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    Eye of the Storm
    Eye of the Storm
    Eye of the Storm
    Ebook478 pages7 hours

    Eye of the Storm

    By Ashley Abbiss

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    It’s Midwinter's Day, the most important day of the year in Dracos. That’s because ‎Midwinter’s Day is the day of the Dragon Festival, when the Dragonesque celebrate the dragons, ‎their relationship with them, and everything that means.‎

    Things are still somewhat tense. The sweep of the surrounding forests designed to uproot any ‎cells of Demorsan infiltrators is still in progress and the first blizzard still hasn't arrived, but they ‎all get through the day more or less in one piece, and soon, the first blizzard of the season sweeps ‎in.‎

    Normally, the winter snows in Dracos are something to be endured. But this year, they bring ‎celebration and the chance to relax for a while since they make Dracos virtually inaccessible ‎except by the main passes - or dragonback, of course - and that means the Dragonesque don’t ‎have to worry about a Demorsan invasion for a while.‎

    Winter also means an end to Aralaiah’s teaching tours. The snow lies deep in Dracos. Winter ‎is a time for staying close to home, not for travelling about the place in flimsy wagons. Now it's ‎time for her to settle down to the normal work of a mage. That's something that's completely new ‎to her, and she finds there are problems she hadn't anticipated. Because of those, she isn't ‎enjoying the work at all. ‎

    Meantime, she's also working on her relationship with Red Queen, and that has its ups and ‎downs as well. Life may be more relaxed, but it definitely isn't boring.‎

    But as the year rolls on and spring creeps ever closer the tension begins to rise again. ‎Normally something to be eagerly anticipated, the Dragonesque are dreading spring this year. ‎Because spring means the thaw, and after the thaw will come the Demorsans. That is simply ‎inevitable.‎

    Draken's workload for the War Committee increases, Pryn decides to do her bit and join the ‎border patrol, and people are beginning to carry weapons when they go out. Aralaiah and Red ‎Queen decide to undertake formal training and learn how to fight together properly. Because ‎spring is coming. And so is the war.‎

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAshley Abbiss
    Release dateMay 11, 2019
    ISBN9780463522011
    Eye of the Storm
    Author

    Ashley Abbiss

    Hello there. I’m Ashley Abbiss. ‎I live and write in beautiful New Zealand, where I live with one large dog, who looks nothing ‎like Friend from my Daughters of Destiny books. She is, however, almost as intelligent and definitely as ‎opinionated, and if she can’t quite speak in the way Friend does to Niari, that doesn’t really ‎hold her back much!‎I write fantasy, mostly of the epic variety. Let me say right up front that if you’re looking for a quick read, you’re in the wrong place. But if you like a substantial, ‎satisfying story that you can really get your teeth into, stick with me. I may have something ‎you’ll enjoy. There’s no graphic sex in my books. If that’s what you want, you’ll have to look ‎elsewhere. There is violence, and there is swearing, though mostly of the ‘s/he swore’ variety, ‎nothing overly graphic or offensive. I also write about strong, independent female characters, ‎so if your taste runs to something more macho, or something more frilly and helpless, this may ‎not be the place for you. ‎I’ve always loved wandering in different worlds, be they fantasy or science fiction, although ‎lately I tend to prefer fantasy. The only proviso is that they have to be believable worlds, ‎worlds that feel real, that have depth and scope – and they must, absolutely must be fun to ‎visit. I read for escape and entertainment, and I don’t really want to escape from this world ‎into one even grimmer. Trouble, tension, and danger I can deal with, what sort of story would ‎there be without them? Where would Pern be without Thread, Frodo without Sauron, Harry ‎Potter without Voldemort? But there has to be hope, and there has to be a light touch. Happy ‎ever after does have a lot going for it, even if initially it’s only a very small light at the end of ‎a long, dark tunnel. My personal favourites include Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, Anne ‎McCaffrey’s Pern series, and the fantasies of David Eddings, and lately, they’ve been joined ‎by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and a few others. Of those, David Eddings was probably my ‎greatest inspiration.‎I began to wonder if I could create my own world, one just as believable and multi-layered as ‎theirs. Could I create a world with its own history, geography, social structure, deities, and all ‎the rest? One that hung together? That a reader could believe in? It became a challenge, one I ‎really wanted to see if I could meet. So I dusted off my writing skills, learned a few more, ‎cranked up the imagination, and got busy. I’d always been good at creative writing, but ‎though I’d made a few attempts to write after I left school, none of them came to anything. ‎That was until I started writing fantasy. Suddenly, I knew I’d come home. ‎I quickly discovered that I’m not the sort of writer who can plan a book (or a world!) before I ‎start. I just can’t do it. But I can create characters, and suddenly the characters took on a ‎reality of their own and took over the stories, often to the extent that they actually surprised ‎me. And the stories worked. Their world worked. Sometimes I had to go back and fix the ‎odd contradiction, but mostly it worked and was very natural and organic. Even though my ‎first attempts were pitiful, I knew I’d found where I belong. I persevered, I learned, I wrote. ‎I discovered that the characters are key for me. Once I get them right, they tell their own ‎story. I was away. There were dark days during which my stories became my refuge, my ‎characters my friends. And I kept writing. There were happy times when I didn’t need a ‎refuge, but my characters were still my friends, and they drew me inexorably back. I kept ‎writing. ‎And now, I hope my characters may become your friends too, my worlds ones where you also ‎like to walk; perhaps even your refuge from dark days. Come join me in a world where magic ‎is real and the gods are near, where beasts talk and men and women achieve things they never ‎dreamed they could. But most of all, come and have fun! ‎Happy reading.‎Ash.‎

