King Of Souls (Book 2) (47 page)

Arber’s wounds mended leaving behind faint discolorations outlining the whip marks. Color returned to the old guardian’s face, and his eyes flickered open.

He jolted upright with a shocked expression painting his face. He shook free Danielle and Ronan’s touch and slid to the wagon bed’s rear end. His neck twisted around as he took in his surroundings.

“Arber. You’re among friends,” Danielle said “Be at ease.”

Keely crossed her arms and glared at Arber. “Speak for yourself Danielle. He’s only alive by your good grace, and someone had better find me a good reason not to kill him here and now.”

Overhead the camp’s protective veil winked out unmasking a field of stars. The air temperature dropped as chill nighttime air descended.

In the east, dawn’s first light peaked over the desert horizon bathing the sand in brilliant shades of orange and purple.

“What happened?” Danielle spun in circles reaching for a staff and pouch that didn’t exist.

Ronan slipped free his sheba blade and stared upward before turning his gaze toward the horizon. His shoulders sagged, and an expression of dread washed over his face. “They’re gone.”

“Gone?” Keely said. “What do you mean?”

“The dragons,” Rika said staring across the sand wearing a look of worry.

Ronan nodded staring ahead at the flattened imprints the sleeping dragons had left behind.

Danielle’s face went numb while a sharp chill crawled along her spine. “Lora’s Sphere.” She shifted into hawk form, beat her wings, and climbed above Trace’s barren war camp.

Murky shadows covered the crystal buildings sprinkled across the sprawling camp. The strange firelight had winked out, and no human life stirred.

Danielle arced right and sped, unchallenged, toward Trace’s private quarters. She dipped low and touched down outside the darkened crystal archway. She shifted into human form and burst through the doorway.

The cabinet doors stood open revealing two empty shelves.

Trace’s jewel-encrusted throne had vanished, and the room stood empty.

Rika and Keely burst in the room breathless from their furious chase.

Danielle sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands. “God help us. We’re too late.”

Inbound

Ronan raced through the arched doorway holding his sheba blade in his right hand and a blazing orb of blue spirit in his left. Jeremy and Arber followed a few steps behind.

In an otherwise empty room, Rika and Keely knelt beside Danielle speaking soft words of comfort.

Ronan spun in circles searching for any sign of attackers, but like the rest of camp, this room proved deserted. “Danielle, are you hurt?”

Rika glanced over her shoulder and shook her head. “She’s okay, but I doubt you’ll convince her.”

Ronan exhaled a heavy sigh of relief and released the spirit energy coiled in his palm. As he crossed the room, he sheathed his blade and stopped near his sister where she sat slumped in the sand. He knelt beside Danielle and placed his hand on her back.

Ronan didn’t know what words would offer her comfort, but he felt he should say something. He started to speak then stopped as an idea popped in his head. He slipped free the leather pack strapped to his back and eased onto the ground beside his sister.

Without speaking, he slipped his arm around Danielle’s shoulder and held her as she wept. She’d dealt with so many setbacks over the past few weeks, he thought it a miracle she held a shred of sanity.

Danielle clutched Ronan’s back, laid her head against his shoulder, and wiped away her tears.

“If anyone can survive that horror, it’s Connal Deveaux,” Ronan said. “I’m not about to give up on him Danielle. That’s not how we Deveaux’s operate.”

Danielle raised her head and peered into Ronan’s face through bleary red eyes. A look of hope bloomed in her expression. “Do you really think so?”

“I do.” He squeezed her shoulder hugging her close. “Besides, he’s too stubborn to die.”

Genuine laughter rolled from her belly, and she gave Ronan a short hard hug. “I’m glad you’re here with me Ronan. Thank you for saving me.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

The pack on Ronan’s lap shifted and the front cover flopped open.

Danielle jerked upward as if surprised and stared wide-eyed at Ronan’s wriggling backpack.

A white shaggy mound peeked from the pack’s shadows as if making certain the danger had passed. A long pink tongue slipped from the bear cub’s shaggy muff and gave Ronan’s hand a long friendly lick.

