Bitterwood. Part 16

Suddenly, they lurched down even further, another three feet, placing them well past the top edge of the window. Jandra watched as comets of flaming oak and copper rained past them, exploding on the distant ground below.

"The beam's s.h.i.+fting!" Pet yelled. "It's going to break!" His toes touched the lower edge of the window but his body angled out into s.p.a.ce. Jandra knew he couldn't pull himself into the window with her weight on him. She tried to rise, reaching her hand up behind her to grab the rope.

"Don't struggle!" Pet said. "I'm losing my grip!"

Jandra's hand found the rope and she pulled herself up, taking her weight from his shoulder. Pet lost his toehold on the ledge and they swayed away from the window, the rope twisting. As it swung back in Jandra let go, her momentum taking her onto the ledge. She waved her arms for balance then quickly turned. Pet had swung back out. As he swung once more toward the window, Jandra grabbed him by his belt.

"Let go!" she said, pulling backward as he started to sway away.

Pet released the rope and they both tumbled from the ledge, falling backward into the tower. They landed on a soft cotton cus.h.i.+on, big enough for a sun-dragon to curl up on comfortably. Shadows and light danced around the chamber as flaming debris fell past the window.

Jandra lay trapped beneath Pet's muscular body, looking into his face which was framed by a mane of golden hair. His bare chest pressed firmly against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. His lips were inches from her own. She stared into Pet's deep, emerald eyes, seeing the powerful emotion that stirred within them.

"What the h.e.l.l is going on?" Pet shouted, his voice cracking with fear.

"The castle is under attack," she said.

"Yes! I know! We were almost killed!"

"Calm down. Panic won't help."

"I don't see how it's hurting anything!"

"You're hurting me," she said. Her breath was still painful and his weight on her wasn't helping. "Get off."

"Oh," he said, looking as if he just now realized he was on top of her. "Right. Sure." He rolled off, sitting up, looking dazed. "This just isn't how I planned to spend the evening at all," he whined.

She sat up, bracing her back against the wall.

"As soon as I catch my breath, we'll go," she said.

"Where?" Pet said, shaking his head. "It looked like the whole castle was on fire. Why is this happening?"

"Albekizan must know we're here," Jandra said, taking a deep breath and then coughing again. "We need to find Vendevorex. Fight by his side to defend this castle."

"Fight?" Pet said, twisting a long strand of his golden mane around his fingers. "I don't know anything about fighting!"

"Would you calm down?"

At that moment the rope hanging outside the window slackened and the flaming roof beam roared past the window. Glowing embers showered the room. Thin white twigs of smoke rose from several spots on the cus.h.i.+on.

"We're going to die!" Pet screamed.

"If we stay here, probably," Jandra said, struggling back to her feet. "Come on." Jandra grabbed Pet's hand, helping him rise. She pulled him toward the hallway. "Vendevorex will know what to do."

Halfway down the hallway she heard a crash behind them. The crash kept rumbling for an absurdly long time. Smoke and dust rolled through the corridor as the hot wind at her back pushed her to move faster. She suspected the whole tower had finally collapsed, but she didn't dare look back. She pushed ahead, ignoring the needles in her chest, dragging Pet along.

The further they went, the more her breath returned. Soon, she broke into a run with Pet still in tow. Racing through the halls of the castle, Jandra heard the sounds of battle all around. She hadn't been in Chakthalla's palace long enough to get a feel for what kind of army she commanded. She'd seen perhaps a hundred earth-dragon guards but nothing like the force outside the castle walls. And Chakthalla's earth-dragons had seemed to exist primarily as dolls to be costumed in elaborate uniforms. She'd seen very few of the rough, ill-tempered brutes that populated Albekizan's ground forces.

Still, Albekizan's army was outside outside the walls. This battle wasn't over yet. Vendevorex could even the odds, she was certain. The Vengeance of the Ancestors the attackers used must have come from a supply Vendevorex had created. He could extinguish it with a wave of his claw. Better, he could turn it against the attackers. the walls. This battle wasn't over yet. Vendevorex could even the odds, she was certain. The Vengeance of the Ancestors the attackers used must have come from a supply Vendevorex had created. He could extinguish it with a wave of his claw. Better, he could turn it against the attackers.

