Ashes And Spirit (Book 3) (49 page)

Instead of stopping to do anything more than eat and drink, they had worked nonstop to move the Boromari and Kantherian armies to the banks of the Galdar River. Both sides of the river near the capitol were occupied by Galdrilene and its allies.

She reached out and touched minds with Kellinar briefly, reassured by his presence. The border nations were devastated. Even so, Taela couldn’t help the relief that seeped through her body in spite of everything. Kellinar and Shryden were both safe in the city of Markene now.

Anger registered through the bond, and she shook her head. The sudden influx of refugees into the capitol of Markene was causing all types of problems, and Kellinar was doing his best to help Kalila handle them all.

Shelter, clothing, and food were issues now faced by everyone. Would any of them really recover from the mess of this war? The feelings of displacement, anxiety, anger, and sadness among the refugees added to the mix of irritation, sympathy, fear, and worry among the residents until all of Markene was an exhausting, boiling cauldron of emotions running high.

“Maybe in time,”
Paki sent in response to her unspoken thought.
“First we have to make it through the war before we can worry about what lies on the other side of it.”

“I can’t believe the Shadow Dragons are so strong.”

“I can. It’s in my ancestral memories. The most frustrating part is those memories tell me there was nothing we could do to stop their strength from growing. It was a fluke that saved the world last time.”

“I know,”
Taela returned. Her mind went to Anevay’s weave. It would save the world from the Shadow Riders and take a high price for it.

“We should return to Markene and let one of the others take over for a while,”
Paki returned, interrupting her thoughts.

“Why?”

“I tire of Shryden’s constant demands that I rest.”

Taela sensed Paki was torn between irritation at the blue’s insistence and happiness at the thought of seeing him again. Taela understood completely. It had been months since she and Kellinar had spent any real time together. The few, brief hours they’d had after the battle in Shadereen while they waited to search for Kirynn didn’t count. Still, she had a task to finish.
“Tell him we are almost done. Two more runs and that should be it.”

“I have already done so. However, we have yet another task,”
Paki returned

“What would that be?”
Taela sighed and focused through thoughts of sleep.

“We have been asked to Slide to both Boromar and Kanther to discuss the possibility of them taking on some of the refugees to lessen the burden on Markene. Kirynn and Brock have both agreed to go as well.”

“Can Maleena not handle that?”

“She goes to Lowden to move people out of harm’s way and hopefully bring the new rider to his egg.”

Taela yawned and rubbed her eyes.
“Then I suppose we Slide to the capitols of Boromar and Kanther when we are done.”

Paki opened a Slide to bring the large contingent of Boromari solders through to the Galdar River.
“Perhaps,”
the silver sent as they moved into the whirlpool of air,
“we can find time to at least eat first.”

“I’m in favor of that idea,”
Taela returned, her stomach clenching at the thought of food. When had they last eaten?

“Three days ago for me. Yesterday afternoon for you,”
Paki sent in answer to Taela’s unspoken thought.

“I really didn’t want to be reminded.”

The silver’s mental chuckle rumbled through her mind, and Taela couldn’t help but smile. Other than helping to hold the line at Shadereen and then transporting those on the ground at the last minute, they had been practically useless during all of the fighting. It was why she and Paki had thrown themselves into moving the rest of the soldiers as quickly as possible. Not only because Taela knew they would be needed soon, but because when the time came they wanted to be there alongside their friends.

When they finally came through the last Slide, they moved slowly to ensure all of the soldiers made it with them. Taela’s head swam as her body reminded her that although she had extended stamina thanks to the dragon bond, it still needed food.

Instead of landing in Markene, as soon as everyone was through the Slide, Paki let it close and soared higher until well above the city. A new Slide spun open. Paki flew through, and they were riding the updrafts over Galdrilene.

“Why here?”
Taela sent.

“We need to spend a little time here. Even if it’s just for a meal and a bath.”

“A bath?”

“I realize human noses are much less sensitive than a dragon’s. That said, have you smelled yourself lately?”

Taela chuckled. It had been a while since she’d bathed, but it certainly wasn’t the first time and Paki had never remarked on it before.
“You are just making excuses to return home.”

“Maybe,”
came the return.
“Maleena and Mckale did instruct everyone to make a brief visit to Galdrilene.”

“I think a meal and a bath at home sounds perfect, my wise and wonderful dragon.”

Paki barely landed long enough to let her get down and then remove the saddle before launching herself back into the air and Sliding away to her favorite hunting grounds well into the northern mountains where large herds of elk and deer would provide her with ample meat.

On the ground, without the wind rushing past, Taela immediately began to sweat under the padded shirt and chainmail. With a tired sigh, she began to unbuckle the lacquered arm bracers. Paki was right; it really had been far too long since she’d taken the time to bathe. Food first, then a nice, long soak followed by clean clothes was exactly what she needed. When she reached her lair and stripped down to the silk undershirt, she got a real whiff of what lay underneath.

