Blood of the Valkari

By David Mason

Beyond the Red River lies the forbidden realm of the Faye. A realm steeped in fable and myth, for to even own its map is punishable by death.
On the wrong side of the river Keera is the first Valkari to step there in a thousand years, and with Merick at her side their adventure is only just beginning.
For at the centre of the realm lies a frozen tomb, where imprisoned within its enchanted ice, lies a malevolent creature so dangerous, only one thing can stop its wrath...
The Blood of the Valkari

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781471736179

David Mason

David Mason grew up in Bellingham, Washington and has lived in many parts of the world, including Greece and Colorado, where he served as poet laureate for four years. His books of poems began with The Buried Houses, The Country I Remember, and Arrivals. His verse novel, Ludlow, was named best poetry book of the year by the Contemporary Poetry Review and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. It was also featured on the PBS NewsHour. He has written a memoir and four collections of essays. His poetry, prose, and translations have appeared in such periodicals as the New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, The Nation, The New Republic, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Times Literary Supplement, Poetry, and the Hudson Review. Anthologies include Best American Poetry, The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth-Century American Poetry, and others. He has also written libretti for operas by Lori Laitman and Tom Cipullo, all available on CD from Naxos. In 2015 Mason published two poetry collections: Sea Salt: Poems of a Decade and Davey McGravy: Tales to Be Read Aloud to Children and Adult Children. The Sound: New and Selected Poems and Voices, Places: Essays appeared in 2018. Incarnation and Metamorphosis: Can Literature Change Us? appeared in 2022. He lives with his wife Chrissy (poet Cally Conan-Davies) in Tasmania on the edge of the Southern Ocean.

Book preview

Chapter 1

What We Do Best

‘TO ARMS!’

Keera’s emerald green eyes snapped open and a smile spread across her face. ‘About time.’

Throwing back her bedroll, she raised her right foot and kicked out at the mound next to her. It mumbled a muffled obscenity.

Springing to her feet, Keera arched her back and flexed her large black wings. Although the sentries had deemed it unsafe to set any watch fires that night it made little difference to Keera, her excellent night vision clearly picked out figures flitting past, some hastily throwing on armour as they ran, others making do with whatever they’d been sleeping in, but they all had one thing in common, they were all armed to the teeth.

And one of them Keera knew preferred to fight with her teeth.

‘Merick!’ Keera hissed.

‘Alright,’ Merick growled. ‘I’m up.’

Keera gave the bedroll next to her a withering look. ‘Do I have to start counting?’

A mop of brown hair quickly appeared from one end of the bedroll. ‘No, I’m up.’

‘You will be up if you don’t move your backside,’ Keera promised. ‘There’s fighting to be had.’

‘This is just great,’ Merick groaned as he sat up. ‘I was having a lovely dream.’

Keera arched an eyebrow. ‘Was I in it?’

‘No,’ Merick grinned. ‘That’s why it was lovely – Ow! Let go, you’re pinching my skin.’

‘And you’re now on your feet,’ Keera said loosing his jerkin. ‘Come on.’

Merick rubbed the spot where her fingers had just dug into his flesh. ‘That’s going to bruise.’

Keera glanced over her wing. ‘It’s when it bleeds is the time to worry, now shift it.’

Begrudgingly Merick left the comfort of his warm bedroll and followed her into the night. Navigating the well-organised chaos of bodies moving around them, Keera led him to an ancient tree that had fallen many seasons before, and they both hunkered down behind its trunk.

‘See anything?’ Merick whispered.

Keera scanned the area and shook her head.

Soon the rustling of boots and bare feet fell silent around them, and the only noise to be heard was that of the cart-hogs as they snoozed after a hard day pulling wagons. Even this deep in the elven lands the ubiquitous hog was still the main beast of burden.

Merick’s hand rested on the hilt of his enchanted sword as he peered into the darkness, but for the moment he kept it sheathed. He caught the faint whisper of voices somewhere to their left, and he guessed whoever it was would soon be admonished by one of the roaming elven guards.

After what seemed an age away from his bedroll, Merick was resigning himself to the fact that this was going to be another false alarm when Keera suddenly nudged his shoulder with her wing. There was just enough starlight to see which direction she was looking in, and he quickly followed her gaze.

It was no good, he couldn’t see a thing apart from a tableaux of gnarled branches silhouetted against the night sky. With little wind to move their heavy boughs, it looked like time itself had frozen.

‘What is it?’ Merick whispered.

‘It isn’t a scouting party like last time,’ Keera said keeping her voice low as she reached for her bow. ‘It looks like a whole damn army.’

‘What shall we do?’

Keera flashed him a toothy grin as she tugged a white arrow from her magical quiver. ‘What we do best – kill them all.’

‘It’s alright for you,’ Merick huffed. ‘I can’t see a damn thing.’

‘Oh I think I’ve got that little problem covered.’

‘Huh?’

Keera slipped her hand inside a hidden pocket in her tunic and pulled out a small glass phial. Holding it between her thumb and forefinger, she waved it in front of Merick’s face.

‘Oh great,’ Merick groaned. ‘Witchfire.’

Keeping one eye on the advancing horde, Keera unsheathed her thumb talon and flicked the top off the phial. Then with a well-practiced twist, she shoved the end of the white arrow into the phial with just enough force so it wouldn’t come away in midflight.

Satisfied the phial was secure, she swiftly nocked the arrow to her bowstring and searched for a target.

‘I thought you hadn’t got any of that left,’ Merick quizzed.

‘I hadn’t, I made this myself.’

‘What!’

Keera’s hand shot out as she clamped it over Merick’s mouth.

‘Shush you idiot, or you’ll give our position away.’

Merick pulled her hand down. ‘Are you crazy?’ he hissed. ‘You know what happens when you dabble in magic.’

‘I’m counting on it,’ Keera purred. ‘You might want to keep your head down for this bit.’

Before Merick could move Keera pulled a wicked curve in her bow and the arrow vanished blink-fast. A heartbeat later and a blinding green flash lit up the surrounding area for a good half a league in all directions, and it was quickly followed by a blast wave strong enough to knock a horse over.

Tucked behind their fallen tree, Keera waited for the rush of hot air to pass over them before she jumped up and screeched her well-practised battle cry.

‘Hells!’ Merick cried as she vaulted over the trunk and vanished into the night.

Scrambling over the gnarled remains of the once mighty elven oak, Merick dropped to the ground on the other side and drew his sword. A hundred or more small fires illuminated the area around a small crater, which Merick guessed was where Keera’s arrow had hit.

Several charred bodies littered the rim of the blackened hole, their limbs distorted and blackened by the blast. A peal of steal rang out somewhere to his right, swiftly followed by a shriek that ended abruptly.

Suddenly what Merick thought was a scene of devastation sprang into life, with dozens of figures rising to their feet, some more unsteady than others. A rallying cry in some unknown tongue cut through the air, and the army Keera had spotted a few moments ago started to regroup. Finding himself vastly outnumbered, Merick ignored all his training and raced after Keera.

