Dragon Flight: Sisera's Gift 3 (Dragonblood Sagas Book 5)
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Table of Contents
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Author’s Notes
THE BLOODLANDS
AFTER DARK
’Sisera’s Gift 3
DRAGON FLIGHT
Book 5 of the DRAGONBLOOD series
SISERA’S GIFT 3: DRAGON FLIGHT© copyright 2017 Robyn Wideman
Published: Sept 2017
Publisher: Magicblood Media Corp
Co-author: Alex Mathys
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Author’s Notes
THE BLOODLANDS
AFTER DARK
1
“Get down!”
The shout came from the right of Kai. He immediately dropped to the hard-packed dirt of the forest road. The voice belonged to his old friend Jaime so he knew he could trust the warning. A moment later, a barrage of arrows struck the trees behind him.
“Thanks,” Kai whispered as he felt the adrenaline begin to surge through him. He leaped to his feet and into action. He pulled three arrows from his quiver and quickly targeted a group of bowmen attempting to take cover in the underbrush. Kai ran into the road and took his shots when he had the best angles. He dove behind a large fallen log but the sound of three bodies crashing into the brush told him he had hit the marks.
Where in the hells did they come from? Kai peered over the log to find his next targets. He saw the slightest movement from behind a tall oak tree. Instantly he was on his feet, charging ahead to find an angle for his shot. The man peered from behind the tree and saw Kai running but it was too late. Kai’s arrow struck him in the chest, the force throwing him back.
Jaime. Kai had to find him. He scanned the woods around him but the dense tree growth cut off his sightlines dramatically. He could hear indiscernible sounds coming from the distance.
Staying low, Kai crept back toward where the initial attack came from. He found the bodies of the three men he had shot. Two were dead but the third still had breath in his lungs, even if he was unconscious. Kai quickly searched the dead men for clues as to their identity but found nothing except nearly-empty coin purses and worthless knickknacks. Highwaymen. Kai shook his head. Almost killed by petty thieves. Kai could almost find the situation amusing except for the many lives that depended on him staying alive and accomplishing his mission.
In the corner of his eye he saw a flash of movement. He stayed low, using the brush as cover, listening intently. Something was running toward him. More likely someone. Kai stayed hidden until the last moment before jumping from his hiding spot to confront the runner, pulling a long hunting blade from a sheath on his boot. As he pushed through the bushes he slammed into the man, sending them both crashing to the ground. Kai recovered quickly but found the man in no shape to resist. The highwayman remained where he had fallen, knees tucked closely to his chest and weeping.
“Did you get him?”
Kai turned to see his friend, Jaime, running toward him clutching a bloodied sword and dagger.
“Oh, you did! Ugh, is he crying?” Jaime had a look of disgust which made Kai laugh. His friend had a face that could make any woman swoon, except if she could see him now.
“Are there more?” Kai asked.
“No, he was the last one, I’m sure. I got four of the buggers, two dead, one escaped, and this one, crying like a baby.” Jaime kicked the weeping highwayman who curled tighter as his sobs got louder. “You’re pathetic,” Jaime yelled at the crying man as he wiped the blood from his blades on the man’s pants before sliding them back into their sheaths.
Kai shook his head and thought about what he would do if he ever found one of his men crying in a ball on the ground. It would never happen as he was commander of the elite and battle-hardened group of soldiers known as the Daxrah, protectors of the Dragonblood Princess. He was certain there was nothing in the world that could turn one of his men into a sloppy mess the likes of this highwayman.
“I hit four as well. Three dead. The fourth is unconscious in those bushes,” Kai said, as he walked toward the shrubbery. He pulled the man out by his leg and lay him next to his crying, sobbing comrade.
“What do we do with them?” Jaime asked, giving Kai a knowing wink.
“I suppose we should just kill them,” Kai said, a wide grin crossing his face.
Sure enough, as the words left his mouth, the sobs of the highwayman began to intensify.
Kai shook his head and replaced his blade in the scabbard on his boot.
“I mean, they deserve it. How much would you bet these fellows rob and kill indiscriminately? I bet they kill women and children,” Kai said, pacing around the crying man.
“I wouldn’t take that bet,” Jaime said, a grin forming on his face as well. “They hide in the bushes instead of facing their victims face to face. They probably steal from the church as well.”
The highwayman’s cries took on a vague sound of protest but no actual words were being formed. Jaime and Kai exchanged amused looks.
“Are there more of your people waiting for us?” Kai said forcefully.
The weeping ball shook his head.
“Why should we believe you?” Jaime asked just as forcefully.
Violent sobbing was the only response.
Kai motioned to Jaime that they were done. Without another word the two men walked away, leaving the man to cry in peace. They picked up the same trail they had been following before they were attacked.
