The Bond (Book 2)

by Adolfo Garza Jr.

  “Guildhall?” Liara looked excited.

  “Of course,” Master Millinith said. “Every guild needs a guildhall.”

  Chapter 23

  Leday, Septecy 5, 1874.

  Mid-Morning.

  “That won’t do. We need the order completed as scheduled.”

  Master Millinith looked up at Renata. The girl was talking with a Smith Craft representative. The investigation office had been even busier these past three months, since planning and construction of the guildhall had commenced.

  “I’m sorry, miss, but with all the orders for the new hall, we’re backed up and stretched thin.”

  Renata frowned. “There are too many projects waiting on that order; we cannot have it delayed.” She closed her eyes, no doubt going over schedules in her head. “Pull some people off of the weight scale, use them on this order instead. The scale can actually be delayed until near the end of construction.”

  “That will help. Thank you, miss.” The young smith left the office.

  Renata had a knack for keeping things organized. It had taken a while, she seemed strangely averse to being in charge of anything, but Master Millinith had finally persuaded the girl to be her assistant. Which, with the start of actual construction a few days ago, was proving to be most fortuitous.

  Several weeks had been spent visiting the quarry, surveying, planning, and designing. The guildhall would be an exceptional place to live and work. It was also the source of her current headache. Renata handling minor issues was an enormous help.

  Not since the early days of the Caer had so much enchanting needed to be done. Molding the stone at the chosen locations within the quarry into rooms, stairs, ramps, and hallways was taking a toll on the younger sorcerers. The enchanting shifts needed to be adjusted to give them more rest. And once done with that, she would have to return to the task of hiring personnel.

  Master Millinith frowned. Magic Craft? Animal Craft? She was top of the game with those. Hiring and managing staff was another matter entirely. She’d met with the Caer’s chief of staff last month for assistance. The woman had given her much advice and some suggestions.

  Posts looking to fill positions had been made. Couched, of course, in language that subtly implied a business position. She hoped the first hire would be a chief of staff. Though, to be honest, Renata was proving to be a genius with planning, scheduling, and managing. She glanced at the raven-haired girl before resuming the tiresome task.

  With the last slot on Therday filled, Millinith was finally finished with the new enchanting shifts. She placed the schedule in her outbox and let out a loud breath.

  “Should I get Cheddar to start work on making copies of that?”

  “Renata, you are a blessing.” She smiled. “Please do.”

  The girl laughed. “How goes the hiring?”

  “Slowly. There are so many positions to fill! Administration, maintenance, janitorial and laundry, culinary, animal care, training . . . the list seems endless.”

  “Training? Aren’t you, Gregor and the other masters going to do that?”

  “I can continue training Magic Craft for a while,” Master Millinith said. “But with the actual start of the guild, I’ll be far too busy to do that, much less Animal Craft as well. And the guild can’t be beholden to outside personnel, like Masters Doronal and Canneth.” She shook her head. “No, we need our own trainers. Once Gregor progresses far enough in Animal Craft, he would certainly be a good choice for that position. Eventually, of course, we will likely need additional trainers, depending on the number of applicants that become candidates.”

  “Yes, a great number of people are needed to keep an organization running smoothly.” Renata’s seemed somber.

  “Speaking of applicants,” Master Millinith said, “I’ll also need a Dean of Admissions. Craft Halls generally have a master handle that task, but at the guildhall level, it will be a separate position.”

  “There have been an increasing number of people, young, mostly, asking for information on how to get a dragon.” Renata’s mouth was twisted in a frown.

  “Exactly. With five now, all of them bonded, it is only natural that people so inclined would ask.”

  Those weren’t the only requests for information Millinith was getting, either. Lord Baronel now forwarded her all inquiries from lords, organizations, villages, towns, and everyone else asking about acquiring or hiring a dragon.

  Some requests she declined flat-out. Buying a dragon for personal transportation? No. But figuring out what else, if anything, dragons would be used for was a task she would have to tackle at some point.

  Also of concern was that no more dragons had come forth or returned to give their children a chance at bonding. A blessing in disguise, perhaps, as they—no, she—needed more time to get guild affairs in order.

