Dragon Sword (The Dragon Lord’s Bride #2)

Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Will set his hand on the lower part of my back and guided me down the passage. I stayed close to him and lowered my voice to a whisper to avoid the echoes. “So, um, are they magical birds? Is that why they can talk?”

He nodded. “Their ancestors were granted the gift of speech by a passing wizard whom they saved long ago.”

I squinted my eyes and peered down the tunnel. There were no natural lights ahead of us, only darkness. “Is this such a good idea?”

“We need answers,” he pointed out as he raised his free hand. A small fireball popped out of his palm, illuminating the increasingly rough walls. The place was a dustbowl of settled dirt and a few cobwebs. I ducked low to avoid one of the impressive structures and in my distraction, I stumbled over something.

Will caught me in his arms. “Mind the bones.”

I blinked at him. “Bones?”

He lowered his light close to the floor. My mouth fell open as I beheld dozens and dozens of pale bones. They were of various sizes and some were yellowed by time, but all bore the unmistakable scars of claws and beaks. I couldn’t help but notice that some of the bones looked human.

“P-please tell me the eagles don’t have us on their menu.”

Will kept a tight hold on me as we continued. “They have been known to mete out harsh punishments for those who wronged them.”

“Like the elves?” I guessed.

“Like the elves.”

I thought back to our interview with the lord of the birds and my heart dropped into my stomach. “What about vassals who haven’t been keeping their duty?”

He smiled down at me. “The worst that could happen is they eat me.”

I dug my heels into the bone-littered ground and stopped us. Will half-turned to me and I stabbed a finger in his chest. “That isn’t funny.”

He laughed and drew me forward again into the bowels of the eagle lair. “Even with my errant ways, the eagles find me too valuable. I have acted as the only contact between the elves and them since my servitude began. They would be rather lost without me now.”

“How long are you going to remain a vassal?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “I gave them no limit to my offer, so perhaps to my dying day or the end of their race.”

I glanced down at the bones. “Let’s hope the second one comes first.”

Will’s good humor faded as he used his red eyes to squint into the darkness. “Quiet.”

His command was low and sharp. My heart skipped a beat as the silence swooped in and covered us. Only our footsteps on the dusty and bone-littered floor made a sound. That is, until I heard a rough growling noise come from ahead of us. I clung to Will as he slowed to a stop and raised his glowing hand.

His light illuminated the end of the tunnel. The rough curvature of the rear wall was dotted with metal plates, and attached to those were long chains and manacles. The manacles were wrapped around three eagles, or what were once eagles. The black sickness had taken them and left them with little to no feathers. Their bald bodies were covered in hideous sores which bubbled and spit out pus. A terrible smell filled the air and the floor was thick with the remains of their food. The bones were not as thoroughly cleaned and the flesh had rotted.

They stood at our coming and one of them lunged at us. Instinct commanded me to flee but Will held me tight against him and we stood in place. The eagle reached the end of its tether a few feet before it reached us. The chains rattled and it gave a slight yelp as the manacle about its neck yanked on its throat. The eagle was jerked backward but that didn’t stop its efforts as it strained against its chains to reach us, its beak snapping at our throats.

“Oh my God. . .” I whispered as the other two joined the fruitless effort, their dead eyes glaring at us in seeming envy.

Will studied the creature with pity mixed with disgust. “It appears even the eagles with their magic cannot fight against the sickness.”

I winced as I mentally ticked off all the creatures who had become infected. “Elves, humans, animals, eagles.” I lifted my eyes to his worried face. “Maybe us?”

He pursed his lips and tightened his hold around my waist. “We must be very careful not to let them touch us.” The color drained from my face and my legs buckled. Will caught me before I crumpled to the ground. His face, too, was ashen as he looked me over. “What’s the matter?”

My words came out in a hoarse whisper. “That guy earlier. He was right on top of me.”

Will swept me into his arms and shook his head. “I don’t believe mere proximity will lead to infection. All those we have found were injured by the others.” He half-turned us toward the pitiable creatures and nodded at the remains of some dressed wounds on their wings and legs. “These, too, were harmed by something.”

Will carried me out of the tunnel and back into the audience room of the lord of the eagles. He watched us with our sharp eyes as we presented ourselves in front of him. “What do you make of my children?”

Will set me gently on my feet and wore a grim expression on his face. “They are as we have seen others. Infected with a malice of some dark magic.”

The eagle lord nodded. “Then you have no explanation nor remedy?”

“Not yet, but we intend to search the library of the elves to learn more about the ancient evil that afflicted this land when they first came,” Will told him.

The eagle tapped one claw against the stone floor. “Why do you suspect that it has arisen again?”

I shrugged. “It’s just a guess.”

His lordship wasn’t pleased with my reply. “Then you have no proof as to the identity of our foe?”

“We will get the proof from the archives,” Will promised as he took a step toward the eagle lord. “But you may help us, as well. Where were these eagles when they became infected with this curse?”

The lord stretched out one wing and feather fluff flew out of his appendage. My eyes widened as the dandruff didn’t just fall to the floor but remained afloat and mingled together to create a three-dimensional map of the woods. A few of the fluffs were brighter than the others like burning constellations in a crowded sky. I easily recognized the vali, as well, along with the beginnings of the elven capital.

Our host used his beak to point at one particular spot to the southeast which illuminated as he spoke. “They discovered trouble there. One of the scouts was able to tell us they were attacked by wild animals upon landing.”

Will stepped closer and studied the map with a furrowed brow. “Why were they landing there? That’s near the grave of the king and well within elven territory.”

“We had noticed trouble in the forest some weeks before and followed the scent of the infected animals to that location,” the eagle explained.

“Then you think it might have something to do with the old king and his foe, too?” I guessed.

The eagle lifted his mighty beak and glared down at me. “I do not guess and should I do so I would not venture to risk the lives of my people on mere speculation.”

“Then we will risk ours for you, My Lord,” Will offered as he bowed his head to our host. “If you will but give us your leave and a lift to the edge of the vali we will see what we can discover.”

The eagle studied him for a moment before he nodded. “Then do so, vassal, and I send the hopes of my people with you.”

Will grasped my hand and led me to the edge of the cavern that overlooked the steep drop. The eagles who had carried us here followed and stood behind us as we stepped up to the precipice. I leaned over and gulped at the steep drop. It was some thousand feet to the bottom of the vali.

“So how do we get down?” I asked my husband as I looked over my shoulder at the birds. “Do they just flap up and grab hold of us?”

His eyes twinkled as he tightened his grip on my hand. “We jump.”

I barely had time to register his words before he threw us both over the edge.