Soul of the Sorcerer - Part Three: Daughter of the Dragon (8 page)

It was later, in the middle of the night, that a crash from downstairs awoke Lloyd with a start. It took him a moment to orientate himself and remember that he was in his own bedroom. He heard movement from his Mother's bedroom as well, so he jumped out of bed and put on a dressing gown, before making his way into the upstairs passageway. As he entered it, the light flicked on and he could see his Mother and Darrion standing by the switch, also in their dressing gowns, looking very blurry eyed.

“What was that noise?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but it sounded like it was downstairs” Lloyd replied.

“Where is Bethany?” he asked, looking into the bedroom she had been sleeping in, the bed covers were pulled back but there was no sign of his friend.

The three of them quickly made their way downstairs. They found Bethany lying unconscious on the kitchen floor in her dressing gown, with a syringe hanging from her arm. Amy rushed to her side.

“Bloody hell, she’s injected about twenty millilitres of venom into herself!” she said, before gently removing the syringe and tapping the pale redhead’s cheeks. “Bethany! Bethany, can you hear me?”

“Halloo Amy!” Bethany said with a foolish grin as she opened her hugely dilated eyes.

“It’s somehow intoxicated her!” the doctor said checking the frail girls pulse.

“I thought it best not to wait, Boadaiska is my friend too you know!” Bethany grinned at nobody in particular.

“Lloyd you had better move fast, I would have used a tenth of that amount of venom!”

Lloyd did not hesitate, he knelt beside his friend and took her hand, “Master, watch me and stop me from killing myself!” he directed at Darrion with determination in his voice.

“Quadraplanus, Primuspower!” his four portals leapt into life, but they were still not fully recovered from the power he had expended during the course of the evening.

First he directed his energy carefully into Bethany’s bone marrow near the injection point and began the acceleration of all white blood cells. Hopefully, just this act would be enough. After about ten minutes Darrion’s hand gripped him on the shoulder.

“That’s enough Lloyd, you are nearing your limit.”

Lloyd nodded, eased off his power and instead focussed his soul vision into the now unconscious girl’s blood stream. He gasped at the micro warfare being waged inside his friends body. At first it appeared as if the white cells were being overwhelmed by the advancing venom cells, but then reinforcements began to arrive; not just more white cells, but mixed among them, although not great in number, were silver
dragon
cells, these too began to throw themselves against the venom. In some cases they would attach and be injected by the venom, in others they would join with a few white cells and immediately consume the alien invader. Lloyd explained what he was seeing to his Mother.

She paled a little before replying “Lloyd I am really scared about what you have done to your bodies, you are playing with things that you have absolutely no knowledge about.” There was genuine fear in her voice when she spoke.

Lloyd just shrugged. “Well nothing bad has happened yet, in fact it looks like it may be helping!”

“Come let us move her to her bed.” Darrion interrupted before his wife could respond to Lloyd, he could see her fear was nearly turning to anger. Darrion gently scooped Bethany into his arms and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom. Lloyd also returned to his bed, as he was exhausted from expending his magic. Amy and Darrion sat in the bedroom with Bethany to monitor the sick girl, Darrion internally with his soul vision and Amy externally with the skills of her trade.

It was only a few hours later when Amy was forced to wake her son again.

“Bethany was doing okay, but seems to have regressed a little in the last half hour, I think you need to repeat what you did.”

Lloyd nodded and followed his Mother along to Bethany’s bedside, where a concerned Darrion was watching over her. Lloyd nodded to his master and opened his soul portals. They were looking very sorry for themselves, each probably only just over an inch in diameter. “Better keep a close eye!” he said to his master, who was also looking at Lloyd’s portals with concern etched across his face.

Lloyd began replicating both white and silver cells this time. It was only a couple of minutes before Darrion stopped him. They both then diverted their soul vision into Bethany. This time something different was happening, some of the white cells made contact with the venom cells and did not immediately burst. Although the spikes remained, the white cells just seemed immune to the prick.

Lloyd quickly explained to Amy what was happening.

“It sounds like her body has adapted antibodies already.” She said with a relieved smile. “Hopefully you will not have to help her so much now.”

“Lloyd, go back to your bed and rest, your portals are dangerously close to being spent.”

