Hidden Dragons (11 page)

“
I trust your judgment, Sir
Bernard,” she assured him, finding her courage. These men were
knights, chosen by dragons to defend all of Draconia. If they
couldn’t be trusted, who could?

Bear looked relieved. He dropped a quick kiss
on her lips that promised silently of more to come—later. Bear left
her alone with Sir Jovan as he and Tildeth went off to make their
reports. Sir Jovan led her down into the mountain, through a
passageway that was wide and tall enough for two dragons to pass
with ease.

“
So where did Sir Bear find you, if
I may ask,” Sir Jovan began conversationally as they walked along
the brightly lit paths. There were many shafts high up in the walls
that led to the outside allowing for ventilation—because dragons
tended to smoke a lot—and probably light during the day.

“
I live just outside of Halley’s
Well. It is a small village between the Valla Pass and the River of
Jelan,” she told him absently, taking in the lovely carvings in the
rock that were half-finished in some spots. Apparently this new
Lair was still very much under construction. Or somebody was on a
beautification kick.

Sir Jovan’s gaze lit with interest when she
glanced at him. “That is a very strategic area, though most of our
attention has been on the larger villages on the northern side of
the river. Apparently Bear spotted something on the less navigable
side?”

She didn’t see the harm in telling what little
she knew to the knight. “Sir Bernard said skiths were being herded
toward the pass in front of a grouping of enemy soldiers, and I
suspect the village’s headman is working with the
enemy.”

Sir Jovan whistled between his teeth even as
his body tensed. “No wonder he came back without Robert and
Growly.”

“
They are still on watch, and I
believe they will be scouting tonight. Sir Robert said he would be
back here in the morning.” She heard the shakiness of her own
voice, but apparently her fear for Robert and Growloranth’s safety
was lost on the other knight. He was probably too preoccupied
talking silently with his dragon partner, she realized.

They walked the rest of the way to two very
large doors in silence. The doors were plain, but heavy, and made
of wood. She could already see the patterns she would love to carve
on that blank surface if given a chance. Portraits of Growloranth
and Tildeth, their necks entwined. And Robert and Bear, standing on
either side. But it was a fanciful thought. She would probably
never be given the chance to entertain her little hobby of wood
carving on such a grand scale.

Sir Jovan threw open the massive doors that
were large enough to let Growloranth and Tildeth pass through.
There was a massive sand pit in the center of the open space, with
small chambers arranged around it in a circle.

“
This is the suite assigned to
Growloranth, Tildeth, Robert and Bear,” he said, walking a short
way into the huge cavern. Both dragons would fit in the large pit
of sand, and Isabelle could feel the warmth coming from
it.

“
What makes it so warm?” she asked,
walking inside and looking around in wonder.

“
Carefully channeled geothermal
energy and a touch of magic,” answered a new voice from the open
doorway.

Isabelle looked up to find a woman at the door.
She was dressed in fine clothing and spoke like an educated person.
She seemed a bit older than Isabelle, by more than a few years. The
lady smiled and entered, reaching out her hand to Isabelle in
greeting.

“
Sorry to just pop in. I am Silla,
the Lair’s healer. I heard of your arrival and thought maybe you
could use a new friend to talk to while the men go about their
business.”

Isabelle took the other woman’s hand and was
pulled into a loose, welcoming hug. This Silla seemed all that was
kind in the world. Then again, she claimed to be a healer, so
compassion was probably at the core of her being.

“
I am Isabelle,” she replied
quietly, a bit shy of the fine lady.

“
Tilly asked me to come. She says
you have some knowledge of healing and thought we might get along,”
Silla advised.

Her manner was so open and joyful it was hard
not to like her. And it was clear she could also talk to dragons if
Lady Tildeth had spoken to her. It was also clear that Tilly had
taken the time to ask this nice woman to seek out Isabelle so she
would not be all alone in this strange new place. Isabelle’s heart
opened for the female dragon who was so thoughtful. Isabelle would
have to find some way to repay Tilly’s kindness.

