“Indeed.” Salynth came out from behind him and surveyed the scene. “You wait here, as we planned. I will engage him in conversation in the large open space there to the right, and then you will burn him to a cinder.”
Master, she tries my patience.
I know she does, wizard. That is unimportant. What IS important is that my son is one more impediment to my freedom, and that is about to be lifted. I will send you as much of my magic as I can. Do as she says.
“Ready, pet?”
“Taeben. MY NAME IS TAEBEN.”
“Ready, Tae-ben?” she hissed back at him, exaggerating his name out to two distinct syllables. He gave her a crisp and irritated nod and she moved into the middle of the room. “Kalinth? My darling? Are you here?”
The room shook a bit as the frost dragon got to his massive feet and lumbered out into the room. His colossal head swung back and forth on his snake-like neck as he scanned the area for Salynth. “What do you want, Salynth?” Taeben struggled to understand the Eldyr that Kalinth spoke. This would be a good time to have his apprentice around, who spoke Eldyr as well as D’leesh and Elvish, or Tairneanach, who spoke all the languages of Orana. “Why do you refer to me in those terms?”
“You do not trust me, Kalinth, and I understand that. But since you were kind enough to allow me my pet wizard once more, I thought I might...return the favor.” The sorceress glided across the floor, levitating a few inches above the stone tiles, and stopped just in front of the frost dragon’s nose. She stroked the cobalt blue scales on the side of his face, and Taeben could see that he relaxed into her touch. He could also hear her murmuring to Kalinth the same words that she had used earlier on Taeben himself, and he watched as the rope-like muscles on the dragon’s tree trunk sized legs relaxed one by one.
“Have you forgotten my language, my love?” Kalinth’s voice was rumbling and loud, and Taeben fought the urge to cover his ears when the dragon spoke. The Western Tower was much more enclosed and small than Bellesea Keep, he reasoned, and that made Kalinth’s voice louder than he had ever heard Taanyth’s voice be in the past.
“I have not, but my pet is not familiar with it, so I thought it rude to speak in Eldyr in front of him.” She moved around to the side of the great dragon, still stroking his scales and murmuring, and he inclined his head to follow her, nearly winding his neck around the whole of her body. She had seemed so formidable when Taeben was her prisoner, and in truth, she was still larger in stature than he was, but a pang of worry stung his heart he watched. Kalinth – just like the other dragons – was far bigger and stronger than even Salynth.
“My Lord Kalinth,” Taeben said as he stepped out into the middle of the room and bowed as low as he could stand to bow, “I offer my thanks for your assistance in reuniting me with my Mistress Salynth.” Images of Salynth burning along with Kalinth lingered in his mind, causing him to smile widely as he stood back up to face them.
Wizard, that is not part of the plan.
Of course, Master, you have my apologies.
Of that I am uncertain, wizard. Nevertheless, carry on with her. Follow her orders and rid me of Kalinth’s treachery.
Yes, Master.
“You see! He has returned - and Kalinth, he is so much stronger than he was before. He shares our common enemy, and will do everything he can to help us escape.” Kalinth lumbered across the room, stretching his serpentine neck out until he was eye to eye with Taeben. The elongated pupil in the center of that horrible amber eye still seemed unreal to Taeben, even though it was the same type of eye that he had been forced to stare into while training with Salynth. His rational mind knew that they were the same eyes that belonged to his Master, but he had never dared to look Taanyth in the face - yet. The flame of irritation up his neck made him smile.
“Yes, m’Lord, I am more than willing to help you. I believe that my transport magic will work if bolstered by my Mistress, and together we can free you from this prison and set you on your way to right the wrongs done to you by your parents.” He swallowed hard. Lying was easy. Lying to a frost dragon that would just as soon turn you to ice shards as look at you was something else all together.
Ben, what’s wrong?
Nothing, Ginny. Continue your meditation.
Ben, it’s been days since you left. The dragons have offered me every kindness but if I’m honest, I would like to get on with whatever awful you have planned for me. It’s rather cruel leaving me here in comfort just to rip me away and…
Tell her to be silent, wizard. You cannot concentrate on the Guardian and the mission. Tell her, or I will tell her.
Taeben put his hands over his ears for a moment and closed his eyes tightly, concentrating on nothing but his own thoughts. Both of the voices faded away, though he knew that Taanyth was still listening. When he opened his eyes, Kalinth was staring at him intently.
“Are you well, wizard?”
“Yes, m’Lord, I am well. I have become unaccustomed to the overwhelming reverberation of your voice.”
“I guess it would be startling to a puny elf such as your pet,” Kalinth said to Salynth, who chuckled. Sparks formed around Taeben’s hands in response to his anger, but he forced the magical lightning back down into the core of his being and nodded solemnly. “Now, tell me my lovely, how is your pet going to help us defeat my father?”
“I believe that he can lift the curse, Kalinth. The Mother Dragon’s magic is strong, but I believe that Taeben’s is equal if not stronger.”
“Foolishness. Impossible. How is THAT little thing in any way an equal to my mother?”
“Hear me out, Kalinth,” Salynth pleaded as she looked intently at Taeben.
