Dragon Wish (40 page)

Dragon Wish

dragonstone.

They climbed the steps and came over the last one. The

rounded rock stretched out a good distance across. An

intricate design covered the entire surface. It reminded Seren

of a strange type of a pentagram. Then a thought came to

her. Years ago, she’d seen circles with marks similar to this

in a magazine article about alchemy. She glanced at Ren. Did

wizards here use a form of alchemy?

Dust-coated debris lay scattered over the surface. Ren

kicked a petrified board out of his way as he walked to the

center of the circle. Once there, he knelt, digging the sand

out of a groove. Once he appeared satisfied with his efforts,

he stood and placed the end of his staff into the slot.

He glanced at their small group. “Everyone, step back

onto the stairs. Stay against the walls. This will only take a

moment to finish.”

Doing what he asked, Seren caught Paladin’s gaze. She

lifted a brow in question. He grinned and nodded at Ren.

“Watch. You’ll see. It’s a simple spell.”

Releasing the staff, Ren brought his hands together in

front of his face. He closed his eyes and a look of total

concentration crossed over his features. A vortex of air

encircled the staff, widening until it streaked outside the

circle’s boundaries. The wind picked up every bit of debris in

the area. With a rush of air, it traveled to the shaft leading

out of the caverns.

When the current disappeared, Ren relaxed, bringing his

hands down to his sides. He grinned. “There now, we’ll be

able to stay in a relatively clean place.”

He snapped his fingers. Dormant dragonstones in their

wooden holders flared to life. The entire cavern illuminated

with white light. Two stories high, the ceiling, smooth like

polished glass but without the reflection, domed above them.

Stairs, curving against and with the walls, climbed on both

sides of the entrance, leading to rooms on a second level.

Ren understated his cleaning ability. Seren studied the

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spotless stone beneath her feet. She’d be able to eat off the

rock.

“I repaired the furniture in many of the rooms. It’s plain

but serviceable.” The wizard commented, removing his staff.

“There’s a larger room in the center, there on the bottom

level. We’ll use it to hold meetings to discuss this situation

Paladin has put us in.”

She chewed on her bottom lip, shooting a glance at

Paladin. He stood, glaring at the wizard. “How is this my

fault? It’s written of in the ancient texts.”

Ren grinned at him and turned toward the room he spoke

about using for a meeting room. “Well, if you’d kept your

pants up, none of this would have happened.” The man

stopped, looked over at Seren and winked. “Of course, I can

certainly understand why you did what you did.”

The glare cooled to an iceberg. Seren reached out and

touched Paladin’s arm. “He’s teasing.”

“That is not a subject to jest about.” He clenched his

teeth, and then said, “He shouldn’t have flirted with you

either.”

Ren’s jovial laugh followed after him, echoing in the open

area.

“Fool.” Paladin took her hand and trailed behind.

“But a dear one. Don’t let his teasing bother you. You’re

the one I’m attracted to, not him.” She smiled up at him.

He pulled her into his arms. “That pleases me to hear.”

Staring into his eyes, she ran a finger across his jaw. “Can

you doubt it?”

“Tonight I’ll hold you in my arms. I’ve dreamed of this

moment for such a long time.” Moving his head, he placed a

kiss on her palm. Her heart warmed at his words.

Ren called to them and the moment ended. They both

smiled, comfortable with the wait. Paladin, with an arm over

her shoulders, led her to where the wizard waited.

Tonight, he’d said. Contentment flowed through her. Just

a little while longer and they’d be together.

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Chapter Twenty-Three

More supplies arrived within the hour with turbaned men

and women carrying baskets. Some even rode on strange

wind powered sleds. There was one large center sail and two

smaller ones on each side of a catamaran type vessel.

Seren nudged Ren in the arm. “Why didn’t we use one of

those?”

“They sicken me when I ride them.” He shrugged, looking

down his nose at her. “Besides a little walk is healthy for you

and the babe.”

She rolled her eyes. “Walk in the desert with the heat and

all the sand? No, I don’t think so.”

He chuckled before he left her, striding off to direct some

of the newly arrived people to where they should go.

“You know, I can understand why he’s your friend,” she

told Paladin, looking over at him where he stood at her side.

Curiosity lit the gaze he turned on her. “And why is that?”

“You’re like salt and pepper, blending to make a perfect

combination,” she explained.

“Pepper?”

“It’s a seasoning spice just like salt. You remember the

brine sticks?”

“Ah, I see. We complement each other.” He nodded in

understanding.

The last of the day’s sun, low on the horizon, cast a

reddish glow across the landscape, softening his features.

The reds mingled with the golds in his hair, burnishing them.

Soft air currents passed over them, ruffling his hair.

Impatient for the time they would be alone, she shifted closer

and encircled his waist under his coat with one arm.

“Yeah. I like your choice of friends.” She placed her cheek

against his chest.

They stood quietly, his hand caressing the crown of her

head as they watched more people arrive.

Dust blew up on the horizon. Seren straightened against

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him. A strange cloud spiraled in their direction. “What is

that? A dust devil?”

“A what?”

“That’s what we call a small vortex in the sand or dirt on

Earth.”

He grunted and stepped away from her, his gaze

narrowed. He, too, watched the sand cloud racing closer. Ren

came up behind them.

