“My king, you must wait. I will taste the starfruit first. Then you may eat the rest.”
“Fivan, you are too cautious! I don’t want to share this with you. I only get starfruit once a year and I want this all to myself.”
“That is all the more reason for us to be vigilant. My lord, please agree, or I will be forced to throw the entire plate out the window.” Fivan smiled, but Mitca could tell that he was serious.
Mitca sighed. “Fine! I don’t know why I let you intimidate me. I’m the king!”
Fivan laugh quietly, and took a bite from the costly fruit. A few minutes later, Fivan collapsed to the floor in convulsions. The starfruit had been laced with kudu oil, a powerful poison made from the kuduare plant. Kudu was called the “death berry” because ingesting a minute amount was enough to kill a grown man.
Mitca, impatient, had also eaten a piece of the fruit, but was able to vomit in time to save his own life. Even so, Mitca spent weeks between life and death. Healing mages attended his bedside day and night. Eventually, Mitca recovered, but the experience made him a changed man. The oil caused permanent damage to Mitca’s esophagus, and he never ate starfruit again.
The king mourned Fivan for a year, and buried his body in an ornate tomb in the cathedral. He never forgave himself for Fivan’s death, and he vowed to treat Fivan’s family as his own. Shortly after the funeral, Mitca took all of Fivan’s children and his widow and moved them into a private wing in the castle. Fivan’s nine sons became his private guard. It has been so ever since.
“We have arrived,” announced Riona as she appeared with Stormshard at the cathedral doors. “The others should be here in a few minutes.”
Charlight and Hanko appeared next, and then Duskeye and Tallin a few minutes later.
“Where are the fledglings?” asked Charlight.
“We left them at the fortress. I told them to watch the gates. It gives them something to do, and makes them feel useful,” replied Tallin, his red curls bobbing as he spoke. Tallin was handsome, fine-featured, but short and stocky. A thick scar ran from his cheek down to his shoulder, and disappeared below his tunic. Tallin’s dragon, Duskeye, also bore evidence of grievous wounds, including a pronounced limp and a cloudy right eye, which was sightless. Neither one ever talked about the source of their injuries.
Tallin never spoke of his upbringing or his childhood. The others only knew that he had been born in the Mount Velik, along with other dwarves. Once Tallin discovered his magical gift, his life changed. He was spirited away from Mount Velik to Aonach Tower, where he thrived under the tutelage of the Masters.
When Duskeye accepted him as a rider, Tallin was overjoyed. Rider and dragon were inseparable. Tallin and Duskeye ate together, slept together, hunted together. They survived the emperor’s butchery because of their fierce bond. When the emperor started hunting dragons, Duskeye and Tallin left for the desert and lived in hiding for decades.
Sela eventually found them by chance. Tallin almost killed Sela out of panic at being discovered. Sela and Brinsop tried to convince them to come out of hiding, but it still took many months of careful persuading for them to agree to come to Parthos. Even now, they refused to remain within the city’s walls for any extended period, preferring to live in the desert.
“All of you are here—good.” Mitca walked into the cathedral. As usual, all of the dragons and their riders offered slight bows to the king, except for Tallin and Duskeye. They never bowed to anyone.
“Everyone, I have news from the east.” Mitca pulled a scroll from his waistband and unrolled it. “I received an urgent message from one of my informants last night. An emerald Dragon Stone has been found in Darkmouth Forest. This scroll bears a rubbing of the engraving. It is a rider’s stone—I suspect the stone was Chua’s.”
“Chua? That’s impossible,” said Sela. “Chua and his dragon, Starclaw, were killed years ago. They fell from the sky during the Great War. I saw it with my own eyes.”
“I know it sounds implausible, but who else could it be?” replied Mitca. “It is a rider’s emerald. Green dragons are rare, almost as rare as white dragons. But if the dragon stone is intact, then it is likely one of them is still alive. Perhaps both of them are.”
Charlight shook her great head. “Chua cannot still be alive. It would be insanity for him to remain near the capital city. Even if he was alive, the Dragon Hunters would have found him by now. And even if the hunters couldn’t find him, the emperor’s necromancers would have.”
