Secrets of the Sword 2 (Death Before Dragons Book 8) Read online

  My mate! Zav responded. Are you well?

  I’m okay. I lost my sword, but I’m going to get it back. Watch out. Undead minions are coming your way.

  I see them, he replied grimly. I will battle my way to you, and Xilnethgarish will attempt to assist me instead of impeding me or fleeing in a cowardly manner.

  He wants to prove himself and be heroic.

  We shall see. I must battle now. Be ready. I am attempting to reach you so I can create a portal and take us back to my world.

  I hesitated, not wanting to leave until I got Chopper back—especially now that I worried the lich would get it and destroy it—but I didn’t want to distract Zav. Not when the creatures were almost upon him. Also, maybe it was foolish to want to stay, to risk my life for a sword. It was a valuable sword, but still…

  I’m ready. We could figure out the rest once we were together. Maybe we could plan a return from the safety of another world. Be careful, Zav.

  They had better be careful. I will utterly destroy them for daring to challenge the might of a dragon in his prime!

  Uh huh. I’ll get out in the open where you can fly down to me and make a portal.

  Do this. Yes.

  Come on, Sindari. I waved for him to follow me back to the road. Zav is going to try to pick us up.

  Lord Zavryd is being attacked by the creatures.

  I know. He promises to destroy them utterly.

  There are eight of them, and they are not easy to destroy.

  I know, but he has backup. I hoped Xilneth was a better fighter than Zav believed. And that he wouldn’t attempt to impress the undead creatures by singing to them.

  As I jogged down the road, looking for a spot where Zav could easily reach me if he had to hurry—and where the sky might be open enough for me to see the battle—I worried for him. If he had been closer, I would have run toward him instead of away, and used my remaining bullets to distract his enemies. But he was two or three miles away and not near the road. I wouldn’t be able to get there in time to help.

  The road sloped upward, and Sindari and I came out of the trees into an area where only charred snags and logs remained, the victims of some past wildfire. The craggy black slopes and cliffs of the mountainside loomed ahead, blocking out half of the starry sky and casting deep shadows. I almost missed seeing several carcasses of animals similar to deer lying on the road. I hoped whatever had killed them wasn’t crouching nearby.

  After skirting them, I slowed down, aware that we’d drawn closer to the other group of creatures. They must not have found Li yet, or they wouldn’t still be out there. I couldn’t sense her or Chopper. That didn’t mean they weren’t there. When I’d worn Chopper, it had camouflaged itself from other people. Now, if it was on Li’s back, it would camouflage itself from me. That gave me a twinge of betrayal, but it wasn’t a pet, just a magical object.

  When I spotted a rocky hill to one side, I veered off the road. The top was out in the open, which made my shoulder blades itch, but it would be easy for Zav to reach me.

  I sensed him flying about behind me, and Xilneth as well. They’d managed to get closer, but the creatures were all around them, harrying them and keeping them from advancing toward the mountain. Toward me.

  As soon as I reached the top of the hill, they came into view over the trees, the dragons lighting the night—and the undead creatures—with their fire. One of their enemies had crashed into the treetops and wasn’t moving, but that left seven more in the sky with them.

  I drew Fezzik, hoping they would come close enough that I could help. Even if all I could do was ping those skeletons with bullets that did no damage, maybe it would draw one or two away.

  Xilneth broke away from the battle and flapped back the way they had come, his flight crooked, one of his wings damaged. Two of the creatures took off after him. The rest stayed near Zav.

  He flung a wave of power at two, and they tumbled away, somersaulting through the air. Two other creatures he bathed with his fire. I hoped it blackened and incinerated their bones.

  For a second, none of them were attacking him. He broke away and flew straight toward me.

  I am coming for you, my mate. His telepathic voice sounded pained, and I winced, knowing he was risking his life to come get me.

  Four of the creatures gave chase, flapping their wings hard enough to keep up. I hoped Zav would have time to form a portal. I’d seen him do it before, and it never seemed to take more than a few seconds, but it had never been when he was in the middle of battle and had enemies nipping at his heels—his talons.

