Spears' Challenge (The White Dragon Series Book 2)

by Bonnie Watts

  “Good morning you two. How’s everything going?”

  “Just fine, my Lady, why do you ask?” Cirwin snaps. I’ve never heard him snap at anyone but Liam, and this is a first for me. It’s like this new kennelmaster has him all prickly and off balance. Hmmm. Demons are immortal just like elves. Maybe something is happening between the two of them that would normally be unheard of in the seeley courts and the Hell dimension. After all, the demon has the primary qualification for Cirwin. She loves dogs.

  “I was just wondering how everyone settled in last night.”

  Celeste answers, which makes sense, as they are her people. “The Hellhounds and their bond-mates had a fairly good night, considering they were in a strange place. No alpha fights at all. The Grand Duke has given us a comfortable place to lay our heads.”

  Slayer and Celeste’s Hellhound female appear right then from traveling the void. The female has long reddish-black fur, weighs about six hundred pounds by my guess, with soulful blue eyes. Unlike a lot of the hounds, she glows with good health. Her bond-mate obviously has taken good care of her. My Chief brownie has been beside himself trying to fatten up the malnourished hounds. I will have an army of overweight hounds if Liam has his way.

  “This is your Hellhound? She’s beautiful! What’s her name?”

  “Salanthe.” Pride shows in the demon’s face as she looks at her dog.

  I reach my hand out to the Hellbitch, letting her sniff me.

  White Dragon! Salanthe greets you.

  “She spoke to you! I heard it too. None of our dogs have ever been able to mind-speak anyone other than their bond-mates before!”

  “Salanthe, could you mind-speak to others than your bond-mate before this?” I ask.

  Of course. But we not wish to unless it is necessary. The White Dragon is top Kennelmaster, so we speak to her.

  “Slayer, can you speak to me too?”

  A deep and reverberating mind voice responds. Yes. Slayer speak to White Dragon. White Dragon saved Slayer. Slayer grateful.

  I look up at the two dog trainers in surprise. “Did you two get that?”

  Cirwin’s face is lit up in surprise and pleasure. “I did, my Lady. I heard both hounds’ words.”

  “Celeste?”

  “I heard them also. Do you know how long we’ve been trying to breed that trait into them? Several millennia.”

  She asks her dog, “Salanthe, why didn’t you talk to others before?”

  The Hellbitch shows all of us a look of disdain that reminds me of Beauty.

  Did not want to. Was not safe with other Kennelmasters. Hurt us.

  No one will hurt you here, and if I can help it, no one will ever do it again. I think back at her.

  “Well, it seems that the Hellhounds have been keeping secrets.”

  “Yes, my Lady, it does seem that way!”

  Right then, Celeste notices Beauty coming over to us. “Is that one of the seeley queen’s dogs?”

  I pick Beauty up to show her off to the demon.

  “She sure is, though Beauty is a queen herself. My littlest general has all of us wrapped around her paws, that’s for sure.”

  Celeste reaches out and pets the little terrier. For once Beauty allows the caress, even going so far as to lick the demon’s hand in approval.

  “I think she likes you, Celeste. Usually she doesn’t let strangers pet her.”

  “She has taste, Lady Dragon-Spears, you can’t fault her for that. When do you want to meet to discuss the use of my hounds?”

  “We can do that anytime you and Cirwin want. In fact, now is fine for me, if you two have time?”

  “Of course, my Lady.”

  “Now will be fine for me as well, Lady Dragon-Spears.”

  We head back in the house to the living room. Lucifer appears in front of us, somehow realizing that I want him with us.

  I start petting my Familiar.

  “Celeste, you’re the one with the most experience in void travel. How do you think we can best patrol the place to create maximum coverage? Our goal is to get advance warning when our enemies the super mages come through to our world.”

  The succubus pets Beauty thoughtfully, finally looking up at me.

  “I think that the best approach will be to have the Hellhounds and their bond-mates patrol on the borders of our world. The void is too vast for only forty-two hounds to cover it without a lot of area being left out.”

  Lucifer looks over at Beauty then back to us.

