Might of the Dragon

by Jessica Drake

  I said as much to the others, and Nash frowned. “Zuar City is the likely target, but they are not the only ones who need to be warned. We also need to tell the camp here at the channel, and the one at the western border.”

  “We can do the channel camp now,” I said, “but there is no time to do both Zuar City and the western camp together. We’ll need to split up.”

  Decided, the three of us mounted up and flew the rest of the way to the camp. We landed directly outside the stables, drawing the attention of the watch. The stablemaster and several soldiers rushed up to meet us, their eyes widening in anger and amazement when they spotted me and Lessie with the others.

  “Private!” the stablemaster called, jabbing a finger at Rhia. “What are you two doing, traveling with her? Are you aware that she’s a prisoner, and supposed to be headed to the other camp to await court-martial?”

  “She’s not a prisoner,” Rhia said coldly, “and we have more important matters to discuss. Where is the officer in charge?”

  The three of us dismounted, and the two soldiers who’d responded immediately started for me, hard glints in their eyes. They stopped short when Lessie snarled, and the other two dragons moved in, preparing to intercept if necessary.

  “I’d stand back, if I were you,” Rhia said, still using that same cool tone. “And alert whoever has been left in charge of our arrival.”

  “It’s Captain Blaney,” the soldier on the left said stiffly, eyeing the dragons with barely concealed anger. “We’ll take you to him now.”

  The three of us were escorted to Colonel Roche’s office, now manned by the captain. Blaney was a surly man with salt-and-pepper hair and a gut protruding from behind his uniform belt. With him were two dragon riders—one of the two pairs that had been left behind to help defend the camp.

  “What is the meaning of this?” the captain demanded, his bushy brows drawn into a scowl. “I thought you were sent here to augment our dragon rider force. Why have you brought Kenrook with you? I cannot believe she would have already been pardoned.”

  “Never mind Zara’s presence—there are more important issues to focus on,” Rhia said, dismissing the captain’s unspoken accusation with a flick of her hand. “We are here to warn you that a large force is on its way from Zallabar, by way of Dardil. We believe that they intend to strike at Zuar City while the bulk of our force is occupied at the western end of the border.”

  “And how do you know this?” one of the riders, a lieutenant, asked. His eyes glittered with disdain as he looked at me. “Why would any of you three have been sent to Dardil, when we are supposed to stay out of neutral territory?” I had the distinct sense that he and his partner were angry at being left behind here, away from the action, and hated the idea that the three of us, young upstarts in his eyes, had been in the thick of it.

  “They weren’t in Dardil,” I said before Rhia could answer. “I was. I could waste time explaining why, but there’s no time. Zallabar is sending fifty thousand men to attack the heart of the country, and we are defenseless. This is no time to be squabbling!”

  The two riders exchanged glances, their expressions going vacant. I had the distinct sense they were communicating with their dragons, and I hoped our own dragons had relayed the danger to them. Lessie, despite her diminutive size, had a way of convincing other dragons to do what she wanted—back at the academy she’d practically run the show at the stables, and even here, where we were considered the enemy, she’d gotten a few of the dragons to side with her. I suspected it had more to do with the fact that she was female than anything else—with dragon numbers dwindling by the year, females were prized and very rare.

  “Even if what you’re saying is true,” the captain growled, “there is nothing my men can do. There are only forty of us stationed here, not enough to make a difference against a force as massive as the one you described.”

  Nash gave the captain a look of pure contempt but held his tongue. I suspected that the captain and the other soldiers who had been left behind—riders notwithstanding—were either old or lazy, better suited to keeping a lookout on a backwater camp that had little chance of being attacked rather than being sent to the front. It was little wonder that the captain wasn’t being particularly helpful.

  “You may not be able to do anything, Captain,” Rhia said, “but the riders who’ve been stationed here can help us spread the word.”

  “They’ve been ordered to—”

  “We will help you,” the lieutenant interrupted, addressing Rhia. The anger he’d directed at me earlier was gone, his face now set in grim but determined lines. “I will depart immediately for the western border to warn the general, and Durley”—he gestured to his partner—“can go to Zuar City to warn the council and the academy.”

