Five Kingdoms: Book 06 - Evil Tide Read online

  Evil Tide

  © 2013, Toby Neighbors

  Published by Mythic Adventure Publishing

  Post Falls, Idaho

  All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any print or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Cover Designed by Camille Denae

  Copy Editor Sharon LaValley

  Books by Toby Neighbors:

  Wizard Rising - 5K Book 1

  Magic Awakening - 5K Book 2

  Hidden Fire - 5K Book 3

  Crying Havoc - 5K Book 4

  Fierce Loyalty - 5K Book 5

  Lorik (The Lorik Trilogy Book 1)

  Lorik The Protector (The Lorik Trilogy Book 2)

  Third Prince

  Royal Destiny

  The New World

  The Other Side

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  Dedication

  To my mom, Peggy Lunsford,

  For always giving me money for the book fair,

  And all the trips to the library,

  And letting me browse the book stores,

  And for buying me my first word processor,

  But most of all for loving me no matter what.

  And to Camille, my fellow adventurer in the quest for our dreams

  I savor every minute with you.

  And to Myles Howard, just because he asked.

  Prologue

  Willam could see the castle in the distance. It was his boyhood home, the place where he’d grown up and become a man, but he’d never seen it from the air. It looked strong, but ancient, and Willam felt both excitement and fear. The Five Kingdoms were in chaos and after being enchanted by a witch and tortured by a king, Willam, first Prince of Yelsia, was finally coming home. He only hoped that his home would accept him and his news of the events in the south.

  An image flashed into his mind; Gyia the graceful purple dragon he was riding on was speaking to him. They had been moving north for a week, covering the distance that would normally have taken two months. Gyia was long and slender, with large wings and a narrow head. She could fly with Willam on her back for nearly an hour before needing to stop and rest. Willam didn’t push the dragon. He was no more her master than she was his, but they had bonded, first when they had met on the battlefield near the Grand City in Osla, then on the long trip home. Gyia was intelligent and resourceful; now she was suggesting a suitable place to land.

  “That looks good,” he said loudly over the whistling wind that raced past them as Gyia glided down toward Orrock with Willam on her back.

  The image had been of Gyia landing on the roof of the castle. Willam knew the strong stonework would hold her weight easily enough. They dropped lower and lower, gliding over the sprawling city as they flew toward the castle. Willam couldn’t hear the voices below, but he could see the people looking up and pointing at them. He was making a grand entrance, only fitting a future king, but Willam had no desire to impress his subjects. He had considered leaving Gyia a good distance from the city where the dragon could hunt and rest without being subjected to the King’s scrutiny, and the circus he was sure Gyia’s presence would create with the nobles at court. Still, the young dragon’s keen mind and calm demeanor made Willam change his mind. He wanted Gyia with him when he spoke to his father.

  They dropped low over the castle now, circling once and then landing gracefully on one of the tall lookout towers. Willam had no idea that only a month before Zollin had fought the massive black dragon Bartoom from that same tower. Gyia settled down on the tower, coiling its long neck and tail around the slender body. The long wings folded neatly and lay flat against the dragon’s back. Willam patted the purple neck affectionately and slid down onto his feet. Walking always felt slow and sluggish after flying through the air with Gyia, so Willam flexed his knees and stretched his back once he got his feet on the smooth stones of the tower.

  He only had to wait for a moment, then the wooden trap door was flung open and a contingent of the King’s Guard scrambled up onto the tower. They stood with weapons ready, their short swords and round shields were as familiar to Willam as the back of his own hand.

  “Hail, men,” Willam said loudly. “We come in peace. It is I, Prince Willam.”

  Another head rose up from the wood stairs that led to the top of the tower. Commander Corlis was now a general and in charge of the King’s Army in Orrock. He looked around, his eyes wide at the sight of the dragon, but seeing Prince Willam between his men and the beast calmed his nerves somewhat.

  “Prince Willam,” Corlis said in a haughty tone. “Explain yourself.”

  “I’ve returned from Osla,” Willam said, “With news. I must see my father at once.”

  “Of course,” Corlis said. “But what of your...” he let the sentence trail off.

  “Gyia,” Willam explained, “A dragon yes, but one that is loyal to me and who bears no animosity toward us. Gyia is here to help.”

  “Help with what?”

  “There is treacherous news I’m afraid. I must see the King. Should I come down or would it be better if he came here?”

  “Under the circumstances I think the King will want to come up. Are you certain your dragon is no threat?” Corlis asked uncertainly, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.

  “Positive, but you can leave your men. I assure you that all is safe for the moment.”

  Corlis grunted; frowning then disappeared back down into the tower.

  “He fears me,” hissed Gyia. The dragon could form words, although it was difficult with her long mouth and forked tongue.

  “Yes,” Willam said. “Give them time. Most of my people have never seen a dragon.”

  The men on the tower were soldiers, each a veteran, their resolve hardened by dangerous encounters and pitched battles. Still, they were visibly afraid of Gyia. To Prince Willam, the long, serpentine dragon with glistening purple scales was beautiful. Their friendship had grown as they traveled together. Gyia was smart, and although their conversations took the Prince time to get used to, he recognized that the dragon was more than just a powerful beast.

