“Jax, my man,” Shade said. “Are we here?”
“We’re somewhere,” Umbra said. “These are the coordinates Lord Black supplied, or at least as close as I can get. Further searching will have to be done on the ground.”
“Right. Rondo, you’ll take First Squad east and I’ll take Second west. We’ll search until dark then fall back to the ship. If you find anything mark your location and return to the landing zone. Okay?”
Rondo didn’t know the first thing about the forest, survival, tracking, or anything remotely useful in a situation like this. Nevertheless, he nodded. “Got it.”
“Great. Second Squad on me.”
Ten mercenaries gathered around Shade while the rest moved to join Rondo. None of them looked overly thrilled to have him for a leader. That was fair given how little Rondo wanted the job. Hopefully the mercenaries knew their business and Rondo could just stay out of the way.
The deck wobbled under him and a moment later Rondo found himself in the air and slowly descending beside his squad. Thick branches slapped him in the face as they fell through the canopy. Once they were through, they wove around branches thicker than some trees back home to finally reach the ground.
Their boots made no sound when they landed on a thick cushion of needles. Spruce perfumed the air and bird calls flitted on the breeze. If you enjoyed being outside this was probably paradise. For Rondo it was a personal hell.
“The other group is descending, sir,” said one of the mercenaries, a tall, broad, grizzled fellow probably twice Rondo’s age.
Rondo had been so preoccupied with his thoughts he hadn’t noticed the squad, his squad, moving to one side. He cleared the landing area just in time to let Shade and the other mercenaries land.
“Let’s get moving,” Shade said. “It’ll get dark faster than you think under these limbs.”
Without further comment Shade led his team deeper into the forest. Rondo’s squad all looked at him expectantly. He scrubbed a hand across his face. Much as it galled, his options were limited.
“Which of you is the most senior here?” Rondo asked.
The man that warned him about the others descending said, “I am, sir. Corporal Simms.”
“Well, Simms, here’s the deal. I know nothing about hunting or tracking. As such I’ll be deferring to your expertise. Please assume command of the mission.”
Simms goggled for a moment then nodded. “Yes, sir. Anton, you’ve got point. Let’s move.”
The squad set out while Simms held back a fraction to walk beside Rondo. “Something on your mind, Corporal?”
“I just wanted to thank you for letting me take charge, sir. I’ve heard stories from some of the other squad leaders about sages that think they know everything and walked their squads right into trouble. We appreciate working with someone more… reasonable.”
Rondo nodded, pleased with the mercenary’s attitude. Working with someone professional was a great improvement over depending on that savage Koltin. They quickly caught up to the rear of the squad and Simms directed Rondo to a position in the center of their line while he made his way to the second position.
The walking was actually quite easy. Aside from six inches of orange needles, the forest floor was devoid of obstacles. Several hours passed and they saw nothing but giant trunks and the occasional bird. A gray fog cut visibility to only a few yards. They could have walked right past the tower and never seen it. It was like finding a needle in a giant forest.
“Sir,” Simms said. “We should probably start making a loop back to meet Shade and the others.”
“As you think best, Corporal. Lead on.”
They didn’t make a sharp one-eighty, instead Simms guided them on a slow curve that would let them cover the maximum area while still getting them back to where they wanted to go. Rondo’s mind wandered as he walked. He truly hoped he wasn’t going to have to spend weeks or gods forbid months roaming this primeval forest.
So wrapped up in his moping was Rondo that he nearly walked right into the soldier in front of him. “Why did we stop?”
“No idea, sir. Signal to hold came from up front.”
Rondo was about to make his way toward the front when Simms came rushing back, an eager smile on his hard features. “We found something, sir. Best come see.”
By all that was good and holy let them have found the tower. Rondo dismissed the idea at once. If Simms had found the tower, he would have said so.
At the front of the line Simms stopped and pointed at a three-foot-tall stone. “Isn’t that something?”
Clearly Rondo was missing something. “It’s a rock.”