  “Very well, but I think you should take Nash with you, since the route is more dangerous,” Rhia said. I felt a surge of pride as I watched her take command of the situation—it was as if the captain didn’t even exist. “Durley can go to Zuar City, while Zara and I stay behind to warn whoever is out on patrol of the impending attack. The four of us can spy on the advancing army, and once we can confirm their invasion and the direction they are headed, we can report that information to the general.”

  But I shook my head at that. “I would come with you if I was truly needed, but between the six of you everything is covered. Lessie and I aren’t going back to the military until we get a fair hearing.” Although I didn’t know what I wanted to do, truthfully. Should Lessie and I try to follow that ferry and track Salcombe? The guard had given me a rough direction of where it was headed, and I might be able to follow without passing over Dardil, which was undoubtedly hostile territory now.

  “Of course,” Rhia said gently, giving me an understanding look. The captain and the other two riders gave me disapproving looks but didn’t say anything—I suspected they knew they couldn’t enforce Colonel Roche’s orders, and there were more important things to attend to, anyway.

  Finished discussing the particulars, we went our separate ways. The other two riders headed for the barracks to pack their belongings while Rhia, Nash, and I went to the stables to check on our dragons. They were resting comfortably in their stalls, and the stablemaster had fed them. Full and exhausted from our travels, Lessie was passed out in her stall, snoring loudly as she lay belly up on her pile of hay. The sight made me smile, despite everything happening around us.

  Once Nash and the other two dragons had taken off, Rhia took me aside so we could speak privately. “I’m so sorry things have turned out this way,” she said as we walked along the tree line just outside of camp. “You and Lessie truly don’t deserve the way you’ve been treated.”

  “Thanks.” I swallowed against the sudden lump in my throat, exhaustion allowing my emotions to get the better of me. “I wish I could say that all of this is behind me now, but I know it’s not. I’m going to have to face that hearing at some point, and if Tavarian doesn’t come back, I’ll be sent to prison for certain.” Why hadn’t he come back? I wondered, my chest tightening with anxiety. He’d promised he would. Perhaps he had passed by here and, noting that the camp was mostly abandoned, continued on. But I would have thought he’d at least check in at the camp before moving on, and the captain hadn’t mentioned him.

  Rhia sighed. “The truth is, you’ve been thrust into an impossible situation with insufficient training and supervision. Honestly, if Roche thought you were so untrustworthy and incompetent, she should not have sent you into danger. With everything that’s happened, it’s a wonder you’re still alive.”

  “A testament to my skill and prowess?” I said, grinning.

  Rhia smirked. “And maybe a healthy dose of good luck.”

  “In all seriousness, though, lack of training has nothing to do with it,” I said. “After all the training Lord Tavarian gave me and Lessie, we were more than capable of carrying out the jobs we were given. If Roche hadn’t been so prejudiced, and my superiors so set in their ways
, things might have gone a lot differently. But,” I added, forcing myself to let go of the resentment bubbling in my heart, “none of that matters now. Our country is about to be overrun by the enemy.”

  Rhia winced. “Is it really that bad?” she asked. “I know you said fifty thousand men and close to a thousand cannons, but is it possible you miscounted?”

  I shook my head. “I know what I saw. Zallabar’s weaponry is far superior, and our own country has grown sloppy and complacent in their mistaken belief that we’re the most powerful country in the region.”

  “Too true,” Rhia said, and I hated the hopeless look in my friend’s eyes. “I wish there was something more we could do. You were able to convince Traggar to back down by knocking over the right domino. Isn’t there anything similar we can do to get Zallabar to retreat?”

  “Tavarian would know better than me,” I admitted, and felt another pang of longing. Dammit, but I missed the man, even if he did drive me a bit crazy at times. “To be honest, my biggest fear is for the dragons. Yes, we will lose human lives in the war, but the Zallabarians are probably more interested in subjugating us than wiping us out. The dragons, however, they will kill without mercy.”

