Dragon Blood by Patricia Briggs

Author:Patricia Briggs
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Fantasy - General, Fantasy fiction, Fiction - Fantasy, General, Fantasy, Fiction
ISBN: 9780441010080
Publisher: Ace Books
Published: 2003-09-15T03:39:12+00:00

Page 91

"The Hurogmeten got himself out," replied Rosem.

Duraugh shrugged. "Maybe so, but you risked a lot to help us—we can do no less."

The atmosphere of Menogue after dark didn't help, I thought. If we'd been back at camp with the men, the familiar noise and bustle would have drowned out Rosem's realization that he was standing on a place reputed to be haunted. No good Tallven would have been caught dead on Menogue after dark—unless he was awaiting the rescue of his liege lord by a pack of wild-eyed Northmen.

It affected everyone. Duraugh had been careful to lean up against a tree so that nothing could sneak up behind him. Tosten stared off into the darkness of the woods as if he expected to see something there.

Tisala played with the hilt of her sword.

I closed my eyes and took up a more comfortable perch on the waist-high boulder I'd found to sit on. If something out there meant harm to us, the Tamerlain who was curled up, unseen, behind me would give warning.

A wind came suddenly out of nowhere, strong enough to make the aspen saplings clatter together.

Tosten half drew his sword and turned to face the wind, but when I put my hand on his elbow, he slid the blade back into its sheath.

"It's Oreg," I said. If Rosem thought the wind was magic—well, dragon wings are magic, too.

The wind died abruptly and Oreg walked out of the trees in human form. "Ward, you have to come with me."

He could have meant a dozen different places, a meadow where he'd brought Kellen or drawn up a spell he needed me to help power, but my gorge rose in my throat because I knew. He wanted me to come to the Asylum.

After so long in his cell, Kellen was unlikely to trust strangers. He needed to see someone he knew.

Rosem would have done—but that would have meant trusting him with Hurog's secret. And I wasn't ready for the world to realize that there were dragons still.

Tisala could do it, but I needed to face my fears.

"Very well," I said, hoping my voice didn't tremble.

"Where are you going?" asked Rosem, sharp distrust raising his voice half an octave.

"To help Oreg," I said, and strode after Oreg into the trees.

When we'd covered a sufficient distance to hide what we did, Oreg transformed himself into the dragon.

The darkness hid him, but even in my fear I felt the familiar sense of awe that a creature so beautiful still walked the earth.

"Up," he whispered like the rustling of the yellow and red leaves of the autumn trees.

I had only ridden dragon-back twice before. It seemed a highly personal thing, so I never asked, only went when he offered. With the adrenaline of the knowledge of where we were going adding to the Page 92

excitement of such a ride, I was afraid I was going to be sick.

I set my hand against Oreg's cool and surprisingly soft neck scales and swarmed up his shoulder, carefully avoiding the delicate skin of his wings.

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