Heir To The Nova (Book 3)

by T. Michael Ford

  “Oh, hello, Sir Alex! I’m glad to see you back, and this must be your girl, Maya, that I have heard so much about.”

  “Hello, Elsa,” I chuckled. “Yes, this is very much the love of my life, Maya.” I glanced at my dark elf, who shot me a delighted look and then looked down at Elsa and accepted a cordial handshake from the tall blonde dwarf. “Maya, only daughter of King Talmin, this is Princess Elsa of the dwarves, although she prefers to be called just Elsa.”

  “That’s right, just Elsa.” She smiled at Maya. “I’m glad to see you and Alex have worked things out. I’ve never seen a man mope around the way he did at the capital. For a while there I wasn’t sure which was going to kill him first, the chimera or a broken heart.”

  Maya frowned and nodded. “That’s all behind us now, Elsa. If you don’t mind, we’ll join your camp for the night. We have more of our friends and family to introduce, too.”

  Introductions were made, and by the time the others had unpacked and attended to the animals, I had a decent supper going on the fire. Elsa had a thousand questions for the dark elves. I’m not sure she had ever met one of Maya’s people in person before when weapons weren’t involved. Equally interesting were the twins, but I got the impression she was a bit daunted yet and wanted to get to know them better. All this was left behind, however, as soon as the smells from my quick stew and grilled bread and meats started to fill the campsite. Elsa’s nose shot up in the air and she was practically on top of me trying to see what I was doing.

  “What’s that, Alex?”

  “Cheese.”

  “Hmm…any schrooms in it?”

  “No.”

  “Good! What’s that?” She pointed.

  “Voskk stew.”

  “Any schrooms in it?”

  “No.”

  “Good! Is that real bread?”

  “Yes, Elsa, it’s real bread made from grain.”

  “Hmphh. Now that’s a waste of good ale.”

  “You won’t think so after you try it,” I grinned, starting to plate up some of the food.

  Meanwhile, everyone else around the campfire was watching in amazement. Darroth watched their faces and spread his hands in a placating gesture and smiled. “You’ll have to forgive Elsa, she doesn’t get out much.”

  As the evening wore on, everyone loosened up and once again we were a cohesive, happy group. As usual, Lin, Julia, and Ryliss insisted on checking over the animals, while the twins cleaned up after dinner. Lin came sauntering back and strolled up to Darroth with a gleam of mischief in her eyes.

  “Darroth, you’ll be happy to know that Lady Gemma and Miss Clara like you very much now, especially since you didn’t sell them off for stew meat at the dwarf capital. You seem to have really bonded with them, I’m very impressed.”

  “Well, you know, it just takes a firm but gentle hand…but…wow, isn’t that a bright moon out tonight,” he said evasively, pointing dramatically up into the sky.

  Lin snickered. “But you didn’t have to stop on Gemma’s account. She says there was never anything wrong with her feet, or Clara’s, either.”

  Darroth’s gaze slid guiltily across the camp ring to Elsa, whose eyebrows began to rise suspiciously. “Umm…well, it sure looked inflamed to me.”

  “Ahuh…well, she says to tell you that they appreciated the long break anyway, even if you did ignore them shamelessly and spend all your time in the tent.”

  Darroth coughed and tried to loosen his collar. “Well…umm…I need a drink, anyone for ale?” With that he leaped up and practically ran off into the darkness. A few seconds later, I heard the lid pop off of the keg attached to the donkey cart.

  Elsa got up and favored each of us with a prim smile, but her eyes were glittering dangerously. “Well, thank you all for a lovely evening, but you’ll have to excuse me; I need to go check on Darroth. I would be heartbroken if something awful happened to him–like he happened to drown in that ale keg!” I tried to ignore the muffled blows that followed thereafter in the darkness.

  Another day’s travel and we would be within a day of our return to Sky Raven.

  ..................................................

