Dragon Lord (12 page)

Edana scrambled off her bed when she heard the key in her door, letting the book she’d been reading fall closed onto the bedspread. She wondered who’d be at her door at such a late hour.

Adalric swung the door open, dressed as if he’d been to a social event. “It’s been arranged. I’ve just returned from completing the details.”

“Arranged?”

“Your betrothal.”

“No.” Edana hurried across the room to stand in front of her father. “Please. Don’t do this to me. I’m too young to marry. Wait a while. Please.”

Adalric shook his head. “It’s been arranged. Don’t you even want to know who your husband will be?”

“When? When’s the betrothal to be signed?”

“Eleven days. Your fiancé and his family will join us here. Once it’s been signed you can leave your room.”

Hope leapt in her. “I can?”

“The betrothal will be blood oath binding. You can’t break it. You’ll have to go through with it.”

Hope died instantly. “Please. Please don’t do this. Father-”

“Enough.” Adalric made a sharp motion with his hand. “You will not behave like this when your fiancé and his family arrive. If you embarrass me like this you’ll remain in your room.” He was silent a moment. “Understand?”

Edana nodded. Words beyond her. Her throat ached and her eyes blinked rapidly.

“You’re to be betrothed to Maddov Byram Gratian con Veseylee. I’ll expect you to treat him with respect and act a lady.”

She nodded again.

Adalric stared at her a moment longer before he stepped back and closed the door.

It wasn’t until she heard her door lock and her father retreating that Edana could move. She sank to the ground where she stood, fighting against the tears that welled. Again she tried to reach out to River. The spell wouldn’t let her get past it.

She closed her eyes, covering her face with her hands. Typical that her father would choose the fourth largest dragon stable. If the second and third largest had sons she guessed he’d have chosen them for her to marry into. A half laugh, half sob broke free. Once again she’d messed with his plans by not being a son.

Staggering to her feet, she crossed her room to open the balcony doors. She stared at the star studded night as she pressed her hand against the invisible barrier. Sharp needles of pain shot through her skin. She pressed harder. It made no difference. She was trapped. For another eleven days.

Then she’d be trapped for life.

Over breakfast the next morning, Hanun asked, “Did you deal with your business last night?”

Fen nodded. “We’ll have no more problems.”

“Humph. There’s always other thieves.”

Fen smiled slightly. “There’ll be no more problems.”

Hanun stopped, food halfway to his mouth. He placed the food on his plate and stared at Fen. “Do I ask how you achieved this marvel?”

Fen shook his head. “It’s probably best not to. Let’s just say I went to the top of the food chain. The message will trickle down. If the top of the food chain is wary, the bottom will be more so.”

Hanun nodded. “I always knew you were interesting. I just hope your contacts don’t trip you up in life.”

“They’re more wary onlookers than anyone I’d associate with. They’ll keep at an even greater distance now.”

“That’s good. Have you heard from Edana?”

“No, but sometimes it’s difficult for her to get away.”

“You don’t think she was caught looking through Adalric’s study, do you?” Hanun looked worried.

Fen shook his head. “No. I’d have heard if something drastic had happened.”

“I hope so. She’s a nice girl. He doesn’t deserve to have a child like her.”

“He doesn’t think so. He’s disappointed she’s a girl rather than a boy.”

“Snake. He doesn’t deserve any children.”

Fen tried not to smile at Hanun’s defence of his niece. He was glad Hanun didn’t see her only as a means to get back at his brother. “I need to finish up with some business matters.” Fen rose to his feet.

Hanun raised his brows. “Anything I should be concerned with?”

Fen shook his head. “Some loose ends. Ensuring possible future favours.”

Hanun nodded solemnly. “Always good to have.”

Fen made his way to River’s pen and sat on the stool in front of the fireplace. He picked up another one of the parchments he’d taken from Rhone. When Mouse came in and saw him he groaned.

Mouse dropped to the floor. “No more.”

“Anything to report?”

Mouse had been returning blood oaths on and off all night for Fen. “The usual. People are happy. Real happy. They all say you can call on them if you need anything.”

