In the Time of Dragon Moon (22 page)

“
Tuma-doa,
Uma,” she said. My head swam. She had never thanked me before. I was sure I had never even heard her thank the Adan. Her
tuma-doa
should be acknowledged. Words stuck in my throat. “I'm . . . glad I could help you,” I said, peeling myself away from the wall, still overcome with surprise. “I know what it means for you to be able to fly.”

“You do not know what it means or how much it means,” she corrected. Below the sharpness I heard a hint of gratitude.

Vazan lay down and speared the dead fowl, one on each talon of her left claw. She used her right to pluck the feathers the way I'd once seen Bianca tugging petals from a flower, saying,
He loves me, he loves me not,
then roasted her meal with a fiery breath.

When they were browned, she tore off some meat and held it out to me. “Hungry?” she asked, tipping her head.

My jaw dropped. What was happening? Reds never shared their food with humans. I stared at the meat within my reach, caught the alluring smell. My empty stomach growled.

“Take it, Uma,” she said in a soft tone. This was not the Vazan I knew. She held her offering closer. I had not eaten any food since Jackrun's bread. I thanked her, plucked the meat from her talons, and stared at it in awe.

On the floor near Vazan I ate slowly. All my worries had melted while my mind was focused, working on her wing. Now my fears raced back with the full force of a raiding army.

“You are shaking,” Vazan said.

I hadn't noticed that I was. Her dragon's body radiated warmth, so it was not from cold. “I don't know what I will do, Vazan.”

“You said you would go on fighting, Uma.”

How? I'd planned to send her down to Devil's Boot for the fertility herbs. A healthy dragon could fly there and back with speed, giving me a chance to continue the queen's daily treatments. By the time Vazan's wing was strong enough to fly the long journey to Devil's Boot, we would be halfway through Dragon Moon.

The feathers on the cave floor were white as the egret feather Jackrun gave me for the Moon Dance. I touched one with my finger. I should have listened to him. What did it matter that I'd stayed behind to fight now that the medicines were stolen?

I pulled the keys out from under my gown and wrapped my fingers around them. They were icy cold. The Herbal was stolen. Father's trunk ransacked. I should throw away the useless keys. I knew I wouldn't. I tucked the cord back under my stitched bodice, the back side of my hand rubbing against the pearl-studded collar. Father's keys were more precious to me than pearls. “I should return to the castle now,” I said, coming to a stand.

“Sit,” Vazan said.

“I cannot stay any longer, rivule. The queen—”

“Do it, Uma.” She pointed to the floor at the base of her ruby red chest. So close to her? Vazan was waiting. Red dragons lived long. Their patience was short. I stepped between her muscled forearms spread out like two large roots, and sat with crossed legs in the shadow of her jaw.

“Lean your back against my chest and close your eyes.”

“Why?”

She clicked her talons on the stone floor dangerously close to my knee and let out a small exasperated hiss.

I did as I was told. Her dragon warmth spread up my spine. Her throat made a windy sound as she drew breath in and out. She'd told me to close my eyes. The moment I shut them, my fear came at me in a torrent. It was over. I would fail. I would die. The army would stay in Devil's Boot. My heart split open like dry, cracked clay, broke like one of the jars I'd hurled against the wall in Father's healing hut. It hurt too much to sit still. I opened my eyes and struggled to stand. Vazan pushed me back down firmly with her claw and pressed me against her chest.

“I said close your eyessss.”

I closed them and sank deeper into my despair. Each thought was a stab.

The queen will kill me. Holy Ones help me. I don't know what to do.

Hot tears ran down my cheeks. No answer came. The darkness went on and on. I walked on a dim path to nowhere, my feet moving in the rhythm of Vazan's heart beating against my back. I carried my broken heart with me as if in offering to the Holy Ones; Father Sun, Mother Earth, Brother Wind, Sister Sea.

After a while the darkness behind my eyes went from pitch-black to a deep shade of twilight blue. Tall figures loomed ahead. I thought at first I had come to a place of standing dragons, but as the blue softened to daylight, I found I was walking in a forest, passing under ancient oaks and towering pines. Droplets fell from the branches pitter-pattering on the forest floor. The plants around the trees were unfamiliar, not like the ones in Devil's Boot.

A flash of red-orange caught my eye. A bristling fox tail vanished between the trees. The fox mark below my collarbone began to burn as I followed the moving tail through the underbrush. In a clearing I saw the distant snowcapped ridges of a familiar mountain before the dense forest hid the view again. I climbed a steep path in the foothills, passing golden-leafed beech trees where the ground leveled off again, then row on row of dogwoods.

