Realm Of Blood And Fire (Book 3) (11 page)

“Sorry to frighten you. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Ah, yes. It must be the full moon coming up.” Emerance bustled to the eggs and touched them one by one.

“Well, I’m tired now, so
I think I’ll go back and try to sleep.” Jaz watched the dragon, waiting to see if she would offer an explanation as to where she had been. She wanted so much to ask, but her question might be taken as an insult—that she wouldn’t trust her own cousin was scandalous in dragon culture. The fact that Symbothial had been believed to be a traitor had meant Emerance and her branch of the family had earned constant suspicious glances and whispers. It saddened Jaz, so she decided not to ask. Besides—just because one member of the family behaves a certain way doesn’t mean any of the others would.

“Good night
, Queen Jazmonilly. Sweet dreams.” Emerance lowered her head in respect, and Jaz left.

As she exited, one of the guards turned to look at her, surprise on his face. It took a few moments for him to collect himself enough to bow. “Queen Jazmonilly.”

“You seem surprised to see me. Why is that?”

The guards exchanged glances. “I don’t remember seeing you enter.”

“How strange.” She moved her face close to his and stared into his eyes. “You look all right. So you really don’t remember seeing me go in?” He shook his head. “And what about you?” she asked the other guard.

“No, my lady.” He looked to the ground.

“Maybe you two have been doing too many shifts. I’ll have someone come and relieve you shortly. Good night.” Great—now she wasn’t going to be able to sleep at all. Something was going on, and she was going to find out what it was.

***

Valdorryn watched his wife yawn for the third time during lunch. “Maybe you should go and have a nap.”

“There’s too much to do. Have you heard from Zimapholous or Arcese lately?”

The king picked up a whole six-pound fish from his plate and threw it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed before replying. “No. I should try and reach one of them later today. We’re due for an update.”

“Thank you. I do worry about them.”

“So do I, but they’re grown n—” Valdorryn stopped talking and cocked his head to one side. After a moment, he looked at Jaz. “We have arrivals at East One Eight.” The many openings in the mountain that were large enough to take off or land from had names that indicated the level, direction the opening faced and the particular opening—all doorways were numbered from north to south.

“Is it Garrimonious?”

“Yes. Seems they made good time—they’re back within two days. See, I told you the weather would stay fine.”

“So you did, husband. One time out of ten isn’t too bad.” She smiled. He rolled his eyes.

“Apparently Sinjenasta is too sick to move. I’ve told them we’ll meet them in the hallway. I just want to call Pandellen.”
Son, we have need of your expertise. Can you meet me at East One Eight immediately?

Yes, Father.

Only one floor down from where they dined, the king and queen reached the newly-arrived group quickly. Backlit by the large opening, Blayke and Arcon helped the two dragons take off their saddles.

As soon as he spied them, Valdorryn asked, “Where are Bronwyn and the panther?”

“They’re still in the basket, King Valdorryn.” Garrimonious bowed.

“Thank you for your service, Garrimonious and Supestia. You have done the dragons proud.”

“Thank you, my king,” they both answered.

“Supestia,” Jazmonilly
said, taking her aside. “I have a job that needs doing—something I would only trust to you. Can you meet me in my chambers in an hour?”

“Certainly, Queen Jazmonilly.”

“You may go.”

The bronze-colored dragon nodded to her queen before she departed, Garrimonious close behind.

Jazmonilly rushed to stand with everyone around the basket. She peered in. Used to hiding her true emotions in public when required, all decorum was forgotten when she saw Sinjenasta and Bronwyn lying unconscious next to each other. She gasped. “Oh, for Drakon’s sake! Are they still alive? Quick. Where’s Pandellen?”

“Here I am, Mother. Where are the patients?”

“In here.” Arcon moved aside to give Pandellen room. The black-backed dragon was taller than his father and had silver-colored scales on his tummy, making him recognizably the son of the king and queen. “Sinjenasta was scratched, well . . . sliced open, by a gormon. Bronwyn healed his wounds, but now they’re both very sick. Bronwyn’s suffering because of her link to him. He’s been unconscious for almost two weeks. Avruellen and I couldn’t think what else to do. Have you any ideas?”

