Deadly Skies

She found herself relatively calm on the ship this time around.  During the trip to Port Alexi she spent her time with Catherine Foster below decks, trying to control her seasickness.  Now, she was relaxed and enjoying herself.  She thought of several reasons; one, Connacht was back in her life and with him around, she felt safe.  It was that way five years ago, she nodded as he played the mandolin below, and she felt that way now.  She looked up to the sky, through the rigging as she sat on the main deck next to the open doors that they used to lower cargo to the lower decks; two, Clinox was dead, or so she presumed.

However, what remains of Islesen, she had no idea.  Was Jason, Cat, or anyone else still alive?  Someone defeated Clinox, for the gates to the plane of shadow closed, so in her mind she rationalized that one of them must have survived if not all.  Shae remained hopeful.  She had so much to tell, so much to do.  At times, she felt like a child again with the world and future ahead full of wonder and bliss.  She took in a deep breath as the ship rolled along the waves.  For the first time in her life, she was truly going to be free.

A roar of laughter and clapping lifted from below.  Glancing down she saw that Rosalba had leapt on to the table, singing the bawdy sea song that Connacht was playing.  Shae smiled as she watched the young girl.  She could be no more than twenty, and she too was free for the first time in her life.  Shae was proud of herself, feeling that she had a hand in that as well.  Rose, as Shae began to call her, danced vibrantly on the table despite her right arm being in a sling, her left shoulder bandaged, and her thigh wrapped tight.  The young girl was healing fast though, thanks to Connacht's elfin magic and Yassir's priestly blessing.

She was about to call down to her when she heard a whistle from the crow's nest above her.  She stood and walked closer to the ships railing, looking up to see why the sailor was raising the alarm.  Stepping next to the deck officer, she noticed his gaze affixed upwards as well.  He was not speaking, nor moving, seemingly frozen in fear.  Following his stare up to the star lit skies her elfish eyes allowed her to see far more clearly than he did.

At first, she saw nothing, so then she began turning her head toward the rear of the ship.  That's when she saw it.  Massive wings flapped gently in the night sky, guiding a huge body rapidly toward them.  The creature's path circled the ship, descending in turn.  Suddenly her world came to a crashing stop as she realized that what had passed in the past few days was nothing in comparison to what was quickly coming for them.

Shae understood the paralyzing fear on the crewmen, but she had to muster the will to act or her future would end here at the bottom of the sea or in the belly of the dragon above.

Dragon, she thought, could that be possible?  There was no time to debate the issue for it grew closer.  Slowly walking back to the opening in the deck, keeping an eye on the beast, she yelled out two words, “Yassir, dragon!"

A hush immediately came over the hold below, as all must have been staring up at her as she drew her sword.

* * *

Did you ever set out with one plan that was a tad bit shaky, then without warning a new strategy presented itself right before your eyes?  Well Colin began this evening breaking into a home hoping to find any evidence he could that would implicate Shadowgrass.  Colin Brevor did not care what crime the evidence pointed too, any would be good.  He just wanted that damn smug a*s out of his life, finally.

Jason ruined his life.  He thought for only a moment about his wife's comments before she left him a few days ago.  Indeed, they were friends once she reminded him, all of them.  However, wounds inflicted by Jason dug deep.  One was Kaynan, Laurel's son.  Yes, he now was calling the b*****d her son and not his.  He knew deep down that Jayce slept with his wife and got her pregnant.  That was just one of many daggers that Shadowgrass stuck in Colin's back.  Now it was his turn to repay the favor.

Stephan and he tried to bring him down; the “Dark Lord” promised that the plan was foolproof.  Again, Shadowgrass interfered and brought down the mad mage with Laurel and Erinwolfe's help.  Friends he thought, with those friends who needed enemies.

As he sat at the desk of Leeland Parker, all hope began to fleet away.  He searched high and low throughout the man's office, finding nothing.  Colin was on the verge of giving up and seeking yet another path of vengeance when the alternate stratagem presented itself.  It was quite simple.

He checked the manor quite well before settling in at the man's office, all were asleep.  Yet, Parker, dressed in his nightgown, emerged into the room, obviously unaware that Colin was there.  Leeland spied him when he was nearly through the door.  The elder man tried to turn quickly and dash back out of the room, but Colin was faster.  Hopping over the desk, Colin wrapped his hand around the man's face, silencing him, and then dragged him backward into the office.  Putting his left arm around Leeland's neck, he used his right hand to twist Parker's head, snapping the old man's neck killing him instantly and silently.

After letting the body fall to the floor, he closed the door allowing him privacy once more.  That is when he realized an opportunity presented itself; they would arrest Jason for murder.  Moving back to the desk, Colin forcibly opened the drawers, dumping the contents to the ground along with the drawers themselves.  He scattered the contents that sat on top of the desk haphazardly, as if someone was searching frantically for specific documents.

When he was satisfied that the trap was set he casually walked around the desk, stepping over the body of Parker he went for the door.  Opening the door, he saw opportunity number two, Erin Parker stood half-naked in front of him surprised.  Before she could cry out, he grabbed her face with his left hand, covering her mouth.  She tried to spin and turn, but he wrapped his right arm around her thin waist, bring her toward him.

He continued out of the room, pushing her ahead of him.  Reaching the banister in the hallway that overlooked the parlor three floors below he lifted her.  She fought him intensely, her arms flailed, pulling his hair, slapping his wrist.  Colin was too strong for her; he manipulated Erin easily, lifting her up onto the railing, sitting her on it.  He twisted her around so her legs dangled over the parlor.

He leaned her head back to him, her hands searching for the railing in a vain attempt to secure herself.  “Don't bother little one," he said, her eyes were wide and tearful, and her breathing was rapid.  "Sleep tight, young lass," he said as he pushed her outwards off the railing.

