Tears of War (22 page)

Mola’s barks quieted to a low keen and she looked from one person to the other, her brown eyes worried.

“What did you do?” Mckale asked, a little concerned.

“The weave Taela and I accidentally used on the entire hold a few months ago. I adjusted it slightly so he can hear us. Beyond that, he sees nothing and feels nothing unless he tries to fight it.” She was completely calm in the face of his brother’s anger, though Mckale sensed the dull headache she was beginning to feel. Kaden’s anger was stronger than he had thought.

Mckale rested a hand on her shoulder to strengthen the bond. Even with that, the ache in her head remained. Why wasn’t his shield working like it should? Maintaining the weave was draining her more and she held her exhaustion at bay through sheer will.

“Kaden, you are causing Maleena undue hardship. She’s already beyond tired and holding the weave is making it harder on her.”

“Then release me so I can finish what I started,” he growled.

“Kaden,” their father said, “you need to stop and listen. The dragon he speaks of is not a black dragon. He is not evil. Neither is his bondmate or her dragon.”

“How do you know she has a dragon?” Mckale asked, surprised.

“She has to have one if you are bondmates.” He looked at Maleena. “Will you release him?”

She sighed. “Only if he promises to not attack Mckale again. For one, if I let the weave go, I’m not sure I have the strength to create it again right now. For another, Tellnox intends to prevent Kaden from killing Mckale at any cost. He won’t let his rider be killed if there is any way for him to stop it.”

Kaden lifted his head, his eyes staring unseeing at the wall. “Fine. I don’t have much choice under the threat from a dragon, do I?”

Mckale felt Maleena release the weave as she sagged back against him. “I’m sorry Mckale, but I really need to sit down now.”

The ache pounding in her head from the heightened emotions in the room and the fatigue were dragging her down. He glanced at Kaden as his brother regained his feet. Keeping a wary eye on him, he focused his attention on Maleena. She shouldn’t be this tired. He helped her to a chair at the table.

McKale turned to his brother but remained close to Maleena, as tired as she was, she wouldn’t be able to protect herself if Kaden attacked. “What, in the name of the Fates, is wrong with you?”

His father took a position between him and Kaden. “Calladar was visited by black dragons and their riders. People were killed. Tenale was one of them.”

Tenale had been Kaden’s best friend from childhood. He’d been Mckale’s friend too. Tenale and Jesten were brothers. The four of them had once been inseparable. Jesten had died during the attack that brought Mckale’s magic out. And now Tenale had been killed by Shadow Riders. Oh Fates, Shadow Riders in Calladar.

“Kaden, Maleena and I are not Shadow Riders. We, along with our dragons, are called Guardians and for good reason. It is our duty to protect against the Shadow Riders and their filthy Shadow Dragons.”

Kaden shook his head. “They tortured people with shadows. Only one survived the torture and the infection afterward. The scars he bears now…”

“Like these?” Maleena’s soft voice interrupted him.

Everyone turned to look at her as she pushed her sleeve up to bare her right arm. Wide, pink scars cut through the soft flesh. Kaden stared at them. She gazed back at him with a haunted look. “I was captured by Shadow Riders and tortured by those shadows. I nearly died. Do not accuse me of being one of them. I am not a Shadow Rider. Neither Tellnox nor my Nydara are shadows. I suffered at their hands and because of my bond with Mckale, he suffered with me.”

Kaden leaned back against the wall, a look of defeat on his face. Their father laid a hand on his shoulder. “I have been to Galdrilene. I met the great golden dragon there named Mernoth. When I found out Mckale could use magic, I sent him there. I knew they could teach him. I thought he would become one of the mages there.” He urged Kaden toward the table. “Why don’t we sit down. We have a lot to talk about it seems.”

Kaden looked sharply at their father. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I couldn’t. Galdrilene had to protect itself. All of those who go to train have a weave laid on them by the Spirit mages. The weave only allows us to speak of it to others who know of it.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Until Mckale came, and told you, you didn’t know.”

