Tears of War (23 page)

“I was. I confirmed that it was directly related to your extended leave.” He paused and took a long drink of his wine. “Here is where it gets stranger. He asked me if you had gone to Galdrilene.”

Mckale smiled slightly. “Emallya told me he trained there and that she has visited with him a few times over the years since.”

Kaden frowned. “I thought the weave the Spirit mages put on you made it so you can’t talk about it?”

His father shook his head. “It doesn’t stop me or anyone from talking about it. It stops us from talking about it with people who don’t already know. Around the family here, I have hardly been able to think of it and I couldn’t bring it to my lips if I tried. But sitting there, in private with Lord Arandrall, I found speaking of it came easy. The weaves recognize each other. So I told him the truth that I had indeed sent you to Galdrilene.”

Mckale nodded. “And then?”

“He didn’t say any more about Galdrilene. He stood and clapped me on the shoulder and told me not to worry about your extended leave. He said he would take care of everything. There was never a word said about what happened on your patrol other than the men thinking it was a stroke of luck no matter how strange. No mention was ever made of your absence other than people hoping you came back.”

Mckale turned that over in his mind. So people thought that patrol had been lucky did they? Jesten’s face swam across his memory, mingled with years of memories. It hadn’t been lucky enough.

Kaden frowned. “You have known all of this from the beginning, Father? I feel like a fool for acting as I did.”

Mckale punched his brother lightly on the shoulder. “No need to feel like a fool. You didn’t know. I think I will have to talk with Maleena about lifting the weave that keeps everyone silent. There is no need of it now and things might go smoother if people can speak more freely about Galdrilene.”

Barden studied him with a considering look. “You aren’t here just for a visit are you?”

Mckale sighed and leaned forward to place his elbows on the table. “No, I’m not; although the visit is a nice addition. As Kaden said, a new war is starting. Galdrilene can’t fight it on its own. We need the nations behind us. Those who hatched dragons first have scattered to their birthplaces to find out where those nations stand now, and where they will stand in the future.”

Barden glanced at Mckale’s grandmother. “You haven’t said much.”

Grandme smiled. “You often learn more by listening than you do by speaking.”

Mckale chuckled. His grandmother hadn’t changed one bit. Still strong and wise. But her hands, a detail Mckale didn’t think his father or brother noticed, trembled. She was wise enough to look into the future with fear.

Kaden leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “So, little brother, tell me about your journey after you left here. What happened? When did you meet Maleena? And when do we get to meet these dragons of yours?”

Mckale smiled and stroked Mola’s head as she sat next to him with her chin on his knee. “You are in for a long story, brother.”

Kaden spread his hands. “I couldn’t sleep now if I tried. So unless you are rushing off to bed sometime soon, we have plenty of time.”

“I am not as tired as Maleena. If you wish to spend the evening listening to me regale you with stories then that is what I will do.”

Kaden laughed. “Regale away brother.” Mckale’s smile widened. It was good to see his brother’s humor return.

M
aleena stretched long and slow, relishing the warmth and the comfort of a real bed. Her eyes opened and she glanced around the room. The sky outside the window was the pale gray of early morning. Beside her, Mckale snored lightly. She tried to snuggle back down in the covers and go back to sleep, but her mind was already waking up despite her wishes.

Easing out of the bed, she tiptoed to her pack by the wall and pulled out the dress and shift she’d been keeping to wear when they got here. The dress she had traveled in hung over the back of a chair in the corner. Even in the dim light Maleena clearly saw the travel stains on it. It would have to be washed before it could be worn again.

Maleena reached for Nydara and found the dragon sound asleep. Tellnox informed her they had found a cave in the mountains across the river to rest in. She sent him warmth and love and turned back to dressing for the day.

As quietly as she could, Maleena slipped the old shift off and laid it over the chair with the dirty dress. Her skin pebbled in the chill of the room as she pulled the clean shift and dress on, then rummaged into her pack for a pair of clean stockings.

Maleena picked up her shoes and glanced at the bed. Mckale still slept. She would slip them on after she got downstairs so the sound of her footsteps wouldn’t wake him. She opened the door and stepped into the hall, pulling the door shut soundlessly behind her, then moved quietly down the stairs, not wanting to wake anyone else at that early hour.

When Maleena reached the kitchen she slipped on her shoes and looked around. Someone else must already be awake. A hot tea kettle sat close to the hearth and the kitchen smelled of steeped rosehips and mint. Half a loaf of bread and a knife lay on a board on the table next to two empty cups and a few scattered crumbs. More loaves of bread were rising on a cupboard top not too far from the hearth.

Maleena glanced at the tea kettle. Would it be wrong to get a cup? Insistent thirst nagged at her throat. She didn’t see any water, so the tea would have to do. Hopefully they wouldn’t find it rude. She lifted a cup from one of the hooks, filled it with the tea, and took a long drink, relishing its warmth. The sweet and refreshing mix soothed her thirst and left her feeling energized for the morning.

