Tears of War (49 page)

Several people looked at the group and did a double take, calling out Kellinar’s name. As they moved through the halls, a small crowd trailed after them, many of them asking Kellinar if he was back, to which he just shook his head. He was; just not in the way they hoped.

When they finally reached the upper chambers, natural light flooded in from the multiple openings that all led to the broad, natural balcony. The upper openings would have stairs down to the veranda, but the only way in was up the steps at the front of the balcony. Only thieves and whores could climb those steps, unless they needed something, then they would be seen on the balcony.

It wasn’t good for too many to know the layout of the caves. The whores knew better than to say a word, none of them could afford to lose the business the caves offered. Not all of the men lived there. Every now and then one would take a wife and live a short distance away. Though not too many wives were willing to put up with the kind of life a thief led or the secrets he had to keep from her.

Belan paused when they reached his chamber. “I have something for you, Kellinar. It came almost two months ago. I kept it in the hopes you would one day return. Give me a moment I will get it for you.”

He ducked into the room and reappeared only seconds later with a piece of thick, expensive paper, folded and sealed with wax. Kellinar turned it over in his hands when Belan handed it to him. He knew the seal and who it was from. Tucking it into a pocket inside his lightweight cloak he looked at Belan. “I will read it later. First, we have a lot to discuss.”

A furrow appeared between Belan’s brows and he nodded. “Yes, we do. Things are not well here in Trilene I’m afraid. You would likely be better off taking these three lovely ladies and leaving the city, leaving the nation even, though I’m not sure where you can go and be safe.”

Serena frowned. “What’s happened that is so bad?”

Belan rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Come into my chamber.You can sit and have a drink and we’ll talk.”

Kellinar shook his head. “Let’s talk on the balcony.”

Belan put his hand down, a puzzled look on his face. “We can, although this conversation may be better had in private.”

“The balcony will have to do. I have a promise to keep. I know it makes no sense right now; however, I assure you it will soon.”

Belan nodded and led the way out onto the broad, natural stone balcony. Multiple groups of chairs sat clustered against the low wall around the edge. The Thief Lord walked to an empty grouping and sat. Kellinar sensed Shryden’s immediate relief the minute he stepped out into the open. He sent waves of comfort to the blue as he crossed the veranda.

Kellinar took in the familiar sight of the Mallay, sprawling out toward the city wall in a twisted tangle of narrow streets. The smell, forgotten in his absence, permeated the air. Kellinar rubbed his nose and glanced at Taela and Anevay. He sensed their revulsion. Nothing like the reek of old food, the canal sludge, occasional animal carcasses, and feces rotting in hot humidity to welcome one to the Mallay.

Except it wasn’t the same Mallay. The buildings were the same, the conditions were the same, but the people were different. Anxiety and hopelessness hung over the district like a cloud. It wasn’t like the people of the Mallay to look beaten and broken. Their lot in life was a hard one, but they stubbornly refused to give in or stop living because of it. The people he saw now looked ready to drown themselves in the canal.

“Tell me,” Kellinar said as Anevay, Taela, and Serena settled into chairs, “what has you so troubled about Trilene?”

His old mentor hesitated a moment before rubbing his forehead like it hurt. Finally, Belan sighed and looked at them. “Felnar may have been put to death, but it didn’t end there. One of the High Houses is no more. The two oldest daughters—Oksana and Paylana—the identical twins, do you remember them?”

Kellinar sucked in a deep breath. He remembered them, although until this moment he hadn’t made the connection. About his age, both with golden blonde hair. At one time he had only known of them from his escapades in the Trilene District. But at the mention of their names, his mind connected a distant and obscure memory of the two girls with a much more recent memory.

How had he failed to make the connection? Somewhere in the back of his mind, he’d known they looked familiar. Kellinar had last seen them in battle outside the Kormai where he had killed one of them. He thought it had been Paylana, though he wasn’t sure.

A squeeze on his hand drew him back to the present. He glanced at Taela, let his breath out and leaned back. “I remember them.”

Belan nodded as if he expected the answer. “They used magic. They used it to kill their entire house in front of a few dozen witnesses. Then they left with some sort of dark cloaked man. Left in a way that wasn’t natural.”

Yes, they would have had to leave with a Benduiren to end up in the Kormai. “So that is what bothers you so much?’

Belan leaned forward, placed his elbows on his knees and slowly rubbed his hands together. “I wish it was, Kellinar. Oksana came back a couple of weeks ago riding a big black dragon. At first, because she is a woman, the heads of the High Houses didn’t take her seriously.” He looked at the ground in front of him. “She killed a few children to convince them otherwise. Once she had their attention, Oksana let them know she wasn’t the only Dragon Rider and if they wanted to keep their life as they knew it, then they had best be ready to do as she and the others like her said.”

“And?” Kellinar pressed.