“Was it this dangerous the last time you came this way?” Jaime asked.
Kai thought back to his previous journey to find the witches coven. They were following the same route from North Port but things felt different this time. The last time he made the trek into the eastern mountains of Droll he was accompanied by his friends Adina, a healer, and Oshri, a crazy, old wizard and they had no troubles along the way.
“Could be a sign of the times, I guess,” Kai said, “Word is all the major kingdoms have begun to stockpile food and supplies in case there is war with the dragon’s again. That leaves less for the common man.”
“Oh, why did you have to
say that?” Jaime said with a groan, “Now I feel bad about killing those highwaymen back there.”
“There is no excuse for ambushing and thievery. They got what was coming to them,” Kai said sternly.
Jaime nodded. “Still though. They probably have families who now have to suffer on without a provider.”
Kai punched Jaime in the shoulder and gave him a nasty glare. “Stop it. For all we know, yes, they could have families. Or, what is more likely, is they are drunks who don’t want to work for their ale money so they prey on travelers. They are disgusting humans and we have done them, and the world, a favor.”
“OK, OK. I get it,” Jaime held up his hands defensively. “I’m sorry.”
“Let’s move faster. We need to find a camp soon and I want to put as much distance between them and us as possible,” Kai said, the scowl remaining on his face.
The two men walked and jogged intermittently down the forest road. Kai remembered the last time he traveled this way he was on a great white stallion which greatly increased the comfort and speed of the journey. Unfortunately, on this trek they did not have the influence or resources of the wizard Oshri to help them along the way. Kai had tried to acquire horses when they reached North Port but no stable there would sell to him or Jaime. On more than one occasion, when they inquired as to why their money was no good, they were spit at and dismissed. Disheartened, they left the city on foot, which would extend their journey by a week at the very least.
As the light began to fade, the two men found a decent campsite by the side of a creek. Kai lit a fire while Jaime attempted to catch them dinner. When night had fully taken over the world, the two men were sitting around a warm fire with three fat trout sizzling in a pan.
“How much longer do you figure it will take us?” Jaime asked as he handed a canteen of fresh water to Kai.
Kai accepted the flask and took a long drink. He handed the canteen back and said, “We are probably about halfway. It took us three days on horseback and Oshri knew where he was going.” Kai thought for a moment about how the old wizard seemed to fumble along. “Well, maybe he didn’t know exactly where he was going but he did have a better idea than I do. All I have is my memory to go on.”
“I suppose that is what makes an adventure, not knowing for sure,” Jaime said with a laugh. He knew, when it came to tracking, Kai was second to none. The two men grew up together in the ranks of the Daxrah, or the Dragon’s Tail Brigade as it was known at the time, so Jaime knew exactly what Kai was capable of and it was an impressive list.
The two men ate the fish in silence. When the meal was done, Jaime laid down to sleep while Kai kept watch. Just before midnight Kai shook Jaime awake and the men traded positions. Kai woke just before sunrise and they set off.
The road got rougher as they traveled farther east. There were still signs of human life, an occasional farm or homestead, but they were few and far between.
On the ninth day, the road turned upward as they began to climb into the mountains. Kai recognized many of the local landmarks so he was confident they were traveling in the right direction.
“Hold,” Jaime said, crouching down. He pawed at Kai, a gesture to follow suit. Kai crouched next to him scanning for what Jaime was seeing.
“What is it?” Kai finally asked as his yielded no results.
“Mountain lion, I think,” Jaime said in a hushed voice, his eyes flickering back and forth. “There.” His arm shot out to the right.
Kai followed the arm and soon spotted the eyes of the large cat, its body well disguised in the tall grass that covered the hillside.
“There are probably more. What should we do?” Jaime asked.
“Take our chances,” Kai said. “Not much we can do short of hunting it ourselves and we don’t really have time for that.”
Jaime nodded as he pulled the bow from his back and strung it. Kai did the same. Both men were highly skilled archers, often competing against each other for first place in tournaments. The Daxrah were world-renowned for their bowmen, Kai and Jaime were perfect examples of why.
“Let’s try not to provoke it, please,” Kai said as the two men slowly moved in the opposite direction of the mountain lion. They kept a sharp watch and soon picked up the pace into a fast jog. They kept up the pace for roughly three miles into the mountains until they reached a bridge crossing a fast-moving river.
“This is the place, I think,” Kai said as the two men caught their breath. A fast breeze helped to cool them as they recovered from the run.
Kai looked around the valley which was walled by sheer mountain cliffs. They made him feel very small, as if he were standing next to giants. Over many millennia, the river had carved its way through the rock, making itself a comfortably wide path to travel along.
