DragonKnight (43 page)

Paladin signaled them to re-form at the sides of the entrance. He stood where he was and faced the rock shaft that now flashed from within as if a violent storm rolled through the tunnel. A flash of fire heralded the entry of a black dragon, twice the size of Greer. The flame shot past the waiting warriors and engulfed their leader. When the blaze subsided, Paladin stood unharmed.

The creature lowered its head, stretched out its neck, opened its mouth, and blew. A second inferno leapt across the empty space.

“Charge,” shouted Bardon, and the two lines of Paladin’s warriors rushed the exposed throat of the huge dragon. The beast bellowed and threw up its head as it felt the multiple strikes. Most of the warriors lost their grips on their swords as the creature’s neck rose in a mighty jerk.

“Back!” ordered Bardon, and the fighters retreated.

The fire dragon leapt to the wall and climbed out of reach as it stoked its furnace. It breathed heavily and occasionally shook its head, as if annoyed by the swords stuck in its flesh.

Paladin shouted, “Lances!”

A pile of weapons appeared on the floor. Long rods with sharp metal tips lined up between the warriors. They rushed forward and grabbed them. The beast roared and circled the wall, while the men hurled the spears at the fleet-footed dragon.

“He’s enchanted,” said one of the knights. “Look at him scale the walls like a tiny lizard.”

Regidor joined those throwing the lances. Bardon noted that every one of the meech dragon’s spears hit the mark. Holt left off throwing the lances himself and took up the task of keeping a lance ever ready for the more proficient meech dragon.

The dragon kicked a hind leg, as if trying to shake something off.

“Look,” exclaimed Kale. “It’s the minneken.”

Jue Seeno clung to her sword. She had thrust the blade into the tender flesh behind the dragon’s knee. With every one of the dragon’s kicks, the minneken swung back and forth on the hilt of the embedded sword.

Infuriated, the creature leapt to the floor, using its tail to slam warriors out of the fight.

Lyll and Cam stood with their heads together. When they turned to face the dragon, their expressions showed intense concentration.

“What are they doing?” Bardon asked Regidor.

The meech studied the wizards for only a moment, then grinned. “Good idea!” he said as a smile broke out on his face. “They are drawing all the animal’s fluids into the craw that produces the flames. I think I’ll join them.”

The beast became sluggish. Paladin ordered, “Stand down, men, and get back,” just before the heavy head slammed to the cavern floor. It breathed once more, drawing in its last breath with a shudder and exhaling a hot, fetid gasp.

Paladin walked among his men, praising their work, taking note of the injured, and giving orders. He came to Bardon’s side and put a hand on his shoulder. “Well done, Squire.”

Bardon bowed his head in respect before his commander.

Paladin lifted his hand and clapped it down again. “You’ve decided to join me, haven’t you?”

Bardon raised his eyes to look into Paladin’s face. Today, the ruler of Amara looked younger, stronger than when he had visited Bardon at Castle Pelacce.

“Yes,” Bardon answered.

Paladin waved his hand around the room to indicate the crumpled forms of the mass of servants, all still under Risto’s spell. “You will have to deal with such as these.”

Bardon studied these cold, useless people, and he looked at the warriors around him. Kale and Lyll embraced Sir Kemry Allerion. N’Rae and Granny Kye had at some point crossed over the bridge from the castle cellar and now held between them the younger of the old emerlindian’s twins. Bardon looked at the collapsed forms of Sittiponder and Ahnek. Toopka sat beside the blind seer, grasping his hands. In front of each and every living creature in the vast underground hall stood a kimen, solemn and watchful.

His eyes fell again on Kale, and his heart tightened with the need to hold her, to have his arms around her, to never let her go.

“Yes,” Bardon said. “Each of these people is precious to someone, and all of them are precious to Wulder.”

“Indeed,” said his commander.

Paladin turned away from him, withdrawing his hand from Bardon’s shoulder. He put his fists to his hips and surveyed those servants who’d fallen as the earth quaked. One by one, as his gaze rested upon them, their color returned, their breathing deepened, and they moved, stretching and sitting up, blinking as they looked around. Gymn and Ardeo fluttered up from the floor and sought Kale. Sittiponder hugged Toopka. Ahnek stood and turned in a circle, his mouth hanging open as he took in the wondrous scene. Those among the warriors who were injured received healing.

