by Effie Calvin
“Is anyone supporting her?”
“Not outright. Not yet. But I know some are very eager, and it will not take much more persuading for them to follow her.”
“What exactly is she asking for, with her alliance?” asked Adale.
“She had not made any specific requests, but it sounds as though she might be seeking aid against the Elves. We would not be opposed to this. We remember our mother’s warnings, even as Men do not.”
“Does she really need help with the Elves?” asked Adale. “I had the impression Thiyra had an entire force for dealing with that.”
“I could not say.”
“Right. I’m putting a stop to this before it has a chance to get started,” said Adale. “Esofi, you stay here with Carinth. I’m going to go see exactly what she’s claiming.”
“Now?”
Adale deflated. It would be dark soon and too cold to be wandering around in the mountains. “No. Tomorrow morning, the moment the sun comes up.”
Esofi was not weak, and she did not need protecting. But in the dwindling light, she seemed so soft and fragile, like a rabbit or some other gentle prey animal.
If Esofi could fight the Emperor for Ieflaria, then Adale could certainly fight Gaelle for Esofi. Adale didn’t have magic, but she knew how to talk to people, and she thought dragons counted as people. It was the least she could do, she decided. And then nobody would ever be able to say she did not deserve Esofi, not even Adale herself.
ESOFI BARELY SLEPT at all that night, and so Adale did not either.
But this turned out to work to her advantage, because Esofi was sound asleep at sunrise when Adale got up.
Carinth wanted to go with Adale, rising eagerly once he realized she was up. The confusion in his little face when he realized that she was leaving without him was painful to look at.
“You look after Mera,” whispered Adale. “I’ve got some work to do.”
Perhaps he understood her after all, because he turned and jumped back up on the bed and laid down beside Esofi, golden eyes glimmering. Adale shut the door behind her as quietly as she could manage and hurried abovedeck, where Elyne and Orsina were waiting. Today, Mireille would remain with Esofi.
Heavy grey clouds hung in the sky, obscuring the weak sunlight. When they arrived on the familiar beach, Adale was beginning to feel soft, stinging raindrops on her skin.
She had been hoping Ivanedi would meet them on the beach to give them more information, but nobody was there when they came ashore. She looked up at the mountain and wondered if Gaelle was already there, spreading her lies.
“Do we have a plan of action?” asked Orsina.
“Yes,” said Adale. “We’re going to stop Gaelle.”
“I was hoping perhaps there was more to it than that.”
“I don’t want a fight with her,” Adale said. “If I can just talk to her in front of the dragons—ask her some questions—I’m hoping they’ll realize she’s lying.”
“And what if she attacks you?” Orsina asked bluntly.
“Orsina’s right,” said Elyne. “You don’t have any magic, and Gaelle has…more magic than anyone really needs.”
“You’ve seen her use it?” asked Adale.
“No, but I can see it on her.” Elyne waved her hands in front of her eyes. “She has as much as Esofi does.”
“Not more?”
“I don’t think so. At least…that’s how it looks to me.”
“Then they’d be evenly matched in a fight?”
“I’d imagine so.” Elyne paused. “Do you want to go back for her?”
“No,” said Adale. Ever since Gaelle’s arrival, Esofi had made it sound as though her mother was significantly more powerful than she was, that fighting her directly was little more than suicide. But… what if that wasn’t true after all? What if Esofi was a match for her?
But it didn’t matter because Esofi wouldn’t have to fight Gaelle because Adale was going to do it for her.
“If I knife her and leave her body in a ditch, will you tell Esofi that we didn’t encounter her?” asked Adale.
“Yes,” said Elyne.
“No,” said Orsina.
“I was hoping Ivanedi would come,” said Adale, tilting her head to gaze up at the sky. “I didn’t feel like walking today.”
“Let me try something,” Elyne said. “Stand back.”
Adale and Orsina both took a few shuffling steps away. Adale glanced at Orsina in confusion, but she didn’t seem to know what was going on either.
