The Bond (Book 2) (45 page)

Aeron frowned. “She’s not an animal.” He pointed to his bond-mate. “Look at her. Look at her eyes. She’s watching you. Not as a dog would, or a horse, or a cat.
She sees you.
”

Halitos turned from Aeron to Anaya. He studied her, titled his head, and grunted. His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward a touch, as if he might finally have noticed something.

After clearing his throat, Halitos asked her, “I know how Aeron feels about it, but when people call you a pet, does it upset
you
?”

Only in so far as it upsets Aeron.
She gazed at Halitos and blinked.
I do not care what others think of me.

With a sharp intake of breath, Halitos stepped back. Turning to Aeron, he pointed to Anaya, and said, “S–She can talk!”

Chuckling, Aeron said, “Yes, she can. They all can.”

Halitos turned back to Anaya. “This
 . . . this changes things a bit.”

+ + + + +

Journeyman Halitos left on a stage coach the next day, much to Renata’s—to
everyone’s
—relief. Now they could get back to their normal lives, if their lives could even be called that anymore.

Aeron told them that the man may have finally seen something of what they were trying to do. As to whether or not that would that affect the article he would write, no one knew. Renata wasn’t so sure Halitos had learned anything. The man had seemed fairly set in his thinking.

But she put him and the worries about him out of her mind. After all, in the Order, she’d had it worse and had survived. Here, with these people, she would use her advantages to
help
others, dragons and people alike.

There was one worry she could not put out of her mind, however, a worry shared by them all. The approval meeting would take place in Delcimaar three weeks from now. In that far away city, all their futures would be decided.

Aeron jumped down from Anaya and massaged his legs. That had been a long stretch of flying.

“I will need a very long soak in a very hot bath,” Gregor said. “The one thought that kept me going was that we can portal back.” He rubbed his backside and thighs.

“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” Fillion looked abashed as he dismounted.

“Oh, it’s none of your doing, or Coatl’s.” The healer patted the deep-brown dragon. “It is my own, for not having ridden any mount in much, much too long.”

“A nice bath would be fantastic,” Master Millinith said. “After three days riding on dragon-back and sleeping on the ground, I’m quite sure we all could use one.”

Aeron chuckled. He was exuding a little bit of a musky scent himself. A bath would be nice. And if any place had decent bathing facilities, this one must.

From the air, it looked like a farm surrounded by fields and, on one side, a vineyard. There were several buildings nearby, including a very large barn. The house itself was a huge, rambling structure two stories tall. Master Doronal, before he left with Lord Baronel, had told them to land in the yard in back. They had done so, and now stood in an area bigger than the Caer’s courtyard twice over.

One of the doors on the house opened, and out came the magic master, all smiles. “Welcome, everyone, to my family’s country home.”

His family had a mansion in Delcimaar and this place in the countryside. Aeron shook his head. Master Doronal and Master Millinith both came from families with money, apparently. Aeron wouldn’t have had any idea.

“I’m glad that my map was accurate enough to guide you all here.” Master Doronal looked at Aeron. “We’ve prepared that barn for the dragons. Once they’re settled in, all of you please join us inside.”

“Yes, sir.”

Master Doronal turned to Master Millinith with a wry smile. “You may or may not be glad to know that my mother insisted she personally host us all here at the country house.”

A series of expressions passed quickly over Master Millinith’s face. Aeron wondered what was that all about.

Master Doronal chuckled and headed for the house. “She’ll ride with us to the city in the morning.”

“Well, let’s get you settled in, Xochi.” Renata and the red dragon made their way to the enormous barn. Aeron, Anaya, and the others followed.

This is more comfortable than I thought it would be.
Anaya poked her nose at the hay around her. The dragons lay upon a layer of straw that had been spread for them. It was a lot of hay.
It smells nice, too.

Aeron quirked his mouth.
Speaking of smelling, I really need to get a bath soon.

His stomach rumbled.
And a meal.

“
I’m pretty hungry, too.” Liara grinned at him.

“
Honestly, I’d like a bath or shower first,” Aeron said.

“
You and me both.” Willem hitched his carry-all up on his shoulder.

