The Ascending

by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

  Compared to all the brilliant gold, scarlet, emerald, teal and violet silks and satins the high born ladies of Nimbronia wore tonight, Jahrra’s own dress was a subtler display of color, but no less stunning. The deep green bodice and overskirt hid most of the pale silks beneath, yet the real beauty wasn’t in the fabric itself, but the fine needlework and tiny gemstones applied to create the vines and flowers of the bloodroses. Yes, the other women were painted brightly, like the tropical flowers of Torinn bursting into full bloom compared to Jahrra’s elegant, barely budding rose. Their flaws might be smoothed away, their dull features accentuated with rouge and kohl. They would be wearing chains of gold and silver and maybe even augrim, and jewels of every color and size would glitter at their wrists and throats. But not a single one of them could compare to Jahrraneh Drisihn. She may have come from common roots, grown up without wealth or privilege, and despite the queenly dress she wore, her spirit was far brighter than all the rest; she was by no means in need of any extra adornments.

  As if detecting her guardian’s intent gaze, Jahrra turned to regard him, smiling and waving her hand in greeting. Jaax returned her smile, and ducked his head once. Before he could so much as take a step to move closer to her and the others, an elvin man dressed in the king’s livery moved from the open doorway and tapped a standard against the ground three times. A hush gradually fell over the outer hall as the guard proclaimed it was time everyone take their seats.

  Sapheramin moved toward the door, beckoning the others to follow her.

  “I know where we are to be seated,” she told Jaax as they entered the grand dining chamber.

  Jaax moved to stand beside the door, allowing the others to go ahead of him. Jahrra was the last one to enter the dining hall, and as she passed, Jaax said in a low voice, “You look lovely tonight, Jahrra.”

  She smiled up at him, her face gaining a little color. She reached up and toyed nervously with the pendant around her neck, the scale she had once knocked free of his finger. In all the chaos of the past several weeks, he had forgotten he’d gifted it to her several years ago. How ironic that he should have been thinking about that missing scale mere minutes ago. Jaax drew in a deep breath as he followed Jahrra and the others into the king’s hall. His mood had shifted for the better, and he allowed the feelings of contentment to take root. Perhaps if he went into this banquet with a positive attitude, negotiations with the Creecemind would work in their favor.

  As they came free of the long passageway into the dining room, Jahrra gasped and came to an abrupt halt in front of Jaax. Puzzled at her behavior at first, the dragon followed her line of sight, and then let one side of his mouth curve into a small smile. She would appreciate this room. About the same size as the king’s throne room, the dining hall stretched for nearly five hundred feet or more, and boasted a ceiling nearly half as high. Flying buttresses carved from solid ice supported the walls, and great open windows ran from one end of the room to the other, a narrow terrace lying just on the other side of them. Beyond the terrace, the endless sky beckoned any creature with wings, and drew the attention of those who could not resist gazing upon the beauty of the Great Hrunahn Mountains and beyond. Above them, hundreds of crystalline chandeliers glittered like diamonds, their enchanted lights emitting a soft, yellow glow.

  “Look at the size of that table!” Dervit exclaimed beside Jahrra.

  Jahrra tore her eyes from the ceiling and gaped at the massive table taking up the center of the room. If one could even call it that.

  “It was constructed especially for this room, so that dragons and our smaller allies might dine together.”

  It was Tollorias who spoke, his deep voice rumbling through their corner of the vast room.

  As far as Jaax knew, this was the largest table in existence in their world, and composed, not surprisingly, entirely of ice. It was high enough for the smaller dragons to sit comfortably beside their diminutive companions, as Tollorias said, and the many sets of ice staircases leading up to higher platforms allowed the elves and other similar races to sit with the table’s edge at a reasonable level.

  “Amazing,” Jahrra breathed.

