by Diana Green
She had an attractive jaw-line, strong but graceful. He admired the smooth slope of her throat down to the fine contours of her body, accentuated by the tight-fitting leather she wore. An appealing female, to be sure, but he didn’t dare forget her dragon nature.
Creatures of fire they were, burning everything in their path. Voracious in their appetites and ruthless in their ambitions. He couldn’t afford to be taken in by a tempting exterior. She was one of them.
For a moment, he pondered the possibility of a binding spell. Things would certainly be easier if she offered no resistance to his plans. But he couldn’t do it. He’d given his word, and for better or worse, that still meant something.
Glancing down, he saw the she-dragon had left him a meal. It looked like some sort of green-skinned eel. She’d cooked the flesh, to make it more appetizing. No doubt her dragon fire came in handy for such things.
Dubious, he took a bite. The meat was tender and sweet, if a little oily. His stomach growled in response, and he wolfed down the rest. All the meal lacked was bread and a good wine.
Now came the time to clean his bite wounds. The water in the lake looked inviting, cool and clear as crystal. He removed his blood-stained shirt and trousers, giving them a good scrubbing, before submerging for a bath.
The day was amply warm for swimming, despite a thin layer of clouds now covering the sun. He lay on his back, floating in the buoyant water, processing all that had happened.
His shame at opening the portal was genuine. Not till he’d seen the dark creatures pouring through, had he realized the extent of his error. The gateway never should have been opened. It risked the sovereignty and safety of his own world, an unacceptable gamble, no matter how potent his reasons.
But now he was here, in the other world. He might as well seek out the empress. There was a chance she could be Asahni, unless his fleeting impressions had been wishful thinking.
She might hold the key to ridding him of Turrok’s taint. What else but the ambition of a dragon would drive him to open the portal? It was a kind of blindness, akin to the dragon lords’ obsession with victory. He yearned to be free of it—once and for all.
Diving deep, he let the water drag against his body, wanting to feel clean inside as well as out. He reached the lake bottom and pushed off, surging up to the surface again. The sensation provided a pleasant distraction, if nothing else.
He waded into the shallows and retrieved his clothes from where he’d left them drying on the shore. Only then did he notice the she-dragon awake and watching. Was it possible she liked the look of him?
Frowning, he pushed the notion aside. What she thought of his appearance didn’t matter. She was a dragon. He couldn’t let himself get mixed up with her. Not any more than was absolutely necessary.
“You’re feeling better,” she observed. “Did the eel agree with you?”
“It was good. Thank you.” He pulled his pants on. “Did you have any?” It felt awkward, making polite conversation with her, especially while in the process of getting dressed. He preferred less exposure when dealing with a potential enemy.
“I ate about a dozen while I was swimming, earlier.”
“A dozen?” He blinked.
“I was in drake form, of course.” She gave a short laugh, her expression softening temporarily. “By the way, my name’s Valla. I thought you should know, since we’re going to be traveling together.”
“I’m Vadin.” He walked over and offered his hand. She stared at him a moment, then reached out and took it, giving one firm shake before withdrawing.
“I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but that might be overstating things.” Though she spoke casually, her eyes held emotions he couldn’t interpret.
Did she despise him less than before? Perhaps it was too soon to expect a change in attitude, but he seemed to be winning her over.
The thought brought an unexpected pleasure, and he quickly rejected the emotion. Why try to understand her? As long as she played her part in his plans, he shouldn’t care.
It was nothing but a waste of time, wondering what she felt. He had more important things to think about, like how best to locate the empress. He couldn’t afford to get distracted.
****
Hathos didn’t know where he was. He remembered standing in the sorcerer’s ritual circle, his life force being drained. Now he lay in a stone cage, along the side of a dark cavern. Faint phosphorescence slicked the rock walls and glowed in a shallow pool. It provided just enough light for his dragon sight.
There appeared to be several more cages, similar to his, arranged in a loose oval. All were formed of stalagmites and stalactites, fitted together like giant fangs. He could reach his arm through the gaps, but there was no visible entrance.
How did he get in without a door? And more importantly, how would he leave? Magic must have been used to create this dungeon, but it seemed nothing like the sorcerer’s tumbledown tower. Where, in Oatha’s name was he?
If the other cages held prisoners, he couldn’t see them. All was still and quiet, except for the plop of water dripping off the wet ceiling and falling into the pool.
He rose gingerly, feeling ancient and worn. The magical sourcing had taken much out of him, but it would have been worse for Oliana. She’d already suffered through a previous sourcing, after weeks of captivity.
Where was Oliana? She’d been standing next to him in the ritual chamber, but what occurred after that?
He soon found her unconscious, in the darkest corner of the cage. Her pulse felt steady, but her skin remained cool to the touch. Kneeling by her side, he took long slow breaths, concentrating on channeling healing energy into her body, through his hands.
The process helped calm his anxiety, though he still feared for Valla. Why wasn’t she with them? Had something even worse happened to her?
Across the cavern, torchlight flickered, and voices broke the silence. Someone was coming. Hope and trepidation warred within him as he strained to see.
