Bitterwood. Part 12

"Of course. It's why he elevated me to general. But I'm certain that the wizard never knew. Aside from the king, the only dragons to know about the flames are the rare and trusted few I've selected to help me maintain the stock."

He glanced toward Pertalon. "You rushed into danger while everyone else fled. You followed my lead to squelch the flame without waiting for my orders or asking a single question. Now your job will be to help keep this fire alive."

"Sir," said Pertalon. "It will be an honor."

IT WAS A DARK, cloudy night in Winding Rock. The windows of the score or so wooden houses that composed the village proper glowed with candlelight. A lone figure slipped along the streets; a small blonde-haired girl, clutching a bundle of blankets tightly against her chest. She dashed behind the largest house on the street, pausing to press her ear against the back door.

"Okay, Poocher," Zeeky whispered as she carefully slipped her knife through the crack in the back door, lifting the latch. "You need to be really quiet."

She looked down at the piglet snuggled warmly in the wool blanket. Poocher looked back, his dark eyes full of understanding. Zeeky was only nine, she felt very grown up to have a small thing like Poocher so dependant on her.

Zeeky slowly cracked the door open. The kitchen should be empty; she had watched the last of the help leave just after dark. Only Barnstack himself was still inside, but everyone knew the mayor was half-deaf. Even though the light still burned in the front room, Zeeky couldn't wait any longer for him to turn in. The night grew colder by the minute and her stomach was a hard knot. She didn't mind so much that she hadn't eaten since yesterday, but poor little Poocher had to be starving.

Barnstack's kitchen was the size of her father's house. The warm s.p.a.ce smelled of corned beef, onions, and sauerkraut. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling, gleaming in the faint light that seeped around the door leading to the front room. Zeeky tiptoed inside, easing the door shut behind her.

Cradling Poocher, she crept toward the pantry. The silence was suddenly disturbed by a series of bangs. She looked around, terrified that she had knocked something over. But the noise came from the other room. Someone was knocking at the front door with a force that sounded like hammer blows. She held her breath as she listened to the silence that followed. Then the sound erupted again followed by the creaking of floorboards as the mayor limped to the door.

"You shouldn't knock so hard," Barnstack hissed loudly though he probably thought he was whispering. "Do you want the whole town to know?"

"I'd been knocking for five minutes. Answer your door more promptly in the future," replied a deep, smooth voice.

"I came as soon as... oh, never mind. Come in before someone sees you."

"We are alone?"

"What?" Barnstack shouted.

"Are we alone?" the strange voice said forcefully.

"Yes, yes. I sent the help home hours ago."

Zeeky tried to peek through the gap between the doorframe and the door to the front room, but she couldn't see with whom Barnstack spoke. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't match the deep voice with any of the village men.

Barnstack said, "Heavens, the night's turned cold. Would you like some tea?"

"It would be rude to refuse," the stranger answered.

Zeeky gasped as Barnstack came into view, shuffling toward the kitchen. She hurried for the pantry. When she opened the pantry door she saw a row of cured hams hanging from the ceiling. She closed the door before Poocher could notice and looked around for another hiding place. As light poured into the kitchen from the opening door, she crawled beneath a large table and climbed into the seat of one of the chairs, curling into a tight ball. With her left hand she scratched Poocher beneath his chin to make sure he'd keep calm.

From her vantage point, she watched the elderly man walk slowly toward the stove. She looked at the doorway to the front room. Her eyes grew wide. The visitor's legs were green, scaly, and thickly muscled. A broad, pointed tail hung behind the legs, reaching to within inches of the floor. The tail swayed as the stranger followed Barnstack into the kitchen.

Barnstack stirred the coals in the fireplace as he hung the teapot on the metal hook within. He tossed a slender wedge of wood onto the coals. The smoke reached Zeeky's nose; she prayed Poocher wouldn't sneeze.

"There," Barnstack said as the flame took life. "It will only take a few minutes."

"Your hospitality is appreciated," the visitor said. "I hope this means you are receptive to our offer."

"What?"

"Our offer," he repeated, louder this time. "I hope you intend to accept it?"

"It's generous," Barnstack said.

"Yes."

"Too good to be true, almost."

"It may seem that way at first. But think about it. All of Albekizan's wealth flows from the labor provided by your village and countless other villages like it. Is it any wonder he would choose to repay you?"

