one hand across the table like a monstrous spider, fingers veering this way and that as if they searched for something. “All sorts of things creeping up on you out of the darkness beyond the firelight.”
A long moment of silence; then, “Feh,” said Lleld, pushing her plate away. “I don’t think I’m hungry anymore.”
Linden wholeheartedly agreed.
Four of the truedragons stood together to one side of the Field; they were the guard of honor, made up of kinswyrms of the fifth and largest truedragon, one honored and venerated among his kind and the Dragonlords.
Morlen the Seer swung his long neck around as the Dragonlords and Taren approached. *Well met, little cousins,* Morlen said. *And good day to thee, truehuman Taren Olmeins; we thank thee for thy sacrifices in bringing us this news.*
Taren’s face turned an alarming shade of grey. Be gentle with him, Morlen, the Lady said privily to the Seer. Like most truehumans, he’s terrified of dragonkind, and has been ill as well. Aloud she said, “Taren, please tell Morlen all you told the Saethe earlier.”
Once more Taren Olmeins recited his news. But this time he told it quickly, the tale skinned and cut to its bones. Now and again the Lady elaborated in mindspeech for Morlen’s benefit.
When the man was done, Morlen thought for a time, then asked, *Have thee any idea who it might be, Jessia?*
Taren’s gaze darted between them.
The Lady replied, “Kelder and I talked it over last night. While Taren says that the captured dragon is a Dragonlord, it’s not proved to our satisfaction. We all know, old friend, how false tales can spring to life. It could well be a truedragon. More of your kind have disappeared than of mine. That’s why I asked you to come.
*Still, the tale could be true. Besides the many truedragons that have gone missing, there are a few Dragonlords who have disappeared over time, Dragonlords that thee have no idea what befell them. This could be any one of those. But I agree—this is most likely one of my kind.*
“I tell you, the one beneath the Iron Temple is a Dragonlord!” Taren interrupted. His hand flew to his mouth as if to chastise his tongue for its rudeness. A faint flush of color crept into his cheeks.
The Lady nodded, accepting the tacit apology. “It’s possible. And there’s one we consider more likely than any of the others, for he was fascinated with exploring new places before …”
* Before his soultwin, Carra, died. Thee should not look so surprised, Jessia; thee were thinking of Dharm Varleran, were thee not? I remember him wandering the northern wilds after her death. I spoke with him then; Dharm talked of releasing his hold on life so that Varleran would come into his own, and he would be free to follow Carra to the other side. It would also explain a Seeing I had long ago; I could not understand it then, for it was confused and faint, but now … *
“If it is Dharm, then this is the concern of the Dragonlords.”
*No, Jessia, even if this is the one we once knew as Dharm Varleran, then Dharm has already gone on to the other side. That means it is Varleran who is imprisoned—and if that is so, it is the concern of the truedragons. And even if it is not he, there are truedragons it might well be. As thee said, we have also had our disappearances. Either way, I think we must claim this burden. I will bring it before our council, and we will decide what must be done.*
A gasp from Taren brought her attention back to the man. “You will send Dragonlords, will you not?” he demanded of her.
She frowned at him, surprised by his vehemence. “Lord Morlen has claimed this—”
“No! Where he’s kept, the truedragons wouldn’t be able to reach him. You must send Dragonlords!”
Then, as if his last outburst was too much for him, Taren staggered and would have fallen had not Sirl caught his arm. “I apologize, I have no right to speak so. It’s just … I—I must lie down,” he whispered.
The
A long moment of silence; then, “Feh,” said Lleld, pushing her plate away. “I don’t think I’m hungry anymore.”
Linden wholeheartedly agreed.
Four of the truedragons stood together to one side of the Field; they were the guard of honor, made up of kinswyrms of the fifth and largest truedragon, one honored and venerated among his kind and the Dragonlords.
Morlen the Seer swung his long neck around as the Dragonlords and Taren approached. *Well met, little cousins,* Morlen said. *And good day to thee, truehuman Taren Olmeins; we thank thee for thy sacrifices in bringing us this news.*
Taren’s face turned an alarming shade of grey. Be gentle with him, Morlen, the Lady said privily to the Seer. Like most truehumans, he’s terrified of dragonkind, and has been ill as well. Aloud she said, “Taren, please tell Morlen all you told the Saethe earlier.”
Once more Taren Olmeins recited his news. But this time he told it quickly, the tale skinned and cut to its bones. Now and again the Lady elaborated in mindspeech for Morlen’s benefit.
When the man was done, Morlen thought for a time, then asked, *Have thee any idea who it might be, Jessia?*
Taren’s gaze darted between them.
The Lady replied, “Kelder and I talked it over last night. While Taren says that the captured dragon is a Dragonlord, it’s not proved to our satisfaction. We all know, old friend, how false tales can spring to life. It could well be a truedragon. More of your kind have disappeared than of mine. That’s why I asked you to come.
*Still, the tale could be true. Besides the many truedragons that have gone missing, there are a few Dragonlords who have disappeared over time, Dragonlords that thee have no idea what befell them. This could be any one of those. But I agree—this is most likely one of my kind.*
“I tell you, the one beneath the Iron Temple is a Dragonlord!” Taren interrupted. His hand flew to his mouth as if to chastise his tongue for its rudeness. A faint flush of color crept into his cheeks.
The Lady nodded, accepting the tacit apology. “It’s possible. And there’s one we consider more likely than any of the others, for he was fascinated with exploring new places before …”
* Before his soultwin, Carra, died. Thee should not look so surprised, Jessia; thee were thinking of Dharm Varleran, were thee not? I remember him wandering the northern wilds after her death. I spoke with him then; Dharm talked of releasing his hold on life so that Varleran would come into his own, and he would be free to follow Carra to the other side. It would also explain a Seeing I had long ago; I could not understand it then, for it was confused and faint, but now … *
“If it is Dharm, then this is the concern of the Dragonlords.”
*No, Jessia, even if this is the one we once knew as Dharm Varleran, then Dharm has already gone on to the other side. That means it is Varleran who is imprisoned—and if that is so, it is the concern of the truedragons. And even if it is not he, there are truedragons it might well be. As thee said, we have also had our disappearances. Either way, I think we must claim this burden. I will bring it before our council, and we will decide what must be done.*
A gasp from Taren brought her attention back to the man. “You will send Dragonlords, will you not?” he demanded of her.
She frowned at him, surprised by his vehemence. “Lord Morlen has claimed this—”
“No! Where he’s kept, the truedragons wouldn’t be able to reach him. You must send Dragonlords!”
Then, as if his last outburst was too much for him, Taren staggered and would have fallen had not Sirl caught his arm. “I apologize, I have no right to speak so. It’s just … I—I must lie down,” he whispered.
The
Similar Books
