by Charles Lamb
The swat sent Kelby flying, her spear knocked to the ground, and her body slamming so hard she passed out. Her last vision as she hit was Leander snatching up the fallen spear, and he and Abrianna guarding over her prone form.
----*----
Alex securely anchored one end of the rope to the shaft of the arrow. He needed it to support his weight just long enough to cross the distance between the tunnel and the pedestal. Rather than try to embed the shaft in the stone, he decided to try for one of the large wooden crates stacked atop the plateau. He suspected they contained supplies for Amelia, or more of Tantalus’s treasures, all well-guarded by the dragon below.
Leading Cassie and Kinsey back to the opening, he scanned the area again, ensuring nothing had changed, before drawing the bow and selecting a very large crate at the bottom of a stack of similarly sized objects.
He let the shaft fly, making sure the coil of rope fed out cleanly. He heard a soft thud, as his arrow bit hard into the wood of the crate. The sound was soft, but caused Amelia to spin, scanning for the source of the unfamiliar sound. Cassie quickly caught her attention, creating excitement for both women. Soon, though, Amelia paused and then began waving them away, indicating the sleeping dragon.
It was clear to Alex that she feared the danger to her daughter over the promise of her own rescue. Using the bow to sink a shaft at his end, he wrapped the rope several times around the anchor, before handing the free end to Cassie.
“Hold this until I am across. We might need it to descend from the rock later,” he whispered.
Slinging his bow opposite his sword and parallel to the quiver, he checked his weapons to verify all were secure and none would drop when he was over the sleeping dragon. Then he began crossing the open void, hanging beneath the rope and using both hands and legs to work his way across.
On the far side, he could see Amelia had ceased trying to dissuade them and was now alternating between watching Alex and the dragon below. At one point, about half way across, he froze as the dragon shifted, and then settled quietly back into a new position.
Reaching the far side, Alex was greeted by Amelia. Her first words to him not exactly what he expected.
“You shouldn’t be here! Cassie is in great danger!” she hissed at him in a whispered tone.
“Lady Amelia, I am Alex Rogers. Cassie and I have been searching all over for you,” he replied while leading her away from the edge and the sleeping dragon below.
“Why would you bring Cassie into a dragon’s den? Are you insane?” the woman replied, frustration in her tone.
Glancing across the open space, Alex could see Cassie watching the two intently. Unsure of how Cassie wanted to inform her mother of their relationship, Alex decided to take a different approach.
“Look, your brother, Ben Griffin of Charleston, sent us to come find you and bring you home. You need to trust me,” he replied.
“How do you know that name?” she paused and asked suspiciously. Alex knew that Amelia was the only other person that knew his real name and where he came from.
“Because he told me. We come from the same place,” Alex finished, hoping the information closed the issue for the moment.
It was then that Alex caught a movement from the corner of his eye and turned to see Cassie crossing the rope. Kinsey still stood in the opening, clearly not happy with this turn of events, but thankfully quiet, for the moment.
“Shit!” Alex commented in a low tone while rushing to meet his fiancée as she reached the crate.
“Mom!” Cassie cried quietly as she let Alex help her from the ledge, and then passing him by to embrace her mother.
“You shouldn’t be here! It’s far too dangerous,” her mom hissed while hugging her daughter.
Moving everyone over to the far side, away from the dragon, Alex started looking for a way down while the two women talked in whispers.
“Uncle sent us to find you. Prince Renfeld attacked Great Vale, trying to take the valley. If it wasn’t for Alex, he would have succeeded.”
Alex glanced over to see the look of skepticism on Amelia’s face. He could hardly blame her, as he was completely unknown to her. He watched as the two women stood looking at one another, before Amelia spoke.
“There is something different about you,” she commented, causing Cassie to blush.
“Mom, I’m getting married,” Cassie replied with a broad smile.
“WHAT?” Amelia burst out, her composure gone.
That was more than the sleeping dragon could miss. It reared up, spying the three standing on the stone. As it raised its head, it pulled the rope free of its anchors and had it dangling across its back.
In one quick motion, the dragon snapped at Alex, separating him from the two women as he dived out of the way. The creature followed up by then swatting at Alex with one paw, the claws crashing down on the stone mere inches from their goal.
Alex rolled away and gained his feet, stable enough to fire off two bolts in quick succession, temporarily blinding the beast as they burst across its face. The dragon howled, shaking its head, trying to clear its vision, then swung a second paw at its target.
Cassie clambered away from her mother, and over to the crates, looking for a weapon to use against the dragon. This left her mother alone, as she watched Alex duck another swipe of the dragon’s clawed paw. The action left him face down on the stone but he then scrambled to a position where he could fight back.
The distraction allowed the dragon to snatch Amelia up with its other paw, causing Cassie to dive from the sweeping claws as she returned with an ornate spear. The weapon appeared more decorative than functional, but was all she could find.
By now Alex had regained his feet and was facing the dragon. He dared not take action that might cause harm to Amelia, but needed to do something to make it release her.
