The four of them looked at each other, then Larwin said, "None that I have ever heard of."
"Or I," said Raine.
Discussion on the topic stopped when there was a clattering at Sirocco's side. Malin, wearing nothing but a soaking, saggy breechcloth was climbing up the ladder as if the dragon was still in pursuit, but a glance at the shore verified that it was coiling itself protectively around its hatchling. As soon as Malin's bare feet hit the deck, he launched himself forward. Cameron dropped Tem-aki's hand and prepared for an assault, but instead, sobbing Malin threw himself on the deck and began to kiss his sandals.
Reaching down, he pulled the boy to his feet. "It's fine. You're safe now."
Malin blubbered unintelligible things, but Cameron was able to pick out 'should have listened to you' and 'wrong'. While it would have been nice to believe Malin was admitting guilt, it seemed like he was still blaming others, instead of shouldering responsibility for his own choices. Looking over his shoulder, he motioned for Tristan and Emmet to come close. "Take him below."
"To dry?" Tristan asked.
"First wash away his fear," Cameron said.
When the young ones had gone, Cameron returned to the idea of finding a way to save the land and still protect the people. There must be some way to do so. Surely Draco Shakura knew the dangers as well as the benefits when he followed Shaka-uma here. For the first time, he noticed that Larwin was holding Draco Shakura's Staff of Power. Heat quickly followed by ice flowed through him, as he wondered how the man had gotten his hands on the priceless artifact. Cameron took a deep breath, then excused himself and escaped into the galley, where he plopped down on the first available chair, closed his eyes and tried to control his breathing by telling himself that Larwin had a right to hold the sacred artifact, after all his sister was the one who had brought it to him. In fact, the man probably had more of a right to touch it than he did. And perhaps Tem-aki knew that, and it was why she had brought it with her.
Did Larwin know how to use it to control dragons, as Draco Shakura had?
Could the staff of power be the way to save both fields and dragons?
Cameron's eyes shot open and hope soared in his soul. A movement by the window caught his attention. He turned to see that both of the cats were sitting side by side, still as statues, their noses pressed against the back of the ancient skull, which Tem-aki had taken from him.
How strange. Until Tem-aki had arrived, he'd never seen Saphera give the skull a passing glance.
Cameron massaged the bridge of his nose and tried to imagine how Draco Shakura might have used the staff. Prior to seeing the actual size of an adult dragon, he'd assumed the staff of power was used for dragons in much the same way that goatherds used their staffs.
Now, he knew that was impossible.
Before going back outside, Cameron filled a pitcher with herbal tea, so he could use it as an excuse for his abrupt departure. Turning to go, he saw the staff of power leaning next to the doorway.
When had Larwin returned it?
Why hadn't he heard him?
He looked out the open door at the mysterious man and realized there was also a staff in his hand. Cameron put the pitcher of tea down with such a thump that it sloshed over.
How could there be two staffs?
Was the one Tem-aki had brought actually Draco Shakura's or were they common among her people?
Forcing himself to breath, Cameron got a good grip on the pitcher and went back outside, where he could get answers to his questions.
Chapter 30
Nimri wondered why Cameron was clutching the fat brown jug, as if it was a lifeline and staring at Larwin, as if he was both terrified and infatuated with her mate. Meanwhile, Larwin, oblivious to Cameron, quietly talked with Nolan.
Thunder, who had his arm around Raine, was standing by the rail watching the dragon. Tough Raine' was leaning into Thunder's side, her attention seemingly on whatever Tem-aki was saying. She made several gestures toward shore, so Nimri assumed the topic of conversation was how to deal with the danger, which was what occupied her thoughts, too.
When they had been attacked, there was barely time to defend themselves from the myst-eating monster. If she had been taught that madrox could benefit crops, would she have been so quick to think that defending herself and her tribe was the only option?
Nimri wasn't sure.
But she was sure that she would defend Mica to the death, much as the mother dragon had apparently done. The real question was why Shaka-uma had believed that the mere touch from a human hand could harm the hatchling.
