A Storm in the Desert: Dragonlinked Chronicles Voume 3 (78 page)

“Absolutely.” Guildmaster Millinith tugged on a lock of hair. “Do you think she’d be willing to come tomorrow? Friends and family of the candidates are here now. We can ask them to stay one more day rather than ask them back again in a few days.”

“I’m sure she’ll be happy to,” Polandra said, “but Ikan and I can go speak with her right now to be sure.”

I have a s–son.
Nenet stared up at them from the ledge below.

“A son?” Guildmaster Millinith leaned on the guardrail.

You were talking about older dragons bonding. My son is not yet three season cycles hatched. He has asked me about finding someone to stand with him, but I thought it was only for hatchlings.

Polandra looked at Guildmaster Millinith, brows raised. The young woman raised her own brows.

“This would certainly make it easier to find more dragons,” Aeron said. He twisted his lips. “I wonder, though, is there an age limit beyond which the Bond no longer triggers?”

“We’re going to find out.” Guildmaster Millinith looked at Polandra. “How old is Itzel?”

How old is your sister?

She is almost three, ah, years old.

“Not quite three.”

Guildmaster Millinith looked over the guardrail. “Nenet, your son is most welcome to join us tomorrow, say at mid-day, to look for a bond-mate. Bring him to the clutching room. You remember how to get there?”

I do.
She gave out a happy chirp.
Thank you! He will be very happy.

“Polandra, go with Ikan and tell his sister the same. Tomorrow at noon. Don’t forget that noon here is two hours later there.” She turned to everyone else. “As for the rest of us, let us return to the Guildhall and the celebration there. Aeron, once we ferry everyone over, please return to bring Terry and Sharrah when their hatchlings fall asleep.”

He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Polandra hurried out of the cavern on her way to the sinkhole.
Let’s go tell Itzel!

It was perhaps an hour and a half later when Polandra wondered whether or not she should have had this third serving of wine. She swirled it in the glass goblet. The rich, dark color was beautiful. A lot like Citlali’s coloration, actually.

Laughter, excited murmurs, and the occasional shout of ‘Congratulations!’ surrounded her. The celebration in the dining room wasn’t as big as a trade fair, wasn’t as elegant as the extravagant balls she’d read about in tales of fancy, but it was still impressive. She wondered how long the friends and family would go on celebrating this evening. And the guests who remained.

High Lady Hasana and Master Gella had left a little earlier with Fillion and Coatl. Capu Cirtis and Isandath, too had left. Renata and Xochi had taken them back to Bataan-Mok. The auditors remained, though. Their audit wouldn’t be complete for another week. The two adepts, along with everyone else, continued to celebrate the four pair of bond-mates added tonight. That wasn’t all that could be celebrated, however. Many things had changed in the last few weeks. And most of them for the better.

“I’m not saying we’re completely safe.”

Aeron and Willem were slumped over the table, one elbow resting on it, their chins in their hands. Each held a goblet in their other hand.

“What I’m saying is that we’re sa-
fer
.” Aeron touched his goblet to Willem’s and then took a drink.

“Ah,” Willem said. “On that I will definitely agree.” He took a sip.

“Alandra’s merciful heart, Cheddar.” Sharrah chuckled. “Tell me I don’t look so besotted.”

“You do,” he said. “I do, we all do.” His smile faded somewhat. “Well, the newly bonded, anyway. But can you blame them?”

Sharrah shook her head. “I cannot. It’s incredible.” Her gaze went flat. “I can
feel
her. How unreal is that?”

Chuckling, Cheddar leaned over, put his arm over her shoulders, and said, “Congratulations, Sharrah.”

Her gaze returned, locked on him. She leaned close. “Congratulations, Nilbert.”

His chuckle was cut off.

Polandra looked away from their kiss. She glanced at Liara, who was talking with Jessip, and then sat farther back into her chair.

Yes, everyone was celebrating various things in their own ways. She looked at the little bit of wine left in the glass goblet and swirled it, still not sure she should have more.

She, too, was celebrating, though quietly. More that Liara would be moving in, but also for the fact that the Order was dealt with. And, of course, for Terry and Sharrah and Cheddar and Korrin. No, no, that wasn’t right. The high-born girl’s name was . . . Korrie. That was it. Korrie, Korrie, Korrie. And her bond-mate. She had pronounced the dragon’s name neh-
lee
.

Korrie and Nelli. What a sight to see. Now she can be free, with her dragon named Nelli.

Polandra smiled and chuckled. She’d made a rhyme!

You are thinking strangely.

Polandra frowned.
You’re . . . thinking strangely, man-dragon.

