The Horsk Dragon (Swords of the Bloodline Book 1)

by A. R. Wilson

  He met Heluska’s eyes. How he hated when they shimmered like that. So scared, wanting answers he dared not give her. A hundred years had passed since the last goblin sighting. Perhaps this was merely the cycle of things. He still had time to send word to Shevenor and arrange the warriors needed to protect this land from being tainted any further. If he still had a chance to keep the demons of his past unspoken of, he would pay any price to keep his former life buried in memory where it belonged.

  “I have already spoken with Shevenor and some men from Corrinor. Saimohl does not see a need for immediate action, but there are others who know some of what is going on. Whatever it takes to keep you women safe, I will do it.” His eyes fell back to his hands. He gritted his teeth then went to the wash basin to splash water over the caking stains. Rubbing his skin gradually took away the sight of the blood. The feeling of it clung fast to him like decay. “Since Little Mally and I have been put on house arrest, I will need you to go to Arkose’s tomorrow to deliver a message.”

  “What? You’re both on house arrest?” Heluska ran a hand along Tascana’s arms and face.

  “Mother, I’m fine. Nothing happened to me. I only saw the goblin in passing.”

  “You saw the thing?” The catch in her voice sounded like she might choke. “You are not going out alone ever again!”

  “Obviously.”

  “This is no joke, Tascana.”

  “Being on house arrest means I can’t go out alone. That’s why there are guards out there.”

  “Don’t talk back to your mother.” Jurren took off his hunting cloak, rolling it up to hide the reddish brown stains splattered throughout. “There will be plenty of time to discuss this in the days ahead. For now, let’s get some rest.”

  Heluska glared at him, but her expression soon softened. Nodding, she stood to hug him. “Thank you for coming home safe. I can always count on you.”

  Resting his cheek on top of her head, he looked down at Tascana. The girl’s hazel eyes darted from him to the table. A sigh released deep within his chest. The questions he had for her could wait until morning. Right now, all he wanted was to rest in the knowledge that they were back under his protection. For now, they were all safe.

  “Little Mally, you’ll be sleeping in our room tonight.”

  Her eyes widened. “But Daddy, I—”

  “It’s not up for discussion. Grab some blankets and whatever else you need to get comfortable on the floor. We’re going to bed.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Pain slashed along Jurren’s scalp and forced him awake. The sounds from his dream echoed in his ears. He remembered wind rushing in the steady rhythm of a beating heart. That bizarre, pulsing throb. But the tracker in him knew it meant something else. No heart sounded like that.

  With the fog of sleep clouding his eyes, he felt the top of his head. It was wet. Was he bleeding? He looked around the dark bedroom. Cold night air swept around him. Stars glared through some kind of gap in the ceiling.

  Distant screams shattered his grogginess into panic. Jurren bolted upright and was instantly hindered. Wood beams, piles of thatch, and tattered cloth lay strewn about the bed, spilling onto the floor in a melee of shadow.

  Fear constricted his throat like a snake smothering a rat. Where was his wife?

  Heluska sat wide-eyed on the corner of the bed, pressed into the wall, clutching a blanket under her chin. Fists wadded the fabric tighter and tighter against her chest. Her curly, auburn hair tousled around her trembling face. Aside from her expression of terror, she looked unscathed from the falling debris.

  Another scream, farther away. A sound he had heard only once before. His daughter Tascana had been barely seven when a lone wolf caught her by the heel and tried to drag her away. In his rage, Jurren hacked the thing into four pieces before he came to his senses. Only then was he able to drop his sword and scoop her into his protective arms.

  No! Oh, please no! No, no, no!

  Where was Tascana? She had to be safe. She had to!

  He pushed a board aside, trying to find a way to the hall leading to his daughter’s bedroom. More twilight stabbed at him from a gap in the wall.

  How did the room split in half?

  Two beams formed an ‘X’ against the door, blocking his way. He punched it in frustration. Another wail. Tascana’s shrieks were coming from outside. Turning, he stumbled over pieces of wood. He splayed into a bundle of thatch, then clambered his way in the direction of the new exit to his bedroom.

