Ashes And Spirit (Book 3) (57 page)

The young man slowly approached the egg and reached for it.

The world returned with a jerk. Azurynn blinked as the clutch of eggs resting in the polished onyx floor came back into view. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. So that was how this would play out.

She closed her eyes and allowed her powers to flow out, seeking Dreth. He was in the Kojen pits. Good, it would keep him busy for a while. The chamber was empty except for her personal maid. Azurynn glanced up at the silent woman standing near the wall. “Felici, go prepare my evening meal.”

The woman bobbed a quick curtsy before dashing away. Azurynn no more than thought of Murynn before the black lifted from her ledge and glided in tight circles to the floor. She looked up at the black. “This egg can’t be destroyed. Take it and hide it someplace safe.”

Murynn took off again and hovered over the eggs long enough to clutch the gray egg securely in her front claws then flew out through the cavern opening. As she disappeared into the dimming sky, Felici returned with a covered dish.

Azurynn turned for the hall. “I will eat in my chambers.”

Felici followed in silence and set the tray on the table in the first room. While Azurynn ate, the maid moved about, straightening everything. She removed the tray as soon as Azurynn finished.

“Once you’ve returned that to the kitchen, inform Dreth the gray egg has been destroyed.”

After the maid left, Azurynn glanced around the room. Something wasn’t right, something was missing. She hadn’t noticed immediately when she returned to the Kormai because of the egg laying.

Then she saw it. One of the chains was gone. Burn Sadira to the void. It had to have been her. How dare she enter her chambers and take something without permission—especially one of the chains. They had to be planning to use it in their move against Yari, which would conveniently happen while she had to be at the Kormai with Murynn.

Azurynn stood, crossed the room, and snatched the remaining chains off the wall. Sadira would never have the chance to use another again. She carried them out of the Kormai and well into the canyon beyond. They should have been destroyed a long time ago. After tossing them onto the ground in a pile, she began the weave that would do just that.

When the weave was almost finished except for the final thread, Azurynn backed down the canyon as far as she could while still holding the weave. Placing the final thread, she took cover behind a rock. The chains exploded in a shower of sparks and links, the pings echoing off the rocks around her hiding place.

Azurynn stood and glared at the spot where they’d been. She was going to enjoy her talk with Sadira about this.

K
ellinar stood on the parapets with Kalila, Lalani, and Sehlas as well as her personal guard of Galdrilene Defenders. A massive dust cloud made its way toward the only bridge that spanned the Galdar River north of Hanover. On both sides of the river the armies guarding Markene stood tense as they waited for the cause of the cloud to identify itself.

In the courtyard behind Kellinar, Shryden lifted off and flew over them. The wind from his low passing overhead yanked at their cloaks. The disturbed weather pattern had brought another round of cold to Markene, though this time it thankfully lacked the snow of the last storm. If Kellinar read the currents right, even with their confusing messages, it would be warm enough for shirtsleeves the next day.

Shryden dove down the far side of the wall where the steep embankment rose up to lift the city and castle a couple of dragon lengths above the river. He leveled out and crossed the river then made a wide circle around the mass of moving people and animals.

“You can let Kalila know to have everyone stand down. It’s Traders. The dust obscures their strange wheelhouses from your vantage point. It is more than we’ve seen in one place since leaving Galdrilene. Though I do recall there being a great many in Yari in your memories of passing through there.”

Kellinar sent an acknowledgement back to the dragon before turning to Kalila. “Traders.”

She frowned, confusion clear on her face. “So soon? They were just through here a month ago.”

“I could be wrong,” Kellinar said, turning to look back at the cloud. “But I don’t think they’re here to trade. There are too many of them for that.”

Kalila signaled to a man in one of the corner towers of the outside castle wall. As he began to move a shade back and forth over the signal fire in purposeful motions, she turned to regard the incoming group. She said, “It’s good the New Sharrens went to Galdrilene with Master Po.”

Sehlas nodded. “They come seeking sanctuary judging by the numbers.”

Lalani arched an eyebrow. “Nice to see not everyone in the downlands is possessed of more skull than brain.”

“They are well aware of the war and their precarious position between Markene and the border now controlled by the Shadow Riders.” Kalila smoothed her dress and sighed. “It looks like I need to be prepared for an exhausting negotiation.”

Kellinar glanced at her. “Negotiation?”

“Trading fees.” She turned to the Silver mage at her side. “Lalani, your assistance in this would be much appreciated.”

