(Path of the Dragon Mage: Nomad) Chapter 28. Map (Patreon)

"What's this? What has happened to the princess?" Governor Karol's voice rang out, shrill with rising panic. "You! You, there! Send for a healer for her, at once!"

Corvus heard him vaguely in the background of his mind. The rest of it was churning with what Starella had just said.

He tugged hard on the mental connection between himself and his dragon and felt Charm snort awake in alarm.

He sent a quick thought: The ratkin have arrived. They’re underground.

Then he turned his attention to Starella. "Where are they?"

"Tunneling underneath! I don't know! They're all around—" She gripped his arm hard, her hands trembling, and her eyes wide in terrified. "I was the earth around them. I couldn't pull free — why couldn't I free myself?"

Corvus suspected it was because her dragon egg had given her magical Talent a boost, in much the same way that Charm had restored his health and stamina when she had been egg-bound.

He turned to the governor. "I need a map of the city."

The man stared at him, hesitation in his eyes. He was unsure of Corvus's rank, especially after the events of last night. Now, he had one royal in emotional distress, and a second ordering him as if he were a servant.

Corvus simply did not have time for this. He leaned hard on his Leadership and Diplomacy skills, and whatever extra he could dredge up out of his charisma attribute. "Governor, Princess Starella's Earth talent is unmatched. If she says that the ratkin has arrived, they have. Bring us a map, immediately, and send the word out to the rest of your city. Your people are about to be under attack."

"Yes…" The governor said, vaguely. Then he seemed to shake himself. His voice came out stronger. "Yes, at once, my Prince." He turned, gestured, to Perry, and they both walked out.

What do you need me to do? Charm asked.

Corvus turned his attention inward. “Take to the sky. I need to know where those tunnels are."

Most of the nobles and advisers to the governor were milling around in the hallway. Kale pushed through them, uncaring of their rank. His concern was writ large on his face. "How can the Horse Folk help you, Prince Corvus?"

Right. They had to act as if they were distant from one another. Corvus appreciated Kale's foresight, even if he wondered if that ship had already sailed. Charm would be momentarily taking off into the sky from the horsemen camp within full daylight.

Well, no matter. They’d soon have more problems to worry about.

"Recall any of your scouts and horse warriors back into the city. From there, have them ride through the outer districts to spread the news. The ratkin are underground, so they should evacuate as high as possible."

Another thought occurred to him and Corvus sent a quick message through his party chat to Gwen.

Then, he turned his attention to the nobles. Most had drifted into the room to hear what was going on. "My Lords."

The men and the few women among them faced him. Most of the gazes were curious, though was a fair share of hostility as well.

For a moment, Corvus was thrown back into the body of the fifteen-year-old boy that he had once been. Weak, magically talentless, and in constant disfavor. Where he had faced these nobles and heard their thinly veiled scorn. These powerful families had made a point to show scorn at every opportunity. It made them feel better about their position in life when they could look down at a Prince.

Charm wordlessly touched his mind, offering support.

The moment passed, and he was himself again. Corvus squared his shoulders. He was a prince, and if he acted like he had the authority, some of these nobles may believe it. "I assume that you are own many of the large towers in this city?"

The nobles exchanged glances with one another. Finally, a matronly-looking woman with steel gray threads in her hair stepped forward. "The noble houses are housed in most of the ancient towers, my Prince," she said. "There are some merchant families who are in a possession of a few, however.”

"I will have the governor send word to them, as well. You are to open up your doors to evacuees."

His words caused an outraged ripple through the nobles, and Corvus held up his hand. When his voice came out again, it was cold and derisive and sounded much like his father at his worst.

“You will do this and more. Who do you think will help you fight the scourge when it comes to your door? Do you believe your guards will be enough? We will be facing hundreds of thousands of ratkin. You will need every hand to keep yourself and your home safe."

A man stepped forward. "My Prince, we cannot feed every commoner who comes begging at our doorstep—"

"All the more reason to end this siege quickly. If the need is dire, my dragon and I will deliver supplies to the rooftops. But only to the ones who accept evacuees from the other districts."

This caused another murmur, this more uncertain. He had deliberately reminded them of his dragon.

Several of the nobles with hostile gazes openly scoffed. A few more dropped the act and seemed intrigued.

The woman who spoke earlier gave Corvus a penetrating look. "Then the rumors are true? You have hatched a dragon?"

