Dragon Lord (11 page)

“Didn’t I tell you not to ride alone?”

Edana spun to face her father in the dimly lit stable, her horse still in the stall. “I was visiting my horse.” It had been a week since she’d managed to find the stable empty. It looked like it hadn’t been this time either.

“Don’t lie to me. You’ve been watched. Now where have you been going?”

Edana looked past her father to the stableboy she’d seen the first time her father had caught her. “By him?” She gestured towards the stableboy.

“Who doesn’t matter. Where have you been?”

She tried to think of an excuse. It wasn’t like she could tell him she was going to spend the day with his brother and Fen. She tried to think of something he’d accept. She drew a blank. “Why don’t you ask him?” She pointed at the stableboy. “He seems to know everything.”

“I’m asking you. And I’m not going to ask again. Where have you been going?”

“Riding. I’m surrounded by people. Servants. Tutors. I just want some time alone.” Her father remained silent as he stared at her and Edana bit back the urge to keep speaking.

“You want time alone.”

She hesitated. She didn’t like the tone he used. “Yes.” Her voice was uncertain.

“Go to your room.”

Relief washed over her. That was nothing new. She nodded and walked past her father. The relief evaporated when he fell into step beside her. Should she ask him what he wanted? Did she really want to know? “I can find my own way to my room.”

Adalric didn’t answer her, striding silently beside her.

She was tempted to try again, but thought it best to remain quiet. When they reached her room, she stopped in the doorway, staring at her father. Eventually she asked, “How long do I have to stay in here?”

“Until I organise your betrothal.” Adalric closed the door.

Edana’s mouth dropped open as she listened to her door being locked and her father start to walk away. “What?” No answer. “No.” She pounded her fists against the wooden door. “Father.” Still no answer. “Let me out.” She kept pounding and didn’t stop until she heard footsteps pass her door without even slowing. She sank to the floor, her back against the door. This wasn’t happening. She had to find a way out.

Scrambling to her feet, she hurried to the doors leading onto her balcony and flung them open. She looked over the edge, trying to judge if she could make it to the ground. He wasn’t locking her up. No way was he going to marry her off to someone who’d expect her to behave like her mother. She didn’t know how she was going to stop him, but she couldn’t bear a life of that.

Her bedroom door opening had her spinning to see her father and his wizard in the doorway. She clutched at the rail behind her.

“Inside. Now.” Adalric strode towards her when she didn’t move.

Edana tried to pull away from him, but it was impossible. “I’m not getting married. You can’t make me.”

“You’ll be betrothed by your seventeen birthday. Married within the year.” Adalric dragged her into the bedroom before his gaze went to the wizard. “Start the spell.”

Edana continued to struggle. “What spell?”

“To keep you in here.”

“No.” She fought against the hands that held her. When the chanting of the wizard stopped, she was released. She ran towards her open bedroom door. It was like she slammed against an invisible wall. “No,” she screamed, turning to face her father. “Don’t do this to me.”

“I obviously gave you too much freedom. Your mother said I was spoiling you. It stops now. You will act the lady you’re supposed to be.” Adalric strode from the room, his wizard at his heels.

“Father. Please.” She watched as her door was swung shut, leaving her alone. She stared at the timber a moment before she tried to open it. The door wouldn’t budge. She screamed in frustration and headed for the balcony doors that were still open. The invisible barrier stopped her from stepping out of the room. She slammed her hand against the barrier, cursing when pain travelled through her hand and arm.

Another scream. It didn’t make her feel any better. Anger, fear and determination filled her. River! She’d call River. She tried to reach out with her mind. Nothing. She was completely trapped in her room. Alone and trapped. And it was less than four weeks until her seventeenth birthday.

Fen began to wonder how well things were going when three weeks passed without seeing or hearing from Edana. He hadn’t seen her since he and Hanun had dined with her for the first time without her widow robes. The only time without her widow robes. He couldn’t help worrying about her.

The only good news during the past three weeks was that Pearl’s four eggs were thriving. Keeping an eye on the eggs didn’t stop him from wondering what had happened to Edana, especially since he hadn’t even seen her at the races on Halfday. He kept reminding himself she’d call for help through River if she was in danger. He had other things to deal with. In particular four thieves had tried to break in during the past three weeks. Each one River had dealt with.

Although Fen hoped the message would get out that wild dragons weren’t worth the trouble of trying to steal, he had to deliver his own message. He knew one of the thieves had been from Rhone. The others might have been. He didn’t know for sure. There was also the matter of Mouse’s blood oath Rhone held. They couldn’t hope to keep Rhone away from Mouse forever. Eventually Rhone or one of his people would get a message to Mouse and he’d be forced to carry out Rhone’s orders.

