Chapter 19

A few weeks after their return with the crown, the first real cold wave hit. Fireplaces were running all over the keep and people were banding together to share supplies. Everyone said it. The first snows were expected within days.

Duran strode into what had been renamed as Kierei’s barn, Remy flying to land within the rafters. Builders had come in and widened a bedding stall for him so he could comfortably stretch out his wings and tail. Every effort had been made to keep him safe and warm, to help him heal. “Morning, Kierei. How are you feeling?”

The dragon’s head rose from his nest of straw and he snorted. Duran smiled. “I’m sure you’re getting restless. Would you like to go for a walk? See how your wing feels today after I look?”

Kierei nuzzled at Duran’s hip, letting him know it was okay. Without Grayson to act as translator they’d all learned a way of communicating with the dragon.

Before he poked at the wing, Duran stepped back and narrowed his focus, judging the amount of pain he was suffering by pulling on the planet’s energies to reveal the dragon’s layered magic to his sight. The bubble of undulating colors in blues and purples was softer, not erratic or pulsating heavily like when he’d been at the height of his pain. None of the red. What he found now was good to see. “I dare say you’re almost fully healed.”

A loud sighed exhale stirred the straw before him.

Duran unwrapped the support then helped him extend his wing, to check the breakpoint. “This is looking good. It looks like Rune’s treatments have been prompting your healing to advance at a good rate.” He curved his hands over the leather-like scales encasing the bone. “And there’s no heat. You might be ready to fly in a few more days.” None of them wanted to risk an early attempt and have him damage something by being too ambitious. It was better to err on the side of caution with a creature so different from anything already on their world. So far, the dragon had been extremely patient and understanding of their methods. Plus ensuring he stayed fed seemed to help.

The tip of his tail snapped back and forth, as though happy with the flying news. It brought a smile to Duran’s lips. Kierei assisted as he folded the wing once more, securing it inward. It didn’t have to be pointed out for Kierei to understand. If his wing had never healed, he would have been permanently grounded and likely would have starved to death within his cavern den. All four of those who found him that day had vowed their combined aid to see him healed and had since been joined by many more of the keep, including Jayce, and if the lion gave his word, it was a promise.

“Want to go to the river?” Duran enticed. He didn’t doubt the dragon was lonely while also adjusting to so much activity surrounding him. Kielbos wasn’t anything like his world.

He was the only dragon any of them knew of.

Strolling with the dragon lumbering at his shoulder as they passed through the barn doors, he chose one of the wider tracks to reach the river. Even though it was colder, the sunlight on his scales would feel good. The keep residents still stopped to stare as he moved past, his large wings folded behind his back and his gait easy as he clomped along the path. Some were simply in awe of the beast, others were rightfully terrified. While Kierei hadn’t shown an ounce of aggression to a single person, people still feared what they didn’t know. Which was why one of the mages or Mikkon always walked with him to take a stroll. It was inhumane to force him to remain inside all day, every day. Grayson had said the dragon appreciated the chance to stretch and be outside so they all made a point to encourage movement and time in the sunshine.

His black scales reflected morning sunlight as they came out of the trees. Their sheen was simply stunning with the way the brightness played off the embedded colors. There was almost a hidden red within the black depending on how the light hit them. He wondered if that was an effect of their sun and his scales’ reaction. They were all relieved when it didn’t appear the dragon was suffering for being on their world with different air, sunlight, and temperatures. Kierei waddled forward and began to drink from the river with large, gulping swallows, water dripping from his jaw when he lifted enough to peer around himself.

This area of the river gently sloped with trees along the paths and abundant, streaming sunlight. Scattered boulders from ages before dotted the ground. Likely from a long ago avalanche, and then swept downriver to settle in the softer silt and mud. They were smooth in places and gently pitted from rainfall. Signs of age. Whenever their displacement had occurred, it had been well before Duran’s time.

Once Kierei’s thirst was quenched, he ambled over and rolled to a hip, lying down close to Duran. His bright citrine eyes warmed to amber when he was relaxed, closing peacefully.

“You know, if you chose to stay, none here would deny you,” he offered quietly. “I don’t know what your world is like, but the area we crossed to reach you was barren. No animals except for the winged pegasi. I fear with how much damage was struck against your world none would survive for long.”

