Dragons of the Watch (30 page)

He settled across the old man’s forehead.

“We can help,” said Bealomondore. “Place Orli on Old One’s chest. Take my hand as I rest it on Orli, and with your other hand, touch both Laddin and the urohm. The healing energy will multiply as it flows through Laddin, you, me, Orli, and Old One.”

Ellie followed his instructions. Bealomondore placed his right hand over Laddin and Old One’s temple. His left hand held hers and rested on Orli.

“Relax,” said Bealomondore. “You aren’t required to know what to do. You only have to allow the energy to pass through. Laddin does the healing. He knows what to concentrate on.”

“What will he do?” she whispered.

“Ease Old One’s breathing, repair the torn tissue to stop the bleeding, and help any traumatized organs. He’ll do the same for Orli.”

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind and take in Bealomondore’s explanation.

He smiled at her. “You may understand some of what Laddin is doing as you experience it, but our role is to provide support. Laddin will coax Old One’s body to return to the functions Wulder has ordained. Take deep, slow breaths. Close your eyes. Allow Laddin to work. Allow Wulder’s presence to strengthen Old One while He guides Laddin.”

What if she did something wrong and interfered with Laddin’s work? But the bond with Bealomondore eased her worries. She found herself relaxing. At first she felt a slight buzz in her hands. Gradually the sensation smoothed out to a soothing hum and extended up her right arm and down her left. She shifted to recline in a more comfortable position.

How long would this take? It didn’t feel like work but was tiring nonetheless. Memories of fields of spring wildflowers came to her mind. She heard old man Lemeterndern’s mellow fiddle as he played at a gathering in the village. She smelled and tasted her mother’s lemon cake. Scenes of peace and contentment drifted through her mind.

She sighed and wondered at the warmth that radiated among those providing the healing circle. Each entity in the ring produced a thread of energy that flowed with the others much like strands in a piece of yarn. They merged to make one stream. She could identify her own and Bealomondore’s. Soon she identified the two dragons’ energy lines. Old One’s thin thread barely pulsed. Once she felt it, she didn’t lose it again, even when the stronger, warmer, brighter, unidentified stream entered the flow.

She laid her head on Old One’s shoulder. Totally relaxed, she allowed the coursing stream to fill her as it passed through. Joining energy felt natural, and she didn’t want the experience to end.

The last thread, the strongest thread—who generated that beautiful peace? The answer came, and she could not tell if Bealomondore had whispered the name in her mind or if the last entity had spoken. Somehow, as soon as she was told, she knew that was what she had expected.

Wulder, Bealomondore’s Wulder, had joined them. But not Bealomondore’s Wulder. Ellie now knew Wulder in her own way. And she knew she would recognize Him anywhere. He was
her
Wulder. No, still not quite right.
She
was Wulder’s.

She had a vision of a strong young man writing her name on a huge banner. He stood back and admired the cloth sign as it hung in the sky on nothing. A breeze fluttered it like a flag. The young man, Wulder, gathered the banner, then wrapped it around His body. The sign bearing her name became one with the robe He wore. She could no longer distinguish it from the material of His clothing. She would never be able to pull the two weavings into what they had been, a robe and a banner. No one else would be able to separate them. She was safe.

Wulder not only accepted her, but chose her and gave her a purpose. She believed He had more to tell her, to show her, and she wanted to learn it all. He turned and faced her. No words came from His mouth, and still she heard His gentle command.

“Rest.”

She drifted away from the comforting image and into a pleasant sleep.

Ellie opened her eyes and realized that someone had put her to bed. She still wore the clothes she’d had on yesterday. Her stomach growled, and she squinted at the window. Morning sun! No wonder she was hungry. She jumped up, pushed her fingers through her unruly hair, and ran to the rotunda. Old One sat in his chair with a tray on his lap.

He frowned at her. “You needn’t look so surprised.”

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re better.” She rushed forward and hugged what she could reach, her arms surrounding his leg and her head resting against his knee. Her forehead bumped his breakfast tray.

“Get off! Get off!”

She grinned at his gruff voice and backed away. “You look so much better. I was afraid you were going to die.”

“I can’t die until it is time to open the bottle.”

“Which bottle?”

“The wizard’s bottle.”

“I think both bottles are of the wizard’s making.”

Old One’s face creased into an even more fearsome scowl. “I don’t remember the details of the bottles. One was small and the other surrounds the city.”

Ellie sat on a stack of books. “Yes, that’s right. One holds the memories of all the people outside the bottle, the ones who came to the city to see what the urohms had built.”

“I remember that time. The city was glorious. Bree Dan had the hull of the ship packed with art and instruments and books. He brought an ample supply of material, not only for clothing but also for constructing the fine furniture we’d left at home.” His face softened, and he sipped his tea. “Urohms are master carpenters and inventors of all sorts of machines, things that save time and effort and money.”

Ellie arched her eyebrows but tried to make her voice soft, not accusing. “Isn’t that what got you in trouble with the wizard?”

Old One’s teacup clattered against the saucer as he put it down. “Utter nonsense! Wulder was never displeased with our cleverness. He encourages innovation. He takes delight in the work of our hands as we master different aspects of His world. The wizard should know that. After all, the wizards get the power to do incredible feats through knowledge of how Wulder has established the universe. A good wizard only manipulates what Wulder has already given. Their first rule is ‘Do Not Destroy.’ ”

Old One stuck out his lower lip.

“Did you think of something sad?” asked Ellie.

“Disappointing.”

“But you remembered something, and that’s good.”

“It’s easier to remember things from long ago. Harder to keep track of yesterday and the day before.”

Ellie watched his face and saw confusion as he tried to remember something. The confusion gave way to frustration, and she wondered how to distract him. A question had been on her mind since she first met him. She used her gentlest voice. “Why can’t you remember your name?”