“Seems we have company.”

The three of them stood inside the barrier. Seren felt safe

from whatever approached. The cloud drew nearer. She

searched for the cause of it, but nothing other than calm

sand and sky surrounded it. When the dust hit the barrier,

the magical wall parted. The form of a man took shape,

moving through it. Once on this side, his bare feet hit the

sand. He continued toward them, his momentum leading

him straight to Paladin.

Bask.

There was no mistaking the wizard. The silvered skull cap

glinted reddish orange with the sun’s waning light. He

reached out, grasped Paladin by his coat and lifted him off

the ground.

“Fool. What did Lior instruct you to do?”

Paladin’s face became a mask of fury. He clasped Bask’s

wrists and squeezed. “Release me.”

“Return the woman to Earth. Were those not her words?”

Seren’s knees weakened. Her attention moved to

Paladin’s face.

“The choice was mine, and I chose to keep her close.”

“To watch her die?”

“What makes you believe she would return? Just the loss

of one clan leader and the door would be closed, not to be

opened until another grew in power to do so. I refused to

take the chance.”

Mouth dry, Seren tried to take in what the two men

argued about. Bask had to be wrong. Paladin knew how

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much she wanted to go home. He wouldn’t have kept her

here without telling her first. Would he?

“Paladin?” She lifted a hand and took a step to him. “Is it

true?”

Bask shoved him away, releasing his hold. He turned to

her. “‘Tis true, little mother. With his foolish actions, he has

risked your life along with the child’s.”

“Lior said the decision was mine to make.”

The wizard slashed down with one hand. “She never

thought you would do this.”

Seren shook her head, not wanting to believe. Hurt welled

up in her heart to overflow through her tears. With another

shake of her head, she pivoted and walked into Ren’s chest.

The wizard’s right arm lifted, the staff extended in front

of him. “Stay away. I believe she needs time to understand

what has happened.”

“Seren.” Paladin’s voice softened only to harden with his

next words. “Remove your staff or I’ll carve it into kindling.”

“No, not another word. I don’t want to see you right now.

You knew how badly I wanted to go home. You didn’t care.”

She hated the sorrowful note in her words. She had to leave.

Had to find someplace where she would have quiet to

understand why he had done this to her. Realization came to

her. This answered her question. The one bothering her, the

one Paladin evaded so aptly earlier today.

The scarlet side of Ren’s cloak flashed as he wrapped an

arm over her shoulders, concealing her from onlookers. “I’ll

take you to your room. You can rest there and maybe eat a

little.”

Unable to concentrate, she allowed him to lead her. They

reached the room set aside for her. He guided her to the

narrow cot and helped her sit.

“Why did he do it? Is it true? The door can’t be opened

again if something happens to one of the seven?” She clasped

her hands in her lap.

“It’s true, though if need be, I’m sure a conjunction of a

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few of the more experienced wizards, me included, could

manage to open it. I doubt he even considered that.” Ren

moved to stand inside the open door. “You must remember

your escape from Xelerdin happened so fast. Mayhap, he had

no time to contemplate the matter in depth.”

“What was there to think about? Bask said Lior told him

to open the door to Earth. He refused. I can’t believe he did

this to me. I could be back home, safe from any real danger.”

She shook her head, palms laid on the curve of her stomach.

“Our baby would be safe.”

Reaching for the door latch, Ren nodded. “Rest, little

mother, and remember there is not much which occurs on

Avaris that those great beasts do not have influence over.

Perhaps, it was their desire for you not return to your home.

Paladin merely followed through with their wish.”

His words lingered after he closed the door. All the noise

from the larger room past the wooden barrier ceased.

Shoulders slumping, she sat trying to understand. Unable to

find an answer, she lay on her back, placing an arm over her

eyes. She drifted into a swirling dark mass. Dreams assaulted

her. She struggled to escape, but every way she turned, more

blackness greeted her. Through the misty convolution,

Arcane slid toward her, his body scraping against the stone

ground. She tried to run, but the beast mesmerized her with

his cold gaze.

I have found you.

Eyelids snapping open, panting, heart racing, Seren

struggled to calm down. She rolled onto her side and stared

at nothing in particular. In her heart, she cried out for

Paladin. She needed him the most right now, but her

wounded trust prevented her from opening her mouth and

calling him.

* * * *

The last of Ren’s workers arrived. Paladin sat on the

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ground outside the cavern’s entrance, listening to their jovial

bickering over who carried the heavier load until it faded

when they moved deeper into the cavern. With his back

pressed against the rock surface, he watched the wind glide

over the moonlit dunes, erasing the marks their passage had

left in the sand.

With them, came a message from the Wizard’s Academy.

They affixed a magical barrier to surround the city. They

even sent instructors across the planet to do the same for

every city and sizable village.

The news relieved Paladin. After the incident with Seren,

he needed some good news. He would have loved to take his

anger out on Bask, but the man departed not long after Seren

went below with Ren. Right now, he wanted nothing more

than to wrap his hands around Bask’s neck and squeeze.

Still, it would not solve his problem with Seren.

He’d violated her trust, something he valued in others.

His selfishness stood in the way of her well being.

Rocks scattered over the ground. He glanced toward the