Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods!
“Quillan.” Chanté grabbed his head and turned it to face him. “Look at me.”
Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods!
Quillan!
“Look at me!” Chanté’s eyes were full of concern.
Quillan blinked several times. “O–Okay. Okay.”
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to—”
“He looks fine, now.”
Quillan nodded. “Yeah, I am. I–I’m okay.”
Chanté narrowed his eyes. “I think that’s enough for a first flight. We can do the other comms testing on the—” His gaze went flat.
Nantli let out a bark.
Chanté reached down between them and grabbed the handholds of the saddle’s middle seating spot. “Quillan, lock your legs to the saddle and hold on to me.”
“What?”
“It’ll only be for a bit. Hurry.”
Swallowing, he did as requested.
Hold on tight! Nantli banked down and to the left.
Why wasn’t she going back down to the ledge? Quillan took a gasping breath and closed his eyes. “Where are we going?”
“Zyanya is about to lay her eggs. I’ve never seen that.”
“Come get me! I want to see that, too!”
He did not open his eyes to look down at Elizabeth. “Can you fly with your broken leg?”
Chanté’s voice sounded a little impatient. “Would there even be time to get you saddled, unsaddled, and into the clutching room before the eggs are laid?”
Was that a sigh through the comms? Something pressed on his shoulder, making him open his eyes.
Chanté’s head lay on his shoulder. “Nantli says there should be enough time if we hurry.”
The big dragon banked around and Quillan let out a yelp and held tighter to the handholds.
Sorry!
The moment Nantli set down, Chanté unstrapped and hopped down. A pulse of magic came from him and Elizabeth let out a strangled sound as she rose from the chair and into the air.
“What in hells are you doing?” Arms waving for balance that wasn’t really needed, she glared at Chanté.
“This will get you in the saddle easier and faster.” Chanté watched as she glided toward them and then rose above Nantli.
“O–Oh. Okay.”
Looking up to where Elizabeth floated over them, Chanté said, “Spread your legs.”
Pressing her skirt closer to her with both hands, Elizabeth yelled, “What?”
“Hurry, so I can lower you down to the saddle.”
A short laugh burst from Quillan. He saw how someone could completely misunderstand Chanté’s request.
Elizabeth gave him a brief glare, then, cheeks bright red, she looked back at Chanté. “R–Right.”
Once she had floated down behind Quillan, Chanté dug through a saddle bag.
“You could have just lowered me, you know, I would have . . . adjusted without you having to tell me.”
Chanté handed a riding belt and straps up to her. “Put the belt on, quickly.”
Once she did so, Quillan turned to help her with the safety straps.
Chanté was already back in his seat, so after Elizabeth was strapped in, Quillan faced forward and grabbed onto him.
“Lifting off.”
Quillan closed his eyes. “Noted.”
When Nantli leapt into the air, Elizabeth made a tiny sound and wrapped her arms around him.
Quillan didn’t open his eyes until Nantli set down outside the passage to the clutching room.
“You’re right, by the way,” Elizabeth said. Lips twisted, she eyed Chanté as she floated down to the landing ledge. “Being up on dragons is amazing. I’ve ridden on Coatl, and now on Nantli. But no matter the dragon, the view up there is incredible.”
Chanté gave her a grudging nod. “It is. That’s why I wanted him to see it.”
She looked at Quillan. “And you’re right about that, too. It would have been a shame if he’d never gotten a chance to do so.”
“We need to hurry, though.” Chanté eyed the clutching room passage.
“Well, boys?” Standing a bit awkwardly, Elizabeth raised her arms and looked from one to the other of them. “You left my crutch behind, so care to lend a girl a hand?”
Quillan stared at her cast. Her hobbling walk would be very slow, even with their help, and Chanté had looked impatient. He stepped closer and lifted her up in his arms.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Oh!”
He shifted her around a bit to a more comfortable position. “This will be faster.”
She blinked then wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. “Okay.”
Chanté stared at them a moment, lips pressed together, then turned to the passage. “Let’s go.”
