She gripped his shirt. 'I'm going with you.'
He shook his head, gently disengaging her hands. 'Ynara. You know you can't. Glinnery is in turmoil. It needs its Council of Elders, present and active.'
'I don't care! I'll resign, someone else can take over. I want my girl.' She felt like sobbing, but she angrily blinked back the tears.
He cupped her face, kissed her gently. 'I don't want to take you up there with me. I need to know that you, at least, are safe.'
'How am I to know that you are safe?'
'I'll be fine.' She snorted, unable to think of a suitable reply to this piece of fatuity. He wrapped her in a tight embrace, rocking her slowly. 'What if she finds her way home? She'll need someone here to welcome her. To help her, if she's in trouble, or hurt.'
Ynara felt wretched. This was an argument that struck at her painfully, as of course he knew it would. The prospect of Llandry returning home, possibly injured, to find nothing but an empty house was devastating.
'And Devary still needs tending,' he continued.
'He can rot,' she said curtly.
Aysun tutted disapprovingly. 'You mustn't blame him. His wounds are proof enough that he did the best he could for her. You and I are really at fault; we should never have let her go.'
Tears escaped from under her tightly-shut lids. She blotted them on his shirt front.
'Make sure you come home,' she whispered fiercely. 'If I lose both of you...'
'I promise.' He pulled back enough to look seriously into her eyes, and she nodded. She knew he'd do everything in his power to keep his word.
Nonetheless, when she watched him leave a couple of hours later, she couldn't shake the feeling that her world was on its way to a disastrous end.
***
Eva sat alone in the private parlour of a wayside inn not far from Westrarc. Having bathed, washed her hair and dressed in clean clothes, she felt considerably improved. Now if only she could eat, she might feel more like her former self.
Her former self. For a moment, she thought longingly of the days - not very far distant - when her job as High Summoner had consisted mostly of administrative and ceremonial duties. She had been free to divide most of the rest of her time between social occasions and her lovers. Or, more recently, social events and her fiance. It all seemed such a long time ago, but in fact it had taken a shockingly brief time for her life to become a succession of disasters, afflictions, dangers, staggeringly difficult problems and fiendishly obtuse mysteries. She didn't really miss her old life - she'd felt herself slowly stagnating in her enclosed world - but this was taking excitement a little too far.
'I suppose I won't be bored,' she sighed, pushing listlessly at the freshwater fish that lay on her plate. It was quite well cooked and the sauce wasn't bad, but she couldn't force it down. The prospect of her return to Glour City weighed heavily on her mind. As soon as she returned she would have to see Numinar Wrobsley; he deserved to know the circumstances that had led to the death of his wife. She would have to alert the city to the impending draykon problem - for doubtless they had not seen the last of those creatures - and it would fall largely to her to find a way to deal with it. That would be a tale difficult to tell.
Worst of all, she would have to tell Ynara Sanfaer what had become of her daughter. This was a task that lay heavily upon her. She had no explanation to offer to Ynara, no theory at all as to how, or why, or even what had really happened during that chaotic hour in the Lowers. This, also, it was down to her to discover.
The door opened, interrupting her reverie. Tren stepped into the room, looking a little shy. He too was freshly scrubbed, his hair curling damply over the collar of his newly-pressed shirt.
'I hope there's plenty of food,' he said lightly, 'or I might be forced to eat one of these chairs.'
Eva turned up the corner of her mouth briefly, waving a hand at the dishes crowding the table. 'I think the innkeeper emptied the village for us. Help yourself.' She pushed her own plate away, abandoning the struggle.
'Not eating?' Tren looked at her with concern.
'I can't seem to face it,' she admitted.
Tren seated himself on her left and surveyed the table. 'Perhaps a poor choice, that's all. Why don't you try some of this white stuff? That looks harmless. Or, look, baked gloren. You could manage that.' He pushed dishes towards her, trying to tempt her, but the mixture of smells was off-putting.
