The Dragon’s Price (The Sorcerer's Saga Book 4)

by Rain Oxford

  It was pretty creepy when I thought about it.

  “When he is not called, he does not use up energy or require food. Now that he is free, we should find some bananas.”

  “What are bananas?”

  “Never mind.”

  “We need water.”

  We entered the jungle, where thick vines hung from trees at perfect strangulation level. When I wasn’t slipping on wet leaves, tripping over roots, and getting tangled in vines, I was trying to walk backwards, because I was certain someone was watching us.

  “Ayden,” Merlin warned an instant before I tripped over a root. At least, I thought it was a root, until said root reared up and tried to bite me. It was a sand-brown snake with a head large enough to swallow me. The snake’s scales changed color, adapting to the dark brown and green color of the tree behind it. It hissed menacingly. Merlin growled.

  At the same moment I raised my wand and released my power, Merlin got in the way, trying to protect me.

  Sparkly white magic dodged Merlin, struck the serpent, and turned it to stone. I slumped against the ground with a sigh of relief.

  “That was impressive,” Merlin said.

  “I almost hit you.”

  “You reacted quickly and decisively in order to stop the threat. A year ago, you would have shrieked and covered your face.”

  “But I almost hit you.”

  “And I was almost bitten by the snake. You did your best and it was the right call.” He perked his ears, raised his head, and growled. “We are not alone. I hear someone whispering.” He sniffed the air and cringed. “Whoever it is reeks.”

  “What do we do?”

  “Continue as we are. We still need food and water. Stay alert, however, in case we need to defend ourselves. It may be that they are non-threatening.”

  As we continued searching for food, he was extra cautious and wouldn’t let me near anything that he wasn’t familiar with or that he didn’t like the smell of. Since I didn’t know what most of the plants were, I trusted his judgment.

  Finally, Merlin stopped and pointed with his paw at a towering tree. “We are in luck. Those are coconuts.”

  “That sounds gross.”

  “It will take care of food and water, so stop complaining and start climbing.”

  I groaned. “Now you sound like my father.” He laughed. “Can’t I just shoot them down with my arrows?”

  “No. If you pierce the shell, the juice will be wasted.”

  I emptied my bag, climbed the tree, and picked as many coconuts as I could, filling my pockets and bag. When I finally returned to Merlin’s side, he explained how to open it. I made a small hole with my knife and held it up so that he could drink the translucent liquid. It looked pretty unappetizing, like dirty water.

  When he had finished the juice, I used a rock to split the coconut in half and gave it to him before cutting a hole in a second one to drink from. I didn’t particularly like it, but it was better than water, and I didn’t drop dead, so I figured it was safe.

  Merlin chewed the white interior of his, so after I opened mine the rest of the way, I took my knife out of my boot, wiped the blade on my shirt, and used it to peel off bits of the white stuff to eat. I thought it would taste a lot better if it were sweet.

  Merlin groaned and tossed his aside, unfinished. “I need meat.”

  * * *

  We decided to head back to the beach so I could give the monkey a coconut while Merlin went hunting. However, Merlin hesitated at the edge of the tree line. “What’s wrong?”

  “I sense magic. Sven and two others are close.”

  “How did they find us? Why are they here?”

  “You will have to ask them that yourself.”

  “Maybe they’re here to help us.”

  “I would not count on that.”

  “Come out, Ayden, we know you’re there,” Sven called. His voice sounded like it was coming from directly in front of us.

  “They’re invisible, which means he probably has Kalyn with him,” I whispered. We walked out into the open and I faced straight ahead. “It’s rude to be invisible when you can see us just fine.”

  “No ruder than being in disguise in the presence of friends.”

  I had completely forgotten about my disguise. “We’re not friends, Sven.”

  He appeared, flanked by Sotis and Kalyn. “That’s not a nice thing to say,” he said mockingly. He was about nineteen with stark white-blond hair and light brown eyes. He didn’t look any more like a sorcerer than I did, which was why I had trusted him in the first place. His clothes were high quality, unlike the first time I met him, and fitting for cold weather. He also wasn’t wearing a family robe.

  Kalyn was a pretty young woman with dark red, curly hair and eyes the color of sand. Sotis was a middle-aged man with short black hair and dark green eyes.

  “How did you find me? And how did you know it was me?”

  “You were not easy to find.” Sven held up a small vial that was glowing blue.

  I couldn’t see what was inside, but I knew it was blood, hair, or some other part of my body. “You’re still working for my mother?” I had seen her use that spell before to find my brothers when one of them was missing.

  He laughed. “No, I got this while you were asleep.”

  “Um… that’s creepy. That shouldn’t have been enough to find me, though.” If it was, then my mother would have already found me.

  He grinned. “I’m cleverer than your mother. I wasn’t looking for you; I knew you would figure out a way to hide yourself.”

  There were only a few things I never left behind. “You got a fiber of my robe.”

  “It was easy.”

  “Why are you here?”

  Instead of answering, he motioned to Kalyn, who grabbed my bag. The monkey didn’t move.

  Sven pointed his wand at me. It was the wand I’d given him— a special wand that was unable to hurt anyone, but it could make someone tell him the truth.

