Dragonhold (Book 2) (9 page)

What they had walked into, Kenward did not know, but he liked it not one bit. The dragon proved his instincts by breathing fire at the fleeing Sinjin and Kendra, which didn't make him feel much better.

Beside him, Onin cursed between ragged breaths.

Allette stepped into the cavern and walked toward the massive dragon. The girl feared nothing, Kenward thought, lacking the courage to follow her.

"What's she doing?" Onin asked.

"Whatever it is," Kenward said, "she's a better person than me for doing it."

Onin grunted. The Black Queen did something then that Kenward had not considered, and it chilled his blood. This girl was a dangerous flower. After stepping between the dragon and the stone god, Allette summoned the demons.

Glaring down at her, the dragon practically sneered.
Who dares challenge Mael?

Giants and demons alike hesitated. With a single gesture, Allette obliterated that hesitation. A dangerous flower, indeed.

* * *

Reaching physically toward the gem wells, Allette gathered energy, creating a visible wash between them. A diaphanous river twisted and churned with captivating beauty. Demons converged from every direction, their numbers shocking. How had so many come to be in the hold? Knowing how many people had been living so close to such evil and corruption made Kenward shiver.

No matter what he felt for Allette, and he had no real understanding what that was, he could not abide the presence of demons. These creatures desecrated nature. For a moment, though, he had to ask himself what he would have done. Allette had not created these aberrations. Sometimes a tool is a tool no matter its nature or source. In this case she used her control over the demons to try to accomplish something for the good of them all, except perhaps Mael.

Despite his reasoning, fear gripped Kenward in the presence of so many agents of darkness.

Mael reared up to his full height before Allette and her approaching army. There was something akin to laughter in his ancient eyes. Catrin and Pelivor continued to make their way toward where the dragon stood, wings extended and flames coursing around his nostrils. Kenward knew not what they sought, but he wished them luck. This was like no foe any of them had ever faced.

Mael issued a torrent of fire directed at the approaching demons, which sent Allette, Catrin, and Pelivor scrambling. Even as they ran, Kenward saw the herald globes in both Allette's and Catrin's hands steadily growing brighter. With every attack, Mael charged the air in the cavern, and those nearby did everything they could to capitalize on it.

Taking the brunt of Mael's attack, the demons scattered.

We should have destroyed the Noonspire before it could corrupt the world so completely.
Mael's thought echoed around him and thundered in Kenward's mind. He didn't know what the Noonspire was and didn't have time to consider further. A high-pitched tone, loud but not unpleasant, rang through the chamber.

I am well pleased. You've performed admirably, Herald of Istra.

Kenward could not see Catrin's face, but he'd have wagered everyone around him heard the words. Those who'd been a part of Catrin's exploration party now sought shelter from dragon fire, and they, too, reacted to Mael's thoughts.

Light poured from the circle of stone within the trees. Colors danced in streaks like misty wraiths, and Kenward could feel the energy. He knew how it felt to be in the presence of great power, and this dwarfed anything he'd ever experienced, as if the entire planet were being charged.

Like others in the chamber, Kenward was drawn to the keystone. Everyone and everything still alive and conscious within the chamber gravitated toward the shimmering and now singing artifact. There was a striking harmony, as if all the most talented singers in the world worked together. The beauty of this event was unmatched in Kenward's experience, and he prayed it would be for the good of the world. It was unlikely as Mael made his way to the stone. He did not rush, apparently relishing the experience. It had been a long time since he had been in power, and Kenward could see the conqueror for what he was. If unleashed on the world, Mael would subjugate them all.

That was when Kenward learned the keystones' true nature. Before him stood a gateway to anywhere, allowing him to see the other side. At first, he saw the mighty pillars amid the shallows, and as he shifted his perspective, the Grove of the Elders appeared, new greatoaks eagerly reaching toward the sky. The more he turned, the more he saw. Some places were familiar, but most were not. Some were dark and twisted, and in one such place, he saw his friends. There stood Durin, Strom, and Osbourne, looking as if they'd been struck dumb.

Mael's laughter was overwhelming as he crossed the final distance separating him from the portal.

"No!" Kenward screamed, hoping Strom and the others would hear him and undo whatever it was they had done. "Close the portal, Strom, or we'll all be doomed!"

Those were the last words Kenward uttered before Mael's tail blotted out the light. From one side came a flash. Allette was trying to distract the dragon. Just before the tip of Mael's tail smashed Kenward into the mossy soil, a blast of frigid air thrust him aside. The dragon turned his attention on Allette, the more dangerous foe, and Kenward prayed for her.

