Siege At The Settlements (Book 6) (15 page)

Chapter 36

G
orlee’s nails dug into the palms of his hands.

She knows. She knows. She knows.

He wanted to make a dash for the patio. To jump.

Surely I can turn into something that can fly. A draykis, perhaps.

She rose from her chair and stood on the dais. Her body was tall and magnificent. Her robes were dark, ornate and finely crafted. Her black hair was pushed up under a crown of silver leaflets.

“Cleverness is a survivor’s skill,” she said coolly, walking down the steps. Her dark beautiful gaze met his. “Are you a survivor?”

He had never felt panic until now. The woman had presence. Her words were powerful and hypnotic. He wanted to fall on his knees and beg for mercy. Confess everything. His knees started to bend.

I can’t do this.

She came closer.

“Well?” she said.

Gorlee’s tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. Every joint in his body had frozen, but his eyes remained on hers.
She’s going to kill me. So beautiful. So frightening.
He stirred but did not speak.

She stopped a foot short of him, eye to eye. Her dark eyes searched his from underneath lavender eyelids. Her thin lips were pursed in curiosity. Her fragrance drifted into his nose. A sweet musk. Invigorating. She licked the top row of her white teeth. Ran the fingers of one hand through his hair.

He tingled.

She knows. She knows. She knows.

“Twenty-five years I’ve been looking for you,” she said.

She doesn’t know! Yes!

She circled him and a long black tail gently swept side to side behind her.

Whoa! Black scales! What did Bayzog say about the return of the black scales?

She ran her fingers over his scaled arms and said with a purr, “I see the rumors are true. You have indeed become more dragon.” She put her lips to his ear. “Now we just have to finish the rest of you, Nath Dragon.” She strolled toward the table with an unusual sway in her tail-laden hips. “Come. Sit. Talk.” She glanced over her shoulder at him. “And I’ll fill you like you’ve never been filled before.”

His stomach gurgled.

She threw back her hair, laughed, and took a seat at the backless head chair.

“Come. Come.”

Gorlee’s limbs loosened and he took his first step forward, keeping his eyes on hers the entire time.
I can’t believe I’m about to be seated at the table with the most powerful person in Nalzambor. Be Nath Dragon. Be Nath Dragon. Be Nath Dragon.
He sat down opposite her.

She clapped her hands.

A pair of young women in knee-length deep purple robes appeared from behind the curtains. Covered silver platters and a carafe of wine were carried to the grand table and set down. The young women stood silent and pretty with their hands down at their sides.

“Even dragons can get hungry,” Selene said. “And they get very difficult when they hunger, don’t they now, Nath…”

Oh no, is she saying Nath’s entire name?

She was. On and on it went. Fascinated with dragons, Gorlee had requested that Nath repeat it to him once. Nath had obliged. That day had been more regrettable than enlightening, and he was a patient one. Now, he was starving. Frightened. His thoughts raced.

No person has ever recited a dragon name before, therefore, she’s a dragon! And I know what they say. It takes a dragon to know a dragon. How long can I fool her? I’m in for.

The smell of food seeping out from under the silver lids was torture. An hour went by. He wanted to stop the woman, but interrupting a dragon was rude. Very rude among their kind. The second hour passed. One of the serving girls swayed. Her knees buckled and she collapsed on the ground.

Selene’s lips continued to utter one intricately long syllable after the other.

Gorlee’s head bobbed. His chin dipped down. He caught himself nodding off time and again.

Almost over. Almost over. I think it’s almost over. Does she talk slower than Nath?

The second girl collapsed.

The sun dipped down on the west-facing patio and finally Selene stopped. Her engaging eyes waited on his lips.

“So,” Gorlee said, reaching for the silver platter, “I guess I’m not the only one.” He lifted the lid off it. “I hope you don’t mind if I serve myself, seeing how your non-dragon servants,” he peeked over the table, “have pillowed on the floor.” He shook his head. “Maybe your draykis would make for better servants. They’re horrible fighters.”

“They caught you,” she reminded him.

He lifted the lid off the plate. Sliced hunks of meat and cheeses were on there.

Ah, yes!
He grabbed the platter with both hands. He picked the entire thing up, set it before himself, and ate, chewing up one large chunk at a time, barely keeping his ravenous hunger under control.

Selene’s eye’s widened. “Your manners are surprising, even for a hungry dragon.”

He barely heard the words she said.

Food, I’ll never undervalue you again.

“Sorry, but I’m so hungry I could eat a dragon.”

She huffed a laugh. “Fine, fill yourself. You’ll need it.”

He tossed a meatless turkey bone on the platter and went for the wine. Not because he thirsted, but to let her know he didn’t fear her. He filled a goblet for him and one for her.

