Chapter Fourteen
Indulf
Three months passed without any further developments. Tensions between his camp and Warmund’s were increasing again, as his son and his followers were getting more and more anxious to have answers that simply weren’t there. More than once, Indulf considered simply sending Warmund through the portals like he so obviously wanted.
But that would be a dumb move. If he sent Warmund and Warmund never returned, then his followers would simply see it as Indulf sabotaging him. He’d become a martyr, which was the last thing Indulf needed. If nothing happened soon, though, if Thonis wasn’t able to find any information on the assassins from a thousand years ago…
Indulf sighed. There was no point in fretting about that. He would simply have to keep Warmund’s camp satisfied until he was able to deliver some information one way or another. He had to admit, the waiting was wearing on his own nerves just as much. It was made even worse every time the portals were opened and he was reminded of Anna walking through. She hadn’t even looked back.
Perhaps he could ask Thonis to check up on her. Make sure she was doing alright…
There was a knock on the door, and Indulf called for entrance. Volcant slipped in, a heavy frown on his face. “My lord. The mages are ready to open the portal for Thonis’ update.”
Indulf nodded.
“My lord...” Volcant shifted nervously, then straightened himself. “My lord, I have something to say.”
“Say it, then.”
“My lord, this is a fool’s errand.”
Indulf tensed but didn’t respond. Instead, he tightened his jaw and nodded at Volcant to continue.
Bolstered, the other dragon shifted forward onto his toes before rocking back. “I understand that you are trying to appease Warmund’s camp. But this isn’t like you. You are giving into the whims of a boy and even your supporters are questioning if this means you have become… too soft-hearted to be king. After your declarations that you wouldn’t do this, you are now doing exactly what Warmund attacked you for. How is this going to help anybody?”
“And what would you have me do, then?”
“Have Thonis return. Destroy the knowledge of how to make these portals, erase it. Take Warmund down as you would any other enemy, and be the king we need.”
Was it a weakness to keep going back? To keep hoping that he might be able to find his daughter? Perhaps it would be wiser to do as Volcant suggested. Certainly, using such magic that wasn’t studied was a risky endeavor. But… but he could not bring himself to cut off the possibility. He’d let himself hope, he had made that mistake, and now? He couldn’t just throw it away.
He couldn't throw away Anna, either. He knew she would live her life, happy and loved and safe, but the thought of never seeing her again left his fires cold. No. He couldn’t do it.
And what about Warmund? If he sealed up the portals, what then?
Without a word, he headed out toward the throne room, where the mages would be gathered. Volcant fell into step beside him silently. They walked for some time, not speaking, before Indulf stopped and turned to him again.
“Perhaps I am being weak,” he said slowly. “Perhaps I am not acting as the kings in the past. But I swore from the first day I held my son in my arms that I would take care of him. Yes, Warmund betrayed me. But he is my son. I love him, more than I love my own life. I lost my daughter, my Wildref. I lost my mate. My brothers, my uncles, they were never treated with the respect they deserved, and they were never family to me. But my son, Volcant. My boy. Am I supposed to give up on him?”
Volcant glanced away. He didn’t have children of his own, he didn’t know this pain.
“I need to take every chance I can to get him back. I have regrets. I made mistakes. And perhaps this will kill me yet, but I need my boy back.”
Volcant looked wary for a moment before giving him a pained smile. “Is it really about Warmund?”
Indulf frowned. Who else would it be about?
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you have been moping and sighing since she’s been gone. The little human wormed her way into your heart and head, didn’t she?”
Anna. Indulf narrowed his eyes.
“Indulf...” Volcant stepped a little closer. “I know that you are my king. I will support you and fight for you. Know that. I will not let my doubts be seen by others. But you are the king and you need to remember that. Your duty is first to the kingdom. You need to stop letting emotions cloud your judgment.”
Emotion. Indulf ran a hand through his hair, tugging a couple of the curls loose. “You think I’m being an idiot.”
“I would not say that.”
Indulf gripped his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Volcant, we have been friends for as long as I can remember. I can take whatever it is you have to say to me. And I know that I am not always the best at following advice, but believe me when I say that I value your opinion.”
“Do you?”
“Of course, I do.” Indulf narrowed his eyes, upset that Volcant would question him in such a way. He opened his mouth to say just that, but Volcant spoke before he could.
“If you value my opinion, then I will give it. Just take Anna as your mate already. Fill her belly with dozens of little dragons, so that when you are both too old and worn to make love anymore, you can at least tell your grandchildren of the epic passion that burned between you.”
Indulf laughed at that. “I should marry her, should I?”
“Then perhaps you’d allow the portals to stay closed and not continue this fool’s mission.”