First Fen went to River to let him know what he was going to do. When he heard, Mouse begged Fen to stay away from Rhone.

“He’s evil,” Mouse warned.

“I can deal with him.”

“Not on his turf.”

“I have to do this.”

“I will be there,”
River told Fen.

“You’ll stay away from there,” Fen told River.

“Just like you should,” Mouse said. “And I wish you’d stop talking to River. It gives me the creeps.”

“Rhone has to be dealt with. If I let him walk all over me I’m inviting every criminal to try their hand at stealing from me.”

“No you’re not. They’ll soon get the message River’s not to be messed with.”

“I’m going with you,”
River stated firmly.

“River,” Fen growled. “You aren’t listening.”

“Neither are you.”
River was amused.

Mouse rolled his eyes. “No one’s listening.” He shrugged. “Well, you might want to find my blood oath while you’re there.”

Fen looked over his shoulder at Mouse. “I was planning to. Are there any other little surprises I need to know about?”

Mouse shook his head. “Nope. Just that one. It weren’t like I wanted to sign it. Was a couple of years after I first joined him. After you left he made all of us sign them.”

“Do you know where he keeps it?”

“Not a clue. But you should be able to figure it out.”

Fen sighed heavily. “Leave me to it, Mouse. I’ve got things to sort out.”

“I am coming
,” River reminded him.

“You can’t expect to go waltzing in and be welcomed,” Fen said to River.

“I will wait on the rooftop. You may tell him I am there. I will tear the house apart if I need to. He is not to lay a hand on you again,”
River said.

“Fine. But you stay on the rooftop,” Fen said.

“As long as he keeps his hands to himself,”
River said.

“I’ll be back shortly. These aren’t the clothes for slipping through shadows.” As Fen left the pen, he heard Mouse speak to River.

“Don’t go letting him get himself killed. He’s not too bad you know. And Rhone, he’s just evil.”

Fen dressed in dark clothes and pulled on a pair of soft-soled boots. He arranged for his horse to be saddled and then returned to let River out. Mouse was no longer in the pen. They made their way outside where Hanun waited for them.

“Want to tell me what you’re planning, boy?”

Fen wished sometimes Hanun’s servants didn’t have to tell him everything. “I’m taking River for a night flight.”

“Try again. This time try something I might swallow,” Hanun said dryly.

“I have things to deal with.”

“Things?”

“Let’s just say I’ve found out who’s been trying to steal River. They should give up after tonight.”

Hanun nodded. “Always good to stand your ground. Attack is preferable to uncertain defence. Take care.” He walked inside, leaving Fen, River and the servant who held the reins of Fen’s horse.

Fen took the reins, nodded in thanks and swung into the saddle. He sent an image of the place he was going to and River rose into the air. Fen urged his horse forward. He reminded himself he was now his own man. Rhone wasn’t his master and he’d faced him at the competition grounds without a problem. But it had been neutral territory. Fen forced that thought from his mind. He felt the comforting presence of River.

Determination rushed through him. He owed Rhone. It didn’t have to be in the same coin. As long as he felt the pain of paying it. Fen reached Rhone’s place and rode past. He tied his horse at a tavern down the road and walked back. River let him know he was there. Waiting. Ready to protect.

Fen didn’t bother to knock. He flung the door open. A boy, huddled inside, yelped. The boy stumbled to his feet when he saw Fen and raced upstairs. Fen hoped he was going to fetch Rhone. He slammed the door shut behind him and came in as if he owned the place. Act how you want to be treated, he reminded himself.

“Get out!” Rhone yelled from the top of a flight of stairs leading to the next level.

“You have something I want. I have something you want. Only one of us will be satisfied at the end of this meeting,” Fen said.

“I haven’t time for your nonsense.” Rhone moved down the steps. His walking stick tapped on each step as he came.

The sound had once struck fear in Fen. Now it annoyed him. Annoyed him because he knew Rhone did it deliberately.

Rhone smiled, one of pure malice. “I’d have thought you were smarter than to come in here alone. This is my ground. I own everyone in here and they live to serve me.” Rhone stopped before Fen.

Fen grabbed hold of the walking stick and slammed it hard against the rails of the steps. It snapped in two. One half flew across the room. Fen threw the other half in the opposite direction. “I’m not a fool. Don’t expect me to act one.”

Rhone growled, “What am I to think, you coming in here alone.”