“You’ve done the right thing by bringing him to
one of the best healers in Talia.” Jazmonilly looked adoringly at her son.

Pandellen kneeled and placed one massive hand on Sinjenasta’s side and one on Bronwyn’s chest. He shut his eyes
, delved into the panther’s body and followed the ethereal cord that joined the panther to the realmist.

As they waited, Fang climbed onto Blayke’s shoulder and rubbed his head under Blayke’s chin. The young realmist stroked
the rat’s brown and white back and then looked at Arcon. Arcon shrugged and shook his head. And still, they waited.

The healer finally rose and looked to Arcon. “The panther is so close to death
; he could cross over at any time. Bronwyn’s only chance of survival is if we cut the cord that binds them.”

Arcon paled. “But—but, that will ultimately kill her.”

“She will die anyway—only sooner—if we don’t.”

Arcon covered his face with his hand. “How in the Third Realm am I going to explain this to Avruellen?” Blayke placed his hand on Arcon’s shoulder, and Phantom hooted from his perch on the ledge a few feet away.
Arcon let his hand drop from his face. “Are you sure there’s no other way?”

“Well, there is one other way, but you risk killing both of them straight away.”

Valdorryn cleared his throat. “Well spit it out, my boy. We haven’t got time for niceties.”

Pandellen
glanced at the limp bodies in the basket then back to Arcon. “We need to put them both in the Sacred Lake, let Drakon claim them as his own. Only
he
can heal them now.”

“And if Drakon doesn’t intervene?” Arcon asked. Silence was his answer. Arcon turned to Blayke. “What do you think? Do you think Drakon let us get this far only to have us fail?”

“That wouldn’t be logical,” Blayke answered.

“Ah, yes, but when is anything the gods ever do
prompted by logic?”

“Careful,” Valdorryn showed his teeth, “that’s my god you’re insulting.”

Arcon stood tall, fists clenched at his sides. “Do you know what
your god
has been asking of us? And this war we’ve been put in the middle of is really a war between Drakon and the gormons. I did a lot of reading while we were away, and your god is not the picture of holiness he would have you believe.”

“What do you mean? You’d better have a good explanation, Arcon—you’re close to ending up in our dungeon.” Red splotches pulsed over Valdorryn’s neck.

“The gormons were his children first. When he created the dragons, he ignored the gormons, making an enemy for both of you. They’re coming to take back what they see as theirs. Are they wrong?” Before Valdorryn could argue, Arcon put up his hand. “Delve into my mind and see I’m not speaking false.”

Jaz grabbed her husband’s arm. “You would let him do that?”

“Yes, Queen Jazmonilly. I have nothing to hide.” Arcon held his hands out, palms up.

Valdorryn’s large hands enclosed Arcon’s head, although he was careful to leave enough room for him to breathe. Arcon brought down all his mental defenses. The foreign touch inside his mind sent a shiver over his body, and he clenched his teeth against the involuntary feeling of revulsion. The two minutes that the dragon delved felt like hours to Arcon. When Valdorryn finally removed his hands, Arcon breathed deeply.

The king looked at Jaz and nodded, his face despondent, his wings drooping. “I don’t know what to say, Arcon. Please accept my apologies. I am going to require some time to digest this. All I can offer is that I hope, even if it is for his own self-serving reasons, he sees fit to restore Sinjenasta and Bronwyn to health. Pandellen, please do everything in your power to see that Arcon’s wishes are adhered to. I’ll see you all at dinner.” The dragon king turned and left, his wife by his side, his wingtips dragging on the floor.

“Well, Pandellen, I don’t think we have a choice. Let’s take them to the Sacred Lake.”