  “Well,” Renata said, “if there isn’t anything else for now, a bunch of us are flying over to the quarry for a swim in a little bit. They tell me its a last swim of the summer kind of thing. Would you like to come with us?”

  Master Millinith waved her off. “No. No, I can’t. Too much to do. You go ahead, though. Someone should have fun, at least.”

  + + + + +

  You’re positive you’re ready to carry Willem? Aeron stared at Balam. And don’t try to lie, Anaya will know.

  Willem sighed. They’d gone over this before. Aeron’s caution could sometimes go too far.

  A little impatient huff, almost identical to Willem’s sigh, came from the green dragon. I am ready. Besides, it will be a short flight, through the gateway.

  “Balam says he’s ready,” Willem said, “and you’ve already looked at the flight exercise logs. He can carry my weight. He’s almost three months hatched and nearly as big as Anaya, you know.”

  “He’s only three-quarters her size,” Aeron said. He sounded a little defensive.

  “At any rate,” Willem said, “if Balam or Coatl feel any strain at all, we’ll land immediately.”

  “Exactly,” Fillion said. “So, if you’re done interrogating our dragons, then all we’re waiting on now is the girls.” He sat on the ground, back against Coatl, and stared at Renata’s study door. Liara, Sharrah and Renata had walked in there a while ago.

  “What’s taking them so long?” Jessip grumbled.

  “If we’re lucky, they might be close to done.” Cheddar grinned at him. “It takes nearly this long for just one girl. There’s three in there.”

  “Yeah,” Aeron said, “but two of them were ready.”

  “Well,” Willem said, sitting on a bench, “Renata had no swimming clothing, and girls wear a bit more than the swim shorts we have on. Don’t forget that she’s not the same height as Liara or Sharrah. She taller than both. They’re trying to come up with something for her to wear.” He did wish they’d hurry, though. This would be his first ride on Balam!

  “It shouldn’t take that long,” Jessip said. “Her hips are about the same as Sharrah’s and she’s only a little bigger than Liara in the chest. She can just wear a top from one and shorts or whatever from the other.”

  They all looked at him.

  Aeron raised a brow.

  Cheddar’s eyes narrowed.

  Jessip’s cheeks turned crimson. “I, ah, guess so, anyway.”

  Fillion and Willem burst into laughter just a Renata’s study door opened.

  “Finally!” Fillion jumped up. “Hey. Why are y’all wearing shirts and long shorts? Is that what you’re going to swim in?”

  “No,” Sharrah said. “But it’s cool on dragonback. We’ll take these off when we get to the swimming hole.”

  “Girls,” Aeron murmured, shaking his head. “We’re only going to be in the air for a couple minutes,” he whispered.

  Willem shrugged. “Who knows? Who cares? Let’s get going.” He strode to Balam. Ready to go?

  I am!

  Excitement thrummed back and forth through the link as Willem climbed into the saddle on Balam’s back.

 
Fillion scampered onto Coatl and grinned. “Our first ride!”

  Willem smiled back, just as thrilled. It would be a quick ride, but that didn’t matter. He’d be in the air with Balam.

  “Just be careful,” Aeron cautioned. Then a smile lit up his face. “You’re going to have so much fun.”

  “Can Cheddar and I ride with you, Aeron?” Sharrah put her arm through Cheddar’s.

  “Sure. Liara, you’re going with Renata?”

  She nodded and a smile dimpled her cheeks. “Yeah.”

  “Okay. Let’s go!”

  Unable to wait any longer, Willem gripped the handholds on the saddle, clamped his legs slightly, and took a deep breath. Let’s fly!

  Balam lowered into a crouch and then leapt into the air.

  A powerful wingbeat whoomped on either side of Willem, resonated in his chest, and thrust him down and back. Another beat pushed him into the saddle, and another, over and over as his dragon lifted higher and higher.

  Then, stillness. The yellow sun warmed his face, clouds dotted the blue, crystalline arc of the heavens, and a roar of happiness filled his ears.

