Slowly, he rose up in the air. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time. His heart pounded away as he saw the ground drop away beneath him. He could feel his magic burning through his body. The effort was greater than lifting someone else, but it wasn’t too taxing. He was now about as high off the ground as the second floor roof of the shrine. He had lifted straight up off the ground and then he moved himself forward, toward the shrine. He passed over the golden statue until he was hovering just inches above the roof. He let himself down and felt the strain of exertion drain away, like setting down a heavy object.
He turned around and leaned on the railing of the building, looking at Brianna, who hadn’t moved.
“Did you see that?” he shouted.
She nodded and then smiled.
“Do me,” she said, holding her arms up like a child to a parent.
Zollin reached out toward Brianna, sending his magic to her, but it was as if she wasn’t there. The White Alzerstone hid her from his power completely.
“I can’t,” he said. “You’re wearing the ring.”
“Oh,” she said in disappointment. Then she jogged up to the shrine. Zollin slid down the chute to meet her.
“You could take it off and I’ll lift you up,” he said happily.
“No,” she said forcefully. The tone of her voice surprised Zollin. “That’s okay,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant.
She turned and went toward her room, and Zollin felt as if someone had knocked the breath out of his lungs. He felt weak. He knew he needed to eat and regain his strength, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he and Brianna had just taken a huge step backwards. At least he understood her fear a little better. She didn’t want to take the ring off, at least not around him. She didn’t want him to use his magic on her, or at least she didn’t want to feel vulnerable.
“Brianna,” he said. “We should really talk about —”
He didn’t get to finish his thought. A horn sounded from one of the round towers where Commander Hausey had men stationed to keep watch for the dragon.
“It’s here!” Brianna said.
Zollin didn’t reply, instead he turned and sprinted up the staircase to the roof where he would battle the dragon. His heart was racing. He couldn’t believe the beast was really here. He ran up onto the top of the shrine, Brianna hot on his heels. They looked in every direction, but they didn’t see the dragon. Below them, soldiers still in their robes were running to get into position along both sides of the street. There were men on top of the round towers, but the towers were meant to serve as both lookout and safe haven, not a point of direct attack. The windows in the towers would allow the archers to shoot out of them, but they were too narrow to give the shooters much range.
“Where is it?” Brianna asked.
“I don’t know, but you better get your bow and stay downstairs.”
She grabbed his arm and turned him so that he was looking at her. She looked terrified, and Zollin didn’t know if she was just scared of the dragon or afraid she might not see him again. And then she was kissing him. It wasn’t tentative or sweet, but fierce and passionate. Her hands gripped his arms tightly and she had to stand on her toes to reach him. He stood rigid and surprised, and then she was gone, hurrying back down the staircase to the rooms below.
Zollin could scarcely breathe, but then the horn sounded again. Zollin turned back to look out over the compound and he saw the dragon. It was flying low to the ground and was just topping one of the low hills in the distance. His heart was already pounding from Brianna’s kiss, but now fear traced a skeletal finger down his back. Zollin felt goose bumps popping up on his arms. He immediately raised his defenses. The beast was too far for him to engage. It dropped out of sight into a low valley.
Brianna returned but not with her bow. Instead she had roast fowl, bread, and a large bottle of sweet wine.
“Did you see it?” she asked, looking out over the compound.
“Yes, it’s in a valley a few miles out,” he said, pointing.
“Here, eat while you can.”
Zollin took a bite of the meat she handed him and realized for the first time since he’d levitated up onto the shrine just how hungry he was. He pulled the cork from the bottle of wine and drank from the bottle.
“There it is,” Brianna said. She was enthralled. “It looks like the same one as before.”
“I’m convinced it is. The woman, Bev, said it had wounds on its tail. That would have occurred in the fight at Brighton’s Gate.”
“Do you think it is coming here?” she asked.
“Yes,” Zollin said.
They could see the dragon’s wings flapping now. The beast looked black in the fading sunlight. Zollin could only hope that the soldiers’ weapons could penetrate the dragon’s scaly hide.
“I better go,” she said. “Be safe.”
“I promise,” he said, but the words felt hollow.
The plan was for Brianna to stay down in the reinforced inner room of the shrine. The chutes led straight down into that room, and if Zollin were in danger, he would slide down and join her there. The soldiers were all in position now. Hausey and his officers had replaced the soldiers on the round defensive towers. They had weapons but were there to observe and direct the battle more than to fight the dragon directly. There was only room for two or three people on the tower roofs, and very little cover. If the dragon chose to, he could easily kill one or two of the officers before the rest could get inside their tower and take cover. It was a risk they had to take.
Zollin finished the bread and wine quickly, then he took up his staff and waited for the dragon to come closer. The beast had slowed its pace. Normally Zollin’s head would be spinning from drinking the wine so quickly, but the adrenaline in his bloodstream overcame the wine’s normal effects on him. He had stashed the bottle so that if he needed it again he could get to it quickly. Wine, more than anything, seemed to refresh and strengthen him the fastest. He had half of the bottle left and wanted to be able to get to it quickly if there was a lull in the battle.
