Fang Shway in LA (27 page)

“Stop where you are? Don’t move or I swear that I’ll kill you where you stand. You raise your arms slowly and turn around.”

Trevor raced back to join me when he heard my voice. We had our spy trapped between us. The spy raised his hands as directed, turning slowly to face me.

“Trevor, please check him and make sure he isn’t armed.”

Trevor came up behind the spy and frisked him. Clearly satisfied the man wasn’t armed he asked, “Who are you and why are you following us?”

“I was forced into slavery by the Viking raiders. When their ships were burned, I escaped and hid in the caves.”

Lauren walked over and looked more closely. “You are just a boy. Where are you from?”

“My family is from the Isle of Man. The Vikings use our island to restock their supplies. They steal our animals, food and water.”

“You still haven’t told us why you are following us. Are you spying for the Vikings?”

He spat. “Never, I’m here with news about the missing prince.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. “You’re what?”

“I have news about the missing prince.”

My voice got very quiet, and I said, “This had better not be a joke or I’ll kill you myself.”

“I was hiding in the rocks when the prince and the vampire fell.
They were struggling and then they tumbled into the ocean, disappearing from my sight. Several minutes went by and then I saw them rise to the surface. The vampire washed ashore.
Moments later, the prince stumbled ashore and collapsed.”

“And what happened then?” I snapped.

“The vampire came to and started toward the prince who hadn’t moved. However, before he got to the prince a group of men interrupted him. He fled into the rocks near me. I thought for a time he’d spotted me. Instead, he kept moving away from the spot where the prince fell. When I crept out from where I’d hidden the men and the prince where gone.”

“That’s it? You didn’t see where they went? Anything?” I realized I’d been shouting and I lowered my voice. Taking a few deep breathes to steady myself, I asked, “Please, anything at all would be helpful.”

“I’m sorry that is all I know,” he said hanging his head.

Trevor thanked the boy and sent him to get something to eat. He asked the boy to stay until we could talk with him again. Oh, my god. I’d forgotten the box. Maybe the vampire was telling the truth. If Traygen’s ring was in the small chest then we’d know who had taken him. I turned and started running back toward the castle. Trevor yelled after me. I think he thought I was distraught by the boy’s comments. He jogged along behind me, too much of a gentleman to ask me if I’d lost my mind.

Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner? I guess I’d been too exhausted from the night’s events. When I reached my room I searched through my clothes for the small box. There it was, tucked safely into the folds of my shirt, where I’d left it the night before. My hands were shaking so badly I nearly dropped it. How was I going to get the box open? I looked around the room for something to use to pry open the box.

“May I?” Trevor asked.

I nodded and held out the box. He took it looking closely at the lock. Then he reached for a small knife he kept in the top of his boot. Gently, he pushed the tip of the blade under the lid of the box, working it along the lid until he hit the clasp. He jiggled it and gently probed. Just when I was about to take the box and smash it, the lid popped open. I sank to my knees, tears streaming down my face. Traygen was alive, and we knew who had taken him. There nestled in the velvet on the bottom of the box was Traygen’s ring.

* * * *

Read on for a special preview of
Fang Shway novel, Dragon Down, available now. Feedback is cherished, if you enjoyed this story, please leave a review.

About the author:

Casey Knight has a doctorate in educational leadership and has taught and coached in higher education for thirty seven years. She lives in Southern California with her daughter and their two dogs.

When she isn't writing she enjoys hiking in the California sun or walking along the vast expansive of the Pacific Ocean. The beauty of both settings provides all the solitude and tranquility that inspires and refreshes her spirit.

Dragon Down

I clutched Traygen’s ring to my chest desperately seeking for any sign Traygen was alive. Sinking to my knees, I held my breath fearing I would miss even the faintest hint of Traygen’s energy, nothing, no, I could feel a faint murmur, elusive, ebbing. Yes. Traygen, my love you are alive and I will find you. I swear it.

“Lauren, are you all right?”

“Trevor, Traygen is alive. I feel it in his ring. It is only a thread, the barest of connections, gossamer thin. Still, it is there and we will find him, now that we know Ragnar is involved.”

“What do you propose? The Isle of Man is where we assume the Vikings were headed.”

“Exactly, we will need a small raiding party and enough supplies to last us for a week or more. How quickly can we get everything set up?”

“It shouldn’t take too long. We will need to rest the men and gather supplies. These men have been fighting for months now.
However, they would do anything for Traygen. I’ll go speak with General Wingo and I’ll let you know what he recommends.”

I made no effort to move.
My mind whirling like a pinwheel, darting from one memory of Traygen to the next.
A kaleidoscope of vivid images, spinning, were shaking me to my core. Could I finally be close to holding him again? He just had to be alive. I felt his presence and it wasn’t just his spirit. No, I wouldn’t let my mind go there, it wasn’t just his spirit.
It was more. It was time to contact Jason and Tokem. It would take them longer than usual to get here. They were still in hiding with Traygen’s father. I would need their help to save Traygen. Hopefully, they would return before we left for The Isle of Man but I wouldn’t wait for them. I began to plan.