  Ryliss

  “Is this great or what?” Lin screamed excitedly into the cold air rushing by. Of course, she wasn’t speaking common, elf or any spoken word. It sounded more like ‘wee-aaaaaaa’ and was accentuated by a wing dip followed by a fancy roll. The white tips of her wing feathers splayed slightly, catching the afternoon light. We were on another of our little field trips away from the boredom of riding in the wagon.

  I’m flying, and I’m not sure if I should be afraid or just give in to the wonder of it all. Strangely, even though we three are almost two miles in the air, I feel totally at home, peaceful even. Right now we are just coasting gently on some high thermals and making lazy circles in the sky.

  “Look, there’s Sky Raven!” Jules said, a little behind and below me. Of course, with the expanded field of vision that came with this body, I could still see her perfectly. Jules was a beautiful blue- and white-tinted Fenorian eagle, as were we all at the moment. Beyond where her head inclined, in the distance I caught sight of a storybook palace. My vision immediately locked onto the sight and sharpened into clear focus. My breath caught in my throat briefly, I had seen an ancient sketch of this place in a dusty old tome in the library, although it wasn’t named. I was sure that sketch was nearly two thousand years old, and yet here it was; and even from this distance, it sparkled like new.

  The river that roared down the front walls and peeled off into two directions sent up geysers of steam into the sky, shrouding the place in an eerie fog. Farther back from the main walls appeared to be a small town of wooden and stone buildings. And beyond that even, backed up against the top of the mountain was a spectacular blue and white keep. I would have liked to study the fortress some more, but my companions were already turning away, gliding in another direction.

  I grinned; I would get to see the place up close by tomorrow evening. I had to admit I was nervous about what kind of reception a dark elf would receive at a castle full of human wizards, but Jules said not to worry. My life has changed so much in these past few exhilarating days. My usual routine of library chores, weapons training and studying was totally disrupted by the arrival of the druids, now my friends. ‘Friends’, that sounds so strange to the tongue, especially friends who are human girls. I don’t have many friends, as many younger dark elves consider reading a worthless endeavor.

  Most humans hate dark elves, and looking at the history of the interaction of our peoples strictly from a scholar’s standpoint, I can’t completely blame them. When our elders agreed or were tricked into serving Duke Pharmon, it did put us into conflict with nearly all the other races of our world. Since then, our joint histories have been written in spilled blood. I have a small measure of hope that that is over now and once the Lifebane is defeated, we can all live in some form of peace.

  I know that King Faeron and Queen Renalla plan to make it so. It appears they will receive lots of support from Sir Alex, Maya, and Sky Raven; perhaps even the dwarves will come around someday.

  “Ryliss, this way!” Lin flight called and veered away. I would have laughed out loud in exhilaration as I followed my friends, but I lacked the vocal cords for it.

  I am surprised at how readily I have been accepted into our travelling group. The only individual who seems uncomfortable at all is Elsa the dwarf Princess, and even she seems to be making a special effort to fit in. Sir Alex, of course, always seems to go out of his way to be kind and make sure everyone is happy. As a scholar, it’s hard to believe Lin’s and Julia’s story about him being the son of star people. Part of the reason I begged my father to allow me to go on this trip was so I could meet and study Alex’s parents in person.

  Chuckling, I thought back to all the arguments I had with my father just to be allowed to visit some of the nearby villages to do basic research. Yet here I am, on the adventure of
a lifetime, and all with the blessings of my father and the King of our people as well! Of course, I had listened in shamelessly while the two of them discussed the trip, my age, maturity level, and general unhealthy knack for getting into trouble. In the end, the only thing that really mattered to them was that I would be watched over by Sir Alex. I found this beyond strange; dark elf fathers guard their daughters like gold and here both men were happy, almost giddy, to give Maya and me over to his care.

  During the first few days of the trip, I began to see some of what my father saw in him. He really doesn’t act like a prince; at least, none of the ones I’ve read about. He’s not overbearing, vain or self-important. In fact, he seems happiest when he’s not the center of attention. These past nights around the campfire he and Nia do all the cooking while the rest of us wrap ourselves in blankets around the fire, visit, tell stories, make jokes, and enjoy the company.

