scattered through Outremer remain.”
“Probably in other dragons’ hoards.” She patted his shoulder and pretended to care. She wasn’t a dragon and didn’t give a rat’s ass about gold, but he did. His hoard meant something to him, so she’d do her best to learn to care.
“Excellent point, Sandra. They probably are in others’ hoards.” He tapped his chin. “It’s been a long while since I raided one.” He returned to the front of his treasure room, where odd objects lay discarded against the wall. Kneeling, he sorted through it until he held a pewter colored spoon. He rose and placed it in her hand. “This is a saji.”
Her eyes went wide as she stared at it. “A spoon?”
“A magical spoon.”
Running her finger along the cold metal, she sensed nothing special. She shot him a look. Was he playing another trick?
He cupped her hands with his. “I forget how magic-deaf humans are. I can sense it pulsing in your hands.”
She closed her eyes and held her breath. Pouring all her concentration into her palms, she felt…she felt…nothing. “I’ll have to take your word for it. How does it work?”
“It heals the sick. Feed them with this spoon and they’ll become better.”
“That’s it?”
He nodded.
“No chanting, pentagrams, or sacrifices?”
“Nope. Items like this carry their own magic so it doesn’t need to be channeled, but you can only use it one time before it has to be returned to Outremer for recharging.”
“I only have to feed her with this?” Tears made her eyes swim and she blinked them away.
“Who–” He paused as if hearing something. “Stay hidden in here.” Then he vanished.
Chapter 11
Scanning the gateroom as soon as he arrived, Ishi spotted five squat creatures racing through the gate. Unlike goblins, these figures wore spiked helms and sturdy armor. They came to a sudden halt at the sight of him.
The leader gave him a brown-toothed bearded grin. Swinging his axe in a lazy arc, he prowled forward. “Cover the exits. This one’s mine.” He spoke to his comrades in their gravelly language.
Ishi gnashed his flat human-like teeth. Dwarves. Finally, something with fighting skills. He thumped his chest with a double fisted beat. Bring it on. Shifting to dragon form, he laughed as their eyes grew wide at his transformation. Really? The hill of bones at the gate entrance on the Outremer side still wasn’t enough of a hint?
Calling forth lava from the streams that flowed through the room, he snapped them like whips.
The intruders scattered, but there was no cover to be had. Using his control over stone, Ishi had smoothed the area ages ago. However, the dwarves’ gear didn’t melt or catch flame when touched.
Damn them and their metal magic. Lava wasn’t effective enough on these well-armored enemies. Only their skin burned, and even that didn’t deter this tough lot.
With the coordination of a well-trained unit, one distracted him by attacking him head-on as the others jumped him from behind.
Dropping his control over the liquid stone, he rolled across the floor, squashing a hard armored assailant, and unsheathed his sword from its place on the wall. In unison with his sharp tail, he parried their assault. The heavy weapon would have been cumbersome for most large species, but he was Ishi, Gatekeeper of the East. Swinging low to the ground, he cut a dwarf in half. The spray of blood arced over his remaining companions.
“What do you want in this realm?” Ishi shouted at them. Dwarves rarely crossed into Inverness. They valued gold and gems…
He set his clawed feet firmly on the ground at the realization of what they were truly after and drew upon the lava flowing throughout the mountain. No one would get his treasure. He’d melt it first. They couldn’t escape. The fools would bring further confirmation of his existence and next thing he’d know, his den would be infested with the metal-clad vermin. Touching his hoard, stealing it
“Probably in other dragons’ hoards.” She patted his shoulder and pretended to care. She wasn’t a dragon and didn’t give a rat’s ass about gold, but he did. His hoard meant something to him, so she’d do her best to learn to care.
“Excellent point, Sandra. They probably are in others’ hoards.” He tapped his chin. “It’s been a long while since I raided one.” He returned to the front of his treasure room, where odd objects lay discarded against the wall. Kneeling, he sorted through it until he held a pewter colored spoon. He rose and placed it in her hand. “This is a saji.”
Her eyes went wide as she stared at it. “A spoon?”
“A magical spoon.”
Running her finger along the cold metal, she sensed nothing special. She shot him a look. Was he playing another trick?
He cupped her hands with his. “I forget how magic-deaf humans are. I can sense it pulsing in your hands.”
She closed her eyes and held her breath. Pouring all her concentration into her palms, she felt…she felt…nothing. “I’ll have to take your word for it. How does it work?”
“It heals the sick. Feed them with this spoon and they’ll become better.”
“That’s it?”
He nodded.
“No chanting, pentagrams, or sacrifices?”
“Nope. Items like this carry their own magic so it doesn’t need to be channeled, but you can only use it one time before it has to be returned to Outremer for recharging.”
“I only have to feed her with this?” Tears made her eyes swim and she blinked them away.
“Who–” He paused as if hearing something. “Stay hidden in here.” Then he vanished.
Chapter 11
Scanning the gateroom as soon as he arrived, Ishi spotted five squat creatures racing through the gate. Unlike goblins, these figures wore spiked helms and sturdy armor. They came to a sudden halt at the sight of him.
The leader gave him a brown-toothed bearded grin. Swinging his axe in a lazy arc, he prowled forward. “Cover the exits. This one’s mine.” He spoke to his comrades in their gravelly language.
Ishi gnashed his flat human-like teeth. Dwarves. Finally, something with fighting skills. He thumped his chest with a double fisted beat. Bring it on. Shifting to dragon form, he laughed as their eyes grew wide at his transformation. Really? The hill of bones at the gate entrance on the Outremer side still wasn’t enough of a hint?
Calling forth lava from the streams that flowed through the room, he snapped them like whips.
The intruders scattered, but there was no cover to be had. Using his control over stone, Ishi had smoothed the area ages ago. However, the dwarves’ gear didn’t melt or catch flame when touched.
Damn them and their metal magic. Lava wasn’t effective enough on these well-armored enemies. Only their skin burned, and even that didn’t deter this tough lot.
With the coordination of a well-trained unit, one distracted him by attacking him head-on as the others jumped him from behind.
Dropping his control over the liquid stone, he rolled across the floor, squashing a hard armored assailant, and unsheathed his sword from its place on the wall. In unison with his sharp tail, he parried their assault. The heavy weapon would have been cumbersome for most large species, but he was Ishi, Gatekeeper of the East. Swinging low to the ground, he cut a dwarf in half. The spray of blood arced over his remaining companions.
“What do you want in this realm?” Ishi shouted at them. Dwarves rarely crossed into Inverness. They valued gold and gems…
He set his clawed feet firmly on the ground at the realization of what they were truly after and drew upon the lava flowing throughout the mountain. No one would get his treasure. He’d melt it first. They couldn’t escape. The fools would bring further confirmation of his existence and next thing he’d know, his den would be infested with the metal-clad vermin. Touching his hoard, stealing it
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