The Blacksmith Queen

by Aiken G. A.

  “Stop! Stop!” Samuel yelled. “I need to go back!” But the horse—and now Caid realized it was the gray mare that Samuel was riding—kept going.

  He honestly did not blame her.

  With a screaming, half-eaten elf hanging from one of his fangs, the dragon leaned down a bit. Caid was ready to rear up again in hopes of protecting Keeley from the lava it would spew. But it didn’t spew anything. No. It simply growled out, “And where do you think you’re going?”

  And instead of Keeley screaming and attempting to run away, she leaned around Caid so she could ask with surprise and what sounded like delight, “You can speak!”

  “Really?” Gemma screeched. “That’s what you have to say?”

  And for once, Caid really had to agree with the War Monk.

  * * *

  “Why are you yelling at me?” Keeley wanted to know.

  “Maybe,” Gemma growled, “because he’s going to kill us and you’re worried about whether he can speak or not.”

  “Kill us? But I saved him.”

  Gemma, sitting on Quinn’s back, leaned in a bit and loudly announced, “I don’t think he gives a fuck.”

  “He should.” Keeley looked at the dragon. “You should. I saved your life! If it wasn’t for me, you’d still be trapped in that cave!”

  The dragon gazed down at Keeley as he picked the screaming elf off his fang, stripped the elven armor off with a talon, and placed him fully into his mouth. He chewed. The screaming stopped but the crunching began. When he swallowed, he said, “You took my gold.”

  Laila’s head dropped. “You stole his gold?”

  “We need the gold for the dwarves. I had to take it.” She looked up at the dragon. “You understand that, don’t you?”

  “No.”

  Keeley slid off Caid’s back and walked closer to the dragon, shaking off Caid’s hand when he attempted to grab her.

  “We didn’t trap you in there,” she reminded the dragon. “And if you hadn’t attacked us, we wouldn’t have fought back. We did what we had to do to survive. But after it was over, I was the one who removed the cuff. I could have left it on you.”

  “You thought I was dead.”

  “I wasn’t sure, actually.”

  “So you expect me to be grateful?”

  “Yes.”

  He glanced at the centaurs. “She doesn’t know about dragons, does she?”

  “We don’t have dragons in these lands,” Laila explained. “Which makes me wonder why you’re here at all.”

  “The elves found me when I was returning to my homelands from the dwarf cities. I was taking the underground tunnels and had stopped one night to sleep. When I awoke I was chained like some human slave and trapped in that cave. They would occasionally feed me with convicts or anyone who’d annoyed their king. But otherwise, they let me starve.”

  “And the gold?”

  “They buried it near me. And it was pretty. So I took it.”

  “None of that matters. Keeley’s right,” Laila pointed out. “She did save you.”

  The dragon looked off, but that didn’t stop Laila.

  “She saved you, dragon. Let her go.”

  “No,” Keeley cut in. “Let us all go. They’re my friends. They’re with me.”

  The dragon didn’t answer; he was still glaring off into the distance.

  “Hey!” Keeley yelled up at him, ignoring the startled gasps behind her when she grabbed a rock and threw it at the dragon’s chest to get his attention. “I’m speaking to you!”

  Eyes wide, the dragon slowly looked down at her. “Did you just throw a rock at me?”

  “Yes. I’m trying to talk to you.”

  “I could melt your face off and eat your friends. I always did like the taste of horse.”

  “Do dragons not have honor? Because it seems to me a being of honor should—”

  “Honor?” He motioned to the wolves. “Do those things have honor? Your little demon dogs?”

  “They’re wolves,” Caid corrected. “What?” he asked when everyone stared at him. “They are wolves.”

  “They’re loyal to me, but they protect my friends,” Keeley explained “So yes, they have honor. More honor than you seem to have.”

  “Well, it was nice knowing everyone,” Keran announced, waving at the centaurs. “Since it looks like we’re all going to die together.”