He’d covered about forty paces before the first flight of arrows streaked overhead as the caravan’s archers opened up. Those skilled in the bow found their marks, but most were just a token effort and missed their intended targets.

A second wave of arrows sent small groups of lightly armoured troops scattering for cover, while those bearing shields sort sanctuary behind them and formed a hasty wall under freshly barked orders. Merick ignored them and carried on towards the sound of frantic swordplay.

The familiar silhouette of a winged-girl loomed out of the darkness, and for a fleeting moment she was surrounded by several other, equally lithe figures, their swords glinting as they darted back and forth like giant metallic dragonflies. Merick knew elven fighters were fast and highly skilled in swordplay, but they were no match for the lone girl.

Slashing from right to left, Keera swept aside the swords in front her and managed to hack off a single arm before her blade reached the zenith of its swing. Then spinning on her heel, she flicked out her wings, felling two of her opponents as she engaged a brace of elves sneaking up on her from behind.

Keera blinked, and that was all the time it took for the whites of her eyes to flood with a mesmerising green, and even in the dark the elves were close enough to fall under their hypnotic spell, and every muscle in their bodies froze, including their hearts. Keera whirled around again as elven steel arced towards her throat, and her hand shot out, grabbing her attacker’s sword arm.

Unsheathing the talons hidden under her fingernails, Keera tore through his flesh and severed his tendons, rendering his arm completely useless. A blindingly fast thrust from her sword silenced his scream, and she pushed him away as a trio of elven fighters stood side by side and advanced as one.

Flicking her horsetail over her shoulder, Keera took up a fighting stance as her eyes darted from one to the other. It was only the slightest twitch of a finger that gave one of the fighters away, but it was enough to seal his fate as he reached for a hidden throwing knife.

Keera’s sword spun end over end as it cartwheeled towards him, covering the distance between them in a blink of an eye. Its keen edged blade skewered his heart with ease, and when the hilt struck his chest the force behind it knocked him off his feet.

That was the trigger for the other two elves to attack, and they both lunged forward together. Keera hopped nimbly to her right, using the closest opponent to shield her from the other one.

Finding himself in a lethal game of hog-in-the-middle, and with Keera jumping about like a flea on a warg’s back, the elven soldier started to overreach himself in an attempt to skewer her on his blade. Convinced she posed less of a threat without her sword, he feigned several attacks before going in for a quick kill.

His lunge would have been perfect if Keera had kept still. But she danced around his blade with little effort, grabbed his sword arm with both hands and wrenched his elbow back into an unnatural angle, dislocating it with a satisfying pop.

Still maintaining her hold, Keera spun him around and threw him face first into the trunk of a tree. A red smear marked the spot where he hit, and he left at least one broken tooth in the bark before he collapsed in a heap between the tree’s gnarled roots.

Keera whirled round and faced her last opponent, who was already moving quickly towards her.

‘Wait!’ Keera cried. ‘I’m unarmed.’

A sneer spread across the face of the elven soldier as he halted and levelled his sword at her throat. ‘On your knees.’

Keera glanced down at the ground and shook her head. ‘Not here, it looks too muddy to me, my knees will get dirty.’

‘Then you’ll die where you stand.’

‘Not today I won’t,’ Keera grinned. ‘Haycon!’

Keera’s enchanted sword heard her call, and in the blink of an eye it flew straight into her waiting hand. Unfortunately for the elven soldier he was standing in its path, and his light armour offered little protection as her blade cleaved him cleanly in two just above the waste.

Mortally wounded and unaware of his predicament, he instinctively tried to take up a defensive stance, and for a fleeting moment he couldn’t understand why his legs refused to move. His confusion only grew when his upper torso overbalanced and he found himself face down in the mud.

He was vaguely aware of someone stepping over him, but the effort to look up and see if it was friend or foe was too much, so he turned his dimming gaze on a small beetle watching him through its multifaceted eyes, oblivious to the fact that this tiny creature would soon be feasting on his corpse.

Keera whirled round at the sound of approaching footsteps and smiled as she lowered her sword.

‘You took your time.’

‘We’re supposed to fight together,’ Merick scowled. ‘Stop running off.’

‘I didn’t run off,’ Keera pouted. ‘I ran here, and if we don’t hurry up she’ll win.’

Merick groaned and shook his head. ‘I thought that wager was over.’

‘It’s not,’ Keera said flicking blood off her sword. ‘She cheated.’

‘She’s a shifter, that’s what she does.’

‘She’s a cheat, the wager was between elf and valkari, not some stupid bug-eyed thing with more legs than it should have.’

‘Well before you two start counting bodies, I suggest we defend this caravan, that’s what we’re getting paid for.’

‘Paid,’ Keera laughed. ‘I haven’t seen a glint of gold yet.’

‘And you won’t see any at all if this caravan is taken.’

‘Don’t be so sure Sir Knight.’

Merick rolled his eyes. ‘Stop calling me that.’

‘Shan’t,’ Keera said pulling a face.

Before Merick could offer a retort a primal roar reverberated through the trees, that not only sent a chill racing down his spine, it also brought the frantic cries of battle to a sudden stop.

‘Is that us or them?’ Merick whispered.

‘Us,’ Keera said rolling her eyes. ‘I know that stupid growl anywhere, come on.’

‘Wait, what if it’s not her?’

Keera glanced over her wing as they ran. ‘Then you’re going for a refreshing night flight.’

‘That’s what you think,’ Merick muttered under his breath.

Cresting a small hill, they found the main force of their attackers hiding behind a shield wall. And instead of it forming the customary straight line, it was semicircular in shape, and centered on a monstrous fanged beast.

Towering over the assembled elven troops, a massive dire-bear stood on its hind legs and bellowed another challenge. It was answered by a flight of short spears, and although most of them struck their target, they did little to curb the bear’s aggression.

With another roar that could be heard from a dozen leagues, the dire-bear fell on the shield wall, breaking it apart with scything blows from its massive paws. While some elves fell back in sheer terror at the dire-bear’s onslaught, those on the edge of the shield wall closed in and tried to outflank it.

With elven steel less than a sword’s length away from the bear’s unprotected flanks, a black scaly tail suddenly rose up above the bear. Some elves took it for a serpent in the flickering light from the surrounding fires, but those closest to it saw it for what it really was, a scorpion’s tail, complete with a sting.

‘Look!’ Keera cried. ‘She’s cheating again.’

Merick watched as the bear melted in front of his eyes, its liquid flesh solidifying into thick armoured plates of chitin. Spinning round on six legs, and swishing its tail like an angry cat, a giant red-backed scorpion halted the elves’ flanking attack.

A heartbeat later and the scorpion’s tail arced over its head and struck the nearest elf in the chest, pumping him full of toxic venom. His eyes were already bulging in their sockets when he hit the ground, and with his body wracked in agonising pain he bit down on his own tongue, turning his lips a vivid crimson colour.

