by Kyra Dune
“Everything I loved, I lost because of this dragon. Like you, I was a survivor. Be it by chance, luck, fate, or something else, it doesn’t really matter. I never intended to hunt him. But something called me. Pulled me west toward Phadra.
“I didn’t even realize I was being pulled until I was there. Until I had found him. Until I learned the secret of his power.” He drew in a deep breath. “The Cerulean Sphere. I don’t know what it is, exactly, or even what it does. But I know it means something to him. It’s the source of his power. I know it. If only I could get my hands on it…,” His hand curled into a fist. He sighed.
“But I can’t. I made a mistake in trying to confront him first and nearly lost my life. After that, he put magical wards up around the sphere that prevents a shape shifter from getting close. But a human, now that’s different. My only trouble was where to find one that was brave enough to try it.
“I followed the dragon to Talphan, and there I saw you. So brave, the way you fought your way through the destruction. The way you saved your brother.
“I tried to think of a way to come to you, to win your trust. I thought, what better way than to help you? I thought if I could get you to trust me as a bird first, it would be easier once I came out and told you the truth. I wanted to wait until we reached Phadra and you could see the dragon for yourself. So you could understand. But those bandits changed my plans.” When he was finished, he sat looking at her expectantly.
Micayta couldn’t decide whether to laugh in his face or pretend she believed such nonsense. One look at her brother told her that he was completely hooked by the story. The concept that this man might be lying to them seemed one that he couldn’t grasp. Lucky for him, she was much smarter.
“So, you want me to steal this sphere so you can kill the dragon?” She watched his face carefully.
“Yes. I need your help.”
Oh, he was good with the pleading eyes and the ‘trust me’ expression, but Micayta was an old hand at lying and could see clear through his fake sincerity. She also understood that she and Pytaki were in a bad place here. Still days away from civilization, with her weakened by her injuries. There was a good chance they might not make it to Phadra on their own. Much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, they needed Tech. But trust him? Never.
“What if I agree to think about it? No promises?” she asked. “Will you still take us to Phadra?”
“I think you’ll agree with me once we get there. So yes, I will take you to Phadra.”
Chapter Seventeen
Three days later, the towering, off-white walls of Phadra came into view.
“It’s so big,” Pytaki said.
The wall stretched for miles in both directions, speaking to a much larger city than Micayta had expected. “There’ll be plenty of room for us then.”
Pytaki smiled, but his next words were whipped away by a sudden burst of strong wind. Micayta turned her gaze northward, where the clouds were darkening and rushing toward them with a fierce speed, driving stinging snow into their faces.
A sudden snowstorm such as this could drop the temperature to deadly levels in a matter of minutes and might last an hour or a week. One could never tell. Already, the walls, so clearly visible only a moment before, were lost in a blur of white.
“We have to make a run for it.” Micayta grabbed hold of her brother’s hand and leaned close to be certain he heard. “No matter what your horse wants, keep going straight ahead until you meet the wall.” As she spoke, Tech hopped off the pommel and became a wolf as he hit the ground.
Pytaki nodded. His face was tight with fear. Micayta gave his hand a squeeze before releasing it and kicking her horse into a gallop.
Holding the reins only tight enough to keep the horse in a straight line, Micayta kept a sharp eye out for the wall. She expected the mare would see it first, but she wasn’t willing to take any chances.
The mare shied sideways, coming close to running Micayta’s leg into the wall. She pulled back on the reins and laid a hand on the mare’s neck. Once the horse was calm, Micayta slipped out of the saddle and put herself between the wall and the warmth of the horse’s body. She strained her eyes and ears, but could detect no trace of her brother.
Somewhere off to her left, there was a metallic scraping sound. “Hey you,” a cowled head appeared a few feet from where she stood. “You better get inside before you freeze to death.”
Micayta pulled the nervous mare through an open door that could have easily fit an entire wagon. There was a wheel on the wall with a chain wrapped around it; the chain ran up the wall and attached to a lever at the top of the door.
A large fireplace was burning merrily at either end of a room large enough to hold three wagons side by side, with a little space to spare. Torches burned at intervals along the walls, so that the room was well lit and warm. At the moment, the room was empty, save for a desk against the far wall where an older man sat.
The cowled man started to spin the wheel to shut the door. “Wait,” Micayta said, “my brother’s still out there.” She grabbed one of the torches and stepped into the doorway. She held the torch high and called Pytaki’s name.
Tech came bounding past Micayta and skidded to a halt, shaking out his wet fur. The cowled man jumped back with a muttered oath as the older man rose to his feet.
Micayta ignored the two men. “Where’s my brother?”
Tech stared out at the falling snow as a blast of frigid wind, carrying tiny droplets of ice, swept into the room. It blew out several torches, including the one in Micayta’s hand.
“Your brother is lost,” the cowled man said. “We have to close the door.” He moved toward the wheel.
Micayta threw aside the wasted torch and drew her dagger. “Touch that wheel and you’ve breathed your last.”
The older man reached for a short sword lying on the desk. Tech lowered his head, growling from the back of his throat. The cowled man held up his hand. “It’s all right, Kan.”
