Gloria Oliver (33 page)

Talia stood dumbstruck, not sure what to say.

“Think about it. It might be important one day.” Then, the Administrator stepped back into the shadows and disappeared.

Talia stared toward where she’d gone for several minutes, before shaking her head and finally turning away to head back inside.

Reentering the main building, she made her way to the top floor where she’d left her friends. She found Mandee and Yllin sitting on the bottom steps of the stairwell leading to the roof, reading.

“Any problems?” She studied them minutely, having been more worried about them doing this than she was willing to admit. She couldn’t help but wonder if the Administrator knew she’d asked them to be there. And why wouldn’t she? She seemed to know so much already.

Both girls looked up as she spoke. “No, everything’s been quiet.” Mandee yawned and then stretched where she sat.

Talia heard herself exhale with relief. “I’m glad.”

“So are we,” Yllin told her.

Mandee laughed. “Yllin’s been just a little nervous about this.”

The somber girl sent her friend a scathing look. “As if I’ve been the only one.”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t,” Mandee countered with a grin. “And I’m more than happy nothing happened at all.”

“Do we need to do this again tomorrow?” Yllin asked.

“No,” Talia said. “I’ve finished what I needed to do, so I can handle it until next week.”

“What? You mean you’re going to sit here everyday alone?” Mandee’s expression turned serious.

She looked away. “No. Ah, Kel offered once before to help me with my studies. I-I thought I’d take him up on it. I doubt anyone would try anything if he’s not alone.”

Both of her friends didn’t look too sure about her logic but they didn’t argue.

She was still trying to convince herself of this when she picked up her books in the evening and made her way to the roof. A little nervous, not only from the possibility of another attack, but mostly because she’d never gathered the courage to tell him she was coming, she hesitated in front of Kel’s door before finally working herself up enough to knock.

Unlike other times, Kel’s door didn’t fly open before her. Instead, she heard the muted sounds of his chains rattling as he made his way to the door.

“Who’s there?” he asked from the other side.

It made her feel strangely better the squire was being cautious. “It’s Talia.”

She heard something scrape behind the door and after a few seconds it swung inwards. Kel’s surprised face greeted her from the other side.

“Hi. Um, you said you’d be willing to help me with my studies?” she asked tentatively. “Is the offer still open?” Though she didn’t understand it, she felt her heart beat faster as she asked the questions.

Kel’s expression instantly brightened. “Sure! Please, come on in.” He stepped out of the way of the door. As soon as she came inside, he closed it and placed a large bar across it.

She almost smiled. With it there, it was very unlikely the bullies would be able to make their way in here unwanted or unnoticed.

“Take a seat.” Kel pointed toward one of the cushions in the room. “What do you need help with?”

She pulled out several papers with math problems they wrote down in class. “I’m not entirely sure what our teacher wants us to do here.”

“All right.” He nodded and took the pages from her. After looking them over, he quickly explained to her what she already knew was required. To her surprise, though, he double-checked her answers once she did them, and even found a couple of errors for her. He didn’t press or push her as she worked, seemingly content just to sit there and watch her. She wasn’t so sure she could have been as accommodating.

“Kel, can I ask you a question?”

The squire looked up at her. “Sure.”

She glanced away, not able to meet his trusting, blue-eyed gaze. “You mentioned before you thought Clarence was more than he seemed. What did you mean?”

It was his turn to look away. “It’s a lot of little details, really. Things which don’t add up.” He shrugged.

“At first I thought I was making too much of things until I found out Lareen thought the same thing.”

Talia sat still, waiting for him to go on. Kel distractedly pushed away the hair from his face before speaking again. She thought he looked tense.

“From talking to some of the staff, I learned Clarence has been here at the school as long as anyone can remember. Due to the pact drawn between humans and dragons, dragons have to give part of their time to the guild, but otherwise spend their time with their own kind. Still, Clarence is here—even before he volunteered to become part of the lottery, which is normally the only time they come. And he’s here alone. And even when other dragons are here, he’s pleasant enough to them, but doesn’t seem to care one way or the other whether he spends any time with them or not.

“At first I thought he was an outcast and was here for refuge due to his infirmities, but most dragons don’t treat him any differently than they do any others. I sneaked in a few times to the dragon dormitory and spoke to him; I found him incredibly intelligent and learned. Once, I couldn’t stand not knowing anymore and asked him why he was here, and all he’d say was that he found humans intriguing.” Kel sighed.

“His coloring is of a young dragon’s, one barely fifty years old, but his skin says he’s much older. Then there’s the fact most dragons with a handicap don’t hatch.” Kel sent her a sideways glance as if to gauge how she was taking all this. “A hatchling has to fight his way out of the egg on his own. The process does something to them, something necessary for them to stay alive. Though many have tried, no one has been able to determine whether it’s a chemical, or magical process, or both. The guild has attempted before to help dragons who couldn’t break through the shell, but though they got them out they all died anyway.

There was nothing they could do. In the histories, they mention all the different things they’ve tried to overcome this, but they’ve not come close to keeping one from dying. It’s a battle the hatchlings have to fight on their own, and despite his unusual handicaps, Clarence won and lived.”

Kel stood up and slowly paced before her, his chains rattling in the silence. “As you can see, there isn’t much there. But still…”

Talia nodded to herself. What the squire said made sense. She’d also noticed the fact about Clarence’s skin but didn’t know enough about dragons to realize what it told her. Did Clarence have something to hide? It would definitely explain some of his strange reactions to her telling Kel about the jump. But it still didn’t explain everything. He’d originally agreed to the joining after all. Surely he’d known what it would mean.

“It’s getting late.” He turned to face her. “You should probably get back before I get you into trouble.”

