The Bond (Book 2)

  “Th–Tha–That’s just so . . .” Fillion took a breath. “If you weren’t seeing Willem, I’d give you the biggest kiss right now.”

  Aeron laughed. “Hurry up. It wouldn’t do if the egg hatched while we sat here jabbering away.”

  Fillion redoubled his packing efforts, shoving clothing and items into two satchels.

  Aeron hoped with all his heart that the dragon was male and that Willem bonded it, but he honestly wouldn’t feel sad if another of his friends bonded it instead. There would be more eggs, eventually, for them to all get bond-mates. He hoped it was sooner rather than later, though. They needed them for the guild to be approved.

  He wondered what other requirements were needed to form a guild. Master Doronal and Master Canneth had mentioned a few, but was there anything else they should be working on?

  And who was working against them, and why? Aeron’s stomach tightened up again as he thought about all the scheming behind the scenes, in the shadows, to stop their plans. Well, to Yrdra’s hells with that person. Aeron would work as hard as he could to make sure the guild was approved. And actually, now that he thought about it, getting Liara and Fillion back was a step in the right direction.

  He smiled. Your move, shadowy jackass.

  Chapter 19

  Therday, Tershy 28, 1874.

  Afternoon.

  This week’s Animal Craft class, like Magic Craft had been, was a catch-up for Fillion and Liara. Master Canneth and Gregor had filled the board with notes and sketches about animal biology and how it related to dragons. Every now and then Gregor used his spell to bring up a view from inside Anaya, who lay in her den, though closer to the office to be in spell range, and pointed out specifics in the ghostly image.

  Aeron didn’t mind sitting through the catch-up lessons. At least all his friends were here now.

  The reunion this past weekend at the review session had been fun. Everyone happily welcomed Fillion and Liara back. Fillion was super-excited to meet Xochi and thought Renata was nice. Liara blurted out how pretty the girl was, blushing furiously after. Then, Fillion asked about everything that had happened while he’d been gone and made sure he got every detail. His enthusiasm for it all was infectious.

  Fillion didn’t look very enthused at the moment, however. He kept shooting furtive glances around at everyone, and he looked uncomfortable.

  “What’s the matter,” Aeron whispered. “I thought Animal Craft training was a breeze for you.”

  “It’s not that. I just feel kind of bad you guys have to sit through these reviews.”

  “Something you’d like to share, Aeron, Fillion?” Master Canneth stared at the boys, brows raised.

  Fillion gulped. “Sorry, sir. I was just telling Aeron that I feel bad you all have to do these review classes for us. We tried to do some catching up this past weekend, but still.”

  “Yes, well, because we don’t have many trainers as of yet, it can’t be helped. Besides, we’re all learning how these lessons will go. Though we’ve started by borrowing heavily from Magic and Animal Craft training, we’re going to add lessons from a few other crafts, and these classes, even the review ones, will help us decide what will remain official dragon craft training.”

  “I don’t mind catching them up, anyway,” Aeron said. “I’m just glad our class is together again.”

  The other candidates all agreed.

  “Whatever tasks you two had to attend to during your absence,” Master Millinith said, “it would help if we could all continue together from this point forward.”

  “You couldn’t haul me away with a team of horses,” Fillion said.

  “Nor me,” Liara agreed.

  “Good,” Master Canneth said. “Now, if Gregor and I can continue?”

  As the review session droned on, Aeron looked at his classmates. Who would be the next bonded? It would be just the shiniest, most golden thing ever if it was Willem, but no one could know for sure who was next.

  + + + + +

  Dinner had been fantastic, Aeron mused. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables. Cherry pie for desert, too. He let out a sigh of extreme satisfaction.

  Willem chuckled. “Dinner was great, wasn’t it?”

  “That it was.”

  “While I agree with you, both,” Fillion said, “I’d love it if you would write down the measurement Willem gave you so we can move on to the next.”

  “Oh, sorry.” Aeron jotted down the information.

  Willem and Fillion had been assigned measuring Anaya tonight. Sharrah stood nearby, supervising, with Cheddar at her side. Only a few feet away, Renata wrote down Xochi’s measurements, given her by Jessip and Liara.

