Dragon Dawn Read online

  Julia thought for a moment and had an idea. “Have you ever seen the creatures that your clan was named for?”

  “Dragons aren’t real, they’re just a myth.”

  “You’re wrong, Lynd, they’re as real as you and I. Here, let me show you,” Julia said and concentrated upon her illusion.

  Julia had never seen a live dragon, but she knew what they looked like from a couple of different sources. There were books in the library at Athione, and a number of tapestries in the great hall featured them, but by far the most useful source were the visions she’d had while under the effects of Tancred. When the sorcerers kidnapped her from Devarr, they had forced her to drink Tancred to keep her quiet. While under the control of the vile drug, she’d had visions and dreams of the founding of Deva. She had witnessed the battles fought against dragons and new what marvellous creatures they were. Dragons weren’t dumb animals as some seemed to believe. They were a people different from humans, but they could reason and talk… and wage war. The tapestries and other pictures didn’t do the reality justice.

  Julia concentrated hard upon the image of one particular dragon she remembered seeing basking on the shores of the lake at Devarr. The image of the huge creature wavered and solidified into being a short distance from where she was standing. With the waters of the river behind it, it looked perfect.

  “By the God!” Lynd cried in awe.

  Julia smiled and tweaked the spell’s matrix a little. Lynd paled as the black dragon opened its eyes to look at him. They were bigger than his head. Another tweak of the spell, and the lazy creature yawned widely to display its huge teeth. It kept its jaw on the ground and moved only its upper jaw and head, just as the dragon had done in her vision. Feeling more adventurous, she made it spread its wings and fan them. Another little additional spell made the wind stir in time with the lazy wing beats. Julia was enjoying Lynd’s amazement. She tweaked the spell again and her dragon obediently folded his wings and made his claws spring out to gouge the turf. For authenticity’s sake, she made sure to rip the turf below each claw. It was perfect.

  “Can I touch it?”

  “It won’t bite if that’s what you mean,” Julia said in amusement. “Try.”

  Lynd stepped warily up to the dragon and reached out. His hand sank into its head and Lynd snatched it back as if burned. The illusion was unaffected apart from a momentary wavering of the image where his hand had been. With more confidence now, Lynd reached out to run his hand over one of the huge wings as if stroking it. The image rippled and wavered.

  “He’s beautiful,” Lynd whispered turning to Julia in delight.

  The look Lynd gave her was one of pure admiration. Julia flushed and was grateful for the distraction that Kerrion provided a moment or two later. She used Kerrion’s approach as an excuse to look away from Lynd. Kerrion was leading a large contingent of his shamen to the river while behind him the camps erupted into a hive of activity. People were striking tents and packing wagons everywhere she looked. Lucius and Mathius chatted and laughed with Shelim as they walked toward her; they looked happier than they had and much recovered from the journey.

  “Is it time?” Julia said interrupting Kerrion’s scrutiny of her dragon.

  Kerrion nodded.

  Shelim cocked his head at the dragon then squinted at Julia. “Pretty,” he said and flicked a glance at Lynd. “Trying to impress someone?”

  Julia flushed again and let the illusion vanish. “Just something to do while I waited for you. Are you ready to tell me the secret now?”

  Lucius would have said something, but Mathius took his arm and whispered something. Lucius nodded and waited for Kerrion to explain.

  “There is no secret, daughter,” Kerrion said. “You could have asked me about it.”

  Julia nodded. “Maybe I could have, but would I have gotten a straight answer?” By her tone she made it plain she didn’t think so.

  Shelim chuckled and the other shamen smiled in amusement. Julia, however, did not. When Kerrion remained silent, she sighed and rubbed her brow. She was getting a headache and the twinkle of amusement in Kerrion’s eyes wasn’t making it better. Rather than argue, she gave him what he wanted.

  “Kerrion, honoured father, please will you tell me what you have in mind so that I can help with this spell?”

  Kerrion’s lips twitched. “There, that wasn’t hard was it?”