  He floated with Balam in the sky.

  We fly!

  His shout of joy was echoed by Fillion, not fifty feet to his right.

  The short, sublime glide became a hover as Balam waited, along with Coatl, for the others.

  “You two should have waited for the portal before taking off!” Aeron sounded upset when he and Anaya joined them with Sharrah and Cheddar.

  “Stop harping, and start weaving!” Fillion’s sharp words were accompanied by laughter and a smile.

  Aeron closed his eyes—to calm himself, Willem knew—and moments later the portal appeared before them. “Hurry after!” Without checking to see if his instructions would be followed, he and Anaya passed through.

  Willem guided Balam into the portal. On the other side, they followed Anaya down to land on a ledge nearly on a level with the so-called swimming hole.

  The ‘swimming hole’ Aeron had showed them a few months ago was quite large, more on the order of a swimming lake. The small lake fronted the quarry, fed by what must be an underground source. A stream led from the lake’s southern end and wended it’s way down the hillside.

  After dismounting, Willem patted Balam on the neck. Never you mind about Aeron. He’s just nervous that we’d get hurt.

  I know. And I am not tired or strained at all. With a self-satisfied lift of his head, Balam strode over and sat next to Anaya. They touched noses and chirped at each other before laying down, eyes on their bond-mates.

  Willem smiled to himself and joined Aeron, Sharrah and Cheddar.

  Coatl landed and Fillion hopped down. His dragon joined the other two as he made his way over. “This ledge was formed when stone was removed, wasn’t it?”

  It did look as if a few enormous blocks had been lifted away, like square pieces from a cake, leaving the empty space where they all stood. To the left and right, walls of stone rose twenty feet above them, part of the granite outcrop at the northern edge of the lake.

  “Yes,” Sharrah said as they admired the area around them. “I saw ledges and terraces all over as we landed. I can see how this place can easily be enchanted with living spaces, halls, rooms and such.”

  “Won’t it be grand to have our own guildhall?” Fillion’s quiet question elicited nods.

  “Yes it will.” Cheddar eyed the western wall of stone and the workers beyond it.

  Willem glanced at the laborers. They appeared to be clearing earth and rocks for a road between the hall and the lake.

  Zolin landed, then Xochi, and Sharrah went to help Jessip and Renata unpack some things. Aeron looked up and stared at the portal a moment before it faded away.

  Willem walked over to him and murmured, “I trust Anaya found nothing to worry about with Balam?”

  “No.” Aeron’s lips quirked in a rueful smile. “She says he is perfectly fine, if not overly proud of himself.”

  Willem grinned and bumped shoulders with him. “Told you.”

  A quick sideways glance and Aeron bumped back. With a chuckle, he placed his arm around Willem’s waist and said, “Wasn’t your first flight amazing?”

  “It was!”

  Willem looked at Balam. The dragons all lounged on the the ledge in the sun, gold eyes sparkling in the afternoon light. He couldn’t wait to fly more with his amazing green dragon.

  “Woo-hoo!” Fillion ran screaming to the end of the ledge and jumped. His splash left dark spots in the granite.

  “Leave it to Fillion to be the first one in,” Sharrah said. She smiled and slipped off her shirt and long shorts.

  “W–What are you wearing?” Cheddar sputtered.

  Sharrah looked down at her two-piece bathing suit. “This? Liara and I picked up a few of these at the Summer Trade Fair last month. We heard they’re the latest thing in Delcimaar this year. Do you like it?” She spun once and smiled at him.

  “That looks great on you,” Willem said, brows raised in appreciation of the blue two-piece.

  The swim shorts covered only two inches of her legs and rose not at all above her hips. The top was essentially a short, backless bodice, with cloth straps at the bottom, just below the breasts, to tie behind the back, and straps at the top that tied behind the neck. The front of the bodice had a V that dropped five inches below her throat.

  Willem chuckled. That’s why they wore shirts and long shorts while in the Caer. The suit left pretty much the entirety of her legs exposed, along with the lower half of her torso, most of her back, and a wonderfully teasing amount of her chest.

