Order Of The Dragon (Omnibus 1-4)

by Jason Halstead

  Aleena frowned. Her mentor always did that whenever the topic of Alto came up. "Their company was known as the Blades of Leander, even if they weren't sanctioned by the church."

  Celos nodded. "I supposed they would," he muttered. In a stronger voice, he said, "Come, we're wasting time. Let's hear what the new baron has to say."

  Aleena fell silent and followed the knight through the streets. He led her unerringly to the manor house where they were greeted by guards and an aide. Aleena thought back to the last time she'd spent time at Highpeak, after returning with the dead and wounded from the battle of Dragonsgate.

  She and Tristam had been two of the few members of the defending force who were still functional, if barely. They were exhausted, bruised, and beaten. Yet their spirits had soared; they'd held out and won the day.

  She'd seen Alto with Patrina, the kelgryn princess, as soon as they returned from the dragon's mountain. She'd felt her heart squeezed so much she hadn't been able to catch her breath. She'd seen them both before, just never together. It was obvious as soon as she did. They were meant for each other. She'd been a stupid girl with childish notions.

  She'd been fooling herself that she'd accepted that Leander's blessing had filled her so that she didn't need Alto. She'd learned then that she'd been lying to herself all along. Once she'd been able to escape back to her private quarters, she'd collapsed and fallen apart. Her pillow had been soaked with her sobs, muffling them so that when her friends had called on her later they hadn't heard her. Later, after most of the baron's guests and staff had gone to sleep, she'd stolen away to the small chapel for Leander. Aleena had spent the rest of the night there in prayer.

  "Are you coming?" Celos asked, snapping her out of her reverie.

  Aleena gasped and then offered a smile. He studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "I was just remembering the last time we were here, after the battle."

  Celos grunted. "A time of celebration and one of grieving," he said, nodding.

  Aleena smiled. It was, but she'd grieved for so much more. Alto had been her first real love. Not some childish fantasy or infatuation, she'd given her heart to him. She'd tried to give him her body, too; she'd heard the other serving women tell of how they'd snared a husband and thought it was the way of things. He'd put her off but he'd done it in such a way that she was all the more enamored with him. He said he wouldn't do such a thing until marriage. She'd taken that to mean she was his already.

  It wasn't until she spent the night in prayer that she realized she'd been wrong all along. He'd never been hers, but he'd never come out and told her that he was either. She'd rededicated herself to Leander that night and begged for forgiveness for lying to herself, as well as asking for strength in always embracing the truth.

  "I loved him," Patrina blurted out.

  Celos turned and stared back at her. "I'm sorry?" he said, confused. "The baron is ready for us."

  Aleena nodded. "Okay, but I just wanted you to know that I was a fool."

  "I never doubted," Celos responded. He started to turn when he frowned and asked, "Why bring it up now?"

  "Bring what up? That I was a fool or that I loved him?"

  Celos's face paled and his jaw twitched. He connected the two statements together and said, "Oh, I see. Come, we must meet with the baron."

  "Celos!" Aleena snapped as he turned to walk into the noble's court. He stiffened and waited. "I'll always love him; I can't help it. He was my first."

  "You're not a maiden?" Celos spun on her and hissed.

  "No—I mean yes, I am a maiden."

  "Which is it?"

  "Yes, I am. I meant he was my first love. The first boy I gave my heart to."

  Celos snorted and turned away. "Come," he barked.

  Aleena nodded and fell in beside him. They followed a confused aide down a hallway. The aide paused at a door and was about to open it when Celos asked, "Why tell me?"

  "I want to be honest. With myself. With you. With everyone."

  "Such is Leander's w—"

  "It's my way," Aleena interrupted. "You and I are companions. We travel together. We train together. We fight together. We've bled together. We were squires once and then knights. Now we are paladins. Together. You and I are brother and sister in so many ways. I want you to know how important you are to me. I made a mistake of not being understood and of not understanding before. I won't make it again."

  She nodded to the aide when Celos stood stiffly with his head turned to stare at her. The aide pulled the door back and Celos snapped his head back to stare into the court.

