Galin smiled as a refreshing mountain breeze beat back the heat from the sun. They had been riding for nearly a day. Sure, you could see the mountains from Croglang Castle, but their size made them appear closer than they were. The grasslands disappeared as they approach the base of the mountains. Tall pine trees lined the path into the mountains as if they were guarding it. He looked up. Just like the Wailing Mountains back home, these stretched beyond the horizon.
Ellis frowned. “How are we going to find it in this? They didn’t actually give us directions.”
“We go up. The volcano is supposed to be taller than the mountains,” Mae said.
“What are we going to do when we find it?” Jena asked. “Shouldn’t we figure that out first?”
Galin frowned. Yeah, Jena was right. What were they going to do when they found the dragon? Especially when the gnomes didn’t want them to kill it. “Maybe, we talk to it.”
“Are you nuts?” Ellis demanded. “We’re talking about a dragon. They eat cows for a Saturday afternoon snack.”
“Nyna said that I will need to talk to a master of dragon magic someday. Who better to talk to about dragon magic than a dragon?”
Ellis laughed. “Yeah, right. You can have a great chat as you’re sliding down its throat. Tell you what; why don’t you go and talk to it . . . alone. Of all the things we’ve faced, we never faced anything like a dragon before. Hell, we don’t even have a clue how to fight it.”
“We’re not going to fight it. Let’s follow the trail. Come on.” Galin cracked Thea’s reins and galloped up the mountain. He bit his lip. What were they going to do? Sure, he’d love talking to it, but it was an animal, not some person to be negotiated with. Just because it has natural magic doesn’t mean it’s intelligent or can even speak. Right? Maybe? Everyone has heard stories about dragons. They were either savage animals or ancient beings with immense wisdom. Most likely, both are wrong.
“There’s a clearing ahead,” Jena said.
“I see it.” Galin smiled at her. “Race you!”
Jena grinned as she urged Tyra forward, passing Galin.
By the time Thea was at a gallop, Jena was already in the clearing. She tied Tyra off onto a tree and pulled out the feedbag from the saddlebags. “I’m tired.”
“We have been riding all day,” Mae said. “The horses need to rest, especially after climbing the mountain.”
“I was hoping to get to find the cave today,” Galin started.
“Come on, Galin, relax a little,” Ellis said as he jumped off Runt. “Besides, I’m hungry.”
Mae laughed. “You’re always hungry.”
Ellis pulled an apple from his saddlebags. “Of course, I’m a man.”
Was he right? Maybe. Galin’s stomach had been grumbling, too. Sometime, Ellis made sense, even when he didn’t mean to. “Okay, let’s set up camp.”
“I’ll cook dinner,” Ellis said. He pulled out a small sack of foodstuffs.
Mae was already gathering wood for the fire. “I’ll help.”
“Jena, come with me?” Galin asked.
“Where?”
He pointed to a bare rock above the trees, about twenty yards up the mountain. “Maybe we can see it from there. You know, just so we know where we’re going in the morning.”
She took his hand. “Sure.”
Galin looked at Ellis and Mae. “We’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” Ellis asked. “Dinner will be ready in half an hour.”
Mae slapped him in the back of the head.
“Ouch!” Ellis rubbed his head. “Why’d you do that?”
“They want to be alone, stupid.”
Galin grinned. “It must be true love.”
Jena tugged on his hand. “Leave them alone.”
“Sure.” Galin led Jena up to the rock overlooking the mountain range. The crystal clear sky enabled them to see for miles and miles.
“There!” Jena pointed straight ahead.
“Not what I expected,” Galin said. Instead of rising above the mountains, the volcano was a little . . . shorter. “You really think that’s it?”
Jena shrugged her shoulders. “Do you see another one?”
Galin pulled her in and kissed her. “No. What do you think? Half a day’s ride?”
“I think so.”
He hugged her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Are you guys going to eat or what? I’m waiting for you!” Ellis yelled from campsite.
“Hungry?” Galin asked.
Jena grinned. “Men.”
Galin led her back down to the camp. He smiled as the pleasant aroma from the pot over the fire hit his nose. “He could always cook.”
“Better than me?” Jena asked with a grin.
“No, of course not,” Galin said as he plopped down next to the fire. His stomach called out for Ellis’s stew.
Ellis filled a small wooden bowl and passed it over to Galin.
“What’s in it?” Galin asked.
“Don’t ask,” Mae said.
Jena took her bowl from Ellis. “Thank you.”
Ellis dipped a piece of bread into his stew. “Did you see it?”
Galin nodded. “Yeah, it’s about a half-day’s ride from here, maybe closer.”
Mae put down her spoon. “What do we do when we find the dragon?”
“I want to talk to it,” Galin said as he leaned back against his pack. “Nyna once told me that dragons are ancient creatures with immense magical powers. Their power is within them. Magic to them is breathing to us. If Nyna is right, the dragon should be able to be negotiated with.”
