Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (4 page)

“
Chelam, what are you waiting for?
”

With a wild neigh of terror, a packhorse burst out of the brush a dozen yards above Pirse and careened across the slope, nostrils flaring. Despite the wide blindfold carefully secured to his halter
,
the gelding was well aware of the nearby dragon, and his frantic, plunging strides proved he had no intention of believing a single word of the reassurances Chelam had bestowed on the decoy before sending him on his way.

The dragon forgot about the fight and swung its huge head in the direction of a good meal. Pirse clambered to the top of the boulder. The dragon got its feet straightened out and flipped its tail behind it, cracking branches off yet another tree. The horse pushed desperately through a thicket of low vegetation, angling back up the hill as fast as his legs would carry him. The dragon collected itself, muscles bunching under the mottled hide, head questing forward on long neck, huge, pleated ears fluttering in the hot afternoon air. Pirse waited.

In deadly silence the dragon launched itself forward, jaws gaping wide, the abrupt burst of perfectly controlled speed all the more terrifying in comparison to its usual clumsiness. Pirse, having seen the same phenomenon more times than he could remember, was ready for the dragon
’
s move. More, he was counting on it. He timed his leap to the dragon
’
s smooth rush, throwing one leg over the wide neck as it shot past the boulder. With one gloved hand he grasped the rough scales, and with the other thrust his sword high and true into the base of the dragon
’
s throat.

Gray-white fluid geysered out around the blade, soaking Pirse
’
s hand and arm and splashing in a shining arc across the hillside as the dragon twisted and writhed. Pirse hung on grimly, swinging halfway under the flailing neck to push his sword even deeper into the monster
’
s flesh. The result was another gush of the unnatural lifeblood. The dragon
’
s roar became a choking gurgle. Still moving uphill with the force of its initial lunge, it staggered, its legs crumpling.

Pirse jerked his sword free and flung himself clear just before the dead dragon crashed into the ground.

For a few heartbeats the jungle was very quiet. Pirse rolled onto his back and drew in a long, shuddery breath, then let it out with a relieved whoosh. As if in answer the packhorse, somewhere in the brush on the slope above him, snorted loudly. From the direction of the smashed trees several birds called, tentatively at first, then with enough confidence that others joined in.

A shadow fell across Pirse. Shading his eyes with his clean hand, he gave Chelam a quick visual inspection.
“
You all right?
”

“
Fine now, Highness.
”

Pirse accepted his corporal
’
s offered hand and pulled himself to his feet. The dragon was a mound of motionless carrion a few yards to his left, steam already rising from its glistening back.
“
Was I imagining things,
or did that dragon step on you?
”

“
Not on me, exactly, Highness. On the rocks next to me.
”

“
It was not a reassuring sight, Chelam.
”

“
No, Highness.
”

Pirse walked toward the dragon, the corporal at his side.
“
What happened?
”

“
My foot slipped.
”

They reached the almost rectangular head, stepping over the glistening trail of ooze that was all that remained of its lolling tongue. Clouds of insects swarmed uncertainly on and over the glistening body, attracted by the unmistakable odor of ripe decay, repulsed by a process of decomposition that could advance with such mind-numbing speed. Chelam took careful hold of the skull and tilted it at just the right angle.

Pirse raised his sword. Even in direct sunlight he could make out the blue flicker of magic that glinted along its eternally sharp edge. He picked up one flaccid dragon ear, feeling it still dry and cool between his fingers. He carefully slipped his blade beneath the fragile membrane and with a swift, smooth motion detached the ear from the head.

The ear stiffened in his hand, changing color from mottled gray to dull brown in the blink of an eye. Pirse dropped it behind him and shifted his position as Chelam twisted the dragon
’
s head to bring the other ear into view.

“
Not many people can do what you do,
”
Pirse observed.
“
Follow orders, however unpleasant, improvise when things go wrong, and face rampaging nightmares like this one with unruffled calm.
”
He snicked off the second ear and thoughtfully watched it harden.

Chelam let the head fall. It squelched when it hit the ground. The corporal grinned with deep satisfaction.

“
Nothing better than watching a nightmare die, Highness.
”

“
This one almost watched you die, Corporal.
”

Immediately contrite, Chelam dropped his gaze and muttered,
“
Yes, Highness.
”

“
I don
’
t want to have to train a new assistant, Chelam.
”

“
No, Highness.
”

“
You have to be more careful.
”

“
Yes, Highness.
”

Relenting, Pirse clapped the man affectionately on the shoulder. Pirse was hot, sticky with sweat and tree sap and dragon blood, and overwhelmingly grateful to have survived another fight. Even the horses had survived!

