by Nathan Roden
“Why are they coming here?” Noah asked.
“They’re looking for one of their own,” Lilly said. “A giant who came here to slay the boy who became a dragon.”
“By the gods…” Winston said. “Dathien the giant. Simon killed him—and nearly died in the deed.”
“An elder and his two sons are coming,” Lilly said. “Dathien was the Elder’s youngest son.”
“Oh, no,” Noah winced. “One of these giants was a formidable foe.”
“We heard that your father has allied with a clan of dragons,” Lilly said. Her eyes scanned the skies. “Is it true?”
“Yes,” Noah said. “But we cannot allow these giants to reach our shore. Dathien killed several dragons all by himself. Three giants could wipe out the entire clan.”
“We have to tell Lord Lamont,” Winston said.
“Let’s go.”
Twenty-Two
Simon was fully clothed. He sat at a table inside of Castle Islemar, along with Lord and Lady Lamont, Esmerelda, Tanner, Caleb, Sara, and Ezekiel. Lucien and Jaclyn sat nearby. Jaclyn held baby Nicholas. The baby had recently nursed. Jaclyn supervised as Lucien made his initial attempt at changing his son’s swaddling.
Lucien held the baby in his lap. He rocked the child in his arms. The child began to cry. After a few moments, Lucien handed the baby to Jaclyn. The baby continued to fuss.
Simon fought the urge to look at Jaclyn. Here he was—sitting in the same room with his brother. And his nephew.
And the woman he loved.
It was all he could do to keep from staring at her.
“Simon?” Caleb said.
“Yes, Caleb?”
“May I…may I touch your face?”
Simon laughed.
“Touch my face?”
Caleb’s expression did not change.
“I’m sorry, Caleb,” Simon said. “Of course, you may.”
“He’s very pretty, Caleb,” Sara said.
Caleb moved his hands over Simon’s face.
“Boys aren’t pretty, Sara. Boys are handsome.”
Sara giggled.
“This boy is pretty.”
“Yes, he is.”
Simon looked up. Jaclyn stood behind him, holding her fussy baby.
“Caleb is inspecting my face,” Simon said. “I hope he approves. Otherwise, I shall have to return to being a dragon.”
Caleb lowered his hands.
“I approve. And now, I know you—as you truly are. A man. And a king.”
“Would you hold Nicholas?” Jaclyn asked. “He won’t stop crying. He’s always liked you.”
Simon held out his hands. He took the baby. Little Nicholas looked at Simon and stopped crying immediately.
“That is…that is incredible,” Robinette Lamont said.
Simon glanced across the room at Lucien. Lucien met his eyes, and smiled.
A castle guard burst into the room.
“My Lord,” he said breathlessly. “You must—!”
Noah and Lilly ran into the room.
“Lilly!” Robinette exclaimed. She leapt to her feet and rushed to embrace her daughter-in-law.
“Father,” Noah said. “We have trouble. Big trouble.”
“What is it, son?”
“A ship approaches our harbor, bearing three members of the Varyl…what are they, Lilly?”
“The Varylquin,” Lilly said.
Lord Lamont shook his head.
“I don’t underst—”
Simon jumped to his feet.
“The Varylquin,” Caleb said. “The same tribe as the giant, Dathien. Three of them?”
“Aye,” Noah said. “Dathien’s father and two brothers.”
“By the gods….” Simon whispered.
“So, we send the dragons at them before they reach port,” Lord Lamont said.
“The dragons flew south only hours ago,” Caleb said. “All except Nigel and Alice.”
“How long until they return?” Lamont asked.
“At least a day,” Caleb said. “It takes them longer and longer to find food.”
“What do we do?” Noah asked.
The guard entered again.
“My Lord. You have more visitors.”
“Show them in,” Lamont said.
Lieutenant Winston entered first, followed by Captain Finn and Lady Magdalena. Magdalena was now a few inches shorter that Finn—as she had been until the curse fell upon her. She wore a magnificent dress and her face glowed.
Simon stood. He gave baby Nicholas to Jaclyn and crossed the room. He stood in front of Magdalena.
He embraced her. Magdalena put her arms around Simon and squeezed.
“I truly wish we could savor this moment, my lady,” Simon said. “But trouble is coming.”
“What trouble?” Finn asked.
“Dathien’s family,” Simon said. “They are coming for him. His father and two brothers.”
“Oh, no,” Magdalena said. “Where are the dragons?”
“They’ve flown south,” Simon said.
Magdalena shook her head.
“No. You’re not going to—”
“I have no choice,” Simon said. “We cannot let them reach our shores. If Tanner casts the spell it will not affect you.”
“What are you talking about, Simon?” Lord Lamont asked.
“Tanner,” Simon said.
“Yes?”
“You have to change me back.”
Twenty-Three
“No!” Jaclyn shouted.
“There is no other way,” Simon said.
“No! I am still the queen. I forbid it!”
“Jaclyn…”Lord Lamont said.
Jaclyn handed the baby to Robinette and pushed forward. Lord Lamont caught her arm.
“You cannot disobey me!” Jaclyn shouted. “I am the queen and you will not ignore my orders!”
