Hunt For The Hero (Book 5) (6 page)

CHAPTER 12

Leagues away, Kryzak
waited in a strange grove in the woods. The trees stood, but they had no leaves. Reptiles and bugs crawled over the dirt. A Draykis carried stones as big as skulls and placed them on the ground, completing a full circle. It was big enough for a Man to lie down in.

“That will do,” Kryzak said.

He reached inside a pouch and tossed a colorful powder inside the ring, adding some small Dragon bones and Dragon claws. He clutched a large Dragon tooth inside his hand and squeezed.

The time to report to Selen
e had come.

He took a deep breath.

Selene. As much as he adored her, he feared her. Perhaps that was what drew him to her. He’d never seen anyone so beautiful and evil before.

She didn’t tolerate failure
, however. She’d kill him at the slightest sign of weakness.

The Draykis concerned him. They weren’t pawns the likes of Lizard Men,
Gnolls, Goblins and acolytes. They were powerful weapons, and many of them had died. He wasn’t happy with that. So why should she be.

He
stretched his fist over the circle and squeezed the tooth, breaking his own skin. Blood dripped through his fingers and to the ground. Then he chanted an incantation, stepped back, and watched.

The dust inside the circle stirred and a t
iny vortex of mystic colors formed. A woman’s figure took shape. It was Selene, standing with her arms folded across her chest. The image twinkled with tiny sparks, filling it with color.

Kryzak’s fingers stretched out.

“Don’t you dare, Kryzak,” she said.

He withdrew his hand.

“My,” she said, “so eager to see me again, are we?”

He bowed.

“As always, but now more than ever.”

“Your
flattery is charming, but it won’t compensate for your failure,” she said, her colorful image darkening. “What is the situation of Nath Dragon?”

“He lives, but his company is smaller.”

“Go on.”

Kryzak told her everything. How he
had incorporated the Ettins and enlisted the aid of the Dragon Poachers. How he had trapped them in the tunnels and almost drowned them all. About his spies and Nath’s search for the Occular of Orray and about the cursed Rover Elf, Sansla Libor.

Selen
e’s tail brushed back and disappeared where it crossed the rocks. Her face was a mask of concentration.

Kryzak’s hand fell to the wood
en grip on his war mace. It gave him little comfort.

“How many did Nath Dragon kill when he came back
?” she asked.

“The tunnels were filled with death.”

“And Nath Dragon,” she said, toying with her robes, “what was his condition?”

“He was distraught. Confused. A storm trying to hold back its anger.”

“And you saw the Rover die?”

He nodded.

“Interesting,” she paced inside the circle and folded her arms behind her back, “And what of
my
Draykis? Are they all dead as well?”

“Save one,”
Kryzak said, his head beading with sweat.

“And the Dragons you mentioned,” she said
. “I assume you still have them captured?”

“It was me or them, but the Fury still remains.”

“What!” she screamed. The dust exploded around her feet. “How many!”

“Nine,” he said. “I’ll capture eighteen—”

“With what, you fool! You have one Draykis!” Her eyes blazed like fire. “It will take months at least. “You have failed me, Kryzak! Perhaps you are helping Nath Dragon save the Dragons now!”

“Never, High Priestess! I err
ed, that is all! I misjudged him!” He pleaded. “It was me or them!”

Selene’s face was a mask of fury.

“Do you value your pathetic human life above that of Dragons!”

“I-I—certainly not, High Priestess!”

“Close your eyes,” she commanded.

“Er,” Kryzak swallowed, “as you wish.” He shut is eyes.

“Draykis,” she said.

It stepped alongside Kry
zak.

“Strike him.”

Its long tongue licked out its mouth and along its teeth. “With pleasure,” it said, balling up its clawed fist.

Whop!

It flattened Kryzak to the ground.

Kry
zak could feel his face swelling already.

“Find my Dragons!” she yelled. “And don’t lose Nath Dragon either! And if you don’t have better news to report
soon, you’ll be dead.”

When Kry
zak opened his eyes, she was gone. The one remaining Draykis stood over him with a grin on its face. Kryzak dangled the purple amulet and said, “Looks like you’re going to be the next one to face Nath Dragon.”

***

Selene sat on her throne with a smile on her face, petting the Drulture on her shoulder. Kryzak had done well. Even better than expected.

“I have to hand it
to him: he’s very creative.”

T
he Drulture let out a tiny roar and its feathers ruffled.

“Oh, not as creative as you
, my pet, but he’s awfully good for a Man.”

Yes, Kryzak had exceeded expectations, but letting him know that wasn’t a good motivator.

“I have to keep him on his toes.”