  Shortly after stepping into the great room, one of several ushers standing by scurried over and showed them to their places. They were all seated on the same side of the table, closer to the front of the room where a great platform of ice stood waiting for the king and his family. Tollorias sat closest to the king’s dais, followed by Sapheramin, Jahrra, Dervit, Ellyesce and finally, Jaax. The Tanaan dragon had hoped to sit closer to his ward, but approved of her proximity to Sapheramin. Despite her bold choice of apparel and that all too familiar determined tilt to her chin, Jaax was certain Jahrra was feeling exceedingly nervous about meeting the king. If anyone could put her at ease, it would be Sapheramin. The female Korli’s kind disposition and ease of diplomacy made her the perfect dinner partner for someone new to Nimbronia.

  As the castle staff began the long and grueling task of bringing out the first dinner course, Ellyesce turned to Jaax and murmured, “Jahrra looks well tonight, does she not?”

  Jaax nodded his head. She did look well. Better than well, actually. Jaax quickly darted his gaze around the room, not missing the several pairs of appreciative male eyes directed toward his ward. The muscles in his jaw tightened, and he fought the urge to gouge deep furrows into the table top with his claws. He had always been protective of Jahrra, but after what had happened with the regent’s son in Cahrdyarein, he had become very much aware of another way she could be hurt. If it was in his power, he would make sure such a wound was never inflicted upon her again.

  Taking a breath to ease his aggression, he said to Ellyesce, “I think getting a chance to rest without worrying about being attacked at any second has helped immensely.”

  The elf pursed his lips and hummed in agreement. He then eyed his companion, his gaze narrowed in thought. “I think it has done you some good as well.”

  “I will be in even higher spirits when Dhuruhn agrees to help in the fight against Ciarrohn.”

  Ellyesce snorted in laughter. “Always looking ahead, aren’t you? Don’t you ever stop to enjoy the moment, Jaax?”

  The dragon gave him a wry grin. “Never.”

  “You should try it some time.”

  Ellyesce looked as if he was going to say something else, but at that moment a pair of enormous doors at the front of the room swung open and the king and his family entered. It was quite the sight to see, Jaax had to admit, and he watched Jahrra carefully as she took in the Creecemind royal family in all their glory. From what he could tell, she studied every detail, her body tense, her focus intent. When they finally settled down upon their dais, Dhuruhn spoke a greeting in his booming voice. Jahrra’s reaction was as expected, a quick jolt to attention.

  Do not let him intimidate you, Jahrra, Jaax thought. And when she regained her composure, straightening her shoulders and tilting her chin slightly upward, he had to fight a smile. That’s my girl.

  With Jahrra’s quiet determination boosting his spirits, Jaax returned his attention to the feast spread out before him. He would get his chance to present his ward to the Creecemind king, but for now, he would live in the moment and enjoy the fine food and affable company around him.

  -Chapter Twenty-Six-

  The Korli Dragon’s Tale

  Jahrra had wanted to introduce herself, properly, to the Korli dragon sitting beside her, since she hadn’t had the chance out in the foyer, but just as she took a breath to speak up, a commotion at the front of the room drew everyone’s attention. Elves dressed in the silver and blue armor of Nimbronia’s guard worked in pairs to open a massive set of carved wooden doors to the right of the dais. Jahrra leaned forward to see what was behind them, but before she could get a good look, a narrowed snout and head, followed by a long, graceful neck, emerged. Jahrra’s jaw dropped open in awe as the rest of the Creecemind dragon glided into the room. She had seen them before, gracing the skies above the city i
n their beautiful aerial dance, and perched upon the ledges of the mountain city, their long, slender physiques mimicking the turrets and towers of ice surrounding them. Observing one up close, however, was an entirely different matter.

  Before she could finish studying the first dragon, another one followed, then two more. Jahrra knew the Creecemind were huge, but somehow, these four seemed even bigger than those she’d seen outside the castle walls. She tried to place herself beside them, concluding she would stand about as tall as the longest teeth protruding from the lower portion of their jaws.

  The four dragons found their places, settling down like lions, their heads facing the grand dining room while the rest of their bodies stretched out into an extensive antechamber behind the dais. The two in the center were the biggest, their pale scales shining like pearls. The dragon on the left was more blue and larger than the one on the right, and both of them wore crowns of what appeared to be giant icicles encrusted with brilliant pale blue and crystal clear stones. More jewelry of the same design adorned their necks and shoulders, similar to the formal bloodrose pendant and circlet Jaax wore. These two must be Dhuruhn and his queen, Jahrra mused, meaning that the other two on either side of them are the prince and princess.

