evidence of the dragon’s passage. He instructed the others to set up camp in a sheltered location. Flinn said that from here they could make forays into the surrounding Wulfholdes. For the last five days, Flinn had sent Jo and Braddoc off into the hills together with strict instructions to return to camp the moment they found anything. Sometimes Flinn sent Dayin with them, and once Flinn took the boy with him. Most often, however, the knight left at sunrise to roam the hills alone in search of Verdilith and then returned at sunset. He was always as exhausted and hungry as the rest of them, but his spirit had never wavered. Jo admired his resolve; despite the grueling, tedious work, Flinn’s spirit was thriving. He was a knight of the Order of the Three Suns, doing his duty to avenge the villagers’ deaths and prevent further destruction at the dragon’s hand. Jo, too, felt proud of her work, but the daily grind was beginning to wear on her. Braddoc, in particular, tested her nerves. But she wouldn’t give in, not while she was a squire in the Order of the Three Suns.
Jo gratefully accepted the plate of stew and bread Karleah handed her. She ate a quick mouthful, then nudged the dwarf with the tip of her cold, dirty boot. “Mercenaries don’t ever hunt dragons, Braddoc, so how can you say you wish we had any here? If we were after treasure, that would be one thing, but-”
“Oh, cut it out, Johauna!” the dwarf said irritably. “It was only a suggestion, that’s all. Thank you,” he said to Karleah when she handed him a plate, who mumbled her response. Braddoc turned back to Jo. “I don’t understand why Flinn has us combing these hills. We’ve been over them five times now, and there’s nothing out there!”
“Flinn thinks there is,” Jo said before she bit into her bread. She caught Dayin’s eye and ruffled his hair. The boy smiled back, his eyes bright. Jo swore he had grown during the last week, though that seemed unlikely with Karleah’s uninspired cooking.
“Have you seen any sign of the dragon? Have I?” Braddoc asked, affronted. “Where does Flinn go? What does he hope to find? Why aren’t we searching a different part of the Wulfholdes?”
“ You have questions, Braddoc?” a voice interrupted from the dark just beyond the light of the campfire. Flinn came into view, then sank onto the log beside Jo. He smiled at her and accepted a plate from Karleah.
“Humph, does he have questions!” Karleah snorted. “Nothing but!” The old woman laid a horse blanket on the packed snow and sat next to Dayin and Braddoc.
“Did you see anything today, Flinn?” Jo asked, her good humor restored as always when Flinn joined the group. “Braddoc and I searched the entire northern quarter again like you asked, but saw nothing. We don’t understand-”
“Just what it is we’re supposed to find, Flinn!” Braddoc threw out his hands. “I know I used to be a mercenary and that I used to rough it now and then, but this is ridiculous! It’s been eight days, and we’ve seen no sign of the dragon or sign of civilization! When I was a mercenary, at least there were towns-”
Flinn held up his hand and broke into the dwarf’s tirade. “I know, Braddoc, I know. Believe me, we could all use a rest, a soft bed, and-for some of us-a decent shave.” Flinn rubbed his hairy chin and laughed ruefully. “But we’ve supplies enough to last another week, and I’m going to stay out here at least that long.” The knight shook his head. “As always, you’re welcome to go back. I won’t begrudge you your right to a bath.”
Braddoc rumbled beneath his breath and then shook his head. “Nay, Flinn, I won’t do that. I’m in this with you, all the way.”
Flinn quickly bit into his food before it grew cold and then gestured with his bread toward Jo and Braddoc. “Like you, I found nothing. I can’t tell you why, but I’m convinced Verdilith is around here somewhere. I can feel his presence, as if the wyrm were watching us.”
“Through the crystals?” Jo asked.
“Does that matter?” Karleah interrupted. “If Verdilith is here, he knows we are, too. So, use a crystal to locate the dragon’s lair. You don’t need to hide from him anymore. Find his lair and then catch him there.” The others turned to stare at her and the old woman cackled. “Good idea, yes? Knew there was some reason I came along.”
“Why didn’t you suggest that days ago, old woman?”
Braddoc snapped.
“Keep a civil tongue, dwarf, or you won’t want to bathe!” The wizardess glowered. “I reveal my own counsel at my own time.” Karleah looked suddenly chagrined and added, “Besides, I only now thought of it.”
