Legends of the Dragonrealm: Volume 04

by Richard A. Knaak

  Under my control . . . if Jenna only knew. Still, looking at her, Aurim found he could not resist another attempt. He would keep it small and simple, completely avoiding animation whatsoever. Well . . . maybe not. There were some old concentration techniques that he had once been good at—had been good at until his debacle in the Gryphon's palace—and if he cast the spells exactly the way he had, it was possible he might keep on going for a few seconds. Just long enough to impress his companion before things fell apart again.

  "All right. Watch closely. I'm only going to do this for a breath or two." As she nodded, the young mage held out his hands, palms upward, and summoned up power.

  An indistinct haze formed above his palms. The haze quickly defined itself into several tiny forms. The longer Aurim stared at them, the more distinct each became until at last he had re-created what had once been one of his favorite practice spells.

  Each harlequin was colored blue and red and stood about two inches tall. They floated counterclockwise in a circle, but that was not all. Each little figure also performed a somersault. Over and over they went, much to the delight of Aurim's audience.

  Without warning, the circle collapsed and the harlequins plummeted to the floor, where they faded upon contact.

  Aurim cursed without realizing it. He slammed a fist on the wooden surface, sending shockwaves of pain through his entire arm.

  "Aurim! Are you all right?" Jenna reached forward and took his hand in hers, studying it closely for any cut or bruise.

  He tried to pull back, but her grip was surprisingly strong. The merchant's daughter locked gazes with him. "You shouldn't do something like that. You startled me."

  "I'm sorry. It's just that the circle should have stayed in motion until I dismissed it! I've gotten worse, not better!"

  "You're having problems with your spellcasting?" A look of concern crossed her features. "But you're supposed to be even more powerful than your parents! You are, aren't you?"

  "As my father keeps saying, I have the potential. It's there, but I just can't seem to concentrate properly. I thought I was getting better with my control just prior to Kyl's ascension to the throne of Dragon Emperor, but afterward it all began to fall apart again. I don't know why, but it did. Very little I do works right."

  She leaned forward and took both hands. "You must have gone through so much during that time. I imagine there were also a lot of changes afterward, maybe more work, more stress. I can appreciate the pressure you've been under. It's not easy being a merchant's daughter, being taught the business because my father has no son to turn it over to when he gets too old. Your parents act as representatives to the Dragon Emperor's court, too, don't they?"

  "Yes."

  Jenna nodded. "And you are left with more responsibilities when they are away."

  "So's Valea."

  "But you're oldest. In general, you're the one left in charge, aren't you?"

  It was true, and sometimes he felt that the pressure was overwhelming. Valea sometimes said that he tried too hard, that he could not make himself responsible for every single matter going on in the Manor. Most of the activities that took place in and around the Manor did not require his watchful eye.

  "I think that you've tried to do too much at once, Aurim. That's all. You need to turn away from everything else and let sorcery be your entire focus . . . but in a more relaxed manner. You need to become your strength, your power."

  He laughed. "I thought I was supposed to be the instructor."

  "Even a teacher can learn," Jenna countered, smiling again. Before Aurim realized what she was doing, the beautiful young woman leaned forward and kissed him. It was a brief, light kiss, but it left him completely befuddled. "I've got an idea. First, I'll teach you how to relax properly, then you teach me how to better utilize my skills."

  It certainly sounded enticing to him, admittedly for more reasons than one. "How do you plan to make me relax?"

  "My father taught me a few techniques." Jenna slid back a foot or two. "Turn your back to me."

  Aurim did. The next thing he knew, Jenna had slid forward again, nearly nestling herself in his back. His heart beat faster. If this was intended to relax him, it was having the opposite effect.

  "Close your eyes. Good. Now breathe slowly and let me do the rest."

  The mage obeyed, although it was difficult to breathe slowly with her so near. Suddenly he felt her hands slide past his shoulders. Aurim twitched without meaning to, but Jenna stilled him with a single word. She touched his temples with her fingertips.

  A tingling sensation spread over him.