“Bardon,” a soft voice spoke behind him, and he turned to see Granny Kye standing with her eldest twin. Her small, dark face beamed with joy.

Bardon put his arms around her and squeezed. “You have both your sons, alive and well. I’d say our quest has been successful.”

“And you’ve gained someone as well,” she said.

Bardon looked over her head to Kale, who was making her way through the crowd to him.

“Yes, very definitely.” He grinned at Kale and, as their eyes met, winked.

“Oh, I’d forgotten Kale,” said Granny Kye. “So I guess we should make that two someones. No, three. Four!”

Bardon leaned back to look down into her glowing countenance. He knew his face must be a mask of confusion, because she laughed.

“I’m your grandmother, N’Rae is your cousin, and, Bardon…” She eased out of his embrace so that he could face her eldest son. “Meet your father.”

E
PILOGUE

The Knights’ Chamber hung silent even though crowded by the entire questing party and the rescued knights. Paladin crouched before Fenworth’s tree and spoke quietly to Toopka. The little girl had wedged herself in the old wizard’s branches.

Bardon put his arms around Kale as she started to go forward. “Let Paladin handle this.”

“Come, Toopka.” Paladin held his arms out to receive her.

She shook her head. “No, he’s sleeping. He always becomes a tree when he sleeps.”

Paladin nodded, his eyes filled with compassion. “This time he is not asleep, but gone.”

“No, no, no!”

Paladin reached in to touch her hand. He rubbed gently. “Come to my arms, child.”

To Bardon’s surprise, the doneel girl let go of her hold of a branch and slipped into Paladin’s embrace.

She collapsed against his shoulder, and he stood, patting her back. “I know for a fact that Wizard Fenworth told you he was going to die.”

She nodded, keeping her face buried.

“He is not lost to us, Toopka, but waits for us to join him in another place. Isn’t that what he told you?”

She nodded again and lifted her tear-stained face. “He said he was going to go take a walk with Wulder and ask Him some things he never got figured out.”

Paladin smiled. “And by now our friend Fenworth has his answers. It’s all right to miss him, but do not despair. The Tomes make it clear that this is only a temporary world we live in.” He hugged her. “The Tomes also give us instructions as to what to do in such a time as this.”

“What?”

“Talk to the living. There are stories in this room that are just waiting to be told. Are you curious about Granny Kye’s sons?”

Bardon caught his breath, and Kale squeezed his arm.

“He didn’t desert you,” she whispered.

He shook his head but couldn’t answer past the lump in his throat. He had avoided Granny Kye’s eldest son in the chaos after the battle. It hadn’t been difficult. Paladin had issued orders, and Bardon sprang to obey. When they reached this room, he’d chosen to stand on the opposite side beside Kale, where she stood with her parents.

Paladin carried Toopka over to Sir Joffa, who stood next to his brother. Bardon’s father had a hand resting on his mother’s shoulder. “Tell us, sir,” commanded Paladin, “about how you were separated from your son.”

Bardon didn’t want to hear this story in a crowded room. This tale was personal and shouldn’t be aired in front of strangers. He stared at the man who was his father and waited. He wondered about Sir Joffa’s age. Not very old, he guessed, since his skin, hair, and eyes had darkened only to a ruddy tan. The knight’s eyes glanced Bardon’s way for only a second, swept around the room, and then came back to rest on his son.

“I heard my brother was in trouble and decided to give aid.” Sir Joffa’s voice boomed across the large hall. “I set out with my fair lady and our son toward Wittoom, but we were ambushed in the Kattaboom Mountains by Risto’s men. My wife was killed. The rest of the cutthroats were slain by my men and me.”

By this time, Bardon had lost all trepidation over the witnesses hearing his story. He felt as if his father spoke to him and none other.

“I made arrangements for Liza’s burial,” Sir Joffa continued, “and spirited my son away to The Hall. I knew Grand Ebeck would take care of him for the few months I would be gone to rescue my brother, without giving away his parentage and exposing him to Risto or Stox.”

