by Nathan Roden
“I told you, lady; we’re leaving. It’s been a long day—”
Magdalena lowered her hood. She shook out her hair.
The seated man bolted to his feet and backhanded his friend across his chest.
“We can give the boy a few minutes. Get a pole, Jonesy. And some bait.”
Jonesy returned with a pole and a coil of rope.
“We’re gonna tie a rope around your waist—so’s we can keep you from falling in. You know—in case you land a big one.”
Jonesy handed Caleb the pole and stepped back.
“Keep your feet apart, son. And if you feel too much of a tug, just let go. We got lots of poles.”
Magdalena led Caleb to the edge of the dock. The men stayed a few steps behind and tried not to get caught staring at Magdalena. Magdalena stood to Caleb’s left side, holding his left arm at the elbow.
The end of the pole dipped.
“I got one!” Caleb cried.
Jonesy braced himself against the rope.
“Bring him in, boy!”
Caleb began to laugh. He pulled up on the pole. It bent so far that Magdalena readied for it to snap in two.
“Whoa!” the fishermen cried.
“That’s too much fish, boy!” Jonesy yelled. “Let it go!”
Caleb heard nothing the men said. He laughed even louder and jerked the pole over his shoulder. Jonesy felt the rope go slack. He pulled on the rope and stepped toward Caleb. His foot slipped and his knee hit the dock hard. He screamed and let go of the rope. His other foot slipped and he went sprawling to the dock. His feet knocked the feet out from under the other man. They tried to get up but the dock was too slippery.
Caleb gave a final whoop of laughter and jerked on the pole again. Jonesy looked up as a huge flash of gray exploded out of the water and landed between him and the other fisherman. They screamed and scrambled to get away from the teeth of the seven-foot-long shark.
Magdalena took the pole from Caleb. Caleb freed himself from the rope. Magdalena offered the pole to Jonesy, who was still staring wide-eyed at the shark thrashing about on the deck.
“Your pole, my Lord.”
“He’s a big one, yes?” Caleb asked.
Jonesy nodded.
“Yeah. A really big one.”
“What kind of fish is it?” Caleb asked.
The fisherman’s lip quivered.
“Sh-sh…shark.”
Caleb laughed and clapped his hands.
“A shark? Really?”
Caleb threw his arms around Magdalena and hugged him tightly. Magdalena blinked and bit her lip, fighting back tears.
“Thank you, my Lady! This was wonderful!”
Jonesy cut the line. The shark thrashed again and slid into the water. He held out the pole.
“You’re quite the fisherman, son. You’re welcome to keep the pole.”
“Thank you, but we’re traveling light,” Magdalena said. “You have been very kind.”
The men shuffled their feet and blushed.
Magdalena and Caleb walked up the hill, hand-in-hand. The fisherman watched them go.
“I don’t believe it,” Jonesy said. “You and me together couldn’t have landed that monster. That shark weighs more than the boy does! And he pulled it out of the water like it was a minnow.”
“How did he do that?” the other man asked.
Jonesy scratched his head.
“I think….”
“I think I need a drink.”
Twenty-Eight
Darkness fell over the village. The streets emptied of people. Magdalena led Caleb from shadow to shadow, ending up behind Islemar Castle.
“It is likely they are hidden here,” Magdalena said quietly.
“We are at the rear entrance to the dungeon. The door is large and looks quite heavy. I doubt we can open it with our strength alone.”
“I understand, my Lady,” Caleb said.
Magdalena led Caleb to the door. Caleb put his hand against it. His chin fell to his chest.
“It is no use. They are not here.”
“We need to look anyway,” Magdalena said.
Caleb raised his hand. The heavy lock fell to the ground. The door moved an inch. It moved another inch with a metallic, grating sound.
Magdalena saw movement to her side.
She jumped at the sound of a gruff voice.
“Don’t move another muscle.”
Magdalena wrapped her arms around Caleb and pulled him close.
Two burly old men with long gray beards pointed their swords.
“There’s no need to break into that dungeon,” one of the men said. “Viceroy Lamont will be more than happy to give you your own cell.”
“Turn around,” the other man said. “We’ll let the castle guards do the honors.”
Caleb raised his hand. The men’s swords flew from their hands and clattered against the castle wall. The men growled and swore.
“Bloody witches.”
They charged toward Caleb and Magdalena, drawing their daggers.
And then they heard a sinister growl behind them. The men froze in their tracks. They held their daggers in front of them and turned.
The daggers burst into flame. The men cried out and dropped them.
“Witches. And wolves!” The man looked at Magdalena. “Are you going to stand there and let the beast tear us apart?”
Caleb lowered his hood.
“I’m not a witch.”
The men looked at each other, puzzled.
“And I’m not a wolf,” Tanner said. He walked to Magdalena’s side.
The men spun around.
“Where did the bloody wolf go?”
Magdalena lowered her hood.
“We are not enemies of Islemar. We are friends—and allies, of Nicholas Lamont.”
“Friends,” a man said. “What kind of friends try to break into a man’s home under cover of darkness?”