Fen nodded. “I’ve got another half a dozen ready.” He waved towards the pile. He quickly showed Mouse which oath belonged to which person. “A good thing Rhone put the exact details of each oath on these so we know who to return them to. But I guess there’s too many of them to recall all the details otherwise.”

As Mouse couldn’t read, he tucked each parchment in a different place amongst his clothes. “I might manage to drag myself back.”

“You can rest after that lot and deliver some more tomorrow.”

Mouse left, muttering under his breath.

“He is not really unhappy,”
River told Fen.

“I know,” Fen smiled. “He wants me to think he is.”

It took a bit more than a week for Fen to sort through the parchments. He didn’t see or hear from Edana even once. He started to worry. She’d never been so long without seeing him. He didn’t even see her at the competition grounds on Halfday.

Fen leaned against River, the evening quiet around them. “See if you can reach Edana. I know she said it’s not good to startle her, but I have to know what’s happening.”

River was silent a while.
“I cannot reach her. She is in her room but it is spelled.”

“What do you mean?”

“A spell to keep magic out and her from escaping.”

“We have to do something. We’ve got to see if there’s some way to climb up to her room or something,” Fen said.

“I’ll take you.”

“How?”

“On my back. Watch my wings. Be careful not to tear them. Sit in front of them. Wrap a rope around my neck but tie it loose. Use it to hold on.”

“That won’t hurt you?” Fen asked.

A wave of amusement rolled over Fen.
“I am a dragon. You are little more than an insect on a twig to me.”

Fen laughed. “I guess so. Give me a minute. I’ll find a rope.”

Fen was back minutes later and tied the rope around River’s neck. They made their way to the practice arena where Fen climbed on River. Within minutes they were airborne and Fen held tightly to the rope. Once he was over the initial rush of fear, he began to enjoy the ride. The town was spread out below. It was little more than a dark blur dotted with light.

When they reached the Renarlo Dragon Stables, River flew around several times until he found where he wanted to land. He dropped softly onto the roof. His head high as he searched the shadows to check they hadn’t been seen.

“Slide over the edge of the roof and you can drop onto Edana’s balcony. Do not go in. She can open her door and talk to you, but cannot come out.”

“How will that help?”

“See what she needs help with first.”

“You’re right. I’ll see what’s wrong.” Fen dropped to his stomach and lowered himself over the edge of the roof. He couldn’t see below, but he trusted River’s directions. He let go and dropped over the edge, landing with a jolt, his knees bent to absorb the impact.

“Edana.” Fen raised his voice a bit. He didn’t want to call out too loud. “Edana.” He waited impatiently. “Edana. At your balcony door.”

The curtain at the balcony doors was drawn back. Edana stood there. She glanced over her shoulder then looked towards Fen again.

“Open the door,” Fen said.

Edana opened the door. “Are you real?”

“Of course I’m real. What else would I be?” Fen demanded.

“An apparition. Some magic spell created to trip me up,” Edana said.

“I’m real.”

“How do I know you’re real? Prove it.”

Fen sighed. “How am I meant to do that?”

“Tell me something only you and I would know.”

Fen was silent a moment. “We were brought together by a dragon and a blood oath.” When Edana still looked uncertain, Fen said, “After I suffered a beating for you the least you can do is believe in me when I visit.”

“Oh thank the gods of Kalla. You can’t imagine how much I’ve needed you here.”

“What happened?” Fen demanded. He was about to step forward when he remembered River had warned him not to.

“My life’s over. I’m going to end up a living statue like my mother,” Edana wailed.

“Tell me what happened. How can I help if you don’t tell me?”

“No one can help me.” Edana shook her head as tears pooled in her eyes.

“Try me.”

Edana sighed. “It’ll be a waste of time. Talk to me instead. I want to know what you and River have been doing. I’ll never see you again. How did you get here? Is River well?”

“I am well. How may we help you?”

Fen repeated River’s comment since he was unable to send his thoughts through the magical barrier.

“River? Where is he?” Edana asked.

Fen pointed upwards. “He brought me here. I’m sure he can carry you too.”

Edana shook her head. “Have you forgotten? Blood trackers. My birth blood is locked away with a spell. And I can’t leave here. I’ve tried. There might as well be a solid wall between you and me. I can’t get through.”

“What happened? Why are you in here?”

