The Divine Apprentice (The Divine Series) (13 page)

             
“Not too bad, eh?” Kade asked as he rotated the animal on the spit.

             
He smiled to himself, knowing the dragon would spend the next hour watching the meal closely.  He decided he would put the time to good use and went back into the cabin, already picturing the ominous, strange, metal book.  He used to look forward to going into this room, but now, he felt a sense of dread.

             
Kade went into the cabin and made the right turn, stopping at the door.  After the appropriate motions, the trap was disarmed and he proceeded into the room.  He glanced out the window to see the dragon settle down close to the fire.  Kade smiled to himself as he watched it stretch out its neck and smell the food.

Turning his attention back to the book, Kade sat down and forced himself to think critically once more.  He examined the cover as he placed his hand on it, getting ready to flip it open.  Just as he was curling his fingers under the edge of the cover, he paused.  Something was not right.  He sat there for several long moments, and then it hit him.

“I left you open,” Kade said, peering intently at the book.  He drew his hands away and closed his eyes.  It took only a second for the shimmer to reveal itself once again.  “So, you reset just like the door.  Why does that not surprise me?” Kade asked rhetorically, as he glanced at the entrance to the study.

Completing the Disarm Calling once more, Kade checked for the shimmer and was pleased to see it gone.  While holding his breath, he smoothly opened the book and was rewarded with nothing but calm.  There was nothing at all.  No reaction and nothing on the page.  He turned to the next page and found another blank sheet.  He looked closely for anything, sure he was missing something.  He could feel power coursing through the book, so what was this?  Closing his eyes, he studied the page, hoping to see a glimmer or a clue that would help solve this mystery.  Still, there was nothing.

Turning another page produced the same results.  Kade started flipping through the book faster and faster but found nothing written anywhere.   There had to be more.  He waited patiently, giving his mind a chance to figure out this mystery.  He studied the book, but after ten long minutes of staring, willing it to reveal its secrets, he sat back in his chair and let out a sigh.

Maybe today was not the day to learn this book’s secrets
, he thought to himself as he closed it and placed it back in its hiding place.  He decided to sleep on this one and perused the remaining books.  This time, he chose a small, black book.  It was about four inches tall and three inches wide.  The cover looked like bark, but when Kade grasped it, all he felt was thin leather.  He held up the book, turning it over and over, careful not to open it.  He returned to the table and sat.

Kade closed his eyes and used his sight and saw the Divine Power pulsing around it.  Another faint, blue light.  Kade went through the motions to disarm the trap, but when he looked again, he saw that the trap was still active.  He shook his head and decided he had had enough of difficult, dangerous books. 

Maybe later
, he thought to himself as he got up and put the book back into the cubby.

“That should have worked,” Kade grumbled to himself as he looked at the last book still untouched.  This one was lying flat on its side.  He slowly put his hand on it and slid it out, trying to be as delicate as possible.  The cover felt like cloth.  Or maybe it was more like silk.  Kade tried to decide, but then in the next moment, he was sure it was closer to course burlap.  He had a suspicion that he was not going to be able to pin down what it felt like.  With both hands holding the book closed, he moved to the table and gently set it down.

“Master, how do you keep from setting these off yourself?” Kade asked out loud.  He knew that if Zayle were here, his response would be, “With years of practice.”

Closing his eyes once more, he looked for the familiar shimmer of Divine Power and found nothing.  He opened his eyes and leaned closely, looking over every inch of the book.  Again, he closed his eyes and performed the ritual.  Nothing.  Fearing the cleverest trap yet, he carefully placed his hand on the book and felt for the faint vibration that was present when a calling is placed on an object.

“Is this another one that is going to keep its secrets from me?” Kade asked of no one in particular.  He narrowed his eyes as he studied the tome hard.  His gut told him that nothing was out of the ordinary here, but it just did not make sense.  His gut might be saying there was no danger but his head screamed, “Be careful.”  He turned the book over and tried to see with his inner sight once more but again, there was nothing.