  "Come, brother," Aleena whispered before she strode forward into the room. Celos was less than half a step behind her.

  Tristam rose from his table and held out his arms. "Sir Celos and, oh, what's this? Um, Aleena, I see you wear the same rank as Celos, but I don't know what to call you."

  Aleena blushed and curtsied. "Dame, my lord."

  "Dame Aleena." He chuckled. "Well, congratulations, young lady. I know enough of the abuse you put up with back at the Foaming Mug. You deserve it!"

  Aleena blushed again and fell silent.

  "Baron, we've come because of the troubling news in the mountains," Celos said with steel in his voice.

  Tristam's smile melted away. He sighed and sat down stiffly, favoring the hip he'd injured in his final battle as the leader of the Blades of Leander. "With the dragon dead, someone else has rushed in to fill her place."

  "Someone?" Celos asked.

  Tristam shrugged. "My men have been busy helping the miners evacuate their camps. A few of the mines were attacked from within and the others were overrun from without."

  "Why didn't they fight back?" Aleena asked.

  "They're miners, Aleena, not soldiers," he said and sighed. "Even the soldiers don't stand up against these creatures very well. I need warriors, men able to think and react on their own."

  "The corporals and sergeants should do that," Celos said.

  "Yes, they should," Tristam agreed. "Seems they haven't been taught that, though. You can bet I'm working on it with the men I have left, but it's not enough to retake anything."

  "Are there any mines or camps holding out?"

  "None," Tristam said. "Or at least none that I know of. We've not heard from two mines, but we assume the miners were killed to a man."

  Aleena winced but Celos kept his face calm. "You've sent scouts?"

  "We've tried. The first were pushed back. Ever since we've learned why, they built a wall across the pass to keep us out."

  "Keep us out?" Celos frowned. "Why would they do that?"

  Tristam finished the paladin's thought. "Unless they're gathering an army. They tried to wall off a few passes before. This one is much closer to Highpeak. The only other routes into the mountains are days to the west or east and those are treacherous paths, not fit for more than a small group of men."

  "The Knights of Leander took such a journey last year to Dragonsgate pass," Celos reminded him.

  Tristam chuckled. "Son, I've taken the passes in the eastern mountains myself, back when I could walk without a cane to hold me up. The route you talk of was fit for a wagon train compared to the paths I speak of."

  "And the west?" Aleena challenged.

  "The same," Tristam said. "I've not seen them with my own eyes, but I have good scouts who have been to both."

  Sir Celos latched onto the next logical thought about the passes. "Have these scouts tried them to see what they can find from within?"

  "The last ones I sent never returned. I'm a man in need of knowledge, not a man in need of more blood on my hands."

  "Do you have any men who know the mountains well?" Aleena asked.

  Tristam frowned. He nodded. "Yes, there are a few. The one who knows them best and is most likely to be willing to help is named Ketten."

  "Why haven't you tried him?" Celos inquired.

  "Because I can't trust him," the baron said. "He's a man who answers to gold. I
might buy his service but if someone offers him more, I've lost him, my gold, and whatever knowledge I fed him."

  "Then why tell us about him?" Aleena asked.

  "Because if you two are fool enough to brave the mountains," he paused while the two paladins shared a quick glance with each other, "then perhaps you can use him."

  "Where is he?" Celos asked.

  "No one's seen him in a while, another reason we haven't looked for him. He hangs out near the northern gate in the taverns. He fancies a game of cards and drinks too much ale to do it well."

  A smile cracked Celos's face. "We'll see if we can find him."

  "Best of luck," the baron said. "I appreciate anything you can do. Word is that fool of a boy Alto went south. Without my old crew, I'd pin our best chances on the Knights of Leander."

  Celos's smile faded. "We'll return with news at the least, if not victory over these unseen foes. If you'll permit us, we'll begin our search now."

  Aleena opened her mouth and spoke before Tristam could. "Baron, you mentioned the forces in the mountains—what kind of soldiers are they? Is it like before, men and goblins working hand in hand?"

