Summoner school 7 a reve.., p.11
Summoner School 7: A Reverse Portal Fantasy, page 11
“It’s both,” Ravis shrugged and started to poke through the scrolls. “We haven’t had a need for a prison in quite some time, but it could happen at any moment. Especially now that Lord Parinth has opened our borders to the refugees of this war that you want to bring us into.”
“I highly doubt that they’re going to do anything to you guys,” I said and took note of the sigils carved into the gray stone next to the cell doors. “Most of them aren’t strong enough to fight back against Jason and the cultists, and they’re even more helpless when it comes to the shadow creatures.”
“Those things should’ve been left in the purgatory realm where they belong,” the silver dragon snarled and shoved a scroll into a cube so hard that it bounced back out.
“They should have,” I agreed and walked over to study the books that were on the strange wheels. “But they weren’t. I think that Jason figured out a way to get them out. Or maybe his father. I’m betting they went in trying to find Kruwyn’s body.”
“If he’s even there,” Ravis said and nodded to himself. “I met that mage once. Shortly after he came to power. I wanted to make sure that he wasn’t another Morgana.”
“Was he?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “But the other kings decided to let the magical council take care of him since that was their main purpose. They said that the mage was thrown into the purgatory realm and quickly devoured by the shadow creatures, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he found a way to get out of there. He was a clever bastard.”
Ravis took the scroll and spread it out on one of the three tables with such care that it was like he thought that it would fall apart with one strong gust of wind. The corners of the sheet of ancient parchment were held down by emeralds big enough to be paperweights, and the silver dragon king nodded in satisfaction at the sight of the perfectly preserved ink.
“Is that a mardrom?” I asked and pointed to one of the drawings.
The black tree-like monster definitely reminded me of the creature that we’d seen in the gnome realm, but there was a lot more moss as if it was much older than the one we’d encountered. There was a gold paint in its eyes that perfectly matched the glowing amber color of my own mardrom, and a shiver ran down my spine as if the fear spell worked even when it was just a drawing.
“It is,” he said and lifted an eyebrow at me. “I thought you said that you have one.”
“I do,” I said and peered down at the strange runes. “But he’s still young, so doesn’t look like this one.”
The writing reminded me of ancient viking runes, or the ones that covered the cloth in my pocket, but the lines were just slightly different. It was as if all the other alphabets had been taken from this one, and there were even some of the same swirls and lines that made up my spells.
“I’m honestly impressed that you didn’t die the first time that you summoned it,” Ravis said and pulled over a high-backed chair. “Mardroms are notorious for stealing the mana of anything that summons them. Or anything that it comes in contact with. There used to be more of them, but that was during the times of the Great Hunt. They’ve all gone to sleep since then. It would take a massive influx of mana to be able to wake all of them. How did the one you ran into wake?”
“The shadow creatures killed a bunch of professors near its bog,” I said as I tugged a chair over for myself. “It woke up before the shadow creatures could consume the mana. Of course, it didn’t help that I killed all of the shadow creatures before they were done, so that mana just kind of pooled in the forest. Bane, Fluffy, and I were on our way back to the base when it lumbered through, but then it noticed us, and I guess it decided it wanted the free meal.”
“And you survived?” the silver dragon lifted an eyebrow at me. “That might be as impressive as summoning one.”
“It was because of the gnome shields, and the ones that Ira had given us,” I said. “If we didn’t have so many of them, then it would’ve been able to devour us before I could chase it off. My jackalope hit it with lightning and broke off one of its fingers. That’s how I had the body part to summon my own, and the older mardrom must’ve decided that the pool of mana in the forest was more enticing when it realized we weren’t going to be an easy meal after all.”
Ravis stared at me for a few seconds as if he was trying to see something in me, but I refused to let the muscular dragon intimidate me. There was no doubt in my mind that he could kill me, or just throw me into one of the cells at the back of the room and forget about me, but I wouldn’t make it easy for him. After several long heartbeats, the silver dragon king nodded once, and the light reflected off of the gunmetal-colored scales that lined his face and cheekbones.
“It is no wonder that so many ghosts are drawn to you,” he finally said. “Or that your base is surrounded by wraiths. Your power is like a beacon in the night to the death-like monsters. What other creatures do you have in your menagerie? List them out for me.”
“You’ve seen my wind elemental, and I have the mardrom, a jackalope, a banehound, a bluejay-squirrel, a will-o’-wisp, and a tapir-boar.”
“Those are powerful creatures,” Ravis said and tapped a spot on the scroll. “Do you see this area here? It says that the mardrom will only submit itself to someone who can face death and their own worst fears without flinching. Even your ancestor couldn’t do that. Although I do believe that she was trying. Of course, if she ever performed the immortality spell, then she’d wake up every mardrom in the realm. It would take so much mana that it would be impossible for them not to notice. You said that Jason is planning to use the resurrection spell as well?”
“I think so,” I nodded. “He’s been gathering the pieces. I think that he wants to wake up Kruwyn.”
The silver dragon nodded, and I had the feeling that he wanted to say something else, but he pressed his lips together and ran a finger over the scar that cut across his otherwise perfect face. There was a darkness in Ravis’ eyes that sent a shiver down my spine, and I was suddenly very glad that we were on the same side.
