“You’re right,” Delno replied, “we can’t get complacent, but until now, he was an unknown, and we were reluctant to do anything to engage. We now know that, though he is very dangerous, he is still just a mortal man who can be beaten.”
Delno thought for a moment and then turned to Craig. “I don’t want to be abrupt or sound like I don’t appreciate your help, but since I have been handed the job of commander, I need to know: what do you bring to this war?”
“Oh, dear,” Craig answered. “You have misunderstood me. I am skilled in magic, and Torin is certainly a mature dragon, but I am not a good fighter. I came to seek your aid and offer whatever assistance I can, but I had thought that assistance would come in the form of advice, rather than actual physical help on my part.”
Everyone mulled that over for a few moments as Brock looked on amused at Delno’s surprise.
Finally Delno asked, “Do you have enough experience to help train a few Riders?” At Craig’s doubtful look, he added, “You’d get a chance to meet some of the newly bonded wild dragons.”
Craig’s eyes lit up at the prospect. “Well, I certainly would like to spend some time with them and find out their reasoning for bonding since they have grown up wild. Even though we have books on the subject in the libraries, our knowledge of such things is woefully limited. If, while doing some good for this cause, I can learn a few things, where’s the harm?”
Delno didn’t bother to tell him that about all he was likely to get out of the newly bonded dragons as an explanation was the fact that they bonded because they were lonesome. He figured that Craig could put whatever spin on that he wanted, so long as he was around to help Adamus train those new Riders. As he finished that thought, Warrick’s words ran through his mind. “You see, we’re more alike than we are different, you and I. You and I are tools of fate. Those I use are just extensions of that; their lives only have what meaning I give them. On your side, you have taken the role of leader in opposition to me. You would sacrifice your allies as willingly as I if the need arose.”
He shook his head slightly to clear those thoughts away. Because of this insane war, he might have been forced to use people as tools, but he wasn’t trying to send Craig unawares into danger. What he was doing might be manipulative, but he was merely using Craig’s desire to learn to get the man to help out in a way that wouldn’t put him in harm’s way: he wasn’t callously sending the man to his death. Also, there might be something different about Craig, but lack of intelligence wasn’t one of his problems; the man had to be one of the smartest people that Delno had ever met; if he was being manipulated, he had to be aware of it and didn’t seem to mind.
Still. The ease with which he had so easily shifted tacks to use the man had unsettled him somewhat. He would have to be cautious about that in the future, especially if lives were really at stake.
“So, I can count on you to travel with me to Corice and see to the newly bonded pairs, then?” Delno asked aloud, wanting to make absolutely certain there was no misunderstanding.
“Of course,” Craig responded, “I had planned on traveling that far to find you anyway. The chance to actually speak with formerly wild dragons just makes the trip more worthwhile. As for training, as I have said, I’m not a great fighter, but I know the basics and can probably be quite useful in that role. I would also like to help in this war against Warrick in some small way and this gives me the opportunity. So you see, dear boy, you aren’t tricking me into coming along: I’m going willingly.”
Delno was a bit abashed that his thoughts might be so transparent, but very relieved that Craig was so willing to go.
“Well, since that is settled,” Delno said to Brock, “what news do you bring to this meeting, my friend? How many Riders have we added to our forces, and have you heard any more news out of Horne?”
“With everything else that we’ve been over, I hadn’t gotten to what is probably the most important news,” Brock replied. “There are nine more riders on our side in Horne now. Also, there was another magical attack on one of our Riders and his dragon. This time the pair survived, though it was a near thing, and he saw the two Riders who attacked him. I sent word that our Riders should start patrolling in groups of three whenever possible and never alone.”
“Who was attacked, and did he know those who attacked him?” Rita asked.”
“Daevid was the Rider, his dragon is Marra. No, he had never seen the two young Riders before.”
“But Daevid is over three hundred years old; surely he knows all of the other Riders?” Rita said.
“I’m not surprised that he didn’t recognize them,” Delno responded. “Warrick disappeared for six years before he started acting overtly and risked his identity being discovered. Hella is certainly a mature dragon, but she isn’t so old that she wouldn’t rise to mate. In fact, when Geneva was talking to her before we knew who she was, she left the Dream State one night in search of a male who had gone there to display his readiness to breed. I believe that Warrick has been very busy for the last six years. Not only has he stolen elven artifacts, his dragon has been breeding and placing those eggs with his own chosen candidates. I’d bet that every one of those young Riders, including that young man Paul we captured, is rider to one of Hella’s offspring. He has tried to augment that force with outside dragon blood by convincing teachers to join him, as in Simcha’s case, but he has had only limited success. He can so easily control the Riders and Dragons under his command because his dragon is their mother.”
“I wonder why none of us has thought of that until now?” Rita wondered aloud.
