“My, aren’t you clever…”
Oh no, she knows!
CHAPTER 36
“Brenwar,” Ben said, glancing between dragons, “what do we do?”
If ever there was a time that he should use Fang, it was now. He hadn’t stood toe to toe with dragons before.
“Watch my back,” Brenwar said. “And that dwarven steel should cut them.”
The dragons snorted blasts of hot air at them and circled. “Great lizards with wings” Brenwar called them sometimes. They crept like cats with scales. Their claws dug up the muddy ground like sharp metal rakes. A deep rumble came from their bellies, ready to unleash the thunder that waited inside.
Ben’s knuckles were white on his sword grip. The dragons that ruled night and day had come out to play.
“We can take ’em, Brenwar said. “Just stay close. I don’t think these grey scalers are big enough to be breathers. Just go for the neck and nose. And watch out for their—”
Swat!
A black dragon tail lashed out, lifting Brenwar from his feet, sending him head over heels to the ground.
Ben chopped downward and scored a deep cut in the tail.
The beast let out an angry growl and whirled on him with hot saliva dripping from its mouth.
He swung back and forth, keeping both dragons at bay.
They clawed and swatted at him. Their heads slid back and forth with cat-quick eyes.
Ben struck at one’s nose.
Its long neck recoiled from harm with ease.
A tail swept at his feet. He jumped high over the tip of the tail.
Whack!
The other caught him full in the chest. It felt like it loosened his body from his bones, and down hard he went. His sword flew from his fingertips. A second later, the dragon, twice the size of him, had him pinned down. Its claws dug into his shoulders. Ben screamed.
Zzzzt! Zzzzt! Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
The dragon jerked away from him. Golden shards of light were buried in its face.
Ben scrambled for his sword, dove, and rolled back onto his feet. The angry dragon came right back at him.
Ben swung a two-handed blow with all his strength, splitting its nose.
The beast went into a mad frenzy. Its eyes flashed with anger, and on it came.
He braced himself for the charge, but the dragon didn’t charge him, it leaped.
Gads! I can’t catch that thing!
***
Brenwar rolled like a metal ball onto his feet with his war hammer ready. It wasn’t the first dragon he’d fought, and it wouldn’t be the last. Not if he moved fast. He rushed the backside of the nearest dragon. In a split second, it turned.
“Too late, lizard!”
Brenwar brought the war hammer down with all his might and all his power, striking it in its backside. The sound was like a crack of thunder.
Ka-Pow!
The grey scaler’s entire body twitched. Its wings jolted, stretched, and shuddered.
Brenwar struck again.
Pow!
And again.
Pow!
His battle-lusted mind heard the cry of an elf. He turned.
“Brenwar!” Bayzog yelled, pointing above.
A dragon dove from the sky and snatched him up.
“Let me down, you filthy lizard!”
***
Woozy, Bayzog’s mind raced to determine what to do. Ben and Brenwar were both in grave danger. He himself was almost too weak to move. Brenwar was being lifted away toward a certain doom. He envisioned the dwarf being dropped into the fiery Jordak River.
No!
The Elderwood Staff glowed hot in his hands. He pointed it at the flying dragon. He swore he could hear Brenwar screaming in the air, “Don’t you dare, elf!”
The half-elf wizard unleashed the staff’s power in a long, hot burst of mystic flame.
Sah-Razzzz!
It streaked across the sky and struck the dragon in the shoulders. Brenwar tumbled toward the earth.
“Soft landings, dwarf,” he muttered, eyes searching. He found Ben just as the grey scaler leapt on top of the rangy warrior. Fangs and claws tore into him. “No, Ben, no!”
***
The dwarven armor lasted a few seconds before the dragon ripped it all off. Ben didn’t think. He fought. His strong country thews were no match for the might of the dragon. All he could do was hang on to its horns. Push back against its great neck. A moment passed, and his battle-hardened muscles began to shudder and give.
