murmur.”
Mckale nodded. “That will be helpful, but it doesn’t change anything when you touch someone?”
Maleena shook her head. “No, for that your shield will have to be enough.”
Deep sadness from Nydara washed through her and she looked at Taela. Tears shimmered in the other woman’s eyes.
Kellinar walked forward. “Taela?”
“Emallya didn’t make it in time.” Maleena looked at Mckale and saw her sorrow reflected in his eyes.
Taela took a deep breath and wiped away the tear trailing down her face. “The egg is dead.”
Maleena sent waves of comfort to her dragon. Nydara’s despair filled her. Tellnox also grieved the loss of the egg. It was the first egg of their clutch to die. Mckale let his breath out in a long exhalation and moved to put his arm around her waist. “We knew this would happen.The Fates have been kind to allow so many to hatch already.”
He was right. Seven of the eggs had sang and been united with their riders. It could be so much worse. Still, she felt a pang of sadness at the two lost lives and a touch of anger that the destined rider had either taken their own life, or was killed for no reason. It made their journeys back to their previous homes all that more important. They had to let people know. Hopefully, the nations would listen.
M aleena swung her sword in a smooth arch only to have it blocked again. She spun in a quick movement. Not fast enough, Emallya’s blade sent her sprawling. With a growl, she grabbed her sword from where it fell and pulled herself to her feet. Wiping the sweat from her face, she set her feet and brought the sword up again.
Emallya hesitated a moment. Maleena knew the older woman waited to make sure she was ready before launching an attack. This time, Maleena managed to slide smoothly away from Emallya’s blade and make a counterattack. She held her own for a few minutes before Emallya’s wooden practice blade smacked into her again.
Maleena hit the ground with a grunt, her ribs aching. She rolled with it and came up on her feet. Again, she set herself, determined.
Emallya shook her head and sat down on the grass of the practice field. “We’ve been at this long enough today. You are already going to hurt tonight. I imagine you already have some very fancy bruises.”
“I have to learn this, Emallya. We prepare to leave Galdrilene. I can’t be defenseless.” Maleena let her wooden sword drop to her side. “Please.”
“You are hardly defenseless, Maleena.” Emallya leaned back on her hands and stretched her legs out in front of her, ankles crossed. “You just may have to depend more on your magic.”
Maleena flopped to the ground, with a frustrated groan. “Why is this so hard for me? Kellinar didn’t know the sword before he started training with you and that was only a month or so before I started. Kirynn is only two years older than me and infinitely more skilled.”
Emallya smiled. “Kellinar has a natural aptitude with weapons. Even so he prefers the zahri which is akin to a quarterstaff. He has been using one of those for many years. Taela shares his natural abilities with weapons, and she trained for several years before she heard the call. Serena struggles as you do. Like you, the handling of weapons doesn’t come naturally.”
Maleena glanced across the field where Kirynn moved in a blur against Vaddoc. “What about Kirynn. Is she a natural? Are you a natural?”
Emallya threw back her head and laughed before looking at her. “No. I was not a natural. Before becoming a Dragon Rider, I never touched a weapon, never considered being a fighter. I dreamt of a husband, a home, and lots of babies. I am good because I have had over six hundred years to become so.”
Maleena glanced at the lethal redhead soundly beating the taller and stronger Borderman. “And Kirynn? She hasn’t had six hundred years. Vaddoc is very skilled, not to mention bigger and stronger. How is it she always beats him?”
The older
Mckale nodded. “That will be helpful, but it doesn’t change anything when you touch someone?”
Maleena shook her head. “No, for that your shield will have to be enough.”
Deep sadness from Nydara washed through her and she looked at Taela. Tears shimmered in the other woman’s eyes.
Kellinar walked forward. “Taela?”
“Emallya didn’t make it in time.” Maleena looked at Mckale and saw her sorrow reflected in his eyes.
Taela took a deep breath and wiped away the tear trailing down her face. “The egg is dead.”
Maleena sent waves of comfort to her dragon. Nydara’s despair filled her. Tellnox also grieved the loss of the egg. It was the first egg of their clutch to die. Mckale let his breath out in a long exhalation and moved to put his arm around her waist. “We knew this would happen.The Fates have been kind to allow so many to hatch already.”
He was right. Seven of the eggs had sang and been united with their riders. It could be so much worse. Still, she felt a pang of sadness at the two lost lives and a touch of anger that the destined rider had either taken their own life, or was killed for no reason. It made their journeys back to their previous homes all that more important. They had to let people know. Hopefully, the nations would listen.
M aleena swung her sword in a smooth arch only to have it blocked again. She spun in a quick movement. Not fast enough, Emallya’s blade sent her sprawling. With a growl, she grabbed her sword from where it fell and pulled herself to her feet. Wiping the sweat from her face, she set her feet and brought the sword up again.
Emallya hesitated a moment. Maleena knew the older woman waited to make sure she was ready before launching an attack. This time, Maleena managed to slide smoothly away from Emallya’s blade and make a counterattack. She held her own for a few minutes before Emallya’s wooden practice blade smacked into her again.
Maleena hit the ground with a grunt, her ribs aching. She rolled with it and came up on her feet. Again, she set herself, determined.
Emallya shook her head and sat down on the grass of the practice field. “We’ve been at this long enough today. You are already going to hurt tonight. I imagine you already have some very fancy bruises.”
“I have to learn this, Emallya. We prepare to leave Galdrilene. I can’t be defenseless.” Maleena let her wooden sword drop to her side. “Please.”
“You are hardly defenseless, Maleena.” Emallya leaned back on her hands and stretched her legs out in front of her, ankles crossed. “You just may have to depend more on your magic.”
Maleena flopped to the ground, with a frustrated groan. “Why is this so hard for me? Kellinar didn’t know the sword before he started training with you and that was only a month or so before I started. Kirynn is only two years older than me and infinitely more skilled.”
Emallya smiled. “Kellinar has a natural aptitude with weapons. Even so he prefers the zahri which is akin to a quarterstaff. He has been using one of those for many years. Taela shares his natural abilities with weapons, and she trained for several years before she heard the call. Serena struggles as you do. Like you, the handling of weapons doesn’t come naturally.”
Maleena glanced across the field where Kirynn moved in a blur against Vaddoc. “What about Kirynn. Is she a natural? Are you a natural?”
Emallya threw back her head and laughed before looking at her. “No. I was not a natural. Before becoming a Dragon Rider, I never touched a weapon, never considered being a fighter. I dreamt of a husband, a home, and lots of babies. I am good because I have had over six hundred years to become so.”
Maleena glanced at the lethal redhead soundly beating the taller and stronger Borderman. “And Kirynn? She hasn’t had six hundred years. Vaddoc is very skilled, not to mention bigger and stronger. How is it she always beats him?”
The older
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