Dragon Fate: Book Six of The Age of Fire
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Yes, as if rumor of survival wasn’t enough, the notoriously barren Nilrasha had supposedly had a clutch. Of course, Aethleethia had spent a lifetime being thought eggless, and she and NaStirath had produced two clutches and thought they might have one more in them.
Wistala liked the solitude. Only a dragon could easily cross the rocky, thickly wooded hills, cut deep by a tangle of rushing streams and rivers. The altitude made for a comfortable climate, just cool enough in the evenings to be invigorating and make a cozy bed welcome, but Wistala and DharSii weren’t so high that frost often touched them. The sunsets were spectacular. There was desert country far off on the other side of the Inland Ocean, DharSii told her, and the blowing winds threw up sand, coloring the sky to the west. Leave it to DharSii to explain away beauty and joy with talk of types of sand and prevailing local winds.
They were happy, busy years for those of the Trust. Wistala and DharSii were minor figures in this new Age of Foundations, as some were calling it. DharSii had attempted to name it an Age of Reason, but that never caught on with people trying to build homes by picking through rubble, or reclaiming fields from quick-growing pines and birches.
A colony of elves had gathered at their old seaside home not too far away. One of Rainfall’s “daughters” was training dolphins to herd schools of fish, much as human shepherds used dogs.
On what felt like the other side of the world, in the Sadda-Vale, old Scabia finally had a court. The dragons of the Empire who weren’t interested in mixing with hominids in the bubbling cauldron of activity that was the Age of Salvage had sought respite there. Art, memorials to old glories, and long-but-sparing meals gave her a chance to exercise her manners. Wistala had no doubt that NaStirath’s jokes found a receptive audience and Aethleethia could speak of the doings of hatchlings to her hearts’ content.
The dwarfs had reclaimed the old river roads deep underground, and claimed they could move cargo from south to north and back again faster than a dragon could travel. Of course their formula used a weight favorable to the tunnel ships rather than one that might be carried in the air or borne on the ground, but then dwarfs always did shape and color the truth much as their shaded glass might shape or color light.
Her old friends in the north were enjoying their new position at the crossroads of the world. The great river going to the Red Mountains now rivaled the Falnges in river traffic, with elves and dwarfs at both the headwaters and the mouth of the river and humans in between. The trolls’ old cave was the midpoint in a long stair that brought goods up from a new wharf. From there, commerce moved north and south on Rainfall’s old road. Rainfall’s old estate was now a lodge, village, and temple. From his hall, Thane Ragwrist bought and sold vast herds of horses and larger beasts for pulling loads.
As for the dragons, the great halls they’d built in Hypatia were still standing, but thanks to losses in the Second Civil War only a few were still occupied. “Free Wings” of mercenary dragons had a few, with a dozen or so fighting dragons and dragon-dames and their mates. Others were now temples of the Hypatian gods, or cavernous “exchanges” where goods or contracts for future products were bought or sold. NoSohoth’s colossal palace, with its deep holes for his wealth, was now Hypatia’s major financial concern, and the mild-mannered but avaricious old majordomo of the royal family was trying to reestablish a trade in spices and silks with the Great East so he might own the other half of the world as well, but rumor had it that some canny old eastern dragon was beating him at his game.
“I think dragons will do better in Hypatia than anywhere else, for all that I’m sympathetic to the ‘reclusives,’ ” DharSii said. “The Hypatian concept of citizenship could work to their advantage. They would get the protection of Hypatian law, and even if the duties of money prove onerous to a family with gold-hungry hatchlings to feed, by their size and power they could choose service.”
As for AuRon’s old blighters, they had expanded into the Ironrider lands and broken up into quarreling factions. Many had become nomads in the fashion of the old Ironriders, and a few tribal leaders were building tall chariots to draw them. To DharSii’s mind, they might one day prove a threat to the more civilized worlds east, west, and south. AuRon and Natasatch were back with their surviving family in Old Uldam, trying to build an alliance with the princedoms with the help of Hieba. Wistala wished them luck.
“But that’s long in the future,” DharSii said. “We may not live to see it, and we certainly won’t take any important part in it, even if we still can fly at that age. I think we’re done with great wars, for now. It’s been three generations of men since there’s been any real peace, and I believe the world’s ready for a respite.”
DharSii was not a dragon given to wishful thinking, and rarely gave an opinion unless he’d thought it through. In this specimen of thinking, Wistala was inclined to agree with him. Especially in his use of “we” and “us.” It elicited a prrum from her.
“Everyone blames the Lavadome—a fallen star, an engine of evil. If a dwarf miscounts, it’s because the black star is whispering in his ear.”
“We both know that’s not true. There’s blame enough to go around. The Lavadome was just a tool, and like any tool, it could be used for good or ill. That tool was just spectacularly powerful.”
“We’ll never know what happened in the end, will we?”
“I did get one quick flash as it vanished. I saw green lands and a clear blue sky. I didn’t recognize any landmarks, but the impression came and went as quickly as thinking. Impossible to say if that’s where it was going, or if that was some last picture in Rayg’s head—a wish or a dream.”