  I tried to distract him from using it on me. “We should be on the same side. Magic is dying and we have to stop it.”

  “Oh, I know it’s dying and I don’t want to stop it.”

  “You don’t?”

  “Of course not. We’re the only ones not losing magic. Imagine the fourteen of us being the only ones with power. We are forming a council. When everyone else has magic, we will rule. Your mother will be no threat to anyone.”

  “She’ll come after you. Whatever you’re planning, she’s two steps ahead of you.”

  “As long as the fourteen of us aren’t together at the same time, she can’t win, so I don’t care what her plan is.”

  “You’re underestimating her.”

  “I don’t underestimate anyone. Where is Blue?” He was still pointing his wand at me, so I had to answer any question he asked.

  “She’s in the dungeon of Magnus’s castle.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t let her go and beg her to be your friend.” He was mocking me, and it wasn’t a question, yet I was still compelled to explain.

  “She hurt Merlin. I know she was brainwashed by my mother, but she nearly killed him and she might try again, so I don’t want her freed. Where is Zelli?”

  “She didn’t join us,” Sotis said. “Once she sees that we are superior to other magic users, she’ll join the council.”

  “We might be persuaded to let you into the council, despite your utterly ridiculous friendliness. It depends on what you offer.”

  “I won’t join you. I’ll save magic.”

  “How do you plan to do that?”

  I tried with every fiber of my being to keep my mouth shut, but it was no use. “I have to save a dragon egg.”

  “A dragon egg? What does that have to do with magic?”

  Although I couldn’t stop myself from speaking, I could make it harder for Sven to understand me. “I don’t know.” I spoke as quickly as I possibly could so that my words were jumbled together. “I owe a dragon
my life for saving Merlin from Blue’s attack and he told me I have to save the egg from one of Merlin’s old enemies before the black star comes. I don’t even know if it can stop Caldaca from losing magic or how to find it.”

  Everyone stared, slack-jawed.

  Unfortunately, it didn’t work. “Does your mother know anything about the egg?”

  “No.”

  “Good,” he said, lowering the wand. With an evil smirk, Sotis whispered into Sven’s ear. Sven laughed and pointed the wand at me again. “What do you hope Merlin never finds out?”

  “I’m considering betraying the dragons and making a deal with Baltezore.”

  “What?” Merlin asked.

  “Why did you make me say that?”

  “Because it’s fun. I don’t know who Baltezore is, but why do you want to make a deal with him?”

  “He made Merlin immortal and might be the only one who can break the curse I put on him.”

  “Tell me, what would it take for you to leave Merlin?”

  “Nothing. He needs me to break the curse.”

  “Why?”

  “I was the one who cursed him and I’m the only one who can remove it.”

  He lowered the wand, frowning with irritation. “I was expecting something more interesting.”

  “I don’t like lying to my friends,” I said. I couldn’t look at Merlin.

  “Sotis, grab the wolf.”

  “Don’t touch him.” I waved my wand at Merlin and formed a ward around him. It couldn’t stop someone from walking up to him and grabbing him, but I figured his teeth and claws would do that. Unless Sven was powerful enough to break the ward, it would stop his magic from incapacitating Merlin.

  “Kalyn, you know what to do,” Sven said.

  First she turned into a bear, and then all three of them vanished. I aimed my staff at them, but I wasn’t able to cast anything before Kalyn’s massive fist struck me in the chest, throwing me back.

  Instead of staying in the ward where he was safe, Merlin attacked the invisible bear. It was a weird sight. Merlin clawed and bit her as if he could see her easily, and when she wasn’t able to land a single shot, she dropped her invisibility illusion.

  I raised my wand to attack Kalyn, but she and Merlin were moving too fast and I couldn’t get a clear shot without the risk of hurting Merlin.

  Sven suddenly had his real wand, which was pointed at me. I rolled out of the way an instant before red magic struck the ground and showered sand over us. My staff was on the ground by the tree line, having been dropped the moment they had appeared. I pointed my wand at Sven again. “Attack!”

  Merlin had told me many times that I needed to control my magic, not let it control me. The more general my order was, the more likely it would go wrong. Furthermore, my wand and staff learned from the magic I did.

  The power that burst from the wand was deep red. Sven was about to attack simultaneously, but at that moment, the monkey flicked his wing and struck Sven in the head. My curse hit him. It didn’t turn him to stone or transform him into something else. Although I didn’t see what effect it had on him, he dropped to his hands and knees, crying out with pain. Sotis immediately went to him and grabbed his arm.

  “What did you do?” Merlin asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  At that point, Sven vomited blood. “I need to heal you before it becomes irreversible,” Sotis said.

  “You’re a mage?” I asked, shocked. It was strange enough for me to be a wizard and sorcerer. Sotis being both a necromancer and mage was almost too strange to believe.

  Kalyn shifted back into her normal form and ran to help Sven stand. “What did you do to him?”

  “I don’t know! He shouldn’t have attacked us!” I refused to feel guilty.

  Sven was gushing blood from his nose and mouth. I still refused to feel guilty.

  “Sven, get us out of here!” Kalyn said, sounding terrified. I didn’t know if she was afraid of me or scared for his life.

