Heir of Amber and Fire Read online

  Instantly Beyan was at his side, arm around Kye to support him. “Let’s get you sitting down and settled,” Beyan said. He started to walk Kye out of the room. Over his shoulder, he called to me, “Just wait there, I’ll be right back.”

  While I waited, I studied the Joichan figurine once more. Without Kye’s help, how would I find Joichan?

  Beyan walked back into the room. “My father is a very passionate person, especially when it comes to dragons,” he explained. “Well, when you grow up surrounded by the exciting stories, and it’s your livelihood... It was a hard adjustment for him, having to retire from seeking when he was in his prime.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said politely. “Well, I seem to have hit a dead end. Are there any others in Orchwell who seek dragons?”

  “None as fine as my father,” said Beyan.

  Naturally. Why couldn’t it be easy — find Kye, find Joichan, save Calia? I sighed. I now had to decide if I should return home, or try to continue on by myself. “Thank you for your time.”

  My disappointment must have been obvious, because Beyan stopped me as I turned to leave. “Who is it you’re looking for?”

  I reached out toward the Joichan miniature, my fingers just shy of actually touching the majestic dragon carving. “This one.”

  Beyan’s eyes flashed. “I will take you.”

  “What? I thought — ”

  “I said none could seek as well as my father. But I didn’t say that I am not a dragon seeker.”

  Hope flared in my heart. “If you could help me, I would be so grateful.”

  “My father is injured, as you can tell. In the last few years it’s gotten worse; he needs my help almost daily. I try not to take jobs that take me away from his side for longer than a day or two, but those don’t pay much, nor do they come along often. Your task sounds promising, but I’ll be gone for at least a week, possibly longer. I need to make sure the time away from my father will be worth my while.”

  The little flicker of hope died out. “I can’t pay the fee you requested. I have some money for my journey, but not that much.”

  He studied me silently for a long moment, as if trying to uncover all my secrets with his eyes. I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

  “You said Queen Melandria of Calia sent you?” he asked me.

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll forgo the advance payment, if the queen will pay twice the entire amount immediately once we complete this task.”

  I hesitated. It was quite a lot of money, and Mother hadn’t given me instructions on what to do after I found Kye. Besides find my father, of course.

  “Unless your task is not as urgent as you make it seem.” Beyan began to turn away. “Obviously, you’re not authorized to — ”

  “Done.” On my word as the Crown Princess, I thought. But I couldn’t say that to him. “Twelve hundred gold for taking me to Joichan. With an additional twelve hundred as a bonus.”

  Beyan was definitely interested now. Then his lips thinned and his eyes narrowed. “How can I trust your word?”

  I tugged a simple gold ring from around my little finger. It was surprisingly plain for royal jewelry, but I loved it nonetheless. It had been a birthday present from my mother on my sixteenth birthday, and there was a small engraving on the inside with my initials. I ran my thumb over the little gold ring, sad to let it go. Holding it up so Beyan could see it, I said, “If I am not present when you meet with Queen Melandria, ask for a woman named Taryn to help you gain an audience with the queen. Give this to the queen as a token of my word. You have my assurance that she will honor our agreement.”

  “Really? And you are?”

  I realized belatedly that I had never introduced myself to Beyan or his father. “My name is Allayne.” I had to trust that Taryn would recognize my “name” and help Beyan if I wasn’t there with him.

  Taking my ring, Beyan placed it on a leather cord that he grabbed from the table nearby. He tied the cord around his neck and tucked it under his shirt. Then he held out his hand toward me. I took it gingerly, unused to the custom of shaking hands. His grip was cool and strong.

  “Perfect.” For the first time since we met, he smiled. It transformed him from a sullen young man to an eager seeker, ready to start his quest. “We leave in the morning.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  I APPROACHED THE CITY gates right as the sun streaked over the horizon. I was carrying considerably more than when I had arrived, as the rest of my time in Orchwell had been spent purchasing things for an extended trek across the Gifted Lands. The supply of money that Taryn had put in my pack was dwindling, and I hoped there wouldn’t be too many more expenses on the journey.

