Fairy World M.D., Boxed Set Two (4-6.5)

by Tamara Grantham

  “Come back from the dead?” the other man asked.

  “I never came back from the dead. I merely healed from my injuries. That’s all.”

  “Says who? That fall would’ve killed a normal man.”

  “Perhaps. But it didn’t kill me. Now, do me a favor and keep those ropes off my wrists. There’s no need. And untie my friends as well. They’ll not harm you.”

  “Nay, Maveryck, we’ll leave you untied, but we can’t do the same for your friends. We’re under orders that strangers aren’t allowed inside the compound unless they’re blindfolded and tied up. You know that.”

  “Plus,” the other guy said, nodding toward Kull, “that one’s hands are big enough to break our skulls.”

  “He’d do more than that,” Heidel muttered.

  “There, you see? That’s the reason we take precautions.” The two men stuffed burlap sacks over our heads, although I noticed they’d tied a gag in Heidel’s mouth. I tried not to dry heave as the stench of sour sweat came from the abrasive fibers scratching my cheeks.

  Rough hands pushed me forward. I blindly walked into the desert with the sand shifting under my feet, doing my best to breathe through the bag.

  Half an hour must have passed before we finally traded sand for a solid floor. The air cooled, and our footfalls rang out as if we’d entered a cavern. After being shoved to the ground, someone finally removed the sack from my head, and I breathed in the fresh air.

  As I scanned the room, my eyes adjusted to the light coming from millions of candles burning throughout the cavernous area. Large piles of white wax dripped in puddles onto the ground. The candles were set in naturally occurring arched pillars that spanned from one floor to the next, all the way to the top of a chamber that looked several hundred feet high. My mouth gaped as I stared overhead.

  High above us came the sound of dragon wings, and I spied several small sun dragons circling near the cave’s ceiling. The dragons’ shrieks echoed through the cavern. One of the dragons dipped lower than the rest, his wings brushing the floor, causing clouds of dust to rise from the walls and making the candles’ flames sputter.

  I watched the small dragon as he flew close to me. His frame was so thin I could see ribs beneath his sagging and scaled hide. Scars marred both his face and portions of his snout. He flapped his wings twice and then shot upward into the air to glide in circles with the other dragons.

  I wasn’t sure what breed of dragon it was. Sun dragons weren’t usually so small, and these dragons had longer, narrower snouts and a larger wingspan, reminding me more of the extinct pterosaur.

  Maveryck and another man I didn’t recognize approached. The two men squatted near me, and the thief cut away the cords binding my hands. After he pulled the ropes away, I rubbed my wrists, feeling the uneven bumps and ridges of the scars on my skin.

  “Jahr’ad, I’d like you to meet Olive,” Maveryck said. “She’s a traveler from Delestria.”

  “From Delestria?” Jahr’ad asked.

  “Yes,” I lied, hoping Jahr’ad bought it.

  Jahr’ad gave me a careful smile. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I have many friends in Delestria.”

  He had a rough appearance, from his sand-covered, patched clothing and his worn, dragon-hide boots to his tanned, weathered skin. He wore his bleached hair in long cornrows that looked as if they hadn’t been washed in years. What I found most disturbing about Jahr’ad were his eyes. They seemed too calculating, as if when he looked at me, he could see my weaknesses.

  Jahr’ad shook my hand, holding it a moment longer than necessary. When he released his grip, he eyed me. “What is it you do in Delestria?”

  “She is a merchant,” Maveryck answered for me. “She trades in unusual items, which is what brings her here. We’ve much to discuss,” Maveryck said.

  “I see,” Jahr’ad said, keeping his gaze on me. “What is she willing to trade for these unusual items?”

  “We will discuss that later,” Maveryck answered. “For now, we are hungry and tired, and trading anything in a generous manner is impossible to do with an empty stomach. Where are your manners, Jahr’ad? You know I have a reputation to keep, and I can’t do it when I’m covered in dirt.”

  Jahr’ad stood. “Very well,” he said with a sigh, “come inside and you’ll be cleaned and fed, but after that, we negotiate. Does that suit you, thief?”