"Everything good comes with a price," Barnstack said.

"Consider your past labor as advance payment."

"But if everyone accepts this offer, who will plant the crops next year? Who will harvest them? If everyone goes to this Pre-City..."

"Free City."

"What?"

"Free City." The visitor said the words in a warm tone, as if he were talking about someplace wonderful. "It''s called Free City, not Pre-City."

"Oh," Barnstack said, sounding confused. "I thought it was called Pre-City because they were still building it. They only started it a few weeks ago, yes?"

"True. It's a testament to the king's leaders.h.i.+p that he's devoted enough money and labor to the Free City that it is already open to humans. Free City awaits those lucky few who will live the rest of their lives in peace and plenty."

"Lucky few? You said it was for everyone."

"Everyone in this village, yes. Of course, it couldn't be for everyone everywhere; as you say, who would do the work? No, Free City is a reward to those villages that have served Albekizan faithfully and completely over the years of his reign. Your village is among the chosen. We are especially pleased by the teachings of your spiritual leader, Kamon. His vision of harmony between man and dragon is most enlightened."

The hair rose on the back of Zeeky's neck as Barnstack pulled the chair across from her from under the table. Poocher started to wiggle but Zeeky held him tighter and rubbed his belly, calming him. Barnstack sagged into the chair.

"Forgive me for sitting. My knees ache when the weather turns cooler. You insist we meet so late. Yes. Yes that was my other question, Dekron. The secrecy. You want me to move all the people of my village from their homes into this Free City. You say it's for their good. Yet you insist that we meet in secrecy."

"The very fact that you ask that question answers it," Dekron said. "Humans distrust dragons. I want to persuade you before we approach the others. Many of them will no doubt speak against us. I must know that you will stand with me and won't be swayed by their objections."

Barnstack sighed loudly. "I'm an old man. I have good land and a comfortable home. Leaving for a city so far away, a place I've never-"

"Barnstack, may I remind you, you have no land," Dekron interrupted. "You humans may divvy up its usage however you please, but the land belongs to Albekizan. This house, this kitchen, the chair you sit it, belong to him. You are his guest. If your host offers you the use of more s.p.a.cious quarters, it is impolite to refuse, just as it would be impolite of me to refuse your tea."

"But-"

"Albekizan has allowed you to farm his land for generations. The years of his rule have been marked by peace and prosperity. Now he offers further largesse."

Barnstack paused a moment, contemplating the dragon's words. "I suppose it's as you say. I promise to talk to my people. Perhaps the young will want to go. But I want to stay."

"I understand," Dekron said, walking to the table. "Perhaps this will change your mind."

A sudden metallic clatter rained upon the table. A gold coin rolled from the table's edge and bounced against Dekron's clawed foot. He leaned down, reaching for the coin, his beaked, tortoise-like profile suddenly visible to Zeeky. He then tilted his head toward the fire as the kettle whistled. He rose, taking the coin with him.

"There must be a hundred coins here," Barnstack said.

"More than enough to start a new life anywhere, even at your age," Dekron said as he moved to the fireplace, his claws clicking against the wooden tiles. "In Free City your housing, food, and clothing will be provided at no cost. The gold can be used for luxuries befitting a man of your authority."

Poocher's snout twitched as Dekron carried the aromatic kettle to the table. Zeeky sniffed deeply; the steam smelled of spiced apples and sa.s.safras.

"Very well," Barnstack said. "When we finish with the harvest, I will ready the town to move."

"Then it is settled?"

"Yes," Barnstack said with a grunt as he rose from his chair. "Come, let us return to the front room. The chairs there are easier on my back. You'll still have some tea, won't you?"

"Of course, friend."

Barnstack left the room carrying the kettle and a pair of cups. Dekron followed. Zeeky let out her breath in relief. Dekron suddenly turned toward the table. Zeeky held her breath again as Dekron walked toward her. He reached the table, and with his clawed hand he scooped the coins back into the leather pouch. He then turned and walked into the front room, closing the door behind him.

Zeeky crawled from beneath the table and stood on shaky legs. She saw a basket of fruit sitting on the counter near the cutting board. She grabbed it and silently slipped out into the night.

"Poocher," she said. "We sure picked a good time to run away. Free City or not, I don't trust n.o.body green."

Poocher snorted and shook his head in agreement.

