House of Blood and Bone

by Kimberley J. Ward

  “Was that really necessary?” Hunter demanded, sitting up and glaring at Chaos.

  “I don’t know,” Chaos growled, “was it really necessary to get a room on the top bloody floor?”

  “Yes, actually, it was. The other available rooms just went to a group of traders from Vasindor. I’ll take this opportunity to add that we could have had those rooms if you’d bothered to book them instead of sitting on your sagging arse over in a dim corner doing nothing particularly useful.”

  Nessa stared at Hunter, wondering if he had lost his mind and wanted to suffer a horrifying and painful death.

  Chaos stomped forwards, shutting the door behind him violently. “I find conversing with humans who run this kind of establishment beneath me.”

  “You find everyone and everything beneath you,” Hunter muttered, lying back down.

  Nessa bit her lip, trying not to snigger, and watched Chaos, half-amazed that he hadn’t flown into a rage and killed Hunter on the spot. Chaos placed his bag on the bed furthest from her and hobbled over to the fireplace, walking stick tapping quietly on the flooring as it helped to keep him upright. His lip curled with disgust and he grumbled something under his breath, too low for Nessa to hear.

  Chaos held out a hand, palm facing towards the hearth.

  Wait for it, Aoife murmured in anticipation.

  There was a spark and a mighty whoosh of rushing air, and the fireplace was suddenly filled with roaring flames. Nessa jumped and shifted uneasily on the edge of her bed. Hunter, clearly used to the blatant display of magic, merely rolled his eyes, unimpressed.

  I love it when he or Orm starts a fire like that, Aoife said, her satisfaction leaking through their bond. I like fire.

  Nessa couldn’t help but smile. Do you, now?

  Yes. Fire is wild and fierce. Beautiful too.

  Just like dragons are?

  I suppose. Although I’ve never thought of it like that. Sometimes I feel like I could stare into the dancing flames for hours.

  Nessa gazed at the fireplace, at the flames, watching them coil and twist around each other in a hypnotising ballet of yellows and oranges, and understood where Aoife was coming from. Even tamed, fire was beautiful and powerful.

  I guess that liking fire is kind of required, seeing as you’re a fire-breathing reptile. It wouldn’t be any good if you were scared of it.

  No, Aoife laughed, that wouldn’t be any good at all.

  There was a quiet tap on the door, a timid knock. Nessa looked over, expecting it to be Orm. Since the door was unlocked, she expected him to saunter in, but he didn’t. Instead, there was another knock, a louder one this time.

  Hunter sat up. “That must be the dinner I ordered.”

  Chaos grunted.

  “That was an indication that I wanted you to go open the door.”

  Chaos made no indication of moving from where he stood.

  Nessa went to stand when Hunter rolled off the bed and strode over to the door with long-legged strides.

  “I’ve got it,” he said for Nessa’s benefit, casting a scowl in Chaos’ direction. “You need to rest your feet. Otherwise, they’ll swell up to the size of watermelons.”

  Nessa grimaced at her feet. “That’s an unpleasant thought.”

  Hunter grinned at her as he pulled the door open. “Just you wait until tomorrow. You’ll be wishing that you had taken Orm up on his offer of giving you a piggyback.”

  “Oh, I am already.” Nessa was dreading the time when she was to take off her shoes to survey the damage.

  “Ha, live and learn,” Hunter chuckled, stepping aside to allow a woman entry.

  Nessa faintly recognised her as one of the servers from downstairs, one who had been behind the bar. She was older than the others, but only by a handful of years, her hair peppered with silver, yet still thick and worn long. She was carrying a large tray ladened with everything a group of tired, hungry travellers could want for their evening meal.

  “There we go,” she said, placing the tray on a small table that was tucked away in the far corner. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

  “That’s everything,” Hunter purred with a winsome smile. “Thank you, Lannie. It’s much appreciated.”

  “And well paid for,” Lannie replied with a wink as she left the room.

  Hunter closed the door behind her with a grumbled, “Don’t remind me.”