Elizabeth was heavier and lighter than Quillan expected. Which was probably the silliest thought he’d ever had. How could something be both heavier and lighter than an expected measurement?
An unusual though very pleasant thrumming started, distracting him. What was making that sound coming from the passage?
From behind, a somewhat higher-pitched thrumming started, in harmony with that from ahead, making him glance back. It was Nantli!
+ + + + +
Aeron watched Chanté walk in, followed by Quillan, who carried the young woman who’d broken her leg. Nantli brought up the rear. Everyone was dropping by for this, it seemed.
Adepts Komako and Oran sat in the tiered seats with the Guildmaster. Aeron glanced over at them and wondered what they thought of all this. Though done solo in the wild, clutching was still an important part of dragon life, and he was glad the two adepts were here to see it, to experience it first-hand. It should give them additional insight into dragons for their paper. He just hoped that having so many people here wasn’t making Zyanya anxious.
He turned to Anaya. Is she nervous at all? Scared?
Head lifted in the dragon song, Anaya glanced at him. Not very much.
Anaya was sitting on her haunches like all the dragons in the clutching room, save Zyanya. They all sat on the polished granite floor, humming their draconic chorus. The big dragons, along with those younger, surrounded the enormous circular clutching pit where Zyanya lay, breathing heavy. They called it a pit, but the surface of the sand that filled it up was only an inch or so below the level of the stone floor surrounding.
Gaze back on Zyanya, Aeron bit his lip.
Humor came through the link. You are more worried than she is.
He was definitely nervous about Zyanya. As was typical of wild dragons, she had never clutched with other dragons around. But here, all dragons took part in almost every aspect of draconic life. They wanted to support each other in any way they could. Aeron loved them all the more for it.
He just wasn’t sure how Zyanya would react. I’m worried that having so many here will frighten her. It is a delicate and vulnerable time for dragons. They’re pretty much defenseless as they lay.
That is true. Which is why they tend to seek out secluded places for the purpose. But our song soothes her, as do our words.
Anaya, still humming, looked back at Zyanya. Be at peace, Zyanya, and bring forth your children. You are safe here, protected.
The gravid dragon turned to her and gave out an only slightly nervous chirp.
Most people here were sitting in the tiered seats, watching—nervous, excited, and wide-eyed. Aeron couldn’t sit, though, so he’d moved off and stood to the side. Willem had joined him when he ran in from the passage, breathless, a few minutes later.
Unlike any of the other dragonlinked, at least so far, Aeron knew exactly, in very intimate detail, what would soon transpire. He placed a hand on his stomach. He didn’t envy Zyanya the coming labor pains. When Anaya had clutched, he’d experienced it all, too, through the link. His abdomen had been sore for a few days from the cramp-like contractions his own muscles had experienced, in what Gregor had later explained was likely due to the link from the Bond.<
br />
It seemed that when your bond-mate experienced powerful events, like laying eggs and—Aeron glanced at Willem and felt his cheeks warm—and what led to laying eggs, the distance between you and your bond-mate became so slight, you were almost living in, or as, your dragon. The intense, nearly overwhelming experience was beyond incredible.
Willem took his hand. “You’re always nervous at clutchings and hatchings.”
“I know,” Aeron said. “Sorry. This time, though, it’s because I’m worried about how Zyanya feels with so many people here.”
“You don’t need to apologize for that. I think it’s kind of cute.” Willem pulled Aeron closer and let go of his hand to put an arm around him. “I’m sure Zyanya can tell that we’re all here for her.”
Aeron nodded and put an arm around Willem. “I hope so, because every one of us here, everyone in the guild, absolutely supports dragons.”
“Yes, we do.”
Zyanya grunted and lay her head down on the sand. As her entire body trembled, a quiet moan escaped her. The contractions had begun.
Aeron could almost feel everyone in the room tensing in anticipation of the clutching to come. An almost breathless feeling filled the room.
Willem’s arm tightened around him.
Aeron swallowed. “Here we go.”
