Draykon (23 page)

Ynara cast him a
look of pure fury, turning the same withering stare on her
daughter. She stalked out of the house, allowing the door to slam
roundly behind her. He heard a faint sigh from Llandry. She
maintained her cool, but he sensed that she was hurt by her
mother's anger.

'She's just
worried about you,' he said gently. 'About us, I suppose. She is
right to be.' He squeezed her hand briefly, and she mustered a
smile for him.

'I'd better do
something about this,' he said. 'Please keep inside for now. I know
that you are sick of hearing that, but still-'

She interrupted
him. 'I know, I know.' She waved him away.

***

By the time
Llandry heard the news, everything was already settled. Devary was
to go, and the stone was leaving with him. She found him in the
parlour, sitting with his lyre in his lap, tuning the instrument.
He gave her his smile, the nice one that made her feel
comfortable.

'You're leaving?
I thought you meant to stay for some time.'

'So I did,'
Devary replied. 'But it is necessary. '

Llandry nodded
vaguely, looking at the floor. 'Won't you be in danger?'

'It's hard to
imagine how anyone could guess that I am carrying anything unusual.
You have kept it secret very ably.'

'A lot of
stranger things have happened lately.'

'That's true,' he
conceded. 'But you must not worry.'

Llandry had
nothing to say in the face of such confidence. She could only nod
again. 'It's Nimdre you're heading for?'

'Yes. Draetre,
specifically. There is a university there that may be able to tell
us something about this stone.'

'Is that the real
reason?'

Devary stopped
tuning the lyre and placed it carefully down on the table. 'The
"real" reason? Yes. Of course. Clearly, we are dealing with
something extraordinary. There is a faculty in Draetre dedicated
to, ah... esoteric studies, shall I say? I have a friend on the
staff whom I intend to consult.'

'Secrets, you
mean.' Llandry mulled that over. It didn't ring quite true. No
doubt the University of Draetre was knowledgeable, but so was the
University of Waeverleyne. She didn't really believe that Nimdre
had many resources not shared by Glinnery's scholars.

'Mamma wants it
out of Glinnery, doesn't she? As far away from me as
possible.'

'It might be fair
to say that its departure from Glinnery would be a desirable
bonus.'

Llandry thought
back further, remembering the conversation she had overheard
between Devary and her mother. 'Did mother ask you to take the
stone to Nimdre?'

He gave her a
quick, penetrating glance. 'I believe it was her idea,
yes.'

Llandry sighed.
Ynara liked her world to be neat and uncomplicated. The istore was
certainly a complication, and apparently Devary was scarcely less
so. As such, away both must go.

'I'm going to
bed,' she said. 'When are you leaving?'

'Not until
tomorrow. I'll see you before I leave.'

She nodded curtly
and quickly left the room. Expecting sleeplessness, she collected
her favourite novel from the bookcase on her way past and took it
upstairs with her. Curling up in bed with Sigwide on her pillow,
she flicked through to the best parts. The story charted the life
of a girl with extraordinary summoning abilities, who went on to
become a famous High Summoner. The heroine became everything
Llandry wished to be: smart, confident, powerful, popular. Her very
favourite chapter was near the end, when the heroine married a
prince and became a princess.

Even the wedding
chapter couldn't entirely absorb her today, however. Her mind
worked restlessly, refusing to be stilled or distracted, and as
page after page glided away before her eyes without imparting any
clear idea of the plot, she finally closed the book and let it drop
to the floor. Sigwide was already asleep, but he didn't wake when
she gently stroked his soft fur.

The imminent
departure of her last, prized piece of istore was a sad prospect,
that much was a given. But she felt curiously saddened that it was
Devary who would be taking it away. All her wariness of him had
disappeared, and while she couldn't yet claim to be comfortable
with him, she felt sure that she could be, in time. For her, that
was remarkable. She had never had a real friend outside of her
family.

But now it would
all be over. Devary was leaving, and she had little doubt that he
wouldn't be coming back, not for some time. She might never see him
again. She pictured herself after tomorrow's eventide, left cooped
up alone in the house while her mother sat on the Council and her
father built elevators for the city. No istore to soothe her
anxieties and bolster her confidence, and no Devary to keep her
company and teach her to play the lyre. Her stomach twisted with
misery at the thought.

Perhaps she could
go along. The idea caught her imagination, and for a few minutes
she indulged in the idea, picturing herself travelling with Devary,
seeing Nimdre. She had rarely travelled outside of Glinnery, and
then only to Irbel once as a child, or to the Darklands Market on
the edge of Glour. Devary's tales of Nimdre, where the sun rose and
set and the days turned regularly between light and dark, were
thrilling to her.

But her mother
would never agree to it, not while there was the smallest chance of
her encountering another whurthag. Llandry's spirits sank again.
But the idea refused to leave her, and as long as it nagged at her
thoughts, she was unable to sleep.

She could try to
persuade her mother. Ynara would probably forbid it, but the
attempt must be made.

Maybe she could
begin by persuading Devary.

Llandry was up
early the next day in spite of her poor night's sleep. She waited
until her mother had left the house on some errand, then she went
to find Devary.

'I should go with
you,' she said without preamble.

He looked at her
quizzically. 'Why is that?'

She straightened
her shoulders, lifting her chin. 'Because I know more about the
stone than anyone else. If you're taking it to be studied, I should
be there.'

'Your mother
wouldn't like that, I think. You could give me all the information
that you have, and I'll pass it to the university at
Draetre.'

'That's not the
same.'

He lifted his
brows. 'Oh?'

'I want to go.
It's my fault that most of this has happened. I should have left
those gems where I found them.'

