Something Wyverian This Way Comes

by Jeffrey M. Poole

  “I can only imagine what he might have,” Steve mumbled.

  “Do you see the flaw with this plan?” Sarah asked her husband.

  Steve nodded. “Aside from us becoming the bait to try and lure this guy out into the open?”

  “Besides that.”

  If this wizard assumes that the confirmation of his existence will be shared with the appropriate authorities, what is to prevent the wizard from finding another suitable location to hide?

  “Pryllan brings up a good point,” Steve said as he turned to his wife. “She wants to know what would happen if this renegade wizard went into hiding? Now that his secret has been exposed, what would stop him from relocating somewhere else?”

  Sarah nodded her head. “Good job, Pryllan. That’s the flaw I was talking about.”

  She has a keen intellect.

  “Yes, she does,” Steve murmured.

  Sarah stared at him.

  “What was that?”

  “Pryllan said you have a keen intellect. I was agreeing.”

  Sarah beamed her smile at him.

  “Tell her thank you for me.”

  “Tell her yourself. She’s listening to you through my ears.”

  “Oh, that’s right. Thank you, Pryllan.”

  You are welcome, Lady Sarah.

  “She said ‘you’re welcome’.”

  “How about that,” they heard the king say.

  Husband and wife turned to look over at the king’s desk. Entu had finished polishing his blades and was now busy applying a coat of polish to his crown.

  “When’s the last time this was cleaned?” the king was saying in an exasperated tone. “The matter is simply atrocious. The entire castle will be alerted. They will stand ready to assist, I’m sure.”

  He is pledging his support to you.

  I can see that. Do I thank him?

  To do so would be an acknowledgement of his participation.

  So what do I do?

  Wait for the wizard to return. We have done all we can here. We informed them about the attack. The existence of the unknown sorcerer has been confirmed.

  Got it.

  A few minutes later Shardwyn returned, carrying a square flat wooden box. Sitting back down in his chair the canny wizard opened the box to reveal some type of necklace.

  “What do you have there?” Steve asked as he leaned forward.

  Sarah leaned forward as well. Shardwyn pulled out a large, gaudy gold pendent off-centered with a huge pink cabochon. He handed it to Steve.

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  Sarah stifled a laugh. Pryllan felt Steve flush with embarrassment. There must be a reason why the necklace was causing Steve to react in that manner.

  Of course there is. It’s uglier than sin!

  I am not familiar with that phrase.

  Let’s try it this way. Trolls are way more attractive than this.

  I see.

  Steve held up the medallion and turned it over in his hand so that Pryllan could get a good look.

  Wearing that would help determine the location of the renegade wizard?

  Apparently.

  Why is this a problem?

  Gold and pink on a necklace worn by a man? I don’t care where you’re from. It isn’t a good look. Especially for me.

  Lady Sarah appears to be enjoying your discomfort.

  Of course she is. She’s loving every minute of this.

  Steve turned to face the wizard and scowled. He slipped the necklace over his head and tucked the emasculating pendant under his tunic. Shardwyn shook his head and pointed at his chest.

  “I am sorry, Sir Steve, but the pendant must be worn over the clothes in order to be the most effective.”

  Steve sighed. “Of course it does. What do I have to do with it?”

  “If you suspect there’s been an attack then return the pendant to me as quickly as you can. I’ll analyze it and see what we can learn from it. May I ask a question?”

  Steve and Sarah both nodded.

  “Can I ask what you plan on doing next?”

  “We’re going to try and locate the wizard,” Steve answered.

  Shardwyn rested both elbows on the table and leaned forward.

  “How?”

  “By following the only clue we have,” Steve answered.

  “Which is?”

  “We have to find the second Zweigelan. We’re hoping he can show us where to look.”

  “A Zweigelan? How remarkable! I’ve always wanted to see one for myself.”

  “There’s presently one in the dragon cave.”

  “Oh?”

  “That’s right. He’s a friend of ours. He’s helping us track down his elusive relative.”

  “And you believe the second Zweigelan will lead you to this other wizard?”

  Steve nodded. “Yes. That’s the plan, anyway.”

  “What are your interests with him?”

  “Let’s just say he’s a person of interest in another matter that desperately needs a resolution.”

