Cutter whistled cheerfully and ambled to the elf stone. He rubbed his hands over the ancient carvings embedded in the surface. It was unclear if it was a general touching of the stone or if he knew how to activate the creation, but it glowed a pale green in response, the light emanating from the central trunk and also the underside of the “mushroom” cap. It was bright enough to read and draw by.
“I suppose that works.” Zenia headed that way with her gear.
“Any chance you can call up a few armies of elven wardens to help us, Cutter?” Jev waved to the stone.
Even though it was a joke—Zenia didn’t see anything like the portal underneath his castle, which the elves there had traveled through—Horti and Borti stirred uneasily and touched their weapons. A reminder that most humans, at least Kor Kingdom humans, distrusted elves and probably would for a long time. Targyon and Lornysh had their work cut out for them when it came to changing that.
“I don’t think so.” Cutter flopped down on the ground with his back to the stone.
Zenia dropped her pack in the undergrowth and used it for a seat. The trickling water called to her, but they had to plan first. Then she could wash up. After all, one wanted to smell fresh and clean when one met one’s dragon for the first time.
I will bed down in the foliage over here while you plan, Eysinor spoke into their minds.
Zenia’s cheeks warmed as she wondered if their guide had been monitoring her thoughts when she’d been envisioning scrubbing her armpits.
Please let me know if there is a manner in which I can be helpful in rescuing the dragon. Unicorns are not mighty warriors, but I might be able to use some of my magic to distract a portion of the orcs while you sneak in.
“We’ll keep that in mind,” Zenia said. “Thank you.”
Even though Eysinor had been a useful ally today and had led them to this relaxing sanctuary, Zenia was reluctant to depend on her when it came time to free her scaled ally. She believed that a unicorn might want to help a dragon simply because they were both magical creatures that had existed since ancient times but questioned how far that help would go. Would Eysinor risk her life on the dragon’s behalf? If so, why? What did she stand to gain from all this?
While she mulled over these questions, Zenia drew on the back of the map she had brought along, using her largest book as a desk. The others settled in, pulling out dried meat and fruit and nuts to eat for dinner.
“Those are mountains?” Cutter pointed to her handiwork. “All along that side of the valley?”
“Volcanos, I gathered,” Zenia said. “One looked like it had erupted recently, at least in geological terms.”
“So sometime in the last ten thousand years?” Cutter asked dryly.
“That’s recent?” Borti looked at his brother, who merely shrugged back, his mouth stuffed with dried alligator meat the twins had purchased in the outpost.
“For rocks and mountains, yes.” Cutter pointed at the drawings. “It’s that one? Behind the lake?”
“Yes. Many of these others might be volcanos too. I noticed lopsided tops on several of them even though the slopes were covered with trees.”
“We don’t have to tie a rope and climb down into a caldera to rescue your dragon, do we?” Rhi wrinkled her nose.
“No. The dragon is in a cave in this little mountain in the center of this island.” Zenia pointed. “All along here, there are roads and structures. Orc homes. A few miles farther down the valley, there were some fields. Farmlands, maybe. I didn’t get a good look.”
“What do orcs farm?” Rhi asked. “I thought they were carnivores.”
“According to my resource…” Zenia spread the map on the ground and opened the book to one of many pages she had dog-eared. “Their diet is primarily meat, but they don’t practice any sort of livestock cultivation, so they rely on what they can hunt and trap in the wilds. Therefore, they occasionally supplement with fruits and grains. They grow a type of blue corn here and make flatbread with it. Poorer orcs often have a diet higher in corn, whereas the wealthy and the strong are more likely to subsist primarily on meat.”
“Fascinating,” Rhi said in a bored tone that said it wasn’t.
Hydal had been standing and stroking his chin thoughtfully, but he sat down next to her on a rock, shoulder to shoulder. “Do you not find furthering your education enlightening?”
“Not when Zenia is doing the educating, no,” Rhi said.
“Thanks,” Zenia said.
Rhi saluted her. “I don’t want to be enlightened on orcs either. I just want to get in, achieve our goal, and get back so certain people can plan a wedding.”
