Dragon Stones (Book One in the Dragon Stone Saga) (7 page)

“Let’s get back on track, everyone,” Sela
said. “I do not believe that Chua and Starclaw are alive. How could
they be—after all these years? Isn’t it more likely that the stone
is a forgery?”

“It is real,” answered the king. “My
informant is a mage. Her powers are marginal, but she could still
feel the stone’s energy. She tested it herself.”

“Can your mage be trusted?” asked Hanko.

“Yes. She is beyond reproach. She fought in
the Orc Wars, and her husband was a rider. He was killed by the
emperor during the war.”

“Really? Her husband was a rider? What was
his name?” asked Riona, her eyes wide with surprise.

King Mitca’s eyes narrowed. “I would… rather
not say.”

Riona bit her lip, her face burning with
embarrassment. Some secrets were too precious to repeat. She knew
the king could not risk revealing the identity of his informant,
even to the Dragon Riders. Spies were everywhere, and the emperor
was ruthless. Some minor detail, whispered in passing, could seal
all their fates.

Mitca passed the scroll to Sela. It appeared
to be blank. There was a glamour on the scroll. Not strong enough
to deter anyone with magical abilities, but enough to prevent a
normal human from reading the text.

Sela recited a simple incantation and runes
appeared. She recited the letter. “It says—‘Your Royal Highness, I
must inform you that a Dragon Stone has been found in the east. It
is in my possession. I tested it with spells and I can say with
certainty that it is real. I will keep it hidden as long as I can.
Please send orders. Faithfully yours.’ That is all. It is signed
with a symbol instead of a name.” Sela passed the scroll around to
the others.

“All of our informants sign with a symbol,
and they only send messages in the old language. It makes
communications safer,” said the king.

The writing was rudimentary—everyone could
tell that the writer had not studied the old language for very
long. However, the image of the Dragon Stone was crystal clear. The
stone had been placed underneath the parchment, and charcoal had
been rubbed over the image, creating an impression. The carving
depicted a dragon’s head, breathing fire.

When the scroll passed to Duskeye, he
examined it and frowned. “If the stone is not a forgery, then it is
Chua’s,” said Tallin. “I recognize it.”

“Are you sure?” asked Riona. “There were
hundreds of Dragon Riders before the war broke out.”

Tallin responded to Riona flatly, “I’m
sure.”

Mitca said, “It is too dangerous for me
outside the Death Sands. I pass this information to you so you may
decide what you want to do. I cannot leave. I will offer asylum to
Chua and Starclaw, if you can get them back to Parthos alive. That
is the best I can do.” King Mitca took the scroll and tucked it
back in his waistband. “If you decide to search for them, then let
me know and I will send word to the informant. She will put the
stone in a safe place where you can retrieve it.”

The King turned to leave. “I will leave four
of my guards at the cathedral doors to ensure your privacy. When
you leave, dismiss them, and they will return to the castle. You
have one day to decide what you want to do.”

“And what if we cannot come to a consensus?”
asked Sela.

“If you cannot come to an agreement, I will
order my mage to destroy the stone. I cannot risk it falling into
enemy hands,” the king said as he left the cathedral. “I leave you
to decide.” The king walked out into the street, and his private
guard surrounded him. A few guards stayed behind as promised. One
popped his head inside the cathedral and addressed the group.

“The king has ordered us to escort Mistress
Sela and her dragon back to his private quarters after your meeting
is adjourned.” Then he turned back and sealed the door. It closed
with a thump.

“A Dragon Stone cannot be destroyed—can it?”
asked Riona.

“Yes… It can,” answered Sela. “But only with
difficulty. The stone cannot be destroyed when it is in the rider’s
possession, except by killing the rider. However, when a stone is
separated from its rider, it can be shattered using necromancy.
During the war, the emperor’s necromancers would try to kidnap a
dragon or a rider, remove the dragon stone, and destroy it using
dark magic. The magical shockwave would usually kill the rider and
the dragon, so it was like killing two birds with one stone. More
often than not, the spell would kill the necromancer, as well. It
is an evil thing to shatter a dragon stone.”

Sela sat down and sighed. “So, what are we
going to do?”

“If Starclaw is alive, we
must find her. We cannot leave her to die in the east,”
said Charlight.