The bridge spanning the fifty-yard-wide waterway was nearly as impressive as the natural formations surrounding it. The bridge was five yards wide and made of solid stone. Someone spent a lot of time and money building a bridge way out here. I wonder why?
Kai wandered toward the edge of the mountain where it dropped off into the river to the right of the bridge. Sure enough, he found the secret path that was discovered by Oshri on their first excursion to the witch’s coven. The path was very well hidden from the casual observer. Kai turned to express the good news to Jaime when he heard his friend shout.
Jaime was facing off against the mountain lion who had apparently stalked them the whole way. He had his bow drawn but he was not firing. Kai looked around in confusion and then saw the reason why. There was a second mountain lion.
He can’t shoot both. Kai launched into a sprint toward them.
“I got left,” he yelled and both men loosed their arrows.
Both mountain lions leaped forward at the sound of his shout. And, they both now had arrows protruding from their heads. The cat on the left was laying still in the dirt. The one on the right had found its way to Jaime’s back. The large cat was wildly clawing at the man, trying to get leverage for an attack at his neck. The arrow stuck straight out of the animal’s head but the wildcat did not seem to notice.
Kai skidded to a stop and pulled his bowstring. He aimed very carefully so as to not hit his friend, even though the man was moving frantically trying to defend himself from the vicious attack. Kai released his held breath as soon as he released the arrow. The projectile struck the cat in the side just above the shoulder blade. The cat fell to the ground in a heap, the arrow piercing its heart.
“By the gods,” Jaime shouted as he walked in a wide circle, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He scrubbed his hands through his sweat-drenched blond hair, then slicked it back, tucking the long ends behind his ears.
Kai dropped to a knee to catch his breath. “I can’t believe they followed us the whole way here,” he said as his breathing relaxed.
“I need a drink or two after that one,” Jaime said. His pace began to slow as he calmed down.
“I was just going to tell you I found the path. We are almost there,” Kai said.
“Thank the gods. That one was way too close. How did it not die? I shot it right in the head,” Jaime said, shaking his head.
His ramblings continued in much the same fashion as the two men found their way to the hidden path. The path curved sharply around the corner of the sheer mountain face so it appeared to disappear. They followed the path to the end which was a wide ledge.
“What now?” Jaime said, looking bewildered.
“Just wait,” Kai said knowingly.
They stood for several minutes until suddenly the ground began to sink creating a pathway down into the mountain.
“How did you …” Jaime stammered.
Kai laughed and walked down the path with his friend in tow. They entered a softly lit tunnel, obviously with magic as the light radiated from the walls themselves. The tunnel twisted and turned until they finally reached the exit which spilled them onto a wide beach in a cove surrounded by high cliffs. Kai immediately recogni
zed the beach from his previous visit.
“This is incredible,” Jaime said as they exited the tunnel. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the cool ocean air.
“Look at the tall rock in the middle of that stone outcropping,” Kai said as he pointed in its direction. “What does it remind you of?”
Jaime studied the massive rock as the two men approached. “It’s a dragon,” he said, suitably awestruck.
“We didn’t see it, at first anyway. That’s the entrance,” Kai said.
Jaime walked around the twenty-foot-tall rock. He noticed the image of the dragon sitting upright with its wings tucked around it was only visible in certain angles of light when shadow could create depth.
It is really beautiful. Kai stared up at the rock, looking for signs that it would open itself and reveal the portal to the witches’ retreat. Kai knew the witches were aware of their presence or else they would not have opened the secret entrance that led under the mountain. Why are they making us wait? Kai wondered.
“Is that a horse?” Jaime asked.
Kai looked around and sure enough running up the beach was a grand white stallion. Kai laughed as two more came into view from behind it.
“They are the horses we rode here the first time I came,” Kai said. He could not believe it. Have they been living here the whole time?
“What did you think happened to them?”
Kai jumped at the voice so close to his ear. He spun around ready to attack, when before his eyes stood a short old man with a flowing gray beard wearing a robe that looked three sizes too big for him. The man’s long dark-gray hair was pulled back and tied in a neat bun that sat high on the back of his head.
“Oshri Cheni?” A huge grin crossed Kai’s face as he lowered his guard and embraced his estranged friend.
Jaime saw the old wizard and his excitement faded. Flashes of their past dealings flooded his mind and he let out an audible groan. “This crazy old man?” he asked the gods. He and Oshri were never really at odds but they never really got along either. Jaime’s visions of exotic, attractive, available witches instantly faded along with his smile.
“They have been here the whole time?” Kai asked, “And you’ve been here the whole time?”
“Yes, yes. Don’t be daft,” Oshri said, waving his arms in the air. “Bring your sister and let’s go inside.”