He shuddered, a hard shiver that racked him from head to toe. Another shudder chased after the first, and then another. Mei Li was on the cusp of looking for another alternative when he finally groaned, low in the back of his throat, and slowly changed over. It was the slowest transition she’d ever seen a dragon perform, and interesting in its own right. She could track in stages how he collapsed wings in, drew tail up, and reconfigured bones and muscle and tissue to a human body.
Then he lay in the dirt, gasping with pain.
Mei Li took what bandages she had and did a quick field dressing, trying to keep the blood locked into his body. Shunlei lay half-propped up in Hawes’ arms, watching her with eyes at half-mast. He was utterly done, no energy left in him. The fight had taken much out of him—emotionally and physically. Mei Li kept her actions quick and efficient. She needed to get him to the field hospital where she had more bandages and ointments to work with.
“Alright. Up.”
Hawes got under one arm, Mei Li under the other, and between them they half-carried Shunlei back down toward the warehouse. He walked as best he could, shaking with fatigue, wincing with every other step. Mei Li would get proper talismans and magical salves on him first and then pour a gallon of water down his throat before she would allow him to rest. He had to be beyond dehydrated.
Kiyo spied them coming and halted near the warehouse door, a crate of something in her arms. “There you three are! The dragon?”
“Dead,” Hawes reported in a neutral tone. “Shunlei tried, but he wasn’t interested in stopping.”
Kiyo eyed the man hanging between them and sympathy flashed over her face. “I’m sorry to hear it. But glad he’s stopped. We might be here a few days, Hawes. The damage is extensive.”
“I know. I’m prepared for it.”
She gave a nod, then hip-checked the warehouse door open and held it there. They went in sideways, careful to not lose their grip on Shunlei in the process. Mei Li had barely a foot inside when she looked for an open place to lay him down.
Melchior, bless him, had anticipated the need and cleared out a space across a shipment of stacked rugs. Mei Li carefully levered Shunlei onto it, Hawes still supporting his back as they gently laid him down.
“I need bandages!” she called out.
“Here!” a woman she didn’t know responded, tossing her a bundle of them.
Mei Li had to untie Shunlei’s shirt again to get to the bandages. The clothes, of course, were pristine, being kept inside the pearl during the fight. They were now stained with blood from the open wounds, but it did garner some curious reactions from people as they realized the clothes were intact while the man was injured. Mei Li could hear the whispering but ignored it. This time, she had a clean(ish) space to work with. She wiped off mud, dug out broken claws from his side with tweezers, cleaned and applied poultice to the wounds.
Only when he was fully attended to did she relax and straighten her back with a groan. Her muscles twinged from bending over at that unnatural angle for so long. She caught his fingers and gave them a squeeze, smiling tiredly at him. “Fortunately, you’re tough and a fast healer.”
Shunlei gave her a tired smile in response. “Fortunately. Thank you, Mei.”
“Mei, I could use some help!” Kiyo called from the other side of the warehouse.
“And that’s my cue. Hawes, get as much water down him as you can. And put my blanket on him. He’ll be chilled with the blood loss. I’ll check in with you later.” Even as Mei Li issued these instructions, she gathered up her bag and what was left of the bandages before racing off again.
She stayed in a flurry of activity, going from one patient to the next, then being hauled outside to help clean out several other buildings so they could move people out of the warehouse. The work would be insane putting this town back to rights again. Mei Li didn’t even want to think about it.
As dawn peeked out over the ocean, she finally stumbled into the inn someone directed her to. Her group had been removed from the warehouse at some point, shifting to a more comfortable place, and the innkeeper herself met Mei Li at the door. The woman looked done in, soot lingering in the lines around her eyes and mouth, the formerly white apron now more grey and black. But she met Mei Li’s eyes with a nod of approval.
“You’d be Lady Mei, then?” the woman asked as if she full well knew the answer. Then again, Mei Li easily looked the part of a northerner. People tended toward soft brunettes and blondes down here, the innkeeper being one of the blondes. Mei Li could hardly be mistaken for anyone else. “I’ve got a hot meal waiting on you. There’s a pitcher of warm water and a bed with your name on it, too.”
