Tears of War Page 10

  “Are you sure that is a good idea?”

  She nodded. “If the past three towns are any indication, Shadereen has been torn down and is drowning in fear and apathy. We need to shock them out of it. Tell me, how shocked do you think the King of Shadereen will be when two dragons land on his doorstep?”

  Vaddoc couldn’t help the chuckle that rose at the mental picture she painted. “Shocked enough that I hope they do not kill us before we can explain.”

  Kirynn glanced up at the sky. “They won’t.”

  He followed her gaze. Namir and Syrakynn circled so high above them, that even his bond-enhanced eyes had trouble seeing them. She was right, they wouldn’t. Not because they wouldn’t try, but because he wasn’t the newly emerged magic user he was the last time he was here. He was strong enough and skilled enough to shield both of them and their dragons this time. No one would succeed in trying to harm Namir, or Kirynn and Syrakynn.

  The next morning, Vaddoc rose with the first light of dawn in the sky. He stood and stretched, his mind automatically reaching for Namir. He found him, miles to the northeast slumbering in the endless grasslands of the Ash Plains. He bent down and grabbed his sword belt, buckling it around his hips. A blood curdling scream whirled him around. He whipped his swords from their sheaths and embraced the flow of his magic. In his mind, he felt Namir come fully awake.

  Kirynn stood balanced on top of a rock no more than a few inches high, hands engulfed in flames as she looked around, her expression a mixture of terror and anger. A few paces away a patch of grass burned in the semi-darkness. “Creepy, filthy thing is as big as a blasted horse!”

  Vaddoc swept his gaze around the campsite. He saw nothing that warranted her behavior. The way she was acting he expected to find…what? Not even Shadow Dragons elicited this kind of response from her. What would scare her like that? He looked closer at the ground. There it was, crouched beyond the burning clump of grass.

  He threw back his head and laughed. Until now, he wasn’t entirely sure he had believed it and the proof was hilarious. A small ball of fire narrowly missed his head. Kirynn glared at him. “Next time, I swear your head will light up like a torch.”

  Vaddoc managed, with some effort, to gain control of his laughter as he sheathed his swords. “It is only spider.”

  “Only a spider! That’s not a spider—it’s a monster. ”

  Vaddoc looked at the spider again. It was only about a foot across, including legs. He shrugged. “It is a sand spider. They are all over the southern part of the desert. They keep rodents down.”

  She didn’t move from her rock. “I will take mice and rats, thank you very much.”

  “You will have to get used to them at some point. They are quite common and you cannot go around burning everything down because of a spider.” He couldn’t help his amusement as he prodded her a little. “Besides, you can eat the larger ones.”

  She stared at him, her eyes wide. “The larger ones? You mean there are spiders bigger than that? You’re lying.”

  “No, I am not.” He picked up his saddle, ignoring the spider. “That must be a young one. The adults can reach twice that size.”

  Vaddoc felt Namir’s approach. “Do you have need of me?” came the sending.

  “No, Kirynn is just confronting her own eight-legged demon. She will be fine and I am not bothered by the spider.”

  He set the saddle on his horse and tightened the cinch. Glancing over his shoulder he asked, “Are you going to stand on that rock all day, afraid of a spider, or are you going to saddle up your horse? We have a big day ahead of us. Unless you intend to spend the day here.”

  “Fine.” She stepped gingerly from the rock and walked toward her horse, keeping an eye on the spider still crouched against the ground. She reached for her saddle then hesitated. “What if there is one under here? Laugh if you will, but I don’t think I can handle that right now.”

  Vaddoc studied her face. It was unusual for her to admit defeat—the same way it was unusual for dogs to fly. He picked up her saddle and placed it on her horse’s back. Her hands no longer flamed and she stood with her arms crossed.

  He flashed her a wide smile. “I hope you do not expect this all the time now.”

  She glared at him for a moment, then shook her head. “I just can’t shake my fear of them. Thank you for picking my saddle up.”

  He stepped closer and reached to cup the back her neck. Pulling her close he kissed her firmly. With a last brush of his lips, he stepped back. “Any time, my lady.”

