A Shadow Flame (Book 7) (18 page)

"Ships cannot traverse that river," Nathas said. "Small boats perhaps, but you say they have sailed up from the river to the lake."

"I know little of ships of the sea or even lakes and rivers," Borrican admitted. "But they were ships, and a man made of truefire stood at the front of one of them. That was the other strange thing."

"A man of truefire?" Ariana was confused, and her hopes rose for a moment. "Do you think it might be Aaron? Ehlena told us he was fighting the shadow."

"No," Borrican said. "Aaron is at the palace, with Calexis."

"With Calexis?"

"So it seemed," Borrican told her, not wanting to say more. "I saw him there."

"Aaron attacked you?" Ariana's flames began to smolder as his thoughts slipped through. "Why would he do that? Has he fallen under Calexis' power?"

"I don't know about that, Ariana," Borrican said. "He wasn't fighting very hard, and he let me beat him, so I don't think so."

"What is he doing with her?" Ariana was worried and frustrated. "Has he fallen under her power?"

"Let's worry about that later," he said. "Right now we have no way across the river, and there may be another enemy that we must face."

"You do not face an enemy, Akandar," a voice spoke, deep and rasping from nearby as the air began to warm and a radiant light glowed in the fog. A man appeared, his body wrapped in a tattered cloak, with flames dancing in the air around him.

"I know you," Nathas said. "You are Zachary, the mage."

"Forgive me if I do not remember you," Zachary said, staring at Nathas with his flickering gaze. "You appear to be someone important, so I bid you greeting."

Ariana suddenly walked forward, her own fire blazing in the air around her, overwhelmed with anger, and she swung her hand and slapped the mage in the face. He looked down at her and several tears fell from the corners of his eyes, only to sizzle away as they dripped down his cheeks.

"I suppose I deserved that," he said, then he sighed and smiled at her with a wistful look behind the fire in his eyes. "You look so very much like your mother, and you slap like her too, though I think you have Gregor's temper. Well met, Ariana Coromay."

"I neither approve of you nor do I wish to meet you, mage," Ariana said.

"I will take that slap as fair greeting, regardless," Zachary replied, then he bowed and stepped aside as three more figure appeared in the fog behind him. Two women and a rough-looking, bearded man with enormous arms approached and Ariana immediately recognized Ehlena, and she walked briskly past the mage and rushed to greet her.

"You have returned," Ariana said, relieved to see the young goddess who had saved so much of the elven forest. "And you have brought friends."

"I have brought friend and allies," Ehlena said, glancing over at Zachary, then she turned to the woman beside her and gestured to both her and the man who had accompanied them. "This is Carly, and this is Toren, the King of Aghlar."

The woman smiled at Ariana and something about her looked strangely familiar, and the Aghlar took Ariana's hand, grasping it gently in his rough fingers.

"Queen Ariana," he said. "The ships of Aghlar are at your command. We offer our aid in reclaiming your lands."

"You have my gratitude, King Toren," Ariana replied, glancing over at the woman with the dark hair, and then she remembered who she was and she turned to face her. "We met at Rivergate, a long time ago, at an inn. You helped me escape, and then I was attacked by the mage, Dakar."

"Yes, I remember. I am sorry that I failed you, Ariana," Carly said. "I saw what happened and we searched for you. I wish I had been more myself then, for you would not have been lost so easily."

"Nathas told me everything," Ariana said, not sure what Carly meant about not being herself. "It was not your fault what happened, and I am grateful for your help, and for the help you gave Aaron. It was generous of you to take such a risk, and here you are, once again, traveling with our allies."

"It seems no matter what I do to stay away, I find myself caught up in the events of the world," Carly said, with a sigh, then she smiled. "I do like what you've done with your hair, and the gemstones are very pretty."

"That is very kind of you to say," Ariana said. "Many things have happened."

"I long for quieter times," Carly said. "But such is simply wishful thinking, and we must deal with a fool of a queen and that far more dangerous fool of a god."

"You speak as though they are familiar to you," Ariana commented.

"Calexis?" Carly shrugged. "Never met her, but that fool Kenra, who goes around calling himself the one god, let's just say that I owe him a few things, whether he is a she or not, the scoundrel."

"Well then, if everyone has met everyone, let's get to it," Zachary interjected.

"There is a battle to plan, and we have not yet met," Borrican said. "I am Borrican Akandar, Prince of Kandara. I am a friend to Aaron, who I understand is a relation of yours."

"Akandar?" Zachary squinted an eye at him. "You are Eric's boy?"