“Thank you so much. Is the rest of my party here?”
“They are indeed. You’re the last. Come on, now, eat and then rest. You’ve more than earned it.”
Mei Li followed the woman into the sparse dining room, sitting down at the table with its covered plate, and lifting off the white cloth to reveal a simple breakfast of biscuits, eggs, and sausages. She consumed it without tasting, so tired that even her taste buds couldn’t be bothered to wake up and function properly.
The innkeeper filled her glass with water three times, and on the third, lingered for a moment. “I heard that young man with the shocking red hair, the one they carried in here—he’s a dragon? The red dragon that fought the other one and killed it?”
It sounded as if she needed only confirmation. Mei Li paused in drinking, and swallowed to answer. “Yes. Shunlei is his name.”
“We’re all very glad he came when he did.” The innkeeper sighed. “That other dragon, we’re not sure where he came from. But he appeared earlier this year, fishing out of the sea. He seemed content to go about his business and leave us to ours, so we didn’t worry much about him. But then he started hassling the fishing boats, said we were in his territory. They didn’t want a fight with him, so they shifted further north. But the fishing wasn’t good there. They ended up coming back more toward the south. I guess they got too close to his territory—wherever that was. He’d never given us a marker to use. It set him off something fierce.”
“Yes, dragons can be highly territorial. And that one wasn’t very rational—Shunlei tried over and over to just get him to stop. Just to talk. In the end, he wouldn’t, and it became a life-and-death battle.” Mei Li shook her head sadly. “Shunlei didn’t want to kill him. He hopes to tame the dragons.”
“That’s what the gruff-looking man said. Hawes? Yes, he said the same. Asked me to not be afraid of the red dragon. Said he’s a gentle soul.”
“Shunlei’s very gentle-natured. He will put his foot down when he needs to, though. As you saw last night.”
That seemed to satisfy the woman and she gave a nod. “The town will want to thank him properly when he’s back on his feet. We’d have lost the whole town without all of you. But for now, you come upstairs. You’re dead on your feet.”
“You are too.”
“I’ll rest after I show you up.”
“Fair enough.” Mei Li heaved herself to her feet with a grunt of effort. She stumbled up the stairs, following the woman, then into the room pointed out to her. There was indeed a pitcher, a towel, and a bar of mint-scented soap. There was also a double bed with soft, inviting pillows and the cover turned down in an invitation Mei Li almost couldn’t resist. But her skin was so encrusted with mud, blood, and soot, that she wouldn’t rest well until it was cleaned off.
As she washed her hands and forearms, Hawes poked his head in around the door. “Good, you’re in. How are things?”
“A lot of cleanup to do.” Mei Li turned her head for a moment to answer him. Hawes looked ready to drop where he stood as well. He was clean, though, his beard and hair damp from a wash. “But everyone’s stable and in a position to rest today. Shunlei?”
“In a bed but refused to really sleep until you’re back in.”
Mei Li rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Go slap him for me and tell him to go to sle
ep.”
“With pleasure.” Hawes gave her a wink and closed the door.
Mei Li could hear his heavy tread lead into the room next door. The walls were thin—or perhaps the sound carried through her open window—as she could hear them converse in muted tones.
“She’s in and fine,” Hawes reported, exasperation heavily coloring his words. “Go to sleep.”
“Knew she would be.” There was a sigh to Shunlei’s words, as if sleep was already reaching up to claim him even as he forced the words out. “She’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. The strongest. Still, I was worried.”
“That amazing, strong woman will come in here and club you over the head herself if you don’t sleep.”
Hawes was right there.
Shaking her head, she turned and said in a clear voice that she knew Shunlei with his dragon hearing could pick up easily. “I love you too, Shunlei, but stop being an idiot and sleep already.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
A beat. Two. Then snoring, soft and light but unmistakable.