  “And what do we have here?” Nessa murmured, going over to the table, eyeing the collection of dishes wolfishly.

  “We have toad-in-the-hole, mash potato, a selection of mini pies, gravy, sweetcorn and peas bathed in butter, and my personal favourite,” Hunter grinned from ear to ear, “a large jug of their finest ale for us to share.”

  “Why, Hunter, I think you’ve spoilt me for choice.”

  Nessa set her sights on a toad-in-the-hole, fully intent on smothering it in thick gravy and mashed potato. Her stomach grumbled greedily at the very idea. She pulled out a chair and sat, sliding a plate in front of her.

  Hunter followed suit and patted the third chair. “Come on, Chaos. Eat up before it gets cold.”

  Chaos scowled at what was on offer. “I’m not eating that. It’s common human muck.”

  Hunter set down the serving spoon, drawing in a deep breath. Nessa quickly snapped it up, filling her toad-in-the-hole with the creamy mash, watching the ensuing argument with amusement, smiling faintly.

  All they do is fight.

  I know, Aoife sighed. The animosity between them never ceases to amaze me.

  “This right here is the finest ‘common human muck’ that this lovely establishment provides.”

  “Then both it and you have very low standards,” Chaos sniped.

  “If it’s good enough for Nessa, then it should be good enough for you.”

  Nessa’s fork, which was heaped with food, paused halfway to her mouth. “Don’t bring me into this.”

  Aoife was in hysterics.

  “It’s not good enough for me,” Chaos snarled. “I prefer my meals to be less dense.”

  Hunter’s left eye developed a twitch. “Dense?”

  “And with flavour,” Chaos continued gruffly. “Something like a nice soup, or maybe a vegetable broth. And some tea. I want some tea as well.”

  “Since you seem to know what you want, why don’t you go downstairs and order yourself something?”

  “As if this place serves anything that’s actually edible,” Chaos scoffed. “I bet their soup is only fit for animals or prisoners. Nope,” he shuffled over to the door, “I shall decline your offer of dining with you and go elsewhere for my dinner.”

  The door slammed shut behind Chaos, and Hunter turned to Nessa with a smirk, picking up the serving spoon. “Now, we’ll be able to enjoy ourselves without him.”

  “You orchestrated that little dispute just to get rid of him, didn’t you?”

  “Maybe.”

  Chapter 14

  Nessa sat curled up on a window seat by herself, nursing a half-pint of ale and a very full stomach, idly watching the sunset. Hunter had eaten and drank enough to send him into a coma, and was sprawled across his bed, snoring softly.

  Taking a sip from her tankard, Nessa absorbed the sight of the clouds turning pale pink. The advantage of having a room on the top floor was the view. While the inn wasn’t the tallest building in all of Arncraft, its attic room still presided over most of the surrounding buildings, allowing Nessa to see over many of the town’s roofs.

  Much of Arncraft was shown in silhouette, a dark sea of pointed roofs and tall chimneys. Windows had their shutters pulled closed, but even so, here and there, thin seams of light could be seen, indicating that someone was home. Unlike in larger towns and cities, there were no large lamps in the streets. That fact didn’t close the market for the night, though, nor did it stop people from venturing from their homes in search of a meal or an evening of entertainment.

  Nearly all of the market’s stalls had their own little lanterns, and light
streaked across the street from the windows and doorways of other inns, taverns and shops that were still open for business. It was quieter than it had been earlier, but not by much, and even though Nessa had the window shut, the sound of laughter and conversation seeped through the window’s thin glass. There was an air of celebration about.

  The light from the street didn’t reach further than the first floor, and the attic room was only lit by the glow coming from the fireplace. Without Chaos’ magic keeping the fire lively and bright, it had dwindled in size and ferocity, and had slowly climbed over the logs that Nessa had fed it a short while ago. The room was warm, and the subdued light made it feel cosy and snug.

  Nessa took another slurp from her tankard, unable to decide if she loved or hated ale. It was malty and bitter, and yet heavy and warming. In any case, Nessa found herself continuing to drink it, even after Hunter had stopped urging her to.