  Watching Maya, out of her armor and dressed casually, her eyes never stray far from Alex, and every time he glances in her direction, he invariably smiles and she lights up and becomes even more beautiful. I know I have no right to feel this way, but I can almost see Maya as the older sister I never had. I guess some of Alex’s good nature has rubbed off on everyone.

  Maya is an enigma of sorts to me. Don’t get me wrong, I am very grateful that King Faeron and Queen Renalla have been restored to the throne. But a very small part of me is saddened for our people that Maya will never be our real queen. The news of her bravery, passion, and ferocity in the arena reminded me of the old elf sonnets of our race. In the past times of heroes, dark elf Queens could so inflame the warriors with their beauty and grace that each was the equal of twenty foes in battle with each warrior laying down his life gladly for the opportunity to die in glory at his Queen’s feet. I think that Maya would have made a magnificent Queen of old. But every evening at the campfire, she transforms away from the fierce warrior maid and becomes just a laughing young elf woman obviously deeply in love with the young knight preparing supper.

  Nia is very different from the other pixies that I met as a child. She’s smart, funny, and totally devoted to Alex and Maya. According to the girls, she is a powerful wizard as well–good! It gives me something more to put on my research ‘to do’ list. Maya’s grandfather Mingt I have known all my life. The two dwarves are nice enough to me, and have been very patient with all my questions. Elsa, being a Princess, appears to have received a more complete education in dwarf histories. But Darroth has travelled and experienced more of the real world, so both are fascinating, if not a little grumpy at times. I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure they are a serious couple now, at least judging by the good-natured bickering. Nia claims that is entirely normal and healthy for dwarves.

  The twins, as most of the group calls them collectively, are not what I expected from dragons. We were always taught that dragons were horrible rampaging beasts that lived to slaughter whole villages. You have to go pretty far back in the books to find any references to ‘good dragons’ but apparently they were once common and their company even enjoyed by my people.

  Dawn and Dusk seem to genuinely like Lin and Jules. I found out that they spent a good deal of time together at Xarparion; the druids teaching the dragons how to be human girls. As I have been included in the druid’s group, they have been very accepting of me as well. I study them and make notes frequently, but they don’t seem to mind. Their human speech and mannerisms are very good; and in casual company with them, like around the campfire, it’s easy to forget what they are sometimes. At other moments, like when Darroth tells a bawdy joke, you can see them pause slightly, as if to review what the proper reaction should be to the situation. They are extremely intelligent and have even asked me to coach them on getting their dark elf personas perfected. Currently, they can look like a dark elf, but their mannerisms and speech inflections are still purely human.

  “Hey, are you going to scholarly daydream all day or what?” The eagle to my right, Lin, complained. Looking down, I could see the vast patchwork quilt of forests, meadows and hills below us. I could perceive greens, browns and other colors in this eagle form that I could never explain properly to anyone who hasn’t experienced it. The road we had been travelling on for days looked like a fine white thread, haphazardly laid across the quilt. Just off the road beneath us was a huge, elongated bowl valley. Farm fields and settlements dotted its surface, as well as two small towns. I assumed this was Belrothe’s lands and people. It appeared that the area cleared was much larger than the acres actually in production, so I would have to conclude that the farming business has not been very good of late. Bel’s valley was nestled between an escarpment on one side and rolling hills on the other. On the opposite side of the high escarpment walls were more hills, eventually blending naturally into scattered forests and meadows. Quite a ways farther out, at the outer range of what I could see, loomed a deep, dark, solidly forested region.

  Eagle eyes are designed to track movement, and right now I was automatically drawn to a spot not far on the other side of the escarpment from Bel’s valley. From here it appeared tiny, but I realized from this height, the billowing clouds of smoke had to mean a large fire was burning in the forests. The prevailing winds were blowing away from the valley, but even so, it was starting to cause a smoke haze over a large stretch of territory.

  My companions had seen it as well, and as one, we all pitched down slightly and began a descent. In just a couple minutes, we had lost perhaps fifty percent of our altitude and coasted quite a ways from our road, and even past Belrothe’s valley. We were still a mile or more in the air when we started to corkscrew down to get a better look.

