The Andy Smithson Series: Books 1, 2, and 3 (Young Adult Epic Fantasy Bundle) (Andy Smithson Series Boxset): Dragons, Serpents, Unicorns, Pegasus, Pixies, Trolls, Dwarfs, Knights and More!

by L. EE

  “Very nice!” Father acknowledged as Andy added his new treasure to his pouch.

  Montag interrupted the chatter. “Excuse me, but dinner is ready and your presence is requested. Please follow me.”

  In no time, the group of eight entered Nithi’s family dining chamber. The sovereign greeted them with arms open wide. “I thought we’d eat in here tonight rather than in the main hall. It’s more private and certainly more comfortable.”

  A long wood table with a dozen carved wooden chairs occupied the center of the paneled space, over which hung an ornate forged chandelier with no fewer than thirty candles flickering from its six branches. A marble fireplace behind the head of the table added light and warmth to the room, as did the sconces along the walls.

  “I’d like you to meet Catrain, my wife.”

  The queen curtsied and nodded as everyone filed by. “My husband has been telling me about your little group.”

  “All good, I hope,” Father joked.

  “Most assuredly. He is particularly impressed with you, young man,” she added, locking eyes with Andy.

  Andy smiled and bowed. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

  Father beamed.

  Another dwarf servant interrupted, “If you would all take your seats we can begin serving.” The stout little man directed Father to a chair on the left of Nithi, who commanded the seat at the head of the table. Andy sat next to Father, and Alden and Hannah took seats to Andy’s left. Catrain invited Mermin to occupy the seat of honor to her right, across from Andy. Captain Ladilas, Sergeant Albin, and Sergeant Gavin filled empty seats toward the far end of the table.

  Once everyone was seated, Nithi raised a golden goblet and declared, “I’d like to propose a toast.”

  Everyone lifted their drinking glasses high.

  “To friendships new and old. May they be blessed with lasting peace, and may our enemies wither under our strong bonds of cooperation.” As Nithi spoke, he glanced from Andy to Father and around the rest of the table, ending with a wink to his queen.

  Over dinner, Andy discovered some foods were similar to those at Castle Avalon, fairly basic and plain. Others were much different, even spicy.

  After indulging in a particularly large portion of one offering that had a bright orange hue, Andy dabbed a napkin on his moist brow and declared, “This meal is delicious, Your Majesty. I love spicy food!”

  Father forced a polite smile as Andy fanned his glowing face.

  Nithi nodded and put on an amused look. “I’m glad you like it, Prince Andrew! We used to trade with Cromlech for spices, including many varieties of peppers, which is probably what you’re tasting. But with the devastation there, we’ve begun trading with Miramon, a land to the northwest of Lake Nimue.”

  They trade?

  The magistrate noticed Andy’s surprised look and grinned. “Oh yes, we trade with many partners since we don’t farm.”

  “You don’t farm? Really?”

  “We trade for fruits, vegetables, wine, fish, and meat with the farmers and fishermen of Oomaldee. From the Ryersk, peoples south of Lake Nimue, we trade for cotton, silk, indigo dye, kermes, and textiles. And we get other ingredients like salt, tea, nutmeg, cacao, and cloves from either Cromlech or Miramon.”

  Andy felt a strong draft and heard hushed whispers from the door behind him. He turned to see a footman arguing with a dwarf clad in chain mail who gestured animatedly. The servant wagged his head from side to side and refused to admit him, but the damage had been done.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Andy caught Captain Ladilas and both sergeants instinctively reach for their weapons.

  “Captain Terrin,” Nithi boomed, motioning him to approach.

  “Pardon the interruption, Your Majesty,” the dwarf warrior apologized as he drew near his sovereign, then leaned in and began whispering into Nithi’s ear. Conversation around the table respectfully quieted.

  “Three more?” the dwarf king queried.

  Captain Terrin continued his briefing, standing up only after he appeared satisfied his message had been fully received.

  Andy caught bits and pieces of the information even though he knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop.

  “Thank you for the update. You may go,” Nithi dismissed.

