by Meagan Hurst
“Dragon’s don’t apologize.”
“In general no, but I know Nivaradros has apologized to you, and now it is my turn.”
Z stiffened, but managed to hold her tongue until it was clear Veilantras was waiting for her to speak. “I highly doubt you owe me anything,” she told the Dragon.
“I owe you more than just an apology, but that is all I have to offer,” Veilantras countered. “When Nivaradros went to fetch you from the Shade those few years ago, I had orders to find him and slay him. Orders I intended to follow.”
“You met up with us on the way to pick up Zyrhis,” Z murmured.
“Yes, and had you not been there I would have either killed Nivaradros by using our history to get close to him or he would have killed me. But you were there, and as I had been flying when I found you I was able to see you interacting with Nivaradros. He was…different around you. After you headed back to the main camp, I landed and spoke with him. To my astonishment, the first thing he did was update me on the woes of the world and your plans. He intended to help, and I could tell he meant to.”
“You didn’t kill him.”
“No. Something was going on between the two of you, and I was curious enough to want to see it through its end. I didn’t expect to see him in mortal form—which is the true reason I brought you here. Z, I can see it in your eyes every time he brings up the loss of his form; you are not okay with it.”
Hesitating, Z shifted through possible answers with care. If Veilantras was the Dragon among all Dragons that was most easy-going and comfortable with mortals—and she was—she was still a Dragon and it was clear from her words she worked for the Council foremost. When Veilantras crossed her arms, Z sighed. “It’s his form, Veilantras. The form he was born to and the only one he wore for the majority of his life. He gave it up for me and—yes, you’re correct—it doesn’t sit well with me.”
Veilantras’s eyes flickered with amusement of all things. “You do realize the instant he shifted into mortal form he surrendered his Dragon form?” As Z opened her mouth to protest, Veilantras held up a fine, flawless hand. “Hear me out. Yes he could shift back and forth but, Zimliya, how often did he?” The answer, of course, was Nivaradros had rarely shifted back, and it was clear Veilantras somehow knew this. “Exactly,” she said before Z could respond. “Nivaradros had already made up his mind before the choice had been offered. He wanted—he still wants—you. I presume you overheard the conversation he and I shared when he lied about what he intended to do with you?”
“I did,” Z confirmed. “Nivaradros had to talk me off the ceiling after that. For the first time, I doubted his intentions. He was…remarkably okay with that.”
“He is strange,” Veilantras sighed. She opened her mouth to speak again, but Z suddenly understood what was going on. There was a familiar touch on her senses; someone was coming, and it wasn’t someone she wanted to speak to.
Kyi’rinn drawn and pointed at Veilantras Z knew what was about to occur. “I am sure there is a wonderful immortal explanation behind this,” she spat at Veilantras as their visitor drew closer.
Silver eyes flickered with remorse. “I am sorry, Zimliya, but he has something I cannot surrender… I had to agree to this. I hope you survive.” With that the golden Dragon reappeared for a brief second before leaving Z for the skies.
Cursing as her eyes followed Veilantras’s movements, Z whirled when her visitor arrived. “Hello Midestol,” she said in a bored tone. “If you’re looking for a fight, I hope you came prepared.”
Midestol chuckled darkly, but made no move to draw his sword. Instead it hung at his hip, but even within its sheath Z could feel its power. “I didn’t come to fight, my dear,” he said in a sardonic tone. “I wish to make you an offer, and I wish to speak with you.”
“No.”
“You haven’t heard me out.”
“I don’t need to. The answer is no, Midestol. I have had enough bargains for a time, and I have no desire to speak to you.”
He attacked her without warning, but she knew him too well to be caught off guard. Before he was even upon her Kyi’rinn up and ready to meet his blade. Parrying his strike, she stepped back a hair to counter it with her own and then kicked out at his left knee at the same time. She had shattered it in the past and she knew his healers would only heal not strengthen an injury. Sure enough, his leg wavered briefly before straightening and he moved forward to attack her again.
