By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,13

before our evening meal and worship the great prince, but I knew that you would be here tonight.”

The withering man led Jalarn to a spring-fed pool.

“You want me to go into the water?” asked Jalarn.

Aterun did not answer him.

“Can I, too, communicate with our great prince?” asked Jalarn.

“In time.”

The warlock closed his eyes and dipped both of his hands in the water. He then grasped Jalarn’s hands.

Jalarn pulled them away at first, but then he relaxed. The magician had to know what he was doing. Aterun gripped Jalarn’s hands firmly, clicking his tongue several times.

As weariness overcame Jalarn, he closed his eyes.

The old man began to sing in a strange tongue. It was the most mournful, soothing song that Jalarn had ever heard.

Images started to appear in Jalarn’s mind – of a woman dying in childbirth, of ten soldiers being charred instantly from a fire-breathing dragon’s breath, of a worthless man slitting his own throat. Every new vision comforted him more than the previous.

Yes. I see it. Death is a beautiful thing for those who trust in the prince.

Jalarn’s hands grew warmer from the warlock’s touch until something hot quickly shot up his arms. He shook as a foreign sensation swept through his entire body. Then, it seemed to reach deep into his soul, coating it.

He could barely breathe.

A soft, assuring voice penetrated his trance.

“Jalarn. Kill for me. Steal for me. Destroy for me. Do these three things to my enemies, and you will be rewarded with more power than you could ever imagine in this life and in the next. I will be by your side until the day comes for your flame to die out, and then we will be together forever. You will never have to be afraid. I will protect you from all harm. Just serve me.”

It was him. The prince.

Jalarn found his breath again.

“I will, my prince!” he shouted.

Suddenly, all Jalarn could hear was the old warlock chanting. Then, the elderly man’s voice quieted. The heat that had rushed through Jalarn’s body left immediately.

Jalarn opened his eyes.

The warlock was staring at him.

“You have just been chosen and ordained as a magician by our lord. You are now ready to learn of the power that he has given to us.”

Jalarn swallowed, still in a euphoric daze. The prince had really spoken to him.

“I don’t know anything,” said Jalarn.

“Not yet. We will start at the beginning with the most basic spells. There is much for you to learn and remember, but you will be fine. I just need you to stay focused. Understand?”

“Yes. Anything for the prince.”

*****

General Edandir and his small group of spies landed their dragon steeds at Noir Peak. They dismounted and then suited up with the black armor that they had retrieved from fallen Malinorians in Cardamon. It had been a grim, but necessary action.

“I never would have thought that I would wear a demon’s armor,” said Timlin.

“We just came from a destroyed country, with fallen people strewn everywhere, and that is all you can think about?” asked Tanel.

“Silence lads. We have an important task to accomplish. Besides, you know how sensitive our firedrakes are to bickering,” said Endil.

It had been difficult revisiting Cardamon, especially for Talya and Tanel. They had once again witnessed the great bloodshed right on their homeland. The ground had been littered with so many dismembered bodies.

Edandir watched Talya slip on a dark iron mask. The armor was way too big for her, but she would have to manage.

He looked away.

Maybe it was not a good idea to bring her with us.

“Well, this sure beats riding on horses,” said Pori lightly.

The sleek, fire-breathing reptiles were an excellent choice of transportation for the mission.

“No doubt,” said Endil. “Our fine general here was the one who found these creatures when they were just hatchlings. He tamed them himself and brought them to the king.”

“Really?” asked Tanel.

“Yes,” said General Edandir.

“You never told me about that,” said Talya in obvious disdain.

“It was long before your time. I never thought to.”

“Where did you find them?” Talya asked.

“In the forest near the castle in Sanctus City. I was with your mother that day. She was the one that heard them first.”

“I wonder why she never told me the story,” said Talya.

General Edandir’s pulse raced. This was not the time or the place for such a conversation. He wished that Endil had kept his mouth shut.

“If only they could lay more than one egg at a time. The whole army could be riding dragon steeds by now,”