The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume II

guards are very close,” Powwell reminded her. “Light will alert them to where we are. Right now, they are stumbling around half blind. Torchlight doesn’t go very far in these caves.” He peered out into the larger cavern.
    A man with a torch rounded Old Bertha. Strange shadows danced around the flames. Powwell ducked back into the cavern. “Hurry. They are close,” he whispered harshly. His throat nearly closed on the words. He hadn’t seen the wraith, but the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stood up as it did when it was near.
    Yaassima would kill him this time. She’d kill them all without a trial or explanation or anything.
    Yaala pulled a small black box out of her pocket. “ ’Motes work on the wands and the slapping rocks. Yaassima has several of them stashed in her pockets and hidden in her jewelry. That’s how she triggers her special effects. This one might work on the necklace, if it’s connected to the same frequency.” She pressed the box against the clasp.
    A soft whirring buzzed around the tunnel followed by a loud rattle. The necklace fell into Nimbulan’s hands. Myri nearly collapsed against him. She rested her head on his shoulder.
    “Gate’s opening again,” Scarface whispered.
    “Hurry, the guard is coming.” Powwell risked a quick peek into the cavern. The guard investigating Old Bertha and the two staffs jammed into her innards looked up at the sounds from the ’mote.
    “It’s a desert this time. Hotter than the wind portending it. Weird arching rocks,” Scarface said, disappointed.
    “I’ve counted one hundred heartbeats between cycles,” Nimbulan said.
    “They aren’t regular,” Powwell told him. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. I’ve counted ten different locations and they don’t come in the same order every time. The snows-cape is new to me.”
    “We’ve got to get out of here. There are twenty men with torches out there, coming this way!” Kalen wailed. “I think Televarn is dead.” Big tears rolled down her cheeks.
    Kalen never cried. Powwell’s heart felt too heavy to stay in his chest. His beloved Kalen cried for a murdering Rover when she wouldn’t cry for anyone else.
    “Stargods, I wish I had a dragon,” Nimbulan whispered. “I wish Rollett were here, or would answer my calls. Can anyone else reach him?”
    Scarface and Myri both shook their heads.
    “Wish all you want, we have to take the next gate out. No matter what the location,” Powwell whispered, moving away from the tunnel opening. Kalen remained, peering out. She dried her tears with her sleeve and stared grimly at Old Bertha.
    “There they are! Get the Kaaliph,” a guard yelled. His words echoed around the cavern. His footsteps sounded like thunder as he ran toward Kalen at the tunnel entrance.
    “Gate opening,” Scarface sighed at the first puff of the wind.
    “Pray for green trees or a dragon,” Nimbulan tossed the necklace into the still visible pit. The portal seemed to explode in a shower of every color in the spectrum.
    Green trees materialized before their eyes. Trees and rough grass and round mountain peaks behind. More slowly, the outline of a shimmering dragon flickered into view.
    “Go, go, go,” Powwell shouted. He grabbed for Kalen’s hand to pull her through the gate with him.
    “Wiggles!” she screamed and pulled free of Powwell’s grasp. She chased after her familiar as it scampered into the main cavern.
    “Kalen!”
    “No, Powwell, we have to leave, now. She made the choice.” Nimbulan grabbed his arm. His teacher dragged him away from the cavern opening. Kalen disappeared into the darkness beyond.
    “Kalen,” Powwell called. “I can’t leave you.”
    “You must. We have to escape now. She made her choice,” Nimbulan insisted. “She’ll follow us when she can. If she wants to. She’s a survivor.”
    The constant whining coming from Old Bertha raised in pitch to the intensity of a dragon scream. “Kalen, get away from the machine!” Powwell yelled.
    Metal screamed against metal as pieces ripped free. A single boom and thud that shook the ground beneath them. Red fire, brighter than the pit, blazed within the cavern. A fissure opened in the wall, running horizontally from the pit into the cavern. Lava glowed behind it. Then another explosion was followed by the screams of dying men.
    Blazing lava flared from the pit through the vision of the gate’s destination.
    Nimbulan yanked him harder. Powwell felt as if he were flying.