The Dragon's Breath (Aboard the Great Iron Horse Book 3) Page 14

  “Then no one knows the answer?” said Dane.

  “I can tell you what I know,” said Socrates. Before he could continue, Aileen showed up with two pitchers, one of water and one of ale, and a tray of bread and cheese. She set it all down on a table near the fire. Dane motioned for his guests to be seated on the benches around the fire pit. Aileen settled down next to him.

  They all filled their mugs and passed around the tray of food. Even Socrates took a small portion. Though his body didn’t have the ability to digest food, he had sensors that allowed him to “taste” after a fashion, which explained his fascination with the culinary arts. Once they had all settled, Dane asked Socrates to continue his story. The ape leaned back in his seat, gazing into the flames of the fire.

  “I first gained consciousness approximately one thousand years ago,” he said. “At the time, I didn’t understand what had happened to me, or why. It took years for me to piece it together. By that time, it was too late for my creator and his people. The city we lived in -Sanctuary- was destroyed, and the few survivors of that environmental disaster fled to distant lands, leaving me alone to clean up the wreckage.

  “I spent many decades in solitude, my only company the machines that I built or repaired, and the wild animals who wandered through the territory; the remnants of some ancient zoo or preserve of some sort. But I learned to read, and with the discovery of Sanctuary’s libraries, I began to piece together the secrets of our history. I learned that somewhere between two and three thousand years ago, a massive object fell from the sky and struck the earth-”

  “An object?” said Aileen. “A star, perhaps?”

  “Not a star,” said the ape. “Technically, that would not be possible. But there are other objects in the heavens we cannot see. Comets and meteors; essentially large masses of rock and ice hurtling through infinite space. That is, until something crosses their path.”

  “And one of these giant rocks hit the earth?” said Dane.

  “More than one,” said Socrates. “I’ve had a theory about this for some time, but I had not proven it until I saw the crater beyond Dragonwall this afternoon. I still don’t know how many -I probably never will- but I am now certain that several of these objects struck our world. The result was catastrophic. Giant waves rolled across the continents, wiping out entire cities and killing millions of humans in mere seconds. The ground shook and split, and volcanoes erupted, spewing fire and ash into the sky. This resulted in an ice age that has lasted at least two thousand years.”

  “Fascinating,” said Dane. “That explains the ruins we have found, the pieces of machinery and buildings from some ancient civilization…”

  “Quite true. In fact, many of the technologies you now possess were probably scavenged from those ruins. From what I have seen, it is the simplest technologies that survived: steam power, springs, black powder. These were the ones that survivors of the cataclysm could repair, or reinvent.”

  Dane took a drink of his ale and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, staring into the flames. “If this is all true,” he said, “then why has it not happened again? According to your story, it has been three thousand years. Surely there are more of these… comets in the sky.”

  “To be sure,” said Socrates. “Probably billions or trillions of them. It is impossible to be sure how many, or where they are. I can assure you however, that I have spent considerable time stargazing through powerful telescopes, and I have yet to map any objects that present an immediate danger to our civilization.”

  Aileen set her tankard on the table and fixed her gaze on Socrates. “So you say, and yet I must believe that our ancestors had the ability to gaze into the heavens as well. Why did they not see these things coming?”

  “I suspect they did,” said the ape. “Tragically, there is a difference between seeing such a thing and stopping it. In my estimation, they probably knew the meteors were coming. They simply did not have the technology to stop them.”

  They fell silent for a while, considering all of this. At last, Dane sat up and said, “Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. I can’t spend my nights worrying about rocks falling from the sky when I have very real dragons in my own backyard. Believe me, there’s nothing worse than waking up face to face with a dragon.”

  “I know the feeling,” said Kale.

  Dane looked at him. “Is that so?”

  Kale glanced at Socrates, uncertain as to whether he should continue. When Socrates nodded, Kale quickly related the entire story of his battle with the red dragon. Dane listened intently, his frown deepening as he heard of Elberone’s death. Kale continued his story, describing the cave where he had rescued Shayla and the eggs at the bottom of the lake. When he heard this part, Dane’s face lit up.

  “You’ve found one of his lairs!” he said, leaning forward. “You may be the first man in three hundred years to enter a lair and come back alive.”

  “His?” said Kale. “You mean the black dragon?”

  “Of course!”

  “I don’t think so. Based on your description, I don’t think he would even fit in there. The red dragon could barely squeeze inside, and she’s much smaller.”

  “The black doesn’t need to go in,” Dane said. “He keeps separate lairs for the females he’s impregnated. That way, if one is discovered, the others will still be safe. We may be able to use this.”

  “There is more you should know,” Socrates said, staring at the foam floating at the top of his tankard. “I need to tell you about starfall…”

  Chapter 19

  The sun had set, forcing the group back inside before the return of the dragon’s breath. Dane started a fire in the fireplace and Aileen replenished their drinks while they got settled. The darkness seemed to press in through the glass doors, but the warm glow of the flames filled the room, holding the night at bay. Socrates, in his deep and soothing voice, finished the story of their history. When he was done, Dane locked gazes with the simian.

