Malediction (Scars of the Sundering Book 1) (35 page)

She crawled over to the upended chair and pulled
herself to her feet. Delilah set the chair upright, holding on to it for
support as she caught her breath.

"You're cracking up, Deli-girl. It was just
a dream. That's not how it happened. Just a dream."

She ran out of the sitting room and headed back
toward the chambers she shared with Pancras and her brother. Judging by the
amount of activity she saw in the city, she realized she slept away most of the
morning. Pancras was not in the room, so she picked up her staff and made
herself comfortable in her armchair. She picked up the grimoire and took comfort
in its weight as she lost herself in its pages.

* * *

Under the
ministrations of Dalenka, Kali made a swift recovery. The wound was deep, but
with bed rest and the attention of a skilled healer, it was on the mend within
a day. Kale left her side only to eat, sleep, and help Paz and Ludomil carve a
path through the snow to the street.

On the third
day, Kali was up and about. A sling held her arm, but she seemed well enough.
Paz left to ensure the rest of the draks they rescued were on their way to
their new lives. Ludomil put Kale to work hauling firewood from the cellar up
to the hearth.

Kali patted
the mattress next to her. "That's three loads already. Rest a
moment."

Kale sat on
the bed, whacking Kali with his wing as he tried to position it behind them.
"Sorry."

She laughed
and shoved his wing out of the way. "You've been watching over me like a
celestial guardian."

Rubbing his
arm, Kale chuckled. "It didn't seem right, just leaving you. Now that
you're well, I really need to get back to Pancras and Delilah. I'm not supposed
to be out without an escort."

Kali took
Kale's hand and rested her head on his shoulder. "What's that all about,
anyway?"

"I
don't know. Part of the deal Pancras made to get us out of jail. He won't talk
about it."

"Will
you help me get into the palace? I need an audience with the prince to talk
about this slave thing. The mine owner will no doubt be petitioning him as soon
as he can get to the palace." Kali nuzzled Kale, nipping at his ear.
"I'll make it worth your while."

Kale giggled
and pushed her away. "You keep saying that."

She pulled
his hand into her lap as her tail intertwined with his. "Well, what do you
want?"

Kale saw
minotaur females and fiendlings in Drak-Anor try to get their way with what
Sarvesh called "feminine wiles," but drak relationships were
different. Mating was not a recreational activity for draks; clutches of eggs
required dedicated care and were not taken lightly. "You've done enough
really. Staying in the palace all the time is really boring. I should be
thanking you for giving us something to do."

"You'll
help me then?"

"Of
course."

Kali tackled
him, pushing him onto the bed and straddling him. She pressed the tip of her
snout against his. "You're all right, for a twin."

Kale laughed
and tried to squirm out from under her. She held him tighter than he thought
possible with the use of only one arm.

"You
can't get away." A smile spread across her face. "Do you know what I
want?"

"No.
No, not really." Kale shook his head. He wasn't sure he was ready to find
out.

"I want
to go with you. Where ever you go. Take me away from this city, this
place." She reached up and stroked his cheek, running a claw along his
jaw. He failed to suppress a shudder.

Kale was
certain Pancras would go along with that, but he wasn't as sure about his
sister as she didn't seem to like Kali much. Whether it was a genuine dislike
or jealousy, he didn't know; however, he hoped she would put her feelings aside
and want him to be happy. "I would like that."

Chapter 18

It worried
Pancras that Delilah insisted her brother was fine alone in the city. She
refused to conjure a boggin to get a message to him, and his attempts at
replicating that type of magic fell short. He resigned himself to checking and
rechecking his notes until word came that the city was open again.

Lady Milena
offered to find a guard to return the Codex of Passion to Aurora's Sanctuary
for him, but Pancras felt it would be disrespectful to have a guard return such
a sacred text. He believed she welcomed any excuse not to return to the temple.

"Where
is your other drak, Pancras? I have only seen the female lately." Lady
Milena pulled her cloak around her as they prepared to exit the palace. It was
a question Pancras dreaded hearing. He hoped no one had noticed Kale's absence.

"He
hasn't… been… feeling well. I have him on bed rest." He rubbed the tip of
his horn and then realized it made him look like he was nervous. He
transitioned the rub to a head scratch.

"You
are a terrible liar. Did he sneak out of the palace before the last
storm?"

"Sneak?"
Pancras chuckled and shook his head. "I really wouldn't know. I've been so
involved with my research for the prince—"

"Yes,
yes, this project about which you can say nothing." Milena waved her hand
to shut him up. She seemed content to drop her inquiries as to Kale's
whereabouts.

"Hands
off me, ya longshanks!" A familiar voice shouted from the palace entrance.
Pancras saw the guards grappling with a short, hairy man. He saw Pancras and
pointed at the minotaur. "There! Ya see? I'm supposed to be here, fools! I
got caught out when the storms hit."

The guard
dragged the dwarf Edric over to Pancras and Milena. "Here, he says he
knows you."

"Indeed,
this is the dwarf who traveled to the city with us."

Milena
sniffed, crinkling her nose in distaste. "He was not with you when you
were arrested?"