“It’s a road marker, sir.” Simms scuffed his boot through the needles, kicking them aside to reveal a section of smooth path set with stones. Imperial work for sure. “Bet this leads right back to the tower Lord Black’s so keen to find.”
“Hopefully, Simms, but which way?”
The corporal shrugged. “No way to know, sir. We’ll just have to check both directions. Won’t take long if Shade’s group goes one way and we go the other. We’ll mark a clear trail from here to the rendezvous point.”
Rondo’s hopes were buoyed considerably at the thought of ending this search quickly. His moment of relief was ended by a high, loud scream from the direction of the landing zone. He never should have gotten excited.
“Bloody hell!” Simms said.
That summed up Rondo’s feelings perfectly. “Let’s hurry, Corporal, but be sure to mark that trail. I don’t want to have to find this road again with nothing but luck to guide us.”
They ran toward the scream, one of the soldiers cutting deep grooves in every passing tree as they went. When Rondo and his men reached Shade, the battle was over. Four… somethings covered in thick brown hair lay dead and bleeding on the ground while one of the mercenaries was nowhere to be seen. Shade held a pair of blood-drenched daggers and the look on his face as he scanned the treetops sent a chill down Rondo’s spine.
“You okay, Shade?” Rondo asked.
The assassin gave a little shake of his head and offered a lopsided grin. “Yeah, lost one of my boys though. Those hairy bastards fell on us out of nowhere.”
Shade kicked over one of the corpses. Its face resembled a cross between a man and a bulldog. The nose was crunched up flat in the face and a pink tongue lolled out between long, sharp incisors. Beady, black eyes stared at nothing from under heavy brows. It had four-fingered hands that ended in sharp, hooked claws, perfect for climbing trees.
“What is it?” Rondo asked.
“Hell if I know. Maybe Jax will have some idea.” Shade bent and cleaned the blades of his daggers on the body. “Did you see any of them?”
“No, but we found an old imperial road. Corporal Simms reckons it might lead to the tower.”
“Ha! There’s a bit of luck.” Shade pointed to a pair of his men. “Grab one of those things and let’s get to the landing zone. Every other man keep your eyes on the trees. Those things blend in so well you can barely see them even when they’re moving.”
As Rondo walked, he kept a hand on the back of the soldier in front of him since he refused to lower his gaze from the treetops. If something was hunting them, he didn’t intend to be taken by surprise, not that there was much he could do about the monsters on his own. Rondo was less skilled in combat than he was in wilderness survival.
Perhaps the death of their fellows discouraged the rest or maybe a larger group was more than they wanted to deal with, Rondo didn’t really know. All that mattered was they reached the landing zone without further trouble.
Shade and his squad stood in the same spot where they landed and he said, “We’re here.”
Some magic must have allowed Umbra to hear his voice because a moment later they were floating up through the branches. Rondo moved his squad into position and tensed; this would be a perfect moment for the monsters to attack. Shade’s ascent took several minutes and more than once Rondo forgot to breathe.
At last their turn came. The feeling of floating upward with nothing under your feet and no ropes around your arms was a difficult one to describe. Rondo had never felt anything like it. There was nothing uncomfortable about the process, aside from the constant fear of attack.
He tried to keep his head on a swivel as he drifted past the giant branches. Once or twice Rondo thought he saw movement, but whenever he looked closer there was nothing. They were nearly clear of the canopy when he saw the first creature.
It stood in the shadows just below the treetops and watched him with shining back eyes. They weren’t the eyes of a mindless beast. They held intelligence and malice the likes of which Rondo never thought to see outside of another human.
The creature continued to watch him until he cleared the trees and sailed toward the ship. Rondo tried his best to calm himself but failed miserably. He hadn’t fully understood the threat they faced until he saw those eyes. There was no chance they could finish their mission without another fight. That thing wouldn’t rest until they were all dead.
