Tears of War Page 8

  He glanced back at the departing boy. “I’ll miss him too.” He turned back to her, his blue eyes intense. “I’m going to miss you more.”

  Her throat tightened as tears burned her eyes again. She cleared her throat and blinked them back; she would cry later. “I will miss you more than you know,” she whispered.

  Kellinar traced his thumb lightly across her cheek. “I’ll know.”

  She couldn’t help the tear that tracked its way down her face. He was right; their bond ensured it. Distance wouldn’t make the bond weaker. He would know every moment of her misery.

  He drew her to him, bending to press his lips against hers. She rose to meet him, letting the kiss deepen, knowing this would be the last time she felt his touch for possibly months. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him, savoring every passing second. When he finally released her, he kept his eyes on hers. “I love you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

  Taela moved to his side as he took a step back. The shorter woman made no attempt to hide the tears coursing down her face. “I am going to miss you so much.” She threw her arms around Anevay.

  Anevay hugged her back with the same intensity. “How will I live each day without you, bondsister?”

  Taela stepped back, her dark blue eyes serious. “Remember, I am but a mental call away. I will be able to hear you no matter where we go. If you need us for anything, we can Slide back.”

  Anevay wiped away another tear before it fell and smiled at her bondmate and bondsister. “I will be fine. After all, I have Latia. And there are all of the other new riders. Bardeck is here and sometimes Emallya. And my family, I have them. Dhovara can’t decide if she’s relieved Latia is too young to Slide or upset for me that I can’t go.”

  Kellinar chuckled. “Your aunt is a good woman.”

  “Yes, she is.” She glanced behind him. The Defenders who would lead the horses through had arrived on the terrace. “Looks like everyone is about ready. I wish you would let Latia walk through like the horses.”

  Kellinar took her hand, and kissed her palm lightly before letting go. “You know I would if it was safe. If something happened and we had to Slide home fast, Latia would be trapped where ever we were or she would try to Slide without enough experience and end up who knows where. It isn’t safe for her or you. What the rest of us had to do when we went to the Kormai for Maleena was dangerous, and we were lucky we didn’t lose anyone with the way we had to force the learning of Sliding. It’s better to take it slower and give your dragon time to learn it properly. I won’t take the chance of losing either of you. Once she learns to Slide when she wants to and where she is intending to go, you are more than welcome to join us.”

  A haunted look crept into his eyes and Taela laid her hand on his arm. Anevay knew he was remembering Maleena’s and Nydara’s accidental Slide to the Kormai a year and a half ago. He didn’t want to take the chance of something like that happening to her or Latia. She understood. She didn’t like it, but she understood.

  Anevay knew he would keep Taela from going if he could. But Paki was old enough and had been Sliding for months. His one attempt to persuade Taela from going had nearly resulted in her harming him. Anevay was glad she’d been there as a restraining force for her bondsister. Taela was strong and stubborn, with a temper that sometimes burned quick and hot. Although she usually kept it under control, when something really upset her, she didn’t always think before she unleashed it.

  In her mind, Anevay heard Shryden’s voice. Full of humor, the sending came only to her. “It serves him right for trying to force Taela to stay. If she really had stabbed him, he would have deserved it. I could have handled the shared pain. He is a good man, but too often worried about losing those he loves. I think it is because he had no one to love and no one to love him back for so long.”

  She looked up at the massive blue. “I think you are right. Still, Taela should have understood that instead of letting her temper get the better of her.”

  “If Latia was old enough and he had tried that with you, how would you have taken it?”

  “I see your point.”

  A heavy rumble issued from Shryden, the dragon equivalent of a laugh. Kellinar looked back at his dragon. “What is so funny?”

  Anevay laughed softly. “We were just discussing you.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “A private conversation between you and my dragon, that can’t be a good thing.” He put an arm around Taela and steered her toward Paki. “It is time to go. Let’s get out of here before Anevay corrupts my dragon.”

  “He is already corrupted; a reflection of his rider.” She laughed at the way he tried to stop smiling long enough to frown.

  It didn’t take much time for them to climb in the saddles and fasten the safety straps. Serena, a bag slung across her shoulders, dashed across the terrace. She paused to give Anevay a brief hug before running to Miya. She settled in the saddle and fastened the safety straps, then signaled to the others that she was ready.

  Kellinar flashed Anevay a quick smile just as Shryden launched into the air with Paki and Miya right behind him. The wind from their wings buffeted her as they moved down the crater. A whirlpool of heat waves spun open in front of Shryden, growing bigger until it reached the ground.

  The dragons slowly moved into it. Below them the Defenders led the horses through. Within minutes, Shryden reappeared as the Defenders, now empty-handed came back. With a last dip of his wings, Shryden turned and flew back into the Slide. The whirlpool in the sky disappeared and silence cloaked the terrace.

  Anevay felt a bump on her arm and turned to see Latia next to her. She leaned her head on the dragon’s neck and let her tears run down the yellow scales. She would miss them so much.

