by Avril Sabine
“How much?”
Daria grinned. “Not going to beat around the bush are you? No whining about how little you can afford and the cost of things these days?”
Edana shook her head. “My friend needs help immediately. He was beaten. He looks half dead. Can you treat him blindfolded?”
Daria looked at her silently a minute then nodded sharply. She quickly named her fee and said how much up front. Edana counted the money out without argument and dropped it into Daria’s hands.
“Wait here. I’ll gather what I need.” Daria opened a door behind her and slipped through.
It had been too small a gap for Edana to see anything. The room she was in was little more than a small empty box. There was nothing to do while she waited except worry and wonder if Fen would still be alive when she returned. It seemed like an hour, but was less than a quarter of that when Daria returned.
They walked in silence until they were close to where Edana had left her horse. “I need to blindfold you.”
“Get it over with. Mind you watch where you’re taking me. If I fall and break my neck I can’t help your friend.”
Edana nodded and pulled out a blindfold she’d looped onto her belt. She quickly tied it over Daria’s eyes and led her along the road. She soon found how difficult it was.
“Can you wait on the side of the road and I’ll bring the horse back to you? It’s not far,” Edana said.
“Hurry up then.”
“I’m sorry I had to blindfold you.”
Daria snorted. “Not like it’s my first time. It’s surprising how many have secrets they need kept.”
Edana raced down the road. She wanted to be as quick as possible, worried Daria might change her mind. And she was still concerned Fen would die before she returned.
Within minutes, Daria was on the horse and Edana ran in front, the reins clutched tightly in her hand. She was unable to run for long and dropped back to a fast walk. Normally she rode a horse or was taken by carriage if she needed to go anywhere.
Chapter Seven
When they reached the house, Edana helped Daria dismount. “Wait here a moment. I have to check on my friend.”
Daria nodded and Edana hurried inside. She went immediately to Fen’s side. “Are you still alive?”
Fen opened his eyes for a second then closed them.
“I have a healer here. Don’t mention names. We don’t want anyone knowing of this and River needs to move away from you. She’s blindfolded but I don’t want her to accidentally touch him and know he’s here.”
River flicked his tail like an irate cat. Annoyance poured over Edana.
“I’ll watch she takes care of him. She’ll help heal him,” Edana explained. River rose and moved to a corner of the room. Edana turned back to Fen. “I’ll be straight back with her.” Fen’s eyelids flickered briefly in answer and Edana hurried outside.
Daria’s head turned towards Edana’s footsteps. “Is that you, girl?”
“Yes. We’re ready for you.” Edana took hold of the healer wizard’s hand and guided her inside to Fen.
Daria knelt awkwardly at his side. She rested her hands on his face. “Someone doesn’t like you, boy.” Her hands travelled over his body, ignoring his groans and sudden indrawn breaths.
“Careful.” Edana’s hands clasped and unclasped as she watched.
“Not good.” Daria shook her head and clicked her tongue. “Someone wanted to kill you. It’s going to cost twice what I said. You didn’t tell me someone tried to kill him, only he’d been beaten and looked half dead. He’s much worse.”
“He was beaten,” Edana exclaimed.
“Heal enough for first fee,” Fen croaked.
“No. I’ll meet your fee,” Edana said.
“I’m fine.” Fen squinted up at Edana.
“You will be,” Edana said firmly. “Now heal him as fully as possible. I’ll pay the doubled fee.”
Daria nodded and moved her hands back to Fen’s face. A soft white glow formed around her hands. Edana watched in fascination as Daria moved her hands across Fen’s body. Bruises began to fade, his arm straightened. He gasped as she held her hands over his ribs. Swelling subsided and the only sign he had split his lip was dried blood.
Daria sat back from Fen. “I can do no more. His bones are barely knit together. He needs to be careful. I couldn’t take away all the bruises, they were too old. I could’ve done more if you’d brought me to him sooner.”
“Feel like I could run all day.” Fen struggled to sit up.
Daria held a hand up. “Stay. You rest a full day. If you come to me in another day, I can knit those bones better. Too much healing and your body can go into shock.”
“I’m fine,” Fen argued.
“Be it on your head if you kill yourself.” Daria rose awkwardly to her feet. “Why not go back and have whoever tried to beat you to death finish the job? You boys are all the same. Too much of a hurry to meet your maker.”
“He’ll rest.” Edana glared at Fen. “If he moves from there before I get back from returning you home I’ll beat him to death myself.”
Fen grinned up at her. “After all this effort? Not likely.”
“Don’t try me,” Edana warned. “Are you ready, Daria?” She took the woman’s hand when she nodded.
Once they reached the horse, she remembered the saddlebags of food. “Can you wait here while I take something in to my friend?”
“If you take too long I’ll remove the blindfold,” Daria warned. She placed her hand against the horse. “What are you taking?”
“Food.” Edana took the saddlebags off the horse and let Daria touch them. “But here, I’ll give you your money so you don’t have to worry I’m leaving you here without paying.” Edana took the bag from her boots, removed a handful of coins, and then handed the bag over.