Pancras
detected the reason for Milena's disgust. Edric smelled of cheap ale, sweat,
and vomit. "No, as I recall, he was elsewhere, gambling."

"Aye,
been stuck there ever since! Unhand me!" He shoved the guard away and then
straightened his tunic.

"We
have another bedroom. Delilah is there now. Get yourself cleaned up, and stay
out of trouble. I have to go into the city for a bit."

Milena
jerked her thumb toward the hallway that led back to Pancras's living quarters.
"Show him the way. Make sure he doesn't leave. I'll relieve you when I
return."

The guard
saluted and escorted Edric away. Pancras was surprised the dwarf turned up.
He's
probably out of money now or on the run from the gambling den owners
. He
pulled up his hood as they trudged out into the snow, feeling exposed without
wearing the gilded tips on his horns. The rod was an unfamiliar weight on his
hip, and Pancras felt as if it pulled him to the right.

Snow covered
the city deeper than before. It was a solid mass that reached the middle of the
first-floor windows of most buildings. Trekking through the streets felt almost
like walking underground, except for the bright glare from above. The wind blew
feathery puffs of snow across the tops of the carved chasms.

Pancras
noticed makeshift steps carved into the snow which led down to the doors of
most buildings. The sounds of the city were muffled despite the crowds of
people going about their business.

After
returning the Codex of Passion to Aurora's Sanctuary, Pancras treated Milena
and himself to mulled wine from one of the street vendors. They sipped it from
wooden tankards as he wandered the market, looking for herbalists and artisans.

By the
afternoon, he located the ingredients he needed and arranged for their delivery
to the palace. A metalworker agreed to create a new, more ornate cap for his
rod. He decided to wait until he had more time to commission someone to create
new horn tips. Until then, he would suffer with bare horns.

"I
would say this has been a productive day."

Milena
drained the rest of her mulled wine. Her cheeks were red from the cold wind,
her eyes squinting against the sun. "It's getting late. Your draks aren't
going to be happy; they can't get much done before dark."

"They
don't need to do anything. Anyway, it's best if they stay in today."
Pancras considered going to The Assassin's Dagger to look for Kale, but there
was no guarantee that's where the drak went, and he found the cold intolerable.
He hoped Kale would find his way back to the palace sooner, rather than later.

Pancras
needn’t have worried. He and Milena caught up to Kale and Kali as they were
making their way down the avenue that led to the Palace. Kale's wings were
unmistakable, even from a distance. As they caught up with the two draks,
Pancras noticed Kali's arm was in a sling, and he knew he would finally get
more information on the ghost of which Delilah spoke.

"You're
late, Kale."

"And
without your escort, I see. We'll have to have a chat about that."

Pancras
surmised from Lady Milena's tone she was more amused than angry about Kale's
disregard of Prince Gavril's decree.

Kale spun
around at the sound of their voices. "Pancras! Lady… Knight lady! Did Deli
come home?"

Pancras
turned Kale around and continued the march down the avenue. "Yes, she did,
and we have a lot to talk about. Edric has returned, as well."

"Kali
wants our help petitioning the prince. She wants to make sure the slave owners
don't get to blame everything on the draks."

Milena
grabbed Kale by the shoulder. "Slave owners? What do you mean?"

Pancras
removed her hand from Kale's shoulder and again turned him to face in the
direction they traveled. "I'm sure we'll hear all about it soon enough.
Might we proceed indoors, please, where the environment is more conducive to
conversation?"

When they
finally reached the palace, Pancras stomped his hooves to knock loose the
impacted snow and shook the accumulated frost off his cloak. He almost believed
he would never feel warm again.

"All
right, draks." Milena knelt in front of Kale and Kali. "Tell me about
these slaves."

Kali
launched into a tale of how the Firescale clan had been enslaved for
generations in the salt mine under the city and how she escaped last year,
vowing to free her people.

"And
when I saw the striped draks in our city, I knew the time had come. With their
help, we defeated the overseers, slew Volos, and freed the Firescales! Never
again will the blood of my people grease the tracks of Almeria's salt
mine." Kali stood with one hand on her hip, head held high.

Milena stood
up, pursing her lips. "Slavery is illegal in Almeria. These are serious
charges. Can you pr—"

"Lady
Milena! Lady Milena!" A guard ran down the hall toward them from the
throne room. "You're needed immediately. Lord Reznik is in a mighty fury.
Prince Gavril is requesting your intercession."

Milena
glanced at Pancras. "Reznik owns the salt mine. It looks like the pot has
been stirred. You'd all better come with me." They jogged toward the
throne room. As they approached, Pancras heard a voice yelling, although he
understood only part of what the man said.

"Ruined…
Years of work… My investment… Families!"

Milena threw
open the door. A wiry, bald man stood with one foot on the throne dais,
pointing his finger at Prince Gavril. Spittle flew from his mouth as he ranted.
Princess Valene sat back on her throne, rolling her eyes and sighing loudly
enough to be heard over Lord Reznik's voice. The guards stood with their spears
pointed at the man, ready to strike him down if he moved aggressively toward
the prince.

