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

Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

“Then spit it out and stop with the suspense!” Sylvia snapped at me.

“It’s the last thing she mentioned in that room!” I reminded her. “Something about a ‘watcher on high holds the bells of light which reflect the pure heart!’” I stomped my foot against the floorboards. “This must be the watcher and the bells must be those above us!”

Sylvia sneered up at the bells. “Is that it? It’s

“Do you have a better idea?” I countered as I felt Will lean even more against me.

“Nope!” Sylvia shouted as she grabbed a rope. “So let’s start ringing!

She yanked down and the rope moved with her. The clapper hit the interior curvature of the bell but the metal didn’t vibrate. Not so much as a twinkle emanated from the bell. She tried again and the same result happened.

“Why isn’t this working?” she snapped as she gripped the rope tight. She gave it another pull but nothing happened. “What the hell?” She lunged for the other rope and gave it the same treatment and was rewarded with the same results. Our companion flung the rope away from her and glared up at the bells. “Why don’t they do anything?”

Will grasped the other rope and drew it over to me. “‘The watcher on high holds the bells of light which reflect the pure heart.’” I blinked at him and he smiled. “I know of no purer heart than yours. Try ringing the bell.”

Doubts littered my mind but I grasped the rope in both hands. Will shuffled back and I looked up at the bellies of those two whales of bells. They were so huge I couldn’t fathom them moving at all, but I took a deep breath and yanked down.

The clapper struck the inside of the hood and the bell rang out loud and clear.

The whole tower shuddered as it came to life. The vibrations around the bell took the form of a pulsing red light like the glow of a friendly candle. Alisa buckled under the strain and dropped to her knees, catching herself with her hands. Her vines collapsed along with her and the fog came rushing up and inward. The brilliant glow from the bell floated down over us like a soft transparent blanket, forming a dome and blocking out the terrible darkness.

The tendrils slammed against the barrier and red sparks flew out of the friction point. The light pulsed a moment before it shot out in all directions, vaporizing the mist. I scrambled over to the edge and watched the glow cover the whole of the city up to the vali. The light faded at that boundary and the fog retreated into the forest. I couldn’t help but notice that the darkest point lurked around the stone grave.

Sylvia clapped a hand on my shoulder. I twisted my head around to face her and she grinned. “I guess we all learned something about me today, didn’t we?”

“More than I cared to know,” Alisa snapped as she eased herself onto her feet. She swayed a little and Will was quick to hurry over. He grasped one of her arms and leaned her against him. She smiled up at him. “Don’t fuss about me. I’ll be alright.”

“But will we be alright for very long?” Syliva mused as she inspected the city and the darkness in the forest beyond the vali. Her face fell as she glimpsed the deep darkness. “That looks like a lot of trouble over there.”

“We should go there then,” Will spoke up as he limped toward the hatch.

I rushed over to stand in front of him and I grabbed his arms. “For once I’m going to be the one to tell you to stay here.”

A crooked grin slipped onto his face. “And I’ll listen as well as you.”

My eyebrows crashed down and I tightened my grip on his arms. “This isn’t funny, Will. You’re hurt.”

“Something’s coming!” Sylvia shouted.

We looked at her as she stabbed a finger in a northerly direction. Four huge shadows flew fast and high toward the city.

“The eagles,” Will surmised as he limped over to the railing and grasped the wood with one hand. A cloud settled on his brow as he turned his attention to the palace. “And we aren’t the only ones who have noticed their presence.”

A flurry of troops hurried out of the weapon bunker on the training ground armed and armored for war. They positioned themselves in columns facing their oncoming foe and I noticed the figure at the front didn’t show the same bravado as Luja.

I squinted at the leader. “Is that the knight guy?”

Will shook his head. “No. That person is Terve’s second-in-command.”

We watched the scene unfold as the eagles entered the city airspace. Terve’s second used his hands to gesture around them and the soldiers dispersed to various parts of the city.

One of the huge birds flew close and I saw it was the king himself. The eagle majesty’s sharp eyes noticed us in the high tower and flew over where he landed with a heavy thump atop the cone. He stretched his neck and his upside down head appeared to us.

“We have come to hear news you may have about my sick people. What do you have to report, vassal?” he questioned us.

Will shook his head. “There is no time to explain other than to say the elves were attacked and the efforts were repelled, but I suspect the attempt will be tried again. If the danger is not stopped it will consume everything around the vali.”

The eagle king studied him for a moment before he nodded. “What would you suggest we do?”

Will pointed at the dark patch in the shadowed forest. “Can you fly my companions there? The source of all the troubles lies in those deep shadows.”

The eagle glanced at Alisa and a dark look slipped into his eyes. “We will do so this once but will only your companions need our wings?” He looked pointedly at Will’s leg.

“And Will,” I added as I moved to stand at his side. “Please carry us there as quickly as you can.”

“And whoever’s taking me has to take my bag, too,” Sylvia spoke up as she hefted her bag over her shoulder.

I glanced at the contingent of guards before I returned my focus to Will. “What about the elf soldiers? They might be able to help us?”

The eagle king’s feathers ruffled. “We will not carry them.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Will met my gaze and softly shook his head. My protests died in my throat and he looked back to the eagle. “Then call your other vassals and show us your swift flight.”

The king’s head disappeared and a great whoosh was heard as he dove from the high tower. He opened his beak and a great call came from him. The other eagles came to us and circled the Vahti.

Sylvia leaned over the edge and frowned. “They’re too big to land here, so how do we get on them?”

Will turned to look at us and pressed his back against the railing. “Like so.”

He flung his full weight backward and tumbled over the side. “Will!” I screamed as I tried to snatch him but he slipped from my grasp.

Will plummeted to earth with a smile on his face. The king of the eagles flew beneath him and Will landed neatly on his back. My heart plummeted for a second time as I comprehended his plan.

“Oh shit,” Sylvia muttered as she, too, stared in terror at the high drop.

“Come on then!” Alisa snapped as she tried to ease her short self over the railing.

A sly smile slipped onto Sylvia’s lips and she sauntered over to the struggling elf. “Let me help.”

Alisa paused in her attempt and glared at her. “What are you-hey!”

Sylvia grabbed her legs and flung her backward. The old elf tumbled over the side and into the abyss. I leaned over the wall and watched an eagle catch her in its claws. A noise near me made me look up. Sylvia was approaching with a glint in her eyes.

“I don’t need help!” I protested as I scrambled over the wall.

I flung myself over the side and immediately regretted my decision. Turbulence and vertigo struck me at the same time and I couldn’t help but scream. A swift shadow flew in from my side and a pair of claws wrapped around my waist. A soft ‘oomph’ escaped me when my descent was abruptly interrupted. Sylvia soon flew past riding atop one of the birds with her bag clutched against her front.

My eagle soared over the city, taking me with it as it followed its king over the vali. I felt a distinct cold sink into my bones the moment we passed over the canyon. The air grew heavy with the miasma of shadows that had tried to cover the city. I risked a look down and could faintly see the forest floor. Slender tendrils of darkness slithered their way over the ground like dens of snakes. They twisted about the trees and bushes, the bark of which were now covered in the hideous black spots.

But the darkest was yet to come.