King's Gate 2: A High Fantasy Harem, page 12
“I am one of only a few dragons left around here,” Everett offered. “We are half breeds, mixed when the dragons and other species came around the planet. Our very existence created conflict in our clan. Many wanted us killed as soon as we were born. Being mixed made us useless, and they were convinced we would bring danger to the rest of the clan because we weren't like them. Others disagreed and said we were just as valid. But it didn't matter. When they found out about my rare magic, it was all over. Our mothers and anyone who resisted were killed. The forces fighting for purity decided we had tainted what had been sacred ground, and they had to move on. We were abandoned here, left to figure out life on our own. The bones here are our only connection to our ancestors. We gain strength and comfort from them.”
“I'm so sorry,” Celeste told him, softly.
“What is your rare magic?” Jocelyn asked.
“I hold within me all the history and hierarchy of every race, class, and species on this planet from the day Ratonyia came into existence. The information is in my mind. I can tell you strengths and weaknesses of every living being on this planet, detail every war that has ever been fought, and even the ways to restore the portals back to their natural order. I'm sure you can imagine how dangerous that is and how much The Covenant would like to silence me.”
The potential benefits of having the half-breed as a part of our army we're obvious, but I couldn't help but be amused thinking that this boy's super power was essentially that he was the ultimate nerd. It was exceptionally unexpected, but somehow made him fit perfectly among our ranks.
“That's why we're here,” Celeste told him. “You don't have to stay in exile here. You can stand up for your kind and fight against The Covenant. I am meant to raise up an army that will stand against them and reclaim our planet. Alex is destined to rule, and we will fight behind him to ensure he eliminates The Covenant and takes control. I've been able to sense you for a while now, and we came here to find you and bring you into our numbers. Will you come with us?”
Everett gripped the bones of the cage again and let out a roar. The cage disappeared and we rushed up to gather around Celeste and Jocelyn. He didn't have to tell us he agreed or that he was ready to come along with us in our fight. Freeing us was enough.
24
“When do we leave?” Everett asked.
“We need to continue on our way as soon as possible,” I told him. “The longer it takes us, the more opportunity The Covenant has to gain control and manipulate their followers. We need to find the other members of our army so we can build up our strength and forces against them.”
“Before we go, I need to say goodbye to the others.”
“The others?” Celeste asked. “The other three dragons?”
“Yes. The other halflings. We've been together our whole lives. We are all each other has.”
“You know they attacked us,” Celeste told him. “They threw balls of fire at us and then when they heard me mention your name, they trapped us in that bone cage.”
“They did what they had to do,” Everett retorted. “There were more of us. The three you already encountered and me weren't the only halflings abandoned by the rest of the dragons. There were more, but they didn't survive. One by one the others died out or were destroyed. We watched as other species attacked and members of our family were killed. The only thing they did wrong was trying to trust others. They wanted so much to be accepted again that they threw themselves at the mercy of people who had none to offer. So, we learned to protect ourselves. We defend before we listen. It's how we've gotten through the years on our own.”
“Of course, you can say goodbye to them,” I told him. “This is something you're doing for them as much as the rest of us. They deserve to know how courageous you are being.”
Everett guided us deeper into the boneyard. When I thought about this place, I had imagined something closer to all the iconic images of an elephant graveyard with the enormous rib cages and tusks scattered across the ground. I imagined the bodies of dragons, the bony frames of their wings and the hard plates along their backs, spread out across the ground to be admired and remembered. Instead, most of the yard looked nearly empty. I had to look closer to see the bits of bone sticking up out of the dirt. Occasionally there was a larger piece, claws protruding from the ground, or a skull resting in plain view. For the most part, though, the revered bodies had been protected beneath the ground. He led us among the bones and then across stretches of empty dirt until we reached the mouth of a cave, then he took a step inside.
“Samuel?” he called out. “Eric? Micah? Are you here?”
“Everett?” The voice of one of the dragons from earlier came out of the darkness deeper in the cave. “Is that you?”
“Yes. We're coming in.”
He gestured for the rest of us and we walked cautiously behind him as he led us through the rocky entrance to the cave and deeper into the caverns. I knew this was the person we'd been looking for, the member of the army Celeste had been tracking, yet there was still a hint of hesitation in the back of my mind. Following half-dragon strangers into a cave put me on edge, and my hand stayed close to the weapon on my hip. Everett brought us into a cavern filled with light from torches positioned at various intervals around the edges of the room. The other three dragons were reclined on what looked like makeshift furniture, constructed from rocks and remnants of plants. One got up and took a step toward me, and my hand tightened around the handle of my knife.
“Micah, stop,” Everett said. “They're with me.”
