Henry and the Dragon: Chapter Nine

The climb was as tough as Henry feared. Sharp stones, coupled with perilous angles. Perhaps that was the reason the dragon chose it. No one in their right mind would dare to try and climb it. Henry knew he wasn’t in his right mind. The higher they rose, the more certain he felt that Kai was in there, dying.

Dmitra clung to Henry, which made the journey even harder, but her hands were too small to make it on her own, and she still refused to stay behind.

“Don’t be frightened,” Henry called to her, wanting to make himself heard above the wind that whipped them from all sides.

“I’m not,” Dmitra said, her voice stronger than Henry’s.

“It’s okay to be,” Henry assured her, because he certainly was. His fingers ached, and his mind was plagued with images of the two of them falling to their deaths on the rocky crag below.

“I saw it! We’ll make it safely to the top.”

Her words didn’t exactly instill confidence in Henry, whose fingers were numb now. “I hope you’re right.”

“I am,” she said. “And he’s there, Henry. I can see him waiting for you. He’s very sick, and he needs you. He’s calling your name.”

That spurred Henry on, redoubling his efforts. Whether it was true or not, Kai did need him, and he knew now, more than ever before, that he needed Kai. They could work out their lives once Henry had him back from the…dragon.

What would he do about the monstrous beast? It could swallow him in on gulp, and that would put an end to everything. Yet, if Dmitra and Constance foresaw him finding Kai, then it would be worth it. Even if it was the last time they’d see each other in this world.

“He loves you,” Dmitra shouted.

“I love him,” Henry replied.

“I know. I can…feel it. A connection between the two of you. His mind is scattered by fever, but the one thing he is absolutely sure of his his love for you.”

She was saying everything Henry needed to hear, and he was grateful for it. He would find a way to slay the beast, to save Kai, and build a home with him and Dmitra. He would.

They remained quiet as they continued to rise. High above him, Henry saw a dark patch on the rocks, and believed that to be the opening to the cave. The wind was stronger now, and it buffeted Henry, making him lose his grip more than once. He wasn’t sure how he hung on, but he knew he had to. In order to save Kai, Henry could not fail.

Inch by inch they moved upward. Henry’s muscles screamed, demanding his stop, but he pushed past the pain and continued his climb. When he reached the opening, he wanted to weep with relief. He collapsed onto the rocky entrance, doing his best to catch what little breath he could. Dmitra disentangled herself from him, and stroked his hair.

“You did it, Henry.”

He gasped to get a good breath, if for nothing else than to tell Dmitra that it was her words that gave him the strength to make it. He hadn’t done it alone, his daughter had helped. He sat up and peered around. The cave entrance was lit by the sun, but it vanished in the depths. If this wasn’t where Kai was, they’d be in trouble. He had no idea what kind of beasts might otherwise inhabit this place.

He took note of the size of the entrance. It was large enough that he could stand in it, but not much beyond that. There was no way a dragon of that size could possibly fit through it. That concerned him.

Dmitra clutched his hand. “He’s calling. He needs you.”

He pushed thoughts of the dragon from his head and turned to make his way inside the depths. His legs were like twigs as he took his first steps. He feared they’d snap under him, and send him back to the cave floor. He put a hand on the wall to steady himself as he pushed onward. As they wended down the darkened corridor, the stench of charred flesh made Henry wince and his stomach churn.

“Henry?” Dmitra whimpered, gripping his hand tighter.

“Stay with me,” he murmured. “We will be safe, I swear.”

He had only hope to lean on now, and he prayed it would be enough to see him through. The smell was getting stronger as they moved deeper, and Henry’s stomach churned at the thought of what it could be. The closer they got, the darker it became, until Henry could no longer see his hand before his face. He felt blindly, stumbling more than once, trying to get to Kai. He could not—would not—turn back.