  “With the dragons?”

  Steve’s mouth dropped open.

  “Dragons? Who said anything about the dragons?”

  “A rare Zweigelan is resting in the wyverian lair we created. You’re in telepathic contact with a dragon right now. I just assumed that since you’ve been asking her questions, to which she has been giving her opinions on certain matters, I deduced the wyverians were somehow involved.”

  Kri’Entu sprang from his chair. One of his daggers clattered noisily as it fell to the desk.

  “Shardwyn, do you have the results from your latest scan of Avin?”

  “Not yet, your majesty. Preliminary scans should be completed by tomorrow morning.”

  “Very well. Are you running any experiments right now?”

  “I am. You’ll be most interested to hear this! I’m conducting a simple test of…”

  “Please monitor those experiments closely, Shardwyn. This castle has tolerated enough explosions this month, agreed?”

  “I understand completely, your majesty. I will take my leave.”

  The tall lanky wizard rushed hurriedly from the room. The king bent over his desk to retrieve his knife.

  “If I have to assign him extra staff to keep an eye on him then I will,” Kri’Entu muttered aloud.

  The human king is very wise.

  Not bad for a human, huh?

  Indeed. Where should we search for the second Zweigelan?

  I figured you’d know the answer to that better than anyone. Isn’t he a part of the Collective? I assumed his location, well, his last known location, was common knowledge?

  I will consult with Kahvel.

  We’ll be waiting for you.

  Pryllan gently pulled the human’s awareness from her own and returned it to him. Quieting her mind, she turned her thoughts to her mate and their offspring hundreds of leagues away in the north. She thought of basking in Kahvel’s comforting presence. She thought back to the last time she curled up next to him as they encircled the nest while simultaneously protecting their offspring. She smiled. There it was. She could feel his heartbeat. Faint at first, the steady beating grew stronger. Almost instantly she felt his irritation and his restlessness. What was going on?

  Beloved? Are you well?

  AYE.

  You appear perturbed. Is all well with Pravara?

  AYE.

  When no other information was forthcoming Pryllan tried again.

  What has you agitated, my love?

  She felt Kahvel give a great sigh. OUR COLLECTIVE MIGHT BE PRESENTLY UNAVAILABLE BUT THAT HASN’T STOPPED THE SPREAD OF NEWS. THEY KNOW.

  They? Are you referring to the other dragons?

  AYE.

  What have they learned?

  THEY HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF THIS CURSE AND THAT IT’S NOT A DISEASE LIKE EVERYONE HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.

  How many know?

  PRACTICALLY EVERYONE. I FIND IT SIMPLY INCREDIBLE HOW FAST
THE NEWS OF THIS SPREAD WITHOUT THE COLLECTIVE. BROTHERS I HAVE NOT SEEN IN MONTHS HAVE SUDDENLY APPEARED. THOSE SUFFERING FROM THE EFFECTS OF THIS CURSE HAVE BECOME MORE ANIMATED THAN I HAVE SEEN IN MONTHS. THEY ARE CRAVING ACTION. THEY ARE DEMANDING THE CURSE BE BROKEN OR LIFTED.

  What do they plan to do?

  I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THEM. FOR NOW, THEY ARE LISTENING. THEY CANNOT SPIT FIRE, OR FLY, BUT THEY ARE STILL A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. FOR NOW, THEY WAIT FOR SIGNS OF WHERE THEY SHOULD DIRECT THEIR ANGER AND THEIR RAGE.

  Pryllan was shocked. They wanted to fight? Together?

  NOTHING HAS UNITED OUR SPECIES IN THIS MANNER BEFORE, Kahvel told her. SCOUTS HAVE GONE OUT, ON FOOT, TO LOCATE AND ASCERTAIN ALL THOSE SUFFERING THE ILL EFFECS OF THIS CURSE ARE ACCOUNTED FOR. DRAGONS ARE HELPING THEIR NEIGHBORS, SHARING FOOD, AND OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT. I DEFINITELY DO NOT LIKE THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT, DEAR ONE, BUT RIGHT NOW I AM VERY PROUD OF OUR WYVERIAN SPECIES.

  You’re trying to dissuade the others from doing anything rash, are you not?

  Kahvel was silent.