  Beauty says that if it were magic terriers doing the patrolling, forty of her kind would be more than enough to cover the whole void.

  “How would Beauty do it, to have that much coverage, Lucifer?

  She says that she would have the terriers jump positions to where they can still see the last jump point, following regular paths.

  I look at Celeste, who has heard Lucifer’s words.

  “That is actually a brilliant strategy, my Lady. I’m ashamed it took a dog the size of a purse to suggest it instead of me.”

  Beauty says that you shouldn’t judge her by her size.

  “For her ally is the force? She sounds like Yoda in Star Wars.” I grin.

  Beauty says that she will forgive you for the slight of comparing her to a little green man.

  My mouth drops open. “You mean she knows of Star Wars? You’re kidding!”

  Cirwin says rather reprovingly, “We have dvd players in the seeley Underhill, my Lady. We are not archaic barbarians.”

  “I didn’t mean to imply that, Cirwin. It is just hard to imagine the elves liking Star Wars.”

  “When you live for thousands of years, you need many ways to ease the boredom. Movies from the Human world are one of our ways to do that.”

  “I guess so. Well, so we’ll do what my general suggests, right?”

  “When do you want us to start the patrols, Lady Dragon-Spears?”

  “Please, call me Jerrie. We need to wait until we destroy the enemy witch. I want to take the Hellhounds with me to fight him, in case he’s created an army of zombies, if you don’t mind?”

  “I hate to risk them, but I think you’re right, you might need them to fight.” Celeste reluctantly agrees.

  “So we’ll take the Hellhounds and their bond-mates with us to Belgium in case we’re dealing with an army. Except for Slayer, of course. I don’t want him to have to kill again.”

  Slayer goes where the White Dragon goes. No leave Slayer behind no more.

  We all look at the huge Hellhound in surprise.

  “Your mind is still healing, Slayer. I don’t want to risk it.” I plead with him.

  Slayer go with Bond-mate to protect White Dragon. No more talk.

  Lucifer spoke again. Beauty says that Slayer goes, or bad thing happen. Royal Petter will not argue anymore!

  “Royal Petter, huh? Quite a step down from White Dragon.” I smile at my littlest general. “Well, I guess we’ve been given our marching papers. Cirwin, you and Slayer are coming with us from now on.”

  Beauty says that two-legs must know their proper places in the pack structure, especially the males. They get too uppity if not reminded.

  We all start laughing at that comment. Beauty did indeed put everyone in her court in her perception of their places.

  “I think this is really Beauty’s court, not the White Dragon’s.”

  Beauty says it took you long enough to figure that out.”

  We really crack up after we hear that droll comment. As usual, Beauty has had the last word.

  I pass on our plan to my Consorts and Fred and Tor, who seem to think it is a good one.

  I look at the soul-singer and the Founder. They are so different from each other, yet they fit well together despite that. The love radiating from the two of them is a life-bond, the strongest one I’d ever felt before. It had to be, for the love to have survived for so long.

  “Tor, I thought I was going to have to heal you some more today, but I sense you are fine. How do you feel?”
/>
  “I feel great, Jerrie! My body had lived with the pain from the cancer for so long before I was put into the sword, and now to be human, pain-free and strong again is like heaven to me. You do good work, White Dragon!” He smiles at his zombie lover.

  Tor is a real hottie in his body. He has wonderfully expressive eyes the color of a deep glade in a forest of pines. His eyelashes are so thick and long they are wasted on a man. I’d known some women who’d kill for those eyelashes alone. Throw in his pale porcelain skin and tall slender build and you have a gorgeous package of a gay man.

  Fred looks the same as he did in his pocket of the otherworld. Like a professional wrestler crossed with a grizzled middle-aged lion, that is the Founder. He still hasn’t forgiven me for threatening to take control of him. I still haven’t forgiven myself, either. I wish I could bring him back to life for real, instead of keeping him in this zombie state.

  I send healing and maintenance magic into him to keep his body warm and healthy.

  He blinks when I do it, then sighs. “Thank you, Jerrie. I was starting to feel uncomfortably cold.”

