The Dawning of a New Age by Jean Rabe

Author:Jean Rabe [Rabe, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Boys & Men, Juvenile Fiction, Mysteries & Detective Stories
ISBN: 9780786928422
Publisher: ALADDIN
Published: 2002-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

TO PALANTHAS

“What’s the matter?” Feril spotted Dhamon near the bow, scowling and looking out over the small whitecaps.

He shook his head. “Nothing. I was just thinking about... things.” He was, in fact, thinking about Feril. She’d been occupying most of his thoughts lately.

“Thinking about the dragons?”

He nodded.

“Some say there’s only a few dozen dragons left,” she said. “At least, that was the talk in the Caergoth harbor. There were hundreds just a few decades ago. I talked to an old sailor who said the bigger dragons have killed off the smaller ones. The big ones that remain have territories, like the great Red that rules the east, or the Black down by the New Sea.” She paused and looked down into the water. “And then there’s the White.”

“Dragons seem every bit as strong, maybe stronger, than before. The White magically altered Southern Ergoth. They have most of the magic now.

“I’ve never put much trust in magic,” Dhamon stated. “I prefer to put my faith in something substantial, like my sword. Magic is gone, for the most part.”

Feril frowned. “Pity you believe that,” she said softly. “Magic is still very important to some.”

Dhamon felt the red rising to his cheeks. He hadn’t meant to upset her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. He opened his mouth to apologize, but her words came faster. “How long before we reach Palanthas?”

“A few weeks. We only just passed Starport yesterday.”

Rig had gone ashore to conduct some business. He didn’t want a repeat of the altercation at Caergoth and instructed everyone else to wait on board ship. Several hours later he had returned with two hired mates, some supplies and several colorful shirts for Dhamon.

“Red looks good on you,” Feril said, fingering his shirt and laughing as she whirled away.

She found Rig at the wheel nearby. “I overheard you talking about magic,” the mariner told her. His deep voice cut across the deck. “Magic fascinates me.”

I’ll bet it does, Dhamon said to himself. He was looking over his shoulder at Feril standing next to the big sea barbarian.

“The magic I prefer to use lets me assume the form of an animal,” Feril said. “But it’s very tiring, and afterward I feel as though I’ve run for miles. I can also just look through their eyes.”

“How do you take an animal’s form?” The mariner seemed genuinely interested.

Feril grinned, reaching for a small leather pouch at her side. Tugging on the drawstring, she slipped her slender fingers inside and retrieved a lump of clay. “Like this,” she explained as she worked the clay with her thumbs. Overhead a gull cried and she worked the clay faster, forming the crude shape of a bird with a thin tail and a dully pointed beak. She used her thumbnail to give the piece the semblance of eyes and wings tucked against its body. It wasn’t an especially artistic rendering, but it seemed to satisfy her. “The gull,” she said.

The Kagonesti held the clay image in the palm of her right hand and closed her eyes.

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