A small party entered the cavern through a tunnel. He hadn’t noticed it previously, for the tunnel mouth lay in deep shadow. The group headed straight for him, led by a woman dressed in flowing white robes. Three cloaked figures followed behind, their faces chalky and hollow-eyed.
As the woman approached, Hathos found himself dazzled by her extraordinary appearance. Her hair was pale gold, as smooth and lustrous as satin. Every feature radiated perfection, from the fullness of her lips, to the delicate curve of her cheek.
Her body was the stuff of a young male’s fantasy, showing beautifully through the drape of her sheer garments. Head to toe, she appeared flawless. Even her skin was breathtaking, fair, and luminous as a dream.
Yet, despite her beauty, he noticed something brittle about her face, as if she was made of porcelain, not flesh and blood. Her eyes gave off an eerie, almost hungry light. They were sharp and hard as amethysts.
“Enjoy the view,” she said, arching a slim brow. “It’s all the pleasure I offer invaders of my realm.”
“We didn’t invade,” he protested. “I don’t even know where we are or what happened to us.”
“How disconcerting for you.” Her voice sounded soft and silky, but completely devoid of warmth.
“Are you working with the sorcerer who took Oliana? Did he bring us here?” Hathos felt too tired for diplomacy. Hopefully she’d answer his questions, even if they were blunt.
“My servants brought you here, as I commanded.” She took a step closer, pinning him with her intense gaze. “Tell me more of this sorcerer. What kind of man is he, that he can open pathways between the worlds?”
Between worlds? What was she talking about? Such magic was next to impossible, the domain of demons and eldrin of old.
“Answer my question.” Her violet eyes burned brighter. “I must know who he is, what his plans are, and where he’s hiding now.”
Hathos grunted. “How am I supposed to know where he is? I don’t even know where I am.”<
br />
“You can’t protect him from me. This is my realm, and absolutely no one challenges me. Understand?”
“I’m not trying to protect him! He’s a cruel bastard, and I’d like nothing better than to see him dead. Believe me, I wish I knew where he was, so I could tell you.”
“Truly?” She looked thoughtful. “I have ways of testing if you lie.”
“By all means, test me. I’m telling the truth.”
“Very well.” She raised a graceful hand. Her slender fingers glowed, the air around them rippling.
Pain lanced through his skull, as if she’d embedded daggers into the bone. Light exploded behind his eyes, and he fell backwards, gripping the sides of his head in agony. What was she doing to him?
“Please stop!” he begged, as she raked through his mind, her magic burning like white-hot claws.
“Not till I get answers.”
For a few moments he resisted, but his efforts proved futile. She was too powerful, a force as unyielding and destructive as a hurricane. There was nothing to do but submit and try to survive this tempest sweeping through his thoughts and memories.
Surprisingly, as she pillaged his mind, he also received insights about her. The information came in brief bursts, almost overwhelmed by the pain, but not quite.
He had the impression of tremendous age. Despite her appearance, she was older than any dragon he’d known, many times over. She came from the very dawn of time, born of that immortal race, the eldrin.
She had led the fight against the other-world demons, in the Great War, pursuing them back to their own world. It was she who saw them defeated and purged from existence, she who forged a new life for her people, here in this alien land.
But were her subjects grateful? No. The fools turned on her, trying to usurp her position and steal her power. She had been forced to make difficult choices, to secure her victories and maintain order.
Hathos sensed ancient bitterness, hurt turned to hatred, festering deep inside her. Friends had become enemies, and she made her enemies suffer. Blood stained her hands, but it was unavoidable. Everything came with a price, and she’d never been too faint of heart to pay.
She saw herself as a savior, a brilliant and strong ruler, almost a god. Any opposition was intolerable. It had to be stamped out, ruthlessly and without delay.
But for all her conviction, she was lonely. Isolation had taken a toll on her, planting a seed of sadness and regret. His empathetic nature perceived this one frailty, buried beneath her seemingly invincible power.
As suddenly as it started, the pain ceased. The eldrin woman dropped her hand, frowning. The connection between them severed.
Only then did he realize Oliana was awake, perhaps roused by his cries of distress. She cradled him in her arms, stroking his hair.
“You are a disappointment, Hathos son of Harith, son of Huroth,” the eldrin woman said. “I had hoped your mind held treasures. But it might as well be empty.”
“Leave him alone. He hasn’t done anything to you.” Oliana’s voice quavered as she spoke. Hathos could feel her hands trembling.
“Don’t worry,” he murmured. “I’m going to be fine.”
“That’s right, comfort each other.” The eldrin woman’s lips pulled into a hard smile. “There will be little else to soften your stay with me.”
“You’ve no reason to keep us here,” Hathos objected. “Why not release us? We’re of little use, surely.”
“I’m certain a use will arise. It’s not every day dragons appear on my back doorstep.” She turned away, speaking to her cloaked servants. “I want them kept alive, at least until I decide how they’ll serve me. Bring food and water, nothing else.”
The cloaked figures bowed, and the entire group departed the way they’d come. Hathos watched them go, his stomach twisting with worry. The situation had gone from bad to worse. Now he had a crazed immortal queen to deal with, and he still had to find Valla and get them all home. Goodness only knew how he’d manage that improbable task.
