Days of Air and Darkness - Katharine Kerr [190]
Rhodry glanced at the silver band glittering on his finger.
“This should have been your prize.”
“It should. He cheated me out of my name and my prize both. Which is why I say he’s as lucky as a fiend can be, to know my name, or I’d have eaten him long before this.”
“Tell me somewhat honestly.” Rhodry held up his hand and flashed reflected light from the ring. “If this ring should be lost, would you be able to take your revenge on Evandar?”
“Alas, I could not, because he knows the name, and on his tongue the name alone has all the power that any being would need. The ring was for you, because you’re but an elf and a man both, and the name alone wouldn’t have given you the power to enslave me.”
“I see.”
For a long time, Rhodry stared into the fire, wondering at himself for the strange idea that was forming in his mind.
“Master?” she said at last. “What’s so wrong? You look sad.”
“I was remembering a time long ago, when I served as a slave in a far-off country. A rich woman owned me, and though she was kind, I was still her slave.”
“I never knew that. How did you get free?”
“My brother came and found me, then bought my freedom.”
“Ah. It’s a fine thing to have kin like that.”
“It is, truly. I haven’t seen him in years and years, but I hope he’s well, wherever he may be.”
He considered for a moment longer, then slipped the ring off to hold it up twixt thumb and forefinger. Puzzled, she raised her head and swung it his way, to watch him with both eyes.
“If this ring were lost,” he said, “would you kill me?”
“Never, and I swear that upon the ring. I’ve come to respect you, Rhodry Dragonmaster, with all my heart. You would have made a fine dragon, I think, if your Wyrd had allowed it.”
He laughed with a toss of his head.
“But if it were lost, you’d fly off, never to return?”
She hesitated, cocking her head, rustling her crest.
“Once I would have said yes and without thinking twice,” she said. “But now I have the strangest feeling round my heart.”
“Indeed? What?”
“A wondering if I’d go, because it would sadden me to be gone as much as it would please me to be free. Why are you asking me this? Is it just to torment me, slave as I am?”
“Never.” Rhodry smiled briefly. “Here.”
He tossed the ring straight up in the air as far as he could. Glittering, it flew up into the darkness, then tumbled back down into the pool of firelight. Arzosah swung her massive head its way and snapped—gulped and swallowed. The ring was gone.
“There, you have your prize at last. Go free, my well-loved friend, if you want, or stay if you want. It’s your choice now, not mine.”
Arzosah clambered to her feet in a long glitter of body, shook herself twice, stretched her wings out and out, roofing over the fire and casting vast shadows, but all the while she stared at him. For a moment, she crouched on the edge of flight, started to speak, thought better of it, and shook her wings. Rhodry merely waited, smiling. All at once, she folded her wings back, turned round in a half-circle, and lay down again with her other side toward the fire.
“Well, my back does get so cold,” she remarked. “You’re a clever man.”
“Am I now? Why?”
“I shan’t answer that, because you know cursed well.” She flopped her head onto her extended paws and sighed. “You called me well-loved. Is that true?”
“It is.”
Arzosah rumbled for a moment, then swung her head