A Storm in the Desert: Dragonlinked Chronicles Voume 3 (67 page)

Polandra stared at her bond-mate. Is that how he’d felt? Broken? The idea horrified her.

Ikan turned to Nesch Takatin.
Imagine that you are one of those birds.
What would living like that do to you? What would living like that for centuries do to your people?

He turned his amber gaze on Capu Cirtis.
That is how dragons are in the wild. That is how I was before I found Polandra. It is not wings that dragons lack, however. When dragons bond, we become one with our bond-mates. Our souls are linked. Our missing part is found and we are complete. For the first time, we can soar.

Ikan turned to Polandra.
And it is glorious.

She had never really understood the lives of wild dragons, not like this. Staring at him, tears blurring her vision, she nodded.
It is.

“Good gods,” Gregor whispered. “That was beautiful.”

Capu Cirtis and Nesch Takatin were both on their feet. Their expressions, however, were markedly different. Capu Cirtis’s face was suffused with wonder, while Nesch Takatin looked troubled and, perhaps, guilty?

“Dragons are people.” Capu Cirtis stared at Ikan. “Aeron kept telling me, but I didn’t understand. Not like—”

“Rubbish!” Umeron Yiska stepped into the aisle between sections. “This is sorcery. A trick! Dragons cannot speak. They’re just animals!”

Ikan laughed. His deep, grunting rumble drew all eyes.
A cricket’s chirp does not cease to exist just because a person covers their ears so as not to hear it. Dragons are people whether you believe or not.

“Guards!” Capu Cirtis stared at Umeron Yiska. The two watchmen hurried down the aisle from their posts at the archway above. “Escort Umeron Yiska to his quarters and then return. The heat seems to have addled him. He can rejoin us later once he’s had a chance to rest, and once he agrees to apologize to our guests for his behavior.”

Hatred burning in his eyes, Umeron Yiska turned from Capu Cirtis and made his way up the aisle, the guards following behind.

“Someone should keep an eye on him.” Adept Oran stared at the leaving umeron.

Polandra frowned.
Can you sense that man?

He is very angry. And worried.

Keep watch over him, as you can. I would not be surprised if he was part of the old guard.

“Excuse me!”

The child’s voice had come from the crowd standing on the eastern side of the plaza. Polandra caught sight of a little hand waving in the air. People, surprise on their faces, moved back a step from the girl and a woman who was probably her mother. They stood just behind the barrier. The girl looked to be perhaps six or seven.

“Capu Cirtis? Nesch Takatin?” She waved her hand over and over to get their attention.

Nesch Takatin turned from Ikan to her. “Yes?”

“I have a present for Anaya. Can you give it to her?” She held up something in her tiny hand. It looked like it might be a doll of some sort.

“She’s so adorable.” Liara, a smile on her face, watched the little girl. Everyone was watching, dragons included.

After a glance at Capu Cirtis—he nodded and smiled—Nesch Takatin walked over to the barrier.

The girl thrust up her hand, the doll held in it.

Nesch Takatin stared through the barrier at the girl.

She placed her other hand on the barrier and stretched up to hold the doll higher. Blue and purple light shimmered at her touch. Polandra agreed with Liara. The girl was pretty adorable.

Nesch Takatin glanced at the doll and back at the girl. “Would you like to give it to her yourself?”

“Could I?” Even from thirty feet away, Polandra could see the smile on the girl’s face.

“Barrier at half-height!” Nesch Takatin called out. There was a pulse of magic and the barrier dropped to only four feet tall. He held out his hands over the barrier and said, “Someone help her.”

The girl’s mother picked her up. Nesch Takatin then took her, lifted her over the barrier, and set her down.

“Come,” he said and led her to Anaya. Their footsteps were plain to hear as the quiet crowds watched.

Aeron walked over to his bond-mate. The rest of the dragonlinked stood and moved to that side of the pavilion. They all wanted to see this.

Anaya sat up on her haunches, eyes on the approaching pair.