Humor came through the link and the feel of his laughter as well.
Is this what it is to be drunk? Anaya mentioned it to me a moment ago about Aeron.

I’m not . . .
She tried to set her goblet down. It took two attempts to do so.

She turned to Liara and whispered, “Ikan says I’m drunk. I think he might be right, a little. Don’t tell him, though.”

Liara chuckled and whispered back, “We should go, then. Come.” Liara took her hand and stood.

“I’m going to see Polandra back to her rooms,” she said. “Good night, everyone.”

“Night!” Aeron held up his goblet. Some wine sloshed out due to his quick movement.

“Don’t spill that on your dress,” Willem said. He looked confused for a moment. “On your dress gear.” He stared accusingly at his goblet.

The dragonlinked, they’d all sat together at one of the long tables, wished them both a good night. Polandra smiled and waved over her shoulder as they left.

Their footsteps echoed in the passage of the Guildhall.

“I’m glad we were able to fight for our dreams.” Polandra held onto Liara’s hand as the pretty girl led them to their dragons.

“Me, too.”

“Dreams in the Order were like precious jewels, rare and almost impossible to obtain. Many gave up on them, forgot what their dreams were, or, even worse, forgot that they’d ever had dreams at all. That is a terrible, horrible, just awful thing to happen to anyone.” Polandra frowned. “People should never stop dreaming.”

Liara stopped walking and turned to her. “And they shouldn’t be afraid to dream even bigger than they thought possible.” She leaned in close.

Liara’s lips were incredibly, amazingly soft. Polandra closed her eyes. Someone let out a quiet sigh, and she felt gentle fingers on her cheek and neck.

Afterward, she opened her eyes and let out a breath. Good gods, Liara could kiss. Polandra was glad for the dress jacket. If it wasn’t covering the undershirt, how she felt right now would be all too plain.

Liara smiled. “Come. I need to get you to your rooms before I head off to the dorms.”

“Dorms? You don’t want to spend—”

“No.” Liara shook her head, but then she twisted her lips and scrunched her nose. “Well, yes, I actually do.” Her expression softened. “Everything about you is so beautiful.” She became serious. “But I do
not
take advantage of people in their cups.”

She thinks I’m beautiful!

And why would she not? You are beautiful.

“I will be moving in soon, though, so . . .” Liara blushed, spun on her heel, and continued down the hallway.

Polandra’s heart pounded rapidly. It felt as if she had multitudes of dragons in her chest beating their wings, climbing high into a bright blue sky.

“Was I mad to attempt this?” Elbows on the desk, Millinith ran her hands through her hair.

“Completely.”

Eyes wide, she looked at Doronal.

He chuckled. “But I love your kind of madness. I have every confidence you’ll manage this as well as you have everything else. And you know I will help in any way I can.”

“We all will.” Renata nodded.

Millinith frowned. She enjoyed his jocular attitude most of the time, but her nerves were frazzled right now. “Well it does seem that much of the infrastructure of the Order is remarkably similar to the guild’s.” She lifted a document from the pile and glanced at the one under it. “At least based on these reports Capu Cirtis brought yesterday.”

“That,” Renata fidgeted, “is kind of my fault.”

“Your fault?” Doronal turned to her.

“Well,” Renata said, “as the Guildmaster and I were devising the organizational structure of the guild, I sort of fell back on what I know, which is how the Order is organized.” She shrugged.

“Well thank the gods for that,” Millinith said. “I’ll take very bit of good luck I can get on this endeavor. With the guild and the former Order this similar, it will be easier to train staff or transfer them between here and the South as needed.”

“How are we on instructors,” Renata asked. “If the two successfully bond at noon, our dragon members will almost have doubled in less than a day, and we’ll be down to six candidates.”

“I think we’re fine,” Millinith said. “The three that will instruct apprentice dragonlinked are teaching accepted lessons now. A full grasp of accepted-level training will be invaluable to them when they begin teaching apprentice lessons. The four future accepted instructors are actually attending accepted lessons now to reinforce their own training. They’ll take over teaching the accepted with the next candidate class.”

Young voices came from the courtyard. Millinith glanced at the desk chronometer. “And speaking of candidates, I think I hear them arriving. We’ll need to start ferrying them to the clutching room immediately.”

Renata twisted her lips. She looked worried.

Millinith said, “What is it?”

“As you instructed,” Renata said, “we informed them all last night about today. But at breakfast, they didn’t seem that excited.”

“Why not?” Doronal’s brows drew together.

Renata let out a breath. “Most of the candidates aren’t sure about bonding older dragons. They all saw the hatchlings and how, well, cute they are. They want baby dragons, too, it seems.”

