“Quite well, actually. It seems the young man used as a distraction on that day was effective in more ways than one. The pro-dragon declarations he shouted have found adherents, and many of them. They have latched on to the idea that nahual are Yrdra’s creations and have become proponents themselves. Soon enough, they’ll be their own faction.”
“That is good to hear.”
“Additionally, I understand that Nesch Takatin has lost some support among the umeri due to his inability to determine how the dragon and boy escaped.”
Polandra sat forward. “He’s losing support from his own faction?”
“No. He was gaining popularity with umeri in other factions. Those are the ones who have started to distance themselves. Though, I would be surprised if umeri in his faction weren’t at least upset with him.”
“Does the Capu have any idea as to when we can officially introduce ourselves to the Order?”
“Not yet.”
Polandra frowned.
“Have patience, my dear. He is doing what he can to influence the umeri. The Laminae are working hard, as well, spreading the nahual idea. And, too, the pro-dragon people have not been silent in their opinions. Shockingly, there have been very few reprisals against them. More evidence, I think, that the time is close.”
Polandra hoped so. “I see. We should probably go, then. We have a long flight to House Peku. I’ll let everyone at the guild know the good news.”
“Take care, Polandra. Say hello to Ikan for me.”
She smiled. “I will.”
As they left the village, Adept Komako asked, “How long did you say the trip would take?”
“I didn’t say, exactly.” Polandra glanced at the Animal Craft adept. “When we flew the first time, it was just Ikan and myself. That took almost two hours. With him carrying three people, though? I can’t be sure.”
Adept Oran sighed. “It’ll be the middle of the night when we arrive.”
“Don’t forget,” Polandra said, “we will gain two hours when we return to Caer Baronel.”
“Time zones.” Adept Komako nearly spat the words out. “I understand the reasons why they were enacted, but even so, I can’t seem to get used to them. At least, when I travel long distances.”
“We’ll be going almost directly north,” Polandra explained, “so we’ll remain in the same timezone.”
“Nevertheless,”Adept Komako said, “we’ll be on dragonback for a very long time.”
Adept Oran looked at her. “Do you not like riding on Ikan?”
“I much prefer horses,” she said. “They’re remarkable creatures. I’ve always had a soft spot for them. But no, it isn’t Ikan that I dislike. It’s the saddle. It isn’t shaped quite the same as a horse saddle and it, well, rubs me differently, shall we say.”
“Ah,” Adept Oran said, “yes. I know what you mean.”
“Honestly,” Polandra said, “I don’t know if there is anything you could sit on for two hours and more that would remain comfortable the entire time.”
Adept Komako chuckled. “Point taken.”
Polandra quickened her pace. The sooner they got back to Ikan, the sooner they could start the long flight.
+ + + + +
Renata glanced up at the stars and wiped sweat from her brow with the back of her gloved hand. Though the sun had set well over an hour ago, the fight and tying the thing up had warmed her, made her sweat, even in the relatively cooler temperatures of night. She let out a breath and tugged on the rope. The dead nahual’s legs were secure.
She glanced at the village, maybe a hundred yards to the east. It was time to get the show started. She mounted up and tied the rope to the saddle.
Let’s get closer to the gate.
Xochi turned and walked toward the path that served as a road. Then we burn it?
Yep.
Ruts in the road occasionally caught at the nahual as they dragged it along. This was the first one Renata and Xochi had found since the guild had changed how they hunted the creatures here in the South, since the fools at the Order took Aeron and Anaya captive. Though, from what Isandath had been telling Polandra, that action was helping the dragons’ cause more than the old guard’s.
Renata smiled. Served those bastards right.
The gate was just a plain wooden frame built over the road, with an arch at the top. There wasn’t a wall or even a fence connected to it. It stood there, alone, at the edge of the village. About fifty feet beyond it, Renata saw a few faces poking around some of the near tents and buildings. She and Xochi had made plenty of noise, and the glows, too, must have attracted attention.