The scorpion managed to deal two more lethal strikes before the rest of the elves broke ranks and turned and fled. The night air was now filled with the manic hiss of the red-backed scorpion as it relished the rout, accompanied by the screams of those too slow to avoid its serrated pincers as they nipped at the back of their fleeing legs.

Merick cast Keera a quizzical look. ‘Aren’t we going after them?’

Keera shook her head.

‘You’re not feeling ill are you?’

‘Huh?’

‘I can’t believe you’re passing up on the chance of spilling more blood.’

‘I’m not,’ Keera said spinning on heel. ‘Let’s get back to the caravan.’

‘But the fight’s that way,’ Merick said pointing to the last of the elves melting back into the trees.

‘A fight that was too easily won.’

‘You’ve lost me,’ Merick admitted.

‘I will do if you don’t pick your pace up,’ Keera retorted. ‘Come on.’

Soon the silhouettes of the caravans’ wagons came into view, but rather than making for them, Keera led Merick back to the fallen tree and they hunkered down behind it.

‘What is it?’ Merick hissed as he peered over the top.

‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’

‘You?’ Merick laughed. ‘That’s what I usually say.’

‘Think about it,’ Keera said. ‘A dozen elves could have taken down a bear that size.’

‘But it wasn’t a bear, it was Sissota.’

‘Even so, those elves were about as undisciplined as a tribe of barbarians.’

‘Now that you mention it they were a little sloppy,’ Merick agreed.

‘So either they’re really stupid, or somebody is being really sneaky.’

‘Huh?’

‘That attack was just a distraction to draw us away from the caravan.’

‘Why?’ Merick quizzed.

Keera flashed him a feral smile. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’

Chapter 2

Deliciously Wicked

‘There was only one.’

‘One!’ Keera cried. ‘It looks like a troop of trolls has trampled over our things.’

‘It doesn’t look like they’ve taken anything,’ Merick said.

‘I’ll take something from them when I catch them,’ Keera promised. ‘What did they look like?’

The lone elf quailed under Keera’s piercing gaze and he glanced over his shoulder at some of the other members of the caravan. All wary of the angry winged-girl, none of them volunteered their support.

‘I didn’t get a close look.’

Taking pity on Elum, the leader of the caravan, Merick rose to his feet. ‘Did anybody else see who messed with our things?’

He was met by a stony silence.

‘Great,’ Keera snarled. ‘This is what we get for risking our lives to protect these idiots.’

‘I saw him,’ a shrill voice called out.

Keera turned as a small elven girl barely six summers old stepped out from behind the protection of her mother’s skirt.

‘You saw him?’ Keera quizzed.

The girl nodded enthusiastically.

‘My Mama told me to hide under our wagon when the bad elves came, but I peeked out.’

‘That was a little naughty of you,’ Keera smiled.

‘I know,’ the girl said looking up at her mother. ‘But I won’t do it again.’

The girl’s mother gave her daughter’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

‘So,’ Keera continued. ‘What did he look like?’

‘That’s easy,’ the girl beamed as she jabbed a finger straight at Keera. ‘He looked like you.’

‘Me!’ Keera gaped.

The girl nodded again. ‘He even had your eyes.’

* * *

Shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand, Merick scanned the horizon. Finding no threat, he looked up at the single cloud that marred a perfect cornflower blue sky – a cloud that seemed to be following them.

‘You’ll get a bad neck,’ Keera sang.

‘What if he’s up there now, watching us?’

‘If he is you’ll never spot him from down here, but we could always…’

‘No,’ Merick scowled. ‘We’re not flying anywhere.’

‘Suit yourself,’ Keera said shrugging her wings.

Walking at a pace to suit the slowest hogs in the caravan gave Merick time to muse over the previous night’s attack.

‘Do you know what I think?’

‘Your feet are aching and you want to go and sit in one of the wagons,’ Keera guessed.

‘No…’ Merick frowned. ‘Though now that you mention it, that’s not such a bad idea.’

‘Dream on Sir Knight, your place is right next to me where I can keep an eye on you.’

‘You’re the one who’s dreaming,’ Merick laughed. ‘It’s you that needs an eye keeping on.’

‘You both need an eye keeping on.’

They both turned round to find a tall elven woman behind them.

‘If you’ve come to gloat about how many warriors you killed last night Sissota don’t bother,’ Keera huffed. ‘You cheated.’

‘I never gloat,’ Sissota pouted.

Merick shuddered as the elven shifter flashed him her usual predatory smile.

‘That’s not what Zillah says,’ Keera countered.

‘Well it’s fortunate for Zillah that she’s not here,’ Sissota retorted.

‘We could have used her last night,’ Merick mused.

‘She might be handy with a blade,’ Sissota admitted. ‘But if she had any idea what we’re up to…’

Keera made a slashing movement across her throat.

‘Exactly,’ Sissota nodded. ‘All three of us.’

Merick raised his hand. ‘Don’t you mean two of us?’

‘Why two?’ Sissota quizzed.

‘Well I’m only here under duress.’

‘What do you mean duress?’ Keera demanded.

‘You said you’d hit me if I didn’t come.’

‘I’ll hit you in a moment,’ Keera said balling her fist. ‘We’re all in this together.’

‘Besides,’ Sissota grinned. ‘They’ve got to catch us first.’

‘And once we’re across that river nobody will be able to follow us,’ Keera added. ‘Because I’m the only one with a map.’

‘It appears somebody is already trying to follow us,’ Sissota stated.

Keera narrowed her eyes. ‘Who?’

‘Your valkari friend who paid you a visit last night.’

‘First,’ Keera snarled. ‘He’s not my friend, and second, he’s going to be a dead valkari when I catch him.’

‘I wager he’ll be hard to catch,’ Sissota offered. ‘Especially as he’s nearly as sneaky as me.’

‘Sneaky,’ Keera laughed. ‘Stupid more like, he never managed to take a thing.’

‘That’s exactly my point,’ Sissota purred.

Keera furrowed her brow. ‘Huh?’

‘He wasn’t trying to steal anything,’ Sissota said holding out her hand. ‘He was hiding this.’

Merick looked at the small flat stone in Sissota’s hand, and he guessed by the way the edges had been worn smooth it had once come from a river. Sissota turned it over to reveal a series of tiny glyphs carved on the other side.

Keera’s eyes lit up. ‘Is it magic?’

Sissota nodded. ‘I was lucky to find it, a large thorn worm was curled around it.’

‘Urgh!’ Merick grimaced. ‘I’ve seen those things, they’re horrible.’

‘Lucky for you then that I shook out of your bedroll,’ Sissota grinned.

Merick narrowed his eyes as he rounded on Keera. ‘Have you been putting creepy-things in my bedroll again?’

‘No,’ Keera said looking hurt. ‘We’ve a truce haven’t we?’

‘We’ve had a truce before and I’ve still found things in there.’

‘Well that’s not my fault,’ Keera scowled. ‘Creepy-things do creep you know.’