Now, the huge form was coiled around the baby, so the mother was obviously protecting it with her own body.
Was that any different from what she was willing to do for Mica?
Larwin and Nolan turned to her. Judging by Larwin's expression, he'd discovered something interesting. Nimri joined them and asked Larwin, "What is it?"
He tilted the staff of power back and forth. She felt her forehead furrow in confusion.
"They have one just like this and they call it a staff of power, too. That has to mean something, right?"
Two staffs? What were the odds? Nimri wet her lips then asked, "Are there any stories associated with yours?"
Nolan eagerly nodded, "Draco Shakura, our sect's founder, used it to control Shaka-uma, as she led us here."
Larwin gave her a significant look and mouthed the word, 'control'. Her great-grandfather had used his staff to control the weather. Could it be called the staff of power because it controlled things? That was a power, wasn't it?
How could there be two staffs?
Was the one Tem-aki had found actually Draco Shakura's or were they common?
~o~
Forcing himself to breathe, Cameron got a good grip on the pitcher and went back outside, as Nolan said, "Our staff had been lost for centuries, but your sister returned it to us."
Larwin turned to Tem-aki. "How did you get it?"
Nolan's eyes widened in surprise. "But you have the same."
"It belongs to my mate's line."
"But they must have come through the Star Bridge together," Nimri said. "I mean it makes sense, doesn't it? Ours arrived with the first Tramontain, and he became our tribe's first keeper of the peace, theirs apparently came with their sect's founder, which I bet isn't much different from what my ancestor was."
"Draco Shakura followed the dragon mother in the first migration," Cameron said, as he joined them. Though he still clutched the brown jug against his stomach, he somehow felt less stressed. "I recognized the staff from a sketch in the ancient journal."
"So you've lived here, with a dragon, for years?"
Nolan frowned. "Yes and no."
"He's trying to say that our faction is based on respect for them, but it has been many generation since one was seen alive," Cameron said.
"In fact, I turned down the offer of becoming high draco, in large part because I didn't want to be the one everyone was looking at when the faction failed," Nolan said.
Cameron raised a brow.
"One thing I don't understand," Larwin said, "is how a full-grown madrox managed to fit through the Star Bridge, previously."
"What do you mean?" Cameron asked.
"Well, when I arrived on this world, this side of the Star Bridge was very much an old cave, but after the madrox broke through, everything was changed."
Nimri nodded. "Broken, melted, then reformed. It looked very different from the old cave."
"Rounded?" Cameron asked. Nimri nodded. "Smooth instead of rough rock?" She nodded, again. "Interesting. That almost sounds like the place our faction considers special."
Larwin turned toward Tem-aki. "Could you join us?"
"What is it?"
"You're our rock expert."
~o~
She nodded, then moved between Larwin and Nolan, who each shifted aside to give her space. "What do you want to know?"
As Larwin explained about the Star Bri
dge and Cameron reminded her of where they'd met, Nimri had a chance to study Tem-aki without being obvious about it. Without the anger and hatred in her eyes, Tem-aki was actually an attractive woman. And judging by her comments on molten rock, an intelligent one, too.
The real question was if understanding how rock could become a liquid could help them solve the madrox problem. If the mother dragon had somehow existed in or on the distant, broken ridge for hundreds of years, then it must have the ability to hibernate.
When bears came out of hibernation, their focus was on feeding. Nimri frowned, as she wondered if that was what the creature had been doing in the lava, or if it had come out of the lava's heat to feed on the myst-energy of the unfortunate two.
"Perhaps both," Larwin said.
Nimri gulped.
~o~
Tem-aki tore her gaze from the motionless madrox and looked back at the murmuring group. Every male in sight was clustered around Nimri, leaning toward her, as if hanging on her every word. Tem-aki's eyes narrowed and her jaw tightened, then she glanced at Raine, wondering why she didn't seem to be bothered about the way Nimri behaved. Didn't she care that the woman was apparently trying to lure her guy away? Tem-aki ground her teeth as she watched the way Nimri smiled at Cameron. The next thing she did was pat Nolan's arm.