Daria shook the bag near her ear before she opened it. She sniffed at the coins and touched them. “They seem real enough.”
“They are. I’ll be as quick as possible.”
Edana ran inside and stopped when she saw Fen stood by the kitchen door, his hand on the knob. “What do you think you’re doing?” One hand want to her hip, the other held the saddlebag.
Fen grinned. “Gotta use the outhouse.”
Edana’s eyes narrowed. “Truthfully? And why can’t I go in there if you can?”
Fen’s grin faded instantly. “It’s where they were killed.”
“There’s no… ah… bodies?” Edana flinched at the thought.
“No. You don’t want to see the kitchen. It’s a mess. The worse I’ve ever seen. Blood everywhere. I’d go out the front and walk around if I had the energy.”
Edana swallowed hard, all interest in checking the kitchen evaporating. She held up the saddlebags. “I brought you some food. There’s even a couple of plates and two cups and a water-skin of orange juice. My nurse I had when I was little always made it for me when I was sick. She said it helps with healing.”
“Thanks. Leave it by the fire.”
Edana nodded again. She placed the saddlebags where Fen had pointed and smiled when she saw River back in the spot she’d chased him from earlier. “I’d better go. Daria’s waiting for me.”
Fen nodded. Edana watched him a moment longer before she turned and hurried outside. She felt guilty for what Fen had gone through and couldn’t understand why he hadn’t yelled at her for the dangerous situation she’d put him in. Maybe he’ll tell me off when I get back, Edana thought as she reached Daria’s side.
* * *
The front room was empty when Edana returned. She looked around, trying to hold back the fear that started to rise. “Fen?”
“Wait there,” Fen called from the kitchen.
“What are you doing in there?” Edana asked as Fen and River came into the front room.
Fen shook his head. “Thanks for the food. It was good. I shared it with River. He eats a lot.”
“I forgot how much dragons eat, even when they’re li
ttle. I just wanted to get him away from there. I don’t know if I can smuggle that much out here. I can give you more money.”
“More?” Fen looked confused.
“There was some in the bottom of the backpack I gave you the other night.”
“I haven’t had time to look through it. I was too busy with Rhone.”
Edana froze. She waited for Fen to yell about everything that had happened because she’d asked him to steal River. Instead, he moved to the backpack and rummaged through it for the coins.
“Thanks. It should help for a while. I’ll have to think of something else. The river’s not far from the outhouse. I guess I could learn to fish.”
“That’s it?”
“What?”
“I had you steal a dragon from the man who wanted you to steal a dragon and you went back there even though you knew what he was going to do. You knew when you agreed to keep River you were going to have to go back to him, didn’t you?”
Fen shrugged. “What’s the big deal?”
“He nearly killed you!”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
Edana wailed in surprise, “Not the first time? How could you stay with him?”
“It’s easier to swim with one shark than a pack of them.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I had two choices. Work for Rhone and put up with his beatings. I was fed most of the time. I had somewhere kind of safe to sleep. The other street gangs didn’t bother me. On the street, by myself, I’d have been anyone’s prey. I prefer to know where the attacks will come from. Besides, it wasn’t so bad. The last boy who failed him didn’t make it through the beating.”
“How did you?” Edana went white at the thought of the boy who’d died. She thought how easily it could have been Fen.
“I knew what to say to make him think the streets were a worse punishment.”
“How could you have known it would work?”
Fen stared at her, his brown eyes fathomless pools. “I didn’t,” he said quietly. “It was a gamble. You gave me the chance to get out of there. You gave me a way to be my own master. It was worth the risk. On the streets, seventeen is ancient. That makes me past middle age by street standards. It wasn’t that big a risk when you think how close I’d be to the grave if I’d stayed.”
Edana shook her head. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she finally found the words she wanted to say. “I didn’t realise it was so bad. Why did you stay so long?”
Fen laughed. “And how was I to leave? I have no skills other than that of thief. I look like I’ve spent my whole life on the streets, and I nearly have. Who wants a common thief working for them?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“No one does unless they live it.”
Edana was once again speechless. “I didn’t realise what I asked of you,” she said after a bit.
“I know. But I chose to go ahead even though I knew what’d happen.”
“How do you feel?”
Fen grinned. “Amazing. Last time it took me a month before I could do much more than shuffle around. I think she’s even straightened my nose.” His fingers reached up to run along the ridge.
“You still have bruises. They’re yellowed, but they’re still there.”
Fen shrugged. “I always have bruises. I can’t get out of the way of Rhone’s walking stick every time.”
“That won’t be a problem now.”
“No.” Fen’s grin came quickly. “I won’t miss it.”
“I have to return home soon. Is there anything else you need before I go?”
Fen shook his head.
“I’ll be back tomorrow with more food. And I’ll bring a slate and chalk so I can teach you to read.”
“What for?”
“So you can learn how to care for dragons. My father has a massive library on dragon care and other dragon topics. Don’t you want to learn how to take care of River?”
“You could read them to me.”