“My father found out I was disappearing. When I wouldn’t tell him where I went he decided to betroth me to a Dragon Lord’s son. In three days time. On my seventeenth birthday. A betrothal’s as binding as a blood oath.”

“Then we have to get you out of here,” Fen said.

“Haven’t you been listening? I can’t. Blood trackers and this spell.”

“There has to be a way out of this mess. Surely they can’t keep you in here always.” Fen looked around desperately.

“Only for the next three days. But then it’ll be too late. My agreement will be taken and the blood oath given in my name by my father. A wizard can make it binding because by law my father can speak for me,” Edana said.

“That’s wrong. There has to be some way around it.”

“There is.”

Fen repeated River’s words.

“Impossible,” Edana argued.

“Nothing is impossible. All I need is your oath to never reveal my secrets.”

“Yes. Of course. I’d be willing to say or do anything to get out of this wedding,” Edana promised when Fen told her River’s words.

“Your oath that you will not give away my secrets. Freely given with no strings attached.”

“Yes,” Edana said solemnly when Fen explained.

“Yes. I keep your secrets already,” Fen said.

“Then quickly pack what you wish to take. I will explain when we leave here.”

Edana stood framed in the doorway a moment longer after Fen had given her River’s message. With a single nod she came to a decision. She turned and rushed around her room, gathered items and stuffed them into a couple of bags. That done, she came back to the doorway.

“Now what?” Edana asked.

“Fen. Take your hand and reach out for Edana. Take her by the hand and pull her out of her room. Edana. Relax. Do not try and help. Let Fen pull you through.”

Fen explained before he reached forward. His whole arm felt like a million stinging insects were attacking all at once. Ignoring them, he took Edana’s hand she held out. He pulled her forward and she yelped. She tried to pull back

“Relax. It cannot harm you. You will be fine in seconds.”

“I heard him,” Edana exclaimed as she relaxed. She let Fen pull her through onto the balcony. “I’m out. I’m finally out.”

A dragon paw reached over the edge of the roof. “
Quickly take hold and let me pull you up.”

They could hear shouting from inside the house. Edana reached out and took hold of River’s paw and let him pull her onto the roof along with the bags she held. River’s paw appeared again and this time Fen was pulled onto the roof. He disappeared just in time. Edana’s door was flung open and Adalric strode in with one of his servants. They heard him bellow Edana’s name while they waited on the roof.

He strode onto the balcony. Turning back to the room he called to his servant. “Fetch a blood tracker. She won’t be far. She shouldn’t have been able to get out of here at all. Wait till I get my hands on that useless wizard.”

The moment Adalric had gone inside, Fen and Edana stood up.

“Hop on. We must leave.”

Fen showed Edana how to climb on and clambered up behind her. He put his arms around her waist so he could hold onto the rope since Edana held her bags. As soon as they were ready, River took off. Edana squealed at the sudden movement.

“This is amazing,” Edana yelled after several minutes.

“I know,” Fen replied, his mouth near her ear.

It seemed like no time before River landed and asked them to hop off. They were along the river not far from the cottage where Fen had raised River.

“What now? They can still send blood trackers.” Edana dropped her bags to the ground.

“They will send them after you. But they will not find you. Do you swear on your own life never to reveal this secret I shall share with you? It will be as binding an oath as that of a blood oath given before a wizard.”

“Yes,” Edana replied.

When River turned towards him, Fen also answered, “Yes.”

“Fen, take a knife and make a cut on Edana’s hand. Shallow and small will be fine.”

“What? No!” Edana drew her hands behind her back.

“This or the wedding.”

Edana looked worriedly between Fen and River. She reluctantly held out her hand.

Fen held her hand firmly with his left, the knife poised above it in his right. “Don’t move or the cut will be worse.”

Edana closed her eyes. “Hurry up and get it over with. A nick is bad enough. But a cut sounds painful.”

“It will not be painful for long.”

Fen ran the knife across Edana’s palm and ignored her sudden gasp. He watched the dark stain appear. In the dim moonlight the colour couldn’t be seen.

River moved closer. He held out both his paws. One was above Edana’s hand, the other, claws out, was beside it.
“Do not let her move her hand. It will be a fight,”
River said to Fen.

