Steelhands - Jaida Jones [217]
“Good old Royston,” Adamo said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Never thought I’d be the one getting him mixed up in politics.”
“You’re a terrible influence on us all,” Luvander agreed, crossing his arms. “All I wanted was to run my haberdashery in peace.”
“Horseshit,” Ghislain said, eloquently.
“Where does that leave us?” the Esarina said, gently cutting in before the conversation could become too lively.
“Where does that leave us?” Laure added, echoing the Esarina’s words with a more personal touch. Unlike me, she didn’t seem embarrassed when everyone turned to look at her. “What I mean is, since the Esar’s scholarship program was all just some big ruse to get young bodies who didn’t know any better out of the country and test ’em for the dragons, it’s not like that program’s gonna last now that he’s not … You know what I’m saying. So what do the rest of us do? I don’t know about Gaeth, but my da’s certain to notice a great dragon following me about, and it’s not like I could keep her in the barn. She’d frighten the horses. Maybe burn the whole thing down. And she wouldn’t even be happy.”
“Obviously, the dragons will have to be kept underground, as they were before,” Antoinette replied. “As for the children, I see no reason why they cannot be allowed to continue their education—if that meets with your requirements, Anastasia.”
“It does,” the Esarina confirmed. “I intend to continue that precedent, in the spirit in which it should have been intended.”
“Can I say something?” Gaeth asked. Antoinette nodded curtly at him to go on. “I don’t mean to interrupt anyone while they’re talking and all, but I’ve spent a long time with Cornflower now. I know you all were talking before about Adamo and his experience, and that seemed to me that something was gonna be done different. And, well, I figure no one else has really had the experience I had, because I was there with ’em while they were kept locked up as a secret, and I know how it made ’em feel. It makes ’em real unhappy. Cornflower was always miserable, with no room to stretch her tail or anything. I know everyone’s real concerned about keeping them under wraps and not starting any wars and that it’s the most important thing and all, but … Well, I just don’t think it’s right to lock ’em back up again.”
“The dragon I had dealings with—my dragon—did exhibit a certain jubilation at having enough room to move around at last,” Balfour admitted, causing Gaeth to look gratified that someone was agreeing with him. I felt curiously pleased. “Perhaps if we merely moved them somewhere outside the city, where they might be able to stretch their wings? Some of us could even stay with them—though that’s easy for me to say, isn’t it? It’s not as though I have any particular ties to my apartment. Especially considering the noise …”
“They’d like that,” Gaeth said. “A little fresh air. I’d like that, too. Gets musty belowground. It ain’t decent.”
Antoinette was looking at Gaeth sharply, in a way that I could tell made him somewhat nervous. Despite feeling filthy and exhausted, I stood up straight beside him, so that Antoinette would know that this was a team effort. Laure and I were there for him, even if one of us proved far more useful in such situations than the other. I was simply there to raise the appearance of greater numbers.
“There is an estate to the west of Thremedon,” Antoinette said finally, looking somewhat reluctant. It was clear to me how quickly her mind must have been at work, faster than any machine. “It passed into my possession from the Greylaces, and since I conduct my business within the city itself, I’ve never had cause to use it. The property is extremely isolated—something the Greylaces no doubt found highly amusing, but I’ve never been one for all that. Needless to say, the house and its grounds are more than large enough for a few dragons, not to mention any dragon handlers who might have