The old man clapped his hands together then held one out to shake. “Welcome to our little club, Gray.”
“I suppose Caldor and Prater are also members,” Gray said.
Bear snorted, “Most certainly not!”
That news was more shocking than the revelation of a secret society that he’d been invited to join. Gray said, “I am at a loss in a dozen ways.”
The two men laughed. Bear said, “There are things in our world that are mysteries. Not magical or spiritual things, but common, everyday mysteries that others know the answers for.”
Shailer continued, “For instance, the Endless Sea is not endless nor is it a sea. It is an ocean, and ships are able to cross it, yet only one does.”
“The Lady Marion?”
They exchanged looks again. Then Shailer said, “It took us over ten years to find that.”
Bear just smiled and nodded for Shailer to continue.
“We know there are people across the sea,” Shailer said. “Yet we know of nobody who has gone there except the crew of the Lady Marion. Bear has provided casks of ale to ply the sailors of that ship, but none admits to setting foot ashore. We have no idea of what lies over there.”
A slight woman appeared from behind a curtain with a tray of cups. She flashed a smile intended only for Gray, or that is the way he saw it. She poured hot cider for the three of them, and indicated they should sit on the three chairs in the room, chairs Gray hadn’t noticed until now.
“My youngest daughter, Kelby,” Shailer said with a teasing smile. “No, she has not yet taken a husband, but that is to be understood. Who would marry such an ugly girl with her obstinate personality?”
Gray thought she’d be insulted. However, she laughed and said, “Who would want the daughter of a senile bookseller? If you had provided a proper income, maybe I’d have that husband you always speak of.”
She swept from the room. The three of them sat and sipped warm cider. Kelby didn’t reappear to Gray’s disappointment. That was probably just as well because he wouldn’t concentrate on the topic at hand, but only on the girl. The talk turned to maps, and Shailer pulled one from a shelf and opened it. He pointed to several items along the coastline, and to the Marlstone Islands, a five-day sail from the port of Shrewsbury.
The light was dim in the room, and Shailer found two lamps. He and Bear discussed several aspects of the map in detail while Gray’s eyes went to the far side of the ocean on the map. It was barren, devoid of names or places.
Gray listened but said nothing. The information they exchanged was mostly guesswork, with some drunken statements by sailors who were known liars. Other things were identified only by guesses. None seemed factual. Gray decided that he could not make any serious error by asking one more critical question since the pair seemed to know everything about him, but an answer might protect his family. “Tell me about the green dragons.”
Bear and Shailer glanced at each other with blank, innocent expressions. But Gray had been watching them closely. Bear’s left eye twitched, just the slightest of twitches, but enough for Gray to know they were aware of them.
Shailer said, rolling a chart and banding it. “Why don’t you tell us?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
After examining three more maps, all with vague and conflicting drawings of the coastline of Breslau, Gray came to the decision that they were all probably wrong. Worse, he believed it intentional, as did Bear and Shailer. Someone didn’t want people in the Northlands Province to know what Breslau looked like, how it was ruled, or anything else.
The sun was down before Bear settled himself into his chair and lifted a new cup of hot tea. Looking at Gray, he said, “I think it’s time to tell us of your green dragons.”
The information Gray had already gained would never have been gathered without their help, and he had promised to share, as they had. He decided it was in the best interest of the Dragon Clan to share at least part of the information. “A few years ago green dragons arrived here. They fight our red, tans, blacks, and even our greens. Having spoken to three different friends of the Dragon Clan, all confirm that the greens must come from another land. They first appeared in Fleming.”
Bear said, “So a search for their origin has begun, I assume.”
Shailer listened carefully, then reached for another map as he spoke. “Your friends telling you this may be wrong in their assumption. If you look at this map, Shrewsbury is further down the coast, located at the tip of a peninsula. It is also the first port of call for the Lady Marion when she returns from Breslau.”
Gray said, “No, the green dragons are seen flying near Fleming.”
“Look at this map, my friend. The ridge of mountains that makes up that peninsula is where they might nest. North of Shrewsbury, south of Fleming. It’s the same distance from those mountains to Fleming as it is to Shrewsbury.”
He was right.
Bear said, “It would also make sense for anyone arriving from Breslau to get off the ship there. It’s a much smaller port with fewer eyes watching.”
Gray reached for his refilled cup and realized he had not seen Kelby slip in to pour more cider. But his mind quickly returned to the implications the two had pointed out. They were right. Shrewsbury was a better place to arrive, with fewer eyes to watch. The dragons flying over the Fleming Bay could be a ruse to confuse the Dragon Clan, or it might be as simple as good hunting for the green dragons up north of Fleming.
Then there was Caldor and Prater. How did they fit into the subject? He felt certain that they did, but he didn’t know which side they were on. Tessa leaned to theirs, but she was not sure and didn’t trust him too much. But he had been helpful. Of course, that may have been a ploy to get closer to her.
The appearance of Prater on the road now seemed even more suspicious. However, how could he have known Gray would walk out of the desert at that place?
The biggest question and the one he’d been sent to resolve was why had a dragon-bonded newcomer, or other, helped Raymer escape? It would be easy to lose sight of that objective with all the other information he was learning. A simple answer came to mind, and he paused, looking at the wall with blank eyes as he considered it. Suppose that person had not intended to help Raymer. Perhaps Raymer’s escape was a coincidence or red-herring. What if it covered up something else? Or drew attention away from another activity that helped the others?
Bear said, “This is all very interesting, but if I might impose on you, Gray. I’m terribly hungry, and the walk to the Red Bear is safer with two.”
Shailer stood and as they walked into the front room of the bookstore said, “I would join you, but I would like to spend some time with my maps and studies and meet again in a day or two.”
That sounded both reasonable and met the needs of all. Outside, after short goodbyes, Gray drew in his first lungful of damp, night, sea air. Down the street, three sailors sang a sea chant, but he wasn’t sure if they all sang the same tune. A man wearing all black was slinking in the shadows. An older woman who tried to appear and act young tried to draw them nearer.
Bear navigated their way up the hillside and into the Red Bear Inn. He took Gray’s arm and steered him to an empty table near the fireplace. “I hope this is fine with you. I get cold these days, or I should say these nights.”
“I like the warmth.”
Bear smiled, “I’m sure you’re used to it.”
Answering would reveal another small fact. It seemed Bear never let up. Gray said, “I will need sleep soon. This has been a long day.”