Chronicles of the Dragon Pirate Read Online Free Page B

you hear Tomas if he calls?”
    “I’ve already attached a small piece of myself to him, so I’ll hear everything anyone says nearby.”
    Turning around, I gave the place where her voice was coming from a puzzled look. “How are you able to do that?”
    “How would I know? If I knew I’d tell you, Swamp-rat.”
    I grinned at the tartness of her voice. “Do you need any more of my strength?”
    “Are you jesting? I already feel as stuffed as your Christmas goose.” Her voice became more serious. “Tomas, I...just be careful tonight, alright?”
    She sounded so worried I couldn’t help chuckling. “Said the lady fair to her questing knight, right before he entered the dragon’s den. Next you’ll be plighting me your undying love.” Alfonzo put his heels to his horse’s flanks and we took off at a canter down the beach. I looked back, waiting for Smoke’s parting remark, but she remained silent. “That’s passing strange,” I said as I faced forward. “Smoke never lets me get in the last word.”
    Alfonzo raised his dark eyebrows but let the remark pass, looking forward again. “I see there’s a great deal of light in the mission village.”
    Beyond the trees and heavy brush jutting out ahead of us was a reddish glow, like the forest was on fire. The cold knot of fear returned to my belly. “What do you think it means?”
    “That we’re expected,” he said cryptically.
    We passed the jutting vegetation on our left: sand pines, bayberry, the ethereal fairies- breath with its white leaves, the horse’s hooves splashing in the ocean waves as the insects and night animals grew silent at our approach, only to resume their nightly chorus of sounds as we passed. Looking up, I spotted the mission church. It sat on the highest piece of ground available, a hillock barely worth the name. The building was made of the local sea-stone, giving it a white color that gleamed in the moonlight, and roofed with thatch. Surrounding it was a wall of logs, with guard posts at each corner, and a large main gate facing the sea.
    From where we were I could see the roof of the stables but little else, the stand of trees between the church and the shore blocking our view. I knew the village well, having passed through it many times, but tonight it was ablaze with torchlight and the sounds of at least a couple hundred people gathered together. The mission church was also well lit I saw, as Alfonzo guided his horse up the narrow trail, its walls illuminated by dragon-globes, glass balls filled with bright-fire, set in each of the guard posts, their white light casting out the darkness around them in a wide area. Alfonzo halted his mount a short distance from the open gate. It stood open, with a large group of Spaniards, soldiers in black breastplates, along with others, standing in and behind the gateway. One large Spaniard strode towards us: Master Gomez, a portly man dressed in a red tunic and blue hose, with a bushy black beard covering the jowls of his face. “What took you so long?”
    Alfonzo swung down off his horse with ease. “You told me to bring Tomas after sunset and here I am.” In truth, we could’ve arrived much earlier, but Alfonzo had wished to give me as much time to rest as I could, Smoke having taken a good bit of my strength that morning. He turned and helped me down off the horse, which normally I didn’t need. But tonight I was glad for his support as my leather shoes touched the ground.
    Master Gomez snorted. “Next time I shall frame my requests with more care. We are still waiting on the chief and his son to arrive, but the members of Draco Dominus were already here when I arrived.” He lowered his voice. “Including the head of the order.”
    Alfonzo grabbed his arm as he hissed, “Lord Marcus, here? Have you lost your wits?”
    Master Gomez snatched his arm away. “I did not expect him to be here. I...”
    “Gentlemen,” one of the soldiers said in an easy voice, “we are all friends here.