“Here, let me help you with that.” He watched as Fayne helped Aurelie fasten on her dragon-scaled breastplate. Kimala joined them and worked to fasten a bracer. Trendan saw that when all three women were standing next together, they all had similar features.
The ship jerked and thumped. Trendan felt it slow, and then the bow of the ship tilted up. “I think we are about to . . .”
All six of them tumbled to the front of the hold as the aft of the ship hit the ground. Lady Shey and Enowene had managed to slow the ship enough to make the impact more bearable. Trendan helped Bren up first as he was closest. Bren helped up Aurelie. The ship listed to the left, but the ground had been soft enough to make a furrow in which the ship rested upright.
Upon exiting the ship’s hold, Trendan could see that the dragons were already upon them. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and delivered it to the nearest dragon’s exposed eyeball. It screamed and rounded on him. He bounded out of the path of the oncoming dragon’s breath and rolled over the tilted wooden deck to relative safety.
“Kim—Fayne, get your mother to a safe place,” Morgoran yelled. It would be tough to explain to Malanor if Kimala showed up with battle wounds, Trendan thought.
Trendan nocked an arrow and looked for a clear shot. He knew a shot directly into one of the dragons would do no good; their scales were just too hard, so he waited for a moment when they opened their maws, exposing their soft tissue or when they exposed an eye. That’s when he saw him. Kaxen was casting essence from behind a mound of the dirt thrown up from the ship’s furrow. He carefully aimed the arrow at Kaxen’s head. The mortality of killing his friend welled up from somewhere inside him, and he hesitated. What had Kaxen done that was so bad? Why should he trust Morgoran more than his friend that he had known since Kaxen was a baby? Images of Della and Lourn Adair entered his mind.
He re-aimed his arrow at a green dragon trying to get at Lady Shey. He fired, and the dragon moved away from her, although his arrow did little to nothing to the drake. He moved out of his position to find Morgoran. The wielder was casting cascades of fire at Kaxen’s position. Trendan stopped and carefully lined up his shot. He loosed the arrow and grazed Morgoran’s shoulder, separating the old wielder from his side pack. Morgoran reached down to keep the pack from falling and took a direct hit of essence to his face. He fell to the deck, and Trendan sprinted for the pack as it fell behind Morgoran on the deck. Kimala was near enough that she also went for the pack. Trendan met her there at about the same time. He yanked the strap from her hand. “Nothing is as it seems, right?” He bolted from the deck to Kaxen’s position. He couldn’t see her, but he imagined that Kimala had an irrepressible grin on her face.
Trendan jumped over the mound of dirt to land beside Kaxen.
“Trendan, I almost incinerated you!”
“I almost shot you in the head. Looking for this?” He reached in the pack and produced the golden serpent.
“I don’t understand. I thought all of you were against me getting the tome.”
“I thought about it, and I realized that I trust you more than I trust anyone else. If you truly know what you are doing, then my loyalty belongs to you, my friend.”
Kaxen nodded. “Thank you, my friend. Let’s get out of here; there is no need to keep fighting.” Kaxen waved to the nearest dragon, and it landed at his side. Shadesilver flew in behind it, sending a torrent of fire down in the vicinity. Kaxen countered it with a well-aimed block of essence. “Hurry,” he said, “get on.”
Trendan secured his bow and joined Kaxen on the back of the dragon. It took flight, and they flew in the direction of Symbor.
Morgoran recovered from the daze of being struck in the face to see the green dragon flying away with Trendan and Kaxen. Moments later, the other dragons broke away and followed. The battle was over. He stood there swearing for a few long moments and then turned to the others. “I don’t want to talk about it. Just get this ship, or whatever else fool thing we can fly, and get us to my tower. We still may have a chance to get to the king of Symbor before Kaxen gets that last key.” He stopped next to Kimala. “I think it’s time for you to head back to Malanor. The more you are seen with us, the more you jeopardize your current station.”