DEKRON PULLED HIS cloak close about him as he hurried along the dark streets of the town. He checked his pocket again for the agreement Barnstack had signed, wondering at the ways of kings. Only Albekizan would want a soldier who couldn't read to obtain the mark of a man who couldn't write on a doc.u.ment that would never be honored. cloak close about him as he hurried along the dark streets of the town. He checked his pocket again for the agreement Barnstack had signed, wondering at the ways of kings. Only Albekizan would want a soldier who couldn't read to obtain the mark of a man who couldn't write on a doc.u.ment that would never be honored.

Barnstack had been right about one thing; the night had turned cold. He turned from the road, going deep into the woods, his eyes searching the darkness for a good spot to rest. He wished he weren't so far from the rest of Kanst's army. He would have to sleep on the ground tonight. He'd rather spend the night in a warm tent heated by a proper fire. He could almost smell the smoke.

He stopped to sniff the air. He did did smell smoke. Was it from the village? The wind was from the wrong direction. smell smoke. Was it from the village? The wind was from the wrong direction.

He followed the scent, moving cautiously through the darkness. His attempt at stealth, however, was foiled by his surroundings. The leaves crunched beneath his heavy feet with each step.

He came into a small clearing and found a circle of stone, within which smoldered the dim remnants of a fire.

He knelt down and grabbed a stick, stirring the coals. Feeble golden flames flickered to life.

Dekron looked around. He could see no sign of whoever had built the fire. He listened, but the night made no sound now that he'd stopped moving.

No sense in letting the fire go to waste. He tossed in the stick he used to stir the fire, then gathered some pine needles and tossed them on as well. As they flared up he searched the area for more sticks and branches. In a moment, the fire was burning properly again. He held his claws toward the blaze, warming them.

Now that the fire had taken the chill from his stiff claws, it was time to take care of the rest of his body. He dug into the pocket of his cloak and found a small ceramic flask that was stopped with a cork. He popped the cork to unleash the powerful, musk-sharp stench of goom, a powerful alcohol distilled from wild swamp cabbage and seasoned with cayenne. He tilted his head back and gulped down the eye-watering brew. The vapors gave his whole head a hot, buzzy feel.

Then, there was a whistling sound, and his right arm went numb. The flask tumbled from his suddenly useless claws, toppling to his chest. The goom spilled all over his torso. The burning sensation wasn't unpleasant. He looked down, his eyes struggling to understand what he saw in the dim flicker of the fire. He found a stick jutting from his arm: a long, straight stick, decorated at the top with red feathers.

Dekron sniffed. Beneath the goom and the rising smoke, he detected a hint of fresh blood. He noticed the flask resting against his thigh. He reached for it, wondering if there was any goom left.

Another whistle.

Now there was a stick in his chest. He touched it with his left claw, stroking the red feathers, wondering if this was some sort of goom fantasy that made him imagine that he had sticks growing from him. Where the stick met his chest, air leaked with a bubbling hiss. It reminded him of the noise of Barnstack's kettle.

He realized he was suddenly very tired. He fell onto his back. Spots danced before his eyes. It would be good to sleep. High in a nearby tree, the silhouette of a cloaked man crept among the branches.

CHAPTER NINE: PET.

MURALS COVERED THE high ceilings of the grand dining hall. The scene displayed the true history of the world, according to dragons, as huge reptiles from a vanished age crawled from the swamps, took flight, and carved the world from untamed forests. In the shadows of the trees tiny humans looked on in awe of the ancestral dragons. There were other creation myths, of course, including legends of the world being born in the aftermath of a war between angels and dragons, but the biologians had persuaded most dragons to accept the non-mystical version of their origins. high ceilings of the grand dining hall. The scene displayed the true history of the world, according to dragons, as huge reptiles from a vanished age crawled from the swamps, took flight, and carved the world from untamed forests. In the shadows of the trees tiny humans looked on in awe of the ancestral dragons. There were other creation myths, of course, including legends of the world being born in the aftermath of a war between angels and dragons, but the biologians had persuaded most dragons to accept the non-mystical version of their origins.

No one had ever seen an ancestral dragon, of course. They'd lived long ago. But their bones were abundant in the rocks of the earth. Their black, polished skeletons decorated the halls of biologians, with the choicest relics finding their homes in the castles of sun-dragons. A stone skull as long as Jandra was tall hung on the wall at the head of the dining hall, its empty eyes glaring out over the room.