  Alright, I felt a little guilty. He deserved whatever it was that I did to him, but it looked like he was dying, and I didn’t want to kill anyone. I didn’t even want to kill my mother. Banishing them to a world without magic was severe enough. Death was too final.

  They faded slowly instead of vanishing, leaving a disturbing amount of blood on the sand. I stared in shock and sat in the dry sand. “I don’t know what I did, but I might have killed him.”

  “You should not let your wand or staff control your magic. Nevertheless, you saved our lives. Sven would have killed us or worse.”

  “I know. If I do kill someone, though, I want it to be painless.” We sat in silence for a while before I aimed my wand at the monkey. “Free him.” The final invisible rope broke and set the monkey free of my control. He didn’t immediately fly away. “I’m sorry, Merlin.”

  “You have done nothing wrong.”

  “I told him our plan.” Fortunately, Sven had dropped my bag when I cursed him.

  “I hardly call it a plan. Would you really want to side with Baltezore, though?”

  “He made you immortal.”

  “He killed my mother.”

  “I didn’t say I was going to do it, I was just considering it.”

  “I truly understand your reasoning, young sorcerer, but Baltezore will always be my enemy.”

  * * *

  I encouraged the monkey to eat and drink several coconuts. Once he had, we resumed searching for any way off the island. The monkey had enough strength to walk by then, but not fly. “I don’t like how poorly the potion worked on him. You know what plants we can use to heal him, right?”

  “I know plants that are common to multiple worlds, but how they will affect him is unpredictable.”

  “I wonder what would happen if a person from your world used a wand or staff like mine.”

  “They are not uncommon; they enhance focus and are often used in ritual magic. However, people from other worlds cannot use them like you can, because our magic isn’t reliant on them. Furthermore, magical tools like that do not have personalities and quirks like they do on Caldaca. Then again, in all of my long history, I have encountered more magical beasts and sea monsters here than I have on every other world I have ever been to, combined.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He sighed. “That is not your fault. You apologize too much.”

  “I’m sorry… I mean…” I didn’t know what I was apologizing for, only that I still felt guilty for telling Sven our secrets, trusting Sven in the first place, and for the fact that it was my mother who was after us. “I’m sorry.”

  Merlin rolled his eyes.

  I saw something beyond the tree line. “Is that a ship?” I asked. It was half hidden in the jungle greenery, and what was left was in pretty shoddy condition, but it was definitely made by people.

  “In the very loosest sense, perhaps.”

  “What?”

  “If it is, it cannot float.”

  “Maybe we can fix it. I’ve never built anything, but you should know how.”

  “Not everything is fixable. It may be easier to start building a ship from scratch, and that is not an easy feat.”

  “Well, let’s take a look at it before we condemn it.” I only took two steps towards it before Merlin growled. It was his warning growl.

  “Someone is there.”

  I pointed my wand at the wooden mess. “Reveal whoever is watching.” Merlin was teaching me a lot of magic, but in this case, I let my wand choose. Violet energy streamed from my wand to someone hiding behind the ship remains. A moment later, a boy shouted as he was lifted into the air.

  He was about fourteen with short, light red hair and dark blue eyes. He was covered in dirt and his green tunic had obviously not been cared for, as it was worn through in several spots and torn in others. His brown pants, boots, and coconut hat were no better. My magic encountered his as he transformed into a troll.

  He would have towered over any man, but wasn’t as m
assive as a giant, with a relatively small, bald head. His eyes were small and his nose was large. The threads of his shirt and pants threatened to tear under his excessive girth.

  I laughed, sounding disturbingly like a sorcerer. “You can’t scare me, magician; I know it’s an illusion.” He dropped his spell and I set him down in front of the ship. “Why are you spying on us?”

  “Why are you here? Old men never come here!”

  “I’m not old!” Merlin cleared his throat, which was a strange sound for a wolf to make. Oh, right. I had forgotten I was disguised. “I mean… I’m younger than I look.”

  “Can magicians sense other magicians the way wizards and sorcerers can?” Merlin asked.

  “No.” The boy stood, not bothering to wipe himself off. Magicians treasured their hats like a sorcerer did his wand, so the fact that all he had was a coconut hat told me a lot about his character. “Why are you spying on us?” I asked him again.

  “It’s my job. I’m supposed to watch for newcomers and report to Berry.”

  “Berry?”

  “He runs this island.”

  “So… it’s not undiscovered? That’s a shame.”

  “Why?”

  “No reason. Anyway, we mean you no harm; we just want to get off this island. My monkey crashed and---”

  “It’s not that easy,” he interrupted. “You think I’d be here if we could just leave?”

  Please don’t say it’s a monster.

  “There’s a monster.”

  Please don’t say it’s cursed.

  “And a curse, too.”

  “Of course there is.”

  “But no one has ever come here on accident.”

  “I have a bad feeling about this,” Merlin said.

  “Where are we?” I asked. “How did you get here?”

  “Namahage brought me here. Me, and the rest of us.”

  I groaned and explained it to Merlin in his mind. “Namahage is a gruesome creature who roams from door to door, gathering up misbehaving children.”