[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.The tale of the Dragon of Despairùwhich Toriovico began by telling how the dragon came to beùreminded the wolf-woman of the stories Queen Elexa had told her when her winter cold had kept her in bed.Firekeeper wondered how muchof this tale was true and how much fancy, but the sincerity of the Healed One's tone as he related the taleùeven to a tight,strained note barely detectable beneath his wordsùgave credence.Clearly, the Healed One believed the tale and equallyclearly he did not expect them to do so.Firekeeper decided to keep an open mind as to its truth.After all, not much over a year before she wouldn't havebelieved in human cities.She'd hardly believed in humans, come to that, and humans had not believed in Beasts.The wolf-woman felt a momentary twinge of fear that humans might now believe, and what that belief could mean toher people, but she put the fear from her, though she did tighten her hand in Blind Seer's fur.When the story of the Dragon of Despair, its binding, and the Healed One's belief that Melina was seeking it to turn itsterrible power to her own uses had ended, Firekeeper listened a trace impatiently as the others asked the Healed Onevarious clarifying questionsùnone of the answers to which seemed to make them very happy.After some time had passed, Derian glanced around the room uneasily and said, "Isn't this dangerous, our meeting withyou like this and for so long?"The Healed One's lips twisted in that odd expression that seemed like a smile but held no warmth."Usually, it would be dangerous," he agreed."Indeed, I fully expect word of this meeting to get to Melina, but that wassomething I had to risk.I sincerely hope to convince her that we were simply discussing the customs of your country.""But," Derian pressed, "it sounds like Melina has a lot of influence here in Thendulla Lypella.Won't she just comewalking in when she gets wind of this?"The Healed One shook his head so vigorously that his long green braid whipped over his shoulder."Not this time.Melina is in a trap of her own making.Since she brought the accusation against Xarxius to Apheros sheis required to be a witness at the hearing.As Healed One I could insist I had duties that require me to be elsewhere.MyConsolor does not have that excuse."Moreover, I do not believe Melina will be willing to leave Apheros.She knowsùfor Xarxius nearly freed Apheros fromher power by appealing to his pride of officeùthat this hearing is the greatest danger to her hold over the Dragon Speakerthere could be.Therefore, even if someone brings her word that I am meeting with youùand I do not think her agents couldget a message into the sealed judicial chamberùshe will be reluctant to leave.""Why," asked Doc through Wendee, "is your civil ruler called the Dragon Speaker? I'd expect him to be calledsomething like Number One Prime.It better fits your nomenclature."The Healed One looked momentarily annoyed, then suddenly he turned serious."Actually, the title is tied in with that same legend I was relating a moment ago.Although the Founders' government wasdifferent from our modern oneùfor one thing, the Founders didn't have a Healed Oneùthey did govern via a council.Afterthe binding of the Dragon of Despair, the Star Wizard was given the position of head of the council in recognition of hisheroic deeds.Since the Star Wizard had spoken to the dragonùsome said he continued to hear its laments for the rest of hislifeùhe was given the title Dragon Speaker.When my ancestor the First Healed One created the Primes he retained the titlefor its ancient honor and tradition."Firekeeper felt unaccountably uncomfortable at this snippet of information.To distract herself, she asked a question ofher own."What about Peace and Edlin?"Now it was the Healed One's turn to look uncomfortable."Xarxius said something about the two of them being missing," he replied."He mentioned it after he was arrested.I hadthe impression he was trying to let me know that Melina had them.However, I must admit I have no idea where theyareùor how she acquired them in the first place."As Elise explained how Peace and Edlin had been captured, being far kinder to Firekeeper in the telling than the wolf-woman would have been to herself, Firekeeper considered the task the Healed One had set for them with a sense of dreadthat intertwined with her own weariness and the continued pain of her injuries.Not only did they need to find where Melina went at night, they needed to learn what they could about her investigationsinto this dragon.The Healed One had admitted that he believed the story, but that he had no idea whether the dragon might be a symbol for something else.Firekeeper understood about symbols, but in her gut she thought that Melina would not be looking so hard and taking somany risks if she wasn't fairly certain that there was a real dragon to be had at the end of the chaseùor at least an artifact sopowerful that it had raised a mountain and caused vast destruction.So Firekeeper had to find the truth of this dragon story.From what the Healed One was now telling Elise, it looked as ifFirekeeper would need to find Edlin and Peace as well.Rather than simplifying matters, she thought that their visit to theHealed One had complicated their tasks greatly.Firekeeper said as much to Blind Seer and the wolf replied, "The spider's web is tightest at the center, dear heart.Trailscross most when you near the deer yard.""Proverbs," she said, punching him."Truth."MOTHER DIDN'T come.Citrine waited, crouched for hours on the cold stone floor of the storeroom, waited until sheworried she would fall asleep, sleep there until morning, and give away Mother's secret.Citrine wanted to go to look for Mother, to make certain she hadn't left without her, but she was afraid that Motherwould come and leave without her.Then Citrine remembered a trick Grateful Peace had shown her, a trick for telling if someone had opened a letter ordrawer.She reasoned that the trick would work as well for a trapdoor.Peace's trick called for something small to be laidacross the fold or opening, something so small and unremarkable that it would be moved or broken when the letter wasunfolded or the drawer openedùbut the person who had left it there would know the marker had been moved.So Citrine moved a bit of cobweb from where the spider had left it behind a barrel and carefully stuck it over the edgesof the trapdoor.The storeroom wasn't swept very often and certainly wouldn't be this night.She could trust the cobweb totell her if Mother had come through in her absence.Thus reassured, Citrine went looking for her mother.The first thing Citrine was aware of was that the Cloud Touching Spire was a great deal busier than it usually was at thishour of the night.The second was Tipi sweeping down on her."There you are you bad girl!" Tipi exclaimed, all fury and relief."Where have you been?"Citrine stayed close to the truth."I was looking for my mother.""Your mother isn't here," Tipi scolded."Consolor Melina sent me a message saying that she would be in meetingsthrough much of the night.She told me to bring you her good-night wishes."Citrine doubted this last.Melina never had indulged in such sentimental overtures.Tipi must have had some otherreason for prowling around Citrine's chambers
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]