From the Author
Prologue
Vernack dug his claws into the wooden rafters above the throne room, wincing as the telepathic voices of his kin struck his mind all at once. The other dragonets were leagues away, spread throughout the globe, but he heard them. He felt them in his mind wherever he went. Often, the voices were nothing but a distant murmur as constant and comforting as a babbling brook. Now the clamor came as a great wave, and he lost sight of the shadowed ceiling above him.
Pulling out one voice from the swarm of dragonets was impossible, but from the scraps he received, all their conversation centered on him, his human companion, and the forest elves.
And none of it was good news.
This isn't going to be pretty, the dragonet's projected thought echoed Vernack's own.
That's the understatement of the century, added another.
What is Garrad going to do? He can't kill them; they want peace, after all.
I told them to stay home. That one was Nalfriz, the only dragonet with an elven companion. They just wouldn't listen. They won't even wear the scales because they think it would make it seem like they don't trust them.
They shouldn't trust them. Vernack let the thought jolt the others with his growing anger, a burst so strong that even his human companion, Bearer Garrad, looked up from his throne.
Every thought the other dragonets had just made matters worse.
As the last human petitioner cleared out of the throne room under Vernack, Garrad folded his arms and tapped his fingers restlessly. Vernack knew he was worried, though the dragonet did not need his telepathic powers to learn this. Bearer Garrad's grandfather, another Garrad, was the son of the last Bearer of Knowledge and Truth. The elder Garrad had noble blood and was also husband to a ward of Kalum's king, making Bearer Garrad a distant heir to the throne as well as the stone. Mixing of the two titles went against all previous tradition, but there had been many deaths among the nobles and those gifted in magic. The throne had been targeted and had changed hands so many times that no one else wanted the job or seemed equal to it.
After all the deaths, worry for his people and his own life was always at the forefront of Bearer Garrad's mind.
Nalfriz, how long do we have? Vernack asked.
They have fire drakes. They should be there within the hour.
No choice, then. Garrad sat in the throne room, with only the remaining noble wizards in the balcony above him. Vernack had to do something now; he wouldn't get a better chance. He dove off the beam with two short flaps of his red-scaled wings and caught the headrest of Garrad's throne.
Garrad turned his head, blond hair falling near his shoulders and framing his short beard. Flecks of yellow in his blue eyes made them almost green and brightly offset the creases near his brow. "There you are." He glanced down the rug past the brass candelabras to the far door that the petitioners had gone through. "We're lucky that was just a bunch of refugees needing placement. Hardly an adult among them to wonder why I was twitching."
The wizards in the upper galleries stopped conversing, watching as Garrad appeared to talk to himself. Vernack never directed his thoughts to them. They all had their own opinions of the king's exotic "pet," a strange red-scaled lizard with wings, a scorpion's tail, and no real magic or intelligence to speak of. Vernack never bothered to correct such ideas. Projecting his thoughts to humans took effort, and he had more than enough trouble already with the one wizard who knew better.
Vernack directed his thoughts to his companion now, but felt his kin paying rapt attention. Garrad, I have something to tell you.
Garrad rubbed his temples. "I thought you might. Let's have it then. It has already been a long day, no need to drag it out."
The elves are coming.
Garrad leapt from the throne. Tied to his waist under his cloak, his sword hit the armrest with a sharp clang. "What time do we have? Did they kill the others, or did Saylee give way to them again?" He turned as if to call the remaining warriors.
Garrad, no. Not the drow. The elves.
Genuine confusion crossed Garrad's bearded face. It had been some time since he had made that distinction. Garrad might be the Bearer of Truth, meant to use his powers to dispel errant magic and see dry logic and facts over anything else, but he often let the mortal, emotional part of him tell him there was no difference between the elves and the demons they summoned.
Lately, he didn't even seem to be trying to contain that emotional part of him, his hand never straying to the pommel of his sword where the yellow stone and his bearer magic resided. The emotions, he claimed, made him a better king, able to sympathize with his people.
And his people feared the drow and hated the elves for their creation.
"If they are coming here against our wishes for the security of our people, then what else are we to assume but that they are among our enemies? If Saylee--"
Lady Starrillaylee is dead. Vernack paused to give the thought full weight. Marryll stabbed her in the crags, and she used the last of her magic to contain the threat.
Garrad sat back down, his legs apart and his mouth open. "Contain?"
Vernack projected the same image of the barrier Nalfriz had shown him moments before. The transparent magical seal glittered like a pane of glass, trapping a network of snow-covered caverns in a large dome.
Garrad shook his head. "Saylee couldn't have done that. It's a wizard's spell. Did Alester use her magic to cast it?"
Vernack shuddered. It was likely true, but he could only imagine what kind of damage that would do to Bearer Alester. Alester's powers under the Goddess of Passion were the exact opposite from Garrad's, emphasizing normal emotions, and Alester loved Saylee. If she died giving her magic to her wizard husband to create this spell, they were certain to have lost both bearers now.
"At least he understood his responsibilities." Garrad finally reached for his sword and pulled it from his belt. Stroking the yellow stone that shone from the hilt, his expression became more impartial. "My cousin has shown loyalty to his people and should be honored for his sacrifice along with our other fallen, but if it were up to Saylee alone, the demons would still be at large. You can't tell me that's not true."
Vernack had no idea. Recognizing current truths was his gift, predicting possible futures was not. They would need Bearer Mouikki for that. Regardless, Alester was there and the drow are contained. The war is over if you will allow it. The elves sent representatives to negotiate peace with your people.
"They're demons, Vernack. Any one of them could make the same choice Marryll did, and we would be back where we started."
You know perfectly well that the first to make that "choice," made no choice at all. There have been many grievances on both sides, but we have a chance to put it to an end. When the elves get here, will you at least promise to listen?
Garrad seemed to nod, but then his eyes narrowed. "What about you, Vernack? If you want a promise from me, I want one from you. This is my land. I will listen, but when I pass judgment, it will be final. I want no interference from you or any of the rest of the council."
Vernack's kin couldn't contain themselves any longer. Don't do it, Vernack.
He's already decided. He'll kill them all!
You have to stop him!
Vernack shook his head. What can I do alone? Despite the gifts of Vernack's draconic race, he was still no bigger than a rabbit. He couldn't force Garrad to listen, and he couldn't block all the wizards' magic. Not alone.
About the Author
Jacque Stevens wrote her first novel as a stress relief activity during nursing school. Now as a fulltime nurse working in mental and developmental health, she continues to write stories filled with elves, fairies, and all things awesome. She lives in Utah so yes, she does have a huge extended family and occasionally eats green jello, but she does not yet own a minivan.
New friends, enemies, and other visitors from cyberspace can reach Jacque at sjacquebooks@gmail.com and sjacquebooks.com. Sign up for the newsletter to get a free short story and other extras.
