Authors: Adolfo Garza Jr.
Renata smiled. With one last glance at her reflection, she hurried down the hall to Isandath’s room, dishes rattling quietly on the tray.
He was glad to see her, and smiled even more at the sight of dinner.
“Have you heard the latest rumor?” he asked as she set out their meal.
Renata frowned. “It’s not about those creatures attacking people, is it? You know how dangerous it is to go against or even hint that the Principles might be flawed. And that is the First Principle: Yrdra created dragons.”
“No, no,” he said. “Well, the rumor is not about those deadly creatures, anyway.”
“Isandath,” she said, sitting down, “it is fine to talk about these things between just us, and I admit, some of your arguments hold water, but I hope you are extremely careful about who else you discuss these ideas with.”
“Of course, of course.” He waved his hand and began eating. Then he looked at her, eyes bright with glee, and said, “The rumor that is being whispered is that in lands far to the north, there is a boy who has a dragon.”
She glanced at him a moment, tore off a hunk of bread, and dunked it in the stew. “What do you mean, has a dragon?” She popped the thoroughly soaked chunk into her mouth.
“Like a pet, a companion.”
“A pet.” She didn’t bother keeping doubt from her voice.
“He flies on it, like a mount,” Isandath said, smiling. “A flying horse, if you will.”
“I’m guessing you think this supports your argument that Yrdra created the creatures, not dragons. How can dragons be the evil beasts the Order claims them to be if a little boy can befriend one?”
Isandath, still smiling, raised his brows and cocked his head to the side. “That thought had occurred to me.”
“It’s,” she shook her head slowly, “impossible. Everything we’ve been taught goes against this. Dragons
are
evil. The Book of Days says so.”
“My dear child, there is more in the world than we know. I have learned not to dismiss something out of hand just because it goes against what I think I understand.”
“Isandath,” she said, “there are twenty-foot stone tablets inscribed with the Hour of Creation at the entrance of this very building.”
He toyed with his meal, unusual for him, then looked up at her. “The words are not the same.”
“Not the same? What do you mean?”
“I discovered the original text that Daelon transcribed nearly two centuries ago, some years before he founded the Corpus Order. It differs slightly from what is in the Hour of Creation passage in the Book of Days, differs from what is inscribed on those tablets.”
Eyes wide, she placed both hands on the table. “What are you saying?”
“Some of the original is completely missing. But the most unforgivable change was one word. A single word was added to a sentence. A word that cemented the First Principle and set this Order on a path of senseless slaughter that I now know is terribly wrong.”
Thoughts and questions sprang up in her mind. How could this be? Why would the Order do this? What would be gained? It made no sense. She would need to see everything he’d found for herself. “Which one?”
“Which one?”
“Which sentence was changed?”
Isandath leaned back in his chair.
When he spoke the sentence, there was a cry, a roar, and the world exploded.
Shards of light spun as they fell through the darkness, flashed, and were gone.
Enormous wings beat the chill air, kicking up dirt and debris. Anaya backwinged in the courtyard of the Dragon Stable at Caer Baronel.
Aeron still marveled at her strength and power. Anaya was an amazing dragon. Well, every dragon was amazing, but she was special—she was
his
bond-mate.
With a final, mighty flap, the tawny dragon dropped the last few feet and landed.
Aeron found it amusing that Master Doronal didn’t release his death-grip until Anaya was fully on the ground. Apparently, the Caer’s Master Sorcerer would need a few more trips on dragonback to get comfortable with flying. Of course, Aeron wouldn’t mention it. Being only an apprentice sorcerer, he didn’t think it wise to make light of his instructor.
Aeron moved the riding goggles up to his forehead and looked at his friends. Willem, Sharrah, and Cheddar stood in the light of the street lamp near the large open doors of the Dragon Stable. Millinith was there, too. Master Doronal must have sent for the magic adept at some point before they left in search of the nahual. She stood with arms crossed and lips pursed in a faint frown.
Cheddar and Sharrah waved, her dark brown hair bouncing as she hopped on her toes, excited to see them back safe and sound. Willem looked Aeron up and down. The blond boy was no doubt trying to see if Aeron had been hurt while hunting the nahual.
The horrible things
were
dangerous, after all. Very dangerous. One had nearly killed Aeron two weeks ago before he and Anaya had destroyed it, and the one they just dispatched had not been easy to kill either. But the beast was dead.
It is our purpose. We do it well.
Aeron frowned.
It is our purpose, yes. But that thing gave us a good fight tonight. We should have been able to kill it faster. We might have if I had done better.
You will. We will. Every fight teaches us more.
He loved that Anaya always supported him. He just wasn’t sure that he deserved it tonight. After giving his bond-mate a couple of pats on the neck in thanks, he glanced back at Willem.
Even with the magic master along, Willem had been worried. That concern made Aeron’s heart beat a little faster, and a smile worked its way across his lips, hidden beneath the wind mask.
