The Black Dragon: A Claire-Agon Dragon Book (Dragon Series 1)

by Salvador Mercer

  Olivia decided to let the remains of the shield speak for her as she gingerly laid the pack on the man’s table and took it out, uncovering it without actually touching the metal itself. “Look here,” she said.

  Markus’s eyes widened, and he reached across the table to turn what was left of the burned shield so it was more visible to him. “How came you by this?” he asked.

  “I’m very sorry, Master Markus, but my father sent out a search party three days ago and last night they returned with this. Do you recognize it?”

  Markus nodded. “It belonged to one of the duke’s champions and a member of our order. She would not part with it willingly.”

  Olivia nodded in agreement and looked down before responding, “Part of her was found within the leather straps on the inside.”

  “What do you mean, part of her? Be clear, child, for this is a serious matter.” Markus frowned as he sat down and left the remnant of the shield where it was lying.

  “The scouts found part of her arm attached to the inside of the shield. We fear that the entire company has come to harm.”

  Markus looked at Olivia, who glanced back up, returning his gaze, showing him that she was as serious as he was in the matter. “I’ll discuss this with your father later today. If there are remains, we will want them here to lay them to rest appropriately, and in accordance with our customs and rites.”

  Olivia nodded. “Of course, Master. I think we should send a party to look further, and I would like to lead it.”

  Markus looked at her incredulously before responding, “You can’t be serious. You know your father would never allow such a thing. It took you more than a year to even obtain his permission for you to study here. Here!” Markus smacked his hand down on the table to emphasize his point. “Inside the walls of this temple. He’d never allow you to roam the wilds, much less lead a group to do so.”

  “Perhaps . . . but we can’t disregard what has happened.”

  Markus waved his hand at her to be quiet. “No one is saying we will ignore such a thing. Of course not, but your father has sent scouts and we will investigate in due time. This news bodes ill, especially coming on the heels of the incident that occurred last night. These are troubling times, and this sort of harm is not something we are accustomed to, this deep in our realm.”

  Olivia leaned forward in her chair, before responding in a hushed tone, “I understand, Master, but you have few resources left to you. Most of our order has been conscripted into the duke’s service, and you are sorely understaffed here. Correct me if I am wrong.”

  “No, no, you most assuredly have your father’s astuteness for politics, despite your disdain for it. We are short-staffed, but so is everyone these days. Those blasted greedy sorcerers of Kesh are to blame for all this. Not sure why the king decided to work with them, but they have done more harm than good in all this. Why are you asking this of me, then?”

  “Well, because I can do more good out there than in here.” Olivia watched as Markus leaned back and closed his eyes, sighing. “You know I can do this, and you know that I am ready. Anoint me this midsummer’s eve and allow me to quest. You know it’s the right thing to do.”

  “Oh, Lord, child, why do you do this to me?” Markus opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. “Your father was already upset when I accepted you into training as an acolyte, and he practically made me swear to never anoint you to the order. That was literally one of his conditions for allowing the training in the first place, and it took you over a year to get him to even agree to this. How do you think he will agree to you becoming a defender of the faith in less than a week’s time?”

  Olivia shrugged, having had no intention to start such a debate with her mentor. That was not wise, she thought, but she chafed at the many constraints that her privileged life imposed on her. “I am sorry, Master Markus. This is obviously not the correct time to discuss my own selfish matters when you have so many issues to deal with.”

  Markus let out another sigh and sat back upright in his chair. “I understand your heart is in the right place, Olivia. That is all that matters. Perhaps we can discuss this when the duke’s delegation leaves? We have much to do in the meantime.”

  “Yes, that would be fine, Master. If you’re in agreement, then perhaps I can take the next two days off. Perhaps a small sabbatical of sorts while you are occupied—I can spend some time catching up on my reading. Lily is always chiding me for not sufficiently engrossing myself in my books.”

  “That would be an excellent idea. No hurry, but perhaps when you decide to return home, could you inform your father that I received your message and am most grateful for his assistance in this matter? If I don’t see him this evening, I’m sure our paths will cross, and we will discuss it further tomorrow.”

  Olivia stood and bowed, as was customary for an acolyte to a patriarch. “It will be done.” She took her leave and went back to the library, where she saw Lily engaged in conversation with one of the temple’s kitchen staff and decided to think over her next steps in solitude.

  She walked over to a shelf along the near side wall labeled with two small letters, “O.M.,” which denoted the small shelf as reserved for her, Olivia Moross. She looked for the large white leather-bound book, which illustrated a history of the town and region, and sat on her favorite plush chair near the fireplace after grabbing it from her shelf. The summer heat, and small size of the temple, was reason enough not to have had a fire in the hearth, but she didn’t mind. She lit a small brazier nearby and enjoyed the smell of the incense that wafted through the area, before turning her attention to the book.

  Now where was the section where she had read about a demon in the region during the last transit of Dor Akun? she thought to herself as she opened the large white book.

