by N. M. Howell
More and more fighters piled into the room and the crowd rotated so that the newcomers could all see Andie and see that she was alright. Andie tried to give them as much hope and reassurance as she could. When everyone was finally present and accounted for, Raesh called the meeting to order.
“Alright, everybody,” Raesh began. “For anyone who doesn’t know yet, Andie is alive, she’s fine, and she’s back here with us now. She’s found her people and they’re on our side. Their Queen, Saeryn, is here with us tonight. Let’s pay her our respect.”
With his words, every fighter in the room bowed to the Queen. Raesh bowed, too. The Queen acknowledged them with a deft nod of her head.
“I’m glad we could all set aside our fears long enough to gather in the same room,” Raesh continued. “And I know it’s going to be a long, hard road back to trusting each other, but I think it starts here, today, with Andie.”
Raesh turned to Andie and gestured for her to step forward and address the crowd, which she wasn’t expecting. Andie moved to the front of the platform and looked out at the crowd. Most of those faces she didn’t even know; most of the people she had never even talked to. But she understood that at that moment they needed her.
“I won’t talk long because Saeryn has several things to tell you, but I want you to know that the true enemy is the University. Not us. Not each other. While it is true that there is a traitor onboard, I want you to know that I was in that room and the spell had to have come from someone who was in there with me. That means one of the eight people you have locked up is the spy. Everyone in this room can be trusted.”
“What if there’s more than one spy?” someone called out. “What happens if only one of them is in a cell?”
“What happens if the ship sinks?” Andie countered. “What happens if the lightning strikes the ship and fries the navigation system? What happens if the sky falls down? We can’t afford to worry about problems we don’t know we have. What we do know is that one person aboard this ship is a traitor. What we also know is that more than five hundred people onboard this ship are true allies. Which of those facts do you want to focus on?”
She paused for a minute to let the words sink in and the crowd seemed to think on it hard, as if they’d never considered it.
“I’m happy to be back with you and I’m still eternally grateful that you’re all here willing to risk your lives for my people and me. But if we can’t trust each other then we’re dead already. We need to rebuild this unit or the fight will not go our way. And don’t put all of your hope into me. Have faith in yourselves. I do.”
Chapter Ten
Andie backed up, not wanting to push her luck with her crowd. She knew her presence was helping, but her followers had been through so much in the past few weeks that she didn’t want to risk pushing them too far too fast. Instead, Saeryn stepped up to the front and her presence there was awe-inspiring, such grace and strength and peace.
“I would be remiss and shameful if I didn’t first thank you for the sacrifices you’ve made in order to be here, fighting for my people. None of you are dragonborn and none of you have any obligation to us, and yet you’ve given up your comfort and potentially your lives in order that we might live. It is not a debt we can ever repay, but if you have need of us we will come without hesitation. I thank you on behalf of myself and my people.
“I don’t know how familiar you are with the story of the dragonborn, so perhaps a brief recapitulation might be in order. We are a people out of time; we come from an era centuries ago, when the war between the sorcerers and the dragonborn was at its culmination. We fled to a safe haven in the mountains and Andie saved us by pulling us through the portal and across time, saving us by allowing us to take advantage of the very spell the University used to try to annihilate us. That is how we’ve come to your modern time. Very few were on our side back then, but there were some who fought for us. One in particular was a sorcerer who went to battle with us time and time again. He came through the portal alone some years ago. His name is Lymir.”
At those words, Andie found herself almost breathless. She didn’t know if she couldn’t believe that Lymir was from ancient times or that he didn’t tell her. It explained so much about his knowledge and the way he had looked out for her. It explained how he knew so much about the portal. Saeryn turned to Andie.
“The bracelet he gave you was to ensure that you didn’t fall through the portal when you pulled us out. Lymir well knew the power of that door. It’s quite a long fall from being a powerful sorcerer to running a tavern with questionable clientele, but do not underestimate him. We all owe him a great debt.”
Andie could hardly believe her ears. She fidgeted with the bracelet on her wrist, realizing how much sense Saeryn’s words actually made. She always wondered about the tavern keeper and how he knew so much about everything.
“Lymir was once head of your Council,” Saeryn continued, addressing the crowd again. “In fact, he was the one who conceived it all those centuries ago. He was also the appointed instructor of a royal line of sorcerers during that time, a position which afforded him great access and influence. He joined our cause after that line began to commit crimes against my people out of fear and envy. That was when the entire world decided it no longer wanted to live with us. But I assure you, we are a peaceful race. Our dragons may be fierce and our magic may be formidable, but we have always abhorred conflict. We are a simple people with simple desires. The hate against us that persists in your time began in ours. The sorcerers wanted us gone so that they could command Noelle unopposed. They knew that despite our kind ways, we would never let them subjugate a single city, let alone the entire land. Just as ourselves when we came through the portal, Lymir was heartbroken when he arrived in your time and found that the sorcerers had not only won, but that the people didn’t even realize what had happened. How they had been deceived and brought down. He lived among you disheartened, having only one piece remaining to him of the time he knew. That piece was the bracelet that he gave to Andie to protect her. In fact, that bracelet once belonged to me.”