“A wedding?” Zenia stared at her and Hydal. “Have you two, ah, agreed upon that?” If so, that had escalated from kissing to spending the rest of their lives together far more rapidly than she had expected.
“Us?” Rhi pointed to Hydal, who gaped in surprise, and then back at herself. “Nah, we’re only beginning to explore each other’s virtuous bits.”
“Is that what tongues are called?” Borti muttered.
Horti dropped his face and put his hands over his ears.
“I meant your wedding.” Rhi waved toward Jev, who stood alertly by the path back to the road, though he was close enough to listen to the planning. Admittedly, this wasn’t the kind of planning Zenia had intended to discuss tonight. “Hux promised he would show me his dance moves at your wedding,” Rhi added. “We didn’t get a chance to dance to the captain’s phonograph music on the boat, due to extenuating circumstances.”
“Ah.” Zenia didn’t know if Rhi was talking about Jev blowing up the enemy craft or the two of them rucking up the blankets in the captain’s cabin.
“Have you set a date yet?”
“No,” Zenia said. “We haven’t even—Jev hasn’t—I mean, why don’t we talk about freeing this dragon?” She closed the book and pointed at her map.
Rhi frowned over at Jev. Zenia blushed. She hadn’t meant to draw attention to him or imply it was his fault he hadn’t proposed. He’d asked her if she wanted him to propose, so she knew he had it on his mind, but his father was still set against Jev marrying a common woman, so Zenia had no idea when she could promise Rhi some wedding dancing.
“I’m not a good swimmer,” Cutter said, thankfully getting back to the more important topic as he pointed at the lake she’d drawn. “We’ll need a boat to get out there.”
“Unless it’s shallow,” Borti said, then looked at Cutter’s dwarven legs. “Very shallow.”
“Ha ha, it won’t be.”
“One imagines there would be a dock with boats somewhere along there,” Rhi said. “How else would the orcs get out there to torture your dragon?”
Zenia couldn’t keep from wincing even though Rhi had likely meant it as a joke—or simply hadn’t been thinking about Zenia’s feelings for the dragon. Or maybe she didn’t grasp that Zenia had feelings for the dragon.
“Most people can swim,” Borti said. “But I agree that the orcs wouldn’t swim out to their houses with their groceries on their backs. Makes you wonder why there are orcs living on that island. Seems inconvenient to travel back and forth.”
“Something to do with their religion, perhaps?” Zenia suggested. “I think I mentioned before that they believe in volcano-based deities. Not surprising since those volcanos have doubtless been a fixture for them for however long their people have lived in that valley.”
“You wouldn’t think living in the shadows of a volcano—or an entire chain of volcanos—would be the wisest thing,” Jev said.
“I’m sure they erupt infrequently.” Zenia thought of the one with evidence of a more recent eruption. Thousands of years was a long time, but the orcs might have stories of the last time they’d had to flee their valley home. Maybe they even had evacuation plans. She leaned back on her hands, the thoughts prompting an idea. “That’s an interesting notion,” she murmured.
“Are you being clever?” Jev asked.
“I
’m not sure yet.” Zenia shifted to face Cutter. “As an expert of tunneling and mining and the underworld, what do you know about volcanos?”
“That they’re not a good place to tunnel or mine,” Cutter said. “Lava rock doesn’t contain much in the way of useful ore. Now the mountains back home are different. Full of iron, copper, silver, and more. Gems too. That’s why my people settled there.”
“I was thinking less of mining and more of causing a volcano to erupt. Or maybe only causing it to smoke impressively to make the nearby inhabitants think it could erupt.”
“I think only nature could make an eruption happen,” Cutter said. “Even with magic, there’d have to be a bunch of steam and magma built up deep down in the ground and waiting to burst out. I’ve studied a little earth magic and might be able to tell if that was happening, but it’s unlikely that, just as we ambled up the road, a volcano would be ready to erupt.”
