The Black Wing (17 page)

the sheer pleasure of it. Khisanth would have liked to gulp something to tide herself over
now, but her gnawing hunger would have to wait until after her secret meeting with Jahet.
Khisanth had many secrets. In addition to her ability to shapechange, she knew of a
shortcut to Janet's secluded lair that ensured absolute secrecyeven from Jahet. At the
back of Khisanth's chamber a fresh mountain stream cascaded in a steady, three-foot- wide
waterfall through a vertical crevasse. Desiring to swim one day, but too large to fit into
the flow as a dragon, Khisanth used the opportunity to keep her qhen skills honed.
Shapechanging into the form of an alligator she'd once seen in the moors, she stepped into
the falls and discovered a small, dry crevasse in the stone wall behind it. Curious, she'd
followed the narrow crack for some distance. To her great surprise, it led to a similar
crack in the back of Jahet's lair. The other dragon seemed unaware of the crevasse, likely
because it was concealed on her side by a curved rocky outcropping that ran from floor to
ceiling; her size prevented her from seeing beyond it.

In a blink, Khisanth shapechanged into a small brown field mouse, darted behind the
curtain of cold, falling water, and slipped through the crevasse. In this form, the
distance to the back of Jahet's lair seemed miles, but soon her little mouse nose smelled
fresh blood. Poking her pink nose and black eyes just beyond the stone curtain into
Jahet's lair, the dragon-turned-mouse could see her friend feasting on a cow, its side
torn and bloody, eyes open wide in death. The smell of fresh blood tickled Khisanth's
hungry stomach. The ranking dragon had many privileges, concluded Khisanth, not the least
of which was that Jahet got her meals delivered first.

Suddenly the dragon looked up. Her frenzied gaze fell upon the unexpected mouse at the
back of her lair. Khisanth was glad that Jahet had already eaten, or she might have been a
snack, and not allowed to skitter around the perimeter of Jahet's cave. Khisanth ran as
fast as her mouse legs would carry her to the antechamber and reverted to dragon form
beyond Jahef s vision.

The antechamber to Jahet's lair was large, with a very high ceiling that curved slightly
away from the entrance. The stone walls were rough and glistened with moisture; the high
humidity of summer made these quarters reasonably comfortable for the swamp- loving
dragons.

Displaying proper dragon etiquette, Khisanth waited until she heard Jahet finishing her
meal before announcing her presence. “I'm at your disposal, Jahet.” Jahet's head swung
around to face the opening between her lair and the antechamber. She pulled stringy pieces
of raw meat from between two razor-sharp fangs before speaking.

“That's strange, I didn't sense your approach,” said Jahet, looking a bit puzzled as she
shuffled forward to enter the chamber. The dragon's meal had made her slightly sleepy, so
she circled slowly around and finally lowered her form to recline on the cool stone floor.

“I asked you here because you and I both know your skills are being wasted. You'll never
rise beyond the fifth rank if you continue to refuse a union. It's a credit to the
highlord's belief in your abilities that you've maintained your position without a rider.”
“There you have it!” cut in Khisanth quickly. “Many thought Maldeev would send me away
after the first month for declining to take a rider. But he hasn't. I've maintained my
current position for nearly two years without a rider.” Jahef s was a familiar lecture, as
were Khisanth's answers.

“You used to be the third-ranked dragon, before two others joined.” Jahef s eyes narrowed.
“You and I both know you've maintained the fifth ranking simply because no other dragons
have stepped forward in the last year. One inevitably will.” “I'll deal with that problem
when it arises,” Khisanth said a trifle defensively.

“But why should you have to, Khisanth? Think how far you could climb in status if you took
a rider! I'm certain you'd overtake Khoal and be ranked second in no time.” Khisanth's
thick-boned wings rose in a semblance of a human shrug. “I've learned the value of
patiencea dragon's life is long. Someday I'll rise to the second rank without the
hindrance of a human.”

Jahet's brows raised, and she looked askance. “Do you think I bend more than my knees to
Highlord Maldeev?” Khisanth lowered her guard momentarily, one eye blinking rapidly at her
own unintended slight. “I wouldn't presume to interpret your relationship. I only know
that I've yet to meet the human who's proven himself the equal of a dragon.” To her
annoyance, she remembered one who'd managed to break her nose, but she'd been a human
then, too. That didn't count. “Perhaps you've found the only one in Maldeev,” Khisanth
suggested as a conciliatory afterthought.

“Flattery doesn't become you, Khisanth,” Jahet said sourly. “I haven't summoned you to
argue, but to warn you. I risk much telling you this,” she continued, dropping her voice
to a whisper, though there was no one around to hear them. “That which you both want and
fear may happen sooner than you think.” Khisanth looked puzzled.