  Darkhorse and Cabe materialized at the edge of the Dagora Forest just a few miles west of the barony of Adderly. The sun was fast setting, which was just what they wanted. At the Gryphon's request, the pair had come to investigate the truth behind the message, and Adderly was the appropriate place to begin. If the horse king was testing his might, Adderly was his nearest reasonable target.

  "I still do not see why we do not just return to Zuu, Cabe! We've visited the kingdom in secret before!"

  "Yes, and the last time we were nearly caught by Lanith's pet sorcerers. I think they've learned a little since then, Dark- horse, especially if their numbers include the missing students:"

  Deep down, the eternal knew that his companion was correct, but he still doubted that their present course of action would tell them anything worthwhile. Find Lanith, Darkhorse surmised, and one found the center of activity. They would learn more that way. The king of Zuu might have his own spellcasters, but Darkhorse doubted that any of them had skills worth fearing. Those that Cabe and he had encountered on their previous excursions a few years back had been as organized and competent as panicked sheep.

  The shadow steed peered at the landscape before them. Adderly's eastern border seemed tranquil. There was no evidence of any battle. However, the castle of the baron was a few miles to the west and very much out of sight. If any struggle had taken place, the signs would be evident there, not here in this emptiness.

  "Thank goodness there's no one here," the sorcerer remarked.

  "Why would they bother to come here? There is nothing here, Cabe."

  "True, but if they intended on invading the Dagora Forest, this entire area would now be overrun by more cavalry than I doubt anyone outside of Zuu has ever seen."

  "I have witnessed the massing of hordesss far more vassst than what this human conqueror can gather," responded a harsh voice from behind them. "But I, too, am pleasssed that no such force camps jussst beyond my domain"

  That Cabe was at least as startled as he was no compensation to Darkhorse. He did not like being spied upon, especially when he should have been able to sense this particular newcomer.

  Cabe Bedlam's tone grew icy. "Lord Green. We were trying our best not to disturb you."

  "Disssturb me?" The tall, armored figure walked closer. The setting sun left much in shadow, but it was clear that the dragon-helmed knight was not human. With the exception of his eyes--bloodred this time, although not always—the warrior was emerald-green. His armor was scaled, save for the helm, the crest of which was the startlingly realistic head of the menacing dragon. The lower half of the helm was open, revealing a flat, lipless mouth and daggerlike teeth. The scaled skin perfectly matched the scales of the armor and with good reason, for they were one and the same, the tough hide of a draconian shapeshifter.

  The master of the Dagora Forest, the Green Dragon, had been watching them all the time.

  "We didn't intend on encroaching long in your domain," Cabe added, clearly uncomfortable around the drake lord.

  Darkhorse did not care for the drakes himself, but the lord of the Dagora Forest had always been friendly toward humans. Something, though, had changed the once-deep friendship between the Green Dragon and Cabe Bedlam into a shade of its former self. They conversed when necessary and met together when circumstances required it, but where once the scaled warrior had been welcome in the Bedlams' domain, he now never
visited.

  "You are not encroaching, Cabe. I underssstand the reassson why you are here. Asss the power of my people, myssself included, has declined, thossse like Lanith of Zuu have taken full advantage of it. I have been watching, and my agents, both human and otherwissse, have also been well at work."

  "And have they found anything?" Cabe asked, still maintaining his distant tone.

  "Very little." The Green Dragon looked from one to the other. "I have lossst at least five spies, all loyal volunteers. They entered Zuu . . . and did not return. I am quite certain that they are all dead."

  This intrigued Darkhorse. The drake lord before them was one of the great powers of the Dragonrealm. He had access to rare artifacts and knowledge. His predecessors for generations back had worked to gather these things, providing the present lord of Dagora with many options when it came to such business as investigating the activities of a human monarch who had once been his vassal. "Have you looked for them?"

  "I . . . have. Of courssse, demon sssteed. I do not leave sssuch things unfinished."

  There is something he fears about me. While fear was an emotion Darkhorse encountered often from those he confronted, the drake lord had never reacted like this. It had something to do with whatever had shattered the drake's friendship with the sorcerer.