  “There is still something you haven’t told me,” he said with a thin smile. “What is this proposition you keep speaking of?”

  “I thought it would have been clear,” said Socrates. “We need your starfall.”

  Dane considered that for a few seconds. “I suspected as much. Tell me something: before you came into Dragonwall, Kale had already slain the dragon and discovered its lair. Is that correct?”

  Socrates nodded.

  “It seems to me that you could have taken the starfall, and been on your way without ever saying a word. Why did you come here? Why seek me out?”

  “It was the right thing to do, of course,” said Socrates. “We are not thieves, and it would in no way benefit us to steal your resources at the risk of making you into an enemy. I had hoped that we might come to some sort of arrangement, though now that I have been inside Dragonwall, I can scarcely imagine what use you might have for the fuel. On the other hand, my kingdom needs it desperately. To be entirely honest, I need it. Without it, I have only a few months to live. When I run out of fuel, my circuitry will fail and my memories will begin to degrade. Essentially, I will die.”

  Dane and Aileen stared at each other for a moment as if reading each other’s innermost thoughts.

  “It is true,” said Ailieen, “that the mountain provides us with almost everything we need. Still, it would be unfair to dismiss this resource as valueless. I believe we should come to some sort of agreement.”

  Dane scratched his thick beard, considering her words. He walked over to the doors and gazed out into the darkness. The embers in the fire on the terrace cast a dim glow across the paving stones, and he seemed to stare at them for a moment. When he turned, River raised her eyes to stare at the king and she noted the glint of intelligence in his steel-gray eyes. There was something inherently noble about the man, something strong and compassionate all at once that she hadn’t seen before in any other man. Dane was like Kale in a way, but different. Mature. Responsible. And for some reason, she had an a
lmost irresistable urge to reach out and touch his whiskers.

  But Dane was already married, and regardless, River wasn’t sure it was Dane she truly wanted. She only knew that she felt more at peace in that moment than she had at any time since Tinker had died, and that fact seemed important. Perhaps at some level, Dane reminded her of her father, although River had never actually known the man. Maybe it was just the way River had imagined her father, as a child… She drew her gaze away, hoping she hadn’t offended Aileen with her stare.

  “I will give you the starfall,” Dane said suddenly. “On one condition.”

  “Name it,” said Socrates.

  “I want you to help me kill the black dragon.”

  “That’s impossible,” said Kale. “We’ll never find him.”

  “It is true, it won’t be easy. However, I believe that with some careful study, we may ascertain a way to track the beast. After all, we already know one of his lairs is nearby, and with your knowledge of weapons and technology, we may stand a chance…”

  “But the lair has been contaminated and the red dragon is dead,” said River. “He won’t go back there now, will he?”

  “I can’t say,” said the king. “But I do know there is one thing special about this lair: it’s full of unhatched eggs. That may draw him back.”

  “I believe the eggs require starfall for incubation,” Socrates said. “They may still be viable. If so, the black dragon might know that. If I am correct, we may indeed use that to our advantage.”

  “Then we are agreed?” said Dane.

  “Yes.”

  “Excellent! I will make an announcement at the feast.”

  “No,” said the ape. “I don’t want your brother to hear of our plans. There will be time for celebration when the task is finished.”

  “As you wish. In that case, we should proceed with things as planned. Kale, I would like you to join me for our hunt tomorrow. The rest of you are welcome as well, if you like.”

  “Hunt?” said River. “For dragons? Why don’t you just shoot them from the wall?”

  “The dragons are too smart for that. They know the reach of our weapons, and stay just beyond. Once a week, my men and I go out to hunt dragons on foot. It is the only way to keep the population down.”

  “I’m afraid River and I will be busy,” Socrates said. “If we’re going to kill that dragon, we have our work cut out for us.”

  “Just Kale then,” said Dane. “Excellent.”

  Kale grinned uncomfortably. “Can’t wait,” he said.

  Chapter 20

  Shayla was in her private quarters aboard the Iron Horse, sitting at her vanity (a particularly exquisite vanity made of hand-carved ebony with brass candleholders that she had acquired for a song when the Iron Horse passed through a small city a few weeks earlier) when she heard a knock on the door. Three knocks, actually. Two in quick succession and then a third, half a beat off. She leaned closer to the mirror, a smile turning up the corners of her lips as she drew the mascara brush over her long eyelashes.

  “Come in, Thane,” she said.

  The door slid open, and the fair-haired bard stepped inside. The faint scent of moss and sandalwood followed him into the room. His boots made a quiet clicking sound and his long red velvet cloak swished gently as he pulled the door shut and turned to face her. He bowed, tipping his top hat in her direction, and then tossed it onto the rack.

  “You look ravishing as always, highness.”

  “Thank you, Thane. Though you know that I prefer you didn’t call me that anymore.”

  “To me, you will always be queen.”

  He stepped closer, resting his hands on her naked shoulders as he met her gaze in the mirror. Shayla placed the mascara brush in the upright paint cylinder attached to the vanity, and pulled out a second brush, this one a deep garnet red.