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      Eye of the Storm - Ashley Abbiss

      CHAPTER ONE

      Pryn batted a floating candle shaped like a dragon ‎breathing fire out of her way.‎

      ‎I think these things are almost too much of a ‎success, Laiah, she said. There are so many around ‎that people keep walking into them.‎

      ‎Yes, they’ve been more popular than I ‎expected, Aralaiah said. And Beda’s done a very ‎good job selling them for me.‎

      ‎I hope she’s getting a cut of the profits, Nedris ‎said. ‎

      The female Black Brother was heading up ‎Aralaiah’s guard that day. She was dressed in her ‎ceremonial regalia of black shirt, black pants tucked ‎into shiny black boots, swirling black cloak, and black ‎half mask, and she made a rather ominous ‎counterpoint to Aralaiah in her red and gold First ‎Rider’s robes and coronet. ‎

      It was Midwinter’s Day, and for Dracos, that ‎meant the yearly Dragon Festival, honouring the ‎dragons of Dracos and celebrating the Dragonesque’s ‎relationship with them. Shortly Aralaiah, as First ‎Rider, would have to lead the parade of dragons, the ‎high point of the festival, atop Red Queen’s back. ‎She, Red Queen and Nedris had just flown in from ‎Dragonville, where they’d had to lead the parade ‎there, too. ‎

      Hence the costume, and the fact that she wasn’t ‎doing her own selling. Thankfully, other queens would ‎lead the parades in the other towns of Dracos, so this ‎was her final stop. Now Aralaiah was grabbing half an ‎hour with her friends while Red Queen sunned herself ‎on the Town Hall roof. It was entirely likely that it ‎would be the only time Aralaiah got to herself all day. ‎It was going to be a long, exhausting one.‎

      When the parade arrived at the Town Hall, there ‎would be speeches and presentations to various ‎worthy citizens and dragons. Those were always held ‎outside unless there was a blizzard so that the most ‎people possible could attend. Seeing who among them ‎had been judged worthy of mention was an integral ‎part of the celebration to most Dragonesque, and ‎people were keen to be present.‎

      After that, there would be a banquet for the elite ‎in the Town Hall while for the ordinary folk, stalls and ‎shops would sell all kinds of special festive fare, and ‎several roasted carcasses would be portioned out, ‎along with special, dragon-shaped loaves of bread and ‎measures of mulled ale, all courtesy of the Supreme ‎Council. No one need go hungry this day. ‎

      The street party that had started that morning ‎would continue until midnight with music and ‎dancing, the revellers warming themselves at huge ‎bonfires that would be lit around the area of the ‎commercial district and Founders’ Park, which were ‎the focus of the festival in Dracos City. Then, at ‎midnight, the thing would wrap up with a spectacular ‎display of magical fireworks and a flying display by ‎the dragons. ‎

      The Dragon Festival was the greatest celebration ‎in the Dragonesque calendar, and everyone was ‎determined to enjoy themselves. Traditionally, even ‎the children were allowed to stay up to see the ‎fireworks and enjoy the festivities. Since the next day ‎was a holiday too, it wasn’t usually a problem. ‎Everyone would have time to recover before they had ‎to return to their daily routine.‎

      ‎Of course Beda gets a share, Aralaiah said in ‎answer to Nedris. She gets forty percent of the ‎profits. I would have made it fifty, but she wouldn’t ‎take it. She said she might have if she’d been stuck in ‎a stall all day, but she isn’t. She’s just wandering ‎about the place chatting to people and watching the ‎street performers. Apart from showing off the candles ‎and selling them to anyone who’s interested, she’s ‎doing exactly what she would be doing at any other ‎Dragon Festival in any other year.‎

      ‎Well, as a sales technique, it seems to be ‎working, Pryn said. These things are almost a ‎menace, there are so many of them floating around. ‎People don’t seem to be exactly watching where they ‎let them float to. I just hope one doesn’t set fire to ‎someone’s clothes or something.‎

      ‎They can’t. Beda was a bit concerned about that ‎because I made them so they could fly, so I modified ‎the magic a little. The moment the flame touches ‎something, it goes out. Then, it reignites once it’s in ‎the clear again.‎

      ‎Does it?‎

      ‎Try it with that candle and see.‎

      Pryn reached toward the candle that still floated ‎within arm’s reach. As soon as her hand contacted the ‎flame, even before it could register the heat, the flame ‎went out. She pulled her hand away. The flame ‎reignited. She touched it again, and it went out, ‎reigniting when she removed her hand again.‎

      ‎That’s amazing! Nedris said, stepping forward ‎to try it for herself. How did you do that?‎

