Dragonfire by Karleen Bradford Page B

is time, now, for you to know.” He leaned forward to prod the fire into a sudden, quick blaze.
    “Almost seventeen years ago a son was born to the king of this land.” The fire cast flickering shadows across his face. The shadows, or perhaps the telling of the story, caused the lines etched on either side of his mouth and around the corners of his eyes to deepen. The eyes themselves were sunken andhidden in the blackness of their sockets.
    “That son was Dahl,” he continued. “It was a blessed, welcome event. When the child was born, there was great rejoicing. The babe was brought out to show to all the world. I was named as his Protector, and I myself carried him in my own arms. It was to be a joyful presentation, but the joy did not last long.”
    The Protector fell silent. Dahl stared at him, waiting for him to continue. It was a story Dahl knew well, but he wanted to hear it again, here in his own world. Here the story held new meaning for him—new pain.
    “There are forces of evil in all worlds,” the Protector went on. “Usually there is a balance between that evil and the good that exists alongside it, even as there is a balance of good and evil in every person. Let a rift appear, however, and that balance can shift. That is what happened in Dahl’s world.” He paused again, folded his arms tightly across his chest and seemed to draw into himself. He continued with an obvious effort.
    “Dahl’s father had a twin brother, Launan, who was as evil as the king was good. Launan was a man who had all his life been eaten from within by jealousy. Dahl’s father was the elder by only a few moments, but those moments were enough to give him the crown, and his brother hated him for it. Nothing the king could do for him was enough.Launan did not want what his brother could give him; he wanted what his brother had . The evil in his soul and his festering hatred gave the dark ones the opening they needed to come among us and shift that careful balance of good and evil.
    “Even as the people joined to celebrate the birth, a storm arose. The sky darkened as if it were night, and the earth beneath the old castle began to twist. The walls collapsed upon themselves, burying all within under the rubble, killing most of them instantly. Dahl’s parents—the kindest king and queen this land has ever known—both died.”
    A branch tumbled from the fire in a shower of sparks. Catryn jumped up to kick it back in, then sat down quickly, intent on the story.
    “I was spared, but the babe was wrested from my arms in the turmoil.” The Protector’s voice held all the anguish of his remembering. He put out his hands to warm them at the small blaze. “I searched for him frantically, and found him finally, lying almost lifeless in the ruins, but when I fought my way out of the wreckage, clutching him to me, it was only to find that another babe had been discovered. Launan was triumphantly presenting this child to the people as their rightful ruler, and himself as his rescuer. When I stood forth with Dahl, he proclaimed me a liar, and Dahl an imposter.
    As if the essence of evil itself surrounded and embraced him, he unleashed a torrent of hate. Thevery people who had hailed Dahl’s birth now became enraged and clamored for his death. It was only by a miracle that I managed to save him and escape. All that we who loved Dahl could do was put him out of reach of the evil ones until he was old enough to return and fight for his rightful heritage.”
    The fire had burned itself into embers. The Protector’s face was lost now in the darkness.
    “Until several days ago he was safe,” he went on. “How they found him, I know not, but I recognized their messenger. I tried to hunt him down, but he eluded me. I knew then that the time had come to return.”
    “What about the child who was put in Dahl’s place?” Catryn asked. She leaned toward the Protector and stared at him fiercely.
    “No one knows who he is, nor whence he