Faith Of The Dragon Tamer (Book 2) (25 page)

Zorc’s eyes clouded with gravity. “That’s not it at all. You have the power but are untrained. A handful of Druids could lock you behind the door before you could unsheathe your sword. If I could protect you I would, but I can’t. I too have to fight to stay whole. If we get Ren out alive I would hate to tell him that in trying to save him one of his men became trapped behind the door and is now only a shell of a human. If I know anything about the Chosen, he cares for his men, and I can see you care for him. Don’t put another notch of pain in his belt if you can help it, Neki.”

Neki drew in a breath for a repartee but quickly thought better of it. He gave a brief nod. Zorc turned and floated toward the docks. This time Neki let Galvin walk behind the wizard.

The Seawitch was anchored at the far end of the dock, near the mouth of the river leading to the Old Sea. Their horses were where they had left them, tied to a post. Markum lay on a litter beside them, still deep in sleep. Galvin started to glance away when he broke into a boisterous laugh. Keena was beside the horses, munching on the sparse grass growing next to the docks as if she belonged there. At the sound of his voice her huge eyes flickered up and she began to prance.

She trotted to him. Galvin chuckled and rubbed the skin around her cream horn. He couldn’t believe she had found them. They had been riding at impossible speeds.

Zorc stepped beside him. “The kota?”

Galvin smiled. “It seems she wants to help Ren just as much as we do.”

A huge grin spread across Zorc’s face. Galvin frowned in bemusement.

“Just a saying! Something an old friend occasionally mumbled in dumbfounded consternation. But now it makes sense! ‘When the kota rides the wind, the Chosen will rise again.’”

Spinning around, Zorc lifted his robe and began to dance. Despite his prior disappointment, even Neki chucked.

The wizard’s twinkling eyes had lost all of their prior anger. “All hope is not lost, my friends!” he exclaimed, surprising Neki by taking his hands and forcing him into a spin. “All hope is not lost yet!”

Ren woke with his head pounding. Just as he was about to relax his mind a jolt of warning riveted him to attention: the Druid’s betrayal, the drug, and the attempt to close him.

They were pushing against his barricade. He slammed against his internal wall, causing the few Druids on the other side to fall away.

When he opened his eyes, light ripped through him and heavy chains clanged in the silence. He fumbled to sit up. The drug still made him queasy. Although the effects weren’t as mind numbing as they had been before, his head pounded horribly. It felt as if he had been hit with a mace.

As his vision cleared he found himself on a straw bed in a small moonstone chamber. Three Druids peered down at him. Avalon wore a scowl that could shatter mountains.

The man standing beside Avalon had to be the Drek, the Druid leader. Along with the black lock of hair falling from his otherwise bald scalp he donned a long black beard. Ren’s eyes flickered back to Avalon. The LoDrek wore the beginnings of a mustache, as had Morrus. The third man was bald, with waxen white skin and murky yellow eyes.

The Drek gave an imperceptible nod. His jet-black beard caused him to appear young until he inched into the flickering torchlight. The Druid was old, very old, but he stood tall, and his eyes sparkled with profound curiosity.

“I’m Marinus, Drek of the Mohemiun line of the thirty third schism of the two hundred forty scions of Dreks before. I take it you’re the Chosen?”

Ren didn’t bother to reply.

The Drek’s brows drew together at Ren’s silence. After a brief pause he motioned to the others. “This is the High Priest of Dresden, Feher. You have already had the honor of meeting my son, Avalon. Thanks to you he now holds the status of LoDrek.”

Ren raised an eyebrow. Honor indeed. “Where’s Morrus?”

“It’s none of your affair, Chosen,” Feher stated, his oily voice sending a dagger of warning.

Ren forced himself to look into Feher’s repellent yellow eyes. “My name is Ren. I expect you to use it.”

Feher’s eyes narrowed. Ren felt a smart flog against his interior wall. He hurled himself against the block, sure Feher alone would be able to tear it down, but after a few heartbeats his hold steadied.

Feher’s jolt had been more powerful than the whip-like combination of hundreds of Druids, but instead of frightening Ren into submission his rage took on a new dimension. How dare the Druids threaten him when he had come willingly! How dare they treat him as little more than dirt under their fingernails!

Ren stepped forward. The chains fettering his ankles sounded shrill in the moonstone chamber. Marinus held up his hand in an effort to avoid conflict, but his frown deepened.