“No protection at all?  None?” Kade asked of the book.  “Well,” he said as he placed his hand on the cover, “master always said to trust my gut instinct, and right now, it says nothing is here, so…” and with that, he flipped the book open and jumped back behind the chair, waiting for lightning to strike.  Nothing.  With the exception of the pounding in his ears, the room was dead silent.

Slowly, he sat down in the chair without taking his eyes off the book.  The tension faded from his body as he felt his weight sink into the worn leather.  He focused on the first page and froze as he took in what he was reading.  CREATURES FROM MY VISIONS.  This book was written in a heavy hand.  Kade recognized it instantly as his master’s writing.  A sense of sadness moved through him along with a sense of discovery.  With anticipation, he turned the next page and saw an image of the grimalkin.

“What?” Kade asked out loud in surprise.  “So, that was why you were so concerned.  You knew if what I was telling you was the truth, it meant…well, what did it mean?” he asked, his anger growing as he looked upon the image of the cat-like creature.  He did not realize it, but he was gripping the table so hard with his left hand that his knuckles were turning white.  He was gnashing his teeth, and the muscles in his neck were taught.  Second by second, the hatred in his heart grew.

“So, you were sent to kill my master,” Kade said in a growl.  He almost did not recognize his own voice.

Kade felt the rage explode in him.  He brought his fist down hard on the page as if to smash the creature like a bug.  Kade thought back on his master and put considerable effort into suppressing his fury and failed miserably, as one lonely tear worked its way down his cheek.  Wiping it away angrily, he refocused on the book.

He forced himself to calmly turn the page.  It had one simple word as the title.  It read, TARGOTH.  Kade looked at the page, surprised to see no picture at all.  It explained about the fearsome creature being forty feet tall and walking upright with long arms that could almost drag on the ground.  It was said the creature had long claws at the end of its fingers but this could not be verified.  The targoth was made of the Divine Power and had a natural ability to blend in with its surroundings. 

“Targoth,” Kade said to himself as he looked out the window, remembering the invisible creature that had taken his master’s life.  “Yes, we will meet again,” he said.  Kade could have sworn that he heard a mocking laugh way off in the distance, but when he listened closely, all he could hear was the slight rustle of the wind.

Flipping through the pages, Kade turned white.  Every picture was of something that he had believed to be a myth.  These were his nightmares.  But, here they were in this book as real as he himself. 

As real as my dragon
, he thought.  He turned his attention back to the book and continued reading, trying to find anything that would give him more information.  After turning to the last page, he closed the book and sat staring at it. 

Kade took a long, deep breath and let it out slowly to calm himself.  Knowing he could not do anything about it now, he got up and slowly crossed the room to the hiding place and put the book back.  He moved to the window, considering what to do next.  Kade inhaled sharply as he remembered the cooking meat.

Running out of the house at full speed, he skidded to a stop next to the fire.  The dragon was still next to the fire pit, doing its fair share of drooling.  Kade avoided stepping in the slime as he worked his way around the fire.  He reached out and took ahold of the spit, and then jerked his hand back instantly from the heat.  The spear dropped back into the “Y” shaped brackets, almost bouncing out and into the fire.

Kade blew on his hands and started looking around for something to grab the spit with.  Seeing nothing, he raced back into the cabin and returned shortly with towels wrapped around each hand.  He grabbed for the spear and maneuvered it off the fire.  The smell of the fresh meat, as the grease dripped into the fire, was almost enough to make him take a bite before it cooled.

The dragon was on its feet, watching him intently.  Kade could feel the heat from the spit start to come through the towels.  He quickly leaned the spit against a boulder and shook the towels off his hands.  A part of the meat dragged on the ground.  Kade was certain that the dragon would not hesitate to devour it, even with a little dirt seasoning.  He looked at the dragon, and once again, it had that questioning look that said, “Can I have some?” as more drool hit the ground.