  “Mally!” He choked on the last syllable. “Mally!”

  Running across the grassy patches outside, he surveyed the yard. Cries and screams of two distinct entities pulled at his ears.

  Above him the outline of powerful wings silhouetted against the night sky. Wide and smooth, their inky black presence cut sharp angles as they blocked out patches of stars. Between them ran a thick body followed by a long tail. A near-full moon exposed a mouth large enough to swallow a man whole. Below the winged form dangled a billowing sheet and two human legs.

  “Tascana!” The word ripped out of him.

  Ice shot through him, chilling him with the cold, hard truth: Goblins weren’t the only things capable of finding him this far from his native land. Another creature from the Predator’s Den had followed him.

  “There’s nowhere you can hide from me horsk dragon. I’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth you demon filth!”

  The beast made a wide circle and disappeared into the darkness. Tears stabbed at Jurren’s eyes. He dropped to his knees. Staring into the southern horizon, he slammed a fist into the ground. A horsk dragon. A warlock’s minion! Why didn’t he recognize that sound? As with the goblin, he didn’t remember what he was dealing with until it was too late. Like a spirit of forgetfulness. Was that what happened? Had something shrouded his mind too?

  No matter what, he would get her back. Nothing from his past had the power to take away his future.

  The sound of Heluska calling his name pulled him back into a seated position. She still needed protecting. Standing, he saw her stepping toward him with her arms wrapped tight around herself.

  He rushed to hold her, his mind flooding with repressed knowledge. At least for the moment, Tascana was not in any impending danger. His distant memories assured him horsk dragons did not eat people. The beasts were servants of the warlock who controlled the Predator’s Den. If a horsk dragon came for Tascana, it meant she journeyed to wherever that warlock was. Which meant the goblin sighting was somehow tied to Tascana’s abduction. Was his gut instinct wrong in believing she was safe to wander the ghostwoods alone?

  “Jurren, what is going on? Where are the guards? What happened to the —”

  “I will explain on the way.” He held her tight for a moment to pause her questions. “Tascana was taken by a dragon. There is a chance we can find her, but it will not be easy.” Taking her hand, he tugged her into a run and guided her to the barn. “We must ride to Kidelar’s as fast as we can.”

  “I don’t understand any of this.” Her voice trembled as much as her hands.

  “Neither do I. Let’s go get some answers.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Five minutes at a full gallop on horseback brought them to the fence line near Kidelar’s home. Not a single guard in sight.

  In the doorway of the house a speck of light flickered. Jurren made out the shape of a human form holding a lamp.

  “Jurren, is that you?” Kidelar’s guarded voice was barely loud enough to hear.

  “Yes, my friend. Did you see it?”

  “A big, flying lizard with a mouth large enough to swallow a horse? Yes!”

  “It’s called a horsk dragon, and it took Tascana.”

  Atop their horse, Heluska’s arms cinched around Jurren’s waist, and he placed one of his hands over them.

  The scholar lowered the lamp, leaning into the doorway with his free hand. “Things are changing too fast. Something bigger is going on here.”

  “If you saw the
dragon then the others must have, as well. That means more guards, possibly from Saimohl, will come to seek answers from us.”

  At the mention, Kidelar looked out into the night. “Did they go in pursuit? Those guards would be crazy to attempt such a thing alone.”

  “The dragon headed south.” Jurren paused a moment to let the direction sink in. “You know what that means.”

  A slow nod was all that needed to be said. The only thing south of them was the Avian Expanse. Beyond that was nothing more than rumor and myth. And the legendary origin of goblins.

  “There may be one who can tell us which route to take. She lives in the Tzevidon Desert, about a three-day ride from here.” The scholar stepped back into his home.

  Dismounting from his horse, Jurren helped Heluska down. “Is there no one closer?”