  When King Felix hurried onto the roof of the tall castle tower, he was not alone. A group of advisors came with him. They stared wide-eyed at Gyia, even the King, who seemed not to notice his son at all.

  “Father,” Willam said after a long moment.

  “What?” Felix said irritably. “Oh, you’re back. Of course I was told that you had come. Forgive me, but seeing you here with a dragon has come as a bit of a shock.”

  “May I introduce Gyia,” Willam said in a flat tone.

  “Highness,” the dragon hissed.

  Gyia’s voice was raspy, but soft. Still, King Felix and the other officials with him flinched back at the sound of it.

  “Your dragon talks?” Felix said in awe.

  “Gyia is not my dragon,” Willam said. “We are friends.”

  “I don’t understand,” King Felix said.

  “It’s a long story and one that you need to hear. Yelsia is in danger.”

  “That much we already knew,” Felix said. “We were attacked by Osla and Falxis while you were gone.”

  “Yes, I heard that, but the kings of the south are not the threat I speak of. Gwendolyn the witch is building an army. I know, I was under her spell for a long while and
helped her build it.”

  “I care not what happens in the south. Those traitorous bastards broke the treaty. May their kingdoms fall to ruins for their folly.”

  “Father,” Prince Willam said. “I killed King Oveer. I was captured and tortured by King Zorlan. If not for the Wizard Zollin, I would be dead or a cripple. We cannot ignore the war brewing in the southern kingdoms.”

  “So, you’ve come home to lead our people into war, is that it?”

  “I’ve come to help. I’ve come to protect our people.”

  “So be it, but you still haven’t explained why there is a dragon on my castle.”

  “Gyia was in a group of dragons with Zollin and the lady Brianna.”

  “A pride,” Gyia hissed.

  “Yes, a pride of dragons,” Willam corrected himself. “Gyia wants to help us rebuild Yelsia, to make our great kingdom strong again.”

  “Our kingdom is strong,” King Felix said, anger leeching into his voice. “If anyone has said otherwise they were mistaken. We have pushed back the armies of the south. If what you say is true, then King Oveer is no longer a threat. Ricard to the east will not attack us without good cause.”

  “We must find out what has happened in Osla,” Willam argued. “The fate of the Five Kingdoms lies there.”

  “You give Osla too much credit. We’ve heard rumors that King Belphan is dead.”

  “He is, but King Zorlan has taken control of his army. It won’t be long before he has either conquered the Grand City or fallen under the witch’s spell.”

  Felix paced across the roof top. His face was pinched in thought as he considered what his son was telling him. Willam thought he looked old, his face more lined, his hair turning dull and gray around the gleaming band of gold that sat snuggly on his head.

  “We’ve heard rumors about a witch,” he said after a few moments. “She has power over men.”

  “Yes,” Willam said.

  “And if King Zorlan takes the Grand City, he’ll be in a position to take over Ortis as well.”

  “Almost certainly.”

  “I must think on these events,” Felix said. “Your dragon is welcome here as long as she doesn’t do any damage.”

  “Gyia isn’t a she,” Willam said. “Dragons aren’t male or female.”

  “Fine, the beast can stay but only under your care.”

  “Of course,” Willam said. “I had no doubt of that.”

  Gyia hissed quietly, not liking the way King Felix seemed to think he could say where the dragon went or what it did. Willam gave the beast an understanding look.

  “You’re probably hungry,” Felix said after another moment of thought.

  “We both are,” Willam agreed.

  “Fine, go and eat. Homan will see that something is brought up for your dragon. Clean yourself up and then come to my quarters. I wish to hear your tale.”

  “Yes, father,” Willam said.

  Felix turned and left the tower. His advisors and guards, most still wide-eyed and staring at Gyia, followed the King. Willam waited until he was alone with Gyia, then he approached the massive dragon.

  “I’m afraid my father still doesn’t have faith in my abilities,” he said, trying to hide his shame.

  “He is foolish,” Gyia hissed. Then she sent a mental image of Willam wearing the crown.

  “Yes, some day,” Willam said. “Until then I am little more than a servant in my own kingdom, I’m afraid.”

  “We will have to change that,” Gyia said.

  * * *

  King Felix walked swiftly back down to his domicile, which consisted of a large outer room and several smaller rooms. He threw open the large wooden doors with the images of rearing horses carved in relief. Warmth from the blazing fire washed over him. The nights were growing colder, and the castle’s long passageways often grew chilly. He was grateful for the warmth of the fireplace; he hadn’t been able to stay warm since he was wounded on the battlefield. His body felt old and tired, but his ambition was stronger than ever.

  “This changes things,” King Felix said.

  “How so, my lord?” General Tolis asked.

  “We now have a dragon,” the King said happily. “Perhaps we won’t have to rely on subterfuge after all.”

  “My lord, can we really trust the beast?” Tolis asked. “It seemed tame enough, but I wouldn’t pin my hopes on a dragon.”

