Dragon Egg
Jon transported into a forest. A man approached at a dead run, his eyes fixed on the trail under his feet. A bulky knapsack bounced on his shoulder and his hooded cape hung askew. When the man saw Jon, he came to a startled halt. Horror was etched on his sweat-streaked features.
“Wizard!” he gasped, his chest heaving with exertion.
“Going somewhere, Moala?” Jon asked in a deep voice. “Surely you weren’t trying to flee?”
“No, no. I’m on my way to visit an old friend.”
“Where is the key?”
Moala’s face crumpled. “I-I’m not sure.”
“You’ve failed.”
The merchant dropped his sack and fumbled for a pouch at his belt. “Here is your gold, Wizard. It’s all there, in full.” He held out the pouch with trembling fingers.
“I don’t want the gold, I want the key.”
Moala sank to one knee in supplication. “Forgive me. What you seek was traced to the nymphs of the Andresen Waterfalls, but has not been seen since. I’ve done the best I can. Please believe me.”
“I believe you.” Jon reached for the merchant’s hand and drew him to his feet.
“Thank you for your hard work, Moala. You won’t be seeing me again.”
“You’re a truly great wizard, Guinn of the Fox Clan,” Moala said, chortling in relief.
The merchant drew his sleeve across his sweaty face, revealing a spreading black spot in the center of his palm. Oblivious, he retrieved his sack and hastened up the path. Moments later, his footsteps slowed. With a groan, Moala sank to the ground, writhing in pain.
“Wizard, what have you done to me?”
Moments later, his screams echoed off the nearby boulders. The sound was interrupted only by the sound of a wizard transporting away…
Jon jerked awake, a sense of horror radiating from every pore. Although he wanted to pass off his dream as a nightmare, the vanyean seed clutched in his hand told him otherwise. He’d fallen asleep with the lights on again, in the middle of a levitation drill. In fact, several tennis balls were still nudging up against the ceiling. Jon brought them down, stashed the vanyean seed in his crystal box, and stumbled into the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. He shuddered as the merchant’s screams echoed in his ears.
Moala is dead and Guinn of the Fox Clan is a cold-blooded killer.
****
The smell of coffee permeated the house the next morning. Jon found his father enjoying a cup of coffee in the kitchen.
“Dad, Guinn is looking for something called ‘the key.’”
“How could you know that?”
After he related the dream, Jon waited for his father’s reaction. His lips were set in a grim line. “I’m glad you told me.”
“So you believe what I saw was real?”
“Unfortunately, yes. What you described with the black spot is a bit of dark magic called the deathgrip. It’s a kind of deadly magical virus — and one of Guinn’s specialties.”
“Moala’s a dirtbag and everything, but why would Guinn want to murder him?”
“I’m guessing Guinn didn’t want anyone to know what he was looking for,” his father said. “He used Moala, and probably planned to dispose of him all along.”
“Guinn may be heading to the Andresen Waterfalls next. Maybe I should tell Quixoran so he can warn the nymphs.”
“I’ll go talk to him right now.”
Mrs. Hansen and Sela entered the kitchen. Dr. Hansen gave them both a welcoming kiss. “Morning. I’m popping over to talk to my father. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
He disappeared. Jon’s mother flapped her hand to disperse the ozone. “I wish he wouldn’t transport in the kitchen. It takes forever to get rid of the smell.”
While she poured a cup of coffee, Jon fixed a bowl of cereal for himself and Sela. “So tonight’s the Spring Fling,” Mrs. Hansen said. “It almost makes me want to be sixteen again.”
“I can’t wait until I’m sixteen,” Sela said.
The granola Jon was eating suddenly tasted like sawdust. After witnessing a murder, going to a party didn’t seem particularly appealing. His mother glanced at the clock.
“Oops, you’d better go pick up Kira, Jon. I’m expecting Ronny in a half hour. Brett is picking her and Kira up for a day of beauty at a salon.”
“Ooh, can I go, Mom?” Sela asked.
“Sweetheart, that’s a big girl activity.”
Sela’s smile slipped.
“Come me with me, Squirt, so you can see the inside of Castle Ytherium,” Jon suggested. “And after we bring Kira back here, I’ll take you to Dragon Isle a day early. You can meet the new apprentices and visit the baby dragons.”
Wide-eyed, Sela jumped up and down. “Can I, Mom?”
“That sounds like a very good idea.”
****
“Your girlfriend’s in the armory,” drawled Vynn. He glanced at Sela. “No children allowed.”
Sela stared at Jon in shock. “Kira’s your girlfriend?”
“No.” Jon scowled at Vynn. “My friend here is making a bad joke. Let’s go.”