  Julia scowled and turned an indignant look upon Mathius when he snickered behind his hand.

  “I will show you what I have in mind,” Kerrion said waving his shamen into position. “But you will not be needed for the spell.”

  Julia began to argue, but then she shrugged. What was the point? As long as the spell worked, she didn’t care who cast it. Besides, as long as she paid attention she would be able to duplicate it when needed. She watched carefully as Kerrion’s shamen linked as she had taught them. Each group turned as one and began weaving a spell in the air over the waters of the river. Julia frowned even as she committed the matrix to memory.

  “Weather working?” Julia asked.

  Lucius joined her. “Amazing isn’t it?”

  “It’s something.”

  Mathius nodded. “My father was always good with the weather.”

  “So are you,” Julia said absently. “What does weather have to do with bridging the Anselm?”

  “Watch and see,” Lucius said.

  Julia scowled. “Not you too!”

  Julia shivered as the temperature fell steeply, but when she looked up, she found no change in cloud cover. The last few stars had fled during her demonstration for Lynd, and the sun was above the horizon now. She looked around expecting to see something, but apart from puffs of breath there was nothing. Frost began forming upon the ground and rime appeared along the water’s edge. The shamen took no notice of the cold while Julia shivered. Breath hung around them like mist. Julia turned to see crowds from the camps forming to watch the show. The problem was, there was nothing to see.

  “Where’s the bridge?” Julia said.

  “There,” Mathius said pointing toward the water. “It’s starting.”

  Julia frowned at where Mathius pointed. “Ice?”

  Lucius nodded. “Quick and easy. I’m surprised no one else has thought of it.”

  “Perhaps they did and we just don’t remember,” Mathius said. “It’s a clever use of magic I admit, but not exactly practical for everyday use.”

  Julia shook her head as a thin sheet of ice quickly began spreading across the river. Pieces broke off to float away on the current but the main mass continued to grow and thicken. It wasn’t long before the leading edge reached the far shore and the ice bridge spread wider. Julia shivered and her teeth chattered. She wasn’t sure it was all to do with the cold. She was impressed despite herself.

  Things began happening quickly after that. Once the bridge was thick enough to support horses and wagons, people began crossing. Kerrion ordered some of his shamen to maintain the bridge while the others went to help break camp. Mazel and the chiefs had things well in hand. Warriors on horseback carefully crossed the bridge and took defensive positions on the far bank. After them, the women and older children drove the horses across and into pasture. Wagons filled to the brim with tents and supplies came next, and finally the women with young children and babes in arms. The last to cross was Wolf and Bear Clan’s warriors—they were the rear guard. Mazel watched his family and friends riding away in silence. Chief Kornel was the last man to cross. He urged his horse to the edge of the ice and halted. He turned to look back and found Julia watching him.

  “Keep them safe, woman,” Kornel said. “Keep them safe.”

  Julia swallowed and nodded to her friend. “I’ll try.”

  Kornel nodded and rode his horse out onto the bridge and across the river at the walk.

  * * *

  6 ~ High Seat

  Matriarch Talitha contemplated her defeat. Japura was dying a slow death. The evil Vexin had done the im
possible. He had destroyed something that had endured millennia without change. He had destroyed the Matriarchy.

  No. That wasn’t quite right. Vexin had not destroyed the Matriarchy itself, she was still alive and continued to rule. What he had destroyed was everything she relied upon to govern—her princes, her domain lords, her great armies… her consort. All gone. All dead at the hands of Vexin’s war leader.

  Methrym.

  How she hated that name. He had killed her love and destroyed her world. He was even now in the process of killing her people and burning her cities. Soon there would be nothing left. She winced and laid a hand upon her swollen belly. Her daughter’s kick seemed to punish her thoughts of defeat. She stroked her belly thinking about Ranen and his daughter.

  What would their child have left to rule—anything?

