Dragon Blood 5: Mage

by Avril Sabine

  Amber automatically searched for Kade. “We’re in a different country?”

  “Quiet.”

  “Are we? In a different country?”

  “Yes.”

  “What are we doing here?”

  “This is as close as we can get to where the binding is done. I need you to see if you can find out how many are guarding the place.”

  “Where are we?”

  “Can you focus for once? They regularly patrol this area, at random intervals. Now can you tell me who is around here?”

  “Not if they’re in the Void. You should have brought Crystal.”

  “Amber.”

  She could almost hear the growl in his thoughts. “Okay. Fine. Give me a minute.” She’d been mentally searching the area ever since they’d arrived, but now she tried a more focused search. She couldn’t get any better results. It was like they were the only ones here. Throughout the area she found blank spaces, which she guessed were areas protected from her ability to search. As well as numerous little pockets, there was one large area. Even her better than average ability to see in the dark didn’t show any more than her mental search had shown. “There are too many blank spots I can’t search.”

  “You need to convince Miles to have a look. Otherwise we’re going in there blind.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Do you want to take Kade, Crystal and Rian in there without knowing what they’re going to face?”

  “Of course not. I already said I’d try.”

  “Don’t try. Convince.”

  Before Amber could say anything else, Ronan took her through the Void to the planning room at Temolae keep. Kade and Rian were sitting at the table, obviously waiting for her. She turned to Ronan with a glare, grabbing hold of his hand when he let go. “Stop doing that.”

  “Call me as soon as he agrees. No matter the hour.” Ronan tugged away from her grip and disappeared.

  Amber growled, staring at the spot where he’d been. “Bloody dragons.”

  Rising to his feet, Kade chuckled. “I guess there wasn’t too much danger wherever he took you. Not with the mood you’re in.”

  “No. Not really.” She frowned. “At least I guess not. He took me near where the binding has been done.”

  “You don’t think that was dangerous?” Kade slowly shook his head. “No wonder I worry about you.”

  “There was no need to. I was fine.” Amber suddenly realised that even though Ronan had given her a chance to learn the pathway to his crypt, he hadn’t given her a chance to learn the one to where the binding was done. Her gaze narrowed. It was the first thing she was going to do the next time she returned there, regardless of what he wanted. There was no point in being able to walk the Void if she had no pathways to travel. She headed for the door.

  “Where are you going?” Kade asked

  “To talk to Miles.” She flung open the door and stepped into the hallway since she found it difficult to enter the Void from the planning room. Finally locating Miles, she used the Void to bring herself to his room, where he was lying on the bed reading. He jumped to his feet, his book falling to the floor, his hands raised as if to attack.

  When his eyes focused on her, he lowered his hands. “What do you want?”

  “Your help.”

  “Are my choices help or be kicked out?”

  Amber shook her head. “No, nothing like that.” She held his gaze a moment before she continued to speak “I won’t lie to you. It’s a dangerous area we need to search, but if you help we’ll have a better idea of what we have to face and can prepare for it. It will improve our chances of survival.”

  “If I don’t and someone dies, are you saying it’ll be my fault?”

  She wanted to say yes, but instead she shook her head. She sensed Cooper walking down the hallway before he entered the room. “Did you want something?”

  Cooper looked between Amber and Miles, an uncomfortable expression on his face.

  Amber shook her head, turning to Miles. “You didn’t have to call him. I’m not about to force you.”

  “What’s going on?” Cooper asked.

  Amber explained what she’d already said to Miles.

  Cooper swallowed visibly. “I’ll go with you when you attack there.”

  “I thought you’d be on my side,” Miles said.

  “I am, but that also means we need to be on Amber’s side. She’s the only one who’s tried to protect us,” Cooper said.

  “I just want to be left alone.” Miles sat heavily on the edge of his bed, dropping his head into his hands. “Completely alone.”