Corvus gestured to the window. "Look to the sky. She's circling the city now to search for the incursion."

The group of nobles bustled over and shortly after, Corvus heard gasps. He sent Charm a mental thanks for her timing.

Interestingly enough, the woman who had spoken stayed behind the and watched Corvus as if he were a puzzle. Then she nodded. “The house of Gemstone will comply, my prince.”

“Thank you.” Corvus returned his attention to Starella. She still sat in the middle of the bed, her legs tucked under herself as she breathed deeply, in and out in a meditative fashion. Sensing his gaze on her, she glanced at him. "You are acting above your station, cousin."

He smiled. "Always. Are you feeling better?"

Her expression crumpled momentarily and, after glancing around to make sure that none of the nobles were watching — of course, they were, they always were — she shook her head in a tiny motion.

Her voice was low when she spoke. "Nothing like that has ever happened to me before. You lied to them. You know that Air is my strongest talent. But I was lost in the Earth… It overtook me. Corvus, there are so many of them." Her bottom lip trembled, and she stopped.

Corvus hesitated. Starella had not been shy about her wish to take the throne. The last thing he should do was give her a hint — any hint — about her egg.

But she was his cousin, and once as close to him as a sister. More importantly, there was an immensely powerful dragon who wanted to burn the kingdom to the ground. He and Charm might not be enough to stop him.

If Corvus was going to take up the mantle and authority of a prince, that meant putting the kingdom first.

Besides, he did not have to tell her all of his secrets.

Starella's speckled dragon egg sat within reach on the bed. He grabbed it and held it out to her. " When I came in, you were clutching the egg. Unless I miss my guess, your dragon gave you a boost to your power."

Starella let out a tiny gasp and snatched the egg from his hands. She held it close, running one hand over the top of the starry shell. Holding it, she appeared to come to a decision. The egg still in hand, she slid off the side of the mattress and stood.

“Everyone! Please, clear the room," she said. “I need to speak to my cousin, alone."

The lords, ladies, and high-ranking officials immediately turned to obey. Corvus watched them leave with annoyance. They hadn't even hesitated. Starella had that effect on people.

Once the door closed, Starella turned to him. "Before I left the palace, I spoke to the king in confidence."

"Oh?"

She seemed to brace herself. "He is aware that you took the dragon egg into exile, and he told me that you and I have chosen the only two fertile eggs in generations."

Corvus felt himself smiling. "Well, I already knew that mine was viable… And I already knew about yours."

“How?" she demanded.

"My magic showed me."

She stared at him as if she wasn't sure if he was joking or not. Corvus held up his hand. "I assure you, is true."

"But… What element do you use?"

"None. It's a different school of magic, Starella. I caught flashes of it when I was within the palace but was able to access it fully when I was exiled.”

“Is that why you have refused to come home?" she asked.

He winced. "There are many reasons. There’s something wrong within the palace. The king should not be so separated from his people. Orphus has never been to the city — If word comes of its destruction, he won't be able to picture it. He might have to find it on a map."

Starella ignored this. Her chin lifted. "Then, is your type of magic stronger?"

"It’s certainly more versatile. Your zephyrs could take the air from my lungs, but I can heal your broken wrist." He smiled. "I prefer the healing, personally."

She made a frustrated sound in the back of her throat. "It doesn't make sense! Why would your magic grow stronger when you were away from the palace, while mine —" She cut herself short and hugged her egg close.

“While your… what? Starella," he stepped forward to her. "Are your Talents growing weaker?"

Her stricken look answered for her.

She didn't have time to process this before there was a rapid knock on the door.

The governor's voice rang out, "I have returned with the map, your majesties!"

The tension broke. Corvus and Starella glanced at each other, and they shared a mutual eyeroll. Majesty, ugh.

"I'll give you this much," she said, primly. "If the king ever did pay this city a visit, perhaps his nobles would know how to properly address royalty." Then she raised her voice and said, "Come in."

Being a princess, for she did not open her own doors.

The governor bustled in. Behind him came Perry with a rolled sheet of paper so large he needed both hands to carry it. There was a writing desk set in the corner. Corvus went and dragged it to the middle so all would be able to gather around it.

"How accurate is this map?" Corvus asked as Perry carefully rolled it out.

Starella stared at him as if he were a fool. "Why would anyone bother to draw an inaccurate map?"

"The Palace hasn't expanded its walls in generations, but the borders of cities change as their population increases," Corvus said. "Or if something else happens, for example, if a fire has ravaged a district. Then, maps need to be updated."

