Firedrake - By Bianca D'Arc Page 0,90

we camped, but I think we can stop in the town of Bayberry Heath for tonight,” Mace said. “As I recall, they had a nice inn with good food, for all that it’s close to the border.”

“I think the royal treasury would cover that,” Wil said with a facetious grin. “Or Drake could always sing for our supper.”

Drake laughed. “Most landlords will cover my own room and board in exchange for a few songs—maybe my lady’s too—but the rest of you are on your own.”

“Now is that any way to treat your brothers-in-arms?” Wil nudged Mace in the ribs, grinning. Mace even cracked a smile, making the ribbing all worthwhile.

“Regardless, I still have some coin that ought to cover a decent bed and a hearty dinner.”

“Nellin and I have been to Bayberry Heath before. It’s a nice little town, though it was attacked when the Skithdronian army came through a few seasons ago. They’ve rebuilt well since then and they have accommodation for dragons. They’re used to patrollers from the Border Lair stopping by every week or so. We might be able to get news of what’s been going on since we left.”

“It’s a good plan,” Drake agreed.

After lunch, they all remounted and Wil transformed back into the black dragon that was his birthright. They launched from the hard-packed sand and took to the sky as the noon sun started its slow descent toward the horizon. They would have an hour or so of light left when they reached Bayberry Heath.

Krysta rode with Drake, for which he was grateful. He liked having her warm body next to him. Liked being able to touch her as they flew along on Jenet’s back. He just liked everything about his new life, though he never would have imagined it when he’d left home so many years before. Here he was now, a knight, married to an incredible woman who was his match in almost every way, and partnered with a man he’d respected and liked since they were boys.

Life couldn’t get much better.

Chapter Eighteen

“Do you see that?” Mace’s thoughts rang urgently through all their minds. “Skith sign, and lots of it. Heading for Bayberry Heath.”

“Damn!” Wil’s tone was filled with anger as he put on a burst of speed. Black dragons were faster than all others, though Jenet and Nellin did their best to chase the prince down.

“Prince William!” Drake called after him. “Think about what you’re doing. I don’t think this is a random attack. The threat from Lucan still stands. I had good intelligence before you were kidnapped that he was aiming to capture one of the younger princes. I doubt that’s changed in the time you’ve been gone. You can’t just rush in there!”

“Dammit, Drake! This is my homeland. My people. I can’t just let them die.”

“An admirable sentiment,” Mace reasoned, “but a wise warrior never attacks without a plan.”

“I have a plan, all right. I’m going in. Follow or don’t, it’s up to you.”

They neared the town and could see the black dragon descending, flaming as he went, lighting fire to the trees and the skiths below. But there were a large number of soldiers waiting as well. This had to be a trap, though how they could have known exactly when their party would arrive was a mystery to Drake. Still, Lucan had devious ways of using magic for his own ends. Perhaps some kind of magic was afoot here.

Too late, Drake saw the machine hidden in the trees. A spear launched toward William’s black hide, piercing his wing as the black dragon cried out so loudly it reverberated through the air, the trees and the ground itself. Nellin and Jenet trumpeted their distress as well, watching from the distance, just not fast enough to keep up with the prince.

William went down in a ball of black fire, flaming everything around him as he fell to the ground, teeming with enemy soldiers. The townsmen were trying to fight as well but were sadly outnumbered.

“Jenet, stay clear of the crossbow. They’ve got those diamond-bladed spears.” Mace rattled off instructions, though he knew Nellin shared his mind as they’d been trained to do. Already the male dragon was angling in for the perfect approach. With time and training, the four minds would work together, but for now, they had to make do.

Nellin slowed marginally, dropping down under the fire. Mace could see that Wil had transformed and was swinging those twin sabers of his in lightning-fast arcs, though his back