  The tip of the dragon’s tail was suddenly right in Keeley’s face. Not touching her but so close she saw that it could easily be used as a weapon. It was pointed, like a very large metal arrowhead.

  “I don’t like you,” he said, his voice low.

  “I have to admit . . . it’s mutual. But you can’t say that I’m wrong.”

  He didn’t say anything, simply moved around them all. Keeley thought he was just going to unleash his wings and fly away. Or, if he was really determined to see her dead, he’d unleash his lava and actually melt her face off. Just as he’d threatened.

  But with his back to her, he finally crouched down and buried his claws directly into the dirt.

  Confused, Keeley moved closer to see what he was doing.

  “Keeley, stop,” Gemma warned.

  “But—”

  “Trust me.” Her sister reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her back beside the centaurs. “He’s a mage.”

  “So?”

  Her sister didn’t answer because the dragon had closed his eyes, bowed his head, and started to chant.

  “What’s he doing?”

  “I’m guessing . . . he’s getting revenge on those who have truly harmed him.”

  Keeley didn’t understand. Well, she understood revenge but she didn’t understand what putting one’s hand in the dirt was supposed to do. The dragon was a mage, so maybe he was poisoning the ground or something . . . ? Or calling up ghosts? Or whatever mages do. What did they do?

  To answer, the ground beneath them began to shake and buckle and then that shaking and buckling shot across the land, heading right for the forest of the elves.

  And once it reached the forest, the rumbling became worse and the screaming began.

  “Stop!” Keeley yelled. “What are you doing?”

  She moved toward the dragon but her sister’s grip on her arm was iron.

  “Leave him be, Keeley!”

  “But there are children there! Old people! It isn’t fair to do this to all of them!”

  “He doesn’t care,” Gemma said. “Just let him have his revenge.”

  But what kind of revenge? Keeley heard the screaming and the ground was still shaking but she didn’t know what was hap . . .

  “Oh, by the gods,” Laila gasped out.

  It grew up and out of the ground in the middle of the elves’ forest. It just grew and grew and grew, destroying everything in its way until it was all Keeley could see.

  “Is that a . . . volcano?” Keran asked.

  It was. Keeley knew that as soon as it began to spew lava and big orange balls of fire.

  And just like that . . . the wood elves lost their home.

  The dragon pulled his claws out of the ground and looked down at Keeley. “Consider yourself lucky, human. You and your friends. We’re now even.”

  Without another word, the dragon unleashed his wings and took off into the air. But he didn’t fly away; instead he turned over and dove toward the ground. Their entire travel party scrambled out of the way as the dragon hit the ground and dug into the earth in seconds. He vanished, leaving a giant hole behind for them to stand around and stare into it until an explosion had them spinning away to face the elves’ forest again.

  Keeley only had a second to see the volcanic fireball screaming toward them before Caid picked her up and took off running once more.

  Keeley watched over Caid’s shoulder as the boulder landed hard, and the world around them exploded, sending the centaurs and the humans they were helping tumble hooves over head.

  When they finally stopped rolling, Keeley pulled herself out of
Caid’s arms and stood. She gazed at exactly where the red-hot boulder had landed . . . in the hole that the dragon had left. He’d blocked his exit so no elves could follow him home.

  Gemma stood beside her and sneered, “I’m so glad you released that dragon, Keeley.”

  “Oh, shut up.”

  CHAPTER 25

  The two brothers were in the middle of another one of their arguments when Emma slammed down a carafe of ale and three steel mugs.

  “It’s late,” she said, also slamming a wooden platter of bread, cheese, and dried meats on the table next to the wine. “And you two nattering bitches haven’t stopped fighting once!”

  Grumbling, the brothers leaned back in their chairs and refused to look at each other.

  Fed up, Emma reminded both men, “Our babies are out there, risking their lives, and you two are just going at each other. I can’t stand it another second!”

  “He took what was mine!” Archie accused.

  Emma finished pouring out some ale, shoving the cups in front of each man. She picked up her own and dropped into a chair, putting one leg up on the table.

