mounted head looked down on the crowd. From bears to blessoks, whoever had hunted had preserved the history of their food sourcing.

  Ben tugged her to the crowded corner tables where Rupe sat with a couple of his orc henchmen, the troll, and the dwarf. A few servants kept the crowd back and motioned Raven and Ben to sit at the table. The dwarf sneered at Raven.

  Either he held a mean grudge, or he was a miserable dwarf. She’d apologized for bumping into him the day before, but he was still grumpy. It was his issue, not hers.

  “Good morning,” Rupe said.

  “I’d hardly call it that,” the troll grumbled. Her spiked hair looked like it could poke an eye out if anyone got too close. “The bed is too small, too hard, and smells too much like fairies.” She shot Raven a scowl.

  Raven said nothing, instead, she unfolded her napkin into her lap. After hearing Avnor accuse the creature of cheating, she wasn’t going to be trolled into an argument.

  A barkeep set a bowl of some type of brown porridge in front of her and another bowl in front of Ben. Each also got a small bowl of colorful fruit and Ben immediately dumped his into his porridge.

  “Better eat it quick, before it turns to rock.” The troll laughed. “It feels like a rock in my stomach already.”

  Raven picked up her water glass and took a deep breath before taking a few sips. Forcing herself not to respond to the troll was difficult. Now that she sat close to her, she saw that the spot on her cheek was indeed a tattoo. A small, six-pointed star inked in black. She wondered about the significance but didn’t dare ask. No telling how the troll would respond.

  “Now that we’re all here, I’ll tell you about the second quest of the game. And before you ask, Avnor isn’t suffering. His soul is prisoner of the Fire Lake, and his body will wander the volcano in search of it, but he isn’t in pain. The lake will use his soul to fuel its existence for a long time. We’ve appeased it, for now.”

  “Reassuring,” Ben muttered.

  Raven popped berries into her mouth to avoid asking questions. She wondered if Avnor would ever reunite with his soul, or if he was eternally damned. And why did Rupe feel compelled to help appease the lake? She felt like she was channeling Ben with all the questions about Rupe’s motivations.

  The dwarf looked up from his bowl of porridge. “What’s our task?”

  Rupe stood and paced beside the table, ignoring the faces pressed against the windows to get a look at the contestants. The bar patrons quietened in his wake. Everyone wanted to know what the next task was, even if they weren’t participating. There were bets to be made.

  One of the orcs hunched over his oatmeal and scraped the bowl with his spoon. Raven cringed at the sound and Rupe jumped.

  “Sorry.” The orc spooned the rest of his breakfast into his mouth.

  Raven had never imagined that orcs would eat porridge and berries. Didn’t they eat the bones of their enemies?

  Someone in the bar laughed then everyone went quiet again.

  Raven pushed her bowl back after only a few bites. Breakfast couldn’t compete with the anxiety in the pit of h
er stomach.

  “First, we’ll travel together, using my magic. I’m going to take you to a mountain. You’ll have until midnight for this task.”

  Raven looked at Ben. Where would Rupe send them now? Would they go back to Mount Evermore? She shuddered. She didn’t want to see Avnor again.

  “On the surface, the task is simple. Make sure you think carefully about it, because it’s not as straightforward as it may seem at first. I need you each to bring me one of the bones of the mountain.”

  The troll clapped. “The mountains are my home. Let’s go.”

  Rupe turned to her. “They may be your home, but that doesn’t mean you will find this an easy task.”

  “What in hag’s name is a bone of the mountain?” the dwarf asked.

  “You’ll have to figure that out.” Rupe folded his arms. “You each need to bring me one.”

  “I’ve never heard of mountains having bones.” The dwarf shook his head.

  The troll turned to Raven. “Maybe we can work together. You can use your fairy powers to search and I’ll use my troll resources. My name is Mena. Who are you?”

  “Raven. This is my boyfriend, Ben. He and I are a team.”