The mage nodded. “Indeed. This will be most tricky.”

“Why is that?” Kellinar frowned. “If they’re here for sanctuary and not trading, then why any fees?”

“That is why it will be tricky,” Lalani answered. “Since they were recently here, we have no need of them and yet here they are needing a place to go. They know this. We know this. And they know we know this. Despite the fact they are seeking sanctuary, we must still negotiate the fee they will pay. To do otherwise would offer the highest insult not to just a single train but to the entire people.”

“And yet, what fee do you charge when you aren’t in need of their services?” Sehlas finished. “You see the complication.”

“No, actually, I don’t.” Kellinar pushed away from the wall and folded his arms. “They need to be here. You don’t need them to be here. They can take their trading fees and shove them up the backside of a Shadow Dragon. Simple.”

“And this, Kellinar, is why you don’t negotiate things,” Kalila said with a chuckle.

Lalani gave him a flat look. “If only it were that easy. Without a fee negotiated, they will not stay. To refuse a trading fee would be the same as turning them away at the gate.”

Kellinar sighed and ran a hand over his braids. “They’re making complications where there should be none. If you must participate in this fire-brained idiocy remember that you also have two Silver Riders in the city.”

“I thank you for the suggestion, however, I have no doubt Lalani can handle it,” Kalila said. She started for the stone steps that led down to the outer castle courtyard.

“Am I the only one who sees this negotiation as a foolish waste of time?”
Kellinar sent to Shryden.

“I see it that way too. Of course, I saw your attempt to argue that point as a foolish waste of time as well. Human females seem to be rather determined and stubborn.”

Kellinar trailed behind the Defenders.
“And dragon females aren’t stubborn?”

“Dragon females aren’t stubborn. They’re just usually correct.”

He snorted.
“Paki’s listening to this conversation, isn’t she?”

“Maybe.”

“It might be best if we waited until another time to talk about the similarities between human and dragon females.”

“Agreed,”
Shryden returned.

“In the meantime, that trail of dust looks extensive. We should grab a couple of the others and start flying patrols to make sure the trains stay safe until they make it to this side of the river.”

“I will send a message. Wait for me there, it will be quicker if I come to you.”

Kellinar followed the others down the stone steps then waited alone in the courtyard for Shryden’s arrival.

Vaddoc and Namir flew over the long stretch of wagons and wheeled houses. It extended almost three miles behind the lead wagon that was just beginning to make its way across the Markene Bridge. It appeared that every Trader from Yari was in that long train, including all of their livestock.

On the ground, several of the young Ke’han warriors with their Nagi and Nagas patrolled along with Border Guards and soldiers from Kanther and Boromar. Loki and Brock flew to the north while Kellinar and Taela patrolled the south. A little farther to the west, Jocelynn and Varnen flew an outlying patrol.

A ragged group of travelers that weren’t Traders trailed at the end of the long column. Loki and Brock had discovered them wandering in the forests northwest of the Lake of Spirits. Once the residents of the village Calla, they’d fled when the neighboring village was wiped out by the Shadow Riders. A Slide to investigate found Lowden in the same condition as Vaddoc had once discovered Basc.

Vaddoc wasn’t sure if the news would upset Maleena, but for now the dragons and riders flying patrol had decided to keep it to themselves. With Maleena and Mckale both in Galdrilene for a few days, there was no reason to mar their time.

Namir banked and flew in a wide circle as the people below made a slow but steady progression toward Markene.

“Shadows!”
came Namir’s alarm as several dark Jumps opened above the expansive plain.

Namir and the other Guardian Dragons roared in warning to those on the ground as Kojen and soldiers from the Trilene army poured out into the trampled grass. The column of Yari broke ranks as they nearly trampled those ahead of them and the long, orderly train became a mass of screaming people and animals charging toward the bridge.

The Border Guards and soldiers, with the Ke’han at their side, surged toward the oncoming army without hesitation. The Nagas and Nagi flowed like multicolored lightning along the ground as they ripped into the Kojen.

Namir dove at the first Shadow Dragon through a Jump as the clash of battle echoed up from the ground.

Vaddoc didn’t have time to keep track of the ground war. Namir locked his claws into the shadow. His wings worked in quick, heavy bursts. The shadow sank its teeth into the gold’s neck. As the two dragons tried to rip each other apart in mid-air, Vaddoc hit the shadow’s rider with a ball of glowing energy. At the same time, he worked a second weave to try and shield those on the ground.