She yelled, “Let us depart, and I’ll arrange for everyone to get out without being shot.”
The Kingdom people in the water obeyed, the ominously pulsing and glowing orb perhaps swaying them as much as her words, but Vorik’s people… They raised their weapons in defiance and kept swimming toward the wagon.
“Get out of there!” he yelled again.
A few obeyed, but more glared at him, and someone shouted, “Traitor!”
Since he was riding with Kingdom people on their wagon, Vorik couldn’t deny that the word applied, but he tried one more time. “She’s about to throw an explosive!”
“A big one,” Tibby murmured, holding the orb aloft with both hands. With its power source removed, the wagon was slowing, the current started to affect it, but it continued toward the shaft.
Someone pumped an arm to throw a knife. Not certain of the target, Vorik pulled TibbyandSyla down. The blade glanced off the top of the orb and didn’t damage it. If anything, it pulsed faster, waves of magic that Vorik could sense rolling off it.
Tibby snarled like a tiger and hurled the orb. It landed in the water in the middle of the aggressors and blew up with such light and power that it dwarfed all the explosives that had been thrown before. The wagon rocked, throwing Vorik to his back and knocking Fel into the water. Nearby, one of the salt pillars crumbled. Chunks of the ceiling followed, tumbling into the water and floating like icebergs. Snaps and cracks sounded, promising more of the ceiling would come down. One chunk struck the wagon, diverting it from its course.
“We have to swim!” Tibby shouted.
Vorik grabbed Abrya and Tibby and leaped in, swimming on his back to more easily kick and pull them along with him. At his side, Fel and Syla also swam through water that churned in the aftermath of the explosion. Chunks of salt plummeting downdidn’t help the situation, and Fel cursed as a head-sized piece struck his shoulder.
Fortunately, the group made it to the shaft without anyone attacking them. Vorik didn’t know if there was anyone lefttoattack. Body parts floated everywhere, and he couldn’t help but feel he’d failed his people. He should have dueled Shi for the tribe and tried to turn the tides, tried to lead the stormers toward a truce and a peaceful way to obtain food. Instead, he’d let Jhiton and the others force them down this path.
“There’s the chain,” Fel said.
“I’ll go up first,” Syla said.
“Don’t you dare.” Fel reached for her.
“Nobody is going to shoot me.” Surprisingly swift, she dodged his grasp and gripped the chain. Her spectacles had fallen around her neck, but she shimmied up the chain with the same determination as she did everything.
Vorik managed a smile as Fel cursed.
“Wreylith has cleared the way,” Syla added. “Hurry up after me.”
“Oh, we will,” Tibby said.
Vorik waited, treading water and waving for Tibby and Fel to go ahead of him. He wanted to ensure that nobody else threw a knife. But nobody moved nearby. The explosion had been… far too effective. Mentally, he added “Aunt Tibby” to his list of women not to underestimate. That whole family was far more than they seemed.
“Who are you?” Abrya asked blearily as Vorik arranged her so that he could climb out with her in his grasp.
“Vorik, my lady.” He left offcaptain. After this blatant defying of orders, he expected to lose his rank. “Just Vorik.”
29
Before Syla reachedthe top of the shaft, her muscles quivering from the effort of pulling herself up on such a long climb, she could see flames above, as well as stars in the night sky. The beam the chain and pulley were attached to had survived the destruction, but the building as a whole might not have. Smoke wafted across the shaft, blocking the view of the stars.
Despite her firm assertion that nobody would shoot her, Syla told Wreylith no fewer than ten times that she was coming and to make sure soldiers didn’t fire at her or anyone in her party.
Something stirred in the smoke, and Syla flinched. An enemy? No, a scaled red underbelly came into view, talons wrapping around the beam. Wreylith’s great head lowered so she could peer into the shaft.
Queen Syla comes,she boomed to all around,from the soggy depths of the destroyed mine, having vanquished her enemies, ready to lead her people again.
Have I mentioned that dragons tend toward the dramatic?Syla asked.
And that you appreciate my many excellent qualities, yes.
That is true. I also appreciate that I don’t see any archers.
They have backed away from the shaft, per my command, but many are here watching, quite curious, and a wagon carrying the island lord has arrived.