  Kirynn laughed softly, and her eyes held a different kind of heat. She turned and began cinching the saddle. “If you keep that up, we won’t get anything done today.” She glanced back at the spider. “Then again, there is no way I’m going to do anything this close to that thing.”

  In moments they were on the road, riding toward the next small village. The sun wasn’t quite at its peak when they entered the moderately sized town. Men and women were busy in their everyday tasks. Wives hung clothes to dry in the warm breeze, men worked at a variety of tasks, and children played on front stoops. But an undercurrent of fear flowed through it all. Women kept their heads down and their eyes on their children. Men glanced at the sky and spoke in hushed tones. Children didn’t run with the usual abandon and glee that was typical of youth.

  A large, heavyset man greeted them with eyes downcast when they dismounted in front of an inn. “What can I do for you?”

  “We need to stable our horses for a time,” Vaddoc said. He took in the man’s slumped shoulders and his expression of defeat. Were things really that bad in Shadereen?

  “My stable is for guests of the inn. Do you plan to take rooms here as well?”

  Vaddoc shook his head. “No, but I will be happy to make sure you are well compensated. Name your price.”

  The innkeeper glanced up at him. “If you do not plan to stay, why stable your horses? Are you planning to walk to where ever you are going?”

  “No.”

  The innkeeper’s amber eyes flicked across Kirynn and their horses. He shrugged. “Whatever you like. It does not really matter much anymore. Not like there is a lot of traffic and guests these days. Most are staying close to home. Even the Traders are spooked. If you were smart, you would get on those horses and ride somewhere far away, though I cannot think of any place that will be safe after a while. You probably know this, being Shaderian and all.”

  Vaddoc nodded. “I have been far from home for some time, but I have heard the rumors since coming back.”

  “Rumors?” The man looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “They are more than rumors. The stories are true. Those black devils landed in Marden and when they were not made welcome, they tortured and killed people. Set fire to things. Once they finished making sure Marden would not oppose them, they flew over every town and village, making sure we all knew who really ruled this nation now. Those that tried to stand up to them were killed in the blink of an eye. One man, he looked Calladaran, killed a man here in town. Made him bleed out through his mouth, nose, and ears. It was…” he shuddered and smoothed the thin strands of gray hair on the top of his head. “Never mind. Follow me, the stable is around back.”

  When they reached the stable yard, he pointed to the row of empty stalls. “Choose whichever you like. My stable boys quit after the black dragons showed up. Said they did not see the point of sticking around. I will make sure your animals are fed and cared for properly. Fates know I need something to do with myself.”

  They put the horses into the stalls while the innkeeper forked straw in for bedding. He made sure they had water and hay while Vaddoc and Kirynn stowed their saddles in the tack room.

  Back out in the wide street that ran through town, the innkeeper looked at them. “I wish you luck with whatever business you are about, though I cannot imagine what it would be here in town.”

  Vaddoc counted gold coins into the man’s hand while he answered, “Our business is in Marden.”

&
nbsp; “Then why stable your horses? It is a long ride yet to the capitol.”

  “We have other means of travel.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed. “What other means?” Then he glanced at the coins in his hand and nearly choked. “This is far too much,” he sputtered.

  Vaddoc smiled. “We may be a while.”

  “What business are you headed to Shadereen for?” The innkeeper smoothed the thin hairs on his balding head again. “Or would it be best if I do not know?”

  “I don’t see a reason for you not to know. Everyone will soon enough,” Kirynn said.

  Vaddoc glanced at her. “You are certain this is a good idea?” He wished she wouldn’t spring things like this on him.

  She leveled a look at him that said he was dense. “Unless you intend to walk out of this town and continue for several miles, I think they’re all going to see in the next few minutes.”

  Alright, so she had a point. “I suppose you are right.” He took a deep breath and turned to the innkeeper. “You have had contact with Shadow Riders and their dragons, you have seen the way they use magic. But there is more than one side to this.”

  The innkeeper looked back and forth between them. “More than one side? What do you mean?”

