Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Author:Naomi Novik [Novik, Naomi]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3, pdf
Tags: Demonoid Upload 3
ISBN: 9780345496881
Publisher: Lisa's E-Book Collection
Published: 2008-07-08T04:00:00+00:00

doing everything nice, and giving his dragons pavilions and treasure, too, I expect: I am sure no-one is

complaining to her. ”

Admiral Roland snorted. “Well, whether she has had much work or not, I am confident this is the best

explanation for how he has laid hands on a hundred spare dragons, in so little time; he hasn’t taken a

single beast off his eastern borders at all. And that means he can afford to spend a few dozen of them to

harry our foot, on the march.”

Laurence nodded, and Temeraire saw the danger plainly: with the infantry walking to Scotland, they

would be an easy target on the road for aerial assault; and going at their creeping pace of twenty miles a

day would be in striking range of dragons headquartered at London for a week.

“The unharnessed beasts can less easily be taken by boarding, if Bonaparte should manage to put

together some clever little strike,” she went on, “so it would be just as well to make Temeraire’s regiment

the guard; and let him hash this out with Wellesley, before we have a mutiny on our hands: I haven’t the

right to promise them anything, and you may be sure if I did their Lordships wouldn’t abide by it. And if

you do secure them any pay,” she added dryly, “pray be sure it comes to the harnessed dragons, too: I

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am sure Excidium would not say no to a little treasure of his own.”

“It seems a great bother to me, to be flying back, ” Armatius grumbled, when Temeraire had brought

back the news: he did not much like always carrying Gentius around, but he was the least maneuverable

of the heavy-weights, save Requiescat, so it fell to him nearly all the time.

“At least you do not need to carry a gun, too, in this direction,” Temeraire said, “and flying slower we

will be able to find more food. Anyway, we are going to go arrange for our pay, which is like treasure

that is given you every month without your having to work for it, so you cannot complain.”

Except the harnessed dragons sharing the park with them, who were disgruntled at not being allowed to

come along and get some pay themselves. “Well, I am going back with you,” Iskierka announced, and

would not be dissuaded, no matter what Granby said; and to Temeraire’s deep disgust Admiral Roland

finally said, “No, it is just as well, Granby: she will only fuss, lying about in Scotland or going on patrol.”

But despite this setback, it was in any case satisfying to be flying back south, even though they were not

to stay, because it felt to Temeraire a little as though they were reclaiming their territory; or at least

refusing to acknowledge it was not theirs anymore. He still did not like to fall back all the way to

Scotland, no matter how much more secure it should be, for regrouping; but if they must do it, at least

they should not have run there directly from the battlefield, with the French dragons on their heels all the

way: and

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