Kimala nodded. “Give me a time to say my goodbyes to Fayne.”
“You have until we can get back on track to my tower.”
Kimala searched around the site and found Fayne sitting on a mound of dirt near the furrow of the ship. Enowene and Aurelie were with her. She joined them.
“Enowene, Morgoran feels that I should get back to Malanor before anyone else comes in contact with us and sees me with you.”
“I also think that would be a wise course of action.”
Fayne met Kimala as she turned from Enowene.
“Fayne, I must take my leave. I trust you will be safe here?”
“If you are referring to what happened, I think I can handle it. It isn’t the first time Trendan has done something like this to us.”
“I thought you would be. It’s only that I am your mother and I worry about you. You’ll see someday when you have children of your own.” She looked off at Asrion binding one of Sanmir’s wounds. “How is the other plan going?”
“The master was right—he is very shy when it comes to women. I have to work slowly and easy so he doesn’t scare. I will have him ready when the time comes.”
“I am sure you will. You are certain the issue with Trendan is not getting in the way?”
“Whatever issue there might have been, it’s gone now and has been since he tried to poison you.”
Kimala accepted the answer, but she didn’t quite believe it, especially when she saw Fayne glance up to the sky where Trendan rode away with Kaxen. While pacing back toward the ship, she saw that Lady Shey and Gondrial had managed to lift it back into the air, the rope ladder dangling loosely over the side. Morgoran was striding up with a cloak draped over his arm.
“Here, the boy left his cloak. Put it on and draw the hood tight. I thought you might go ahead and travel with us to my tower. I realized I can send you through the portal to Lux Enor, to Malanor.”
“That would be better than leaving me out here in the middle of nowhere.”
Morgoran turned without reaction and headed back to the ship. “I didn’t have to offer or bring her the cloak,” she heard him mumble.
The Brae Daun Thul hunted along the Jagged Mountains and onward through the grasslands. He knew how to track Kaxen by more than a scent—he knew how to track him by the magic he used and by the essence Melias had given him to help keep track of where he might be. He saw the strange shipwreck cradled in the middle of the grasslands, but he avoided it. He could not risk being detected. He traveled forward; he would reach his target soon enough.
Chapter 24
Asrion was thankful to be at Morgoran’s tower. He disliked traveling up in the air on an enchanted ship. The ship was not a pleasant place to be anyway. It no longer had any sails; it had a broken mast, a cracked and broken keel, and a giant hole in the starboard hull. As soon as they disembarked, Gondrial and Lady Shey left to take the ship back to Seabrey. Gondrial thought it might be funny to put the ship back on the dry docks where they found it. Morgoran protested them leaving, but Gondrial knew that he and Lady Shey would not be welcome guests in the king of Symbor’s palace. In fact, his and Lady Shey’s presence would have exactly the opposite effect of what Morgoran was trying to accomplish. After all, Lady Shey had taken a personal book from his library, and Gondrial had spent some quality time in the queen’s chamber, or so Asrion was told.
Fayne was still following him around. He tried to get away from her for a few moments after they arrived at Morgoran’s tower, but she always managed to find him. She was nice and very attractive, but Asrion wondered about her motives, not to mention that she was a bit too smothering for his taste, which was to be left alone most of the time. The Trendan issue was also weighing heavily on his thoughts. Morgoran seemed to
be almost obsessed with stopping Kaxen from getting the keys to the Tome of Enlightenment, but he never gave a good, convincing reason as to why. Asrion didn’t believe for a moment that Kaxen was capable of turning evil or that he would use the tome for destructive purposes on his own. He watched Aurelie as she was saying her goodbyes to Shadesilver, who was going to fly back to Draegodor to see if she could help with the damage. He wondered if Kaxen knew about Aurelie and Bren. It seemed all so silly. He vowed he would never get caught up in such a triangle.
