Chapter 41
Fern
“My boys!”
We were in the air for some hours, but by midday, we had landed at a lovely estate somewhere in Harlston.
Not a grand manse like some of the properties around my family’s estate, but the sprawling home had a rustic charm.
Constructed of pine logs with smoke curling lazily out of the chimney, it looked out on a large lake.
The front door was flung open the moment we arrived, and a woman came bustling down the path and towards us.
This is the silver dragons’ home, Auren said, standing beside me as I stepped free of the saddle.
So it seems, I replied.
“You said you were going to be gone for a few days at most.” The woman shook her finger in Kael’s face. “A few days.”
“We sent word, Mum,” Kael said, slipping from Slate’s back and then pulling her into a warm embrace.
“Yes, a bird with a message saying ‘Have to stay at the keep for a while.” She imitated his tones perfectly. “‘Be back when we can.’” With a glare, she looked up at her son. “What was I supposed to make of that?”
Kael went to explain, but she cut him off.
“Lorien, darling, I sent a package of newly knitted socks and some more underwear. Did you get it?”
The man’s cheeks went a curious shade of pink.
“Yes, Elsie and thanks—”
“And Dain.” She took the man’s hands, and I wondered how she dared.
All I could see was that snarl I’d received when I tried to wake him from his nightmare.
This Elsie, she was utterly fearless as she gazed up into those hard eyes.
“A tinker came by and was selling some pencils that seemed of good quality. I put a few of them in the parcel for Lorien. Did you get them?”
This was the moment when he snapped something rude at her, I was sure of it, but instead he tapped his chest.
“Got them right here, Elsie. Fine things, they are.”
This woman, Auren observed. She is the queen here, and we are in her territory. We must be careful.
It was as if Elsie sensed Auren’s thoughts, because it was then she noticed Lance and me.
Her eyes widened as she took us in and that could be because we were a right mess.
If I’d known we were going to meet Kael’s family, I’d have found a comb and dragged it through my hair at the very least. Her smile grew brighter as she stepped closer.
“And who is this? Perhaps the reason why you lot decided to stay at the keep?” She nudged her son with her elbow. “Gods, introduce us, you great lunk.”
“Lady Fern.” Kael’s blue eyes danced with barely suppressed amusement as he gestured to me. “This is my mother, Elsie. Mum—”
“A lady?” The woman’s voice turned into a pained squeak. “Oh gods, and here was me, going on like…”
When she went to gather her skirts and curtsey, I stepped forward and took her hands.
“Just Fern, please, Elsie.” Up close, I could see the similarity between her and her son. The same dramatic bone structure was a little softer in her face, but her long dark hair was just like his. “There’s no rank in the corp but that which you earn, and I am just a lowly cadet.”
“Lowly…” Elsie shook her head sharply, then turned back to her son.
“She’s lovely. Lovely, Kael. Tell me you’ve been good to the lady.
Not rude and presumptuous like you are around here.
” Lorien let out a choked sound. “Oh gods…” She rubbed at her forehead.
“They haven’t been awful, have they? My boys, they have good hearts, but—”
“No brains to speak of.” We all looked up to see a tall man with iron grey hair had joined us. “Barry,” he said with a nod of his head.
“This is just Fern.” Kael’s eyes twinkled as he looked at me. “And this is the leader of our expedition. May I introduce Lieutenant Lance Axton.”
“A pleasure,” Lance said, shaking Elsie’s hand, then Barry’s. “Just Lance—”
“Axton?” Barry frowned. “No relation to Brand Axton?”
“He’s my father, sir,” came Lance’s reply.
“Is he indeed?” Barry’s dour expression was lightening by the second.
He came to stand by Elsie and by the way his arm wrapped around her shoulders, it was clear the nature of their relationship.
“You teaching these young pups the sword? I’ve done my best with them, but they’re too full of themselves to listen.
Think them dragons of theirs will win any fight they get into. ”
The silver dragons grunted at that, drawing closer.
