Fire Dragon - Katharine Kerr [116]
Niffa stared for a long moment.
“Do you know where she went?” Dallandra said.
“Not I. I did but hear the news from the councilman's servant.”
“Huh! I wonder if she knows we're coming? But don't you worry about that. I'll do some scrying.”
“Well and good, then.” The girl's image was wavering and growing thin. “Forgive me, I do be so tired this night.”
“Go back to your body, then, child. We could all do with some rest after horrible news like that.”
Niffa's image smiled briefly, then disappeared. Evandar better get himself here, Dallandra thought. We need to make some speed.
With the first grey light of dawn Evandar did indeed arrive. Dallandra was sitting on the ground, eating breakfast with Jahdo while Prince Dar and his guard struck the tent. Off to one side of the confusion Arzosah sat crouched like a cat with her forepaws folded under her chest and her wings neatly furled, while Rhodry stood nearby, eating a chunk of bread. All at once, Arzosah hissed like a thousand snakes and lumbered to her feet. Lightning sprang up and began to bark a deep-throated warning. Dallandra got up herself and turned to see what had so alarmed the dragon: Evandar, striding into camp leading a scruffy-looking grey gelding on a halter rope for want of a bridle. The grey carried no saddle, either. Although the horse rolled an eye at the sight of Arzosah, it stayed remarkably calm. No doubt Evandar had worked his strange horse-dweomer once again.
“My apologies, my love,” Evandar said. “I did mean to get here faster than this.”
“No harm done, truly,” Dallandra said. “I suppose you stole that horse.”
“Borrowed it only.” He flashed her a grin. “I'll return it to the farmer when I'm done riding, I promise.” He glanced
Arzosah's way. “Ah, I see our wyrm is in a sunny mood to match the morning.”
“Hold your tongue, you foul clot of ectoplasm,” Arzosah growled. “How I wish I could snap you up and crunch you down my gullet!”
“No doubt, but being as I know the dweomer of your true name, I suggest you don't bother trying.” Evandar was grinning in a way that must have been infuriating to the dragon. “Be a good little lass and follow us through my country when we go in.”
“Your country? Never!”
“And why not? Your poor little wings will have to do less flapping that way.”
Arzosah opened her mouth and hissed like water poured on red-hot iron. Rhodry came hurrying up and laid a hand on Evandar's shoulder.
“Here, here, don't tease her,” Rhodry said. “For my sake if not for hers.”
“Oh very well.” Evandar gave him a lazy smile. “But it'll take the pair of you too long to fly all the way to Cerr Cawnen on your own.”
“No doubt she'll take the shortcut if I ask her. Just leave her to me.”
Rhodry returned to the dragon, who turned her back on him with a great deal of grumbling and swearing. Still, when he trotted round her bulk to face her, she did bend her head to listen as he talked, too softly for the others to hear. Evandar watched him with his head cocked to one side.
“Rori deserves the names she gave him,” Dallandra said. “Dragonfriend, dragonmaster.”
“For now,” Evandar said. “But I hope he can keep on handling her this well. She's a dangerous beast.”
“As if I didn't know that.”
“I don't mean her teeth and claws, my love. She has dweomer as well.”
“Ye gods! I had no idea.”
“All of Wyrmkind loves dweomer, and they have workings that pass from mother to hatchling. They dwell in the fire mountains, and the mountains listen to them and obey them.”
“Obey them? What—”
“They can call forth the molten blood of the earth, should they want to. Fire and ash and devastation come at their beck and call.”
Dallandra wondered if he were having a jest on her, but he seemed solemn enough.
“I've seen it happen,” Evandar went on. “Anger a dragon too near its lair, and you'll lose rather a lot of countryside. Why do you think I went to all that trouble to learn her name?”
“Indeed.” Dallandra shuddered like a wet dog. “Well, I'll do my best to keep her feeling kindly toward us.”
“Do that. I have hopes that the power of her name