Magdalena said nothing.
“If you be friends of Lord Lamont, then tell me where he is.”
“He’s in the south.”
“What is his business in the south?”
“I cannot say,” Magdalena said.
The man chuffed and spat on the ground.
“You cannot say. Of course not.”
The man leaned forward.
“We can yell for the guards and they’ll be here in seconds. Do you intend to strike us dead? What about Lamont’s guards? Will you turn your magic against his men?”
“Lord Lamont would not want me to disclose his business,” Magdalena said.
“Then tell me this, Witch—who else is with Lamont?”
Magdalena’s jaw worked but she could not make herself speak.
“Nothing,” the man muttered. “So be it. We’ll leave it to the guards to find out—”
“Sir Edmund Braun,” Magdalena blurted out.
The man looked at his friend. He pointed.
“This boy. Is his name Caleb?”
Magdalena’s eyes widened.
“How did you know that?”
“Great Vehaillion’s ghost,” the man whispered.
The men bowed their heads.
“I am Sir Gregory Beasley.”
“And I am Sir William Wood.”
“We served with Edmund Braun under Vehaillion and Vonedor. Edmund visited us in Marcelo only days ago.”
“Why are you here in Islemar?” Magdalena asked.
“We learned of the queen’s arrest. Edmund told us that Lamont was in the south to raise an army. We feared for Lady Lamont’s safety,” Sir Gregory said.
“We must act quickly to establish an army here. We cannot risk having Sterling take Islemar,” Sir William said. “When they learn of the destruction of the border camp, I’m afraid that will be their first order of business.”
“Have you spoken to Lady Lamont?” Magdalena asked.
“No. We only arrived today. We plan to speak to Captain Finn first.”
“C
aptain Finn is not here,” Magdalena said. “Neither is Lieutenant Winston.”
The knights traded a glance.
“Lamont left the village without officers?”
Magdalena shook her head.
“It was not Lamont’s decision for Finn and Winston to leave. They were forced to help the queen escape from the giant.”
Sir Gregory pushed his palms against his temples.
“The giant. Edmund mentioned a giant. A giant wizard if I remember correctly.”
“That’s right,” Magdalena said.
“What did this giant want with the queen?” Sir Gregory asked.
“The giant was looking for me,” Caleb said. “He is able to track those who use magic.”
Sir Gregory sighed.
“This giant. Edmund said Sterling brought him here to capture and kill the Morgenwraithe boy; the one who became a dragon.”
“Yes,” Magdalena said.
“We met this dragon.”
“Oh?”
“We were only together for a few minutes,” Sir Gregory said. “And I don’t mind telling you that hearing a dragon speak like a man is difficult. But Lamont and Sir Edmund support the boy’s claim to the throne. Meeting him did nothing to convince me otherwise.”
“That’s all well and good, Gregory,” William said. “If the boy’s curse can be broken. All that means nothing unless we can defeat Sterling’s army. If we do that, we can give the throne to Lamont. That’s what most people want to happen. It’s sure an easier sell than asking people to fight in the name of a dragon.”
“Right is right, William,” Gregory said.
“Right matters little when you’re dead.”
“If we had listened to Edmund and stood up to Vonedor, we wouldn’t have been facing this now, William—and you know it.”
Sir Gregory looked down.
“We were cowards. And where did it get us? We let two more generations of wicked men have their way. And now the fight is on the verge of impossible.”
“For mere men and women, it is impossible,” Caleb said. “But we are not mere men and women. We have magic—and we have dragons.”
“And a noble and rightful king to rule the kingdom when we are done,” Tanner said.
Gregory stared at Tanner.
“Who the hell are you?”
Twenty-Nine
Simon hovered above the harbor. Sir Edmund guided Papa alongside.
“Do you see the watchtower?” Simon asked.
Sir Edmund squinted.
“I’m not sure. There are no lights.”
“It is rarely used,” Simon said. “You’ll be able to see it when you get closer. There are two bastions and a wall of battlements to provide cover and allow you to look down on much of the village.”
“Excellent,” Sir Edmund said. “Lead the way.”
Simon stared at the tower. He could see the structure clearly. He thought back to his first visit there—the night he met Jaclyn. He thought of the night he returned there and left his note—the night when he left no doubt about his feelings for the girl he could never have. The girl who was the queen of the realm and married to his younger brother.
You are being foolish.
The time for living in the past and dreaming of things that will never be—that time is over. There is no yesterday. There is only today. And tomorrow.
“Simon?” Sir Edmund said.
“You don’t need my help,” Simon said. “I’ll meet you back at the clearing, to wait for the others.”
Simon landed in the clearing. He fell asleep moments later. He woke to the sound of Magdalena’s voice.
“Stay calm, Simon. We have visitors.”
Simon bolted to his feet, his wings spread.
Gregory and William cried out.
“That will take some getting used to,” Sir Gregory said.
“Sir Gregory,” Simon said.
“Yes. And Sir William Wood,” Gregory said.
“What are you doing here?” Simon asked.