He looked steadily at his grown son. Bardon returned the regard without flinching. “It is hard for me to imagine that this fine young man is the sleeping six-year-old I handed into Ebeck’s arms.”

Paladin turned to face Bardon. “You were old enough to remember all this, Squire, but sometimes Wulder blots out horrific memories in order to give peace to a fragile child.”

Bardon felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down into Kale’s expectant face.

“Go shake his hand. Do something!” she muttered urgently.

Bardon felt released from a very long, troubling dream. He crossed the wide space and stuck out his hand to his father. Sir Joffa took it and after one firm shake, pulled his grown boy into his arms.

This can’t be real. Oh, thank You, Wulder. It is real.
Tears coursed down his cheeks, and he felt only joy, no shame. He heard the crowd around them cheering and applauding, but he paid them no mind.

“Now,” said Paladin, “it looks like we have a happy ending, but I’m afraid there is too much still going on for us to rest.” His eyes roamed the room, connecting with each of the warriors. “I have need of you all. It is true that Crim Cropper and Burner Stox are amassing a hideous army in hopes of taking over Pretender’s powerful position. And although they’re not attacking the citizens of Amara, their skirmishes leave our people, who are innocently caught in the fray, as casualties. Whichever side wins, the next strategic move will be to enslave Amara. It is good that these knights are now awake. We must be ever watchful and not be caught sleeping when our chance comes to stand for Wulder and righteousness.”

“Hear! Hear!” shouted those in the room.

“I bless you, one and all, for your presence has returned my strength.”

“What are we going to do with the tree?” asked Toopka.

“Ah yes, little one, ever practical.” He kissed her cheek. “We must take care of the immediate as we prepare for the future. I am giving this castle property to Sir Kemry and Lyll Allerion. We have flushed out the evil, but if you leave a place empty, the depraved will return. Lyll and Kemry will move the tree to a sunny spot and allow it to be just what it is, a lovely tree.”

“And Kale?”

“She is now Wizard of The Bogs.”

“Can she do that?”

Paladin winked over Toopka’s shoulder at Bardon. “Yes, with help, she can.”

G
LOSSARY

Amara (ä´-mä-rä)

Continent surrounded by ocean on three sides.

armagot (är´-muh-got)

National tree, purple blue leaves in the fall.

armagotnut (är´-muh-got-nut)

Nut from the armagot tree.

astiket (a-stik´-it)

A three-team ball game played on a triangular field with three goals.

Ataradari (uh-tar´-uh-dar´-ee)

A tribe native to one of the smaller southern continents; primitive, but rich in folklore and tradition.

azrodhan (az´-ro´-dan)

Any of numerous, prolific vines, having clusters of bell-shaped flowers in various colors.

bisonbecks (b
´-sen-beks)

Most intelligent of the seven low races. They comprise most of Risto’s army.

blimmets (blim´-mets)

One of the seven low races, burrowing creatures that swarm out of the ground for periodic feeding frenzies.

Bogs, The

Made up of four swamplands with indistinct borders. Located in southwest Amara.

bordenaut (bôr´-deh-not)

A mold-ripened cheese with a white rind and a soft, pale center, made from creamy milk.

borling tree (bôr´-ling)

Tree with dark brown wood and a deeply furrowed nut enclosed in a globose, aromatic husk.

bossel (bôs´-l)

Grain with flat edible chaff and seed in center.

brillum (bril´-lum)

A brewed ale that none of the seven high races would consume. Smells like skunkwater, stains like black bornut juice. Mariones use it to spray around their fields to keep insects from infesting their crops.

brouna (broo-nah)

Beaten eggs, cooked in a skillet until firm, then folded over a variety of fillings.

chigot deer (k
-go)

A large deer with tangled antlers.

cygnot tree (s
´-not)

A tropical tree growing in extremely wet ground or shallow water. The branches come out of the trunk like spokes from a wheel hub and often interlace with neighboring trees.

criantem (cree-an´-tem)

A smooth, hard, yellow cheese varying in flavor from mild to sharp.

daggarts (dag´-garts)

A baked treat, a small crunch cake.

doneel (dō´-neel)

One of the seven high races. These people are furry with bulging eyes, thin black lips, and ears at the top and front of their skulls. A flap of skin covers the ears and twitches, responding to the doneel’s mood. They are small in stature, rarely over three feet tall. Generally are musical and given to wearing flamboyant clothing.

doohan (doo´-an)

A woven seat used for passengers, encased in a small chamber and mounted on a major dragon.

dorker

Large noisy bird, brightly colored, attractive to the eye, annoying to the ear.