  “If you’re talking about me—”

  “I am!”

  “—I was never interested in you.”

  “How could you say that to me?” Archie asked, pressing his hand to his chest. “You loved me.”

  “No. I didn’t. But I do care for you as my husband’s brother. That’s why you’re still breathing.”

  Angus laughed as Archie’s eyes narrowed on her. “You’re a cruel woman, Emma Smythe.”

  “I am. Now let’s eat and drink and not annoy me anymore.”

  “Then what fun will we have?” Archie asked.

  Emma chuckled, bringing her cup to her lips. But she stopped before drinking and gazed at Endelyon. Her young daughter. She held the little hammer Keeley had given her tucked into her elbow, both hands rubbing her eyes.

  Placing the cup down, Emma asked, “What are you doing up, little bit?”

  “Can’t sleep. Too many horses coming. Is Keeley back?”

  Emma looked at her husband and his brother.

  “Farlan? Cadell?” she called out to their protector centaurs. “Where are you two?”

  “Under the stairs, getting ready for night watch. Why?” Farlan shot back.

  “You need to get out here now,” she told the centaurs as she swung her legs off the table and tore off her skirt. She’d been wearing it to hide her chainmail leggings and all her weapons from the younger children, not wanting to panic them.

  She went to her daughter and picked her up. “Let’s go get your brothers and sisters up, yes?”

  * * *

  The attack started as soon as Emma disappeared up the stairs to round up the children. The attackers had a battering ram and were banging at the door.

  Archie tossed Angus a sword and shield. They’d already blocked the door when they’d settled in for the night.

  “How long do you think?” Angus asked.

  “Before they take the door down? Not sure. But they’re coming.”

  Brothers faced the blocked door together, shields and swords raised.

  “You know,” Archie said as they waited, “I built this place out of stone so they couldn’t set fire to it and trap me inside.”

  Angus glanced at him. “Do you worry often about people trying to kill you with fire?”

  “Yes.”

  Deciding they didn’t have time to debate that, Angus continued to wait. After a few minutes, his wife and children rushed down the stairs with the centaurs. The eldest ones helped the younger ones, and Emma with the very youngest tucked against her breast in a sturdy leather sling he’d built for her. The centaurs had their weapons out and were keeping everyone moving quickly toward the tunnels Archie had built under his home.

  “Let’s go, gentlemen!” Emma ordered.

  “You go,” Angus replied. “We’ll catch up.”

  “Angus Farmerson!”

  His wife’s bellow had Archie pushing him toward her. “Just go, Brother. Before she tears both our balls off!”

  “Come with us.”

  “They’ll not make me leave my home, Angus. No one will make me leave my—”

  Angus dragged his brother toward the tunnels as the front door was finally battered open.

  The two brothers ran into the hallway, where the door to the tunnel was still open, but Angus heard men behind them.

  He turned, brought down his sword. His brother used his shield to slam another into the closest wall and finish him off with a sword slash to the throat.

  More soldiers poured in, wearing the colors and crest of Prince Straton.

  “Come on!” Emma yelled from the stairs.

  “Go!” Angus ordered. “Now!”

  “Angus—”

  “Go!”

  He heard the door behind them slam and the brothers continued to fight until three arrows hit Angus in the right part of his chest. He stumbled back, and his brother stepped in front of him.

  Angus worked to ignore the pain and the way it became harder to breathe. He stepped back up to the line and pushed at his brother.

  “Go to them, Archie. Take care of my family.”

  “I’ll not leave you, Brother!” Archie bellowed. “I’ll kill them all!”

  “Archie, no!”

  But it was too late—his brother waded into the charging men, swinging his sword and shield; screaming like a crazy man.

  Angus snatched open the tunnel door with his good arm. “Archie!”

  “Go, Brother! Go!”

  Archie swung his shield, knocking the unit of men back. Then he stopped, stared.

  “Huh,” he muttered, shocked at what he saw. “Horses are in my house,” he got out before the horses were trampling poor Archie into the ground.