Kaden moved to the table and sat down in one of the chairs. Mckale chose a chair that placed him between Maleena and Kaden. His father sat down across from him in the chair next to Mckale’s grandmother. Sonja sat on the other side of Maleena. “Is there anything I can get you?” She started to lay her hand on Maleena’s shoulder.

“Don’t.” Mckale’s tone was sharper than he meant it to be. “Maleena is a Silver Rider. She works Spirit magic; it deals with emotions, thoughts, and other things of the mind. Touch is difficult for her with anyone other than her bondmate. Normally my shield would be enough, but she is so tired right now, I don’t think she can handle it.”

Maleena laid her hand on his and said softly. “No need to snap at her, she didn’t know.” She turned to Sonja. “I would love a cup of hot tea if you have any.”

“Of course.” Sonja stood. “Anything for you Mckale?”

“Tea and if you wouldn’t mind, bring Maleena something to eat.”

Maleena shook her head. “Just tea.”

He searched her face, concern filling him. “You’ve barely eaten anything the past two days. You have to have something.”

She sighed quietly. “If it will make you feel better, I will eat a little.”

Sonja stood. “Normally, it would be Kaden or my father’s place to serve you, but since things are a little out of sorts this evening, I will do it.” It took only a moment before Sonja returned with hot tea and plates of food for both of them. While they waited, Mckale introduced Maleena to everyone.

As Sonja sat back down she asked, “So what exactly does bondmate mean?”

Mckale took a long drink of the tea, enjoying the feel of the heat as it slid down his throat. He set the cup down and looked down at his plate. Slices of roasted goat meat swimming in gravy, a large pile of frost peas, roasted potatoes, and a slice of dark bread. His stomach grumbled in anticipation. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was.

While he sliced off a piece of meat, he answered his sister’s question. “It means married, only more. When two people and their dragons are compatible, a bond forms between them. Maleena can read everything about me, including thoughts if she chooses to, without feeling any discomfort.” He paused to slip the dog a bit of meat. “I can read her emotions and her physical state. I can sense if she is afraid, tired, hungry, hurt, and any number of things. It goes far beyond and far deeper than a husband and wife relationship.”

“But you can’t be husband and wife,” his grandmother said. “You haven’t completed the Spring Dance.”

His father cleared his throat. “Bondmating doesn’t require the dance, mother. It is a force of nature that can’t be held back or made to wait. I witnessed it between Bardeck and Emallya at Galdrilene.”

His grandmother shook her head. “It isn’t proper, Barden.”

“When is the Spring Dance?” Maleena asked.

“In two weeks. The first flowers have bloomed and it’s the big spring festival,” Sonja said, a dreamy light in her eyes. Mckale looked at his sister. Perhaps the young man his father kept throwing off his porch had a chance.

Maleena gave Sonja a knowing smile. “Will you be taking part in the Spring Dance?”

Sonja didn’t answer right away, as if she was thinking over her answer. Finally, she nodded. “Yes, I think I will be.”

“Sonja,” their father’s voice held a note of annoyance, “we are not going over this again. You are not dancing this year, especially if it means it will be for that love-struck fool.”

Sonja sat up straighter and glared at Barden. “No, we will not be going over this again. It is my choice when to dance and who to dance for. It is none of your business; you have no say in the matter. Only Grandme has the right to discuss this with me, and she supports my choice.”

Mckale watched his father’s face redden. “I will have a say in it.”

“Hush, Barden,” his grandmother said, her voice sharp. “Sonja is right. This is none of your affair. I approved, the discussion is closed.”

Barden started to open his mouth, to argue or try to reason Mckale didn’t know, but he thought his father was wise when he closed it and remained silent.

Grandme turned her dark eyes on him. “Your Maleena hasn’t asked what the Spring Dance is. Have you been discussing it with her, Mckale?”

He shook his head. “No, Grandme. I told only what the dance is for, nothing more.” He glanced at his father. “I know it’s not for me to discuss further.”

