"Or to protect himself," Thunder added.
"And myst-energy attracts madrox better than anything else," Nimri said. She leaned forward and placed her palm on Cameron's forearm. Tem-aki's hands clenched into fists as Nimri sincerely told Cameron, "I need to protect my son and the best way I know how to do that is kill the madrox."
Larwin nodded. "You first said that you needed the madrox to assure your followers that mad-er-dragons exist. Surely a dead carcass is proof."
Nimri and Thunder eagerly nodded, but Tem-aki noticed that Raine remained noncommittal. Apparently Cameron noticed that, too, because he asked, "Raine, what do you think?"
Her eyes widened at being singled out. "I'm not sure, but then I've never had to deal with one without Nambaba – that is the name of my herder-ship. She was built to deal with the beasts. If I hadn't seen the proof with my own eyes, I wouldn't have thought it was possible to deal with them bare handed."
"But we did, so we know it's possible," Larwin said.
GEA-4, who was standing on the bow, broke the lengthening silence, "The first madrox is hatching."
Calling for Varlet, Dirk and Malin, Cameron scrambled onto the Sirocco's deck.
Telling herself that the higher vantage point would have a better view of the hatching, Tem-aki followed him.
~o~
Larwin's fingers wrapped hers in a strong, comforting grip which gave Nimri confidence, even though she knew that physical strength alone would not solve their problem.
Even Mica, now cradled protectively in Larwin's other arm, seemed to be silently watching the distant shore. As the sharp beak emerged from the break, Nimri noticed that the yellow-robed men, who had gone ashore, had crossed the lava-field and were on their knees in front of the cracking rock. Her fingers tightened around Larwin's. "Do you think they will be okay?"
"I have no idea," Larwin said.
"No one has ever seen anything like this," Raine said, "so there is no way to know how a hatchling will behave."
Thunder wrapped a protective arm around Raine's shoulders and pulled her against his side.
With a loud crack, the hexagonal rock split and a soggy gold ball of ooze, which had a dragon head appeared to roll onto the harsh black ground.
The three gold-clad men threw themselves face-down on the ground, arms reaching forward toward the disgusting looking hatchling.
"Maybe Cameron will change his mind about wanting to keep the things alive, when he sees that just being close to the things kills people," Thunder said.
"They are not dead," GEA-4 said, "I believe they are expressing reverence."
Nimri looked at the higher deck and realized that the four yellow-clad men around Tem-aki were doing the same thing as the trio on the shore. She nudged Larwin, and tilted her head toward them. "Looks like GEA-4 is correct."
Larwin grunted in agreement.
Now that his sister wasn't glaring at her, and her attention was focused on the shore, Nimri had a chance to study the woman that meant so much to Larwin and wonder why she seemed to hate her. Nimri's eyes began to water as she remembered the barbed comments and anger she had forced herself to ignore. Did Tem-aki hold her responsible for being trapped here? If so, she needed to remember that she could have returned to Kalamar aboard Nambaba and it had been her choice to stay with Thunder and Raine. Thunder had been very specific when telling them that Tem-aki had made the choice in hopes of joining Larwin.
If she was going to blame someone, she needed a reality check and to take a good close look at her own choices.
"Is it my imagination, or do they look wet?" Larwin asked.
Nimri's attention snapped back to the newly-hatched dragon. Indeed, it looked wet, but how could that be? Didn't water kill the young ones?
Now that she thought about it, how had the larva – or whatever young madrox were called – survived incubation in a cool area?
A chill ran down Nimri's spine, as she realized that the three surviving larva, as well as the mother-dragon were obviously somehow different from the one she had dealt with.
"How can we kill them if they can survive being wet?" she whispered.
Raine turned so quickly that she broke free of Thunder's protective arm. "That IS what we're seeing, isn't it?" Her face turned white. "Do you think any of the ones on Vilecom can survive water, too?"
Thunder gathered Raine against his body and wrapped both arms around her. "If you're worried about your family," he said, "don't be." She tried to turn to face him, but he held her firm. "Remember that they have a fleet of herder-ships to protect them."