  Raven shot Ben a look. She didn’t want him to give away their plan to avoid the troll. They could always pretend to go along with her to avoid getting on her bad side. Ben gave her a slight nod. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

  “I’m Stova,” the dwarf said. “Not that anyone asked. I suggest we not work together. None of us. Who wants to split the winnings? I don’t.”

  “Fine. We can work separately and see how it goes,” Mena said. “I can move faster without being held back by a fairy and a centaur anyway.”

  “Up to you all how you manage the last two tasks. It doesn’t matter to me if you’re working together.” Rupe stopped at the head of the table. “But I will tell you this. Whoever has not given me one of the bones by midnight exactly, will become a slave to the mountain. So even if you are teaming up, each person needs to have a bone.”

  “When do we start?” Stova pushed his chair back and stood.

  “Gather around me.” Rupe held his arms out. “I’ll take you to the mountain.”

  An icy wind bit Raven and she leaned into Ben’s arms. She’d dressed for weather in Cliffhold, not…wherever they were now. She shivered. They perched on a wide ledge on a rocky side of a large mountain. Above her, the peak of the mountain was covered in rocks and ice. They were about halfway to the summit, with no trails visible anywhere.

  Wildhold wilderness.

  Rupe motioned them closer and the group huddled in. Even the orcs got closer for warmth. Mountains rose around them on all sides, snowcaps glistening in the morning sunlight. The sky was so deep blue, it looked like a vast sea, with island clouds among the waves.

  “I know where we are.” Mena clapped her hands. “I know exactly where we are.”

  Raven frowned. The giddy troll would have an advantage on the mountain, but they all had time to find a bone. And more than one could complete the task. Mena’s advantage wasn’t insurmountable.

  The mountain rose high above them, though it wasn’t as tall as some of the other cliffs surrounding them. Raven craned her neck to try to see the topmost peak, but clouds obscured above the snowline.

  “Do you recognize these mountains, Ben?” She shivered.

  Ben rubbed her arms. “Not at all. I assume we’re still in Wildhold.”

  “Yeah,” Raven said. “I assume so.”

  Rupe nodded. “We are. We’re near the sea, though it isn’t visible from here.”

  “It’s beautiful.” Stova pressed his face into the wind. “And cold as hag’s breath.”

  “That’s for sure,” Mena said.

  “You’ll be warm soon.” Rupe rubbed his hands together.

  One of the orcs grunted and the other swatted him on the arm. Raven watched. She’d never have guessed that orcs had so much personality but being near them the last couple days had informed her view.

  Rupe spoke again, his voice faltering in the cold. “One more thing before we start. I’ll be monitoring your progress while you search, and once you find a bone, I’ll send you back to town.”

  “We’re going to freeze to death searching on the side of a snowy mountain,” Mena said.

  “You aren’t searching here,” Rupe replied.

  “Then where?” Ben asked. “And why are we on the mountain if we aren’t searching here?”

  Raven wanted to elbow Ben into silence. His constant questioning of Rupe’s motives was getting old.

  “You’ll see soon enough. Don’t forget: One bone per contestant. You have until midnight to find it. I’ll be watching.”

  Rupe stepped up to the rock face and spoke something under his breath. An area on the rock glowed bright red briefly, then the rock dematerialized and an opening formed.

  A doorway.

  Stova bent to look inside. “Caves. Tunnels. This should be easy.”

  “It won’t be as easy as you think.” Rupe motioned. “But I wish you all luck. You may begin.”

  Stova disappeared into the entrance, with Mena right behind him.

  “Maybe I should’ve brought my sword.” Raven ducked inside the opening then moved aside to wait on Ben. Warmth rushed over her and she breathed deeply. Inside the mountain was a lot warmer than outside.

  “We’ll be fine without a sword,” he said.

  With only one direction to go, they headed down the narrow tunnel. Rocky and dusty, the tunnel was domed but not very tall. Ben’s centaur wouldn’t fit very well—he’d have to duck as he walked. And no way Raven could navigate the area while flying. No, walking was the only option.

  The tunnels were somehow lit from within with a dull yellow glow that seemed to emanate from the walls. They walked for what felt like a long time, spiraling into the core of the mountain. There were no alternate paths—just the one tunnel.