Dragonlinked no longer hid from people when hunting. Even so, they did keep to areas that would be free of manis patrols for enough time to allow them to check for and kill any nahual they found. The Laminae, through Isandath, still provided them with route maps. From what Renata recalled, she had about half an hour before the next patrol passed through this area. Plenty of time to dispose of the thing.
Xochi stopped about a dozen feet shy of the gate.
Renata hopped down and untied the nahual. After coiling the rope up, she tucked it back in a saddle bag. Xochi moved to the side of the beast, leaving the view from the village unobstructed. Though faces still peeked from around corners, now there were also a number of people standing near the closest building. They all watched.
With a faint smile, Renata cast two large glows. She wanted to be sure everyone saw what would transpire. A quick cast of levitation raised the nahual carcass four feet in the air. From the corner of her eye, she saw some people move closer. A few men, two women, and a smattering of children stood in a cluster about thirty feet away. At least people were getting accustomed enough to dragons to venture out from behind buildings. She’d heard similar from others. It was good to see that their efforts were having an effect.
Xochi rumbled. Ready?
Renata smiled at her. Burn the thing.
With pleasure.
When flame burst from Xochi’s mouth, there were a few gasps, but no one moved away. Fire bathed the nahual for nearly a minute before Xochi extinguished it and rumbled happily.
“Yay!”
Surprised, Renata glanced at the people standing nearby. A little girl, she looked to be perhaps six or seven, clapped furiously. The applause was picked up by the boy standing next to her.
“You get those monsters!” he shouted.
Renata had no idea what to do.
Xochi chirped and bowed her head.
Renata glanced at her and decided that was as good a response as any. She gave a quick bow of her head, too.
One of the older boys raised his left arm in the air, fist clenched. That was the signal Aeron had used to let the Laminae know to start the distractions. Had the boy been in the courtyard? Had he seen Aeron do that? All the younger people raised a fist.
It feels good to be appreciated, does it not?
Renata raised her brows. Actually, it did feel good. And if most felt as these people did, it might not be so difficult to change the Order after all. Yeah. It’s nice.
+ + + + +
It was over three hours after Ikan lifted into the night sky that Polandra once again saw the ocean. Well, what one could see of it at night, anyway. A faint sparkle sometimes appeared, moonlight reflected on the waves far below.
“Is that the ocean?” Adept Komako’s yell carried over the sound of their robes flapping in the rushing air.
Polandra turned to her and yelled back, “It is.”
“I’ve now seen the west and east coasts of Muirgen!”
Polandra thought she caught a faint smile on the woman’s lips but couldn’t be sure in the poor light.
Nayra will meet us in the same spot. Itzel will come as well.
Good. Take us there.
It would be nice to see Ikan’s sister again. Polandra hadn’t seen the light gray dragon since Nayra had brought them both for bonding.
After dismounting, Adept Komako han
ded belt and goggles to Polandra and made straight for the cliff edge. Oran followed suit. Polandra returned the gear to the saddle bags and joined them.
A cool breeze, thick with humidity, blew up the cliffs from the ocean and played with her hair. The place had its own smell. It was a bit odd and had the faintest hint of decay. Even so, she found she liked it.
Adept Oran stared at the dark water below. “It’s almost mesmerizing, watching the waves crash against the cliff side.”
Polandra looked down at the breakers. The water surged and smashed into the rocks, then retreated, trailing a pale, bubbly froth. Over and over the waves broke on the black rocks a hundred feet below. The sight of it, the sound, and the repetition—it actually was kind of relaxing.
They come.
Polandra looked left, up the coastline. It took her a minute, but she was eventually able to make out two darker shadows against the inky water. Dragons.
“There they are.” She pointed. “Let’s give them room to land.” Turning, she made her way back.
Ikan!
Nayra touched down first and padded to her son. Itzel landed behind her, nearer the cliff edge, and waited. Her wings remained unfurled, and she kept glancing from one person to another.
Blood-mother. Ikan rubbed cheeks with Nayra and turned to his sister. Itzel. It is good to see you again.
