I am noble, he agreed, but if I sacrificed myself, I would never again be able to enjoy the invigoration of the hunt or feast on the flesh of the sleek and delicious yavarra of my home realm.
“And you’d never get petted by Dimitri again.” I patted his head, even though he’d insinuated that my hands weren’t as good for petting as Dimitri’s. What could I say? Nobody had accused me of having a gentle touch.
That would also be unfortunate. Sindari looked around without pulling away from my ministrations. Maybe my hands weren’t that bad, after all. You defeated all of those skeletons? Your skills as a warrior and sorceress have improved vastly in the time I’ve known you.
“Actually, I ran out of bullets, lost the dwarven sword, and was about to get my ass kicked by those guys. Fortunately, Zav and his dragon army killed the lich at an extremely timely moment, and the skeletons collapsed.”
You at least slew the thief who’s plagued you so and retrieved your sword.
For a second, I was tempted to let him believe that, so he wouldn’t think less of my warrior skills, but Li didn’t deserve to have her sacrifice hidden. “The skeletons got her. She helped keep them off my back while I was dealing with the artifact.” I brushed the sleeve of my jacket, grunting at a hole the stove had zapped in it. “I’m afraid I didn’t defeat much of anyone.”
I thought about explaining my mixed feelings on Li, and how I regretted not being able to save her, but it would be too much effort to articulate now. Maybe I would tell Zav later. He understood honor and trying to do the right thing and all that jazz.
“You’re stuck working with a mediocre warrior and sorceress,” I added.
You are not mediocre. Sindari sat down and started licking his wounds.
“Thanks.” I released him and stood up. “Can you hang out here for a while? Zav has a potion now that can cure those tainted wounds. We just need to wait for him to get done dancing on the body of the lich, or whatever dragons do to celebrate after they slay enemies. And I’m hoping he has a more permanent solution to that artifact too.” I eyed the stove, wary that the red mist would find a way to escape into the chamber.
Yes. I will wait and stand guard until he arrives. There may be other dangers here.
“True.” I would be careful looking around in case there were booby traps. I held Chopper out, the hilt comfortable and familiar in my hand. “I guess I should do what I originally came here for and try to find out all about you.”
It and the three others here, Sindari said.
“Three other… swords?”
Yes. I sense them over here. He rose stiffly and padded past tombs, amphoras, weapons racks, and artifacts of all kinds to a wall where scroll cases rested in rows of circular niches hollowed out forty or fifty high.
More weapons racks stood in front of the wall of scrolls. The entire area radiated magic, so I didn’t know how Sindari could pick out anything in particular, but he stopped in front of an ornate rack of swords with the golden bust of a bearded dwarf looking down upon them. The blacksmith or enchanter—or both—who had crafted them long ago?
Chopper flared a brighter blue in my hand as I approached the rack. More than that, a humming sensation ran up my arm from the hilt. It didn’t seem to hint of danger. If anything, my sword seemed… pleased.
Sindari sat in front of the rack. There were slots for four swords, but only three were in use. To my senses, they are similar to your Chopper.
I also sensed strong magic emanating from them, magic that was similar to that of my blade, but I didn’t know if that meant they were all dragon blades. They could be some other kind of magical sword. But…
“Li did say that the lich sent her to get Chopper because she wanted to get rid of all the blades capable of hurting her. Maybe she also dug up these and put them here for safe keeping.”
That is possible, Sindari said. Or they may have always been here. There is a great deal of powerful and rare magic in here. It is not surprising that a thief would be drawn to this place, though it is surprising that she could get in. Maybe the lich destroyed whatever traps and deterrents were in place.
“Probably. Anyone who can beat up Zav is badass.” I eyed all the relics. “The dwarves should be happy to get the place back… whenever they come out of their underground cities and realize it’s theirs again.”
Perhaps someone should inform them that the lich is gone. They may be grateful to those who did the deed.
“I’ll let Zav or one of the other dragons chat them up. I don’t need credit for helping.”
They may be more inclined to assist you in your quest to better understand your sword if they feel grateful to you.
Or they might demand Chopper back if they knew I had it.
“I’m hoping I can just find the right scroll, take photos of it, show Freysha, and she can translate its wisdom—and hopefully a long list of command words—for me.” I’d turned off my phone as soon as I’d arrived here, hoping to save the battery in case I needed it. With luck, there would be enough juice for a photo op with a scroll.
Which scroll? Sindari tilted his head back to look at the rows and rows of circular slots in the wall. There must be thousands.
“You don’t have to stay while I look.”
I said I would guard you, and I will. He kept eyeing the rows and rows of scroll cases. Though searching them appears… boring.
“Boring? I thought apex predators were known for their patience. Don’t you stand unmoving in a thicket for days, preparing to ambush whatever innocent antelope ambles through?”
I have no wish to ambush scrolls.
I didn’t want to either. Or look at hundreds of them. Especially since I didn’t read dwarven. How would I know when I found the right one?
I am coming for you, my mate, Zav’s voice rang in my mind. The lich has been disposed of in such a way as to ensure she cannot be reanimated.
Uh, good. Was that a possibility? I didn’t want to think about it. I need you.
When I am once again in human form, I will also be filled with ardor for you. The battle was magnificent, and I know how crucial a role you played in helping us.
I’m glad, but what I meant is that I need you to translate some dwarven scrolls and help me find one that pertains to Chopper.
That thought does not fill me with ardor.
Sorry.
I am coming.
“Zav isn’t excited about ambushing scrolls either,” I said, sensing him arriving in the tunnels.
The other dragons were having a powwow on top of the mountain. Since Zondia hadn’t acknowledged me earlier, I felt no need to say hi to any of them. The idea of all of them showing up at my wedding was still moderately terrifying.
“Hey, Chopper,” I whispered to the sword, assuming it would take Zav a while to make his way down here. “Any chance you can help me find your secrets? Is there anything in here that explains your history and… you?”
You believe it will answer? Sindari asked, a polite way of suggesting I might be crazy for talking to my sword.
“We have a developing relationship.”
Chopper had responded to me, sort of, before, but other than its glowing interest in what might be fellow dragon blades, it didn’t point me toward a particular scroll.
I closed my eyes, lifted the blade, envisioned it as a divining rod, and willed it to point me in the right direction. Was it nudging me ever so slightly to the right? Not sure if it was my imagination or not, I let my arms and the sword swing in that direction and walked slowly along the banks of scrolls.