Poppy screams. The rest of us stand silent, stunned as Jackrun proudly roars flame again alongside Babak.
“Jackrun!” I race across the sand.
Bash runs ahead and sweeps our son up in his arms. Jackrun is coughing smoke. His face is red. We bring him back to our gathering and give him water. He drinks two cups, then laughs. I am frightened, but I try and smile before I take Bash aside. “Have any other Pendragons ever breathed fire?” I whisper.
“Mixing bloodlines always brings some risk.”
“Tell me.”
Bash shakes his head. “It seems our son is the first.”
“What does it mean, Bash? What will it mean?”
“Don’t let it frighten you, Tess,” he whispers into my ear. “He’s our son. He will learn to control it.”
But I’m trembling now and he can feel it. “A boy who’s dragon, human, and fairy: What other strange powers might he have?” My power set me apart. Hidden as it was, the midwife still caught me enthralled by the fire, the witch hunter tortured me, my own townsfolk called me a witch. I won’t punish my son for breathing fire. But I am afraid for him, for us.
Bion lifts my hand. Kisses my pearl ring. “Whatever powers come, we’ll raise him here on Dragon’s Keep. Our son, Tess. Ours together.”
“Yes, ours together.” I feel his strength as he lightly runs his fingers along my chin.
Babak and his sibling dragons tumble snout over tail in the sand. Jackrun jumps up. I think he will run after Babak and the others, but he goes to Lord Kahlil, who has just finished eating and is still licking meat juices off his talons. Jackrun thrusts out his small hands, lifts his bare foot, and begins to climb the dragon’s tail.
I call, “Leave him be, Jackrun.” But the dragonlord is used to this game. Beside me my husband sighs.
When Jackrun slides down the long tail, Kahlil grabs the sliding boy, coiling him in the tip. He throws him into the air and catches him.
Jackrun squeals with delight. “Again! Go again!”
Bion puts his arm around me. This son of the prophecy has a long life ahead of him. We watch our boy together.
Lord Kahlil flicks his tail.
Jackrun flies.
Acknowledgments
I’M INDEBTED TO the many friends, colleagues, and mentors who helped with this book. Warmest thanks to my intrepid editor, Kathy Dawson, whose editorial genius and clear vision helped guide Tess’s tale from first to last. Thanks also to the people at Dial Books, who are committed to excellence, and to my agent, Irene Kraas.
Fellow authors Justina Chen and Indu Sundaresan gave unswerving advice on the manuscript, as did Sarah Bond. Thanks also to the Diviners: Peggy King Anderson, Judy Bodmer, Katherine Grace Bond, Dawn Knight, Holly Cupala, Molly Blaisdell, and Nancy Carlstrom, critiquers who shore up my weaknesses and add to my strengths; to gifted photographer Heidi Pettit, for the festive book launch party photos (http://litart-photography.smugmug.com/), and ongoing gratitude to the librarians and independent booksellers who offer voracious readers delicious books.
Speaking of books, my shelves are crammed with informative and sometimes alarming titles necessary to writing this medieval fantasy with an eye to historical authenticity. I have far too many reference books to list here, but these few I found invaluable.
Nigel Cawthorne. Witches History of a Persecution. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, Inc., 2004.
Karen Farrington. Dark Justice: A History of Punishment and Torture. New York: Smithmark Publishers, 1996.
Joseph & Frances Gies. Life in a Medieval Castle. New York: Harper & Row, 1974.
Vicki Leon. Uppity Women of Medieval Times. New York: MJF Books, 1997.
Sherrilyn Kenyon. The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in the Middle Ages: The British Isles from 500–1500. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books, 1995.
Roger Virgoe, editor. Illustrated Letters of the Paston Family: Private Life in the Fifteenth Century. New York: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1989.
David Macaulay. Castle. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1977.
Christopher Tyerman. Who’s Who in Early Medieval England. London: Shepheard-Walwyn Publishers Ltd., 1996.
Lady Wilde. Irish Cures, Mystic Charms & Superstitions. New York: Sterling Publishing, 1991. Note: Lady Wilde, 1826–1896, Oscar Wilde’s mother.
Annette Sandoval. The Directory of Saints: A Concise Guide to Patron Saints. New York: Signet, Penguin Group, 1997.
Madeleine Pelner Cosman. Medieval Wordbook: More than 4,000 Terms and Expressions from Medieval Culture. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2007.
Scott Cunningham. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St. Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications, 1987.
A. C. Cawley, editor. Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays. London: Orion Publishing Group, 1993.
A special thanks to fellow novelists who bring medieval life and times alive in their historical fiction, mystery, and fantasy books. For Karen Cushman’s excellent medieval novels for young readers, Ellis Peters’s wonderful Brother Cadfael mystery series, Barry Unsworth’s Morality Play, and Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters series and Bridei Chronicles. Without these reference books and novels within arm’s reach, I could not have delved so deeply into Tess’s world.
Table of Contents
P ROLOGUE
P ART 1: W ITCH H UNT
P ART 2: T HE G REEN M AN
P ART 3: F EY F OLK AND F OUL
P ART 4: H UMAN , D RAGON, AND F AIRY
E PILOGUE
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
Dragonswood Page 28
