Dance of the Dragon Sorceress [Tangere Tales 3]

by Heather Rainier

  “So where is he now?”

  “Lord Violet called upon Selena while Zayrgrud healed all three of you. The glow was so bright it blinded us. When it subsided, he was lying limp over you. I’ve never seen Lord Violet in such a state. He’s usually unflappable. He called out to Selena right in our midst—not something you do with a fae, to make a demand like that. But she came right away.”

  “And what happened? What did she say?”

  “We aren’t sure because she was communicating with Violet telepathically. She went to Zayrgrud and saw what had happened to the two of you. She pulled Lord Violet close, and they touched foreheads. She began chanting and laid her hand on Zayrgrud’s head. She looked…”

  “What? What?”

  “She looked devastated, desperate even. She continued chanting, while we pulled you, Basile, and Tiggi from Zayrgrud, who was lying there limp. And then they…vanished. That was ten days ago.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Elaina was so pale Basile was afraid she would faint as they assisted her down the corridor where their chambers were located to the doors that opened onto a terrace.

  She’d wanted to return to the painted dome, but he’d refused. Her recovery would take time, and she wouldn’t believe that she simply didn’t have the strength. A trip round her room convinced her though. Bathing and having her hair washed with their help, and then dressing herself, even down to tying her own shoelaces had drained her of what little energy she’d had in reserve.

  Still, she’d refused to stay in her room. After finishing the broth and drinking more water, she wanted to be out of her chamber and downstairs. They’d compromised by visiting the terrace. She’d tried to walk, but even the weight of her footwear was more than she could handle and she finally allowed them to carry her the rest of the way, clearly seeing it as a defeat, the stubborn sorceress.

  Still recovering himself, he’d allowed Rainger the honor of carrying her frail form. After placing her in a comfortable seat, he’d left them to go downstairs for sustenance.

  “There’s a storm headed our way,” he murmured, pointing in the distance. The scent of rain had been in the air the night before, and occasional lightning had flickered behind the window coverings in her chambers.

  She inhaled slowly as she watched the sunrise. “I love the smell of rain.”

  The storm darkened part of the horizon as rain dropped in vast columns from tall clouds that were only just barely visible yet.

  “Vert and Indigo are on patrol and should be coming in shortly. After cleaning up, Rainger told me they usually come to your chamber, to check on you and to sit with you for a while. They’ll be relieved to know you’re up and about.”

  She cocked an eyebrow at him. “They sit with you, too, since you’ve been ill, as well.”

  Basile chuckled. “But I’m not as pretty as you are.”

  “Oh, hush. They just hope I have more chocolate. Have they gotten into my backpack? There was some in there.”

  “Invade the sanctity of your backpack? You must be joking.”

  “I wouldn’t have minded.”

  “Don’t let them know that. They’re still wary of the thing and whatever unearthly magicks are still hidden within it. And you should allow that wariness to remain so. Word will spread, and no one will ‘mess with you,’ as you say.”

  “All right, if you insist. I had a bit more chocolate in there, along with some other treats. What has happened around here? If it’s been ten days, then I’ve missed a lot.”

  “Rainger told me a couple of things that surprised me. It seems that Tiggi has claimed Fermin Guggant for a husband. He looks very happy about that and has proved himself to be quite handy in the kitchen, and not just with killing rats and such.”

  “I can’t say I’m surprised about that. She recovered from the poison quickly?”

  “Yes, she was up and about by the next morning and said she’d never felt more rested.”

  “They make a cute couple.”

  He didn’t know about that. Fermin was a great deal hairier than qualified as “cute,” but the two of them did make a finely matched pair, with her round cheeks and even rounder body.

  “What else?”

  “Indigo broke Bleu’s nose in a sparring match. It’s not at all uncommon for something like that happen while they’re on the training field,” he said as he pointed in the direction of the painted dome. The training field was located on the next level down from the seating area, with the outer watchtowers forming a perimeter around it.

  “Poor Bleu,” she murmured sympathetically, but he could see the merriment in her twinkling eyes.