‘Funny how it’s always my bedroll they creep in.’

‘I have to admit,’ Keera said looking thoughtful. ‘I was always wondering why they did that.’

‘If anybody is interested,’ Sissota interrupted. ‘I have a deliciously wicked plan to pay him back.’

Keera now gave Sissota her full attention. ‘Does it involve lots of pain?’

‘Oh yes,’ Sissota beamed. ‘Lots.’

‘Death?’

‘There’s a very good chance.’

‘Good,’ Keera said rubbing her hands in glee. ‘We’re in.’

‘Wait a moment!’ Merick protested. ‘We don’t know what it is yet.’

Keera tsked. ‘Stop moaning, it can’t be as bad as one of my plans.’

* * *

‘It is,’ Merick sighed. ‘It’s as bad as one of her plans.’

Shaking his head, Merick edged closer to the tree line and peered around a large gnarled trunk. A grassy valley stretched out before him, and at a guess he estimated it to be at least half a league wide.

On the far side rolling hills gave way to grey mountains topped with dark, ominous looking clouds, and he knew from personnel experience the foothills of those grim peaks were by far the most dangerous place in all the elven realms. Shrugging off a distant memory that still haunted his dreams, Merick once again scanned the sky for any signs of the mysterious valkari who was tracking them.

As he expected he saw nothing.

Suddenly he heard a twig snap behind him and he whirled round, his hand gripped tightly on the hilt of his sword. A black horse nickered a greeting and nudged him with its nose.

‘Wind Runner,’ Merick hissed. ‘I told you wait over there.’

Wind Runner shook his head and nuzzled Merick’s arm.

‘What’s up lad?’

A dark shadow appeared in a gap between the trees, and moving as silently as a wraith, a second horse stepped forward. Merick shuddered at the sight of the beast, and he thoroughly understood Wind Runner’s nervousness.

Standing a good four spans taller than Wind Runner, this elven thoroughbred practically oozed a dark malevolence, something that wasn’t helped by its demonic red eyes. The most unnerving part about the horse was its ability to merge into the background, and unless you were looking straight at it, it could almost become invisible, save for the occasional glimpse of it out of the corner of the eye.

But the thing Merick really couldn’t understand is why Sissota had christened him Stardrop? He wasn’t a brilliant white like his namesake, the tiny nocturnal flowers that bloomed in their thousands, mirroring the pinpricks of light in the inky black firmament over their heads, and he certainly wasn’t a placid creature as the name suggested, far from it.

Sissota had warned them from the outset that under no circumstances were they to ever try to ride him. Keera had tried once when Sissota wasn’t looking, but after Stardrop tried to bite her she gave up, vowing to eat him the first chance she got to see how he liked it.

Flaring his nostrils and snorting, Wind Runner rounded on the elven horse as it approached them.

‘Easy,’ Merick cooed. ‘He’s friendly… I think.’

Stardrop fixed them both for a moment with one of his red eyes, then ignoring them both, he stepped out from under the trees and sniffed the air.

‘Come back,’ Merick called, his voice barely more than a whisper. ‘It’s not safe.’

Stardrop’s coat shimmered in the daylight, some parts almost translucent, while others mirrored the colours around him. Then with a shake of his mane, Stardrop exploded forward and took off.

‘Oh hells!’ Merick groaned. ‘Now we’re in trouble.’

Merick flicked his eyes to the horizon, scanning for any signs of danger, and although he he’d only taken his eyes of Stardrop for less than a dozen heartbeats, the elven horse had vanished when he looked back down.

Merick swore.

Wind Runner gave him a reproachful look.

‘I know, I know,’ Merick said throwing his hands in the air. ‘But trust me, you’ll hear far worse than that before this day is out if that stupid thing gets itself eaten.’

Wind Runner suddenly pricked his ears up and stood motionless as he stared out across the valley.

‘I never thought I’d say this,’ Merick said. ‘But I hope that’s a troll you’ve got wind of.’

A wave of silence broke over the tree line and rushed deep into the forest, quelling the raucous calls of birds and small furry creatures up in the canopy, and stilling the unseen inhabitants that made the undergrowth and leaf litter their home. Apart from a few gaudy coloured moths that flitted about through the branches nothing stirred, except the thundering beat of Merick’s heart pounding in his chest.

The unnerving calm was broken by a distant bestial roar that sent a chill down Merick’s spine. Snapping out of his stupefied torpor, he tried to remember the instructions Keera had given him as his fingers worked frantically at the straps securing his bow to a saddlebag.

Once it was free, he reached over Wind Runner’s back and plucked a white arrow from his quiver. It tingled in his fingers with the enchantment Keera had placed on it, and the smell of her magic was a welcome, but brief distraction as another roar reached his ears.

‘Hold still,’ Merick said rummaging through the saddlebag as Wind Runner started to become skittish. ‘I just need one more thing… Aha, got it!’

Plucking out a small glass phial, Merick held it gingerly between his thumb and forefinger and held it up to the light. He marveled at the destructive power of such a small quantity of liquid, and then he remembered it was Keera who had mixed it herself.

With no formal training in the arcane arts he knew her magic was chaotic at the best of times, and those times were few and far between, as the majority of her spells were based on her ability to cast dragons’ fire, the most powerful spell known to only a few valkari priestesses, and most of those were now long dead. Offering an oath to the spirit of stupid endeavors, he bit down on the stopper and pulled it out with his teeth.

‘Yuck!’ Merick grimaced spitting it out. ‘I’ve got some on my lip.’

Wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve, he quickly replaced the stopper with the tip of the arrow and twisted it into the phial.

‘Well that’s something,’ Merick said glancing at Wind Runner. ‘She hasn’t managed to blow us up yet.’

Wind Runner looked on uneasily as the next roar sounded even closer than the last one.

Nocking the arrow to his bowstring, Merick took up position just inside the tree line and scanned the sky. Apart from a flotilla of fluffy white clouds that he knew from experience were damn cold inside, he couldn’t see a living thing.

Then just as he released the tension in his bow, along with the breath he’d been holding, he spotted it.

‘Hound’s teeth! That’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen.’

Although still some distance away, the scaly leviathan dwarfed the tiny silhouette that he knew was Keera leading it straight towards him. Her wings were a blur compared to the slow, almost graceful beat of the mighty reptile pursuing her.

He could imagine the taunts she was hurling at it as she deliberately darted past its snout, daring it to try and blast her from the sky.

‘Blast!’ Merick laughed. ‘She’d better know what’s she doing with this potion or the next blast will take us all to the Underworld.’

Holding the bow with one hand, Merick fumbled for the small shard of mirror tucked inside his belt and pulled it out. Holding it out at arm’s length he started signalling to Keera.

It took a few nerve racking moments before she spotted it, but when she did she put the next part of Sissota’s plan in operation. With one final screech of defiance Keera went into a steep dive, increasing her airspeed to an eye watering pace, and although she easily pulled away from her pursuer, it wasn’t about to give up and continued after her.