Simon stepped in front of Jaclyn.
“I am not ignoring you. But I am the rightful king. And more importantly, my first loyalty is to our success. One member of the Varylquin almost destroyed the rebellion before it began. Three of them could mean the difference between victory and defeat. So, if it requires ignoring the commands of the queen,
“Then, so be it.”
Jaclyn struggled with her father’s grip. Noah grabbed her other arm.
“My own brother defies my commands?” Jaclyn snapped.
“I do not enjoy it, dear sister,” Noah said. “But there is no other way.”
Simon walked toward the door.
“Come, Tanner. And Caleb.”
“No! Stop! I command you!” Jaclyn screamed, struggling against those who held her.
Finn, Winston, and two guards followed Tanner through the door.
Lord and Lady Lamont embraced their daughter even as she continued to scream and to struggle.
Lucien followed Captain Finn through the door. Brendan and Reese fell in behind him. Lucien turned.
“No. Stay here. You may be needed.”
Lucien’s friends did not like it, but they stayed.
“Caleb,” Simon said. “Would you ask Nigel and Alice to follow us?”
“Certainly,” Caleb said. He made a series of noises into the night sky. Soon, two young dragons circled overhead.
They hurried toward the same clearing they had used before. Once again, they arranged torches in a circle.
“I have not studied this spell,” Tanner said.
“I trust you, Tanner,” Simon said. “You have more experience than Magdalena had, and her spell has held fast for over twelve years. It altered the course of history.”
“I will do my best,” Tanner said.
“Of course,” Simon said.
“Shall we bind you again?” Tanner asked.
“No,” Simon said. “The giants could reach the port at any time. I was not bound for the original curse.”
Tanner winced.
“Let’s not call it a curse, shall we? I don’t wish to become a
giant. I would eventually like to have a wife and family. Let’s call it a ‘spell’.”
“Cast the spell, sorcerer,” Simon said. He hurried across the clearing and backed against the base of a stone cliff.
“Good luck, Simon,” Lord Lamont said.
Noah and the others said the same.
Once again, Tanner stood in front of Simon with Caleb at his side. Tanner opened the journal and turned to the appropriate page. He read a few words before his voice cracked.
“I need water,” he said. A guard hurried to him with a skin.
Tanner drank and took deep breaths. He began again.
Simon stood with his arms to his sides. He turned his head toward the sky.
As Tanner read, the same thing happened as before. His voice changed—it seemed to come from everywhere. It echoed off of the stone.
Caleb breathed easily. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.
And then Simon began to scream.
Something is wrong, Caleb thought. The transformation to the dragon had never caused Simon pain before.
Tanner continued to chant. Simon bashed his fists against the wall. His screams were even louder than Tanner’s voice, but Tanner was locked in a trance—surrounded by crackling light. His eyes burned like they were on fire.
“Tanner!” Caleb shouted. “Tanner, you have to stop! Something is wrong!”
Caleb grabbed Tanner’s hand and immediately jerked it away. Caleb’s hand was burned. He touched it with his other hand and the burn healed.
Simon fell to the ground. He thrashed his arms and kicked with his legs, screaming as if he were experiencing every bit of pain in the world.
“Tanner!” Caleb said. Caleb was sobbing. He didn’t know what to do.
Caleb ran toward the sound of Simon’s screams.
Noah stepped from his father’s side. Nicholas grabbed him.
“No, son. You cannot help. This is far beyond our abilities.”
“I can’t…I can’t stand here and watch them die!” Noah cried.
Caleb fell to the ground and wrapped his arms around Simon.
“No! No! Get away!” Simon screamed.
But Caleb held on. The body beneath him began to change. To grow. Caleb was lifted up. His feet left the ground.
The dragon lifted his head and blew oily fire high into the air. The air filled with black smoke.
“What’s happening?” Noah yelled above the din. Nicholas held onto Noah, who was desperate to pull away.
Tanner’s chanting slowed. His voice returned to normal. And then, silence.
Tanner fell to his knees. He fell forward on his hands, catching his breath.
The other men stared at the cloud of smoke. Noah stopped struggling.
Moments later there was a collective gasp. Before them stood
Two dragons.
Twenty-Four
Simon blinked. He blinked again. He was lying on his belly, staring through the thick, black smoke that had just begun to dissipate. At first, he thought he was seeing his own reflection—but that was not the case. Another dragon pushed to its feet. Simon squinted against the smoke.
Is that Alice? Or Nigel?
No. Simon did not recognize this dragon. It moved its head all around in every direction, as if it was lost.
The dragon looked up and opened its mouth.
“Simon?”
Simon jumped backward. He slammed into the wall.
“Wh-who are you?”
The dragon spun around in a circle, moving its head up and down, right and left.
Tanner sprinted toward them as the smoke cleared. He stopped in his tracks, his mouth hanging open.
“Caleb?”
“Caleb?” Simon said. “By the gods—what have you done, Tanner?”
“No,” Caleb said. “It is not Tanner’s fault, if there is any fault at all.”
“If there is any fault?” Simon said. “Caleb, you’re a…a…”
“Yes, I am a dragon,” Caleb said. “Just like you, but—”
Caleb turned around. Lord Lamont, Noah, Boone, Ben, and Helena crept toward him.
