Millie Lucas and her handsome dragon protector Benjamin Castle are about to find themselves in a very sandy situation.
Their jaunt to the seaside port of Pernix is interrupted by the arrival of a stranger interested in their magic. Before they know it, they’re whisked off to the island nation of Kalea where it’s revealed that the king himself demands they give over a part of their spell-casting abilities for the sake of his kingdom. Their unique system of protecting themselves is failing, and only the infusion of fresh magic will save it from collapsing.
They’re rescued from the theft of their magic by the vouching of Ben’s cousin, a wealthy prince of the nation. Unfortunately, his cousin’s position, too, has recently become shaky with the king. A horrible curse hangs over their house, brought upon by an unknown assailant, and their hiring of a hag, to prevent worse misfortune has alienated many allies, the royalty included.
Now Millie and Ben must discover not only the source of the trouble for his cousin but what’s causing the failing of the island’s protective barrier. Danger looms in the background as shadowy forces seek to stop them from finding the truths they seek, even if it means resorting to murder.
What a view, and what a racket.
I stepped off the carriage and winced as the din of the port city of Pernix rang in my ears. Men shouted at one another, ordering their compatriots about for the loading and unloading of cargo from the countless ships of countless sizes. The port was laid out with the central focus around the curve of the large crescent-shaped bay. Low natural sea walls surrounded the bay and left a gap of about a mile for the ships to enter and leave. Docks of various sizes stretched out into the blue-green waters that lapped at the white-sand beaches. Warehouses lined the large wharf, and at this noon hour their doors were wide open for the intake and outtake of the many different goods that were being unloaded by the burly, tanned men. Vendors had set up shop all along the wharf and offered their wares freshly caught or freshly unloaded.
The city proper was a hodgepodge of mansions, stores, and small dwellings.
The cheapest were made from the cast-off remains of ships and docks, and the most expensive were white palaces with gardens that overlooked the crystalline waters. They were set out at odd angles according to the angle of the nearest dock so that the streets sometimes crashed into each other at odd spots and then continued on their merry way or merged.
A half dozen wagons rolled past us filled with crates and boxes. Little kids leapt onto the rear board and bounced their way down the city streets until they came to the sweet shops. Women hurried past us with baskets on their arms laden with fresh fish and vegetables of all shapes and sizes. There were even bags of flour and rice, and the sweet aroma of spices filled the air.
“This is. . .chaotic,” I commented to my companion.
Ben smiled down at me. “Wonderful, isn’t it?”
I tilted my head to one side and cleaned out one ear. “Well, it’s certainly telling me I don’t need hearing aids.”
He nodded at the boardwalk of merchant stalls. “Care to have a look around? There may be some sweets from afar.”
My ears perked up at the idea and I grabbed his hand. “Why didn’t you say that sooner?”
I tugged him down the wharf and into the jungle of vendors. There were fewer sweet stalls than at the thunder race, but I found a delightful one that featured strings of gummy bonbons and jars filled with hard candies in all shapes, sizes, and flavors.
While I slobbered over the many varieties of goodies, something else caught Ben’s attention. He wandered over to a nearby stall that featured a wide range of walking sticks. One corkscrew-looking piece of wood in particular captured his focus, and he drew it out of the large pot that held a dozen of the staff.
Curiosity brought me over to him, much to the chagrin of the sweets vendor. I noticed that the black surface of the wood had a smooth shine to it. “What is it?”
“A number of these trees grow around the Rookwood estate,” he told me as he examined the stick.
The middle-aged vendor with a relatively toothless mouth grinned and nodded. “Yes, sir, I know that home. It abuts the Werewald, doesn’t it?”
Ben nodded. “Yes. That is where this stick was gathered, wasn’t it?”
The proprietor bobbed his head. “Just so, sir, just so. It came at a great personal risk to me to fetch it considering the werewolves, but this wood makes for a very pretty stick, don’t you think?”
Ben smiled. “And very expensive, I imagine.”
“I did risk my soul to fetch it,” the vendor reminded him.
“How much?”
“A hundred denari, but I have change to trade for a baron.”
Ben reached into his pocket and drew out his purse. He rifled through it before bringing out the required coinage. He received a few other coins back and the ownership of the stick.
The vendor was all smiles as he bowed his head. “Thank you very much, sir. I hope you enjoy your purchase.”
