“It was worth it.” Hope and determination came through the link from Fillion. He nodded. “Alright. Let’s try this.”
Coatl rose on all four legs and waited for Fillion to climb into the saddle.
Alright, big guy. If this works—and it should, you’re a great flyer—you can tell the others to come and see.
He let out a rumble.
Fillion strapped in. Let’s go.
Coatl crouched, tensed his leg muscles, then leapt into the sky, beating his wings over and over.
At a good height, he banked around to approach, and beat his wings forcefully to increase speed as he flew toward the ring. He had an idea he wanted to try. Hold on, even with your legs.
My legs? Confusion came through the link, but then so did the sense of Fillion clamping his legs to the leg-holds.
Angling steeply downward toward the height of the center of the ring, Coatl pulled his wings in a bit and let the drop also increase his speed. The ground raced up to meet them.
From this perspective and this distance, the circle of wood looked too small for him to possibly pass through. Even knowing he had plenty of room, it was a little . . . scary, was the human word. Even so, this was very fun! Heartbeats pounding a fast tempo in his ears, Coatl’s lips curved into a smile.
At the proper height, Coatl spread his wings fully and leveled out. Air thrummed over taught flight membranes, and trees whipped past, their long morning shadows flickering over them. The ring drew rapidly closer. Would they fit?
Just before they pierced the center of the ring, he drew his wings completely in. He watched Renny as they shot through. The boy’s eyes were large and an even larger smile split his face.
There was a deep thump when Coatl spread his wings and tilted them slightly, catching air and angling them up from an arrow-straight shot through the ring into this spinning climb.
As they rapidly spun upward, he sensed Fillion through the link, gripping the handholds and the leg-holds tightly. All the while, excitement surged through.
“Yeah!” Fillion’s shout echoed the happiness and excitement coming through the link.
Coatl let out his own excited roar as they rose higher into the sky.
His rumbling laughter mixed with Fillion’s as he broke out of the twirling climb. Banking around, he quickly angled down to land.
Renny raised his arms and jogged over. “Woo-hoooooo! That was aaaah-maay-zing!”
“It was spine-shiveringly fun, too!” Fillion jumped down. “Coatl, let the others know. Tell ’em to come see our trick!”
He barked excitedly and told Kisa first.
She did not sound as excited as she should have. Gregor says he does not have time before chores and neither does Fillion. He says he can at lunch, though.
Coatl let out a dissatisfied rumble and looked at Fillion. Kisa says Gregor does not think we have time before chores, that at lunch would be better.
Fillion frowned. Damn it! This is so fun I wanted everyone to see it right now. But he’s right. We do have chores, soon. He turned to Renny. “It’s later than I realized. We all have chores now. Maybe at lunch?”
“Sure.” Renny smiled. “I’d like to see that again whenever.”
Fillion chuckled. “Alright, then. Let’s get back to the Guildhall.”
Not too much later, Coatl landed at the side of the guild’s grain fields, where Renny’s chores were.
“Thanks,” the boy said as he jumped down. “After hours of weeding, I’ll definitely need something fun to pick up my spirits. See you at lunch!” He waved and jogged toward a small building near which a group of people were gathered.
Let’s go to our rooms. I can head to my chores from there.
Coatl let out an affirmative rumble and took them into the air.
Snow greeted them at the den with a purring chirp.
Coatl chirped back and touched noses with the little creature before padding into the den. He wanted the saddle removed as quickly as possible. There was an itch he needed to take care of.
After hopping off, Fillion reached down and scratched Snow on the head. “Hey little guy, how are you doing?”
Snow raised his head, leaned into the scratching, and let out another purry chirp.
Fillion chuckled, then stood and began removing the saddle.
Once the saddle and blanket were off, Coatl moved his shoulders, stretching his hide. He even tried reaching back with his nose, but he could not quite reach the—
Fillion attacked the spot with strong but gentle rubbing. That feel better, big guy?
Coatl let out a deep moan that turned into a happy rumble. Have I mentioned that I love you? That is exactly the right spot.
Fillion laughed and continued his ministrations.
When the itch faded, Fillion grabbed the wash bucket for the post flight cleaning.
This was one of Coatl’s favorite things. Aside from flying, he and Fillion did not get to spend as much time doing things together as they used to, so these moments where he had all his bond-mate’s attention were special.
With a final, gentle swipe at the side of his mouth, Fillion patted him on the cheek. There you go, big guy, all cleaned up.
Coatl let out a happy chirp.
Fillion chuckled and headed for the bedroom. Alright, I’m going to change for chores. I’ll be back after.
Coatl lay on the floor, and Snow rubbed against his right foreleg and chirped.
He glanced down at the white cat and chirped back. It would have been nice if the trick could have been used. They had worked hard to get the little one used to flying.
Itzel spoke to him. Coatl, the Guildmaster asked me to tell you that Fillion has been excused from chores and lessons today. Special Investigator Gella needs his assistance.
Thank you. I will let him know.
Good. Master Gella will be waiting at the . . . police headquarters. What is ‘police?’