When he saw a thin beam of light ahead, Henry worried they might have made it through the entire cave and not seen Kai. If that happened, he wasn’t sure what he would do. His entire body ached, and he didn’t have the strength to continue to climb any further. Even now, he wanted to collapse, to find solace in sleep, but he forced himself to move, step by step, until the light he’d seen spilled into the corridor they were walking in.

The opening led to a large cavern that glistened in the sunlight above them. Henry shielded his eyes as he looked upward. A great hole opened up to the sky. This was how the dragon had gotten in, no doubt. In fact, Henry was surprised by the size of it. The mountain must be truly huge. Around the cave where the corpses of creatures unlike any Henry had ever seen before. He wondered if they’d been the inhabitants of the cave, and the dragon slaughtered them in order to make its lair.

His breath caught when he noticed a bed of sticks and hay in the center of the room. Atop that lay a solitary figure, covered by furs.

“Kai,” he breathed out, even as his feet propelled him forward. He dropped to his knees beside Kai, who looked scant moments from death. Henry put his hands on Kai’s face, then jerked them away. Kai was so hot, Henry was shocked he could still be alive. He grabbed his satchel and drew out some of his salve. When he pulled the skins down, he swallowed down the bile that threatened to choke him.

Kai’s chest was awash in dried blood. A hole was torn in the flesh, and it had yellowish fluid seeping from it. When Henry trailed his fingers over the injury, Kai cried out. Henry jerked his hand away, and put dabs of liniment on his fingers.

“I pray you will forgive me.” He placed his fingers on the wound again, but other than a louder groan, Kai did not move. Henry scrabbled for his bag, tossing vials hither and yon. None of them would work for what he needed.

“Dmitra….” he choked out. “This is Kai.”

She came to where Henry was toiling away, and took Kai’s hand. “It is good to meet my other father,” she whispered, bringing his fingers to her mouth and placing a soft kiss on them. “He won’t die, will he?”

“No,” Henry vowed. “I will chase him to the afterlife if I must, but he will be coming back with me.”

He lanced the infected skin, the pus draining from it in a yellow gush. He was about to reach for a cloth to wipe it away, when Dmitra did it for him. He flashed her a smile, then continued working. He took out the potion that Kai had used after Neron beat him, and applied that to the wound on his chest, then turned him slightly and saw the one on his back. How could he still be alive? The would should have been mortal, but Kai clung to life. He repeated his ministrations to Kai’s back, again putting the ointment on the wound. When he finished, Henry turned his gaze heavenward and sent out a prayer to anyone who would listen. Then he lay beside Kai and put an arm around him, hoping to keep him warm. He was pleased when Dmitra did the same thing on the other side.

When Henry noticed the sun had moved off and it was now dark, he sat up and added more ointment. It would have to be enough, as his vial was almost empty, and he hadn’t the ingredients to mix more. He took the flask of water they’d brought and held it to Kai’s lips. At first, Henry didn’t think it was going to work, but then Kai swallowed. Hopefully he would be strong enough to move soon, but how would they get down? He’d had enough problems with Dmitra, and she was a quarter the size of Kai.

A gust of wind scattered the bodies, blowing them into the crevices within the cave, and a shadow fell over the area. It was too late. The dragon had returned.

“Dmitra, go into the shaft we found, and stay there until I call for you.”

“Henry, I—“

“Do it now!” he barked. She stood and ran to where he’d told her. He would apologize later, if he lived that long. He put his hands under Kai’s arms, and dragged him toward where Dmitra was, hoping that the narrow passage would keep the dragon out. Never mind that it could breathe in there, and they would all die anyway.

“Kai, I could use some help here,” he grunted through gritted teeth.

Kai didn’t move. Henry had him halfway to the passage when the earth rumbled as the dragon settled back inside the cave. Even in the darkness, Henry would see the blue-green scales glinting, as well as the thick, bony protrusions along the creature’s legs that looked as though they could cut through a tree trunk.

Henry was proud of Dmitra for not crying out, and he knew that feeling, because a terror he’d never known pressed down on his lungs, squeezing the air from them. At a distance, the dragon had been frightening, but this close, Henry was surprised he didn’t drop dead from the sheer terror it evoked.

