A few flakes of snow floated down, melting into raindrops as they neared the campfire. Was it snowing on Rupert? He needed the oilcloth to stay warm and dry.
She rose to her feet. This was something she could do.
Her heart pounding with excitement, she readied her supplies—the oilcloth from the cave and a canteen filled with water. She wrapped a piece of dried beef in a handkerchief and slipped it into the pocket of her green woolen skirt.
As she headed up the path to the cliff, the air grew colder and the wind stronger. A dragon screeched overhead, and she spotted it, circling above the gorge. An answering shriek came from another dragon she could barely see in the distance.
The one overhead swooped down suddenly. Its black scales gleamed an iridescent purple and green in the morning sun. Such a beautiful creature. Its wingspan was enormous, its eyes golden as they fastened on her.
She froze, frightened for a moment that it might unleash a torrent of fire at her. But maybe this was the dragon that had saved her yesterday. With a tentative smile, she waved a hand in greeting.
With a screech, it shot up into the sky.
She took a deep breath. Safe, for now. As she continued her climb up the steep, narrow path, she began to suspect that the dragon had checked her for weapons. She doubted she looked like much of a threat. But Rupert might, since he was probably armed.
The air grew more frigid, and flurries of snow swept around her. She draped the oilcloth around her shoulders, holding it tight in her fists as the wind snapped at it. The trees became more stunted and gnarled, a sure sign that it was hard for them to grow this high on the mountain. Even she was finding it difficult to get enough air.
She eased around a curve and stopped in amazement as the gorge finally came into view. The wind burst through the narrow opening with so much power, no trees had been able to survive. Between cracks in the rocks, a few scraggly bushes had emerged, most of their leaves blown away and the twigs outlined with white snow. Large boulders had fallen onto the path, and by peering between two of them she could see the cliff on the north side.
Captain Mador and General Tarvis were there, shouting and shooting arrows at the dragon overhead.
Keeping low, she maneuvered up the rocky path to the cliff on the south side of the gorge. There she spotted Rupert, hunched down behind some boulders. Snowflakes flurried around him, some sticking to the brown wool of his hooded cloak.
Her feet crunched on some gravel, and he turned toward her. His eyes flared with emotion. He looked angry that she had come, but there was also hunger in his gaze. Perhaps, like her, he was remembering what had occurred the night before. He put a finger to his mouth to signal silence, then gestured for her to keep low.
Crouching, she approached him.
He gave her an exasperated look. “Why are you here?”
“It’s snowing.” She handed him the oilcloth. “And I brought you some food and water.” She retrieved the dried beef from her skirt pocket.
He tore it in half and handed her a piece. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, her cheeks growing warm.
A screech sounded overhead as the dragon flew by. Across the gorge, Mador and Tarvis yelled at it and let loose a volley of arrows.
“Here we go again,” Rupert muttered, then with a flick of his hand, the arrows stopped in midair and plummeted into the canyon.
“You’re protecting the dragon?” Brigitta whispered.
“Trying to. So far, the dragon has been staying out of range, but the bastards over there are using the wind to their advantage. I’m just taking the advantage away.”
She sighed with relief. “That’s good.”
With a frown, he bit off a piece of dried beef. “I’m not sure if I’m helping. The dragon must think the men over there are lousy shots, because it keeps getting closer. I might actually be helping the bastards to lure it in.”
“There’s a second dragon coming.” She pointed to the east. “I saw it as I was coming around the bend.”
Rupert’s eyes narrowed on the second dragon. “I keep getting the feeling that they’re intelligent.”
“Me, too. I think the one overhead checked me for weapons.”
As Rupert’s gaze shifted to the first dragon, Brigitta moved closer, draping the tarp around his shoulders. He squeezed her hand, and his grip was icy cold.
“You’re freezing.” She took his hand in hers, rubbing it to warm it up.
He lifted her hands to his mouth and kissed them. “I want you to go back.”