“So,” I said and pointed to the scroll to distract the dragon king from whatever memories or dark thoughts had consumed him. “Does any of this say anything about mardroms being able to share mana that they consume, because mine did, and I’m wondering if that’s just a normal bonus, or if it’s something to do with my spell.”
“It shared mana with you?” the silver dragon gaped, and it took all of my self-control not to laugh.
“Yeah,” I shrugged. “When the palace was attacked, there was mana everywhere. I had to summon him to get into the office and save Sarya, and he shared some of the mana with me. I’m guessing that’s not normal, so it must have had to do with the spell that I used to summon him.”
“It doesn’t,” he said and then burst out laughing like I’d told the best joke of the century. “He doesn’t even know why ghosts and wraiths follow him as if he’s death itself, but he’s gained the trust of a mardrom so much that it shares mana with him.”
I stared at the dragon as if he’d lost his mind and waited patiently for him to calm down. It took what felt like forever before Ravis wiped a tear from his cheek, took a deep breath, and then nodded in approval. I wasn’t sure if I preferred the angry dragon king, or the crazed immortal, but the look he gave me was the same one that Ramis had worn when he’d finally decided that we could be friends instead of enemies.
“You good?” I asked as the dragon started to roll up the scroll.
“I’m better than good,” he said. “Ah. If only that old bitch could see you. She’d hate you, of course, but that would be amazing. To see the woman who scarred me, so angry at her own descendant… it would be like the sweetest caramel.”
“Morgana scarred you?” I asked as he put up the scroll.
“Yes,” he said as his smile faded. “She was the only one to ever get close enough to leave a permanent mark, and it is the only reason that I will help you recover the pieces of the spell. She must never be reawakened. Ever. Morgana would bring about the end of the nine realms if she is able to cast the immortality spell on herself. And not even Merlin or Arthur could stop her then. Even if the dragons decided to help. But you’ve already gained the trust of a mardrom, and your other monsters are just as powerful.”
“They are pretty great,” I said and stood. “But I’m glad that you’re going to help us. Is there anything else that I should know about my mardrom?”
“Just be careful not to lose its respect,” Ravis said and then clapped me on the shoulder. “Come, let’s go feast. We have a war to prepare for.”
I followed after the silver dragon as my mind raced over our conversation. There was a lot there that I’d have to figure out later, especially the comment about death following me around, but for the moment it could all wait.
We had a war to win.
And the dragons were going to help us.
Chapter 8
“Are you taking me the long way back?” I asked as we turned down yet another hall.
Ravis had definitely turned down different hallways than we’d used to get to the hidden library, and sweat poured out of me as the heat threatened to boil me alive. It was like I’d been in a sauna for over an hour, and every breath was filled with more scorching wet air. Even the silver dragon’s clothes were soaked through, and his head swiveled to the left and right as we reached another junction.
“I am,” he nodded and went left. “We have to go a different route unless you want to be accosted by ghosts. They’ve already seen you once, and they won’t let you pass a second time.”
“Why are there so many ghosts in a dragon castle?” I huffed. “Did you just kill that many people?”
“It’s the artifacts,” Ravis said. “They are hidden behind the doors. You won’t have access to them.”
“Dragon hoards,” I rolled my eyes. “So, you guys really hoard gold and treasure?”
“Some of us do,” the silver dragon said and then let out a relieved sigh at the sight of stairs. “Parinth hoards those buttons that humans make during political campaigns. He started during the suffragette movement. I hoard weapons. Jivrim hoards cursed relics.”
“Interesting,” I said as we started up the stairs. “And why exactly are ghosts and wraiths following me? I’m a summoner, not a necromancer.”
“Your pets are technically dead,” he said over his shoulder. “You may have given them a second life, but they’re somewhere between living and dead. Just like ghosts. That’s why they’re drawn to you.”
I nodded as my mind whirled with the new information. The wraiths around the base had first appeared after Bane had been left out for a long time, and it was no secret that they were drawn to him because he was supposed to be dead and wasn’t, but it hadn’t occurred to me that I was also their target. I’d have to be more careful in the future, and maybe buy some extra shields for the family mansion when I eventually took it over.
Cool air washed over us as we reached the top of the stairs and Ravis opened the hidden doorway. The sweat on my forehead started to dry immediately, and I gulped the fresh air down as I stumbled into what looked like a potato shed. The smell of damp dirt washed over me, but there wasn’t time to look around as the silver dragon strolled across the small room to open another door.
A small dirt path led straight into the kitchen at the back of the castle, and the light that peeked in showed that we were, in fact, in a potato shed. I fought the urge to nab one, but the smell of fresh bread drew me toward the open doorway where I could see servants in front of giant pots or with vegetables and a cutting board. The sun had already started to dip toward the horizon, so dinner would probably be served shortly, and I desperately wanted a shower before I even thought about stuffing my face.
“Are you coming, summoner?” Ravis asked from the doorway.
“I’m coming,” I said and started forward. “Is there somewhere that I can wash up before dinner?”
