Koldis the Green (DRAGONWALL SERIES 4)

CHAPTER 27: END OF THE ROAD

Northern Barrier Range

Mikkin inhaled the crisp air, so cold it nearly burned his lungs. It was colder in the open than it was down in the tunnels, made worse by the biting wind. Much worse. Here, winter was in full swing, the darkest day long since come and gone. In two months, spring would arrive. But until then, the world was covered in white. From their perch high up in the aviary of Bird's Nest, it was a view to behold.

"It is as we hoped!" Fik shouted over the wind, coming out of the mountain's carved shelter, waving a small cylinder in his hand. He'd just popped into the aviary to speak with the Dwargs who safeguarded the ravens. Mikkin stood on the far side of the viewing deck, hewn from the mountain with nothing but a short parapet to keep onlookers from tumbling to their deaths. "A message arrived ahead of us from Lord Dubrael. Been here three days."

Fik wouldn't chance reading the message aloud here, not in the cold, and not when the Dwargs who operated this sky aviary weren't of their immediate party. So they took a few more minutes soaking up the pale sunlight before departing back into darkness.

"I hate admitting that I'm relieved to be out of the wind," Jamie muttered. "But I'm sick of the dark." The lad had kept his spirits up along this journey, his curiosity and call for adventure battling his fears over his parents. Fears that they might have been lost when the dragons swept across the north burning and destroying whole settlements. Mikkin had reassured Jame time and again there was still a possibility they had survived—but it was only a weak hope. Word was that thousands of refugees had fled the remaining northern settlements for Squall's End in hopes of seeking protection from the Drengr. That was of course, before Squall's End had been overtaken. Still, it was said that the dragons didn't harm the inhabitants there, that they merely held them captive. And with the Dwargs pledging to assist the king in reclaiming the city, he and Jamie had a better chance of seeing if Tynen and Mary had survived.

Here in the dim light, Fik was already unrolling the scroll. Beside him, Gro held aloft a torch to read the script as the rest of their party gathered close. It was Dwargish, so Fik translated aloud. "Dubrael has received word from the Drengr king. Plans to reclaim Squall's End are underway. They have discovered a way to attack while protecting the citizens—"

"How?!" both Mikkin and Jamie blurted at the same time.

"It does not say. It appears the Drengr king kept that a secret. Obvious reasons, methinks. The king plans to move his forces into position after Spring Solstice."

"That's two months from now," Berbik chimed in.

"Aye," Fik confirmed. "But there's plenty to do until then."

"Is that all it says?" Jamie asked, peering over Fik's shoulder, as if it would help since the lad couldn't read the script.

"No, there's more. The forces and supplies we've pledged are to rendezvous with the king's armies along the coast near Brezen. A delegation will meet us there. We are to arrive in staggered groups, multiple ships to disguise our coming, giving the dragons and Squall's End a wide berth."

"We'll need ships then," Mikkin mused.

"Oh, aye. Lord Dubrael says that he has already started transporting armor and weapons for the Drengr—" Fik sucked in a breath. "Dubrael has asked our allies to travel in secrecy, out of Kane's sight along the Shadow Road."

"The Shadow Road?" Mikkin's brow furrowed.

"A road that traverses the length of the Northern Barrier range in its shadow, but not on this side."

"He means to travel through Kalderland?" Jamie asked. "Why not move everything along the tunnels like we're traveling now?"

"It's the only way he can avoid moving through the cities that did not pledge," Mikkin said, realizing at once that Lord Dubrael was being smart about this. "Even though they're not enemies, they're not supporters either. Fauthiel and Tulian—they both refused to lend aid. Can we truly trust them? I'd say not. If Kane were to discover what we are doing, it might tip him off about the king's plans to reclaim Squall's End."