Lord Of Dragons (Book 2) (9 page)

"Let's get out of here," Tael hissed, and Sebine snapped to attention at the sound of terror in his voice. He gripped her hand and ran, but she found her feet slipping on the dark pool at the door, and she fell, slapping her arm as she skittered across the wet ground. Her once beautiful dress was soiled and drenched in blood. Glancing back, she could see that the tall, wiry shadow figures had turned away from the raging fire and were shambling towards them in a burst of speed.
 

 
She scrambled across the ground and together they raced towards the stairs. In the floor above she heard the shouts of guards and knew she had to disguise herself to ensure they escaped unscathed. Tael tugged his pants up to cover his naked body.

"I'm going to cast a spell, and change forms into that witch," Sebine said, and tried to calm herself enough to quickly cast the spell of self-illusion. She closed her eyes and remembered what the witch had worn and how her face and figure had looked. Likely it wouldn't be perfect, but hopefully good enough to fool the panicked guards. She cast the spell and found herself instantly transformed into the witch, and her once stained dress morphed into the black silk gown of the woman.

The fearful faces of four guards appeared in the stairwell and stared over Sebine's shoulders at the flames and the shadows shuffling towards them.

"There's been a horrible accident in the laboratory," Sebine shouted, and pointed inside the chamber. "Hurry up and put out the fire before we're all killed!"

She raced forward and the guards parted and stepped uncertainly towards the burning room. As she ran past, she caught a glimpse of a guard's wide-eyed face frozen in absolute horror as he undoubtedly had caught sight of one of the shadow figures.

They'll make fine bait
, she thought, picturing the cruelty with which the guards had severed the heads of the addicted men and women outside. And as Tael and Sebine rushed up the stairs, she heard the screams and shouts of the guards fall silent as a deep, ominous groaning sound overtook them. More guards approached them on their ascent, and each time Sebine commanded the men to help put out the fire below, and they ran swiftly like sheep to the slaughter.

"I need to get my sword," Tael said, and they stopped for a moment at the top of the stairs to catch their breath. "In Lord Oberon's chambers." Sebine followed after Tael, but worried whether they would encounter the old man. Likely if he saw Sebine in this illusion, he would certainly recognize her disguise. A flash of an idea came to her all at once.

"We need to find Lord Oberon." Sebine had kept her voice low as they stalked around the corner and tried the door to Lord Oberon's chambers.

"It's locked." Tael glanced expectantly at her, and as Sebine was about to blast the door open, she remembered she held the witch's silver key in the pocket of her robe. She retrieved the key and found the runes activate along the edge as the lock clicked open.
 

Sebine's heart hammered in surprise as she eyed Lord Oberon sleeping on the reclining chair in the dimly lit room. The old man snored haltingly, his lips flapping at each loud exhalation. She closed the door and waited as Tael sneaked over to Lord Oberon and he reached under the chair to retrieve his sword and sheath.

Knowing that they'd need to make their way out of the building and back to the docks, Sebine cast a faint spell of light and memorized the old man's features. She'd need to impersonate Lord Oberon if they wanted to make it to the docks unscathed. At the light filling the room, Oberon gasped and snuffled, then Sebine relaxed as he chewed his lips lightly, and went back to his snoring.
 

Despite all the terrible things that were happening in Glar Bay, Sebine believed that many were due to the vile influence of the witch. Now that she was dead, Sebine hoped that Lord Oberon would mend his ways. But remembering the shadow figures that were devouring the guards, she knew Lord Oberon was as good as dead.

She cast the spell of self-transformation and stretched out her arms, admiring the authenticity of her illusion. Tael gave Sebine a funny look, and motioned her towards the door. As they walked to the entryway, she hoped that the clerk was fast asleep. Something told her that no matter how realistic her impersonation was of Lord Oberon, Clerk Keysher was likely to detect that things were amiss.

The foyer was empty save for two agitated guards that stood in attention at their arrival.
 

"Foul business with the laboratory," Sebine said, and had to stop herself from chuckling at the sound of Lord Oberon's deep voice coming out of her mouth. "I have urgent need to visit the town...as the situation in the basement is very serious. Why haven't you gone to aid the other guards?"

The first soldier averted his eyes as he spoke. "We were ordered by the Captain to protect the entrance, m'lord."

"Well, are there any guards outside that can escort me to town?" Sebine gave the soldier a significant stare.

The guards glanced at each other, obviously torn from obeying the Captain and helping Lord Oberon. "Everyone on duty has gone down to stop the fire. And a runner just went to the barracks to rouse those asleep."

She couldn't risk encountering the clerk or the Captain. "I'm afraid you'll have to immediately escort me to the docks, we can't afford to waste another moment." She strode over to the door. The horrific sound of fire and screams and moans terrorized the guard's face, and with renewed interest, they turned and followed her outside.

The sparse grounds were quiet until a group of soldiers jogged past them towards the burning building. Sebine spied smoke billowing out through broken windows in the back. They had to hurry up and reach the docks before all of Glar Bay turned into chaos. If only the witch could control those shadow figures, then they were likely to continue ravaging the area until nothing was left. Even if the wizard challenged them, Sebine knew from experience that the shadows creatures would only feed off the magic and grow stronger. A cruel vision flashed in her mind, of Glar Bay dark and desolate, with only shadow figures roaming the ruins of the city. She knew it was true.

At the gate, one of the guards dropped the keys and glanced back nervously at the chaos overtaking the now fiery building. The other guard picked up the keys and quickly opened the door. His eyes stared in horror at the inferno. Sebine jumped in surprise as a gaunt face appeared in the darkness beyond the gate, a drooling face of hunger and fevered desperation.
 

