Page 22 of Queen’s Griffon (Swords & Tiaras #2)
Chapter 21
Avera
The door behind Avera opened so abruptly that she, along with Lenno and Frisk, fell into the building. While the men recovered quickly, jumping to their feet to glare and point their weapons, Avera gaped. They’d been rescued by an older fellow with snowy white hair, a creased visage heavily scarred on one cheek, wearing a tattered tunic and pants repaired with patches of mismatched fabric.
“Who are you?” Lenno shouted, menacing with his blade.
“Is this how you thank people who save you?” the stranger asked with an arched brow.
“Ain’t no one supposed to live here.” Frisk backed his comrade and also aimed his sword.
“Not many do,” the man stated, his lips turning down. “I do believe I’m the last one left.”
Avera picked herself—and her jaw—up from the floor. “Our thanks, sir, for your timely intervention.”
“I almost didn’t let you in. Merisu thieves aren’t welcome here.” The fellow offered a stern glare at the Lenno and Frisk, but his expression softened as he eyed Avera. “However, then I saw you. You’re Verlorian.”
“Half. My mother was Daervian,” Avera stated, eyeing the stranger, wondering why he appeared familiar.
“I’m glad to know some of my people escaped,” the old man stated. “I feared the worst, that the Verlorians had died out.”
“There aren’t many,” Avera answered truthfully. “A few hundred scattered around.”
“So few,” the man murmured.
“Who else is here?” Lenno glanced around with a scowl.
“Just me,” offered the man with a shrug. “Verlora isn’t exactly welcoming of visitors, as you might have noticed.”
“How did you scare off the dragon?” Frisk queried.
“With a novelty item. Fireworks, they’re called, although you might not be familiar with the term as they were a Verlorian invention that hadn’t been distributed outside our borders when the volcano erupted.”
“You’ve been here since the cataclysm?” Avera asked as Lenno blustered, “What’s a firework?”
“It is an explosion of light and sound. Colors, too, depending on the mixture. Quite lovely when set off at night.” The old man offered an explanation that didn’t make much sense. He glanced at Avera. “And yes, I’ve been here since the volcano and everything that followed. I had to stay in the hopes of righting what went wrong.”
“You know what happened?” Avera asked.
“Didn’t you pay attention? A volcano exploded,” Lenno snapped.
The stranger’s expression turned somber. “I’m aware seeing as how I was in charge of the experiment that caused the eruption and started that unfortunate chain reaction of events.”
“Did this experiment involve five rocks?” Avera queried.
The man’s brows raised so high they almost merged with his snowy white hairline. “What do you know of the Dracova stones?”
Hearing the name had Avera’s pulse racing. “I’m aware they were stolen and are very important. I’m on a quest to retrieve and return them to Fraegus Spire, where they were once used to imprison an ancient being named Zhos?—"
“Screw your mission. You’ve already been told the stones are going to the emperor,” Lenno brusquely interrupted. “So hand them over, old man, that we might leave this accursed place.”
“You are quite rude,” the stranger declared with a frown.
“And mean,” Lenno growled. “I’m also out of patience, so your choices are to give me the rocks and I leave, or I start cutting body parts from you until you hand them over.”
“I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”
“Actually, it is. Do you know where they are, yes or no?” Lenno snapped. “And keep in mind if it’s no, then I ain’t got no use for you.”
The man’s lips turned down. “I know their location, however they won’t be easy to retrieve.”
The tip of Lenno’s blade poked the man in the neck. “You will take me to them at once.”
“Or what? You’ll kill me? Go ahead. At least I’ll know they’re safe from the likes of you,” huffed the old fellow.
“Don’t tempt me,” Lenno rumbled, but he didn’t press the issue. Not yet.
“What is this place?” Frisk wandered around and poked with his sword at the clutter of boxes and empty sacks.
“Used to be the reception area for the Research Facility for the Advancement of Science and Technology and the main entrance to the underground labs. Now it’s where I dump items I find during my supply runs. Not that there’s much useful left to scrounge, thanks to thieves and other detrimental factors. I would have starved years ago but for our subterranean mushroom garden.” The man grimaced. “What I wouldn’t give for some fruit or even some fish. Alas, I dare not be outdoors for long. It watches for me.”
“What watches?” Avera queried.
“The dragon. Once it’s decided you’re the enemy, it doesn’t give up until you’re dead.”
The words reminded her of what Vinmo said. “Why does it think you’re the enemy?” Avera questioned the odd choice of words. “It’s an animal. Isn’t it simply hunting?”
“A dragon is much more intelligent than the creatures you know. More than we’d ever imagined. At times I regret my role in bringing it back.” The man grabbed at a chain around his neck and a locket spilled out. A locket familiar to Avera as she’d inherited one exactly like it from her mother.
Avera’s mind whirred and her mouth moved before she could stop it. “You’re Basil Currosa.”
Her father.