Finally the dragon came close enough that Zollin could hear its wings beating the wind as it flew. It made a wide circle around the compound. The troopers were hidden beneath their short wall, waiting on the order to rise up and fire their arrows into the dragon. Zollin hoped again that their tactic would work. His stomach was in knots and his legs were shaking slightly. The magic inside him was churning like a pot of water at a rapid boil. He could see the energy hissing and popping up and down his staff.
Then the dragon swooped in and Zollin made his first move, sending bright flashes of light out over the compound. The dragon turned in midair, refocusing on the rooftop. Then it was coming straight at Zollin, right up the wide street, just as they had hoped it would. Zollin reinforced his defenses, angling the invisible shield so that the beast’s fiery breath would bounce off to one side or the other, not down into the shrine where it might hurt Brianna or damage the building.
Just when Zollin thought the dragon would unleash its deadly barrage, it dove instead. It was coming to crush him between its powerful jaws, rather than roast him alive. Zollin didn’t have a chance to get away, but his shield held. The dragon’s mouth snapped and would have torn him in half, but instead, Zollin was scooped up off the rooftop. Zollin could see the beast’s teeth gnashing against his shields. The dragon’s hot breath made it hard to breathe, and they were moving so fast that Zollin’s head was spinning. The dragon chewed Zollin savagely, furious that it couldn’t get its razor sharp teeth to rip into the human’s soft flesh. It changed tactics suddenly, flying high up into the air and then spitting Zollin toward the ground.
Zollin fought panic as he fell; he wasn’t hurt, but everything was happening so fast his mind was reeling. At first he worked to control his tumble, using his magic to slow his spinning body so that he could keep his bearings. Once he knew with certainty where the ground was, he began slowing his descent. He felt the magic clawin
g at his gut, as if the muscles in his body were about to rip to shreds at the sheer amount of effort he was exerting. Kelvich’s voice sounded in his head, you don’t need physical strength to control your magic, let your mind delve into your magical center and focus.
Zollin had so rarely needed to strain that utilizing his full magical power was foreign. But he needed his strength now. Not only was he falling to his death, but he was a long way from the compound and the dragon was probably already flying back. He closed his eyes, which scared him, but allowed him to focus his mind. The sensation of falling stopped suddenly and then Zollin took off. He was moving back toward the compound. He opened his eyes and saw that he was just above the trees. If getting control of his descent had taken him another second, he would have died or been badly injured.
He didn’t have time to ponder what might have been. He was pushing himself to get back to the compound. He could see the dragon ahead of him, swinging in a wide arc to once again get a bearing on the rebuilt ruins of Ornak. Zollin brought himself down onto the roof of the shrine just as the dragon was dropping down to snatch up the idol that Zollin had built. His heart was racing, but he sent out a blast of power, the blue energy crackled through the air with a pop that sounded like a thunderclap.
The dragon’s reaction was shocking. The beast flipped over in midair and then came crashing down on the steps of the shrine. Zollin wasn’t sure what had happened but dashed over to the edge of the building, and then dove back just as the dragon came crawling up the side. Rocks and debris were crumbling under the beast’s massive weight, and the thought crossed Zollin’s mind that the building might come tumbling down and trap Brianna in the inner room. That room was reinforced in case just such an accident occurred, but Zollin knew it would take days to free her without his help. He needed to get the dragon off the shrine, and he sent another blast lancing out into the twilight at the dragon. The energy wrapped around the dragon’s neck and the beast’s maw snapped shut with a pop that shattered teeth.
When the dragon’s muscles stopped spasming, it opened its mouth and flames came billowing out. Zollin had his shields up, but he couldn’t see anything except the orange flames and the air grew so hot it seared his lungs. As soon as the flames stopped, Zollin pushed his shield forward with all his might, shoving the dragon off the rooftop. The beast flapped its leathery wings to retard its fall and twisted in the air to land on its feet. At that moment there came another horn blast from one of the officers on the watchtowers. At the signal, all fifty of Hausey’s archers stood up and fired arrows at the dragon. Most of the arrows either bounced harmlessly off the dragon’s hide or missed the beast completely, but some hit the dragon’s wings. The arrows either stuck in the thick, leathery wings or punched completely through.
Zollin heard the officers shouting orders to the men, but the dragon didn’t wait. It belched fire at first one side of the street and then the other, but the soldiers were well trained. They saw the attack and took cover, but rose up to fire more arrows when the dragon turned its head. Zollin ran to the ruined edge of the building and, seeing the success of the arrows in the dragon’s wings, blasted the rubble straight down onto the beast. The shattered stone had been broken into small shards. Zollin used his power to direct the shrapnel straight at the dragon’s wings. The blasts hit their mark, tearing gaping holes in the dragon’s wings. The beast had been intent on recovering the gold statue, now it just wanted to escape.
