Dragon Hunter

Chapter 27: Delve into Darkness

"About?" Vannea tautly asked, her patience with the visitors from Indurain starting to run thin.

Kaisea looked over at her, then back at Cooper.

"My mother intends to invite you to dinner so she can seduce you, Cooper, with the purpose of trying to bind you to the central government with her flesh!" she revealed in a rush.

"Oh. That." Cooper turned and began walking down the path once again, Vannea quickly falling into step with him. "We already figured that out."

"You ... did?" Kaisea asked as she fell in on the opposite side from Vannea.

"Your mother isn't as clever as she thinks she is," Vannea pointed out, her tone tart. "And she foolishly thinks that controlling Cooper will ensure his compliance with the battle plan. The Dragon Hunter is neither Indurain nor Kaliban. He is the Dragon Hunter. He fights for all of us."

Kaisea pulled her eyes off the high priestess and back to Cooper.

"So ... you're not going to dinner with her tonight?" she carefully asked.

Cooper snorted.

"Hardly. I've got a lot of shit to do, in a very short period of time. I can't waste any of that time playing pattycake with your mom. No offense, of course."

"None taken. So, what will you do then? While my mother isn't as powerful as her Grace here, she is still influential. Spurning her will have consequences."

"No spurning required," Cooper indicated. "I just won't be available. Because I'm getting off Kaliban as soon as I have my shit packed. Like in the next hour or so."

Kaisea stumbled a bit at that revelation, caught by surprise.

"But your team isn't yet assembled," she pointed out.

"Nope. But I don't need them until I reach Neladrin. I can meet them there, or even somewhere in between." Cooper looked at her.

"I just need a guide through the web."

Kaisea's eyes flew wide. Then she was nodding vigorously.

"I can have my things ready in an hour," she indicated.

"Good. See you at the local approach to the gate," he said as Kaisea stopped so she could run back the way she came to where she was staying.

"Don't be late!"

Cooper carefully put the wooden bound dragonforged book on Vannea's desk after they returned to the temple and made their way back to her office. And the high priestess immediately made a clicking sound with her tongue, a noriquien expression to convey being deeply impressed.

"Oh wow!" she said, staring at the tome. "That thing is old!"

Cooper nodded as he too looked at the book, his expression thoughtful.

"Yeah, that's what Kith, the paladin that brought me to Vaen'Alisair, said, too," the human indicated. "It's magical, made to track major events in both universes."

"But not a true history book, noting every detail. Yes, I've seen one of these at the Krosh'Vrel archives, before the war and the destruction of that trade city by the Empire. I was an initiate, just about to start my training in the magical arts as part of my education to become a priestess."

She reached out and Cooper watched as tendrils of dark blue light appeared from the book to reach up and gently touch Vannea's hand.

"But it had nowhere near the power that this one has!" she breathed in astonishment as she watched the tendrils flicker over her hand. "It feels like it may have been forged by the First Ring!"