      Aralaiah laughed. "I tried all sorts of ways. It was ‎easy enough to make it go out, but I couldn’t get it to ‎reignite without someone being there to perform the ‎appropriate magic. I worked on it for weeks, but it just ‎couldn’t be done. Or, at least, I couldn’t figure out ‎how to do it. In the end, what I did was to create a ‎permanently-burning candle that goes out if something ‎touches the flame. Then, I created a cover that fits ‎over it. ‎

      ‎I sell the candles with the cover attached. When ‎you remove the cover, the candle starts to burn. If you ‎want to put it out, you simply cover it again. I’m ‎actually thinking of doing that with other, ordinary ‎candles, too. It could be really useful in certain ‎circumstances to have a candle that you don’t have to ‎light. In an emergency, for instance. Most adults can ‎just create light if they need it, but kids can’t because ‎they don’t have control of their magic yet, and some ‎people would find it hard to do magic if they were ‎hurt or frightened or under some other form of stress. ‎I definitely think there are circumstances when it ‎could be useful.‎

      ‎You’d probably find a really good market for ‎that sort of thing in the Lowlands, too, Pryn said. ‎‎People down there don’t really know about magic, ‎but perhaps it’s time they did. Magic could improve ‎their lives a great deal. This sort of thing, as you say, ‎could be very useful in an emergency, especially for ‎people who don’t have the option of using their own ‎magic. Even just the novelty value would probably sell ‎them. It could be a really good business opportunity ‎for Dracos, selling magical goods to the Lowlands.‎

      ‎That’s a thought, actually, Aralaiah said. If ‎Draken starts up his trading business again when the ‎war’s over, I might see if he’ll take a few things and ‎just see what happens.‎

      ‎Oh, look, what are those? Pryn asked as a man ‎passed by carrying a tray piled high with pastries.‎

      ‎Dragon cakes, of course, Nedris said. Can’t ‎you tell by the shape of them?‎

      ‎Yes, but what are they made of? Pryn said. ‎‎Are they any good?‎

      ‎They’ re a bit like a currant bun, really, Nedris ‎said. They’re more bun than cake, except that they’re ‎baked in dragon-shaped moulds. They have currants ‎and peel baked into them, along with spices, and then ‎they’re drizzled with icing.‎

      ‎Oh, I’ve got to try one! Pryn said. Do you ‎want one, Laiah?‎

      ‎I’d love one, but I’d better not get all sticky ‎before the parade. Red Queen would probably ‎incinerate me on the spot if I turned up with currants ‎and icing all over my robes.‎

      ‎I’ll buy you one for later, then. How about you, ‎Nedris?‎

      ‎I don’t think so, the warrior woman growled. ‎‎I’m on duty, remember? Eating sticky cakes isn’t ‎really in the job description.‎

      ‎I meant for later, Pryn said with slightly ‎exaggerated patience. I’ll even carry it for you, so ‎you don’t look soft wandering around with your ‎hands full of goodies.‎

      Nedris glared at her, but Pryn just grinned and ‎quirked an eyebrow. ‎

      ‎I’m buying. How about it?‎

      ‎Thank you, Nedris said gruffly.‎

      Pryn laughed and took herself off in pursuit of the ‎man with the tray, her own personal guard following ‎her.‎

      ‎She’s in a peculiar mood, Nedris said.‎

      ‎She’s been strange ever since she and Draken ‎escaped from the Demorsans, Aralaiah said. ‎‎Draken’s a bit odd, too.‎

      ‎Experiences like that change people, Nedris ‎said. ‎

      And they’re not the only ones, Aralaiah thought to ‎herself. ‎

      In the six weeks or so since Nedris had been ‎almost killed and Pryn and Draken had been ‎kidnapped by the Demorsans, Aralaiah had noticed ‎changes in all three of them. Nedris, for instance, ‎would never have chatted like this when she was on ‎duty before. Her brush with death seemed to have ‎mellowed her somewhat. She was just as intense as ‎always, but somehow, she also seemed more relaxed, ‎slightly less driven, than she had been before.‎

      ‎It’s given Pryn a kind of – I don’t know – not ‎confidence exactly, but something akin to it, anyway. ‎Recklessness, maybe, or boldness. I can’t quite put my ‎finger on what it is. Being kidnapped seems to have ‎given her a drive to grab at life, to wring every bit of ‎enjoyment out of it that she can. Aralaiah shrugged. ‎‎"I guess she realises how precious life is and how ‎precarious; how quickly things can change, and it all ‎be swept away. I can see that, I guess. ‎

      ‎Draken’s a bit the same, but he expresses it ‎differently. He’s really thrown himself into his work ‎on the War Committee. We barely see him these days. ‎He wouldn’t even take the day off to come out today. ‎He’s in his office in the Town Hall working as we ‎speak. He’s determined to do everything he possibly ‎can to help defeat the Demorsans. Not that he wasn’t ‎before, but he’s more obsessive about it now. It’s ‎personal now, I think. He really hates them.‎

