Kengr Plains
Claire woke to peculiar shapes moving around her. The world faded in and out of focus for several long minutes—minutes that seemed to last an eternity. From light to dark, her sights moved as she pulled her drowsy mind from its dreams, and strange dreams they were. Foggy images of Vodar wraiths, sword fighting, bright flashes of light, and worse. It all swam in and out of her consciousness.
She forced her eyes to focus on the sky above, swallowing against her dry throat. The moment her mind came to awareness, a sharp pain traveled up her leg. She groaned, clenching her teeth. In the same instant, a switch flipped in her brain. She hadn't been dreaming. All of the images plaguing her were very real, sending a wave of panic through her.
The burning in her leg pulsed, gripping her deep in the gut. She tensed. There was nothing in the world more real than what she felt. She was careful not to move for fear of making the pain worse. She lay motionless, utterly traumatized by what had happened. Was she going to die?
Another groan boiled up deep in her chest.
She closed her eyes and swallowed a few more times as fear washed over her. There was nothing worse than dreading death. The pain wasn't nearly as bad as the fright that came with it, but that told her something. Surely her wound wasn't as bad as it felt, because if it was, she would have been begging for death.
She opened her eyes and pushed herself up. Everything began to spin before settling into a steady state. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Reyr crouched beside her. "Not too fast," he said. His voice was warm, soothing. She looked from his worried face to her wound, her eyes widening. The lower part of her pant leg had been rolled all the way up to her knee. There she saw an angry slash, but no blood, which was a good sign. In the middle of the gash was a black line sending out little black veins like a collection of small tributaries leading into a river. The poison was there—she was very familiar with its appearance.
Reyr followed her gaze. "You can thank Koldis for his quick actions. It was he who saved you. He is the only one of us here skilled at reversing the effects of poison in its early stages. He was able to keep it from spreading at his own expense." Reyr motioned with his head to where Koldis was sleeping, an arm thrown over his face. He looked more handsome when he wasn't scowling. "He is sleeping now. He must regain his strength before we can continue on."
It was dawn and the sky above them was flat gray. The air was humid and sticky, making her more uncomfortable than she already was—if that was possible. "How...how long have I been out?" Her tongue felt thick, her throat like sandpaper, and her voice was almost like a croaking frog's. Which meant she'd probably done a lot of screaming while Koldis was healing her.
"Only a few hours. None of us except Koldis has slept since the attack."
"And...and my wound?" she squeaked. She did her best to hold still. When she wasn't moving, she could almost block out the pain. Almost.
"It will not kill you. The poison will not spread, Koldis has seen to that. But it will pain you until it is properly healed. None of us here possesses the ability to fix it. Not even Koldis."
A new panic set in. "You mean, I've...I've got to carry on like this until...until I get to the capital?" By the end of the sentence, her voice was hardly a whisper.
"No, fortunately not—if you are lucky. We will be upon the forest in less than two days. There you will find the healing you need."
"The—the forest?" He didn't mean it, did he?
"Aye. The Gable Forest. We will be there by tomorrow's nightfall."
She stared at him with wide eyes. "But..." They couldn't go to the Gable Forest, nor Esterpine. That was where the Sprite queen lived. Cyrus told her about the queen and how angry she was with the Drengr monarchy. Moreover, he didn't trust her.
Apparently, he'd marched right in to Esterpine, right up to their queen, and demanded they return the Dragon Stones to their rightful owners. Despite the warnings given, and their need for Sprite protection, he took them anyway. There was no way the Sprites would forget the offense.
Reyr's forehead furrowed. She swallowed. "What...what makes you so sure that I will get help in the forest?"
"I cannot be sure. Perhaps if you ask nicely, the Sprites might take pity upon you."
She snorted. He really had no idea, did he? No idea what happened when Cyrus took the Dragon Stones. How could he? He'd hunted Cyrus for weeks, following the bond they shared, sending him straight to the Gate. It was likely that Reyr had never entered the forest in search of Cyrus—never visited the Sprite queen to find out what happened.
Reyr stood and walked away to speak with Jovari. Their voices were low, so she heard nothing of their conversation. But not long after, they woke Koldis in preparation to leave.
"How is she?" Koldis yawned as he looked over at her. Upon finding her eyes, he quickly looked away and didn't bother waiting for an answer. He merely rose and stalked off. She had no idea what to make of him.
Several minutes later, he returned. After having a quick look at her leg, he went to the fire and removed a pot, pouring some of its liquid contents into a bowl. "Drink this," was all he said before leaving her alone.
She smelled it apprehensively. Tea, perhaps? It was odorless. She drained it. The effect was almost instant as her pain numbed.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she did her best to stand and quickly pack up her belongings, limping pathetically around their little camp. The others did not pity her, and she was happy for it. The last thing she wanted was consolation from any of them, especially after the way they had treated her over the last week.
She was even more relieved that they said nothing about the attack. She expected to be bombarded with questions, but their demands never came. They must have been in a real hurry to resume their journey.
They were soon airborne. She sat nestled in the dip of Reyr's neck, right where it met his wing joints. It hadn't been easy climbing up to her perch. All the technique she had developed was no longer useful with a wounded leg.