“I’m ready,” Fen said.

“I’m not. I don’t even know what you’re planning,” Edana protested.

There was a sudden blur of movement and River used his own claw to cut through the thinner skin between his paw and the start of his leg scales. There was a shimmer of light and then a drop of blood.

Edana screamed as it hit her open cut. “It’s burning.”

She tried to pull away but Fen wouldn’t let her.

Another drop descended and Edana tried to fight Fen. She pulled with her captured hand, her other tried to push him away, her nails scratched at him in her desperation to escape. Another drop hit her palm and she renewed her efforts.

“You’re killing me,” she half screamed, half sobbed.

Another drop of blood descended and then River licked his paw, the gash seeming to seal. He bent forward and licked Edana’s palm and her wound also sealed.

“She can move her hand now,”
River told Fen.

He slowly released his hold on her and let her gently drop to the ground. Edana held her palm against her chest and sobbed. Fen knelt beside her and tried to hold her in comfort. She pushed at him. A shudder went through her body and she screamed again. Fen’s arms went round her and he drew her close.

“What did you do to her?” Fen demanded.

“She will be fine. In a few moments she will be exhausted, but out of pain,”
River explained.

“Tell us both what you’ve done.” Fen flinched as Edana’s body convulsed. He tightened his grip on her. Minutes later she seemed to relax, then went limp as if her body had no bones in it. “River.”

“A grey dragon cannot be tracked. My blood has mixed with hers. She now cannot be tracked with her old blood. It has been altered.”

“I’m safe?” Edana whispered.

“As safe as any human is.”

“I need to sleep.” Edana yawned.

“How are we to get her home? She can’t hold on while she’s this exhausted,” Fen said.

“Lay her stretched out flat on the ground. Gather her bags and climb on. I will take you home.”

Fen did as River told him, still worried about Edana. He trusted River to tell him the truth, but he was worried River had misjudged the amount of blood or something.

As River took to the air, he gently grabbed Edana in his front paws and let her hang limply in the air as they flew back to the training area of Carson Dragon Stables. He landed gently, careful with how he laid Edana on the ground. Fen slid off River’s back and dropped the bags as he rushed to where Edana lay.

He looked back at River. “She’s not moving.”

“She will sleep deep and long. She will wake for lunch. Make sure there is much for her to eat. She will be starving.”

Fen lifted Edana and carried her out of the training area. He strode towards the house and the weight of her seemed to grow greater the longer he carried her. He had to put her down to open the door, but he didn’t want too many people to know she was there. After he’d caught his breath, he lifted her again.

Soon he had Edana in one of the guest bedrooms. He laid her in the bed and pulled more blankets from a trunk at the foot of the bed. He didn’t think he could move Edana again to get at the blankets she now lay on. Once she was covered, he fetched her bags. He found them at the back door he had entered the house by.

“River?”
Fen sent his thought out.

“I have returned to my pen. Sleep well.”

“Thank you,”
Fen thought to River.

“I owe you both my life.”

“I owe you as much,”
Fen thought back.

When River didn’t reply, Fen gathered Edana’s bags and took them to the guest room. As he stepped out of the guest room and shut the door, a noise behind him made him spin to face it.

“Anything you should be telling me?” Hanun asked.

“Not a thing. But if your brother should come knocking on your door, tell him you haven’t seen your niece.”

Hanun chuckled. “Oh, this I have to see. What a coup. How fitting.”

“Don’t you go pestering our guest tomorrow. She’ll probably wake late. It’s been an exhausting night.”

Hanun continued to grin. “You tell our guest she may stay as long as she likes. I hope he does come.” He rubbed his hands together. “I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me what happened.”

“Not all of it. But I can tell you the blood trackers can’t find her now and she’s managed to escape before a betrothal was signed.”

“Even better.”

Fen looked at Hanun sternly. “I hope you’re not going to go on like that around our guest. I’m sure she’d like to think she was here more for her company than her ability to further your revenge.”

“Of course not. Not a peep when she wakes. But I can celebrate tonight.” With that, Hanun went whistling down the corridor.

Fen slumped against the wall. It seemed like a long way to his room. He sighed and gathered together his last bit of energy. Leaning against the wall wouldn’t get him there any sooner.