“Who are they?” the other dragon asked. “They just came into the boneyard without any announcement or introduction and started asking for you.”
“They are allies,” Everett told him. “They are on a crusade against The Covenant and need forces. Celeste here is seeking out rare magic users to train into an army to fight alongside Alex. I'm joining up with them.”
“You're leaving?” another of the Dragons asked.
“Yes. They need me. You might be used to me by now, but there are very few people like me on Ratonyia. I have to do what I can.”
“We need you, too. You're our leader, Everett. What are we supposed to do without you?”
It was clear the younger of the three dragons felt abandoned by Everett leaving, and the sadness in their voices made my throat ache. This wasn't something I expected. Celeste was so young, far too young to be leading an army on her own, but I thought she was going to be the aberration. I hadn't expected us to be scouring the planet for more teenagers who were hurt and mistreated, never feeling like they fit in anywhere. Watching them fall into place among our ranks was bittersweet, with an edge on the bitter.
“You will do fine without me,” Everett promised. “I've watched you grow strong. You protect this land with everything in you even when I'm not around. Look what you did to them. You didn't even tell me they'd come. You left them in a cage for me to find. Besides, this isn't forever. I'll send word and check in with you as soon as I'm settled with the rest of the army. I might need your help when it's time to face the final battle.”
"Get whatever you'll need," I told Everett. "It may be a long journey."
Everett disappeared further into the back of the cave. Nia took the opportunity to pull her book out of her bag and open it on the ground, gesturing for Celeste to come over and look at it with her.
"Do you feel anything else? Do you have any impressions of things that might be coming our way, either from nearby or from the heart of The Covenant?"
Celeste stared down at the map Nia showed her. She seemed to concentrate hard for a few seconds, then she shook her head. "No. I'm sorry. I can't really feel anything right now. I feel like using my magic so much has depleted me. I might need some time to recover again."
Nia nodded and rubbed Celeste's back comfortingly. A shock of worry went through me. I could only hope her exhaustion was a side effect of the magic meant to keep her hidden away from detection from The Covenant, and not something she, and we, would have to deal with any time she used her magic on a permanent basis. I wouldn't let myself say anything to her about my concerns, not wanting to shake her gradually growing confidence in herself or in the army she was building for me.
"Alex, take your shirt off."
Nia's demand took me off guard for a second and I narrowed my eyes at her. "What?"
"Your shirt," she repeated. "Take it off. I need to look at your tattoo."
"I thought you said it was finished." I peeled off my shirt and held it in front of me while Nia examined my tattoo.
"That's what I thought, but it's changed."
"It has?"
The revelation surprised me, and I looked down at my arm, twisting to look over my shoulder to see how the design had evolved.
"You didn't notice?" I asked.
She jotted down a few more notes, sketching the new elements of the tattoo into her book.
"No. I can't feel it anymore."
Before I could even process what was happening, Nia drew a dagger from her bag and stabbed my arm. Jumping away from it, I looked down where the sharp blade hit my skin and noticed there was no injury. As if she knew what I was thinking, Nia showed me the dagger. I could see it was a deadly point, one that should have easily sliced right through me. Yet my arm was untouched. There wasn't even a red mark where the blade hit.
25
"What the hell was that?"
"I had to test it," Nia said, slipping the knife back into place.
"Test what?" I asked, frowning.
"You said it didn't hurt."
"So instead of taking me at my word, you decided to stab me?"
"It was a poke if anything." Nia grinned.
"Did you have a knife?" I asked, my voice taking on the air of a prosecuting attorney.
"Yes."
"Did you hit me with that knife?" I began ticking points off on my hand.
"Yes."
"Then you fucking stabbed me." I closed my fist, triumphant in my logic.
"I'm sorry. But it proved what I wanted it to."
"And what's that?"
"Your body is evolving. It's moving past the typical human attributes and limitations like pain and hunger,” she said, and there was a hint of wonder there.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"With your unique combination of organic and Dark Fae magic, you are becoming immortal."
It felt like her words hit me in the gut. Immortal. I had no voice, no say in what was happening to me, and living forever wasn't something I wanted, wasn't something I'd ever even considered wanting. Destiny was choosing my path for me and there was nothing I could do but go along with it.
"When you say becoming immortal . . ."
"You're not there yet," Nia said. "You are still vulnerable to many of the things that would be dangerous to humans, and at this point you can very much still be killed, so don't take this as an excuse to run headlong into danger."
"So, I'm still evolving. But what does that mean?"
"Well, you just saw that you can't be injured as easily. Minor issues like that aren't going to bother you anymore. You're also going to be able to go longer stretches without eating, drinking, or sleeping. But you can't push that too far. You still have to take care of yourself. If you try to go too long without any of those things, your body will start to break down. You can't go chasing after situations that could have serious consequences."
