Blood Bond

by Susan Leigh Noble

  Soren filled a small pot with water and set it above the flames. He poured in the dried ingredients he had from his kit. He watched the flames as they danced around the outside of the pot. “You told me once you had a feeling about me, did you make that up, so I would do what you asked?”

  “I did say that. You had the connection to the King. I knew you would be the one.”

  He bristled at the words.

  “What? What have I said to make you tense? Do you not believe me?”

  Soren sighed as he watched the rushing river a few paces away. “It isn't about believing you. It is about believing in myself.” His words were soft, barely audible over the noise from the river. He glanced at Dex before walking toward the forest. “I need to find the Calthorn flower for my tonic.”

  And with that, he slipped between the trees, knowing a worried Dex stared after him. He knew the conversation wasn’t over. He should have known it would never be as easy as just agreeing to involve himself in this war. If he had any hopes of making a difference, it would mean letting go of the past.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The sun was low in the sky when Dex finally landed for the evening. Soren slid to the ground. His muscles ached. He reached into his pouch for the tonic bottle. He swallowed some, figuring it would help not only with the ugly bruise that covered his shoulder but also the aches from the day’s ride.

  “Even though you did all the flying, I’m exhausted.” Soren turned to Dex as a thought popped into his mind. “I know you need to recuperate after Blinking but wouldn’t it have been better to stay in one place? Doesn’t flying tire you?”

  “Flying a long distance is no effort. It is mostly gliding along air currents. Sleep is the best way to recover, but this works too.” The dragon’s stomach rumbled. “Of course traveling after Blinking means I need to eat more often. I will go hunt now and by tomorrow, I should be ready to Blink.”

  Soren stepped back, noting that Dex’s color was better. “No need to hurry. Plus I was thinking we might want to keep following the army. Maybe we can get a look at them. We can get an idea of their size and weapons like General Thayer wanted.”

  “That could be dangerous.”

  “I know. What was I thinking?” Soren smiled. “It was only a thought. If I am stuck helping out, I might as make it worth it.”

  Dex regarded him for a moment before leaping into the air. As he glided down the hill, he finally responded. “I’ll take it into consideration.”

  Soren shook his head. He didn’t know where the suggestion had come from. But Emery’s words still haunted him. The problem with flying is it allowed him to dwell on his thoughts. He couldn’t help replaying things Emery, Jerrick and Rodar had all said to him. He picked up his staff and his pack. Knowing Dex would be awhile, he walked along the forest edge with the intent of finding something to supplement his dinner. Dried meat and bread may be the standard travel rations provided by King Arden’s staff, but it made for dry eating. He had seen a stream nearby but had no desire to go there after last night’s incident. He hoped instead to find some fruit or berries to add variety to his meal.

  As he crested the next hill, he saw the village below. It was a smaller than his own Kenton and like Baycliff and the village in Sholar, it lay in ruin. Even though he had seen the devastation before, it still stung. So much destruction. So much death. As he stared at the burned buildings, an image flashed of his brother’s place burned to the ground. He pressed his eyes closed as he imagined Jerrick and Lyla lying dead in the street. An uneasy feeling settled over him, and it cemented his decision to help.

  He heard a soft sound behind him and swung around, barely having time to dodge the thick branch aimed for his head. A large man with a graying beard and clothes marred with soot stood behind him. He yelled as he swung at Soren again. Soren raised his staff, blocking the man’s branch. Stepping back, he threw down his pack and circled the man, holding his staff at the ready.

  “Looking to see if you could do more damage,” the man said, his dark eyes watering as he momentarily flicked them to the ruins. “You and your dragons didn’t leave anything or anyone standing.”

  It took Soren a moment to realize the man had seen him with Dex and had assumed he belonged to the army that had laid waste to the village. Before he could say anything, the man charged, swinging the branch at Soren’s head. He ducked.

  “I am not with them,” he said as the man attacked again. Soren blocked his blow, causing the man to stumble backwards.

  “I saw you and the dragon.”

