Daughter of Dragons

by Jack Campbell

  Alera shook her head. "This one's only talent is creating Swift."

  "What about you, Kira?"

  Kira almost said "no," then thought about it. "I never have, and I don't know if I can, but it's possible. Father told me a lot about how it's done. I've just never tried and I don't know if I have the ability. Why are you asking about this?"

  Jason reached into the top of his shirt and pulled out the object he had taken from the ship, looking down at it as he spoke. "I know a little bit about Invictus Drives because I did a report on them. What's inside this case is sort of a big crystal, like a diamond, but artificial and a lot harder. When data is downloaded into it, parts of a matrix inside the crystal reforms and fixes in place. When the drive is full, or set to read-only, the entire matrix inside the crystal is fixed. That's really simplified, but—"

  "All I could understand?" Kira asked sharply.

  "No! That's about all anyone can understand. There are maybe a hundred people among the billions on Earth who get this. I only get the really simplified version myself." Jason stopped and licked his lips nervously. "To destroy the data, the crystal has to be broken. That's why the data is almost impossible to destroy, because breaking that crystal takes tremendous amounts of energy. But if the crystal is broken, the matrix inside is, uh, it's sort of like yanking the foundation out from under a building. Even if it's a really strong building, all the pieces fall and break apart."

  Kira gazed at Jason. "You think that if a Mage could overlay the illusion that part of that drive isn't there, the crystal would act as if it had been broken?"

  "I think there's a real good chance of that, yeah." Jason shrugged. "I can't be certain, though. And the act of doing something to the drive might set off an alarm. I'll know if that happens because a light will blink here on the drive, and then I could try resetting it and silencing it. But it wouldn't take very long for the ship to spot that alarm and get a pretty good fix on where it was. It's risky."

  "If we'd taken that drive to my father when you showed up at my home, he could have tried that."

  "At that time I didn't know Mages could do that," Jason said.

  "And we don't for certain if it would work, but it might well set off an alarm that would bring the ship quickly," Kira said. "So trying it at my home would have been very dangerous. Your ship could have been there before we could get away."

  "That's right," Jason said. "Even if I had known Mages could do that, I don't think it would have been smart to try it then."

  "Yeah, but now we're a lot farther from your ship, and if your idea works, those weapons couldn't be built, right?" Kira bit her lip. "I know to try this I need a place I can concentrate, without any distractions. That means a room or something. And if that alarm goes off, we need to be able to lose ourselves quickly, which means being in a city where there are a lot of places to hide and a lot of people to hide among. We'll have to try it in Ihris."

  Jason nodded, looking at the grass again. "Sure."

  What was bothering him? Kira had felt a surge of hope at Jason's idea. If it worked—

  If it worked.

  She stared at Jason. "If we destroy the data on that drive, you don't have a reason to hide anymore."

  "Neither do you," Jason said. "You can go back where you're safe."

  "But your mother will find you. You'll have to go back with her and…and you and I won't be together any more." Kira inhaled suddenly. "We'd probably never see each other again. Jason, you just told me that you loved me. Why did you then tell me about a way to destroy that data that would probably separate us forever?"

  He scuffed at the grass with one boot. "I didn't want to tell you. But you've been in danger ever since we left your home. People have been hunting you, and things got pretty hot in Kelsi, and before that there were the three at Dorcastle, and… Kira, I don't know a lot about being in love. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. But not telling you—letting you think you have to stay away from home and in constant danger and all, just so I could stay with you—would be really selfish. And I don't think that's what love is supposed to be about. Even if I am delusional."

  Kira got to her feet. "You know what's important about love, Jason. My father always said that false love is an attempt to force another person to be subjugated to your own illusion, to make that person nothing but a part of you that you can direct and control. But real love means the other person's illusion is more important than yours. You put them first. Like you put me first."

  She walked the short distance to him and kissed Jason, holding it a while before stepping back.

  "You didn't have to do that," Jason said, smiling at her.