  Tristam shook his head. "No, mostly ogres from what they've seen. Goblins in the mines but the ogres seem to be running things."

  Aleena smirked. "These must be a new breed of ogre. The ones we fought were more interesting in fighting than tactics."

  "Much of this is troubling," Tristam agreed.

  "Come, Aleena, let us find this guide and see it firsthand," Celos said.

  Aleena nodded and curtsied again in her armor to the baron. Celos bowed and they turned and walked out in step with each other. The two knights stayed silent until they left the manor, and then Celos turned to the north. Aleena followed, hurrying to keep step with him.

  "Ogres," Celos muttered.

  "Do you think giants are leading them? They're smarter, right?"

  "Yes, it was a giant that was the general of the dragon's army," Celos said.

  "He's dead, though. The barbarian, Garrick, killed him," Aleena said.

  "Many giants escaped," Celos reminded her.

  Aleena frowned. "Another dragon, perhaps?"

  "We'll be the first ones to find out."

  "You want to put an end to this, don't you?" Aleena asked.

  Celos looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Of course I do," he said.

  "No, I mean it's driving you. I can see it in your eyes. You need to do this," she said.

  Celos stopped and stared at her. "What are you saying?"

  "I'm asking you to be honest with me."

  "I do not lie," Celos growled.

  Aleena stood her ground and met his gaze. "Good, then tell me why you have to do this."

  "This is our quest," he snapped at her. People moved around them in the street, giving the two fully armored knights curious glances as they passed. Celos ignored them and remained focused on Aleena.

  "Is that it, or is there more?" she asked.

  Celos opened his mouth and then closed it. Finally, he unclenched his fist and let out a breath. "The Knights of Leander are worthy of being the saviors of the kingdom. I want to prove to everyone that they should turn their eyes to us for help."

  Aleena nodded her head. "I understand. And I agree they should look to Leander for help."

  Celos stared at her a minute longer. "Are you happy, Dame Aleena?"

  Aleena felt her head rocked back by his forceful tone. She smiled and nodded. "I meant no disrespect, Sir Celos. And yes, I am happy. I will stand beside you, you know that."

  "Let's hope it doesn't come to that," he said.

  Aleena frowned. "To fighting?"

  "To the two of us fighting back to back," he said as he turned and started to walk to the north again. "That would mean the worst is truly upon us."

  Aleena watched him for a moment and then hurried to catch up to him. In spite of his words, she knew there was more that went unspoken between them. Was it something about her that bothered him or was it something else? She scowled and vowed that whatever it was, she wouldn't let it stop them.

  Chapter 3

  "Queen Rosalyn!"

  Rosalyn heard him the first two times he tried to ruin her trance, but she was so close. She could tell from the irritation and urgency that he felt his news was important. It wasn't. Nothing was important. Not compared to the breakthrough she was so close to making.

  The witch sighed in frustration. She'd lost her connection to the statue. After battling through many of the layers of magic in it, she'd been so close to reaching the spirit inside. Now she'd have to start over.

  Rosalyn rose from the floor, her robes falling about her slender frame. She swayed on her feet and would have fallen save for her servant reaching out to steady her with his hand. "You need to eat, my queen, you're skin and bones," he said.

  "You ruined my spell to tell me to eat?" Rosalyn turned and asked him. Her body was weak and her mouth was dry. Her lips were parched and cracked, the thin air of the mountains drying them out before their time. "I was almost there. I almost spoke with her."

  "No, Your Highness, I roused you to bring news," Ketten said.

  "News of what, Ketten? What news could be so important?" she asked with a voice that sounded more tired than she was ready to admit. Her body ached from being still for so long. She'd been concentrating for a full day this time, maybe two. She was no closer to reaching Sarya's trapped spirit than she had been, but she was so close!

  "The mines have been secured, my lady," he said. "The men from the kingdom have been killed or driven out of the mountains, to the last. The dwarves in the east have been burrowing back into their mines but there are no passages or tunnels we can find that connects them to the rest of the Northern Divide. There once was, I'm told, but they collapsed."

