Relics and Runes Anthology

by Heather Marie Adkins

  "So," she said, trying to keep a sly smile from her lips, "does this mean I'm not grounded anymore?"

  Ara gave her a wry smile. "I suppose not. We're going to need you. Well, Risper," she added before Laynin could respond.

  Laynin grinned. "I'm all right with that. I know he's the important one here."

  "If it wasn't for your reckless behaviour the other day, I'd give you a lecture about how important draakin are. However, you still have my ire, so perhaps it's better that you go on putting Risper a distant first. Maybe then you won't take ridiculous risks with his wellbeing."

  "Yes, Ara." Laynin managed to look suitably contrite. "I really am sorry about—"

  "Yes, yes." Ara waved a hand at her. "I've heard all of that. Now, I have a job for you."

  Laynin suppressed a groan, assuming it'd be something horrid. "All right," she said tentatively.

  Ara arched an eyebrow at her. "I was going to ask you to take a message to Tharay for me, but if you feel so strongly against doing so, I'm sure I can find someone else."

  "Oh! No, I'd love to," Laynin said quickly. "Please. Risper and I could do with a good flight."

  "Only to Tharay and back," Ara said firmly. "If I find you've gone anywhere else, kings be damned, you'll be grounded for the rest of the year."

  That was a long time. A few hundred sheep worth of time. "I swear on Risper's egg," Laynin said earnestly. "I'll even have him send updates to Nehko so you know where we are at all times."

  "That won't be necessary, but take someone with you. Refa and her rider perhaps. I understand you're friends?"

  "Yes, we are. I'm sure Zannis would love to go." The woman loved nothing more than meeting new people. And bedding them, but there would be time enough for that when the troops arrived. Haze, just wait until she heard about this. She'd be over the moons.

  "One more thing," Ara added, looking down her nose "Stay away from anyone who takes part in tavern fights."

  "You heard about that?" And she suggested I listened to gossip, Laynin thought.

  Ara gave her a faint smile. "I know a surprising amount about the goings on here. More than you might imagine. But yes, I heard about that. I suspect most of Tsaisa has by now."

  "Tavern fights aren't rare," Laynin pointed out carefully. They might not be a nightly event, but maybe a weekly one. Occasionally someone was even killed, although she'd only once been a witness to that. Two men had spent all day drinking and playing Dragon Match. One accused the other of cheating and pulled a knife. Before anyone could intervene, or call the constabulary, one man was dead.

  Ara's reply drew her out of her morbid thoughts. "They are when they involve priests of Euru and the local smiths."

  So that was who the men were. For all the good the information would do now.

  "As far as anyone is concerned, we—and by that I mean Marth—are all but at war with the Cult of Euru. An incident like that is but the first of many. I don't want my draakin involved, or worse, killed."

  "Neither do I," Laynin replied hurriedly, "but if it's any consolation, Travin has left Tsaisa."

  "Ah, well that's for the best," Ara said with a nod. "Then we can forget about him and his actions. He is no longer a hopeful, or welcome here."

  "Consider him forgotten." Laynin might if people stopped talking about him. Of course, that included herself.

  "Very well. I'll write the message. Be ready to fly in an hour."

  "Yes, Ara."

  26

  The journey east was remarkably different from the one Laynin had taken south with Travin. She and Zannis skirted the Marth range, flying over country dotted with farms and tiny villages. Instead of having to avoid them, they glided over the top, waving back at people who waved at the dragons soaring overhead. When they stopped at the worker's cottages, built to house those hired to construct a dam over the Hoza river, they were welcomed with warmth and plentiful food.

  The small settlement only consisted of a handful of buildings abutting fields for crops, but it was bustling. The building of the dam itself had only just begun, but it looked to Laynin like treacherous work.

  "I wonder how long it'll take to ask for dragons to lower materials down there," Laynin remarked. The incline leading down into churning water was steep, the flow of the river fast.

