Dragon Boy (Hilda's Inn Book 2)

by Cyn Bagley

  “This is Michael?” The dragon smiled at him. Her eyes laid him bare. If he had been a dragonslayer, he could have slit her throat. Her human form gave him pause though.

  Then he heard Hilda speak He had forgotten that she was standing by him. “Yes, this is Michael.”

  “Last time I saw him,” the dragon said, “he was so sick that he couldn’t move. You feel better now?”

  He nodded his head. “You don’t remember?” she asked. Before he could be entranced by the fire in her eyes, a cold hand clutched the back of his neck.

  “Good Dragon,” Michael said, formally. “I don’t remember much until I was taken to the Inn.”

  “I gave you my blood to heal you,” she said. “You are my mage. Oh, good.” Her eyes closed and he could feel her element scan him from head to toe. The undine squealed a little and then was very quiet so the dragon wouldn’t see her.

  “You are healing well and you have an elemental. Miss Undine, please show yourself.”

  He could feel the undine go even colder. She stood beside him and Hilda looked a little concerned at him. He shook his head to say he had been careful.

  The dragon crooked her finger and the undine walked toward her. The dragon put a shield around the two so they could talk without Michael and Hilda hearing. Michael was not happy.

  Still he turned to Hilda. “Why are you here?” Michael asked. He couldn’t tell her about Kayla.

  She told him of the white road. He had heard of these devices. It was something that could be powered by the divine spark in even the most mundane person. When a mage stole power from someone else, he didn’t use the power within. The setup sounded like black magic.

  “Did Davi kill this road?”

  Hilda frowned. “No, when he started to dismantle it, the maker showed up. A dragon. He found the dragon’s name and banished it. When the maker was gone the road crumbled and was gone too.”

  “And Davi?” Michael could hear the worry in his own voice. He liked the boy and even though he was basically a dragon, he would become a good mage some day. For a boy who didn’t even shave yet, he was already powerful.

  “He is unconscious. I think he’s gone.” He could hear the sadness in Hilda’s voice.

  Michael felt the undine return to him. It stood next to him openly. The dwarfs still stood at the small entrance to the cave.

  The dragon smiled at him. She opened her mouth and he could count each tooth. They were a shiny white ivory. He looked into her eyes. The smile had reached there. “May we formally meet?”

  “I am Varia, she-dragon of the Draco tribe.”

  She slid a hand toward him; her nails were claws.

  He touched her hand and said formally, “I am Michael Ordson, brother of Hilda Brant and Madam Mary Rose of Delhaven.” He bowed low.

  “You are also Michael, beloved of dragons, rescuer of Davi, fighter of the Grimoire, and rescuer of dragons.”

  Michael looked surprised and glanced at Hilda. She shook her head. He would get the entire story out of her about how Davi got him to Delhaven. Funny that he hadn’t wondered before.

  A dwarf moved forward and handed him a sword. It glowed and then went dim. “This is a dragon’s claw,” Varia said to him. “We thank you by giving you this gift. The one who carries this is welcome in all the clans.”

  Once the formalities were finished, Varia looked over her gold nest. She sighed. “I hoped that Davi would get better in my gold. We need something more.”

  She eyed Michael. Not a friendly look this time. “You were in the company of the blacksmith. Where is she?”

  Dragon Cave

  Michael Ordson

  Michael immediately thought of Elita and how she had done so much to keep Kayla from the hands of the dwarfs. He answered the question with a question, not denying that he knew the blacksmith. “What do you want with her?”

  It was Hilda who answered. “If you know where the blacksmith is, you must tell us. She is the key to bringing Davi back.”

  “Would you give up a little girl to a life of slavery even for a member of your family?” he asked her.

  Hilda looked up at the dragon, “Varia, slavery?” she lifted an eyebrow at the dragon. The dragon looked down. Dragons couldn’t look ashamed, but the tone of her voice sounded sad.

  “We need them. So they are property. You have human as property. I have heard of slavers operating in the outreaches of the kingdom.”

  “Not here and not now.” Hilda said. She sounded disappointed. “I cannot help you claim this blacksmith if he or she…”

  “She,” said the dragon.