  Chapter 3

  Diamedes

  The town was abuzz with gossip and rumors when the duke’s caravan arrived a few hours after midday. The injured and wounded civilians immediately headed to the Temple of Astor as the rest of the troop met with the town’s prefect at his office in the middle of Tannis.

  Olivia could hear Lily’s chatter as they arrived; she sat her book down, stood up, and took a long stretch with her hands extended over her head. Not the most ladylike of manners. She could hear the words of her mother echoing in her mind, but she had a system: take liberties when no one was looking, and then put on a façade when necessary.

  She saw several wounded being led, or even carried away, to the guest quarters on the north side of the temple compound after they came through the gate. The servants, of both the duke’s caravan and the temple itself, busied themselves, taking luggage, packs, and other items from the carts and carrying them to the quarters for the guests.

  Several people in fine robes and clothes milled about before following the wounded to their lodgings, and several servants were heading to the kitchen with food packs in their hands. So typical, Olivia thought, that the upper class of Ulatha would bring their own provisions—no eating provincial food for them.

  One such servant appeared to be lost as he entered the great hall that served as the temple’s library. Lily apparently had gone off with the great historian Diamedes, and the other government officials, to see after their lodgings and had left her station at the front of the library unattended.

  “May I assist you?” Olivia asked politely of the older man, who was looking around in awe at the vaulted ceilings fifteen feet high, and the bookshelves covering most of the available wall space.

  The man didn’t look at her, but continued to gaze around at the many books and marbled columns that kept the roof elevated and intact. “So many books! Have you read them all?” he said, finally stopping to turn and look at her.

  Olivia stifled a laugh and swung her hair away from her face. “Of course not, good sir. There are far too many to read, or at least for one of my age to have read, but I do have a few favorites.”

  “Which ones would those be?” he asked, smiling
at her now.

  “Well,” she said, reaching over and picking up the book she had been reading for the last few hours. “This one can be a bit dry and stale at times, but seems somewhat relevant now, considering current events.”

  “May I?” he asked, holding his hand out for the book. Olivia gave him the book and returned his smile. “Yes, I see. A History of Pentost, which is a history of Western Ulatha, where we are now,” he stated simply.

  “Yes. Specifically the tome covers the area from the Northern Felsic Mountains to the Western Sea, and back around to the capital, covering the entire peninsula of Pentost as well as the plains north of here.”

  The man nodded happily. “You seem to know your geography as well. Well done. Is there anything of interest you find here?”

  “Regarding our town of Tannis?” she asked.

  “Yes, or close to this town. The area of Pentost is quite large and varied and covers several towns, and even cities much larger than Tannis.”

  “Well, there is a story I remember reading about a demon or something like a ghost or being from another world. Dor Akun was mentioned as a possible source for its existence as it often was sighted during, or close to, transit events when they occurred.”

  Olivia reached out for the book, but the man held it tightly. “Ah, yes, the demon story. Somewhat dated, and definitely not accurate, but this particular book is popular for its many stories.”

  “You mean facts, don’t you?” she said, pulling her hand back and looking him over in more detail.

  The man just smiled, and then handed her the book. “Of course, facts.”

  Olivia took the book and laid it down on the table by her seat. “I am quite sure this isn’t your first time in a library. Coming from Utandra, I’m sure you have seen the Great Library there.”

  “Yes, I have been there a time or two. A lovely place, and of course more books than you have here, but I was surprised at how many were in a provincial town such as Tannis. The temple seems rather well stocked, more than normal for a town of this size.”

  “Well, it doubles as a public library. There are no other libraries in Tannis but this one,” she said.

  “How convenient for the order,” he said.

  “What do you mean by that?” Olivia asked, with a slight frown, but before she could receive an answer, Lily returned breathing heavily but with a look of elation on her face.

  “Olivia! Have you heard? The caravan has arrived and . . . what am I saying? Of course you’ve heard! You’ve seen them, haven’t you?” She said, taking Olivia by the shoulders and guiding her back to her desk. “A good day to you too, sir. The kitchen is through that doorway there,” she said, motioning to the hallway opposite the one Olivia used to see Markus earlier that day.

  The man smiled and watched as the two women chatted and walked away, before he turned and headed towards Markus’s office.

  The evening came quickly, and the stars twinkled as Olivia sat on her veranda porch, waiting for her father to come out. She was enjoying a cup of hot tea with sugar and cream, and didn’t have long to wait.

  “How was your day, Father? Did you finish with your business?” she asked.

  Julian took some tea as well and settled into his chair. “Mostly, but there are a few things yet to be decided.”

  “Did you meet with the historian, Diamedes?”

  “No, he was otherwise occupied with his own affairs most of the evening,” her father replied, sipping gently on the hot liquid.

  “That’s odd. Lily looked for him and was disappointed that he was nowhere to be found. When I left, she was practically beside herself. Any idea why she is so obsessed with meeting him?”

  Her father smiled and set his cup down. “Diamedes is like a walking book. No, I take that back. He is more like a walking library. They say he has the ability to recall nearly anything that he has read, even just once, from memory. A bit dramatic I suppose, but at least you can understand the simple obsession of a simple librarian from a simple library in a simple town. In fact, the entire Order of Astor is devoted not only to the pursuit of justice and righteousness but also to the attainment of knowledge. I do digress—of course, you know this. You’ve been studying there for the last year.”