  Talitha stepped out of her bath and covered herself with a clean robe. She should call her servants, but she wanted to be alone. In her bedchamber, she stared out of her window at the sea. The horizon was empty, just as it had been every day since her defeat. Her own ships remained docked awaiting her order to attack Vexin, but it was an order she would never give. She couldn’t. She no longer had sufficient forces to succeed in any attack. She didn’t even have enough men to hold her city.

  Arm the slaves… but with what? Send them against Methrym… but send them where? She shook her head. Her people would never question her judgment openly, she was the Matriarch and never in error, but they would not understand such an order. Talayan was too fresh in both her memory, and her people’s memories to risk arming slaves. Besides, only battle-hardened soldiers could save them now. Soldiers in numbers great enough to oppose Vexin’s entire empire. Only Tindebrai and the Empress Marzina had that.

  She could order the commoners to attack Methrym’s army bare handed and they would do so. She could order her ships to sack his ports. She could order any number of useless gestures, and they would be carried out without question, but in the end, they would amount to the same thing.

  Defeat.

  She could arm the people with pitchforks and farm tools and have them defend Pura to the last man, but could she watch them die for her from the walls of the palace? No, she could not do that, would not do that. It would be better to throw herself from the walls than let more of her people die for nothing.

  Talitha turned away from her study of the sea. Marzina had promised aid, but only a token force had yet arrived. That token was greater than Pura’s entire garrison. It was currently encamped not far from Orrisa where it spent its time scouting Methrym’s positions and avoiding conflict. Marzina had been very accommodating—too accommodating. She had not asked for anything in return. Not yet. Whatever Marzina requested for the use of her forces was acceptable. Especially when weighed against the probable destruction of the Matriarchy without Marzina’s aid. It was the only possible decision.

  Talitha wandered through her rooms thinking about her daughter’s future. Whatever she decided regarding the war with Tanjung, it would have consequences far into the future. Her daughter would pay for her mistakes and her daughter’s daughter after her.

  She entered her bedchamber and dropped her robe to the floor. In the mirror she saw herself—a naked woman heavy with child. Her eyes were shadowed and seemingly sunken with tiredness. Sleep came with difficulty in these days, and it was full of dreams when it did come. She did not know what the dreams portended. Perhaps nothing, perhaps they simply mirrored her daytime anxiety, but though she distrusted the dreams, she could not help but see truth in them. Her childhood lessons gave the dreams substance. She remembered Jarek’s lessons particularly well. He had always been patient with her, and his stories were always interesting. One story he told had great relevance to her dreams—the story of the great spell and the coming of the sorcerers to Pura.

  She had dreamed the dream of Japura’s ending, but it was the past that she saw, not the present. She watched the sorcerers using their magic to examine her ancestor, but at the same time it was her they were examining. She was herself, but she was also the Matriarch from that long ago time. She witnessed the spell cast upon her, and afterward she listened to the sorcerer talking to the chamberlain. The dream was dark and full of foreboding. It felt very real and important that she remember it. She could still hear that horrible old man’s raspy voice as he stared into a future only he could see.

  “A thousand years and more from now, the One will come to cry an ocean of tears over Waipara. When that time comes, mountains will tremble, and countries will fall. The old ones will return to retake their place. If Japura would thrive, end your slavery now.”

  Talitha shivered at the memory of that sly voice. If Japura would thrive, end your slavery now, the sorcerer had said. Almost a thousand years on, she was contemplating arming the slaves to defend a Japura going down to destruction. A thousand years had come and gone, just as the sorcerer had predicted. She shivered again.

  It was time to dress and face the new day.

  She did not call her girls to do it for her, she wanted to be alone awhile longer. Besides, she knew what to do. She found her silks and dressed in crimson Shalwar and Kamiz. She sat before her mirror and stared at her reflection. How could everything change so quickly? A year ago she had been contemplating her marriage, yet now she saw only defeat for her people and a cold bed. If only things had been different. If only...