  Aeron glanced at Renata. At first, he’d been wary of her. But after he saw how much Xochi’s chocolate poisoning had affected her, well, his opinion of her rose quite a bit that night. She was also adamant about fighting nahual and helping dragons. And Jessip liked her. So, she must be a good person. The older boy seemed to have an instinct about those kinds of things. Which in itself was an odd turn of events.

  “Aeron? The measurement?”

  “Oh, gods, sorry.” He quickly wrote it down.

  When they were done, Fillion tucked the measure-tape back in the grooming kit. He said, “I wonder who will assist with measuring, once we all have dragons?”

  The question made everyone pause and consider.

  It wasn’t his question that had Aeron thinking, however, so much as the idea that everyone here would eventually have a dragon.

  What an amazing thing that will be, he thought.

  “Well,” Cheddar said, “depending on how much time training takes, there may be room and time to add more candidates to the roster. They can assist, as we are now.”

  Any other responses to the question were interrupted by the arrival of a guard, galloping in on a horse. He pulled back on the reins and shouted, “Aeron! Something is amiss with Nenet.”

  “What happened?”

  “She came out of the passage, making an odd sound. She seemed agitated. She stood there a few seconds, looking at us, moaning again and again, then ran back into the passage. I rode here as fast as I could. Bernard is keeping an eye at the post up top of the sinkhole, still.”

  It is close to time for the egg to hatch. Perhaps it is doing so now.

  Aeron turned to Anaya. “The egg is hatching?”

  Perhaps.

  “Anaya says the egg is hatching?” Willem sounded surprised and excited.

  “She says that might be what is happening.”

  “We should assume it is,” Sharrah said. “Better safe than sorry.”

  “Right.” Aeron thought furiously. “Sharrah, can you go fetch Master Canneth?”

  “On my way.” She turned and ran off.

  “I’ll get Master Doronal and Master Millinith.” Cheddar hurried off toward the Magic Craft Hall.

  “Gregor,” Fillion said. “The healer should be there, too, just in case. I think he’s still in the office.”

  Aeron watched him dash inside. What else?

  Fillion returned almost immediately with Gregor.

  “This is exciting,” the healer said, rubbing his hands together.

  “Horses.” Aeron looked at Jessip. “Can you go prepare a few?”

  “Sure. How many?”

  “Willem can go with me on Anaya, and I can probably take Millinith, too. Ah, Master Millinith, that is. Let’s see, that leaves the other masters, Renata, you, Sharrah and Cheddar, Fillion and Liara, and Gregor.”

  “Hmm,” Jessip said. “That’s nine. So, five horses?”

  “Actually,” Aeron said, “I think the masters would each prefer their own horse.”

  “Alright, that’s, ah, six. Got it.” He ran and disappeared around the corner of the building.

  “Food.” Willem stared at Aeron. “We’ll need something to feed that hatchling.”

  Renata nodded. “That’s right. They emerge starving.”

  “Right,” Aeron
said. “But I don’t want it to take forever.” He turned to the guard. “I need you to go to the Dining Hall. Ask for Mallory. Tell her you need some meat and scraps for a new baby dragon. She’ll know what to do.”

  “Yes, sir.” The guard spun his horse around and galloped off.

  Sir? Aeron stared at the receding guard, brows raised. He shook his head. Stay focused, Aeron. What else would they need? “Am I forgetting anything?”

  “I don’t think so,” Renata said.

  “I’m impressed.” Willem smiled at him.

  “Hmm?”

  “You got everything handled in a short time. Very nice.”

  He is right. You did well.

  Aeron glanced at Anaya. Cheeks warming, he turned back to Willem. “I . . . just did what needed doing.”

  “True. But you did it well.”

  “That’s what she told me.” He nodded at Anaya.

  “Well, she’s right,” Renata said.

  Aeron cleared his throat and sat on a bench. “I hope it’s male.”

  Willem sat next to him.

  “Why male?” Renata joined them on the bench.