“I tried to show Kael how to use a proper grip,” Lance said.
“Gods, still gripping it like its his cock, is he?” Watching Kael blink as he copped a smack to the back of the head was most unexpected. “How many times have I told you—?”
“Too many.” Kael straightened up. “So Mum, we’re only here overnight. We’ve got business at Blackreach—”
That was the wrong thing to say. She went instantly pale, her blue eyes burning bright.
“Not that hellhole.” A hard shake of her head. “Kael, no—”
I stepped forward.
“That would be my fault. We’re going to visit the Tomb of Terror.” With a nod, my dragon’s head rose high. “This is my dragon, Auren. She wishes to see the bones of Drathnor.”
“You’re going to take a lady and a queen dragon into a cave system used by smugglers and thieves?” Elsie rounded on Kael. “What were you thinking?”
“That the caves all but collapsed after the war,” he replied.
“All the more reason to avoid it.”
There are answers I need. Not everyone in Nevermere had the requisite psychic ability to communicate with dragons, but wild dragons seemed far more adept at reaching people’s minds than corp beasts.
I understand that this might be perilous, but you needn’t fear.
Your hatchlings… With a shake of her head, she corrected herself.
Your sons will remain safe. I will make sure of that.
“Oh, well, of course.” Elsie sketched a quick curtsey without thinking. “Please be welcome, my queen. If you’re hungry, there’s deer in the forest around us and cattle in the back paddock.” She turned to the silver dragons. “Show our guests where the good hunting is.”
Watching the tiny woman boss around three huge dragons had me staring openly, but rather than turn on her, they clustered closer. Each one pressed his massive head into her sides until she burst out laughing, giving each one a hug and a scratch before dismissing them all.
I will return, Auren informed me. After I have found something to eat.
“Now, let’s go inside and I’ll put the kettle on,” Elsie said. “We’ll sit down and have a nice cup of tea and you can tell me everything that’s been going on.”
Linking arms with Kael and Lorien, she marched back up the hill towards the house. Lance and Barry were chatting earnestly as Viridian left to join the other dragons, leaving just Dain and me to bring up the rear.
“Milady.”
I thought he was joking when he held out his arm.
It was the proper thing for a gentleman to do, escorting a lady into his home, but how did Dain know that?
He frowned slightly as I paused, then went to draw back, when my hand landed on his forearm.
The leather was cool to the touch, the size of his arm somewhat intimidating, and that kept me preoccupied right up until we walked into the house.
“Please excuse the mess.” Elsie seemed flustered when we walked into her kitchen. “There’s stuff everywhere. Kids!”
Her shout seemed to summon a herd of cattle if the thuds from upstairs were anything to go by. Footsteps, I soon realised, as children came stampeding down the stairs.
“Lorien!” Several of the smallest children threw themselves at the man. “You’re back! Did you bring us sweeties?”
“Like this?” He dangled a bulging paper bag before them.
“You need to clean up all this mess.” She gestured to a table covered in books, paper, paint, and toys. “Before you get anything.” Her focus shifted to Lorien. “And only one each or they’ll ruin their appetite.”
“Two it is.” He winked at the children. “Now let’s clean everything away. No, don’t go shoving it in the hall cupboard…”
As he marshalled the younger children, Elsie turned to the older girls. Some boys were sitting down with Barry and Lance, discussing the finer points of swordplay, I’m sure.
“You must want somewhere to freshen up if you’ve been in the saddle all day.” The woman was like a tornado, bustling around the kitchen and filling a kettle from a water pump before setting it on the fire to boil.
“That would be lovely, Elsie,” I replied.
“Ivy, can you show Lady Fern—?”
Ivy was a tall, slender girl who clutched a leather bound journal to her chest.
“Mum, I wanted to show Dain the drawing I did of Argent.”
“Oh for goodness sakes, Lacey then. Show Lady Fern to the guest room down the end. The nice one with the wash stand and make sure there’s fresh towels!”
