by Bianca D’Arc
Or…just maybe…
“Gen, do you know where Fisk’s ship is anchored?” Gowan asked his partner as they circled above the city yet again.
“You think he went back to his ship the long way around? Over land?” she asked
“It’s possible. He would want to be as mobile as possible, and he’s a sea pirate, after all. He probably feels safest on the water. And we already know he has some way of concealing his ship magically. It makes sense he would make for the ship—though we made the mistake of assuming he’d go by the most direct route.”
“But we just arrested most of his crew,” Genlitha pointed out.
“Did we?” Gowan countered. “We know they were working for him, but were they local hires? Or maybe they were excess crew he doesn’t need for sailing. Many pirate ships are over-crewed with fighters because they’re often engaging in battle and losing men all the time.”
“So you think he left enough men on board to sail away with?” Genlitha asked, her tone filled with resignation.
“I think it’s more than possible. It would have been the prudent thing to do. It’s what I would have done if I were in his shoes,” Gowan answered honestly. He was kicking himself for not taking the time to think this through before.
“I’ll tell Hrardorr.” Genlitha didn’t sound happy. “If we hurry, maybe we can still catch them before they sail away.”
Sure enough, Hrardorr, with Seth on his back, wheeled closer. A moment later, the two dragons were flying off toward the distant hidden cove.
Gowan assumed Genlitha had warned the Jinn on the ground that they’d be leaving for a bit. It was pretty clear they’d missed Fisk in the city, and there were too many routes he could’ve taken out from there. The ship was their best bet at this point, but Gowan feared they would be too late.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Master Jarvis took Livia to the kitchen of the large inn, settling her at a cozy table to one side of the massive hearth. The taproom was in shambles, but the industrious workers were already putting things to rights. Still, it was best to be out of the public spaces of the inn just at the moment.
She was a little surprised at Jarvis’s familiarity with the place. He almost acted as if he owned it, which got her thinking…
“Master Jarvis,” she asked in a low voice that wouldn’t carry beyond the two of them. “Is this inn a Jinn establishment?”
Jarvis smiled at her in that crafty way that told her she was right. “It is owned by a daughter of the Clan and her city-dweller husband. He is an adopted member of my Clan and has become used to our ways. That’s him over there,” Jarvis nodded to the portly man Livia had seen tending bar. “They could have called it the Dragon instead of the Swan, but that would have been a little too obvious, don’t you think?”
Livia laughed at his suggestion, sipping the mulled wine he’d procured for her. She looked around with new eyes, noting the look of the workers. All had the slightly foreign cast to them that made her think that most of them were Jinn in origin, rather than native Draconians.
The Jinn had been roaming the lands for as far back as anyone knew. They’d had no true home until Prince Nico had taken a wife. After that, for some reason, the Jinn had traveled from far and wide to create a new settlement around the capital, Castleton, expanding the existing city far beyond its original borders. Since then, Jinn had been spreading out throughout the kingdom, bringing their skills and accumulated wealth with them.
They were a stealthy lot, able to blend in and settle in the farthest reaches of the realm without any trouble at all. Apparently, they’d done so here, as well.
As Livia was pondering the situation, a small door in the back of the kitchen opened, and a woman dressed all in dark colors walked in. She was unbuckling the twin curved swords she wore on her back as she entered and stopped short when she saw Livia watching her.
“Ah, it is my daughter, Rivka,” Jarvis said, smiling and holding out his hand, gesturing for the woman to join them.
She seemed hesitant, but one look at her father had her moving again. She unstrapped the blades and took off the special harness that went over her shoulders and crossed over her chest before she sat.
“What news have you of the search?” Jarvis asked.
Rivka shook her head. “Nothing good. The trail was fouled by dark magic. A lot of it. False trails, dead ends, and the like. We lost him, but the dragons flew off toward the cove, hoping to catch him should he be making his way over land to his ship.”