'Are you going to mother me, Tren? I warn you, I am quite unmotherable.'
Tren ignored her, serving out a small piece of baked gloren on a clean dish. He placed it in front of her, together with a new fork and spoon and a napkin.
'Here is the deal,' he said seriously. 'For every two forkfuls that you eat, I get to eat four. I hope you're willing to sacrifice yourself just a little, or I may starve to death before I reach Westrarc.'
'You're not heading back to the City?'
'Not yet. I'm going to see Mrs. Geslin. Start eating.'
Eva wanted to resist, but she couldn't help chuckling. 'Very well.' He smiled as she picked up the fork and took a mouthful.
'I was thinking,' she said after a moment. 'I have no explanation for Griel’s control over those beasts. He was supposed to be a sorcerer, not a summoner. But it's possible that he didn't mean to kill Ed. Or Meesa. You remember he said the whurthags got away from him sometimes? Perhaps his control over them wasn’t always that good.'
Tren glowered at his plate. 'That doesn't excuse it.'
'No, it doesn't. Besides, Ana was bloodthirsty enough for both of them.' She remembered Ana's casual order to kill Tren and shuddered. 'There's one thing that still puzzles me, though.'
'Only one?'
She smiled briefly. 'There are a lot of outstanding questions, yes. I'm thinking of Griel's extra abilities, though, and Ana's absurd strength as a summoner. And her disappearing act. The istore isn't explanation enough - once the draykon woke all of the bones had been restored to the skeleton, but Ana's abilities were still staggering without it. I think their enhanced abilities must be closely linked to spending time in the Off-Worlds.'
'You mean that being in the Lowers amplifies magical ability? That's already confirmed, isn't it?'
'Yes, but I think extended exposure is significant. Years ago, when I used to spend too much time down there, I could feel the change in myself. I felt progressively closer to the fabric of the realm, and I could manipulate beasts with greater skill because I felt increasingly like I was one of them. That's probably the real reason why I alone have a gwaystrel; I was the only one to break the rules that badly.'
'Ha,' said Tren. 'So much for the perfect peeress.' He set down his fork and rested his chin in his hand. 'So if the istore - the draykon bone - offers a similar amplification effect when worn next to the skin, what does that mean?'
Eva didn't need to spell it out. The implications were clear: no other Lowers beast was known to have so powerful an effect on humans who wielded their bones or their hide. If the draykon bone was the sole exception, that suggested they were fully immersed in the Off-Worlds; born of the fabric of those Realms, part of it in a way no human could ever be. Wearing a piece of their bone was like wearing a shred of the realm itself.
'In effect, they are sorcerers too, with strong instinctive abilities. Remember how Llandry-as-draykon vanished in mid-air? She was crossing into a different realm. Perhaps the Uppers, or the Middles. She didn't need a gate.'
That triggered another recollection in Eva's thoughts. When she had touched the draykon, she had seen through the realms and grasped the truth: that they were not layered as their common names suggested but existed in the same space. She opened her mouth to share this thought with Tren, but she was interrupted by voices talking loudly in the hallway outside their parlour. One of the voices was familiar.
'I think the cavalry's here,' she said, with a small smile. The door was flung open and Vale walked into the room.
'Eva!' She found herself pulled out of her chair and roug
hly enfolded in an embrace. Vale began to scold and praise her by turns, apparently undecided whether she was a heroine or a villain for her reckless behaviour.
'Are you hurt? Anywhere? In any way at all?' He checked her over quite carefully, heedless of the room filling up with his men.
'I'm fine,' she said, pushing him away gently. 'I've an awful lot to tell you.'
He nodded. 'Your carriage is waiting outside.'
'Mine? How did you know I'd be here?'
'Fin told us which way you'd gone. We've been checking every inn, village and wayside tavern we've passed on the way out from Glour City.'
'What if you hadn't found me?'
'Then we were going down after you. I brought sorcs with me, summoners, people who hit things with sticks, the whole lot.'