  Zannis leaned over so far Laynin was worried she'd topple in. "Rather them than me," she remarked. "The women who gave us the food said two people had already fallen in. She said it's going to take years to build, and doubtless someone will die here."

  "That's terrible," Laynin said. "It would be nice up here without all the people. A person could hide out here for years and no one would know. All you'd hear is the river flowing past."

  "Which it wouldn't be, because there would be a dam. And tending the crops would take all of your time."

  Laynin grimaced. "Well, that's one bubble burst."

  "You're welcome," Zannis grinned.

  Laynin rolled her eyes. "What would I do without you?"

  "You'd be oh, so bored," Zannis replied.

  "Possibly. Has Refa rested enough yet?"

  Zannis hesitated, her eyes glazing. "Refa would like to stay out here and lie in the sun, but she's rested enough to make the next leg of our jaunt."

  Are you ready? Laynin asked Risper.

  Ready. Indeed eager, I have not been to Tharay for many years. I look forward to seeing how much it has changed.

  I'm sure you'll tell me every detail, she replied.

  Only the interesting ones, dear Laynin. I mean only to inform and entertain, not to bore you.

  You could never bore me, she assured him. She sent thoughts of love while she started toward him. He was, as often happened when visiting places like this, surrounded by children. They patted his head, his legs, his tail, whatever part of him they could reach.

  "We don't get many dragons stopping here," a woman remarked, presumably the mother of one or more of the children. "He's beautiful." She gave a wistful sigh.

  Laynin smiled. "Thank you. He is at that. And doesn't he know it." Risper's eyes followed the children, but were half-closed, enjoying the attention and caresses.

  The woman laughed. "I'm sure I would too if I was—"

  The sound of another woman's scream tore apart the serenity of the moment.

  Laynin spun in time to see a small boy tumble off the side of the incline where she and Zannis had stood only moments before.

  "Risper!" He pressed himself down as she ran at him and vaulted onto his back. She grabbed the riding straps hard, there was no time to do them up.

  The children gathered around the dragon scattered as he extended his great wings and leapt skyward. Flying at no more than a metre from the ground, they reached the edge and dropped toward the river so fast it left Laynin's stomach behind.

  "Where is the child?" She looked around wildly. The incline showed signs of disturbance where he had rolled. He must have landed in the river.

  Risper banked sharply and glided over the water.

  There. I see a head.

  The water had drawn the boy away quickly, but Laynin caught sight of dark hair bobbing ahead of them. Risper surged forward.

  Can you drop us into the river just ahead of him? Laynin asked.

  Indeed. Risper's reply suggested he was concentrating. His wings beat and they passed over the boy. His legs came down hard and they all but skidded across the surface.

  He comes.

  Laynin wound the straps around her hand once, twice and leaned down as far as she could. She stretched out her arm and waited.

  The boy's eyes were on her, big, blue and terrified.

  "It's all right," she shouted over the river, "I'll get you. Put your arm up."

  The boy did as he was told, raising his arm, fingers splayed.

  It looked like a tiny target.

  He bobbed closer, then floated to the side a little as the current wound around the paddling Risper.

  "Come on," Laynin said under her breath. "
Just a little further." She waited until he was close enough, then lunged down to grab his arm. It was slick and cold.

  "I've got you." Holding hard to the straps, she pulled him toward her. The current, apparently determined not to give up so easily, tried to drag him away.

  His face terrified, the boy looked on the verge of panic. He started to kick against the river, almost sliding his arm out of Laynin's grasp.

  "Hold still," she shouted. Gritting her teeth, she drew him up onto Risper and wound her arm around him. "Hang on to my arm, we're going to fly."

  Can you launch yourself from here? she asked.

  I will have to try. Risper's wings hit the water, sending it over his passengers in a cold, wet torrent. The boy let out a squeal, but hung on tighter than before.

  "Good boy, you're safe now; just keep holding on."

