Tears of War (57 page)

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fter the men filed out of the room, Arandrall turned to Mckale and Maleena. “If you don’t mind, I ask you to remain here until we assemble to leave.”

Maleena nodded. “Of course.”

“As long as you send someone with the mid-day meal,” Mckale said. “Maleena needs to eat and so do I.”

Arandrall inclined his head. “I will have it sent up immediately.” He hesitated at the door. “Hesutu, is there anything in particular you would like to eat or drink?”

Hesutu seemed surprised by the question. Until a couple of hours ago he’d been chained and caged like an animal. After a moment’s pause, the Ke’han shook his head.

As Arandrall closed the door behind him, Maleena sank into one of the chairs with a soft sigh. Mckale sat next to her and she sensed his concern. Anevay sat as well.

“Maleena?” He took her hand in his.

She smiled wearily at him. “I’m fine, just a little tired. I’ll feel better after I eat and drink.”

Hesutu seemed agitated and she turned to him. “What’s wrong?”

He held out his massive hand to her and she placed her palm on his. The thought came through clearly; he must be really worried.
“Can you find them?”

Maleena smiled at him and shook her head. “I can’t find them. However,” she hastened to add when his shoulders slumped, “my dragon Nydara should be able to. She may not be able to locate your exact family, but she should be able to find the Nagi of the camp we met.”

She reached out to Nydara,
“You can find them right?”

“Now you ask.”
The sending was accompanied by a mental snort.

“Can you or not?”

“Of course I can. Dragons can always find each other. It will be more difficult because of our differences, somewhat like you and the Ke’han, but I can do it. I will start searching now for Amara.”

Maleena sent a wave of love to the dragon.
“Thank you.”
She turned her attention back to Hesutu. “The headman of the camp was named Hakan, do you know him?”

Hesutu nodded eagerly, a smile spreading across his face, revealing his fangs. He held his hand out. Again, Maleena placed her palm on his.
“My headman’s cousin and my uncle.”

Mckale cleared his throat. “Anevay, can you heal the damage to his vocal chords?”

“I don’t know.” Anevay hesitated. “I can try though I’m not sure my weaves will work on him.”

She stood and walked up to the Ke’han that towered over her. The several inches she had on Maleena didn’t make her look any taller next to Hesutu. Anevay placed her hands on his arm and closed her eyes. Maleena watched the magic threads of healing weave together and flow up his arm to his throat. Anevay stood like that for several minutes before pulling the weave back and releasing it.

“Well?” Mckale leaned forward, an expectant look on his face.

Hesutu looked down at the dark-skinned healer. “Thank you.” His voice was raspy, with little more sound than a whisper, but it was a voice.

Anevay shook her head. “I wish I could do more. The damage was done quite some time ago. Perhaps a year?” She looked at him questioningly. When he nodded she continued, “I thought so. Injuries left too long don’t heal right. Couple that with our obvious differences and it’s the best I can do. I’m sorry.”

“There is nothing to apologize for,” Hesutu rasped.

Maleena smiled at Anevay. “You are just as good at healing as Serena.”

Her friend sent her a mock glare. “You aren’t supposed to go poking around in my head.”

“I didn’t.” Maleena laughed softly. “When you broadcast your thoughts like that though, I can’t help hearing them.”

Someone knocked at the door to the room. Before any of them could move to stand up, it swung open and a line of servants carried platters of food and pitchers of drink. Maleena drew in the wonderful smells filling the Council chamber and her stomach growled in approval.

They ate their meal in silence. Hesutu seemed intent on trying everything. What had he been fed while imprisoned?

As they finished the meal, Nydara reached out for Maleena.
“I have found them. The connection with Amara wasn’t easy to make, but with some work I was able to bridge the differences. They are quite a distance from where we met them. Amara has let Angeni know that we are coming.”

“Thank you, Nydara.”
Maleena looked at Hesutu. “Nydara has found Hakan’s camp.”

