The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2) (16 page)

Cousin Michael's mouth dropped open and he stumbled back to fall to the earth. He pointed a shaking hand into the sky, and choked out a single word. "D-dragon!"

In the dim light of their torches and the fire that covered Ned's shield the party glimpsed the outline of the great lizard with wide, thin wings. Its red eyes and long, teeth-filled snout snarled at the intruders, while behind it the tail cracked the air. It roared and the noise reverberated off the steep sides of the narrow valley. The horses cried out and the men unsheathed their swords ready for battle with a foe they couldn't reach.

Ned swept his hands in front of him, and both the shield and fire evaporated. He herded the youngsters together and knocked the tip of his staff on Fred's head. "I would appreciate some help," he scolded his apprentice.

Fred blinked and his eyes widened. "Oh, right!" He pulled his stick out and it transformed into the staff.

Percy and his father abandoned their frightened steeds and joined them, and the younger lord looked with wonder at the changed stick. "What an admirable disguise," he complimented Fred.

"Later, Sir Percy!" Pat scolded.

The creature swung around for another attack, and its great mouth opened for a repeat shot. Fred could see down its throat at the oil pouch, and the moment the beast spit out the flammable substance the air ignited it and changed the harmless liquid into a blast of scorching fire. Ned swung his staff at the creature, and from the tip shot his own stream of fire. The fires collided midair and lit the clearing as though it were day. The dragon quit its breathing before Ned's fuel ran out, and it dodged his stream of fire to fly harmlessly over them. It roared in anger, cheated of its rotisserie dinner.

"That went better than expected," Ned laughed.

"This might not work forever because here it comes again!" Pat pointed out.

The dragon turned to make another pass at them, but it wasn't given the chance. Ned stiffened and swirled around to find Cousin Michael on the ground with the black book open before him. He quickly mumbled a few words, and with a small dagger he cut a short gash in his arm. The blood sprang from his arm and into the air. It twisted and curled in on itself, creating a monstrous blob of life fluid. It stretched and expanded until the rounded head reached high into the air.

Fred cringed back in horror when he recognized the same creature as what they'd faced at Salaron Bridge. The only differences were this one was created from blood, and the source of the power was the black book rather than a stone. The blood creature opened its mouth and roared while at its base Cousin Michael clutched at his arm and winced in pain.

The creature saw the dragon, who screeched and flew toward its new opponent. The dragon opened its mouth to spit another plume of fire. The blood thing countered the action when a tentacle shot out from its body and hit the dragon in the face. The beast screamed and, blinded by the blood, crashed into the trees. It hit the ground and slid for a few yards before coming to a stop close to the river. The brush and fallen trees hid the dragon from their view, but they could still hear its breathing.

Cousin Michael stood and directed his blood beast toward the fallen creature, intent on finishing the thing off. Ned marched up to the priest and decked him with his staff. Cousin Michael spun in a complete circle and fell to the ground, still alive but unconscious. The blood creature collapsed in on itself and burned all the earth it touched. Percy and a few of the guards rushed to Cousin Michael's side while Sturgeon scowled at Ned. "Why did you do that? He was our best chance at destroying the creature."

Everyone jumped when the dragon groaned, and the guards remembered their duty to protect the group. They clattered toward the beast, but Ned struck his staff on the ground and the earth shook. "A moment, gentlemen," he tensely pleaded.

"We may not have a moment," the guard leader insisted. "That creature may not be as injured as it seems, and they are as quick on the ground as in the air."

Ned glared at the man. "There is something not quite right about this dragon. Stay your blades for five minutes and let me examine it."

The guard sneered and sheathed his blade. "Very well, but if the creature revives and you stand in our way we won't hesitate to cut you down with the thing."

"I'll be sure to stay clear of your brave swords," Ned sarcastically replied. While the guard fumed, Ned turned to his companions. "Follow me."