His laughter was cut short. “It’s only been two months. It’s not a fool’s mission yet.”
Volcant sighed but didn’t speak. Indulf took that as answer enough and continued on. His heart was heavy as he walked, mind consumed with all the reasons why he should simply stop these experiments and all the reasons why he couldn’t.
He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he entered the throne room with Volcant at his side. The mages all stood ready. They looked exhausted, the strain of the portals clearly taking a toll on them. He frowned—he’d tell Thonis to expect to hear from them every week rather than every two days at this meeting.
“Are you ready?” he asked, eyes on the head mage.
She nodded wearily. “Yes, my lord.”
The mages turned to one another and started using their magic to open the portals. It was a difficult task, and all their concentration focused on opening and keeping them open. It was so intensive, they said they were not even aware of what was going on around them.
Indulf stood back as the portal spun into existence. It was becoming more stable with every opening, and this time he saw Thonis’ weary face on the other end. They were able to communicate by speaking rather than passing notes now. It made for much more efficient communication.
“My lord,” Thonis started.
Before he could say another word, windows shattered. Indulf flinched as he jumped away from the portal, looking around. Men and women shifted in the air, clothes bursting from their bodies. Fire poured down at him. Volcant shoved him back and shifted himself, wings wrapped around them both to shield the king from dragon fire.
The heat made sweat break out on his brow, and he smelled burning flesh. Indulf threw himself out of the protection of Volcant wings and shifted, silver scales bursting from his skin. He leapt over his adviser and into the face of the dragon breathing fire. The flames choked out as Indulf’s jaws clamped around the dragon’s neck. He crushed through scales and tasted blood.
Another dragon came at him from underneath, and Indulf released the first, then grabbed it by the wings and threw it over the other one. He tucked his own wings tight against his back. The throne room wasn’t so large as to be able to use them.
A flash of golden scales caught his eye. He turned to see Warmund weaving among the guards, inching closer to the portal. Indulf didn’t allow himself to wonder how he had gotten here; he threw himself in his son’s path to stop him.
He didn’t make it in time. Warmund shifted back to human form and leapt at the portal. Indulf saw Thonis’ face on the other side, and then it went black. His mind blanked out. As the portal began to shrink, he threw himself through it. There was a roar behind him, something sharp on his ankle as he shifted back to human form.
A myriad of sound and color assaulted him. Fire and ice burst over his skin, a plethora of scents made him claw at his own nose, and the taste of soot, dirt, and fire rolled over his tongue. And then it was gone. He fell to his knees, shaking hard. Volcant fell next to him, a hand wrapped tightly around his ankle.
Shouting made him look up to see Warmund drive his elbow into Thonis’ neck. He ran off, leaving them there. Thonis stumbled after him, then turned back with a torn expression on his face.
Indulf tried to get to his feet, but swayed and collapsed again. Thonis hurried to him and lifted him up. Indulf leaned heavily on him as the other dragon helped him to a low, narrow bed. After Indulf was sitting, Thonis retrieved Volcant and then left the room. He came back with a glass of cold water, which Indulf gulped down eagerly. It helped him feel a bit better. His head stopped spinning, at least.
“My lord, if I had known you were coming I would have cleaned up a bit,” Thonis said with a wry smile.
Indulf lowered the glass and glanced around the room. Clothes lay strewn everywhere, and strange-looking boxes made of a thick papery material sat on every available surface. As he continued to look around, Indulf became aware of several distinct pitches of humming. Where was that coming from? He glanced around but didn’t know what the source was. He rubbed his ears.
“You’ll get used to that,” Thonis said, nodding. “This world is very noisy.”
Volcant finally found his voice. He glared at Indulf. “You idiot.”
Indulf growled a warning, which Volcant ignored.
“You dunderhead! What were you thinking? Now there is no king, and nobody to defend the throne while you are here. What the hell were you thinking?” Volcant’s hands clenched. “You’ve left the kingdom vulnerable. The mages aren’t going to be able to open the portals again for at least two days—and that’s if those rebels don’t kill them! I told you to start thinking and so you decide that the best thing to do is just dive headfirst into a world you know nothing about? God, Indulf! You really are an idiot.”
If it wasn’t for the truth in his words, Indulf would have taken great issue with what Volcant was saying. But, he had to admit that this decision to follow his son through the portal was a very stupid one. It hadn’t even been a decision. It was a reaction, one that would leave his kingdom and his place as king vulnerable.
Indulf rested his elbows on his knees, then hid his face in his hands. How could he respond to that? “I had to,” he said softly.
“Had to.” Volcant snorted. “And what are we meant to do now?”
He had no idea. Well… maybe not no idea. He glanced up at Thonis. “Do you know where Anna is?”