“Make it quick. I don’t know how long I can hang on to the rock.” His claws left great scrape marks where they slipped on the rock.
Reecah slid from Nelly’s grasp, dropping to Lurker’s outstretched foreleg—his limb trembling beneath her. “Take my hand. We need to get off Lurker fast.”
The witch did as she was told, swinging her far leg over the hump of Lurker’s spine, and slid down his shoulder. If not for Reecah’s agility, Nelly would have knocked her from Lurker’s leg and over the edge—the land below obscured by clouds lower down the mountainside.
As soon as they were on the snow-covered trail, Lurker sprung back into the air, revealing Swoop who had landed on his far side.
Swoop struggled to remain on the trail long enough for Junior to assist Devius onto the faint ledge. Flapping her wings to keep rooted to the ground, her claws slipped off the granite. Junior leaped from her leg and landed in a heap as Swoop separated from the mountainside.
Devius grabbed a handful of chainmail to keep Junior from falling to his death.
“I see why they say higher than a dragon can fly,” Junior said, wiping at the snow stuck to his clothing. Looking over the brink, he swayed precariously in the wind and caught himself. “Wow. Fall off there and it’d be tomorrow before you hit bottom.”
Barely visible through the clouds, the Gap stretched away from Dragon’s Tooth. With all of its jagged side fissures branching off the main canyon it appeared like a gigantic lightning bolt had split the ground south of the mountain.
“Are you two okay?” Reecah shouted into the wind.
Everyone looked at her but she ignored them. Her question was directed to the dragons circling high above.
“We’re fine. We need to find a suitable place to land. We’ll wait for you to call,” Lurker answered. “I think I see the cave Devius spoke of. It’s not far up and around the bend from where you are now.”
“Okay. Be careful up here. Don’t let the wind currents smash you into the mountain.” She braced herself against the side of the slope to ride out a sudden gust. Nelly reached out a steadying hand.
“Lurker says there’s a cave around the next bend! We need to get off the mountain!” Reecah shouted.
Nelly nodded and motioned for Reecah to follow Devius and Junior, the two already trekking up the steep slope.
“You go first!” Reecah squeezed against the rock face.
Nelly shook her head, indicating her body with a grin. “It’s okay! I’m right behind you! No wind is going to move this off the mountain!”
Reecah looked to the thin ledge, not relishing the thought of manoeuvring around Nelly. She couldn’t tell where the ledge ended and the snow continued outward in a drift.
Moving with assured steps, her days back home in the mountains served her well. She made sure not to climb the trail too quickly and leave Nelly on her own; waiting at the bend until the old witch caught up before starting up the last section.
Junior and Devius stopped farther up and waved. Before she could wave back, they turned right and vanished into the mountain.
Approaching the spot the men had disappeared, Reecah peered into a hole in the rock face. On first inspection, it wasn’t much of a cave at all. More like an alcove, the cave didn’t appear bigger than the living space of her hut in Fishmonger Bay.
Nelly stepped past her, huffing and puffing. Following her off the trail, the absence of wind inside was an immediate relief from the biting cold.
Wrapping her arms around herself, Reecah scanned the interior, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. The rock walls were carved with runes—their ancient writing organized in several distinct places. The back end of the cave lay in darkness, giving evidence to something beyond.
The men stood in front of a circle of stones; its centre bearing the remnants of a long-ago fire—most of the ashes blown against the rear wall of the cave.
Devius smiled, looking full of himself. “Well? What do you think?”
Reecah didn’t know what to say. Judging by the reactions of the others, neither did they.
“A lick of heat would be good, you doddering, old fool.” Nelly inspected whatever lay beyond the darkness at the back of the cave. “We’re frozen clean through.”
Reecah wondered where anyone got firewood from. The summit of Dragon’s Tooth towered thousands of feet above the treeline.
A subtle flash illuminated the small cavern. The air shimmered between Devius’ outstretched hands and the ring of stones. Before long, the rocks began to glow orange, driving the chill from the cave.