“So what’s so special about that stick?” I asked him as we wandered back to the eager sweet vendor.
“I remember as a youth venturing into the Werewald for these branches,” he mused as he admired the smooth surface. “This particular tree is called the ‘witch’ because of its bewitchingly smooth bark that masks tiny barbs.”
I squinted at the wood. “I don’t see any barbs.”
“They’ve fortunately been filed off, leaving behind only the-ouch!” He stopped us at the sweet stall and stuck his finger in his mouth.
I blinked at him. “Are you okay?”
He removed his finger and glared at his digit which was slightly puffy. “Most of the barbs have been filed off.”
I noticed something along one end of the wood. “What are those? They look like tiny holes.”
He nodded. “They’re holes made by the nightmare slug. The creature is commonly found in witch wood, which is another reason for its name.”
I wrinkled my nose. “How about you tell me more about the slug after I’ve eaten my candy?”
Ben smiled and swept his hand over the vast array of goodies. “Purchase what you wish, provided it isn’t the whole cart.”
I picked out what looked most delicious, and in a few minutes we found ourselves strolling the wharf trying to avoid being crushed by crates and angry workmen.
“What do you think of the port?” Ben wondered.
“It’s certainly busy,” I mused as I sniffed one of the candies. A snort escaped my nostrils. “I swear I can still smell thunder fumes whenever I eat candy.”
He chuckled. “It’s the lingering excitement of the event in the air of the port. Sometimes it lasts for weeks, or at least until the last foreign spectator has ventured home on one of the boats.”
I looked out toward the sea and the glistening waters. “What is that way? I think you mentioned there was some kind of island country where an aunt of yours became a noble.”
Ben pointed due south from our position. “That would be Kalea some fifty miles out. You can just make out a low hill in the distance that is the sandstorm that protects the island.”
I swept my eyes over the wharf. “Is there a spot where we can enjoy the water without also admiring someone’s tattoo?”
His eyes twinkled. “We’re headed there now.”
Our feet took us down the wharf to the eastward arm of the sea wall. The commercial noise was replaced by the soothing call of the sea as the waves glided over the white sand. An ancient path of weathered boards, each of a different size and age, led to the very tip of the narrow land mass. The earth sloped steeply down near the end so we were able to take a seat facing outward and have our legs dangle over the edge.
I leaned forward and admired the view. The green-blue sea of Ceorulus stretched out before us as far as I could see. The only blemish on the horizon was the dot of Kalea in the far distance.
The waters gently lapped at the stones beneath our feet and created a sweet lullaby. “It’s so peaceful.”
Ben stiffened by my side and his eyes darted toward the port. I looked at what had caught his attention and discovered a single man strolling toward us. He was dressed in white cloth of some light material and some of it was draped over his head in a hood that partially concealed his face. One of his hands was tucked into his open shirt that revealed his very tanned skin.
He stopped a few feet away and smiled at us. “Excuse me. Would I be interrupting you if I passed?”
Ben shook his head. “Not at all, but I suspect that isn’t all you wish to do.”
The man chuckled. “You are a very astute person. Perhaps that is why you give off such an imposing presence of magic?”
“And how would you know that?” Ben wondered as he slowly climbed to his feet. For my part, I scuttled to my feet.
The man drew out his hand and revealed a small ball that appeared to be made of sand. The countless bits of colorful dust gave off a soft glow of yellow light. “This, my friend, is what tells me you are needed.”
I blinked at him. “Needed for what?”
He snapped his fingers. A strange ripple appeared around him, and the next moment a half dozen men leapt out from behind the stranger. They wore the same garb but also sported very large sticks with strange sapphire stones on the tips. The men raced toward us and Ben positioned himself in front of me. They lifted their sticks and the stones let off a soft glow.
It was at that moment I felt a strange lethargy fall over me. “B-Ben,” I whispered as I dropped to my knees.
Ben spun around to aid me and one of the attackers hit him hard on the back of the head. He crumpled to the ground beside me and blood pooled at the point of impact. I covered his body with my own as the men surrounded us.
Their leader stepped forward and there was an apologetic look on his face. “We are sorry to do this, miss, but it must be done to save our people.”
I couldn’t find the energy to reply as all the strength was sapped from me. The world grew dark and I fell into unconsciousness.
