Gloria Oliver (47 page)

The creature fell to the floor with a splat.

Kel’s room coalesced immediately to more normal proportions. The body at her feet began to fizzle.

Acrid smoke rose and dispersed around it, then both disappeared.

Talia breathed a sigh of relief, the sword turning back into a crystal ball and her armor disappearing as if it had never been. All her strength seemed to flow out with it. She suddenly felt drained and weak.

Abruptly the world turned black, and she was gone.

TALIA SLOWLY OPENED her eyes. She still felt weak, but also strangely exultant. She looked around her, not sure where she was and not truly caring at the moment. The stone beneath her told her she was on the floor and on her side. The shelves filled with jars of powders and ointments told her she was still in LaSeren’s room. Then her eyes lighted on the cot and the form lying there. With a gasp she sat up, remembering everything. Her sight swam from moving so fast, but she didn’t let it stop her and rose to her feet.

Kel was still in the cot, tied as before, but everything else was changed. No longer did red, hungry marks reach across his face, no longer did the wound at his neck look raw and ugly. His face was at peace.

Giddy, she wiped at her face, happy tears clouding her eyes. They really did it. They really had!

She righted the turned over stool and sat down, her eyes not leaving Kel. Absently, she reached down for the crystal ball which helped make this possible. As if it were a cue, his eyes fluttered open. “Kel.”

Without thinking, she reached forward and took his hand in hers. The ball glowed as it once more took her away from there.

After a moment, Talia found herself again in the strange gray place she went with Clarence before. Kel stood before her and so did Clarence, though in a smaller version of his true self. Though now separate, unlike when Clarence joined with Kel to fight the Maeloon poison, seven semi-transparent lines joined the two of them at consistent intervals from their head to their feet. Was this what the bonding looked like?

“Talia, I’m glad you’re here.” Kel smiled at her, and his pleasure not only showed on his face but she could actually feel it coming from him. “I wanted to talk to the both of you, and I guess this is as private a place as we could ever get.” The lines between squire and dragon lit between the two.

She found herself smiling back, just glad to see him acting normally, even as a touch of humor escaped from him at the words.

“First, I want to thank both of you for what you’ve done on my behalf.” Kel’s deep gratitude and sincerity poured into her, though it held an undercoating of sorrow. “It’s not something I am sure I can ever repay. Though I will find a way to try.” He gave her a small grateful nod, his smile growing for a moment, before he turned to lock his gaze with Clarence’s. “I realize and understand many things now.

Things I couldn’t before. I don’t know if it’s possible, but for my part, I release you from our contract. I promise you I will use every resource I own and the guild’s to find a way to reverse the ritual so you may be free again.” Determination, sadness, and loss poured through with the words even as she felt Kel trying desperately to control the last two.

And if I do not wish it?
Nothing came from Clarence but the words.

She felt a spike of hope in her breast though she knew they alone meant nothing. Yet this was Clarence’s domain—this speaking of minds—even if he were now fully bonded with Kel, with his powers he wouldn’t reveal what he didn’t wish, though it seemed she and Kel might have no choice.

“I’ll abide by whatever you decide,” Kel said honestly. “I will keep our contract or break it, whatever you wish. But either way, your secrets will be safe.”

I will think on it.

Talia grinned, her certainty as bright as a beacon. She knew what those words meant.

Clarence sent her a disgusted, crooked look.

Before she could get herself into any more trouble, she set the crystal ball on the floor.

The gray realm around her instantly disappeared and she felt something slip away from inside her.

LaSeren’s healing room filled her view once more.

She immediately glanced at the cot and found Kel, his eyes open and staring at her, lying beside her on the cot. His hand was still nestled in hers. “Thank you.”

Tears gathered in her eyes again. She wasn’t able to help herself. Before the startled squire could do anything, Talia threw herself at him and hugged him hard. “Kel!”

She was still grinning, the two of the talking quietly, when not much later LaSeren hobbled into the room, her face brightening with surprise at the sight of them.

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Chapter Twenty-one

AFTER CHECKING KEL over to make sure the poison was truly gone, LaSeren made him take a brown draught and bid him rest. She gave Talia a cupful as well and bid her to hurry off to bed. Cradling Clarence’s crystal ball in one arm, she sent a last happy glance in Kel’s direction and headed to her room.

Her eyes felt incredibly heavy by the time she got there. Placing the crystal ball in a drawer to keep it out of harm’s way, she crawled into bed and immediately fell into a deep, restful sleep.

A knock at her door brought her awake many hours later. “Time to rise.”

She blinked several times at the familiar call. It was still daylight when she came back to sleep, wasn’t it?

Did she sleep away the rest of the day and all night as well? LaSeren’s draught must have been stronger than she realized.

Talia stretched and yawned, feeling much better than the day before. She got out of bed, washed and dressed, wondering if Kel would be released this morning. So far everything seemed like just another day, but she knew different. A lot had happened in the last few days, and for once, she was eager to get downstairs to see what the others might have to say about it.

She rushed down to the dining hall and was chided by one of the watchers and told to slow down. It made Talia’s heart sing. She realized she loved this place. The thought made her skin tingle. She and the other students fought to protect it and they’d succeeded. Somehow it also made the place feel more her own.

