Dragonvein (19 page)

“Does my appearance disturb you, mage?” he asked.

“Yes,” he blurted out before he could think. “I mean…no. It’s just I’ve never seen…”

“Why do you weep?” he asked again, cutting him short.

“I don’t know. I just…when I thought about the dragon I…I felt sad. I can’t explain it.”

The elf’s eyes narrowed and he folded his hands in front of him. “What is your name?”

“Ethan,” he replied. “Ethan Martin.”

“Martin?” The newcomer took a step forward and his hand slid to his sword. “I have never heard that name associated with dragons before. Who was your father?”

Ethan glanced over to where Jonas and Markus were sitting. He waited to see if Jonas would speak, but quickly realized he would not.

“Answer me,” the elf demanded.

“My father was Praxis Dragonvein.”

The elf stiffened, and murmurs could be heard within the forest around him. After several seconds he removed his hand from his sword and took a step back. “I can see that you speak the truth, and yet what you say is not possible. The Dragonvein line was broken long ago. Praxis was the last. Or so we have been told. My people know well the lore of dragons. And we know of the family with whom they were bonded. How is it that you are here?”

“I was sent to Earth by my mother when I was a baby,” explained Ethan. “I really don’t understand most of it. But when I came back, hundreds of years had passed.”

The elf’s face twisted into a snarl. “I should have guessed. Portal magic. Stupid humans meddling with what they don’t understand and can’t control.” He glared at Ethan. “And now
you
have come, and with you comes war and death. I should kill you now and be rid of you. But I will wait. Dragons do not reveal themselves without good cause. Even those which have been diminished by Shinzan.” He let out a series of high-pitched whistles. “Do not expect mercy should you encounter me or my kin again. If the Mother wishes your continued existence, she will guide you far away from us. But for now, go in peace and fear not enemy eyes. While you are in this forest, none shall harm you.”

Having delivered this bizarre combination of dire warning and positive reassurance, the elf burst into a run and quickly vanished into the night.

The moment he was out of sight, Markus and Jonas rose to their feet and approached the fire. Markus had a deep gash over his left eye, while Jonas carried several bruises across his face.

“Are you two all right?” Ethan asked.

Markus sat down by the fire. He nodded, but said nothing. Ethan could tell that he was shaken and felt it best to leave him to his thoughts for a time.

Jonas, on the other hand, looked very much relieved.

“Fortune indeed favors us,” he said, smiling broadly. “I was certain they would kill us all. But it seems that the elves hate Hronso enough to keep his captives alive. And from what Kat told me, your display of power helped us as well.”

“I really don’t remember what happened,” Ethan admitted.

“What
do
you remember,” asked Kat.

Ethan told them about the dragon, mentioning how he had seen it previously. This soured Jonas’ expression.

“You should have told me about this at the time,” he scolded.

“I didn’t trust you,” Ethan countered. “I felt you were holding things back.”

Jonas nodded. “I understand. I should have handled matters better in the beginning. Remember though, I was almost as confused as you were back then.”

Ethan gave him a forgiving smile. “What did
you
see,” he asked Kat.

She drew a deep breath. “I chased after you, but you were too fast for me and I lost you for a while. I found you again just as you let loose a great blast of white flame straight into Hronso’s chest. After that you kind of collapsed, like it had drained you of all your energy. I tried to help you, but the elves captured me. They must have been watching the whole time because they knew everything.”

Ethan strained his mind, trying to remember, but he could still recall nothing. “Did you see the dragon?”

“No,” she replied. “But the elves did. And they seemed pretty upset about it. They kept arguing back and forth over whether or not to kill you. The one you spoke to was against it.”

“Why?” asked Jonas.

Kat spread her hands. “I don’t know. But he won out in the end. I got the feeling he thinks Ethan is important somehow.”

“What difference does it make what those savages think?” growled Markus. He threw a twig into the fire. “They’re gone, we’re alive, and we should be grateful.”

“Indeed we should be,” agreed Jonas. “But I think it would be wise to understand their motives.”

Markus spat. “Bah! They probably think that sparing us will give them a chance to kill
more
humans later.”