“You can have some when it cools down,” Kade said and then paused as he laughed at what he had said.  “You must think I’m pretty strange, huh?  Why would a fire breathing dragon need his food to cool?” Kade asked and chuckled.  The dragon looked at Kade and then back to the meat.

Picking up the knife, Kade quickly carved out a large chunk for himself.  Next, using the towels once more, he picked up the spit and dragged it over to the dragon.  He put his foot against one side and pulled the spit out.  The dragon sniffed the sizzling food and quickly eyed Kade as if to ask permission to tear into it.

“Go on,” Kade said, indicating the meat.  “Eat,” he prompted as he pointed to the food with the knife.  The dragon sniffed the savory food as the succulent smell of the meat made its stomach growl loudly.  It smelled the food several more times and then tore into it hungrily.  For reasons Kade could not put into words, he felt affection well up in his chest for this creature that could be so incredibly fearsome, but at the same time, be so gentle.  He smiled as he enjoyed watching the dragon devour its food.  It was uncooked in the center, but the dragon did not appear to notice or care.

Kade returned to his food and took a huge bite.  He closed his eyes and savored the flavor as he felt the juices run down into his stomach.  Right then, he could not recall anything ever tasting so good.  He ate until he felt like he was going to burst.  He prepared to toss his unfinished meat away when he got the feeling of being watched.  He slowly looked up to meet the dragon’s gaze.

“How would you like to finish mine?” 

The dragon gave a grunt that Kade took for a yes so Kade, not thinking, held the meat out to his friend.  The dragon lunged, fastening its teeth into the meat with a crash but did nothing more.  Kade jumped back, quickly checking to see if he was missing a hand.  Seeing as everything was still there, he relaxed and looked back at the dragon.

“What’s the matter?  Go ahead, eat,” Kade said, swallowing hard, waving the dragon away with his still attached hand.  It paused momentarily and then lay down, chewing eagerly.

Starting to feel tired, Kade moved over to the dragon and slid down its side while leaning back.  It finished its food in no time and then curled around him slightly.  It craned its neck to look at him and then rolled just a little so its feet were not under it but not going over onto its side, either.

Kade found himself staring up at the sky, watching the clouds drift..  He reflected on the first meeting with his new friend and smiled.  He felt the dragon twitch, waking him from his daydream.  He tried to ignore the movement but the dragon continued to swing its head around, trying to reach its back.  Kade looked over his shoulder and watched as the dragon tried several more times.  He got to his feet and watched the dragon with curiosity.

“What are you doing?” Kade asked as he moved around to the dragon’s other side.  It swung its head around again, but it was clear that its neck was not meant to be that flexible.  It tried and tried to reach the spot right between its wings but to no avail.  Kade walked up, pushed the dragon’s head out of the way and stood on his toes.  If the dragon was not already lying half on its side, he would not have been able to reach.  But, as it was, he was able to hit the spot, which was evident when the dragon’s eyes rolled back slightly and its eyelids half closed.

Kade could not help but to chuckle at how silly the dragon looked as it stretched its neck out and tilted its head.  As if this was not enough, the dragon’s lips started to twitch.  Kade could take it no longer and started to laugh.  The more he thought about it, the more he found this to be one of the most amusing things he had ever seen and started to laugh even harder.  Pretty soon, he was sliding down the dragon’s side and laughing so hard his sides ached.  The dragon swung its head around, watching Kade, confused.

“I am sorry, my friend,” Kade said with tears in his eyes, “but you do look funny doing that.  I am glad I could help,” he said, starting to get control of himself.  “But, that nose thing you do and the way you stretch out your neck,” he added and started to laugh again.  His laughter came to an abrupt halt when a blast of rancid dragon’s breath hit him full in the face.  He coughed hard several times as he surged to his feet, struggling to breath while his stomach threatened to empty itself right there.