Dragonbound: Blue Dragon (16 page)

Dharanidhar sat back and settled his thoughts into Kanvar's mind, experiencing for the first time the feel and taste of cooked meat as Kanvar consumed it.
Mmmm
, Dharanidhar said as Kanvar stuffed himself,
maybe that's not so bad. I've heard the gold dragons eat their meat that way as well.

They do
, Kanvar said between mouthfuls.

Dharanidhar let out a loud burp, and picked a bit of dragon hide from his teeth.
You can't see in the dark
, he mused while Kanvar licked the juice off his fingers.

"No, sorry. I can't replace that part of your sight." He knew blue dragons hunted at night.

 
Of course
. Dharanidhar growled deep in his throat.
I suppose now I'll have to hunt in daylight. Better that than starve.

Kanvar realized that Dharanidhar had been famished since Kanvar blinded him. He'd tried to hunt all through the night Kanvar had spent with Indumauli, but had been unsuccessful. He needed Kanvar's eyes to spot his usual pray the big leather-winged birds that filled the skies above the jungle at night. Dharanidhar was too big to hunt on the ground and in the trees like the Great Green dragons.

I know how to hunt in daylight. My grandfather taught me
. Kanvar rubbed his hand along his crossbow. He only had three bolts left and didn't know how he'd ever get his hands on more. At least bonded with Dharanidhar he wouldn't have to feel guilty about being a dragon hunter. That is if Dharanidhar ever gave him the freedom to do it.

Come here
. Dharanidhar grabbed Kanvar and pulled him up against his chest as he settled to the ground and folded his wings.
The jungle isn't safe at night, and we aren't going anywhere until you can see. We'll deal with Abhavasimha in the daylight.

A sudden jerk woke Kanvar from a sound sleep. He found tight black coils wrapped around his chest, pulling him away from Dharanidhar. The pale dark just before sunrise hung in the air.

Help!
he cried.

Dharanidhar came awake with an angry roar. His mind crashed in on Kanvar's as it had when they'd bonded. Dragon thoughts, dragon senses, very angry dragon emotions. Dharanidhar made Kanvar twist his head to see what had hold of him. He was stunned to recognize Indumauli. The Great Black serpent was a long way from his river.

Dharanidhar roared and lunged for Indumauli, planning to grab him, break his spine, and tear off his head. But Indumauli snapped around in a quick strike, not at Dharanidhar, but at Kanvar. He stopped with his fangs deep in Kanvar's dragonhide jacket, the tips just barely sticking through the armor, touching the skin over his heart on his back and his chest.

Your saliva won't save the boy if I finish this bite
, Indumauli said to Dharanidhar.

Dharanidhar froze with one claw wrapped around Indumauli's coils.

Kanvar's heart fluttered in panic. He broke out in a cold sweat.
Indumauli, please. Don't.

Sorry, little one. I have orders from Rajahansa.

I should have known Amar would see his own son killed before they allowed a blue dragon the Naga powers,
Dharanidhar growled.
If you kill the boy, I'll take you into death with us. Release him.

I'm fully willing to die for my king.
Indumauli tightened the coils around Kanvar.
But that's not what he wants. Not the boy's death nor yours.

Blue fire seethed behind Dharanidhar's bared teeth.
What does he want?

Indumauli's jaw clamped down a fraction more, so the tips of his fangs almost broke through Kanvar's skin.
He demands the boy's freedom.

Dharanidhar pulled his claw away from Indumauli.
Impossible. The bond cannot be undone. Everyone knows that.

Not freedom from the bond. Freedom from your mind. The Nagas are not slaves. They are equal partners to be treated with respect. You should never hurt him with your mind. Never force him against his will. Rajahansa demands your solemn vow to free the boys mind and leave it unharmed, or you both die. Freedom or death. Your choice.

Dharanidhar opened his jaws as if willing to sear both Kanvar and Indumauli rather than relent to Rajahansa's demands.

We don't want to die
, Kanvar whispered to Dharanidhar.
You and I, we're both too stubborn to end it now. Just tell Indumauli what he wants to hear. None of it matters once he's gone.
But Dharanidhar wasn't listening to Kanvar, his mind slipped into a vivid memory.

He was a young dragon, just come into his prime. Confident. Defiant. He'd fought his way through the ranks of the blue dragons and that morning killed the previous blue leader. Blood and triumph sung in his veins. The whole pride bowed to him and waited on his every command.

But out of a cave at the base of the cliffs where the blue dragons nested came the Ancient One. Few had seen him in the last hundred years. He seldom came out of his cave anymore. It was the lowest dragon's duty to hunt and bring him food, but all the pride revered him, Akshara, The Great Liberator. Scars left long ago from heavy chains around his feet, claws, and neck looked ghastly in the light of day. His wings dragged behind him, unusable.

Dharanidhar
, the ancient one called him down from the high rock where he had spread his wings in triumph and bellowed his victory.

All the dragons fell silent, gazing between their new leader and the dragon who had bought their freedom from Stonefountain many years before.

Dharanidhar flew swiftly to land in front of Akshara. He bowed low. His victory and new position forgotten in the sudden honor of being called to the Akshara's feet.

Akshara rested a claw on Dharanidhar's forehead and spoke so only Dharanidhar could hear his thoughts.
You have accomplished a great thing today, rising to the top. I'm proud of you. Long have I watched you grow and progress. You have the capability of being the greatest leader we have even had. Or . . . you could destroy us all. Your forbearers paid a great price for our freedom. Many died to bring us safely to these shores. I commend you to freedom, Dharanidhar. You must fight for it always. Never surrender to slavery. Never use your own power and position to enslave others. This I require of you as you take command. Your oath forged from the battle cry that saved us from oppression. Freedom or Death.

