Sowing Dragon Teeth by James Alderdice

Author:James Alderdice [Alderdice, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lost Realms Press
Published: 2019-01-21T22:00:00+00:00

14. Never Say the Name of the Dead

They were forced to wait and camp on that sandbar for another two days until everyone’s strength returned enough for them to continue. Thankfully that was the only night they heard from the Tikoloshe creatures.

They buried Nyo under an altar of river stones and Musa wept a single tear for his brother.

“He will have trouble finding the afterlife, since the Tikoloshe stole his soul along with his blood,” lamented Musa.

They all remained quiet, not knowing what to say, until Aisha replied, “No, I stole it back by crushing the fiend. His blood is mingled here with the sandbar and the river. His soul is ready to return safe and sound.”

Musa looked at her crossly at first but then he glanced at the deep maroon pool in the sand from where she had killed the creature, then he smiled. “You are right. You have given him the ability to find his soul and journey safely there. You are now my Blood-Sister.”

Catlo scowled and kept any words of anger over this to himself.

Food rations were running perilously low and they took to fishing in the river. The jumping fish they had seen earlier were not tasty, but they were easy enough to catch.

The morning of the third day, they all felt well enough to continue. The scaly fish they’d been catching, and eating had grown old quick. They hoped to get farther inland where they might kill a gazelle or deer for meat. That and the constant thought of the wealth from the Dragons’ Graveyard burned inside their brains coiling about like a slow fire. That half of Aisha’s concern remained the idea of revenge upon a one-eyed dragon, though she kept that to herself. She had no idea how she would slay one, nor if the one she sought might even be alive and within Jokameno Mountain, but the thought would not leave her mind. She prayed to the gods of her forebearers that she could enact revenge for her stolen and murdered father and be granted peace at last.

Up the river they went, Ole taking the place of the fallen Nyo with Aisha manning the small sail. Eventually the harsh winds from the south grew too strong and fierce in the wrong direction and they were forced to take down the paltry thing. Still, the men worked the poles, dragging the raft ever upriver.

They camped upon a stony bank sheltered with a high cliff wall behind them. Driftwood dotted the shore, so they chanced a fire to warm themselves and to roast the fish.

“Tell me something more of what you know about Jokameno Mountain,” said Catlo.

“I think you know as much as I,” said Aisha.

“Perhaps so, perhaps not. Maybe I tell you what I know, and we can compare notes then, huh?”

“All right,” she said, hopeful that the conversation might die away as the night wore on.

Catlo made himself comfortable against his saddle. “For centuries men have said that when dragons know they are reaching their end, they fly far to the south to the biggest mountain in all the world.

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