  "Did you find out anything?" the spellcaster pushed, clearly desiring an end to the discussion.

  The scaly warrior looked away, obviously disconcerted. This time, however, Darkhorse surmised that it was because of the results of the drake's investigation.

  "Nothing . . . no . . . almossst nothing, Cabe. Each one left no trace, but I did sssense twice a great emptinesss just before the link to me faded. I can't explain it. They were not agents without protection." The Green Dragon looked up, eyes locking on the sorcerer's. "Lanith.controls sssome power, sssome force, that makesss his insssipid Magical Order redundant and yet I cannot fathom what it could possibly be! Only that it may be more than any of usss can deal with alone!"

  The more he spoke, the more the drake's natural sibilance took over. The upper hierarchy of the drake race prided itself on speaking the common tongue perfectly, but whenever too emotional, they slipped.

  "An emptiness," Cabe mused. "That's all you can tell us?"

  "If I had more to tell you, believe me, I would. When I sssensed you, I debated whether to sssay anything until I knew more, but then I quickly realized that I have no idea how I can learn any more. Not without entering Zuu myself . . . and I do not think that would be a good idea."

  "What about Adderly?" asked Darkhorse. "Has anything happened to this barony?"

  The pause was far too lengthy for either Darkhorse or the sorcerer. "Adderly is no more. A laughable offense that Lanith callsss hisss first great victory. A tessst of hisss might . . . asss if Adderly had any defense of significance. The cursssed horse king did not even attempt to take the castle without the aid of his misssbegotten ssspellcastersss!" The Green Dragon clenched his fists. "They ssslaughtered the inhabitants even after they had sssurrendered! Monssstersss! They call usss abominations and thisss isss what they do?"

  Such an emotional admission from a warrior whose race was known for its savage ways surprised even Darkhorse. It also made the shadow steed more eager than ever to return to Zuu. This Lanith had been allowed too much freedom; he had abused every notion of humanity. Darkhorse understood many of the reasons that the Gryphon and the Bedlams had given for no one having gone to war with Zuu, but he was now aware that such reasons mattered little anymore. There was no doubt now as to either Lanith's intentions or his methods for achieving them.

  "I can't believe Blane's brother could be like that." Cabe grimaced. "I knew Blane for only a short time, but he was a good man, a brave warrior. He cared about people. Can Lanith be that different?"

  "Lanith wasss alwaysss the ambitious one, Cabe. Alwaysss the more driven. Yet thisss is far more than I expected from him. The Lanith I recall did once have compassion . . . but not now."

  "Talk! Talk! All we do is talk!" The eternal had had enough of talk. Everyone talked about how terrible things were and what a threat the horse king was. Well, it was time to take action, not continue treading softly. "We waste precious moments here! Lanith has moved, tested his power! He will move on from here, moving north, no doubt! If we do nothing, he will be at the walls of Gordag-Ai before very long! He may be marching there even now!"

  The Green Dragon shook his head. "No, eternal, he isss not. Lanith returned to Zuu after this massacre and now awaitsss some newsss. I know not what, though. Only that his misstress, the sssorceresss Saress, is to bring it."

  "Saress?" Cabe Bedlam looked up. "Do you know anything about her? Even the Gryphon can't find out much."

  "Rumorsss, Cabe. Nothing more. Saresss is nearly as great a myssstery to me asss thisss power that Lanith wields."

  "Could they be one and the same?"

  "No. I can tell you that, at leassst."

  "We waste time here!" Darkhorse kicked up earth with one of his hooves. "Cabe, we should go to Zuu ourselves!"

  His companion looked down at him, then at the Dragon King. The latter made no sound, did not even move. "Not Zuu, Darkhorse, but I do want to see the baron's castle. There might be something we can learn there. Are Lanith's forces still there, Lord Green?"

  "Only a small garrison. There are many patrols, however. The bulk of hisss forces are encamped nearer to Zuu. I believe he likely intendsss to attack Gordag-Ai, but on the chance that he will sssuddenly turn east, I have kept a careful eye."

