Dragon Games by P. W. Catanese

Author:P. W. Catanese
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: ALADDIN
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

As they followed the dirt road, walking three across, Umber spoke of Pilot.

“I know very little about him or his ship. Those helmstones—I can’t imagine how valuable they are. And those mushrooms of his. Remarkable.”

“Where did those spider-folk come from?” asked Hap.

Umber laughed. “I’d give half my fortune to answer that question! Someplace only Pilot knows of. In fact I think everything—the helmstones, the mushrooms, and the spider-folk—comes from the same place. Because the Silkship couldn’t exist without all three. I have a theory about—ah! That’s a sight, isn’t it?”

The road had climbed a small hill, and as they reached its peak, they saw a vast gray wall that began at the cliff’s edge and reached out of sight to their right. Peaks of buildings were visible above the wall, and a hundred thin streams of smoke slithered high.

“The Wall of Sarnica,” Umber said.

“It looks like it goes all the way across the island,” observed Hap.

“It does,” Umber said. “The city of Faldran occupies the tip of the island, and the whole end is walled off. It’s quite a stronghold. An easy place to strike out from, and then retreat to and defend. Which helps if you’re a petty tyrant like Brugador, with a thirst for violence. Happenstance, you’ve spent your days in Kurahaven, a land of prosperity and mercy. This is a grim, oppressive place. We’ll all have to watch our tongues.”

“And how am I supposed to do that?” said Oates. Hap was wondering the same thing.

Umber shrugged. “Just do the best you can. Shall we enter?”

There was a gate in the wall ahead of them. A group of sullen soldiers lounged at the base of the wall. One stepped in their path as they approached. His long face and drooping eyes reminded Hap of a hound. “What business do you have in Faldran?” the soldier asked.

Umber grinned. “And good morning to you, friend! I have been invited to the Dragon Games by Brugador himself.” He produced a folded parchment from his vest and handed it to the soldier.

The soldier returned a suspicious glare. “Where are you from?”

“Kurahaven,” Umber replied.

The eyes narrowed further. “Then why didn’t you enter from the harbor side, if you had to take a ship?”

“We got dropped off up the coast. I wanted to see a little of your lovely countryside before the games,” Umber said. His smile never faltered.

The soldier handed Umber the note but didn’t move. Then his sour expression turned toward Oates, who was frowning back with his lip curled up on one side.

“What are you looking at?” the soldier said to Oates.

“A nasty man with a face like a dog,” Oates replied, honest as always.

The soldier’s face flushed scarlet. “Who are you calling dog-faced?”

“I don’t know; we haven’t been introduced,” Oates said.

The other men overheard the exchange and got to their feet. Swords slid from their scabbards. Hap felt his legs begin to shake.

The tension was broken by the sound of hooves behind them. A party of horsemen crested the hill and rumbled toward the gate.

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