“You might want to wash your face as well!” his Mother added.

Lloyd had gotten so used to the regular nose bleeds associated with magic use that he hardly noticed them now. He walked into the bathroom and inspected himself in the mirror. Gone was the boy of nearly two years ago. His hair was well overdue a haircut, his beard was now fairly full and his eyes looked tired, not helped by some dark bags underneath them. Currently his beard and moustache were caked with flaky bits of dried blood from earlier in the night and some fresh damp blood as well. He turned the basin tap on and filled his hands with water which he then brought up to his face, rubbing vigorously. The water turned red and dropped into the basin joining the swirl of water vanishing down the plug hole. He sighed at his reflection before drying his face with a towel and returning to bed.

He awoke, after a solid sleep, later in the morning and made his way to Bethany’s room. He was pleased to see her sitting up, although still looking extremely pale.

“Hello trouble!” he said before plonking down on the bed.

Bethany blushed “I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused Lloyd, your Mom has told me off already!” she sighed, “I just felt things were taking too long!”

Amy appeared in the doorway “Well Bethany, you are lucky it seems, because your body’s defences have adapted to the venom. So things will be quicker!”

“Mum, do you think I could just do to Boadaiska, what I have done with Bethany; in other words no need for a serum?”

Amy frowned thoughtfully, “I don’t know Lloyd, the stuff you are doing with your power is beyond that which we can do easily with our best medical technology. So maybe, yes, but don’t forget we got to Bethany quickly and of course she was not injured by having an arrow in her chest!”

“So I guess we had better carry on then!” Lloyd replied.

“Yes we just need to get several pints of blood out of Bethany once she has recovered fully. I can then harvest the serum from her blood and we will nearly be ready to go!”

“So how long Amy?” Bethany asked with concern on her face.

“Do not worry Bethany we’ll be as quick as possible, there’s some additional medical equipment I want to collect to make sure we give Boadaiska as much chance as possible to survive, but I think we will be ready in three to four days.”

Bethany sighed impatiently and looked at Lloyd. “Do whatever you need to do to speed up my recovery!” she directed.

Lloyd too was growing impatient, he wanted to get Boadaiska well as soon as possible, because he wanted to find Edala even sooner!

“Quadraplanus, Primuspower, power of life, feed her power!” he said directing his power into the redhead, as she lie on the bed.

Edala pulled her dress straight and then ran her hands over it in an effort to smooth out the creases and wrinkles. Today was the second day of the market and it was reported that Emperor Celeon himself would be attending along with his betrothed Lameath and her entourage.

“Grrrr, I can’t get them out!” she said with frustration, “Curse sleeping in a wagon!” she added kicking the wheel beside where she stood.

“Calm yourself Child, climb back up and let me and Justina sort it for you” Maria said, her voice emerging from her concealment within the canopy.

Edala jumped back up and gasped to see Justina sitting next to Maria with her fire portal open.

“Blazefire, Blazemight, heat blast, heat fast.”  the normally unkempt daughter of Ingemar said before beginning to focus a stream of energy into an iron that Maria held by a wooden handle.

“Not too hot sister!” Maria instructed as she occasionally checked the heat of the iron with her left hand.

“That should do it Eadie, pop your dress off and Maria will iron it.” Edala chuckled as she removed her dress; she had not heard Justina use her pet name for many years. Edala knelt down in her light white petticoat and watched as Maria, almost lovingly, teased out every unwanted crease and wrinkle, before finally returning the dress to Edala to put on.

“Your turn now Justina.” She said looking expectantly to her mousy haired sister.

“No, you’re okay, thank you, I like mi creases, they distract from mi dumpiness!” she replied to her older sister with a wink.

“Where are Umaia and Amelia? I’m sure they would like to be presentable!” Maria asked, expecting Edala to go hunt for her other sisters.

“I’ll go find them; we had then better get the stalls set up as I’m sure that the Emperor will be interested in the wares of the Daughters of Ingemar!” Edala said with a light laugh before leaping from the wagon.

A little while later, the opening of the market was officially announced by the toll of a bell; located on one of the guard towers situated on the outer wall, protecting the palace within. The wall gates were opened and people of all classes and professions began to enter the dry moat where the market was situated; they joined a wealth of people who had walked over the imperial bridge.