  Risper's wings worked harder, splashing, but bringing them up, clear of the water. He gave a shake of his head, sending droplets flying, before banking and heading back to the settlement.

  They landed amid a rousing cheer, and tears of relief and gratitude from the boy's mother. He was wet and cold, but none the worse for wear, as far as Laynin could tell.

  "Thank All the Gods you were here!" one of the women exclaimed.

  The children looked at Risper and Laynin with huge eyes. If they were adoring before, they were enamoured now.

  "I'm glad we could help," Laynin replied, trying to keep her voice from shaking as her body started to tremble. Part of it was from cold, and part from what they'd just done. At no point did she believe she or Risper were in any danger, but that little boy would likely not have survived had they not acted. Seeing him now in his mother's arms, while someone wrapped a blanket around him, she couldn't help but wonder if it was coincidence that brought them here, or something else.

  Perhaps it was simply luck, Risper suggested.

  Whatever it was, I'm glad it happened. Are you all right?

  Perfectly fine. He trudged a few steps away and shook, wetting anyone nearby with river water. A few of the children laughed and tried to catch the drops, as if water from a dragon might somehow contain magical properties.

  "Excuse me, draakin." Laynin turned and found herself face to face with the boy and his mother.

  "How is he?" she asked, tilting her head to look the boy in the eyes. He offered her a smile, which she returned.

  "He is well, thanks to you. However can I repay you?" She looked so earnest Laynin reached out to give her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

  "Just keep him away from the edge," she said gently.

  "I will, draakin. I won't let him out of my sight ever again."

  Laynin believed her. She leaned in and spoke to the little boy in a loud whisper so they could both hear. "You do as you mamma says, all right? Stay away from the edge. And eat all your vegetables."

  He pulled a face that made her laugh.

  "He will," the woman said sternly. "Thank you again. I should get him warmed up." She curtsied and hurried away.

  "Laynin the hero, eh?" Zannis asked, moving to stand beside her.

  "Where were you?" Laynin asked, teasing lightly.

  "Stopping the others from falling over the edge while watching you," Zannis replied, unruffled. "That was some impressive work, I have to say. Even Ara would be proud."

  Laynin flushed. "I didn't even think. I just acted."

  "Lucky you think faster than I do. I was still standing there in shock as you were scooping the boy out of the water."

  "I thought you were holding people back."

  "If anyone asks, that's what I was doing," Zannis said with a smile.

  Laynin shook her head. "I won't tell anyone the truth."

  Zannis gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "No one will care. They'll just want to hear about what you did. The bards might even write a song about you. Laynin, the hero of Hoza."

  Laynin responded to that with silence, then said, "I need to get changed, I'm freezing."

  27

  Tharay, as capital of Marth, was bigger than Tsaisa, but Laynin had expected it to be more grand. Had there been a Dragonhall dominating the skyline, she might have thought Tsaisa had grown overnight. The buildings all looked more or less the same—stone and wood, mostly single level structures.

  Only the King's Palace stood apart from the others.

  Larger and fortified with a stone wall, the palace was easily the largest structure in Tharay.

  The palace is approximately two hundred years old, Risper supplied. The draakin were invited to witness the first inhabitants moving into it after its construction. It has weathered well. It was King Jarrick who ordered its construction, if I recall correctly.

  Don't you always?

  Recall events correctly? For the most part. My memory is not perfect, however. For example, I cannot remember the name of his queen. Risper sounded perplexed.

  I don't suppose it matters now, Laynin replied, she'd have become dust a long time ago.

  I would presume the matter is of interest to her descendants, although people are often not interested in the past, especially in times of turmoil.

  People are worried about the present and the future, Laynin mused, the past is, well, past.

  Indeed. However, the philosopher Tsurias Gart opined that we should study mistakes made by others, so we can learn from, and not copy, those errors.

  How often does that happen though? Laynin asked. People usually seem to make their own mistakes, regardless of what other people have done. I mean, they see someone get punched and jump into the fight. Then they get punched. If they learnt anything, they'd walk away.