  The captain stood up straight, jammed his arms behind his back, and clicked his heels.

  That must be their salute, Andy reasoned, having seen the gesture once before.

  With everyone curious but pretending not to be, Nithi glanced at his wife then around at his guests and explained, “The captain informed me they just brought in three more zolt that were caught in our traps.”

  Everyone but the queen wore a puzzled expression, so the regent explained, “Zolt are short men with bulging eyes, beak-like noses, and arms that extend to their ankles.”

  “Oh, we have those in Oomaldee, too. We call them vulture-people,” Andy chirped.

  The sovereign shook his head and frowned. “Yeah, they’re bird-like all right. They’ve been making quite a nuisance of themselves since their scheming commander paid us a visit a couple months back.”

  “What happened?” Father asked.

  “I won’t go into details, but suffice it to say their diplomatic mission, if that’s what you want to call it, failed miserably. We found these men to be untrustworthy and utterly contemptible. Since then we’ve set traps to capture their spies.”

  “Is that why your prison is full of them?” Captain Ladilas queried.

  “It is. My apologies that you had to encounter two of our traps.”

  “It made for quite an adventure,” Father added.

  “We would never treat friends that way. Had I known you would be coming, I would have sent out an escort. Which reminds me, we heard of your pigeon post and will be opening a branch within the next couple months, so further communication should be easier. As I understand it, they’re working to train the birds now. Imagine that, trusting birds to carry important messages. What will they think of next?” The magistrate grinned.

  “These guys transform into vultures, I’ve seen them,” Andy added matter-of-factly.

  Nithi, who was just biting into a biscuit, stopped mid-bite. “Excuse me, but did you say these foul spies transform into vultures? As in, large flying scavengers?”

  “That’s right, sir,” Andy confirmed, nodding. “Alden and I watched one land in bird-form. We followed it behind a tent and saw it become a beady-eyed, long-armed man.”

  “It was wild!” Alden chimed in.

  “I see,” added Nithi, frowning.

  “Your Majesty?” Alden questioned.

  The royal lifted his eyes and rested them on Alden. “Yes, young man?”

  “You called them zolt. What does that mean?”

  Nithi laughed. “That’s the expression we use for disreputable sorts. Literally, it means ‘dung eater.’”

  At hearing that, everyone chuckled.

  “I like it!” Andy exclaimed. “I’m gonna start calling them zolts. It fits!”

  Alden and Hannah laughed, and Sergeant Albin added, “Sounds appropriate to me!”

  After the giggles subsided, Mermin inquired, “Excuse me, but you mentioned their commander paid you a visit wecently?”

  “Yeeesss.” The king drew out his word. “He called himself King Abaddon. I had never encountered him before.” A shiver rocked Nithi’s form and he grasped the queen’s forearm. “A dragon with seven heads and four wings. He filled me with dread. It appeared he was unwell, though. The left eye on each of his heads was bandaged.”

  “We’re intimately acquainted with him,” Sergeant Gavin affirmed. “Andy here has fought him in close combat. More than once.” The sergeant winked at Andy.

  “My stars, boy!” exclaimed the queen. “Whatever would possess you to do such a thing?”

  “I didn’t exactly have a choice, ma’am.”

  “From everything my husband told me about this beast, he uses flattering words with hidden motives. He’s on
e to take up arms against. .”

  Nithi took in a slow, deep breath. “He left voluntarily, but ever since then the zolt have been coming. Our prison is filling up with them, but I don’t dare let them go. Who knows what they’re looking for and what they’d tell their leaders. Nasty little spies.”

  Father put his fork down and looked into the regent’s eyes. “Abaddon’s objective is to rule the world.” Father paused, letting that sink in. “As you know, the lands surrounding Oomaldee have been ravaged. I believe Oomaldee is the crown jewel in his plan. Frankly, I don’t think he cares much about those lands he’s already conquered or any others you trade with. His goal is to shut off Oomaldee’s supplies and put us in a stranglehold. I fear he will target Voluspa as part of his evil scheme.”

  The sovereign kneaded his brow, frowning.

