hurt in his quest for power, but he had never been careless with his dragon. His sense of self-preservation was too strong for him to endanger the flying lizard, for if the Copper were hurt, then Dag Racho himself would also be in pain, also be vulnerable.
So, why take his Copper into that steep dive, saved only by some miracle of flight? Both Dag Racho and his lizard should have buried their heads at least two spans deep in the city's foundation. How the creature had managed to stop like that, Kiril would never know. And then it had released a fire plume uselessly into the air, as if it were a display meant to impress. But that made no sense. Who in Dabu'ut could Dag Racho want to frighten?
Kiril had no answers to his questions and no way to find them right now. He had a task to complete with a terrified dancer. His best hope was that Sabina would ferret out the truth when he returned. And that bothered him more than anything else—this reliance on Bina as his sole source of intelligence. A lack of information in Dag Racho's court could spell not only disaster, but death. Only a fool relied upon a single person.
Thank the Father, his magic had protected them. At least he didn't have to deal with painful burns and bleeding sores right now. All that money he'd spent on fire protection—for his weapons, his mount, and himself—had finally paid off. He had never truly believed in the magic, but he had faith now. Though he'd felt the heat, not even his hair had been singed. And Natiya was equally unharmed.
Kiril had no explanation for that. The magic was for himself and his things, not for the people with him. He could only surmise that she had benefited from proximity. She had been on his lap, held fast between his body and his mount's for all that she had tried to run away in her panic. Thankfully, he was stronger, and she had remained in his protective circle. Who knew what would have happened to her if she'd escaped his hold.
He glanced down at her now, seeing her pale face as he cradled her limp body. She had the look of a woman in shock, and he could well understand the feeling. He leaned down and tucked her tighter against him.
"You know," he said, "many men freeze at their first sight of a dragon. Baby dragons even. A mature Copper is a terrifying sight. And today..." He shook his head. "That was truly unusual."
She didn't answer. Indeed, he wasn't even sure she heard him. He kept speaking nevertheless, hoping his tone might sooth her.
"There is no shame in your fear. Just try not to panic next time. I promise you, your safest place is with me." He tried not to wince as he lied, and he was sure he kept his expression flat, but inside he cursed himself. Natiya's safest place was as far from him and court politics as she could run. But she didn't know that, and he couldn't tell her. He needed her too much. Now that Dag Racho was in Dabu'ut, the pressure increased a thousandfold. Kiril had to find that egg now before the Emperor did. And that meant he had to get Natiya to lead him to the Queen's clutching cave.
"How are you feeling?" He shifted her again in his arms, hoping the movement would spark a response in her.
"Am I too heavy for you?" Her voice was thick with disuse, but he heard her clearly enough.
"I like holding you," he answered truthfully. "But how are you feeling?"
She shook her head, and he wondered what that meant—that she didn't know how she was feeling, or she wouldn't tell him? He sighed. At least she was talking to him. That was more sign of life than she had shown for the last hundred beats. And, better yet, she appeared to be looking around, seeing her surroundings for the first time.
"Where are you taking me?"
He smiled. He had been waiting for the question. He was lucky that it came when she seemed too weak, too defeated to argue. "Actually, Natiya, you're taking me. To the clutching caves. I know they are in the northern mountains. Tomorrow morning we will be near enough for you to
So, why take his Copper into that steep dive, saved only by some miracle of flight? Both Dag Racho and his lizard should have buried their heads at least two spans deep in the city's foundation. How the creature had managed to stop like that, Kiril would never know. And then it had released a fire plume uselessly into the air, as if it were a display meant to impress. But that made no sense. Who in Dabu'ut could Dag Racho want to frighten?
Kiril had no answers to his questions and no way to find them right now. He had a task to complete with a terrified dancer. His best hope was that Sabina would ferret out the truth when he returned. And that bothered him more than anything else—this reliance on Bina as his sole source of intelligence. A lack of information in Dag Racho's court could spell not only disaster, but death. Only a fool relied upon a single person.
Thank the Father, his magic had protected them. At least he didn't have to deal with painful burns and bleeding sores right now. All that money he'd spent on fire protection—for his weapons, his mount, and himself—had finally paid off. He had never truly believed in the magic, but he had faith now. Though he'd felt the heat, not even his hair had been singed. And Natiya was equally unharmed.
Kiril had no explanation for that. The magic was for himself and his things, not for the people with him. He could only surmise that she had benefited from proximity. She had been on his lap, held fast between his body and his mount's for all that she had tried to run away in her panic. Thankfully, he was stronger, and she had remained in his protective circle. Who knew what would have happened to her if she'd escaped his hold.
He glanced down at her now, seeing her pale face as he cradled her limp body. She had the look of a woman in shock, and he could well understand the feeling. He leaned down and tucked her tighter against him.
"You know," he said, "many men freeze at their first sight of a dragon. Baby dragons even. A mature Copper is a terrifying sight. And today..." He shook his head. "That was truly unusual."
She didn't answer. Indeed, he wasn't even sure she heard him. He kept speaking nevertheless, hoping his tone might sooth her.
"There is no shame in your fear. Just try not to panic next time. I promise you, your safest place is with me." He tried not to wince as he lied, and he was sure he kept his expression flat, but inside he cursed himself. Natiya's safest place was as far from him and court politics as she could run. But she didn't know that, and he couldn't tell her. He needed her too much. Now that Dag Racho was in Dabu'ut, the pressure increased a thousandfold. Kiril had to find that egg now before the Emperor did. And that meant he had to get Natiya to lead him to the Queen's clutching cave.
"How are you feeling?" He shifted her again in his arms, hoping the movement would spark a response in her.
"Am I too heavy for you?" Her voice was thick with disuse, but he heard her clearly enough.
"I like holding you," he answered truthfully. "But how are you feeling?"
She shook her head, and he wondered what that meant—that she didn't know how she was feeling, or she wouldn't tell him? He sighed. At least she was talking to him. That was more sign of life than she had shown for the last hundred beats. And, better yet, she appeared to be looking around, seeing her surroundings for the first time.
"Where are you taking me?"
He smiled. He had been waiting for the question. He was lucky that it came when she seemed too weak, too defeated to argue. "Actually, Natiya, you're taking me. To the clutching caves. I know they are in the northern mountains. Tomorrow morning we will be near enough for you to
Similar Books
![Hillerman, Tony - [Leaphorn & Chee 03]](https://fs.ageofbook.com/452618/thumbs/152x264/hillerman-tony-leaphorn-chee-03.jpg)