  "We'll look over Adderly first, then. Do you mind, Darkhorse?"

  He still desired to journey directly to Zuu, but the eternal trusted Cabe's opinion. "Very well."

  By this time, the sun was barely a glimmer on the horizon. The Green Dragon had become a shadow among shadows. He backed away in silence. Cabe seemed disinclined to bid him farewell. Darkhorse swore that someday he would find out what had come between them . . . and if the drake lord had betrayed his friend in some way, the ebony stallion would see to it that the master of the Dagora Forest paid for his folly.

  "Have you been to Adderly before, Darkhorse?"

  He twisted his head around to look at Cabe. "I have passed through it. There is not much to see there. I have only seen the castle from a distance."

  "There are hillsss to the north and some wooded areasss to the west and east," called the retreating drake. "Neither afford much cover, but for the two of you, either should be sssufficient."

  Cabe stiffened, then twisted around so that he could face the nearly invisible figure. "My thanks, Lord Green."

  "Take care, my friendsss." The Dragon King vanished into the forest.

  Darkhorse's comrade stared at the forest a moment more, then turned back to him. "Do you know those areas at all?"

  "I recall them somewhat. His suggestions have merit. Cabe, what is the—"

  "The darkness will help us. Let's go."

  "As you desire, Cabe." Feeling subdued, Darkhorse reared, then started westward. His hooves made no sound as he raced, and in fact, he left no prints in the earth. Now was the time for speed, yes, but also for stealth. Even if he did not fear for himself, he always tried to watch over Cabe.

  The castle of the baron of Adderly was at first a black hill jutting upward just a short distance from the true hills that the drake lord had mentioned. One or two tiny points of light flickered near the battlements, but as Darkhorse and Cabe moved nearer, other lights materialized around the castle grounds. It became obvious that besides the garrison, there was at least one band of cavalry, likely a returning patrol, camping nearby.

  "The structure looks unsettled," Darkhorse commented after a brief study. "As if someone had tried to crack it in two."

  "Lord Green did say Lanith utilized sorcery. The baron and his people probably expected a more conventional battle." Cabe inhaled sharply. "Lanith killed them all . . ."

  The shadow steed was about to remark on the last when he f
elt the slightest tug of power. Some sort of spell was at work and it had a familiar feel to it, although he could not say exactly how. It did not strike him as a major undertaking, but he nonetheless grew curious to study it.

  "Do you feel something, Darkhorse?" his companion suddenly asked. "A spell of some sort?"

  So Cabe felt it also. "I do. Shall we investigate? I sense nothing extraordinary about it, but I find myself curious as to its origins! It seems to come from the wooded area just east of the horse people's encampment. We can be there and gone before any of them notice us."

  Cabe looked up, Darkhorse following his gaze. Only one of the two moons was evident and cloud cover mostly obscured that one. The sorcerer acquiesced to his companion's suggestion. "I'm curious, too. We'll have to watch carefully, however. There may be some danger we can't sense from here."

  "And what danger is there that the two of us cannot handle?" The eternal chuckled quietly. "Lanith may have his tame spellcasters, Cabe, but you and I . . . there is nothing we cannot overcome together!"

  "I wish you'd quit saying that, Darkhorse," whispered Cabe with a rueful smile. "I'm not quite as invincible as you think I am . . . and come to think of it, neither are you."

  Despite the other's words, Darkhorse still felt confident. This was so much like times past. He and Cabe against the villainy of such as the wolf raiders, the burrowing Quel, the treacherous Toma . . . it was in times of adventure that the eternal felt most alive. He could not tell this to his human friend, though. Even Cabe, who knew him best, would not have understood the sense of pleasure that always underlined the shadow steed's emotions during such dangerous missions. Darkhorse felt needed at times such as this.

  They reached a position near enough to the enemy encampment that they could make out individual figures moving about. The horsemen of Zuu appeared restive; Lanith had succeeded in stirring his subjects to war. They would be ready to ride the moment he commanded them to do so. Darkhorse snorted. While he enjoyed adventure, he found no enjoyment in war. All it did was waste lives.