  Her eyes hardened and her lips twisted into a snarl. She picked up the silver-backed brush ready to hurl it at her reflection, but sanity returned in time. She looked at the brush and then at her reflection. She sighed and began inexpertly brushing her hair.

  She brushed and brushed until her arm began to ache. She switched hands and continued. The simple repetition of her strokes allowed her to let go of her worries for a time. Slowly, stroke-by-stroke, she began to relax. Her shoulders loosened and she began thinking more calmly. A song her nurse used to sing came back to her and she found herself humming then singing the words quietly. Her daughter moved inside her, but no kick followed and she smiled for the first time in many days. Even Armina liked the old song it seemed.

  A candlemark of brushing made her hair glow fit for court, but she would not call her princes to assemble. Most of them had died with her army in Tanjung. Those who survived were even now retreating to Pura under the command of her ablest Strike Leader—Wakiza.

  “Matriarch?”

  Talitha gasped in surprise. She had not heard her chancellor enter. “What is it?”

  “Ships Matriarch. They were sighted a few moments ago.”

  “From Tindebrai?”

  “Yes Matriarch. Our allies have finally come,” Nekane said.

  Talitha smiled grimly. Now Methrym would die. “Have my servants attend me. I must dress to receive Marzina’s envoy.”

  “At once Matriarch!” Nekane said and turned to go.

  “Summon Verner also, I have questions for him.”

  “Yes Matriarch.”

  Talitha smiled coldly. Verner would not like her questions, but he would answer if he knew what was good for him. He was her dog to call. Best he remember it.

  The while was taken with pampering. Her girls fussed and powdered, painted and combed, until Talitha looked at herself in the mirror and saw the Matriarch standing imperiously before her. The grim look on her lips and the flinty look in her eyes reminded her that strongly of her mother—they could have been twins. Thinking of twins brought Verner’s present to mind. She had given him a pair of slave girls—twin sisters. He had been obvious in his desire for them, and she knew at once that she could own him through them.

  “Has Verner arrived?” she asked her chancellor who stood to one side watching her.

  “Yes, Matriarch. He awaits you in the solarium.”

  “Good. And Ishani?”

  “She is outside.”

  “Bring her in.”

  The chancellor bowed and opened the door to usher the slave girl into the room.

  Talitha
motioned her servants to leave as Ishani entered with her eyes lowered. She was a pretty little thing. A perfect tool to snare Verner. Such men, those past their prime, often needed a toy to play with—something to make them feel young again. Ishani and her sister were perfect for the task.

  “Speak.”

  “My master has…”

  “You have no master but me!” Talitha snapped harshly.

  Ishani fell to the floor, and lay face down in obeisance. “The Matriarch commands.”

  Talitha sighed. “Your Matriarch commands that you sit up and tell me all you know of Verner.”

  Ishani looked up uncertainly.

  “Now!”

  “Yes Matriarch!” Ishani said. She rose to her knees and sat on her heels. “My... the merchant Verner is a spy for Empress Marzina. He has many visitors late at night. Some of them are soldiers, but the others…”

  Talitha’s look sharpened. “Soldiers of the empire?”

  Ishani nodded. “They all wore black and gold tunics.”

  “You have their names I trust?”

  Nekane interrupted before Ishani could answer. “I have our people watching them all, Matriarch. The ones she refers to are force commanders and force leaders of those sent in advance of our ally’s main force.”

  “Very good,” Talitha said. She was well pleased with her chancellor’s foresight. “Watch them and have them killed the moment they betray me.”

  Nekane looked uncertain. “I believe they have already done so, Matriarch. They attempted to suborn force leaders Asura and Nechtan. They have not approached me, but several sons of prominent families here in Pura have reported blackmail attempts.”

  Talitha pursed her lips. “Are they so ignorant of our ways then? Do they really think my people would turn their backs on millennia of tradition to betray me?”

  “They are ignorant, Matriarch, but not stupid. They have learned, and continue to learn, about us. They have so far failed in all their attempts, but they continue to think of new ways to betray you. I will have then killed immediately.”