“Don’t move,” said Elyne, backing away as well. “I don’t want to crush you.”
But before Adale could ask any questions, Elyne leapt, spinning in midair like a dancer. And as she spun, her form began to twist and change. When she landed, it was not Elyne that stood before them, but a dragon with violet scales.
“Did it work?” asked Elyne.
“You tell me!” laughed Adale, a little giddy. “That was incredible! Do me next.”
“Find me a few thousand more worshippers, and I might be able to manage it for an hour.”
“You’re quite small,” observed Orsina, who apparently did not find this as exciting as Adale did.
“I have sixty-two worshippers! This is the best I can do!”
It was true that Elyne was not as large as Ivanedi or Releth, but she was not as small as the adolescent dragons. She would be large enough to carry Adale and Orsina, as long as they were careful.
“You’re not going to, you know, change back in midair, are you?” asked Adale. “If you run out of magic—”
“Holding a shape doesn’t cost power,” Elyne explained. “Changing from one to another does. If I ran out of magic now, I’d be stuck like this until I got some more prayers or went back to Asterium.”
That was certainly reassuring, though it raised the question of why Elyne was going around as an ordinary woman when she could look like anything on Inthya.
“I was unaware that dragons could be purple,” Orsina observed stoically.
“Which of us has existed since the moment of creation?” retorted Elyne. Then she leaned down and bumped her head against Orsina’s, nearly knocking the paladin into the sea.
“Let’s focus,” said Adale, thoroughly unaccustomed to being the voice of reason. “Elyne, do you need to practice flying before you take us up?”
“Mmm…maybe. Yes. Maybe.”
“Yes,” said Orsina firmly.
Elyne spread her wings and shot off into the sky, kicking up a wave of stones that pelted at Adale and Orsina like hail. They watched as she circled the shoreline, veering this way and that as she became accustomed to her new body.
When Elyne began to drift out toward the open sea, Orsina cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “All right! You have it! Come back!”
Elyne turned back without argument, which surprised Adale. Her landing was significantly more graceful than her take-off, though Adale still covered her eyes to protect against flying pebbles.
“It’s wonderful!” said Elyne. “I should do this more often. Here, sit at the base of my neck, right before the wing-joint. I’ll have us up there in minutes.”
It would have been easier with some sort of saddle, but Orsina and Adale managed to get themselves onto Elyne’s back. Orsina went in front, and Adale sat just behind her.
“We’re not too heavy, are we?” worried Adale.
“It’s not the most comfortable thing in the world, but I’ll manage,” Elyne said. “Try to hold still. If you feel yourself slipping, just start crying and screaming and hitting me.”
Adale opened her mouth to reply, but words were ripped away from her as Elyne leapt into the sky without warning. She clutched at Orsina’s waist, staring downward as the world fell away from them, unable to rip her eyes away from the shrinking shoreline. Pins fell from her hair, freeing her braid from its coronet.
The forest that took over an hour to pass through on foot passed them by in a matter of moments. Higher
and higher they soared, Elyne’s powerful amethyst wings pushing the world down and away. Adale had never attempted to compose poetry before, but in that moment, she began to consider the possibility.
All too soon, it was over. They reached the clearing, and Elyne came in for a landing. At the sight of an unfamiliar dragon in what may or may not have been an unnatural color, many of the other dragons began to come nearer, both confused and welcoming.
“You have come,” said Ivanedi, pushing his way to the front. “I had thought you might not.”
“I’m sorting this out now, before it gets away from us,” announced Adale, stumbling down from her place on Elyne’s neck. “Where’s Gaelle? Is she here?”
“Not yet,” said Ivanedi. “But she will be. And she is bringing others with her, dragons she has already won to her side.”
“Who are these dragons, exactly?”