And it seemed
Nath Dragon was wearing down. The evil within was growing. He couldn’t fight it forever. Not when his friends died or when Dragons were captured. He’d meet with failure after failure. She almost felt sorry for him. He was naive. His head was filled with a standard that was impossible to live up to, set by his father.

“Not killing anyone
. In this world. Hah!”

Gorn Grattack had told her about
the high standards set by the Dragon king, Nath’s father, and they’d both laughed. No, it was so much easier to do evil than good, and Nath would learn that. And why wouldn’t he want to learn? Why wouldn’t he want to rule Nalzambor and do whatever he wanted? He didn’t need his father. His father needed him. She’d show him that.

“Are you hungry
?” she said to the Drulture.

It offered a growl.

She clapped her hands.

The great doors opened and the Lizard Men soldiers stepped inside and kneeled.

“Feeding time,” she said.

Moments later they returned with a cage. Inside it something wide-eyed trembled.

“Think you can handle it?”

The Drulture
’s eyes narrowed. It hopped onto the back of her throne, spread its wings and growled.

CHAPTER 13

“Nath,” a soft voice said. Someone shook my shoulder. “Nath, he’s going to be fine.”

I looked up and found Sasha’s soft eyes. She sounded confident, but I wasn’t so sure. Ben had looked gaunt and pasty when I left. I’d wanted to stay by his side, but Bayzog and Brenwar had insisted that I go. Said they had it under control. At least someone did.

“He’s breathing well now, Nath.”

“And the fever?” I said.

“It will break,” she said, taking a seat on a stone bench beside me.

It was late in the night. The clouds covered the moon, and the villagers’ lanterns twinkled from inside their homes. It was a peaceful setting.

“Sasha,” I said, “I-I just couldn’t forgive myself if Ben died. And I’m far from over Shum being gone.”

The stiff wind blew her hair into her face, and she pushed it away and offered the sweetest smile.

“You can’t control everything, Nath. You can only control yourself. You can’t protect everyone. Not your friends or the Dragons. You just have to do your best with what you have.”

I shook my head.

“That’s not helping, Sasha. Sorry.”

“Oh, Nath …” She looked away up the hill and sighed.

I sat there pond
ering all that had taken place, searching for answers. The Clerics of Barnabus were either trying to kill me or to scare me. The question was why? Did they think I would give up? That I would quit trying to save the Dragons?

“Why didn’t they just kill me when they had me, Sasha?
Why go after my friends instead?”

“Evil has a twisted way of doing things.” She pulled her robes tighter and scooted closer.
“They must know something we don’t.”

I stiffened.

“I don’t like that.”

“I don’t either,” she said, looking back at me. “I think we should go after them, Nath. Find answers to your questions. They hunt you
. Perhaps you should start hunting them. We’ll find that Kryzak and put an end to him.”

“Sasha!
I like the way you think.”

Her eyes were bright sapphires. Her voice was excited.

“Well, I can’t help it, Nath. I think it’s too much that you can’t kill those who try to kill you. If it’s me or them, it’s going to be them.” A spark of energy burst from her hand into the ground. “Oops.”

“Well, I can kill, but only as a last resort. I’m not supposed to seek it out. I’m supposed to find another way.”

“It seems the other way will get you killed.”

“It hasn’t killed me yet and plenty of Dragons have been saved. Perhaps I should focus on that again.” I sighed. “
Maybe Brenwar and my father are right. Maybe I need to focus on saving the Dragons and not dally with all the problems of the rest of the world. Sorry, Sasha, but I really need to be more careful.”

I couldn’t believe I
’d said that.

“Perhaps you’re right,” she said.

I caught her trying to hide a smile.

“Hold on,” I said. “Are you toying with me, Sasha?”

“I don’t follow.”

I stood up and glared at her.

“Yes you do,” I said. “You’re doing that thing.”

“What thing?” she said, touching her chest.

“That thing. That thing Bayzog does. Whenever I want to do something he doesn’t like, he’ll go along with it and for some reason I talk myself out of it.” I pointed at her. “It’s deceitful.”

“No, it’s thoughtful,” she said, standing up. “And you found the right path on your own. Vengeance is not the way. You need to do what your father told
you to.”

No
w I was mad. Seething. It seemed everyone was against me.

“No Sasha, I like your suggestion. I think I should go after them and put an end to them.
Who’s to stop me?”

I turned
to walk away. She grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

“
Nath! When you came out of those tunnels …” her voice trailed off.

“What?”

“I …”

I could see more than worry in her eyes. There was fear, real fear. But for what?

“Just say it, I won’t tell anyone.”

“You scared me, Nath.
” Her voice trembled. “You weren’t yourself, but something else. Savage and unpredictable. And when you killed that Ettin?” She paused. “I didn’t know you.”

My heart dropped into my toes.

