"Got one h.e.l.l of a nose, too." Zylas held out a hand to a.s.sist his friend, but Vernon chose to remain on the ground for the moment.
Korfius drew himself up proudly. "Best sniffer in my brigade."
Collins remembered how Korfius had found them in the flowering tree when the other hounds had not.
He nodded. "No doubt."
"A dragon." Korfius seemed incapable of getting past that word. He turned stiffly to Collins. "Your Majesty, you keep interesting company." He bowed. "And I am at your service."
Collins glanced at Zylas, who nodded with wary encouragement. "Korfius, I"ve already told you the best way to serve me.""I know, Sire-"
"Just Ben," Collins reminded.
"I know ..." Korfius clearly struggled mightily, but managed to blurt out, "Ben. But I want to help, to be a part of this." His wide-eyed gaze fell on the dragon again, though he did not say the word this time.
"A guard superior, a royal, and a ... a dragon." The reverent tone gained strength with each naming. "I"m staying with you. Seeing this through. You might need me!"
Once more, Collins glanced at Zylas for support. He wished the other man would say something.
After all, Zylas was more likely to have the necessary knowledge to handle this situation; but Collins also knew that maintaining the illusion of his royalty required him to speak. "What I don"t need is a couple of worried parents sending an entire guard force after me." It seemed almost moot, as they already tracked him on a murder charge. "Nor do I need to add a kidnapping rap."
"Parents?" Korfius laughed. "Don"t worry about my parents. They"re extremely lesariat. I"m from a litter of seven ..."
Collins took his cue from Zylas, whose eyes went round as coins and whose lips glided open in clear surprise.
". . . and as far as they"re concerned, they raised me. I"m on my own."
Though it seemed easier with his parents out of the equation, Collins could not imagine any mother not worrying about her missing child. Put it in animal terms, he reminded himself. Once the puppies. .h.i.t somewhere between six and ten weeks, the parents often don"t even recognize them. Cynically, he wondered if whoever was in charge of the city would prove more diligent about his "best sniffer" then the parents were over their missing septuplet. Zylas" reaction made it clear that multiple births were not the norm, despite the time spent as animals. From the way Korfius stated it, Collins guessed that the ones more anch.o.r.ed in animal form had a higher likelihood of more than one offspring at a time. "Well, then,"
Collins said, surprised by his own words. "Perhaps I could use your help."
Zylas" jaw, already dangling from the litter comment, now positively fell. "Um . . . Ben. Could I speak to you for a moment?"
Though tempted to say "no," which would leave Zylas completely defenseless, Collins excused himself from Korfius, telling the boy to put some clothes on, and then followed his pale companion to the cave mouth.
Zylas barely waited until they got beyond hearing range. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing?"
Collins wondered if the concept of h.e.l.l as he knew it actually existed in this world, then shrugged off the thought. None of his companions seemed overly religious, and he saw no need to create a possible rift. "What do you mean?"
Zylas kept his voice at a bare hiss, though he clearly would have preferred to yell. "I mean, you just invited a kid along."
"What did you want me to do?" Collins finally realized what his subconscious had much earlier. "Send him back to whatever that town was that"s hunting us knowing all about your precious lady?"
Zylas swallowed hard. "Well?"
"That," Zylas said thoughtfully, "can"t happen." A look of sharp terror took over his features, so intense that Collins felt fear p.r.i.c.kling up his spine as well.
Collins fell silent, uncertain whether he wished to encourage Zylas any longer.
"What are we going to do?"
You"re asking me? Collins raised his brows, throwing the question right back to his uncomfortable companion.
"They"ll hunt her down and kill her."
Collins continued to study Zylas. The other option, killing a child to keep her secret, seemed even more heinous. "Zylas," he started carefully, not at all certain where he planned to go from there.
"You"re right," Zylas interrupted. "We have to keep him with us. And quiet." He stomped a foot.
"d.a.m.n! Why did he have to ..." He trailed off with a noise of frustration.
"I"m sure Vernon did everything he could."
"Yeah. I trust-" Zylas" nostrils flared. "We"ve got to get out of here." He looked past Collins. "If onedog could follow our scent, others could."
Collins was not convinced of that.
"Or, they might just follow his scent."
That seemed much more likely. "Can Prinivere travel?"
"She should be able to make it to another of her ..." Zylas ended lamely, "... places now." Apparently seized by another thought, he added, "In fact, she should go now, before she switches."
About eighteen hours had pa.s.sed since Collins had seen Prinivere in human form. Somehow, he doubted she had to take any drugs to keep her dragon-time longer. Given that she could use all her higher functions as a dragon, plus magic and a vastly extended life-span, he suspected she considered it her more advanced form.
