“No,” Aidan replied firmly. He gripped Vheradan’s throat. Vheradan began to gag.
Kaijin noticed Zarya’s eyes glowing briefly before returning to their normal sapphire hue. He’d seen that look on her before. Apparently some sort of strange spell that allowed her to detect the motives of others. It still intrigued Kaijin of how she did that. “Aidan, wait. Please stop,” she said.
“Why should he?” Omari snapped at the priestess. “That bastard is getting what he deserves after what he did to Aidan!”
“I do not sense any ill intentions from Vheradan. He seems to be misguided.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because—” Zarya paused at the sound of Aidan grunting.
Kaijin fixed his gaze on Aidan, whose body contracted. His grip loosened around Vheradan’s neck. His back arched, and he keeled over, his body going into small spasms. Suddenly, he went into a violent coughing fit. For several seconds, he coughed to the point of nearly dry-heaving, and then, from the middle of his next big cough, a white, crystal-like liquid substance spewed from his mouth and onto the fear-stricken Vheradan, freezing him into a white crystalline statue.
Kaijin stared, agape. How did he ...
Aidan looked toward the statue, eyes widened. He backed up a few steps, then looked toward his friends.
“Aidan! Open this thing, now!” Jarial demanded.
Aidan approached their portcullis and single-handedly lifted it up. He held it there while everyone scrambled inside the room, then let it fall again.
Kaijin and Zarya gathered around the giant, goggling at his new form, Jarial approached the frozen statue that was Vheradan, and Omari and the three familiars went to the corner of the room where the lone kinling was still cowering and whimpering.
“Aidan, do you feel okay?” Zarya asked. “Are you hurt at all?”
Aidan regarded her and Kaijin with a blank stare, then scratched the back of his head. “Aidan feels fine.”
“Your eyes ... Are you blind?” Kaijin asked.
Aidan shook his head. “Aidan can see just fine—perhaps better than before.”
“Better?”
“His eyes now exhibit a trait of a very old race of silver Dragons called the Koraseru,” Zarya explained. “According to the lore, they went extinct over a century ago.” She perked up. “It was just like that fanciful story that the Mistress told us. She must have sensed Aidan’s heritage all that time.”
Aidan smiled.
“So this has been dormant in you all this time, and it has now emerged,” Zarya continued.
After a few moments of studying the statue, Jarial approached Aidan. Rubbing his chin, Jarial walked around the giant, studying him. “I find all this absolutely intriguing.” He touched one of Aidan’s wings, but Aidan cringed and shook off Jarial’s fingers. Jarial smiled apologetically, then crossed the room to the desk.
Miele screeched in Kaijin’s mind, and he looked toward her. Percival and Sable snarled and poised themselves, ready to strike. Miele clung from the ceiling, prepared to dive-bomb the creature should it be foolish enough to attempt escape. Kaijin crossed the room and approached them.
Omari aimed the tip of his lightning staff at the kinling and inched it closer to its small chest. The kinling held its clawed hands up in surrender.
“How do you think I should kill it?” Omari asked Kaijin when he stood beside him.
Kaijin looked at the helpless creature and shrugged. “Is there really a need? It’s not like it’s going to be foolish enough to try and attack us, after what Aidan did to its master.”
“Ugh. You would rather spare this creature after what it did to Aidan? You are a fool, Kaijin. A fool who is getting soft.”
Kaijin glared. Soft? “What in the hells is that supposed to mean?”
Omari smirked. “Never mind.” His eyes glowed with electricity. Lightning traveled from his hands down to the staff and converged at the ornate pointed tip.
The kinling yelped like a frightened dog.
The creature’s cries made Kaijin cringe. “Wait!” he yelled to Omari, putting his hand on his shoulder. He received a static shock and drew his hand back.
Omari also flinched, and he dismissed his spell and glared at Kaijin. “What do you think you are doing, Kaijin?”
“Let’s keep him around a little while longer. Maybe Aidan can interrogate him, and we can get some answers.”
“Do you honestly think that ... thing will cooperate?”
Kaijin nodded. “If he’s smart, he would. There are more of us than there are of him.”