They ran through the long, tall pa.s.sageways to Vendevorex's room. Luckily, this section of the castle was silent; the battle was being waged far from this area. But when Jandra pushed open the door to his chambers her heart sank. Empty. Vendevorex was nowhere to be seen. Of course, she thought, he would already be at Chakthalla's side.

"Jandra!" Vendevorex said, his voice coming from thin air.

"A ghost!" Pet cried, jumping at the sound.

"Calm down," Jandra said. "He's only invisible."

"Calm down! Of course!" Pet began to chew his immaculately trimmed nails. "I see invisible dragons every day!"

"My apologies," Vendevorex said, s.h.i.+mmering into view as the air around him erupted in sparks. "I didn't mean to frighten you, Pet."

"Don't worry about him," Jandra said. "We've got a bigger problem. The attackers are using the Vengeance! You've got to put it out."

"That would be unwise," Vendevorex said.

"What?" She couldn't believe she'd heard him right.

"The castle is woefully under-defended," Vendevorex said with a calm, observational tone that one might expect if he were discussing the weather. "It will fall to Albekizan's forces no matter what we do. Better he gain possession of ruins than another base from which to command his forces."

"I can't believe this," Jandra said. "You're conceding defeat before we've even started fighting?"

Vendevorex sighed. He placed his claw on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes and explained, as if to a child, "We aren't going to fight. We're going to run. I fled the castle of Albekizan because I cared for your safety. It would be foolish now to endanger your life fighting a battle we cannot win."

Jandra pushed his claw away. She poked his scaly chest with her finger as she said, "This isn't like running from Albekizan. He wanted to kill you! Chakthalla wants to help you!"

"You must see that her desires are not supported by her resources," Vendevorex said.

Jandra felt like slapping him.

"For what it's worth, sir," Pet interrupted, "I have a box of jewels in my room that could be of great a.s.sistance in a relocation, if you'll take me with you, please."

"What?" Jandra said, cutting him a withering look. "You're going to run, too? This is your home!"

Pet nodded. He looked sheepish as he said, "Please don't think ill of me. I'm a good person... I really am. But your master is making a lot of sense."

"If you were a good person, you'd stay and fight!"

"Think about this," Pet said. "If Chakthalla wins this battle, what then? The king will send a bigger army. We won't stand a chance. Your master is right. Please listen to him."

"Stop calling him my master master," Jandra snapped. "My relations.h.i.+p with Ven is nothing like what's between you and Chakthalla. Tell him, Ven."

"I don't possess enough information to a.s.sess the state of Pet and Chakthalla's relations.h.i.+p," Vendevorex said. "In all candor, this isn't the best time to discuss this."

"So you truly don't care for Chakthalla?" Jandra asked Pet. "When you look at her all lovey-eyed and call her Mother, that's only an act?"

Pet shrugged. "I'm a good actor. I know who b.u.t.ters my bread. Unfortunately, Chakthalla's not going to have any b.u.t.ter left once this place burns down."

"Well argued," Vendevorex said. "It sounds cold but it's simple truth. Chakthalla is doomed. We doom ourselves by remaining."

"You're both cowards!" Jandra shouted. "You're looking out for your own skins and not thinking twice about the ones who will die. They're dying because of you, Ven! They're dying from the weapon that you created. The king wouldn't be attacking if it weren't for you stirring up the possibility of rebellion."

"Jandra," Vendevorex said, lowering his voice. "We will not discuss this now. Gather your belongings."

"What about me?" Pet asked.

"Retrieve your jewels," Vendevorex said. "You may accompany us from the premises under the s.h.i.+eld of invisibility."

"Fine," Jandra said. "You've got a new pet, Ven. You won't be needing me. I've got more important things to do."

Jandra turned and raced toward Chakthalla's chambers, blinking away the tears that blurred her vision. Vendevorex shouted her name, calling her back, but she had no reason to listen to another word he said.

