Dragonvein - Book Three (31 page)

King Halvar plopped down heavily onto the chair at the head of the table. The last elder to leave glanced back at him with a concerned frown. It was clear to everyone that their monarch had been pushing himself to the limit of his endurance.

Though large, the death toll could have been significantly worse. Had the dragon not been so focused on Ethan, it would have been a massacre of disastrous proportions. And as much as Halvar hated to admit it, Ethan's capture was far more preferable to him than having vast numbers of his own people being slaughtered. But this setback did create other problems. Half of the council wanted to mount a rescue. They seemed resigned to the fact that victory was hopeless without Lord Dragonvein, and only the combined efforts of himself and Keira had been able to prevent this proposal from being taken any further. They had gone over the situation again and again. There was simply no way to get him out. And the brutal truth was, he was unlikely to still be alive anyway.

As difficult as it had been to handle the council, dealing with Kat was infinitely worse. Each day she was growing more and more impatient. Every morning for almost a week she had hounded him, demanding to know when action would be taken. And every day he told her they had yet to devise a plan that stood any chance of being successful. By the third day she was actually coming up with plans of her own and presenting them. He had to admit that, under normal circumstances, at least some of these might have worked. But nothing anyone could think of addressed the fact that Shinzan would detect their presence the moment they set foot inside his palace. And with the dragons keeping him close to his source of power, there was no hope whatsoever of luring him any distance away.

The door opened. Halvar half expected to see Kat again, maps in hand and another rescue plan ready to be presented. But to his relief it was Keira. She looked as weary as he did as she sat down.

“I have news,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck. “King Ganix will be arriving soon. A day or two at the most.”

Halvar leaned back and smiled. “That is good news indeed. We could most surely use his wisdom right now. How go the preparations?”

“Assuming Martok’s plan is still in place, quite well. We know that the Imperial forces are gathering in Traxis and are preparing to march in less than a month. But if Kat’s father does as he's been instructed, we will have nothing to fear from them.”

“Of course, if he doesn’t, we will be outnumbered three to one and driven right back inside the mountain,” Halvar responded grimly. He omitted to also point out that with a dragon against them, no amount of scheming and deception would be enough to ensure victory. They had nothing with which to combat such a beast. Maytra was still injured. And even when healthy, she was no match for the much larger creature.

They spoke for a time about practical matters. Halvar had wisely not revealed the true strength of his army to Shinzan, and had an additional force of fifty thousand dwarves to call upon when needed. On top of these, more elves were arriving each day to swell their ranks. The downside was, food and shelter had become an ever increasing challenge. Smugglers could not provide enough provisions to support the additional numbers. And though there was ample room in the largely vacant Elyfoss, beds and other personal amenities usually taken for granted were in short supply.

So far, the elves had been quite resourceful – hunting, fishing, and gathering – but soon the local resources would be exhausted and they'd be forced to move south. There was even the possibility it might be necessary to conquer a city in order to obtain the supplies they needed. This did not sit well with either monarch. However, both agreed that, should it come down to it, this was a measure that must be taken. Their only caution was that the population should be spared if at all possible.

Kat arrived just as they were about to leave. Her lips were tight and her posture bent. Halvar was sure he knew what was coming and braced himself.

“Before you say anything,” he began, “you should know that King Ganix is due to arrive within the next two days. We are hoping he can find a way to save Ethan.”

“That’s not why I’m here,” she said. “I know you are trying. And I’m sorry I’ve been so difficult. I just need to face the truth. He’s gone. Even if we do find a way of getting into Shinzan’s palace without being detected, it’s been a week. He’s probably dead by now.”

Keira stood and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Do not lose hope. He may still live.”

“And if he does?” she asked. “Do you think I’d send people to their deaths in order to save him?”

“No,” Keira replied. “I think you would go yourself. But I also think Ethan would not want that.”

“He would come for me,” she stated.

“I know he would. But he would not throw his life away in the attempt. Wait until Ganix arrives. He is wise, and perhaps he can see what we cannot. Will you wait until then?”

Kat lowered her head. “I’ll wait.”

Halvar, deciding it was time for a change of subject, said: “I hear you have been healing the wounded with great success.”

Kat nodded. “I’m doing my best. I just wish I was as good at it as Lylinora.”

“From what I've been told, you have saved many lives.”

Kat shrugged. “Your healers did most of the work. All I’ve managed to do is to cure a few infections and mend some broken bones.”

“Whatever the case, I am grateful.”

Kat forced a smile. “It’s the least I can do. Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll go to my room for a while. I’m tired.”

Without waiting for a response, she left the room.

“I certainly hope King Ganix can help find a solution,” Keira remarked.

“As do I,” agreed Halvar. “Having a mage fighting at our side is a tremendous advantage. It would be a serious blow if we were to lose her.”

* * * * *

Earlier, Kat had considered taking a horse, of which there were now a large number in Elyfoss, to go see about Maytra.

The last time she had been with the dragon she had looked to be healing very well, though a little surprisingly, she had yet to take even a short flight. Getting Maytra back in the skies again as quickly as possible was vital to their hopes, and Kat felt duty bound to do everything she could to make that happen. However, right now, she was thoroughly exhausted from treating so many of the elf and dwarf wounded. It would be much better for her to get some rest first. She would make certain that Maytra was her first visit in the morning.

By the time she reached her room, it was all she could do to remain on her feet. A plate of fruit and a bottle of water left for her on the nightstand went untouched. After a hot shower, she crawled into bed. But even now, with the storm of emotions from those she had been healing refusing to fade, sleep proved elusive for a while.

