Dragon Rule - E. E. Knight [97]
“Now hear this, dragonkind. You are stripped of the honorable name RuGaard. From now on you’re just ‘Batty’ to us. It was good enough for you in the drakwatch caves, it’ll be good enough for the future. This is my bargain, a better one than I got: as long as you remain outside the Dragon Empire, you and Nilrasha will come to no harm. But set sii back on our lands and I’ll see to it that she’s thrown from her resort. Only this time, I’ll make sure she lands on something sharper than Ibidio.”
Chapter 19
They flew in stages, resting frequently in the cool sea. It was not a quick trip—their escort frequently demanded that they stop and argue the correct course so as not to pass too near the Hypatian coast, or to circumnavigate some island belonging to the Empire by map rather than actual occupation. AuRon thought it petty of their escort, and it reminded him of the Wizard Wrimere’s prickly vindictiveness. The escort left them near the great neck, turning home for Hypatia.
“Fair winds guide you to rest,” one of them said. The Copper, prodded, received a final thank-you for his promotion into the Aerial Host.
“Foolish of you, Father,” AuSurath said. “You’d think a dragon with no scale would be more sensitive to the direction in which the winds are blowing.”
He was silent and thoughtful the rest of the flight.
AuRon experienced the moment every dragon father must, when his son breathes fire into his face—metaphorically, of course, here in the windy skies of the Inland Ocean.
Wistala said little on the flight. AuRon had heard much of her exploits. He believed this was the first time she’d been really defeated.
His brother flew mechanically, as though strings controlled his movements. Or perhaps it was just the false joint midwing.
Once they made it to the island, after a few days they’d decide what to do. AuRon found himself wishing he could have DharSii available—he was a strong, reasonable dragon who’d be a stout ally and a clear-headed counselor.
To AuRon, the Copper seemed increasingly numb to all that had happened. He spoke less and less at greater and greater intervals, and when he did speak it was only a commonplace, such as that he was tired or hungry. AuRon suspected that were it not for Wistala and Shadowcatch nudging him along from either side, he would have just flown aimlessly until he dropped from exhaustion into the sea.
Wistala tried to reassure him about Nilrasha, that she was still popular with some of the Firemaids and dragons from the less exalted hills; therefore NiVom had very good reason to keep her alive.
“I did my best for them. I truly did,” he kept repeating.
That’s the problem with the ambitious and ruthless, AuRon thought. They’re thunderstruck when they meet someone even more ruthless and ambitious than they.
“The Tyr gave his word,” Wistala said. “As long as we leave the empire in peace, we’re not to be harmed. More important for you, brother RuGaard, Nilrasha will stay comfortably in her eyrie. For you, brother AuRon, Natasatch will maintain her honored position, Naf ’s kingdom will be at peace under the wings of its Protector, and your offspring will continue their careers in security and honor.”
“I just feel as though he has us by the throat, and we don’t have so much as a claw into him,” the Copper said.
“Are you sure this is NiVom’s doing?”
“What do you mean?” Wistala asked.
AuRon, once again, tried to put vague suspicions and feelings into words. “Imfamnia. His mate. I can’t help thinking there’s more to her than we know. She’s so cursedly sure of herself.”
They arranged the last lap in the hopes that they might arrive at the Isle of Ice with the sun setting, then spend a quiet night in AuRon’s cave. With strength renewed by sleep, they’d see about finding some food in the morning, if Ouistrela hadn’t eaten all the sheep.
But the Copper flagged again and a spring storm threatened, so they rested on an uninhabited piece of rock. There were crabs and other shellfish to be had in the clear, cold water. Even Shadowcatch,