  “It would be nice to not have to rely on outside help for dragons”

  “I see. And we only have two girls right now.”

  “Exactly.”

  Cheddar was the first of the others to return, with masters Doronal and Millinith. Aeron caught them up on what was known and what had been done so far. The guard arrived second, with the food. Jessip arrived next. He rode a horse and lead two. A stable hand followed behind, also on a horse and leading two.

  “Thanks,” Jessip said, waving to the boy who left on foot.

  Aeron sat forward on the bench, leg bouncing in nervousness.

  “Relax,” Willem said. “It doesn’t matter who is bonded next, so long as the dragon is healthy.”

  “I know, but I’m rooting for you.”

  When Sharrah and Master Canneth arrived, everyone got ready to leave. Within minutes, Anaya was in the air, following the horses. She had to fly circles around those below to maintain flight speed at their slower pace.

  The weather was cool and clear. Hemet, a mere sliver, hung to the west, and Duvin wouldn’t rise for perhaps another hour. Even so, the sky was glorious. Alandra’s Sash, a wide swath dusted thickly with stars, crossed the sky in a low arc from the southwest across to the northeast.

  It’s a beautiful night for a hatching, Aeron thought as he took in the colorful sea of stars above.

  + + + + +

  Once in the sinkhole, Renata hung back, letting everyone else enter the passage first.

  Hurry, I want to see the baby!

  It might not even be hatching, sweetling. Something else could be happening. Do you sense fear from Nenet?

  She is very nervous, but not frightened. And it is a hatching. I can sense the baby below, waiting.

  Well, let’s go then. She motioned to Anaya to go first. “Go on, Anaya, we’ll follow behind you.”

  The dragon made an inquisitive chirp.

  “It’s okay, we’ll be right behind.”

  They followed Anaya in. Aeron had asked his bond-mate to let the masters and others go first so he could direct them safely. Renata wasn’t that concerned. She’d spent over a month in the caves back in the Scars. She’d be fine following Anaya.

  It was much darker in the passage than expected. She kept a hand on the wall as they followed along, in case she stumbled. Thankfully, glimmers from lanterns carried by people in front reached far enough back that she could just make out her way.

  If we had gone in sooner, you would be able to see better.

  Perhaps. I just didn’t want to boldly thrust myself into their events.

  Are you not dragonlinked by their own words?

  Renata twisted her mouth. I suppose you’re right. But I want to take more time to get to know everyone and their routines. I don’t want to inadvertently do something wrong.

  Xochi sent no response, but a fleeting spike of exasperation came through the link.

  When patches of light moss appeared on the walls and ceiling, the downward sloping passage became much easier to navigate. Renata lost track of time in the softly illuminated tunnel.

  Nenet is getting more nervous. She must be able to hear us approaching.

  Her bond-mate’s sending nearly made Renata jump. Your mother was very nervous when I met her.

  I do not remember. My egg had been laid by then.

  Xochi being able to ‘remember’ her mother’s memories never failed to amaze. One day Renata would have to sit down with her and see what could be discovered in them.

  Nenet, we come. Do not be afraid. It is only us.

  Anaya’s voice was calm and soothing. Renata smiled. Dragons were so smart. Well, at least bond-mates were. Though, that wasn’t fair. The overwhelming emotions and nervousness that normal dragons felt undoubtedly made things more difficult for them.

  We have come to welcome your child to the world. Anaya began to croon, a deep thrumming.

  Anaya is smart. Nenet is calmer with her words, with her croon.

  Would you like to join her, sweetling?

  When Xochi added her own hum to the soothing croon, higher-pitched, but the same, steady note, the very air seemed to vibrate. Murmurs came from ahead. Everyone seemed pleasantly surprised by the dragon song.

  As they continued along the passage, the croon resonated within the tunnel and within Renata’s body, and it seemed as if her senses were expanding, as if she were expanding. It was a pleasant feeling, almost meditative. The experience was mesmerizing.

  Minutes later, they walked out into a vast, dark cavern. Though Renata could see nothing in the inky blackness ahead, the feeling of an enormous space was palpable. The dragons’ croon faded to silence.