Lylinora had warned her about the perils of healing magic - of how the healer might often find herself sharing the pain of those she tended. And not just their physical pain, but the emotional trauma as well. At first this had come as an almost welcome respite from the aching in her heart brought on by Ethan's capture. But soon it became overwhelming.

It was when she was healing a young elf woman who was suffering from a deep gash to the leg that she was made fully aware of the consequences of her actions.

The elf was named Diria; a name Kat knew she would remember for the rest of her life. The wound had already been treated, but Kat thought she might speed up the process. Diria was a healer herself, and her skills were sorely needed. But the moment Kat placed her hands on the wound and began using the little healing magic she understood, she almost screamed out in despair.

“Are you all right?” Diria had asked.

Kat had seen directly into the elf’s heart. She had lost her husband when the dragon attacked. She had watched helplessly as he was roasted alive only a few yards away, and narrowly escaped death herself. Had the dragon turned left rather than right, the next blast would have taken her as well. In that bleak moment of Kat's intervention, she was wishing it had. Though it did not show in her expression or voice, the woman was utterly consumed by sadness.

“I am so sorry for your loss,” was all Kat could say.

She had completed the healing and moved on without another word. But after that devastating experience, she took infinitely greater care. Lylinora had taught her how to throw up mental defenses against this very thing, in the process explaining that some people were far more open with their emotions than others. With many, she would feel only a vague imprint of who they were and what they were feeling. But with those who were less inhibited, there was always the possibility of making a connection deep inside their hearts. Particularly if they were suffering.

Just before finally dropping off, she imagined Ethan was lying beside her, smiling that innocent boyish smile she loved so dearly. She knew she would most likely be killed if she attempted to save him, and had come to accept the harsh fact that he must almost certainly be dead by now. Shinzan was unlikely to have spared him for this long. Yet in spite of all this, she knew that if she did not attempt a rescue, she would be unable to live with herself. He would come for her if their positions were reversed. Of that there was no doubt.

The following morning she found a tray of porridge and juice had been left just outside her door. She wasn’t hungry, but forced the meal down anyway, well aware that she needed to keep her strength up if she were to be of further use to anyone. Once done, she left the manor and set off to check on Maytra.

The ride from the city gate to the mountain exit didn’t take her long. From there on, the road leading down was empty for the most part. Kat could not help thinking how much easier this route was than the days they had spent winding through the secret tunnels that took them to the northern end of Gol’ Shupa.

She tied her horse near to where the healing pavilion was still accommodating the few remaining wounded who could not yet be moved, then continued on foot down to the field where Maytra was lying. The people she passed on the way all bowed respectfully, including the healers. This was a quite drastic change. Where at first they had looked on her with a sense of trepidation that bordered on outright distrust, they now afforded her the same respect as any other healer. More so, in fact.

The number of dwarves and elves guarding Maytra had now swelled to nearly fifteen-hundred, though they all kept a fair distance so as not to disturb the dragon. She was resting on her side, the bloody remains of a lamb scattered about. Kat shuddered at the thought of what it must be like to see Maytra devouring a meal. She approached cautiously. The dragon had knocked her down twice during their previous sessions; once throwing her ten feet before landing flat on her back.

Maytra looked over and blew out a welcoming breath of hot air.

“Feeling better I see,” remarked Kat. Even with everything that had happened, seeing Maytra always managed to lift her spirits a bit. “Are you ready to fly yet?”

“I want to see her fly,” called a child’s voice from behind.

Kat turned to find Asta and Maile beaming at her. This was the first time she had seen either of them since her return to the mountain.

“Grandmother was right,” said Maile. “You’re older. Is that why you haven’t come to see us?”

Kat knelt down and spread her arms wide. Without any need for further invitation, both girls instantly ran forward to embrace her tightly. “I’m sorry,” Kat said. “I should have come before now. It's just that things have been so…”

Seeing the children brought a wave of emotion over her that caused a lump to form in her throat and tears to her eyes.

“Grandmother told us that you’ve been on Earth,” Asta said. “Is that really true?”

Kat released the girls and wiped her eyes. “Yes. It’s true. I was there for five years.”

The girls looked at one another with confused expressions.

“But it’s only been a little while,” Maile pointed out.

Kat smiled warmly. “I’ll tell you all about it later. But right now I need to see to Maytra.”

“You promise?” asked Asta.

Kat nodded. “I promise.”

“When?” pressed Maile. “I heard grandmother say she thinks you’ll leave soon. But you can’t, not now that you've promised. You'll have to spend some time with us.”

Kat's eyes shifted up toward the pavilion. There was Lady Thora looking on with a satisfied smile. She had planned this. But Kat could not find it within her to be angry.

“I’ll come later today,” she told the girls. “Then I’ll tell you everything.” She gave them each another hug before shooing them away. “Get going now. I have work to do. And the sooner I’m finished, the sooner I can come.”

This was enough to hurry them along. Kat watched them all the way until they were safely back with Lady Thora, who looked at her with an appreciative nod.

“Now,” Kat said, turning her attention back to Maytra. “Let's see how you are doing today.”

Up until now, the dragon's long serpentine tongue had been licking the lamb's blood from the scales on her right leg. But she became completely still as Kat placed both hands on her back.

After only a short time, Kat realized that she could no longer feel a single wound. There was not the slightest trace of any damage whatsoever. She took a step back and scrutinized Maytra quizzically. “There’s nothing wrong with you, is there?” she said, knowing there could be no reply.