  A human scream came from the mountainside where the other creatures were hunting. Li.

  “Shit.” I turned, scanning the dark slope, but I still couldn’t see or sense her.

  Blue light flashed. Chopper’s blue light.

  I glanced toward Zav, torn between waiting for him and wanting to go help Li. This might be my last chance—my only chance—to get Chopper back.

  Magic pulsed beside me, and I jumped. But it was a portal forming, not an enemy.

  Leap through, Zav commanded me as he turned to snap at two minions that had caught up to him and were clawing at his backside.

  Not without you.

  They were in firing range now. I lifted Fezzik, aiming at one of the creatures but waiting for an opening. They were too close to Zav, and I couldn’t risk hitting him.

  Sindari, I thought as an opportunity came, and I fired at one of the minions’ skulls, can you try to get Li? It looks like she’s less than a mile away.

  I will try. Do you wish me to assist her or only get your sword?

  My bullet streaked away, its magic leaving a blue trail in the air, and it slammed into the creature’s skull. It jerked its head and flapped away from Zav, momentarily distracted. Zav turned and threw his full power at one of the others, hurling a wave of magic that I sensed from hundreds of yards away.

  He roared, the mighty sound echoing off the mountainside, and spewed fire at two more creatures.

  Help her if you can, I told Sindari, not voicing the cold thought that popped into my head, that my problems about an ownership dispute with Chopper would be over if Li were dead, but I don’t want you fighting eight of those things.

  As Sindari sped down the hill and toward Li’s position, one of Zav’s enemies spiraled down in flames, crashing in the trees like a World War I biplane.

  I fired at another creature that had caught up and was aiding its buddies against Zav. My bullet streaked away, flying into one of its empty eye sockets and—I hoped—cracking through its skull and out the other side.

  The blow did little more than cause its flight to falter for a few seconds, but that gave Zav time to whirl on another foe, snapping his mighty jaw down on the vertebrae of its neck. He shook his head and tore through magic and bone. The creature’s skull tumbled free, plummeting to the trees, and when Zav released the body, the rest of it followed.

  Only two remained in the air with him.

  You’ve got them, Zav, I whispered in my mind, though I didn’t want to distract him.

  As I raised Fezzik to fire at one of the remaining creatures, a new ominous aura came into my range. It was so dark and menacing that I almost dropped my gun, my instincts telling me to flee into the forest. Or better yet to flee into the portal floating scant feet away.

  Another dragon came into view, climbing up from the back side of the mountain to stand near the peak and look down on the battle. Its aura stank of the grave even as it radiated power like a sun.

  The dragon lich had arrived.

  24

  The glowing red eyes of the dragon lich locked on to Zav’s battle, and a blast of raw energy struck him and the two skeletal minions fighting him. They flew backward as if they’d been struck by tidal waves. The bones of the minions blasted into a thousand pieces.

  I gaped, startled that the lich had blasted his own team, but maybe he could make more minions any time he wished.

  Flee through the
portal, now! Zav ordered me as he struggled to right himself and raise his magical defenses against the lich. This time, there was magical compulsion in the words. He didn’t want me to disobey.

  But one of my charms helped me resist compulsions, and I only took a step toward the portal before stopping myself.

  Not without you. I would shoot at that damn lich if he came close enough. Hurry over here, and let’s go together.

  I glanced back, but I couldn’t see Sindari or the blue glow of Chopper’s blade anymore. Since Sindari would be dismissed automatically if I went through the portal, he ought to be all right.

  The lich blasted Zav with another wave of power, more intense than anything I’d ever sensed. Had it been directed at me, I knew I’d be dead.

  Zav was ready this time, and didn’t fly backward, but a roar of pain mingled with defiance came from him, and I sensed his defenses crumbling under the intense power.

  Zav, the portal. Let’s go. Don’t stand there and take that.

