Age of Valor: Dragon Song

by D. E. Morris

  “Elas...” She reached to touch his face, but he drew back, hiding his abnormalities in shadow.

  “It's fine,” he assured thickly. “It only happens when I'm overtired.”

  “Why aren't you asleep? Why didn't you tell me before when you knew I would be seeing Tasarin? Have you tried using the elixir again?” Her heart broke, seeing the shame and torment in his downcast expression. For as much as they did not get along upon initial meeting, she loved Elas dearly now and knew how happy he had been since he thought he was healed. “Does Kenayde know?”

  “Of course she doesn't.” His answer was angry, reminding her of the early days of their relationship. “The elixir doesn't seem to be working. Maybe it's too old or something, I don't know. It doesn't matter right now anyway. Come on.” Without mercy, he grabbed her hand once again and began pulling her down the trail. Eventually he let her go so he could concentrate on the path ahead, and Ashlynn could hold her shift up enough to keep herself from tripping on it. Right before they could breach the treeline, Elas came to an abrupt halt and moved into the cover of the barren forest around them. Ashlynn followed, careful to make as little noise as possible as they made their own hidden path down to the edge of the public docks. Still hidden within the shadows, Elas crouched and looked out to sea, pointing. Ashlynn knelt beside him and followed his directing, easily finding the ship that bobbed in the ocean waves. A high moon shone bright enough to show the fine craftsmanship of the vessel, indicating this was no mere merchant craft. An Ibayish flag waved merrily in the night wind and a bright yellow banner with splatters of a darker color was hoisted just underneath.

  “I was swimming and she nearly sailed over me the first night I saw her.” Elas kept his voice just above a whisper and his attention completely on the ship. “I noticed the cut of the sails, the polished masthead, and the flag at her prow, and knew I needed to follow them. Nobles don't sail at this time of the night, especially at the tail end of winter, and especially with a woman's blood stained scarf lifted so proudly, so I watched and listened from a distance. No one even knew I was there.”

  “What did you learn?”

  “Only that we're being watched. I saw their ship farther out to sea a couple of weeks ago and they've been getting closer and closer each night - always in the middle of the night.”

  “Has anyone come to shore or rowed out to meet them?”

  “Not so far as I've seen, and I've been watching them every night since I first saw them.”

  Her eyes went to the yellow banner. “How do you know there is blood on that yellow scarf?”

  “I could smell it. Each night the scent is weaker than the night before, but I can still smell it.”

  She glanced at him. “No wonder you're tired.”

  “I thought they might be here to threaten you, but it would make more sense to show themselves during the day. It's possible they're here to try to size you up by seeing how observant your men are even in the quieter times.”

  Ashlynn's brow winkled. “Size me up? What do you mean?”

  “They're looking for cracks, places to get in and exploit vulnerability.” Finally, he looked away from the ship and glanced at Ashlynn, regret on his face. “I would not be surprised if the rumors of your illness this winter have reached the Ibayish high king and his council, as well as some talk of relations between you and Killian.”

  “Idiotic gossips!” Ashlynn was silent a moment, weighing the implications of what Elas was telling her. “So they think a weak high queen sits on the throne beside her bumbling, clueless husband, do they?”

  “How much damage could a child king do?”

  The question made her frown. “Much more than a full grown man with his wits about him, that is for certain. Connor already acts impulsively if he sends these sailors as spies and allows them the freedom to bring their ship nearly to my own docks, delivering such an indirect threat as to fly a bloody banner. He is either foolish or over confident, and both will lead to nothing good.” Cursing quietly, she shook her head. “First Misuzu's father, and now this.” She thought a moment, her eyes drifting out to the rocking ship before moving to the side of Elas she could see, his human side. She reached over and took his chin in her hand, making him turn toward her. It was hard to keep her expression neutral as she examined the reversal of his humanity, especially when she felt nothing but pity. “How long has this been happening?”

