Two Renegade Realms (Realm Walkers Book 2) (9 page)

Out of the corner of his eye, Cantor saw Bixby shiver. He took a long look at his old friend. She almost glowed with excitement.

“It sounds beautiful.” Bixby took in a great breath of air and let it out slowly. Cantor smiled at her obvious effort not to become too giddy.

“It is, but don’t slow down to gaze at them. The tendrils will weave around your boat, er, um, your dragon and not allow you to go farther.”

Cantor mulled through the instructions they had just been given. “We’ll be traveling together. But if we get separated, what landmark are we headed for?”

“A beacon. It is said that those who designed the power supply in the Orrery Chamber put it there. The mechanism looks similar. Not that I have ever seen the power supply in the Orrery Chamber, but that is what is said.” He held one arm up and circulated his fist. “The light turns at the top of a tower, so from a distance, it looks like it flashes at long intervals. Beyond is a vast plain, with no growth, of course. Not much grows without sun or rain.”

Bixby’s eyes glittered. Was it the reflected strange lighting or tears? Cantor couldn’t read her moods as easily as he once
did, and he found that disconcerting. He reached for the bond they had developed during their training in Gilead.

“Neekoh,” she said in a soft voice, just a stroke louder than a whisper. “When was the last time you saw the sun?”

“Me?” The young man’s eyes grew big in his thin, pale face. “Years ago. My father handed me the responsibility to guard Chomountain, and of course that means living under the mountain.”

“Does your family still live in here? Is there a village of your people?”

“Oh, no. There’s no one but me. In this part of the mountain, that is. Our habitat is on the side of the mountain, the outside, the other side, the
out
side of the
other
side of the mountain.”

He looked around at them with a satisfied grin. He seemed proud of his inept description. He nodded for no reason Cantor could see and continued explaining.

“One day the village will bring me my bride, the prettiest girl ready for marriage. We’ll have a child. If it is a girl, my wife will take the baby and place her in the hands of someone in the village. If it is a boy, we will raise him to take my position. She will carry him back and forth to visit me and to have me teach him all he needs to know to be a guardian.”

Bixby looked troubled, and waves of emotion swept from her to Cantor. Now he wished the bond between them were not so strong.

“So now that you are in the position your father held, did your parents go back to the outside?”

“Yes. And my wife will escort me out when I hand over my responsibilities to our son.”

Dukmee put the last of his hampers away and sprang to his
feet. “All very informative. Shall we go rescue Chomountain, and then our worlds?”

“Indeed,” said Bridger as the air cooled and he spread himself out. In only a moment, Jesha sat on one of the three benches within a rustic boat.

Cantor grinned. Neekoh’s skiff had only two seats. Bridger hadn’t been able to resist outdoing the young man by one hard, splintery wood bench.

Bixby stopped Dukmee as he walked to join Neekoh. “Will the water hurt Bridger?”

Dukmee turned to examine the dragon boat. “I think not. He has his head well above the waterline in that rather ostentatious figurehead. The water is placid and won’t splash in his eyes, and he’s not likely to drink it as a boat.” He patted her arm. “He’ll be fine.”

INTO THE DARK

B
ixby circled Bridger’s boat shape. “This is much more impressive than the litter. Good job, Bridge. Um . . . how do we make you go?”

With a blast of cold air and a screech, two oars popped out, anchored to rowing rings on either side of the middle seat. Jesha yeowed at the disturbance and hopped onto dry land. She parked herself, assuming the stance of a statue for a moment before beginning a wash ritual. Bixby grinned. Many times she could have used a calming process to soothe her own ruffled nerves.

Bixby plunked down on the ground and pulled out a hamper. Inside, she found scarves, mittens, thick gloves, and knitted hats. She shoved it back into her skirts. The next hamper contained what she wanted.

“Here, Cantor. You should wear these.”

He came over and took the flimsy brown gloves from her hand. “They’re way too small.”