“Jo?” Flinn asked, looking at his squire.
Jo returned his look, flattered at his attention. He’d been asking her opinion lately as a way of instructing her. He always applauded her when her suggestions were sound, and he gently pointed out errors when her judgment was not. So now she asked herself the questions the knight had taught her: What would viewing through a crystal accomplish? Would it gain more good than harm? Would it harm others? Yes, Jo thought, but the dragon was certain to do harm regardless of the action they took.
The squire nodded her head and said, “Yes, I think we should do it. We have nothing much to lose, and quite a lot to gain.”
Flinn nodded and turned to the wizardess. “An abelaat stone, then, Karleah?” At her nod, he pulled one from his pouch and handed it to her. “You do the honors, Karleah. We’ll concentrate on Verdilith’s lair to focus the stone.”
Karleah’s skinny arms emerged from her shapeless robe, one hand holding a tiny brass brazier. She took an ember from the fire and put it in the brazier, then added the abelaat crystal. Finally, she sprinkled on crushed quartz and muttered something under her breath. She gestured for everyone to gather round the brazier, her bony fingers seeming to be twice as long as everyone else’s.
“Concentrate on the location, not the lair itself,” Karleah said. “You’ve already seen the inside of the lair, so think about the outside instead. Remember: silence. We don’t want the dragon to know where we are.”
Jo and the others leaned closer. She tried to concentrate on what Karleah asked for, though her weary mind wandered. Then, as before, an image slowly appeared, enlarged by Karleah’s magicks. Jo held her breath and leaned closer to the tiny brazier.
A rounded slope came into view, and behind it the interminable and rocky Wulfholdes. A single stunted pine stood to the left. The scene was virtually identical to every hill Jo had seen during the last five days.
“Is that it?” she whispered, before she could stop herself. The crystal shattered. She looked from Flinn to Karleah and shook her head. “I’m sorry-I didn’t mean-”
“Don’t worry about it, Jo,” Flinn said and touched her arm. “We all saw enough.”
“Enough to know that finding that particular hill is nigh impossible!” Braddoc snapped. He turned irately on the wizardess. “Wonderful idea! Are you sure you had the right place?”
Dayin threw his arms around Karleah. “Turn him into a butterfly and let him freeze here in the cold!” he yelled. The boy flashed an angry look at Braddoc; the dwarf shrugged and turned away.
“Enough,” said Flinn, nearly shouting. The knight’s smile was testy. “I’m convinced the vision was a true one. Now, has anyone seen that hill? It has a rounded curve to it, fairly unusual for the Wulfholdes, and there’s a stunted pine to the side. Anyone seen it?”
“Are you kidding, Flinn?” Braddoc bellowed. The dwarf jumped to his feet. “We’ve been up and down so many rounded hills with stunted pines the last five days I’d be surprised if we hadn’t seen it!” He crossed his arms and sunk his chin into his beard.
“I’m afraid Braddoc’s right, Flinn,” Jo added more calmly.
“We’ve seen so many hills that I certainly don’t recall seeing that one in particular. But at least we know what it looks like when we go out tomorrow.” She pointed to Dayin and Flinn. “What of you? Have either of you seen the hill?”
Dayin simply shook his head, but Flinn lowered his head and picked at a loose tuft of leather on his boot’s heel before replying. Is he gritting his teeth? Jo wondered as the knight’s cheek muscle rippled. “I may have seen the hill,” he said, still not looking at Johauna, “but like you I don’t remember it.” Flinn stood suddenly and looked at the people around the campfire. “I think it’s time to sleep. We’ve a long day again tomorrow. I’ll take watch first. Jo, I’ll wake you about midnight.” Before Jo could question him, he had turned and left the camp.
“Well, that’s a fine how-do-you-do!” Braddoc sputtered in the silence that followed. He shook his head and turned to Dayin. “Come along, son. Let’s leave the womenfolk to their duties.” He stood and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Karleah?” Whether Dayin was asking permission to leave or to stay and help, Jo didn’t know.
Karleah patted Dayin’s head with her bony hand and said, “You run along, boy. I’ll take care of things here. I want to talk to Johauna, anyway.” Dayin nodded and then went off to the tent he shared with Braddoc and Flinn. Jo
