Doom of the Dragon by Margaret Weis

his face, cleansing it of wine and perspiration. “Treia is pregnant, as you know, Revered Aelon, and she fears something is wrong with the child. She won’t let me touch her. She told me to leave her bed. The midwives think it would be best for her and the child if I don’t upset her. A man has needs…”
    His voice trailed off.
    Aelon stood in silence, drinking the wine. Raegar began to grow frightened.
    â€œAll is well with your wife’s pregnancy,” said Aelon at last. “I will reassure her.”
    Still she did not look at him.
    â€œI know I have displeased you, Revered Aelon,” said Raegar humbly. “If this is about the loss of the ship, I can explain—”
    â€œShip!” Aelon snorted. “What do I care about ships? Your cousin, Skylan, is not dead.”
    â€œNot dead? Impossible!” Raegar said, amazed. “I threw the spear that killed him. I saw his blood flow! I saw him fall! I watched him die!”
    â€œNonetheless, he is not dead,” Aelon said. “He is not alive, but he is not dead.”
    â€œI don’t understand,” said Raegar, frowning. “How can he be both?”
    â€œSome god loves him,” Aelon muttered. She held out her goblet. “More wine.”
    Raegar poured the wine. He longed to pour a drink for himself, but he knew he needed to remain sober, keep his wits about him.
    â€œWhere is Skylan?” Raegar asked. “Tell me where to find him and this time, I swear, I will finish him!”
    â€œYour cousin has gone where you cannot follow. He is now my concern,” said Aelon. “I will deal with him, his wife, and the spiritbones. She has acquired the third, the spiritbone in the possession of the Sea Goddess. The one you promised to bring to me.”
    â€œI can explain—”
    â€œPlease do so.” Aelon arched an eyebrow and said mockingly, “From the stories I hear, you were the hero of that battle. Tell me, Raegar, how many men did you kill single-handed?”
    Raegar considered the god’s taunt unjust. “I had to tell the people something to explain my absence and the loss of the ship, Revered Aelon. I am their emperor. You would not have them lose faith in me.”
    Aelon regarded him in silence, then grudgingly conceded. “I suppose not.”
    She poured herself more wine. Walking over to a map of the world spread out on a large table, she placed her finger at a southern point on the map and tapped her finger on a spot in the ocean.
    â€œThis is the current location of your cousin’s dragonship, the Venejekar . His wife, that Kai Priestess of Vindrash. Your wife’s sister. The one you lust after. What is her name?”
    â€œAylaen, Revered Aelon,” Raegar mumbled, flushing.
    While it was true he had once lusted after Aylaen, he found the thought of her sickened him. Whenever he thought of her now, he heard her accusations against Treia.
    Treia made a bargain with Hevis, God of Lies and Deceit , Aylaen had told him. She promised to sacrifice someone she loved and in return he gave her the ability to summon the Vektia dragon. She failed to keep her bargain. Hevis will not forget. I would watch what she puts in my soup if I were you.
    Her accusations were one of the reasons he had been avoiding Treia. He could have explained to Aelon, but he feared Aelon might think he and Treia had conspired with Hevis together. Once his son was born, he would see to it that Treia would never pray to a heathen god again.
    Aelon irritably snapped her fingers under his nose. “Are you listening to me?”
    Raegar came back to reality with a guilty start. “Yes, Revered Aelon!”
    â€œI asked you a question. Where do you think Aylaen and the Venejekar are bound?”
    â€œI don’t know, Revered Aelon,” said Raegar. “Back to Vindraholm?”
    â€œFar from it. Vindrash tried to conceal Aylaen from me, but at last I found her. She is