Page 76 of Of Steel and Scale

“Is there a problem, Lady Bryn?”

“No, Mik. I’m just here to grab a couple of things.”

“You sure you don’t need a hand?”

“Yes, but thanks.”

As he nodded and disappeared, I grabbed a couple of carrots from the tub kept near the door and walked down to Desta’s stall. She greeted me with a soft nicker and accepted the carrots in a regal manner. I smiled, rubbed her silky nose, and then headed down to the tack room. The smell of well-oiled leather hit me the minute I entered, and I breathed deep, sighing in pleasure as I walked through the racks of saddles until I found the section holding those designed for our largest coursers. I hadn’t remembered to contact the saddlers, and one look confirmed there was very definitely nothing here that could, in any way, be adjusted to fit Kaia’s back. The saddle trees just weren’t wide enough. Breaking them was pointless—I might as well just ride her “bareback” given how uncomfortable broken saddles generally were for both rider and mount.

I continued on to the area holding all the tack. One breastplate was never going to get across Kaia’s chest, and while I could certainly strap a few of them together, anchoring them would be a problem given there now wouldn’t be a saddle. Attaching them directly to a girth also wasn’t an option; aside from the positioning of her front legs and wings making that difficult, it would probably take a good number of them to get around her barrel. But maybe I could join a number together, sling them around her neck, and then fashion a simple U-shaped harness to anchor it—and me—to one of her spines. If I attached a couple of stirrups, that might help me maintain balance, especially given the wind turbulence I’d probably face. I had strong thighs—something Damon had discovered last night during one of our “lighter” moments—but riding a courser bareback would be vastly different to riding a drakkon.

Of course, if she turned upside down I’d probably still fall off, but at least if I was roped onto the girths, I’d just dangle from her neck rather than fall to my death.

Won’t turn upside, she commented.Uncomfortable way to fly.

I grinned.Good morning, Kaia.Have you been listening to my thoughts all night?

No. You mate. Thoughts tedious.

I laughed and shoved girths, ropes, and some D-rings to connect everything into a rucksack, then lashed the short bow and quiver onto its back and headed out. After collecting Maree’s promised packs of medicines, I headed for the gates. Mom, Kele, and two soldiers from my scout group—Sora and Jax, the former our wiry, middle-aged forward scout, the latter much younger, but possibly one of the best swordsmen I’ve ever seen—were waiting for me. Between Sora and Jax was a simple litter on which a freshly killed boar lay stretched.

“Is this a goodbye or good riddance greeting party?” I asked with a grin.

“I figured you’d forget to pack true necessities, like scribe pens and supplies for yourself, so I did them for you.” Mom motioned toward the litter with her free hand. “I also included a meal for your drakkling.”

“Gria was fed yesterday?—”

Gria always hungry. Will eat.

“And she is also what in human terms would be called an adolescent,” Mom continued, in obvious agreement with Kaia, though I wasn’t entirely sure the two were currently connected. I certainly couldn’t feel her presence along the mental lines. “Trust me, there is no filling man, woman, or beast during that growth period.”

“I wasn’t that bad?—”

“I beg to differ.” She handed the pack she was holding to Kele, then motioned her and the others to move out. Once they had, she returned her attention to me. “There’s a climber’s body harness in the pack. I thought it would be a useful means of attaching yourself to whatever rig you manage to construct for Kaia.”

“I hadn’t even thought of that.”

“Didn’t think you would, given your habit of scrambling over all sorts of mountainside with the barest of gear. I’ve also included additional webbing and bone straps, just in case one or both of you get hit.” She caught my hand and pulled me into a fierce hug. “Please, be careful.”

I hugged her back with my free arm. “I will.”

“You’ve the map?”

I nodded. “Where’s Father?”

“Sleeping. He was supervising the harbor’s clearing most of the night.” Her smile creased the corners of her eyes but couldn’t erase the sadness and the fear that cloaked her. “I was under orders to wake him before you left, but the man is not infallible no matter what he thinks, and he does need to sleep sometimes.”

“He’ll be mighty annoyed.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time, and it’s not like you won’t be coming home to us.” Her gaze met mine steadily. “No risks.”

“No risks,” I agreed, then stepped back. After a slight hesitation, I gave her a nod and walked away.

The weight of her gaze followed me through the gates and into the courtyard beyond.

Because she knew, like I knew, that the mere action of flying Kaia out to Jakarra was perhaps the biggest risk of all, and even if I did survive that, there was no guarantee I would survive whatever might wait on the island.

I caught up with Kele and the team. After I’d tied two of the three packs I was carrying onto the litter, we moved on, making good time up the mountain. Maneuvering the litter through some of the narrower tubes was sometimes tricky, but we did eventually reach the aerie with the boar and the packs in one piece.

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