Dragon Defense (Heirs to the Throne Book 3) (29 page)

Shariel said, “With heavy sailcloth as wings, you’d be grounded.  Their body structure is marvelous!”

“They conserve energy.  I noticed they float rather than pump their wings all the time.”  Brandon chewed a piece of tasty pork.  “I wonder if a sail built in the shape of a wing could lift me like that.  I’d launch myself from a high peak and sail on the wind.”

“Why go to all that trouble when we can ride dragons?” Shariel asked.

“I can’t talk to them like you do,” Brandon said.  “It’s safer in a manmade contraption than riding a creature with sharp talons and quick temper.”  He gazed at the dragons ripping meat from the carcass.

Shariel said, “They won’t hurt a friend.  How could you enjoy meat like this without them to hunt it down?”

“I’d carry my own rations.”

“Each to his own.”  Shariel shrugged.  “I enjoy the company of dragons.  Think of all the ladies who’d beg for a ride.  You’d be booked for a year at Havenshire.”

Brandon cast a sidelong glance at the one girl he hoped to impress.  “I’d build a flying machine and give you a ride any day.”

“It’s too cold to stay on this ridge much longer. Let’s get moving.”  Shariel stood and stretched, but Brandon averted his gaze from her figure. 

Finished with their meal, the dragons groomed their talons until the humans climbed into the saddles.  Shariel marveled at the docile dragons and tried to forget the carnage of their hunt.

Dazzle spread her wings and caught a strong updraft along the canyon walls.  The wing membrane billowed as she banked and changed directions with slight adjustments of wing angle and tail tilts.  Could Brandon build a contraption that mimicked dragon agility?  She doubted it would be as versatile.  Shariel stroked Dazzle’s neck and saw a display of purple starbursts spread across the wings. 

I’d rather fly with Dazzle than any machine,
she thought.  The dragon echoed her feelings.

*****

Felesia relaxed in the spaceport cave and waited for the new dragons to arrive.  Marra purred loudly and butted her arm again with her head.  “I wish you wouldn’t demand so much attention after my adventure at sea.”  Killer chattered and Arrow chirped. “See what you’ve done?  Everyone wants attention so leave me alone for a few minutes.”

Suddenly alert, Flash raised her head and waddled outside.  Felesia followed.  Flash stretched her wings and stared at the sky.  “Do you hear them?”  Arrow launched herself from Felesia’s shoulder and circled overhead. 

Specks winged toward the spaceport, silhouetted against the sunset.  Felesia shouted, “We’ve got dragons to train!”  Jordan and Felesia climbed down to the flat runway and waited for new arrivals.  A whirlwind of beating wings stirred dust as squawking dragons greeted the new flock. Felesia met each new dragon as Marra watched from a safe distance.

“Where’s Andrew?”  Shariel asked.

Felesia pointed to the cave.  “He’s making plans with Marasuta, preparing for their show.  Evidently Marasuta plays a key role in their surprise.”

“When is Salizar expected?”  Shariel sounded worried about the desert riders.

“Tomorrow,” Felesia said.  “Andrew’s in constant contact with Lauryn since their minds became linked.”

Shariel looked up and saw Aunt Bess speaking with Ronda.  The older women stared at the dragons and Bess waved.  “I must greet my mother,” Shariel said with resignation.

Felesia said, “Your mother?  I thought Bess…”

“She raised me because my mother couldn’t stand to see Jarrack in my face.  Don’t worry.  I’m used to it now.”  She marched up the hill without looking.

“Hello,” Ronda said.  “I see you’ve made good use of your skills.”

Shariel glanced back at the dragons and smiled.  “They’re beautiful.  I love seeing pictures in their minds and learning to understand their color patterns.”

Ronda cast an uncomfortable glance at Bess, who frowned at her friend.  Finally she said, “I’m sorry, Shariel.”

“About what?” Shariel snapped.  “That you deserted me or that you branded me evil because of my blood?”

Her mother stiffened and her eyes narrowed.  “I guess I deserve that.  I’m sorry I didn’t take time to know the woman Bess raised.  You’re a good person.  Those children need a good role model, just like you needed Bess, and I’m proud of what you’re doing.”

