Embers at Galdrilene (33 page)

Beyond the immense doors of the Dragon Hold, the murmuring voices of a crowd could be heard. Bardeck explained to them what they were to do when he called their names, and it was simple enough. The idea of being presented before so many people tied Maleena’s stomach into knots. She pushed down her natural inclination to blend into the background; these people wanted her.

Two large men pulled the heavy doors open and Bardeck stepped out onto the wide, outer stone terrace to stand beside the golden wonder of Mernoth. Emallya soon joined the pair. In the city below, cheers filled the air at the sight of the three. Beyond the terrace, Maleena saw a wall rising high into the air around Galdrilene. Six towers, standing twice again as high, sat evenly spaced around the wall. Beyond a large valley spread out, its rolling hills covered in crops and vineyards. Farther out, mountains ranged all around, their tall peaks marching out of sight.

Bardeck’s voice boomed out as he told of the successful Hatching and of the young draclets now residing in the hold. How had he amplified his voice so everyone below could hear?

Emallya’s voice sounded as loud and clear when she called out Maleena’s name, startling her and making her jump. Somehow, she’d thought at least one of the others would be called first. She felt her draclet’s excitement. Giving herself a little shake she strode forward with Nydara at her side. The sun bathed the stone of the outer terrace in bright light and she had to squint her eyes briefly to adjust her eyes after the relative dark of the Great Hall. She walked forward and came to stand in front of the older couple and Mernoth.

Emallya stepped forward, a silver chain with a star pendant of gold in her hands. “You are no longer Maleena Wyndam of Lowden, outcast and alone. You are relieved of your old life and the duties that went with it so you can take your place as a Dragon Rider.” Emallya put the chain over Maleena’s head. She felt the weight of the pendant resting just above her breasts.

Emallya stepped back. “You are now Di’shan Maleena Wyndam, bonded to the Silver dragon, Nydara, and a Guardian of Galdrilene where the rose blooms eternal. May peace favor you and your dragon all the days of your lives.” In a voice only Maleena could hear, she added, “This is the pendant your family guarded for so many generations. It was once Eileanna’s. As her descendant, it is only fitting you now wear it.”

Maleena smiled, feeling a connection to her grandmother and all of the women in her line. She turned and walked to the massive stone stairs cut into the side of the mountain. Each step more than deep enough from front to back to accommodate a dragon and wide enough that another could perch on the far side of the same step with plenty of room for foot traffic to pass between.

As Nydara descended with her down the first five steps, Emallya announced what the silver color did and what kind of magic they used. As the older woman finished speaking, Maleena reached the fifth step and stood to the very edge of it with Nydara next to her. Below them, the city of Galdrilene spread out from the base of the volcanic rim, its well-ordered streets packed with people. Her chest constricted and she struggled to stand there when she really wanted to run and hide. So many people staring up at her. Her breath started to come in rapid gasps. Soothing comfort flooded her from the draclet, heading off the building panic attack. She took a slow, deep breath. She could do this.

Mckale stood proudly next to Tellnox on the terrace and Emallya’s voice echoed out over the city, “You are no longer Mckale Mandarran, Watch Keeper and Border Guard of Calladar. You are relieved of your old life and the duties that went with it so you can take your place as a Dragon Rider.”

He bent so the chain and pendant could be placed around his neck as Emallya said, “You are now Di’shan Mckale Mandarran, bonded to the Green dragon, Tellnox, and a Guardian of Galdrilene where the rose blooms eternal. May peace favor you and your dragon all the days of your lives.”

Mckale and Tellnox came to stand on the far side of Maleena’s step. Mckale’s silver eyes met hers and his smile held encouragement.

Bardeck called out Vaddoc’s name. The Shaderian stepped into the sun and walked over to stand before Emallya. “You are no longer Vaddoc Eldark, Watch Keeper and Border Guard of Shadereen. You are relieved of your old life and the duties that went with it so you can take your place as a Dragon Rider.”

Emallya reached up and like Mckale before him, Vaddoc had to bend so she could slip the chain over his head. “You are now Di’shan Vaddoc Eldark, bonded to the Gold dragon, Namir, and a Guardian of Galdrilene where the rose blooms eternal. May peace favor you and your dragon all the days of your lives.”

Vaddoc and Namir made their way to stand five steps below where Maleena stood.

Emallya then addressed the red haired woman that faced her on the terrace. “You are no longer Kirynn Izenar, soldier of the Boromari army, defender of Boromar. You are relieved of your old life and the duties that went with it so you can take your place as a Dragon Rider.”

Kirynn accepted her chain and pendant as Emallya continued, “You are now Di’shan Kirynn Izenar, bonded to the Red dragon, Syrakynn, and a Guardian of Galdrilene where the rose blooms eternal. May peace favor you and your dragon all the days of your lives.” Kirynn and her dragon joined Vaddoc on his step.

Then Serena and her yellow stood in front of Emallya. “You are no longer Serena Cyen of Trilene, discarded apprentice and daughter. You are relieved of your old life and the duties that went with it so you can take your place as a Dragon Rider.”

Emallya settled the chain over Serena’s head. “You are now Di’shan Serena Cyen, bonded to the Yellow dragon, Miya, and a Guardian of Galdrilene where the rose blooms eternal. May peace favor you and your dragon all the days of your lives.” Serena and Miya went to stand five steps lower than Vaddoc and Kirynn. And finally, Kellinar and his blue stood on the terrace.

