queen glared at the Dragon's Wing with impatient eyes. Her head snapped in their direction when Catrin entered. With Thundegar, Kenward had a chance of passing peacefully, approaching with Catrin he'd likely wind up dead, and he questioned the wisdom of going any farther.
"Stop," Catrin said, her voice echoing within the hall. "I wish to speak with Allette."
The feral queen coiled herself before Catrin, ready to strike, but the Herald showed no fear. Kenward admired her. Without Istra's light, she was less powerful than he, in many ways. Yet she stood before death itself and chastised it.
Allette appeared from behind her dragon. "Do not stand in my way, Catrin Volker."
"We've no idea what effect destroying one of the spires would have," Catrin said. "Give us some time to learn more of how the Fifth Magic works, and we may find a better way."
"Your dragon may be able to live on fish and mushrooms," Allette said, glancing up at the feral queen. "Unless you have a herd of cattle hidden away, we either escape soon or die."
Jehregard and the feral queen both reacted to the sound of another dragon entering the hall. Kyrien's movements spoke of agitation and aggression. Jehregard issued a whine that ended with a trumpeting roar.
"Has the time come so soon?" Allette asked Catrin. "Shall we kill each other now?"
Those words were a clear invitation to leave, Kenward thought, and he took a step backward. Before he could turn and run, the feral queen edged into the space between him and the kitchens. Rising up to her full height, she hissed and flapped her wings, buffeting him with wind. Kyrien issued a warning growl that pulled the feral queen's attention away from Kenward, though she still blocked his path. Shouts echoed from behind the dragon, and Kenward worried the people of Dragonhold might attack the feral queen in their fervor, which would surely end in a massacre.
"Stop this at once!" Onin demanded, and Jehregard trumpeted his displeasure. Though normally docile, verdant dragons could be fierce when circumstances called for it. Kenward had seen them fight in the Jaga War.
"I don't wish to kill you," Catrin said slowly. Allette held her ground and said nothing. "I just want you to wait before attacking the spire. Damaging the Fifth Magic could be worse than leaving it as is. I doubt it can be defeated through brute force. Give me three days . . . please."
"No," Allette said. "I'm sorry but I cannot do what you ask. You, of course, understand."
Kenward could not imagine what passed between the two women, having experienced each other's lives and knowing the other's secrets. He shivered at the thought. If either had access to Istra's power at that moment, Kenward suspected lightning would be flying. As it was, all three dragons appeared ready for a fight.
In the end, Catrin nodded. "Help us preserve the Dragon's Wing , and I won't stand in your way."
"If the ship can be moved quickly, then let it be done. If not, it'll fly one last time."
Once the feral queen stood down and moved well clear of the halls, people poured in. Word spread regarding what was needed. Catrin ordered buckets filled with coal and delivered to Allette despite her misgivings. The Black Queen accepted the gifts and waited impatiently for Martik, Benjin, Wendel and a handful of others while they figured out how to move and preserve the heavy vessel. The conversation was heated, and Kenward decided he didn't feel strongly enough about it to interject.
"We've a lot of straw," a young man said. The boy looked at the ground when no one responded. Men with louder voices talked right over him.
"Straw," Kenward said loudly, and the boy's eyes went wide. "This young man says you have a large supply of straw."
Martik turned and blinked at Kenward a moment, his thoughts almost visible on his face. "Get it up here as fast as you can. We need people to start clearing the debris from this side."
Kenward flinched at the word debris.
"We need the longest
"Stop," Catrin said, her voice echoing within the hall. "I wish to speak with Allette."
The feral queen coiled herself before Catrin, ready to strike, but the Herald showed no fear. Kenward admired her. Without Istra's light, she was less powerful than he, in many ways. Yet she stood before death itself and chastised it.
Allette appeared from behind her dragon. "Do not stand in my way, Catrin Volker."
"We've no idea what effect destroying one of the spires would have," Catrin said. "Give us some time to learn more of how the Fifth Magic works, and we may find a better way."
"Your dragon may be able to live on fish and mushrooms," Allette said, glancing up at the feral queen. "Unless you have a herd of cattle hidden away, we either escape soon or die."
Jehregard and the feral queen both reacted to the sound of another dragon entering the hall. Kyrien's movements spoke of agitation and aggression. Jehregard issued a whine that ended with a trumpeting roar.
"Has the time come so soon?" Allette asked Catrin. "Shall we kill each other now?"
Those words were a clear invitation to leave, Kenward thought, and he took a step backward. Before he could turn and run, the feral queen edged into the space between him and the kitchens. Rising up to her full height, she hissed and flapped her wings, buffeting him with wind. Kyrien issued a warning growl that pulled the feral queen's attention away from Kenward, though she still blocked his path. Shouts echoed from behind the dragon, and Kenward worried the people of Dragonhold might attack the feral queen in their fervor, which would surely end in a massacre.
"Stop this at once!" Onin demanded, and Jehregard trumpeted his displeasure. Though normally docile, verdant dragons could be fierce when circumstances called for it. Kenward had seen them fight in the Jaga War.
"I don't wish to kill you," Catrin said slowly. Allette held her ground and said nothing. "I just want you to wait before attacking the spire. Damaging the Fifth Magic could be worse than leaving it as is. I doubt it can be defeated through brute force. Give me three days . . . please."
"No," Allette said. "I'm sorry but I cannot do what you ask. You, of course, understand."
Kenward could not imagine what passed between the two women, having experienced each other's lives and knowing the other's secrets. He shivered at the thought. If either had access to Istra's power at that moment, Kenward suspected lightning would be flying. As it was, all three dragons appeared ready for a fight.
In the end, Catrin nodded. "Help us preserve the Dragon's Wing , and I won't stand in your way."
"If the ship can be moved quickly, then let it be done. If not, it'll fly one last time."
Once the feral queen stood down and moved well clear of the halls, people poured in. Word spread regarding what was needed. Catrin ordered buckets filled with coal and delivered to Allette despite her misgivings. The Black Queen accepted the gifts and waited impatiently for Martik, Benjin, Wendel and a handful of others while they figured out how to move and preserve the heavy vessel. The conversation was heated, and Kenward decided he didn't feel strongly enough about it to interject.
"We've a lot of straw," a young man said. The boy looked at the ground when no one responded. Men with louder voices talked right over him.
"Straw," Kenward said loudly, and the boy's eyes went wide. "This young man says you have a large supply of straw."
Martik turned and blinked at Kenward a moment, his thoughts almost visible on his face. "Get it up here as fast as you can. We need people to start clearing the debris from this side."
Kenward flinched at the word debris.
"We need the longest
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