Shariel’s mouth popped open, but she couldn’t say anything.  Tears filled her eyes, and she nodded acceptance.

Ronda brushed hands against her pant legs.  “Guess I’d better get my team in order.  We’ve got a battle to wage in the morning.”

Shariel watched the lean woman amble down the hill, feeling astonished.  “What did you tell her?” she asked Bess.

The small woman wrapped an arm around Shariel’s waist.  “I explained how you summoned the dragons to rescue us and kept the guards frozen.  I told her it was all because of the talent you inherited and said she was a fool to doubt your good heart.  She needed to know the truth.”

“This time I saw something in her eyes.  It wasn’t love.  Last time I saw fear and hatred but now…”

“Respect is what you saw, and it’s well deserved, my girl.  You’re doing something good for these kids, giving them a home and pride in their abilities.  That’s a valuable gift.  It helps them become good people, just like you.”

“I love you, Bess!”  Shariel hugged her foster mother and their tears mingled when faces pressed against each other.

“I’ll always love you, my daughter,” Bess mumbled.

*****

As the caravan approached the spaceport, Lauryn scanned the sky above the escarpment for wings, and listened with half an ear to Tamarind’s dialogue. Salizar kept aloof, riding well ahead.  Lauryn felt Andrew’s mind, a reassuring strength.  She relished the touch, allowing Andrew to shield her from harsh thoughts from Salizar’s mother.  Comforted by his touch, she forgot the real world.

“You didn’t hear a word I said!”  Tamarind huffed.  “What’s so fascinating about those hills?”

Lauryn blinked and jolted upright.  “I’m sorry. I was daydreaming.”

Tamarind brooded.  “Salizar didn’t come to my tent last night.  He drank and gambled with his men.” 

Lauryn said, “I injured his male pride when I spurned him.”

Tamarind nodded.  “His mother told me about her vision.”

“What did she say exactly?”

Tamarind cast a wary glance at the old woman riding ahead.  Lauryn projected comforting thoughts to help the girl speak. “Salizar’s sons will raise a mighty army to defeat the infidels.  All the great houses will sing praise to his memory.”

Hot tears stung Lauryn’s sun-burned skin, but Tamarind remained oblivious as the story spilled from her lips.  Ancient promises will be fulfilled and great houses will rise from the sand. 

The image of Salizar dying flashed into her mind. 
Have I marked Salizar for death?  I don’t want him dead but I can’t warn him about the ambush.  I can’t live as his captive so I must escape!

A flutter on the horizon caught Lauryn’s eye.  It looked like a bird but Lauryn wondered if dragons prepared to attack and kill.  She whipped her horse.  The animal charged, responding to his rider’s panic, and Lauryn’s heart pounded.  The thunder of hooves mixed with a yelping trill from eager warriors. 

They chased her with savage emotions that beat upon her mind.  Glad for a break in the tedious journey, the riders raced to catch the crazy witch.

Lauryn clung to the sweaty neck of her horse.  Its braided mane whipped her face raw and the salty taste of blood mingled with the coarse grit of sand in her mouth.  Her mind screamed when the riders caught her. 

Hooting and howling, they circled her horse, jeering at her feeble attempt to escape.  White teeth flashed against gnarled beards and ropes snaked through the air.  She struggled in vain, biting, scratching and kicking, which added to their excitement.  Dragged from her horse, she was smothered by a rainbow of rough linen and thrown across a horse like a bag of meal.

She sobbed and heard Salizar’s angry voice command them to halt.  Her ribs ached and her lungs burned as she panted against the cloth.  An acrid smell seeped into the cloth and she felt dizzy.  They drugged her!  Is this how the old woman intended to make her comply?

*****

At the spaceport, Andrew’s eyes rolled back in his head, and his body was drenched with sweat.  Felesia sat beside him, feeling helpless.

“What’s happening?”  Jordan asked.

“It’s Lauryn,” Felesia said.  “Andrew’s linked with her mind.”  

