Ramaeka (The Ramaeka Series Book 1) (28 page)

“I’m with ye,”
Tam said bounding on to his back almost before the change had finished. 
Everything seemed to happen at that moment, almost simultaneously and yet
excruciatingly slowly.

Stripe
finished off the last mud monster with a punch to the head, hands still glowing
bright.  Eight arrows headed out from the shadows of the wall as Ramaeka roared
a warning and launched himself into the air.  Distracted, Stripe looked up and
saw the arrows.  He dropped to the ground behind the meagre protection of the
decapitated mud monsters torso, the light stuttering and fading from his hands
as he lost concentration.  One arrow scraped his shoulder while another buried
itself in his calf muscle.

A score of men
ran out from below the wall even as the arrows were still flying through the
air.  The fastest had almost reached Stripe before Gasha stepped up to him,
raising his sword as Stripe fumbled to draw his own.

“The sword is
mine Stripe-dog,” he heard Gash taunt as he brought the blade down.

The first of
Gasha’s men slammed into him, flinging him away from Stripe and sending him
sprawling before the blade hit.  The man yanked off his helmet and stood over
Stripe, knives at the ready.  All of this Ramaeka saw in moments, then in a
blaze of fury he and Tam arrived at the fight.  He was almost numb with rage as
he decimated the remaining men that escaped Tam’s flashing blade, using both
tail and claws to keep them away from Stripe.  Finishing the last man he
whipped around, determined to fulfil his promise to Stripe by finishing Gasha
and then somehow getting all of them back up to the top of the wall.  He was
just in time to see Gasha run the man with the knives through with the black
blade.  With a cry of anguish Stripe pulled his sword free and threw himself at
Gasha despite his wounded leg, hacking and pounding so hard he drove the Warlord
back several paces.  Tam ran forward and grabbed the slumped figure hauling him
over to Ramaeka.

“Get ‘im up
top,” he yelled.  Mouth dry Ramaeka stared down at Shady’s pale face as he was
pushed into his claws.

“I’ll ‘elp
Stripe, just get back ‘ere fast.”

Ramaeka
tightened his hold on the messy, bloody bundle of Shady and threw himself in
the air.  He narrowly missed a wave of arrows from the city walls as they
destroyed the first rank of the rapidly approaching horde.  Flapping hard he
dropped Shady gently beside Amar.

“Help him,” he
growled.  Noticing his friend’s hesitation he added.  “Take him down to the
healers; I’ll be okay for that long.”

With that he
launched himself out again.  Unfortunately Amar must have been protecting him
more than he realised or Mischief had it out for him because suddenly as he
flew out there were two arrows sprouting from his front leg and his back. 
Luckily they missed both the wing and the wing joint.  Also, fortunately for
him, dragon hide, even young dragon hide, was tougher than human skin and they
only sank in to the end of the pointed head, making it easy to pull out though
he had to use his tail for the one on his back.  Ignoring the blood, he looked
around hurriedly for his friends.  They were both fighting one armed as they
backed up towards the wall, Tam supporting Stripe with an arm around the
shoulders.  However they were hard pressed with the horde threatening to sweep
over them.  Scanning the horde quickly he could find no sign at all of the Warlord. 
He could only hope that Stripe had taken care of him in the end.

The horde had
Tam and Stripe pressed firmly against the rock of the wall both still fighting
like wild beasts.  With a growl Ramaeka called up the last of his magic,
despite Amar’s warnings.  He thought briefly about using his trusty fire spell
then he remembered the fight with his siblings after they left Tanir.  The
spell his sister had used on Parrit and Gelber came to mind and he grinned
wickedly, sending his magic down into the ground.  The fighters surrounding
Stripe and Tam started to scream and shout as they suddenly sank thigh deep
into the earth and stuck there.  Tam and Stripe finished them off.  Exhaustion
hovered like a shadow over Ramaeka as he landed in front of his friends,
tripping over the bodies of those caught in his spell.