Hopping off Anaya, he turned to find the magic master already dismounting.
“A most exciting—and cold—adventure,” Master Doronal said, feet once more on solid ground. “Informative, too.” He stared at the large doors of the Dragon Stable. They stood open and inviting. “I don’t suppose there is any coffee ready? Though it hasn’t snowed in weeks, it is still quite cool, and it is even colder while flying.”
“I made some, anticipating the need,” Sharrah said, nodding.
“Excellent!” The magic master headed for the stable.
Millinith walked with him. “You really should have Willem make you a set of riding gear if you plan on accompanying Aeron frequently.”
Sharrah and Cheddar followed them into the building.
Millinith seemed to be controlling her irritation well, Aeron noted. She didn’t sound angry or anything. He unsnapped the leather wind mask, removed the flying cap, and ran fingers through his brown hair like a comb. As usual, the wavy locks on top refused to cooperate.
Willem made his way over.
Aeron grinned. “I told you I'd be fine.”
The corner of Willem’s mouth quirked, and he nodded. “You said you’d be careful, yes. Anything could happen, though.”
“True enough,” Aeron admitted. “But I have to do this.” He looked at Anaya, smiled, and slapped her lovingly on the side. “It’s our purpose.”
Anaya chirped in agreement.
Willem let out a quiet sigh.
Anaya turned to Willem and licked his cheek, her large, partially forked tongue getting his ear and some of his hair as well.
Wiping his face, Willem laughed and said, “Yes, Anaya, it is good.”
Aeron looked at the two of them, suspicious. “Did I miss something?”
Anaya turned to Aeron, and Willem blushed. Neither said a word.
Aeron grunted. “Fine. Leave me out, then.”
Anaya’s wet tongue, sliding over mouth, cheek, nose and eye, muffled his yell. “Aaah!”
She headed for the stable, her grunting laugh echoing Willem’s.
Aeron wiped his face and spit as he followed Anaya. “Disgusting.” He spit a few more times. “Some of your slobber got in my mouth.”
As Aeron and Willem slid the large stable doors closed, Cheddar, long black hair tied back in a ponytail, walked out of Aeron’s study. “Anyone for hot cider?” He lifted up two mugs.
“Oh, yes,” Aeron said, tucking the riding gloves in his jacket pocket. “But let me get her saddle off first.”
“I’ll help,” Willem said, walking to the other side of Anaya.
It took only a minute for the two of them to unstrap and transfer it to the saddle stand near the wall.
Aeron accepted a mug from Cheddar. “This will help wash out my mouth,” he said. Eye on his bond-mate, he took a sip of the warm drink,.
You did not wish to be left out,
she sent as she circled her spot,
so I licked your face, too.
S
he lay down, eyes on Aeron.
Aeron smiled and shook his head.
Right.
“Let’s join the
m in the investigation office,” Cheddar said as he handed the other mug to Willem. He turned to Aeron. “I want to hear about your excursion and so do Sharrah and Millinith.” He lowered his voice, a mischievous glint in his eye. “You should have seen Millinith. She was so chapped that Master Doronal went with you.”
“Did she think he’d get hurt?” Aeron raised his brows, wondering if that was why she seemed upset.
“Maybe,” Cheddar replied. Then, he grinned. “Or maybe she was angry that he’d gone instead of her!”
They joined the rest in the office on the other side of the building.
Aeron and Master Doronal spent the next several minutes describing the flight out and how they’d located the nahual. Aeron talked about his and Anaya’s nahual-sense and how they were getting better at focusing it. Master Doronal related how they had watched the nahual, Anaya hovering at a distance, as it dug into a small hummock
.
“I’m positive nahual can sense people,” Aeron said. “Probably like how Anaya and I can sense nahual.”
“What makes you think that?” Millinith asked, eyes narrowed.
“It turned and waited for us,” Master Doronal said, nodding.
“Right,” Aeron said. “It knew we were there. Once Anaya landed, the three of us quietly made our way over to the nahual, and it was waiting, staring at us as we approached.”
“
We suspected as much,” Millinith said, tugging her lip. “And this lends more cred
ence to the idea.”
“
The range doesn’t appear to be as great as our nahual-sense,” Aeron continued, “because it didn’t seem to know we were there as we watched it from the sky. But after we landed and got closer, it stopped digging and turned to watch us.”
“How do you know it didn’t just hear you?” Willem asked.
“Master Doronal thought to bring field glasses, and I used them now and again to keep an eye on the beast as we sneaked closer. I was watching the nahual through them when it just stopped digging and turned toward us. We’d been very careful to tread lightly before that.”
“Reading Millinith’s reports,” Master Doronal said, “excellent as they are, did not prepare me for the
. . . wrongness of the creature. The only one I’d seen prior had been chopped to bits and pieces. They are so very like us, and yet so different.” He shook his head.
