“I’ll go,” Cheddar said, grabbing his coat and heading out the door.
“Weren’t you the one who was always harping at me to heed Trader Dellia’s vision?” Aeron asked her.
“I know,” she replied. “It’s just that—”
“Aeron, this is dangerous.” Willem was looking at him with concern.
Aeron rubbed his forehead. “I’ve done it before.” But he was nervous, despite his blithe words.
“That’s not what I mean,” Willem said. “You just got back from an exploratory trip. You have to be tired. Portals take a lot out of you, and you used two earlier.”
“I’m not that tired. I’ve had some rest since then.”
“Please, Aeron,” Willem implored. “At least wait for Master Doronal. If he thinks it’s okay, then go.”
Aeron stared at Willem, thinking. Sharrah was right. There wasn’t anyone north of them, so he could take more time. “Fine. But I’m getting changed while we wait.”
Willem nodded, though he still had a worried expression on his face.
Aeron was grabbing his cap and gloves on the way out of his bedroom when he heard the outer door open.
“Where is the nahual?” Master Doronal asked, slightly out of breath. Cheddar closed the door behind them.
“It’s north, northwest of the Caer,” Aeron replied, stuffing his gloves into his jacket pockets. He glanced through the door from his study into Anaya’s den and was surprised to see she had been saddled.
Willem saw his reaction and said, “Because we were making you wait for Master Doronal, I thought we might as well help get Anaya ready.” He shrugged. “Sharrah and I saddled her.”
Aeron tucked his cap under his arm and nodded his thanks.
“Master Doronal,” Willem began, “do you think Aeron has had enough rest since his trip earlier this afternoon to go chasing after nahual?”
Aeron grimaced. He had told them he was fine. Why wouldn’t Willem believe him?
Master Doronal grunted. “A valid question.” He looked at Aeron, studying his face. “Do you feel tired at all? And don’t quibble. You’ve grown beyond that, I trust.”
Aeron stared at Master Doronal as he thought. Did he feel tired? Not really. It had been several hours since their return, and he felt fine. He glanced at Anaya through the door. Do you think I’m tired?
You do not seem to be tired.
Aeron nodded once. He trusted Anaya and he trusted his own feelings. “No, sir. I’m fine.”
“I’m glad to see that you actually thought about it,” Master Doronal said. “Even so, I am going with you.”
“What?” Aeron was astonished. And his wasn’t the only surprised expression in the room.
“I think it would be wise for me to get some hands-on experience in our battle with these creatures. Reading reports is fine in and of itself, but seeing the creatures first-hand, in action, could be invaluable.”
“But you don’t have riding gear,” Aeron pointed out.
“I think my heavy winter coat will suffice for the short trip. It isn’t as if we were going on a two hour flight.”
“True enough,” Sharrah said.
Aeron blinked. “Alright. Well, we should get going then.”
Once in Anaya’s den, Aeron grabbed a second set of straps and the heavy flying belt off the wall for Master Doronal. The magic master would need the belt to use safety straps. Willem had come up with the flying belt a few months ago for those who wanted a ride but had no gear.
Outside, Sharrah and Cheddar watched from several feet back, holding hands, while Willem, Aeron and Master Doronal stood next to Anaya.
“I sit in the back, on the secondary seat?” Master Doronal asked. He had already strapped on the riding belt over his coat and was studying the saddle.
“Yes, sir.” Aeron motioned to Anaya and she lowered herself slightly, raising a foreleg to provide a step of sorts.
“Ah! Thank you, Anaya,” Master Doronal said. He grabbed a pull strap, and in one smooth movement, hauled himself up, over, and into the saddle.
Aeron was surprised at how easily the magic master had mounted. He handed him a set of safety straps.
“Do you have your riding cap, Aeron?” Willem asked.
“Yeah,” Aeron said, nodding. He put it on, but left the goggles up and the mask open for now. He reached for the forward pull strap.
“And your safety straps?”
Aeron sighed and patted them where they lay over his shoulder. Hadn’t Willem seen them?
“And your gloves? Did you get your gloves?”
They were in his jacket pockets. He always put them on after he mounted. Why did Willem constantly pester him about his riding gear? Aeron gritted his teeth and spun on his heel to face him. He was about to give Willem an earful when he saw the expression on the blond boy’s face. Absolute fear and worry. Willem was terrified. For Aeron.
In a rush, memories of Willem flashed through Aeron’s mind. He recalled when they first met back when Aeron arrived at the Caer and all the times they’d spent together, the fun and the not so fun. Throughout it all, Willem had always stood up for him, had always been there for him. Aeron thought back to all of Willem’s smiles, including the small ones he never understood before. He recalled the blushes and rushed, clumsy explanations. Suddenly, it all became clear and Aeron’s heart gave a large thump and started racing. He felt that rare, slightly breathless feeling and his stomach got all jittery. How had he been so blind? How had he not seen it before, felt it before?