  He looked down, unmoving as her eyes traced the line of scales that was crawling up his neck and disappearing into his hairline. “It started a few weeks into your recovery when we were all taking turns sitting with you.”

  “Did you tell anyone?”

  “Of course not.” He was disgusted with himself, that much was evident in the way he cringed at her question. “Like I said, it doesn't happen all the time.”

  Ashlynn rested her hand on his arm. “Elas, you have to tell Kenayde.”

  “What am I supposed to tell her, Ashlynn, that her fiancé is turning back into a monster?”

  “You are not a monster,” she objected harshly. “You never were.”

  Elas clenched his jaw and looked down, swallowing hard. This action alone made the hairs rise on Ashlynn's arms. “What are you not telling me?”

  Anger flashed across his face and he clenched his fist. “Nothing. I have it under control.” When Ashlynn didn't speak, he looked up to see her raise a brow of disbelief. “I...there are times when I feel a rage in me.”

  “Like when you were infected with the poison from the demons during the war?”

  He nodded. “It comes so suddenly and it makes me think about doing things I don't want to do...to people I would rather die for than hurt.”

  Ashlynn shifted, losing feeling in her lower extremities. “That settles it then. You and Kenayde will postpone the wedding until Tasarin can evaluate you and hopefully give you a stronger cure.”

  Elas looked at her with widened eyes. “We are supposed to be married in only a few days!”

  “Can we talk about this on the way back up to the castle? I think my toes may have fallen off in my boots.”

  With a pinched expression, Elas stood and offered Ashlynn a hand to help her up as well. “Sorry I didn't tell you about this once you came back. With everyone looking for Misuzu's father, I thought I might be able to handle this on my own and not have to add to anyone's burdens. I suppose it was divine providence that had us running into each other tonight. You needed to be aware of this.”

  “Are we speaking of the ship or your scars?”

  Elas glanced at her but said nothing in return. They were slow as they made their way through the woods, and once they were back on the path up to Altaine, they walked side by side without any great rush. “You have to tell Kenayde, Elas. I am not giving you a choice on the matter. Either you tell her or I will.” She could hear the low growl in his throat but was hardly effected. “Do you have any idea how hurt she would be if she found out you had been keeping this from her, not to mention if she found out from someone other than you?”

  “I won't hurt her.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “I would never hurt her.”

  Ashlynn sighed and shook her head. “Regardless. You have until tomorrow night, and stop growling at me like a feral puppy; it takes a great deal more than that to intimidate me.” A cold wind whistled through the trees, bringing the memory of the melody she'd heard to mind. Ashlynn stopped and grabbed Elas by the arm, a line of thought drawn between her brows. “Earlier tonight I heard something I have never heard before. It was like a song, but it was far away...light and sorrowful.”

  Elas nodded, the edges of his lips turned down. “It is a sound we've been hearing off and on for a few nights regularly, though I heard it once or twice before that. Cailin and I have been trying to track its source, but we have no leads so far.” He rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. “The only reason we decided to try to find the sound to begin with was because it affected Cailin strangely. I
t made her freeze in her tracks and feel out of breath...warm inside almost to the point of being in pain.”

  “Yes!” Ashlynn's grip on Elas' arm tightened. “That is what happened when it was heard while we were in Caedia. I didn't hear it then, but I heard it tonight and felt the same! Perhaps it is that we are Gaels. Not everyone is proud of their gifts or is even aware of them, so Luella's questioning may not have been enough to find that common thread. Did you have the same reaction?”

  He gave a sloppy shrug and shook his head. “Not really. There may have been a bit of a stirring within but nothing even close to what I saw take place with Cailin.”

  The answer made Ashlynn frown. “So much for that theory.”