'You couldn't
have known what would happen, Llandry. It doesn't mean you should
endanger yourself again trying to resolve it.'

'Didn't you say
there was no particular danger?'

He sighed
helplessly. 'Yes, but - that applies to me. Not necessarily to
you.'

'I can't take
care of myself?'

He looked gravely
at her. 'In many ways, yes. If your life is endangered, I fear
not.'

Llandry sat down,
subdued. Devary may be unfailingly courteous, but he had a firm
will too.

Either that, or
he was far too afraid of her mother to risk her
disapproval.

'Please take me
along,' she said.

'We will ask your
mother's opinion.'

Llandry turned on
him a look of contempt. 'That,' she said flatly, 'is a cop-out. You
know she won't hear of it.'

'With good
reason.'

'I am a grown
woman!' she hissed, horribly aware that she sounded anything but
adult as she said it. 'My mother does not make my decisions for
me.'

Devary was
unmoved. 'I cannot agree to something that will worry your
mother.'

Definitely afraid
of Ynara. Not that Llandry could blame him, not
entirely.

'What's the
trouble?' Ynara herself appeared behind Devary, carrying Sigwide.
She handed the bundle of fur over to Llandry, pecking her on the
cheek in the process.

'I'm going with
Devary to Draetre, Mamma,' Llandry said firmly, accepting a kiss
from Sigwide too.

'Oh?' Ynara
raised her brows at Devary, who lifted his hands.

'Her idea,' he
said. 'I have not agreed to anything.'

'I don't need you
to agree,' Llandry said coolly.

'But, love, your
arm...'

'It's healed.'
She backed away but Ynara bore down on her, peeling back her
sleeve. The flesh beneath was still ruptured, but shiny new skin
was rapidly forming over the wounds.

'It's healed
enough,' Llandry amended. 'I'm fit to go, Ma.'

'It is dangerous,
love,' Ynara said gravely. 'Remember, we still don't know who is
responsible for all of this, nor where they might be.'

'Now that the
cave has been discovered - and emptied - I am no longer a target.
You said yourself that the attempts to contact me stopped some days
ago. I'm not afraid.'

'I think you
should be.' Ynara's tone was swiftly developing that note of steel
that meant she did not mean to be overruled. 'Why is it so
important to you, love? Devary will take care of it.'

'It's my
responsibility.'

'No! No part of
your duty involves risking your own hide in pursuit of this
ridiculous gem. That's what it's really about, isn't it? You can't
bear to see it go. I think you need to question whether that's
healthy, Llan.'

'It isn't the
stone, Ma!'

Ynara gave her
the cold stare.

'All right, it
isn't just the stone. I'm going mad locked away in the house. I
need to get out of here, stretch my wings.'

'So go to the
library. I will provide a guard for you.'

'I've been to the
library a hundred times. I want to go somewhere new.'

Ynara shook her
head. 'No. I'm sorry, Llan, but it's unthinkable. The rogue gates
are slowing down, but those beasts are still coming through, and
there's no telling whether the whurthags are truly gone. This is
not the time to be taking sight-seeing expeditions.' Llandry opened
her mouth to speak, but her mother cut her off. 'No further
arguments. When this is all over, your father and I will take you
to Nimdre, if you wish. In the meantime, you'll stay here. I don't
want to bury my only child.' She stalked out of the room,
forestalling Llandry's response.

Llandry was
silent, smarting with a mixture of frustration, disappointment and
humiliation. To be lectured and controlled like a child, in front
of Devary! She pushed back her chair, intending to leave, but he
startled her by laying a hand briefly over hers.

'Your mother
loves you more than anything, Llandry. I only wish she had the same
concerns for my safety.'

Llandry snorted.
'You want to be kept behind locked doors all your life?'

'She is right, at
least for the present. Now is not the time for sight-seeing.' He
released her hand and stood up. 'I must pack. But, Llandry, perhaps
you will come and see me when you make your projected visit to
Nimdre? I will be glad to see you.' She couldn't tell if he was
sincere, but his smile was warm.

'Thanks,' she
said. She couldn't find anything else to say. After a moment, he
left.

***

The day passed
sluggishly. Too crushed to settle to any productive task, Llandry
drifted aimlessly about the house, observing the preparations from
a distance. Ynara had arranged for an armed escort for Devary,
along with a summoner-sorcerer team to accompany him as far as the
Nimdre border. She watched dully as Devary talked with her mother,
always in corners and in undertones so she couldn't hear what was
said. At last, when it was time for him to leave, her heart
rebelled. She couldn't sit at home, safe and protected, while
Devary risked himself over the stone. And she couldn't sit at home,
cherished but stifled, while Devary took his part in the tale
unfolding around the istore.

Slipping silently
up to her room, she packed a small bag. A change of clothes, a
blanket, and two bottles of her tonic went in. She was trembling
already, but this time with excitement mixed with the dread of
defying her mother. It didn't feel the same as her usual attacks,
but no doubt those would plague her still.

As an
afterthought, she added her favourite book. If her courage failed
her, she could read again the passages where her heroine achieved
her greatest victories. Perhaps she would feel
empowered.

She hid the bag
under her bed and laid Sigwide's carry case atop the covers. Now
she had only to wait. She wouldn't try to steal out of the house
too soon; her mother would be on the watch. She would wait for a
short time after Devary's departure, then catch up with him. She
knew his projected route. If she tailed him as far as Nimdre
without being discovered, when she finally revealed herself it
would be too late to send her home.

Trying to ignore
the excited thumping of her heart, Llandry sat down to
wait.