Do not engage him yet, Taeben. You will not engage until our agreed upon signal.
Of course not.
“I am not sure I have a choice, Salynth.” Kalinth’s reply was curt, but his eyes did not stray far from hers. Taeben pitied him for a moment. He knew how distracting love could be - and, if he was honest, still was for him. As he watched his former mistress murmur to the dragon in Eldyr and stroke the sides of his face, he couldn’t help thinking how of all of his teachers, Salynth had taught him the most. Her death would be a shame.
Now, Taeben!
He wasn’t even sure which voice had commanded him, but Taeben remembered the plan and strode confidently out into the middle of the room. He summoned up his most deadly fire magic, pulling from the deepest parts of his magic, and aimed his intentions at Kalinth, hoping that Salynth would manage to get out of the way. She stepped back and away from Kalinth just as Taeben unleashed his fury.
“This is not transport magic, wizard!” Kalinth howled as the fire crept across his skin, attaching to his scales as though they were being engulfed in a viscous liquid. Through the flames, Taeben could see the enormous abdomen of the dragon begin to glow a bright blue - a glance at Salynth told him that the sorceress had not accounted for Kalinth’s frost dragon breath in her plan.
“If you live through this, I will kill you myself,” Taeben hissed at Salynth as he summoned up fireballs and hurled them at Kalinth, aiming for his midsection. Frosty puffs of breath were coming from the dragon’s nose as he swung his head back and forth, trying to get rid of the flames lapping at his neck. Taeben moved quickly, hurling more fire at his target as he circled around to the back of the dragon. He no longer saw Salynth. He no longer noticed the stone tiles in the floor or how close the deadly claws on the dragon’s gargantuan feet came to catching the edge of his robes. He had a job to do, and was going to do it.
End him, wizard. I will help you. Allow my magic to flow through you and…
With respect, Master, I’ve got this.
Kalinth howled in pain as he tried to put out the fire that was roasting him from the outside, and the noise shook the Western Tower to its foundations. Shades of the dragonkind army that had died there in the tower during the Forest Wars drifted through the walls and into the room, but Salynth dispatched them with a wave of her ha
nd. She stayed mostly to the corners of the room, but Taeben only caught sight of her when she moved between him and his target.
After the fourth wave of magical fire, Kalinth was on the ground, his four legs splayed out in opposite directions as he tried to get back to his feet. “STOP!” Salynth bellowed, sprinting over to place herself in between Taeben and Kalinth. Taeben ignored her and simply moved a step to the right as another fireball began to form and swirl atop his open palm.
“Move, Salynth!” he shouted as he pulled his arm back and above his head, aiming for the dragon’s face.
“I will not,” she said quietly as she stood her ground. “I...have changed my mind. I will not allow you to kill him.”
“What?”
What?
“What? Salynth you must move, the wizard will kill you and me both and I will not let you be hurt if I can help it.”
“I will not let him hurt you, Kalinth, I cannot.”
Taeben frowned as he lowered his arm, twitching his fingers to make the fireball spin and dance on his palm so that it did not burn his own skin. “What did he say, Salynth?” She moved almost faster than Taeben could track, squatting down next to Kalinth and lifting his weary and wounded head. Kalinth made mewling sounds as he nuzzled his head close to her chest and she stroked the side of his face.
“This was not part of the plan, Salynth. Move.”
This was the part I did not tell you about, my pet. Trust me.
Not even with someone else’s life. Move!
“Do not...harm her,” Kalinth managed, his voice weak yet still audible. “Kill me and you can have her, the curse will break when I die. She was not imprisoned by my mother.”
“What?”
Wizard. You must leave the Western Tower or you will be trapped there. If my son dies then the curse placed on him by my mate will lift, he is correct, but if Salynth does not perish as well there will still be evil magic holding all inhabitants of the Tower within its walls.
Master, I will kill them both and then resume my mission for you. Is that not the plan?
You must leave Salynth alive and go. She has realized her mistake, wizard. You must leave. NOW.
Master, I cannot! My transport magic does not work!
Use your bond with the wood elf. She is a Guardian; she is strong enough in the bond to serve as your anchor. Think of her and go to her in your mind. Your body will follow. Salynth knows this and she will use your bond with the wood elf to free herself if you do not leave NOW.
There was very little that could happen in Taeben’s life that would make him angrier than being double-crossed. It was worse than losing. It was worse than humiliation. It was both of those things in one horrible realization, and as Taeben looked at Salynth, he understood the true nature of her plan. Weaken Kalinth to the point that he would help her through their bond to forge her own bond with Gin and leave Taeben stuck in the Western Tower with Kalinth.
Rage boiled and seethed in his gut as he stared at the dragonkind sorceress before him. He could not even speak he was so furious. And Gin – Salynth was going to kill Gin as soon as she was free to make sure that Taeben couldn’t follow her. That was the last straw. Taeben glared down at Salynth, his arm raised with a fireball still dancing about on his palm.
You must leave her there alive, wizard. She does not have the strength to kill my son, unfortunately. You must go, connect with your Ginolwenye and GO.
Yes, Master.