Jahet pressed on. “Maldeev has been watching your progress, and I sense his pleasure. The
nature of his questions tell me that he's anxious to move you up in the ranks, but feels
he can't unless you take a rider.” Khisanth shrugged noncommittally, but inwardly she felt
a jolt of delight at the news. “Maldeev is highlord. He'll find a way to raise my rank if
he truly believes it to be in the best interest of the wing to do so.”

Jahet smirked at her. “Ah, but you're forgetting the other dragons....” “I try to,”
Khisanth cut in wryly. “You have made enemies among them,” acknowledged Jahet, “partly
because of your superior skills. They also feel you receive favored treatment.” “Don't I?”
Khisanth asked with brutal honesty. Jahet nodded. “It's true. Our friendship has not
helped them accept you.” It was impossible not to notice the other dragons' animosity for
Khisanth, despite the fact that Jahet didn't interact with them off the drill field, since
her lair did not adjoin theirs. “Neither has your refusal to take a rider, nor Maldeev's
tolerance of it.” “You've put your talon on itthey're jealous,” said Khisanth. Jahet
wagged a digit at her defensive friend. “Don't underestimate the power of their envy.” She
locked eyes with Khisanth. “Make no mistake, Maldeev and I allow you privileges for our
own purposes, but neither he nor I can protect you from their spitefulness. Any blatant
intervention on our parts would simply make matters worse.” “I'm not asking for any help.
I can handle the other dragons,” Khisanth said stonily. “Yes, I suppose you could,” agreed
Jahet, “if we were trying to defeat them. But, lest you forget, they're on our side.”
Khisanth laughed humorlessly and spoke her mind before she could stop herself. “Frankly, I
can't see that those dragons are on anyone's side but their own.” Khisanth's feelings
about Khoal, Dnestr, and Neetra's disloyalty was just thata feeling. She believed that
even combined, they weren't smart enough to cause the wing any real damage with their
spiteful little tricks. What was more, they didn't appear to relish each other any more
than they did her; Neetra and Dnestr toadied to Khoal's face, but sniggered behind his
back. “You know as do I that if s unusualeven unnaturalfor black dragons to work
together,” said Jahet. “I'm sure you've felt a conflict yourself.” She blinked slowly,
considering her words. “I believe the others are as loyal to the wing as can be expected.”
The ranking dragon's tone became clipped. "At any rate, I didn't ask you

here to discuss the behavior of the other dragons. I'm addressing yours.“ Khisanth looked
up in surprise. She'd never heard that rancorous tone of Jahef s directed at her. ”Are you
suggesting that the others are more useful than I?“ Jahet inclined her head slightly.
”They're of more use to the wing with riders on their backs, yes.“ Khisanth tried
unsuccessfully to mask her shock and outrage. ”Is that a directive to take a rider? Or are
you ordering me to feign friendly relations with the others? We both know they're petty
and scheming, that they would rather devote years to my downfall than expend energy
elevating themselves or sharpening their skills.“ ”As long as you don't slay each other,“
Jahet responded coldly, ”your relations with the other dragons mean little to me or the
wing.“ Seeing Khisanth's stubborn expression, Jahet softened her words. ”What I am telling
you, as your friend, is that both you and the entire wing would benefit from your taking a
rider.“ Khisanth's willful expression still did not change. Looking pointedly at her
stubborn friend, Jahet took a deep breath and decided to disclose the full extent of the
news. ”The fact is, Khisanth, I'm not sure that you'll have a choice on this subject for
much longer. Maldeev doesn!t know that I read his mind with a spell, but he's considering
several of his commanders for an arranged union with you.“ Khisanth could not hide her
shock. ”It's gone that far?“ Jahet nodded coolly. ”You would be allowed to choose between
them, I believe.“ If Jahet had been any other creature on Krynn, Khisanth would have
slashed her to death in sheer rage. It took every ounce of her accumulated wisdom to
persuade her that her friend was simply the messenger of this vile news. Talons curled
into painful fists, Khisanth shook visibly when she managed to bitterly croak, ”Isn't that
democratic?“ ”This is not a democracy.“ Khisanth's eyes flashed. ”You of all dragons
should know that I can't be forced to cooperate with this plot. I could leave the wing as
freely as I arrived.“ ”Could you?“ Jahet asked archly. ”Technically, we dragons are free
to leave whenever we wishwho but the queen could stop us?“ she said, her words ripe with
meaning. Khisanth looked away, her nose held high. Jahet's patience with her recalcitrant
friend was running threadbare. She was, after all, a black dragon. ”Maldeev awaits,“ she
said. Tucking her long tail to skirt around Khi- santh, the dragon headed for the exit to
her lair. ”Ponder what I've said, Khisanth,“ she muttered with a dismissive toss of a
claw. ”My advice is to do what's best for you and our queen's army. They are one and the
same.“ With that, Jahet waddled through the opening and was gone. Frowning, Khisanth
watched with mixed feelings as the ranking dragon departed. She couldn't be angry with
Jahet. The other black dragon had gone out on a limb to warn her. Khisanth suspected that
Jahet was dangerously close to violating the spirit of her union with Maldeev. No matter
how friendly she was with Khisanth, she was bonded to Maldeev by the Dark Queen herself.
Khisanth knew only that she didn't want to leave the Black Wingthat had been an angry
threat. It was her goal, and she believed it to be Takhisis's, that she rise through the
ranks on her merits alone. Khisanth had managed to dodge the question for a number of
human years, because her superior skills could not be denied. She had hopedno, worked,
hardto prove that she needed no rider. The dragon couldn't see what had changed, what had
prompted Maldeev to force a choice. But something definitely had. ”Flow with whatever
happens, stay focused by accepting whatever is," Kadagan would tell her whenever she grew
frustrated. Qhen had taught her that denying the existence of a truth would not change it;
refusing to acknowledge the presence of a rock in the

