Arlo's Revenge: Chronicles of the Fifth Kingdom, #3

By Brian Meeks

The siege of the capital was eminent…

…and a secret journal might hold their only chance of survival.

There was only one problem.

Arlo, the Royal Archivist, had only ever had one friend. Aldrei the dragon killed him. Bravery wasn't something he had ever needed among the books, but now, Arlo has found a secret journal by a legendary mage.

In the pages, a mention of something called The Saint's Brew.

Could this powerful potion be the answer?

As Marl and his team search for ancient artifacts, in their quest to stop the dragon, Arlo has his own quest, but someone is tracking him.

Will he survive the dangers of the eastern wood to get the answers he needs and the revenge he craves?

You'll love this third installment in the series, because the stakes have grown.

Get it now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian Meeks
• Release date: Aug 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781942810230

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

It had been a long night since Arlo’s best friend, albeit estranged since their fight some years before, was dropped lifeless and broken at his feet. He allowed himself some tears. Arlo hadn’t let people in to comfort him, though. Sharing the pain wouldn’t help.

He wanted to keep it.

Arlo needed to embrace his pain if he was to get revenge for his friend. It was the only way he could imagine living with never having repaired the damage he had caused between himself and Massimo Darnek, his first friend—and his only friend.

The world seemed cold and lonely. It was, in fact, quite chilly that morning. Arlo eased around his modest room, putting into a leather bag pens, paper, the Mad Wizard’s Journal Seventy-Three, some clothes, and a jeweled knife he’d been given by the king when he took over as the Royal Archivist. It wasn’t sharp.

Arlo didn’t even know how to put an edge on it, but he planned to find out. He knew he needed a whetstone and would buy one. This thought hung with him most of the night before. His plan was to seek the necessary ingredients for the Saint’s Brew so he might have the joy of killing the northern red dragon, Aldrei, who had taken his friend. He had never traveled through the kingdom but knew it could be a dangerous place.

He would feel better with a sharp blade in his belt.

For a moment, he thought about just leaving. He couldn’t do that to Lewys, though, as he knew his top assistant would worry. Arlo closed up the leather bag, looked around the room for anything else he might need, and said a quiet goodbye to the happiest place he knew.

It was early; nobody was up yet. Lewys' room was just down the hall, and Arlo knocked softly, almost hoping it would go unnoticed. The beat of feet shuffling across the floor made him tense up.

Lewys opened the door. Good morning. Did I oversleep?

No, you’re fine. I just came…

You have a bag?

Yes, I’m leaving. I need to find and make the Saint’s Brew.

Did you discover the seventy-third journal?

Yes, right before the dragon came.

And it had the recipe in it?

Arlo realized he never checked. There hadn’t been time. He had barely pulled the book from its hiding place when the dragon flew in. I’m not sure, but I can’t stay here anymore.

Where are you going?

There’s a scholar who lives along the coast between the Clifton Stronghold and Levirica. He knows more about herbs, potions, flora, and fauna than anyone alive. He will know what I need, Arlo said, faking confidence.

He wondered if Lewys was thinking him a fool for running off to find something he wasn’t sure existed. Lewys didn’t say so but rested his hand on Arlo’s shoulder. It was quiet for a moment.

Lewys said, You’ll need someone to come with you.

No. You’re needed here to run the archive.

Nonsense. Who knows if there will even be an archive if the dragon comes back and burns this place to the ground? It’s safer to be on the road with you—traveling, seeing the world, running from bandits who want to slit our throats, he said with a grin.

Arlo was surprised by the kind gesture, and worried that if Lewys came along, he might get killed.

Lewys said, I can tell you’re trying to think of some reasoning to talk me out of it. While you do that, I’m going to pack.

He watched as Lewys did almost the same thing. He carefully selected some clothes, a book, and writing supplies. He grabbed a couple of candles and two apples from the table by his bed.

That’s a good idea, Arlo said.

What’s that?

I should have thought about food. Apples would be good to bring along.

We can stop at the market on the way out of town. It should be opening by the time we get down there.

And without realizing it, before Arlo could come up with a reason why Lewys couldn’t come, they were a team planning their adventure. But it wasn’t a frivolous adventure; it was a necessity. Sometimes in a person’s life, in order to keep on living, they must stand up and take action. They must right a wrong. This was his time.

Okay, let’s go, boss.

Arlo didn’t have a horse, but he did have gold coins. He was frugal in life. As the Royal Archivist, his room and a cook were part of the deal. He had last spent some of his money, two years ago, on a nice shirt and pants to go to dinner with a woman who was visiting from Wexstone to do some research on the mating habits of the Stone Basilisk, a subject Arlo found interesting.

He had never been good with women, and his genuine interest in her area of study had been mistaken for flirting. He asked her to dinner because he wanted to hear all about her research. They hadn’t talked much about the Basilisk, and he just remembered her ordering lots of drinks and then the smell of her on his pillow after she was gone.