Dharanidhar bowed lower in acceptance of Akshara's demand
. I swear it. I will fight to maintain our freedom to the very last breath of my body. I will not destroy what you have given us.

Dharanidhar's mind snapped away from Kanvar's, leaving Kanvar suddenly alone with his own thoughts except for the Dharanidhar's connection to Kanvar's sight.

I swear it
, Dharanidhar told Indumauli.
Kanvar will be free. On my life and honor.

Indumauli hissed and eased his fangs away from Kanvar's skin. When they were free, he pulled his head back and snapped his jaws closed. The great coils loosened from around Kanvar's body.

Indumauli shot off into the trees at the same moment that Dharanidhar blasted the air with his fiery breath. Indumauli was faster, and Dharanidhar only managed to singe the end of his tail.

Dharanidhar growled in annoyance.

"You, you tried to kill him even though he let me go," Kanvar protested.

Dharanidhar licked his teeth, wishing he could have sunk them into Indumauli's hide.
I didn't promise to let him go alive, only to free your mind.

Dharanidhar lowered his head to look Kanvar in the eyes. But all Dharanidhar saw was his own face. Like looking into the mirror. He couldn't see Kanvar while Kanvar stared at him. He only saw himself. He tried to picture what Kanvar looked like, but the only time he'd seen Kanvar was the flash moment that he'd come out from behind Devaj's back to stab Dharanidhar in the eye.

"Sorry about that," Kanvar said. "I couldn't let you kill my brother."

No. It seems you would do anything to save him
, Dharanidhar grumbled.
Did I hurt your mind? Indumauli seemed to think I was torturing you.

Heat rose to Kanvar's face. He didn't want to admit that he had been so weak and sensitive to the power of Dharanidhar's mind. But he found lying to Dharanidhar as difficult as lying to himself.

Yes, I see I did hurt you
. Dharanidhar let a spurt of hot breath into the sky.
I was angry. I let my hate for Rajahansa and his followers cloud my judgment. I took my anger and vengeance out on you.
He paused as if the admission came hard for him.
I am sorry
.

Kanvar shrugged.
I was angry too. Angry because I'm crippled. Furious that it bothered them so much
.

Rays of sunlight fanned across the sky and tipped over the ridge, spreading down into the edge of the trees where Kanvar and Dharanidhar stood.

It's nice to see the sunrise
, Dharanidhar murmured.
I haven't watched it with full sight since the Maranies first came to this continent. Thank you for bonding with me. Truth is, I don't know how
not
to hurt your mind. It is so . . . don't get angry . . . fragile.

Kanvar laughed. "And I thought my mind was the strongest part of me. It always kept working even when other bits of me slowed things down." He rubbed his short left arm and stared off into the charred greenery where Indumauli had gone. "I hope Indumauli makes it back to the river before the sunlight filters through the trees."

I hope he doesn't, the worm. Rajahansa's little foot-licker. Too stupid to recognize we're free from the gold dragons' oppressive rule.
Dharanidhar let another spurt of flame into the trees as if he still had a chance to toast Indumauli alive.

I'm just fine
, Indumauli's thoughts drifted back to Kanvar.
I've a dark place to stay until nightfall. Can't tell you where it is since you're bonded to that savage oaf
.

Dharanidhar growled.

Kanvar rubbed his aching head and formed a shield around the private parts of his mind like Parmver had taught him to.

Vines
, Dharanidhar prodded him, trying not to break through Kanvar's shield and overwhelm his mind.
Help me find some, so we can tie you down safely and get out of here.

Chapter Twelve

Kanvar flew effortlessly across
the blue expanse. Soaring, instead of shuffling through the dirt, dragging his left leg behind him. The bite of the wind in his face. The sound of it rushing past his ears. The great
whomph
of Dharanidhar's wings, and the undulating movement of the dragon's body beneath him. Kanvar lost himself in the exhilaration of speeding across the sky on Dharanidhar's back. Though the ride was much rougher than it had been on Rajahansa, Kanvar enjoyed it more.

Now this is real freedom
, Kanvar thought to Dharanidhar.
I wish we could stay up here forever.

The joy of the flight filled Kanvar to overflowing, and more. His connection to Dharanidhar banished the gnawing emptiness and loneliness Kanvar had felt all his life. More acutely after he got the fever, but now that Kanvar was complete, he recognized that he'd always been a shadow. Always felt like half a man. He'd attributed that to his infirmities. Now he knew differently. He'd been an empty glass. A sword without a sheath. A broken pot, desperately looking for his other half.

Now he'd found it. He cared little for the fact that his life would only last as long as Dharanidhar's, and Dharanidhar was already past his prime. With his new bond, his soul was complete and every moment, every breath he took, he felt more alive than ever. He'd descended into despair and had been reborn, perfect and whole.

Dharanidhar growled in mockery of his sentiment.
Keep thinking like that, and I'll believe you are a poet instead of a dragon hunter.

I don't care
. Kanvar spread his arms as if they too were wings and shouted for joy.
I'm flying. I'm flying free
.

Dharanidhar laughed at him, but Kanvar knew he felt the same way about suddenly gaining full sight after so many years of clouded vision and the shock of living in utter darkness for a few days. He reveled in the clear image of the trees below him. He could make out every leaf, individual petals on the great red orchids. He could see the colorful flash of the scaly macaws as they darted between the branches. A wondrous world of color and light and life.
I feel young again
, Dharanidhar rumbled.
Young enough to teach that foolish upstart, Abhavasimha, a permanent lesson
.