“Her loudest supporter is Drethet. He is a young adult, respected for his strength and power. Many of the others are similar—dragons who choose to live on the outer isles tend to be young adults, no longer hatchlings requiring care, but not old enough to be concerned with eggs of their own. It is not always the case, but they are the majority.”
“Listen to me!” said Adale, turning to face the other dragons. “I know the woman who is coming to speak to you. She claims she speaks for Talcia, but she’s lying. She is an angry and jealous and violent woman. If you follow her, you’ll be right back to where you were when you followed Zethe.”
“She says she gave your hatchling magic,” said one of the other dragons.
“She is lying,” said Adale, even as a traitorous voice within her whispered that she didn’t know that for sure. “Carinth was hatched with magic. If you listen to her, she’ll send you off to kill her enemies and Talcia will never speak to you again.”
“She is coming!” said another one of the dragons, though Adale was not certain which. She pushed her way through the gathering—no easy feat—ducking wings and claws and tails until she emerged from the front of the group and found herself facing Queen Gaelle.
Esofi’s mother was not alone. Four mages, all in blue robes, accompanied her, stationed around her like bodyguards. And behind them were even more dragons, unfamiliar ones, whom Adale had never seen at the clearing before. The foremost one was pale brown, with bright green eyes, and he looked to Gaelle constantly as though waiting for an order.
“You.” Gaelle’s eyes narrowed as she took in Adale’s presence. “I was wondering if you’d have the nerve to confront me. Where is Esofi?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” asked Adale, unwilling to admit she was still on the ship. Besides, it might work to her advantage if Gaelle thought Esofi was hiding somewhere nearby, lying in wait and ready to strike.
“I don’t really care,” said Gaelle. “Though I’m not surprised she doesn’t have the nerve to face me herself. I’ve nothing to say to you. You may go.” And she flicked her wrist as though dismissing a servant.
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Adale. “These dragons are Ieflaria’s allies, and I won’t allow you to deceive them into following you.”
“I’m not deceiving anyone,” said Gaelle. “I am the Great Mother of the Silence of the Moon. What woman on Inthya knows Talcia’s will better than I?”
“You say you can get the dragons their magic back, so why don’t you prove it?” said Adale. She pointed to Ivanedi. “Make Talcia give him magic.”
“He has done nothing to deserve it,” said Gaelle with a sneer.
“You can’t expect all these dragons to just take your word on it. They’re too smart for that.” The size of the gathering did not precisely support this statement, but a little flattery never went amiss, did it? “Prove that you’re not just out to use them to fight your enemies.”
Some of the dragons were now murmuring in what sounded like agreement to Adale’s ears—though she was not sure if this was because they honestly wanted proof, or if they were just all hoping they’d be the one selected to receive a Blessing.
“Very well,” said Gaelle. She looked around the gathering and then crouched down, placing her hands on her own knees. After a moment, Etheriet pushed her way forward, clambering across the stones to meet Gaelle.
Orsina inhaled sharply, and Adale saw that there was panic in the paladin’s face.
“What’s the matter?” Adale whispered.
“Etheriet already has—”
Gaelle spoke softly to Etheriet, too softly for Adale to hear. But Etheriet listened attentively, her little ears flicking. When Gaelle put her hand out, in the same way she had done to Carinth at Fenstell, Etheriet copied her.
And a little flicker of carnelian-colored magic sparked to life at Etheriet’s claws.
It felt as though the world was spinning around her, even as she stood rooted in place. Adale fought down the bile rising in her throat as the dragons around her all murmured in shock and wonder.
Gaelle lifted her head, smiling a smug smile that Adale’s cousins would have been proud of.
“Is that enough for you?” she asked.
“Etheriet has always had magic,” said Elyne. “You didn’t grant it to her!”
“Who are you to say that? You’d have made that claim no matter who I helped.”
Elyne’s form began to shift again, but this time she was getting smaller—transforming back into a woman. This time, the cries of amazement were shouts and snarls.