Tucking the mirror back inside his belt, Merick settled himself into a comfy position and drew back on his bowstring. Sighting along the arrow, he watched as his target loomed closer with each mighty stroke of its wings.

Slowing his breathing, he resisted the urge to loose the arrow and waited. Keera was streaking towards him at a blistering pace, and he guessed she was moving a lot faster than a galloping horse.

Then in a blink of an eye she shot over his head and was gone. Merick counted a dozen heartbeats before he let the bowstring slip though his fingers, and it was barely three more before he threw himself to the ground and covered his ears.

Despite being face down in the leaf litter, a green flash lit up the inside of his eyelids, and he braced himself for the blast. It hit like a howling gale that had blown in from a desert, its stifling hot winds whipping through the trees, snapping branches and stripping leaves in their thousands.

And unlike a real gale, it was over just as soon as it had begun. For a fleeting moment he had the terrible feeling that he’d missed his target, but his fears were soon allayed when something very large slammed into the ground so hard, it rattled his teeth.

The silence that followed didn’t last very long.

‘Merick!’

Recognising the voice, Merick groaned. ‘If we’re in the Underworld I’m not going to be very happy.’

‘Where are you?’

‘Here,’ Merick said pushing himself to his hands and knees.

Brushing leaves out of his hair, he glanced up and saw Keera swaggering towards him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

‘What?’ Merick quizzed.

‘That may have been a little too close.’

‘Huh?’

‘Too close,’ Keera grinned.

Puzzled, Merick glanced over his shoulder as he followed her gaze. Yelping like a scalded warg pup, he leapt to his feet and jumped behind her.

Keera tsked and rolled her eyes. ‘Some knight you are.’

‘Knight!’ Merick cried. ‘You just nearly killed me – again!’

‘Me?’ Keera pouted. ‘What did I do?’

‘Dropped a dead dragon on me for a start.’

Keera turned and grabbed the front of Merick’s jerkin.’

‘Eek!’

‘Listen idiot,’ Keera growled. ‘You’re the one that shot it, not me. And…’

‘You’re pinching my skin.’

‘Good. And,’ Keera continued with a feral smile. ‘It’s not dead.’

Merick peered past her. ‘Are you sure?’

Keera nodded. ‘Only two things can kill a dragon, and you’re not one of them.’

‘You’ve killed one.’

‘I know,’ Keera purred.

‘So what’s the other?’

‘I thought that was obvious.’

‘Another dragon.’

‘Exactly.’

‘No,’ Merick hissed, his eyes wide with fright. ‘Another dragon.’

Keera swore as a second dragon stalked towards them, and unlike the dull grey one laying at their feet, this fire-breathing monster shimmered in various hues of shocking pink through to a deep crimson. Unclipping her bow, Keera swiftly nocked a black arrow to her bowstring and took aim as Merick tugged his sword from its scabbard.

‘Don’t make any sudden moves,’ Keera whispered.

‘Does running away count?’ Merick asked.

‘Yes!’ Keera snarled.

‘Oh, well that was my best idea.’

Keera bit down on a retort as the dragon suddenly puffed its cheeks.

‘See that tree on your right.’

Merick nodded.

‘When I say, run for it, it should keep most of the flames off us.’

‘I don’t like the way you said most.’

‘Shut it idiot, are you ready?’

‘No.’

‘RUN!’ Keera yelled.

Chapter 3

The Frost Queen

With Keera’s yell ringing in his ears, Merick made a dash for the tree as she loosed her arrow. A heartbeat later and she was hot on his heels as the dragon raised its head and started to open its mouth.

Although they both reached the tree together, Merick pushed Keera against its trunk and stood in front of her in an attempt to shield her from the flames. Closing his eyes, he braced himself for the fiery onslaught.

Then with all the breath it could muster, the pink dragon blew the loudest raspberry Merick had ever heard.

‘I’m going to kill her,’ Keera snarled.

‘Who?’ Merick winced as he felt her fingers dig in his arms.

‘Her!’ Keera said pushing him away and jabbing her bow at the dragon.

‘Come back,’ Merick cried. ‘Before it…’

A shimmering shape next to the dragon suddenly caught his eye, and before he could finish his warning it solidified into the shape of a large black elven horse.

‘Sissota!’ Keera bawled. ‘You faye-brained useless shifter, I could have killed you and that crazy horse of yours.’

The dragon sat back on its haunches and started laughing as Stardrop looked a little bemused at his mistress.

‘That’s it,’ Keera said reaching for an arrow. ‘I’m going to kill the pair of them.’

‘Don’t!’ Merick cried grabbing her arm. ‘You’ll only be wasting your arrows.’

‘It’s not a waste if it makes me feel better,’ Keera retorted.

‘I know, but you can’t kill something that doesn’t bleed.’

‘I’d have a damn good try,’ Keera growled.

‘And besides,’ Merick smiled. ‘Even you can’t eat a whole horse.’

Keera slapped his arm away. ‘Want a wager on that Sir Knight?’

‘No,’ Merick scowled. ‘And stop calling me that.’

‘Shan’t,’ Keera said shouldering her bow.

‘Well hurry up and get this over with,’ Merick said glancing at the motionless grey dragon. ‘Before that thing wakes up.’

‘If it’s anything like you it’ll take some waking,’ Keera laughed.

‘Very funny,’ Merick scowled.

‘I thought so,’ Keera said spinning on her heel. ‘Sissota, get your backside over here.’

The pink dragon flashed one last toothy grin at them before it folded in on itself, and as it shrunk in size and a basic humanoid shape started to form, Merick looked away.

‘It’s alright,’ Keera said rolling her eyes. ‘She’s covered in scales.’

‘You sure?’

Keera nodded as Sissota strode over to them.

‘Hello Sir Knight,’ Sissota purred.

‘If anybody else calls me that I’m walking back to Wyrm,’ Merick vowed.

‘I’d like to see that,’ Keera grinned. ‘Especially the bit where you walk across the sea.’

‘Shut up and get this daft plan over with,’ Merick huffed. ‘Before we all get eaten alive.’

‘Well stop moaning and give me the warding stone.’

Merick slipped his hand inside his jerkin and pulled out the small round pebble.

‘Thank you,’ Keera said snatching it out of his hand and tossing it Sissota.

A smile spread across Sissota’s scaly face as she examined the glyphs on the stone. ‘He’s going to be so sorry when he finds this again.’

‘I know,’ Keera sighed. ‘It’s a pity we can’t be here to watch.’

‘Oh no,’ Merick said shaking his head. ‘Dragons are one thing, but more than one valkari is too many for me.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Keera said planting her hands on her hips.

‘It means what it says.’

‘Enlighten me a little further,’ Keera said with more than a hint of menace in her voice.

‘You’re more dangerous than a dragon.’

‘Really?’ Keera beamed. ‘How sweet.’

‘If I may,’ Sissota cut in as Merick pulled a face. ‘Can somebody lend me a knife?’