“It is too dangerous,” said Riona. “There
aren’t enough of us. We cannot risk one to save another. It could
be a trap.”

“How about the rider? Is it possible that
Chua is still alive?” asked Sela.

“It’s doubtful. And even if he was alive,
none of us could risk our lives to save him,” spat Hanko.

“Why not? Isn’t saving the rider just as
important as saving his dragon?” said Riona.

“Chua was a traitor, Riona,” replied
Hanko.

Riona gasped with surprise. “A Dragon Rider
who was a traitor? I never knew this—how come the others don’t talk
about it?”

“Now, now, everyone… let’s not jump to
conclusions,” said Sela. “No one is sure what happened. Chua
disappeared during the war, after falling from the sky in battle.
Most assumed that they were dead, but there was some spotty
evidence that both had defected to the other side, and had been
working as a double agent for the empire, as spies.”

Hanko spoke again, “Chua was an oathbreaker!
Hundreds of dragons and their riders may have perished because of
him.”

“There is one other
possibility,”
said Duskeye,
quietly.

“What else could it be?” asked Sela. “The
stone exists, so Chua and Starclaw must both still be alive.”

“Starclaw could be waiting
in Darkmouth Forest… for her new rider to mature,”
replied Duskeye
. “Chua
was gravely injured during the war. Of that, I am certain. But Chua
was still alive when he fell from the sky. What if Chua had a
child? If a magical transfer was done, then the child would be able
to take the original rider’s place.”

Hanko scoffed, “Unlikely! How could a dragon
stay hidden for so long in the east? And how could they have made a
transfer without anyone discovering it? This is foolishness!”

“No. I disagree. It is possible, and in
fact, it makes perfect sense. It explains why Chua and Starclaw
disappeared,” said Tallin. “Chua had a lover during the war. I saw
them together at least once or twice. A peasant woman. The woman…
was with child. Even if gravely injured, Chua could have done a
transfer; even if the child was an infant. I’ve seen it done… in
desperation… at least once before.”

Sela sighed. “I have serious reservations
about this. It may be a trick. But we cannot ignore it. The only
thing left to decide is… who is going to leave the safety of the
Death Sands to look for Starclaw, and possibly, Chua?”

No one spoke. Then Duskeye
said,
“Tallin and I will
volunteer.”

Everyone looked at the pair in surprise.
Tallin and Duskeye never volunteered for anything.

“Duskeye, are you
sure
?” asked
Sela.

“Yes. We will go,” Tallin responded.
“Duskeye and I understand something of how Starclaw must be
feeling. I, too, was separated from Duskeye for an extended
period—to be alone, for so long… after bonding to a dragon, it is…
unbearable.”

Sela and Riona shivered involuntarily.

“Tallin is the strongest
illusionist, and he will conceal us with ease. It would be riskier
for anyone else to go,”
said
Duskeye.

“You have a point,” nodded Sela. “But where
will you go first? Darkmouth Forest is vast.”

“I have an instinct, and I will follow it,”
said Tallin. The others waited for him to elaborate, but he did not
offer anything more. Duskeye nudged his rider, but also remained
silent. Their thoughts were guarded, as always.

“It is an honorable choice. I will report
our decision to the king,” said Sela.

“It is decided, then. Duskeye and I leave
for Darkmouth Forest tonight,” said Tallin.

***

Chapter 5:
The Mage’s Flame

Elias awoke with a start. It had been
exactly one week since he found the dragon stone. His dreams had
grown more disturbing. When he closed his eyes at night, he dreamt
only of dragons. When he woke up, his mind wandered, and he
daydreamed of dragons. He rubbed his eyes and peeked outside the
window. It was snowing. Again.

His grandmother was already awake, stirring
porridge in the kitchen.

“Good morning, Elias. I am using some of
your honey to make breakfast. I got fresh goat’s milk this morning
from Borgil. He still owed me for sewing up his arm two months
ago.” She put the wooden spoon to her lips and tasted, nodding with
satisfaction. “It’s only wheat gruel, but it is sweet and
delicious.”

Elias got up and put on his cloak. “It’s
freezing. A hot breakfast sounds wonderful.” He walked over and
inhaled the aroma of bubbling porridge.