She stood and brushed grit off her skirts. “They stretch.” She saw his look of disbelief as he dangled one glove at eye level. “A lot,” she added. “Try putting them on. Unless you truly want blisters from rowing across the lake.”

Cantor grunted and struggled with one glove until it covered his hand. The material clung like a second skin, but it had stretched enough for comfort. He flexed his fingers.

“They feel slippery.”

“That’s to eliminate friction. The oar won’t rub your skin raw.”

He tugged the other glove on. “These will be useful if they work.”

“Of course they work, Cantor. Dukmee has a pair, and he’ll probably give Neekoh a pair if he needs them.”

As if on cue, Dukmee called, “Let’s get this part of the journey underway.”

Cantor gestured for Bixby to jump in. Jesha followed without being asked. As soon as his female companions settled on the front bench, Cantor shoved Bridger into the glassy water. With one long step, he boarded the vessel, then sat on the middle bench. With oars in hand, he pulled out over the waters. He hadn’t rowed a boat in over a year, but his body remembered the rhythm.

With his back to Bixby, he had to look over his shoulder to see in front of them. He nodded toward the other boat, a few yards ahead. “For such a small man, Neekoh has powerful arms.”

The skiff containing their new acquaintance and Dukmee plowed through the dark water with twice the speed Cantor achieved. He put more oomph into his strokes and tried to
quicken his rhythm. The other boat continued to put more distance between them.

“Bixby, can you read his aura this far away?”

She squinted as she peered through the darkness. “No, there isn’t enough light, even though Dukmee is holding a glow orb.”

“Can you connect with the mage and caution him? He can tell if Neekoh’s leaving us behind is on purpose. Once he’s read Neekoh, he can either tell him to slow down or warn us of trouble.”

Bixby turned on the front bench and stared again toward the faster skiff. Hearing the conversation startled Cantor.

“
We’re falling behind. Is Neekoh deliberately trying to lose us?
”

“
No, his aura is pleasant. I think he is unaware of anything that is outside his immediate sphere. I’ve been puzzling over his attitude.
”

“
Please tell him to slow down. I don’t like the idea of crossing this lake, and I surely don’t want to do it without you and Neekoh.
”

“
Cantor will take good care of you.
”

She glanced quickly at her companion and smiled. “
I know. But Neekoh knows where we’re going. And you always have a neat bag of tricks.
”

“
I’ll remind him you are following
.”

Neekoh slowed, and Cantor caught up to the first boat. Looking into their traveling companions’ faces and being able to read their expressions helped ease the discomfort of the still, quiet atmosphere. The rings spreading out from each dip of the oars were the only movement on the surface of the
water. The only sounds came from the creaking wood of their vessels and the drip of black water from the paddles.

Bixby looked around them and called over to Dukmee. “The lake is kind of eerie, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I find myself straining to listen because there is so little to hear.” Dukmee waved his hand in the air. “And the stillness makes me long for a breeze or raindrops.”

Bixby cuddled Jesha closer to her chest. “I think I would lose my mind if I had to stay here.”

Cantor lifted the oars out of the water and rested. “I hope we aren’t on a wild goose chase.”

“Hardly!” Neekoh’s eyes widened in surprise. “I wouldn’t steer you wrong. It’s my job to escort you. We have the opportunity to restore Chomountain to his rightful place. I’ve waited all my life for someone to take down the ward.”

“I already feel,” said Bixby, “like we’ve been on the lake for hours.” She gestured toward the shore they had left. “We can still see those lighted orbs and glowing rocks.”

Cantor laughed. “It’s probably been all of twenty minutes.” He dipped his oars back in the black lake. “We best get going.”

“You row very efficiently,” Bixby said. “Where did you learn?”

“On the lake at home. Some of the best fishing spots could only be reached by boat.” He looked over his shoulder. “Could you and Jesha move to the back bench? It would be easier to talk if you were facing me, and you’ll be able to keep watch on Neekoh’s skiff from there.”

