Delno had seen his friend’s eyes go nearly blank for a second, and then, after the newly bonded pair had had a moment to adjust just a bit, Nassari looked at him in utter shock, but he also looked ready to defend what had just happened.
Delno laughed out loud and said, “Join the other newly bonded pairs, young Rider, and no flying until you have had some proper instruction.”
Then Keera landed and bonded with a young man named Horace. Delno had them join the others while he turned to address the three young men still standing on the field.
“Don’t be discouraged,” he said. “The fact that you weren’t chosen today does not reflect badly on you. The magic chooses, not the dragon or Rider.” That wasn’t strictly true, because the dragon did have some say in it, but he didn’t want to discourage them from trying again if more adult dragons became willing. “If we have more dragons who decide to bond, you may find a Partner then, if you choose to try.”
“I think I was misled,” said the young man who had expressed trepidations at being marked. “I do not believe I will try again. I don’t see where there is so much advantage to being bonded to a dragon that I am willing to allow myself to be branded in the process.” His tone was so peevish that Delno wanted to stand him in a corner like an errant child.
“Well, then,” Delno struggled to keep his tone cordial, “thank you for coming anyway. I am sorry that we got your hopes up for nothing.” To the other two, he said, “We will keep in contact with you and try to find you partners if you are willing to try again in the future.”
The candidates, two disappointed and one relieved, left the field. Delno turned and walked to those who had successfully bonded.
“I swear to you, Del,” Nassari said, “I had no intention of that happening. I don’t even know how it happened. I have no connection to magic. I’ve never worked magic in my life.”
“Never worked magic in your life?” Delno responded. “Nassari, you work magic all the time. I fully believe that that is how you are so persuasive. Your gift of the silver tongue is your magical talent.” Then he spoke to the entire group, “All right, listen, all of you. We have much to do and little time to do it. I don’t know how much you understand about our state of war, but let me assure you that there is more to it than you could possibly know. Your Bond-mates are aware of a great deal more of the situation and they will fill you in. In the meantime, Nassari will make sure that you all see the saddlers and get measurements taken for saddles for your Bond-mates. Then we will begin training you in the basics of being proper Riders.” He turned to his friend and added, “Nassari, I leave them in your capable hands for now.”
Delno turned and strode back to Geneva who was still chuckling at Nassari.
“I am glad that you are so amused at that,” he said to her.
“I just find it quite funny that someone who hates flying as much as Nassari claims to hate it has become a Rider. I just want to be there the first time he and Wanda do a barrel roll or a stall-and-reverse.”
“You can be sadistic when you put your mind to it, Love,” he replied, and they both laughed.
Chapter 20
After talking about what had just happened on the field for a few more minutes, the two of them flew back to the city and Geneva settled on the wall overlooking the plain and the new Riders. In the distance, they could see the soldiers forming columns, preparing to begin the long march to Horne. It would take them at least two weeks, if they pushed hard, to get there. Delno had only been able to give them a vague idea of where to find Winston. They had instructions, though, that if they couldn’t meet up with the men from Ondar, they were to wait for him and his Riders to get there, and then he would have more specific orders for them. For the time being, Nat would be traveling with the soldiers since he needed to get to Horne to head off any of the Rorack sickness that was sure to be spreading.
As he thought of his friend, the physician stepped onto the wall from the stairs. Seeing Delno, he waved and walked quickly toward him and Geneva. “Well, my friends,” Nat addressed both man and dragon, “Marlo is all ready, and I have everything I need. I will be leaving very shortly.”
“I’m still not sure you should go alone,” Delno replied. “I should send someone with you.”
“You are sending more than six hundred soldiers with me. Isn’t that enough?” Nat said with a laugh.
“You know very well that I am referring to sending one or more Riders along.”
“Have so many that you can spare a few to escort me, do you?” Nat responded. “Delno, we’ve been over this many times. You don’t have Riders to spare right now. Adamus and Rita are needed here to help you train the newly bonded pairs and everyone else is off doing other tasks that have nothing to do with me. I have to go to Horne because most of the soldiers who have answered the call for help are vulnerable to the sickness that nearly devastated Corice. This is the way it must be, my friend.”
“I know all of that, but I don’t like us splitting up. I think when the Riders go to Horne they should all go together, if nothing else as a show of force. One lone Rider is vulnerable to Warrick’s schemes, or outright attack.”
“Marlo was raised as a wild dragon; she is better at seeing and avoiding trouble than those raised with humans from hatchlings. Also, I am not completely uneducated in magic; I’ve just never spent much time doing it. You might remember me mentioning that I was raised by elves. I’ve been practicing shielding and healing since the plague was brought under control, and I’m not bad at it. In fact, with my knowledge of anatomy, I will rival you as a healer as soon as I’ve had a bit more practical experience.”
Delno smiled at his friend and Nat returned the gesture. Then the half-elf reached out and took Delno’s hand to shake. Delno gripped Nat’s arm firmly, and then the two men briefly embraced.
“What have I missed?” Rita said as she approached them.
“Nat is ready to leave for Horne, and we were saying goodbye.”