“This way, Lady Fern,” a very pretty girl said with a quick bob of a curtsey.
I’d made the mistake of not grabbing my things from Auren’s saddle before she took off, but just washing my face would be a welcome thing. Flying through the air sounded so very romantic, but the reality meant you were blasted by drizzle, dust and even bugs the entire time.
“Thank you, Lacey,” I replied, following her upstairs. As I looked down the hall, I saw many, many doors. “This is quite the house.”
“Mum and Dad…” She looked over her shoulder at me.
“They’ve been fostering children since before the war.
Some of us are like Kael.” There was a little sigh at his name.
“And are by-blows of the old duke. He sent Dad to kill those kids, but he just brought them here for Elsie to raise. Girls like me?”
Her lips pursed, then she turned and opened one of the doors right at the end of the hallway. Light streamed in through a huge window.
“We were orphaned by the war. I was living on the streets and some men…” Her throat bobbed. “They thought that meant I was theirs to use. Dad set them straight and brought me and the rest of the kids here as well.”
“You lost your parents?” I drew closer. “I’m so sorry, Lacey.”
“Lost the ones that birthed me, but…” She undid the curtain ties and drew them across the window, then plucked a pretty jug from the nearby washstand.
“Elsie and Barry, they’re exactly what I needed.
” I followed her gaze as she looked around the room, taking in the carved wooden bed, the large wardrobe.
“Gave me somewhere safe, somewhere to work out what I wanted to do with my life, not forced to make my money on my back.”
“Oh…”
I was aware that some women sold their bodies to survive, but the fact children were coerced into that line of work had never occurred to me.
“I’ll just go and grab you some water,” she said, making for the door. “Be back in a tick.”
Sitting down on the bed, I let out a long breath before pulling off my helmet.
My hair was a mess. Trying to run my fingers through the mats made that clear, then I took a look in the mirror set above the wash stands.
Gods… My hands shook as they went to my cheeks, seeing the rings of white skin where my goggles were, the rest ruddy brown from dirt.
Then there was my hair. Tangled from riding Auren, bathing in the lake and then spending another day in the saddle, I looked positively frightful.
What on earth did Kael’s mother think when she saw me? I thought. No wonder she suggest I wash up.
And why does it matter what this woman thinks? Auren asked.
Human women don’t like to be seen as dirty and bedraggled as a rule, I replied.
So its not her good opinion you want, but all women’s?
Before I could answer, Lacey returned with a jug full of water and some towels.
“Here you go.” She poured the water into the large ceramic bowl sitting a small rose-shaped soap bar next to it. The towels were hung over the bar on the side and then Lacey placed a comb next to the bowl. “I took the liberty of grabbing a comb. Wasn’t sure if you had your own with you.”
“That’s a fair assumption to make.” I lifted my plait from where it hung over my shoulder, staring at it mournfully.
“I don’t usually go about looking like I’ve just rolled around in the dirt.
It appears the corp hasn’t dealt with the reality of female cadets yet.
My hair is one big snarl from flying free all day. ”
“Let me.” As I went to wash my face, Lacey grabbed the comb. “Ivy and me, we help Elsie comb out all the younger kids hair.” She shot me a shy smile. “I’m good at teasing knots free, not just yanking them out.”
“Oh, I couldn’t impose—” I said as I scrubbed at my skin.
“You’re a queen dragon rider, right? That was your gold beast I saw?
” I nodded. “If you tell me about how you bonded with her, that would be a fair exchange for helping you with your hair. The moment I discovered what queen dragons are, I dreamed of bonding with one. Maybe you can tell me about how the two of you met?”
Water dripped from my face as I looked back at the girl. That hopeful look, there was no way I could say no to that.
“Of course.” I rinsed the soap off my face then dried it with a towel. “But you don’t have to comb my hair for that.”
“I’d like to.”
Lacey patted the bed beside her and so I went to sit down.