  Vaddoc took a deep breath. “There are other dragons, other magic users, who do not behave this way. Who feel that the protection of people and their nations is important. Magic users who use their power not to kill but to heal. Who put out fires, rather than start them. Who create fertile land and bring rain, or stop the rain when there is too much.”

  The innkeeper shook his head. “Magic drives people insane and dragons are evil. These Shadow Riders and their dragons, they are proof of that.”

  Kirynn took a step forward. “What if we could prove our words?”

  He laughed. “What proof can you possibly offer?”

  She smiled. “How about ourselves?”

  His laughter cut short and his eyes widened. “Y…you?”

  “Yes, us.”

  A sheen of sweat broke out on the man’s forehead. “Please, do not hurt me. I have taken good care, have I not? I stabled your horses. I promise I will care for them.”

  Vaddoc shook his head. “We have no intention of hurting you and I am sure you will do fine taking care of the horses. But you must realize, all magic is not bad.” He glanced at Kirynn. “Do you mind backing up and tossing a fireball at us?”

  “A what? No, no, no, no. Please.” The man started shaking.

  Vaddoc stepped to the innkeeper’s side. “What is your name?”

  “M…Medar.”

  “Medar, I promise, no harm will come to you or anyone in this town.”

  Kirynn backed up until she stood in the middle of the street. “How big do you want it?”

  “Big enough to make an impression.”

  Medar groaned as a ball of fire began spinning in front of her. It grew until it was the size of a wagon. On the street, people screamed. Most ran. With a quick nod, Kirynn sent the fireball roaring toward them. Medar ducked, but Vaddoc stood relaxed next to him. In the space of a second, he wove the shield. The fire came up against the shield and flowed around them, dissipating as it did.

  Vaddoc let the shield fall. “You dispersed it a little quicker than I expected.”

  Kirynn walked back to them. “You two are standing right in front of his inn. I didn’t want to take the chance of it catching on fire. I could’ve put it out, but there would still have been damage.”

  Medar straightened and Vaddoc turned to him. “You see, not all magic is evil. I do not expect you to accept us right away, that would be asking too much. But I wanted you to see that there are good uses for it and to see we mean you no harm.”

  Kirynn cleared her throat. “We might as well get all of the shocks over with at once, before the townspeople recover and decide to skewer us.”

  Sweat rolled down the side of Medar’s weathered face. “What now? Why me? Why my inn?” His voice trailed off into incomprehensible mumbling.

  Vaddoc nodded and reached out for Namir. “It is time for you and Syrakynn to join us.”

  Vaddoc watched the innkeeper’s face as the sound of the dragons’ wings grew closer. At first, confusion filled the man’s expression, but it slowly changed to horror when recognition clicked. He backed away, pressing his back flat against the front of the inn as his complexion turned a disturbing shade of green.

  The shadows of the two dragons filled the street as the massive dragons landed slowly. Vaddoc felt Namir gauge his landing carefully to ensure he could make the last distance to the hard-packed dirt without smacking his wings into the buildings. It wasn’t easy; both dragons had to compensate by dropping the last twenty feet.

  The ground shook under the weight of the heavy landing. The street was completely deserted. Medar’s mouth opened and shut but no sound came out. He stared at the two dragons with wide, terrified eyes.

  Kirynn smiled at him, a look of concern in her eyes. “Medar, are you alright? I assure you, these are not the dragons you encountered before. For one, they aren’t black and for another, they don’t have an evil bone in their body.”

  “Medar?” Vaddoc laid a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Please, say something. You are starting to worry me.”

  In response, Medar turned and vomited on the ground. Vaddoc and Kirynn both reached for him as he started to topple. They helped him away from the mess, and eased him down so he sat on the ground leaning against the wall.

  “Perhaps this was not the best idea.” Vaddoc said. It certainly hadn’t gone at all like he’d hoped it would.

  “They had to meet them at some point. After a visit from Shadow Riders, I can’t imagine it would ever be easy to accept any dragons,” Kirynn said as she knelt next to the innkeeper. “Medar, would you please at least hear us out? Are we like the Shadow Riders? Have we treated you or your town badly? Even our dragons landed in an awkward fashion to avoid damaging anything with their wings. Surely you can see these are not the same type of dragons.”