Rita walked up very close and said sternly, “You be damn careful, Nathaniel; I expect to find you safe and sound when I get to Horne.” Then she hugged him tightly for a moment and kissed him soundly. “Good luck and keep safe, my friend,” she added.
Nat smiled once again at both of them before he turned and strode off to Marlo. He mounted up, and Marlo launched off the wall. Delno and Rita watched them for several moments as their friends’ silhouette grew smaller.
Delno turned to Rita and said, “One part of the plan is under way. Our physician is off to keep our soldiers healthy. Let us go in and see how my brother is doing with those books.”
“Oh, that’s why I came looking for you. Will has found even more of the books, and says that the language is a bit archaic, but he can still read them just fine. He believes that he will be able to get a lot of useful training from them.”
“That’s good, but I still need to talk with him. If what I’m thinking works out, he will be joining us in Horne.”
“What are you up to now, Handsome?”
“Sorry, Beautiful, this one I’m going to keep to myself for a bit. At least until I confer with my brother.”
Neither threats nor pouting would prize any more information from him as the two of them walked back to the palace to find Will.
Chapter 21
“Ah, Delno, there you are,” Dorian said as Delno and Rita entered the library. “Hello, my dear, always a pleasure to see you under any circumstances.”
Rita smiled and took Dorian’s hand as the king led them to the back of the library where Will was so engrossed in a book he was reading that he didn’t even notice their arrival. They simply stood and watched him for several moments. He would read a bit then mutter under his breath and then make a note about something. Then he would turn back to the book and start the cycle over again.
“He’s been doing that for almost three hours without a break,” Dorian said.
At the sound of his uncle’s voice, Will looked up as startled as if th
e three of them just appeared out of thin air. “Oh, where did you come from? I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Obviously,” Delno replied smiling. “I am quite pleased to find you so hard at work, Brother, but don’t let your guard down so much. We have had one attempt at assassination since we arrived here in Larimar; it could happen again.”
While Delno’s smile took some of the sting out of the rebuke, Will was still a bit hurt that his half-brother had chastised him.
“Oh, Delno,” Rita said, “can’t you see that you’ve hurt his feelings now? He was just studying hard, like you told him to do. Honestly, you’ve gotten so serious in last couple of days since we were attacked in our bedchamber. It’s not as if we haven’t been assaulted before.”
Delno looked at her for a moment, and then replied, “You’re right; I have gotten more serious since that attack. You and I have both been in danger since the moment we first met. I have had no choice but to get used to that. However, I have never wanted anything for my family other than for them to be happy and safe. Part of the reason I originally left Corice to find Jhren was to take the trouble that seemed to be following me away from my loved ones. Now that I have returned, it has become a direct threat to them.”
Will put his hand on Delno’s shoulder and said, “Brother, I am safe. I am never out of range of Saadia, and she is doubly vigilant now since those assassins got through the city’s defenses. She knew you were getting close, but has been told that you can be trusted. Also, I don’t intend to rely solely on her vigilance, though I do trust her completely. I was just reading about how to set wards in place to detect if someone or something approaches. That is what I was studying so single-mindedly.” He drew a deep breath and added, “Also, I have studied regularly with the City Guard as a reservist for three years. I don’t carry a sword just for show.” He patted the scabbard he had taken to wearing since the attack had occurred.
Delno noticed that Will also had a main gauche hanging on the left side of his belt, the same side as the foot saber he carried. It struck him that he and Will were as much alike in spirit as they were different in appearance. Perhaps, he thought, Will will make a good lieutenant among the Riders. Out loud he said, “I am sorry, Brother, I just want to keep my family safe. I guess it’s high time for me to start thinking of you as an adult and not as my little brother.”
“Apology accepted, and I doubt you will ever stop thinking of me as your little brother; just as I will never stop thinking of you as my big brother.”
“So, show me these wards you were talking about. Jhren mentioned something about them, but didn’t get the chance to teach me before Nat put him on light duty and I had to leave Palamore.”
“Oh, they’re very simple, really. You call up the magic and then erect a kind of magical wall. You keep the wall weak on purpose rather than making it strong enough to repel someone. Then, instead of breaking contact completely, like you would if you put up a one-time shield, you remain in contact. When something passes through the wall you feel it immediately.”
“So, in a way, it’s just an extension of shield magic. I didn’t study that much yet because I can do a shield using telekinesis that is better at repelling non-magical attacks and doesn’t drain me the way a magical shield does.”
“Yes,” Will replied, “it is just like a magical shield. I suppose it would drain your energy if it was strong enough to repel, but it is so weak that the drain is negligible. In fact, someone passing through it would never know it was even there unless he himself was an experienced magic user. As for using a telekinetic shield, you’ll have to teach me how to do that. I haven’t had much opportunity to practice that type of magic yet.”
The two brothers had become so engrossed in their conversation that they had forgotten everyone else around them. “Do you two think you can a take a few moments and join the rest of us in the here and now?” Rita asked.
The brothers looked at her like two children who had been caught passing notes by the teacher. Then Delno said, “It is very near lunch time. Why don’t we move to the dining hall so we can talk over a nice meal? Things are going to start moving a bit more rapidly now, so this may be our last chance to sit together with our family for a while.”