A smile bright enough to break a thousand hearts spread across Danielle’s face. “Ronan where did you find him? He’s absolutely adorable.”

Ronan cocked his head, and his gaze flickered to Rika who stood over Danielle’s shoulder. “Danielle, how do you know he’s a boy?”

She furrowed her brow and stared at him like three horns grew from his forehead. “It’s as obvious as the nose on your face. Any idiot can see that.”

Rika raised an eyebrow staring at Ronan as a wry smile crept across her face.

Heat flashed across Ronan’s neck, and he turned away. “Perhaps idiot is a bit strong.” He mumbled the words under his breath.

Danielle reached out and scooped up the bear cub pressing him to her chest. “Is this an ice bear cub?”

The bear cub’s long pink tongue reappeared licking the tears from Danielle’s chin and cheeks.

“Yes. He saved my life in the Adris Mountains. We’ve sort of grown on each other ever sense.”

“The Adris Mountains?” Danielle said.

Outside the emperor’s quarters the ground trembled. Gleaming black scales appeared through the open doorway. Thoth lowered his neck and body to the ground moving his head through the archway. He searched the room until his gaze settled on Ronan. The mighty dragon lowered his head resting his jaw near Danielle and the ice bear cub.

“I’m glad you’re here. You’ll want to hear this too.” Ronan spent the next few minutes relaying information about Tara and the Baerinese. He spoke of Porthleven’s walking dead and his and Rika’s encounter with Moira in the Adris Mountains. He retold her story of Elan, Lora, Tara, and Trace, and of a man named Gabriel who befriended the dragons.

“I haven’t seen Devery in weeks,” Ronan said. “I’m afraid he’s gotten mixed up with Tara, but I’ve no way of knowing for sure. For all I know, an undead army might be attacking Freehold right now.”

“What about you Danielle,” Rika said. “How did you end up here?”

“It’s a long story, and we haven’t much time, but it’s important, so I’ll tell you what I know.” Danielle retold her and Keely’s adventures in the Chukchi Desert. She described meeting Brees, and the strange sweet diamond herder named Fizzle. She told Ronan and Rika about the plague and her discovery of the Heartwood disaster. She ended by telling how the Obsith kidnapped her and stole Lora’s sphere.

Keely glared at Arber with murder in her eyes. “What about him Danielle?” She pointed at Arber. “Why are you letting him live?”

Arber looked to Danielle, and she nodded. “If you’ll hear me out, I’ll try to explain what’s happened these last few months.” Arber spoke for several minutes. He shared his story about the mysterious visitor and the visions placed in his head that had all come true. He spoke of Martell and his travels to Zen, and the deal he made with Trace.

“Trace is on his way to Freehold,” Arber said. “He’s after Elan’s Sphere, but he didn’t say why.”

“We have to reach Freehold before Trace, but how? He’s already got a good head start,” Ronan said.

Thoth raised his head. “I can bridge the distance.”

“I’m grateful for your confidence,” Ronan said. “But, I don’t see how it’s possible to catch and bypass Trace’s entire herd without detection.”

“I can fly higher than any dragon under Trace’s control.”

“At those altitudes the air is thin. How can you hold your speed without dropping from exhaustion?”

Thoth paused before answering. “Tell me more of your power young Silver Soul. How did you manage to break the enchantment controlling me?” Thoth said.

Goose bumps rose on Ronan’s neck. “Silver soul? Why did you call me that?”

“Every creature’s soul leaves a thread for others to follow,” Thoth said. “Most human souls are ordinary, emitting thin strands of faint gray, and their auras shine with the same dim gray light.”

“Some humans have much brighter soul threads.” Thoth looked around the room. “Humans that use magic have souls and auras that burn much brighter with far different colors.”

Ronan scratched his chin. “What color is Rika’s soul?”

“You cannot see?” Thoth said.

“I can’t. I don’t know how,” Ronan said.

“Lady Rika’s soul burns a dark green like the forest from which she came.” Thoth nodded toward Keely and Arber. “Their souls burn with the same green color although Master Arber’s soul thread isn’t as bright.”