  They walked side by side without saying anything else for a time. There was much to think about and Ashlynn was eager to discuss it with Jaryn in the morning. Whether or not the men from Ibays sailed for home this very night, they would be returning under the impression that Siness would have no idea of the impending attack, if that was what it should turn out to be, and would be sorely surprised when they found her strong and ready for whatever was coming. Where there had been urgency and fear before at the thought of an altercation with Ibays, Ashlynn only felt sadness now. There was no need for the fighting, especially among nations that had once been so close. If she could only meet with Connor herself and get an idea of where his head was in all of this, she might be able to reason with him.

  She did wonder about the strange call she'd heard as well, resolving to speak with Cailin before any great tasks were taken on in the morning. With the wedding swiftly approaching, she knew Kenayde was busy with last minute details and would welcome as much help and attention as Ashlynn could give her. Unless, that was, Elas spoke to her and both of them decided to do the wise thing and postpone the wedding until another cure could be sorted out for him.

  Glancing at the human side of his face, she remembered how he used to make sure he was always walking alongside of someone so that when they looked at him, they couldn't see the dragon on him. Already, he was resorting back to old habits.

  “May I ask you a favor?”

  Elas nodded, unaffected by the sudden breaking of silence.

  “Mairead will not let me in to see her, in fact, she hardly lets anyone in but the maids. Zarra says she is so disgusted with the way she looks and feels such disappointment in herself that she would rather be shut away and forgotten than return to service.”

  “I know all too well how that feels.”

  “Exactly.” Ashlynn looked up at him with raised brows. “If anyone can understand what she is going through, it is you. I thought, perhaps, you might speak with her.”

  Elas wrinkled his brow. “What makes you think she'll talk to me? If I've met her once, I don't remember it.”

  “It doesn't matter. You share something that no one else does. You have lived through this and come out on the other side.” As if to question her, he turned to look at her fully, both sides of his face visible in the moonlight. It made Ashlynn grimace. “You know what I mean. How many years did you keep yourself under that monastery? You know what it did to you. Mairead is stronger than any other lady in my service, but this will break her if she is left alone. Please, Elas. I ask you as your friend and future sister-in-law.”

  He sighed heavily, scowling as he focused on their path once again. “Alright, I'll try. Just don't expect a miraculous revelation on her part. If she even lets me in, it's going to take some time for her to get comfortable enough to leave her rooms...a long time. Trust me.”

  Ashlynn touched a hand to her heart and nodded. “Thank you.”

  “I'll speak with Kenayde in the morning as well.”

  Nodding once more, Ashlynn offered a smile of encouragement he refused to look at her to see. “She loves you, Elas. She will wait as long as it takes.”

  “It's the 'as long as it takes' part that I'm worried about.”

  Chapter Nine

  The next morning, Jaryn and Ashlynn breakfasted together in their rooms as Ashlynn eagerly told him of the events the night before. He was pensive as she told him of the Ibayish ship and questioned what it could possibly mean. When she casually suggested going to see Connor herself, almost certain he would be against it, he rubbed his beard thoughtfully in clear consideration.

  “I know we said before that it was a bad idea-”

  “You said,” Ashlynn corrected.

  He chuckled. “Alright then, I said...but they are looking for weakness from the throne. It would be a bold move to go into a country you were specifically told to stay away from and confront the high king.”

  Ashlynn lifted a brow. “Really? Bold? And here I was waiting for you to call me reckless.”

  “Why tell you something you already know?”

  She crinkled her nose. “Well, husband, aren't you cheeky this morning? I was thinking about bringing Rowan with me, thus removing two Elementals from the castle, should Misuzu's father ever show up. Connor is, after all, her half-brother. This might be a perfect time for them to meet and become aware of their relation.”

  “I don't know, love. A meeting between the two could go either way. The boy could be open to her or he may take it as a challenge to his throne.”

  “He has other living sisters who are older and would have more of a claim to it than she would. She is illegitimate, after all.”

  “Yes, but his siblings have rejected the position Connor now holds. Besides, what proof have we of Rowan's parentage besides rumors?” He tilted his head. “Really, what right have we to do anything with Rowan? It isn't as though she's our ward, let alone our own child.”