  Taela watched Kellinar and Shryden come back through the Slide and land. In the gathering darkness, the small mountains to the north rose into the last pale pink stain in the sky. In the distance to the west, the trees of a large forest stood like silent sentinels. A light, warm breeze rippled across the grass, their newly formed seed heads bobbing. The first blooms of the wildflowers swayed as if waving in welcome.

  She took a deep breath, the familiarity of the air bringing a mixture of comfort and fear. A little over a week of travel on horseback would bring them to Haraban, her birthplace. Would her father accept what she was? What about Sehlas? What had become of him? That was a wrong she fully intended to right if there was a way.

  Serena stood a few paces away staring at the horse. Tall and sleek, its bay coat shone in the fading light. The other woman took the reins. “I really hoped that with Miya, I would never have to ride a horse again.” She sighed. “Oh well, I guess at least this time I will know what I’m doing when I get in the saddle.”

  Taela suppressed a laugh. Serena had never been comfortable around horses and in the time she’d known her, she had never seen her ride. She always managed to avoid it. Kellinar wasn’t so nice. He let his laughter loose as he walked to his own horse. “You were never all that great at riding. At least this time, you should be able to get both feet in the stirrups.”

  Serena scowled at him and stuck her tongue out. Another thing she’d never seen Serena do. In Galdrilene, Serena was always careful to behave in a certain manner, only occasionally joining in the goofing around the others did. But here, with just the three of them, Serena was finding her playful side again. Kellinar said she could be quite fun; now she saw where that belief came from.

  Serena gave a snort and turned to her horse with her nose in the air at a comical angle. “I seem to remember you riding like a half-empty potato sack in the beginning, sliding all over your saddle and only staying on because your scruffy little horse was too lazy to toss you off.”

  “Ah, but I got the hang of it and I am now quite good . You on the other hand will be lucky if you don’t end up sitting in the saddle backward.”

  Serena’s laugh floated on the breeze like wind chimes. Taela stayed silent, enjoying their playful and f
riendly banter. Serena swung into the saddle and cast a haughty look at Kellinar. He smiled back and leaped into his saddle without even using a stirrup. His horse danced sideways as he settled the reins. Serena rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  Miya snorted in amusement and Shryden rumbled his dragon laugh. Taela climbed into her saddle without any display. She was an accomplished rider, but she didn’t feel the need to show off the way Kellinar did. Besides, they only had an hour or so of riding before they would have to stop for the night. Just because they saw extremely well in the dark didn’t mean the horses were able to.

  When the last shred of light had faded from the sky and only a blanket of stars shone above, they stopped for the night. Taela lay next to Kellinar in her sleeping roll. Miya’s and Paki’s slumbering rumbles drowned out most of the nighttime sounds. Above, Shryden glided on updrafts, keeping watch for anyone who might approach. Sometime during the night he would switch off with the other two dragons. They insisted on keeping watch and had a schedule of their own.

  Taela stared up at the stars, her mind miles away. Anevay was up, researching again. Quiet loneliness clung to her bondsister’s mind, held at bay by the connection to her dragon and because she could still feel the other two thirds of the bond. Taela sent comfort and love to Anevay and felt an immediate change in her bondsister’s mind. The simple mental touch had cheered her up.

  “Paki,” she sent to her silver. “Make sure Latia reminds Anevay to get some sleep.”

  Paki’s rumble lightened as the dragon woke. “I have already done so. Anevay pushes herself too hard. Latia will do her best to make sure Anevay takes care of herself.”

  “Thank you, love.”

  “Anything for you, Taela.”

  Kellinar rolled over and put his arm around her. “You checked on Anevay?”

  “Yes, she is awake, researching still.”

  He frowned. “She needs to get more sleep than she does.”

  “Paki already spoke to Latia and she promises to do her best to make sure Anevay gets what she needs.”

  “I guess that is all we can do until we can be together again.” He tightened his arm around her. “Maybe you should go back. Serena and I can handle all of this.”

  She stiffened. “Kellinar, don’t even start with this again. I will not go back. And if I did, how would you get into my father’s palace to speak with him?”

  Kellinar snorted and his tone held disbelief when he said, “Do you really think so little of my abilities? I could steal half your father’s possessions and be gone before he even knew I was there.”

  She shook her head, still having trouble imagining that he used be a thief. “But you aren’t going there to steal anything. You are going there to talk to him and you would have trouble getting him to listen if he caught you breaking in.”

  He shrugged. “I could bind and gag him with Air until he was ready to listen.”

  She couldn’t help laughing. “Your diplomacy leaves something to be desired. I think you had better let me handle that part.”

  “Not like you are going to give me a choice anyway.”

  “No, I’m not. So you might as well go to sleep and stop trying to think of ways to make me go back to Galdrilene.”

  He burrowed his face into her hair. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  She rolled over and pressed her lips lightly to his before pulling back to look into his eyes. “Nothing is going to happen to me. You worry too much.”

  He yawned and closed his eyes. “That’s what Shryden says.”

  She snuggled closer to him, letting her eyes drift shut. “You should listen to him more often.” A soft snore from him answered her.

  As the week passed and the countryside became more populated, the dragons hung back more and flew higher. There were times when they were nothing more than tiny specks in the sky. High enough to be unnoticed, but still close enough to reach the ground within a few moments if need be.

