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sympathy instead. There were large tears, which he bravely wiped away.
"My mommy left me. "
No doubt. Who could blame her? I showed not a trace of compassion (I
had plenty of practice in that department). At last he made a show of
sittin' stiffer and straighter and lettin' the tears dry up.
"Okay, Jakster... " His name lingered in my mouth.
"Jax, " the dragon rumbled, and was still. The Old Grouch liked t' keep
names simple. One of his quirks.
"We'll call you Jax, " I continued.
The kid gave a friendly shrug and said, "Okay. "
"Your show, " I told the dragon.
Croesus opened his eyes. They shone brightly. "We've wasted enough
time. Why don't you head back upwind?"
Good idea, if I didn't say so myself. I took one last glance at the
kid. He was diggin' in his pack. He didn't pay any attention to the
dragon. Either he was fearless, as I said-or stupid. I turned away.
"Uh, Mr. Stoic?"
I froze in surprise. Mr. Stoic?
Before I could respond, he went on, "My mommy said to give you this. "
I tensed as his hand came out of the pack, but he was only holdin' a
note.
It was her handwritin' all right. Raslyn. Just touchin' that bit of
parchment felt the same as puttin' my hand in a wasp nest. I jammed the
paper into my pocket. I didn't need to look at it. All of a sudden
realization hit me, and I knew what it'd probably say. Then I was
standin' there, facin' down the dragon and the boy, not quite sure how
I got into this mess.
"Anything I should know?" Croesus mocked, waitin' for my departure.
"You already know all about Raslyn, " I snapped back.
The Old Grouch gave a good imitation of a shrug. "Yes. And what I
didn't know I guessed, " he said pointedly, rollin' his eyes toward
Jax. "But it doesn't matter, does it? He's mine to do with as I will?"
Oh, so polite, for one as powerful as he.
"Always has been, " I replied, my face red. "And I sure don't screen
your food for you. What am I, a taste tester?" I muttered curses,
embarrassed at myself for hesitatin' over this no-'count child, and
stomped off toward an upper ledge.
Croesus waited till he saw that I was uncomfortably settled, then
exhaled in the kid's direction.
To my surprise, Jax didn't seem to react, while I found myself thinkin'
of that burnin' village again. I was beginnin' to catch on this time.
The vision got deeper, richer, more detailed on the edges. I could hear
the villagers screamin', feel the heat of the flames. Odd thing was-no
one seemed hurt.
And where were the cutthroats who'd started the blaze? Stealin' loot?
What could a poor place like this village have worth takin'?
From my lookout, I could see Croesus circle Jax. The dragon looked
behind the kid's little ears, under his pudgy arms, inside his mouth
full of gapped teeth. (He'd lost a couple in front. ) The kid had a
lopsided smile. He had sheathed his toy sword and seemed to be enjoyin'
himself as the dragon poked at him.
Suddenly I felt as though I'd stepped into an anthill and sunk up to my
neck. The itchin' I'd felt when we'd first landed just set my body
afire.
I considered the kid. Nah, no way he could've been trained to that
level yet. It took years. Those visions s'gested Jax had a hefty dose
of the gift, but it wasn't the kid makin' me itch. No. I finally had to
admit, it was much worse than magic.
I hadn't seen or touched Raslyn in six or seven years. We used to dally
in this cave right here. Other times we went to her hut 'midst
clatterin' and crashin' of magical stuff crowdin' every surface. Raslyn
was the most wonderful flesh I'd ever set hands on then or since. Had a
nice smile, too. I sure could've got used to wakin' up with her
around... if she wasn't so, well, contrary. Argumentative.
I left her in the darkest hour of the darkest night, tried to leave
without fuss or clues. But her mage breed isn't easily fooled. 'Sides,
I was clumsier then. Without openin' those gorgeous all-knowing eyes,
she whispered in her conjurin' voice, "You will meet your fate one day.
Should you be tempted to escape when Fate calls, know that I have
marked you. " She opened her eyes then, though her face still held the
restful calm of untroubled sleep. "It will not be denied. "
Whenever I thought back to that night, I tried to tell m'self I'd left
just in time. But the lady taught lessons. She always spoke true, and
she had the will to wait even if it took years. I couldn't think of a
one who crossed her who didn't 'ventually get a reminder.
Ever since, I guess, I knew my time was comin'. At first, ev'ry
peculiar pain or strange itch, I'd been sure was my end. Still, any
mercenary has to live with such, and I got used to odd symptoms after a
while.
I rubbed at a bruise on my tailbone. Days on a dragon's back, I told
myself.
I watched the dragon keep pokin' at Jax as I reluctantly unfolded the
note. It said, "Fate. She's yours. Honor her. "
Fate-that fickle female. She sure was mine.
I looked up to see the Old Grouch licking the kid's face. You might've
thought he was just bein' puppy-dog friendly, but you'd 've been wrong.
Jax knew it too. The dragon held Jax out as if to get a better view,
then lowered the kid toward his open mouth.
"Stop that!" Jax and I yelled as one.
"Interesting, " Croesus responded. He paused, but held the kid
dangerously close to those jaws.
Raslyn's magic was powerful. The itchy feelin' got unbearable. Suddenly
I had to stop Croesus. I jumped up and slipped on loose rock. "Don't do
that!" I shouted as I fell.
The dragon turned to face me, then moved to bring us at eye level. I
was half on my back. His bulgin' eyes, his flared nostrils, his huge
form blocked all else from my sight. We both knew who was master here
and had been from the first.
In a voice he used only when he thought his smarter enemies might yet
have the sense to run away, the dragon said, "I've decided to eat the
child. What concern is it of yours?"
I shook myself. My face itched. I turned it into an embarrassed smile. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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