were like steel. Nath had tangled with one of the baby ones when he was a boy … once.
Great, they smell me, but I don’t think they know who I am.
The bull dragons locked horns with a great clack and shoved their great necks back and forth.
Clack!
Clack!
Clack!
They drew their heads back and struck one another again and again, like claps of thunder.
It was a warning. The bull dragons wanted whoever lurked in their territory to know who was boss. Minutes later, they broke it off and spat streams of flame high into the air.
Always snorting and blowing like the bullheads they are.
All of a sudden, their tails lashed into the leafy forest and smote a large tree into splinters. It tumbled down with a crash. One dragon chomped down on the trunk and slung it into the river.
Splash!
Nath allowed himself a smile.
At least they’re not as smart as they are strong and skull-headed. That’s when he noticed something else. Their tails, long and mighty like great snakes, were not black. How did I miss that? Interesting.
Asthe tree floated by past the corner of his eye, the dragons barked two roars and leapt into the sky. Their wings spread out and beat, and slowly their hulking forms rose into the sky and disappeared from sight.
I’ll never understand how those fatties can fly.
Nath twisted his head upward and peered into the air. Many boulders floated up there, with layers of jaxite below them. There were dozens of them, maybe hundreds, spread out through the sky between here and the city. He smiled, bobbed his head, wrapped his arms up in the vines, and climbed toward the top of the overhanging cliff. For Bayzog.
CHAPTER 25
“Are you happy with yourself?” Brenwar said, glaring at Otter Bone.
The wiry old man shrugged.
“It’s what is best,” the sage said, glancing into the sky, “for the long run. You should know that, being a dwarf.”
Brenwar sneered under his beard and tipped a canteen to Bayzog’s thin lips. Half a day had passed since Nath left, and every minute seemed like an hour. The mage slumped against the tree with red rings around his weak eyes. Brenwar dipped water into his mouth. Bayzog spit it out and groaned.
“That’s touching,” Otter Bone said, “seeing a dwarf tend to an elf. Do you do that often?”
Brenwar shot him a look.
“What kind of man uses poison? You’re evil ilk.”
“I’m desperate. We’re all desperate.” Otter Bone untied a small cloth pouch from his belt and tossed it up and down in the air. “And I’m not evil. Well, mostly not, just twisted. Horse Neck!”
The large brute of a man lumbered out of the woods with a cautious eye on Brenwar. He rubbed a large knot on the back of his head. Otter Bone stared oddly at the knot for a minute and then whispered something in his ear. The man’s lazy eyes enlarged.
“But, why?” he said.
“Just do it,” Otter Bone replied, waving him off with his hand. “And take the others.”
“What was that all about?” Brenwar said. “Where’s he going?”
“We need to move,” said Otter Bone, helping himself up to his feet. His joints crackled as he stretched and yawned. “I swear I feel as old as you are some days. Do your bones get cold when it rains?”
“Dwarves don’t ache.”
“Of course they don’t. And I suppose they don’t feel pain, either.”
Brenwar shrugged his heavy shoulder and said, “We aren’t going anywhere with him like this. And where are your people going?” He bristled. “I’m tiring of your games.”
Otter Bone tossed the pouch onto Bayzog’s chest.
“Just give him a couple pinches of that, and your wizard friend will be fine.”
Brenwar flung the pouch back.
“You take it first.”
“It will cure the poison that ails him,” Otter Bone said, tossing it back. “Well, it’s not really poison. He was just hit with an arrowhead carved from Gorrt Root. It’s just a paralyzing tummy-ache that will pass on its own in a few days. But if you want your
Great, they smell me, but I don’t think they know who I am.
The bull dragons locked horns with a great clack and shoved their great necks back and forth.
Clack!
Clack!
Clack!
They drew their heads back and struck one another again and again, like claps of thunder.
It was a warning. The bull dragons wanted whoever lurked in their territory to know who was boss. Minutes later, they broke it off and spat streams of flame high into the air.
Always snorting and blowing like the bullheads they are.
All of a sudden, their tails lashed into the leafy forest and smote a large tree into splinters. It tumbled down with a crash. One dragon chomped down on the trunk and slung it into the river.
Splash!
Nath allowed himself a smile.
At least they’re not as smart as they are strong and skull-headed. That’s when he noticed something else. Their tails, long and mighty like great snakes, were not black. How did I miss that? Interesting.
Asthe tree floated by past the corner of his eye, the dragons barked two roars and leapt into the sky. Their wings spread out and beat, and slowly their hulking forms rose into the sky and disappeared from sight.
I’ll never understand how those fatties can fly.
Nath twisted his head upward and peered into the air. Many boulders floated up there, with layers of jaxite below them. There were dozens of them, maybe hundreds, spread out through the sky between here and the city. He smiled, bobbed his head, wrapped his arms up in the vines, and climbed toward the top of the overhanging cliff. For Bayzog.
CHAPTER 25
“Are you happy with yourself?” Brenwar said, glaring at Otter Bone.
The wiry old man shrugged.
“It’s what is best,” the sage said, glancing into the sky, “for the long run. You should know that, being a dwarf.”
Brenwar sneered under his beard and tipped a canteen to Bayzog’s thin lips. Half a day had passed since Nath left, and every minute seemed like an hour. The mage slumped against the tree with red rings around his weak eyes. Brenwar dipped water into his mouth. Bayzog spit it out and groaned.
“That’s touching,” Otter Bone said, “seeing a dwarf tend to an elf. Do you do that often?”
Brenwar shot him a look.
“What kind of man uses poison? You’re evil ilk.”
“I’m desperate. We’re all desperate.” Otter Bone untied a small cloth pouch from his belt and tossed it up and down in the air. “And I’m not evil. Well, mostly not, just twisted. Horse Neck!”
The large brute of a man lumbered out of the woods with a cautious eye on Brenwar. He rubbed a large knot on the back of his head. Otter Bone stared oddly at the knot for a minute and then whispered something in his ear. The man’s lazy eyes enlarged.
“But, why?” he said.
“Just do it,” Otter Bone replied, waving him off with his hand. “And take the others.”
“What was that all about?” Brenwar said. “Where’s he going?”
“We need to move,” said Otter Bone, helping himself up to his feet. His joints crackled as he stretched and yawned. “I swear I feel as old as you are some days. Do your bones get cold when it rains?”
“Dwarves don’t ache.”
“Of course they don’t. And I suppose they don’t feel pain, either.”
Brenwar shrugged his heavy shoulder and said, “We aren’t going anywhere with him like this. And where are your people going?” He bristled. “I’m tiring of your games.”
Otter Bone tossed the pouch onto Bayzog’s chest.
“Just give him a couple pinches of that, and your wizard friend will be fine.”
Brenwar flung the pouch back.
“You take it first.”
“It will cure the poison that ails him,” Otter Bone said, tossing it back. “Well, it’s not really poison. He was just hit with an arrowhead carved from Gorrt Root. It’s just a paralyzing tummy-ache that will pass on its own in a few days. But if you want your
Similar Books