  Ashlynn sighed and sat back in her chair. “Point taken. All right, then I will give it more thought. Onto the next matters at hand...Elas, the wedding, that sound, the quest to find the missing six Elementals...”

  “All things that you have undoubtedly been thinking through since the wee hours of the morning.” Jaryn poured more wine for her to dip her toast into before giving himself more as well. “Let me hear it.”

  “I've already sent a messenger to Caedia for Tasarin and explained in great detail what seems to be happening with Elas.” She took a sip of her wine and held the cup in her hand a moment, gaze in faraway thought. “He says it only happens when he's tired, but there is cause for concern that it is happening at all. Will it wear off on all the other water dragons? If he is feeling the rage, will they as well? Could a poison truly last that long in a person?”

  Finishing his toast, Jaryn shook his head. “We are nowhere near beginning to understand much about these demons. I suppose anything is possible. It is odd that he felt nothing at that call, though.”

  “Isn't it? Especially if Cailin felt it. Once I make sure Kenayde is settled into her plans for the day - should plans be continuing forward - I will speak with Rowan and Misuzu. On the off chance that either of them was awake and wandering at that time of the night, surely they would have felt it. Hopefully Elas remembers to ask Mairead if she lets him in to see her.”

  Jaryn's brows came together, the edges of his lips curling into a frown. “I pray she does.”

  “As do I.”

  “Did you tell Tasarin and Luella in your message that we heard the call here?”

  “Of course.” Pausing, a pensive line formed between Ashlynn's brows. “Do you think this is a new tactic from Merrik or whomever? If anyone tried to attack one of us when we were so immobilized, there would be no contest.”

  Jaryn nodded solemnly. “I thought of that as well. Whether it is a spell that the sound casts or something that is dormant in some Gaels and can only be awakened by this music, we need to figure out a way to block it. I don't like the idea of you or anyone else being rendered helpless on a whim.”

  “Even if only for Lochlainn's sake, I agree.” She shuddered, picturing her son rendered so utterly helpless. “I never want to see him like that.”

  “Nor I,” breathed Jaryn.

  “We will simply ha
ve to put this business of the six missing Elementals on hold until this mystery is solved. If nothing changes between my sister and Elas, everyone will be here for the wedding so I pray this can all be resolved before then. Already there have been signs of fear in our regular courtiers. Those who are traveling here from other nations are expecting a celebration, not to be disabled by something no one can explain.”

  Jaryn finished his wine and sat back. “If this sound was heard in Caedia, and we have heard it here, it is likely that other countries have heard it as well.”

  “All the more reason to put an end to it.” Ashlynn took an intentional breath as she set her cup down. “I suppose it is time to face the day.”

  “How do you feel?”

  The question usually irritated her, but today, the question made her smile. She placed a hand on her stomach and rubbed gently. “Better. The wine helped.”

  “Good.” Jaryn rose and offered a hand to his wife, pulling her to her feet before wrapping his arms around her. “I have to make sure my girls are well.”

  Ashlynn laughed against his chest. “You are so certain, aren't you?”

  “Just hopeful.” He bent to kiss her lips as a knock came to the door. “And just like that, our peaceful morning is over. Come!”

  They parted as the door opened and a guard stepped through. “Princess Kenayde.”

  Ashlynn nodded with a wave of her hand and Kenayde swept in, her heavy red and white dress brushing over the stone floor. “Well,” her sister exclaimed as the door closed, “aren't you the color of cheer this morning?”

  “Why ever shouldn't I be? I have final preparations for my wedding to see to!”

  Jaryn and Ashlynn shared a look, but it was Jaryn who hedged, “Final preparations, eh? Pickle, have you spoken with Elas yet this morning?”

  She furrowed her brow. “Of course I have.” She looked at Jaryn carefully, scrutinizing the confusion on his face before giving a great nod of understanding. “Yes, I spoke with him. He told me everything.”