  Beloved, tell me you’re trying to defuse the situation.

  I AM DOING WHAT I CAN. THEY ARE RESTLESS. AGITATED. I FEAR I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DISSUADE THEM FROM TAKING ACTION MUCH LONGER.

  What would they take action against?

  I DO NOT KNOW, AND THAT IS WHAT CONCERNS ME.

  Pryllan was speechless. Stricken dragons were massing on the valley floor? If that many dragons were truly gathering in the valley then it could only mean an attack was imminent. They had to hurry!

  She felt Kahvel’s reassuring presence in her mind and relaxed somewhat.

  We are hurrying, beloved. We need to find the second Zweigelan. The Collective is silent. Do you know where we can find his lair?

  HE IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED. HE IS MEAN-SPIRITED; VENGEFUL. I URGE YOU TO NOT SEEK HIM OUT.

  We do not have a choice, Pryllan insisted. It must be done.

  I DO NOT WANT YOU VISITING THIS ROGUE WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO PROTECT YOURSELF. DO NOT DO THIS, DEAR ONE.

  Steve is still here. His flames are unaffected.

  OH. There was a pause as Kahvel considered. IN THAT CASE HAVE YOUR RIDER WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES, IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?

  I will.

  Pryllan listened intently as Kahvel explained how to find the second two-headed dragon. Once he had finished, she closed her mental connection with her mate and reconnected with Steve.

  I have just made contact with Kahvel. He has told me how to find the second Zweigelan’s lair. We should be going. I’m also told that Pravara is restless and wishes to leave the nest. Apparently she feels we are unable to complete our mission without her. With your permission, I will allow her to accompany us once we return to the valley.

  Steve grinned and chuckled softly. Sarah looked over at him.

  “What is it?”

  “Pravara has woken up from her nap and misses us,” Steve told her. “She wants to join up with us again. I guess hanging around the cave with her father isn’t as interesting as what we’re doing.”

  You don’t need my permission, Pryllan. If you’d like to bring her along, we’d love to have her.

  Thank you.

  Steve rose to his feet, prompting Sarah to do the same. The king glanced up.

  “Sir Steve? Must you go already?”

  “Yes. We have things to do up north.”

  “I want the two of you to remember something. All the castle’s personnel stand ready to assist. To help Shardwyn, that is. The task of overseeing Shardwyn’s safety is not to be taken lightly, I assure you.”

  Husband and wife both smiled and offered their thanks. Bidding the king farewell, they made their way back to the orchard and descended down into the subterranean cavern.

  “They really need some more light down here,” Sarah informed him. “I can’t see a thing.”

  “I can. I’m looking through Pryllan’s eyes. I’m watching her watch us. It’s really kind of creepy.”

  Is it?

  When I’m looking through your eyes looking at me, it can be rather unsettling.

  Interesting. Are we ready to depart?

  Yes.

  Excellent.

  Two hours later they were several hundred leagues northwest of the castle. Without Pravara to hamper their progress they were cruising at optimum speeds high amongst the clouds and were making good time. At this velocity, Pryllan decided, they’d be back in the valley in less than an hour and a half. She bent her neck around and checked on her two passengers. Instead of riding in her open palm, as the two of them did on the ride down there, Steve and Sarah had finally agreed to ride on her back after she feigned discomfort from having her claw open and immobile for such an extended period of time. While untrue, she figured it would be much more comfortable for the humans.

  There they both were, dozing comfortably on her back near the base of her neck. Both humans were inactive as there hadn’t been much in the way of conversation. Sarah had volunteered to teleport back to their nest so she wouldn’t have to worry about them but Pryllan had persuaded her not to expel any unnecessary jhorun. Besides, the dragon had argued, could the renegade wizard detect her jhorun and act accordingly against them as a result?

  Sarah and Steve had agreed and instantly let their objections drop.

  “It really is rather peaceful up here,” Sarah commented as she snuggled closer to her 6’3” space heater. “If not for those infernal clouds we keep flying through, I think it’d be downright pleasant.”

  “The clouds don’t seem to bother me as much as they do you,” Steve commented as he cracked an eye open and regarded the passing clouds. “Feels rather refreshing if you ask me.”