Aeron walked over to Willem. He was surprised and pleased to note that they were now the same height. When had that happened?
Willem was looking at Aeron, worry still in his expression, but there was also confusion as to why Aeron had walked over to him. His eyes widened when Aeron placed a hand on his shoulder, leaned over, and started kissing him.
Aeron felt a momentary burst of worry. What if he had misread everything? But then he didn’t care. He knew now how he felt about Willem. His racing heart, the butterflies in his stomach, the electric excitement and nervousness, they all vouched for his feelings. And when he saw Willem close his eyes, felt Willem’s arms around him, felt the kiss returned, Aeron closed his own eyes, and his heart felt like it would explode with joy.
He thought he heard Sharrah whisper, “Finally.”
Aeron broke the kiss and quietly said, “I’ll be careful.”
Master Doronal cleared his throat.
Aeron watched Willem open his eyes. There was a look of happy disbelief on the blond boy’s face.
Willem then raised an eyebrow and whispered, “You’d better.”
“Are you ready, Aeron?” Master Doronal asked.
Willem smiled and released him.
Aeron stood there pondering the magic master’s question. He knew what Master Doronal was really asking, but there were larger implications too.
Was he ready?
He thought about all the changes that had happened in the last . . . was it really less than four months? He thought about his mother and about his father and the truth they now shared about her. He looked at Sharrah, who had a happy, relieved expression on her face. He glanced at Cheddar, who chuckled and smiled. He looked back at Willem and his heart skipped a beat. He smiled, gripped Willem’s shoulder briefly, and turned around.
He looked at Anaya and had another moment of worry. Would she understand? Did she mind that his heart was now divided between her and another? The surge of love and happiness he felt through the link answered his concern.
It is good that you have realized your feelings for Willem.
Aeron was stunned. You knew?
Even before we were Bonded. That you had the capacity to love was but another point in your favor.
Aeron smiled adoringly at his beautiful Anaya. Would he always be learning new things about this amazing dragon? She was his companion, confidant, friend, and partner in protecting the people of the Caer, and he loved her dearly.
&
nbsp; He glanced down at the pale bands on her forelegs and absently rubbed his wrist through the jacket sleeve. He realized, with a little embarrassment for how he had acted before, that he no longer feared Trader Dellia’s vision. In fact, he hadn’t for some time. He and Anaya were a team, and they would serve their purpose.
He looked up at Master Doronal and thought again about the question.
“Yes,” Aeron replied, “I am ready.”
Epilogue
Leday, Secundy 11, 1874
Night
Aeron had wanted to test the invisibility theory. Could no one except he and Anaya see nahual-ton? Unfortunately, their ability had lead them to a ‘normal’ nahual.
When he had sensed they were close, Aeron had told Anaya to stop where they were. While she had hovered high in the sky, wings beating slowly but powerfully, he and Master Doronal had watched the creature some distance away as it had worked in the light of the nearly full moon. Aeron and Master Doronal had taken turns using a pair of field glasses that the magic craft master had thoughtfully brought along. It had looked like the nahual was just starting to dig a den for itself.
Master Doronal had eventually indicated they should land. After that, it hadn’t taken too long for the three of them to dispatch the horrible beast, despite it countering two of their spells. That had surprised Aeron and had once again reminded him: none of the fights against nahual were going to be easy.
Aeron had wondered if perhaps it wouldn’t be a good idea to have either Master Doronal or Millinith along on a few more fights just to be sure he and Anaya really were ready to handle nahual by themselves. Anaya had told him that they could handle any nahual together. Had they not already proven that? Aeron had smiled and put the thought aside to ponder later.
Now they passed through the spectacular portal he and Anaya had opened to the Caer. Once they were through, Aeron carefully removed the spell, closing the portal, and turned to watch it wink out of existence.
He asked Anaya to circle once, slowly, before landing.
“Master Doronal,” he said loudly, over his shoulder. Even gliding, there was still enough wind whipping past that it required speaking up.
“Yes?” the magic master replied, also loudly. He had his arms around Aeron, holding on tightly despite the flying belt and straps, nervous still on only his second time riding a dragon.
“I was thinking. If we really want to protect the villages, towns, and farmsteads in this region, we’re going to need more dragonlinked.”
Was that a chuckle that he felt from Master Doronal?
“An excellent point, Aeron, an excellent point. I suppose we will need to find a mate for Anaya, and soon. But we’ll also have to find someone who would be interested in raising a dragon. Do you think Willem would mind?”
Anaya let out a roar of approval.
It wasn’t possible to see, what with the riding mask, but Aeron had a smile a mile wide.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
Dragonlinked Page 63