Running faster than he would have thought her capable, Allette darted through the trees, dodging dragon fire, claws, and the monster's tail, the demons remaining at her command too far away to be much use. The blinding glow of her herald globe, though, gave evidence she was anything but a frightened child. Recognizing the threat, Mael roared. Stones broke loose and dropped from above, the cacophony deafening. A flash of white within the trees caught Kenward's attention for an instant. He could just make out Trinda Hollis, and he prayed for her, no matter her evil deeds.

Some three strides from the keystone, Allette leaped into the air, her herald globe held before her, leaving a blue streak across Kenward's vision. Mael whipped around and lunged toward the flying girl, but he was too late. The herald globe never actually struck the stone. An instant before it would have, the object Catrin and Osbourne had crafted released its charge.

The shock wave caught Mael in the face and turned his head to one side. The initial blast triggered a far larger explosion that sent gouts of fire and lightning gushing from the keystone. For a brief instant, Kenward caught sight of devastation spread across the planet. Pillars amid the shallows fell and snapped in pieces. The black stone at the center of the Grove of Elders cracked open and spewed forth white-hot magma. The scene probably would have continued if not for the portal collapsing inward on itself, sending one last energy wave blasting through the cavern. Kenward could not see where Allette had ended up, but he doubted anyone could have survived such destruction.

Mael's rage was undeniable. The dragon looked as if he might tear the Godfist asunder. Turning his attention to Allette and the keystone had been a mistake, though, for he had underestimated Catrin's will. As the massive dragon swung his head around, preparing to incinerate them all with dragon fire, Catrin threw her blazing herald globe at Mael with all her might. The Herald of Istra proved her aim when the glowing orb disappeared into Mael's vacuous nostril. An instant later, the dragon's skull lit up from inside, and a different kind of flame shot from his jaws. His eyes rolling up until only white membranes were visible, Mael collapsed amid the trees.

Chapter 9

Sailing the skies is a lot like sailing the seas, except the people you throw overboard don't live as long.

--Kenward Trell, airship captain

* * *

Watching helplessly as Strom walked to the keystone's center, where the huge lever stood, Durin hoped he was wrong. He truly didn't want to be correct, but he'd come to trust his instincts. Unfortunately Strom and Osbourne had learned the same lesson, and their instincts had disagreed with his.

Osbourne stood beside him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Durin said. "You did what you thought was right. Now all we can do is pray you were correct."

Durin's sudden pragmatism clearly unnerved Osbourne, but there was nothing to be done about it. They stood on the cusp of change the likes of which their planet had never seen. Durin wasn't certain he understood how or why; he just knew it was so. As he'd learned from his own past, opportunity for tremendous change was also opportunity for things to go terribly and irreversibly wrong.

Strom placed the amber figurine and the spider stone next to the lever and looked back one last time to Durin and Osbourne, an apology--and fear--in his eyes. This did nothing to calm Durin's nerves.

When the powerful smith turned back to the lever, Durin could see his muscles bulging from the effort, yet the lever did not budge. For several long minutes, he tried, and Strom could not make the lever move even a small amount. Durin dared to hope that he'd give up. He didn't know all that much about Strom in general, but he did know the man detested Kyrien's speaking in his mind and using Istra's power. Both things disturbed the man greatly. He said he wanted to be nothing more than a simple smith, but he was not. Durin found it ironic the big man refused to accept his own destiny when he'd been among those who'd driven Catrin to accept hers.

Given the way that had turned out, Durin couldn't blame the man. His hopes were crushed, though, when Strom bent down with obvious reluctance and picked up the spider stone. The smith would give up a small part of himself just to use the artifact, and Durin truly didn't wish it. Despite their disagreement, even considering the magnitude of the matter, Strom was his friend.

It hurt Durin's soul to see the mighty smith illuminated by the power he wielded against his own wishes. Strom did this for Catrin, they all knew. He owed her his life many times over and would not be deterred no matter what she asked of him. When Durin considered the situation, he realized he never had any chance of dissuading Strom. The man would die before betraying Catrin. Durin respected the smith for that but also recognized the dangers of such blind servitude.

With lightning pulsing around him, Strom applied his will along with his muscles and was rewarded with a deep grinding sound. Slowly the lever moved. Osbourne looked as if he wanted to help his friend, but the spider stone's power turned the smith into a frightening and imposing figure. Sweat dripping from his trembling muscles caught the light and flowed over the lines of his definition.

