Page 88 of Dragon Strike (Age of Fire 4)

“As to your comrade, you’ve met two-thirds of our Drakine retainers. Imfamnia still sulks in the hot springs on the western slopes, nursing her bruises.”

She put a curved speaking trumpet to her lips and pointed the bell behind her.

“Pish, a reign cup, to wash out our mouth of the dust.”

The servant hurried forward with a clay vessel over his shoulder and a thick carved horn cup in his hand. AuRon smelled hot copper and blood.

Which was what the reservoir within the clay and padding contained. It steamed in the cold air as he poured it.

“Hot calf-blood,” she said. “Will you have some, AuRon? An arrival tonguefull is all I could carry, I’m afraid.”

“I prefer mine still inside the meat,” AuRon said.

“Ah, well, yes. We suppose a full stomach in back balances all that wing weight to the front.”

She drank from the fragrant cup. AuRon noticed that it had a little channel in the lip shaped like a bird-neck that allowed her to insert it in the hole in her mask. The blood smelled warm.

“Ourselves, we hate the feeling of a gorged stomach. It makes us entirely too sleepy. Most of the digestive system is devoted to turning ordinary food into blood. We save ourselves the trouble so that we may think more clearly.”

“The Great Queen is scientifically minded,” DharSii observed.

“I’m afraid we have bad news, dragon. The lands Hischhein promised you were put under the supervision of your old friend, whose name has since been stricken from the rolls of Ghioz and become outlaw. They reverted to the Empire. Though as this had nothing to do with you, we will see to it that you are given their value in coin, though timberless grazing-slopes may not bring as much as you would like.”

“That does not sound like justice to what was promised me.”

“I’m afraid our counselor who made that promise has fallen into disfavor. I asked him to make an alliance with the Wyrmmaster, and the fool sent a dwarf to negotiate and instead made an enemy. I asked him to keep the peace on my borders and offer succor to ancient Hypatia, which sadly no longer seems able to control her destiny, to the misery of all, and instead we had war and throngs of impoverished refugees, elf, dwarf, and man. Finally he promised lands of Imperial Title in exchange for your services, dragon.”

“None of this is through fault of mine,” AuRon said.

“We will satisfy your claim. But first, satisfy our curiosity. What does a gray need with coin?”

AuRon bowed, trying to remember how the dwarves used to speak to the Ironrider princes on the plains. “Your majesty is a scholar of dragons?”

“More of an enthusiastic admirer. Are you a good flier?”

“I’ve won time trials, and the longer the distance, the faster I do.”

“Great Queen,” DharSii whispered.

“Great Queen,” AuRon added.

“No scale to weigh you down.”

“You are perceptive, Great Queen.”

“Perhap it’s the lack of scale, but you look starved. We can see your ribs. We shall have food sent to you.”

“Thank you, Great Queen,” the dragons said, together.

The Red Queen laughed. “We should like to hear you sing, like two birds. We shall do you justice, AuRon from the north. Ghioz is always ready for a new friend. Let us forget Hischhein and that rebel Naf the Dome-burner.”

“Perhaps. As long as the debts of Ghioz are not forgotten along with the names.”

The Queen’s mask at the end of the handle spun and spun again, as though she were deciding whether to show the smiling or frowning face. It ended up smiling.

“Look for us on the morrow. Perhaps we can fulfill more than our counselors promised. DharSii, are you back for the season?”

“No, Great Queen. I came only to accompany AuRon.”

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