      Nedris grunted an acknowledgement as Aralaiah ‎fell silent. Her analysis of Pryn, Draken and Nedris ‎made her wonder how much she herself had changed. ‎The gods knew enough had happened to her since ‎Kresk bit her and changed her life forever. Since then, ‎she’d faced everything from being gawked at as the ‎weird dragon lady to murder attempts to riding a ‎dragon while defeating an invasion attempt. ‎

      In Teenar she’d been Aralaiah Sentin the candle ‎maker. Most everyone in Teenar knew her, but then, ‎she was a shopkeeper and Teenar wasn’t that big. ‎Here, she was famous all over Dracos. No point in ‎trying to tell herself that she was the same Aralaiah ‎Sentin who had sold candles in Teenar. That would ‎just be lying to herself. She must have changed, ‎although it was always difficult to see these things in ‎yourself. ‎

      She knew she was more confident in public now. ‎She still tended to find accolades embarrassing, but it ‎wasn’t quite so acute these days. She’d learned to ‎realise that those weren’t so much for her herself as ‎for the legends that had grown up around the roles she ‎played. People were interested in the Rainbow Mage ‎or the Heir of Ghlent or the First Rider. They didn’t ‎know her. She thought that realisation, that she still ‎had a private self, was the one that kept her sane and ‎allowed her to cope with the attention.‎

      She thought she was bolder now, stronger, better ‎able to stand up for herself, but she wondered what ‎her friends, and especially Pryn, who’d known her all ‎her life, saw when they looked at her now. She shook ‎her head. Unanswerable questions unless she came ‎right out and asked Pryn, and then she might not get ‎the whole truth. And today wasn’t the time to be ‎worrying about it.‎

      ‎Do we have any more news about how the sweep ‎of the forests is going? she asked Nedris.‎

      ‎Last I heard, they were about three-quarters of ‎the way around, Nedris said. They’d flushed out a ‎couple of cells, and they’re fairly sure at least a couple ‎more escaped over the crags before they could get to ‎them. I believe there are dragons and riders hunting ‎for those ones. That’s all I know at the moment.‎

      ‎At least it seems to be working to clear them ‎out, Aralaiah said. That’s got to be good. A bit ‎frightening that there were so many, though, isn’t it?‎

      She looked up as Beda came panting up.‎

      ‎There you are, Aralaiah! she said. I have sold ‎every single candle that you gave me. The entire three ‎hundred.‎

      ‎Really? Aralaiah said.‎

      ‎Oh, yes. I could have sold twice as many, ‎probably. They really went down well. I just dropped ‎the money off at the Town Hall for Draken to look ‎after. I didn’t feel comfortable carrying that much ‎around with me. How did it go in Dragonville?‎

      ‎Okay, if you like parades and speeches, ‎Aralaiah said. ‎

      Nedris snickered.‎

      ‎The Dragonville crowds seemed happy, ‎anyway, Aralaiah said. I think Nedris got as many ‎cheers as Red Queen and I did.‎

      Nedris scowled at her.‎

      ‎Well, you did, Aralaiah said. They seemed to ‎think that a Black Brother walking beside Red Queen ‎was a really brilliant addition to the show. I wouldn’t ‎be at all surprised if they expect one next year, as well. ‎But anyway, we got to leave straight after the ‎presentations and before the rest of the speeches, so it ‎wasn’t too bad. Willenia and Kresk and Arenon and ‎Velaya got commendations for rescuing Pryn and ‎Draken right out from under the Sorcerers’ noses. I ‎must tell Asla and the rest of the crew if I see them.‎

      ‎You can tell them right now, Beda said. I saw ‎them as I came past. They seem to have turned out in ‎a group today. They’re right over there, by that stall ‎selling hot soup.‎

      ‎So they are. Come on, then.‎

      Aralaiah started in that direction and everyone ‎else followed her. Nedris and the two soldiers who ‎comprised her personal bodyguard, of course, had to ‎stay with her, and Beda went too, meaning that her ‎bodyguard followed. Since the kidnap of Pryn and ‎Draken, they, along with Beda, now each had their ‎own bodyguard, just as Aralaiah did. It was, ‎therefore, more like a mass migration than two women ‎going to speak to some friends.‎

      ‎Aralaiah! Beda! Asla cried as she spotted the ‎two women. ‎

      Everyone except Leese, who was currently ‎making his purchase, turned around to say hello. A ‎few of the older tutors were there, too, Aralaiah ‎noticed.‎

      ‎How are things now that we’re not going out on ‎teaching trips any more? Aralaiah asked. ‎

      ‎They’re good, Brelda said. Well, sort of. ‎We’ve all started our proper training now, so it’s ‎pretty busy.‎

      ‎And we older folks have joined the Town ‎Guard, Dori said. It just didn’t feel right sitting ‎around doing nothing after all we did with you. It was ‎Jerz’s idea. He said that, after what we went through ‎with you, we had something to offer.‎

      ‎Yes, I’d say you do, Aralaiah said. I think ‎that’s a really good idea. I doubt that many of the ‎volunteers have the sort of hands-on experience that ‎you do. She looked at Asla and the rest of Squad ‎Seven. I just came to tell you that Willenia and Kresk ‎and Arenon and Velaya were all awarded ‎commendations this morning for rescuing Draken and ‎Pryn.‎