Raine visibly relaxed as a bright red spot of color formed on each cheek. "How could I have forgotten that?" she murmured.
Nimri leaned forward and touched Raine's hand. "I'm sure your family will be fine."
Raine nodded. "I am, too." She straightened and gave the shore a significant look. "If we can't kill them with a quick-cooling in water, how can we kill them?"
Nimri wished she knew the answer to that question.
~o~
Tem-aki's jaw clenched as she listened to Raine and the horrible Nimri discussed how to murder the madrox, even though Cameron had made it plain to them that he wanted to protect them. How dare they show up here and begin telling people, who had lived here for generations how things needed to be done?
What right did they have to kill the madrox?
She looked down at Cameron's prostrate form and wondered why he didn't get up and tell them to leave.
But if he did that, he wouldn't be the man she had come to admire. Tem-aki went to the mast and sat down near Saphera and Kazza, who were intently watching the shore. Leaning against the mast's solid strength for support, she wondered how she had gotten in the middle of what two people she cared about wanted. What should she do?
If she supported Cameron, then by definition, she was against her own brother and his family.
Yet if she supported Larwin, she was doing what the parasitic Nimri wanted, and while she could understand the argument about protecting her son, who after all, was her very own nephew, how much of a threat could the golden blob on the shore be? Only the head looked like a madrox, the rest of the long, lumpy form looked more like slimy scrambled eggs, which were not quite done.
As she watched, the creature moved. Squinting, she thought she could identify a leg. The stubby little thing reminded her of a hologram she's once seen of a new-born puppy. How dangerous could it be?
Convinced that Nimri was being overly-dramatic and using her child's health and well-being as an excuse to get them to do what she wanted, Tem-aki made the decision that she would support Cameron's wish to protect the madrox. While this put her at odds with Larwin, it wasn't as if he still seemed to be the brother she knew and loved.
Choice made, she began stroking Saphera's silky fur.
~o~
Cameron tried to focus his thoughts on the miracle on the shore, but his mind kept going back to the tears that had shimmered in Nimri's vivid green eyes when she told him that madrox fed on myst. While he had never heard of myst-energy, it sounded remarkably like a soul.
Was myst-energy their word for soul? And was his lack of understanding this concept due to some vocabulary omission in GEA-4's odd way of teaching language?
Saphera began purring. Glancing back, he blinked in surprise when he realized the skittish cat was, again, leaning against Tem-aki. He had often wondered if Draco Hern had jinxed her when he chose a name with 'fear' in the middle. Now, sitting between Tem-aki and the big golden cat, she appeared confident and happy.
Did her new calmness have to do with the baby dragon or was it due to Kazza's arrival?
Was it plan or coincidence that the new ones had arrived just in time for the hatching?
Either way, was Nimri correct about the dragons being a threat or could he continue to rely on what he had been taught since birth?
Would he be questioning his beliefs if Nimri's eyes were not the color only a priestess could wear and Ka
zza wasn't the color of a celestial dragon?
Rising to his feet, he went to kneel next to Tem-aki. Surely she would tell him what to do.
Chapter 29
Tem-aki stared at Cameron. "I can't tell you what to think or do," she cleared her throat, "but I will support whatever you choose," she said as softly as he was speaking.
His sincere brown gaze looked like he was trying to read her soul. "Do you think they are right about the dragons bringing death instead of life?"
While she would have liked to disagree with Nimri, everything Tem-aki had ever been taught told her that, at least on this topic, the woman was correct. "I have always avoided contact with them," she said truthfully.
Cameron's mouth flattened. "In that case, it probably isn't wise for Nolan's group to be so close."
"I would have run the other direction," she admitted.
With a decisive nod, Cameron sat back on his heels, put two fingers between his lips and emitted a sharp, distinctive whistle. The three novices on the deck and the three on the shore all jerked upright. Cameron motioned the ones on shore to return.
Was her opinion so important to him that he would disrupt everyone because of her advice? Warmth suffused her and she couldn't help but smile.
