“It is good to harry the enemy as they flee,” Graxion rumbled.

  I appreciated the red dragon’s sentiment. “I understand. I don’t like letting them get away. That horn that sounded their retreat came from the north. We don't know what other forces the enemy has in reserve. They may be waiting for us.”

  Bakaan sneered. “That sounds too complicated for goblins. Normally, they hit and run.”

  Graxion gave the black dragon a long stare and then he looked at the wound in the dragon’s chest. “Never underestimate your foe.”

  Bakaan frowned. Then he nodded.

  “Long live Avalon! Long live Avalon!” The soldiers on the roof of the keep were cheering.

  Monica looked toward the keep’s entrance. “We won't be able to enter the keep from the door. The way is clogged with dead goblins and debris.”

  “Graxion, let's fly up to the roof.” I said. The dragons leapt off the castle wall, flapped their wings, and then carefully landed on top of the keep.

  It looked like all the soldiers had gathered on the rooftop. I could see the relief on their faces. I couldn’t imagine the stress they must have been under.

  “Who is in charge here?” I asked.

  A grizzled-looking veteran stepped forward. He had gray eyes and a close-cropped salt-and-pepper beard. “I am Captain Torben, my lord.” Then he nodded to Lady Monica.

  “Captain, this is King Roman,” Monica explained.

  The captain grinned. “I gathered as much as you are riding, Graxion. Well met, my lord.”

  “Captain Torben, have you suffered casualties?”

  The captain’s face was grim. “Four soldiers, my lord. We managed to get about a dozen horses into the keep when we saw the gate first cracking. Unfortunately, the other horses and animals were either killed or taken by the goblins.”

  I nodded. “I'm sad to hear of the losses. You and your men acquitted yourselves quite well under these extreme circumstances.”

  “Aye, my lord. We had lost hope when we saw the dragons fly away last night. We are glad you returned.”

  Monica looked at me with pride. “Our first efforts were unsuccessful. We had to regroup, and the king devised a new tactic.”

  “Trolls are fearsome creatures. They do not fall easily,” Graxion agreed.

  The captain glanced towards the gatehouse. “A chill ran through my bones when I saw those four trolls approaching the gate. I knew our days were numbered and the gate wouldn't hold against their attack.”

  “How many losses would you estimate the goblin force suffered?” Monica asked.

  Captain Torben walked to the castle parapet. He surveyed the dead bodies. “Between the losses they suffered trying to breach the gate and the keep… and those the dragons killed.”

  He paused for a moment as he did some mental calculations. “I would guess they lost almost half their force, my lady.”

  “They also lost one of their trolls. That should discourage them from attacking again in the near future,” Graxion added.

  I hoped Graxion was right. It would take time to repair the damage the trolls had done to the fortress.

  “My lord, smoke!” One of the archers was pointing to the south. Somewhere beyond the hills, a column of black smoke was rising up into the sky.

  The captain jogged to the parapet. “The village of Boyds. The goblins must have sent raiders once they had us trapped in the keep.”

  Damn it, I thought.

  “Captain Torben, if the goblins return, hold on the best you can. We will send reinforcements when they are available.”

  He bowed towards me. “Yes, my lord.”

  The dragons leapt into the sky, and we headed southwards toward the thickening column of smoke.

  9

  Chapter Nine

  We flew over the last hill, following the road southwards. As we glided along the valley floor, I could see figures hurrying toward us along the road.

  “Goblins,” Graxion said as we flew over the green-skinned warriors.

  I counted a dozen of them on foot. They were escorting three wagons pulled by oxen. Each cart also had two or three goblins on it.

  They weren't moving quickly because the carts were heavily laden with loot. As we flew over them, the goblins yelled in surprise. They scattered, abandoning the wagons, running for the woods several hundred yards from the road.

  “Fry them,” I commanded as Graxion wheeled towards them again. A blast of fire crisped some of the goblins. I noticed that his flame was weaker than it had been when we were fighting at the fortress.