Looking up at everyone, he said, “When we reached the beast, it was disturbingly calm. There we stood, a few feet apart, facing it: Aeron and myself and Anaya as well, who is no small thing. She was quite intimidating, actually, letting out an angry rumble every now and then as she watched the creature.
“Even so, the beast stared at the three of us quite calmly. It was fairly dark, the stars and moons providing the only light, and other than Anaya’s occasional growl, the only sound was the whisper of the wind. It was a very strange tableaux.
“Suddenly, the beast spun to face me and used the glamour spell. I recognized it immediately, and it is just as sinister as Aeron described. The lethargy it instills in you is incredibly effective at destroying your will to do anything at all, much less fight.
Still, prepared, I was able to counter it.”
“
The nahual was not happy when you did that,” Aeron murmured. “It opened its horrible mouth and hissed. I thought it was
going to jump for you, so I tried Safisha’s Flame.”
“Which, fortunately, it countered almost immediately,” Master Doronal noted.
Aeron nodded glumly.
“Why ‘fortunately’?” Sharrah looked at Master Doronal and frowned. “Didn’t you
want
to kill it?”
“Oh, absolutely. But I wanted something left of the creature for Millinith to study. I had even instructed Anaya not to use her flame ability. Since I was with them, I felt we could use less destructive measures. However,” he looked at Aeron, “you must use every ability at your disposal to defeat them when it is just you and Anaya.”
Aeron nodded. “Yes, sir.”
He thinks we would not?
Anaya sounded surprised.
No, love. He’s just reinforcing the idea.
Master Doronal turned to the others. “Aeron had yelled at the nahual before casting Safisha’s Flame, and the beast spun to face him after countering the spell. I saw it tense its legs and crouch slightly. It was going to leap at Aeron.”
“I was a little concerned when it did that.” Aeron twisted his mouth. “Anaya was too, but I told her not to use fire, like you asked.”
A low rumble came from Anaya’s den.
The magic master glanced at the doorway leading to the den and smiled. “Indeed. I saw her begin to move forward, look at you, and stop. At any rate, I had already begun casting Francisco’s Barrier and was sure I could complete it well before the creature reached you.”
“Fortunately, you did,” Aeron said. “I was able to see the invisible barrier from the shimmer it gave off when the nahual hit it.”
“Yes,” Master Doronal said. “But disturbingly, the nahual took it in stride. In fact, when it hit the barrier, the beast recovered almost instantly, using it as a springboard to then leap back away from you. After a very angry hiss, it ran for me, on all fours. It was very fast, so I took more drastic measures.”
Aeron looked at Willem. “We buried the disgusting thing after Master Doronal killed it, so nothing would disturb the carcass.” He grimaced. “It will be much easier to study this one’s head, seeing as it is no longer attached to its body.”
Brows raised, Cheddar looked at Master Doronal. “Remind me never to get on your wrong side, sir.”
“Neilah’s Constriction.” Millinith’s lips formed a thin line. “One of the more gruesome offensive spells, though effective.”
“Yes,” Master Doronal said, nodding, “quite effective.” He turned to Aeron. “And one of the spells you have learned. Yet you fell back to using Safisha’s Flame, the same spell you used in your last encounter with a nahual.”
Aeron’s face got warm. “Spells I don’t use much don’t come to mind in the heat of the moment, I guess.”
It does not matter. We would have been able to kill the nahual, even if we had been alone.
Anaya’s confidence did little to lift his spirits.
Maybe. But Master Doronal is right. I need to make use of all my abilities, use the best one for the situation, instead of always falling back on a few. I need to be better at this.
Master Doronal tilted his head slightly. “I suppose that’s a fair point. Accepted and apprentice sorcery lessons are more about theory, but perhaps we should think about practical training for you.” The magic master glanced at Aeron’s throat.
No, Aeron realized, he’s looking at my collar, at the dragon pin I wear opposite the Magic Craft pin.
Cheeks feeling even hotter, he just stared at Master Doronal. Aeron had started wearing the gift from Willem as a kind of private badge, almost like a craft pin, before anyone other than his friends even knew about Anaya. He wasn’t going to stop wearing it.
Master Doronal smiled, nodded, and looked Aeron in the eye. “After all, you’re dragonlinked now, not just an apprentice sorcerer. Having seen you and Anaya work together, her fierce determination, the instantaneous coordination you can manage, and the abilities you each bring, it all gave me a greater appreciation for what dragonlinked can accomplish. And pointed out the need for more of them.”
Sharrah and Cheddar both gaped, and Millinith nodded.
“Sir,” Cheddar began, “are you implying what I think you are?”
“If you are,” Willem said, “let me be the first to volunteer!”
“And me second!” Cheddar nearly stood.
Sharrah glanced at him, frowned, and said, “Boys, calm down. Let Master Doronal finish.” She placed her hand on Cheddar’s arm and looked to the magic master. “You were saying, sir?”