“I will take you to Lady Ira’s room,” a servant said as she appeared next to me.
I almost jumped out of my skin as the pixie flitted around my head, and every warning bell went off as the tiny woman smiled wide enough to show all of her sharp teeth. The others of her kind had all joined sides with Jason and the cultists, but there were bound to be a few of them that didn’t agree with the evil plot to rule the nine realms. I forced myself to take a deep breath and calm down as the servant motioned for me to follow after her.
“Thanks,” I said and then glanced at Ravis as we passed him. “Should I go back to the same room that we met in earlier for dinner?”
“No,” the silver dragon said. “But Nira can bring you. She’s one of our most loyal servants.”
He gave me a look as if he could read my mind, and I made sure to force my face into a neutral expression. I was pretty sure that the dragons couldn’t actually read minds, but it wouldn’t be hard to figure out what I was thinking when Nira had flown around me. When I shrugged, Ravis turned his attention to the pixie, and a ghost of a smile flashed across the muscular dragon king’s lips.
“I’ve been here since I was a wee hatchling,” the pixie laughed and floated around the grumpy old dragon like a little kid teasing her father. “King Ravis is the one who found me. I was left behind in an old catacombs in the fairy--”
“He doesn’t need your life story,” Ravis sighed like a tired dad with an unruly child. “Just take him to get a bath, bring him some fresh clothes, and then bring him to dinner.”
“Yes, your majesty,” the tiny pixie said and then stuck her tongue out. “This way.”
I nodded and glanced between the two of them a few times before I followed after Nira. The pixie flew faster than Onet ever had, even when the gossip queen had a new story to tell, and soon we were all the way upstairs. I had to fight against my shaking legs as exhaustion washed over me, but it was nothing that some water and a hot bath wouldn’t fix.
“How much further?” I asked as Nira flitted down another hallway. “And how big is this place?”
“It goes deep into the mountain,” the pixie said and stopped in front of a set of emerald-green doors. “This is Lady Ira’s suite. Please feel free to use anything you find in the bathroom. I’ll bring back a change of clothes before you’re finished. I took the liberty of putting some lavender bubble bath on the shelves, so you should be able to rest and recuperate. It’s the same thing that Lord Ravis uses after a solid day of training.”
“Thanks,” I said as she waved a hand at the doors. “Can you bring me a glass of cold water, too?”
“Of course,” she said.
Both of the doors slowly opened inward to reveal a large circular room with cream-colored walls and a large sitting area. There was a desk in one corner, and a door on the left and right led to a bathroom and a bedroom. All of the ebony wood furniture was polished so much that it shined, and the vaulted ceiling was painted to look like a starry night that actually had shooting stars at random intervals.
I jumped a little as Nira shut the door behind me and then shook my head at my own jumpiness. I reminded myself that there hadn’t been any ghosts since we came through the door into the potato shed, and the dragons were allies, not enemies. I took a few more deep breaths and then headed into the bathroom to start running the water.
The clawfoot tub was big enough that it could fit at least three people, and all of the fixtures in the bathroom were made of gold. I was sure that Lord Parinth had assigned the room to Ira in the hopes of winning her over, and it was very impressive. All of the bottles filled with bubble bath and soaps were made of crystal, and marble covered the floor and walls all the way to the ceiling.
“This is perfect,” I whispered as I stripped and climbed into the steaming water.
The craziness of the last few days washed away as soon as I sank beneath the surface. Nira had suggested that the bubble bath had some kind of tonic in it, since a dragon king deigned to use it after a hard day, and all of my sore muscles relaxed in an instant like a spell had been cast. I leaned my head against the ledge of the tub and closed my eyes as the smell of lavender filled my nostrils.
“Are you asleep?” Ira’s amused voice snapped me out of my reverie.
“I might have dozed off for a little while,” I smirked and opened my eyes.
The dragon-woman sat on the edge of the clawfoot tub in nothing but her long skintight black dress. The heavy teacher’s robe that usually hid the curve of her hips was nowhere to be seen, and she’d even pulled down the tight bun that usually kept her long hair tamed. Ira’s yellow and purple slitted eyes were filled with barely-contained laughter, and the usually stern woman even splashed me with some of the water.
“Sarya is in the other room,” she said when I looked around for the redheaded elf. “She’s checking in with the troops since you’ll be staying for dinner.”
“I should be doing that,” I said and started to climb out of the bathtub.
“You could have, but she wanted to do it,” Ira shrugged and grabbed a towel for me. “Something about it being a Kaylen’s duty to direct the soldiers.”
“Just like her father,” I shook my head as I dried off.
Ira’s hungry gaze devoured my naked body, and I dropped the towel to the floor to give her a better view. The door to the bathroom was closed, so Sarya wouldn’t be distracted by us, and it had been a very long time since I’d been with the beautiful dragon-woman. She seemed to think the same thing, because it only took a few seconds before she’d pressed her lips to mine.
A groan crawled up my throat as the sexy woman ran her black nails down my back. She tasted like sweet strawberries and champagne, like the girls had gone out for brunch with mimosas while they were out. We kissed until both of us were breathless and had to pull away.