He drew the sword at his side and held it aloft. “Father, I pray thee to guide my hand on this day.”

The sword flared the most brilliant blue for a moment, but then darkened to cold, lifeless steel once again. Now wasn’t the time for this. Henry needed his father’s help to protect Kai and Dmitra.

“Father, this is my love and my daughter. I need you to help me. Please!”

Nothing changed. The dragon’s gaze snapped around, coming to rest on Kai. It roared and Henry felt certain the wind would strip the flesh from his bones. He moved forward, placing himself between Kai and the dragon. Even if his father wouldn’t help, Henry needed to protect his family.

“I know not why you’ve taken Kai, great beast, but I will defend him unto my death.”

The dragon stamped its front feet, and the entire cave quaked. This time Dmitra did scream, and Henry couldn’t blame her. He wanted to run away, to hide, but he had vowed to protect Kai, and even if it cost him is life, he would do so.

He noted how his hand shook as he stalked closer to the great beast, who continued to bellow. Henry knew now was the time. He could plunge the sword into the great beasts’ chest, and hopefully through its heart. Or, perhaps, slice it across the dragon’s throat and cleave off its head.

If his father would guide his hand, Henry was certain he could accomplish the task, but the sword seemed nothing more than steel and gems now. No glow at all, as if it was an empty vessel. Still, one way or another, Henry would save Kai.

To what end? You should flee and seek help. You cannot best the dragon, and this folly will only end in your death, and then Kai and Dmitra will follow behind you.

At least they’d be together in the afterlife. Kai might not believe in it, and after their talk, Henry wasn’t truly certain what he believed anymore, but he had to hold on to something right now. The dragon lumbered toward them, its head low, the mouth open, showing yet another form of death the dragon could inflict.

He hurtled forward, sword at the ready. His mightiest blow was ineffectual, merely bouncing off the dragon’s scales. It swiped at him, but he dodged it. Barely. He doubted he would have the same luck a second time.

“Father, please. Don’t let it hurt my family.”

Perhaps his father was angry that Henry dared to love another man? Or maybe he’d offended his father. After all, he’d doted on Dmitra. Henry was usually told not to be underfoot when he tried to spend time with his Papa, but it was because the farm was a dangerous place, not because Papa didn’t want to see him. At least that was what he told himself on those cold nights in Neron’s back room.

Neron. The anger that had simmered in Henry’s mind flooded back. All he’d lost, including Kai. Everything that had happened to him was because of Neron. He deserved the fate he received, and Henry hoped if there was a Hell, Neron was roasting there for all eternity.

“Dragon, I give you a chance to flee. I will fight you to the death if I must.”

Bold words, but utterly futile. Without his father’s help, Henry couldn’t beat a dragon. He’d never seen a live one before, never had the chance to study it, to determine points where they would be vulnerable.

Even if Father wouldn’t help, Henry was committed to this course of action. He could not—would not—allow Kai to be harmed any further, and he would give his life for Dmitra in a heartbeat.

The dragon reared up, seeming to Henry to be nearly as tall as the mountain. Next to it, the sword was nothing more than a kitchen utensil. He gripped the pommel in both hands, ready to rush into battle once more, when he heard a soft voice.

“Henry….”

He glanced over and saw Kai staring up at him, but it wasn’t the Kai Henry remembered. Gone were the bright eyes, the healthy glow. Now he was waxy, nearly umber.

“Kai!”

“Henry, please…. Don’t….”

He groaned and clutched his chest. “It’ll be okay. I’ll save you.”

“No, you mustn’t. Please, don’t hurt her.”

Her? “Dmitra?”

“No, I beg you, Henry, my light, do not hurt my mother.”

“Your…”

The dragon slammed into Henry, knocking him away, before stomping toward Kai, where it lay beside him, and wrapped him protectively within her body.

The dragon was Kai’s mother? But…how?