      ‎Oh, wow! Asla said. Mum and Dad are going ‎to be so proud! Thanks for letting me know, ‎Aralaiah.‎

      ‎You can also tell your parents that it’s unusual ‎for such young pairs to get commendations, Aralaiah ‎said. It’s going to do them real good in their careers.‎

      ‎I will, thanks, Asla said. ‎

      As the others began to congratulate Asla, Aralaiah ‎received a rather abrupt summons.‎

      ‎I have to go, she said. The parade’s about to ‎start, and I just got my marching orders from her ‎Royal Majesty up there. She turned to point up at the ‎Town Hall roof, where Red Queen was already sitting ‎up and preparing to take flight. I’ll see you all later, ‎hopefully.‎

      ‎Just look around during the parade, Deelan said. ‎‎We’ll all be cheering for you.‎

      Aralaiah grinned and took her leave. She and ‎Nedris hurried off, leaving Beda chatting to Dori and ‎some of the other ladies from among the tutors. The ‎parade started from the big park on the riverbank, so ‎they had a bit of a trek to get there, and Aralaiah’s ‎robes were definitely not designed for hurrying. They ‎had a distressing tendency to bind around her legs. ‎

      Still, she wouldn’t have missed the time with her ‎friends. It had been worth it, short though it was. She ‎gathered the skirts of her robes together and threw ‎them over her arm to keep them out of the way. She ‎already had her coronet in her other hand. Without the ‎impediment of the robes, she found that she could jog, ‎and she and her guard arrived in the park to find Red ‎Queen already in place and the rest of the parade ‎lining up behind her.‎

      The parade at Dragonville had consisted solely of ‎dragons. They had them to spare there, Aralaiah ‎supposed. But here, they were interspersed with ‎colourful floats that seemed to represent key moments ‎in Dragonesque history. She noticed, as she hastened ‎over to Red Queen and began to mount, that one of ‎the ones at the end of the procession appeared to ‎represent her, Red Queen and Bronze Queen ‎destroying the Demorsan bridges. ‎

      An attendant bustled forward to help her get ‎organised, and she concentrated on getting settled on ‎Red Queen’s back and getting her coronet on straight, ‎afraid that if she let herself think about the float, she ‎would end up blushing like a silly schoolgirl. She ‎ought to be used to such embarrassments by now, but ‎she didn’t think she ever would be, not completely.‎

      ‎ Nedris took up a position at Red Queen’s ‎shoulder, where she would walk the route, thus ‎obeying the stricture that she was never to be more ‎than fifty paces from Aralaiah. The other guards ‎would follow more discreetly, but actually, as they ‎had discovered in Dragonville, the addition of a Black ‎Brother to the parade didn’t seem to bother anyone. ‎In fact, the people in Dragonville had seemed to think ‎that Nedris was part of the show and, from the ‎applause she got, they appreciated the addition. ‎

      There was a few minutes’ delay while marshals ‎ran up and down the line making sure everyone was ‎where they should be and at the correct distance from ‎each other, then someone gave a yell, Aralaiah saw a ‎flag being waved up ahead, and they were off.‎

      Once again, she could hear Red Queen humming ‎happily to herself as she stepped out at the head of the ‎procession. Red Queen really seemed to enjoy ‎showing off to the people. Or maybe she just liked ‎showing off her ownership of Aralaiah. Aralaiah ‎wouldn’t put that past her, either. Meanwhile, she did ‎her duty, smiling and waving to the crowds, even as ‎she let her own thoughts run on. ‎

      Thankfully, they were her own thoughts now. ‎Much to Red Queen’s chagrin, Aralaiah had finally ‎got a technique that Beda had told her about to work. ‎She was now able to compartmentalise her mind, so ‎that some thoughts were public, at least as far as Red ‎Queen was concerned, and the rest were private. It ‎had been a problem before because Red Queen loved ‎to eavesdrop on Aralaiah’s thoughts. ‎

      Which was okay sometimes, and definitely not at ‎others. As Aralaiah had said to Beda when asking for ‎her help, she hadn’t even been able to complain about ‎the intrusion in private. Red Queen had not been ‎pleased when she learned that not all of Aralaiah’s ‎thoughts were open to her any longer, but Aralaiah ‎had prevailed through tantrums and sulks. ‎

      After all, a girl needed some privacy. That was a ‎simple necessity. If one’s dragon refused to see that, ‎then other means would have to be found, and that ‎was all there was to it. Since such eavesdropping was ‎considered extremely rude in dragon as well as human ‎society, Red Queen didn’t really have a leg to stand ‎on.‎

      CHAPTER TWO

      Red Queen paced proudly at the head of the ‎procession, Aralaiah on her back and Nedris at her ‎shoulder. Red Queen’s pace was slow and stately ‎enough that Nedris had no trouble keeping pace with ‎her. Neither did the two ordinary soldiers of ‎Aralaiah’s escort as they paced along at the edges of ‎the crowd. ‎

      They all looked like just part of the parade, but ‎they were all alert and their eyes swept the crowd, ‎probing and assessing. Until the sweep of the forests ‎was complete, and they could be reasonably certain ‎that there were no more secret bases on Dracosian soil, ‎no one was taking any chances with the safety of ‎Aralaiah and her friends, who seemed to be the prime ‎targets of the Demorsans. ‎