“I had, but I needed to have more evidence to support the theory,” Delno responded. “Remember when you told me that you had been around for a hundred years and knew every Rider?” When she nodded, he continued. “Well, you didn’t know Paul when he presented himself. Between you and Brock, I would have thought that there wasn’t a hatching that occurs in our territory that wasn’t known. Warrick had to be getting his Riders from somewhere, and being in control of their mother is the final link we need to understand how he can control them so completely that they readily work with their ancestral enemies in so short a period of time.”
“If that is the case, how does he get Hella to cooperate then?” Rita asked.
“I suspect that he has two things going for him there. One is that he probably keeps her far enough away from direct contact that she isn’t constantly being insulted by the presence of the beast-men. The other thing is that he has had a thousand years to plan this and has probably been working on getting her to accept his plans for a long time. Also, I don’t think he would have any qualms about using the compelling stone on her if she was uncooperative.”
“It certainly makes sense,” Brock responded. “I know for a fact that it was never unusual for Hella to lay three eggs at a time and sometimes four, so he could have quite a force of Riders he has total control over.”
“Ah, but once again, though, his control is not as total as he thinks,” Delno replied. “He thought he had total control over Paul, but the man was so furious at being used like a pawn that he gave up on his mission. Also, his control over those dragons is limited by how far away they are from that compelling stone.”
Before they could continue, there was a knock on the door. Missus Gentry was smiling broadly as they opened it. She said, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I just got word from the garrison. The other egg has hatched.”
“I suppose we had better see to the new hatchling and then make plans to head back to Larimar as soon as possible,” Delno said.
They all got up and headed out the door and off to the garrison.
Chapter 28
The next morning the five Riders, Delno, Rita, Brock, Craig, and Lawrence, rose into the air as one at dawn. Connor, as expected, was a bit upset about being left behind yet again, but he settled down when he was told that he wasn’t being left as Jason’s subordinate but as his equal in the task of training Tom and Jim. He
was happy that he was being trusted with such adult responsibility. Also, his sword practice was coming along nicely, and he appeared to have his father’s keen physical abilities, but he still needed more practice before either Brock or Delno would consider him to be a true swordsman.
“Are you sure of your choices regarding who goes and who stays?” Geneva asked.
“I’ve thought it over carefully. It isn’t necessarily ideal, but it’s the tiles we’ve been dealt; we have to play them. Craig is not a really good swordsman. He prefers to use words over blades when dealing with problems. I personally think that the man might just be on to something, but Fate seems to have decreed that many of my own problems can only be solved with the Dragon Blade I carry. Craig, however, is good at magic, both theory and practice. His knowledge is nearly on par with Jhren in that respect, and, because of his bond with Torin; his power exceeds Jhren’s by quite a bit. He will make a good teacher for the new Riders. In fact, I wish I could stay for some of those lessons myself.”
“What about Lawrence? I don’t dislike the man specifically, but I find him lacking in general. I don’t know that I want to go into combat with him watching our flanks,” she responded.
“Lawrence always deferred to Adamus before the pair was separated, and Adamus had always been the brains for both of them. Part of the reason for separating the two of them was to give the man the chance to begin to develop some independence while traveling with Brock. Lawrence, however, still hasn’t shown any particular interest in growing a brain. He has simply substituted Brock for Adamus and follows Brock around the way a stray puppy follows someone who throws it scraps of meat and occasionally pats it on the head. I had briefly considered leaving the man in Orlean with Connor, but Connor has enough to handle with his work for the garrison, his own training, and the training of the two new Riders. Leaving Jason behind will give Connor someone to help him, while leaving Lawrence behind would just have given a fourteen year old one more kid to care for.”
“We could always leave him in Larimar when we travel south, Love.”
“No, I separated Adamus and Lawrence for good reason. While they seem to be friends and work as a unit, the two of them diminish each other’s strengths rather than make up for each other’s weaknesses. I think it is best we keep them apart, at least until this is all over,” he replied.
“Well, I can see your point, Love, but I don’t like him along on this excursion. I have spoken of my concerns to Leera and told her not to rely on Rhonna and Lawrence to cover them in a fight. After all, they were the weakest link in Simcha’s forces over Palamore.”
Delno was surprised that Geneva had taken the responsibility of telling Leera not to rely on the pair. However, he was also relieved that she had taken it on herself to do so. He liked the fact that although he was the leader of the humans, he wasn’t necessarily the only one in charge. Often he felt that he was alone in his position of responsibility, and while he didn’t want to put any stress on Geneva, he was glad to have a co-leader to help him. He suddenly bent forward and hugged Geneva’s neck and said, “I love you, Geneva.”
“I love you, too, Delno, but is there any particular reason for this show of affection—not that I am complaining—or do you just need the contact?”
“It’s just good to know that because I have you, I am never alone. I always have someone who loves me and cares for me. Thank you, Dear Heart.”
“You’re welcome, Dear One, and I thank you for the same.”
They flew on until nearly noon. When they stopped for lunch, they made a fire and settled down to rest for a couple of hours. While they weren’t fighting strong head winds, the prevailing winds weren’t with them, so they had to fly rather than soar, and the dragons needed the rest, especially Torin.