Millinith blinked and narrowed her eyes. “Any candidate who isn’t beyond thrilled by the prospect of bonding a dragon,
any
dragon, is a candidate I’m not sure we need.”

“Millinith.” Doronal looked at her.

“I’m serious!” She turned to him. “It’s the
dragon
who chooses, not the human. And by all the gods, if I didn’t have to manage everything I do, I’d be
honored
if
any
dragon chose—”

“I know,” Doronal nodded. “I feel the same way. But the candidates are young. They don’t always think everything through right at first. And you have to admit,” he said, smiling, “hatchlings are insufferably adorable.”

Millinith stared at him, then grudgingly nodded. The young dragons were awfully cute.

“Trust me,” he said. “From everything I’ve seen, once the candidates are bonded, they won’t care how old their dragon is.”

“He’s right,” Renata said. “Once you’re bonded,” she smiled, “everything changes.”

Millinith stood. “Well, let’s get everyone together and start. We’ve only got half an hour until mid-day, and only four dragons to get them there.”

Mia and Kisa were yet too young to carry anyone. Aeron and Anaya were going to House Yaot—well, near it—to open a portal for Nenet and her son. Polandra and Ikan were doing the same near House Peku for Nayra and Itzel.

“When we get to the clutching room, I’m going to speak to the candidates. I’ll see if I can’t set them aright on their priorities.”

“I’m going, too.” Doronal watched her, eyes wary.

“Oh?”

“To support you. And to make sure you don’t scare them too badly.”

She let out a harrumph. “If they scare that easily, then again, perhaps they’re not cut out for dragonlinked.”

He smiled. “Perhaps.”

The candidates stood, all in a line, on the sand in the clutching room. They could sense something was amiss. Of course, her pacing back and forth in front of them, staring at them silently, may have tipped them off. She stopped about the middle of the line and turned to face them.

“The universe owes you nothing.” She swept her gaze along the candidates. “It doesn’t have to give you food, or water, or life, even. You have to work for what you want.”

She glanced at Doronal. Standing a few feet to her left, his gaze flicked between her and the candidates. Don’t scare them, just make the point.

She clasped her hands behind her back. “And so, I was a little confused when I heard that some candidates might not be so thrilled to bond with an older dragon.”

A girl raised her hand. “Guildmaster, they’re—”

“We’re not finished, candidate.”

Millinith raised her brows and glanced sideways at Doronal. He sounded more stern than his normal, convivial self.

“The Guildmaster is being polite,” he said. “She wasn’t confused, she was angry. And honestly, I cannot blame her. Being a dragonlinked isn’t a right, it’s a privilege. One which hundreds, maybe even thousands would gladly trade places with you for. Being bonded with a dragon, being chosen by one of those incredible beings, no matter their age, is an
honor
.”

“Exactly.” Millinith nodded. “Master Doronal reminded me, however, that you are all fairly young. So perhaps in your youthful exuberance you forgot that. Yes, hatchlings are charming, adorable, even, but we’ll not have anyone lifting their noses at a dragon—a person willing to share their life with you—just because they aren’t a hatchling. I’ll not stand for it. Dragons, no matter their age, are magnificent beings, and the sooner you believe that, the sooner you’ll be bonded.”

Cheers and applause from behind made her spin on her heels.

“Well said, Guildmaster!” Aeron raised his left arm and pumped his fist in the air.

A dragon, based on coloration she guessed it was Itzel, stood less than two feet in front of her. Behind the light gray dragon, all the dragonlinked were clapping. Several dragons stood just inside the room near the passage to the landing.

Itzel tilted her head.
Your s–spirit is strong, as is your passion.

Millinith nodded. “I wanted to be sure the candidates fully understood their circumstances.”

The dragon looked to the right. A dusty red dragon stood before Doronal. Nenet’s son?

They chirped at each other and turned back to her and Doronal.

Both your words were m–mostly true.

Millinith blinked. “Mostly?”

It is a shared honor.

“Oh.”

Itzel leaned closer and touched her nose to Millinith’s forehead.
I choose you.

+ + + + +

“Here, now. Stop crying.” Doronal dabbed Millinith’s cheek with a handkerchief. The young woman seemed to have lost control of her tear ducts in the last hour.

“I’m not crying.” She grabbed the square cloth from him and wiped her eyes. “They just come out every now and then as if they have a mind of their own. It’s actually starting to piss me off.”

He watched her dry her cheeks and smiled.

All around the dining room, another celebration carried on. Friends and parents of the candidates tried to ease their disappointment, members of the Dragon Craft Guild celebrated two new pair of bond-mates, while several dragonlinked sat nearby, celebrating in their own way: chatting, laughing, and seeing who could drink down a goblet of wine the fastest.