  “You’re right.” The color leeched from Rhia’s face. “Zallabar will have no interest in taming them, even if they could. Wiping out the dragon race will prove to the world that Elantia has fallen once and for all, and that they are the new power to be feared in the region.”

  “Isn’t there anything we can do about it?” I asked, that horrible image of Lessie’s wings, shredded by cannon fire, rearing up in my mind again.

  “I don’t think so,” Rhia said as we turned around, heading back toward the stables. “I don’t want anything to happen to Ykos either, but this is the price of our privileges as dragon riders. In exchange for our higher status, we must be willing to sacrifice our lives, and the lives of our dragons, when necessary.”

  “I agree, but what is the point if we are going to lose anyway?” I argued. I would happily sacrifice my own hide, even though I’d never had much chance to enjoy the privileges Rhia spoke of, if it meant saving my country, but we were so hopelessly outmatched it seemed a fruitless endeavor. “Throwing away the lives of our dragons when there is no hope of victory is not my definition of ‘necessary.’ If we can’t win this war, then at the very least we must fight to preserve the lives of the creatures who helped bring Elantia its glory and fame.”

  The sound of beating wings had Rhia and me looking up before she could answer. The other two riders who were out on patrol had returned, and I fisted my hands at my sides as I recognized Captain Fosse and his dragon, Mirn. Dammit!

  “What’s wrong?” Rhia asked.

  “The dragon on the left, and his rider, used to be my patrol partners,” I said. “He’s the one who got me reprimanded for saving those sailors who were locked up in the cargo hold on their sinking ship.”

  “Oh, he’s one of those, then?” To my surprise, Rhia smirked. “I bet he’s just thrilled at being left behind.”

  That startled a laugh out of me, and suddenly I wasn’t in such a foul mood. Fosse would have seen this posting as a punishment—he was as ambitious as they came, with no qualms about stepping on others to achieve his goal. That he was left behind to patrol the channel instead of being allowed to fight would chafe terribly.

  “You have a knack for finding the silver lining in things,” I said fondly.

  Rhia smiled. “In a world where every third sentence spoken aloud tends to be a lie, humor is necessary to keep myself from seeing the worst in everybody.” Her smile softened a little. “You’re one of the few people I know who almost never lies, Zara. That’s why I like you so much.”

  I opened my mouth to respond, but Rhia turned her attention back to the riders, quickening her pace to meet them. Truthfully, I didn’t know what to say to that anyway. I’d completely forgotten that Rhia’s talent was truth-telling—she could sense lies the same way I could sense treasure. Or was it the same way? Treasure tended to chime or ring when it was near, but for all I knew Rhia’s sense was more like an alarm. Or maybe it wasn’t a sound at all, but a feeling. Either way, it must be incredibly awkward to know every time someone was lying, even about the simplest things, and I was suddenly grateful that I didn’t have such an ability.

  We made it to the stables just as Fosse and his partner, a petite female with raven hair, dismounted. He smiled at Rhia, no doubt taking in her curvy figure and glossy chestnut hair, but his eyes widened with astonishment when he saw me.

  “Kenrook!” His mouth bowed as he frowned at me. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the western camp? Preferably in a cage?”

  “I am no longer a prisoner,” I said, figuring that Rhia would forgive me for the lie. Or was it a lie? After all, I wasn’t behind bars. “This is Rhiannon Thomas, formerly stationed at the western border. The two of us are here to warn you of an imminent attack.”

  I briefed Fosse and his partner, Xima, on the incoming force from Zallabar. Xima looked concerned, but Fosse laughed in my face. “You can say what you want, Kenrook, but I refuse to believe that after everything you’ve done, Roche would trust you with such information. As for you,” he said, turning to Rhia, “I’ve never met you, and for all I know you’re an imposter.”

  “Fosse!” Xima sounded scandalized. “Surely these two wouldn’t be walking around here, unmolested, if their claims were unsubstantiated. They must have given the captain proof.”

  “The captain is a lazy fool,” Fosse countered.