“If not?” Jena asked.
“Then we kill it.”
Ellis frowned. “Are you nuts? A stupid ogre makes more sense than you. You’re going to talk to an animal? Think about what you just said. Just because the gnomes are pacifists doesn’t mean that—”
“Knock it off,” Jena said.
The gem in Mae’s ring had a slight glow. As she touched it, it glowed a little brighter. “Ellis, she’s right. Can we change the subject?”
“Fine. I’m sorry,” Ellis said as he plopped his spoon back into his bowl.
Mae smiled. “Ellis and I were talking about what we’re going to do after we take back the kingdom.”
Jena leaned in. “Do tell.”
“If I can still stand the smell of him—”
“Hey!” Ellis protested. “I don’t smell . . . that bad.”
“I’d like to stay with him.”
Galin swallowed. “What?”
Ellis’s face went blank. “Are you asking me something?”
Mae looked away.
“That’s my job.”
Jena giggled.
“I am asking,” Mae said as she gazed into his eyes.
Ellis kissed her. “Yes.”
Mae put her bowl down and stood up. “Let’s celebrate.”
Ellis jumped to his feet and followed her like a puppy.
“That was . . . surprising,” Galin said.
Jena embraced his arm. “Do you remember when you asked me?”
“Yeah.”
“Hopefully, they actually do it faster than we did.”
Galin hugged Jena. Was that a slight? It was true that Galin delayed actually tying the knot. At the time he said it was for her protection and his. But, was it? No, not at all. Galin knew he had second thoughts. His mind was made up when he nearly lost her. Yeah, hopefully they won’t wait like he did. He smiled. “Knowing Ellis, they’ll probably be married next week.”
She embraced him. “Do you think you really can talk to a dragon?”
Galin’s stomach dropped to his feet. “Sure, nothing to worry about.” Who am I kidding?
The ride to the base of the volcano was shorter than Galin thought the day before. As they ascended, the trees became shorter and more sparse. Rock intermixed with black soil covered the side of the volcano. “Look! What is that?” Near the top of the volcano appeared to be some kind of cave.
Ellis shrugged. “Maybe.”
“I don’t see anything else. Let’s check it out,” Jena said as she pushed ahead of Galin.
Galin grinned. “I’m coming. We need to stay together.” He cracked Thea’s reins and rode next to Jena and Tyra.
“You’re so predictable.” Jena tried to hide her smile.
“I am.”
In the area immediately surrounding the cave, there were no trees or shrubs or even a weed, only a large mass of sharp volcanic rock. Galin looked down and swallowed. He pulled Thea’s reins, stopping the mare from going any further. On the ground in front of them were piles of bones tossed about like toothpicks. But, these were bigger than toothpicks.
“What were they?” Jena asked.
Galin hopped down from his horse. Cows? Horses? They were livestock of some kind . . . had to be. “The Gnomes did say that the dragon was eating their animals.”
Ellis grinned as he held up a small skull. “Looks like Gnomes, too.”
Jena gasped. “Galin, I have a bad feeling about this.”
“I know. I’m beginning to question it myself,” Galin said.
“You’ve got your powers,” Mae said. “I know you can kill it.”
Galin frowned. “It is a dragon, and has dragon magic. I’m just a . . . novice. Besides, I don’t know if it will even work on it.”
Ellis grabbed Runt’s reins and walked towards the cave. “The one thing I do know is, we’re better off inside the cave than waiting for it to swoop us up.”
“He’s right,” Mae said. “We can fight it better if it can’t fly.” She followed Ellis into the cave.
“I think we should go,” Jena said.
Galin bit his lip. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Was it the dragon or something else? “Let’s see what’s in the cave.” He grabbed Thea’s halter and proceeded into the cave. His eyes widened the moment he stepped through the hole. The enormous chamber extended beyond the darkness. Soft dirt covered the cavern floor.
“This is awesome,” Ellis said.
Mae pointed to a large impression in the dirt near the far wall. “That must be where it sleeps.”
Galin swallowed. “It must be bigger than I thought.”
Jena looked around. “Where is it?”
“Hunting for food?” Galin suggested.
Ellis’s face turned a ghostly white. “I hope it’s full.”
“What do we do?” Mae asked.
What indeed? The dragon could return in a few minutes or a few months, Galin thought. How important were the flying ships to retaking the castle? If they had to actually breach the walls, the Darkstriders would be able to send for reinforcements and outflank them. They didn’t have the time for a true siege of Staerdale Castle. No, they had to risk it or . . . give up on being king. “We wait. Back there in the shadows.”
“How long?” Ellis demanded.
“Until it comes back.” Galin looked towards the mouth of the cave. How long could they really afford to wait? Was he making a mistake?