Anthem Of The Dwarf King

by Charley Case

“This is it,” Mila said, checking the map on her phone one last time before pulling into the snowy, evergreen-lined drive.

  The tall, dense pines blocked all views of the cabin. Finn chuckled when they came around the driveway’s tight S-curve. “This is a cabin? It’s bigger than I thought it would be.”

  Mila laughed. “Only one of the richest men in the world would call this a cabin. This is a straight-up mansion. Sure, it’s made of logs, but that’s the only similarity I can see.”

  Finn's pocket warmed, and he pulled out the metal card Preston had given him. Runes glowed deep in the metal. It sent out a pulse of energy, then the card returned to its previous state of looking like a mundane, metal keycard.

  “Well, I guess this is the right place.” He stuffed the card back into his pocket and squinted out the window at the towering home.

  They climbed out and the biting cold hit them like a hammer. Over the last few miles, they had risen a few thousand feet, and it was evident in the temperature.

  “Oh, fuck! I should have brought another jacket.” Mila threw on her now-dirty white coat.

  “You don't like that one?”

  She shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I meant another coat to put over this one.”

  Finn chuckled and went around to the trunk for their bags. “Well, let’s get inside and see if Danica and the twins have a fire going.”

  Mila rubbed her hands together. “Good idea. You need any help?”

  “I’ve got it. You keep those hands in your pockets. I don't want them freezing off before we can get anything done.”

  “Ha!” She gave him the finger and stuffed her hands in her pockets. “You don’t know what it’s like to be small in the cold. Goes right to the bone.” She shivered to emphasize her point.

  They followed a winding path around to the side of the house, cleared of snow and ice either by Danica or more magical means woven into the house, which wouldn’t surprise them. A row of pines blocked their view of the side, but they came to the end of it where the path turned and gave them a sweeping view of the lake with no houses or buildings to be seen anywhere.

  “Holy shit, that’s beautiful,” Mila said from deep in her hood.

  The house sat on the bank, and a long dock stretched out onto the frozen water. The wind blew the snow on the lake into drifts as tall as Finn in some places, leaving the dark blue ice exposed in others.

  “Who the fuck are you?”

  Finn and Mila turned and saw Danica standing on a second-story balcony that wrapped around the house, her white hood up and her bow nocked with an arrow and pointed at them. As soon as they looked her way, she lowered the weapon with a breath of relief.

  “Oh, shit. I didn't expect you two for hours with how bad the roads are. I thought you may have been bounty hunters. Sorry!” She replaced the arrow into the quiver on her hip, then waved them up a set of stairs. “Come in through here. I still have warm cocoa on the stove.”

  Finn followed Mila up the steps, lifting the three bags over the rails so he could ascend the narrow stairway.

  The huge balcony extended from the main living area of the house. The floor-to-ceiling window wall could fold to expose the interior to the elements in warmer months, with doors built into the glass for cooler days. Finn spotted a massive hot tub at the corner of the balcony that could fit a dozen people. Beside it, a heated lap pool gave off wisps of steam in the frosty air. They also discerned a stone fireplace surrounded by benches and tables and outdoor heaters.

  “Classy place,” Finn commented to Penny, perching on his shoulder.

  “Chi shir.” It took a lot to impress her, but this place was doing it.

  They entered the ‘cabin’ via the glass doors. Finn dropped the bags and grabbed for Fragar at the sound of gunfire.

  “Don’t mind them, they’ve been playing since we got here,” Danica said with an eye roll, hiking a thumb to the enormous TV on the wall above a fireplace. “Guys, it’s so loud you almost got Fragar’d!”

  Finn smiled. He liked that term.

  The twins waved as they played a game that entailed shooting each other and everyone else around them.

  “Hey, Ronan. Regan. How are you two doing?” Finn called out over the sound of artificial machine gun fire.

  In unison, they said, “Hey’a. Good.”

  “They haven't left the couch since we got here,” Danica told him. “Luckily, there’s a second living room downstairs.”

