Soulblade (41 page)

“What are you doing, you idiot?” Therrik shouted as the flier streaked past.

Aren’t you supposed to call him General Idiot?
Jaxi asked, presumably speaking to both of them.

Not now, Jaxi.
Sardelle was in no mood for jokes.
Bhrava Saruth, can you capture him somehow?

It was a ludicrous request—since the bullets couldn’t break through Bhrava Saruth’s shields, they should simply continue on to the castle and confront Eversong. But she couldn’t help but think that if she had Ridge here beside her, she might be able to get a better look at what they had done to him. Also, he could become an ally instead of another threat to worry about.

The noise of his propeller changed as he banked, coming back toward them. Bhrava Saruth could have outdistanced him, but instead he turned to face the charge. A boom came from below—a cannon firing from the castle wall. They had almost reached the building.

Bhrava Saruth flapped his wings and picked up speed.

Careful
, Sardelle added.
It would be best if we didn’t destroy the flier.
She didn’t want to do anything that would cause those castle guards to grow more agitated and unload all of their weapons at them. Also, she knew how valuable fliers were to the military. This seemed such a foolish way for one to be destroyed.

The dragon’s wing beats faltered.
High priestess, will it not fall out of the sky once its rider is gone?

Yes, you’re right. Just capture him without destroying it, please. Jaxi and I will worry about the flier.

Oh?
Jaxi asked.
Lucky us.

Ridge fired again. Sardelle could feel his frustration as his bullets bounced off the dragon’s shield. Frustration, bleakness, and surprise, as if he hadn’t known this would happen. Didn’t he remember his battle with Morishtomaric?

I don’t think he remembers much of anything,
Jaxi said.

Sardelle tried not to think about what she would do if that turned out to be a permanent situation, if Ridge remembered nothing of her or of them together. Would he be able to fall in love with her again? Without the unique circumstances that had brought them together at the mining outpost?

The flier veered downward, this time heading under Bhrava Saruth’s belly. Maybe Ridge thought he could shoot the dragon from below and find a vulnerability?

Bhrava Saruth twisted, moving impossibly fast. His head lashed out, his maw opened, and fear blasted through Sardelle. Even though she knew better, it was hard to see that as anything other than an attack. She couldn’t see as well as she would have liked—Bhrava Saruth’s body was in the way—but she felt what happened with her other senses. Ridge ducked and tried to veer away as the dragon’s head snapped toward him. He almost succeeded, but Bhrava Saruth used magic to aid him, throwing a wall of wind at the nose of the flier. It gave him enough time to grasp Ridge in his mouth.

Ridge’s startled cry was like a dagger thrusting into Sardelle’s soul, and she felt certain those sharp fangs were hurting him. Bhrava Saruth’s neck came up, twisting, and he dropped Ridge atop his shoulder blades, right in front of Therrik. Ridge’s eyes bulged with fear, and his hand darted toward his waist, but he had neither a belt nor a weapon there.

Sardelle started to reach past Therrik, wanting to touch Ridge and let him know he was with friends, but Jaxi spoke into her mind.

The flier?

Sardelle cursed, remembering that they were going to keep it from crashing. Without a hand on the stick, it had veered off course and was descending toward the city. Sardelle steadied the stick with her mind, though she found that steering it wasn’t as intuitive as she thought. The idea of landing it on the butte on the opposite side of the harbor daunted her—she didn’t think she could extend her range that far and continue to control it.

How about that road in front of the castle?
Jaxi suggested.
I’ll help.

The curving cobblestone road with sharp bends? At the speed it’s flying, it will need a runway, room to slow down.

I will halt it, high priestess,
Bhrava Saruth said.

Sardelle should have asked how, but was distracted by Ridge. Sitting astride Bhrava Saruth in front of Therrik, he was looking to either side, like a trapped animal. They were hundreds of feet above the castle. He wouldn’t be so foolish as to jump, would he?

“We’re not your enemies, Ridge,” Sardelle said, resisting the urge to speak the same words into his mind. If he’d forgotten her, he wouldn’t find telepathic contact reassuring.

