“Fine. Why don’t the two of you work this out? I’m going to get some of that sausage.” He glanced down at the plate. “Maybe I should get more than I usually would. Especially if you’re as hungry as it seems you are,” he said, grinning at me.
He disappeared into the kitchen, and Tara took a seat across from me. She fidgeted where she sat, looking over to me every so often.
“I need to know what you know about the Vard,” I said. “I’m not mad at you. I’m just trying to understand.”
“It’s just a movement, Ashan, nothing more than that. It’s just a collection of people who want freedom for Berestal.”
I frowned at her. “You and I both know it’s more than that.”
I might have believed her if I hadn’t yet seen the Servant.
Now I couldn’t.
There was another danger to the kingdom, but the Vard remained a real threat.
For too long I’d believed otherwise. Thomas had opened my eyes.
“It’s not though. It’s only a movement to gain greater independence within the city. Even you can understand that.”
“What do you mean?”
She shook her head. “I don’t mean anything by it, Ashan. All I mean is that it’s just a movement, nothing more, and I think even you can understand that, now that you’ve gone to the capital, connected to the dragons, and serve the kingdom.”
That fit with what Thomas had said about the Vard, his comment about what the people who served them felt. If that were the case, then why would the king have felt the need to destroy the cities in the east?
Thomas wouldn’t share anything about that with me. There was more to it, some aspect of it that troubled me, and I felt I needed to know more.
“How many Vard are active within the city.”
She shook her head, glancing down toward the floor. “I don’t know. They don’t let me know those things.”
“Somebody knows,” I said.
“Ashan—”
I leaned forward, settling my hands on the table. Heat flowed through me, and I worried that I might release it without meaning to. I had to hold on to that power and control it. I couldn’t lose my grip on it. There was a danger in it, and a danger in me suddenly drawing too much power. I breathed slowly, focusing on the earliest lessons I had been given at the Academy, thinking about what it would take for me to maintain control.
Many of my very first lessons came from Manuel, as we traveled back to the city in the first place. He had described ways of breathing and focusing, ways that involved gaining control over myself, but at the time, it hadn’t been difficult for me to do, but then he hadn’t been teaching me to connect to the dragons.
“I need to know what you know about the Vard,” I repeated.
“Why?”
I smiled to myself. She had a bit more fortitude than I would’ve expected, though she was a plains woman, somebody accustomed to living out beyond the edge of the forest, and she had known me for a long time. “There have been a couple attacks on the kingdom. Not Vard—at least, I don’t think so, but others aren’t convinced. I need to know what the Vard intend.”
“Because you’re a dragon mage.”
“In training.”
“The king wouldn’t have sent a dragon mage in training out here to investigate the Vard. Something else happened. That’s why you’re here.”
“You mean, something happened beyond what happened when I was still here? Beyond the attack on my sister?”
“Joran said they had nothing to do with that,” she said again.
“I know. Others don’t. That’s why I want to know what you can tell me. Everything you know.”
It was possible that she knew only some of the Vard workings. I very much doubted that she knew anything about the way the Vard celebrated the Servants of Affellah. If she did, and she still served them, it suggested that she was a much greater part of the Vard than I’d ever have imagined.
“I don’t know if I can tell you much of anything. Those in Berestal have been trying to understand what the Vard want, but the connections have been difficult lately.”
That was news to me; it left me wondering why.
“How difficult?”
“We’ve a camp set up in the Southern Reach—”
She clamped a hand over her mouth, as if she had said more than she intended.
“I didn’t see any camp in the Southern Reach,” I said. Of course, I hadn’t investigated the entirety of the Southern Reach, so it was possible there was something I hadn’t yet uncovered. “Where would it be?” If I could find that camp, then I could see what the Vard were doing, maybe learn whether these attacks were Vard or not. Between the camp and the strange pits I had uncovered, I had to share that with Thomas when I returned.
“You were in the Southern Reach?”
“I traveled through there,” I admitted.
“What was it like?”
I frowned at her. “What was it like? Do you think that your involvement in the Vard is some game you’re playing at? I can assure you they aren’t playing. If you knew what I know about the Vard—”
“What do you know about the Vard?”
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, gathering my thoughts before I said too much. I had to be careful. I didn’t need to reveal anything more than what I already had. It would be dangerous for me to do so, and more than that, it would be dangerous for her for me to do so.
“I just need anything that you can share with me to keep Berestal safe.”
“Berestal is safe. The Vard have made certain of that.”
I wanted to groan.
I didn’t like the sound of that. Worse, given what Manuel had told me, I couldn’t help but feel as if there were even more reason for me to be concerned, but as I looked at Tara, I wondered if she would share anything more with me. Despite her protestations, she was more tightly bound to the Vard than what she had led anyone to believe.