  Mila took off her coat and laid it on the giant butcher block counter that covered a huge kitchen island, then began to rummage in the cupboards until she found mugs and pulled three of them out. “You two want cocoa?”

  Finn and Penny nodded.

  “Sure. What’s cocoa?” Finn asked, moving the duffel bags to a second couch that faced the glass wall.

  Mila froze and cocked her head. “You’ve never had cocoa?”

  He and Penny shook their heads. “No. But I like the name.”

  She smiled. “Oh, man. You two are gonna lose your minds. It’ll satisfy even your sweet tooth.”

  “It’s sweet? I’m in.”

  She ladled three mugs full from the steaming pot on the stove and set two of them on the island before inhaling the steam from her own cup and taking a sip.

  Finn picked up his mug and Penny hopped down to the counter to sniff at hers. They glanced at one another, eyes wide with excitement from the chocolaty scent.

  Finn tilted the mug back and took a big gulp of the nearly-boiling liquid, swishing it around in his mouth a few times before swallowing. He smiled and took another gulp.

  “Slow down, big guy,” Danica said, horror on her face. “Sip it. Make it last longer. We only have so much.”

  “It’s like a melted chocolate bar,” he said before taking a smaller gulp.

  Mila laughed. “Finally found a hot drink he won’t put those damned Chews into.”

  Finn reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. “You’re right, I should try that.” He dumped a few of the little chocolate-covered nougats into the cocoa.

  “You have got to be kidding me,” Mila said, but she handed him a spoon anyway.

  “Thanks.” Finn stirred the drink and, when he figured the candies were good and melted, took an exploratory sip, once again swishing the liquid back and forth in his mouth. He smiled at Mila. “You were right. Even better.”

  “How do you even have teeth left?”

  He shrugged. “Good bones.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Danica, Mila, and Penny joined Finn on the balcony to put some distance between them and the sounds of the video game. The ladies shivered after only a minute, so Finn fired up one of the tall outdoor heaters.

  “You said there were hunters snooping around? Were they on the property?” Finn sat in a teak armchair, putting his second mug of cocoa and Chews on the table.

  “No, I saw them in town when I went for groceries. I guess even the rich and powerful don't keep the refrigerator stocked when they’re not around.”

  Mila frowned at her friend. “Finn said not to leave the house.”

  Danica gave a helpless shrug. “What was I supposed to do? Six mouths to feed and no food? I figured I should go before you three got here and started kicking the hornets’ nest.”

  Mila huffed, knowing Danica was right. “I suppose. No one knows to look for you up here, but after the attack on the highway, I’m sure they’ll be all over us.”

  They had told Danica about the attack in the kitchen, before the sounds of gunfire became too distracting, and they ventured outside.

  “I can't believe they sent a helicopter after you.” Danica shook her head in disbelief. “I can hardly get people to call me back about their test results, and you have people hunting you down in Black Hawks.”

  “I’m not convinced the guys in that helicopter are the same organization as the ones here,” Finn said, unable to resist another large gulp before continuing. “It didn't have any markings and was the same m
atte black as the Humvees, but not as new. Looked like it was fifty years old.”

  Penny shook her head and frowned. “Shir chi? Squee shir.”

  “I know it’s flimsy, but that was only the first part.” Finn continued his theory. “The real reason I don't think they’re the same organization is those guys might have been seasoned soldiers, yet they nearly lost it when we started using magic.”

  “What does that have to do with it?” Danica asked.

  “The Dark Star wouldn’t recruit clueless mundanes to her personal army. Makes no sense.”

  Penny gave him a bow along with a golf clap.

  He glared at her. “Ass.”

  She snickered, then took a drink of her cocoa and gazed at the lake. “Shee chir?”

  “Yeah, scouting’s a good idea, but stay away from anyone you spot out there. Remember, Hellena is probably up here somewhere, and if she’s powerful enough to keep a spell over an entire town, she’ll know if you do anything flashy.”