“That’s not surprising.” Even if Zenia had possessed the power to cause an eruption, she wouldn’t truly want to do so. Who knew what far-reaching consequences that might have? “But how about feigning an impending eruption? Could we build a giant fire inside the caldera of one of those volcanoes?”
“With the right magic, you could make some impressive steam.” Cutter waved to Zenia’s chest—and her dragon tear.
She bit her lip. Would the dragon be able to help if they were standing in the valley—or in the volcano next door to the valley? Or would she be too paralyzed to act with orcs all around like ants in a hill?
The gem lay quiescent on her chest, not giving any hint of feelings on the matter.
Zenia looked toward where the unicorn had bedded down, but their guide seemed to be sleeping. She probably had the power to create fake steam from a volcano, but Zenia was reluctant to ask her for help or to rely upon her.
“If we have to,” Zenia said slowly, “is there any way to make a believable smoke using wood?”
“Enh.” Cutter rocked his hand in the air. “To be realistic, it should look more like steam than smoke. If there’s enough room up there—an actual hollowed out caldera that we can work in—I might be able to build something to emit a lot of steam. We’d need to collect a bunch of water and haul it in there. I’m assuming there’s not a lake inside any of the volcanos.”
“From what I saw, just the one in the valley below.”
Cutter scratched his cheek with his hook. “Let me think on it for a spell.”
“I would appreciate that. Thank you.” Zenia looked at her gathered allies. “So, that’s one idea. Convincing the orcs that their volcano is about to erupt and that they need to clear out of the valley. Hopefully without taking their dragon prisoner with them. Does anyone have any other ideas?”
“Nothing that would be an improvement,” Hydal said. “I, too, favor the idea of creating a diversion, rather than attempting to sneak in without one. That would be challenging with so many. I had the thought of starting a wildfire farther up their valley, but your plan, if it works, would be less destructive.”
If it works, Zenia echoed in her mind. She forced a smile and attempted to feel optimistic. Cutter was crafty, and if anyone could create what she’d asked for, he could.
It is a good plan, Eysinor spoke into her mind. She hadn’t lifted her head from her resting spot, but she must have been listening to them instead of sleeping. I wish I had thought of it myself. A sense of wistfulness came with the words. Perhaps I could have done something earlier.
There’s still time.
The unicorn didn’t speak again, but the sense of wistfulness grew stronger, and a sad sigh filled Zenia’s mind.
“Also,” Hydal said, drawing Zenia’s attention back to the group, “given how damp the jungle is, coercing a large-scale fire to start would be difficult.”
“Unless you have a dragon capable of breathing fire all over everything,” Rhi said.
“Maybe we can try that after we rescue her,” Zenia murmured.
But once they freed the dragon, Zenia didn’t expect her to want to stay in the area. She hoped the dragon wouldn’t abandon them completely, forcing them to tramp back to the coast on their own, possibly with irate orcs and troll shamans following them the whole way.
15
Jev fought back yawns as he waited for Hydal to relieve him on watch. Hydal had volunteered for the second shift and usually showed up without prompting, but Jev wondered if he would have to go retrieve him. He didn’t want to do that, since Hydal and Rhi had taken their bedrolls to the far side of the stone and were curled up under a blanket behind one of those benches. The sounds of giggles and kisses drifted to his ears. He didn’t think they were doing anything more than that, but he didn’t want to risk interrupting in case he was wrong.
Jev tried not to listen, but it was hard to focus his full attention on the very boring path they had used to enter the sanctuary. He hadn’t seen any sign of recent—or ancient—passage and believed the unicorn was right, that the orcs avoided this place. Hemmed in by the bamboo forest, the sanctuary remained quiet and peaceful, with the hoots of monkeys and chirping of cicadas more distant than usual. He never would have found this place on his own and grudgingly admitted the unicorn had been a good guide so far.
When Jev shifted to flex his legs and stretch his back, he noticed someone rising from the group of sleeping figures in their little camp. Borti, Horti, Cutter, and Zenia had stayed together, nearer the base of the stone. Its glow had mostly faded shortly after their meeting broke up, but a faint light still emanated from the bottom of the cap, as if some bioluminescent vegetation grew over the stone. Thus, he was able to pick out someone heading for the water. Zenia, he was fairly certain, since she was more slender than the other three.