“I doubt that,” said Jonas, rubbing his chin. “I don’t know much about elves. But I was surprised that they knew of the Dragonvein family. Praxis never spoke about them, and as far as I know, dragons never had anything to do with elves either. But then, I only know what little Lord Dragonvein told me.”

“You think the dwarves would know?” asked Ethan.

He nodded. “If anyone would, it’s them. Elves hate dwarves even more than humans. And I do know that the feeling is mutual.”

“What about Hronso?” Ethan asked Kat. “What happened to him?”

She shrugged. “I assumed you killed him. The entire area was burned to cinders and I didn’t see his body anywhere.”

“The elves seem to think he’s still alive,” remarked Jonas. “He said that Ethan drove him away, not that he killed him.”

There was a doubtful frown on Kat’s face. “I don’t think anyone could have survived what I saw.”

“I hope you’re right,” Jonas said. “General Hronso was responsible for killing dozens of mages – even members of the Council of Volnar.”

He looked directly at Ethan, his jaw tightening. “He also killed your mother.”

“My mother?”

Jonas nodded. “It was Hronso who tracked us down. His pursuit forced her to open the portal and send you through.”

Ethan wasn’t sure how to feel about this new piece of information. The only mother he’d ever known had been on Earth. He had no connection to the woman Jonas was mentioning.

After a short silence, Jonas sighed. “There are too many mysteries to figure out in one night. Like Markus said, for now we should be grateful simply to be alive.” He glanced over at the rabbits cooking on the spit. “And it will be nice to eat something other than jerky and bread.”

“Why do you suppose the elves left it for us?” asked Ethan.

“Never question a gift,” said Jonas. “Perhaps it’s just their custom. Better a rabbit in the belly than a knife in the heart.”

Once thoroughly cooked, they distributed the meal – though Markus refused to eat any. This did not stop Ethan from enjoying it. The warm meat felt good in his stomach and helped to lift some of the weight from his heart.

He replayed the day’s events in his mind while lying beside the fire. What made him so sad every time he thought about the dragon? And what had really happened with Hronso? For now, these would have to join the many other questions to which he desperately needed answers.

He sighed. It was clear that he had been mistaken about Jonas when they first arrived. Though he believed that he was still withholding secrets, he understood now that the old man had been every bit as lost as he was.

His mind shifted to Markus, and how Hronso had taunted him about his terrible scars. Who or what had inflicted these on him was still a mystery. Though there were times when the friend he once knew would surface, far too often it was still Specter who was speaking with Markus’ voice. He hoped that once they reached the dwarves, things would become clearer.

Of course, there was always the chance that Markus was right and they simply were marching to their deaths.

Chapter Thirteen

T
he following morning
Ethan was the first to wake. The sky was painted in the orange and violet of the coming dawn, while all around large drops of dew rolled off the pine needles and oak leaves. The only sounds aside from the occasional snort from a sleeping Jonas came from the chirping of birds and the gentle rustle of a few small animals scurrying through the underbrush.

He got to his feet and stretched. Yet again his sleep had been troubled by visions of dragons, this time flying high in the clouds and then bursting into flames. As their bodies plummeted he could hear their screams inside his head, begging him for help. But he was powerless. The sadness he felt when thinking about the tiny dragon had lessened somewhat, but the mystery remained as to why he should feel that way in the first place.

“Can I talk to you?”

He hadn’t noticed Kat rise.

“Sure.”

She led him away from the others to a small patch of thick grass and sat down. For a short time she was silent, as if still contemplating what she would say.

Ethan took her hand. Her fingers were cold and damp, and for the first time he noticed that her eyes were red from recent tears.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Kat withdrew her hand and met his gaze. “Have you ever been with a woman?”

Ethan stiffened. “What? Why would you…I mean…that’s kind of personal, don’t you think?”

Her gaze didn’t waver. “Have you?”

“Well, yes,” he replied. “Once.”

“Did you love her?”

Ethan thought back to just before he shipped out for Europe. Sandra Nolan was the only
real
girlfriend he’d ever had. Certainly the only one he’d truly cared about. They had decided to be together a few days before he left – in case he didn’t make it home. He had written to her several times after that, but to his dismay, had never received a reply.

“I suppose so,” he answered finally. “Why do you ask?”

“You
suppose
so?” she said with disapproval. “Either you did or you didn’t.”