She shook her head and handed him the canteen. “I brought you some water.”
He frowned at her. “You need to go back. If the captain and general see you here, they’ll know you’re helping me. Once they report that to Gunther, you’ll—”
“They won’t see me.”
He arched a brow. “Are you planning to never obey your husband?”
Husband? “I am obeying you. You told me to never leave you, so here I am. Besides, we’re not married.”
“We will be.”
Her heart lurched. “Is that a proposal?”
He gave her a wry look. “I suppose I should propose before you do it for me.”
Her mouth twitched. “That would be wise.”
He pulled her close for a quick kiss. “Thank you for the tarp and the food and water. Now please—”
A screech rent the air above them, and they both glanced up. The second dragon had arrived. As the two dragons circled, Brigitta wondered if they were communicating.
Suddenly one zoomed toward them, headed for the gorge at an incredible speed. Across the way, Mador and Tarvis ran to the cliff edge and nocked their arrows.
“It’s coming too low,” Rupert whispered.
Mador and Tarvis shot at the approaching dragon, and Rupert quickly blew the arrows off target.
With shouted curses, the two men readied another volley.
The dragon kept coming, drawing in its wings as if it planned to careen straight through the narrow gorge.
Mador and Tarvis gave a shout of excitement.
Brigitta tensed. With the dragon this close, they couldn’t miss. And Rupert would be unable to stop the arrows since the dragon would be in the way.
With a wave of his arm, Rupert swept the dragon up high in the air. The dragon screeched as it flipped backward, head over tail, losing control of its own flight.
Meanwhile, the second dragon shot into the gorge, and flames erupted from its mouth, engulfing the northern ridge with a torrent of fire.
With a gasp, Brigitta ducked down, but she could feel the heat and hear the horrendous screams. She ventured a peek and spotted one of the officers, his body swallowed up in flames. He flailed about, then plummeted off the cliff. His screams continued, then came to an abrupt stop.
She pressed a hand to her mouth. Smoke stung her eyes, and the stench of burning flesh made her stomach roil.
“I think that was General Tarvis,” Rupert whispered as he peered between two boulders. “I can’t see the captain.” He shook his head. “The men thought they were luring the dragons in. But it was the dragons that sprang the trap. They’re definitely intelligent.”
Brigitta swallowed hard at the bile in her throat, then glanced up. The two dragons were still circling. “They’re not leaving. Do you think they’re planning to attack the captain?”
Rupert’s eyes widened. “Holy crap. If they realize I blew one of them away, they might think I was attacking them.” He jumped to his feet. “We need to go now.”
“Damn you, Seven!” A hoarse shout filtered toward them on the wind.
Brigitta peered through the two boulders and spotted Captain Mador on the north ridge. His uniform was singed, but somehow he’d managed to survive.
He nocked an arrow and sent it flying straight at Rupert. With a wave of his hand, Rupert sent the arrow off course.
“What the hell—” Mador stopped when a dragon shriek interrupted him. With a frantic look, he
dashed behind a large boulder.
Brigitta froze in terror as both dragons zoomed toward the gorge. The first one shot a stream of fire at the northern ridge, and the second one was heading straight for her and Rupert! “Ca-can you blow it away?”
“I don’t want to get into a fight we might lose.” He grabbed the oilcloth tarp, then pulled her to her feet. “Wrap your legs around me and squeeze me tight.”
“Now?”
“Trust me!” He lifted her up so she could latch on to him. “Whatever happens, don’t let go!”
As the dragon grew closer, fire erupted from its mouth. Rupert clutched the corners of the tarp in his hands, then ran up the path.
Brigitta looked around frantically. There was nowhere to go. The path came to a dead end at the cliff.
The fire shot up the path, flames billowing toward them.
Rupert leaped off the cliff, taking her with him.
With a cry, she squeezed his neck and buried her head in his shoulder. They plummeted a short way, then suddenly, with a snap, their descent slowed.
