The Spires of Dasny: 2: Queen of Dragons

by Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait

  “He was enormous. His body was red but his underside was yellow. He looked similar yet different to our dragons.”

  “Beokrull…”

  “Stars and Moon! I had no idea Beokrull had gone through this!”

  “There is so much more that you don’t understand. Seyra—his chosen Queen was Reyanah.”

  “My Granny Rey?” I fall back against the plush pelts in shock.

  “Beokrull took her out of the Spires and to a protected place south of the Spires. As his Queen, he made sure his loyal followers promised they would always take care of her. He, Beokrull, died before a full turning of the moon. Our best healers attended him but he had no will to continue. He named me the next Brula’r. It was I that sent dragons and riders to tend to her, to bring her food. I went at times when I could and she shared with me her dreams of the school growing, to allow more humans to learn the dragons ways. It was one of the riders, a warrior named…”

  “James. My Grandpa James.”

  “Yes. He loved her in truth and honor. They had a child, a male. And through the lineage, mostly boys were born until your mother. And then you.”

  “So, all females of our lineage have what Granny had? This way of understanding dragons?”

  “No Seyra. Your mother didn’t have the same stardust. She only had a few stories of Reyanah and her compassion for the dragons. I think she knew, though, after you were born, that there was something quite different about you. I remember the story you told me about your naming ceremonies and how she read her own tea leaves and named you differently. How she always thought you were fit for a King…”

  I collapse into tears. This talk of my family with memories of my mother is all too much. Now things start to make sense, the way she always made excuses for me for acting one way or another. For her saying my words may be harsh to some but when spoken with knowledge…I sob until my whole body shakes. Finally, jumbled pieces begin to fit together. Somehow, she knew. She knew I was different, yet she always loved me and never treated me as I imagine Granny Rey had been treated. Dreyth covers me with his wing and allows me to weep through the memories and through the discoveries until I drift off to sleep.

  Chapter 14

  Waking, I recall the dream and my heart races. Never have I had such a realistic dream. I ease out from under Dreyth’s wing and stretch, trying to shake off the residue of the lingering sights and sounds pummeling my head. My head thrums. I rub my forehead and my fingers hit—scales. My legs lock and my whole body stiffens. It wasn’t all a dream. Swallowing the rising bile, I search for a reflecting glass. The closest thing in the Chamber of Scrolls is the polished silver wall sconces behind the torches. Removing a torch, I gaze at my reflection in the silver…the scales are no larger than the pad of my thumb and come down in a V shape towards my nose but stop above my brow line. I can feel where they broaden behind my neck and run down to my shoulders. I bite my lower lip and catch my eyes—they shift from round pupils to vertical as I blink. Sun and Stars!

  “Good morn, Seyra.”

  Turning, Dreyth offers a smile as he rises. “Time to leave here and see how the rest of the Spires is today.”

  “I—I don’t know if I can.”

  “Seyra, you can and you must. You have been given a gift.”

  I snort a laugh. “A gift? You call me changing to someone—something I don’t know, a gift?”

  “Yes, I do. You will too. By showing yourself it will prove you are the Queen with the hearts of the people and the dragons within you. Any that have doubted your right to the title will concede such notions.”

  “I’m not going to sprout a tail am I?” I say half-joking.

  “Hmmm, turn around.”

  My jaw skims the floor at his words until the rolling laugher shakes me.

  “Funny, Dreyth.” I mutter through gritted teeth.

  “Even Reyanah was never so exquisitely adorned. Had she been, perhaps she would have been accepted.”

  “And never married; never had a child.” I mumble in reflection of how life weaves its own tapestry.

  “Truth. And I would not have my Queen now. The vastness of the Universe conspires to bring what is needed in its own time.”

  I’m not sure I believe the philosophy, but I have to admit, in this case it does ring true. “I’m ready.”

  “My wise Queen,” he says, smiling.

  “Through hunger comes wisdom, I suppose.”

  He rumbles a belly laugh. “Another truth, my Sparrow. How wise you’ve become with dragon blood in your veins.”

