‘It may look like the same dragon, but it isn’t.’ Velindre addressed herself to Dev again. ‘This mage will just be summoning one when he needs it.’
Not least because it would be so much more powerful than him, if he’s the novice we think he is.’ Dev shrugged, looking over to Kheda. ‘Which might explain why it hasn’t been seen lately. Perhaps he’s overreached himself and is laying up somewhere to recover.’
Kheda glanced at Risala. ‘Does this make any sense to you?’
‘I know nothing of magic’ She tilted her head, noncommittal. ‘I don’t want to know. Up till now, I’d have trusted her confidence, though, and Dev’s anogance.’
‘When have I ever let you down?’ The bald wizard grinned.
‘There’s always a first time,’ Kheda retorted. ‘Trust me to help you with this or set me on a ship heading north again.’ Velindre began leafing through the papers in front of her. Where was the dragon last seen? That might give some clue as to what the wizard summoning it wants.’
Kheda reached over and gathered up star charts and a miscellany of courier-dove messages from all across the domain. ‘You won’t find anything relevant there.’
‘Would you have such a thing as a map?’ She looked up at him. ‘I know you don’t trust your mariners with them but surely a warlord must know the extent of his domain?’
‘I don’t think you’ve learned as much of our ways as you think you have,’ said Kheda politely. ‘A map can only ever be a frozen representation of a single moment. A warlord would be a fool to rely on such a thing. We learn to recognise every reach of our waters with our own eyes, so we can see any changes and consider their meaning at once.’
‘Charts aren’t a lot of use around here anyway.’ Dev pulled a blank sheet of paper towards him and reached for a pen. Not given the way the sandbanks and mud channels shift once the big storms of the rainy season hit. Now, this is roughly where the dragon’s been seen the last few times.’ He sketched with brisk accuracy. ‘And these are islands where caches of gems have been left to keep it quiet—’
‘What?’ Velindre stared at him, mouth open.
‘The dragon—well, presumably this wizard you say is controlling it—he certainly wants gems,’ explained Kheda. ‘That much we do know’
‘Whose idea was this idiocy?’ Velindre looked from Dev to Kheda, her eyes wide, struggling for words. ‘Have you any idea what you’ve done?’
No,’ retorted Dev, waspishly. ‘Why don’t you tell us, if you’re so wise?’
‘A summoned dragon seeks gems to extend its life, so it doesn’t fade in the way I said it would.’ Velindre paused, rubbing a hand over her mouth. ‘I can’t imagine that any mage would be foolish enough to allow that to happen.’
‘Don’t expect any reason from these wild men,’ Kheda said bitterly. ‘We’ve seen none. They simply plunder and destroy.’
‘Are you saying we’ll never be rid of it?’ demanded Risala, alarmed. ‘What happens if this dragon has already got enough gems?’
‘It’s certainly amassed a fair hoard by now,’ Kheda said slowly. ‘Let’s not give it time to add whatever final jewel makes all the difference. How soon can you summon this dragon of your own?’ Not before I recover my own magic,’ snapped Velindre.
Kheda looked at Velindre. ‘When did you last dose her? With how much?’
‘The day before yesterday,’ Risala replied promptly. ‘With just a couple of pinches.’
Kheda nodded. Your strength should return by dawn, both of you.’
‘You were expecting them to arrive today.’ Dev repeated his earlier accusation.
‘You said that foul herb or whatever it was poisoned every cup of water I drank.’ Velindre glared at Risala with equal outrage. ‘You said it would take days for my affinity to recover!’
‘I lied.’ Risala sounded unconcerned but her hand tensed in Kheda’s. ‘I told you I’d do whatever it took to bring you here to rid Chazen of this evil.’
‘You fell for that?’ Dev taunted Velindre. ‘I’ve taken as much insult and deceit as I’m prepared to tolerate from you barbarians.’ The magewoman rose to her feet, directing the full force of her fulminatory anger across the table at Kheda. ‘As soon as my magic returns, you won’t see me for dust. You can deal with this dragon as best as you are able.’
‘That’s a steaming heap of horseshit, Velle, and you know it.’ Dev caught her sleeve and dragged her down to her stool. ‘You wouldn’t have come all this way, doped or not, if you didn’t intend to see it through. How else are you going to make fools of every mage who doubted your fitness to be Cloud Mistress?’ He thrust the map in front of her. ‘We won’t have time to waste once my magic returns because that bastard will send his creature out to find me again. The one thing those savages can do is tell when anyone’s using magic. So drop this masquerade. Where do we go and what do we do?’
‘We should go somewhere as isolated as possible.’ Velindre was icy calm but her skin wasn’t so sun-bronzed that Kheda didn’t see a furious blush rising from the round collar of her tunic. ‘So we don’t all get skinned and nailed to a gate for our trouble. Then Dev can indulge himself playing with his fires until the dragon turns up.’
‘You’ve no idea how good that sounds.’ The bald mage grinned at the prospect. ‘So while I’m playing teaser mare in the stud yard, what will you be doing to make sure that other mage gets properly served?’
‘Watching the skies.’ Velindre looked thoughtfully at the black night beyond the window. ‘It’s no bad thing we’ve arrived in the rainy season. I should be able to use the elemental forces of any developing storm. That and the currents of the upper air.’ She surprised Kheda with a sardonic smile. ‘These latitudes are peculiarly well suited to this kind of working. Perhaps that’s an omen in our favour.’
‘Hardly,’ he said, stung by such mockery.
Not if that’s what brought these wild mages here in the first place,’ Dev began thoughtfully. Did Azazir say—’
‘Tomorrow, Dev. I’ve had a long day.’ Velindre rose to her feet, face stony. ‘Can I expect a bed or shall I find some corner to curl up in like a dog?’
‘This would all go more smoothly if we avoided the insults,’ retorted Risala.
Her interjection gave Kheda time to bite back the wrathful rebuke rising to his own lips. ‘I can offer you a hammock with soft, fresh quilts,’ he said politely. Will that suffice?’
‘What do you mean?’ Velindre looked at him and then at Dev.
‘We’ve a boat ready and waiting, my girl.’ Dev stood up, adjusting his sword belt. ‘And as soon as we’ve dealt with this mage and his beast, I’ll be sailing north. You’re welcome to a ride, if you can think of something to trade for your passage.’ He winked lewdly at her.
‘I think you’ll find I can make shift to get myself back to Hadrumal,’ Velindre assured the bald mage, wiping the smile off his face.
‘Let’s just hope the dragon doesn’t smash this boat to kindling like the Amigal,’ Risala said soberly. Kheda squeezed her hand. ‘Let’s not tempt the future with such notions.’
‘It’s the middle of the night.’ Velindre looked at him, perplexed. ‘Won’t we attract unwelcome attention? What are we going to say if people ask questions?’
‘They won’t. I am the warlord, after all,’ Kheda said simply. ‘People may wonder but they won’t ask questions. We’d face far more curiosity if we wait till morning,’ he added wryly, ‘also because I’m the warlord. You’ve no idea how difficult it can be to do anything unobserved around here.’
‘We’ll get clear of this place and anchor up somewhere quiet tonight,’ Dev agreed, ‘otherwise we’ll have twenty boats sniffing along our wake, wondering where we’re going.’
‘Whereas if they wake up to find us gone-’ Risala nodded ‘—they’ll have no choice but to accept that their warlord knows what he’s doing.’
‘As long as he comes back with news that the dragon is dead,’ Kheda said incautiously. ‘And proof,’ he added, looking at Velindre.