The Ke’han smiled again his eyes alight with anticipation.

Anevay sat back. “I will accompany you to meet the Ke’han so I can carry personal observations back to Galdrilene and then to Trilene.”

The other woman’s longing tugged at Maleena. “Send my love to everyone.”

Mckale raised his eyebrows. “You aren’t staying?”

“I’ve barely had any time with Kellinar and Taela lately,” Anevay said. “I miss them.”

“Understandable.” Mckale nodded and looked at Maleena. “Still, it was a comfort having you around.”

Anevay reached across the table and took Mckale’s hand. “You have nothing to worry about. The pregnancy is moving along just fine. There is nothing for me to do here.”

He smiled at her and Maleena sensed the relief he felt at Anevay’s words. “I have trouble not worrying. Especially with so much going on and the need to fly so much, the battles in Shadereen, and everything that still needs to be done.”

Anevay glanced at Maleena and they shared a look before the healer turned back to Mckale. “She is strong and capable, Mckale. Pregnant doesn’t equate to being an invalid or broken.”

He nodded. “I know. Really I do, it’s just—”

The door swung open, interrupting him as Arandrall, Holden, Yennale, and Sarrandrall entered with a group of Border Guards. Maleena and her companions stood. Mckale crossed his arms and a slight frown formed on his face. “Border Guards?”

Arandrall nodded. “It isn’t that I don’t believe you; however, if this were to go wrong somehow, we can’t go unprotected.”

Maleena looked over the group of twenty Border Guards. Hakan’s camp was one of those with a Nagi. The long, low-slung dragon would take down every one of those men if she thought her camp was threatened.

Maleena sensed the sudden turmoil within Tellnox, Nydara, and Latia. Bound to protect both the Ke’han and the Calladarans, the possibility of the two against each other in battle disturbed and saddened them.

As they made their way up to the roof again, Maleena sent waves of comfort to the silver. It wouldn’t come to battle between the two; the group of Border Guards was only a precaution.

The dragons awaited them on the roof. While Mckale explained to Arandrall and the others what to do once the Slide opened, Maleena stepped up on Nydara’s leg and reached for the saddle. She brought her leg up to place her foot in the stirrup and had to twist a little to reach high enough. Though not large yet, her expanding middle already made getting in and out of the saddle more difficult. Maybe they would Slide back to Galdrilene at some point and see if another stirrup could be added below the one she normally used so she wouldn’t have to reach as far with her foot when gaining the saddle.

As she settled in the seat and began to fasten the safety straps, Anevay leaped into Latia’s saddle and Mckale helped Hesutu up behind him on the massive green.

“We must lift off first since I have to control the Slide this time. Amara gave me a very clear picture; however, this is a place none of us have physically been, so I prefer to open it myself. Amara was kind enough to send scents, feelings and other general information about the place.”

Maleena nodded and ran her hand over the silver scales of Nydara’s neck.
“I agree. It’s best for you to open the Slide, I have no wish to become lost in it.”

The silver lifted into the air and Maleena sensed her gauging the size of the Slide she would need to get them all through as well as the distance of the low wall that ran around the top of the roof.

After several moments with Tellnox and Latia waiting behind her, Nydara opened the Slide. Maleena glanced down at the men on the roof. The wind from three dragons trying to hold themselves in position buffeted them and they each stood with an arm raised over their faces as if trying to keep any dust away.

Nydara angled her wings and moved slowly into the Slide. When they emerged, the desert stretched around them. A hot wind smacked Maleena in the face and she wiped away the sweat that immediately beaded on her forehead. Below them, a wide, shallow canyon stretched out. Several other smaller canyons branched out from it like limbs on a tree.

Hakan must be taking precautions too. Instead of a box canyon, he had his camp in this open one with plenty of escape routes.

The dragons landed in a way that placed them between the Ke’han and the Border Guards. Maleena heard some grumbling about that but ignored it. They could be as displeased as they wanted. The dragons’ duty was to protect them all against harm, not against irritation.