A single eye opened and lazily focused before closing again.

“Grayson’s already spoken to you of it, hasn’t he?”

A tail flip.

“I see.” He wasn’t surprised. Grayson was the closest to Kierei, with an unheard of ability to connect and communicate. “It is your choice, but it is offered without expectation. And that comes from Lord Morrow and Rune. You and your kin, if we find your eggs, will have a home with us here. Wherever that is.” He rested with a flat palm on the rock, tipping his face upward to feel the warm sunlight, though as the seasons changed, any real heat was noticeably absent. Heavier leathers protected him from the occasional snapping breeze. He would have to start using his winter cloak soon with the way the temperatures continued to drop, yet the sunlight felt divine on his face and skin. Trees all around the keep were losing their green, the leaves darkening to vibrant colors of oranges and reds as the days shortened. “Once you are healed enough to travel, we’ll start in earnest to search for your eggs. We have trackers following the army but there’s no way to know if they have them or not. Can you sense them? Your eggs?”

Duran waited, watching Kierei for his answer. After a tense moment filled with dragon concentration, he huffed a pained sound which rumbled the air.

“We will find a way to track them. Somehow,” he offered. The fear that the powers controlling the army had bastardized Kierei’s offspring into some unrecognizable creature or worse, hovered over them all. With the knowledge the army had been stripping planets to gather its numbers of heinous beasts, they were being cautious in their hopes. Too many descriptions of odd creatures and skeleton-like beings not natural to Kielbos filled Ulcieh’s reports from riders tracking the army’s movements. An evil swarm of orcs, trolls, and some type of fire breathing creature the marauders who’d stopped for respite at Windwise temple had called mogalls, none of which were common to Kielbos. There were stories and legends of orcs, trolls, dragons, even the pegasi that they’d seen on Kierei’s world, but to have them here? Inconceivable, yet here was where they’d been seen. As part of the Blood Spawn army. It gave the mages and those around them chills to think of what else the army had as soldiers and fodder.

The group at the keep and the mages further south at Windwise had been lucky so far. The army hadn’t set its sights northward, slithering its way west after laying waste to Sucábul. Caduthien wasn’t out of danger and the fact that they were presumably avoiding moving north was cause for worry. Were they conscripting others to fight? Enslaving villagers? Or was there actually something in Caduthien they feared? Or even, worse, someone? Were its leaders directing the army to remain south? Avoiding the colder months before marching again? The army had been moving, almost meandering in its destructive path with no discernible goal. A conclusive theory about the purpose of its advance evaded them all. It was good it hadn’t started to overrun the southern borders, but the fact it hadn’t begged the question of why. Ulcieh was expecting a new report from the riders that had been tasked to keep watch on the army’s path. It was the best way they knew of to keep track of its movement.

The almost sluggish unguided way the army moved was one concern. What was driving the army? And what was their goal? There was no doubt it was growing, but the unanswered question of why remained. They didn’t have those answers. The destruction had been total in its wake. More worrisome was the utter silence from the crowned king, Alendaren’s throne, who as of yet hadn’t raised any alarm to either confront it or to protect its own people from the invasion. It would only be a matter of time before the army was on their doorstep.

Hurried footsteps crunched through the fall leaves layered on the ground behind him, turning Duran’s head. Mikkon appeared at a jog, nearing to stop at the boulder. “You’re needed at the keep, Duran. Master Theil has arrived.”

“Master Theil?” An eyebrow arched nearly into his hair. He jumped down from the boulder. “Stay with Kierei,” he shouted as he took off at a sprint for the rear of the keep, Remy shadowing him overhead. Chickens squawked and scurried out of the way as he rushed toward the building. The heavy wooden door thudded closed behind him as he caught his bearings, trying to discern where they could be gathered. The keep was fairly quiet as of yet.

He caught one of the keep maids in the hallway with a wave and a smile. “There are guests. Do you know where they’re meeting Lord Morrow?”

“They’re still in the receiving hall.” She motioned in that direction, holding the basket she carried to her hip.

“Thank you!”

Glancing up, he realized he could have merely followed Remy. Of course, he would be able to hear the visitors. Someday he’d be accustomed to having a familiar.