  “Poor Bleu is exactly right, Elaina the Interloper,” said a comically nasal voice from behind them. Bleu came out onto the terrace to join them, flopped down in the seat on the other side of Elaina, and looked at her.

  Eyes bulging, Elaina gaped at Bleu and then burst into cackling laughter, which led to a short coughing fit, and Basile helped her prop herself up once more.

  She pointed two fingers upward at her nose and then at him. “Is that what they do for broken noses around here? Because…”

  The rolled wads of cloth stuffed well into his nose waggled ridiculously when he tipped his chin up in inquiry. “Because what?” Bleu asked in a sharp nasal tone, his brows drawing into a dark solid line.

  “You look like a big, perturbed walrus.”

  Obviously having no idea the animal she referred to, he gave an eloquent shrug and a chuckle. “This is one sexy beast, yes?”

  She snorted so hard she coughed and then laughed some more. “Yes, very much so…to lady walruses. Does it hurt?” She reached out to pat his arm.

  “Yes. It aches wretchedly, and my eyes water so.” He looked down at her hand on his arm and then up at her, his gaze turning serious. “We’ve been so worried about you.”

  Basile smiled at the emotion in Bleu’s voice. It was difficult for the irascible knight to express feelings.

  “Awww, thank you, cheezy.”

  Bleu growled. “Again with this cheezy business.” He chuckled and then sat up and turned to face her on the edge of the chair. Lifting her hand into his, he patted it gently. “Truly, Elaina the Glorious, I’m pleased to see you back to your old mischievous self.”

  She smiled and laid her hand over his, snorting when he wiggled his nose to appease an itch and it made the rolls of fabric waggle again. “Thank you, Bleu. I’m happy to be back. I think I might miss you calling me Elaina the Interloper.”

  He gave her a purely Gallic moue and shrugged again. “Maybe every once in a great while, for the ‘old time sake,’ as you say? I will tell the others you are up and about this morning. They will be pleased.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Oh,” he said, leaning forward. “I was rather fond of your blue eyes, but I like your dragon eyes just as much.” He gave her a light peck on the top of her head, stepped back, and bowed to her.

  Rainger rejoined them as Bleu departed, whacking Rainger twice on the back before re-entering the abbey. “What was that about?”

  “He is happy I’m back, and he likes my eyes.”

  Rainger raised an eyebrow at Basile and frowned at the doorway. Basile shook his head in a negative response to the unanswered question.

  Basile had already asked Bleu “point blank,” as Elaina would say, if he had more than a friendly interest in Elaina. The knight had almost been offended.

  What Bleu and the others felt for Elaina bordered on reverence, not lust. Her white hair and the change in her eyes would probably only add to that effect. Lucky for Basile, he was partial to her hair in either shade but found the white hair to be a glorious change, if unintended.

  Rainger placed a tray on Elaina’s lap and then removed the cloth cover.

  “Holy mackerel!” Elaina crowed, delight sparkling in her eyes. “Do my dragon eyes deceive me? Pancakes?”

  They shared the food and juice provided on the tray, and Elaina ate with gusto, whi
ch pleased Basile beyond reckoning. The color was already returning to her cheeks, and if she was careful and didn’t overdo, she’d soon be back to normal. He felt his own vitality returning with each passing hour, especially since she’d first opened her eyes.

  “All right,” she murmured, passing the tray to Rainger so he could put it aside on a nearby table. “What do we know so far about Flappy?”

  Rainger took her hand. “Most of it you know already. Zayrgrud was incapacitated by the time the healing light had receded. I was the one he was healing the first time, and I was still woozy when he dealt with Fermin, so I don’t remember much. But the others told me that the day he healed you, the intensity was much more than before. Nothing we did to revive him worked. And he was too big for us to turn him over to listen for his heartbeat.”

  Elaina sat still, looking out over the horizon and then closed her eyes. “I keep wondering if that little light in my mind will ever spark to life again. It was the one way we had of staying connected.”

  “Keep watching for it, Elaina, until we hear from Lord Violet,” Basile said, squeezing her shoulder.