Omari rolled his eyes. He pulled back his staff. “Fine, Kaijin. We will do it your way. But if that creature so much as even attempts to escape, he will feel ten thousand jolts.” He drew away from Kaijin and went to the ice statue. Percival backed away from the kinling, giving it a final warning growl before chasing after his master. Omari fiddled with one of the statue’s fingers and broke it off. He held the frozen finger over a candle until the ice melted, revealing an obsidian ring attached to the finger. He took the ring and slipped it onto his own right ring finger. He held up his hand and admired the piece of jewelry.
Kaijin watched Jarial at the desk.
Jarial found the syringe, examined it, and then picked up one of the bottles, which contained a clear liquid. He shook it gently and studied the substance, and then waved his hand around the top of the bottle to draw the fumes to his nose. “This is cereoxin, a type of mind-affecting agent.” He picked up another bottle, which was labeled ‘hemlock extract’, and another called ‘batraphine’. “These substances are harmful to humans in large doses, though I’m unsure which specific ones were given to Aidan.”
“Maybe this kinling would know,” Kaijin suggested. He eyed the kinling, and the creature made strange barking noises, as though it were speaking to Kaijin.
Kaijin wrinkled his brow. What is it saying? He looked back at Aidan. “Aidan? You think you can translate what it’s saying?”
Aidan approached, followed by Zarya, who remained at his side, checking him for injuries. The kinling shuddered when the giant towered over it.
The kinling spoke the same series of phrases; this time, its voice quivered in Aidan’s presence.
Aidan tilted his head and blinked a few times. “Rhyzaryk says he knows what was used to inject Aidan.”
Kaijin arched an eyebrow. “Rhrr ... zoo—what?”
Aidan chuckled. “That is his name. It is Draconic.” He spoke Draconic to the kinling, who nodded quickly.
The kinling ran to the desk. It stopped a safe distance away from Jarial and pointed to the cereoxin that he held. He barked and then pointed to the batraphine on the desk.
Jarial looked thoughtful at the kinling. “Interesting, so is it saying that the cereoxin and batraphine was used in the injection?” he asked Aidan.
Aidan nodded.
“Interesting,” Jarial said, returning the cereoxin to the desk. “Somehow, the effects of these substances had an opposite effect on your body than what was intended, Aidan. It was as if your body fed off it and enhanced itself, or perhaps it has aged you, which explains why your features are so much more prominent now.”
Kaijin raised his eyebrows. “Is that so? Could it have something to do with his heritage?”
Jarial shrugged, then went on to examine the ice wand on the desk. “Perhaps, but it seems to me like that alchemical experiment was still in the testing phases. It’s unfortunate that Aidan had to be the victim.”
“Is it?” Zarya asked. “I mean, Aidan was going to eventually become this sooner or later, right?”
Jarial nodded, then stored the wand in his bag. “Yes, perhaps you’re right, my dear.”
Omari sneered at the kinling. “So what was this half-Dragon doing down here with all these kinlings?”
“Aidan?” Kaijin looked to the giant expectantly.
Aidan and the kinling drummed up a seemingly detailed-sounding conversation in Draconic. Finally, Aidan add
ressed the rest of the group. “Rhyzaryk says he and his brothers were cast out of their forest tribe years ago, and they came here and took up residence in tunnels. Vheradan discovered them and recruited them into his gang. They pillaged and traveled and made their living here, there, everywhere. Then one day, Vheradan had crazy idea to sail to Salanis for better opportunities.”
Kaijin nodded as he digested the information. “Anything else?”
Aidan shrugged. “Apparently Vheradan was skilled alchemist, and Rhyzaryk was his apprentice. Vheradan was testing a new formula that alters mind and body.”
“And you were their test subject.” Zarya scowled. “Despicable.”
Rhyzaryk hung his head, his tail curling between his legs. He growled a message at Aidan, who looked taken aback.
“What did he say?” Kaijin asked.
Aidan’s mouth hung agape, but he quickly recovered, smiled, and nodded to the creature. “Rhyzaryk says he is honored to be in the presence of Koraseru descendant, and asks forgiveness for attacking Aidan with wand.”
Kaijin blinked. “What?”
“What a wonderful thing to say.” Zarya smiled at the kinling.
