Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1) (23 page)

“When I got back up, I saw it was using its icy breath on my uncle. White dragons can freeze the very air with their cold exhalations. My uncle, the best hunter in our village, fell to the ground dead, incased in the dragon’s bitter ice. I looked around for help but no one was left alive but me.

“As the monster turned toward me, baring its dagger-like fangs and clawing at the ground, I lost my courage. I began to back away as fast as I could. That’s when I saw him, the dragon did too.

“He was on the most frightening horse I ever saw. It was black and huge, when it whinnied I could see its teeth had been filed into points. I swear by the Gods its eyes glowed with a faint red light. Every time the animal’s hooves struck the frozen ground flames appeared around them, making the snow hiss. As it came closer, I could smell the stench of carrion. As terrifying as the horse was, the man himself was more so.

“He was covered in black armor from head to toe, only his great biceps and shoulders were bare. A dark helmet covered his entire face, it was crested with some kind of hair and had bull horns on the sides and through the helmet’s eye slits I saw only darkness.

“He had a huge sword strapped to his side, the pommel was made from the skull of an infant with dark hair still hanging from its scalp. He slid from the horse easily and as gracefully as if he wore no armor at all. He was tall taller than you, Toran.”

“Damn, was it a giant? I have yet to see a man taller than me.”

K’xarr just looked at him. “Fine, I’ll be quiet,” Cromwell said frowning.

Endra continued. “As he came towards the dragon he drew his great sword. The blade was black and I felt ill when I looked at it. He rammed the infernal blade into the ground and stalked toward the dragon unarmed. I was frozen with fear but could not look away.

“The dragon turned away from me and looked at the man walking through the snow, and I swear it started to back up. By the old Gods, the beast seemed to be afraid of the man approaching it.

“Instinct must have overcome its fear, because the dragon lunged at the huge man, razor-sharp teeth bared, claws ready to shred his foe.

“The man caught the dragon by the neck midway through its attack. The muscles in his massive arms tightened, and I saw his fingers plunge through the dragon’s scales into the muscle of its neck. I thought I must be dreaming, he was strangling the beast; this was not a man. No human has ever had strength like that.

“He pulled the beast’s head down and wrapped his massive arms around the dragon’s neck and pulled until I heard its bones break.

“He watched as the dragon rolled onto its back, thrashing around in its death throes. I couldn’t run or speak as he walked over to where I stood. He spoke, I only remember a little of what he said.”

Endra closed her eyes as she recalled his words. “I have searched the world over for one that has the strength to endure. You, Daughter of the White Waste, are that one. Your beauty and grace will serve me well. That is what I will call you. Grace, the name suits you well.”

“He picked me up and carried me into the ice cave. I tried to struggle but it was no use, his grip was like iron.

“The man made a fire by simply touching his hand onto the cave floor. He bid me sit by the magical blaze. I did as I was told, too afraid not to obey.

“The cave grew very warm and I started to become light headed. I don’t know if it was the blow from the dragon’s tail or some kind of spell he cast on me. I remember him removing my armor and my clothing. He laid me down on my furs naked, but I did not feel the cold. It was as if I was falling asleep.

“He removed his armor and helmet, I could see his face, he had long thick black hair and he was handsome, not the monster I had imagined … but his eyes. They were so dark, I could sense something terrible and wicked behind his black eyes. Even when he smiled, I could sense the hostility inside him.”

Endra’s face grew red with embarrassment, but she had gone this far with the story she would finish it. “He was immense all over, and I was frightened yet I could not move he took me then.

“I remember little of it, just the screaming and the pain. I was a virgin and it was my first time with a man … or whatever it was.

“I awoke later to find him back in his armor and astride the evil horse. He said, ‘Fair thee well, Grace, blood of my blood. We are bonded forever now, girl, hold your head high and walk with pride for I have chosen you above all other women of this world.’

“He rode away to the south and the cave grew cold. I mourned my father and uncle and the men from my village. I placed their bodies in the ice cave and covered them the best I could.

“It took a week to return home. I was near frozen to death and half-starved. I wanted desperately to find my mother and tell her what happened and find comfort from her for all that I had lost, but that was not to be.

“My village had been burned to the ground and everyone in it put to the sword or burned alive. The men, the women, and children all dead, even our animals had been killed. The only tracks I found were from a horse and the snow was melted around them. It was him; he had come to my village and killed everyone. I was crazed with grief. I sat in the ruins of the village for two days before I could think again.

“I took what food and supplies as I could find and headed south. I vowed I would find a way to take revenge on the dark rider.”

K’xarr was on one knee, leaning on his sword, staring into the fire. He looked up at the woman, his thoughts a secret. “Where did the children come from? Or need I ask?”

Endra had not wanted to relive this part of her life, it had been terrible and had almost killed her, but the tale just flowed from her like water from a burst dam. For so long she had held it inside, trying to make it go away because there was no one to give it to. Now she had to let it all go.

“I walked south to the sea then followed the coast west. Though the cold and snow I wept for my lost life. I was just a girl. I had no one and nowhere to go. I was not the warrior you see before you now, I was just a young girl lost and alone.

“It was not many weeks until I knew I was with child. The thought scared me, I knew nothing of children. I was in a hostile land, hardly keeping myself alive. I had no Idea how I would keep a child from dying in that cold wasteland. Still, I moved on. I thought I had plenty of time until the child was to be born and I could decide what I should do. Maybe I could find someone to help me. I was wrong.”

She looked at the children. They had fallen asleep near the fire. “I gave birth to all three of them alone in an abandoned fishing hut three months after the man had lain with me.”

“It was a very dark night, a cold rain fell and the pain…” Endra paused and looked into the fire. “I will never forget it.”

