The Dragons of Noor by Janet Lee Carey

Author:Janet Lee Carey [Carey, Janet Lee]
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-1-60684-237-9
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Published: 2010-10-11T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

THE LAW OF THE OLD MAGIC

I have seen the dragons burn their dead and save a single wing bone to bury back in Twarn-Majas when they return home.

—THE MISHTAR, DRAGON’S WAY, vol. 3

Hanna settled by the fire next to Taunier. What now?

Thriss curled up in her lap but did not purr.

The Dragon Queen peered at each of the five companions in turn. Her yellow eyes landed last on Hanna.

“A Dreamwalker may step into the future,” she said, “but I see your powers are limited, Kanameer. You do not see behind you far enough to step back into the past.”

One of the hatchlings snickered, and the queen held up her tail in warning.

Blushing, Hanna ran her finger down Thriss’s scaly back. She did not look at Taunier, though he was close enough for her to feel the warmth coming off his skin.

“Still,” said the queen, “I would not expect any manlings to know our trouble. The Mishtar was true to his word. He pledged to keep our banishment from Oth secret, to pass on the guarded knowledge only from High Meer to High Meer. But all secrets pass away in time.”

Who had the power to banish the dragons, Hanna wondered.

“Do you know why we dragons guard the Waytrees?”

Miles said, “The deep-rooted trees house deya spirits, and they bridge the way between the worlds.”

“Rightly said, pilgrim.”

Hanna noticed her brother’s chest swell with pride. She could have given the same answer, but she was still feeling the sting of the Damusaun’s comment about her limited powers.

“Watching over Waytrees runs in our blood,” said the queen, “since the first age when dragons guarded the greatest tree of all, the World Tree, Kwen-Arnun.”

At the mention of the World Tree, all the dragons sent green fire toward the ceiling. The fire combined into a single burning tree. The tree seemed alive, its branches laden with silver fruit so ripe Hanna felt as if she could smell its sweet, rich nectar, so real she wanted to pluck and taste it.

Hanna knew the dragons had guarded the World Tree from the beginning of time. But the burning tree here in the cave was like a prayer, and more than any words it showed the love the dragons had for their Kwen-Arnun.

Slowly, the tree burned out. Smoke swirled about, clouding the high ceiling.

The Damusaun said, “When the great quake split the World Tree in the second age and drove a rent through NoorOth, tearing the worlds in two, we winged to Kwen-Arnun’s children here in Noor. We knew the World Tree’s offspring would have the power to hold the two worlds together if they were left alone to grow strong. When the manlings came to fell the Waytrees for timber, we did not let the worlds split apart. We fought with talons, teeth, and fire. Many manlings died.”

Hanna had studied the dragon wars; every child in Noor knew their history. But she’d not learned the reason for the war, or why the dragons fought, only that they’d been fierce enemies of man until the treaties were signed.

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