I won’t die without giving it everything I’ve got.
Burning saliva dropped on his chest, and the dragon let out a triumphant rumble and opened its jaws wide.
Ben put forth a great heave with his last ounce of strength.
The dragon lurched backward with an alarming howl.
Ben gasped. He was free. Exhausted, but free.
The dragon clawed at the ground. It roared in anger. Something had it by the tail.
Ben’s heart pounded.
That something was Nath Dragon.
CHAPTER 37
Gorlee’s nails dug into the palms of his hands.
She knows. She knows. She knows.
He wanted to make a dash for the patio. To jump.
Surely I can turn into something that can fly. A draykis, perhaps.
She rose from her chair and stood on the dais. Her body was tall and magnificent. Her robes were dark, ornate, and finely crafted. Her black hair was pushed up under a crown of silver leaflets.
“Cleverness is a survivor’s skill,” she said coolly, walking down the steps. Her dark, beautiful gaze met his. “Are you a survivor?”
He had never felt panic until now. The woman had presence. Her words were powerful and hypnotic. He wanted to fall on his knees and beg for mercy. Confess everything. His knees started to bend.
I can’t do this.
She came closer.
“Well?” she said.
Gorlee’s tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. Every joint in his body had frozen, but his eyes remained on hers. She’s going to kill me. So beautiful. So frightening. He stirred but did not speak.
She stopped a foot short of him, eye to eye. Her dark eyes searched his from underneath lavender eyelids. Her thin lips were pursed in curiosity. Her fragrance drifted into his nose. A sweet musk. Invigorating. She licked the top row of her white teeth. Ran the fingers of one hand through his hair.
He tingled.
She knows. She knows. She knows.
“Twenty-five years I’ve been looking for you,” she said.
She doesn’t know! Yes!
She circled him, and a long, black tail gently swept side to side behind her.
Whoa! Black scales! What did Bayzog say about the return of the black scales?
She ran her fingers over his scaled arms and said with a purr, “I see the rumors are true. You have indeed become more dragon.” She put her lips to his ear. “Now we just have to finish the rest of you, Nath Dragon.” She strolled toward the table with an unusual sway in her tail-laden hips. “Come. Sit. Talk.” She glanced over her shoulder at him. “And I’ll fill you like you’ve never been filled before.”
His stomach gurgled.
She threw back her hair, laughed, and took a seat at the backless head chair.
“Come. Come.”
Gorlee’s limbs loosened, and he took his first step forward, keeping his eyes on hers the entire time. I can’t believe I’m about to be seated at the table with the most powerful person in Nalzambor. Be Nath Dragon. Be Nath Dragon. Be Nath Dragon. He sat down opposite her.
She clapped her hands.
A pair of young women in knee-length, deep-purple robes appeared from behind the curtains. Covered silver platters and a carafe of wine were carried to the grand table and set down. The young women stood silent and pretty with their hands down at their sides.
“Even dragons can get hungry,” Selene said. “And they get very difficult when they hunger, don’t they no
w, Nath…”
Oh no, is she saying Nath’s entire name?
She was. On and on it went. Fascinated with dragons, Gorlee had requested that Nath repeat it to him once. Nath had obliged. That day had been more regrettable than enlightening, and he was a patient one. Now, he was starving. Frightened. His thoughts raced.
No person has ever recited a dragon name before, therefore, she’s a dragon! And I know what they say. It takes a dragon to know a dragon. How long can I fool her? I’m done for.
The smell of food seeping out from under the silver lids was torture. An hour went by. He wanted to stop the woman, but interrupting a dragon was rude. Very rude among their kind. The second hour passed. One of the serving girls swayed. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed on the ground.
Selene’s lips continued to utter one intricately long syllable after the other.
Gorlee’s head bobbed. His chin dipped down. He caught himself nodding off time and again.
Almost over. Almost over. I think it’s almost over. Does she talk slower than Nath?
