DragonKnight - Donita K. Paul [128]
Kale stood up suddenly. “What kind of question is that? I’m wearing clothes.”
Bardon struggled to his feet and faced her. “Yes, but what kind of an outfit is that for traipsing around The Bogs?”
“It is a very becoming outfit.” She slammed her fists against her waist and stood with her feet apart. “It declares my flamboyant personality. It is functional and flattering at the same time.”
Dibl swooped between the two glaring faces and landed on Bardon’s head. The squire flapped a hand at the small yellow and orange dragon perched in his hair. Dibl fluttered upward and settled back down on his crown. To preserve his dignity, Bardon refused to flap at the minor dragon again.
Kale’s wide-set hazel eyes shifted up to look at Dibl and then refocused on Bardon’s face.
An image of the two of them standing almost nose to nose, glowering and fuming, flitted through Bardon’s thoughts. He also envisioned the ridiculous dragon pulling with tiny talons on his black hair, and next his mind’s eye focused on the peacocks parading around the hem of Kale’s outrageous tunic.
He knew Dibl projected the images to him. The minor dragon had a keen sense of the ridiculous and loved sharing his humor. Bardon smiled.
Kale smiled, too, and giggled. Her clenched hands relaxed, and she let them drop from her hips. But a moment later, she crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Bardon, speculatively. “What are you doing, falling out of old gateways, acting dazed, and…”
“Asking stupid questions?” Bardon held both hands up, palms forward. “I apologize for the inappropriate comments about your beautiful ensemble. I’m dazed because this is the last place I expected to be and also the last place I need to be. Although it is very good to see you again.”
He paused and jerked a thumb at the portal behind him. “And, before I fell through that ramshackle gateway, Regidor and I were about to rescue a tumanhofer.”
“Regidor is with you?”
“Yes, he joined the quest.”
“Quest?” She crossed one leg in front of the other and gracefully lowered herself to sit on the cygnot flooring. “Let’s talk, Bardon.”
“I really have to get back, Kale.”
“I may be able to help you with that. Pat and I just repaired that gateway, and you tore some of the strands when you came shooting out. Right now it would be a bit dangerous to plunge back in.”
Bardon sighed and sat down. “I suppose you want to know all about the quest.”
“Uh-huh.” The five other minor dragons landed on Kale and settled in as if they, too, wished to hear this tale.
“This is going to be a quick version, Kale, because I really have to get back to help rescue Bromptotterpindosset.”
“You said something similar to that before. If you don’t repeat yourself, you will be much more efficient in the telling of this story.”
Rather than being annoyed, Bardon found himself grinning at the beautiful o’rant girl before him.
Is this joy the influence of the humor dragon on my head or the pleasure of seeing Kale again?
“Let’s say both, and hurry along with this quest tale.”
It’s rude to read my mind without engaging in conversation.
Kale laughed out loud. “Yes, it is, and it feels so good to be linked with you again, Bardon.” Her expression settled into one of intense mischief, eyes gleaming, dimples in her cheeks. “And it’s good to know you think I’m beautiful. You’d be surprised how rarely I hear such a compliment.”
Your most constant companions are Wizard Fenworth, Wizard Cam, Librettowit, Taylaminkadot, and Toopka. Bardon mockingly scratched his head. No, I’m not surprised.
She laughed, and the precious sound reminded the young squire how much he’d missed this comrade.
“The story,” said Bardon, aloud and firmly.
His companion nodded. “Yes, the story.”
“My sabbatical was interrupted by two emerlindian women, Granny Kye and N’Rae. They’re searching for knights entrapped in a sleeping spell rendered by Risto. The spell must be refreshed before the Wizards’ Plume crosses under the Eye of the North, or the knights will die.”
“We noted the Wizards’ Plume rising. How long do you think you have before it passes