It is a human word for people who are like guards. Coatl turned to the bedroom passage. Fillion, you must saddle me again.
His bond-mate glanced over from hanging the riding jacket in the wardrobe. What? Why? I told you, I have chores to do now.
You no longer have chores or lessons today. Master Gella waits for us at the police headquarters. The Guildmaster sent word through Itzel.
Excitement surged from Fillion. Golden!
Coatl rumbled. Though he also was happy to help the special investigator, he had been looking forward to a nap with Snow.
+ + + + +
Fillion watched through binocs as the man on the sidewalk below spoke. He stood on a short crate of some kind, a wooden box, and waved his arms and hands around as he performed his little show for the people standing around him. That’s all most of the criers were, it seemed, performers. A man and a woman stood with the crier, one on either side of him. To protect him in case fighting broke out again? The crier spoke loudly enough for his words to reach them up here on the roof of this building.
Having had little success so far with other methods, Master Gella wanted Coatl to see what he could learn from the overly-excited man and the people in the crowds.
Fillion glanced over at his bond-mate before looking at the master investigator. “You’re positive this roof is strong enough?”
“By the gods, Fillion,” Master Gella said, a pair of field-glasses held to her eyes, “if you ask me that one more time I will throw you from this roof. I wonder if you’ll bounce?”
Coatl let out a rumbling laugh.
Hush, you. I’m only asking for your safety, leather-bag.
I know, but you worry too much. She said it was safe.
Fillion grunted and looked through the binocs at the performance below. “So anyway, those riots you mentioned, how bad were they?”
“Fights broke out in several places around the city, though they were brought under control within two hours. No one was killed, but there were many wounded with swords and daggers and there were also many with broken bones.”
“Sounds like it was bad.”
“It could have been much worse.”
Fillion couldn’t even imagine it. The whole street down there filled with angry, fighting people? He shook off those thoughts and focused on their task.
There were two small crowds near the crier. Both groups looked determined. One group also looked angry, however. They didn’t seem to like what the crier was saying.
He frowned. “That one group looks pretty upset. Do you think more fights will break out?”
“Their upset is nothing compared to what it was before. The riots seemed to have spent some of the people’s anger, though not all of it. The underlying cause for the anger and unease remains.”
“You said that you suspect the fights were started intentionally. Could they have been a distraction? Has anything strange occurred recently?”
“Not that I could determine. All that the police have received are reports of stolen horses, pick-pocketing, small disputes and squabbles of one kind or another, a few drunk and disorderly people, five break-ins, and three stolen carriages. All of that is fairly typical for Stronghold.”
“Hmm.”
“That’s why I convinced your guildmaster to allow me Coatl’s help. That crier was at one of the places where a fight was deliberately started. We’re following as many like him as we can, but learning anything that way could take time. I’m hoping Coatl can learn something of what they’re thinking. What are their plans? Where are they working from? Anything like that would be an enormous help.”
Fillion glanced again at his bond-mate. He lay near the parapet, a short extension of the building’s outer wall that rose two feet higher than the actual roof. Anything from that man, yet?
Coatl blinked his large eyes and turned to him. He only thinks of what he is saying, what he has been told to say.
Told to say, eh? So Master Gella’s thought that the criers were being led by someone just might be spot-on. He looked over the parapet, at the groups of people below.
This was a normal-sized building, two stories tall. It allowed Coatl to be close enough to the crier and the people almost directly below to better sense their thoughts. Getting Coatl here, though, without too many seeing, had not been easy. They’d had to go roof to roof until reaching the other side of this building, then they’d made their way to this spot in a crouch. Fillion had been worried the entire time that Coatl would put a paw through a roof, or that one would collapse under their combined weight. But now, at least, they’d be able to do their watching without people being distracted.
The first place they’d tried, so many had been taken with Coatl, with watching the large dragon who’d landed nearby, that they could not learn anything important. After half an hour, they’d left for this location. At least here, they might be able to learn something.
What of other people? Anyone thinking thoughts about fighting or the riots? Any of them have strange thoughts?
The only thing I think is unusual is that one of the two people near the crier is watching the crowd, thinking about how the crowd is reacting to the man’s words. His thoughts, and the woman’s, are more controlled, harder to read.
But nothing about their plans or where their headquarters might be?
I sense nothing like that.
Fillion sighed. “He can’t sense anything like what you need, here. Those two with the crier have tightly-controlled thoughts and the crier himself doesn’t seem to know anything. He’s just spewing out what he’s been told to say.”
“That in itself is good to know.” Remaining crouched, she backed away from the parapet a dozen or so feet before standing. “Let’s try another location.”
This time, it was a little harder to get into position to watch the crier on the street-corner below. The parapet of this building was more of a short fence of ornate little columns rather than a solid wall. The three of them had to crawl to the end of the roof on their stomachs. Watching Coatl scoot along on his big belly made it worth it, though.
Fillion chuckled.
Perhaps I should tell Gregor how much you like it when he tickles you.
Don’t you dare tell him!
Mayhap I will get to laugh, then, watching you helpless under his fingers.
I wasn’t laughing because you had to crawl, leather-bag, I was laughing because you looked so cute doing it.