“That should hold the cold at bay for a while.” Devius rubbed his hands together over the circle.
Imitating the wizard, Reecah asked, “How did you know about this place?”
Devius winked at her. “Been here before, my child.”
It was obvious someone had been here, but Reecah couldn’t envision anyone getting here without the aid of a dragon. “How? Surely you didn’t climb.”
Two quick raises of his eyebrows told her he had.
“I thought you said you found Fleabag in the Gap?” As soon as she mentioned the lioness, Reecah regretted her words. “I’m sorry.”
Devius’ smile fell. “It’s okay, my child. Fleabag’s in a better place. Anyway, I wasn’t trying to come here on that occasion. I was looking for something, but that’s a long story I won’t bore you with.”
“But you came here?” Reecah pointed to the ring of stones. “To this cave?”
“Many years ago. Long before any of you were born.” Devius looked at Nelly. “Well, maybe not you. You would have still been playing with toads the year I ascended Dragon’s Tooth.”
“Wow. That must have been a difficult climb,” Junior said, clearly impressed.
“Aye. Long, but not as hard as it may appear. The toughest part of the trip is getting through the Gap.”
“The Gap? Where we found you yesterday?”
“Yes, my boy. Not a place for the faint of heart.”
Junior raised his eyebrows. “Nor the strong of heart.”
“I like this guy.” Devius smacked him on the back, his damaged palm whapping Junior’s chainmail. Clutching his hand, his eyes caught Nelly’s.
Nelly shook her head. “Serves you right.”
“But why?” Reecah asked. “What’s so special about this place?”
“That, my child, is an excellent question.” A big grin lit up his face.
“Oh great. You’ve done it now,” Nelly muttered.
“Firstly, this cave is obviously a sanctuary few people would dare search for. You’ve seen firsthand what dangers lurk in the Gap. Many are those who have sought this sanctuary only to perish before ever setting foot on Dragon’s Tooth.”
Reecah searched the non-descript cave. “Why would anyone bother? Surely no one lives up here.”
“Ah, my child. That is the crux of the matter, isn’t it?” Devius held up a finger and wagged it.
“I warned you,” Nelly mumbled.
Reecah gave her a quick look, but Devius’ animated explanation kept her attention.
“I believe I mentioned this to you when we last were together, but for the benefit of Junior and Nelly, I will say it again.” Devius circled behind them. “Years before the Wizard Wars destroyed the harmony between man and dragonkind, the first Wizard and the first Windwalker sought each other out to forge an alliance to keep the peace between the two races. In order to avoid those intent on preventing the meeting from occurring, they met right here. High atop the world where only dragons dare to fly.”
Reecah nodded, vaguely remembering the conversation. “Yes, I understand, sort of. I also understand why we’re here now. To avoid Prince J’kwaad and the king’s men, but what made you look for it before?”
Nelly stepped back and sat against the cave wall, the heat from the stones intense. “I told you he was crazy.”
Reecah and Junior sat against the far wall, but Devius continued to pace around the cave.
“I did so then because deep inside, I knew this day would come. A day that heralded the beginning of the end of everything magical in the world.” He stopped in front of Reecah, his face grave. “And no, I’m not a seer. Well, not one of any repute, but it doesn’t take a high wizard to see what is coming. We live in a time where the forces of mankind seek the elimination of everything strong enough to threaten his existence.”
“That’s absurd.” Reecah frowned, holding his gaze. “The dragons wish to live in peace. They keep to themselves and don’t bother anyone.”
“Aye. As do wizards. For the most part. But, there are always those who aren’t satisfied adhering to the laws of the land. They spoil it for everyone. Unfortunately, along the way, they have a habit of sweeping up others in their wake and thus, a showdown becomes unavoidable.