  She knew that feeling. Had once thought that was what she’d wanted. “I’m sorry, but I had to ask you. Had to see if you’d help us out. I didn’t want to take my people in there blindly without first making certain you couldn’t help.” She turned away, headed for the door, not sure that she’d be able to travel through the Void with the disappointment and worry she battled.

  “Where are you going?” Miles asked.

  She stopped, her hand on the doorhandle, and looked over her shoulder. “Leaving you alone.”

  “But-” Miles frowned, rising to his feet, glancing towards Cooper. “I mean-”

  She waited, but he remained silent. “Spit it out, Miles. I don’t have all night.”

  “That’s it? You’re not going to make me?”

  Letting go of the handle, she turned to face him. “Is that what you want? Someone to tell you what you have to do? Because that’s not me. I want you to help. I would like you to tell me what we’ll face when we go in there. But that has to be your choice. You have to want to be there, have to be willing to take the risk and fight at my side if something goes wrong. Otherwise you’re useless to me.” When he continued to stand there, staring at her, she guessed he was out of questions. “Goodnight.” Again she turned away, this time getting the door open before he spoke.

  “I’ll do it.”

  She faced him. “What?”

  “I’ll do it.”

  “You’ll go with us and search the area.”

  He nodded.

  “Now.” At least she guessed Ronan would want to go immediately. Otherwise why would he have asked to know the moment Miles agreed?

  Fear crossed his face and he glanced towards Cooper before meeting Amber’s gaze. “Right this minute?”

  “Not quite. Half an hour or so. As soon as everyone is ready.”

  Miles swallowed visibly. “Okay.”

  “I’ll let Ronan know.” She held his gaze a minute longer, giving him a chance to change his mind. When he remained silent, she stepped into the hallway, heading for her room, ringing Ronan as she walked.

  “That was quick, even for you.”

  Amber laughed at his greeting.

  “What did you threaten him with?”

  “I doubt you’d believe me.” She hung up the phone when she sensed Ronan appear in the planning room. Pushing her fingers into the cage, she focused on travelling there through the Void. She still couldn’t manage without entering the Void first.

  “Try me,” Ronan said when she appeared in front of him.

  “Well, I suppose you could say I threatened him with leaving him alone.”

  “Solitary confinement?”

  Grinning, she shook her head. “He wanted to be left alone, so I agreed. He changed his mind.”

  “I doubt you humans will ever make sense to me.”

  “That’s not surprising since we don’t make sense to ourselves half the time either.” She paused. “Who are we taking with us?”

  “Rian, Crystal since he wasn’t willing to leave her behind, and probably Kade since you’re likely to be difficult about leaving him behind and Miles.”

  Amber nodded. “Cooper wants to go too.”

  “It’s not a sight seeing expedition.”

  “I know. But if Cooper wants to go and keep an eye on Miles, then he goes too.”

  “I’m trying to keep the group small so that hopefully
we aren’t noticed.”

  “What if they spot us and there are too many people there for us to handle?”

  “We get out of there and come back with an army.”

  She hesitated, not sure she really wanted to know the answer. “And what happens if we find out there’s only a small amount of people there?”

  “We take them and the place.”

  Her heart felt like it skipped a beat and she fought to keep her expression neutral. “You said we had two weeks. It’s not Saturday yet.”

  “Do you want to wait the half hour until it is?”

  “No.” She could do this. Hadn’t she survived numerous battles already? “Let’s get organised then.”

  “I’ll take Rian then Crystal there and be back for the rest of you. Have them ready and waiting here for me.”

  Ronan disappeared into the Void before she could speak and she sensed him appear near Rian and Crystal before disappearing with Rian. She sighed. He hadn’t given her much time.

  She soon found it was enough. Cooper and Miles stepped into the planning room just before Ronan returned from taking Crystal, Kade having come straight to her when she’d called him. Cooper insisted he’d go before Miles and Amber went last, not wanting to chance Ronan leaving anyone behind. As soon as she arrived, she entered the Void and came straight back out again.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Ronan asked.