“
Come on, Chelam. Let
’
s find a campsite. I need a bath. And you don
’
t have to say,
‘
Yes, Highness.
’”

Chelam picked up the dragon ear that Pirse had dropped, a smile curling the corner of his mouth.
“
Wasn
’
t even thinking it.
”
He held out the ear, now leather hard.
“
I
’
ll fetch the horses.
”

“
Thank you.
”

“
Because if you try to get near
‘
em, your stink will scare them away.
”

Sword in one hand and dried ears in other, Pirse could only growl under his breath as Chelam made a quick, strategic withdrawal.

* * *

Palle of Dherrica was often annoyed he had not been born before his sister Dea. Since he had not had that good fortune, he tried to content himself with the role of advisor to the queen of Dherrica. Although he had to admit that Dea was generally rather good about taking his advice, today she was being difficult.

“
They can
’
t be serious. I sent them Emlie in good faith that we would engage in reasoned negotiation. The next step is supposed to be compromise. An equitable solution for both parties. All Hion has done is repeat his original demands!
”

Dea paced back and forth across the raised dais of her throne room, fists clenched angrily at her sides. The long, stone-flagged great hall had been diplomatically deserted by the court for several days now. There were servants about, and guards at the tall double doors at the end farthest from the throne, but they were just Keepers. Only the queen
’
s loyal, dependable, selfless younger brother remained by her side. Palle stood by the throne, one hand resting on the back of the tall chair, his gaze following Dea.

She
’
s gotten a few more gray strands in her curls in the last several days
, he noted.
And her so vain of the family
’
s black hair.
He touched his own waist-length mane with satisfaction, trying to keep his smirk at his own vanity to himself.
Concentrate, Palle. This is supposed to be a solemn conversation, and you pride yourself on being the stable member of the family
.

“
Hion will have the forest, sister. It
’
s inevitable.
”

She stopped pacing long enough to face him and proclaim,
“
It
’
s ridiculous! Hion
’
s family has been expanding Rhenlan for forty-five years. They
’
ll not do it at the cost of my holdings!
”

“
Don
’
t think of it that way,
”
he soothed.
“
Think of this as an opportunity.
”

“
To lose a forest? Why did I let you talk me into going through with this nonsense?
”

“
I thought you wanted time while you thought the matter over. Emlie
’
s safe enough. In Edian. With Damon.
”

She waited for him to continue. He waited for her prompt.

“
And?
”
she prompted.

“
It
’
s a perfect opportunity.
”

Dea turned her back on him.
“
Not that again.
”

“
I don
’
t see what you
’
ve got against the boy.
”
Palle assumed his most cajoling tone.
“
The alliance would be perfect for Dherrica and Rhenlan. You know Hion wants Shaper marriage partners for his children.
”

“
No. Vray for Pirse, perhaps. That would be an alliance I could use. Rhenlan with my heir. Not Pirse threatened by Damon
’
s children.
”

Palle crossed the dais and put a comforting hand on the Queen
’
s shoulder. She stiffened but did not turn.
“
Why not both? You
’
d see the sense in what I
’
m saying if you weren
’
t so worried about the child.
”

“
You heard Hion
’
s threat.
”

“
Rhetoric, nothing more. He wants a quick resolution to this.
”

“
Not rhetoric. Law. Should I have let his time limit pass? What else could I do? I have to think of my country first.
”
She turned abruptly, and dropped her head on his shoulder.
“
I
’
m so worried I can hardly think at all. I can
’
t sleep. I wish Pirse were here.
”

“
There, there,
”
Palle comforted automatically, hand patting the white-clad back.
Fool
, he thought inwardly.
You could have linked our family to the next king of Rhenlan, but you
’
ve missed your chance
.

* * *

The coast of Dherrica stank. Prince Chasa of Sitrine wrinkled his nose as his ship drew closer to the sandy shore. Too much moisture, that was the problem. He didn
’
t mind the heat. His own Sitrine was just as warm in its northern reaches, but it was arid country, especially around the capital city where he
’
d grown up. This part of Dherrica always seemed so chaotic; cluttered and choked with vegetation and wildlife, much of it dead and rotting by the smell. Not at all a comfortable place. Pirse was either stronger than he was, or stranger, to spend so much of his time up here.

Maybe both
, Chasa thought as his friend came more clearly into view. At least he had the common courtesy to sweat. Pirse
’
s black hair was plastered to his forehead and his sea-green tunic showed dark blotches of perspiration under his arms and down the front of his chest. Pirse shifted his weight from one long leg to the other and absently patted his horse
’
s steaming neck. The shouted commands of the sailors on Chasa
’
s ship seemed to unsettle the animal, as if it had never seen ship and sail before. Then again, considering Pirse
’
s habits, maybe it hadn
’
t. Pirse liked his solitude. He wasn
’
t going to like Chasa
’
s message.