King's Exile: Chronicles of the Dragon-Bound: Book 1

by William Culbertson

  The last two mornings, his shoulder had not hurt when he had moved it while it was unwrapped. However, today Cella had caught him trying to stretch it, and she scolded him. “Now you just leave off doing that.” She shook her finger at him. “You know the doctor told you to keep that arm strapped up for a month. Next week we start with a little stretching and motion. Not before.”

  Dax grinned guiltily at her. “Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry.”

  She made a noisy raspberry at him. “No, you’re not. But you’ll be sorry if I cinch you up tight as a saddle on an unbroke horse with this clean bandage.”

  “If you strap me up too tight, then I won’t be able to help you with your chores today,” he challenged in return. Even though he only had use of his right arm, and weakly at that, the last few days he had clumsily helped her with a few of her routine tasks, including feeding Treyhorn. His dragon-bound great-aunt still slept a lot, but she roused herself at mealtimes, and it was a relief to be able to talk with her again.

  Cella finished wrapping his ribs and went to work to immobilize his arm with figure-eight wraps. “Besides”—Dax smiled—“you need to treat me nicely. Both dragons are back. I’m going to see them as soon as you’re done here. Want to come along?”

  Dax knew Cella was fascinated by the dragons. Kahshect stopped to see Dax just about every other day. After the first few days, Namkafnir had flown north to the Faymarsh Crags to hunt. The region around Timberlake had too many farms and estates for a mature dragon’s hunting to be welcome. The big dragon had been gone a week.

  She was quiet for a time. “That big one still scares me. What he did to that man that fell off his horse, and . . .” Her voice trailed off with the memory.

  “They all deserved it.” Dax frowned. “Those men were kidnappers, slavers, murderers, and more. Zodas was the leader, but they were all part of it.” He gestured to his bandages with his free right hand. “They all had a part in doing this to Bindle and me.”

  Namkafnir had killed two of the criminals with dragon fire on the road. The man who had fallen from his horse was too badly burned to be recognized, but he was too small to be Zodas. The other dead man on the road, the driver of the hearse, was not Zodas either. Namkafnir had caught a third man on the road, but the fourth had escaped. Dax feared that the one who had escaped was Zodas. Namkafnir would not discuss the man he had caught on his horse. Kahshect told Dax that Namkafnir had told him he did not know who the man was, because, to him, humans all looked alike. Kahshect did not know what had happened to the man’s body, because Namkafnir would not tell him. Dax remembered that one of the dragon-bound at the hatch had made a comment that dragons found humans “tasty,” and he decided not to press the issue.

  Chances were one out of two that Zodas was still alive, and Dax did not like those odds—not with a man like Zodas. Dax had told the whole story of their kidnapping to Orrysa, and she assured them that both he and Treyhorn were safe at the inn. Dax knew he was safe from ordinary danger, but what if Mathilde got wind of where he was? He might be safe now, but he would be safer when he finally got to Iron Moor.

  Cella tied off the end of the bandage. “All right, done.” She nodded in satisfaction. “I’d like to go see the dragons.” She paused and glanced up at him. “As long as you will be there too.”

  Dax slipped his jacket over his good arm, and Cella helped him drape it across his injured shoulder and fasten the tie in front. The weather had turned cooler, and his jacket, even loosely worn, felt good this day. His old floppy hat had disappeared along with most of his other possessions, but Cella had found an old hat woven from river reeds. He put it on his head and led the way out the door.

  Kahshect was in a clearing alongside the river just a short distance from the inn. Dax’s bond led him directly there. The young dragon raced around the perimeter of the clearing with excitement when they arrived. He charged up to Dax, but stopped just short, sensing Dax’s flinch to protect his injuries. The young dragon sat down and craned his neck, inspecting Dax’s bandages.

  Dax laughed at Kahshect’s thought and shared it with Cella. “He says if you’d wrap me a little more, I’d look like a white earthworm.”

  Cella clapped her hands with pleasure. “An earthworm? Leith is much too big to be an earthworm.” She laughed happily. “He’d look more like one of those giant Tharan boa snakes.”