He jogged toward the vestibule that abutted the receiving hall, staying the guard with a hand wave not to open the door yet to gather his equilibrium and ease his breathing. Jayce wasn’t the only one who had a public face to present to outsiders. And if Master Theil had traveled to the keep, there had to be cause.

With a calmer bearing, he approached the doors. “Please,” he requested, and the guard pulled open the door. “Thank you.” Striding into the receiving hall, there was a good bit of chatter all around to be heard. Stopping a few paces inside the door, he absorbed the energies of the room, grateful there was no flaring anger or anything threatening to be sensed from the room’s energy. He hoped that was a good sign for Master Theil’s visit. The main doors were closed and braced against the blustery winds, and a few of the pet hounds to have arrived with their families were sprawled before the massive fires burning away in the deep fireplaces. He didn’t blame the poor beasts. There was heat and good snacks within the keep.

Reaching his gathered friends, he approached the dais and bowed to Jayce, where Rune stood at his side at the front of the room. “Lord Morrow.” Behind him stood his personal guard, including Cedri and Bankor. As Cedri’s second, Royce stood off the edge of the platform, watchful in his duty. Meeting his stare made something flutter in Duran’s chest when his gaze locked with the leopard’s icy blue. An impenetrable coolness that warmed for Duran alone.

Jayce nodded in subtle welcome and then he heard, “Duran.”

He whipped straight and spun, a smile on his face at the well-known voice. “Master Theil!” He offered his hand and shook heartily. “A pleasure, master, to see you here.”

“As I, to see all of you,” he replied. His smile was warm, reaching his eyes with a glimmer of delight.

“Please, let us gather comfortably to catch up.” Jayce left the dais with all the regality of someone born to claim a throne. Bankor and Clintok fell in behind him, with Rune a pace off his shoulder. Leading the way, the group filed to the private wing upstairs.

Bankor motioned for two of the guards to watch the door, then took his normal stance along the wall behind Jayce. Everyone took a seat, while coffee and tea were poured.

Jayce relaxed to say, “Welcome to our humble home, Master Theil. I hope your journey wasn’t overly fraught.”

Master Theil unclasped a heavy traveling cloak and dropped it over the back of his seat. “It was lengthy, but no, not dangerous.” After taking his seat, he accepted a cup of tea to sip and gave a nod of approval to the brewed drink. “I really didn’t know what to expect, what I would find, but I have to say, you have all done yourselves proud.”

“Are you fleeing from the invasion?” Rune asked directly, concern for their unexpected arrival apparent in his tone and tense shoulders.

Master Theil shook his head. “No, in fact that was one of the reasons I made the decision to come north. But first I must know the truth. Do you truly have a dragon? Are the rumors true?” He expectantly searched several expressions even as they all grinned, waiting for the joke to be revealed that he believed someone was playing.

Grayson spoke up. “We do. His name is Kierei. He is healing from an injury and after he is sufficiently capable, we will start the search for his stolen eggs.”

Rune raised a hand to pause further words, and with a quick whisper created the protection spell.

Master Theil glanced above and around, then asked confused, “A silencing spell?”

“We have learned that even though we are not on Alendaren’s doorstep, they are aware of us, and have been warned that they are spying on us.”

“Really?” He sank back into his cushions, his brow furrowed. “That is definitely unsettling.” The burning firewood popped, seeming to magnify the weight of the worry amongst them by simply cutting through the hanging silence. “Yet, it does seem most likely. Please, catch me up and I’ll share what I’ve learned, as well. There is news of King Bucol.”

“A lot has happened since we’ve arrived,” Rune explained. “The keep needed repairs to be habitable. Leodinn and Ulcieh were able to gather workers from the surrounding villages and they in turn brought their families and that helped to expedite the process. We expanded quickly over the summer. We have tradesmen, and openly barter with the closest villages and offer protection. We are fully self-sufficient.”

“And your training?” he queried Jayce.

“Almost every day, even now. Ulcieh has been tracking my progress and keeps me on my toes, honing my skills with stringent efforts. I’ve been working with several of the skin shifters, as well to understand my lion. Cedri joined my personal guard a few months ago and has been indispensable with his knowledge and training.” He motioned to the tiger skin shifter.