“Thanks for the food,” he said, smiling and sitting back down. “Aren’t you drinking?”

She pushed the goblet away.

“I’m not thirsty.”

He shrugged, tipped the goblet to his lips, and finished it in one gulp. He set the goblet down, leaned back, tapped his chest and burped. He picked his teeth with his claws.

Don’t seem so formidable. Keep her off guard. Guessing. Nath says women are captivated by that
.

“Now, what were you saying about the draykis capturing me? Hah. Is that what they told you? I surrendered.”

“And why would you do that?”

He leaned forward on the table and said, “So I could meet the one who is behind all this.”

Her face brightened. “I knew you would come!” she said, picking up her goblet. She made a slight toast. “You think you can save the world, don’t you?”

“Who better than me?”

She took a long drink. “Well, Nath, you will be disappointed.”

“And why is that?” he said.

“Because I’m not trying to destroy the world.”

“Then what are you trying to do?”

“I’m just trying to run it.” She set her goblet down. “And I want you to help me, but first there is one last test that you must pass.”

“Wait a moment,” he said. “I’m not going to help you do anything. There’s no reason to test me.”

“Oh,” she said, cocking her head. “But you did so well on the first two. The roof. Starvation. Your name that I speak. But I’m still not sold you are the true Nath Dragon.”

She does know! Gads!

“And I’m not sure you are the true High Priestess, but I’m not going to test you on it. You seem plenty wicked to me, judging by all the ugly faces. Why test me?”

She slammed her fist on the table.

Gorlee’s strength had returned with the food, and he wanted to laugh.
Evil is so impatient.

“Because you are my prisoner!” She got up and walked away. “Kryzak! Come!

The brass doors opened, and in the war cleric came. He did a quick up and down kneel.

“Yes, my Queen.”

“Secure him in The Deep.”

The Deep?

“As you wish.” He motioned the draykis over with his arm.

The dragon-like men jogged over and picked him up by the arms.

“And I thought you were going to fill me with interesting conversation,” Gorlee said, being hauled away.

“I did fill you, Fool. And it’s only a matter of time before it takes effect.”

Gorlee got a bad feeling.

Great. She’s toying with me. That food must have been undercooked.

Chapter 37

“A
h,” Faylan said, sitting inside her tent and chewing the meat off a ham bone, “my little brother returns.” She chucked the bone at him.

He swatted it away.

“Can you ever offer a kind greeting?” he said.

“I greeted you,” she said. She got up and strolled over. Butted horns with his head and pinched his cheeks. “Is that better, Little Brother?”

No.

“Yes, for you it is anyway.” He sniffed the air. Scanned the tent. He hungered. “Is there anything left of your feast?”

“Check with the soldiers. I’m sure they saved you some, Little Brother.”

Finlin stomped his foot. His sister had become more and more unbearable over the years. Pushy. Greedy. She had always been rotten but not to this degree. She’d even pushed him to murder. He wanted take to his hoof to her butt.

He checked his anger. There were better ways to deal with his sister.

“So, the camp stirs in victory,” he said, “and word of your great capture spreads.”

She turned to him, excited, hands clasped together.

“Really, what have you heard?”

“Brilliant trap,” he said. “That’s what the orcs say. I heard that as I traveled in, not knowing what to make of it at first until I—”

She grabbed him by the armor.

“What else?”

“inquired,” he finished his last word. “Inspiring, I heard another say. A gnoll said, ‘Faylan did what a hundred generals and dragons had not, captured the greatest dragon of them all.’”

Her eyes were wide and feverish.

“And?”

“Something about a great hall in your honor,” he added. He was making things up now, but she’d buy all of it. She always did.

“A Great Hall?” she let him go and looked up, grabbing her chin. “I like that.” She turned to the tent entrance and yelled. “Guards. More rations and wine!” She made her way over to a small table and set of chairs. A moment later, a half-orc man entered with a wooden tray of food and wine, set it down, and left.

“Eat,” she said.

Finlin reached over.

She grabbed his forearm, squeezed it, and said, “
and
talk.”

“Hmmm, there was so much chatter and excitement to sort through,” he said, spreading honey on a roll. He stalled as long as he could. The armies couldn’t stand her. Not one bit, and it ate at her. It was fun to tease her with the opposite. “Something about underestimating you and that soon the war would be over. Ah!” He wiggled his finger and stuffed bread in his mouth. “Many want to be your henchmen when you get your own town or castle.”

She hitched her elbow over the back of her hair and smiled.

“Really?”

Finlin nodded but not too much.

“Hailed by all the rotten races,” she said, “there’s not much better praise than that.”

