Theft of Dragons (Princes of Naverstrom) (33 page)

"Just be careful and consider your actions before doing things like you did tonight at the inn. You could have easily been killed, and I would have been alone. I want you to take risks, I want you to be brave, and you make me laugh at your silly foolishness. Just calculate before leaping in and throwing your life away."

Her words cut into him and rubbed a nerve that he himself had been quick to prod. She was right, of course, and it touched him that she cared enough to say the words even though she knew he might take offense. A deep respect washed over him towards the Princess, and he marveled at how wise she was for someone so young. He was so lucky to have found her.

She laughed dismissively at herself, and sent him an innocent smile. But as she stared out over the ocean her eyes went cold and hard and she gripped the railing as if fighting a storm that raged inside her heart.
 

"I want us to win. The King must die. I want to rule the Kingdom and eradicate the land from the scourge that molests my people. And I'll do anything to ensure that happens. I mean anything. No morals, no religion, no old vows will get in my way." She exhaled, vulnerability displaying on her face, and her powerful eyes gazed up into his. "And I want you to help me. I know you hate the King for what he did to your parents. Will you help me kill him?"

Tael nodded, dismayed at her ferocity and resolve, but he couldn't help but feel empathy for what she wanted.

"Do you promise?" she said. "And not just any promise but a blood promise."

Taken aback, he winced at her suggestion. She remained cold and determined, her eyes studying his reaction. He felt like he was treading on the edge of a sandy cliff and at any moment he could plummet off and lose her forever. She waited for his response, and he closed his eyes and pictured his sword piercing through the King's heart. He opened his eyes and smiled.

"I promise to help you kill King Braxion. I delight in the prospect of one day ending his life." He exposed his wrist to her inspection. "And I'll seal my vow with a blood pact for us to share. The gods be our witnesses under the stars."

Her open mouth held a mixture of crazy euphoria and astonishment as she withdrew a thin, silver dagger with jewels on the hilt that sparkled in the moonlight. She sliced her pale, beautiful wrist until a dribble of blood came oozing out, and she seized his hand and cut his wrist as well. He pressed his wrist against hers so that their blood intermingled, and he felt a strange pleasure in the pain and sensuality of their sliced skin joining in a blood kiss. She bound their wrists with a silk scarf and together they tied it tightly.

"Now we say it at the same time," Sebine said, "and make this vow real.
The gods as my witness, I vow to kill King Braxion, and to no other aim shall my heart dissuade me.
"
 

Tael joined his voice with hers, staring into those ravenous eyes hungry for death, and he repeated the words with her, his blood in her body and her blood into his. A feeling of being touched by a higher, ethereal hand caused Tael and Sebine to stare up at the wash of stars staining the sky.

His heart pounded and danced and his mouth went dry as twin shooting stars blazed together across the zenith and dove west down into the sea. And Sebine's words haunted him:
no morals, no religion, no old vows will get in my way.
Those were Tael's words now too, and he knew that nothing and no one could ever get in the way of them pursuing their vow. They would do anything to kill the King.

The costs, the costs would be great, he was sure. A payment of sanity, a payment of morals, and a vast payment of blood....

# # #

About the author

John Forrester is the author of Theft of Dragons, Book One in the Princes of Naverstrom fantasy series. He is also the author of Fire Mage, Sun Mage, Shadow Mage, and Dragon Mage of the Blacklight Chronicles fantasy series. He lives in Palo Alto with his wife and two boys.

http://www.theftofdragons.com
 

Bonus Preview! Fire Mage, Book One in the Blacklight Chronicles series:

Chapter 1

Talis searched the steamy swamplands for prey, hoping to make his father proud, no matter what the cost. His father's words echoed in his mind, "
Your brother hunted big game when he was twelve."
Why did his words stain his mind like ink on a page? His brother had hunted with a team of men and merely managed to bounce his spear off a deer. Talis was thirteen now and though he'd tried, had been spurned by every hunting trip his father's men had pursued.
Lad, don't want you dying like your brother, you're the last son of the Storm family lineage, and all.
 

Finding nothing all day, he scanned the muddy ground for tracks, kicking away needles and sticks. Off to the corner of his eye he spotted an indentation in the wet leaves. He strode over and bent down, flipping his hair away from his eyes for a better look. A thrill raced through him at the sight of fresh tracks. He raised his head and studied a sloshing stream blanketed with a soft mist, and squinted at a path illuminated by the four moon sisters. This was his kill.
 

"Did you find something?" said Mara, his best friend. She wore sage-green hunting pants and a ridiculously frilly white lace top, why, he had no idea. She was funny like that. As she came alongside, she raised her big brown eyes in concern, and glanced at the tracks. She chewed a cinnamon stick and frowned.
 

He grunted in response and pointed a short spear with a menacing, curved blade at the stream. This was his hunt and even though he'd failed to even bag anything as big as a deer, he swore he'd do whatever it took to bring it back home to father.

Mara shook her head, the movement stubborn and terse, her short, brown hair slashing along her neck. "It's too late. I'm serious, don't look at me with those oh-please-Mara eyes of yours."
 

