A Storm in the Desert: Dragonlinked Chronicles Voume 3 (58 page)

Adept Oran trotted over and took the rolled end from her. “To where are you measuring?”

“Here, to start with.” She indicated the tip of the large wing, and he held the tape there.

Polandra jotted down the information in her dragon logbook.

“Great,” she said, looking up. “Now, Adept Komako, if you could take your end to the tip of Ikan’s other wing, we’ll get the full wingspan.” She looked at Adept Oran. “Unroll as she goes, please.”

Taking measurements on the larger dragons like Ikan always took a little longer, but soon enough, they were done with that and with weighing him.

“There,” Polandra said, closing the logbook. “Now we can get ready for the trip south.”

The metal platform of the weight scale creaked as Ikan stepped off of it.

“I’d like to look over the dragon logs,” Adept Komako said, eyeing the notebook in Polandra’s hand, “when convenient.”

“Sure.” Polandra nodded. “We keep them in the office.” She glanced at the sun. “For now though, we need to hurry and change.”

Adept Komako frowned. “I understand the robe, but must we wear the skirt?”

The woman had been surprised earlier, when Polandra showed them the clothing they’d wear. Especially the skirts. She’d been trying to come up with reasons not to wear it all day.

“The a’sano?” Polandra said. “Yes. We need to wear proper clothing. We don’t want to raise suspicions while meeting with Isandath. If he is suspected of working with outsiders, we would lose our contact in the Order.”

“You can’t see through the robe, so why couldn’t we wear pants?”

“The bottom of the pants would occasionally be visible below the robe, and besides, the hang of the robe would reveal a different silhouette from the a’sano. No, we must wear proper clothing.”

Adept Komako sighed. “Fine. But I am changing in your rooms here. I am not walking through the Caer while wearing that clothing.”

Polandra shrugged. “Alright.”

As the woman headed for Polandra’s stable, Adept Oran leaned closer. “I really don’t understand Komako’s reluctance. They’re about the same length as the swim shorts that are in fashion for women now. Actually, the a’sano is a little longer.”

Polandra recalled Aeron’s reaction to the skirt. “Some people may still feel they are too short. Though, if that’s the case, I’d like to see how the adept would react if she had to wear a pesan uniform.”

“A what?”

Polandra chuckled. “Never mind.”

Adept Oran made use of her rooms as well, when Adept Komako returned. He took a lot less time, though.

“The clothing is comfortable,” he noted, “and offers a great deal more freedom of movement.”

“Which is especially handy if you need to fight,” Polandra said. “Something I hope we won’t have a need to confirm.”

“It’s chilly.” Adept Komako’s lips were turned down.

“The beginning of spring is always cool.” Adept Oran looked from the other auditor to Polandra. His lips were pressed together in a thin line.

He was not alone in tiring of the woman’s tetchy attitude. “It will be warmer in the South,” Polandra said.

Adept Komako also balked at wearing a riding belt. After seeing Polandra and Adept Oran strap them on, however, and after Polandra explained how painful it would be to fall from hundreds of feet in the air, she followed suit, though not without more dallying.

She is making excuses because she is nervous.

She is pissing me off, is what she’s doing.

Different people react differently to their fear of flying.

Polandra raised her brows and turned to Komako. “You’re scared of flying?”

The woman’s face grew pale. “How did—”

I will not drop you, Adept Komako.

“Worry not,” Adept Oran said. “The ride on him was a lot less terrifying than I thought it would be, and I, too, am disturbed by heights.”

The woman glanced from Adept Oran to Ikan and swallowed. She took a breath and let it out. “Less terrifying?”

“Oh, it’s still scary, mind you, but Ikan is a steady lad. If you hang in there, you’ll see.”

She nodded and straightened her shoulders. “Well, I’ve wasted enough of our time with my foolishness. Let’s be off.”

Maybe she’s not so bad, after all.