  I mock a smile and follow Dreyth to the stairs leading down through the Spires. Each shaky step brings me closer to those who will see me. I wonder if I’ll be chased away from the Spires, and whether Grifton will spearhead the uprising. By the time my feet touch the bottom step, Elky spots me and races forward.

  “There you are! I looked for you all night. Where did you disappear to? I talked to Grifton and he wanted to…” Her words dissipate in the air as she focuses on me. I’m afraid to breathe, let alone say anything. “Seyra! Sun and Moon, just look at you! I wish I could have scales like you, they’re so pretty. Almost like Dreyth’s but of course, smaller.”

  Her eyes are huge—almost as huge as her smile. She doesn’t think I’m a freak… “What did Grifton want to say to me?” The curiosity is like an itch I can’t scratch.

  “Hu’gan and Belinda spoke to him. In the end he understood his destiny and yours run parallel, like two streams side by side but don’t merge. Anyway, that is how Hu’gan put it. He accepts it as what will be.”

  “Fair enough. I hope all will come to see me as just another support to our kingdom, as I have always been.”

  “I don’t think they will, Seyra,” Elky states. “They do or will see you as I do. You are our Queen.” Her smile lights up my heart and my hopes.

  “Let’s find breakfast. I’m starved.” I link arms with her to pull her along. Many thoughts rapid-fire in my brain. Is it unseemly for a Queen to be seen dragging a friend along? Am I using her as a buffer of safety as I make my way through the Spires? My stomach shakes me loose of all thoughts but food.

  Dreyth speaks in my mind before leaving. “I’ll meet you after I find a bite to eat. Never fear, my Sparrow. You are in safe hands.” His words bring me peace.

  The tables still remain on the main floor, now refreshed with a bounty of morning foods. Elky maneuvers us around the few at the tables. It seems much ale was consumed during the evening festivities and many are sleeping it off, which makes this transition all the easier to contend with.

  “Try this! I think this is,” she takes a large bite and says between chews, “my new favorite.”

  I take one of the savory hand pies and sniff it. Its aroma makes my mouth water. Onions, spices and a chopped meat with a thick gravy inside a thick crust. I grab another one as the first one quickly vanishes down my throat. “Mm,” is all I can say around the mouthfuls.

  Towards the middle of a table, I scoot back a bench. I sit and am centered in front of the hand pies. As Elky continues to talk about every little thing that happened during the festivities, I continue to decimate the platter of warm pies. It’s not until Elky grabs my hand as I reach for the next pie that I discover a full platter is down to three.

  “Seyra, where are your putting all the hand pies? Are you sneaking them in a bag for Dreyth?

  I swallow a large bite. “Uh—I ate them.”

  “All of them?” Her face registers shock. “I’m about to burst and I’m just now on my third. Did you grow a new stomach as well as scales?” To make the comment worse, she stands to look over the table at my stomach.

  “No, I didn’t! I’m just starving. Or was…” I give a sheepish grin.

  “Well, I hope that doesn’t weigh you down. Hu’gan says today we have much training to do. He’s pulling several of his top warriors to work one-on-one with each of us to give us individualized training. By the end of the week he says we should all be able to figh
t while levitating. Oh! And the best part is, at least for me, he’ll be teaching how to fight and leap to pursue the enemy from dragon-back to dragon-back. How amazing is that?”

  The food in my stomach roils. Even as I know all the training he wants to give us will undoubtedly be beneficial, I don’t want to do this. I saw him in battle making those dangerous maneuvers and it frightened the stardust out of me. And truly, I’ll be on Dreyth and he’d flame the hide off of anything coming at us. Besides, I think, in battle doesn’t the kingdom surround and protect the King and Queen?

  “Oh, here comes Grifton now.” Elky rises and waves him over.

  A surge of heat squeezes from my shoulders to my face. I’m suddenly anxious. Will he stagger back when he sees the scales that have sprung up over night? Hearing him move from behind me, he takes a seat by Elky. He’s not alone. Belinda sits next to him with hardly an inch between them.