Zollin saw that the arrows weren’t having any effect on the dragon, and he tried waving at the officers to get their attention, but they were too intent on the battle below them. Unfortunately, Zollin knew what was coming, but he could only protect one side of the road or the other. He jumped off the roof and levitated to soften his landing. He was so hot his body seemed to be pouring water. His mouth was dry, but he didn’t have time to worry about it. He threw up a shield to protect one wall, hoping that he had chosen the correct side. The dragon swung his tail to the far side, causing Zollin’s heart to leap up into his mouth, but the beast was merely building momentum. The tail lashed down toward Zollin’s side of the street like a living whip. It would have smashed the stone wall to bits and killed countless soldiers, but Zollin’s shield held. The blow was so strong it knocked Zollin off of his feet. He was dazed, but unhurt. The dragon roared in fury, then whipped his tail toward the other wall, but the soldiers there were already retreating. Most were able to take cover when the rocks and mortar went flying as the tail smashed into the stone wall.
The beast roared in fury, the sound was so loud it shook the ground. Then the dragon leapt into the air, its wings beating furiously to compensate for the ragged holes the arrows and Zollin’s rock blast had caused them. Arrows continued to fly, but most either missed or bounced harmlessly off the animal. A few well thrown spears also hit the mark, but they, too, caused no damage. The dragon’s scaly hide seemed impervious to attack. The soldiers watched the dragon fly into the night sky, until it was only a shadow against the stars.
Chapter 23
The sailors had spent hours mending the sails, but a day after the pirate attack a strong wind split the mainsail in two. The other sails seemed to be holding, but the ship moved much slower. Mansel and Quinn were pacing the deck when a sailor brought them word that the captain needed to see them.
“We must stop and get a new sail,” the captain said. “There is nothing else to be done.”
“But we aren’t at Brimington Bay, are we?” Mansel asked.
“No, signore, Cape Sumbar is the closest port. We shall make for the cape and only be a day or so behind schedule, I think.”
“Do what you have to do, captain,” Quinn said.
They spent the rest of the day lounging and resting. Quinn’s shoulder was sore from the wound he’d taken and although he spent time throughout the day stretching and exercising his arm, the shoulder remained stiff and weak.
They made port just before dark, and some of the crew went ashore. Mansel made sure he had coin and his weapons before joining a small group of men at the ship’s railing who were waiting on a boat to row them to the dock.
“Where are you going?” Quinn asked Mansel.
“I’m going to sleep in a regular bed for the night,” he replied. “Maybe with a little company.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Quinn said. “You may lose your sea legs and get seasick all over again.”
“I’ll risk it,” Mansel said.
“Hey, this isn’t a pleasure cruise, Mansel. I need you here and healthy.”
“I’m only going to shore for the night. I’ll be back first thing in the morning. There is nothing I can do to make getting a sail any faster. Going to shore won’t do a thing to slow us down or make me unfit for the mission.”
“You think being seasick is bad? Try being hungover and seasick.”
“Don’t start, Quinn, I’m not a child.”
“Then stop acting like one.”
“Be careful,” Mansel said in a low voice. “I won’t be ordered about like I’m your subordinate.”
He climbed over the rail and dropped into the boat below. Quinn watched him go, shaking his head in frustration. He knew that Mansel would have to hit bottom before he realized he needed help, so he let the younger man go. Quinn turned and went back into his cabin. It was dark and gloomy inside, but it fit his mood. There was only a slight breeze in the shelter of the harbor that night and the humidity was high. He poured himself a cup of wine and tried to get comfortable in his hammock. He knew he was in for a long night.
* * *
Mansel was furious. He couldn’t believe Quinn was still trying to tell him what to do. He tried to focus on the fun he was planning to have on shore, but he couldn’t shake Quinn’s disapproving look. He loved Quinn; the carpenter had been like a father to him. When Quinn and Zollin were forced to flee Tranaugh Shire, Mansel knew instantly that he wanted to go with them. He and Quinn had lived together, worked together, and fought together
now for nearly a year. He hadn’t minded Quinn directing him when they had worked on projects like rebuilding the Gateway Inn, but it made him seethe that Quinn always wanted to make every decision on this mission or that he tried to keep Mansel from having any fun along the way.
When the boat bumped gently against the dock, Mansel was the first person ashore. At first it felt like the ground was rising and falling just like the ocean, but he soon overcame his shaky legs and found a promising looking inn. Cape Sumbar was a large city built around the port. There were buildings and farms surrounding the city, which consisted of a large market and many inns where a man could find any form of entertainment he wanted. Mansel was interested in finding a place with good food, rich ale, and pretty women to serve it to him.
He went inside the closest inn and found a large common room. There were windows high up on the walls that were propped open to let in the breeze from the ocean. Lamps were lit around the room, but the breeze caused the lights to flutter, and so the room seemed alive with shifting light and shadows. There were four long bench tables where men sat. There were a few sailors, but most of the occupants were merchants. The first maid Mansel saw was a buxom woman with an open-necked dress that left her shoulders bare. She flashed him a smile and he decided to settle in for the night.
Five Kingdoms: Books 01, 02 & 03 Page 99