  “If she is a slave, then I cannot.” Hilda might be past her prime, but Michael knew she would challenge the dragon. They wouldn’t win the fight; he could feel the undine shivering. Okay, they would be slaughtered, but the dragon and the dwarfs would be hurting when it was done.

  A dwarf walked up and stood between the dragon and Hilda, “May I be of service.”

  The two looked at the dwarf. He was dressed in black clothes that were covered by a leather apron. His knit hat covered the top of his head. He was taller than the usual dwarfs and reminded Michael of Elita around the eyes.

  Varia, the she-dragon, bowed her head and backed away. She could have changed to her dragon form in a moment and breathed fire on them, but she didn’t. Hilda looked emotionlessly at the dwarf. “Nothing you can say,” she looked him in the eyes, “will make me change my mind.”

  “We are not slaves,” said the dwarf. Michael looked at the leather apron. It had burn marks from cinders. His hands, that were turned palms up, showed callouses and burns, showing that he did work with the forge.

  At his right hip hung a hammer on a leather tie. At his other hip was a small sword. Michael had never traveled toward the slave markets. They were illegal in the kingdom. Slave traders operated on the borders and took people to the Southern kingdoms to be bought and sold.

  This dwarf, obviously a blacksmith, was not a slave—not in the typical sense.

  The dwarf sighed at Hilda’s words. “We are bonded.”

  “Like bond-servants?” Hilda’s voice went high with uncertainty. The kingdom did have bond servants. These people sold their services to the highest bidder. They were free in five to ten years. They were not property, but their services and skills were owned by their masters. They received food, clothing and, sometimes, money depending on their skills. The money for the bond usually went to family or tribesman. You would see many tribes sell bondservants to the more wealthy families.

  Some young men and women could be trained in apprenticeship skills through bonding.

  “No,” said the dwarf. “We are magic, so a contract wouldn’t work. We are bonded. Blacksmiths need the influence of a dragon and the blacksmith stabilizes the dragon.”

  “What do you mean?” Hilda was not going to give in to this dwarf. Not even a little bit.

  “We are magically bonded to the dragon, and the dragon is bonded to us. We belong to each other. To the dwarfs, once a blacksmith becomes bonded he is now the property of the dragon. When a dwarf is not bonded he is the property of the clan. When a dragon is bonded, she,” he nodded his head at the Varia, “is bonded until I die.”

  “Why does Davi need a blacksmith?” was Hilda’s next question.

  Suddenly Michael understood. Hilda had never been trained, so she didn’t know what happened when a mage over-extended his magic.

  “Hilda,” Michael said gently. He touched her shoulder so that she would look at him. “Davi will die without his blacksmith. He did a large piece of magic. Yes? He lost a large part of his soul. Yes?”

  Hilda nodded her head at each yes.

  “His only chance is to have another magical being bond with him. There is no way to heal such a loss of soul. As the bond grows, his soul will grow with it.”

  “What happens if the bond is severed?”

  “It will be painful to both of them.” Varia’s voice bounced in their heads. Michael winced at V
aria’s next words. “This bond only severs at death.”

  “What about the girl? Do you promise that this will be done with her consent?” That was when both the dwarf blacksmith and the dragon looked uncomfortable.

  Hilda’s mouth tightened as she forced the words out. Michael could feel the sudden rage radiate from her body. “You must have her permission. Davi will not be happy otherwise… and neither will I.”

  A dwarf ran up to the blacksmith. Hilda put her hand on her sword and then relaxed. Michael’s legs shook and he took some deep breaths. Standoff averted. Hilda was not giving in on this point. No bonding unless the girl agreed.

  The blacksmith turned to Hilda, “We will ask her now.”

  Kayla walked into the cavern. Her hair was dirty and she smelled of smoke. From her expression she looked like she was going to cry. Michael tried to walk toward her, but the blacksmith took hold of his arm. The dwarf was strong and held him easily with one hand.

  “We must ask her now,” the blacksmith said.

  “No.” Michael tried to pull away from the dwarf. “We need to find out why she is in this state. You can’t coerce her.”