Prince
Gavril noticed their arrival and stood. "Ah, Lady Milena. Perhaps now we
can have some order.

Pancras
stood back, giving her a wide berth. He wasn't sure why she was needed when the
prince was attended by guards who stood ready to protect him. She placed her
hand on the hilt of her sword and strode up to Lord Reznik. His eyes flicked
down to her sword, and he stepped down off the dais and bowed.

"I
didn't come here to cause trouble."

"Oh yes
you did. You have a grievance you wish to air." Prince Gavril returned to
his throne and seated himself. "But now that your better is here, perhaps
you will exercise the self-control to speak in a civilized manner."

Lord Reznik
noticed the new arrivals. His eyes fixated on Kali and widened. His face
flushed, and he pointed a trembling finger at her. "You! You're the cause
of this, I know it! Seize her! Seize her now! She's a murderer and a
thief."

The guards
stood motionless. With the wave of the prince's hand, they snapped to
attention. He yawned, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "You
forget your place, Reznik. I rule Almeria, not you. The guards obey my
commands, not yours."

"Your
Highness, if I may." Milena turned toward the prince and saluted.
"This drak has accusations of her own against Lord Reznik."

Princess
Valene perked up. "Oh, this should prove interesting. I would very much
like to hear what this drak has to say, my husband."

Gavril cast
a sidelong glance at his wife and then sighed. "Very well, I shall indulge
you." He leaned forward, turning his attention toward the draks. "You
are fortunate my wife has a soft spot for your kind."

He clapped
his hands. A servant appeared carrying a tray with goblets of wine. He took
one, passed it to Princess Valene, and then took one for himself. "We will
hear Lord Reznik's tale of woe first."

Kale tapped
Pancras's hand. He looked down at the drak. "Delilah should be here, too.
She was with Kali and me in the mine."

Pancras
nodded and cleared his throat. "I beg your pardon, my lord, lady, Your
Highnesses."

With an
exaggerated sigh, Prince Gavril shifted his gaze to Pancras. "Yes?"

"I'm
told there is one more drak that should be here for this."

"I will
send a guard to fetch her, Your Highness." Milena bowed and approached the
throne room doors. She opened them slightly to call to a guard, spoke to him
briefly, and then returned. "She should be along shortly."

"Proceed,
Reznik."

Princess
Valene cleared her throat. "If this other drak was involved, we should
wait, my husband."

Lord Reznik
huffed. He opened his mouth to speak, but a glare from Princess Valene was enough
to silence him. They waited in uncomfortable silence for the guard to fetch
Delilah. Kale shifted from foot to foot, his claws clicking against the stone.
Lord Reznik glared at the draks but kept his distance, cowed by Lady Milena's
presence.

Pancras was
desperate to know the history between the two nobles. Lord Reznik struck him as
a bully but was thoroughly fearful of Lady Milena. The man's eyes widened, like
a deer caught on the open road in the path of a runaway cart whenever she
adopted a threatening posture. Kali rubbed her slung arm, and Pancras noticed
the wound on her shoulder. He hoped when this business was all over they would
tell the whole story about the ghost they allegedly encountered.

* * *

Delilah
sprinted behind the guard as she followed him to the throne room. When the
guard knocked on their chamber doors, she was so thoroughly engrossed in her
grimoire, that it took a naked, dripping wet Edric yelling at her from the
doorway of the bathing room to rouse her attention. Although the guard said
only that Lady Milena and Pancras needed her, she decided she would not waste
time by sauntering there.

When they
arrived and the guard threw open the doors, her stomach knotted at the sight of
Kale standing alongside Kali and Pancras. Lady Milena stood between the draks
and another human, a nobleman, she guessed, judging by his finery and
fur-trimmed cloak. Lady Milena stood ready, her hand on her sword, and her eyes
regarded the man like a boggin waiting for a mouse to cross its path. Prince
Gavril and Princess Valene were seated on their thrones, flanked by their
guards.

"Ah,
this must be the other drak." Princess Valene nudged her husband.
"You may proceed, Lord Reznik."

Delilah
stepped alongside Kale and nudged him. "It's about time."

"SILENCE!"
Prince Gavril half-stood, hands clutching the arms of his throne. "The
draks will not speak until Lord Reznik has given his testimony."

Adjusting
her grip on her staff, Delilah bowed her head in apology and stepped back,
behind Kale. She guessed the human would spin a tale of woe regarding his mine.
She was not disappointed.

"Your
Highnesses." Lord Reznik bowed. "I am a poor, humble
businessman."

Princess
Valene snorted.

He ignored
her. "But the other day, a grievous assault was launched upon my mine. My
workers were slaughtered, murdered by bloodthirsty draks. The mine's manager
was so badly beaten, his own mother would not recognize him. Months of
production wasted. Thousands of crowns of product ruined! And for what? To sate
their appetite for mayhem, for destruction. I demand justice, beginning with
the ringleader of these draks!" He pointed at Kali again. She snapped her
teeth, causing him to flinch and snatch back his arm, despite her standing too
far away to have even a chance of biting him.