Gloria Oliver (42 page)

Her schoolwork seemed to increase exponentially and so other than for greeting Kel in the morning or watching him with Clarence as they practiced at night, she saw little of the dragon or squire during the week. On freeday, however, she made a point of going to the dormitory. As she’d hoped, she had no trouble getting inside. She found Kel there with Clarence, the squire oiling the dragon’s skin.

Not sure how Clarence would feel about her presence, she shyly greeted them. “Morning.”

“Talia!” Kel looked up from his work, looking pleasantly surprised.

Clarence glanced over as well.
Good morning
.

She couldn’t read the dragon’s tone, but decided to take the fact he was speaking to her as a good sign.

“I only stopped by to see if you were both doing all right.” Now that she was here, she didn’t have any idea how to proceed.

We’re doing tolerably well
.

“I’m glad to hear it.” She looked away not sure what else to say, but not wanting to leave since she just got there. “Well…”

“You know, Clarence’s been complaining I don’t do as good a job as you did on his skin,” Kel said. “If you’re not too busy, would you consider showing me your technique?”

Her face lit up before she could stop herself. She glanced at Clarence and then looked away. “I’m caught up on my work, but…” She left the rest unsaid not sure how Clarence felt about it.

I would be most grateful if you would. You have the touch and it would do him good to learn of it
.

A swell of happiness cut through her at the dragon’s words. Her hands itched to help again. “I can!”

Kel opened the gate for her to come inside. She couldn’t help smiling.

For the next month, on every freeday, she went straight to the dormitory as soon as she was able and spent one to two hours with the dragon and the squire. She helped oil Clarence’s skin and in turn, Kel and Clarence would converse with her and even help her with things she was having problems grasping in class. Clarence was especially well versed in history for both human and dragon kind. Neither seemed to mind her bouts of endless questions, looking more amused by her curiosity, or her simple, inexperienced point of view than anything else.

She was very happy with the arrangement.

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“LISTEN UP, EVERYONE!”

The students were about to be dismissed from breakfast when the booming voice cut through the dining hall. All heads turned toward the Administrator’s table as Lareen appeared in a flash on top of it. The room grew abruptly silent, Lareen’s unusual appearance—in armor no less—and the seriousness in her tone, trapping everyone’s attention.

“An emergency has arisen and our help is needed.” The Administrator’s eyes gleamed intently across the room. “Maeloon have attacked a village a few hours flight from here. It is not only one, but a group of them.” Gasps rang all around. Talia felt a shiver make its way unwanted down her back. Maeloon. In a pack.

“It gets worse. This is not the first village they’ve attacked, and a group of ruffians is following behind them pillaging in their wake. The Fifty-eighth Squadron has been dispatched to deal with the matter, but they need help caring for the wounded, distributing supplies, and protecting the camp while they divert the Maeloon and take care of the bandits.

“I’ve pledged the school’s help since we’re close to the devastated area and we have plenty of stored supplies. As for personnel, this will be on a purely volunteer basis. We’ll need people helping both here and there to pass the supplies, run errands, keep watch and whatever else might come up. The chances of danger are slim, but there are no guarantees. Maeloon and humans working together is an unprecedented event, and until we’re able to better ascertain how this has been managed, the true extent of the threat will not be known.

“Classes are as of this moment suspended. Anyone wishing to volunteer please report in armor to Nertak’s cave in an hour. We’ll be using his transportation circle to get there so we can start assisting as soon as possible. I’ll see you there.” Lareen disappeared as abruptly as she came.

The room erupted with voices as everyone started asking questions and speculating at once.

“It sounds horrible. Maeloon of all things. I saw a caged one once. It gave me nightmares for weeks.”

Dyl’s eyes were round. “It snarled and slobbered, biting itself trying to get out.” He spoke fast as if unable to stop now that he’d started. “It didn’t seem to care. It was big, as big as a miniature horse, though its back legs were shaped funny. And its tail held a strange pointed barb. Its teeth, they reminded me of a mesh of wires and it seemed to be smiling all the time. And its eyes…” He covered his face as if it would protect him from the memory.