Beneath this stone skull, at the head of the dinner table heaped high with roasts and breads and fruits, sat the sun-dragon Chakthalla. Jandra thought that Chakthalla could pa.s.s as Tanthia's double; the same poise and dignity possessed by the queen was reflected in Chakthalla's n.o.ble features. Each scale of her face seemed crafted from rubies, carved in precise symmetry by a master jeweler. Her scales glimmered as they reflected the candlelight of the chandeliers. Chakthalla was the product of fine breeding, a dragon whom, long before her birth, had been sculpted by her bloodlines to possess a regal bearing.

Jandra wondered whether, perhaps, one reason why Chakthalla and Tanthia looked so similar to each other in her mind was because of the simple fact that she rarely was in the presence of female dragons. Dragon society was heavily patriarchal. Unlike most birds or reptiles, the winged dragons gave birth to live infants, and mortality during birth was high. It wasn't unusual to encounter male dragons over a century old. Encountering a female over thirty was a rarity. This imbalance in the longevity of s.e.xes allowed males to control nearly all the wealth of the kingdom. Only the occasional widowed female sun-dragon might hold a position of authority as Chakthalla did. And, at least sun-dragons formed families, where males and females lived together. With sky-dragons like Vendevorex, the segregation of s.e.xes was total, with the males and females living in completely different towns, and mating being a carefully ch.o.r.eographed affair based completely on compatable genetics. For sky-dragons, mating was a purely biological activity, and concepts such as romance, love, or even family were pointless constructs invented by more muddled thinkers.

Seated next to Chakthalla was a human male, perhaps five years older than Jandra. Like his owner, the man was the product of excellent breeding. He was handsome to a fault with long blond hair and chiseled features. His bronzed skin glowed; his broad smile revealed teeth white as porcelain. He was dressed in silk, his clothing cut to show off his tight, well-muscled physique. Jandra hadn't been properly introduced to him yet-she'd only heard Chakthalla refer to him as "Pet."

"Pet," Chakthalla said. "Show Vendevorex your little trick. The one with the apple."

"Yes, Mother," Pet answered, smiling as he stood in his seat and stepped onto the table.

Pet somersaulted gracefully across the dishes, darting his hand out as he pa.s.sed over the fruit dish. He landed on his feet, now holding an apple and a napkin in one hand and a silver knife in the other. He threw the knife and apple straight into the air and in rapid motion tied the napkin around his face. He knotted the impromptu blindfold in time to s.n.a.t.c.h the falling knife and apple.

The items didn't remain in his grasp for even a second. The apple left his hand, then the knife, and soon both floated in a constant arc above his head, his hands merely tapping them as they reached the bottom of the circle.

Jandra watched the performance, impressed by Pet's skill, yet vaguely disturbed by the scene. She had been relieved to learn that Chakthalla would allow her to eat at the dinner table with Vendevorex. Some dragons allowed humans at dinner tables only on platters as the main course. Chakthalla's liberal att.i.tude toward human companions was obviously shaped by her love of Pet. That bothered Jandra as she watched Pet perform like a tamed bear. She wondered how many hours of practice he'd put into the act solely to please Chakthalla.

Pet sliced the apple in half midair and then sent the pieces up in the air to be quartered. With a flick of his wrists, two of the quarters went flying, one landing in the center of Chakthalla's plate, the other landing slightly to the side of Vendevorex's. Pet caught the third quarter in his mouth as he pulled his blindfold free with a flourish and bowed. Jandra lost track of where the final quarter of the apple landed.

"Very good, Pet," said Chakthalla.

Pet bit a chunk from his apple, swallowed, then said, "Oh, but Mother, I have been remiss. It seems not everyone was served."

Pet back-flipped from the table landing next to Jandra. He stood with such grace that Jandra suddenly felt clumsy merely sitting still. Now that he stood close to her she noted the breathtaking jade color of his eyes.

"It wouldn't do to have this lovely lady go without her share," Pet said, taking Jandra's hand. His long slender fingers were softer than her own; his nails were trimmed in perfect arcs. Pet turned her palm upward, revealing the last quarter of the apple in the center of it. He closed her fingers around it, then leaned and kissed the back of her hand with his warm pink lips.

"How sweet," Chakthalla said. "I think Pet likes your little Jandy."