      Events like this, of course, where there were large ‎crowds to hide in and Aralaiah’s itinerary, at least, ‎was widely known, were a security nightmare. No one ‎was relaxing that day. Soldiers and intelligence ‎personnel were scattered throughout the crowd, alert ‎for trouble, and her own twelve watch dragons flew ‎above, keeping an eye on the crowds from up there.‎

      The parade wound its way out of the park and ‎through the streets of Dracos City on a rather tortuous ‎route to the commercial centre and the Town Hall. It ‎was designed, of course, so as many people as possible ‎could see them pass. They would end up doing a ‎complete circle around the commercial district before ‎actually arriving there. ‎

      The streets were lined with people come out to see ‎the parade and join in the fun. Small children rode on ‎their parents’ shoulders so they could see better. Older ‎ones clambered onto fences and garden walls, and in ‎some cases, shed or even house roofs, all alive with ‎excitement and eager for a show. ‎

      Cheers and applause broke out as Red Queen ‎rounded each corner and continued as she led the ‎procession along each street. Aralaiah sat on her back, ‎smiling and waving as was her part in this ‎performance, and feeling silly as one tends to do in ‎such circumstances. She wasn’t even doing anything ‎to take her mind off it. She was just sitting there. She ‎thought it might have been easier if she was at least ‎walking. ‎

      The parade proceeded at a slow walking pace so ‎that everyone could have a good look, and it twisted ‎and turned through many streets to give the populace ‎the best chance of seeing it, so it must have been at ‎least twenty minutes or half an hour before Red ‎Queen rounded a final corner and brought them into ‎the approach to the commercial centre of Dracos City. ‎

      They were perhaps five minutes from the Town ‎Hall and the end of the parade. The crowds here were ‎even denser, of course, since this area was the focus of ‎the celebration. Some rather unruly children were ‎running out into the street, forcing Red Queen to slow ‎right down to avoid running over them, and the noise ‎of the crowd was quite incredible. ‎

      As they made their way slowly along the street, ‎one of the floating dragon candles that Aralaiah had ‎created for the occasion flew right at her face. It came ‎quite fast, as though someone was directing it. It ‎wasn’t dangerous, of course, but it was distracting. ‎Kids, Aralaiah thought as she batted the thing away. ‎But even as that one floated off again, another came ‎in from another direction. And another, and another, ‎until she was besieged by the things.‎

      Then, two things happened in quick succession. ‎Nedris rose up one side of Red Queen, presumably ‎having levitated herself, and stepped onto Red ‎Queen’s back. Even as Nedris began to help swat the ‎candles away, something else came in from the ‎opposite side. Aralaiah glimpsed it from the corner of ‎her eye a moment before she felt a hard impact on the ‎side of her head. The world went momentarily black. ‎

      When she came to, Nedris was straddling her lap ‎with her arms wrapped around her, protecting her with ‎her own body, her head felt as though it was about to ‎fall right off, and blood was streaming down her face ‎to drip onto her shoulder. Perhaps she had changed ‎more than she thought. Amazingly, the only thought ‎that crossed her mind at first was, not again. Or ‎perhaps, that was just because she was too stunned to ‎think of anything else.‎

      ‎What happened? she muttered.‎

      ‎Throwing knife, Nedris said tersely, displaying ‎a throwing knife with a slightly bent tip. They must ‎have used the candles to distract you and make you ‎lose your shield. If it wasn’t for your coronet, you ‎wouldn’t be here now.‎

      ‎Well, I’m glad it was good for something, ‎Aralaiah said, just before she fainted for real.‎

      She came to to a scene of utter pandemonium. She ‎was still on Red Queen’s back, which made her think ‎she hadn’t been out for long, although Nedris was ‎now standing beside her, bent over her, and one of her ‎guards was crouched on the other side, supporting her ‎with an arm about her. She gratefully rested her ‎aching head against his chest. Women and children ‎were screaming, men were bellowing, dragons were ‎screaming. She cried out in agony as pain lanced ‎through her head.‎

      ‎Aralaiah! ‎

      The urgency in Nedris’ voice reached her, and she ‎tried to focus.‎

      ‎What is it? Nedris said. What’s wrong?‎

      ‎The noise, Aralaiah said. My head! ‎

      She squeezed her eyes tight shut against the pain. ‎The noise, however, abruptly shut off, causing her to ‎open them again in surprise.‎

      ‎Is that better? Nedris asked.‎

      ‎Yes. What happened?‎

      ‎I’ve enclosed us in a soundproof shield, Nedris ‎said. Just hold on. You’re going to be all right. ‎They’ve got the attackers, and I’ve sent a runner to ‎the medical centre for help. All we have to do is wait. ‎I’d get you down from here, but I don’t want to move ‎you until the medical people have okayed it. You ‎might want to talk to Red Queen, though. I think ‎she’s a bit distressed.‎

      That was probably the understatement of the year. ‎Now that her attention had been drawn to it, Aralaiah ‎became aware of Red Queen hissing and slewing her ‎neck from side to side in agitation. She was probably ‎causing half the panic.‎

      ‎"Red Queen, I’m all right," Aralaiah called. Red Queen! I’m all right.

