sliver of light from the lanterns in the hall penetrated the shadows.
Albekizan stood silently, contemplating his queen as she turned her head toward him. He felt he should say something, that it was his role to give her strength.
The only thing he knew to say was, “Bodiel will be avenged.”
Tanthia’s wet eyes glistened in the gloom as she fixed her gaze upon him.
“I’m convening a council of war,” Albekizan continued. “This crime shall not go unpunished. There’s no corner of the earth where the guilty may hide.”
Tanthia inhaled slowly. Softly, she asked, “This is all you have to say in comfort?”
“What more need be said?” he said. “Last night’s events demand vengeance.”
“Talk of vengeance is not the same as talk of grief,” she said, her voice trembling. “I hear no pain in your voice. Where are your tears? Come with me, my king. Come with me to the Burning Ground. By now, Bodiel lies in state. Stand by my side as I go see him.”
“No,” said Albekizan. His eyes were fixed on the ancient rock beneath his claws, polished smooth by the passage of his uncountable ancestors. Could Tanthia not feel the gravity of this place? Here, at the heart of all history, was no place for weakness. “Not yet. At nightfall, perhaps, I will go. But I’ve already seen my son dead. I’ve held his cold body. Do not lecture me about the proper way to grieve.”
“You sound angry with me,” Tanthia said.
“You hear what you want to hear,” said Albekizan, turning away. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you. I will go now.”
“Please,” said Tanthia. “Stay with me. Share the burden of this grief.”
“Grief cannot be my priority,” Albekizan said, not looking back. “I have summoned Kanst. I must ready the armies. The longer we hesitate, the longer Bitterwood has to work his evil on this world. I hope you understand this.”
Tanthia replied only with sobs. Albekizan sighed, stepping through the chamber door. In the hall he sensed a presence and could hear scraping against the stone around the nearby corner. Albekizan breathed deeply, catching a familiar scent in his nostrils. He knew who shadowed him.
“Bander!” he cried, summoning the captain of the palace guard.
In the time it took Albekizan to blink the earth-dragon dashed around the corner and snapped to attention.
“Sire,” Bander said. “I didn’t want to intrude but—”
“Are they ready?” Albekizan asked.
“Kanst has arrived, Sire,” said Bander. “He waits in the war room with Metron and Zanzeroth.” As he spoke, his voice wavered. The hard, beak-like face of earth-dragons gave little hint of emotion, but Albekizan could recognize a touch of fear in Bander’s eyes. “As for Vendevorex, Sire, the guards continue their search.”
Albekizan nodded. He wasn’t angered by this failure of Bander’s guards. Vendevorex possessed the power of invisibility. He would be found only when he wished to be found. “Continue the search. The wizard is vital to my plans. What of my second order?”
Bander looked relieved. “The guards are gathering the humans even now, Sire.”
“Good. I want their stench removed from this castle—”
“Please?”
Tanthia’s voice interrupted them. Albekizan turned to see his mate standing in the chamber door, the feathery scales around her eyes darkened by tears.
“I beg you,” she said, her voice raspy and weak. “Come with me to the Burning Ground.”
Albekizan narrowed his eyes with displeasure. “I consider this matter settled. No amount of tears will revive Bodiel. Go and wait at the Burning Ground until the ceremony if you must. I will see to the business of saving my kingdom.”
Upon hearing his words Tanthia collapsed, all strength gone.
“You’re so cold,” she sobbed. “So cold. The stones in the walls are warmer than your heart.”
Albekizan turned from his mate and stormed away, grinding his teeth in anger. But when he reached the end of the hall he
Albekizan stood silently, contemplating his queen as she turned her head toward him. He felt he should say something, that it was his role to give her strength.
The only thing he knew to say was, “Bodiel will be avenged.”
Tanthia’s wet eyes glistened in the gloom as she fixed her gaze upon him.
“I’m convening a council of war,” Albekizan continued. “This crime shall not go unpunished. There’s no corner of the earth where the guilty may hide.”
Tanthia inhaled slowly. Softly, she asked, “This is all you have to say in comfort?”
“What more need be said?” he said. “Last night’s events demand vengeance.”
“Talk of vengeance is not the same as talk of grief,” she said, her voice trembling. “I hear no pain in your voice. Where are your tears? Come with me, my king. Come with me to the Burning Ground. By now, Bodiel lies in state. Stand by my side as I go see him.”
“No,” said Albekizan. His eyes were fixed on the ancient rock beneath his claws, polished smooth by the passage of his uncountable ancestors. Could Tanthia not feel the gravity of this place? Here, at the heart of all history, was no place for weakness. “Not yet. At nightfall, perhaps, I will go. But I’ve already seen my son dead. I’ve held his cold body. Do not lecture me about the proper way to grieve.”
“You sound angry with me,” Tanthia said.
“You hear what you want to hear,” said Albekizan, turning away. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you. I will go now.”
“Please,” said Tanthia. “Stay with me. Share the burden of this grief.”
“Grief cannot be my priority,” Albekizan said, not looking back. “I have summoned Kanst. I must ready the armies. The longer we hesitate, the longer Bitterwood has to work his evil on this world. I hope you understand this.”
Tanthia replied only with sobs. Albekizan sighed, stepping through the chamber door. In the hall he sensed a presence and could hear scraping against the stone around the nearby corner. Albekizan breathed deeply, catching a familiar scent in his nostrils. He knew who shadowed him.
“Bander!” he cried, summoning the captain of the palace guard.
In the time it took Albekizan to blink the earth-dragon dashed around the corner and snapped to attention.
“Sire,” Bander said. “I didn’t want to intrude but—”
“Are they ready?” Albekizan asked.
“Kanst has arrived, Sire,” said Bander. “He waits in the war room with Metron and Zanzeroth.” As he spoke, his voice wavered. The hard, beak-like face of earth-dragons gave little hint of emotion, but Albekizan could recognize a touch of fear in Bander’s eyes. “As for Vendevorex, Sire, the guards continue their search.”
Albekizan nodded. He wasn’t angered by this failure of Bander’s guards. Vendevorex possessed the power of invisibility. He would be found only when he wished to be found. “Continue the search. The wizard is vital to my plans. What of my second order?”
Bander looked relieved. “The guards are gathering the humans even now, Sire.”
“Good. I want their stench removed from this castle—”
“Please?”
Tanthia’s voice interrupted them. Albekizan turned to see his mate standing in the chamber door, the feathery scales around her eyes darkened by tears.
“I beg you,” she said, her voice raspy and weak. “Come with me to the Burning Ground.”
Albekizan narrowed his eyes with displeasure. “I consider this matter settled. No amount of tears will revive Bodiel. Go and wait at the Burning Ground until the ceremony if you must. I will see to the business of saving my kingdom.”
Upon hearing his words Tanthia collapsed, all strength gone.
“You’re so cold,” she sobbed. “So cold. The stones in the walls are warmer than your heart.”
Albekizan turned from his mate and stormed away, grinding his teeth in anger. But when he reached the end of the hall he
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