A grinding
snarl ripped through the air and all he could think wearily was what now? 
Spreading his wings defensively in front of Tam and Stripe, he readied himself
as best he could, hissing softly.  Because his luck was that good, of course
the creature approaching was one of the giant mountain trolls.  It came roaring
through the horde battering aside those unlucky enough to be caught by
Ramaeka’s spell or who weren’t quick enough to get out of the way.  At least it
wasn’t a soul shaker he thought with grim optimism before roaring his defiance
at it.  Vaguely in the background he could have sworn he heard an echo.  Then
the creature was in front of him and he launched himself forward, ignoring Tam
and Stripe’s cries.  There was virtually no way they would be able to get out
of this anyway unless Amar found a way to save them without alerting his
babysitters.  He was too tired to fly by himself let alone with two others and
even if he could they would have to get through the arrows and spears which
thickened the air.  Best to die fighting for the people he cared for.

They met with
a sickening thud, ripping and biting as they fought without any finesse. 
Ramaeka wrapped himself around the beast and slammed the blade of his tail into
its chest, forcing the point in bit by bit.  The troll shrieked in fury and
reached back to grab Ramaeka’s head in a fierce headlock, battering at him
furiously.  As the ringing in his head became overwhelming, a bone deep
shattering roar of fury swamped over him sending into the warmth of the waiting
darkness.

Chapter Fourteen

The first
thing that came to Ramaeka’s mind as he woke was how warm and comfortable he
was.  This is nice he thought sleepily, but he could have sworn that he had
just been fighting someone or perhaps something.  Now what was it he wondered,
awareness drifting closer.  Something big with claws and fangs but not a
dragon.

“Troll,” he
yelped trying to scramble up and promptly getting tangled in the blankets piled
on top of him.

“I’ve been
called a lot of names before but troll’s a first.”

Stripe helped
him untangle himself from the blankets before hugging him fiercely.

“You’re such
an idiot,” he growled, pulling back to shake Ramaeka gently.  Since he was
beaming as he said it Ramaeka knew he wasn’t really angry.  He leaned back into
the cushions behind him questioning Stripe eagerly.

“What
happened?  How are we still alive? Is Shady alive?  What about...”

He glared as
Stripe shoved a hand over his mouth.

“Calm down,”
Stripe laughed, before wrinkling his nose and yanking his hand away as Ramaeka
licked it.

“That’s
disgusting, honestly who raised you?  Dragons?  I think I still have blood on
there.”

Ramaeka
generously ignored the comment on dragons and punched Stripe lightly on the
arm.

“Tell me what
happened!”

Stripe raised
his hands in mock surrender, then sobered quickly.

“We came out
alright in the end, nobody died.  Though from what the healers were saying
Shady was pretty close.  Turns out dragons are good healers,” he looked at
Ramaeka, raising an eyebrow.

“Not all
dragons,” Ramaeka corrected automatically before his mind caught up.  “Wait,
Dragons?  I thought I heard...,” he trailed off unsurely.

“Yep,” Stripe
grinned at him.  “Just over twenty of ‘em.  They arrived just in time to see
you fighting that giant troll.  They were pretty angry about that, completely
shattered Gasha’s horde, I’ve never seen anything like it; one of them even
breathed fire.  Amar is furious with you by the way, for putting yourself in
danger like that.  I think him and Tam will have a few things to say to you
later.  Not to mention Parrit and Gelber.”

Ramaeka winced;
he was not looking forward to that.  “You don’t seem too angry with me?”

“I am a
little, but I guess it would be a bit two-faced since I was doing the same
thing,” he grinned wryly.

“How are you
anyway?  And the others?  You looked terrible last time I saw you.”

“Ha! Please I
look wonderful even when I’m covered in blood and dirt,” he rolled his eyes at
Ramaeka’s scornful snort.

“Yeah, the
dragons fixed me up pretty good after they saved Shady.  He’s still on bed rest
like you but he’s going to be fine.  Tam’s probably come out the worst, he lost
an ear which, surprisingly, don’t grow back but he doesn’t seem overly
concerned.  Parrit and Gelber didn’t even get a chance to fight so Gelber’s
sulking but other than that they’re both good.”

Ramaeka sighed
with relief, a knot in his stomach unclenched as he relaxed.

“What about
Gasha?” he asked tentatively.  “I lost sight of what was happening when I took
Shady up to Amar.  Did you kill him?”

“I’m not sure,”
Stripe admitted.  “I definitely wounded him just before his horde reached us,
got him across the head.  Then Tam grabbed me and we got pushed back.  I hope
he’s dead but I won’t believe it till I see his body.”