“How many volunteers do you think they’re looking for?” Mandee asked no one in particular.

“Surely they wouldn’t take first year students as volunteers.” Jarel looked at the others with unease.

“I’ve never seen the Administrator look so serious. It must be really bad,” added Yllin. Her quiet remark brought home the truth of the situation more than anything else so far.

The watchers started herding everyone outside. Clumps of people stuck together discussing the present situation.

“Talia, are you going to volunteer?” Mandee asked very quietly as they went back into the building.

She glanced at her friend and then looked away. “I—I was thinking I might.” Bumps ran up her arms even as she considered it. “If Maeloon were running over my village, I’d hope someone would volunteer to help them.” Old stories told in the night about the creatures made a kernel of fear form hard inside her.

It was every villager’s worst nightmare to think of finding themselves confronted by one of the misshapen Maeloon.

“That’s true…” Mandee said pensively. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

“Just because you volunteer doesn’t mean someone else would if they were in your place,” Yllin added cynically. “Not that I’m saying you shouldn’t,” she said quickly as Talia and Mandee stared at her in surprise. “I’m going to do it, so don’t get me wrong. I’m hoping to see LaSeren at work.”

“Oh, and maybe Wulan, too.” Mandee giggled, though it did sound a little frayed.

“Besides,” Yllin pointed out, “it’s not likely they’ll have us, so there’s not much to worry about. Even if they do take us up on it, you can bet we’ll be put the farthest out of danger. They’ll probably make us stay here and move supplies around.”

“You’re probably right,” Talia said. “The more experienced students are probably the ones they’re really hoping will volunteer.” She felt her previous trepidation ease a bit. It was highly probable she could volunteer, help out, and yet not come anywhere near the Maeloon. It would suit her just fine.

The three of them parted at the stairs and each headed toward their own rooms to don their armor. Talia had almost reached hers when she spotted Kel pacing just outside her door. The moment he saw her, he rushed over, relief and a few other emotions she couldn’t place flashing in his face. “Talia!”

“Is something wrong?” Worry nipped at her, knowing Kel didn’t usually seek her out.

His light eyes locked with her own for a moment and then looked away. “No, no, everything’s fine.” He hesitated. “I just needed to talk to you.”

She frowned feeling confused. “What about?”

Kel’s blue-eyed gaze met her own again. “Are you planning on volunteering?”

“Yes. Why?”

He nodded. “We’d figured as much. Come with me. I need your help.”

“What?” Talia asked.

Rather than responding, Kel took her hand and started off quickly down the corridor. She was left with no choice but to follow.

“Where are we going?”

Kel didn’t answer, instead increasing his pace. He took her to the nearest stairwell and then rose to the fourth floor. Once there, he took the stairs to the roof. She grew more confused by the moment. Why would he be taking her up there?

She was forced to cover her eyes as they stepped out into the bright sunshine and it blinded her. A moment later, a large shadow blocked out the sun as Clarence stepped across the roof.

Kel released her hand and nimbly climbed onto the dragon’s back.

“Kel, what’s this about?” she asked, worry and annoyance warring inside her.

The squire stared down at her shyly from his lofty perch. “Clarence and I have already volunteered to help on this mission. We both also figured you’d do the same.”

Yet it is not right you should go
, Clarence told her.

Kel nodded. “Yes, for once, we totally agree.”

She stared at the two of them, not entirely believing what she was hearing. Did they know something she didn’t? “There’s no guarantee they’ll even take me as a volunteer, not if enough of the older students, teachers, and watchers do it.”

“We don’t want to take the chance,” Kel told her. “I was in Lareen’s office picking up our delivery for today when the messenger popped in. I saw and heard everything.” His expression was grim. “The Maeloon and those mercenaries following them aren’t just looting and doing wanton destruction.”

She felt a chill wriggle through her as Kel said nothing more. Her mind was having no trouble imagining what those worse things might be. She shook her head to try to dispel the fear trying to crowd around her. “It—it doesn’t matter. I have to be willing to do my share. I thought this was what the guild was all about.”