  “You’re welcome, Sir Frederick.” I turn to Tor again. “Tor, do you think you’re feeling well enough to head back to Belgium tomorrow?”

  “Yes. My magical strength is topped out after your excellent healing yesterday. I just needed rest and food to fill the tanks.”

  “Good. My magic needs to have a few more hours to recuperate. By tomorrow I’ll be at peak strength. So is everyone agreed that we go tomorrow morning?”

  Everyone nods.

  “Good. Then we’ll muster tomorrow at seven in the morning. Okay?” They all nod.

  “Tor and I will be in the middle of the hounds, though after he traps the witch in his soul song, I’ll need to move to within twenty feet of our enemy to try to heal him. The biggest risk is if he’s able to pull out of Tor’s trap. Then we will need to try to physically take him down. Let’s just hope that won’t be necessary.”

  I stand up, signalling that the meeting is over. We all scatter to make what preparations we can. I stuff myself on the brownies’ good food, then adjourn to my bedroom with Jeff not long after dinner. I want to spend what could be the last night of my life with my lover. Our passion is strong, and both of us fall into a deep sleep in each other’s arms afterwards.

  -14-

  We eat a big breakfast in the morning. The brownies have outdone themselves to make the meal memorable for us. Liam is coming with us, but the rest of team brownie is staying here, since normally his people aren’t much for fighting in an army without turning into bogarts.

  There is a knock on the door after we finish eating. I go with Dragon to see who our visitors are.

  My mouth falls open at the sight of over sixty Hobgoblins and one dwarf in the group in front of me.

  “Roc? What is this?”

  “You fight enemy. We fight with you, protect White Dragon!”

  I look at Avalon’s supply manager. “Oraghuht, you too?”

  “Aye my Lady. You don’t think I’d let this big lump risk himself without standing by his side to shield his hard head do you?”

  The funny thing is that there are female hobgoblins in the mix. They are almost as large as their male counterparts, and more ferocious-looking.

  I can’t say no to them.

  I step forward. “It will be an honor to fight at your sides, my friends.”

  Roc straightens his posture in pride at my words. “The hobgoblin community of Avalon is proud to be of service to the White Dragon. We pledge our bodies to ensure you are protected from this witch who killed your family, and any other enemy!”

  A lot of the army in front of me nod their heads, agreeing with him. Recognising by now an oath of fealty, I answer, “The White Dragon accepts this service, and pledges my love and loyalty to the hobgoblin community and you, Oraghuht, for as long as life is in me.”

  This time, the gong of magical contract is loud enough to be heard all the way into the real world. The island shakes so bad it is all I can do to remain standing. Dragon, who is behind me, puts his arms around me to keep me on my feet.

  He murmurs in my ear, “The White Dragon magic is working again.”

  I nod to agree. I turn to my kennelmaster. “Celeste, do you think your hounds can bring a few more warriors along with them?”

  “It would be our pleasure, my Lady.”

  It took another hour to get everyone situated and assigned a Hellhound. Finally we are ready to head out.

  “Let’s go, people.” I say over the din of weapons clanking and soldiers talking. To myself, I think, Please, God, don’t let many of them be hurt.

  Lucifer hears my thoughts, of course.

  We are warriors of the White Dragon. Injuries come with service. You heal after. It is our choice. Do not cry over us, be glad we end as we choose!

  It’s hard for me. I’m still a healer at heart, Lucifer.

  No, you are White Dragon! Think like one!

  I will. Thank you.

  We arrive at the camp of the Knight Protectors, who Jeff had notified we were coming.

  I see Order General Borger, whose mouth is hanging open at the sight of the army in front of him.

  “Order General, I need you to assign your men each to a hobgoblin. Their magic resistance will help shield your Knights from getting their powers sucked out of them.”

  Pulling his eyes away from the hobgoblins, he nods. “Aye, Lady Dragon-Spears.”

  He turns and orders his people, numbering about a hundred, to join the hobgoblin army.

  Jeff asks me, “Do you sense him, Jerrie?”