  Jahrra narrowed her eyes and focused in on Dhuruhn. His gaze scanned the crowd, his body language giving away nothing. His snout was long, the lower part of his jaw, like those menacing teeth she was studying earlier, protruding a little farther than the upper half. From the way they were sitting and facing their guests, Jahrra couldn’t get a good look at their wings, but she knew they were longer and narrower than a Korli or Tanaan dragon’s. Dhuruhn’s queen, and their two children, shared similar features and their icy cold gazes slowly roved over the room as if they had all the time in the world to study their guests.

  Somewhere out of sight, a heavy bell clanged, and the chattering guests quieted. When all was silent, a pale blue Tanaan dragon stepped forward and announced in a booming voice, “His Royal Highness, King Dhuruhn of Felldreim, her Royal Highness, Queen Beihryhn of Felldreim, his Royal Highness, Prince Eairhyut of Felldreim and her Royal Highness, Princess Eairheihn of Felldreim extend their welcome to you, nobles and diplomats of the far reaches of Ethoes. His Majesty, the king, will now offer his personal welcome.”

  The dragon stepped aside, and the king of the Creecemind drew in a great breath to speak.

  “Good evening, guests and residents,” he announced, his deep voice reverberating throughout the massive chamber like the rumbling tremors of an earthquake.

  Goose pimples rose on Jahrra’s skin, and she could have sworn her ribcage rattled with the power of his voice. Beside her, Dervit grew as taut as a bowstring.

  “Welcome to Nimbronia, and I hope you find our hospitality up to your standards. I understand some of you wish to speak with me tonight, but I ask that you wait until dinner is over.”

  Jahrra wasn’t certain, but it seemed as if the king directed his attention onto Jaax at that moment. She resisted the urge to turn and glance down the table at him.

  “Now, without further delay, please, return to your meal and conversations.”

  And just like that, the spell the four royals held over the hall evaporated, and the amicable chatter from before returned.

  “Do not worry,” Sapheramin said, startling Jahrra a little, “you will become accustomed to the king’s manner.”

  Jahrra blinked up at the Korli dragon, and for a split second, she saw Hroombra instead of Sapheramin. The moment passed, but Jahrra felt a small lump growing in her throat, nonetheless.

  “Forgive me,” Sapheramin said gently. “I never offered formal introductions. I am Sapheramin, and this is Tollorias.”

  She indicated the soot-colored dragon to her right, and he paused in his conversation with another Tanaan dragon to acknowledge Jahrra with a curt nod of his head.

  “Pleased to officially meet you, Jahrra,” he rumbled.

  Jahrra had just enough time to offer him a weak smile before he returned his focus to his previous discussion.

  Sapheramin rolled her eyes and smiled. “Don’t mind him. He takes life far too seriously.”

  Some of the tension drained from Jahrra’s body then, and she started breathing evenly once more. There was something about this female dragon that put her instantly at ease. Perhaps it was her joyful aura, or the abundance of kindness in her manner. Or maybe it was just because she reminded her so much of her old Korli mentor.

  Jahrra’s thoughts must have been plain on her face, because Sapheramin said, “I am not sure if Jaax told you, but Hroombramantu was my uncle.”

  Jahrra, suddenly realizing she hadn’t said a single thing to Sapheramin since their conversation started, snapped out of her odd trance and cleared her throat. “Yes, he did tell me. I am so sorry for your loss.”

  Sapheramin furrowed her brow and nodded slowly. “And I for yours. I was very fond of my uncle, but I feel that perhaps you knew him more than I did. Or rather, he played a more significant role in your life.”

  “He did,” she admitted, the tiny speck of sadness she always carried around for her old guardian pricking a little at her heart. “I still miss him terribly.”

  Sapheramin gave a sad smile, then shut her eyes and shook her head slightly.

  “Now, enough of that. Let us enjoy our first course, and then we can talk some more.”