“You will never use me like this again, Salynth. I hope you rot here in the tower with your dragon lover.” He hurled the fireball at the floor in between himself and the two of them, still huddled together on the floor, and then took a step back before seeking Gin’s mind through all of the screaming chaos in his own. Low hum. Just at the back.
Ginny.
What now, Ben? Sorry, Lord Taeben.
Ginny.
He focused on her mind, and then her body. He could see her face - she was sleeping. That was a surprise, because he still found barriers in her mind. She was strong enough to keep him mostly out of her mind while she was asleep! He did not have time to be proud - or angry - he just needed her to help him escape. There would be time later to further investigate this new aspect of the bond. Perhaps they should go on to Bellesea as soon as he was reunited with her.
Now, wizard. Go. Bring your body to where she is. You must.
Yes, Master. I will find you, Ginny. Always.
Ten
Taeben’s hand closed around Gin’s, stroking her fingers gently to wake her up. She sat up quickly, blinking and trying to figure out where she was as she wrenched her hand back from him. They were still in the temple to the Mother Dragon, and she was still his. “Ben? What happened? When did you get back?” She blinked a few times more as his face came into sharp focus. “I dreamed that you were in danger, but…”
“Silence. Get up,” he said sharply at her; she complied silently. “Clean up your bedroll, we are heading out to see my Lord Taanyth today and claim our reward, my dear,” he said. Gin shuddered. “And you’d best lose any thoughts you have of running. My pet Tairneanach is with that Qatu now, and she knows what to do on my command.”
Gin’s eyes narrowed, but she did as she was told. For a moment, she considered reminding Taeben of the deal that they had made that stipulated her compliance if Sath would not be hurt, but she thought better of it as she rolled up her bedclothes. Taeben spoke in hushed tones to the emerald dragon as she packed, taking care to keep his voice low so that she couldn’t make out what he was saying. She was sure he was speaking Eldyr, one of the few languages he hadn’t helped her master in their time together. Now she knew why. She could tell that he was struggling with the language, which gave her a bit of hope, but every so often, the small dragon would make eye contact with her, his amber eyes filled with sadness. She could almost feel his sorrow, but it was just on the edge of her consciousness and this time did not block out Taeben squatting in the back of her mind. Her respite was over. It was time to make good on her promise and keep those she loved safe from Taeben.
“I’m finished,” she said, speaking Qatu to get a rise out of Taeben. Her mission was accomplished, and then some. Taeben turned back to her and picked up his staff, aiming it at her face.
“You will not speak that barbaric language again,” he snarled at her as he moved slowly closer.
“Why not?” she said, still in Qatu. Gin frowned. There were still some sounds in the language that she couldn’t quite master. “Why –“
She immediately got her answer. Gin hadn’t seen him drop his staff, but the reprimand came in the form of Taeben’s knuckles across the side of her face. The dragon raised his wings and snorted loudly, but with a look from Taeben he settled back down, his sad gaze again resting on Gin, who shook her head in response. Biting back the cry that rose in her throat, she glowered at him. “Fine, as you wish,” she said in Elvish. Taeben rubbed his hand, his eyes drawn to the welt rising on her cheek.
“Fix that, will you?” he said, moving closer and touching the side of her face. She flinched involuntarily and he stalked away to collect her belongings that had gone flying when he struck her. Gin spoke ancient Elvish words and touched the side of her face, causing her skin to sparkle and glow as the welt faded away. The small dragon lowered his head, shaking it sadly from side to side, as puffs of smoke rose in delicate tendrils from its snout.
“It has been our profound pleasure to have you with us, my Lady,” the dragon said, his words clipped in anger and frustration. “We do hope that we will have another chance to see you.” She looked up at him as the strange buzz started up the back of her neck again.
Do not forget who you are, Ginolwenye of the Trees. We will be at your beck and call should you need us. My name is Perryth, and you may call on me in time of need. I will do what I can to assist the Nature Walker.
Gin nodded sadly at the dragon, and then turned her attention back to Taeben as a scowl slid across her features. “Good as new
,” she muttered, indicating the side of her face. “Where are we going again, Ben?”
“It’s Taeben, and I told you, we’re off to see Lord Taanyth, the sooner the better, don’t you think?” He crossed the room to her side, her pack and bedroll in his hand, and spoke words of magical transportation as he pulled her close to him, her back against the front of his robes.
Thank you, Perryth.
The dragon nodded and moved away from them, and then they both faded from view, surrounded by a circle of flame.
Back at the Outpost, Sath and Teeand entered the great hall in silence. On the long journey, there had been little conversation, save a few comments from Sath about gloves that Teeand had found to be simultaneously in very poor taste and most hilarious. Teeand only hoped that Tairn couldn’t hear them in her current form, but he had a bad feeling that she could.
“Right, we’re here, what’s the plan?” Sath said, tossing his haversack to the stone floor with what seemed to be a bit more force than was necessary. Teeand shot him a warning look. “What?” Sath said, shrugging at his friend. “Oh, the gloves, how could I forget?” He retrieved his pack and fished around until he found the gloves, then placed them on the floor with comically exaggerated care. There was a small shimmer and then one of the gloves stretched and grew until it had become Tairn-shaped once more.
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