Dragonquest - Donita K. Paul [140]
She looked at the staff in her hands. It thickened and grew heavier. She rested the end on the ground, and it bent in two places while she cradled the top in her arms.
“Can’t believe I’m stuck. No, I’ll just rest a moment and try again.” The voice came from the swelling stick.
She giggled and wiped tears from her eyes. She heard the staff take a deep breath, felt it expand, and watched as it turned into a familiar treelike figure.
“Metta, Gymn, Ardeo, Dibl, come out,” Kale called. The minor dragons cautiously crept out of the cape. “Help Fenworth.”
Gymn, Metta, and Dibl sat in Fenworth’s branches. Ardeo nestled on Kale’s shoulder, glowing faintly in the muted light of an overcast winter day. Metta sang softly. Gymn wrapped himself around what might be an old man’s arm. The tree lost its wooden stiffness and grew warm as Fenworth reclaimed his body. He sat beside her on the cold, wet ground with his upper body and head resting in her lap.
He opened his eyes and smiled at her. “Ah, sweet girl, I think I shall retire. I wouldn’t want this to be known, but I believe I may be getting too old for this adventuring business.”
He looked around. “Where are Cam and Lyll?”
“At present they are statues in Risto’s headquarters.”
“Tut-tut. Oh dear, I shall have to put off retiring for a day or two, I see. We’ve a few problems to take care of.”
“You can take care of them, Wizard Fenworth,” she said, giving him a hug. “You are a great and powerful wizard.”
“Oh dear, tut-tut, I must get around to giving you a few more lessons before I retire. First, hugging wizards is not at all the thing to do. Second, I am not a great and powerful wizard. There is no strength in that. I am a devoted and trustworthy servant, as you shall be someday.”
58
WHERE IS HOME?
Wizard Cam had no servants at his castle, so they all made dinner, served it, and washed up. Taylaminkadot fussed about people who didn’t know their place. She would’ve done all the work if the others had let her. When she learned the extra guest for the meal was Paladin, she threw her apron over her head and sat in the corner until Librettowit coaxed her out.
Kale moved sluggishly with Gymn draped around her shoulders like a scarf. They had spent most of two days giving aid to wounded soldiers, most of whom were marione farmers who had valiantly traveled the distance to meet evil head-on. All who were able helped the wounded. Of course, Kale and Gymn were greatly needed. They treated the wounds of injured dragons as well. The dragons sometimes embarrassed her with their obvious adoration and their pleas for forgiveness.
“Just do what’s right from now on,” she said over and over. “You need to deal with Wulder. Show Him you’re sorry by doing right by your families.”
She returned to the wizard’s lake castle with a sigh of relief.
They sat around a plank table in the castle’s kitchen. A fire blazed in the hearth, fish jumped in the stream flowing through the room, and Dar had placed mugs of hot mallow on a tray with plenty of daggarts.
He leaned back in his chair, pulled out his harmonica, and provided restful music for their digestion.
“You’ve done well,” said Paladin as he looked around the company of his servants. Candlelight highlighted the reddish tints in his dark brown hair. His smile eased the hardness of his strong features. Kale felt the friendly warmth of his gaze and knew this important man actually liked her.
He set his mug down on the table and addressed those relaxing around the room. “What do you wish to do now that the threat to Amara has been crushed?”
“I want to go home,” said Librettowit. “The shelves will need dusting. And the books I bought in Prushing will have arrived by now.”
Paladin nodded. “Wizard Fenworth, Librettowit, Kale, her dragons, Taylaminkadot, Toopka, and Regidor shall go back to Bedderman’s Bog.”
He smiled at Kale. “I’ve seen that Bardon has shown you how to defend yourself. I suspect you both learned from Regidor as well. You must concentrate on your