The dragon landed on all four feet. However, the front left nearly collapsed in pain. The dragon reached down with an angry snap and found the spear. The dragon grabbed it with its teeth and yanked the spear free, then screamed in pain, again. Blood ran freely, but already the wound felt better. The dragon twisted its head, and a long tongue flicked out and licked.
Look around. Make sure we’re alone.
The dragon lifted its head and carefully examined the area beyond the pasture. All looked well. The dragon went back to licking its wound.
Raymer released the mental grip on the dragon and looked through his own eyes. He saw the ceiling of the room at the inn. The old man Henry, Ander, and Fleet were all standing beside the bed, a worried expression on their faces. He smiled.
“The dragon took a spear in the leg, but it’ll be fine. We attacked the castle and drew attention. We started one fire there and then we burned a small house down between the castle and King Ember’s men. I have to go back, soon.”
Fleet said, “Have you done enough damage to draw the entire army to the castle?”
“No. The only thing I can think of is to keep attacking and hope that the army responds.”
“The dragon attack will only need the palace forces to defend against you. It will not draw in the army, will it?” Fleet asked. “You may have to kill and hurt many people to draw the armies in from their assignments.”
Ander said, “You once told me that word travels the backroads faster than we could move so we had to stay hidden. What if you locate the invading army and begin attacking it? Won’t people between the army and castle flee to the castle for protection?”
Raymer sat up and touched Ander’s arm. “That’s it!”
“Drink this,” the old man placed a mug of ale in his hands.
Once the mug was empty, Raymer closed his eyes and laid back down. The mental touch of the dragon came easier each time. He found the creature still cleaning the wound, but in good spirits—as much as he could determine for a dragon.
The flight had been long, and the dragon was hungry. Cows stood in frozen fear in the far corner of the pasture. Take one, Raymer ordered.
The barn and farmhouse further away had not shown any sign of people, although they were probably huddled inside. It would be another debt Quint would have to pay.
The dragon became alert at his suggestion. It spotted one closer than the others. The cow stood at twenty steps away, by the way, Raymer measured distance. He expected the dragon to ease closer and spring.
It did not. Raymer felt the dragon muscles tense. The dragon shot across the pasture to the cow in a single movement, its head far out in front of its body on the long neck, teeth slashing. The cow was down.
Raymer pulled himself away from the sickening tearing of the first bite.
He opened his eyes at the inn. “The dragon is eating a cow. Quint will have to repay people for the damage we’re doing to innocent bystanders.”
Ander said, “I do not believe that will be a problem. His father, the Earl, will not only pay the costs, but I’m sure he will reward you as well. If the situation were reversed, my father would gladly do those things.”
“When I reach the mind of the dragon again we are going to search for King Ember’s army. Any ideas?”
Of all people, it was Henry who nodded. “I used to be in the army long ago, but things don’t change much, I’m thinking. Ander told me how they’re sneaking up on the castle and taking prisoners, all spread out to remain hidden. That works well to a point, but there’s a place where they have agreed to meet. A place and a time.”
“I don’t understand,” Raymer said.
“They‘re all spread out, man. If they attack without massing and timing, the attack will take place over two or three days, with small groups fighting as they arrive on the scene. No coordination. The Earl’s Palace forces will easily turn them back.”
Raymer said, “You think they will meet somewhere, join into one large army, and then attack?”
“The officers know the place. It has to be recognizable for them to see from a distance, and yet be close to the castle. And water. It has to have water for the men. They can only carry so much, and it’s probably gone by now.” Henry abruptly stopped talking, as if he realized he’d said too much when he was not part of the group. He was only an old man who had been drinking ale in the same inn.
Ander put an arm around his shoulder and winked at Raymer. “That's what you needed?”
“Quint has another debt to repay,” Raymer said while looking at a beaming Henry. “I have a landmark to look for.”
“I’ve been thinking about that, son. I’ve been to Castle Warrington a dozen times. Look for a needle. A needle of rock standing near as high as the castle walls. It can be seen from far off. Find it along a smaller river to the east of the castle. There're trees filling the narrow valley that’ll help hide the men. That’s where you’ll find them unless I’m way off my thinking, which I may be.”
Raymer touched minds again. The dragon had finished most of the cow and picked a few strips of muscle from a bone. Other bones, part of the skin, and blood lay at the dragon’s feet. But the dragon felt full and the wound on the leg no longer hurt.
We fly now, Raymer said.
With a shock, he realized his choice of words. He’d said, we. Not you. We.
It made a difference. It was no longer a dragon and he a man. The bonding was complete. They were now one.
The emotions were so deep he missed the takeoff. The dragon was rising into the air. Raymer asked it to fly higher. He wanted to see more of the landscape ahead. The old man, Henry, was smart. He had been in the army and knew how they operated. His suggestions were the best information Raymer had to work with.
They flew east, away from the castle and the rising smoke. Ahead lay a wide valley with farms. Crops, pastures, hay, and dense forest where building materials and firewood would be obtained. As far as he could see. Off to the right, he saw hills and a slightly different color of vegetation. But no soldiers.
Turn that way, he ordered. The dragon turned and within a short time, the vegetation became more distinct. A low ridge lay ahead and on the other side a more rugged, narrow valley filled with small trees. They flew closer, but there was no sign of the needle of rock Henry spoke of.
The dragon turned to follow the valley. They still saw no needle or anything remotely like it. Raymer estimated the distance to the castle for a man walking and decided it was a full day’s journey. Too far away to prepare an attack. If it were him, he’d want something much closer so the men wouldn’t be worn out by walking for a full day.
Turn around, he ordered. As the dragon made a wide swing, Raymer spotted movement below. Perhaps a dozen men dashed across a meadow, in the direction of the castle. The dragon flew on. He then saw two men walking, pausing and looking up and then ducking for cover, too late. Ahead he found a string of men following each other where the brush grew thick. They were easy to see from above.
Then he spotted the needle. Far ahead, it stood alongside a river exactly as Henry had foretold. In the forest and underbrush below were hundreds of men. Probably thousands, all heading in the same direction. The dragon flew directly to the needle.
At the base of the stone, column were cold camps. Already there were troops in clusters, waiting for others to arrive and then they would make their final assault. If the sneak attack worked like planned, the invaders would probably walk through the city gates late at night, almost unchallenged. Northwood wouldn’t know it was being invaded until it was conquered.