“Zimliya, I did not come here to fight you. Please, cease this.”
“I don’t want to speak with you, Midestol!” she snarled. Blocking his attack and countering with more anger than the previous strikes. He didn’t get to speak with her. Not after Kitra. Damn Veilantras to the abyss, she couldn’t believe the elder Dragon had done this to her.
Despite her anger at Veilantras, she hoped the female Dragon was not that attached to this lair. Midestol’s strikes occasionally went wide as he contrived sloppiness in order to mislead her, and he therefore did some damage to the walls and furniture around them. Z kept her strikes professional and was always looking for his next attack, so she didn’t try and save anything around her. Parrying another powerful blow from Midestol, Z brought Kyi’rinn whipping back in for a counterstrike and caught Midestol’s throat slightly on the left. Not deep enough to be life threatening, but deep enough to bleed.
He roared in anger and began to fight her instead of distract her. Their movements became a dance of death that they hadn’t engaged in for years. The patterns of battle began to be laid on the floor, and the effects of the dance became apparent as blood began to fall. But it still wasn’t hers. Landing another strike on Midestol, she swiped a large cut across his ribs. Due to his leather armor it wasn’t the deepest of injuries, but she could tell he was surprised, unhappy, and worried about her two successes to his none, and he knew she wasn’t truly trying yet.
Once again the dance tightened and grew more intense. Midestol resorted to magic and Z continued to do nothing more than use Kyi’rinn to fight. Blocking both his sword and his spells with her blade, she refused to give him an advantage, and she refused to allow him even a moment of success. She was done playing the “family” with him. If he wanted to continue that game, he could quit blackmailing people into setting her up.
“Getting tired?!” she snarled. She had managed to hit him another three times: across the cheek, left knee, and right hip. He had not yet landed a strike against her. He limped slightly on his left leg, but he still continued to circle, and he still called magic in an attempt to beguile her.
So far he had stayed within his own illusional magic. Grateful for Ranger training for the first time in years, Z was able to ignore what he summoned to toy with her mind and focus only on the battle at hand. If he threw in something truly harmful she would counter it, but so far everything could be dispersed by the flat of her sword.
He lunged at her heart and Z brought Kyi’rinn part way up before reversing the motion and bringing the sword down sharply in a chopping motion. His sword managed to nick her, but she managed to stop the magical attack without magic, which only infuriated him. Countering, she struck him hard with the flat of the blade against his side as she whirled on her right leg and kicked out with her left. She felt his ribs break as his left knee re-shattered. Unlike her, Midestol could only take so much pain. Stepping back—hopping back—he eyed her coldly.
“I see you can still fight.”
“Better than you, today,” was her icy reply. “Go home, Midestol. It is not time for us to meet.”
Orange eyes blazed with suppressed rage as they met hers. “Indeed it is not. Recall I wished to speak with you. But I shall leave with a warning. Hold what you care about closely, Zimliya—it is all too easy for me to get a hold of and destroy it.”
“Try,” was her cool reply. “You’ve been doing that for years with only one success.”
“And if I take your Dragon?”
“You really don’t get him do you?” Z
laughed. It was a cutting, harsh laugh that brought more anger to Midestol’s features. “He’s more powerful than you know. He can and will take care of himself.”
“Even the most powerful can fall.”
“Including you. I tire of speaking with you, Midestol. Go torture your slaves. I have no interest in any offer you give me, and I have absolutely no desire to continue speaking with you any longer. I’d advise seeing a healer about your injuries,” she added with a cruel smile before walking past him with ease. His spell shattered at her back and she laughed again. “As if I wouldn’t have seen that coming.”
Outside she glanced at the snow-covered ledge and made a face of disgust. Finding a boulder, she melted the snow from it and leaned against it as Midestol limped out of the cave and then limped off without a glance her way. Not that it was needed; she could feel his scorching anger from her seat. When his presence had faded enough that another attack was unlikely, Z turned her attention to her more pressing problem; how to get back to the others.