Suddenly, the creature belched a ball of fire that caused both Cassie and Alex to dive away from the center of the stone. While neither was hurt, the table and chairs nearby were now aflame. Alex ended up half hanging over the sheer edge of the stone tabletop and had to quickly scramble back.
The separation of its antagonists had caused the dragon to shift to one side, closing the distance to Cassie so it could better confront Alex. This movement caused the creature close to the stone pillar.
Cassie watched the dragon move ever closer to her while focusing its attention on her fiancée. In one swift motion, she was able to drive the weapon into the arm holding her mother, snapping it in half in the process and leaving one end embedded in the beast. The dragon bellowed in pain but maintained its grip on Amelia.
By now Alex had closed the gap between where he had been and Cassie’s position. The beast soon recovered and turned to face the two. It then reared its head back to blast Alex and Cassie with flame.
Thinking quickly, Alex formed a shield, blocking and deflecting the blast and its heat, sending it harmlessly around himself and Cassie but not back at the dragon. Looking up, Alex could see the dragon appeared confused that the two survived the prolonged spout of fire, and so, shot off a second, and a third as it moved around the cavern.
Alex had placed another shield at the mouth of the tunnel they had entered, now holding Kinsey, preventing her from attacking the dragon and likely saving her from death. He also tried several times to contain the dragon, without injuring Amelia, as it held her tightly in its grasp.
Each time the creature tried to use one of the many passages in and out of the cavern, it found its way obstructed by Alex’s invisible constructs. In one case it attempted to smash the barrier with a swing of its massive tail, but had no success.
Apparently, the dragon realized the impasse, and it suddenly launched an enormous fountain of fire at one part of the cavern ceiling. As Cassie and Alex watched, the stone turned to melted slag and the sun came bursting through. Before Alex could react, a second blast enlarged the opening, and the dragon spread its wings, launching itself through the hole. The two watched in f
rustration as the dragon then continued up with Amelia still in its grasp.
Alex turned to see Cassie, devastated, with tears running down her cheeks, staring skyward after her mother.
----*----
Kelby awoke to find herself fully dressed and lying in the shade of some trees. There was a fire nearby and Abrianna was cooking something that smelled wonderful. She turned her head to see Leander down by the lake, attempting to spear fish with something other than the fire glass tipped shaft that lay on the ground near him.
“What happened?” she asked Abrianna in a raspy voice. Abrianna provided her a drink from a pot she had on the fire. Kelby could see one of the shorter fire glass weapons by her side on the ground.
“Drink this, it will help you heal,” she responded while watching the mermaid sip from the cup.
“You were sent flying, the landing providing a considerable jolt, but otherwise you are uninjured. Leander and I were able to keep the dragon from killing you.”
“And the dragon?” she asked after a second drink.
“It escaped. We haven’t seen it in several hours now,” Abrianna answered absently.
“It escaped, retreating while I’m down and the two of you are hindered by the need to protect me? That hardly sounds likely,” Kelby replied skeptically at the simple explanation.
Abrianna was occupied at that point, checking Kelby’s various bumps and bruises before she replied. Kelby could feel the easing of the pain due to whatever it was in the cup provided earlier.
“Once we realized you were unconscious, Leander charged the beast while I dragged you out of harm’s way,” she replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Leander charged an enraged dragon on his own, and it retreated?” Kelby replied, glancing once more at the man now waist deep in the water. Although she had a growing respect for the warrior, it hardly sounded plausible.
“Yes, well, I did manage a quick illusion spell before he did so,” Abrianna offered with a smile.
Closing her eyes, her arms quickly flew wide. Suddenly, Kelby saw over a dozen Abriannas flaring out from either side of the original. As one, they opened their eyes, smiling down on the prone form of the mermaid. With another sweep of her arms, they all disappeared, leaving the original alone with her.
“So the dragon saw an army of Leanders, all charging with fire glass spears,” Kelby nodded in understanding.
“Funny how the parlor tricks you learn as a child occasionally have a practical use,” Abrianna added with a laugh.
“And then?” Kelby asked, trying to fill in the blanks.
“As I said, it retreated into the lake and we haven’t seen it since. You have been unconscious for several hours now and since I am not as up on Mermaid physiology as I could be, our concerns for your welfare were growing,” Abrianna replied.
“Hours?” Kelby replied unbelieving as she tried to rise. The effort sent pain shooting
throughout her body.
“Easy, you need to rest. Yes, you have been out for several hours now and we were becoming concerned.”
“So, she is alive?” Leander commented, as he presented a large fish to Abrianna at the end of a spear.
“Thanks to you,” Kelby said aloud, acknowledging it as much to herself as to her two companions.
“Once you are feeling up to it, we had hoped you might be able to check the dragon’s lair for any sign of Lady Amelia,” Abrianna asked hesitantly.
“I can go now.” Kelby tried to rise again.
“No, rest for a bit longer. I suspect that if she were there, she is long gone. The dragon’s departure would not be without its charge. There would remain, however, evidence of her occupancy. That alone will tell us what we need to know.”
With that, the three sat by the fire and discussed the battle, eating and resting from the encounter. By late afternoon, Kelby was feeling up to a short trip into the depths of the lake. She did laugh to herself as she undressed, for the humans standing nearby had apparently gotten over her nudity, particularly the male.