  “Good, Seyra, you’re here. I want to tell…” His words trip up as he stares at me, taking in each scale as his eyes move slowly from one to another. Clenching his jaw tight, his face blooms in a red-hot blush. “What—has—happened—to—you?”

  My eyes dart from him to Belinda, then to Elky. “It’s a little hard to explain.” I take a deep breath. “It happened after this dream or vision I had last night while in the Chamber of Scrolls. I had seen a Brula’r and his human Queen. There was…”

  “Never mind, Seyra. I’m sure this all fits in well with your new title. What I came to say is you and Dreyth have my full support. A kingdom needs a queen and um… you seem to fit the glove perfectly. It was difficult for me to see that, in the beginning. We had been—close. So close in fact it was hard for me to see you as anything but Seyra. Belinda and Hu’gan helped me understand that life changes and so do our duties in life. It has never been more evident than now.”

  Although the red is quickly fading from his face, he fixates on my scales. He still doesn’t look me in my eyes.

  “Also, the Queen should know, I wasn’t the only one surprised by what Dreyth did. We thought it was bad with Krulem? All afternoon, all I heard is what a blasphemy Dreyth did and how many opposed it. There were many meetings last night, after Hu’gan spoke to me. Athan and some other dragons took me to these impromptu meetings to speak up for you and Dreyth. I think we’ve extinguished the flames but you should at least know what was festering inside the Spires.”

  “Grifton, I do appreciate all you did to help the Spires from this kind of internal conflict. We have to work together in order to protect the kingdom and the people in the villages of our territory. With the Xi a threat to us all, we need to work together.”

  Only then did he look into my eyes. If flame could have sprung from them, I would have been burned even across the table from him. “As the First Knight, it is my duty to support and protect. When Dreyth is away, I will be your guard. And Seyra, be careful. Even those who purport to be friends could wield a treacherous sword.”

  It was my turn to feel the heat rising. “Surely, as you said previously, those fires have been put out?”

  “In public, yes. But who knows what is said when a small group of people or dragons are together? I would be cautious until they have proven their loyalty to the new change. It is hard to gauge what simmers in the hearts of those around us.”

  “I see. I shall take your advice and not count my friends as I once did. I had always felt if I treated another as a friend, the same was returned. You have made me see my folly.”

  Elky sucked in a breath. “Seyra, I don’t think he meant for you to think every which way you turn, someone would be against the changes, or against you in particular. We are all friends and that won’t change a bit.”

  I glance across the table at the three sitting there. My brow lifts in question. “I suppose that is something we will see, in time.” I rise from the table and excuse myself. “I’m to meet Dreyth, so excuse me.”

  Before another word can be uttered, I leave them, even with Elky gawking at my words. Grifton has me double-thinking everything. Was he making a hidden threat to me when he said a friend could be wielding a treacherous sword? Certainly he couldn’t have meant Elky! And Belinda—she would gain nothing from trying to bring me harm, would she? I’m better off Queen and not a consideration for marriage by Grifton. My brain whirls with all the words spoken by Grifton.

  Dreyth steps out of his lair as I walk up. “I was just coming to find you, Seyra.”

  “We need to talk. I spoke to Grifton just now and I wanted to tell you what he said.”

  Dreyth’s smile falters as the embers ignite in his eyes. “What did he say?”

  “I’d rather tell you in flight, away from the Spires. Let me grab the saddle, okay?”

  “Whatever pleases you, Seyra. But know this. If Grifton has hurt you in any manner, I will personally take care of it.”

  “No, Dreyth, it isn’t that. Not exactly.” I grab his saddle from around the corner in the lair and as he lowers to the floor. I slide it in place. As he stands, I hear the rumble of his belly fires and reassure him. “It was the things he said about there being those against us in the Spires. I’ll tell you more as we’re flying. I don’t know who we can trust here any longer.”

  The words are like a scalding flame thrown against him, yet he contains himself. “I need to know everything that was said. Everything.”

  “Trust me, you will.” As soon as we clear the lair, I slip into the saddle, strap in and lean forward. He’s in the air immediately.

  A cool breeze buffets against my face and I start to relax. The pent-up tension in my shoulders go slack. I run through everything Grifton said in my mind as Dreyth listens to it completely before commenting.