Her ride here had left her to die—or something—and Z didn’t really feel like walking back. Not to mention it would take days even if the weather stayed pleasant. A portal was possible but trying to pinpoint a location without having a preplanned landing would be tricky. She would have to locate Nivaradros through his presence while she was in a portal, and since you weren’t actually supposed to remain in a well-made portal, it would be counterproductive.
There were also the shadows. It would—in theory—save time should she choose to walk them. Like the portals, though, they had their own drawbacks and she still was a bit touchy over calling that element. Scowling, she watched her breath grow more visible as the temperature began to drop and went back through her options. Around the fourth time she heard a familiar cry that caused a smile to appear. Standing, she whistled a cutting reply and waited for Shanii to make his way to her.
The stallion made his way to her in good time—his breathing looking more like Dragon’s smoke in the cold. Night had fallen by the time he reached her, but his eyes showed delight and relief upon finding her. Prancing forward he arched his neck proudly and snorted before stopping and pawing the ground as though he intended to challenge her. When she snorted in amusement, Shanii dropped his antics and approached her with his ears forward.
“I’m fine,” she informed him crossly as his muzzle reached out to touch the spot of blood on her shirt. “He barely nicked me.” Stroking the velvet hair of his neck, she hesitated before wrapping her arms around it. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you,” she murmured as she swung onto his back. She laughed aloud as Shanii reared dramatically while continuing to lecture her on her stupidity.
“Yes it was a bad idea,” she agreed. “But I wouldn’t have expected Veilantras to fall prey—yes, I should have expected it to happen at some point.” She continued to argue with him as Shanii navigated the way down the mountain with ease.
Once they reached flat ground, Shanii snorted tensely and pranced while shaking his head. It was a warning of sorts. She sensed the enemy nearby as well, but she couldn’t pinpoint their location; they kept jumping. One minute they were in front of them; the next they were behind, beside, or moving in an outward spiral. Shanii shook his head and neck, and Z found herself astride a horse of fire. He was quick to exchange a plan with her and Z was equally fast in agreeing to it. They had fought worse together, and Z had Kyi’rinn drawn and at the ready when the stallion charged.
Midestol’s men fell without much of a challenge, but near the end of the attack Z checked her weapon sharply enough that she was certain her wrist would have broken if she was still carrying the burden of mortality. A group of Ryelentions watched her curiously, and Shanii paused in his charge to regard them with healthy suspicion as they finished the battle for her.
“Names?” Z called.
They continued to stare at her and Z debated picking up the snow and throwing it at them—magically. “Zimliya…?” one of them called back hesitantly.
Her mood soured. “I take it you guys have been missing?” she demanded.
“You could say that,” a familiar and resigned voice rang out from the shadows. An old Ryelention ally of hers approached with his hands held out palm up and empty. “Imagine seeing you here,” he said conversationally when she gave him leave to approach her.
Shanii, however, was not her. Once the Ryelention got within striking range, the stallion’s lunged without moving his hooves and his teeth clicked closed loudly in front of the warrior’s face. It was a warning only the very, very stupid would have ignored. Pinning his ears at the immortal before him, Shanii snorted and snaked his head out a second time.
“I haven’t moved,” the Ryelention said dryly. “Down pony. My goodness, Z, he never changes; you might want to consider working on that. Rumor has it you managed to get the Dragon to change his tune after all.” His eyes moved to hers. “Tell me where to take my men since we have been released from our…location.”
Eyes narrowing, she checked him with magic before nodding and explaining how things had progressed—or not progressed—since their disappearance. In the end, she decided to send them to Arriandie as she suspected the Islierre was still in residence and she did not fear that kingdom falling back into enemy hands. The news she wouldn’t be traveling with them was not what they had hoped to hear. Half the eyes shifted dangerously when Z explained where she intended to travel.
“I am going to be with Nivaradros,” she pointed out.
“His people have a habit of trying to kill him,” the Ryelention leader retorted. “Do forgive us if that bit of information is not as reassuring as you would like it to be.”