Zylas headed back toward Prinivere. "My lady," he said as he moved. "Forgive the abruptness of our departure, but I think it best if we all go as soon as possible." He put a subtle emphasis on the word "all"
which Collins took to mean he wanted her to know that she should take off also.
*He"s just a boy,* Prinivere sent, Collins presumed to him and Zylas, at least, and certainly not to Korfius who still stared at her with undisguised awe. *Don"t do anything rash. *
"I won"t," Zylas promised. "Unless it becomes absolutely necessary. But we can"t risk ..." He glanced at Korfius, as if to read how much of the one-sided conversation he might fathom, ". . . you. And I don"t know many . . ." he hedged, as if seeking a code word, then brightened. Casually, he removed the rose quartz stone from his pocket and set it on an irregularity in the rocky wall. He switched to broken English, surely aware only Collins and Prinivere could understand him. ". . . child can"t hold secret. Will . .
."He struggled, then touched the stone. "... caution." He removed his fingers and returned to English. "But if it comes to a decision-your life or his-I have no choice, my lady."
*I"m old,* she reminded.
"But got at least as many years left as he." Zylas inclined his head toward Korfius. "And need-" He struggled again; but, this time, did not resort to the translation stone. "-other life depend-" He glanced at Collins and fell silent, then scooped up his stone and returned it to his pocket. "Let"s go," he growled in clear frustration.
Collins remained silent throughout the exchange, quietly putting the details together. Clearly, Korfius"
finding them threw Zylas into a terrible dilemma. He had to keep Korfius quiet about Prinivere, not just for the duration of Collins" time here, but forever. Collins did not envy him that position; he could not kill a regular dog, let alone one who became a boy at intervals. Yet, Zylas had a loyalty to Prinivere that transcended Collins" understanding.
Collins and Zylas packed their gear in a tense hush punctuated only by occasional sighs from the rat/man. Collins did not press, certain his companion would speak in his own time. He did not have the words to comfort, so the best he could do was to listen.
Korfius seemed to share none of Zylas" consternation, chattering at the dragon with an exuberance Collins could not ever remember having. Apparently, the dragon answered him privately and with infinite patience, because Korfius kept bouncing and talking, often not waiting long enough for Prinivere to possibly have addressed the question before zipping off another. Shortly, they had everything, and Zylas signaled for everyone to go.
Korfius obediently bounded from the cave, Zylas and Collins behind him and Ialin hovering anxiously.
Falima made no complaint as Zylas lashed the pack to her back then a.s.sisted Korfius astride, still talking.
"I can"t believe I"m helping a royal and a dragon. A real dragon. I can"t believe there really even is a real dragon to help. A real, live dragon."
Zylas looked as tense as a depressed spring.
Collins placed a hand on Korfius" calf. "Listen, little buddy."
Korfius turned him a happy look.
"Remember how I told you this was secret?"
"Yes, I ..." Korfius turned thoughtful, features screwed up in apparent pain. "Oh. Does that mean . . .
"Yes," Collins said firmly, though the boy had never completed the question. "You can"t tell anyoneabout Lady Prinivere."
"Ever?" The word seemed driven from his lips.
"Ever." Collins confirmed in a voice he hoped brooked no further questioning.
"Not even-"
To emphasize the point, Collins did not let Korfius finish. "Not even."
"But I didn"t get to-"
"Doesn"t matter. Not anyone. Ever." Collins dusted his hands to show the matter had ended, with no further discussion necessary or desirable. "It"s as simple as that."
"Oh," Korfius said barely audibly. He hunched, disappointment clear from his stance as well as his features. "Well. At least, I"ll get to help?" His tone suggested defeat, and he clearly expected Collins to burst his one last bubble.
"Of course, you can help," Collins said cheerfully, though he had no idea how. Knowing he would likely have to give Korfius a "busy" job, he added, "There are no small roles in the service of good and justice." He rather liked the sound of his own words and wondered whether he had just created them, as he believed, or if his subconscious had revived it from some long-ago comic book.
"I can"t believe I met a ..." This time, Korfius caught himself before he said, "dragon."
Collins made a "zip your lip" motion.
Though he could not understand the reference, Korfius apparently got the implication. He mimicked the gesture and fell silent.
As they headed off in a new direction, Collins glanced around. "Where"s Vernon?"
Zylas continued to look worriedly between Collins and Korfius. "He"ll get the lady off safely, then head back home." He held Collins" gaze. "We need him there."
Uncertain whether Zylas meant in general or for some reason related to their current mission, Collins did not press. Zylas clearly wanted to speak as little as possible about such matters in the boy"s presence.
For the first few hours, they traveled in relative quiet. Then, Korfius drifted off to sleep, body sprawled across the pack, arms dangling on either side of Falima"s neck. Collins paused to redistribute the boy"s weight, to tuck limp hands beneath the weighted center, and to smooth hair from his eyes.