  They rode past farms where dogs ran out to the road barking their challenge, and through villages where children dashed among the houses and wives hung laundry to dry. The familiar land unfolded around them; a sense of a warm homecoming mixed with dread filled her mind until an anxious knot formed in her stomach. A knot that no amount of comfort from Kellinar or Paki could undo.

  The road curved along the slope of a large hill. Taela’s palms began to sweat. She shifted the reins and wiped her hands on her cloak. Warm humidity hung heavy in the morning air and a soft breeze carried the sweet scent of wild honeysuckle and roses. She wore a light cloak in spite of the warmth and kept the hood pulled well forward. Taela didn’t want anyone to recognize her before they reached the gates to the palace. She had no idea what her father believed or what had been said about her.

  If her fears were true then he knew she could use magic. She would be wanted but not for a reunion. It wouldn’t help their cause if they had to battle the people of Haraban to keep them from killing her.

  “I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Paki sent. “It will be difficult to convince them we are not evil if I have to set half of them on fire to save you.”

  “You will not do that,” Taela sent back.

  “I don’t want to, my instinct is to protect them, but my need to protect you is greater. I will do my best to hold off on killing anyone as long as possible if things don’t go well. I will not allow them to kill you though.”

  Taela sighed. She really couldn’t expect anything less. If she died, Paki died with her and they had survived too much to allow themselves to be killed because magic and dragons were misunderstood.

  They came around the final bend and there stood the city of Haraban, the white castle walls riding atop the massive hill and the city spreading out over the hillside. Houses filled the countryside beyond the city walls. A few were even built into the edge of the forest to the west.

  Taela gazed at the towers of the castle and the knot in her stomach tightened. She tugged at the hood of her cloak nervously, glancing up at the three tiny dots soaring with the high, thin clouds and drew some comfort. Even from that height, Paki tracked her every move.

  Kellinar reached over, squeezing her hand. “It’ll be alright.”

  “Of course it will.” Serena nodded. “But we do actually have to go there. We can’t just sit on our horses staring at it. Either it will go well or it won’t. But if it’s going to go badly, it’s best best to swallow nasty medicine quickly and get it over with. The not knowing is what has you all tied up and anxious. Let us get a move on and get to knowing.”

  Taela smiled at the other woman and took a deep breath. “You are right. Good or bad, it will be better to know. Let’s get it over with.” They rode forward, Kellinar in front and Serena bringing up the rear.

  It was late afternoon by the time they passed through the city gates. So far, no one had given them more than a passing glance. This was a large city and strangers were not uncommon. The guards at the gate barely looked at them. Their horses and clothing both showed a quality that spoke of wealth and prestige.

  Kovan looked up from the roughly sketched map on the table in front of him. A servant stood in the doorway. Already a small woman, she appeared to shrink in on herself when his icy gaze settled upon her. He hated being disturbed. “Are you here for a reason or did you just plan to stand there and try my patience?”

  “Sadira requests your presence in the main cavern.” The servant shifted uncomfortably. Her timid voice conveyed that it was nothing more than a request, but he caught the undercurrent of her desperation.

  Failure to return with him would likely earn the woman time spent with Sadira’s shadows. He rubbed his hands over his face and stood. Sadira frequently used the female servants against him in this fashion. A male servant would likely receive a painful meeting of Kovan’s own magic for interrupting his thoughts. But he couldn’t bring himself to use his magic on the women.

  They all possessed some quality that reminded him of
his mother. This one’s voice was quiet and timid, just as his mother’s had been when his father was home. He hated that tone, especially since it was aimed at him. He had never lifted a hand or used his magic against any of the female servants and still they slunk around him like beaten dogs. It irritated him. He was not his father.

  She shrank away as he walked through the doorway. She started to follow behind, but he stopped and glared at her. “I don’t need an escort. Go. Find something useful to do with yourself.”

  Her face paled as she bobbed a quick curtsy and fled in the opposite direction. He growled low in his throat and stormed toward the main cavern. Damn Sadira and her infernal shadows. She enjoyed using them far too much. There was very little method behind her madness. No temperance in her. She loved causing pain just for the sake of causing it. There was nothing wrong with indulging occasionally, and using it when the situation called for i;t however, Sadira overdid it.

  When he entered the main cavern, he found Sadira sitting on one of the long, built-in benches that ran along the walls. Plush cushions ensured that the cool stone they were made of wasn’t noticed when sat upon. Sadira’s pet sisters knelt at her feet.

  “Why did you send someone to interrupt me at this late hour? What do you possibly have to say that is important?”

  Sadira sneered at him. “I see you didn’t tell her to get lost. Such a softie, Kovan. I’m sure whatever you were doing was of the utmost importance,” her tone said just the opposite, “but I have need of you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What can you possibly need, Sadira?”

  “I need help with the prisoner.” Frustrated anger crossed her face. “My shadows continue to fail against him.”

  Kovan shook his head. “He is, or rather was, a Border Guard. Did you expect him to break easily? They’ve been hardened against pain. It’s part of their training. I think you would have learned something from the last time you confronted one.”