“She did, and she is free. If you go with us, eventually, she will make an appearance and she is much older, bigger, stronger than you are. I worry that you will lose if you fight against her.”
“A valid concern,” the dragon mused. “Considering there’s not much you know about dragons and even less you know about her. But she will not kill me, instead she will hope to take me prisoner and let the age of the dragons start anew.”
Maeve’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know all of this?”
“Most of it is speculation,” the dragon admitted. “From the ravings of my mother, I gathered what might happen. But you believe she is evil, do you not?”
“I do,” Maeve agreed, unsure if the dragon could read her mind or guessed at what she might say. The way it spoke, and the cadence of its speech, reminded her of its mother. She bit back a retort. For dragons were known to be wise, there was a reason they had become one of the most powerful civilizations, in their time.
“Then I will fight with you. Call when you are ready.”
“Wait,” Maeve called, unwilling to end the conversation. “What should I call you?”
The dragon blew a cloud of smoke out of its nostrils. “My name is Drago.”
10
The Gathering
Late afternoon a trumpet sounded, the summons to join the gathering of leaders. Maeve followed the brothers of fire to the basement of the tower. They entered a wide, square room where a long table was heavy with roasted meats, smoked cheeses, and fruit of every kind. Maeve’s eyes widened as she walked in, taking in the lantern light that cast leaping shadows on the gray stone walls. Harp music filled the room but did not cover the inaudible murmur of voices as others strode in and took their seats. Maeve recognized the leader of the people of the grove, the old woman Mara who had argued with Sandrine, along with mages she’d not met yet.
Maeve sat between Ingram and Imer and watched while light-haired elves with curved, pointed ears and pale eyes took their seats, stern expressions on their beautiful faces. Last to arrive was Jacq the wizard, with Willow, the mage, on his arm. He took his place at the head of the table with Willow by his side. Maeve noticed at the other end of the table, there was no chair. No reason for anyone else to sit at the end in a position of power.
Keeping her thoughts to herself, as Imer suggested, she studied the decorations. Candles about ten inches long stood every few feet on the table, casting a soft glow over the food. Each plate was made of polished silver with a bowl resting on top and a silver knife, fork, and spoon beside it. The goblets were full of wine and looked as though they were made from a fine crystal. White flowers rested in vases, their tiny buds open to the light. Maeve knew they were called winter flowers because they bloomed despite the snow.
Jacq stood as soon as everyone was seated, and a hush fell over the gathering. His deep, magnetic eyes studied every person in turn and when he lifted his arms, the deep sleeves of his rich blue robe fell open, revealing the swirls on his arms. Maeve gasped, surprised that he also had runes inked onto his skin. Although they were nothing like hers, still, they drew her curiosity. Was it a common practice among those who carried magic?
“Greetings, friends,” Jacq proclaimed. His voice overpowering the gentle music of the harp. He raised his hands as if in blessing. “A time has come for us to unite, but before we move to discussion, I hope you will enjoy the bounty of Imperia. Unprecedented times arise before us, and we will all need our strength. Eat. Drink. And be merry.”
With those words, he took his seat, raised his glass, and took a sip. It was a few moments before those at the table relaxed enough to turn to food and drink. A roasted pig with an apple in its mouth took up one side of the table, and mouthwatering scents drifted to Maeve’s nostrils as someone rose to carve it. There was squash, cooked until the skin was soft and fell open with a touch. There were cheeses, some sharp, others soft, and fat red grapes that burst on touch. A warm, spicy soup filled Maeve’s body with warmth. She ate and drank with relish, keenly aware of how many good meals she’d missed during her travels.
When at last everyone had settled into conversation, their bellies full, and a dessert, filled with chocolate on a bed of a flaky crust was passed around, Jacq, the wizard, rose to his feet. His very presence commanded a hush, as though he were the king of the city, and Maeve speculated on just how powerful the wizard was and what kind of magic he used. Was he like the dark fae and had magic of a similar kind? Although she did not detect the taint of dark magic, she couldn’t help but worry her lower lip between her teeth as he spoke. His voice should have filled her with a comforting calmness. But it didn’t. She missed the beginning of his words, and when she tuned in again, her spine went rigid.