Cedri dipped his head, with a fist over his heart. “Being a part of this journey has benefitted many in my clan, as well as myself. We have pledged our loyalty to the vision.”

“Which was good.” Jayce grinned ruefully. “Not long after we’d settled here, we had visitors from the northern prides. Gratefully and utterly surprisingly, my raising parents were among them.” Master Theil’s brow rose to nearly join his hairline, but didn’t interrupt. Jayce chuckled at his rare show of astonishment. “I know. The problem occurred when one of those visiting chieftains attacked. Their assault was repelled but it set in motion the journey that brought us Kierei. There are a lot of hands in play in Caduthien’s and Rinattoah’s future or their desired agendas.”

Duran didn’t miss the fact that he abstained from mentioning the crown’s recovery. The mark of the throne was currently under armed guard and numerous spells in the treasury beneath the keep.

“So the prophecy is true,” the elder mage murmured. He tapped the cup held in his palm with a single digit. “Then what I need to share is imperative.” He grimaced briefly. “I received a missive rife with concern from a youngling temple mage who has eyes and ears on the throne. King Bucol has finally sent out word about the advancing army. Bluntly put, he doesn’t care. He is safe within his circle of guards with mages protecting the throne, and that is all he is concerned with.”

A few gasps and as many growls were clear in the room.

“But how?” Jayce demanded, leaning forward in his chair. “These are his people! What is there to rule if his kingdom is decimated?” His beringed hand fisted on the chair arm before it slowly flattened, tight lines radiating from his eyes as he fought with his anger.

Master Theil shot a compelling look toward Rune. He stated firmly, “Every person in this room is trusted either as an advisor or as protection. Anything said here goes no further.”

It seemed he accepted Rune’s word when he continued. “Remember when I told you King Bucol’s state of health was mostly unknown with the silence emanating from the throne? It appears he had fallen ill and while he has returned, he is half the man he was. He relies heavily on Carden.”

“You believe Carden learned he would not be accepted in his place to rule and brought him back to simply be a mouthpiece,” Ulcieh queried.

“Unfortunately, yes. I can’t say without knowing or proof, but it would make sense he’s keeping Bucol weak to use him, to whisper into his ear.”

The gravitas of that hit them all. What they all feared had come to pass. Carden had found a way to control the throne, and be able to hide behind the face of the current king and corrupt like a sickness without repercussion. It was insidious in its execution as no one would dare question the king, who they all feared was now no more than a puppet on a string.

Jayce ruminated in silence for several minutes, thinking over the words they’d all dreaded hearing. “Then it would infer he doesn’t fear the army coming for him.” No one argued the plausibility when he spoke to the room. Unfortunately, Duran completely agreed with Jayce’s assessment. How could someone not fear an encroaching army? And choose to do nothing about it? Unless the army was under their personal control.

“This is partially my fault.” Master Theil settled the cup in his hands on the table before him to straighten his spine, his mouth firm. “I could have stopped him when I was younger.”

“Did you know then that he was behind King Bail’s assassination?” Ulcieh asked with his typical forwardness.

“No!” he barked, his face flushing. He leaped to his feet, causing his robe to billow broadly around his feet. When no one added accusations, he weakly slumped to his seat as though his legs had gone out from under him. Sorrow deepened the tightness around his eyes. “There was so much turmoil. Rinattoah was in chaos. The council needed someone respected and visible on the throne, quickly. The Alendaren family was one of the most respected households to do that. As a longtime advisor to King Bail it was an easy transition to quickly calm the surrounding chieftains before all-out war for the throne itself broke out.” He clasped his hands on his lap, sitting straight. “Now I know I played right into his hands to place himself behind the throne in a silent coup when I refused his ultimatums if I didn’t accept that choice, leaving him as lead counsel to the throne. I agreed their family was a good choice, I did not agree with an arbitrary placement he single handedly controlled. I know I wasn’t the only one who saw the possibility. I left the court, along with many others. Many of us felt…betrayed.”

“What are your thoughts, then?” Rune asked.

He sat in stoic silence until he rounded his shoulders with grim acceptance. “I must confront Carden.”