“Excuse me young lady, please can I try a sample of the wine?” a slightly pompous voice said, but it was nonetheless polite. Edala turned to look at the speaker and nearly yelped in shock, how she concealed this with the sweetest of innocent smiles she would never know. Before her stood
Ealdorman
Trevainian, he had not got any skinnier since she had poked a knife in his groin!

“My Lord, we have two types of wine, Nectar of the Golden Clover and Oasis of the Vine, which my sister here brews in Oldwealth.” The Dragon-Girl replied sweetly, no sign or semblance of the Urchin she had been on that night!

“Oldwealth! That’s where I am from; I have travelled all this way for some home brew! I will try both please fair maid!” he replied with a little disconcerting leer as he said fair maid. Edala wished she had buried the dagger to the hilt.

“Certainly my Lord, Umaia my dear please can you pour his lordship a taste of your wondrous wines?”

The exotic looking Umaia with her tanned skin, thick dark hair and green eyes, poured two full glasses, one of each type of wine.

“I won’t scrimp on the tastings for you my Lord, you look like a man that knows his wine and can afford to pay for the best!” she said with a wink. Edala shuddered internally as Trevainian quite clearly eyed her sister’s cleavage as she leant forward to pour the wine.

“I must say you are both beauties, but I would not have placed you as sisters, apart from possibly your eyes, fair maidens!” He almost drooled.

“We have different Mothers.” Umaia replied smoothly.

Edala stifled a laugh as Trevainian made the boldest display of swishing the wine around a the glass, before sniffing it and then taking a swig which he then sucked air over before swilling the wine around his mouth and finally swallowing.

“Hmm delightfully fruity and refreshing!” He declared of the Oasis of the Vine, before moving on to the glass of Nectar of the Golden Clover, which, of course, he then repeated the whole ridiculous performance.

“My, that does float down like nectar.” he said with a slight burp “I will take twelve bottles of each; I assume that is a crate?”

Umaia nodded and grinned, “It is a noble and wise man that doesn’t even ask how much my very expensive wine costs!”  

This of course shook Trevainian back to some semblance of reality, “Oh, how much is it?” he asked blushing slightly.

“A mere two gold crowns to you my Lord. Of course, I have applied discount for buying two crates!” Umaia replied looking fondly at the grotesque excuse for a man.

Ealdorman
Trevainian, started slightly, but was very aware of the mass of people surrounding the market stall watching a man of importance go about his business.

“Oh that’s a snatch! Of course I’m sure you could arrange for them to be carried over to my carriage?” he said indicating a carriage with four horses waiting on the edge of the road, about two hundred yards from the palace gates.

“Of course, my lord.” Umaia said taking the money from the blushing man. “Edala, Justina, please take a crate each for our Lord here.” Umaia said with a wink. When Trevainian was out of earshot Edala grinned at Umaia, “You know you just charged him double what we have charged everyone else”

“You do your thieving your way little sister and I will do mine my way!” Umaia replied with a very self-satisfied look on her face.

“Personally, I might just climb into his wagon with him, drink him under the table and then fry his balls with a spell; what do you think Eadie?” Justina added with a very wicked and, at the same time, very sincere grin.

“Well, I would say yes, but the thought of the smell of a fat old fool like him burning makes my stomach turn!” Edala replied with a grimace. “I will stick with my knives on this occasion!” she finished with an equally sincere grin.

The two sisters weaved their way through the crowd behind the wobbling man. At his carriage a footman leapt from the back to take the crates and secure them.

“Thank you ladies, I will be sure to look you up in Oldwealth!” Trevainian said as they turned to leave.

“It will be your pleasure!” Justina said with a sarcastic wink. As the sisters turned a fanfare of trumpets sounded and the crowd silenced.

“Sounds like the Emperor is about to attend! We best try to get back li’l sis!”

Justina said, standing on tip toe to see if she could see any sign of the Emperor and his party. Ealdorman Trevainian, for the moment at least forgotten, Edala too went on the tips of her toes to see what could be seen over the crowd between them and the market.

“I can’t see a thing!” Edala protested.