“This has got to be a trap,” Omari said. “He probably wants to be let go so that he can call for his ‘brothers’ and ambush us.”
Aidan slowly shook his head. “Aidan has feeling that is not case.”
“What will he do down here alone, without a master?” Kaijin asked.
Aidan shrugged. “Aidan is certain he will survive.” He cast Rhyzaryk a glare and spoke in stern Draconic. The kinling gulped and nodded frantically in reply.
Kaijin was puzzled. “What did you say, this time?”
“Aidan made him promise not to hurt any more people or cause any more trouble, and for him to live honest way of life. And if he breaks promise, Aidan will turn him into ice statue, too.” He smiled coyly.
Kaijin chuckled. “Sounds fair enough.”
XVII
Kaijin and his friends rested briefly to gather themselves before moving on to the next room to find Nester. Aidan made the kinling, Rhyzaryk, guide them.
The room, lit by four torches on each of the walls, appeared to be living quarters. A nest of hay, with blankets and pillows strewn over it, sat on one side of the room. The slimy stone floor was cluttered with tattered clothing, books, torn parchment, and other debris. Old, ripped tapestries, some bearing the city’s colors, hung crookedly from nails lodged between stones in the wall. At one of the far walls, under a halo of torchlight, Nester was busy fiddling with one of several locks on a large, wooden door. He didn’t seem to notice the group’s presence.
By contrast, a wooden desk that sat on the opposite end of the room was surprisingly tidy, with parchment stacked in neat piles. Atop one of the stacks was an inkwell and unused quill pen.
The shiny object that Kaijin had spotted earlier was gone.
Rhyzaryk growled at Nester, baring his fangs. He was about to lunge at the brownie when Aidan grabbed his tail and pulled him back. Rhyzaryk yelped and cringed, then looked to the giant, who shook his head. He let go of the kinling’s tail, and balling his fists, Aidan stormed over to Nester.
The door unlocked with a loud click, and Nester stood. He turned around and smiled proudly.
Nester’s gaze moved upward to Aidan, and his eyes bulged. He plastered himself flat against the wall. “Whoa, mates! There’s a ’uge monster about to—Aidan?”
Aidan gowled menacingly.
“Aidan ...” Zarya warned.
Nester sank down to the ground as Aidan loomed over him. The three familiars remained with Rhyzaryk while Kaijin, Zarya, Omari, and Jarial drew nearer and surrounded the brownie.
Nester shuddered. “Don’t ’urt me, mates! I ain’t done nothin’! I swear I ain’t done nothin’!”
“‘Nothing’?” Kaijin said. “You ran off to leave us to deal with that kinling ambush!”
“And look what your cowardice has done to Aidan!” Jarial pointed to the giant.
Nester looked at everyone, and his face went pale. “I—I didn’t mean to. I—ah, was just makin’ sure there were no more kinlin’ folk in ’ere.”
“By picking locks?” Zarya asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“Tell us another one,” Omari said.
Aidan grabbed Nester by his topknot and lifted him up to eye level. “Do not lie to Aidan!”
Nester cried and flailed for Aidan’s hand. “Ow! All right! All right! I give up! I’ll explain! Don’t ’urt me!”
Zarya placed her hand on Aidan’s lower back, and Aidan relaxed. He set Nester back down.
Pouting and not making eye contact with the group, Nester pulled out an ornate silver spoon from within his jerkin. It glistened in the flickering torchlight. “It looked like it was worth somethin’, so I took it. After all, if it is worth somethin’, then we’ll ’ave some money for the rest of our trip, aye?”
Kaijin blinked. “A spoon? Really, Nester? You put us all in danger for that?”
“You have got to be kidding me.” Omari seethed.
“You’re lying,” Jarial said, crossing his arms.
Nester looked up toward Jarial and shook his head. “Nay! I found it on the desk over there. I ain’t never seen a spoon like this before, I ’avent! I’ve got a good eye for this kinda stuff. So I decided to see what else these blokes ’ad around ’ere and found this door. It’s gotta be a vault or somethin’ to ’ave this many locks!”
Rhyzaryk snarled something, and Aidan looked over his shoulder. He nodded to the kinling and turned back around.