Ramaeka nodded
in agreement.

“We should
find out as soon as we can all travel,” he said.

Stripe’s face
lit up.  “I was hoping you were going to say something like that, does that mean
you’ll be staying with me and Shady?”

“Of course,”
Ramaeka scoffed.  “What else would I be doing?”

“I think the
big white dragon has plans for you,” Stripe said.  “And well, I didn’t exactly
treat you like a friend when I found out you were a dragon.”

Flushed with
shame he met Ramaeka’s eyes steadily. Ramaeka grinned crookedly.

“If it makes
you feel better I probably looked like an idiot the first time I met a human. 
I didn’t even know you could talk, I thought you were animals.”

Stripe
scowled, wrinkling his nose.  “That really doesn’t make me feel better at all.”

Ramaeka
laughed at him.  “Poor little human, so delicate.  Well you can’t say I didn’t
try.”

Stripe huffed
at that, though Ramaeka could tell he was fighting not to laugh.

“You’re lucky
your injured short stuff.”

Ramaeka threw
a pillow at him which he promptly caught and sent back with a grin.

As he settled
back down Ramaeka peeked under the blankets at the bandages wrapped around his
body.  He was pretty sure he’d had worse though he couldn’t recall exactly
when.  With a sigh he dropped the blankets back down.

“I’ve been
meaning to ask you about what happened after we split up?  Did you get into any
trouble?”

“Not at all,”
Stripe said looking vaguely disappointed.  “Or at least not until we got into
the city.  Rama did we have trouble proving we were good enough to fight.  Well
not Gelber or Parrit but I had to prove myself.”

“That sounds
interesting,” Ramaeka said propping himself up higher on the pillows.

“Perhaps a
conversation that could be delayed a little while longer,” a warm voice
interrupted from the doorway.  Stripe spun around, putting a hand on Ramaeka’s
shoulder to keep him in the bed.

“Sir,” Stripe
said politely as Isahn stepped in.  Isahn’s mouth twitched as he watched
Ramaeka struggle against Stripe’s hand.  Ramaeka flushed with exertion and
embarrassment.  To be in bed while one of the greatest dragons in Amaria was in
the same room was disgraceful.

“Its fine
Ramaeka, please just relax.  I have no wish to be scolded by the healers.”

“Yes sir,” he
stammered, hiding his shaking hands under the blankets.  Stripe looked between
the two of them warily.

“Did you need
something sir?” he asked idly moving so that he stood between the two of them.

“I was hoping
to take up a few moments of Ramaeka’s time,” Isahn said with a respectful tilt
of his head to Stripe.  “We have much to discuss.”

Stripe glanced
back at Ramaeka who nodded shakily.

“I’ll be right
outside,” he said looking meaningfully at Isahn.  “Don’t talk too long, Ramaeka
needs more rest.”

He limped past
Isahn, pointedly leaving the door open a crack.  Ramaeka covered his face with
his hands, sure that his face was permanently stained red with embarrassment. 
If he had behaved like that at home his father would have shredded him.  He’s
just a human he scolded himself, he doesn’t understand.

“You’ve made a
good friend there,” Isahn smiled at Ramaeka before gesturing towards a chair in
the corner of the room which Ramaeka hadn’t noticed.

“Of course,”
Ramaeka nodded frantically, itching to get up and show the Empara true
respect.  Isahn patted his shoulder sympathetically.

“It’s fine
youngling, you need the rest.  I feared we had reached you too late.”

“I’m fine,”
Ramaeka reassured him voice rasping in his dry throat.  “My friends and I
looked after each other.”

Isahn hummed
in agreement, he stood and went to a small table in the corner of the room.

“You have
certainly made some interesting acquaintances.  I’ve also heard that you have
all proven yourselves rather impressively in battle.”

Returning to
his seat, he offered Ramaeka a flask of water which he took gratefully.

“I have to
tell you Ramaeka I was very relieved to hear that you had survived your battle
with your father.  When Yamari returned with your young human friend and
informed me of what you had done I was determined to bring you to my school. 
We were both furious that you had apparently been killed before we arrived.”

“Yamari was
the investigator I gave Alekra too,” Ramaeka remembered.  “Did you confront my
father?  What happened?”

Isahn held up
a hand.  “I think I would like to hear your tale first if you don’t mind.”