Dragonquest - Donita K. Paul [89]
“Yes.” Dar spoke with ponderous gravity. “This narrow-minded propaganda is poisoning the thinking of too many people. The problem escalates by careful planning. Rabble-rousers spread these venomous ideas. And the dragons themselves act in an irrational manner that strengthens the rumors.”
Kale cuddled her three dragons. “What are we going to do?” Not even Dibl passed encouragement to her worried mind.
“I have news from my meeting tonight,” said Dar. “We can at last leave this depressing city and go in search of the meech dragon. We have a definite lead.”
They leaned over the table toward the doneel.
“One wagon of itinerant merchants has been noted to have been in each location where an outbreak of radical dragon behavior has occurred. The meech dragon must be traveling with this band of thieves. They sell elixirs, potions, balms, and concoctions to heal, relieve, and assuage any problem you could name. Of course, it’s all a sham. I believe their poison harms men’s minds as well as their bodies. We shall track down these swindlers and see what they carry in their wagon besides chicanery.”
“First,” said Regidor, “we have another issue to discuss.”
All eyes turned to the meech dragon. Kale picked up the suppressed anger emanating from her friend. She cast a glance at Bardon to see if he, too, recognized the danger. The lehman’s body tensed. He pushed his chair a foot away from the table. His focus remained on Regidor’s stern expression.
The dragon glared at the doneel. “Dar, you will not lie to us again.”
“Lie?” The doneel clenched a fist. “Explain this accusation.”
“You told us that you were going into a back room to play cards.” Regidor paused. He ground out his next words. “You were not playing cards.”
Dar nodded. His fist relaxed. “I see your concern, Regidor. I’ll explain.
“I entered the game of cards, hoping to pick up some useful gossip. However, one of the players was the first mate from the frigate Breedoria.
“I knew that a messenger had intended to board the ship in Dascarnavon. So I asked the first mate if they had taken on a passenger from that port. He said they had, but the man was ill. I excused myself from the game and went to the Breedoria. I boarded and found our informer was not ill but wounded. He gave me the news I have shared with you.”
Dar’s cold delivery of the facts made Kale shiver. She did not like this stern, controlled man who had taken the place of her fun-loving friend.
Librettowit slammed his empty mug down on the table. “Good news and bad. Good that we finally have a clear direction for this quest. Bad that we must leave the relative comfort of this house to pursue the reprobates. I prefer my library to the wilds of Trese.” He rose from his chair. “I propose we pack in the morning and leave as soon as the dragons are summoned.”
He shuffled out of the room, shutting the hall door with a thud. Kale saw a quiver of a smile play on Dar’s lips. She relaxed a bit.
“The wilds of Trese?” she asked. “I was raised in River Away in Trese. The countryside consisted of farmland and forest, very tame forest with hardly any wildlife you would call wild. No grawligs, no blimmets, no mordakleeps. In fact, the seven low races are considered to be a fable by most of the citizens of Trese.”
Dar chuckled. “Anyplace that has no libraries, no bookstores, no institutions of higher learning is considered uncivilized and wild to our tumanhofer.”
“Summon the dragons?” Bardon’s eyes glinted with excitement.
“Yes, Celisse and Merlander will fly to meet us, then carry us to our destination.”
Kale’s heart skipped over the dread of their quest and landed with joy at the prospect of being reunited with the two dragons.
“To bed, then,” said Dar.
They stood and cleared the dishes from the table. Each one took a candle to light the way to their chambers.
“Kale,” said Dar as he pushed open the door, “there’s one thing that I should perhaps mention to you. The first stop on our journey