As they entered the chambers that led down to the Migarath Portal, Asrion was disappointed that he would not get to see Kerad, Morgoran’s counsel and cleric of Loracia. He should have returned from Rugania by now but was nowhere to be seen. Morgoran opened the cellar-like door that led to the Migarath Portal, and they all entered the room, descending the narrow stairs one by one.
Morgoran manipulated the circular outer ring and opened the portal. “Lux Enor, Kimala, and don’t forget to change the origin point on the outer ring. I don’t want Malanor seeing that you arrived there by way of the Tower of Morgoran.”
“That is the fifth time you reminded me, Morgoran, I won’t forget.” She turned to Fayne. “Be safe, I will return when I am able.”
“Goodbye, and look after yourself,” Fayne replied.
Kimala bowed her head to Bren and Aurelie, gave an uneasy smile to Morgoran, and then stepped through the portal. Asrion contemplated what the uneasy smile might mean but quickly dismissed it as nothing. Maybe she didn’t want to leave her daughter and go back to that vile Malanor.
“All right, let me adjust this portal.” Morgoran manipulated the outer ring again, and the portal changed from deep blue to light blue and back to deep blue again, each time making a swooshing noise like someone stirring their arm firmly in a barrel of water.
“Enowene, I want you to look over your latest reports and get a message to me as soon as you can if any of your spies are reporting anything out of the ordinary.”
“I can assure you they will be. A lot has happened.”
“I mean incidents that you know we had nothing to do with.”
“Get along,” she said, pointing to the portal.
Morgoran opened his mouth to speak, and Enowene gave him a stern face. “I know my job; now get along,” she repeated.
Sanmir tapped Asrion on the shoulder and whispered in his ear when he turned. “I want to have a word when we can get away.”
Morgoran motioned for them to go through the portal.
On the other side, the chamber was once again dark as night. Asrion channeled some light in the palm of his hand so that Morgoran could see one of the sconces to light.
“In the old days, these sconces were kept lit all the time,” he grumbled.
“I don’t suppose there is any reason to keep them lit now,” Sanmir pointed out.
Morgoran glared at him.
Sanmir broke the stare. “Won’t the king’s guard react poorly to us showing up in the bowels of the castle this way?”
“No, they will not, because I know a way out of here that will put us in the foyer where we can be received right away.”
Morgoran led them through a series of stairways until they exited in the foyer that led to the massive doorway to the throne room. A steward stopped them short of entering.
“Name and business, if you please.”
“Morgoran of the Vale and party on urgent business.”
“Is His Highness expecting you?”
“Not unless he has a seer by his side.”
“One moment please.” The steward entered the throne room. A few moments later, he returned. “The king is indisposed. Please return tom—”
“Oh, for the love of fairies.” Morgoran pushed the steward out of the way and entered the throne room. “What is the meaning of denying us an audience, Occelot, king of Symboria?”
Asrion followed the others, who followed Morgoran into the room. An older, white-haired, thin man with a golden crown dressed in extricate purple robes and holding onto a gnarled wooden staff stood up vehemently.
“That is Your Grace or Your Majesty, Morgoran Cleareyes!”
“My eyes are blue, thank you, Your Grace. Now, what do you mean by denying me an audience? I turned you into a hare long ago, and I will do it again!”
The man shrank back onto his throne. “No, not that.”
Two guards stepped toward Morgoran. “I’ll turn one of you into a wolf and the other one a hare if you take another step.” The guards looked to the king, who waved them back.
Fool steward! “I told you not to admit anyone else today!”
“I told them, Your Grace, but they overpowered me.”
“You are useless. Leave us, steward,” the king commanded, his voice high-pitched and wavering. No wonder the queen preferred the company of a dashing rogue like Gondrial, Asrion thought.
“What do you want, Morgoran? I am a tired old man.”
Morgoran took a step closer to the king. “Has anyone inquired about your staff as of late?”
The old man’s bottom lip curled up with attitude. “No one would dare. This is my most prized possession.”
“Are you certain the staff is your most prized possession?”