  “Wait,” Danica held up a hand, stalling Penny. “When I was at the checkout, the clerk told me the mercenaries had come to town about a month ago. I asked why the sheriff hadn't kicked them out. He said they had all the proper licenses and stuff, so there wasn't anything he could do.” She pointed to the south side of the lake to their right. “He said there’s some big VIP at a house on the south shore. It’s got to be her.”

  Penny smiled, gave her a thumbs-up, and flew to the door. Using magic, she slid the door open and went to her bag, zipped it open, and crawled inside.

  Finn and the women exchanged glances.

  Penny popped out of the bag, holding a pair of expensive binoculars. She trotted out and handed them to Finn.

  “State of the art stuff here,” he said, looking them over. On the side was a switch for night vision, along with a ridiculous zoom feature and a built-in camera. Unlike normal binoculars with double-tube optics, these were boxy with three lenses on one side and a rubber cup shaped like a face mask on the other.

  “Where the hell did you get these?”

  “Shir shee. Chi chi.”

  “Ah, Grace.” He held the binoculars up. “Why not order them online or whatever you do?”

  Penny told him you can't buy stuff like that if you’re a civilian. You need to know people, or know people that know people. Or be government. Turns out Grace was someone who knows people; either that, or she convinced someone she worked for the CIA.

  “Let me get this straight. You found an assistant online. Hired her, then one of the first things you did was have her buy military-grade hardware and, not only did she get it done, but she didn't even ask questions?”

  Penny puffed a smoke ring out of one nostril without breaking eye contact.

  Finn blew out a breath. “Well, shit. She really is the best assistant in the world.”

  Another smoke ring.

  “Okay, okay. No need to say I told you so.”

  Penny smiled and lazily saluted. She started toward the end of the table, then turned back, gulped the rest of her cocoa, turned again and, after a running start, zipped into the air. She was lost in the brilliant afternoon sun within seconds.

  Mila’s stomach growled loud enough to be heard.

  Finn peered at her. “I could eat too.”

  Mila rolled her eyes as Danica got up. “Good thing I hit up the grocery then. I have lunch all ready. I’ll go grab it.” She headed inside.

  “Bring the twins back, too. We need to put together a game plan,” Finn called after her, and she waved in acknowledgment.

  Everyone chattered and ate their meatball sandwiches while Finn leaned against the railing, trying to figure out how to use the damn space binoculars. Every time he went to zoom, the focus went fuzzy. When he ‘reverse-zoomed,’ he couldn't find anything. He eventually left the zoom all the way out and figured out how to get the image in focus, then he aimed in the general direction of the south shore and scanned each house.

  He spent several minutes getting motion sickness because he couldn't keep the stupid binoculars steady enough.

  Mila appeared at the railing beside him and held out a plate with a sandwich and chips on it. “Better eat this before it freezes into a meatball ice block. So, what’s the plan?”

  “Well, that’s what we have to decide.” He set the binoculars down and accepted the plate.

  Penny was still out scouting, so she wasn't there to eat his unattended food, like she was prone to do. He called over to the table. “Regan, what do you two need to get down there? Can we bust a hole in the ice at the shoreline?”

  The young selkie swallowed her bite and shook her head, but Ronan answered. “The shore will be too far to swim. We can shift into otters, but otters still need to breathe. If we’re going to get down there and look around, or whatever you need us to do, we’ll need the shortest route.”

  “I was afraid you’d say that. So we need to get out on the ice and bust a hole in it, without being spotted.”

  “We could use a fishing tent.” Mila pointed at the dozens on the ice.

  Finn peered at the tents and small shacks on the ice. “Would it be odd to take one of those tents to the middle? Seems most are near the shore.”

  Mila frowned. “I’m not sure. I don't know jack about ice fishing.”

  “It would be a little odd on this lake,” Regan said, with a shrug.

  Her brother picked up the narrative. “Grand Lake is, like, four-hundred feet deep. It’s not common to fish in water that deep.”

  “So no one does it?” Finn asked.