Chapter 9
It took the rest of the day to get back to Nivaradros and Dyslentio because Z had no interest in pushing Shanii, and Shanii had a great deal of interest in wasting time. He didn’t like the Kryhistians, and his desire to return her to a party that contained one was incredibly small. In the end, the stallion did finally arrive in the clearing. Pinning his ears at Dyslentio, Shanii turned his attention to the awaiting Dragon, and Z saw Nivaradros’s eyes were already neon—and brightening.
“You seem to be wounded,” Nivaradros said in a tightly controlled tone. “Do explain how you managed to leave here whole and unwounded with Veilantras only to return injured and astride your remarkable steed.”
She gave him a very guarded look and Nivaradros’s eyes narrowed. “Dyslentio, try not to anger Shanii further. He already seems to have taken offense to your presence. Zimliya, come.” Without glancing back to see if she was following the Dragon began to walk back into the dense forest around the clearing. She followed him with ease, but dread overcame her as they continued to walk.
Only when they were well out of the Kryhista’s hearing range did Nivaradros pause. Leaning against one of the biggest trees in the area, he regarded her steadily despite his blazing eyes. “Explain,” he advised—clearly doing everything in his power to keep his temper in check.
Inhaling, Z began to tell him everything that had gone down—including the fact Veilantras had allegedly had orders to kill him. Nivaradros’s eyes got steadily brighter with anger, but the rest of him could have been made out of stone. She could feel the heat of his suppressed rage, and as she fell silent, she waited for the explosion.
It never came. Instead Nivaradros abruptly crossed to her and pulled the neck of her shirt down so he could see the wound beneath it. Hissing, he lightly touched it with his left hand before releasing her shirt and stepping back. “I take it the wound was required to gain the upper hand?”
“Something like that.”
“It doesn’t appear to be deep,” Nivaradros admitted as his eyes darkened for a second before shifting back. “As for Veilantras’s decision to hand you over to Midestol…” Nivaradros growled, causing the ground vibrate. “Did she say anything in particular? Did you leave out anything she said?”
“She just said he had something she could not surre
nder—which I told you,” Z reminded him as she closed her eyes. “I don’t suffer from mortality anymore; I promise you I didn’t forget anything.”
“Shevieck has never managed to suffer from mortality yet he appears to have an inability to remember anything,” Nivaradros huffed. He considered her words in silence and she didn’t press. Something was bothering him, but she had no idea whether he would enlighten her or remain silent.
At long last the Dragon exhaled. “There is only one thing Veilantras would yield to Midestol for, and that is Rameilas.”
Z waited, but after thirty-five minutes her patience began to fade. “Who is Rameilas?” she asked with care. It was not a Dragon-style name, and Z wasn’t sure what other type of a being could cause Veilantras to surrender to Midestol.
“Rameilas is Veilantras’s half-breed daughter.”
Z was positive she had never had a bit of information dropped on her that floored her quite as much as that one. “Come again?” she managed.
“You heard me the first time,” was the sour and stiff reply. “It is not, before you ask, common knowledge. I may be the only Dragon to know besides Veilantras herself, and no, she did not reveal this information to me. I came by it another way.”
Once more she waited and once more she lost interest in testing her patience “You cannot just drop that bit of information on me and stay silent, Nivaradros. How does Veilantras have a…half-breed offspring, and how did you manage to gain this bit of intelligence?”
The Dragon sighed. “When I was younger—yes, during my Warlord stage—I decided to consider acting against those I blamed for the fall of my line. Veilantras may not have participated, but she did nothing to prevent it either. I began research into all the Dragons I targeted and discovered Veilantras kept tabs on a mortal village for seemingly no reason. I continued to delve into what little I could gather, and found Veilantras spoke with a human woman—Rameilas—often. One time after Veilantras had left I moved in closer until I realized I knew that touch of power upon the woman. She was of Veilantras’s lineage, and as Veilantras was the only Dragon of her line to come to this world, that meant the woman had to be her daughter, but she was also mortal.”