JANDRA FOUND CHAKTHALLA in the throne room, a cathedral-like hall that jutted perpendicularly from the main castle. The stained-gla.s.s windows along the tops of the side walls danced with the lights of the flames outside, casting colorful shadows around the room, painting the white marble floors with scenes of ruby dragons floating in amethyst skies above emerald fields. in the throne room, a cathedral-like hall that jutted perpendicularly from the main castle. The stained-gla.s.s windows along the tops of the side walls danced with the lights of the flames outside, casting colorful shadows around the room, painting the white marble floors with scenes of ruby dragons floating in amethyst skies above emerald fields.

Chakthalla's throne was a giant, gilded pedestal, draped with blood-red satin. Chakthalla slumped on her throne, her head lowered to the floor, her eyes fixed on the doorway in which Jandra stood. Her expression was blank as if she were numb with shock. Her ruby wings draped to each side, spreading onto the floor like carpet. Her fore-claws clutched her breast as if she were feeling her breaking heart. The flickering light gave the illusion that her feathery scales ruffled in a breeze. At her side was a huge spear, twenty feet long, the sort only sun-dragons such as herself could wield.

"My lady," Jandra said, hurrying forward. "I've come to help defend your castle."

Chakthalla followed Jandra with her eyes as she advanced but she did not speak.

"Chakthalla? If you'll tell me what to do to help, I'll do it. My skills aren't as great as Vendevorex's, but I can turn invisible, and trans.m.u.te simple materials, and-" Jandra stopped short as she reached the throne.

Chakthalla continued to stare at her but now Jandra could see the dark blood seeping down her chin.

Jandra's eyes moved to the dragon's bejeweled talons. The fine red scales glistened with moisture. Wet red spots dripped to the marble floor.

Chakthalla dropped her claws to her sides. The enormous gash in her breast was revealed. Her eyes closed as her body convulsed, sliding clumsily from the pedestal and sprawling at Jandra's feet.

A long metal blade protruded from Chakthalla's back, gleaming in the firelight. Suddenly, a claw so deeply green it looked black rose from behind the pedestal. Long nails dug into the satin. Then the a.s.sa.s.sin leapt to the top of the throne, crouching upon it. It was an earth-dragon, one of the Black Silences, a unit in the dragon army bred for espionage and a.s.sa.s.sination. Some mutation had rendered this subspecies of the earth-dragons a deeper hue than their brethren, and had gifted them with unnatural speed. The dragon's scales were so dark they sucked in the light around him. His eyes burned like dim coals as they studied Jandra. Then his gaze s.h.i.+fted toward the blade in Chakthalla's back.

"Why not try for the sword?" the a.s.sa.s.sin hissed. "You might make it."

Jandra turned to run, reaching for the dust in her pouch so that she could become invisible. She tossed the dust into the air too late. The dragon tackled her squarely in the back and she fell forward. The a.s.sa.s.sin was no taller than herself but he was solid. His weight crushed all breath from her as he pressed her to the cold, hard marble.

Still pinning her down with his ma.s.s, the dragon wrapped his left claw into her hair and pulled her head backward. Her mouth opened in a silent, breathless cry of pain. The sharp nails of his right claw flashed before her eyes.

"Chakthalla was too important to play with," the a.s.sa.s.sin whispered, his beak next to her ear. "Now that my work is done, I think I deserve a moment to revel in your screams."

He drew his claw along her cheek, his nails dragging along her skin with just the proper force to not cut her. Jandra felt the sharp claws caressing her cheek, her chin, and her throat. The slightest extra pressure would open her veins.

Fortunately, there were still traces of silver dust on her fingers. The combat training Vendevorex had subjected her to would prove useful after all. She grabbed the dragon's wrist and concentrated. With the same talent she'd used to turn Pet's s.h.i.+rt into a rope, she began to reshape her a.s.sailant's hide and bones. His wrist melted beneath her fingertips... too slowly. He shrieked in pain. Then, with a slas.h.i.+ng motion, he yanked his injured claw up and out.

For half a second Jandra felt nothing. She tried to breath and wound up swallowing blood. She coughed, spitting a fine spray of crimson on the marble before her. It was only then that she understood her throat had been slit.

CHAPTER ELEVEN: FLESH.