  “Owwww!” his brother cried out. “You bastards!”

  “Get up, idiot!” one of the horses demanded and that’s when Angus saw a human arm reach down and grab hold of Archie, pulling him back to his feet.

  “Hearn,” Angus said before he realized he was on his knees and bleeding out onto the ground.

  “Oh, no you don’t, you old bastard.” Hearn helped Angus up. “I’ll not face that daughter of yours and tell her I lost her da.”

  Hearn took a quick look around until his gaze stopped at the stone entryway leading to the hallway. “Your brother’s not that big an idiot.” He pointed his sword. “Kel! The ceiling!”

  The biggest of the battling centaurs, a massive stallion, pulled the war hammer he had strapped to his back. He swung it left and right, knocking the soldiers out of his way, and then up. He struck the ceiling once, twice . . . and stones began to drop. The centaurs shifted to their human forms and dashed into the hallway. The soldiers that followed were hit by the falling boulders that now blocked the hallway off from the front of Archie’s house.

  “Move! Down the stairs!” Hearn yanked the door open. He jerked back as a sword-wielding blacksmith came at him from the stairway.

  “Emma, no!” Angus yelled. His wife immediately stopped when she saw him. “He’s a friend. Now go, go, go!”

  Emma ran down the stairs, the centaurs following. Hearn still had his arm around Angus’s waist.

  Archie moved in front of them. “This way!”

  It took them little time to catch up to the children. That’s when the centaurs shifted back to their natural forms, lifting the screaming children and placing them on their backs.

  Once the older ones realized they were being rescued and not massacred, they calmed the others, who were now just excited to be riding on the centaurs.

  “So you really do have centaur friends,” Emma said, moving while simultaneously trying to stop the bleeding from Angus’s wounds.

  “Told you. And Hearn’s not just a centaur either. He’s a chief.”

  “Well, who knew you were so important.”

  “You just never listen, woman.”

  She chuckled a little befo
re barking, “Hold.” Hearn stopped so she could break the ends of the arrows off. “We’ll leave the tips in for now. Go!”

  Hearn helped Angus onto the back of the big stallion with the war hammer. “Hold on, old friend. Don’t let go.”

  Angus grinned as he watched Hearn place his wife on his back. No, he wouldn’t let go. Not now. Now when he could finally tell his wife, “Told you so!”

  “Let’s move!” Hearn called out. Then he motioned to Archie. “Come on, idiot.”

  Archie snarled as he ran after them; Angus’s brother refusing to mount one of the centaurs. “Stop calling me that!”

  * * *

  Caid dropped several rabbits by the fire and looked around. “Where’s Keeley?”

  “She went off that way.” Laila pointed toward a small group of trees. Much too small to be a forest, but it was near the lake they’d found a few hours earlier.

  “She’s in a mood,” Gemma muttered while sharpening her steel weapons.

  “Maybe because you kept starting slap fights with her all the way here.”

  “She started it!”

  “How old are you?” Caid wanted to know.

  “Here.” Laila handed him a thick blanket with some dried meat, bread, and a bottle of ale. “Take this to Keeley. Make sure she eats.”

  Caid started to walk off, but his sister briefly pulled him back to whisper in his ear, “Maybe if she spends the night away from her sister, we’ll all get some sleep.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Don’t keep her away on my account,” Gemma snapped, apparently hearing Laila’s words. “I can ignore the whiny bitch forever if I have to!” she yelled out toward the trees.

  “She hasn’t said a word since we left elf territory,” Laila reminded her.

  “It doesn’t matter. I can see her whining through her eyes!”

  Quinn laughed at that bizarre statement and Gemma’s snarling at him to “Shut the fuck up!” did not help the matter.

  Caid shifted to human and followed Keeley’s scent until he found her sitting with her back against a large tree.

  He sat down next to her, spread the blanket in front of them, and put the food out.

  “Here. You should eat.”

  “I’m not sure I’m hungry,” she said, still continuing to stare off.