She frowned as if this had never occurred to her.

"I believe you will find this map quite complete, my prince," the governor said. "It is one I use myself."

He rolled it out and they gazed down at it. As promised, it was quite detailed. The city was labeled with several different districts, major and minor roads that ran through. Meadow City was built right up to the water’s edge with the encircling perimeter wall on the remaining three sides. Naturally, the merchant and noble districts were safely ensconced in the middle. The outer edges were for the poor.

Corvus looked to Starella. "Where are the tunnels?"

Again, she stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "I saw them underground. There weren’t points of reference."

Perry spoke up. "Do you know from which direction?"

"I..." She paused, looked at the men surrounding her, and then down at the map. She looked utterly lost.

"There were three main tunnels, but the... what did you call them, cousin? Ratkin? Yes, they are starting to branch off. The smaller ones are going ahead of the main force."

"Likely, so they can erupt at once and overwhelm the city." Corvus looked to Perry. "The rune you used to open Starella's door — do you have any more of them?"

"Charged force gems," Perry said. "A fair few, but they are expensively made. We will need to be precise."

"How long do we have?" the governor asked.

All eyes went to Starella, who wilted.

Corvus decided to take a new track. "Governor, how many people are in this city?"

"Our last census was at three quarter million. Children under two were not included, on account of the Blight."

"Of course," Corvus said evenly, looking at Starella. "More than seven-hundred fifty thousand people are counting on your Earth talent, cousin. Do you believe you could oblige them?"

"I..." She stiffened, her chin lifting in defiance, though her eyes looked wet. "Yes. Allow me a few minutes to commune with the Earth, gentlemen."

All poise, she nodded her head and walked over to sit again on the edge of her bed. Her dragon egg was clutched in her hands.

So many people in this city... and all were in terrible danger.

Corvus wanted to be sick, but he knew he didn't have that luxury.

Charm tugged on their connection. Gratefully, he turned his attention to her.

She showed him an image through her eyes. It took a few moments for him to interpret what she saw — dragon eyesight being so much different than his own.

The mortar on one portion of the wall was crumbling at the top. Stress cracks showed at the bottom. If the earth sank below, due to a tunnel, it would put stress on the rest of the wall...

Corvus took a moment to check the landmarks then thanked her and passed on a few more instructions.

He opened eyes he was not aware he had closed and looked at the map. "My dragon believes she has found where the wall has been stressed — here." Taking up a quill, he marked the location.

"You are certain?" the governor asked, then paled as he seemed to remember who he spoke to. "Begging your pardon, your majesty."

"Prince is fine, or highness. And yes, I just saw it through my dragon's eyes. It's—"

He stopped as a sharp knock came on the door.

"Excuse me." Corvus turned to open it himself. On the other side, not looking sweaty for the amount of hard riding she must have had to do to get there, was Gwen.

"Who is this?" Governor Karol demanded. "Girl, what are you doing here?"

"This is Gwen Horseman, daughter of Kale, and she is here on my invitation," Corvus said, gesturing Gwen in. "She will be Princess Starella's bodyguard until I can come back."

"NightShade will join us before long," Gwen said easily. She strode in with long, unladylike strides, not bothering to bow or acknowledge the governor. "He's visiting the stable mares, you know how he is."

Corvus inwardly cringed but said, "Of course. Gwen, please discuss your needs with the governor’s aid, Perry. And message me when Starella learns the location of the other tunnels. I will examine this one and see what I can find."

They both glanced to Starella who was sitting still as a statue at the end of the bed, her eyes closed.

"Sure," Gwen said.

"Wait, my prince. We have much to discuss—" the governor started.

That was when there was an almighty THUMP against the edge of the wall. A maid a few stories up let out a scream.

The double doors to the balcony were opened as Charm thrust her head inside.

The governor jerked back so fast he fell on his behind.

Charm didn’t spare him a look. "Hurry up, Corvus. This balcony is more delicate than I like."

Do not laugh... do not laugh... Corvus told himself. He glanced at the governor, who was being helped back to his feet by Perry.

"We will speak when I return. Please, governor, prepare your city."

Then he turned and ran to his dragon. Charm withdrew her head and neck. He climbed up on the balcony’s stone rail and onto the base of her waiting neck. He barely sat before she dropped away from the building and into the empty air.

"You enjoyed that," she said.

"You're right. I did."