A rumble was all the response Polandra got.

Ikan hovered for a bit after they emerged from the portal. Polandra guessed he was letting everyone have a chance to admire the beautiful view of the land below. With a little over an hour until sunset, Suule bathed everything in gold light.

We must hurry. The auditors and I still have to walk to the tavern.

As you wish.
Ikan turned to the southwest and made for a ravine below. They’d fly within several large arroyos on their way to Pashi.

Polandra glanced over her shoulder. She’d put Komako behind her, so the woman would have Polandra in front and Oran behind. Being tucked in the middle should hopefully help her feel safer. It seemed to have worked. Most of the fear had left Komako’s eyes. She took in the desert below with apparent interest.

As they continued on their way, Polandra even noticed her lean over one or twice to spy the dry riverbed racing past under them.

She seems to be handling her fear pretty well.

Indeed.

They found a nice secluded bend in a ravine and set down. Polandra unstrapped and hopped to the ground.

“Alright,” she said. “We’ll set off from here on foot. We should be at the tavern within the hour.”

She returned the riding belts to the saddle bags and slapped Ikan on the neck. “We’ll be back soon.”

He chirped at her and lay his chin on his forepaws.
I shall nap until then. We have a long flight ahead.

That we do.

She and Ikan had decided it would be best to fly the entire way to House Peku so that the auditors could see just how far it was. Portals would be used after, once the actual distance involved was revealed. The auditors agreed. They were well on the way to being convinced, but they wanted to remove as many reasons for doubt as possible regarding their findings.

Polandra grabbed her new bo to use as a walking stick. The one she’d taken from Bataan-Mok was manisi issue and might be recognized as such, so she’d had this one made for her trips to visit Isandath.

“Let’s go.” She headed down the gravel riverbed.

“I’ve never seen anyplace like this.” Adept Komako walked to Polandra’s left. “There are no trees, no forests. The land seems almost naked. And yet, it is beautiful in its stark desolation.”

“Naked beauty.” Polandra grunted. “That’s actually a good description for this region.”

“How do people survive in this climate?”

Polandra glanced at Adept Oran. “Perseverance.” She smiled. “It may not seem like it, but there is water to be had. It’s deeper underground in some places and shallower in others. Wells provide what the villages need.”

She spent some time explaining about farming in a desert, about raising livestock, about foraging and taking advantage of what the land has to offer. There was also the Corpus Order and what they provided, which, once she put it to words, was more than she had realized.

“I can see why keeping the Order and changing it would be preferable to having it destroyed,” Adept Oran said.

“Exactly.”

The sun was setting when they arrived at the tavern. Polandra and Komako sat on one side of a booth in the back, while Oran sat on the other. She’d asked them not to seem too interested in anyone else. No need to draw attention by acting the tourist, as Aeron had called it.

“The food smells fantastic,” Adept Komako murmured. “The savory aromas are reminding my stomach how long it has been since lunch.” She glanced up. “Is that him?”

It was. Polandra smiled as Isandath slid into the booth next to Oran.

“Hello Polandra. New friends?”

“Yes. That is Sorcerer Adept Oran.”

The young man bowed his head. “Sir.”

“And this is Zoologist Adept Komako.”

She bowed her head as well.

Polandra lowered her voice. “They are working with the Dragon Craft Guild. I’m taking them to meet Nayra after we eat.”

“I see. It is a pleasure to meet you both. And speaking of food . . .” He waved down a server and they ordered four bowls of stew.

Not much was talked about before the food arrived, and nothing at all was said while they ate.

Finally, Adept Oran pushed the bowl away from him and leaned back in the booth. “That was spectacular.”

“It was quite good.” Adept Komako dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

Polandra wiped the last bits of the tasty stew up with a piece of flat bread and tossed it in her mouth. She glanced at Isandath. “How go Capu Cirtis’s plans?”