“
I know the healing ways my mother
taught me of herbs and potions but I would never say I am a real
healer. I see to the livestock in the village. The midwife takes
care of the women and the barber sees to the men. I only heal
animals,” Isabelle admitted in a rush, shy of the
newcomer.

“
If you will excuse me,” Sir Jovan
cut in, already edging toward the door. “Now that you have the best
guide possible, I will be on my way. It was an honor to meet you
Lady Isabelle. Truly, Bear and Robert will be the envy of the Lair
when word about you gets around.” Jovan winked at her and fled,
heading back up the passageway at a fast clip. No doubt he had
preparations to make if the knights and dragons of this Lair were
going into battle.

“
Fly safe and good hunting, Sir
Jovan,” she called after him, sending a prayer heavenward to the
Mother of All for his safety. Silla was at her side, her smile
fading as she no doubt realized Isabelle knew something of what was
happening to mobilize the Lair.

“
Tilly didn’t give me any details
because she was off to the dragon council, but there’s trouble
coming, isn’t there?” Lady Silla asked, concern in her
voice.

“
I am sorry to say, there is,”
Isabelle replied, her thoughts turning to Robert, still in harm’s
way this night.

“
Tell me what you know,” Silla said
urgently, leading Isabelle to the small grouping of chairs and a
couch, off to one side. Isabelle noticed that Sir Jovan had
deposited her two bags of belongings on the low table in the center
of the well-padded chairs.

The women sat as Isabelle began to tell Silla
the little that she knew of the situation. By the time she was
done, Silla was frowning, but her facial expression made Isabelle
think the woman was planning.

“
I know you’re newly arrived here…”
Silla said, standing, “…but if you’re not too tired, I could use
help preparing the salves and other supplies we might need on the
morrow, if you’re willing.”

Isabelle was glad to be asked. She
wanted to be useful. And truth be told, she did
not
want to spend any portion of her
night all alone, pacing around the circle of this suite, wringing
her hands and worrying.

“
I’m not tired at all, Lady Silla,”
Isabelle replied quickly. “I’d be happy to help in any way I
can.”

Silla smiled again, though not as brightly as
before. “Thank you, Isabelle. This Lair is still very new and there
are not too many with basic healing skills here yet. I could use an
extra pair of hands both in preparation and in treatment, if and
when it comes to that. Tilly said you can bespeak dragons?” Silla
asked the question as they left the suite together, the massive
doors closing easily behind them.

“
I can,” Isabelle confirmed. “I
didn’t know it was such a rare thing until Robert and Growloranth
told me. I used to speak to my mother the same way, but she was the
only one. I never knew how dragons communicated with their knights
until a few days ago.”

They walked down a long hall, in a different
direction than Jovan had brought her, stopping finally in front of
a small, person-sized door. Silla pushed it open and the lovely
scent of herbs wafted out to Isabelle even before the door was
fully open.

“
This is my workroom,” Silla told
her. “We are close to the cliff face here and there is a hothouse
my mates built for my plants just through there.” She nodded toward
a small, shadowy passage that must lead to the outer wall. “We will
concentrate on preparing burnjelly since the first wave will be
skiths. Have you used it before?”

Isabelle had to shake her head. “I have heard
of it, but nobody in our village has had a plant in more than
twenty years, or so the story goes. But if you show me what to do,
I’m a quick study. My mother and I spent many hours making salves
and ointments from the herbs we gathered in the woods.”

They spent the next two hours and more
harvesting burnjelly from the stock of plants Silla had in her
well-organized hothouse. Silla lectured as she worked, teaching
Isabelle a great deal she had not known about healing and the use
of plants that she had never seen before. Silla also told Isabelle
of her origins and how she had been married at a very young age to
an old man in a faraway land. When the old man tired of her, she
was beaten to within an inch of her life and thrown out in the
gutter to die. Someone took pity on her and brought her to a temple
of healing, where she was slowly nursed back to health.