Arlo shook his head. He didn’t know why she had popped into his mind. Let’s go buy some horses.

There were several liveries in town. Lewys suggested the one near the east gate, as he had a friend who ran the place and was sure they would get a good deal. Lewys had friends everywhere. He was just one of those guys whom people liked and remembered.

They left Lewys' room, and Arlo turned to the right, but Lewys went left. He said, I think we should let the lads know we’re out on a research mission and may be gone a while.

Arlo hadn’t thought of it that way. In his mind, he was quitting the job he loved to pursue justice. Lewys was right, though; they could travel for research. He doubted the king would even notice, care, or want to be bothered with hearing about it. Once he put someone in charge, that would be that.

The little pain in Arlo’s gut that had been there all morning went away.

Lewys called a meeting. He explained that Arlo had cleverly found the missing journal, they were off to find the ingredients, and everyone should continue working to find anything they could on the Saint’s Brew or the Scarlet Witch.

He added, just before they left, but after all the goodbyes and good lucks, We’re over the hump now, boys. No need to kill yourselves. Just keep plugging away until we get back.

They were almost out the door, when one asked, If we find anything important, should we send a bird?

Lewys said, Good idea, send one to Kavarni, Levirica, Dorodia, and Wexstone. We may need to cover the entire coast before we’re finished.

And it was done.

They walked out of the Royal Archives, across the palace grounds, through the gates and the Five Towers Plaza to the main street and headed east.

An hour later, they were on the road. Lewys was right, and they got an incredible deal on their horses. Arlo was in a much better mood, now that they had left the city. They had gone back to the market with the horses and loaded up on food because they would likely need to camp before they reached Kavarni.

The road was pleasant. Each person they saw asked if they had seen the dragon and whether the rumors were true that it had an army and wanted to conquer the kingdom.

Arlo tired of the questions, as it was painful for him to talk about. Lewys, who hadn’t been there when General Massimo Darnek died and knew nothing about Arlo’s past, was glad to tell the story. He seemed to enjoy it. This suited Arlo just fine, and while Lewys talked, Arlo kept his mind busy putting some thought into naming his horse. They were going to cross a small patch of desert, and it seemed mean not to give his horse a name before they did.

It was an unusual part of the kingdom; the road between Vallastian and Kavarni was about one hundred kilometers. Nobody knows why, but the once fertile land had, over a brief time, turned to sand. It was rumored to be cursed, but Arlo didn’t believe that. Sometimes things changed, and the fact that nobody could explain it didn’t mean there wasn’t a reason.

When they reached the edge of the desert, it was time for lunch. They stopped at the house of an old man who made his living selling water from his well. They filled their water skins and let the horses drink as much as they could.

They decided before they left that they would ride for two more hours and then stop. That would put them well over halfway to Kavarni and make the next day’s ride easier.

When they made camp, there was still enough light to read. Lewys said he would tend to building a fire with the wood he had bought from the man with the well and get started on dinner. Arlo sat on his bedroll and pulled Journal Seventy-Three from its cloth bag.

The journal started with a lengthy explanation of why it wasn’t included with the rest of the author’s writing. It was as if he knew that this secret book would be found when the time was right, as the writing came across like a personal letter to a friend or loved one. Arlo had read enough of Xnex Willowfont’s other journals to know he was ordinarily meticulous in his scholarly works. He wrote as if to be read by other great minds. The tone in this journal was much more personal.

And it was long.

When it was finally dark enough that reading became a challenge, Arlo put the book away and had some dinner. He told Lewys all about what he had read thus far, even though it hadn’t shed any light on the details of the Saint’s Brew.

Lewys assured him it would get to that. He could feel it in his gut.

The night sky hung no moon that evening. The stars shone down with a promise of hope that made Arlo know he had made the right decision. He was glad Lewys was there to keep him company and to cook; Arlo hated cooking and had never learned how. It would have been a journey mostly filled with jerky and apples had Lewys not come along.

They slept alone in the world.

*****

Just out of sight of the camp of the two men he was following, a lone tracker ate cold food and rested with his blade across his lap. He didn’t like the desert; it was harder to stay invisible. They would be through it soon enough, and he was quite sure these two were oblivious to him and wouldn’t realize they were being tracked even if he rode with them half the way.

Tracking was what Jake Stone did for a living; he was the best.

His employer had deep pockets, and if all he wanted were reports of where they went and whom they talked to, Jake could do that for months without a problem. He wouldn’t even need to kill anyone; at least, this possibility had never been mentioned. He suspected, though, it might come up. Something about the man who had hired him didn’t ring true.

CHAPTER TWO

Subin and the other four apprentices had fled just after the dragon, Aldrei, had flown off carrying General Darnek in its talons. The battle had been lost. They didn’t have time to grab any gear; they ran with what they had had with them in the fight. Subin had brought his sword and small shield. Francis had a small backpack with five scrolls, all lightning, which had gone unused in the battle. The others just had their wands and the clothes on their backs.