When the massive lever crossed over the halfway point, energy and anticipation thickened the air. The lever moved faster now, and Strom gave one final effort, which left him breathing hard. With a deep
thunk,
the lever seated itself.

Nothing happened.

Then a harmonious tune grew to fill the air. Luminous wisps danced over the keystone. Durin dared to hope he'd been wrong; there had been enough precedence. Strom stepped back, having the foresight to grab the amber figurine but ultimately appearing horrified by what he had done.

He returned to them, an apology still in his eyes. "When this happened to Catrin, I didn't understand," he said, his head hanging despite the spectacle happening behind him. "I should've been more kind to her."

It was an admission that shocked Durin. He'd always heard of Strom being among Catrin's most staunch defenders. He might have said more if not for Kenward's determined shouting. The blood drained from Durin's face and he went cold.

"Close the portal, Strom, or we'll all be doomed," Kenward's shout carried across the vast distance, sounding surreal.

Durin needed no more evidence. He'd been right all along. Strom and Osbourne hesitated, probably still coming to terms with the magnitude of their mistake. All Durin wanted was to undo that most grave of errors. Running forward, he grabbed the lever and tried to pull it back. Looking through the keystone almost made him release his grip in shock. A massive dragon loomed over Catrin, Pelivor, and Allette. Though he'd heard Kenward's voice, he did not see his friend there.

The lever held fast. Strom and Osbourne were just now moving to help. Knowing he needed to apply all his strength, Durin swung around to the other side of the lever. From there, he looked into an idyllic scene. Along a seacoast amid lush grasses, the world was at peace. The danger seemed so far away, and Durin considered stepping through, leaving all this behind. Instead, he pushed harder, hoping to save those he loved. No temptation could pull him away.

Sounds of fighting within Dragonhold drifted across the portal, the crescendo reaching a fever pitch. Allette's battle cry grew louder just before the keystone exploded.

* * *

Those within Mael's cavern moved to find the survivors, most of them wounded and, in some cases, the dead. The ancient dragon still breathed but was unconscious. Kenward ran straight for the now shattered keystone. He'd watched Allette dive onto the stone, and he'd witnessed the explosion, but after involuntarily looking away, he'd lost track of her. Now she was gone.

Catrin and Pelivor climbed the stone god, having left guards armed with overcharged herald globes near Mael's head. Kenward worried the dragon would find a way to manipulate and subvert them as he'd done in the past. He was among those who supported killing the ancient dragon. Such a threat should not be allowed to exist. It had been Catrin who talked most of them out of it. Kenward was a charitable soul as long as it didn't endanger his life. When he considered how dangerous Mael was, he couldn't help but reach the same conclusion as before. Had Catrin and Pelivor not both vowed to stay and watch over the dragon from a place of power and preparedness, Kenward might have tried to kill the beast himself. Even he laughed at that notion.

On his way to the broken keystone, which now bled fire and oozing rock, Kenward encountered Keenan. The man's face matched his own: concern, fear, confusion, and resignation. In spite of previously being on different sides, Kenward took pity on the man who was also trying to protect those he cared about.

"Looking for Trinda?" he asked.

Keenan looked at him with false hope. "You've seen her?"

"Not since the explosion," Kenward said. "I'm sorry." The disappointment in the man's eyes was difficult to bear. "Have you seen Allette?"

"The Black Queen?" Keenan asked then realized what he'd said. "No."

Kenward nodded. "If you see her . . ."

"Same," Keenan said, patting Kenward's shoulder on his way past.

"People of Dragonhold," Catrin spoke in a power-enhanced voice. "In order to contain the dragon, Pelivor and I will need to deplete his power source. We have discussed it, and we believe we can do so safely, but it will be best if all of you exit the cavern."

Moving toward the halls leading out of the cavern, Kenward did not leave. If he had to, he would duck behind solid stone. He'd come this far and refused to miss seeing how this ended. Someday he'd have to tell this tale over whiskey, and he hoped to do it justice.

A few others stayed behind: Benjin, Wendel, Chase, and Morif. They huddled together and watched, praying Catrin knew what she was doing and hoping she would be able to get them out of this mess.

Pelivor reached into the gem well he stood beside. The faceted gem towered over him, leaving him looking insignificant against the backdrop of the stone god and waterfall. Green light radiated when he tapped the stone's energy, a nimbus of power enveloping him.