  “I understand the basic concepts, Father, yes, but the pursuit of knowledge isn’t the sole purveyance of the order. Several institutions pursue knowledge, including the Kesh.”

  “Well, we are a small, provincial town nearly a hundred leagues from Utandra, so her reaction seems appropriate, especially considering that she came here from the capital when she was just a child.”

  “That long ago, Father?” Olivia asked, setting her cup on the table. “She seems so old, much like that library of hers. It’s odd to hear you refer to it, and her, in any tense that implies the recent past, yet indicates that she has been here a very long time.”

  Her father just laughed and smiled at her. “That is why we study history, my daughter. The world, and indeed Agon and her daughters, is older than the mountains and older than the seas. We are but blinks of an eye in the time that she counts.”

  Olivia smiled back. “Now, Father, you are sounding more like one of those Arnen, those guardians of nature, than you do a proper Ulathan prefect of a provincial town.”

  “Perhaps you are correct in some small way. Our family lineage dates back beyond the last transit of Akun to this area, so it is only natural for us to think in terms of the environment here as being part of our family.”

  Olivia leaned forward, thinking now would be a good time to discuss her issues. “Father, I know you did not approve of the subject when we last discussed it, but my training is almost complete and I’d like to be anointed into the order next week. Osric is more than capable of assisting you in governmental affairs, and you know how much this means to me.”

  That definitely got his attention—he set his cup back down that he had just picked up. “You can’t be serious again. I thought we settled the matter over the New Year. Besides, you know how I feel about your brother. He would make a fine prefect, but he is hot-headed and we could use you at the monthly council meetings. You have a good rapport with the order and you are popular with the common folk. Besides, we have no idea when he will return from his duties in the North. In the meantime, that just leaves you and me here to manage things ourselves.”

  “Well, if you remember our discussion, it was to revisit the issue when my training was complete, and it is now almost finished,” Olivia said with a tinge of pleading in her voice.

  Julian frowned, but seemed less upset than she could have hoped. “I don’t remember it being exactly like that, but if you feel it is that important to you, then perhaps we can discuss it when things settle down a bit.”

  “Sounds like this may take longer than I was hoping for,” Olivia said, sounding somewhat forlorn at the news.

  “It’s for the best. Besides, we have certain tasks for you this month and need your help. I’m sure you understand,” Julian said, picking his tea back up.

  Olivia stifled a sigh. “Very well, Father. We can discuss this another time then, but I’m going to hold you to it.”

  “Of that I have no doubt, daughter.”

  “You know me too well, Father.” Olivia smiled and picked up her tea again as well.

  Markus frowned, mulling over what was just said at the informal meeting in his office chambers. He sat at his desk again, and this time a small fire crackled to his right as he faced two seated guests.

  Justiciar Basil sat facing him, refusing all drink or refreshment of any kind, and his dour look was not comforting. His companion was enjoying a glass of wine, which was a perk for the Astorians as they did not often partake in the drinking of fermented drinks, even though their religion did not expressively forbid it. The Lady Gemma was dressed in a lighter blue silk robe that allowed the air to flow a bit and was not only in style in Ulatha but also practical for the summer season. She exuded a holier-than-thou demeanor as well, whic
h was understandable, seeing that she was the duke’s cousin.

  “Are you sure of this, Justiciar Basil?” Markus asked, his face still frowning.

  “The part about the lack of resources, yes—the other information that Diamedes provided to us . . . not so sure.”

  Gemma sat her glass down on the table. “Oh, Basil, you are such a worrywart. Everything is a conspiracy with you. Next you know, you’ll be telling us the Kesh are in league with the Northern Barbarians.”

  Justiciar Basil shared his frown with Gemma. “Don’t be so melodramatic, Lady Gemma,” he said, using the formal title for his companion. “The Kesh interests lie with the Kesh alone. If they were conspiring with any other group, it certainly would not be the Northerners.”

  Markus looked at the glare that Gemma shared with Justiciar Basil and thought the sight of all three of them frowning, glaring, and scowling would be a tad too comical if the news weren’t so serious . . . or dire. “Now both of you, just stop. Take a moment to reconsider. We aren’t even sure how this war between the Drakes of the North and the Kesh Magocracy even began—”

  Basil interrupted rather abruptly. “But we do know,” he said loudly. “Diamedes has researched the matter and given a report to our king. The Kesh started this war, and over the last year managed to drag every other kingdom on Agon into it as well.”

  “That is not proven, and you place too much faith in one man.” Gemma waved his objection off while continuing. “I understand how talented he is, but that does not equate to the facts at hand. The Kesh came to our aid after our northern provinces were attacked, so that would contradict any findings of Diamedes.”

  “You should tell him yourself, my lady,” Basil said, turning to face Markus. “Have you discussed this with the man?”

  “In fact, I did discuss the issue with him this very afternoon,” Markus said.