  Beyan was not the only one waiting for me. A quick round of introductions let me know who my new traveling companions would be. Rhyss was as tall as Beyan, but with freckled skin and a shock of red hair. Farrah’s ebony skin set off her gorgeous lavender hair and striking violet eyes, marking her as half Fae, half human.

  Rhyss and Farrah held the reins to their mounts, already carrying their gear. Beyan had two horses — his own, and a hired horse for me. He handed me the reins, saying, “Her name is Dorie.”

  “Hello, Dorie,” I said, patting the horse. She nickered softly, turning her big brown head toward mine.

  Beyan loaded Dorie with my extra gear and knapsack. “Can you ride?” he asked me.

  “Of course,” I said, bristling somewhat. I had learned to ride a horse practically as soon as I could walk. But the curious looks from the group clued me in to the realization that, while every noble might know how to ride, not every commoner would.

  I made my tone meeker. “I was lucky. I grew up helping the stable master at the palace in Calia.”

  That was somewhat true. Although if you asked the stable master, he would say my “helping” him was more like “getting underfoot” all the time.

  Farrah and Rhyss nodded, tending to their own horses. Beyan narrowed his eyes at me, but didn’t say anything. After a moment, he turned back to Dorie and double checked that my gear was secured properly. Internally, I winced at my potential gaffe. I would have to be careful with my words, or I might accidentally give myself — and my identity — away.

  We mounted our horses and began the journey south, toward Annlyn. The southernmost kingdom of the Gifted Lands, it was famous for its expert jewelry makers. Often pieces made by Annlyn craftspeople were expensive but highly sought after.

  Our route would take us directly to the kingdom of Annlyn, where we would restock and get ready to find Joichan. Somewhere nearby Annlyn was the last known lair of Joichan, where Beyan’s father Kye had faced the dragon. Once we were closer to Annlyn, Beyan assured me that his seeker abilities would help him find Joichan’s exact location, and even if Joichan had since moved on, we might be able to get information on where the dragon had gone. With no other leads, heading south seemed to be our best option.

  Our little group of four fell into pairs: Rhyss and Farrah leading, with Beyan and me riding behind them. As we rode, I noticed that everyone carried a weapon of some sort, and I wondered if I should have purchased one yesterday. Too late now, though. The shops wouldn’t open for a few more hours, and we were going to be on the road by then. Besides, even if I did have a weapon, I wouldn’t know how to use it.

  Beyan followed my gaze. He reassured me, “It’s handy if you have a weapon, but we don’t expect our patrons to be armed.”

  “That’s what we’re here for,” Rhyss called back cheerfully.

  Farrah turned around briefly to roll her eyes at me. “Rhyss will tell you he’s the muscle of the group,” she said, before turning back to poke Rhyss’s arm. He yelped in surprise. “But if he’s so good, why am I constantly patching him up?”

  “So you’re not all seekers?” I asked, confused.

  “Thank heavens, no,” Farrah said. “That’s not the life for me. Rhyss and I aren’t from Orchwell originally. I’m from Shonn, and Rhyss grew up in
Bomora.” She named two more countries that were part of the Gifted Lands. Bomora was to the west, beyond Rothschan. Shonn was Calia’s eastern neighbor. “No, Beyan and Rhyss and I have been friends for years, and when he has a job he brings us along to help.”

  “You mean in case there’s trouble?” I clarified.

  “Or to bring home the bounty,” Rhyss said jauntily.

  Before I could ask Rhyss what he meant, Farrah spoke. “Don’t worry, Allayne.” It took me a second to remember that was my name now. “Whatever happens, we’ll take care of it. We haven’t lost a patron yet, and we don’t expect them to do too much.”

  “I’m not entirely useless,” I said, stung. “I can do some things. Like magic. Although I’m still learning.”

  “I figured if you’re from Calia then you must know some magic,” Farrah said. “That could come in handy.”

  “Farrah is our resident magician,” Beyan explained. “But her way of doing magic is different than most people’s.”