Despite their lack of conversation on the ground, in flight, their words flowed freely. They wasted no time in erupting into an open discussion regarding what had happened.
"They were after Claire," Koldis started by saying. "Surely none of us can argue with that." She did not miss the hint of both confusion and surprise in his telepathic voice.
"No. I cannot argue it, Koldis." Reyr gave a mental sigh. "It was obvious to me as well."
"I grow tired of her silence," Koldis continued. "She knows the exact reason for the attack. Yet we are left in the dark. It angers me. She may have known they were coming for us. She could have warned us!"
"I understand, your frustration. But what would you have me do? Torture the poor girl into disclosure?"
Jovari spoke up then. "She has been tortured enough. The blade of a Vodar wraith is lethal. I cannot begin to imagine her pain." The others in turn agreed. "It is a lucky thing, Koldis, that you were there to save her." A short silence followed before he spoke again. "Her wound, the black poison. It reminds me of what we saw on Cyrus."
"So you think it was the Vodar who killed him?" Koldis asked with obvious skepticism.
"Aye, I am beginning to wonder," he answerd.
"It seems entirely possible," said Reyr.
Koldis remained unconvinced. If Jovari's theories were correct, why was she involved at all? What was the reason for it?
"I have no solid explanation as to why, Koldis," said Reyr. "But perhaps if she observed Cyrus's death, perhaps if she saw those who were responsible, then I could argue that their attack on her was a way to tie loose ends."
"And create three more by assaulting her before our very own eyes?" Koldis did not buy it.
"Yes, it is indeed odd."
"Clearly they want her dead," said Jovari. "That tells me she knows something. I would like to know what. What is she hiding?"
They continued like this for some time, speculating over her involvement. What seemed to bother them more was the fact she did not die immediately.
"Any human subjected to that poison would drop dead in seconds," said Koldis. "Many long minutes passed before I could fully attend to her."
She frowned, immediately troubled. It was something she had not yet considered. Cyrus told her much of the same thing when he suffered. Now the Drengr had the confirmation they sought. She was no ordinary human. The last thing they needed was another reason to doubt her.
"And what about her fighting?" Koldis asked. "That was entirely unexpected. You got her that blade, Reyr. She looked at it like it was a snake, like she'd never seen anything like it before. But then she wielded it like it was an extension of her arm."
"Hmm. Yes. I am aware."
This observation did not sit well with her. She too wondered how and why she was able to fight.
"Her style was unique," Koldis went on. "Did you notice? It reminded me of..." He trailed off.
"It reminded you of Cyrus," said Reyr. "Indeed, it was the same for me."
"Cyrus was one of the best. I will always remember him for it."
Each of them agreed.
It was a very uncomfortable conversation to overhear. She wished more than ever that she could tune them out. It felt wrong to listen in, but what choice did she have? Only one positive thing seemed to come from it. They no longer harbored hostilities towards her. Curiosity had replaced their doubt and mistrust.
Many hours passed until her exhaustion took her. She sank into a fitful sleep as her body tried to forget its pain. If she thought riding a dragon was uncomfortable before, it was nothing compared to riding with an injured leg. The longer she nursed it, the more aware of it she became.
Think of other things. Keep it from your mind.
She almost laughed at the absurd advice coming from the back of her mind. Think of something else? She was sitting in the sky on the back of a dragon with nothing else to occupy herself. What the hell else was she supposed to think about?!
***
"If we make good time, we will be in Esterpine by tomorrow night." She was hardly cheered by Reyr's announcement later that afternoon. The muscles in her right leg were clenched tightly, as if that would help with the pain. Even her teeth had become sore from unconsciously clenching her jaw.
Eventually, the flat gray sky gave way to rain. It began to fall in great sheets, cooling the world around them. She was glad to have a bath, even though it left her clothes and everything else sopping wet. She was also happy when the clouds passed and departed south. It did not take long for everything to dry.
As the afternoon waned, a great smudge of green appeared on the horizon. It stretched to the left and right, before her. She knew that she was seeing the Gable Forest. An odd feeling of familiarity accompanied her recognition as it settled over her. Her heart thudded wildly in her chest. Whether it was because she hoped the Sprites would offer healing, or for some other reason entirely, she could not be sure, but seeing the forest on the horizon put her mind at ease.
The land here was not as barren as it was further north. They passed over several small settlements. As they continued south, she began hearing foreign voices in her mind. They were whispers at first, growing louder and softer as they moved along. It took several of them for her to realize these belonged to other Drengr.
A particular set of voices grew increasingly louder over time. She knew then that there were Drengr approaching them. Her eyes scanned the distance, eventually spotting a smudge of color far away to her right. Jovari, Koldis, and Reyr were no longer the only ones in this patch of the sky.
She listened as the first voice said, "Look ahead! If I am not mistaken, those are King's Shields, three of the Drengr Fairtheoir."
"Let's fly to greet them," said another.
Her companions failed to notice. It was strange. Did they not hear the conversation the way she did? They continued along their path without noticing what she noticed.