“Nassari has had Wanda report to me that all of the newly bonded dragons have been measured for saddles, Love,” Geneva broke into his thoughts. “I do believe that he is inordinately pleased with himself at being able to report to you in such a way. I get the feeling that he is going to be a pest until he gets used to the idea of being a Rider.”
“He will learn, Love, have patience with him.” Delno chuckled as he replied to Geneva and then had to explain the reason for his mirth to those who were with him in the room.
“The man was nearly insufferable before he bonded,” Rita exclaimed, “being a Rider will only make that worse.”
“Nassari is a good man at heart, Beautiful. He’ll come around in short order.” Then he added, “Look at the bright side; now that he’s got a dragon of his own to ride, he can’t grope you under the guise of being afraid to fly.”
Dorian smirked, and Will laughed out loud. The look on Rita’s face was a mixture of amusement and relief. He told them about the doings on the field while they walked to the dining hall.
“So, tell me, Uncle,” Laura Okonan asked Dorian over lunch: “How is the construction of the new fortifications at Stone Bridge coming? I’ve always thought that the treaty prohibiting such was good for Bourne but went drastically against Corice’s best interests.”
“I haven’t heard any good news from there since Delno and Rita returned,” Dorian replied.
Laura’s direct manner didn’t offend him at all. In fact, he had come to rely on her as an advisor of sorts. She was very good at seeing what was in the best interest of Corice, and was usually able to cut through the bureaucratic nonsense and get to the heart of a matter. She was a very capable and pragmatic woman, and Dorian was quite proud of his niece.
“Of course,” the king continued, “if there were bad news, I’m sure we would have heard it by now. What do you think, Nephew?”
“Geneva is close enough to Beth to have contact. If anything were wrong, she would have informed me,” Delno responded. “I do intend to go there tomorrow and see for myself one more time before we head off to Orlean, though.”
“So, it is still your intention to leave soon?” Dorian inquired.
“I have no choice, Uncle. We must settle the two eggs that Gina will lay, may have already laid for all we know, and then get the rest of our new Riders ready to depart. I hope to return in less than a fortnight and see to the hatchlings here before we move on to Horne. If all goes according to plan, we will leave here with nearly a dozen Riders plus the dragons who aren’t bonded, and still leave enough protection to ensure that Warrick doesn’t make another move against Corice.”
“Well, I am glad you are leaving us protection, Nephew,” Dorian said. “But I thought you sent the un-bonded dragons with the men who marched south this morning.”
“Most of them went and will meet up with us later. I was going to keep them all here, but I was also loath to send our best physician off without air support. Sheila and those who have said strictly that they do not wish to be bonded at this time will fly close enough to keep an eye on them without getting close enough to risk bonding.” He paused and then added, “As for the defense of Corice, I hate to say this, Uncle, but if Warrick didn’t have his eye on these two kingdoms, I wouldn’t be leaving any dragons or Riders behind. I am from Corice, but my first loyalty has got to be to the world at large.”
At the shocked looks from his father and brother, he added, “If the war here against Bourne were simply a matter of border disputes, I would take every Rider who would come with me to face the threat in the south. Warrick may be a madman, but don’t mistake madness for stupidity. He is intelligent and cunning, and he has had many years to plan his attempt to seize power. If he isn’t stopped, any who oppo
se him in deed, or even thought, will be killed mercilessly, and Corice as we know it will cease to exist.”
No one spoke for several moments. Finally Delno broke the silence. “Forgive me for sounding melodramatic, but it is the truth. Our enemy seeks nothing less than total domination of the entire world. However, on the bright side, we have thwarted his plans and discouraged and demoralized his lapdogs here in the north. He is weakened and distracted by our efforts. What he thought would be a safe haven for him once he leaves the south is now a hotbed of resistance. And now we have, not only more Riders, inexperienced as they may be, but also two dozen non-bonded dragons he never expected to have to face who will all be going south to meet him and his forces head on.” He paused for a moment and then added, “Our victory is by no means assured, but neither is his. Our one big advantage is the element of surprise, and I intend to capitalize on that surprise before it is lost.”
There was no further discussion of the war during lunch. Delno’s mother seemed determined to have a good meal without the subject of war creeping back into the conversation. Every time it seemed that the conversation must shift in that direction, she would recall some story from her sons’ childhoods that would amuse Dorian and Rita while good naturedly embarrassing either Delno, or Will, or both simultaneously.
“I find it quite a coincidence that so many of your friends have become Riders, Nephew,” Dorian observed. “If I didn’t know better, I would think that you had planned it that way.”
“I’m not so sure we know better,” Rita said astonishing everyone at the table, including herself.
“Why would you say a thing like that?” Delno asked her.
“Well,” she replied, “lately you have been a bit closed about your plans. I thought that perhaps the way that the Riders were being chosen could be part of your schemes that you hadn’t mentioned yet.” She was obviously still a bit miffed at not being told his plans for Will.
Delno decided to let it drop for the moment and said, “Actually, I have had nothing directly to do with how the dragons have bonded. However, Geneva and I discussed it briefly after we left the newly bonded pairs this morning, and we believe we have an answer.
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