Season of the Dragon, page 25
“Probably because Xa’Vatra fears someone will stab her in the back,” Shel said.
“A reasonable fear,” Imbica said.
Quen wrapped the belt around twice. The steel on her hips was reassuring. They scrounged well-worn boots, a size too small, but better than the useless silk slippers she’d worn in Qülla. If only I had a keffla.
As if reading her mind, Eira handed her a tatty muslin keffla. “It’s as ugly as Mishny’s attitude, but will protect you from the Brothers—and the stink coming off you from the sewers.” He screwed up his face and pinched his nostrils shut.
Nivi lay on the grass, busily washing off the blood, guts, and grime from the sewers. His paws were nearly white again.
“If he lets you ride, Imbica and I can share Nabu, if you don’t mind,” Aldewin said.
Quen nuzzled Nivi’s mane. “You’re just an overgrown kitten, aren’t you?”
Nivi purred.
Aldewin stroked Nivi’s back. “He’s truly magnificent.”
“You’re both from Tinox. Do you have any tips on convincing this sweet boy to let me climb aboard?”
Aldewin was so close she felt the heat rising from his skin. Remembering his muscular hands so delicately touching her at the Palace made heat spread from her loins to her navel. Would he push me away again if I pressed my lips to his?
Aldewin’s eyes were dark, his pupils large. “I suppose you should begin by speaking to him sweetly.”
“Do you think he likes sweet talk?”
“He seems to enjoy your voice.” He glanced at her, his pale blue-grey eyes peeking at her beneath long lashes. “And your touch.”
His hand brushed against hers, and he stepped back. “I’m sorry.”
Quen sighed. “Don’t be.”
“I didn’t violate the rules you gave me?”
She had intended to press Aldewin to answers about referring to her as twice blessed and his subterfuge in the Palace di Solis. But being close to him, Quen only wanted to feel him pressed against her, his lips on hers. To forget she was Nixan and now a fugitive. And to ignore that Aldewin knew what she was, but said nothing.
“There is much to discuss, but it will have to wait, won’t it?”
He nodded. “Do you need help—to get on his back, I mean?”
She wanted his hands on her waist, lifting her, if only to feel his touch again. But she shook her head. “Only stay near—just in case.”
She leaned her head on Nivi’s mane, his snowy fur as soft as a kitten’s. She whispered into his ear, “May I ride upon your back, friend? If I cannot ride you, I may have to saddle up with a man.” The idea of mounting Aldewin made her blush.
Nivi chirped, and she took that as assent. Quen gripped his mane but with care not to pull out hair as she launched onto his back.
To her surprise, Nivi didn’t buck or rear. He pushed up and roared.
Aldewin jumped back. The kopeks pranced and nickered.
“You look like you belong there.” Aldewin smiled up at her.
“I feel like I belong here.” She gave Nivi a pat. “I hope the kopeks get used to my new mount.”
“Sorry, Aldewin. Quen is now spoken for,” Shel said.
“Shel!” Quen blushed dark crimson.
Aldewin laughed with the rest as he helped Imbica onto Nabu’s back.
Rhoji smiled at Quen and gave her a nod. “We must make haste to catch up to Druvna.”
“Please tell me he does not intend to head south on the Kovan Road,” Imbica said. “It will be crawling with Kovatha.”
“We follow the stream west to where it joins the Mitosh River.” Aldewin clicked his tongue.
“Then where are we going?” Imbica asked.
Rhoji pointed to the misty mountains in the distance. “To the northern foothills of the TasūZaj range.”
“That range is wild and unforgiving. What business could you possibly have there?” Imbica asked.
“The business of staying out of Qülla’s dungeons,” Rhoji said.
Chapter 18
Turbulent
Turbulent waters roiled below Druvna’s Jagaru pod as they hugged the precipice overlooking the Mitosh River. Qülla at their backs, the churning river created a deafening roar as they sped toward the wild terrain of the TasūZaj mountains. Druvna pressed the pod hard and brooked no complaint from human or beast when they didn’t stop for food or rest.
After a few hours, Imbica called from the back of the column. “Druvna, you must allow the animals to rest. And permit us a bit of sustenance.”
“You was the one that warned of Kovathas, wasn’t you? You wanna be a feast for scavengers, woman? Or live another day?” Druvna’s glare was sharp enough to peel hide from flesh.
