Ashes And Spirit (Book 3) (48 page)

M
aleena reached for Nydara.
“Has Mckale had any luck yet?”

“Yes, he has found them on the north side of the encampment.”
Nydara’s sending paused before the dragon continued,
“You do know I would never condone dropping that man behind enemy lines? Even if he is the backside of a Shadow Dragon.”

“I know, but he doesn’t. Sometimes it’s best to let them assume such a thing is possible. It’s the only way to reach them.”

Maleena retraced her steps through the city, this time keeping her step quick and her eyes averted from any vendors lest she be stopped again. The guards at the city gate were still standing with bored uncertainty when she reached it.

Pausing at the gate, where the land sloped down, Maleena swept her gaze over the collection of tents that spread over the wide field obscured somewhat by the falling snow. A large encampment by any comparison, until one took into account that it comprised three nations worth of people.

The Shaderian survivors outnumbered the others but then they’d had more time. Most of the New Sharrens had also survived though there had been far fewer to try and save to begin with. The swiftness with which Calladar and Shadereen had been reduced to nothing shook what little confidence she had in the future.

She took a deep breath and let it out, trying to send her worry away with it. What would come, would come. They would face it when it did. Maleena walked down the slope and circled around the outside boundary of the tents as she headed toward where she sensed Mckale. The flakes drifting on the wind fell cold on her face, and she pulled the shawl closer.

Mckale stood with Sonja and Barden when she found him. Sonja’s tear-streaked face and Barden’s red-rimmed eyes showed Mckale had told them of Grandme’s fate even before their emotions hit her. Fresh and raw, the wave brought new intensity to the ache that had settled in her head since returning to Markene.

Mckale moved to her side and took her hand in his to strengthen the shield. She sensed a new grief in her bondmate as well. Maleena looked around the cramped campsite then turned to Sonja. “Yaden?”

Sonja wiped at the tears flowing freely down her face. “He is well. Serena healed him shortly after we arrived. But…Kaden is lost to us.”

Barden sank onto a flattened log and stared at the fire in the pit in front of the small tent, his shoulders slumped. “So many lost. So much lost. How will we recover?” New lines left deep grooves in his face and more gray shaded his hair than before. He appeared to have aged ten years in just a couple of days.

Maleena gazed at him through the tears shimmering in her eyes. “You will. Nothing will ever be the same, but you will recover.”

Mckale’s father didn’t seem to hear her. He continued to stare at the firepit as if the answers to the future were in the dancing flames. “The home I was raised in, where I raised my own family, my goats, horses, Mola…”

Pushing away thoughts of Arella, Maleena said softly, “Not Mola.”

“What do you mean?” Sonja asked.

With so much loss on so many levels, even the prospect of the dog’s safety brought hope to their eyes. Maleena managed a small smile. “Mola is safe in Galdrilene. It was because of her we found Kirynn.”

Sonja sank onto the log next to her father with a sigh. “At least there is that.” She sniffled and wiped her cheeks as a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh broke past her lips. “How horrible I must sound for celebrating the life of a dog when my brother and grandmother are dead and everyone around us has lost most of their family.”

“No more horrible than I for grieving the death of my horse when so many people have lost their lives.” Maleena blinked back tears. “Sometimes it’s the little things like the life of a dog that make the rest of this easier to bear.”

Sonja took a hitched breath. “When can you bring Mola to Markene?”

“As to that,” Mckale lowered himself to sit on the ground across from them, “there is a little girl in Galdrilene, Lenya, who is the sole survivor of her village. She’s only five years of age. Kirynn was barely able to save her during the final battle of Shadereen. Everything she knows burned to the ground, and everyone she loved or knew outside of Dragon Riders was killed.”

“Oh, Fates.” Sonja covered her mouth, her eyes filled with compassion.

Maleena settled next to Mckale. “Mola is with this little girl. I have removed most of the pain from Lenya’s heart and buried the memories of the horror, but her mind still knows something awful happened. Right now, Mola is helping little Lenya find fun and joy again.”

Sonja nodded. “Then she should stay there.”

“Probably safer there anyway,” Barden said in a defeated tone. “After all, Markene is next. How long do we really have before the Shadow Riders attack here? After what Mola likely went through, I would just as soon we not tempt the Fates again.”

“I wanted to talk with you about that.” Mckale looked at both of them. “Sonja, you have no training with a weapon at all. Father, you look like you need to rest. I would like to take you to Galdrilene until the war is over.” He glanced at Sonja. “Yaden too, of course.”