  The man rushed forward. Soren used the same sweeping move he had on Rodar, knocking the man to the ground. He stepped forward, pressing his staff to the man’s chest.

  “I’m not with them. I had nothing to do with the attack on your village.”

  “Stop right there," a deep voice said.

  A blade pressed against Soren’s back.

  “Let him go.”

  Soren moved the staff away from the man’s chest as someone grabbed him from behind. The person wrapped his arm around Soren’s chest, pulling him as he kept the blade firmly pressed against his back.

  “Drop the staff.”

  Soren did as asked as he called to Dex. The dragon didn’t respond.

  The older man scrambled to his feet. “Good timing as usual, Bevin.”

  “There is rope in my pack,” the deep voice of Bevin said.

  Soren closed his eyes, concentrating harder on Dex. “I need you!”

  “Soren?” The reply was faint.

  “Dex, I need you.”

  There was no reply this time. The dragon was obviously too far away.

  The older man walked in front of Soren. He grabbed his wrists, binding them tight with the rope. As soon as he was bound, the man behind him, Bevin, eased the pressure of the blade on his back. The man walked around to stand before Soren. He was a few years older than Soren and wore the uniform of the Walencroft guard. Like the older man, his face and clothes were marred with soot. He ran his hand through his black hair as his eyes swept over Soren, lingering on first his face and then the mark on his neck before returning his eyes to Soren’s face.

  “I’ve seen you before at King Arden’s court.”

  “No. I don’t think so.”

  The man shook his head. “No, I am sure of it. I have been there for the past two years and know I have seen you. I can’t believe you are committing treason by joining them.”

  “That wasn’t me. And I am not with the invaders. I think there is a misunderstanding here,” Soren said, stopping as a woman and boy of about twelve exited the forest.

  The woman was petite. Her dark hair was streaked with grey and swept back in a braid. While her clothes were dirty like Bevin and the old man’s, her face and hands were clean. She crossed to the older man, wrapping an arm around his waist. The boy followed her closely. He stood beside her, shuffling his foot at the grass before him. There was a weariness around him, around them all. The boy lifted his eyes from the ground to Soren. They were red and swollen as if he had been crying. The woman’s eyes too were sad as she directed them at him.

  “And who is this, Tevor?” she asked.

  “He is with the invaders. I saw him and his dragon land just over the ridge.”

  The woman moved forward, her eyes narrowing. “What? Did you come back to make sure the village was completely destroyed? Well, let me tell you, it is. We have nothing left.” A tear trickled down her face.

  “I…I had nothing to do with that.”

  “Soren, what is wrong? Where are you?”

  Relief washed over him. “I was attacked. They think we are with the invading army.”

  “I saw you with a dragon," Tevor said, stepping forward.

  “Where are you?” Dex asked.

  “We aren’t with them. We are following them to gain information for King Arden,” Soren said before answering Dex. “I am on the other side of the ridge from where we landed.”

  Bevin shook his he
ad. “No. Dragons and man haven’t been together for…”

  “Over fifty years,” Tevor said.

  “I'm coming,” Dex said.

  “No. Hold off,” he said as he struggled to keep up with two conversations. “I know it is hard to believe, but it’s true.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “No.” Bevin shook his head again. “Before I left, King Edric was on his way for the annual summit. There is no way King Arden would have dragons here when he arrives.”

  “The dragons and King Arden have recently reached an agreement to fight together to stop this advancing army,” Soren said and then silently answered Dex. “I’ll call you when I am free, and you can grab me.”

  “You lie!” The woman muttered, her eyes falling from his face to the mark on his neck. “What is that?”

  Bevin moved closer. “I noticed it too. What do you think, Father?”

  Tevor moved forward. “Thieves are often branded as part of their punishment, but that isn’t the mark they typically use.” He frowned. “My guess is the brand did come from the King.” His eyes flirted to Soren’s. “What did you do?”

  Soren sighed. His eyes moved past the trio to the boy. He had wandered away from the protection of the trees. “Dex, there is a boy out in the open. Can you grab him?”

