DragonLight by Donita K. Paul Page B

unscrewed the lid, plunged two fingers into the purplish goo, and began to rub salve over his palm. Bardon poked one big finger in the jar and dabbed the ointment on her head while she continued to work on his other hand. She moved to the welts on his neck as he pulled one of her legs onto his lap and smeared goo onto the small burns covering her calves. Gymn tsked and moved back and forth between them, aiding in their recovery with his special talent for healing.
    She swiped her finger across Bardon’s throat, then spread the ointment over the edges of the welt. “There. You’re done.”
    “You aren’t. Don’t these burns hurt?”
    “Quite a bit. And they seem to hurt more as time passes. I suppose I was too shocked at first to feel much. When you apply the ointment, it helps.” She smiled at him. “I’m trying not to let my mind linger on the pain. Which reminds me.” She frowned. “You have some explaining to do. So why don’t you try talking your way out of not having told me about these nasty beasties. That should keep my thoughts occupied.”
    Bardon rubbed the salve onto her big toe where a black dragon had managed to sting her. “Did you kick one of the downed creatures? Their spines secrete poison even after they’re dead.”
    “You can include how you know that interesting piece of information in your general explanation.”
    “I meant to tell you.”
    “Seems like you’ve used that opening line before.”
    “It’s been less than twenty-four hours since I learned of them.”
    She didn’t reply but stared at him, waiting.
    “You have pretty toes.”
    “Nobody has pretty toes. Start talking.”
    “We had an encounter with these dragon creatures yesterday morning on the training fields.”
    “Maybe you should just remember it, and I’ll peek in on your thoughts.”
    “Right.”
    He started with Tieto grumbling and Mikkai directing him through the castle to join the others. Kale followed his memories all the way to the five men sitting around a table with various breakfast treats spread before them.
    “While we ate,” said Bardon, “a messenger came to tell us that Namee wanted the incident to be kept quiet so as not to alarm his other guests. When you arrived, I thought to tell you but decided to wait until we were alone. Then, I forgot.”
    He reached for her arm and put the soothing salve on the few spots there.
    Kale sighed. “Well, I believe you. It’s just like you to forget you had something to tell me.” She pulled away from him, sat up straighter, clamped her fists, and put them in her lap. “Bardon, it’s one thing to forget to tell me you invited someone to dinner, or you are scheduled to go to council, or someone’s wife sent me a message through you. But this…this…”
    “I know. All I can say is that I would have remembered, eventually. We were busy from the time we parted from breakfast to the time we went down to the dragon field and left the castle. I thought of telling you on several occasions during the day, but you weren’t available. Once we were in the air, it never crossed my mind again until I heard that horrible drone while I pulled in a fish. Then it was too late.”
    She rested her cheek against his shoulder for a moment. Dibl did a flip on the log and sidestepped toward the end.
    Kale sat up. “Oh, no you don’t. You stay right there.” She frowned at the minor dragons still sitting on the fallen tree trunk, lined up like wooden ducks to be knocked over at the fair. All but Gymn, who aided in administering healing.
    “What about you?” Kale pointed a finger at the eight. “Why didn’t you tell me? If Mikkai, Tieto, and Filia knew, then the rest of you knew. You can’t keep a secret among you. And I am shocked that you would keep a secret from me. Shocked!”
    The dragons hung their heads. Greer and Celisse moved as if they had decided it was time to go back to their grazing.
    Kale’s finger swung around to point at them. “Don’t you leave.