She flew out about four feet before she plummeted to the parquet floor below.  Erin's scream went silent a few seconds later as her body hit the floor with a dull thud.  He gazed at her for only a brief second watching the blood quickly pool around her head and chest.  Her cry would have alerted the guards; he needed to move quickly to avoid detection.

* * *

Yassir took no time at all to run to his cabin in the aft castle to retrieve his new dwarfish blade.  He was not sure he heard Shae correctly, did she actually cry out “dragon"?  Regardless, her call for help was immediate, and if indeed it was a dragon, then the dark times have begun.  He knew the prophecies, they were told to him since childhood.  His mother, Aerolyn Baelathkai one of four elfin sisters to flee Dra'che'aeq�"the home of the Great Dragon King, often told him of the prophecies told to her by her father.  It was said that the dragons would return after a war of shadow.  Most took that to mean a portent, a foretelling which could mean years later.  No one, including Yassir believed that it would be so soon.

Exiting the aft castle to the main deck, Yassir did not really know what to expect.  Yet what he saw stopped him in his tracks and took his breath way.  The large black beast flew over head, massive wings keeping it aloft.  Its rear talons, gleaming in the moonlight appeared to be razor sharp.  Using these, the dragon grabbed the ship's crow's nest.

Yassir was not ready for what happened next.  The ship lurched upward, the dragon plucking it from the sea.  He slid to the deck, rolling toward the large opening that dropped to the lower decks.  Catching himself on the wide wooden lip, he averted the plummeting to below.  A loud snapping sound near the center of the ship forced him to look up.  The main mast could not support the weight of the vessel; it broke nearly ten feet up from the deck.

The dragon noticed also, letting the mast go to allow the ship to drop back into her nature surroundings.  Again, the ship shook violently, water washed over the sides, taking some crew as the waves receded back to the sea.  Using the large dwarfish blade, Yassir pulled himself up as Shae slid next to him.

Turning his gaze skyward, he saw the dragon swing around from the front of the ship, making a wide turn heading back toward them.  The two of them stood ready as the beast swung low, lifting its leathery wings back to slow its descent.  As the dragon smoothly dropped to the top of the aft castle he watched its form changed to that of a human.

Again, Yassir knew stories of these majestic creatures and heard they were capable of great feats of magic.  He also knew that the only remaining heir to the throne, Norrelle, used similar magic's to hide herself amongst the realm of humans.  This shape shifting awed Shae and the rest of the crew, but not he.  He lifted his blade as creature became a man and landed gently on the aft castle.

Shae backed away as the man walked to the railing, peering down at them.  Yassir moved forward, not taking his gaze off the dark beast.  He did not know the creature's intentions, but he was not willing to let his guard down.

“Baelathkai,” the dragon spoke, “You do not fear me?”

“No,” Yassir replied, “Who are you?”

“Your king,” the dragon responded.

“I recognize only one,” Yassir answered proudly.

“Yes," Rygerri said drawing out the s as if hissing, "I've heard that before in the past few days.  Nevertheless, I shall be crowned with or without the blessing of the great Baelathkai family.  You stand before me, not showing the respect that I, Rygerri, king of old, am due.  You wave your family's sword high, as to threaten me, but I do not falter.  I do not fear you or your family Baelathkai.”

“So, you are here to slay me then you traitorous beast!”

Rygerri laughed. “No, I am here to claim items that should not be in human or elfish hands.  The power of the planes is not for you to have.  It was locked away from your kind hundreds of years ago, and once you got it into your hands again, you corrupted the power it gave you.”

“We have no such power here!”

“I beg to differ!” Rygerri roared.

From the corner of his eye Yassir spotted Connacht trying to sneak closer to the aft castle door.  The priest looked at him, “Connacht, stand fast.”

“Prince, we cannot allow him….”

“We are in no position now to….”

“Yes,” Rygerri interrupted them both. “You are in no position; I will take that which I seek.  I do not wish to kill you Baelathkai, either of you,” he said pointing to Shae.  “I may need the support of your family in the weeks to come as I take the throne.”

“You may find that difficult to get,” Yassir said back.

“I am sure that not all in your family share your views, mingling with humans, laughing and drinking as if they were your equals.  I trusted them once and was betrayed.  Yes, I believe there are those within your family,” his glare focused on Shae, “who feel as I. I can sense it; both of your thoughts enlighten me so.”

Yassir looked at Shae, and then turned back to Rygerri.  The beast simply smiled at him, then waved his hands at the deck.  A pulse of energy ripped through the flooring, wood splintering in all directions.  The dragon jumped below, disappearing from sight.

Connacht moved next to him, glaring angrily at him.  “You are just going to let him take that book and scrolls,” he said.

“Yes,” Yassir answered still watching the upper deck on the aft castle.

“Do you know what he could do with them?”

“Yes Connacht, I am aware.”  Yassir looking at the young half-elf, “Do you?  Do you know what is at stake right now?  There are now larger issues we must attend to and they are not securing old books and ancient scrolls.”

“What do you suggest we do?” Shae asked.

“We leave him be, make our way back to Islesen and search out Jason and Norrelle.”

He looked back up to the upper decks as a rush of air informed him that Rygerri was leaving.  The dragon lifted up into the sky and with ease reformed into his true self, flying eastward, toward Islesen.

They all turned and watched as the dragon flew away from them.  “It begins,” Yassir said.

“Yes, milord,” Shae answered.

Reviews

[James Watts]

I am glad you are writing again. This seems like this may a large work you are attempting. I am doing the same, currently finishing book one of a series. This is a nice write, and I am going to press on.