"Yes," Borrican said. "He was my father."

"I always like old Eric," Zachary said, with a wistful smile. "Now, about that fool of a son of mine. What is he doing up in that palace?"

"Right now, I believe he is distracting Calexis," Borrican said, and Ehlena nodded.

"Well then, let's see what we can do to help," Zachary said.

"We have many soldiers, ready to fight," Borrican told him. "We must plan our attack if we are to retake the city and rescue its people."

"This is the plan of the little lady goddess," Zachary commented, glancing over at Ehlena.

"I believe it is Aaron's idea," Borrican replied. "It is why he went to Calexis."

"He does not know the risk he takes," the mage muttered, and Borrican noticed that, beneath the cloak that he wore, one of his arms appeared to be missing. He had been so blinded by the brightness of the truefire that burned within the mage, he had not noticed it before, and even now, without his dragon sight, he could see traces of flame flickering in Zachary's face and his body, including the missing part of his arm.

"We all take risks," Borrican said, having already heard how the mage had tried to fight Calexis on his own.

"True," Zachary said. "Well then, I suppose we'd better figure out how to attack this city without killing everyone in it."

"That would be helpful," Borrican said, then he turned to Ariana, who was deep in discussion with the others, and he sent her a thought to get her attention. "There is something I must do before we proceed, but I will not be long."

Ariana nodded and returned his thought, a mix of concern and flickering warmth that he return safely, and Zachary stepped aside, thinking that Borrican had been talking to him.

"Well, hurry back," he said. "From the sounds of things, we'll be storming the city soon."

"I will not be going far," Borrican said. "Well met, Zachary."

The mage watched Borrican disappear into the fog, then he turned and joined the others, who were discussing the plan of attack and the obstacles they faced.

"Our army cannot cross the river with the water so high and the bridge now gone," Nathas commented.

"Worry not," Toren said. "We have brought ships that can carry you across, and Lady Mara, I mean Carly has brought a fog to obscure our movements."

"Thank you, Toren," Carly said. "I thought it might prove useful, considering the way the city was built."

"How many ships do you have, and how many can they carry?" Nathas asked.

"Lady Mara?" Ariana whispered, nudging Ehlena, as the others discussed the details of ferrying the soldiers across the water.

"Yes, it is she," she said with a nod. "Though she prefers Carly."

Ariana stared at the woman, a little shocked but not surprised, for much had changed about the world with the return of the gods.

"This fog is so thick I can almost cut it," Pike said, swirling his knife around in the air, then he stabbed it into a piece of cooked fish on the simple, wooden plate that rested on his knees.

"Yes, there is something unnatural about it," Elric said, as he stuck a long, pointed claw onto his own plate until he hit a piece of fish, then he lifted it to his mouth and nibbled at it with his sharp, reptilian teeth.

"It sounds like something happening up in the city," Pike commented. "Tell me again who the bad people are."

Pike had found Elric sitting in a patch of tall reeds by the shore of the lake, soaking wet, surrounded by fish and crying quietly by himself. At first he was not sure what to make of the strange looking half lizard, but somewhere in the elusive fragments of his memory, he remembered seeing lizard men with swords. Since this one was crying, he did not look like much of a threat, and he had fish, which Pike though would make a fine meal, so he had walked into the reeds and called out quietly to him. When he heard someone approaching him, Elric remembered that Brian told him to keep an eye out for a fellow named Pike, whose thoughts were addled, and he could sense that his thoughts clearly were not entirely right. After introducing himself, Elric discovered that the fellow was not even sure of his own name, though he seemed perfectly capable of other things, and Elric offered to share his fish, if Pike could find a safe place to build a fire.

They had found their way to an old, rickety fishing shack that was set back from the shore, nestled among some trees. It looked as though it had not been used in many years, but it was mostly dry inside, and it had a small, stone fire circle and a few other useful items including an old iron pan that was rusted but still serviceable, and some striking flint and tinder. Elric had discovered that even though he could no longer see in the usual way, he could still sense things, and the movement of fish in the water was what had originally drawn him to the lake, and he also found that he could swim very well with his half-reptilian form, which made it very easy to catch fish. With Pike to build a fire and cook the food, Elric was pleased to be able to simply sit and eat, enjoying a simple pleasure, which he made a point of doing in as civilized a manner as possible to make up for how horrible he must look, though Pike did not seem to mind.

"There are a lot of strange noises. Maybe we should find out what's going on," Pike suggested, playing with the fog that had drifted in through the open door of the shack. "In this fog maybe I could sneak around."