Nesch Takatin, an unreadable expression on his face, stopped several feet back.

The girl didn’t even hesitate. She walked right up to Anaya and curtsied. “Hello.”

Anaya tilted her head.
Hello, little one.

The girl giggled. Looking up at Anaya’s large eyes, she said, “I came with my mommy to see you when you were here before.” She glanced at the remnants of the execution platform. Then she shot an angry glare at Nesch Takatin and leaned in to Anaya. Her whisper was very loud. “I’m glad you got away.”

Polandra couldn’t quite stifle her laugh. A few of the dragons didn’t even bother trying. Their grunting laughs echoed around the plaza.

“This is a present for you.” The girl held out the doll.

Anaya blinked and glanced at the gift.
What is it?

The girl turned the doll and looked at it. “It’s my rag man.”

The dolls were made from scraps of rags, stitched together, with buttons or beads for eyes— usually mismatched—and stuffed with more rags or grass or even leaves. Polandra still had hers from when she was younger. It sat on her bed back at the stable.

“He protects me from the monsters under my bed.” The girl held him out to Anaya.

I see. But who will protect you from the monsters if you give him to me?

“My daddy. And besides, you need rag man more than me. He’ll protect you in case anyone tries to kill you again.”

Polandra was stunned. The incredibly selfless act made her want to run over and hug the little girl. A quiet gasp came from the right. Hand to her mouth, Liara stared at the girl.

Anaya carefully accepted the doll and held it against her chest with booth paws.
Thank you.
She briefly bowed her head.

“You’re welcome.” The girl curtsied again, smiled, and headed back to the barrier, almost skipping.

Nesch Takatin did not accompany her. He stared at the ground, a dismayed look on his face. One of the manisi at the barrier had to help the girl back over before the barrier was restored to its former height.

“I have much to think on.” Capu Cirtis looked from the girl to Ikan. “While I do so, I will let others ask questions.” He sat. “Nesch Takatin?”

“Yes?” Nesch Takatin looked up. “Oh.” He glanced at Anaya and returned to his seat.

An umeron stood. “Guildmaster, what exactly is the purpose of the Dragon Craft Guild? It isn’t exactly a craft guild, is it?” The man looked at Ikan.

As Guildmaster Millinith moved behind the podium, Polandra and the others returned to their seats.

“It is, and it isn’t,” Guildmaster Millinith said. “Much like Animal Craft or Healer Craft, Dragon Craft is also about learning and sharing information. Information about dragons, in our case. The core purpose of our guild, however, is protecting people whether human or dragon. Primarily we do so by fighting nahual, but we will help in whatever ways we can.”

“Nahual.” The umeron turned to her. “Those terrible creatures that have been attacking villages?”

“Exactly. Nahual exist everywhere. We battle them in the North, and we’ve been sending dragonlinked down here to the villages to help kill them as we can.”

“The villages thank you!”

Polandra didn’t see who’d shouted, but a great number of people in the crowds had their left arms up again, fists clenched.

With a faint smile on her face, Guildmaster Millinith turned back to the umeron. “Dragons and dragonlinked, once bonded, can actually sense a nahual if it is within ten miles of them. That ability makes them invaluable in fighting the beasts. Especially nahual-ton.”

“Nahual-ton?”

“A new kind of nahual. They are not very common, as of yet, and I pray they remain rare. They are invisible, you see, to everyone except bond pairs. Fighting them is near-impossible unless you are a bonded dragonlinked.”

“Some of those creatures? Invisible?” Eyes wide, the umeron sat down.

Another umeron immediately stood.

How many nahual has the guild eliminated? What do dragons eat? How big do dragons get? How many eggs do dragons lay? What kinds of services does the guild contract for?

The questions went on for what seemed days, but a glance at her wrist-watch showed only two hours had elapsed. Polandra sighed and slumped in the chair.