'So this is a rescue mission.'
'Potentially. Only of course, you don't need rescuing.' He seemed to remember Tren, belatedly, and looked around for him. 'Where's Warvel? I suppose he survived?'
Eva glanced around. Tren's chair was empty. 'Alive and well as of a few minutes ago. He must have slipped off somewhere.'
Tren had hidden himself so thoroughly, in fact, that he could not be found anywhere. Eva smothered her disappointment as she left the inn on the way to her carriage. The filthy clothes she'd been wearing when she emerged from the Lowers had been burned, on her request, and her few remaining possessions had been loaded up already. She had instructed that the books be placed inside the carriage itself, so she could keep an eye on them on the journey home. The air was crisp, so she had hastily purchased a new, thick woollen cloak from the landlady. It was an inelegant garment, but she welcomed the warmth as she crossed the courtyard.
Footsteps rang on the cobblestones behind her and a hand gripped hers.
'Eva, I'm sorry. I didn't realise you were - I mean - of course you would want to get home as soon as possible.'
She didn't. Actually, she was peculiarly dreading it, but she said "yes" anyway. 'Will you be in Westrarc long? I'm going to need your help convincing the Guardian that I'm not crazy.'
'I'll be a few days with Ed's mother, probably. Then I'll be coming home.' He glanced over his shoulder as Vale emerged from the inn and made his way in their direction. 'May I speak with you alone for a moment? Really briefly,' he added, seeing her hesitate.
'Of course,' she said graciously. She smiled at Vale as they passed. 'I'll join you in a moment,' she murmured, touching his hand briefly.
Tren led her back inside the inn, into the private dining room they'd shared. He stood for so long, looking at her without speaking, that she grew confused and a little impatient.
'Tren, it would be rude of me to keep the carriage waiting long.'
'Oh - yes, of course. I'm sorry.' He stared at her again. 'I just... I just wanted to ask. Will I be seeing you again?'
She frowned slightly, uncertain what he was getting at. 'Didn't we just agree on that? I hope you aren't planning to abandon me to my fate. Without your corroboration, I'll be locked up in the asylum within a week.'
'Yes, I... suppose so. But what I really meant was - was -' He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked at the floor. 'May I visit you? In a purely social way?'
'Oh. Well, yes, if you'd like to. You know where I live, of course.'
He didn't. As she gave him her address he nodded solemnly, eyes fixed on her face as if he was engraving it on the inside of his brain. He didn't say anything else.
'I'd better go, then.'
'Yes,' said Tren. He opened his mouth to speak, hesitated, and shut it again. 'Safe journey home,' he said with a brief smile. Then he was gone, darting through the door as if keen to escape.
When she reached the door herself, he was nowhere in sight. Tucking her hands into the folds of her cloak, Eva walked slowly back out to the carriage where Vale waited to take her home.
***
End Notes
Thank you for reading Draykon! If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review at your favourite ebook store or online book club - this really helps spread the word.
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The cover art was created by Elsa Kroese. If you’re interested in seeing more of her work, visit her website at www.elsakroese.com.
Books by Charlotte E. English on Smashwords:
Novels:
Draykon (Draykon Series, 1)
Lokant (Draykon Series, 2)
Orlind (Draykon Series, 3)
Short Story Collections:
Leximandra Reports (Draykon Series)
Novellas:
The Rostikov Legacy (Malykant Mysteries, 1)
The Ivanov Diamond (Malykant Mysteries, 2)
Glossary of Terms
Astwach: reptilian but furred, lives in burrows in the ground. Darklands type.
Bilberry: A fat purple berry that grows in the mountains of Irbel.
Caomdir: An amphibian with sleek, multi-coloured skin, the caomdir is highly venomous. Caomdirs are treetop creatures with multiple sub-species, some adapted to life in the Upper Realms and some preferring the darkness of the Lowers.
