Dragonhold (Book 2)

by Brian Rathbone

  "And if he's awake and guarding it when we return?"

  "Then we knock him back out," Catrin said. "Koe is fully charged, and any energy the crystals here impart to Mael will also be available to us."

  Pelivor just shook his head and hoped with all his might he didn't have to face Mael again. Something about that dragon was more terrifying than all the rest, and it wasn't just his size. Dragon fire was a part of it, but there was something else. He couldn't quite place it, but it nagged at him, making him feel foolish for not understanding.

  "So we just leave him here?" Pelivor asked.

  "What would you do?" Catrin asked softly. There was a dangerous note in her voice.

  Pelivor could not back away from the truth. "Kill him now. Free his spirit if not his body. End it."

  Looking thoughtful, Catrin was silent for some time. "I don't want to kill him."

  There was no explanation and perhaps none needed. Pelivor knew Catrin well enough to know she didn't like to kill anything, let alone something completely defenseless. "We may come to regret that decision."

  "Then so be it." Catrin's voice was hard and cold.

  "I'm sorry," Pelivor said a moment later. "I don't like killing things either, but it is sometimes necessary. Such a powerful enemy within the hold frightens me. Already he's manipulated us. What's to stop him from doing it again?"

  "Now we know what he was doing, and we'll be on the alert. We've reduced his power. Worry no more over this for today. There are things we must do."

  Nodding, Pelivor climbed down and joined Catrin at the stone god's feet. The waters continued to rage through his open mouth. Fish and sometimes driftwood and other debris entered the cavern. Much of it continued away, disappearing into the closed channel carrying the river water deeper into the hold. Always when Pelivor had seen the underground oasis where the river water once again emerges, he'd thought the river entered the hold there. Never would he have guessed that it passed through here first.

  Those who remained within Dragonhold had done what they could to restore order. Despite none of them knowing the name of the god depicted, the cavern was undoubtedly a holy place. This was part of what bothered Pelivor about the ancient dragon's taking up residence there. The dragon's presence desecrated the now scarred and fire-scorched landscape.

  "Come," Catrin said, offering him her hand. "Let's go see the state of the shield."

  Taking one last glance back, Pelivor caught a flash of color in the river water . . . then another and another. "Wait," he said. "Look."

  At first he thought Catrin might be annoyed with him, but as soon as she saw the apples, she rushed to the water's edge. More and more apples flowed into the pool. Fish devoured many but others floated by, still whole. Catrin bent down, retrieved one from the water, and took a bite. An instant later, a hay bale stuffed with red leaves appeared with a grayish lump tied onto it.

  Catrin drew a sharp breath. There was no time to waste. Soon the bale would flow out of the cavern and be lost. Pelivor grabbed Koe from Catrin's hands and dived into the frothing river. She drew a sharp intake of breath as the cat figurine struck the cold water. Driving a wall of air before him, Pelivor gave the predatory fish no chance to find out if he tasted good. Lightning leaped across the water, hissing and popping. The backlash stung Pelivor like a whip, but he was undeterred.

  "Be careful!" Catrin shouted from shore, looking ready to blast any fish unwise enough to get close. His sudden and dramatic entrance frightened them, and most swam as far from him as they could get. Some prey just wasn't worth the trouble.

  Grabbing the bale with one hand, Pelivor showed how people taught to swim in the middle of the ocean could do it. However, even with all his training, pulling the waterlogged bale out of the water was a difficult task. Catrin helped him drag it to shore.

  "A man with your abilities," Catrin said, shaking her head, "and you dive into the water headfirst. What were you thinking?"

  Pelivor shrugged. "I just reacted. My other . . . talents . . . take some getting used to."

  Catrin nodded in understanding. She stepped closer and inspected the thing lashed to the hay bale. An inescapable smell wrinkled her nose and she laughed. "No wonder Sinjin and Kendra hated it so much."

  * * *

  Never before had Sevellon felt so violated and used.