  They looked at one another, then Regan said, “Always the odd person who does it. Ice fishing is more about drinking anyway, so if you don't care about catching much, it’s the best way to get away from everyone.”

  Finn crossed his arms. “I suppose we’ll chance it. Preston said there was scuba gear here, but the point is for you two to blend in with the environment. Going down with a tank on your back would be like a target on your forehead.”

  “I saw a shack thing in the boathouse when I explored the place this morning.” Danica said.

  Finn leaned forward to see the green metal roof of a large garage-like structure extending halfway into the lake close to the dock. “Anything in there to pull it?”

  She nodded. “There’s one of those four wheelers with ice chains on it.”

  “Well, that’s sorted.” Finn turned to the twins. “Now, onto to what it is I need you to do.”

  They straightened. “Whatever you need.”

  Finn and Mila joined everyone at the table. “First of all, it’s a scouting mission. If you get down there and find the ship surrounded by the enemy, get straight back here. We’ll figure something else out. But the main goal is getting the Anthem’s fuel rod.”

  Ronan cocked his head. “Fuel rod? Like in a reactor? Aren’t those, like, inside a power plant or something? Is it in the engine room?”

  Finn shook his head. “Ships like the Anthem run on pure magical energy. Theoretically, any magic user could refuel the ship if they had enough time, although the amount for that would be ridiculous. That’s not the point. The point is when you refuel your ship, instead of having a bunch of people channeling power into it, they simply swap the empty fuel rod with one already charged.”

  “Then why can't she just replace the rod if we take it?” Mila asked.

  “A vessel made to hold the kinds of power I’m talking about isn't made from common materials by some craftsman down on the corner. Fuel rods are dwarven and made with secret techniques my family won’t share with anyone. That’s why dwarves rule the universe. Without them, no fuel rods.”

  “Wait,” Danica said. “You’re saying your father makes all these, and thats why he’s the king?”

  “Well, he doesn't make them personally, but yeah. It’s the family business.”

  Regan steered them back on track. “So, how do we get this thing out?”

  Finn smiled, and took a small metal disk from his pocket. “Wi
th this. It’s a docking chit. I had to hand it over to the dockmaster when we stopped at a station so they could get to the maintenance sections. If you have this, you hit the eject button for the rod, and it slides right out.”

  “And where is that?” Ronan asked, raising an eyebrow. “Isn't the ship an asteroid? How can we tell the front from the back?”

  “Well, that’s the tricky part.” Finn pulled a pen and small pad of paper from his jacket pocket.

  “What else you got in those pockets, big guy?” Mila asked with a half-smile.

  He grinned and began sketching a rough of the Anthem’s layout.

  “That’s a drawing of a circle,” Ronan said.

  Finn glanced up. “I said it would be tricky.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  After thirty minutes, the twins were confident they could find the fuel rod port at the back of the Anthem, although Finn’s crude sketch was little help. Ronan and Regan went inside to change clothes. They needed to wear something they could get in and out of quickly for their shifting.

  Finn raised the last bite of his cold meatball sandwich when Penny landed on the table and crossed her arms, eying his last bite. He looked her in the eyes and stuffed it in his mouth. She returned a narrow gaze.

  Mila held out the last sandwich. “Don’t worry. We didn't forget about you, Penny.”

  Penny took it and gave Mila a smile before tearing the foil wrapping and diving into the marinara-soaked bun.

  “What did you find?” Finn asked.

  “Shi chi shir?” The tiny dragon pointed at her sandwich.

  He chuckled. “Okay then, I’ll fill you in on what we came up with.”

  He laid out the idea to take the fuel rod to disable the ship. Penny made a few suggestions between bites, and Finn made notes in his head, refining what he would tell the twins when they returned.

  “That still leaves the question of how I get on board to destroy it. Dwarves are not very good in water.” Finn frowned, trying to think of the best way to get down there, and coming up with nothing but the scuba gear.

  “Why do you need to get on board?” Danica asked. “Can't you strap explosives to it or something?”