Rondo stood beside Shade and Umbra with the hairy monster between them on the ship’s deck. The mercenaries were enjoying a splash of rum below deck to mourn their lost companion. At least that was the excuse they used. Rondo would have been happy to celebrate being a good hundred yards above the treetops, well out of jumping range.
“So what the hell is it?” Shade asked.
Umbra’s cowl rustled and Rondo assumed he shook his head. “I haven’t the slightest idea. No book I’ve read says anything about a creature like this. If they’re common in the forest, it would explain why so many expeditions never returned. Judging from its size and musculature, I’d guess it was easily twice as strong as the average human.”
“They’re tough too,” Shade said. “Between the hair and muscle, I could barely get a dagger into the damn thing. It’s gonna be a bitch securing the tower for the boss.”
“Assuming you live long enough to find the tower,” Umbra said.
“We’ll follow that road Rondo found and be at the tower late tomorrow, no problem.” Shade snapped his fingers. “Maybe you could scare them off with magic.”
“Perhaps, but if I’m on the ground and something happens to me, how are you planning to get home? Neither of you can contact Lord Black or pilot the ship.”
Rondo’s throat tightened. He hadn’t even considered the possibility of being trapped here. On the other hand, having Umbra’s magic would give them a much better chance of reaching the tower in one piece. It was a horrible choice, but someone needed to make it.
“What if we call the boss for reinforcements?” Shade said. “With him and Domina helping, clearing the ugly things out would be simple.”
“That wasn’t the plan,” Umbra said.
“No one knew about these things when the plan was made,” Shade countered. “At the very least let him know. If the boss wants us to continue on our own, fine, but once he knows what’s happening, he might change his mind.”
“It seems like a reasonable suggestion,” Rondo dared offer.
Umbra’s cowl turned in Rondo’s direction and he caught the briefest flash of golden eyes before the wizard looked away.
“Very well. I will make contact. You two should sleep. If Lord Black wishes us to move on our own, we’ll be making an early start.”
Rondo followed Shade down the steps to the lower deck. The three leaders, if Rondo was so arrogant as to call himself a leader on this mission, each had a small cabin to themselves while the mercenaries camped out in the main hold with their supplies. Shade angled that way instead of toward his room. Probably going to console his men for the loss of their comrade. Rondo considered joining him but dismissed the idea at once. He knew his strengths, and idle chatter wasn’t among them.
The meager light coming through the room’s small window was just enough to allow him to pull his boots off and crawl into bed without stubbing a toe. After hours of hiking through the forest he should have been exhausted, yet his mind raced, keeping him wide awake. Moments like today’s attack made him wonder if he chose right when he accepted Crow’s offer to join the Dark Sages. No one could argue with his position, he was a member of the most high’s cadre after only two years and no notable successes. His peers would have laughed or cried if they saw how far and fast he’d risen.
He put his doubts aside and closed his eyes. He was committed now regardless, assuming he wasn’t willing to risk a less than friendly meeting with Shade, and he wasn’t, then for better or worse he was a Dark Sage for the rest of his hopefully long life.
The first tug of sleep had settled on him when a screech pierced the air. Rondo sat up so fast his head spun. What in the world was that?
He scrambled to put his boots on in the dark. When his door slammed open the light nearly blinded him.
The dark blob in the opening said with Shade’s voice, “Come on!”
Rondo rubbed his eyes, tugged on his second boot, and stumbled into the hall. Another shriek like nails on slate set his teeth on edge. At the top of the stairs he froze.
Three winged creatures flew around the ship. They looked like someone took a dragon and crossed it with a big cat. It had dragon wings and a dragon-like tail along with the head and body of a cougar the size of a horse. Rondo couldn’t even imagine how such creatures could fly until he remembered Lord Black’s lesson. The things must have one of the dragon’s magical organs. Hopefully they didn’t have the one that let them breathe fire.
When he was finally able to drag his gaze away from the dragon things Rondo spotted Umbra standing in the center of the deck swirling his glowing hands in slow circles. The monsters appeared to be moving in the same pattern. Umbra’s magic must be what was keeping them from attacking.