“Yaden won’t go.” A fresh wash of tears ran down Sonja’s face. “He is a trained Border Guard. He will stay to fight.”

“And fight he should. You stop those particular tears right now,” Barden growled. “Yaden is young, strong, and skilled on the battlefield. You should be proud of him for staying to stand his ground instead of running.”

Sonja shot him a glare. “I am proud of him. It doesn’t mean I can’t be worried about him or that I can’t fear losing him.”

“Both fearing the loss of him, and worrying about him, rob you of the happiness of the present. If Grandme were here, she would tell you this too.”

“Well she isn’t here, is she? No more than Kaden is. Excuse me if I don’t want to lose another loved one.”

“Your feelings are perfectly understandable,” Maleena interrupted. “Just don’t let them overwhelm you. If you allow them to take away whatever happiness you may find in the moment, then you’ve allowed the Shadow Riders a certain kind of victory.”

Barden sighed and rubbed his hands over his face before leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “I find myself feeling older than I ever thought I would. I’m not as smooth with the swords or as quick-footed as I once was. In fact, since the battle at Calladar, I find it an effort to even rise in the morning.”

He paused and returned his gaze to the fire. “I never thought aches in the joints or so much gray could show up so quickly. I would happily wade into battle with the rest of them, but instead of waking ready to leap from bed and defend our new position I just feel…tired. So tired.

“I guess this is my way of saying Sonja and I will accept your offer. It has been many years since I set foot in Galdrilene. I find the mere thought of it brings peace to my heart. It’s a place where I know I will still be useful.”

Sonja drew herself up. “Who says I wish to go? My husband is here.”

Barden turned to her with sad eyes. “I can’t make you go, nor would I try. I can only hope you won’t make a suddenly old man go alone.”

She stared back before slumping and looking away. “That isn’t fair you know.”

“All is fair in love and war, and we are definitely at war. I have no problem using guilt if it keeps you safe, my daughter.”

Mckale cleared his throat. “I spoke with Yaden not long after I got back to Markene, it’s how I knew where you were. He agrees with Father that you should go to Galdrilene.”

Barden reached over and took Sonja’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Please, Sonja. I lost your mother years ago. Now I’ve lost my mother and my oldest son in a single day. Mckale is a Guardian; there is no question he will be fighting still. Please, don’t make me fear for yet another of my children.”

“You just contradicted your earlier speech about worry and fear,” Sonja said. “If it means that much to everyone, I will go with you to Galdrilene. At least I will be closer to my niece.”

“We will stay and have dinner with Yaden. In the morning I will transport you to Galdrilene,” Mckale said. “There are plenty of guest quarters in the Dragon Hold. You can stay in those. Maybe you two can help take care of Emmaleen so it isn’t such a burden on Marda.”

Barden smiled though it was tinged with sadness. “I would be happy to entertain and help care for my granddaughter.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Though Mckale’s face and voice remained neutral, Maleena sensed his relief, and she gave his hand a squeeze.

While Sonja questioned Mckale and Barden about Galdrilene, Maleena let her thoughts wander to the tasks ahead of them. Although returning to her home village of Lowden was low on her list of things she wanted to do, it had to be done. Not only so those wishing to travel to safety could do so, but also because another egg sang for its rider. In her mind, she sensed the potential new rider in Lowden.

Emallya had once described it as a light that burned like a torch showing the way. Maleena hadn’t truly understood it until the first of Nydara’s eggs had sung. It was an apt description. It flickered on the edge of her mind from the time the draclet inside the egg connected with its destined rider. When she focused her thoughts, it flared bright, and she knew exactly where the new rider was.

She studied the flare in her mind briefly before turning her attention away. The torch died back to a small flicker again. Taela would sense it the same. She could ask her to go, but Maleena immediately cast the thought away. This was her duty as the head of Galdrilene and her own personal emotional shadow to face.

With a small sigh Maleena gathered herself and stood. With a nod to both Barden and Sonja and a brief kiss for Mckale, she excused herself and made her way through the encampment to where Nydara worked with Shryden, Namir, Farynn, Tellnox, and Saria to knock down larger trees for firewood. The men wielding axes thanked the dragons profusely for each tree felled.

Paki should be among them, but she and Taela stubbornly refused to rest until the remaining soldiers from Kanther and Boromar were transported to Markene.

T
aela tried to keep the worry of what would happen next to a minimum. She needed to focus on her task though it was becoming more difficult. It didn’t help that she and Paki were both exhausted from being in the air for almost three days straight. Neither of them had slept since…when
had
they slept last?