“It snowed last night, and it will continue
to snow throughout the week. These mountains are colder than the
valley. It’s a trade-off. We are safer from bandits and the
emperor’s tax collectors, but we have to deal with more severe
weather. The mountains and the forest offer us protection.”

“I still wish it was warmer.” He shivered.
“Grandmother, are the Death Sands hot all the time, even in the
winter?”

“Yes. It is always warm in the Death Sands,
although the temperatures are milder in the fall and winter. The
desert is treacherous. A healthy man can die there in just a few
hours. The Death Sands are filled with dangerous creatures, nomads,
and bandits. One should never underestimate the power of the
desert.”

“Have you ever been to the Death Sands,
grandmother?”

“Yes, many years ago, before you were born.
I dare not speak of it much; it is a rebel territory, after all.
It’s best to keep quiet about such things.” She looked wistfully at
the ceiling. “It’s beautiful, though. In all of Durn, there is no
place like it. At night, you can see a million stars in the sky.
There are no clouds. In the spring, the rain comes and the cactus
flowers bloom purple and white. There is nothing as lovely as the
desert in bloom. And there are the dragons. It’s amazing to see
them fly free.”

“Really? What do they look like?” Elias
started to ask her more questions about the desert, but was
distracted by shouting outside.

“What was that?” asked Carina.

“I don’t know.” Elias peeked out the window.
“There’s something going on in the village. I see men on horses.
They’re dressed in yellow and red.”

Carina rushed to the window, pulling away
the sackcloth curtain, “Elias!” she gasped. “Those are empire
soldiers! They are coming towards us!” The men were still a good
distance away, but their armor and horses set them apart. These
were the emperor’s men.

Elias ran to the door, but Carina shoved him
back. She grabbed his shoulders, and twisted him around to face
her. Her knuckles were white.

“Elias—tell me the truth—did you tell anyone
else about the stone?” Carina whispered anxiously.

“I—Y-Yes. I tried to sell it to Frogar a few
days ago. I-I’m sorry! I thought I could get some money—to help us
through the winter!” His eyes filled with tears. He had never seen
his grandmother this frantic.

“Don’t cry—just tell me—where is the stone
now?”

“It-it’s in my room, hidden.” Elias
trembled. “I-I didn’t take the stone back to the forest, like you
asked me. I was going to take it to Jutland, and sell it. I’m
sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“Elias! Listen to me carefully. It’s too
late to do anything about it now. We don’t have much time. These
soldiers will kill me, Elias.”

“What? No—no! Don’t say that!” Elias began
to sob.

“Stop! Be strong! You must escape with the
stone. Go to Darkmouth Forest. Follow the path to the Elder
Willow.” Carina rushed to the cabinet, and pulled out a little
dagger and a worn journal. “Use the map in this book. The Elder
Willow is well-hidden, so you must continue to look for it until
you find it. Take this dagger; it is enchanted. No one will be able
to take it from you. Guard this book—it is my grimoire. All my
knowledge of spells is in here; safeguard it well.”

“Grandmother—please!” Elias’ chin trembled.
“You’re scaring me!”

“Elias—I’m sorry I can’t explain, but
nothing can be done about it now. Go to your room, swiftly! Get
grandfather’s cloak and your knapsack.”

Elias ran to his room, pulling on his boots.
He donned his warmest cloak and ran back out to the kitchen.

“Grandmother?” Hot tears ran down his
cheeks. Elias was afraid.

Bang! Bang! The men pounded on the door.
“Woman! Open the door. We’re here upon orders from the
emperor!”

“Be brave! Elias, here is some dried beef
and your waterskin. Put it in your rucksack. Do you have the dragon
stone?”

“Yes. It’s here.” Elias unclasped his fist,
and it was there, shining in his palm.

“Hide it!”

Elias obeyed, tucking the stone into his
boot.

Carina clasped his face in her hands. “I
love you, my grandson. No matter what happens, remember that. Now
go. Leave through the root cellar. Stay hidden until it is safe.
You will know when. Then, run to the forest, and go straight to the
Elder Willow! Do not look back, just keep running!”

Bang! Bang! “Open up! Or we will break down
the door!” the men yelled from outside, more forcefully this
time.