Fred cringed and brought up the rear behind the other three. They climbed over fallen trees and broken limbs left by the dragon's crash, and after thirty yards they found the beast on the ground. It lay on its side with a wing over its face. A limb had punctured its side, and blood streamed out onto the dirt. The creature breathed, but didn't move as they approached. Pat looked over the creature and shook her head. "I don't see anything unusual about this dragon."

Ned knelt beside the beast and tested the wing. Nothing was broken. "It's not the dragon that's unusual, but it's behavior. Did any of you notice scorch marks as we traveled through the valley?" They all shook their heads. "Dragons mark their territory by scorching the earth with its breath. This dragon hasn't done that."

"Perhaps it just came into the area?" Ruth suggested.

Ned lifted the wing and allowed them all a glimpse of the creature's face. Its eyes were closed and it breathed harshly. Fred leaned in and frowned. There was something off about the dragon, and it was the same off-ness he'd seen in the old chambermaid. "Perhaps, but that would be a great coincidence and I don't believe in coincidences," Ned replied. "Besides, this dragon is very far southwest. They generally reside along the east coast."

"Ned, there's something wrong with its face," Fred spoke up.

Ned turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Oh? What is that?"

"The skin looks stretched and fake-"

The dragon's eye shot open and its wing stretched out, knocking Ned onto his butt. It climbed to its feet, but faltered when it found the wound at its side. It roared and stamped its clawed feet. Ruth and Pat dragged Ned out of the way before the dragon's claws crushed him. Fred stepped up with his staff to help how he could, but he stiffened when that large, bright eye captured him in its gaze. It snapped its jaws at him, but at the last second Pat slammed into him and they tumbled to the ground. The dragon turned and stomped toward them, but a beam of light crossed its path. The creature turned and growled at Ned, who stood with his staff at the ready.

Ned scowled back. "I don't know who you are, but take another step toward them and I assure you that wound in your side will be the least of your worries."

The dragon moved back and its lips curled back in a smirk. It spread its wings, jumped into the air and flapped those massive canvases of skin. The companions were blown back by the wind and the dragon quickly rose into the sky. It flew over the trees and had just left their sight when the guards, the lords and Cousin Michael ran up from the path of destruction.

"You stupid old fool, why didn't you kill it?" Cousin Michael screeched. Ned ignored the man, and looked up at the sky with an expression of vexation. The priest stomped over to Ned, but a field of light rose in his path. He knocked into it and fell back onto his butt, and the wall disappeared. His face reddened and his pitch rose to that of nails against chalkboard. "Are you mad? Do you mean to kill us all by showing kindness to everything that means to kill us?"

Ned turned indifferent eyes on the man. "I showed no kindness to you, didn't I?"

"My magic stopped that creature from burning everything to the ground, including us!" Cousin Michael snapped back.

Cousin Michael cringed when Ned swiftly knelt in front of him. Ned's voice was low, firm and dangerous. "Unless reviving the king, if you use that book again in my presence I will turn my fire on you and not the dragon. Do you understand?" Cousin Michael quickly nodded his head. "Good, then I suggest you hide that blasphemous thing from my sight until we have reached the crag."

Ned stood and stalked off back to the camp. Fred stumbled after him, and Pat smiled apologetically at those who remained. "Please forgive him. It's been a long day." She hurried off after the boys with Ruth in tow.

CHAPTER 16

Ned didn't stop at the campsite, but kept going down the road toward the crag. Fred followed a few paces behind, fearful of angering the old castor. Ned mumbled to himself, but the boy couldn't make out any of the words. Pat and Ruth caught up to Fred, and heard the mumblings. "What's he saying?" Pat whispered to him.

Fred shrugged. "No idea, but I'm not going to ask him."

They jumped when Ned glanced over his shoulder and spoke to them. "I was saying words too dark and horrible for young people to read nor hear," he told them.

"More horrible than the dragon we just encountered? It did try to eat Fred," Pat reminded him. Fred cringed at the remembrances of those sharp fangs barreling down on him.

