Chapter 16 Eyes in the Sky
~ DONAVYN ~
Late morning the next day, I tromped back from the king’s carriages, towards the stable, while the nobles who’d joined us all tottered back to the castle to sleep off the hangovers they hadn’t been able to avoid because their king had insisted on an early morning hunt—hours after the sun rose.
I’d wanted to skip it myself, but not because I was ill.
Rather, because I had more important things to pursue.
Neither Hanson nor Ruin had shown at the hunt, despite the fact that all the gathered nobles had been invited into the castle for the festivities, and were remaining for the duration.
I wasn’t sure whether knowing Ruin was close and thereby, accessible, was a gift, or a curse.
But it did mean that we could be more assured of visiting those dragons without being discovered when we knew where he was.
I wanted to leave right then, to check at the castle if the men remained abed and we could fly.
But there was no time. The king had insisted that I join them, and the only benefit was that, to my surprise, Rayv, the Furymaster, was there.
And the morning I’d thought would be wasted indulging a king and his courtiers, was instead spent mostly discussing the wild herds of dragons—we’d seen several fly over.
The king was annoyed with them, because his hunting birds were wary of them and would stop hunting, instead watching for the dragons as if they were predators.
As I stomped across the mile to the stable, I replayed the conversation in my head.
“Sometimes I think they know what they’re doing and they’re laughing at us,” Rayv said, shielding his eyes from the sun as he followed the silhouette of a large redscale as it circled far above.
“They always seem to appear more when the king brings his birds out, as if they like watching him get annoyed.
Knowing the dragon’s sense of humor, I wouldn’t have been surprised in the slightest. What surprised me was that, as Furymaster, Rayv wasn’t sure that the dragons would tease in precisely that way. But I had more important questions.
“The feral dragons circle a lot? Doesn’t your herd chase them off?”
Rayv sighed. “Not anymore. Years ago, yes. But in the past decade, our numbers have dwindled so much—especially with moving the dragons outside the city walls, I’m not even sure they realize we still have dragons here,” he said wistfully.
“But didn’t you say their herds mate with yours?”
“Yes, yes,” Rayv said with a dismissive flap. “But who knows how much the ferals understand about our arrangements with the herd? Those that connect with our dragons never seem to go back to true wild—only wary of us humans, rather than rejecting proximity altogether.”
“So… they stay close to the Primarch?”
“And the herd, yes. Even if they won’t take a rider.”
“How many do you have that are connected to your Primarch, but weren’t borne from your dragons?”
Rayv scratched the back of his neck. “It would have to be half the herd at this point.”
When I looked shocked he tried to reassure me. “They aren’t aggressive! And they’re very strong. I wish we could bring them closer somehow, get them to consider bonds. They’d be fantastic fighters—very long wingspans and tails. Trimmer than Kgosi, but many would match him for length…”
He’d gone on, clearly nervous to convince me not to give up on the potential for mingling our herds, but every word I heard only made me more confused about why this man even possessed a role in this kingdom.
And secondarily, how Hanson—or, apparently, Carnage—managed to keep these feral creatures in one place.
I’d already had plans to visit the stable and speak with Kgosi when we returned from the hunt. But after that conversation, I walked even more quickly from the castle, grateful none of the Lords attempted to join me.
‘Where are you, Kgosi?’ I sent as I drew closer to the buildings.
‘We’re sunning.’ Kgosi sent an image of himself and Akhane out in the orchard near the stable. But when I reached them, I discovered they weren’t alone.
Benji sat in the crotch of a tree, one leg swinging in the shade over Akhane’s shoulder where she stretched out on her side, eyes closed and neck extended, letting the sun heat her scales, but keeping her head out of direct sunlight.
I greeted Kgosi first, of course, but my dragon glanced at Benji the moment we’d embraced. ‘He is very quiet, Donavyn. He is not happy. Those dragons weigh on him. He worries for them.’
I felt the compassion and gratitude in Kgosi. He always appreciated a man who understood that the dragons felt and thought as keenly as humans.
So, after a quick scratch behind his horns, I passed Akhane with a respectful greeting, to approach the tree from the other side.
Benji saw me coming, of course, but instead of his usually eager attitude and bright eyes, he watched me sullenly.
“Good morning,” I said as I approached. “Are you well, Benji?”
He shrugged. “As well as could be expected, I suppose.”
I frowned. Close up, it was obvious the boy wasn’t sleeping well. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin looked pale.
“You don’t seem well,” I said as gently as I could.
He glared, then looked to the other side, towards Kgosi. “You said you wouldn’t share things I told you!”
I blinked, half-angered by his disrespectful tone to my dragon, and half worried for him. “Benji, that’s not how we speak to the Primarch—”
“He lied.”
“He did no such thing. He only told me to speak with you. I observe from your appearance that you aren’t happy, and because I care, I asked about it.” I folded my arms and looked up at him. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
I took a breath. “Well, would it make you feel better to know that I’m considering going back to visit those dragons, and I’d like your assistance if I do?”
His expression cleared of the frown, but his lips twisted. Benji muttered something I didn’t catch, but then pushed out of the branches and dropped to the ground. “Well, let’s go I suppose,” he said sullenly.
I waited until he’d gone several steps, finally realized I wasn’t following, and turned to look at me, before I spoke again.
“Benji… what’s going on?”
His shoulders hunched like I’d cuffed him. “Nothing.”
I gave him a pointed look and he shrugged.