The mercenaries had heavy war bows in their hands and arrows nocked. Shade looked from the monsters to Umbra. For the first time since they met, the assassin appeared uncertain of his next move.
One of the mercenaries licked his lips. “Shade? Do we loose?”
“I don’t know. If we shoot and break whatever spell Jax is using to keep the bloody things from tearing us to pieces, but don’t kill them, we’ll be in serious trouble.”
“What happens if we don’t attack and Umbra runs out of magical power?” Rondo asked.
“Good point,” Shade said. “Alright, six per creature with two in reserve. Loose when ready. Keep shooting until they fall or flee.”
The mercenaries drew their bows and eighteen arrows arced into the sky. Everyone hit, but most of the arrows bounced off the monsters’ tough hide. The few that penetrated drew angry bellows.
They managed two more volleys before the monsters broke off and soared away. Umbra fell to his knees on the deck.
“Keep alert,” Shade said as he and Rondo ran over to the wizard.
They both crouched beside Umbra. He didn’t appear injured, only tired.
“What were those things?” Shade asked.
“Some sort of hybrid,” Umbra said between gasps. “Nothing I’ve ever heard of certainly. My magic entranced them, so they weren’t true dragons.”
“What did the boss say about reinforcements?”
“I haven’t contacted Leonidas yet. I was preparing the spell when those things came swooping in. It was just lucky I was on deck or they might have ripped the ship to pieces before we could get out of the hold.”
“Are you strong enough to contact Lord Black now?” Rondo asked. It was clearer than ever that they needed help.
“Of course,” Umbra said with cold disdain. “I merely needed to catch my breath. Keep watch while I prepare the spell.”
Umbra shifted to a sitting position with his legs tucked lotus style under his body. He held his hands out in front of him and began to chant. A glow appeared that quickly expanded into a circle with Lord Black’s face in the center.
“Have you found the tower?” Lord Black asked.
“Not yet,” Umbra said. “We’ve run into
several unexpected obstacles. Some sort of aggressive, apelike monster lives in the trees and dragon hybrids patrol the skies. We did find an old imperial road but didn’t have time to fully explore it.”
“The hybrid creatures, you’re certain they’re part dragon?” Rondo had never heard so much excitement in Lord Black’s voice.
“Judging by the wings and tail,” Umbra said. “Absolutely.”
“This is fantastic news. Set a sentinel spell to mark your location and withdraw. If you leave their territory, the hybrids won’t bother you. Domina and I will join you as soon as possible. Well done, all of you.”
The spell ended and Umbra climbed slowly to his feet. The wizard was clearly on his last legs. At least the dragon things hadn’t returned.
“That wasn’t the reaction I expected,” Shade said.
“Nor me.” Umbra chanted a quick spell and flicked his wrist. A glowing ball appeared in the sky off to the side of the ship. “Clearly Leonidas knows something we don’t.”
Shade grinned. “What else is new? Let’s get out of here.”
That was the best idea Rondo had heard in days.
Chapter 15
Callie sat behind the desk in her office and held her head in her hands. She seldom used the room, as she preferred to spend her time out amongst the students, but from time to time it was necessary to hold a private meeting. This afternoon was one such time. Seated across the bare cherry top from her was the most experienced instructor at the college. Lucy Drake had been teaching tamers since before Callie became headmaster. Of all the people that Callie had feared might do something really stupid, Lucy was at the bottom of the list.
“What were you thinking?” Callie asked at last.
“I’m a snake charmer,” Lucy said. “I can control anything with scales. I’ve never had a chance to test my powers on a dragon. The opportunity was too good to pass up.”
“And?”
Lucy looked at her with a haunted gaze. “I’ve never touched a mind like the dragon’s. Animals are simple creatures for the most part. But the dragons… Their minds are complex and alien, unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. That dragon knew exactly what I was trying to do and she didn’t like it at all. So much anger in such a little body.”
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