Chapter Nine
Vadin knelt, using a piece of rock to carve a small circle of arcane symbols into the hard-packed ground. It might not be pretty, but the magic would still function. Although he missed his staff, spell books, and other ritual implements, they weren’t essential.
“How does the locating spell work?” Valla asked, a mixture of curiosity and distrust evident in her face. “Will it draw a map for us?”
“No.” He closed his eyes, trying to remain focused.
“Will it paint a big arrow in the sky, pointing the way?”
“Be quiet. I need to concentrate.”
“But I thought you were so powerful, you didn’t need all—”
“Hush!” He opened his eyes and glared at her. “If you must know, the spell will give me a vision, one in which I see the empress and where she stands in relation to this place. If I’m not focused, I might miss something important. Now, go, do something useful like catching more eels.”
“Yes, your lordship.” She gave a mock bow, before turning and jogging toward the lake.
As she ran, her shape expanded, transforming from a tall athletic woman, to a great fire-breathing beast. Over the years, he’d seen dragons shift many times, but it still left him awestruck.
In drake form, her wings spanned more than thirty feet, with each leg as thick around as a tree trunk. Blue-green spikes adorned her head, neck, and serpentine tail, while her iridescent scales glinted in the sun.
She dove into the water, soon disappearing under the rippling jade surface. Apparently swimming came as easily to her as flying and fighting. He couldn’t deny she was an impressive creature. And like it or not, she had saved his life.
If not for Valla, snatching him up in her mighty jaws, he’d have been overcome by the empress’ horde. Each time he considered using sorcery on her, that fact arose. Without her he would be dead. At the very least, he owed her the honor one accords a respected adversary. He would not break his promise.
Drawing his focus back to the locating spell, he began an incantation. The circle of symbols ignited in the ground, giving off a dull glow. There wasn’t as much power as he would have liked, but it would have to do.
He closed his eyes, using his inner sight to ride the spell, as it shot like an arrow, straight for the empress. His awareness raced over the vast white plain, following the thread of magic. He flew past tall cliffs, forests of blood-colored trees, and dark barren hills.
Up ahead, he saw a castle—if you could call such an unlikely structure by that name. It looked to be made of hollowed out crystals, on a scale so massive, he knew magic must be responsible. The semi-transparent castle perched on an outcropping of rock, at the crest of a steep ridge, towering over the surrounding landscape.
Clearly this empress liked to make an impression. Her fortification was visually stunning and nearly impregnable. It held the highest ground, and the sheer crystal walls would be treacherous, if not impossible, to breach.
He rode the spell closer, hoping for a glimpse of his quarry. Before he could see her, a burst of energy blazed from the castle, sizzling back along the locating thread, catching him in the chest. He felt a tugging pain, as if someone snagged him with a fishing hook and line.
In the blink of an eye, Vadin’s spell reversed, snaring him in the empress’ magic. Given another few moments, she might locate him. He had to break contact before that happened. She was too dangerous, by far.
Shouting words of severing, he leapt up, scuffing his boot heel across the magic symbols, opening the circle and dissolving the spell. His heart raced, and sweat beaded his brow. How had she turned the tables on him so quickly?
“Is everything good?” Valla asked, approaching from the lake shore, hands full of dripping green eels. He’d been submerged in the spell trance longer than anticipated.
He simply nodded, not trusting his voice to sound calm. There was no point telling her what had happened. It would only complicate matters.
<
br /> “So you found the empress?”
“Yes.” He cleared his throat and gestured in the opposite direction from the lake. “She’s that way, what I’d call north, based on the movement of the sun.”
“Do you think those are the same hills we saw when the portal opened?” Valla pointed to a dark smudge, running along the horizon line.
“No. That’s a cliff, at least a mile high and many more across.”
“How do you know?”
“I saw it in my vision. Beyond that cliff the terrain changes to wooded hills. They go on for many leagues. I don’t know precisely how far, but it doesn’t matter. As long as we keep heading north, I’ll recognize our route.”
“If you say so.” She looked skeptical.
“You don’t believe me?” He couldn’t keep the irritation from his voice.
“Just once, I’d like to be the one having visions, so I’d see with my own eyes and know for sure.”
“Unfortunately, you don’t have the talent. So, you’ll have to accept my word.”
“Wonderful.” Her eyes narrowed. “You’d better not be leading me down a false path. Because if you are—”
“Remember, I want to find the empress as much as you do.”
“And why is that, exactly?
“My reasons needn’t concern you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Your reasons do concern me, very much. I want to know what you’re after. Why did you open the portal in the first place, and what are you planning now that we’re here?”
“I have no intention of discussing my affairs with you.” He crossed his arms. “In the meantime, we’re wasting precious daylight. I say we get on our way, while there are still a few hours till nightfall.”
She grumbled something under her breath but offered no further argument.
“It’ll be faster if you shift to a drake,” he said, “and I’ll sit on your back.”
She snorted. “Are you sure you’re up for that? It could be a wild ride.”
“I’ll manage.”
“You’ll have to figure out some way to carry these, if you still want them.” She thrust the slippery eels at him. “I already ate my fill.”