Sela communicated Charlight’s comment to the king, while nodding in agreement. “I agree with Charlight. The stone must be a forgery.”
Tallin cleared his throat and then spoke quietly. “A forgery is unlikely. Mitca is right. If the Dragon Stone is intact, then they are probably alive. Chua may be in stasis, and Starclaw may be in hibernation. It is possible to stay alive in this way, and expend very little energy. It even helps repair injuries. Duskeye and I know from experience.”
Duskeye dropped his snout and touched Tallin. “If both of them had died, the stone would have splintered. A strong cloaking spell would conceal them, even in the east.”
“This is foolishness. Who has the power to maintain a cloaking spell for that long? It is impossible!” scoffed Riona.
“We can,” replied Tallin. “Duskeye and I learned how to sustain our cloaking spells for months at a time.”
“B-but that’s impossible! Cloaking spells are exhausting—how can you possibly endure the strain for so long? Even while you sleep?” Riona sputtered.
Tallin turned to Riona with steely eyes and said, “To underestimate our powers would be a mistake, elf. Do not forget that I have dwarvish blood. I am much stronger than I look. The more one practices the magical arts, the stronger one becomes. Duskeye and I concentrated our studies on concealment spells. There is not a mage in the kingdom who could find us if I did not want them to.”
“Let’s get back on track, everyone,” Sela said. “I do not believe that Chua and Starclaw are alive. How could they be—after all these years? Isn’t it more likely that the stone is a forgery?”
“It is real,” answered the king. “My informant is a mage. Her powers are marginal, but she could still feel the stone’s energy. She tested it herself.”
“Can your mage be trusted?” asked Hanko.
“Yes. She is beyond reproach. She fought in the Orc Wars, and her husband was a rider. He was killed by the emperor during the war.”
“Really? Her husband was a rider? What was his name?” asked Riona, her eyes wide with surprise.
King Mitca’s eyes narrowed. “I would… rather not say.”
Riona bit her lip, her face burning with embarrassment. Some secrets were too precious to repeat. She knew the king could not risk revealing the identity of his informant, even to the Dragon Riders. Spies were everywhere, and the emperor was ruthless. Some minor detail, whispered in passing, could seal all their fates.
Mitca passed the scroll to Sela. It appeared to be blank. There was a glamour on the scroll. Not strong enough to deter anyone with magical abilities, but enough to prevent a normal human from reading the text.
Sela recited a simple incantation and runes appeared. She recited the letter. “It says—‘Your Royal Highness, I must inform you that a Dragon Stone has been found in the east. It is in my possession. I tested it with spells and I can say with certainty that it is real. I will keep it hidden as long as I can. Please send orders. Faithfully yours.’ That is all. It is signed with a symbol instead of a name.” Sela passed the scroll around to the others.
“All of our informants sign with a symbol, and they only send messages in the old language. It makes communications safer,” said the king.
The writing was rudimentary—everyone could tell that the writer had not studied the old language for very long. However, the image of the Dragon Stone was crystal clear. The stone had been placed underneath the parchment, and charcoal had been rubbed over the image, creating an impression. Th
e carving depicted a dragon’s head, breathing fire.
When the scroll passed to Duskeye, he examined it and frowned. “If the stone is not a forgery, then it is Chua’s,” said Tallin. “I recognize it.”
“Are you sure?” asked Riona. “There were hundreds of Dragon Riders before the war broke out.”
Tallin responded to Riona flatly, “I’m sure.”
Mitca said, “It is too dangerous for me outside the Death Sands. I pass this information to you so you may decide what you want to do. I cannot leave. I will offer asylum to Chua and Starclaw, if you can get them back to Parthos alive. That is the best I can do.” King Mitca took the scroll and tucked it back in his waistband. “If you decide to search for them, then let me know and I will send word to the informant. She will put the stone in a safe place where you can retrieve it.”
The King turned to leave. “I will leave four of my guards at the cathedral doors to ensure your privacy. When you leave, dismiss them, and they will return to the castle. You have one day to decide what you want to do.”
“And what if we cannot come to a consensus?” asked Sela.