  “The conversations I had with Athan and Ustice had alerted me to a small group of disgruntled souls. They assured me all had been taken care of. Even Hu’gan used his influence and status to squash out an uprising.”

  “How do we know he is to be trusted? How do we know anyone is?”

  “Seyra. We can’t see everyone as an enemy. Don’t let Grifton’s words change the way you see and feel about those of the Spires. We have greater worries with the threat of the Xi returning to steal us or the Dragon Magic so they can rule the world. I must believe this is a real threat unlike the fear of a grand uprising from within.”

  “I hear you, I do. But, Dreyth, there have been uprisings from within. The most recent was when Krulem fought you, and became the Brula’r. Then, what happened with Granny Rey and Beokrull. It doesn’t take much more than a disagreement for these things to get out of hand.”

  “I see your point. Let’s let the dust settle for a day or two and then I’ll call a meeting of all in the Spires. I think we should share with them what you have learned from the vision you had. Perhaps that alone will alleviate some of the internal conflict.”

  “Yes. That’s a good idea. I hope they’ll see what I see. Changes are the way of progress to where we should be. We’ll make them understand. I’m confident of it.”

  “Now since that issue is resolved, are there any more?”

  “Well, since you brought it up…”

  “Go on, Seyra.”

  “Must I have this one-on-one training Hu’gan want to put me through?” The answer comes immediately in the form of a rumbling chuckle.

  Flying close to the ridge of the Spires, we skim the horizon, checking for anything that could bring harm. The sky carries wispy clouds inland to dot shadows across the fields. Winter will come soon, the ground already the color of wheat and the trees holding mere handfuls of burnished leaves. A shiver wiggles up my spine as I remember what devious plot Krelem had put in place to kill Dreyth and myself. Instead, we almost lost Ustice and Athan in the process. Had Taggert, one of the accomplices, not relented and had a change of heart, we’d all be dead. Winter will always remind me of this. My worries multiply, the further from the Spires our dragons travel to hunt.

  Dropping to the western entrance, we land. I note there
are dragon guards both on the exterior and just inside the Spires. A frown creases my face. The days of carefree dragon riders have ended. Now we must be ever watchful.

  “And prepared. This is why you must continue training with Hu’gan. Besides, I do not have to worry over my Queen while I’m away if I know she is surrounded by warriors. Just as importantly, if a rebellion were ever to take place, it is wise to be trained as well as the Beljeem Warriors. Many are being trained, not only you and your childhood friends. It is far better to have all the advantages offered.”

  I nod and admit his words are wisdom. In my heart I still question whether Grifton is friend or foe. He is quick to anger and slow to relent. Sighing deeply, I leave Dreyth and head towards the training room, my boots making a hollow echo against the stone floor.

  Elky swishes through the room in her Beljeem Warrior attire. I must admit it gives the fiery redhead an exotic look. She waves me over to her with eyes sparkling.

  “Seyra, we train with spears today! They’ve pulled many kinds out for use. I had no idea there were so many. Have you ever seen a trident? It has three piercing blades on one end. Come! Take a look at them all.”

  I follow close behind her. I recognize the pole-arms and lances but there are many other styles leaning against the far wall. I’m drawn to one that holds a leaf-shaped blade on one end and a type of scythe on the other. It is extraordinary. I feel a connection as if it pulls me towards it. A warrior steps up to take it before I am in reach and I’m shocked that I blurt out, “No! That’s mine.” He quickly bows and moves to another weapon.

  I turn to see Hu’gan gently nod before heading my way. His eyes take in all of me, with not a trace of shock. He appraises me like a jewel or fine object.

  “Draekonis Quinne.” He bows at the waist.

  Baffled, I blink rapidly trying to understand.

  “Dragon Queen. There can be no doubt. The dragon blood has been found acceptable within you and glorifies you with its gifts. I have never met a more qualified human to be a Dragon Queen, for no others in scrolls or in legends have been gifted the dragon scales. Come. I have been told you had a great vision while visiting the Chamber of Scrolls. I must hear everything.”