“As you wish.” The dragon scooped the basket into his arms and made his way down to the caves beneath Vellonia. The others followed, Phantom finding a perch on Arcon’s shoulder. Blayke spoke as they walked. “If it makes you feel any better, I know Bronwyn would want you to take that chance. She loves Sinjenasta and would give her life for him. Plus, what other decision could you have made?”

Arcon shrugged. “You know, I’ve never seen the Sacred Lake before. No one ever talks about it. I think they want everyone to think it’s a myth.”

“Why?” asked Blayke.

“I have no idea. Maybe the dragons know something we don’t.”

That wouldn’t surprise me,
Fang said.

“Well, we’re going to get to see it today.” Excitement grew within Blayke at the prospect of seeing this almost-myth.

They reached the lowest level of Vellonia. Before long, the wall sconces disappeared, and darkness closed in. Arcon drew Second-Realm power and created a glowing ball that bobbed in front of them. But it wasn’t enough to quell the panic that rose inside Blayke like lava from a volcano, threatening to erupt in a scream. He stopped walking and huddled on the ground.

What are you doing?
asked Fang.

“We can’t go any f
arther—something bad’s going to happen,” whispered Blayke.

You’re imagining things, Blayke. Come on; get up. We have to keep going.

“No. I want to go back.”

Fang called out to Arcon.
We have a problem.

What is it?

Look behind you.

Where in the Third Realm are you two?

Blayke’s having a panic attack, but I have no idea why.

Must be Vellonia’s defenses. I have ways to deal with it, but I forgot to ward Blayke before we came down. So many things I have to remember. I’m coming back.

Fang had spent the brief time waiting for Arcon, trying to convince Blayke not to leave.
Thank goodness you’re here. He was about to run back the way we came, and without being able to see, he would have tripped over something and done some damage.

Arcon laughed before mumbling a few words and gesturing in the air. Blayke shook his head and looked up at his mentor. “What was that all about? I’ve never been so scared. I could hardly move.”

“Vellonia’s inbuilt defense system. I’ve warded you. Did you see how I did it?”

“Not really—I was too scared to pay attention.”

“I’ll show you how to do it later—you may need it one day.”

They soon caught up to Pandellen, who had stopped to wait for them. No one spoke, the only sounds the scuff of their shoes on the dirt floor and the
drip, drip, drop
of water. Now that his panic had passed, Blayke could appreciate the feel of his surroundings. How many millions of years had these rocks been here? The cool air that suggested immovability and millennia started to feel warmer against his face, and subtle, colored light beckoned from up ahead.

Blayke had the sensation of being drawn into protective arms when he stepped into the light: pink,
lime green, mauve, sky blue, just some of the colors that settled on them, changing the appearance of their skin and clothes. Pandellen’s black back absorbed the color, but his silver belly refracted the hues, the beams tinting the rocks on either side of them.

And then they entered the cavern. Both realmists stood
openmouthed, the kaleidoscope of light a vision more wondrous than any they’d seen. The reason they had come almost forgotten, Arcon circled the water, child-like joy radiating from his face. He sat on the edge of the lake and dipped his hand into the tepid water. “But how?”

“That is one of Drakon’s great secrets, and wonders. It has been many years since Father has been down here—he forgets the generous gifts Drakon has bestowed on us.” Pandellen gently placed the basket on the ground.

Fang climbed out of Blayke’s pocket, ran down his clothes and rushed to Sinjenasta. He rubbed his tiny pink nose on the panther’s black one.
Safe travels, my friend. Please come back to us.
Fang was left in the basket with Bronwyn when Pandellen lifted Sinjenasta out and placed him on the edge of the lake.

Looking into the water, the myriad of colors skipping across its dark surface, he spoke. His voice was deeper than any Arcon had
ever heard, the sound waves causing the water to ripple. “Hear us, oh mighty Drakon—we, who are but your servants. We request that your holy love and compassion visit us today. Please heal Sinjenasta, your loyal subject. We offer him to you, my god, and accept your decision—whether you return him to us or take him to be with you in the Sacred Realm.”