None suggested rest after that.
Shel steered alongside Imbica and handed her a rod of kabu stalk. “It’ll take the edge from your hunger.”
Imbica hesitated. After looking around and noticing all of them sucked the stalks, she took Shel’s offering. Imbica’s smile looked forced, and she uttered a stiff “Thank you.”
This is the first time I’ve seen her thank someone.
By late afternoon, the rocky slopes were behind, and a vast valley lay ahead. The hazy purple peaks of the enormous TasūZaj range loomed on the horizon.
The closer they got to the craggy peaks, the more relief set in. We somehow escaped Qülla. But the respite from worry was brief. Ahead loomed a wall of black basalt and grey granite. Quen whispered to Shel, “Do you know where we’re going?”
Shel pointed to the forbidding grey peaks. “We gotta get over the Mitosh River and up into those mountains.”
“Imbica told me you can only cross the river at the Niri Bridge.”
Shel spat kabu juice. “That’s what the Dynasty wants people to think. That way they can tax ‘em and control what comes in and out. But people find ways to get around the Dynasty’s rules.” She winked.
Quen gazed at the path ahead. Now the gorge was visible to the south. Their trail appeared to end at a vertical wall of granite. “I don’t have spider legs.” At least not yet. “I see no way beyond that wall of rock.”
Shel laughed. “If I told you what we’ve gotta do, you’d turn that tiger around and run in the other direction.”
“Not an option.” While she was still trying to imagine what Shel was talking about, the air crackled.
Shel yowled. Her backside was afire.
From behind, Aldewin and Imbica called in unison, “Kovathas!”
Shel leaped from her kopek and rolled on the ground, dousing the flames. Her leather riding girdle and jerkin were smoking, but it appeared the mage-fire hadn’t severely injured her.
Imbica turned backward in the saddle, her leg looped under Aldewin’s. Her lips moved as she wound her arms, readying to cast a spell. “By the Three, there are more Vay’Nada spawn than just the giant purple one. And my former friend, Indris.” Imbica tsked. “She needs a yindril.” The contempt was evident in her tone.
Mishny, Druvna, Eira, and Rhoji pulled up and halted, their kopeks dancing nervously. Shel scrambled back to her kopek, apparently unfazed by being on fire moments before.
The ridges on Quen’s neck tingled. Her vision narrowed as if she were looking through a dark tunnel. Don’t pass out. Bile rose in her throat as the now-familiar Nixan voice spoke to her. Turn, it said. Quen hesitated, and a chilly breeze prickled the skin on her arms. “Jijig,” the inner voice said. Quen recognized the word as a name. How do I know that?
A fireball intended for Mishny zinged past Quen’s head. It missed its mark and hurtled instead onto a large black boulder.
Face them, the inner Nixan voice commanded.
From above, someone called out, “Rain fire on them!”
Mage fire sizzled past. Quen’s bowels quivered, fearing what was behind, but she glanced back anyway.
Three dragons rapidly approached, flying in a tight V formation. Each carried a Kovatha mage on its back, and the largest, lead dragon also had a yindril passenger. The three approaching dragons were smaller than Vahgrin. The lead dragon’s pale-green scales shone like fresh pea shoots in spring. To its left, a vibrant chartreuse dragon flew, and on its right, a dragon the color of yellow-orange spring desert poppies. These dragons aren’t cute like a pet cat, but they’re not as fearsome looking as Vahgrin.
The lead dragon in the formation screeched in pain, its eyes wide and frightened. The Kovatha riding it, the one Imbica called Indris, screamed. “Fly straight, you stupid beast!” The mage held a rod she slapped against the dragon’s backside. Sky-fire erupted from the prod jolting the creature. The dragon uttered a soul-rending howl. The yindril riding behind Indris opened and closed its baleen-filled maw and wailed a lament.
The two other Kovathas had similar prods. All three mages smacked at the scaly flesh of their flying mounts, urging the three dragons to fly faster.
I’d like to put an arrow through the Kovatha who harms Jijig. The sentiment arose from the Nixan soul. Somehow, the Rajani soul within her knew these dragons. “Doka,” the inner voice said.