Ned stopped and turned to them. "The dragon had no such intention. They generally roast their meat before eating to avoid their food kicking down their throats. No, this dragon, if we must call it that, intended to snatch him up."

"And carry him off to eat him," Pat stubbornly added.

Ned calmly walked up and rapped her head with his staff. "That was no dragon, and it meant to carry him off."

Pat rubbed her head and scowled at him. "If it flies like a dragon, breathes fire like a dragon, and has awful breath like a dragon, what other thing can it be?"

"A castor very gifted in transformations," Ned replied. The youngsters' eyes widened, but the old castor plopped himself down on the nearest boulder. "Someone wished to stop Fred from coming with us, and showed no qualms about roasting anyone who stopped their intentions."

"But who cares that much about Fred?" Pat wondered. Fred scowled and Ruth patted him on the back, but Pat ignored him.

Ned pulled at his beard and his dark eyes settled on Fred. "Who indeed," he mused.

Fred furrowed his brow when he recalled Martley's wishes for him not to come on their expedition. "I might have an idea," Fred squeaked out.

The girls turned to him, and Ned leaned forward on his staff. "We're listening," Ned replied.

"Um, it might be Martley. She came to our room last night and-"

"She did what?" Pat exclaimed in a decibel high enough to shatter glass.

"She came to our room and wanted me to not come with you guys," Fred finished. "I told her I was going to go, and she didn't seem too happy about that."

Ned furrowed his brow. "Most interesting. Did she give you her reasons?"

Fred shook his head. "No, only that she was bound by a promise not to tell them."

"I knew that woman was a sneak! And I let her touch my hands!" Pat shrieked.

Ruth put her hands on Pat's shoulders. "But we're not sure it was her. Lady Martley may have just been worried about Fred," Ruth pointed out.

"Worried my foot! She wanted him to stay with her!" Pat countered. Ned held up his hand, but Pat didn't even notice. She shook off Ruth's hands, and stomped back and forth. "That woman is not a lady! She would do better as a madam in a brothel than at the side-"

"Pat?" Ned spoke up.

Pat swirled around and glared at him. "What?" she growled.

"Your jealousy is showing," he gently informed her.

Pat blushed and her fists trembled at her sides. "I-I am not!" she stuttered out.

Ned's teasing quieted Pat, and he looked to Fred. "You were telling us about the dragon's face."

Fred blinked and tapped the top of his head. "I was? Oh yeah, it didn't look right. It was stretched, like it was wearing a mask. I saw something like that before on the chambermaid, and I don't think she was a chambermaid."

Pat frowned and narrowed her eyes. "You mean that chambermaid who told us about the tunnel beneath the kitchen?" she asked him.

Fred nodded. "Yeah, that's the one. I asked her who she was and she wouldn't tell me. Just cackled and left."

Ned pulled at his beard. "Very interesting."

"What's interesting? It's obvious she's using magic to hide her appearance," Pat spoke up. "Those breasts probably aren't even real."

Ned shook his head, and gave a nod toward Fred. "What is interesting is Fred can see through the magic while even I cannot. The pay-dirt wasn't the limitations of his ability to dispel magic."

"The pay-dirt? He couldn't use it," Pat countered.

"Exactly. He couldn't believe it was real because he innately knew it wasn't real, and that was why the pay-dirt wouldn't change to gold." Ned stood and patted Fred on the shoulder; he had a wide, proud smile on his face. "You're certainly useful. I'm glad I haven't sold you for that two hundred gold pieces. At least not yet."

Fred's shoulders slumped over and his jaw jutted out. "Thanks," he replied.

Ned smiled and nodded. "Anytime."

"Fine, we know somebody, probably that woman Martley, wants Fred. We won't discuss why," Pat told them as she eyed the boys. "So what do we do about it? Do we go back and warn the king about his protege?"