The Dragon' Son (38 page)

Keegan sighed. “As ready as I will ever be,” he replied, grimacing as more pain rippled through his shoulder.

Pharrgon turned his face forward and began to weave his huge mass through and around the huge boulders, making his way toward the open beach where he could open his wings and take off into the air.

Keegan was amazed at how little movement he experienced while on the dragon’s back. On a horse, he would have felt every movement the animal made, but on Pharrgon, he felt like he was practically lying still. Only the slight tightening of Pharrgon’s muscles under him and the movement of the boulders on either side of them, told Keegan that they were moving. Pharrgon paused next to the body of the Roshar that Walneff must have killed and breathed fire onto it, turning it to dust before moving on.

Walneff and Saul were already at a full gallop down the beach with Ardor in tow when Pharrgon emerged from the cover of the giant boulders. Keegan braced himself as Pharrgon stretched his wings out and crouched back on his haunches. The dragon launched himself into the air gracefully but not with his full power. He began flapping his wings rapidly to make up for his loss of momentum, all the while keeping one eye on Keegan.

Keegan watched as the lake slowly moved under them. The dragon’s beating wings slowed to a measured pace. Pharrgon circled in the air and soared over Walneff and Saul, flying toward the tip of the lake where a few shepherds with their flock of sheep stood at the water’s brink, watching the spectacle. The sheep scattered in unison as Pharrgon approached, while their shepherds began running in circles, obviously panicking at the sight of the dragon coming at them. It was an amusing scene to watch, people running in circles and little white puffs of wool running in each direction, each one on its own, until Pharrgon again wheeled in the air and started heading east, ever gaining altitude.

Keegan raised his face up and smelled the cool, clear air, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his back and Pharrgon’s warm, soft scales under him. He finally lowered his head with a groan as his shoulder continued to throb. He closed his eyes, suddenly feeling tired.

Why had the Roshar attacked Pharrgon? Why did it seem these monsters were appearing out of nowhere, and why did it seem that they were focusing on him and Pharrgon?

Keegan sighed, feeling slumber knocking at the door of his consciousness. He would ask Pharrgon and Walneff his questions later. For now, he just wanted to sleep, sleep and relish in the comfort of being in the vast sky with Pharrgon, out of the reach of swords, pain, and fear. If he could, he would stay in the sky forever, but he knew it was impossible. Not even a dragon could stay in the sky forever.

Chapter 19: The Last Piece of Home

Keegan sighed as the rhythmic clopping of hooves against the ground began to bore him. He looked around, but the landscape was still the same: completely flat with miles of knee-high, yellow grass that waved and rolled with the wind, spreading out in every direction as far as the eye could see. The White Mountains to his left were the only thing breaking up the monotony.

He had forgotten what the wild lands, the plains, were like. Everything was open and revealing; its vastness making him feel very small and, with no obstacles to take cover in, under, or around, making him feel exposed and vulnerable. There were no trees, no rocks, no hills, nothing to give characteristics to the land. Just miles and miles of wide, open flat ground.

Keegan sighed again and rubbed his shoulder then began to scratch it, digging the ends of his fingers in and rubbing his still- healing wound as hard as he could.

“Stop doing that, Keegan!” Saul scolded. “You remember what Walneff said, so stop clawing at it.”

“I do remember what Walneff said, but if you had been stabbed in the shoulder by a sword, you would be doing the same thing!” Keegan said with an irritated tone but lowered his hand just the anyway. “Are we nearly there?” he asked.

Saul slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead. “You ask that question every five minutes. When will you stop?” He looked at Keegan.

Keegan frowned. “When I see the house, then I will stop.”

“Keegan, have patience,” Pharrgon said as he completed a ring of summersaults around the duo and their horses.

“Patience is for dragons,” Keegan muttered.

“But dragons must learn it, just as humans must,” Pharrgon replied.

