Dragonquest - Donita K. Paul [96]
Ardeo sat in her lap, his glow as bright as the moon. Kale stroked his sides. Metta sat on her favorite perch on Kale’s shoulder. The little purple dragon leaned against her neck and nuzzled her chin. She hummed a soothing song that apparently had no words. Gymn sat on the other shoulder, and Dibl chased bugs. Ardeo still hadn’t shown any interest in his first meal.
Kale remembered Fenworth’s tirades about how uncomfortable quests could be. She agreed. Having an unpleasant mother pop in and out of this quest made it even more uncomfortable. Kale wished she could return to The Hall and escape the complications confronting her. But a little reprieve with only the minor dragons was the best she could get.
The other questers sat around a campfire. But Kale wanted to think and sort through her feelings. Tomorrow they would land at River Away. She would see the people who had raised her from an infant.
“You’ll like Dubby Brummer,” she told Dibl as he somersaulted in front of her. “I wonder how much he’s grown. When I saw him last, he was still in wrappers.”
Gymn tumbled off her shoulder and pounced on Dibl. They wrestled for a moment then went after more bugs. “Bolley and Gronmere are fun to watch too. They wrestled in the town square to show off their fighting ability. I wonder if I should offer to go a round with them.” She giggled. “Wouldn’t they be surprised?
“Then there’s Mistress Meiger. If nice means friendly, then Mistress Meiger is definitely not nice. But she’s fair.
“And Master Meiger is busy, too busy to be kind or even interested in what a slave is doing.”
She scooped Gymn into her hands and snuggled him under her chin. “Just think how their eyes will pop when they see me slide off Celisse’s neck and walk toward them in my leecent uniform instead of a slave’s tatters.”
Gymn warbled in his throat.
“No, we don’t have to wear our disguises any longer. Well, maybe Regidor does. But the rest of us will look exactly like what we are—servants of Paladin, sent to help the local populace in their dire need. I intend to look very official and impressive.”
She placed Gymn on her knee and pulled the pouch from around her neck. She shoved two fingers in and pulled out a piece of shell. “The first thing we will do is clean out this pouch. Mistress Meiger gave it to me to carry Gymn.”
She turned the material inside out, and pieces of shell fell to the leaf-littered ground. A glint of metal warned her that the odd coin she’d been given by Granny Noon had fallen too. Gymn climbed up her body as Kale shifted to her knees and ran her fingers through the mulch. She found the shiny disk. Holding it in the palm of her hand, she examined the two pie-shaped notches cut into its sides.
A breeze whisked Kale’s hair. She looked up to see the curtain of bentleaf branches parting. Her mother stepped in. Her velvet dress in shades of purple with gold trim crowded the small bower. She had to stoop, and Kale got the impression this annoyed her greatly.
“Surrounded by your pretty little pets again, Kale? Put them away for the time being. I have important news for you.”
The minor dragons scurried to the shadows. Kale plucked Gymn from her shoulder and placed him on the ground, stood abruptly, and bobbed a curtsy.
“Mother.”
“Yes, our friends have brought me safely out of Creemoor. My work there is done. There’s no need for me to remain in River Away. Fenworth and Cam have the situation well in hand. Now, let’s go.”
“Go? Go where?”
“Vendela. Isn’t that where you wish to be?”
An image of the beautiful buildings, clean streets, and happy people popped into her mind. For two weeks she’d been at The Hall and had a predictable future of training and service. Then she’d followed Dar out the gate.
“No.” Kale shook her head.
Her mother’s eyebrows arched. “No?”
“I’d like to go back someday, but not today.”
“That is neither here nor there. We’re leaving.” Lyll Allerion held out a hand, waiting for Kale to take it.
Metta flew back to Kale’s shoulder. Gymn took