Doronal frowned. The afternoon wasn’t even half over. He should probably stop them bef—

Is she well?

Warm joy spread out from his chest and an enormous smile curved his lips. Huemac. Doronal caught Aeron smiling at him and tried to put on a less besotted expression. He was a master, after all. He should try to show some decorum. It wasn’t easy, however. He was extraordinarily happy and excited.

And are
you
well?

She is fine, as am I. The Bond was a tremendous experience, as you well know, and she and I are still recovering.

The words were not a lie. He could
feel
Huemac chuckling. Feel the dragon breathing, stretching, and laying down. His mind was still trying to grasp this reality. He was bonded. Him! To a dragon! A laugh escaped before he could completely stop it.

Millinith turned angry eyes on him. “If you’re laughing at me, I swear . . .”

He chuckled. “No, I’m laughing at me. I still can’t believe it.” He gripped her shoulder and whispered. “We’re dragonlinked!”

The look on her face, the disbelieving joy, was beautiful to see.

“I know what you mean. One moment I’m so happy tears just leak out,”  she wiped her cheeks again,  “but then the next, I’m terrified.”

“Terrified?”

“I have so many things vying for my time.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I’ve got the guild to run, the Guildhall to finish, I just took on a guild branch in the South, and there’s you.” She looked at him. “Will I have time for Itzel?”

“Don’t forget that she’s practically full-grown. She’ll need less worrying over than a hatchling. And, as I’ve said before, I will help you any way I can.” He chuckled. “Besides, now, with Huemac, I’m tied even more to you. Ah, to the guild, that is.”

“Tied to me, eh?”

He felt his cheeks warm. “You
are
the Guildmaster, after all.”

“Mmm hmm.” She stared at him, a faint smile on her lips. “I seem to recall that I owe you some punishment.”

His eyes grew large and his heart began to beat faster.

Sharrah walked over, leather satchel in hand, and whispered, “I have them.”

Millinith stared at him a moment longer before taking the satchel from her. “Excellent.” She stood and made her way to the end of an empty long table.

Doronal looked at Sharrah. The girl smiled at him, said nothing, and turned to the Guildmaster. Curiosity over what was in the satchel overcame his upset at their being interrupted. What could it be?

Millinith was removing a number of small items from the satchel. They looked like little boxes. He narrowed his eyes.

Millinith raised her arms. “If I might have everyone’s attention, please?”

Slowly, silence spread across the room and curious gazes turned her way.

“I’d like to once again thank you all for coming to witness and celebrate our newest bond-mates.”

Cheers broke out, mostly around Doronal from the dragonlinked.

“People may believe that the life of a dragonlinked is a dream come true, and, in many respects, it is. You have a best friend, a confidant, a person who will love you forever, and one who you yourself can love forever. You have the freedom to fly anywhere in the world.”

She smiled. “Yes, you have all that. But you also have responsibilities. Dragons have a purpose and that is to help us fight nahual, to help us keep people safe. In order to fulfill those responsibilities you will need to learn, train, and practice. Some of the fields you will study are obvious. Animal Craft, Healer Craft, and the like. But then there will also be Magic Craft, Investigation Craft, hand-to-hand fighting, weapon use, stealth, and camouflage.”

Murmurs broke out, and not just among the candidates.

“Make no mistake, dragonlinked, nahual will fight for their lives, as will others we may need to apprehend. For you see, helping people may occasionally require hunting prey other than nahual. You have a great deal of work before you all. But you will have friends to help you, as well as your bond-mate.”

Millinith took a breath and stood a little taller. “At any rate, now is a time for celebration. Normally these symbols of progress are given individually, once they’ve been earned. But seeing as we just received them, I feel we may as well give out those we can, now, with us all together.”

She grabbed a small box. “Apprentice Dragonlinked Aeron. Step forward, please.”

Brows raised, Aeron stood, looked at Willem, and approached Millinith.

She handed him the box. “Congratulations.”

Looking confused, he accepted and then opened it. Eyes wide and smiling, he removed a shiny object and held it aloft. “We have rank pins!”

Cheers broke out again. Doronal added his own applause. The boy—well, young man, now—had come far. “Well done, Aeron!”

“Apprentice Dragonlinked, Willem.”

The rest of the first class were called up, too. Renata, Jessip, Fillion, Liara, Gregor, Polandra, Sharrah and Cheddar. They were all beyond the requirements he and Millinith and the others had determined were those needed to be considered apprentices. They all received their well-deserved rank pins.