As they hurried across a small clearing, Jessa suddenly grabbed Ev’s sleeve. “Get down!” She pulled her off the path. Spotting a low, spreading tree, she dived under it, pulling Ev behind her. “Dragon,” she whispered, as the two of them crawled deeper under the umbrella of branches. As they crouched there, the unmistakable, sinuous form of a Dragon passed overhead, its long snout stretched in front, its wings beating at a leisurely pace. In silhouette they could not see anything more than its shape. It was, fortunately, very high in the sky.
Ev put her arms around Jessa and the two of them crouched there as the Dragon disappeared into the east. A few minutes later, another followed it.
“Now what do we do? We can’t continue on,” Ev said. “In fact, I’d say we have to find some better hiding place than this.” She released her hold on Jessa, levered herself on to her knees, and looked around. “I think there’s a thicker tree over there.” As she put down her hand to crawl in that direction, she suddenly stopped. “Jessa.”
“What?”
“Look.”
Jessa did. All around them was a carpet of windfall apples.
Jessa watched the sky while Ev explored farther into the bush around the apple tree. “Another apple tree!” the Woman of the Land announced, and a few minutes later, “Another one!”
A hundred yards or so off the path, Ev found the collapsed remains of a tiny cottage. Jessa joined her. A pile of stones marked the location of the chimney. Jessa continued to watch the sky while Ev carefully pulled aside stones and pieces of wood.
Fortunately, the cottage seemed to have fallen away from its chimney, so the heaviest beams lay on what once would have been the front wall. The area around the hearth was not too deeply buried, but still it took Ev most of the day to pull everything aside. Several more Dragons passed, but Jessa spotted them far off and both girls crawled in among the fallen beams. The Dragons did not seem to be hunting in any event. They were winging their way slowly from west to east, some alone, some in groups.
By mid afternoon, Ev was tired and filthy, her dress torn almost to rags and her hands bleeding. She did not seem to notice. She examined the hearthstones, felt carefully around them with her fingers. “Jessa,” she finally shouted. “This one’s loose!”
The sun was declining well into the western sky. Jessa gave up her watch and helped Ev work away at the stone. It was true. The other stones were mortared, but this one was held in only by a rim of well-packed earth. They used a stick to dig the earth away, and then a larger one to pry. Just as Jessa was beginning to think about lighting the lantern again, the stone finally swiveled and crashed aside.
Beneath it lay a small, flat metal box. Jessa helped Ev to pry it out of its place, then lit the lantern. Ev used the stick to pry open the lid of the box. Books! It contained three, small, leather-bound books.
Chapter 62: Anglewart
King Anglewart straightened himself to his full height, making it clear he stood above his son’s crimson face and clenched hands. Torrie was young, lithe and very strong, a package of pure muscle, but his height was a legacy from his mother. “I will gladly take your suit to one of a dozen suitable young noblewomen,” the King said.
“But you knew I meant to ask for Thalassa.”
“You had not said as much,” the King kept his voice low and calm, a deliberate contrast.
The young man opened his mouth to respond, but then closed it again, his face scowling even more deeply. The King knew it was dangerous to tempt his heir to such anger, but not as dangerous as letting him make the crucial liaison with the Rodolphs, and for the moment, the young man was helpless. He stood before his father visibly struggling to control himself. The King, guessing that Torrie wanted to leave but did not trust himself to speak, nodded. The heir spun viciously on his heel, almost taking a piece of the carpet with him as he strode from the room. Shortly there would be the clash of swords in the yard, Anglewart knew, release of rage and practice in hope of a Challenge to come.
He himself would release elsewhere. He held his cloak closed in front to hide the evidence of his desire to leave the burdens of kingship littering the study and find his young bride-to-be. But one did not hold on to one’s rule just by marrying the most powerful bride available. He took in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and turned to sit at his huge wooden desk. He glanced up at Ermin, ever at his elbow, ever expressionless, or was that the tiniest hint of a twitch at the corner of his Spymaster’s thin lips?
“There are new reports from Aden’s questioning of the peasants, my Lord,” Ermin turned and lifted a stack of parchments from a bench by the door, placing them on the desk.