The second girl collapsed.
The sun dipped down on the west-facing patio, and finally Selene stopped. Her engaging eyes waited on his lips.
“So,” Gorlee said, reaching for the silver platter, “I guess I’m not the only one.” He lifted the lid off it. “I hope you don’t mind if I serve myself, seeing how your nondragon servants,” he peeked over the table, “have pillowed on the floor.” He shook his head. “Maybe your draykis would make for better servants. They’re horrible fighters.”
“They caught you,” she reminded him.
He lifted the lid off the plate. Sliced hunks of meat and cheeses waited there.
Ah, yes! He grabbed the platter with both hands. He picked the entire thing up, set it before himself, and ate, chewing up one large chunk at a time, barely keeping his ravenous hunger under control.
Selene’s eye’s widened. “Your manners are surprising, even for a hungry dragon.”
He barely heard the words she said.
Food, I’ll never undervalue you again.
“Sorry, but I’m so hungry I could eat a dragon.”
She huffed a laugh. “Fine, fill yourself. You’ll need it.”
He tossed a meatless turkey bone onto the platter and went for the wine. Not because he thirsted, but to let her know he didn’t fear her. He filled a goblet for himself and one for her.
“Thanks for the food,” he said, smiling and sitting back down. “Aren’t you drinking?”
She pushed the goblet away.
“I’m not thirsty.”
He shrugged, tipped the goblet to his lips, and finished it in one gulp. He set the goblet down, leaned back, tapped his chest, and burped. He picked his teeth with his claws.
Don’t seem so formidable. Keep her off guard. Guessing. Nath says women are captivated by that.
“Now, what were you saying about the draykis capturing me? Hah. Is that what they told you? I surrendered.”
“And why would you do that?”
He leaned forward on the table and said, “So I could meet the one who is behind all this.”
Her face brightened. “I knew you would come!” she said, picking up her goblet. She made a slight toast. “You think you can save the world, don’t you?”
“Who better than me?”
She took a long drink. “Well, Nath, you will be disappointed.”
“And why is that?” he said.
“Because I’m not trying to destroy the world.”
“Then what are you trying to do?”
“I’m just trying to run it.” She set her goblet down. “And I want you to help me, but first there is one last test that you must pass.”
“Wait a moment,” he said. “I’m not going to help you do anything. There’s no reason to test me.”
“Oh,” she said, cocking her head. “But you did so well on the first two. The roof. Starvation. Your name that I speak. But I’m still not sold you are the true Nath Dragon.”
She does know! Gads!
“And I’m not sure you are the true high priestess, but I’m not going to test you on it. You seem plenty wicked to me, judging by all the ugly faces. Why test me?”
She slammed her fist on the table.
Gorlee’s strength had returned with the food, and he wanted to laugh. Evil is so impatient.
“Because you are my prisoner!” She got up and walked away. “Kryzak! Come!
The brass doors opened, and in the war cleric came. He did a quick genuflection.
“Yes, my queen.”
“Secure him in the Deep.”
The Deep?
“As you wish.” He motioned the draykis over with his arm.
The dragon-like men jogged over and picked him up by the arms.
“And I thought you were going to fill me with interesting conversation,” Gorlee said, being hauled away.
“I did fill you, fool. And it’s only a matter of time before it takes effect.”
Gorlee got a bad feeling.
Great. She’s toying with me. That food must have been undercooked.
CHAPTER 38
“Ah,” Faylan said, sitting inside her tent and chewing the meat off a ham bone, “my little brother returns.” She chucked the bone at him.
He swatted it away.
“Can you ever offer a kind greeting?” he said.
“I greeted you,” she said. She got up and strolled over. Butted horns with his head and pinched his cheeks. “Is that better, little brother?”
No.
“Yes, for you it is, anyway.” He sniffed the air. Scanned the tent. He hungered. “Is there anything left of your feast?”