“
Well, the dragons all seem to be settled nicely,” Gregor said. “Let’s go see what the bathing situation is, shall we?”

Aeron felt at home as soon as he walked in. Though much larger, the farmhouse reminded him of the house he lived in when he was younger.

“I love your house,” he said to Master Doronal when they joined him and Master Millinith. “It’s very, I don’t know, homey.”

“
I’m with Aeron,” she said. “This place is much more comfortable than the house in Delcimaar.”

“
The Delcimaar house is a bit ostentatious,” Master Doronal said. He looked around. “Don’t tell my mother, but I completely agree with you both. I always thought of
this
place as my home.”

A woman walked in, then, and Aeron knew who was head of the family. Though she smiled, seemed friendly, there was an air about her of power. One did not cross this woman. Not twice, certainly.

“Did I hear you speaking of me?”

“
Mother.” Master Doronal stood, walked to her, and embraced her. “I’d like you to meet my colleagues from Caer Baronel.” He turned to them.  “Everyone, this is my mother, Lady Erindia.” He proceeded to introduce them one at a time.

Aeron wasn’t the only one who sensed this woman’s standing. Everyone either bowed or curtsied to her when introduced.

“I’m sure everyone is tired,” Master Doronal said, “so why don’t you all take your things to your rooms and rest for a bit before dinner.”

A young man lead them away to their rooms. There were so many that each of them got one to themselves. Aeron again marveled at the size of the place.

The room he was lead to was decently-sized, and must have belonged to a child at one time. Aeron dropped his carry-all next to the bed and poked around. There were dolls and books for young readers along with other hints of its one-time occupant on the shelves. A base ball bat and glove sat in one corner, and nearby, a sled leaned on the wall, a unicorn and dragon still visible in the worn paint. Aeron smiled. A glance out the window showed the back yard bathed in light from the evening sun. He could do with a nap, maybe, but he wanted a bath before anything else. He was ripe.

The bathing rooms were of a kind with the entire place, which was to say, enormous. Aeron walked in the room for men. Everyone, it seemed, had the same idea.

Picking an available tub, Aeron set his carry-all next to it. After stepped out of his clothes, he piled them neatly near the satchel. As the tub filled with water on the hot side of warm, Aeron looked over the glass bottles and tins on the shelf nearby. He unstoppered, uncorked, and opened the lids of several, sniffing each. He decided on a combination of sandalwood and vanilla scents and shook them over the water.

Lowering himself in, he sighed and soaked for a bit. The soothing salts, calming and relaxing, were quite enjoyable. “This is fantastic. A shower has its purpose, but so, too, does a bath.”

Murmurs of agreement came from all around.

Aeron caught himself nodding off. With a vigorous shake of the head, he got to scrubbing. “Come on then, let’s not fall asleep in here. There’s dinner to be had.”

After, Aeron dropped off his carryall and made his way to the large family room.

“
Hey.” Willem waved him over. “This place is golden, isn’t it?”

Aeron sat next to him on the couch. “It is. How’s your room?”

“My room is alright. It’s like an inn room, sort of.”

“
Mine used to belong to a kid, I think. Toys and things are laying about.” Aeron looked around. “Any word on dinner? I’m starved.”

“
Yeah, they said it would be served in a little bit.”

It was, and Aeron found it to be fantastic. Piles of crispy fried chicken came first, served with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with garlic and bacon, and a tasty garden salad. Then came desert. There were at least five freshly-baked pies of various type, with bowls of whipped cream and ice cream to go with.

“That was amazing.” Sitting on the couch, Fillion rubbed his stomach.

Master Doronal, Master Millinith and Gregor had stayed at table with Lady Erindia for after-dinner coffee. The others had retired to the family room.

“What’s amazing,” Liara said, “is that you didn’t explode. How you fit all that food in you, I’ll never know.”

Aeron chuckled. He couldn’t blame Fillion. The food had all been delicious. Jessip started talking about his own ability to put away food.

“Aeron,” Willem whispered.

“
Hmm?”

“
Look.” Willem handed him a newspaper. It was the Delcimaar Daily News. Pointing to a headline on the front page, he said, “It’s Halitos’ story.”

