Reluctantly Tyros agreed, and the party descended to a wooded ridge. Everyone dismounted slowly. Even Rapp needed to stretch tired muscles. Bakal worked some of his shoulder muscles, then took a sip of water. His face readily revealed his dissatisfaction with the day’s results.
“All this and nothing to show for it, and that thing is getting nearer to Gwynned! We’ve done nothing … nothing!”
“But the citadel won’t do anything until Cadrio catches up,” Serene pointed out. “It wouldn’t dare move on Gwynned before then. The dragons would take care of it as readily as they did the others.”
Tyros had been considering that. “I wonder. That has worried me for some time. You both saw what happened to Norwych.”
Bakal snorted. “Of course we did. That other citadel crashed right on top of it. Caused a lot of destruction.”
“Yes, but we also saw a lot more destruction that the citadel’s collapse could not have caused. Did you notice all the scorching throughout the city?”
“The work of the twins?” the cleric suggested.
“Perhaps to a point, but they don’t strike me as being that thorough or energetic. Several of those ruined areas had been hit by a very, very powerful force.” Tyros exhaled. “Perhaps I am just imagining things. Maybe the dragons did do it.”
Bakal crossed his arms, impatient. “If not them, then what? Did the citadel drop flaming boulders on Norwych? I’ve heard of that happening a few times, but never on a scale like you’re suggesting, mage.”
“I don’t know, Captain. All I can tell you is that whenever we get near Atriun, I sense immense power, far more magic than should be needed to make that thing fly.”
“I see.” Contrary to his words, however, Bakal clearly did not see. “Tyros, I’ve followed your plan so far because I thought it might have a chance, and parts of it still might work. But now that we’re nearly back home, I’ve a suggestion of my own.”
“What is it, Captain?”
“They’re heading for Gwynned, no doubt about it. My first loyalty is to the city. Since Cadrio has to take the sea route, we’ve a chance to deal with this flying monstrosity before it can link up with him again. That’s why, with the permission of Serene and Rapp, I want to take the fastest griffon, and the kender to guide him, and fly back to Gwynned. Once there, I’ll go to Sunfire and Glisten. We all know why they wouldn’t come with us before, but now the enemy’s coming to them. This threatens their future, too. And with them on our side, we’ll be able to bring down the citadel with little or no trouble.”
“But what about those aboard?” Serene demanded. “What about possible prisoners? If the dragons are forced to destroy the citadel, then they’ll perish!”
The captain shrugged. “I doubt there’s much hope there anyway. Besides, girl, more than a handful might die if we don’t at least deprive the invaders of this fortress. Probably a regiment of draconians aboard her at the very least, not to mention those gargoyles. I’d like to bring the citadel back as a prize, but as that probably won’t happen, better we send it to the ground here rather than over Gwynned.”
“You can’t do that!” the cleric protested.
“You think there’s actually a chance that your man’s still alive? Don’t be a-”
“Let him go get Sunfire, Serene,” Tyros interjected. “But only if he and the dragons give us a chance to try to take Atriun before they destroy it.”
Bakal shook his head. “That’d be madness, mage. You’ll just get you and the girl killed!”
“No … I think he’s right!” The cleric met Bakal’s gaze, forcing him to look away first. “If Rapp agrees to go with you, I won’t raise any objections, but only if you do as Tyros says.”
Seeing he had no choice, the captain agreed. “But I think you’re both throwing away your lives!”
Rapp, of course, had no objections about seeking Sunfire and Glisten. “Maybe they’ll even let me fly on top of one of them, although they certainly can’t be as comfortable as Taggi!”
Bakal nodded grimly. “It’s settled, then. Let’s be off, kender.”
“We’ll follow the citadel, but we’ll wait until we see you to approach it,” Tyros added. He had little doubt that Bakal would convince the dragons to come despite the eggs. By destroying the approaching citadel, they would be defending their own home and future children.
“When we come, we’ll be charging in, mage. Rapp, will your animals continue to carry my men without you around?” The kender bobbed his head and tried to reply, but the officer, obviously impatient to start back, quickly cut him off. “Good! Then there’s no more time to waste!”
Rapp and Bakal took off on Taggi a few minutes later, but not before the captain had given orders to his men that they were to mount up at first light. Everyone had to be within range and ready the moment the dragons appeared, for certainly those within the flying citadel would see the great leviathans as well.
Captain Bakal had said little to Tyros and even less to Serene, who clearly still did not like the veteran’s plan. After the officer’s departure, the mage found himself alone, the soldiers busy making their camp, and the cleric, her mood solemn, wandering off into the woods. Tyros thought of going after Serene and talking with her, but then recalled what had happened last time he had done so. Instead, he settled down against a tree and tried to concentrate on the spells he would need for tomorrow.
They would have to be his best, for Tyros suspected that matters would not go as simply as Bakal assumed. This citadel was different from its predecessors. It held some secret, one that Tyros hoped the morrow’s events would help him uncover … and one that he hoped would not mean the death of him and his companions.
* * * * *
“There it is!” Serene shouted.
They watched Castle Atriun as it neared the western coast of the mainland. Tyros hadn’t expected to catch up to it until they were over the sea, but to his good fortune, those in control must have caused it to pause overnight. It seemed that Serene had been correct about those in the citadel not wanting to reach Northern Ergoth’s southern coast until Cadrio had also arrived.
“I don’t see any sign of Bakal or the dragons,” Tyros shouted back.
“They’ll be here soon, unless he couldn’t convince them after all.”
The anxious spellcaster doubted that. An invading citadel would certainly draw the dragons. Captain Bakal would be here, but when remained the question. Tyros had expected the veteran to be here already, the wizard having estimated the time needed to fly to Gwynned, convince the golden pair of the necessity of their presence, and then fly back with them. If anything, he had almost expected Bakal to be impatiently waiting for them.
Hoping to keep them out of sight of the citadel, Serene had the griffon descend. However, as the animal obeyed, the wizard caught sight of something on the western horizon. “Wait!”
“What is it, Tyros?”
“Look there! I think I see them!”
She peered in the direction he indicated. “That’s a gull or a-”
“It’s them!” he insisted. “Look! There are two large forms! It has to be Sunfire and his mate!”
Serene finally agreed, but reminded him, “If we can see them coming, then those in Castle Atriun ought to see them soon, too.”
“I know. We have to be ready.”
Serene steered their griffon back to the others, seeking out the most senior of Bakal’s soldiers, a tall, muscular man named Mirko. Tyros had learned little about him, save that he seemed to give the orders when the captain could not.
“What’s happening?” Mirko called. Like the rest, he shared a griffon with another soldier, in this case a very pale soldier.
“The dragons are coming,” Serene responded.
“The captain must be with them.” The soldier stared in the direction of the golden behemoths. “We need to join him!”
“You’d better go now, then!”