  Xochi made a little chirp and looked around the ledge, curious.

  We are here, Nenet.

  “If Anaya and Xochi could please stay on this ledge,” Aeron said, “it would be best. I don’t think they will fit below with Nenet and the rest of us. Don’t step on the left part of it, however. That side is unstable.”

  A quick burst of disappointment preceded her bond-mate’s words. Fine. I will stay up here with my sister-friend. Oh! We can see everything anyway. The two dragons stepped close to the edge and peered down below.

  Renata followed everyone else around the two dragons and down a rubble ramp on the right. It lead to another ledge, perhaps twenty or thirty feet below. She could just make out two dragon heads peering down from above in the gloom, amber-yellow eyes sparkling. Aeron and Sharrah set down their lanterns several feet back from the egg, and others followed suit.

  The egg looked nearly identical to Xochi’s, though of different coloration. It sat a few feet from the back wall upon a raised bed made of soil and gravel, maybe five or six inches high. Splotches of color, brown and black, covered it, reminding her somewhat of an incredibly over-large quail egg.

  Nenet hovered protectively near it. Quiet, nervous barks came from her now and again. The two dragons above made encouraging chirps after each one, which seemed to be keeping her calm.

  The candidates formed a loose semi-circle around the egg. Though, owing to the anxious mother dragon, they stood a good dozen feet back from it. Sharrah and Cheddar were on the left, then came Willem, Fillion, and Liara, with Jessip at the far end. All looked unsure what to do next.

  Everyone else stood together back near the ramp, watching. Renata wondered if there was going to be some kind of ceremony.

  “Anaya tells me the sex of the hatchling is male.” Aeron sounded excited. The look he gave Willem was clearly ‘Good luck.’

  “What, ah, do we do?” Cheddar stared at the egg.

  “As we know nothing of this,” Master Doronal said, “we leave it to you two, Aeron, Renata.”

  Renata was as surprised as Aeron looked. Thinking about it, though, it made sense. Of them all, only she and Aeron had bonded a dragon. Even so, she was hesitant to
take charge.

  “You go ahead, Aeron,” she said. “This is where you bonded with Anaya. This is your place, and hers.”

  Aeron took a breath and nodded. After a moment, he walked forward and bowed to the mother dragon. Nenet, these six stand ready and happy to be chosen by your child. Of course, the final decision will be up to the hatchling. It is the dragon that makes the choice. It is the dragon that knows.

  Nenet ducked her head and let out a chirp that sounded almost happy. I thank you. She glanced at the egg. We thank you.

  Aeron stared at the egg a moment, then turned to the candidates. “I think it might be a good idea to step forward, one at a time, and introduce yourselves.”

  After a glance at each other, one by one the candidates stepped forward. Willem was first.

  Seeming a little hesitant, he glanced at the egg and then at Nenet. “My name is Willem, and I’d be honored if your child chose me.” He then gave a little bow and stepped back.

  The others followed his lead. Cheddar, Sharrah, Liara and Fillion each approached the mother dragon and egg and repeated Willem’s words and actions.

  Finally, Jessip stepped forward.

  “My name is Jessip, and I, too, would be honored to be chosen.” He glanced at the masters and back at Nenet. He cleared his throat and said, “Being bonded helps fulfill our purpose—fighting nahual—but all of us have another desire as well, I think. We want to save dragons.”

  All the candidates nodded.

  Renata drew a short breath as her eyes widened. The more she learned of these people, the more she came to believe that coming here had absolutely been the right thing to do.

  “From everything we’ve learned, the life of an unbonded dragon is not pleasant,” Jessip said. “We all want to change that.” He glanced back at the other candidates before turning again to the mother dragon. “I know these candidates, and your child will not choose badly no matter which of us is chosen. Thank you for the opportunity.”

  Everyone stared at Jessip.

  He bowed to Nenet, bowed to the egg, and stepped back.

  Renata stared at him.

  I like him even more, now.

  Renata shot a glance up at Xochi before looking back at Jessip. She agreed with the young dragon.