"But the prints are fresh, an hour old at the most—"
 

"What are you trying to prove? We've been out here all day and my ass is sore from sliding down that stupid muddy hill. I'm hungry, irritable, and want nothing more than to eat a slice of peach cobbler, steal a mug of ale, and prop my feet up and feel the heat of the fire. Besides, I'm not going to let you get yourself killed doing something stupid as hell like hunting in the dark."

"Don't be angry." He flashed her the look he knew always made her smile, and gazed into her devilish, incredibly-cute amber eyes, hoping to convince her. But it didn't work this time. She set her jaw firm and scowled at him. He tried a different approach and lowered his voice until it was as soft as a cat's purr. "Listen, we can do it...can't we try just one more time?"

"It's your father, isn't it? You think he's going to instantly respect you if you bring back something big? He doesn't really see you the way you deserve to be seen. Ever since your brother died..."

The wind stung from a sudden cold gust and Talis sighed, wishing she hadn't brought up the subject of his older brother's death. He cursed fate, cursed his family's bad luck, and memories flooded his mind of his older brother Xhan. His arrogant, youthful expression. A cruel death in the desert.

"You know I'd hunt with you to the Underworld and back, I really would. We're a team. I just hate seeing you go on and on like this. Can't we try another night?"

"Please...it would be amazing if we succeeded. We can do it, we've planned this hunt for months." And in his mind he pictured tossing the slain creature at his father's feet knowing he'd achieved something Xhan had never dared.

A blur of movement ahead in the bushes caused his attention to jerk up in a quick second. He stopped and searched around trying to spot the source. There, beyond a patch of Elderberry, something fat and filthy waddled down a muddy path. His heart pounded and jumped at the sight. This was it.

Tensing his muscles, he bent low, stalking after the animal. He glanced at Mara, and sent her a victorious grin. It was a big, burly boar. He followed after the tromping creative until it reached the stream and grunted at a wallow surrounded by a circle of mossy rocks, finally settling into the mud. This was his first chance at hunting a boar. But when he really got a good look at the fat beast a jolt of fear shot through him.
Those are some massive tusks
, he thought.

But by now Mara had already nocked an arrow. Their plan all along had been to weaken the boar at range and switch to spears and daggers to stop its advance. Seemed like a bloody stupid plan now staring at the powerful creature. Part of the plan always included dragging the boar back to Mother's kitchen for a fine roast. And seeing Father's proud eyes as he said, "
You're a fine hunter, son."
An unlikely dream.

At Mara's questioning look he quickly nocked an arrow and nodded at her. She turned back to face the boar, but her eyes remained wary and fearful. This would be a tricky shot. He leaned to the side and felt the tension strain his arms as he pulled the string back, aimed, and released the arrow straight at the boar. It was a good shot, but the arrow caught a thicket's branch and droned off past the creature. Damned! How could he miss?

The boar jerked its head up and glared at Talis. He barely had a second to think before the beast sloshed in the stream, bounding towards him. He ducked as Mara's arrow flew past him and slammed into the boar's chest. Why was he just stupidly standing instead of nocking another arrow? Another shot from Mara hit the boar's flank, and she fired off another one that hit the creature in the hip. But the arrows didn't seem to slow the boar down at all.

Eyes mesmerized at the advancing boar, he shook his head and threw down his bow and quickly brandished his spear. Mara did the same and spread out in a circle as the boar aimed directly at him.

He jutted out his weapon, ready to strike, but again felt fear latch onto his heart and squeeze until he found himself gulping deep breaths through his mouth. Mara shouted for him to watch out.

As the boar's tusk bore down on him, Talis leapt out of the way just in time and thrust his spear down at the beast. The creature squealed in pain as his spear pierced the back of its neck. Mara lunged at the boar with her spear and stabbed its rear flank. It shrieked, swung its tusks around and knocked her back onto a pile of leaves.
 

Talis screamed as he watched her spin through the air and slam backwards onto the ground. A sickening feeling twisted in his stomach. What had he done? Fury raged in his chest and he stabbed and prodded the boar, trying to keep it away from Mara, until finally the creature gave up and bounded away, howling and grunting in a mad rush.

Gods, why didn't I listen to her?
He ran over to find Mara wincing, her eyes vacant and bloodshot, but still conscious. She tried to lift herself up.
 

"Wait, don't get up. Rest a moment. " Talis tried to remember exactly where the tusk had struck her. "Where does it hurt? Wait, don't close your eyes! Look at me, are you all right?"

She coughed and inhaled a huge gulp of air and coughed again, a redness sweeping over her face. "It knocked my breath out...there are stars everywhere!" She started to laugh but crimped up in pain. After ten heartbeats she began to breathe normally, and pushed herself up with the help of Talis. But when she tried walking, she stumbled and leaned on him for support.

"You're seriously hurt!"

"I don't feel so great." An agonizing grimace gripped her face. "I probably need help getting home."

He had to get her back. And quickly. Why the hell hadn't he listened to her?
 

She wobbled, then slapped her palms to her stomach as if she wanted to vomit. Talis seized her just as she was about to topple to her knees. A shiver went through her body as she tried to steady herself. She winced and wiped a hand across her mouth. A line of blood sat menacingly on her wrist. She gaped at her hand.

Now he was beyond worried, and knew he had act quick or she might not be able to make it.