"I need...I need more," the gaunt man said, and wiped the drool from his mouth as his blood-shot eyes pleaded at Sebine. She found herself shivering at the addict and the hundreds more that were scrambling over to them.

The guards were about to draw their swords when Sebine stopped them with a raised fist. "No, don't display your weapons. Tell them where drugs are, we have no time to fight. We have to leave now!" Sebine shoved her way through the gate and the guards followed. The addicts sniffed at her as if they'd discovered something of interest. Did they smell that she was a woman, or did the spell of illusion block that as well? The men's eyes went wide with lustful hunger. It was almost like they were using their sense of smell to guide their hunger.

"Over there," a guard shouted at the addicts now packed in around them, and the soldier pointed through the gate at a low building nearest the barracks. "You'll find all the drugs you want in there. Go!"

To Sebine's relief, the men advancing towards her turned and charged through the gate, and the crowd of addicts clambered after them. The guards veered around the clustered mass of bodies trying to push their way through, and Sebine and Tael followed them towards the far gate where a man's eyes peered through with concern.

"Open up!" the guard shouted, "Lord Oberon has urgent business in town."

Sebine could hear keys jangling on the other side of the door, and soon the gate swung open.

"What in the name of the gods is going on?" An overweight guard peered around them and gaped at the building burning off in the distance. Flames leapt into the air, illuminating the mounds of grey smoke drifting off in the distance.

The two guards with Sebine and Tael pushed through the gate. One guard turned and spoke. "Close and lock the gate." His desperate voice faded as Sebine tugged on Tael's hand and they left the guards. But she could still hear his voice off in the distance. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll get the hell out of this insane city. We're cursed for what we did..."

They took off and ran through the streets of Glar Bay, and wound their way around the maze-like streets, always keeping sight of the distant bay illuminated by the ghostly moon. Sebine almost tripped over a group of dogs snuffling through garbage in the dirty streets, but Tael led her safely past the growling creatures. Soon they reached the docks and Sebine pointed to the building where she had seen the harbormaster. They stopped to catch their breath, and she scanned the ships anchored along the pier. One of those boats had to hail for a Malathian City. They would leave right away, before the shadow creatures chased the desperate citizens to the sea.

She strode over and knocked on the harbormaster shack, and waited as a man grunted and swore inside. "What do you want at this ungodly hour?"

"Open up for Lord Oberon, I have urgent business with you!" Sebine's shouted, hoping she'd gotten the inflection of the old man's voice correct, as she'd only heard him speak a little in his chambers.

The door swung open and the sleepy face of the bald-headed dockmaster eyed her with suspicion.
 

"There's a fire up at my mansion—"

"Since when does old bones call his house of horrors a mansion?" The dockmaster spat and gave Sebine a hard stare. He sniffed at her and shook his head wryly. "Another trick by your witch? Ya look like Lord Oberon, but you smell too pretty to be old bones. Go on, show yourself." He rubbed his bald head with an irritated expression on his face.
 

Sebine realized she'd been discovered. How she proceeded next was very important, and she debated her next course of action. If she reverted to her own form the dockmaster might be surprised to not find the witch. But if she impersonated the witch, the man might be suspicious to discover her desire to flee the city. She decided truth was the best course of action.

"We only want to leave Glar Bay and go to a Malathian city," she said, changing back to her regular form. "We tried before but were forced to go up to that horrible place." She glanced up at the fire now visible off in the distance. "Lord Oberon's witch is dead, I killed her myself after they imprisoned me and tortured my friend Tael here for information. And likely old bones, as you called him, is dead as well. If you are smart you'll leave Glar Bay forever. The witch had created some strange abominations—figures made of shadow—and they were killing the guards. Will you help us find a ship out of here?"

The dockmaster narrowed his dark eyes in concern and nodded at her. "Let me check my logbook. I think there is a ship sailing for Rez'el in the morning."

"Are there any sailing for Erelim?" Sebine said as the man entered the shack. She wanted to avoid the City of Rez'el after hearing the stories told of the bizarre cults that dominated the people and the culture.

The burly man shook his head as he returned, studying his logbook. "Only Rez'el. And from your tale I suspect I'll be sailing east to Cranth or even the Islands of Marr. I thank you for the warning. Come with me, I'll get you safely on your ship."

They turned and strode down the pier, and reached a four-masted ship that bobbed listlessly under the calm sea. The dockmaster led them up the gangplank and found the Captain awake and studying his maps in his stateroom. The two men nodded at other gravely as the dockmaster told the story of the trouble at Lord Oberon's house.

"Something very strange about that place," The captain ran a rough hand across his stubbled jaw. "I'll be leaving right away, then." The man gave Sebine a significant look. "I don't like taking a Princess of the royal family of Valance on my ship though. Yes, don't look surprised, I recognized your face from a visit you made to Cranth with King Braxion. Regardless of whether or not you've provided us with information to help avoid trouble, I can't be seen at port in Rez'el transporting Prince Sebine to their city. I have to do business with both Kingdoms, and you've likely heard the rumors of war brewing..."

The dockmaster grinned, his devious eyes brightening. "See there's your solution. The girl is a witch, I saw it myself. She can disguise herself using magic. The only thing those Malathians will see coming off your ship is whomever she impersonates. Show him." He jutted out his chin at Sebine.

The captain's face went white as he watched her change forms into Lord Oberon, and he nodded in agreement.

Chapter Eleven

WHEN THE DOOR closed to their generous quarters, Sebine spun around and glowered at Tael, sending fear lancing into his heart. She just stood there, staring at him with angry, knowing eyes that seemed to sense all the traitorous things he'd done with Jesmia in that dungeon.