  The sky darkened to a deep-cobalt blue, and then eventually turned black. A scattering of silvery stars was visible, pinpricks of light that accompanied the luminosity of the moon, which sat heavily in the sky, low and full, a watchful presence over the town and its inhabitants.

  Leaving her roost, Nessa went over to the table, wondering if there was any ale left. She was in need of a top up. She doubted it, though, considering how much Hunter had drunk. By the end of their meal, he should have just done away with his tankard and drank straight from the jug.

  Whilst not desperate for more ale, Nessa needed something to do, not yet tired enough to snuggle into bed. Her companions were either asleep or absent. Nessa found herself growing bored and a little lonely. Aoife was fast asleep. Nessa could sense this through their bond, the quiet hum of Aoife’s dreams brushing gently against her mind. No one should ever wake a sleeping dragon. She contemplated going downstairs to see what Orm was getting up to, but didn’t think that was the best of ideas. She was also unwilling to negotiate with that many stairs. Her feet had only just stopped hurting. Her new shoes, having only been worn for a couple of hours, were already moulding to her feet. The leather was soft and forgiving.

  On her way over to the table, something caught Nessa’s eye. A bag sat on a bed. Chaos’ bag. The one with that strange book of his.

  Nessa bit her lip, her eyes darting amongst a comatose Hunter, the door and the bag. She wondered if it was a good idea to have another look at it.

  Probably not.

  Nessa found herself going to the bag anyway.

  Listening for any sound of approach from the hallway, Nessa kneeled down and opened Chaos’ bag.

  The book was tucked safely in the middle of the bag, wrapped in a couple of shirts to hide its distinct shape. Nessa pulled it out and carefully rearranged the bag so that it appeared untampered with. Taking the book with her, she hurried over to the fireplace, sitting down cross-legged in front of it.

  With the book resting on her lap, Nessa ran her fingers over the metal front cover, her fingertips brushing against decretive ridges and dips. An image was intricately etched onto it, no inch left unadorned. There were plants and flowers, and a variety of fungi, including some that Nessa had seen earlier during the journey to Arncraft, small and spotted. Ones she had yet to see were amongst them, fanciful ones with wide brims and curled tips. Scattered around, hidden in the wild collection of flora were skulls: mice skulls, bird skulls, deer skulls and even a human one.

  Nessa searched for any sign of a name, a title, anything that might give a clue as to what was written on its soft vellum pages.

  There was nothing obvious.

  Turning the book, Nessa peered at the lock, intrigued by it. How was it meant to be opened? There was no keyhole, just a little indentation in its place. By accident, one of her fingers grazed over it, dipping into the hollow just a little. A sharp stab of pain pierced her fingertip.

  Nessa jumped, startled, almost dropping the book.

  She looked down and found a small bead of blood gathering on the tip of her finger, a pinprick of vivid red.

  Nessa stared at the scarlet droplet, feeling a peculiar silence settle over her, a silence that steadily grew, devouring the room, enveloping the town.

  Everything had fallen eerily silent. The low murmur from the marketplace had ceased.

  Frowning, misgivings growing, Nessa stood, quickly tucking the book into her bundle of wrapped clothing, and hastened over to the window. Opening it, she poked her head out.

  The street was crowded with people, but they were still, quiet, peering at each other and up at the dark sky questioningly. Nessa listened intently, wondering as to what had captured so many people’s attention. At first, she didn’t hear anything notable, just the occasional hushed whisper from below.

  Then a sound reached her ears, a deep thrum that resonated through the air, coming and going in a leisurely beat.

  Nessa scanned the sky for the source, but nothing obvious showed itself.

  There was something about the sound, something that was almost ominous.

  Her Rider’s Mark started to tingle, cutting off her train of thought. Nessa reached out her mind, thinking that Aoife was behind it, only to find that Aoife was still fast asleep, oblivious to the world around her. Then, it dawned on Nessa. The sound was remarkably similar to that of a dragon in flight, large membranous wings working the air in a slow, unhurried pace.