With a small shock, she realized Rupert was holding the tarp over them and blowing into it to fill it with air.
Above them, the dragon screeched. She tensed, worried it would breathe more fire at them. An eagle circled them. Brody. She kept her gaze focused on him and Rupert, for she didn’t even want to look down.
They continued to descend, and soon she spotted hillsides covered with trees. Rupert managed to blow them toward a meadow in the valley. When his feet hit the ground, they tumbled over each other, then came to rest on the thick, green grass.
He propped himself up on an elbow and touched her face. “Sweetheart, are you all right?”
“I-I think so.” She gazed up at the cliff far above them. “How did you do that?”
He smiled. “I’ve always thought it would be possible to control a fall that way, but I never had the chance to test it before.”
She sat up. “That was a test?”
“We didn’t have a lot of choice at the time.” He jumped to his feet and gave her a hand to help her up.
As she stood, Brody gave a small shriek overhead. She waved at him. “We’re fine!”
Rupert stiffened. “I think he was warning us.”
“About what?” Brigitta gasped when Norveshki warriors dashed from the woods on either side of the valley.
Within seconds the warriors had surrounded her and Rupert and were pointing their spears straight at them.
Chapter Thirty-One
No wonder he hadn’t noticed these buildings from the cliff, Rupert thought. Each of the log cabins had a roof entirely covered with grass. Looking down at them, they would be nearly impossible to spot.
At first, when the soldiers had surrounded Brigitta and him, he’d been tempted to blow them away. But the chances of escaping all the way to the border had seemed slim. Not when he could see more Norveshki warriors in the forest. And there were still two dragons overhead.
Besides, he didn’t want war with the Norveshki. He couldn’t prove himself peaceful if he attacked them. And their behavior was completely understandable, given the fact that he’d invaded their country fully armed.
Brigitta had immediately told them in Norveshki that they came in peace, but there had been no reply. Two soldiers had stepped closer, pointing at his weapons, then extending their hands. He’d easily handed over his spear, bow, and quiver of arrows. After all, his greatest weapon was something they couldn’t take away.
Then they’d pointed their spears eastward. As he and Brigitta had walked with them, he’d carefully scanned the soldiers and the surroundings. Brody had flown away, probably to let Stefan know what had happened. There were more soldiers in the woods, watching their progress.
The soldiers were tall, dressed in brown leather breeches and green woolen shirts, covered with brown leather breastplates. Their heads were covered with green hoods so only their eyes showed. They hadn’t said a word.
Something about the way a few of the soldiers walked caught his eye. They were as tall as men, but he suspected they were women. With their heads and bodies all covered the same way, it was hard to tell.
He estimated that they had traveled less than a mile when they arrived at a forested area. There were wooden platforms built high in the trees, but camouflaged with branches. Sentries peered down at them.
In the middle of the forest, there was a clearing with several dozen log cabins, each one boasting a roof covered with grass. Just like the lookout towers and the soldiers’ uniforms, the cabins were designed to blend in with nature.
One of the soldiers opened a cabin door and motioned for them to enter. As they did, the soldier said something in Norveshki, then shut the door.
Brigitta whirled around, gazing at the door with a surprised look. “That was a woman.”
“Several of the soldiers were female.” Rupert glanced around the one-room cabin. It was simple. A bed. A table with four chairs. A stone hearth with no fire, but then it was much warmer here in the valley than it had been up high in the mountains. “What did the soldier say?”
“She said to wait here for General Dravenko. Have you ever heard of him?”
“No.” Rupert wandered to a window to look outside. A guard glared at him.
Brigitta drew close. “What should I tell the general?”
“Stay as honest as possible.”
“But how honest? Who should I say you are?”
The door opened and a soldier strode inside with a tray of food and drink. Her hood had been pushed back to reveal dark-red hair. She set the tray on the table, then marched out and closed the door.