“If you cannot come to an agreement, I will order my mage to destroy the stone. I cannot risk it falling into enemy hands,” the king said as he left the cathedral. “I leave you to decide.” The king walked out into the street, and his private guard surrounded him. A few guards stayed behind as promised. One popped his head inside the cathedral and addressed the group.
“The king has ordered us to escort Mistress Sela and her dragon back to his private quarters after your meeting is adjourned.” Then he turned back and sealed the door. It closed with a thump.
“A Dragon Stone cannot be destroyed—can it?” asked Riona.
“Yes… It can,” answered Sela. “But only with difficulty. The stone cannot be destroyed when it is in the rider’s possession, except by killing the rider. However, when a stone is separated from its rider, it can be shattered using necromancy. During the war, the emperor’s necromancers would try to kidnap a dragon or a rider, remove the dragon stone, and destroy it using dark magic. The magical shockwave would usually kill the rider and the dragon, so it was like killing two birds with one stone. More often than not, the spell would kill the necromancer, as well. It is an evil thing to shatter a dragon stone.”
Sela sat down and sighed. “So, what are we going to do?”
“If Starclaw is alive, we must find her. We cannot leave her to die in the east,” said Charlight.
“It is too dangerous,” said Riona. “There aren’t enough of us. We cannot risk one to save another. It could be a trap.”
“How about the rider? Is it possible that Chua is still alive?” asked Sela.
“It’s doubtful. And even if he was alive, none of us could risk our lives to save him,” spat Hanko.
“Why not? Isn’t saving the rider just as important as saving his dragon?” said Riona.
“Chua was a traitor, Riona,” replied Hanko.
Riona gasped with surprise. “A Dragon Rider who was a traitor? I never knew this—how come the others don’t talk about it?”
“Now, now, everyone… let’s not jump to conclusions,” said Sela. “No one is sure what happened. Chua disappeared during the war, after falling from the sky in battle. Most assumed that they were dead, but there was some spotty evidence that both had defected to the other side, and had been working as a double agent for the empire, as spies.”
Hanko spoke again, “Chua was an oathbreaker! Hundreds of dragons and their riders may have perished because of him.”
“There is one other possibility,” said Duskeye, quietly.
“What else could it be?” asked Sela. “The stone exists, so Chua and Starclaw must both still be alive.”
“Starclaw could be waiting in Darkmouth Forest… for her new rider to mature,” replied Duskeye. “Chua was gravely injured during the war. Of that, I am certain. But Chua was still alive when he fell from the sky. What if Chua had a child? If a magical transfer was done, then the child would be able to take the original rider’s place.”
Hanko scoffed, “Unlikely! How could a dragon stay hidden for so long in the east? And how could they have made a transfer without anyone discovering it? This is foolishness!”
“No. I disagree. It is possible, and in fact, it makes perfect sense. It explains why Chua and Starclaw disappeared,” said Tallin. “Chua had a lover during the war. I saw them together at least once or twice. A peasant woman. The woman… was with child. Even if gravely injured, Chua could have done a transfer; even if the child was an infant. I’ve seen it done… in desperation… at least once before.”
Sela sighed. “I have serious reservations about this. It may be a trick. But we cannot ignore it. The only thing left to decide is… who is going to leave the safety of the Death Sands to look for Starclaw, and possibly, Chua?”
No one spoke. Then Duskeye said, “Tallin and I will volunteer.”
Everyone looked at the pair in surprise. Tallin and Duskeye never volunteered for anything.
“Duskeye, are you sure?” asked Sela.
“Yes. We will go,” Tallin responded. “Duskeye and I understand something of how Starclaw must be feeling. I, too, was separated from Duskeye for an extended period—to be alone, for so long… after bonding to a dragon, it is… unbearable.”
Sela and Riona shivered involuntarily.
“Tallin is the strongest illusionist, and he will conceal us with ease. It would be riskier for anyone else to go,” said Duskeye.
“You have a point,” nodded Sela. “But where will you go first? Darkmouth Forest is vast.”
