Dragonstar by Marc Secchia

Author:Marc Secchia [Secchia, Marc]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-08-15T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20: Faster than Magic

an hour before dawn, Tiiyusiel and Siiyumiel breached the Cloudlands abaft the southeast corner of Seg Island, and woke Hualiama by means of the imperious application of a light cannon shot to the rump. Thankfully, the blast was modulated so that she only suffered smouldering blankets and a scorched rear end. Rather less to her amusement, the Land Dragons first chortled at her telepathic howl of outrage, and then proceeded to upbraid her for bargaining with Numistar at considerable, detailed and vitriolic length.

Mutinously, she listened with half an ear while she tried to work out exactly how they had bent light to singe her behind alone, amidst an encampment of thousands.

Dragons!

There was useful intelligence. Life under the Cloudlands was busy indeed. It seemed that every Land Dragon within four thousand leagues was on his, hers or its way to Fra’anior Cluster, with at least five separate wars being fought en route. Numistar, after tarrying near Noxia for two days for no purpose even the great Wisdom could discern, had made good progress around the Spits and now stood poised south of Rolodia Island, ready to make a full-frontal assault on Fra’anior Cluster. All she awaited was word that the Star Dragoness and her forces had taken off from Seg, and Affurion and the Lost Islands Dragonkind from Xinidia, which they had invaded and overrun, although at a cost. The great Air Breathers bearing the nation of Lost Islands Humans on their backs had settled around the southerly curve of Fra’anior Cluster, protecting the Island which Azziala had symbolically declared her own – Fra’anior Island, alias, King Chalcion’s former stomping ground.

Significant. By this move, she distanced herself from the Dragonkind, Hualiama realised, and the Air Breathers could form a second layer of fortification, one outside the Cluster and one within, reached, she assumed, through the deepest channel between the rim Islands at the easterly tip of Ha’athior Island. That turned Fra’anior Cluster into a virtually impregnable fortress – unless one was a Dragoness the size of Numistar. Then, all bets were rendered null and void.

We suspect she will confront you and Numistar near the Natal Cave, Siiyumiel continued to expound. Again, a politically and historically astute move. If she is able to mine the power of horiatite, that choice will position her in a place of great power indeed. The Air Breathers manoeuvre to make ingress to the caldera difficult. Furthermore, the Empress has succeeded in dominating our mighty brethren at last and making them hers. We must expect no help from that quarter. We have, of course, treated with Affurion of the Lesser Dragonkind – on your behalf, before Numistar informed us of your perfidy in granting that Ancient Power access to the First Egg.

From the spit of rock she had chosen to overlook the Cloudlands and the shells of the two mighty Land Dragons, Hualiama bowed gingerly. Am I to be allowed to explain, noble –

NO! Siiyumiel somehow managed to form a frown that measured a mile from edge to edge.

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