  Maveryck rose to his full height. I felt magic emanating from his fisted hands. “You still insist on calling me that, do you?”

  “I’ll call you whatever names I like while you’re here. My home. My rules. You get the picture?” He nodded toward me. “Same goes for you. I don’t tolerate cheats or liars. When you’re here, you play by my rules. Now, as you are my guests and I am your gracious host,” he gave us a mocking smile, “please, if you’ll follow me.”

  My legs cramped as I stood, but I managed to limp forward, following Maveryck and Jahr’ad through a doorway that led into a tunnel. Rust-colored rock composed the floors, walls, and ceilings. The tunnels had been roughly carved to form hallways and small rooms. We entered a room larger than the rest, with a ceiling that seemed to span all the way to the top of the mountain and a fountain that took up the room’s center. Water bubbled from a stone in the pool’s center, then flowed outward, lapping at the pool’s edges. Steam rose from the water.

  “Bathe here,” Jahr’ad said, “and then meet me for the evening meal whenever you’re ready.”

  He turned to leave, but I stopped him. “Where are my companions?”

  A dark look crossed his face. “The big one wanted to give us trouble, and his sister was worse than him. We had no choice but to put them in a room upstairs.”

  I turned to Maveryck. “Did you know about this?”

  “Yes, but not to worry. They’ll be released before our evening meal. Isn’t that right, Jahr’ad?”

  He shrugged. “As long as I have your word, then yes, they’ll be released.”

  Jahr’ad left without another word, his booted feet echoing down the hall until they disappeared.

  I rounded on Maveryck. “What’s going on?” I demanded. “Kull and Heidel are locked up?”

  “They are not locked up. They’re being kept in a room upstairs, and they are both perfectly fine. Would you like to bathe first?” Maveryck asked, pointing to the water.

  “Bathe? When my friends are being held captive? No, thank you.”

  “Very well. I shall bathe first. Your friends are being held on the top level in a room at the end of the west hallway. You should have no trouble finding them.”

  “Fine.” I turned and walked out of the room, leaving him alone. I trusted him less the more I got to know him, and I only hoped this journey ended soon with my stepfather safely returned so I wouldn’t be forced to confront him.

  I found the end of the hallway and took the wooden ladder leading up, then climbed onto a platform. Several people milled about as I walked through the narrow corridors, but most didn’t pay me any attention. When I reached the western end of the complex, I found a room with a wooden door and let myself inside. Kull and Heidel both sat on the floor with their hands tied and gags in their mouths. Blood dripped down the side of Kull’s face.

  Perfectly fine? Maveryck will so be getting a piece of my mind…

  I cursed under my breath and untied Heidel, removed her gag, and then moved to Kull and did the same.

  “Did Jahr’ad do this to you?” I asked Kull.

  He worked his jaw back and forth before speaking. “No. One of his men. I happened to mention that I thought keeping dragons in captivity was illegal, and then he struck me.”

  I inspected his wound, but with the blood drying on his forehead and cheek, it was hard to tell how deep it went.

  “This needs to be cleaned,” I said, moving his hair away from his face, “and possibly stitched. What did he hit you with?”

  “A club of some sort. Made of bone. Possibly dragon bone.”

  Heat s
immered inside my chest. “Dragon bone?”

  “Yes. I think they’re breeding dragons here, most likely for the purposes of illegally fighting them against one another.”

  “That’s horrible. And highly illegal. No wonder Maveryck didn’t want me telling them about my relation to my stepfather.”

  Heidel paced the room behind us. “What do we do now? Do we continue with this charade and continue to follow Maveryck? Or do we try to escape?”

  The room was silent for a moment.

  “If we escaped,” Kull said, “we’d have no guide to get us back to the rails, and since they blindfolded us, I would have no idea how to get back. Even if I could, navigating through the desert with those sandstorms would be suicide.”

  “And we still wouldn’t know how to free my stepfather,” I said.

