Dragon's Heart by Martin Gallagher

Author:Martin Gallagher [Gallagher, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Olympia Publishers
Published: 2019-02-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

She felt herself being gradually lifted up. With supreme confidence in Matra’s ability she folded her arms as he gently brought her down in front of him.

“Thank you, Sir Fangdragor.” Emeldra spoke aloud as she turned to face Matra. The dragon bowed his head in acknowledgement as Emeldra turned again to face the council. She noticed even her father looked a little pale.

“Hold the shield, Emeldra, while I turn back.” Instinctively she grasped the shield that still enveloped her with her powers as Matra changed. The inrush of air in the enclosed room blew out several lanterns and left most of the council members reeling in their seats. Emeldra remained untouched, standing serenely in the midst of the confusion.

After the display Matra put on, it did not take the council members long to reach a rough consensus. A lot of argument continued, but when the council finally broke up two days later, all the members left in no doubt as to the gravity of the situation.

The winter snows finally melted, bringing rain. The mountain streams swelled, flooding the lower valleys next to the Dragor Mountains. Unlike previous springs where people in most parts of Ladlian and elsewhere celebrated the spring solstice, the spring celebrations this time were muted, an uneasiness felt, as armies began to mobilise. Garrisons throughout Ladlian were put on full alert and patrols increased.

In Cyomatro the elite halberdiers were brought back from the far eastern provinces as an uneasy truce established. In Tulata too a temporary treaty was in force. The warring factions fretted over what the other was doing while looking nervously over their shoulders as if expecting some unseen foe to strike from behind. Frantically they began to call up reinforcements to strengthen their armies.

There were no red dragons to be seen anywhere in Tulata!

Commissioner Koan slumped numbly in his chair. The soldier who had just left had brought him the worst news he could receive. A sizeable force of rebels consisting of Tulatans, some of which were natives, and Paenalirs backed by at least three red dragons had destroyed several native villages and the small town of Keije to the north of Naya.

Panic had already started to spread in the streets of Naya as rumours that the marauding army was heading this way with at least three dragons. How they could cope with three or more dragons, he didn’t know. Some of his so-called friends in the merchants’ guild had already fled, leaving him to try and save the town. “Negotiate with them,” one had said before leaving; he laughed bitterly. There would be no negotiating with this marauding army. He would fare better negotiating with Sandar, he thought ironically.

All that had been said at the Grand Council was true. He had doubted most of it but had used the truce as an excuse to try and rebuild his depleted forces. He had not tried to keep communications open with Sandar as had been suggested; now it was too late. He stared at the jug of wine on his desk for a long time.

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