Saeryn looked at Andie with a smile. Andie suddenly felt extremely guilty, almost as if she had stolen the bracelet from Saeryn by force. Without even thinking, Andie began to take the bracelet off and give it to the Queen, but Saeryn held up her hand to stop her.
“Keep that, savior,” Saeryn said, never losing her smile. “If it weren’t for that bracelet, you might not have survived pulling our people through that portal. Only the strongest of us could have succeeded in that task, and only you could have succeeded in such a feat. Lymir would not have chosen you for nothing. He saw in you what I see in you. Our future.
Andie stared down at her feet, considering. Her fingers played with the bracelet as she listened.
“I feel I’ve spoken enough now. I just want you all to understand that this fight is an old one and is sure to grow ugly before its end. My people and I are at your service and rest assured, we will not leave you to fight our battles by yourselves. But I implore you to trust each other. Raesh and Andie have assured me that the traitor is indeed one of the people you’ve captured downstairs. They cannot hurt you from a cell. Be at peace and be together. The enemy is out there, not in here. Thank you.”
It was quieter than ever when Saeryn finished. No one clapped or moved. They barely breathed. Andie never knew so many people gathered in one place could be so quiet. She could tell that they had been lifted, inspired, relieved, but they were so in awe of Saeryn—and of Andie, too—that they didn’t seem to know what the proper response was. Saeryn descended the platform and went out into the hall. Andie and Raesh followed, leaving the fighters to conduct themselves.
“I’m so grateful for this,” Andie said, indicating her bracelet. “It means the world to me.”
“As it once did to me,” said Saeryn. “It suits you.”
“I’ve been thinking... I was thinking about all the things you told me about the dragons and the dra
gonborn. How all dragonborn people are born with a link to a dragon. How the scale patterns on our skin are a symbol of our dragon until we are united with them. I was just wondering if, perhaps somewhere, there was a dragon out there for me?”
“I’m afraid I do not have the answer to that. We have lost so many of the amazing creatures over the past centuries at the hands of the sorcerers. We once lived in peace and all dragonborn had a companion, but now only few remain and not even all warriors have a dragon bonded to them anymore. I do not believe there is a dragon living who is to be bonded with you. At least, not until the dragons begin to mate again and new dragons are born. When the sorcerers began their hunt for the dragons, long before my time, our people grew weaker. In turn, as our people were massacred, the dragons themselves grew sparse. They stopped reproducing, our people began to grow weaker, which is how the sorcerers first began to overcome us.”
“Well, I have the scales,” Andie said, hesitant. “What does that mean?”
“It means that perhaps someday a dragon will be born to you, but until then I’m afraid you will never be able to reach your full potential.”
“I see.” Andie tried to shrug it off, but she knew it was obvious how disappointed she was. “Saeryn, may I ask one more question? It’s a difficult one to ask.”
Saeryn smiled and placed her hand on Andie’s shoulder. “You may ask me anything, always.”
Andie paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. “Oren has green hair and green eyes. His dragon is the same color. I noticed all the warriors and their bonded dragons are of the same coloring.”
Saeryn nodded. “Yes, it is a sign of their bond. A dragon is destined to pair with one unique dragonborn, and one only. From birth, the dragons already demonstrate the same coloring as its soul partner.”
Andie wasn’t sure how to ask her question without hurting the Queen. Her friend. Finally, she let out a deep breath and just asked. “I couldn’t help but notice your dragon is of a different color.”
A long moment passed in silence and Saeryn hung her head in mourning. “Oriander, my dragon… Ori. He didn’t make it through the portal when you pulled us through. He sacrificed himself to protect our people when that evil spell was cast. He hung back to ensure we all made it through the portal safely, but I’m afraid it closed before he was able to follow. He was a great dragon, and an even greater companion.”
Sorrow struck Andie’s heart at those words. “I’m… I’m so sorry, Saeryn. Had I known, I…”
“There was nothing you could do, sweet girl,” Saeryn smiled. “You saved our people, and for that I owe you a great debt. You are our savior, and never forget that.”
“Then who’s dragon do you ride now?”
“My dearest friend, one I considered a sister, did not survive that final attack from the sorcerers. Raylim, her dragon, came through the portal just as she fell. Normally, a dragon would not survive the death of its rider, but I summoned all my strength to keep him alive. He bonded to me, in a way. We have become close, growing stronger from each other’s presence, although it will never be the same bond that Ori and I shared. Or that Raylim and Katyara shared. Nevertheless, we endure. And I am eternally grateful for the strength and companionship he offers me.”
Andie couldn’t bear the sorrow in Saeryn’s eyes, but she straightened her back and offered a smile to the Queen as best she could. “I am so sorry for your loss. Raylim is lucky to have you.”
“And I him,” Saeryn answered.
Raesh rounded the corner and came to stand next to Andie. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it as he recognized the emotion that hung in the air.