Another bright flash of fox tail. I followed as it darted behind mulberry bushes and brambles. Then fox came out in full view. She sat and looked straight at me with her golden brown eyes, her ears pricked, her mouth open, panting. The fox mark on my skin burned hotter as if a living coal were pressed below my collarbone. I stared at my Path Animal sitting before a cane patch of tall thorny plants with serrated leaves and dark shriveled berries.

Kea plants.

I fell to my knees.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in the cave, still leaning against Vazan. I'd been with Father in the healer's hut, and later at Pendragon castle, when he'd prayed surrounded by the four sacred elements. A few times when he'd gone very still, he'd awakened saying, “I've seen where the herbs grow.”

The Holy Ones had never given me a vision. Until now.

I stood up, turned, and bowed to Vazan, touching her feet.

“Did you find something?” Vazan asked.

I looked into her molten silver eyes. “I saw a place where kea grows, Vazan. How did you do that?”

“I did nothing. I just made you sit and look inside. Visions do not come when you are fleeing from yourself.”

I looked at my small feet, her powerful claws. You could not run from yourself. But I knew what she meant. Visions had not always come quickly to my father. Nine years he'd prayed for the right fertility cure. I should not expect visions to be painless or to come easily. All Vazan had done was made me sit with my fears, feel them, move into them, pray my way beyond them. But it meant everything.

“Is the herb close by?” she asked.

I told her what I'd seen.

She flicked out her forked tongue. “Dragonswood,” she said.

Pendragon Castle to Dragonswood

Death of Wolf Moon

September 1210

I
HAVE
HAD
a vision, Your Majesty,” I told the queen in a firm voice. “I saw fresh herbs I must gather for you.”

The queen held very still for the artist painting her portrait in the throne room. I could not approach her throne and stood by Lady Olivia while the artist worked.

“A vision?” Her Majesty said.

“It is the way we find our cures.”
The way an Adan finds cures,
I thought, still reeling from what happened in Vazan's cave. “Morgesh Mountain,” Vazan said when I described the shape of the snowy ridge I'd seen in my vision. That told me two things: First, since this was the mountain that crowned the northernmost section of Dragonswood, the kea was not far away. Second, unlike Jackrun, I would have to get permission to cross the boundary wall and enter the refuge.

Her Majesty adjusted her jeweled crown, lifted her chin, and posed again. “Why do you need these particular herbs?”

I couldn't risk admitting my supplies had been stolen. “The Adan and I brought what we'd harvested back home. But now I need a fresh supply, Your Highness.”

“You are not telling me this so you can run away?” She'd turned her head. The artist paused mid-brushstroke.

“If I wanted to run away I would not be asking your permission, Your Majesty.”

“Please, Your Grace, turn your head again,” the painter said. She returned to her position. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“I will be gone herbing only a day or two at most, if it pleases you.”

“If it pleases me?” She laughed. “You are sounding very English these days, Uma Quarteney.”

“I am half English,” I said. I was less ashamed of my English blood now. Meeting Lady Tess had done that. Meeting Jackrun had done that.

Queen Adela turned to look at me. The painter tapped his foot, waiting for her to regain her pose. “You would risk the wolves?”

I shifted on my feet. “For you, Your Majesty, I would.”

“Brave of you,” said the queen.

“Or very foolish,” Lady Olivia whispered at my side.

“Jackrun interceded for you.” She was speaking out of the side of her mouth, her body frozen in place for the portrait. “He begged me to let you live and continue to serve as my physician. My nephew is very persuasive. But I can always build a new pyre. Come here,” she said to Lady Olivia. The artist sighed, having to pause again as the queen conferred with Lady Olivia, their two heads bobbing close together as doves in a dovecote. Queen Adela frowned, spoke again in whispers, then nodded.

“I will send Sir Giles to assure you keep your promise and come home safely to us.”

Everything in me revolted against this. I couldn't work with a soldier at my heels.
Easy,
I thought, taking a breath.
She can be persuaded.
Jackrun used diplomacy. I could do that too.
“There is no need to send anyone, Your Majesty. I have gone herbing all my life. I will keep myself safe, and return to you as—”

“I insist, Uma,” she said holding out her hand. I crossed the room, curtsied, and kissed her ruby ring.

Half an hour later, I paced in the stables as Sir Giles readied the horses and supplies for our journey. He was not a tall man, but strong, thick-necked, a loyal soldier whose jutting jaw lent him a defiant look. At least this man wasn't one of the soldiers who'd ridden down and taken Father and me from Devil's Boot.