      "You are not all right!" Red Queen snarled. I can smell blood. Your blood.

      Aralaiah rolled her eyes before realising that was a bad idea right then. She winced and squeezed her eyes shut again.

      "Red Queen, listen to me," Nedris said, her voice calm and authoritative. Aralaiah will be fine. She was hit in the head with a throwing knife, but it glanced off her coronet. She is bleeding, yes, but I’m pretty sure that’s just from the edge of the coronet cutting into her scalp with the force of the blow. The knife did not get near her. She has a nasty headache and possibly a concussion, but she will be fine. I’ve sent for medical help. That should be here at any moment, and the people responsible have been caught. Please stop upsetting the crowds. The noise is hurting Aralaiah.

      Red Queen abruptly stopped hissing and became still. Nedris caught Aralaiah’s eye and grinned. The suggestion that she was hurting Aralaiah seemed to have worked like magic. But a moment later, Aralaiah winced again and tears sprang to her eyes as a terrific mental shout assailed them.

      "Stop!" Red Queen’s mental voice bellowed. You will all be silent! You are causing my rider pain.

      A stunned silence fell outside. Somehow, Aralaiah ‎was aware of it even through the soundproof shield ‎that Nedris had erected. A moment later, Nedris ‎cancelled it. ‎

      ‎Doesn’t seem to be necessary any longer, Nedris ‎shrugged. Don’t worry, I can have it up in a moment ‎if we need it again.‎

      Aralaiah dozed again – at least, she thought she ‎dozed and didn’t pass out – until she was brought ‎back to the present by the sound of running feet.‎

      ‎Medics are here, Nedris said. Looks like ‎Endra’s with them. I and the guard will have to get ‎out of the way so they can see to you. You’ll be all ‎right now.‎

      Aralaiah nodded wearily.‎

      Nedris and the soldier withdrew, and a moment ‎later, Endra appeared on one side of her and a man ‎with Blue-green markings on the other. At a nod from ‎Endra, the man took the soldier’s place, supporting ‎Aralaiah, who was still stunned enough that she ‎couldn’t manage it for herself. ‎

      ‎All right, Endra said, staring intently into ‎Aralaiah’s eyes. Can you tell me your name? ‎

      Aralaiah looked at her. You ought to know that ‎by now.‎

      Endra laughed. Just checking. Do you know ‎where you are?‎

      ‎Stuck on Red Queen’s back in the middle of a ‎parade, feeling stupid, Aralaiah said. I’m all right, ‎Endra. I just have a filthy headache.‎

      ‎Speaking of which, I have to take your coronet ‎off, Endra said. Brace yourself. I’ll apply numbing ‎magic first, but it’s cut in and it may still hurt.‎

      There was a bit of a struggle to get the coronet off ‎because the impact had dented it a little, and Aralaiah ‎was very grateful for the numbing magic. She didn’t ‎feel any pain as Endra removed it, although she did ‎feel the wrenching and pulling, and she definitely felt ‎the blood gushing down her cheek and neck as the ‎removal opened up the wound in her head again. ‎

      ‎There, Endra said, depositing the bloody, ‎dented coronet in Aralaiah’s lap. That might help ‎with the headache a little, too. It was pressing quite ‎hard against the side of your head. She quickly ‎applied a bit more magic to stop the bleeding. And ‎now, I want you in the hospital where I can check you ‎over properly.‎

      ‎No, I can’t. I’m all right.‎

      ‎No, you’re not, Endra said. Both Nedris and ‎Red Queen say that you were unconscious at least ‎twice, and for at least a minute one of those times. ‎That’s not all right in any medical text I’ve ever read.‎

      ‎I can’t, Endra, Aralaiah said.‎

      ‎What do you mean, you can’t? Endra said. I’m ‎in charge here, lady. If I say you’re going to the ‎hospital, that’s where you’re going.‎

      ‎I can’t, Endra. It’s the Dragon Parade.‎

      ‎So? Things happen. People will understand.‎

      ‎It’s a Dragon Parade in the middle of a war, ‎Endra.‎

      ‎And you are not solely responsible for morale in ‎Dracos, Aralaiah, Endra said firmly. Heir of Ghlent, ‎Red Queen’s rider, Saviour of Dracos, whatever, you ‎are only human. You can only do so much. Besides, it ‎also happens to be a celebration of our success at ‎cleaning up the Demorsans out on the mountainside. ‎People will do very well without you.‎

      ‎But...‎

      ‎"Red Queen," Endra said. I understand the importance of the Dragon Festival, and that you’d like to show Aralaiah off as your rider, but she’s injured, quite probably concussed, and as her physician it is my strong recommendation that she spend the rest of the day and tonight in the hospital where she can be assessed so we can be sure there isn’t any lasting damage. Surely, as her dragon, you care about her enough that you want to be sure she is quite well after this attack.

      That’s not fair, Endra! Aralaiah said.

      Tears welled in her eyes and began to run down her face before she could stop them. She knew they were merely proof that she wasn’t well enough to go on, which only made them even harder to stop.

