“They killed him,” Tequidi said, her glasses fogged up and more liquid dripped off her cheeks. “Alexander Kingsford was a great man, despite what you may think. They killed Reizexus, then took off with him.”
Sonja thought for a moment, remembering Reizexus. He was the largest flame wyvern she had ever seen, even making Raithia appear tiny. He was the alpha flame wyvern of that family. Ace was the human alpha. “Shit!” Sonja blurted out. “What of the other flame wyverns?”
Raithia’s slitted pupils dilated, it understood what Sonja worried about. “Th-they dispersed. S-some with riders, others without,” Tequidi confessed.
“Damn it…” Sonja sighed. “It’s going to be a long, fiery, set of frozen suns…”
Tequidi shamefully put her hands over her face, then ran her fingers through her long, dark, brown hair. She took in a deep breath, then asked, “Wh-why is it that stray w-wyverns seek out Holtur?”
“I have no clue,” Sonja responded. “Why does the Altkrugan lord’s brother head for Holtur?”
“I th-think… your home is cursed.”
With furrowed brows, arms still folded, Sonja just looked at the little woman.
“S-sorry if I sound rude,” Tequidi apologies. “I don’t understand it fully myself.” She looked up at Sonja, attempting to make eye contact. “S-sorry…”
“Don’t be.” Sonja pat her on the shoulder. “Thank you for your message, but I think it’s best for you and Raithia to head home as soon as possible.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “It’s going to get real messy here soon.”
“Oh,” Tequidi mumbled with her eyes diverting to the ground. “It was a l-long flight… S-sorry to bother you Sonja.” Head down, she staggered back towards Raithia.
Sonja sensed the woman was quite drained. “How long was your flight?”
“L-long…” She almost fell as she walked. “Raithia and I w-were airborne for six suns.”
“Six suns?” Sonja felt dreadful. She had never travelled into Altkruga, bar Aestridge, which was technically outside the region. Even so, that was ten suns away by wagon! “Have you eaten in the last six suns?”
Tequidi made a high pitched grunting noise, then collapsed to the ground. Suggesting she most likely had not. Sonja ran to her side, only for Raithia to do the same. The two looked eye to eye for a moment, then both broke their gaze to stare at the fallen woman.
“Let me take her,” Sonja said softly, looking back to the flame wyvern. “I’ll make sure she regains her health, and then I’ll bring her straight back to you.”
Raithia snaked her head closer to Sonja’s. The flame wyvern opened its jaws wide, releasing a low gurgling noise. Upon the wall, Sonja could hear the clanking of slayers preparing their projectiles.
“Don’t!” Sonja put her hands in front of her, centimetres away from the large wyvern’s jaw. “I owe you my life, you know that. Allow me the chance to save Tequidi, consider it repayment for saving me.”
The wyvern retracted its head, looked back to Tequidi, and gave a sorrowful groan.
“Thank you Raithia…” Sonja sighed, then looked the flame wyvern up and down. “You must be quite hungry too, am I right?”
A puff of smoke lazily escaped Raithia’s nostrils. Sonja was unsure how to interpret wyvern actions, but figured the creature would not refuse a meal.
“Red!” Sonja called out behind her. She’d figured Volk would be watching from the gates. “Get over here, now!”
She was right, Volk came sprinting up to her. “Yes, Captain?” His eyes and attention weren’t with Sonja though. He was gazing dreamily into the wyverns eyes, a goofy smile across his face. Anyone would think that he’d just seen his first pair of tits!
“You’re to watch over Raithia, the flame wyvern, until Tequidi is back on her feet.”
“Raithia…” Volk sung the name, clinging to each syllable like it would be rude not to savour them. “A beautiful name for a most majestic creature.”
“Sure…” Sonja lifted the small woman from the ground, then started towards the gates.
“We should offer her a kuhvi!” Volk was still gazing starstruck at the wyvern.
Sonja paused mid-step, the frozen suns weren’t far off, and the town’s head of cattle dwindling. “I’m sure she would be fine to eat something else. Whatever you feed her, just make sure it’s well dead. Friend or foe, I don’t want Raithia succumbing to blood lust.”
“But she is domesticated, right?” Volk questioned. “Wouldn’t that mean she is free of such afflictions?”