Ridge stared at her without recognition. His brow furrowed, as if he was
trying
to remember.

“Relax, Zirkander,” Therrik said. “We’re here to kill the sorceress, not you.”

Ridge mouthed the word
kill
as he looked at Therrik’s chest—his uniform. The concern stamped on his face lessened slightly. Sardelle told herself it didn’t matter how that came about and refused to feel stung that it was Therrik that put Ridge at ease, not her.

“Colonel Therrik,” Ridge said, reading the nametag. “Do I know you?”

“Looks like she didn’t take away his ability to read,” Therrik said over his shoulder with an eye roll, “but that’s all we can count on.” To Ridge, he said, “You and your sarcastic mouth have been annoying me for the last three months.”

“That does sound like me.” He peered hard at Therrik’s face, as if willing himself to remember.

“And this is your woman.” Therrik jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Sardelle. “She’s almost as much of a pest as you are.”

Ridge’s mouth dangled open. Sardelle tried a tentative smile, though she doubted that introduction would do anything to warm Ridge’s heart toward her.

“But she’s a witch,” he blurted. “She talked to me in my head.” He touched his temple, his expression dazed.

“Yeah, she does that. The dragon does too. Also her sword. It’s a bizarre world you live in, Zirkander.”

I guess Therrik has gotten over his interest in me
, Sardelle thought, while trying not to feel hurt by Ridge’s, “she’s a witch,” condemnation.

That was more like lust than interest in a relationship, and not entirely. You’re lucky he didn’t drag you to the back of one of those caves. His mind is an uncomfortable place. Controlling himself is probably as hard as controlling the sword.

Sardelle was more interested in figuring out
Ridge’s
mind. Now that he was closer, she tried to get a sense of what had been done while ignoring that he had that look on his face again, like he thought jumping might be better than being up here with them.

Figuring out his mind might need to wait for later
, Jaxi said.
Bhrava Saruth just removed the power from the flier’s crystal. Also, there’s smoke coming from the castle.

I have temporarily halted the energy
, Bhrava Saruth said,
so I can land the contraption. The machine parts are too confusing, but I recognize the magic. Watch.

The flier had stopped moving, and it was floating in the air above the castle. Terrified guards gawked at it. A couple of people shot at it. Far more weapons were aimed toward Bhrava Saruth. He was circling the castle, not going down yet. Despite the threat of a dragon in the skies, several guards were racing from the castle walls and toward the main building. Smoke was, indeed, wafting from windows on one corner of it. That was the end where Angulus’s office lay.

Can you put it down, Bhrava Saruth?
Sardelle asked.
And then take us down to the courtyard? Therrik and I should be able to get the people to stop shooting at you when we’re down there.

They do not understand that I only wish to help,
Bhrava Saruth replied mournfully.

I know. After we deal with the sorceress, I hope we can change their opinions of you.

“How did you end up on a dragon, Colonel?” Ridge asked.

Even though Therrik had insulted him, and Sardelle had smiled at him, he seemed to find it more comforting to focus on his fellow officer than on the woman who loved him.

“Angulus’s orders. Sardelle?” Therrik looked back again. “Assuming the sorceress can control Zirkander at any time, maybe we should drop him off somewhere out of the way while we go deal with her. Better not to worry about him switching sides.”

Sardelle grimaced at the idea of thrusting Ridge “out of the way,” especially when she hadn’t even gotten to touch him yet, but she remembered how Apex had gotten in the way during their first battle with Kasandral, an innocent taken down by the merciless sword. She couldn’t lose Ridge before she’d had a chance to win him back.

“Probably a good idea,” she admitted, meeting Ridge’s eyes, his bewildered expression tearing at her.

Bhrava Saruth?
she asked.

I’ve landed the contraption. Look!

Don’t look
, Jaxi suggested.

The flier was now perched atop one of the castle towers, its propeller still, its wheels half up on the low wall surrounding the roof. The tower guards were fleeing down the stairs, a few pointing backward at it and shouting warnings.

That’s, uhm, very good, Bhrava Saruth
, Sardelle said. They would have to get him to help remove it later.
Would you mind flying over to that butte? We should set Ridge down over there before coming back to the castle.
She eyed the plumes of smoke wafting out the windows and hoped the delay wouldn’t endanger the king.