  “It’s my Fae blood,” she said. “Magic comes to me as easily as breathing. I don’t have to learn complex spells or another language to conjure something; I just have to will it into being.”

  “I’ve never met magicians from other disciplines, since I’ve only studied Calian theory,” I said. “Are you able to explain how you perform magic? I’d love to learn, even if I can’t replicate what you do.”

  Farrah looked thoughtful. “Well, my ability is rather limited. I can create things, but I can’t destroy them. It makes me a terrific healer, but not much use in a fight. But, if you’re interested...”

  “Oh, yes.”

  Farrah dropped back to ride beside me. She launched into a description of her approach to magic. Beyan and Rhyss rode on ahead, uninterested in a discussion on magical theory.

  I found Farrah’s way of doing magic fascinating. In Calia, magicians often had to use hand gestures and words as a way of focusing magic and making it useful. But because Farrah was innately magic, thanks to her heritage, she could see magic all around her. In fact, growing up, she said, she had to learn how to turn off her magical ability because she would frequently conjure things accidentally.

  “Now I have to deliberately access my magic, just like you would deliberately open a door,” she said. “It’s not hard, though. I can do it in an instant. It’s just a conscious decision now whereas when I was younger, it wasn’t.”

  “Would all offspring from a magical and human union have innate magical ability?” I wondered.

  “To my knowledge, yes,” Farrah said. “The magical side always breeds true. Only humans need rituals or spells to use magic; any creature or the Fae would be able to tap into magic naturally. I know many others who are like me, half Fae and half human, and we all have the same magical talent.”

  “What about children of other unions between humans and other kinds of magical beings?”

  “I know of none.”

  “Really?”

  “I don’t think such a thing is possible. Faerie and human, yes. Other species? No. But who’s to say? Just because no one’s ever heard of such a thing doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. It just seems unlikely.”

  I wanted to debate the issue more — after all, I was a child of a supposedly impossible union — but Farrah delved into more magic theory. It really was interesting, and we kept coming back to the topic all throughout the day. Our impromptu lesson helped pass the time on the road, up until it was time to make camp for the night.

  Chapter Sixteen

  THE DAYS PASSED BY in a similar rhythm. Covering the seemingly endless miles on horseback, Farrah and I would spend the days discussing magic theory. Through her tutelage I became better at using my magic skills.

  Before falling asleep, I’d either read my spell book and practice, or listen to the stories my companions told. They had an easy camaraderie that I envied. Being royalty meant that people around me were always guarded, either on their best behavior or seeking something to help them advance. I had few truly real friends. But these three didn’t have those inhibitions in place. I learned that Farrah’s family had moved to Orchwell when she was five, and she and Beyan had grown up together. Rhyss had moved to Orchwell later, as a teenager, and the three of them quickly become inseparable.

  I enjoyed getting to know my companions, although I remained wary. Once or twice I caught myself before I let something about my true self slip. Luckily, none of them seemed to notice.

  One night, when we all were gathered around the campfire, Beyan asked me out of the blue, “So, Allayne, why are you looking for Joichan? I would think Queen Melandria of Calia could engage any of her knights to search, instead of sending an unarmed woman after a dangerous dragon.”

  I had been hemming one of my dresses, which was a painstaking process. One dress, which would have taken Taryn just a few short hours to hem, was, so far, taking me the entire journey to fix. Beyan’s question startled me, and I jammed my finger with my needle. Blood welled up on my forefinger, and I pressed it against my thumb, hoping to stanch the flow immediately.

  Seeing what had happened, Farrah said, “Oh, you’ve hurt yourself!”

  “It’s nothing,” I said, as she fussed over my finger. Secretly, I was glad for the distraction, as it gave me a chance to think about how to answer Beyan.

  Farrah held my hand, palm up, in hers. In seconds, she had magically sewn the wound shut. My finger was smooth and clean, no scarring, as if the gash had never been. Even the blood on my thumb and index finger were gone.

  “Thank you,” I said, marveling at her handiwork.

  She shrugged modestly, but I caught the hint of a pleased smile teasing the corners of her mouth.