Reaching the dining hall, she made her way toward her group’s normal table. She glanced in the direction of the teacher’s table, looking for any sign of Kel. She wasn’t too surprised not to find him there, but was brought up short when she realized the table’s gold-trimmed seat was for once actually occupied. Lareen was joining them for breakfast.

“Talia!” Mandee jumped up from her seat as she spotted her. Yllin, Daltan, and a few of the others got up as well, all smiling.

“Good morning.” She smiled back glad to see they were all in good health. “Is everyone all right?”

“Everyone’s fine,” Mandee told her happily. “And Yllin told us the good news about Kel. She found out because she’s gotten in on Wulan’s good side with all the help she gave him and LaSeren after the battle.”

“Mandee!” Yllin’s cheeks grew a dark red, and for once she looked coy.

Talia laughed, but then forgot them as she spotted Nertak and LaSeren escorting a suddenly hesitant Kel toward the teachers’ table. She was happy to see he looked fine, though he walked as if still tired. As they approached, Lareen stood, a great smile on her face.

“Good morning everyone.” Her voice boomed across the hall. “We have much to be thankful for this morning. Not only were we able to help those relying on the guild for aid, but as most of you know by now, an attack on this school was also averted.”

The hall was quiet, a sense of pressure building as everyone waited to see what she would say next.

“I want to commend all of you for your efforts to the guild and to this school,” Lareen said. “Those who came with me to aid the Fifty-eighth Squadron, please stand.”

The majority of the older students, watchers, and teachers stood.

“Everyone, give them a hand.” The dining hall exploded with clapping and yelling.

Once the furor died down, Lareen signaled for them to sit again. Talia felt a knot of rising excitement growing inside her. She could see the same emotions reflected in her friends’ faces as Lareen spoke again.

“Now, all those who fought for this school and gave that which was not expected of you, rise.” The applause and yells were even more deafening than the time before.

Talia and her friends stood and as she gazed across the large room, she saw for the first time how small a number had actually been there at the time of the crisis. It seemed almost a miracle they pulled it off, but they had. They might be inexperienced children, but those teachers and watchers who were here with them made up for it with their wisdom and planning.

Talia glanced over at the teachers’ table and saw Nertak smiling from ear to ear with the applause. Kel stood beside him, a small smile on his face as he clapped as hard as the rest.

The Administrator threw up her arms to call for silence. They all sat down again.

“We won, but it was a close thing. Only due to providence and the watchfulness and determination of a few were we able to find out the real goal of our enemy’s attack in time to thwart them. Thus proving once and for all that despite their problems, their hearts are those of true Dragon Knights.” Lareen’s smile shone. “Not only did they warn us of the impending peril, but they fought with everything they had to save this school. We’re very lucky to have them. We owe this day to Clarence and Kel.”

The room erupted. Talia leapt to her feet, clapping, even as dozens of others followed suit. Soon just about everyone in the room was standing and applauding in the squire’s direction. She couldn’t help but smile as she saw Kel trying to make himself as small as possible. True, the reason he had been out there to see the Maeloon was personal and perhaps selfish, but he and Clarence came through for everyone nevertheless. Lareen and Nertak didn’t allow him to bow out; the two of them stood to either side of him and made him stand to receive the school’s thanks.

Talia studied the faces now applauding for Kel and spotted a few she knew who thought little to nothing of him clapping along as hard as all the rest. She felt her smile grow even bigger.

“And there is one more who should not be forgotten.” Lareen’s voice boomed over all the applause.

“For though she has only recently joined us, she, too, helped bring the threat to our attention and helped save one we thought beyond saving.” The Administrator’s gaze cut through the crowd straight to her.

“Talia.”

Talia’s hands froze and fell to her side even as her friends seemed to turn almost as one to congratulate her. She didn’t want the attention, but it appeared today she would receive it whether she wanted it or not. She found herself staring at the ground.

“Ta-li-a. Ta-li-a.” Mandee and Yllin took up the cry only loud enough for her to hear.

She would put up with this, for the good done was worth it. She brought her head up, her eyes seeking a particular face in the crowd. Kel’s eyes met hers, his shy smile sharing her embarrassment, but glad for her as well.

This was her home, and for the first time she felt it to the core of her being. She would study hard and learn all the guild would teach her. She would share her mind and soul with a dragon, if it was meant to be. Her heart filled to overflowing as another thought entered her head. A conviction for something she never thought she’d find. For foremost, she would devote her life to defend the guild and those it was created to protect in the first place. She finally knew what she wanted to do.

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Gloria Oliver

Gloria Oliver lives in Texas with her husband, daughter, three cats, and one ferret. She is the author of the novels “In the Service of Samurai”, and “Vassal of El”, both in the Fantasy genre. She also has stories in “The Four Bubbas of the Apocalypse”, “Small Bites”, and “Fundamentally Challenged” anthologies.

When not busy working with numbers at work, she enjoys reading, writing, watching movies, Japanese Anime, trying to learn Japanese, and making her mind mush by translating Japanese comics.

Visit www.hardshell.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.