  His back claws raked across two more, knocking them to the ground, bleeding and broken. Bakaan hit another group with small whirlwinds, knocking them over. He fell among them, using his teeth and claws to rend and tear them apart, while Monica stabbed at them with her spear.

  Graxion wheeled around again and hit another group with a small fireball. Breaking his speed with his wings, the dragon landed near another group of three goblins, cutting off their escape into the forest.

  With nowhere else to go, the goblins charged. I quickly unstrapped one of my axes and threw it at the center goblin.

  “Thunk,” the axe sank into the round wooden shield that the goblin was carrying, embedding deeply and causing a large crack. I quickly unsheathed my sword as Graxion bit one of the charging goblins in half, while his right hand grabbed the third goblin.

  The goblin warrior futilely struck at the dragon's hand with his axe, but the blows bounced off the dragon's thick scales. Graxion slammed the warrior into the ground, crushing the life from him.

  I drew my sword as the goblin with the shield drew closer. I readied to parry his attack, but then Graxion reared up.

  The goblin was too far beneath me, and I couldn’t reach him with my sword. I could see why Monica preferred her spears.

  Graxion struck with the speed of a viper, snapping his jaws around the goblin's torso, crushing the green warrior’s chest and arms.

  The red dragon spit out the remains, looking around for more foes. All the other goblins were dead.

  “Raiding party,” Monica said as she pointed at the wagons.

  The two dragons walked over to where the oxen patiently waited. The three carts were overflowing with bags and boxes and random items just thrown willy-nilly on them. The loot was stacked high, and ropes were lashed over the piles to keep them from falling.

  Monica frowned as she examined the wagons. “With the fortress besieged, it was easy for these goblins to slip through the pass and attack our villages and farms.”

  I looked toward the smoke rising in the distance. “We need to check on that fire.”

  Bakaan knelt so Monica could dismount. “Let me untie these oxen first.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  Monica unhooked the first pair of oxen from their yoke. “At least they will be able to forage for food and water. With luck, they'll find their way back to their farms.”

  Graxion frowned as he gazed towards the south. “If there are any farms left for them to return to.”

  ***

  I could see the village of Boyds burning ahead of us as we flew over the valley floor. Some of the outlying farm buildings were smouldering, smoke rising from the charred ruins.

  The village was protected by a wooden palisade wall, but I could see that its gate had been broken. We circled the village once, looking for signs of goblins. The only signs of life were the crows that flew away as the dragons neared.

  We landed in the village square. The smaller buildings were burnt-out husks, but a few larger buildings were still on fire. Graxion knelt, and I dismounted, drawing my sword. Monica joined me, her spear ready.

  Dead bodies were strewn around the courtyard. Men, women, children- all slaughtered indiscriminately. I felt sick to my stomach. It reminded me of the village in the Caucasus that we had tried to save, my friend Charlie and me.

  “They killed everyone, sparing no one.” The feeling of disgust was replaced with anger as I surveyed the dead.

  “The goblins hate everyone, though they say they hate the dwarves the most.” Monica’s face was a mix of sadness and resignation as she looked at the corpses of the villagers.

  I walked around the square. “I only see two dead goblins.”

  “There are no soldiers here to protect the village, only the citizens themselves. The goblins are trained warriors. The villagers didn’t stand a chance once the gate was breached,” Monica explained.

  The two dead goblins wore mismatched pieces of armor. The dead villagers wore simple farmer’s clothing. A few had fought with wood axes and long knives.

  I walked around the village, looking for survivors. Monica trailing after me. The dragons waited in the village square.

  As I turned a corner, I noticed a pile of goblin corpses in front of a burning house. Two of the walls were still standing.

  “This must have been the last building the goblins set on fire,” Monica said as we stopped in front of the pile of dead goblins.

  “Some of the villagers had made a last stand here,” I guessed.