“Quite well, actually. It seems the young man used as a distraction on that day was effective in more ways than one. The pro-dragon declarations he shouted have found adherents, and many of them. They have latched on to the idea that nahual are Yrdra’s creations and have become proponents themselves. Soon enough, they’ll be their own faction.”

“That is good to hear.”

“Additionally, I understand that Nesch Takatin has lost some support among the umeri due to his inability to determine how the dragon and boy escaped.”

Polandra sat forward. “He’s losing support from his own faction?”

“No. He was gaining popularity with umeri in other factions. Those are the ones who have started to distance themselves. Though, I would be surprised if umeri in his faction weren’t at least upset with him.”

“Does the Capu have any idea as to when we can officially introduce ourselves to the Order?”

“Not yet.”

Polandra frowned.

“Have patience, my dear. He is doing what he can to influence the umeri. The Laminae are working hard, as well, spreading the nahual idea. And, too, the pro-dragon people have not been silent in their opinions. Shockingly, there have been very few reprisals against them. More evidence, I think, that the time is close.”

Polandra hoped so. “I see. We should probably go, then. We have a long flight to House Peku. I’ll let everyone at the guild know the good news.”

“Take care, Polandra. Say hello to Ikan for me.”

She smiled. “I will.”

As they left the village, Adept Komako asked, “How long did you say the trip would take?”

“I didn’t say, exactly.” Polandra glanced at the Animal Craft adept. “When we flew the first time, it was just Ikan and myself. That took almost two hours. With him carrying three people, though? I can’t be sure.”

Adept Oran sighed. “It’ll be the middle of the night when we arrive.”

“Don’t forget,” Polandra said, “we will gain two hours when we return to Caer Baronel.”

“Time zones.” Adept Komako nearly spat the words out. “I understand the reasons why they were enacted, but even so, I can’t seem to get used to them. At least, when I travel long distances.”

“We’ll be going almost directly north,” Polandra explained, “so we’ll remain in the same timezone.”

“Nevertheless,”Adept Komako said, “we’ll be on dragonback for a very long time.”

Adept Oran looked at her. “Do you not like riding on Ikan?”

“I much prefer horses,” she said. “They’re remarkable creatures. I’ve always had a soft spot for them. But no, it isn’t Ikan that I dislike. It’s the saddle. It isn’t shaped quite the same as a horse saddle and it, well, rubs me differently, shall we say.”

“Ah,” Adept Oran said, “yes. I know what you mean.”

“Honestly,” Polandra said, “I don’t know if there is anything you could sit on for two hours and more that would remain comfortable the entire time.”

Adept Komako chuckled. “Point taken.”

Polandra quickened her pace. The sooner they got back to Ikan, the sooner they could start the long flight.

+ + + + +

Renata glanced up at the stars and wiped sweat from her brow with the back of her gloved hand. Though the sun had set well over an hour ago, the fight and tying the thing up had warmed her, made her sweat, even in the relatively cooler temperatures of night. She let out a breath and tugged on the rope. The dead nahual’s legs were secure.

She glanced at the village, maybe a hundred yards to the east. It was time to get the show started. She mounted up and tied the rope to the saddle.

Let’s get closer to the gate.

Xochi turned and walked toward the path that served as a road.
Then we burn it?

Yep.

Ruts in the road occasionally caught at the nahual as they dragged it along. This was the first one Renata and Xochi had found since the guild had changed how they hunted the creatures here in the South, since the fools at the Order took Aeron and Anaya captive. Though, from what Isandath had been telling Polandra, that action was helping the dragons’ cause more than the old guard’s.

Renata smiled. Served those bastards right.

The gate was just a plain wooden frame built over the road, with an arch at the top. There wasn’t a wall or even a fence connected to it. It stood there, alone, at the edge of the village. About fifty feet beyond it, Renata saw a few faces poking around some of the near tents and buildings. She and Xochi had made plenty of noise, and the glows, too, must have attracted attention.