"YOU'LL DIE FOR that," the Black Silence snarled. Jandra heard a blade being drawn from its sheath. It sounded very far away, far beyond the heartbeat that pounded in her own ears. She pressed her hand to her throat. Air bubbled from the gash beneath her b.l.o.o.d.y fingers as she coughed. that," the Black Silence snarled. Jandra heard a blade being drawn from its sheath. It sounded very far away, far beyond the heartbeat that pounded in her own ears. She pressed her hand to her throat. Air bubbled from the gash beneath her b.l.o.o.d.y fingers as she coughed.

Jandra tried to concentrate. There was still a chance to use the dust lingering on her fingers to reshape the flesh of her own throat, to knit the wound. But her mind was locked up, frozen.

The weight on her back s.h.i.+fted as the Black Silence pulled her head back further. The blood gushed between her fingers more freely. She peered up to see the tip of a dagger high overhead. When it fell it would plunge into her throat. She closed her eyes, antic.i.p.ating the blow.

Three seconds later and the dagger failed to fall. A rain of fine particles fell against her face. Suddenly the claw that pulled her hair went slack. Her face hit the marble with a tooth-jarring thump thump. She opened her eyes as a hilt bounced on the marble floor before her, its blade only a shard of crumbling rust. Fine red flakes continued to drift to the floor. The weight on her back vanished as the Black Silence let loose a pained gasp.

The a.s.sa.s.sin gurgled, then squealed. The smell of burning flesh tainted the air.

Hands fell upon her shoulders-a man's hands-rolling her over until her head lay in his lap. She looked up into Pet's concerned face.

"It's going to be okay," he said, pressing his fingers to her throat, pinching the torn flesh closed. "Ven says to keep calm and he'll help you."

She gasped for breath. She sucked blood into her lungs... but air as well. How bad was her wound? Where was Ven? The room was spinning slowly. She cast her gaze about the room but couldn't find him. Her a.s.sailant's screams came from a patch of air before her. His voice faded in a series of brief, weak sobs. No one could be seen in the hall except for Pet and herself. Then she spotted the smoke hanging in the air, the bottom edge of the cloud cut into an almost perfect arc. The a.s.sa.s.sin's voice rattled into silence.

The upper half of the earth-dragon's body appeared suddenly as it slumped to the floor, the charred flesh of the face flaking away in the outline of a three-fingered hand, revealing the skull beneath. Without warning the dragon's legs appeared, and Vendevorex also, standing at the slain a.s.sa.s.sin's feet. Smoke rose from the fore-talons of the now visible mage, and his eyes were narrowed in a look of grim determination.

He crouched beside Pet and said, "Move."

Pet moved his hands away from Jandra's throat. Vendevorex's claws touched her, exploring the wound. She arched her back in agony as his nails probed beneath her skin.

"Don't struggle," he said. "I'm going to knit your trachea closed. The wound didn't reach the jugular. In five minutes this will only be a bad memory."

Jandra nodded. For once she appreciated Vendevorex's cool, emotionless approach. He was looking at her wound as mere matter to be rearranged. If he was frightened or worried by the task, it didn't show in his impa.s.sive expression.

He worked in silence for several long moments. The distant sound of battle grew louder but Vendevorex's eyes never strayed from the task. Pet continued to cradle Jandra's head in his lap and didn't let go of her hand. Her eyes met his. She saw all the emotion that was missing from Ven's face... The worry, yes, but also the hope.

Jandra realized, suddenly, that her breathing was easier. There was no blood in her mouth anymore. She swallowed and found no pain.

"Perhaps now you can see the logic of my position," Vendevorex said, wiping the remaining blood away from her throat. It felt as if his fingers were stroking smooth, unbroken skin. "Chakthalla is dead. Staying here provides the possibility of defeat without the slimmest hope of victory. Will you come with me now?"

"Okay," she whispered. Her throat tingled, the way an arm that has been laid on too long will tingle when the pressure is released.

"Good," said Vendevorex.

"Great," said Pet, breaking into a smile. "Let's get going. I just have one small thing I need to do."

Pet helped Jandra to her feet before going to Chakthalla's body and kneeling before it. Pet lowered his head as he took her limp claws. Jandra was moved by his sorrow until she saw him pull the golden rings from Chakthalla's talons and then rudely let her limbs drop back to the floor.