Jarvis frowned. Livia spared a moment to see if she could contact Gowan. She chose him out of their group because she knew Seth had his hands full seeing for Hrardorr, as did Hrardorr, trying to interpret what Seth saw.
“I heard you’re checking out the pirate ship. Any news?” Livia sent to Gowan.
“The ship is long gone, the trail hidden by magic,” he reported back at once, and Livia could hear the disappointment and frustration in his tone. “We lost him.” He paused. “I’m truly sorry, Livia. We’re on our way back to the inn.”
Livia blinked. The news wasn’t good. Not at all.
“What is it, milady?” Jarvis asked, his brow furrowed in concern as she refocused her gaze.
“The pirate ship is gone. Fisk escaped,” she said simply. “Gowan just told me.”
“You can bespeak the dragons and their knights?” Jarvis asked, clearly impressed, but Livia only shrugged.
She was both angry and sad that her mother’s killer had gotten away. And where was her father? Hadn’t he gone off after Fisk? Was he gone, as well, fallen to Fisk’s guns? Worry crept into her heart.
“This is grave news,” Rivka said quietly. “I’m sorry we could not find him this night, but we will send word through our networks. He will have no safe port. There will be no place he is not looked for by our people.”
The woman’s steadfast conviction gave Livia a tiny bit of hope.
Just then, there was a bit of a commotion when the two dragons landed in the courtyard. Livia heard them arrive and ran out to meet them. She ended up in Gowan’s arms first, then Seth’s, the tension of the night dissipating a little at seeing them safe and whole.
“We lost him,” Seth told her. “I’m sorry, Livia.”
“It’s all right. The Jinn will be watching for him now. We’ll find his trail again, and next time, we’ll catch him.” Livia felt the truth of her words. “Or my father will find him on the open seas. Either way, he’ll be caught.”
“The important thing now…” Jarvis stepped closer, seemingly unafraid of the dragons, “is the book. You must take it back to the island and its owner immediately.” He seemed to be talking directly to Genlitha, surprisingly enough.
“I thought we’d report back to the Lair first—” Seth began, but the minstrel cut him off.
“We will get word back to your people. The book must spend as little time as possible out of the protection of its owner. Trust me on this. We Jinn are wiser to the ways of magic than most humans these days. We have kept the old lore alive.” He paused a moment. “And not all of us are entirely human,” he stated silently, including the dragons and the three comrades in his surprising communication.
“Are you a black dragon, sir?” Genlitha asked in an almost reverent tone.
Jarvis nodded just once, and both dragons bowed their heads toward the man. Livia wasn’t sure what was going on, but if the dragons gave that much respect to the Jinn minstrel, he was obviously a lot more than he seemed.
“My daughter will fly for the Lair tonight,” he told them all, then turned toward the barn. A small dragon emerged from the open doors. It was all black, and it winked when Livia met her eyes. “She will tell your leaders what has transpired here. Now, you five must fly for the island. Gryffid is the only safe protector of that book, and the sooner he has it back in his care, the better for all of us.”
The black dragon launched into the air and disappeared into the darkness. The only sign of her passage was the momentary
absence of stars in certain parts of the sky as she passed. If Livia was hearing Jarvis right, that small female black dragon was his daughter Rivka. Somehow…
Jarvis was looking straight at Livia when she turned back. “We allowed you to see this because you must know the secret of the black dragon. The five of you are part of something much bigger that involves your father, the sea captain, as well. But you have already met our kind before.”
Suddenly, Livia remembered the dreams she’d had right after returning home from Gryphon Isle. Dreams of the royal couple—Prince Nico and Princess Riki—and black dragons. What she had dismissed as mere fanciful dreams began to make sense.
“Nico and Riki,” she said quietly, realizing all eyes were on her.
“Yes. Your rulers descend from the eldest child of Draneth the Wise. My line traces back to another of his children. We are cousins, sort of. But we are one in the inheritance of the wizard who founded this land and forged an alliance with dragonkind like none other.”