Keera furrowed her brow. ‘Where’s yours?’

Sissota slapped her thigh. ‘Scales I can do, pockets are a little trickier, especially in bare flesh.’

‘Oh, I see,’ Keera said tugging a short stub-nosed blade from its sheath. ‘Will this do?’

Sissota took the proffered blade. ‘Dwarven steel, very nice.’

‘The last owner thought that before it was stolen,’ Merick offered.

‘I did not steal it,’ Keera snapped. ‘I traded him for it.’

‘For his life.’

‘So?’ Keera smirked. ‘A trade is a trade.’

Stepping up to the slumbering dragon without so much as a flicker of fear, Sissota patted its snout and ran her eyes along the length of its body.

‘Now where shall I put it,’ she mused tapping her lips with Keera’s blade.

‘Urgh!’ Merick grimaced. ‘Does she know where you stick that thing?’

‘I’ll stick you with it if you don’t shut up,’ Keera snorted.

Using one of the dragon’s legs as a makeshift step, Sissota climbed up its powerful shoulder and settled herself astride its back. Selecting one of the larger scales between its shoulder blades, she slipped the tip of Keera’s blade under it and prised it up.

Then with a smug look she slipped the warding stone under the scale and withdrew the knife. Rising to her feet, she sketched a theatrical bow before tiptoeing down the dragon’s back, nimbly avoiding its spines.

Jumping to the ground, Sissota was just about to perform another bow when two puffs of smoke suddenly belched out of the dragon’s nostrils as it coughed.

‘Oh hells!’ Merick cried. ‘Is it…?’

Keera nodded. ‘Waking up – Run!’

* * *

‘Wake up idiot.’

Merick cracked an eye open. ‘Are we under attack?’

‘No, but you will be if you don’t get up,’ Keera promised.

Reluctantly Merick sat up and steadied himself against the gentle swaying of a wagon pulled by a team lumbering hogs. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned as Keera scrambled over the tailgate and climbed into the back of the wagon.

Loaded with goods and an array of bewildering merchandise, there wasn’t a lot of room for both of them inside, but she managed to squeeze in next to him. Surrounded by an assortment of tempting looking boxes and intriguing mysterious bundles, Keera’s eyes were drawn to a heavily built wooden chest secured by an ancient padlock.

Lacing her fingers together, she cracked her knuckles as her eyes glinted with mischief.

‘Leave it!’ Merick warned.

Keera tutted. ‘What?’

‘You know what.’

‘Don’t,’ Keera huffed.

‘You will do if you mess with that,’ Merick said gesturing to the chest. ‘It’s warded, I can smell it from here.’

‘What sort of magic?’

‘Elven.’

Keera pulled a face. ‘These elves are too tricky for their own good.’

‘They’d be a lot poorer if you had your way.’

‘Don’t be so mean,’ Keera said slapping his arm.

‘Well now that you’ve added to my collection of bruises, what do you want?’

‘Oh yes, we’re here. Come and have a look.’

Wriggling free of Merick, Keera climbed on top of the tailgate and stood up, then holding onto the wagon’s canvas roof with one hand, she beckoned to Merick to follow her. Begrudgingly Merick climbed to his feet, and after straightening his jerkin, he clambered up next to her.

That Keera said with a wide sweep of her arm, is the biggest elven city in the Seventh Realm.’

A sprawling walled metropolis lay before them, and Merick guessed the curtain wall stretched for at least a league in either direction. The buildings themselves, those that he could see above the wall, were more functional than decorative and had a distinctive military style to them, with dozens of watchtowers dotted throughout the city.

‘I don’t see any guards on the wall,’ Keera noted.

‘There could be two reasons for that,’ Merick mused.

‘Well don’t keep it to yourself,’ Keera said elbowing his ribs.

‘Alright,’ Merick scowled. ‘Well first, they may not need any, you know how tricky this lot are.’

‘Possibly,’ Keera agreed.

‘And second, they probably don’t know you’re coming.’

‘Hey!’ Keera cried. ‘That’s nasty.’

‘Nasty but true,’ Merick laughed.

Keera made a grab for him, but he’d already started to move and she caught nothing but a handful of fresh air as he hopped off the wagon. In the blink of an eye Merick dived between the slow turning wheels of the wagon and quickly scrambled out the other side, where he ran straight into Sissota.

‘My, somebody looks guilty,’ Sissota purred.

‘I’ll look dead if you don’t let me past.’

The flesh on Sissota’s face started to melt away, and her eyes sunk in their sockets as her lips thinned, revealing a mouthful of teeth and bone.

‘Like this,’ Sissota rasped in her best imitation of a death rattle.

‘Urgh!’ Merick grimaced backing away.

Keera pounced on him, pinning his arms to his side as she wrapped him up in a bear-hug.

‘Didn’t get very far did you?’ Keera crowed.

‘Oh,’ Sissota said flicking her eyes at Keera. ‘That sort of dead.’

Keera cocked her head to one side and gave Sissota a quizzical look. ‘You done something different with your hair?’

Before Sissota could offer a retort, Merick hissed a warning that Elum was heading their way. Shrugging off her corpse face, Sissota greeted the leader of the caravan with her usual feral smile.

‘We are stopping here and pulling off the road, so I want roving patrols along the length of the caravan. We shouldn’t have any trouble this close to the city, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.’

‘Why don’t we just enter the city?’ Keera asked.

‘There’s a royal party heading this way and they have the road.’

‘I don’t see why,’ Keera huffed. ‘We were here first.’

‘Because it’s protocol, and…’ Elum paused as he cast a disapproving eye over Keera’s hold on Merick. ‘I pay you to guard my caravan not to fool around.’

Merick’s world suddenly spun upside down when Keera tossed him over her shoulder, where he landed flat on his back with a few more bruises to his collection.

‘Fight training,’ Keera offered. ‘I like to keep my men ready for anything.’

Elum grunted something in elven and marched off with a frown on his face.

After making a rude hand gesture to Elum behind his back, Keera aimed her next question at Sissota. ‘So who do you think it is?’

Deep in thought, Sissota didn’t catch what she said. ‘Huh?’

‘This royal idiot who’s stopping the caravan.’

‘I think its trouble,’ Sissota said. ‘Got your spyscope?’

Keera nodded.

‘Good, I want to see who our royal visitor is before they see us. Come on.’

‘Hey!’ Merick shouted as Keera and Sissota turned to leave. ‘What about me?’

Keera glanced over her wing. ‘You guard the caravan.’

‘Great,’ Merick groaned. ‘I was thinking more of a hand up.’

‘Can I help?’ a voice asked.

Merick sat up and found the young elven girl who’d seen their mysterious winged-visitor watching him intently with her big brown eyes.

‘You just might,’ Merick mused. ‘Where are the rest of the elven guards?’

The girl pointed towards the front of the caravan.

‘Thank you,’ Merick said flashing a smile as he got to his feet. ‘You’d better run along before your mother misses you.’

