Taniel (The Taverner's Daughter I)

92: Taniel

When I saw the fireballs dangling from Dax's fingertips, I tightened my grip on Jarryd's hand, and dragged him up a few steps along the spiral staircase.

Dax's wings flared. Touching the walls on both sides of the little antechamber, they hid Wizard Ritter and his door-room guards from my view.

Dax shouted.

Flame licked the walls. Shrill screams rent the air and a pungent smell near choked me. The magic fire died away and Dax relaxed his wings.

Silent, rigid, charred bodies smoked on the floor.

With his glance slipping off me, Dax smiled at Jarryd with satisfaction. "The fool forgot that the magic he used is mine and can't be used against me," he said. "He should have made himself a shield."

Horrified, I stared at the blackened bodies. No doubt, my eyes resembled Aunt Rita's and were damn near falling out of my head.

"You've killed them," I said.

"Nah, they're all right." Dax nudged Ritter with his boot. "They'll stay like this for an hour or two. Jarryd, help me with the door."

The racket from the sliding bolts echoed around the tiny chamber. Dax looked over his shoulder. "Almost home." He grinned in my general direction. I barely heard him.

Surely, Wizard Ritter and his guards were mortally wounded. I did not want people killed because of me.

I stifled a sob.

"Sweetheart." Jarryd's voice rose over the door bolts. "It looks worse than it really is. Don't worry."

"Stand back, both of you." Dax's fingers smoked. It took him a little longer, this time, to make fire. He kicked open the door of the door-room and flung in the fireball. Following it, he slammed the door behind him.

Jarryd, open-mouthed, pulled a knife from somewhere and dashed after him. He, too, banged the door shut, cutting off screams and shouts.

My fingers on my lips held in my fright. Should I wait? I glared at the lifeless wizard blocking my way.

His eyes opened.

I shrieked, almost falling over my feet as I stumbled back. The wizard's eyes, red-rimmed and filled with hate, did not follow me, not exactly. Somehow, I felt better knowing he could not see me.

Not to worry, poppet. I will find you.

My hands flew to my head. Had he spoken on my mindpath? I stared at him.

We have unfinished business. You will not escape me, not again. Even with his blackened face inscrutable, his words managed an unmistakable sneer.

"Stupid bastard," I hissed, gathering my wits and slamming my mindpath shut. "Don't threaten me." When I kicked him, an unpleasant squishing on my bare toes reminded me that I was barefoot.

His eyes rolled back in his head.

"Arsehole." I stepped over him and pushed on the door. I walked into a silence broken only by the gentle swish of a wagging spear shaft. Its point was embedded in the floor between Dax's feet. Two blackened gharls stretched on the flagstones, their weapons strewn.

Facing Dax, across the circular door-room, a guard held a large knife against Jarryd's throat. My dragonrider seemed unconscious.

I gasped.

The man's eyes flew through me, taking in the bodies outside the door-room. His nervous gaze swung to Dax. "So, what's it to be," the guard snarled. "Let me go, or I kill him."

"Go," Dax shouted. "Just don't hurt him."

"Put the wings away."

The air shimmered. The sweat on Dax's naked torso glistened under the greenish mage light.

The guard grunted as he sidled my way, turning his head to keep Dax in view while dragging Jarryd towards the doors near me. An ugly bruise marred my dragonrider's forehead.

"Steady, Simpson," Dax said. "You're cutting him."

Fear knotted my gut.

Beyond the guard's shoulder, the fisted blade glinted under Jarryd's drooping chin. Blood gleamed on the serrated edge. Behind me, I heard the clatter of boots descending the stairs. If I did not move from the doorway, the guards from upstairs would run right over top of me.

Without thinking, I crept closer to my betrothed as the two gharls stepped over the inert wizard and crowded in, barbed spears ready.

"I won't try anything." Dax slowly raised his hands to the new threat. He clasped his fingers behind his head

"I've captured the Keeper," Simpson gloated. "We're done with this shit hole. Minksel, get the door."

I dared look away from Jarryd's danger, then, when a gharl moved behind me. The other grinned, his knobby lips rolled back from pointed teeth.

"Hoome," the one named Minksel said. He pressed a button on the wall behind me.

I tried not to breathe. With an almost imperceptible whoosh, a sheet of flat black revealed a portal where a door had been. The guard dragged Jarryd toward the door.

"No," Dax yelled.

Jarryd groaned, lifting his head.

Simpson hissing a warning in Jarryd's ear and adjusted his grip.

His trousers brushed the hem of my dress and I backed up. I could not let them take my dragonrider.

Turning, I pushed the glowing orange button. The portal vanished. The wooden door reappeared with a thud. Startled, the guard stared over his shoulder, frowning. His movement swung his fisted weapon out from under my dragonrider's chin.

I gulped air. Darting around him, I screamed like a horde of rockgoblins. I lunged at his knife-filled fist, snatching his hand and forearm. My momentum saw him toss out his other arm in an attempt to keep his balance.

The knife fell.

Jarryd crumpled to the floor.

I dragged Simpson down with me until his head smacked the flagstones. Dazed, I shoved his limp bulk off me. Sobbing, I crawled to Jarryd where I found the pulse in his throat held steady.

I looked up, then, and found that Dax had taken care of the gharls.

"Sweetheart?" Jarryd's eyelids flickered.

I kissed him. My tears wet his face.

With my help, Jarryd struggled to his feet while Dax dragged the guards out of the door-room and pulled the door shut. It could not be secured from the inside and the brothers worried about leaving the castle vulnerable.

I cared not. "Can I go home now?" I asked.

Dax grimaced, straightened his clothes, and picked up his bags.

"Ready, sweetheart?" Jarryd held out his hand.

I took it and he pulled me to him and found my lips. He had recovered well from the nasty knock to the head.

Dax strode across the antechamber and jabbed a button.

Jarryd kissed me again, missing my mouth.

I giggled.

"Cut it out, you two," Dax said. "We've got the Skerby door-room next. Come on."

He stepped into the black portal.

I wished we had gone with the firedrake.

***
5 April 2017 - replaced with revised scene

Thanks for reading!

(2016) I hope you enjoyed this scene as much I did writing it.

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