  Kahshect turned his head to the older woman and gave her a respectful nod. Dax repeated the dragon’s comment. “He thanks you for taking such good care of me—whether I like it or not. And he says earthworms are smaller now than they used to be.” Dax turned back to the dragon. “That’s because you are a lot bigger than you used to be.” He said it out loud so Cella could hear.

  Cella looked up, and her eyes widened. Namkafnir had slipped quietly into the clearing. As they watched, the large dragon carefully curled himself up and lay down. He was still intimidatingly large, but now that his body was on the ground, his head rose only about half again as high off the ground as Dax’s. Once the dragon was settled, he dipped his head respectfully to the two humans. Dax bowed stiffly in return, and Cella curtsied.

  Dax and Cella sat down on the ground under a tree. Kahshect plopped down and leaned heavily against Dax, almost pushing him over onto Cella. The push caused his injured ribs to compress, and Dax gasped with pain.

  Kahshect immediately sat up with a bleat of distress. “Dax! I’m sorry.”

  Dax reached out with his free hand and rubbed the dragon’s side. “I’m okay.” Kahshect lowered his head, and Dax scratched the dragon’s ears. Dax spoke out loud for Cella’s benefit. “I’m getting better, but I still have to move slowly so I don’t stretch things too much.” He looked pointedly at Cella. “Although a little stretching wouldn’t hurt.” He patted the ground beside him for the dragon. “Here. Sit back down,” he offered. “You’re getting awfully big. Let me lean on you a little.” The young dragon happily complied, and Dax started rubbing his neck. The dragon lowered his head, and Dax found the spot behind his ears. Kahshect laid his head in Dax’s lap.

  Cella looked down at Kahshect. “Can I rub him too?”

  “Sure. He likes it when you rub behind his ears.”

  She tentatively touched Kahshect’s head, then mimicked Dax’s motions on the dragon’s other ear. Soon she was rewarded with the dragon’s hearty sigh of approval. Unfortunately the sigh was also accompanied by the acrid smell of the dragon’s breath.

  Dax waved his hand in protest. “You smell like brimstone.”

  Kahshect rolled an eye in an effort to look at his bondmate. “Of course I do. You’d smell too if you could breathe fire. Just be glad you’re petting this end.”

  After a moment the comment registered, and Dax gave a snort of amusement. Cella looked at him. “You are talking, aren’t you? What did he say?”

  Caught off guard Dax struggled for an answer. Finally he just repeated the dragon’s words. Cella laughed. “Now I know I like him. A dragon with a saucy sense of humor? I never would have imagined such a thing.”

  They had been sitting paying attention to Kahshect for a few minutes when Namkafnir stood up and lumbered closer. Kahshect shifted out of his way, and with a deep sigh, Namkafnir lay down behind the humans, close enough that they could rest against his broad back. Cella started at first, but once Namkafnir settled in place, she leaned back and started rubbing Kahshect again.

  “Dax,” Cella ventured. “One thing I’ve been wondering was how the dragons found you hidden in those coffins.”

  The question was so obvious to Dax that he had to stop and think how to explain it to Cella. “Kahshect knows where I am, and I know where he is. All the time. It’s part of the bond, I guess. Just like our dragons knew Bindle and I were in trouble as soon as Zodas and his men grabbed us.”

  Cella shook her shoulders. “It still scares me what the big one did to those men in the road.”

  “Never try to kill one of the dragon-bound unless you plan to kill the dragon as well.”
Dax gave a little laugh. “I’m not sure where I heard that, but it’s true for a fact. As soon we were taken prisoner, the dragons knew we were in danger. They were on their way to the Dragon Lands, but they started back immediately. They flew as hard as they could.”

  Neither said anything for a while. Cella finally sighed. “You are lucky to have a friend like that.”

  “I think so too.”

  Kahshect readjusted himself to get comfortable and sighed. “You want me to breathe on you again?”

  Dax was warm and comfortable, and he was too tired to think of a reply.

  #

  Dax opened his eyes after a time and realized he had been asleep. He looked around and saw Cella was gone. He sat up and saw her at one side of the clearing, picking dry fall foliage. He got to his feet.

  Kahshect stretched and yawned beside him. “Time for you to go?”