* * *

‘Thank you,’ Sissota said taking the proffered spyscope.

As Sissota put the spyscope to her eye, Keera watched the approaching dust cloud and estimated at least a hundred riders were heading their way. Although she could make out a pair of lancers at the front of the column, and just about see the banners tethered to their lances, the colours identifying which realm they were from were a complete mystery to her.

‘Any idea who it is?’ Keera asked.

Sissota swore.

‘That bad?’ Keera offered.

‘As bad as it can get,’ Sissota said grimly. ‘That’s the Palace Guard.’

‘Which palace, you lot have seven realms with seven kings?’

‘And one king to rule them all,’ Sissota said lowering the spyscope.’

‘Elandor’s here?’ Keera gaped.

Sissota shook her head. ‘For the High King that would entail several thousand troops, this must be someone lower in the ranks.’

Sissota closed one eye and peered through the spyscope again. Twisting the focusing ring on the end, she homed in on the party directly behind the leading riders, and as the image became crystal clear she swore again.

‘You do know I know what that means?’ Keera grinned.

‘Never mind that,’ Sissota said handing Keera her spyscope. ‘I’ll get the horses, you get Merick.’

‘Why?’ Keera quizzed.

‘Because Elandor knows where we’re going, and that’s why he’s sent that stuck-up witch after us.’

‘Who?’

‘The Frost Queen herself,’ Sissota snarled.

‘What’s so special about her?’

‘Hers is the only magic in all the realms that can stop me.’

‘Stop you doing what?’ Keera said.

Sissota’s expression darkened. ‘Shifting.’

* * *

‘Merick!’ Keera yelled as she ran along the seemingly endless line of wagons and hogs. ‘Shift your backside – we’re leaving.’

‘Why?’ Merick said breaking away from the small group of elven guards he was talking to. ‘I thought you’d want to see…’

‘I don’t, and neither do you.’

‘But…’

‘Stop wasting time. Elandor knows we’re here, and you know what that means if we’re caught with the you-know-what.’

‘I told you that thing would get us in trouble.’

Before Keera could offer a retort a cheer suddenly went up at the rear of the caravan. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed hold of Merick, and in one fluid move she spun him around and bundled him under the nearest wagon.

Flattening her wings, she scrabbled in alongside him, clamped a hand over his mouth and hissed a warning to be quiet in his ear. The elven guards shook their heads and exchanged disapproving looks at her antics, before they moved off to offer a salute to the passing royal party.

This close to the ground the rumble of hooves seemed frighteningly loud, and it put Merick in mind of an approaching thunderstorm. Peering through the wooden spokes of a wheel, they both watched the first few riders race past, their faces hidden behind elaborately crafted gilded helmets.

‘Show offs,’ Keera muttered. ‘They’d have looked better if they had feathers on them.’

Keera’s attention was quickly taken by the next group of riders, and all but one was helmed, and her face was clear for all to see. And despite the nickname Sissota had given her, the Frost Queen wore flaming red elven armour, with a similar coloured cloak streaming out behind her as she thundered past.

‘Hound’s teeth!’ Keera cried. ‘That’s Yana.’

‘I know,’ Merick said pulling Keera’s hand away from his mouth. ‘If you’d have let me get a word in I could have told you.’

‘Midden slops. How could you know who it was?’

‘I asked the guards.’

‘Oh, well you could have said.’

‘I did try,’ Merick sighed.

‘Well never mind that now,’ Keera said as the last of the Palace Guard galloped past. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

‘You do know we haven’t been paid yet.’

‘Damn it!’ Keera cursed. ‘Alright, you see Elum and get what’s owed us. I’ll go and tell Sissota to keep her head down for a little while longer.’

‘And we could do with some supplies.’

‘We’ll manage.’

‘Food supplies,’ Merick offered.

Keera furrowed her brow. ‘That would mean going into the city.’

Merick nodded.

‘The city that Yana has just rode into.’

Again, Merick nodded.

A mischievous smile spread across Keera’s face. ‘And the last place they’d expect us to be if they’re looking for us.’

* * *

‘This is one of the daftest plans you’ve come up with,’ Merick said shaking his head in despair. ‘How do you expect us to get away with it?’

‘I’ve worked hard on this disguise,’ Keera pouted.

‘You!’ Merick laughed. ‘I was the one who had to find all the sticks.’

‘Stop moaning and tell me how I look.’

‘Well…’ Merick said. ‘If nobody looks too closely you look like an elven girl with a load of firewood on your back.’

Keera gave Merick a sideways glance. ‘Your ears look real enough.’

‘No they don’t, they’re made of clay and I wager you’ve made them too big.’

‘No I haven’t, that’s what they’re supposed to look like.’

‘It’s times like this I miss Eulalia and her glamour magic,’ Merick offered.

‘I know,’ Keera sighed. ‘But she’ll be safer with Siofra until we get back.’

‘You reckon?’ Merick laughed. ‘Look at the trouble those two got into when Eulalia turned Claw invisible.’

‘I know,’ Keera grinned. ‘I learnt a few more elven words I’d never heard before that day.’

‘And all of them rude ones I wager.’

‘Here we go,’ Keera said nudging Merick’s arm.

Merick followed her gaze and saw two elven sentries looking their way. Ignoring the itch under one of his clay ears, he offered a silent oath to the spirit of foolish endeavors, an entity he seemed to converse with now on a daily basis since meeting Keera.

Unfortunately for Merick the spirit wasn’t listening today, as a quick glance revealed both sentries were now striding towards them. Trying to remain calm despite his galloping heart, he tried to remember the few elven greetings Sissota had taught them.

Apart from himself and Keera, he hadn’t seen any other race this deep inside the elven realms, and he guessed the two elves heading their way weren’t fluent in the common tongue. Keeping his head down, he trudged on, following the rest of the foot-traffic heading through the city gates.

Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, making his heart miss a beat, and an elven voice behind him barked an order in their unfamiliar tongue. Alarmingly everybody in front of him carried on as more guards appeared and blocked his path.

That’s when he spotted the bundle of sticks disappearing through the city gates, and he realised he’d been separated from Keera. Cursing his luck, he was just about to make a break for it and run after her, when a deathly silence fell all around him, even some of the more belligerent pack animals stopped their grumbling as they sensed something was about to happen.

And when it did, it took his breath away.

Chapter 4

Fayebells and Flying Turnips

A breath that became visible as the temperature suddenly plunged well below freezing, making the frigid air painful to breathe. He felt his face sting as ice crystals sugared everything in a glistening white blanket of frost, and his extremities tingled with an equal mixture of cold and elven magic.

‘Yana,’ Merick guessed as he stamped his feet in an effort to get some feeling back in them.

Before he had chance to warm his numb toes, the guards stepped aside and the crowd behind him surged forward, sweeping him along towards the gates. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the ice mage standing in her red armour, and realising she was looking in his direction, he turned his head sharply away, cracking one of his clay ears.

