Dragonquest - Donita K. Paul [122]
The two men exchanged glances. Regidor grinned. “Decided you didn’t want to run into any swamp creatures on your own, huh?”
She grinned back at him. “That’s right. Dar told me to use my brain.”
“We’ll come,” said Bardon. “I’m curious, too.”
They passed several groups of men and a few families before they set foot on the new path. The springy road looked like logs of various diameters woven together with sturdy vines. The minor dragons flew about them as they walked. A feast of bugs swarmed over the murky bog water.
“Where’s Gilda?” asked Kale.
“In my pocket,” answered Regidor.
Kale looked at the smooth lines of his clerical robe.
“It’s a hollow,” explained Regidor before she could ask. “How did you give Toopka the slip?”
“She was helping Cakkue and Yonny. She didn’t even seem particularly outraged that we didn’t plan to take her along.”
“That sounds suspicious.” Bardon laughed.
“I agree,” said Regidor.
Kale shook her head, half agreeing with her friends yet still believing her own eyes. “She was changing beds on the second floor when I left. Mistress Meiger finds Toopka just a bit unnerving because she’s not had any dealings with doneels. But Toopka is doing her best to impress her. I do wonder what’s going on in that furry little head of hers.”
“Well, she can be a good worker,” said Regidor, “but she’s also conniving and too curious for her own good.”
“And what would she say about you?” asked Kale.
Regidor laughed. “That I’m bossy and stubborn.”
Bardon slapped him on the shoulder. “She’d be right then.”
A ballyhoo bird cried out an objection to the invasion of its territory with a distinctive “ballyhoo, ballyhoo.” Kale craned her neck, trying to catch sight of the blue and white bird. The small, quick bird perched on a limb covered with cascading moss. Kale watched as it flitted from branch to branch.
Dry winter leaves rattled as they still clung to vines draped around the trees. With a deep breath, Kale recognized the same damp smells as in Bedderman’s Bog.
But here, no cygnot trees linked together to make planking. These trees stood far apart. Patchy, gray bark hung loosely on the trunks as if the trees were shedding an outer skin.
Maybe the winters are too harsh here for cygnot trees. I don’t think it snows as far south as The Bogs.
The lack of cygnot trees also meant no roots provided natural stepping blocks. Away from Wizard Fenworth’s floating road, the foot-deep water combined with a reedy vegetation. After they were finished with the lane and it was destroyed, the bog would be difficult to trudge through.
But now, Kale almost felt as though she were on an afternoon stroll. A breeze stirred the vines on the trees, and the afternoon sky above provided a blue canopy. The road beneath them creaked and swayed in an easy rhythm.
It all seems too comfortable to be the pathway to war.
“There’s the gateway.” Kale pointed at the three wizards, Librettowit, and Dar gathered at the end of the temporary road. “It looks as though they’ve finished.”
“No,” said Regidor, “the smaller one is complete, but the larger has one edge that needs to be more tightly woven. Why are there two gateways? I only heard of plans for one.”
Librettowit and Dar conversed solemnly while Fen and Cam sat on logs resembling roughly hewn chairs. Lyll paced in front of the unfinished gateway.
Afternoon shadows stretched long across the makeshift road. Remembering that they had recently been attacked by a peaceful pond, Kale shuddered and kept a wary eye on the dark splotches.
Dar greeted Kale and the others. “We’re just about to send Wizard Fenworth and Librettowit off to summon Brunstetter and Lee Ark. This will be one for the history books. If it works as planned, Librettowit and Fen will bring troops through the different gateways to this central one, which will take them all to the battle. Time is short.”
“And Paladin?” asked Kale.
“He may show up,” answered Dar.
“We can’t summon him?”
Dar shook his head. “Wulder will send him if he is needed.