Delno walked off by himself to relieve his bladder. After he was finished, he decided to sit alone for a bit. He got about a quarter of an hour to himself, which was a luxury he was rarely granted these days.
“There you are, Handsome. I was wondering if you had gotten lost,” Rita said as she approached.
“I’m not that lucky,” he replied.
“I can leave you alone if you like,” she said, a little hurt that he didn’t seem pleased to have been found.
“No, you and I get so few moments alone these days that I cherish each and every one of them.”
At his words of encouragement, she brightened. “Would this be a good time to talk about the children we seem to have adopted?” she asked sheepishly.
“I don’t see why not,” he said.
“I really do want to raise those children right, Delno. I want them to actually come to think of me as their mother.” She paused to give him to time to respond if he wished, but he was content to let her get to her point. “I would also like for them to come to think of you as their father.”
The comment hung in the air for a few moments. Finally, she continued, “You just seemed a bit aloof with them before we left. I had hoped that you would be happier that we had children to raise.” Her statement was almost a plea for his affection for the children.
“You’re right, I was a bit aloof,” he said. The look on her face told him that this wasn’t what she wanted to hear, so he quickly explained, “I love children, and those children are wonderful. If I didn’t have the responsibility of commanding our side of this war, I would like nothing more than to settle down and raise them properly. However, I am not the type of commander who can sit back and give orders from a safe distance. I have been in direct danger since I first became bonded to Geneva. I don’t complain about that, it just is, and there is nothing I can do to change it besides get this issue settled. However, I don’t want those children to get attached to me and then be orphaned again if I don’t return from Horne. I am aloof for their own good.”
“Delno, you are coming back from Horne!” she said vehemently. “We will win this war, and those children will live a good life. You will have the opportunity to move on with ‘Delno’s Grand Scheme’ like you planned. You won’t orphan them again, and you won’t leave me alone!”
Her words were as much a plea for reassurance as they were an oath. If it was within her power to make them happen, she would. He had been beginning to feel that events were spiraling out of his control, and that he might be fated to die in Horne like his grandfather before him. Her words, however, had the effect of a slap in the face or cold water thrown on him. They woke him up, and he again felt the sense of grand purpose that had driven him to this point.
Delno took Rita in his arms and pulled her very close, “I love you, Rita. I can say that now with conviction. I have never known any woman as wonderful as you and cannot imagine a better human partner for me in this life. I love you and want to raise those children with you.”
“I love you too, Delno. I know that you have said that you weren’t sure that people were capable of falling in love in only a few short days, but I have known that I love you since our first night together. We will be together for a long time, my darling, and nothing, not even cataclysmic war, can stop that.”
“Very well,” he said. “There is much still to be done in Larimar and little time to do it. I won’t be around much to spend time with the children because everyone seems to look to me for everything. The one I seem to be able to rely on most is the one I would have thought the least likely.”
She stepped back and looked at him, “I know you aren’t talking about me. I would like to help you more, but I know my limitations. I’m not good at organization. I’m much too impulsive. So, who is it that has suddenly become so reliable?”
“Nassari,” he answered nonchalantly.
“Nassari!” she almost shouted. “Since when has he become reliable?”
“Well, partly since Warrick sent both a plague and an invading army to slaughter the people of his home, and partly since he bonded with a lineage holder.”
“Wanda is a lineage holder?” she asked as if she had been struck on the head with a hea
vy object and not quite knocked unconscious.
“Yes, with everything that happened at the bridge, and after with the kids, I didn’t get the chance to tell you about it. Wanda’s line has been a bit scattered because of deaths from Roracks in the south, but she is the youngest surviving daughter of her line, and that makes her the lineage holder. Because some of her lineage has been lost, she doesn’t have quite the same status as Geneva or Sheila, but she is still a lineage holder and, therefore, has authority of her own. Nassari has stepped into the role as if he has simply been waiting for the right partner all of his life. He has taken complete charge of the new Riders, and they all defer to him without question. Even the young woman, Nadia, who is so competent, defers to him like she’s his lieutenant.”
“I wouldn’t have thought that Nassari would bond with a lineage holder, but then I wouldn’t have thought that Nassari would bond with a dragon at all. Now you tell me that he is acting as though he takes his position seriously. I’m sorry, Handsome, that is almost more than I can believe.”
“Well, it’s all true. Nassari took charge and has been dealing with all of the little tasks that have to be accomplished to get them settled into their roles. He wouldn’t even have needed me to get their weapons and equipment if I had thought in advance to get him the vouchers. He is also insistent on coming to Horne with us.”
“Nassari? A warrior? He doesn’t seem the type,” she responded.
“No, he doesn’t seem the type, but he certainly handles his weapon as though he knows how.” He then told her what Elom had said about Nassari. “So you see, my lady love, there is more to our friend Nassari than meets the eye.”
“I had no idea he had served such a vital position in the war. He has never spoken of it. I would have thought that he would brag about such heroic deeds even if they were in the hospitals and not of the field of battle.” The way she spoke Delno could tell that her opinion of Nassari had just gone up considerably.
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