  I sheathed my sword and began pulling the goblin bodies off the pile, tossing them to the side. The goblins were about five feet tall and not very heavy.

  A man's body lay at the bottom of the pile. His thick leather jerkin had been slashed in multiple places. His face was bruised and blackened under a coating of dried blood.

  “He fought well,” Monica said.

  “He died, but at least he took some of these damn goblins with him.” The dead man was tall and strongly built. He was one of my people, and I was angry that he had died like this. The goblins would pay dearly for attacking my kingdom.

  I grabbed the man's body by the ankles and began dragging him toward the square.

  “What are you doing?” Monica asked.

  “He fought well. I can't leave their bodies out for the crows to eat. We need to bury them or cremate them.”

  Suddenly, the body let out a low moan. The noise startled me and I dropped his ankles. The man let out another moan. He was alive!

  “Incredible!” Monica said as we knelt down next to him.

  I felt his neck. There was a faint pulse.

  “Can you hear me?” I asked, but the man remained unconscious.

  “What is it?” I heard Graxion ask as he and Bakaan walked over to where we were kneeling next to the injured man.

  “This man is still alive.”

  “Interesting,” the dragon said as he peered at the bruised and battered villager.

  “We need to get him to Blackbird Forks. Hopefully, there is a healer or at least a doctor there,” Monica said.

  “You're right,” I agreed.

  Then I looked at the other dead bodies strewn about. My citizens' bodies. “Our people deserve better than to be left to rot out here.”

  Graxion looked around at the dead bodies. “The dead are dead. They are beyond our help. But perhaps this one can be saved.”

  I nodded. The dragon was right. I would leave them, but they would be avenged.

  The dragons knelt and Monica and I mounted. Graxion carefully picked up the man in his clawed hands. The dragons leapt into the air and we headed southwards towards Blackbird Forks.

  10

  Chapter Ten

  The door to the town hall of Blackbird Forks opened. An older man carrying a leather satchel hurried in.

  Mayor Weber, a stoutly built dwarven woman, gave the man a smile. “Doctor Zimmer.”

  The doctor’s eyes scanned the room. “I came as soon as I could. Where is the patient?”

  We had set up the wounded man in one of the rooms of the town hall. Blackbird Forks had no keep of its own, though it did have a sturdy stone wall protecting it.

  The administrative center of the community was the town hall. It was where the mayor kept her residence. There were also spare rooms for visiting officials and dignitaries.

  The mayor had given me a tour of the building while we waited for the doctor to arrive. The chief constable, the local tax collector, and Mayor Weber’s assistant had their offices in the building. A small prison was housed in the basement.

  We led the doctor to the wounded man. Monica had been sitting in a chair next to the bed. She stood and moved aside for the doctor.

  Doctor Zimmer grimaced as he looked at the man's bruised face. “Ah, poor Liam. What happened to him?”

  “You know this man?” I asked.

  “Yes, my lord. Liam and his brother are boar hunters from the village of Boyd.”

  “Boyd was attacked by goblin raiders.”

  The doctor’s eyes widened in surprise. “No! Are there other survivors?”

  I shook my head. “No, everyone else was killed.”

  Doctor Zimmer shook his head sadly. “Damn goblins. I had heard that Nandor's pass was under attack.”

  The doctor began examining Liam. “He must have taken quite the beating to look like this. Normally, a rock mage hardly ever gets injured.”

  It took a moment for the doctor’s words to register. “Wait… did you say this man is a rock mage?”

  The doctor nodded. “Oh, yes, my lord. He's a wild boar hunter. Him and his brother, William. They'll bring the hides and tusks here, though oftentimes they take it to Crossroads to sell.”

  “I have heard of Liam the boar hunter, but I had never met the man,” Mayor Weber looked at the wounded man with renewed curiosity.

  I glanced at Monica. “I wonder if he's the rock mage that Marco spoke of.”