Unfortunately for Zyanya, the contractions went on for almost an hour before she finally lay her first egg. The dragon hum rose in volume and intensity, and when her egg fell free onto the sand, the thrumming chorus returned to its previous level.
Zyanya gave out a ragged sigh of relief.
Anaya let out a happy bark. Well done, Zyanya! Only two more to go. Be strong!
The exhausted dragon lifted her head and nodded then set her chin back on the sand.
Aeron turned to Anaya and smiled. Gods but he loved her.
When Anaya had laid her eggs, everyone present had clapped and cheered her on. Other than Aeron, of course. He was in too much pain to do anything but pant and clutch tightly to Willem. Today, as people had arrived, they’d been instructed to not cheer or clap or speak out in any way for fear of startling Zyanya. All encouragement would be left to Anaya.
She was doing a good job, so far.
When the second egg fell to the sand, a kind of strangled gasp drew his attention to the tiered seats. Renny, face a little green, was sitting in the front row next to Jessip. The gangly former woodworker stared at Zyanya or at the eggs. It was difficult to say from this distance and angle what he was watching, but it was plain to see that Renny looked a little ill.
Only one more to go, Zyanya. Anaya chirped. You are so strong and brave that I know you can do it!
Poor Zyanya only lay on the sand, breathing heavily. After a moment, she let out a quiet chirp.
Aeron wanted to run over and hug her. Anaya was right. She was brave and strong. All mothers who suffered through births, no matter human or dragon, were incredibly strong and brave to do so over and over.
A memory of his own mother, singing to him as she worked away at some Wood Craft project, made his vision blur a little. If only she’d lived to see Anaya, he just knew that they would have gotten along well.
“Hey, now,” Willem said. “Why the tears?”
Aeron wiped his eyes and then cleared his throat. “I was just thinking about how great mothers are.”
“Indeed.” Willem leaned close and kissed the side of his head.
About a year and a half ago, a fight with a nahual that was attacking Jessip had unlocked Aeron’s memories of his mother’s death at the hands of one of those fearsome beasts. In fact, it had unlocked all his memories of her. The morning after the nahual fight, he’d told Willem, along with Sharrah, Millinith, and Master Doronal about what had happened to his mother. So this amazing young man knew exactly what he was feeling right now.
Aeron glanced at him. It would also have been great if his mom could have met Willem.
After a side-long glance at him, Willem smiled. “We should go visit your father.”
Aeron’s eyes grew large. “Pissing blades. I told him I’d do that and have yet to do so.”
Willem chuckled. “Which is why we definitely need to, and soon.”
Well done Zyanya! You have three, beautiful eggs.
Aeron looked over. He’d missed the last one being laid. The dragon thrum had ended, too, at some point.
Zyanya lay beside the three incredible eggs, tail curled around them, and one wing partially extended over them. Her head hung low, however, as did her wings. He knew all too well just how exhausting this must have been for her.
Guildmaster Millinith stepped forward from the seats. Congratulations on three healthy children, Zyanya. Know that we all are happy for you. We will now leave you with them so you may rest and recover.
The Guildmaster turned to face everyone. “Let’s leave quietly, please.”
As people made for the two exits, chatting with friends, or in some cases with bond-mates, the Guildmaster turned to him. “Aeron, if you could have Anaya remain here? I think her presence will be comforting.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
I had intended to anyway.
Aeron turned to Anaya and smiled. Good. I want to be sure Zyanya feels as happy and safe here as possible.
She chirped. As do I.
“Willem,” Renny said as he walked over, “can I get a ride back to the dragonlinked quarters?”
Aeron blinked. Why didn’t he get a ride with Jessip? They had actually rekindled their friendship when Renny was accepted into the guild.
Willem nodded. “Sure. Balam could use the exercise.”
The dark green dragon rumbled.
“No.” Humor dancing in his eyes, Willem watched Balam walk over. “I wouldn’t say you were overweight, but you could do with a little less food. Or more exercise. We need to be in top form for the show and for when we encounter nahual, yes?”