“Yes, Feher, please address him by name,” Marinus said. He nodded to Ren. “But you are to address us with respect, not with brashness.”

Ren lowered his voice. “I’d be more than happy to do so, but I’ve come on my own accord and you chain me without respect or humanitarianism. I consent to my own closing, requesting only to speak to the One before you begin, and you have yet to honor that request. I ask you a simple question and you strike down my importance. Yes, Marinus, if you begin to show me I’m not a prisoner of my own choosing I’ll treat you with the utmost respect. I thought we were determined to achieve the same objective. Now I’m not so sure.”

The room was immersed in silence, but Ren stood his ground. Finally, Marinus began to chuckle.

“Morrus said you were a good man, and you have just proven his words. I apologize for the, shall I say, ‘capture’ of you.” Marinus’ mouth lifted into a semblance of a grin. Although it was still demeaning, it wasn’t unkind. “I didn’t know how you would react. I ordered you to be chained before you stepped foot on the island. I’m sorry you misunderstood.”

Ren’s eyes flashed to Avalon. The LoDrek stood with rigid solemnity, face expressionless. The Drek hadn’t ordered Avalon to close him or administer the drug. Avalon had done those things on his own. For some reason Avalon didn’t want him to see the One. Ren decided to feign ignorance.

“Then why did you order your son to administer a drug and try to close my mind even before I stepped from the ship?”

Marinus’ eyes narrowed. Despite Avalon’s obvious efforts, his face turned crimson.

“Let’s talk of what shall be done,” Marinus said, ignoring the question. Ren didn’t mind. His point had been made. “You said you agreed to come willingly, yet you block your mind. That’s a contradiction.”

“Marinus, I said I would come willingly if I could speak to the One and make a request of him. I haven’t spoken to the One, so I don’t yet come willingly. Morrus assured me I would meet the One before there were any attempts to close my mind. Your son has already broken that agreement. Because of that breech I don’t trust you or your kind. I’ll continue to resist until the promise has been fulfilled.”

Ren knew Marinus wasn’t at fault, but his harsh words seemed to affect the Drek. Marinus harrumphed and turned toward the others. “Feher, go see what’s keeping the One. Avalon, unchain this man. He’s no prisoner, only a soldier in a war.”

“But, Marinus,” Feher began with mock piety. “The High Order has informed me –”

“That he isn’t to see the One?” Marinus asked, peering at Feher. “I think you’ve misunderstood them, Feher. I’ve warned you not to put your own ambitions to me. I know the High Order’s voice from your own. Be wary you pass the test, Feher. It would be a shame if you didn’t.”

Feher hesitated before he made his way to the wooden door, painted white to match the moonstone walls. Avalon knelt to unlock Ren’s chains without meeting his eyes.

Marinus forced a smile. It looked more like a grimace. “I’m sorry you’ve been treated poorly. It wasn’t my intention.”

Ren inclined his head. “And I intended no disrespect.”

Marinus nodded, accepting his words. Ren was about to inquire about Morrus when the door swung open.

The One stood in the doorway. The wizard was just as Markum described: tall, slender, long dark hair, and knowledgeable eyes. But Ren had been correct as well. Zorc eyed him like a viper, not a human. Ren felt the faint hope he carried die within him. This was the One. This was his fate. May the Maker be with him.

As Zorc surveyed him Ren had to battle the urge to step away. There was something uncanny about Zorc’s eyes, something almost perverse. The One inclined his head in the same manor as Marinus, but without the smile.

“They tell me you come willingly. You’re strong to recognize the need, but that’s why you’re the Chosen.” His voice was deep, almost as deep as Morrus’ voice. Ren once again wondered about his friend.

“Please, ask what you would of me, but make haste. Time is limited. I have felt a strong disturbance in the Quy. It can only come from the Red Eye. Barracus will escape soon. If you don’t go behind the door, Barracus will enter you and mold your mind to his purposes.”

“Why not wait to close me? I’m among Druids. They can close me if that should happen.”

Zorc shook his head as his eyes filled with anger. Anger at his question or the implication, Ren was unsure. “Think. Magic had to be destroyed the last time Barracus was in the world.”

“He was immune to Druids?”

“Yes. Barracus alone knew how to evade the Druids, until the Black Knight,” Zorc said, eyes careening over Ren, “and until you.” Zorc waited until the point sunk in. “Do you see why we must hurry? With each heartbeat the threat deepens. If Barracus enters you we’re all lost.”