Aeron had completely forgotten about that man. He spent the next few minutes reading the article.

“Barbs and blades!” He flung the paper away from him.

“
What’s wrong?” Jessip looked at the newspaper on the floor.

“
That bastard, Halitos. His story is in there.”

“
What did he do?” Cheddar grabbed the paper.

“
I guess he didn’t understand what I was trying to tell him after all.”

“
What do you mean?” Cheddar read as he talked. “So far it seems a decent enough story.”

“
He used the damn word.”

“
Word?” Renata stared at him. “What word?”

Aeron sighed. “Pet.”

“But he says dragons are
not
pets,” Cheddar noted. “That’s what we wanted, isn’t it?”

“
He used the word!” Aeron stood. “Now ‘pets’ and ‘dragons’ will be linked in people’s minds.” He started pacing. “You know that the guild council will have read that damn story too.”

“
What of it?” Sharrah said.

“
I think I know what he’s getting at,” Willem said. “If people think dragons are just pets, that dragons have no real purpose, will the council approve a guild for them?”

“
Exactly,” Aeron said, still pacing. “If they think this is some sort of, I don’t know, vanity project of Lord Baronel’s, it may not get approved.”

“
But,” Fillion looked around at them, “everyone knows what we do, how hard we work. Don’t they?”

“
Everyone in and around Caer Baronel does,” Renata said. “But once you get far away, all you have are rumors. And the rumor I heard was of a boy with a pet dragon. There was nothing about our purpose. In fact, I came seeking Aeron in order to learn what that purpose was.”

“
We’ve got to impress on the Council how important our work is,” Aeron said. “I just can’t figure out how.”

“
Why not just show them?” Liara’s eyes were filled with mischief.

Aeron drew his brows together. “Show them?”

“Sure.” Liara smiled. “I bet if they saw our purpose up close and personal, it might change a few minds.”

Willem started laughing. “Oh, I really do like how you think.”

Aeron raised his brows. Of course!

Smiling, he turned to the others. “Dragonlinked, put on the riding gear from this afternoon and meet in the barn.”

+ + + + +

The hay bale was more comfortable than Renata thought it would be. She sat with Jessip as they watched their dragons. The others had headed off to the bathing rooms for their second bath today. She’d need a bath, too, after all that work.

“I have to admit,” Renata murmured, “her idea is pretty good.”

“Mmm hmm.” Jessip leaned in closer.

Did he just . . . take a sniff? “What, ah, are you doing?” She looked sideways at him and leaned away.

Looking wary and nervous, he said, “N–Nothing.”

Her cheeks warmed and she swallowed. “I–I probably stink, from all the—”

“Not at all. You, um, never smell bad. Another of the interesting things about you.”

She wanted this, wanted him to like her. But it terrified her, too. He didn’t know how she could be, the things she’d done. Could the past be kept hidden? What if he found out . . . found out that she could be evil? Were his feelings strong enough to survive that revelation?

“Why do you like me?” Her voice sounded odd.

He sat there, staring at her. Finally, he said, “At first, it was your skin, your eyes. I’ve never seen anyone with your looks. Then, I started learning about you. You’re so dedicated. And very strong.”

“I am not strong.”

He chuckled. “Are you kidding? You survived the betrayal of your family, all that, that shit in Bataan-Mok, the betrayal of the Order, living alone in the desert for weeks, and then, the long trip up here. You’re amazing.”

Amazing? She’d never use that word to describe herself. “There’s a part of me you haven’t seen. I’m a monster. I’ve hurt people.”

“You think others haven’t? I used to treat people horribly.” He looked at the dragons. “I even beat people up. If it wasn’t for Aeron opening my eyes . . .” He shook his head and looked back at her. “Listen. Anyone is capable of doing things they aren’t proud of. It’s what we do after that shows our true selves. The people who don’t change are the ones to fear. They’re the monsters.”

Was that true? Perhaps it didn’t matter as long as he believed it was, as long as he believed in her. Lips trembling, she said, “Are you real?”

Leaning closer, he gave his answer.