The pale dragon eyed the auditors before turning to Ikan. Hello, blood-brother. She glanced at Polandra and chirped. H–Hello, Polandra.
Polandra smiled. It is good to see you. I brought two friends who wish to speak to dragons who have not yet bonded. She gestured to the auditors. This is Adept Komako, and this is Adept Oran.
Adept Komako bowed her head. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Adept Oran did the same. “Likewise for me. A pleasure.”
Ikan explained their desire. Nayra turned to them. You w–wish to know if we are . . . people?
“That is correct,” Adept Oran said. He glanced at a spot in the middle of the area. There was a pulse of magic and a glowing orb appeared, shedding light upon them all.
Itzel roared and leapt back, wings spread. Eyes wide, her gaze jumped from one person to another.
Ikan stood. Peace, Itzel! It is only for light. Look, blood-sister, we can see each other better now, can we not?
She looked from him to the glow.
“I am so very sorry,” Adept Oran said. “I did not mean to frighten you.”
Ikan went to his sister and rubber her cheek with his. He began to hum, a deep thrumming. Fear not, Itzel. They are not here to harm us, only to learn.
Ikan glanced at Polandra. We must remain until she is calm.
You’re right. We can’t leave an auditor alone with them until Nayra and Itzel accept them as at least not enemies.
Polandra took two steps closer to Itzel. I have spent time with them, and Ikan is right. They only wish to learn.
“We merely wish to ask you both a few questions.” Adept Komako remained where she was, head bowed slightly, hands clasped in front of her.
Polandra applauded her. The adept spoke quietly and kept her appearance non-threatening.
Itzel’s wings lowered, though she didn’t quite furl them. When Ikan rubbed her cheek again, she returned the rub. W–What questions?
Tell the auditors to ask a few questions similar to what they really want to know. Just to get your mother and sister to relax a little.
A good plan.
Adept Komako’s shoulders twitched and she turned to Ikan.
Moments later, Adept Oran’s head snapped around to the dragon as well.
Adept Komako returned her gaze to Itzel. “They are simple questions, mostly. For instance, Itzel, do you think of your brother and sister often?”
The pale dragon blinked. Large eyes gleaming in the light of the glow, she glanced at Ikan and then back at the auditor. S–Sometimes. I have not met Xochi, yet. B–But I do wonder w–what she is like.
She is much like you. Ikan tilted his head.
R–Really? Itzel turned to him.
A trouble-maker.
Itzel rumbled at him and barked. She sounded angry. Polandra stifled a laugh. He was right, though. Xochi could be rambunctious.
But you are both adorable nonetheless. He leaned toward Itzel and touched his nose to her cheek.
Though she batted at him with a wing, she seemed pleased.
It took less time than Polandra had thought to get Nayra and Itzel comfortable enough that she felt it would be safe to leave an auditor with them.
Polandra looked at mother and daughter. We will leave Adept Oran here alone with you two so that he may ask questions without our interference. We will return in half an hour and leave Adept Komako so that she may ask her own questions.
Nayra chirped. We will answer them as best we can.
Ikan glanced at his sister. Try not to eat him, Itzel. It would put dragons in a bad light.
She turned to him and rumbled. Blood-brother you may be, but I can still bite you.
Ikan’s grunting laughter brought a smile to Polandra’s lips.
The trip back to the caves took significantly less time.
“I’m not as well-versed in sorcery as Adept Oran,” Adept Komako said as she sat near the fire pit, “but even I can sense the enormous amount of magic a portal spell uses.” She lifted her hands to the dancing flames.
The humidity of the coast and the cool temperatures of night had chilled them all.
Polandra, seated across the fire from her, looked at the glowing coals. “Apparently, opening a door through the ether requires a great deal of power. It also requires a dragon’s assistance, both to share in the power required and to help weave the spell itself. Without a dragon, a portal cannot be opened.”
“So you must always have your dragon with you.”
