Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6) Christopher Mitchell (classic reads .txt) 📖

‘Clearly,’ said Frostback. ‘I knew you would be hungry, so I took this pig for you once I had dealt with the soldiers.’

Aila’s heart fell. For a brief moment, she had thought that maybe the dragon had changed her mind.

‘What happened?’ said Kelsey.

‘I flew back to my old lair,’ said Frostback, ‘and destroyed every insect that had attacked my home. Then I went further, and discovered a camp full of soldiers on the edge of the forest. I kept low, so they wouldn’t see me, and then razed the camp to the ground. I burned it all, except for that pig.’

Aila groaned aloud.

‘I was following your advice, demigod. And it was good advice; the soldiers had wagons full of nets, and other wagons with ballistae mounted on the back. They would have attacked me again, of that there is no doubt.’ She paused, her red eyes glowing. ‘You should have heard the soldiers scream. They were running around in a wild panic, this way and that; it was good sport.’

‘How many did you kill?’ said Aila.

‘I didn’t keep an exact count. Perhaps two hundred? Certainly many more than any other raid I have taken part in, except for Yoneath. My father would have been… I mean, my former father, he… never mind.’ She lowered her head. ‘Regardless, it is done. I am victorious, and my enemies are no more.’

Aila opened her mouth to speak, but Kelsey shot her a glance.

‘You are every bit as powerful as you claimed,’ said the Holdfast woman; ‘not that I doubted that for a single moment.’ She turned to Aila. ‘Can you go and collect some firewood? I’ll show Frostback our new cave.’

‘Sure,’ said Aila.

She turned and walked to the far end of the stone ledge, then climbed down a few feet to the earthen slope of the hillside. She knew that Kelsey wanted some time alone with the dragon; time without Aila’s frown ruining things, and she understood why the Holdfast woman was acting the way she was, but the knowledge did nothing to improve the demigod’s mood.

Two hundred soldiers? The authorities in Kinell would not be able to ignore that; they would have to retaliate. They had sent an armed force because Frostback had killed one man; what would they do now that two hundred had been reduced to smoking ruins?

She bent over and starting picking up wood from the ground as her mind went over the implications of Frostback’s actions. Blackrose would never have behaved so rashly, but the silver dragon was young and inexperienced, like a teenager with death powers. Damn wild dragons were a menace to civilised society, and the sooner they were away from Frostback, the better.

She returned when her arms were full of wood, and she piled it up onto the ledge, then went back for more. When a full night’s supply had been gathered, she climbed up onto the flat stone platform. Frostback was in the cave, with only her head, neck and forelimbs visible, like a dog looking out from its kennel. Kelsey was standing by, talking and smiling. Blood was staining the front of her clothes and her hands.

‘Here’s the wood,’ said the demigod.

‘Thanks,’ said Kelsey. ‘Bring it over and we’ll get a fire started. I’ve already gutted the pig.’

Frostback watched, as Aila started carrying the wood over to the cave entrance.

‘Kelsey has revealed some things to me,’ said the dragon, ‘which help explain your unfriendly demeanour.’

Aila frowned. ‘What?’

‘I hope you don’t mind,’ said Kelsey.

‘What did you tell her?’

‘That you are with child,’ said the dragon. ‘You are frustrated that you cannot build a nest for your young. I understand you a little better now, demigod.’

Aila’s eyes widened, then anger rippled through her. ‘I told you not to mention that,’ she snapped at Kelsey.

‘I had to,’ said the Holdfast woman. ‘Frostback was… well, she was…’

‘I was considering killing you for your ingratitude,’ said the dragon. ‘But now, I will make some allowances due to your condition. When will your brood come?’

Aila stared at the silver dragon.

‘She has five or so months to go,’ said Kelsey. ‘If you look closely, you can see her starting to show. And, I think it’s only the one child.’

‘All that effort for just one?’ said Frostback. ‘A clutch of three of four is more usual for dragons. If you are still here when the child comes, I will help you make a nest, and then I would be interested in observing the birth. I am a little unfamiliar with the method by which insects reproduce. It seems to me that eggs are far more civilised than live births, especially with all that blood. Yes, I will look after you, and make sure you have plenty to eat. No harm will come to you or your child while you remain under my protection; I swear it.’

Aila said nothing for a long moment, then she realised that the dragon was expecting a response.

‘Thank you,’ she said.

Frostback tilted her head. ‘You are most welcome, demigod, most welcome indeed.’

Chapter 15

Without a Cause

C apston, Southern Cape, Southern Khatanax – 22nd Luddinch 5252

The four men stood by the ship’s railing, watching as the harbour of Capston drew closer. The sun was halfway up the eastern sky, and it was another hot day in the Southern Cape. Corthie bit his tongue. The others had heard enough of his complaints during the voyage, and he was sick of making them.

They had gone the wrong way. His anger had initially been directed towards Sohul for buying the tickets, but he knew the lieutenant had done only what he had been told to do – get passage on any ship leaving that night. Following that, the speed of the old merchant vessel had been the next target of his ire. Nine days it had taken to plough through the seas by the eastern coast of Khatanax from Kin Dai to its destination at Capston; nine days of enforced inaction. He had paced the deck, lain in his bunk,