"I don't go chasing after consequences. They've all come for me,” I said.
"Even without realizing it, there are times when you seek out danger, Alex. You only think about the end of your mission, not about what you are doing."
I glared back at her. "You're saying it's a bad thing I put everything into this fight?"
"That's not what I'm saying."
"I didn't choose this, Nia. That morning I didn't wake up and think to myself, you know what would be amazing? Finding a portal that will send me to a planet I've never heard of so I can defeat an evil cult and take over control. Sounds great."
"You came here for a reason, Alex. Don't forget that. You didn't just happen to find yourself here."
"I know. The gods told me, but I still don't understand. This wasn't my choice. Nothing that's happening is my choice. But I'm not going to avoid it or resist it because it would be easier. I'm here. I can't change it. If this is what I'm meant to do, I'm going to do it full out."
Everett came back into the chamber, breaking the harsh tension that had built between Nia and me.
"We can rest here tonight if you want and get an early start in the morning," he offered.
I looked at Celeste, who gave a tired nod. Her eyes were a blend of emotion, and I could tell how frustrated she was to have to stop again. She wanted to fight, to push through her evolution and live up to her destiny without letting it take over her like it was. We settled down for the night, relieved to be inside rather than spread out in a camp again, but like the night before, I sat awake watching the others rest. I drifted off just as the horizon got lighter and what felt like minutes before Riley touched a kiss to my lips to wake me.
"Where are we going?" Everett asked when we'd said our final goodbyes to the other dragons and stepped out of the cave back into the dragon boneyard.
"We should keep pushing toward the headquarters of the heart of The Covenant, but it's too far to go straight there. We need somewhere to establish our own headquarters. The more members of the army we find, the more we're going to need a centralized location to plan and train.”
“I know somewhere,” Jocelyn offered.
“Where?” Celeste asked.
“It's a place I remember from my childhood. There's an abandoned mine in the foothills. I don't you know how to get there from here, but if it's anything like it was then, nobody's going to find us there. People think of the abandoned mines as way too dangerous to explore, and since they've usually been emptied out, they don't have much value, either.”
I smirked at her. “Could you have anything to do with them thinking the mines are dangerous?”
A hint of color splashed her cheeks, but she smiled. “Maybe.”
Nia took out her book and opened it again to the map. She pointed out where we were, swirling her finger around on the paper to create a circle around the dragon boneyard.
“This is where we are right now, and this is the heart of The Covenant. Do any of these places look familiar?” She drew her finger along a line of small peaks etched on the side of the map. “These are the nearest mountains. Could it be in here?”
Jocelyn turned the book to give herself a better view and stared at the map for several silent seconds. Finally, she touched it, almost stroking an area of the drawing like she was connecting to memories she didn't want to share.
"Here," she said. "I think this is it."
“Perfect,” I told her. “Let's go.”
We started walking again and my mind wandered, wondering when The Covenant was going to attack again. I tried to force the thoughts away, reminding myself that wasting time and energy on worrying about it was putting negativity out into the world. It wasn't going to do us any good and could possibly jinx us. Superstition wasn't something that usually came into play for me, but as everything unfolded in front of me, I figured every little bit helped.
Our path turned slightly as we headed toward the foothills and a sense of excitement built inside me. This suddenly felt even more real. We were moving toward the spot where we would settle, where we would create our own headquarters and begin the harder work of training up our army and preparing for the fight. Rather than feeling like a band of misfits wandering the planet, we were putting down roots and establishing ourselves as our own distinct unit.
We'd been continuing on our way for a few minutes when I heard a soft thudding sound over my head. Looking out, I saw the outline of a large creature flying toward us. As it got closer, I realized it was Sabrina in her dragon form. When she was close, she seamlessly shifted in mid-air to land on my shoulder in the form of a hawk. I reached up and ran my fingers along the smooth feathers of one wing and her beak nipped playfully at the hair along my temple. She hopped down and stood up in human form again.
"You changed directions," she said.
"Jocelyn is going to show us to an abandoned mine we can use as our headquarters. Where have you been? We thought you'd abandoned us."
She smiled and leaned in to give me a quick kiss. "I wouldn't do that," she said. "I flew ahead to check out the path ahead of us. You had the halflings well under control and I figured it would be more helpful to gain more perspective of our surroundings. Someone saw me flying and I had to lay low for the night. I'm not exactly interested in people finding out I'm a shapeshifter and having The Covenant getting their hands on me when the rest of you aren't around."
"I'm glad you're safe. What did you find out?"
"Our movements are definitely being tracked. They knew where we were headed and there is a trap waiting ahead on the original path we were following."
"A trap? The first Covenant follower?"