  “Yes, I feel him. It’s like my mind is saturated with raw sewage. I also perceive the hundreds of zombies with him. They are about a mile and a half away from us now.”

  “So we must fight them before we kill their maker.”

  “Sure.” I hear the sadness in my voice. “We have to destroy his shield. I could send the rotters back where they came from, but that would take all my magic. Even using it all, I might not be a stronger necromancer than him. Who knows how many necs he’s killed and absorbed their powers by now. I’ll need every drop I’ve got to spell him later.”

  Borger growls at me, “This is the type of fighting my people have prepared for their entire lives, Lady Dragon. Don’t waste your resources. We’ll take care of it.” He waves to encompass all of my army, including them all in his gesture.

  But at what cost, I wonder?

  “I bow to your authority, Order General. Command us.”

  Fred clears his throat in a pointed way. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to leave you out, Founder.”

  Borger grins as he looks at the army again. “Founder, you take charge. You’re such an aged gentleman who has much more battle experience with rotters than I do, considering you are one.”

  “Borger! That’s rude.” I snap.

  He smiles at me again, golden eyes twinkling.

  “Stating a fact isn’t rude, Lady. He knows how to do this, command a multi-racial army against zombies. After all, he did it against the zombie hoard of Kelos the Necromancer, among others. I don’t have that experience.”

  “It’s all right, Lady Jerrie. I’ll ignore this young pup’s comment.”

  Fred flashes a chilling smile at his Second, amethyst eyes hard.

  “I will take it out of his hide later, once we finish cleaning up this filth.”

  I can’t believe it, but Borger shoots an impudent grin at Fred. This guy is bonkers! Teasing Sir Frederick is like baiting a lion.

  “I look forward to you trying, Founder.”

  “Enough, Borger!” I turn to our leader. “Where do you want me and Tor?”

  “How close do you need to be, Torry, to do your soul-singing? It’s been so many years since I’ve watched you do it as a human, I can’t remember.”

  “As long as I am in line of sight, I can do it from a maximum of a hundred yards. I need to be above the army so I’ll be able to s
ee him.” He looks at me. “You should move in on him after I start soul-singing him, okay Jerrie?”

  “Sounds good, Tor.”

  Fred checks out the terrain. Finding what he’s looking for, he points. “You two, with Slayer, Lucifer, Cirwin, Roc, Oraghuht, Dragon, and Siniocor, move over to that hillock. That will give Torlean his line of sight and be close enough for the White Dragon to head out when the time is right.”

  We follow our instructions and go over to the little grassy knoll. I appreciate Fred’s choice for our position. This is high enough to see the battle, yet enables me to move fast when I need to get near enough to use my magic.

  After about a half hour, the odor of zombies gives alert to the approaching rotter army.

  My Familiar startles me with a loud sneeze.

  Lucifer not like smell! Burns Lucifer’s nose.

  Silence. Dead things coming! Pup, get behind Slayer.

  Lucifer meekly does as he’s told, acknowledging the superior experience of the older Hellhound.

  White Dragon, go behind us and warriors. Must keep safe.

  “Slayer, I can’t stay there for long. I need to move fast when the time comes.”

  Slayer’s big head turns, his now crimson eyes glaring balefully at me. And I thought Fred’s stare was scary! He doesn’t hold a candle next to Slayer.

  White Dragon must stay safe! Do as Slayer says. Pup, take her away if she is in danger. No stop to think. Obey Slayer.

  Lucifer obey alpha.

  “Hmph. You sound just like Beauty, Slayer. I must say that it’s not an improvement.”

  “Do as he orders, Jerrie. He’s been in more large scale battles than all of us put together.”

  I glance at Jeff. “I plan to follow his instructions. But you all need to be ready to move when the time comes.”

  Cirwin breaks his silence to suggest, “Instead of running through the battlefield, why don’t we have the hounds transport everyone? That will take the risk of a stray sword catching you almost completely away.”

  Houndmaster smart. Make it so.

  Jeff and I grin at each other over hearing Captain Jean-Luke Picard’s favorite saying coming from a Hellhound.