Wayward Tail: The Mortal Realms Trilogy, Book 1

A Familiar Voice

Six days until "Layla" was no more. Artifax was exhausted, but his mind continued to think about his lost love. The trio sat around the fire on the eighth evening having just come from the bowels of the mountain.

Dusk was settling on the land earlier than they had expected because of the height of the mountain to their back. Their view was to the east, into the Howling Forest. This forest, called the King's Forest by the northerners, was to be their destination. From there, the Fey city of Sinaelestra would appear and within her they would find a portal to Oman Isle.

Artifax looked across the fire at the face of the barbarian who had just buried the remains of his sister. Throk was emotionless, yet Artifax could tell, deep in thought. Ladon was laying mostly horizontal, watching the sky become a darker shade of blue.

Artifax appeared more like his self of old in the dim light. His inner scales were less visible and his reptilian pupils were masked. He spoke to his two silent partners, "We found more than just your sister in those caves."

Ladon responded, "I nearly found my makers... Thank you for taking that shot for me Artifax."

"If I had known how bad it would hurt..." Artifax paused and smiled, knowing that Ladon could guess what he was thinking next.

"I was right," Throk chimed in. "I was right about you little dragon."

Artifax looked over at the big man in disbelief, "You guessed that I would get dumped in the fire?"

Throk finally returned his gaze back to the makeshift campsite, "You lived, didn't you?" The goliath held up the dragon horn on the end of his left arm, which he had not taken off yet.

"I've been meaning to ask you about that," Ladon spoke finally. "Where did you get that talon?"

"It's his," Throk pointed at Artifax. "Before he was little."

Artifax had recognized the claw as a dragon claw, however, it hadn't ever occurred to him that Throk was carrying around a relic of his former self. "Where did you get that," he asked.

He continued. "It fell out of the sky the night you arrived in Faerun. It was the only surviving piece of your former self that survived the metamorphosis."

"Fortunate for us," Ladon said.

The three chuckled for a few seconds, and before they could continue the conversation the flap of a bird's wings came closer in toward the camp. As Throk came to attention, they saw what looked to be a Raven land at the edge of the fire. It cocked its head as if it were studying each of them. Artifax saw a message at the base of the raven's leg.

"It's a message," Artifax announced, and he sat up slowly so as to not startle the bird.

As be began to reach for the raven, a feminine voice came from the scant treeline behind him. "That message is for me."

Throk stood up quickly and postured menacingly toward the female. Ladon, followed Throk's lead. Artifax, though startled himself, continued to move slowly for fear of setting off another careless melee.

When he finally did turn he had trouble identifying a body to match the voice. The firelight cast shadows everywhere in the trees. Then she moved, and Artifax saw a familiar dark cloaked figure step into the clearing.

"Hello Artifax," Oriander said smiling. "Good to see you again."