“You think it’s some kind of vessel for traveling,” Wistala said. “Perhaps we’ve been mistaken—perhaps it doesn’t go from place to place, but from time to time. Maybe they’re back before Silverhigh, even. The Age of Wheels, when the blighters ruled.”
“Your brothers have it in them to tame the blighters, I suppose.”
“There are so few dragons left. Some philosophers think that below a certain point, a population just can’t make a comeback. Natural decrease and all that.”
“Fates forbid,” Wistala said. “I intend to put up a fight.”
“How will you do that?” DharSii asked.
“I’m sure now, so I’ll tell you. There are more eggs on the way. Quite a few, judging from my appetite. I’m twice as ravenous as I was with the set from the Sadda-Vale.”
“You wish to have them up here? ”
“I like the view. They’ll have to be tough little drakes and drakkas to make the climb down when the time comes for them to go into the world.”
“I suppose I’d better arrange for a few herds of sheep and goats. They’d do well in these hills. Dwarfs, you think, as herdsmen? It’s remote enough for them. There’s a lot of good limestone about, so they could establish an impressive delving. Who knows if these streams have been prospected for gold?”
“I’ll leave that to you. I wonder what sort of world they’ll grow up in.”
“That’s rather up to all of us, isn’t it?” DharSii said.
The moon was coming up, swollen and greenish, as it always seemed when near the horizon. Wistala felt a kinship with it; they were both in their full and heavy phase. But rising toward a future zenith. In the clear air each splash and mottle on its chalky surface stood out.
DharSii yawned and stretched, a sign that he was putting his thoughts away for the evening. He settled into a comfortable repose and placed his neck across hers.
“Remarkable,” he mused. “I can’t remember when I’ve seen such a moon.”
Together, they watched it rise.
Drakine Glossary
FOUA: A product of the firebladder. When mixed with the liquid fats stored within and then exposed to oxygen, it ignites into oily flame.
GRIFF: The armored fans descending from the forehead and jaw that cover sensitive ear-holes and throat pulse-points in battle.
GRIFF-TCHK: An
instant, an immeasurably short amount of time.
LAUDI: Brave and glorious deeds in a dragon’s life that make it into the lifesong.
PRRUM: The low thrumming sound a dragon makes when it is pleased or particularly content.
OLIBAN: A valuable resin that, when burned, has a calming effect on male dragons.
SAA: The rear legs of a dragon. The three rear true-toes are able to grip, but the fighting spur is little more than decoration.
SII: The front legs of a dragon. The claws are shorter and the fighting spur on the rear leg is closer to the other digits and opposable. The digits are more elegantly formed for manipulation.
TORF: A small gob from the firebladder, used to provide a few moments of illumination.
Draconic Personae
AETHLEETHIA—Daughter of Scabia, mate of NaStirath
AGLABERARN—Silver, member of the Light Wing
AYAFEEIA—Leader of the Firemaids
AUSURATH—Red, AuRon and Natasatch’s son, Commander of the Heavy Wing of the Aerial Host
AURON—Gray, brother to RuGaard the Copper and Wistala
BAMELPHISTRAN—Commander of the Aerial Host
CUSARRATH—Wing Commander of the Aerial Host
DHARSII—Red striped, formerly of the Lavadome, dragon of the Sadda-Vale
HERMETHEA—A dragonelle of the Juutfod tower, formerly prisoner on the Isle of Ice
ISTACH—Daughter of AuRon and Natasatch, the former Protector and “Recluse” of Old Uldam
NASTIRATH—Gold, Aethleethia’s mate, dragon of the Sadda-Vale
NATASATCH—Protector of Dairuss, AuRon’s mate
NOSOHOTH—Formerly RuGaard’s adviser, now the wealthiest dragon in the Empire
NIVOM—White, Tyr of the Upper World
OUTHROTH—Silver, Protector of Wallander
RUGAARD—Copper, brother to AuRon and Wistala, former Tyr of the Lavadome
SCABIA—White female (rare), ruler of the Sadda-Vale
SEEG, OF THE DEEP ALLIANCE—A free dwarf
VARATHEELA—Daughter of AuRon and Natasatch, member of the Aerial Host
WISTALA—Sister to RuGaard the Copper and AuRon
YEFKOA—Fastest-flying dragonelle in the Firemaids, Ayafeeia’s personal messenger
E. E. Knight graduated from Northern Illinois University with a double major in history and political science, then made his way through a number of jobs that had nothing to do with history or political science. He resides in Chicago. For more information on the author and his worlds, E. E. Knight invites you to visit his Web site at eeknight.com.
BOOKS BY E. E. KNIGHT
The Age of Fire Series
Dragon Champion
Dragon Avenger
Dragon Outcast
Dragon Strike
Dragon Rule
The Vampire Earth Series
Way of the Wolf
Choice of the Cat
Tale of the Thunderbolt
Valentine’s Rising
Valentine’s Exile
Valentine’s Resolve
Fall with Honor
Winter Duty
March in Country