Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [40]
She stared at him, not understanding.
He let out an exasperated sigh. “Stick out your hand. Stretch it away from the cape. Feel the air.”
Kale did as she was told. Her fingertips touched the air a foot beyond the moonbeam material. The hot, moist atmosphere of the swamp coated her hand. She drew it back quickly. Within a circle around the cape, the air cooled to a pleasant temperature.
Startled, she glanced up at Dar and saw a peculiar expression on his face. She reached to his mind and caught the last of a thought.
“…lot to learn.”
I know. Councilman Meiger said I didn’t know anything.
“First off, it’s rude to come into my mind like that. You are supposed to be learning manners as well as controlling your talent.”
I’m sorry. I didn’t think first.
“Second,” Dar went on without acknowledging her apology, “there’s no crime in not knowing something. However, it’s a shame to turn away from an opportunity to learn. Not a crime, but definitely a poor choice.
“Don’t worry about what you don’t know. Just think about how much you’ve learned in the last few days. You keep up at this rate, in a week you’ll know everything there is to know in the universe.”
Kale watched a big teasing grin take over her friend’s face. Even if he was poking fun at her in his big brother way, she liked him, and she liked what he said. It was true. She had learned an awful lot since she left River Away. And now she was responsible for a baby dragon.
That thought made her smile. And she had seven more dragon eggs that would someday hatch. She couldn’t help the glow that settled on her. But her next thought snuffed out the light. She was also supposed to find one wizard who didn’t want to be found, a meech egg held by the evil Wizard Risto, and Leetu who might be dead already.
She saw Dar latch the straps of his pack and swing it onto his shoulder. He picked up Leetu’s bundles as well. One he handed to Kale. The other he tucked under his arm.
“Dar?”
“One thing at a time, Kale. We do the one thing that is in front of us to do and trust Wulder to lead us to the rest.”
“Are you sure you don’t read my mind?”
“No, but your face is pretty easy to understand. You looked happy, then worried, then panicked.”
Kale nodded.
Even encumbered by so many packs, Dar made a courtly bow in her direction. “Shall we go, my lady?” He swept one arm toward the treetops. “Our destiny awaits us.”
He had at least made her feel more cheerful. Kale softly laughed, patted the pocket holding the cowering dragon, and got to her feet.
“How do we get up there?”
“Climb,” said Dar. He walked closer to the nearest trunk and then peered upward. “There.” He bent his knees for a second and then sprang straight up, catching an overhead branch on the first try. Without a struggle, he chinned himself on it, and then poked his arms through the foliage. In only a moment, he wiggled through to the next layer.
Kale watched his feet disappear and almost panicked again.
Stop it! she told herself. He’s out of sight, not gone. You’ll be up there with him in just a minute. You’re taller than Dar, and you’ve climbed lots of trees. You can do this.
Dar’s smiling face appeared, hanging upside down from the hole he’d made.
“Coming?”
“Yes.”
She moved underneath him. He put an arm down to help.
“I can do it,” she protested.
The arm disappeared, and the branch trembled as he moved away. Kale’s head brushed the lowest hanging leaves. She pushed her hands and arms through the hole and realized the opening was only big enough for the smaller doneel. She’d have to force her body through, enlarging the hole as she went.
Twigs and rough limbs scraped and poked as she hoisted herself, using her arms.
I can’t get stuck. It would be too embarrassing.
She reached out and grabbed a branch woven into the cygnot floor, and by pulling on it, she inched higher over the edge. Another stout twig jabbed her stomach. Rolling sideways, she managed to unhook herself from that snag only to find her blouse caught again.
Well, I said I could do it myself, but he doesn’t have to ignore me.
She craned