  "Cheer up," Jharmin said. "I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

  The thief walked in silence, his thoughts whirling. Was he even now acting in his own best interest? Was he being manipulated? Not knowing drove him to distraction. Personal freedom had been among the greatest draws of a thief's life, and to lose it without even realizing it was the most frightening thing imaginable. Under normal circumstances, he would've been reluctant to board a ship with Jharmin Kyte, a man who introduced himself by speaking Sevellon's full name and profession. This alone was unforgivable, yet Sevellon found himself liking the man. It made his teeth hurt.

  Jharmin's ship, the Wolf's Head, bore a masthead to match her name. The carving managed to appear both formidable and wise. Staying on the Godfist was not an option Sevellon wanted to consider, even if he had fulfilled his quest on Catrin's behalf; they would know he'd betrayed them. He didn't want Kendra Volker or Trinda Hollis to get their hands on him either. Jharmin's ship was the quickest and easiest way to achieve his first goal. For that reason, his boots continued to carry him closer to shore and the longboats.

  "Where will you go?" Jharmin asked, not for the first time.

  Still, Sevellon let the silence hang between them. He had not decided. And even if he had, he wasn't certain he wanted Jharmin to know the truth yet. Old habits died hard; those very habits had kept him alive this long.

  "There's almost always work to be had in Endland Bay," Jharmin said, specifically not mentioning Sevellon's profession. "The Cathurans won't let anyone in these days, so don't bother going to any of their strongholds. The Inland Sea is also not currently safe, not that it ever was."

  Sevellon suspected Jharmin was talking just to try to make the thief feel better, perhaps more accepted, but the strangeness of their relationship would not allow him to let down his guard. He kept waiting for the moment Jharmin would reveal that he would be thrown in jail and left to rot for the rest of his days. But so far, the man had just treated him with kindness and respect, although with an authoritative air with regard to carrying out Catrin's requests.

  Silence persisted for the rest of the walk, until they encountered patrols. Seeing them made the thief's innards clench. Even Jharmin recoiled when the armed soldiers approached. Catrin was not well loved south of the Wall, and claiming allegiance to her could equal a death sentence rather than safe passage. Instead, Jharmin passed himself off as a trader, and given his rich attire, it was an almost believable tale. But the man's mannerisms and posture spoke of real power.

  "Move along. Don't cause us any trouble, and we'll cause you none," the burliest among the guards said.

  No more words were required, and the group moved through Harborton with purpose. When they reached the docks, Jharmin once again turned to Sevellon. "Where will you go?"

  "As far away from dragons as possible."

  "Wise choice," Jharmin Kyte said with a wry smile. "Very wise choice."

  * * *

  "Allette knew things that weren't revealed to me," Catrin said to Pelivor, Chase, Morif, Millie, and a few others who'd gathered to hear what she and Pelivor would do next. The assemblage included most of the people remaining within Dragonhold. Those not present were likely occupied with their tasks. After so many escaped, Dragonhold was short of hands. Pelivor assumed those who remained were loyal to Catrin, but nothing was certain.

  "I thought you said she could hide nothing from you," Chase said.

  "I did," Catrin responded. "That's why I don't think it was Allette who hid it from me."

  "You think Mael did it?" Chase asked.

  Catrin just shrugged in response.

  "And now you're going to do th
e same thing again, not even knowing if the dragon is conscious and ready to manipulate your very thoughts?"

  "Correct," Catrin said. "And I need your help."

  Chase walked away, muttering to himself; sometimes waving his arms in the air and ranting.

  "What's your plan?" Morif asked.

  "To go to the one place it seems Mael does not want me to go. To the place he made sure Allette did not reveal to me. I will go to the heart of the Jaga. I'm missing a piece of the puzzle and will not be able to solve it until I know exactly what it is we're facing."

  "It's a bad idea!" Chase insisted as he walked by, continuing to grumble under his breath afterward.

  "There are things about Mael I don't understand," Catrin continued, ignoring her cousin, which clearly infuriated him, "and this is the only way I know to find out."

