Kira stroked her chin absently for a moment, then turned to Calen. “Yes. What do you say, Draleid?”
Calen’s throat was suddenly devoid of moisture. He glanced at Aeson, whose face was a twisted grimace. He was not going to get help there. There was an expectancy in Arthur’s eyes, as though he knew that this is what it was always going to come down to. Calen should have known it too, but he had been naïve. They planned this. Anger bubbled over in his belly. If looks could kill, Arthur would be dead where he stood, and judging by the king’s face, he understood that.
Calen stepped forward to address the dwarven rulers. He was glad when Valerys moved up beside him, a low rumble emanating from his throat. That put the dwarves off-kilter. “What is it that you want me to say? Your mind is already made up.”
“So, you will say nothing?” Kira’s eyes narrowed. She shifted in her throne.
“That is not what I—”
“Is this what you hoped for?” Kira interrupted, turning to the other dwarven rulers. “A child with a dragon that is only the size of a goat?”
“What are you—” Calen felt rage swell inside him as Kira cut him off once more.
“How is he to face the Dragonguard, never mind lead our armies? He would flee at the sight of a fully grown dragon. He is but a spoiled brat pretending to be a hero. Look at him now. Look at the petulance.”
Calen bit his lip. He could feel the Spark. Touch it. The warmth of it pulled at the back of his mind, urging him.
Something touched his shoulder. It was Asius’s hand. Calen looked up at the giant, who simply shook his head, a knowing look in his eye. Calen let the Spark fade away, but the anger remained.
“Did you just call me here to insult me?” he roared. He felt the anger burning off Valerys; it fed his own. The dragon’s lips pulled back in a snarl, baring his razor-sharp teeth. The frills on the back of his neck had grown longer in recent weeks and now stood on end. “Is this the honour of dwarves?”
“Now, now!” shouted Pulroan. It was the first time she had spoken. “You overstep.”
A sly smirk spread across Kira’s face.
“The both of you,” Pulroan sniped. She no longer seemed placid. She looked as though she could shatter stone with a word. “You are both children, and you have much to learn.” She turned her glare to Kira, emphasising the point.
“Draleid, understand me. There is a lot that rests on your shoulders. A lot that you do not yet understand. These men that brought you here, they did so with the hope that simply your existence would inspire the dwarven kingdoms to return to the surface and aid them in the war they have yearned for since the fall of The Order. It is not that simple. There is no prophecy. Your coming was not foretold, and we will no longer blindly follow those who wield the power you will one day possess.
“It was men and women like you, humans and elves, who brought our civilisation to its knees and drove us from the sun. It was Draleid who turned on their brothers and sisters. It was Draleid who stood behind Fane Mortem. Drove the elves from their cities. Hunted the giants to near extinction. We need to know the depth of your character. We need to know who you are. Although, some among us reveal enough about themselves in the methods they use.”
The elder dwarf sat back in her throne, her chest rising and falling heavily. She sighed and pulled a small cloth from her pocket, wiping the sweat from her time-furrowed brow.
There was silence in the hall. All eyes rested on Calen. He took a deep breath. He remembered what his mother once told him. You will only know your true friends once they know you truly.
“I am sorry,” he said, and he was. “I am sorry for what was done by those who came before me. For what happened to your people.” Calen turned to Asius. “And to yours.”
The giant gave a slight bow of his head.
“The empire took my family as well. They killed my mother, my father, my sister. They took one of my closest friends. The first time I killed a man, I felt sick to my stomach. I counted every life I took. I have stopped counting now, but I haven’t forgotten. Until now, all I wanted was revenge. I wanted the men who took my family from me… I wanted them dead. In honesty, I still do, but now, I want more.
“Still in Belduar, there are five elves who pledged an oath to protect me, without even knowing who I truly was. I want to become a man they are proud to protect. I want their oath to mean something. I want to earn their trust, as I want to earn yours. I might be a child to you, but I promise you one thing: I will bleed for you. I will not stop fighting until my lungs give way, and neither will Valerys.” Calen hadn’t noticed his voice rising as he spoke, but he couldn’t help it. His heart pounded in his chest, and his blood rushed like fire through his veins. The rumble in Valerys’s throat reverberated through the hall, a deep growl. “I will stand on the walls of Belduar if the empire attacks. I will be there. I didn’t want this. I certainly didn’t ask for it, but it is what fate has given me, and I will not walk away.” Calen paused for a moment, considering. “You want to know my character, show me yours!”
CHAPTER 31
All Things Lost
Dann had wandered the streets of the outer circle for what seemed like hours before he happened upon the Old Man’s Cellar. It was exactly the type of inn he was looking