  “Forest fire?” I asked.

  Lin tossed her feathered head irritably. “Yes, but not a natural one. I see outriders with torches on the upwind side. I’d say it’s a game drive.”

  “What is a game drive?”

  “That’s where you have a large group of hunters who spread out and drive their prey out of cover so that they can be easily killed. I don’t have a problem with hunting; it’s part of life. But using fire to drive animals is wrong. In addition to the game animals that die, the fire kills a lot of small non-game animals too; it brings indiscriminate death to the forest.”

  Losing even more altitude brought more of the scene into focus, although the smoke was beginning to be a problem. Below, a roughly eighty-acre forest of mixed pine and hardwood was blazing away; the pine trees were especially incendiary. Nearly half the trees were already burnt and crumbling, the line of fire racing through at an alarming rate. Pockets of glowing red and black littered the lifeless ground. Through breaks in the canopy, I occasionally caught glimpses of deer, elk and smaller animals racing away from the flames. Often they would stop, turn around as if to challenge the flames, but then end up turning to flee again.

  Julia abruptly squawked, and without a word, tilted into a deep dive.

  “Oh crap!” Lin said fearfully.

  “What?”

  “She’s gone all earth goddess again. Come on, we have to catch her.” Pausing, she screeched, “Goblins…I hate goblins!”

  Jules was pointed like a blue-feathered arrow at a small clearing in the middle of the trees, two hundred yards or so from the leading edge of the flames. Not far behind the clearing was the back edge of the game drive and we could see deer racing out into the open, only to be shot down by the outriders. Glancing in their direction, I saw goblins on wild tusker boars cheering and leaping off their mounts with long wicked knives to finish off the struggling animals.

  “Jules, come back…what are you doing?” Lin screamed. Jules ignored us and headed even lower. I looked to Lin for an explanation. “She gets this way sometimes. The forest is in agony and she answers the call. It’s like she becomes the embodiment of the rage the trees feel and channels it…becomes a weapon.”

  “But where’s she going?”

  “It looks like that clearing. She probably needs contact with the act
ual earth to cast whatever spell she’s gonna do. I just hope I can keep the goblins off her until she finishes.”

  I banked cautiously to the right to avoid a smoke plume. “What about Reggie?”

  Lin spread the tips of her wing feathers which increased drag. “I’m pretty sure that with all the flying and the distance we are from the wagons, we left him in the dust. He’ll probably be able to sense her as soon as she’s on the ground, but it will take him some time to get here.”

  “What can I do to help?”

  “Not much. Sorry, I don’t have the power to change you back to an elf anyway, that’s all Jules. Just keep tabs on us from overhead and let me know if a large group is headed our way.”

  By this time, Julia had landed in the low grasses and changed into a human girl. I watched as she raised her hands, and it looked like her feet rooted into the ground like a tree, directly into the soil. Her eyes took on a whitish hue, and she entered a trance-like state. Static electricity crackled between her outstretched fingers. Almost immediately, the air grew heavier; I think I even dropped a few feet in altitude without warning. The sun, which had been entirely strong and clear, became haloed and misty as if clouds were forming directly over our heads. The mists became small puffs of clouds, gaining strength and acquiring purplish edges. If I could have shaken my head, I would have. Even with my enhanced vision, it looked like everything speeded up, the clouds rolling forward and becoming thunderheads in almost the blink of an eye.

  On the ground below, Lin touched down and immediately changed into a very large winter wolf, which whined and prowled restlessly around Julia’s frozen, oblivious form. Deer, rabbits, and other small animals raced haphazardly through the clearing, still trying to escape the approaching flames.

  Above, the sky continued to darken to black, not just overhead covering the burning forest, but jet black, horizon to horizon as Julia unconsciously continued to pour heavy amounts of power into her spell. My excellent peripheral vision noted that electrical discharges were beginning to flicker sideways through the cloud banks as a few really big water drops began to hit the upper leaves of the trees that I circled above.