Dragons of the Valley - Donita K. Paul [43]
He leaned over and pinched Hopdin’s cheeks, opening the marione’s mouth. He put all three capsules under his tongue, then poured in a liquid from a flask. He then held the man’s jaw closed. A bit of red foam dribbled out. The Grawl carefully avoided the liquid. After ten seconds, he released his grip and stood.
He sat on a barrel to count the remaining capsules. Eighteen. He looked down at the now dead and disintegrating man. He’d wait until the entire corpse dissolved, then scatter the sodden ash with his feet. By morning there would be no trace of Magistrate Hopdin.
Normally The Grawl wouldn’t commit two assassinations in the same town, but the bird annoyed him. He’d learned two days before that the grand parrot was a magistrate. He wouldn’t slay Sir Beccaroon just for being an annoyance, but he would do the deed for another gold coin. His hoard would weigh a great deal by the time he returned to his homeland.
16
Revelation
As Tipper changed her shoes for boots, she couldn’t help but look with trepidation at the rocky slope.
Bealomondore leaned against a huge boulder, taking advantage of the shade. “I’ll be right behind you, Princess.”
“I told you not to call me that.” She jerked on the laces to tighten the leather around her ankle.
Librettowit watched her. “Make it good and firm to protect your ankle from a sprain.”
She tried to keep the exasperation out of her voice but didn’t quite succeed. “I am!”
“This is steeper than the previous inclines we’ve faced,” Bealomondore explained.
“I can see that.” She started working on the other boot’s stiff cords that stood for shoelaces.
Taeda Bel and Maxon skidded into their presence. They’d already been up the slope and catapulted down with no trouble.
“Once we get to the top,” said Maxon, “it won’t be so difficult. A wide meadow stretches out to the River Hannit. We’ll be able to get a boat and travel with ease.”
Tipper stood and stamped her feet. The boots felt heavy and stiff, but Librettowit insisted she protect her feet. And so far, all his advice for traveling had been correct.
She resented being bossed around. No one had ever been in authority over her during her father’s absence. Sir Beccaroon had offered advice but never demanded she do things his way. She had enough good sense to know that Librettowit was the most experienced in trekking across an uncivilized section of land, but that didn’t make taking orders any easier.
Begrudgingly, she acknowledged that Bealomondore did a much better job of not complaining. Since the horrible realization that she was the whiner, she’d clamped her lips shut. Still, a steady stream of acerbic remarks threatened to flow from her with every aggravation. She admitted to herself that worry for her father caused her short temper.
“All right!” Librettowit rubbed his palms together. “I’ll lead, with Maxon and Taeda Bel flanking Tipper, then Bealomondore can bring up the rear.”
“Wait a minute,” objected Tipper. “I need to check on Rayn.”
Taeda Bel and Maxon crowded her sides. The minor dragon fascinated both kimens. Tipper opened a bag that hung loosely from her belt. Rayn’s head poked out. At the moment, his scales shone bluish gray in the sun. Without waiting for an invitation, he shot out and climbed Tipper’s arm to her shoulder.
She grinned. “He wants to ride outside.”
Librettowit nodded and turned to begin the trudge up the steep hill.
Tipper followed, and the constant encouragement from Rayn helped erase her gloomy mood. She used the mindspeaking between them to keep her thoughts off the hot sun on her back, the physical discomfort of hauling herself up the awkward terrain, and the general despair she felt over the unsettling situation in Chiril. She missed her parents, and more perturbing was the constant longing to see Paladin again.
But if the rumors of invasion were true,