Page 5 of Killian
“And I say once again that this is foolish,” Egidius retorted. “Are your phoenixes not capable of quelling any future threat? Has your consort not perfected a stone to neutralize magick and shield us from sorcery? We have every necessary weapon to avoid war.”
The ruler of the phoenix shifters pursed his lips. “Many of my warriors have the blood of the Valkyrie in their veins. They have no fear, and they will give everything to our Council. But we are too few to offer full protection to every race. My Masse’s stones are valuable but have no effect on those lacking magick. Elves were recruited by that rogue warlock. The stones would have been useless against them and their weapons. That is why we are here. According to what T’Eirick and Saura have discovered, the dragons have a vast population. If we can convince them to join us, we can offer safety to everyone who cannot defend themselves.”
“Like Killian and his little flower growers,” Egidius muttered. Next to him, Magus Superus Jurdann chortled at the horrible attempt at a jest. Killian did not care what Egidius thought of his druids; they were fine people and dedicated to the pursuit of nurturing the earth by aiding nature in growing flora of every kind.
Killian’s closest friend, Arch Lich Chander Daray, bared his teeth at the dimwitted ruler of the mages. “What of you, Jurdann? Do you believe you have what it takes to ensure the safety of every mage?”
Lifting a hand to adjust her crown, Saura blew out a breath. “Enough now. This is the course we voted on. We do not know if the dragons will be amenable to our request. But one thing we can control is how we present ourselves. A united front is necessary. Calm yourselves, and recall that we are but emissaries chosen by Fate to lead our peoples to prosperity.”
“Let’s just get on with it,” Egidius demanded. “Cast the damn teleportation circle, Killian.”
It was on the tip of Killian’s tongue to point out that Saura was equally capable of casting the spell to allow them to travel as a group, but he heeded her words instead. He did not want to spend his day fighting with Egidius. They had a treaty to negotiate, and the sooner they were started, the safer he would feel. The heavy burden resting on the shoulders of Kolsten was unfair, and his people were devoted to their cause of protection, but his population was the smallest among them.
Without a word, Killian closed his eyes and allowed his magick to carry them to the spot outside the dragon castle the warlocks had discovered.
“If we are killed by these dragons, my people are prepared to destroy everything in their path to avenge me,” Egidius warned the minute the ground was solid beneath Killian’s feetagain. “We should have sent in an emissary first. A young person who would not be mourned if these dragons are hostile.”
“As if anyone would mourn you,” Chander muttered under his breath.
With a smile she nearly hid, Saura lifted her chin, ignored her companions, and waved at the dragons manning the thick walls. “Good morrow, we seek the audience of your rulers on behalf of The Council.”
“We know of no council, and the castle is in mourning,” a heavily armored man growled. “Off with you, little baggage.”
“In mourning?” Kolsten asked. “Please accept our condolences. We have traveled far, and though we understand the timing is inconvenient, may we speak with your rulers?”
“I told you, shifter, we are in mourning. Go away,” a second man ordered.
“Enough of this shite,” Chander snapped, then lifted his voice so the guards could hear him. “We are chosen by Fate, and we will not be denied entry. Your leaders would be most displeased to find you have kept us out if they truly honor Fate.”
Saura slung her arm through Chander’s to calm the leader of the necromancers. “All we ask is that you send a message to your leaders telling them of our arrival and our desire to have speech with them.”
The men ignored her, and Killian narrowed his eyes.
“Did you not hear the words of Grand Summoner Saura?” Killian demanded. “Send word to your leaders immediately.”
“She is a woman and not the leader of her people, as you suggest,” the guard stated in a bored voice. “Think you I do not feel the difference between yourself and that tiny woman? I know not what you people are, but you have no right to be on dragon land.”
“Perhaps we have made a mistake in wishing to have speech with dragons,” Kolsten replied in a similarly uninterestedtone. “To think a woman less than a man shows how narrow of mind they are.”
Killian had to hold in his laughter as Chander stepped away from Saura and dramatically lifted his arms to the sky. Although his magick did not require him to chant words aloud, he yelled as he shifted the sky to blood red. Jurdann did his part to whip the wind into a tizzy. Not wanting to be left out, Killian begged the trees and foliage around him to turn as black as Chander’s cloak.
“Stop it, demons,” someone shouted from atop the gate.
In response, Chander shouted even louder as Saura added silver runes on the ground to intimidate the fools. Egidius rolled his eyes but obligingly called down thick bolts of lightning.
“It is our rulers,” the guard screamed. “Our rulers are dead.”
“What?” Saura asked, swiping her hand through the air to signal everyone to stop their theatrics.
“Humans broke into the castle and cut them down in their bedchamber while they slept,” the guardsman confessed.
“Lower this gate. We must pay our respects. Let us in at once,” Chander ordered. To Killian’s surprise, the frightened men did as he commanded.
“Can we not just go home?” Egidius asked.
“There is a mystery here,” Saura said as they entered the castle. The stone walls were nearly a foot thick. “If nothing else, I should like to solve it. How did humans enter this castle and get far enough inside to murder Fate’s chosen?”
“Your curiosity will be the death of us all,” Egidius predicted morosely. “Why did T’Eirick not accompany us today? Surely, he would have been of a mind to return home.”