With nowhere to go and a demonstrated aptitude
for gardening and preparing herbal remedies, Silla was allowed to
stay on at the temple as a student. Eventually she was sent out on
her journeyman trial—a trip that usually lasted about ten years,
where Temple healers were expected to make their own way in the
world, using the skills they had learned and healing all who asked
it of them, be it man or beast.

It was at that point that Isabelle realized
Silla was a Temple healer. Even in Halley’s Well, the skills of
those trained in the Temple were well known, even revered. Isabelle
had only ever seen one Temple healer come through the village, when
she was just a small girl. The healer had taken tea with her mother
and they had spoken of different treatments and herbs for several
hours.

When the Temple healer left Halley’s Well, he
had a stock of her mother’s seedlings in his cart and Mama had a
drawer full of prepared salves and a few new recipes. The villagers
hadn’t known the Temple healer had spent his last hours in the area
having tea with her mother while Isabelle played on with her doll
under the table. Even at that young age, Isabelle had learned that
the less the villagers knew of their doings, the better.

Silla went on to tell of how she had healed a
dragon and fallen in love with his knight, and the knight who was
partnered with the dragon’s mate. In short order she had wed the
two knights and been installed as the new Lair’s first
healer.

There was so much Isabelle wanted to ask but
the night was growing very late and Sir Bernard arrived at the door
unexpectedly, to collect Isabelle from Silla’s care. They had
gotten a huge supply of burnjelly ready. It would steep for the
next day or so, becoming even more potent, and ready for when it
might be needed.

Bear thanked Silla for looking after Isabelle,
and seemed gratified to find that Isabelle had helped out so
greatly in the preparations. He seemed…proud…of her, much to
Isabelle’s surprise and delight. It had been so long since anyone
thought anything about her actions. It was a nice feeling that he
cared how she got on with the Lair folk.

Sir Bernard escorted her back to the suite
where Lady Tildeth was already ensconced in the huge oval sand pit.
Her wings were folded, her neck curved back on her body and little
tendrils of cinnamon-scented smoke rose softly from her nostrils as
she slept.

They slipped quietly around the sand pit and
Bear motioned for her to join him in a side chamber that served as
a kitchen. He poured two cups of steaming liquid into waiting mugs
and offered her one as they sat at a plain wooden table. Isabelle
was pleased to find he had brewed an herbal tea that was both
soothing and delicious.

“
I figured we could use a few
minutes to unwind. It has been rather tense since we took to the
sky,” Sir Bernard said, touching her with his thoughtfulness. “Did
you get on well with Lady Silla?”

“
She is wonderful,” Isabelle told
him with candor. “She taught me a great deal and I was able to help
her preparations. She invited me back tomorrow, in
fact.”

“
I’m glad. Silla is a highly
skilled healer and one of the favorites among every dragon in the
Lair.”

“
Is Lady Tildeth all right?”
Isabelle looked out the doorway into the center of the suite and
the sandpit where the dragon lay sleeping.

“
She’s fine. Just very tired. She
flew double time to get us here so quickly,” he explained. “We
could sit outside in the more comfortable chairs. Some nights I sit
out there for hours and just watch her, thanking my lucky stars
that she chose me as her knight.”

Isabelle was fascinated by the dragons. “If
you’re sure she doesn’t mind,” she said, rising to follow him out
of the kitchen.

“
She doesn’t,” he assured her in a
quiet voice. “I asked her. She knows I’m dopey in love with her. I
have been for years. She’s like mother, sister and best friend, all
rolled into one—though there’s so much more that I can’t describe
to our relationship. She is part of me, I guess.” He shrugged,
seeming at a loss for words. “All I can say is, the day she chose
me was the happiest day of my life.” He led Isabelle over to the
seating area. “As long as we keep our voices down, she’ll sleep
like a baby.”