The warriors of Hakan’s camp lined up much like the first time Maleena had seen them. A living wall of protection for those behind them. A baby’s cry rang out and was quickly hushed. For a moment, no one moved. Arandrall and the Council members stood staring as the Ke’han gazed back warily.

Maleena eased off Nydara’s back and walked toward Hakan with Mckale at her side.

Without taking his eyes off the Bordermen, Hakan put a fist over his heart. “It is good to see friends again. You have brought a member of my family with you?”

“It’s good to see you again too, Hakan.” Mckale emulated the fist over heart before turning and waving Hesutu forward.

A gasp rose up from the Ke’han. Avendala pushed her way between the males and ran to Hesutu, a cry of relief coming from her. Several of the men lurched forward to stay within a protective range of her.

Avendala hugged Hesutu tight. He returned the hug and Maleena sensed he was torn between maintaining the cool, collected attitude of the adult males and clinging to her like the young male he still was.

Maleena smiled. “I guess you do know each other.”

Avendala backed up a step and ran her hands down the sides of Hesutu’s face. She glanced at Maleena. “My older sister’s son.” She looked back at Hesutu. “Is Gad somewhere too?”

A sense of despair flowed from Hesutu and reflected in his dark eyes as he shook his head. “Gad is dead,” he rasped. “I fought as hard as I could, but I could not save him.”

Tears welled in Avendala’s eyes as she nodded, accepting the news. Hakan came forward and enveloped his nephew in a brief hug before he stepped back. “We will properly mourn Gad when we meet with your camp. For now, let us deal with this.”

Mckale turned to Arandrall. “Hakan, this is Lord Arandrall, the Head of the Council of Nine whom led Calladar. With him are Yennale, Holden, and Sarrandrall,” he pointed to each one in turn, “other members of the Nine.”

Then he looked at Arandrall, “This is Hakan, headman of this camp of Ke’han.”

Arandrall approached slowly, a wary look in his eyes that was mirrored in Hakan’s. When he was within arm’s reach, Hakan held his hand out, palm up. “Welcome to my camp, Arandrall.”

Arandrall hesitated. “Lord Arandrall.”

Hakan inclined his head slightly. “I am aware of the title you carry; however, you are not a leader to me or mine, your title means nothing here. Here, you are just Arandrall. I am not a headman to you and yours, my title means nothing to you. For the purpose of this meeting, I am just Hakan.”

Maleena suppressed a smile as she watched Arandrall swallow his pride and place his palm on Hakan’s under the direction of Mckale and thank the Ke’han for the welcome.

A gasp of surprise went up from the Border Guards as Amara, her burgundy scales flashing in the sun, ran past. The long dragon was surprisingly agile as she flowed across the ground, the dark blue mane around her head tossing in the breeze. She stopped in front of the dragons and Maleena sensed a conversation between them.

Arandrall stared at Amara, his eyes wide. “What is that?”

Maleena brushed away the strands of hair blown into her face by the wind. “That is Amara. She is a Nagi. She protects this camp in the same way dragons protect their riders. Her scales are as hard as dragon scales and although she can’t fly, she can breathe fire. I wouldn’t recommend making any threatening movements toward the Ke’han.”

Arandrall frowned slightly and nodded. He looked toward the Border Guards. “You heard her. Keep your weapons sheathed unless there is no other choice.”

Hakan motioned for Arandrall and the other Council members to follow him. “Please, join us and meet the Ke’han.”

The men of the camp opened ranks and allowed them through, though they still stood alert, their eyes on the group of Border Guards. As they entered the camp, Maleena and Anevay were immediately drawn away to the group of women.

Angeni looked at Maleena and smiled widely. “You are with child now.”

Maleena laughed and nodded. Pamuya patted Maleena’s belly with a wrinkled hand. The baby kicked against it and Pamuya smiled. “It is a strong babe. You will have to bring it to meet us after it enters this world.”