  “Then I believe we should stay here,” Kull said, “at least until we get what we came for.”

  Heidel sighed. “So we just stay here and trust Jahr’ad’s men won’t kill us?”

  “They won’t kill us,” Kull said flatly.

  “How do you know that?”

  “Trust me. I won’t let it happen.”

  “Overconfident, as usual,” Heidel said.

  “I’m not overconfident,” Kull said. “I’m honest.”

  Heidel narrowed her eyes. “Brother, forgive me if I don’t trust you to miraculously get us out of here safely. You don’t understand men like Jahr’ad the way I do. He can’t be trusted.”

  “I agree that Jahr’ad can’t be trusted,” Kull said, “but there is still a chance that he can be reasoned with. Not every man is as evil as Geth. You’d do well to remember that.”

  “He’s right,” I said. “While Jahr’ad may not be trustworthy, it doesn’t make him like Geth.”

  Heidel fisted her hands. “You only say that because you share my brother’s bed. You’d say anything to agree with him.”

  “That’s uncalled for,” Kull said.

  “And it’s technically untrue,” I added.

  “Why is it untrue?” she asked. “You’ve not shared his bed?”

  “Uh, well…” I wasn’t sure how to dig myself out of this one. “Technically, no.”

  She rounded on Kull. “Brother, is this true?”

  “Whether it is true or not is none of your business, is it?”

  “It is my business,” Heidel said. “What is the matter with you? Are you damaged? How many women have you taken to bed before her? And now you will not take the woman you’ve pledged your heart to? How long do you think she will put up with you?”

  “How I choose to spend my private life is my own business.”

  Heidel glanced at me. “Aren’t you concerned at all?”

  “Well, it wasn’t really his decision completely.” I could feel my cheeks heating up. I hated being put in this situation. “I wasn’t really… I mean… what I mean to say is…”

  “It was you who made this decision?” Heidel asked me.

  “It has nothing to do with her,” Kull interjected. “If you must know, after Father’s death I realized I wanted to change my ways, to go back to traditional values and all that. It has nothing to do with her.”

  I glanced at Kull, silently thanking him for saving me from a catastrophically embarrassing situation.

  “I don’t believe you,” she said to Kull.

  “Believe what you want, but you’ve no reason to pry into my life, and you certainly have no right to pry into Olive’s personal life.”

  “I have every right. It’s not fair for you to judge every man who shows the slightest interest in me if I don’t also have the same right to judge who you spend your time with.”

  “That’s completely different. I’ve never courted a maniac bent on the destruction of the world.”

  Heidel laughed. “And I suppose Princess Euralysia doesn’t count? The queen who is now trying to conjure Theht, which will most likely end in the destruction of Faythander? Oh, and that’s right, you are now courting Olive, aren’t you?” She thrust her finger at me. “The woman destined to destroy our world. I’ve heard the rumors, Kull—about the Deathbringer prophecies. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. Do you even know who she really is?”

  My heart hit the bottom of my chest. Heidel had no idea how badly her words hurt me.

  Kull rose to his full height. “That’s enough,” he snapped. “You are never to speak to Olive in such a way ever again. Is that clear? And just so you understand, I will never listen to your advice when it comes to relationships. You are the last person on this planet I would seek advice from. You gave your heart to a man so evil he destroyed magic, and then nearly succeeded in destroying our world. How I choose to spend my time is not your concern, and you are never to bring it up again. Is that clear?”

  Heidel pursed her lips. Her hands trembled as she kept them fisted. “Perfectly clear,” she said quietly. “And now I see that when you told me you forgave me for my past crimes, you were lying. I don’t know why I’m surprised.” She choked on her words and hastily brushed away a tear running down her cheeks. “Yes, I understand completely.” Turning, she stormed out of the room, not bothering to slam the door behind her.

  Chapter 17

  I sank to the ground, feeling as if my legs could no longer support me. It was hard for me not to hate Heidel after what she’d just said, but the hardest part was knowing that what she’d said was true.

  I would destroy the world. And it was only a matter of time.