Keegan made no reply. He was tired, uncomfortable, and anxious to have the journey over and to finally see Alia again. It seemed to Keegan that the last leg of this trip had been especially long. For two weeks they had been traveling, and for half of that Keegan had really been doing nothing except resting. Pharrgon had insisted that Keegan stay off horseback for the better part of a week. He instead took Keegan and flew ahead of Saul and Walneff then landed and made Keegan rest for the entire day until Walneff and Saul arrived later in the evening with the horses. Walneff would then tend to his wounds, plastering them with oil and herbs, and then he was forced to rest again.

Needless to say, by the fourth day, he was very restless, and, for some reason, when Walneff broke off from the group to go tend to “other matters”, Keegan’s restlessness increased. However, over this time, Saul had come to accept Keegan as a
Valad Drakoan
and had become good friends with Pharrgon, growing very fond the dragon. Keegan would never have imagined or even hoped for Saul to grow so close to the dragon and especially in such a short amount of time. It made him glad to hear Saul ask Pharrgon questions, advice, and listen intently to the dragon’s stories.

Saul sighed, drawing Keegan’s attention.

“What?” Keegan asked.

Saul shook his head. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking of Walneff,” he replied. “I miss the old man. Even though he could be a bit sharp-tongued at times, I generally enjoyed his companionship. He was very brilliant and insightful.”

Pharrgon completed another ring of midair summersaults around them. “You are wise to say such, for among men, you will find none wiser than Walneff.”

Saul nodded his head. “I hope he is all right,” he said, “and that we see him again.”

Pharrgon seemed to chuckle. “You will see him again,” he said as he opened his wings and alighted on the ground softly, deciding to walk next to the horses for a bit.

For the next couple of hours, very little was said as the company walked. When the sun began to set, though, Keegan began to fidget in his saddle and claw at his shoulder again.

“Keegan. Calm down,” Pharrgon said softly.

Keegan huffed. “How can I be calm? I have not seen Alia in thirteen years! What will she think? What will she do when she sees how much I’ve changed?” Keegan asked as he nervously ran his fingers through his thick, long brown hair.

“Yes. You have changed,” Pharrgon replied calmly. “But, they are not men. They are women. Women have an understanding and gentleness in them, an ability to accept many things that men cannot. You are used to being unaccepted by men, but I have no doubt that these women will readily accept you.”

Keegan looked up at Pharrgon and found the great dragon looking down on him with a reassuring smile and a sparkle in his golden eyes.

“We are not far now,” Saul said. “Pharrgon, you are right that the girls will accept Keegan quickly, but I do not think that they will feel the same way about you.” Saul turned and looked at the dragon. “You should go into hiding until the time is right.”

“I will do so,” Pharrgon agreed, “but I will stay near enough to watch.” With that, he spread his wings and leapt into the air, making a low circle around the horses before soaring into the sky toward the White Mountains and disappearing from sight.

Keegan began to fidget and squirm in his saddle again.

Saul rolled his eyes. “Keegan, let’s race.” And without further hesitation, he urged Tormad into a fast gallop.

Keegan followed suit on Ardor and found that the big draft horse was not easily outmatched, much to the displeasure of Ardor. The two horses galloped alongside each other for several minutes. Tormad was starting to break into a sweat and breathe heavily, but Ardor was still fresh and beginning to enjoy watching his rival wane in strength. But Tormad snorted and pushed himself forward, unwilling to hand the victory over to Ardor so easily. Presently, a small, mud house came into view. Saul and Keegan drew their horses in to a walk, ending the race.

“Here you are, Keegan: your journey’s end,” Saul said, looking at Keegan with a smile.

Keegan nodded without a smile and swallowed, taking a deep breath as he realized that his little sister would be under that roof. She was his last connection to his past, to home.

Their approach to the house seemed slow but too fast at the same time. What would Alia be like now? What kind of woman was she? What would she think of him? What would he do if she rejected him? When they could see moving shadows through the tiny window of the mud house, Keegan’s gut began to churn with anticipation and thousands of doubts and questions began to run through his mind.