Maybe her companions could not hear the distant voices because they had not directly addressed them. That meant she could hear conversations others could not—conversations that were meant to be private between Drengr. It also meant that her ability to overhear any and every conversation outranked the telepathic abilities of all the Drengr.
A smile pulled at her lips.
The approaching Drengr were curious about them. They wondered amongst themselves what business three King's Shields had in the North, and what had brought them so far from their home.
"Look!" A surprised voice caught her attention. "One of the three carries a human! It's Lord Reyr. Davi's brother. I thought his mate died."
"Have you ever seen a Drengr Fairtheoir carry a human?" one of them asked.
"Nay. Never," came the reply.
Her cheeks flushed. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Their shocked reactions reminded her of how Jovari and Koldis complained at the thought of Reyr carrying her. Why was it such a big deal?
"Reyr!" She heard Koldis sound the alarm. "Look there. A group of Drengr. From Fort Squall, if I'm not mistaken."
"It is, indeed!" Excitement rang in Reyr's voice.
Just then the new party hailed them. "Greetings Drengr Fairtheoir! Well met!"
The two parties came together and continued flying south towards the Gable Forest. She counted five sets of colorful scales, each with a Rider. And every Rider's eyes were on her. She immediately pretended interest in her backpack.
"We are surprised to see you so far north, Lord Reyr. What brings you to this part of the kingdom?"
"Did someone die?" another voice cut in. "Whose shrouded body is that upon your back, Lord Koldis?"
"Let us discuss this on land," Reyr said. The invitation was accepted. They landed and greeted each other cordially. When the Drengr shifted, she noticed that they were all male. Were there no female Drengr?
There has never been a female Drengr. Not since the beginning of our history.
She didn't mistake the bitterness in the thought. But...why? Why no females?
"You carry a human with you," one of the Drengr stated, looking straight at her. "And the body? Who is it? Anyone we know?"
"That is grave news," Reyr said. "Grave news indeed. Cyrus is dead."
"No! Surely not!" Several in the party gasped.
"How could this be?" A tall female stepped forward. She was dressed in what Claire assumed to be flying gear. A lighter form of armor.
"We do not have the answers you seek," Koldis said. "But we plan to determine them in time. We are going straight to the king with this matter."
"The king does not know yet?"
Reyr shook his head. "Alas, he does not. We will tell him as soon as we are free of the forest."
"Understood." The Drengr who led their charge nodded. "And who is this—this female?"
"This is Claire." Surprisingly, Jovari stepped forward to her defense. "She's with us."
To her relief, the Drengr and their Riders didn't question them.
"Greetings, Claire," many of them said, bowing their heads briefly to her. She didn't miss their quizzical looks.
"Tell me, what news of my brother?" Reyr asked.
The male in charge nodded, cracking a happy smile. "Lord Davi is well. He and Lady Emmy would surely be delighted to see you."
"And my nephew?"
"Also well! Perhaps after you are free of the forest, you might pay them a short visit?"
Reyr bowed his head in agreement. "I intend to."
"Wonderful. We do not wish to delay your journey. Please give the king our sincerest condolences," said the male in charge. Jovari, Koldis, and Reyr nodded. The Drengr backed away and transformed, quickly leaving them as they took to the sky. She watched their ascent in awe. It was the first time she had witnessed Drengr-Rider pairs since hearing about them from Cyrus.
"May as well break here for a few minutes before we continue on," Reyr told her. She gathered his meaning and made her way to a private spot to relieve herself, returning several minutes later.
"Are all Riders female and all Drengr male?" she asked Reyr.
"There has never been a female Drengr." He hesitated, not quite answering her question. "You seem...surprised."
"Why aren't there female Drengr?"
"I cannot say for certain. It's one of the mysteries of our race. It is believed that none were able to fledge after the dragons took on Queen Isabella's blessing."
"I...I see. That doesn't seem entirely fair, does it?"
Reyr shrugged. "You'll have to take it up with the dead queen. You can give her an earful from me when you do." He winked at her.
She let out a nervous laugh. "And your Riders?"
"They are our mates. The bond we develop is lifelong and intimate. That is why the others were surprised to see you upon my back. It is considered quite...unethical to carry another who is not a mate."
"But...why?"
He sighed. "The act of flying with another is considered nearly as intimate as making love."
Her mouth fell open. She had no idea that flying with Reyr was seen in that way. It seemed incredibly absurd—and far too old-fashioned for her tastes. But this was a different world, after all. Clearly people did things...abnormally here.
"It appears that I have answered your questions. Are you ready to take flight?"
She nodded, eager to reach the forest and heal her leg. As she climbed upon Reyr's back, she had to bite her tongue to keep from crying out. Searing pain shot through her leg. They were back in the sky almost immediately, and she was glad, thankful that they needn't walk the distance to the forest.
They did not stop again until it was time to make camp. Already the trees were much closer on the horizon. Koldis took the first watch. She was relieved to rest her aching muscles, relieved to sleep in hopes that she might escape the pain she felt, relieved that by tomorrow night she would hopefully gain reprieve from it.
That night, she kept her sword next to her. She intended to do so for the remainder of the journey. There was no telling when the Vodar might return. And if they did, she wanted to be ready.
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