Korfius mumbled something unintelligible but did not fully awaken. Collins now found himself able to continue without worrying constantly over the child"s safety.
Finally, Collins went to Falima"s head, where Zylas used the lead rope to haul her generally westward.
"You know, between his only spending seven hours a day as a boy and the need to get sleep in both forms, he might just as well be a full-time dog.
"Lesariat," Zylas reminded in a grunt. "That"s the whole idea."
Suddenly, Collins found the answer to a question he had asked himself earlier. Of course their civilization has stagnated for longer than a century. When you spend half or more of your life in animal form, it has to take all your time just to do the things necessary for survival. Who has time for innovation?
Zylas glanced at the boy, apparently to ascertain that he slept. "Let"s get back to planning."
Collins nodded, surprised to find himself eager. The more he understood, the better his chances for success. The several hours of walking had proved just the break he needed. "Let"s start with the moat."
Another day of travel brought them down from the mountains to a road that hugged the base and a broad expanse of forest. Collins realized they could have avoided thc crags and steppes simply by following thc path, which most people surely did. He did not begrudge the course they had taken.
Though longer, even without the looping detours Zylas had taken to foil pursuit, it only made sense for Prinivere to live where few humans dared or bothered to go. On my world, she"d probably hide out on Everest. He amended.
Or, perhaps, the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth highest mountain might not have quite as many determined climbers.
They entered the forest just in time. Clouds that had stalked and threatened through the night broke open to releases a splattering dounpour. Rain roared against the canopy, occasionally rolling through to soak them with icy pinoints or sudden streams of runoff. It continued into the evening, adding jaggedbursts of lightning and rolling booms of thunder to the symphony of nature"s pique. They ate from a pack growing welcomely lighter, and Collins appreciated that his companions found the insects the most desirable of their fare. By now none of those remained, and they feasted on the foods he liked best: dried fruit, nut paste, and bread.
With Korfius in dog form, Collins" companions discussed the upcoming castle break in freely. Caught up in the plans, Collins listened and joined in eagerly. Though the approach changed several times, the idea that he might not succeed never entered the conversations. Heartened by his companions"
confidence, Collins found himself just as certain that he would prevail. The crystal would make it back to Prinivere, she would open the portal, and he would return home to face the consequences of his absence-gladly. He only wished he could take his new friends with him. The image this conjured made him laugh. Wouldn"t that be interesting? He curled up to sleep, dreaming of castle spires and a talking plesiosaur entrenched in a moat of blood.
Early the following morning, Ialin raced back to Collins and his friends: a rat, a horse, and a dog. "It"s just ahead."
"The castle?"
"Yes, the castle." Impatience touched Ialin"s tone, his small, thin body in constant motion. "Up ahead.
Come look."
As Collins went to do so, the other man added, "Carefully, now."
Collins obediently moved slowly in the indicated direction, trying to avoid crackling leaves and snapping twigs.
Ialin pranced an anxious circle around him. "Come on."
Collins stopped, studying the little man. "I can be quick or careful, not both. Choose."
Ialin sighed. "Careful." He flitted ahead, still clearly fretful, though he no longer rushed the only other companion in human form. He paused to peer through a gap in the foliage.
Collins counted Ialin shifting from foot to foot seven times in the few seconds it took him to come up beside the hummingbird/man. He wondered if the speeding metabolism required by a quick and tiny bird extended to his human form and made the world seem to move that much slower. He glanced through the gap, vision obscured in serrated chaos by overhanging leaves. Not far ahead, the forest opened to a vast plain of gra.s.s grazed by sheep, cows, and goats in a myriad array of colors. Chickens and ducks waddled through the herd, scooping up the bugs dislodged by shambling hooves.
Beyond the animals, a ring of brackish water surrounded a high stone wall with teethlike turrets and circular platforms. An even taller wall peeked over the first, visible only as jagged shadows. Above it all rose the castle, looking very much like the pictures Collins remembered from the postcards of friends who had chosen world travel over higher education. Each corner held a square-shaped tower that loomed over the turreted, rectangular roof. Every part was constructed of mortared stone blocks. It looked exactly as Ialin had described it, yet it defied all of Collins" expectations. The grandeur held him spellbound, struck by the work that must have gone into its construction, the eerie aura of power that accompanied a living fossil. The pictures his friends had sent were of crumbling ruins that barely compared with the reality of a functioning, real-time castle. "Wow," he said.
Ialin loosed a sound, half-snort and half-giggle. "Zylas said you were a people of few words, but I never realized just how few."
Collins tried to explain, gaze locked on the castle of Barakhai. "It"s amazing. I"ve never seen anything like it."