  "I know. But I realized that if we try your idea, there might not be another chance. To kiss you, I mean." Kira shook her head at him, feeling miserable. "I guess if I was selfish I'd say we shouldn't try. But if we can destroy that data, we have to."

  Jason tried to maintain his smile. "My dad would say we're both being idiots, giving up something for other people."

  "Your father is an idiot. Is it okay if I say that?"

  He stared at her. "You said okay."

  "No, I didn't."

  "Yes, you—"

  "Stop trying to change the subject. Let's get some rest. It's probably going to be a very long day tomorrow."

  She left him standing there, going off into the dark nearby to lie down with her pack for a pillow and stare miserably at the stars. I have a job to do. All right, Mother. I understand. Sometimes the jobs really, really suck. But we have to do them anyway. Because people are counting on us.

  Mage Alera appeared out of the dark. "Mage Kira, this one must talk."

  "What is it?" Kira asked, sitting up and wondering why Alera was calling her that.

  "Your Mage presence is much stronger. It can now be felt by other Mages, even those who have not met you. This one can begin teaching you some of the ways to block your presence from other Mages. But we will only have a short time to work on it. When you enter Ihris it will be important that you focus on blocking your presence from other Mages."

  Other Mages. Which Kira realized meant she felt like a Mage to Mages. Kira could just imagine how her mother and father would take that.

  But if any Mage they got close enough to in Ihris could tell she was a Mage, or worse, know exactly who she was, it could be disastrous. As if she didn't have enough to worry about with the drive and Jason and…

  "Why does everything have to be so complicated?" Kira complained.

  "Everything is simple," Alera said. "Doing it is complicated. We must work. It is only two more days to Ihris. You must be ready."

  Chapter 15

  The next morning, Jason tried to act as if nothing had changed. Kira, despite being tired from staying up late working with Mage Alera, did her best to act the same.

  They got back on Swift, rising up into the clear sky, the sun appearing over the Northern Ramparts to the east as the Roc climbed.

  The scenery wasn't nearly as interesting today: long vistas of long vistas, occasional herds of cattle visible down below. Kira, worn out, slept as much as she could, which also had the side benefit of eliminating the need for awkward conversation with Jason.

  In the afternoon she was jerked awake when Swift suddenly banked and began spiraling downward. Kira looked over to the side and saw below them a herd of horses. "What's going on?" Kira yelled to Mage Alera.

  Alera called back. "This one senses the presence of one who can help."

  "Why does she say help like that?" Jason asked, nervous again.

  "Because Mages were once forced to forget what help meant, and were forbidden from actually helping anyone," Kira explained as Swift dropped lower. "A lot of those Mages who have relearned what help means are proud of it and want others to know they understand such a special word."

  Swift's wings flared as the Roc braked to a landing. Mage Alera stayed sitting but gestured for Kira and Jason to dismount. Kira unbuckled her harness and slid off the massive fea
thers, steadying Jason as he came down beside her.

  A rider was coming toward them. Beyond, Kira could see other riders moving around the herd, which was milling about nervously at the presence of the giant raptor capable of snatching up a horse the way an eagle could pluck a rabbit from a meadow. They were near Ihris. A herd of horses. Could this be…? Kira squinted to see better. "Petr. Jason, it's my Uncle Petr."

  "Another honorary uncle?" Jason asked, looking toward the herd.

  "He's the closest thing I have to a real uncle. My father's cousin. He's actually a few years older than Father, but he's like a big kid in some ways."

  Kira ran to meet the rider, who had dismounted when his horse balked at getting closer to Swift. "Uncle Petr!"

  "Kira!" Petr ran up to her and wrapped in her a big hug that smelled of horse and grain and dust. "You're all right!"

  "Petr, do you know anything about why I'm here?" Kira asked as she stepped back.

  "I know that your mother and father sent a Mage to give us a message that if any of the family saw you we should do anything we could to help you," Petr said.

  "My mother said that?" Kira asked, startled. "We need to get to Ihris. Without being noticed. Oh, Jason, this is my Uncle Petr. I told you that, didn't I?"

