Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [96]
“Has he?” asked Kale.
Fenworth tenderly put his old hand against her young face, cupping her smooth cheek.
“There is so much you do not know yet. But you are learning. No, Kale. The secret is you must be Wulder in order to create. Risto will fail, but he will hurt many. His failure may very well walk the world like bisonbecks and mordakleeps. Unless we stop him.”
He moved his hand to gently tap her on the shoulder. “But we’ve got some circumstances on our side. Stumbled on the meech egg, Risto did! Stumbled. Doesn’t have your talent for finding dragon eggs. Very few people do. But he stumbled on it.”
“That’s in our favor?” Kale didn’t think Risto’s finding the egg by accident was a good thing.
“Wasn’t prepared, you see. Didn’t have his geese in order. No, I think that’s ducks in a row. Ducks and geese also lay eggs, as do alligators and a peculiar mammal called a platypus. But dragon eggs. So rare. One must be particular about all the details in hatching. Risto had to keep the egg separate and isolated, so it wouldn’t be quickened by a warm-blooded creature. He has many plans to work out in order to succeed in using the energy of the egg after it quickens and before it hatches. Time’s against him and in our favor. Of course, Wulder is for us and against Risto. Of course, we don’t know where the egg is and Risto does. But of course we have friends to help us find it, and Risto doesn’t have friends. Has henchmen, though. Nasty creatures doing his bidding. Slaves he forces. Other things like him who do evil just because they like to. Don’t understand that. Don’t particularly want to.”
Kale tugged on his sleeve. “Will we be in time?”
“Well, now, that is our hope, is it not?”
36
A NEW START
Kale watched Leetu across the room. The emerlindian sat in a hammock, reading a book. She looked just as she had before the mordakleep attack, except her hair had been moonbeam white. Now it resembled golden honey when the honeycomb is held up to the sun. Creamy skin replaced the alabaster tone of before. And maybe her eyes were a deeper blue. Emerlindians grew darker as they aged and gained wisdom. Leetu was but a few weeks older. How much wiser was she than before? What had she learned while going through this ordeal?
“I’m fine, Kale, just fine.” Leetu looked up from her book. “Quit staring at me.”
Is she really fine?
Gymn jumped from Kale’s shoulder and flew the short distance across Fenworth’s common room. The small healing dragon landed on Leetu’s head, making her giggle and bat playfully at him. He scampered around her head twice and then moved down to her heart. He crisscrossed her body, darting down to where her feet dangled out of the hammock. He perched on her toes for a moment, looking at Kale. He blinked.
Kale’s face broke into a grin, and she laughed. “Gymn says you’re fine. He’s examined your internal organs and found nothing lacking.”
Leetu threw back her head and joined the o’rant girl’s laughter. Kale had never heard the emerlindian respond to humor with more than a gentle chuckle.
Prickles ran down Kale’s arm. Her hand flew up to grasp the bulging red pouch that hung from around her neck.
Leetu sat up abruptly, disturbing Gymn’s balance. He flew off, indicating his displeasure with throaty grunts. He winged over to land on Kale’s shoulder.
“What is it?” asked Leetu, her eyes trained on Kale’s face.
“Metta is hatching.”
“Metta?”
“Fenworth told me her name.”
Kale took the thong from around her neck and carefully removed the dragon egg from her red pouch. Gymn crawled down her arm and perched on her wrist. He tilted his head and contemplated the egg nestled in Kale’s palm. He began a thrum. The vibration tickled Kale, but she didn’t ask him to stop, nor did she move him away from the hatching egg. Leetu eased out of her hammock and crept closer. She maintained a respectful distance, but Kale noticed the emerlindian’s face light up with wonder.
“Why is it that the birth of a dragon