  You're thinking of Travin?

  A little bit. But I'm thinking of myself too. I made the mistake of letting myself care and start to think we had a future together. I won't do that again.

  She had Risper. She didn't need to be attached to another person to be happy.

  She looked across to Zannis. From the way her lips moved, she and Refa were speaking to each other as well. Zannis must have sensed Laynin looking, because she turned and gave a wave, then gestured to the ground, which was coming up fast. She looked as carefree as ever.

  Maybe Laynin should try to be more like her, and worry less about every little thing. They were in Tharay. She should be excited to be here. If she was lucky, she'd get to meet the king himself.

  She smiled as they landed in the castle forecourt and people came running. She was a draakin, it was time to embrace that and everything it meant.

  She undid her straps, slipped her goggles onto her head and slid down.

  "I have a message for the king, from draakin Ara Lucretia," she declared, a scroll held in her fist.

  "Then you had best give it to the king," a man said as he approached.

  The crowds stepped aside quickly, giving him room to pass. Between their deference and the obvious quality of his clothes, she was looking at King Drexin Sheid himself.

  He wasn't what she'd consider handsome, but he had a look of authority in his expression and the way he held himself. His back was straight, shoulders squared, his eyes smiled with warm confidence. No doubt he was accustomed to getting what he wanted. Even so, with a sword hanging from his hand, and sweat shining on his forehead, he looked to have come from practice.

  No layabout then, she decided.

  "Would that be you?" Zannis drawled.

  Laynin didn't even need to look to know her friend had a predatory expression on her face. She knew her well enough. She'd remind her later that the man might be a king, but he was also married. Whether that would deter Zannis or not was another matter.

  "Yes, draakin—" He gestured toward Zannis with his free hand.

  "Zannis," she supplied. "Draakin to Refa. And this is Risper's rider, Laynin."

  Drexin bowed and then handed his sword to a man beside him. "Please, do come inside. I'll send for some food and refreshment. May I enquire as to the dragon's needs?"

  "A trough of water should suffice,"
Laynin replied. People were already hurrying to remove the dragons' saddles and put them aside in a nearby tack room.

  "Refa would love a sheep if you have one handy," Zannis said.

  "Ah. Would Risper also care for a sheep?" If he found the conversation peculiar, the king gave no indication.

  Yes please, Risper supplied.

  Laynin passed on his comment and several people hurried away to secure suitable beasts while Laynin and Zannis followed the king to the castle.

  If she'd expected a display of wealth or ostentation, the interior had neither of these. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The furniture looked well made and strong, designed to last, rather than look pretty. The walls were undressed stone, adorned only here and there with tapestries of battles or dragons. They looked old enough to have been in place during the reigns of several kings.

  Drexin led them to a functional looking office to the side of the door. The room was large and long, possibly designed to greet supplicants and make them anxious as they waited. Like the rest of the castle, it was furnished sparingly with a table in the centre and well-used chairs around the perimeter.

  Laid out on the centre of the table was a map of the kingdoms, weights holding down the corners. Wooden counters were placed in various locations on the map.

  "War map?" Zannis asked, peeking over at it.

  "Basically, yes," Drexin replied. "Organising the distribution of troops with my general, Sandvaal. He's elsewhere at present, but I expect you'll meet him soon enough."

  Zannis nodded, looking disinterested, but Laynin took in the placement of the counters.

  "This is where Rosharias' men are?" She pointed to the counters in the southern part of the kingdoms.

  "We believe so, yes," the king replied.

  "I can tell you they're not there." She indicated the counters near Koo. "At least they weren't four days ago."

  He raised an eyebrow, but nodded. He leaned over the map, pressed his palm to the table and tapped the bottom of his finger on a counter. "Any idea where they are?"

  She thought for a moment. "Some soldiers are patrolling the south side of the border. Maybe a hundred of them. I didn't see any more."