“You are no longer Kellinar Doryne, Thief Lord of Trilene, and master of the young apprentice Loki. You are relieved of your old life and the duties that went with it so you can take your place as a Dragon Rider.”

She put the chain around his neck, the pendant shining in the afternoon sunlight. “You are now Di’shan Kellinar Doryne, bonded to the Blue dragon, Shryden, and a Guardian of Galdrilene where the rose blooms eternal. May peace favor you and your dragon all the days of your lives.”

Bardeck’s voice rose above them once Kellinar and his dragon stood across from Serena, “Di’shan of Galdrilene, these pendants represent the magic of the world, how it is connected one to the other, and how magic ties you together as a group. It also signifies you as a Dragon Rider and should be worn during formal occasions or when you will be out of the Dragon Hold without the company of your dragon.”

As the crowd cheered the draclets and their riders, Bardeck and Emallya called for people of Galdrilene to join them in the hold and meet the new riders and their dragons face-to-face.

The people climbed the stairs in an orderly fashion. Maleena knew they were aware the young dragons were not to be overwhelmed. Still, the need to protect Nydara nearly pushed her to place herself between the people and the draclet. She reminded herself that Emallya said living in Galdrilene taught even the youngest to have the highest respect for dragons and their riders. The lessons had been drilled into them all their lives. Maleena was relieved they seemed to remember those lessons now as they respectfully approached each rider on the stairs. No one pushed or shoved, each patiently awaited their turn to personally welcome the newcomers and express their great hopes for the future.

M
aleena smiled and nodded at the multitude of people, the faces and words of welcome so numerous, they faded together into a blur. Beside her, Nydara eagerly took in each new face. It seemed to take forever for everyone to file past. Maleena heaved a sigh of relief when the last person entered the hold.

She glanced at Mckale as she ascended the steps with Nydara. He leaned toward her and whispered, “I think you handled your first crowd of humanity quite well.”

She flashed him a smile that belied the nervous tension in her stomach. “I don’t know if I will ever get used to so many people in one place.”

“I have no doubt you will someday walk without worry through a roomful of people.”

“I wish I shared your confidence.”

He reached out and squeezed her hand gently as they climbed the stairs with their companions.

They made their way to the Dining Hall where the tables stood prepared with a huge feast. Maleena paused outside the doorway. Nydara’s violet eyes took in the crowded room and the food laden tables and she asked,
“Must I stay? I didn’t eat as much as I would have liked and the meat on the tables looks too good to resist but I don’t think it is meant for me.”

Maleena smiled affectionately at her. “No, you do not have to stay.”

The silver turned and left, followed by her hatchmates who had obviously finished similar conversations with their own riders.

Bardeck and Emallya met Maleena and her fellow riders inside the Dining Hall and walked with the companions to the center table where two mornings ago none of them had wanted to sit. Bardeck and Emallya took the two end chairs nearest the doors. At the other end sat a broad shouldered man whose dark red hair and neatly trimmed beard were streaked with gray. The hard planes of his face showed the lines of age and hard work, yet a twinkle in his blue eyes and a warmth in his smile suggested humor and kindness under the stern exterior. Next to him sat a short, plump woman with deep brown eyes, her long brown hair frosted with gray. Her open and friendly face creased with lines that readily crinkled into a smile.

The riders took chairs in the middle of the table. They were introduced to everyone seated with them. The couple on the end was the city leader, Tarik Koehvain and his wife Anira, both born and raised in the city. A rock of a man named Hemmen Warrick from Shadereen was introduced as the General of the Defenders, the soldiers of Galdrilene. Davin Po, the University Headmaster, and Anevay Sundari, the Keeper of Records, were also introduced.

More names and smiling faces as the Guildmasters of agriculture, building, fishing, forestry, mining, the arts, tanning, weaving, silversmithing, the crafts, blacksmithing, masonry, glassmaking, and the members of the Council of Mages greeted them as they were all introduced.

Maleena’s head spun. She couldn’t remember all the names. She surveyed the tables, nodding and smiling at the people around her, but with so many talking in the room, she heard none of the words they spoke. Mckale sat next to her, the shield of their bond keeping the emotions in the room at bay. The bond didn’t protect her from her own emotions, though. The crowded room felt uncomfortable and without realizing it, she found herself scooting closer to Mckale. So many people, so close together, would take some getting used to.

Her stomach rumbled and she turned her attention to the food. The dishes sported several different types of meat, stews and soups. Wedges of yellow cheese, and small white balls of goat cheese coated in oil and herbs, filled small, round plates. Loaves of bread added their own delicious scent; some soft, some crusty, and others with various herbs or seeds in them.

Maleena tasted a dish of chicken coated in a thick, yellow sauce and found it to be both sweet and sour at the same time. She tried a red fleshed fish topped with bacon and a crumbly cheese. She also sampled several varieties of wine, each well-aged and flavored.

After the main meal had been consumed and removed from the table, small flaky pastries filled with fruit and topped with sweet syrup were passed out along with coffee. Maleena took a bite of the delicate pastry. Lightly sweet on her tongue, it practically melted in her mouth. She wiped away the syrup that dripped on her chin and took another bite.