  Amber grinned when she saw Kade and Rian do the same. “Learning the pathway.” She held his gaze, her chin rising when he glared at her.

  “There’s no one in the Void around here,” Crystal said, then grinned. “Well, not now anyway.”

  Amber bit back a laugh when she met Crystal’s eyes.

  “Do you still want me to search the area?” Miles kept looking around as if expecting something to jump out at him.

  “Yeah,” Amber said.

  “I’ll make sure you’re safe while you’re gone,” Cooper said.

  Miles nodded, sitting on the ground. “It makes it easier.” He was silent for several minutes. “I’m above you now. You do know that I can’t see if anyone is in the Void, don’t you?” His voice had a hollow sound to it.

  “Just tell us what you can see.” Amber tried to keep the impatience from her voice. She wasn’t sure if she completely succeeded.

  “I’m entering a building. Well it’s actually a building built inside the hill. Maybe it’s a cave carved out to look like a building.”

  “This isn’t an architectural show. Tell me about people and defences only,” Ronan growled.

  “I can see four people. Once you enter the building, or the cave, there is long tunnel before you reach the main room where they are. There are two side rooms, but no one is in them. A bunk room and a kitchen with a bathroom off it. That’s it,” Miles said.

  “What’s in the main room?” Ronan asked.

  “I thought you didn’t want me to describe the place,” Miles said.

  “That didn’t stop you from telling me there was a kitchen. Now tell me what’s in the main room,” Ronan ordered.

  “A big rock thing. A bit like a bird bath, but bigger and deeper and chunkier looking. Not a sculpture, but it’s all carved like it’s some kind of decoration. It’s right in the middle of the room.”

  “Are you sure there is only four people in there?” Rian asked.

  “No. There might be people in the Void,” Miles said.

  “Can you tell if it would be impossible to stay in the Void?” Amber asked.

  “No.”

  “We’re going in. You stay in that area and let us know if any of them move or if more arrive.” Ronan turned to Cooper. “Help him up.”

  “But we’re not armed,” Cooper said.

  “Did someone cut off your hands?” Ronan demanded.

  Cooper shrank back from him. “N… no.”

  Amber stepped between them. “Leave him alone.” She held Ronan’s gaze for a moment before she turned to Cooper. “All you have to do is protect Miles. If anyone attacks, you ice them. We’ll take care of the ones in there. You and Miles keep a look out for any others that might arrive.”

  Cooper nodded, helping Miles to his feet and keeping an arm around his shoulders.

  “We need to go straight ahead and slightly to the left to find the entrance,” Miles said. “I think there might be a camera at the entrance.”

  “You think or you know?” Ronan demanded.

  “Uhmm… Possibly?”

  “Don’t go getting us killed, boy.”

  “I’ll fly ahead.” Amber turned into a goshawk and flew in the direction Miles had given them. It didn’t take her long to spot the security camera, hidden in the rocks above some large shrubs. She was able to dislodge gravel and pebbles so they fell in front of it. “It’s safe now.” She landed beside the shrubs, turning human. Mentally searching the area, she found they were still alone. She kept track of her companions as they came closer, continually searching the area and wishing she could check the unsearchable space behind her.

  “They haven’t moved. They’re all still in the main room,” Miles said.

  While she waited for them to reach her side, Amber had a look behind the shrubs. There was a heavy timber door that when she tried to open it she found it was locked. “I’ve found a locked door.”

  Ronan was the first one to reach her side and had the door open in minutes. “Are they still in the main room?”

  “Yes,” Miles said.

  Ronan stepped into the narrow tunnel, Amber directly behind him. She hoped the people stayed in the main room because there wasn’t space for fighting in this tunnel. She stayed close behind Ronan, sensing Kade directly behind her. Next was Crystal followed by Rian and well behind him was Miles and Cooper.