  Beyan was still watching me, patiently waiting for an answer to his question. What was it that Taryn had said? The best lies have a bit of truth in them.

  Cautiously taking my needle up, I said, “My father was one of the knights who went forth to fight the dragon Joichan.” I didn’t have to say which knight. “I was just a baby.” Still true. Somewhat. “He... he perished in the attempt. When I was old enough, I went into service at the palace to help my family. Because of my history, when the queen decided to track down Joichan, I volunteered.” Somehow I had said the rest of that without lightening striking me, and I sounded convincing. I hoped.

  “You volunteered?” Rhyss said. “Why?”

  “Volunteer might not be completely accurate,” I allowed. “I wanted to go because I hoped it will help my family gains.” Like by helping me gain a family.

  The others nodded. As adventurers-for-hire, they could understand taking on a quest solely for financial reasons.

  “What about all of you?” My eyes swept over each of them in turn. “How did you get started in all of this?“ I waved my hand around the campsite, encompassing Beyan poking the fire with a stick, Rhyss sharpening his daggers, Farrah lounging against her pack, and our four horses tethered and placidly chewing on grass nearby.

  Farrah shifted lazily. “When Beyan started his seeking trade, I went along with him. Partly to see the world, partly to make sure he came home in one piece.”

  “Be honest,” Beyan grinned. “I was just your excuse. It was completely to see the world. Making sure I got back safely so you could go on future travels was just an advantage.”

  “You said it, I didn’t,” Farrah teased back.

  “After a while, the jobs started getting harder,” Beyan said. He held up his left arm in the firelight and pulled back his sleeve. A nasty slash of a scar ran from his wrist to his elbow. “Nearly didn’t make it back from this one.”

  “I remember that,” Farrah said, a faraway look in her eyes. “It took all I had to heal you, I’ve never been so drained. As it was, I couldn’t completely heal you. I worried that we would have to amputate.”

  “So naturally they asked me to come along and help,” Rhyss said.

  “You begged us,” Beyan and Farrah said together, then laughed. Rhyss and I joined in.
<
br />   “It sounds like between the three of you, I’m in safe, capable hands,” I said. “I’m glad I have nothing to fear. From any dragon.”

  Beyan, who had been smiling just moments ago, dropped his stick into the fire and abruptly stood up. “I’m going to find more wood for the fire,” he said, and disappeared into the trees surrounding us.

  I looked at Farrah and Rhyss. “Did I say something to offend Beyan?” I asked.

  Rhyss seemed to be concentrating extra hard on sharpening his weapons, which, to me, already looked pretty sharp. Farrah heaved a deep sigh and shifted her weight again.

  “He’ll be okay,” she told me. “Beyan is a very experienced seeker. It runs in his blood, and his father Kye was one of the best. Beyan would never admit it, but this particular commission has him worried.”

  “But why, though?” I asked. “If Beyan has done so much already, this is just another routine job.”

  Neither Rhyss or Farrah said anything, or would even look at me.

  “Isn’t it?” I whispered.

  “You’ve met Kye, right?” Farrah asked. I nodded. “So you know he had to retire from seeking because of an injury.”

  “Kye mentioned that,” I said.

  “When Kye got injured, Beyan was only about four or five years old,” Farrah explained. “While many seekers train as children, most don’t start their careers right away. It takes years of study and apprenticeship before they go out on their own. At seven, Beyan was the youngest ever seeker — of any type. He’d just do local jobs as they came up, and eventually as he got older he moved into more lucrative jobs that required travel. If his father hadn’t gotten hurt, they would be doing these commissions together.

  “At first it wasn’t so bad. Beyan would be gone for a few days, but his mother was there to look after Kye, and she worked as a seamstress to help bring in money. But then she fell ill a few years ago — the cost of the medicines she required ruined what was left of their family’s finances. And in the end, it didn’t help. After she died, Kye’s condition seemed to worsen overnight. Beyan doesn’t like to leave Kye alone too long, but then it limits how much he can earn, because he’s forced to turn down so many jobs.”