“I won’t be able to get away every day. My family will wonder what I’m up to,” Edana explained. “Everything’s very disordered at the moment because River was stolen. Things will get back to normal soon and I’ll have my tutors coming most days. Then I’ll only be able to visit one day a week.”
“Fine. I’ll learn if I have to,” Fen grumbled.
“You’ll appreciate it eventually. It’ll raise your class level. With a dragon and the ability to read, you’ll go further than the merchant class.”
“I’d be happy to know I’ll have food every day.”
“Really? This from the boy who was nearly beaten to death to become his own master?”
Fen shrugged and then grinned. “And a few coins in my pocket.”
“A large house outside the town, your own servants…” Edana laughed. “I have a feeling the list will grow.”
Fen continued to grin at her. “Probably.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow. We might want to think about horse riding lessons for you.” Edana dashed outside before Fen could argue with her and waved breezily over her shoulder as the door shut.
Chapter Eight
Their weeks fell into a pattern. Since Edana’s tutors, like most other workers, only worked the mornings on Halfday, she taught Fen how to ride in the afternoon. On Restday, she spent the day with him and taught him to read and write. Firstday through to Fifthday Fen practiced his horse riding on a nag Edana had bought him, worked on his reading and writing, fished for food for himself and River, set traps in the swamplands, laboured over the books on dragons so he could look after River, and slowly turned the house into his own by buying things to place on the shelves and in the rooms.
Fen liked having his own house, even if he didn’t own it. He liked having coins in his pockets, even though Edana gave them to him. He liked being able to wear new clothes and not have lice bite him all the time and he didn’t even mind bathing once a week before the fire in the kitchen. But most of all, he liked not having to answer to anyone. He was his own person and could choose his own path.
The weeks turned into months and it was Edana’s birthday. She was horrified to learn Fen didn’t know the day he was born and decided to share her own day with him. So Edana turned fifteen and Fen shrugged and agreed to turn sixteen the same day. More months passed and it was River celebrating his first birthday. He was now starting to fill out and grow. His wings were strengthening and soon he’d be ready to learn to fly.
Fen had been at the house for a year and a half when Edana galloped to the fence and urged her horse to leap it. It wasn’t long after they’d both celebrated another birthday at the house. They’d been excited Fen only had another year till he was eighteen and considered an adult with full adult rights. Something Fen believed so completely that even a truthsayer wouldn’t be able to argue the fact.
Fen hurried outside to see why Edana was in a rush.
“Oh, Fen, I’m so sorry. I never thought it’d happen.”
“Whatever it is, it can wait. Walk your horse and put her out the back. I’ll meet you in the front room.” Fen walked inside before Edana could argue. He’d learned this was the best way to deal with her when she was determined to either do or tell him something.
River looked up from where he lay in front of the fireplace. The flickering flames reflected in his grey scales. There was now no longer any space for the chairs that had originally been there. River might not be as tall as Fen, but he was certainly a lot wider and took up far more space.
“It’s only Edana. She’ll be in soon,” Fen explained on his way to the kitchen.
River put his head down and went back to sleep. So he had enough exercise, Fen took him out at night when there was less chance of anyone seeing him. This meant he slept all morning.
Fen grabbed a jug of juice and a couple of mugs off the kitchen table and took them to the desk in the front room. The wooden chairs from in front of the fire were now in this corne
r. It made it more cramped, but at least it gave River enough space.
“Fen!” Edana exclaimed as she burst in the front door. “It’s important.”
“Enough to ride your horse hard and leave her out in the wind?”
“Sometimes I don’t think I should teach you anything. You always find the most annoying time to remember it.” Edana flopped into a chair.
Fen handed Edana a cup. “What’s so urgent?”
“The old lady who owned this place died. They found her kin and have notified them of the house. They’ll be here in two days to take possession.”
Fen nodded. “It’s time to move anyway. River can barely get through the front door. All the others are too small for him.”
“Where can you go?”
“It’s probably time to take rooms in town and rent a stable for River.”
“But how can you? How will you explain a dragon and no paperwork? I never thought about it when I asked you to take him.”
“He’s still grey, Edana. I can pass him off as a wild dragon. I’ve been reading up on dragon laws. I think I can pass the lie test.”
“It’s death if you’re caught lying in a dragon court.”
Fen nodded. “I can’t discuss it with you. I want you to come and watch me. If it doesn’t work, I’ll need you to tell River so he can get away. I don’t want him being auctioned off to the highest bidder.”
“Oh Fen.” Edana stood up and paced back and forth in front of him. “You can’t do this. You’re not ready.”
“We are. It’s time.”
“I have to go.” Edana started to move away.
Fen rose and took a step forward so he could grab her hand and pull her back. “No matter what plan you come up with, I’m using mine. It’s time.” He stared down at her. She now only came up to his chin instead of being as tall as him. When her chin rose he chuckled. Being shorter than him made her habit ineffective. “There’s no point getting annoyed with me.”
“Please, Fen. You’re not ready. It’s only been eighteen months. There’s so much more for you to learn. Your hair might be a more fashionable length and you no longer look like a scrawny thief, but there’s more to it than that.”
