To Light the Dragon's Fire

by Margaret Taylor

  She leaned into his palm and closed her eyes, her voice gentle. “Now, what exactly does Neither-Born mean?”

  He dropped his hand back to his chest and her eyes opened. Disappointment sparkled in the silver but she said nothing.

  “My kind are born fully humanoid or fully Chimera,” he said. “Neither-Born are what they call someone like me, who is stuck between the two.”

  She tilted her head, resting her cheek on her shoulder and frowned. “But you can shift between them. Can the others?”

  “No.”

  The smile she gave him was wide and full of wonder. “Then you should be grateful. I know I would be if I could be someone else for a while.”

  “I am considered a disgrace where I come from. An abomination.”

  The silver of her eyes filled with anger. “Well, that’s just rude! Why?”

  He leaned back, staring up at the ceiling. “My people are warriors. Those of us who do not fight, are swordsmiths. Those too old for either, become Tellers. They spread our history and that of others, to any who will listen.”

  “So? What’s that got to do with how they feel about you?”

  He let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and dropped his eyes back to hers. He wasn’t explaining it very well and tried it a different way. “When I was born, my mother took me out into the desert and left me for the Scorpions.”

  “What! How dare she!” Her small hand curled into a fist and vibrated against his chest. “Why would she do such a thing?”

  He put a hand over hers, stroking the back of it to calm her rage. “Because I would never amount to anything. Neither-Born are not allowed to learn a trade. We are the lowest of the Pack. She said it was better for me to die than suffer that.”

  She sputtered, her cheeks filling with color and started to rise. “Where is that stone!? I’ll call that bitch and set her straight!”

  He tightened his grip just enough to keep her on the bed and his hearts swelled with an emotion he’d never felt before. Pride. No one had ever come to his defense. Well, Draven had, but that was many Suns ago and his Liege didn’t really count. Not like this. He chuckled and she turned that fury on him.

  “What!? You don’t want me to call her?”

  He stroked his hand up her forearm, continuing to hold her beside him even as she tried to pull away. “We made our peace Suns ago, Lanni. But I do appreciate the sentiment.”

  She relaxed some but her eyes still blazed with anger. “No one should treat their own child like that,” she muttered. “Ever.”

  He let go of her arm and stroked her cheek with a finger. “Thank you.”

  And with those two simple words, the fight went right out of her. It started light at first and then turned into a full-blown gale of laughter. “So that’s all it took?” she asked when she gained control of herself. She calmed a bit more but was still smiling.

  “What?” He huffed, not sure he liked being the butt of some joke. “I do not understand.”

  She reached up and tucked a lock of hair back from his forehead. “All I had to do was get mad on your behalf and you said thank you.”

  He sniffed indignantly. “No one ever had before. Do not get used to it.”

  She laughed again, rolling back on the covers and clutching her sides.

  “What!?”

  She propped up on her elbows, her eyes twinkling. “Arin, you’re just a big softy at heart, aren’t you.”

  He growled, angry with himself that he’d exposed his own weakness. “Wench.” He made a grab for her, not sure what’d he do if he actually caught her, but she rolled further back on the covers, slipping out of his reach with another laugh.

  “Oh no,” she teased. “I know your secret now big guy.” She dove off the bed, reached for the drawer, scooped out a stone and started pressing things. “Should I tell everyone? Or just your brother?”

  ***

  It took Terra the better part of the night to claw her way out of the mass grave. When she finally reached the lip, she flopped over the edge and lay there, dragging the humid air into her lungs.

  She didn’t have long. She needed to move, to run, but her strength was waning.

  From the shake in her limbs the climb had done more damage than good. She’d felt the wound open, again, and lifted a sticky hand away with a loud, telling slurp.

  “Dammit.”

  She needed shelter, a safe place. That was it. Once she had her strength, she could go after Draven…

  Rolling over again, she pressed a hand over her gut and staggered to her feet.

  She could hear voices off to the right and turned, spying the lights of the village between the massive trees. But the darker edge of the tree line beckoned and she headed off in that direction, away from Unicorns and the misshapen Satyr’s they commanded.

  Hide. That was her top priority. Hide and heal.

  She made it, without being noticed and kept going.

  Pain doubled her over after less than a mile and she bit her lip again, barely able to hold back a scream.

  What she really needed was help.

  And a doctor. A doctor would be really good…

  Reaching out along the mental link she and Lanni had always shared, she called for it the only way she knew how…

  Chapter Thirteen

  Arin rose off the bed, stalking around the end.

  Lanni backed away, smiling widely as she continued pressing areas on the stone. “Now, what was that combination again? Fourth, fifth and second?”

  He dove for her, but she dodged, skipping back with a light laugh.

  “Give me that.”

  “Nope.” She moved around the head of the bed, keeping it between them. She cut him a sly grin, pressing another combination on the surface when the first she’d tried failed to activate it. “I’m going to make sur—“

  She stopped dead and he pounced, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her to his chest. He grinned, victorious, until he looked into her eyes. They’d gone distant, like she was hearing something he wasn’t privy too. The stone clattered to the floor and her head cocked. Her eyes narrowed and when they blinked back into focus again a bare second later, they were filled with a fear he’d never seen before.