“I don’t want to read them, Ermin, unless there is something new.” The King looked up at his servant, raised an eyebrow.
“No, my Lord, nothing new. The same old farmers with Dragon Priestess aunts. A hundred goggle-eyed descriptions of the way their eyes rotated and their scales shone, forgetting that you have seen one of the beasts closer than most.” There was a slight catch, Ermin perhaps remembering a moment too late his Monarch’s pain that would follow on such a statement. Neither would dream of acknowledging it.
“Then take it away,” the King said. “Have Aden file it all in the library and keep looking.” He watched as Ermin lifted the pile back to the same spot on the bench it had occupied a moment earlier. “Has Aden questioned that old hag Liandra is staying with?”
Ermin looked up. “Not yet, Sire.”
“Tell him to get on with it. She’s as old as the mountains. If anyone knows something, she does, although those old witches are tighter than clams with information, probably to hide how little they really do know.” He chuckled, watched Ermin pick up the next document on the bench. “So, what next?”
Chapter 63: Gleve
For the first few days there were cottages to stay in. The People of the Land were wary of the tall young King's Man, but everyone knew Gleve, and so welcomed Keiran for his sake. As they travelled further north, the last of the human dwellings petered out and they were left to find safe hiding places as each dawn approached. They spent the days in logs, caves or under the roots of trees, trying not to touch one another in the crowded quarters, disguised by the earthen colour of the travelling cloaks wrapped around them. Keiran was plagued with a stream of memories prompted by the landmarks they passed. At times he couldn’t sleep and sat up during daylight hours sketching madly, filling pages of his precious journal with hauntingly life-like Dragons. He also sketched the men of the expedition, in one case carrying an improvised stretcher bearing a huge egg. "Was that the egg that King Anglewart hatched at the castle?" Gleve asked him.
"Must have been," Keiran replied.
They approached the Foothills Spring campground cautiously, ready to hide and wait if anyone was camped there. As they studied the log shelters arranged in a semi-circle around the springhouse, Keiran suddenly doubled up and vomited. Gleve knelt beside him, wanting to touch him but not daring. "I’m sorry," Keiran whispered when he could speak. "This is a place I'd rather not remember.
“I know," Gleve said. “We won't stay. We'll just try to find the sketchbook, all right?"
Keiran nodded. By now it was obvious that the camp was empty, although they would have to pay attention to the path coming from both directions. There might be a party of soldiers or drovers headed for these shelters before daylight, hoping for a safe and comfortable place for the day.
"The drovers told Father Mallory they found you in the woods behind the camp, although that gives us quite an area to search," Gleve said. "Let's walk into the bush in different places, about ten feet apart, searching as we go. If we find nothing in the first spot, we'll move ten feet along and try again." Keiran nodded, rising and shouldering his pack.
They searched carefully and systematically, keeping an eye on the paths and the sky as well. They had reached a point about two-thirds of the way around the clearing, behind one of the shelters, when Keiran called out. Gleve pushed through the
bushes between them, joining his friend beside a small clearing. It stank, clearly a place used by travellers to relieve themselves. Keiran held up his lantern so Gleve could see what he had found--a stocking entangled in the bushes, torn and shredded, but blue, the colour worn by King Anglewart's men.
The two young men circled slowly outward from the shreds of stocking, carefully searching the ground under their feet and the branches around them. Gleve found a battered glove, black, as anyone's glove might be. They began to watch the sky, nervous as it began to lighten. "We have to find a hiding place for the day," Gleve said. He looked at the rough bunks in the shelters. "You're sure you couldn't consider sleeping …?”
“'No," Keiran cut him off. They left with no further word, finding a space under a large fallen log nearby. There they shared a little dried bread and cheese and curled up at opposite ends of the log to catch what sleep they could in the daylight hours.
Chapter 64: Maida
Mother Peg read her thick letter from Sister Holly in the stable while Maida and Rafe finished the morning chores. After Rafe went upstairs to prepare for bed and Maida began to gather what she needed to carry to the house, she set it down carefully on her lap.
