Page 44 (1/2)

Rhea arrived bearing a platter of on starved

"Please say there’sup and have him help you in the larder A whole side of beef--raw is fine; it’s hung" The girl fled

"Thank you, Rugaard"

"You were saying so a blighted egg Said I lied about her brother So…oh, what did I do? I challenged her, and anyone else who said I didn’t give a correct account of matters at the Black River So she appointed that old duelist ventlick of SiDrakkon’s to defend her word, NoTannadon

"Oh, I said some very fine words to that Quite a speech, all aboutht on ht all I could think about was my poor, lame father--he had a limp a little like yours; did I ever tell you that?--in the dueling pit How I jumped down atop his body"

NiVom looked away "I was terrified I flew, flew across the Lavadoaard, I’, nia painted on his for of the kind Nivo--NiVoht"

The onetiulped "Honored?"

"That you trusted me And you can trust h Keep quiet; there will be hunters after me, I expect"

"News of this is bound to reach the ears of the Upholder and his mate You must leave before they rise"

"Of course"

"I’ll put off the pursuit and confuse the word, if I can You can’t hide in the plateau; the kern kings onder at it and report to the Upholder The condors see much of what happens on the outer slopes The mountains trail off farther south; you could try there When Nilrasha gets her wings I’ll send her looking"

"What about your own--Oh, of course Well, so be it Don’t worry, Rugaard; I’ll speak to none but you or Nilrasha"

"I think the Tyr means for me to take over this Uphold when I mature When I do, and they’ve left, I’ll have the roof marbled white Look for it That means it’s safe to visit"

"Roof s are al enough for you to slip through"

Rhea and Fourfang arrived with the side of beef, bearing it on a pole between theaps in it, belched, and then crept out onto the balcony and spread his wings He fell into open air and soared off

Thanks to the cleartime as he flew south He called Nilrasha to hiated version of events

"So what now?" she asked

He alrief at NiVooing to do what I can to confuse the pursuit Then I need to see the Tyr"

"Darling, your wings are weeping I think they’ll be in any day now Must be all the excitement"

He went over to one of the square stone blocks bordering the balcony and tore his back across it Nilrasha gasped The pain, and with it hot, sweet-stinking relief, helped his ugly fightingBeautiful blue-veineddot of NiVoht, and pushed out the wing

He was thankful the pain blotted out some of the disappointment when it wouldn’t extend Theeach time he tried to unfold it

Nilrasha stifled a sob "I’s are uncased" She began to lick his wounds

By hooking the wing tip in a crack on the balcony and pulling his bad wing open he was able to let the on now, on’s work to do"

BOOK THREE

Dragon

"YOUR TRUE STRENGTH IS NOT DISCOVERED EASILY, OR WITHOUT GRIEF LIKE A DESERT SEED IT LIES DORMANT, WAITING FOR THE HARD RAIN"

--Lessons of NeStirrath

Chapter 21