‘I’d forgotten how irritating adolescent boys can be,’ I sent to Kgosi good naturedly.
He huffed. ‘In my experience, none of you ever truly grow out of the petulance of youth.’
I shot my dragon a look, but he’d stretched out in the sun as well, and joined his mate, only the tip of his tail curling and flicking like a cat’s.
“Crusty old—”
‘I heard that,’ Kgosi murmured in my head.
With a muttered curse, I turned back to Benji who looked back and forth between Kgosi and I, obviously discerning that we discussed something in the link. His brows drew down and his eyes went dark.
I tsked. “Benji, if you’re going to work with dragons for the rest of your life, you will have to become accustomed to allow privacy, and trusting their hearts.
Kgosi would not lie to you, nor would he offer me anything to hurt you.
But I am his bonded one. His rider. And he will always offer me more than he might to anyone else, bar his mate.
That isn’t a betrayal of his regard for you.
It is an honor to me, who shares his life. ”
Benji’s face fell, but some of the anger left his expression. “I guess I’ll just have to wait until I get my own dragon, then.”
“Yes, you will,” I said smiling. “And I assure you, you’ll be thankful for their loyalty and discretion when you do. But until then, the dragons have invited you into a world that very few human beings enjoy: the ability to speak to many of them. That is a gift I do not share. I envy it, honestly.”
His brows shot up. “You’re jealous of me?”
“On that point. Yes, I am,” I said, trying not to laugh at how round his eyes became at the idea. “So, remember: No one walks through this world with everything they would wish for. Not even the dragons.”
He shrugged, but his countenance seemed lighter, so I started towards him, clapping his shoulder when I reached him—and noticing that he’d grown taller.
Boys were like puppies, they seemed to grow in spurts. Perhaps his tiredness was merely due to his body’s growth?
“Have you been eating a great deal lately, Benji?”
“I’ve been hungry, but nothing tastes good.”
I frowned. ‘Is he ill, Kgosi?’
‘His heart aches.’
‘Can you share—’
‘No. It is his story to tell. But he has a great deal of compassion, Donavyn. Don’t be too hard on him for his anger. It is the way he feels strong. I am familiar with this pattern in the males of your kind.’
I huffed, hearing the quiet chide in his words and half-amused by it. But also, a little offended. ‘I don’t just get angry to stop myself feeling weak.’
‘No. Not solely for that reason.’
I shot him another look over my shoulder, but he was heaving himself to his feet and missed it. I ushered Benji back to the stable to collect Kgosi’s harness.
“Are you ready to see the dragons again? We’ll have to circle and make sure it’s safe to land. But if they remain alone… we’ll take you to them.” I spoke quietly, though Kgosi assured me there was no one near the empty stable.
I expected a return of Benji’s eagerness, but instead he shrugged one shoulder. “I am, but I’m not sure they’ll want to see me.”
“Were they upset by your appearance?”
“No, they just don’t particularly like humans and… I don’t know if they’ll talk to me again.”
I frowned and reached for Kgosi again. ‘Is this a mistake? Are you willing to try?”
‘I am. I see no other way forward. But start with little Lionheart. I will not intervene until we’re certain they’re in danger.’
‘Keep an eye out for Carnage, then,’ I sent bitterly. ‘If Ruin wasn’t lying, they listen to him. I assume he must be near them regularly to keep that place in their minds. Perhaps Ruin hid him there.’
‘If Carnage is near, I will know,’ Kgosi said in a heavy tone. ‘But, I suspect if Carnage catches wind of me, he will make sure he is nowhere near.’
That perked my ears. ‘You think he’s avoiding you?’
‘I think he has no choice. He remains under my Primarcy. Which means, he answers to me. If his human is undertaking nefarious plans, he will not wish to share those with me—assuming he knows of them.’
‘You think he does?’
‘I truly do not know, Donavyn. The events of that group remain foggy. All I know is that my heart is not easy. And I do not yet know where to lay blame—be it with dragons or man, Furyknights, or kings. Or more than one.’
‘We need to find out if these dragons truly are communicating with Carnage—and if Ruin is the one actually giving orders. How would he keep them in such a small area? Why wouldn’t they move and fly?’
‘They must move and hunt to remain healthy, but it appears all other time is spent in that valley. It is a true puzzle. And I believe little Lionheart is your best chance to find those answers. For now.’
I was frustrated, again, by Kgosi’s insistence on the autonomy of the dragons.
But I also understood it. Their hierarchy was earned, not through achievement, but by inner strength and intention.
When a dragon was measured stronger than others, and followed, it was because he’d proven to increase the strength of others, not curb it.
Kgosi would not interfere with another herd until or unless the dragons were in danger, or dragons under his purvey were proven to have acted maliciously.
Then, God help whoever he disciplined.
I actually recoiled at the thought.
‘A healthy fear, Donavyn,’ Kgosi intoned with what could only be described as the sense of a grin.
‘You enjoy your strength far too much.’
‘It honors the Creator to take delight in the gifts he has bestowed,’ Kgosi sent airily.
‘Then don’t forget, he also bestowed me upon you.’
‘Ah, yes. Our trials should also be embraced, you’re right.’
‘You know, for a Primarch, you can be a real dick sometimes.’
‘Another gift, thank you, God.’
I snorted and Benji stared at me, confused. I brushed him off with a muttered, “Not every conversation with the dragons is a gift, Benji. Just be grateful for those that you miss, now.”
Kgosi rumbled.
I couldn’t help smiling.