path would not negate it. Khisanth was faced with the emotional whims of humans who had
built the evil army on protocol they weren't eager to disregard. If Khisanth wanted to
fight for her queen, she might have no choice but to trust a human on her back.

*****

At that moment, one very highly placed human in the Dark Queen's army waited impatiently
for his dragon. High-lord Maldeev stood in Shalimsha Tower's great hall, checking the time
on his water clock. The massive machine was built and maintained by gnome slaves. Maldeev
despised their flighty, constant gibbering. He kept them alive only because their
mechanical artistry was unequalled. If they could build a device such as this clock, he
expected he could find other uses for them in the upcoming campaign. Suddenly Maldeev was
struck with the obvious solution to the gnomes' chatter. He made a mental note to have the
barber remove their tongues. The bulky water clock was one of only two items of furniture
in the long, rectangular hall, the other being an ornate, claw-foot chair for Maldeev's
use only. The highlord's second renovation to the tower, after his apartments, was to
remove the entire length of wall that divided the courtyard from the great hall. This
allowed his dragon to enter the cavernous hall for private meetings, without Jahet
resorting to spells whose use made the human highlord uncomfortable. The tower's original
banquet hall was the only protected place in the castle large enough to accommodate Jahef
s bulk.

Thick, irregular timber trusses stained dark with pitch arched overhead from one long
length of wall to the opposite side, supporting the roof of the great hall. Maldeev had
ordered the restoration of tapestries that had originally lined the plaster-covered stone
walls, but had been used as blankets by previous occupants of the tower. The walls were
pale, bare, and cool even in summer while workmen hastened to complete the refurbishment
of the tapestries.

At the shorter eastern length of wall, adjoining the kitchen, was a deeply recessed
fireplace, tall enough for a human to walk into. It burned constantly, even in summer.
Maldeev's elaborate chair, twice his height, was set before it. Jahet's large entrance
allowed light in the room by day. The fire, aided by beeswax tapers on rock corbels, lit
it by night.

Maldeev considered the waning sunlight through narrowed eyes. Jahet was dangerously close
to breaking for the first time a central element of their oath to each other. “Never keep
your soul mate waiting.” They'd made the vow during their union ceremony some five years
earlier, agreeing that such a tenant showed respect for the value of each other's time.
And now Jahet was wasting his. Still, Maldeev had to conclude that his union with Jahet
had proven satisfactory beyond even his lofty expectations. They had performed the
ceremony just after he'd returned from the city of Neraka far across the mountains to the
west, where the Dark Queen had raised her templethe Temple of Istar reborn. The idea to
raise his own branch of the army rallying under the banner of Takhisis had not been
Maldeev's. In fact, Takhisis herself, through a minion, had issued him the mandate to
recruit evil black dragons and form what would henceforth be know as the Black Wing. As
usual, the memory of his time in the dark temple brought both a cold trickle of fear and a
rush of pride to Maldeev. At the time of the mandate, Maldeev had been distinguishing
himself as an excellent tactician in one of the first branches of Takhisis's army, the
blue dragons under Highlord Bakaris himself. Maldeev was widely known to remain calm under
fire; he was also a peerless horseman. He had risen quickly to the level of brigade
commander of mercenary cavalry in the Blue Wing, headquartered in Sanction, the city made