“Tay?” Jessa called down from the top. “It’s cold. Are you coming?”
Taylina looked all along the harbor one last time, still hoping that she might spot Bhrava Saruth crawling up on a beach somewhere, injured but alive. But that did not happen. He was gone.
“Coming,” Taylina muttered, and climbed up to join her sister.
Epilogue
The next morning, Taylina sat cross-legged on the sooty path in front of the burned-out shell of her workshop, her staff resting across her lap. It was still warm, still imbued with the magic Bhrava Saruth had given it. Strange that the power should outlive him. She had never wondered if the tools she and Raff had made would continue to be used, continue to have power, after they were both gone.
A familiar figure came into view, walking up the pathway, not casting much of a shadow thanks to the clouds covering the mid-morning sun. Taylina lifted a hand in greeting. She was glad to see Raff since she hadn’t since returning. It had taken her the rest of the night to find her father—now injured, thanks to a run-in with three soldiers—and the rest of her family. Everyone had been delighted to be reunited, and Mother had even given Taylina a grudging “well done” when she’d returned with Jessa. And then forbade her ever to leave town again.
Taylina yawned as Raff approached. Her weariness seeped through to her bones, and she was surprised her hip wasn’t aching from all the abuse she had put it through. Something else she had to thank Bhrava Saruth for. Her lips twisted in distress, and she blinked a few times to keep tears from forming. She hadn’t even known him twelve hours. But he’d done so much for them in that time.
“I’m surprised you’re not sleeping somewhere,” Raff said, resting a hand on her shoulder, then sitting beside her.
“Where?” she asked bleakly, nodding toward the town. It hadn’t been completely razed, but there were few buildings that wouldn’t need repairs. Some would need to be rebuilt from the ground up.
“If it doesn’t start raining, I could sleep right here.” He patted the earthen path, the dirt dotted with charred bits of wood. “Maybe even if it does start raining.”
As weary as she was, Taylina felt too numb to sleep. She also worried that if she closed her eyes, the Cofah would return. The flagship still lay on its side in the harbor, a charred, broken wreck. But the other five vessels had sailed away and unless her plague ruse worked better than she expected, they might decide to come back, to avenge their losses on her people. Or—her gaze drifted skyward—Bergethor might return. When he realized Bhrava Saruth wasn’t here to protect her people—or her—he might lash out, avenging his loss. His cave. And his decorations. Perhaps his dignity.
Raff nudged her with his elbow. “You all right?”
“I’m not sure yet.” She forced a smile, though she couldn’t manage to maintain it. She eyed bruises on his knuckles, along with new cuts on his jaw and hands. “Are you all right? Did you have any trouble freeing the people locked up in Town Hall?”
“Oh, I had trouble of every imaginable kind,” he said dryly. “One of their sorceresses was watching over the hall. She was in the process of stalking me down and shaving my head with a fireball when the dragons fighting out in the harbor distracted her. Also, a couple of our people, who’d also been planning to sneak in and free folks, jumped in and kept her busy for a while. I managed to get close enough to the building to unlock a few doors. Once people starting storming out, she had more trouble keeping order. Of course, there were still a bunch of soldiers to deal with.” He rubbed his jaw, and she wondered if he had taken a punch.
“It was brave of you to go by yourself.” She almost added: especially since you aren’t a soldier, but thought that might be insulting. After all, didn’t it irk her when people added: especially because of your leg onto some praise they gave her?
“Thank you.” His chin lifted a touch, and she decided it had been the right thing to say. Raff waved toward the harbor. “I gather your dragon didn’t make it?”
“My dragon?”
“He seemed taken by you.”
“He just preferred a female rider to a male one,” Taylina said neutrally, not wanting to remind Raff of the slight he’d seemed to believe he had been delivered.
“Nah, he preferred one with crazy ideas to one just following along to help.” He smiled and nudged her again. “Look, I was a little peeved that he picked you over me when you don’t have any aptitude for magic, but I realized it made sense.” He gave the wrecked flagship a pointed look. “You’re a smart girl, Tay. Hardly lowly at all.”