  “Terra…”

  “What? What is it? What is wrong?”

  She gulped audibly and shook against his chest, terror leaking from her pheromones. “She’s, she’s dying.”

  Before he could react, she pushed hard enough into his stomach to stagger him back a step and bolted from the room. He followed, more curious than hurt and found her at the elevator. “What is it?”

  She pressed frantically at the button, eyes wild. “I need to get outside,” she whispered. The doors finally opened and she darted through them, turning to the ones that controlled it. “Which one for the roof?”

  He followed, hitting the appropriate one.

  The door shut again and she paced the small confines, wringing her hands. “Come on, come on!”

  It seemed to take a lifetime to reach the access area and when the doors began to open, she shoved past them and raced up the stairs. He went along, more sedately, cradling his arm against his stomach. He caught up to her on the roof itself and frowned as she spun in a slow circle, eyes closed.

  She stopped and pointed off to the west. “There,” she whispered in a weird, strangled croak. “She’s there.” She turned to him and clutched his good arm, fingers digging deep into his flesh. “I, we, I have to go. She’s hurt. She needs me.”

  “How do you know?”

  She turned to look in the direction she’d pointed. “I just do. She’s hurt. I have to go.” She shook his arm harder. “Come on, shift already dammit!”

  He slipped out from under her grip and curled his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his chest again. “Easy, easy now. Look at me.” She did, the silver of her eyes catching the light from the half-moon. He smiled to ease his next words. “I cannot. Not with this injury. We will
have to find another way.”

  Her hands came up, fingers clutching into his bare chest. “Fine. But hurry, she doesn’t have long…”

  For some reason he couldn’t fathom, he bent enough to tenderly kiss her forehead. “Very well, give me a moment.”

  ***

  Lanni paced the roof, her gaze constantly going off in the direction of Terra’s call. After Arin had left her, she prayed for the first time in more years than she cared to admit that he’d hurry up and return.

  While she waited, she internally berated herself for her own lack of concern over the last day and a half.

  How could she be lounging in Arin’s quarters all this time and not be out looking for her sister?!

  How could she be flirting with a perfect stranger when Terra was hanging at death’s door!?

  Why didn’t she even feel Terra’s distress?

  Her twin had always been excellent at hiding things from her though and she decided then and there, when they found her, Terra was gonna get one hell of an earful!

  The door opened again and Arin stepped into the moonlight, an understanding grin on what she could see of his features. He’d dressed, wearing an outfit similar to the one she’d first seen him in. Dark pants had been tucked into knee high boots and a soft brown shirt covered his chest. He’d tucked his arm back into the sling the doctor had left and the hilt of a massive sword stuck into the air over his left shoulder.

  He carried a handful of things in his good hand and dropped the equipment at her feet, holding a pair of pants, a shirt and boots out toward her. “These may be large on you, but they are much better than what you are currently wearing.”

  She took the clothes and without preamble, turned away, pulling the pants on under the dress. Whipping it off, she donned the shirt. He was right, they were a bit big, but would do. She pulled on the boots and turned back. “Thank you. Did you find us a ride?”

  “Of a sort.”

  His chin jerked toward the far end of the roof just a burst of wind rolled up the side of the building. On it, two of the largest bird like creatures she’d ever seen cleared the edge. They twirled into the star filled sky, spun on a wing and came back around, handled gracefully by the two riders on their backs as they landed a few feet away.

  Both the creatures were about the height, length and width of the 18-wheelers her family owned and operated back home. The one on the right was covered with thick, black, pebble-like scales and its sharp eyes roved over her. Its white beak opened and snapped shut with a loud clack, jingling the bit she could just make out with a rattle. The one on the left had a greenish blue tint to its body and it too opened and shut its massive beak, before shaking its large head irritably.

  They were gorgeous, she could admit it and started forward, only to be drawn up by a hand on her shoulder. Arin’s voice drifted over the sound of flapping wings and the prancing shuffle of their clawed talons on the roof’s gravel.

  “Never approach a Roc, without the Rider’s permission,” he warned softly.

  She stopped and raised her gaze to the man thing perched between the shoulders of the one on the right. “May I?”

  He reached down and stroked the animal affectionately. “Careful.”

  She took the warning in his tone to heart and keeping her hands out, slowly approached. The sharp eyes of the beast watched her and she crooned soothingly. “I won’t hurt you, beautiful, I promise. You are the most wondrous thing I have ever seen…”

  ***

  Arin tensed, ready to leap forward and pull her back if the Roc charged. A niggle of fear teased at his senses as she approached but he shouldn’t have worried. Amazingly, as she got closer, the creature stilled completely. Its eyes followed her slow steps and when she was right next to the beak that could easily rip her in half, it bowed its great head and actually nuzzled her.

  A deep rumble echoed across the silence and he realized to his own shock, it was purring in that way they had when they were happy.

  Lanni giggled and stroked its beak, rubbing her forehead against it as she crooned back.

  The moment passed and it pulled up, shifting its gaze to the one next to it. With a loud squawk, the other one stepped forward and lowered its beak to press it against her back, also purring in that low rumble.