“Check with the soldiers. I’m sure they saved you some, little brother.”
Finlin stamped his foot. His sister had become more and more unbearable over the years. Pushy. Greedy. She had always been rotten but not to this degree. She’d even pushed him to murder. He wanted to take his hoof to her butt.
He checked his anger. There were better ways to deal with his sister.
“So, the camp stirs in victory,” he said, “and word of your great capture spreads.”
She turned to him, excited, hands clasped together.
“Really, what have you heard?”
“Brilliant trap,” he said. “That’s what the orcs say. I heard that as I traveled in, not knowing what to make of it at first until I—”
She grabbed him by the armor.
“What else?”
“—inquired,” he finished. “Inspiring, I heard another say. A gnoll said, ‘Faylan did what a hundred generals and dragons had not, captured the greatest dragon of them all.’”
Her eyes were wide and feverish.
“And?”
“Something about a great hall in your honor,” he added. He was making things up now, but she’d buy all of it. She always did.
“A great hall?” she let him go and looked up, grabbing her chin. “I like that.” She turned to the tent entrance and yelled. “Guards. More rations and wine!” She made her way over to a small table and set of chairs. A moment later, a half-orc man entered with a wooden tray of food and wine, set it down, and left.
“Eat,” she said.
Finlin reached over.
She grabbed his forearm, squeezed it, and said, “and talk.”
“Hmmm, there was so much chatter and excitement to sort through,” he said, spreading honey on a roll. He stalled as long as he could. The armies couldn’t stand her. Not one bit, and it ate at her. It was fun to tease her with the opposite. “Something about underestimating you and that soon the war would be over. Ah!” He wiggled his finger and stuffed bread in his mouth. “Many want to be your henchmen when you get your own town or castle.”
She hitched her elbow over the back of her hair and smiled.
“Really?”
Finlin nodded but not too much.
“Hailed by all the rotten races.” she said. “There’s not much bett
er praise than that.”
Except maybe being hailed by all the good races.
Her face lit up and she snapped her fingers.
“Wait till you see this!”
Quickly, Finlin buttered another roll and stuffed it inside his mouth.
“Whff is if?”
She pulled something from her pouch, tossed it onto the table, and pointed at it.
“That’s a lock of Nath Dragon’s hair.”
Finlin swallowed.
“It is?”
“Yep.”
Finlin leaned forward and eyed it.
“I thought his hair was auburn as a rooster.”
“It is. Are you blind, you fool?” She looked at the lock of hair and gasped. “What?!”
The hair was white and withered.
Faylan picked it up for inspection.
Finlin could feel the heat rise in her. Her cheeks reddened. Her eyes filled with worry. He couldn’t keep from saying his next thoughts.
“That wasn’t Nath Dragon, was it?”
She swatted the tray across the tent and screamed.
“Not a word of this to anybody!”
Certainly, dear sister, certainly.
CHAPTER 39
It was a sight.
Nath dragged the dragon backward. It screeched like an angry kitten.
Bayzog kept his distance, staff ready, breathing heavily. His emotions conflicted with relief and terror.
He lives!
Ben caught his glance. The rangy warrior poked his sword at the dragon’s head.
“Stay back, Ben,” Nath bellowed out. “I’ll handle this!”
The dragon shook and shuddered. Snorted and roared. Nath held its tail fast in his bulging, black-scaled arms. His eyes flickered with golden fire. Savagely, the dragon beat its wings. Its serpentine body lifted from the ground.
“No you don’t,” Nath said with anger. He released the dragon’s tail, made a great leap onto its neck, and punched it in the head.
Whop! Whop! Whop! Whop!
The dragon flopped onto the ground.
Bayzog gasped. The powerful beast was more than twice the size of Nath, and down it went. It coiled up like a serpent and crawled back and away from its aggressor.
The Chronicles of Dragon Collection (Series 1 Omnibus, Books 1-10) Page 76