Catrin connected with the stone she stood beside, the scale of her surroundings dwarfing her. When filled with power, though, she was impossible to ignore. Glowing like a new star, Catrin appeared strained yet determined.

After a glance at Pelivor and a firm nod from him, Catrin pulled Koe from her pocket. The dragon ore carving was glossy, translucent, and slick. The air itself changed when Catrin applied her will. Slowly she and Pelivor drained the energy from the stones and fed it to the surrounding soil and rock, which absorbed it easily. Everything seemed to be going as planned until Mael gave a single massive twitch.

There was a shift in the energy around them that was obvious even to those without any access to Istra's power. Without warning, power arced between the two stones with a thunderclap. Both Catrin and Pelivor went rigid, their faces masks of pain. The green light flickered and pulsed.

"Go!" Catrin shouted in a godlike voice. "Mael left a trap, but we are not defenseless. For a short time, the shield will be down. Go! Now! This may be your only chance to escape."

The words hadn't completely sunk in when Benjin grabbed Kenward and pulled him away.

"What's it going to take to get the
Wing
out of the hold?" Morif asked, moving at a brisk pace. There was far too much distance for them to run the whole way, leaving them at a fast walk no matter how great the urgency.

Benjin shook his head.

"Without Pelivor, I don't know if we can do it," Gwen said. "Even with his help, I'm not sure we could gain the skies."

"Worst case," Morif said. "We climb down from the main entrance."

Chase shook his head. "The stair is mostly gone."

Morif just shrugged.

The old soldier was right; they had few options.

When they finally reached the kitchens, they found Miss Mariss in frenzy, preparing packs for anyone who could escape the hold. Indeed, Catrin's words had been heard throughout Dragonhold.

Morif looked as if he would drag Millie and Miss Mariss from the kitchens, but Miss Mariss just placed her hands on her hips. "I'm not going anywhere. Catrin will need to eat. If she stays, I stay."

"And if they stay, I stay," Millie said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Turning to the others, Morif shrugged. "I'll help you carry your packs and see you off."

* * *

Kenward was torn. Getting the
Dragon's Wing
out of the hold was in many ways just his kind of crazy, but he wasn't certain it would work. If Pelivor had been there to provide the needed lift his wing structures afforded, then maybe, but even that was a stretch. Though Gwen was strong, she was the thrustmaster, and she had never successfully flown the ship. In the end, they had little choice. It was either risk being stranded outside the hold with no ship, or face the chance of being dashed to pieces when the
Dragon's Wing
dropped from the sky like a stone.

No matter what one wishes, his mother had always warned him, gravity will continue to function. Thus far her words had proven accurate. People rushed in all direction in preparation and the hopes the main entrance would soon be clear. The plasma shield was, indeed, lowered. Catrin had been good to her word and had perhaps saved his life once again. He'd not always been grateful to her, but he was very much so at that moment.

Kenward was unable to bear watching the preparations being made on the
Dragon's Wing
or the miles of coiled rope gathered. Fasha said Kenward was only happy when the crazy ideas were his, and perhaps she was right. The plan was almost guaranteed to fail, but neither Kenward nor anyone else had any better. What they also lacked was time. No one knew how long Catrin and Pelivor could disrupt the shield, and Catrin had made it clear this might be their last chance to escape.

Kenward was going to take her word on that. No matter what happened, he would be free of this infernal place before that shield was reestablished. Everyone assumed Catrin would be able to warn them before the plasma wall regenerated, but there was a chance she wouldn't. Itching to get out of the hold, Kenward walked closer to the main entrance.

In the back of his mind, he wondered what had happened to Allette. If not for a number of factors, he would have assumed her dead, but he wasn't so sure. Trinda Hollis's disappearance added to the feeling. That girl was no fool and had a healthy sense of self-preservation.

The keystones had been acting as portals at the time of Allette's attack, and she could have ended up just about anywhere. It was a thin hope, but Kenward clung to it. He'd grown attached to the mysterious woman and wished her well. Even Trinda, for all her quirks and misdeeds, bore no ill will from him.

The unfettered horizon was medicine for Kenward's soul. He could smell the salt on the air and feel Istra's light on his face. In every sense, he had not known what he loved until deprived of it. Viewed through a different lens, these things were newfound treasure. Despite everything else, Kenward couldn't stop grinning.

Seeing Onin atop Jehregard also made him smile. The two misfits were perfect for each other, and Kenward knew the value of that. When he realized the feral queen was watching him from the opposite side of the broken spire, he took a step back. The sight instilled fear.