  As they reached the end of the tunnel, Amber sensed a Pliethin. The four people in the room drew swords as Ronan stepped into the main room, followed by everyone but Cooper and Miles. Seeing one of the men reaching for the caged Pliethin hanging at his neck, she turned into a goshawk, flying across the room. Turning human, she grabbed hold of him, plunging her fingers into the cage of her own Pliethin, fighting to keep him there. It felt like the air was pressing in, trying to crush her.

  Then Kade was at her side, wrenching the Pliethin from the man who staggered back from them. He quickly regained his balance and attacked. Amber dropped back, unable to hold her own against the Knight Mage. Ronan joined Kade and Amber glanced around the room. Seeing Crystal and Rian outnumbered, she crossed the short distance between them, attacking the only woman in the room. Like Crystal, she used her mage powers. Then she worried she’d kill the Knight and instead drew one of her daggers and threw it at her, hoping to wound her. The woman dodged, but she was unable to avoid Amber turning into a goshawk and coming up behind her as a human. Amber hit the woman hard on the back of her head with the hilt of her sword, watching her crumple to the ground.

  It didn’t take them long to subdue the other two Knights and, collecting her dagger, Amber turned towards Kade and Ronan who still fought the Knight Mage. Ronan had him by the throat while Kade had half his body pinned to the wall. Drawing back his sword, Ronan stared into the man’s eyes.

  Amber flew across the room, landing near Ronan. “Don’t kill him. At least not yet.”

  Ronan’s hand remained around the man’s throat, his sword still drawn back. “Get out of the way.”

  “Not until he answers some questions.” Then she spoke directly to Ronan. “I want everyone else to believe you about this.”

  “What about you?”

  She held his gaze. “I already believe you.”

  Ronan lowered his sword. “If you can’t make him talk, he dies.”

  Rian strode forward with grey metal chains. The Knight Mage fought against wearing them and Amber wondered if they actually worked on them. She knew they didn’t work for Dragon Mages. Or at least they certainly hadn’t worked on her.

  “You’re was
ting your time. I won’t talk.” The man stared at her defiantly, his hands cuffed.

  Amber gestured towards the carved stone in the middle of the room. It reminded her of a large bowl on a stand. The pedestal like stand was carved to show Knights, dragons and Hell Hounds fighting. “This won’t last.”

  “You know nothing,” the man said.

  “I know that you sacrifice dragons to keep three worlds bound together so the Hell Hounds can’t come here. And I know that the binding is becoming weaker all the time, never lasting as long,” Amber said.

  “What did you do to Jonah? We’ll kill you for this. Don’t think we’re the only ones,” the man warned.

  “Jonah didn’t tell us anything.”

  “We’ll find him and take him back. You can’t keep him hidden forever.”

  Ronan laughed. “Are you saying you can find someone who’s hidden in the Void?”

  “No, but you have to bring him out occasionally. We’ll be waiting.”

  Amber wanted to ask why Ronan was keeping Jonah in the Void and if he kept the other two in there as well, but they didn’t have time for that right now. “The binding will fail.”

  “No. All we have to do is find dragons that are from a pure Gold line,” the man said.

  “Ariana, the last dragon you used, was from a pure line,” Ronan growled. “The binding is failing, like my grandfather told the ones who built it.”

  “I don’t know her name, but she couldn’t be. The binding was weak from the very start this time.” He glanced towards the kitchen doorway. “We’ve got photos. You can see for yourself who she was. See that she wasn’t pure.”

  “Trophies?” Amber demanded.

  He shook his head. “No, nothing like that. So none were forgotten. Their sacrifices kept us all safe. A memorial. On the wall in the kitchen. Some are drawings, the modern ones were taken by camera.”

  Ronan pushed the man towards the doorway. “Show us. And don’t even think about trying to escape. I know all I need to. Even to humour my mage I’m not about to let you escape.”

  Amber sent Ronan a daggered look. He intercepted it with an amused one. “Don’t patronise me, Ronan.”