Dragonquest - Donita K. Paul [14]
“How does he even know I have noble instincts?”
Dar rolled his eyes and commenced working the laces through the boot’s eyelets. “He’s a grand. He knows. He wanted you to discover for yourself that you could feel sympathy for Bardon.”
“A lot of good it did. Bardon didn’t want to talk to me.”
“Maybe not, but now there is a chink in your prejudice against him.”
“Prejudice! I’m not prejudiced!”
“Your opinions of Bardon are formed out of gossip and surface impressions. That’s prejudice.”
Toopka looked up from her new boots. “If it’s prejudice, it has to be called prejudice.”
“Very wise,” said Dar and chucked Toopka under the chin.
Kale glared at both doneels. She inspected the little black boots on the child’s feet. They fit well.
“Where’d you get these clothes?” she asked Dar.
“I’ve been collecting some things to send to my sister’s family. One of the reasons I wanted to go to the market.”
Kale thought about the huge family Dar claimed and felt a sudden loneliness. Dar was like a brother, and she didn’t want to leave him.
The doneel stood and squeezed her arm. “You’ll be all right, Kale. You have lots of family now in the form of good friends. And two new additions as of today, Toopka and Regidor. You’ll be too busy to miss me.”
“Are you sure you don’t read my mind?”
Dar just laughed and moved to the door. “You’d better hurry.” He went into the hallway, then turned, laying a hand on the door frame. “You will do well to follow closely the teachings of Paladin and remember Wulder in all your dealings.”
Not trying to hide the grin on her face, Kale answered in mock approval. “Don’t you sound proper all of a sudden.”
“Exactly!” Dar winked and saluted. “And Kale?”
“Yes?”
“Give Bardon a chance.”
6
ATTACK!
Kale and Toopka waited at the base of Trell Tower. Toopka played among large round boulders ringing the turret. Embedded in the boulders, millions of quartz chips glistened in the afternoon sun. At night, these sparkles glowed blue.
Toopka skipped from one rock to the next with the same natural agility Kale had seen Dar display. Kale smiled as she watched the little doneel. As a slave, Kale had been strong from her work but not particularly nimble. She’d spent part of her first quest falling on her face.
With a quick look around, she noted the Torsk Tower clock gave the time as five minutes to the hour. The courtyard was empty. She hopped up behind Toopka.
“Better run. I’m going to get you!”
Toopka squealed. Metta and Gymn emerged from Kale’s cape in a flurry of bright wings and joined the chase. They bombarded the little girl, getting close enough to ruffle her hair with their wings. She flinched the first time they swooped over her head, but batted at them playfully on the following charges.
Even with the dragons on her side, Kale had a hard time keeping up with the surefooted doneel. Kale hopped off the boulders and ducked into the tower doorway. The recess of engraved stone hid her as she prepared an ambush.
She waited for the child to pass her hiding place and then pounced. She snatched Toopka off the boulders. With the little doneel tucked under one arm, Kale tickled her with her free hand. Metta and Gymn circled above, letting out trills of encouragement. Kale laughed almost as hard as her captive.
She saw his boots first. The soft brown leather gleamed in the sunshine. His feet were twelve inches apart, his toes pointed straight ahead, his legs rigid. One hand gripped the handle of his tote bag, and the other rested on his hip.
Even though Kale had quit tickling, Toopka still squirmed. Kale put the doneel down on the grass before looking into the ice blue eyes of Lehman Bardon.
She tried a smile. “Ready to go?”
He nodded and looked away. Gymn and Metta landed next to Toopka.
“I’m hungry,” announced the child.
The dragons raised their voices in a series of shrill notes. Kale interpreted