Slowly, I designed our rescue, down to the smallest detail. Trevor would be reporting in soon. I left my room and headed for the library. I needed to see some maps of the Isle of Man. I had no idea what the terrain was like. General Wingo and his men would have a working knowledge.
Still, I needed to learn for myself what we were up against.

I found what I was looking for in the map room. It didn’t appear the terrain was much different from the east coast of Traygen’s kingdom. This was a plus for us and I knew it would be for Traygen as well, if he got the chance to escape. I tried to picture the terrain and how the men holding him would restrain him. They would need to keep him from turning into a dragon, or he would be too strong for them. Racking my brain I couldn’t think of anything except drugs. They would need to keep him sedated or he could change and break any shackles. That had to be it, or he would have returned to me. Unless, unless …I just couldn’t go there. I could not wrap my mind around the notion Traygen was dead. Why had I wasted so many years? I should have married him the first time he asked. Sinking onto the floor I let my mind drift back to my life with Traygen. I’d
known him for over thirty years. He was the first person Jason teamed me with after I began protecting Los Angeles.

I apprenticed under Jason and become a first-rate wizard an adept to be specific. I use thaumaturgy and theurgy. Thaumaturgy is the use of magic, which, in my case, means harnessing natural elements. Theurgy is much different. It uses divine intervention or spirits. I guess you could say I ask for God’s help and I harness nature’s elements to back me up.

I don’t age. Honestly, I don’t. I’ve been stuck at thirty, since I gained my skills at around the same age. I probably should have been a quicker study. My early twenties were awkward. No, thirty is good. Traygen was over a hundred when I met him.
Changelings don’t age either. We were a match made in heaven or could have been if I hadn’t made our lives hell. It was never my plan to put us both through the wringer. My heart and soul bruised too easily after my father’s death. I guess you could say I had trust issues and the arrogance to think we would both live forever. Traygen, my love I’m sorry. There just had to be time to fix it. I wanted my walk down the aisle. Just when I finally said yes Traygen disappears.
No, he is not running for his life. He was kidnapped by the Vikings, I think.

“Lauren, are you all right?” Trevor gently shook my shoulder, concern etched on his face.

I shook my head trying to clear my mind. “I must have dozed off. I was dreaming about Traygen. Did you find General Wingo?”

Trevor reached down and gave me a hand, pulling me to my feet before he answered my question. At times like this he reminded me so much of Traygen. I turned my head, so he wouldn’t see me brush the tears from my face.

“Yes, he’ll be joining us shortly. He assumes there will be no shortage of volunteers and we can be airborne at first light.”

“That is wonderful news. While we wait for him let me share what I found on the Isle of Man. Also, do you believe our young spy will help us?”

“Yes and his name is Figgs. I’ve chatted with him, since he has been fed and clothed. He hates the Vikings and will lead us to where they were last seen.”

“Great, maybe he can look at this map and give us some ideas on where to begin, a place where the Vikings might hide a prisoner.”

“I’ll send for him right away.” Trevor called a guard and sent him for the boy. Then he turned his gaze back to me. “Lauren, you know Traygen might not be there or even alive. You need to prepare yourself, for whatever we find.”

“No. I’ll never believe Traygen is not still alive. I can’t.”

A knock on the door ended further discussion. A guard escorted Figgs into the room, the boy looking much better after a meal and a bath.

“Figgs please join us. We have some questions about the Vikings and where they might be keeping a captive. Do you have any ideas?”

“Prince Trevor and Lady Lauren,” he said as he bowed to us. “There are several possibilities. The coastline is like this kingdom’s coast with cliffs and caves overlooking the ocean. In the past they have kept captives deep underground in the maze of grottoes. I can direct you to them if you’d like.”

“Figgs, are there any bogs or swamps on your island?” I asked the boy.

“Lady Lauren, there are several. There is also quicksand and no one survives the quicksand. They sink from sight never to be seen again.”

“Figgs, please call me Lauren. Do you know if the Vikings use the quicksand with their captives?”

The boy’s face contorted in rage or anguish. I wasn’t sure which, perhaps a bit of both. He didn’t answer me for several minutes.
He swallowed hard. Obviously, he was fighting for control and when he spoke his voice was barely above a whisper.

“They killed my father and brothers in quicksand. They bound them hand and foot and dropped them into the quicksand. They disappeared below the surface and in a matter of minutes they ceased to exist. No one has ever emerged from those sandy pools. The sands don’t ever give up their dead.” He said as he sank to his knees and covered his face.

I knelt down beside him and hugged him to me. When he had exhausted his tears I promised him we would avenge his family’s deaths. He nodded without speaking, bowed and left the room. I looked at Trevor and be both brushed tears from our eyes.

Moments later General Wingo joined us and reported he would have a hundred men ready to fly by dawn. Trevor updated him on Figgs knowledge of the land and the Vikings previous behavior. We pored over the maps and discussed various approaches. It was only a few hours until dawn when the meeting broke up. Our plan was to land at the opposite end of the island from the Vikings and set up a base camp.

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