  Jahrra couldn’t argue with that, so she gave Sapheramin a reassuring grin and turned back to what she thought was a dinner salad. She was pretty sure the bluish-green leaves and violet-hued florets were vegetables, but she had yet to taste them. A quick glance to her left told her Dervit had already cleaned his plate and was well on his way to making new friends. He and Ellyesce were chatting freely with the two elves seated directly across from them, even though they were separated by several feet of table space. When Jahrra leaned a little more forward, she noticed Jaax speaking with a group of Tanaan dragons and Resai elves farther down the table.

  “How are you liking Nimbronia so far?” Sapheramin asked.

  Realizing she wasn’t being the most engaging dinner partner, and that maybe she should make more of an effort, Jahrra glanced back up at Sapheramin and said, “It is a beautiful city, and I still can’t believe how easy it is to breathe in the thin air, and that I didn’t freeze instantly when we stepped outside earlier this morning.”

  Sapheramin laughed. “The magic of this place works wonders in keeping the city itself frozen, but not its citizens.”

  “Ellyesce told me about the magic allowing us to breathe at this altitude. Jaax and I went flying this morning, and he showed me the city and the Sacred Pine as well.”

  “Ah, yes,” Sapheramin crooned. “The Pine is one of Nimbronia’s most prized features. People travel from all over the world to see it, though no one has ever walked the staircase to the top. Far too dangerous, and only the Oracles have any purpose in going up there.”

  “Do they often visit? The Oracles I mean,” Jahrra asked excitedly, eyeing the new course being brought around. It looked like soup, but once again, she couldn’t say for sure. Only when a finely-dressed servant placed a spoon next to her bowl was she certain.

  “No,” Sapheramin said, wrapping her scaled fingers around the much larger bowl set before her. A fraction of her joy ebbed, and Jahrra felt compelled to look up at her. “Most of the Oracles were destroyed by Cierryon, and no one knows for sure how many are left, or where they might be hiding.”

  She lifted the bowl to her mouth and drank the soup as if it were a mug of ale. When she was finished, she set it back down and then picked up one of the overly large napkins to dab at the soup that stained the corner of her mouth. Jahrra found the action very comical; a dragon with refined table manners, but managed to keep her composure. Instead, she tasted a spoonful of soup, relishing the unique but delicious flavor, before trying another question.

  “What about Mystics? Can they visit the tree?”

  Sapheramin regarded
Jahrra closely, her brows furrowed and her eyes searching for something.

  “Maybe,” she said eventually, “but I’ve not heard of such a thing happening. Why do you ask?”

  Jahrra shrugged and turned back to her soup. She did not want to explain that she knew a Mystic who might be willing to consult Ethoes, if she had the chance. Instead, she decided to change the subject.

  “So, since Hroombra was your uncle, did you grow up with Jaax?”

  Jahrra tried, and failed, to imagine Jaax as a dragonling.

  To her surprise, the Korli dragon laughed out loud. “Oh, no. Not at all. I grew up with my parents and siblings here in the province of Felldreim. Hroombra would visit us from time to time, but I didn’t even meet Jaax until he first joined the Coalition. By then, he was a young adult.”

  A pang of disappointment pricked at Jahrra. She was hoping to hear more about her guardian from someone who might actually be willing to tell her.

  “That’s too bad,” she grumped, hoping she didn’t sound too disappointed. “I thought maybe you could tell me some embarrassing stories or something like that.”

  Sapheramin screwed up her face and tilted her head to the side. “Well, I don’t know any embarrassing stories, but I do know how Hroombra came to be Jaax’s guardian.”

  Jahrra, who had just scooped up another spoonful of soup, froze and lowered it back to the bowl. She quickly darted her eyes down the table to make sure Jaax was still distracted by the other dinner guests. When she saw that he was, and that Ellyesce and Dervit had joined in with his conversation, she glanced back at Sapheramin with wide eyes.

  Nodding, she said, “Yes. Yes, I’d love to hear that story. Neither Jaax nor Hroombra ever told me.”

  Sapheramin gave her a horrified look. “You must be joking! To have both those dragons as your guardians, and to have never heard the story? An outrage!”