“J’kneaj’s death was no accident, I might add. High King J’kaar usurped the Ivory Throne from his father. At the time, it became plainly obvious to myself as high wizard that J’kaar’s lust for power wouldn’t stop there. It was only a matter of which of his ambitions he wished to pursue first. Exterminate the dragon threat or eradicate the practitioners of magic. In the end, he came to the conclusion that in order for him to eliminate one, he must use the other.”
Devius nodded and resumed pacing, a grim look on his face. “Thus, the birth of the dark heir. My complicity in this tragic event cannot be understated. Without my instruction, the Draakval and Draakclaw colonies would still exist.”
The old wizard stood on the cave’s threshold, his robes swirling around his thin frame, and stared out over the land.
Reecah patted Junior’s thigh and got to her feet.
The high wizard refused to meet her gaze as she wrapped an arm around him and laid her cheek on his shoulder. “You can’t blame yourself. You have no control over what a king does.”
His shivering form stiffened in her grasp. She barely heard the choked words escaping his lips.
“No, but I should have controlled what I did.”
Throughout the day, Windwalker and wizard related their recent adventures since parting ways at Headwater. It had taken a while to console Devius of the part he had played in J’kwaad’s arcane education, but in the end, the wizard reluctantly admitted that he had no idea how badly High King J’kaar’s ascension to the throne was going to play out.
After finishing off Nelly’s food, they sat against the cave wall and basked in the radiant heat—everyone’s troubles momentarily forgotten.
Reecah couldn’t deny the fact that Nelly was an amazing woman. She had no idea how old the witch was, but if she didn’t know better, Reecah estimated her to be at least the same age as Grammy had been when she died.
The way Nelly doted on Devius was so endearing. Despite the fact that she mocked him continuously, it was plain to see that her every waking moment in his company was devoted to his happiness and well-being. A warm feeling filled her. She had caught Junior looking at her the same way many times.
To make Nelly even greater, the old witch had produced a full loaf of flatbread and a decent chunk of salted meat she had stashed in the folds of her clothing. Though not enough to fill their stomachs, the meal was a welcome diversion to their grim predicament.
Stars sparkled beyond the cave mouth, a three-quarter moon trying its best to illuminate the cave’s entrance. Contemplating Devius’ explanation, Reecah stroked Junior’s head; his hair splayed across her lap as she sat with her back against the cave wall. Nelly lay with her bulk resting against Devius, the pair of them beside her. How the slight wizard kept from falling sideways defied logic.
Mesmerized by the relative quiet of the cave and its radiant heat—sleep threatened to take her, but she had many unanswered questions that demanded an answer. Grabbing her shoulder harness laying on the ground beside her, she undid the thong securing her staff and pulled the dark wood’s jewelled head into her lap.
Devius’ eyes lit up. “Let me see that, child.”
As soon as his skeletal fingers wrapped around the staff, his jaw dropped. “Where did you get this?”
She wasn’t sure how to respond. Her notion about how the staff came into being seemed unbelievable now that she had to explain it to somebody else. “My aunt, um, made it.”
Devius stared her in the eyes, his face dead serious. “The same aunt that died in the fire you told me about?”
“Yes.”
The wizard nodded, ever so slightly. “Grimelda knew her craft well. Pity her mother never thought she was a worthy enough magic user to carry on the Windwalker mission.”
Reecah swallowed, not knowing how to respond. The whole Windwalker business was still a mystery to her.
Running a fingertip over the Dragon’s Eye gem infused in the top of the staff, Devius nodded his appreciation. “I don’t believe I’ve seen a finer staff in all my years.”
He lifted his gaze to where Raver waddled on the far side of the glowing ring of stones. “Your raven’s injuries. Where they accidental?”
Reecah shook her head; the horrific scene of his dismemberment slammed into her.
“I see.” Turning the staff in his fingers, he ran a hand along its length. “You know what this is, don’t you?”
It wasn’t a question. Reecah nodded, the unfamiliar warmth she had experienced when she first discovered the staff filled her soul.
“The reason your bird lost his toes is your fault.”
The blatant accusation snapped her out of her dreamlike stupor, transforming her face into shock.