Ethan could see the seriousness in her expression. He thought for a long moment then said: “Yes, I loved her. At least, I did at the time.”

“And now?”

“And now…she’s far away. Besides, I don’t think she loves me.”

“Then why did you couple with her?”

Ethan spread his hands. “How am I supposed to answer that? I was going off to war. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do. Why do you want to know about this anyway?”

“I’ve never been with a man,” she said. Her eyes became distant. “And I don’t know that I want to.”

“You’re too young. There’s plenty of time to think about that later – when you’re older.”

“
Is
there time?” She lowered her eyes. “My mother loved my father very much. I could hear it in her voice every time she spoke to him, and see it on her face whenever she looked at him. I thought that’s how all men and women were. But it’s not that way, is it? Men don’t really care about women at all.”

“Of course they do. Why would you say such a thing?”

“Did you know that I murdered Jared,” she asked. “I poisoned him, then I cut his throat.”

Her admission shocked Ethan into a short silence. “Why?” he finally asked.

“He wanted to have me,” she replied flatly. “So I killed him.”

“Then he deserved it.”

“Did he? Yes. I suppose he did. He was a letch. I wasn’t the first young girl he’d tried to ruin; his brothel was full of them. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that’s not
really
why I killed him. It’s just what I kept telling myself.”

“So what was the real reason?”

“Because I needed to. I needed him to be dead. I needed to bury the constant fear in my heart that he would somehow find a way to force himself on me.”

Ethan’s mouth set in a firm line. “Listen to me Kat. I promise that no one will do anything like that to you. I won’t allow it.”

“And why is that? Because you care about me?” She threw up her hands. “I’ve heard Markus call you a
boy scout
. I don’t know what that is, but I imagine it’s someone honest and good hearted.”

Ethan nodded.

“I don’t need you to watch over me because it’s the right thing to do.” She looked up. “I need you to do it because you love me.”

Ethan sensed where this was going and began to feel uneasy. “Of course I love you. You’ve become like…”

“If you say sister,” she snapped. “I swear I’ll break your nose.”

Ethan held up his hands. “All I meant was…”

“I know what you meant. You think I’m a child.” She jumped to her feet. “My mother was only two years older than I am now when she married my father. And there are girls even younger than me who bear children.”

Ethan got up and tried to place his hands on her shoulders, but she stepped quickly away.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “But that sort of thing doesn’t happen where I come from. Girls your age are still in school and playing with dolls.”

“We’re not on Earth,” she countered. “And I
don’t
play with dolls.”

“I know you don’t. It’s just that in my world you’re still too young to be thinking about these things.”

“
This
is your world now. And in this world, I
am
a woman.”

Ethan sighed and nodded. “I know you are. And I’m sorry. But I just can’t give you what you want.” He stepped forward and took her hands. This time she did not resist. “One day you’ll meet someone. Someone who will be good to you. He’ll love you the way you deserve. He’ll be kind and gentle and appreciate you for the person you are. You just need to be patient.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “And what if I don’t live long enough to find him? What then? What if I die and no one ever loves me?”

“You can’t think like that. We’re going to make it.”

Kat pulled her hands away and wiped her face. “Just answer me one question.”

Ethan smiled and nodded.

“If I was older, would you feel different then?”

He chuckled. “I’m sure I would.”

She returned his smile. “Then I’ll just have to wait. I won’t be young forever you know.
Then
maybe you’ll look at me.” She turned and started back. “Don’t tell the others what I’ve said.”

“I won’t,” he promised.

Ethan watched as she began gathering her belongings. He hoped he had said the right things. He had no experience in dealing with young girls. And considering everything else Kat had been through during her life, she didn’t need more heartache and disappointment.

A few minutes later, Markus and Jonas stirred. They set off shortly afterward, just as the sun was fully over the horizon. Kat walked beside Jonas for most of the day, but Ethan caught her stealing glances at him several times. It was clear that she had not been deterred; he hoped he would not be forced to hurt her feelings. But the fact remained, in his eyes she was still a child. And if it came to it, he might have to be firm.

When they stopped for a midday meal, Jonas pulled him aside. “I want you to have another go at trying to start a fire with magic,” he said.