“Hardly.”
His smile turned into a grin. He might have said more, but the sound of voices drifted up the slope.
Taylina tensed, expecting people might be charging up to warn of the fleet’s return, but the voices did not sound worried. If anything, they sounded jubilant. A group of people—no, that was more like a mob—came into view, rounding a bend in the road.
Taylina planted her staff and pushed herself to her feet, not sure what to expect. Raff also stood up, his smile remaining. He waved to someone in the group. There had to be close to a hundred people. Taylina spotted her father at the back of it, his arm in a sling, and relaxed a few iotas. Whatever this was, it probably wasn’t a lynch mob.
“Taylina,” someone cried. It was Ramy, with her sister striding along at her side.
“There she is,” someone else yelled. “She saved us.”
“And Raff helped us,” a man said.
It wasn’t until the mob swarmed around them, people patting Taylina vigorously on her back that she realized everyone had come to show their gratitude. Men and women she had never spoken with before, along with a few people her age who had snubbed her in school, now gave her cheers and hearty thanks. She pasted a smile on her face, but after the initial awe faded, she mostly felt claustrophobic and wished everyone would go away.
It is difficult being the high priestess of a popular god, but you will grow accustomed to it.
Taylina gasped and spun around at the familiar voice. Bhrava Saruth! Where was he?
The sleek gold dragon flew into view at the top of the hill, his wings stretched wide, his tail swishing back and forth in the air behind him. He rolled like a barrel, almost looking like he was playing.
I thought you were dead! Taylina barely kept herself from saying the words out loud. She didn’t want to alert anyone to his presence—or have the people around her quickly change their opinions of her when they heard her talking to herself.
But Bhrava Saruth wasn’t exactly trying to hide his great dragon form. Before he’d completed another one of those rolls, someone shrieked.
“Dragon!”
The cry was taken up by others faster than Taylina could open her mouth to tell them it was all right. People scattered, some fleeing down the hill toward town, and others looking like they were wondering if the charred remains of the tool shop would provide suitable cover. A few people touched the hilts of utility knives, but nobody was armed with a serious weapon.
“It’s all right,” Taylina yelled, patting the air with her hands. “This is the dragon that helped us.”
Bhrava Saruth landed right beside her on the now-empty road. Only Raff remained close to her, his expression far more wry than alarmed.
“Aren’t you dead?” he asked Bhrava Saruth, the words barely audible over people’s continuing yells, gasps, and cries of alarm.
Goodness, no. How boring would the world be if I were dead?
“Boring beyond imagining,” Taylina said, then wondered if it was appropriate to hug a dragon.
Of course it’s appropriate! High priestesses may share all manner of affections with their dragon gods.
Taylina still didn’t think much of him proclaiming himself a god—or her a priestess—but she grinned and came forward to hug him anyway. It was awkward, since he was in his native form, massive and scaled, but she did her best to wrap her arms around his chest.
How did you survive? she thought. I saw you plunge
into the harbor, looking completely injured. Broken. I’m certain the Cofah dragons believed you were dead too.
Naturally. That was the idea. As per my cunning.
You feigned your death?
It is fortunate that dragons can hold their breath for a long time. And I am most adept at subduing my aura, so they couldn’t sense that I was alive down there. Still, I can’t believe those lazy Cofah dragons didn’t dredge the harbor for me. They should have cleaved my head from my body, the typical way one assures a dragon is truly dead.
Ah. Well, I’m rather glad they didn’t cleave you.
As am I! Did you see how I led them around the harbor and through the sails and masts of the human ships? I did a great deal of damage on my own, but in their eagerness to slay me, they wreaked havoc on their own fleet. It was quite wondrous, don’t you agree?
I do agree. You were most cunning.
Yes, that’s what I’ve been telling you. Bhrava Saruth ruffled his wings, inasmuch as a dragon could do so, and for a moment, he looked like a preening bird. Are these new worshippers?
