“What choice do we have?” Relam countered. “I’ve given the men orders to double the watch again and dig an extra trench filled with stakes. It won’t keep out a determined attack, but it might buy us enough time to marshal our forces.”
“We’d be back in no time,” Khollo mused, thinking Janis’ proposal over.
“Back in no time? Dun Carryl must be over a week away!”
“For the army,” Khollo countered. “For Kanin and I though . . . we could be back by tomorrow night easily.”
“If you leave now?”
“Yes, and hole up on one of the peaks for the night.”
“And if the vertaga find you?”
“We fly away.”
Relam growled in frustration. “I don’t like it,” he muttered. “I don’t like it at all. We still don’t know anything about Lord Horam and the vertaga he was pursuing. They could be anywhere in these mountains.”
“Khollo speaks sense, your majesty,” Janis said gently. “He and Kanin know the risks, and they have advantages that we do not.”
The young king heaved a tremendous sigh, closing his eyes, then opening them to look at Khollo. “You’re right. We need to know where Dun Carryl is precisely and what waits for us there. You may even spot a path forward for the army if we are lucky.”
Kanin spread his wings, preparing to take flight. “We’ll be back,” Khollo promised, looking down at Relam.
Kanin rose slowly into the air, then spun so that he was facing southeast and flew quickly into the mountains. Soon, Relam and his army were lost to sight behind a rocky outcrop. Khollo breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, it’s back to just the two of us, soaring over mountain and vale.
Much better, Kanin agreed. I wish you had not told them we would be back by tomorrow evening though.
Khollo laughed. This isn’t a holiday, Kanin. We have work to do. Now, let’s find Dun Carryl.
Chapter 54
Kanin and Khollo soared amongst the mountains, peering always downwards for some hint of the enemy, some sign they were on the right track. Below, valley and vale twisted together in strange, web-like patterns, mountains and cliffs rising in between. There were no trails that Khollo could see, merely places where the dense pine forest was thinner, or patches where the ground was rocky and nothing would grow. Nevertheless, moving the army through these lands was not a prospect the young Keeper wanted to contemplate.
Throughout the flight, a few things stayed constant. The sky remained a friendly pale-blue, and there was little wind. The air was cold, but all in all the weather was as good as the two scouts could have hoped for. The other thing that stayed constant was a larger than normal peak directly ahead of them, sometimes hidden by other mountains, but always emerging once more.
Khollo pulled out the map he had copied from the records in Ethgalin, frowning at it thoughtfully. There was a larger peak marked on it, right next to Dun Carryl. It also seemed that the taller mountain was bordered by a wide valley on the northwest side.
I think we may be on to something, Khollo said to Kanin, tucking the map away again.
The tall peak?
Yes. Dun Carryl will be near it. The young warrior looked up. The color was fading from the sky as the sun sank towards the horizon. We should start looking for a sheltered place to spend the night.
Kanin growled in reply and made for a range of cliffs on the side of a mountain slightly out of their path. As they drew nearer, Khollo caught sight of several caves at the top of the cliffs, their dark mouths open and inviting.
Looks to be as good a place as any, Khollo observed.
Yes, a cave will do nicely, Kanin agreed.
The dragon descended quickly, swooping down on a wide ledge at the top of the cliffs. Khollo dismounted and looked around. To the south loomed another mountain, rising in a sheer cliff on the near side, falling away gently in every other direction. To the north and west was a region of smaller peaks and broken, uneven land. And to the east, the ever-present monolith looming over everything, watching over the Fells.
Don’t see anything that looks like vertaga, Khollo observed, shading his eyes. What about you?
Kanin swung his head back and forth agitatedly. No sight . . . but I smell something.
You smell something?
Yes.
Kanin swiveled around and looked at the caves. I think I will check these caves before entering.
And how exactly-?
Khollo leapt back with a startled yelp as Kanin sent a billowing wall of flame roaring towards the cave. Guttural shouts erupted from one of the other black mouths and three vertaga emerged, wielding studded clubs.
To your right! Khollo cried.
Kanin swung around and lashed out with his tail. Two of the vertaga jumped back, but the third was launched off the edge of the ledge and into open space. Kanin growled and lowered his head, eying the remaining two vertaga.
The beasts exchanged uncertain looks, then took a tentative step forward. That was all Kanin needed. The dragon lunged forward, knocking one to the side with his head and slamming another one to the side with his claws. The first vertag fell from the cliff. The one Kanin had hit with his claws crumpled to the ledge, broken and dying.
Let’s go, Kanin said abruptly. Caves are not a safe place to sleep after all.
Hold on, Khollo said. If this is a vertaga outpost, we need to move this one where he won’t be found. They can’t know we’re coming.
They will know anyway, Kanin grunted. Dragons are not stealthy.
No sense in making our presence too obvious though, Khollo said, dragging the unconscious vertag towards the cliff.
Fine, Kanin said.