He steered his sister away from the information desk and toward the exit, but Sela balked.
“Hey, don’t I get to see the castle?”
“I don’t have time to show you around, Squirt.”
Her shoulders drooped. “Okay.”
Jon ran his hand over his face, exasperated. Just then, he spied the castle gift shop down the corridor. “I’ve got an idea.” He took his sister into the gift shop and dug his lucky gold piece out of his pocket. “Hang out in here for a few minutes. Buy something if you want. Just don’t go anywhere with anyone, got it?”
Sela made a face. “I’m twelve years old now, Jon. I know all about Stranger Danger.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Jon hastened from the shop. With no time to waste, he transported to the armory the instant he emerged into the open air.
****
As Sela watched the saleslady wrap up her new crystal castle, a United Territories pennant, a pretty embroidered bag and a few other items, she added a paper bag of candy drops to the pile. The lady tucked everything into a hemp shopping bag and gave Sela her change in silver coins.
“If you’re going to eat that candy, dear, you’ll have to step out into the courtyard.”
Sela bit her lip. “If you see my brother, will you tell him where I’ve gone?”
“I’m awfully busy, child.”
The woman nudged a small glass jar in Sela’s direction, full of coins. Although Sela couldn’t read the inscribed rune, she suspected it stood for ‘tips.’ She dropped a piece of silver in the jar and the woman relented.
“I’ll be happy to tell him. Don’t go far.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Sela skipped out into the sunshine and found a bench.
****
Jon materialized outside the armory, startling a soldier nearby.
“Have a care, Wizard!”
“Sorry.”
Inside the armory, Kira was demonstrating how to throw knives. For each of five targets, her blade sank into the exact center. The last one hurtled toward the red circle, but centimeters away it stopped and hung mid-air. The soldiers all gasped, but Kira frowned. Hands on hips, she spun around.
“Jon Hansen of the Dragon Clan, stop that right now!”
The knife fell to the ground with a clatter. Jon stepped forward, a sheepish expression on his face. Kira conferred with her assistant instructor a moment before the class resumed without her. She threaded her way to the back, where Jon was waiting.
“You act like an errant child sometimes.”
“Guilty as charged. Speaking of errant children, Sela is hanging out in the castle gift shop. I can’t leave her long.”
“I’ll get my bag.”
Kira moved toward an overnight bag hanging from a peg on the wall, but Jon beat her to it.
“I’ve got it.”
Kira grabbed him by the arm. “Jon, I can manage.”
“I’ll carry it for you.”
“I’m perfectly capable of carrying it myself.”
“I’m sure you are, but I was raised to be polite.”
“And I was raised to be independent.”
Kira and Jon reached for the bag at the same time.
“Let go, Kira.”
She tightened her grip. “It’s my bag and I’ll take it.”
“This is absurd.” When Jon gave the bag a slight tug, he pulled Kira closer.
“Yes it is. Let go.” She yanked back. The two stood mere inches apart.
“Kira Szul, I’m carrying your bag and that’s the end of it. You’re a woman and I’m a man!”
“Of this I’m well aware, Jon Hansen!”
Their raised voices carried throughout the training room. Soldiers and trainees alike were staring in their direction. Jon gritted his teeth, shouldered Kira’s bag, and jerked his head toward the door. “Come on.”
Kira’s face flushed crimson as she preceded him from the armory.
****
While she sucked on a piece of hard candy, Sela admired the enormous courtyard spread out in front of her. Although open to the elements, the plaza was completely surrounded on all four sides by the castle. Large balconies overlooked the space, which had several raised planters filled with trees and flowers. Food carts served various refreshments, and the fountain in the center provided the soothing sound of trickling water. Castle workers and tourists lounged around stone tables, talking and eating.
Movement drew Sela’s attention to a young boy hiding in the shadows nearby.
“Hello,” she said. “What’s your name?”
“Sprout.”
“You like candy, Sprout?”
“Yeah.”
When he stepped from the shadows, Sela stifled a gasp. The single eye in the middle of his forehead was startling, but the raw, oozing condition of his skin was worse.
“You’re a cygard, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Naw. My father was a cygard. I’m a Cyclops.” He turned to go.
“Wait. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Sela said, offering him the bag. “Here.”
Sprout sidled over to the bench and accepted the candy. Sela examined the boy’s face. The skin reminded her of the bad case of ringworm she’d contracted when she was eight.
“Do those sores hurt?”
“They itch a lot sometimes.”
“Why don’t you have them treated?”
“Cyclops are born this way,” he said, talking around the candy in his mouth. “There’s no treatment.”
Although Sela disagreed, she didn’t say so. “Are you visiting Castle Ytherium?”