“Don’t be offended. It was a necessary evil. In order for a staff to bridge the gap between mere mortal talismans to a vessel capable of containing the gift of dragon magic, an intermediary sacrifice is required to bring about the purity in the staff’s crafting. What a genius idea Grimelda had. Infuse the raven’s spirit into the staff alongside her own. Human magic intermingled with one of nature’s pure gifts—an innocent bird.”
Raver stopped his inspection of a pock mark in the cave’s floor to look at them.
“You see? He hears us.”
“I know. He’s always understood me. At first, I thought it was because Grimelda had taught him to respond to certain commands, but I have learned that he can speak through the dragons.”
Devius nodded emphatically. “Grimelda’s transfiguration spell allowed her spirit to infuse itself into the staff. Utilizing Raver’s toes in the binding has enabled him to become more than just a bird.”
“Are you saying it’s not natural for a raven and a dragon to understand each other?”
He shrugged and handed her staff back, careful not to hit Junior with it. “I don’t know for certain, but from everything I’ve learned, only dragons and mankind are capable of forming a bond that allows interspecies communication. Even then, they have to be elven, dwarven, or…”
“A Windwalker,” Reecah finished for him.
Devius adjusted his sitting position. Nelly slumped across his lap, the top of her head nearly bumping Junior’s.
Exchanging a warm grin, Devius said, “Combined with the Dragon’s Eye, your staff should have the ability to be more than just a conduit of spells. With proper instruction, Grimelda’s staff will give you access to magic that is rumoured to have died with Viliyam years before the Wizard Wars. Used properly, who knows what you may achieve.”
“That’s why I came looking for you. I need you to teach me.”
“Oh? I thought you came to rescue me?”
“Well, I did…I mean…” Reecah sputtered.
Devius winked at her, letting her off the hook. “I can only instruct you on how to charge it with spells we already know. Have you discovered the runes?”
The staff rolled in her hands. “Runes?”
“I didn’t think so. How could you have?”
She frowned.
“If Grimelda was adept at her craft, I’m sure she will have embedded runes in your staff.”
Reecah squinted, peering closely—flames ref
lected off its polished surface.
“Seeing that she conjured the transfiguration spell at all, a rare spell that only the most knowledgeable of magic users can pull off, I trust she didn’t neglect the runes.”
“I don’t see any.”
“Nor will you.”
She looked up.
“Not until we immerse it in the fiery heart of the mountain.”
“I don’t understand. What mountain?”
“Dragon’s Tooth.” Devius slapped the stone floor between them and winced—cradling his injured hand.
Reecah shifted her position, eliciting a groan from Junior. “This is a volcano?”
“Aye.”
“But how will we get there? Do you know the way?”
His pale blue eyes looked beyond her to the dark recess at the back of the cave.
A shudder went through her. “I thought you said the heart of the mountain.”
“Aye. It’ll be a bit of a trek.”
“How long is a bit?”
He shrugged. “Couple of days.”
“Two days?”
He raised his eyebrows. “More or less. Barring any cave-ins since the last time I was here.”
She mouthed the word, ‘cave-in,’ in the form of a question.
“Subterranean passageways can be unpredictable. Stand open for thousands of years and then one day…poof!”
Nelly stirred in his lap. She rolled her body to face into him and settled her head against his stomach.
Waiting until Nelly’s soft snoring resumed, Reecah said softly. “We don’t have two days. I need to find the dragon queen, remember?”
“Two days one way.”
“Four days? That’s insane.”
“Probably five. Climbing back up isn’t nearly as much fun.”
“I can’t possibly delay five more days.”
“If you wish to save the dragons, I’m afraid you have little choice in the matter. Without the runes, Grimelda’s staff is nothing more than a charged stave.”
Reecah stared at him, unwilling to accept that she was about to go on a five-day hike into the heart of Dragon’s Tooth. “Wait. What are we searching for?”
Legends of the Lurker Box Set Page 82