  “Enough of this,” Rhia snapped. “There’s no time to argue. Durley and Michel have already left for the western camp and Zuar City to warn the general and the council. We agreed that I would stay behind and help the two of you with reconnaissance so we can confirm where the invasion force is headed.”

  “We will do no such thing,” Fosse said icily. “As the ranking dragon rider in charge, I forbid all of you from doing anything until I say otherwise. As for you,” he spat at me, his gaze glittering with cold rage, “it is clear you cannot be trusted. I cannot believe you managed to convince two other riders to fly off to high command without waiting for my orders. I suspect Roche is right, and you are working with the enemy to try and sow panic and confusion amongst our ranks.”

  “Fosse,” Xima said, speaking up after a long period of silence. I could tell from the way her eyes suddenly cleared that she’d been conferring with her dragon, and I hoped he’d confirmed my story with Lessie. “I understand you do not trust these riders, but if there truly is an invasion we can’t afford to sit on our heels and do nothing. At the very least, we should fly east and try to confirm the existence of this army. If they should invade, and it was discovered that we did not lift a finger to help, we will likely be court-martialed ourselves.”

  Fosse scowled, but he seemed to take Xima’s warning seriously. “Very well,” he said. “We will fly out tomorrow after our dragons have had a chance to rest. In the meantime,” he said, jabbing a finger at me, “we must detain Kenrook before she can cause any more trouble.”

  He took a step toward me, and Lessie chose that moment to barrel out of the stables, roaring with anger. I used the distraction to punch Fosse straight in the jaw. His head snapped back from the force of the blow, and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

  On the ground, I thought, and exactly where you belong. The burn in my knuckles was nearly as satisfying as the sight of him laid low. I’d had more than my fair share of being pummeled, bullied, and intimidated these past couple of weeks, and it felt damn good to finally get some of my own back, even if Fosse was only a minor thorn in the grand scheme of things.

  Ignoring Xima’s gaping and Rhia’s smirk, I stepped over the unconscious captain and went to Lessie. “I know you’re still tired,” I said apologetically, “but we can’t stay here.”

  Lessie huffed, nuzzling my side. “As if I would want to stay with these people anyway. Let’s grab my saddle before we forget it ag
ain.”

  “Oi!” Two more soldiers ran up, their weapons drawn. “You can’t just—”

  I spun on my heel to face them. “Unless you want to end up like this guy”—I nudged Fosse’s prone form with my boot—“back off. I’ve had enough of being ordered around by people who couldn’t give a damn about my life or what I have to say.” Dismissing them, I turned to Rhia. “Do you want to come with me?”

  Rhia shook her head. “Someone has to keep a lookout if Fosse isn’t going to do it himself.”

  “We’re not all assholes around here,” Xima said. “I’ll go out on patrol with you. Fosse might outrank us, but we outnumber him.” She gave her partner a disgusted look, and I wondered if he’d treated her like dirt as well.

  “Great.” Rhia smiled, then clapped me on the shoulder. “Now let’s get Lessie saddled up so you can be on your way.”

  15

  With Fosse knocked out, and since I was in no immediate danger of being arrested, I allowed Lessie to sleep a bit longer to recover her strength. She had been willing to scoop me up and fly out immediately, but her exhaustion was bone-deep, and I could feel how sore she was through the bond. Another hour or two of sleep would allow her to repair some of those overworked muscles, so I lay down in the hay with her and snuggled while she slept.

  Despite her weariness, Lessie didn’t stay down for long. A few hours later, she was nudging me awake.

  “Mmm?” I stretched my arms overhead. “What is it?”

  “Mirn has informed me that his rider has awoken,” Lessie informed me. “We should get going now before he makes more trouble for us.”

  Groaning, I stumbled to my feet, then made for Lessie’s saddle, which we’d dumped in the corner. She was already wearing her harness, so it didn’t take much time to get the rest of her tack on. “Where are we headed from here?” she asked as I tightened the straps. “Do you want to continue the hunt for Salcombe?”