  "We can do what you need," Morif said, "but we'll not be able to sustain it long given the limited numbers within the hold. We're already stretched thin."

  "There are more than enough supplies to feed those who remain," Catrin said, accepting excuses from no one. "Prepare enough rations for twenty-one days. Then there will be plenty of people available to do as I require."

  Pelivor noted that Catrin neither asked nor demanded, she simply required. It was a nice trick.

  One of Miss Mariss's helpers left the hall at a run.

  "Twenty-one days?" Chase asked with a raised eyebrow. "No food. No water. For twenty-one days?"

  "An overestimate," Catrin said. "I expect it to take significantly less than that, but I've learned caution."

  Chase crossed his arms. "That's debatable."

  "There's no other way," Catrin said. Her tone made it clear the argument was over.

  "I'll go with you," Pelivor said. "You and I both know the dangers. You need someone to watch your back."

  Catrin gave him an exasperated look. "Last time, you nearly exploded." Pelivor flushed, remembering his headlong tumble into the heart of darkness. The end of that memory made him even more determined not to let Catrin go alone. "And both of us going will consume the limited power we have twice as fast."

  "Then you need to just see whatever it is you need to see," Chase said, "and get back here without dawdling."

  Everyone knew the words were out of concern for his cousin, and his point was not ill made.

  "I agree," Morif said.

  "As do I," Millie said, crossing her arms.

  Catrin sighed. Pelivor read the thoughts on her face, and it was clear the irony of being the most powerful person on the planet and not having the ability to win a simple argument was apparent. "Fine."

  "I'm sorry." Pelivor felt as if that were all he ever said to Catrin.

  "There are consequences," Catrin said softly. "I told you what happened when Allette and I traveled. It was unavoidable and irreversible. Are you certain you wish me to know your every thought and memory? It's more than a little humiliating."

  The thought did make Pelivor cringe, and it took him a moment to respond. It was not for his personal purposes he wished to go but to protect Catrin. That desire hadn't lessened, and the feeling in Pelivor's gut told him he wouldn't be able to stand still until she returned. His only choice was to go with her, so he nodded an affirmative.

  When word came from the kitchens that rations had been prepared to Catrin's order, the reprimand from Miss Mariss was palpable. "The time has come," Catrin said. "Let us be done with this."

  "May you find that which you seek," Morif intoned, and the ancient axiom had never been quite so appropriate.

  Millie said a prayer behind them. A bead of sweat grew on Pelivor's forehead; he hoped Catrin didn't notice.

  The main hall thrummed with discordant energy, and occasional thunder split the air, echoing loudly through the hold. They had been hearing it for some time, but so close to the source, it became overpowering. Catrin walked toward Dragonhold's main entrance, not content to take the word of others. Pelivor was glad. He also wanted to see for himself. His spirit would have to pierce that barrier, and he wanted to understand the state it was in before doing so.

  "Don't go too close," Chase warned. "The lightning also strikes inside the hold. We've had two people struck already. No sense in adding two more to that list."

  Pelivor sensed Catrin wanted to heed her cousin's advice, but it was difficult to see from a distance. The closer they drew, the more irritated Chase became.

  "That's far enough. Don't you see the black spot right in front of where you're standing?"

  This time Catrin did stop. Pelivor stood on his toes, trying to see the broken spire's base, but all he could see was that it leaned outward, disrupting the energy flow. Swirling vortices danced across the plasma barrier like tears in the fabric of the prison itself. Through these rifts clear sky was visible, Istra's energy slipping through the otherwise impermeable barrier in hints and whispers.

  The ever-shifting surface captivated Pelivor. Having been locked away from the light, any chance to bask in its warmth was more than welcome. When Catrin pulled him away, he left reluctantly.

  With the stone chairs in place, their polished metal–streaked surfaces standing out against the monotonous walls of Dragonhold, a different energy filled the viewing chamber. Perhaps the least comfortable seat Pelivor had ever occupied, the stone chair invoked memories of being sore for days after the last time he'd sat in it. The chairs had rested in the Slippery Eel's hold at the time. Pelivor wondered for a moment why they had not experienced the same melding effect that Catrin and Allette had. There must be something about the design of this specific viewing chamber, he decided.