“What news?” Maida asked her.
“Interview notes are pouring in from all parts of the land, with plenty of information about the Dragon Priestesses, some of it new, but no one has yet found the secret of where they found the Little Dragons and how they learned to communicate with them. There is plenty of information about mind-to-mind communication in humans, though, too much to summarize. Holly says I should come and read it for myself. And finally, yes, others are reporting more activity among the Dragons, but no one knows why.”
Maida paused to check the sky before crossing the courtyard. “Look at that!” she said, standing back so that Mother Peg could see. In the eastern sky, just beginning to glow with the first hints of dawn, at least twenty Dragons were already in the air.
“Quickly! Let’s get to the house,” Mother Peg said, stepping stiffly into the courtyard.
Maida took one last look before she closed the cottage door. Several of the Dragons were coming in their direction. “There are so many Dragons out there!” she said to Liandra.
“They’re not hunting, though,” the Princess responded. “They’re looking for something.”
Maida and Mother Peg turned to stare at her. The Old One’s expression was as surprised as Maida knew her own was.
Chapter 65: Gleve
They were both awake well before sunset. "It could have been any King's servant's stocking," Gleve said, chewing on another small piece of hard dried bread. "I'm sure King's men go through here all the time, and that is the latrine area. If someone were going to lose a stocking, it would be there."
"Maybe," Keiran answered, thinking. "But I've remembered something. While I was being beaten and …"
"Raped," Gleve filled in, since Keiran still had trouble saying the word.
"I can remember the smell of shit. I think they might have caught me literally with my pants down." He shuddered. “I just can't help thinking that was my stocking." He paused, thinking. "Gleve, I want to go back and search again."
"All right."
"I mean now, before sunset."
"In the light? Here? So close to the mountains? The Dragons will be coming back to their lairs for the night."
"I know, but the bush is thick and the camp shelters are right there, four steps to safety at a run."
"I don't like it."
"Then you stay here, or in one of the camp shelters. I'll go on my own."
"Keiran …"
Determined, Keiran put a few scattered things in his pack, shouldered it and scanned the sky. Gleve rushed to close and shoulder his pack as well. "I can see you won't be stopped. And I won't let you go alone."
Keiran smiled at him. Gleve frowned back.
Looking up, they darted from one clump of trees to another, pausing in each move until they were sure the sky was clear. Dragons passed over, high above them, winging their slinky way back to their mountain caves. None seemed to be looking down. Perhaps they all had full bellies.
When they reached the camp, they started across the open space and then heard the flapping of large wings. They ran the last few steps to the nearest shelter and flattened themselves against the inside wall, holding their breath, as the dark snaking shadow of a huge beast passed over the grass. They waited, but it did not come back to investigate. They were soon able to run into the woods behind the camp.
Gleve stood guard, scanning the sky as Keiran searched the ground. Starting at the ruined stocking, he circled slowly outward again. When Gleve spotted a Dragon, even far off, he would hiss a warning and both young men would lie still on the ground under the thickest tree they could find.
Keiran suddenly straightened, thinking. He moved around to the other side of the latrine clearing and started to search there. Darkness was falling. Just as Gleve began to think about getting the lanterns out, Keiran called. Gleve ran to him. Keiran was pulling the remains of a well-made oiled-leather jacket out from under a pile of brush. He felt it and let out a triumphant, shout. “It's still here! In its pocket." He rolled the remnants of the jacket tightly around the hard square of the sketchbook and tucked it under his arm. "Now let's get out of here. The quicker the better!"
They paused only long enough to light their lanterns and they were off, Keiran striding ahead with his long legs. "Wait," Gleve called out after awhile, puffing. "I can't keep up." Keiran paused and turned. "The sketchbook," Gleve gasped. "Can we take a minute to look? I'm dying to know if it survived the weather."
"Not yet. I feel so sick and frightened there. I want to get as far away as I can." Keiran turned and started off again.
Interlude: The Dragons
The roots of the mountains tremble
Sun shimmering around us
As we beat Air with our wings
The new approaches
Little Brother
The old approaches
Ttime from before
Come, Dragonkind, and dance
Change takes wing among us.