By now, he had all but given up hope of ever being able to
feel
the magic within him. Even the way he’d driven off Hronso, he assumed, was in reality somehow down to the dragon and not him at all. But the earnest expression on Jonas’ face swayed him to try again anyway. He sighed and knelt in front of the pile of twigs that had been arranged.

“Concentrate,” Jonas told him. “Picture it in your mind. Let the words transform into action.”

After closing his eyes, he whispered the word, “Illimiz,” As expected, nothing happened. He tried again, but with the same result. After a few more futile attempts he threw up his hands and let out a frustrated grunt.

“It will come,” Jonas assured him.

Ethan glared down at the twigs, disgusted by his failure. His frustration suddenly boiled over. Clenching his fists, he yelled: “Illimiz, damn it!”

To his utter amazement, a thin line of smoke began to rise from the center of the twigs. A moment later a spark popped and a single flame rose. Ecstatic, he jumped up and threw his arms above his head.

Jonas smiled broadly. “There, you see?”

Ethan could only stare at the fire with smug satisfaction.

“All right, great mage,” Markus said teasingly. “Put it out. It’s time to go.”

Ethan took one last, self-satisfied look at the fire before stomping it out. Now inspired, he dearly wanted to try again, but Markus insisted they keep going.

As they walked along, Markus continued to keep a constant eye out for enemies, but saw nothing to suggest they were being pursued. That afternoon he and Kat set snares hoping to catch more rabbits. But to their chagrin, they were unsuccessful.

After three more days they turned due north. Soon after that the forest gave way to an expanse of lush grassland. They crossed several small trails and one well-built road along the way. Although slowing their pace to make certain there was no prying eyes about, they were still able to cover nearly thirty miles each day.

In less than a week the mountains came into view and the flat easy terrain gradually became hilly and difficult to navigate. Some of the hills were far too tall and steep to climb without exhausting themselves, forcing them to take time-consuming detours around them.

“We’re fortunate it’s not winter,” remarked Markus. “By now we’d all be dead from the cold.”

The days were indeed mild, but the nights were becoming increasingly chilly. And with wood for a fire now a scarcity, the setting sun was an unwelcome sight.

Jonas spend each evening examining the map. He explained that, although he had a general idea of where the entrance to the cave was, he had never actually been there. Finding it might prove to be difficult. The mages of the past had left markers, but after all these years there was no way of knowing if they would still be there.

They turned west when two days away from the base of the mountains. The terrain was now hard, mostly rocks and gravel, with just a few sickly looking shrubs sprouting up here and there. Steam issued from cracks in the earth, and the smell of sulfur was almost unbearable. The only redeeming aspect was that it was no longer cold at night. Ethan did his best to take advantage of the situation by bathing in some of the various warm springs that dotted the area – though many were way too hot for this and would scald the flesh from one’s body. Jonas warned them not to drink any of the spring water, saying that it would sour their stomachs.

“When we arrive there is a fresh spring and fruit trees just outside of the cave,” he said. “I can definitely remember Lady Illyrian telling me that.”

For another two days they zig-zagged back and forth in the shadow of the mountains while Jonas tried to locate the markers. Having only ever seen pictures of mountains before, Ethan spent most of the time with his head tilted back, staring up in awe at the majesty of the snow covered peaks that were only just visible through the thick grey clouds. Jonas was far less impressed, focusing virtually all of his attention on finding the markers. On several occasions he thought he had succeeded, but each time his hopes were dashed and he would throw up his hands, cursing loudly. But just when he was looking to be on the verge of despair, he finally found what he was looking for. Carved into a tall column of dark granite protruding from the ground was a circle surrounding a five pointed star.

“We’re nearly there,” he announced, his voice soaked with relief.

Markus though, now appeared to be on edge.

“What’s wrong?” Ethan asked.

His friend gave a deep frown. “If we’re almost there, then we’re most likely being watched. The dwarves are well known for being paranoid and guarded. They will know if someone is approaching their home. If they’re going to kill us, they might not wait for us to get too close.”

“Don’t be so pessimistic,” Jonas said. “We’ve made it this far, haven’t we?”

Markus scowled. “Luck is an unreliable companion, old man.”

“I’ll take what I can get,” he shot back with a smile. “Better to have luck than nothing at all.”

Markus heaved a sigh. “Then let us pray that our luck holds.”