“He only obeys her,” Hawes grumbled, the words accompanied by the opening and closing of a door. “It’s like my words are nothing more than a dog barking.”
Amused, Mei Li stripped down to her shift and crawled into the bed, too tired to dig out her sleep clothes. She barely had her head on the pillow when darkness reached up and rolled her under.
Mei Li lost most of the day to slumber and woke up with a damp pillow where she’d drooled a little in her sleep. Embarrassing, but fortunately with no witnesses. She dragged herself out of bed, feeling more groggy than rested, and realized she had slept most of the day away. The light outside her window was definitely mid-afternoon.
Pulling on clothes, she took precisely a minute to tie her hair up in a sloppy bun, ram her hair sticks into it, and trudge next door. Shunlei was not in the bed, so he was feeling well enough to get up. Good. Next stop: food.
The dining hall was in full swing, crowded with people grabbing a quick bite before they took off again. Most didn’t even sit down, just leaned in over a table. Rolls stuffed with meats and cheeses abounded, passed around with hot cups of strong tea. Mei Li could tell by the smell alone. Every man and woman she passed had smudged clothes and hands, but a sort of determined air about them.
These people weren’t down. Not by a long shot.
Melchior spotted her first and hailed her with a hand lifted in the air. The warrior was also soot-spotted—in fact, it looked as if he’d hugged something, as it was even on his cheek above a half-grown beard—but there was a smile on his face. “Lady Mei! You’re finally up.”
“Up is correct. Thank you for not saying awake.” She slipped through a press of bodies to gain the table. The only ones sitting were Shunlei and Kiyo, with Kiyo fussing, piling food on Shunlei’s plate. “Good…afternoon?”
“It’s possibly that,” Kiyo agreed, still fussing. “Shunlei, eat.”
“I did eat!” he protested with a frown.
“You ate half what you normally do. Your body needs the energy. Eat!”
“I also ate before you joined the table,” he riposted, rolling his eyes. “Here, Mei, sit and eat this. I’m full to the brim.”
He did look a little green at the idea of eating anything else. With a shrug, Mei Li sat next to him, drawing the plate to her. Kiyo huffed a wordless protest, which she ignored. “Well, where do we stand at the moment?”
“People are picking up the pieces. We’ve cleaned up as we could. I understand there will be a mass funeral tomorrow. The mayor of the town came by and thanked us, made several requests too. Don’t be surprised if you see her. She’s overwhelmed trying to put her town back to rights.” Hawes paused to drink a healthy swallow of his tea before continuing. He looked ready to get back to work at any moment, standing alongside Melchior. “We’ve helped the townspeople rid themselves of the dragon corpse. Gave it a watery grave.”
Pushing it into the sea probably was the best decision.
“There’s still some healing left to do, but time can manage most of it, I think. Right now, we’re trying to repair enough buildings that people can go back home and get their businesses put together. Can you work renewal magic on anything, Lady Mei?”
“I can, with the proper setup and equipment,” she replied confidently. After all, a Tomes’ work was precisely that. “I can go about today, look at what needs to be done, then do the prep work to tackle it tomorrow.”
Hawes gave her a nod, expression relieved. “Townspeople will be happy to hear it. Is this something you can teach?”
In other words, neither Kiyo nor Nord was comfortable with this branch of magic? Interesting. Then again, had Mei Li seen them do any magic that wasn’t either combat or healing in nature? She couldn’t dredge up a single instance. “Yes, of course. It’s just a matter of understanding the structure and how to apply the right elements to the spells. I can do a crash course with any magician and have them up to speed in three days or less.”
“Then please do so. Our innkeeper has generously agreed to let us stay for free as long as we’d like. I’m inclined to stay a few days and help put the town back together.”
Mei Li nodded around a mouthful. That was perfectly fine by her.
“Fortunately, the townspeople seem to realize that not all dragons are equal. They’re aware of Shunlei’s true form and are very grateful for his help. Still, I’d prefer for him to not be alone for long stretches of time. There’s always one blinded by anger.”