Aidan glowered at Nester. “Rhyzaryk says there is nothing in there that surface thief would want.”
“Nay, ’e’s lyin’, I tell you!” Nester said. “What’re you doin’ listenin’ to that bloke, anyway?”
“He’s displayed a lot more credibility than you have, Nester,” Zarya said.
Nester puffed out his chest. “Aye? Well, if ’e’s so ‘credible,’ then ’e ain’t got nothin’ to ’ide, now would ’e? Let’s look inside!”
Before anyone else could argue, Nester swung open the door, revealing a tiny room full of curious objects: weapons that showed slight tarnishing and rust, broken gold and silver jewelry, bent silverware, a dented chalice, a scratched crystal ball, and more. The objects all shone slightly as flickering torchlight from the larger room poured in.
Rhyzaryk cried out and ran toward the group.
Kaijin spun around in time to see Sable and Percival catch up with the kinling and block its path. Miele swooped down from the ceiling and at Rhyzaryk’s face, making the kinling yelp in fright. So perhaps Nester really has stumbled across their treasure horde, he thought, facing his friends again.
Nester deflated. “This is it? All those soddin’ locks were securin’ this junk? What a waste!” He reached down to grab a broken, silver necklace, but Zarya slapped his hand away.
“It may be junk to you, Nester, but it means everything to them,” she said.
“The kinling was apparently telling the truth,” Jarial added. “That’s more than what can be said about you.”
“Nay! You got it all wrong!” Nester exclaimed.
While Nester continued arguing with the others, Kaijin slipped away to explore the rest of the living quarters. He approached the desk, with the neatly stacked parchment. He skimmed through the parchments and found a small stack of official-looking documents. The documents, addressed to Vheradan, mentioned permission to board a ship. A red seal, branded with Ostwyn’s city emblem, was affixed to to the bottom of the last sheet.
Kaijin took the documents back to his friends. “Hey, everyone. Look at this.”
The group stopped arguing and looked at Kaijin. Jarial took the sheets of parchment. He skimmed them and handed them back to Kaijin. “These appear to be passenger papers to board a ship.”
“Passenger papers?” Kaijin repeated.
Perhaps a little too enthused, Nester clapped his hands together. “Kaijin!
You found ’em! These, uh, were the documents I was lookin’ for! You’ve got good eyes, mate, you do!”
Thanks, I think. Kaijin scratched the back of his head. “What do you need them for?”
“This is our key to boardin’ th’ merchant and supply ships,” Nester replied, nodding quickly.
Omari growled. “You mean to tell me we risked our necks for a bunch of confounded papers?”
“How exactly is this going to help us?” Zarya asked, leaving Aidan’s side, and the half-Dragon proceeded to close the door back and reset all the locks. “They are addressed specifically to Vheradan.”
Nester smirked. “Aye, but I—ah, that is ... there’s always a way. Trust me, mates! I got it all under control!” He snatched the parchments from Kaijin’s hands.
Aidan stormed over toward Nester, who scrambled out of the room, calling over his shoulder, “Go catch a few winks, mates. I’ll take care of everything!”
Rhyzaryk turned to follow the brownie, but Aidan growled something at him, and he stopped.
Zarya sighed. “I guess we should’ve known better than to trust him.”
Aidan cracked his knuckles. “Aidan is tired of chasing after him. Maybe tomorrow, Aidan will have more energy.” He said something else to Rhyzaryk, and Rhyzaryk responded with yips and barks. “Rhyzaryk says there is exit nearby. He will lead us there.”
“Excellent. It will be nice to finally sleep in a bed,” Omari said.
With Nester gone yet again, the group members gathered themselves and followed the kinling through another section of twisting tunnels until finally emerging in another dark alley of the city.
Rhyzaryk returned to the tunnels, and Kaijin and his group returned to their rooms at the inn.
* * *
Nester returned to Stix after leaving his friends. After he did his patterned knock on the shanty’s door, the small window slid open and Six’s face appeared. “Nester! You’re back!” The window slid shut, and the door opened.
“Aye.” Nester let himself in the shanty and closed and locked the door behind him.
Flameseeker (Book 3) Page 16