“I’d never hurt you, Sasha, or any of my friends.” I touched her cheek and brushed her hair from her eyes. “That couldn’t ever, ever happen. I swear it.”

She grabbed my hand and held it to her face. She started crying.

“Don’t do that, Nath. Don’t swear anything. It’s better that way.”

I
’d never felt smaller. How could this woman be scared of me? I was her protector. I slumped back down on the bench and buried my head in my claws. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“I’m going to go check on Ben,” she said
, wiping her eyes. “And then I’m going to get some sleep. Perhaps you should do the same.”

I didn’t wave or do anything, but I heard her walking away. Each step left me empt
ier inside until I was all alone.

CHAPTER 14

“I’m alright, Dragon, really,” Ben said. He swung hi
mself up on his horse and groaned.

“You don’t need to be riding, Ben,” I said. “It’ll shake your guts out. Just give it another day or so.” I grabbed his horse by the reins. “Get off. Go rest. That’s an order.”

“I’ll not do it,” Ben said. “No offense, Dragon, but I know when I’m ready.”

It had been almost a week
and in that time Ben’s fever had broken and his belly had mostly healed. I still hadn’t spoken with Brenwar and had said very little to Bayzog or Sasha. But I’d made my intentions clear. I was going after Kryzak.

But now Ben wanted to come along.

Everyone gathered around. Bayzog, Sasha, Brenwar and I sat on our horses watching Ben. He was tormented. Garrison was dead. A Man who’d pretended to be our friend had betrayed us, and it had almost cost Ben his life.

Ben’s face became long and downcast.

“I should have just let him be,” he said. “I should have walked away, but he was just, so… ”

“Evil,” Sasha said.

Ben nodded.

I felt sorry for him. I think we all did. He’d killed a
Man whom he’d come to trust as a friend―only to be betrayed.

“You did the right thing,” Sasha said. “His deception led to Shum’s death. Ben, more people could have died if you
hadn’t stopped him.” She rode over and patted his back. “I’m grateful.”

Ben didn’t even look at her
.

“
The Legionnaires were going to hang me!”

It was true. The Legionnaires were a brotherhood
, sworn to give their lives to one another and never to harm one another.

Ben
had known that, but he’d gone after Garrison anyway. It was a brave thing. Risky too.

G
iven Sasha’s abduction and Garrison’s evil magic totem, Ben had been spared. But humiliation followed. His helmet, sword and armor were gone. His bow and arrows as well. He was an outcast like me now.

“Ben,” I said, releasing his reins. “Let’s go, shall we
?”

He sat up in his saddle. “You’re letting me go with you after Kryzak?”

“No, I’m letting you go as far as I let you.”

Brenwar harrumphed and took the lead.

I kn
ew I needed to talk with him, but there would be plenty of time along the way. Plus, I needed to find the right words to say. It would have to wait.

It was morning
when we left, and Brenwar led us in a zigzag north of the village.

Bayzog made his way along my side for a chat. His violet eyes were tired for a change
, and I knew the loss of Shum had shaken him.

“You look like you might yawn,” I said.

“Me? Not ever,” he said, offering a smile. “How are you feeling, Nath?”

“Well enough. And you?”

“I’m not sure what we’re doing?” Bayzog said.

“We’re looking for Kryzak,” I said. “And the best way to find
him is to find the poachers. At least now we have the advantage of knowing who is in charge of all this.” I gave him a hard look. “You don’t have to come along, Bayzog. I think you, Sasha and Ben should go back to Quintuklen. Brenwar and I can handle this.”

“You and Brenwar aren’t even speaking.”

I smiled.

“I don’t miss the nagging. You don’t plan to fill in for him
, do you?”

“Come now,
Nath,” Bayzog said. “Do you know so little of me? We’ve all been through much the past few days. I think it’s time we stopped and talked things out for a change. Right now I’m not so sure what we’re doing―or rather, if what we’re doing is best.”

“It’s best for me,” I said
. “That’s all that matters. I need to save Dragons. You need to save yourself from me.”

“You need us,
Nath.”

“You mean what’s left of us? Shum died, remember. Ben almost died and so did yo
u and Sasha. Not to mention Brenwar. What would you have me do?”

He grabbed my arm, narrowed his eyes and spoke through his teeth.

“Slow down and think, will you? Perhaps they set another trap. An ambush perhaps. We need more caution and less action. We need council.”

Council. Elves loved councils and long meetings. So did
Dwarves, for that matter, but I wasn’t going to bite on any of it. No, all he wanted to do was talk me out of doing what I wanted. I was going to save the Dragons, and in order to do that I was going to stop the poachers that captured them.

“Here is my counsel for you, Bayzog. Go home and leave my life to me.”

Bayzog led his horse away, saying, “You’re as stubborn as Brenwar.”

I had to admit
: that stung a little.