“Hello, girls! I’m home!” Saul called out loudly, startling Keegan.

Saul looked at Keegan, noting his startled expression, and shrugged. “It’s better to let them know we are here than to surprise them. Surprises aren’t usually very nice in the wild.”

The door on the little house was flung open, and two women came rushing out with delight beaming on their faces. Their expressions changed to looks of surprise and confusion, however, when they saw Keegan. Saul halted his horse and stepped down to the ground, smiling lightly at the two women and glancing back at Keegan. He fiddled with his horse’s reins, showing some anxiousness.

Keegan sat silently in his saddle for a moment, searching the two female faces that looked from him to Saul with questioning glances. One of the girls had long, dark hair tied in two braids, and the other had fine, light red hair tied up in a bun that gleamed in the light of the setting sun. The latter stared at him with an odd expression forming on her face and, as he stared at her in return, a lump built in his throat. She looked so much like his mother; it was unmistakable who she was.

He sighed and slowly slipped off Ardor. Then he walked up to Saul’s side and stopped, staring at the red haired woman patiently. All were silent, not knowing what to say or do. Alia never took her eyes off Keegan’s face, and, gradually, her eyes began to shine as tears formed in them. Keegan stepped forward and extended his hand toward her. His eyes rested on a necklace that she wore, a necklace that he remembered Braidden and his father had given Alia the night before the massacre.

He opened his mouth to say something to her, but no words came. Only tears began to fill his eyes as he looked at her, so he closed his mouth and began to withdraw his hand and look away.

Alia reached out and grabbed his hand. “K- Keegan?” she asked in a barely audible whisper.

Keegan looked at her, feeling a rogue tear breaking away from his left eye and trailing down his face. He nodded his head, gripping her hand in his. She was silent for a moment, simply staring at him as if in shock, then she put a hand over her mouth, and the tears brimmed over her eyes as sobs began to shake her body. Keegan dropped Ardor’s reins and wrapped both his arms around his sister, pulling her in close and holding her tightly. He closed his eyes as the long forgotten tears of the past began to flow slowly down his face.

After a moment, Alia pulled back and looked at Keegan with a smile on her tear-streaked face. She pushed back a strand of his hair and cupped his face in her hands.

“You’re so handsome and so grown up,” she said with a cracked voice.

Keegan smiled and leaned his forehead against hers. “You look just like Mother,” he said.

Suddenly, another pair of arms wrapped themselves around Keegan’s middle, and he looked down to see the brown-haired woman hugging him. “It is so good to see you again, Keegan, especially when we were sure to never see you again,” she said, stepping back with a beaming smile. “I’m Brainna,” she added, a bit of blush coming into her cheeks.

Keegan smiled at her. “It is good to see you as well, Brainna,” he said. Now that she stood before him, he could see the strong resemblance between her and Eloria. Though their hair color was different, their pale skin, long eyelashes, and bright blue eyes were the same, as well as their smile.

Alia grabbed Keegan’s hand again and took one of Saul’s hands, as well. “Oh, please, both of you come inside. Brainna and I want to hear everything about your journey.” She smiled at Keegan, a happy tear rolling down her rosy cheek. “We have so much catching up to do.”

They tethered the horses and walked inside the tiny little house, closing the door firmly behind them, unaware of the dark shadow that lingered in the tall grass a far distance away. A pair of glowing red eyes watched the happy reunion until the door was shut, then the shadow rose to its full height, shook out a dark fur pelt and snarled before turning and loping away into the growing darkness.

As the last rays of light faded, a chilling howl rose to the sky, far in the distance. Then all was silent as the first star appeared.

Prologue: The Witch

She rubbed her slender, pale hands together as she paced back and forth in her crystal room. Her unblinking eyes, wide with fear, stared into nothing. Strange words fell from her lips. The crystal in the room began to hum until it, too, repeated her words in strange and eerie whispers.