The innkeeper disappeared into the kitchen. Raymer tossed the purse to Ander, who tied it to his belt while ignoring the expressions on the faces of the others eating in the room. One soldier muttered in their direction, “You can have my food for one of those silvers.”
Dancer turned to the men. “Is there a banker who could provide smaller coins that we might use?”
A toothless old man two tables away nodded. “Mr. Sandler owns the store, though he’ll take a fair share for doing you the exchange service. Greedy, he is.”
Dancer held out his hand to Ander and accepted the purse. He selected a small gold coin and two large silvers. He turned back to the old man. “Would you be so kind to do this for me?”
The man stood, approached with dignity, and nodded. He said nothing and asked nothing.
When he left the inn, Ander asked, “Do you think he’ll be back? That’s probably more money than he’s ever seen.”
“No doubt in my mind. He knows that others here can identify him, but that’s not the reason. He’s an honest man. As simple as that,” Dancer said.
Raymer said, “You have a lot of faith in people who are not your countrymen or blood.”
“That I do.” Dancer turned to face a table of men taking turns rolling the dice. They often laughed or teased each other, and their game seemed to involve drinking massive amounts of ale. “If I might interrupt you? Do any of you know how long it will take to travel to Fairwinds Province, Castle Warrington?”
All of them appeared to be related, with long greasy hair and dark brown beards that flowed in all directions. However, a smile splits a beard as one man turned and said, “Three days, if you’re on foot and travel till dark.”
“Three days?” Dancer exploded.
The smile disappeared as the man stood and glanced around. He didn’t appear angry Picking up a round loaf of bread from another table, he walked to Dancer’s side. He set the bread in the middle of the table and reached for an empty mug.
“Bread’s supposed to be Bear Mountain. You’re here,” he pointed. Then he pointed at the mug located on the other side of the table. “Castle Warrington, on the coast of the Endless Sea.”
All eyes were on the layout. Raymer saw the problem immediately. While the distance they had traveled south of the mountain was about the same as King Ember’s invading troops, the troops had far less distance to the castle, which lay to the north. Even traveling faster than the army, if that was possible, would place them at the castle the same day as the invasion at the earliest, and probably a day or two later.
Dancer still looked puzzled. Finally, he reached for another mug and placed it on the table. “Aare? It is located here?”
The man nodded.
Quint had returned, and he shifted his gaze to follow the crude map with them and suddenly smiled. “Amazing how a loaf of bread and a few mugs makes it so clear.”
Dancer smiled.
“I don’t see it,” Raymer said.
Quint pointed. “Aare, the army that almost overran us while we were sleeping and your dragon came? They were not after us. Somehow they must have had word that King Ember is sending his whole army to Northwood, and they’re going to attack him while his entire army is gone.”
Dancer said, “Aare troops will travel south, down past the Raging Mountains and loop around the to the king’s Grand Palace while Ember’s troops attack Castle Warrington. Aare will take the Grand Palace as easily as King Ember expects to take Castle Warrington.”
The innkeeper quickly returned with a tray laden with enough food for ten. Quint pointed for him to place it on the empty table next to them while he continued to study the crude map on the table in front of him. The innkeeper set the food and drink down, and stood aside in case they wanted anything else.
The old man they sent for change returned and silently placed a fistful of coins, some small silver but mostly copper, large and small. Dancer separated one small silver and passed it to the man. When he started to refuse, Dancer shook his head and insisted.
Quint scooped several coins in his hand and raised a finger to gather the attention of the innkeeper. “Good sir, all my friends in here, including the soldiers, will eat and drink without fee for the day.”
The innkeeper glanced at the old man and the three rolling dice, the soldiers, and made a quick calculation. He realized he’d still come out far ahead. “As you wish.”
Raymer said, “What are we going to do about warning your family?”
“A fast horse?” Quint asked, but even as he muttered the words he was already shaking his head. It would never arrive in time. “I still have to try. Innkeeper, who has horses for sale?”
The innkeeper swallowed before speaking as if he didn’t wish to embarrass Quint. “Sir, there are farmers who would sell you horses, suitable for pulling wagons, but the best and fastest horses belong to your army. The officer you spoke to should provide you with them.”
“Right you are! Fleet, will you go tell that officer in the room up there,” he pointed with a thrust of his chin, “that I wish him to appear before me?”
Raymer stood and reached for a bowl of warm stew, the gravy thick and brown. Carrots, peas, and potatoes floated inside, but he saw no meat if there was supposed to be some. Before eating, he said, “I have something to do, first.”
He ignored the others as he walked outside with his bowl in hand. He slurped a mouthful as he walked. Then another. Behind the inn stood a grove of willows, usually indicating water. He walked in that direction, found a well-worn path and used it to enter the shade where he found a log to sit upon, alone with his mind. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the dragon that had visited last night.
Come to me. He waited and pictured the outside of the inn. Raymer allowed his mind to calm, trying to focus all of his energy on the dragon. Come. He waited for a mental response, but felt nothing but disappointment.
He had hoped that sitting alone without distractions would let him mentally contact the dragon. Maybe Dancer knew more about these things. He stood and started back to the inn.
The others were wolfing down food so fast he feared there might not be anymore, but the innkeeper appeared with another tray. Raymer sat beside Dancer and said softly, “We need to talk.”
“Tell me.” Dancer said between mouthfuls.
“I just became an adult and have not sat on any councils or heard the old stories. I need information about calling down dragons.”
Dancer stopped eating. “I told you that I know very little. When a member of the Dragon Clan is in danger, they can sometimes reach out to a dragon, and it will protect them. There are times when dragons, especially those nesting, call to us for our protection of their chicks against wolves or bears. Sometimes rats or ferrets try getting to the eggs.”
“So it is a mutual helping?”
“For most of us. There are whispered stories of men like you who bond with dragons. They share things in their minds. A bonded member of the clan can direct a dragon to do most anything, it is said.”
Dancer suddenly went still. His eyes widened in understanding.
Raymer said, “Do you think I can do that?”
Dancer had already anticipated Raymer’s idea. “But, how will it carry a warning?”
“I don’t know,” Raymer admitted. He felt a slight tingle on his back and at the awareness his heart began beating faster. The dragon had responded. It was coming.
“What are you two ladies discussing?” Quint asked when he noticed the expressions on their faces.
“Feel it?” Raymer asked Dancer. Then he directed a thought to the dragon. Land on the ground nearby and rest. Wait for me to speak to you later.