“She reminds me of Sorcha,” Brigitta murmured.
“Who is that?” Rupert picked up the pitcher and sniffed at the contents. It smelled like tart apples.
“One of my sisters from the convent. We always suspected Sorcha came from Norveshka. And Gwennore is an elf, so she obviously hails from Woodwyn.” Brigitta frowned. “We were never sure where Maeve came from.” She sighed. “I miss them.”
He set the pitcher down. “They were the ones hugging you at the pier in Ebport?”
She nodded with a sad look.
“Don’t worry.” He pulled her into his arms. “You’ll see them again.”
The door opened, and Rupert stepped in front of her.
A man strode into the room, dressed the same as the other soldiers, except for the four brass stars embedded in his leather breastplate. He looked about the same age as Rupert, but even taller. He appeared unarmed except for a sheathed dagger strapped around the thigh of his brown leather breeches. His black hair was pulled back into a queue and tied with strip of leather. His eyes, a brilliant green, scanned Rupert and then Brigitta. He motioned for the guard behind him to leave.
The door closed, leaving them alone.
The man spoke, his voice deep and confident. Rupert didn’t understand Norveshki, but he caught the word Dravenko. So this was the general.
Brigitta answered as she moved to stand beside Rupert. He heard her say her name, then the name Umberto Vintello, and the word Eberoni. So she was sticking to his false identity as an Eberoni nobleman.
The general motioned to the table, then took a seat and filled three brass cups from the pitcher.
Rupert moved a chair close to Brigitta’s and whispered to her in Tourinian as they sat down. “Don’t eat or drink anything till he does it first.” He watched the general’s face for any sign that he had understood, but the Norveshki warrior’s stoic expression remained the same.
The general asked a question, which Brigitta answered at length until he interrupted her with a few lines that made her stiffen with shock.
“What is it?” Rupert whispered.
“He already knows about the competition,” Brigitta muttered. “He even knows that you’re Seven. But he doubts you’re who you say you are.”
Rupert shot a wary glance at the general. There had to be a Norveshki spy at the Tourin
ian court. Dammit. He would put a stop to that once he took the throne.
General Dravenko took a sip from his cup, then sat back to watch them with an inquisitive look. He said something to Brigitta, and she quickly replied.
“What now?” Rupert whispered.
“He knows I’m the princess and Gunther’s sister. I had to explain that I hardly know him and have no loyalty to him.”
The general said something, and Brigitta blushed as she answered.
“What?” Rupert wrapped a protective arm around her. “Was he rude to you? Do I need to punch him?”
“He asked if I was in love with you,” Brigitta whispered, her cheeks still pink.
Rupert stiffened. “What business is it of his?” He glowered at General Dravenko, then leaned close to Brigitta. “You said yes, right?”
“Of course.”
As Rupert patted her shoulder, the general muttered something else.
Brigitta winced. “He just said Gunther is an ass.”
“Well, that’s true.” Rupert snorted. “Apparently, it’s an acknowledged fact over all of Aerthlan.”
Dravenko’s eyes glinted with humor before he took another drink.
Did the general understand Tourinian? Was the jackass playing with them? Rupert asked Brigitta a question in Eberoni. “Does he know why we’re in his country?”
“You’re here for the head of a dragon,” the general answered in excellent Eberoni before setting his cup down with a clunk. When they stiffened in surprise, his mouth twitched. “Did you think the barbarians from the north are uneducated?”
“How much do you know?” Rupert asked in Tourinian.
“Not everything, or I wouldn’t be talking to you,” Dravenko replied in the same language. He motioned to the food and drink. “It is safe. I need you alive to answer my questions.”
Rupert sat back. “I have questions, too. Why have you taken us prisoner?”
“You are our guests.” The general’s eyes hardened. “But that could change depending on how you answer.” He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. “Did you blow away a dragon?”
Rupert tensed, not willing to admit he had such a power.