  Spiders scurried along the rocks and where overhangs provided some darkness, families of bats dangled and slept. There were no signs of lighting or torches, but there was enough light to see. Mostly. Some areas were dark and tight, and they squeezed through, Ben leading the way, knife in hand.

  Raven pondered. The bones must be deep in the mountain, because it felt like they’d walked for hours, though that probably wasn’t accurate.

  Ben ducked under a low part of the ceiling and followed the next bend of the tunnel.

  “I hope he’s not lying to us.” Ben’s voice echoed off the stone walls.

  “Who?” Raven flinched at the loudness of her own voice.

  “Rupe.”

  “Why would he be lying?”

  “I don’t see any bones, do you?”

  “Not yet.” Raven walked faster. “But they’re here somewhere.”

  “I hope so. I don’t trust him.”

  “You’ve mentioned.” Raven sighed. “We’re being careful. All we can do is try.”

  The passageway opened up to a small cavern with a few large boulders scattered on the floor. Mena sat on one of the stones drinking from her canteen. A sheen of perspiration covered her face and her shoulders slumped.

  “Long walk,” she said. “No bones.”

  Raven nodded. Should they continue past her or stop to talk? They still had plenty of time to find the bones, but the lingering voice of Avnor reminded her that Mena probably wasn’t one to trust.

  “You know this mountain?” Ben asked.

  “I thought I did but now I’m not positive. I do know this mountain range. I have extended family that lives in this area, though not this mountain.”

  “Do you know where the bones of the mountain are?” Raven put her hands on her hips. “Or even what Rupe means?”

  Mena took another drink from her canteen then sealed it. “I don’t.”

  “Maybe the mountain is alive.” Raven looked up to Ben.

  “Or maybe it’s magic.” Ben shrugged. “Or maybe he’s lying, and this is a trap.
”

  “I don’t know about that,” Mena said. “But I know one thing that Rupe didn’t tell us.”

  “What?” Raven and Ben said in unison.

  “There are dragons here. I smell them.” She wrinkled her nose. “We’ve got to be careful.”

  More dragons?

  Raven sighed. “I really should’ve brought my sword. We aren’t equipped to deal with dragons.”

  “None of us are, and Rupe knows it. We need to avoid the beasts. The tunnels ahead are going to start diverging in a lot of different directions—I can tell from the way sound echoes. Pick the wrong one, and you’re going to be dragon food.” Mena stood.

  “Do you know which way we need to go?” Raven didn’t trust the troll.

  “The mountain hasn’t told me yet, but it will.” Mena smiled. “I’m a troll, remember? I talk to mountains.”

  Ben gave Raven a look. She wouldn’t mention the mountain talking. Not to Mena.

  “How many dragons do you think there are?”

  “One, for sure.” Mena tapped her chin. “I heard one snoring somewhere in the distance. Beyond that, I’m not sure. But one dragon is enough to eat us all.”

  “It’s asleep?” Raven couldn’t believe Mena could hear and smell so well. If the troll was bluffing, what was her goal? To make them afraid to look for the bones? Or some other purpose? If she’d tricked Avnor and prevented him from finding a stone, why should Raven expect her to treat them any differently?

  They were competition, and Mena wanted to win.

  “Yeah, it’s asleep. And there may be others. I’d say it’s likely there are others, but I don’t know for sure.”

  “I never thought I’d say these words, but I hope there’s only one dragon,” Ben said.

  “The trick will be finding the bones before the dragons wake up tonight at midnight to hunt. If they’re hunting and we are still in these narrow tunnels, we’re prey that won’t escape.”

  Ben slipped his knife back into his boot. “And let me guess, the mountain told you they were sleeping till midnight. Do they have some kind of dragon alarm clock?”

  Mena shook her head. “No. There’s a spell on this cave. More than one, actually. I taste the magic in the air. Rupe wants us done by midnight and transported back to the village. Before we become food. I don’t need the mountain telling me that’s when they wake up.”