Dragons of the Valley - Donita K. Paul [1]
Acknowledgments
Map
1: Theft
2: Two Taken
3: Invasion
4: Where Are We?
5: Kimen Village
6: The Grawl
7: Hollee’s Joy
8: Misdirection
9: Council Meeting
10: Verrin Schope Disappears
11: A Visit
12: A New Friend
13: Tavern
14: Must Go
15: Disappearing
16: Revelation
17: Swordplay
18: A Song of Peace
19: Boat Stop
20: In the Night
21: Sword of Valor
22: Difficulties
23: Tangonut Crème Pie
24: Bridge
25: Confrontation
26: Life or Death?
27: Searching out the Truth
28: Scoundrels
29: Pulling It Off
30: The Calm Before
31: Bad News
32: The Wizard’s Plan
33: What to Do? What to Do?
34: A Cavern
35: Reunion
36: Decisions
37: Research
38: Battleground
39: Secret Revealed
40: Confusion
41: The Leader
42: Seeking Sage
43: Sage Advice
44: Hospital
45: Intrusion
46: Encounter with Truth
47: Encounter with Evil
48: Hollee
49: The Grawl Makes Plans
50: In the Night
51: Trouble
52: Battle Cry
53: Two Baardackians
54: Confrontation
55: Tidying Up
56: Past, Present, Future
Epilogue
Appendix (Things, Characters)
Acknowledgments
God is so good to give me pushers and prodders, supporters and cheerleaders!
Mary Agius
Jessica Barnes
James Matthew Byers
Evangeline Denmark
Jani Dick
Jack Hagar
Jim Hart
Kathy Hurst
Heidi Likens
Joel Kneedler
Shannon Marchese
Shannon McNear
Carol Reinsma
Faye Spieker
Tiffany and Stuart Stockton
Case Tompkins
Beth and Robert Vogt
Kim Woodhouse
Laura Wright
1
Theft
Bealomondore stood in the doorway of the darkened hall. Shadows hid the statue he’d been ordered to steal.
His heart told him to retreat. His feet wouldn’t move. But the kimen, whose wildest flying lock of hair reached only to the tumanhofer’s knee, insisted that the statue be stolen.
The artist cast the kimen a menacing look. The rude little man had startled him out of a sound sleep and proposed this ridiculous escapade. Bealomondore only wanted to go back to his chamber. In the middle of the night, the proper place for an aristocratic tumanhofer was his bed.
He had not had time to dress properly. He looked disheveled. He straightened his tie, but he couldn’t do anything about his wrinkled shirt. He closed his fine dinner coat and fastened two ornate buttons.
Bealomondore resented the fact that the small creature had managed to get him out of his bed, dressed, and actually contemplating the theft. An apprentice stealing the work of his esteemed master? Ludicrous!
“Come on,” said Maxon. His tiny hand pushed at the back of Bealomondore’s leg. “We haven’t got all night.”
“This is ill-advised,” said Bealomondore. “Those statues have just been reunited. Why would your Wulder want one stolen?”
“Not stolen.” The kimen’s disgusted look further aggravated Bealomondore. He winced at the high-pitched protest flung at him. “I told you, ‘Removed from harm’s way.’ ”
The tumanhofer surveyed his serene surroundings. Cool blue moonlight lay in lopsided rectangles on the floor before the ornate windows. Portraits hung mutely on the walls. An elaborate rug silenced footsteps on most of the marble floor. Not even a flatrat would raise a skittering noise.
His gaze returned to his companion. “We’re in a guarded castle in a well-policed city with military posts all around. What harm could come to the statues here?”
Maxon crossed his thin arms over his wee chest. “I have my orders.”
“I don’t see why your orders are mine as well.”
“You’re needed.” He backed up a step, placed his fists on his hips, and glared at the taller tumanhofer. “Are you going to turn your back on a call to service?”
Bealomondore nodded. “I think that’s a reasonable choice.”
The kimen sighed. “I was told this would be a difficult assignment.”
They stood in silence. Bealomondore considered returning to his spacious chambers, warm bed, and pleasant dreams.
Maxon snapped his fingers. “Compromise!”
Bealomondore lifted one eyebrow. “We look out the windows, see if danger lurks, then forget this whole outlandish idea. That’s the only compromise I’m interested in.”
The kimen ignored his