What? Taylina lowered her arms and stepped back. The crowd had fallen silent, and she’d half-assumed they must have all fled, but dozens of people remained, albeit at a distance, and were gaping at Bhrava Saruth. And also at her.
They appear a bit scruffy, but I shall not be picky. These are my first worshippers, after all. Can they bake? I enjoy sheep and goats for offerings, but also sweets. There will be offerings, won’t there?
I… uhm.
After the temple is built and there’s an appropriate place to set the offerings. Perhaps a raised dais. I can also rest there and make myself available to bless my worshippers. Not all the time, of course, but perhaps we could have a special day of the week where I make appearances. Bhrava Saruth’s big head swung down to the level of hers, and his green eyes gazed blandly at her. Have you started designing my temple yet? You did promise that you would recruit family members to build one, yes?
I… did make that promise, yes. Taylina looked toward the crowd, once again spotting her father. He was making his way to the front, his expression somewhere between fearful and bemused as he eyed Bhrava Saruth. I’ll let them know soon, Taylina added. And I’ll start on designs as soon as I’ve rested and everyone has recovered from the attack. Ah, I was wondering earlier… Are you able to tell if the Cofah will be returning?
Perhaps one day in the future, but not anytime soon. It seems— Bhrava Saruth’s reptilian eyes closed to slits, —someone convinced them that a plague was in the process of breaking out in this island chain.
That actually worked? Taylina thought of the ink dots she’d left on that man’s body.
I added artistic flair. And took some liberties with the new message that arrived in the communication device. Bhrava Saruth tilted his head, looking quite smug.
You are truly a magnificent dragon.
Indeed. Bhrava Saruth lowered himself to the ground and rolled onto his back, his legs up in the air, as if he were a dog. He gave Taylina an expectant look.
A few murmurs of surprise came from the people watching. Raff rolled his eyes.
“Uhm,” Taylina said, stepping closer to Bhrava Saruth so she could rub his scales but also turning toward the crowd, suspecting this needed an explanation. “This is Bhrava Saruth. He was the dragon fighting against the Cofah on our behalf.”
“Didn’t think that was Bergethor,” an older man muttered.
What did happen to Bergethor? Taylina asked silently.
He was thinking of joining with the Cofah dragons to fight against me, but they snubbed him and said they had no need of a dragon who wasn’t part of the empire. Such snobs. Bergethor lurked around for a while, and I believe he was contemplating reclaiming the island when he believed me dead, but after looking sulkily at the remains of his cave, he finally flew off toward the mainland. You’re fortunate. Your island doesn’t have any other caves of suitable size for a dragon.
Taylina wondered what the chiefs of old would have thought if they’d known all they had to do was collapse the dragon’s cave to get him to leave the island.
I doubt he’ll return as long as I’m a frequent visitor here, Bhrava Saruth added. Once my temple is built, one of suitable size for my sizableness. One I expect to be much better than a cave. He blinked slowly at her, making a contented noise akin to a purr as she stroked the side of his scaled belly.
I promise to design you a temple suitable to your proportions.
With a belly-rub room.
Er, yes. Though perhaps we can call it a solarium or lounge or something a little more formal. Thus to impress your worshippers.
That would be acceptable. It will have cushions, right?
Pardon? Taylina asked.
Cushions for me to lounge upon while my worshippers attend me. He wriggled on his back, as if scratching an itch. Stones and dirt are not overly comfortable.
I’ll see what I can do.
“Taylina?” her father asked from behind her.
“Yes?” She paused in stroking the sleek scales and faced him, hoping he wouldn’t ask her to explain why Bhrava Saruth was lying on his back, one leg twitching as if in a dream. She didn’t know how to explain him. Shouldn’t a high priestess know how to explain her god?
You’ll learn in time, Bhrava Saruth said.
“Is this… the one that was a dog last night?” Father asked.
“Yes. I don’t have a cadre of dragons that wish to spend time with me.”
“You have one?”
Taylina considered Bhrava Saruth. “Apparently.”