The king looked lovingly at the gnarled, wooden staff. “One of them, aye.”
“I need to look at your staff.”
“My staff? Why?” He pulled it to him like Morgoran was about to steal it from him.
“You can keep ahold of it; I just want to look. May I approach?”
After a long moment, the king finally agreed, and Morgoran examined the staff.
“Well, it’s the real deal. That’s good news.”
“Indeed it is the real staff. I would never let this staff out of my sight!”
“King Occelot, Your Grace, we have reason to believe that someone is planning to come in here and take your staff from you. We would like to stay with you and make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“That will not be necessary. I have had this staff for more seasons than I can count. It is safe in my hands.”
“But, Your Grace, I know this to be a fact.”
“No, no, you don’t. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to find my chamber man and use the chamber pot.”
Morgoran did not move.
“You are not following me to do my business, Morgoran. Guards, escort him out, and don’t you mind if he threatens to turn you into anything; he is all flash and show.” The king began to hobble toward an exit next to his throne. It was clear that Morgoran did not know what to do. He opened his mouth to speak at the same unfortunate moment the king dropped to the floor and turned into a long-furred hare. The staff fell to the floor.
“Get him!” the left guard yelled and pounced on Morgoran. A bevy of guards poured into the throne room, and Asrion had to pull his mace to defend himself. Aurelie and Bren sprang into action in defense of Morgoran. Asrion had only a moment to glance back at the king, and he saw Kaxen with the staff exiting the throne room through the side chamber door. He had a moment of indecision, and then he bolted after him. Much to his dismay, Fayne noticed him running for the chamber door and followed. He tried to shake her on a short flight of stairs, but she was quicker than he.
“Asrion, I am with you. Are you going after Kaxen?” he heard her say.
Asrion stopped to face her. “I belong with my friend, Fayne. I have been thinking it over, and Trendan is right. We should be standing by him, not chasing after him. Besides, if I know Trendan, there is an arrow pointed at us right now, so you better make your choice quickly and wisely.”
“If you have faith in him, I will as well.”
“Good choice,” Trendan said as he jumped down from the top of the stairway. “This way.” He pointed to a partially opened doorway. He put his arrow back in his quiver.
Kaxen was waiting in the Migarath Portal chamber; he lit up when he saw Asrion with Trendan. “Asrion, I didn’t expect to see you.”
“Well, I may not understand what you are doing, but you have never lied to me or done anything to betray my trust.”
Kaxen turned to Fayne.
“I go where Asrion and Trendan go,” she said nervously.
Kaxen looked at Trendan.
“This is Fayne. I have come to know her pretty well. I think she will be all right,” Trendan said.
Kaxen took her hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Fayne said.
Kaxen patted Asrion on the back. “Excellent, let’s get out of here then.”
The four of them stepped through the portal—destination By’temog.
Rennon was pacing back and forth when Kaxen stepped through the portal, followed by Trendan, Asrion, and Fayne. He thought he would see the surprise on Rennon’s face when he saw Asrion, but instead, Rennon just grinned.
“I thought you might come around,” Rennon said to Asrion.
Asrion nodded. “I don’t know why it took me as long as it did.”
Rennon did, however, have a surprised look when he saw Fayne.
Asrion took Rennon’s gaze as his cue. “This is Fayne, and she’s with us.”
Rennon nodded. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Fayne said.
“Okay, everyone step out of the chamber,” Kaxen said as he ushered them up the stairs.
“Do you really need to destroy the portal, Kaxen?” Trendan asked. “So many of them are gone now already.”
“Since when did you care so much about such things?”
“I don’t know. I am kind of getting attached to these old buildings.”
“I can leave it, but Morgoran and the others will know where we went if I do.”
Rennon bolted down the steps and grabbed Kaxen’s arm. “It’s already too late.” The portal had begun to flash blue light and open. Kaxen pulled loose from Rennon and went back to grab the staff.
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