  His face had at least returned to a normal color Vaddoc saw with relief. Instead of answering though, the man buried his head in his hands and began to weep. Vaddoc heaved a sigh. This was going nowhere.

  A loud scream made him turn. Kirynn also whirled toward the sound.

  A girl of no more than three or four broke loose from the hold of an older girl and ran into the street. Her mother, gripping an infant in her arms, ran a short way after her before stumbling to a stop. She looked between the toddler and the infant. More people spilled into the street, but they too stopped well short of the girl, indecision on their faces. Vaddoc didn’t need Maleena to see their desire to save the child warring with their fear of the dragons.

  The little girl didn’t seem to share the fear of her elders. She scampered up to the two massive dragons without hesitation. Namir, who adored children, immediately lowered his great golden nose down, his breath ruffling the dark curls on her head. Her mother let out a strangled cry and stumbled forward a few more steps.

  The girl giggled and reached up, grabbing hold of Namir’s lip to pull his nose closer. Namir obliged the tiny demand with a soft, contented rumble in his throat. With the bold curiosity that only a child has, she lifted his lip and prodded at his huge, curved teeth.

  “Yous has big teeth!” She let his lip drop and grabbed the edge of his nostril in her pudgy hand. “I likes you. You not like those icky ones.”

  Vaddoc bit back a grin at her matter-of-fact tone. “Be very careful, Namir. Her mother is about to have a complete breakdown.”

  “Am I ever anything other than careful with little ones?” Namir sent back.

  As the little girl gazed up at the dragon, a loud meow broke the silence. She looked up at Namir’s back and squealed, “Kitty!” Cat, sitting in the saddle, meowed back.

  The girl tugged on Namir’s nostril and started walking back to her mother. At first Namir didn’t move, but when she gave another tug, he took
a step forward. Another tug and another step. Slowly, the dragon followed her until they stood directly in front of her mother. Vaddoc started to worry the woman might faint with the infant in her arms.

  “Momma, looky what followed me home! Can I keep it?” She beamed up at the woman.

  Her mother slowly sank until she sat on the ground. She stared at her daughter with wide, dark eyes. “Lenya…we cannot…” her words trailed away.

  “But Momma, he is nice. And he has a kitty.” Large tears welled in the eyes of the toddler. Her mother reached for her but she retreated until she stood under Namir’s chin. “I want him,” her little voice wailed.

  Namir settled his bulk on the street and crooned to the little girl. Her mother looked up at the dragon, her expression showing she was at a loss as to how to handle the building temper tantrum.

  Vaddoc strode across the street, coming to the rescue of the young mother. When he reached Namir, he knelt down next to the little girl. “You like this dragon?”

  She turned tear-filled eyes on him. Not real tears, but the kind small children use to drive guilt into their parents. Lenya nodded. “I wants to keep him. He will keep the bad ones away. I know it.”

  Vaddoc smiled. “Yes, he will keep the bad dragons away. That is his duty. His name is Namir. The red one is Syrakynn. She will keep the bad ones away too.”

  She gripped the edge of Namir’s nostril again and leaned over to peek at the big red dragon with a smile on her face. “Is Sykynn and Mir married?”

  Vaddoc laughed and Namir snorted in amusement, the wind from it blowing the young mother’s hair and ruffling her dress. In her arms, the infant stirred. Vaddoc shook his head. “No, little one, she is not Namir’s wife, although they do care for each other.”

  “What is kitty’s name?”

  “That is Cat, he is Namir’s kitty, although he likes me too.”

  She gazed up at him, her eyes little dark pools full of trust. “Can I keep Mir?”

  “Not in the way you want. You see, Namir is bonded to me; we share each other’s emotions and thoughts. It would be very hard for us to be separated. Beyond that, Namir is not a possession. He is his own being, with his own thoughts and feelings. He is more intelligent than a person. You cannot keep him anymore than you can own another person. It would not be right.”