The dragon did not object. He did, however, give her that somewhat pointed look that seemed to imply that this would be the appropriate time for more belly rubs. As far as she could tell, it was always the appropriate time for belly rubs.
Indeed.
“He’ll be staying around then?” Father scratched his jaw.
Taylina couldn’t decide if he sounded pleased by the idea or not. “For a while, I believe so. In fact, there’s a new design project that I need to tell you about…”
• • • • •
Hm.
“Hm?” Taylina asked, watching Bhrava Saruth and trying to gauge his reaction. He was in his dragon form, and even after nine months, she struggled to read his emotions on that reptilian face. Oh, she knew when he wanted someone to rub his scales, but when he was being less playful, he grew harder to decipher.
The walled limestone and travertine temple sprawled out on the level plateau overlooking the sea, the area that had once been home to the town’s olive grove, and would be again. Saplings sprouted in rows, basking in the sea air and the warm sun. But a space had been left cleared in the middle for Bhrava Saruth’s temple. Technically, it was a temple dedicated to the seven gods, since that was the only way Taylina had been able to convince the town to fund the construction of it, especially when everyone had been busy rebuilding their own homes and businesses in the aftermath of the invasion. Everyone had agreed that a larger place of worship would be wise, thus to attract the favor of the gods in the future. Taylina hoped that the regular Iskandian deities would not object to the large courtyard she and her father had designed, one suitable for dragons to land in. As requested, there was a belly-rub room. There was also a shop in the back with woodworking tools, and Raff and Taylina had already started a few projects, weapons this time, instead of simple tools. Visitors had reported that the battle for freedom was not going well over on the mainland. For now, the Cofah were leaving the islands in the panhandle alone, but one day, when they returned, Taylina’s people would be ready. She hoped their dragon protector would be ready too.
It’s very white, Bhrava Saruth observed.
“The rocks on our island are white. We would have had to have gone to the mainland, found a quarry, and floated massive stones over here if we’d wanted darker ones. You don’t think these are suitably majestic? Some of them came from the rubble that used to be Bergethor’s
cave.”
Oh? I approve of that then. Assuming none of those dreadful ribbons were incorporated. Hm, there are people inside. Bhrava Saruth hopped into the air, flapped his wings a couple of times, and alighted on the wall overlooking the courtyard. Are they my new worshippers?
“They could be. Many of them have illnesses or injuries and are hoping you can cure them.” Taylina rotated and flexed her hip. Months had passed since Bhrava Saruth fixed the lame leg she had been born with, and it no longer ached. Nor did she need to walk with a staff any longer. But since he had imbued her staff with magic, she kept it, carrying it because it was useful rather than because she needed to lean on it. Bhrava Saruth had added a few powers to it, allowing her to create a shield of protection in front of her and also to point at things and start fires. She vowed to be ready to fight if the Cofah ever came back. “Some of them brought offerings,” Taylina added. “I suggested it would please you and make you more amenable to helping.”
I’m always amenable to helping. But I do adore offerings. Bhrava Saruth’s nostrils twitched. Do I smell lemon tarts?
He hopped down into the courtyard, disappearing from Taylina’s view. She walked through the open double doors to make sure the people inside weren’t alarmed by his appearance. He had visited the island frequently over the nine months that she and her family had been directing construction of the temple, but most of the townsfolk still considered him alarming unless he visited in a less intimidating form.
She found him in the courtyard, appearing as the big, gray shaggy dog instead of the dragon. He lay on his back while people patted and stroked him.
I shall attend your needs shortly, he announced, apparently speaking telepathically into everyone’s minds, because people nodded agreeably. A few brought over plates of baked goods.
This temple is most acceptable, Bhrava Saruth told Taylina, looking at her upside down with his head on the ground, his legs up in the air.
I’m glad you approve. Does this mean you’ll stay on the island and protect us?
I will happily protect this island, but I do think I should have more followers, don’t you?
Beginnings: Five Heroic Fantasy Adventure Novels Page 13