  "Yeah, you did," Jason said, nodding to Petr. "It's nice to meet you."

  "How does Mage Alera know you, Petr?"

  "That's Mage Alera?" Petr waved, grinning. "Thank you, Lady Mage! I will help Kira from here on! Please honor my family with another visit!"

  Alera waved shyly from her mount, then Swift vaulted into the air, climbing rapidly.

  "Alain brought her to see us," Petr explained. "I had asked him if I could ever ride a Roc. Mage Alera let us ride Swift. She is very nice. We let her know she is always welcome."

  "Petr, that is so great of you!" Kira said. She turned and waved a farewell to Alera as well even though Swift was already little but a dot in the sky. "What are you doing?"

  "Taking our herd to market," Petr said. "At Ihris. You ride with us. When we show up, you'll look like just a couple more dusty ranchers visiting the city."

  They began walking to join the others, who had gotten the herd back into motion now that Swift was gone. Petr introduced his two daughters and son, who were helping to herd the horses, and then his wife Signy, who was driving the wagon carrying supplies. Two more horses were saddled up as Kira talked to Petr and his family.

  "Kira?" Jason whispered. "I've never ridden a horse. Not for real."

  "You haven't? Petr! Jason hasn't ridden. Do you have a docile mount?"

  "We've got old Reni. She's steady. How come you've never ridden, Jason?"

  "He's from another world," Kira explained.

  "All right, but they have horses, don't they?"

  They managed to get Jason into the saddle of a mare who appeared content to let him pretend to tell her where to go. Kira mounted up, finding her mare considerably more frisky. "Petr, I don't think she likes me."

  Petr laughed. "Your mother says the same thing about all horses."

  "But she's right. Mother loves horses, but they don't love her. And this one doesn't love me."

  "She likes you fine," Petr assured Kira.

  "Then why is she trying to reach her mouth back far enough to bite my leg?" Kira jerked on a rein to bring the mare's head facing front again.

  "A cavalry soldier like you shouldn't have any trouble, eh?"

  They moved on, Kira's mount alert in that way that meant the mare was looking for a chance to bolt, so Kira kept a tight rein. "We'll stop soon for the night," Petr told her. "Tomorrow we get an early start so that we'll reach Ihris by mid-morning. We'll direct the herd to the corrals outside the city. There'll be enough people moving around there that it'll be easy for you and Jason to dismount and walk off without being noticed. The nearest city gate won't be far."

  "Petr, I don't know how to thank you," Kira said.

  "You're family," Petr replied as if that explained everything.

  "Speaking of family, give my thanks to Great Aunt Bara as well." Kira hesitated. "How about my father's grandmother?"

  "How about her?" Petr shrugged unhappily. "Nothing changed. She would rather hold to her anger than find any joy in Alain, or in you."

  "What?" Jason asked, trying to bring his horse closer. "Your great-grandmother doesn't like you?"

  "It's about Alain," Petr explained. "He was taken by the Mage Guild when he was very little. Some years later, raiders from the north hit his parents' ranch and killed his mother and father. My aunt and uncle-in-law. Alain was locked in a Mage Guild Hall, and still only about ten years old, but Grandmother blamed him. She still does."

  "What could he have done when he was only ten?" Jason asked.

  "Nothing. Nothing except maybe die with his parents. Maybe that's what Grandmother wishes had happened. I know! It's an ill thing to say. But she won't let it go. Alain is a Mage to her, a Mage as they once all were, without feeling or humanity, who treated other people like we were nothing. We tell her what a great man he is, all the good things he has done, and his wife, Mari, everyone knows the good the daughter has given all of us. And there is you, Kira. Who couldn't love you, eh? But Grandmother will not open her heart. I'm sorry."

  "It's not your fault," Kira said. "You're a very good person, too. It means so much to Father that you and Great Aunt Bara accepted him, even before the rest of the world understood who he was."

  Petr shrugged, embarrassed by the praise. "It's not so bad being the cousin of the daughter and the Master of Mages. Your mother knows that if she ever calls, I'll come, right?"