“How long will it stay safe?” I asked. “If the king believes Berestal is under Vard control, how long do you think he will leave it alone for? My sister is there. My mother and brother. I don’t want anything to happen to them.”
The king and Thomas were increasingly convinced that the Vard were the ones responsible for the attacks—and if the king thought so, I didn’t want to think about what he might do to stop them.
“Then you need to use your influence to ensure it doesn’t,” she said.
“And here I thought you should use your influence to ensure the Vard didn’t cause any more trouble in Berestal than they already have,” I said.
She watched me, finally taking a deep breath. “The Vard aren’t going to cause any disruption in Berestal. The king leaves the city mostly alone. We simply want to ensure that stays the case. The moment the king shifts his focus and begins paying more attention to us in Berestal, I think the Vard will change their focus.”
“To what?”
“I told you.”
“You told me there’s a camp in the Southern Reach. Is that what you mean? Are you trying to tell me that the Vard will suddenly shift their attack and pull from this camp if the king changes tactics?”
“I’m saying the Vard are prepared to defend Berestal and its independence.”
I hated how this reminded me of what Manuel had said, and the dangers that would be inherent in such action. There was no way of convincing Tara of what I knew without letting her know what had happened. The moment I did, though, was the moment I’d pick her against the king. If she knew the king were willing to target his cities because of Vard influence, she would likely side even more with the Vard.
Which was reason enough for me to try to coax her into believing a different way.
“The king isn’t about to lose access to the Wilds,” I said. That might be the only other way I could convince her. “He values trade too much. Given that Berestal is a place of trade between the Wilds, I imagine the Vard feel the same way. They can’t increase their activit
y in Berestal.”
“Why?” Tara asked, watching me.
I had the strange feeling that we were in some sort of negotiation, as if I were carrying out some action that was different—and perhaps greater—than I really should be a part of. At the same time, I had a feeling that I was outmatched by her.
“If you don’t want the king’s attention, then you shouldn’t keep active here,” I said.
I had to be as vague as possible.
“What sort of attention do you think we should fear from the king?”
I frowned at her. “Do you want to draw the king here?”
It would fit with what I had seen before. I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps they did want the king to bring his attention to Berestal. If so, it would give them an excuse to attack again.
It might even give them an opportunity to target the dragons.
I thought about the green dragon sitting not far from us and wondered whether it was a mistake to bring him so close to Tara and her family. If she were to send word to the Vard, then the dragons were in danger. I should’ve considered that before even returning.
I found her watching, though I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
“Why would we want the king to pay any more attention to Berestal than he already has? I’ve told you that the Vard’s goal is for the city to be as independent as possible,” Tara said.
“Independent, or a part of Vard-controlled lands?”
“That would be difficult, seeing as how we are too far north of the Southern Reach.”
I leaned back, watching her, crossing my arms over my chest. “Have you ever been to Vard lands?”
“When have you known me to leave here?”
“I haven’t, but I figured it was a reasonable question. Do you even know what you’re fighting for?”
“I know why the Vard struggle, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Do you know what’s happened in other lands the Vard have claimed?”
She frowned at me. “Do you?”
The way she asked it suggested that she had heard those stories.
They were stories I had never heard before, though I suspected that anybody who supported the Vard would have known them. It would be reason for them to support the Vard, even more so than they might already have.
“I know the king is unwilling to allow the Vard to take hold in his lands,” I said, trying to be as careful as possible.
“If you know that, then why—and how—can you support it?”
“Because I support the king.”
She grunted. “You support an oppressor.”
“Oppressor?” I swept my gaze around the inside of their home. “When have we ever been oppressed out here in Berestal? When have we ever known anything other than the ability to act freely?”
“Just because we haven’t been oppressed doesn’t mean that the king isn’t oppressing others,” she said.
“I think you’ve been misguided.”
“And I think your time in the capital has clouded your vision, Ashan.”
“I don’t want anyone harmed,” I said.
“We won’t be.”
“I’m not worried about the Vard,” I said.
“We aren’t going to harm any of the citizens of Berestal.”
“Can you speak on behalf of the Vard? Are you so well connected that you know?” She didn’t answer, and I shook my head again. “I’ve seen how willing they are to harm, and I’ve seen the dangers of Vard-controlled lands.”
“You said that before, but what do you really know, Ashan?”
“I know about Affellah,” I said.
I watched her, gauging her response. There was hardly any.
Which meant that she didn’t know about Affellah.
I grunted. “As I figured.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Before you support a movement, you should understand it. Know what you have supported. I can tell you that if you don’t know anything about Affellah, then you know nothing about Vard.”
“What is Affellah?”
“Ask your Vard leaders,” I said.
The door to the kitchen opened, and their mother stepped out. She had bright red hair and a pale complexion, her skin heavily pigmented by freckles all along her face and open arms. She frowned at me.