“Neither of us know enough,” Sonja said sternly. “Until Tequidi tells us otherwise, Raithia is not to consume any fresh kills. Why not feed her some slater beast, I’m sure we’d still have some of that stinking meat!”
Raithia released a spray of flame from her mouth, the vents in her back also plumed with fire. Sonja ignored the display, continuing into the town.
“Of course you like your meat well done!” she heard Volk affectionately say to the flame wyvern.
Several other slayers were standing inside the gate. They had been watching their captain deal with a most unusual situation. It was for the best, easier than repeating the information again.
“I’m assuming you all heard what’s happened.” Sonja’s gaze locked with each slayer for a moment, then she continued walking. “Red’s got a pet flame wyvern until Tequidi recovers. If any of you have some spare meat, bring it out for the creature. It’s name is Raithia, and no harm is to come to her.”
“Yes Captain!” the slayers all responded in unison.
“Bernard, go find Commander Maver.” Sonja sighed. “I don’t care how ill the man is right now, he needs to know about this. Then inform Captain Sudtor on the south wall. I don’t want anyone starting trouble with the wyvern.”
“Yes Captain!” Bernard began running into town.
“Meatloaf, go find some meat,” Sonja commanded. She knew the man’s diet was completely carnivorous, and he always knew where to find a meal. “The older, the better. Don’t worry about preparation, I’m sure Raithia can manage just fine charring it to her liking. Take advantage of the situation, rid ourselves of the slater beast flesh.”
Arnis grinned. “Yes Captain!” He pushed through the group, and went off to complete his task.
“As for the rest of you,” she said with a smirk, “stop bloody gawking, and get back to your posts!”
The men all scrambled back to their position, giving Sonja a clear path into town.
***
Don’t miss the rest of this exciting series! To continue the adventure, grab a copy of The Holtur Curse today!
Bestiary
Bargetier – White, ape-like creature with a rodent face and blood red eyes. They require human females to breed, and almost destroyed Holtur nineteen years prior The Holtur Enigma.
Eye of Desecration - A horror of unknown origin, with a single large eye. It has four wings, four serpent-like limbs, a collection of tentacles, and an enormous beak. Its long black tongue works as a paralysing spear.
Grabion – Brown, scorpion-like creatures that are known to grow up to three metres long. They wield long, flat claws, and a stinger that packs a painful punch.
Kuhvi - Bovine creatures that can grow up to three metres tall, five metres long, and can weigh over two tons. They have thick, shaggy fur, which makes them well suited to colder climates. Their long tail stores excess fat, and can gain considerably girth in preparation for the frozen suns.
Leech - An illusive creature that drains the weak and elderly of their fluid.
Neidos Worm – Large, grub-like worms that generate an abrasive-resistant silk.
Shroud – Horrors which move incredibly fast within a mysterious fog from Lachtod Bog. This fog appears just as any other, but approaching too close always ends with death.
Flame Wyvern – Red wyverns that can vent fire through holes along their back. They are also able to spit fire from their jaws.
Stone Wyvern - Grey wyverns wi
th scales that are covered in a fine—but solid—rock-like substance, making them one of the toughest wyverns in the sky. A sturdy club at the end of their tail, along with their rough claws and teeth, gives them a decent armament in combat.
BRISTRUNSTIUM MONSTER RECORDS
This is but a small excerpt from the Bristrunstium Monster Records. More information—along with beautiful black and white artwork—is available for free to any budding scholars at www.cameronwaynesmith.com
Acknowledgements
I really must thank my awesome girlfriend, Jeni. Without her, this story, along with the rest of this series, would probably never come to life.
2017 has been a very interesting year so far. I have learnt a lot about writing and am really pleased with the story you have just read. Thanks to everyone I've met who's helped me improve my writing skills this year, especially the crew at Fantasy Writers Online.
A special thanks to Liz Freeman. Her ability to bring my creature's to life through her artwork constantly amazes me. Without her, there would be no Bristrunstium Monster Records, and the awesome cover for the book in your device wouldn't exist!
Finally, thank you, for reading the first book in my second series. I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed The Holtur Enigma. If you have, I'd be incredibly thankful if you could leave a review from the place you purchased your book. As an independent author, reviews help us get noticed. So, if you'd like others to enjoy this book, let them know about it!
The Holtur Enigma (The Holtur Trilogy) Page 15