  Sarah laughed. “Well, I’m not going to. I don’t have the ability to generate so much body heat that I’d stay completely dry in a rain storm.”

  Steve opened both eyes and sat up straight.

  “Does that mean I’m leaking jhorun?”

  “What?”

  “If I’m generating heat, more so than I normally do, does that mean I’m using my jhorun?”

  “An interesting question,” Sarah mused. “We’ve passed through, what; about five clouds now and you’ve remained dry the entire time, right? I’d say you’re expelling some. Not much, but some.”

  “Could he track us by that?”

  Sarah shrugged. “How would I know that? For all we know this mysterious sorcerer should be referred to as sorceress!”

  “Does a human’s gender affect how powerful their jhorun is?” Pryllan asked, curious.

  Sarah shook her head. “No.”

  “Of course it does,” Steve quipped at the same time.

  Sarah slowly turned to stare at her husband, who instantly grinned and began backpedaling.

  “Did I say that out loud? What I meant to say was of course not. No way. Out of the question.”

  “You really want to smell like a girl tonight, don’t you?”

  Steve looked triumphantly at his wife. “You don’t have that smelly, glittery girlie spray here. I think I’m safe.”

  “I’m sure I can borrow some from the queen. She still has some left over from her trip with Lia and me to the mall.”

  Steve’s smug smile vanished. “Fine, fine, I apologize.”

  Sarah giggled. “You don’t mean it, though.”

  “Of course not.”

  She playfully slapped her husband’s arm. While the exchange between husband and wife was taking place, no one saw a small silvery cloud suddenly accelerate across the sky and put itself directly in the path of the emerald green dragon. Having been amused by Steve and Sarah’s antics, Pryllan didn’t notice the tiny cloud, either, and flew right through it. Syrreth and Ferreth, trailing behind and slightly to the right, missed the cloud altogether.

  Five minutes later the huge dragon was still gliding through the air without flapping her wings. With a proper gust of wind a dragon could easily fly in this manner for many leagues without using one
scrap of energy to stay aloft. Fortunately, the high altitude winds were strong, so strong that, unfortunately, the dragon’s right wing was forced marginally down, causing everyone to shudder uncontrollably. After a few moments the buffeting winds had passed and the skies returned to an eerie calm.

  Sarah blinked her eyes in confusion. What had happened? Had she fallen asleep? She brought her hands up to her face to rub her eyes and recoiled with pain. Why did it feel like she had just rubbed her face with sandpaper? Her hands! Why had the skin on her hands suddenly become so rough? Even her arms felt leaden, like they now weighed double what they did just a moment ago. Something was wrong.

  Right then she realized that someone was sitting in front of her. It was a woman! When had they taken on another passenger? The woman’s hair was up in a high pony tail and was flapping in the breeze, threatening to tickle her nose and make her sneeze. She caught sight of the woman’s hair scrunchy. It was dark navy blue and complimented the woman’s shirt beautifully. There was something awfully familiar about those clothes.

  Curious to see who it was, Sarah reached out to tap the woman on her shoulder when she finally saw her hands. Her hands! They were big, had scrapes and bruises on them, and totally didn’t belong to her! What was going on?

  Silently panicking, she rotated her right hand until she was looking at her open palm. It had three small semi-circular cuts near the base of her thumb. She knew those scars. She had given them to Steve in a fit of playful wrestling the previous night. Those were marks left by three of her nails. Good lord! She was in Steve’s body! Then that meant… the woman in front of her had to be… her! Who was in her body? Steve? How could this have happened?

  The woman suddenly awoke and lurched violently to her left. Sarah reflexively put a hand on her arm to keep her from falling off Pryllan’s back. The woman turned in her seat and looked back at her. It was her face!

  “Steve?” Sarah querulously asked. “Tell me that’s you.”

  Sarah’s eyes opened wide in disbelief. Her voice had deepened so much that she felt the bass of it vibrate through her chest. Plus, she knew that voice anywhere. It was definitely Steve’s!

  The woman, however, opened her mouth and she let out a shriek of pure agony. Sarah slapped her hands over her ears.

  “Is that what I sound like when I scream? Wow. Hey, knock it off. You’re giving me a headache. Come on, quit playing around. You’re Steve, right?”