Balam stared at Willem a moment, then sniffed. He turned to Renny. I would be more than happy to take you back to the rooms with us.
Renny chuckled. “Thank you, Balam.”
As they quietly made their way out of the room, Aeron glanced once more at Zyanya. She had done very well.
Out on the ledge, Sharrah waved them over. “Aeron, Willem, some of us were thinking of meeting in your rooms for a clutching celebration. Is that okay?”
“Sounds fun,” Willem said.
Aeron nodded. “Sure. That’s a great idea.”
Cheddar leaned in close and whispered, “I’ve got a skin that we can use to make a toast to the new babes.”
Aeron smiled. “Perfect.” He looked around at the others preparing to head off on their dragons until he spotted who he’d hoped to see.
Good, they hadn’t left yet. He lifted a hand. “Chanté!”
The white-haired boy looked over, surprise in his eyes. “Y–Yes?”
“A few of us are getting together for a party to celebrate Zyanya’s clutch. Why don’t you and Quillan and”—he glanced at the young woman—“your friend join us? You know where Willem and I live right?”
Chanté nodded.
“Golden. We’ll see you in our rooms in, say, half an hour?”
Nantli chirped.
Chanté glanced at her and looked back, smiling. “Alright.”
“Good.” Aeron was glad to see that Chanté was feeling more comfortable. He’d even smiled a few times recently, which the unusual boy hadn’t done much of upon first arriving.
“You don’t mind Elizabeth and me joining you?”
Aeron chuckled at Quillan. “Why would I mind? This is a great event for dragonlinked and the guild, of which you are a member. It’s only right to celebrate it a little.”
“I’m—” The young woman, Elizabeth, grimaced briefly and lifted her right foot while holding onto Chanté and Quillan’s arms. “I’m not a member, though.”
“That’s alright,” Aeron said. “And I will neither confirm nor deny this, but there mi
ght be a bit of drink available with a touch more kick than cider.” He glanced at her right leg. The cast was plainly visible below the mid-calf skirt. He looked back up at her and curved his lips in a half-smile. “And you look like you could use something like that.”
She laughed. “Truer words were never spoken. I thank you for the invitation, then.”
“So, half an hour, then?” Sharrah looked around at everyone.
Murmurs and words of agreement came from them all as they departed. Sharrah grabbed Cheddar’s hand and waved as they headed back into the passage and the Guildhall beyond.
“Let’s go.” Aeron turned to Renny. “Willem and I have some quick straightening out to do before people start arriving.”
In their rooms, as he and Willem picked up stray socks, smallclothes, shirts, and such, Renny looked around.
“Your rooms are neater than mine,” he said. “I’m not sure why you were worried about cleaning up.”
Aeron laughed. “If this is neater than yours, remind me to never visit you.”
“Honestly, other than picking up the clothes, what else is there to do?”
“Make the bed,” Willem said, “put away books and study notes . . .”
“. . . close the wardrobe doors.” Aeron put words to action and closed the doors of both the free-standing wooden closets.
“I’ll take care of the bed,” Willem said. “You and Renny make sure the ledge isn’t a complete wreck.”
Aeron nodded and headed for the balcony door. “Sounds good.”
They moved the table to a better spot and set the chairs around it. The two benches were moved back to their proper places, and after a look to make sure all was good, they returned inside.
Willem was straightening out the water closet, so Aeron led Renny to the small kitchen area.
“You dry after I wash,” he told him.
The few plates, mugs, and glasses that needed washing were taken care of quickly and set back upon the shelves. And a good thing, too. A knock at the door signaled the first arrivals.
Aeron opened the door and greeted Renata and Jessip.
Willem poked his head out of the water closet. “Hi guys. I’m just about done cleaning in here. Go ahead and get started.”
“It seemed like there might be a few people dropping by,” Renata said, “so we brought some extra cider from the cafeteria.”
Of Gods, Trees, and a Sapling: Dragonlinked Chronicles Volume 4 Page 63