Kel and Clarence’s gazes didn’t quite meet her own. “Yes. But in order for us to do what we have to, we can’t afford to be worrying about you, wondering if something horrible has happened to you. And we’d be nowhere near to help if something did. It’s best for all concerned if you were somewhere safe until all this was over.”

”
What
?” She stared in astonishment at the two of them. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m quite capable of taking care of myself, thank you. And I’ll volunteer if I want to.”

And she thinks we’re stubborn
. Clarence’s amusement was clear.

Talia didn’t find it amusing at all. “This conversation is over.” She turned around to storm down the stairs.

She’d almost reached the doorway when Clarence’s long claws wound themselves about her waist and lifted her effortlessly off her feet. “What are you doing? Let go of me!”

“I’m sorry, we just can’t take the chance,” Kel said softly behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder, anger filling her eyes. How could they do this? Who did they think they were? “Let me go!”

Clarence spread his wings wide and then leapt upwards. She gasped as she was unexpectedly jerked up.

“Don’t do this.” Her protest was ripped from her lips by the wind as the three of them rose high into the sky. Talia clung hard to the claws about her, her dangling legs making her feel she would fall through the dragon’s grip. “Take me back!”

Neither rider nor dragon heeded her commands, the school quickly growing smaller behind them.

Clarence flew on, his progress dipping occasionally to one side or the other though not as drastically as was usual for him. While a part of her noticed this, most of her was just too incensed to care. The farther they went the hotter her anger became. Who did they think they
were
? If they could volunteer, why couldn’t she?

Clarence’s altitude dropped as they approached one of the mountains sitting close by the school. A lush forest covered its side, except for patches of open ground where the trees had been cleared for lumber.

Clarence headed toward one of these clear spots located half way up the mountain. A small cabin sat on the clearing’s edge. It was next to it Clarence came to hover over and suddenly dropped to the ground.

Talia’s teeth rattled in her head at the impact. It took her a moment to realize the dragon had let her go and she was standing on her own.

“There’s food in the cabin, and anything else you should need,” Kel told her. “We should be back for you no later than a couple of days.”

She snapped around to glare at them, realizing what it was they meant to do. “Don’t you dare leave me here. You have no right to do this to me! Take me back now.”

The pained look she saw in Kel’s eyes at her fury did nothing to assuage her raging temper. “I can’t,” he said. “Please try to understand. It’s very important to us to know you’re safe.”

Clarence spread his wings.
This is for the best
.

”
No
!” She ran at them as Clarence leapt, hoping to grab hold of him so she wouldn’t be left there. The dragon saw her coming and with a hard beat of his wings flew out of her reach. “Take me back!”

Kel’s troubled gaze looked down at her even as she cursed them with every oath she knew. She shook her fist at them as they turned away and quickly flew out of sight.

”
Damn you
.” Fuming, her body shaking, Talia turned to face the cabin and with a yell kicked at the closest wall. Imagining the logs were their faces, she kicked at it until her sides hurt and her breathing grew ragged. Then she kicked it a few times more just for good measure. “How dare you? How
dare
you!”

Finally, sighing, she dropped to the ground to rest. What was wrong with them? Did they really think she was just going to let them get away with this? And what about the school? Not for the first time, she told herself the squire and the dragon were totally mad. She would be missed. People would worry and ask questions. She was sure having her students kidnapped would not sit well with the Administrator. Why were the two of them such fools? And why were they so afraid for her? She shook her head slowly, their actions making no more sense than they usually did.

Still, she wouldn’t let them get away with this. She wouldn’t give up. The only one who would make decisions for her would be her—even if there were things she couldn’t make up her mind about. She looked up across the clearing and could clearly see the mesa and the top where the school sat. Those two had eaten too many cherries if they thought she would just meekly sit here and wait for them to pick her up.

Rising to her feet, her anger spent for the moment, she walked over to the cabin door and opened it.