“We learned of the queen’s arrest,” Sir William said. “We weren’t sure whether Lord Lamont knew of it.”
“We came to protect Lady Lamont,” Sir Gregory said. “But that’s not the only reason.”
“You came to secure the village,” Simon said.
“Aye,” Gregory said. “If Sterling takes Islemar and the ports, we have little hope of victory.”
“A wise decision, my Lords,” Simon said.
Gregory looked around.
“Edmund is here?”
“He’ll be back soon,” Simon said. “He and Papa are having a look at the village.”
“Papa?”
“Papa is also a dragon,” Caleb said. “He is a friend of Sir Edmund’s.”
“Ah, yes,” Gregory said. “Edmund said there were other dragons.”
A dark shadow passed over them.
“Blessed Mother of—” Sir William whispered.
Papa landed and Sir Edmund slid from his back.
“That’s a big dragon,” Gregory said.
Simon stretched himself.
“I’m still growing.”
“I thought you didn’t want to get any bigger,” Magdalena said.
Simon folded his wings.
“I cannot argue against what is. And if it helps our cause, then so be it.”
Papa bared his teeth. A low, sinister growl made Gregory and William take a few steps back.
Sir Edmund chuckled and patted Papa’s jaw.
“Relax, my friend. These are some old friends of mine—even older friends than you are.”
“So, where are Sara and Ezekiel?” Simon asked.
“They are not here,” Caleb said, sadly.
“Not here?” Simon said.
“They’re not in the castle,” Tanner said. “Or anywhere near it.”
“He would know,” Gregory said. “He has a nose like a wolf.”
“There is only one person in the village who knows where the children are,” Magdalena said. “Lady Lamont.”
Magdalena turned to go.
“You’re going to speak to her now?” Gregory asked.
“We will have to leave this place under cover of darkness,” Magdalena said. “And we don’t yet know where the children are. Lady Lamont must be told to expect the dragons so that she can warn her people. It would be better if she heard that from Simon.”
“We have no more time to waste.”
Thirty
Lord Sterling opened one eye. His head swam from the last night’s drink.
“This had better be important. Very important.”
“Yes, My Lord,” the nervous servant boy said.
“A scout from the border supply team has returned. The border camp has been destroyed, My Lord. Burned to the ground. There is no one left alive.”
Sterling swung his feet to the floor. He steadied himself.
“Alert Captain Raynard.”
“Shall I ask him to come—”
Sterling shot to his feet.
“Don’t be stupid, boy! Go!”
“Yes, My Lord!”
The boy ran from the room. When he turned the corner he ran headlong into Dathien. Dathien growled and cursed an unknown word. The boy scrambled out of the giant’s way against the wall. Dathien continued to Sterling’s room. Sterling struggled with his trousers.
“What is it now?” Sterling snarled without looking up.
“The boy is gone,” Dathien said.
“What boy?”
“The boy who conspires with the little queen.”
Sterling halted.
“That’s impossible. What are you talking about?”
Dathien’s eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared. He leaned close to Sterling’s face.
“I went to the dungeon yesterday to interrogate the prisoners. I went there again, only minutes ago. The boy…IS…GONE.”
Sterling began to pace.
“Impossible. The guards said nothing—I did not author
ize you to interrogate them!”
“The queen in bonds will bring the dragon to me. The little soldier boy was useful for forcing the queen to talk. And you’ve allowed him to escape.”
“I have allowed nothing!”
Sterling pulled on his sword belt and stormed from the room. Raynard met him in the hall. Sterling did not stop.
“Stay here. I will be right back.”
Sterling stormed into the dungeon, followed by frightened guards. He stood in front of Jaclyn’s cell. She was asleep, or pretending to be.
“Get up!” Sterling growled.
Jaclyn rubbed her eyes. She pushed herself to a seated position with some difficulty.
“Who let him out?” Sterling asked.
“I don’t know,” Jaclyn said. “I woke up, and he was gone. I saw nothing, and I heard nothing.”
Sterling left without another word, returning to his quarters.
“I’ve ordered the men to assemble,” Raynard said.
“The squire has escaped,” Sterling snapped.
“That’s impos—”
“Of course it’s impossible! Without magic!”
“You think the sorceress did this?”
“She is not in her home,” Sterling said. “And has not been for some time. The sorceress is unaccounted for. Lamont is unaccounted for. This situation is beginning to smell—”
Lucien walked into the corridor.
“Is it true? About the border camp?”
“Of course it’s true!” Sterling snapped. “The camp and its men—burned to the ground. Lamont has been missing for days and the bloody dragon hasn’t been seen for weeks!”
“If the dragon hides in the south I will find him—” Dathien said.
“You are not going anywhere!” Sterling said. “You said it yourself, Wizard. The dragon will come for the queen.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Lucien asked.
Sterling stormed in front of Lucien, forcing Lucien to step back.
“Your squire has escaped. What do you know about this?”
“Escaped?” Lucien said. “That’s impossible! No one has ever escaped our dungeon. Where were the guards?”