  “If you are thinking of finding someone in Hess Bren who is visiting here from the Fortress of Erudition, put it out of your mind. Not even I would dare ask them to see where the dragon took Tascana. Grand Wizards hold fast to their Code of Apprenticeship. Sight beyond sight is reserved for those receiving a prophecy from the Fates, not those seeking it. Besides, they do not allow anyone to pursue travel to the south. You know the legends as well as I do. None who have attempted that road are heard from again.

  “The woman we seek is a seer priestess, the third highest rank within Erudition, who was banished for refusing to keep to this code.” Kidelar pushed items into a travel pack. “If she can be found, she might be willing to help us. The only other people who know where dragons fly live much farther away than the Great Northlands.”

  It was only a slight tilt of the head, but something in the way Kidelar spoke suggested he knew more than he should. There were people in Jurren’s native land who knew where horsk dragons flew; his former mentor in particular made it his business to track their whereabouts. However, Jurren’s people had no contact with Bondurant before he arrived. Kidelar couldn’t possibly know about the Predator’s Den, could he?

  Thudding hooves came from down the road. After gesturing at Kidelar and Heluska to stay inside, Jurren gripped the hilt of his sword and stepped out. A hooded figure rode straight toward the house.

  “Kidelar, is that you?” Arkose’s voice was hushed, yet urgent.

  “It is I, Jurren. What are you doing you here?”

  “I saw a huge, flying monster carrying someone. The guards outside my house fled. I was on my way to your house when I saw the light on in the window. I assumed Kidelar must have seen the same thing. What are you doing here?”

  “That thing you saw was a horsk dragon. And it carried off Tascana.”

  Arkose rubbed his hand behind his head. “My friend, I am so sorry. I don’t... What do we do now?”

  “Kidelar thinks he may know who can help us, but they are a three day journey away.”

  “If Tascana was taken by a dragon then what hope does she have?”

  “Horsk dragons are servants, not predators. If Tascana was taken, it means someone sent that beast to find her. Now my task is to find out who and why.”

  Nodding, the man continued rubbing his hand down to the back of his neck. “Spoke with my brother tonight and the guards. The runners never arrived from Kovarilos, but that conversation Ellam had in Windervail Inn is spreading. People are looking for answers. My brother and two others are already on their way to take the long route around Gaulden to speak with Shevenor. More are assembling and discussing ways to defend the village.”

  “It sounds like your evening was far more productive than mine.”

  “I only say that to assure you I am at your disposal. There are many able-bodied men mobilizing as we speak. I had just finished restocking my travel pack when I heard the horsk dragon, as you call it. If you’re ready to set out, then so am I.”

  Jurren breathed a sigh of relief. The burden of setting things in motion to protect Hess Bren was no longer on his shoulders. “Between Kidelar and you, that would give me a complete set of brains and brawn to track down that dragon.”

  Arkose beamed with pride. “Does Kidelar know you occasionally need extra provisions?” Thrusting his thumb behind him he indicated two packs strapped to the rear of his saddle.

  “How could you know?” The words fell out of Jurren’s mouth before he could guard his tone to contain his disbelief.

  “I figured if a wild child could strip you of all your provisions, just imagine what a dragon could do? At the very least I’d have extra supplies for whatever came next.”

  The argument they had back in Kovarilos rushed to the front of Jurren’s mind. The man mounted before him with two travel packs ready to go was not the same man he saw two days prior. “Accept my apology. I underestimated you back at the inn, my friend.”

  Shaking his head, he adjusted himself in the saddle. “No, you reminded me I don’t have time to live in the past. It is I who owes you an apology.”

  A soft knock came from behind Jurren.

  Kidelar peeked out the door. “Does this mean we are ready to depart? It would not be prudent to remain here once Saimohl’s men arrive.”

  “I have to make a quick stop at my house.” Jurren took a step toward his horse then stopped. “Heluska?”

  Kidelar stepped away from the door, carrying his pack.

  “Heluska, I need you to stay here until the guards arrive.”

  “What?”

