The Market Thief

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The roar knocks Alfred and I to the ground. Every door in the cave opens and monks in yellow robes come streaming in. The first group forms a circle around the dragon, hold hands and wait with bowed heads. A second smaller group in brown robes is carrying weapons and takes positions around the dragon facing outward.

Alfred takes charge. “Something is draining the magic away from the dragon. We need to find the threat quickly and remove it.”

One of the monks is fidgeting and looking around and when I try to look directly at him I have a hard time focus because of the swirling colors around him.

“Excuse me, Alfred, “I try to bring this to his attention.

“Not now Theo, you’ve caused enough trouble.” Alfred waves me away. “Now go sit and be quiet, the adults have work to do.”

The dragon’s eyes open part way. “Let the child speak.”

I step up by the dragon and imitate the stance the monks have taken. Mighty dragon, is it possible that there is a traitor in your order?”

“Silly child,” scoffs Alfred, “all the monks have taken on oath to the dragon. Go sit down and let those who know what thy are doing get to work.”

“But Alfred, you said that a more than normal amount of dragons have died recently, wouldn’t that be the easiest and least likely to draw suspicion.”

The monk that first met us in the tunnel steps forward. “Wizard, there is one here who came from another dragon so he has never taken an oath to this dragon.”

The dragon tilts back his head and lets out a might roar. “Where is he?”

“If he’s the one I’m thinking of I saw him slip out that door.” I point to a door behind the dragon.
The dragon closes his eyes and begins to make a low growling noise.

“What is he doing?” I ask the monk next to me.
“He is calling up his dragon magic.” Mutters Alfred. “This is the first time I’ve seen it first hand.”

The dragon opens his eyes and looks at me. I have closed all the entrances to the cave, the traitor can’t get out. It will take some time to search every nook and cranny of this lair as I don’t have enough magic left to help.”

Half the monks in the brown robes leave to begin the search. We sit down and wait; no one in the cave says a word. About two hours later a monk comes running in. “Oh mighty dragon,” he bows, “we found him trying to get out a servants entrance. He is being brought here.”


“Thank you, the dragon shifts slightly, “you are all dismissed. Please go and get some food and drink.”

Two big burly monks come through a side door dragging the monk that I had noticed earlier between them. I am still unable to focus on him properly. They drop him at the dragon’s feet.

Alfred steps forward. “Who are you and what are your intentions?”

“I’m a monk of the Order,” states the monk.

The dragon interrupts him. “You lie!”

I see the monk pull a shiny object from his robe and without thinking I yell “Nodelcnu.” The monk freezes in mid-air.

“Theo, what are you doing? I told you to stay out of this.” Yells Alfred his face growing redder and redder.

“I saw.” Alfred interrupts me.

“Theo, I told you to leave this to people who know what they are doing.” Alfred’s face is almost purple.

“Alfred,” growls the dragon, “how many times do I have to tell you to let the child speak?”

Alfred steps back. “Fine, speak but make it snappy so we can get back to work.”

“I’m sorry Great Dragon, I don’t mean to keep getting in the way. I thought I saw him, “ I nod towards the frozen monk, “pull something shiny out of his robes. I did the only thing I could think of so no one would get hurt.”

“Where did you learn magic from the old school?” the dragon inquires.

I let out a long sigh. “It is a long story, the short version is that Alfred used in one day to get me out of one of my messes and it kind of stuck with me.”

The dragon turns to one of the burly monks. “Check him for weapons before Theo releases him from the spell. I think I can keep people from misbehaving in my own lair.”

The monk goes over and takes a small dagger from his hand. He opens his robes and finds a sword belted on each hip. There are two daggers hidden in each boot and a small dagger strapped to each arm.

The dragon nods in satisfaction. “It seems to me like he had a plan in mind when he woke up this morning and got dressed, don’t you think Alfred?”

Alfred releases the monk from my spell and repeats, “Who are you and what are your intentions”

The monk falls to the floor. “I plan on killing this dragon like I did all the others.”

I hate being on a level above the action. I lean over the ledge. “Why are you killing all the dragons, what has this dragon done to you?”

Alfred looks up at me. “Theo, go back to your cushion were it is safe and leave the interrogation to us.”

I look Alfred right in the eye. I don’t want to go back to my cushion; I want to know why this man is doing this. But, Alfred is my master so I must do what he says. I lower my gaze and turn back towards my cushion.

“Yes child go back to your place of safety,” the monk mocks. “Let those in charge take care of you.”
Alfred walks to the monk. “Why were you trying to kill the dragon?”

For the next hour Alfred and the Dragon question the monk. All he answers is that he is a “Monk of the Order”.