Polandra glanced at Ikan. He lay before the passage that led to the spire. “No, they don’t have to be with us. Not that we’d normally leave our dragon behind, but as we are linked, we don’t have to be with each other to cast a shared spell.”
“Oh. That could be quite handy.”
She shrugged. “I suppose.”
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
Polandra glanced at Adept Komako. “Sure.”
“I know what the guild’s stated purpose is, but what do you think your own purpose is as a dragonlinked?”
Twisting her lips, Polandra said, “I don’t think I have a simple answer for that.” She glanced at Ikan. “I want to help get the Corpus Order to change, for one. It is evil that they knowingly lie to their members. We all believed in the Order and devoted our lives to it. When I found out that the First Principle was a lie . . .” She sighed. “It was devastating. And even if it hadn’t been a lie, I now realize that killing dragons just for the sake of some dusty old book is wrong. You shouldn’t kill someone just because you’ve been told that their kind is evil. That in itself is evil. People are not exact copies of each other. Each individual should be judged on their own.”
Adept Komako raised a brow. “Oh? And what of nahual?”
Polandra stared. What of them? The one’s Polandra had come across had always attacked her and Ikan. But what if it was just a misunderstanding? What if they were just defending their territory? Mountain lions sometimes attacked people, but no one went out and tried to kill every mountain lion they could find. Polandra’s chest tightened. Were they wrong to actively hunt and kill nahual? What if nahual were sentient? Had she been killing peo—
Nahual are evil. You have felt it from them. Besides, they have killed many. You know this.
Polandra glanced at Ikan and smiled. You’re right, of course. I wasn’t thinking.
She looked back at Adept Komako. “Nahual are different.”
“I’m sure some in the Corpus Order would say the same about dragons.”
“Possibly,” Polandra allowed. “Probably, in fact. But I have fought nahual. I have been face-to-face with the beasts. They
exude evil. It’s palpable and frightening.” She gestured to Ikan. “We can sense nahual from ten miles away. We can actually feel them, feel their evil. It’s like poisoned honey: thick and toxic. And they have killed many, many people. Dragons? I’ve not heard of one dragon killing anyone. Not intentionally.”
Polandra looked back at the dancing flames and nodded. “You are right to question our killing of nahual, right to subject them to the same reasoning we use for wanting to save dragons. But if you were to see a nahual, see what they do . . .” She shook her head. “No. I have no doubt that they are evil. I also have no doubt that dragons are not evil. Not as a species.”
Adept Komako smiled. “I would agree with that, at least thus far.”
A branch popped in the fire, sending up sparks. They floated toward the ceiling of the cave like tiny glowflies and faded away.
Waiting with Adept Oran was a different experience. He seemed to now be fully convinced and spent the time speaking with Ikan. When she asked the young man whether or not he was worried she might coach Ikan’s answers, he told her he didn’t especially care as he was just asking questions concerning things he was curious about. His assessment was more or less over.
Polandra left them to it. She tossed a branch on the fire and stared out the cave mouth.
Stars filled the small patch of sky visible through the opening, outlining the silhouette of the distant horizon. Polandra pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She spent some time watching the night sky.
Somewhere nearby a coyote let out a barking howl. It was very different from the howls of the wolves around Caer Baronel.
She rested her chin on her knees and wondered what everyone was doing at the Caer. Liara was probably practicing hand-to-hand combat. No, actually, at this hour, they were all likely asleep. A smile curved Polandra’s lips. Still, that girl was very dedicated—to studying, to practicing, and to Mia.
Polandra glanced at Ikan. The big beast had a soft spot in his heart for the young dragon. Would he continue to feel that way as she grew?
Thinking of the two dragons reminded Polandra of Aeron’s talk. While never having been with someone, she knew of desire and of release. Did dragons experience all those things the same way she did? Did boys? Well, soon enough she’d find out what dragons felt. And as Ikan was male, she’d get that perspective, too, at least from a dragon point of view.
A Storm in the Desert: Dragonlinked Chronicles Voume 3 Page 52