  The fear in her voice punched Jurren in the chest. “As soon as they come, they can escort you to your sister’s house to wait for my return.”

  “When will that be?”

  He put his hands on her shoulders and she backed away from him. With a quick reach, he took hold of her hands. “I cannot know for certain. As soon as this seer tells us where to look, I will take that path.”

  “And I will go with you.”

  “Wife, I —” The words were almost too hard to say. “All I have ever wanted is to keep you and Little Mally safe. Until today, I knew how to do that. There will be greater protection here than what I can give you while traveling to a forbidden land.”

  “I am always safer with you. Fate saw through to us finding one another. Fate will see us through until the end of our days.” She took a step closer to him.

  Breathing through gritted teeth, he closed his eyes. “The Fates. Their prophecies speak only at a hint of hope. Perhaps somewhere in this world is a hope that lasts. A hope that brings peace in the evening as well as the morning, but I cannot believe in the hope you cling to.”

  “Jurren...”

  “Please trust me.”

  “I trusted you to let Tascana walk in the woods alone.”

  Another punch in the chest. He let go of her hands. “You trust in the Fates and the Grand Wizards. I know what kind of evil lingers behind the good intentions of using magic. And this magic, the kind behind a horsk dragon, has no good intentions. It only serves the heart of its master. I cannot allow you to come near a warlock. There are no legends dark enough to describe their disregard for human life. Please, Wife. Please trust me that I know of what I speak.”

  Her eyes searched along his face in the dim light. “First I lose my only child, now I might lose the only man I ever loved. How can you do this to me? Why are you doing this to me?”

  “I cannot risk your safety.” He pulled her close.

  Glancing at Kidelar assured Jurren his friends were as impatient to leave as he was. Saimohl probably had men riding to follow the dragon’s path, and it would lead them straight to this point. The scholar held up a finger to Jurren then jotted back inside his home. When he came back, he held out a stone to Heluska.

  “He will carry this.” She looked up at Kidelar and gave him a questioning look. “It is a spell I found for you. Should any harm come to your husband, it will transform into the spirit of a bird and come to show you the path to locate him. As long as the bird never comes you can take comfort in knowing he is safe.” He guided her hands to cup over the rock.

  She wiped the tears fr
om her eyes then offered it to Jurren. “Do you promise to keep it with you?”

  That scholar was the worst possible liar. The look on his face practically shouted, “She actually believes me?” But the change in Heluska’s countenance was worth pretending a stone could do such a thing. She clung to the hope of the goodness in magic like a bear clung to the sweetness of honey through all the thousands of stings. If only he could share her trust in the Fates. But to do that he had to forget everything he knew.

  “I promise, Wife.”

  Her arms flung around his neck.

  Jurren broke their embrace first. Holding her by the shoulders, he could nearly watch her eyes recount every memory they had together. He kissed her on the forehead, on each cheek, then on the top of her nose. When he turned to mount his horse, she instantly disappeared inside. Hot strings twined around his chest. This was her most trying hour, yet what choice did he have? It would take a miracle to bring Tascana back, and he wasn’t going to push the odds by adding his wife into the equation.

  Once on his horse, he turned to face the road. “Just have to stop at the house for my sword and my bow. Then we keep heading west.”

  “Take this with you!” Heluska came running out the door. “Hold onto it to remind you that my heart goes with you.”

  Turning to look at her, he wondered why she held out a thick piece of rope. Then he noticed her hair bouncing above her shoulders rather than down her back. He slid off his horse. She pushed a bundle of cord twined around her tangled hair into his hand. Twirling a shoulder-length lock, Jurren risked a few more moments to look her in the eyes.

  “This way, we’ll never really be apart.” Her voice cracked with tears.

  “I’ll come back as soon as I can. I promise.”

  “May courage be your rock and home be your destiny.”

  “Always.” A dot of light caught his eye. Someone coming up the road holding a torch. “Tell no one we’ve gone to find the seer, save Shevenor. Just tell those men we went to seek the dragon to the south.”