  “Sure. Now?”

  “Now!” The others still stared at him. “It is used to tell my brother and I apart. It is my brother you saw at court, not me. And I’ll say it again, we are not with the army marching north.”

  The sound of Dex’s wings broke through the air as he crested the hill.

  “Dragon!” The boy yelled as he ran toward them.

  He didn’t get far. Dex flew behind him, snagging the boy in his massive claws. The boy screamed as he was jerked from the ground.

  “Delwin, no!” the woman screamed. She took a step toward the dragon before swinging back to Soren. “Tell him to let him go, please. He is only a boy.”

  “Tell him,” Bevin said, raising his sword and pressing it against Soren’s chest. “Or I’ll kill you.”

  “You kill me, and the boy is dead.”

  They stared at each other, neither moving.

  “Bevin, let him go,” the woman begged. “Save your brother.”

  “Do it,” Tevor ordered.

  Bevin hesitated. Slowly, he lowered his sword. Soren held out his arms. Bevin glanced toward his father who pulled his knife. The old man sliced the ropes. Soren rubbed his wrists as Dex landed a few paces away. He held Delwin in his claws.

  “I am sorry about what happened to your village,” Soren said, his eyes still on Bevin. “It wasn’t us. We are not with that other army and their dragons. We are part of King Arden’s army, and we will make our stand against the invaders soon.”

  Bevin looked at him, no emotion playing across his face, but Soren suspected the man was seething inside. Soren grabbed his bag and staff and walked toward Dex. Tears streamed down Delwin’s face, and his eyes were wide as he dangled above the ground.

  “Release him, Dex.”

  The dragon opened his claws, and the boy tumbled onto the grass. He leapt up, running straight to his sobbing mother. Soren understood the fear in the boy’s eyes. Being snatched by a dragon was terrifying. He climbed on Dex’s back and with one last look at the family, he urged the dragon into the air.

  “Are you okay,” Dex asked.

  “I am fine.” He glanced at the setting sun. “It is late. Let’s fly to the other side of the village to set up camp. Did you get to eat?”

  “No but if we are going to catch up and survey the enemy before Blinking, I can eat in the morning.”

  Soren grinned. “You agree with me?”

  “I still am not sure it is wise, but if it helps defeat them…”

  “General Thayer said we need to know the size of the army and what weapons they possess.”

  “So it is we now? Have you finally given into helping?”

  Soren sighed. “I don’t think I ever had a choice.”

  Dex landed in a clearing on the other side of the village. As Soren slid to the ground, his stomach rumbled. It was the same intense feeling of hunger he had experienced a few times since Bonding with Dex. He noted the sun had sunk even lower but there was still a decent amount of light.

  “You still might have time to hunt.” He grabbed his own bag. He sat, opening it to see what was left of his food.

  “I will wait until the morning.”

  “I know you are famished. Go hunt.”

  “I am not sure I can leave you alone. There could be other survivors who might attack. That is one danger of following the army. Others will think we are with them.”

  “Good point but that isn’t the real reason, is it?” Soren unwrapped the bread and broke off a section.

  “Hunting here is hard. Back home, I know where the herds are. I miss feasting on mountain Oryx. All I find here are small, stringy deer.”

  A twinge of guilt had him setting down the bread. “Being close to the village makes it hard to find deer.”

  “Eat, Soren. No use both of us going hungry. You speak of deer, do you hunt?”

  Soren laughed. “Only every year at Jerrick’s insistence. He loves the Annual Hunt.” He bit into the last of the bread.

  Soren reached for his flask. His hands trembled slightly. His heart began to race as dizziness overwhelmed him. He grasped his head and closed his eyes. Sweat beaded his forehead as he pulled his knees toward his chest and laid his head on them until the dizziness faded.

  Next to him, Dex circled around as he settled on a place to lay. Soren glanced at the dragon, wondering if the dragon had felt his wooziness or if his hunger had masked it. Slowly, he rose and began collecting firewood. While the strange feeling had passed, his hands still shook as he picked up the sticks. He piled the wood into a dirt area. Without being asked, Dex lit the logs on fire.