  Rainger stood and stretched. “I think that no news must be good news.”

  “Why do you say that?” she asked.

  “If Zayrgrud had died, Lord Violet or Selena, or both of them, would have returned by now to tell us. We would already be planning our next move.”

  “Why would she stay with them so long if Selena is from Etherea? What is all of this to her? And if she’s not with him, why hasn’t she come back?” She was full of questions, a sign she was intent on gaining her strength back.

  Basile shook his head and laughed, the first time in a long time. “I don’t know the answers to any of those questions. There is no guessing why the fae enchantress does any of the things she does. All I know is this. If she hadn’t met Rainger in the forest that day all those years ago, and helped him get me to safety when she could’ve just as easily killed him, and me for that matter, we’d both be slaves to Draconia’s will, hunting dragons for her or commanding the huntsmen.”

  “Well, that’s not happening on my watch,” she said in her, at times, incomprehensible manner of speaking. There was no way they’d send her out on watch duty.

  “The knights have been searching far and wide for traces of infiltration of the huntsmen, or spies, and searching the skies for signs of Violet’s return.”

  “Lord Violet and Flappy’s return.”

  “As you say, sorceress.”

  Several of the knights showed up at that moment, and Elaina blushed when each of them kneeled by her lounge chair and bowed his head over her hand.

  Rouge the Inquisitive said, “Mistress, how are you feeling? And where did you get that glorious hair and those riveting eyes?”

  With a self-conscious pat of her hair, Elaina said, “I’m much better, thanks. I’m not sure about the changes in my hair and eyes, but I imagine when Flappy gets back, he and Lord Violet will have answers.”

  Vert the Protective said, “We checked on you day and night, Mistress. Orange and I sat with you several times.”

  Basile knew Orange the Amiable was up to something when he leaned forward and cocked a brow at her. “You snore.” When he performed an amusing impersonation, she burst into giggles.

  Indigo the Gentle said, “We call you Elaina the Glorious now. I hope that is all right. I lit a candle for you in the chapel and prayed for your return to good health. Welcome back.”

  Orange nudged Indigo with his elbow and said, “Indigo broke Bleu’s nose. Tiggi fixed it for him.”

  “I know. I saw him earlier.”

  “The breakage was unintentional,” Indigo said with a slight flush to his olive tan cheeks. “He repeatedly bashed his face into my fist after bitching yet again about me not making my bed the other morning.”

  “I heard that!” came a distant nasally voice from above them. They all looked up, and Bleu shook his fist and then flipped his middle finger. “We should rename you Indigo the Slob! Phnew!”

  With a good-natured chuckle, Indigo replied in kind and then turned back to her. “Do not worry about Bleu. He will be fine. And do not worry about your Flapster McFlapperston. I believe he will return. I have faith.”

  “I hope you’re right. Thank you all for my welcome.”

  A shrill whistle split the air from Bleu’s position on watch, followed by several others from points further out in the watchtowers. Evidently they’d employed some of the abbey staff to help with watch duty. They all pointed in the same direction. To the forest road that ended at the path leading up to the front gate of the abbey.

  Elaina struggled to rise, and she waved away Basile’s admonishment as she approached the edge of the terrace. The thought of her suddenly losing strength and toppling over the rail and into the abyss made his gut clench. He helped her to brace herself on the railing and looked out over the deep green sea of treetops.

  “There,” she pointed out. “It’s Jaune.”

  “You see him?” Basile asked, squinting at the tiny figure riding down the forest road at a fast pace toward the abbey. He couldn’t make out enough detail to be sure it was Jaune, but she seemed sure of it. Her gaze was unwavering in its focus.

  “He looks to be in a hurry.” Elaina frowned and then looked out to the horizon. “Do you smell smoke?”

  Basile took a strong whiff. Rainger and the others did, as well. “No.”

  “I smell smoke. I’m sure of it.” She pointed down at Jaune as he drew ever closer. “Something is wrong. I can tell by his expression, and he wouldn’t push a horse like that unless it was absolutely necessary, would he?”