"No, Pike," Elric said. "It is too dangerous."

"Right," Pike said. "You said that before. Too dangerous."

Elric nodded and ate another piece of fish, and stared at his new friend, wondering what they should do, as he had for the last several days, for it had not taken very long for him to discover that there was a problem with Pike. It seemed that Elric had to remind him repeatedly of his own name, it seemed that his memory was missing and he even forgot new things as well. Strangely, while Pike was horribly forgetful, in a way that seemed almost random, he had no trouble with finding his way back to the shack, and while he recognized Elric as someone he knew, he also forgot his name repeatedly.

"Well, I'm glad you remember that at least," Elric said. "Do you remember why it's dangerous?"

"There are dead soldiers, a lot of bad lizards, and a mean lady who stole your eyes and made me forget things," Pike said.

"Do you know the name of the mean lady?"

Pike scrunched his eyes up, pausing from eating for a moment, then he shook his head and popped another piece of fish in his mouth.

"No," he said as he chewed his food. "You told me before, but I don't remember."

"Do you remember my name?" Elric asked.

"You're, uh, well..."

"Elric."

"Right, Elric," Pike said. "Pleased to meet you, I'm, uh..."

"Pike."

"Yes, that is what I am called, like the weapon, not the fish."

"That's right," Elric said. "At least I think so."

"I hate forgetting things," Pike said. "I know there are things I should know, but I don't know what they are. It is very frustrating, but I'm glad you remember things."

"Maybe you will eventually be able to remember more," Elric said. "We can just keep reminding you until you do."

"Thank you, uh..." Pike frowned.

"Elric."

"Yes, thank you, Elric," Pike said. "Can I just call you lizard? I could remember that."

"No, you may not call me that," Elric told him, trying to keep his temper from flaring, for he knew that Pike had not meant any harm by his suggestion.

"All right," Pike said, idly stabbing at his food with the tip of his dagger, then he repeated his name. "Elric."

Elric turned his head and listened to the many noises in the night and he tried to focus on his food, but even though he was hungry, he was quickly losing his appetite. The sounds he heard were of fighting, of the boots of soldiers, the clash of swords and the accursed Darga creatures, and he knew that the battle had begun. A part of him wanted to do something, to help in some way, but even though he felt his strength returning, Elric was not sure what he could do, since he could not see except in the water of the lake, as he had discovered when his hunger had finally driven him to chase after some fish. At the same time, another part of him wanted to stay away from the battle because of the other things he had heard, powerful things that upset him. Thoughts of burning anger screamed in his ears and inside his head, sounds he instinctively knew as the visceral rage of the creatures he despised, that he had fought against becoming, and he recognized one of the bellowing screams and the thoughts that were carried upon it, as the sound of his own brother, and how like their father he sounded.

Elric could hear others as well, and he was both angered by and afraid of them, for their calls were far more primal, and though he felt a strange urge to answer their call, he was also ashamed at his own weakness. There was nothing he could do except make sure that Pike did not get into any trouble, as the one who had rescued him had asked him to. It was not very much, but he could at least do that. Besides, the last person he wanted to see him the way he was now was his brother, Borrican, especially with the anger that was in his voice, and he listened carefully, trying to keep track of him and the others, hoping that they would simply pass over and never notice the tiny shack, where he and Pike had taken refuge.

Pike looked up from his plate and flipped his dagger around in his hand without thinking, ready to fight, when a figure suddenly appeared at the door of the shack.

"Who are you?" he asked, slowly sliding his foot to the side, so he could move if he had to.

"Someone is here?" Elric hissed. "Who is it? Why can I not hear you?"

"You cannot hear me because I have learned to control my thoughts," Borrican said as he stepped into the shack. He saw the scruffy young fellow holding his dagger defensively. "Fear not, brother, I do not intend to harm you."

"Borrican," Elric said, his head looking downward. "I heard your rage. It is like the madness of our father."

"There is a battle," Borrican said. "The rage of dragons lives in the fire we breathe."

"I do not want to become mad like you," Elric said.

"You are his brother?" Pike asked. "You don't look like a lizard."

"Please, Pike," Elric said, his voice strained with his conflicting emotions.

"Yes, I am his brother," Borrican said, then he turned to look at Elric. "As angry as I am at your betrayal, furious, in fact, you are still my brother."

"What more would you do to me?" Elric asked. "Cerric and his foul queen Calexis have tortured me. They have taken my sight and left me helpless. If you came here to punish me, then go ahead."