  He must have agreed, for as soon as he recovered, he flew straight toward me. The lich’s red gaze swept toward me, and its startling power seeped the life from my muscles. I almost pitched to the ground. He was too far away for me to shoot at, but that would have been futile anyway. I had no doubt. Would even Chopper be able to damage that guy?

  His eye sockets pulsed with red light, and the portal disappeared, winking out like a candle’s flame. Two seconds too late, Zav landed next to me.

  Magic flared, and another portal started to form, but once again, the lich snuffed it out.

  We have to get away from him. Zav wrapped his power around me and levitated me onto his back.

  I’m not arguing.

  As he sprang into the air, I expected another attack, but the lich’s gaze swept toward his other minions—and toward Sindari. And Li, if she was still down there.

  Did you find her, Sindari? I still sensed him over there.

  They have her, he replied grimly.

  As Zav flew farther away, I made out several of the creatures, visible again as they were outlined against the starry night sky. A limp human form dangled from the talons of one. Unconscious? Dead? I couldn’t tell. I also couldn’t tell if Li was wearing my harness and had Chopper across her back, or if the blade lay abandoned among the rocks.

  We flew beyond the range of Sindari’s charm, and I sensed our link breaking as the magic propelled him back to his realm. At least he would be safe there. I assumed that the lich wouldn’t follow him. He had what he wanted, though I had no idea why he wanted Li. Because of Chopper? Because she’d presumed to visit his lair before and had taken photos and swiped some of his loot?

  Whatever the reason, I doubted I would see her alive again. Was there any chance I would see Chopper again? I didn’t know.

  As Zav flew farther from the mountain, I let my forehead thunk against his scales and spread my arms across his back. But my fingers encountered warm dampness—blood—and I jerked them back.

  How badly are you injured, Zav? I wished I could hug him, but that didn’t work well when he was in his native form. And where the hell did Xilneth go?

  Indignation swept through me as I imagined him fleeing and leaving Zav to fend for himself.

  I ordered him to try to lead some of them away, Zav replied, ignoring my first question. And then make a portal when he could to return home and warn our people that we’ve confirmed the existence of a dragon lich.

  I patted his scales. Are the rest of your people coming back soon to battle him?

  Her.

  It’s a female lich?

  Yes. Unless I am mistaken, it is—it was—Peynar’dokla Silverclaw.

  Ugh, I really hate those Silverclaws.

  This proves that they truly will do anything in an attempt to gain more power over the Cosmic Realms. As to when my people will arrive… perhaps as soon as tomorrow, but this is a more problematic situation than we realized. It is likely Peynar’dokla has had time to amass a great many defenses inside of that mountain. Even with many dragons, she will not be easy to slay. Someone should sneak in and scout the mountain to ensure my people have the best intelligence possible.

  Uh. It occurred to me that Zav was continuing to fly away, even though he could have stopped and created a portal to take us out of here by now. Is that someone you?

  I am here. I am the logical choice.

  Won’t she be expecting you to come back? I peered back past Zav’s tail streaming behind us and toward the black mountain. We’d already flown a dozen miles, so it was probably only my imagination that I could see red eyes watching us.

  Perhaps. She may believe I will return home, as Xilnethgarish did, to report to the others. She might think she has time to further fortify her lair, but she also may wait to see if anyone else tries to sneak in tonight. Her minions will be alert and on guard.

  Fun.

  I will wait until daylight to return and hope she is resting then. Even the undead must rest to reenergize their powers. Besides, I must recuperate and heal my wounds first.

  I eyed the bloody spot I’d touched and wondered how many more wounds he had. Will you be able to? Or do you need to see the dragon who healed Sindari?

  And who happened to be related to this new lich. No conflict of interest there.

  I convinced her to make me a potion that I could bring back with me in case of future injury. Hopefully, it is as efficacious as she promised.

  Hopefully it’s not poison.

  I believe my magic would be able to detect that.

  I hope so.