“I have an instinct, and I will follow it,” said Tallin. The others waited for him to elaborate, but he did not offer anything more. Duskeye nudged his rider, but also remained silent. Their thoughts were guarded, as always.
“It is an honorable choice. I will report our decision to the king,” said Sela.
“It is decided, then. Duskeye and I leave for Darkmouth Forest tonight,” said Tallin.
***
Chapter 5: The Mage’s Flame
Elias awoke with a start. It had been exactly one week since he found the dragon stone. His dreams had grown more disturbing. When he closed his eyes at night, he dreamt only of dragons. When he woke up, his mind wandered, and he daydreamed of dragons. He rubbed his eyes and peeked outside the window. It was snowing. Again.
His grandmother was already awake, stirring porridge in the kitchen.
“Good morning, Elias. I am using some of your honey to make breakfast. I got fresh goat’s milk this morning from Borgil. He still owed me for sewing up his arm two months ago.” She put the wooden spoon to her lips and tasted, nodding with satisfaction. “It’s only wheat gruel, but it is sweet and delicious.”
Elias got up and put on his cloak. “It’s freezing. A hot breakfast sounds wonderful.” He walked over and inhaled the aroma of bubbling porridge.
“It snowed last night, and it will continue to snow throughout the week. These mountains are colder than the valley. It’s a trade-off. We are safer from bandits and the emperor’s tax collectors, but we have to deal with more severe weather. The mountains and the forest offer us protection.”
“I still wish it was warmer.” He shivered. “Grandmother, are the Death Sands hot all the time, even in the winter?”
“Yes. It is always warm in the Death Sands, although the temperatures are milder in the fall and winter. The desert is treacherous. A healthy man can die there in just a few hours. The Death Sands are filled with dangerous creatures, nomads, and bandits. One should never underestimate the power of the desert.”
“Have you ever been to the Death Sands, grandmother?”
“Yes, many years ago, before you were born. I dare not speak of it much; it is a rebel territory, after all. It’s best to keep quiet about such things.” She looked wistfully at the ceiling. “It’s beautiful, though. In all of Durn, there is no place like it. At night, you can see a m
illion stars in the sky. There are no clouds. In the spring, the rain comes and the cactus flowers bloom purple and white. There is nothing as lovely as the desert in bloom. And there are the dragons. It’s amazing to see them fly free.”
“Really? What do they look like?” Elias started to ask her more questions about the desert, but was distracted by shouting outside.
“What was that?” asked Carina.
“I don’t know.” Elias peeked out the window. “There’s something going on in the village. I see men on horses. They’re dressed in yellow and red.”
Carina rushed to the window, pulling away the sackcloth curtain, “Elias!” she gasped. “Those are empire soldiers! They are coming towards us!” The men were still a good distance away, but their armor and horses set them apart. These were the emperor’s men.
Elias ran to the door, but Carina shoved him back. She grabbed his shoulders, and twisted him around to face her. Her knuckles were white.
“Elias—tell me the truth—did you tell anyone else about the stone?” Carina whispered anxiously.
“I—Y-Yes. I tried to sell it to Frogar a few days ago. I-I’m sorry! I thought I could get some money—to help us through the winter!” His eyes filled with tears. He had never seen his grandmother this frantic.
“Don’t cry—just tell me—where is the stone now?”
“It-it’s in my room, hidden.” Elias trembled. “I-I didn’t take the stone back to the forest, like you asked me. I was going to take it to Jutland, and sell it. I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
“Elias! Listen to me carefully. It’s too late to do anything about it now. We don’t have much time. These soldiers will kill me, Elias.”
“What? No—no! Don’t say that!” Elias began to sob.
“Stop! Be strong! You must escape with the stone. Go to Darkmouth Forest. Follow the path to the Elder Willow.” Carina rushed to the cabinet, and pulled out a little dagger and a worn journal. “Use the map in this book. The Elder Willow is well-hidden, so you must continue to look for it until you find it. Take this dagger; it is enchanted. No one will be able to take it from you. Guard this book—it is my grimoire. All my knowledge of spells is in here; safeguard it well.”
Dragon Stones (Book One in the Dragon Stone Saga) Page 5