  “But why is Oomaldee so important to him?” the queen scowled.

  “That, my lady, is the question, and I do not yet have a satisfactory answer. I have searched for information about Abaddon’s origins, but thus far haven’t turned up much. His past is rather a mystery. He certainly existed long before I was born.”

  There’s a scroll in my attic about Abaddon, Andy remembered. He looked over at Father and across at the queen, opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it and closed it again.

  No, I’d better not. I don’t want to get sent home. Andy made a mental note to study that scroll upon his return home.

  “Was there something you wanted to add, Son?” Father asked.

  “Uh, no.”

  The rest of the meal passed uneventfully. Just as the servants cleared the dishes from the final course, a sous chef entered the chamber and announced, “Chef Fallan has prepared a delicious dragee to complete your dining tonight. For the adults, please enjoy this bottle of Ardo, a rare spicy wine he procured from his favorite winery in Oomaldee. It will go nicely with the Pendir cheese that has been aged in our own cellars, along with the apple spiced sugar. Enjoy!”

  Dragee, huh? Andy thought.

  “They may not grow their own food, but they sure know how to prepare it,” Hannah proclaimed, taking another candy as it passed.

  “Agwee!” Alden managed to get out, his mouth stuffed full of cheese.

  Andy and the soldiers laughed and nodded, taking more for themselves.

  When the meal at last ended, Montag escorted the eight back to their chambers. Everyone headed to bed as soon as they arrived, for it promised to be an early morning.

  Andy lay on the soft bed and stared at the dark ceiling. Before he allowed himself to drift off, he reflected on the events of the day and the translucent sphere that plagued him. His mind remembered the little she-dwarf in the treatment room, watching her mom work. It brought back memories.

  He remembered going with Madison to Mom’s office on school holidays, before they were old enough to stay home alone. He and Maddy would usually color in the morning, but as they grew bored, they’d migrate out to the warehouse and play hide and seek. Climbing around on the racks of inventory always made for an exciting adventure. Andy stifled a laugh as he recalled one time when Madison couldn’t find him and was getting ticked. He had jumped down right in front of her and scared her half to death. Then there was the time Mom had unexpectedly hid behind a huge box and grabbed him as he walked by. He nearly peed his pants. Madison couldn’t stop laughing at that one and nearly peed her pants, too.

  His thoughts moved to family game nights when he and Mom would team up against Dad and Madison. Talk about competitive! If one team started trouncing the other at Risk, things would get a bit heated. But in the end, no matter who won, Mom always insisted everyone give each other a hug and mean it. On these occasions, Mom gave him a hug for being a good partner. She always overdid it, making her hug more animated and longer than usual. He loved it!

  And then Andy’s thoughts turned to the conversations he had shared with Mom after he learned she had come from Oomaldee. She told him all about growing up as a servant in King Hercalon IV’s castle where she had been brought after both her parents were killed in a raid when she was just three years old. She barely remembered her parents. Through all her stories, he had begun to feel closer to her than ever before.

  Short of giving my life, I’ll do whatever I must to save Mom, he vowed.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Unwelcome Bargain

  As promised, the day began too early as Father jiggled Andy to semiconsciousness.

  “Hmm?”

  “Come on, sleepyhead. It’s time to get moving. We’ve got a big day ahead.”

  “Uh-huh,” Andy mumbled, rolling over.

  Aromas promising tasty vittles finally enticed him to stumble from the room he’d shared with Alden. His eyes considered opening, and as he slowly forced them, he saw everyone else was already dressed and munching on freshly baked bread, fruit, and cheese in front of a blazing fire.

  Andy stretched and yawned before helping himself to breakfast. Wow. My shoulder sure feels better. He tested it, making a circle with his elbow.

  Montag disturbed the silence several minutes later, announcing, “Please be ready to leave in ten minutes. Sergeants Mazar and Brufn will be escorting you to the edge of our realm.”

  Everyone nodded appreciatively.

