They were much more useful to me alive. I would have appealed to their greed, offered them more than the knights-their very lives-and turned their betrayal to my advantage. They would have feared my eternal wrath forever after.
Takhisis paused. Her blue head hissed wordlessly. As it was, you helped them destroy the wing.
Khisanth found her voice. "I saved the wing!"
Only vanity would make you view the devastation at Shalimsha as a victory, the same vanity that has made you refuse to take a rider….
"But you don't-" Khisanth stopped the thought.
/ know of the betrayals that have forged your personality-and your pride. You have gleaned less from them than you should.
The five heads swayed to an unheard cadence. You need consider only this one example: If you had taken a rider after your arrival at the wing, you would have secured the rightful position of second dragon. You gave inferior dragons like Khoal power over you. Had you been their superior, they could not have betrayed me.
"Maldeev could have made me second dragon without a rider!"
It was not his rule to break, the voice cut in sternly. / deter shy;mined the policy regarding riders. Maldeev is simply an agent whose function is to enforce my edicts. Again, only vanity would make you think yourself worthy of his risking a god's retribution.
You are right about one thing, though, the voice said in a slightly conciliatory tone. Humans are an inferior race. That is the crux of the whole, upcoming war. They currently control all of Krynn. Until I can return in physical form-which I am using them to help me accomplish-they are necessary annoyances. Like lemures.
That last comment, spoken with a hint of amusement, reas shy;sured Khisanth that she was not beyond redemption. "I thought I was honoring my queen. Must I take a rider?"
Only if you do not wish to repeat your mistakes and risk my wrath a second time.
"Humans are so easily swayed by emotion. How will I find one who is both worthy and true?"
You will live to do much greatness in my name, Khisanth, but trust no one. What you seek is a human worthy of your talents. Look in unexpected places. You will know him when the time comes.
The Dark Queen's five heads began to turn away. There is much work and little time to rebuild the Black Wing. Commit my words to memory, Khisanth, for I fear a second meeting would not go as well for you.
"Thank-" was all the humbled black dragon could squeeze out before the majesty of the Queen of Darkness faded into the barren landscape.
Just as abruptly and with scarcely a puff of smoke, Khi shy;santh left the Abyss. She landed squarely in a scene nearly as bleak as the Infernal Realms. Around her, in the scant light of dusk, soldiers with battle-blackened faces picked through the charred wreckage of Shalimsha Tower.
Chapter 20
Thougb the late summer day was gray and rainy outside the great hall, only one candle was lit inside. The shadows it cast mir shy;rored Maldeev's mood. The dragon highlord sat, slumped in his ornate, claw-footed chair, hands curled tightly around the miniature dragon heads at the ends of the armrests. He heard his water clock whirring behind him. Maldeev didn't care to look at it. He wanted no joy to intrude on his dark humor.
"We've got to rebuild, and quickly," Jahet was saying, her words drumming an annoying rhythm in his brain.
"What do you think I've been doing since those damned knights attacked me? The remaining troops are in the process of rebuilding the tower-again. Salah Khan has spent time recruiting humans to the north to replace those lost in the slaughter. Any minute now I'm expecting two regiments of these new draconians Neraka keeps yammering about. If
they're any good, I'll call in the promise of more soon after."
"But we need more dragons now," said Jahet.
'That's your job," snarled Maldeev, folding his arms. He sank deeper into his big chair. "I've done mine."
Jahet closed her eyes to silence an equally angry retort.
The tension between Jahet and Maldeev had become pal shy;pable since the battle, almost a living, breathing thing. But, out of respect, they had stopped just short of accusations, not asked the obvious questions that burned in both their throats.
"How do you propose I go about that?" Jahet asked, her tone snide. "Shall I put up posters in pubs, like Khan is doing to recruit human mercenaries?"
"How would I know? You're so fond of pointing out that I don't understand black dragons," said Maldeev. "How did the others come to join the wing?"
"Word of mouth," said Jahet. 'The news will get out to the surrounding swamps that we're looking for recruits."
"We can't wait for that."
Jahet sighed in agreement. "I'll think of something."
"You'd better," the highlord spat, jumping to his feet to pace around on the reed-covered floor. "The decimation of the Black Wing-by our own forces! — was the last thing my reputation needed now." He snorted angrily. "I'll wager all the other highlords are laughing at me even as we speak!"
Jahet tried to think of something comforting to tell her soul mate, but nothing came to mind. The betrayal of his own forces-before the war had even started-was an enormous black mark on Maldeev's record. On hers as well. All Jahet could manage was a weak, "We'll restore order and come back even stronger."
Maldeev was forming a response when they both became aware that the dim natural light inside the hall had been abruptly cut off. Looking toward the courtyard, they saw, to their utter amazement, the dragon Khisanth. She looked to be seeking an audience. Maldeev's first thought was to grab his highlord mask, since it was rare, if ever, that a highlord's troops should see his face. Something stayed his hand from the mask that hung from a knob on the back of the ornate chair.
Curiosity made Maldeev wave the other black dragon into the vast chamber. Now doubly surprised, Jahet spoke first.
"This is a grave violation of protocol, Khisanth."
Like a dog, Khisanth shook the rain water from her scales before stepping inside and answering, "True enough. But what I have to say affects the entire wing, more specifically its highlord and most trusted dragon. I thought it efficient to address you both at once."
Khisanth glanced up at last and saw their skeptical, annoyed looks. "If you're more concerned with protocol than rebuilding this wing as swiftly as possible, then perhaps I've overestimated you both." The dragon turned to leave.
"Give me cause to listen," Maldeev challenged. "Quickly."
Khisanth turned back halfway and laughed ironically. "I'd say it was already worth your while, since I'm one of the only two dragons you still have on your side."
"Thanks to you, that's true enough." Maldeev blinked in disbelief at the dragon's gall.
Khisanth didn't flinch from his reproach. "Once I learned of the betrayal, I did what I thought best to minimize the damage." Her eyes narrowed as she added, "If their human riders had been the least bit perceptive or intelligent, the dragons couldn't have plotted without their knowledge."
It was Jahef s turn to flinch. Khisanth had unwittingly laid bare the unspoken crux of the tension between Jahet and Maldeev. Why hadn't his commanders known? Why hadn't she known, as the leader of the dragons? It didn't help that Khisanth had obviously avoided implying the latter about her friend. The question was obvious.
The conversation's turn made Maldeev uncomfortable as well. "Clearly, their human commanders were inferior. As you well know, they've paid the price."
Khisanth did know. She and Jahet had been given the honor, for the amusement of the remaining troops, of tearing apart second-in-command Wakar and the other two officers, including Dimitras, in a dragon tug-of-war on the drill field.
Maldeev arched one brow at Khisanth. "Surely, you don't risk my wrath-twice-simply to point out my faults." Jahet