  “You’re correct.” Basile looked at her, and she made eye contact with those incredible amber eyes. “You can see him that clearly, Elaina?”

  “I can count the mud spatters on his face, and if I try hard, I can count his whiskers.”

  The knights whispered amongst themselves, gaping at her as if she’d just achieved angelic or saintly status.

  Indigo came forward and said, “It’s possible, perhaps, that Zayrgrud the Terrifying imparted this special gift of sight to Elaina the Glorious because it would be needed. You have been ill, and we are willing to act in whatever capacity you decree, Highness.”

  “What would you have us do, Highness?” Rouge asked.

  He was unaccustomed to the use of titles, and it took a moment for Basile to realize that Indigo was addressing him. “If what Indigo has said is true, we must keep her safe until we know what has come about.”

  Elaina growled with a hint of frustration as he helped her back to her seat and eased her into it. She’d grown pale again. “I’ll be fine here. If there is a fire, the rain might put it out. But…”

  “If it’s the entire legion, we need as much advance notice as possible.” Rainger led the others to the doorway but turned back to Basile. “Keep her with you. I will send Fermin to help guard for tangeres. He was able to spot Soren Hindcrack when I had no idea he was even there.”

  “Good idea.”

  She nodded. “Go. I will be fine.” She turned to Basile and said, “What the hell is a Soren Hindcrack, and do I really want to know?”

  “A tangere who was spying on us the day you were poisoned. We’re not sure how much he gleaned, but he knew about the poison. He said we were sacrifices. Fortunately he was wrong.”

  She shivered and looked down at her hands lying limp in her lap. “But she won’t give up, will she?”

  “No. I’m sorry, Elaina.”

  A plan to take her to safety began to form in his mind. He didn’t want her anywhere near the abbey if Draconia was massing her legion and preparing for battle. It didn’t make any sense. There were a handful of them, and one dragon, if he was even able to return.

  Elaina closed her eyes, and Basile wondered if she was praying or if she was trying to reach out to Zayrgrud.

  On her own, without a word from him, she rose slowly from her seat and went to him. He didn’t
hesitate to open his arms. Still seeming in a daze, she climbed into his lap, and he eased her so she reclined on her side, cuddled against him with her cheek pressed to his chest. Had either of them been in better shape physically, the moment might’ve led to more intimacy. As it was, he dozed, looking up only long enough to greet Fermin with a nod when he arrived. He’d exchanged the homespun clothing Tiggi had given him for the more weather resistant garb of a guard. He nodded back and silently took up his watch at the railing.

  After a time, Elaina dozed off. Had the storm moved closer than its fixed position on the horizon, he would’ve moved her inside, but for the moment, the morning was peaceful and he decided to keep her where she was.

  He couldn’t imagine what it had been like for Rainger for the nine days that he’d watched over them, unsure if they would live or die. Basile had memorized her features in the single day they’d watched over her together. He dreaded the thought of her ever leaving Tangere and returning home, but he’d been willing to face that day if only she’d awaken. She hadn’t mentioned her friends since awakening, but given her strength of character, he knew she still missed them.

  The morning sun illuminated her cheeks and the delightful lines of her heart-shaped face. Her black hair and sparkling eyes had given her a puckish appearance, but her white hair gave her a strength of feature that he’d overlooked before, balanced out by her dark arching brows and her full red lips. Despite his still rather decrepit state of being, his cock stirred with interest. He leaned down and kissed her temple, careful not to awaken her. Her features were still too pronounced because of her illness.

  Her hands abruptly fisted the fabric of his garments and her formerly limp body tightened into a ball, trembling. It wasn’t his intention, but when he put his arms around her to soothe her back to sleep, she startled, her panting coming fast and painful-sounding. Just as quickly she relaxed, and he knew she was awake when her black eyelashes fluttered up and down and she let out a deep sigh. “I hope that was a dream.”

  “Do you want to tell me?”

  “No. Because I think it was more, and it was really weird.” She turned so she could look up at him but held on to his arms enclosing her, as if she liked the sensation.