  An hour later the group of eight trouped after Sergeant Mazar through a maze of earthen tunnels. Sergeant Brufn brought up the rear to ensure no one was left behind. They had exited the lavish, polished marble palace soon after embarking and had navigated stone-lined tunnels where stairways branched off to the right and left like the branches of a large tree.

  As if in answer to Andy’s unspoken question, Sergeant Mazar informed them the stairways led to residential and business districts within Voluspa. Others led to the various mines.

  Having reached a decision regarding his mom that his inneru could support, Andy smiled as they walked. The weight of guilt had lifted, and he felt at peace for the first time since he’d encountered that swirling sphere.

  They approached a sign suspended from a bulky wooden support beam: Corundum Mine. It pointed left.

  “That’s the mine we toured,” Alden indicated.

  The path led down through a shopping district with more than two dozen businesses selling all types of wares: fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, mining tools, medicines, baskets, candles, and more.

  “I thought dwarfs didn’t farm,” Andy piped up.

  “For the most part we don’t,” Sergeant Brufn replied. “The merchants bought this produce early this morning from vendors in Oomaldee.”

  They climbed three flights of stairs after leaving the market area and soon came upon another sign indicating Edelsteen Mine.

  Heading off the question before it could be posed, Sergeant Mazar explained, “The Edelsteen Mine is where our finest rubies come from.”

  “How many mines do you work?” the King inquired.

  “We have twelve active mines at the moment. As our population grows, we open new mines and convert less productive properties to residential or business wards. Our realm currently extends under large portions of ogre territory. We make sure we don’t dig too close to the surface.”

  Mazar and the King shared a knowing smile that piqued Andy’s curiosity, but he didn’t pursue.

  At the end of the tunnel the group had been following for the last hour, a dirt wall blocked their path. The incline hadn’t been bad at the beginning, but over the last twenty minutes it had increased to the point where everyone panted, winded from the exertion. Sergeant Mazer called a halt.

  “We have reached our destination,” he informed. The news was met with a collective sigh.

  “Destination?” Alden asked, straining to catch his breath as he studied the wall.

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “Umm,” Andy breathed heavily, wiping his brow, “there’s no place to go.”

  He glanced over at Father whose chest heaved as he slowed his breathing. Father winked.

/>   “You indicated your journey takes you to the territory of the trolls. We have reached the southernmost point of that domain,” Sergeant Bruhn explained.

  “Thank you for your direction and gracious hospitality,” Father acknowledged.

  “You’re quite welcome. Safe travels and a prosperous journey to you and your party,” replied Sergeant Mazar, bowing.

  Both officers then turned and headed back in the direction from which they’d come. After watching them disappear, everyone turned their gaze back to the King, awaiting instruction.

  “On we go then,” he exclaimed and started toward the earthen wall.

  Andy and the others watched curiously, unmoving.

  The King paused when he heard no one following and glanced back. “What are you waiting for?” His eyes danced with mischief.

  Andy’s mind flashed back to Daisy’s approach to the mountain around Denver and he started after Father.

  “I guess it’s just you and me.”

  “I guess so.”

  Andy grinned, catching up.

  The two walked forward, losing sight of the rest of the group. Captain Ladilas appeared next, his sense of duty compelling him through the wall. One by one they passed through the barrier and exclaimed as they entered a forest blanketed by fallen leaves and soaked with cheery, if foggy, sunshine. Birds chirped and frogs croaked in chorus, celebrating their arrival.

  Andy looked back from where they had come and saw no sign of a door or any opening, only the face of a steep, vine-covered cliff.

  “A dwarf door is invisible to all but those in need,” Father commented to Andy, patting him on his good shoulder.

  With the discovery of dwarf doors being made available when in need, committed to the memory of all, the group proceeded. The sergeants again flanked them with the captain bringing up the rear. The King and Mermin led the way with Andy, Alden, and Hannah sandwiched in the middle.

  The terrain was no less steep outside the tunnel, and the group trudged ahead in silence. They approached a clearing and got their first glimpse of Mount Mur Eyah off to the right. While the fog obscured its summit, Andy could see the base of a single mountain. The sun radiating off its foggy slopes cast a golden hue.