Ren remained silent, studying the wizard. He felt no liking toward him, but he felt no dislike either. He only felt numb.

“Feher said you had a request?”

Ren nodded, about to speak of Aidan when he realized it was futile. The man before him wouldn’t care about Aidan. He would promise to search for her, but he wouldn’t. Aidan would never know his true feelings. Then he remembered Morrus. Ren made a quick decision to change his request.

“I want Morrus to lead the closing.”

The Druids in the room suddenly lost their calm. Feher drew a breath that would rival any dragon, Marinus’ eyebrows catapulted to his forehead, and Avalon sprang toward him with death in his eyes.

Two whip-like threads crashed into Ren’s barrier. Feher and Avalon were strong, but Ren was prepared. He thwarted their attack, and in the next heartbeat both men felt the backlash of his fury as they were flung away from him even in body. Avalon stumbled to regain his footing, the vehemence in his eyes unmistakable.

The Drek, sensing what had just occurred, glared at Feher and Avalon, face darkening to match Ren’s own. For the first time since arriving on Dresden Ren felt as if another was truly on his side.

Now Ren was sure Morrus was in trouble. He didn’t know why, but it didn’t matter. Morrus was a friend.

Marinus anger melted as curiosity spread across his face. “Why do you ask this?”

“Morrus and I have talked,” Ren said. “I like him, and I believe he likes me. I have no friends here. You wouldn’t allow them to come. I consider Morrus a friend, so I want him to lead the closing. Surely you understand.”

No one moved. The High Priest’s yellow eyes glowed with deep-seated animosity. Ren didn’t know why his request was so startling. They had sent Morrus after him, and at the time Morrus was considered LoDrek. Surely Morrus must be someone important in the Druid cultus. Besides, what did it matter who led his closing as long as he was closed?

Marinus’ pale blue eyes sparked with humor. “A wizard and a Druid, friends?” The Drek’s voice quivered between astonishment and ludicrousness. An odd grin broke one side of Marinus’ downward turned lips before he released an amused chuckle.

Ren wondered if the Drek had laughed in years. The wrinkles on his face displayed tension and worry, not humor.

“I’m sorry, that honor is for the LoDrek,” Marinus said. “Morrus is no longer the LoDrek. Avalon has taken that position.”

Ren turned his gaze to Avalon’s smug expression. So that was why Avalon reacted the way he had. The realization made Ren’s concern increase. What had happened to Morrus?

Ren met the Drek’s gaze with grim determination. “Let me ask you something, Marinus. Someone betrayed you, lied to you, and tried to kill you. Would you want him to lead your funeral? Or would you prefer a friend say words over your corpse?”

His words bit, but he could see the understanding in the Drek’s eyes.

“I’ll only yield if someone I trust leads the closing. Morrus was LoDrek on the journey. He can be LoDrek again. I’m sorry, Marinus, but your son hasn’t given me much to trust.”

“We have no time to waste,” Zorc said, a slight edge to his voice. “If you’re unwilling I’m afraid we’ll have to force you.”

“So be it,” Ren replied. Although he didn’t know how to use the Quy or how he was blocking the Druids from entering his mind, if he resisted every Druid on the island may be unable to close him. Based on the wizard’s foul expression, Ren was right.

“It goes against the Druid law,” Marinus said. “It cannot be done.”

Ren shrugged with casual indifference. “You’re the Drek. You can change the law.”

After a few heartbeats of silent examination, Marinus sighed. “I’ll think on it,”

“We don’t have much time, Marinus,” Zorc said. “Time is of the utmost importance.”

Marinus turned and walked to the door. “I said I’d think on it, Zorc.”

Avalon glanced at Ren before he followed Marinus out the door, Feher close behind. Zorc remained, cold eyes perusing Ren’s face. “You play a dangerous game.”

“I don’t play games. What I do is right.”

Zorc didn’t reply. Instead, he turned to leave.

“Why me?”

Zorc turned to face him once again. “Why? You have great strength. Only one of your strength could have released the Quy again.”

It was the answer Ren had expected, but it bothered him. Why couldn’t the One give him a deeper explanation? Even Grauss had explained that he was born under the three internal and external elements. The wizard just brushed the surface.

“And so it ends like this?”

“Yes, this is how it ends.”