‘I can tell you when a tempest is coming.’ Kheda brushed aside her objections. Would working your magic lessen such a storm’s ferocity, if you were warned in good time?’
‘Yes.’ Growing interest rose above Velindre’s wretchedness.
‘You hope,’ scoffed Dev.
Kheda silenced him with an upraised hand. ‘You said you felt this focusing of elemental fire, Dev. Can you still feel it? Could you find where the beast has hoarded its gems?’
Dev stared at him, silent for a moment. ‘Yes,’ he said finally.
‘Would scattering the hoard bring the dragon down on us, without us having to betray ourselves with your magic?’ Kheda looked from the bald wizard to the magewoman and back again. ‘You could use your magics together to attack it? If I could forecast a storm coming?’
‘Possibly.’ Some spark of his usual boldness lit Dev’s red-rimmed eyes as he looked at Velindre. ‘Focusing magic through a single gem, for a single, limited purpose, that’s done seldom enough in Hadrumal. This creature’s using a whole hoard to draw on the elemental fire all around, channelling power ceaselessly to itself.’
‘There’s no record of anyone from Trydek down having any notion of how to create such an all-pervasive spell,’ Velindre said with wonder. ‘Do you think any of the element masters would have any idea how it’s doing it? Maybe Azazir—’ She broke off with a shudder.
‘Don’t think you’re leaving now to go and debate with your fellow mages,’ interrupted Kheda harshly. ‘I’ve had enough of taking your orders.’ Dev’s hand went to his dagger hilt. ‘And I’m not playing your slave any more!’
‘Oh, stop it,’ snapped Velindre. ‘What do you want to do, Dev? Paddle the whole length of the Archipelago without using a flicker of magic, just to return to Hadrumal and tell the Council you found a true dragon, that it is somehow focusing unimaginable power through a hoard of gems but you’ve no notion how? That you were too scared to try to find out?’
‘You’re calling me scared?’ Dev drew his knife in one swift motion to threaten Velindre.
Taking him by surprise from his blind side, Risala knocked it out of his hand. Don’t be a fool, Dev!’
‘Enough,’ shouted Kheda. ‘Dev, that creature’s too close. It’s making you mad!’
The four of them staggered as the Reteul rocked violently.
‘The first thing we need to do is get safely away from here.’ Risala looked uneasily at the rocky walls enclosing them.
‘Easier said than done without Velindre’s magic,’ sneered Dev.
‘I don’t claim to be any kind of sailor without it.’ The female wizard looked grim-faced at Kheda. ‘But I can pull on a rope if you show me the right one.’
‘Risala, the two of you see to the sail,’ Kheda ordered. ‘Dev, get the stern oars out and let’s move out into the channel. We’ll take it as slowly as we can and you fend off while I steer.’
Still scowling blackly, Dev looked for a moment as if he was going to protest or refuse. Then he turned to free the long sweeps from their lashing below the rail.
Kheda moved to see what damage had been done to the rudder by the unyielding rocks.
Splintered edges but sound enough. Sufficient to get us out of here, at least. And then where to? Not back to any residence, that’s for certain.
There’s no going back for any of us till we’ve rid Chazen of this dragon or died in the attempt.
Chapter Twenty
Do you suppose it’ll still be here when we get back?’ Risala looked up from the anchor she was resolutely digging into the ground.
Satisfied that the rope he was tying around a sturdy knot tree was secure, Kheda shrugged. ‘That depends on how much of the violence Velindre can draw out of this storm with her magic’ The winds were whipping up spray from the sea to mingle with the rain dampening Kheda’s sturdy brown tunic. Is it an omen that the storm we need has arisen in a mere natter of days? Or just to be expected, given the season and the latitude?
‘Did you hear that?’ Dev was up on the Reteul’s deck. The boat was bobbing madly in the narrow tree-choked inlet he had finally grudgingly accepted as an anchorage. He froze in the act of nailing a batten across the hatch to the hold.
‘The dragon?’ Kheda looked up at the cloud-covered sky, mouth half-open.
‘What?’ The bald wizard spared him a brief glance. No, Velle, I was talking to you. I’m relying on you to draw this storm’s teeth. You keep it from wrecking my boat.’
The magewoman was standing a little distance away, face turned into the accelerating wind driving white-crested waves to crash all along the muddy shore. The larger billows were forcing their way up the inlet to wedge the Reteul still further into the clinging thicket of knot trees. ‘I’ll do my best,’ she said absently.
‘Do we have any more ropes?’ Kheda surveyed the ungainly lattice tying the boat to the shore. He shook his head. ‘This is madness, Dev. The boat’s still right in the path of the fiercest storm of the season so far.’ Dev stood up on the deck. ‘The shorter ropes will save it from being smashed against the shore by the first winds and when they snap, the longer ones will hold it as it rides the surging seas.’
‘What if they don’t?’ Risala demanded. ‘Where will the Reteul be when the storm passes?’
‘What will it be?’ Kheda muttered under his breath.
‘Kindling?
Where will any of us be? Isn’t this whole voyage madness? You’ve failed in your suborning of magic to defeat this dragon so far. All these wizards’ theories have been proved wrong. Why are you trusting them now? Do you honestly believe they know what they’re doing this time?
He wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of one hand.
What else can I do? I will not return to face the people of Chazen with the news that there is no way to kill this dragon. If I do, we might as well all take to our boats and flee to cast ourselves on the dubious mercy of the neighbouring domains.
I cannot go back. We can only go forward. I can only follow this path.
‘We need to get inland before the storm comes any closer,’ he shouted above the rising skirl of the wind. ‘Bring your swords, Dev. There may be hogs or water ox in the forest. They’ll be even more inclined to fight than usual if they’re fleeing the storm.’ He looked at Risala. ‘Keep your eyes open, and stay close to me.
‘Always.’ She smiled faintly. ‘At least the storm’s blown away that foul humidity, and the sweat flies.’ Dev jumped ashore and grinned at Kheda as he handed over the warlord’s twin scabbarded blades. ‘If you manage to lose this boat for me, I’ll take the price of a new one out of the dragon’s hoard.’
‘Those are Chazen gems,’ Risala retorted.
‘Stolen by wild men?’ Dev queried, dark eyes wide in pretended surprise. ‘Hoarded by a dragon? Surely Chazen has no use for jewels so tainted with ill luck and enchantment?’
‘Enough.’ Kheda thrust his swords securely through his doubled belt and pointed towards a narrow game trail. ‘Get into the trees. Velindre!’
The blonde magewoman hurried across the shore as fat drops of rain thudded on the ground. ‘The heart of the storm’s nearly here.’
‘I know,’ said Kheda curtly.
‘How?’ Velindre slowed as the tangled knot trees blunted the knife edge of the wind. ‘How did you know today, of all days, was going to bring such a tempest? The skies have been clear for the last few days, the seas calm.’
‘As they so often are before a run of wild weather. How did I know it would come today?’ Kheda checked to be sure Dev wasn’t getting too far ahead before explaining. ‘The pattern of the tide told me that this morning. As for knowing it’s nearly here, well, just listen.’
They stood motionless as the knot trees rocked around them, muting the sound of the surf crashing against the shore. Contorted grey branches rasped across one another, the slap and rattle of their stubby fleshy leaves quite unlike the rushing turmoil of the ironwoods and tandra trees growing inland where the salt water never encroached, no matter how high the seas rose. Gouts of rain came and went, the abrupt showers mere playthings of the winds.