Except maybe being hailed by all the good races.

Her face lit up and she snapped her fingers.

“Wait till you see this!”

Quickly, Finlin buttered another roll and stuffed it inside his mouth.

“Whff is if?”

She pulled something from her pouch, tossed it on the table and pointed at it.

“That’s a lock of Nath Dragon’s hair.”

Finlin swallowed.

“It is?”

“Yep.”

Finlin leaned forward and eyed it.

“I thought his hair was auburn as a rooster.”

“It is. Are you blind, you fool?” She looked at the lock of hair and gasped. “What!”

The hair was white and withered.

Faylan picked it up for inspection.

Finlin could feel the heat rise in her. Her cheeks reddened. Her eyes filled with worry. He couldn’t keep from saying his next thoughts.

“That wasn’t Nath Dragon, was it?”

She swatted the tray across the tent and screamed.

“Not a word of this to anybody!”

Certainly, dear Sister, certainly.

Chapter 38

I
t was a sight.

Nath dragged the dragon backwards. It screeched like an angry kitten.

Bayzog kept his distance, staff ready, breathing heavily. His emotions conflicted with relief and terror.

He lives!

Ben caught his glance. The rangy warrior poked his sword at the dragon’s head.

“Stay back, Ben,” Nath bellowed out. “I’ll handle this!”

The dragon shook and shuddered. Snorted and roared. Nath held its tail fast in his bulging black-scaled arms. His eyes flickered with golden fire. Savagely, the dragon beat its wings. Its serpentine body lifted from the ground.

“No you don’t,” Nath said with anger. He released the dragon’s tail, made a great leap onto its neck, and punched it in the head.

Whop! Whop! Whop! Whop!

The dragon flopped onto the ground.

Bayzog gasped. The powerful beast was over twice the size of Nath, and down it went. It coiled up like a serpent and crawled back and away from its aggressor.

Nath charged straight at it.

Like a snake it struck. Jaws wide, then snapping shut.

Nath slapped it.

Whack!

Bayzog felt the blow where he stood.

The grey scaler recoiled and whined. Its neck rolled from side to side and it shuffled off the road’s edge.

Nath walked right at it.

“You know what happened to your great brother now, don’t you?”

Its tongue flickered in and out of its mouth with a hiss, making Bayzog want to slap the evil thing.

Nath beckoned with his claws and said, “Come, let’s finish this, Wicked Serpent.”

Its serpent eyes were full of hate, but there was something else behind its fires. Respect. It backed farther from Nath and beat its wings. Up it went.

Nath turned back to face his friends.

“I’m glad to see everyone is alright.”

The dragon dropped from the sky.

“Dragon!” Ben yelled, “Look out!”

Nath leapt out of the way a split second before it crashed to the ground. He was on his feet in an instant. His hair a red streak behind him. The dragon struck. Nath leapt over its head and locked his arms around its neck. The grey scaler writhed like a scaly worm. Its wings flapped with anger. It bucked like a maddened bull.

Nath held on, squeezing its great neck until its tongue juttered from its mouth.

Crack!

Its body sagged, and it died.

Nath tossed his head back and huffed for breath. His body trembled.

Ben approached and said, “You killed it.”

Bayzog didn’t know if Ben was shocked that the feat was accomplished or horrified that Nath had actually killed a dragon. He himself was already bewildered that Nath had survived a battle with the full-sized grey scaler.

Nath sagged toward the ground, but Ben caught him up.

“You alright?” Ben said, handing Nath his canteen.

Nath drank. “I’m fine.” He straightened himself upright, clutched his side, and said with worry, “Where’s Brenwar?”

Bayzog pointed where he had seen him land.

“I like to assume he’s mostly alright. He took quite a fall.”

Nath nodded and took a long look at all the dead dragons on the muddy road, and at the soldiers too. “It’s sad it’s come to this.” He slapped Ben’s shoulder. “Looks like you all fought well.”

“It’s us or them now, Nath,” Bayzog said. “Not much of a choice now. So, I’m assuming we should get moving, that more are coming.”

“No,” Nath said, walking back down the road and picking up Brenwar’s chest. “I took care of that.” He heaved it onto his shoulder. “And we have our horses back. So, to the Crystal Cities it is, then?”

Bayzog caught movement in the corner of his eye. Brenwar marched through the grasses with War Hammer on his shoulder. His mouth twitched when he saw Nath, and his brows buckled.

“What happened?” the dwarf said.

“I’ll tell you later,” said Nath, walking on ahead.

“Where’d all the blood on you come from?” said Brenwar. “It’s not that dragon’s.”

Nath didn’t break his stride.

“The bad guys.”