      "The medical centre is near the end of the parade route," Red Queen said. We will finish the parade, and then I myself will carry my rider on to the centre.

      "Thank you, Red Queen," Endra said. That should suit admirably.

      "You must go to the hospital, my rider," Red Queen said to Aralaiah. You must be well so that you and I can lead Dracos.

      Aralaiah knew there was no point in arguing. ‎Everyone was against her. She simply sat with the ‎tears pouring down her face and her head thundering. ‎The sense of defeat didn’t really help.‎

      ‎I’m going to have to seal the wound in your ‎head, but I don’t want to do that until I can have a ‎look and make sure there’s nothing in there that ‎shouldn’t be, Endra said. So, I’m just going to put a ‎bandage around it for now. That’ll keep it clean and ‎stop you from giving the children nightmares.‎

      Nedris almost fell over laughing, and even ‎Aralaiah couldn’t help a watery gurgle at that. She ‎imagined that, with the blood and the tears, she must ‎look an absolute sight.‎

      ‎Someone needs to tell Beda and the others, ‎Aralaiah said. They’ll wonder what’s happened to ‎me.‎

      ‎I imagine that they already know more or less ‎what happened, Endra said. You know how news ‎travels, especially things like this. Besides, they’ll ‎almost certainly see you sometime between now and ‎the Town Hall. But I’ll make sure they’re informed, ‎just in case.‎

      ‎I’ll send one of the soldiers, Nedris said. I’ll ‎need to officially inform Ullra, anyway, so she can ‎organise someone else to hand out the awards. He can ‎find Draken, Pryn and Beda while he’s at it.‎

      ‎Thank you, Aralaiah said.‎

      ‎No problem, Nedris said.‎

      She called over one of the soldiers and a moment ‎later they all saw him take off running. ‎

      ‎There you go, Endra said as she tied off the ‎bandage and tucked the ends in. Are you going to be ‎all right sitting up here on your own, or do you need ‎someone to support you?‎

      ‎I’ll do that, Nedris said before Aralaiah could ‎say anything. My orders are to stay close, and ‎obviously, the ground is not close enough. Not that I ‎expect another attack, or that being closer could have ‎prevented the last one, but you know.‎

      ‎Yes, I believe I do, Endra chuckled. Hang on, ‎I’m coming down. I’ll be waiting when you arrive at ‎the hospital, Aralaiah. Don’t get lost on the way. ‎

      Nedris burst out laughing. Don’t worry, Endra. ‎I’ll keep her on track.‎

      Endra closed up her medical bag, handed it down ‎to Nedris, and then jumped down herself, and a ‎moment later, Nedris climbed back up. ‎

      ‎Any time you’re ready, Red Queen, she said as ‎she straddled the dorsal ridge and took up a position ‎standing behind Aralaiah, where she could reach her ‎at once if she showed signs of slipping.‎

      Red Queen started walking again, and the other ‎members of the parade fell into place again until they ‎were moving smoothly, just as they had before. In ‎fact, smooth was the operative word, Aralaiah ‎noticed. Red Queen seemed to be taking pains to ‎place her feet so as not to jolt her. She was grateful for ‎that, because the headache was still fierce and, now ‎that most of the excitement was over, she was very ‎aware of it.‎

      Also, from the way Nedris kept nudging her ‎towards the right, she thought her balance must be a ‎bit off. She appeared to be listing to the left. She sat ‎with her dented and bloodstained coronet in her lap ‎and admitted to herself that she was grateful to be ‎spared the remainder of the day’s ceremonies. The ‎chance to lie back in a bed with all her injuries seen to ‎and sleep was a wonderful prospect at that moment.‎

      She was fairly preoccupied with her own miseries, ‎but even through those, she couldn’t help but notice ‎that the cheers and applause of a few minutes ago had ‎turned to exclamations of dismay and horror as they ‎passed by now. It was sad that this special day, of all ‎days, should be spoiled by this attack. She had to ‎admit though, that the note of outrage she could hear ‎was rather gratifying. ‎

      It couldn’t possibly have been more than five ‎minutes before they reached the Town Hall, but it was ‎one of the longest five minutes Aralaiah had ever ‎lived through. Now that she had been relieved of the ‎need to endure, she felt truly dreadful. She almost ‎wished that Endra had levitated her away when she ‎went. This way was better, though, from a political ‎standpoint. ‎

      It let people see that she was alive and reasonably ‎well. There would be no wild rumours concerning her ‎death. That had to be a good thing. People didn’t ‎need to be upset more than they already were, and the ‎governors of Dracos had better things to do than ‎waste time trying to counter rumours that the ‎Sorcerers had managed to kill the Heir of Ghlent.‎

      She tried to lift a hand to wave to the crowd, but ‎Nedris grabbed her by the shoulders.‎

      ‎Don’t be a fool! Nedris hissed in her ear. Your ‎balance is all over the place, and you don’t really want ‎to fall off Red Queen’s back and do even more ‎damage. Just sit still.‎

      Aralaiah subsided gratefully. ‎

      CHAPTER THREE

      Red Queen didn’t

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