Subin wasn’t sure why he had become the leader; maybe it was because his master, Dugen the Blue, had been the top mage, or perhaps it was just that he had said, Follow me, I know a place.

Even as they rushed into the trees away from Mossbrook, they could hear the victorious dragon army running into the town.

He led them back to the swamp where Francis and he had discovered a mysterious crypt with steps that led deep into the ground. They already knew how to get in and the secret for getting out. It would be a safe refuge while they figured out their next move.

The others objected at first when they got to the swamp, but Subin and Francis just went on in, ready for crocodiles and determined to get to the little patch of land deep in the interior, where they were sure nobody would follow. The other three apprentices decided they were more afraid of being left alone than they were of crocodiles, so they caught up and held their wands ready.

It was still well before noon. Traversing the wet path was much easier this time, now that Subin and Francis knew the way. They saw two crocodiles off sunning themselves on a small piece of land below an opening in the tree canopy where the midday sun shone through. If they weren’t so deadly, Subin thought he might have liked to have gone over and had an afternoon nap right there with them.

Resnick’s apprentice, Eldran Vallar, finally recovered from the shock of seeing his master, and the man he admired most in the world, turn traitor. When they stood before the archway, he looked over, saw the cornerstone, and said, Carver’s Crypt. Okay, I’m in. This is where the new chapter begins. I’ve learned all I could from Resnick anyway.

Subin reached his hand over.

Eldran shook it.

You’re one hundred percent right. We’re all done with the past. The quicker we accept it, the better our chances.

Francis, who hadn't even remotely come to terms with Gallock’s betrayal, gave a weak smile and said, I don’t like it, but Eldran is right; they betrayed us, so screw them.

The other two looked like they thought Francis had just sworn in church.

Subin turned to the others. It isn’t for just us that we must survive, we need to get to the capital and warn them: the general is dead, his troops are routed, and the mages have joined the dragon. No doubt, Aldrei will keep moving east until he gets to Trentfri with his army.

Eldran said, That was the direction he flew.

Do you think he already went there? asked Francis.

Subin shook his head. I don’t think he would try to take the capital on his own. He probably circled back, but I have no idea. We can’t worry about that now; we need to figure out what we’re going to do for food, settle in for the night, and then make a plan for tomorrow.

The other two apprentices whispered something to each other, but Subin didn’t care. If they wanted to form a separate little band and take off on their own, well, that was their call.

Francis showed them how to open the door. They all entered the crypt and eventually made their way down to the room where Subin and Francis had spent that night. The next thing they needed to decide was, were they going to stay there or head in a little deeper to see what they could find.

Francis and Eldran wanted to check it out. They reasoned that with five of them, who all knew how to cast spells, they were safe enough.

The other two thought exploring was a bad idea.

Subin cast the deciding vote. They would go a little deeper, see if there was anything of value, and then rest for the night, but before they did that, he made a suggestion. Why don’t we go back up and see if we can find some wood? There are dead trees all over the swamp, and we may find some branches and such that could be burned.

Eldran asked, Won’t they be all rotted?

Maybe, but we should also check and see if we can find anything to eat.

Francis asked, Do you mean like one of the crocodiles?

That’s what I mean. It’s better than going hungry.

As they climbed the sixty stairs back up to the swamp, Subin couldn’t help but beat himself up a little for not thinking about food and firewood earlier. The walk made him thirsty; that was another problem to add to the list.

Before he could mention his concerns about drinking water, Ko Pothine, who was the apprentice for Luke, said, I can summon a bunch of things we might want.

Eldran said, "I can already see that my teasing you about reading Mundane Summoning for the Travel Mage was wrong."

Ko shrugged. It’s fine. You’re always teasing someone about something, and we know you were having a goof. But I do remember four or five spells. Well, I hope I do. There are two, which I’m sure I know.

Subin asked, What is Mundane Summoning?

Ko answered, It’s magic where you make things. For instance, this hike up and down the stairs has made me thirsty, and I’d love a cool drink of water.

Subin said, I was just thinking about water, but I don’t think we want to drink from the swamp.

I can turn tainted water pure. At least, I could a few years ago when I was practicing this stuff. And hopefully, I still remember how to create a bucket.

Subin hadn’t ever considered using magic to make things from thin air. He had so much to learn, but he guessed the other apprentices, who had been studying for years, would get him up to speed quicker than Dugen would have, had he not turned against the king. Is it hard?

Ko shrugged. "It depends. Summoning a giant wolf takes practice and a lot of energy. A living, breathing, fighting wolf, is more complex than an oak bucket. But the oak bucket is meant to last forever, or if you don’t have enough magic energy, at least a day or two. The wolf disappears after a short while. It’s