Did the woman have any limits?
Wasn't Larwin enough?
How dare she throw herself at every male?
Tem-aki moved over to Raine, who seemed more interested in the madrox. "Doesn't it bother you?"
"What? Learning that they are good mothers?" Raine smiled. "It isn't a total surprise, but I admit that even after years of working with them I've never seen a mother and baby interact." She rubbed the back of her neck. "It sort of makes them seem almost human. At least, it makes me wonder if Cameron's perspective needs to be considered more deeply."
"I'm not talking about that." Tem-aki forced herself to take a deep breath. She jerked her thumb backward. "Doesn't it bother you how she tries to grab every male around?"
Raine's eyes widened in surprise, then she laughed.
Tem-aki's hands clenched so tightly that her fingernails cut into her palms.
"You're serious!" Raine laughed harder. "You only say that because you don't know her well. Yes, she's fun and beautiful and men like to be around her, but she is one-hundred percent devoted to your brother."
"So that's why you don't mind that Thunder spends so much time with her?"
Raine laughed until her eyes watered. "You aren't really worried about that." Raine managed to stop laughing. "You're jealous that Cameron is talking to her."
Was Raine right? Tem-aki shook her head.
Raine nodded. "You can lie to yourself, but we've all seen the way you and Cameron look at each other." Raine looked her in the eye. "Don't worry about Nimri, worry about figuring out how we can protect lives and at the same time help Cameron."
Tem-aki stared at Raine for several moments, but realized she was correct. Right now, dealing with the madrox was the issue, she would deal with Nimri and the way she took her brother for granted later. "Fine, you're right. We need to focus on the madrox and Cameron's issues." Tem-aki leaned forward and rested her forearms on the rail as she studied the coiled madrox. "What would you do?"
"Without Nambaba, I'd get to the middle of the ocean and dive in."
Tem-aki straightened and gave her a startled look. "I would never have thought of that, but you're right, that would do the trick."
At least it would for the short-term.
How long did it take to drown?
As if in some unspoken agreement, they turned back to watch the motionless madrox, which seemed to be radiating heat or something. Both of them leaned on the rail. "That's odd," Raine said.
"What is?"
"I've never seen a dragon shimmer."
Tem-aki squinted at the distant coils. "I've seen steam rise lots of time." She shrugged. "I didn't realize Kalamar was so different."
"I know what steam looks like," Raine said, "that's a shimmer."
Tem-aki narrowed her eyes. Now that Raine mentioned it, it did look more like a translucent shimmer instead of foggy steam. In fact, in a few areas, it was almost like a vague rainbow arched over the coiled beast. "It's sort of pretty."
Raine looked over her shoulder, then gestured to GEA-4.
"Yes?" the android asked.
"I've never seen a shimmer like that, do you know what is causing it?"
GEA-4 turned her eerie silver eyes toward the coiled beast. "Unknown power source, but from this perspective, the phenomena appears to be enclosing the madrox."
Tem-aki's spine snapped her to attention. "If there is energy around it, does that mean it is gaining strength?"
"My scan was inconclusive, however, I did not detect any transfer of energy to or from the madrox."
How very strange.
GEA-4 turned toward the other group. At the next pause in conversation, she asked them if the energy dome was known to the area, but her question was met with surprise. The others joined her at the rail, as if viewing something nearly a mile away was easier if they moved a few feet closer.
"It almost looks like a wind-bow," Thunder said, then explained that sometimes, when the wind blew the clouds into a nearly transparent layer and sunlight was just right, an entire section of sky would look as if someone had painted a huge horizontal rainbow across the sky.
"I've seen those,"Nimri said, "but that is different. In fact, it reminds me of the special hat Larwin was wearing when I first saw him."