  Soren sat, leaning against the dragon. He shifted around, suddenly antsy despite being tired. He knew the warmth from the fire would soon make him sleepy, but he needed something to do. He reached into his bag, pulling out his tools and the wrapped piece of metal and began to work.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The next morning, Soren moved slowly. His mouth felt dry, and his hands shook slightly as he emptied his pack with the idea of inventorying his supplies to ensure he had enough to get through the additional day or two of flying it would take to catch up to the invading army. He and Dex estimated it could be as early as this evening.

  As he returned items to the bag, he paused over the metal plate wrapped in cloth. He held it in his hand for a moment before unwrapping it. His thumb ran over the dragon he had carved. When he rescued the piece from Ferin's pile of rejected metal, he had not known what he would do with it. But the flaw in the metal was small and Soren had incorporated it into his design. As he looked at the finished work, he was glad he had rescued the piece. It had felt natural to carve the dragon. He ran his hand over it. It should fit nicely on the breast plate of Dex’s harness. He pulled out his tools and attached it.

  Soren put away his tools and continued packing his other supplies. He paused when he saw the flask. His fingers itched to pick it up, to open it and feel the liquor warming his throat and stomach. Only one little taste. He lifted the flask. His hand trembled as he rubbed the smooth side with his thumbs. A tremor shook his body as his head spun. The need for a drink overwhelmed him. His fingers traced the flask's top. Just a taste. How long had it been?

  Part of him didn't care as he struggled to recall the last time he had felt the liquor warming his throat and stomach. It was the evening with the guards in the courtyard. Two nights ago. Had he ever gone so long without a drink? Soren shook his head. He quickly shoved the flask back in his bag. As much as he wanted a drink, he knew he needed a clear head if they caught up to the invaders later that day. A snapping of a branch had him leaping to his feet. He drew his dagger.

  The Walencroft guard from yeste
rday entered the clearing. The older couple and the young boy followed him. They stopped at the edge of the woods. They wore the same dirty clothes as yesterday, but today their faces were clean and hair had been combed.

  The younger man, Bevin, held his hand up. “We mean you no harm.”

  Soren studied them. They didn’t have their weapons drawn, but he hesitated to trust them. “Put your sword and daggers by the tree.”

  Bevin and the older man did as he asked. He gestured for them to join him by the fire. He lowered his knife, but he didn’t sheath it. “What are you doing here?”

  “You said you were going to fight this army,” Bevin said. “I want to come with you.”

  “As do I,” Tevor said.

  “Tevor,” the woman hissed. “No.”

  He turned to her. “Hush, now Rissa. I need to do this. I need to avenge our boy.”

  Soren’s eyes darted from to Tevor to Bevin. “You want to come with me? On Dex?”

  Bevin nodded.

  “I want to go too,” Delwin declared as his mother hushed him.

  “No,” Tevor said harshly. He sighed, turning toward the boy. Softening his tone, he continued. “You take care of your mother, Delwin. That is your job. Protect her.”

  Soren still couldn’t believe it. “Yesterday you wanted to kill me, and now you want to go with me?”

  “Yes,” Bevin said. “We discussed it last night. If what you said is true, you are my best chance of rejoining my unit and stopping this from happening to another village.”

  “I can understand that.” Soren’s mind flashed to his own village and the images he had envisioned of it destroyed.

  The woman stepped forward. “Where are our manners? We are being rude. I am Carissa Croxen. This is my husband Tevor. This is our oldest son, Bevin, and our youngest, Delwin. Our other boy, Jarrod, died in the village as did our friends and neighbors.”

  “Soren Blackfist,” he said. “How were you spared?”

  “We had gone fishing,” Tevor said, staring at the fire. “Bevin was visiting, and it has been something we have always done when he comes home. We camp out for a few days. Jarrod didn’t want to come.” Tevor’s voice broke, and he rubbed his hand over his face. “I should have insisted…I should have made him come with us.”