Dormanscz (dôr-manz´)

Volcanic mountain range in southeast Amara.

druddum (drud´-dum)

Weasel-like animal that lives deep in mountains. These creatures are thieves and will steal anything to horde. Of course, they like to get food, but they are also attracted to bright things and things that have an unusual texture.

drummerbug

Small brown beetle that makes a loud snapping sound with its wings when not in flight.

emerlindian (
´-mer-lin´-dee-in)

One of the seven high races, emerlindians are born pale with white hair and pale gray eyes. As they age, they darken. One group of emerlindians are slight in stature, the tallest being five feet. Another distinct group are between six and six and a half feet tall.

fire dragon

Emerged from the volcanoes in ancient days. These dragons breathe fire and are most likely to serve evil forces.

giddinfish

A freshwater food and game fish; usually has a streamlined, speckled body with small scales.

girder exercise

A demanding regimen of recalling actions taken during a day and justifying the decision to make such an action by reciting principles from one of the three Tomes of Wulder.

grand emerlindian

Grands are male or female, close to a thousand years old, and black.

granny emerlindian

Grannies are male or female, said to be five hundred years old or older, and have darkened to a brown complexion with dark brown hair and eyes.

grawligs (graw´-ligs)

One of seven low races, mountain ogres.

greater dragon

Largest of the dragons, able to carry many men or cargo.

grood

A basic unit of currency in Amara.

guard

A fighting unit made up of a captain and four loes.

heatherhens

Chickenlike bird having brown plumage with a speckled breast and a short tail.

heirdosh vines (hair´-dosh)

A vine with short, flat, glossy-green leaves with two white bands on the underside. The sap from the branches is poisonous. The fluid from the leaves is poisonous to a lesser degree.

Herebic continent (hair´-a-bik)

Massive continent in the western/southern hemisphere.

Himber (him´-ber)

A tribe of people who are prone to be isolationists. They value intelligence and are great inventors.

Kere (keer)

An ancient language no longer in use. This language is thought to have been used by one of the first tribes to use written communication.

kimen (k
m´-en)

The smallest of the seven high races. Kimen are elusive, tiny, and fast. Under two feet tall.

kindia (kin´-dee-uh)

A large land mammal noted for its speed, strength, and endurance. Kindias are exceptionally adapted to traveling long distances with great efficiency and to surviving on a diet of nutrient-poor, high-fiber grasses. The shoulders are a foot or more taller than the hindquarters, giving the animal a slanted back.

Korskan tea (kor´-skan)

A tea flavored with citrus and spices, such as cinnamon and cardamom.

lightrocks

Any of the quartzlike rocks giving off a glow.

lo

Rank between leecent and lehman.

major dragon

Elephant-sized dragon most often used for personal transportation.

marione (mer´-
-owns)

One of the seven high races. Mariones are excellent farmers and warriors. They are short and broad, usually muscle-bound rather than corpulent.

meech dragon

The most intelligent of the dragons, capable of speech.

minneken

A small, mysterious race living in isolation on the Isle of Kye.

minor dragon

Smallest of the dragons, the size of a young kitten. The different types of minor dragons have different abilities.

moonbeam plant

A three-to four-foot plant having large shiny leaves and round flowers resembling a full moon. The stems are fibrous and used for making invisible cloth.

moonbird

A nocturnal bird of prey, having soft plumage that allows for noiseless flight, feathered talons, large heads with large eyes set forward, and short hooked beaks. Name reflects the coloring, which resembles the surface of the moon.

Morchain Range

Mountains running north and south through the middle of Amara.

mordakleep

One of the low races, a shadowy creature with a long tail.

mountain dewdrops

Small white flowers growing close to the ground in an almost moss covering.

mullins (m
l´-l
ns)