Never mind the food. A bath first, clean clothes, then she could eat. She pulled off her boots, socks stiffened with too many days of sweat, and finally the leather pants before padding through the Dragon Hold in only the silk shirt and pants.

The warm, balmy air of the bathing chamber closed around her as she stepped through the door. A glance around the room, while she shed the silk garments, revealed signs of its recent use—from the still wet drain channel to the water splashed about. She looked forward to reconnecting with the other riders, however, it was nice to have it all to herself for the moment—except for the attendants of course.

Taela had finished washing, rinsing, and waiting for the pool to refill and was looking forward to a quiet soak when the door to the chamber banged open.

“Why did you refuse to listen to Shryden’s calls?” Kellinar stormed into the chamber. “Do you really think you can just go on forever without resting, without eating? Do you even realize how much the lack of sleep can slow your reaction time?”

Taela climbed from the pool and glared at him. “First of all, this is the women’s bathing chamber. Second of all, of course I know. Why do you think I’m here? And we didn’t listen because we had a task to finish. Why is it you think you have the right to boss me around?”

“To the void with it being the women’s chamber. And I wasn’t bossing you around. It’s called being worried about you. It’s called knowing when your bondmate isn’t taking care of herself.”

She stared at him, sensing the emotions within him. A mixture of worry, love, and buried deep, a fear he would lose her as well. She sighed. “I didn’t intend to worry you. Paki and I just needed to get the soldiers moved. We have no intention of being on the sidelines the next time we’re needed for battle.”

“So you can wade into it and possibly get yourself killed? Taela, we barely made it out of this last fight with every rider intact.” He folded his arms over his chest and scowled at her. “How long do you think that luck will last?”

“You want me to just sit at the back like a good little woman, is that it?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know! I just don’t want to lose you.” He ran a hand over his braids and started to pace. “Fates Taela, is that so hard to understand?”

“No, it isn’t. Because I don’t want to lose you either.” She crossed her arms and frowned. “But you aren’t the type of man to sit it out, and I have news for you, I’m not the kind of woman to sit it out either. So you can just get those thoughts out of your head that I hear swirling around. You will not find me something to do that keeps me in Boromar or Kanther.”

“Why do you have to be so stubborn?” he said with a frustrated sigh.

“Why do you have to be so overprotective?”

He stopped in front of her. “Because I love you!”

“I love you too!” Taela shouted back at him. She turned back toward her pool. “Just forget it.”

He grabbed her arm and spun her around, burying his hand in the hair at the back of her head and pulled her in for a deep kiss. When they came up for air, he chuckled. “We’re fighting over loving each other.”

She clung to him, her naked body pressed against his. “No, we’re just releasing built up fear and tension.”

“This way is better.”

Taela wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled his face to hers, and whispered against his lips. “I agree.”

Locked in another deep kiss that expressed all of their longing, fears, love, and time spent apart, Kellinar backed her toward the pool of hot water and waded in with her, clothes and all. He held her close with one arm while the other waved the attendants out. Taela sank into the water with a sigh as he took only a second to strip off his shirt before pulling her against him again.

Kellinar and Taela found the dining room already crowded and filled with conversation and food when they finally made their way there. A warm greeting went up from the other riders and for a moment, Kellinar felt guilty that this was the second day in a row that he had enjoyed a meal in Galdrilene. However, after a day spent listening to the High Houses of Markene argue over insignificant things, he couldn’t find the energy to carry the guilt long. Soon enough he would return to Markene and the New Sharrens, who though devastated by the loss of their new home, were better able to handle the situation than those from the other nations.

Varnen remained unusually quiet throughout the meal. Sitting beside him, Jocelynn too was visibly subdued. Kellinar’s heart went out to his friends. The loss of childhood home and family must weigh heavy on Varnen. There was little he could think of that would offer any kind of comfort. Sometimes, people just needed to be left alone to grieve.

At the end of the table, Loki spoke quietly with Brock. The boy’s innocent spark was gone since his encounter with the Shadow Riders and the chain the previous year. His time in Markene and the battle at Shadereen had aged the boy. Kellinar shook his head. He needed to stop thinking of Loki as a boy. The past year had changed him probably more than anyone. Where a boy had once been, sneaking off and getting into trouble as he struggled to combine the age of leaving childhood behind and the responsibilities of a rider, a serious young man now stood. Kellinar watched him with a touch of pride. Loki bore the weight of early adulthood well.

He glanced around the table. His Dragon Rider family had certainly grown. He smiled to himself as he remembered the original six of them by the lake before they had come to Galdrilene. How long ago it seemed now. Would Emallya be proud of what they had become? Of the success of all the new riders? He hoped so.