If we wish to stop the sorceress, there may not be time, high priestess. More dragons are coming.

What?

Her first thought was that even more dragons had found their way out of that cavern of statues, but Bhrava Saruth shared a vision with her. Phelistoth was flying across the ocean, the harbor and capital city in the distance ahead of him. Kaika and Tolemek on his back, along with a third person who lay face down, his legs and hands tied. Sardelle couldn’t see his face, but he was clearly a prisoner.

She was about to tell Bhrava Saruth that they shouldn’t need to worry about Phelistoth when a second dragon came into view behind them, a gold dragon. She was chasing Phelistoth, gaining on him.

That’s Yisharnesh
, Bhrava Saruth said,
the female that escaped imprisonment at the same time as I. She threatened to eat me if I didn’t let her have the repository of knowledge. I had to fight her to drive her from Iskandia and claim this land as my own. She’s not a nice dragon.

Are you stronger than she is?
Sardelle thought Bhrava Saruth and Phelistoth might be a match for the female dragon, but her side had more to lose, since they were over the city, a city she didn’t want to see destroyed in some epic dragon battle.

I’m craftier than she is!

That sounds like a no
, Jaxi observed.

“Get behind me, Zirkander,” Therrik said. “I’m going to need room to use this sword.” He jerked his thumb toward Kasandral’s hilt. Bhrava Saruth must have also shared the vision of incoming dragons with him.

“How will I do that exactly?” Ridge looked down on either side of Bhrava Saruth’s body—they were still circling, well above the castle—then raised his brows toward Therrik’s broad form.

“I don’t care. Climb over me. Just get out of my way.” Therrik leaned forward, flattening his chest to the dragon’s back.

“When I woke up,” Ridge said, “this wasn’t how I imagined my day going.”

“Just hurry up, Zirkander. Angulus is down in that castle, probably in trouble because you delivered a witch to his doorstep.”

A grimace crossed Ridge’s face. He might not remember who Sardelle and Therrik were, but he seemed to realize he had done exactly that. He clambered over Therrik, grabbing him to keep from falling. Sardelle scooted back to give him more room.

Phelistoth needs my assistance, high priestess. He is injured and will be no match for a gold female, and he must worry about those he carries on his back.

Sardelle looked at Therrik’s back and at Kasandral. Therrik might be able to assist in a dragon battle, but could she and Ridge do anything?
Am I right in that you would have an easier time fighting without
us
on your back?

Very likely. I can put you down someplace safe.

Sardelle would have loved to be deposited someplace safe, where she would have time to figure out how to fix Ridge—and to give him a hug, damn it. But smoke was pouring out of more windows of the castle, and when she checked again, one corner of the roof had burst into flame.

Put us down in the courtyard, please.
She looked at Therrik’s back. Ridge had climbed past him, and he had drawn Kasandral.
We’ll deal with the sorceress.

She was confident that Therrik would attack the sorceress. She was less confident that she could trust Ridge to help. What if Eversong waved her hand and asserted her control over him? Turned him against Sardelle? Battling Cas had been horrifying enough. To think of striking at Ridge—it hurt all the way to her marrow.

“I’m sorry... ma’am,” he said, noticing her gaze—it was hard not to when they sat astride Bhrava Saruth’s back, facing each other. “I don’t remember you.”

“I know. I hope Jaxi and I can figure out a way to return your memories to you.”

“Who?”

“Ah, my sword. She’s a soulblade.” Sardelle touched Jaxi’s pommel.

He doesn’t even remember me? That’s disheartening.
Jaxi made her pommel flare cherry red for a few seconds.

“Another one?” Ridge looked over his shoulder at Therrik, as if expecting him to explain.

Therrik was busy staring down at the courtyard. Bhrava Saruth was descending now, and more signs of chaos came into view. Most of the soldiers had left the walls and run into the castle. A few remained and turned firearms toward the dragon, firing uselessly, the rounds bouncing off his shields. Phelistoth and the female had yet to come into visual range.