Fire glass spear in hand, she descended to the place where she had first encountered the dragon. She cautiously approached the mouth of the den, looking for any signs of the creature. Seeing nothing of concern, she slowly entered, following the passage until she broke the surface.
In the dimly lit area, she could see the signs of dragon residence, with bones scattered about. Climbing out, her legs returning in the process, she searched the area for any indication a human had been imprisoned here.
She scoured the cave, covering every crack and crevasse. In one spot she located the short spear she had seen Leander throw earlier disrupting the creatures ability to spout fire. Clearly the beast had returned here to lick its wounds before vacating the area for good. Her search complete, she quickly exited the den, positive Amelia had never set foot inside.
----*----
Alex and Cassie searched the pedestal that had held her mom, looking for clues as to where the dragon might have taken her. Kinsey sat glaring at the two from across the cavern. Fortunately, the dragon, whether by accident or on purpose, had avoided the area containing the crates with its flames.
Sorting through some of the crates, they found exotic fabrics, carpets of the finest weaves, and other works of art. There was statuary of gold and bronze, with jewel-encrusted enhancements. There were paintings and gilded carvings that had to be worth a fortune.
“I gather we can assume this is Tantalus’s wealth?” Alex asked.
“At least a portion of it,” Cassie replied, her frustration clear in her voice. Then she added, “Alex come look at this.”
Moving beside her, he looked at what she had uncovered. One of the smaller crates was filled with scrolls of paper and parchment, all organized in a latticework of dividers. Pulling one out, Alex scanned its contents.
“Bingo! This is a list of all the House of Drakon’s holdings in the south.”
“And this talks about lands across the sea, in the north of Windfall. Renfeld granted Tantalus unrestricted use of the western part of the Northern Mountains,” she replied, sounding confused at the description.
“Cassie, were there ever dragons in the Northern Mountains, any place where they might have lived?”
“Long ago maybe,” she replied thoughtfully. “You think the Red Dragon might have gone there?”
“I know one way to find out. I think it’s time we revisited our friend in Freeport,” Alex answered.
“Alex, how are we getting off of here?” Cassie asked while looking around the plateau.
“That’s a good question,” Alex replied as he spied the rope laying on the floor twenty feet below.
Chapter 13
It was late afternoon when Leander led Abrianna and Kelby into the compound owned by the House of Drakon. Having scouted it while Kelby was searching the dragon’s lair, he discovered it occupied by only a handful of retainers and none suitable to challenge his intrusion.
Once inside the walls they had gathered everyone in residence and ushered them into a small courtyard for questioning. Leander had to admit that the place was quite beautiful. Were he in a position of wealth, he would have enjoyed such a retreat himself.
“Have any of you seen Lady Amelia?” he asked the assembled group. Scanning the faces, he saw only looks of confusion at the name.
“Has Tantalus asked you to detain anyone here?” Abrianna asked in a more general reference.
“No, my Lady. We have not seen the master in over a season. Nor have we received any visitors, but yourselves, in just as long,” an older woman Leander took to be the head of the house staff replied. He noted several nods of agreement from the others.
Leander looked at his two companions, their looks confirming his thoughts. There was no way Amelia had been here, particularly as unguarded as it was. Further questioning confirmed that Tantalus had pulled his armsmen away from here for other duties. None here knew where they had been sent, but Leander suspected it was to guard Amelia.
“We apologize for the intrusion,” Leander announced as he waved Abrianna and Kelby back outside of the compound and to their mounts.
“What now?” Abrianna asked, with Kelby looking particularly interested in the reply.
“We return to Tazmain and await word from Alex and Cassie, I expect,” he answered.
“I would suggest we return the weapons to the temple first. We are likely to return to the sea and I would not want to anger its gods,” Kelby finished with a frown.
“Is that wise?” Leander replied as the three started their ride back.
“Well we can’t stay here tonight, so let’s get going. We can still make it to the temple if we move quickly and decide what to do when we get there,” Abrianna replied
Leander was about to push harder that the weapons might be needed on the voyage home, but decided against cursing the trip before it even began. With that, he pointed his horse toward the temple, leading the group away from Lake Vishap and on to who knew what.
----*----
Kinsey was extremely happy to see Alex and Cassie back on her side of the cavern. It had taken them a while to find something they could use to lower themselves down off the rock. Alex was positive Tantalus had never intended his fine fabrics to be used in such a fashion, but he hardly cared.
Once they were on the cavern floor, Alex retrieved the rope the dragon had snagged and driven a shaft into the ceiling of the tunnel above, where the impatient Kinsey stood watching and waiting. Alex assisted Cassie, steading the rope as she went up.
He then climbed up behind her, with the additional load of select items tucked in a sack he had looted from Tantalus’s private stash. The papers they had found there made references to things Alex suspected might interest Ben.
All three then retreated to the main tunnel, where Alex relit the torches and they then made a hasty retreat back out the passage. Before reaching the opening to the cave entrance, Cassie stopped the group.