  Kull knelt beside me and gently rested his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t let her words hurt you.”

  “I won’t. At least, I’ll get over it.” I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my emotions in check.

  “She’s been unusually temperamental of late,” Kull said. “Not that she hasn’t always had a temper, but it seems to have gotten worse over the last few days.”

  “It started when she returned from Earth Kingdom. She’s probably dealing with feelings she doesn’t understand because she’s lost her memories. Being around Maveryck only makes it worse.”

  “Can you help her?” Kull asked.

  “Me?”

  “Yes. Couldn’t you conjure a spell to help her remember her lost memories?”

  “I guess I could try, but usually my patients come from Earth who’ve been to Faythander and returned. I’ve never really tried it in reverse. Plus, no offense, but I’m not sure I want to see her right now.”

  “I understand.” He squeezed my hand. “She’s my sister. I’ve dealt with her outbursts my entire life. She says things she doesn’t mean when she gets angry.”

  “We all do, I guess.” I rubbed my eyes, hoping Kull didn’t see the tears trying to form.

  “However, she still worries me. Do you really think she believes I didn’t forgive her?”

  “No, I’m sure she was only speaking out of anger.”

  He pursed his lips. “I hope you’re right.”

  I squeezed his hand. Outside the door came the drifting sound of voices and an occasional roar from one of the dragons. I knew Kull and I didn’t have much longer to be alone.

  “Thank you for sticking up for me,” I said. “You didn’t have to lie for me, but I appreciate it.”

  He gave me a gentle smile. “It wasn’t a complete lie.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “What I said was the truth. My father’s passing made me realize how important it was for me to go back to the beginning, figure out what made the old ways so important. But it wasn’t until you were trapped in the cave with the bloodthorn that I really began to ponder what I believed in. I knew that if I ever got you back, I would never take you for granted. I would do things the way they ought to be done. Losing my father was hard enough, and losing you would have completely broken me. If we’re to be together, I’d prefer if it happened at the right time, the right way.”

  When I looked into his eyes, that icy blue color of a glacier, cold, yet comforting, I knew I could never l
et him go. “Kull,” I said, cupping his cheek. “I don’t care what Heidel thinks, you’re an honorable man.”

  Footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. We turned to find three of Jahr’ad’s men, all dressed in dirty rags and with the same careworn skin as Jahr’ad, entering the room. Behind them, a woman entered. Dark red tattoos in the shapes of rune-like symbols and swirls covered her neck and arms to her wrists. She had a muscular build and a shaved head, and the hardened edge to her eyes made me wonder what sort of life she led in a place like this.

  “My name is Zariah,” she said. “I am Jahr’ad’s consort. He wants you in the main arena. Follow me,” she called to Kull and I as she turned around.

  Zariah led us out of the room and down the hallway. As we made it to the ladder, I heard laughter and loud voices coming from the large inner chamber. When we stepped off the ladder and into the main chamber, we found several wooden tables arranged in the center of the room.

  Jahr’ad and several dozen of his men sat at the tables. Platters of meat rested on the tables in front of them, along with bowls of broth and cups filled with dark liquid. Maveryck and Heidel stood speaking quietly under one of the room’s broad arches. Heidel only gave Kull and I a brief glance as we walked by her, and then she turned away from us both.

  Maveryck walked toward us. He’d washed up and now wore a simple, beige-colored cloak, dark leather pants, and a golden-stitched doublet. He wore his long, dark hair loose down his back, and his piercing, gray eyes were focused intently on us. Despite having crossed the desert and having been swept away in a sandstorm, he had cleaned up so well that he now looked ready to greet royalty.

  “Olive, Kull,” he said with a formal nod to us both. “I’m glad you’ve come.”

  “I’m not sure we had much of a choice,” I said.

  Jahr’ad walked toward us. “Our guests have arrived,” he said with a leering grin as he outstretched his arms. “I am pleased you decided to join us for our evening meal. Maveryck tells me we have the pleasure of dining with Wult royalty. Please, sit and eat, and then we shall discuss why you’ve come.”