When Andie looked back down to her feet, Saeryn lifted her chin with a gentle finger. “I know this disappoints you, Andie. Not having a dragon of your own. But this is a different time, and perhaps someday, when things are different, you will find your match. But, right now, we must focus on stopping the spread of hate and malice. We need to convince the world that the dragonborn are actually good. That we aren’t the monsters the University has purported us to be. You know as well as I that the University is in the midst of creating something terrible. I suppose now we should go down.”
Andie took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Saeryn was right, of course. She shouldn’t let the fact that she doesn’t have a dragon of her own impede her mission. She had never grown up even considering it an option, so why should it bother her now?
Saeryn turned to Raesh. “I understand that Andie’s father is down there as well?”
“Yes,” Raesh nodded, wrapping his arm around Andie’s shoulder. He always knew what to do and what to say. “We put him down there, but only to sort of save face. People were so on edge that they wanted all of them locked up, even though Eric had only joined us onboard and couldn’t possibly be the spy. I’m sorry, Andie. But I’ve made him as comfortable as possible and made sure he was treated with respect from the beginning.”
“It’s okay, Raesh, I understand,” Andie said, genuinely not angry. “Let’s go down.”
It was a short walk down to the brig. The place was clean and quiet, but there were thirty guards stationed around the room. They seemed highly on edge, though they all calmed considerably when they saw that Andie was alive and well. They came to the first of the cells.
“They start here,” Raesh said. “On this end are the three fighters. First Kent, then Lilja, then Sarinda.”
Kent was very amiable. He didn’t seem upset at all, as if it all made sense to him.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said. “With Marvo locked up I know it must have been hard on Raesh organizing everyone and trying to keep the peace. Even before we knew there was a traitor it was hard to keep us all in check. We come from different backgrounds and cities. Some of them hate each other as much as they hate the University. The only thing that holds us together is the will to do what’s right.”
“You seem like a really sweet guy, Kent,” Andie said. “If you’re not the one who betrayed us, then I’m truly sorry.”
“Don’t be. I understand. The needs of the many outweigh one guy’s kindness. I know you’re doing what you have to do. Stay strong.”
Andie stopped at each of the cells, but Sarinda and Lilja refused to talk to her and barely even looked in her direction. They did, however, show deference to Saeryn before going back into their reticent modes.
They came to Murakami next. She wasn’t as belligerent as Sarinda or as cold as Lilja, but she was also the same woman she’d always been—terse. She didn’t hold much conversation, though she was interested in what Saeryn had to say about the ancient relationships of the Raeynese empire. After her, they came to Andie’s father, and, even though it was against protocol, Raesh opened the door and let her in to see him.
“Oh, I’m so glad to see you,” she said. “I was so worried something might happen to you.”
“I’m fine,” Eric said. “I’ve been out of my mind worrying about you. You just disappeared. I didn’t know where or how or why. Oh, my beautiful girl. Your mother would be so proud of you.”
“Dad, are you sure you’re okay? Can I get you anything?”
“Andie, I’m fine. Traveling at sea is a little rougher than I expected, but I’m completely—”
“Dad, I’m so sorry I stopped calling as often and that I didn’t come home the last time we planned. I’m sorry I couldn’t control my magic and avoid ever going to the University in the first place. I’m sorry I haven’t been here to protect you and that I’ve been so selfish and careless and—”
“Andie, stop. I have never been more proud of you. I never doubted that you loved me for a second and I knew how much you needed to go to the University, and not just for your abilities. For answers. Honey, you’re going to mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but you’re also going to be the savior of your race. I know you can do it. Your mother knew it, too. Don’t ever worry about me. Go and save the world.”
“She has already made a
fine start,” said Saeryn, going down before Eric as he lay in the bed. “I am Saeryn, Queen of the dragonborn, and I want you to know that your daughter is more than we had ever dreamed. I regret so much that your wife cannot be here to witness the courage and the strength of your incredible daughter. I thank you for lending her to us.”
“It is my pleasure. Thank you for welcoming her into her people. She’s needed it her entire life.”
They stayed with Eric for a long while, but eventually moved on. Marvo was sleeping, but even when they woke him, he seemed devoid of life. He was grateful that Andie was okay and that she’d found her people, but beyond that he seemed totally drained of the vitality that he had possessed the last time Andie saw him. Raesh turned to her after they moved on.
“Something happened to him when you disappeared,” Raesh said. “It was like the traitor suddenly became... real. I think all that time he was hoping that he was wrong, that there was no traitor or that the person would truly come over to our side. But when whoever it was spelled you out my dad just... withered. I think he lost his faith in all of us, in all of this.”
Carmen was beside herself.
“Are you freaking kidding me! The future? That’s both cool and disturbing. Are you okay? How are you getting along with your people?”
“Everything and everyone is great, Carmen. I’m glad you’re okay, too.”
“Are you, Andie? I can tell from the way you’re looking at me that you don’t see me as the same girl you used to know. I can’t imagine how all of this must make you feel. I know it must have seriously shaken your faith in people and in everything we’re fighting for, but believe me when I tell you that I am not the traitor. Do you remember that story that I told you back in the tunnels?”