Kan drew his hand back, but remained standing, his gaze fixed on Micayta.
The cowled man looked at Micayta with sympathy. “I understand, but we can’t leave the doors open long during a storm like this, even with the fires.”
“Tech, go and get him,” Micayta said, never taking her eyes from the man’s face. Tech bolted back out into the storm. “The door stays open until he comes back. If he’s alone, then I’ll concede that my brother is lost.” She couldn’t quite hide the hitch in her voice.
The man nodded. Micayta eased her stance, keeping one eye on him and one on the door. She knew he was right, for already the chill was creeping into her bones, setting her wounded arm to aching again. But to lose Pytaki now, after they’d come through so much, was more than she could bear. She thought she would rather die herself than live with having failed him now, when they were so close to safety.
A dark shape detached itself from the white. At first, it seemed it was only Tech and her heart constricted painfully, but there was Pytaki as well, stumbling as he clung to the wolf’s tail. Micayta stepped as far from the door as she dared and grabbed hold of Pytaki’s arm. He slumped against her.
The cowled man spun the wheel. As soon as the door was shut, he took Pytaki’s other arm and helped Micayta get him to the fire.
“Kan, bring us warm water and blankets. Quickly.”
“Yes sir, commander.”
“Commander?” Micayta looked up from removing her brother’s wet clothes.
“Commander Jaysir Enfargo, Head of Defense for the city of Phadra, at your service.” He ended this with a slight bend at the waist, his smile at once self-mocking and disarming.
Micayta found herself staring into a rather bright pair of brown eyes and quickly dropped her gaze to her brother’s face. His skin was pale with a faintly blue tint; ice clung to his eyelashes. She pulled off her gloves and rubbed his cheeks, hoping to get the circulation going again. He was so cold. Not like a living a person at all. A flash of her father s
et her eyes to tearing despite her best efforts to bite back the unwelcome emotion.
Pytaki’s eyes fluttered open. He swallowed. “Micayta?” His voice was weak and raspy, but no fine music could have sounded sweeter at that moment.
“I’m here.”
“Sorry.” He shivered. “I think I lost the horse.”
“We’ll worry about the horse later.” She found it hard to speak around the painful constriction in her throat. “Let’s get you warm first.”
Pytaki sighed. “I really hate the snow.”
Micayta breathed a shallow laugh. “Me too, little brother.” She laid her hand on his shoulder. “Me too.”
Chapter Eighteen
After drawing the sheets up to Pytaki’s neck, Micayta rejoined Jaysir at the small table. A full stomach might have put her brother to sleep, but it had only heightened her sense of restlessness. Enjoying the hospitality of the commander was something she couldn’t allow herself to do. There would be no ease of rest for her until the storm was past and they could move on.
“You must love him a great deal.” Jaysir offered her a smile that rivaled the fire for its warmth.
“He’s my brother.” Every time their eyes met, Micayta felt a rush of heat on the back of her neck. Yet another good reason to be gone from this place and soon.
“And lucky he is to have a sister like you.”
Micayta picked at the bread on her plate. Before her, a bowl of fruit remained untouched. They had indoor fruit orchards back home too but she never had been much of a fruit eater. Not since she was young.
Jaysir took an apple from the bowl. “Where are you from?”
“Up north a ways. And you?”
“I was born in the city, like my father before me. Though Phadra was smaller then.” Jaysir took a bite of the apple. “Did you come across any other people on your way here?”
Micayta sat back in the chair. “No. How long have you been Head of Defense?”
Jaysir placed the apple on the table and reached for the wine, which Micayta had declined for both herself and her brother. “Five years, I think. It gets hard to keep track.” He tipped the bottle to his glass. “And the wolf? How did you manage to come by him?”
Micayta glanced over at Tech, who was curled up by the fireplace with his eyes closed. “He wandered into the yard one day and my brother took a liking to him. Of course, he was only a pup then and even though we hardly needed another mouth to feed, I guess my parents couldn’t say no. Now, he’s like part of the family and very protective.”
“So I noticed.” Jaysir sipped his wine. “And your parents, if I might ask?”
“They were both killed in the attack.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I lost my own parents some years ago. I know it can be hard.”
Micayta shrugged. “I don’t believe in dwelling on the past. My future, our future, is all that concerns me now.”
“A healthy attitude. How much coin do you have?”
“I have some, and I expect to get more when I sell the mare. Why do you ask?”
“You won’t find anywhere in the city to sleep for free and if you can’t sell your horse, you might find yourselves in a difficult place.” He placed his glass back on the table. “If you like, the three of you are more than welcome to stay here until you’re on your feet.”
“We wouldn’t want to burden anyone.”
“You wouldn’t be a burden.” He flashed that smile again. “Survivors often stay at the garrison until they can find themselves a better situation. There’s plenty of room and it’s better than ending up in the street.”
She supposed the smile was supposed to be charming, and it was, in a way, which only made her mistrust him more. “No, thank you. I’m sure we can manage on our own.”
“As you please.” Jaysir rose from his chair. “Well, charming as the company is, I’m afraid I’ll need to be getting back to my work. It never seems to end. Feel free to wait the storm out here and if you should find yourself in need at a later time, my invitation is an open one.”