  The sun was high in the sky. “Yes, it’s just about time for lunch,” Dax replied. “We’ve got to get back. Cella has kitchen duty after lunch, and I’m supposed to look after the urchins of the inn.”

  “You like those little ones, don’t you?”

  Dax smiled. “Sure. What’s not to like? They’re the children of the women who work for Orrysa. I’m older than most of them, and they do what I tell them. Except for Scarlet. He’s just a couple of years younger than I am, and he’s quite a handful.”

  Kahshect stood and shook himself carefully to avoid striking Dax. “Namkafnir wants to go to the Dragon Lands soon,” he thought, “but he’s worried about Bindle.”

  “You can tell him she’s doing fine. Orrysa knows a healer in town, and she’s been out to see Bindle several times. She’s eating more and taking short walks. She won’t be ready to travel for a while, but yesterday she walked over from the residence to the inn for supper.”

  The dragon leaned closer and inspected Dax. “Namkafnir knows she’s doing better. I know you are doing better too, but I still worry about you because you still hurt.”

  Dax looked over at the dragon and started to shrug his shoulders. He stopped at the first twinge of pain, then deliberately, but cautiously, completed the gesture.

  “I know that hurt,” Kahshect said. “Why did you do it?”

  He almost shrugged again, but chuckled instead. “Just contrary, I guess. No, it hurts, but the doctor said to do some stretching to keep my muscles working. Otherwise I’ll get lumpy and lazy like a dragon.”

  “A dragon that can rouse himself to fury in an instant. Pounce like a thunderbolt—”

  “And sleep like a thunder boulder,” Dax thought in return but chuckled aloud.

  “Are you two arguing again?” Cella interrupted.

  Dax smiled. “We’re not really arguing. I’m just making sure this dragon doesn’t get a big head.”

  “I’d better get a big head, otherwise I will look funny when the rest of me grows up.”

  Dax sighed and repeated the remark for Cella. She laughed, and Dax thought resignedly that he would never get the last word with the beast.

  Cella held out the dried foliage for his inspection. “I’m going to make a centerpiece for the serving table tonight.”

  He nodded and said, “The dragons are getting ready to head for the Dragon Lands again. They want to make sure Bindle and I are all right, but they will leave soon.”

  She nodded gravely. “You’ll miss him, won’t you? I know I’ve gotten to like him. Even the big one’s okay. He still gives me a turn every time I see him, but he’s always careful when he’s around us.”

  “Kahshect has to go to the Dragon Lands, just like I have to go to Iron Moor.” Dax enjoyed talking with Cella. He and Bindle had already shared much of the events of their journey to Timberlake with the woman—everything except why Dax had had to make the journey in the first place.

  Cella nodded. “Now that Scarlet knows about Iron Moor, he wants to go too.”

  Dax smiled. “Yes, he mentioned that the other day. He wants me to show him how to fight.” Dax waved his good arm, imitating Scarlet’s flourish of pretend swordplay, but stopped when his other shoulder gave a twinge of pain. He gently probed at the sore spot, but chuckled, thinking of Scarlet. “He’s already awfully quick. As ornery as he is, it might be dangerous to show him too much.”

  “He’s mine, you know,” she said shyly. “Scarlet, I mean.”

  Dax was startled. “No, I didn’t know.”

  She nodded. “I don’t work much in the happy house now that I’ve put on all this weight, but some years ago I was more of a fancy one. Orrysa has spells and herbs and things”—she shrugged—“but sometimes children just want to be born.” Cella gestured idly toward the inn. “Aside from having a husband and family of my own, I can’t think of any place where a child would get more love and attention than in our little pack of mongrels.” She was quiet for a time. “I sort of love them all like they were my own.” Dax had not heard the other women talk much about their children, but he had begun to understand the little community Orrysa had created. In the short time he had been here, he already felt as if he belonged.

  #

  Dax left for Iron Moor a month later. His ribs and collarbone had healed, and he had been helping with the daily chores to get his strength back. Treyhorn was much better, but she was not yet ready to travel. Before he left they had talked, and she convinced him he should go on without her.