  “He may very well be,” Monica agreed.

  “Is his brother William also a rock mage?”

  “No, my lord.” The doctor cleaned Liam’s wounds and wrapped a bandage around his head.

  A short time later, the doctor sighed. “When he wakes, I will give him some lotus powder. It will help ease the pain. There's not much else I can do for him, my lord. I can just hope that he survives the beating he took.”

  I nodded. “Queen Yvette should be here soon. Hopefully, her healing power can help him.”

  “Aye, my lord,” the doctor agreed.

  Monica and I left the doctor and the mayor with the wounded man. We walked out of the town hall. Graxion and Bakaan were resting in the square.

  Children from the town gathered and gawked at the two magnificent beasts resting near the central fountain. Seeing the looks of amazement on their faces lifted my spirits.

  As we stood watching the children, a carriage pulled by a team of four horses clip-clopped into view. The carriage circled around the dragons and pulled up to the inn across the square. In addition to the driver, there were two guards with crossbows on the roof of the coach.

  “What is that vehicle?” I asked.

  Monica looked across the square. “That is a traveler’s coach. Those that can afford it use it for traveling between cities and towns.”

  A man stepped out of the coach. His long white hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Even from across the square, I could see that he had the pointed ears of an elf. He was dressed in a tan-colored robe.

  The man reached into the coach and pulled out a strange-looking guitar. He strapped it across his back and turned to look at the dragons.

  “A musician?” I asked.

  Monica shrugged her shoulders. “Probably a bard. Their preferred instrument is the lute.”

  The bard stretched, and then he walked across the square towards Graxion. The red dragon lifted his head up and nodded at the man. “Greetings, Kashko.”

  “Hail, Graxion! It has been many years.”

  Monica and I looked at each other in surprise. They knew each other. We walked over to them. As we drew closer, I could see the elf had thick white eyebrows and a white goatee. His gray eyes were framed with fine wrinkles.

  Graxion turned his head towards me. “Kashko, this is King Roman.”

  Kashko turned to look at me, raising his bushy white eyebrows. “King Roman, you say?”

  He bowed to me. “Greetings, my lord. May I ask… king of where?”

  Monica raised her chin proudly. “This is King Roman Dravik of Avalon.”

  The elf frowned. “Avalon? And that means King Harold is dead. What happened?”

  Graxion shook his head sadly. “It is an interesting story, Kashko, an interesting story.”

  The old man smiled at the dragon. “Stories are my business, my stock in trade. I am eager to hear the story of King Harold and King Roman Dravik.”

  Bakaan grinned at the elf. “Perhaps, Bard Kashko, if you promise to play him a song, King Roman will invite you to dinner with him.”

  Kasko tilted his head as he turned to look at the black dragon. “Have we met? You seem familiar, but I can not place you.”

  Graxion introduced the black dragon to the elf. “Kashko, this is Bakaan, formerly of Savon.”

  The elf lifted his hand and rubbed his chin. “Bakaan… of Lepo.”

  Then he turned to me and smiled. “My curiosity is piqued, King Roman. I will play you a tune and buy you and your companion dinner. I am staying at the inn for a few days.”

  I gave the bard a smile in return. “I could use a good meal after the last few days of travel rations.”

  Kashko bowed, and then he turned on his heel and walked towards the inn, whistling a complicated tune.

  11

  Chapter Eleven

  The mayor had two guest rooms prepared for us in the town hall. After Monica and I bathed, we changed into the fresh clothes we had brought in our packs. One of the servants took our dirty clothes away to be washed.

  “If you would like, my lord, I can have meals prepared and brought here,” the mayor asked when we headed back to the main hall.

  “That won’t be necessary. Lady Monica and I will be eating dinner at the inn tonight,” I explained.

  Mayor Weber smiled. “I have heard a bard is staying at the inn, my lord. Perhaps he will entertain you with a song.”