  “The dragon won’t even have to fight,” the newly promoted General Corlis said. He was now head of the King’s army, second only to King Felix, a fact the other generals bristled at. The brash young commander enjoyed bullying the older men. Corlis had risen fast in the King’s Service, and the invasion by the southern kings had sped his career along even faster. King Felix liked the young commander’s ambition and his daring ways. The new military strategy they were discussing had been as much Corlis’ as it was the King’s.

  “A dragon flying over our forces,” Corlis continued, “will strike fear into every enemy we face. Even if the beast won’t fight, it will be the sign of our victory and dominance over the Five Kingdoms.”

  “There will be only one Kingdom when we are through, gentlemen,” King Felix stated. “And one King… Willam’s dragon will aid us in any way we see fit.”

  “My Lord, I hardly think we can command a dragon,” General Yennis said. Yennis was an older man, a cautious man, and King Felix despised him.

  “We will find a way,” King Felix said. “The southern kings somehow convinced the black dragon to attack us.”

  “They had a wizard,” Yennis said.

  “They had their asses handed to them,” Corlis snarled. “Don’t you dare sully the King’s plan with you sniveling, sir, or I’ll have you removed.”

  “My Lord,” General Tolis said in a placating tone. “It’s not that we don’t think using the beast is a good idea, we just aren’t sure how to do it.”

  “That’s right, my liege,” Yennis said, avoiding eye contact with Corlis. “Of course I think it’s a good idea.”

  “We need to find a way to bring the beast under our control,” King Felix said, “To ensure that there are no surprises.”

  “How does one control a dragon?” Yennis inquired. “There hasn’t been one in Yelsia in centuries.”

  “Now there have been two,” King Felix said. “And if the rumors are to be believed, there have been more.”

  “My lord,” said Commander Hausey, a stiff, highly disciplined officer from the King’s Light Calvary in Felson. “I don’t know if there is anything to be learned or not, but we did uncover a trove of ancient scrolls in the Ruins of Arnak. They were sent to Ebbson Keep to be translated and studied.”

  “Were there writings about dragons?” King Felix asked.

  “I’m not certain, my liege, but I do believe so. The scholars at Ebbson were translating the scrolls; I know that much. It might be worth our while to send word to the Keep and have the translations sent back to us.”

  “That is an excellent idea, Commander. Send someone immediately. I want to know everything that was discovered about dragons in those scrolls.”

  “Yes, my lord,” said Hausey.

  He bowed before swiveling on his heel and walking from the room. Hausey was happy to be away from the King and the constant plotting. He was a warrior and would fight whoever his King commanded him to fight, whenever the orders came, but it took all his self-discipline to hide the disgust he felt over the current situation. It was true that Osla and Falxis had attacked the kingdom of Yelsia first, but now King Felix was plotting to do the same and it felt wrong to Hausey. He couldn’t help but wonder just how much the arrogant young General Corlis had to do with the whole plan. Corlis had wormed his way into the King’s inner circle and had found a way to alienate every other advisor who disagreed with him. Commander Hausey couldn’t change the King’s mind and didn’t want to trade his command for a place in the royal court’s inner circle, but he didn’t like seeing the king manipulated either.

  Back in
the King’s domicile, King Felix was pacing the floor. He felt an excitement he hadn’t experienced in years. He had an opportunity none of his forebears had possessed. The Five Kingdoms were in chaos, and Yelsia was growing stronger by the day.

  “We’ll need to bolster the army,” King Felix said. “How is our conscription faring?”

  “Things are improving, my Lord,” said General Yennis, who was in charge of pressing men into the King’s Army. “We’ve focused mostly on the displaced farmers and villagers. Most are all too happy to have a position and bit of coin to pass on to their families.”

  “We’ll need more than farmers and shopkeepers,” Corlis said.

  “We’re instituting a training regimen,” Yennis hurriedly added. “They’ll be armed and battle ready.”

  “We’ll be the judge of that,” Corlis snorted. “We must strike while the iron is hot, my lord. The southern kingdoms are weak. We cannot let them rebuild their strength.”

  “Yes,” King Felix said. “That is true. Prince Willam will tell us more, but I don’t want him to know our plans. Not until we have the dragon under our control.”

  “I agree, my lord,” said Corlis. “If the beast were to fly away and alert our enemies, there is little we could do to stop it.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” King Felix said. “For now, no more discussion of our plans are to take place outside of this room, is that understood?” The generals and advisors nodded. “Also, I want the training ground moved immediately. Take the new conscripts south. You can recruit as you go, General Yennis. Form your base of command north of the Twin Cities. From there, we can go by sea and bypass the Rejee Desert and the Walheta mountains. If what Prince Willam has said is true, then Falxis is undefended. We can move around the Sea of Kings and take control of Ortis as well.”

  “King Ricard will join us,” General Corlis said. “Once he sees our strength he cannot resist.”

  “And our dragon,” General Tolis said, trying to sound confident but failing.

  “The time for change is upon us, my lords,” said King Felix cheerfully. “It is time for Yelsia to rise up and take its rightful place among the Five Kingdoms.”