“Can’t you help?”

“She panicked but Andrew calmed her.  Should we take the dragons out and grab Lauryn now?”  Felesia clenched her fists in anger.

“If we’d known she’d run, we would have done that already.”  Jordan tried to soothe Felesia.  “There was no time to prepare and the riders caught her.”

Felesia glared at him. “What are they doing in those tents?” She stomped outside, feeling useless.  Arrow landed on her shoulder, uttering a trill of comfort, and leaned against Felesia’s neck.  The panther appeared a moment later and rubbed Felesia’s legs like a giant housecat.

“We need to do something to help.  She’s so close.  Those barbarians sit in that camp doing something to Lauryn while we wait to spring a trap.  I must go get her.”

“No, Felesia.”  Shariel’s voice startled her, and Felesia swung around.  “Andrew woke up and says she’s not hurt.  You can’t rush off now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.  We need your strength to support the illusion tomorrow.  Get some sleep.”  Shariel smiled, her white teeth gleaming. 

Felesia nodded. “I guess you’re right.”  They went back into the cave together.

Andrew slept quietly, while the others huddled near the small campfire.  Felesia slept in her warm bedroll as Marra purred.  The giant cat’s rumble vibrated through Felesia’s body as she dreamed of sauntering through white sand on soft padded feet.

*****

Marra’s tail twitched and her claws flexed.  Felesia moaned and Marra slipped past sleeping humans, who slept in the red glow of dying embers.  Marra stretched, arching her back and digging her claws into the soil.  She yawned and left the cave.  The cool night wind ruffled her fur and scents coaxed her to hunt.  Her blood pounded and the rhythm of her pants matched the hunter’s heartbeat.

She needed to sink fangs into the soft neck of her kill and taste his blood.  Marra stood outside the cave as night smells tempted her.  Small game scurried to safety in a desperate attempt to escape the smell of the predator.  They did not interest her.  She wanted to hunt the prey waiting in the desert.

Slipping down rocks that led onto luminous sand, an acrid smoke filled her nostrils.  She remembered the hated smell of a familiar enemy.  Feral anger turned into bloodlust and her rough tongue ruffled quivering whiskers. 

She ran with a loping gate.

Horses whinnied as the cat approached, but their men slept unaware of the danger.  Marra’s sleek black body melted into the shadows.  She trotted through a maze of tents and caught the scent of the girl—so much like Felesia. 

A tendril of thought reached Felesia. Marra felt pleased when Felesia urged her on.   She sliced the membrane that trapped the girl with sharp claws and entered the flimsy cave. Felesia’s mind rejoiced when Marra found Lauryn.  She purred and nudged Lauryn softly with her wet nose. 

The girl failed to wake. 

Marra sniffed.  She detected the tangy scent of drugs and a spicy man-odor.  She discovered a man creeping into the tent.  Felesia’s mind screamed that the man planned to attack the unconscious girl. 

A crackling snarl startled Salizar.  He stood still.  With Marra’s night vision, she saw the man plainly, standing naked in the moonlight.  His eyes looked round and he smelled of fear, but the man reached for a weapon in a pile of discarded clothes. 

Polished metal glinted as Marra sprang.  Razor-sharp claws sank into soft flesh as she knocked him onto the ground.  Marra’s front feet stood on the bare chest as she prepared to taste his blood.

“Marra, don’t kill him,” Lauryn called out in a groggy voice. Felesia’s mind responded to her sister and told Marra to stop. 

The cat snarled.  A tangy scent of blood filled her nostrils and saliva dripped from her fangs as she anticipated the taste.  Her claws flexed, sinking the tips into the soft flesh of the trembling creature.

Marra stop
!
Felesia’s mind begged.

The cat obeyed.  She moved away from the man and sat next to the girl. Lauryn stroked Marra’s thick fur and the cat leaned against her body, methodically licking her paws and staring at the man.

Salizar sat up slowly.  “You command the cat?”  

Lauryn shook her head.  “She’s linked to my sister.  She wanted to kill you, but I don’t want you to die.”

“Why not?”