Masques (Sianim #1)(65)

"What?" said the dragon, its tone softening in a manner designed to send chills up weaker spines.

"He is king of Reth and no princeling." Aralorn kept her voice even and met the dragon's look.

It turned back to Myr and said in a amused tone, "Apologies, Lord King. It seems I have given offense."

Myr inclined his head. "Accepted, Lord Dragon. We owe you thanks for driving away the Uriah, sent by my enemy."

The dragon raised its head with a hiss as its eyes acquired crimson tones. "Your enemy is the ae'Magi?"

"Yes," answered Myr.

The dragon stood silently, obviously thinking; then it said, "The debt dragonkind owed your blood is old and weak, even by dragon standards. Long and long ago, a human saved an egg that held a queen; a feat that we were most grateful for, as we were few even then. For this he and his blood were blessed that magic hold no terrors for them. For this deed of the past I would have left you and your party alone.

"Several hundred years ago, after the manner of my kind, I chose a cave to sleep in - waiting for the coming of my mate. I chose a cave deep under the ae'Magi's castle, where I was unlikely to be discovered.

"I was awakened a few decades past by savage pain that drove me out of my cave and into the North. Dragons are magical in a way that no other creature is; we live and breathe magic, and without it we cannot exist. The ae'Magi is twisting magic, binding it to him until there will be nothing left but that which is twisted and dark with the souls of the dead. The castle of the ae'Magi has protections that I cannot cross, and the power that he has over magic is such that if I were to attack him, it is possible that he could control me. That is a risk that I cannot take. Except for the egg that lies hidden from all, I am the last of my kind. If I die, there will be no more dragons." It stretched its wings restlessly.

"King," it said, "your sword is new, but the hilt is older than your kingdom, and token of our pledge to your line. If ever I can aid you, without directly confronting the ae'Magi, plunge the sword into the soil, run your hands over the ruby eyes of the dragon on the hilt and say my name." Aralorn heard nothing but the rushing of the wind as the dragon spoke its name for Myr. Then in the deepening light of the evening it reared back on its hind legs and fanned its wings, changing its color to an orange-gold that gave off its own light. Soundlessly it took flight, disappearing long before it should have been out of sight.

"Beautiful, isn't he?" Wolf's familiar hoarse voice emanated from somewhere behind and between Aralorn and Myr. It comforted Aralorn that Myr jumped too.

* * *

THE HERBS THAT WOLF BROUGHT BACK DID WORK BETTER. Once he got the spell just as he wanted it, he began working it without the props until he could direct it effortlessly. When he could drop the ensorcelled rocks in any pattern he chose, he spoke to the council.

"I have what I need to face the ae'Magi. I will leave tomorrow for his castle."

"You aren't going alone," said Myr. "This is my battle as well. He killed my parents to further his plans. You will need someone at your back."

Wolf shook his head, "You are too valuable to your people to risk yourself in such a way. If you are killed, then there is no one to rule Reth. If I am killed, your immunity to magic may be the only weapon left against the ae'Magi."

"Wolf's right," agreed Aralorn, "but so is Myr. Wolf, the ae'Magi is not the only thing that you will have to face. He has quite an assortment of 'pets.' They will tire you out before you even reach the ae'Magi."

"True," said Wolf. "However, I know how to avoid most of the monsters. The ae'Magi will see that none of them kill me. Even if he wants me dead, he wants to do it himself. If there is someone else with me that I have to worry about and guard, then it will be more of a liability than an asset, I'll leave at first light." He turned on one heel and walked away, without giving anyone a chance to argue further.

* * *

THAT NIGHT, AS ARALORN LAY DROWSING ON THE LIBRARY couch she'd commandeered as her bed, she heard voices talking to each other, a man's voice and a woman's. Being half asleep, she didn't think to question why she was hearing anything.

The woman spoke first. "I'm worried about them. There are too many things that can go wrong with what they're planning. I wish that they'd paid attention to what you tried to show them."

"I did what I could." Aralorn recognized the voice of the Old Man. He sounded a little petulant.

"It's up to them." The woman's soft voice soothed agreeably. "She's healed him enough that he might be able to carry it off. Can't you give them a clearer hint, though?"

"No. It isn't our concern. As long as he leaves you alone, I don't care what the ae'Magi does." He sounded like a little boy pouting.

"Of course you do, dear heart." She might have been shaking a finger at him from the tone of her voice. "Who was it that brought that young wolf to shelter here? Who gathered all of the people to shelter from the human Archmage's wrath?"

"I'm worried that I've interfered too much." The old shape-shifter's voice sounded completely rational for the moment. "My time is past. I should have died with you, Lys. It is not right to be a ghost and not be dead. If I tell them what to do, it might cause more harm than good. I fear that I have let you talk me into too much." There was a pause and then he said in a resigned tone, "Ah, well, once more then. Can she hear me?"