Coatl let out a little harrumph.
“Alright,” Master Gella whispered, “let’s get started. It looks like this crier only has one person with him.”
Fillion looked below. There were several people standing about, listening to the crier. Anything interesting in anyone’s thoughts?
There are two who also watch the crier as intently as we do.
Oh? Do they have thoughts to harm him?
The first, she does not think to harm him. She is suspicious of him, is curious about him, and also thinks of fire.
Fire?
I do not understand the thought, either.
And the other?
She knows him, sometimes thinks of hurting him, punching him, but I do not think she actually intends to do so. She is angry at him, feels betrayed by him.
Betrayed, huh? Perhaps she was angry enough with the man to want to talk about him. Which woman is she?
With Coatl’s help, he located her below. Her face didn’t reveal any of the anger Coatl said she felt. “Master Gella, there is a woman down there I think we should talk to.”
After his explanation, Master Gella hurried off. Not wanting to draw attention to the fact they were interested in the woman, she did nothing until the woman left the area.
Fillion watched through binocs as Master Gella approached her a couple of streets down. After a brief conversation, the two disappeared into a side-alley.
Several minutes later, the woman and Master Gella stepped out of the stairwell and onto the roof.
Fillion and Coatl joined them on that side of the building.
It took a few moments of her staring at Coatl before the woman responded to the question.
She turned to Master Gella. “What was that?”
“The crier below, we’re curious about what he says about High Lady Hasana.”
The woman frowned. “Pssh. It’s all a big pile of shit. Hebron got involved with those damn people and completely changed. He used to be a good man. A man of humble means, to be sure, but a good man nonetheless. Then he got wind of that group and the money they’re tossing around.”
“Group?”
“Aye, people working for some company. He talked about it a little before I left him.” She shook her head. “He changed so much. He wasn’t the man I loved anymore. Now he’s out there spewing that nonsense. None of those working for that company believe any of that garbage, but they pay them to say it, to hand out flyers, and to do who knows what all else.”
Fillion frowned. “If they know it’s all lies, why do they do it?”
She turned to him. “Do you know how hard it is to find work? It takes money to put food in your mouth, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head. And if you have little ones, well, you’ll do much and more for them.” She stared at her hands in her lap. “I just wish he’d realized that I didn’t care about his humble means. Before he joined them, he and I together made enough for us to live on.”
Master Gella questioned her a bit and got more information, including what she could recall of the group he was involved with, before thanking her and letting her go.
“Well,” Master Gella said, “we’ve got somewhere to start, now. I’ll get my people on this and let you know when I need you again.”
She walked over to Coatl and patted his neck. “And thank you, you big, magnificent dragon. This may just be the thing we needed to locate those people.”
Fillion slumped where he stood. Great. Now I have to put up with your swollen head.
My magnificent swollen head, you mean.
Fillion shook his head and chuckled. Of course.
&nbs
p; + + + + +
“I have someone at Fortress Armored Wagon,” Cadoc said. “I’ll have the exact pickup schedule in a few days.”
Lord Koen nodded. “And construction?”
“I’m heading there after this to have them begin.”
“Hmm, yes. With the increased presence of those damned flying beasts, my plan seems almost prescient.”
“Indeed it does, sir.”
“What of their accountant?”
Strangely enough, Cadoc had begun to enjoy spending time with Struan and looked forward to the nearly nightly visits to the pub. “I’ll continue meeting with him for a week afterward at which time I’ll tell him that I’m being called away on business. As he knows my face, I want there to be no suspicion cast in my direction.”
“Why not have him taken care of? Would that not be cleaner and faster?”
“He is the head accountant at Stronghold Steel. Him dying anywhere near the time of that operation could be seen as suspicious. If investigations into his death lead to the pub, it is well known there that we drank together often. But if you think it wiser, sir, I can take care of him.”
Lord Koen frowned and drummed his fingers on the desk. “No, your points are valid.”
“I’ve already dropped hints in our conversations. The accountant and everyone there will think I’m just one more person leaving this city in search of better opportunities.”
“Good. All seems in order. Thank you.” Lord Koen opened a folder and flipped through its contents.
“Yes, sir.” Cadoc bowed his head and left the office.
At the end of the hallway, he entered the elevator and pressed the stud for the first floor. The doors slid silently closed and the car began to descend.
Organizing all the projects in service to the plan was like juggling balls. If one was heavier than the others, if it fell behind, the overall performance had to be adjusted around it. Right now, devising a recipe for their own accelerant to duplicate the characteristics—specifically, volatility and fluidity—of the commercial mixture they’d tested with, was the slow ball, but that obstacle would be overcome any moment. Then, lack of funds to acquire the very expensive remote initiators would become the slow ball. If previous efforts had been successful, that concern would not be an issue. Alas, both attempts had been foiled, reportedly with the assistance of dragons. That, coupled with the fast-approaching deadline, made things a bit more uncertain and Lord Koen a bit more impatient.
Of Gods, Trees, and a Sapling: Dragonlinked Chronicles Volume 4 Page 34