“You are a clever one. It’s from long ago. You’d think I could remember. It would make more sense if I could.” He closed his eyes and
tilted his head back. He breathed deeply several times, then let his chin drop and reopened his eyes. “It’s no use. I can’t grab it from the pesky thoughts that flitter in no pattern around my tired brain. I think the wizard took my name from me.”

“I bet Orli knows what it is.”

Old One made a growling noise in his throat. “He’s not allowed to tell me. If he does, the wizard will take him away, and I’ll have no one.”

“I think there’s a good chance that Bealomondore and I will be around for a while.”

“Of course you will. Can’t get out, can you?” He chuckled.

She gritted her teeth at his smugness. Did Old One still have enough reasoning to deliberately keep them from discovering the clues that would lead to their escape? She couldn’t blame him for wanting company, although he never played the part of gracious host. But she had places to go and a coronation to attend and a wedding to see.

She didn’t want to spend the rest of her days bottled up in Rumbard City. If she couldn’t marry Bealomondore, she didn’t want to be continually tempted by their romantic relationship. The man was the most charming she’d ever met. He made her toes curl when he kissed her.

She wanted out!

Fleeing the emotions that confused her, she sought another subject. “Is Orli better this morning?”

“He went with Bealomondore and several of the other dragons to fetch breakfast.”

“Didn’t it arrive upstairs for you to bring down?”

Old One glared at her. “I’ve suffered a trauma to my system. It was all I could do to bring myself down. Bealomondore made tea.”

Ellie shivered at the thought of the black beasts. “Have you ever seen those wusstbunter things before?”

“Of course I have. The wizard thinks them.”

“He must be a very disagreeable wizard.”

“No, he’s ordinary.”

Ellie felt her eyes widen. “An ordinary wizard? I shouldn’t think those two words go together.”

“I mean he’s like most wizards. Bent on doing what pleases Wulder, but weak enough to fall into doing exactly what doesn’t please Wulder.”

“But sending those wusstbunters is evil.”

“He doesn’t send them. Not on purpose anyway.”

“I guess you’re going to have to give me more information.”

Old One’s face sagged, and he looked incredibly sad. Again, Ellie came close to hug his leg, carefully avoiding bumping the tray this time.

“You wouldn’t believe it now,” said Old One, “but I used to be quite a talker. Too many years alone, I guess. Too much confusion in my brain.” He sighed. “I’ll try.”

“I appreciate it.”

“Bree Dan crossed the wizard, determined to do things his own way. At the time, I was caught up in the plans and didn’t weigh the consequences of our actions. You see, the wizard’s plan was actually Wulder’s plan. So by tossing aside what the wizard told us to do, we tossed away what Wulder had ordained. That’s a pretty serious act of disobedience. But we didn’t see it, although all of us knew better. We made plans, and we rushed forward.”

“I don’t know much about Wulder.” Knowing the urohms had a great reverence for Wulder, Ellie watched Old One’s face to see if that admission bothered him. He appeared not to be disturbed by her confession, so she continued. “Last night, when we did the healing circle with Laddin, I felt His presence, and I don’t ever want to be too far from that feeling. I want to learn more about Him. What I did come
to know in that brief encounter is that Wulder is good, not someone to be afraid of.”

“He is good. In fact, in the Tomes, it is said that there is no hint of darkness in Him. He casts away evil.” Old One nodded his head, seemingly lost in thought.

Ellie was about to suggest that she find Bealomondore when the urohm spoke again.

“Wulder doesn’t have a temper so much as a clear-cut sense of right and wrong. When something is wrong, He will do what is necessary to make it right.”

“Like what?”

Old One was silent. Ellie waited, wondering if he would continue with his explanation. He picked up his cup.

“My tea is cold.”

“Do you want me to get you some more?”

“No. If you go away, I may forget what it is that I have to tell you.” He grabbed the tray and twisted to set it down on the table at his elbow. “Come sit on the arm of the chair.”

He helped her get situated before continuing.

“Have you ever taken care of a baby?” he asked.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “I am the oldest of eight. I’ve taken care of lots of babies.”

“Suppose you came to the cradle and found a dozen snakes in with the babe. What would you do?”

“I’d scream and pull them out. I’d probably stomp on them or whack them with something.”

Old One nodded. “Only the venom would hurt the baby. Why kill the snakes?”

“The snakes carry the poison. The baby could be killed.”

He nodded again. “The horror you feel toward the snakes is something like the horror Wulder feels when evil threatens His good creation. Sometimes He acts swiftly, and sometimes He allows time to pass as the situation unfolds. With His great wisdom, He knows which method is best in each circumstance.”

“I think I understand what you’re telling me, but I am not sure how it relates to the wizard’s wusstbunters.”

“Is that what we were talking about?”

“Yes.”

“I’m afraid I don’t remember.”

“You said that the wizard is not evil but ordinary and that he doesn’t really send the wusstbunters to harm you.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

Ellie fought down her impatience. “Then why do they come?”

Old One looked her in the eye. “Have you ever said something that you wouldn’t have said if you’d thought about it before you opened your mouth?”

She nodded. “Oh yes, plenty of times.”

“But you’re learning to control your tongue?”

“It’s hard.”

“Yes, I agree. But we can clamp our lips together and forbid the uncharitable words to come forth.”

“Some people are better at that than others. Gramps would never say a hurtful thing. Ma rarely does. But Da not only says it, he says it loud and clear.” She made a face. “I used to speak way too often when I should have been quiet. I’m learning.”

“Consider the callous words you think. For the wizard, it does not matter if he immediately regrets his unsympathetic thoughts. They become
the wusstbunters, and they take the first opportunity to attack the subject of the wizard’s displeasure.”