  "Keep them that way," Rosalyn said. She spied a platter filled with fruits and meat long gone cold. She edged towards it and sipped from a cup of water. It burned her throat at first, and then she drank deeply of it until the cup was empty. She turned back on her servant and said in a stronger voice, "If they reopen any passages, kill them."

  "You wish to take the dwarven mines as well?"

  Rosalyn considered his anxious question and then shook her head. "No, I have no desire for a war yet. We don't have the strength we need." She turned to stare at the massive silver dragon statue with the burning ruby red eyes. "Soon, but not yet. Tell me, what of Rockwood and the farm boy that would be king?"

  Ketten cleared his throat and glanced around before admitting. "Nothing, my queen. He sailed to the south months ago and has not returned. He's overdue and they expect him any day now, they are saying. As for Rockwood, the dwarf you've ensorcelled on their council has kept them at a standstill. No construction has begun."

  Rosalyn smiled. "I used the magic of gold, Ketten. Nothing mysterious about that. Dwarves prize gold above all else. They are simple creatures. You really should read more; you could learn so much about the world."

  Ketten nodded. "I prefer to see it with my own eyes, my lady."

  Rosalyn snorted. "Ignorance. Very well, is there news of the elves in the west?"

  "None. They keep to themselves. So as long as we do not trouble them, they have no cares or concerns for us."

  The witch nodded. "That is good. We will deal with them at a time of my choosing."

  "My queen, the ogre, Grack, asks about your promise to him."

  "Finding and killing the northerner?"

  "Yes, Garrick," Ketten said. "The rumors I've heard say he rode to the kingdom and then to Amderfell. He boarded a boat, the Kraken, and it sailed south. That was weeks ago."

  "The Kraken?" Rosalyn asked.

  "Yes, my queen."

  "You fool!" she snapped. "That was the boat Alto sailed south on! He's already back, or he's been back and away again."

  Ketten winced and nodded. "I'm sorry, my lady. I'll check on it immediately. It's many days' travel, it will take some time."

&
nbsp; "Go!" she snapped. "Find him. Find them both."

  "Yes, my lady," Ketten said and turned to leave.

  Rosalyn sampled some of the food on the tray and then glanced up at him. With Ketten gone, she would be alone again. Alone save for the ogres and goblins. "Ketten, spread word while you're out there."

  "Your Highness?" he turned and asked her with a furrowed brow.

  "Of the tolerance of this land. How man and goblin can live in peace. How a person with a strong back and a desire to build a name for themselves may do so."

  "There are few who would find that comforting."

  Rosalyn shrugged. "A few is better than none. The giants are listening but not interested in joining me. Yet. I need a stronger base of power to win them over. They care little for revenge, only for strength. In the meantime, I would like to see some faces around me that do not have tusks and scars upon them for a change. Did you ever think you'd be the prettiest man around, Ketten?"

  The mountain man turned servant chuckled and bowed his head. "You honor me, my queen. I will see what I can do. Will you, uh, be using your magic to sway them?"

  Rosalyn smirked. She'd conducted a ritual on Ketten, binding him to her. His life was hers at any time and he knew it. Controlling multiple people, however, would complicate her life and limit what magic she could do. "No, I will not. You alone share that special bond with me, Ketten."

  He bowed again. "I'll do what I can for you, my queen."

  "Very well, be off." Rosalyn turned from him and bit into a small apple. The juice ran into her mouth and sparked an almost forgotten memory of the decadence of food. She ate ravenously, uncaring of how cool the slices of mutton were.

  When the plate was empty and Rosalyn had licked her fingers clean, she straightened and looked around. There was no one to be found: man, goblin, or ogre. She frowned and glanced down at herself. Her belly was swollen from the food she'd eaten, although not obscenely. Perhaps she had let herself become too distracted.

  She turned and looked at Sarya again. Not too distracted, too focused. She was here for one reason and one reason only: to bind the dragon's power to her, much as Therion had bound the nymph's magic to him. The difference between the two was that dragons were far more powerful than a simple nature creature.