The three on shore headed toward the dory.
Saphera purred louder, but Varlet scowled at her. Tearing her gaze from his hate-filled eyes, she realized Malin and Dirk were looking at her as if she was the worst person alive. Tem-aki lifted her chin as she turned her attention back to Saphera and stroking her amazingly soft fur.
As Nolan climbed aboard, he asked Cameron, "Why did you tell us to return?"
Cameron looked at her, then turned to Nolan and said, "I have it on good authority that being close to dragons can be harmful." He smiled as he patted Nolan's shoulder. "Better to be safe than sorry."
Cameron nodded. "Besides, we can eat sandwiches while we all watch the hatchling dry, together."
Emmet clapped, but Dirk growled, "Did I understand you correctly? Did they have to come back from worshipping the first dragon seen in a hundred lifetimes because she said it wasn't safe?" In his fury, Dirk spit globs with each S.
"You could say that," Cameron said, "but-"
"Forget your buts," Varlet roared, "I, for one refuse to act like a baby listening to what some woman says. And if you're doing as she says, I will no longer listen to you." With that, he swung over the railing and climbed down to the dory. Malin and Dirk looked from Varlet to Cameron for a moment, then quickly turned and followed Varlet.
Nolan and Cameron looked at each other and shrugged.
Tristan looked at Emmet and said, "More for us." Then, they headed toward to galley.
When they were out of earshot, Tem-aki said, "Cameron, while I'm honored that you are willing to pay attention when I tell you what I know about madrox, I don't want to make problems for you."
"The problem existed long before you walked into my life... They are just using you as an excuse."
While she knew that what he said was probably true, it still made her feel uncomfortable. "If -" she realized she didn't know what to say, so she shut her mouth.
Cameron seemed to understand. He ran his knuckles down her cheek and smiled.
Nolan leaned against the railing and watched Dirk and Malin row the dinghy toward the shore. And Cameron tried to watch everyone. Once on shore, Varlet hiked with determination toward the drying hatchling. Instead of dropping into a reverent pose, as Nolan, Emmet and Tristan had done, at a respectful distance, the three continued directly to the baby dragon and only stopped when they were near enough to reach out and touch it.
Emmet and Tristan brought a heaping tray of sandwiches, a bowl of fresh fruit and a ceramic pitcher of herbal tea outside. After setting everything down, Emmet returned to the galley and Tristan went to the other rail, where he invited Larwin and his friends to join them.
By the time everyone was seated legs crossed on the deck, Emmet returned with dishes and cups.
Thunder couldn't seem to take his eyes off the ones on the shore. Face pale, he asked, "Do they realize how dangerous madrox are?"
Cameron and Nolan nodded.
Tem-aki said, "They chose to ignore the advice to keep a safe distance."
"In fact," Nolan added, "I suspect they made sure to get as close as possible as a sort of rebellion."
"Whatever their reason, it's dangerous." Thunder said.
Tem-aki said, "Those three don't have any respect for my opinion."
Emmet snickered.
"They scorn all females," Tristan said.
Tem-aki felt her eyebrows raise, yet realized that she should have figured that out.
"Sad thing is that consistency is the nicest thing I can say about them," Tristan concluded.
"Ignore the malcontents," Nolan said, "and enjoy your lunch."
A companionable conversation moved and shifted from the topic of fruits that Larwin and his friends had never seen to the experience they'd had with madrox. As Tristan told them how he had made the green-tinged spread he'd used on the vegetable, cheese and meat sandwiches, there was a loud cracking sound. Everyone stopped eating and stared toward the shore, but the only difference was that Varlet appeared to be touching the baby's head. "That probably isn't smart," Emmet said.
"Sacrilegious," Tristan agreed, then he returned to his explanation about how to make guacamole. A moment later, he hopped up and returned to the galley. He was back in a flash, four big fat brown ovals in his hands. Handing them to Nimri, he advised her how to plant the avocado seeds.
What was it with that woman and how did she manage to beguile males? And why did Larwin look pleased about the fact that Tristan was obviously trying to make an impression on the mother of his child?