She wandered along the water’s edge to a bend, then knelt and ran a finger through the water. Did she intend to wash? Or bathe?
His body heated at the thought of her easing out of her clothing and slipping into the water.
He immediately rolled his eyes at himself, at the horny thoughts that came to mind, but that didn’t keep him from watching with rapt attention as she leaned forward, dipping more of her hand into the water and rubbing some on her cheeks. When she reached for the buttons of her shirt, excitement thrummed through him. She was going to bathe.
All of their kisses from the past couple of months sprang to mind, all the frustration he’d felt when those kisses had been cut short by one thing or another. Not to mention the ongoing frustration of his father insisting that he stay away from Zenia. And then there was her vow to herself, her promise not to have sex until she was married.
Little had changed, Jev admitted reluctantly. He shouldn’t watch her, shouldn’t gape hungrily as she slid off her shirt and reached for her belt.
They couldn’t be together here any more than they could have been back in the city. Once he proposed to her and she accepted—the old man be damned if he didn’t agree—then, perhaps, they could spend a night together, entangled in the sheets of her bed. Or in a dark nook among the pools and baths in the castle, as he’d fantasized about in more than one dream of her. Would she agree to make love to him somewhere that witnesses might stumble in and spot them? Once they were engaged and had the right to have sex, it wouldn’t matter if anyone gossiped. They could do whatever they wished, whenever they wished, as often and wildly as they wished…
Jev sucked in a deep, shaky breath as Zenia shed the last of her clothing and stepped into the pool. He forced himself to look away, to stare at the bamboo and try not to think about all the lurid dreams he’d had, about how much he wanted to make them a reality.
More giggles and kissing sounds reached his ears. He clenched his fists, wishing the others would knock it off. It was hard enough to focus on his duty without reminders that they were enjoying each other’s company, and he and Zenia had to—
A long reluctant sigh came from the bench where Hydal and Rhi rested. It was louder than the soft giggles had been, and out in the p
ool, Zenia looked in that direction, lifting her hands to cover her chest. The darkness hid most of her fine form, but Jev had a long look at a delicious silhouette, and his imagination filled in the rest.
Hydal kissed Rhi one more time, then rose and circled the stone, heading over to relieve Jev on the watch.
Jev was glad for the dark. Everything from his groin to his cheeks seemed to be on fire, and he didn’t want to have to explain himself.
He pointedly didn’t look toward the pool, not wanting to draw attention to Zenia. Since Hydal and Rhi had been wrapped up in enjoying themselves, Jev doubted his friend knew she was out there.
After Hydal relieved him, should Jev go over to let Zenia know she was visible from the camp and that she might want to ease around the bend and closer to that stream in the back? A few boulders were jumbled along the shoreline there and would block her from Hydal’s view.
But if Jev went over there, he wouldn’t want to leave. He would want to take off his clothes and join her in the water. Maybe offer to assist her in bathing…
“Any trouble?” Hydal asked, joining him.
Jev made himself face the path. “Nothing. It’s been quiet.” Save for the sounds of people kissing each other. He kept that thought to himself.
“Good.” Hydal yawned.
Jev didn’t point out that he would be more refreshed if he’d slept instead of smooching. It was an uncharitable thought, and he knew it. He was only unhappy that he wasn’t doing the same thing.
“Cutter have the watch after me?”
“Yes, and then Horti.” Jev thumped him on the shoulder and turned toward the camp.
He told himself to head straight to his bed and not contemplate visiting Zenia for what he feared would end up being far more than a warning to move out of sight. If she allowed it. Would she? The first time they had kissed, she’d broken it off and told him about her vow to stay chaste until marriage, but a few times since then, they’d kissed, and she had definitely enjoyed it, leaning into him and wrapping her arms around him. More than once, he’d wondered if she would consider having sex with him now that they planned to marry. One way or another.
Dragon Tear (Agents of the Crown Book 5) Page 19