  “Very well,” said the blacksmith. He turned toward the girl. “I am your grandfather.”

  Kayla spit at him. “I have no grandfather. You are a fraud.”

  “No, girl,” he said. “I am your grandfather.”

  His words enraged her more. “My mother — why did you leave my mother. You left us in the hands of HIM.”

  “I think,” said Hilda. “We need to be talk to Kayla alone.” She put her hand out, but Kayla ran toward Michael instead.

  “Save me,” she whispered to him. He took her hand. Hilda was already walking out of the cavern. The two of them followed her. The dwarfs didn’t follow them.

  Kayla was too upset to say anything until they reached a small room off a hallway. The room had been carved out of the mountain. There was a bed in the center, and a wooden chair next to a small desk. Hilda sat down on the bed and patted it. Kayla sat down beside her.

  Kayla gasped and shivered. She began to wail as if her heart would break. Hilda pulled her into her arms and caressed the top of her head. She whispered, “I’m so, so sorry, little one.” For a long time they sat like that. Michael wanted to leave, but Hilda mouthed the word “no.” He sat down on the wooden chair and waited.

  Kayla began with “She’s dead. My mother is dead.” She wailed and between sobs told of the trap, of the wards, and the ogre. She told how her mother had saved her and then was killed by the ogre.

  When she finished, neither Hilda nor Michael had a dry eye.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Dragon Cave

  Kayla Hellswarth

  Hilda pulled Kayla against her chest, and Kayla sank into her warmth. It was like her mother was holding her. The tears burst from her eyes and she cried until there was nothing left. Her wails filled the room with despair. Michael dipped a wash cloth into a basin and handed it to Hilda. When Kayla finally looked up, Hilda washed her face as if she were a little girl. The cold washcloth against her face eased the hot tears.

  They sat on a bed in a cavern room carved into the mountain. It had roughened walls and in the corner a trickle of water slid down. A basin caught the drips and filled slowly.

  Hilda whispered comforting words. Even though Kayla knew she was among her enemies, Hilda’s kindness stopped her from hardening her heart. She was still angry at Michael. He knew her story and had still led her right to them. Kayla sniffled.

  A small part of her mind traveled and cried about the injustice of it all. She had lost her mother and now she was in the care of strangers. No one. No one. She wanted to be free. She refused to think of what it would be like to be at the beck and call of another creature. She was not a servant. She was not a slave. She belonged outside in the clean air under the blue sky.

  “Tell us about your mother,” Hilda said softly. So Kayla told the story of the ogre and the wards. They had slept the night in an ogre’s barn and were found by it. The ogre had pretended that they could work off their debt, although now, she was certain he was going to eat them. Then her mother found the bones. The ogre had been glamored so they had been unaware of the danger.

  Hilda gave Michael a look.

  Kayla continued. They tried to leave, but the wards stopped them from leaving the property. Her mother had spent her magical essence to make a hole and push Kayla through, but her mother didn’t have time to make it through. It was then that the ogre caught her.

  Kayla stopped speaking. She closed her eyes against the memory of her mother’s death. But she couldn’t forget the screams, the blood, the flesh and the ogre’s grin as he munched on her mother’s leg. The memory made her so sick that she started to heave.

  Michael poured the water out of the basin and held it in front of her as she heaved the rest of whatever was in her stomach into the basin. The taste was acidy and her stomach kept heaving after it was empty.

  Kayla wiped her mouth with a washcloth. Michael went out the door with the basin filled with vomit. He came back with a new basin and some clothes for her.

  “We need to talk to you later,” he said kindly. Hilda patted her shoulder; then the two of them left so that she could clean up and rest.

  She tried to rest, but her mind whirled with blood and death. Suddenly she knew that she could leave. She could feel the path out of the mountain. She was a dwarf after all. She could run. She could feel the mountain’s heartbeat. It was strong, friendly and soothed her fears. She fell asleep listening to the mountain’s heartbeat. It sounded a little like her mother’s.