“And of course, being the greedy cowards that they are, they capitulated.” Belan wiped the sheen of sweat from his forehead. “I guess I can’t blame them completely. How were they supposed to stand up to a dragon? Or a woman willing to kill children with magic? How does one fight against magic? I guess the stories were all true. Magic does drive people insane. I don’t know where the dragons came from; maybe their insane magic created them like it did hundreds of years ago. I tell you, seeing that big black thing perched on the wall, staring at all of us with empty eyes, terrified me. I have never felt such hopeless despair.”

Serena rubbed Belan’s shoulder. “They carry hopelessness and despair beneath their wings like a cloud. It takes training to block it out.”

He turned startled eyes on her. “You have had encounters with them?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Serena’s eyes hardened.

Kellinar took a deep breath. “I killed Paylana.”

Belan’s eyes widened even more as he looked at him. “How did you fight magic?”

Kellinar sensed Shryden tense, ready to dive in and defend his rider should this not go well. He looked his old mentor in the eye. “With magic.”

B
elan stared at him for a long moment as comprehension slowly dawned on his face. “You…you can use magic?” Fear filled the older man’s eyes as he leaned away from Kellinar. “The charges were true?”

“They were true.” Kellinar kept his eyes steady on Belan’s. “The man they executed couldn’t use magic and they knew it. They showed up at an inn Serena and I were staying at five days after we left Trilene. They murdered Felnar in cold blood to cover up the fact they weren’t able find me.”

Belan stared at him as if he was afraid to move, afraid what Kellinar might do to him. Might as well get it over with. “Oksana was right, there are more Dragon Riders. More than you know. Oksana as you saw rides a black dragon. She and her dragon are evil. Her fellow Shadow Riders are evil.”

“Just like every coin has two sides, so do dragons. There is a whole other group of dragons. There are six colors of them and they are not evil. Their riders aren’t evil either. They call themselves Guardians and with good reason. They are your defense against Shadow magic and dragons.”

Belan slowly looked at the women. Serena nodded. “He speaks the truth. Have you ever known Kellinar to be evil?”

“The Kellinar I knew wasn’t, but magic drives people insane, everyone knows that. Oksana is proof.”

Kellinar shook his head. “Belan, my old friend, do I seem insane? Have I killed anyone? I could have come in here slaughtering people and demanding that you listen to me. Did I?”

Sweat beaded on Belan’s forehead as he turned back to Kellinar. “No, not yet.”

“Have I brought my dragon down on you and forced compliance under threat of death?”

Taela rubbed her temple and laced her fingers through his. Even with his shield, Belan’s strong emotions were affecting her.

After another long moment of silence, Belan cleared his throat, though his voice still sounded hoarse when he said, “Your dragon?” Belan’s voice came out hoarse.

Kellinar pointed at the dots circling high in the sky. “It is the reason we are out here on the balcony. He worried for my safety and wanted me somewhere he could see me.”

“You talk to him?”

“Of course; we are a part of each other. Our hearts, minds, and souls are one. We share thoughts and conversations in our minds frequently.”

Belan sat in silence for a long time, leaned back in the chair and stared at the dots slowly circling high above them. When his eyes finally dropped to Kellinar’s they were troubled, though they lacked some of the fear that had shadowed them before. “Oksana didn’t speak to her dragon in that way. Perhaps it was just for show, but every order she gave was spoken aloud.”

“It wasn’t for show. Shadow Riders are not a blending of two souls. The rider must give up half their soul in order to hatch a black egg. The dragon is an extension of them much the way your arm is an extension of you.” Kellinar propped his ankle on the opposite knee. “You consciously reach for a drink in the same way she gives orders, but you don’t hold conversations with your arm.”

Serena smiled. “And we don’t order our dragons about. In fact, it would impossible. They are linked to us, but they are still their own beings with their own thoughts and minds. We may request something of them, but we don’t order them.”

Belan shifted his gaze to her. “We? You mean you have a dragon too?”

Taela laughed softly. “Kellinar described you as a learned man. Did you fail to learn how to count?”

Kellinar ruthlessly suppressed his laughter. Belan wouldn’t appreciate it right now.

“Of course I can count.” Belan scowled at her.

She pointed to the sky. “Did you bother to count the dots up there?”

He gazed up for several seconds before looking back at her. “All I can see is a dot circling up there.”

Kellinar looked up; the four distinct dots were easily visible to him. Why couldn’t Belan see that?

Shryden’s mental snort came through loud and clear.
“He is unbonded my unobservant rider. How you failed to think of this I don’t know, but it’s a good thing you have me. Next thing you know, you would fail to notice a wall and walk right into it.”

Kellinar shot a glare at the sky
. “I would have thought of it in just a moment. If he can barely see you, then it is likely you can fly a little lower and still be safe from notice.”

“From those in the Mallay at least. You fail to see the wall again and forget the Trilene District is over six hundred paces above you and that is just the ground level. The wall and towers are higher. I think we are safer at this altitude for now.”

“I didn’t think of that. Thank you for your wisdom, my friend.”

Amusement ran along the dragon bond. “
Friends don’t let friends walk into walls.”