Her stomach rumbled but she shook her head. Eating the bread would be rude; her stomach would have to wait. Besides, the tea had relieved her thirst and intensified another urge. She pulled on her cloak and stepped out the back door of the house.

The pale glow of early morning provided more than enough light. Several buildings perched behind the house. The first one she looked in held rakes, hoes, and other gardening equipment. The second also stored things. Where was it? These were the two smallest buildings. Surely it wasn’t located in one of the other larger structures.

One was clearly a barn and she doubted it would be there. Another was located closer to the house than the others. Maleena opened the door and peered in. A single candle burned in a mirrored sconce inside and in its flickering light she saw that this building was indeed what she searched for. The floor and halfway up the walls was paved in smooth stones. She barely gave them a glance. The heavy, smooth, carved plank in the back with a hole was what she needed. This building wasn’t so different than what she had used in Lowden, although considerably nicer.

As Maleena left the building feeling much better, she started to turn back to the house. The glow of lantern light showing through the partially open barn door stopped her. Whoever left the empty cups and the bread must be out here. She glanced at the dark house and shrugged. She really didn’t want to sit in the empty kitchen by herself.

Her breath came in clouds in the cold morning air. Maleena turned and walked across the expanse of open space to the barn door, the frost covered grass crunching underfoot. The voices of a man and woman floated on the chilly morning air. When she stepped inside the barn she saw Mckale’s father and grandmother each sitting next to a goat, their backs to her as they milked. Although they didn’t see her, the goats in the pen next to the stand did and a chorus of loud ‘maaaas’ went up. In a pen across the way, a gaggle of baby goats hollered back. The dog, laying between the milk stands, thumped her tail against the ground in welcome.

They both turned at the noise. Barden smiled. “Good morning, Maleena. You look much better than you did last night.”

Grandme appraised her. “You definitely have more color in your face.”

Maleena smiled back at them, a little uncomfortable at being the center of their attention. “Thank you, I feel better this morning. I think I just needed a good night’s sleep in a real bed.”

Grandme pursed her lips for a moment. “Perhaps.”

What in the world did that mean? The older woman looked her up and down as if she knew something Maleena didn’t. Pushing the strange actions of Mckale’s grandmother away she asked, “Can I help?”

Barden looked startled. “You wish to milk goats?”

She nodded. “There are lots of goats in Galdrilene although I suppose you already know that. Each of the mage towers has a few of their own and even Dragon Riders are expected to help with tower chores. I am quite proficient at milking.”

Grandme stood up and dusted her hands on the apron of her dress. “Well, if you truly want to, then yes you can milk and I will go in and drag Sonja out of bed so we can prepare the morning meal.” As the old woman passed on her way out of the barn she stopped and looked Maleena up and down again. “I think Mckale has found a good one in you.”

She left without another word and Maleena moved to sit on the now empty stool beside the goat, hoping the dim light of the lantern would cover her blush. The goat turned her head and looked at Maleena with curiosity, its long ears framing its face. The goat had a convex nose, making her think briefly of Vaddoc’s nose. As she began squirting milk into the pail a slight giggle bubbled up at the image of Vaddoc with long goat ears.

“What is so funny?” Barden asked as he pulled his goat off the stand and put her in a different pen than the one full of those who had greeted Maleena.

Maleena shook her head and giggled again. “I have a friend, another Dragon Rider, whose nose rises like the goats do. My mind conjured an image of his face with these long ears on either side of it.”

Barden chuckled. “He must be a Shaderian, they do have quite a beak don’t they?” He pulled a goat out of the noisy pen and placed her on the milk stand then paused for a moment before bursting out laughing again. “That would indeed be a funny sight.” Still chuckling he settled down to milking again.

Maleena set her pail aside and unlocked the head gate. She placed the doe in the same pen as Barden had placed his and went to get another, patting the dog on the head on her way by. It took her a minute to separate one from the four still waiting. They all rushed the gate in their enthusiasm to be next. After a bit of wrangling, she managed to get one out. It eagerly ran to the stand and jumped on.

“There is a scoop in the grain bin over there,” Barden said motioning toward the wall. “Pour one of those in her feed bucket.”

Maleena did as he instructed and the goat happily buried her nose in it. She latched the head gate and settled back on the stool.

She felt Nydara wake and reached out to the dragon.
“Good morning, love.”

“Good morning. Do Tellnox and I have time to hunt before you leave Mckale’s sire’s house?”

“Yes, but please stay well away from any livestock.”

Maleena felt a flash of indignation from Nydara.
“We would never take someone’s livestock without permission. We leave to hunt now. Do not leave the house until we return, please.”

“I promise.”
Maleena smiled to herself, feeling a warm rush of love from the dragon.

Leaning her head against the doe’s warm flank still covered in winter fuzz, she began to milk, relishing the peace in the barn. Animals didn’t have the complicated thoughts and emotions of humans and they never intruded on her. Animals had more mental respect than humans although Barden had a quiet mind that she didn’t find intrusive at all. He reminded her of Mckale.