“My mother is inside, applying for a job. My father was killed when he worked for Warlord Mandral.”
“How terrible!”
Sprout’s skinny shoulders moved under his threadbare shirt in a semblance of a shrug. Sela was overwhelmed with pity. She touched the child’s wrist, as if the gesture could somehow take some of his pain away. “I hope things get better for you.”
A blue light traveled from her fingertips, up the child’s arm. As Sela stared, the lesions on the boy’s skin shrank until they disappeared.
“Hey, what did you do?” he said, reaching up to feel his face. “I don’t itch anymore.”
She gulped and scrambled to her feet. “Um… I’ve got to go. Keep the candy.”
“What’s your name?”
“Sela. I’ll keep my fingers crossed about your mother’s job.”
Puzzled at the unfamiliar phrase, the young Cyclops began to twist his fingers together and giggle. Her heart pounding, Sela fled into the gift shop just in time to meet Jon and Kira.
“There you are!” He peered at her bulging shopping bag. “I see you spent some money.”
“Oh… yeah, a little. Hi, Kira. Er… let’s go.”
****
When Jon and Sela finally materialized on Dragon Isle, Quixoran was surprised. “I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”
Sela gave him a big hug. “I couldn’t wait ’till then.”
“I brought Sela but I can stay only until this afternoon,” Jon said. “Sela, why don’t you stow your bag in the tree house and find out what Cressidia is doing? Maybe she’ll take you swimming.”
“Oh, boy!”
His little sister dashed off.
Quixoran peered at Jon. “When your father told me about your dream, I transported to Andresen Waterfalls right away. You were right, unfortunately. Guinn had just been there, looking for Lialia.”
“Lialia? Why would Guinn be looking for her in particular?”
“That’s still a mystery, but she is no longer living with the nymphs.”
“He probably won’t believe that.”
“Certainly he doesn’t. Although I have warned them of the danger, many of the nymphs feel they are now safe.”
“He’ll be back.”
“Exactly so.” Quixoran frowned. “Jon, can you think of any reason you should be privy to Guinn’s activities in your dreams?”
Jon hesitated. He was reluctant to give up the vanyean seed, but he’d promised not to take any more risks. “I’m not completely sure, but I had visions about Guinn after I fell asleep with the vanyean seed in my hand.”
Quixoran shook his head. “That can’t be it.”
Jon let out his breath, relieved.
“I confess myself extremely worried. I’m glad you’re here for the rest of the week, where I know you’re safe.”
“I have the dance to attend tonight.”
“Hmm. Well, I don’t suppose you’re in any mortal danger there, but I urge you to hasten your return. I shall not rest soundly until this business has been resolved.” Quixoran’s eyes resumed their usual twinkle. “Since I have you for another few hours, I shall reveal a new training exercise you might regard as awesome.”
“What’s it called?”
“Dragon Egg.”
****
As the apprentices assembled for Quixoran’s activity, Sela came to find her brother. “Cressidia and I are walking over to Dragon Isle Village for the day.”
“I might have to go before you get back. I’ll try to bring you something from the dance if I can.”
“I kinda wish I could see you in your tuxedo.”
“Mom and Dad will take lots of pictures, I bet.” Jon chuckled. “Love you, Squirt.”
“Love you too. Oh, um… can you bring my stuffed ocelot when you come back?”
“You forgot Freckles? Yeah, I’ll bring her.”
“Freckles is a him.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
Sela hurried off to join Cressidia, who was waiting at the path marker. A few moments later, the apprentices followed Quixoran into the garden, where the central rectangle was to be the playing field. Quixoran split them into red and green teams and one person on each team was picked to be the Dragon Egg. Everyone else (dubbed WITs, for wizards-in-training) strapped on bottomless pouches full of red or green spheres that exploded on impact.
“WITs must get their unarmed Egg from one end of the garden to the other. At the same time, the opposing team will try to ‘steal’ the other team’s Egg by hitting him or her with an exploding sphere — using magic.”
Linda raised her hand. “If I’m the Egg, can I use magic?”
“You may, but it’s not obligatory. As long as she or he stays on the playing field, the Egg can run, duck, hide, or use magic to avoid being stolen.”
Jon and Max exchanged a glance.
“This is like paintball,” Jon said.
“Magical paintball,” Max replied. “I could get into this.”
The WITs took turns being the Egg. As the day wore on, Jon agreed with Quixoran — the game was awesome. When Max was the Egg for the red team, Jon and Linda teamed up for an epic ambush. Afterwards, Max dripped green from head to toe. Jon snickered. “This is really satisfying.”
“The pigment comes right off with water,” Ian said.
“Guess you can’t have everything.”