A long, drawn-out growl emanated from her stomach. Liara glanced sideways at her and chuckled. Polandra couldn’t help it, though. Lunchtime, at Caer Baronel, was an hour past and they’d had nothing to eat since breakfast.

Thankfully, when the current umeron sat, Capu Cirtis stood. “I think we should take a break to allow our guests some refreshment and to give their speakers a chance to sit and rest for a while. Let’s take an hour, shall we?”

“Thank the gods,” Fillion murmured.

Gregor chuckled.

Jessip said, “I’m with you on that.”

Renata elbowed him.

“What?” he said. “I’m starving.”

The pesani walked along the rows, handing out menus—small sheets of paper with items listed—and taking requests for food and drink. Polandra asked for a sandwich and fruit juice.

“That sounds good.” Liara handed the menu back to the pesan. “I’ll have the same.” When the boy had moved on, she leaned close to Polandra. “Does Ikan sense the anger in some of the umeri like Mia does?”

Polandra nodded. “Yeah. Not in many, but definitely more than one. Especially Umeron Yiska.”

“Poor Mia.” Liara looked at her young bond-mate. In the bright southern sunlight, it was clear the little dragon was a deep, dark blue and not black. “She’s keeping close to Ikan. People hating her just because she’s a dragon has her feeling a little nervous and scared.”

Ikan had one wing lowered a touch, so it was over Mia. Polandra resisted the urge to tell him how cute that was. “Yeah, people can be stupid. But maybe these talks will open some eyes. Did you see Nesch Takatin after the little girl said what she did?”

Liara said, “Yeah. He looked like someone had punched him in the gut.” She looked around the plaza. “So, this is Bataan-Mok. It’s pretty, in its own way. Big. Solid. Majestic, almost.”

Polandra looked again at the place she’d lived in for half her life. “I guess so. But if you think this is majestic, I should take you to Daelon’s Shrine. Those statues are inspirational.”

“I’d like that.”

The sandwich was surprisingly delicious.

“Good gods, this is fantastic.” Liara spoke around a mouthful of the bread and roasted meat.

“Food always tastes good when you’re starving.” Aeron was grinning.

Polandra chuckled. “I guess it does.”

She looked up at the tiered seats. Capu Cirtis cast occasional glances their way while he ate. As far as Polandra could tell, the talks were going well. She glanced at Ikan and Mia. Perhaps one day, no dragon would feel hated while in Bataan-Mok. Or anywhere else.

Polandra took another bite of the sandwich. It really was especially tasty.

+ + + + +

Umeron Yiska handed the bulging leather coin purse over. “Do not fail me.” The two were alone in the rarely used hallway.

The pouch disappeared into the man’s robe. “I don’t understand you, Yiska. Finance, commerce, and transportation are the things of the modern age. Those and the industries to support them. That is why I’m happy we sold land to National Transportation. A rail line that close will broaden our horizons. But you . . . why are you so set on keeping that old tradition?”

Modern age? What a wagon-load of shit. Yiska made a fist. “If we lose sight of the past, we lose sight of ourselves.” He didn’t understand why people couldn’t see that.

“The Order maintains every other tradition that I know of. I haven’t seen any loss of your so-called past other than the killing of dragons. And that because we couldn’t find any more.”

“We found some now, didn’t we?”

“They found us, you mean.”

Yiska frowned.

The man raised his hands. “Regardless. Change is coming, Yiska. That is the way of all things. Nothing remains the same forever, not even the stars.”

The Corpus Order would. Yiska would see to it for as long as he had left. “Just make sure they know what to do when the time comes.”

The man shook his head and sighed. “They are ready.”

Yiska spun on his heel and headed back to the common areas of Bataan-Mok.

Why didn’t people understand? If you let one thing slide, soon everything else would go with it, like sand suddenly giving way on the lee side of a dune and becoming an avalanche to bury you. If they allowed traditions to be ignored, there was no telling what the Order would become.

Yrdra’s curse on everyone else. He would be the retaining wall of the Corpus Order. He would hold back the slipping sands of change.