At last we were on our way. I rode Lady Gray, who did not know me well enough to appreciate my kicking heels as I urged her south on Kingsway Road. Dragonswood's boundary wall on my right was only four feet high. The stacked stones, more property line than wall, could be easily crossed, but we had to ride south first to reach the place I'd seen in my vision. We needed to make time. I nudged Lady Gray to a canter. Sir Giles trailed me on his charger.

We'd covered a good twelve miles or so before I glimpsed a bright orange tail moving in the scrub beyond the wall. Heart pounding, I reined in Lady Gray. “We stop here,” I said.

“Thirsty?” Sir Giles asked, reaching for his ale pouch.

“No. I need to climb over the wall here.”

Sir Giles shook his head. “That place is meant for dragons and fey folk only, mistress physician. No one's allowed in there without the king's permission.”

“I have the queen's permission. I am going in. You may stay here on the road or ride home if you like.”

Sir Giles spat and wiped his mouth. “What about the wolves?”

I did not look him in the face. I was keenly aware we traveled on the last day of Wolf Moon. I'd stashed a small handful of wolfsbane in his provision bag and mine before we left. If I could have waited another day to travel, I would have. But there was too much at stake with the queen now and not enough time to turn things around.

“If you're worried about the wolves, then we had better get going while we have this much daylight.” I dismounted and tossed him Lady Gray's reins.

His brows shot up as he caught them.“You don't plan to abandon your mount, do you?”

“I have to walk when I go herbing, sir.”

Grumbling to himself, he led the horses to a yew tree across the road. I had my own reasons to grumble. I needed to be alone to follow the vision. The man was trouble.

Sir Giles tied the horses' reins to the bushes and rubbed each one's neck. “We won't be gone too long,” he promised, taking his bow and quiver down along with the provisions bag he'd crammed with food and a plump ale skin for the journey.

He followed me over the wall, then stood back adjusting his quiver. “You're not planning to go too far in?” he asked nervously. I didn't answer.

“Dragons and fey patrol their sanctuary, mistress.” He looked around warily. “The fey might turn us to Treegrims if we're caught in here.”

“My mother told me that story too, Sir Giles. I'm sure it's a made-up tale to frighten people and keep them out of Dragonswood.” I suspected the game was plentiful in the vast forest. Poachers would be tempted to come in after the meat if they weren't afraid to step inside.

“I'm not so sure,” Sir Giles said, frowning at a stunted oak that hunched between two pines. “I'm not passing that poor sinner,” he added, crossing himself.

Holy Ones! How could I shadow my Path Animal with this man along? Was it like this for Father when I'd followed him herbing? At least I'd trained myself to be silent, not complain or ask foolish questions. “You will have to walk a good way behind me,” I said. “Move quietly and do not speak.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” He gave a mocking bow.

I checked the sun's position. I had three, maybe four hours of hard walking to find the herbs before the sun set. I abandoned the grassy spot near the wall and gave the gnarled oak a wide berth as I looked for the place I'd seen the flash of orange tail. Soon we moved into the tall whispering trees. The air felt moist and cool. Branches dripped on the earth as they had in my vision. It seemed a good sign that I was on my way at last.

The forest floor muffled the sounds of Sir Giles's boots. It did not soften the grumbling noises coming from his mouth. I needed to concentrate. “I asked you not to speak,” I said, glaring back.

He shrugged. “I didn't say a word, mistress.”

I was used to traveling miles on foot each day in the mountains, but I had always followed the Adan. I had never walked in such an unfamiliar place. The forest changed as we moved deeper in. Layered scents swirling in the breeze made a rich, giddy tonic. With each step, I felt I was moving deeper into Dragonswood's wildwood magic.

Sir Giles had stopped his grumbling, silenced by the towering evergreens in this part of the wood. But I saw he'd drawn his knife. There's an Euit saying:
Sharp weapons do not vanquish fear
. I did not say this to the man behind me.

We hiked mile after mile under the boughs. Clouds scudded over the treetops, sweeping eerie shadows along the forest floor.
Courage, mi tupelli.
Farther along, thick canopy darkened the way almost completely. I had to push through a creeping fear that was taking hold.

I chose a new path. The fleeting glimpse of a bushy tail led me on again. The wider path cutting through the trees left a blue river of sky above, more light, more air, less gloom.

“Well now,” whispered Sir Giles with an audible sigh, though he still gripped his dagger.

I began to sense ancient presences all around me, as if the spirits in the trees saw me moving here among them, knew why I had come, what I was looking for.

Somewhere far off a whippoorwill sang, the bright sound startling me in the deep silence. Taking the low foothills toward Morgesh Mountain, I came to a place where the path split in two directions.