  Tonight, I will apply the potion and heal to the best of my abilities. Tomorrow, I will be ready to risk facing her.

  I hope your plan is for us to sneak in without being discovered and not face her at all. Not until we’ve got a horde of dragons to back us up.

  That is my plan, Zav assured me, but plans go awry. Also, I intend to create a portal as soon as I find a defensible resting place and send you home.

  You’re not going in there without me. Funny how I hadn’t been willing to go in there at all an hour ago, but now that Zav was determined to sneak in…

  Admittedly, I didn’t know how much help I could be without Chopper. I waited for him to point out that I would only get in the way.

  You wish to stay so you can seek your sword and recover it? he guessed.

  That would be nice, but I want to go so I can watch out for you. I’ve still got a few bullets left. I can make a distraction if nothing else.

  Shooting your weapon in the tunnels of Mount Crenel would alert the lich to our presence.

  I assume if I have to shoot something, she’ll already know we’re there. Look, I’m sure Sindari and I can sneak around as well as you can, and if we fail at sneaking, then we can be of some use. I stroked his scales. Also, I don’t want to go home and leave you here to face danger alone. I’ll worry about you. It’ll give me indigestion. You don’t want that, do you?

  A puff of air that might have been a snort floated away from him. Proper digestion is important.

  Especially with those all-protein diets dragons favor.

  Yes. Very well. I will not send you home, but I ask a favor.

  Wow, that sounded so polite and diffident. He’d never made a request like that.

  What? I asked.

  Do not attempt to vex the lich. She could slay you with a thought.

  You know I have a hard time reining in my tongue. Can I at least taunt her and talk about how superior you are after you and your clan have defeated her?

  I will allow this.

  A cold breeze blew off the snowy peaks outside and into the mouth of the cave that Zav had located more than a hundred miles from Mount Crenel and—he promised—outside of the lich’s range to detect us. When we entered, bats, or something like them, shifted and flapped about in the back, adjusting positions among stalactites before furling their wings tight for warmth. The nippy air made me wish for wings I could wrap around myself.

 
At least the air was clearer than it had been near Mount Crenel. For the moment, my lungs were content.

  Zav shifted into his human form to accompany me inside, creating a soft yellow light to illuminate the area. It showed his elven robe slashed open in the back and on one side, revealing deep gouges in his flesh. The same eerie purple glow that had plagued Sindari’s cuts hovered over these, almost an ominous mist that shifted and writhed just above the wounds.

  I swallowed, trying to tamp down concern over their underworld taint and what it would mean if the potion he’d been given didn’t work. Could we trust that Silverclaw healer? Especially when the lich was also from the Silverclaw Clan? Wasn’t it likely that they were in cahoots?

  “You said you have a potion I can rub on those for you?” I reminded myself that the healer had fixed up Sindari.

  “Yes.” Zav produced a slender tapered tube about a foot long with a cork in the top. “I will disrobe for you.”

  I accepted the strange holder. “That always excites me.”

  Zav gazed at me through his eyelashes. “I know this.”

  He floated his robe off and draped it over a boulder, using his magic to mend the rips in the fabric.

  “Why does your clothing get torn when you’re injured in your dragon form?” I’d seen it before and hadn’t thought much of it, but it occurred to me to wonder since he could poof his clothes and other things into interdimensional storage cubbies.

  “If I forget to put it away, it shifts along with me and is magically integrated into my scales. When I am in a hurry, I rarely worry about my human coverings.”

  “And when you’re not in a hurry, you hang it in an interdimensional closet?” I imagined his robe on a hanger, floating inside one of those portable fabric closets.

  “Yes. I strive to be a tidy dragon.”

  “That shouldn’t be hard, given how few things you have.”

  “Some dragons hoard knickknacks and treasures.”

  “As the books tell me.” I smiled and rested a hand on his bare shoulder. Normally, I would have appreciated the view and the excuse to run my hand along his muscular back, but the otherworldly wounds made me uneasy. “Do you have any water? Maybe I should clean these.”