She smiled warmly at him. “You are a good boy.” She glared at his father briefly. “Unlike others who seem to have forgotten.”

Maleena turned back to Sonja. “Perhaps I will join you in the dance.”

Mckale nearly choked on his food. He coughed and swallowed. “There is no need for that, bondmating can’t be undone.”

Maleena glanced at him and he saw the mischief dancing in her eyes. “Kirynn once told me it would make her dress look conservative. If it makes us husband and wife in the eyes of your family, then we should do it.”

He started to protest, but seeing the merriment coming through her exhaustion made him stop. When she looked at him with that light in her eyes, he could refuse her nothing. “It will be as you wish, my love.”

She rewarded him with a radiant smile and looked back to his sister. “I don’t know the steps. You will have to teach me.”

“Of course I will! It isn’t that difficult.”

“Enough, Sonja,” Grandme interrupted. “We will discuss this when it is just us women.”

Maleena stifled a yawn. “I need to sleep anyway.”

Mckale glanced at her plate and was pleased to see she had eaten every bit of food. Sonja jumped up. “I will show you to Mckale’s room,” she paused and looked at him, “unless you are ready to sleep too.”

“No, there is a lot that still needs to be discussed.”

“They shouldn’t be sleeping in the same bed until after the Spring Dance,” Grandme protested.

Mckale leveled a look at her. “Grandme, I love you and respect you, but I will not sleep separate from Maleena. We are participating in the Spring Dance only because Maleena wants to. We are already bonded to each other in every sense of the word. Proper or not, we remain together.” Maybe it was something in his tone or expression, but much to his surprise, she nodded and let it go.

Maleena stood and followed his sister from the room. He watched her walk away, briefly distracted by images in his mind. Maleena, flowers in her hair, her entire mid-drift bare, her hips swaying seductively to the music as she wove the ribbons of marriage together. A soft laugh in his mind told him she’d seen his thoughts.

Reluctantly, he let the images go and turned back to the table and those still sitting at it. He could let his imagination run wild later. He had a lot to talk about and a lot to hear. He turned his attention back to his brother. Though Kaden hadn’t said much, he seemed calm, almost pensive.

“Are you feeling better, Kaden?”

He shook his head. “No, brother, I’m not. There are black dragons and their riders, who are evil. And there are your dragons, which are not in league with them. I’m assuming there are others besides you and Maleena?” Mckale nodded. “Then it can only mean one thing, another war between dragons.”

“It would seem so, my brother.” Mckale leaned back in the chair and took a drink of his tea. “Tell me, Father, what happened after I left? What became of the charges against me? I need to know what I’m facing when I ride into Taragen tomorrow. Galdrilene hasn’t received any messages for some time.”

Kaden looked at him, confusion clear on his face. “Charges against you for what? Unless it would be abandoning your Watch, which father insisted was by his order.”

Barden frowned and leaned his elbows on the table. “Well, it is all a little strange to be honest. There are no charges against you. When you came back from that patrol you hadn’t yet given your commander notice of whether or not you were taking the month leave you were due. The morning you left, I informed him that I felt you needed it and sent you out in the world to travel some. He of course was fine with it.”

Barden stared at the table for a moment as if the smooth, glossy wood held the answers to a strange puzzle he was laying out. He looked up at Mckale again, his gray eyes troubled. “I thought maybe there would be an investigation into what happened on that patrol, but nothing was ever said about it. Then, a few days after your month leave ended, Lord Arandrall summoned me. He wanted to speak privately about you. He asked what happened after you came home from the patrol and then he asked if the strange events that happened when your patrol encountered the Kojen had anything to do with your continued absence.”

“I was here when the summons came,” Kaden said. “Sonja and Grandme were worried that father had somehow got himself into serious trouble.”

Mckale nodded. The First of the Nine had trained in Galdrilene and he was one of their allies. “You were honest with him, I hope.”