Tem-aki glanced from Larwin to Nimri and, for the first time, wondered if they were as tightly bonded as they had led her to believe.
Another crack, loud as if thunder were splitting the clouds directly overhead, reverberated over the harbor. This time, when she looked toward shore, Tem-aki saw that the smooth black lava had fractured and she could see hot orange magma bubbling beneath the thin crust.
"The mother madrox is breaking free," GEA-4 said. "They should move away from the young one."
Cameron put his fingers to his mouth and emitted the same whistle, which had told Nolan and the others to return to safety. But instead of returning, Varlet raised his hand in a rude gesture, then turned back to the hatchling.
A moment later, as the third boom blasted their ears, she saw something coming out of the lava. A heartbeat later, she identified the nose of a madrox. Suddenly several things happened at once. Cameron whistled, again, Nolan, Emmet and Tristan shouted, Nimri screamed and clutched Mica to her chest and Kazza howled.
By the time the madrox's immense body was free of the lava, Varlet and the other two began running back to the dory. Malin was slightly faster, than the other two. The mother madrox's wings beat the air. Blue lightning shot from her mouth with a shrill shriek so piercing it felt as if the sound had torn off Tem-aki's ears, even though her hands covered them. The shriek came again and again. So did the whipping blue lightning and the writhing madrox seemed to get larger and larger.
Malin made a bee-line for the harbor, instead of running to the more distant boat, which Dirk and Varlet were sprinting for. Reaching the water's edge, Malin ran straight in, until the water suddenly closed over his head. Nimri gasped. Mica howled. Tem-aki didn't realize that she'd been holding her breath until she saw Malin's head pop back up.
She gasped for breath.
Several heartbeats later, she realized that the madrox's bright blue tongue was no longer lashing out and it seemed to be heading toward the hatchling, which had raised its head.
Motherly love. Who would have thought that an energy-devouring beast like a madrox was capable of that?
Malin swam as fast as he could toward the Sirocco.
"Where are Dirk and Varlet?" Emmet asked.
With a start, Tem-aki realized that she couldn't see them anywhere and the dory was still lying untouched on the beach.
"They were consumed," Nolan said.
"No!" Emmet said. Cameron, Larwin and Raine nodded. "Dragons don't eat people!" he protested.
"Apparently, they do," Cameron said. He looked her in the eye. "And they were warned."
White faced, Emmet gulped, while Tristan began to sob. "I've never seen anyone die before."
"Now do you understand why we said they were dangerous?" Nimri asked Cameron.
~o~
Cameron stared into Nimri's vivid green eyes and saw sympathy. When he didn't immediately answer, she added, "I'm sorry that you lost your friends." And he saw sincerity. "I wish there had been another way for you to learn that dragons aren't all good. Everything seems to have some sort of bad aspect, to someone, somewhere. I guess that you need to ask yourself if fertile fields are important enough to pay with the lives of your friends."
Cameron held up his hand for her to stop speaking. "Before you continue, the two that were lost were part of my order, but I would never refer to them as friends."
Tristan snickered. "That's the truth. The only friends they were was to each other."
Nimri frowned in confusion. "They were bullies," Emmet told her. "If the dragon was going to eat someone, they were the best choice possible."
"But they won't be the last," Thunder said, "and you might not like who they consume next time."
"Cameron told you to leave them alone," Tem-aki said. "Yes, they might be a threat, but this isn't your island and it certainly isn't your place to come here and tell him what to do."
Cameron took Tem-aki's hand in his and patted it. "I appreciate your support, but I wouldn't be much of a leader if I only listened to people who told me what they thought I wanted to hear."
"But-"
He put a finger to her lips effectively silencing her. "Its fine. Really." When she nodded, he removed his finger, but kept her hand clasped in his. Turning his attention back to the newcomers, he asked, "Is there any way to protect the people and still allow the dragons to fly free to make the land fruitful?"
Fire Island: Book 3 of The Chatterre Trilody (Chatterre Trilogy) Page 22