But it wasn’t Elyne—not exactly. This woman was taller, and paler, with long hair that shimmered with impossible colors as the light hit it, and her eyes were bright purple. This was not Elyne. This was Aelia, former chaos goddess.
“Is it her?” asked one of the dragons. “Is it our mother?”
Even Gaelle seemed taken aback, hesitant. Only because of Adale’s familiarity with Rhodian dresses could she tell that Gaelle was adjusting her feet, preparing to back away.
It was wrong, but Adale could not help but hope Elyne would go along with it, pretend to be Talcia for the sake of finishing this quickly. She wouldn’t even have to lie directly, just…not correct them.
“Etheriet has had magic her entire life,” said Elyne. “Short as that may have been. You’ve a talent for bringing it out in little ones, but do not mistake that for the ability to grant blessings.”
Gaelle’s eyes were calculating. “You are not Talcia,” she said. “What are you? A demon, maybe? Or just an impersonator? Are you upset that I’ve ruined your plans to steal her worshippers for yourself?”
“No,” said Elyne.
“Yes,” said Gaelle. “You’re a very little goddess begging for prayers, aren’t you? One of these days you might just flicker out of existence. Just the sort of pathetic thing I’d expect to associate with my daughter.”
“You truly believe what you’re claiming, don’t you?” marveled Elyne. “I thought you were just desperate for power, but I was wrong. You really think she wants you to do this.”
“If my worthless daughter was granted a dragon egg, then it follows that my reward will be far greater,” said Gaelle. “No one in history has glorified Talcia more than I!”
“Dragons aren’t rewards!” cried Adale. “And if you want Talcia to reward you, you might try not being a complete bitch!”
In a movement as fast as a snake striking, Gaelle lashed out with a whip of blood-colored magic.
Orsina leapt in front of Adale, and a golden shield blossomed from the palm of her hand, intercepting Gaelle’s magic. It withstood the first blow, but shattered on the second—something Adale had not even realized was possible.
“Go!” Orsina yelled to Adale. Then another blast of magic struck her in the chest, knocking her back. If not for her armor, Adale was sure the damage would have been awful. As it was, Orsina struggled to regain her footing.
Gaelle raised both arms up toward the sky. Adale had no idea what she was doing, but it looked like it wasn’t going to be good for her. Elyne shoved Adale back, o
ut of the way, and she hit the ground. Adale lifted her head just in time to see Elyne’s entire body engulfed in magical fire. When it cleared, there was nothing remaining in the place where she had stood.
Adale started to push herself upward, resolving to at least die on her feet instead of in the dirt. But one of Ivanedi’s enormous claws rested gently on Gaelle’s shoulder, and she turned.
“What are you doing?” he asked in a very soft voice.
“Is it not obvious?”
“Not unless you have fallen to madness,” said Ivanedi. He nodded to the charred spot where Elyne had once stood. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“What—that? That was nothing,” said Gaelle.
“That was our mother’s sister,” said Ivanedi.
A hand grabbed the back of Adale’s coat and hauled her to her feet. It was Orsina, her face scratched and hair tangled but otherwise no worse for the wear.
“Elyne, she…” began Adale.
“She’ll be fine. This happens all the time,” said Orsina.
Gaelle’s mouth moved soundlessly, as though she was struggling to interpret Ivanedi’s words. Finally she sputtered, “What nonsense—that was a chaos goddess!”
“And is our mother not foremost amongst chaos goddesses?”
“Of course not!” Gaelle looked around at the other dragons, clearly expecting them to come to her defense. “Why—why would—”
“I did not come here expecting to hear a theological disagreement,” commented Orsina. “Particularly not this one.”
“I would like an answer for this,” said Ivanedi.
“Are you mocking me? There is nothing to answer for!” Gaelle cried in obvious frustration.
“Will you address her claims that Etheriet was born with magic?”
“She was lying. Is that not obvious?”
The dragons were murmuring again, but this time it didn’t sound like the majority were in her favor.