She met K’xarr’s eyes. “That was when I found my blood had turned black. I thought I was diseased and going to die. I stayed in that stinking hut until I saw that the babes were going to survive and I realized I was not sick. Then I packed the three of them up and continued west along the coast.”

Endra’s eyes glistened with tears in the firelight. She told herself she would not let herself cry in front of these men. “I was little more than a girl and alone with three babies to protect and as you know the Harsh Coast is a hard place for a warrior, let alone my tiny new family.

“The weather, the land, day after day, night after night, I just kept moving on. I thought for sure we would be killed or die of starvation. There were so many nights when I fell asleep that I didn’t think I would wake the next morning, but I was a mother and if I died the children would have died.

“It took me almost a year to reach Tara. A priest took us in and we stayed at the church. We were fed and cared for until I cut my hand one night at dinner and a priest saw my blood. I was imprisoned and the children taken from me with no explanation.

“I rotted in that filthy cell for almost two years, not even getting to see my children. Not knowing if they were dead or alive.

“Then one day the priest came and I was taken in chains to a ship, the children were already on board. The ship sailed to the south, they said we were to be taken to the Kingdom of Tyro to see their Pope that lived in a great church in the city of Asqutania.

“We landed in the Celonian port of Inargo for supplies, with a bit of luck I escaped, killed the priest, and took my children. I fought my way off the docks and ran.

“We have been running ever since, and you should know this is not the first time I have been attacked by Hands. They have been hunting me for a long time now. It’s hard not to be seen when you travel with three small children. So I have had to become good with a sword just to survive.”

Siro held his chin in his hand. “I don’t understand something, how did the children survive when born at only three months? Nine is what it takes to give birth to a healthy babe.”

Endra shrugged. “I do not know, perhaps it’s the blood.”

“They have the black blood to then?” the healer asked.

“All I know is they were well developed and healthy when they came out. They have never been sick and have always seemed very smart for their age.” Endra looked at K’xarr. “And they have been black blooded since the day they were born.”

Her insinuation was not lost on the Camiran. “The man that raped you, have you seen him again?” K’xarr asked.

“Never again, if I do I will do my best to kill him.”

Cromwell chuckled. “I think that a man that choked a dragon to death would be a little hard for a girly like you to kill.”

“I said I would try to kill him you, Toran ass, I know he will kill me, it’s the principle of the thing.”

Cromwell nodded his agreement understanding exactly what she meant. Toran’s knew a lot about the principle of a thing.

K’xarr saw the lost girl was gone now and the warrior had returned. “It is quite a story. I salute you, you’re a strong woman Endra Korlest, and you were right, your story didn’t help us much but I thank you for telling the tale. We will return to our camp now as I promised, we have much to discuss among ourselves. I wish you luck on you quest. If you are attacked again, we are camped not far to the west.”

K’xarr turned to leave. Kian grabbed him by the arm. “We can’t just leave her alone tonight, what if there are other assassins out there?”

Endra’s brows furrowed. “I don’t need any help from you or anyone else, half-breed.”

“Don’t take offence woman, he can’t help himself. He likes to see to the safety of anyone he comes across,” Cromwell said and grinned at the Half Elf.”

K’xarr tapped the hilt of his sword. “Maybe we should leave someone, there could be more of these priests in the woods tonight. Endra, it wouldn’t hurt to have another sword in your camp.”

“Fine … K’xarr, is it? I’m too tired to argue over it, if you have to leave someone leave the Half Elf. I don’t think he would try to slide under my blankets in the night.”

“You don’t trust us, woman?” Cromwell said like it was a great insult.

“No, you Toran pig, I have been watching you and the others look at me all evening, and I think I prefer the half-breed. I don’t think he would know what to do if I did let him under my blankets.”

Kian flushed and started acting like he was looking for something on the ground.”

K’xarr had to laugh, he could see that the woman was joking. He knew Kian didn’t get the jest, he never did. He decided then and there that Half Elves must have no sense of humor.

K’xarr and the rest of the men mounted their horses and rode away. Cromwell lingered. “We will see you in the morning
Arradar
, if you need help with the Sorrackan wench in the night just come and get me.” Laughing, Cromwell turned his horse and followed the others back to camp. Kian pulled his hood up and started looking for more fire wood. Now he almost wished he had gone back to camp with the others.

When they returned to their own camp and unsaddled the horses, everyone stood waiting. They all knew what was in the wind. K’xarr still dreaded asking the question, but he was a man who was direct and to the point. “I want to know now, is anyone leaving?”

They all shook their heads no. Rufio unstrapped his Dragitan breast plate and placed it with care against his saddle. “I think I can speak for the three of us, blood counts for little, it’s what a man does that matters. I see no sense in getting all worked up about it, in the time I have known you I haven’t seen any ill effects from this so-called curse. I will stay.”

“Aye, me too, K’xarr. Kian has more of a curse than you or Cromwell do,” Vandarus said.

“I agree with you, Bandaran, the Half Elf has a hard way to go of it, and he can’t hide his affliction,” Cromwell said.

“What about you, Siro?” K’xarr looked to the healer. “Oh, don’t worry about me. I have seen many strange things in my line of work, a little discolored blood doesn’t bother me.”

K’xarr sighed heavily “That’s settled then, we should try to get some sleep. I want to put some miles behind us tomorrow.”

“What about the woman?” Cromwell asked.

“What about her? She has her own troubles and we don’t need them, besides Kian’s staying with her tonight.”

“I’m not talking about just tonight, K’xarr. She is the same as we are, at least we should see she gets to a town or something, and what if it’s true the Church is hunting people with black blood? ”