“The dragons already know…” Livia realized. She looked at Genlitha and saw the truth in her eyes. The dragons knew about the royal family and the other descendants of Draneth the Wise. They knew and respected these black dragons like none other because they weren’t fully human. They were half and half. Designed to bridge the gap between humanity and dragonkind.
“Of course we do, and we acknowledge the advice and will of Jarvis of the Black Dragon Clan,” Genlitha said formally, her head bowed. “We will make for the island to return the book at once.”
Jarvis breathed an audible sigh of relief. “None of us are safe until that book is back in Gryffid’s hands.”
*
Livia was riding on Genlitha’s back with Gowan. She’d dashed off a message to her people, instructing the captain of the ship that had brought her to continue on his route. She’d also sent a separate missive with instructions to the woman who ran the trading end of her father’s business in Ouray, suggesting placements for the goods Livia had brought with her from Gryphon Isle. Both were entrusted to the Jinn for delivery.
After provisions had been delivered from the kitchen and their travel packs retrieved, they were off. In the dark of night, they headed for Gryphon Isle at top speed. There was no time to waste.
And, in the midst of all this, there didn’t seem any proper time for Seth or Hrardorr to announce their change in circumstances. The others appeared too caught up in the events of the evening to realize how quiet Seth and Hrardorr had been in the hours since bonding. They hadn’t noticed, and Seth almost feared their reactions when they finally realized what had happened.
Riding on Hrardorr’s back while the dragon put forth all the effort gave Seth time to think. He didn’t know how to break the news. How could he possibly raise the subject casually?
“The others haven’t realized it yet, but they will,” Hrardorr offered privately in Seth’s mind. Their communication was so much easier than it had been, and Hrardorr seemed to pick up on Seth’s thoughts and moods regardless of whether Seth deliberately sent the thoughts or not. “I’m sorry to have put you in such an awkward position, yet again. In the normal course of things, the moment of choosing is supposed to be a joyous thing. I’m sorry I couldn’t give that to you.”
“Are you kidding? I know for a fact that, a lot of the time, the words of Claim are spoken in haste when something bad happens and the dragon needs his knight ready fast. My family is full of such tales. I don’t think our story will faze my parents in the least. And, as for me, I’m content. No, I’m more than merely content. I’m happy, Hrardorr. Finally, everything feels right in my life. I pray for the day you’ll feel that way too.”
“It may be sooner than you think. I like being able to see again, even if it is through your eyes, but more than that—if I have never said it before—I like you, Seth. You’re one of the few humans I enjoy being around. You make me a better dragon.”
Seth was speechless for a long moment. “Then, we’re even. You make me a better man.”
They flew along in silence for the most part. The dragons were really pushing themselves to get to Gryphon Isle as quickly as possible. Seth wanted to ask Hrardorr about the black dragon he’d seen back in the inn’s courtyard, but he didn’t want to distract Hrardorr when he needed all his energy for flying. There would be time to talk later, now that they were bonded.
Seth was still stunned by the turn of events. They’d accomplished the most important goal of retrieving the book, but they’d lost Fisk, which put a damper on the whole exercise. Then again, Hrardorr had finally spoken the words of Claim and he hadn’t expressed any regret about it since.
Something had changed between them. There was a sort of sad understanding now where before there had been a boatload of regret and sorrow. Seth thought he sensed the change in Hrardorr’s emotions, which boded well for their future together. And the new closeness of the bond allowed Seth to see things with a bit more understanding and compassion.
While he regretted that Hrardorr had to basically be forced into choosing him, Seth would never regret being chosen. He vowed he would do all in his power to make sure Hrardorr never regretted this night’s events either.
Already, he was sensing the changes in Hrardorr, and Seth felt they were all positive. He was probably changing, too, though it would be a while before the reality of actually being a knight sank in fully.