Cayluch: A hearty beverage made from milk, cream, cocoa beans and coffee. Typically enjoyed steaming hot.
Cluine: A small mammal with inky black, blue-tipped fur and vicious claws, the cluine is relatively harmless when encountered singly. In packs, cluines are ruthless and will attack anything. They are night-loving animals, with large eyes, large ears and particularly sensitive hearing.
Curulay: A vibrant green vegetable from the realm of Nimdre.
Daefly: Insects with small, thin bodies and enormous coloured wings. Feeding on flower nectar, daeflies are instrumental in the pollination process.
Darklands: It is always night in the Darklands provinces of the Seven Realms. During the day, sorcerers use a powerful enchantment called the Night Cloak to block out the light and keep the sun from damaging the eyes of its residents, or the plants brought from the permanently dark Lower Realms.
Darsury: A pale Darklands grass prized for its uses as an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory.
Day Cloak: A magical enchantment wrought by sorcerers which keeps the Daylands permanently in sunlight (or something like it). This ensures that sun-loving plants and animals native to the Upper Realms may thrive across the Daylands, too.
Daylands: In the Daylands provinces, night never falls. When the sun goes down, sorcerers create an artificial daylight effect called the Day Cloak, less powerful than full sunlight but sufficient to keep light-loving plants and animals content. Daylands realms include Glinnery and Irbel.
Drauk: These reptiles are adaptable and can live in most Daylands environments. They are usually black-scaled, with wickedly sharp claws and long, thin necks and tails.
Draykon: A beast from legend, said to be larger than any other species currently living. Draykons are reptilian, with scaled hide of various colours as well as long tails, claws and vast webbed wings. Some say the draykoni can breathe fire.
Dringle bird: A small bird native to the Lower Realms, with feathered bodies and webby wings. Dringles are restless and easily distracted, though their appetite for insects makes them popular with gardeners.
Evenglow: Glinnery term for the Day Cloaked hours, when the strong natural sunlight gives way to the more muted light of the enchantment.
Finruk: Finruks are long-legged, short-haired mountain beasts whose cloven feet are ideal for clinging to steep slopes. Their hide ranges in hue from dark brown to black. Both males and females possess long, curling horns.
Glissenw
ol: Native to the realm of Glinnery, the glissenwol tree is taller than most other species, with a broad, sturdy trunk and a wide cap instead of branches and leaves.
Gloereme: A species of moderately large, nocturnal serpent native to the Lower Realms (listed as an extinct species by the summoner guilds of the Seven Realms). The gloereme is venomous, its hide dark brown lit with moss-green markings among males and cream markings among females.
Gloren fruit: A plump, sweet, golden-skinned fruit popular in Glour.
Glostrel trees: Graceful, slender-branched trees with silvery bark and wide, white leaves. These grow in abundance across Glour, and in some parts of Orstwych and Ullarn.
Gludrai: A red-crested Darklands bird of unusual size, its plumage typically dark brown or black. Gludrais are noted for their aggressive natures.
Gwaystrel: Rarely seen outside of its native environment in the Lower Realms, the gwaystrel is a tiny mammal with webbed wings and dark fur. It is nocturnal and almost blind, using sounds rather than sight to find its way around.
Inalo: A large, shaggy white-furred creature native to the Darklands. Inalos feed on fish and small animals, and have been known to attack larger creatures - including humans - when hungry. They live among the palest white trees of the Lower Realms, their fur providing camouflage amongst the thickets.
Irignol trees: Leafless trees with black, frondy bark and very dark brown wood. These form symbiotic relationships with a species of pale silvery-green lichen. They can grow to great heights, and their trunks and branches become ever more contorted with age.
Irilapter: These tiny winged creatures have long, thin bodies covered with fur and comparatively large wings similar to those of a daefly. A typical irilapter will have a long, curled tail and a similarly long, curled proboscis, plus far more riotous colour in its small form than ought to belong to a single creature.
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