He rode with them until after the midday meal. He waved
the drivers on. “Proceed to the keep. Tell my parents I may visit other
villages sworn to High
Peaks . I couldn’t choose
any of the young women here to be my bond mate.”
He slung his bow over his shoulder and fastened a full
water flask to his belt. Before visiting another village, he needed to be alone
to think about choices. He strode to the northeast.
*Help us.*
Arkon halted so abruptly he nearly tripped. Had he really
heard a cry for help?
*We are trapped behind a wall of earth. We have no water.
We need to escape.*
The second cry had been louder. From a walk, he moved into
a loping run. The voice reverberated in his head. Had some dragon been trapped?
He knew of no other creature with the ability to send thoughts.
“*Who are you?*
*Dragon. Lorton.*
Arkon’s brow wrinkled. What a strange name for a dragon. A
sudden thought struck. The voice had been two. Had someone from another keep
been trapped? He knew no one with Lorton as a name. His puzzlement grew. The
only dragon with no name had been the ancient amber who had sacrificed his life
to block the harbor where large ships used by the slavers and their wizard kin.
Did the ancient’s spirit haunt the mountains? He gazed at the peaks that seemed
to touch the sky. He continued across the now rock-strewn slope.
*Call me. *
He paused to hone on the voice.
*Come.*
He followed the sound until he reached the opening into a
cave. He halted at the earth slide. A hole near the top of the heap revealed
the head of a green dragon.
*Hurry. My friend needs water.*
Arkon pulled rocks and earth, tossing them outside the
opening into the cave. The dragon clawed at the other side of the barrier. As
the sun slid toward the west, the gap widened enough for the dragon to push
through. *Aid my friend.*
Arkon edged past the creature. He half-carried the young
man into the open. “Who are you?”
“Lorton.”
“How did you become trapped in the cave?” He held the
water flask to the young man’s mouth and waited for him to swallow.
“There is a cave with passages. Dragon chose the tunnel
leading here. For days we traveled through darkness until we came to the rock
slide. We dug for a long time.”
“Why are you here?”
Dragon spoke. *A red of your keep is with egg. She will
lay four, two red and two blue. I am needed and was called.*
Arkon smiled. “He is right about the red but there will be
but two eggs. No dragon has ever laid more than two.” He looked at Lorton. “You
have my thanks for helping the green. You can return to your home.”
“I won’t. Dragon says I must be here.”
“Why> I am to be the rider of the blue. No man rides a
red.”
*Didn’t you listen,* Dragon shouted. *There will be two of
each color. All will hatch. Lorton will ride the second blue.*
Arkon sank to the ground. *There are no High Peaks
women suited for the reds.*
*Two will come before the eggs hatch.*
MY PLACES
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BUY MARK
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