Song of the Dragon

“Yes,” Belag said, straightening up. “The rest of the Hak’kaarin are fleeing to the other cities. Within days the story of what happened here will be told from one end of the savanna to the other.”

“I don’t understand,” Urulani said, shaking her head. “Slave hunters have no reason to attack the mud cities. The Hak’kaarin have no possessions worth the attention of any elves and they make terrible slaves.”

“These aren’t slavers,” Belag said, turning suddenly. “This is a full Quorum of the Iblisi-the Inquisitors of the Imperium. They have no interest in gnomes.”

“What do they want then?” Urulani asked. “Why attack this city?”

“Because they thought we were here,” Belag replied. “Because they thought he was here.”

“Drakis?” Urulani sputtered, “All these gnomes destroyed and your friend slaughtered. . just because these elven magicians think your friend is part of this moldy prophecy?”

“Come!” the manticore said as he began moving back toward the tunnel as quickly as the gore-coated floor would allow. “We have to get back. . we have very little time left.”

“Time?” Urulani said with astonishment. “Time for what?”

“Lyric. . uh, Musaran,” Belag called. “You must come and tell this story to Drakis.”

“As a spirit I am above such things,” the Lyric replied.

“Yes, but Drakis is fond of communing with spirits,” Belag continued. “Come quickly. Jugar, Urulani. We must get back at once!”

“Get back?” Urulani was losing her patience. “What about any survivors? What if there are more of those ‘Ubisee’ things around?”

“I tell you that there will be a lot more of those ‘Ubisee things’ around soon enough!” Belag said, stopping at the top of the ramp and turning to face the warrior-woman. “This was a single Quorum, but as soon as the other Quorums get word of what happened here, they’re going to know it was one of us who did this. . and it won’t take them long to figure out that the only way we might have gone is through the Cragsway Pass.”

“And to Nothree,” Jugar said as he nodded.

“They’ve found us,” Belag said. “And our backs are to the sea.”

CHAPTER 43

Relentless

“Where has everyone gone?” Mala asked casually.

“Do I care where everyone has gone?” Drakis answered back, soft warmth in his voice.

They walked as one along the sloping sands of the bay’s shore, their bare feet digging into the residual warmth of the sand as the cool offshore breeze flowed past them. The sun was setting on a perfect day in the first place of peace that Drakis had ever known. The totality of its experience was almost painful to the human warrior who had never known tranquillity-never even had the ability to imagine it. Yet here they were, Mala’s arm wrapped around his waist and his around her shoulders, walking beside the gently lapping waves of Nothree Bay and looking in awe at the encircling mountain peaks, fading to purple under a vibrant orange sky at sunset.

“But I haven’t seen anyone all day,” Mala said.

“What do you mean ‘haven’t seen anyone?’ ” Drakis spoke through a crooked smile. “Look. . over there behind that corsair galley. There’s a whole group of ‘someones’ working on those nets. And just up there. . entirely too many ‘someones’ who are trying to keep those children out from under foot while they cook dinner. The whole village is absolutely lousy with ‘someones.’ ”

Mala slugged him in the chest with the boots in her hand just hard enough so that he would not let go of her. “You’re terrible! That’s not what I meant and you know it. Where’s the dwarf or the Lyric. . or either of the manticores from our old House for that matter?”

“You forgot the chimerian.”

“Well, I’d just as soon forget the chimerian altogether.”

“Can’t argue with you there.”

“But seriously, Drakis.” Mala stopped walking, pulling him around to face her just before they came to the beached prow of one of the Sondau ships. “Where are they? Don’t you think it odd that they follow you all this way and then run off without a word to you? They’ve been gone more than a full day now. It’s like they all vanished at once.”

“Mala, stop worrying,” Drakis said, turning toward her and taking her by her shoulders. She looked so beautiful to him in the soft light of the closing day that he nearly forgot what he was about to say. “I spoke with Elder Shasa this morning. He said that most of them went off to try to find RuuKag. . who apparently had gotten it into his mind to return to the Hak’kaarin on his own. No one knows where Ethis went, and to be honest, I’d be just as glad if he remained lost.”

“But, Drakis. .”

“Mala, listen to me. . there’s something I want to talk to you about.” Drakis took her hand and led her higher up the beach just short of the seawall. He gestured for her to sit and then sat next to her as they both looked out over the waters of the bay. The evening was deepening but through the narrow channel that entered the bay between the towering rocks could still be seen the fading remnant of the sunset illuminating the northern horizon.

“What is it, Drakis?” Mala asked quietly.

Drakis sat still for some time before he spoke. “Have you ever enjoyed quiet like this?”

“Quiet?” Mala laughed. “I hear those pots in the kitchen behind us. . I hear the laugher of those men mending the net. . those children squealing up the beach-and the birds around here can be downright obnoxious.”

Drakis smiled. “That’s not what I mean. I mean the luxury of being quiet. . of just holding still and looking out over the water with someone next to you to share that stillness. To not have to say a word and know that no one needs you to speak because the quiet around you speaks for you.”

Mala leaned toward him, resting her head against his shoulder. “I’ve never known that quiet before here. . it’s painful.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Drakis nodded. “Painful because we never knew it existed and now the thought of losing it is unbearable. Mala, I’m tired of running toward a horizon that is always getting farther away. . tired of pretending to pursue some destiny that isn’t even mine.”

“What are you saying?” Mala asked.

“I’m saying that this. . right here. . is everything that I want or could ever want out of my life.” Drakis reached down and pulled up a handful of the white sand from between his feet. It glittered slightly in the fading rays of the day. “This place. . this peace. I don’t want or need any great destiny that may not be mine to begin with. All I want is this quiet. . right here. . with you.”

“But, the song in your head. . the music that calls you. .”

“It’s still there,” Drakis replied, looking through the narrow passage to the north. The light on the horizon was rapidly fading. “If anything it is stronger than ever, but, Mala, that doesn’t mean I have to follow it. Let it just be a song in my head. . from what Elder Shasa tells me there are plenty of other humans who have heard the song, too, and they didn’t have to go out and become this great prophecy fulfillment either.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I don’t want to run anymore.” Drakis turned to Mala. “I’m saying I want to stay. . right here with you as my mate or wife or whatever the Sondau call it, bury my sword, have a family of our own, and live a quiet life.”

“I. . I don’t. .” Mala stammered. “Is it possible, Drakis? I mean, we’ve run for so long, and we barely know ourselves who we are. .”

“We can be whoever we choose,” Drakis persisted. “If anything, I’ve learned that over the last months. It