  In the next instant, no more time for contemplation remained. The chanting began softly but almost immediately grew louder. Voices became clearer as their confidence developed, and soon Pelivor floated on the vibrations they provided. When Catrin grabbed his hand, placed it on Koe's back, and kept her hand on top of his, he changed his guess: it was the common power source that bound them. There was no need to tell Catrin. He was naked before her, every thought exposed. His dreams, desires, and failings were hers to know, and he received the same from her.

  Nothing could have prepared him for the knowledge that flowed between them. Knowing what Catrin knew turned out to be far more responsibility than Pelivor had anticipated. From her memories, he learned the power to enslave, coerce, and even to destroy Godsland itself. For the rest of his days, he would bear knowledge he'd never desired. Catrin had told him there would be consequences. He hadn't fully comprehended. She had known that. The knowledge shamed him.

  The exchange took place in both directions, and Catrin experienced revelations of her own. The ability to communicate while experiencing each other's lives made the process even more complex.

  "You were so brave," Catrin said during what was one of the most deeply buried memories in Pelivor's consciousness. Taken from the woman who'd raised him, he'd managed to leave without crying. A kind family took him in and gave him every opportunity. He would always be grateful to Nora Trell for what she'd done for him. He hadn't known it at the time, but the woman he considered his mother had been dying and had wanted to spare him the pain. The irony was not lost on him.

  Pelivor suspected tears fell from his physical form, but he really had no way of knowing. Traveling in his astral form made it feel as if he had no body at all. He existed on that plane as a being of energy and light. It was glorious, save it lacked the tactile presence the real world provided. He could not handle objects and manipulate them while exploring them with his sense of touch. Instead he was left to exert what little force his energetic form could muster. The wind ignored them as well, making travel easy and fast, but he missed the feel of it on his face.

  Many of the experiences that came to Pelivor were painful and frightening. Catrin's life had taken such a horrific turn. He'd never known such fear. When he experienced their kiss from Catrin's perspective, he was certain his physical face shone bright red. Catrin's own discomfort at sharing the
memories flowed through the bond, and Pelivor reminded himself to take heed when Catrin warned him of consequences. This thought made Catrin laugh. Even that was invasive since he hadn't intentionally shared. It was as strange an experience as Pelivor had ever gone through.

  Letting Catrin guide them, Pelivor was able to relax and process the mountain of new information entering his mind. Neither had anticipated the hidden benefit of their melding, but it soon became clear Pelivor understood things about Istra's energy Catrin had never gleaned. His was a mind of logic, math, and reason. Catrin was defined far more by her feelings, and seeing things from Pelivor's clinical view changed the way she used Istra's gifts, even as they soared over the Endless Sea.

  For as much as he had to teach Catrin about using her power to fly and how to get a sizable result from a limited amount of energy, it was nothing compared to the things Catrin had to teach him. Her time within Dragonhold and the Black Spike had not been wasted, the amount of studying exhausting. So much information filled her head, he wondered if his might explode. Perhaps the use of her power had somehow enhanced her mental capabilities, he thought.

  When the Jaga came into view, it approached so fast, Pelivor erected wing structures to slow their approach.

  "We've no time or energy to waste," Catrin scolded across the bond. She was not angry with him; she was just worried they would be unable to accomplish what they had come for and that both would be at risk. Koe held a finite amount of energy, and neither of them knew how much remained. Perception of time and space were different on this plane.

  Gliding along silently, Pelivor did his best not to be an obstruction. Neither wanted to find out what would happen if they drained the reserve Koe held. Nothing good could come of it.

  Thick foliage crisscrossed with glistening black waterways raced beneath them at speeds that made the journey even more surreal. When the darkness began creeping into the greenery, turning it to ashen gray, their progress slowed. Their combined anxiety flooded the bond, and both were at their most alert.