Dragons of the Watch - Donita K. Paul [88]
“No one will go hungry, have an illness ignored, nor suffer the discomfort of an unregulated home with Ellicinderpart Clarenbessipawl as woman in charge.
“And that is who I am, and I am content to be that person here in Rumbard City, back home with Da and Ma, or visiting Ragar during festive times.” She quoted the stitched sampler on her family’s wall, “ ‘A person who knows who she is, is comfortable being who she is, in any place she is.’ ”
She slapped her hands against her knees, stood, and strode to the kettle. She’d hidden a few daggarts from Bealomondore and Old One, saving them. Now would be a good time to share the sweets.
Grabbing a potholder, she lifted the partially filled kettle and poured hot water into the teapot. She lowered the tea infuser in and hooked it on the rim, then set the lid on while it steeped.
Retrieving the daggarts required pulling a chair over to a cabinet. She climbed up and opened both doors at once. A cloud of wusstbunters flew in her face. She screamed, lost her balance and fell to the floor. Lying on her back, she covered her face, but the swarm ignored her and flew through the children’s area, headed for the rotunda.
Ellie yelled, “Bealomondore!” She scrambled to her feet and ran after the wusstbunters. “Bealomondore! They’re coming! More coming!”
She entered the round hall and saw that the beasts had covered Old One and Orli as they lay on the steps. She couldn’t see either of them, but their outline showed in the contour of the blanket of biting wusstbunters.
Bealomondore appeared at the top of the staircase, took off his coat, and hurried down, jumping from step to step. He swung his coat as if beating a blazing fire. She grabbed the broom, struggled up the stairs, and began thrashing the nasty creatures. As in the first encounter, each blow dispatched one or more of the wusstbunters. The creatures never turned to defend themselves against Bealomondore and Ellie.
Ellie’s arms grew tired, and the broom seemed heavier with each swing, but finally none of the wusstbunters remained alive.
Ellie collapsed next to Old One and brushed the black bodies off. “Oh, Bealomondore, look!” She touched Old One’s face in one of the few places not raw from bites. “If Laddin doesn’t come soon, I don’t think he’ll survive.”
“I’ll go get warm water, clean rags, and the ointment.”
She sniffed, trying not to cry. “Can you hear me, Old One? Please, hold on. Laddin and the others should be home soon. The sun is lowering in the west. Please, please hold on.”
Bealomondore returned, and together they bathed Old One’s hands and face.
Ellie pointed to his legs. “His trousers are torn. We’d better check for bites under his clothing.”
Lifting the ragged, bloodstained shirt, Bealomondore grimaced. “I’m going to cut away his shirt so we can reach more of his wounds. Those monsters ripped his skin to shreds.”
Ellie gulped back a sob and could only nod. The urohm had been crotchety from the outset, but she’d grown fond of him. He reminded her of Gramps on the days when his old bones kept telling him he’d passed his prime.
Gramps had a bit more humor in how he faced the trials of a failing body, but Ellie saw the same type of normal concerns in this old man. He just didn’t handle it as well. If Gramps could have befriended him, Old One might have had a better attitude.
But what did it matter now? She wanted him to open his eyes, give her a scowl, and gripe about anything and everything.
Bealomondore reached across Old One and patted her arm. “Can you see to Orli?”
She nodded and picked up a fresh rag. She dipped it in the warm water and began bathing Orli’s battered body.
A tingle in her ears made her lift her head. “They’re coming, Bealomondore.”
“I know. I just heard Det and Laddin. I’ve told them to hurry.”
She realized that with Bealomondore close by, she heard the dragon