  "Yes, she does," Kira said. "Petr was in mother's army, too," she told Jason.

  "What does that mean?" Jason asked. "If your mother calls?"

  Petr answered. "Lady Mari, the daughter, doesn't have an army you can see. She doesn't have a lot of soldiers standing around. But she has the biggest army in the world. After the war, the men and women who fought alongside her went home, but they all vowed that if she ever called again, they would come. Mechanics and Mages and us regular people. The daughter didn't ask that of us. We did it because we wanted to. And because we trusted her to call only if there was injustice that must be fought. Since then, others have sworn to answer the call as well if it ever comes. Every president and minister and even the great big emperor there to the east knows that if they do great enough wrong, the daughter can call her army to her and no one will be able to stand against it." He winked at Jason. "So they listen to her, eh? The daughter has no power, but she is the most powerful one in this world. Her word can make the mighty tremble, and give hope to the smallest. She is a great person, Jason, though Kira doesn't like to talk about that."

  Kira gave Petr a cross look. "My mother is a great person. She's also my mother. I love my mother. It's just that sometimes I can't stand her."

  "That's hard, eh? My daughters say that of my wife Signy, who is a gentle lamb!"

  One of Petr's daughters called out as she rode by. "No, she isn't!"

  "I guess being a daughter is hard," Petr said.

  "So is being a son," Jason said.

  "What does your father do?"

  "He cheats people," Jason told Petr. "That's what he says he does. He's proud of it. He thinks that makes him the smartest guy around."

  Petr gave Jason a long look. "How smart are you?"

  "Smart enough to know I never want to do that with my life," Jason said. "If the daughter called, could anybody come? Even somebody from somewhere else?"

  Kira stared at him. "Jason? Are you serious?"

  "He is," Petr said. "You'd be welcome. The daughter can always use another good man, eh? But you'll have to learn to ride better than that."

  "A horse has a mind of its own, doesn't it?" Jason said. "Horses don't just do what you tell them to do."

  "Yeah, like people. But in a horse way. You have to think like a horse. Speaking of which, I'm hungry. Good thing we'll be stopping for the night soon
."

  When they stopped the herd for the night, Petr had to help settle the horses. Kira turned to Jason. "Why did you say that? About my mother's army?"

  He shrugged, keeping his eyes on the horses. "Because I meant it."

  "But if you leave this world, go back to Urth—"

  "Maybe I won't. Maybe somehow…" He made a face, unhappy. "I've done real things here, Kira. Face to face. I know I can do real things now. I really don't want to go home."

  "Because of me."

  "Not just because of you! A lot about you, but not just because of you. There is nothing about Earth that I would miss. But there is so much about here that I would miss. . ." He shrugged again. "I guess it would be easier for you if I left, though."

  "Maybe I don't want it to be easier," Kira said.

  "What do you want?" he asked, his voice so low she could barely hear.

  "I wish I knew."

  After a dinner that proved to be a lot of fun as Petr's family teased each other and Kira, they all settled for the night. Kira offered to help ride herd part of the night to ensure the horses didn't spook, but her offer was politely declined in a way that didn't outright say Kira probably didn't know enough about the task to do it right.

  Petr's family had spread some blankets for Kira and Jason a little ways off from the rest, a respect for their privacy that Kira found both welcome and uncomfortable. She looked over at where Jason lay nearby, wishing that the easy conversations they had become accustomed to hadn't become hard to reclaim. "Jason, I need to work on some, um, drills that Mage Alera taught me last night, so I shouldn't talk much."

  "Sure. I understand."

  Did he? Kira looked up at the stars, then stared. There was a star up there that she didn't recognize, and it was moving much faster than even the twins. "Jason? Do you know what that is? That light that's moving so fast."

  He followed her pointing arm. "It's a satellite. The ship deployed some. They were supposed to do a lot of general surveys, but they've probably been reprogrammed to look for me. Don't worry. That one's way too high to spot me when I'm around other people and all these horses."