“Excuse me folks; coming through!” Justina said in her most authoritative voice as she barged her way through the crowd; Edala kept close behind her sister. Suddenly Justina stopped without warning and Edala bumped into her.

“Come on Justy!” Edala used the pet name she used for her sister, as it seemed that they were back on a pet name basis.

“Shhhh! what in the name of the Lord Creator is that?” Justina hissed, looking towards their market stalls. Edala moved beside her sister and gasped.

There, perched on a crate of wine right next to Umaia, was the strangest creature Edala had ever seen! And she had seen some strange things in the last two years! The only way to describe it, at first glance, was as an incredibly scrawny short monkey, about three feet in height, with long straight wire like silver hair, with skin as black as night. It raised itself up and with its face only a few inches from Umaia, sniffed at the daughter of Ingemar with a look of sharp intelligence and interest in its alien violet coloured eyes. Edala realised then that this was no monkey; its facial features were in fact fairly human. She knew that this was a Daemon and she remembered Lloyd and Boadaiska describing something similar in the throne room at Kalana, when they had returned to close the Daemon portal. Edala let a moment of sadness grip her, as she remembered her friend dying at the hands of Daemen. She slowly reached down into her boot and retrieved a dagger from under her dress.

Umaia, and indeed everyone other than Justina and herself, seemed absolutely oblivious to the monkey like midget and were grinning in readiness to greet the Emperor. The creature moved over carefully to also inspect Maria with the same level of scrutiny and then also Amelia.

Again there was not even the slightest moment of concern as the malevolent looking creature sniffed and inspected them.

“It looks like it senses something different about our sisters Eadie”. Justina whispered, “And what do you think their story is?” she said indicating the two ebony skinned beautiful women walking with the Emperor. One of these walked arm in arm with the tall Celeon, she must be Lameath, his bride to be. Behind the two betrothed walked a sad looking girl, possibly Lameath’s sister, judging by the colour of her skin; however, she had bright red hair and sad haunting blue eyes. Edala was shocked to realise that the girl’s legs were in ankle chains making it difficult for her to walk properly.

The other big difference between the ebony girls, was that Lameath was clothed in a beautiful blue dress, fit for an Empress to be, while the other young lady was dressed in brown torn rags.

The Emperor was currently inspecting one of Amelia's fine necklaces and chatting away to the blushing Dragon-Girl. Edala and Justina carefully edged closer so that they could listen in on the conversation.

“Amazing work young lady, what say you my love?” Celeon said holding up a necklace of blue sapphires for Lameath to see. She took them from him with a smile and placed them against her chest.

“Stunning, I love them! What do you think Themisia?” she said, turning to the sad looking girl behind her. Themisia shrugged indifferently with a sad smile; she then shrank back as Lameath brought her hard gaze upon her; again, to the complete indifference to everyone other than Edala and Justina.

The Emperor handed over a handful of coins to a beaming Amelia, before moving away from the sister’s stalls. As he and the ebony ladies moved away, the inquisitive ebony midget leapt onto Themisia’s shoulders making the girl jump. He then proceeded to inspect and sniff her, causing Lameath to look at it with interest but without comment.

When the Emperor’s entourage was out of earshot Edala and Justina returned to their sisters.

“Did you see the Emperor bought one of my necklaces?!” Amelia said with an excited grin.

“Yes, tell us, what did you think of the two ebony girls?” Justina asked.

“Beautiful, both of them and so full of happiness.” Amelia replied.

“Did you not see that the redheaded girl was in rags and ankle chains?” Edala asked incredulously.

“No, what do you mean?” Amelia replied, with Maria and Umaia listening in, confusion also showing on their faces.

“There was also a little ebony midget inspecting you three very closely and you didn’t see a thing!” Justina added.

Edala bit her lip deep in thought before adding “I believe that the midget is definitely from the Daemon realm and probably the girls as well, Lloyd did mention seeing dead bodies very similar in the throne room at Kalana, when he went there to close the Daemon Portal.”

Maria also thought for a moment before responding, “So it seems these creatures have some kind of influence over our sight and maybe our minds, but why not you two? How can you see them for what they are?” she asked Justina and Edala.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it Eadie, we both have magical portals and I bet we are the only people in the empire who do. If only magic users can see you, the empire is a very good place to hide!” she concluded.