“I’ll stay with Mei,” Shunlei assured him. “I now know a little of how to assist her.”
Hawes gave him a flat look, not at all surprised by his volunteering. “Color me surprised. Fine, alright. Don’t overdo it.”
Mei Li bit into the last roll, chewing thoughtfully. Swallowing, she asked, “Where do I need to focus?”
“Docks first. They were hit rather badly, and the economy will suffer if they can’t get the ships in. Lady Kiyo, Nord, will you go with her?”
“We must,” Nord stated, already standing, “to learn from her. Lady Mei, the foreman for the docks is just yonder. I will fetch him.”
“Yes, please, we’ll need him.” Mei Li felt the strong tea hit her brain, waking her up. Which was just as well as she apparently needed her brains at full function today.
What followed was a rather grim accounting.
The docks were indeed very badly burned. What remained was either charcoal or so fragile that anything more than a person’s weight on it threatened to send it to the bottom of the harbor. Mei Li, Kiyo, and Nord slapped down several strengthening spells to prevent anyone from taking an untimely dip. The foreman was thankful for the help and promised them whatever aid he could render. Mei Li issued for everything to be taken off the docks. They’d need a clean slate to rebuild with.
They spent time measuring the docks, writing it all down, and estimating how many talismans they’d need to create. Mei Li finally stopped and looked at the docks with a critical eye. “We’ll need a great deal of rope.”
Shunlei, sitting on a scorched crate nearby, canted his head in question. “Rope?”
“Or chalk.” Mei Li frowned, not sure which would work better. “Perhaps chalk would work best. We can either write out hundreds of talismans to do the job, or write one giant one along each dock and let it do the work. I think the giant talisman will be the more efficient way to go.”
“Let me shop around for it.” Shunlei stood, dusting off the back of his thighs.
Mei Li turned to study him, brows beetling. “Are you up for that?”
“I’m just tender and sore,” he assured her with a quick smile. “How much chalk?”
She had to trust he knew his limits. Although if he undid her hard work by being stubborn, she really would club him over the head. “However much you can acquire. This will take a lot.”
Nodding, he turned and walked off. Not at his usual brisk pace, either, just a steady walk. Well, maybe he was alright a
fter all? Dragons were sturdier than humans, and a touch faster to heal.
Shaking her head, Mei Li turned back to the other three. “Foreman Jones, this won’t be a fast fix. I think we can get two docks back into working order by tomorrow.”
“Just that will help, miss,” Jones replied, taking his cap off and rubbing at his bald head before jamming it back on. He kept giving the harbor uncertain looks. “We’ve got ships out now, coming in soon. It’ll take some jostling to get them in and out so people can offload.”
“I quite understand. We’ll work as fast as we can.” To the others, she explained, “The spell isn’t complicated, but magically speaking, it’s draining. We’ll first have to remove all remnants of dragon’s fire.”
Both Kiyo and Nord winced.
Foreman Jones caught this reaction and looked between them, craggy face now drawn in worry. “That’s hard, I take it?”
“Difficult,” Mei Li admitted. “But not impossible. Essentially, what we will do is rewind the clock on the docks. We’re reminding the wood of how it was before dragon’s fire touched it. But to do that, we must first remove all the dragon’s fire heat lingering in the wood. Dragon’s fire is magical in and of itself, you see. It will clash with the magic we bring to bear.”
“What she’s not telling you”—Kiyo gave her an aggravated look—“is that by removing the dragon’s fire, it will flare up again. We’ll have to be very careful how we control it as we draw it out.”
Nord glared at the wood under his feet as if it had personally insulted him. “Ocean.”
“Concisely put,” Mei Li said approvingly. “Fortunately, the ocean is right here, so we have a safe place to extinguish it. But that’s what will be the hardest and most draining part of this. The actual renewal spell will be a snap once we’ve drawn out the proper spell along the wood.”
First of Tomes (The Tomes of Kaleria Book 2) Page 19