  But if Aoife was fast asleep, then that could only mean…

  Nessa left the window, dashing to Hunter’s side, her heart practically in her throat.

  Please let me be wrong, she prayed as she shook Hunter, trying to wake him even as the sound grew ever closer. Please let me be wrong.

  Hunter’s eyelids fluttered and he groaned. A hand swatted at her weakly. Nessa easily avoided his half-hearted blows as she continued to shake him into alertness.

  The wing beats were growing frightfully close, the very air trembling with their strength.

  Empty dinner plates and cutlery began to rattle, falling off the table one by one, landing on the floor with blunt bangs.

  The glass windowpanes started to quiver.

  People in the streets shouted and cried out.

  There was a mighty roar of wind, the sound of something huge— monstrous— hurtling through the sky at an alarming speed.

  Hunter leaped up, his eyes wide. The blood left his face, turning it bone white.

  “I know that sound.”

  The pressure in the room changed, making Nessa’s ears pop. She turned to the window just in time to see a huge dragon soar overhead, blotting out the moon and stars.

  That’s when the screaming started.

  And the town began to burn.

  Chapter 15

  The flames were quick to spread, catching on exposed timber frames almost immediately. Any buildings with thatched roofs were incinerated in a heartbeat, standing no chance against Dragon Fire. Within seconds, much of the town was engulfed in a blaze that burned hotter and stronger than any normal flame could ever hope to, hot enough to melt glass windowpanes. Great plumes of putrid smoke rose high into the starry sky, swiftly creating a cloud of cover that reflected the firelight grotesquely.

  It was by no small miracle that Nessa and Hunter managed to make it out the attic room before the dragon did another flyby, fire blasting from its mouth in a manifestation of the beast’s hatred and anger. Hunter pulled Nessa down the stairs at a break-neck speed, hurtling around corners and careening into walls with bruising force. Nessa clutched his hand, letting him propel her forwards, preferring to be bruised than burned alive.

  The Blackened Cauldron was filled with smoke, thick and choking. With her free hand, Nessa pulled her shirt up over her nose, trying to create a pocket of fresh air to breathe. Judging by the burning in her lungs, she wasn’t very successful.

  They made it to the ground floor in record time, accompanied by a panicked group of people who sped past them as soon as they were free from the stairs, knocking into them when Hunter pulled Nessa to an abrupt stop. He turned
towards the nook where the card game had been held, his bag acting as a crash mat as Nessa skidded into him, a corner of Chaos’ book digging painfully into her shoulder. As they’d fled their room, Hunter had the sense to grab his bag and shove her bundle of clothing inside it, seemingly not noticing the book in his haste.

  Tables and chairs were overturned, knocked aside as people fled the roaring flames that now swallowed the far wall, devouring wooden beams and bricks alike, almost liquidising them. The bar was reduced to little more than a pile of spitting embers, and hissing fingers of flames streaked across the floor and ceiling, hungry and vicious.

  Get out of there before you pass out! Aoife ordered, her urgency crashing through Nessa’s mind. Orm’s outside! Find him before he gets caught up in a stampede!

  You’ve talked to him?

  Yes, and I still am. He’s trying to convince me not to come and help you.

  No! Nessa shrieked. Don’t come here. There’s another dragon! It doesn't seem to be a very friendly one either!

  I know there’s another dragon. I can bloody well see him from here. He’s setting the entire town on fire.

  Oh, really? I hadn’t noticed.

  Now is not the time for sarcasm.

  If I can’t be sarcastic when it feels like my blood is boiling, then when can I?

  After you’ve got out of the burning town.

  Nessa tugged on Hunter’s hand, shouting, “Aoife says Orm is outside.”

  Hunter looked confused. Nessa wasn’t sure if he could hear her over the howling of the fire, the wails of people in the streets. She sucked in a breath. Instead of air though, she breathed in smoke and ash. Her lungs screamed in protest, her chest contracting. Nessa was gasping, her body rebelling against her, coughing and choking with enough force to rattle her bones.

  Hunter abandoned his search of the room and grabbed Nessa’s wrist, pulling her along behind him.