Dragonquest - Donita K. Paul [45]
Dar turned the mushroom cap over in his hands, examining it. “This is bruised, and there’s dirt in the folds of the underside.” He took a step closer to Kale. “What happened out there?”
“Nothing.”
“If I could mindspeak, this is one time I’d be tempted to invade your privacy.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dar. Nothing happened.”
Dar gave her a disgusted look and walked away.
A chill ran down her spine, and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She cautiously looked around, wondering whether someone was watching her, whether someone who could listen in on her thoughts was doing so at that very moment.
Leetu busily buffed a major dragon’s side with a polishing rag.
Fenworth dozed under the shade of the other large dragon’s leathery wing. Kale looked more closely. In the tangle of vines and branches that would transform into beard and hair when the wizard awoke, an open eye stared out of a bark-encrusted face. One eye, open and staring. One eye, trained on her, unblinking and eerily focused. The eyelid closed, and Kale let out a breath she had not known she was holding. Fenworth was asleep. He didn’t know.
19
HIDDEN TALENTS
Kale heard Dar and Bardon fencing long before she wanted to leave her bedroll. The questing party had been camped by the kimen falls for almost three weeks, and each dawn Dar and Bardon engaged in mock combat. She knew Leetu Bends and Lee Ark would soon step in to give instructions.
At first, all of them had tried to get Kale to join in. They might try again today if they knew she was awake. She refused to open her eyes. Birds twittered in the branches of the rootup trees. She covered her head with the blanket.
Metta and Gymn awoke within the folds of their pocket-dens. They squirmed toward the opening, disturbing Kale as they wiggled between her and the bedroll. They reached her clenched fists and butted their scaly heads against her fingers.
I don’t want to get up, she told them sternly but loosened her grip so they could slither out. One of them stepped on her nose. Gymn. His tail slapped her cheek as he took off to find a better place to watch the mock battle.
A weight landed on Kale’s side. Too big to be a minor dragon. Toopka.
“Dar’s going to teach me to use a small sword right after Bardon beats him.”
Kale threw back the covers. “What?”
“Bardon always beats him. He’s had years more training.”
“Not that. What did you say about fencing with a small sword?”
“I’m not big enough to fence. Dar’s going to teach me how to duck and jab.”
Kale propped herself up on an elbow and glared at the two warriors as they parried and thrust with practice swords, weapons made of wood but capable of leaving nasty bruises. “You’re too young to be doing any such thing.”
Toopka’s eyebrows scrunched together in a serious frown. “We’re going on a quest,” she said. “It’s best to be prepared.”
“You aren’t going on the dangerous part. You’ll stay here in the camp.”
“Robbers could come.”
“Not in Ordray,” said Kale. “The urohms and kimens run a tidy province. There is next to no crime.”
“Next to no crime. That means there is some, and crime is likely to happen where innocent people are unprepared.”
“I’m not going to argue with you.” Kale threw herself back down and jerked the blanket over her head.
“Bardon says you should be honing your skills as a fighter.” Toopka waited for a response.
Kale pressed her lips together.
“Bardon asked you to spar with him. You really should. He might have to report to Grand Ebeck.”
Kale pushed back the covers again and sat up, knocking Toopka off her perch. “What made you say that? Did you hear something?”
Toopka gave an exaggerated shrug and purposefully studied the two young men.
“Toopka.” Kale poked her furry arm.
She sighed. “Wizard Fenworth says you’re mopey. Mopey o’rants don’t make a good princess.”
“Apprentice.”
“Librettowit says you are suffering emotional strain.”
“And?”
“Leetu Bends says you need a kick in the pants.”
Kale rubbed the sleep from her eyes and studied Bardon and Dar