  An awed whisper came from the water. “Yrdra’s tits.”

  “What did you say?” Cheddar spun to face Fillion.

  “That really does look amazing on you.” Aeron’s words drew Cheddar’s attention back to his girlfriend.

  Sharrah, still looking at Cheddar, raised an eyebrow. “You don’t like it?”

  He swallowed. “A–Actually, I love it.”

  Sharrah smiled. “Come on, girls, let’s have a swim.” She turned to Liara and Renata.

  Liara looked at Aeron and the others and blushed. “S–Sure.” She dropped her shirt and long shorts next to Sharrah’s, then looked up, eyes glued to Sharrah’s face.

  The poor girl seemed terrified. Willem had no idea why. Maybe she was worried about the amount the suit exposed? With her amazing complexion, she needn’t worry. “That color is really nice,” he said. “Your skin practically glows in it.”

  “You think so?” Liara turned to him with a shy smile. “I wasn’t sure about wearing . . . about wearing black.”

  “It’s very nice.” Aeron nodded. He seemed a little flushed.

  Willem stepped next to him and took his hand. The sound of more clothes hitting the ground drew their attention.

  Renata wore the same style of suit as Sharrah and Liara, but the bottom was red and the top was white with red straps at waist and neck.

  “Wow,” Jessip murmured.

  Willem had to agree. The suit color went very well with her skin tone. And those shorts with her long legs? Willem sighed. He took a sideways glance at Aeron, then moved a little closer to him.

  “It’s remarkable that the red of your bottoms matched the red of my top.” Liara looked proudly at Renata.

  “Isn’t it?” Sharrah beamed at Renata. “Because of that, the mixed suit looks like it was designed to be worn that way.”

  A quiet whisper. “Wow.”

  Zolin let out a grunting, draconic laugh and Xochi chirped at him.

  “She has nice legs,” Aeron murmured to Willem.

  “She does.” He squeezed Aeron’s hand. “Now stop staring. Or, ah, you’ll make her nervous.”

  “Wow.”

  Renata looked at Jessip. A smile curved her lips and her cheeks flushed.

  Sharrah grabbed her hand and Liara’s and they ran and jumped into the water. Their happy screams of delight were answered by barks and chirps f
rom the dragons.

  I want to swim, too! Xochi stood and ran to the water.

  With a crouch, a jump, and a flap of her wings, she sailed over Fillion and the girls and landed with an enormous splash. As if a dam had burst, everyone, human and dragon alike, ran and jumped in the lake after her.

  Laughter, roars, delighted screams, and shouts echoed from the granite walls, as splashing, dunking, and later, dives from atop those stone walls, had everyone in a relaxed and happy mood.

  Willem lay on his stomach atop Balam’s back as the dragon lazily paddled near the end of the outcrop. He watched the workers as they loaded up a wagon with material cleared away. Others worked at grading and tamping gravel and sand in preparation for cobblestones.

  Aeron, laying on Anaya, used his hands to help his bond-mate paddle. “This is a most excellent way to spend an afternoon.”

  Willem nodded. “Your idea was great, especially after the enchanting shifts these past few days.”

  They floated there atop their bond-mates for a while, enjoying the warmth from the sun above and from their dragons below. The sheer peacefulness and comfort lulled Willem to sleep.

  Quiet voices woke him.

  “Look at ‘em, lazing about, while we work our arses off.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Them kids with their fancy pets.”

  Willem opened his eyes, lifted his head, and looked around. Who was talking? It had to be some of the men on shore, he decided, even though they were quite a ways away.

  “You’re not from around here, are you?”

  “No. Came for the construction work.”

  “Well firstly, those kids have been on the enchanting crews working inside the hall all week long. And secondly, those ‘fancy pets,’ as you call them? The dragons have saved lives.”

  Willem turned to Aeron. He was staring at the shore, a dark expression on his face.

  “So, a word of advice? You’d best watch your tongue when you talk about our dragons and dragonlinked. We’re proud of them.”

  Another voice. “What’re you two doing? Let’s go, it’s time for lunch!”