Caleb began to cry. Giant tears fell to the ground.
“Don’t despair, Caleb,” Tanner said. “I can reverse the spell—I know I can.”
Caleb shook his head.
“That’s not it, Lord Raven. I can…I…
“I can see.”
Caleb’s friends gathered around him, hugging him and weeping.
“Helena,” Caleb said. “You are as lovely as I pictured you in my mind.”
“Oh,” Helena said. “You are so sweet.”
“Hey, what about me?” Boone asked.
Caleb paused and breathed fire into the air. He laughed.
“You, my lord—are a splendid hunter.”
Helena laughed and punched Boone’s shoulder.
“I am only teasing, Lord Blankenship,” Caleb said. He looked into the smiling face of Boone’s brother, Ben.
“At long last, I know what it is like to see how brothers favor one another. Your faces that speak of your character. Your strength. Your faith. Your loyalty. The value of your friendship.”
“Please stop, Caleb,” Helena said. She pointed at Boone.
“I have to deal with his giant head every day. Don’t make it worse.”
Caleb stared at Benjamin Blankenship.
“I see the longing in your eyes—you yearn to see your daughter again.”
Ben shuffled his feet.
“Aye. I won’t deny that.”
“I feel the same way about my brother and sister, my lord,” Caleb said. “And now it is possible that I may see them for the first time. The gods have shown me their favor.”
“Perhaps the gods know how valuable you have been to us,” Simon said. “If so, they are indeed just.”
Caleb took a step backward. And then another. He looked at Simon.
“I feel a very strong desire to use these wings.”
“That is to be expected,” Simon said. “I have to leave soon. But I will go with you on your first flight. Where do you want to go?”
“I want to see my brother and sister,” Caleb said. “And then I can leave with you.”
“Nigel and Alice are coming with me out to sea,” Simon said. “I need you to find the clan and bring them back here.”
“The clan will return on their own when they have fed,” Caleb said. “We must stop these giants.”
“Caleb,” Simon said. “This mission will be dangerous. One giant left a trail of dead throughout the kingdom. You are still a child. We cannot risk losing you. You are far too important.”
“No more important than you,” Caleb said.
“Are you forgetting that I may soon be king?” Simon asked. “That means I can tell people what to do.”
Caleb did not answer. He threw himself into the air, and after a few awkward flaps of his wings he soared upward into the clouds.
Simon looked at the others.
“Children,” he said. And then he leapt into the air.
Caleb landed in the courtyard of Castle Islemar just ahead of Simon. Sara was seated beside Zeke on the steps, reading a book aloud.
“Hello, Simon,” Sara said.
“Hello,” Simon said.
Sara stared at the other dragon, who was weeping.
“What is wrong with—?”
Sara’s eyes grew wide.
“Caleb?”
“Yes.”
“What…what happened to you?”
“Oh, dear, sweet Sara. I can see you!”
“You can?”
“Yes.”
Caleb reached out with a shaking talon. He touched Sara’s hair.
“Long, hair—full of curls! And such a beautiful face!”
Caleb turned.
“Ezekiel! My good boy! How handsome you are!”
“Good boy!” Zeke said.
“But why are you a dragon, Caleb?” Sara asked. She began to cry.
“Don’t worry, Sara,” Simon said. “It is only a spell. This is temporary.”
“Oh, to be able to see these faces every day,” Caleb said. “What a gift I have received.”
“Caba fly!” Zeke said. “Zeke fly!”
“Not today, Zeke,” Caleb said. “I have much to learn.”
They looked up when they heard dragon screeching overhead. It was Nigel and Alice, flying toward the harbor.
“I have to go,” Simon said.
“I’m coming with you,” Caleb said.
“You need to stay with Sara and Zeke, and be prepared for the return of the clan,” Simon said.
“Three giants. Three dragons,” Caleb said. “The sides are far too equal. Equality is not a good thing in battle.”
“But—” Simon had no answer for Caleb’s statement.
“I don’t have time to argue with you,” Simon said.
“That is correct,” Caleb said. “You do not.”
Simon and Caleb landed at the docks next to Nigel and Alice.
“Have you explained to them what we are up against?” Simon asked.
“Aye,” Caleb said. “They have no fear.”
“Of course not,” Simon said. “I have enough fear for us all.”
“Wait!” The cry came from behind them. Simon turned. Lucien, Brendan, and Reese ran toward them. Only Lucien was dressed in battle gear. He carried his bow and had a quiver of arrows strapped to his back.
“Take me with you,” Lucien said breathlessly.
Simon shook his head.
“This is no battle for mortals, Lucien. If you do not remember, these men are monsters. Three dragons face poor odds against them.”
“Four dragons,” Caleb said.
Brendan cleared his throat.
“We tried to stop him, my lo—”
“Your Grace!” Caleb snapped.
“Stop it!” Simon said. “We will not waste time with formalities while the kingdom is in jeopardy!”
Brendan held up his hands.
“I don’t know how to speak—”
“By the gods!” Simon said. “There is no crown on my head. Until there is, my name is Simon.”