  “You really need to get to Iron Moor,” she had stated emphatically. “Summer is well over. Anytime now the fall rains will start and make travel harder. There’s always a chance an early blue blizzard will sweep down off the Faymarsh Crags and really make a mess of things until spring.” She shook her head. “Renshau will have started the fall term by now, so you are already late.”

  After their long journey together, Dax could not imagine going on without her. “But what do I do? I mean, I know I need to find Commandant Renshau, but what do I tell him?”

  She smiled. “That’s the nice thing about being dragon-bound. You won’t have to tell him anything. He already knows we are coming and that we’ve been delayed.”

  Dax started to ask how he could know, but then he realized what the answer must be. “The dragons?”

  “I’ve been in regular contact with Renshau since I got my wits back about me,” she said, nodding. “I have to go through Namkafnir to Teycuktet. That’s Renshau’s bondmate, by the way. It’s not exactly a personal contact, but we get news back and forth.”

  After thinking for a minute, Dax asked, “How much of the story does he know?”

  “Most of it is my guess,” she replied. “Nale doesn’t miss much. I sent word you had fled from Mathilde, and Namkafnir said Teycuktet said that Renshau was angry . . .” She dipped her head. “It’s awkward having a thirdhand conversation, but from what I can tell, he knows the major players and the outline. He’s looking forward to hearing your story.”

  The fact that Commandant Renshau knew something of what was going on was a relief. Dax had to go to a strange place to meet a man he did not know to start his new life. He had worried at the edges of this daunting obstacle for some time, but Treyhorn’s account gave Dax assurance that he had already been introduced . . . at least thirdhand.

  #

  His travel arrangements were finalized when Kemmy offered to take him to Iron Moor. Kemmy was one of several large, burly men Orrysa employed to keep order at the inn and especially at the happy house. Kemmy was originally from the Dinwiddie area, and he said he would use the trip to visit his widowed mother. Kemmy often stopped to talk to Cella, and the man had taken a liking to Dax. Dax was certain Kemmy was sweet on Cella, but she laughed it off when he mentioned it to her. Although Kemmy liked him well enough, Dax was sure the man had volunteered because he was eager to do a favor for Cella.

  Since Dax’s ribs were still tender, Orrysa picked Lala from her stable for him to ride. The horse was old but reliable. Her sedate, easygoing pace—even the sight of Kahshect stirred her to no more than a brisk saunter
to the other side of her corral—would jostle a rider less than a wagon. On the way back, Lala would serve as a pack animal for the items Kemmy was to buy in Dinwiddie and Timberlake.

  Dax left with Kemmy early in the morning, and by evening they were in Timberlake. Orrysa had insisted they spend the night at Willum’s inn, and she had given them money enough. Willum, for his part, welcomed them both and joined them for a time during supper. The inn was much quieter than it had been during Festival, but Willum was still up and about during the meal, making sure everyone received some of his personal attention.

  After a night at the inn, Dax and Kemmy spent the rest of their nights under a small tent Orrysa had provided. It was easy to put up and take down, and it gave some shelter from cool night winds. However, it was not large. Kemmy filled most of the space, but Dax had room enough. A bigger problem was the man’s snoring. Treyhorn was a quiet sleeper, but his new companion rumbled and thundered through the night. Some mornings Dax found himself dozing off on Lala’s back after a sleepless night under the tent.

  The forest closed in around the road on the other side of Timberlake, and the country grew wilder as they traveled. The second day out of Timberlake, Dax noticed a white shape on the northern horizon. At first he thought it was a cloud, but when it did not move, he asked Kemmy about it.

  “That’s Winter’s Warning, first of the Faymarsh Crags to see on the road up to Dinwiddie. ‘When she wears a snowy crown, there’s winter coming down.’”

  “Poetry, Kemmy?”

  The normally taciturn man blushed. “Nah. Something Mam used t’say.”

  Later that day, more mountain peaks appeared on the northern horizon. The road was definitely climbing, and the river rushed by them faster on its way down toward Timberlake. More pines stood among the trees in the forest. Their needles were a fuzzy green in a forest where all the other trees had green and yellow leafy facets. The road made occasional looping detours around rock outcrops, including one tall pillar Kemmy identified as Tallen’s Tower. When Dax asked, Kemmy had no idea who Tallen might have been.