Dragons of the Watch - Donita K. Paul [100]
“We’ll take you in at the library. You’ll be safe there.”
A tear rolled down Porky’s cheek. “Great. Old One will kill me instead of Yawn.”
“Old One is grouchy, not murderous.”
The child shuddered. Two ragged breaths preceded his next question. “Do you have to ask your mother if I can come?”
Bealomondore wished he could see the boy’s face. What did he mean? “My mother isn’t here.”
“Isn’t Ellicinderpart your mom?”
“No, she’s much too young to be my mother.”
“But if you’re the father, then she’s the mother.”
“We’re not—”
“Do you have children in the library? Do you have babies? I’ve never seen a baby.”
Bealomondore’s thoughts zigzagged among several paths. How could he answer this? Of course he didn’t have babies, children! Babies? The sound of the word urged him to stand and back away, but he maintained his position.
He’d seen babies but never held one. What did Porky need out of this conversation? What was the child searching for?
He took a stab at answering the big lump of a miserable child overflowing his lap. “I’m not really familiar with any babies, so I only know general things. Babies are cute when they’re not crying. I think they cry a lot. They smell funny. Women seem to like them, and fathers seem to like their own, but … well, men often don’t pay attention to babies much.”
Porky didn’t answer.
“Are you all right?” asked Bealomondore.
He heard a muffled, “Yeah.”
Bealomondore chastised himself for the absurd question. Porky was not all right. Now he seemed drowsy, and that was not a good sign.
Bealomondore reached with his mind, trying to make connection with either Ellie or one of the dragons. To his relief, Laddin answered. He was close.
Bealomondore sighed. “It’s all right, Porky. Laddin is just a few blocks away.”
He hugged the boy a little closer and patted his arm. Porky didn’t respond.
“Porky?”
Nothing.
Bealomondore eased the boy out of his arms, allowing his shoulders and head to rest against the floor. Blood trickled out of the urohm’s ear. The bruising around the eye looked horrid compared to unnaturally pale skin.
“Porky, can you hear me?”
No answer.
Laddin swooped in and landed on Porky. Bealomondore recognized the minor dragon’s concern as he examined his patient. The scene reminded him of the many times he’d seen Laddin aid soldiers on the battlefield. Bealomondore had witnessed the small dragon work in a frenzy to bring back a young man from the brink of death. Most of the time he succeeded. Most.
The other minor dragons except Orli, who guarded Old One, soon arrived and took up positions around the furniture store. Amee reported her conversation with Ellie. His tumanhofer lass would stay put until the two urohms in her charge woke up. Then she would come to Porky and Bealomondore. Amee had not revealed how badly Yawn and his bullies had hurt Porky. Bealomondore had no doubt that if Ellie knew, she’d have been here even before the dragons of the watch.
Laddin summoned Kriss, Maree, and Amee to help with a healing circle. Bealomondore joined them with a directive to Det and Soosahn to keep a sharp lookout for the ruffians. He entered the circle between Porky and Kriss. The feeble strand that represented Porky in the flow of energy shocked the tumanhofer. A few more minutes and Laddin wouldn’t have been able to do anything for the boy.
A hand on his shoulder pulled Bealomondore out of the healing circle. It took him a moment to regain his bearings. Porky breathed easier, some color had returned to his cheeks, and the minor dragons still draped themselves over his body, providing the restorative dose of energy.
Bealomondore leaned back and broke his connection. He looked up to see Ellie’s concerned face.
“I think Laddin can return him to health.” He looked again at the young urohm. “It may take more than one treatment. I want to try to take him back to the library.”
“That’s the right thing to do, but Old One and Orli will probably object.”
A muffled squeal alerted Bealomondore to Cinder, Soo-tie, and Tak