Bixby put the cat down, stood, and moved carefully. When the boat wobbled, she sucked in a breath. She used Cantor’s shoulders to help her balance as she eased over the middle
bench. Again the craft responded to shifting weight and she swayed. Her fingers dug into his shoulder. She didn’t let go until she’d turned around and was ready to sit.

Jesha joined her and they both settled on the wider seat.

Bixby shuddered. “I do
not
want to fall in that water.”

“I’m pretty sure you’d be all right. If you fall in, remember to keep your eyes and mouth closed.”

“How will I know where to swim?”

“I’ll call to you, but a better plan would be — don’t fall in!”

She giggled and relaxed. Soon, though, the silence weighed heavy in the air. The moment of peace left them.

Bixby fidgeted. “Are you greatly discouraged since you haven’t been able to find Ahma and Odem?”

“I was.” A grin spread across his face. “But if we find and free Chomountain after all these years, it’ll renew my hope in finding my people.”

Bixby leaned a bit to the side to watch the other boat. “Neekoh picked up speed again, and the distance between us is growing.” Bixby shook her head. “He doesn’t look like he’s putting a lot of effort into his strokes.”

Cantor said nothing. What could he say? He certainly wasn’t weaker than Neekoh. He rowed as well as anyone else he knew of.

He felt a blast of heat from the bow and stern. Bixby jumped away from the shifting wood, stumbling and landing in his lap. He dropped the oars to catch her. He turned her deftly to perch on his knee. “It’s only Bridger.”

The dragon’s great tail swayed above the water. Like a figurehead on a mighty ship, Bridger’s head stuck out from the prow. He tilted his head one way and then the other, stretching the stiffness out of his muscles. Then he craned his neck
around to look over what would have been his shoulder but was now the side of the boat.

“I think I have too much drag, resistance to the water. I’m going to redo the woodwork of my shell. Instead of rough wood, I’ll break out dragon scales. Dragons are fast swimmers, you know.”

Bixby giggled. “No, I can’t say that I knew that.”

Jesha appeared from under Cantor’s seat. Bixby jumped again as the cat unexpectedly sprang into her lap.

Cantor grabbed for the oars, thinking they would slide out into the water and be lost. He set them at rest within the boat before addressing Bixby. “What’s got you so skittish?”

With his hands on her tiny waist, he lifted her off his lap and put her on the back bench.

She shivered. “This lake gives me the creeps.” She looked over the edge of the boat. “Oh, Bridger! The scales are gorgeous.”

Bridger beamed a toothy smirk and winked. “I’m also going to bring my sides in and make my hull V-shaped to allow us to move faster.” He was quiet for a moment.

Cantor watched the floor beneath his feet narrow, as did the seat he sat upon. Bridger must have created a space between the flooring and the hull in order to structure a V-shape.

“Try it out,” said Bridger. “And, Cantor, the oars won’t slip away. They’re a part of me, and I won’t let that happen.”

He answered with a grin. “Of course. I should have known that.”

Bixby turned to stare at him. “Did you know dragons are good swimmers?”

As he lowered the oars into the lake, he said, “I did.” He pulled the oars through the water, and the boat shot ahead. “Works great, Bridger.”

The dragon held his head forward like a masthead and took on a wooden effect, looking like scales had been carved on his face and neck and painted with iridescent colors. Bixby exclaimed, “Very nice! Opaque pink. Radiant red. Glimmering green. Shimmering gold. Three shades of blue. I like blue. And that purple is just the right shade . . .”

A moment later, she looked at his tail. Cantor caught her thought just before she spoke. “Bridger, is there any way you could help with the movement?”

“Not like this. You wanted me to be a boat, remember?”

“Yes,” said Bixby in a soothing tone, “but I really don’t like this lake, and I know you’ve been a wonderful boat, but could you be something else? Something
you
want to be, that would take us across the lake faster?”

He didn’t even take a moment to think, and that worried Cantor.