Micayta slipped on a smile. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” As soon as Jaysir was out the door, Micayta went and sat beside Tech in front of the fireplace. “I know you aren’t sleeping.”
Tech’s eyes popped open and a second later, he was a man again. “You’re rather adept at lying, aren’t you?”
“I’ve had a lot of practice.”
“It’s wise to not be too trusting. Agreeing to stay here would have been a bad idea.”
“Why?” Micayta asked. “Do you know something about him that I should?”
Tech gazed into the fire. “No. It’s only that you just met him and, well, you don’t know enough about him to take that kind of risk.”
Micayta folded her arms and leaned back against the brick fireplace. “Don’t worry. I don’t trust anyone.”
“Not even me?”
She met his gaze. “Especially not you.”
He didn’t seem surprised. “Are you going to help me with the dragon?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Don’t take too long.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” She gave him a sharp look.
“It won’t be long before he becomes aware of us. Then it’ll be too late for you to change your mind.” His eyes drifted back to the fire. “It may already be too late.”
Micayta watched Tech and wondered what was going on inside that mind of his. No doubt he was as good at lying as she was, but she couldn’t see past the lie. She couldn’t tell what it was he really wanted from them. She thought of what he’d said, about being pulled toward Phadra. She had to admit, at least to herself, that she had felt that pull. Still did. But what that might mean was a mystery to her.
“I’m not sure I want to risk my life, my brother’s life, when it seems most likely that I will fail, as you did.”
He flinched. “Yes, I failed. But that doesn’t mean you will, it doesn’t mean…,” he sighed. “Can we talk about this later, once you’ve made up your mind? I think we all need to rest.”
Micayta thought to protest, but she was tired and the ache in her arm was spreading into her chest. “Fine, but don’t think this conversation is over.” She started to rise, putting pressure on her left hand without thinking. A flash of pain caught her off guard and caused her to stumble back.
“What’s wrong?” Tech reached for her arm, hesitated, let his hand drop. “More pain?”
She nodded. “I don’t understand. It should be better by now.” She clenched her hand; her fingers were numb again.
“You better lie down,” Tech said. “I’m afraid my ministrations are a poor substitute for a healer.”
“I’ve never needed a healer before.” She winced as another, somewhat lesser, pain pinched her shoulder. “Maybe I better look around town once the storm is over and see if I can find someone. Though I’m not sure how we’ll pay for that and a place to stay.”
Tech hesitated a moment before speaking. “I have a friend who can help you. A healer. Someone you can trust to take care of you.”
“We’ll see.” Micayta made her way over to the bed and lay down next to her brother. She glanced at Tech, who was staring back into the fire again, then turned her eyes toward the ceiling. She’d meant what she said about not trusting anyone, including this friend he spoke of. Nobody was worthy of real trust. Nobody.
Chapter Nineteen
It was drawing toward nightfall so there were few people on the street and those still about were hurrying to finish their tasks and return to the relative safety of their homes. Micayta had asked a guard at the garrison about selling her horse and he had directed her to a nearby stable. Tech had wanted to go see his friend first, but Micayta had insisted on making the stable the number one priority. No sense in running the risk that the place would close before they could get back to it.
“I don’t see why we couldn’t stay at the garrison,” Pytaki grumbled, drawing his cloak closer a
bout his neck. “At least it was warm there.”
“Because I said so, that’s why.” She started to add that strangers were dangerous, especially handsome ones who smiled and treated you kindly, but thought better of it. He wouldn’t understand and it wasn’t something she could explain. Their father might be dead, but the secrets hadn’t died with him.
Tech, who had reverted to wolf form before they left the garrison, froze, staring across the mostly empty street toward a man who was staring right back at them. A tall, well-dressed man, with impossibly black eyes. He strode across the street and came to a stop in front of them.
“Hello, Tech. It’s been so long since I saw you I was beginning to think you went and died on me.”
Tech bristled and his lip lifted in a soundless snarl that revealed sharp, canine teeth.
“Come now, that’s no way to treat an old friend. Although,” he raised his eyes to meet Micayta’s, “I can see you’ve found a new one and a rather lovely one at that.”
Micayta felt a chill run down her spine as she gazed back into those eyes.
“Tech and I have been such good friends for so long a time, I’m certain he would introduce us if he could. But then, he always has preferred being a dog rather than a man.
Haven’t you, old friend?”
A low growl built in the back of Tech’s throat.
The stranger chuckled. “Perhaps now is not the best time to get acquainted.” He smiled, which only served to make his eyes darker. “Until a later time, then. I’m certain we’ll be seeing each other again.” He inclined his head toward Micayta, then turned and strode on up the street, disappearing around a corner.
“What was that all about?” Pytaki asked.
Micayta glanced at Tech, who was staring after the man despite the fact that he could no longer be seen. “I don’t know, but I’m sure Tech will explain as soon as he can.”
Tech looked up at her, his eyes strangely human in the face of the wolf. She couldn’t read the expression therein.
“Let’s go,” Micayta said. “I want to get this business over with.”