Sir Giles took a few noisy gulps from his ale pouch. “Where now?”

“Shhh.” I hadn't seen fox for some time and didn't know which way to turn. The forest gave no clue. I did what I'd seen Father do a few times when he was following a vision. I closed my eyes, waiting to feel my way.
The map is within me,
Father once said.

If the Holy Ones had given me this vision, the map was in me now.

I felt a low heartbeat in my back as if I still leaned against Vazan's broad chest. A twinge of heat shot down my right arm. I turned that way, taking the trail bringing us closer to the mountain. A few moments later the sight of a fox tail far ahead confirmed the choice I'd made and my heart did a little joyful flip. We stepped over thick roots and large tumbled rocks.

In the place where the trail leveled out again, I saw elms and oaks growing between the pines, but it was the row of beeches like the ones I'd seen in my vision that made me run. A great gust of wind sent hundreds of leaves swirling down as I raced toward them. I caught the golden hope in my hands and threw the leaves up again. The knight stood back, making tutting sounds as I played. The kea was near. I knew it.

Fox darted out ahead. I followed her, leaving the beeches for the dogwood trees, and there they were, the kea plants, a great green patch of them ready to be cut. Fox glanced at me with a look of satisfaction, then she vanished in the underbrush.
“Tuma-doa,”
I called after her. Thank you.

I fell to my knees and pulled out my blade to cut the stalks.

“Need help?” Sir Giles asked.

I glanced up at him, surprised. He had a knife and the work would go faster with two. “Yes,” I said. “Thank you.”

“No trouble,” he said with a shrug as he came closer. “Thorny buggers, aren't they.” He bent down. “Too late for the berries. They're all shriveled up.”

“It's the leaves and stalks I need to boil for their rich cure, Sir Giles, not the berries. Cut the stalks low to the ground, like this.” I showed him. “We'll pile them up and tie the kea stalks in bundles when we're done.”

“We can reach the road before dark if we start for it soon,” he said, kneeling and cutting with his dagger. I didn't tell him I still had to find huzana vines. I needed both herbs for the fertility cure. Back home I'd climbed the oaks Father's Path Animal, owl, showed him growing near a kea patch, and pulled the heart-shaped leaves from the creeper. I looked up now. No oaks here, and I didn't see any vines in these trees. Kea first, I told myself. The rest will come.

• • •

I
SCANNED
THE
branches for huzana vines as we walked. Three boulders marked the place where the trail leveled out. They tipped one to another like giants' heads in conference. A stream ran behind them. We stopped to drink and fill my water pouch before starting off again. The rope around the kea bundle had rubbed my fingers raw. Thorns caught at my cloak as I took it in my left hand. The scar along my palm and middle finger would complain soon. I would have to switch hands again before too long.

Sir Giles carried his bundle a few feet behind me. We had miles to go yet. Like Sir Giles, I wanted to reach the road before dark. I also knew I had to find the huzana. Torn between rushing back and holding out for the plant I needed, I set an uneven pace for the two of us. Walking fast at times, other times slowing to look up, checking the branches for vines. Where was fox? Why hadn't I seen her again? Didn't my Path Animal know how much I also needed the huzana? It didn't seem right that she'd deserted me.

The chilled air felt cold as lake water in the dense trees.

“Look,” Sir Giles said, pointing at the low gray mist beyond the brambles. No, not mist. The hair rose on the back of my neck. Wolves. Creeping low on their haunches, heads down, ears back, stalking us on silent paws.

I drew out my knife. They burst through the underbrush snarling and snapping their jaws. “Run!” screamed Sir Giles, jumping in front of me. He shot one through its eye before it reached us. But there were more careening through the trees.

A wolf bounded up, knocked him down, jaws snapping around his throat. I screamed, stabbed its back, kicked it, stabbed again as I tried to pull it off. Blood spurted from Sir Giles's neck, covering his attackers' fur, my skirts. The wolf bit my hand. I screamed, reared back, grabbing my hand, losing my knife. Three more wolves bounded toward me. I ran and threw myself against a tree, desperate to scramble up, but the branches were too high to reach. The trees on either side of me were the same. No way to climb.

A wolf leaped at my back. I clung to the tree, tried to shinny up. I'd trapped us both in my desire to get the medicine. We would die here.

A terrible burning heat washed up my back. I turned and saw a figure leaping from his horse. Roaring fire. Wolves yelped and scattered, some racing past me, yowling, fur ablaze. Bright yellow flames screamed around me in furious scorching rivers, as if the sun had fallen to earth, destroying all with its fire. More wolves fell in the burning. I panicked and ran.