Arber’s gaze drifted downward as if in shame.

Thoth’s head twisted toward Jeremy. “The shield knight’s soul thread is a vibrant blue as those knights with similar power. I’ve also seen knights with white and yellow threads.”

“And Danielle?”

“Unlike any other human, the Earth Mother’s soul thread burns with two cords. The first is dark green like Lady Rika’s and the second, a paler shade of green, like those you call wardens. Her aura shines with powerful energy. Many of my kind hold her in great reverence.”

“Thank you Thoth,” Danielle said.

“And my soul burns silver? I’d expect a combination of three threads. White, blue and yellow,” Ronan said.

Thoth nodded his massive head. “Your soul thread is thick like a tree trunk, and your aura burns with the intensity of a silver sun. It’s unlike any human soul I’ve encountered. Not even dragon soul’s burn with such power.”

“Don’t let that go to your head Ronan Latimer,” Rika said.

Ronan’s face flushed. “Thank you Thoth, and don’t worry Rika. I’m sure you’ll keep me honest.”

“Can you explain how you broke the chain imprisoning me?” Thoth said. “The magic you used felt unlike any I’ve experienced yet familiar somehow.”

“I used spirit magic like Jeremy’s, but I mixed raw enhancement power with it,” Ronan said. “The knights with the yellow soul threads use such power.”

“When it touched my skin I felt a surge of power enter my body,” Thoth said.

Ronan raised an eyebrow. “That’s odd. You just described how a battle knight experiences his magic. But, their magic is nontransferable. They can’t lend it to another.”

Thoth grinned. “Might it be transferable under the right conditions?”

“Right conditions?”

“Embrace your enhancement magic, and open you mind to me,” Thoth said.

“Is this safe,” Rika said. “No matter his intentions, I don’t want him draining the life from you. You’re both fooling with magic you don’t understand.”

“I agree with Rika,” Danielle said. “This doesn’t sound safe.”

“We’re out of options,” Ronan said. “If we don’t stop Trace, we’ll all be at his mercy.”

“If you’re going to do it, get busy. Time’s wasting,” Keely said.

A prickle of doubt pinged Ronan’s mind, but he pushed it aside. “Okay. Here goes.” As Ronan embraced his enhancement magic, yellow energy shimmered above his skin.

Ronan felt Thoth’s mind press against his seeking a deeper connection than he’d tried in the past. Thoth’s mental link probed Ronan’s subconscious mind. Ronan dropped his defense allowing the dragon’s request.

A low hum like a lion’s purr came from Thoth’s chest, and his eyes opened wide in astonishment.

Like a river diverted by a beaver damn, enhancement energy flowed away from Ronan’s body. It crossed the mental bridge supplying Thoth with a wellspring of power.

Ronan’s legs buckled as overwhelming exhaustion overcame his body, and he staggered.

Rika leaped toward Ronan and wrapped her arm around his waist. She flung his arm over her shoulder offering support and glared at the ebony dragon. “Stop it! You’re hurting him!”

The mental bridge collapsed, and the steady flow of enhancement magic resumed its natural course.

Strength returned to Ronan’s legs. He steadied himself pausing for a moment to hold off a bout of dizziness that left his stomach feeling queasy.

“I apologize Silver Soul,” Thoth said. “I meant no harm.”

Ronan held up his hand and waved off the dragon’s apology. “I experienced something similar the first time I channeled enhancement magic. It’s difficult to control. You just need practice.”

“Practice!” Rika folded her arms and glared as anger flashed in her eyes. “If he draws too much of your energy, it’ll kill you. Where will you be then?”

“I understand Rika, but we’ve no choice.” Ronan relaxed his shoulders and stood as his senses returned to normal. “Thoth, can you use my power to get us to Freehold faster?”

“Without a doubt,” Thoth said. “The power offered me great strength. I could fly twice the speed of any in Trace’s herd.”

Ronan gave a short nod of satisfaction. “Good. We can go then. Just try to take it easy on me. Okay?”