Tara looked back at her mother. “What is Affellah?”
Her mother’s eyes widened, and she dropped the tray she was holding.
“Mother?”
“Where did you hear that?”
Tara nodded to me. “From Ashan.”
She looked over to me. “How do you know of that?”
“Because I’ve seen it.”
She knew about Affellah, which meant she knew about the dangers it would pose.
How much more did she know about the Vard? If she knew about Affellah, then I suspected she knew about the Servants—which might mean that I had been wrong all along about their connection to the Vard, about how well connected they were.
So many things I thought I knew about my friend and his family started to make me doubt what I knew of their family.
I wanted nothing more than to keep them safe. They were friends, practically family.
But it was more challenging than that. I didn’t fully know. There was a Vard presence in Berestal that made things difficult. If the king decided to attack . . .
I knew what would happen.
Worse, having seen the Servant, I understood that the king might have to attack. How could he not when they were so dangerous?
“I think it’s time for you to go, Ashan,” Tara’s mother said.
I frowned for a moment, looking over to Tara, but then realized she was watching her mother with the same curiosity in her eyes.
I got to my feet. “Make sure you know what you’re serving,” I said to Tara. “I can assure you it’s not what you think.”
“It’s time for you to go,” she said again.
I shook my head. “Is Bernt a part of this, as well?” I asked, standing and facing her.
“Ashan?” Joran asked, standing in the doorway behind his mother.
I didn’t think Joran was a part of it. If he were, then it meant he had deceived me even more than I realized. I didn’t want him to have been a part of it. Maybe that was what it was, not so much that he wasn’t.
I watched his mother, studying her. I couldn’t tell from the way she watched me whether or not Bernt was a part of their service of the Vard, but I could tell she was far more tightly bound to them than I had believed at first.
“Is he?” I asked again.
She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and then shook her head.
“If you’re going to bring your children into it, they should know what they are serving.”
“It’s time for you to go.”
“Don’t draw them here,” I said. “Berestal does not need to suffer the same fate as Elarth and Yilin.”
Her eyes widened slightly, and she knew.
I tipped my head to Joran. “It seems as if I need to be going.”
I turned toward the door and stepped outside, feeling the cool morning air around me. The sun shone down, bright and with increasing warmth. Humidity had already dampened the air, and storm clouds in the distance promised rain. This would be the wet season. I took the hard-packed path away from their home, and when I had traveled about a hundred paces or so, I heard Joran calling out after me.
I paused, looking back at him.
He jogged up to me. “What was that about? What did you say to my mother?”
“It has to do with the Vard,” I said. “And how well connected she is.”
“I don’t think my mother is all that well connected. My sister is trying to be more connected, but even with that . . .” He shrugged, shaking his head. “Like I said, I don’t think either of them are all that bound to the Vard. Besides, didn’t you say the attacks weren’t from the Vard?”
I glanced
back at the house, and I could see his mother standing in the window, watching. “They weren’t. At least, I don’t think so, but it doesn’t matter what I think. It matters what the king believes—and he thinks it was the Vard. Given what I know of the Vard in Berestal, I’m worried. If the king decides to attack . . .” I couldn’t finish that line of thought. “Joran, regardless of what you believe, your mother is far better connected to the Vard than you know.”
“I don’t think they could be,” he said.
I forced a smile at him, clasping his shoulder. “Keep an eye on my sister and my mother for me, would you?”
“Of course. I told you I would.”
“And talk to your sister. Your mother is too far involved to be persuaded otherwise, I suspect.” If she was that bound up with the Vard, and knew about Affellah, then it was possible—and probable—that she was beyond redemption when it came to the Vard. Which made me even more concerned that they would attempt to draw the Vard into Berestal. If there was a camp in the Southern Reach . . . I needed to get to Thomas. I needed to return to the capital, regardless of the time of day.
“What aren’t you sharing with me?”
“Something you don’t need to know about. Trust me. The world is different than we knew,” I said, turning away.
“You’re going to leave before giving Sophie a chance to see the dragon?”
I looked over to the house. “Keep Sophie from your mother, too.”
I continued on, heading over the rise, and as soon as I did, I found the green dragon curled up on the ground. Sophie was there, walking around the dragon. She looked over to me when I approached.
“You really did have a dragon,” she said.
I nodded. “I really do.”
“You’re leaving.”
I nodded again. “I think it’s time.”
“You weren’t here for very long.”
I looked behind me and noticed Joran standing on the hillside. Could I really have changed so much in such a short period of time? Maybe it wasn’t me that had changed. Maybe it was the world.
“I wasn’t. When I come the next time, I promise I will be here longer.”
“You better be.”
“And maybe you could ride the dragon then.”
Her eyes widened. “Do you really think I could?”
The Lost Dragon (Cycle of Dragons Book 3) Page 14