“I’m not alone.” Fen smiled. “You might even say I come with my own army.”

Rhone looked around. “I see no one.”

Fen glanced up and noticed Rhone did the same. “Oh, my army would tear through the roof to help me if he thought I needed it. You’d be surprised at how quickly my dragon can move. Or maybe you wouldn’t. You’ve seen him take first place the past four weeks. I don’t need to tell you how attached he is to me. I’m sure your thieves have come home battered enough for you to see with your own eyes.”

“I’ve sent no thieves.”

Fen smiled. Or at least his mouth moved in the shape of a smile. His eyes continued to shoot daggers. “I’ve already told you not to take me for a fool. I expect two things of you. One, leave us alone. Two, Mouse’s blood oath.”

“That’s not how you make bargains.”

“I’m not bargaining. I’m telling you.”

“No one tells me what to do. And not in my own place.”

“You have to the count of ten to agree. After that, my dragon tears your roof apart,” Fen warned.
“You hear me River?”

“Clearly.”

“I’m not falling for that,” Rhone said.

“One.”

“I have no proof your dragon’s here.”

“Two. Go look for yourself. But I won’t stop counting. Three.”

“I should’ve killed you when I had the chance.”

“Four. Yes, that was a mistake. Five. Six.”

Rhone glanced up nervously. “Surely we can come to a beneficial agreement.”

“Seven. Eight. Not interested. All or nothing.”

“I took you in, cared for you, taught you how to survive.”

“Nine. Beat me. Starved me. T-”

“Yes! All right. I’ll give you the damn oath.” Rhone spun on his heel and marched up the stairs.

Fen followed closely. He watched for any tricks or surprises.

“No roof tearing?”

“We wait. It still might happen,”
Fen told River.

Rhone stopped when he reached his door. “You can’t come in here. There’s all sorts of private stuff.”

Fen looked upwards. “Me or my dragon? Who do you want in there with you?”

Rhone swore, threw his door open and stomped across the room. Fen watched as he opened a panel in the wall and searched through several parchments. He flung one at Fen, who stood there.

“Have you no manners? I’ve come across wild animals more civilised,” Fen said mildly. Than more harshly. “You stretch my patience. Pick it up. Hand it to me.”

Rhone glared at him. A sudden scratching on the roof made him look up. Knowing it was River, Fen continued to watch Rhone. The scratching increased and Rhone hurriedly picked up the parchment and handed it to Fen. He read it over and when he saw it was Mouse’s blood oath, tucked it in his belt pouch.

“River, can you help me? Can you tell if he has any more of these I need? Anything of Mouse’s or even mine?”
Fen asked.

“Ask him.”

“Now, is there anything else belonging to Mouse? Blood oaths? Blood for tracking? Anything at all?” Fen asked.

“Of course not,” Rhone mumbled.

“Lies.”

“Try again. This time, tell me what you still have.”

Rhone look startled. “You didn’t ask for anything else.”

“Now,” Fen demanded. The scratching on the roof started again.

“You won’t always have that dragon around,” Rhone muttered. He moved back to the cavity in the wall and searched through everything.

Fen moved forward. He grabbed the sheet off the bed and turned it into a sack. Pushing Rhone out of the way, he scooped everything into the temporary sack.

“You can’t do that.”

“I’m sick of your lies and deceit. I can do this. Now, do you have anything of mine?”

“No. I wish I did and then you’d regret this.”

“True.”

“It must be the first truth I’ve heard out of you all night.”

“Get out of here. If you’re ever alone watch your back.”

“If I come to a nasty end, my dragon will use you to avenge himself. He won’t care if you’re behind it. And any more of your thieves come our way and the same goes. We’re not playing nice anymore. Pass the word around. We’ll track the thief to his lair and whoever sent him will wish they were dead. Even a healer wizard won’t be able to help. I’m sure you’ve heard how impossible it is to heal serious wounds made from wild dragon’s claws.” Fen didn’t know if it was true, but the people he was dealing with wouldn’t know for certain either.

“I’ll stay out of your grounds, you stay out of mine.”

Fen nodded. “Sounds fair to me. And that includes anyone I wish to involve myself with. If they’re part of my life, even slightly, you stay away from them. I don’t care how unimportant they are to me, I’ll take it as a personal insult if you interfere.” Fen strode from the room before Rhone could reply and went down the stairs. As he headed for the door, he asked River to collect the makeshift bag from him.

River swooped down and took it from his hands as he stepped out the door. Moments later, Fen collected his horse from the tavern and headed home. River flew overhead, watching him.