Nivi sprinted to catch up with the rest of the pod. ‘Doka’? My Nixan soul is trying to tell me something—but what? Quen pondered Doka, the Pillar associated with wood, plants, spring, birth, and renewal. Considered the opposite of Vatra Pillar, the Corner of war and masters of the Orrokan arts, Doka was known as a Pillar of healing and peace. These are healing dragons, like Doka Pillar? Her neck ridge burned, and her second heart fluttered.
“Damn us all to Vay’Nada’s cold ass. There’s more of those shadow-spawn,” Druvna said.
The Dynasty has gotten its hands on dragons. But how? Even with the extra Menaris power the Kovathas pulled from the yindril, they were unable to control the dragons the way Rajani controlled Vahgrin. Still, the Dynasty’s dominion over three dragons deeply troubled Quen.
No wonder the Dynasty is desperate to force a Rajani into service. Is that why Aldewin lied to Xa’Vatra? Intuition told her he was trying to protect her. But how could he know I carry a Rajani soul inside?
More questions to be reckoned with. Later. After we’ve dealt with these Kovatha.
Imbica met Indris’s sizzling fireballs with water, creating puffs of steam. Aldewin kept Nabu running at full speed, though the frightened beast needed little encouragement to run from the dragon-riding Kovathas hurling mage-fire at them.
At the southern horizon, the mighty Mitosh cut a deep gash through the land and cut off escape in that direction. The Mitosh River's steep banks threatened on their left while the three Kovathas behind forced them into a gauntlet. Straight ahead, into a wall of ice and basalt, was the only way forward.
Mishny brought her kopek alongside Druvna and yelled out, “Jagaru-jab!” Raised off the saddle and gripping with only her thighs, Mishny leaped from her kopek, aiming to land behind Druvna. It was a daring move, and she nearly made it, but missed. Druvna grabbed her, and Mishny’s legs dragged the dirt for a few seconds.
“Push off, damn you,” Druvna hollered. “I can no’a hold you for long.”
Mishny hollered as Druvna hoisted, and Mishny flung herself onto the saddle. Now riding backward, she pulled her bow and nocked an arrow.
While Mishny was busy getting onto Druvna’s kopek, Shel slowed and rode alongside her brother. Quen had often seen the two perform the Jagaru-jab at Tide di Solis festival, but Quen was still worried for her friend. If Eira missed, a galloping kopek could trample him.
Eira knelt with both feet on the saddle while Shel kept her eyes on him, doing her best to match the speed of his mount. Eira yelled, “Hika!” and leaped onto Shel’s kopek. His foot slipped, and he nearly fell, but Eira grabbed the saddle and pulled himself up, Shel lending a hand.
Mishny let two arrows fly, but she was better at stabbing than shooting. One arrow flew left of anything. The other bounced off Jijig’s thick, scale-covered skin.
Within seconds, Eira had a bow in hand and an arrow nocked. Quen had seen him split another’s arrow while riding at full speed. Juka’s luck be with Eira.
Eira took a deep breath and aimed. He loosed, and his arrow struck Indris’s leg. The woman grunted, but Eira’s hit did nothing to slow the dragons’ advance.
The closer they got to the mountains, the clearer Quen’s vision of what lay ahead. A vertical rock-face walled off escape to the north. The mountains were only approachable if one got across the river chasm.
Rhoji must have seen what Quen did. He said, “We ride kopeks, Druvna, not mountain goats.”
“Trust me, young Jagaru, and follow,” Druvna called.
Aldewin rode beside Quen. “There’s a tunnel through the mountain. We just must cross the chasm.”
His words weren’t reassuring. From a mile away, it didn’t look like there was a way across the canyon.
Fire sizzled, and Nivi yowled. The mage-fire singed the fur on his rump, creating an oozing red wound.
Enraged, Quen wished she could hurl a cartful of Hiyadi’s fire at the Kovatha who’d injured Nivi. The Nixan power she pulled from within, though, was unpredictable. If she allowed herself to unleash it, she could harm Nivi rather than injure his attacker.
Aldewin pulled a small pouch from his waist. “Use this.” He tossed the bag to Quen.
She opened the pouch, and the odor of rot assaulted her. Quen’s nose scrunched up at the smell of the tarry brown substance.
“Trust me,” Aldewin called. “It will help him.”
Quen pinched some goo between her fingers and rubbed it onto Nivi’s angry wound. He growled but didn’t throw her and kept pace despite his injury.
“You are a brave warrior, Nivi.”