She watched him and wondered at the strange, intent way he was looking at her. Talia quickly stood and looked elsewhere. “Okay. Thanks.” She gathered her things.

Kel walked with her to the door. Quietly, he removed the bar and opened the door only a crack to take a look outside. Satisfied it was safe, he opened the door wide. “If you need any more help, I’ll be happy to lend a hand.” The words came easily, his expression normal. Whatever was bothering him about her was gone.

“I appreciate it. Thanks.” Giving him a half smile, she took her leave.

[Back to Table of Contents]

OVER THE NEXT several days, things returned to their normal routine. Goods started to arrive seemingly from nowhere to restock Nertak’s rebuilt store. Construction of the shelves was finished, so the different shifts were put to work learning about inventory management and placement as Nertak bossed them around so everything could be arranged correctly.

Three days later, most of the student body was settling down to dinner when the Administrator’s voice boomed across the hall.

“Listen up, everyone. I have good news.” Lareen climbed nimbly up on her chair so she could be seen.

“Nertak’s shop is about finished. So as a reward for all your hard work, classes will be suspended next week for a six-day carnival.” She threw her arms wide. “There’ll be free games and fun for everyone!”

A roaring cheer broke as a wave across the room. Students hammered their fists on the table as hoot calls filled the air.

Lareen flashed the assembly a brilliant smile before moving to reseat herself and resume her dinner.

After a couple of minutes, the furor died down to a loud buzz, excitement filling the air.

“A carnival.” Mandee’s face glowed. “I’ve heard some of the other students talk about them before.

Supposedly they’re like nothing we’ve ever experienced. They’re supposed to make the festivals at our homes amount to nothing at all.”

Talia felt her own excitement flashing through her. She enjoyed the carnivals every year back home—the games, the food, the contests. And if this was going to be even better…

A grin was tugging at the edge of her mouth when a sober thought came to mind. This carnival was a reward for all their hard work, yet the work wouldn’t have been necessary if not for what Kel and Clarence had done. So in a way, they had them to thank for this. Yet she doubted very much anyone would. Worse, she realized their penance wouldn’t be over until after the carnival itself was done. So the two of them wouldn’t get to participate at all. She didn’t feel quite so excited anymore.

Over the next two days, as the time for the carnival approached, a thrum seemed to fill any room where students gathered together. Everyone’s mood was lighter. The air felt as if a much-needed storm were gathering.

Through it all, though, Talia couldn’t bring herself to mention the fact the carnival was coming to either Clarence or Kel. She didn’t have the heart to do it. She figured their punishment was hard enough as it was.

On the school’s free day, in the late afternoon, she was in her room writing a letter to her parents when excited shouts drifted in from outside. Hurrying to her balcony to see what was going on, she saw several students out on the lawn pointing skyward. Taking a look, she gasped at what she saw. The sky—it was filled with dragons. Dragons of every size and color, and they were coming closer.

Hesitating only an instant, she ran from her room, heading for the stairs. Merging with a mass of other students, she hurried outside toward the landing strip on the south side of the school.

The dragons circled overhead and then headed toward the landing area one by one. The first to land was a bright red dragon with strange flaps flaring from his ears. Six people were saddled on top of him and a large pack sat behind them. With sweeping grace, the dragon came down mere hand spans from the ground and glided daintily to a smooth stop on the runway. Talia stared at the amazing display in awe.

Watchers poured out seemingly from nowhere and were instantly at the dragon’s side, greeting the riders and helping them bring down the load on the dragon’s back. A blue dragon soon landed behind the first.

This one only held one rider, but a huge bundle was strapped on its back instead. Akin to ants, the watchers rushed over and took the bundle apart and scurried off with its contents.

As each dragon landed and was freed of its burden, it meandered down to the lake on the other side of the runway for a drink. Most returned to the air not long after, but a few made their leisurely way to the dragon habitat.

As the number of passengers disembarking grew, they grabbed up some of the packs set aside by the watchers and headed off in different directions. Those who came with the dragons were as varied and different from one another as the dragons themselves. Talia recognized a couple as having come from her country, while others wore styles of hair and dress she didn’t recognize at all and appeared to her to be incredibly exotic.

Away from the runway, tents started going up, spreading across the grassy plain. Wooden frames were quickly put together and were covered over with tarps to make front-ended stalls. At the pace they were going up, within hours, they would surround the entire school.

Smiling graciously, Lareen sauntered outside to greet a man dressed even more outlandishly than she was. His hard features smiled at her ingratiatingly, colorful and many layered robes covering him from head to toe. Laughing, the two of them locked arms and wandered off inside.

That evening, for the first time, Talia saw the dining hall filled close to capacity. The din in the room was almost overwhelming as the visitors picked random places to sit amidst clumps of students and were immediately bombarded with a million questions.

“Everyone, your attention, please.” Lareen’s voice boomed out across the room. “First, let’s give a shout of welcome to our visitors.”

The ensuing roar was deafening. Lareen grinned from ear to ear at the loud, enthusiastic greeting.

“We welcome all of you to our humble school. We hope your stay here will be as enjoyable as it will be for us to have you here.”

Shouts rang out again, this time from both sets of diners. With infinite, good-natured patience, she waited for the din to die down before going on.

“Starting tomorrow, the carnival will begin.” Lareen was forced to wait again as more shouts rang across the room. “In order to make things simpler on everyone, bread, meat, cheese, and fruit will be available here throughout the day so meals can be taken as time permits. However, there should be enough treats provided by our guests to possibly make this not even necessary.” Her smile was infectious. “All games and contests are free and many will have rewards for those with skill. So please, make sure to play hard and often. This is a reward from me to you. Enjoy!”

The dining hall exploded with cheers. Even Yllin looked excited at the prospect of what they could expect tomorrow.