Larwin chuckled. "You screamed and fainted."
"I meant that it was like a big bubble over your head."
He squinted at the madrox for a short while, then nodded in agreement. "GEA-4, if the heat from the mother was evaporating the hatchling's moisture, would it look like that?"
"Inadequate data, but logically, something like that would mainly emit evaporation over the center portion."
Though the shimmers of color were difficult to see, Tem-aki could see that their distance from the madrox seemed to be about the same on both sides, as well as above the coils. "Could the beast's heat cause that?"
"Unknown," GEA-4 said.
"It looks a lot like an energy barrier," Raine said.
Tem-aki blinked in surprise, realizing that she was correct. But why would there be one? "Do madrox – er – dragons usually put up some form of protection fields around themselves?"
Raine put her hands palms up, as she gave her a perplexed look. Tem-aki saw Larwin's frowning glance and was glad to know that she wasn't the only one who thought that someone who had spent years caring for the creatures should know a bit more about madrox and their habits than Raine seemed to.
Abruptly, GEA-4's already stiff posture became rigid and she spun toward the shoreline. "Something is moving."
Tem-aki squinted, but didn't see anything move other than the water lapping the shore.
Not even a bird was flying.
She looked at Cameron, then Larwin, Nolan, Thunder and Raine, but they looked as mystified as she felt.
"It is moving higher," GEA-4 said.
Staring at the top of the coils, she spotted a bright yellow-gold glint. Was it movement or her imagination? It came, again. She gasped in air, not having realized she was holding her breath.
Cameron's fingers wrapped around her hand, but otherwise, all his attention seemed to be on shore.
Though the coils didn't appear to move, slowly, the bright yellow-gold glint materialized into the baby madrox's head. Now dry, it clamored onto its mother, a vivid spot against her darker brass-toned body.
"It's so cute," Raine said. "I've never seen one this young."
Thunder put his arm around her shoulders. "I wonder if they're like baby snakes."
"Meaning?" Tem-aki asked.
"Adult snakes have learned to control their energy and poison, but the babies haven't. Add the fact that they are cuter," he gave the top of Raine's
head a significant look, "and you now know why more people get hurt by the young."
"It's the same with my tribe," Nimri said.
The baby madrox slid off the top of its mother, and landing on the ground in a ball, rolled into the shimmering shield, then with a shriek, it leaped backward.
At the same time, the mother dragon uncoiled and her tail hit the rainbow area. Sparks flew and she bellowed.
Cameron cleared his throat, "Something tells me that whatever that is isn't her creation."
"It looks like whatever it is has trapped her," Nolan said.
"What kind of energy could do that?" Larwin asked.
"And where did it come from?" Nimri added.
GEA-4's head turned from the shore to the galley door. "I picked up short blips, when the contact was made and was able to confirm that the source is aboard this vessel."
They all rushed toward the galley's door.
Chapter 31
Cameron stopped where he could see through the doorway, and watch the shore at the same time. Tem-aki stayed with him, her fingers still firmly gripping his hand. After the others passed, GEA-4 stood in the doorway, presumably observing something. But there was nothing to see. Saphera and Kazza were still sitting motionless by the skull. In fact, neither of them so much as batted an ear when the other five swarmed into the room.
Nervous as Saphera was, her sudden calmness shocked Cameron into taking a closer look at her.
Was she ill?
Had one of the visitors done something to her? GEA-4 had said Nimri was a healer. Could she have somehow helped her relax? Her own cat, Kazza, certainly didn't exhibit any obvious tendencies toward acting worried. In fact, when Shaka-uma had surged out of her bed of lava, the only reaction he'd displayed was perked ears.
Could Kazza's simple presence calm Saphera that much?
Possibly.
For certain he'd felt more capable of dealing with anything that came his way since Tem-aki arrived. He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. There was an immediate answering caress.
Fire Island: Book 3 of The Chatterre Trilody (Chatterre Trilogy) Page 23