"I did not come here to punish you, Elric," Borrican said. "I can hear your thoughts, and so can the other dragons that have joined me in fighting Calexis and the dark god. You are more dragon than our uncle was, but you are still not dragonkind, and it is likely that you never will be, so you will have little to fear of madness. But if you are to live in this world, where dragons now fly, you might learn to contain your thoughts, that they do not hear your cowardice, for it dirties the name of the Akandra."

"Then that is what you came here to say, to call me a coward?" Elric asked.

"I do not call you a coward," Borrican said. "It is simply what you are. If you do not wish to be such, then choose to be otherwise."

"I am not like you, Borrican," Elric told him. "I don't just run off into battles where people can get hurt."

"No, you stand idly by while people get hurt," Borrican said.

"Leave me," Elric whispered. "If you did not come to kill me, then leave me."

"Is that what you thought?" Borrican asked. "That I would kill you?"

"It's what I deserve, and it would be your right, for what I did."

"And what good would that do?"

"I don't know," Elric said, his voice cracking with sorrow and confusion.

"If you think you deserve to die, then why do you fear, brother?" Borrican asked. "I would that you might live, and find your honor somehow."

"Oh, goodbye then," Pike said, as Borrican turned and disappeared into the foggy darkness.

"He is gone?" Elric asked. "Borrican is no longer here?"

"No," Pike replied. "He just walked away."

"I suppose I cannot blame him for that," Elric said.

*****

Borrican flew through the darkness and the fog, both irritated and glad to have found Elric. He was dismayed at what had happened to his brother, and the pity he felt for him made his anger take a different turn. If it were not for his cowardice, Elric could have been a good king and a powerful warrior, for he was always the attentive one, who cared about the little details that affected the lives of the people and he prided himself on the inner workings of the palace and the city and the kingdom, things that Borrican had often found boring and mundane. He had heard Elric's thoughts, his inner torture laid bare to any who could hear him, and while he had made the wrong decision, to surrender to Cerric, he had done so in the hope of stopping the war while he was overwhelmed by his own fears about the dragon within him.

Borrican thought about his own struggle and how the madness had almost destroyed him, and though Elric had not become a dragon, he knew that he may have faced something similar. Still, he did not want to make excuses for what Elric did, for his betrayal of his kingdom and its people, but Borrican tried to at least understand what had led Elric to give up hope, and let fear overcome him. The more he thought about it, the more angry he became, not so much toward Elric, whose cowardice was simply a truth, but toward the dark god, who had twisted so many things and forced people into circumstances where the choices they made were between one terrible thing or another.

If Cerric had not tried to murder Ariana, and if he and the kingdom of Kandara had not been blamed, there might have been no war, and both Elric and Borrican would probably have learned the truth about their family line in a gentler way, with the guidance of their father and their uncle. Things would have been different, he was sure of it, and perhaps Elric would have turned out different, but the truth was that the many things that had happened could not be undone. All that could be done now, was to fight against the dark god, the one behind so many of the troubles of the world, and try to make things right.

Borrican dipped his wing and flew overtop the dozens of ships that waited, while hundreds of soldiers climbed aboard, up rope ladders and netting that had been lowered over the sides. He reached out with his thoughts and found Ariana and the others, down by the shore, at the far end of the row of ships, directing groups of soldiers to the vessels. Storm and the two young dragons, Kaz and Raz, no longer in their dragon forms, to avoid being targets for the oversized Darga crossbows, stood guard along with the elven woman, Keira, and all seemed to be moving along in good order. Borrican circled around and was just about to shift his form when he saw something moving in the water by the edge of the lake, and he sent a warning to Ariana and the dragons as he dove down toward a teeming mass of Darga that had begun slithering their way up the muddy shore.

"Everybody get to the ships!" Ariana yelled as muck and water sprayed in all directions when the great black dragon landed atop the Darga.

Borrican stomped on the lizard men with his great, clawed feet, but the soft ground beneath them gave way and most of them wriggled free, scrambling away from him. He turned as a dozen Darga ran from the water's edge toward Ariana and she threw fire at them, but their scaly hides that were slick with wet mud took the brunt of the heat, and her attack barely slowed them down. Borrican spun around, smashing several of the lizard men as he whipped his tail through the water. He tried to run after them, but the mud beneath his feet made it almost impossible to move, and he realized that he could not shift form because he was completely surrounded by Darga and would be overwhelmed by their numbers. Even in his much larger dragon form, the lizard men were trying to attack him, and a few of them were attempting to climb up onto his back.