Cursing his luck, he cupped the side of his head in his hand and pressed on. Once through the gates he breached the perimeter of Yana’s spell and a wave of warm air washed over him.

Still shivering from the effects of the elven mage’s spell, he flicked his eyes from left to right, searching for a glimpse of Keera. He’d wagered she’d be easy to spot with the bundle of firewood on her back, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Berating himself for going along with her plan, he was just about to turn around and see if she’d doubled back, when somebody grabbed him from behind and pulled him into a doorway.

‘It’s me you idiot,’ Keera hissed.

‘Hells,’ Merick cursed. ‘You nearly…’

Keera swiftly clamped a hand over his mouth and pulled him deeper into the shadows.

Before Merick could protest a trio of golden helmeted palace guards parted the crowd as Yana stepped into view. It was obvious from her body language she was looking for someone, and Merick guessed it was him.

After an agonising moment she walked on, taking her martial entourage with her.

Keera removed her hand. ‘What happened to you?’

‘She did,’ Merick said gesturing to the spot where Yana had just been standing. ‘She just blasted the city gates with ice.’

Keera smiled in the gloom. ‘She’s after Sissota.’

‘Well she’s looking in the wrong place,’ Merick huffed as he rubbed his hands together. ‘Damn, I forgot how cold her magic was.’

‘I could warm you up with some of mine,’ Keera offered.

‘You won’t,’ Merick retorted. ‘I’d be safer standing in the middle of a funeral pyre.’

‘You’ll be standing in your own if you keep on,’ Keera growled jabbing a finger in his ribs.

‘Stop messing about and let’s get out of here.’

Slipping past Merick, Keera peered around the edge of the doorway and quickly ducked back in.

‘Can’t go back that way, there’s at least a dozen palace guards watching the gates.’

Merick shook his head and groaned. ‘Great.’

‘It is,’ Keera grinned.

‘Huh?’

‘While they’re looking for our sneaky friend, we can fill our bags full of food.’

‘Alright,’ Merick agreed. ‘But no stealing, we’ll pay for everything we want.’

‘I don’t know what sort of girl you think I am,’ Keera pouted.

‘I know exactly what sort you are,’ Merick said as they stepped out into the light. ‘That’s why I’m keeping my eye on you.’

* * *

‘You!’

With her eyes closed, Keera took a moment to savour the delicious aroma of the freshly baked pies lying in front of her and her mouth watered.

Merick nudged her arm. ‘I think we’ve been rumbled.’

‘Are you sure?’ Keera asked as she scanned the dazzling array of crusted pies, exquisitely crimped pasties, fruit filled tarts and a selection of smaller tartlets that she wagered she could fit at least four in her mouth in one go.

‘Guards! This way,’ a voice bellowed over the cacophony of noise from dozens of stall holders each vying for the attention of potential customers in the constantly moving crowds ebbing past their wares.

Merick glanced over his shoulder and saw several city guards heading their way. ‘Quite sure.’

Keera caught the pie vendor’s attention by clicking her talons.

‘Yes you,’ Keera said. ‘I’ll have three of these, half a dozen of those, that big one, and…’

‘Hurry up,’ Merick hissed.

‘And maybe that one there, no, the one next to it.’

Merick eyed the remains of a tart the vender offered Keera with more than a hint of suspicion.

‘Why are you buying half a tart?’

‘This,’ Keera said prodding the sticky filling with a finger. ‘Oh it’s not for me, pay him while I deal with these idiots.’

With the vender’s attention now focused on the small leather purse jangling in Merick’s hand, Keera slipped away from the stall with the tart and casually licked her finger.

‘Stay where you are!’

The crowd around her suddenly parted as a stern looking elven guard appeared. Garbed in a drab, but practical looking uniform, Keera guessed he wasn’t one of Yana’s Palace Guard.

Keera blew a sigh and dipped her finger back into the tart. ‘What?’

‘You will come with me.’

‘Really?’ Keera said as a flicker of amusement played across her face. ‘And if I don’t?’

The guard gave a subtle nod of his head and four more guards appeared.

‘They’ll make you.’

The curious throng of onlookers fell back, and those of a more religious conviction offered quick oaths to their deities.

‘You know,’ Keera said jabbing a fruit-stained finger at the guard in front of her. ‘This tart isn’t bad, you should try some.’

‘Enough!’ the guard barked. ‘Seize her.’

Keera yanked on the rope securing the firewood to her back and released her wings. A gasp ran around the crowd as they got their first sight of a valkari, and even the guards were momentarily taken by surprise.

A surprise that Keera used to her advantage by hurling the half eaten tart into the shocked face of the guard who had ordered her capture. Unfortunately for him her fist was right behind the tart, and she spread his nose across his face, mixing blood with fruit filling.

Dropping to her haunches, Keera flicked out her wings, sweeping two more guards off their feet before they could draw their blades. Then launching herself into the air, she performed a flying backflip and landed with a tight curve pulled in her bow.

The remaining two guards still standing exchanged a nervous glance.

‘Merick,’ Keera called. ‘It’s time to go.’

The sound of a horn suddenly broke the stunned silence of the crowd.

‘Snitch!’ Keera snarled spotting a lone guard on a watchtower with a horn pressed against his lips.

Her bow shook angrily in her hand as she loosed her arrow, and the horn’s blast ended as abruptly as it started. Keera quickly turned her attention back to the guards around her, and saw that the three she’d already downed were climbing to their feet, albeit somewhat unsteadily.

Plucking a small glass ampoule out of a hidden pocket, Keera flashed the guards a mischievous grin before smashing it at her feet. The contents reacted violently with the air, and a billowing purple cloud turned day into night blink fast.

Merick turned when he heard the shrieks and cries behind him, and before he could take in the swirling wall of purple miasma rushing towards him, Keera burst out of it and grabbed his hand. A heartbeat later he found himself being dragged past the pie vendor and towards an uninviting looking alleyway.

Once hidden from the ever-vigilant eyes of the watchtowers, Keera dragged Merick down the length of the dimly lit alley. Reaching the far end, she stopped and selected a white arrow from her magical quiver.

‘What now?’ Merick groaned.

‘Shush!’ Keera hissed as she stuck her head out and quickly looked both ways.

Ducking back in, she flashed Merick a mischievous grin and leaned against the wall. ‘It’s all clear.’

‘Really?’ Merick said gesturing to her bow. ‘So what do you want with that?’

‘Well, any city built this close to mountains is bound to have had trouble from dragons in the past.’

‘So?’

‘So I call a dragon, and while these idiots are busy looking at it, we escape.’

Merick furrowed his brow. ‘But you can’t call a dragon.’

Keera laughed to herself and pulled a wicked curve in her bow.

‘Can you?’ Merick quizzed.

‘Watch and learn Sir Knight,’ Keera grinned. ‘Watch and learn.’

A crackle of valkari magic passed into the arrow as Keera let the bowstring slip through her fingers. Streaking into the sky like a green lightning