Chapter 66: Jessa
When Jessa and Ev arrived at Lady Merrit’s room, she cried out and ran to them, throwing her arms around Jessa. “Oh, we were so worried! I was sure I had lost you. I rehearsed a hundred ways to tell Head Mother Mabonne.” She released Jessa and hugged Ev. “Oh my dear!” She stepped back to look at Ev. “What has happened to you?”
Ev grinned with delight. In fact, both girls had been grinning all the way back. Ev pulled what looked like a white rag from under her arm. It was a large swath from the hem of her chemise, torn off to protect and hide their treasure. She set it down on the bed.
Lady Merrit and Sister Imelda stepped closer to stare down at it. Before they could ask, Ev carefully unwrapped the ruined chemise and opened the metal box. Lady Merrit took in her breath when she saw the ancient books inside. She reached out to touch the fragile leather cover of the one on top, but withdrew it before making contact. Then she turned and looked out the window at the faint hint of grey in the sky. “We must get Marle and Mother Tess over here before it gets light,” she said, hurrying to the door. She closed it carefully behind her before they heard her footsteps descending the stairs.
“I sent the coachman for them,” she said when she returned. “And I asked the innkeeper for a basin of warm water for you, Ev.”
This arrived quickly. Lady Merrit wrung the cloth that came with it and began gently cleaning Ev’s face. Ev pulled away. “Please. Lady.”
Lady Merrit laughed. “Oh Ev, you have always done the serving, haven’t you? Well you have had a great adventure and done an important service for us all. It’s your turn to be waited on. Sit still.” Ev did not look happy about it, but she let Lady Merrit bathe her face, hands and feet. Jessa went to get clean clothes for both young women.
After that, they waited. Lady Merrit sitting on the bed,
beside the open metal box, staring at the books as if entranced.
“You can read them, can’t you?” said Ev. Lady Merrit nodded. “Open one,” Ev urged her. “Read what it says.”
Lady Merrit looked up at her, amused. “Patience, my dear. We must wait for Mother Tess.”
The two young women sat on the floor, Marle, Imelda and Lady Merrit on the edge of the bed. Mother Tess was the centre of attention, enthroned on a simple wooden chair brought by the innkeeper. Reverently she lifted up the top book. It seemed to Jessa that her hand was as old as the leather. She opened it and frowned. “Oh dear,” she said, and held it out for the others to see. “The water must have leaked into the box. This one is damaged.” And they could see she was right. The soft parchment of the pages was stained a dark brown and as she gently ran her thumb over their edges, it was obvious that they were stuck together in a single block. Jessa gave Ev an anxious look and saw that Ev’s expression was equally alarmed. Were they too late? Had the secrets been erased by water and time?
Tess set the damaged book aside and reached in for the next one, her face a mask of concentration. All six women in the room let out a breath together when she ran her thumb along the edges of the pages and they ruffled. Then she opened the first page and tilted it so they could see. It was undamaged. “This is Mother Calla’s Healing Journal,” Tess said. “It must have been her last one, the one she was using when she died.”
She set it gently aside and picked up the bottom book. When she opened it, her eyes became larger. She looked up and, to Jessa’s amazement, tears trickled along the deep creases in her cheek. “This is it,” she whispered, and began to read:
“I, Sister Rena, a Dragon Priestess of the People of the Land, have chosen to break the Rule of Secrecy of our Order. I do this after much thought and prayer, because the Kings have killed almost all of us. Only a few remain, and we are in hiding, doomed to die, if not today, then tomorrow, the next day, or the day after that. Our Secrets are the key to life in a Land ruled by Dragons. They must not be lost …”
After only two hours of sleep Jessa and Ev were exhausted and sore but Lady Merrit was at their door when the sun was still a half-hour above the horizon urging them to get up, pack and eat. Then the Lady yelled at the driver and guard to harness the horses. Ev caught Jessa’s eye, her own brows raised high. Neither of them had ever heard the Lady shout like that before.