“Is he okay?” Rhoji called.
“He’ll live, but the Kovatha that did this to him won’t.” She pulled a throwing knife from the scabbard on her left hip. Lumine be with my blade, she prayed. Quen doused her anger with Still Waters as Pahpi had taught her. Keeping her eyes on the mage, Quen trusted Nivi to watch the path ahead while she aimed for Indris, the lead Kovatha. Aiming for the woman’s heart, she flung the steel blade with all her might. The blade’s tip struck below the chest, missing the Kovatha’s heart.
As the knife struck, the Kovatha’s eyes grew wide, the blade sticking out of her side. The Kovatha dropped the prod she’d been using to control Jijig. As she grabbed the hilt of Quen’s blade and pulled, her face turned ashen. No longer gripping the dragon’s neck, the Kovatha wobbled. She tried to right herself but couldn’t get a grip. Her black robes spread like bat wings as she plummeted from Jijig’s back. She landed in the powdery soil behind them, sending up a cloud of grey dust. The yindril ceased yowling but remained on Jijig’s back.
Shel and Rhoji both whooped. “One down, two to go,” Rhoji said.
“You’ve got one more shot. We need to cross that canyon.”
Mishny had sent at least a half-dozen arrows, but all failed to hit a target. She nocked another arrow and pulled back the bowstring. Mishny’s arms shook as she waited for the right moment. The arrow zinged and hit the Kovatha on the chartreuse dragon in the shoulder. It didn’t kill him, but he screamed as though the arrow had pierced his heart.
Druvna held up a fist, the signal to stop. They were at a dead end. Solid ground gave way to a forty-foot span across a deep chasm. Below, the raging Mitosh roiled in a deep chasm.
“The mounts will no’a step onto the bridge, so you need to leave ‘em behind. Hurry now, Rhoji, Eira, and Shel. Step up and go. Quickly. We’ll hold ‘em off for you.”
The ‘bridge’ that Druvna spoke of was a rickety-looking contraption of wood ladders lashed together and spanning the chasm. The wood was sun-bleached and looked like it would splinter if breathed upon.
Shel looked in no hurry to be the first across. “They’ll pick us off if we don’t take out the mages before we cross.” She nocked an arrow.
Eira hesitated at the edge and tested the ladder with one foot, keeping the other safely on solid ground. Placing a foot on the ladder made the whole apparatus sway and creak. He gingerly placed his other foot and held his arms to his sides for balance. Just don’t look down, Eira.
Imbica, now off Aldewin’s dappled horse and with both feet on the ground, wound her arms. “Hiyadi scimir.” When she’d used the same spell during Vahgrin’s attack on their way to Qülla, Imbica had produced a long, shining sword that looked like sky-fire. This time, the weapon she pulled from the void was a small, shimmering blade that looked like it would blink out of existence before she could hurl it.
She must be tired. The woman had conjured countless water shields to counter the barrage of fire attacks from the Kovathas. We wouldn’t have made it without her.
Wet hair matted the squat woman’s puffy red face. Imbica launched the small blade, and it struck the last remaining unscathed Kovatha in the side. The conjured blade dissolved nearly immediately. Though it didn’t kill the mage, it seared a deep burn into the woman’s side.
The distraction gave Shel ample time to line up a shot. She let go of the tension, and her arrow hit the same mage in the forehead, squarely between the eyes.
Rhoji was now on the ladder, about a body’s length behind Eira. They inched along, stepping carefully in unison, so they didn’t bounce the other.
Two dragons were now without Kovatha riders. They hovered and altered their formation, so the only dragon with a rider was in front. The remaining Kovatha pulled a poultice from his waist pouch and held it against his shoulder. Maybe it’s the same medicinal Aldewin gave me for Nivi’s burn. The Kovatha spoke to the dragons, but the din of the churning Mitosh River ate his words.
Eira whooped happily as he set foot on the other side of the canyon. He held out a hand to help Rhoji tackle the last few feet of the treacherous, swaying ladder. Once Rhoji was across, they happily embraced, and Quen sighed with relief.
Eira called out to his sister. “Come, Shel.”
Rhoji added, “It’s not that bad.”
Shel said, “Is that why you now have a brown stain in your pants?” Shel held out a hand behind her to Imbica. “Move across with me, Imbica. We’ll step together, as Rhoji and Eira did.”