  Dragon Cave

  Hilda Brant

  Hilda’s clothes were spattered from the little girl’s vomiting. She didn’t care that Kayla was the prophesied blacksmith who would help the Dragon King clean the taint from dragon kind. She was just a girl and one who had been taught that if she gave into the dwarfs, then she would be a slave forever. Kayla had no choices and it made Hilda angry.

  She was still angry after changing her clothes. Before she could even decide what to do, she needed to find Varia’s blacksmith. She wanted to know why the girl accused him of leaving them with “HIM.” Who was he? What had happened to Kayla?

  The main question was “Why would Elita save her child from an honor that most dwarfs would have accepted?” There was more behind this than she had been told. She was also angry at herself. Instead of asking these questions before, she had accepted that the only way to save Davi was to find his blacksmith. She liked Davi and she didn’t know this supposed blacksmith.

  Now that she knew who the blacksmith was, she also knew that this girl was brave, resourceful, and powerful. She had been able to break the time loop with just a little help. Hilda had served with Kayla’s mother, so she felt a responsibility to the girl. She could not hand over this girl to the dragons and dwarfs without knowing more. And if she didn’t get answers that made sense or were morally right, she would take this girl away. She felt a sharp pain in her heart. She didn’t want to choose between the two young ones.

  Without Kayla, Davi would slowly die from starvation. The dwarfs knew ways to keep his body alive for months, maybe even years, but the result would be the same. The dragonling would die.

  She looked in all the main caverns for Varia. Last time Hilda saw the she-dragon, they had been in the cavern near the nest. Now Varia was suspiciously absent. She couldn’t ask the dwarfs. They were slaves. Although, for a bunch of slaves, Hilda was surprised they had autonomy.

  Hilda stopped in the middle of one of the tunnels, not knowing where she should go. She looked around and a young dwarf girl stopped. She seemed to know that Hilda was lost. She took Hilda’s hand. “Come,” she said.

  The dwarf girl led Hilda to a kitchen, which was set up like the kitchen at her inn. One of the cooks was punching dough. While Hilda watched, the cook handed her some dough to punch. Everyone worked in the kitchen, no exceptions. So Hilda felt her emotio
ns ease as she gave the dough a good thrashing.

  The anger was gone. Still she felt a heavy sadness emanate from her chest. There was no good solution to make Kayla content and Davi alive. If Hilda couldn’t talk to Varia, then she needed to talk to Varia’s blacksmith.

  She gave the dough another punch. A voice behind her said, “I hear you have been looking for me.” It was Varia’s blacksmith.

  Hilda kept her head down and punched the dough again and again. He stood quietly behind her. When Hilda could get her voice under control, she turned around. There was flour all over her face and her clothes. She would have to change again to be presentable for dinner. Still she didn’t know how magnificent she looked to the dwarf who was twice her age. She was the epitome of a warrior woman.

  “Tell me the story of your leaving.” Hilda put her hand up in a “stop” gesture before he could speak. “You will have to convince me, because that little girl’s welfare is in my hands.”

  He looked deep into her eyes. It was deep enough that Sassy got a little restless. Then he looked down. “Very well,” he said. “But not here. This conversation needs to be in private.”

  Hilda followed him out of the kitchen, through several tunnels that wound through the mountain. After they walked uphill for a short distance, they reached a library. In the back of the room was a small table with two chairs. “Here,” the blacksmith said. He pulled out a chair for her.

  “No one comes here much except the dragon.” He sat down across from her.

  He smiled at her; then his face went still. “Let me tell you a story of pain and terror.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Dragon Cave

  Kayla Hellswarth

  Kayla had no idea how long she had been asleep. When she woke, the soft lighting in her room confused her. One of the reasons she hated being underground was that she couldn’t tell if it was night or day. A single candle burning on a small table near the bed didn’t banish the shadows in the corners.

  She felt alert and for a moment she didn’t know why she was in this room, why she had been sleeping, and why she was dressed in a gray tunic that matched the color of the rough walls. For a moment she was neither happy or unhappy. She turned toward her mother, but her mother wasn’t there. Then the memories flooded back. She dropped onto the bed as the tears rolled down her checks. She rubbed her eyes hard to stop the tears. She sniffled and then felt a hard rock congeal in the middle of her stomach.