  “I’m not a queen, nor will I ever be,” she said, touching the brush to her thick pouty lips. She painted a thin coat across her lips and then kissed the excess dye away on a lacy handkerchief. She returned the brush and then turned on her stool, staring up into Thane’s face.

  “Do you think we’ll ever be accepted by these people?”

  He touched her hair, brushing her bangs away from her face. “What ever do you mean? This train is our home now. These people are like family to us.”

  “How can I consider this my home? They hate me.”

  “They do not.”

  “River does.”

  Thane considered that. “Hate is a strong word, my queen.”

  “What word do you prefer? Apathy?”

  He licked his lips, staring off into nowhere. “Yes, that’s better.”

  She crossed her arms, leaning back against the vanity. “And how is that better?”

  “Well, certainly apathy is better than hate. She doesn’t wish you harm.”

  “But would welcome it anyway,” Shayla said.

  “She is jealous of you.”

  Shayla’s eyebrows went up. “Oh?”

  “Of course. She envies your beauty and your elegance.”

  “River is beautiful as well, is she not?”

  Thane hesitated. Shayla couldn’t help smiling as he struggled with the question. How could he admit to River’s beauty without admitting his own feelings for the girl? And in doing so, would he not offend his queen, who should always be first and foremost in his thoughts?

  “She is,” he admitted at last. “Though she does not know it.”

  “No wonder, walking around in those breeches and boots, carrying that gun on her hip. She might as well be a man.”

  “Perhaps that is why she hates you.”

  Shayla glared at him. Thane cleared his throat.

  “I only meant that perhaps she envies your… femininity.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Then maybe-”

  “No,” Shayla interrupted, silencing him with a wave of her hand. “This conversation is tiring me. Besides, we have more important matters to discuss.”

  “The rumors? Starfall?”

  “What do you think we should do?”

  Thane walked across the room. He settled onto Shayla’s velvet fainting couch and leaned back, gazing out the window. “It would be difficult to reach our contacts in Sanctuary. Socrates still has our radio. I might be able to find it.”

  “To what end? For all we know, they’re not even in Sanctuary anymore. Or worse, they may have been arrested and held for treason.”

  “It’s hardly treason. We haven’t done anything illegal yet.”

  “Yet?”

  Thane glanced at her. “We still could make arrangements. That starfall has a long way to travel between here and Sanctuary.”

  “No, that is not the way this will work. It is too late for that.”

  “Then what will we do?”

  She rose from her stool, twisting slightly as she straightened her petticoat and smoothed her skirts. She took her best felt hat off the rack -the one with black and red satin roses, and a thin, flowery veil that fell over her eyes- and she lowered it onto her head, careful not to muss the elegant curls she’d spent the last hour perfecting. The black veil fell over her eyes, contrasting sharply with her pale skin and dark red lips.

  “We will go to the feast,” she said. “We will charm these people until we learn all their secrets, and they can’t help but love us.”

  “And what then?” he said, lowering her cloak onto her shoulders.

  She lifted her fan off the table and spread it open wide. She held it up in front of her face, batting her eyelashes. Then, with the flick of an invisible switch somewhere inside the handle, a dozen razor-sharp blades sprang out with a high-pitched ringing sound. She waved the weapon in front of her face, smiling.

  “We’ll see what happens,” she said, spinning on her heels.

  She vanished through the door and Thane hurried after her. A moment later, he popped back in to retrieve his top hat, and then disappeared down the hall.

  T
he feast was a noisy affair. Dane’s people had a deep fondness for their dark, bitter ale, and the more they drank of it, the rowdier they became. Having grown up around soldiers, this behavior was not foreign to Shayla, but it never failed to test her patience. Even more disturbing was the large blue glittering reptilian head at the center of the long wooden banquet table. It was beyond comprehension that anyone would want to stare into the face of an animal while eating its flesh. Dane and his people seemed to take this as some sort of joke. One man even made a show of pouring ale into the deceased dragon’s mouth, as if the poor creature could drink a toast to its own demise.

  Thane and Shayla had managed to secure seats near the head of the table, within earshot of Socrates and the king. This was intentional, of course. It gave them an opportunity to eavesdrop on important matters while appearing to mingle. There was little mingling to be done at first, though. As soon as Dane’s guests arrived, a flurry of servants came flowing into the room with steaming platters of food. Dane took advantage of the moment to give a speech honoring his guests and their future business prospects, while somehow entirely avoiding anything of substance.

  Socrates also gave a speech. He happily declared Dragonwall to be one of the most intriguing cultures he had ever encountered, and made a toast in honor of the brave men who fought and died to keep their lands safe from the dragons. This ended in a tumultuous roar of applause, shouting, and knives banging on the table. As soon as Socrates took his seat across from the king (the queen sat at his left, and Kale was given the honor of sitting at Dane’s right), the servants rushed to fill their plates.

  Shayla was surprised to find that dragon was white meat. It was very lean, and much closer in texture and flavor to that of a fowl than other animals. It had a pleasant mild taste, and was also differentiated from those other meats by a certain unique density that made it very filling. During their meal, Dane explained that these characteristics made dragon meat an excellent source of sustenance, except for the obvious risk inherent in hunting the world’s most dangerous carnivore as game.