And there were other things to consider now. Other possibilities. Genlitha, for one. Would Hrardorr be willing to take his recovery even further, to choose a mate and make a commitment to her? Would Livia be willing to form a family unit with them? Many questions remained to be answered, but at least they’d overcome the first hurdle. Hrardorr had chosen him—and Seth still couldn’t quite believe it.
They landed on Gryphon Isle as the first rays of the rising sun kissed the sky. All five of them were exhausted. They’d been up all night, but they still had to deliver the book to Gryffid’s safekeeping before they could rest.
Captain Lilith met them in the courtyard, a trio of two gryphons with fey riders and a sea dragon having met them in the air long before they reached land. They’d been recognized and escorted to the keep with a priority message delivered to Gryffid and those who needed to be on hand to greet foreign visitors. The Captain of the Guard was there, with a contingent of her soldiers, as protection for the wizard, of course.
Even though they knew all five of the newcomers, Seth was pleased to see they took no chances with the wizard’s safety. They all dismounted and stood ready for Gryffid’s arrival.
“Livia, would you be so kind as to retrieve the book from my bag? My talons were capable of putting it inside, but I fear I could damage it on the way out, and I don’t think either of the men should be handling this book. It’s too dangerous for them.” Genlitha spoke in all their minds as she pointed to the leather satchel around her neck.
Gowan stepped in front of Livia before she could reach for the bag. “If it’s too dangerous for us, won’t it also be too dangerous for Livia?”
Seth wanted to know the answer to that one, as well. No way would he let Livia take chances that he, himself wouldn’t take.
“It’s…a delicate matter,” Genlitha finally admitted. “Both you and Seth are touched by magic through myself and Hrardorr. Livia has much less magical linkage and, therefore, should be immune to the effects of this very potent magical object. It should be safe for her, whereas you two…” Genlitha looked at both men, then back at Livia. “Well, it’s just safer for her to do it. Normally, I would up-end the bag to retrieve the contents from the ground, but I don’t dare subject the wizard’s book to such treatment.”
“And well you shouldn’t, milady,” a new voice came to them. Sure enough, Gryffid was making his way down the steps of the keep and into the courtyard. “If you are agreeable, perhaps Captain Lilith could retrieve the object in question? The House of Eliadnae has many hereditary protections from all sorts of magic.”
“That i
s a good solution, Master.” Genlitha nodded, and both Livia and Gowan stepped away, making room for the warrior woman to retrieve the satchel and the precious book it contained.
Lilith took the leather pouch with gentle hands, lifting it over Genlitha’s head. She then opened it and took out the book, still wrapped in the cloth in which Fisk had given it to the Skithdronian agent. Lilith removed the wrappings and held the book itself up for inspection.
Gryffid’s tense expression eased as he seemed to recognize the tome.
“It seems the same, milord,” Lilith spoke, running her hand over the cover. “The magic feels pure and unblemished. I believe they got to it in time, and that no harmful counter-spells were added that might harm you.”
“Nevertheless,” Gryffid said in a deep voice filled with cautious satisfaction, “I will be careful. Please bring the book to my workroom, and we will go over it together to be certain it has come to no harm and that it can do no harm to us.” Lilith began to move, her guards surrounding her as she moved into the keep. Gryffid made to follow, but turned before entering. “Thank you, my friends. You have done the lands a great service in retrieving the book. We will talk more after I examine it, but for now, take your rest and recover from your labors.”
Gryffid turned once more and followed the troop of fey warriors into his keep. The five travelers followed more slowly. Both Hrardorr and Genlitha were already at a water trough kept to one side of the courtyard for the four-footed guests, dunking their heads and drinking their fill. It had been a long flight and even longer night.
A servant came to them and indicated that a suite of rooms in the keep was at their disposal. Seth was more than ready to go find his bed and collapse, but he had to make sure Hrardorr would be all right first.
“Do you need me, Hrardorr? Will you be able to navigate into the hall on your own?” Seth asked privately.