  Lanni laughed and gave him an equal amount of affection before she turned a beaming smile back his way. “Beautiful.” Her smile widened as both creatures nuzzled her again. She scratched both under what would be a chin. “Alright, alright. There.” She looked each in the eye. “That better?”

  Both squawked.

  “Amazing,” the rider on the black said. He pinned Lanni with a dubious look. “How did you?”

  Lanni’s silvery eyes never broke contact with the creatures. “I’ve always had a way with animals. They know I won’t hurt them.”

  The Rider, Corwin if he remembered right, shifted in his saddle. “Still. I have never seen Dinsa or his brother, Shada respond in such a way. Ever.”

  Lanni scratched under Dinsa’s beak again, her eyes fairly glowing. “They know I am no threat.”

  Dinsa’s large head tilted over to rub across her upper arm and a burst of jealousy skittered across his palms. He cleared his throat to cover the reaction. He had no right to be jealous and of a Roc of all things. They were mindless animals, or so he’d believed until now. But seeing her interact, he had to question that line of thinking for the first time.

  “We should go.”

  She moved away and gathered up the equipment he’d brought without comment. Striding back to the beasts, she took Corwin’s outstretched hand and swung up behind him.

  He harrumphed but took up a position behind Shada’s rider, watching as she buckled herself into the two person saddle and tucked the gear bags in her lap. She reached for the headset hanging from the back of Corwin’s seat and tucked the earpiece into one ear.

  He did the same and nodded to Corwin. “To the west.”

  The Commander of Roc Detachment Eight turned Dinsa toward the end of the roof. With a click of his tongue, the beast started running for it and he could just hear Lanni’s light laughter as they disappeared off the building.

  ***

  The flight from Bra’ka back to the jungle took less time than before on the powerful wings of the Roc’s. Unlike Arin, the beasts didn’t stop to rest and she wondered if they were picking up on her sense of urgency.

  Lanni half hoped they were and no sooner had the thought than Dinsa twisted his large head around and caught her eye. He tilted his beak, a bit regally and let out what she took for a squawk of understanding.

  She reached down around the saddle and gave his thick skin a scratch.

  The earpiece crackled and Corwin’s voice echoed a bit over the wind swirling around them. “How are you doing back there?”

  “I’m fine. How’s Dinsa?”

  Corwin’s chuckle pulsed against her eardrum. “Roc’s can go for daylights on a single wind current.” He leaned forward in the saddle and patted the animal’s neck. “Though I will admit he has pushed himself.”

  She didn’t reply to that comment. She’d felt the change though. Just after they’d cleared the city proper, he’d folded his wings closer to streamline his large body. Fortunately, the wind had been at their backs most of the trip and by mid-day they had reached the large bay.

  “Should we stop? Before crossing the water?” she asked as the beach came into sight.

  Dinsa answered before Corwin could. His long, leathery wings gave several solid flaps, pushing them higher and into another level of the currents. He squawked loudly, settled into the stream then folded the appendages even closer. The speed increase was jarring and she gripped the saddle, twisting around enough to see Shada following suit several feet away.

  She smiled and waved at Arin but he ignored it. Why, she wasn’t sure, but let it go, for now.

  The hours ticked by and as the sun was beginning to dip toward the west again, she spied land on the horizo
n. Dinsa quietly dipped into a lower level again and then a second time as the land grew more distinguishing features. Trees, with trunks twice the size of the California Redwoods she’d seen pictures of as a child, bordered the edge of the beach, standing silent guard over the land. Topped with massive, green-blue leaves, they clustered at the edge of the pristine white sand, as if trying to block their entrance and keep the interiors dark secrets from any prying eyes.

  Corwin’s voice crackled over the earpiece again. “Where?”

  She closed her eyes, Terra’s essence stronger in her thoughts now that they were closer. “Keep going,” she replied. “To the west.”

  The rider directed Dinsa lower and the beast responded, staying just above the foliage that stretched as far as she could see.

  She closed her eyes again though, focusing on her sister and trying to pinpoint her location as best she could. She was off to the left slightly and she unconsciously leaned that way in the saddle. Corwin hissed in her ear as Dinsa followed the shifting of her weight, apparently without his command.

  So the Roc was picking up on her. She smiled slightly and reached down around the gear bags, laying her hand against his scales. Letting herself relax, she opened up to whatever initial thing had happened back on the roof.

  Since she was a toddler, she’d always had a way with creatures. One that couldn’t be easily explained and that her mother had tried, on several occasions, to beat out of her. After the third attempt, she’d decided to just keep the ability hidden.

  Until now.

  Now, she opened to it, letting whatever it was flow from her to Dinsa and back again…

  And it was the most amazing experience she’d ever had.

  She felt his massive heart beating steadily against her thoughts, felt the air twisting over his scale covered body, felt him responding to the sense of urgency to find her sister…

  Go. She sent the word out gently, allowing him to feel the location she’d picked up on scant seconds before.

  Dinsa effortlessly turned and then suddenly dove beneath the canopy. Shada followed and she chuckled at the disgruntled growl from both Corwin and Arin in her ear.