“The seven shards have been found and reformed into the Crown of Erinyes. A feat which was commissioned by the dark fae. Long have we known that the dark fae sneak into our world on the night of the full moon, to steal corrupted souls to do their bidding.”
Corrupted? Maeve stiffened even further.
“Even though we believe that all can be saved, should they change their hearts, I will freely admit that I have turned a blind eye to the deeds of the dark fae. For it seemed as though they were doing us a favor by ridding the world of those who seek to ruin it. But now the curse upon the dark fae has been broken, and not just their curse, but all curses across the known world. Now that the dark fae are free, we assume they will return to their homeland, the hidden kingdom in the grove. Although they will celebrate their freedom, it is known that they will set forth to conquer, as they once did, hundreds of years ago. Kingdoms fell at their feet as they sought world dominion. And not just any kingdom, but the powerful ones we assumed would never fall. The dragons and the Carnites. Many have speculated why they fell, but we know it was because of the influence of the dark fae, among others. But now they have returned to haunt us, in accordance with the Prophecy of Erinyes:
A day will come when curses will be broken,
the lost shall be found, the found shall be lost,
and the rift between mortal and celestial will cease to exist.
The Dragon Queen of old will rise, freed but hidden in disguise.
The last defender will come forth, and the Sword of Justice will purify.
Silence filled the room as the wizard spoke the last words, and even the music of the harp fell quiet. Maeve glanced at the surrounding faces, lips parted, hearts beating as they waited for more. The wizard stood erect, his shoulders lifted. He raised his hands. “The Crown of Erinyes is in the hands of the dark fae. The Dragon Queen of old has risen. The Gates of Hell are weak, but the last defender has come forth, and with her she brings the Sword of Justice. Maeve of Carn, will you rise?”
The request was unexpected and yet, Maeve wasn’t surprised. Stiffly she rose to her feet, and all eyes examined her. Whispers filled the air and hung there. They were curious about her past, what brought her to Imperia and she was sure, what made her the last defender. After she’d had her fill of the stares and whispers, she sat again. Imer gave her hand an encouraging squeeze, but she fixed her eyes on her plate, uncomfortable with all the attention.
“Against her will,” the wizard continued, “Maeve of Carn was taken by the dark fae, and we believe this reason to be two-fold. She is a warrior, but she is also the last Carnite. They have had their eye on her since birth. We believe they wanted to get to her first, which is why they assisted in the destruction of Carn, along with the orcs. Maeve had help, though. Sandrine the Scholar, another who was taken by the dark fae, decades ago, served as her guide. Our own fire mages, Ingram and Imer, helped as well, particularly during the journey to the Draconbane Mountains and in the ruins of Carn which have been overrun by orcs. Our scouts have seen movements in the ruins and believe an army of orcs is getting ready to march. To where? We have no knowledge yet, but it is likely their next conquest will be the Contresea, the kingdom by the sea, the kingdom of men. If, indeed, the orcs march to Contresea, there is no doubt the dark fae will sense chaos and join them. It will be a bloodbath, and while we have an alliance between mages, elves, and the people of the grove, we must be stronger. As the prophecy proclaims, the rift between mortal and celestial will cease to exist. We hold on to the belief that soon the celestials will return and bring the power of the Divine to fight with us. It is likely the humans will also amass an army, but when the dark fae and the orcs are gone it is unlikely that they will continue to fight with us. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the Gates of Hell do not break and the demons do not surge forth. Many of you are aware the Hunter has risen and seeks our magic with relentless ambition. We have already lost a few to the Hunter, but if the demons of old come forth, only the guardians and the celestials can stand against them. We must be prepared.”